When most people hear “Sundance,” they automatically think of the big name films that will open at the festival, the indie gems already gathering buzz, the features we will be watching for the rest of the year. But beyond the glittering full-length program, Sundance also has one of the largest and most comprehensive shorts programs in the fest world. For 2011, the festival received no less than 6,467 submissions. Of them, the festival picked 81 to show in January. There are interesting known names in these ranks, including Neil LaBute, Isabella Rossellini, even Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. But if you’re looking for real, emerging talent? There’s no better place to start looking than amongst these films.

The giant bevy of shorts includes U.S. Narrative Shorts, U.S. Documentary Shorts, U.S. Animated Shorts, International Narrative Shorts, International Documentary Shorts, International Animated Shorts, New Frontier Shorts, and Indigenous Shorts. There is, quite simply, something here for everyone. After the break, check out the full listing of the just-announced shorts that will be showing at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival! (more…)

It’s something to have a release or start date shifted a few months.

Then it’s something wholly different having an already tentative release date delayed an entire year.

According to Script Flags (via The Playlist), Fox has delayed the release of the upcoming Ridley Scott-directed and Damon Lindelof-penned ALIEN prequel a full year, to 2013. Originally set for a 2012 release, no reason has been given as to why the film has been delayed, but with the studio openly adoring the screenplay given by Lindelof, there has to be a wholly different reason. (more…)

Apparently Kathryn Bigelow is looking to keep her creative juices flowing before kick starting her long talked-about drug parable, TRIPLE FRONTIER.

According to Variety, Bigelow, along with writing partner Mark Boal, is currently looking to helm a low-budget thriller with the hopes of making it her next film.

Not much is known about the film, but it has been called an “international thriller that concerns black ops and is based on a true story that has appeared in printed form,” as well as being “similar in approach to THE HURT LOCKER which cost just over $10 million.” Boal is writing, with Bigelow directing. It would also come first, leaving TRIPLE FRONTIER on the back burner. (more…)

George Lucas isn’t a normal human being.

According to The Sun (via The Film Stage), a “pal of Lucas,” Mel Smith, revealed that “George has been buying up the film rights to dead actors in the hope of using computer trickery to put them all together, so you’d have Orson Welles and Barbara Stanwyck alongside today’s stars.”

Okay, first, the last outlet on the planet that should be trusted is The Sun. These are the same people that reported that Eddie Murphy had been cast as The Riddler in BATMAN 3 a year or so ago. However, with TRON: LEGACY using technology to bring us a young Jeff Bridges, this may sound crazy, but it’s not wholly out of the realm of possibility. (more…)

In the second weakest weekend of the year (losing out on that dubious honor only to September 10 – 12, which grossed nearly ten million dollars less, mainly due to having only one wide opener: RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE), the box office made just $78 million (total of its top twelve) and saw TANGLED steal HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART ONE’s thunder pretty handily.

TANGLED pulled in $21.5 million this weekend, still seeing a nearly 56% drop since its opening over Thanksgiving. The Disney princess tale, with the added padding of showing in 3D (and thus making that 3D money), has made $96 million in twelve days at the box office. It will soon surpass the studio’s last princess outing, THE PRINCESS & THE FROG, which only made $104 million in its total time in theaters. (more…)

Well, now things are getting really interesting. While talking with MTV about his role in the upcoming drama, RABBIT HOLE (excellent film; read my review HERE), Aaron Eckhart told them he will not be returning  for Nolan’s third installment in the new Batman franchise:

“Chris and I had a meeting, on the beach, just the two of us,” Eckhart told MTV News at the red carpet premiere of his new film, “Rabbit Hole.” “I said, ‘Chris, a lot of people are asking me if I’m in the next ‘Batman.’ And Chris said, ‘Yes?’ I said, ‘Am I?’ He looked at me and he said, ‘No.’” (more…)

It’s almost the end of the year but we’ve saved the best for last. TRON: LEGACY – the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 cult hit TRON – will hit theaters on December 17th but we’re giving you Dallas-area Gordon and the Whalers the chance to see it early!

We’ve teamed up with Walt Disney pictures for a special advance screening of the film on Monday, December 13th at 7:30 PM in Plano, TX. But, seeing how this is the last big film event of the year, you’ll have to tap into Master Control for your chance to attend. And by Master Control, we mean Google Maps!

We’ve placed a select number of passes for the screening at two different TRON-themed locations in the Plano area. All you have to do hop on your Lightcycle and head on over to one of two locations, pick up your passes good for you +1 guest, and get excited!

