First Trailer for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella' starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett

If the $1B earned by Alice in Wonderland taught Disney anything, it's that there is a a whole new market to be tapped into by remaking fairy tale classics. And so we've seen them jump into the genre with both feet, bringing us Maleficent earlier this year, adapting The Jungle Book and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast. That's really just the tip of the iceberg, though, continuing next year with Cinderella, and the dazzling first trailer for it has arrived.

Directed by and co-starring Kenneth Branagh (Thor) with up 'n comer Lily James in the title role, the film seems to be a straight retelling of the familiar story, not a total reimagining like Maleficent was.  Cate Blanchett stars as the wicked stepmother Lady Tremaine, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) is Prince Charming, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, plus supporting roles for Branagh's Marvel pals Stellan Skarsgard and Hayley Atwell.

Cinderella opens next year on March 13th.

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Review: 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit', Starring Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, and Keira Knightley

Kevin Costner was courted to play Jack Ryan way back in The Hunt for Red October, the first film starring Tom Clancy's analyst. We all know how that story goes though, since they cast Alec Baldwin for the role instead because Costner was busy with Dances With Wolves. Ironically enough, Costner finally gets to be in a Jack Ryan movie, albeit not playing the title character himself. 

Kenneth Branagh brings us the reboot of the franchise with a little bit into Jack's background, a little bit of action, a little bit of suspense, and nothing that is ultimately memorable or new to fans of Ryan's stories except for the more modern global economy and readjustments to geopolitics.


Jack (Chris Pine) is an economics student working on his PhD. in London when 9/11 happens. Eighteen months later, he's a marine and flying with two others over Afghanistan when his helicopter is shot down. Ryan sustains a back injury that leaves him recovering and in physical therapy for eight months. It's there that he meets Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley), a med student studying to be an eye doctor, but is helping Jack get through physical therapy in order to complete her credits. It's there where he also meets William Harper (Kevin Costner), a man who works for the CIA and has read Jack's dissertation and other writings about economics, geopolitics, and whatnot. He convinces Jack to go to work for the CIA as a spy compliance officer on Wall Street, but only after he finishes his PhD. 

Ten years later, Jack is where you expect him to be after his conversation with Harper. There, he uncovers some shady information about stocks and Russia and other financial and economic things that I can't begin to explain to you in any competency. Basically, a man named Victor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh) intends to crush the U.S. dollar after staging a terrorist attack to bring down the U.S. economy. To try and get more information, Harper sends Jack to Russia to meet with Cherevin, but things get complicated when they try to have Jack killed because they suspect he knows about their plot and when Cathy, now his fiancé, shows up in Moscow because she suspects Jack is having an affair. 

The movie's faults don't lie with the cast so much as it does with the script, which has a decent build up, but kind of crashes its way to its finale with a bad guy who's too wooden in motive and personality to really ramp up the stakes. That's not to say that there aren't good suspenseful moments in the film. Because, if anything, Kenneth Branagh can play creepy and threatening pretty well, but there are too many layers missing for it to be credible. 

A lot of people hold Jack Ryan to high esteem. The guy is extremely intelligent and accomplished, so it's easy to understand why. He's a former marine, a PhD., a CIA analyst, and later a professor. But, Jack Ryan the character (at least in the films) isn't an overly exciting person. Some will argue that this is Chris Pine's fault, but the same can be said for when Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck all played Ryan in the past. It's not the actors, but the character himself that falls a little on the stale side of things. 

What is good about this film, however, is that it doesn't throw aside Jack's intelligence. Director Kenneth Branagh (he's pulling double duty) describes Jack as the "every man," which means he doesn't have James Bond's license to kill, nor Jason Bourne's very honed fighting skills. He's just a guy who tries to do good things and finds himself in not-so-good situations. 

The film does have a good cast. Chris Pine fills in the Jack Ryan shoes pretty well. Although as an actor, he's much more entertaining to watch when he has more to do. And this role doesn't give him much in the way of great dialogue, but he can play the action hero really well. He does have great chemistry with Keira Knightley and they're endearing together. 

Their relationship is one of the stronger aspects of the film and there should have been more of it because they are some of the best parts to watch. Their relationship is very equal and much more layered than in the previous films, which is why the personal attack later in the movie is more... well, personal. Knightley has a pretty good American accent, too. And while she falls briefly into the damsel-in-distress category, she's brave enough to want to help Jack out, and that says a lot about her character. 

