X-FILES Reunion! David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson Take The Paley Center Stage in NYC!

They have adjacent autograph tables all this weekend at New York Comic Con, and the big X-Files 20th Anniversary panel in the main hall doesn't take place until tomorrow afternoon, but David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson shared the stage tonight at the New York Paley Center For Media's The Truth Is Here: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson on The X-Files to reminisce about their groundbreaking Fox sci-fi show .

The 90-minute event, streamed live via the Paley Center website, was full of fun moments courtesy of Duchovny's constant sarcasm. The duo shared some set stories from their days playing agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully on the small and big screen from 1996-2002, and their final appearance in 2008's theatrical swan song I Want To Believe.

Duchovny and Anderson, who arrived together right from New York Comic Con and after red carpet interviews, took the stage for the eager (and predominantly female) audience who snatched up tickets to the event in less than five minutes after they were made available online. Moderated by Time Out New York's Keith Uhlich, there were many light hearted moments from the panel when the both host's and audience's encyclopedic knowledge of the show went head to head with the stars' at-times sketchy memories from their long days and nights working on the set.

During the panel and the audience Q&A, the actors recalled their audition process, shared some memorable clips, went through their favorite episodes and wouldn't rule out the possibility of working together again in the future (though it won't be because of cheap stunt casting Duchovny assured us).

For fans who patiently waited outside the Paley doors, the dynamic duo signed autographs as they exited on the way to their car, capping off a great night from start to finish.

IMAGES: Paley Center, Nerdy Rotten Scoundrel

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The Official Full Trailer For GRAVITY Is Here!

Warner Bros. has released the full trailer to Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, just ahead of its red carpet premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday.

The film is already scoring Oscar buzz by the boatload.  In an interview with Variety, here are the praises James Cameron had for the film:

“I was stunned, absolutely floored,” he said. “I think it’s the best space photography ever done, I think it’s the best space film ever done, and it’s the movie I’ve been hungry to see for an awful long time.”

“What is interesting is the human dimension,” Cameron observed. “Alfonso and Sandra working together to create an absolutely seamless portrayal of a woman fighting for her life in zero gravity.”

Here is the official synopsis:

"Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone–tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space."

Gravity is set for an October 19th release in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX

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The MTV VMA's Bring Us The First Trailer to 'Divergent'

Last night during the 2013 MTV VMA's, the first sneak peek trailer for Divergent was reaveled.

Based on the trilogy of Young Adult novels by Veronica Roth (Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant), the film adaptation stars Shailene Woodley as Tris, an outsider in a dystopian future who does not fit into one of the pre-assigned classes society is grouped in to, and turns to changing her fate at any cost.

Directed by Neil Burger, Divergent  also stars Kate Winslet, Theo James, Miles Teller, Jai Courtney, Ashley Judd, Tony Goldwyn, Ray Stevenson, Zoe Kravitz, Maggie Q and Mekhi Phifer.

The film is set for 2D and IMAX screens on March 21, 2014.

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New Clip From 'Gravity' Is Online!

A new clip from Alfonso Cuaron's highly ambitious and anticipated sci-fi thriller Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney is now online.

Synopsis:

Two astronauts (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) find themselves stranded on a space station after a disastrous accident wipes out the crew and most of the structure. Alfonso Curaon directs from his own script, which was co-written by his son Jonas Cuaron.

Gravity is set for theaters on October 4th, 2013.

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The Second Trailer and New Poster For 'Elysium' Stir Up More Sci-Fi Action and Intrigue

The second trailer to director Neill Blomkamp's sci-fi class struggle actioner set in 2154, Elysium, has been released. At a generous three minutes, this extended look gives us a much better look at the intriguing upcoming second film from the director of the similarly high concept and thought provoking District 9.

Set for theaters on August 9th, Elysium stars Matt Damon Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna and William Fichtner.

Official synopsis:

"In the year 2159, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet’s crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium – but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens’ luxurious lifestyle. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission – one that pits him against Elysium’s Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line forces – but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well."

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TRAILER: 'Gravity'

The long awaited first trailer to Gravity from director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) has finally been released, and it's a nail biter. The sci-fi thriller starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, follows two astronauts trapped in space after an accident leaves them little hope for survival over 300 miles above the Earth.

