While some studios are still in the thrall of awards-season desserts, Warner Brothers  is giving us some amuse bouche from their 2012 menu. Kicking off the 2012 movie season, Warner Bros.  has released some new images from horror thriller The Apparition with Ashley Greene, Sylvester Stallone's action thriller Bullet To The Head, the musical Rock Of Ages, and the latest Nicholas Sparks based, four hankie tearjerker, The Lucky One, starring Zac Efron. A little something for everyone?

The Apparition is about a couple Kelly (Ashley Greene) and Ben (Sebastian Stan) who discover they are being haunted by a presence that was accidentally conjured during a university parapsychology experiment. The horrifying apparition feeds on their fear and torments them no matter where they try to run. Their last hope is an expert in the supernatural (Tom Felton), but even with his help they may already be too late to save themselves from this terrifying force…  Written, produced and directed by Todd Lincoln (who has nothing else to recommend him. I have no idea what that indicates), The Apparition also stars Julianna Guill, Rick Gomez, Anna Clark and Luke Pasqualino. It opens August 24

The Lucky One stars Zac Efron as USMC Sgt Logan Thibault who returns from his 3^rd tour of duy in Iraq with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive- a photograph of he doesn’t know. He learns her name (Beth played by Taylor Schilling) and where she lives. He shows up on her doorstep and takes a job at her family’s kennel. A romance blossoms, giving Logan hope that Beth could be more than just his good luck charm. It also stars Blythe Danner, Adam Lefevre, Jay R. Ferguson and Riley Thomas Stewart and is directed by Scott Hicks (Shine). The Lucky One (not to be confused with The Lucky Ones from 2008 also having to do with returning soldiers (plural this time) and starring Rachel McAdams, who is in that other Nicholas Sparks movie for 2012, The Vow) opens in theaters on April 20.

Rock of Ages tells the story of small town girl Sherrie (Julianne Hough) and city boy Drew (Diego Boneta), who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock 'n' roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and more. It stars Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston, Alec Baldwin and  Tom Cruise as aging rock legend Stacee Jax. Rock of Ages opens on June 1. Russell Brand appears to be playing some variation of himself, but I love Alec Baldwin’s wig.

Bullet To The Head, directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hrs. The Driver), stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Momoa, Christian Slater and Sung Kang  is based on a graphic novel and tells the story of a New Orleans hitman (Stallone) and a New York City cop (Momoa – I think) who form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners. It has an April 13 release date. We showed you the first image last week of Momoa trying to split Stallone like a cord of wood. In this one, Sly has a big gun and is obviously trying to outdo my Hawaiian Volcano in the tatts department.

The Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol World Tour rolled into New York last night, beginning the final leg of the media blitzkrieg at the Ziegfeld Theater (where else) on Monday December 19. Tom Cruise, looked very dapper indeed in a suit that matched wife Katie Holmes’ dress (love the pocket square). In the pic at the top, Katie looks like she lost a tooth but I chose it because I love the way ole Tommy is looking at her.  (Call me crazy, but I think they look happy. ) Costars Simon Pegg, Michael Nyqvist, Anil Kapoor and Josh Holloway all joined director Brad Bird on the red carpet.

Of course, no one is having as much fun on this press junket as Paula Patton. With or without hubs Robin Thicke (who she clearly missed the past couple of weeks), Paula was all smiles, giggles and girlish tics.  

Then there’s our newest crush, Jeremy Renner (love the pinstripes!), who practically steals the movie out from under one of the world’s biggest stars. If he’s been hand-picked to take over this franchise (eventually), just as he’s Matt Damon’s successor in the Bourne series, then I think it will be in good hands.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is out in IMAX now. It opens in regular theaters tomorrow December 21.  Next stop LA tonight! (More pics tomorrow!)

source

Paramount Pictures has released a new clip from Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol called, “Getting On a Train”, in which Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner try to, appropriately enough, get on a train…while it’s moving.

I'm not sure why Tom Cruise still feels like he has so much to prove, but it is amazing to me that not only is he still doing his own stunts, but he keeps trying to top himself in terms of how complicated they are and how dangerous they look. Jeremy Renner's character, Brandt was written specifically so that Renner could take over the franchise from Cruise…someday. Who knows when that will be. If it  depends on how successful MI4 becomes, then it won’t be anytime soon. This thing is only currently playing on a limited number of IMAX screens and is already considered a hit.

