Super (2011)

I like James Gunn. I like Rainn Wilson. I like to see them do a movie project together. I like to see "Super". Nuff said.

The Skinny: Everyday man Frank D'Arbo (Wilson) dons a cape and a cowl to fight crime, and to get back his beautiful wife from the smarmy git of a drug dealer Jacques (Bacon) who has successfully seduced her away from him. To aid him in his crime busting scheme, and to act as the other half of the dynamic duo'ism, you have Libby (Page), his female sidekick. 

The Helmer: James Gunn - Movie 43 (2011), Super ((2010), PG Porn (TV) (2008 - 2009), Humanzee (TV) (2008), Sparky & Mikaela (TV) (2008), Slither (2006), Troman's Edge TV (TV) (2000), Sgt Kubikiman Public Service Announcement (Short TV) (1997), Hamster PSA (Short) (TV) (1997), The Tromaville Cafe (1997), Tromeo & Juliet (1996).

The Casts: Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon

The Tagline: Shut Up Crime!

The Prediction: This is a great combination of people coming together; you have cult-like helmer Gunn spewing forth his helming wisdom (if you've seen the 2006 skin crawling quivering alien comedy horror Slither  both written and directed by him, you know you're in for some gobsmacking sicking goodness), then you have veteran part-evil-part-twitchy-part-intense flinty Kevin Bacon as the bad guy facing off innocent, not-very-smart/completely-shameless Rainn Wilson who is assisted by very-smart Ellen Page (Inception (2010), Juno (2007). Mix it up, shake it about, then pour out the content - and whaddya have? Super hero mayhem with that extra edgy-ness.

Official SIte - The Crimson Bolt
Trailer 

Real Steel (2011)

Dreamworks SKG, a hollywood studio and distributor partly owned by spielberg, katsenberg and geffen AND Indian megladon Reliance coughs up an action fare for its post-summer release - Hugh Jackman putting up his dukes for a robot-versus-robot fight flick. Is the concept cool? Damn straight. 

The Skinny: In the near future sports fighting has changed - humans no longer enter the ring to knock each other out, but instead robots battle it out. Enter Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), ex-boxer and wannabe promoter who tries to revive a discarded robot into a mean fighting machine at the same time create some meaning in his life through the wonderful thing called money ... 

The Helmer: Shawn Levy  - How to Talk to Girls (2012), Family Album (TV) (2011), Date Night (2010), Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian (2009), Night at the Museum (2006), Pepper Dennis (TV) (2006), The Pink Panther (2006), Joint Custody (TV) (2005), The Deerings (TV) (2004), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Just Married (2003), Birds of Prey (TV) (2002), Do Over (TV) (2002), Big Fat Liar (2002), The Famous Jett Jackson (TV) (1998 - 2001), Jett Jackson - The Movie (2001), In a Heartbeat (TV) (2000), So Weird (TV) (1999), Animorphs (TV) (1998 - 1999), Stray Dog (1999), The Secret Life of Alex Mack (TV) (1996 - 1997), Dead Man's Gun (TV) (1997), Address Unknown (1997), Just in Time (1997).

The Casts: Hugh Jackman, Kevin Durand , Evangeline Lilly, Hope Davis.

Release Date: 7th October 2011

The Prediction: Looking at the storyline you see potential hard action - ex-boxer, fight robots, the future ... you mix them up and you get an ex-boxer duking it out with robots in the ring set in the future. Thats what I'd think. But then you check out the trailer, and you read the synopsis and what you get is: ex-boxer, robots, the future - ex-boxer teaching robots how to fight in the future. Does not exactly scream full action does it? It doesnt. And ... theres a little lost son who appears in Charlie's life out of the blues. And there you have the drama element. Added to that you have a helmer who does mainly comedy. So you sit back and think: what the fork? Do I see humans battling robots or do I see robots battling robots, in the ring, like a miniscule version of Transformers? Having said all that however, I am still keen to catch this one. Because the whole set-up does look pretty interesting. What I'm thinking - the could've milked it and pushed it more towards a robot-on-man action flick with a red-hot burning revenge motive. Thats what I'd push for. Damn straight. 

Trailer 

Official Site 

Wiki on Real Steel 

 

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Brandon Routh does not fare well in my books only because of the abysmal Superman Returns; and he didn't leave that much of an impression on Scott Pilgrim Versus the World. At the end of the day, he appears to be another himbo. But is he really? This new film seems to suggest not ...

The Skinny: Private Eye Dylan Dog investigates supernatural matters in the swamps of Louisiana for his werewolf, zombie and vampire clients.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Matt Damon's taking time off from kicking ass and karate-chopping necks to star in this romantic bizarre sci-fi thriller with beauty Emily Blunt. What can go wrong? Possibly nothing?

