UPDATE: Release date has been changed to February 12, 2010.

The Wolfman has been scheduled for release on February 12, 2010, with Benicio Del Toro in the lead role and such greats as Hugo Weaving and Sir Anthony Hopkins in supporting roles. I’m excited about this movie because of its excellent casting and (I have to admit) it’s perfectly eerie style. The trailer certainly does an excellent job of building anticipation for this classic remake. One thing is for sure — I have scheduled this release date into my calendar!

Arranged by prosecutors in Los angeles and Washington, Swiss authorities arrested director Roman Polanski late Saturday (Sept. 26, 2009) as he arrived at the Zurich airport. Polanski was scheduled to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival.

According to a New York Times report,

Mr. Polanski, 76, a French citizen, was detained as he arrived to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival. Although he is expected to oppose extradition, the arrest raised a strong possibility that Mr. Polanski would be returned to the United States to face sentencing under his conviction for having had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

Here is a short timeline of the events, according to IMDB.com:

By Wrap Staff

1969

Roman Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate slain by the Manson family.

1977

Polanski has sex with a 13-year-old model in L.A. Pleads guilty to reduced charges of “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” as part of a plea bargain and undergoes psychiatric evaluation in a prison facility.

1978

Polanski flees to France, where he has citizenship. A U.S. warrant is issued for his arrest …

- Glenn Abel

The NY Times states,

The legal proceedings around Mr. Polanski heated up again in late 2008 with the release of a documentary film, “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” that detailed claims of judicial and prosecutorial wrongdoing at the time of the director’s original arrest…

…Mr. Polanski was initially indicted in 1977 on six felony charges that included rape, sodomy and providing a controlled substance to Ms. Geimer. He eventually pleaded guilty to one count of having sex with a minor but left the country after becoming convinced he would be sent back to jail after having a 42-day psychiatric evaluation in state prison. He has not openly visited the country since; when he won an Oscar for directing “The Pianist,” he did not attend the ceremony.

Polanski’s lawyers asked that the case be dropped, citing the film and other evidence. But the request was rejected.

Roman Polanski has been a highly-regarded filmmaker, for such films as The Pianist & Rosemary’s Baby. He is also the husband of the late Sharon Tate, who was killed by the Manson crime family.

The biggest draw for this movie has been a very well-made trailer (see below), and the fact that Peter Jackson is producing. But trust me when I say that the trailer does not tell you the whole story. And quite frankly, you will see that this movie is about much more than what the trailer reveals.

To state it bluntly, this movie is a masterful creation that took me by surprise. From the grainy, realistic style of the movie, to the incredible performance of Sharlto Copley’s first big screen appearance, this movie is one that never bores and is never predictable. You will find yourself wondering who you should be cheering for throughout this movie. And it is that uncertainty that makes this movie so absorbing. You find yourself questioning your early notions from the film’s beginning as it progresses through it’s intricate plot. And it maintains your attention throughout.

The film is based on a short story titled “Alive in Joburg” by Neill Blomkamp. Blomkamp was originally contacted by Peter Jackson to make a film adaption of Halo, a very popular video game series. The Halo project fell apart due to internal conflicts between Fox, Universal, and Microsoft. So Jackson and others decided to provide Blomkamp support for another film project. And that is how District 9 began. Blomkamp was given directoral duties for a feature film based on his short story. And this may very well be why the film turned out to be so compelling. After all, who knows better how to portray the tale than the author himself?

The movie takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa as an alien ship settles over the city and fails to leave after three months. Humans decide to cut their way into the ship and discover sick and malnurished alien beings inside. These aliens are eventually housed in a government camp referred to as “District 9″. As the area degrades into a slum, the aliens strive to survive by scavenging the area and by setting up a black market with a group of Nigerians. Tensions rise and the local humans demand that the aliens be moved outside of the city of Johannesburg.

A private company called Multinational United (MNU) is placed in charge of District 9, and they in turn place an operative by the name of Wikus van der Merwe (played by Sharlto Copley) in charge of relocating the aliens. To avoid any spoilers, I will refrain from commenting further about the plot of the movie. But I will mention that Copley does an incredible job of portraying a man who is struggling with his role in society. Throughout the film, he discovers that his loyalties may be misplaced. And he realizes that his place in society is not determined by his profession, but by his willingness to do the right thing through his own sacrifices. It is a story about a man who finds his true calling in life in a very unusual way. Although this is Copley’s first feature film performance, he plays the role as a seasoned veteran. Van der Merwe’s struggles in life are very believable. And it is easy to relate to his quest to find his purpose in life. Copley’s role is not a low-budget “good enough” performance. It is a convincing spectacle of a man finding himself through extraordinary circumstances. And rest assured, the plot is much more than what I’ve mentioned here.

