It is a bonanza of film bounty this weekend at the Cineplex. The star wattage alone should blind from Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) and Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots) to Justin Timberlake (In Time). There is also a film vying for Oscar attention (Anonymous) and a spy thriller (The Double) in the John Le Carre vein starring Richard Gere and Topher Grace.

Puss in Boots: Antonio Banderas brings his bad self back in animated form for Puss in Boots. The delightful film (check out our Puss in Boots review) is adventurous and uncannily smart in its introduction of new characters including Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris), Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis). Puss’ origins story takes audiences back to the beginning, including showing the kitty as a kitten (cue the ahhhs).

Puss in Boots Trailer: Lady Gaga's Americano

The Rum Diary: Johnny Depp is Hunter S. Thompson on screen once again, this time as a young man landing in Puerto Rico to take a job at a daily newspaper. Audiences are treated to Depp at his best (don’t miss our The Rum Diary review) and a film that is solidly put together providing powerful messages, in depth performances from its cast (especially Giovanni Ribisi) and a look of the early 1960s that is exquisite.

The Rum Diary Trailer

In Time: Justin Timberlake turns into an action star in In Time. The latest film from Gattaca mastermind Andrew Niccol is a mind-bender that asks the question: What if money was replaced by time? The rich could live forever while the poor struggle to make it day-to-day. Amanda Seyfried co-stars in a sci-fi thriller that makes you value every second. Be sure to discover our In Time review.

In Time Movie Trailer

Anonymous: Screenwriter John Orloff, after extensive research, presents Anonymous and its idea that William Shakespeare did not write all of his masterpieces. Rhys Ifans astounds as an Earl, who because of his social standing, it would be beneath him to compose plays and sonnets. So, he enlists an actor (Rafe Spall as William Shakespeare) to put his name on the Earl’s work. Only problem is, the plays are astounding and Shakespeare becomes an Elizabethan sensation. Be sure to visit our Anonymous review.

Anonymous Theatrical Trailer

The Double: Richard Gere and Topher Grace star in a spy thriller about a CIA agent (Gere) who has recently retired after spending his career tracking an international assassin. When a U.S. Senator turns up dead in the D.C. streets, he’s pulled back into action with a rookie FBI agent (Grace) to catch the killer before he wreaks more havoc. Does The Double deliver? Check out our The Double review.

The Double Trailer

Anonymous presents a pretty solid case for answering the centuries-long debate as to whether William Shakespeare truly composed all his classics. As envisioned by screenwriter John Orloff (who spent 15 years researching the question) and director Roland Emmerich (making a nice turn away from disaster fare such as Independence Day and 2012), Anonymous will astound -- even if you disagree with the film's findings.

In Anonymous, Rhys Ifans is mesmerizing as the Earl of Oxford. He is a man more than pleased with his position in Queen Elizabeth's court. Yet, there is something more he wants out of life. He has an inner playwright that is, because of social norms, unable to flourish. It would be beneath his stature in society to be seen writing anything, much less composing plays performed by those disdained theater types. So, what's a talent to do? Why, find an actor with a passion for the theater and pay him to put his name on your work.

William Shakespeare, as embodied by Rafe Spalls, is a drunken buffoon. The son of illiterates, he is a somewhat talented thespian who has fate meet him squarely in the eye. Shakespeare, in Anonymous, loves attention, so when the plays really written by the Earl of Oxford become sensations, he basks in the glory without regard to the Earl's efforts. Thus begins a tenacious relationship between the two that sends Ifans' character into a panic of ego letdown.

Anonymous' cast is stellar -- from Spalls to Ifans, the performers dazzle. In a piece of casting genius, real life mother and daughter Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson play Queen Elizabeth as an older and younger woman, respectively. And Jamie Campbell Bower also delights in his role as Ifans' Earl in his younger years.

Anonymous Theatrical Trailer

What Movie Fanatic is left with after witnessing Anonymous' majesty is that its director, Emmerich, will surprise audiences with his adept storytelling, awareness of the power of the period piece, and how he efficiently lays out the argument that history's greatest writer was indeed a fraud.

