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Quick Hits: A Look at Spielberg's Next Alien Invasion; 'Cristiada' Trailer



  • It may be just a TV mini-series, but we this new poster has us pretty excited for the Spielberg-produced alien invasion series 'Falling Skies.'

  • Leonard Nimoy will lend his distinctive voice to Optimus Prime's predecessor, Sentinel Prime in 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon.'

  • Curious to see Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton in costume for 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters'? Accidental Sexiness has you covered.

  • James Cameron says that the future of movies is 48 or 60 frames-per-second and that he'll be braving the path by shooting 'Avatar 2 & 3' at the higher frame rate.

  • Check out the trailer for 'Cristiada,' a period piece about the Cristeros War starring Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria and ... Peter O'Toole [via AICN]:
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The Lasting Legacy of the 'Scream' Franchise

Filed under: Features, Horror

'Scream' is one of the most unusual horror movies ever made -- and that's not an exaggeration. If you happen not to like Wes Craven's seminal film about a slasher in Woodsboro who has a bone to pick with the friends and family of a young lass named Sidney Prescott, you may frown at such a claim, but that doesn't make it any less true.

In fact, a dislike of 'Scream' could easily be interpreted as just another reason it's one of the most unusual entries the horror genre knows. So what, exactly, makes the Kevin Williamson–penned slasher so different? It's simple: 'Scream' caused a schism in the horror genre, its legacy being the creation of a distinct period of post-'Scream' horror movies.

Unlike most smash hits, however, 'Scream' didn't just inspire a fleeting rash of imitations; it created a ripple effect in both filmmakers and the film industry as a whole. With 'Scream 4' opening soon (April 15), now seems a perfect time to take a look at the 'Scream' legacy -- the filmmakers who tip their hats to Craven and Williamson's invigorating self-awareness and the films that wouldn't exist without 'Scream.'
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Hailee Steinfeld to Escape a Dream World in New 'Sleeping Beauty'

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical


'True Grit' star Hailee Steinfeld is currently attached to star in 'Sleeping Beauty,' only this isn't the same 'Sleeping Beauty' everyone knows thanks to Disney's magical film. As is the case with all old properties in Hollywood these days, this new film is being sold as a revisionist 'Sleeping Beauty,' one that re-imagines the narcoleptic pretty gal's plight just a smidge: instead of falling into a coma that can only be cured by the kiss of a sweet prince, she'll now fall into a dream world she has to find (and presumably fight) her way out of.

No studio or director is currently attached to the project, so it is just hypothetical at this stage in the game, but chances are good there's at least one studio in Hollywood that will enjoy Lindsay Devlin's script, will see Hailee Steinfeld packaged with it and realize that there is definitely room for yet another re-imagining of a classic fairy tale. Who knows, with 'Snow White and the Huntsman' struggling to lock its cast and get off of the starting line, maybe 'Sleeping Beauty' will take its place in the production pipeline at Universal.

If that's the case (and even if it isn't), we just hope that Sleeping Beauty escaping a dream world will be a lot less like 'Sucker Punch' and much more like ... well, anything that isn't 'Sucker Punch.'

Quick Hits: 'The Professionals' Remade; '13 Assassins' US Trailer




  • Lionsgate is gearing up for a big budget remake of the '70s action series 'The Professionals,' which of course means that they're looking at the likes of Tom Hardy, Gerard Butler and Jason Statham to star in it.

  • Antoine Fuqua ('Training Day') will next direct an untitled Chinese epic about the Tang Dynasty's most famous concubine, Yang Guifei.

  • Actress Sarah Gadon has landed the role of Robert Pattinson's estranged wife in David Cronenberg's adaptation of 'Cosmopolis.'

  • A US trailer for Takashi Miike's must-see samurai epic '13 Assassins' is now online. Watch it and then surf your On Demand provider of choice to check it out.
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Fan Builds a Mind-Blowingly Detailed Muppet Theater Play Set From Scratch

Filed under: Cinematical


Before you look at the pictures linked in this post, take a second to tilt your head downward and look directly below you. If there is anything sharp or pointing, do move it out of the way, because your jaw is about to hit the floor thanks to the wonderful art of a one Lance Cardinal.

Lance, a freelance Set Designer, among many other things, was a big fan of a series of elaborate Muppet Show-themed play sets the Palisades toy company released years ago. However, an unfortunate bankruptcy meant that Palisades couldn't complete their toy line. So, instead of simply complaining about the loss of his most anticipated product in the line, Lance decided to just build a Muppet Theatre Backstage Play Set himself. The results are bliss.

It may not have a ton to do with movies (though there is a new Muppet film on the horizon) or cinema as an art form, but we just couldn't stop ourselves from sharing it with you. This level of fan dedication, the respect and admiration for other artists in the world, the sheer attention to detail on display-- it's just beautiful. We've included a few images from Lance's gallery below, but please do head over to his site to see the entire set.
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'The Three Musketeers' Trailer Shows Off Plenty of High-Quality, Slow-Motion Action



The trailer for 'The Three Musketeers' has just premiered over at Apple and a few things are abundantly clear right off the bat: this is unapologetically a Paul W.S. Anderson movie. That's not entirely a knock, either. Sure, the man has his fair share (OK, legion) of detractors, but even if you don't like the 'Resident Evil' series, 'Death Race,' or any number of his other films, in this day and age where movie sets are becoming increasingly virtual, it's hard not to admire Anderson's love for practical set pieces and exuberant production design.

So, yes, as if there were ever any doubt, you can rest assured that 'The Three Musketeers' is going to feature elaborate, in-camera movie magic. It's also, as was the case with his last 'Resident Evil' film, going to feature what looks like a ludicrous amount of slow motion. That's fine, though, because at least Anderson shoots for slow-mo and doesn't just play with the speed in post production.

But enough about the high quality of the production, let's just get onto the trailer. We've got an embed below (thanks to the Playlist), but if you want to peep the goods in HD, head over to Apple. And please be sure to let us know what you think below. Does it A) look like a fun time and B) do you think the chemistry of the Musketeers works (Matthew MacFadyen, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson)?
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Cinematical at SXSW 2011: The Complete Recap



South by South West is a monster of a film festival, with well over 100 feature films playing over the course of a single week. And now that it's come and gone, we can step back, take a breather and reflect on all the insanity we saw and participated in that week. So, without further delay, here is our recap of the over 30 films and events Cinematical's covered from this year's fest.
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