Twilight has been credited with really putting Comic-Con on the map, or if it was on the map already, then it put the massive fanboy (and girl) genre-action-science-fiction-nerd-bonanza front and center in mid-July pop culture. But now the franchise is complete, but the cast came out en force to promote the film (not that it should have much problem luring adoring audiences and their cash). At the event, Beyond The Trailer host Grace Randolph speaks with the stars including Taylor Lautner who gives his personal feelings about Jacob and Robert Pattinson who offers up his view on whether his character has redefined “prince charming.” And of course, there’s Kristen Stewart, aka Vampire Bella. The actress tells what she thinks about the un-dead version of her character and what she thought of her before reading Breaking Dawn . Randolph also speaks with Ashley Greene about villains, and looking quite the adorable young star, Mackenzie Randolph shares insight on Renesmee. Check out the latest Twilight goings-on from the red carpet…
Though that could change: “I’ve seen bits and pieces of them. Honestly, I’m not just saying this … I really kind of want to see the Chris Nolan one, because he’s so crazy talented, so I’ll keep saying, ‘I gotta go see that, I gotta go see that,’ and then like everything I still want to see, fuck, I just forget. There must be a hundred movies out there. I’ll say, ‘I gotta go see that.’ And then I never get around to seeing them. Or maybe I’ll see it later on television. I’m really bad at that. But I will tell you this: Every time I see clips of his movies, they look awesome. This trailer that’s out now? Fuck, it looks unbelievable.” [ Grantland ]
Though The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon was absent this year from Comic-Con , (he was off finishing the November release but pre-taped tidings), he sent in his stead stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, over two dozen cast members, Stephenie Meyer, and new footage for the thousands of attendees in Hall H Thursday morning that included a slew of fan-pleasing moments – Bella Swan devouring a mountain lion among them. But while Breaking Dawn ’s bright, well-paced clips (including the first seven minutes of the film) impressed, a surprise screening of footage from The Host – Meyer’s other fantasy-sci-fi-romance YA lit adaptation –confused viewers, indicating an uphill battle ahead for distributor Open Road. The good news for Summit is that sharing the first seven minutes of Breaking Dawn – beginning with newly turned Bella (Kristen Stewart) awakening into her bright new vampire future – was a smart move; not only did it drive fans into a tizzy, it highlighted how the Saga and its heroine have matured since previous installments. For starters, Breaking Dawn Part 2 boasts a new and improved Bella – strong, sensual, and utterly confident. No longer the self-conscious, maladroit teenager who spent much of the previous four films worrying/being rescued by/pining over her vampire beau Edward Cullen, Bella awakens at the start of Breaking Dawn Part 2 in full vampire mode (and very, very hungry). Condon speeds adeptly through her initial adjustment at a brisk pace, allowing for a few generous moments of languorous caresses and canoodling with Edward, who coos, “We’re the same temperature now.” (Cue collective Hall H swoon.) Suspense kicks in on Bella’s first hunt; she’s tempted by the delicious whiff of a lone mountain climber, but stops herself in time, instead finding her first meal in an unlucky mountain lion. Returning home with a proud Edward, she encounters old bestie/third wheel Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), but he’s changed, too; “imprinting” on your crush’s infant will do that to a guy. Onetime rivals Jacob and Edward even have a moment together as Bella heads in to meet her newborn daughter for the first time, unaware of what’s transpired while she’s been vampirizing. And thus ends the first seven minutes of the film , which are gorgeously photographed, to boot. A second clip showcased what a difference Condon’s made with his actors. Having been rendered at times cardboard-like by other directors, the cast comes alive, so to speak, in a scene in which the Cullen family teaches Bella how to pass as a