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The Internship Trailer: It's Not Too Late

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The new trailer for The Internship has been released. This is definitely the funniest one yet, though it may be giving away most of the best bits, as comedy trailers like this are wont to do.

Have a look:

Wedding Crashers co-stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson reunite as two out-of-touch salesmen who lose their jobs. Looking to begin anew, they compete for an internship role at Google.

Rose Byrne (The Place Beyond the Pines), Max Minghella, John Goodman (The Hangover Part III), Aasif Mandvi, B.J. Novak, and Dylan O'Brien also star.

The Internship premieres June 7.


Weird Science Remake Hires 21 Jump Street Writer

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No, the year is not 1988, despite the following sentence: The writer for 21 Jump Street has been hired to provide the screenplay for Weird Science.

That's Michael Bacall, writer of the film adaptation of 21 Jump Street, which was released last summer to a highly receptive box-office, and a new Weird Scienceremake, being planned by Universal.

Weird Science Anthony Michael Hall Kelly LeBrock

Weird Science, written and directed by John Hughes, came out in 1985. Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock, Bill Paxton, and Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man 3) starred.

The new adaptation will reportedly be edgier and more R-rated that the original. It seems like Bacall is just the man for the job, as he turned what could have been a drab, unfunny 21 Jump Street remake into an innovative, hilarious comedy.

Check out our 21 Jump Street quotes page for a look at Bacall's work.

Man of Steel Still: The Tanks Approach

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Tanks approach Superman in the new still from Man of Steel. Take a look:

Henry Cavill Man of Steel

Henry Cavill stars as Clark Kent, an alien born on Krypton but raised on Earth. Alienated by his superpowers, Kent wrestles with the idea of becoming a hero.

Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe (Les Miserables), and Christopher Meloni (42) also star.

Zack Snyder directs the film, which will premiere June 14. Watch the General Zod video for more.

Simon Killer Exclusive: Brady Corbet and Antonio Campos Go Dark

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Simon Killer writer-director Antonio Campos and star Brady Corbet (Melancholia) sat down with Movie Fanatic recently in Hollywood to talk about their new film that has arrived in theaters and is also available on VOD. As shown in the Simon Killer trailer, the film follows Corbet as the title character, a man recovering from a break-up who heads to Paris to nurse his feelings.

Simon Killer Brady Corbert

He meets and falls for a prostitute and the darker side of his soul begins to emerge. What happens over the remainder of the film will shock and awe. Campos and Corbet tell Movie Fanatic about the inspiration for the film and how redemption is an overused tool in film.

Movie Fanatic: What was the inspiration or genesis of the story?

Antonio Campos: The movie was born out of a period of time when I was reading a lot of books by a guy named Jim Thompson after making After School. I fell in love with his dark characters. This isn’t the same character, but Simon is the same kind of man with the themes of anxiety and confronting a darker side of yourself, and men that were at a point where things in their life were OK and they weren’t going to get any better. They won’t get any worse, just not any better. It follows the process of the downward spiral -- that release that is under the surface.

Movie Fanatic: Did you ever thinking about bringing any of Thompson’s work to the screen?

Antonio Campos: I didn’t want to adapt anything -- I just wanted to run with what he was making me think about. I had this idea of doing a contemporary story about a guy who deals with a break-up by going to Paris, falls for a prostitute and eventually tries to blackmail her. I went to Brady with that basic concept and he and I flushed out what became the outline of the film. That outline, it never changed.

Brady Corbet: Even when we tried to change it [laughs]. Honestly, I was very keen to work with Antonio because we had worked together on films in a lot of different capacities. I saw After School at the 2008 New York Film Festival before I knew him. I was wildly impressed with the film, that a young American had made it. I immediately felt like I had a kindred spirit in the city. I think Antonio would have come to me with anything and I would have followed him down the rabbit hole.

Movie Fanatic: It seems like you're turn the coming-of-age story on its head…

Brady Corbet: I was keen on the idea of subverting the coming-of-age story. I feel like coming-of-age stories are always about redemption. Most let you know that everything is going to be OK. I found it interesting and punk rock saying, “Sometimes it’s not OK.” For us as human beings, some characters in a lifetime, they are something of a lost cause. Because they’re thought to be a lost cause, not too many people take the time to look at those characters. They’re easy to dismiss. They’re on the fringe. It’s something that so few people take a look at, and it’s become Antonio’s area of personal interest in the last few years. I don’t know anyone who’s looking at those types of characters right now. I really don’t.

Antonio Campos Picture

Movie Fanatic: Do you think that what sets this film apart from others is that redemption is not always needed?

