The Hobbit finally gets its BILBO!

Martin Freeman has been tapped to play Biblo Baggins in the Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit." The film (which will be split into two movies) has finally grown some legs after month and months of delay. Martin Freeman has been in previous movies such as Love Actually, that Hitcher's Guide movie, and star of the UK version of THE OFFICE (the original office). Now I haven't yet read the book, but if Legolas doesn't make an appearance, I may be pissed.

Holy Crap! It has been a WHILE!

Okay... being gone this long I feel like I should give a longer type of post. A few things have been brought to my attention via various blogs/sites that have really gotten me pumped.... Here goes!

Tom Hardy casted as a "Significant Character" in Batman 3.

The Christopher Nolan directed sequel to THE DARK KNIGHT (which begins filming in April in New Orleans) has its first major addition aside from the 4 regulars (Bale, Caine, Freeman, Oldman). Not a huge shocker here. Hardy, off his recent INCEPTION fame, gets to team up with Nolan again. Which is sort of Nolan's M.O. Who will he play? Who knows. The "Joseph Gordon Levitt as the Riddler" rumor is still pretty strong. But hopefully we can hear more soon. Will I be as obsessed with this one as I was for TDK? Probs.

Feel the Vibration! Mark Wahlberg rumored as lead in remake of "The Crow".... what?

This is pretty odd if it does turn out to be true. Behind The Dark Knight, The Crow is number 2 in my heart and dvd collection. My one regret in life is that I never saw it in the theater. A buddy of mine once said he thought that The Crow (circa '94, starring the late Brandon Lee... who also died while filming... sorta like Ledger in TDK... whose make up in TDK sorta resembles Lee's in the Crow) really didn't stand the test of time (F/X, etc.) which I quickly refuted. But is it worthy of a remake? The original CROW spawned 3 horrible sequels (Speed 2 caliber) yet it seems that a remake is needed. I am interested to learn more about this to see what actually ends up happening. I will tell you this much, if the next CROW has a boston accent I am gonna go insane.

Last but not least (well...probably least), Mel Gibson rumored to have a cameo in The Hangover 2. I am sure it will be offensive.

Okay, glad the Blog is back as I am sure my 3 readers are also glad (thanks mom, ali and Mel!)

Christopher Nolan to assist in Superman Reboot.....and more!!!!

Christopher Nolan has agreed to help Warner Bros. develop a reboot to the Superman Franchise. Not much to report here. No word on whether or not Bryan Singer will be back to direct or if Brandon Routh will return as the man of steel, but Nolan will provide consultative duties over the film.

In other news.... the report of Nolan's involvement with the Superman franchise also brings word that Nolan has finalized his concept for the follow up to his Comic book opus THE DARK KNIGHT and that Jonah Nolan and David S Goyer will work Nolan to begin penning the 3rd Batman Film!!!

Let the dorking out begin!!!

Sherlock Holmes 2 gets the go-ahead!

Coming off the lame news the Spiderman movies are going south... its gives me great pleasure to hear that Robert Downey Jr. has cleared his scheduled to begin working on the sequel to Sherlock Holmes!!! The film, once again helmed by ex- Mr. Madonna Guy Ritchie, is slated to start filming in June of this year. I hope they can get both RDJ and Jude Law back for the sequel! Now if they could just supply the film in the theaters with subtitles, I will be able to follow the janky-english dialogue!

Spider Man getting a Reboot: Raimi and Maquire exit franchise!

It's a sad day in the comic book world. Sony announces that director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maquire will be leaving the lucrative Spiderman Franchise and Sony will be focusing on a "reboot." The fourth entry to the series was slated for Summer 2011 release. The film was haulted a few days ago due to script issues. Raimi claimed issues with a script he was uncomfortable with. Sony, knowing that Maquire would peace-out if Raimi left the series, decided to part ways and script a reboot.

Other reasons for the exodus are that Sony budget the film at $230 million, not quite the $300 budget of Spiderman 3. Entertainment Weekly confirmed that SONY is looking for a more gritty rendition, similiar to Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS (ya, good luck with that). Lastly, a script rumor had Mary Jane Watson sporting a spidey-bump? Should that have been true, let's actually thank Raimi for walking.

Personally, I think this is probably the best move for all parties involved. Sam Raimi publicly denounced Spider-Man 3. He claimed to have severe issues with the script and that SONY pushed Venom's presence in the film. Apparently Raimi didn't want to repeat the mistakes of SM3. Mistakes indeed. SM3 fell short of my (and many) expectations for a Spiderman film. Two villians in a one film is hard enough. A villian such as venom should have been given an entire movie. Raimi had zero desire to incorporate Venom into the third film (maybe not even the franchise).

The real sad part of this is that myself and Andy Weise will no longer get to enjoy the real star of the Spiderman series, J.K. Simmon's J. Jonah Jameson aka Peter Parker obnoxious spiderman-hating boss at the news paper. That guy (as he does in most of his movies) stole the show in each film.

