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Room 237 Trailer Recalls the Shining Trailer

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Check out the trailer for the new documentary Room 237, which takes an in-depth look at Stanley Kubrick's horror classic, The Shining.

While The Shining is well known as one of the best horror films ever made, there is a lot of underlying mystery surrounding the film. In the thirty-plus years since the its release, The Shining has been the center of numerous conspiracy theories, including one that claims The Shining is Kubrick's confession to faking the Moon Landing concurrent with directing 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The film includes footage from The Shining as well as interviews with Kubrick enthusiasts, who discuss these theories.

Room 237 will be available on VOD and in limited release on March 29.


Monsters University Featurette: Hear from the Director

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Director Dan Scanlon discusses Monsters University in this new featurette:

The prequel once again stars John Goodman (ParaNorman) and Billy Crystal as Sulley and Mike. When the two monsters meet in college, they compete with each other as they both hope to become Scarers.

Steve Buscemi, Kelsey Grammer, Frank Oz, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray, Ken Jeong (The Hangover), Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street), J.B. Smoove, and John Ratzenberger also lend their voices.

Monsters University will premiere June 21.

Day of the Falcon Exclusive Clip: Antonio Banderas Goes Medieval

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Movie Fanatic is proud to present an exclusive clip premiere for the new Middle Eastern-set epic, Day of the Falcon. The film finds star Antonio Banderas returning to medieval times for the first time since his stellar turn in The 13th Warrior. Banderas is part of an ensemble cast in director Jean-Jacques Annaud's latest that also features Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Freida Pinto (she of those terrific Slumdog Millionaire quotes).

The film lands March 1 -- currently available with Video On Demand -- and follows the story of two kingdoms who decide to halt their hateful war after decades and find ways to work together. The tale explores the evils of greed, the importance of honor and the balance between betrayal and love.

As teased in the Day of the Falcon trailer, the two kingdoms may have reached peace, but when oil is found between the two clans, the battle is reignited.

Jack the Giant Slayer Trailer: Fee Fi Fo Fum

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Check out the new trailer for Jack the Giant Slayer:

Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) stars as Jack, a young farmer who accidentally opens a gateway to a realm of evil giants. When a Princess is captured, he must fight the giants to save both her and the entire kingdom.

Eleanor Tomlinson plays the princess, with Stanley Tucci (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Ewan McGregor, and Eddie Marson also starring.

Jack the Giant Slayer will premiere March 1. Take a look at some Jack the Giant Slayer stills for more.

Toy Story vs. Back to the Future: Announcing the Tournament of Movie Fanatic Franchises Bracket!

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After using our tournament system to determine the best Comedy of all time and the best Horror movie of all time, we now turn our attention to movie franchises!

There's no question that the franchise is growing more and more popular in Hollywood, with Marvel's superhero franchise redefining how a movie universe can work. Movie Fanatic's own Joel Amos and Micah Gordon have decided to take a look back, however, at their favorite franchises in history.

Their picks will be presented in a series of one-on-one matchups, and you, the reader, get to vote on which franchise will advance, until a champion is crowned! Today's matchup is: Toy Story vs. Back to the Future! Vote below, and scroll down to read about each film. Then check out the full bracket below!

And theWinneris?

In the first round of our Tournament of Movie Fanatic: Best Franchises, we pit the Pixar classic against the Robert Zemeckis time traveling comedy. It's a new tourney and this time out, Movie Fanatic is pitting Hollywood's biggest franchises against each other to determine who is the absolute best. Our first battle, we bring you Toy Story vs. Back to the Future. Who's better: Toy Story or Back to the Future? View Poll »

Toy Story Franchise:

Toy Story revolutionized both computer animation and the children's movie genre, by creating a visually stunning, heartwarming story that could truly be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Not only was the first movie groundbreaking, but Toy Story 3 wowed audiences in what is often considered one of the most emotionally moving movies of the last decade. Pixar's flagship franchise is one of the most universally enjoyable in history. Check out some Toy Story franchise quotes for more.

vs.

