Luke Evans is a perfect Dracula in Dracula Untold. That has to be a huge relief to fans of the story that first truly took a popular culture shape thanks to Bram Stoker's book. Of course, casting the lead role in any movie is merely one piece of the puzzle -- although it is a pretty big check mark considering the legend at the center of the Gary Shore-directed origins story.

Dracula Untold begins with a brief history of the era where Turkey and Transylvania have had a fragile peace that usually involves Transylvania turning over thousands of their young boys to serve as soldiers in the budding empire’s army. One of those was Vlad Tepes (Evans). Through sheer violent and savage soldiering, he would become known as Vlad the Impaler and eventually be sent home to rule as Prince of his Transylvanian people.

We truly meet Vlad as a husband to Mirena (an astounding Sarah Gadon) and father to a young boy. He has been away and discovered something truly terrifying that has been killing Turkish scouts. Of course, the Turks think it's Transylvanians that are doing the killing and our story is set up for our (anti) hero to have to make the ultimate choice and sacrifice.

The leader of the Turks, Mehmed (Dominic Cooper), wants another group of thousands of boys, including Vlad’s son, as payback for the loss of his scouts. As you see in the Dracula Untold trailer, Vlad refuses.

He’s out-manned. He’s out-gunned. And his family is being pursued with a price on their heads. What’s a medieval prince to do? Visit the monster (Charles Dance) that’s been killing those Turkish scouts and become what he is -- a monster who is a human blood-sucking beast that has superhuman strength, speed and can wipe out an entire army with one blow.

There are several things that are truly impressive about Dracula Untold. The fact that Shore is a first time director is beyond surprising. The film manages to inject the emotional pull so that we truly understand why Vlad would make the choice he made, out of love for his family. And then there are the action sequences, which are shot with such aplomb and power, it is a thrill ride normally reserved for the summer months.

But, Dracula Untold arrives in October and that, in fact, makes much more sense. The film could be the first in a series and we think that Universal is hoping to reboot its monster properties (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy) that made those scary creatures pop culture icons.

Our Dracula Untold review finds that watching Evans as Dracula is as tasty as the sweetest Halloween candy treat… except -- dare we say -- it’s even more thrilling and will probably stay with you a lot longer.

Evans nails the father part of the role, the husband part of the role and especially the nobleman with a checkered past who simply wants peace for his people part. Might we say, you may never look at Dracula the same way again. And we suspect, that’s just how Universal wants it. 

Dracula Untold Photos

1. Dracula Untold Bat Poster

We kinda like this "bat" poster for Dracula Untold!

The live action Disney family film used to be something that parents could count on at least once a year to bring the clan together for some movie magic. But, then, something happened and as the animation world took over (and delightfully so) in terms of the family film market, live action family flicks from Disney seemed to dissipate a bit.

That changes right now with the arrival of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner star as Ben and Kelly Cooper. They are parents to four kids ranging from a baby (who may be the best movie baby of all time) to an older teenage boy named Anthony (Dylan Minnette). In the middle is middle-schooler Emily (Kerris Dorsey) and a late elementary school age boy named Alexander (Ed Oxenbould).

And yes, Alexander is having one of the worst days ever.

But, that’s where Miguel Arteta’s film veers off from the classic children’s book by Judith Viorst upon which the film’s based. The day after the very bad day is Alex’s birthday, and as he sits over a single candle in a cupcake on his birthday eve, he wishes that his entire family (who appear to have the most charmed lives) would truly know what a bad day feels like.

Good morning, Coopers. Welcome to your Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

The essence of the Viorst book is front and center in Arteta’s film and that is one of the most truly impressive things about the movie -- as can be seen in the Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day trailer.

It was often asked since the book arrived over four decades ago: How do you make a film from this thing? Well, Disney, Arteta and screenwriter Rob Lieber have found a way and in the process given the audience a slew of laughs, thrills and messages about the importance of family while simultaneously staying true to one's self.

Carell could be the next Dick Van Dyke with his performance in the Disney live action family flick. That is saying a lot because Van Dyke appeared in his fair share of those Disney films back in the day. And Garner has all the right touches as a working mother who has a chance at career greatness, but is torn when it seems that disasters at work can prevent her from being involved in her son’s birthday party, just when he needs it most.

