PREVIEW: OCTOBER 2010 MOVIES

The month of October is coming real soon. With that, we are left with the final three months of the year. How's your movie going for this year? Great? If it is not been a great year ahead, I know and I understand. Besides Inception, How To Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3, did any other movies pleased you as well? Fear not, the last three months of the year will definitely ends in a bang mood. There is some shimmering hope to revitalize the year end with some great movies installed to you. This is Green Tea Movie's Preview for October 2010 in Malaysia.

THE TOWN Releasing Date: 07 October Distributor: Warner Bros.

The Town is the second directorial debut for Ben Affleck after the critical success of Gone Baby Gone. Releasing this October 7 nationwide, The Town depicts the story of "four Charlestown, Massachusetts bank robbers as they are pursued by law enforcement. Affleck plays a professional thief who falls for a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) after a dangerous heist. He struggles with this newfound relationship whilst evading a tenacious FBI agent (Jon Hamm) looking to catch him and his crew before they rob another bank." The Town stars Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall and Blake Lively.

BURIED Releasing Date: 14 October Distributor: Lionsgate

Buried came out fresh from this year's Sundance and has received much attention since then. The Rodrigo Cortes film stars Ryan Reynolds as "Paul Conroy, a truck driver, awakens buried alive six feet underground with nothing but a lighter, a knife and a cell phone. Although he has no idea as to how he got there, he soon starts to remember what has happened to him." I have to say that the concept is pretty intriguing. Buried also stars Anne Lockhart and Ivana Miño.
Continue for more October previews.

MICHEAL NYQVIST JOINS 'MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 4'

Tom Cruise, JJ Abrams and Brad Bird's big project on the fourth Mission: Impossible movie has added a new cast this weekend. For the fourth franchise which aiming for a reboot button while continuing the story from the first three series, Cruise has assembled a team consisting of new and returning members. As far as we have concerned, Jeremy Renner will be his right-hand man, Paula Patton will be the young female operator in the team, and Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg will be returning.


Weeks ago, we heard that Noomi Rapace was on town for some discussion about starring, but she eventually passed out this series for a French gypsy role in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes 2 project otherwise. Now, we have a confirmation news from Paramount that Michael Nyqvist will be taking a villainous role in the movie.

TRAILER: HARRY POTTER 7 PART 1

Green Tea Movie has heard about the news that a new trailer for the upcoming Warner Bros' darling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will goes online today since four days ago. Oh, watch this trailer first shall you?





The part one of the Harry Potter 7 movie is just a beginning to the finale on one of the most valuable movie franchise in the history. In the final chapter, it is about the time when Harry, Hermione and Ron to face up with the evil Lord Voldermort and we hope that will brings the movie franchise into a satisfying curtain-lowering-movie. Honestly, I have been quite disappointed with the last two Harry Potter movies which I gave quite a mediocre rating although many critics embraced it.


We shall see if this will be somewhat as promising as the trailer looks like this coming November 19 in USA and a day earlier in Malaysia. You can catch it on normal format and in 3D. David Yates directs the two-part finale, with casting including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Felton and many more.

MOVIE REVIEW: STEP UP 3-D

STEP UP 3-D (English/PG13)
Genre: Drama/Dance
Release Date: 26 August 2010
Distributor: Buena Vista, Summit Entertainment, Nusantara Edaran Filem
Running Time: 107 minutes
Director: John Chu
Producers: Patrick Wachsberger, Erik Feig, Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot
Writers: Amy Andelson, Emily Meyer, Duane Adler
Casts: Rick Malambri, Adam Sevani, Sharni Vinson, alyson Stoner
Plot: New York's intense street dancing underground comes alive in eye-popping Digital 3D in the third installment of the "Step Up" franchise as the raw, passion-fuelled culture goes global. A tight-knit group of street dancers, including Luke (Rick Malambri) and Natalie (Sharni Vinson), team up with NYU freshman Moose (Adam Sevani), and find themselves pitted against the world's best breakdancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.

THE VERDICT

COULD SACHA BARON COHEN PLAYS FREDDIE MERCURY?

Not so long ago, there is an attempt to make a movie biopic based on Nirvana's legendary vocal rocker Kurt Cobain. Oren Moverman (The Messenger) has approached the idea to the Universal Pictures for endorsement. So far, we have not heard any feedback following that. Here's even better. Peter Morgan who has wrote lots of good screenplay like The Queen, is now writing a screenplay for the biopic about the legendary rock band Queen while more precisely, a biopic about Freddie Mercury. For that role, apparently the British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has inked a deal to play the legendary rocker.


