So goes the plot of “Kick-Ass,” the high-octane movie from director Matthew Vaughn. But even though Kick-Ass (Dave’s new superhero name) has no powers, he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including an 11-year-old sword-wielding dynamo, Hit Girl (Chloë Moretz) and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage).

“Kick-Ass” hits theaters April 16, 2010, and looks like it could be either really lame or really funny, sort of along the lines of “Napoleon Dynamite” (if I may be so bold as to draw that comparison). Here’s the teaser trailer…

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But what about the villains we already know and love? Like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin? Ok, sure he “died” at the end of the first “Spider-Man” movie, but he managed to appear in the two sequels as an apparition in a mirror, seen by his son, Harry.

While Dafoe says that “no one’s called” to ask if he’d be in the upcoming “Spider-Man 4,” he’s not ruling out the idea.

“I think it’s possible,” he said in a recent MTV interview. “But I haven’t heard anything.”

There’s also the fact that Harry — played by James Franco — is probably out of the picture after his death in “Spider-Man 3.” But like Dafoe says, anything is possible.

Check out all the “Spider-Man” coverage on Superhero Profiles!

Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment; All rights reserved.

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The movie tells the story of an elite military unit of special operatives known as G.I. Joe, who take on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer.

Directed by Stephen Sommers, it stars Sienna Miller, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayons, Dennis Quaid, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Check out the trailer and the G.I. Joe Faceoff Game on Facebook.

THE GIVEAWAY: I have one prize pack ($80+ value) that includes the following:

• Two-disc Special Edition DVD
• Night Raven Jet with Air Viper (Toy)
• M.A.R.S. Troopers (Action Figures)
• Poster

HOW TO ENTER: U.S. residents only, please. To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. Be sure to include a valid email address. A winner will be drawn randomly. I’ll email the winner for their mailing address after the contest ends. Good luck!

Images: Paramount Home Entertainment

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Movie: Astro Boy * Official Site * Film Gecko links * Trailer	In Theaters: Oct. 23, 2009
Runtime: 94 minutes	Directed by: David Bowers
MPAA Rating: PG for some action and peril, and brief mild language	Gecko Rating:

“Astro Boy” is one of those movies that’s cute, but that you’ll probably forget about a day or two after you see it. It’s also a little violent and sad for a kids’ movie. Not as sad as “Up” or “Marley and Me,” but still sad in its own way.

The concept began as a Japanese manga series and TV show first broadcast in Japan from 1963 to 1966, and follows the adventures of the title character, Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore). He starts out as a real boy named Toby who lives in the thriving metropolis of the floating Metro City with his scientist dad, Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage).

But when Toby tags along during a presentation to the war-mongering President Stone (Donald Sutherland), he ends up getting killed in a freak lab accident involving a giant robot (kind of intense for little kids right off the bat).

More after the jump…

So Toby’s genius scientist-dad decides to re-create his son in the form of a robot who looks and sounds just like his son, and even has his son’s memories. Except when all is said and done, Tenma decides that he doesn’t want a robot for a son.

So he rejects Toby, who then runs away and falls in with a group of misfit orphans on the over-polluted Earth, including black-and-purple-haired Cora (Kristen Bell) and Zane (Moises Arias), who live with Ham Egg (Nathan Lane), their seemingly kind adoptive father who runs a Coliseum-like show where robots battle to the death.

But in order to make the war robot he wants, the President needs the blue energy inside Astro Boy, so the military goes on the hunt for him. Meanwhile, Toby is hiding his true identity from the orphans, because he knows they’ll reject him if they knew the truth. 

I get what they’re trying to do here. The original “Astro Boy” tackled some heavy issues like war, pollution, death, and parental rejection. But it doesn’t really work as a cute kids’ movie, which based on the trailers, is what this movie purported to be. 

It’s CG-animated, which you’d think would be targeted towards kids ages six to nine, but it’s too dark, violent and sad for those ages. And yet my older kids weren’t the least bit interested in seeing it because it’s “a kids’ movie.”

The storyline and characters are also fairly predictable – outcast kid who realizes his true powers and becomes a hero, geeky but kind-hearted orphans, power-hungry President, cute robot sidekick (Astro Boy adopts a little trashcan-dog), giant but helpful robot … I’m not really sure what ages this movie is appropriate for. Maybe older kids familiar with the original Manga series. But then, they’ll probably just go back to the original manga series, rather than see this movie.