The entire production either works or doesn’t work on the casting of the title character. Hiring Australian Oxenbould from the thousands that they looked at in a global search must have been like finding a needle in a haystack, or yes, even a diamond in the rough from the wilds of Australia.

Oxenbould captures exactly what it is like to be a child of that age. He is supremely devoted to his family, yet he still wants his spotlight and time in the sun to shine. And it’s clear that when he’s not getting that, Alexander believes that no one (not even his friends) will get the depths of his misery for his horrible day that seems to be bleeding into the next day -- horrors, his birthday!

Our Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day review is proud to report that the Disney live action family film is back and in a big way. Not only do we hope we get more Alexander bad days (sorry, Alex!), but also other films of this ilk where families from eight to eighty can go and each have something on the screen that they find interesting and entertaining. 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Photos

1. The Before Poster

The "Before" poster shows what life is like, and how Alexander is the one set for a bad day.

When we come across a movie like Whiplash, it’s hard to not oversell it. It is no fun for an audience member to go into a film with the highest of expectations and then to be only slightly wowed and not overwhelmed. But, unfortunately, that happens all the time. 

This may be a bold statement, but that will not happen with our Whiplash review. The J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller starring drama will likely give you Whiplash from its supreme power. It is excellence personified, and right here and now, we can say that Simmons is a lock for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of an abusive collegiate music teacher who believes that his methods are not asinine, but merely motivation of the highest order for his students.

As teased in the Whiplash trailer, Teller is Andrew, a drum prodigy who is an early year student in a New York City music university that is painted as one of the best in the country. Simmons’ Professor Fletcher is considered “the” jazz music teacher to get in good with as he oversees the premier jazz band at the school that is known throughout the land for its award-winning performances.

Fletcher sees something in Teller and a relationship is born. At first, Teller appreciates his maniac mentor’s teaching style as he truly believes that it will turn him from good drummer to someone who is considered one of the best who ever played. But then, Fletcher and his teachings become too much for Teller and something has to break. But, what it is you won’t hear from us because the way writer-director Damien Chazelle has crafted Whiplash, the final act of his film will leave you breathless, mesmerized and stunned beyond belief.

Whiplash is unlike anything we have seen in a long time. It is the rare music movie that works beyond notes and beats. This is a character study where it is done at such a level, forget the Oscars, we think this is a should be sent to the Library of Congress now type of quality.

Teller had a background in drumming, but practiced to the point where Chazelle would not have to use a “stunt” drummer so that the power of the performance would ring true. That goes so far in Whiplash as Teller is a revelation of reserved power that is new for the actor. He usually plays the cocky guy and is humbled and then finds his way back. Yet in his latest film, he has his confidence built up, reinforced by his talent, and then torn down through a series of events that would weaken anyone.

But, it is how he responds to that that gives Whiplash its lightning bolt of brilliance. The way the film hits you over the head is a welcome cinematic concussion that we want to experience again and again and again.

Our Whiplash review thinks that this is the Best Picture of the Year. Clearly, this is only October and a slew of other Oscar contenders have yet to grace our screens. Will Whiplash be one of the ten potential nominees? We would bet on it. 

Whiplash Photos

1. JK Simmons Conducts

JK Simmons appears to be a great conductor and teacher. But, that would be wrong.

Witnessing Kill the Messenger, I think that we have just witnessed the first Oscar nominee for Best Actor with the performance by Jeremy Renner.

Renner is Gary Webb, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who exposed one of the darkest and most dangerous secrets that our government wanted hidden. What made matters worse about this true story is that Webb’s reward for bringing this blight to life was that he was tag teamed and destroyed by a twin tower of government power and media savvy.

The major newspapers of the world (Washington Post, L.A. Times) were pissed that this small(er) town newspaper reporter scored the scoop and did everything they could to discredit him. And their support in that effort came from the one and only CIA -- who themselves were just slightly upset that he found evidence to support the fact that they got into the drug business to raise money to fight communism.

