The ensemble crime comedy Seven Psychopaths is one of the biggest surprises of the cinematic year. Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and even the always awesome Tom Waits elevate their game to heights never thought possible.

Writer-director Martin McDonagh has not only crafted a wickedly supreme caper film with a pitch perfect cast, but also one of the biggest laugh-per-minute experiences this year. Where his In Bruges was more melancholy and manic with its comedy and drama, Seven Psychopaths is a balls-to-the-wall full emotional encompassing ride.

At the center of the movie is Bonny. The adorable Shih Tzu is the light of the life of one of our Seven Psychopaths, Harrelson's Charlie. Harrelson has played psychotic before, most notably in Natural Born Killers, but none fit him like a glove as his role as the most psychotic of the Seven Psychopaths. The gun toting LA gangster rules his landscape with the credo of shoot first and second. Yet when it comes to tracking down the "scumbags" that kidnapped Bonny, he becomes completely emotionally unraveled. Could the key to a potential fatal flaw weigh to our "villain" weigh less than 15 pounds?

Rockwell and Walken, who actually started their sizzling chemistry on the Broadway stage acting opposite one another in a play written by McDonagh, are truly the highlight of the film. They are the duo who dog-nap across Los Angeles. Things were going swimmingly for the pair as they simply waited for a reward sign to go up, return the dog saying they “found” it and boom… money collected.

Through Walken and Rockwell, the audience experiences multiple sides of a cinema crime story, seen through McDonagh's writing. But it is the actors who bring this dynamic duo to life. First, Walken does his best work -- and that is saying something. As Hans, he is both someone who is capable of violence, yet also possesses incredible insight and heart. When Farrell’s screenwriter has hit a bump in the road, it is Hans who provides the deep-seeded wisdom to send him over the writer’s block hump.

Walken plays the two sides of Hans -- the adoring husband and the man with a criminal and secretive past -- with equal panache and vigor. The way Walken says much with few words is a study in searing the silver screen and then there is the way he utters words themselves... it is priceless. And his partner in crime is up for the task.

Rockwell has always been one of Movie Fanatic’s favorite performers. Can you imagine The Green Mile, or even Charlie’s Angels, without him? It's even evident in the Seven Psychopaths red band trailer is the fact that like Walken -- the film allows the actor to give a performance with multiple sides. His BFF to Farrell is one of the most adoring relationships in the movie. Yet, there is a part of the the actor's imagining of the character of Billy that gives viewers pause and then credence that something darker and explosive lurks below.

Seven Psychopaths ups the humor-violence quotient set by films such as Pulp Fiction. It also recalls Coen Brothers’ films with their flair for pairing brutal scenes with black comedy. Honestly, in the end, the McDonagh film is all its own in a category of pure brilliance.

What to expect from a Kevin James movie that is produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production house may not be what you expect. To quote our Henry Winkler exclusive interview, “They have heart.” When it comes to that fact, it could not be truer with James’ latest where he stars as a teacher who hits the ring as an MMA fighter in order to save his school’s arts program.

You can forgive Winkler for being generous with the praise on anything Happy Madison because it’s his music teacher, Mr. Streb, whose career and students are at risk in the gratifying comedy that yes, manages to bring a little Boom.

Greg Germann’s principal is dedicated to see this cut in his school's arts program through while putting in his place the speaking up at the wrong time teacher, played by James. Germann is a screen presence and is in fact just surly enough to be an evil yin to James and Winkler’s yang in a film like Here Comes the Boom.

Here Comes the Boom is not trying to change the world, but wait… maybe it is. As arts programs in our schools have been steadily cut for over a decade and its proof of benefit to our children is real… perhaps James has produced his most timely film ever!

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rigor that James goes through is a chance for the burly actor to show his comic mettle and it works. More importantly, the audience pulls for him which is not easy to achieve in a sports comedy.

Salma Hayek is a love interest-cheerleader for the cause, but is underused. Yet, it is not really her story. Her school nurse serves its purpose and it’s nice to see her in the role, but come on… hire Hayek and only put her in 20 minutes of the movie?

It is easy to see why the UFC was fine with this film as their logo and universe is all over Here Comes the Boom. There’s the positive message. It’s uplifting and James could not be more perfect for the role -- which is understandable as he co-wrote the script.

