Amalgamated Zen

Who Ya Gonna Call...GhostBusters 3

In a conversation with MTV news Harold Ramis has confirmed a new Ghostbusters movie is in the works. The Original cast is expected to reprise their roles with their characters becoming "sage mentors" to new a new team, in a passing of the proton packs to a new generation of Ghostbusters.
Though the first draft of the script is apparently still in the works, Judd Apatow is signed on as at least a producer so thus far the casting rumors have been hovering around members of the "Apatowverse" Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen being tapped to take up the fight.
Taking into consideration the track records of the parties involved, I believe this will be a worthy sequel/reboot of the franchise and I'm actually enthused about this project coming together.
What do you think?

A New Darko Story...

"Donnie Darko", the movie from 2001 that became a cult classic, has spawned a sequel - a straight to video sequel due out July 2009. The movie which spurred actor Jake Gyllenhaal's career has somehow warranted a sequel... which stars none of the original cast - save for Daveigh Chase who is reprising her role as Samantha Darko(albeit 7 years later). The movie "S. Darko" follows Samantha as she deals with her brother's death and the fact that her family is falling apart. She leaves her family with a friend to straighten out her life and along the way has visions of the end of the universe and learns that she isn't really a Darko. Now while Donnie Darko was an absolutely fantastic movie, it in no way, warrants a sequel. It was cut and dry, one take and finished. But to have a sequel, with a plot like this, along with being straight to video, I don't see good things happening. And I don't need someone in a giant rabbit suit to tell me that!

Box Office Hits & Misses

The fans have spoken and the box office tells their story! Nic Cage's new movie Knowing sits at the top of the box office bringing in $24.6 million in the opening weekend. The anticipated film, directed by Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) is all ready half-way to budget and still has plenty of time in theaters. Following another dismal weekend for a movie that was so highly anticipated, it seems that word-of-mouth has failed The Watchmen. The movie brought in a mere $6.8 million this weekend bringing it's gross box office to $98.1 million... still significantly short of the $130 million it cost to make. Meanwhile in comparison, the movie Taken which cost 30 million Euros ($40.6 million) has grossed $133 million in seven weeks out and Tim Burton's Coraline has grossed $73 million in six weeks for a movie that cost $35 million to make.

Watchmen sinking fast?

After having a ground-breaking opening weekend with $55.2 million, Watchmen struggled throughout the week and into the weekend and has only raked in another $31 million with $18 million coming in over the weekend. And while it still sits in a comfortable second at the current box office, if the movie continues to drop off at this rate, trying to break even at $130 million will be more of a challenge than producers would have hoped. The highly anticipated movie opened with a bang, but word of mouth seems to have failed this movie. From my experience, the movie was good, but not great and if it passes budget, it won't be by much. The movie started slow and when it picked up, only hit a few points I felt should have had more focus. It was a good attempt, but for me it falls short.

Star Wars Live-Action TV Series Casting Underway

Good news or bad news for Star Wars fans. Depending on how you feel about the three previously released live action prequels, Episodes 1-3 and the current animated Clone Wars series, casting has now officially begun for the live action sequel/prequel Star Wars tv series.
The series is to be set between Episode 3 "Revenge of the Sith and Episode 4 "A New Hope". The series will serve as a bridge between the two series featuring secondary characters and focusing on the Rebel Alliance. So while we can expect to see Storm Troopers, No Jedi, new or old will be on hand, including Darth Vader...for now...and depending on story arcs and and of course the almighty ratings.
Personally the series concept appeals to me for this type of project. I enjoyed the prequel films overall, especially the birth of the empire aspect so I fairly stoked to witness the birth of the Alliance. I've also watched and enjoyed most of the animated Clone Wars episodes, which feature the Clone Troopers as much as the Jedi. This to me bodes well for the series.
What do you think?  
Follow the link below to the MTV moviesblog post.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Star Wars’ Live-Action TV Series Casting Underway

Posted using ShareThis

Stars defend Bale

Hollywood stars Terry Crews and Whoopi Goldberg are among the few defending Christian Bale after a tape was released recently in which Bale lets loose an angry tirade against Director of Photography Shane Hurlbut. Hurlbut apparently walked on set twice, while Bale was in the middle of filming different scenes for his new movie Terminator: Salvation distracting the actor. An angered Bale flipped out and tore into the DP and even asked Director "McG" to fire him. Maybe it's just me, but even if you are DP on a film, if you want to make changes you either wait to the scene is finished or you address it with the director. Seeing as this isn't Bale's first film, it's apparent he expects the same thing.

What If Casting: Star Trek

Star Trek Casting That Almost Happened
It's fun to learn what actors might have taken certain roles, but didn't. Here are some of the biggest Hollywood stars who were almost cast in Star Trek.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/506199/star_trek_casting_that_almost_happened.html

Star Trek Super Bowl Trailer

Battlestar Galactica: The Final Cylon Revealed!

The Sci-Fi Network's hit “Battlestar Galactica” finally revealed the answer to one of the biggest questions they have had about the series — Who is the final Cylon?

In the last minutes of Galactica’s first episode of its final season, the identity of the fifth and final cylon, was revealed to be Ellen Tigh the dead wife of Colonel Saul Tigh, who also happens to be the one who made her that way when it was`she revealed that she collaborated with the Cylons against the human resistance.

Of course in answering this burning question several others were raised that have the potential to turn everything we think we know about the show completely upside down so stay tuned.

Shia LaBeouf Banned From Driving

Shia LaBeouf can take on the 'Transformers' and fight alongside 'Indiana Jones,' but for the next year, he can't drive a car.  LaBeouf's driver's license was suspended on January 17th as a result of refusing "chemical tests" in a July 2008 car crash, Access Hollywood reports.