When film is at its best, it leaves the audiences thinking after they leave the theater. Anonymous does that and more. Like a trial with a prosecutor at the top of his or her game, in this case the audience is the jury, and it will be up to those who see Anonymous to come to their own conclusion. But, in the hands of Orloff and Emmerich, Anonymous makes one pretty compelling argument.

Is Shakespeare guilty of fraud? See Anonymous and decide for yourself. Your intellect will thank you.

The first Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer showcased the fact that Tom Cruise was back as Ethan Hunt and the story was beyond promising. Now that a second Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer has arrived, it’s easy to see why producers gave director Brad Bird his first shot at a live action film.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Trailer 2

Bird, most famously known for helming The Incredibles and Ratatouille, is totally in his element. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol’s second trailer shows the franchise moving on all cylinders. We cannot wait to see the final result. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol arrives on IMAX on December 16 and then theaters everywhere December 21.

Paramount Pictures is having a fright fest for Paranormal Activity fans in select Regal Theatres across the country this evening, October 28.

The films will be shown, not in release order, but in the timeline established by the series. Paranormal Activity 3 will be played first, then Paranormal Activity and then finally Paranormal Activity 2. This is a one-night-only event at the following theaters:

Regal E-Walk (New York, NY)
Regal Ontario Palace (Ontario, CA)
Regal LA Live (Los Angeles, CA)
Regal Kaufman Astoria (Astoria, NY)
Regal Fresno Stadium (Fresno, CA)
Regal Irvine Spectrum (Irvine, CA)
Regal Marque Stadium (Houston, TX)
Regal Atlantic Station (Atlanta, GA)
Regal City North (Chicago, IL)
Regal Laguna Village (Sacramento, CA)
Regal Cielo Vista (San Antonio, TX)

Michael Rispoli stars in The Rum Diary opposite Johnny Depp and when asked which actor he would like to add to his co-starring resume, his answer may not surprise. Rispoli has starred opposite some of the greats including Denzel Washington and John Travolta in The Taking of Pelham 123, Nicolas Cage in The Weather Man and Spike Lee’s great ensemble cast of The Summer of Sam. The actor sits with Movie Fanatic for an exclusive video interview to talk The Rum Diary and the delightful glory that is Johnny Depp.

The Rum Diary Exclusive Interview: Michael Rispoli

Audiences probably most recognize Rispoli for his work on The Sopranos and he will be seen soon in the Mitch Glazer TV series, Magic City.

The Double, starring Richard Gere and Topher Grace, is a spy thriller that feels like it could be from the mind of John Le Carre. But, does it share his expansive universe of double agents, twists and turns? At times, yes, but mostly The Double is stuck in neutral.

The story follows Gere as a retired CIA agent who spent the last 20 years of his career going after an international assassin who goes by the name of Cassius. When it appears Cassius has struck again -- a U.S. Senator is murdered on a Washington, D.C. street -- Gere is recruited by his old boss (Martin Sheen) and teamed with a neophyte FBI Agent who devoted his master’s thesis to Gere’s hunt of Cassius.

Directed by Michael Brandt, who co-wrote the film, The Double unfortunately reveals its first twist (and it’s a doozy) very early in the movie. This twist is even in the trailer! Gere’s character is Cassius. After that secret is let out of the bag, the movie begins its slow decent into a mediocre spy thriller that could have been bloody brilliant.

On a good note, the acting is solid. Gere is his usual sensational self and manages to portray a man who is clearly working both sides with power and panache. Grace proves he is all grown up as an actor with his That '70s Show days long gone. There are numerous scenes where he goes toe-to-toe with Gere and proves his acting mettle. In a small role, but a powerful turn nonetheless, Stephen Moyer plays a Russian spy sitting in a U.S. jail. He is almost unrecognizable, complete with scars on his face and an accent worthy of his character’s rich country’s heritage.

