Many good films go full circle with their plot lines. They end where they began. For instance, who can forget when The Matrix ended at the Heart O’ The City Hotel, with Neo being shot in the hall? When the film opens, Trinity is kicking major butt within one of the old rooms. Likewise, many fans have wondered if Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy would finish off with some input from the villain Ra’s al Ghul. If anyone knows, it would be actor, Liam Neeson.

The action star, soon to appear in the man versus beast survival epic, The Grey, was recently quoted on the topic of Batman 3 via ShowBizSpy. And speaking of spies, Neeson proves he can be just as secretive as the best of them.

“I can tell you nothing about Dark Knight Rises, seriously,” says a quite eloquent Neeson. The project is so hush-hush, that even though Neeson was on the set of The Dark Knight Rises for about an hour and a half, Nolan offered Neeson very little about plot or anything else. So, being in the movie, doesn’t even guarantee an inside track, but, hey, now we know Ra’s will appear in some fashion or another. I just hope it isn’t for a flashback. Maybe he’ll pop up to say “I told you so…”

In the comics, and in my current obsession, Batman: Arkham City, Ra’s is an immortal, bent on annihilating most of humanity to start over in a better world. His daughter, Talia, is said to be one of the only women Batman has ever truly loved. In Batman Begins, however, Neeson’s Ra’s is the seemingly more mortal head of the League of Shadows. He mentors Bruce Wayne under the identity of Henri Ducard. They part ways when Bruce refuses to take a life.

Can you picture it? Christian Bale is Batman. Oscar host Anne Hathaway is Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Inception‘s Tom Hardy is the giant masked villain, Bane. But no Ra’s Al Ghul return?

It is confirmed. So far, Liam Nesson has not been asked to reprise the role of the leader of the League of Shadows. I guess, what with this being the final Nolan and Bale collabo Batman film (for the forseeable future), it only seemed to fans a perfect circle to go out with the return of Ghul (and the introduction of his daughter).

MTV and Empire (they had the exclusive) are both running the news. Here are the actor’s words. “In the comic books, Ra’s Al Ghul goes into a life bath of some sort and immerses himself to become immortal. So that’s probably where that comes from,” says Neeson. “But no-one’s approached me with an offer. I’d like to if it happens.” We’d also like that, Mr. Nesson…if it happens.

What are the other Bat-rumors? Well, we don’t know if these are true yet, but there’s one about Robin being introduced in The Dark Knight Rises and another about Marion Cotilliard possibly joining the cast.

We’ll see you when we have more news: Same Bat-channel, aka BSC.

Unknown had an interesting premise and Liam Neeson, whom I like. I thought it would be a great movie. Unfortunately, the movie left me feeling indifferent.

There were many good things about Unknown. It had a great story, interesting twists, and likable characters. The fact that you had no idea what was going on in the movie made everything an awesome surprise, and the mystery’s reveal was great. As I like in all my action movies, there was an awesome explosion. Unfortunately, for everything that was good about the movie, it was hard to get into. The story moved kind of slowly in parts, and in high action scenes, the camera work made me dizzy. However, the main characters in the movie get exactly what they deserve, which is something you don’t always see in movies anymore.

The beginning of the movie was hard for me to get into.  It was there to set up the story, but given that so much of the movie is a mystery, it didn’t really set up much.  It was just a boring routine of two people who just arrived in Germany.   However, other parts of the movie made up for the boring parts.  One of my favorite moments was when Martin convinced Gina, the cab driver who saved his life, to let him crash at her apartment for the night and the people who are trying to kill him show up there.  Not only is it full of action and suspense, but they add a moment of humor into the scene when the fight literally breaks through a wall and lands in the bed of the couple next door.  Even later, when Martin and Gina escape, they escape through the hole into the neighbor’s apartment instead of using the door.

Liam Neeson played Dr. Martin Harris, and did a wonderful job of carrying the movie. Because Martin himself can’t remember all of the details of his life, we feel his confusion and are just as adamant about finding out what’s going on. All the clues Martin has and discovers are the only ones that we have as an audience. Liam Neeson brought Martin to life; we could feel his frustration and desperation, and we could feel when he was in danger and sincerely hoped he would get out of it okay. We even empathize with him when we learn the reveal.