Back to the Future Franchise:

The Back to the Future franchise is one of the more underrated series in movie history. Ask anyone who’s seen all three and a smile should emerge from their lips as the film is charming, and looking back, it stands the test of time. Michael J. Fox scored the role of his life as Marty McFly, and his continuing adventures with Doc (Christopher Lloyd) took them into the future, the past and an alternative present that all kept the heart and soul of the first film through the two subsequent movies. Everyone has a favorite -- ours goes back and forth over the years between the first and third. But, there is also an argument to be made for the wildly creative second chapter. See… the pure definition of a solid franchise: All of its films hold water equally. Head to the Back to the Future franchise quotes page for more.

 
Franchise Bracket Round 1

Beautiful Creatures Featurette: Forbidden Romance

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This Valentine's Day offers couples two very disparate ways to share their love: the super-explodey action of A Good Day to Die Hard, or the saccharine supernatural teenaged romance of Beautiful Creatures. Me, I'd prefer something in the middle, maybe a teenaged witch with a gun.

Check out the new featurette for Beautiful Creatures, which explores the relationship between Lena and Ethan:

Alice Englert stars as Lena Duchannes, a witch who emerges from the underground just before an event that will decide her fate forever. To make matters more complicated, she meets local boy Ethan, played by Alden Ehrenreich, and the two form a strong romantic bond.

Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, Thomas Mann (Project X), Emma Thompson, and Margo Martindale also star. Catch Beautiful Creatures in theaters this Thursday, February 14.

A Good Day to Die Hard: Bruce Willis Talks Blockbuster Franchise

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We met A Good Day to Die Hard star Bruce Willis to talk about the Die Hard franchise and how after 25 years, the public still cannot get enough of the wise-cracking John McClane.

Bruce Willis A Good Day to Die Hard

We wondered what is the biggest difference between Willis’ work on Die Hard in 1986 and A Good Day to Die Hard?

“I get up a little slower from the ground after I’ve fallen into something – that dumpster I fell into,” Willis said and laughed. “But, it’s okay. I’m doing alright. I’m here today!”

Willis is clearly a fan of his franchise, but is even more passionate about its ability to work the words Die Hard into the title.

“We only do another Die Hard when they have another really complicated title that no one quite understands. We had just gotten to where we understand Live Free or Die Hard and then now we have A Good Day to Die Hard which, I have to be honest with you, I’m a little baffled still by that one,” Willis said and chuckled. “But it’s a good movie and they’re both good movies.”

The superstar, who recently had the honor of unveiling the Die Hard mural on the 20th Century Fox lot, said that the key to making five movies in 25 years… it all starts with the story. “That’s the thing that triggers another film,” Willis admitted.

He believes that A Good Day to Die Hard is unique in the franchise canon. “This film was much more germane to the Die Hard franchise in that it has to do with family and family conflict. That’s always been a high ticket number with Die Hard. In this case, I was fighting with my son, played by Jai Courtney,” Willis said.

As teased in the A Good Day to Die Hard trailer, the father and son dynamics are as explosive as anything detonated in the entire series. “I have to tell you because it’s not in the film -- somehow it got scratched -- but why my son Jack and I have such a conflicted relationship is because when he was fifteen years old he set South Philadelphia on fire!”

Jai Courtney and Bruce Willis A Good Day to Die Hard

What Willis treasures most about being McClane for over two decades is the good will that is placed on him, due to playing that iconic action hero. “People root for you. People wanna see you because you know someone like me. Somebody that thinks he’s too smart. Somebody who thinks he has everything figured out when, in truth, he doesn’t have anything figured out,” Willis admitted.

What’s so magical about A Good Day to Die Hard is the audience gets to see that the apple does not fall far from the paternal tree. “Now we have my son who thinks he knows everything and that he has everything figured out. But no one here and no one on Earth really has everything figured out,” Willis said. “It’s fun to watch people try to figure it out and get out of each other's way.”

Willis also compares the Die Hard experience to a certain ride. “It’s like going on a roller coaster. You really know your not gonna fall off the roller coaster but it sure seems like you're gonna go flying out of the car,” he said. “These films are like big entertainment roller coasters. That’s my goal.”

When it comes to one of the most popular of Die Hard quotes -- the one that starts with "Yippee Ki Yay" -- Willis admitted that was one that came off the cuff… it was not in the script. “It was an ad-lib,” he said.