Antonio Campos: The main difference, there has been little or no redemption in these characters. You don’t often see that, you see them explore these characters… but they are humanized.

Brady Corbet: You say humanized, they’ve actually chosen the wrong world. In fact, it’s a much more humanistic effort to be really true to a character in a way. It was important for us to not have a charismatic villain. It was more important – I really understood his intent for the character.

Antonio Campos: I think redemption has a place in real life -- but in film if it’s not necessary, you’re left conflicted.

Brady Corbet: Antonio and I, we are mutually obsessed with the frame on our respective projects. If you’re obsessed with the frame, you must also have an obsession with what’s outside the frame. There are a lot of movies that are competently made, but when it’s over it’s over. It would be easy for us to craft with a more satisfactory conclusion. It’s not for the purpose of being opaque. It’s for the viewer. We don’t want to ruin it for you.

Oblivion Review: Tom Cruise Takes Off

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Oblivion arrives firmly within the canon that is a Tom Cruise movie. But, in the end, this film is really at its heart a Joseph Kosinski movie. Kosinski first made his mark with Tron: Legacy, and Oblivion arrives as an idea he had for a film long before that sequel landed on screens in 2010.

Oblivion Stars Tom Cruise

Cruise plays Jack, a futuristic repair guy who is essentially one of two people left behind on Earth. See, aliens invaded and although humans won the war, because we used nukes, the place is basically uninhabitable. So, Jack has to patrol the landscape to ensure that the natural resources culled from the planet we used to call home continue to be shuttled to the orbiting manmade world where humans live above the Earth.

Meanwhile his colleague/love interest Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) mans their home/ground control and ensures that he comes home safely each day.

The most impressive thing about the film, seen in the Oblivion trailer, is the scenic and production design. You have never seen anything like it before and evidence of Kosinski’s architectural background is all over.

From the look and feel of the flying automated pods that ensure safety while occasionally threatening our characters, to the bubble flying machine that Cruise flies to and from the architecture marvel that is Cruise’s home above the clouds… Oblivion is a vision in futuristic filmmaking.

Oblivion’s cast is sparse, and that fact only contributes to the desolate feel of this world. Olga Kurylenko is bloody fierce as the mysterious Julia, who we first meet in dreams Jack has that haunt his very soul. She literally drops into the story in a way that turns what audiences thought was happening on a dime.

Morgan Freeman dazzles as Beech, whose story was hinted at in the second Oblivion movie trailer. He is some sort of mysterious leader of an “are they human?” rag tag group. When his story collides with Cruise’s, the promise of a Cruise-Freeman pairing takes flight. The duo have known each other for decades, but waited for the right project to team up.

It was worth the wait, in the sense that these two have an onscreen volley that is equally mysterious and marvelous. Be warned, it is short in terms of screen time, but just as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro made the most of their time in Heat, so too do Cruise and Freeman in Oblivion.

Olga Kurylenko Stars in Oblivion

The biggest surprise in the ensemble is someone who clearly took the role in Oblivion with the famous Hollywood phrase in mind, “There are no small roles -- only small actors.” Academy Award winner Melissa Leo is Sally, the individual Cruise and Riseborough report to on the mother ship.

We only see her on a small black and white monitor whose reception is average at best. With so little to work with, the actress conveys the power of those in charge and the sensitivity of someone who is vested in the crew she’s leading. And because of Leo, it all adds up to one heck of a twist ending that is compelling, if not somewhat advertised about halfway through.

But there is something that is still vexing. Never before have I seen a film that was at the same time wildly original, yet felt like it still paid tribute to The Matrix, Moon and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Our Oblivion review can state that the film is good fun. There is nothing Earth-shattering about it, but we cannot think of a better way to kick off the summer movie season than with a sci-fi adventure starring Tom Cruise that actually requires its audience to think. And that brain usage during movie viewing will be rewarded by its conclusion.

Seth MacFarlane Asked to Return as Oscar Host for 2014

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As is typically the case, Seth MacFarlane's performance as host of this year's Academy Awards was highly scrutinized, and met with mixed reviews.

Regardless of what you thought of MacFarlane as host, however, he may go at it again next year. With Craig Zadan and Neil Meron returning to produce, they have asked MacFarlane to come back and host.

Seth MacFarlane Hosts Oscars

Apparently, MacFarlane has only a few weeks to decide. He has previously stated that he did not want to host again, but, you know, that's like when a presidential candidate says no, they do not want to be VP.

MacFarlane burst out from his already wildly successful TV show Family Guy last summer with his first feature film, Ted. He is currently in pre-production for his second film, A Million Ways to Die in the West.

