Tower Heist is terrific and should prove to be a huge shot in the arm for the career of Eddie Murphy. As the film has arrived in theaters (don't miss our Tower Heist review), Movie Fanatic thought we’d take a look back at the best of Eddie Murphy in movies.

10. Shrek series
Can you imagine anyone else voicing the character of Donkey? Hardly! Shrek is one of the most profitable franchises in Hollywood. All one has to do is visit Universal Studios Theme Park in Los Angeles and get near the Shrek ride and a voice dominates: Murphy as Donkey. Sharp writing and stellar animation proved to be a winning combination for the Shrek films. Yet, above it all, Murphy shines as Donkey. Seriously, imagine the world of Shrek without Murphy’s Donkey. You can’t.

9. Dreamgirls
Murphy was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Dreamgirls. Sure, he famously stormed out of the theater when he didn’t win, but that shouldn't take away from the astounding work he did in the role of James “Thunder” Early. Channeling his inner James Brown, Murphy found a character destined to become one that would steal every scene he inhabited in Dreamgirls. Again, imagine Dreamgirls without Eddie Murphy. You can’t.

8. The Nutty Professor
How do you follow up any iconic role that was created by Jerry Lewis? Why not turn the film’s idea on its head and cast Eddie Murphy and put him in a fat suit. The Nutty Professor, circa 1996, was a comic masterpiece. The dinner scene has become a standard for multiple characters played by the same actor, with hilarious results.

7. Mulan
One of Murphy’s first forays into animation was epic. Disney’s Mulan is a modern classic. Murphy took a chance with his role in Mulan which came up roses.

6. Tower Heist
After years of waiting for the perfect film, Murphy found the perfect role for him in the perfect film for him. Tower Heist brings back memories of Murphy and a comic partner in crime such as Nick Nolte in 48 Hours. In Tower Heist, Murphy is joined by Ben Stiller, who is more than up for the comedic game. What else is magical about Murphy’s presence in Tower Heist is his willingness to become part of the ensemble of A-list actors who produce A-plus results.

Tower Heist Trailer

1. Bowfinger
As a comic actor, Bowfinger showcases Murphy as an acting genius. Portraying the paranoid movie star and the ah-shucks movie extra for Steve Martin, Murphy’s finest film entertains while it enthralls us in the mastery of Murphy’s magic. Bowfinger’s most hilarious moment is courtesy of Eddie Murphy. Cued by Martin’s director, he steps out onto a Los Angeles freeway for a “scene” that is integral to their independent film “starring” a huge Murphy-like movie star. As he walks past speeding Angelinos in their cars, the gift that is the actor’s astonishing gift of performance permeates.

Seann William Scott and his Goon self are getting ready for battle on the ice with the red band trailer’s release today. The story of Goon follows Scott’s character who has made his living as a bouncer and finds himself on a minor league hockey team living his dream.

Goon Red Band Trailer 2

Goon also stars Jay Baruchel (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice), Liev Schreiber and Alison Pill and arrives February 24, 2012 On-Demand and in theaters March 30. Like it? Don't miss the first Goon trailer!

Neil Patrick Harris enjoyed his time so much on Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, and became such a popular figure because of it, that he has returned in the film's two follow-ups. In the latest, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas -- out now -- Harris is still playing himself, yet his laugh at his persona self is even more outrageous.

Harris sat down with Movie Fanatic recently to discuss his role in the series and how playing himself, or "NPH" as he is known in the film, has been one of his career's most welcomed surprises. He even adds his two cents on the dancing abilities of John Cho and Kal Penn!

Movie Fanatic: Did it take a lot of arm twisting to get your partner, David Burtka, to join you on this merry Harold and Kumar journey?

Neil Patrick Harris: That was a little more massaging and finessing on my part. Originally he was involved in that first half of it and then he kind of just went away. Like, we had a fight in the dressing room and then he kind of skulked off. I thought it made more sense for him to have a powerful position within the dynamic, so it was kind of my pitch to have him be my dealer because I thought that was funny. Actually the studio was kind of weirded out by that, but they agreed in the end. I think it was a good call.

Movie Fanatic: You have an incredible song and dance sequence in A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (don't miss our review). As a song and dance man, was that easy to fall into?

Neil Patrick Harris: We did this in an afternoon in a recording studio and it was great fun. It's really fun to do these things in a recording studio rather than having to do them live because you can embellish here and there and use funny weird references. You can riff if you want and see if that's funny. We just angled towards what was funniest and cleanest.

Movie Fanatic: How would you rate Kal Penn and John Cho's dancing ability in that scene?

Neil Patrick Harris: Just terrible [laughs]. But, thankfully, they were supposed to be terrible. That was intentional so they just brought them in on the rehearsal day at the very last minute for like an hour to figure out what was going to happen. But too polished was bad. Kal has a real fear of falling apparently. That thing where they get knocked over at the end and fall out of frame, he had to fall into a big airbag thing that was literally four feet from where he was, and he just couldn't do it without looking back. We had to coax him into trusting that he could fall back.