“Alan Rickman was such a good bad guy. He was constantly picking on me! He said something to me and I just happened to let that line slip out and it just became part of the fabric of the film.”

Audiences have come to expect the line, but Willis is always diligent about uttering it in just the right spot. “John (Moore, director) had an idea we should say it right away and get it out of the way. We tried that. It always comes at a moment of high danger,” Willis said.

“It’s just amazing to me that the line has lasted this long. Kids say it to me on the street – even grandmas. It’s a little awkward. But I’m happy that they say it. Football players, basketball players!”

What is so special about A Good Day to Die Hard is it took the premise set forth in the first film -- McClane is a highly skilled individual… who is truly a fish out of water -- and brought even more truth to it. The action takes place in Moscow, an especially effective move given how McClane’s character could be seen as a relic of the Reagan-era Cold War.

“Moscow was really built for a couple of fish-out-of-waters like us. I can’t imagine a bigger ocean of non-communication than Eastern Europe and Russia. I think we were all excited about the idea of getting out of the United States and having the film be more international,” Willis said.

“I like seeing myself not be able to figure things out. Not being able to figure out how the car works. Not being able to figure out what someone is saying to me. I can hardly understand English. To try to shoot in Moscow brought that along.”

Although others have tried, Die Hard seems to be the only action franchise out of the 1980s to survive through present day. But Willis does not go there. For him… it’s like comparing apples and oranges.

Bruce Willis A Good Day to Die Hard Image

“I’ve had the opportunity lately to think about those things in terms of action movies and how they compare or compete with each other. I have come to this understanding: I don’t compete with anyone -- I compete with myself. I just try to improve my work and try to do better than I did the last time,” Willis said.

“I’ve been talking about this lately… about how does it feel to be in a film that has stretched over twenty-five years. But, you can only see that from the end of it. No one ever knew at the beginning that we were gonna be doing five of these films. It’s a strange, great honor to still be able to run down the street and do what we do.”

It is clear Willis marvels at the success he’s had with the Die Hard films (chronicled in this Die Hard trip down memory McClane) and relishes the rare opportunity that any actor has to portray one character over a long period of time.

“It is a life in itself. I have really great memories of it and it’s all been good. I have a warm place in my heart for Die Hard.”

A Million Ways to Die in the West Looks to Amanda Seyfried

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A couple weeks ago we reported that Charlize Theron was in talks to join Seth MacFarlane's new comedyA Million Ways to Die in the West. Now, Les Miserables star Amanda Seyfried is looking to join on as well.

Amanda Seyfried Pic

Seth MacFarlane plans to star as a farmer in the Old West, who gets dumped after chickening out of a gun fight. After his heart his broken, he meets the wife of a notorious outlaw, who teaches him how to shoot, and ends up winning his heart.

Seyfried would play MacFarlane's girlfriend, with Theron as the outlaw's wife.

MacFarlane is on a roll, and is looking to capitalize on his recent success and popularity. His last film, Ted, made $528.7 million worldwide, and he will host the Academy Awards on February 24.


Between Two Ferns: Zach Galifianakis Interviews Oscar Nominees

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For the uninitiated, Between Two Ferns is an off-beat web talk-show hosted by a curmudgeonly Zach Galifianakis (best known for his hilarious The Hangover quotes), with some of the biggest names in Show Business as his disinterested guests.

Galifianakis released a special new "Oscar Buzz" episode today, featuring some of the biggest Oscar Nominees this year. Take a look (warning: it's a tad NSFW for language):

Galifianakis' interviewees include Jennifer Lawrence, Christoph Waltz, and Anne Hathaway, all nominated for acting categories in this year's Oscars. Check out some Django Unchained quotes to get a glimpse of Waltz's nominated performance, and tune in to the ceremony on February 24.

Safe Haven: Josh Duhamel on Joining Nicholas Sparks' World

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Safe Haven star Josh Duhamel has done it all, but yet he feels he is still getting started. He started as a popular regular on a soap opera smash, All My Children, starred in a primetime TV hit, Las Vegas, and has appeared in big screen blockbusters such as the Transformers movies. Duhamel has also been quite careful in planning out his career by also starring in films that show that he cannot be drawn and quartered into one stereotype.