human now that super strength and speed – not to mention not having to breathe or blink anymore – have turned her into a blood-sucking bull in a china shop. Stewart in particular shows off her comic side, playing Bella’s preternatural mannerisms with a nuanced sense of humor. She’s matured as a performer, but more to the point, Vampire Bella is simply a better fit for her talents – bold, feline, and assured, she’s the antithesis of Twilight’s Bella Swan, which is really the point of Breaking Dawn and the end game that many critics of the character didn’t grasp with previous sequels. Vampire Bella is who Bella Swan was born to become, and Breaking Dawn ’s final Comic-Con visit drove that point home. Less successful, however, was the clip package presented by surprise guest Andrew Niccol, who’d only recently wrapped filming on the sci-fi adaptation. Based on Meyer’s Twilight follow-up novel, The Host stars Saoirse Ronan as a human named Melanie Stryder in an alternate future in which alien body-snatchers have taken over the majority of the world, possessing their human hosts while attempting to squeeze out the last remaining pockets of resistance. Ronan plays both Stryder and her alien “soul,” Wanderer, who now dominates the body they share. Still following? The Host footage opens as Wanderer awakens in Melanie’s body – glowing blue eyes indicate the converted Ronan, who’s tasked with ferreting out information from Melanie’s memories (including one watery make-out flashback between Ronan and Max Irons’ Jared, shot like a Nicholas Sparks romance). But Melanie’s spirit is so strong she’s still inside her own brain, shouting at her alien parasite via interior monologue. That all works better than it sounds, but then comes the complicated plot to muddle things up as Wanderer is captured by humans. By the time the reel ended with a car chase and stand-off between two rebel-driven trucks and their alien overlords, the crowd had grown restless, pouring disinterestedly out of Hall H. And all without even touching on film’s love quadrangle between Melanie, Wanderer, and their dueling boyfriends! So suffice to say there’s a steep Host learning curve the studio needs to address for non-fans of the book ahead of the film’s March 2013 release. Niccol creates a clear-enough dystopian world onscreen (earthy Western-like settings for the human resistance, sleek high-tech trappings for the aliens), but none of that will matter if audiences don’t understand what the heck they’re looking at. Read more from Comic-Con 2012. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
“I hope you like your films dark and gritty,” Dredd 3D star Karl Urban declared as he introduced the debut screening of the sci-fi reboot Wednesday night before Comic-Con , emphasizing what Lionsgate’s hard-R action pic is not — namely, the second coming of Sylvester Stallone’s campy 1995 take on the comic book enforcer. “I want to apologize to anyone who’s a fan of Lycra and gold codpieces,” he added with a smile. “You’re just going to have to wait for two hours.” Urban stars as Judge Dredd, a steadfast one-man “judge, jury and executioner” in a futuristic America rendered decrepit by atomic war. Tasked with assessing a rookie Judge (Olivia Thirlby) in the field, Dredd and his green partner find themselves trapped in a tenement building on lockdown, caught in the sights of a crime lord named Ma-Ma (a fantastically brutal Lena Headey) with an army of eager thugs on their trail. Dredd establishes itself quickly, banishing the memory of the oft-maligned Stallone version by running with a graver tone, ultraviolent action, and its slum-set plot rather than focus on the man beneath the helmet. (Which never comes off, though Urban’s grimace is much more expressive than you’d think.) The cinematography, by Oscar-winner Anthony Dod Mantle ( Slumdog Millionaire , 28 Days Later ), is often superb, particularly in slowed-down sequences evoking the in-film POV of drug users on “Slo-mo,” an illicit narcotic that slows down time for its user — a clever write-in to justify shooting cool slowed-down sequences, but stunning nonetheless. Much of Dredd revolves around action — the Judges’ multi-use combat weapons are neat sci-fi gadgets, and Urban and Thirlby creep around with military precision in their