The first 15 minutes sort of wanders along, a nice little French movie with Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing green-behind-the-ears James Reece, a man working as an assistant to a U.S. Ambassador, but playing a little spy game behind the scenes.

But then the movie suddenly kicks into high gear and it’s non-stop action until the end credits roll. John Travolta plays an American spy with the fun name of Charlie Wax who’s looking to stop a terrorist attack in the city. Well, we don’t know it’s a terrorist attack until later. At first, it appears that he’s after some drug runners, and Reece spends part of the movie carrying a vase full of cocaine around, chasing after Wax, who’s leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

I mean, seriously, Travolta is great when he can just let loose and go full-out reckless, and that’s what he does here. He just Does.Not. care who gets in his way, and has no problem shooting first and talking later. Ok, there’s no talking. Plus, he has a knack for knowing just who those guys (or girls) are right away. No piddling around.

More after the jump…

I was worried at first. My son and his buddy and I got to the theater, and ‘From Paris With Love’ was playing in the very last theater in the complex, the smallest one, and there were about three other people watching with us. Meanwhile, down the hall are two theaters packed full of people seeing ‘The Wolfman’ (we’ll probably see it tomorrow).

But ‘From Paris With Love’ was much better than I expected (given that ominous ‘no one’s watching this’ thing), and if you like Travolta or Rhys Meyers – or really, high action crime movies with a French twist – I highly recommend it. It’s just good fun. And there’s some awesome artillery.

Like I said, though, the body count is high, and it’s rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, drug content, pervasive language and brief sexuality. In short, not for kids.

Image: Lionsgate

Post from: Film Gecko

She’s in negotiations to join Johnny Depp and sail the seven seas in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,’ the fourth installment of the franchise being directed by Rob Marshall. It’s scheduled for a May 20, 2011 release date.

Depp, of course, will be back as Captain Jack Sparrow, and while plot details are buried deeper than Blackbeard’s treasure, we do know that the story revolves around the Fountain of Youth.

All we know about Cruz’s character – should the deal go through – is that she’ll be Sparrow’s foil and equal. Female pirate!

The role will also reunite her with Marshall, who directed her in ‘Nine.’

Image: Bauer-Griffin; Source: THR’s HeatVision Blog

Post from: Film Gecko

Let’s talk about the Two-Disc Special Edition DVD. This has a bunch of bonus features: 

• Trailers: Night At The Museum 2, The Marine 2, Family Guy Presents: Something Something Something Dark Side, X Men Trilogy Blu-ray Trailer, and Sons Of Anarchy Season 1
• Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Commentary by Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
• The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein
• Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes
• Anti Smoking PSA

Disc 2: Digital Copy

When I saw this movie in theaters, people were actually getting up and walking out, but I didn’t think it was that bad. Not the best movie I’ve ever seen, but still not that bad.

More after the jump…

The movie takes us back to the childhood of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). We know him from the first three “X-Men” movies, but he had a wild and interesting life before he showed up in those. Even as young Jimmy Logan in 1845, he had those spiky hands, only the spikes were crude, bony-looking things then, emerging whenever Jimmy got angry. His heritage included some daddy issues, and a half-brother named Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), complete with fangs and all.

A series of quick scenes shows the non-aging brothers fighting through several wars, including the Civil War, World War Two, and Viet Nam. We also learn that the evil Stryker (Danny Huston) is building an army of mutants called Team X. But after a particularly gruesome incident in Africa, Jimmy walks out on the group, and ends up as a woodcutter in Canada with a hot schoolteacher girlfriend (Lynn Collins).

After a devastating tragedy, Stryker convinces Jimmy to undergo a procedure that will make him indestructible. It’s an agonizing operation that injects a substance called adamantium into his skeleton. And presto-chango, he’s “Wolverine,” his once bony spikes now shiny, titanium-looking weapons of mass destruction. And Victor comes back into his life, as well.

Here’s the thing about “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”: It’s not a bad movie, and Hugh Jackman and his awesome muscles are not hard to look at. But the writing is cheesy, and they could have done more with the various characters who show up in this movie, including card-shark Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), The Blob (Kevin Durand), John Wraith (Will.i.am), and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). I mean, I get that the movie is called “Wolverine,” but most of these characters are only in the movie for a few minutes, if that.

If you’re a fan of the X-Men characters and movies, you should check this out, especially now that it’s on Blu-ray and DVD.

Note to Parents: There’s lots of action and fighting and explosions, including one awesome scene with an exploding helicopter. Oh, and Hugh Jackman gets naked from a distance in a couple of scenes. But overall, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a PG-13 movie about a mutant superhero.

Image: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, TM and Copyright 20th Century Fox Film Corp., 2009

Post from: Film Gecko

One hopeful who’s read for the part and is ready and willing to slap that big A on his forehead is Ryan McPartlin, best known as “Captain Awesome” on NBC’s ‘Chuck.’

McPartlin told Moviehole, “It is in the casting process and like many other actors, I read for it, so we’ll wait and see what happens. Regardless, I’m pretty psyched to be Captain Awesome for the time being.”

Well, he is darn awesome on ‘Chuck,’ though I can see him as Captain America, too.

Other names being bandied about include Chad Michael Murray, Alexander Skarsgaard (Eric on ‘True Blood’ – can’t really see it), Jensen Ackles, Matt Damon, Cam Gigandet, Chris Pine, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Bruce Campbell.

