Gary Oldman, Shia LaBeouf, and Kate Mara Join Dito Montiel's 'Man Down'

One problem indie filmmaker Dito Montiel has never had is securing terrific casts for his movies nobody shows up to see. He helped build Channing Tatum's career with A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and Fighting, but has really hit the skids with his last two films, Empire State and The Son of No One. For his next film, Man Down, Montiel has secured his best group of talent yet.

Gary Oldman, Kate Mara (Fantastic Four), and Shia LaBeouf have joined the Man Down cast, which features as script by Adam Simon. The psychological thriller follows "a haunted Afghanistan war veteran who attempts to come to terms with his past while searching for his family in a post-apocalyptic America." No word on who will play what character but LaBeouf would seem to fit the soldier role, especially after starring in the WWII film, Fury. It's a reunion for LaBeouf and Montiel who worked together on A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, a memoir based on the director's New York childhood.

Filming is set to begin next month. 

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Rose Leslie Joins 'The Last Witch Hunter'; Gary Oldman is a 'Criminal'; Douglas Smith Commits 'Evan's Crime'

* No longer needed in Westeros, Rose Leslie is going from Game of Thrones to joining Vin Diesel in The Last Witch Hunter. In the works forever, the film is finally gearing up for an August shoot with Breck Eisner at the helm. Leslie will play a female witch who joins with her enemy, a witch hunter (Diesel), to stop an evil witch queen from finding an ancient relic and unleashing holy heck on humanity. [THR]

* Gary Oldman is joining Kevin Costner in Criminal, a crime thriller from Ariel Vroman (The Iceman) with a premise that could be amazing if pulled off successfully. The script by Douglas Cook and David Weisberg has dangerous prison inmate implanted with the memories and skills of a dead CIA agent so he can stop a diabolical plot. Oldman can be seen now trying to give Caesar the slip in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  [THR]

* Having just landed a role in the Terminator reboot, rising star Douglas Smith is going small for his next film. He'll star in Evan's Crime, an indie about "a college kid who lands a seven-year prison sentence after a minor drug bust, which in turn leads him down a path of vengeance against the power-hungry prosecutor who put him behind bars." David Arquette co-stars with Sandy Tung writing and directing.

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Review: 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Starring Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, and Gary Oldman

By now we all recognize that Hollywood is driven by the big money and bigger spectacle that sequels provide, with narrative need probably way down the totem pole when considering such follow-ups. As we've just endured the third unnecessary Transformers sequel, such things can prove to be a little depressing, and there was some concern that Dawn of the Planet of the Apescould be just another soulless sequel churned out by the system with pumped up CGI and no real heart. But the film, a technical and thematic marvel crafted by Matt Reeves, is not only exciting in the way we all want summer blockbusters to be, it improves on its predecessor in just about every way.

That's not a knock on Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a film that far exceeded expectations largely by giving in to its sci-fi B-movie roots. It worked as a warning to man's selfish meddling in the ways of nature and as a campy action flick about rampaging apes. 'Dawn' is considerably more serious but let's be honest here, this isn't the "Planet of the Apes and those Pesky Humans' series. We expect things to get a little dark along the way and probably won't turn out so well for our side. Action and violence, of which there are plenty of both, doesn't simply occur for the sake of momentary thrills. Every life-or-death decision is weighed, measured, and has real significance to the future of two opposing species.

Building on the sturdy foundation laid by the prior film, this one moves forward in time ten years after the human population has nearly been eradicated by the Simian Flu. Caesar (Andy Serkis, and let's just say the man deserves an Oscar by now) is no longer the young, genetically evolved ape we saw before. Now he's the leader of a tribe, and more than that he's got a wife (Judy Greer) and young son, Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston), relying on him. Like any leader, Caesar has those who are loyal and some like the badly-scarred Koba (Toby Kebbell), who claim loyalty but have their own motivations. The rules of their society are pretty simple, with the biggest rule scrawled in chalk, "Ape no kill ape". Humans haven't been spotted in what remains of San Francisco in years, so when a small pocket of them are encountered and it ends in bloodshed, some of Caesar's followers start sounding the drumbeat for war.

Screenwriters Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver draw obvious but resonant parallels between Caesar and Malcolm (Jason Clarke), a leading voice amongst the humans with his own son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and lover (Keri Russell) to take care of. Unlike some of the others in their group, neither Malcolm or Caesar wants a battle, recognizing that a full scale war could destroy them all. But the humans need power to rebuild civilization, and the only source is on the apes' home turf. Without it, people have essentially reverted back to a primal state and their desperate, battle-ready leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman, in Commissioner Gordon mode) is ready to do anything to change that.