SWAT-esque uniforms, bullets sending balletic sprays of red across the screen. It’s a bloody affair with its share of gory kills, but the weight of the loss of life is always palpable; a forlorn sense of humanity hangs in the air, from the moral conflict Thirlby’s Anderson wrestles with in the “executioner” part of her job description to the far-away gaze in Headey’s eyes as she orders her own men murdered, and torturously so, just to send a message. Which brings us to two of Dredd ’s biggest strengths: Its female characters. Given that the film’s eponymous hero is a dependably stoic chap whose reputation is so faultless it seems to annoy the other Judges – RoboCop without the Robo, with a set of moral codes as deeply-set as his jawline – Urban does a lot despite acting with just half of his face. But the real depth and complexities lie in Thirlby’s idealistic rookie and Headey’s big boss, two women at opposite ends of the moral spectrum. Anderson finds strength in embracing her own innate sense of empathy over the brutal righteousness of the department, though she proves herself more than capable in physical and mental combat. And Ma-Ma slinks around her penthouse control room, having slashed her way to the top with calculating ruthlessness, wearing the perpetual haunted snarl of a survivor. As such, it’s disappointing to see how much Dredd simply bottoms out at the end. Writer Alex Garland and director Pete Travis fail to seize the opportunity to tie it all together with meaning — something, anything — to elevate Dredd beyond mere fun, better-than-you-expect shoot ’em up entertainment. The pieces work surprisingly well; so why let the cumulative potential slip through your fingers? Some subtle character developments wrap up the proceedings, which conclude with a coda so abrupt the movie practically, clumsily, begs for a chance to finish its thoughts in a sequel. The first trailer doesn’t do Dredd justice — but even then, you can’t help thinking that Dredd , amazingly enough, could have been much more. Dredd 3D hits theaters Sept. 21. Read more from Comic-Con 2012. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Did we mention it’s Comic-Con time around here? The geek pheromones are out of control, up to and including Wednesday night’s Breaking Dawn – Part 2 event that brought Twilight players Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser and Jackson Rathbone (among others) to San Diego — which is where Movieline pal Grace Randolph caught up with them to discuss everything from rookie vampires and the joys of… worldbuilding. Watch for yourself. Check out all of Movieline’s Comic-Con 2012 coverage here .
Say what you will about Michael Jackson. He was the self-anointed King of Pop, but legions of fans around the world were his willing subjects for decades, crossing generations. So there is at least a reasonable in-house audience just itching for more about the moon-walker and Spike Lee is just the man to deliver. Lee and Jackson were friends in life and the filmmaker, whose Red Hook Summer opens next month, is working on a documentary tied to the 25th anniversary of the release of Jackson’s Bad album. And Lee has apparently come across a lot of material for the film-in-progress. He told the A.P. it’s a “treasure chest of findings” including footage the star shot himself from behind-the-scenes. “We had complete access to the vaults of Michael Jackson,” Lee said. “He wrote 60 demos for the Bad record. Only 11 made it. So we got to hear a lot of that stuff, too, so it was just a great experience.” Still untitled, Lee said that the film will be appealing to those who are not Michael Jackson fans. The doc will also show a personal side of the pop legend. “He had a great sense of humor and he was funny,” said Lee who interviewed Kanye West and Mariah Carey for the film. He also spoke to Sheryl Crow who was a background singer during Jackson’s Bad tour. “We really divided it into two things: Artists today who were influenced by Michael and then people who worked side by side…” Loyalists and new converts have been gobbling up Michael Jackson’s music since his death in 2009 at age 50 and the powers-that-be are very happy to oblige. The follow-up to the singer’s Thriller album, Bad includes hits “Smooth Criminal” and “The Way You Make Me Feel.” It will be re-released with additional tracks, a DVD and other goodies September 18th. Jackson would have turned 54 on August 29th. [Source: A.P. ]
