ღ all i want for xmas ...

http://www.thedeparted.com/

Another scorsese masterpiece !!
A very clever movie that tackles a simple story of a bad and good cop that's quite misplaced on the side of the law. The cinematography is amazing and the plot is well crafted. The beginning of the movie was done so greatly that two opposing protagonists almost meet in their interview and eventually lead an opposing paths too with an opposing goal. The second half of the movie is what will leave you at the edge of your seat when the life of two is destined to entangled that makes you wonder who will survive in the end.
The actors carried the characters so well. DiCaprio and Damon do what they do in every movie >> give their best performances to date. Each plays completely against type, flaunting the fact that genuine movie superstardom isn’t born out of good looks alone.
I can highly recommend this movie to smart movie goers out there who aims for story quality and great direction & performance. Not recommended though for those who wants to have a good time and bore easily with long talks and clever twists.
It’s time to sit back, feel tense, and enjoy the show!

My review:
It has a great scenes and an almost real CG effects though the villains died quite easily but they've been killed strategically. Nicholas Cage as expected carries the character quite well. The plot and story is so typical from a superhero movie. It's very entertaining to watch it though and you'll surely have a good time. I can recommend it to anyone even if you're not a fan of Ghost Rider or Marvel.



Infos on the film:

Theatrical Release
2/16/2007

Studio Credit
Sony Pictures Releasing Theatrical Distributor
Columbia Pictures Studio
Director Credit
Mark Steven Johnson Director
Cast Credit
Nicolas Cage Johnny Blaze
Wes Bentley Blackheart
Eva Mendes Roxanne Simpson
Matthew Long Young Johnny Blaze
Peter Fonda Mephistopheles
Donal Logue Mack
Sam Elliott Caretaker
Jon Voight
Production Credits Credit
Gary Foster Producer
David S. Goyer Executive Producer
Avi Arad Producer
Stan Lee Executive Producer
Steven Paul Producer
Michael de Luca Producer
E Bennett Walsh Producer
Production Companies Credit
Marvel Studios Production Company
Crystal Sky Entertainment Production Company
Horseshoe Bay Productions Production Company
Locations
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

--> probably the most awaited superhero movie this year ...
FACTS:
When will it come out?

International release date - May 4, 2007 (some markets are later check local guides)

When will we get the first teaser?
UPDATE June 15, 2006
Sony Pictures was originally targeting Talladega Nights": The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, but recent reports and information have changed this plan and the teaser will apparently run with Superman Returns.

SHH was first to report a fan provided information that the teaser will be released with Superman Returns.


This was later confirmed by information provided by AICN and JoBlo.

Whats the budget?

The cost of the movie will be approximately $250 Million. Reportedly, it will be the highest cost for a movie ever released.


Quote:
Escalating special effects costs have boosted the budget of Sony's Spider-Man 3, scheduled for release on May 4, 2007, to between $250 million and $300 million, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend, citing people close to the studio


When did filming start?

Filming started in January, 2006, while certain preliminary test photography began in September, 2005.


What is the film about?

An Official synopsis has not been announced by Sony. The expected date for that announcement is TBA.

Sam Raimi Quotes on Spider-Man 3:


Quote:
I can't tell you anything. I've been sworn to secrecy. All I can tell you is that we're going to see the next progression in the growth of Peter Parker as a human being. He's really just a boy, on his way to becoming a responsible young man. He still has a lifetime of lessons in front of him.


Quote:
Spider-Man 3 will concentrate more on further developing the last two films' stories:
With two stories under his belt and a divergence from the comic books now clearly delineated, Raimi is looking more now to wrap up the strands of the first two movies than remain tied to Stan Lee’s original narratives. "I think the audience has been tracking this love story with Mary Jane Watson [Kirsten Dunst] and Peter Parker, and now they're together. The way they got together and the reality of the movies is slowly becoming more dominant of a guiding force than the books, just because so many unique things have been set up in the movies that have now got to be completed in the third part, that there's a demand to do that."



Quote:
"[Peter is] going to try to move to the next phase of his life, the next stage, young adulthood, and he's going to now be dealing with issues of self-esteem and how he can carry on a relationship, which is much more complex than having an occasional date with some woman and not revealing all of your secrets to her,"



Spider-Man Day!!!

Somewhere during the movie will be a scene involving a celebration of Spider-Man. One set report has stated it was because he saved Gwen Stacy, although this is still speculative.

There are several pictures of kids in Spider outfits, balloons, a stage with a "Thank You Spider-Man" going across, and Kirsten Dunst (MJ), Bryce Dallas Howard (Gwen), Tobey Maguire (Peter), Topher Grace (Eddie), James Cromwell (Captain Stacy) and of course Spider-Man, have all been shown around this scene. Please visit the picture thread for more information.

A death?

Recent pictures have shown Tobey Maguire (Peter) and James Cromwell (Captain Stacy) in a cemetary. All other actors have yet to appear in this interesting scene, but it leaves without a doubt that there will be a death. It could be similiar to Spider-Man 1 where Willem Dafoe's Character (Norman Osborn/GG) had died at the ending, or it could be anywhere in the middle.

Rumours have been pointing towards Mary Jane, Harry Osborn, or Aunt May as the ones dying, but it is all speculation at this point.

Will there be any further sequels after Spider-man 3?

There is strong evidence that there will be 6 movies in total.


THE CAST AND CREW


Who is making Spider-Man 3?

