The Hush-Hush News Report 12.21.11: The Hobbit Trailer Has Arrived Straight From Middle-Earth

Posted by Jeremy Wilson on 12.21.2011

News and thoughts on criticism of Bane's voice in The Dark Knight Rises' trailer, the new poster and trailer for The Hobbit, the upcoming trailer for Prometheus, the problems surrounding Thor 2 and more!





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Before we get started, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish all the fabulous 411 readers a very merry Christmas (and "general seasonal Holiday" to those who don't celebrate it!). However your year has gone and whatever your circumstances may be, I hope the holiday provides some respite and a bit of joy to you and yours. Eat, drink and be merry. And keep coming back to 411 over the holiday. Lots of good stuff on the way in every zone...I promise. Now, on with the news...



The Hobbit Trailer Is HERE!



Maybe you will have seen the new trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey by the time you read this (it is scheduled to be broadcast/streamed via satellite (I'm sure John Cena has a joke about The Rock somewhere in there) at 10pm Tuesday night and again Wednesday at 9am. You can also see it in front of The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn and will also more than likely be able to check it out any number of places across the internet RIGHT HERE AT 411 sometime soon. Until then, check out the newest still image from the picture, showing Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and count down the hours, minutes, seconds until we get our first peak at our return trip to Middle-Earth.

**LATE-BREAKING: New TRAILER and POSTER released for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. And yes, it is EPIC stuff. We'll go more in-depth next week. What a week for trailers. 2012 is shaping up to be unbelievable.






Trailer For The Dark Knight Rises Arrives: Can You Hear Me Now?



Earlier this week, the newest trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" arrived on the heels of the 6-minute prologue attached to the IMAX screenings for "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol". While generally well received, a bit of controversy has blossomed concerning the clarity of Bane's voice in both the prologue and trailer. It seems enough criticism has been levied that executives inside Warner Borthers want Christopher Nolan to change the sound mix before the film releases this summer. The problem? Nolan has creative control and only plans to "change the sound slightly, not rework it entirely."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Sources close to the movie say Warner Bros. is very aware of the sound issue. One source working on the film says he is "scared to death" about "the Bane problem." However, one high-ranking studio executive at WB stated: "Chris wants the audience to catch up and participate rather than push everything at them. He doesn't dumb things down. You've got to pedal faster to keep up."

"The Dark Knight Rises" opens on July 20th, 2012.

Oh boy..we have CONTROVERSY. Yes, the trailer is all kinds of awesome. And yes, Bane is nearly incomprehensible. When I first saw the prologue, I actually thought Bane's voice wasn't that bad and the complaints was being overblown a bit. I mean, a lot of that is taking place in a plane. That still might be true to a certain extent (especially since the film hasn't even finished post-production yet, which would clean things up a bit). But after watching that trailer a couple of times, it is really hard – even for Batman and Nolan fanboys/apologists – to try and spin it any other way. They absolutely have to clean the sound mix on Bane's voice up. I don't know if "tweaking" will do the trick or not, but I think it would be a mistake for Nolan to be stubborn about this. I mean "When Gotham is ashes…you have my permission to die," is a GREAT line which is essentially buried. If it's a creative decision on his part, then it's really not worth it. If he is just being prickly about some of the criticism coming out, then okay, let's all let this die down and see where we're at when the next trailer comes out.

I do know one thing though; Warner Brothers – no matter the extent of Nolan's creative control – isn't going to release The Dark Knight Rises with a frustratingly inaudible villain. Nolan is done after this picture; WB isn't. This is their cash cow and they aren't going to let anything – especially something so seemingly easy to fix – diminish it. So while I don't think this is the biggest deal in the world, I do think it's something to watch in the coming months to see who relents: Nolan or WB.




Prometheus, You Big Tease!





Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" has been given not one, but TWO teasers for it's upcoming trailer (they are above). And guess what? They're pretty f'ing cool. They get your heart pumping just enough to get you excited for Thursday when the official teaser trailer arrives. In them, Scott talks a bit about returning to science fiction after having revolutionized the genre (with Alien and Blade Runner. The actual trailer is scheduled to arrive sometime on Thursday, while Prometheus is to arrive in theaters on June 8th, 2012.

Who else is stoked to see the trailer and the film? Were these teasers effective?


