-
"It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain..."
With Disney's Oz: The Great and Powerful opening in theaters nationwide today, moviegoers will finally have the opportunity to return to the incredible fantasy world created by L. Frank Baum in his Land of Oz books. For those who have never ventured to Oz before, there are all manner of wonders in store, from talking dolls and toothy fairies, to flying monkeys and witches, both good and wicked. What's great about fantasy movies like Oz: The Great and Powerful is that they offer so much more than colorful characters and an entertaining story — they provide an entire new world to explore. If you could book a vacation to any fictional land depicted in fantasy movies, where would you go?
Rate the Top 10 Movie Fantasy Lands You Would Love to Visit >>
Posted 03.08.13 by BrentJS -
Funny, we were relatively sure that the whole Pirates of the Caribbean series was supposed to be a trilogy — even when that made little sense. But then plots and common sense were never a big part of Pirates, considering that even Johnny Depp, himself, didn't understand what was going on in the second and third pictures. Still, it's the big release for the week and we'd be remiss if we didn't admit we were still going to see it for the following reasons.
5 Reasons to See On Stranger Tides >>
Posted 05.19.11 by reelz -
As long ago as March 2008, there was news that Jerry Bruckheimer was producing a live-action Lone Ranger movie and that Pirates of the Caribbean writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio were working on the screenplay. Not much else was heard of the project until rumors started circulating in May of this year that Jack Sparrow, himself, Johnny Depp, would be starring in the film as Tonto, the Ranger's Native American partner.
In September, during a huge Walt Disney Pictures media blitz, Depp was officially announced to play Tonto. Recently, in a group interview in Santa Monica, Bruckheimer said that the project is still moving forward.
Elliot and Rossio worked on that also with some other writers and with Johnny. So they're creating something that has a kind of true-to-the-western [feel], but adding other additional elements like we did with Pirates so it won't be just a straight-ahead western.
According to some reports, the "additional elements" that Bruckheimer refers to may be the inclusion of some supernatural elements to the story, much in the same way Pirates incorporated historical and fantastical elements.
As for who will play the title role of the Lone Ranger, Bruckheimer said that it's still up in the air.
We're still creating a pretty wide net and figuring it out. It comes down to who is available when we want to make it. We have a wish list.
Posted 11.04.09 by BrentJS -
Just last week at Disney's D23 Expo, actor Johnny Depp appeared on stage in full Captain Jack Sparrow costume and persona to help announce the next sequel in the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. However, with the sudden departure of Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook this past week, Depp has admitted to feeling less enthusiastic about reprising the Pirates role because of his strong working relationship with Cook.
Depp said that he was "in" on the first movie "before there was a script or anything" after he had a conversation with Cook about the project. Depp also credited Cook with being "supportive" of his portrayal of Jack Sparrow when he was first formulating the character.
When things went a little sideways on the first Pirates movie and others at the studio were less than enthusiastic about my interpretation of the character, Dick was there from the first moment. He trusted me.
Now that Cook is gone from Disney, Depp admitted to losing more than just a friend at the studio; he's lost some of his motivation to return to the role.
There's a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment. It was all born in [Dick Cook's] office.
Depp went on to say that Cook was "a rare beast" and that he is confident they will work together again in the future.
He will be somewhere and I will always look forward to working with him. I consider Dick a friend inside an insane system. He's someone I understand and I think he understands me.
Posted 09.19.09 by BrentJS -
Actor Johnny Depp hovered near the top of the list of Hollywood leading men for years, but it wasn't until his blockbuster portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean that he became a worldwide superstar. Now, his character is so linked with the franchise, it would be hard to imagine a Pirates movie without him. Thankfully, Depp's return to the role is no longer a concern, at least for one more movie.
In a rare public appearance in costume, Depp sailed into Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, to help announce that the fourth installment in the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, was beginning production and that he would be returning as Captain Jack Sparrow. The film is slated for a summer 2011 release.
Posted 09.11.09 by BrentJS -
It's summer. Time for baseball, gin and tonics, and movies (not necessarily in that order). Here are 10 women who are getting us to ask theater managers: "Can ya turn up the air conditioning?"
Check out our list of the 10 Hottest Chicks from the Summer Flicks. Yes, Megan Fox made the list. See the other 9!
Posted 06.18.09 by reelz -
Hollywood studio execs are legendary copycats, so it's a bit surprising that the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy's massive profits didn't immediately spawn a slew of buccaneer-themed projects. One notable exception is Dreamworks' upcoming biopic of the notorious English privateer who terrorized travelers of the high seas in the early 18th century.
In contrast to the family-friendly romp that was Pirates of the Caribbean, Blackbeardwill present a "serious" take on its subject "based on historical fact," producer Barry Josephson promised MTV News in a recent interview. That means lots of violence, debauchery, and (hopefully) no poncy Orlando Bloom types. Cool.
In other Blackbeard news, IGNreported earlier this week that acclaimed Bourne helmer Paul "cinema verite" Greengrass is apparently at the top of the list to direct the film -- a dicey proposition, indeed, for moviegoers with weak stomachs. The prospect of placing Greengrass and his army of hand-held cameras atop an 18th-century frigate is enough to send even the hardiest souls reaching for a bottle of Dramamine.
Posted 09.24.08 by reelz