But Copley’s performance is not the only reason to see this movie. Although this is a sci-fi film, it is easy to draw parallels between what the aliens experience and what humans experience today in real life. This film deals with how our society might struggle with a situation in which beings from another planet might become integrated into our own society. It deals with social class struggles, prejudices against those different from the norm, and also how one’s actions can be taken out of context due to ignorance of the situation. This movie makes statements, but it doesn’t smack you in the face with them like so many films today. It also addresses how groups of “beings” end up resorting to drastic measures in poor conditions when they feel their survival depends on it. There are plenty of parallels and contrasts between these aliens and the humans. And you find yourself uncertain as for whom you should cheer.

And let’s not leave out the artistry of the film making. This film had a $30 million budget, and yet the effects, the style, the sense of “being there” were all there. The effects were quite effective, and the alien weapons were to die for (literally). If you like realistic action with awesome weapons, then you’ll love this film. And even if you don’t like sci-fi action films, you will most likely find something compelling in this movie. Yes, it is THAT good.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this film. This is truly one of (if not THE) best film this year. It is unpredictable, full of action, and is a thinking man’s sci-fi film. Don’t judge this film by the trailor alone. The trailor is just a tool to set up the unpredictable plot, and it does a very good job of doing just that. The plot is multi-faceted and never lags. But with all of that said, I do recommend that you leave the young ones at home for this one. As I mentioned earlier, the weapons are VERY realistic and several of the scenes are quite graphic. But everyone else should definitely see this one. Go into this movie with an open mind, and you will leave very satisfied.

Oh, and be sure to check out D-9.com for some District 9 fun!

This one gets 4 1/2 kernels. This is a must-see. Yes, it is THAT good!!

Kernel rating

4.5 Kernels

According to Variety, Twentieth Century Fox is planning to revive it’s ‘Alien’ franchise by releasing a prequel film that takes place before the 1979 classic ‘Alien‘. This, of course, is news in itself. But the BIG news is that Ridley Scott (who directed the original film) has been signed on to direct this prequel! There were three sequels to the original film, but this is the first time Scott has agreed to direct one. This should be good!

Read the Variety report HERE!

As if Watchmen wasn’t long enough, it looks like Warner Bros. is looking to cash in by releasing a Director’s Cut of the film in July, one week before the DVD & Blu-ray releases. The new version will include 25 minutes of extra footage that extends the film’s runtime to just over 3 hours!

I always felt the film was a bit too long in its original version, but it looks like Warner Bros. is expecting the die-hard fans to come back and see this Director’s Cut. According to the post on the MTV Movies Blog, this new version is going to be more graphic and violent. But over three hours? The first film had a pretty slow pace at times, so I fear that the patience of the audience may run thin. But then again, the die-hard Watchmen fans will most likely appreciate a longer, more graphic version. We’ll have to see.

Check out the entire post on MTV’s Movie Blog here, and check out the new Director’s Cut of Watchmen in July if you have the patience.

(Photo credit: Gizmodo.com)

I came across a very geeky and interesting post on Gizmodo today, and I had to share it with everyone here on butteredpopcorn.net. This Giz post explains the technical details of IMAX film (as well as standard 35mm movie film), and how movies are transfered over to the awesome IMAX format. So now you can say you technically know why IMAX is as awesome as it is.  Enjoy!

Full Gizmodo post HERE!

I grew up as a MAJOR Star Wars fan, but I also appreciated the view of the possible future that Star Trek offered us. Sure, the TV series was a little hokie at times (o.k., a lot of times!), but it definitely broke new ground in the world of Sci-Fi and created a cult classic with characters that everyone remembers. But as the franchise grew and expanded, it lost some steam. And eventually offered fans little to look forward to. It became very apparent that the Star Trek franchise was in dire need of a refresh.

Rejoice, Trekkies! J.J. Abrams has managed to successfully refresh the franchise in a way that cherishes the same characters, but yet redefines their presence in the Star Trek universe. Some relationships remain the same, while others take on a whole new direction. All the while maintaining the original storyline that we’ve come to love over the years. Confusing? Well, at first glance it might seem so. But Abrams is a master of storytelling, and never once asks the audience to reject the Star Trek they’ve always known. See the movie and you’ll know what I mean.

If I had to choose the one crowning achievement for this movie, it has to be the casting. Chris Pine as a young, rebellious James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as a young, conflicted Vulcan by the name of Spock were amazing in their roles. This movie is more about the development of Kirk and Spock in their early days than anything else. Much of the hinted background history of the television series is clearly portrayed in this film. And in the process, Abrams has managed to redefine their characters. We are treated to a new, more revealing view of these 2 anchors of the franchise.

