Guillermo Del Toro directing The Hobbit?

Not signed on yet but it seems he may be very close. Guillermo Del Toro directing The Hobbit seems like the perfect fit now that Peter Jackson will not direct. Much better than the proposed Sam Raimi.

What do you think?

EMPIRE Magazine talks with Guillermo Del Toro

And it would have a decidedly different "feel" from the Peter Jackson films. Not more of the same. Nice.

Guillermo Del Toro is really good. I like the idea of the hobbit having a different feel than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I agree with Henning, much better than Sam Raimi.

I wonder if Guillermo Del Toro will have some involvement with the screenplay as well? Do we even know who is writing the screenplay yet? And more importantly, will Ian McKellen be playing Gandalf again?

Has Hellboy 2 finished shooting or even started?? I don't keep up with those things like I should. Just trying to get a time frame of when the Hobbit would even start shooting, especially if Hellboy 2 hasn't even started yet.

Also I think he is a good choice for this film, I just hope they don't cut the book to shreds like they did in the Rankin and Bass version. Seems like the film should be a good 140/150 minutes to get all the key stuff in.

As far as Ian, if they CANNOT get him, who do you guys think would be a good replacement?
I mean someone that they could realistically get to do it, i.e, not Sean Connery.

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Has Hellboy 2 finished shooting or even started??

Yep, the previews are out there and it looks really cool. Looking forward to that one!

I rented the Blu-ray of HELLBOY last year. Disappointing. Some great visuals and a few action scenes could not overcome just too much talking and slow moving scenario [in ways similar to V FOR VENDETTA]. The characters seemed like they were always 'having a bad day'. Not a movie worth repeat viewings, in my opinion, and yes I know that most others liked it.

HELLBOY2? Again, I'll wait for the eventual hi-def edition (for rental).

-LH (The Loverboy)

Oh Hendrix, I couldn't compare "V for Vendetta" with "Hellboy"

OK, just my opinion but Hellboy is a kind of popcorn flick while V is a real film, and one that actually deals with real and important subject matter. I bought the illustrated "comic" novel when it was first released, as I was intrigued it would be among the best sellers of real novels at the Prospero's bookstore. I was not disappointed in that the movie actually recited a lot of the book line-for-line. Nearly every paragraph makes you think IMO, and question the role of democracy, as well as its legitimacy in what people really want. And where it crosses into fascism? Yes, it's all old now considering the book was made over a decade before the movie release, but I thought it so timely given the historical events of recent past.

Yes the movie itself had some faults, but comparing this to Hellboy? Oh my.

Well, V FOR VENDETTA just takes itself (storyline) much too 'seriously'. Gosh, I felt myself being 'indoctrinated' just sitting here watching the movie. And that ending? All of the 'robotic' crowds of people? ...way over the top!

-LH (the Loverboy)

Yeah, I'd have to agree. V and Hellboy are not even remotely the same and odd to consider in comparison. One is flat-out boring while the other is pure comicbook entertainment.

This is on IMDB.com today...

Del Toro To Direct 'The Hobbit'

Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro has agreed to spend the next four years in New Zealand, where he will work with Peter Jackson, who is producing the two-part The Hobbit prequels to Lord of the Rings. In a statement released by New Line Cinema, Del Toro, who was nominated for a best original screenplay Oscar last year for Pan's Labyrinth, which he also directed, said that he felt "blessed" to have been chosen to direct the two films. "Contributing to the Lord of the Rings' legacy is an absolute dream come true," he said.

Four years to make TWO movies?? It took them TWO years to make the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Ah well, I'm sure the results will be great.

I think that it's as closest without imitating as we are going to get to Peter Jackson's movies...honestly, the LOTR movies are not my favorites, but I love the epical magnitude of them, the production value, everything that went into making those movies...and as always, the results were astonishing.

Hellboy is a great movie, it's not the popcorn movie Hendrix claims it is, but it is not as too much nonsense and overhype as Batman Begins or as slow as Superman Returns (yes, Whiny Wayne's movie is not that great, sorry to all of you, get over it, DK is going to be better)...and Hellboy and V can't be compared, at all, the moods are so different, the feel of the movie is so different, the main character is SO different (love Big Red's cocky attitude...unlike Juno's, UGH)...

I'm so hyped about Hellboy 2...oh, by the way, how is Hellboy's A/V quality on the blu-ray? Is it outstanding or just good?

mvckalel... want to see a cool movie?






I recently rented the Blu-ray of SHOOT 'EM UP, and this movie blows away both Hellboy and V for Vendetta. Incredibly-staged action, comic relief (lots of humour, especially visually), sexy Monica Belluci, a new-born infant they are protecting(!), some spirited dialogue by Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti... and the film never lets up with one thriving 'shoot out' after another, plus a wide variety of different guns used in the movie (as documented in one of the bonus feature segments). DVDTOWN Editor John Puccio didn't like it as much as myself, but I could watch it again anytime, compared to V, Hellboy, Hitman, etc, and the surround sound audio is wild!