Kevin Costner gives the tough love in this film and keeps Jack from falling off the proverbial thin line he's walking. He's the type of guy who sees a mission through to its end and doesn't just sit around at his desk giving advice. And Kenneth Branagh has seemingly mastered his Russian accent and plays the baddie like its second nature even when there isn't anything deeper to his character besides being semi-threatening. There's a hint of something else, but we never get any of what's behind it. 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is much less boring than the previous Jack Ryan movies and much less Jason Bourne-esque than a lot of people assumed it would be, it's ultimately very mediocre. There isn't anything amazing about it or its characters. And while the story tries hard to make us all care that some Russian guy is attempting to bring down our economy, it lacks a more fluid execution and suspense build up. 

It has more action and hyped suspense, and while they do well to portray Jack's nervousness and fear at being in a situation out of his depth, the entire film just feels a little underwhelming. If you enjoyed the previous movies though, then you'll probably like this one as well. It has its semi-entertaining moments, but it's nothing we haven't seen before and is really more of the same when it comes to the typical action/suspense films.

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Kevin Costner Gets Lethal in New 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Clip

In anticipation for its release this week, Fandango has posted a new clip from the film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. This one's only thirty five seconds long, but gives a little bit more of a glimpse into Kevin Costner's character. Costner's seen here being Jack's eyes as the older man shoots the lackeys gunning for Jack. Costner's character is extremely accurate and competent in doing his job, so it'll be interesting to see all his characteristics play out on the big screen. 

You can check out the clip below! 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit hits theaters January 17 and also stars Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, and Kenneth Branagh. 

Synopsis: The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner). When Ryan believes he's uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that's more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley). 

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'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Features Keira Knightley in One of Two New Clips

In a little over a week, Paramount will regale us with the tale of Jack Ryan. Except this will be a newer, more modern version of Jack Ryan and more of an origin story for the well-known Tom Clancy character. It'll be the first movie that isn't based on any of Clancy's previous books about the CIA analyst and Chris Pine will be the fourth actor to step into the character's shoes. 

Two new clips from the film have been released, each dealing with two different but probably important aspects of the plot. The first one is titled "Couples Therapy" and, as you guess, is relationship-based. Ryan's fiance Cathy (played by an American-accented Keira Knightley) is angry with him after finding out that he's been lying to her about who he works for the last three years and Kevin Costner reminds them that this isn't couples therapy. Knightley pulls off a pretty good American accent, too. 

The second clip sees Costner's character, who plays an almost-mentor/handler to Pine's Ryan, let's Jack know that he's no longer just an analyst anymore, but operational. The second clip is pretty straightforward, but everyone may not be as they seem. Especially if the character posters are anything to go by, which you can view here and here. 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is directed and also stars Kenneth Branagh and hits theaters January 17. 

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Chris Pine and Kenneth Branagh Posters for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'

We've seen Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit posters featuring Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley that hint at the multiple agendas of their characters, and now we have two more focusing on Kenneth Branagh and Chris Pine. Branagh, who plays the villain and also directs, is labeled "Capitalist. Terrorist. Patriot.", while Pine is a "Recruit. Agent. Target.". Obviously these characters are more than they appear, but perhaps it's more accurate to say nobody is quite so easily defined.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens January 17th.

PLOT: Based on the character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, “Jack Ryan” is a global action thriller set in the present day.  This original story follow a young Jack (Chris Pine) as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner).  When Ryan believes he’s uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that’s more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley).

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New International Trailer for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'

Paramount took their time unveiling Kenneth Branagh's Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, but with the film set to open in just a couple of months they're pulling out all of the stops. After the first trailer debuted just last week, a second one has hit and reconfirms that Tom Clancy's most popular CIA analyst has now become a Jason Bourne clone.

At least that's the takeaway from all of the footage that has been revealed, with star Chris Pine beating up bad guys and taking the field to foil explosive terrorist plots. It's a very different sort of film than we got in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games , Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears, but it's one that may play better to audiences looking for more action than political intrigue. The flip side is that there's very little about the film that stands out as special.

Branagh directs and co-stars alongside Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley, and we can expect to see Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit in theaters Christmas Day.

