Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner
Director: Chris Weitz
Release Date: November 20, 2009
Running Time: 130 mins.
MPAA Rating: PG - 13
Distributor: Summit Entertainment

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Sequels are inevitable. Movie fans demand continuity and studios rely on tested formula to make money. Summit Entertainment's franchise (and biggest money-maker) The Twilight Saga has launched the marketing drive for its second movie New Moon way ahead of its release. This is not because the whole series is in jeopardy or because fans demanded such intensive coverage, but simply because shrewd business strategy suggests so.

Directed by Chris Weitz, New Moon continues the love story of Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen, two lovestruck teens who fell in love, despite the fact that, one of them is not human. In this sequel, Edward left Bella in order to protect her from the danger posed by his family and other vampires. In Edward's absence, she gets to know Jacob Black, a childhood friend who happens to hold secrets of his own. Things get more complicated as vampires and werewolves and humans interact. Bella finds herself choosing between holding on to the past or accepting a new future. But what and more importantly who will she choose?

New Moon offers more action and thrills, CGI effects which are not necessarily goundbreaking but essential in putting shape and identity to Meyer's fictional characters and (of course) more cool music. Over-all, Weit'z follow-up suceeds in many fronts and also failed in some important areas, but it proved Summit's decision to replace Catherine Hardwicke justified.
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Four awesome young actresses are reported/rumored to be positioning themselves for a possible role in the next Spiderman movie. The character in contention: The Black Cat.


But before we go any further, is this newsworthy? Definitely. While it maybe just a fictional character, Black Cat is quite interesting and intriguing. She's been related to Spiderman in the past and her descent into the world of crime is worth a good look. Has casting actually started? No confirmation yet from the studio, but with the names of the actresses being mentioned, fans are, indeed, getting excited.

Two of these fab actresses are known for both period and contemporary films - Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married/Becoming Jane) and Romola Garai ( Inside I'm Dancing/Atonement), while the other two - Julia Stiles and Rachel McAdams are more 'inclined' to portray modern characters, or so it seems... As of this writing, McAdams is already out of contention. Enter... Eliza Dushku! (nahhh, she's been attached to this casting news way back, says MTV). So, among the remaining 3 actresses, who can satisfy the [acting and stunts(?)] requirements to play an authentic Black Cat?

More about the fictional Marvel character and the young actresses in contention after the jump!
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While doing some finishing touches to my Twilight: New Moon review, I got the chance to watch the trailer for Robert Pattinson's upcoming modern drama entitled Remember Me. The first thing I noticed - not the acting - but the music. I love it!

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Director Allen Coulter appears to be trying to create a refreshing new take of the tired and old formula of 'bad boy loves good girl' theme, throwing in, what appears to be, a difficult relationship between father and son. I'm pretty sure Rob Pattinson can match Brosnan, who plays his Dad, in the acting department. They even look 'related', so it's good casting on the part of Coulter. But in the case of Chris Cooper, that maybe a different story. Cooper, playing Emilie de Ravin's Dad, is a cop and has all the reasons to hate Pattinson, whom he arrested during a brawl. So when his daughter enters into a relationship with the young rebel, everything becomes even more complicated.
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London-based Momentum Pictures is drumming up interest for their latest release Glorious 39. The psychological thriller starring Romola Garai and Bill Nighy is one of tMF's most anticipated films of the year.

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The announcement for the showing and the subsequent interview follows:

Come to an exclusive Q&A with Stephen Poliakoff, Romola Garai and Bill Nighy and see their new film Glorious 39, Friday November 20, Odeon West End Book tickets here

Aside from Garai as its lead star, Glorious 39 has a superb supporting cast including David Tenant, Charlie Cox and Eddie Redmayne.
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I'm quite sure this is only the first time for Gael Garcia Bernal to work together with Michelle Williams on a film. "Mammoth," the new movie from Swedish director Lukas Moodysson is set in many locations and cast both Garcia Bernal and Williams as leads, with the famed Mexican actor playing Tom, a computer game tycoon while Michelle Williams is his wife, an overworked emergency room doctor. I'm big fan of both and I'm very excited about their team-up.

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Early reviews of Mammoth are not very encouraging. I believe it's the seriousness of the issues it tackled that is the culprit. But reviewers have nothing but praises when it comes to the leads - Gael Garcia Bernal and Michelle Williams.

More about the movie and the trailer after the jump!
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This list was inspired by some of the most recent female villains portrayed on the big screen - in particular Mo'Nique, the lazy, vile and selfish mother to Gabby Sidibe's character in Precious and Cate Blanchett who played the brilliant and nasty Irina Spalko out to spoil the adventures of Indiana Jones in the latest sequel of the popular adventure series.

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While some of the most memorable female villains are portrayed as ugly, unfashionable monsters, there are a good number of characters who are evil but also beautiful and fabulous. Some would even rival the female leads in terms of beauty, fashion and style thus we have this list.

Take a closer look right after the jump, I'm pretty sure, you'll agree with the names on the list...
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The lives of two identical twins, one an Ivy League philosophy professor, the other a small-time and brilliant marijuana grower, intertwine when the professor is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown for a doomed scheme against a local drug lord.That's the story of Edward Norton's latest flick, Leaves of Grass.

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Says Cinematical way back when the news about the film was announced: This should be interesting, especially since Norton rocked at portraying inner personality conflict in Fight Club (or Primal Fear for that matter) -- this is just split personalities as two people. The actor says about the role: "The challenge of playing twins for an actor is very special, and I was very flattered that Tim sent Leaves of Grass to me. I liked it so much, and felt so strongly that it was a film Tim understood to his core, that I took it to my partners and suggested we produce it. This is exactly the kind of personal filmmaking that we set out to support.

More of Edward Norton and the trailer after the jump!
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Twitter users rate it at 69%, while IMDb users have given the movie a weighted average vote of 6.7 / 10. Almost identical right? Rotten Tomatoes, on the other hand, shows a 39% rating, with the following concensus: Roland Emmerich's 2012 provides plenty of visual thrills, but lacks a strong enough script to support its massive scope and inflated length.

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However, the dismal ratings did not stop the movie from amassing a box office return of $65 million (domestically) and another $160 million worldwide. Total take, so far $225 million.
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