‘Talk Nerdy to Me’ returns with an all-new episode about Bane’s hard-to-decipher voice, ‘Star Trek 2’ and the MTV Movie Brawl 2012 tournament. By Josh Wigler Benedict Cumberbatch Photo: Getty Images Welcome to 2012, fellow nerds! With return trips to Middle-earth and Gotham City in the cards, not to mention sightings of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Ridley Scott ‘s return to sci-fi on the horizon, the coming months are sure to usher in one of the most geek-friendly years of all time. It’s only appropriate then that “Talk Nerdy to Me” (the MTV News one-stop shop for all things comic books, movies and television) rises to the size and stature of the new year. That means more Hulk hands, light-sabers and action figures, more punch-out sound effects and — most importantly — more heated nerdy debate to come all throughout 2012 … and it all starts now! Watch the embedded video for the latest episode of “Talk Nerdy to Me,” and read on for a synopsis of what we discussed this week on the show! The Bane Problem “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” has been kicking ass and taking names at the box office for weeks now, thanks in no small part to the “Dark Knight Rises” prologue attached to IMAX prints of the Tom Cruise action vehicle. Fans are raving about the first look at Christopher Nolan’s last Batman movie, except for one teensy, tiny problem: Bane’s voice . The Caped Crusader’s newest nemesis’ mask-muffled muttering has left some viewers scratching their heads, and Nolan’s apparent insistence on not improving the clarity of Bane’s dialogue has only led to further bewilderment. But should fans really be so worried about the so-called “Bane problem,” or is it all much ado about nothing? Find out what Team Nerdy thinks in this week’s episode. “Sherlock” Goes to Space Between playing Britain’s greatest detective and Middle-earth’s most fearsome dragon, how many more iconic roles does Benedict Cumberbatch need to plop on his plate? Why not give him one more: The “Sherlock” and “War Horse” actor is beaming aboard J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek 2” as the film’s lead villain, ending a long search that’s seen actors Benicio del Toro and Edgar Ramirez circling the role. But the question remains: Who is Cumberbatch playing? “Nerdy’s” Brian Phares expects a new character, while the rest of the team feels like screaming “KHAAAAAAAN!” Who do you think Cumberbatch is playing? The Brawl for It All Finally, nothing like a shameless plug to start the new year right! Team Nerdy took some time to talk about MTV Movie Brawl 2012 , our current tournament to decide which movie you guys are most excited to see in the coming year. Some flicks like “Hunger Games” and “Breaking Dawn” are dominating as expected, but others — namely “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Skyfall” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” — are underperforming, so much so that some so-called “shoo-ins” might not even make it into the March Madness-style bracket kicking off on Monday. We already put the question to “Avengers” and “Spider-Man” fans , but it bears repeating to the Batman and Bond crowd: Where are you guys? Time’s running out! For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos Talk Nerdy To Me ‘Dark Knight Rises’: The Year In Review Get Ready For MTV Movie Brawl 2012!
