Argo Fuck Yo Self Bruce! Affleck Is Announced As The New Batman

"Now calm down, and don't hate on me just yet..."

The internet just exploded about an hour ago as The Wrap was the first to announce that actor, activist, director, former tabloid fodder, and Oscar winner, Ben Affleck would be taking over the coveted role of Bruce Wayne in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel (which will have Batman facing off with Henry Cavill's Superman.)  It was an unexpected choice and I can't say I'm disappointed. I was never THAT invested in who would play the role, and frankly I'm glad that we can put the inane casting rumors to bed. Whether he will be a good successor to Christian Bale is left to be unsaid. I do love a surprise when it comes to casting, and it will intrigue me to see how this all plays out. First, I want to know how they decided on Affleck and how they got him to take on the role. It is an interesting move career-wise, and it can either go really good or REALLY badly. In my personal opinion I found the casting to be a bit uninspired. I was hoping for a dark horse, underdog of an actor to play the part and shock everyone. However, it's not a downright awful choice (compared to the names they were dropping as potential candidates.)

Secondly, I really want to know how Affleck will portray Bruce Wayne. I wouldn't mind if Affleck's Batman was funny and brought some levity to the role. The reason I'm saying this is because when acting alongside Cavill who is so stony and serious in his demeanor, we need his counterpart to bring some sort of charm to balance it out. Can you imagine if Christian Bale's Batman was with Cavill's Superman? Sure it would be an interesting watch, but it would be so melancholy and serious in tone. I'm not saying that Affleck needs to be a RDJ/ Tony Stark type who pulls out little quips every 2 seconds, but I think it would be nice if the Batman was a little playful and just messed with Cavill as the straight man of the pair.

I really am not mad by this choice. I think it's a little boring and safe on paper. However, I am very interested in how this will go. And ladies, you have to admit, this is a pretty hot duo.

"I'll still be the hottest one in tights....."

Fresh: New UK Trailer For Cormac McCarthy's 'The Counselor'

What do you think?

Broadway Goes Star-Crossed: Bloom & Rashad Are Romeo and Juliet *Ticket Giveaway*

There is something magical that happens when Broadway takes on Shakespeare. From Jude Law's Hamlet to Alan Cumming's Macbeth, there is something so exciting when the Great White Way takes on the Bard's work. In a few months, NYC will be getting the same treatment with a new adaptation of arguably Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.

If you are a theatre nut like me (or passed basic 10th grade English) then you have read or recognize the tale of the two ill fated lovers who were torn apart by their feuding families. It is a familiar story and has been adapted so many times that it's hard to count (they even have a kid friendly version with garden gnomes.) And of course how can we forget Baz Luhrmann's colorful and borderline seizure inducing film adaptation Romeo + Juliet with a young, pre-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio?

International film star Orlando Bloom will make his Broadway debut alongside two-time Tony Award® nominee Condola Rashad, as Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers in a new Broadway production of the timeless love story Romeo and Juliet, directed by five-time Tony Award® nominee David Deveaux. The play will open on Broadway on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, following preview performances from Saturday, August 24, 2013.

One thing you must know is that this will not be your typical rendition of the classic tale. Not only will this be the first time in 36 years that the show will be on Broadway, but it will have a modern twist while still staying true to Shakepeare's original language. You've never seen the story told like this, and I personally can't wait!

Contest Ended

“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.” 

Good Luck!

                                                 

ROMEO AND JULIET will play the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street) beginning August 24th.  Tickets may be purchased at the theatre box office, at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. 

A limited number of $20 tickets for each performance are available for college students. Tickets may be purchased in advance either at the Box Office with valid ID or online, exclusively through TIX4STUDENTS.COM. Limit of two tickets per order; price does not include facility fee.

ONLINE & SOCIAL NETWORKS

Website: www.RomeoAndJulietBroadway.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RomeoJulietBway

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/RomeoJulietBway

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/RomeoJulietBway

Google+: Plus.google.com/+RomeoJulietBway

Closing Night NYFF: Spike Jonez's "Her"

Following the announcement that Tom Hank's Captain Phillips will be opening this year's New York Film Festival, today we have learned that Joaquin Phoenix's "Her" will close this year as well. If you haven't seen the trailer yet then definitely go take a look. There is something so sweet and heart wrenching about it, and again shows the tour de force that is Pheonix. 