Yup, the crack epidemic on our inner city streets was inadvertently started because of the CIA, Webb found. Yeah, that ought to go over well in South Central LA and other communities!

Needless to say, between both behemoths, he was personally destroyed and Kill the Messenger is his story. It is also one of the most perfect movie titles we have ever seen.

How Webb stumbles on this story is well documented, although not well known. We could not be more thrilled that Kill the Messenger has been made so that there is some sort of justice and vindication for what Webb went through. How he got his sources together and how he put together this massive story that could have (and should have) brought down our government is documented brilliantly and succinctly by writer Peter Landesman and director Michael Cuesta.

The media sought to undermine Webb’s reporting on the issue (which was one of the sharper spokes in the Iran-Contra scandal wheel). And it worked -- much of the weight of what he wrote about in his article chronicling this scandal has been lost on the public consciousness. Landesman and Cuesta had a monumental task of taking something that was incredibly complicated, shady and frankly dangerous, and boiling it down to a two hour film that was informative and, yes, entertaining.

Our Kill the Messenger review finds that the film has heaps of both.

Renner is mesmerizing and the more this story goes on, the more frustrated and downright angry the audience will get. That is largely because of the truth behind the war of personal destruction and the crimes that were committed by our government. But it is also because of how Renner plays it as it happens. He has the truth on his side and in the end -- that means nothing. It is beyond upsetting, but it is also supremely powerful.

Yes, Renner deserves an Oscar nod for Kill the Messenger and he is not the only one. Because of the incredible job they both do, look for a directing nod for Cuesta and an adapted screenplay nomination for Landesman.

Then there is Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays Gary’s wife Sue. She bore the homefront brunt of what Webb goes through and the actress gives a performance that is absolutely the best of her career. She could have been a cardboard cut-out character, the movie wife, but instead there is a real heart and soul there that makes what happens to Webb and his family a true American tragedy.

Kill the Messenger Photos

1. Jeremy Renner Stars in Kill the Messenger

Jeremy Renner might just fall prey to the title, Kill the Messenger, for exposing the government's secrets.

Will Smith is ready for the con game in the first trailer for Warner Bros.’ Focus. But, he has his hands full as he meets another con artist (Margot Robbie) and their relationship throws off his, well, focus!

Focus Trailer

Focus is the latest from the pair who gave us those Crazy, Stupid, Love quotes, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. 

Smith is Nicky, a master of the con. When he meets a novice con artist named Jess (Robbie), he takes a liking to her and teaches her everything he knows. When their relationship sours, they go their separate ways.

Things seem fine for Nicky, that is until three years pass and he runs into Jess again in Buenos Aires and she’s working the same con as him. Think fireworks will fly?

Check out the first Focus stills in the slideshow below and don’t miss one of our favorite Smith movies and watch I Am Legend online.

Focus Photos

1. Margot Robbie Flirts with Will Smith

Margot flirts with Will and it totally throws him off his game.

Hot on the heels of a series of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies character posters (we are partial to the Gandalf poster!), today we’ve got not one, but two character posters.

Warner Bros. has released the Legolas and Bard posters to further tease us for the December 17 arrival of the final chapter in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.

Orlando Bloom is back once again as Legolas and we’re sure he’ll play a big part in the film -- we can tell that from The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies teaser trailer!

And then there’s Luke Evans’ Bard, who is integral to how this whole The Hobbit trilogy concludes.

Watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug online and get ready for the final chapter!

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Photos

1. The Legolas Poster!

Orlando Bloom is back as Legolas and he's got his own Battle of the Five Armies poster!

One of the best parts of an awesome from beginning to end The LEGO Movie was Will Arnett as Batman. Guess Warner Bros. agreed as they have fast-tracked an Arnett as Batman LEGO movie to arrive in theaters 2017.

We already know that Chris McKay will helm The LEGO Movie sequel, and word is that he will also be calling the shots on the Batman LEGO movie. With Arnett and his gruff voice and attitude, count us in as the first in line to get tickets!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter scribe Seth Grahame-Smith is writing the script and look for The LEGO Batman Movie to take The LEGO Movie sequel release date of May 26, 2016 with the actual sequel landing later that year.