The Double Trailer

There is an out of left field twist in the end of the film that if it were believable, would rock. But by that point in the movie, the audience is more likely to not care than to be captured by the improbable “bet you didn’t see that coming” element of The Double’s storytelling.

We mentioned Le Carre in the opening of The Double review and that is because this film appears to be trying to capture the essence of the Cold War thrill master. With his Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy coming to screens very soon, perhaps it’s best to sit The Double out and double down on Le Carre’s classic when it journeys to the screen in November.

Topher Grace and Stephen Moyer are a picture of pride as they sit with Movie Fanatic for an exclusive interview to discuss their new spy thriller, The Double. The pair each talk about what it means to them to be in a spy movie, one of their favorite genres. Both actors rose from TV stardom to tackle big screen movies. Grace graced audiences in That ‘70s Show while Moyer is still slaying them dead in True Blood.

Topher Grace and Stephen Moyer Exclusive Interview

In The Double, Grace plays an FBI agent hot on the heels of an international assassin while Moyer is a Russian spy who may hold the key to finding him before he kills again.

The duo each stress how they hope The Double reinvigorates the spy genre as each would love to see more films in that realm of cinematic storytelling.

The Immortals is storming into theaters November 11 and Movie Fanatic has your chance to win VIP tickets to the film’s Los Angeles premiere.

The Immortals is an epic tale in the Greek mythology vein from director Tarsem Singh, the man who brought us the visually impressive The Cell and The Fall. The film is also from the producers of 300, and if you were impressed by the visuals and fight sequences of that Gerard Butler epic, prepare to be mesmerized by all that is The Immortals.

The Movie Fanatic VIP premiere tickets are for Monday, November 7 at Nokia Theater L.A. Live at 7:30 p.m. All winners must be able to pick up their tickets by 5 p.m. the day of the premiere. There will be four winners, each getting two VIP tickets.

Want to win? Just leave us a comment below by Friday, November 4, at noon and we’ll choose a winner and let you know if you’re walking the red carpet with the cast of The Immortals.

You'll be contacted by the email address you leave us in the contact submission form (it will not be shown to the public) and the winner will be contacted shortly! It's that simple!

And be sure to check out the visually stunning The Immortals trailer.

Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, director Brett Ratner and the entire Tower Heist cast and crew have done something impressive with their film.

Of late, odds of scoring with a combination of action, intrigue, suspense, comedy and great acting seem quite low. Steven Soderbergh achieved that with his Oceans series minus the hilarity. Tower Heist is a true heist film in the most classic of ways, but it is also a hilarious film that is constantly firing on all cylinders: Comedically and dramatically.

Stiller and Murphy (don't miss the pair's Tower Heist interview) headline a cast that is all game for achieving a Dog Day Afternoon meets A Fish Called Wanda movie. Each performer, despite being stacked with actors who could headline their own film, knows their place and perfectly plays their spoke in the wheel of this fun film.

Alan Alda portrays a Wall Street tycoon, and the luxury building’s most beloved resident, who is arrested for fraud. Turns out, he also milked the staff of The Tower, as it is called, for their entire retirement and savings. Stiller is the esteemed building manager who essentially leads a revolution to get their money back by any means necessary. Tea Leoni delightfully does her thing as the FBI agent leading Alda’s arrest. Michael Pena scores as the new bellhop and Casey Affleck finds a new voice in his portrayal of an apartment building employee who is expecting a child any minute now. Matthew Broderick could have made an entire movie out of his role as a building resident who is broke, about to be evicted and someone who got sucked into the financial whirlpool that was Merrill Lynch. And yes, he’s willing to add his two cents to the robbery. There’s $20 million that the Feds cannot account for and Stiller believes it’s in Alda’s apartment. Cue the action.

Who to turn to for heist advice? Stiller connects with a childhood acquaintance (Murphy) whom he bails out of jail to lead the robbery. Tower Heist has several “training” sequences that are filled with utter hilarity while still moving along the plot at a rapid pace that is felt from beginning to end.