The film is directed by Brad Bird, known primarily for The Iron Giant, The Incredibles  and Ratatouille, in his live action debut. The plot of this one see the IMF shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his new team to 'go rogue' to clear their organization's name.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is now open in IMAX theaters before its wide release December 21. Along with Cruise and Renner it stars another great international cast including, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Tom Wilkinson, Anil Kapoor, Josh Holloway, Lea Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist and Vladimir Mashkov.

source

Between the just released trailer for Rock of Ages (have you seen it yet? I’m thinking it will become one of my guilty pleasures), plus the continuation of the globetrotting Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol promo tour and then there’s the movie itself. It opens this Friday December 16 in IMAX before opening wide next Wednesday December 21. To that end, Paramount has released a new poster, that very cleverly has the iconic lit fuse morphing into the silhouette of the Burj Khalifa, which has become synonymous with the film. We also have two new clips, both of which showcase scenes that, I must concede, will look spectacular in IMAX. 

The first is called "From the Outside" and it's an extended look at Cruise’s Ethan Hunt preparing to scale the world's tallest building using 'sticky gloves'. (Sticky gloves?!? Who was the first person to use those? I could not be convinced to do this even if Gerard Butler was waiting for me at the end of it.) Watch that first step, it's a doozy…

>

The second is called “Sandstorm Chase”, but it could also be called “Best use of GPS…EVER!”

The incredible stunts, most of which Cruise continues to perform himself, are what makes this franchise stand out. With each new film they up they manage to up the adrenaline rush. I sat here cringing and rocking back in forth in my chair as I watched as if I were dodging debris and flying cars. IMAX has got to be like that x 10K.

In case you missed it, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the fourth installment in the series, finds Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his Impossible Missions Force team disavowed, on  the run and forced underground following after someone tried to blow up the Kremlin. While trying to clear their names, they have to find out who’s responsible. Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Lea Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor and Tom Wilkinson costar.

source

Tis the season for parties and premieres! Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson premiered We Bought a Zoo on Monday night at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater along with director Cameron Crowe and cast members Elle Fanning, Thomas Haden Church, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, Patrick Fugit and the adorable Maggie Elizabeth Jones. Matt brought his beautiful wife Lucia, Scarlett looked stoned.

Meanwhile, Viggo Mortensen and his A Dangerous Method director David Cronenberg and costar Vincent Cassel brought the film to Paris. (I love Viggo and Vincent Cassel tres bien, but no Fassy and I'm somehow less interested. Yes, I am that shallow.)

Tom Cruise, as well as Paula Patton, Simon Pegg and director Brad Bird, were all in Madrid on Monday night and London on Tuesday night, continuing the Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol world tour. I can only assume NY and LA will be next. Paula Patton looks like she’s enjoying this tour so much she doesn’t ever want it to end.

I don’t care if it’s the Theton kool-aid, his Aunt Fanny’s secret elixir or a portrait in the attic, Tom Cruise looks amazing.

Enjoy the pics!

The first trailer for Rock of Ages is finally here. Directed by Adamn Shankman (Hairspray) and based on the hit Broadway musical, it’s set in 1987 Los Angeles and is about an aging rocker (Tom Cruise) who falls for a music journalist (Malin Akerman) while Drew and Sherrie (Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough) are two young people chasing their dreams in the big city. When they meet, it's love at first sight, though their romance will face a series of challenges. It features Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige, Catherine Zeta Jones and Julianne Hough playing the doe-eyed ingénue, all of whom can be seen in the trailer. It also features Will Forte, Bryan Cranston and Constantine Maroulis. Rock of Ages includes the music of iconic bands such as Journey, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Jefferson Starship, Twisted Sister and Poison.

The nostalgia, at least for me and probably my generation, is winning over the cheese factor so far. Perhaps because I lived through it, the big hair, spandex, padded shoulders and garish colors don’t cross the line into parody.

I have a feeling Alec Baldwin could easily steal Tom Cruise’s thunder. This trailer is indeed a teaser since we don’t really get the full Tom Cruise as Stacee Jax effect. Just glimpses and no “performance”. From what we do see, it appears he’s having fun with it, at least.

Rock of Ages opens June 1 in the US and 8^th June in the UK. More to follow I’m sure.

Stay connected with us! Follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS feed. We would love to hear from you.