Until then, see Arnett in action and watch The LEGO Movie online and click below to see our favorite The LEGO Movie quotes! 

The LEGO Movie Quotes

Batman: Relax, everybody. I'm here.
Emmet: Batman? Awesome! Could you make one of these in orange?
Batman: I only work in black. And sometimes, very, very dark gray.

• Permalink: I only work in black. And sometimes, very, very dark gray.
• Added: February 10, 2014

1. Batman only works in black!

Batman only works in black? Does he?

The Weekend Movie Preview is here to help as this week is an enormous week for Hollywood with five new releases hitting theaters. 

The best news is that there is something for everyone, and we think several Oscar nominees will be found amongst this weekend's releases. 

We've got the battle of the Roberts, Downey and Duvall, with The Judge, and Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner bringing back the Disney live action family film with Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Then there is a future Oscar nominee in Jeremy Renner in the true story Kill the Messenger and a lock for Best Supporting Actor with J.K. Simmons in Whiplash. 

Then, last but not least, Luke Evans gives us the origins story of the Prince of Darkness with Dracula Untold.

Let's break it down...

The Judge: Downey and Duvall rivet as estranged father and son in this family ensemble piece meets courtroom drama. 

The Judge Photos

1. The Judge Full Poster

The "full" poster from The Judge. Just look at those two stars and admit you don't want to see this flick!

The two actors put on a clinic, but it's the story that compels about fathers and sons and the unique bond and relationship that they share. And as our The Judge review stated, the ensemble is top notch, from Billy Bob Thornton and Vincent D'Onofrio to Jeremy Strong and Vera Farmiga. 

The Judge Trailer

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: Carell and Garner are perfectly cast as Disney parents in the long in coming screen version of the classic children's book. The film is the rare family film that everyone in the entire family will find interesting and entertaining. 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Photos

1. The Before Poster

The "Before" poster shows what life is like, and how Alexander is the one set for a bad day.

The kids could not have been better cast as well, especially our title character with Ed Oxenbould totally inhabiting the role. For more, check out our Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day review. 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day TV Spot

Dracula Untold: Evans could not be a more fantastic and heartbreaking (that's a good thing here!) Dracula as this action flick/classic love story truly shows why the man who was known as Vlad gave it all up and became Dracula -- the man who would live forever and survive on nothing but feasting on human blood. 

Dracula Untold Photos

1. Dracula Untold Bat Poster

We kinda like this "bat" poster for Dracula Untold!

It's hard to believe that this taut action thriller with heart was helmed by a first time director, but he hits it out of the park. And with Dominic Cooper as our villain, our (anti) hero has a worthy foe. As our Dracula Untold review reported, fans of the Prince of Darkness should be more than pleased with this reboot of the iconic story. 

Dracula Untold Trailer

Kill the Messenger: Renner deserves an Oscar nod for his portrayal of real life journalist Gary Webb and his effort to bring the truth to the American people and the world about how the CIA was in the drug business to fund anti-Communism efforts in Central America. 

Kill the Messenger Photos

1. Jeremy Renner Stars in Kill the Messenger

Jeremy Renner might just fall prey to the title, Kill the Messenger, for exposing the government's secrets.

Rosemarie DeWitt also shines as his wife, who bears much of the brunt of the character destruction that goes on with Webb -- not only from the CIA, but also mainstream newspapers who resented that the small town reporter got the scoop. Our Kill the Messenger review delves deeper. 

Kill the Messenger Trailer

Whiplash: This is our best movie of the year so far. And there is no question in our minds that like last October when we saw Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club and knew he would win Supporting Actor gold, the same is true this October where J.K. Simmons will win in the same category this year. 

Whiplash Photos

1. JK Simmons Conducts

JK Simmons appears to be a great conductor and teacher. But, that would be wrong.

Miles Teller also shows his mettle by learning the drums to have us totally believe that his character Andrew is one of the best drummers in the world. And to see him and Simmons go at it is explosive to say the least. Our Whiplash review also illustrates why when those final credits roll, you will have Whiplash sitting in your seat at the marvel of moviemaking you just witnessed. 

