Will 'Gone Girl' Possibly Be Able To Live Up To The Hype?

'Gone Girl' is David Fincher's newest film, and it could not have more expectations set upon it even before it opens. Even though it opens in October, long after Summer Movie season, it sports an epic cast and is based on a huge selling novel of the same name. The adaption has been a long time coming... and considering Fincher's controversial handling of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo adaption (I liked it, not everyone did) it is an interesting project for him to bounce back with. The pressure is there, and having Batman as your star (I mean Ben Affleck, not Adam West!) certainly puts even more eyes on the movie and how it will turn out. Everyone I talk to who has read the book raves about how it twists and turns, and how much mystery it actually contains. I can't think of anyone better than Fincher to take this kind of film on. A long form trailer is finally here, and it looks interesting to say the least. I really like the supporting cast as well (Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Emily Ratajkowski, Patrick Fugit and Tyler Perry) and think they can make for an eclectic movie. Will you be looking to check this one out to kick off Award Season? Check it out after the jump...

Ben Affleck On The Internet Criticism Of Being The New Batman - "I Handle Shit..."

For a long time I was one of the dissenting internet trolls who constantly questioned casting decisions. The turning point for me was The Dark Knight... I couldn't believe that they cast Heath Ledger as the Joker, and then he proceeded to kill. So after that I decided to ease off on the critiques till AFTER someone actually performs in a movie and sucks. I have stuck by that mantra for a while... an honestly, things have not stopped on the Internet critiques but they have been much slower since Ledger-gate. Up until last month, when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman in Batman vs Superman. Then the Internet hatred exploded in a way I have not seen in quite a long time. It was epic. Even among my Facebook friends... nobody thinks that Big Ben could be the Dark Knight. But I believe. I truly do. So everyone has been waiting to hear what Affleck himself had to say about the casting and the fallout. And that came to an end last night after Ben appeared on Jimmy Fallon and gave us a glimpse into what its like to be the most hated man on the Internet. Pretty fantastic reaction, if you ask me. Check out the full clip after the jump...

Ben Affleck Ain't So Bad For Batman: A Rant by Mike CCD

Soooo... the news broke last night that Ben Affleck is going to be Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel 2. This has been the casting choice that has been hanging in the air for a month since Warner Brothers announced that there would be a Batman appearance in the Superman sequel. This is the movie that is to lay the groundwork for the future DC Comics cinematic universe, and by default set up the team for the Justice League movie that WB wants to get to so bad. And it seems that they have tapped Mr. Gigli himself to don the cowl. Now any comic fan worth their weight in salt knows that Bats & Supes are the cornerstones of any future success DC/WB can ever hope to have... and Man of Steel did do quite well ($650 million worldwide so far!)... so is DC finally on the right track after misfires like Green Lantern and Nolan's Batman trilogy coming to end? Could be... but is Affleck the guy to be the Bat for this whole transition? The general consensus is FUCK NO... and most people are shaking their heads in disgust that Big Ben got the role. They think he will suck it up, ruin everything, and set DC/WB is about to lose any traction they FINALLY gained with Man of Steel. But I think this could be a GOOD thing for the whole future DC Cinematic Universe... and I got some points to prove it. Check out after the jump why I don't think Affleck is all that bad as The Dark Knight....

A To Z Blogger Challenge: Day 7 - G Is For Gone Baby Gone

Day 7 of the challenge (pretty much 1/4 of the way through!) and I am taking a bit of a more serious turn with my movie choice today by picking Gone Baby Gone for the Letter G. Gone Baby Gone is a great film... and the first one directed by Ben Affleck. Big Ben got it all started with GBG, and now he is a big shot director making Academy Award winning movies. But at the end of the day you can only have one first. Affleck tapped younger brother Casey to star in the film, and also picked the lovely Michelle Monaghan to star as his wife and partner in his private investigation firm. They are on the case of a kidnapped kindergartner, and they can do things the cops can't do. Good thing, because the cops may be involved much more than is expected. This noir thriller is fast paced and exciting, and you have to see it if you haven't already. But the highlight of the movie has to be Monaghan, who plays Casey's tough as nails wife and never leaves his side. I think she is gorgeous and have liked her in most of the roles she has played (most notably Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang... one of my favorite films ever), but Gone Baby Gone is the one you need to see to get a better idea of just how great MM can be when she is at her best. You can see the other people participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge by clicking here, and check out Michelle Monaghan's pics after the jump...