Karl Urban (Dr. Leonard McCoy) and John Cho (Hikaru Sulu) provide familiar, but yet refreshed versions of McCoy and Sulu. McCoy in particular seems to be a much deeper character, with a better defined past that explains his vigor and dedication to his career. He also provides quite a bit of comic relief with classic phrases and interactions with Spock that we’ve come to expect. It is very easy to believe that Urban is McCoy.

But when it comes to comic relief, no one provides more comic energy than Simon Pegg’s Montgomery Scott.  Scotty is a light-hearted engineering thrill-seeker who proves his worth (much like the classic Scotty did on the TV series), but is much more outgoing and less “business-as-usual” than the original James Doohan version. Pegg’s version of Scotty seems to find humor in every situation, which is a total redirect from the Scotty we know from the TV series. But one thing is for sure…the Scottish heritage in the new Scotty is alive and well!

However, Simon Pegg is not the only source of comic relief in this film. Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov also provides a few laughs with his thick accent, chock full of rolling “W’s” in every sentence he struggles to pronounce. This, of course, is a deliberate direction from J.J. Abrams. And then there is McCoy’s classic phrase “I’m a doctor, not a physisist!”, which also brought laughs from the Trek faithful. The movie is full of these classic references, but there is more to this film than laughs.

Zoe Saldana redefines sex appeal in the Star Trek universe as Nyota Uhura. Unlike the original Uhura (played by Nichelle Nichols), this Uhura is much less reserved and certainly turns on the sexuality with other members of the crew. Especially one certain member of the crew whom will remain nameless in this review in order to avoid a spoiler. Unexpectedly (and almost unrecognizably), Wynona Ryder also makes an appearance as Spock’s mother. You may not even realize it’s her unless you look very closely. Although it is a minor role, she does an exceptional job playing the part and building the unique relationship that the younger Spock had with his human mother. After all, this becomes a major source of Spock’s development going forward.

But it wouldn’t be a great movie without a compelling villain to challenge this “new” crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. And this villian is Nero, played by none other than Eric Bana. I know what you are thinking. Eric Bana as a Trek villian? Well, you may be in for a surprise. Because Bana does an exceptional job in playing Nero, a time-travelling Romulan miner who is out for revenge due to a tragic event for which he holds Spock and the Federation responsible. At one moment you are despising him for his actions, and then at another moment you are somewhat sympathetic to his tragic existence. He is not a shallow absolute villain. He shows that being a villain is a matter of perception, and often a matter of misunderstanding. Bana is excellent in this role.

It is difficult to find fault with the casting in this film, and that is why this film works so well. The characters are believable younger versions of the classic characters that everyone knows. But they offer a different direction that opens up the Star Trek franchise to any possibilities going forward. J.J. Abrams was masterful in the way he pulled this off, especially since he was never a Trekkie himself. This is a visually stunning film with immersive audio that really draws you into the Star Trek universe. And the script is very well done, in a way that respects the past but yet also allows the franchise to go in new directions. Bottom line is….

This is a must-see movie this year!!

This one gets a well-deserved 4.5 kernels. Even Star Wars fans should check this one out. Go see it!

Kernel rating

4.5 Kernels

X-Men Origins: Wolverine hit theaters this past weekend, taking in $87 million. But did it live up to the hype?

First let me say, as should be said for all comic book-based movies, do not go into the theater expecting the script to exactly mirror the original story in the comics. You have to go in with an open (and blank) mind about the origins of one of Marvel‘s most beloved characters – Wolverine. From the origins of his adamantium claws, to his relationship with Victor Creed (aka Sabertooth, played by Liev Schreiber) and Col. William Stryker (Danny Huston), to the source of his memory loss in the earlier X-Men films, it’s all addressed in this origins film.

But on the flip side, there is still something that did not sit well with me after seeing this film. If Wolverine and Sabertooth had such a complicated and yet tightly knit past in this film, why doesn’t the Sabertooth character in the previous X-Men films continue his personal quest to battle Wolverine with a passion? The Sabertooth character in the X-Men films seems to barely recognize Wolverine. This film does give an explanation as to why Wolverine seems distant from Sabertooth in that he suffered amnesia. But Sabertooth did not. What gives?

But let’s not pick it apart too badly. It was pretty obvious that director Gavin Hood wanted to expand on the ties to the previous X-Men movies. And he succeeds in this with much of the backstory. As a movie on its own, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a decent story of a man’s personal struggle with his own destiny. A destiny he first fights but later accepts due to the manipulations of Sabertooth and Stryker. But this film is also a strong backstory about Sabertooth. Liev Schreiber does an excellent job in portraying Wolverine’s opposite. His Sabertooth character is almost identical to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. But Sabertooth despises his humanity, while Wolverine tries to embrace it. Both actors excel in building this long and complicated history between their characters. And because Wolverine and Sabertooth share this history, we learn just as much about Victor Creed (Sabertooth) as we do about Logan (Wolverine). It’s a shame this history couldn’t have been exploited more in the other X-Men movies.