Josh Duhamel Julianne Hough Safe Haven

That is why he was at first reluctant to accept the role of Alex in the latest Nicholas Sparks bestseller-to-screen effort, Save Haven. "In the beginning, it was something I didn’t want to do. I feel like I’ve done it before," Duhamel told Movie Fanatic exclusively.

The actor felt that on the outside, there was not too much interesting about the guy. "He’s too perfect. Then the script came back a little while later, and it was better and I knew Lasse (Hallstrom, director) was on board and knew that Relativity Media do these movies well and I trusted them," he stated.

Duhamel found everyone involved malleable to his thoughts on not only the character of Alex, but also overall ideas about the film itself. "I told them my issues that I wanted to mess this guy up. He’s too good. We worked on that. He’s still good in the movie, he has to be to pull it off, but he also has flaws. He doesn’t always do the right thing. He just figures it out as he goes, like any guy would trying to raise two kids on his own," Duhamel said.

"That became interesting to me. It became more and more exciting the more I got to work with Lasse and he would listen to my ideas. A lot of the ideas I had on the day of filming, ended up in the movie. I love working with people who feel that if it’s a good idea, it doesn’t matter where it comes from -- it’s good for the movie. A lot of times, that doesn’t happen."

Having Hallstrom serve as director was another plus for the actor. The Oscar nominee has crafted incredible films from Chocolat to The Cider House Rules. "He’s very patient, tasteful and has absolutely no ego," Duhamel said. "I think he’s an artist and I had a really good time working with him."

And then there's the immediate spark he felt with his co-star, Julianne Hough (Footloose). "Julianne is obviously a beautiful girl, but what makes her shine is there’s a sparkle about the girl. There’s a lot of beautiful girls in this town. There’s something really accessible about her, really relatable and what you see is what you get with her," Duhamel said.

"We didn’t have to force anything. Again, Lasse was great with that. 'Less is more,' he’d say. When you have a girl who is so open, it makes it easy. That’s why I was excited when they cast her."

Being part of a Nicholas Sparks page-to-screen effort is also something Duhamel is proud of achieving. But, he stresses that's not necessarily what he, Hough and Hallstrom sought to achieve... as evidenced by the Safe Haven trailer that shows off a new side of Sparks.

"I feel really grateful and I’m a little surprised that they wanted me. I saw the guys that were in these movies, to think that they thought of me, is pretty flattering," he said of the author that gave us movies from The Notebook to Dear John. "At the same time, you want to put your own stamp on it. This story was different enough with the whole thriller element. The story was so different, we didn’t think about this being a Nicholas Sparks movie, we just shot it."

Don't be surprised if Duhamel continues to keep his audience guessing. "That’s ultimately what you want to do. I’m always trying to break my way out of some box that I’ve been put in. It started on the soap opera in the late 1990s and then I had to bust out of that to prove that I could do primetime TV. Then it became, 'He’s a TV guy, can he do movies?' And then it was, 'He’s just romantic comedies,'" Duhamel admitted.

Julianne Hough Josh Duhamel Safe Haven

"You’re always trying to play against type, but at the same time you take what you get and make the most out of the opportunities. For me, this is what I love about getting to do this. I truly love what I do. It’s a matter of just saying no and hoping that you get an opportunity to do something different. That’s what happened with Safe Haven. I initially felt it was too much like the other stuff that I’ve done, but when you get a chance to work with a director like that, you don’t want to pass that up," Duhamel said.

It’s a constant balancing act of possibilities of a project and the potential of a project. "I just finished Scenic Route, which we got into South by Southwest, which I really love. I got to play a crazy guy with a Mohawk," he said. "Those are the kind of things that I like to do!"

The Sessions: Enter to Win Blu-Ray

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Releasing on Blu-Ray and DVD February 12, discover the captivating and exhilarating The Sessions starring Academy Award winner Helen Hunt, with Academy Award nominees John Hawkes and William H. Macy in this triumphant true story about love, sex, desire... and making every breath count.

The Sessions Blu-Ray

A ‘must own’ for film fans, whether watching for the first time or reliving this incredible tale, The Sessions Blu-ray comes with insightful bonus features including previously unseen footage, in-depth interviews and a look at the women who knew and loved Mark O’Brien.