Diane Kruger played Gina, the cab driver that crashed into the water and subsequently saved Martin’s life. She is an illegal immigrant in Germany, so she wants nothing to do with Martin, until he tells her why he needs her help. She agrees, but finds herself in just as much danger. Gina is the type of character that doesn’t want to get involved and is fearful of the situation, yet won’t walk away from helping somebody. Diane Kruger did a great job of playing Gina, and we can feel her apprehension and are proud of her when she decides to help out even if it puts her into the danger she wishes to avoid.

January Jones played Martin’s wife, Elizabeth, and she helped make the mystery interesting. Despite swearing that she doesn’t know her husband, she does help Martin out at one point, even though her motives for doing so are questionable at best. Elizabeth is very good at what she does, and in the end she gets exactly what she deserves. Elizabeth herself is a good actress, and January Jones really helps her shine. When Elizabeth swears she doesn’t know Martin, we believe her, but at the same time, we know she’s up to something.

Overall, Unknown was a good movie, it was just hard to get into at times. It has plenty of action and mystery, but the story could get dull. It had an excellent cast, and anyone who likes action/mystery type movies probably won’t be disappointed.

“Liam Neeson is returning to that Galaxy Far, Far Away.” Thus reports Entertainment Weekly. In their exclusive, they detailed that the actor was slated to lend his voice “as doomed Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn” for the Cartoon Network animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. You can hear him on Jan. 28th and again on Feb. 11th. You probably have the same question that I’ve got. Isn’t the beloved and benevolent Qui Gon gone? Yes. For that reason he will appear in the visions of Obi-Wan “in a three-part arc” storyline all about Jinn’s former protégé, Anakin Skywalker, and “his destiny as the Chosen One”.

Seth Green, George Takei, Ron Perlman, and Jon Favreau have also guest starred on the series.

So why does such a high profile actor pause for a television cartoon? “These characters resonate…even after all these years.” said Neelson. “Growing up, my heroes were cowboys; they were strong and mysterious, and it seemed like they always rode off into the sunset. For kids today, Star Wars has that same kind of magic. I really wanted to be a part of that.”

EW.com also features previews of upcoming episodes and weekly Clone Wars recaps.

Fans of Neeson (like me) can continue their love affair with the tall actor and his gritty voice in Unknown (yes, that’s the title), starting February 18th, with Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, and Frank Langella.

At least the Kramer thing was just a sitcom. This is real life, and I could not be any more depressed than to know that this inevitable piece of crap is getting made, and that it has attracted one of the most respectable working actors today in Liam Neeson. I really hate you, Peter Berg, you ass clown. Battleship opens on May 18, 2012, and will probably be a hit because Rihanna’s in it, and people are stupid.

Special thanks to Variety for breaking the story…I guess.

Those fans of the television show The A-Team who’ve worried about the big-screen adaptation need not worry.  The new film embraces the peculiarities of the characters and the antic nature that made the small-screen version so popular, while updating and expanding the scope, escaping the series’ formulaic nature.

Instead of Vietnam-era veterans, the “A’s”–Col. “Hannibal” Smith (Liam Neeson), Lt. “Faceman” Peck (Bradley Cooper), B.A. Baracus (Quinton Jackson) and H.M. Murdock (Sharlto Copley)–are Persian Gulf vets, who’ve spent eight years in the Iraq War as soldiers for hire, impressing the military and chapping the hide of the privatized black-ops forces contracted to do the dirty work in the dirtiest way possible.

In the time it takes to pity a fool, the four are set up for the murder of their commander (Gerald McRaney) and the botching of a mission to recover photographic plates that the loyalists of Saddam could use to print American greenbacks and de-stabilize the economy (as if that was unusual).  They’re sent to prison in disgrace, but because those plates haven’t been recovered, Smith is soon visited by CIA operative Lynch (Patrick Wilson, having a lot of fun with the role), who arranges for the team to be sprung in the hopes of completing the mission and clearing their names.  Complicating matters is an old flame of Peck’s (Jessica Biel), carrying out her own investigation while simultaneously pursuing the fugitives to bring them to justice.

Luckily, everyone’s headed in the same direction.

Directed by Joe Carnahan, The A-Team is something of a mess, with complicated action sequences that seem to be concocted to create as much destruction as possible, but shot in such a way as to have the impacts muted.  But, then the plot doesn’t really matter all that much–every audience member at the theater I went to knew what was going to happen, and the film is crafted with inserted flashbacks to make sure even the drowsy or the kids making out on the back row don’t miss a beat.

