Man of Steel - Hans Zimmer Musical Score

Today, Composer Hans Zimmer, released a sample of the music that will be featured in the upcoming Zack Snyder film, "Man of Steel."  Zimmer, whose credits include some of the most beautiful and inspiring film scores of this century, include "Black Hawk Down," "The Last Samurai," "King Arthur," "Gladiator," "Inception," and the score for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.  With over 150 films scores to his credit, Hans Zimmer has risen to the status of the likes of John Williams, or James Horner.  While listening to this sampler, I couldn't help notice the drums and heavy percussion that reminded me of Bear McCreary's music for "Battlestar Galactica."

John Williams composed the music for the 1978's "Superman." The theme at the time was bright, bold and majestic. Whereas Zimmer's score is darker, urgent, and yet majestic in tis own way. Presented here, for you listening pleasure, both Han Zimmer's "Man of Steel," and John Williams's classic from 1978.

Man of Steel - 2013

Superman - 1978

The "Man of Steel" comes out June 14th 2013, while the soundtrack comes out on June 11th 2013

~ Spoiler Alert ~

Track listing from "The Man of Steel" is on Amazon for pre-order, which  includes the following tracks.

Disc: 1
1. Look to the Stars
2. Oil Rig
3. Sent here for a Reason
4. DNA
5. Goodbye My Son
6. If You Love These People
7. Krypton's Last
8. Terraforming
9. Tornado
10. You Die or I Do
11. Launch
12. Ignition
13. I Will Find Him
14. This is Clark Kent
15. I Have So Many Questions
16. Flight
17. What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?
Disc: 2
1. Man of Steel (Hans' Original Sketchbook)
2. Are You Listening, Clark?
3. General Zod
4. You Led Us Here
5. This Is Madness!
6. Earth
7. Arcade Related The Man of Steel ~ Superman In The Age Of Reason Man of Steel ~  He Will Be A God To Them Man of Steel takes on General Zod Man of Steel ~ Nokia Trailer Man of Steel ~ Perry White and Lois Lane Man of Steel Goes International Man of Steel ~ Walmart Presents A Behind The Scenes Look Man of Steel Two New Television Trailers (TV Spots #9 & #10) Man of Steel Trailer #8 Man of Steel Trailer #7  Man of Steel Trailer #6 Man of Steel - Fate Of Your Planet Trailer Man of Steel TV Trailer #5 Man of Steel ~ New Posters & Trailer Man of Steel ~ UK TV Spot Man of Steel Michael Shannon on General Zod Man of Steel Trailer #3 Movie Data Genre: Action, Sci-Fi Year: 2012 Staring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne Director: Zack Snyder Producer(s): Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Emma Thomas Writer: David S. Goyer Rating: PG-13

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Star Trek Into Darkness Promotional Media

Paramount Pictures just released seven new character banners featuring the main cast of "Star Trek Into Darkness." Enjoy!

Capt.  James T. Kirk

Cmdr Spock

John Harrison

Dr. Leonard McCoy

Lt. Uhura

Lt. Sulu

Dr. Carol Marcus

Scotty and Kirk race towards the engine room.in Star Trek Into Darkness

From the United Kingdom,  watch Lt. Uhura in Star Trek Into Darkness

"Disruptions"

Official IMAX Star Trek Into Darkness poster:

Star Trek Into Darkness - "Reputation" TV Spot #4

A look into Star Trek Into Darkness with a short interview with J.J. Abrams, Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, and Zoe Saldana.

Paramount Pictures

Just Released this evening another "Star Trek Into Darkness" promo trailer - "Reputation"

An Australian clip from Paramount's "Star Trek Into Darkness"  arrived on YouTube this morning. 

The plot according to Paramount:

"When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew"

Doctor McCoy

Sulu

Harrison

Uhura

Spock

Kirk

USS Enterprise

Star Trek: Into Darkness - Destruction

In this extended clip from J.J. Abram's new "Star Trek: Into Darkness," Spock (Zachary Quinto) is working to stop a volcano from erupting   Of course Spock is willing to sacrifice himself and in typical Kirk (Christopher Pine) fashion, is willing to risk all to save him.  Karl Urban, while channeling DeForrest Kelly's Dr. McCoy with uncanny accuracy exclaims, "Shut up Spock, we're trying to save you damn it."

