One week from today, The Dark Knight Rises finally storms into theaters nationwide. For those of you planning to attend a midnight screening of the film on IMAX, you'll receive the cool Bane poster shown above. Check out the awesome final trailer below that combines footage from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The trilogy will soon be complete...

Microsoft / 343 Industries

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn... After a failed attempt by Peter Jackson to produce a film adaptation of the video game that would've been directed by District 9's Neill Blomkamp, Microsoft—which created the hit Xbox series—is taking it upon itself to turn Halo into a live-action flick. Budgeted between $5 million and $10 million, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is set to debut as a 5-part Web series on Youtube this October. The 5 episodes will then be compiled into a 90-minute feature film (with 15 minutes of extra footage) that will be released on DVD around the same time the Halo 4 video game comes out. Daniel Cudmore, who played Colossus in X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, dons the helmet of Master Chief. The first webisode of Forward Unto Dawn will premiere on Youtube on October 5, while the video game itself will be released in retail stores on November 6.


Microsoft / 343 Industries

In other news regarding blockbuster video games that are getting the live-action film treatment, Ubisoft—which created the Assassin's Creed series—cast Michael Fassbender (of X-Men: First Class and Ridley Scott's Prometheus) as the well-known assassin in the movie version Ubisoft is developing. Check out the awesome computer-generated trailer for the upcoming Assassin's Creed III (out in stores on October 30) below...and imagine how epic the movie would be if it was executed as well as this Youtube clip was. If these motion-captured CG characters and settings were replaced by real and respectable actors (besides Fassbender) in an authentic location and not merely a blue-screen set, and the music was conducted by composers such as...Hans Zimmer or Howard Shore (of the upcoming Hobbit films and The Lord of the Rings trilogy), then Ubisoft will have a nice cinematic winner on its hands. And all of this would be done without the help (or interference) of a major Hollywood movie studio.

"Let the games begin!" That's what Bane declares as he confronts Batman inside the Batcave in The Dark Knight Rises, which will be out in theaters nationwide on July 20th. Seeing as how more than an hour of Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated flick was shot and will be shown on IMAX (whereas 40 minutes of 2008's The Dark Knight was filmed on the 70mm camera), it's only fitting that a theatrical poster and TV spot (from which Bane's quote was taken) would be released to promote the extremely large-screen format. As for the "game" that Bane plays with the Caped Crusader on the big screen 11 days from now— One wonders just how brutal but spectacular it will be between the mercenary who wants to "destroy Gotham" [another (unsurprising) line from Bane in the TV ad] and Batman in this film. The Dark Knight Rises is rated PG-13. I'm sure some vertebrae in Bruce Wayne's back would actually be broken (just as in the Knightfall comics from which Bane cemented his place in Batman lore almost 20 years ago) if the movie was rated R... Oh well.

Ted... I watched the stoner fantasy comedy right after I saw The Amazing Spider-Man at the theater on Tuesday, and what can I say; Seth MacFarlane did it again. He hilariously brings Family Guy's irreverence and raunchiness to his latest live-action flick, which is about a dude named John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) who develops a lifelong friendship with a teddy bear that magically came to life when Bennett was a child. Originally, I thought that Ted was voiced by Seth Rogen (seeing as how the stuffed animal completely sounds like the Knocked Up, Superbad and Green Hornet actor in TV commercials)...but I didn't know that MacFarlane also lent his voice to the trash-talking bear till I actually watched the movie. Of course, an inconsistency with the film is that Ted sounds like Rogen in one scene and Family Guy's Peter Griffin (who's also voiced by MacFarlane) in another!