It will be interesting to see what SONY delivers after this news. Sam Raimi will move forward and make great flicks. Maquire did a FANTASTIC job in last months BROTHERS. I think the real losers in this is SONY. But the real question is, who will step into the spidey suit next?

Update: Back from Holiday break, onto a new place!

So it's been a while since my last posting. Luckily (for my 3 avid readers), there is a lot more to come!!! Christmas is over, 2010 has begun, and it looks like it is going to be a great year.

First off, the biggest news thus far is that I am relocating to Chicago, IL. I am staying with my same division at 3M which is awesome! I am psyched to do my current job, but in the Windy City! I looks like I will be there by March. I hope I can take a personal day and enjoy the St. Patrick's Day celebration. Any visitors are welcome! I have a busy couple of months with wrapping up my life in Dallas and getting started on my new adventure in Chicago.

Secondly, Melissa and I booked our Flights for ITALY!!! The two of us will be venturing back to the place we met to visit my sister Ali during the last week of April/first week of May. I can't wait to drink that olive oil straight from the bottle!

I wanted to get some movie reviews in this first post but I needed to share the moving news first. Christmas break had its fair share of movies. I made it out to see Avatar, Up in the air, Sherlock Holmes and It's Complicated. Here goes...

AVATAR

I loved this movie. Seeing it in 3-D really made for an exciting experience. I found myself blurting out "Cool" and "Wow" through out the 2 and 1/2 hour flick. Visually, the film conquers all. It is above and beyond anything that I have ever seen. In an interview, James Cameron stated and I will paraphrase "With the technology we used (he developed), Clint Eastwood could make one last Dirty Harry movie, use the technology, and the end result would look as if Clint was the same age he was when he filmed the movies way back when." That is some pretty cool stuff. My only wonder is how will the film translate to the television/blu ray experience. I plan on seeing the film one last time in 2-D to get myself prepared for the Blu-ray.

A few of my friends felt the plot of the film was pretty weak. I liked the story; I felt like the story was solid enough to compliment the Special FX. The film revolves around a race of native aliens known as the Na'vi that live above a large mineral deposit. This mineral deposit is worth billions of dollars to the team of scientists and armed forces that reside there also. A group of scientists that use AVATAR bodies to walk and breath like the ten feet tall, blue Na'vi with the goal to safely and diplomatically relocate the natives.

Honestly, whether or not you think the story is weak, the movie rocks. It is making all types of cash and is a must see!

UP IN THE AIR

Jason Reitman's follow-up to JUNO proves to be a winner amongst critics. I also liked the movie. George Clooney once again does a fantastic job becoming his character. Vera Farmiga (Matt Damon's girlfriends in THE DEPARTED) and Anna Kendrick (Twilight's Jessica) give fantastic performances as well. Is it the best movie of the year? I don't think so. The lessons that each character learns about themselves is quite interesting. I also found the film a bit heartbreaking (towards the end). Clooney's RYAN character finds himself evolving and it is interesting to see him deal with that evolution. If you can't make it to the theater, catch this one on DVD. I make it a point to see as many of the nominated films as possible, and with the Oscars expanding the best picture category to ten movies this year... it is sure to be nominated.

SHERLOCK HOLMES

Robert Downey Jr. can do no wrong! I actually prefer him British than American. He makes each character stand out in their own way while infusing the Downey-swagger we have all come to love and expect out of his movies.

Not to mention that the movie started with an amazing trailer of Iron Man 2, the movie was a blast. From the dueling dialogue between Holmes and Watson (a fantastic Jude Law. I am hoping for an oscar-nod for him), to the cinematography and the twists and turns of the story, the movie is exciting from start to finish. The fast talking old English jargon kept you listening carefully. I can't wait for the dvd subtitles! The way in which Guy Ritchie shot the film was incredible. (Similiar to how The Dark Knight's Gotham City played more of a character role than a setting role) Guy Ritchie brings life to late 1800's England. Its mesmerizing how a film built on mainly dull black, grey and brown colors can evoke so much life into the screen.

By the end of the movie, so want to know what happens next. You want the sequel to come out next summer so you don't have to wait for the next film. Definitely make an effort the see this movie. It's awesome.

It's Complicated

Two words: Alec Baldwin. Like Downey Jr, we all come to expect a certain degree of machismo and bravado from Baldwin. Some may say he simply furthers his 30 Rock role in this movie, but I disagree. Their is far more emotion in his character than his rugged business man Jack Donaghey.

Secondly, The Office's John Krasinski proves to be a comic wonder, playing the soon-to-be son in law to Meryl Strep and Alec Baldwin. He becomes privy to the knowledge of Strep and Baldwin's post marriage affair.

The film's got a ton of heart, even more humor, and smokingly-hilarious bathroom scene. Definitely check this out. A good date movie/weekend comedy. It also left me feeling hungry for pastries.

Well there you have it!!! Exciting relocation news and four movie posts. Check back soon for blog posts regardings the NFC East showdown in Dallas, Book of Eli review, and updates on the Chicago move! Melissa and I will be there in two weeks to look for apartments!!!

Peace Sign.