This is one powerful story, as we stated in our The Sessions review.

Paralyzed and confined to an iron lung since childhood, poet-journalist Mark O’Brien (Hawkes) has overcome adversity time and time again. But now, at age 38, he faces his toughest challenge yet: losing his virginity. With the help of a beautiful therapist (Hunt), a friend (Macy), and his own unbridled sense of optimism and humor, O'Brien embarks on an extraordinary personal journey to discover the wondrous pleasures that make life worth living.

Special Features:
•    Theatrical Feature Blu-ray
•    John Hawkes becomes Mark O Brien
•    Helen Hunt as the Sex Surrogate
•    The Women Who Loved Mark O Brien

Blu-ray Exclusive Features
•    Deleted Scenes
•    Writer/Director Ben Lewin Finds Inspiration
•    A Session with the Cast
•    Ultraviolet Copy

For a chance to win a copy of The Sessions, simply answer the question in our comments section below. We will select two winners on February 19.

In The Sessions, William H Macy portrays a:

a)    Poet
b)    Priest
c)    Journalist

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt and don't miss The Sessions trailer.

Beautiful Creatures: Alden Ehrenreich & Alice Englert Dish Phenomenon

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Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert are star-crossed lovers, as teased in the Beautiful Creatures trailer, and sat down with Movie Fanatic to talk about bringing the vision of authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to life as the film hits theaters February 14.

Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert Beautiful Creatures

The duo play Lena, who is a Caster (a type of witch), and Ethan, an aspiring writer who falls for the mysterious new girl in town. They live in a small South Carolina town with a long history. All Ethan wants to do is get out of town, but now with his new love interest, he’s not so sure.

Ehrenreich and Englert explore how one tackles a book series with a blockbuster following without letting that pressure make you mad.

Movie Fanatic: You guys have done other things before. Is this project any different because you knew there was a built-in audience, due to the books?

Alice Englert: It is different, but you have to forget about it.

Alden Ehrenreich: It’s different now, because the conversation is about a lot more than this movie. It’s about the context in which this happens. The expectation or the illusion of the expectation -- which I don’t think is necessarily real -- there’s hype and stuff like that. But, while we were making the film, even the fan base, we were completely unaware of it. We felt that the best way to serve the people who love this book is to do our best. And doing our best means doing it in a first person mentality about what you’re doing and not thinking about pressure.

Alice Englert: Also, I think the fans have a right to have their opinions and hate us or love us, or whatever they want to do. It’s their right to have their forum, and for us to get involved in it -- there’s something wrong with that. It’s etiquette. It’s manners, they should do this, they’re not expecting we take to heart every single comment… that would be a huge pressure. I actually almost think of it as allowing them to be able to do this without the pressure of thinking we’re going to go, “Ah!”

Alden Ehrenreich: I also think the knee-jerk reaction to a movie, any movie, is not what its legacy is. It’s not what it ends up being. If you read reviews of movies from the past that are thought of as great movies, that doesn’t happen until it soaks into the lives of the people who saw it and it gestates for a while.

Movie Fanatic: Alden, your director mentioned that you weren't really interested in being a part of this type of project. What changed your mind? Because you are perfect with Alice, as shown off in this Beautiful Creatures featurette.

Alden Ehrenreich: The reason I didn't want to be a part of it was the way that it had been pitched to me made it sound like... It didn't sound like its own movie. It sounded like they were just trying to capitalize on this genre, and because of that it wouldn't be something that was personal. When I read the script -- and luckily for me it came around to me again, which I'm really thankful for -- within two pages I knew that that wasn't the case and that the movie had its own DNA.

Movie Fanatic: Did meeting with your director help make up your mind?

Alden Ehrenreich: Yes, he kind of explained to me that everyone he had assembled at that point with the cast and the crew, everyone was intent on making a movie like this but in a way that you hadn't seen before and with more intelligence and humor than you usually see. So that really appealed to me, and then I was just so grateful that I was still able to get in the film.

Jeremy Irons Beautiful Creatures

Movie Fanatic: What did you learn from working with a veteran like Jeremy Irons?