Along with Mark Wahlberg, Ted's cast also includes the lovely Mila Kunis (who voices Meg on Family Guy and teamed up with Wahlberg in 2008's video game-inspired action flick, Max Payne), Joel McHale (of the NBC TV show, Community), Giovanni Ribisi (in a creepy Sandusky-ish role... If you watch the film you'd know what I was talking about), Patrick Stewart as the movie's narrator, and other Family Guy cast members Patrick Warburton and Alex Borstein. Ted also features cameos by gorgeous music artist Norah Jones, Tom Skerritt of Top Gun fame, Sam Jones of the 1980s TV show Flash Gordon and Ryan Reynolds in a brief but funny role. Everyone here is game to Ted's offbeat humor...with Ms. Jones talking about how she once got it on with the teddy bear, and Warburton and Reynolds playing a newly-merged gay couple. But the movie obviously revolves around Wahlberg's Bennett and Kunis' character Lori Collins...and how Ted continuing to be "thunder buddies" with Bennett is putting a strain on Bennett's relationship with Lori.



While the romance between Lori and John may seem heavy-handed at times, their relationship is still believable...and so is John's friendship with the teddy bear that became alive on Christmas morning in 1985. Although Ted, like John, becomes a foul-mouth bong smoker once he got older, he never loses the charm that makes a stuffed animal a person's best friend when he/she's a little child. Despite Ted making sexual comments about an employer's wife during a job interview (Ted got hired anyway because the employer liked the bear's trash-talking attitude), thanking Norah Jones "for 9/11" (despite the fact Jones is actually an Indian-American who's not Muslim) and partying with prostitutes in which one of them defecated on the floor of Lori's apartment, the audience I watched the movie with still responded with an "Awww" whenever a cute close-up of the teddy bear showed up on screen. And audience members remarked with "No!" when Giovanni Ribisi's creepy dad and his fat son/lover (according to Ted) was about to maim the teddy bear after he was kidnapped by the duo in the movie's climax. Oops, I forgot to say spoiler alert.



So to give the gist of this review, I enjoyed the movie Ted. How many other films do you hear characters telling thunder (the sound that accompanies lightning...not Oklahoma City's professional basketball team that fell short of winning an NBA championship last month) to "suck their d**k"? And when's the next time you'll see an animated live-action teddy bear getting into a brawl with a duck? Yes, you heard right. And when's the next time you'll see a stuffed animal having sex with a hot blonde co-worker (despite the fact Ted commented later on in the film that he didn't have a penis. Did he use a strap-on or something? Okay, I won't go there)? These are only some of the many ridiculous scenes that make Ted a hilarious flick. If you're a fan of Family Guy and MacFarlane's other cartoons American Dad and The Cleveland Show, then you'll enjoy Ted. If you despise MacFarlane and think that the cartoons mentioned above are works of the devil, then you'll hate it. You'll probably despise it even more if you have Lou Gehrig's disease. See the movie to know what I'm talking about.

Oh, and the name of the teddy bear I had when I was a kid is Fuzzy. I'm sure he can score with a lot of hot trashy chicks if he came alive too. That is all.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Movie Review... So I saw the latest installment in the webslinger film saga today, and the first thing that needs to be said is, yes— It is better than Spider-Man 3. And while it is on par with the first flick that was released in theaters in 2002, The Amazing Spider-Man isn't of the same caliber as 2004's Spider-Man 2...the best Spidey film so far. The Lizard looks very monstrous in director Marc Webb's take on the hit comic book movie franchise, but he isn't as memorable a villain as Doc Ock was in Spider-Man 2. Other than this though, Webb conveys the same awesome webslinging action that Sam Raimi pulled off in the three original films.



In terms of casting, Andrew Garfield did a good job portraying Peter Parker in the new flick. Like Tobey Maguire in the original trilogy, Garfield gives Parker that same high-pitched adolescent voice...though unlike Maguire, it seems like Garfield was not told to add any mass on before The Amazing Spider-Man began production. True to the comic book, Spidey isn't very buff in this movie. But what he lacks in stature, Garfield's webslinger makes up for in great agility and strength (as shown in that subway scene where Parker discovers his new powers after being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, and when he taunts a class bully to steal a basketball from Parker during that amusing moment in the gym). Emma Stone is believable and lovely as Gwen Stacy (who was played by Bryce Dallas-Howard in Spider-Man 3). There were no groans in the audience when a close-up of Stone was showed on the big screen—unlike when Kirsten Dunst had her close-ups as Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man 2 and 3. Not to sound mean or anything; Dunst looked totally hot as a complete red head in the first Spider-Man film (especially in that memorable rain scene where she shares that upside-down kiss with Spidey).