Thor 2 Turmoil Upsetting Star



Last week, Hollywood was surprised to learn that Patty Jenkins ("Monster") was essentially fired from Marvel's "Thor 2" over what was initially reported as a mutually agreed-upon split over "creative differences." Now we're learning a bit more about why the director was "future endeavored" and why it may have an effect on one of the film's stars.

Not only has Jenkins' firing shocked Hollywood, but Natalie Portman has taken the news especially hard. According to sources, it was Portman who urged Marvel to hire Jenkins, who would have been the first female director of a superhero film. Portman has been contemplating whether to continue acting for the time being, wanting to spend more time with her newborn son. While Portman is contractually obligated to appear in the project, sources said she was reinvigorated due to Jenkins' involvement. Not helping things was the fact Portman found out through the media of Jenkins' dismissal.

Meanwhile, the industry is hearing wildly different sides as to why exactly Jenkins was let go. According to one source (who is said to have firsthand knowledge of the production), Marvel "became concerned that Jenkins was not moving decisively enough and feared the film might miss its November 2013 release date." This is disputed by Jenkins' camp who stated that Jenkins' was "so explicit about her vision for the film that she didn't expect to be hired in the first place" and that "Marvel executives might have been won over initially by Portman's enthusiasm for Jenkins but then, when they started to interview writers for the rewrite . . . may have decided they really weren't comfortable." The fact is that the film is still in the earliest stages of pre-production and doesn't even have a completed, finished script to work from.

"Thor 2" is tentatively scheduled to be released November 15th, 2013.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This isn't good. Marvel has essentially gone through two directors, is asking for what seems like a substantial rewrite of the script and has already pushed the release date back. None of these things are problems individually; in fact, they are fairly standard in Hollywood these days. The problem is that one just gets a bad feeling coming off this production and Marvel has somewhat of a history in it's less-than-stellar dealings with Hollywood players. I think Portman has the right to be slightly miffed about how things have gone down, but she will be a professional and do her job. The bigger problem is whether Marvel is tying filmmakers' hands in regards to what they actually want out of Thor 2. As is pointed out in the article, Marvel has most of the leverage here; actors and directors know these movies essentially sell themselves and have extensive mythologies that can't really be tampered with to avoid upsetting their inherent fanbase. We will be learning more about what exactly happened with Jenkins and Marvel, but we may never really know the full story. For now, the best that can be said is that Thor 2 is getting off to a rocky start.



David Fincher Talks Dragon Tattoo Sequels



Davd Fincher recently spoke about the possibility of shooting the next two sequels in Stieg Larsson's "Millenium Trilogy" and why it would be prudent to shoot them back-to-back.

"Yes, the second two books are very much one story and it doesn't seem prudent to me to go to Sweden for a year. Come back for a year. Put out the second one. Go to Sweden for a year. Come back for a year. I don't think [star] Rooney [Mara] wants to be doing this four years from now. So I think that would be crazy especially given the sense that it's really one story that's kind of bifurcated in the middle."

Screenwriter Steve Zallian also expressed that he has heard the both sequels would shoot back-to-back and that he would be able to get both screenplays done in time. However, he hasn't started working on the script for "The Girl Who Played With Fire" which means the film most likely wouldn't start shooting until late 2012. That would mean that the earliest the film could most likely be released is mid-2013, with the final film in the trilogy hitting theaters in either late 2013 or the middle of 2014. "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" comes out nationwide today.

This shouldn't shock anybody. You don't bring David Fincher on-board to the most successful adult literary event of the decade (not named Harry Potter) without figuring sequels into the mix. I think the only question was whether or not Fincher would direct the films himself, or if he would remain on in some sort of creative consulting role. It sounds – unless I'm mistaken – that Fincher is prepared to direct the sequels himself, although we're still fairly early in the game and the director has a large slate of possible projects he is attached to at the moment. It makes a lot of sense to shoot the next two sequels back-to-back, especially since the series has an established fanbase and with Fincher and Craig on-board, the risk for failure is diminshed.


Spike Lee's Oldboy Remake Taking Shape



It appears Spike Lee has found co-stars for Josh Brolin in his upcoming remake of "Oldboy". Mia Wasikowska and Clive Owen have been offered parts in the film. Wasikowska ("Alice in Wonderland") has been offered the female lead of Marie, which was originally offered to Rooney Mara ("The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"), while Owen is reportedly stepping into the shoes of the film's villain, a role originally offered to Colin Firth a month or two ago.

