Oh, this is going to be huge. There's a new 3-minute trailer for Will Smith's Hancock available here and ... well, go see for yourself. I recommend the Quicktime version.
I know the all-too-common criticism that "all the good parts are in the trailer" makes this less meaningful, but: Every frame of that thing is gold. The first minute or so, with Will Smith as a sarcastic, rude, drunken superhero, is simply brilliant; I've watched the five-second exchange between Hancock and the indignant bystander ("I can smell that liquor on your breath!" "'Cause I been drinkin'!") a half-dozen times now and giggled every time. Smith deserves an Oscar just for his delivery of that line, and we don't even get to hear the whole thing (I'm guessing the next word is "b*tch"). The second half of the trailer, giving us a glimpse of Hancock's attempted PR comeback with the help of an opportunistic publicist (Jason Bateman) isn't as incredible, but I love the focus on what it's like to be a superhero not in a universe where you can do whatever you want, but in the American bureaucratic state. Hancock's canned press conference apology is priceless.
The special effects look seamless, and I'm particularly curious to see a full-on summer blockbuster done in director Peter Berg's signature volatile shaky-cam style. From what I can tell, it's a bit toned down but still unmistakably present; look at the SUV scene in the opening seconds, and the introduction of Jason Bateman about a minute in.
This looks like a summer movie made by a bunch of very smart, very talented people. And that's something to look forward to.
While it can be quite neat to stumble upon a movie set when walking down the street, scouring all the type and posters to try and figure out what film it is, I imagine it has to be a big pain in the ass when long shoots film for weeks on end in people's neighborhoods. It certainly seems to be the case for 65-year-old retiree Dresden Graham. The Hollywood Reporter posts that she has become incensed over production of Will Smith'sSeven Pounds, which is filming in her 'hood.
Now you might just think that it's an old woman getting crotchety. But imagine this: for two weeks, a film production moves into your neighborhood taking up the parking places (some people in the area have had to take shuttles to get to their apartments because there is no parking), using "bright lights, rain machines, and Great Danes" until 3 AM, and the kicker: parking the portable toilets right in front of your house. No wonder she's ticked. I wouldn't be happy to be bathed in sewer smells for two weeks so that a movie could shoot in a neighbor's house.
Graham is so unhappy that she's put up huge posters telling the production to hit the road (which seems to have gotten her some cash, according to the report). Reuters adds that this has made the production have to "construct a false flowered wall to hide them from the camera's view." So, if you hit theaters for Seven Pounds, and you spot that flowered wall, now you know who was behind it.
Here's something you may or may not know about me: I love Will Smith. Huge fan of the guy; I've thoroughly enjoyed almost all of his movies (I said, almost) and he always gives you a good performance. Obviously, I'm not alone -- if you put Smith in a movie, any movie, you're pretty much guaranteed $100 million at the box office ... and that's a low estimate. However, when it comes to a Will Smith film -- be it small or large -- one thing is always a given: He's gonna play the good guy. His good guy will have flaws, sure, but what protagonist doesn't have flaws?
So as much as I love Will Smith and enjoy shelling out money for his movies, I'm beginning to think the guy needs to change things up a bit -- ie: when will big Willy take on the role of villain? And I don't mean the guy who's not quite good and not quite bad -- kinda shady, what have you (Six Degrees doesn't count either; too early in his career) -- I mean the guy you don't want to cross. The guy who'll crush your skull if you spell his name wrong. The guy you want to drop off a building five minutes into the movie. THAT'S who I want to see Will Smith play. The big question is, though, could he pull it off? Not only that, but would he ever consider such a role in the first place?
A brand new trailer-ish preview for Hancock debuted on American Idol last night (see video above), and I'm still in the camp of people who are really looking forward to this one. I've spoken to some people who've seen a good amount of Hancock, and they say the flick is very heavy on special effects. Based on the original trailer and this preview, I'd say they're absolutely right. But this is a July 4th weekend movie -- am I the only one who expects a film that comes out over the July 4th weekend to be absolutely stocked with an unhealthy amount of special effects? Plus it's nice to see an original character sandwiched between a handful of established characters, not to mention the fact that Will Smith plays him.
