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Gerrad Hall is a correspondent for ReelzChannel TV's Movie News and occasionally shares stories from the field.
We just got to see nine scenes from director James Cameron's HIGHLY anticipated Avatar along with several other members of the press. Bottom line? Pretty damn stunning! And understandable why he's taking his time to make this a ground-breaking movie.
Cameron wrote the script before filming Titanic and has kept details of the storyline quiet. Here's what we can tell you: Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation) plays Jake Sully, a 20-something, paraplegic ex-Marine. When presented the opportunity, he goes to work for a corporation that wants to mine a material called Unobtainium on the planet Pandora. Problem is the planet's inhabited by the Na'vi — 10'-tall, skinny, blue, alien-like creatures. The natives refuse to help mine the material, so the corporation creates hybrids using DNA from humans and the Na'vi. These are the avatars. Sully's estranged identical twin brother had enrolled in the program years earlier, but died. Because he has the same DNA, the corporation recruits Sully to activate and control the avatar that was created for his brother.
From here, it's an incredible journey on Pandora, which is full of monstrous creatures — one had the nose of a hammerhead shark and the body of a rhinoceros, others are amped-up, fierce versions of what seem like dogs and tigers — along with floating jellyfish-like creatures, mid-air suspended waterfalls, and vibrantly colored plants and flowers. Avatar's alternate world is a sight to behold.
Co-producer Jon Landau introduced the material, explaining why Cameron waited to make Avatar until the technology was right: He didn't want to use motion-capture (like that in Beowulf and Disney's upcoming A Christmas Carol) because he felt it lacks the letter "E" emotion. Rather, image-based technology was used here. And Cameron shot with a virtual camera, so when looking through the view-finder he would see a low-resolution version of the characters — not the actual actors.
Gotta say, we had no idea what to expect of this movie. Given the release-date extensions, and knowing the attention to detail Cameron puts in his work, we hoped not to be let down. And what we saw did NOT disappoint.
If you're going to Comic-Con, be ready to be amazed!
Posted 07.17.09 by reelz -
Naibe Reynoso is a correspondent for ReelzChannel TV's Movie News, and occasionally shares stories from the field.
As previously reported, even though Peter Facinelli won his Twitter challenge with Rob DeFranco, he decided to give up his Twilight chair. And he used the event to benefit his favorite charities, which received $10,000 from Affliction, the clothing store where the event was held.
I was there June 30th on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles to see Facinelli bestow the chair to one lucky fan who follows him on Twitter, and to witness the losing DeFranco dance down Hollywood Boulevard in a bikini singing "Single Ladies."
Fans came from as far away as Denver for the event, which included a signing. "The line outside was unbelievably humbling to me," said Facinneli, "and I appreciate each one of them." Humble and charitable — he more than lives up to Carlisle Cullen's reputation, I'd say!
Posted 07.07.09 by reelz -
Naibe Reynoso is a correspondent for ReelzChannel TV's Movie News, and occasionally shares stories from the field.
Peter Facinelli, me, and iced tea. It has a nice ring to it. We squeezed into a booth at "The Grill" on Hollywood and Highland. It was a date of sorts (a girl can dream, right?) — a TV date set up by my producers to talk about New Moon and Nurse Jackie, his Showtime series.
While he plays a doctor in both, Dr. Fitch Cooper is darker than Twilight's Carlisle Cullen. And not just his hair and skin. Dr. Cooper suffers from manic highs and lows, and has a nervous tic of touching women inappropriately.
Too bad it's not a real tic because I was sitting only a few inches away during our 45-minute chat.... But I digress.
My interview with Facinelli — in which he talks about differences between New Moon and Twilight, as well as his wife Jennie Garth (sniff, sniff) and their three daughters — will be online later this week.
But I wanted to alert Twilight fans now: Facinelli has a bet going with his friend Rob (DeFranco, not Pattinson). He needs 500,000 Twitter followers by the end of the day on Friday, June 19, or he loses his Twilight set chair to DeFranco.
We can't let that happen. Start the following, Twi-Hards!
Posted 06.16.09 by reelz -
Naibe Reynoso is a correspondent for ReelzChannel TV's Movie News, and occasionally shares stories from the field.
Fans of director Catherine Hardwicke were happy to know she is releasing a book, Twilight: Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer. It will be released on March 17 and I have learned that Hardwicke and a surprise Twilight cast member will be appearing at a secret Los Angeles location. Hardwicke will have an opportunity to talk with fans about her Twilight experience. But don't expect her to slam the franchise; the book is published by Little, Brown and Company, the same publisher as the entire Twilight Saga. They've released a new exclusive early image from the book that shows the crucial items director Catherine Hardwicke kept with her at all times during shooting (such a toothbrush!).
So now that most of the New Moon cast has been confirmed, most recently Dakota Fanning in the role of Jane, and with prepping nearly complete, the fast track to filming has begun. In a recent interview, Rachelle Lefevre (who plays the sultry and vengeful vampire Victoria) told me that her buddy Taylor Lautner has definitely pumped up for the role of Jacob. "He's been eating a lot of protein to build his muscles, and it's worked!" she said. Rumors had whirled a few months ago that his role was at risk, and that actor Michael Copon would take his place. While it wasn't meant to be, don't feel bad for Copon. His IMDB page lists 7 movies that will be released in 2009/2010, including Night of the Demons about a group of kids who go to a Halloween party, only to have to face down a group of demons! It's no New Moon, but in this economy, at least he's got work!