Producer Roy Lee believes the fans' concerns with the remake will be unfounded when they get the chance to see Mark Protosevich's script and Lee's direction played out in this newer version. "Mark Protosevich has come up with new elements to it that will throw off the audience who have seen the original movie because there are new characters and new situations that present themselves in a way that changes the story but eventually go in the same direction," he said. "The ending will be something that the audiences will all be…especially the fans of the original will be very happy with. In fact, some may consider it to be a bit darker."

The synopsis for the film reads: "'Oldboy' will follow Brolin as a man who is kidnapped on his daughter's birthday and held in solitary confinement for 15 years. When he is released, he seeks revenge from his captors. Inspired by director Chan-wook Park's 2003 South Korean movie of the same name, Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) wrote the script for the movie, all based on the mid 1990s Japanese manga series written by Garon Tsuchiya and illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi."

I like Mara and Firth, but for some reason I think I prefer Wasikowska and Owen for this. I'm not sure Oldboy needs to be remade anyway and I'm concerned with Spike Lee's involvement. There is no doubt he's made some great films, but I've always felt he's a bit overrated and his last full-length feature, 2008's dreadful Miracle at St. Anna, may have forced him to take on Oldboy as a "safe" choice to reinvigorate his career after such a notable flop.


Star Trek 2 Won't Include Any Original TV Cast Members



In news that is bound to break the hearts of a few Trekkies, sources are saying that unlike 2009's "Star Trek", director J.J. Abrams does not plan on using any cast member from the original "Star Trek" television series in his upcoming sequel. One of the highlights of the first film was Leonard Nimoy's cameo/supporting role reprising his role as Spock. While some believed perhaps William Shatner's Captain Kirk character could make an appearance in the sequel (he felt insulted not to have been included in the previous film), it now appears Abrams is sticking with his new younger cast. Abrams is shooting for a mid-Januray start date on "Star Trek 2" and the sequel is tentatively scheduled to release in 3D on May 17th, 2013.

This isn't all that surprising, to be perfectly honest. Nimoy's appearance in the first film was a nice addition and nod to the franchise's history. However, it was by way of a very convenient time-travel plot point and it would be difficult to pull anything like that off again. It also wouldn't seem all that natural trying to shoehorn in every former Star Trek great, so Shatner is just going to have to nurse his wounds on this one. I think this cast is good enough to stand on its own and this sequel doesn't need to force itself to pay homage to the past at every turn. Tell your own stories is a solid way and you'll be fine. Sorry if that hurts any Trekkie out there who needs to see Shatner or any former Star Trek great at every turn, but it really is time to move on. However, there remains no word on what Abrams' lens flare-quota is for the sequel. One of the Vegas casinos needs to get on that. Whatever the number, BET THE OVER.


Trailer Face-Off:

This week we have three big new releases – The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and We Bought A Zoo.

Are you planning on seeing any or all of these? Which looks better? Let me know in the comments.



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This Week In Awards
I list these with the understanding that we all realize The Golden Globes are NOT, in actuality, prestigious or symbolic of the best in cinema. They are the result of Hollywood's PR machine and the boondoggle of a relatively small, anonymous group of individuals who have been known to be bribed. NBC broadcast ban, Pia Zadora, The Tourist. Look it up. They receive the attention they do because of two fortunate factors. They are strategically presented and have a nationally broadcast show. They also throw one hell of a party. With that being said, here are the nominations. I may go more in-depth on them at a later date, when I have more time.


The Golden Globe Nominations

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES


BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

The Descendants

The Help

Hugo

The Ides of March

Moneyball

War Horse


BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

50/50

The Artist

Bridesmaids

Midnight in Paris

My Week with Marilyn


BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen, Midnight In Paris

George Clooney, The Ides of March

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Martin Scorsese, Hugo


BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

George Clooney, The Descendants

Leonardo DiCaprio, J Edgar

Michael Fassbender, Shame

Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March

Brad Pitt, Moneyball


BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis, The Help

Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin


BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Brendan Gleeson, The Guard

Joseph Gordon Levitt, 50/50

Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love

Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris


BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jodie Foster, Carnage

Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids

Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Kate Winslet, Carnage


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn

Albert Brooks,Drive

Jonah Hill, Moneyball

Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method

Christopher Plummer, Beginners


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Jessica Chastain , The Help

Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer, The Help

Shailene Woodley, The Descendants


BEST SCREENPLAY

Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen

The Ides of March, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon

The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants, Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