New Tower Heist Trailer

Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) returns to his roots and crafts a film that crackles with its crime element, but mostly from the jovial dialogue between Tower Heist’s cast. Murphy and Stiller are an action comedy team for the ages. We hope this is the first of many more collaborations between the two decidedly different comic actors. Alda bathes in the glory of portraying one of the more timely villains at the movies, Affleck is in a zone, Pena does deadpan so subtly, who knew his comic timing could be so perfect?

Brilliantly surprising -- that is how Movie Fanatic would describe Tower Heist. Who knew a heist film could be so funny, thrilling and smart?

Harold and Kumar are back and tackling the Christmas movie. Let’s just say this: A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is one holiday film Movie Fanatic would welcome to see each November and December for the foreseeable future. The film manages to combine the grace and humility of the holiday flick while still crafting a classic Harold and Kumar film that pushes envelopes, sends audiences into fits of laughter and still makes you want to invite the family over for Christmas with warmth in your heart.


A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas begins innocently enough. Harold is married to his earlier movie sweetheart, Maria (Paula Garces), and they are trying to have a baby. Kumar, meanwhile, is still up to his old tricks in terms of his way of life. It has been six years, it is established, since Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. Our favorite friends haven’t seen or spoken to each other in years. A magical package arrives at Kumar’s apartment that he used to share with Kumar, and the Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas journey begins.

There are journeys through encounters with the Russian Mob, car explosions, crazy Claymation sequences and the return of the always affable Neil Patrick Harris, as his NPH Harold and Kumar persona (and stealing the entire movie with his panache).

What could offend some is plenty in the world of A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. But, what would a Harold and Kumar film be without provocation? This is not only a film that pushes boundaries of movies period, but it also does so within the context of a Christmas movie. Yes, it could be seen as shocking as evidenced by the Red Band trailer. As handled by the creative team behind the Harold and Kumar franchise, that is balanced out by a feel good spirit that is contagious. In the end, this is a movie about the bonds of friendship.

Tom Lennon is a stellar addition to the Harold and Kumar world. Lennon is Harold’s white bread, “I’ll Skype You Later” friend. The comic genius of the actor is on full display and he steals every scene he’s in. Although he spends most of the film anchored to a baby, Lennon manages to fly with the comedy angels providing laugh-out-loud moments throughout the film.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is the perfect escape, the best Harold and Kumar yet, and surprisingly a source for 3D done right righteousness.

The cast and crew of the new Bond film, Skyfall -- as Movie Fanatic called it, gathered for a press conference in London Thursday and introduced the newest “Bond Girl” Berenice Marlohe.

"I play a glamorous, enigmatic character called Severine," Marlohe said proudly.

Not alone in the “Bond Girl” department, Naomie Harris was introduced as Bond’s spy sidekick field agent, Eve. At the press conference Harris said she was ready to go toe-to-toe with James Bond (Daniel Craig, back for a third time) in terms of stunts and the highwire action for which the series is known.

"I've been doing yoga three times a week, to get into shape, and also stunt-driving and firing machine guns, which I discovered I had a real taste for. What else have I been doing? All the stunt training as well, jumping in and out of cars and running up stairs very fast and all things like that," Harris said at the London press conference.

Besides introducing the good-looking cast including Javier Bardem as the villain, Sony also released a synopsis for Bond 23, now with the title Skyfall: “Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her.” 

And yes, our favorite M, Judi Dench, is back in the fold as well.

Stay with Movie Fanatic as we bring you more from the James Bond Skyfall press conference.

The Son of No One should announce its star, Channing Tatum, as a dramatic actor to be taken seriously. Tatum portrays an NYPD officer who returns to the Queens neighborhood precinct where he grew up. His wife, a riveting Katie Holmes, tensely awaits his return every night to their Long Island home. She is not finding the cop wife's life easy, especially with a young girl.

Tatum’s character is haunted by his past that in The Son of No One slowly simmers from the background of the film to its central explosive storyline by the second act. Something happened to Tatum when he was a child in the Queens projects that he had hoped was buried deep in his memory only. The only problem is a local Queens reporter (the always awesome Juliette Binoche) is getting anonymous letters from somebody claiming that a current NYPD cop has gotten away with two murders. As the newspaperwoman digs, the walls begin to close in on Tatum.

