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Gravity: James Cameron Calls It “The Best Space Film Ever Done"

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Gravity is about to set the Toronto Film Festival afire after emerging from the Venice Film Festival as a critical and audience favorite. The Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men) film features Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts on a routine space walk that winds up being anything but routine.

Gravity Photo

Cinema icon James Cameron has seen it and he cannot say enough. The Titanic filmmaker talked to Variety and from what he said… audiences should be lining up to see Gravity when it opens October 4.

Cameron said what we see teased in the Gravity trailer is “the best space film ever done.” Yeah, that is from the man who gave us Aliens and Avatar.

“I was stunned, absolutely floored. I think it’s the best space photography ever done. It’s the movie I’ve been hungry to see for an awful long time. What is interesting is the human dimension -- Alfonso and Sandra working together to create an absolutely seamless portrayal of a woman fighting for her life in zero gravity.”

Having read the script, Cameron marveled at the filmmaker’s ability to bring something to the big screen that he thought was borderline un-filmable. “I thought it was tremendously challenging to shoot with a high degree of veracity to get the real look of zero gravity,” he said.

“I’m sure Alfonso had a real uphill battle with the studio, with everyone involved, to get it the way it needed to look. But he knew in his mind how it needed to look, and he went after it.”

For those of you who have wondered how Bullock in Gravity is going down the Oscar buzz road again after her victorious journey for The Blind Side, just listen to what Cameron had to say about her riveting turn in what is sounding like Cuaron’s masterpiece.

“She’s the one that had to take on this unbelievable challenge to perform it. [It was] probably no less demanding than a Cirque du Soleil performer, from what I can see. There’s an art to that, to creating moments that seem spontaneous but are very highly rehearsed and choreographed. Not too many people can do it. I think it’s really important for people in Hollywood to understand what was accomplished here.”


September Movies: Which Fall Movies are Fine?

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With the passing of Labor Day, the summer movie season is officially over. Summer 2013 box office has been counted and it’s officially a record-breaking year. Now, we look to fall where the quality of the movies is certainly a little better. After all… Oscar contenders almost always land in the final third of the year.

So… what does Hollywood have to offer this September as the leaves start to turn?

Chris Hemsworth Stars in Rush

Why, quite a lot actually and in some ways you’ll see several films that make it look a whole lot like summer hasn’t ended. Like Vin Diesel and Riddick storming onto screens or Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 picking up moments after the first film ended.

Horror is represented, one film certainly scarier than the other. Check out the Insidious Chapter 2 trailer and admit the return of that fearful family isn't truly frightening. Meanwhile, Hell Baby makes light of the terror and had us laughing hysterically.

Oscar contender Rush lands from Ron Howard, who chronicles the legendary rivalry of Formula 1 racing’s James Hunt versus Niki Lauda. Naomi Watts and Robin Wright enter the Best Actress sweeps with Adore. Robert De Niro makes light of his mob past with the mobster in witness protection comedy The Family. And the acting fireworks ought to be huge as Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman try to find Jackman’s kidnapped kid in Prisoners.

And an astonishing directorial debut happens at the end of the month… Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Don Jon.

Let us know:

What September movie are you most excited to see?

 

Kevin Feige Introduces the Guardians of the Galaxy

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Marvel Studios' head Kevin Feige has been on quite a run of late that truly began with the release of Iron Man. He has had great success introducing new superheroes to the masses and making billions in box office along the way.

Guardians of the Galaxy Official Concept Art

But, with Guardians of the Galaxy, he is truly presenting a group of heroes to a larger audience that has never heard of any of them. With no Captain America, The Hulk or Thor in the mix, the film should prove to be the executive’s biggest challenge.

So, thus begins a full court press to bring audiences into the Guardians of the Galaxy world that hits theaters August 1, 2014. Feige was talking with Empire UK magazine and introduced the world to his latest superhero conclave. And he added that not everyone will be foreign to audiences… after all, a certain someone will appear who was seen in The Avengers.