‘Hunger Games’ races to front, while dark horses ‘John Carter’ and ‘Dark Shadows’ also show promise in 2012 tourney. By Eric Ditzian Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” Photo: Summit Entertainment It’s the brawl to win it all! On Tuesday, we launched MTV Movie Brawl 2012 , a winner-take-all tournament to pick this year’s must-see movie. Starting with 32 films in an epic “play-in” round to pick 16 flicks that will make it into our March Madness-style bracket, the Brawl has kicked off with fans giving it 110 percent, determined to leave it all out on the field, and ready to step up and make plays. This is what the playoffs are all about. As MTV News’ team of analysts pointed out at the start of the tourney, there are three front-runners at this early point in the competition: “Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” “The Hunger Games” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” So far, two of those flicks are living up to expectations, while one is going to have a lot of questions to answer if it can’t turn things around. “Breaking Dawn” has staked out an early lead and has got to be an odds-on favorite to secure a #1 seed when the 16-team bracket is chosen at the end of this first round. Hunger Games has got its game face on and is trailing close behind; a number-one seed for this rookie sensation seems like a lock. “Dark Knight Rises,” however, is not showing the determination and drive we’d expect from a film with such ravenous fans. Christopher Nolan’s third Batman movie has settled into the #6 slot thus far and will have to pick up the slack if it expects to head into the bracket with any sort of momentum. Voting in round one is open in MTV Movie Brawl 2012! Films that have been flexing some unexpected Movie Brawl muscle include “John Carter” and “Dark Shadows.” The former hits theaters in March, the latter in May; what they both have in common are fans coming out of the woodwork to support their underdogs and turn them into dark horses. Meanwhile, no one who’s been paying attention to the cinematic landscape should be surprised that “Snow White and the Huntsman” has been playing like a savvy vet, given that the film is led by Kristen Stewart. Veteran leadership, especially from “Twilight” stars, is going to prove a key factor as the Brawl moves forward. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a few films that are going to have to look themselves in the mirror and ask if they truly want to be in this competition. “Skyfall” and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” for instance, are both floundering in the back of the pack. Unless fans step up and vote for Bond and Spidey, these films are looking at an early trip home and months of second-guessing. And while we don’t expect high-brow fare like Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” to be able to tussle with the big franchises, we were hoping for more from QT fans than a first-round exit. So that’s where we stand on the second day of the competition. Anything can happen at this point. Seriously. That’s why we’ve just introduced a wild-card round in which fans will be able to add a few movies that didn’t make the original 32 — Robert Pattinson’s “Cosmopolis”? Emma Watson’s “Perks of Being a Wallflower”? — and, if they deliver enough votes, slip them into the 16-movie bracket. Voting in the first round closes Sunday, January 8, and the bracket kicks off on Monday, January 9. What are you waiting for? Your must-see movie needs your support. It’s time to show character, poise and heart. Vote for your picks now at MTV Movie Brawl 2012 ! Related Videos Get Ready For MTV Movie Brawl 2012! ‘Dark Knight Rises’: The Year In Review ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review
The problem with Taylor Swift ’s Hunger Games single “Safe & Sound” is – sorry, Swifties – Taylor Swift. Taken on its own it’s a perfectly lovely slice of discordant Americana pop that wisps beautifully with Swift’s reedy warbling as she sings about protecting loved ones as a war rages outside. But as a Hunger Games song… as what promises to be the Hunger Games song associated with the movie (besides Rue’s iconic ditty within the film), it leaves something to be desired precisely because Swift is singing in the spirit and voice of Katniss Everdeen . And you, my adorable little Taylor, are no Katniss Everdeen. Here’s the thing: I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the oeuvre of Taylor Swift. Do I sing along every time “Love Story” comes on the radio? Fine, yes. Will I ever forget the ear-bleedingly bad live performance she gave at the 2010 Grammys, as horrified duet partner Stevie Nicks gamely powered through? Never. It haunts my waking dreams. And yet Swift is just too bubbly and cute to loathe, dammit. Remember her in Valentine’s Day , all track shorts and legs and smiles? She’s like a crinkle-haired bubblegum-singing bunny rabbit. There is no hating her. So it’s not that I hate Swift as