In terms of story, The Amazing Spider-Man's biggest weakness is that we have to watch the same events that transpired in the 2002 film—which is the problem with reboots. Much like Tim Burton's Batman and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, where we see two different portrayals of Bruce Wayne's parents being gunned down on the street, we have to watch another depiction of Uncle Ben getting shot in this flick and a different take on how Parker responds to the tragedy and becomes Spider-Man. The material doesn't become original, so to speak, till Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) injects himself with a serum that will turn him into the Lizard. The best moments in this film are when Spidey confronts this villainous reptile in the sewers and above the skyscrapers of New York City...in awesome action scenes that Marc Webb executed with skill despite the fact his last directorial job on a major motion picture was the 2009 romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer.



In terms of the film score, James Horner's music is good but doesn't seem as memorable as those composed by Danny Elfman for the first two Spider-Man flicks. Of course, I initially said the same thing about Elfman's score on the first Spider-Man movie after listening to his awesome music on the first Tim Burton Batman flick countless of times. The Amazing Spider-Man's music sounds very similar to Avatar, which Horner also worked on. This isn't a surprise though; Avatar's music sounds similar to that of Titanic, whose score also sounds similar to the one for Apollo 13. Don't get me wrong though— I like Horner's music. It's just that his scores haven't surprised me as much as Hans Zimmer's music does. (I didn't know that Zimmer composed the music for Disney's 1994 classic The Lion King till a few years ago... It totally sounds different from his scores on flicks such as Crimson Tide and Gladiator.) But let's not change the subject here.



All-in-all, The Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining movie. I'm not well-versed in Spidey lore, so I don't know (SPOILERS AHEAD) who that mysterious figure is who confronts Dr. Connors inside his jail cell during the movie's end credits. But I welcome that scene though...as I don't mind a sequel being made to this rebooted take on the film franchise executed with aplomb (for the most part) by Sam Raimi. I want to know what happens between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy after what transpired in the movie's climax, and if this rendition of Parker will meet Mary Jane in a future sequel. Just don't have Parker dance on the street though— Friggin' Spider-Man 3.

$605 million and counting... That's how much The Avengers has made domestically since it was released nationwide on May 4. If it weren't for the fact Titanic was re-released in theaters two months ago, The Avengers could've ended its theatrical run as the second highest-grossing movie domestic-wise behind Avatar...which made $761 million in the U.S. alone after it came out in theaters in December of 2009. (Titanic ended its original run at $601 million in 1997-'98...but increased its box office gross to $659 million after last April's 3-D cinematic update.)

While the chances of The Dark Knight Rises making as much money in the U.S. as The Avengers seems unlikely (considering the fact the upcoming Batman film will be shown on IMAX but not in 3-D), Christopher Nolan's third and final installment in the Caped Crusader saga will make up for this in substance. Much like the first Iron Man movie in 2008, The Avengers will obviously be known as a great popcorn flick...while The Dark Knight Rises, like The Dark Knight in 2008, will be known for its substantial message about making sacrifices and how far people can be pushed before they descend into madness and lawlessness in society. Don't get me wrong though— I plan on buying The Avengers once it comes out on DVD, whenever that will be. But I'll be more excited to complete The Dark Knight trilogy on DVD once this July's much-anticipated flick eventually becomes available on disc in retail stores.