"We’ve already said that Thanos plays a part in it and is a character in it. That in and of itself should tell you it’s connected to the other worlds," Feige said. "Ronan The Accuser is very much the main bad guy. And Thanos is lurking above it all. You will learn more about Thanos in Guardians, for sure. Certainly you’ll get more than the one turn-around-and-smirk. You’ll get much more than that."

Now… meet the gang, otherwise known as the Guardians of the Galaxy!

Peter Quill/Star-Lord: Played by Chris Pratt
"Peter Quill left Earth in the mid-’80s, but when we meet back up with him he’s very much a citizen of the universe."

Drax the Destroyer: Played by Dave Bautista
"Drax has one goal and one goal only, which is to kill Ronan because of a past tragedy."

Gamora: Played by Zoe Saldana
"When we meet Gamora, she’s a bad guy working with Ronan and Nebula and Korath and, by extension, for Thanos. Gamora doesn’t necessarily like doing that anymore, and tries to find a new path for herself. But she has such a reputation as the deadliest woman in the galaxy that people aren’t greeting her with open arms."

Groot: Voice by Vin Diesel
"Groot is a species that happens to look like trees look, and is quite communicative if you can understand the different inflections in the way he says, 'I am Groot.'"

Rocket Raccoon: Voice by Bradley Cooper
"Rocket has been genetically and mechanically altered, he’s an experiment from one part of the galaxy.”

Mad Max 4 Suffers More Delays: Reshoots for Fury Road

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Mad Max 4, or as it is set to be called, Mad Max: Fury Road, has suffered another speed bump. The film that was shut down twice previously, is back in the news as stars and crew have been called back to the George Miller set for reshoots.

Mad Max Fury Road Tom Hardy

Now, reshoots are normally a bad thing. But, they worked out well for Brad Pitt and World War Z!

Miller, director of Mad Max, The Road Warrior (which has one of our Top 10 Car Chases) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, is busy at work getting his final shots necessary to have the film achieve its dream release of sometime in 2014. The film was rumored to be promoted at this summer’s Comic-Con -- with one of our Movie Fanatic Round Table members having it their most anticipated.

Then... it was a no-show. The movie once had Mel Gibson starring, and now has Tom Hardy playing the iconic Australian anti-hero.

Whether Hardy has to return for shoots is not known at the moment, but it’s looking like everyone’s getting together in late November to put the finishing touches on this bad boy.

We’re betting Miller’s opus will still hit screens in 2014 even if it isn’t on its studio’s list of releases for that year. But then again, can you blame them for the omission given the delays in the past?

The fourth Mad Max film also stars Charlize Theron, Zoe Kravitz, Nicholas Hoult and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Kill Your Darlings Trailer: Daniel Radcliffe Joins Beat Generation

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We’ve seen the tease that was the thirty-second first Kill Your Darlings trailer, and now the highly anticipated fall film starring Daniel Radcliffe has released its full theatrical trailer. Radcliffe plays Allen Ginsberg, an icon of literature who made a name for himself during the heyday of the Beat Generation that included authors William S. Burroughs, Lucien Carr and, of course, Jack Kerouac.

As you can see from these Kill Your Darlings photos, the movie has an incredible cast. Beyond Radcliffe’s moving beyond Harry Potter to play the literary legend, Dane DeHaan (next seen in The Amazing Spider-Man 2) is Carr, Ben Foster is Burroughs and Jack Huston is Kerouac.

The cast also features Elizabeth Olsen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Cross and Kyra Sedgwick. It is currently premiering at the Toronto Film Festival and will hit theaters October 18. 

Hell Baby: Thomas Lennon & Ben Garant Chat Creating Hilarious Horror

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Hell Baby writer-directors-stars Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant have worked together for years. We met the guys who are best known as the brain-trust behind Reno 911 and the screenwriters of the Night at the Museum movies for an exclusive chat to talk about making horror hilarious and how they are a study in making under-thinking a concept an art form.