Moneyball, Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Adventures of Tintin

Arthur Christmas

Cars 2

Puss in Boots

Rango


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Flowers of War

In The Land of Blood and Honey

The Kid WIth The Bike

A Separation

The Skin I Live In


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Artist, Ludovic Bource

W.E., Abel Korzeniowski

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Hugo, Howard Shore

War Horse, John Williams


BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Lay Your Head Down," Albert Nobbs

?"Hello Hello," Gnomeo and Juliet

?"The Living Proof," The Help

?"The Keeper," Machine Gun Preacher

?"Masterpiece," W.E.


TELEVISION CATEGORIES

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

American Horror Story

Boardwalk Empire

Boss Starz

Game of Thrones

Homeland


BEST TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY

Enlightened

Episodes

Glee

Modern Family

New Girl


BEST TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Cinema Verite

Downton Abbey

The Hour

Mildred Pierce

Too Big to Fail


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Claire Danes, Homeland

Mireille Enos, The Killing

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Madeleine Stowe, Revenge

Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Kelsey Grammer, Boss

Jeremy Irons, The Borgias

Damian Lewis, Homeland


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

David Duchovny, Californication

Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory

Thomas Jane, Hung

Matt LeBlanc, Episodes


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Laura Dern, Enlightened

Zooey Deschanel, New Girl

Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Laura Linney, The Big C

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey

Idris Elba, Luther

William Hurt, Too Big to Fail

Bill Nighy, Page Eight

Dominic West, The Hour


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Romola Garai, The Hour

Diane Lane, Cinema Verite

Elizabeth McGovern, Downtown Abbey

Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult

Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Paul Giamatti, Too Big To Fail

Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce

Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite

Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE

Jessica Lange, American Horror Story

Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire

Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce

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This week, the 411 grammar police are out in FULL FORCE. Glad to know some of you actually read the words and don't just look at pictures. Although AJ might be concerned to hear that. ANYWAY...

From Thomas (Guest):
I have to be honest: I think I'd have liked the last Indiana Jones movie better if Hayden Christianson would have replaced Shia Lebeouf. Of course, I would have rather Danny DeVito been in the movie than LeBeouf. Anyway, I really hated that film, and I thought the alien stuff was the equivalent of a film series jumping the shark. After crystal alien skulls, I'm afriad of what would happen next. I'm prepared for the worst: Indiana Jones and the Lost Leprechaun's Pot O' Wee Gold or Indiana Jones and the Cheese Factory on the Moon.

We'll agree to disagree on that one. I don't really mind Shia all that much. He's certainly not my favorite actor working today, but like Michael Cera and a few others, he hasn't gotten under my skin like he seems to do for many. Hayden Christensen is another matter. I can't stand his work and I actually think his casting in the Star Wars films was the single biggest mistake Lucas made (and that is saying something). Together, they turned Darth Vader from one of the greatest and most enigmatic villains of all time to a whiny teenager who throws temper tantrums. Plus, did you see him in Jumper? Terrible actor...and I think Hollywood actually might agree with that verdict; what would have been a career-defining role that would propel some actors into the stratosphere has resulted in essentially nothing since for the guy.

From Charles (Guest):
As a 3 Stooges fan, I really wish this movie wasn't being made. While the actors look like they did better at the impressions in the preview than I thought they would, it just looks really awful. It doesn't help that it has troll doll Snooki, even if it is just a cameo.
It's been over a decade since the Farrelly's have done anything that was really good (Me, Myself and Irene) and this doesn't look to reverse that trend in my opinion.

It looks terrible. I can't say I'm a huge Stooges fan, but I also don't actively dislike them. That trailer and film may do just that though. Plus, what's the point of revealing Snooki's cameo? Do they think Snooki has a huge built-in fanbase that will flock to see this? Or – and here's the scarier thought – was that actually one of the funnier bits in the entire movie? *Shudder*

From middlehead (Guest):
You're wrong about the Rock of Ages trailer. The best part is NASH in the background as one of Cruise's bodyguards.