I listen to the twangy strains of “Safe & Sound,” as backed by the band The Civil Wars. But as the first song released from the Hunger Games soundtrack it’s the film’s leading pop single, the one that will be associated with the beloved book’s adaptation from the get go in mainstream media. And it’s kind of disappointing that Swift’s voice is so overpoweringly front and center whilst crooning about life from Katniss’s perspective. Consider another recent pop single from a beloved YA film franchise: Bruno Mars’s Breaking Dawn ditty. Now that’s a catchy, hook-filled number that dances the line between Mars’s signature sound (okay, so it sounds exactly like a Bruno Mars song) while being vaguely related to the themes of the film. Something about if you go away it will rain and your father not approving of your “troublesome” boyfriend. Sure. Why not? Bruno Mars isn’t singing as if he’s Bella Swan. We are not meant to identify him with our heroine, hence Mars seems as if he was simply influenced to write a love song after Netflixing Twilight or something. In Swift’s case, she’s singing as if she is Katniss. And therein lies the problem. Give this song to a singer with a less confrontational voice (Gillian Welch, if she was 17?) and it’d be instantly more palatable. The showy breathiness of Swift’s voice never lets you forget that it’s Taylor Swift singing. I imagine this playing over the end credits of The Hunger Games , a seemingly contemplative coda to the senseless carnage Katniss lives through in the series’ first installment, and Swift’s voice needling its way into my head from the first verse, breaking through my Hunger Games afterglow. TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT is all I fear I’ll be able to think as I exit the theater come March. Worse: The idea of Taylor Swift channeling Katniss Everdeen – singing her life with her words! Killing me softly, and not in a good way! — is an unfathomable vision that does not compute. Put Swift in the Cornucopia and she’d be the first to go down, no question. I’d almost rather Jennifer Lawrence sung the theme song herself. I know it makes total sense for Lionsgate given the tween/teen/YA demographic of The Hunger Games movies, which aim to fill the Twilight gap, and the universal truth that all 13-year-olds love and worship Taylor Swift. But not all of us Hunger Games fans are members of the Taylor Swift fan club. Can we at least graduate to less wimpy pop stars (How about Demi Lovato ? She’s been to rehab !) for the Catching Fire soundtrack? Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
MTV Movies team has high hopes for ‘The Avengers,’ ‘Looper’ and more. By MTV News staff Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate As we while away the last few days and hours of 2011, looking back upon all the great , unforgettable fare that descended upon our cineplexes this year, we can’t help but get excited for what the new year will bring us. We might not get another “Harry Potter,” but there’s a lot coming down the pike to fill the void: a new “Alien”-esque film in “Prometheus,” the gritty and ruthless “Hunger Games,” the superhero spectacle “The Avengers,” and a brand new Batman, via “The Dark Knight Rises.” Here’s a brief rundown of what we hope delivers on the hype and makes our “Best of 2012” lists this time next year. A Successful “Avengers” Assembly I have a lot of high hopes for movies in 2012. I need “Prometheus” to be as awesome as it appears to be, and Christopher Nolan has to send Batman off in style, but perhaps my biggest concern comes in the form of “The Avengers.” Bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together under one cinematic roof is a lofty idea, and one that could easily explode in Marvel’s face. A successful “Avengers” would mean ambitious, world-building films that extend across multiple franchises can exist. An “Avengers” that fails both critically and commercially is nothing short of a gut shot for comics on the big screen. Too much effort and passion, both from filmmakers and fans, has been put into “The Avengers” over the past few years. Marvel absolutely has to get it right … and I’ve got all my fingers, toes and what-have-you’s crossed that they will. – Josh Wigler Taylor Kitsch Solidifies His Movie-Star Status Fans of the dearly departed drama “Friday Night Lights” know Taylor Kitsch as big Tim Riggins, the football-playing, bad-boy-with-a-big-heart from Dillon, Texas. But if you’ve never spent four quarters with the state champion Panthers, you may not be well-acquainted with Kitsch’s sizeable acting chops (and even bigger biceps). After all, his big-screen turns (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Bang Bang Club”) haven’t left such an indelible mark as his TV alter ego. But that could (and should) all change in 2012, as the 30-year-old headlines two big-budget popcorn flicks: Disney’s “John Carter” and the boardgame-cum-potential-blockbuster “Battleship.” Here’s hoping clear eyes