“We took under-thinking to a whole new level,” Lennon said.

As teased in the Hell Baby trailer, Garant and Lennon also star in the film as chain-smoking priests with accents that are done for laughs. They also reported that they crafted the film for humor, without giving too much thought to the hows and whys.

“That's what was nice, a lot of like, ‘What if we did that?’ Like, why does she become possessed?” Lennon said.

To which, Garant answered, “I don’t know!”

Lennon admitted that, like their humor, Hell Baby is not for everybody… as you can tell from the Hell Baby trailer! “But if it’s for you… it’s very much for you,” Lennon admitted of his wicked comedy.

Garant feels that the film is “like Reno, but on nitrous!”

And stay with Movie Fanatic as we run more from our interview where the guys talk the future of Reno 911 and Night at the Museum 3.

Foxcatcher Photos: Steve Carell & Mark Ruffalo Are Unrecognizable!

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Sony Pictures Classics has given us two photos from the Bennett Miller (Moneyball) directed true story, Foxcatcher. The film tells the moving and powerful true tale of Olympic wrestling champs and brothers Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz. Channing Tatum is Mark and Ruffalo (The Avengers) is Dave and their coach is John du Pont (played by Carell).

Think this is a story of athletic inspiration? That’s one way to think of it. The other has to do with how these three lives would never be the same because of murder.

Foxcatcher Steve Carell Channing Tatum

Check out Carell (most recently heard in Despicable Me 2) with his prosthetic nose above… it is unlike anything we’ve seen and Ruffalo -- below -- isn’t so recognizable either!

Foxcatcher Mark Ruffalo Channing Tatum

Foxcatcher lands in theaters December 20. 

Gravity Trailer: Life in Space is Impossible

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Given what James Cameron said about Gravity yesterday, anticipation for the Alfonso Cuaron film has to be sky high. Well, speaking of “up there,” the full trailer for Gravity has landed and spends its first few moments truly laying out there what our protagonists are up against. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are astronauts out on a space walk when they wind up stranded and drifting in space.

From the sounds of this trailer, their hope for survival is not so good. Perhaps, that led Cameron to say it was the “best space movie ever done.”

Movie Fanatic was sold from the very first Gravity trailer. Somehow the idea of Bullock and Clooney commanding two hours of our attention with their lives on the line, hundreds of miles above Earth, had powerful thriller written all over it. Between the power of the filmmaker -- Cuaron -- and the talent of its two leads, both Oscar-winning actors, Gravity could be the movie to beat this fall when it lands in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D on October 4. 

Remember that old tagline and Alien quote "In space, no one can hear you scream?" Gravity seems to have put a new spin on that iconic phrase. Heck, just look at this Gravity still of Bullock lost in space and admit you're not uncontrollably curious!


Thor The Dark World: Malekith Character Poster Revealed!

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Christopher Eccleston is completely unrecognizable as the dark elf Malekith in Thor: The Dark World. Marvel has released the actor’s character poster, hot on the heels of the Thor and Loki character posters.

Thor The Dark World Malekith Poster

As teased in the Thor: The Dark World trailer, Thor is back and this time out… he must find a way to get along with his villainous brother Loki. After what Loki did to New York in The Avengers, we know that must be difficult. But due to evil, such as the one pictured above, they must put aside their differences in order to save their homeland Asgard, and the larger universe.

Thor: The Dark World lands in theaters November 8 and brings back Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba and Jaimie Alexander. 

Riddick: Katee Sackhoff Talks Her Life of Sci-Fi Love

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Riddick star Katee Sackhoff almost had no choice but to evolve into the bad ass sci-fi actress she has become. At an early age -- she tells Movie Fanatic -- her father introduced her to some of the genre’s most kick-ass stars, including a certain Alien heroine who redefined what women do on film.