The plot didn’t matter much on the TV show, either.  What made The A-Team a hit was the quirky characters and their Four Stooges manner.  And that is where The A-Team movie shines.  The characters bicker and bellow, cackle and cajole, with overlapping dialogue coming fast and furiously.  They’re not doing Shakespeare here, and the speed at which the actors interact suspends any in-the-moment analysis.  Neeson’s persona has needed some lightening up the past couple years, and his “Hannibal” is nicely cocksure and swaggering; Cooper has a perpetual leering smile on his face, while playing insufferable with assurance.  The long shadows of Mr. T and Dwight Schulz would be tough to overcome in any instance; Jackson’s Baracus is most effective at top volume, but Copley’s cracked Murdock, his accent inconsistent from line to line, is a hilariously manic loose cannon.  The South African actor (who played the hapless government bureaucrat Wikus van der Merwe from District 9) shows, once again, that he is an actor to watch over the next few years. 

One might wonder how Biel would fare in all this testosterone-pumped mayhem, but she makes the most of the best line in the entire movie.  That occurs during a manic sequence involving the “A’s” free-falling in a tank, a sequence hilariously over-the-top in both situation and humor. 

As long as The A-Team maintains that delirious giddiness, it provides all the jostling fun of an amusement park’s E-ticket.  And since no one is going into this movie expecting anything else–at least, no one should be–it works.

Now, if Seyfried somehow isn’t your bag, this film has a very interesting director in Atom Egoyan. I’m not prepared to say all of his film are great, but they certainly attempt to be, which is something that tend to either be appreciated or rubs. I very much enjoyed appreciated films like Family Viewing and The Sweet Hereafter (AWESOME!).

I just saw Seyfried on Fallon the other day promoting Dear John – a film that stars her and Channing Tatum – looking almost uncomfortably thorough! Earlier this year we also posted promos from another film, Letters to Juliet, another film that Seyfried stars in which will be released in May.

Chloe is set to be released on March 26th

Film Synopsis - Catherine (Moore) and David (Neeson), she a doctor, he a professor, are at first glance the perfect couple. Happily married with a talented teenaged son, they appear to have an idyllic life. But when David misses a flight and his surprise birthday party, Catherine’s long-simmering suspicions rise to the surface. Suspecting infidelity, she decides to hire an escort (Seyfried) to seduce her husband and test his loyalty. Catherine finds herself “directing” Chloe’s encounters with David, and Chloe’s end of the bargain is to report back, the descriptions becoming increasingly graphic as the meetings multiply.

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Film Synopsis:

A successful doctor (Julianne Moore) suspects her husband (Liam Neeson) of cheating. She tests his fidelity by hiring an escort (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him. The move creates complications that put her family in danger.

Also in the film is Nina Dobrev for all of you fans of The Vampire Diaries. Chloe gets limited release next March

Unknown White Male is a being produced by Joel Silver, and according to the report, Jones will play the role of Neeson’s wife, and Kruguer a Berlin Cab driver who aids Neeson.

Film Synopsis:

“Unknown White Male” centers on a doctor who, while visiting Berlin with his wife, is in a car accident that leaves him in a coma. He awakens to find that he seemingly has been replaced by another man, one with sinister intentions, leading the good doctor on a frantic quest to uncover the truth.

Kruger played opposite Nic Cage in the National Treasurer films and more recently was in Inglourious Basterds. January Jones is “Betty Draper” in AMC’s Madmen, a role that she garnered a Golden Globe nod for, as well as a SAG win. I remember her in a secondary role in the rather underrated (well, not critically) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

The film has already begun filming and is scheduled to wrap up on December 12th.

Few things of note.  Does this sound like Prison Break?  I mean the show did rock in the first few seasons so maybe they see something there.  Also RZA is part of the cast, which should make it of interest to our rap fanatics.  It is the Wu after all.  Neeson, while not having a major role in this film is still making his way around lately.

Source: THR.com

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We’ve have  seen a glance at Gemma Arterton in costume, and a couple of other Sam Worthington images from the  film. Joining Worthington and Arterton are Ralph Fiennes (Hades), Liam Neeson (Zeus), Izabella Miko (Athena) and Mads Mikkelsen (Draco).

The Clash of the Titans is a remake of the classic ’81 film and  hits theaters on March 26, 2010, and is directed by Louis Leterrier (Transporter).

Seems like I have watched this before, or at least the same premise somewhere.  While it is really not all that interesting to me from a story standpoint, Liam has been rolling along lately, really throwing himself into his work to keep busy.  Maybe he can do something special with the character and push it over the top.

Shooting for the film should start sometime in January in Berlin.