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First Trailer for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Starring Chris Pine

Inevitably, there were some who speculated that Paramount's release of the first Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit poster was a way of using Tom Clancy's death as a launching pad for the marketing campaign. If that were the case it'd be beyond tacky, and there's no proof it was ever in their thoughts even if it couldn't have hurt to draw some added attention. Traditionally, the poster always hits a day or two before the trailer emerges, and that's exactly what we have now.

The first trailer for the unfortunately-titled Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has arrived, starring Chris Pine as Clancy's most popular character (sorry, Sam Fisher fans!). He picks up the mantle left by Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, and Ben Affleck, playing a younger version of Ryan investigating his boss who plans to commit an act of economic terrorism. Kenneth Branagh directs and sports a Drago accent as the villain, while Keira Knightley is Ryan's wife who discovers his double-life as an agent. We get glimpses of action and a lot of Kevin Costner as Ryan's CIA handler, and he instantly seems like more of a central figure than Pine, which could be a problem. While he's done quite well as part of the Star Trek ensemble, Pine has yet to prove he can be a major box office draw. Personally, I think he's boring as dry toast and if this film fails it will be because of him.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens on Christmas Day.


Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Trailer (Chris Pine, Keira Knightley & Kevin Costner) by cinemur

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Kenneth Branagh may direct Disney's 'Cinderella'

Kenneth Branagh doesn't want you to think of him as that guy who only directs Shakespeare adaptations. While a case can be made that there's something quite Shakespearean about Marvel's Thor, the same definitely can't be said about Jack Ryan. Clearly, he's moving in the direction of more mainstream, popcorny features.

Just a few weeks ago, Mark Romanek stepped down from Disney's live-action Cinderella, and now Vulture says Branagh is in talks to take over. Cate Blanchett is the only one confirmed at this point, still locked in for the role of the evil stepmother. That may depend on whether or not Disney hits the fall start date, so they'll likely be scrambling to get Branagh under contract.

Gabriella Wilde, Saoirse Ronan, and Alicia Vikander were most recently circling the title role, but it's unclear if that's still the case. Chris Weitz(The Golden Compass) wrote the most recent draft of the script, originally completed by Aline Brosh McKenna.

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Kenneth Branagh to direct and play the villain in the Jack Ryan relaunch

If you need something done, best do it yourself, right? In the case of Paramount's planned relaunch of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series, they've been struggling along for years trying to get this thing rolling. With Kenneth Branagh stepping in to take over the directing reins, what was needed now was a proper bad guy to square off against Chris Pine. They didn't have to look far, as Branagh has decided to just take on the role himself.
Formerly titled Moscow, the untitled film sees a younger Jack Ryan in his early days working in Russia and uncovering some sort of evil plot. A number of writers have attempted to tackle the script, starting with Steve Zaillian and most recently David Koepp. Unlike the other adaptations, this one isn't based on any particular Clancy novel.
Chris Pine bores me to tears, and to be honest I've never been much of a Jack Ryan fan. To me, if they're going to take a stab at bringing the franchise back, a more charismatic lead is necessary. We know Branagh has the goods to make for a complex villain. [Variety]
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The Path to 'Marvel's The Avengers': 'Thor'

Now up our fourth film in the Marvel Movie Universe to date, Thor. One of the more classic Marvel characters is the take on the Norse myth that probably is for a lot of people is the version of Thor they have even if they’ve never read a comic book.  This film was hotly anticipated when it was released last year in 2011 because of the fact that they went against type with hiring director Kenneth Branagh. Branagh, mostly known at this point for directing Shakespeare film adaptations took some by surprise for heading up a big time superhero action movie. For some long time fans though it seemed as a perfect choice since for a lot of Thor’s comic history he’s always been written in a Shakespearean style of dialogue.

Thor starts in the past with seeing his father, Odin defeat the frost giants in a war to control the nine realms. We then are taken to the present where Thor, an arrogant prince is about to be crowned the new king of Asgard. The ceremony is attacked by three frost giants and against his father’s wishes Thor along with his brother Loki and his friends go to the frost giant’s home to counter attack. Things go well at first but they are then overwhelmed and Odin must come to save them breaking the truce with the frost giants that has kept the peace in the realms. As punishment Odin sends Thor to earth without his power and puts an enchantment on his hammer, Mjolnir so that only when one is worthy that they may have the power of Thor. Thor now mortal and on earth meet a young professor Jane Foster and her assistant and mentor. His goal is to get his hammer back which followed him to earth which is now in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody led by Agent Coulson and to return to Asgard.