If you think the action 'sex scene' was wild in Crank (with Amy Smart, during the outdoor scene with many shoppers looking on) - just wait to you see the one in Shoot 'Em Up (with Belluci, during one of the incredible shoot-outs!).







-JIMI LOVE (the Voodoo Child)

Sir Ian McKellen back as Gandalf

Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed he will reprise his role as Gandalf in the film version of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit.

"Yes, it's true," he told Empire magazine. "It's not a part that you turn down. I loved playing Gandalf."

Two Hobbit films are planned for release in 2010 and 2011. They will be prequels to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7375245.stm

Sweet!

SHoot em up was, Crazy. i mean thats fine, if your gonna be crazy.... go all out!!.. dotn lure me to watch something weird, or random and MAKE IT CRAZY.. right in THE MIDDLE!!!!

Paul Giamatti had me ROLLING in shoot em up.

Couldn't be a better pick if you ask me.

[Post edited by spoonard on May 1, 2008]

Mcavoy Tipped For Hobbit Role

By WENN, 29th May 2008
Scottish actor JAMES McAVOY has been tipped to take the lead role in the new movie version of LORD OF THE RINGS prequel THE HOBBIT.

J.R.R. Tolkien's novel is set to be turned into a major blockbuster under the direction of Guillermo del Toro and filming is due to begin in New Zealand later this year (08).

Sir Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf and McAvoy is rumoured to be the favourite to take the lead role of hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

The character was played by Ian Holm in the previous films of the fantasy franchise, but he is due to be replaced by a high profile star for the new movie.

A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "A number of names have been doing the rounds, including Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black, but James (McAvoy) is the one the film's bosses really want.

"They're expected to have talks soon so hopefully it could be confirmed in the not too distant future."

And director del Toro adds, "I can tell you it's down to a few names that we all agree upon. For our first choice, completely magically we all have the same name."

http://www.showbizspy.com/news/05292008/mcavoy-tipped-for-hobbit-role

Shoot'em up . . . cool? LMAO!!! That movie was beyond stupid! Talk about "over the top"! Lame, totally lame POS!

Interesting news about The Hobbit. I'm happy to see the pieces are falling in place. I can't wait to see what Del Toro delivers.

Tim... surprised that you, being a fan of ULTRAVIOLET (with all of it's various types of "shoot outs", did not like or appreciate the even more incredible action shoot outs of SHOOT 'EM UP - !!

I thought I'd seen everything... but when Clive Davis shoots out his windshield, then deliberately crashes head-on into the bad guys vehicle(!), so he will then be forced to FLY THRU THE AIR from his car into theirs, to then shoot the bad guys(!), well it's incredibly-written action scenes like that which make SHOOT 'EM UP a fun 'thrill' to watch (like CRANK etc).

Obviously you didn't like it... OK.

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

James McAvoy as a young Bilbo Baggins would work. In addition to a good job in "Atonement," he played Mr. Tumnus, the faun in the first "Chronicles of Narnia." It's probably that role that got him an edge up for the part of the hobbit.

John

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Tim... surprised that you, being a fan of ULTRAVIOLET (with all of it's various types of "shoot outs", did not like or appreciate the even more incredible action shoot outs of SHOOT 'EM UP - !!

The difference, Jimi, is Ultraviolet presents itself as a comic book style film, note the opening credits. Therefore, I knew I was in for a popcorn ride and was willing to accept it as so. Plus, there were more interesting and fun gadgets than a James Bond movie! And it's action sci-fi which I always find to be like a cartoon -- anything can happen! Therefore, the over the topness is easier to digest. On the other hand, Shoot'em Up seemed to start itself in what appeared might be a coherent action film, but went south in a hurry and ended up a total disaster. It was about as over the top as Mr & Mrs. Smith, but even worse.

As for the Hobbit, bring it on! I'm very excited to see the end result and it will be interesting to see what Del Toro does with a big budget. I have to say, I'm very pleased with the work he's done so far with his other films and I'm happy to see he's on the directors chair for this movie.

[Post edited by Tim Raynor on May 30, 2008]

Poor Tim... you've misunderstood the 'tone' of Shoot 'Em Up big time! At no point do the filmmakers and actors suggest any type of 'reality' to their screenplay - it's all for fake-dramatic fun, even including a young infant baby in many scenes(!), like having the main actor early on help deliver the child - right during a shoot-out! It's incredible that the 'spirit' of this film went over your head!