Synopsis:

"Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone–tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space."

Gravity is set for an October 19th release in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX

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Film Review: OBLIVION ★★½☆☆☆

The bleak future Earth we visit in Oblivion allows director Joseph Kosinski a vast canvas to paint a visually unique and stunning film. There is no denying the feat he delivers via a spectacle of fantastic sci-fi landscapes and select action sequences, but the ambitious plot takes away the opportunity to ultimately enjoy the film on all levels.

In a nutshell, Earth is invaded by aliens, whose first strike obliterates the Moon and leads our planet into a downward spiral of environmental chaos. In order to win the war, we resort to unleashing our nuclear arsenal, which leaves the planet a radioactive wasteland. The remaining human population must evacuate and relocate to Titan, one of Saturn's larger moons.

Cut to 2077, Cruise's Commander Jack Harper is nearing the end of his five-year assignment to patrol the Earth's skies and architectural ruins while repairing the robotic drones that defend the massive resource conversion plants vital to humanity's off world survival. He and his partner Vika (Andrea Riseborough) live a routine life in a swanky hi-rise dwelling in the clouds that would make even the Jetsons envious. But when Jack rescues Julia (Olga Kurylenko), a human survivor from a crashed pre-invasion NASA vessel, the game rules change. The sight of Julia awakens long dormant memories buried in Jack's subconscious which lead him to question both his past and very existence.  

Oblivion's first trailer brilliantly set up an intriguing WALL-E worthy story of living in isolation on a future Earth. The later previews introduced Morgan Freeman's character Beech, the mysterious leader of a survivalist group who brought with him a different spin to the story, which felt like too much meat of the plot was then revealed. But truth be told that isn't nearly the half of it. Where it starts and where it ends is quite the journey when Jack's seemingly mundane life is turned on its ass.

While thankfully there is much more under the hood regarding the story, unfortunately that is also where Oblivion starts to falter. Its over ambitious ideas regarding the truth and identity are more hindered by the execution of their explanations, which bog down the beauty of the film's former simplicity. The second and third acts each bring with them radical shifts in the story, adding more mystery and with it, additional head scratching twists and turns in the plot.

A low key Cruise is tasked to be nearly a one man army on-screen, and much like Tom Hanks' turn in Castaway and Will Smith in I Am Legend, finds himself in nearly every scene in the film. The scant supporting cast is just that. Freeman, Kurylenko, Riseborough and Olgaprovide provide minimal additional characters to the mix, but this is a film firmly set on Cruise control.

There is an unfortunate overall emotional disconnect to all the characters, much in the vein of Blade Runner's similar dark tone. Despite its best efforts to really humanize Jack in this dystopian future (he has a lush secret oasis where he wears a Yankees hat and flannel shirt to bask in the sun while sitting on the grass outside his log cabin), by the nature of the character, Jack is denied the opportunity to reap the all charismatic benefits of being portrayed by Tom Cruise.

Oblivion is guilty of taking literal visual cues from 2001: A Space Odyssey, similar lines of dialogue that equally allude to plot points from Planet of the Apes, imposing robotic technology that mirrors both The Black Hole and RoboCop, and even boldly borrows scenes straight out of Independence Day's playbook. However the good news is that all this doesn't come across as blatant screenplay theft or exist simply because of a drought for original ideas. In Kosinski's capable hands (who previously visually wowed us with 2010's Tron: Legacy), these familiar beats actually morph into a successful homage to the wealth of influential sci-fi that came before him. It's up to you to maintain a generous mental scorecard of where you have seen it all before.

While the film ultimately buckles under the weight of its own story ambitions, it easily makes up lost ground in the visual department. Presentation-wise, hands down Oblivion looks absolutely stunning in IMAX, which is something I rarely admit. To really enjoy all its breathtaking effects and big screen eye candy, go the extra mile to see it on the grander scale. Too often film prints suffer from grain and lack of clarity when blown up for the larger format, and Oblivion has no such issues. Seen through Kosinski's lens, Oblivion is truly a visual triumph and an IMAX masterpiece. For fans of such breathtaking sci-fi spectacle, that makes it well worth the price of admission alone.