The Skinny: Politician Dave Norris (Matt Damon) accidentally bumps into the love of his life Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) and falls madly in love, only to be informed by mysterious men that they cannot be together. Why? Because these mysterious men represent the force that guides and manipulate fate and destiny of humans. So what does Jason Bourne oops! I mean politician Dave Norris do? He kicks ass! Tthats what he does! Or, he resist the powers that be to be with the woman he loves and runs all over the place with a light fedora. Understandable because Emily Blunt is kinda hot and she is a keeper.  Based on Philip K.Dick's short story "The Adjustment Team".

The Helmer: George Nolfi- The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

The Casts: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt

Release Date: 3rd March 2011 (Malaysia)

The Prediction: Matt Damon in a romantic movie? Noooo!! But he kicks ass! Yesss!! Okay maybe not, but he does a bit of running about in a light fedora, and fights the mysterious men in suits whilst holding hands with hottie Emily Blunt. The trailer suggests a very decent sci-fi thriller with a weird-like overcast hue of blue and grey; everything looks cold and detached but in a good way. I'm looking forward to this, only because I know Damon delivers and his choice of movies over the years have been spot on. The man rarely misses as he chooses his projects well. So chances are this movie is going to be good. There you go. 

Trailer

Official Site

Rango (2011)

I don't normally do review/predictions on cartoons (or computer generated squiggles) but how can I not do one when Johnny Depp is in it? Far from an action star, he is however, still a relentlessly cool cinematic person. And, I kinda like the look of Rango - a lizard with a hat. How cool is that?

The Skinny: Dreamer chameleon Rango who dreams of heroism, ends up as a sheriff in the dangerous town of Dirt. Can he take on the bad elements and remain alive? Creature catastrophe ensues in this strange and fantastical western.

The Helmer: Gore Verbinski - Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), The Weather Man (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), The Ring (2002), The Mexican (2001), Mousehunt (1997), The Ritual (Short) (1996).

The Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root,

Harry Dean Stanton, Timothy Olyphant, Ray Winstone.

Release Date: 10th March 2011 (Malaysia)

The Prediction: I have to admit I'm looking forward to this movie. I just like the look and feel of the whole project, the creatures and the main star himself, Rango. I mean, its so cool that you have a skinny lizard as a hero gunslinger going against nature's monsters all by his lonesome. This is set to be a fish-out-of-water meets Highnoon with a cast from what? Disney's daydream ensemble? Yeah, why not?Anyways, I love westerns. This movie rocks.

Official Site

Trailer

Source Code (2011)

Jake Gyllenhaal is on the up and up at the moment. With the moderately successful Prince of Persia and the recent critically acclaimed Love and Other Drugs with the sweet-on-the-tongue-chewy-in-the-mouth Anne Hathaway, his career is well plotted. And now we have this action thriller; just so we can decide whether he has the action chops of other manly man of Hollywood.

The Skinny: A soldier is sent into the body of a train commuter who was witness to a bombing - only problem is that he has 8 minutes replayed over and over again to find out who is responsible. Action stuff ensues, with hot chick in tow.

The Helmer: Duncan Jones - Moon (2009), Whistler (2002).

Casts: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monoghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Russel Peters, James A Woods, Michael Arden, Cos Anvar, Joe Cobden, Craig Thomas.

Tagline: Make Every Second Count

Release Date: 21st April 2011 (Malaysia)

Prediction: This project seems quite water proof - Jake Gyllenhaal the current It dude, and British director Duncan Jones who directed the critically acclaimed Moon (2009) mixing it up in an edge of the seat race against time action thriller.Good to see that time-conscious action films are still alive and kicking as it does effectively leave you on the edge of your seat as seen with The Next Three Days. Anyways, if it looks good, and sounds good, then chances are its probably good. So yeah, knock yourself out.

Wikipedia on Source Code (2011)

Official Website

Trailer

Limitless (2011)

Yet another superhero movie ... or is it? 

The Skinny: A copywriter Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper) takes special drugs which provides him with superhuman thinking capabilities. However, it comes with a price, as a group of assassins are hot on his trail. Where did the drugs come from and why do they want him dead? 

The Helmer: Neil Burger - The Lucky Ones (2008), The Illusionist (2006), Interview with the Assassin (2002).

The Casts: Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, A-Team), Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth, Tomas Arana, Robert John Burk.

Tagline: What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?

Release Date: 18 March 2011 (USA)

Prediction: I like Bradley Cooper - he's the kind of guy you can practically squeeze into any genre of movies: action, comedy, romantic, others. Why? Because he's generic but personable with the right degree of darkness when its called upon (remember The Hangover?). Pit him against De Niro in a superhero-without-costume actioneer, helmed by the guy who handled small gems such as the Illusionist then you may have something going on which is worth seeing. Honestly, I don't like superhero movies, especially costumed ones, or ones with obvious bright light powers coming out from your hands. They're generally lame; a substitute for good acting and good scripting. But this one seems a tad different, the superpowers in this instance is super-intelligence; the ability to super-think super-fast in making super amounts of money. My kind of super powers (apart from instant teleportation). Add to all this superness, a pursuing bunch of killers - which enables you to have brains versus brawns (and guns) face-off. Which should make for good entertainment all around.  

Official Trailer
 Official Site