After watching recent reruns of The King of Queens, Movie Fanatic was reminded of the comic talents of its star. His steady climb into the higher comedy echelons of Hollywood is easily understood seeing how much he’s comically grown starring and anchoring Here Comes the Boom.

A new trailer has dropped for Gangster Squad. Check it out:

 

Gangster Squad Movie Trailer

Sean Penn stars as Mickey Cohen, an East Coast gangster who moves to 1940s Los Angeles to take over the town. In response, LAPD Sergeant John O'Mara, played by Josh Brolin, assembles a squad of cops who work outside the law to stop him.

Ryan Gosling (Drive), Emma Stone (Movie 43), Nick Nolte, Michael Pena, and Giovanni Ribisi (Ted) also star. Ruben Fleischer directs the film, which will hit theaters January 11, 2013.

We've got a whole batch of new stills from The Man with the Iron Fists, written by, directed by, and starring RZA. Check them out (click thumbnails to enlarge):

RZA plays The Blacksmith, a weapons maker in a small 19th Century Chinese village. When the village comes under attack, he bands together with a group of warriors.

Russell Crowe (Les Miserables), Lucy Liu, Cung Le, Byron Mann, David Bautista, Jamie Chung (The Hangover 2), and Pam Grier also star.

The Man with the Iron Fists premieres November 2. Watch The Man with the Iron Fists red band trailer for a closer look.

It would be easy to discount Sinister as another horror movie seeking to exploit the desire for good scares from the horror movie fan universe. Through our Sinister review, you will learn that to be wrong. The film is a much needed shot in the arm of originality for the genre that more often than not of late, has come up short in that department.

In a horror world filled with movies that have Roman numerals next to their name, Sinister scores because it is something we’ve never seen before.

Ethan Hawke portrays true crime novelist Ellison Oswalt. As the story commences, it becomes clear that law enforcement is not a fan of his work. Fred Thompson’s sheriff lets the author know that he will get no help in investigating the horrible crime that happened in his town. Seems a little girl hung her family from the backyard tree and disappeared.

Oswalt, we learn, has had one hit book and that was over a decade ago. Since then, he has enraged police departments across the country. In many subsequent novels, the cops feel the author has given a callus portrayal of their investigative practices determining what happened during unspeakable crimes -- all for profit.

Hawke arrives in this quaint town with his wife, son and daughter. The audience understands why he’s there, but his family -- knowing his line of work -- chooses to remain ignorant as to why they have moved (again). Another clue the viewer is exposed to that the family is not… the killings happened at the very home where they are unloading boxes.

Sinister does its horror thing by establishing a reason for the mayhem, all while keeping the answers at bay while the questions pile up. As seen in the Sinister red band trailer, there is a puppet master to the madness at the Oswalt home. The thing is… what does the Pagan God Bagul want? And as the Have You Seen Him Sinister poster alludes... if you have, it's too late. You're already dead.

The film, directed by Scott Derrickson, also brings something new that is a variation of something that is getting old. Found footage movies have rightfully found a home with the horror genre. Yet, it has reached a point of saturation. In Sinister, there is footage that is found, but it is not utilized in a way that exploits a filmmaker’s mode of storytelling.

Oswalt finds a box of home movies in the attic. The audience gets to discover what is on them as he does, except we don’t have the crutch of a bottle of scotch that makes it easier for our crime novelist to digest what he’s witnessing. It is one gruesome family being murdered after another. This discovery sends Hawke searching for clues. Where are these murders? When did they take place? Why are these movies in this house?

It is through these home movie murders that Sinister becomes truly skin-crawlingly creepy. So much so, that you will not be able to shake it… long after Halloween has faded into memory. The film’s lead has avoided the horror genre because, as he said in our Ethan Hawke exclusive interview, it didn’t speak to him. That the Sinister story scored the serious actor should give further weight to the power this film has in its own right, regardless of its scary genre home.

A new poster has dropped for the upcoming sci-fi comedy movie The World's End. Take a look:

Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz creators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright co-wrote the film, with Wright directing and Pegg starring along with frequent co-star Nick Frost.

The film follows a group of friends who reunite to repeat a legendary pub crawl that they embarked on twenty years ago, attempting to reach the fabled "World's End" pub. Slowly they realize that their fight is not just against their own livers, but against a sinster force that threatens mankind.

Martin Freeman (The Hobbit), Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher), and Paddy Considine also star. The film has a release date set for October 25, 2013.