Director - Sam Raimi
Screenplay - Alvin Argent SOURCE
Producers - Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin
Music producer/Score - Christopher Young SOURCE
Director of Photography - Bill Pope SOURCE
Animation Director - Anthony LaMolinara
Visual Effects Designer - Scott Stokdyk SOURCE
Production Designer - Neil Spisak SOURCE
Costumer Designer - James Acheson
Art Director - Chris Burian-Mohr)
Scenic Designer - Zack Bunker
Animatic Artist/Storyboard Artist - Ryan Woodward
'Digital Character Group' recruiter at Imageworks - Rachelle Lewis

Who is in it?

Returning Cast Members:
Tobey Maguire - Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Kirsten Dunst - Mary Jane Watson
James Franco - Harry Osborn
Rosemarry Harris - Aunt May Parker
J.K. Simmons - J. Jonah Jameson
Elizabeth Banks - Betty Brant
Bruce Campbell - TBA
Cliff Robertson - Uncle Ben SOURCE

New Cast Members:
Thomas Haden Church - Flint Marko/Sandman SOURCE
Topher Grace - TBA Officially
Bryce Dallas Howard - Gwen Stacy SOURCE
Theresa Russell - Mrs Marko SOURCE
James Cromwell - Captain Stacy SOURCE
Christina Cindrich - TBA SOURCE
Adrian Lester - Research Scientist SOURCE
Steve Valentine - Fashion Photographer SOURCE

CHARACTERS

Who are the villains?

So far, Sandman has been the only villain "Officially" anounced by Sony. However there have been several confirmations by crew and production members that Venom is in the movie.

UPDATE June 13, 2006
Oral confirmation from THC that Venom is in the movie and apparently looks similiar to the comic version.
http://sbrooks1.cupofnoodles.com/THC_O&A_06_13_06.mp3


UPDATE June 12, 2006
Topher Grace is Eddie Brock...


Quote:
As the sun went down and about 100 Spidey flying takes they moved over to the side of the stage where Gwen was preparing her speech on giving Spidey the "key to the city" only to be stopped by the not so shy Daily Bugle Photographer Eddie Brock (badge on Topher confirms he is Eddie a Daily Bugle photographer!) He stops taking her picture and asks her if he could see her tonight. Shy and bashful she said "oh no EDDIE not tonight"

Eddie discouraged asked her about "Last Night" where Gwen politely says.. "We just had coffee Eddie" Then Eddie mentions a kiss from last night which Gwen blushes and then is pulled away by the Mayor. Eddie looks confused!!

http://superherohype.com/news/spider...ws.php?id=4378

A Goblin by any other name will still be a Goblin...

Goblin has been confirmed in this video clip as direction mention it in instructions. OF course this still doesn't confirm Harry is the Goblin, or if this is the "Green" goblin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeRaQ...nfirm%20goblin

The following are Cast and Crew members on the Villain(s) for Spider-Man 3:
Sam Raimi 1 2
Kirsten Dunst 1
Thomas Haden Church PAGE 1 2 SOURCE 2 NEW added 5/15/06 3
Joe Quesada SOURCE 1 Added May 21, 2006

UPDATE June 6, 2006
Brief interview with Avi Arad confirms an unheard of 4 villains for Spider-Man 3.

Quote:
iF: There are four villains this time, Venom, Sandman, and Green Goblin and when is the fourth going to be revealed?

ARAD: Right we have four villains. Pretty soon [we’ll reveal the fourth villain] I believe. Maybe around Comic Con we’ll reveal something and the madness will begin.

http://www.ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=3028

Will Spider-Man be wearing the black suit in this third installment?

Yes! There has been one Official picture released by Sony that shows Spider-Man in the black suit. However, recent shootings in Cleveland have shown that he will be wearing the famous red and blue suit as well.


RANDOM SPIDER-MAN 3 FUN FACTS



Quote:
Culver City, Calif.-based Sony Pictures Imageworks also announced refinements in its digital human R&D. During the same panel, Sony Pictures Imageworks president Tim Sarnoff reported that the company's work in this area is "so far advanced beyond "Spider-Man 2," which is now two-year-old technology." He said that moviegoers will see far more complex digital actors in future superhero movies, including a third "Spider-Man" film and "Superman."

SOURCE


Quote:
For starters, the director acknowledged that the effects will be a combination of the practical and the computer generated varieties, just as they were for Spider-Man 2's Doc Ock.
"Absolutely, the new villain, the new powers [will be a mix]," Raimi says. "We"re shooting tests right now to determine what is best pulled off believably as a practical effect and what can't be, what's too dangerous, what is too unreasonable, and what looks better in CG."

SOURCE


Quote:
In the first pic, Raimi notes there were 470 effects shots. In the second there were 850. And the estimate for "Spider-Man 3"? More than 1,000. "King Kong" will have more than 1,200.

SOURCE


Quote:
Sam Raimi would be using innovative tech in "Spider-Man 3" to bring to life one of the villians, Sandman. "It's all new technology. It's like nothing you've ever seen before," he said, comparing it to the breakthrough CGI effects used in "Jurassic Park" and "The Perfect Storm."

SOURCE

Added May 23, 2006


Quote:
Motion capture has also been used to drive faces for the digital characters in Spider-Man 3.....

On Spider-Man 3, the facial motion captured data was acquired seperately for a sit down position and the facial animation generated was blended in key framed body shots.

SOURCE

LINKS AND FURTHER INFO


Official SPIDER-MAN website
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/spiderman3/site/

Spider-Man 3 Fan Sites
http://www.spider-man-movies.com/
http://spiderman.ugo.com/


I saw this picture and I believe it's real, is it?

The following are the most popular manips (fan made) that have been posted more times than most of us care to remember. Check out my picture thread for real set pictures.