Oblivion opens in theaters and IMAX on April 19th.

REVIEW RATING: ★★½☆☆☆
Directed By: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo
Studio: Universal Pictures
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 124 minutes

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TRAILER: 'Elysium'

District 9 director Neill Blomkamp follows up his gritty groundbreaking 2009 sci-fi tale with Elysium, a dystopian future set where social classes collide and stars Matt Damon and Jodi Foster. It promises to provoke as much thought as District 9, and provide a sci-fi visual feast on the big screen.

"In the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station that is disguised as a massive floating city called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet's crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium – but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens' luxurious lifestyle. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max Coburn (Matt Damon), a 29-year-old ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission – one that pits him against Elysium's mayor, Secretary Jessica Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line forces – but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well."

Elysium hits theaters on August 9th.

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TRAILER: 'Pacific Rim' CES Edition

A new version of Guillermo del Toro's giant robots versus aliens epic Pacific Rim was showcased for the techies attending CES this week. This alternate cut of the original trailer provides a lot more action and an inside look at the human jockeyed Jaegers, the super sized robot suits (and not as in the corporate business sense).

For any fan of old school Voltron and Robotech, this film looks to be a dream come true on the big screen. For the youngens who love anime, Gundam and the like, its their party too. Sure there are a boatload of easy on the surface comparisons to be made to Cloverfield and Michael Bay's bombastic Transformers series, but the obvious plus side this is simply Guillermo del Toro, so we have a solid shot at a decent script as well as an intelligent homage to the giant robot genre that is an obvious influence.

Per Warner Bros:

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ epic sci-fi action adventure Pacific Rim. 

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. 

But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Oscar® nominee Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) is directing Pacific Rim from a script by Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans). 

Pacific Rim is set for release in 3D on July 13th and stars Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Idris Elba (Luther, Prometheus, Thor), Rinko Kikuchi (The Brothers Bloom), Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Horrible Bosses), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy).

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Laugh Along With The Cast of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' in the Season Two Blooper Reel

Because we can't get enough of blooper reels, check out the mistakes, gaffes and good times in between takes from the intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise-D.

None of the cast is spared a few moments of the giggles or tripping over their lines of sci-fi techno babble in this gag compilation from the show's second season.

There is always something extra funny in seeing Michael Dorn break character as Worf to let out a good laugh or to see Patrick Stewart having a grand time at his or others expense on the set. Make it so by sitting back for ten minutes and enjoying the memories with Sir Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, LeVar Burton, Whoopi Goldberg and Wil Wheaton.

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TRAILER: 'Pacific Rim'

The first trailer to Guillermo del Toro's monsters vs. robots epic, Pacific Rim, has hit the web. And what trailer it is. An alien threat, giant robots, giant monsters, an epic scale sci-fi story line set in a devastated future Earth. What's not to get excited about?

This is the type of movie I could only dream of ever seeing brought to life on the big screen as a kid growing up hooked on watching Voltron, Robotech and Transformers. Plus with del Toro at the helm, who brought us Pan's Labyrinth, we may get all the CG eye candy above and beyond the level of the big screen Transformers series, with characters who don't deliver cringe-worthy dialogue.

Official synopsis:

"When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse."

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim stars Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Clifton Collins Jr., Diego Klattenhoff, and Ron Perlman.

Pacific Rim hits theaters and IMAX 3D on July 12, 2013.

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Cross Brad Bird Off That 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Director Wish List

The first round draft of dream directors on the fans lists to helm Star Wars: Episode VII is dwindling fast. Sorry, but we can now officially count Brad Bird out of the running too.

When grilled on his Twitter page, the director behind Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol shot down the talk that he will tackle the first sequel to Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, set to hit the big screen in 2015.

Where do these rumors start concerning Bird? Well, the director has been previously confirmed to direct a "super secret" sci-fi film called 1952 for Disney (which recently purchased Lucasfilm), written by Lost and Prometheus writer Damon Lindelof. Add in the fact that Disney also owns Pixar, and Toy Story 3 scripter Michael Arndt is penning the Episode VII screenplay. In this case there was ample rumor fuel available to throw onto fire that 1952 was a cover, and Bird was in fact instead on board for the Star Wars gig.  