In a stroke of casting genius (and when is using this actor never not genius?), Al Pacino is -- in 2002 when the film takes place -- a higher-up member of the NYPD brass. But in our flashbacks to the 1980s that slowly begin to unfold the mystery of what happened to Tatum, it is Pacino’s character who aids Tatum in a cover-up that in 2002 may bury them all.

Writer-director Dito Montel has weaved a web of intrigue that, painfully in a good way, stays just below the surface and effectively dishes out just enough morsels of plot points as the movie moves along. There is a fire burning that as an audience, we wonder when it will explode into a full-fledged inferno. And believe us, it does.

The film also stars Ray Liotta, one of our more underused actors, in a performance that will shock. Tracy Morgan portrays Tatum’s childhood friend all grown up who is haunted by what they experienced as kids. So much so, that he has spent time in mental institutions simply to cope.

The Son of No One’s title emerges from the fact that Tatum’s character grew up without a father. His dad was also an NYPD policeman, yet died on the job when his son was very young. Tatum’s character becomes a child of the streets, and therefore truly… The Son of No One. In Tatum’s hands, his powerful performance is the vehicle through which the audience painfully and grippingly revisits his past in order to hope for some semblance of a future.

Will he have one? Tease yourself with The Son of No One trailer and begin that journey.

Wanderlust, after her turn in Horrible Bosses, should seriously add to how audiences re-think the American sweetheart persona that Jennifer Aniston enjoys. As she was brash and bodacious in Horrible Bosses, she breaks her mold completely with her turn in Wanderlust, as evidenced by the film’s first trailer.

Wanderlust Trailer

Aniston is joined by Paul Rudd in Wanderlust, a film directed by David Wain (Role Models) and produced by Judd Apatow. It follows a couple who exit the city and take refuge in the country within a community that is more loose with societal morals than any audience may be used to seeing Aniston inhabit, and Rudd for that matter.

Their new community is filled with people who take a lax attitude when it comes to needing a job and frankly, clothes and their restrictive nature. What happens when a yuppie-type couple move into a commune-type area? Check out the trailer above and wait anxiously for the film’s February 24, 2012 release.

Movies’ great genres are on full display this weekend at the Cineplex. Audiences can choose an action-comedy heist flick (Tower Heist), an outrageous comedy (A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas) or a terse drama (The Son of No One) that should make its star, Channing Tatum, thought of as a serious actor.

Tower Heist: Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller are an action-comedy dream team in Tower Heist, the latest from director Brett Ratner. Stiller is the manager of New York City’s most luxurious residence whose richest resident is suddenly charged with fraud. Alan Alda plays the Wall Street financier with panache that shows why he is such a legend. But, the true stars here are not only Murphy and Stiller in a teaming we hope to see again in films, but also its supporting cast led by Casey Affleck, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Pena, Matthew Broderick and Tea Leoni. Don’t miss our Tower Heist review.

Tower Heist Trailer

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas: Kal Penn and John Cho are back in the roles that made them famous. This time out, Harold and Kumar begin the film as estranged friends who must come together to save the Kumar family Christmas. Tom Lennon (Reno 911) steals scenes, a baby does things no baby should do and overall, the Harold and Kumar team have surprisingly made a Christmas film worthy of becoming a holiday tradition. Curious? Then be sure to read our A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas review.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas Trailer

The Son of No One: Channing Tatum rivets in the role of an NYPD cop whose past is about to rear its ugly head and threaten not only his future, but the reputation of the entire New York City Police Department. The film co-stars Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, Juliette Binoche and in a shockingly good turn, Tracy Morgan. Check out our The Son of No One review.

