The Playlist

New Images From Joe Cornish's 'Attack The Block'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 6:22 AM
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1 Comment

Gearing up to hit SXSW next month, some fresh images from Joe Cornish's upcoming teens vs. aliens flick "Attack The Block" have arrived and quite simply: they look great.

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Everyone Loves Neil Diamond & More Things We Learned From The Filmmakers Of 'Drive Angry 3D'

By Leah Zak
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February 25, 2011 6:09 AM
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2 Comments

Patrick Lussier & Todd Farmer Call Amber Heard The "Anti-Damsel In Distress" & Espouse The Emotional Impact Of 3DExclusive: We recently had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with “Drive Angry 3D” director Patrick Lussier (henceforth occasionally referred to as PL) and writer Todd Farmer (henceforth occasionally referred to as TF). We reported on what they had to say regarding their some upcoming new projects yesterday, but we learned a few more things during the chat that we thought you should know. Read on for more on the emotional impact of 3D, William Fichtner’s embodiment of a truly odd antagonist and Amber Heard’s anti-Damsel in Distress character.

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'Community' Star Joel McHale Joins Mark Wahlberg In Seth MacFarlane's 'Ted'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 5:55 AM
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5 Comments

While this writer doesn't understand the love for the overrated "Community," Joel McHale is undeniably funny and he's long overdue for some big screen exposure -- though it seems to be his year with "Spy Kids 4," "What's Your Number?" and "The Big Year" all on the way -- and it looks like he's found a new, particularly filthy vehicle that will allow him to continue his transition onto the big screen.

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'Breakout Kings' Star Jimmi Simpson Joins 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 5:34 AM
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4 Comments

As Timur Bekmambetov's "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" gears up to shoot in 3D (woo!) next month, the film is putting the finishing touches on its cast.

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James Franco Locks In To Visit 'Oz: The Great And Powerful'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 5:03 AM
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1 Comment

We'll say this: it's kind of amazing the amount of buzz James Franco -- aka The Franco -- has managed to create for himself. It's the kind of chatter and publicity most stars would love to have, but it's all the more remarkable considering that it's only after this weekend when he hosts the Oscars that James Franco will become something of a household name. Sure, he had a co-starring role in the "Spider-Man" films but other than that, he hasn't really toplined a major franchise. But that's all about to change. Later this year he will fight the "Rise of the Apes" and now Deadline reports that the ink is pretty much dry on earlier talks that will find the actor reteaming with Sam Raimi for "Oz: The Great and Powerful."

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Johnny Depp Working On Adaptation Of J.P. Donleavy's 'The Ginger Man'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 4:47 AM
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8 Comments

Also Wants To Adapt Tom Robbins' 'Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates'We miss Johnny Depp. Let us clarify that point. We miss the Johnny Depp of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?," "Arizona Dream," "Dead Man" and "Donnie Brasco." We miss the young actor who took chances with ambitious directors and material. And while his early work with Tim Burton in films like "Edward Scissorhands" and "Ed Wood" was great, the actor has settled into a comfortable rut, collecting millions upon millions of dollars in tentpole land. And when he's not working with Burton on whatever his next watered down mess will be, he's busy walking the plank in another "Pirates Of The Caribbean" entry or buying his own personal island with the earnings from the turgid superstar failure "The Tourist." But, there is hope on the horizon. He's got the Bruce Robinson directed "The Rum Diary" coming out later this year and he's long been associated with Kathryn Bigelow's gestating drug world drama "Triple Frontier." And now, during press rounds for the upcoming "Rango," Depp reveals he's developing another project that may find him back his winning ways.

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In Theaters: 'Drive Angry 3D,' 'Hall Pass,' 'Heartbeats'

By Katie Walsh
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February 25, 2011 4:22 AM
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0 Comments

Happy Oscar weekend! This Sunday brings the apex of Hollywood's season, rewarding those 2010 films we've been talking about for so long. Who will wear what? What upsets will we be rooting for? Will James Franco perform some kind of bizarre performance art stunt as part of his hosting duties (all signs point to YES). We will be live blogging the events of Sunday evening, so check back in for the rockin'est Oscar commentary your computer has seen. In the meantime, get your highbrow on and rent those remaining DVDs of the Oscar contenders you missed. If you've seen them all or just don't feel like sitting through ye olde Oscar bait, some delightfully lowbrow releases await you at the theater. 2011 Cage's Festival of Wigs continues with the awesomely awesome looking "Drive Angry 3D," and "Hall Pass" brings us our weekly dose of gross sex humor! Down the hatch! There are also a few small arthouse releases, such as the latest from 22-year-old (!!!!!!!) filmmaker Xavier Dolan.

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Review: Xavier Dolan's 'Heartbeats' Is A Stylish Love Triangle, But Emotionally Hollow At Its Core

By Edward Davis
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February 25, 2011 4:01 AM
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0 Comments

The constant criticism being aimed at young, wunderkind Canadian director Xavier Dolan, is that the Montreal-based filmmaker -- while completely precocious and preternaturally talented -- puts too much of a premium and emphasis on style over substance. And yet, just because it's practically a cliche ad hominem dig against Dolan's films, it doesn't mean that the censure is off base. While featuring an impeccable soundtrack, a color palette ripped out of the Pedro Almodovar playbook for comedic melodramas, and an ineffable je ne sais quoi energy taken from the Jean-Luc Godard school of '60s filmmaking (though Dolan denies he's ever seen the familiar feeling, "Two Or Three Things I Know About Her"), the 21-year-old director's sophomore directorial effort "Les Amours Imaginaires" ("Heartbeats") is decidedly hollow around the edges and lacks an emotional center to cling to.

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Morgan Creek CEO Says No 'Major League' For Charlie Sheen If He Continues Being Awesome

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 3:45 AM
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3 Comments

Throws Lindsay Lohan Under The Bus In The ProcessGranted, Charlie Sheen is probably heading towards a meltdown of epic proportions but you have to admit, his quote-churning flame out is far more entertaining/amazing/hilarious/tragic than anything spewed forth by Mel Gibson. And there's an odd heroic quality to Sheen's outbursts that we can't explain but clearly, there are many who are not happy or impressed with the actor's giant middle finger to the world, and Morgan Creek CEO James Robinson is one of them.

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Review: 'Hall Pass' A Raunchy Sex Comedy That's Afraid Of Sex

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 25, 2011 3:29 AM
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1 Comment

It might seem like a distant memory, but at one time the Farrelly Brothers were the leading the pack -- and were possibly the only players of note -- in the arena of progressive, raunchy comedies. The trifecta of "Dumb & Dumber," "There's Something About Mary" and "Kingpin" put the sibling duo on the map but ever since, they've been chasing past glory to lesser and lesser effect which now brings us to "Hall Pass." Coming barely a month after "No Strings Attached," the Farrellys' film may be all dressed up in the trappings of a taboo breaking comedy but by comparison, it makes the Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher vehicle look positively avant garde. And worse, this might be the only R-rated sex comedy to get a thumbs up from the conservative right.

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