View promotional trailer for "Star Trek: Into Darkness."

new ~

Out numbered and out gunned, Captain James T.. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise take on John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) in a fight to the death.  When isn't it a fight to the death with Kirk?

Either way, two new trailers showing the destruction that Harrison has wrought upon the Earth.

I think it will be pretty interesting to find out who John Harrison really is, and what is motivation for all this carnage.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year:  2013

Staring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer(s): J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci

Writer: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof

Rating: Not Rated

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Take Shelter: A Review

 "…listen up, there's a storm coming like nothing you've ever seen, and not a one of you is prepared for it."

Today, when someone has dreams of impending doom we tend to think the person is, if not insane, then not quite right in the head. However, long ago, if you had strange dreams about an upcoming storm or the end of the world, you may be crazy or you may be a saint. When John wrote about his revelations, early Christian church fathers took his writings and made them the last book of the New Testament. When Noah told friends and family about an upcoming flood, his neighbors thought he was crazy, but they were wrong. Early civilizations had a term for those who saw visions; they called them Shamans, today we call these people delusional. "Take Shelter" is writer and director Jeff Nichols' second film since his critically acclaimed 2007 offering titled "Shotgun Stories." "Take Shelter" is about a man who in the prime of his life is questioning not only his purpose in life as a husband and father, but also his sanity. 


Michael Sheen ("Bug," "Shotgun Stories," Boardwalk Empire") stars in "Take Shelter" as Curtis LaForche, a young family man who lives in rural Ohio. Curtis's wife Samantha, is played by Jessica Chastain ("The Debt," "The Tree of Life") who, like any wife and mother, is the rock that holds their home together. Their child Hannah (Tova Stewart), is about four years-old and is deaf. Going about his day as a construction worker, Curtis starts to slowly, and insidiously focus on storms on the horizon. The flat landscape provides a beautiful panorama view of ominous clouds forming on the horizon. Director Nichols, slowly and carefully builds a sense of foreboding and impending doom throughout the film not with frenzied camera shots and quick editing, but with long shots of Sheen's face and the look of worry, conflict, and deep-rooted fear. Couple these scenes with vivid nightmares that Curtis experiences of people covered in this oily rain substance trying to kill him. Curtis even envisions his dog, Red, turning on him and practically biting his arm off. As these dreams occur, his obsession with preparing his storm shelter grows, while Curtis withdraws into himself as he contemplates his own mental state. 


As it turns out, when Curtis was 10 years-old his mother (Kathy Baker) had to be committed to a mental institution. Of course, Curtis is worried that he is going down the same path. Nightmares, panic attacks, lack of sleep, visions of the horrible storm that rains an oily substance that drives people mad. Of course, he is worried. Michael Shannon plays Curtis in such a believable way, that the audience will feel his worry, his fear, and ultimately his shame. Jessica Chastain plays his wife Samantha that is also believable. A stay at home mom, Samantha's primary role is to care for and teach their daughter how to sign and fit into this world. She also sells her needlecraft and sewing on the weekends to help financially. The LaForches seem to be a typical modern mid-western family whose goals are the simple things in life, like paying their bills and trying to get a surgery for their daughter so that she may have a chance of hearing. Of course, Curtis's obsession gets in the way of all this. 


This is not an action adventure thriller. "Take Shelter" is a film for those who like to see the actor's emotions, feel their feelings, and watch a story unfold while they reflect what they may do in the main character's place. The film builds up quietly to a point before the end where the family is at a Lion's Club dinner, a former co-worker (Curtis is fired from his job) antagonizes him about his obsession. After taking a few licks from his former friend, Curtis erupts in a fit of rage and tells all present that he is not crazy and to "…listen up, there's a storm coming like nothing you've ever seen, and not a one of you is prepared for it." 


Jeff Nichols's story is clever and although I'm not a "doomsday prepper" myself, however, it is not hard to imagine that there is something bad on the horizon. After all something has to give and 2012 is the year for it. This is a great film for those who like stories about everyday people who must rise above the ordinary.