Riddick Star Katee Sackhoff

“I grew up watching science fiction with my dad. It was kind of our little secret. It was our bonding time as father and daughter. He showed me movies that I should not have been watching,” Sackhoff said and laughed.

“I think I saw Predator when I was six. I knew from a young age that it wasn’t real but I just loved it. We watched so much Star Trek that it was coming out of my ears by the time I was ten. I grew up idolizing these men -- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis -- these guys that embodied everything that action was.”

One day she informed her father what she wanted from her future, and it was then he decided it was time to watch Sigourney Weaver as Ripley.

“I told my dad I wanted to be like one of these guys. He was like, ‘I think we should watch Alien, but don’t tell your mother.’ When I saw it, I realized, ‘Wow, I don’t have to be a dude. I can be Sigourney Weaver.’ Then Linda Hamilton came along and then Lucy Lawless as Xena -- on a weekly basis -- Sarah Michelle Gellar [in Buffy the Vampire Slayer]. They were few and far between, but these strong women kept coming, and they’ve just increased as the years have gone on,” Sackhoff said.

Not that the actress wants to be pigeon-holed as a sci-fi only actress. Turns out she wants to be like Weaver in more than one way. “I’ve always been inspired by Sigourney. I admire how she’s been able to have such diversity in her career. That’s a wonderful thing.”

Audiences first became aware of Sackhoff in TV’s reboot of the sci-fi movie classic Battlestar Galactica. And as seen in the Riddick trailer, they’re about to get another dose of her sci-fi kick-assery.

When it came to making Riddick, she was too excited because it allowed her to work alongside star Vin Diesel. Not only does Diesel star in the film, but he is also a producer and that found Sackhoff finding a new appreciation for the action hero.

Katee Sackhoff Riddick

“He’s amazing. From the minute I met him, he has the ability to make you feel like he’s known you for his entire life and you’ve known him forever. There is this responsibility that you sense he feels he has to this series of movies,” Sackhoff said.

The actress wanted her character, the lone woman in Riddick, not to be a wallflower. So much so, that she wanted to add weight. “I know this is the opposite of women in this business but I wanted to put on ten to fifteen pounds of muscle and some fat because otherwise I’m going to look so small next to these guys. And Vin was like, ‘Do whatever you want to do. You own this character. By the time you get to the set in Montreal, you’ll know her better than anybody,’” Sackhoff said.

“I remember getting to the hotel and he looked at my arms and said, ‘Geez, you did it, kid!’ My arms were huge. So he gave me trust and responsibility and freedom, but he was our boss as well. He allowed me to create this character how I thought it should be.”

Her character of Dahl wasn’t initially the second in command of the group of mercenaries who land on the desolate planet to capture the fugitive Riddick. That was all Sackhoff. “I made a lot of this stuff up. In the script, she wasn’t Boss Johns’ Number 2,” she admitted. “Vin has been married to this project for so long and I’m sure it’s owned a piece of property in his brain. You can sit and listen to him talk about it forever, because he’s just so passionate about it. And he brings that to set every day.”

Riddick star Vin Diesel

Although Sackhoff has worked with her share of weapons during her career, in another bold move of claiming her character, she was forced to learn something new. One of the mercenaries was supposed to be a sharp-shooter… and Sackhoff felt it should be her. Little did she know it would require so much more of her!

“It took a week for me to learn how to take the gun apart and put it back together, get the ammunition and load all the while keeping my eyes down the scope. That’s something I’d never had to do before. The hardest thing for me with that sniper rifle was carrying it in the case, which weighed about 50 pounds,” she said and laughed. “David (Twohy, director) was like, ‘You wanted it. You’re carrying it.’ So I had to carry it for an entire day. Sometimes you have to be uncomfortable!”

Sure, she’s known for being a sci-fi actress who can simultaneously kick butt and be vulnerable at the same time. But, does Sackhoff dream of doing something else? Why, the answer might surprise.