Thor is overall a really fun and enjoyable movie. It’s pretty light hearted even for a Marvel movie which has been light in comparison to some other superhero movie takes or super heavy Nolan Batman series. The best parts of the film is the family dynamic of Thor, Odin and Loki; Branagh really shines here as he captures all the big thematic tones that are like that of a Shakespeare play but with magic and giants and sells it to the audience. Some of the romantic plot points of Thor with Jane Foster does get kind of sappy but it doesn’t detract much from the overall big fun of movie.

Now to the nitty gritty of this post. Thor is pretty much the main film that sets up The Avengers. Thor gives us it’s villain in Loki, who going by the comic is supposed to the first villain and the reason why the Avengers exist in the first place. The outcome of Loki in this film and his want of revenge against his brother and his love of the humans of earth might be the reason Loki attacks. The film also shows us Hawkeye for a quick moment that will probably have some big parts in Avengers. The end credit scene where we see another Nick Fury moment is also a key moment for what it shows an item that is important, the Cosmic Cube. Loki’s interest in this item is big because it’s this all powerful item that can change reality at a whim. But that also sets up Captain America: The FirstAvenger which was shortly after that same summer. The Cosmic Cube is very important in many Captain America stories and lore, especially with his main foe the Red Skull but more on that in the post for that film.

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My Week with Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne

To act as if anyone on the planet is going to be able to look just like Marilyn Monroe is to invite disappointment. In My Week with Marilyn, Michelle Williams has the daunting task of portraying the sultry celebrity and sexual icon, a role that has been attempted by many others with mixed success. For Williams, it's a change of pace from the serious, heavy roles she's had lately. There's scarcely a laugh in movies like Wendy and Lucy or Blue Valentine, but the women of those movies had something in common with Monroe. They had emotional scars that ran deep, and the courage to try to fight through them in any way they knew how. The glamour of Monroe is just the glossy packaging we see on the outside, but it's what Williams discovers about who she is on the inside that will make you stand up and recognize how truly great her performance is.

To their credit, screenwriter Adrian Hodges and TV vet Simon Curtis don't waste any time introducing us to Williams' take on Monroe, with her racy rendition of Heat Wave. Monroe was such a cipher to so many people, the only thing recognizable by all was the sexuality she projected. Williams slinks and curves through the song with ease, so much so that you barely recognize that she doesn't look so much like Monroe. She has the moves and confidence down pat, which is all that really matters. It's impossible to look away from her. Like Monroe herself, Williams will have men transfixed.

Such as Colin Clark(Eddie Redmayne), whose two memoirs serve as the basis for this story. Clark, born to a well-to-do family, has a desire to be involved with the movies. Through a combination of pestering and luck, he lands a gig as 3rd assistant director on The Prince and the Showgirl, a 1957 comedy so light a gust of wind could blow it into orbit. However it was a pivotal production to some of the particulars, including director Laurence Olivier(Kenneth Branagh), who just wants to see it go off without a hitch. If he can capitalize on Monroe's popularity, and maybe even get her into his bed a few times, so much the better. Unfortunately for him, Monroe arrives on set with more than just a few issues, she has an entire subscription. She regularly shows up to work late; refuses to listen to anybody but her enabling acting coach; and causes a paparazzi firestorm that slows production to a crawl.

Fortunately she has a friend in Colin, who instantly is enraptured by her "come hither" glances and flirty giggles. So much so that he rejects the cute costume girl(a wasted Emma Watson) he's been dating. She can't possibly compete with someone like Monroe, especially when she's so good at making Colin feel like he's the only one who can pull her out of a constant state of crisis.

How much of that act was real, though? And how much of it was an act she put on to get what she wants? That's one of the few questions the film actually asks about her. For the most part, My Week with Marilyn is an extremely airy story. The on-set squabbles aren't particularly insightful, and are played mostly for laughs as Olivier breaks down over what's happening to his career. The script doesn't seem to have any concrete answers about Monroe, either, except to figure that she was a rash of contradictions. On the one hand, she's desperate to be considered a real actress, so much so she's almost ashamed to be in the presence of veteran Dame Sybil Thorndike(Judi Dench), while at the same time she's more than willing to fall back on her power over men to make life easier. Colin proves to be Monroe's confidante as her marriage to Arthur Miller(Dougray Scott) publicly falls apart.