Ooh, nice pickup! Totally missed that one. Still not best part for me (Nash hasn't been the best part of anything since he was Oz), but still pretty cool. Middlehead gets a cookie!

From The Phenom (Guest):
"Tired of screwing around with his "Star Trek" franchise, George Lucas..."

Do you have some kind of deathwish involving fanboys?

I guess I do. You all knew what I meant...but still, my bad.

From DeimosMasque (Guest):
"Tired of screwing around with his "Star Trek" franchise"

Nitpick... I admit... but you meant Star Wars.

As a person who ones all the old Three Stooges movies please tell me you're not letting the new version get away with: "has Kate Upton. So there's that."

You have three guys with no idea how to do physical comedy and they are playing the masters of physical comedy?

Honestly I'd be happier if three people who looked NOTHING like the original actors played them but knew the art of slap stick.

Trust me: if you knew me, you'd know I couldn't care less that Kate Upton was in it. I'm the guy who would have rather watched a 2x4 star opposite Shia in Dark of the Moon than Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Beautiful...but can't act. However, the 411 demographic does seem to care, so I put that in more as a joke, rather than a legitimate reason to see the movie. As for the Stooges themselves, I'm just not sure you can find three performers able to take these roles and do them justice, especially in an era so far removed from that. I don't think this movie is going to work...whatever cast they got.

From The Great Capt. Smooth (Guest):
Denzel is gonna play Dave Sullivan?

Sort of. I believe he's technically going to be playing Evad.

From Gullible Reader (Guest):
Tired of screwing around with his "Star Trek" franchise, George Lucas appears to be getting ready to head back for some more "Indiana Jones."

Seeing as I trust the 411 Mania writing staff to be 100% correct all the time I have to believe you when you say George Lucas created Star Trek even though I am sure it is Star Wars.

As you should. So it is said. SO IT SHALL BE. We here at 411 have that kind of power. Believe it.

Plus, you just know you'd be compelled to see Romulan Ewoks.

From WarBound (Guest):
The Three Stooges looks way funnier than I thought. I was afraid they would mess with the product but it looks like the same thing I loved as a kid even the voices. It's going to be fun, even if the plot is horrible. It's still the stooges.

We'll see. I'm willing to go the other way on that prediction.

From Guest#2818 (Guest):
"Tired of screwing around with his "Star Trek" franchise, George Lucas appears to be getting ready to head back for some more "Indiana Jones". "

Someone is about to start a jihad up in here.

I've already gotten a cease-and-desist letter from LucasArts and a rather menacing death threat from a Star Trek fan. It was in Klingon, so I couldn't really understand it, but I got the gist of it. Klingons are always threatening people, so it's really a natural language to use for death threats.

From Aprince66 (Guest):
I grew up on Indiana Jones. I dressed as Indy for Halloween. I had the shirts, toys, lunch boxes, books, hat, whip, soundtrack/book combo packs... you name it.
If Lucas manages to make a 5th movie, and its worse than the 4th and Phantom Menace combined, I will still be first in line.

Good to hear. I love Indy as well, so I hope if they really do make a 5th film, that it's good. Just no aliens this time. Like I said last week, I didn't hate the last film, but Indy and aliens shouldn't really mix. Unless they're Nazi aliens!

From #Guest3606 (Guest):
I hate to be like this, I am not even remotely racist, but having Denzel as the lead in the Equalizer is a big mistake. It needs to be an older white guy, not a still young-looking black guy. That's just my opinion.

I don't necessarily think like that. I'm not going to say you're racist, but as far as fictional properties go, I really don't think it matters. Sometimes changing the race of the character or casting a a performer of a different race in a role can be done for creative reasons. That's harder to do obviously in non-fiction and in biopics, but if you rebooting The Equalizer why not just go get the guy you want, regardless of race. The Equalizer of the '80s isn't going to be the same guy they bring out of mothballs for this time period. Obviously, the most comparable casting choice like this in recent times was when Marvel cast Idris Elba in Thor. That was WAY more controversial for some people since he was portraying a Norse God, and...you know...there are very few black people in Northern Europe. Same goes for casting Katee Sackoff as Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica The entire fanbase cried out in horror...until they saw how freaking badass and awesome the woman was in the role. Think outside the box, my friend. If it sucks, then you can say they cast the wrong actor and should have done such and such.

