Two new red band clips for Kevin Smith’s Cop Out have just arrived, one featuring Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis engaging in an altercation with an 11-year old car thief, and the other unveils Morgan’s mounting frustration as the always funny Seann William Scott imitates his every word. Like every other Cop Out sneak peek, these two will no doubt produce a laugh or two.

Although I’m looking forward to this movie, there’s a sense that it’s going to be either really funny or really stupid. After all, it’s been done before; two police officer screw-ups whose incompatibility for one another makes for a comical adventure. I’m not against the buddy-cop comedy, just weary of another poor addition to the genre. Let’s hope Cop Out doesn’t turn out to be just that.

“Two longtime NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. Jimmy is the veteran detective whose missing collectible is his only hope to pay for his daughter’s upcoming wedding, and Paul is his “partner-against-crime” whose preoccupation with his wife’s alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball.”

Along with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, the film co-stars Ana de la Reguera, Seann William Scott, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Jason Lee, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Jim Norton. See the two clips after the jump.

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Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver is one of my favorite movies of all time, and now, it’s possible that one of Hollywood’s most beloved is facing the worst of all fates: a contemporary remake. Unconfirmed reports are echoing from the Berlin Film Festival that imply Scorsese will be teaming up with Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier to remake the 1976 classic. And get this – Robert DeNiro will reprise his role as the deranged Travis Bickle. Although the claims have produced much speculation, Peter Aalbank, von Trier’s fellow producer, has said an official statement will be made shortly. I’m not very competent when it comes to sugarcoating, so allow me to be frank: this is ridiculous.

I’ve never understood Hollywood’s love affair with remaking older movies. De Palma’s Scarface was fantastic, and even Peter Jackson’s King Kong was a pleasant surprise, but when you try to remake some of the most recognizable, household names in classic cinema, why don’t you just slap a big ‘desperate’ across your forehead? I’m not calling names, as I’ve never questioned Scorsese’s judgment when it comes to what makes a good film, but color me disappointed if any of this comes to fruition. Taxi Driver is the pinnacle of the character study department, and recreating it is the equivalent of trying to recreate the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Why try?

I’m not trying to say all remakes are bad, they’re not. But a remake only turns out well if the original film is either terrible to begin with, or majority of current audiences haven’t seen the original. That’s two strikes for Taxi Driver. What are they going to recreate next, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho? Oh wait, Gus Van Sant already killed his credibility with a pathetic 1998 version. Vince Vaughn was even playing the demented Bates! So what’s my point? Many believe that Hollywood is lacking in originality nowadays, and these outrageous remakes are only fueling the fire. Studios should take a chance on an unknown artist with an original idea, and see what happens. It happened in 1940, and Citizen Kane was the result.

Bottom line: if Taxi Driver gets a remake, I don’t plan on seeing it, and neither should you.

Update: Lars Von Trier’s business partner Peter Aalbaek Jensen has denied this rumour.

A new featurette on Louis Leterrier’s Clash of the Titans remake has just been released by Warner Bros. It’s pretty standard material, with bits and clips from the trailers we’ve seen, and a few of the stars giving their two cents on the film. Leterrier’s fantasy adventure is set to be released April 2nd, and will be playing in both 3D and 2D theaters.

“Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.”

The movie co-stars Alexa Davalos, Danny Huston, Mads Mikkelsen, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Izabella Miko, and Nicholas Hoult. See the featurette after the jump.

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Kevin Costner will sit in the director’s chair once more for a World War II action-adventure titled A Little War of Our Own. This will be his first directorial gig since his 2003 western Open Range, and his fourth teaming with Beacon Pictures’ chairman Armyan Bernstein, who will produce the film. Costner will also play the starring role, a sheriff who must keep the peace at home while the real battle rages overseas. He is currently hunting down Little War’s other lead, who will play a German U-boat commander. A good number of fingers are pointing to Christoph Waltz for the part, but it’s unknown whether or not Costner has considered the Austrian actor for the part. Judging solely by Waltz’ performance in Basterds, that’s an infallible ‘yes’.