Analogies to race relations or the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are clear but never beaten to death. It's far more concerned with common themes of loyalty, family, and betrayal, all of which are approached with sincerity and intelligence. When Caesar becomes father to a newborn child, we recognize how the stakes have been elevated and why he makes certain choices. Of course, we also know that whatever he decides it will end up with hundreds of digital apes swinging from power lines and firing machine guns from horseback. How would you like to be a normal animal in a world of evolved chimps? That must really suck. Anyway, when monkey mayhem ensues it's quite the computer-generated showcase. Reeves has done some spectacular digital effects work before, most notably in the monster flick Cloverfield. But let's not forget he also directed the superior vampire remake, Let Me In, and 'Dawn' impressively combines pot boiling thrills with moments of sheer horror. Comedy is sparse but there are a few moments of monkey mockery that are worth a laugh. They tend to end with somebody dying but they're funny for a time.

What more is there to say about Andy Serkis' performance capture work at this point? The emotion he's able to wring is truly exceptional, and I've personally come around to thinking we need a special category for honoring what he's so consistently been able to do. One only wishes the humans had more to work with. Clarke makes the most of a character that is basically just meant to play a lesser version of Caesar. Oldman is never given a chance to be the firebrand his character would seem to demand. But as noted before, this is 'Planet of the Apes', and so they get the bulk of the character focus. Where 'Rise' was mostly a movie about humans, we're clearly meant to land on the side of the apes now and it feels a little counter-intuitive at first.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a deeply intelligent, wildly entertaining sequel that proves the summer blockbuster is capable of evolution, too.

 Rating: 4 out of 5

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'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Reveals Final Trailer

After an excellent viral and the first released clip from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, 20th Century Fox have now revealed what they claim is the final trailer for the anticipated summer film. Matt Reeves, who directed the monster disaster flick Cloverfield and the surprising vampire remake Let Me In, is on board for the 'Apes' sequel that takes place years after a virus has wiped out most of the human population. That leaves only a few left to coexist alongside Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his army of evolved apes, until conflict inevitably erupts.

Also starring Jason Clarke, Judy Greer, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Toby Kebbell, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens July 11th.

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New Trailer for 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

The animals are taking over the box office this summer, and there's little us puny humans can do to stop it. Godzilla roars into theaters later this month but only a few weeks after that Caesar and his apes are set to dominate theaters with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to 2011's blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

The first film ended on a dark note but the latest trailer for 'Dawn' makes it clear things have gotten much bleaker in the years since. The human population has been all but wiped out by a virus, save for a few stragglers who forge a truce with Caesar and his barely-controllable army. But it isn't long before the peace is broken and a war erupts, one that may finish the humans off for good.

Directed by Matt Reeves with Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Andy Serkis, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Judy Greer, and Toby Kebbell starring, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens July 11th.


Dawn of the Planet of the Apes :Trailer #2 by itsartmag

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Apes on Horseback in 10 New 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Photos

"Caesar not only has a wife, but also an infant son and a teenage son. This film centers around the notion of family — the survival of the family and what lengths you would go to to protect them when life is extremely hard and tough."

 While Andy Serkis' description for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes may not sound like the stuff of a blockbuster summer popcorn flick, there's guaranteed to be a great deal of spectacle, as well; like gun-wielding apes and simians on horseback. USA Today has released ten new images from the film which give us a look at both of those things, plus human stars Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Kirk Acevedo. The story jumps ahead a few years to a time when the dwindling human population is trying to survive, just as Caesar is struggling to hold on to power. But as Matt Reeves points out, the idea of humans and apes co-existing in harmony isn't likely to be in the cards...

Reeves: "We all know it doesn't become Planet of Humans and Apes. It becomes Planet of the Apes. But this is that one moment of time where there is hope for humans."

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens July 11th. 

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Jimmy Kimmel Reveals Star-Studded 'Bitman Begins' and 'Ameowdeus' Parodies

Jimmy Kimmel may hate bloggers and snarky live-tweeters, but he sure loves the videos those same folks help go viral. On last night's Jimmy Kimmel Live, he continued the annual tradition of rounding up all of his celebrity pals for a star-studded show in which they all get to act foolish. This year, Kimmel focuses on parodies of popular viral videos, with Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks starring in Bitman Begins, an overly dramatic re-creation of the "Charlie Bit My Finger" video.