“@rsavenell: You are on people's lists as top choice for Star Wars, yet haven't confirmed. Please end this tease!”Not doing Star Wars.
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) November 18, 2012

“@clarkgoble: tell me your next one is the new Star Wars!”Nope. A science fiction film. Not Star Wars.
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) November 18, 2012

“@geoffbreedwell: You're not doing EP7? Why not? You're perfect for it!”Thanks. But the science fiction film I AM doing is gonna be cool.
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) November 18, 2012

That said, Michael Arndt is a fantastic writer and Kathy Kennedy is a brilliant producer. I will be first in line to see the new STAR WARS.
— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) November 18, 2012

Most of us would agree Bird would have been a perfect fit in the Star Wars universe. Although the wait continues, it may not ne much longer. Producer Frank Marshall claims he knows the identity of the chosen one, and obvioulsy is under the strictest orders of secrecy. "I do," he said when asked by MTV, "But I can't reveal it, or I won't be alive tomorrow."

Marshall added that he doesn't know exactly when the director will be announced, but the search is down to "a couple of candidates, but I don't know how soon that will be revealed." Thankfully we can count Marshall as a solid source for information, he married to Kathleen Kennedy, the new head of Lucasfilm and George Lucas's sucessor as Executive Producer to all things Star Wars, including the next slate of films.

SOURCES: Brad Bird Twitter, Collider

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Flock To Unlock Clips To The 'Firefly' 10th Anniversary Special

To all us Browncoats' delight, this Sunday, Science Channel is set to air the highly anticipated Firefly Tenth Anniversary Special, Firefly: Browncoats Unite.

Creator Joss Whedon reunites to reminisce with his crew (Nathan Fillion. Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, and Jewel Staite) for the 60-minute round table retrospective special. Highlights include a re-created Serenity set, interviews, behind-the-scenes secrets, and a look back at the Firefly on-stage cast reunion at this year's San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H.

To hold us over until the weekend, Science Channel is offering the opportunity to "Flock To Unlock" four of the best moments that can only be released exclusively to the online community by tweeting @ScienceChannel with #FireflyNov11. For every 5,000 tweets, a new sneak peek video will unlock.

In addition, fans can pre-game on Sunday with a Firefly full series all-day marathon starting at 7AM leading up to the 10PM premiere of Browncoats Unite.

SOURCE: Science Channel

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Disney Buys Lucasfilm For $4.05 Billion... Sets 'Star Wars: Episode VII' For 2015

In a surprise announcement by Disney, the House Of Mouse acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion, encompassing all of its properties, Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound. The deal also obviously includes the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Under the new regime, a slate of Star Wars features will be produced. "Star Wars Episode 7" has been announced, with a targeted 2015 release.

With the title "Episode 7," it is implied, if not assumed that the next film would take place chronologically after 1983's Return of The Jedi. Do you hear that Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford?? The prospect of Mark Hamill returning as an elder Luke Skywalker, by this time a Master Jedi Knight, is extremely exciting to any Star Wars fan. Lucas in fact revealed today he has story treatments for an entire new trilogy, now in development with Kathleen Kennedy serving as Executive Producer.

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas in today's press release.

"It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime," he said.

"I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney's reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products."

With the general disappointment felt by fans regarding the Star Wars prequels, all written and dircted by George Lucas, the fact that he is now stepping aside and letting fresh blood to take the reigns of the franchise may very well be a great thing.

Cartoon Network's animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars is proof positive of the potential an off-shoot series can have when Lucas is not directly steering the ship. With Lucas now in a Creative Consultant role, having new writers and directors in the mix provides exciting potential for the future of the franchise for those of us who have been put off by the last three big screen installments.

"We are absolutely going to make Star Wars movies," said Kathleen Kennedy, co-chair of Lucasfilm, in a video interview.

"We are in the midst of the really fun part of the process which is we are sitting down with a couple of writers and we're starting to discuss ideas and we're starting to talk about what those stories might be," she said.