Peggy Carter Movie: Could it Happen Down the Line?

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Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter was a beloved character in Captain America. So much so, that many fans were disappointed that Captain America: The Winter Soldierwould take place in the present, and thus have no room for Carter.

Luckily, Marvel has announced that Peggy Carter will appear in The Winter Soldier, in flashback scenes to the WWII storyline.

That may not be the end of Peggy, however, as Atwell recently told The Age, "As part of Comic-Con there will be a little kind of snapshot as to what Peggy’s actually really capable of...Hopefully, it will lead to other things."

Peggy Carter

What that means is unclear. Could Atwell be a part of a Marvel One-Shot, the short films released as part of the Marvel movie DVDs? Or Might she get her own feature at some point?

Atwell would like it to mean a full-fledged movie. "I'd revisit Peggy again...I'd like to, if I get a spin-off, definitely add a bit of humor in there. She's very British. Very uptight. Let's hope if she gets a spin-off it's modern day, so she can relax a little bit, let go of the uniform."

Star Trek Into Darkness Promo: Benedict Cumberbatch Issues a Threat

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A new web promo has debuted for Star Trek Into Darkness. The clip features Benedict Cumberbatch's villain character, issuing  a threat to Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew.

The new film features Cumberbatch (The Hobbit) as the villain, named John Harrison, who attacks Starfleet back on Earth, sending the Enterprise crew on a man hunt to bring him to justice.

Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto return as Kirk and Spock. Alice Eve, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, and Bruce Greenwood also star.

J.J. Abrams directs the sequel, which premieres May 17. Watch the Star Trek Into Darkness trailer for another look.


Thor: The Dark World Poster is Here!

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The first poster for Thor: The Dark World has debuted! Check it out below:

Thor: The Dark World Poster

Chris Hemsworth (who will likely appear in the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman sequel) returns to star in the sequel to 2011's Thor. The Dark World will be the second film released in the Marvel Phase 2 set of movies.

The film will be set one year after The Avengers, and will find Thor battling the vengeful Malekith, played by Christopher Eccleston, to save all nine realms from destruction.

Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Idris Elba, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Zachary Levi, Renee Russo, Anthony Hopkins, and Jaimie Alexander round out the star-studded cast.

Thor: The Dark World will premiere November 8.

Weekend Movie Preview: April 19, 2013

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This weekend movie preview is actually quite quiet. Or, it is just that everyone in Hollywood has such respect for Tom Cruise and his box office clout that they got out of the way of his new flick Oblivion. Since the sci-fi thriller is the only new film landing in theaters, we'll also look at some films that have already been released that we think you should check out.

Oblivion: Aliens invaded Earth and we responded by releasing our nuclear arsenal. Sure, we won the war, but our planet is no longer a livable place. So, the human race packed up and headed to an orbiting facility in the sky. Left below are Tom Cruise and Andrea Riseborough. They are charged with ensuring that the natural resources of the planet continue to be safely uploaded to space. The thing is... nothing is really as it seems. As we state in our Oblivion review, the film is a sci-fi treat and possesses a set design unlike any we've seen recently.

The film is solid and is wildly original science fiction in a cinematic world populated by sequels and remakes.

Already in theaters:

42: Harrison Ford stars as the man who hired Jackie Robinson (a stellar Chadwick Boseman) in the true story of the man who broke the color barrier in baseball. As reported in our 42 review, the cultural icon gets a solid biopic and above all else -- you don't have to enjoy baseball to enjoy this film.

The Place Beyond the Pines: Easily the best movie of the year so far, Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes are marvels in this film that is truly three films. Explained further in our The Place Beyond the Pines review, the filmmaker behind Blue Valentine has done it again by crafting three succinct stories that come together with one explosive premise.

Jurassic Park 3D: Yes, we know you've already seen the Steven Spielberg classic. But, you have never seen it like this. In astounding 3D -- and if you can in IMAX -- the film pops as never before. It's as if Spielberg knew the 3D format was coming the way he framed his shots, and the cinematography is as grand as ever. For more, check out our Jurassic Park 3D review.

Trance: Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire) directs a thriller that really gets inside the mind. James McAvoy is an art auctioneer who may or may not be involved in the heist of a $25 million painting. See, during the robbery he hit his head and now he cannot remember a thing. That's a big problem for the crooks and the cops... as both wonder where the painting has been stashed. So he goes to see a hypnotherapist (Rosario Dawson) in hopes of unlocking his memories.

Our Trance review finds the film a thrilling ride that will stick with you for days after the final credits roll.