The Hollywood Reporter Sits Down With Some Of The Best Directors In The Game... Mind, Blown!!!

If you have a spare hour to kill and you are fan of films and the people who make them, this is a video you have to watch. The Hollywood Reporter sat down Ang Lee, Tom Hooper, Ben Affleck, David O. Russell, Gus Van Sant, and Quentin Tarantino for a killer round table discussion about the current climate in film making and what each director feels about particular film making topics. I love the juxtaposition of  differing opinions and personalities in the room and I also adore the way Tarantino dominates the shit out of the conversation... something that I would not expect to go any other possible way. Tarantino is a larger than l;ife personality and he shines out among his quieter peers in this video, but there are some interesting tidbits from each of the directors that appear in this video. I am especially intrigued by Ben Affleck in this group. There is no denying that Affleck has some talent behind the camera.... I loved Gone Baby Gone and The Town, but they were safe Boston movies for the burgeoning auteur  But Argo takes him out of that comfort zone and he is being talked about for an Oscar (I have not seen it yet, so I reserve judgement). All in all a great way to kill an hour if you are a modern film fan. check out the full video after the jump...

Ben Affleck Will Direct & Star In 'Argo' As His Follow Up To 'The Town'

In a story over at /Film, it has been confirmed that Ben Affleck will both direct and star in 'Argo' as his follow up to last years sleeper hit 'The Town'. This doesn't seem like such a big deal, but if you consider these two reasons then you will see why I am so excited:

1. Affleck was THE BOMB in Phantoms (snootchie bootchies....hehehehe whatup Jay & Silent Bob!)
2. This is a true story about the CIA using a fake Sci-Fi movie shoot in Iran to rescue hostages there... yeah, I can't believe I just typed that either!!!

You can read the original article that appeared in Wired Magazine by Joshuah Bearman by clicking here. This shit sounds insane... here is a brief synopsis of what the movie is going to be about:

The story is a CIA rescue mission during the Iran Hostage Crisis, when six American embassy staff escaped the compound and were on the lam in Tehran for months — until the CIA rescued them by creating a fake Hollywood production company and pretended to be in Iran location scouting for a big-budget sci-fi epic. I swear, it’s all true. The CIA even got an office for their fake production company at Sunset/Gower studios, had a script and concept art, and took out ads in Variety. There are many more strange digressions in detail, but I’ll let you find out about them in the story.

Holy shit, that sounds awesome. The more Affleck takes on projects like The Town and things like this, the more Jay's assertion that he is the bomb rings true... even if Phantoms sucked donkey dick.

SNL Throwback Of The Week #5 2/27/2010

I am a huge Saturday Night Live fan. One of my earliest memories was of my parents watching SNL every Saturday while we were tucked in our bedrooms, and sometimes being allowed to watch for a bit. The show has gone through its ups and downs over its 35 year run, but the fact that it is still on the air after 35 years is a testament to the staying power of the show. Lorne Michaels is a genius at finding and developing young, comedic talent. SNL has produced a bevy of stars over the years, from Eddie Murphy to Tina Fey. The show is doing well again thanks to Ms. Fey and the rest of the team, but I love watching clips from the old shows. Every Saturday I will give you guys one of my favorites. This weeks clip features Rachel Dratch as Debbie Downer. Its a birthday party for Ben Affleck, and everybody is having a great time... except Debbie. She never has any fun. So we get some funny, awardward scenes here between her and the rest of the partygoers. Pretty funny if you ask me. Affleck is always funny when he guest stars. Hope you enjoy the clip. Live from my livingroom, it's Saturday Night!!!