The Son of No One Trailer

Michael Pena has had a year for the ages. Pena began the year starring opposite Matthew McConaughey in The Lincoln Lawyer, channeled his inner action star in Battle: Los Angeles, played a wildly funny bad guy in 30 Minutes or Less and now he is in the all-star cast of Tower Heist. Pena phoned Movie Fanatic for an exclusive interview about working on the Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller-starring comedy-action flick.

Pena plays a bellhop at New York’s most luxurious apartment building whose richest resident has just been arrested for defrauding his Wall Street clients. Among those who have lost everything are the apartment building’s workers and their retirement plans.

The film (check out our Tower Heist review) provided a unique challenge for Pena, as he exclusively tells us below, but also was a challenge in that he found it easy to sit in awe of his co-stars' talent from Murphy and Stiller to Alan Alda and Casey Affleck and had to stay focused on bringing his A-game to the A-list cast.

Movie Fanatic: We last spoke for The Lincoln Lawyer and Battle: Los Angeles, but you were all abuzz about Tower Heist. Now that the film is out, how are you feeling?

Michael Pena: I’m really psyched about it. I saw it last week and I was really entertained. The movie really made you feel good and satisfies you thoroughly. I’m just hoping everyone feels the same way.

Movie Fanatic: It’s what we go to the movies for…

Michael Pena: Exactly!

Movie Fanatic: This has been a banner year for you. How does it resonate?

Michael Pena: This year has been amazing for me, I really count my blessings. I’ve had the court drama with The Lincoln Lawyer and Battle: Los Angeles, then kind of an indie comedy with 30 Minutes or Less and now I have a big action comedy with Tower Heist. I couldn’t be happier.

Movie Fanatic: As an actor on Tower Heist, what was it like with that cast? It’s got to be one of the best casts of the year.

Michael Pena: At the same time it is exciting, it’s one of those situations where you just pray to God that you can hold your own and give as much as you can to the story as possible. All those guys are successful for a couple of reasons. They’re all charismatic people and at the same time they’re very talented. At the same time they’re smart. There’s a couple of scenes that Casey (Affleck) wrote a monologue for himself. The first time I thought he was improvising -- the sister’s vagina part -- and he killed it. When I learned he wrote that thing, I was so impressed.

Movie Fanatic: Right before that scene, you have a couple of moments alone with Alan Alda. Talk about a legend. What did it mean to you to even be in the same room with that guy?

Michael Pena: He is a Hollywood legend, and it’s not by accident. He’s got presence. It’s easy to just watch him do his magic. You have to make sure you don’t get too caught up in watching all these actors. Eddie Murphy’s the same way, so is Ben Stiller. It's easy to say, “Oh, that’s really good” and “Oh my God, that was amazing.” But, at the same time, you have to be right there with them and not get lost in the star-gazing. Stiller for instance, he does subtle things in his delivery, while still focusing on the story. I had to make sure not to be watching and to be a participant.

Movie Fanatic: Your director, Brett Ratner, is such a master of the action comedy. What did you take away from the Ratner set experience?

Tower Heist Trailer

Michael Pena: You know what? It was almost like a circus. There was always somebody famous stopping by that he knows. He’s very jovial and it fits his personality so much. He’s got so much energy. He’s not apologetic about what he wants and what he likes in a scene. I've got to admit, I called him up after watching the movie and said, “Congratulations, you really did something special.”

Movie Fanatic: The other thing about it, it is so timely. When you were filming it, you probably had no idea that people were going to gather and Occupy Wall Street. Your villain is a Wall Street guy. What do you make of the film’s timing?

Michael Pena: It’s a godsend to be honest with you. I hope all those Occupy people go and see it so they can feel good about what they’re doing in a way.

Movie Fanatic: Wouldn’t that be something if the NYPD can’t get these people out of the area, but they all leave and go see Tower Heist?

Michael Pena: [Laughs] That would be great.

Movie Fanatic: On a film like this, it could feel like a circus, like you said. What was the biggest challenge for you?

Michael Pena: I’ll tell you one thing that happened. I auditioned for it and I had this whole character done. On the first day of shooting, Brett goes, “Remember all that stuff you did at the table read? Don’t do any of that.” So, then I had to start over with the character. I have to admit, that put me into a spin. But, I understood it. He wanted me to create something in the moment with the story. I thought that was a very interesting approach.