After Earth Release Date Pushed Forward to May 31

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M. Night Shyamalan's abandoned Earth movie will hit theaters one week earlier than originally planned, on May 31.

After Earth, which bears some resemblance to this weekend's big release, Oblivionwas originally scheduled for June 7.

After Earth Jaden Smith

The film stars Will and Jaden Smith as Cypher and Kitai, a father and son who embark on a mission back to Earth after the planet has been abandoned for 1000 years. When their ship crashes and Cypher is critically injured, Kitai must take charge in order to escape the now dangerous world.

The new release date will give After Earth two weekends in theaters before being challenged by Man of Steel on June 14.

This is the End 4/20 Video Promotes Tomorrow's "Holliday"

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Tomorrow is 4/20. I won't explain to the uninitiated what that indicates (if you don't know, Google it).

In honor of the "holiday," though, there's a new promo for This is The End. It doesn't seem like a stoner comedy, as such, but given that it uses a lot of the same players from Pineapple Express, I think it counts.

The promo promises that if you buy advanced tickets for This is The End tomorrow, they will buy you "munchies."

Seth Rogen, James Franco (Oz the Great and Powerful), Jonah Hill, Jay Baruschel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson star as themselves in the apocalyptic comedy. Rogen also co-wrote and co-directed the film with Evan Goldberg.

Catch This is the End in theaters June 12. Watch the This is the End red band trailer to see more.

The Wolverine Stills: Introducing Viper

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A batch of new stills from The Wolverine have dropped, including two images of Svetlana Khodchenkova as Viper. Take a look:

Svetlana Khodchenkova is Viper
  • Viper from The Wolverine
  • Hugh Jackman is The Wolverine
  • The Wolverine Rila Fukushima Hugh Jackman
  • The Wolverine Rila Fukushima
  • The Wolverine Hugh Jackman Pic
  • The Wolverine Hugh Jackman
  • The Wolverine Tao Okamoto
  • Hugh Jackman The Wolverine Still

Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) returns to the role of Logan, a.k.a Wolverine. The film follows the X-Man to Japan, where he must confront a mysterious figure from his past.

Hiroyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Famke Janssen, and Will Yun Lee also star.

James Mangold directs the film, which premieres July 26. Watch The Wolverine trailer for more.

Garden State Follow-Up Kickstarter Launched by Zach Braff

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Zach Braff hasn't made a movie since the 2004 hit Garden State. That space has kind of been taken over by How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor (happythankyoumoreplease and Liberal Arts).

But now, Braff has taken to Kickstarter to help fund his new script, titled Wish I Was Here.

Zach Braff Photograph

In the Kickstarter video, Braff explains that the film acts as a follow-up "in tone" but not "in story" to Garden State, with Braff directing and starring.

Braff was inspired by the incredible support given by fans to the Veronica Mars Kickstarter, and decided that the film, which had run into financing snags, was worth pursuing on a crowdfunded platform.

The actor was last seen in Sam Raimi's Oz the Great and Powerful, but he has not had a writing or directing role on anything except Scrubs since Garden State.

Head to the Wish I Was Here Kickstarter page to watch the video, check out the rewards, and donate to the movie.

Arthur Newman: Emily Blunt & Colin Firth Talk His "Body Function" Name

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Arthur Newman star Colin Firth could easily have a reputation of being rather serious. The Oscar winner (for The King's Speech) is, in fact, the source of much humor on set, and as it turns out... in person. “People think I’m a big ol' stiff,” Firth said.

Movie Fanatic caught up with Arthur Newman stars Firth and Emily Blunt and the actress admitted his humor was quite the surprise as well.

“I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did,” Blunt admitted as she turned to Firth. “I thought you were going to be quite straight-laced.”

As teased in the Arthur Newman trailer, the story follows a man (Firth) who takes on a new identity when he has had enough of his own life... and then he hits the road, where he meets Blunt's character.

When we asked Firth and his co-star what name they would choose if they had to change their moniker, Firth surprised us. It seems he would keep his first name and change his last. The actor hilariously believes it could describe the body's way of getting rid of gas!

“Firth is not one that is easy outside the English speaking world,” Firth said. “It sounds like a body function or something.”

Blunt ran with it. "Firthed...!" she added.

Arthur Newman hits theaters this Friday and features two well-known British actors killing it with American accents -- stay tuned for our review, debuting April 26.


Divergent: First Image Featuring Shailene Woodley Arrives

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The first image from Divergent is here!

Filming has just begun in Chicago, but fans are so eager to get a glimpse that the studio has released this picture, courtesy of EW, featuring Shailene Woodley (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) as Beatrice Prior.

