Casting Corner: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gwyneth Paltrow and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Sony, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Animation, Biopics, Drama, Family, Independent, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Jake Gyllenhaal: The Jarhead star may be prepping to play another military man in Source Code, a sci-fi thriller. The movie, which will be directed by Duncan Jones (Moon), centers on a soldier who wakes up as a commuter on a train. The passenger is forced to relive the experience again and again until the mystery behind a bombing is determined. Shooting should start in early 2010.

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Best Movie Heroes

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Adventure, Animation, Classics, Casting, Lists

Yesterday, we took a look at the greatest villains ever to grace the big screen. But where would characters like Emperor Palpatine and Lex Luthor be without their counterparts: the movie heroes?

Today, we’ll look at the greatest heroes who ever shined on film. Will your favorite make the cut?

Shrek (Shrek, 2001; Shrek 2, 2004; Shrek the Third, 2007) voice of Mike Myers: He is the epitome of an unlikely hero and almost unintentionally saves the day every time. In true hero fashion, he does it all with a witty line and an unwillingness to seriously harm evildoers. What cements this animated character as a true movie hero? No hero can save the day without his trusty side quick, and Shrek has the best: Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy).

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AFI’s 10 Top 10

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Animation, Drama, Family, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Lists

If you were busy watching the Boston Celtic dominate the Los Angeles Lakers last night, you probably missed CBS’ latest AFI special. For this year’s countdown, a jury of “over 1,500 leaders from the creative community” helped select the American Film Institute‘s Top 10 Films in 10 different genres.

You can find the titles announced in yesterday’s 3-hour special after the jump.

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Read More | AFIFI

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Justin Timberlake Wears Little for The Love Guru

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Paramount, Comedy, Casting, Celebrity Gossip, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

Tired of seeing Mike Myers repeat the same schtick over and over again? Well, if you’re a Justin Timberlake fan, you may have a whole new reason to watch The Love Guru.

The film, which opens June 20th, features Myers as an American raised in India.  He is invited to the States when his self-help advice is sought.  Timberlake, who wears very little based on the preview pics, plays an athlete who has an affair with a hockey player’s wife.  As for Jessica Alba - I believe she stars as the vacuous beauty.

Surprising fun fact?  Not including his roles in the animated Shrek films, this is Myers’ first live-action role since 2003’s A Cat in the Hat.  It only felt like he was everywhere.

You can view the Guru‘s trailer, after the jump.

Click to continue reading Justin Timberlake Wears Little for The Love Guru

Read More | USA Today

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‘Toy Story’ Goes 3-D

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Animation, Family, Technology, Upcoming Releases

Not wanting to be outdone by some real-life green ogre, the Pixar characters of Toy Story will soon be stepping up their game.  Musicals, schmusicals.  They’re going 3-D.

Fourteen years after they were first introduced, a reinvigorated Woody and Buzz Lightyear will return for fans old and new.  A revamped version of their Oscar-nominated gem will hit theaters Oct. 2009 followed by a retooled Toy Story 2 a few months later.  (This will allow those who were 10 years old back in 1995 to now bring their own children with them.) 

These releases will not only create buzz for the June 2010 premiere of Toy Story 3, it will give Disney a jump-start on another 3-D film set for that same year:  Shrek Goes Fourth.

Read More | Variety

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‘Shrek’ Comes to the Stage

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Animation, Family

Watch out Oprah, someone else is ready to take on the world.

Despite three big screen installments, a television holiday special and two more sequels to come - Dreamworks just hasn’t had enough.  Hoping to milk its green cash cow for all its worth, the film company will be branching out with its ogre.  Late this summer, Shrek the Musical will make its debut.

The stage production, eventually bound for Broadway, will first make its run in Seattle before coming to the Big Apple.  This will not be the first musical to premiere in the Emerald City.  Tony-award winning Hairspray previewed in WA back in 2002; Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein did the same in August ‘07.

The show at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater is scheduled to run Aug.14-Sept. 21.

Read More | Seattle Times

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New Line Explores Animation With ‘Planet 51’

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: New Line, Animation, Filmmaking, Upcoming Releases

For the first time since the company’s inception, New Line Cinema is gearing up to release an animated film.  The $60 million Planet 51 was created by Ilion Animation Studios and written by Joe Stillman (of Shrek fame).

In case you couldn’t tell from the title, this film’s about a planet. The inhabitants therein are plagued with fear of alien invasion, a horror that is realized when Chuck Baker (an astronaut) enters their galaxy. As he tries to evade capture and return to his home planet, he makes friends with a young alien living on Planet 51.  I found every part of the plot believable until I found out the astronaut’s supposed to be from Earth. Not buying it.

The movie and complementing video game are scheduled for a 2009 release.

Read More | Yahoo! News

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Bee Movie: A Honey of a Flick?

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: DreamWorks, Animation, Family, Upcoming Releases

Former NBC golden boy Jerry Seinfeld, who lives on in syndicated sitcom glory every single day, will celebrate the release of his Bee Movie project this fall. Seinfeld co-wrote the script and lent his voice talent to the film, alongside co-star Renee Zellweger. Dreamworks, the company famous for the Shrek franchise, is behind the Bee Movie – a regular bee-meets-girl kinda thing. The bee in Bee Movie is Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld), who meets and becomes pals with a human florist (Zellweger). The impressive trailers have featured everything from animated clips to funny one-liners delivered by Seinfeld (in a huge bee costume) and director Steven Spielberg, and the Dreamworks association is promising. Could Bee Movie be enough to propel Seinfeld back into the celebrity A-list? Animated bees are funny, right?

Read More | CNN

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FilmCrunch 062: Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, The Good German

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Period, Romance, Sequels, Thrillers, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts

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Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, and the DVD release of The Good German. Plus, Neil goes into detail of his celebrity run-in while working at a high-end Seattle restaurant.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.

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Fifth Shrek to Close Book on Ogre-licious Movies

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: DreamWorks, Animation, Sequels, Comedy, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Though DreamWorks Animation SKG probably hasn’t popped the last celebratory bottle of champagne after the success of Shrek the Third, the studio is planning the fifth – and final – chapter in the daily life of everyone’s favorite ogre. The fourth Shrek is set to come to theatres in 2010, the only one the studio has expressly committed itself to make, but studio insiders say there are five chapters to the Shrek saga. Since the May 18 release of Shrek the Third, the ogre and his pals have raked in $643.6 million for Dreamworks. What will happen in the fifth film? Even the secrets of the fourth film have yet to be revealed, but it’s certain that Shrek will only be successful as long as Eddie Murphy (my personal favorite) remains involved.

Read More | LA Times

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