Hopefully, we’ll know who scores the big role in the next few weeks.

Image: © NBC Universal, Inc.

Post from: Film Gecko

The first movie, 2002’s "Ice Age," was definitely the best. The second, 2006’s "Ice Age: The Meltdown," was cute, and this one is cute, too. They just seem to be losing their steam. But the animation continues to be fantastic, with every snowflake and furry animal popping off the screen at you. 

This third movie, released on DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 27, 2009, finds Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) preparing to have a baby Mammoth. Manny is nesting big-time, creating a beautiful little playground full of ice-figure mobiles, play structures, and teeter-totters.

It leaves Sid (John Leguizamo) wishing for a family of his own, and he gets just that when he stumbles upon a trio of large eggs. He doesn’t realize they’re dinosaur eggs, and their mom wants them back.

More after the jump…

Diego (Denis Leary) has his own issues. With all this family planning going on, he feels like he’s losing his touch in the wild. He can’t even chase after a nimble gazelle without gasping for breath.

When Sid accidentally falls into a strange underground world full of lush tropical foliage and creatures of every shape and size, the rest of the gang heads down to try and rescue him. They get some help from a one-eyed weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg) who’s like an animal version of Crocodile Dundee. 

The journey puts the group in grave danger, especially Ellie, who’s just about ready to have that baby Mammoth.

Of course, we can’t forget Scrat (Chris Wedge), who’s still on the hunt to grab and hold onto that elusive acorn. But that dream is seriously hindered by the appearance of a female sabre-toothed squirrel named Scratte. 

This movie is cute as all get-out, and the storyline moves along fairly well. But there’s not a lot of new ground here (well, aside from the lush new ground beneath the ice floes). If you have kids in the 5- to 8-year-old range who like cute, animated movies, this is a good choice.

NOTE TO PARENTS: The violence is mainly cartoonish, with Scrat’s quest to get the acorn and a few close calls from other characters (a gazelle being chased, but not caught and eaten). Some of the dinosaurs are pretty scary, but for the most part, they don’t inflict any real damage on any characters.  Sexual innuendoes are limited to Scrat and his new love interest, as well as Manny and Ellie acting sweet towards each other. In one scene, Sid tries to milk an animal that turns out to be male, and in another scene, he thinks a baby mammoth is a boy until Diego says, "That’s a tail." Language includes mild insults, usually directed at Sid, as well as "poop" and "barf."

DVD Bonus Features:

• Trailer: Alvin and the Chipmunks:The Squeakquel
• Trailer: Percy Jackson 
• Trailer: Aliens In The Attic
• Trailer: Night At The Museum 2
• Trailer: Glee
• Filmmaker Commentary
• Marley Meets Purina Puppy Chow

Photo Credit: Blue Sky Studios, TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Post from: Film Gecko

It stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a young employee in the office of the US Ambassador who hooks up with an American spy (John Travolta) looking to stop a terrorist attack in the city.

Here’s a clip of Travolta talking about what a trip it is making an action movie as he gets older. He and Bruce Willis should pair up.

It opens in theaters today – Feb. 5, 2010 – and is rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, drug content, pervasive language and brief sexuality. Of note is that it’s directed by Pierre Morel, who also directed ‘Taken’ – awesome movie.

Post from: Film Gecko

Based on the book by Rick Riordan, Lerman stars as a teenager who discovers he’s the descendant of a Greek god and thus embarks on an adventure to settle an ongoing battle between the gods.

It’s rated PG for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language. Judging by the trailer, though, it must have just squeaked by with the PG rating, because it looks a little scary! But also very fun. 

Post from: Film Gecko

It stars Nicolas Cage as a 14th century Crusader who returns with his comrade to a homeland devastated by the Black Plague. A church proclaims that sorcery is the culprit of the plague, and thus commands the two knights to transport an accused witch to a remote abbey, where monks will perform a ritual in hopes of ending the plague.

It also stars Ron Perlman (Clay on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and Christopher Lee.

It’s directed by Dominic Sena, whose credits include “Whiteout,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” and “Kalifornia.” Quite an assortment of genres there.

“Season of the Witch” opens in theaters March 19, 2010. It’s rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content. Also check out ‘Season of the Witch’ on Facebook and Twitter. Watch the trailer here.

Image: Lionsgate

Post from: Film Gecko

There’s a Black Plague going on, and a church dispatches two knights to take a witch to a secret abbey, where some rituals will be performed to stop the plague. It doesn’t sound good for the witch.

It’s a period movie – 14th century (love it!) – but also looks like a combo of horror, fantasy, supernatural and action. At least based on the trailer. Check out the poster.

Image: Lionsgate

Post from: Film Gecko

I really hope it’s a winner for Cage, because his slate of movies over the past few years really haven’t fared that well at the box office. On the plus side, it also stars Ron Perlman (Clay on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and Christopher Lee.

It’s directed by Dominic Sena, whose credits include “Whiteout” (sitting on my desk waiting for a review), “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” and “Kalifornia.” Quite an assortment of genres there.

“Season of the Witch” opens in theaters March 19, 2010. It’s rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content. Check out the “Season of the Witch” official site, Facebook page, and Twitter account.

More pics after the jump, along with a trailer.

Images: Lionsgate

Post from: Film Gecko