Suggestion - rent the movie again on Blu-ray, and watch on your new plasma, and get ready to rock. Also, take a moment to watch the main featurettes, and see how the writer/director, actors, and crew were all just having fun, and knew exactly the kind of movie they were making - a complete thrill ride of action, with much more repeat viewing-value compared to Hellboy or V for Vendetta. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti are awesome in Shoot 'em Up.

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

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it's all for fake-dramatic fun, even including a young infant baby in many scenes(!),

Of which was in complete poor taste.

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Suggestion - rent the movie again on Blu-ray, and watch on your new plasma, and get ready to rock. Also, take a moment to watch the main featurettes, and see how the writer/director, actors, and crew were all just having fun, and knew exactly the kind of movie they were making - a complete thrill ride of action, with much more repeat viewing-value compared to Hellboy or V for Vendetta. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti are awesome in Shoot 'em Up.

No thanks, I'm happy knowing I'll never have to see that POS again as long as I live. Hellboy has great repeat value, and in comparison, it is a masterpiece when put up against to the utter trash that Shoot'em up is. The urinals at America West Arena have more class than that piece of crap.

Face it Tim... Hellboy has it's moments, some great visuals... but often boring, and lame dialogue (unlike Shoot 'Em Up! )

As for ridiculous comments about comparing ShEmUp to 'urinals' - ... I suggest you check out the film's ROTTEN TOMATOES score (66) and comment - "As preposterous and over-the-top as Shoot 'Em Up may be, its humor and non-stop action make for a very enjoyable film."

And Hellboy only ranks a little higher - (79) - so I accept your apology - "POS" indeed!

Even John Puccio's review of it is a "5" (not of 'urinal' quality! ), although he didn't like it as much as RT or myself - "Clive Owen is terrific as the hard-boiled Mr. Smith, and Paul Giamatti makes an acceptably sadistic miscreant. If only the rest of the picture had reached these heights, we might have had something. Instead, "Shoot 'Em Up" is largely a one-note (though certainly not a one-shot) picture, a long, continuous chase with no respite in sight. Too much of a good thing, I'd say."

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

Well, Jimi, I wasn't apologizing about anything, of course you're doing your usual misinterpreting and trying to skew what I say for your own benefit. For someone who likes to over inform people, you'd think you'd be a little more coherent on what you read.

Yeah, John did give it a 5, which when looking at it in a grade scale level, 5 would be failing. It's too bad as Hellboy has much more to offer when it comes to a solid film, and obviously the "spirit" of that film went way over your head. Even James's review here at DVDTOWN Gives it a big fat 9, which is a far cry from a failing 5.

http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/hellboy/4791/1

Then again, our critics here at DVDTOWN have this amazing thing called "good taste", which is why I read and trust their opinions and point of view. Face it Jimi Love, trash is trash but if trash is what you enjoy, then by all means have a ball.












[Post edited by Tim Raynor on May 30, 2008]

Shoot 'Em Up reviewed....

~ DVD Talk
4 Stars (out of 5) - Highly Recommended!

~ High Def Digest
4 Stars (out of 5) - Recommended

~ Reel.com
3 Stars (out of 4) - Recommended
Film Review excerpt - "The embodiment of unflappable cool, Clive Owen calmly blows away an army of assassins in Shoot 'Em Up, a deliriously over-the-top exercise in pulp filmmaking that's a tongue-in-cheek homage to the cinema of John Woo. Perversely funny and absurdly violent, writer/director Michael Davis' fourth film is a hyper-stylized star vehicle for the effortlessly charismatic Owen, fresh from dodging bullets and mortar fire in the unjustly overlooked Children of Men (2006). The roguishly handsome Brit holds the screen in Shoot 'Em Up with his unwavering gaze as Mr. Smith, a one-man killing machine—and ferociously devoted babysitter. A rollicking hoot from start to finish, Shoot 'Em Up is the most satisfying, ultra-stylized action flick since Sin City (2005)."

...and this part (from the Reel.com DVD review) is just for Tim - "Shoot 'Em Up grabs you by the throat, commands you to have fun, and wills you to not take anything that follows seriously. If you don't get the idea from the first frame of the opening credits, when the New Line Cinema logo is shot to hell, Davis makes sure to drive the point home in the opening shot as Clive Owen glares into the camera in close-up and takes a bite out of a carrot as if he is chomping off a chaw of tobacco, like an apocalyptic Bugs Bunny."


~ DVD Verdict
4 Stars (out of 5) - Recommended
Excerpt from review - "Realism is not a friend to this movie. In fact, whenever this movie enters the room, realism becomes terrified and jumps out the nearest window. Although it's all very tongue-in-cheek and obviously not meant to be taken seriously, nitpickers will no doubt exhaust themselves pointing out all the physical impossibilities in Shoot 'Em Up. Like, can you even shoot a gun while skydiving? And if you could, how on Earth would you aim? Or, how is it that Smith jumps down what looks like 12 stories and, simply by landing on another guy's corpse, isn't hurt at all? Or, since when could a small vegetable break through a man's skull? And if the action physics are questionable, check out the baby physics. This is like Willow, in which we're supposed to believe a bundle of blankets has a baby inside it, even though the characters run around with it during action scenes as if it's light as a feather and it never squirms or wiggles."