Shouldn't have to say too much about the plot as the video above does a good job laying it our for us; the only thing I'm interested in seeing now is Charlize Theron's role in all of this. She's the only one who's been kinda absent in these previews. We know she's married to Jason Bateman's character, and, according to early script reviews, her and Hancock were supposed to have a little unspoken "thing" going on. Not sure if that's been removed or what, but here's hoping the next trailer shows us a little more of The Theron.
Why We Can't Wait to See It: For the first time in his career, Mr. Fresh Prince himself dons the superhero costume and will fly off to save the day. Sure, his superhero is a bit washed-up and drunk half the time, but if any man can bring the BIG budget and get nominated for an Oscar in the same year, it's our homeboy from Philly, Will Smith.
Why It Might Do Well: Is there anything more alluring than a combo that includes Will Smith, superheroes and the high stylings of director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom)? Additionally, you want the funny, there's Jason Bateman. You want the hotness, there's Charlize Theron. You want my opinion? I'm sold.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Will Smith always draws big numbers, but when people become so used to seeing a sequel or a film based on a familiar property (like last year's Transformers), it might be somewhat difficult to convince them that it's still okay to support an original idea.
Fun Fact: On its way to theaters, Hancock went through three different directors (Michael Mann, Jonathan Mostow and Gabriele Muccino), as well as two different titles (Tonight, He Comes and John Hancock) before settling on Hancock, directed by Peter Berg.
Just when you thought you've seen it all ... okay, I'm not even gonna go there. Scientology! But anyway, Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise's 13-year-old adopted son, has landed a role in Will Smith's new flick Seven Pounds, where he'll be playing a younger version of Smith in a minor, non-speaking part. For those who aren't up to speed on Cruise and all his kids, you might be kinda looking sideways at your computer right now. "Did he say Cruise's kid is going to play a younger version of Will Smith?" Fear not, my illinformed friends, they're not taking a page from the Tropic Thunder playbook; oh no, see, Cruise's son Connor is adopted and he is of the same color as Mr. Smith. Phew. (Sit down Al, I didn't say anything wrong or offensive.)
The film, which also stars Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson and Barry Pepper, and is directed by Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness), follows the story of a man (Smith) who affects the lives of seven strangers. It's a drama. There are no crazy special effects. And, yes, it comes out this December -- which, cross your shiny, manicured little fingers, means Smith will be listening for a knock on his door from Mr. Oscar come February. Seriously, though, I love Will Smith. I cannot think of a performance from him that I did not enjoy (performance, not movie -- stop smiling I, Robot, you're not off the hook yet), which is something I rarely say about an actor or an actress. Will Smith is like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, no matter which film he's starring in. Guy always finds a way to leave you feeling all warm and toasty inside. Mmmm ...
In a summer full of old and new superheroes, one guy has been kinda flying under the radar. The big film arriving this year for Fourth of July weekend doesn't involve any giant f**king robots and it's one we haven't heard much about. USA Today just posted a sneak peek at Hancock; the new Will Smith flick directed by the very talented Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom). Above you will see the brand new image that went along with their story which adds to the other bits and pieces floating around the net (check out our full Hancock gallery below). A bunch of set photos hit awhile back, there was a teaser trailer and a poster, but that's been about it as far as Hancock goes. It's sorta like the huge summer film no one is talking about.
Some new photos have emerged from Will Smith's superhero caper Hancock over on DVD Forum. I picked this one as it was a nice bookend to those Iron Man ones. Everyone loves when superheroes throw cars! There hasn't been much on this film since the teaser, so hopefully this means we'll be getting a full trailer soon.
I did a double take when I first looked through these -- I thought Jason Bateman was Dennis Quaid for a second. Is it just me? Probably. I do write these articles in the dark and my eyes are probably being destroyed. A viral site has also been launched, run by the titular hero himself. It seems not even superheroes are safe from fanboy snark. . .
Hancock is about a superhero in need of a major image overhaul and new enthusiasm for chasing bad guys. He hires Jason Bateman as his PR man, but just embroils himself in more of a mess when he falls for his wife, played by Charlize Theron. The teaser had some funny moments, and if done right, this film could be a sharp antidote to all the superhero goodness we'll be getting this summer. Hancock opens on July 2nd, 2008.