Posted 03.13.09 by reelz -
Jill Simonian is a correspondent for ReelzChannel TV's Movie News, and occasionally shares stories from the field. This week: Race to Witch Mountain and The Rock
Dwayne Johnson is scared of rides at Disneyland. The former Rock may as well be made of steel with arms bigger than the size of my head, but he admitted to me (at the Race to Witch Mountain junket this past weekend) that not being in control of his own motion somewhat creeps him out a bit. To be specific, he "doesn't like rides with lots of hydrolics." The topic came up with director Andy Fickman while discussing a filming device used for Race to Witch Mountain called the Go-Mobile, which allowed them to shoot high-intensity car chase scenes with Johnson actually inside the car. I asked Fickman if he sensed any fear from Johnson while filming the chase scenes, and he responded, "Why don't you ask Dwayne if he's been on any other rides at Disneyland other than the carousel." When I addressed this with Dwayne himself, he laughed, clarified the "hydrolics" specifics, and then added that since he was able to control the bouncing in the car chases, shooting worked out just fine. But Dwayne, if you ever want to give the rides at Disneyland another go around, I'm sure we can find a few girls who won't mind holding your hand through Alice In Wonderland.
Posted 03.09.09 by reelz -
Tune in on December 25 for a special half-hour holiday edition of Dailies. Co-hosted by Gerrad Hall and Jill Simonian, the show takes a look back at the classic movie A Christmas Story, and includes a present-day interview with "Ralphie." These days Peter Billingsley is best known as the producer of the blockbuster Iron Man.
Gerrad and Jill also recap other movies that feature Christmas, although not in the traditional fashion -- Cast Away and Love Actually. Plus, they suggest three great Santa movies in Gerrad's signature segment ("Reel 2 Rental") and take a humorous look at two Holiday-movie phenomena ("the bad gift" and "the Christmas villain").
Posted 12.24.08 by reelz -
When Watchmen, Zack Snyder's $100-million translation of the classic Alan Moore graphic novel finally comes out in March, it will get the usual 100-word capsule reviews in all the best glossy magazines. In other words, people will still be interested in it, but not that interested. Because then it will be a movie playing in theaters, instead of an object of endless, abstract speculation. In its current incarnation, of course, it's eminently more fascinating. Thus, Entertainment Weekly devotes 624 words to Kevin Smith's reaction to an early screening of the movie -- never mind the fact that Kevin Smith doesn't actually say anything about Watchmen that the long-dead thumb of Gene Siskel couldn't have said, too, in a much more eloquent and witty fashion.
Posted 08.25.08 by reelz -
Jill Simonian is a correspondent for Dailies (ReelzChannel TV, weeknights @ 6PM ET), and occasionally shares stories from the field. This week: Swing Vote
True, he’s an outdoorsy guy.
But I’m talking about Hostess Sno-balls: the pink and white, coconut covered, marshmallow treats. After 61 years on the market, they may soon be used by the Presidential candidates to win Kevin Costner’s vote in November.
Swing Vote is a tender, inspirational comedy about lovable loser Bud Johnson (Costner) and his precocious 12-year-old daughter (played by one of the most gifted onscreen criers I’ve ever seen, newcomer Madeline Carroll). After an Election Day snafu, the United States government needs Bud’s ignorant and apathetic vote to determine who will win the Presidential election. And yes, shameless political bribery ensues.
Given this plotline, I asked Costner’s cast and crew what it would take in real-life to win Costner’s vote. Without a beat of hesitation, director Joshua Michael Stern said “frozen Hostess Sno-balls… with a big glass of milk.” 12-year-old Carroll seconded immediately, informing Costner that he “had one every day!” Costner threw his head back, laughed, and cited that he does have “a moral conscious” when it comes to choosing our next President. (Although he apparently ate so many Sno-balls during filming, they have a cameo in the movie.)
As for the runner-up bribe? Nathan Lane told me that baby-back ribs work every time. (Maybe that explains Swing Vote’s promotional partnership with Outback Steakhouse?)
Watch the story this week on Dailies.
Swing Vote opens nationwide Friday, August 1.
Posted 07.30.08 by reelz -
Buzz about Twilight continues to mount, particularly at the fan-dense Comic-Con convention last weekend. The cast and crew of Twilight had one of their first opportunities to engage the fans, and we interviewed them to gauge their reactions.
Posted 07.29.08 by reelz -
Jill Simonian is a correspondent for Dailies (ReelzChannel TV, weeknights @ 6PM ET), and occasionally shares stories from the field. This week: X-Files
Any "X-philes" out there?
Watching old episodes to prep for the opening of The X-Files 2: I Want to Believe?
It's been ten years (and $187 million) since the first X-Files movie hit theatres to satisfy "X-obsessed appetites" for all things inexplicable. Ah... remember the Black Oil, The Lone Gunman and that Cigarette Smoking Man? Great for past X-Files, but you don't need to know a damn thing about them for the movie. This one's a stand-alone folks. All you have to be ready for is a twisted kidnapping mystery... and violent, barking dogs that do very bad things for very bad people.
But not Chris Carter's dog! The X-Files creator/director/writer/producer had his self-proclaimed inspiration -- or "muse," as Carter identified him -- in our interview room last weekend. In fact, I almost tripped over him when I walked in (the dog... not Carter). Turns out that Larry -- Carter's gorgeous, black oversized terrier -- is super-mellow and super-lucky. He hangs out everywhere the director goes, whether on a movie set or in a beautiful suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. And for good reason: Larry didn't make a single peep. (Which doesn't quite make sense, considering the plot-centric "I hear dogs barking" line in the movie...) But hey, whatever inspires you, Carter! The stories you cook up in that head of yours is beyond genius creativity.
As for the "other" dogs -- the mean ones in the movie -- don't say I didn't warn you.
Get more from Dailies.
Posted 07.24.08 by reelz