Movie Fanatic: Looking back, what do you make of the whole NPH legend that was spurred by the first Harold and Kumar?

Neil Patrick Harris: It was sort of weirdly reverential even though I was such a mess in it and stole their car. They were still kind of like, "That was cool, I guess." The first movie I was really concerned about because the franchise didn't exist back then. You don't want to sign up for something playing yourself and then have a new writer come on board and change the tone of it and suddenly they're making jokes at your expense. I just legally was very specific about what my specific content entailed, and they were super cool with all of that.

Movie Fanatic: Now that it's out in the public zeitgeist, what do you make of it all now?

Neil Patrick Harris: It makes me scratch my head. It's funny. Yeah, I think it's funny. I'm glad that I'm able to, while the NPH legend is carrying on, that I'm allowed to do other roles like Barney or some theater stuff or get to have people see me as myself as well, so it doesn't seem like I'm trying to create some sort of facade. Does that make sense? I'm glad it's a tangent and not the only way you're seeing me, because then it might feel like I'm trying to overcompensate for something.

Movie Fanatic: Did John Cho and Kal Penn offer you anything to do in this film that was just too much?

Neil Patrick Harris: Not really. I don't like to be disparaging about my past roles. That's the only taboo that I don't like to cross. I don't think it's funny to have cracked-out NPH talking (expletive) about Vinnie. I just don't think that's funny. If you look back on the first movie, he's very wistful about that whole chapter and regretful and missing it. I think that's a funnier take than "I'm too cool for my past." That's just not my style.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas Trailer

Movie Fanatic: Since this is a Christmas movie, what are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

Neil Patrick Harris: Our family always dealt with stockings. Rather than having Santa come and fill the stockings on Christmas morning, the stockings were slowly filled throughout the month and it was a trust thing to not reach in and see what was going on inside. So the stockings were slowly filled by everyone, which is kind of a cool tradition I think. I didn't look. I actively don't want to know. I would love, and I encourage my family, to tell me, "Don't look in this closet. That's where your presents are." I don't want to have to inadvertently find a gift and go like, "What the hell is -- oh no, that's for me!" And then have to pretend like I'm surprised later. I won't look. If I know where they're hidden, I will not look. I love presents and I hate faking surprises.

Movie Fanatic: How is having Kal on How I Met Your Mother?

Neil Patrick Harris: It's great. It's the first thing he's done as far as I know since spending two years in the White House, so he was oddly nervous. But he quickly got over that and he fits right in.

Alvin and the Chipmunks are about to hit theaters on December 16 with Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. In celebration of their place in entertainment history, they received an honor recently that is among the highest for an entertainer. Alvin, Simon and Theodore now have their hand and footprints in cement in front of the world famous Mann’s Chinese Theater. They even brought out the child in everyone, especially star Jason Lee, who let out his famous Alvin yell. The Chipmunks made history with their hand prints: They are the first animated characters to achieve this honor since Donald Duck did in 1984.

The son of the Chipmunks creator, and current steward of the franchise, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., was clearly moved when he commented on the event and its power on his family. “For years, not only did I come here to see if my hands and feet were the same size as Cary Grant’s or whoever, but we used to bring Alvin in tow with us and he would say, 'One day, maybe he’ll be immortalized too,'" Bagdasarian recalled. “That day has come.”

Check out the video below for the sights and sounds of the big day for Alvin and all the Chipmunks!

Seen and Heard at Alvin and the Chipmunks Make History

Freida Pinto and Isabel Lucas are The Immortals' leading ladies. Pinto portrays the Virgin Oracle at the center of The Immortals story while Lucas shines as Athena, the favorite daughter of Zeus.

Pinto and Lucas are at their glamorous best as they meet Movie Fanatic at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Pinto is fresh from her blockbuster film Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Lucas recently caused waves with her turn in The Wedding Party. Both extol the virtues of working for such a visionary director in Tarsem Singh and report that was the main reason they headed into the world of gods and men and the battle between them.

Movie Fanatic: Now that you’ve seen the film and witnessed Tarsem’s vision brought to life, what do you think?

Frieda Pinto: Well, in many ways when you’re working on a film like this and especially when you’re not in every scene, you don’t know how the different parts would be pieced together. When you do certain scenes which are in the script and it says, “This is a big cliff,” and you ask him how big, and he says, “Big," you’re trying to imagine how big this cliff is. When you finally see what big means in Tarsem’s head, you know that that kind of big was never in your head in the first place because it’s like massive [laughs]. So every time he says to control your voice because you’re going to need a lot of volume for this scene, you almost didn’t understand where you are headed with it, but Tarsem knows well and that’s the important thing. It feels great to know that you are in good hands throughout, and the way it’s all shaped up, it’s brilliant. I’m super happy with the film -- super happy.

Movie Fanatic: Isabel, did you feel like Athena after doing all those moves and was it hard to do that in those sandal boots?

