Vanilla Sky
Netflix | Amazon | Epix | Google Play | SEN | Vudu | YouTube
DVD
Directed by Cameron Crowe
Starring Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee, Cameron Diaz, Noah Taylor, Timothy Spall
Paramount Pictures
Originally Released: December 14, 2001

Vanilla Sky is one of those movies that, for one reason or another, I never got around to seeing – until now. And it also happens to be one of those movies that nobody ever says, "Meh, it was okay". Cameron Crowe‘s surreal swirl of romance, sci-fi, thriller, and drama is a divisive piece of work, resulting in the vast majority of viewers either loving it or loathing it.

So that being said, there’s very little I can say within the circumstance of this review about this movie that will sway you one way or the other. Vanilla Sky is just one of those flicks you have to see for yourself, and make your own mind up about.

But whichever end your mind is made up about – one thing is certain: Vanilla Sky will fuck with your head.

The Green Hornet
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Michel Gondry
Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward James Olmos, Tom Wilkinson
Release date: May 3, 2011

Since the release of X-Men back in 2000 studios have been snapping up comic book properties like new release day at Golden Apple Comics with an eye towards turning them into big screen blockbuster franchises. Over the past decade the business of making movies based on superhero comics has become a virtual bloodsport and the major casualties are usually those adapted from material no one has ever really heard of, or at least the characters who aren’t considered to be in the “mainstream”.

If you don’t believe me just ask the people responsible for making The Shadow (1994) and The Phantom (1996). Even Dick Tracy (1990), despite packing a metric ton of star power (for the early ’90s), was barely able to break even at the box office. But those characters came from a different and substantially less cynical era, a time when Stan “The Man” Lee was still being referred to as Stanley Leiber and names like Chris Claremont, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Brian Michael Bendis, Garth Ennis, Ed Brubaker, and Steve Bissette were decades away from prominence in the comics industry. Superhero comics first emerged during the Great Depression, a period in American history when the need for escapist delights were stronger than they ever were or ever would be.

Shrek The Halls
DVD
Directed Gary Trousdale
Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 4, 2008

This 22-minute holiday tale, which originally aired on television in November 2007, takes place after the events of the animated motion picture Shrek the Third, and finds the big green ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) living happily ever after with his true love Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and their little green ogre babies.

While life’s been good for the big guy, he still doesn’t really know how to get into the Christmas spirit, and at first, Shrek doesn’t want to be bothered celebrating, but to make Fiona happy, he tries to be festive. Of course, the ever-pestering Donkey (Eddie Murphy) overdoes it and brings all the fairy tale creatures for party at Shrek’s home, much to the ogre’s dismay.

It turns out that Shrek doesn’t know how to celebrate the holiday and doesn’t even know the true meaning of Christmas, so it’s up to his friends and family to teach him by example.

For a while now, Danny Elfman has been attached to compose the musical score for Michel Gondry‘s upcoming crime fighting action-comedy The Green Hornet, but it looks like a last-minute change is unfolding.

The Playlist is reporting that they’re sources are saying that Elfman is now out due to simply having too many other projects on his plate. They’re also hearing that the man currently in talks to replace him is James Newton Howard, who also happens to be handling the score for Green Lantern as well. Fancy that.

The Green Hornet has faced many obstacles on its way to the big screen, but star Seth Rogen has been helping it along for a while now, and tonight the production begins showing itself off to the world.

Sony Pictures has released the first trailer and a couple of new images from the movie, which is directed by Michel Gondry. This is no teaser trailer, either; this is a full-on trailer and it looks like it’s shaping up to be a ton of fun. There’s lots of action, lots of humor, and I for one am much more excited having now seen a little peek at what we can expect.

You’ll see Rogen in action as Britt Reid, and how the story falls into place. You’ll see Jay Chou as Kato and how the two team up. You’ll get a look at Cameron Diaz as the female lead. And of course, you’ll see Christoph Waltz as the villain.

Click on over to the other side to see the first trailer and the two new images now!