Movie Data

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Year: 2011

Staring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain

Director: Jeff Nichols

Producer(s): Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin,

Writer: Jeff Nichols

Rating: R

Originally posted on Yahoo Voices on Feb 23, 2012

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On the Road with Paul

He's Not Evil. He's Just Rude 

What do you get when a creationist meets an extraterrestrial? Well, that is just one of the many questions that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost try to answer in the duo's latest offering, Paul. Kristin Wiig from "Saturday Night Live," joins the cast as Simon Pegg's love interest. Her part as a Jesus freak brings another layer of comedy to this already sidesplitting film. The nerdy Brits run into her along the way, while running from the FBI. Leading the charge in search of the alien, Paul (voiced by Seth Rogan), is Jason Bateman as the crazy ass agent who will stop at nothing as he pursues Pegg and company across the back roads of the USA's UFO trail. Throw in a fanatical father with a bible in one hand, and a shotgun in the other, two infantile rookie FBI agents and you have the makings for some crazy laughs. Paul has an R rating for language mature themes, and yet the theater was packed with preteen kids.

If the premise of Paul seems a little too familiar, that is because you have seen it somewhere before in several Steven Spielberg films. The two movies that Pegg and Frost parody the most are "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "E.T the Extraterrestrial." However, Paul is also quite a bit more than just that. Pegg and Frost have penned a story that not only spoof Spielberg, but also take aim at the whole of the Sci-Fi pop culture. They poke it, they play with it, they take some extraordinary liberties with it, and they present it back to you with a charm and nostalgia that reminds one of a Crosby and Hope Road picture. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play two fan-boys from England, illustrator Graeme Willy and author Clive Gollings, as they journey on holiday to Comic Con Vegas to meet and greet their hero, author Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor). They find him rude and obnoxious, not just to them, but all his fans. The two friends are about to embark on a zany adventure of the American Southwest in true Twilight Zone fashion. However, sixty years prior in Moorcroft Wyoming, a German Shepherd named Paul wakes at night to an eerie display of lights and noise, pawing at the beam of light shining under the door, little Tara, opens the door, and the dog runs out. Classic scenes from "CEot3rdK" depicting a windmill, and bright lights, the dog barking, Tara calling to her dog, lights getting brighter, a space ship is landing - - but no -- it crashes on top of the dog killing it instantly. Do you see where this is going?

After some awkward scenes in a hotel after the convention, their sexuality is questioned, the subject of immigration is poked at, and the details of their road trip explained in detail. Like following the pilgrim trail from the Eastern Empire, the two set out to explore America. From reenacting Kirk's fight with the Gorn at Vasquez Rocks, to locating the infamous black mailbox in the lonely desert, the two are having the time of their lives. The film includes the typical encounter with the local yokels, which allows for some Deliverance references, and all this before the two meet Paul. The meeting is comical, and for two Sci-Fi nuts, the meeting isn't all that predictable. Frost faints and wets himself and it is up to Pegg and Paul to get him back into their RV. Seth Rogan ("The Green Hornet") voices Paul, and from what I can gather, acts out the part himself while dressed in a special effects suit like Andy Serkis who played Gollum in "LOTR" wore. Depicting Paul as the conventional "little green man with big eyes and long fingers," the film explains that the aliens were just trying to get us used to them before they came here. Apparently, Paul isn't very good at driving cars or at flying spaceships.

What we find out from Paul, is that for the last 60 years the government kept him locked up in Area 51 (picture the room where the government stashed the Ark of the Covenant after Raiders of the Lost Ark). In all this time, he has been acting as a consultant for the US Military and for director Steven Spielberg (he plays himself). Paul is irreverent, sarcastic, crude, rude, and hilarious. When the fellas ask him if he was going to probe them, his reply was " Why does everyone always assume that? What am I doing? Am I harvesting farts? How much can I learn from an ass? " Much of the dialog runs this course. Other dialog has to do with pop culture and ranges from scenes where Agent Zoil (Bateman) pays homage to Han Solo as he shoots the radio in his car and exclaims "boring conversation anyway." In another scene, Pegg, while drawing Paul reclining on a couch, reminds one from a scene from "Titanic" "Are you gonna draw me like your French girls, Jack?" The odd part was that many of the young kids in the theater got a lot of these jokes, even the dirty ones.