The Immortals Trailer 2

Isabel Lucas: Yeah, I think that training was pretty intensive, but Tarsem will tell you that it wasn't all me. I did learn the whole choreographed fight sequence, but we did have a stunt double and she was incredible. It was all martial arts and fighting. It was actually quite difficult in that tight costume. While the costumes were amazing and helped one really embody the character it was also limiting physically, restrictive.

Movie Fanatic: Freida, did you ever think you'd be a Virgin Oracle?

Freida Pinto: No [laughs]. I don't think you think of these things when you enter this massive entertainment industry. There are loads of characters, like, when you watch a film like 300 or Gladiator for that matter, there are loads of characters that you wish you could play. But the way that they all come to you, I don't think that plan is in your hands unless you're the one making the film and casting yourself in it. When I met Tarsem for the first time I had no idea what we were going to do. Tarsem is amazing in what he does. I told Tarsem, like, “How do you want me to roll my eyes back? How am I going to do that? It sounds a bit strange as written in the script.” He said, “When we come to set we're going to put the script aside and we're just going to let the visuals take over.” So, even though I play the Virgin Oracle, it's not like in 300 where it's all dreamy and dancey and then she dies. It's really not like that. It feels more human in a way.

Movie Fanatic: So, fun question now. What’s on your iPods?

Isabel Lucas: I’ve just been listening to the Graceland album a lot as well recently. I love that. I love all different sorts of music. A lot of my favorite artists are African Americans like Billie Holiday and Stevie Wonder and things like that.

Frieda Pinto: I’ve been listening to a couple of different things. What I have noticed over the many years, I like different music, not things that you have heard over and over again. Adele is very soulful. I love Adele.

Movie Fanatic has seen The Muppets, and although our review has to wait until closer to the film’s November 23 release, it is a marvel. Disney has released a clip of the film’s opening musical number, which truly sets the fun film’s tone.

The Muppets Opening Musical Number: I've Got Everything That I Need

Jason Segel and his Muppet brother, Walter, get ready to take a trip to Los Angeles to visit The Muppets Theater and get a song and dance send-off from the residents of their small Midwestern town.

The rest of The Muppets gang get in on their own slew of song and dance numbers later in the film, including Segel's co-star Amy Adams. But, for now, and until you can see the magic yourself on November 23, enjoy the opening musical number from The Muppets.

Brett Ratner is in full defense mode this morning. No, it’s not over Tower Heist and its second place finish at the box office behind Puss in Boots. Ratner is apologizing for remarks he made to a group of moviegoers Friday evening in L.A., saying that “rehearsing’s for fags.” Immediately speculation began that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences would fire its broadcast’s newly hired producer.

Not so, as the organization’s president Tom Sherak expressed sadness over the statement, but support for the Oscar producer and Tower Heist director. “His remarks were inappropriate,” Sherak said. "[Ratner] said it best in his apology: that his comments were dumb and insensitive. When you think of our community, it went against all the beliefs of the creative community we represent. He knew it was wrong and he issued that response as quickly as any human being ever has. The bottom line is, this won't and can't happen again. It will not happen again. He apologized and we will move forward. How do I know this? I've known this man for a very long time. He has many friends who are members of the gay and lesbian community. The apology he gave I truly believe comes from his heart. If I didn't believe it, I would do something about it. This is about integrity and honoring the Academy Awards, but we all make mistakes and I believe he didn't mean it."

So, we want to know. Would you like to see Ratner removed from his Oscar duties for his homophobic slur?

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are back as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. A new clip from their latest Sherlock flick, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, has arrived and takes us further into the sequel to the highly successful first film directed by Guy Ritchie.

Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows Clip: Introducing Moriarty

The highlight for Movie Fanatic about Game of Shadows is the arrival of notorious Sherlock Holmes villain Moriarty. In the hands of Jared Harris, it appears Sherlock has met his match and be sure to check out his Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows character poster!

The new Sherlock Holmes video featurette is a delight for giving audiences more insight into two new characters to the Sherlock Holmes movie universe: Harris’ Moriarty and Noomi Rapace’s gypsy Sim.

Harold and Kumar returned to theaters in a Christmas spectacular in 3D this past weekend. As is the case any time the dynamic duo appear, whether it’s Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle or Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Kal Penn and John Cho provide us with movie quotes by the dozens.

In celebration of the third film’s arrival, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, we’ve compiled a few of A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas quotes. And keep checking back as we update this page often -- if there was ever a movie with a bevy of quotables, it’s A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas!