Earlier this week we saw the Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean poster and the Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert poster. Now we have a new Les Miserables character poster featuring Amanda Seyfried as an older Cosette. Take a look:

The film is based on the stage musical, which in turn was based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It follows a man on the run from the law in 19th-century Paris, who cares for an orphaned girl.

Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter also star. Tom Hooper directs the film, which was filmed in an unconventional way with the singing recorded live on camera. Check out this Les Miserables featurette to learn more about it, then catch the film in theaters December 25.

Rosemary’s Baby made Mia Farrow a household name, but did it in a way that still scares us silly. The film about a woman about to give birth to the son of Satan put the possessed child subgenre of horror on the map and along the way gave us some spectacularly scary lines.

We’ve compiled some of the absolute best in Rosemary’s Baby quotes.

Minnie Castevet: He chose you, honey! From all the women in the world to be the mother of his only living son! | permalink

Edward Hutchins: Pregnant women are supposed to gain, not lose weight! | permalink

Rosemary Woodhouse: Witches... All of them witches! | permalink

Roman Castevet: To 1966! The year one! | permalink

Mr. Nicklas: That's odd! | permalink

Mrs. Gilmore: We're your friends, Rosemary. There's nothing to be scared about. Honest and truly there isn't! | permalink

Rosemary Woodhouse: What have you done to him? What have you done to his eyes, you maniacs!
Roman Castevet: He has his father's eyes.
Rosemary Woodhouse: What do you mean? Guy's eyes are normal! | permalink

Grace Cardiff: He told me to make sure and tell you: the name is an anagram. | permalink

Rosemary Woodhouse: This is no dream! This is really happening! | permalink

Rosemary Woodhouse: Oh, God!
Roman Castevet: God is dead! Satan lives! | permalink

With four outstanding films and one pretty good movie, this weekend at the movies could be one of the best in recent memory.

One of the presumptive Best Picture nominees arrives with Ben Affleck’s Argo, the greatest horror movie of the Halloween season lands with Sinister, Kevin James gets in the ring for his students in Here Comes the Boom, Colin Farrell and Christopher Walken do black comedy in the stellar Seven Psychopaths and finally, Mary Elizabeth Winstead announces her place on the Academy’s Best Actress list in Smashed.

Argo: It’s official. Affleck is an astounding director. The helmer is also the star of this little known true story of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. Six Americans managed to escape and the movie tells the tale of how a CIA agent (Affleck) worked with Hollywood to stage a fake film, head into Iran to “scout locations” and rescue the U.S. citizens. Our Argo review states that the film is a Best Picture frontrunner.

 

Argo Trailer

Seven Psychopaths: A stellar cast including Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken star in this crime-comedy caper that is about as perfect as a movie of its type can be, as we report in our Seven Psychopaths review. What happens when a pair of dog-nappers take the Shih Tzu of a deranged gangster? It’s both funny and horribly violent… in the best of ways.

 

Seven Psychopaths Trailer

Here Comes the Boom: James does his comedy thing in a pitch perfect way as a high school teacher who hits the ring as an MMA fighter trying to get funds to save his good friend’s (Henry Winkler) music program. Our Here Comes the Boom review finds the film predictable, but still quite hilarious and heartwarming.

 

Here Comes the Boom Trailer

Sinister: The horror movie to see this Halloween has arrived. Ethan Hawke is a true crime novelist who through his drive to have another successful book, sends his family into terror as they are being haunted -- and taunted -- by an unknown force. Check out our Sinister review for more. 

 

Sinister Trailer

Smashed: Winstead may not be a front-runner for Best Actress, but in Smashed, she establishes herself as one of those who deserve to be in the category of the five that are nominated. Rarely does a getting sober movie capture all the emotional ups and downs of that difficult task, as we explain further in our Smashed review.

 

Smashed Trailer

The horror matchups keep on coming! In the Tournament of Movie Fanatic Horror Bracket, we've already presented The Exorcist vs. 28 Days Later, The Shining vs. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Thing vs. The Sixth Sense, and Scream vs. Friday the 13th, and those polls will stay open until the end of the round, so click the links to vote!

Today we've got two classic horror films based on novels: Rosemary's Baby and Misery. Scroll down to read about these films and cast your vote, then check out the update bracket below!