Kimmel then gathers up Ben Kingsley, Abbie Cornish, Mandy Patinkin, Kevin Spacey, Gary Oldman, and Christoph Waltz for Ameowdeus, a parody of the "Charlie Schmidt's Keyboard Cat," "Hamster On A Piano" and "Dramatic Chipmunk" videos that your work mates continue to pass around in office emails.

Good for a chuckle. Check them both out below.

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Review: 'Robocop' Starring Joel Kinnaman, Michael Keaton, and Gary Oldman

Dead or alive, you're getting a reboot. Long in the works and desired by absolutely nobody, the remake of Paul Verhoeven's satirical sci-fi actioner Robocop has been dreaded by those who feared it would lack the teeth of the original. But what will come as a surprise to those who have prematurely mocked it and all of the early images of star Joel Kinnaman's robo bat-suit, is that the film is forward thinking enough to have some big ideas while also providing a solid dose of violent justice.

While not as progressive as Verhoeven's effort, this one crafted by Elite Squad director Jose Padilha is certainly a product of today's drone warfare culture and the dominance of the military industrial complex. Like its predecessor, the message is obvious, current, and delivered with enough humor that the general lack of character doesn't totally shut down the system.

In the not-so-distant future, nearly the entire world has turned to the use of militarized drones for law enforcement and military tactics. Weaponized droids stalk the streets of Tehran while the citizens live under what is later described as "the illusion of free will".  There is an obvious anti-drone rebellion out there causing a ruckus, but here in the United States drones have been strictly forbidden, a fact which continues to gall OmniCorp CEO, Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton), who hopes to bring it here. But despite the efforts of bloviating Bill O'Reilly-esque propaganda artist Pat Novak (of the hilariously-named The Novak Element), Congress refuses to pass a bill allowing the use of drones on American soil. This is satire in the pure Verhoeven mold because you can turn on the TV right now and see guys just like Novak spouting the same sort of fact-free rubbish; pumping their patriotic chests while deeming their enemies terrorists or cowards.

Turns out what the people want is a robot with a human touch, a droid that knows right from wrong. And so OmniCorp finds the perfect test subject in Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a lean and brave Detroit detective with the courage to fight corruption within his own ranks. When Murphy's investigations get him blown up by a car bomb, leaving his body devastated, his wife (Abbie Cornish) agrees to sign him over to OmniCorp in hopes of saving his life. "What kind of life will he have?” she asks, not knowing that it will be a life of steel exo-skins and prime directives. His transformation begins in earnest, led by the ethically-ambiguous Dr. Norton (Gary Oldman) and cheered by Sellars who just wants a marketable product. As Alex comes to grips with being a walking cyborg, including a powerful moment where he sees what his body really looks like, he's left to wonder if the man he used to be exists underneath the armor and programming.

Padilha, who directed the intense Elite Squad cop flicks, works around the PG-13 and delivers some top notch video game action, including a brilliantly kinetic sequence lit only by the flash of blast rifle fire. The Robocop side of things isn't the issue; it's the Alex Murphy side where Joshua Zetumer loses focus. There simply isn't enough to distinguish Murphy beyond his good looks, and everything involving his brothers in blue (including Michael K. Williams as his former partner) is undeveloped. The same goes for his family life which mostly seems like a component nobody wanted to deal, in favor of getting back to the shenanigans over at OmniCorp. And truth be told, the biggest ideas and the best characters are all from the corporate powerhouse. Jay Baruchel gets geeky as a sniveling marketing guru, while Jennifer Ehle and Jackie Earle Haley make for a particularly devious roundtable of henchman for Keaton to play off of.  Kinnaman doesn't really hold up against such a strong supporting cast, but he finds occasional moments of genuine heartbreak in Murphy's interactions with his son, who looks up to Dad as a hero.

Verhoeven's prior films have proved especially popular territory for remakes of late, with the stink of Total Recall still wafting in the air. So it's good to see that someone put some actual thought into making Robocop cool and contemporary, rather than it being just another generic reboot in an empty robotic suit.

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Gary Oldman and Zac Efron Approached for 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

Practically every actor with a beating ticker has been approached for Star Wars: Episode VII, to the point where it's no longer such a special thing to have read for a role. What's sort of disturbing is how every press junket interview seems to end with a question about having met for a role, with far too many answering in the affirmative. And while some have been reluctant to open up about their meetings with producers, Gary Oldman has been around too long to beat around the bush.

While making the press rounds for Robocop, Oldman was asked by Sky News if he could be in Star Wars, and with obvious ambivalence admits that he has been called...