Either from the "X Files" or the "Men in Black" series (you choose), dark suited FBI agents are on the hunt. Leading a pair of incompetent rookies is Agent Zoil, played by Jason Bateman. I think Bateman has found his niche in the movies as a solid supporting actor in this and the many films in which he appears. A couple of films where his performances shine are Hancock, Juno, Up in the Air, and The Kingdom. Agents Haggard and O'Reilly look surprisingly familiar, as they are both Superbad alumni. Bill Hader, one of the cops in the aforementioned film, plays Haggard and Joe Lo Truglio portrays Agent O'Reilly. You may remember Joe as the driver in "Superbad," or from "Role Models." Jane Lynch, who is everywhere now, makes a couple of brief appearances, as well as many recognizable character actors filling in the cast in minor supporting roles.

So, when it comes to aliens, who would you want on your side, backing you up or kicking their asses for you, huh? Would you want Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Superman, Schwarzenegger, or Adrien Brody? As Richard Dawson would say on TV's "Family Feud" - "And the answer is:" Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley. Who else has kicked more alien ass than Sigourney Weaver? Weaver is "The Big Guy," taking over the case in order to clean up the mess Zoil and his cohorts made while tracking Paul down. Although Paul is a comedy, people do die horrible fiery deaths in this movie, which the film just shrugs off. Director Greg Mottola, whose credits include the successful teen cult hit "Superbad" as well as Adventureland, pulls out all the stops to get a laugh. As the audience should be more mature than his teen flicks, you find that both Pegg and Frost are just big goofs at heart.

Like the Crosby and Hope Road pictures, there is a girl in this movie too. Kristin Wiig plays Ruth Buggs. She is the daughter of the trailer park owner where the three are staying. Ruth lives an almost solitary life with her father, who raised her to be a fanatical fundamentalist Christian. Wiig gets into her part and goes along playing the demented Christian, the foul-mouthed rebel, the stereotypical first time pot smoker, and the bounty hunter. So the question begs an answer, what happens when a girl who wears a shirt depicting Jesus shooting Charles Darwin say when confronted by an alien being? The answer is; watch the movie!

Originally published on 3/21/2011 with Associated Content/Yahoo Voices

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In Fear

Do you ever ask for directions? I try not too.  My wife, on the other hand has no issues with stopping and asking a stranger.  As long as I have gas, I will keep looking.  Now with GPS, getting lost shouldn't happen as often.  What about road signage -- helpful? Perhaps not.

"... a young couple fights to survive one night-turned-nightmare. Driving to a music festival, Tom and Lucy have plans to stay at a countryside hotel. But with hotel signs leading them in circles and darkness falling, they soon become lost in a maze of country roads… and the target of an unknown tormentor."

Directed by Jeremy Lovering, "In Fear" stars Iain De Caestecker ("16 Years of Alcohol," "The Little Vampire") as Tom and Alice Englert ("Beautiful Creatures," "Ginger & Rosa")  

The last time I saw a film about two people lost in the woods or are driving around lost, they were unfortunate enough to wander upon a villa and its owner, a German retired surgeon.

Check out the first trailer.

"In Fear" is produced by Bigtalk films. These are the same folks that brought us "Shaun of the Dead", "Hot Fuzz" and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World", and "Paul." 

So far, there is no worldwide opening date, however, "In Fear" opens in the UK on August 30th 2013.

Movie Data

Genre: Thriller

Year:  2013

Staring: Iain De Caestecker,  Alice Englert, Allen Leech

Director: Jeremy Lovering

Producer(s): James Biddle, Nira Park 

Writer: 

Rating: Not Rated

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Star Trek - Into Darkness Posters

Paramount has released character posters for Lt. Sulu and Dr. McCoy from "Star Trek: Into Darkness."  

The Plot according to Paramount:

"When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew"

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year:  2013

Staring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer(s): J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci

Writer: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof

Rating: Not Rated

Doctor McCoy

Sulu

Harrison

Uhura

Spock

Kirk

USS Enterprise

Star Trek: Into Darkness - Destruction

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