Rosemary's Baby: The 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby still haunts as devilishly as it did when it arrived. The predecessor to possessed children stories that litter the landscape now (Sinister, The House at the End of the Street) started a trend that would be followed by The Omen and its ilk. Mia Farrow stars as a mother who becomes mysteriously pregnant and it gets even weirder when a group of people who claim to be supporting her began to show signs of having ulterior motives. Is her child the son of Satan? You betcha and Farrow’s cry of “What have you done to him?” still haunts. Check out our Rosemary's Baby quotes page for more.

vs.

Misery: Sometimes the scariest situations are not supernatural, superhuman, or otherworldly. That is the case in Misery, where an author played by James Caan is held captive by a crazed fan. There are no ghosts, no zombies, no aliens, and no spells, just an entirely believable, entirely terrifying, and entirely human performance by Kathy Bates. Rob Reiner directed the film, with his prior two movies being the entirely unterrifying When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride. Check out our Misery quotes page for more.

Which horror movie is better?

A new featurette for Cloud Atlas has hit the internet, and it shows off some of the really cool visual storytelling techniques used by the film's three directors (that's so many directors!). Have a look:

 

Cloud Atlas Featurette

As you can see from the featurette, the film stars Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in multiple roles. Based on the novel by David Mitchell, the film explores how the actions of one can affect the lives of others throughout time.

Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving (The Hobbit), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall), James D'Arcy, Keith David, Zhou Xun, Doona Bae, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant also star as multiple characters.

Tom Tykwer and Lana and Andy Wachowski direct the film, which comes out October 26. For more, check out the extended Cloud Atlas trailer.

Unfilmable books are the bane of Hollywood (no, that's not quite like the Bane of Gotham). Novel adaptations are an attractive prospect because they come with a proven story and a built-in audience, but sometimes it's not that simple.

It takes a truly dedicated director with a very clear vision to pull off an adaptation of a book that has been deemed "unfilmable." Classically unfilmable books that have been given a try include David Cronenberg's adaptation of William S. Burroughs' disjointed collection of drug-hazed vignettes Naked Lunch, and the adaptation of fellow beat Jack Kerouac's On the Road, starring Kristen Stewart, which will finally be released in the U.S. on December 21. Both have been met with incredibly mixed critical response.

Other unfilmable novels include two that seem cursed, given their track record of failed attempts: Don Quixote and A Confederacy of Dunces, the latter of which is currently being developed for The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis.

Now, Ang Lee takes on Life of Pi. Unlike the previous adaptations mentioned, Life of Pi has been considered unfilmable not because of the intimate, stream-of-consciousness nature of the writing nor because of numerous failed attempts, but because of the logistics of the story.

Much of the film takes place on a lifeboat, where the main character Pi, played by Suraj Sharma, is stranded alone with a Bengal tiger. Think Castaway, only Wilson could kill you.

Hear some insight into how Lee pulled it off in this Life of Pi featurette, then check out the Life of Pi trailer before the film hits theaters November 21.

 

Life of Pi Featurette

Olivia Thirlby is having quite a fall 2012. First, she stole scenes from the super stellar Karl Urban in Dredd 3D and now she's back on screen in the gripping Nobody Walks. The uniquely L.A. story finds Thirlby's character causing a bit of trouble when she moves into the lives of a seemingly happily married couple played by John Krasinski and Rosemarie DeWitt. "I thought the character was very complex in very unexpected ways," Thirlby said.

The actress spoke to Movie Fanatic for an exclusive interview recently and took us inside what it was that made her decide to make Nobody Walks. It probably has to do something with the fact that her BFF since she was a little girl, Lena Dunham, co-wrote and stars in the film. "She's an ancient friend of mine," Thirlby added. "We went to kindergarten together!"

 

Olivia Thirlby Exclusive Interview

The Ring arrived in 2002 and the remake of the Japanese horror classic Ringu became an instant hit. The film stars Naomi Watts as the mother of a teenage girl whose friend dies mysteriously after witnessing a videotape that contains horrible images. It seems that when someone watches the tape, they get a call from a mysterious girl who tells them they have seven days to live.

There is no question that The Ring is one of the scariest movies of all-time, but it also holds the esteemed honor of possessing some utterly freaky lines that are sure to terrify, long after the credits have rolled. Check out our favorite The Ring quotes.