Get a “Clu” on where to find passes after the break. (more…)

Mel Gibson’s one classy dude. I always imagine Gibson wearing some Dorito-stained sweat pants while he sits in the dark and whiskey-dials his exes, all the while doing his best Christian Bale Batman voice. Cla-a-a-ssy. But despite my loving eye for Gibson’s inherent charm, the public seems to have dragged him through the mud. With is recent shunning from THE HANGOVER 2 Gibson is at a career low-point. However, Jodie Foster’s BEAVER may just save Mel Gibson’s life.

Talk about THE BEAVER has been bubbling about the film community for quite some time now and it’s nothing short of positive. The film had been pulled from the slate after Gibson’s shenanigans but now the release is back on track and we’ve got the first trailer. Here it is, THE BEAVER… (more…)

Lots of RED STATE news today! We posted some of the newly released images earlier, and now Kevin Smith has unleashed a new poster thanks to the fans’ dedication. He stated earlier on Twitter that if he could raise $1000 for the Wayne Foundation within an hour, he’d unveil a new poster today.

Keep reading for more on the fundraiser and to see the poster. (more…)

Four films in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise not going to be enough for you? Well, Disney is looking to more than fill your gut with two more achingly dreadful PIRATES films.

According to HitFix, there are now plans to get two more sequels on the books, with the hope being that they will ultimately be shot back-to-back. Disney has allegedly gone as far as to tell cast and crew to keep some time open in their calendars, just in case PIRATES 5 and 6 are to be made. (more…)

Rating: 3.5/5

Writers: Glenn Ficarra (screenplay), John Requa (screenplay), and Steve McVicker (book)
Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor and Leslie Mann
Studio: Roadside Attractions

After suffering away in post-production purgatory, I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS finally gets its day in court. What you may expect is a film tired from the release date shuffle, which it danced more than a few times (it was originally slated to get its release April 30…and was bumped and bumped again to July 30 and August 6). Instead, what you get is a poignant dramedy about the inability for anything to stand in love’s way…even bars. Not to mention one of the best and most versatile performances from Jim Carrey to date, in addition to a fantastic one from the always fantastic Ewan McGregor. (more…)

I’m sorry, but now it’s just starting to get kind of silly.

According to THR, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Annie Parisse, and Julianne Nicholson have all joined the cast of the upcoming Sony-led and Marc Webb-directed reboot of the SPIDER-MAN film franchise.

Now, the interesting point of contention here is that Scott and Nicholson will be playing our lead, Peter Parker’s parents in the film, marking his parents’ first time on screen, and one of the rare times the pair have been shown in any medium with regards to this series. (more…)

Just a day after being announced as a non-competition premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, we have a new look at Kevin Smith’s upcoming horror flick, RED STATE.

Thanks to ShockTilYouDrop, we now have our first look at Michael Parks, who stars in the film and plays a character that was conceptually based off of Westboro Baptist Church head, Fred Phelps.  The film also stars Kevin Pollack, John Goodman (who we also get our first look at in the film), Kyle Gallner and the lead of Smith’s next film, HIT SOMEBODY, Nicholas Braun. (more…)

We’ve teamed up with Paramount Pictures to give our Dallas readers the chance to win passes (good for you +1 guest) to an advance screening of THE FIGHTER, starring Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, and Amy Adams.

The screening will take place on Tuesday, December 14th at 7:30PM. All you must do for your chance to win is fill out the form after the break! Winners will be selected no later than Friday, December 10th.

PLEASE ONLY ENTER IF YOU CAN SURELY ATTEND THE SCREENING. ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD. MUST BE AT LEAST 17 YEARS OF AGE TO ENTER. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. (more…)

Note: This review was originally published on January 24th, 2010.

Review: 3.5/5

Writer/Director: Tanya Hamilton
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Wendell Pierce

Set in 1976, NIGHT CATCHES US is the tale of Marcus Washington (a wonderful performance from the always strong Anthony Mackie), an ex-Black Panther, who returns to inner-city Philadelphia after fleeing from his home and former life years ago. But tension still runs high in his race-torn neighborhood despite the absence of the Black Panthers.

And yet, despite leaving his old life behind, it has not left him, as his reputation as a possible snitch still follows him where he goes. A snitch that supposedly ratted out his best friend, and fellow Panther brother, to the FBI, leading to the man’s murder and making a widower out of his wife Patricia Wilson (Kerry Washington). But as there’s two sides to every story, there’s usually also secrets buried within one side. For someone to be telling the truth, another has to be lying.
(more…)