Whiplash Trailer

Feel like staying in this weekend? There are some fantastic releases out on digital download. Watch A Million Ways to Die in the West online or watch X-Men: Days of Future Past online! 

The Merry Friggin’ Christmas trailer has arrived and although it will make you laugh at the dark comedy hijinx between its stars, it might also have you shedding a tear as it is one of the final films to arrive after Robin Williams died.

Merry Friggin' Christmas Trailer

One of the film’s stars told us in our Joel McHale exclusive interview what it was like making Merry Friggin’ Christmas with Williams and it sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime to work with a legend.

Clearly we are all saddened by his loss, and it seems to cut ever deeper when you see him at work, like in the above teaser for the film that lands November 7.

McHale plays Williams’ son, who returns home -- reluctantly -- for the holidays, and as you can see, hilarity and some seriously dark humor arise (running over Santa Claus?!).  

Will Williams produce any new one-liners to add to our favorite Robin Williams quotes? Time will tell, but until then, check out our 15 favorite Robin Williams movies in the slideshow below.

Robin Williams: A Life in Movies

1. Popeye

Robin Williams was Popeye, and can you imagine anyone else playing the comic hero? Hardly!

Dave Bautista is loving life right now as the Guardians of the Galaxy star has gone from superhero to super-villain in the span of several months. We have news that Bautista has signed on to be the next (great) Bond villain in Bond 24, set to face off against Daniel Craig’s 007 when the film lands November 6, 2015.

When we spoke to the actor for our Dave Bautista exclusive interview for Guardians of the Galaxy, he was so thankful to director James Gunn for giving him a chance because he felt that there was so much he could do in the world of film after his successful run in professional wrestling.

Clearly Bond 24 director Sam Mendes felt the same way.

As we previously reported, the Bond filmmakers, who are seeking to follow up the most successful film in their franchise (Skyfall), put out the call for a villain that recalled some of their most iconic, like Jaws.

We think Bautista will fit the bill impeccably and our excitement level for the latest adventure for the man with a License to Kill has grown ever higher.

Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw will return for Mendes, as will Ralph Fiennes – who will be making his full film debut as M.

While we wait, watch Skyfall online and prepare for Mendes and company to up the ante.

Last week saw a slew of new character posters for Peter Jackson’s final flick in The Hobbit trilogy arrive.

We’re still quite partial to the Bilbo character poster for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and we have to give serious props to the Gandalf, Bard and Legolas one sheets.

Yet today, Bilbo and his Sting have a new challenger and that is Evangeline Lilly and her Tauriel. Her character poster has arrived and we have to say this one is right up with the best of them.

Sure, she’s a character that was not in the J.R.R. Tolkien book, but see her do her work when you watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug online and she is a welcome addition. In fact, she totally kills it.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies hits theaters December 17 and should be Jackson’s final present to the world from Middle Earth. That is unless he finds some never-before-discovered manuscript by the iconic author!  

Watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey online to see how his latest adventure began and brace yourself for the final chapter this December.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Photos

1. Tauriel Teases With Those Eyes!

Tauriel gets her own poster!

Despite the challenge of an iconic monster origins story movie that arrived during the month of Halloween -- Dracula Untold -- and three other new films, David Fincher’s Gone Girl repeated as the nation’s top movie at the weekend box office.

Gone Girl topped the charts again with $26.8 million, bringing its cume to $78.3 million.

And just like last week, Gone Girl’s first week atop the box office, the top of the charts were filled with totals for the also-ran films that would win many weekends of the year.

For example, Dracula Untold did land in second place with a solid $23.4 million take. And the family movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day scored in its first week of release with an impressive $19.1 million.

A family movie banking almost $20 million during the school year? Disney has to be pleased with Alexander’s third place finish, given how much it made. 

That's $69.3 million earned by the top three movies. That's pretty darn impressive for a non-summer weekend. 

Annabelle just barely was last week’s top movie and came in second. This week it dropped to fourth, but still managed to do well with a $16.4 million haul that brings its two-week total to $62.2 million.

Closing out the top five was another new movie, the Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall starring The Judge. It made $13.3 million in its first week of release.