Five Fav's of Christmas Movie Magic

Movies are a huge part of my Holiday Season routine. This year (like many years) the Holiday movies start coming out in Theaters in November to capitalize on the poorly marketing Thanksgiving being overshadowed by Christmas. We have ABC Family's annual 25 Days of Christmas. Some movies may be more aimed toward kids but they still manage to knock out some Christmas classics. December also starts the big OSCAR push- love it. Not to mention the Kehoe Family Christmas Day Movie Tradition. This year- Sherlock Holmes.

I guess the only downside is that beside this two month stretch, I never really watch "Christmas" Movies. The following list is comprised of films that I love to watch around the Holidays (whether being affiliated with Christmas or not):

(In no particular order)

1. Elf

The only Will Ferrell movie that I genuinely love, Elf brought back the wonder and magic back to Christmas flicks. No matter your age nor your taste in Will Ferrell, this movie is for everyone. Ferrell's Buddy brings out the kids in all of us, more so because his character is basically a child. My favorite scene is when Buddy decorates Gimble's Department Story for "santa's arrival."

Overall, a great feel good movie to pop in the dvd player this time of year. Also, it has been brought to my attention that is also serves as a stylish new drinking game movie. Have a nip after each time the words "Buddy", "elf" or "Christmas" are said. Goes great with some Egg Nog.

2. Love Actually

Yes, it falls into the chick flick catagory- so what? It is a great ensemble cast full of characters with individual stories that are intertwined together. Each character deals with their own struggles around the Holiday season and its hilarious to see how they all pan out. Did I mention Keira Knightly is in it? 'Nuff reason for me to watch it.

There is the young couple that meets while "standing in" for actors in movies. The foul-mouthed Bill Nighy's aging rocker looking for a come back at all costs proves to serve as one of the best characters in the picture. Most of the characters have some type of evolution from start to finish, finding themselves and finding the solution to their predicament. My favorite scene is undoubtedly when Andrew Lincoln's Mark character shows up to Keira Knightly's door. One of those scenes that every guy wishes they could have thought of. And lastly, Hugh Grant proves effective and surprisingly powerful as the Prime Minister (p.s. nice punk on Billy Bob Thorton). I watched this movie last night and I am sure I will watch it a few more times before the 25th.

3. Lord of the Rings Trilogy

My first movie that does not have one single aspect of Christmas in it at all! I think these movies always make a come back for me around the holidays because of the movies original release dates. From December 2001 to December 2003, each holiday season had a new LOTR chapter for us to gush over. Some good memories of those openings. Most notably(and hilarious), Blake Hreha taking his shirt off during the midnight showing of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers because the Apple Valley Carmike movie theater auditorium (theater #8 for anyone interested) was so damn hot due to the maximum capacity crowd.

The midnight showings were always a bit rough since the movies were pushing 3 hours. I also think back to seeing LOTR: Return of the King and heading to one of the first Christmas sweater parties (back when the venue was at a small Duplex on the U of M campus rather than Sally's Bar- 9th and 9th?). Least to say, some great memories around these movies all culminating with the complete sweep of the 2004 Oscar telecast.

An amazing journey with brilliantly developed characters and loads of heart. I always try to do the LOTR Trilogy one-day marathon, but clocking in around at least ten hours it may prove to be one heck of a day.

4. National Lampoon's Chirstmas Vacation

This Christmas classic reminds me of my buddies The Vogel Brothers. Both Nick and Dan are huge Christmas guys and I know they love this movie. Nick, Dan and their older brother Joe are in the armed forces are will be away from their families this Christmas. This is a shout out to them. Let us wish they a safe and merry Christmas. Looking forward to having you guys back soon! My favorite of the Chevy Chase vacation movies. Side splitting antics and loads of holiday cheer.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Ron Howard, Jim Carrey and Christmas. Does it get any better? In my opinion, the only Dr. Seuss adapted movie worth spending money on. Its got everything we wanted from the original animated movie (even the song!). With narration by the incomparable Sir Anthony Hopkins, the movie is brilliant. Also worth mentioning Rick Baker's astounding make up work on Whoville's people. They at first look like rodent's but they are some amazing customes, sets and effects in the film. The movie makes you wish Mount Krumpet was an amusement park for the winter season.

I couldn't end this with out a few shout-outs/honorable mentions. They are too many movies out to put in a top 5 because they are so many great ones. And also some darn right bad ones:

3 close calls:

-The Christmas Story (did you know the guy who played Raphlie is produced IRON MAN and directed COUPLES RETREAT?)

-A Christmas Carol (Jim Carrey's remake, see review)

-Home Alone 1 & 2

3 Awful Christmas Movies:

- Fred Claus

- Four Christmases (sorry Vince Vaughn, your Xmas movies suck)

- Black Christmas (a holiday horror? please)

I aim to netflix BAD SANTA because I heard its hilarious. I recently bought The Polar Express for $3 at Target(thank you black friday) and I enjoyed it! I was trying to look for a way to sneak in The Dark Knight, but honestly there is nothing holiday cheery about that movie.

See you at the Sweater Party!