From The Big Fat F*g (Guest):
I'll admit the Stooges trailer made me laugh. Like watching some old friends return. I won't see it in the theaters but I'd watch it on cable.

They're not my old friends. Unless I'm reviewing this for 411, I most likely won't be seeing this...at all. Although, I am the sucker who reviewed Bucky Larson for the site, so maybe I'll be in for some more punishment by the time the release date rolls around.

From wjd01 (Guest):
Rock of Ages looked good.... right up to the point when mentioned Tom Cruise stars. Think I'll pass.

If they make a genuinely funny, over-the-top movie that manages to satirize the era well enough, it might work. If Cruise tones it down a bit and doesn't do his "I'm a Big Movie Star" act, it might work. As of now, I'm leaning towards being on the pessimistic side. Need to see more.


From guest 1842 (Guest):
Brad Pitt is my favorite actor, to me ever single film he has been in has been entertaining. From being a toon cop in Cool World to a redneck killer in Kalifornia, I've never been disappointed. I hope at some point in time he gets the best actor award because he doesn't make unbearable movies. I hope this is the year but after watching The Decendents I feel Clooney will get it.

I actually saw The Decendents recently and wasn't emotionally invested in it at all. I don't even know if I can recommend it to anybody. I'm not a total badass that can't care but I just wasn't feeling it.

Hearing what Nolan said I'm assured DKR will not let me down. I may have higher hopes than many others because I have a tattoo of Ledgers Joker. I'm a big fan of Hardy(Bronson kicked my ass), so I'm not afraid he will do great at the role, just please let me be able to hear him clearly.

I hope it's a good likeness of Ledger's Joker. That's...something. You're probably not the only one, however, I'm terrified to ink up my body like that. Hope you don't end up regretting that...in the next 50 years.

Anyway, as for The Descendants – I really, really like the film. Alexander Payne is just a fabulous filmmaker and I found myself invested in the film and found it to be affecting. However, my two minor problems with the film were that I wasn't crazy about the sub-plot involving Clooney's family and their land deal. It just didn't work for me, especially in contrast to the amazing stuff involving his wife and children. Second, it lacked the bite that Election and even Sideways had; that's not a terrible thing, but it just means I prefer those two films of his to this one. I did think Clooney gave arguably the performance of his career. For once, he couldn't just play suave, sophisticated Clooney ala Cary Grant; he had to play an imperfect middle-aged man in the throes of familial Armageddon, and I thought he did a hell of a job. It's a very complex and deep role, and most likely, will net him his second Oscar.

I like Brad Pitt as well, but I just don't feel his performance in Moneyball is of the same caliber. It was an easier role to play and felt a lot like Pitt playing himself, tinged with a bit of a Billy Beane impersonation. Don't get me wrong, he was very good and extremely entertaining. I just think Clooney was better.

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The Hush-Hush Racetrack Oscar Odds

The following are the racetrack odds for this years Academy Awards courtesy of Gold Derby. The odds are the result of voting and analysis by "Experts". I've taken out (for this week at least) votes from the site's editors and users. In addition to the odds is the % chance to win.

BEST PICTURE

The Artist – 6/5; 45% (last week: 9/5; 36%)
The Descendants – 5/1; 17% (last week: 4/1; 21%)
War Horse – 12/1; 8% (last week: 9/1; 10%)
The Help – 12/1; 8% (last week: 20/1; 5%)
Hugo – 14/1; 7% (last week: 20/1; 5%)
Midnight in Paris – 25/1; 4% (last week: 20/1; 5%)
Moneyball – 25/1; 4% (last week: 16/1; 6%)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – 33/1; 3% (last week: 10/1; 9%)
The Tree of Life – 50/1; 2% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – 100/1; 1% (last week: 50/1; 2%)

The Artist has become the heavy favorite as of this moment for Best Picture. Small but steady declines by The Descendants and War Horse have helped solidify the possibility of a black-and-white silent film winning the biggest prize at the Academy Awards. The steep fall of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close as it is seen by more people has also paved the way for increased odds to win and solid locks on nominations for The Help and Hugo. I still believe it's a two-horse race between the top 2, however, there is no doubt The Artist is the film to beat.