Skyfall... Check out the official teaser trailer to this November's new installment in the James Bond franchise. Skyfall, which hits theaters nationwide on November 9, is directed by Sam Mendes and has Daniel Craig reprising his role as the iconic British spy. Judi Dench is back as M, while newcomers Bérénice Marlohe and Naomie Harris are making appearances as Bond girls in Skyfall. Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem will also appear in the 23rd Bond film, with Bardem playing Raoul Silva—the movie's main villain.

Taken 2... Check out the international trailer for this year's sequel to the popular 2008 film about Liam Neeson beating the crap out of a whole lotta bad guys dumb enough to mess with his family. Speaking of which, someone on my Facebook page posted this cool meme below. So true.

Taken 2 gets released in theaters nationwide on October 5.

The Amazing Spider-Man... Here are a couple of screenshots and publicity stills from the reboot of the hit comic book film franchise, which gets released in theaters nationwide on July 3.

Prometheus... I saw Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi thriller earlier today, and for those of you still wondering, yes— It is indeed a prequel to Scott's 1979 classic, Alien. Obviously, there are a ton of signs during Prometheus to show you that it's the latest installment in the space monster movie franchise, but it isn't towards the end of the new flick where you officially get the payoff to confirm the tie-in. Though in hindsight, that money shot may have seemed contrived and tacked on...as if it just occurred to Scott late in the film's production process, Oh snap, I just realized that moviegoers are gonna watch this movie primarily to see an alien from Alien, and not because a hot, Oscar-winning babe like Charlize Theron is in it. I know I was waiting throughout the flick to see the iconic creature make its appearance onscreen. And yes, I also watched Prometheus because the lovely actress from South Africa is in it.



As for the rest of Prometheus, it was entertaining. The ship itself is pretty cool. I like its design, though it's too bad Prometheus doesn't last long enough to get off the mysterious world Theron, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba and company land on to investigate. In terms of the cast itself, they did a good job. Ridley Scott made the right choice in selecting Rapace (whose last major Hollywood film was 2011's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) to have the lead role as Elizabeth Shaw (who would have originally been played by Theron if she didn't have scheduling conflicts). Guy Pearce—who was in Academy Award winners like The Hurt Locker and The King's Speech, as well as this year's sci-fi flop Lockout—donned prosthetic makeup to play Peter Weyland, a decrepit man whose corporation was alluded to in past Alien films. Not to spoil the ending (other than what I've already mentioned in the previous paragraph), but the conclusion of Prometheus lends the movie to a potential sequel. Then again, maybe not; I think audiences won't be as excited to follow the exploits of a spiritual, knowledge-seeking protagonist like Elizabeth Shaw as they would be seeing Sigourney Weaver's heroic antihero Ellen Ripley kick some major extraterrestrial ass.



Prometheus, being a prequel, is obviously an origins story—just like the 2005 film Batman Begins (which, like Prometheus, also had several scenes shot in Iceland). In terms of horror, I personally thought Prometheus is relatively tame compared to Alien. It may possibly be due to the fact the extraterrestrial beings we see in Prometheus are human-like creatures (called Engineers) who seemed benevolent for most of the flick. By Alien, however, danger is in full swing...with Ripley fighting for survival against the familiar black xenomorph with sharp teeth, acid blood and an elongated skull. Not that this is a criticism of Prometheus. The mystery aspect of its storyline is well-done. To quote David, the android played by Michael Fassbender: "Big things have small beginnings."



All-in-all, Prometheus is a good flick. It didn't blow me away the same way other Ridley Scott films like Gladiator and Black Hawk Down did when I first watched them at the theater, but this new movie got the job done. It's a nice addition to the Alien franchise—which is more than you can say for the cheesy Alien vs. Predator films. Prometheus was shot in 3-D; my viewing experience of this flick probably would've been more enjoyable if I watched it in this format. But it is what it is...and I say that it's cool that Scott returned to his sci-fi roots with Prometheus. Now bring on Blade Runner 2! That is all.