Conclusion... Tim = Nitpicker

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

~ And Monica Belluci is way sexier than Selma Blair (of Hellboy)






~ Shoot 'Em Up star Clive Owens & British writer/director Michael Davis



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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

[Post edited by Love Hendrix! on May 31, 2008]

Nice to see you showing any respect for the reviews here at DVDTOWN. I seem to remember you saying something about enjoying the reviews here at DVDTOWN. Here, let me help you poor boy:

http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/shoot-em-up/5505

Here's John's posted quote in case you missed it:
"...essentially just one long chase sequence that becomes much too monotonous much too soon. "

A little more from his review:
"If only the rest of the picture had reached these heights, we might have had something. Instead, "Shoot 'Em Up" is largely a one-note (though certainly not a one-shot) picture, a long, continuous chase with no respite in sight."

Well, read John's review for more, but like it or not, 5 IS a failing grade. To bad you can't seem to grasp that. Then again, I'm not going to post quotes from competitor sites. Tisk, tisk, Jimi, such a lack of respect from a guy that claims to love DVDTOWN so much. What a sorry state of affairs.





[Post edited by Tim Raynor on May 30, 2008]

Tim... obviously you fail to realize that I've already read John's review (over a month ago) when I posted the ShEmUp images last month (on page 2)

Like I said then (and above), he didn't like it as much as I did, and nowhere compared the movie - LIKE YOU DO(!) - to a "POS" or like the "urinals" at America West Arena.

And another thing... "5" (out of 10) is NOT a 'failing' grade in film ratings (just in school!), rather it means the person thinks it's "OK", "so so", "average", etc... but NOT a "POS" or like a "urinal" - - no, those words are for movies considered "stinkers", "turkeys", "dogs" etc (and there are many movies worthy of being labeled as such, but not the exciting SHOOT 'EM UP!).

I sure hope Hellboy 2 will be an improvement on the part 1, as the few action moments (and a few visuals) in part 1 were the only thing of value between all of the boring dialogue and 'complaining' by most of the characters.

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

What a lame analogy! LMAO!!!

[Post edited by Tim Raynor on May 31, 2008]

That's a poor 'analysis' Tim... since we are NOT in school here. (so I'll post the following again, as a remember)...

Conclusion... Tim = Nitpicker

Again, I recommend that you watch the film again, this time on your new Blu-ray player and new plasma TV, and enjoy the 'style' of the film for what it is - JOHN WOO on steroids!

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

Sorry Jimi Love, but anyone can look at a 10/10 scale like you would in school, it's kind of the norm when you think about it. 5 is failing any way you look at it.

9, however, is a great score on DVDTOWN and only a select few ever make that mark compared to the multitude of films delivered over the year(s). Hellboy is one of the select few to get that score and given by a well respected critic here at DVDTOWN, James Plath. Then again, didn't you mention something about getting or wanting to get Rambo on hi-def? LMAO!!! Yeah, such fine taste in film Jimbo, you are truly a godsend for the average Joe!

EDIT: Wait a tick, what was your take on "Transformers"? LOL!!!

[Post edited by Tim Raynor on May 31, 2008]

I'd rather watch Shoot 'Em Up, Ultraviolet, Crank, Transformers and all 4 Rambo films multiple times than a repeat of Hellboy, which overall was a disappointment in my opinion, but not a "POS" or like a "urinal" - even Hellboy is not -that- poor (but has very little 'repeat viewing' value)

(and obviously Tim is not a good critic of action films!)

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

[Post edited by Love Hendrix! on May 31, 2008]

And I also like and appreciate the reviews of James Plath... they even have appeared on the HollywoodinHiDef website (FYI).

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And I also like and appreciate the reviews of James Plath... they even have appeared on the HollywoodinHiDef website (FYI).

You mean the same James Plath that gave Hellboy a 9 out of 10? God help us if YOU ever decide to become a critic! LMAO!!!

It's been fun arguing tonight Jimi, but Timmy needs to go play some Ages of Conan! Yes, I like action games with loads of violence! lol



Have a good night.

Tim said -

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"God help us if YOU ever decide to become a critic! LMAO!!!"

Well, opinions of films are very diverse, so, well... one more time won't hurt...

Conclusion... Tim = Nitpicker

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-JIMI McLovin (the Voodoo Child)

Conclusion . . . Jimi Love = Shit Lover