'The Counselor' Trailer #2: Trouble Is Afoot For The Counselor

A Second Glance: A Look At Daniel Radcliffe

I'm not going to lie, I did not know what I was buying a ticket for when I stood outside the Noel Coward Theatre at 9 AM. I knew that the play was by the great Martin McDonagh (In Bruges), was called The Cripple of Inishman, and that it starred child actor turned versitiale thespian Daniel Radcliffe. I felt it was only necessary to catch Radcliffe in a role that would not only test his range as an actor but also showcase the talent that some people may not have known he had.

Because the truth of the matter is many child actors have it rough. They really do. They play a certain role for years, people become emotionally invested, and once your voice changes and you become an adult you're still seen as your former character. It makes it tough to land decent (grownup) parts and that is the sad truth. If we're getting more specific it is probably very tough for Radcliffe in particular. At least the candy driven Disney machine can produce generic kid actors that can move on to other things later down the road ( Efron, Gomez, Hudgens, Cyrus.) But Radcliffe is a different case all together. He was and always will be attached to one of the biggest franchises in history. His face alone defined a part of our culture which will be remembered forever ( I know I'm getting heavy, stay with me...) And that doesn't happen often, especially for someone who was as young as Radcliffe was when he started.

And when it comes to a franchise like Harry Potter how can a young actor really flex his acting muscles when his only requirement is to just be Harry Potter? And that's what Radcliffe has to work with now. Convincing people that he is not the inexperienced little boy that was plucked from thousands to play a major book character. Which leads me into why I'm quite fond of him.

There is something extremely earnest about Radcliffe when he is performing. I saw this when I watched him sing, act, and dance like crazy in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and I saw it when he played the unfortunate Cripple Billy in The Cripple of Inishman. When he delivers a line, you believe. Every emotion he displays is genuine. And to make an audience member feel that sincerity is a special thing.

And though he is continuing to branch out to new and different projects (his upcoming films include Kill Your Darlings, Horns, Frankenstein w/ James McAvoy, and Tokyo Vice) he is still very humble and is open to try different types of characters. I feel like these are the kind of qualities that will get him far. A modest attitude with an appetite for new and exciting roles. I have seen him in 2 shows now so I am a bit bias when I say that I prefer to see him on stage than in films. However, I personally believe that Radcliffe is growing in front of our eyes and he is really going to have a flourishing career. Just wait and see!

The Full Lineup For The Toronto Film Festival 2013

As you can see the lineup for TIFF 2013 is pretty phenomenal. Almost all of this year's most anticipated and potential award winning films are showcasing there and it should be an incredible event. Sadly, I won't be attending, however, it will be exciting to hear what people have to say about these films. Check out the full list here:

Opening night film

The Fifth Estate, Dir: Bill Condon, USA

Closing night film

Life of Crime, Dir: Daniel Schechter, USA

World premieres

12 Years a Slave, Dir: Steve McQueen, USA

All Is By My Side, Dir: John Ridley, United Kingdom

The Art of the Steal, Dir: Jonathan Sobol, Canada

Attila Marcel, Dir: Sylvain Chomet, France

August: Osage County, Dir: John Wells, USA

Bad Words, Dir: Jason Bateman, USA

Belle, Dir: Amma Asante, United Kingdom

Can a Song Save Your Life? Dir: John Carney, USA

Cannibal (Caníbal), Dir: Manuel Martín Cuenca, Spain/Romania/Russia/France

Dallas Buyers Club, Dir: Jean-Marc Vallée, USA

Devil's Knot, Dir: Atom Egoyan, USA

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Her, Dir: Ned Benson, USA

Dom Hemingway, Dir: Richard Shepard, United Kingdom

The Double, Dir: Richard Ayoade, United Kingdom

Felony, Dir: Matthew Saville, Australia

For Those Who Can Tell No Tales, Dir: Jasmila Žbanić, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Going Away (Il est parti dimanche), Dir: Nicole Garcia, France

The Grand Seduction, Dir: Don McKellar, Canada

Half of a Yellow Sun, Dir: Biyi Bandele Nigeria/United Kingdom

Hateship Loveship, Dir: Liza Johnson, USA

Ida, Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland

The Invisible Woman, Dir: Ralph Fiennes, United Kingdom

Labor Day, Dir: Jason Reitman, USA

The Love Punch, Dir: Joel Hopkins, France

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Dir: Justin Chadwick, South Africa