Kumar: Those kids put something in here.
Harold: Is it drugs? Is it semen?
Kumar: Doesn’t taste like semen... | permalink

Harold: I shot Santa Claus in the face. He's real, and I shot him in the face. | permalink

Kumar: How are you still alive?
Neil Patrick Harris: What are you talking about?
Harold: We saw you get shot, remember?
Neil Patrick Harris: You have to be more specific...
Kumar: In that whore house?
Harold: In Texas?
Kumar: You branded a prostitute...
Harold: Remember?
Neil Patrick Harris: Oh yeah... | permalink

Todd: I'll Skype you later, or text you later. Or both at the same time! | permalink

Kid at Party: Who are those guys? | permalink

Gracie: Get off of me! I thought you were gay!
Neil Patrick Harris: I am gay...gay for that! | permalink

Henry Cavill is having the year of his career between the release of the epic The Immortals and filming Man of Steel. Cavill spoke to Movie Fanatic and takes us inside the filming of The Immortals and how the discipline for making that film has more than readied him for portraying Superman.

Cavill portrays Theseus in The Immortals, the man chosen by the gods to battle the evil King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke). Cavill stars alongside Stephen Dorff, Freida Pinto and Isabel Lucas in director Tarsem Singh’s visual marvel that lands in theaters in 3D on November 11.

Movie Fanatic: What did you take away from the experience of filming the epic The Immortals?

Henry Cavill: Friendship and any experience on an acting job is good experience because you can take it to the next one. The physical experience was obviously wonderful because it's prepped me for this physical experience. Which I've learned that when you go to this kind of level, it's no longer about the physical. It's more about the mental. It's about the will power to push yourself into that very dark place. You're standing next to the precipice and you've got that weight on your shoulders and you're only halfway through the workout and you need to push yourself off and just go into that big black hole and keep on pushing. And Immortals prepped me for that emotionally and mentally in the physical sense -- if that makes sense. So, I'm very grateful for that. But besides that, friendship, acting experience and [it was] great working with Tarsem.

Movie Fanatic: You had to do some serious training for The Immortals. Take us through the process.

Henry Cavill: It was six months of work. Due to the nature of the training, which was from a very talented martial artist called Roger Yuan, with all the fight sequences and everything, it was essential to do all the stretching beforehand. So, part of the training was about flexibility as well because due to the nature of martial arts, you’re going to need flexibility. Otherwise you would have ended up pulling stuff and doing damage to muscles. So therefore, during shooting, I was prepared. If I did sustain any minor injuries, they healed quickly and I did not sustain any major injuries.

Movie Fanatic: How did being so fit influence your actual performance?

Henry Cavill: Before work when you look in the mirror, or even before looking in the mirror, you do feel different. A part of the character is more expressive in you and so when you’re in that kind of shape, I essentially was wearing my costume because I barely had a costume. Yeah, it certainly does help.

Movie Fanatic: What inspired you by playing Theseus?
 
Henry Cavill: Throughout history, there are stories of epic battles where men have dug very deeply and women have dug very deeply into their willpower to continue fighting. But the only reason why they’re there in the first place is the years of training to get to that place and to be told a story about. I think like anything which involves fighting, it’s not the actual fight which is the hard work. It’s all the prep that goes into it. Anything physical, it’s all about the prep anyway. You may see the guy in the UFC ring fighting and it may seem effortless, his abilities, his kicks, his punches, whatever, but it’s actually the years of training beforehand where the real work is.

Movie Fanatic: What was it like working with Mickey Rourke?

The Immortals Trailer 2

Henry Cavill: Working with any actor that has that kind of experience is good because you can learn as much as you possibly can from him.

Movie Fanatic: Did you learn anything from the veteran actor?

Henry Cavill: Goodness, I learned that there's a certain gravitas you can have by doing the smallest things. And things you do in your everyday life you often don't do when you're acting because you're concentrating so hard on doing something that you're actually not doing the natural things. Mickey is pretty good at that.

Movie Fanatic: What first appealed to you about The Immortals story?
 
Henry Cavill: Tarsem. When I first read the script myself, I read it and wasn’t that convinced initially. The producer said, “I’ve spoken to Tarsem, you’ve got to go meet this guy.” And I did, and after I walked out of that room, I said, “I want to do this movie. I really, really want it.”

Movie Fanatic: How did Tarsem convince you to do the film?
 
Henry Cavill: He had his visuals all set. He had his passion. He basically had an idea of what he wanted and that in itself, when you walk into a room and you have a director who’s actually genuinely in charge of what he wants, you feel safe. You think, "Okay, great, I want to be a part of this because I know no matter what, I’m going to get to do my bit, and you’re going to do your bit and we’re going to work together," as opposed to it being “Well, we don’t really know what we’re doing but it’s kind of like this and therefore you’ll fit in here somewhere but we might change a lot of stuff up.”

Movie Fanatic: Is it difficult to wrap your head around playing such mythic characters, whether it’s Theseus or Superman?

Henry Cavill: You can't look at it from the external viewpoint because it can be crushing. You've got to go, "Okay, I'm playing a role.” And if you approach it any differently from playing any other role -- and I'm talking from the place of we approach any role with the same kind of dedication no matter what -- if you approach it any differently than any other role then you're not going to do a good enough job. Because you'll be worried about what everyone is thinking about everything, as opposed to just acting -- which is what it is.