Alice Englert: It’s hard to say what you’ve learned because they show you by example the way they carry themselves and the way they do their work. That’s the greatest thing you can ever get from an actor like that is being able to see them doing their thing.

Alden Ehrenreich: I’d go watch Jeremy on the monitors when he was doing a scene with Viola (Davis) -- because it’s like free acting class. He has such the voice and the power, and I remember his first day, he was doing this scene, we were settling in, and we came back to it again because he felt something could be better in the whole scene. He came in with this resolve and determination. He decided that there was enough pussy-footing around on the first day with jitters and just came in with this bravery, strength and will that was really admirable.

Jessica Alba Calls Sin City A Dame to Kill For "Best Experience of My Life"

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We caught up with Jessica Alba recently as she was talking about her latest film, teased in the Escape From Planet Earth trailer, and she gave us a little insight into one of the most anticipated sequels that is coming soon: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Jessica Alba Sin City

Alba first played Nancy Callahan in 2005's Sin City and it is clear she is truly impressed with how much filmmakers Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez have grown since they first brought the graphic novel's world to life.

As soon as it was confirmed that Jessica Alba had joined Sin City A Dame to Kill For, fans were thrilled. The actress' excitement mirrors her own. "Sin City has really been one of the best experiences so far of my career and life," Alba said.

Check out what she said in our exclusive video below and stay with Movie Fanatic for her entire interview with Rob Corddry for Escape to Planet Earth tomorrow!

Oz The Great and Powerful Featurette: A Fantastical World

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Hear from director Sam Raimi and the cast in the new Oz The Great and Powerful featurette:

The film tells the story of circus magician Oscar Diggs, played by James Franco (Spring Breakers), who is transported to the land of Oz, where the inhabitants think his powers are real. Learning to be a better person, Diggs eventually transforms into the fabled Wizard of Oz.

Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz play the witches. Zach Braff, Joey King, Abigail Spencer, Ted Raimi, and Bruce Campbell also star.

Oz the Great and Powerful premieres March 8. Watch the Oz: The Great and Powerful TV spot for more.

Beautiful Creatures: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl Reveal Movie Secrets

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Beautiful Creatures authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have crafted a young adult phenomenon that has taken the literary world by storm. Now, their novel is hitting the big screen, as teased in this Beautiful Creatures trailer. The film stars Emma Thompson, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis and Emmy Rossum, plus Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert as star-crossed teen lovers flirting with destiny.

Beautiful Creatures Cast

Movie Fanatic caught up with the bestselling pair for an exclusive interview to take us through the process of turning their four-part book series into a cinematic experience. Authors have described the process of having their novels turned into films with varying levels of joy. Garcia and Stohl have nothing but bliss when recalling how their vision came to life on the silver screen.

"We were very lucky and it was very stress free, compared to stories we’ve heard. For us, the stress is what are we going to wear to the premiere and will our makeup be done right," Garcia said and laughed.

Stohl believes that the fantastic experience begins and ends with the film's director, Richard LaGravenese.

"Richard was a kindred spirit early on," Stohl said. "The thing we cared about the most is not one detail of the universe, it’s about profound respect we have for teenagers... which he shares. He also was an awkward teen. He has a teen. We’ve all been through this together. He’s a writer. He loves words."

Garcia felt LaGravenese saw a kindred spirit in the film's lead character, Ethan. "He was a little bit awkward -- but, also loved books. He had some things in common with Ethan," Garcia said. "He found between the casting and costume designer and art director, he put together this A-list, incredible group of people that weren’t necessarily household names, but they are incredibly respected in their field. It’s like he put together the perfect dinner party."

Stohl reported that she and Garcia always write their teen characters as true as possible, thus possibly explaining their extraordinary success with Beautiful Creatures.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Picture

"The other thing that shined is that teenagers have very serious problems, at least in their life at their moment. When you’re watching the movie, I felt the weight of the pressure of the things they were afraid of and worry about," Garcia added. "When you’re a teenager, it feels like literally the world could end if it ends," Garcia said.

"The heart of the story is the teens. So, we cared about them being smart, clever, classic and real. Working out what mattered to them," Stohl added. Proof of that is evident all over this Beautiful Creatures clip.