Box Office Top 10:

1. Gone Girl, $26.8 million
2. Dracula Untold, $23.4 million
3. Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, $19.1 million
4. Annabelle, $16.4 million
5. The Judge, $13.3 million
6. The Equalizer, $9.73 million
7. Addicted, $7.6 million
8. The Maze Runner, $7.5 million
9. The Boxtrolls, $6.7 million
10. Left Behind, $2.9 million

Check out our favorite Gone GIrl quotes in the slideshow below, in honor of its big second week box office! 

11 Best Gone Girl Quotes

I will practice believing my husband loves me but I could be wrong. I feel like something to be jettisoned if necessary. I feel like I could disappear. I've finally realized that I am frightened of my own husband. The man of my dreams, this man of mine might kill me. This man may truly kill me."

Amy Dunne

• Permalink: I will practice believing my husband loves me but I could be wrong.
• Added: October 06, 2014

1. This Man May Truly Kill Me

Ah, wait, what? Yeah, it's clear that Gone Girl is no love story. Not. Even. Close.

DreamWorks Animation has released the opening scene (over four minutes!) from Penguins of Madagascar!

It introduces our team of adventure seeking international flightless spies as we meet them as young penguins who buck tradition and seek to find their own way of doing things!

Penguins of Madagascar Opening Scene

Penguins of Madagascar is the spin-off of the characters who have busted out of the wildly success Madagascar movies and brings back the voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Nights, as well as introduces us to the voice talents of Benedict Cumberbatch as the leader of a fellow animal spy group, The North Wind.

Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru and Peter Stormare also star in the story that finds The North Wind joining with the Penguins of Madagascar to stop a mad man (er, octopus) named Dave (brilliantly voiced by John Malkovich).

That first Penguins of Madagascar trailer had us, and after we saw the first 30 minutes, we cannot wait for the film to land November 26 in 3D! 

Watch Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted online to see where our favorite penguins left off and check out everything we learned from that first 30 minute preview in our slideshow below.

9 Important Facts From First 30 Minutes of The Penguins of Madagascar

1. We Start Where Their Journey Starts, Antarctica

The movie starts in Antarctica and we meet our “boys” as youngsters. And immediately their character traits are fully formed. And we get to see Private being born!

With the news today that Dave Bautista is the new Bond villain in James Bond 24, it inspired us to look back at the pop culture icon-dom that is the Bond villain.

Bautista has some serious shoes to fill on many front that come in all sizes, from Herve Villechaize’s Nick Nack in The Man with the Golden Gun to Richard Kiel’s Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. They are also known to deliver some of the best James Bond quotes!

We look back over the history of the Bond franchise, all 50 years of it, and name our top 15 James Bond villains. 

Watch Skyfall online and we think it’s safe to say that Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva will be near the top. But, who else will make this esteemed list of villainy?

Click through and check out our Top 15 Bond Villains of all time!

Top 15 James Bond Villains

15. Alex Travelian in GoldenEye

Sean Bean was one of the great Bond villains and a perfect foil for Pierce Brosnan. What made him so evil? The fact that he was one of Bond's co-horts. The man was 006!

Someone who knows Batman as good as anyone is producer Charles Roven. He was the producer on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and is currently overseeing Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He is talking about the choice of Ben Affleck as Batman and admitted that there was never anyone else on their list than the man who is ruling the box office with Gone Girl.

"He was the first guy we went to. That's who we wanted. We knew that we wanted a very mature Batman, because we wanted to juxtapose him with this very young Superman. So we wanted a guy who was tougher, rugged, who had signs of life, who had lived a hard life, and we wanted the guy to have chops, for sure,” Roven told The Hollywood Reporter.

“So when we went down that list, there just weren't a tremendous number of guys who could carry that."

Being “rugged” wasn’t the only job requirement for the character that comes before the “V” in Batman v Superman. He had to be taller than Henry Cavill’s Superman, creating a visual presence that could offset Superman’s Man of Steel powers, at least psychologically for the audience.

"We also wanted a guy with big stature. Ben is 6' 4". Henry [Cavill] is 6' 1". We wanted Batman to tower over Superman. Not hugely, not like a basketball player. Superman needed to 'look up' to Batman,” Roven admitted. “We wanted that dynamic, and Ben could do that, easily.”