What? Who's Queen? The ever famous 70s, 80s and 90s four piece British rock band that achieved so many phenomenal success for songs like Bohemian Rhapsody (my favourite), We are the Champion, The March of the Black Queen and Under Pressure, lead by the controversial lead vocalist Freddie Mercury.


According to Deadline and Slash Film, the project and casting were confirmed with the financiers GK Films and should start production in 2011. Paramount Pictures will do the distributing works. The biopic should tackle the time frame that leading up to Queen's appearance at Live Aid 1985 while Mercury's death in 1991 won't be addressed. In the process GK Films has obtained rights to some of Queen's classic track to be featured in the film.

TRAILER: TANGLED, THE TOURIST, THE FIGHTER

Three trailers arrived online today. First of all we have Tangled, an upcoming animation that features the adaptation of the classic Rapunzel with a lot addition of some elements from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Plot-wise; When the kingdom's most wanted and most charming bandit, Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), hides out in a mysterious tower, he's taken hostage by Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn's curious captor, who's looking for her ticket out of the tower where she's been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo set off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. The animation will arrives this November 24 in US and November 25 in Malaysia.



More trailers after the jump.

THE NIGHT CHRONICLES CONTINUES WITH REINCARNATE

Yesterday, GREEN TEA BERN was able to sneak preview the early release of M Night Shyamalan's produced Devil, the first in the planned three series in The Night Chronicles. GTB has posted on the Twitter regarding a sneak short review about the movie. What I can said, the movie lacked certain idea and depends too much on randomness to persist. It wasn't that bad either, considering Shyamalan had made even worst movies previously.


Now, while the full review of Devil is not baked yet, news have emerged on Deadline and Slash Film that the second part of the chronicles has already in the development. Twelve Strangers as it previously titled has now retitled into Reincarnate. Buried screenwriter Chris Sparling was hired to write the second Night Chronicles film, while The Last Exorcism director Daniel Stamm is now confirmed and set to helm the movie.


No casting has been made but the shooting is expected to begin next year. Reincarnate will remain to focus on the supernatural encounter experienced by a jury, who holds the key to a case revolving around an accused murderer.


SOURCES: Slash Film, Deadline

MOVIE REVIEW: THE EXPENDABLES

THE EXPENDABLES (English/18+)

Genre: Action/Adventure

Release Date: 13 August 2010

Distributor: Lionsgate

Running Time: 105 minutes

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Producers: Avi Lerner, Kevin King Templeton, John Thompson

Writers: Sylvester Stallone, David Callaham

Casts: Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Steve Austin

Plot: Fearless Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is leader of a tight-knit band of men - Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), ex-SAS and skilled with any bladed weapon; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a close combat master; Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), a long-barrel weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), a skilled demolitions expert; and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a veteran in precision sniping. When the mysterious Church offers Barney a job no one else would take, the team embark on what appears to be a routine mission: overthrow General Gaza (David Zayas), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena. There, Barney and Christmas meet Sandra (Giselle Itie), a local freedom fighter with a dark secret. They also learn the true enemy - rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (Eric Roberts) and his henchman Paine (Steve Austin). When things go wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra for dead. Haunted by this failure, they return to Vilena to finish the job he started.

THE VERDICT

OPENING THIS WEEK: DEVIL

Initially The American was scheduled for this week but due to some circumstances; Devil is the only new opening this week nationwide. While Resident Evil: Afterlife will continue to assault for the top of the week in terms of box office, Devil will provide some alternative entertainment.

DEVIL

Devil is the first movie in the planned trilogy known as The Night Chronicles. It will see a return to the supernatural thriller concept for the used to be famous M Night Shyamalan. This time Shyamalan opted to stay behind the camera reel as the story writer and producer while handing the directorial job to Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle.


Devil is the story about five strangers are trapped in an elevator in a Philadelphia office tower. After many strange and terrifying things happen to the group, they realize the Devil is among them in human form. The film stars Chris Messina (Julie & Julia), Logan Marshall-Green (The O.C. TV series), Jenny O'Hara, Jacob Vargas (Death Race), Matt Craven (Disturbia) and Bojana Novakovic.

RIP KEVIN McCARTHY (1914-2010)

Many audience in the contemporary modern world may not know who is he. But the 96 years old passed away due to natural cause on September 11, after spending an amazing acting career, Kevin McCarthy had been nominated for an Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe win for his role in Death of a Salesman. Otherwise, he is best known for starring in the 1956 horror science fiction Invasion of the Body Snatchers.