The authors were a tad worried about the film's director (who also wrote the script) combining two beloved characters. But, like everything else in their page-to-screen journey, they could not be more pleased.

"He was going to combine Alma and Marian, two important characters… we think he did a marvelous job. It’s seamless and beautiful and Viola Davis is masterful in that," Stohl said. She also marveled at the power of Thompson and her ability to capture Sarafine's magical ways from the book... all without computer graphics.

"It was interesting, we thought Sarafine was going to have to be a CG thing, but Emma Thompson used a schizophrenia model which was so good. He was able to take things that were just a couple of lines in our book and bring Ridley’s claiming to life."

Both authors have a message for film fanatics out there... prepare to fall for their Ethan. "The biggest surprise to me is Alden Ehrenreich," Stohl said. "Girls are just going to fall in love with him. He is so charismatic on screen. Ethan is the heart of the story. If you don’t have Ethan right, it doesn’t matter what else is right."

Viola Davis Beautiful Creatures

The duo wrote the first book, never knowing if it would be a hit or not... much less become a Hollywood movie. But, they always imagined it as a series. "We knew it was too big to fit in one story, and we knew how it was going to end," Garcia said.

Stohl said that they didn’t know if they’d be able to continue, but it was always envisioned as a saga. "Because Kami came out of loving comic books, which as you know are serialized, and I made video games for 16 years, which are always never made with just one, we thought this was a saga," she admitted. "And the Southern gothic is always conducive to a series."

When the film premieres on Valentine's Day, Garcia and Stohl will have given their world of Casters (kind of like witches!). They hope all four books will make it to the big screen. Regardless of what happens, they are beyond blissful about one fact.

"All four books are at the top of the charts, and that means that people are keeping reading," Stohl said.

"They’re not just reading the one about the movie -- they’re reading the whole series," Garcia interjected. "Any time a movie can inspire people to read… it’s astounding."


The Internship Trailer: Mental Hunger Games

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Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, who shared some unforgettable Wedding Crashers quotes, are back together again! Check out the first trailer for their upcoming comedy The Internship:

Vaughn and Wilson star as salesmen who lose their jobs because their company has been rendered obsolete by the internet. In order to stay relevant, the men reinvent themselves and vie for an internship position at Google.

Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids), Aasif Mandvi, B.J. Novak, Dlyan O'Brien, John Goodman, Will Ferrell (best known for his amazing Anchorman quotes), and Max Minghella also star.

Shawn Levy directs the film, which was written by Vaughn and Jared Stern. The Internship will hit theaters June 7.

Saving Lincoln Exclusive Clip: Win a Fandango Gift Card!

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Movie Fanatic is proud to premiere an exclusive clip from Saving Lincoln as well as offer an opportunity for one lucky fan to get a signed Saving Lincoln poster by the cast and a $25 Fandango gift card!

Saving Lincoln tells the story of our 16th president and his boyhood friend whom Lincoln took along to Washington to serve as his bodyguard. With the Civil War raging and him fighting to free all the slaves by passing the 13th Amendment, the man had his hands full. In our exclusive clip, we meet the president for a deep conversation that truly sets the tone for the entire film.

What is truly fascinating about this film is filmmaker Salvador Litvak took hi-res photos from the Library of Congress and used them as the background. These images are some of the first photographic images and make the tone of the film absolutely unique in this period where it seems Hollywood has re-discovered its passion for all things Abraham Lincoln.

Without further ado, here is our exclusive clip and be sure to scroll down for your chance to win a prize pack from Saving Lincoln!

We're giving away a signed Saving Lincoln poster by the cast including Tom Amandes, Penelope Ann Miller and Bruce Davison. And as an added bonus, we're throwing in a $25 gift card for Fandango and the book, Lincoln in 3D!

All you have to do to win is...

1. FOLLOW@MovieFanatic on Twitter.

2. RETWEET this tweet along with your choice for your favorite movie president. Make sure you include "@moviefanatic" and a link to this post in your tweet, so we can see it.

Also be sure to follow us so we can contact you if you're the lucky winner. One winner will be selected at random on Tuesday, February 20. Good luck!