“I’m a lot girlier than the roles I play, but I don’t believe there’s anything wrong in this business for being typecast. I’m trying to create longevity. I also believe that when doors don’t open, make new doors. So I’ve started producing things as well,” Sackhoff said.

Perhaps we’ll see her in a period piece someday? “Sure, maybe I’ll wear a corset at some point and do an English accent.”

Insidious Chapter 2: Masters of Scare Featurette Shows Joy of Fear

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Insidious: Chapter 2 director James Wan and his go-to horror writing cohort Leigh Whannell are at the center of a new featurette from FilmDistrict about their upcoming horror flick. The sequel to Insidious (which topped our Top 10 Horror Films of 2011) lands in theaters -- appropriately enough -- on Friday the Thirteenth of September.

The duo talk about reuniting with original cast Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey and Ty Simpkins and how they sought to raise the bar on the audience the second time around. The above clip even shows how they did it with grainy night-vision shots of audiences jumping out of their seat watching the sequel.

By simply seeing the first Insidious: Chapter 2 trailer, one could see these two were well on their way to capturing lightning twice. Heck, these guys gave us the summer surprise hit The Conjuring, and given their track record, they could write their own Hollywood horror ticket.

Well, except for that little detour the helmer is taking as James Wan is set to direct Fast and Furious 7

A Madea Christmas Poster: Revealed!

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Tyler Perry and his alter ego Madea will be back this holiday season to spread their unique form of cheer in Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas. The first poster for the comedy has arrived and it is kind of surprising to us here at Movie Fanatic. It appears to be Perry as Madea as kind of wooden… and if there is one word to describe Miss Madea it is NOT wooden!

But, if you look closely… it makes perfect sense. Madea is a Nutcracker!

A Madea Christmas Poster

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas comes at audiences December 13 and features Perry, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, Tika Sumpter, Anna Maria Horsford, JR Lemon, Alicia Witt, Lisa Whelchel, Eric Lively and… Larry the Cable Guy? Yup, he’s in it!

This time out, Madea is unwillingly sucked into an effort to have a friend of hers surprise her country-based family for Christmas. As the rural town readies its annual Christmas Carnival… Madea will most certainly be offering her opinions as to how it should be done.

We wouldn’t expect anything less from the woman last seen in Madea's Witness Protection.

And which films do you think are on our Top 10 Tyler Perry Movies list? 

Terminator 5 Gets a Director: You Will Love It

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If TheTerminator series has to start anew with a fresh trilogy, at least fans can be pleased with the selection of the director.

Alan Taylor has been tapped by Paramount Pictures and judging by his last two efforts… the man knows how to work character development, thrills and sci-fi adventure. Taylor recently showed off his handiwork in the Thor: The Dark World trailer and he is also probably most known for his work on HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Pic of a Terminator

Laeta Kalorgridis (Avatar) and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) have been hired to pen the screenplay for the reboot that will hit theaters June 26, 2015. Although we previously reported on rumors like Terminator 5 to star Arnold Schwarzenegger, we wonder now that it will be a fresh trilogy whether the action hero who originated the role will in fact return.

Fifty Shades of Grey Casting: Matt Bomer and Celebrities React

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Although Matt Bomer did not get the lead in Fifty Shades of Grey, he is appreciative of his fans who have taken to the internet to extol the virtues of what producers missed out on with the White Collar star.

Matt Bomer Magic Mike

"I'm so grateful for all the fans and touched," he said to ET, as reported by The Hollywood Gossip. But, he is excited to see the film that saw Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson cast as leads. "I'm looking forward to seeing the movie with Charlie and Dakota."

Fan outrage is actually hitting the Ben Affleck is Batman levels, something we thought could not happen given the Caped Crusader’s longer history than the Fifty Shades of Grey characters of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. But, passion is just as high!

As we previously reported, E.L. James responds to casting haters, and perhaps was hoping to slow down fan fury. But, that doesn’t seem to have happened.