Now it’s being announced that Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson are on board. Neeson will be playing Zeus, and Fiennes will play Hades.

    
Clash of the Titans is set to begin filming this month.

    
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Director:

There’s been a lot of talk about Walt Disney’s adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe”. Some people have bemoaned the ethics of “a polemic made flesh” on the screen, while others have started handing out tickets (to single mothers no less) confident that the gospel message is being well served. The Guardian’s Polly Toynbee recently argued “Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion” (Dec. 5th 2005), while Rev. David Baker thinks that its message of self-sacrifice, love and forgiveness is far better than the ethos of self-gratification, hatred and blame endemic in our society, no matter what your religion. In fact, what doesn’t seem to have been much talked about is Andrew Adamson’s film itself. So, entering the cinema today I was determined *not* to judge the film by its moral/religious/ethical merits or otherwise.

The story is ubiquitous, but since a review just ain’t a review without a synopsis I’ll summarise it thus: Four children – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy – are evacuated to large country house presided over by a nutty professor type (who may represent God, or C. S. Lewis or both) during the Second World War. Almost immediately little Lucy, a plump cheeked 8ish year old, stumbles through the wardrobe of the title into a wintery land during a game of hide and seek, bumps into a fawn in a scarf, has some tea, nearly gets caught by a wicked witch (again, she of the title) but ultimately returns to the country house and her sceptical siblings. Later she leads her bitter older brother Edmund into the winter land (and of course, this is Narnia). However, no pleasant fawns or sardines for him; he’s accosted by Jadis, the Queen of Narnia (a.k.a the White Witch) and her unpleasant dwarf henchman, bribed by that renowned exotic sweetie Turkish Delight and ends up agreeing to lure his brothers and sisters to her palace for nefarious purposes. Little does he realise that he and his siblings are the subjects of a Narnian prophecy or that Aslan, the “true” King of Narnia “is on the move”, or that in drawing his whole family through the wardrobe he’ll set in motion that story of redemption, salvation and springtime that we know so well. J Beavers, Father Christmas and a battle for the fate of Narnia follows. You know the rest.

So is it any good? Well, yes it is…and no it isn’t. Shot in New Zealand and with special effects provided by Weta Workshop, it looks and feels a lot like Lord of the Rings – it’s beautiful and the CGI is masterly. And that’s fortunate because the central pivot, Aslan, is a particularly attractive talking lion and an unconvincing rendition would have spoilt the entire project. Thankfully he and an entire menagerie of fantastical and non-fantastical creatures are believably, and playfully, executed using the combination of make-up, costume and technology that worked so well for LotR. The editing is anything but sloppy (even if some of the blue screen work screams studio), the camerawork is suitably epic (perhaps even too much so) and the soundtrack, though a little jerky, is uplifting and doom-laden by turns. In fact, the look and sound of the film is generally superb.

Sadly, it’s the acting and scripting – in other words the *feel* – that lets the film down. Child actors are notoriously inconsistent and it shows here – little Lucy (Georgie Henley) has all of two facial expressions (surprise/shock and impish grin), while Peter (William Moseley) and Susan (Anna Popplewell) lack real lustre and occasionally descend into caricature. Edmund (Skandar Keynes) faired better, but that may well have been a result of having a more interesting character to work with. (Perhaps the difficulty with Peter, Susan and Lucy is that Lewis wrote one dimensional children – certainly they’re brave, cute and utterly altruistic, but not much juice to play with there.) I’m sure you’ve heard that the great triumph of the film is Tilda Swanton’s Jadis, and you’ve heard right – Tilda was born to play the ice queen. She outdoes herself, combining cold grace and raging fury to perfection; indeed, she puts Liam Neeson’s subdued Aslan to shame but again, he had little to work with.

The screenplay, composed by a quartet of relatively inexperienced writers (only Adams has been involved in major projects before – “Shrek” and “Shrek 2″), is sadly wanting, having neither the epic qualities of Lewis’s own dialogue or the humour of the Shrek scripts. There are a few smile-worthy moments, mostly involving the fawn Mr. Tumnus (a gentle, but beguiling performance by James McAvoy) and Jim Broadbent’s Professor Kirke, but overall the texture of the dialogue is too earnest and the over-awing aspects of the magic fail to break the surface.

Earnest is, in fact, an excellent way to describe “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”: earnest, well-meaning and gently entertaining but in no way ground-breaking or adventurous. I imagine most thoughtful children under the age of 12 will be thoroughly enchanted, but adults might not be so easily convinced.

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