Batman vs. Superman: Tournament of Movie Fanatic Franchises Bracket

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The Tournament of Movie Fanatic Franchises Bracket is in full swing, and the polls remain open for our first two matchups, Toy Story vs. Back to the Future, and Star Wars vs. Scream.

We now turn our attention to one of the most ubiquitous matchups in the entertainment world: Batman vs. Superman. The two-seed Dark Knight go up against the eight-seed Man of Steel in the battle of the DC superheroes!

Cast your vote below, then scroll down to read about each Franchise. When you're done, take a look at the full bracket at the bottom of the post to see which matchups are coming up. Voting for all first-round matchups will remain open until the end of the round! Happy voting!

And theWinneris?

It's the third matchup of our Tournament of Movie Fanatic Franchise Bracket! Today we pit two of the biggest superheroes against each other. Movie Fanatic is matching Hollywood's biggest franchises up against each other to determine which is the absolute best. So which DC Comic franchise do you think is better: Batman or Superman? View Poll »

Batman Franchise:

Batman has always been the most cinematic superhero. While Marvel's Avengers franchise has redefined comic book universes in film, Batman was the first hero to launch a long-running series of movies that brought comic book culture into the mainstream. While Tim Burton's original 1989 Batman was brilliant, Christopher Nolan's take on the Dark Knight solidified the Batman universe as a serious filmic venture. Not only that, but with Batman Begins, Nolan revolutionized the language of brooding realism that most comic book movies have been emulating since.

And to further the franchise's legacy, it has been propped up by such great actors as Michael Keaton, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Check out our Batman quotes page for more.

Superman Franchise:

Superman first enthralled movie audiences in 1978 with the Richard Donner classic. Christopher Reeve became an overnight sensation for his portrayal of the titular character and would reprise that role in three subsequent sequels. Up until that point, there had been nothing but failed attempts to bring the greatest superhero in the galaxy (in my humble opinion) to the screen, but the teaming of Donner and Reeve made movie magic.

Donner nailed everything, right on down to the casting of Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, Marlon Brando as Jor-El, Gene Hackman as Lex Luther and chapter two villain, Terence Stamp as General Zod.

Sure, the 2006 Superman Returns was considered a dud, although we truly enjoyed Brandon Routh’s incarnation of Superman. Now we have a new version of the hero in Zack Snyder’s vision of the superhero landing in theaters June 14, appropriately called Man of Steel with Henry Cavill in the title role. Looks like this franchise just got a huge shot in the arm. Head to our Superman quotes page for more.

Franchise Bracket Round 1

The Company You Keep Trailer: We All Died, Some of Us Came Back

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Check out the second trailer for The Company You Keep, directed by Robert Redford:

Redford also stars, as a former Weather Underground member who is wanted for robbery and has been hiding from authorities since the 1970s. Shia LaBeouf plays a reporter who seeks to uncover the truth behind the story.

Susan Sarandon, Julie Christie, Brit Marling, Anna Kendrick, Terrence Howard, Richard Jenkins, Nick Nolte, Sam Elliot, Stanley Tucci (Catching Fire), Stephen Root (Office Space), and Chris Cooper round out the all-star cast.

The Company You Keep is based on novel by Neil Gordon. It will hit theaters September 6.

Escape from Planet Earth: George Lopez on Getting Animated

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George Lopez is no stranger to animated films (including Rio). In fact to say he appreciates the work they offer him is a gross understatement. Movie Fanatic caught up with Lopez for an exclusive video interview where he explains that animation work is a lot harder than it appears.

"Sometimes I think actors can underestimate animation and think that it's not really acting," Lopez said. "It's really serious. You want to make sure that when your voice is in the movie, that you're not the weak link."

Lopez also waxes poetic about who it was who inspired him to step on the stage in the first place to become a stand-up comic. "I have to say, without question, Richard Pryor," he admitted. "Towards the end of his life, he and I became friendly. I spoke at his funeral."

Taking that chance of stepping on a stage with only a microphone as company took some guts. And that chance that Lopez took has resulted in a hit TV show, an enormously successful stand-up career and movie success that only keeps growing.As teased in the Escape from Planet Earth trailer, this film should only enhance that standing.

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