Movie Fanatic: The comedy-crime genre, there aren’t that many great films. What are your favorites and why?

Michael Pena: I really like Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hours. One of my favorite movies is Hear No Evil, See No Evil. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was also one of my favorites: Those two guys (Michael Caine and Steve Martin) are totally amazing. In a way, they’re always scheming, but that for me, was totally entertaining with great character work.

Movie Fanatic: How’s Gangster Squad coming?

Michael Pena: Amazing, I get to work with Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin and Sean Penn. It’s fantastic. Look out for it!

Looks like Jonah Hill won the 21 Jump Street Twitter trailer premiere contest as Hill was the one who introduced the red band trailer for the film. Movie Fanatic has the red band trailer and is proud to show off the first look into the updated world of 21 Jump Street, the institution that made Johnny Depp a star.

21 Jump Street Red Band Trailer

Movie Fanatic reported recently that Johnny Depp will appear in the film, although he is not in this first trailer.

What we enjoy so much about this first trailer is how Hill and his co-star Channing Tatum aren’t afraid to be the butt of jokes geared at their age. These two are supposed to be young looking enough to pass as high school students when they go undercover as cops trying to stop crime at a high school. The other thing that stands out is our favorite part of Parks and Rec, Nick Offerman, who portrays Tatum and Hill’s police boss.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas arrives in theaters today and its director, first-time helmer Todd Strauss-Schulson, is sitting down with Movie Fanatic for an exclusive interview.

After shooting literally thousands of short films, Strauss-Schulson was ready for his big Hollywood movie close-up. He tells Movie Fanatic he felt prepared for the spectacle of not only a Harold and Kumar sequel, but also the Christmas movie aspect, the fact it was shot in 3D and had action sequences and all that entails. And let’s not forget about the huge musical number starring Neil Patrick Harris as himself.

The director dishes also about Harris and his “brave” ability to poke fun at himself, and how the film’s stars, Kal Penn and John Cho, are why these films are so beloved.

Movie Fanatic: When you first got the script for A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, what was the thing that most popped out for you?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: There were a couple of things that I just loved. I loved that there was a musical number. I love the Waffle Bot. I loved that there was a big old car crash. I love that the heart of the movie is two ex best friends learning to become best friends again. The whole idea that every seven years you will lose three-quarters of your friends, it’s a proven statistic, which I find is true. I loved the idea that the movie was about two guys pushing 30. I turned 30 while filming the movie. You’re straddling the idea of being an adult, while still kind of being a kid. I had to act like an adult as a new 30-year-old because I was making a movie and I was being trusted with leading this franchise, but also I just wanted to play in the fake snow [laughs] and touch the Waffle Bot.

Movie Fanatic: As you were settling in to film this, your first full-length feature, were there any kind of nerves, or were you more excited about getting your hands on it?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: I was excited. I have shot so many short films since I got to Los Angeles, that part of me felt confident. I felt that I earned confidence through my experience. I directed thousands of things before this. I was confident in the ideas of what would be funny, what would look cool in the technical parts of this. I did have a bunch of blind spots. It’s overwhelming to have a huge crew and 3D and a studio behind you. Dealing with actors who have played these parts before and being the new kid on the block was also intimidating. But, I thought I could do it well and everyone liked the ideas that I was presenting for the movie.

Movie Fanatic: Is Mr. Machete, Danny Trejo, as intimidating as he looks, or is he just a big softie?

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas Red Band Trailer

Todd Strauss-Schulson: He’s a softie. He’s terrifying. He has a face built for 3D, a lot of depth to his face. But, I think he liked the idea of doing this. He was in my original pitch, Danny Trejo in an ugly Christmas sweater holding a three-year-old child and being really sweet. I loved the idea that when Harold opens the door, without even a joke, he gets a laugh. That’s who that guy is. All the baggage he brings to the role, that guy is scary. I loved that. He was excited to play a father. He is a father. He liked the idea of being protective of his daughter, as he is in real life. He said to me that this is the most dialogue he’s ever had in a movie. I love that monologue with the flashbacks.