Just as how Monroe proved to be the shining jewel of The Prince and the Showgirl, it's Williams' remarkable, multi-faceted performance that dwarfs everything else about My Week with Marilyn. The trick to playing Monroe isn't just about looking hot in a tight dress. Being seductive isn't all that hard. It was Monroe's combination of sexiness and innocence that drove men wild, and Williams has nailed that perfectly. In one scene she shares with Redmayne as their characters skinny dip in a nearby lake, she gives him a gentle kiss and reveals it was the first time she ever locked lips with a younger man. That might be true, but really it doesn't matter. It's in that moment that we get a pure glimpse at the mystery of what was Marilyn Monroe. Manipulative on the one hand, but genuinely wanting to make others happy and feel special on the other. Perhaps she behaved in such a way because nobody was ever truly able to make her feel like the most important person in the world, and the cheering fans and snapping cameras were a substitute.

If only there had been more of an effort to stake an opinion on who Marilyn Monroe truly was. The screenplay drops a lot of hints, but never lands on a clear answer. Fortunately, Williams is so good that the rest of the film being so thin is barely a concern. After watching her humanize so many troubled women over the years to tremendous effect, Williams has taken on her most difficult role yet, and somehow found a way to outshine herself.

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Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench to star in Italian Shoes, directed by Kenneth Branagh

It's been a busy year for Kenneth Branagh, but also one that's seen his career veer off in unexpected directions. For one, he was the oddball choice to direct Thor, Marvel's superhero film centered on the god of Thunder and his earthbound misadventures. Branagh's theatrical, Shakespearean background proved to be a perfect fit, and the film was a certifiable hit. While Branagh won't be coming back for the sequel, it put him in a place he's never really been before, which is on the radar of comic book geeks everywhere. Branagh followed that up by starring as Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn, which has a ton of Oscar heat for it's star, Michelle Williams.

But now Branagh is moving back behind the camera, and he's calling on two of the stars of both those movies to join him, as Variety reports Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench are in talks to star in Italian Shoes. Branagh, who is directing based on a script by Richard Cottan(Margaret), said he's banking on his long established history with them to get them aboard. Hopkins played Thor's father, Odin, in the superhero film over the summer. Judi Dench was Dame Sybil Thorndike in the Marilyn Monroe biopic. She's also worked with him on numerous other occasions, like in Henry V and Hamlet. Branagh developed the film with only these two actors in mind, which is a pretty good place to start if you ask me.

Based on the 2006 novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell, the story centers on a surgeon, forced into retirement and now living in isolation on a remote island in Sweden. When a figure from his past suddenly returns, he's forced to confront old secrets and the event that led to the loss of his career.

Depending on scheduling, filming could begin at the end of 2012 or early 2013.

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New poster for My Week with Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams

 Moviefone has unveiled the first poster for My Week With Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams in what will likely be her most scrutinized role to date as Marilyn Monroe. We all know how good of an actress Williams is, but playing a legendary figure like Monroe guarantees she's going to catch some flack. It's impossible to match the sort of presence Monroe had, so the best thing Williams can do is just make the character her own. Do it in her own way.  As for the poster, I love the blue in contrast to the muted background, really showing how Monroe always stood out from the pack. 

The film is based on the two memoirs by Colin Clark, who spent time with Monroe as her assistant while on the tumultuous set of 1957's The Prince and the Showgirl. Eddie Redmayne(The Yellow Handkerchief) will play Clark, with Dominic Cooper, Kenneth Branagh, Dougray Scott, Julia Ormond, and Judi Dench co-starring. Simon Curtis directed, based on a script by Adrian Hodges. It'll open in theaters on November 4th.


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Thor, starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman

More than any other Marvel superhero, Thor is the one that's easiest to get wrong. He's not relatable like a Spider-Man, or a brilliant technological genius of an Iron Man. He's not even a patriot like Captain America. Thor's not even from this planet. He's from way above it in the land of Asgard, the brash and chiseled son of Odin, the king of the Norse gods. It's his mythological nature that makes Thor such a hard sell. Steeped in Norse mythology where everyone apparently still speaks in Shakespearean dialect, if not done right Thor could get very silly very fast. Fortunately Marvel takes the exact right approach to the character. Under the veteran hand of Kenneth Branagh behind the camera, Thor doesn't waste time trying to force us to understand the ways and politics of gods. It aims to be a big, brawny action adventure and a perfect nail to be hammered into Marvel's grand superhero universe.