Although there is no evidence she was ever truly considered, Lena Dunham took to Twitter to express her thoughts. “I lost the role in 50 Shades of Grey so you won’t be hearing from me for awhile,” she joked.

Another who has a serious sense of humor about it is Jobs star Josh Gad. “Really happy for Charlie Hunnam getting 50 Shades lead, but bummed because I came this close,” Gad tweeted. “Now I have to return all that used leather.”

One celebrity who could not be more thrilled is Johnson’s mom… Melanie Griffith. “My beautiful child Dakota has been chosen to play Anna Steele in 50 Shades!!” she said on Twitter. “Look out world! Here she comes!” 

Top 10 Best Blockbusters of Summer: Who Is Number One?

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The summer 2013 box office tallies have been counted, and Iron Man 3 is the season’s box office champ. Heck, Robert Downey, Jr.’s fourth time in the Iron Man suit is the highest grossing movie of the year so far!

But, when it comes to the “best” summer blockbusters, our top 10 might look a little different. Movie Fanatic has seen dozens of films in the last several months, and now we reveal -- of those top grossing movies -- which were the Top 10 Best Blockbusters of Summer.

10. World War Z
Yes, it is wildly different than the best-selling book that it shares a title with. Brad Pitt stars and produced the zombie movie that was unlike any undead movie we've ever seen. And that was evident from the first World War Z trailer.

World War Z Brad Pitt Axe Pic

Its success and subsequent box office success speaks volumes as to Pitt's keen insight into storytelling. World War Z banking so much virtually guarantees we will get more -- and let's hope so for Matthew Fox's sake as his role is greatly expanded in the book.

9. We’re the Millers
Although we’d watch Jason Sudeikis in almost anything, it was such an unexpected treat to see his comic chemistry with Jennifer Aniston in We’re the Millers. The elements of a blockbuster comedy were there from the We’re the Millers red band trailer, but it was an honest surprise to see the hysterical flick top $100 million at the box office. Sudeikis and Aniston could wind up being the male-female comic dream team of the future.

8. The Heat
Speaking of dynamic duos, Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy made movie magic with their cop comedy The Heat. Bullock was the by-the-book FBI agent and McCarthy was the of-the-streets Boston cop and together they made film fireworks happen, rocking their way to blockbuster status. Whether or not a sequel is in the works, we shall see. But there was something about these two talented actresses in these two roles that was pure gold.

7. Fast and Furious 6
With Fast Five being a surprise hit and unexpected critically praised film, the expectations were high for Fast and Furious 6. Producers and filmmakers made two enormously wise moves that made it work.

Vin Diesel Fast and Furious 6

The first had the introduced in Fast Five character played by Dwayne Johnson team up with Vin Diesel and his gang of street racers. The second was having the group shipped off to London to crack a case that would get Johnson a much needed bad guy giving our anti-heroes their freedom with a federal pardon. It was pure joy and that car chase through the streets of traffic-ensnarled London landed right on our Top 10 Movie Car Chases list! Bring on Fast Seven!

6. Despicable Me 2
We in Hollywood knew that Despicable Me 2 would be a hit. But, even the most astute of box office predictors could never have seen that the film would hit $356 million in domestic box office alone. Globally, it will likely earn a billion dollars! And, it was a fantastically fun family film that for once, was the animated feature that both adults and kids could treasure. The addition of Kristen Wiig to go tete-a-tete with Steve Carell’s Gru, as seen in this Despicable Me 2 trailer, was a stroke of genius.

5. The Conjuring
James Wan seems to have the Midas touch. The Insidious helmer scored another $100 million movie with The Conjuring, a wildly creative scare fest that could be merely the first in a series of true tales to terrify and wholeheartedly entertain audiences for years to come.