Movie Fanatic: What do you think it is about the chemistry of Kal and John that pops off the screen?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: This movie is crazy and zany, there are pedophile priests, there are Claymation penises and a baby on cocaine, it’s nuts. But it would completely unravel without those two guys in the middle. A couple things: There’s no cynicism with those guys. These movies are not mean. They are sweet. They are nice guys over their heads. I think people respond to that. The movies are raunchy and R-rated, but they’re not mean, dark or cynical. And, people compare that duo to Cheech and Chong, but I think it always felt like Martin and Lewis. There’s more of a rhythm to it. They’re funny.

Movie Fanatic: I just interviewed Tom Lennon. As a director, is that a gift to have someone like him who is such a comic talent?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: I used to watch The State in high school. That was a huge influence on me, just as a comedy person. Meeting him, and hiring him and asking him a million questions, was just amazing -- I totally geeked out. Him with the baby is just so funny.

Movie Fanatic: Neil Patrick Harris, I’ve never seen anyone throughout this whole franchise be so game at making fun of themselves. When you were working with him, was anything too much?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: He’s brave. Neil is openly gay and has children and a partner. And for him to play that like it’s all a mask and he’s really a drug-addled woman chaser, he loved the idea of doing it. He loved doing the musical number too. He would do anything. He loves the idea of taking the piss out of himself.

Movie Fanatic: I read you saw the first Harold and Kumar in college. If I had gone back in time and told you you would be directing the third, would you have kicked me out of the room?

Todd Strauss-Schulson: Yeah, I would have thought you were crazy. Those friends that I was drinking beers with in college watching Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, they are working with me on this movie! They did the special effects in the movie. If you told me that, I would have said, “Shut the (expletive) up. Get out of here, you weirdo!”

Puss in Boots shocked a slew of new films to win the box office for the second week in a row. The Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller starring Tower Heist failed to take the top spot, although it earned a respectable $25.1 million behind Puss in Boots’ $33 million take.

Meanwhile, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas disappointed. The third film in the Harold and Kumar franchise failed to make as much as the second film in its opening weekend. Perhaps it’s a little too early for a Christmas movie as some of us are still enjoying our Halloween candy? Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas took in $13 million.

The box office top 10:

1. Puss in Boots, $33 million
2. Tower Heist, $25.1 million
3. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, $13 million
4. Paranormal Activity 3, $8.5 million
5. In Time, $7.7 million
6. Footloose, $4.5 million
7. Real Steel, $3.4 million
8. The Rum Diary, $2.9 million
9. The Ides of March, $2 million
10. Moneyball, $1.9 million

Sherlock Holmes fans rejoice, your favorite Guy Ritchie Holmes characters have got their own spotlight in a series of character posters that have just premiered. Director Ritchie has reassembled his titanic leads, Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson, and don't miss the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows trailer.

The perfect choice for Dr. Watson is Law, and his character poster shows him at his swagger best. His yin to Downey’s yang is impeccable casting and Movie Fanatic cannot wait to see the two back in action when Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows premieres December 16.

Two new characters debut with the character banners, the first we show you is Noomi Rapace, who portrays a mystical character central to Holmes cracking the mystery as only he can.

Lastly, the iconic villain of the Sherlock Holmes literary series, Moriarty, is played by Jared Harris.

The Dark Knight Rises continued filming in New York City over the weekend and we’ve got video. This time out, it’s another Dark Knight Rises street brawl! Is it us, or are there a lot of all-out street brawls in this third film in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy?

The Dark Knight Rises Street Brawl Video

What sticks out is, after debuting Joseph Gordon-Levitt photos as a Gotham City policeman last week, we now witness Levitt in action during this street brawl.

But one question does arise: Is this the continuation of the first street brawl or is the new video of the Wall Street fight showcasing a city of Gotham that is under complete duress?