Some have thought that even though Affleck could do the physicality of Batman, could he pull off that suaveness of Bruce Wayne? The producer clearly had no fears of that.

“Affleck wanted to know exactly how Zack planned on treating this Bruce Wayne that was going to make him completely different even though he was still Bruce Wayne, still Batman,” he said.

“He's much more of a social animal in the Bruce Wayne incarnation, but he's also an extremely rough guy in the Batman incarnation -- very, very, very rough."

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters May 6, 2016, and until then, see where we’re at and watch Man of Steel online.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Photos

1. Batmobile Close-Up

Check out the first "true" look at Ben Affleck's Batmobile!

Tom Cruise is back in top action form and in a big way with Edge of Tomorrow. The film might have started off slowly when it was released earlier this summer, but it finished with a bang when the flick’s word of mouth made it Cruise’s biggest hit as Edge of Tomorrow went over the $100 million mark to become one of the top 17 summer movies of 2014.

Now that Edge of Tomorrow is out on DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital Download, those who missed the superstar’s best work in years and those who simply want to experience greatness again can check it out. And we like to paraphrase the film’s tagline when we describe our feelings on it. "Live. Die. Repeat." is more like, "Watch. Breathe. Repeat."

It’s that good, as you can see from our theatrical Edge of Tomorrow review.

Cruise plays a futuristic soldier who enters into a battle to save humanity against alien invaders who are “this close” to taking over our world. Cruise dies within minutes of landing on the beach. Then, he awakes at the beginning of that same day to only die again at the end of it.

See, he has to figure out how to do it right, and that might just hold the key to us surviving as a race. Oh, and Emily Blunt has a little something to do with his success or failure in this endeavor.

That’s it from us in terms of plot because this thing needs to be seen to be believed in how awesome it is.

When it comes to bonus features for the Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity) directed thrill ride that is one of the most original sci-fi flicks we’ve seen in years, they are as good as the flick itself and only enhance the entire Edge of Tomorrow experience.

We recommend watching both versions that are available, the theatrical cut as well as the Operation Downfall -- Adrenaline Cut since we are suggesting that this film can be watched more than once. Check out how Liman has amped up an already adrenaline-filled film with even more thrills with his director’s cut that might just take your breath away.

Edge of Tomorrow Trailer

There are several featurettes that will more than satisfy the “how’d they do that?” questions that will surely arise from some of the more iconic scenes.

Storming The Beach explores that actual battle scene that is the one that Cruise has to repeat over and over before he moves further into his adventure. It recalls the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, except if the Nazis were aliens that were a thousand times more merciless.

Weapons of the Future is another gem of a bonus feature in that this film feels like it is of the near future, so Liman and his team went to great lengths to ensure that the weapons they had their futuristic soldiers use look like something that could be relatable to today, but still just out of our reach of technological possibilities. Watching how they came up with these Weapons of the Future is nothing short of utterly fascinating.

And since this is an alien invasion movie, filmmakers sought to create interstellar invaders that were unlike any that audiences have seen before. Given all that has come before, that is a monumental task, and how they achieved it is chronicled in the outstanding Creatures Not Of This World.

Lastly, On The Edge With Doug Liman takes us inside the crazily creative process of the film’s director who has had great success previously, but has truly outdone himself in the cinematic department on many levels with Edge of Tomorrow. After witnessing this documentary short on the film’s director, we cannot wait to see what he does next.

Watch Edge of Tomorrow online and witness movie magic right now.

Edge of Tomorrow Posters

1. Tom Cruise is Ready for Action

The Tom Cruise Edge of Tomorrow banner.

While those behind the sequel to Star Trek Into Darkness figure out whether William Shatner will be in Star Trek 3, someone intimately involved in the series has some thoughts that should be music to the ears of longtime Star Trek fans.

John Cho, who plays Hikaru Sulu in the series that was started by J.J. Abrams, participated in a Reddit AMA and let people know his thoughts on the newly hired Robert Orci – who is taking over for Abrams while he films Star Wars: Episode VII.