Rachel Keller: He watched the tape.
Noah: Who? Who watched it?
Rachel Keller: Our son. | permalink

Rachel Keller: Kate told you she was going to die?
Aidan Keller: She said she didn't have enough time. | permalink

Katie: Becca, quit being a bitch! | permalink

Ruth: I spent four hours on the internet and I couldn't find one single case of a 16-year-old girl's heart just stopping. I spoke to three different doctors and not one of them could tell me exactly what happened to my daughter. | permalink

Noah (after watching the videotape): That was a very student film. | permalink

Becca: You start to play it and it's like somebody's nightmare. And then this woman comes on, smiling at you, right? Seeing you... through the screen! Then when it's over, your phone rings, someone knows you watched the tape... and what they say is," You will die in seven days." | permalink

There are only two matchups left in the first round of the Tournament of Movie Fanatic Horror Bracket! That means that tomorrow will be the last day to vote for your favorites to advance to round two.

Let's go over all the matchups so far (click the links to vote): The Exorcist vs. 28 Days Later, The Shining vs. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Thing vs. The Sixth Sense, Scream vs. Friday the 13th, Rosemary's Baby vs. Misery, and The Evil Dead vs. Poltergeist.

Today's matchup pits two 21st-Century horror movie adaptations against each other! One comes from a Japanese movie (which in turn came from a Japanese book), and the other from a novel. Yes, it's The Ring vs. American Psycho. Scroll down to read about these films and cast your vote, then check out the update bracket below!

The Ring: The Ring is an American remake of the classic Japanese thriller Ringu and focused on a cursed videotape that brings horror to anyone who witnesses it. Both films are based on the book Ringu by Koji Suzuki and shows how after witnessing the terrible images on the videotape, the phone rings and a little girl's voice tells the viewer that they have seven days to live. Katie (Amber Tamblyn) tells her friend Becca (Rachael Bella) about watching the tape with her boyfriend seven days prior. Crazy things start to happen almost immediately, including TV sets turning on magically, before Katie dies horribly as Becca watches. Naomi Watts (Movie 43) stars as the mother of a child who has more than her fair share of terror after the above mentioned videotape enters their life. The 2002 American version became a blockbuster hit and turned Watts into an A-list star. Check out our The Ring quotes page for more!

vs.

American Psycho: While American Psycho may be considered predominantly a combination of thriller and dark comedy, we think that its playful take on a slasher film qualifies it for our horror bracket. Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises) plays Patrick Bateman, a high-powered stock broker winds up deeply immersed in his secret fantasy life as a psychotic serial killer. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the film is creepy, gory, psychologically captivating, and very funny all at once.  Check out our American Psycho quotes page for more!

Which horror movie is better?

Haven't had enough of Bilbo and Gandalf in the dozens of The Hobbit images we've already shown you? Well, then, you're in luck, because there are more, courtesy of Cinemarcado. Check them out (click thumbnails to enlarge):

Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins in the prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf the Gray, with Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Benedict Cumberbatch, Graham McTavish, Hugo Weaving (Cloud Atlas), Stephen Fry, Luke Evans, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom also star.

Peter Jackson directs. The first installment, An Unexpected Journey, will premiere December 14.

The poster for the upcoming movie Save the Date has dropped over at ComingSoon.net. The movie stars Lizzy Caplan (whose Marvel One-Shot Item 47 is included on The Avengers Blu-Ray) and Alison Brie (The Five-Year Engagement).

Check out the poster:

Caplan plays Sarah, a girl who recently broke up with her boyfriend while dealing with her sister Beth's (Brie) impending wedding.

Martin Starr (Adventureland), Geoffrey Arend, and Mark Webber also star. The movie will be available On Demand beginning November 8, before premiering in theaters December 14.

Tyler Perry tells Movie Fanatic exclusively that he initially resisted taking the title role in Alex Cross. It's easy to see why. The character was originated by Oscar winner Morgan Freeman in the first two James Patterson page-to-screen efforts, Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider.

"That's why I said no. He's Morgan Freeman! You do not tackle anything he does great because he's Morgan Freeman," Perry said and laughed.

 

Tyler Perry Alex Cross Exclusive Interview

Perry tells us in our exclusive video interview about capturing the cat and mouse narrative of Alex Cross that is integral to the plot with the bad guy, portrayed by Matthew Fox, as well as how nice it was for him to wear just one hat: Actor. "It was a vacation," Perry proudly said. Normally, the performer writes his movies, directs, produces and stars in them.