Movie Fanatic: How has filming Man of Steel met your expectations?

Henry Cavill: It's been wonderful. It’s very hard work, exciting and fun, all of those things. I can't really say any more [laughs].

Movie Fanatic: How are you handling the transition between being a working actor on projects to being the star of these films that have such intense curiosity and excitement around them? Between The Immortals and Man of Steel, there are quite a lot of expectations.

Henry Cavill: We're still working actors. Is it any different? No. There is no difference, you're still doing a job. You're turning up to work, it's still a horrible time in the morning. It's dark when you turn up to work, it's dark when you leave work and you're tired and you're hungry. It's like any job. The fact that there is more public attention towards them certainly doesn't make a difference. There might be more money in the job and so therefore there are a few more luxuries here and there -- which does make a difference. It's nice when you turn up and you've got a proper trailer as opposed to a sort of small, very cold box to get dressed in. But it's still a job. You're still doing the acting stuff. Just because it's bigger doesn't make it any different. And it shouldn't either.

Denzel Washington looks like he has done it again by the looks of the new trailer for Safe House. The Oscar winner and Ryan Reynolds (who stars in the now out on DVD The Change-Up) star in the action-thriller where Washington portrays a rebel CIA agent who resurfaces after a decade. The title of the film comes from the South African safe house where Washington is being held upon his return to answer for his past actions. A place of supposed solitude is attacked by mercenaries and Reynolds’ rookie agent and Washington must form an unlikely alliance in order to survive.

Safe House Trailer

When we spoke to Moneyball star Stephen Bishop, he told us exclusively about filming Safe House with Washington, one of his heroes. “I got to go to Cape Town, South Africa to shoot it and do scenes with Denzel, which was another bucket list for me,” Bishop said of the Safe House experience.
 
Here’s the Safe House synopsis, courtesy of Universal Pictures:

For the past year, Matt Weston (Reynolds) has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A “housekeeper” who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he’s had proves to be the most dangerous man he’s ever met, Weston readies for duty.

Tobin Frost (Washington) has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA’s known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military Intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he’s done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he’s now back on the reservation with a secret.

As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston’s safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it’s up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they’re both eliminated from the game.

As Movie Fanatic previously reported, Warner Bros. is launching a full-fledged campaign to have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 considered for Academy Awards. In that effort, the studio has released a video highlighting who they believe should be given a serious look for Oscar gold.

Warner Bros For Your Consideration Video for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 lands in Blu-Ray and DVD (stay with us for our exclusive review and videos) November 11 before Warner Bros. pulls all the Harry Potter films off the shelf and into the archive.

Here’s the full list Warner Bros. has recommended to the Academy for consideration for 2012 Academy Awards. Also, be sure to check out WB's For Your Consideration website for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Best Picture
Produced by:
David Heyman
David Barron
J. K. Rowling

Best Director
David Yates

Best Adapted Screenplay
Steve Kloves

Best Actor
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)

Best Supporting Actor
Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid)
Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort)
Michael Gambon (Dumbledore)
John Hurt (Ollivander)
Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom)
Gary Oldman (Sirius Black)
Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
David Thewlis (Remus Lupin)

Best Actress
Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)

Best Supporting Actress
Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange)
Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall)

Best Art Direction
Production Designer
Stuart Craig
Set Decorator
Stephanie McMillan

Best Cinematography
Eduardo Serra, ASC, AFC

Best Costume Design
Jany Temime

Best Film Editing
Mark Day

Best Makeup
Special Makeup Effects
Nick Dudman
Makeup Designer
Amanda Knight

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat

Best Sound Mixing
Production Sound Mixer
Stuart Wilson
Re-Recording Sound Mixers
Stuart Hilliker
Mike Dowson
Adam Scrivener

Best Sound Editing
James Mather

Best Visual Effects
Tim Burke
John Richardson
Greg Butler
David Vickery

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fans have another reason to get excited for December 21 to arrive. A new TV spot has debuted for the film. The first video from the film since the September Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trailer is as visually arresting as all previous clips, but takes the mystery a tad further with director David Fincher’s editing team getting the spotlight.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo TV Spot 3

Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is based on the iconic literary trilogy by Stieg Larsson. The film stars Rooney Mara as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, the two characters most central to the thrilling story. Craig is a journalist who has had his reputation dragged through hell courtesy of a libel suit and Mara is an impeccable investigator who must team with Craig to crack a crime that hasn’t been solved in four decades.

Fresh on the heels of two new The Hunger Games images Movie Fanatic ran last week, we have one more for a legion of fans that is as passionate, if not more so, than those Twi-hards -- who on a side note, will have their own prayers answered when Breaking Dawn debuts November 18.

Our new photo of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss shows her in the midst of shooting an arrow, something readers of the Suzanne Collins books know she is quite proficient at.


Lionsgate also recently revealed The Hunger Games character posters. The film doesn’t arrive in theaters until March 23, 2012, and the studio is running its marketing machine impeccably feeding the fire that is the fan base of this wildly popular literary trilogy.