The story centers on a journalist who helps exonerate a very charismatic death row inmate of a crime he didn't commit. The former inmate reforms and runs for public office, and the journalist leaves his post to join his campaign and follow him to political prominence. But he faces a crisis of conscience when he finds his successful friend may be guilty after all. Sounds intriguing, with a few shades of Truman Capote.
At this point, Will Smith is only attached to produce with his Overbrook banner and not star, but I sincerely hope he joins the cast. Smith is a fun actor and his big-budget epics are good on a summer night, but I wish he would embrace more scripts like this. He has one or two coming up, but the public still sees him as Mr. Blockbuster and groans if he is attached to any adaptation. How cool would it be to see him play the charismatic convict? I don't think Smith has ever really played anyone with a nasty edge before -- and that is how Oscars are won.
Having one little Smith in a film already amps up the cuteness, but now Variety reports that we're going to get a double serving. Willow andJaden Smith, the little offspring of Will and Jada, are going to star in an adaptation of Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet. Of course, Will Smith is producing with Overbrook Entertainment. Right now, there's no word on a screenwriter or director.
Amulet is a graphic novel that focuses on a brother and sister who move into their late great-grandfather's house with their mother after their father dies. It's not a particularly safe move, because they have to "use his amulet to rescue their widowed mother from a beast who lures her into an underground world."
Should this adaptation be successful, I'd get ready to see a lot more of the Smith offspring. This could, potentially, be a series of kiddie adventures, since it's a Scholastic series with 5 books planned (#2 will be released this year). Personally, I'm glad to see a new children's adaptation that doesn't seem to be jumping on the boy wizard bandwagon. And really, how can you resist those tykes?
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I Am Legend was a little bit of a disappointment. Although there were a lot of good things going on (mainly in the performance of Will Smith), it wasn't a great film, and something was missing. Based on Richard Matheson's sci-fi classic, Smith stars as Dr. Robert Neville, a scientist who is immune to a "vampiric plague" that has wiped out humanity. Now an alternate ending to the film has been leaked to the net (thanks to Slash Film for the heads up), which you can check out above, and it gives you the chance to play 'What If?' If you haven't already seen the film, you might want to stop reading now, because I am about to give you one heck of a spoiler.
Getting tired of all this Clinton/Obama stuff yet? Look, regardless of who I'm voting for, I think it's pretty disgusting how some people compare Obama to a terrorist because of his name. A pimp? Totally. A terrorist. No. When asked what his three favorite movies of all time were, Obama recently named The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and Lawrence of Arabia. Not for nothing, but if you're running for President, do you think naming two Godfather films as your favorites might scare off a few people? Great films, no doubt, but in such a tight race why bring up your love for fictional mafia families?
Anyway, Obama also admitted that if a film based on his life were ever made, he'd want Will Smith to play him. Of course! Who wouldn't want Smith to play them in a film? Heck, I'd want Smith to play me too ... and I'm not even black! On why he'd want Smith and not, say, 50 Cent, Obama notes, "Will and I have talked about this because he has the ears!" Surprisingly, however, Smith is not one of Obama's favorite actors. They include Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, John Q. Obvious, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and Angela Bassett. Looks like someone's definitely got their groove back.
The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Michael Ealy (Sleeper Cell) has joined the cast of Seven Pounds. The film re-unites The Pursuit of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino with his star Will Smith in another 'weepie' drama. Sitcom writer Grant Nieporte (8 Simple Rules ... for Dating My Daughter) wrote the story about "a suicidal IRS agent (Smith) who sets out to make amends by assuming the identity of his younger brother. His plans get complicated when he inadvertently falls in love." Ealy has signed to play the younger brother, and judging by the storyline for the film, I have a feeling we'll mainly be seeing him in flashbacks.
Last December, Monika had brought us the news that Rosario Dawson had signed to star as Smith's love interest (marking another reunion, but this time for the Men in Black II co-stars) and Woody Harrelson as a motel manager that becomes increasingly involved with the suicidal Smith. Ealy has just finished work on Spike Lee's WWII drama, Miracle at St. Anna's, about a group of African-American soldiers who are trapped in Tuscany during a Nazi massacre.