“This has been a dream project for Kevin and I for years,” Bernstein told Variety. “The themes are timeless — war, peace and reconciliation. The canvas is epic — look at the movies Kevin has directed.” Yes, let’s take a look. Dances with Wolves was a wild stab in the dark as a directorial debut; turned out great, both critically and financially. Even garnered Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars that year, and in 2007, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the US National Film Registry. But then Costner pumps out The Postman and Waterworld, and… well… you know the rest. I hold somewhat of a soft spot for Kevin Costner, and I hope that, for his sake, Little War turns out well. Production is set to begin this fall.

Another green band trailer for Hot Tub Time Machine has just aired online, looking the same as the first, but condensed into a good minute and thirty seconds. The film, helmed by Accepted director Steve Pink, stars John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke, Lizzy Caplan, Crispin Glover, and Chevy Chase. It centers around a group of friends who, after a night of drinking in a hot tub at a ski resort, wake up in the year 1986. The film is set to hit theaters on March 26th, and by the looks of these two trailers that MGM has given us, I’ll have to check my calendar and make sure I’m free that evening.

There’s just one problem. John Cusack is not funny at all. Chevy Chase had five seconds of screen time, and he got more laughs out of me than the film’s lead. Corddry and Robinson were hilarious, and even the shy Clark Duke had a few moments of his own, but Cusack did nothing for me. However, I will say that his performance (or lack thereof) did not detract from how interesting and cool the movie looked. The concept leaves a lot of wiggle room for pop culture references, zany wit, and slapstick hysteria. Hot Tub Time Machine has the likes of a future cult classic, and without question has the potential to be a hit. For all it’s worth, see the trailer after jump. And please, tell me it doesn’t look like a cross between The Hangover and Back to the Future.

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If this is true, then Universal Pictures, however colossal in size and success, just doesn’t get it. Jaws is arguably one of the greatest thriller films of all time, right up there with Psycho, but there’s a rumor floating around that the company is “strongly considering a remake of the summer blockbuster in hopes of dazzling younger audiences with new special effects.” According to an unconfirmed source from Cinema Blend inside Universal, upcoming Cop Out star Tracy Morgan was being considered to reprise Richard Dreyfuss’ signature role of Matt Hooper. Possibly a more comical approach to the film we know and love? What a shame. In any case, it seems Avatar may have struck a chord with this 3D business.

You may (but probably don’t) remember Universal’s initial pathetic attempt at a 3D version of the film, Jaws 3-D in 1983. You would have thought they’d stop at the incongruous Jaws 2, or even the 3D monstrosity, but no. They took it up a notch, and in 1987, released Jaws: The Revenge. Hilarious, I know. If Universal were to cast Jim Carrey for the role of Martin Brody, and maybe rename the 3D remake Jaws: The Musical, I wouldn’t be surprised. What’s wrong with the film industry? First the Creature from the Black Lagoon remake, then The Thing prequel, now this? The only recent remake I’m rather looking forward to is The Wolfman. By the way, did you know there was a Jaws videogame? How ridiculous.

The year 2009 was a good year for American cinema, with many laying a good chunk of the recognition at the feet of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic, Avatar. The film has been nominated for nine Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Director), eight British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globes. It has also received awards and nominations from over 25 different film associations, and just recently surpassed Cameron’s previous film Titanic as the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide. With such a reputable track record, you would think that it would be a shoo-in for winning Best Picture at the Oscars. Think again.

Before any of the Na’vi fanboys jump the gun, allow me to set the record straight. I loved Avatar. I was enthralled the entire 162 minutes. Did it deserve to be nominated for Best Picture? Of course. However, it doesn’t deserve to win. The ‘King of the World’’s 2009 blockbuster was the subject of fervent anticipation, just as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was. The difference was Cameron had already delivered, with his 1997 critically (and financially) successful Titanic. Michael Bay was simply an artisan of explosions, witty one-liners, and sensationalism, with a focus on financial gain. We all knew what we were in for with Bay, but we all expected something from Cameron. And besides, if you hadn’t seen Avatar within two weeks of its release, you were considered out of the loop.

Without further ado, these are the five reasons why Avatar should not win Best Picture. This is not a clear-cut Oscar prediction, but a simple conjecture regarding the buzz surrounding the film that exploded at the box office, and its place in the Best Picture category.