In the video below, Lucas explains his thoughts behind Star Wars' future with Disney, and reveals he already has story treatments for Episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

Disney also bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for $4 Billion, and is in charge of all the big screen Marvel Studios films, which includes The Avengers and all the upcoming Marvel Phase Two films, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy. So any initial fear of what Disney may do with Star Wars can be put at ease, they seem to be allowing the proper people to handle these properties.


Highlights from Disney's Press Release:

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

"Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas," said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney's unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value." 

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney's reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products." 

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and "evergreen" Star Warsfranchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future. 

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo. 

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm's legendary Star Warsfranchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world's top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney's strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

SOURCE: Disney

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TRAILER: 'Prometheus' Blu-ray - "Questions Will Be Answered"

Tomorrow's Blu-ray release of Prometheus has seven hours of bonus features, some of which promise to fill in some of the blanks regarding the boatload of questions raised in the version released in theaters this summer.

While the film was two hours of solid visual eye candy, and boasted some of the best unobtrusive 3D I have ever seen on the big screen, it left much to be desired when it came to  more questions than providing answers to the them regarding the mysteries the script unearthed. It's great that we will have the bonus features to some light shed on certain things like more of the who and what of the Engineers' back story, and perhaps some extra tidbits on the Xenomorphs role in things, but foremost these things should be seen in the theater to make the film as strong as possible and to stand on its own if a sequel never arrives.

I'll make no bones about  it, I will be first in line to Prometheus 2. Ridley Scott and company did a fine job of making good on the promise that any logistical follow up to Prometheus would not be 1979's Alien, but rather another chapter that furthers along the new story they set up, which runs parallel to the exploits of Ellen Ripley. However, as a stand-alone film, Prometheus leaves way too much unanswered regarding the core issues that demand explanation for the theater going audience to leave satisfied. They may have just as well stuck an end credits title card informing us that if the theatrical cut wasn't satisfactory, we just need wait a few months for the Blu-ray for a little more, and then join together in prayer for a sequel for all the remaining answers.

While extras on the Blu-ray are both welcome and awesome, it's just unfortunate that they had answers waiting in the wings the whole time for a post release epilogue, instead of making the theatrical version as coherent as it could be and to stand better on its own. It would have been pretty disheartening a few months ago to have the cast and filmmakers deflect questions while promoting the film with "Yes, there is an answer to that. But it will not be in the film, but rather on the Blu-ray bonus disc."

Bryan Singer had grand plans for the sequel to 2006's Superman Returns centered on Brainiac and the unpopular Super-Kid offspring of Kal-El and Lois Lane. But perhaps by putting too many eggs in the basket assuming he had a second film to make all the threads pay off, it weakened its position as a self-contained story. That train of thought allows less focus on delivering a stand alone film than one that has the benefit of one or two sequels to flesh out its grand scheme.To much surprise at the time, Superman Returns was not the super blockbuster it was hoped for, (a sad state of the union when making over $391million worldwide doesn't warrant a follow up), and Warner Bros. went with another reboot over a sequel.

When Prometheus is released tomorrow for home viewing, we will have the chance to see exactly how much was left on the cutting room floor, and whether some of it would have been better served left in to flesh out the film more. But I'd rather have less questions and more answers in a theatrical cut than to have them left over for Blu-ray special features.



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Film Review - LOOPER ★★★½☆☆

Time travel adventures tend to be a tough bunch to roll through. The concepts of changing history, running into oneself in the past or future, the ripple of the butterfly effect in the timeline, the disastrous effects of a paradox, and of course, what shape does the time machine take? A plutonium powered DeLorean? A blue '60s style British Police Box? Or why the hell not, how about skipping through time in a hot tub?

Thankfully, Looper manages to get a substantial amount right in concept, execution, and presentation, putting it high on the horse in its handling of time travel. These kind of films are dissected ad nauseam by critics and fan boys alike, whether its on the scientific aspects of it all, or to see if it manages to makes any logistical and plausible sense. Some films execute the concept with a grain of salt, Looper does not.