Branagh's background with Shakespeare's works is immediately evident as Thor is clearly the most theatrical film of the Marvel bunch so far. We're introduced to Thor(Chris Hemsworth) early on, a cocky, war hungry braggart soon to have the mantle of King bestowed upon him by his father, Odin(Anthony Hopkins). Thor's brother, Loki(Tom Hiddleston), is always at his side, a smooth talker and master manipulator. They live in Asgard, a regal realm that looks like a mix of Krypton and Star Wars' Coruscant. On the day of Thor's coronation, an intrusion by the dreaded Frost Giants spurs Thor into rash action. Eager for battle and wielding his mighty hammer Mjolnir, he defies Odin's orders and attacks the Giants' home, breaking a truce and risking all-out war. As punishment, Thor is stripped of his godly powers and banished to Earth, or Midgard as the gods call it.

Crash landing in the heart of the New Mexico desert, Thor is discovered by Jane Foster(Natalie Portman), Dr. Erik Selvig(Stellan Skarsgard), and Darcy(Kat Dennings) who literally run his butt over. His hammer gone, Thor is forced to walk the path of mortals for the rest of eternity. Or until daddy forgives him, which isn't likely to happen because Odin has fallen into a coma-like trance known as the Odinsleep. Loki has taken the opportunity to claim the throne for himself, striking a deal with the Frost Giants to put an end to Odin once and for all. If Thor is ever to get back home, he'll need to earn the wisdom his father tried desperately to impart, and become worthy of wielding Mjolnir once again.

Thor jumps between the big battles and soap opera family dynamics of Asgard, and Thor's comical fish out of water time on Earth. Mjolnir rests embedded in a rock like the sword Excalibur in the middle of the desert, bringing in SHIELD agent Coulson(Clark Gregg) to investigate. This scene will be familiar to folks who hung around for the closing credits of Iron Man 2, but now we get to see the full picture. I was surprised by just how much fun the earthbound parts of the film were, since traditionally this has always been a weak point of any Thor story, but with Portman, Skarsgard, and a phenomenally charismatic turn by Hemsworth there is very rarely a dull moment. We don't get to see Natalie Portman in supporting roles like this very often, but she's perfect as the flighty scientist trying to wrap her brain around the god standing before her. Watching her try to figure out if he's real or insane is hilarious. For his part, Hemsworth nails my idea of what Thor should be. It's not just that he's arrogant, this is a god who comes from royalty. He's always been better than anybody he's ever faced, and so it's only natural that he have something of an attitude, especially when in the midst of a deadly fight. But his experience on earth and the changes he undergoes are believable and a pleasure to watch.

The steal of the show has to be Tom Hiddleston as Loki. I've never seen the Brit actor before, although I've heard raves about how good he could be in the role, and he knocked it out of the park. Loki is the most obvious character of the bunch. We know he's evil. He's not called the "trickster" for nothing. These are immortals, and Loki in particular sees himself as something more than human, but he's racked with the same petty emotions as the rest of us. While I'm raving, can I go ahead and petition for Kat Dennings to show up in The Avengers somehow? Portman won't be there, but Skarsgard will. Maybe somebody can nudge Joss Whedon into writing in a few quips for her? She's just fantastic in a mostly thankless role. The same goes to Idris Elba as Heimdall, the stoic guardian of the Bifrost Bridge, the gods' means of planetary transport. You might recall some uproar over the casting of an African-American to play the very Caucasian Norse deity, but hopefully after seeing him in action that corner of the peanut gallery will quiet down.

Marvel made a shrewd move in bringing in Branagh to oversee the film. Since he's not really an action director, and I know nothing of his comic book background, he takes a fresh approach to telling the superhero's story. Branagh avoids the stuff that might not translate too well on the screen and focuses on the stuff that obviously does, huge special effects-laden wars sprinkled well with placed humor to lighten the mood. The story itself might be a bit thin compared to Spider-Man or even Iron Man 2, but I promise you'll never feel cheated. There probably could've been a little more time spent with Thor and Foster together, but it's a minor complaint. Thor has the added burden of being the most clear cut prequel to The Avengers, and we get all the geek moments people like me having been salivating for. Those of you dying for a glimpse of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye will get your wish, and by now everyone should be trained to hang around during the closing credits.