We also get the scoop on his next writing-directing effort starring Vanessa Williams, The Marriage Counselor.

Besides the stellar true story at the heart of The Sessions, star William H. Macy liked the idea of starring as a “cool” priest that debunked what some may think of a Catholic religious leader. “I shamelessly loved the fact that the priest is the good guy. Maybe it’s the contrarian in me. You say priest and you think of child molestation,” Macy said to Movie Fanatic.

“You know, that ain’t the truth of it. There are thousands upon thousands of priests out there whose job description is ‘Do good.’ You’re in dangerous territory when you start to generalize too much.”

The Sessions is the true story of polio survivor, journalist and poet Mark O’Brien. As astonishingly portrayed by Oscar nominee John Hawkes, we see how the disease has left his muscles ravaged and him unable to move any part of his body. O’Brien was confined to a gurney, laying horizontal for his entire life. Yet, his sexual organs worked just fine and the film tells the story of how his sessions with a sex therapist (Helen Hunt) not only helped him find himself, but also true love.

Fellow Oscar nominee Macy marveled at Hawkes' performance and how the actor had to literally contort himself -- to great personal pain -- in order to capture the physical disability of O’Brien.

“With John, everything he did I see now on film, which I’m here to tell you as a fellow actor is really tough. There’s a lot of physicalization there -- the pain-in-the-ass dues you have to pay. Then, on top of that, you still have to act the scene! To hold yourself still like that and only move your face? Not easy to do. You think it is, but try it for the next six weeks. See how you do,” Macy said and laughed.

The powerful film works on so many levels, one of which is the great mentor-mentee relationship between Macy and Hawkes’ characters, but also to see the two as a couple of men talking the birds and bees.

“John made it look effortless. It came off as two guys bullshitting.”

O’Brien seeks counsel in Macy’s priest. He tells of wanting to explore his sexuality and if the Catholic church would see the sex out of marriage as a sin. The poet was a devout Catholic and his priest’s opinion held great weight. “One says that the question that Father Brendan was asked by his parishioner was, ‘Can I have sex outside of marriage?’ But in reality the majority of the film is him advising his parishioner about his heart,” Macy said.

“I mean he had sex in the third scene or something I had with him and after that it was his heart that was in jeopardy, his soul. One of the big reasons this movie works so well is, let’s face facts, it’s a love story. It’s a weird love story but that’s what the priest is advising him on, matters of the heart."

Macy felt that director Ben Lewin, himself a polio survivor, keenly understood the thin line they were looking to straddle. “Ben was so very aware of how difficult this is when you combine these two subjects -- people with disabilities which really freak us out, if we’re going to be honest about it, and sex, which freaks us out even more,” Macy said and laughed.

With his portrayal of Father Brandon, Macy adds another memorable character to his astonishing resume that includes unforgettable turns in Fargo and Magnolia, to name a few. Yet, he is quick to tribute those who conceived of these people he’s played.

“I think the credit goes to the guys or women that wrote it more than the actor. I thank you. I hope it doesn’t sound disingenuous but some of these great indelible characters that we have in American cinema, another actor could have played it too,” Macy said.

“I mean, there are probably a couple where if it wasn’t Jack it wouldn’t have worked. But a lot of great characters, it could have gone a different way. So I give the credit to the writers for creating these indelible characters.”

When it comes to his career, Macy is brutally frank with Movie Fanatic about what he looks for in a part and how that has changed over the decades.

“In the beginning of my career, I said, ‘What does this have to do with the human condition?’ Halfway through my career, I said, ‘How much am I going to get paid?’ And now I ask, ‘Do I have to get wet?’ he said and laughed.

“Generally now, I like to do the movies that I would like to see. I will take a lesser role for a better movie than the lead in something that’s just not going to see the light of day.”

The first trailer and poster for Iron Man 3 are a week away! But before you go on your 7-day freak-out, sit down for like 6 more seconds and look at this new promotional artwork for the film, from ComicBookMovie.com:

Robert Downey Jr. began his run as Iron Man in 2008, with the film that kicked off the run of Marvel movies, including Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, that culminated in this year's record-smashing mega-hit The Avengers.

Now, Iron Man 3 will kick off the next round of Marvel films. Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Ben Kingsley (The Dictator), Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, and James Badge Dale also star.

Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black and will hit theaters May 3, 2013. Stay tuned for the first trailer and poster, coming soon!