‘I’m absolutely confident in Bob [Orci],” Cho said. “No one knows these characters better than Bob. And no one knows the Star Trek universe better than Bob.”

No truer words were said as Orci has been there as a writer for Abrams since the beginning of this newly recharged franchise. We also are quite encouraged by the hiring of Orci and cannot wait to see what he provides audiences when Star Trek 3 hits theaters sometime in 2016.

Thus far, all Orci would say is that Star Trek 3 will take place in deep space. That too is fantastic news as it looks like our crew, whose mission is to boldly go where no man has gone before, will finally get out there!

Watch Star Trek Into Darkness online to get ready for the big next chapter. 

It may have been tough for the Prince of Darkness and his origins story to go up against those Gone Girl quotes as the Ben Affleck-starring thrill ride from David Fincher won the weekend box office.

But, Dracula Untold should still be quite proud as its $23.4 million first weekend gross is incredibly impressive and it too had some fantastic quotes that helped drive the Universal Pictures effort to reboot their monsters' properties into high gear.

We were so impressed with some of the lines delivered by stars Luke Evans, Charles Dance and even Sarah Gadon as Dracula’s wife, that we’ve compiled our list of 11 top Dracula Untold quotes and laid them out in the slideshow below.

Be sure to check out all of our Dracula Untold quotes and click through to discover which ones have the most bite. 

11 Best Dracula Untold Quotes

Men do not fear swords, they fear monsters.

Vlad Tepes

• Permalink: Men do not fear swords, they fear monsters.
• Added: October 13, 2014

1. Drac Calls It Like It Is

The man who would be Dracula nails it with this quote!

For the stars of The Best of Me, James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan, having Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato play their younger selves was a blessing, and for Marsden a bit of a curse!

“It was great to see Luke go in there and sweep her off her feet. He set the bar a little high for me,” Marsden said in our exclusive video interview, as he and Monaghan laughed. “In the gym, too!”

The Best of Me Exclusive: James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan Interview

Bracey and Liberato play Dawson and Amanda as young sweethearts who are basking in the glow of first love.

As is teased in The Best of Me trailer, a few things happen that separate the two and when they have to return to their hometown for a funeral, they reunite (with Marsden and Monaghan playing the older Dawson and Amanda) and maybe, just maybe, sparks will fly again.

And we use the word “sparks” on purpose, clearly, because this is the latest film to land on the big screen from the man who gave us those The Notebook quotes, Nicholas Sparks.

We also ask Marsden and Monaghan what they think it is about the Sparks novel that makes for great cinema and why his movies are all so resonant. 

“I’m an emotional person, and even having read the script, I was struck at the end. It’s guttural,” Monaghan said. “If you can feel that in two hours – even living vicariously through two characters – I think that’s a nice escape to be able to share.”

Share one of those right now, watch The Notebook online, and get ready to find The Best of Me in theaters October 17.

The Best of Me Photos

1. James Marsden & Michelle Monaghan Take a Walk

Do they still have the spark? Marsden and Monaghan wonder in The Best of Me.

Michael Keaton is getting all sorts of crazy buzz for his role in Birdman. He covers the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly with the “nails it” headline that says, “The movie that will change his career, but first it will blow your mind.”

That much clearly can be seen from the wild Birdman trailer!

Keaton stars as a has-been actor, who was previously known for playing a superhero to blockbuster success. After a long career drought, he heads to Broadway with the hope of reviving his career with a knockout performance on the Great White Way.

The all-star cast that supports Keaton is stellar and several of them get to show off in two new clips that Fox Searchlight has released. In this first one, we meet Emma Stone as Edward Norton and Keaton have a few choice words.

Birdman Clip: Does She Talk?

The next clip features Norton and Keaton going for coffee. The film also stars Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan and Andrea Riseborough.

Birdman Clip: Coffee

Look for Birdman on October 17, and in the meantime, check out a piece of art imitating life and watch Batman online and see Keaton as another “bird” man!

Fox Searchlight also released a series of fantastical Birdman posters. Check them out in the slideshow below. 

Birdman Posters

1. Birdman Over Washington, D.C.

Birdman flies high over Washington, D.C.