The other characters in the movie simply fill in the gaps where needed, with two exceptions. Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) finally makes an appearance in the movie to the delight of many X-Men fanatics. And you do get a good dose of him in this film. And then there’s Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), who ends up becoming Deadpool by the end of the film. Rest assured, this film serves as the origins of three characters – Wolverine, Sabertooth, and also Deadpool. Expect to see more of Deadpool’s character in sequels.

Is this the best comic book based movie released to date? Well, not even close. But it is a very entertaining movie with plenty of action amongst several main characters in the Marvel Universe. And it also does a decent job of reinforcing the Wolverine character in the other X-Men movies. I fully expect many to pick this movie apart, due to the high expectations many have in seeing Wolverine’s origins come to life on the big screen. But it’s hard to cover everything with the limited time that a motion picture allows. If you love the Wolverine character, or if you love comic book style action, then this is a must see for you. It’s the first major blockbuster release of this year’s Summer movie season, and it looks like we have a lot of good wholesome action to appreciate here. Special effects are a bit “meh” in certain scenes, but overall satisfactory. After all, MUCH of this film depends on effects to carry the action along.

This is not the best comic movie ever released, nor do I feel it will be the best movie released this Summer. But it is a satisfying launch to this year’s Summer movie season and an excellent backstory of several major Marvel characters. Well worth the price of admission.

This one gets 3.5 kernels. Mostly for the action and interesting character development.

Kernel rating

3 1/2 Kernels

UPDATE!: After originally scheduling the movie event for Sun. May 10, 2009, I realized that May 10 is Mother’s Day. It appears that this will pose a scheduling conflict for most people, so I have changed the date to Saturday, May 9, 2009. I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by this change, especially those of you who have to work on Saturdays. But overall, this looks like a better day for most people. For those who can’t make it, don’t worry. It’s only the beginning of the Summer movie season and there will definitely be more events coming up soon!

It’s official!

Star Trek is coming to the Commodore Theatre, starting Thursday May 7, 2009. And of course, this means that it’s time to schedule another movie event at the Commodore!

Last year, we had a lot of fun with the Iron Man and Dark Knight movie events, and it looks like this year is going to be just as fun. For those of you who haven’t been to the Commodore, I strongly recommend that you make the effort to see this movie at this excellent theatre. It is by far the best theatre in the Hampton Roads area, including a comfortable dining environment and topped off with a huge screen and THX-certified sound system.  It is a true theatre expereince as it should be. The sound system alone makes it well worth it, due to the combination of an excellent sound system and true theatre acoustics.

Also, the prices are a bit lower than the standard cineplexes we see today.

So here are the details…

WHAT: Star Trek

WHEN: Sunday, May 10, 2009 Saturday, May 9, 2009

2:00 p.m. (You MUST be at the theatre at 1:00 p.m. for seating and to allow time to order food!)

WHERE: The Commodore Theatre

421 High Street

Portsmouth, VA 23704

HOW MUCH?: $7.00 / person, children 10-13 $6.00, children under 10 NOT admitted.

As usual, I will be volunteering myself to stand in line to get tickets for those interested in attending. However, keep in mind that they only allow 8 tickets to be sold to each individual. So if you have a large party that wishes to attend, I may need another volunteer to stand in line with me. Tickets are not sold ahead of time and are not sold online.  So the only way to get tickets is to stand in line early on the day of the show. If you are interested in attending, please email me at lance@butteredpopcorn.net and let me know.  I will also need to collect money from you for the tickets that you need ahead of time. Cash only, please!

For more information about the Commodore Theatre, the menu, or directions, please click HERE!

For a Google Map of the Commodore Theatre’s location, click HERE!

Trust me, you DO NOT want to miss this one! I hope everyone can make it. It’s going to be a great time.  See you there.

According to LatinoReview.com, several Marvel Comics based movies have been delayed, including Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America, and The Avengers. LatinoReview.com is reporting that Thor and The Avengers will both be delayed by about a year, while The First Avenger: Captain America will only be delayed by 2 months. Iron Man 2‘s release date is still slated for May 7, 2010.

The article also states:

Marvel also confirmed that Sony Pictures will release ‘Spider-Man 4‘ on May 6, 2011. Marvel has licensed theatrical rights of Spider-Man, its most popular character, to the unit of Sony.

It’s pretty clear that 2011 is going to be an extremely busy year for Marvel releases, with Spider-Man 4 releasing in May 2011, Thor releasing in June 2011, and The First Avenger: Captain America releasing in July 2011. Wow!