One Chance, Dir: David Frankel, USA

Prisoners, Dir: Denis Villeneuve, USA

Quai d'Orsay, Dir: Bertrand Tavernier, France

The Railway Man, Dir: Jonathan Teplitzky, Australia/United Kingdom

The Right Kind of Wrong, Dir: Jeremiah Chechik, Canada

Starred Up, Dir: David Mackenzie, United Kingdom

Supermensch The Legend of Shep Gordon, Dir: Mike Myers, USA

Third Person, Dir: Paul Haggis, Belgium

Those Happy Years (Anni Felici), Dir: Daniele Luchetti, Italy

Violette, Dir: Martin Provost, France/Belgium

Visitors, Dir: Godfrey Reggio, USA

Le Week-End, Dir: Roger Michell, United Kingdom

You Are Here, Dir: Matthew Weiner, USA

North American premieres

American Dreams in China, Dir: Peter Ho-Sun Chan, Hong Kong/China

Cold Eyes, Dir: Cho Ui-seok and Kim Byung-seo, Korea

The Lunchbox, Dir: Ritesh Batra, India/France/Germany

Rush, Dir: Ron Howard, United Kingdom/Germany

Blue Is The Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapters 1 & 2), Dir: Abdellatif Kechiche, France

Burning Bush, Dir: Agnieszka Holland, Czech Republic

Gloria, Dir: Sebastián Lelio, Chile/Spain

Gravity, Dir: Alfonso Cuarón, USA/United Kingdom

The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza), Dir: Paolo Sorrentino, Italy

L'intrepido, Dir: Gianni Amelio, Italy

Joe, Dir: David Gordon Green, USA

Like Father, Like Son, Dir: Hirokazu Kore-Eda, Japan

Man of Tai Chi Keanu Reeves, USA/China

Mary, Queen of Scots, Dir: Thomas Imbach, France/Switzerland

Night Moves, Dir: Kelly Reichardt, USA

Omar, Dir: Hany Abu-Assad, Palestine

Only Lovers Left Alive, Dir: Jim Jarmusch, USA

Parkland, Dir: Peter Landesman, USA

The Past (Le Passé), Dir: Asghar Farhadi, France/Italy

Philomena, Dir: Stephen Frears, United Kingdom

Real, Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan

Tracks, Dir: John Curran, United Kingdom/Australia

Under the Skin, Dir: Jonathan Glazer, USA/United Kingdom

Walesa. Man of Hope (Walesa. Czlowiek z nadziei), Dir: Andrzej Wajda, Poland

We are the Best! Dir: Lukas Moodysson, Sweden

Young and Beautiful, (Jeune & jolie), Dir: François Ozon, France/Belgium

International premieres (screened only in home country before festival)

Kill Your Darlings, Dir: John Krokidas, USA

Exit Marrakech, Dir: Caroline Link, Germany

Mystery Road, Dir: Ivan Sen, Australia

Pioneer, Dir: Erik Skjoldbjærg, Norway

Canadian premieres

Don Jon, Dir: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, USA (Canadian Premiere)

Shuddh Desi, Dir: Romance Maneesh Sharma, India (Canadian Premiere)

Trailer Breakdown: "The Counselor" Teaser Gives Us Leopards, Eyeliner, Brad Pitt's Hair, and Crazy Bardem

 A teaser for Ridley Scott's The Counselor just hit the web! Here is my brief breakdown of this 45 second clip.

Oh hey, Leopard. What's up? 
Oh nothing, just chilling out being a leopard and symbolizing wealth or power or something like. Hey ya got anything to eat?

Now the casting for Diaz's character was a little weird because (and please correct me if I'm wrong)  the role was originally going to Angelina Jolie before it went to Diaz. People were really skeptical about her playing such a "Jolie-type role" but I don't know. She's looking all kinds of femme fatal and crazy with that intense eye liner.

My favorite star, Brad Pitt's hair makes an apperance again (seriously, get his hair an agent.) Brad Pitt's a good looking guy but I think at this point in his life he's embracing his age and wrinkles. Not worrying about botoxing and trying get back to his prime. Besides, he's Brad Pitt. He can do what he wants.

Now lets all take a moment, and appreciate how good looking Michael Fassbender looks, mmkay?

Good? Got that out of your system? Great, lets continue....

 Obviously, Penelope Cruz is a gorgeous woman. She's looking very natural and makeup free, which makes me believe she's not playing her typical fiery latina. In fact, when they were announcing the cast, some thought she was going to have Diaz's part and Diaz was going to have her part.

No, really, Cameron Diaz looks like she's going to be cutting bitches.

And taking names.

And Lord, check out Javier Bardem looking crazy. From early screenings I hear he steals the show. The man is truly a chameleon.

I remeber last year I breifly skimmed the script and found it a tad confusing. Some hated it and some thought it was great and intriguing. I'm going to have to look it over again, but I will definitely put this on my must-see list.

Check Out the Trailer HERE