The Conjuring Patrick Wilson Lili Taylor

4. Iron Man 3
Turns out Robert Downey Jr.'s fourth time wearing the Iron Man suit would be his best of all the Iron Man movies. By stripping his character of practically everything in the first act of Iron Man 3, our hero had a chance to triumphantly rise again with a newfound emotional power.

Putting Gwyneth Paltrow in the suit and having her get in on the action doesn't hurt either! Another Marvel hit and another billion dollars. For Iron Man, it’s on to Avengers: Age of Ultron. For the rest of us, we anxiously await Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

3. This Is the End
Maybe we were in an end of the world mood this summer here at Movie Fanatic, but we have TWO with that theme in our top 3 of summer 2013. The first arrives in the heavily improvised comedy that featured a who’s who of Hollywood stars partying at James Franco’s house as the end of the world arrives.

Jonah Hill James Franco This Is the End

It was a study in self-mockery, but so much more.

Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride served as the core group that remained after the End of Days started and the result was pure hilarity. Plus, it was not only a good comedy, it was a solid movie… period. The effects were top notch and it was clear from the early moments of that first This Is the End trailer that this was one film where everyone on board had the feeling that they were onto something truly special.

2. The Butler
One of the most surprising “blockbusters” of the summer was also one of its best films. In fact, it should be shooting right to the forefront of Oscar contenders. The Butler stars Forest Whitaker as the real-life man who served seven U.S presidents and also had a front row seat to the Civil Rights movement and the history that was made.

By having the film conclude in the opening days of the Obama administration, director Lee Daniels crafted an almost perfect movie that hit all the right notes and somehow managed to capture 50 years of important events in two hours of mastery.

The fact that The Butler has earned almost $82 million speaks to its quality and appeal across generations and peoples.

1. The World’s End
In The World’s End, at the outset it seems like a fun British comedy about five mates who get back together after two decades to finish a pub crawl they failed to complete as late teens. Yet, it was also a sci-fi thriller that found our quintet of leads fighting off what could be the arrival of an alien/robot apocalypse.

Closing their Blood and Ice Cream trilogy with The World’s End, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright wound up their series on the highest of notes, and in Movie Fanatic’s opinion… it was the best movie blockbuster of the entire summer.

Simon Pegg The World's End

At the end of the day, some might not consider The World’s End a blockbuster, but when a movie doubles its budget… that is one huge hit.

Honorable mentions:Man of Steel, Star Trek Into Darkness, Pacific Rim, The Wolverine and Monsters University


Hell Baby Exclusive: Keegan Michael Key & Rob Huebel Dish Hell Baby Traits

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Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant have created quite the comedy in Hell Baby. The duo may also star in the film, along with the always funny Rob Corddry, but two actors who truly steal scenes are Keegan Michael Key and Rob Huebel.

Key portrays a neighbor to Corddry and Leslie Bibb who may prove annoying to them, but is an utter laugh fest for the audience. And Huebel… well, he is a local New Orleans cop who can’t seem to do anything to avoid the wrath of… the Hell Baby! We caught up with the two for an exclusive video interview, and the improv savvy that is shown each week on the Key and Peele show on Comedy Central was front and center in our interview. The improv master himself Huebel played along perfectly and by the end, the entire interview played like a master class in improv!

An example is when we asked what exactly is a Hell Baby? “It has an arrow-shaped tail,” Key reported. “That it wields as a weapon.”

“That’s a giveaway,” Huebel added. “If you have a devil tail, get rid of that baby!”

Key continued. “Super human strength -- that baby has the strength of a grown man. Rob played a trained police officer and that baby owned him in this movie!”

The duo also stressed that the infant at the heart of Hell Baby is ten-times more terrible than any awful baby you’ve ever experienced in life. “People say, ‘My baby is the baby from hell. It cries so much!' It may be a baby from hell, but it’s ain’t a Hell Baby,” Key exclaimed.

“My baby’s got an ear ache,” Huebel said. “You don’t know anything!”

Check out the Hell Baby trailer, and you’ll see exactly what these guys are talking about. 