Be safe this week at Comic-Con, folks — according to reports out of San Diego, a 53-year-old woman who had been camping out with fellow Twilight fans ahead of Breaking Dawn ‘s Thursday panel was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street near Hall H. “Police said she was in a crosswalk and tried to run across Harbor about 9:20 a.m. She tried to stop when she saw an oncoming Subaru but ended up tripping into the car,” reports the San Diego Union-Tribune . The Examiner ‘s Amanda Bell has more on the identity of the woman, known as Gisella G., whose death has shaken the Twilight community and those on the ground at Comic-Con. Police closed off portions of Harbor Blvd. this morning following the accident. The death lends a somber mood to the event, which runs Thursday through Sunday, as thousands pour into downtown San Diego. Police and security are typically omnipresent inside and around the convention center directing foot traffic around the busy surrounding street and train crossings; take this as a reminder to be patient and safe around town — and be extra nice to those Twi-hards. [ Examiner , San Diego Union-Tribune ]
In Monday morning’s round-up of news briefs, Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine is remembered after he died over the weekend. Also, as awards season approaches, SAG opens up its submissions; Christopher Nolan gets his prints at Grauman’s Chinese; Michael Fassbender boards a franchise; Beasts still strong in the specialty box office and Norway’s The Almost Man wins a top film festival prize. Submissions for SAG Nominations Open Submissions for performances for consideration for the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are now open online at sagawards.org/submissions. For the first time, submissions will be accepted online only. Submissions are open through Thursday, October 25 at 5pm Pacific Time. Around the ‘net… RIP Ernest Borgnine Actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Oscar for 1955’s Marty , playing a lovelorn butcher, died at the age of 95 his manager said Sunday. He gained a reputation playing heavies in early films From Here to Eternity , and Bad Day at Black Rock . He received three Emmys over his career, the most recent in 2009 for a guest spot on television’s ER , CNN reports . Deadline’s Pete Hammond also has a great remembrance of Borgnine, found here . Christopher Nolan Receives Rare Hollywood Honor Nolan had his hands and feet cemented at Hollywood’s Grauman’s Chinese Theater. At 41, he’s one of the youngest to receive the honor and out of 262 that have left their prints over 85 years, he’s only the eighth director to do so, Deadline reports . Fassbender Boards Assassins’ Creed Michael Fassbender will star and co-produce the big screen adaptation of Ubisoft’s video game franchise via his DMC Film label. The story centers on a man who finds out his ancestors were trained assassins after he is kidnapped by a mysterious group with ties to the Knights Templar, and sent back in time to retrieve historical artifacts, Variety reports . Beasts of the Southern Wild Still Strong in 2nd Weekend; Newcomers Soft: Specialty Box Office A trio of holdovers grabbed the bulk of specialty business this weekend, with Fox Searchlight’s Beasts Of The Southern Wild , Sony Classics’ To Rome With Love and Focus’ Moonrise Kingdom leading the pack. Three films, China Heavyweight from Zeitgeist, Magnolia’s The Magic Of Belle Isle and Red Flag’s The Do-Deca-Pentathlon reported numbers for their new, very limited rollouts, Deadline reports . Norway’s The Almost Man Takes Top Prize at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Martin Lund’s character study of a man in his 30s grappling with aging won the Czech festival’s Gran Prix Crystal Award. The Almost Man star Henrik Rafaelsen won the Best Actor prize, while Iranian director Ali Mosaffa’s The Last Step took the FIPRESCI prize with the film’s Leila Hatami winning Best Actress. Susan Sarandon received a lifetime achievement award and dedicated the prize to Nora Ephron, tearfully calling her “my friend and wonderful director,” THR reports .