"“They’ve called. You know, I’m more cynical about it now. I’ll believe it when I’m on the plane home. The deal isn’t done, but yeah, they’ve inquired. I mean 'Planet of the Apes,' 'Harry Potter,' Batman, and 'Star Wars'… bloody hell!”

He'd make for a heck of a Darth Oldman or something, although he hasn't been playing as many villains of late. For now it looks like he isn't banking on any deals coming his way, but you never know. Disney is, after all, working the angles far and wide to cast this thing, even reaching out to Mr. High School Musical himself, Zac Efron. He tells MTV...

“Yeah, I just went and met with them. So I don’t know. It would be cool. I love [the Star Wars movies], I love them, but … who knows?”

Well that has the stink of Hayden Christensen/Jake Lloyd all over it. Hopefully it was just a courtesy so Efron wouldn't feel left out. Star Wars: Episode VII arrives December 18th 2015, and presumably we'll know something solid about it before then....right?

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The First Trailer for 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is Here!

The expectations were understandably low for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with a mostly unknown director without the cred of Tim Burton, who had failed so miserably with the franchise a decade earlier. But the film turned out to be a hit, earning nearly $500M and mostly positive reviews from critics and audiences. Now with Matt Reeves (Let Me In) taking over the sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, with the assumption that things will get even bigger, can the film hope to measure up?

That question has begun to be answered now with the arrival of the first trailer, and the most obvious change is the dark, ominous tone. Jason Clarke leads the film as the leader of a small band of human survivors of the virus unleashed more than a decade ago, and apparently he really needs to talk to the apes' leader, Caesear, played once again by performance-capture wiz, Andy Serkis. If the humans are asking to have a chat with Caesear then we can assume the apes have evolved enough to speak the language, which should change the dynamic in some interesting ways.

Also starring Gary Oldman, Judy Greer,  Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens July 11th 2014. Check out the trailer and official synopsis below.


DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - Teaser Trailer by dmagianet

PLOT: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

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"Crime Has a New Enemy"- 'Robocop' Delivers New Trailer, Poster, and Images

While the previous trailers for the Robocop remake have impressively sold the film's sizzle, perhaps in an effort to win over those who are still highly skeptical about it, there's more to the story than just a robot cop meting out his brand of justice. There's also the story of Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) outside of the metal suit, and the impact his becoming Robocop has on his familyi.

The latest trailer takes a more melancholic tone than we've seen before, showing Murphy's wife Clara (Abbie Cornish) sadly agreeing to turn his body over for research. We know where that leads, right into the lab of a scientist played by Gary Oldman, who transforms Murphy into the titular cyborg hero, although it seems to come with considerable reflection about the nature of such an existence.  There's still plenty of action, though, and it's good to see a bit more of Jackie Earle Haley as the guy who trains Robocop to be a bad ass.

Directed by Jose Padilha, Robocop hits the streets in IMAX on February 12th.


ROBOCOP - Bande-Annonce Officielle #3 VOST [VOST|HD1080p] by Team Lyricis

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First Trailer for 'Robocop' Remake Starring Joel Kinnaman and Samuel L. Jackson

There's already been a lot made of Jose Padilha's remake of Paul Verhoeven's satirical sci-fi flick, Robocop. Many have chosen to cynically bash the film without seeing much other than a few set photos, while others rightly worry about the tone that will be struck, and whether Joel Kinnaman is the right guy for the lead. Nobody wants this to turn out like the Total Recall remake, which by most accounts was an unmitigated disaster. Well after months of speculation, the questions are beginning to be answered with the release of the very first trailer.

The footage at Comic-Con dug a bit deeper into the modern day parallels of drone warfare and military propaganda, but this trailer does a pretty good job of setting things up. Kinnaman plays cop and family man Alex Murphy, whose body is destroyed in an explosion, and subsequently is rebuilt as the cyborg defender of justice. We get a look at Abbie Cornish as Murphy's wife, as well as Gary Oldman as the scientist who designed Robocop, and Michael Keaton as a slimy corporate exec. And then there are snippets of Samuel L. Jackson delivering one of his famous fire 'n brimstone monologues as a media figure pushing the Robocop program.

Some obvious nods to Verhoeven's film are on display, including a model that looks almost exactly like the original Robocop, while there are some new touches like the redesigned ED-209 and the ability for Robocop to show his face. The big question is whether or not the obvious political themes are going to mesh with the need for big action. Even though we know how the story will play out for the most part, the trailer does seem to give a lot away.

Robocop opens on February 7th 2014.