Born in Seattle, Washington in 1914, he attended the University of Minnesota, where he participated in his first play Henry IV, Part 1, and discovered a love of acting. MTV Movies' Adam Rosenberg described McCarthy as "had a knack for playing the smiling villain; his kindly face belied the evil genius lurking within." Of course there are countless number of films in which McCarthy were best remembered for his devious cynical and villainous characters including the one in 1987's Innerspace (directed by Joe Dante, co-stars Dennis Quaid)), 1992's The Distinguished Gentleman (with Eddie Murphy) and 1989's UHF (also starring Weird Al Yankovic). McCarthy also stars in many science fiction and horror related titles over his 70 years of acting career, which includes 1978's original Piranha and 1983's Twilight Zone The Movie.


My condolence to the family of Kevin McCarthy. He is survived by Kate Crane, his wife of 40 years, and their two children, as well as three other children from a previous marriage.


SOURCES: MTV Movies

NOOMI RAPACE SCORES A LEAD ROLE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES 2

There are some speculations running down previously in the post "Hansel & Gretel" that I wrote over the weekend. Yes, I did mentioned that the original star of the Swedish Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Noomi Rapace has been linked with a possiblity to lead in Sherlock Holmes 2. Well, it seems all in place now.


Rapace will have her first English-language role as the female lead in Sherlock Holmes 2 opposite Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law. Her role is still sealed tightly but some sources claimed she'll play a "French gypsy" and will be the new romantic interest since Rachel Mcadams' Irene Adler will have a much reduced role in the sequel.


Guy Ritchie is slowly building the movie by upping the game a little bit for the sequel. We are still left to guess what the story is going to be but we are definitely assured that Holmes' arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty will definitely making some entrance.


On the list we have Robert Downey Jr (check), Jude Law (check), Rachel McAdam (check), Noomi Rapace (check). Now we need more details on the story and who will be Professor Moriarty.


SOURCE: Screen Rant

TRAILER: MEGAMIND, HEREAFTER

Oops, there are another two trailers that I have yet to include from the previous post! Silly me! Here on this post, we have Megamind and Hereafter, both set for opening later this year.

First off, we have Megamind. We have previously seen the first trailer and then some sneak preview from San Diego Comic-Con back in August. Oh, now we have the third trailer to present to you. Obviously speaking, there isn't much of recycling of footage from the first trailer, but instead now we deal more and more into the story now. Nevertheless, spoilers do appear here and there. Megamind stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt (ehem) in the voice casting of course. The DreamWorks' animation is coming this November 4 in Malaysia and a day later in US.

Next after the jump, the trailer for Hereafter.

TRAILER: PRIEST GOES OFFICIAL

Next Summer, Paul Bettany will be teaming up with director Scott Stewart once again. This time, the duo sets to erase the bad memory and bitter taste surrounding the release of early this year's badass Legion movie. I doubted that will happen, but by judging on the trailer, the upcoming religious cult-themed vampire movie Priest is really kick-ass. Yes, the official trailer for the movie Priest has landed online recently and you can watch it below:

Priest is presented with the dystopian world where the Churches are run via corporation. Outside the city, it seems that the humanity has lost and the world became chaotic with the emergence of new breed of vampires. Paul Bettany is the Christian warrior priest whose niece was abducted by a group of vampires. He decided to disobey the Church order by teaming up with a priestess (Maggie Q) and a young sheriff (Cam Gigandet). They tracked down a group of vampires lead by their Satanic priest, Black Hat (Karl Urban).

An action-packed it seems, somebody must have noted the similarity with Van Helsing! Priest is an adaptation from the Korean manhwa of the same name and is coming to theaters May 13 in US and May 12 in Malaysia.

MOVIE REVIEW: TEKKEN and LOVE IN DISGUISE

TEKKEN (English/18+)
Genre: Action/Adventure
Release Date: 05 August 2010
Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment, Golden Screen Cinemas
Running Time: 91 minutes
Director: Dwight H Little
Producers: Steven Paul, Benedict Carver, Iddo Lampton Enochs
Writers: Michael Colleary, Alan B McElroy, Mike Werb
Casts: Jon Foo, Kelly Overton, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Ian Anthony Dale, Tamlyn Tomita
Plot: Based on the fighting game series of the same name. The film follows rebellious teenage fighter Jin Kazama (Jon Foo) in his attempts to enter the Iron Fist Tournament to avenge the loss of his mother, Jun Kazama, by confronting his father, Kazuya Mishima (Ian Anthony Dale) and his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), the latters of whom he thought were responsible for her death. In the year 2039, after World Wars destroy much of civilisation as we know it, territories are no longer run by governments, but by corporations; the mightiest of which is the Mishima Zaibatsu. To placate the seething masses of this dystopia, Mishima sponsors the King of Iron Fist Tournament, or Tekken, in which fighters battle until one is left standing, who in turn will receive a lifetime of stardom and wealth. We are introduced to this violent world through the eyes of Jin Kazama.