The 3D doesn't add a lot to the experience, to the point that I lifted my glasses up a few times and just watched it normally. What surprised me is just how well staged the action was, and how special effects heavy the film turned out. It's not what you'd expect from Branagh, but again he's pulled out all the stops. The New Mexico stuff is pretty flat, but Asgard is a wondrous place to behold.

We'll be getting Captain America: The First Avenger next as the race towards The Avengers continues. While it looks like a solid pic, Thor has set the superhero bar ridiculously high, and I'm not sure anybody else, whether it be Green Lantern or the X-men, will be able to reach it.

Trav's Tip: Star Chris Hemsworth very nearly lost out on the role of Thor to Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki in the film. Hemsworth was even taken out of consideration at one point, before ultimately winning the job. Kenneth Branagh decided that Hiddleston's look and background made him a more suitable choice for Loki.

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The French make some great trailers about Norse gods

Ok so I doubt "The French' actually cut this international trailer for Thor. Then again maybe they did. I don't know how that whole thing works. What I do know is that it's dubbed in French, which if you're like me will probably cause you to snicker a couple a little bit.  Hemsworth in particular is very out of place in the different language. Not like when I watched Rocky IV in Spanish, but close. 

But if you look closely you'll notice a couple of new glimpses. Nothing too dramatic, but they're there.





Thor hits theaters on May 6th, and still looks a heck of a lot better than Captain America. Just sayin'. Maybe if we saw Chris Evans in French I'd think differently.

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New Thor character banner and poster!

I should've posted these a few days ago. Marvel has released some new images from Thor, the Kenneth Branagh-directed superhero flick starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman. The new poster, which you should've seen by now in all it's crimson glory, I think is very effective at getting across the raging spirit within the god of thunder.

Below you'll also find a nifty new character banner, as well as a new shot of Idris Elba as Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard. All of these images are courtesy of IGN and THR! By the way, I HATE that THR title to the article the image is in. "Black Thor Actor Blasts Debate Over His Casting". The dude's name is Idris Elba.

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Kenneth Branagh discusses Thor, The Avengers, and Joss Whedon

As a filmmaker looking for a sense of creative freedom, it seems like the Marvel cinematic universe would be the wrong place to hang your hat. Especially if your Kenneth Branagh, the world of superheroes and Norse gods must seem like a weird universe to play in. However, the classically trained actor and director known mostly for his Shakespearean works has settled in nicely behind the camera of Thor, and into the whole Marvel universe as well.  In a conversation with Earths Mightiest, Branagh talks about connecting all of Marvel's superhero movies, and has a thing or two to add about Joss Whedon....

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Will the Thor trailer be attached to Tron: Legacy?

Just a quickie on this one, but Superhero Hype is reporting a tip they received stating that the trailer for Thor may just beattached to showing of Tron: Legacy when it debuts on December 17th. With the Green Lantern trailer debuting for DC/Warner Brothers in just a few short days, it makes sense that Disney(who recently bought Marvel) would want to get their next big 3D superhero flick front and center as soon as possible.

No confirmation on this yet, but I'm betting we'll find out sooner rather than later. Thor is set to be released here in the States on May 6th, 2011.

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1st Official Photo of Odin, Loki, and Thor!

The 1st official photo from Kenneth Branagh's Thor showing Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Tom Hiddleston as Loki has been released. I'm not gonna lie, I think it looks a little cheesy. Especially the golden eyepatch. Eyepatches are so 90s.  But Thor does look kinda cool with Mjolnir in hand.

Oh, and the other "big" news is that neither Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger will be shot in 3-D, but will have the process added in post-production. Not a wise decision, in my opinion but what can you do?

You can read more of the LA Times coverage of Thor here.

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Deniro and Law Rumors Get Nailed by Big Ass Hammer

Remember last week when everybody(including us) was going ape-crap over the possibility of Robert Deniro and Jude Law joining the cast of Marvel's upcoming Thor film? Fuhgeddabout. It ain't happenin', according to Gossip Cop. A rep for Jude Law is quoted as saying the rumors are "not true" flat out.

That's too bad. The last time I got to hear Deniro go an entire movie struggling with a bad accent was in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, so you know I was dyin' to hear his Norwegian.

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