and full hearts really can’t lose. – Amy Wilkinson “The Hunger Games” Takes Out “Twilight” The end of the “Twilight” film franchise is bittersweet. We’ll miss our favorite vampires and werewolves, but 2012 marks the arrival of a new franchise that deserves just as much attention and adoration as Stephenie Meyer’s fangtastic fantasyland. “The Hunger Games” is not “Twilight” and shouldn’t ever be compared as such, but it deserves that blockbuster status. This is a story about survival, self-reliance and discovery, with a female protagonist who is strong, resilient, independent, intelligent and real. In short, Suzanne Collins’ creation has everything modern youth-targeted fiction lacks. I pray to the movie powers for Gary Ross’ big-screen adaptation to be the biggest success story of the year and that the fan fervor for the “Games” doubles that of “Twilight.” – Kara Warner Luck For “Looper” Looking ahead to 2012, it’s impossible to not stop in awe when considering the sheer number of blockbusters I can’t wait to see. This is “stars aligning” material. We’re talking Batman, Bilbo and Bond, but if I have my way, people will turn out in droves to see a movie they probably haven’t heard of yet: Rian Johnson’s “Looper.” A sci-fi/crime movie hybrid, “Looper” takes place in the near future where mobsters send their enemies back in time where waiting hitmen finish the job. In the film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis play the younger and older versions of the same character, and if that and the story don’t completely sell it, I’m afraid you’re lost, my friend. Test screenings left critics raving, and Johnson has made consistently interesting work since his indie debut “Brick.” If there is any justice at the movies, people will see “Looper.” – Kevin Sullivan Related Videos ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review MTV Rough Cut: Tom Hiddleston
There’ve been updates about The Paperboy ‘s casting for awhile, but only now do I realize the gravity of what’s occurring. Um, wow: Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron are sharing a screen! And John Cusack! And Matthew McConaughey, for the hell of it! And — what now? — Lee Daniels is directing! They should call this quaint tale Extra Precious: Based on the Cutie ‘Zac’ by Efron . Synopsis and impressive poster after the jump. Downright old-fashioned and sharp. Reminds me of Young Adult ‘s evocative cover in coloring and detail. From a distance, Mr. Efron’s cheeks look a tad more pregnant than they usually do. I know what you’re thinking, and let me assure you: I’m the father. The Paperboy concerns a reporter who returns to his hometown to save a man on death row, though he’s derailed by the romance he strikes up with the inmate’s lady friend. I have the feeling we won’t get a juicy character study worthy of Nicole Kidman’s involvement in this movie, and that sucks because I’m still reeling from Rabbit Hole . Still, I’m in for Zac Efron’s sacred facial architecture. He’s like a cathedral of tawny hotness. Paperboy Poster [GossipCop]
The film might not hit theaters until next year, but casting announcements and exclusive interviews got fans worked up for March release. By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Murray Close For the millions of fans who have been eagerly awaiting a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ best-seller “The Hunger Games,” 2011 gave them even more to be eager about as details trickled out about the movie, which is due in March. We at MTV News have been as caught up in the frenzy as everyone else. And along the way, we’ve been able to speak with the major players involved in the “Games,” gleaning the juiciest details from the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. Back in January, before casting was solidified, Hemsworth told MTV News he’d read the script and that he could actually see himself in the role of Peeta. After Hemsworth won the role of Gale instead, we chatted up his older brother and fellow actor Chris Hemsworth, who revealed that he helped Liam prep for his big audition by reading the role of Katniss. “I did. Swear to God,” he said. “I read that. Put my girly American accent on.” In May, we had our first “Hunger Games”-centric chat with Jennifer Lawrence . She discussed fans’ initial protests over her blond hair , which quieted after she dyed it, along with the intense hours of archery training she went through to become as convincingly handy with a bow and arrow as Katniss is. “It’s lots of training, but the training is actually really fun,” she said. “I’ve done archery for about six weeks, rock climbing, tree climbing and combat and running and vaulting,” she said. “Also yoga and things like that to stay cat-like.” We also caught up with some of the film’s supporting actors. Lenny Kravitz, who is ready to further prove his acting chops in the role of sympathetic District 12 stylist Cinna, said he’s doing his homework by immersing himself in all Collins’ books. Elizabeth Banks was a bit more cagey in revealing any details about her transformation into pink-haired, type-A Effie Trinket, but she did admit that she and co-star Woody Harrelson have chemistry. Harrelson, who plays alcoholic Hunger Games survivor Haymitch Abernathy, praised Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss and revealed that his character’s hairstyle was inspired by his own brother. “I was like, ‘OK, let’s get a wig. Let’s do the Brett Harrelson hair,’ ” he said of the long and slightly shaggy style. “It’s kind of cool. I really liked the look. It’s a fun character, and I think it’s going to be a good movie.” Fellow supporting player Stanley Tucci , a.k.a. the blue-haired Caesar Flickerman, echoed Harrelson’s sentiments about Lawrence’s performance. “She was amazing,” he said. “They were all amazing. She’s just so good and so mature at such a young age. It was really fun. Really fun. And [director] Gary Ross, he’s great.” We didn’t have to take Tucci’s word for it, as we also sat down with Ross for an exclusive interview surrounding our debut of the “Games” teaser trailer back in August. The “Seabiscuit” and “Pleasantville” helmer took us through his detailed plans for the film and the challenges of filming. And we finally stole a few moments with Peeta Mellark himself, Josh Hutcherson . who took us through his grueling audition process and the anxious wait for the news of his casting, why he was “so right” for Peeta and his excitement for the fans to see the finished product. “It’s exciting to hear people are that interested in something you’re doing, so it’s a little nerve-racking, but I’m onboard,” he said. “The fans for ‘The Hunger Games,’ they’re die-hard. They’re the best fans in the world, so I’m really excited for them to see the movie.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review
If there’s one thing that we can all agree on here at Skin Central, it’s that girls who like girls are OK by us…especially when they let us watch. If it’s Sapphic and graphic, it’s bound to be a hit at Mr. Skin, so as we wrap up 2011 we’re looking back at our top 5 clam-slammers of the year. See Skin Central’s picks after the jump!
If there’s one thing that we can all agree on here at Skin Central, it’s that girls who like girls are OK by us…especially when they let us watch. If it’s Sapphic and graphic, it’s bound to be a hit at Mr. Skin, so as we wrap up 2011 we’re looking back at our top 5 clam-slammers of the year. See Skin Central’s picks after the jump!
Writer/director Dee Rees has spent six years with Pariah , a film she wrote as a full-length script in 2005, then recalibrated as a short subject in ’07, and finally re-adapted as a feature film that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Pariah concerns a teenager named Alike (Independent Spirit Award nominee Adepero Oduye), an expressive girl who only encounters more identity issues as she tries establishing herself as an out lesbian. Though Rees came out as a lesbian in her 20s, she feels a deep connection to Alike — especially in her resistance to “butch” and “femme” labels. Movieline caught up with Rees to discuss Pariah ‘s wonderful story, the visibility of the LGBT coming out experience in 2011, and Rees’s unexpected connection to Dallas . Since Pariah ’s genesis as a short film years ago, there’s been a lot more visibility about the coming-out experience. Did you find it necessary to tailor the movie to the burgeoning sense of awareness about the topic? When I first wrote the script in ’05, I had a sense of who Alike was and where she was going, so there was no pressure to change it because I wanted to stay true to her and what her experience was. I didn’t want to make Alike’s experience vary from anyone else’s experience or make it topical. I just let it be what it was and just trustd that if we’re honest about the character and honest about the world, that it would be relevant no matter when it came out. It’s funny because some people along the way have said, “Is this an issue anymore? Is being gay cool now?” And it’s like, no. It’s not OK now, and it’s not “cool.” Although people’s experiences of coming out are changing and it’s becoming much more visible, that’s not necessarily everyone’s experience. It was about remaining true to the character and what this story was. I’m glad to see that coming out is relevant and people are aware of it, but I definitely didn’t feel compelled to make it fit anything. You’ve said that you came out in your 20s, but you wrote about the coming-out experience of a teenage girl. How did you find the inspiration for her character? It was just my own coming-out experience sort of transposed onto a 17-year-old. I chose to make her 17 because it’s such a higher-stakes age; figuring stuff out that young, it’s going to be higher because you’re still dependent on your parents and so much is still uncertain about you. You don’t know what you’re going to be. For her to make that discovery