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Word around the campfire is that, because the company’s Amelia turned out to be a train-wreck of a movie, Fox Searchlight locked arms with Hilary Swank again for the Oscar-winning actress’ new film Betty Anne Waters. Seeking redemption for the 2009 failure, the company acquired rights to the film from Omega Entertainment in North America and select international regions. The biopic, directed by Tony Goldwyn, follows the true story of a single mother who put herself through law school in order to overturn the wrongful murder conviction of her brother. She eventually is able to bring forth DNA evidence, making him a free man.

“Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell, backed by an extraordinary supporting cast, deliver powerhouse performances in Tony Goldwyn’s emotionally resonant film,” said Fox Searchlight co-presidents Nancy Utley and Stephen Gilula.

Hilary Swank, under the right direction, is easily capable of being in the same ballpark as Meryl Streep. Million Dollar Baby, one of the best films of the decade, is a prime example of the power her screen presence carries. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Betty will simply be an excellent addition to a rather commendable filmography.

Paramount Pictures has just recently released footage of Martin Scorsese on the set of Shutter Island, filming his upcoming horror thriller slated for a February 19th release. The two-part, behind-the-scenes look features the Oscar-winning director at work with the film’s lead, Leonardo DiCaprio. Watching a filmmaker of the highest caliber doing what he does best is fascinating, and I suggest all those anticipating Scorsese’s upcoming movie to take a look. A quick synopsis of Shutter Island:

“Two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.”

The two clips are available after the jump.

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Director Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman has garnered much anticipation in the past few weeks, and with the film’s Feb. 12th release date hastily approaching, Universal Pictures saw fit to debut a behind-the-scenes look with star and producer Benicio del Toro. The featurette explores del Toro’s inspiration that came from the 1941 original, what it was like working with Anthony Hopkins, and what kind of spin del Toro put on things whilst reviving the iconic role of Lawrence Talbot, a.k.a the Wolfman. Along with del Toro and Hopkins, the movie co-stars Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Geraldine Chaplin, and Art Malik.

For those unacquainted with the original, here’s the basic premise:

“Lawrence Talbot is a haunted nobleman lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother…and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself.”

It’s remakes like this that are a satisfying sight to see. The industry takes a film from the early Golden Age, renders it in a contemporary cinematic structure, and allows modern audiences to appreciate the ingenuity of the classical Hollywood era. A window into the past, if you will. But with poetics aside, I’m beyond excited for director Joe Johnston’s twist on the 1941 classic. With Scorsese’s Shutter Island taking the top slot, this is easily my second most anticipated film of 2010.

See the featurette after the jump.

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Winners of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival were announced recently, with Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s Restrepo taking home the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary category, and Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone winning the Grand Jury Prize in the dramatic category.

You may remember Granik, the independent filmmaker who burst onto the Sundance scene in 2004, claiming the Dramatic Directing award for her first feature-length film, Down to the Bone. Despite its phenomenal reputation, Granik’s big screen debut grossed a meager $30,000. Let’s hope Winter’s Bone turns out to be an anomaly in the director’s rather minuscule line of work.

A comprehensive list of all the winners this year can be seen after the jump. 

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The new red band trailer for She’s Out of My League is crude, sexual, obscene, and above all, hysterical. DreamWorks debuted the movie’s first teaser a few weeks ago, which appeared slightly more suitable for the general public. This new, raunchier trailer took the vulgarity to a whole other level, but with style. From the table scene, to learning what a ‘moodle’ is, to the final shaving scene, this trailer was pumping laughs out of me left and right. Possibly 2010’s I Love You, Man? We’ll see. But this movie seems to be utilizing the formula we’ve seen work in comedies time and time again: nerd + hot girl = hilarious.

The film stars Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, Krysten Ritter, Nate Torrence, T.J. Miller, Geoff Stults, and Lindsay Sloane. It follows Kirk, an average Joe working a job at the airport, who strikes gold when an unbelievably attractive and successful woman falls for him. The problem is, how does he expect to make the relationship work? Production of the film was finished in 2008, and at the helm of the project was Jim Field Smith. The movie’s release is slated for March 12th. If you’re looking for a laugh, and are capable of handling excessive use of the ‘F’ word, check out the red band trailer after the jump.

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