Shailene Woodley Divergent

The film takes place in a futuristic world where society is divided into five factions based on different virtues. Beatrice is a girl who opts to switch to a new faction on her 16th birthday.

Ashley Judd (Olympus Has Fallen), Jai Courtney, Kate Winslet, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Tony Goldwyn, Ben Lamb and Christian Madsen also star.

Divergent is based on the first book in the Young Adult series by Veronica Roth. It has a release date set for March 21, 2014.

At Any Price Review: Dennis Quaid Delves Deep

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At Any Price features a world that is about as true about our nation’s family farms as could be portrayed on film. Dennis Quaid is Henry Whipple, the leader of a family farm who has high hopes that his sons will take over the business as he did from his father and he did from his.

Dennis Quaid At Any Price

As teased in the At Any Price trailer, the only thing is Quaid’s oldest son Grant (Patrick Stevens) has wanderlust and leaves for college and never returns as he travels the world. His youngest son Dean (Zac Efron) has dreams of being a NASCAR driver and being a farmer is about as far from his future plans as exist.

But, the future of the American family farm is not truly what At Any Price is about. The themes of director Ramin Bahrani's film have more to do with the lengths a parent will go to protect his or her children -- all within the landscape of the cutthroat world of agricultural seed re-selling.

Bahrani also wrote the screenplay with Hallie Elizabeth Newton and it's quite the multi-layered tale. There’s the storyline of Henry’s affair with a local woman (Heather Graham) who also has eyes for Dean, even though he has a loyal girlfriend (Maika Monroe). Then they insert an intensely competitive capitalist subplot involving a rival farm family and their desire to be the number one seed seller in the state.

Each of those plots would have made a great movie. But, all told, it leaves At Any Price a muddled piece of filmmaking. There is a solid film in there. It’s just not what audiences will witness when it hits theaters today.

Zac Efron Dennis Quaid At Any Price

The biggest flaw has to be a huge twist on which the entire film drastically turns at about the hour mark. We won’t give anything away, but what is left in the plot turn's wake is a film that will leave audiences questioning the morals of all those involved in this entire story.

Each aspect of At Any Price could have been enough to fill out a solid drama from the plotlines of the family farmer having an affair while his son is also being courted by the woman… good movie. Family farmer tries to get his son to take over the business, even though he dreams of NASCAR fame and fortune -- another solid story.

But, our At Any Price review states that what we are shown in the film feels bloated and overwrought with drama. It’s just too much.

Guardians of the Galaxy Villain: Lee Pace in Talks for the Role

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Pre-production on Guardians of the Galaxy is kicking into full gear, as more actors continue to join the cast.

Yesterday, Ophelia Lovibond joined Guardians of the Galaxy in an unspecified role. And today, we've learned that Lee Pace is in final negotiations to play the villain.

Lee Pace Photo

The villain has not yet been identified, though rumors have been swirling that The Controller, a scientist skilled in mind control, will be the main antagonist. Thanos, who was teased at the end of The Avengers, will also be involved in some way.

Pace, known for his role on Pushing Daisies as well as for films such as Lincoln and The Hobbit, tested for the role of Star-Lord that eventually went to Chris Pratt.

Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness), and Michael Rooker have also been cast. Guardians of the Galaxy is set to come out August 1, 2014.

Much Ado About Nothing Trailer Drops

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A new UK trailer for Much Ado About Nothing has landed. While it looks fun and interesting, it is extremely low-contrast, which gives it a sort of student film vibe.

Joss Whedon's Shakespeare adaptation stars Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Spencer Treat Clark, Ashley Johnson, and many more.

The film was completed last year, and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. It rounded out a year for Joss Whedon that featured three very disparate films: Cabin in the WoodsThe Avengers, and Much Ado About Nothing.

The film will hit theaters June 7.

After Earth TV Spot: We Used to Celebrate Earth Day

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The latest TV spot for the sci-fi film After Earth has premiered and it is timely to say the least. It bows in the shadow of Earth Day 2013 and the opening line by star Will Smith says it all, "We used to celebrate Earth Day, but one day wasn't enough to save the planet."

What's so fascinating to us here at Movie Fanatic is that since the first After Earth trailer arrived starring Smith and his son Jaden, there is scarcely a mention of the film's director.

If you had the helmer behind The Sixth Sense, wouldn't you advertise that fact? But since M. Night Shyamalan has not fielded a hit of late (The Last Airbender anyone?), perhaps the studio wants the Smith tandem to speak for the movie. But, this writer feels that given other people's material, like with After Earth, the wickedly talented Shyamalan can work magic.

We'll see when After Earth lands in theaters May 31.

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