at that age, it makes her more interesting. For me, it’s also inspired by being in New York and being among out teenagers, which is something I’d never seen in Nashville, Tennessee. I barely saw out adults. To see out teenagers who were not only out, but out in the streets was inspiring for me. It made me wonder, “Even if I had known at 17, would I have that courage to be the person in the film?” – this woman who was trying to live in two worlds. Do you have particular favorite teenager characters from movies? No, not really! I just like Alike because she’s imperfect. Initially she isn’t courageous. In teen movies, we see characters who get to say exactly what’s on their mind and say what they want and thumb their nose in the face of adult authority. For Alike, I wanted someone who didn’t feel quite comfortable – someone who’s not so self-possessed, not so self-assured, and is figuring things out. Pariah ’s lead actress Adepero Oduye just earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Can you describe watching her on set? What did she bring to the character? Watching her on set was an experience of watching her inner life. Adepero is so expressive and yet so subtle. It was great to watch changes going on in her eyes and going on in her body language and behavior – those unspoken things. I felt like I was watching her internalize the characters’ feelings. She was really in that moment. She was really feeling what Alike was feeling. The feeling like she wanted to cry, feeling like she wanted to laugh – the changes were literally visceral. They were changing her, moving through her body. Getting to watch somebody unfold on camera is like watching a flower open. Amazing. In recent years, we’ve seen more in the media about gay men’s coming out experiences than lesbians’. Do you think Pariah highlights the specificity of a woman’s coming-out? I think Pariah highlights that there’s this gray area within the gay or lesbian community. Sometimes there’s a pressure to check a box, to either be hard and be butch or be feminine and wear heels. Alike’s neither of those things, so there’s a gray area. And her coming-out experience is different because she’s coming into a different space. Alike’s not figuring out if she’s gay – she knows she loves women, that’s not her question. It’s more “How [do I] be in the world?” The first half hour isn’t “Am I gay?” It’s, “Laura’s telling me I should be butch. Mom’s telling me I should be femme.” Versus other coming out experiences, like… when she’s wearing the club clothes, that’s not really her. When she changes into this different thing for Mom, she’s not that either. We don’t see her changing from her true self into another self – she’s neither of things she’s taking on or off. We don’t know who she is. She doesn’t really want to be this butch lesbian. She just wants to be Alike. You’ve been talking about this project everywhere for years and years. You’re the Carmen Sandiego of the indie film circuit. Which was the best kids’ game show ever! Indeed! What have you gained from spending so much time introducing the film to festival audiences? Specifically from being on tour with the film, I’ve gained a huge connection with audiences – an affirmation that we told the story truthfully. To your point, we weren’t writing it based on what people were saying or what was going on in the world. We stayed in a cocoon and wrote this thing. When we finished, we didn’t know how people would respond. But people felt we told a story and were honest with the experience, so we gained a feeling of affirmation. And personally, having gone from a point where when I was coming out and I was not quite sure the world that the world would accept me for who I have, or not quite sure that I could be loved or find love, and going to this press tour and seeing audiences embrace the film and saying, “We love you,” Pariah basically gave me the courage to be who I am. I came out behind the shield of this film. This tour has been this amazing wash of affirmation and love. It makes me feel good about audiences. They’re smart and progressive and open. They’re willing to see stories beyond themselves, images that don’t exactly look like them. It restored my faith in cinemagoers. They are hungering for good stories and are willing to step outside their experience to get them. Lastly, what do you have coming up? I imagine your new projects differ from Pariah because this movie is so emotional. One project coming up is called Large Print , a spec script I did, which is about a 50-something insurance adjuster who is recently divorced and lately incontinent, and has to redefine happiness for herself. Though she’s 56, it’s still a coming-of-age story. It’s going to be an emotional film because she’s played life by the rules and nothing’s turned out the way she’s expected. The other film I’m writing is called Bolo , a thriller set in the south. It’s also about, “What is home?” What if where you grew up changes? How do