Baltasar Kormákur's action adventure thriller Contraband starring Mark Walhberg and Kate Beckinsale is getting  a big push. I’ve seen more tv spots for this film so far than I have for some of the big holiday releases. Frankly, despite its January (US) release date, this looks like a solid action thriller. It's a remake of an Icelandic film called Reykjavik-Rotterdam. While I didn't see the original, the trailer for this one makes it look like it kicks all kinds of ass.  

The synopsis: A security guard with financial troubles considers a return to his smuggling ways when an associate offers a potentially lucrative opportunity. 

We know that that's not even half the story though.  It's another one of those tales where like Michael Corleone said in Godfather 3, "just when I think I'm out…they PULL me back in", only this time it's family man Mark Wahlberg who gets sucked back into 'the life' thanks to his ne'er do well brother. Kate and the kids are in all sorts of danger. Ooooo.

In the clip below, the excellent Giovanni Ribisi, is doing his slimeball best to intimidate our Marky Mark, after first appearing to kiss his ass. “You’re a tourist. This ain’t your world anymore man! You’re a tourist…you can’t trade on status you don’t have!”

Contraband also stars the equally excellent Ben Foster, J. K. Simmons, Lukas Haas, Caleb Landry Jones, Diego Luna and Marky Mark's older brother, Robert Walhberg. Contraband opens January 13 in the US and 16 March in the UK.

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The invasion of Hollywood blood suckers continues and no, I don't mean agents. I'm referring, of course to vampires. Proving as resilient as Dracula himself, there is apparently no end to the inventive permutations the fanged -ones lend themselves to. To that end, we have two fantastic first posters, courtesy of IGN,  for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, a title so bizarre that even if I didn’t know it was based on a genre mashing book by Seth Grahame-Smith ( the author of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”, another best-selling novel set to hit the big screen, as well as the screenplay for Dark Shadows), I’d have to be intrigued, especially with the names attached to it. Produced by Tim Burton, directed by Timur  Bekmambetov (Wanted), it stars Benjamin Walker (trivia alert: Meryl Streep’s son-in-law) as Honest Abe (more trivia: Tom Hardy was the first choice but had to decline due to The Dark Knight Rises ), Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Rufus Sewell (yay!)and Alan Tudyk.

The official synopsis for the film: "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter explores the secret life of our greatest President, and the untold story that shaped our nation. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (director of Wanted) bring a fresh and visceral voice to the blood-thirsty lore of the vampire, imagining Lincoln as history's greatest hunter of the undead."

I love these. One is obviously outside at night, the other inside in what looks like it might be the Oval Office with sunlight streaming in the windows. In both, the President is keeping a tight grip on that big axe. Not having read the book, I have to wonder if there are vampire beheadings involved. In any case, I like the dark tone they set. Can’t wait for a trailer!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens June 22 in the US and Canada and 2 August in the UK. Included with the posters below are a couple of set pics, courtesy of OLV.

We have a new poster for sci-fi indie, Chronicle. It’s been nearly two months since we brought you the trailer and to be honest, I’d almost forgotten about it.  Take a look. If you haven’t had a chance to view it, it’s definitely worth your two minutes.

The film is shot in “found footage” style a la Blair Witch Project or more recently Apollo 18. It's written by Max Landis (son of John Blues Brothers, American Werewolf in London Landis) and directed by newbie feature director Josh Trank ("Kill Point"). Chronicle is a new kind of superhero film, sort of in the vein of Kick-Ass, in that the heroes are teenagers and start out as average kids who decide to affect some change in their lives. There's a twist, however. The film "chronicles" three high school friends who make an incredible discovery, leading to them develop uncanny superpowers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities, and initially use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides soon begin to take over.

I’m always up for a trip to the dark side.

Chronicle stars Michael Kelly (The Changeling, The Adjustment Bureau, Law Abiding Citizen), Michael B. Jordan ("Friday Night Lights", upcoming Red Tails), Dane deHaan ("True Blood", "In Treatment") and Australian Alex Russell. 20th Century Fox will release Chronicle 1^st February in the UK and February 3 in the US and Canada.

Rumors were rampant this morning that Britney Spears' boyfriend Jason Trawick was going to be proposing to her tonight but Britney just tweeted this tweet:

Britney could be feeding into the rumors and teasing us all, or she is going to be showing us her beautiful engagement ring. We are all waiting so hurry up Brit Brit!! 

They are in Vegas where apparently a huge party is going to take place tonight to celebrate at Chocolate Lounge at the Sugar Factory in the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. Then it's off to the Chateau nightclub.

Congratulations to Britney & Jason! 

The Ziegfeld Theater was once again the site of a movie premiere last night as Stephen Daldry’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close held its red carpet gala in New York, the city at the heart of the film. Cast members Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Max von Sydow and young Thomas Horn all made an appearance.

Sorry Sandy, but you’re lookin’ a little like Morticia Addams with that all black ensemble and your stick straight hair. And why are you standing like that, with your butt sticking out. You look like you need to make a dash inside the theater for a pit stop.  Tom’s wife, the lovely Rita Wilson, also in all black, doesn’t look nearly as ‘funereal’.  (If this couple ever goes south, I’ll lose all faith in humanity.) That’s Rita with one of their sons (I think it’s Truman.)

Viola Davis looks beautiful in pink. (Love her Grecian inspired dress with the leather collar and her hair is fabulous.) She was just nominated for  SAG and Golden Globe Awards for her role in The Help. It was only a few years ago when Meryl Streep, accepting her SAG award for Doubt (for which Davis was also nominated), said of this New York based stage actress, “Someone give this woman a job”.  (Even though she did have a string of film credits to her name already) she’s worked steadily ever since. She mopped the floor with Jamie Foxx in Law Abiding Citizen (her first film appearance after Meryl’s request) and she generally gets some sort of nomination for everything she does.

There’s something creepy, I’m sorry to say, about the kid in this movie. Thomas Horn, who can’t be more than 12 or 13, talks like he’s already had way too many acting classes. He’s not normal. (Maybe I’m suspicious because not only was he on Teen Jeopardy but he actually won – because he bet it all on Final Jeopardy – unlike some people *coughyourstrulycough* who are wimps and listen to advice from the wrong people. But I digress…)

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is about a nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist who searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Get out your handkerchiefs, the film starts its awards qualifying run on December 25 and then opens wide on January 20.

Enjoy the pics!

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Janet Jackson 45, is the latest celebrity to put her name behind the NutriSystem weight loss program. Having struggled with her weight her entire life, (and being criticized for it) it was time to make a change:

“It’s a matter of maintenance and keeping the weight off,” she said. “My success plan was to feel good about myself and be healthy.”

The teasing started early on in her life with brother Michael Jackson telling her she had a big butt:

“Being the baby of the family, you get teased,” she said. “I carried that through my adult life.”

She realizes it was not mean-spirited because she is the baby of the family and got teased all the time, but women tend to latch on to those things, don't we?

When she joined the cast of Good Times, in the second season she was  told to lose weight. At age 11!!!!! During her life she sought comfort in foods that only contributed to her poor body image: ice cream, cookies, and potato chips. We can all relate to eating those types of foods can't we?

Check out the video below where she talks to ABC about her body image struggles (she had them even when she had her rock-hard abs), her beloved brother Michael and the Conrad Murray trial.