Machete Kills Poster: Left for Dead & Back for More

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Movie posters that truly capture the eye are honestly getting kind of rare, and that is why the latest Machete Kills poster truly pops. Robert Rodriguez’s sequel to Machete finds its hero front and center with girls, guns and explosions going off all around him.

Machete Kills Movie Poster

Machete Kills explodes onto screens October 11 and features an all-star cast including Danny Trejo returning as the tile role, Carlos Estevez (Charlie Sheen) as the President of the United States, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demian Bichir, Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Vega, Mel Gibson and yes, even Lady Gaga!

Check out the Machete Kills trailer for more!

RoboCop Trailer: The Future of American Justice

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The first trailer for RoboCop is finally here! Joel Kinnaman steps into the role made famous by Peter Weller and this first tease truly gets the feel of the original, but also brings the story firmly into the 21st century.

The film takes place in the not-so-distant future, 2028, and super-corporation OmniCorp is leading the way when it comes to robot technology. Crime is out of control and when Kinnaman’s cop is badly injured to the point where he is knocking on death’s door… he is revised as the titular hero.

We spoke to the RoboCop cast at Comic-Con, and their excitement for the project is felt on every frame of this trailer. 

The ensemble cast is top-notch, from Kinnaman to Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jay Baruchel and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Look for RoboCop to kick ass and take names in merely months, on February 7, 2014. 

Transformers Age of Extinction: Kelsey Grammer Talks Being Bad

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Kelsey Grammer can be a beast when he has to be, such as his role in the X-Men movies. And he can play evil as he is doing in the fourth Transformers movie, which just announced its title and released its first Transformers: Age of Extinction teaser poster.

Kelsey Grammar

Grammer is Harlod Attinger in the fourth Michael Bay film in the series and the actor was talking to Empire UK and gave the world a little background on the baddie. "He’s a no-nonsense guy, He’s lived his life in the shadows for 30 years in the service of his country, and he likes to be unremarkable yet very efficient," Grammer said.

When he refers to "30 years in the service," Grammer’s Attinger is a government agent and it appears this time out that the leaders of our world are the bad guys.

Much of the plot is a secret, and other than this Mark Wahlberg set photo, little is known. But, judging by the title and the sandy background in the movie poster… we think the iconic Dinobots will appear.

Whether you like him or loathe him, there is no question that Bay is a blockbuster-making filmmaker, and from the sounds of it, Grammer enjoyed his time in the Bay world.

"I don’t know if Michael has seen Frasier. He’s been very respectful and funny. He’s a terrific guy and quite a filmmaker,” Grammer said. “He just said to me the other day, 'You’re Kelsey Grammer - you can do whatever you want to do.' So I guess he at least has some acquaintance with my work."

We’re sure much more on this film will slowly leak out as the release date of June 27, 2014 inches closer. 

The Fifth Estate Featurette: Bill Condon Explains the Title

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The Fifth Estate premiered last night at the Toronto Film Festival and the buzz is already high on this film going the distance as an Oscar favorite... and we can see why even from the first The Fifth Estate trailer. Benedict Cumberbatch is WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the man who revolutionized how government secrets are revealed to the world, ensuring that classic adage from the X-Files is never more apt: The truth is out there.

Cumberbatch (recently seen in Star Trek Into Darkness) also chimes in on the project. He reveals how the story of Assange spoke to him and why the actor felt this was a story that needed to be told. The Fifth Estate also stars Daniel Bruhl (recognize him from the Rush trailer?) as Daniel Domscheit-Berg, Assange’s colleague who tried, in vein it appears, to keep their online publication grounded.

Director Bill Condon (Chicago, Breaking Dawn movies) also reveals how the film got its title. As a political science and journalism appreciator, it is utterly fascinating… and spot-on! And frankly, after his work on the Twilight movies, it's nice to see the director get back to his Oscar-winning roots.

The Fifth Estate is revealed October 18.

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