It may have been a disaster on the screen, but the stars shone brightly at the premiere of “2012.” 
Roland Emmerich’s tragi-film centers on a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world as we know it — seriously, check out the trailer. I also have a great 5-minute clip with John Cusack front and center.
Until the Nov. 13 release date, here are a few premiere pictures of Cusack, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Gilmore Girls’ Lauren Graham, and Chin Han (read my “Dark Knight” interview with him).
Also present was Adam Lambert, who sang one of the …read more

It’s been known for a while that Dylan Baker will reprise his role as Dr. Curt Connors in “Spider-Man 4,” allowing some of us to hope that The Lizard might emerge as Peter Parker’s newest foe.
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 …read more

“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” hits DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow, Nov. 3, 2009, and I’ve got a great prize pack for you below, offered on behalf of Paramount Home Entertainment.
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 …read more

The second trailer for "Avatar" is out, and it looks pretty cool, especially the gorgeous scenery. I wasn’t all that excited about this movie up to this point, but now that I’ve seen a bit more, I’m looking forward to it.
According to the official “Avatar” site, the story begins on the distant moon Pandora, where “a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization.” The cast includes Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana and CCH Pounder to name a few. It opens in theaters Dec. 18, …read more

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 …read more

Years ago, I interviewed Bud Hopkins, author of several alien abduction books, including “Missing Time,” and head of the Intruders Foundation. After talking with him, even the most skeptical person would at least start to believe in the phenomenon of alien abduction. It’s absolutely amazing, and that’s what “The Fourth Kind” is about.
In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it’s called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it’s known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it’s the third …read more

The premiere of “Astro Boy” took place at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, and Kristen Bell was on hand to pose with Astro Boy himself! (Hmmm … who IS that under there?!)
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 …read more

Viggo Mortensen has done some interesting films since his “Lord of the Rings” days as Aragorn. Lots of loner-type roles, like Frank Hopkins in “Hidalgo,” Tom Stall in “A History of Violence,” Nikolai in “Eastern Promises,” and Everett Hitch in “Appaloosa.”
In his next film, “The Road,” he plays a man trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with his son. Together, the pair tries to defend themselves against cannibals stalking the streets. Sounds very … dark.
The film also stars Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, and Robert Duvall, and opens in theaters Nov. 25, 2009. So it looks like he’ll …read more

Looks like we’ll have to wait a few years for the next “Star Trek” movie, but it’s definitely in the works.
At the 2009 Screenwriting Expo, taking place right now through tomorrow in Los Angeles, ComingSoon.net asked “Star Trek” writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (pictured) whether they could offer any updates on a sequel.
"We’re rereading some of our favorite ‘Star Trek’ novels now and watching the original series again. The honest answer is we don’t know yet," Orci said. "We think it’s going to be a 2012 release, but I’m not sure.”
Added Kurtzman, “Originally, we thought we …read more

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” hits DVD and Blu-ray on Oct. 20, 2009, and I’ve got some fun stuff to give away on behalf of Paramount Home Entertainment:

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 …read more