you accept that? Though it has more of a genre element, it goes back to these human things. I’m working on a TV series with HBO and Viola Davis about corruption in education, which will be cool. I’m working on another TV series called Reveal set in Nashville. It’s Dallas meets The Wire , about a city going through an identity crisis. I continue to be drawn to characters, and characters that are flawed especially. I love exploring flawed people trying to make their way. Did you just say “ Dallas meets The Wire ?” Yeah! Do you know how exciting that is? Ha! We’ll see! Dallas was the soap growing up. All my aunts gathered around the TV. We should not have been the target audience for Dallas . Pariah debuts in limited U.S. release December 28. Follow Louis Virtel on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Who’s excited for 2012? I said, Who’s excited for 2012? Oh. Well, it’s coming whether you want it or not, and Mayan doomsday predictions and a U.S. presidential election aside, there is stuff to look forward to. Get your calendars ready and read on for 20 dates worth saving at the movies alone. Jan. 6 : The Devil Inside becomes the millionth exorcist movie to open in theaters, thus netting a $3 million cash prize and earning the producers and 20 of their closest friends a free party and Dave and Buster’s. Jan. 15 : In a craven, ruinous grab for ratings, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association invites a suicide bomber to host the Golden Globe Awards. Jan. 20 : Coriolanus makes its official post-Oscar-qualifying debut in theaters. Take Stephanie and Louis and my words for it: You really should see it. Feb. 10 : Watch a Michael Caine paycheck role come alive as you’ve never seen it before — in the eye-popping 3-D family adventure Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . Feb. 26 : “Ziss ees for you, Uggie”: Jean Dujardin dedicates his Best Actor prize at the 84th Academy Awards to his criminally underrecognized canine co-star . March 2 : Holy shit, they really made Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters ? With Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton and Famke Janssen? Wow. OK. Anyway, this opens today. March 9 : Disney commences counting how much money it lost on the ultra expensive, roundly buzzless John Carter . March 23 : Fangirl civil war erupts as The Hunger Games makes its first incursion against the creaky, sparkly Twilight empire. The rest of us, faced only with the sad counterprogramming spectacle of A Thousand Words , flee to art-house refugee camps nationwide. April 27 : The crackerjack comic duo of Jason Segel and Emily Blunt Alison Brie and Jacki Weaver co-star in The Five-Year Engagement June 22 — Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter winds up a distressing month of predatorily-titled blockbusters including Snow White and the Huntsman , Jack the Giant Killer and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted . Which is fine, because you’re going to be watching the awesome-looking , June 8-opening Prometheus for the fifth time this weekend, anyway. July 20 — The Dark Knight Rises opens! To quote Bane, the film’s excited villain: “ Fghrlkdjhafskdfbldkbsj .” July 27 : Tyler Perry’s The Marriage Counselor reaches theaters, finally exposing audiences everywhere to the subtle dramatic charms of Kim Kardashian. I smell a Verge ! Or maybe it’s just Valtrex. Aug. 17 : Boldly leaping to the front of the Oscar-season line, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association moves up its awards-voting date to Aug. 20 after seeing The Expendables 2 . Sept. 28 : The year of Taylor Kitsch — previously comprising John Carter and Battleship — concludes with the only one of his films any grown-ass adult wants to actually see: The Oliver Stone pot-cartel thriller Savages , co-starring Beinicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Blake Lively and Emile Hirsch. Oct. 12 : From Kevin James and his Zookeeper director Frank Coraci comes the teacher-turned-MMA moonlighter comedy Here Comes the Boom . I only bring it up because Jesus will weep so copiously that you might start filling and stacking sandbags now . Oct. 19 : Ryan Gosling. Emma Stone. Josh Brolin. Sean Penn. Gangster Squad . That is all. Nov. 16 : The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 concludes the billion-dollar franchise, instantly prompting millions of prodigious sobbing binges. But enough about Taylor Lautner’s management team. Nov. 21 : The visionary filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron returns with Gravity , which draws a robust opening-weekend crowd with its promise of showing Sandra Bullock shot into space. Dec. 19 : Kathryn Bigelow’s as-yet-unnamed Osama bin Laden movie — working title: Banned in Pakistan — reaches theaters. Dec. 25 : A very DiCaprio Christmas gets underway with Django Unchained and The Great Gatsby . Enjoy 2012, everyone! Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