In Monday morning’s round-up of news briefs, Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine is remembered after he died over the weekend. Also, as awards season approaches, SAG opens up its submissions; Christopher Nolan gets his prints at Grauman’s Chinese; Michael Fassbender boards a franchise; Beasts still strong in the specialty box office and Norway’s The Almost Man wins a top film festival prize. Submissions for SAG Nominations Open Submissions for performances for consideration for the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are now open online at sagawards.org/submissions. For the first time, submissions will be accepted online only. Submissions are open through Thursday, October 25 at 5pm Pacific Time. Around the ‘net… RIP Ernest Borgnine Actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Oscar for 1955’s Marty , playing a lovelorn butcher, died at the age of 95 his manager said Sunday. He gained a reputation playing heavies in early films From Here to Eternity , and Bad Day at Black Rock . He received three Emmys over his career, the most recent in 2009 for a guest spot on television’s ER , CNN reports . Deadline’s Pete Hammond also has a great remembrance of Borgnine, found here . Christopher Nolan Receives Rare Hollywood Honor Nolan had his hands and feet cemented at Hollywood’s Grauman’s Chinese Theater. At 41, he’s one of the youngest to receive the honor and out of 262 that have left their prints over 85 years, he’s only the eighth director to do so, Deadline reports . Fassbender Boards Assassins’ Creed Michael Fassbender will star and co-produce the big screen adaptation of Ubisoft’s video game franchise via his DMC Film label. The story centers on a man who finds out his ancestors were trained assassins after he is kidnapped by a mysterious group with ties to the Knights Templar, and sent back in time to retrieve historical artifacts, Variety reports . Beasts of the Southern Wild Still Strong in 2nd Weekend; Newcomers Soft: Specialty Box Office A trio of holdovers grabbed the bulk of specialty business this weekend, with Fox Searchlight’s Beasts Of The Southern Wild , Sony Classics’ To Rome With Love and Focus’ Moonrise Kingdom leading the pack. Three films, China Heavyweight from Zeitgeist, Magnolia’s The Magic Of Belle Isle and Red Flag’s The Do-Deca-Pentathlon reported numbers for their new, very limited rollouts, Deadline reports . Norway’s The Almost Man Takes Top Prize at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Martin Lund’s character study of a man in his 30s grappling with aging won the Czech festival’s Gran Prix Crystal Award. The Almost Man star Henrik Rafaelsen won the Best Actor prize, while Iranian director Ali Mosaffa’s The Last Step took the FIPRESCI prize with the film’s Leila Hatami winning Best Actress. Susan Sarandon received a lifetime achievement award and dedicated the prize to Nora Ephron, tearfully calling her “my friend and wonderful director,” THR reports .
Paul Verhoeven and Ed Neumeier’s dystopian action-adventure flick RoboCop (which I was too young to realize was a satire upon release) rolled off the assembly line before viral videos had been invented. Just imagine if these. . .marginally clever distractions had existed back in 1987. Heck, I’m sure we’d all be offering bids on lots in Delta City “for a dollar!” The forthcoming remake of RoboCop (here you can take a pause to sigh, wonder why you are surprised that there’s a RoboCop remake coming, then continue on) launched its fake corporate site recently, hawking the wares from Omni Corp. Omni Corp – called Omni Consumer Products in the original – is the privatized company contracted with cleaning up the streets of Detroit using whatever bloody, brutal means necessary. RoboCop’s most famous scene is the presentation of the robot ED-209 in the OCP board room, wherein a computer glitch makes swiss cheese out of a poor schnook named Mr. Kinney. The producers of the new RoboCop , who’d’ve had nerds with pitchforks at the studio gate if ED-209 wasn’t in the pic, have included a version in the new continuity and are wisely revealing him now so we won’t have to sit and wonder when it will happen during the film. (Oh, if only Rise of the Planet of the Apes had thought of this before Draco Malfoy nearly gaffed-up the film with is “madhouse” and “damned dirty” line readings.) The design of the new ED-209 looks like a sleeker, pointier version of the original – like ED Senior mated with a Lamborghini. The video itself is on par with what we have come to expect from fanboy movies’ viral vids, but only teases what RoboCop himself will look like. All said, whoever came up with the line “we’ve got the future under control” definitely earned their pay that day. Previously: New RoboCop Joel Kinnaman discussed the “gritty” reboot with Movieline . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