Robocop trailer by FilmBoy-gr

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Benedict Cumberbatch and Ralph Fiennes Sought for Gary Oldman-Directed 'Flying Horse'

 

It's been sixteen years since Gary Oldman made his directorial debut with the cult favorite, Nil by Mouth, and considering the awards acclaim it received he's never followed it up with anything. While he's talked about other projects in the past, it appears Oldman is finally ready to helm his second feature, and he's got a couple of familiar faces in mind to star.

Oldman will write and direct Flying Horse, a biopic on pioneering photographer Eadweard Muybridge, whose work was instrumental in the development of motion pictures. Oldman's Harry Potter buddy Ralph Fiennes is being sought for the role of Muybridge, while his Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy colleague Benedict Cumberbatch would play Major Harry Larkyns. Larkyns was a drama critic who was murdered by Muybridge after having an affair with his young wife, possibly fathering a child by her. The ensuring trial turned out to be a major scandal, with Muybridge mounting a successful insanity defense.

I'd much rather see these guys in a movie where they play villains forced to work together, but this is still an exciting combination. Filming could begin in 2014, assuming all of the scheduling details can be hammered out. [The Wrap]

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Gary Oldman joins 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

Now that Matt Reeves has been set to direct Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, casting has been picking up speed in preparation for filming to begin soon. Already we've seen Jason Clarke and Kodi Smit-McPhee joining Andy Serkis in the anticipated sequel, and now you can add the great Gary Oldman into the mix.

Oldman, who will also be seen in the Robocop remake soon, will play the leader of a human colony in the film penned by Mark Bomback. Taking place 15 years after the previous film, this one follows a group of humans fighting to survive in a San Francisco overrun by Caesar and his ape kingdom. Whether Oldman is the leader of that colony or some other one is unclear.  I wouldn't be surprised if Oldman's character is one who has come up with some means for the humans to get the upper hand.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on May 23rd 2014.[Coming Soon]

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Gary Oldman's manager Douglas Urbanski joins him in 'Robocop'

I guess we should be happy that the chances of Gary Oldman dropping out of Robocop the way Hugh Laurie did have significantly decreased, because his business partner and manager Douglas Urbanski has just joined him in the cast. Urbanski is best known for running the DMG talent management firm, and also for exec-producing a number of films including Oldman's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

This isn't Urbanski's first time in front of the camera, either. He memorably played Harvard President Larry Summers in The Social Network and has acted on stage in the past. In Robocop he'll play the mayor of Detroit, joining a cast a that includes Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jay Baruchel, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jennifer Ehle, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Directed by Jose Padilha, Robocop opens on August 9th 2013. [THR]

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Adrien Brody speeds into 'Motory City' villain role

It's amazing how quickly Motor City went from one of the hottest properties in Hollywood to being just another "meh" crime thriller. Chad St. John's script made the Black List of best unproduced screenplays, and the film had a superb cast at one point with Dominic Cooper, Gary Oldman, and Amber Heard. But all three are now long gone, with the equally "meh" Gerard Butler now in the lead role. Now after a lengthy search, a replacement for Oldman has finally been found.

Adrien Brody will play the villainous crime lord in the story, a vengeance flick that will have Butler as a man released from prison and seeking payback against those who framed him. While Brody can't be expected to match the psychotic awesomeness Oldman brought as the bad guy in The Professional, he should still be able to put in interesting spin on the character. Plus he knows he'll get all the juiciest bits, as the film's biggest hook is that the protagonist only has one line of dialogue.

Albert Hughes is directing Motor City, with production set to begin next month. [Variety]

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First Non-Trailer Clip from 'The Dark Knight Rises'!

"You can tell I'm a good cop, I don't just have a mustache, I also wear glasses"

Thanks to the good chaps over at JoBlo we have our first clip that isn't part of a trailer or prologue from The Dark Knight Rises. In a scene featuring Gary Oldman and Joesph Gordon-Levitt we find out that it has been exactly eight years since the events of The Dark Knight and the disappearance of the Batman.



Wait...wait...I'm going to stop right there and demand that Gary Oldman recieve a yearly Academy Award of Awesome every year henceforth whether he be in a movie or not (every year henceforth whether he be?? what the hell am I, some brand of medieval pirate?). Regardless of culturally and era confused grammar it remains a must that Oldman is honored, look at the man's filmography.

Anyway on with the post. It seems some people are wondering just how Batman vanished after his "crimes" and it also seems Jim Gordon is still dealing soft spoken protection for the caped crusader. Check out the clip below.

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