THE VERDICT

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LAST AIRBENDER

THE LAST AIRBENDER (English/PG13)

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

Release Date: 05 August 2010

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Running Time: 110 minutes

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Producers: M Night Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Sam Mercer, Scott Aversano

Writers: M Night Shyamalan

Casts: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Shaun Toub

Plot: M. Night Shyamalan's latest is about Aang, a 10-year old successor to a long line of Avatars, who must put his childhood ways aside and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.

YOU WANT A HANSEL AND GRETEL MOVIE, YOU GOT IT

Is it me or just them been one of the most soughted person in the Hollywood these days? We have some great news in case you admire Mr Jeremy Renner and Miss Noomi Rapace (she's in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) Excited? Yes? Here's why:


Apparently both Renner and Noomi may play the titular characters in the upcoming fresh version of the classic adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, a German fairytale by the Brothers Grimm. Hansel and Gretel follows a young brother and sister who discover a house of candy and cake in the forest and a cannibalistic witch. But here'a twist - the fresh version will not be ...ehem... featuring kids.


The new version, currently entitled Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is set to be Norwegian's Tommy Wirkola's English-language directorial debut. When I say this is not a kids movie, I was right. Apparently the new version will focus Hansel and Gretel 15 years after the event in the gingerbread house and they are now the trained bounty hunters of witches - sounds like Supernatural right?

PORTMAN REPLACES JOLIE FOR GRAVITY?

A few days ago, Alfonso Cuaron's upcoming stranded sci-fi thriller Gravity was in the edge of danger following the decision by Angelina Jolie to pass out the offered lead role to focus her attention on her first directorial project. While Robert Downey Jr has agreed to do a part for the movie, understand this - the movie is a perpetual sci-fi that takes on a POV of one character mostly - the lead actress' role. Remember Tom Hanks in Cast Away?


With Angelina Jolie passed out, the studio has frantically looking for someone who can draw in a massive audience like Jolie did. However, there isn't much for them to choose. With actress like Scarlett Johansson, Blake Lively, Naomi Watts, Sandra Bullock and Marion Cottilard been on the list, the studio has finally approached Natalie Portman to offer her the lead role. So, will Portman accepted the offer?


Screen Rant and Risky Business reported that the reason why Portman was selected was because of her early critical acclaim performance in the upcoming Oscar runner film, Black Swan - the dark revenge thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky. Gravity centers on a woman stranded on a space station after satellite debris smashes into it and kills the rest of her crew. The movie also will be shot in CGI (more than 60%) and the opening shot is supposed to be one fluid shot that lasts around 20 minutes.


Should she accepted the role? Anyway, we hope to see some decision soon. Gravity is currently slated for 2011 December release.


SOURCES: Risky Business of THR, Screen Rant

MOVIE REVIEW: SHANGHAI and SALT

First of all, GREEN TEA MOVIE would like to apologize for the delay in updating this movie blog. As I have been saying, I was occupied by my works in the college and therefore, this movie blog is stuck in the limbo....Fear not, GTM is now back into business and I have written short reviews (instead of the usual lengthy detailed and constructive reviews) to summarize the whole thing. Since the last post on The Sorceror's Apprentice, Green Tea Movie is behind the schedule for more than a dozen movies. Well, I have decided to do two or three short reviews per post for all the movies that I have missed. Stay tune as I updated more reviews soon. CHEERS!

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SHANGHAI (English, Chinese, Japanese/18+)
Genre: Drama/Mystery
Release Date: 22 July 2010
Distributor: The Weinstein Company, Nusantara Edaran Filem
Running Time: 105 minutes
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Producers: Mike Medavoy, Barry Mendel, Jake Myers
Writers: Hossein Amini
Casts: John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yun-Fat, Ken Watanabe, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, David Morse, Franka Potente
Plot: US Secret Agent Paul Soames (John Cusack) returns to a corrupt Japanese-occupied Shanghai four months before Pearl Harbor, only to discover that a friend has been killed. While he unravels the mysteries of the death, he falls in love and gradually discovers a much larger secret that his own government is hiding.