The "should Brett Ratner resign as producer of the Oscars" question was asked and answered all within one day. The Tower Heist director caused a controversy that the Academy rarely has the patience for when he said that “rehearsals are for fags.”

Academy president Tom Sherak did not hide his agreement in Ratner’s decision to resign.

“He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself. Words have meaning, and they have consequences,” Sherak said in a statement. “Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."

If nothing else, Ratner hired Eddie Murphy as host for the 2012 Oscars, a move that has been universally hailed. Whether Murphy will stay on now that his Tower Heist director has left is still to be determined. There is no word yet out of Murphy’s camp.

Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt and from behind-the-scenes clips to the first Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer, it looks like director Brad Bird’s leap from animated films to a full-blown action franchise is brilliant. New on the horizon today: Paramount Pictures has released a 30-second TV spot that gives Mission Impossible fans a few more moments to chew on and discuss as they anticipate the film's arrival.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol TV Spot 2

The film arrives on IMAX on December 16 and theaters everywhere December 21.

Zach Gilford finished filming Friday Night Lights and was eager to tackle a subject close to his heart. The River Why accomplished that on many levels and he tells Movie Fanatic about it exclusively. The film is currently available DVD and Blu-Ray and its outdoor-centered storyline spoke to Gilford.

The River Why also stars Amber Heard and William Hurt -- another huge draw for Gilford -- and the shoot was primarily outdoors, something Gilford tells us he would normally be doing quite a bit anyway.

The film explores a father-son relationship with the backdrop of fly fishing and the beauty of the American West.

Movie Fanatic: What was it about the actual story of The River Why that really resonated with you?

Zach Gilford: The story was great because I used to lead outdoor trips for kids, for high school kids. I’ve worked anywhere from Costa Rica to Alaska to New Zealand and my favorite memories are the moments when kids stopped mid-tracks, looked around, and went, “Oh my God, look at where I am.” And that’s kind of the transition that Gus goes through in this movie. At the start, fishing’s just a fun sport, the thing that he does. And he finally starts to realize there’s a much bigger picture and starts to respect it a little more. It’s life and a living thing as opposed to this kind of sport where you can just grab these things out of the water. He starts to realize they’re living things and respect them much more and appreciate them much more. That leads to him having an “aha moment” with his life, with his family, being more open to them and seeing them in a different light than he had all through growing up.

Movie Fanatic: What is it about fly-fishing that it develops such devotion in people?

Zach Gilford: My take on it and I don’t know if everyone agrees or not. But I think there’s something very Zen about it in that just with your cast or whatever you’re doing, you have to be focused. You can’t be spacing out about whatever else is going on with your life. But it’s not the kind of focus that can stress you out and give you a headache. It’s not like doing math or trying to solve some kind of problem or working on a budget. It requires enough focus that you have to be present and concentrate on what you’re doing but it’s not stressful, which allows you this meditative state of mind where you’re not stressing out about anything else. You’re just present where you are when you’re there. On top of all that, generally, you’re in very beautiful, serene places.

Movie Fanatic: How was it working with your co-star Amber Heard?

Zach Gilford: We definitely forged a really good friendship as well. She was great; I loved her. It was fun working with her. We got pretty close and we were really comfortable with each other to the point. There are some goofy scenes where I’m in a tree spouting off some weird dialogue, where you’re going to feel pretty stupid doing it. But because of the relationship that we had developed, I felt a little more like, “All right, she’s going to go with me on this. I don’t feel judged or like a complete idiot.”

Movie Fanatic: Since you love the outdoors so much, how was it being outside all the time while filming The River Why?

Zach Gilford: It was amazing. I think we shot it in June or maybe July in Portland and it was just beautiful. It was hot a couple of days but generally it was perfect weather. We’re out on these rivers and we’re just running around in the forest. I’ve spent a lot of time outdoors and I feel really comfortable out there. We’d be moving locations and they’d see a beautiful downed tree in the forest and they’d be like, “Hey, can you just grab your bag and fishing rod and walk up this tree?” And I’d be like, “Yeah, sure.” And they’d just shoot it because I never had to be like, “Oh, let me go check it out first and make sure it’s okay.” They gradually got to know that I could do any of that stuff. By the end of it, if you’ve seen the movie, I’m running through rivers and all that and it’s not like I had a stunt double. I just feel really comfortable out there so it was really fun to get to do that kind of stuff and have someone there with a camera.

Movie Fanatic: How was it working with director Matt Leutwyler?

Zach Gilford: Throughout the movie, Matt and I had a great working relationship. This was the first movie I ever did where I was in every scene of the movie and I was there every day. The director is the person you’re working with all the time and we had such a good relationship that it was a really fun, great experience. It all worked out really, really well.

Movie Fanatic: How did you prepare for all the fly-fishing in the film?