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney (The Descendants) – 21/20; 49% (last week: 10/9; 47%)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball) – 7/2; 22% (last week: 9/2; 18%)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist) – 4/1; 21% (last week: 3/1; 25%)
Michael Fassbender (Shame) – 25/1; 4% (last week: same)
Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) – 50/1; 2% (last week: same)

George Clooney was at 66% two weeks ago, but has seemingly stablized as the frontrunner. Brad Pitt has moved into second position behind his friend and has become a strong possible dark horse if Clooney falls or the Academy can't pull the trigger on Dujardin. Fassbender seemingly has locked himself up a nomination but it remains to be seen if the Academy can pull the trigger for a performance in an NC-17 film that has divided critics. DiCaprio is out as a serious contender to win (although I still believe he'll receive a nomination). Gary Oldman is getting very strong notices in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (as is the movie itself) and has never been nominated for an Oscar. Just sayin'.

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis (The Help) – 8/5; 39% (last week: 9/5; 36%)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) – 19/10; 34% (last week: 2/1; 33%)
Michele Williams (My Weekend with Marilyn) – 11/2; 16% (last week: 7/2; 22%)
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) – 14/1; 7% (last week: 25/1; 4%)
Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – 100/1: 1% (last week: same)
Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) – 100/1; 1% (last week: 50/1; 2%)
Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Charlize Theron (Young Adult) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)

Viola Davis and Meryl Streep remain close co-favorites and the category appears to be headed down to the wire. The Help will be well represented at this year's Oscars; it remains to be seen how many other nominations The Iron Lady will get to help bloster Streep's chances. Michele Williams has become the clear third choice and Close appears a lock for a nomiation. That leaves a fight for the fifth nomiation between previous Oscar winner Tilda Swinton and a host of Hollywood's young acting elite. I still think Dunst or Mara pips her for a nod, but Swinton is highly respected in the industry and is getting a lot of acclaim for her performance in the controversial We Need to Talk About Kevin.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christopher Plummer (Beginners) – 8/15; 66% (last week: 8/13; 61%)
Albert Brooks (Drive) – 11/2; 15% (last week: 9/2; 18%)
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) – 14/1; 7% (last week: 33/1; 3%)
Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) – 25/1; 4% (last week: 9/1; 10%)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 100/1; 1%)
Nick Nolte (Warrior) – 50/1; 2% (last week: 100/1; 1%)
Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)
Ben Kingsley (Hugo) – 100/1; 1% (last week: same)

Plummer, Brooks and Branagh. Those are about the only three I'd wager money on getting Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor this year. After that, it's a bit of a crapshoot on which actor and film you may prefer. The big riser of the past couple weeks has been Jonah Hill for Moneyball, a fine performance in what I consider an overrated movie. It is certainly not a better performance than those given by Patton Oswalt, Ben Kingsley and Alan Rickman, all of whom are given lower odds. The fact is that the strength of Moneyball has lasted and will help a possible Hill nomination. The drag of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close continues as Max von Sydow continues to slip.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Octavia Spencer (The Help) – 10/11; 52% (last week: 9/10; 53%)
Berenice Bejo (The Artist) – 6/1; 14% (last week: 15/2; 12%)
Shailene Woodley (The Descendents) – 8/1; 11% (last week: 10/1; 9%)
Jessica Chastain (The Help) – 9/1; 10% (last week: 100/1; 1%)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) – 16/1; 6% (last week: 20/1; 5%)
Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus) – 33/1; 3% (last week: 9/1; 10%)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) – 50/1; 2% (last week: same)
Judy Greer (The Descendants) – 100/1; 1%
Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life) – 100/1; 0% (last week: 14/1; 7%)

The power of The Help apparently knows no bounds. Remember all those wins and pushing for Jessica Chastain in The Tree of Life? Yeah, me neither. It didn't take long for the odds of her two main supporting performances to switch around. Chastain's turn in The Help has now leapfrogged her turn in The Tree of Life and stands as the fourth favorite in this week's odds. That is apparently the power of the Golden Globes, which opted for that performance. Oh well.


Funny Video Picture of the Week:

I don't usually write about gossip-site junk in this column (industry gossip is much more interesting), but THIS is just too good to pass up. I hope you all have a very merry Kardashian Khristmas. Yep...TWO K's! (And did I mention...it's in 3D!)




Trailer of the Week: God of War 4 Wrath of the Titans




That's all for this week. Let me know what you think in the comments section. For now, this is Jeremy Wilson, off the record, on the QT...



...and definitely, "Hush Hush!"