As for the violence, the story includes plenty of weapons-based explosions and disasters, the killing of Toby, and several robots destroyed throughout the movie, including those in the battle-to-the-death scenes in the Coliseum.

For all of these reasons, I can’t really recommend “Astro Boy” for kids. I will say this, though: I really liked the CG animation, which does a good job of picking up all the little emotions and details of the characters. And things end well, so at least it’s not like the horrible “Marley and Me” ending, with everyone in the theater sobbing their hearts out. 

Image: TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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In theaters Oct. 23, 2009, the CG-animated film is set in futuristic Metro City, where Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is a young robot created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy has super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed, and the ability to fly.

It also features the voices of Kristen Bell, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy. Kristen’s outfit is adorable, but I have to say, I’m really in love with Astro Boy’s red boots.

Image: INF

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• Two-disc Special Edition DVD (read my review here)
• Poster
• T-shirt

THE GIVEAWAY: Two (2) Prize Packs that include the above DVD, poster and T-shirt.

HOW TO ENTER: To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009. Be sure to include a valid email address. Winners will be drawn randomly. I’ll email the winners for their snail-mail address after the contest ends. Good luck!

Check out the fun “Transformers” content, including personalized phone calls from Optimus Prime/Starscream and the “Robotize Me” app. And take a look at the special features:

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Personally, I think he’s a genius! The movie turned out to “The Green Hornet,” which hits theaters Dec. 22, 2010. Here’s Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz filming a scene:

And here’s an excerpt from Paz’s experience:

Seth has been observing my slowly developing epiphany, chuckling. I don’t blame him. I must look like a total dumbass.

“ROLL SOUND….AND… ACTION!!”

You’ve got to be kidding. That happened way too fast – I didn’t even have a chance to move.

Somehow, the little bald guy completely missed me. And I am now in a movie.

I quickly look down at my Blackberry and frantically begin checking non-existent e-mails. I am invisible. I am invisible.

A wide-lens Panavision camera swings down 10 feet in front of my head and a movie scene unfolds. I’m watching it all like its on TV…

Seth Rogen walks purposefully past me and the blondes chatter with exaggerated gestures as a stretch Hummer pulls up in the courtyard. A valet opens the door…

“…AND CUT!!”

The scene is over. Seth ambles back to his mark. I am frozen in time.

“Dude,” he says to me on his way back. “If they don’t catch you in post, you should totally sue.”

I am Jack’s speechless larynx.

I cock my head back as if to say, “Yes. I am a moron.”

If you see ‘Green Hornet’ next summer and happen to notice an out-of-place jackass in a blue blazer with a valet ticket, let me know.

Read the full transcript of this ultra-fun experience here. Thanks, Paz, for a great story! I’ll be looking for you in the movie, and will live vicariously through you until I accidentally end up in my own Seth Rogen movie.

Image: Bauer-Griffin

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In 2007’s “Spider-Man 3,” Topher Grace played the gooey alien parasite that bonded with Peter Parker and caused all kinds of havoc.

As for Ross, he certainly has a diverse roster of films on his IMDB page, including:

• “Big” – Co-producer and writer
• “Mr. Baseball” – Writer
• “Dave” – Writer
• “Pleasantville” – Producer, Writer and Director
• “Seabiscuit” – Producer, Writer and Director
• “The Tale of Despereaux” – Producer and Writer

You can’t really pin him down to any one genre, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment

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Luckily for us, Entertainment Tonight recently got a chance to visit the set and nabbed some great behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and fun buzz.

Directed by Jon Favreau, the sequel stars Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg and Olivia Munn.

Sure hope the movie lives up to its hype!

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Things haven’t gone well for our favorite spidey superhero the past few years. Fans weren’t particularly excited about 2007’s “Spider-Man 3,” and the franchise lost a little steam. 

But his arch-nemesis Venom is moving closer to having his very own movie. This could be good or bad. Good if the black-oozed one is evil to the core. Bad if he’s lackluster.

I’ve got faith, though, because “Zombieland” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are writing the screenplay. Hopefully, that means it’ll be edgy and dark, and not in a commercial way.

“We’ve written two drafts of ‘Venom,’ and the studio has it, and they’re pushing forward in whatever ways they push forward," Wernick told SCI FI Wire.

He didn’t know when the project would go into production, and it’s unclear whether it might happen before “Spider-Man 4” (unlikely, considering that movie begins shooting in early 2010). No word on what the relationship between the two films would be.

Happy news?

Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment

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