"The Expendables" Trailer

Lionsgate has unleashed the trailer for Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables, due to hit theaters on August 13th.

Starring what seems to be every major action star and wrestler-turned-action-star on the planet, The Expendables is about a group of mercanaries who are double-crossed (by the usual villians who should know better) while on a mission to overthrow a corrupt South American dictator.

Click below to play Spot the Badass for yourself:

For those keeping score, The Expendables cast includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Eric Roberts, and what appear to be cameos by Bruce Willis and a certain California governor. 

The plot, of course, seems utterly ridiculous, but with a lineup like that, this movie definitely has the potential to be spectacularly awesome, especially in August when the big summer releases are winding down.

MovieMoan Is Back!

As the song from 'First Blood' goes; "It's a looooooooong road..." and I know it has been a long haul for our friends out there who have been waiting for our podcast 'movie moan' to return.

You have my eternal thanks for your paitience while we got it up and running over at our new home of www.IESB.net.  While we had teething troubles getting the shows up, we didn't stop doing them and there will be a plethora of content on its way within the next few weeks.

The first of the new podcasts can be found right here:

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8860:movie-moan-lou-vs-the-world&catid=41:news&Itemid=71

And to celebrate, I've put together a trailer reel of highlights from 2009 I thought you'd enjoy.  Here's to many more:

Domestic "Iron Man 2" Poster

Right on the heels of the release of the international Iron Man 2 poster comes the US version, courtesy of Superhero Hype.  It's minus the 'splosions from the international version, plus the shot of Whiplash has been switched to an image of Iron Man (falling? flying? I can't tell), and features a much cooler shot of War Machine.

Personally, I liked the image of Whiplash on the international poster better.  Probably because I think Mickey Rourke is going to rock this film.

Iron Man 2 releases in the US on May 7th. 

Knight and Day Trailer 2

A new trailer has arrived online for the new Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz action comedy "Kinight and Day," directed by James Mangold it is Tom Cruise' first foray into the summer blockbuster market since Mission Impossible III.

The first trailer was good but this second trailer is fantastic, Cruise has some great lines in here and there is a sparky chemistry between him and Diaz. The trailer also shows more of the big action sequences including the awesome looking bike chase that was filmed in Seville.

"Knight and Day" opens on June 25th and you can check out the trailer below.

The Buzz & Woody Project

Got a couple of new Toy Story goodies today.  First, Disney/Pixar has announced special "Cliffhanger Edition" screenings of Toy Story 3 that will be shown at specially selected colleges.  Students who would like to see the first 65 minutes of the movie for free (which I'm not quite sure I can see the point of, but hey, it's free) can sign up at the official Disney/Pixar Facebook page for details.

Those of us who cannot attend one of the Cliffhanger screenings - because some of us were in college when the first Toy Story movie was released and have long since graduated - are not being totally left out in the cold.  The blu-ray editions of the first two films that were released last week each included an $8.50 coupon good towards a Toy Story 3 ticket for when it's officially released on June 18th. 

You can also check out the new viral videos just released by Disney/Pixar, which includes this hilarious Paranormal Activity spoof:

Moaning 'Bout A Movie - Closer

And here we go again:

New International Poster for Ironman 2

Due out May 7th, 2010, Ironman 2 is quickly becoming not only one of the most anticipated sequels, but one of the most awaited films of the year. 

You would think with such high expectations, they would have worked on the poster a little more. That's just my opinion, though.

The Monster Squad Returns

It appears that Platinum Dunes isn’t quite finished pillaging the 80’s hit list in lieu of reattaching the chin strap of their thinking caps and actually coming up with an original script. Deadline Hollywood reports that plans are in motion for a re-make of The Monster Squad, a cult classic from 1987.

As a business venture, its probably not a bad idea. Let’s face it, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13^th movies, along with the upcoming Nightmare on Elm Street, are movie gold for the studios, when you consider how small the budget is compared the return.

The original Monster Squad centered around a group of boys, who learn that Dracula and company (Wolfman, Gillman, Frankenstein and The Mummy) are, in fact real, and in town to take an amulet, which, composed of pure goodness, could destroy the monsters when paired with information from within the diary of Abraham Van Helsing.

Rob Cohen, director of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, will helm the film, which is only fitting since he served as producer of the original. Platinum Dunes is meeting with writers, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for Shane Black to return as the scribe.

Its another film that I’m up in the air about. Even with the aid of newly developed special effects, movies like this have somehow managed to lose their charm since their reign in the 80’s. Maybe with a different spin on it, they may produce something worthwhile. I’m skeptical about it for now, though. And I'm really worried that the kids of today won't know what nards are. What do you guys think?

One, two, Freddy's coming for you...

Freddy Krueger will not just be invading our nightmares in theaters again next month, it appears he's also returned to his old stomping grounds on MTV (at least something from the 80s still remains on MTV).  Click 3X premiered three new 'break-ins' in which the razor-gloved terror will be interrupting regular programming to promote the shockingly impressive-looking remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

Check out of one of the clips below:

As someone who has childhood memories of fleeing to the movie theater lobby to play video games during one of the original Nightmare films, (and who still remembers this MTV promo), I wasn't originally sold on a remake of one of my favorite horror films.  But between the genius casting of Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy, and the clips I've seen so far, I'm really starting to look forward to seeing this. 

I may even stay in the theater for entire movie this time.  Seriously, he used to scare the crap out of me.

Chris Evans is Captain America!!!

After a long and strenous process where it seems everyone and their mother was tapped to potentially weild the mighty shield, Captain America finally has a face, and it is none other than the Human Torch himself Chris Evans according to The Hollywood Reporter, article can be read here.

While this seems like a safe choice, given the outrage that Krasinski got at the prospect of being Captain America, I think Chris Evans will be a great Captain America. Evans has been in some really bad films, but in those bad films, he was always a positive of those films. Imagine what he can do in a good movie! Plus, Evans is young. He has charisma. He looks a lot like Cap. I don't think Evans being the Human Torch really matters in regard to Captain America, since the FOX films will never crossover into the Marvel film universe. The question I think people really have is, does he have the acting ability to lead a group of men consisting of Rovert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark believably. I think Evans will shock us all in his attempt to portray the heart of the Avengers, and do just that.

It was a crazy process and made fans nuts, but all in all, I say job well done once again Marvel!