Zach Gilford: Before we shot, we went for like a week to learn how to fly-fish. So I got to spend some time with Will Hurt, and obviously Matt and Kristi (Denton Cohen, producer), Kathleen Quinlan, out on rivers fly-fishing. I really got to know them before we were just thrown on a film set and told to be a family.

Movie Fanatic: When you’re fly-fishing with William Hurt, what goes through your mind?

Zach Gilford: It’s pretty nuts. And I still have that experience to this day. Right now I’m shooting something (The Last Stand) with Arnold Schwarzenegger. You’re in a scene and he looks at you in a certain way, and you’re like, “Oh my God, I saw that look in Terminator or whatever.” And it’s like, “They’re just a normal person.” When you’re sitting in chairs talking to them during filming or when you’re fly-fishing, I’m still pretty young, I’ve been very fortunate in my career but still every experience I have, every celebrity that I meet, it’s still pretty exciting to me.

Snow White and the Huntsman will show Kristen Stewart of the upcoming The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 in a completely new light. Stewart stars as a Snow White that is unlike any you’ve ever seen as she, in many ways, channels Joan of Arc. Universal Pictures has released a new banner that features Stewart front and center, with her co-star Chris Hemsworth as the titular Huntsman to her left and the awfully evil-looking Charlize Theron as the evil queen to her right.

The film is a full-on action adventure flick with Stewart’s Snow White being anything but passive in her efforts to topple the evil queen. Movie Fanatic ran photos of Stewart in her armored best recently and this new banner is further proof this is not your grandmother’s Snow White.

Stay with Movie Fanatic as the first trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman is set to bow November 10. The film hits theaters June 1, 2012.

One of the best films of the year (check out our Best Movies of 2011 So Far), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 holds a special place in the panorama of film this year. So, anticipation is seriously high for the film as it comes home on Blu-Ray and DVD November 11. We’ve got a clip from the Blu-Ray extras that is utterly fascinating. It features Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, having a chat with series creator J.K. Rowling about the impeccable casting for the film.

Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling Discuss Harry Potter Casting

Movie Fanatic has the Blu-Ray of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and we will share our insight November 10 as we take you inside one of the best Blu-Rays of the year.

Leonardo DiCaprio is enjoying a run working for Hollywood’s greatest directors. With his current J. Edgar, DiCaprio was moved to brilliance by director Clint Eastwood in his portrayal of legendary FBI head J. Edgar Hoover. After portraying Howard Hughes in The Aviator for Martin Scorsese, we cannot think of a better choice to bring the U.S. historical icon to life as DiCaprio has in J. Edgar.

DiCaprio and Eastwood recently sat down to discuss their film, what Eastwood thinks about acting again, and how DiCaprio sifted through all the rumors and hearsay to channel a performance worthy of an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Movie Fanatic: Did you learn anything about J. Edgar Hoover that altered your perception of the man?

Leonardo DiCaprio: I think the screenplay that Clint and I initially responded to by Mr. Dustin Lance Black was a very fascinating portrait of this man. I think all us actors were very fascinated with these characters that had devoted their life to government service and that meant not having any kind of personal life whatsoever. They were the representation of the FBI. That was their church. It’s a hard concept for me to wrap my head around, to completely sacrifice any sort of love in your life, to never experience that on a personal level. All three of these characters lived a life of service to their country.

Movie Fanatic: And what most compelled you about Clint Eastwood and his vision for J. Edgar?

Leonardo DiCaprio: What I was fascinated by was his take on entering J. Edgar Hoover’s career during a time of almost a terrorist invasion by Communists -- the Red Scare -- that sort of paranoia that was infused in our country and the lawlessness of these bank robbers that were going from state to state and becoming free men when they crossed state lines. J. Edgar Hoover really transformed the police system in America and created this Federal Bureau that to this day is one of the most feared, respected and revered police forces in the entire world.

Movie Fanatic: What do you think, above all us, J. Edgar should be remembered for?
 
Leonardo DiCaprio: The one thing that was prevalent throughout his entire career was his staunch belief that Communism was an evil thing. He wanted to retain the fundamental principles of democracy in our country -- but when the Civil Rights movement came along, he saw that as an uprising of the people. He didn’t adapt or change to our country. He stayed in power way too long and he didn’t listen to his own critics. He was a staunch believer in his moral beliefs and his beliefs about what was right for our country, and therefore his career ended on a failed note, in my opinion. Clint’s portrait of this man was a very complex one and a very interesting one, and I just loved the research that he did and the take that he had on J. Edgar Hoover’s life. Because, you can’t deny that he wasn’t a patriot, at the same time his tactics were pretty deplorable.

Movie Fanatic: Clint, you have a reputation for only doing a few takes. Is that true, or just one of those Hollywood myths?