The one-dimensional ads don’t do justice to this high-concept cat and mouse sci-fi chase. The commercials rely on simply hooking you in on Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a futuristic hit man (a “Looper”), being faced with the unexpected assignment of executing his future self, who is sent back to the past, and played by Bruce Willis. Frankly Looper goes above and beyond that on multiple levels, and soars beyond being a simple cause and effect time travel movie.

What works incredibly well in director/screenwriter Rian Johnson’s film is his investment in moody visuals and rich character development. Nobody in the impressive cast is shortchanged for a meaty part with plenty of depth written into their character.

Looper sucks you in from the get-go with a quick grisly attention grabbing opening scene which brilliantly sets both the stage and tone for the film. Another brilliant sequence follows Levitt for thirty years as he lives out his life of drug fueled violence as a gangster, which leads right up to the point where his older Joe (Bruce Willis) is sent into to past to be killed by younger Joe (Levitt).

To attempt a better plot explanation. In 2072, time travel is illegal and carried out only by the mob in secret. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, a Looper in 2044, who is hired by said mob to kill vagrants on a clean slate by sending them tied and blindfolded into the past where their bodies have no record. This simple straightforward lucrative job for Levitt’s Joe is thrown out the window one day when he looks into the eyes of his latest kill, and they are his own. It turns out Joe’s employers have decided to close his loop, which means sending his 30 years future self back in time to be killed by his younger counterpart. Bruce Willis' Older Joe manages to elude execution and attempts to carry out a multifaceted plan that will have major repercussions on preventing a dystopian future. And go...

Why do you need to see Looper? Let's start with the performances. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a star worthy performance as the young Bruce Willis. It's hard to figure out where prosthetics meet the subtle CGI which assist Levitt's morph job, but none of it takes away from the old school homage to Willis he physically and convincingly pulls off throughout the film. It's a performance that eerily mirrors Willis' facial mannerisms so much you wish you could forget the actual decades younger Bruce from Moonlighting and Die Hard.

These days Willis can phone in a performance and simply chalk it up to Bruce just playing Bruce (Cop Out anyone?). But here he plays Bruce the way Bruce is best played: some parts Pulp Fiction's Butch, some parts 12 Monkeys' James Cole, and this makes one bad ass role whose ultimate, overall, and driving motives force you to wonder if he is the hero or villain of the thick story line laid down. Older Joe is a character whose motives in his past border between simply self serving and heroic, and to attain his objective, he must persevere through heart wrenching and reprehensible actions. Willis has lot to work with here, and he knocks the role out of the ballpark.

Emily Blunt as Sara factors in when the film switches pace gears from its brisk opening hour to a grinding halt in its Witness-esque mid-section. But it's the relationship and subplot developed between Gordon-Levitt's Joe, Sara, and her ten year old son Cid (Pierce Gagnon), that gives the center the movie it's heart. The film builds upon that relationship until its threatened for the sake of the greater good, or what could be perceived as the greater good.

While the film generously grabs some of the best aspects of The Terminator, Back To The Future, 12 Monkeys, and even Akira, Johnson's solid screenplay manages to meld it all together into a moody fresh take. As far as its view on time travel, Looper cleverly takes mostly a direct cause and effect when events in the past effect the future, or even people from the future now living in their own 'past.'

To seriously over analyze or logistically dissect Looper  would take away the thought provoking character driven originality the film deserves. As a time travel concept snob, I did myself a disservice in the theater by over thinking the grand scheme of it all. Trying to figure out all the possible twists and turns that you should't be trying to figure out, not the way to go. Its a thinkers movie without question, but let it all flow and sink in as it moves along.

Looper succeeds as a gritty no-nonsense tense mind bender, and pulls no punches in some imagery that may not sit well with everyone. But there are plenty of terrific action sequences, a fantastic supporting cast, well executed drama, and the film isn't afraid to take the edge off a truly tense moment with a little humor every now and again. But its also satisfying that Looper will also stand tall among the notable entries of time travel films.

Looper opens in theaters on Friday, September 28th.

REVIEW RATING:  ★★★½☆☆
Directed By: Rian Johnson
Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Piper Perabo, Jeff Daniels
Studio: Sony Picture
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 119 minutes

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