There isn't much time for Ealy to switch gears since Pounds is expected to begin shooting this month. Pounds is scheduled to hit theaters in late 2008, which would appear to be just in time to keep Smith in the running for an Oscar nomination. As for Ealy, it looks like his career is on an upswing -- from starring in things like Fast and the Furious 2 and Never Die Alone to working with Will Smith and Spike Lee in just four short years is an achievement in anybody's book.
I must have had too many cups of coffee when I agreed to take on a Cinematical Seven covering the hunks of sports films. (Erik had the easy job, picking the Hottest Sports Girls.) Trying to pick the studs is like having hundreds of 4-star, wonderful movies thrown on your desk and being asked to pick the 7 best. Yeah, right! No problem! To make the task easier, I decided to pick a range of sports, and never double up on one particular type. That cut out a whole slew of possibilities, and what I came up with is what you see below.
What have I learned from picking the Seven Sexy Sporting Studs from cinema? The best of the best (pun intended) were in the '80s and '90s. I also learned that you should never share the list with a friend beforehand -- they'll remind you who you're forgetting, and that's why you'll find one tie down below. Enjoy!
The only thing I knew when I took on this assignment was that Eight Men Out was going to be featured. Bull Durham is great and all, but this is the baseball movie. It's John Sayles, and it has the best baseball team to ever make it on the screen. They might have let their morals loosen a little, but they still kept their looks. Foolishly, I tried to pick between John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, and David Strathairn. Forget that! I'm taking the easy way out. Cusack's Buck Weaver was super cute as a "future jailbird," Charlie was always tasty in those days, and it's beyond me why women weren't falling all over David Strathairn the minute he jumped into film with Return of the Secaucus Seven, or any of the bigger movies that were soon to come. And Sweeney was cute, too, in that dorky way.
Have you heard about this story yet? If you're a wine drinker, you know that the one thing that can stay on the shelves for years and years and actually get better with age is a nice bottle of red wine. Of course, the older the bottle, the more rare it is, and the more expensive it is to buy. Some people spend thousands, so just imagine how much a so-called bottle from Thomas Jefferson's stash went for? (Old Tommy was a huge wine connoisseur.) In 1985, someone from the Forbes family (Bill Koch) paid $156,000 for a bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux, said to be from a collection of wine Jefferson stored in France.
Being a billionaire, Koch had the money to do the sensible thing -- an investigation to confirm that the wine was linked to Jefferson. His findings found the wine to be founding-father-free, and he sued the seller, Hardy Rodenstock. Now, there's a book coming out called The Billionaire's Vinegar, and Variety reports that Will Smith and the rest of the producers who brought us The Pursuit of Happyness (as well as the upcoming Seven Pounds) have bought the book's rights. This project will compete with HBO, who bought the rights to The Jefferson Bottles, a New Yorker article about the investigation. So far, however, there's no word on who will adapt, direct, or star.
While it can be quite neat to stumble upon a movie set when walking down the street, scouring all the type and posters to try and figure out what film it is, I imagine it has to be a big pain in the ass when long shoots film for weeks on end in people's neighborhoods. It certainly seems to be the case for 65-year-old retiree Dresden Graham. .jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Just when you thought you've seen it all ... okay, I'm not even gonna go there. Scientology! But anyway, Connor Cruise, 
Having one little Smith in a film already amps up the cuteness, but now 
.jpg)
Getting tired of all this Clinton/Obama stuff yet? Look, regardless of who I'm voting for, I think it's pretty disgusting how some people compare Obama to a terrorist because of his name. A pimp? Totally. A terrorist. No. 
The Hollywood Reporter has 
Have you heard about this story yet? If you're a wine drinker, you know that the one thing that can stay on the shelves for years and years and actually get better with age is a nice bottle of red wine. Of course, the older the bottle, the more rare it is, and the more expensive it is to buy. Some people spend thousands, so just imagine how much a so-called bottle from 
Insert Caption: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian_thumbnail.jpg)
SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