Clint Eastwood: It just depends. You’re looking for the highlights. You’re looking for the best elements of the scene, but preferably you’d like to have one good take that would go all the way through. But I’m always trying for it on the first take. That was Don Siegel’s favorite thing. He says, “I may not get it, but I’m always trying for it.” I’ve got this reputation for shooting one take, which is a wonderful reputation to have but it’s hard to live up to. If I did it, it would be kind of shoddy, I think. What I do is whatever it takes, it takes. Sometimes you see a scene right away and a take looks great so you might print that and you might print a couple more and take elements of all three.

Movie Fanatic: How for you as a filmmaker, did you see the aging process playing into the storytelling in J. Edgar?

Clint Eastwood: I think the best example we had was when we did J. Edgar Hoover going in to see the president. You’d see Leo going in as a young man and then at the final one when he goes in to see President Nixon, he goes in and he does the exact same gestures, but just as an old man. If you put those two pieces together, you see a dramatic change.

Movie Fanatic: Leo, in preparation for the older versions of your characters, did you take a closer look at older people and how they move or is it something that just comes naturally as part of the acting?

Leonardo DiCaprio: The challenge for me was not just the prosthetic work and how to move like an older man would move, but more so how to have 50 years of experience in the workplace and talk to a young Robert F. Kennedy as if he was some political upstart that didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. Thankfully, Clint set that up for the last two weeks of filming. We got to prepare for that and we got to get our footing in our characters and then came to set. And the last few weeks, we sat in the make-up chair for five or six or seven hours sometimes. I think a lot of us had our own research on how to do that, but there was a lot of prep time for that. But, thankfully, Clint creates an environment for all of us to really focus on the acting and the drama and the interaction with the characters.

J. Edgar Trailer

Movie Fanatic: Is it safe to say that Clint is an actor’s director?

Leonardo DiCaprio: His style of directing, it’s so catered for actors because he has almost like this splinter cell unit of people on set, the bare minimum. It’s like an elite squadron of Marines that are there and they sort of fade away, and then that third wall sort of disappears and you start to feel like you’re actually submerged in reality and you’re really there. For doing difficult stuff like that, it’s incredibly helpful as an actor to feel like you’re immersed in that environment.

Movie Fanatic: Leo, why are you drawn to characters stemmed from our history, such as in J. Edgar and The Aviator?

Leonardo DiCaprio: For me as an actor, I just loved researching this stuff. We got to take a trip to Washington and I got to meet people who knew him and really understand and capture this guy to the best of my abilities. That’s half the fun of making a movie for me. To me, you couldn’t write a character like J. Edgar Hoover and have it be believable. I mean, he was a crock pot of eccentricities. The fact that this man was, if not the most powerful man in the last century, one of the most in our country and he lived with his mother until he was 40 years old. He listened to his mother for political advice. The more I dug deep, you understand the history of the child and what motivated these people at a very early age. She wanted the Hoover name to rise to great glory in Washington, so he was this incredibly ambitious young genius that really transformed our country and created this Federal Bureau of Investigation. Yet he was a mama’s boy. He was incredibly repressed emotionally. His only outlet was his job. He wasn’t allowed to have any kind of personal relationships, or he felt that. No matter what his sexual orientation was, he was devoted to his job and power.
 
Movie Fanatic: Clint, how are you so active and astute? Give us an insight into aging gracefully.

Clint Eastwood: I think aging, so far, has been okay. I think it’s been good. A lot of people regret because we live in a society that reveres being at the prime of life and everything. You have certain primes at certain times, and mine happens to be…

Leonardo DiCaprio: From an outsider’s perspective, it’s amazing what he does. If he’s not directing a film, he’s acting in it or he’s composing the music for that film. His commitment to what he does is astounding -- for all of us to witness. It’s inspiring, actually.

Clint Eastwood: I do believe if one keeps busy, it’s very good for a person. In fact, people are always rushing into retirement and we read in Europe that people there are talking about their retirement age and moving it to 67 or something. Oh, I’ve passed it, haven’t I? [Laughs] And so you keep in shape, you keep yourself mentally in shape. And if you keep yourself mentally in shape, chances are physically it will follow suit.

Movie Fanatic: Clint, would you consider acting again? You had previously said that you were done.

Clint Eastwood: Actually, it’s based on material. I was just telling somebody a few minutes ago that I’d been trying to retire to the back of the camera for quite a few years. And then in 1970 when I first started directing, I said, “You know, if I could pull this off, I can some day just move in back of the camera and stay there.” I never was able to pull it off because somebody offered me a role. Once in a while they come up with a grumpy old man thing and they say, “Okay, let’s get Eastwood for that.” So, we’ll see. Every once in a while somebody writes a script, but even regardless of what age you are, most actors would all agree that it’s all based upon material. The material has got to spark with you. It may be great material, you just have to make that judgment and if you feel in the mood to do it.

Movie Fanatic: Lastly, Leo, how do you handle playing what many believe is such an unsympathetic character?

Leonardo DiCaprio: I don’t have to sympathize or empathize with a human being in order to be able to portray them. I mean, some of the greatest roles that actors have been able to play haven’t been the most endearing on screen.