CRUISE AND McAVOY CONSIDERED FOR AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS

Back then, when the news broke out that Guillermo del Toro has left the production of The Hobbit, many were left devastated. Later, Guillermo has began to tantalize all his previous pipelines of planned projects including Slaughterhouse-Five, Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...oh and not to forget the adaptation of HP Lovecraft's At The Mountains Of Madness.


Speaking of that, this bring us to the real exciting story. Back in July while Green Tea Movie was kind off busy, we heard the rumour that Guillermo del Toro was directing this with super director James Cameron. Well, it seems that, yes, the news seems to have some validity after all. No longer it is a rumour but this has formed a new dream team that will guarantee something huge soon.


There is another news in relation to the project itself and it seems like both Tom Cruise and James McAvoy are considered for a role, as quoted by the good people at Collider. They claimed that Universal is eyeing McAvoy while del Toro wants Cruise, while the name Chris Pine was also mentioned (only to be wrote off later due to his hectic schedule). Technically, both names emerged onto the surface now with different backing.


The movie has no tentative release yet but Screen Rant believe that the production could go as soon as the mid of 2011. Who ever won the role could have a significant impact on the movie. Oh, prepare your 3D glasses now okay?


SOURCES: Collider, Screen Rant

GEMMA ARTETON COULD JOIN ALIEN PREQUELS AND THE KEYS TO THE STREET

Gemma Arteton is not exactly the big name yet but ever since she was casted as Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace opposite to Daniel Craig, her career has been steadily moving forward. Yeah, many should find her sexy after all, especially the picture above....keep on drooling please! No one can discounted the fact that she has the exotic look, pretty and one sorta-talented act to be noticed for future. Fear not, she has lamented two important roles opposite Sam Worthington in Clash Of The Titans and Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia this year and we can expect more from her.


According to an interview to The Sunday Times (as quoted by Screen Rant), she revealed that she has been approached by Ridley Scott to appear in the upcoming two 3D prequel projects to his 1979 sci-fi horror Alien. The project has been getting lots of attention these days considering that Scott is returning to the movie he brainchild for more than 30 years now. Considering the status Arteton has achieved so far, I believe this could further cemented her career.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE REBOOTS?

It comes in as a shocker. The team behind the Mission: Impossible - Tom Cruise and producer JJ Abrams have envisioned that the upcoming Mission: Impossible IV will indeed a reboot. The news as such began to surface last week and it was reported that the fourth installment will not carrying any of the trademark Mission: Impossible title in it. This sounds similar to what Warner Bros has did to the second Batman movie under Nolan's helm that carried no 'Batman' title in it.


Variety reported that paramount isn't just interested in making one Mission: Impossible movie merely, but preferred the fourth one would not carrying what was left in the third film.


The fourth film has Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg, all returning for the new movie. If this is a reboot, how will these familiar faces fit in? If this is a reboot, will we see Ethan Hunt, a role that Cruise has been carrying for the last 3 installments could ceased on this fourth one? Is it possible that Ethan Hunt will pass the baton to another potential stars?

CLASH OF THE TITANS SEQUEL GETS A DIRECTOR

Warner Bros has announced the appointment of Jonathan Liebesman to direct the sequel to Clash of the Titans. Liebesman, the director of the upcoming alien invasion blockbuster Battle: Los Angeles has been on the top choice since word broke out back in June that Warner Bros was looking for a replacement to Louis Leterrier.


Heat Vision Blog and Screen Rant reported the news along with the uphill task to bring the epic sword-and-sandal picture to overcome the bad taste of the first film, where the studio has spent the whole summer discussing about the film. For most of my opinion, I thought Clash of the Titans was a decent adventure - not epic nor grand in any scale, particularly a bit shameful considering the poor quality following the post-production 3-D conversion that really ****s.


There are still some reasons to look forward for the second adventure of Perseus and Io after all. Back then, it was claimed that the film will indeed shot in 3D. The studio has been attaching the sequel with some of the top talent writer for the movie - including Dan Mazeau and Leslie Johnson's script and Greg Berlanti's further treatment could be something to look for.


We suggest that the fans should not be surprised if both sam Worthington and Gemma Arteton will be reprising their role. Titans 2 may hit the theaters as early as 2012.