Focus Features and Laika released yesterday the second trailer for stop-motion animation ParaNorman. Frankly, it looks awesome giving us a lot more insight into the story courtesy of new scenes, voice-overs, and dialog, the last two being absent from the first trailer.

You know what they say, better short and sweet than long and boring. Running at just 1 minute and 9 seconds, that’s exactly what this trailer is.

As you can see, Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) can see the dead and speak to them. But unlike Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense this is a comedy and animated to boot, so expect more than a few funny scenes. Besides that, he will have to face ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

Did I mention it comes from Laika? Only the guys that brought us the amazing Coraline back in 2009. Also it’s stop-motion in 3D, so what more could you want?

Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell, ParaNorman features the voices of Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann, Christopher Mintz-Plass, John Goodman, Casey Affleck and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the titular character.

So again, ghosts, zombies, stop-motion, Coraline, John Goodman, Leslie Mann and McLovin. If you’re not sold yet then I don’t know what else to say. Oh yeah, ParaNorman comes out August 17th (same day as The Expendables 2) so mark your calendar, NOW!

What’s that you say, you don’t have a 2012 calendar yet? Then buy one you cheap bastard.

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Did Hollywood somehow know, or orchestrate, this occupy Wall Street movement? That question is posed because the latest batch of theatrical releases, many of which touch upon these protests, already have a built-in marketing campaign. And Tower Heist could benefit from it.

And the 104 minute playful revenge tale of “storming the castle” and sticking it to his lordship (scumbag Wall Street mogul) will probably need these motivated ticket buyers…for this is one-step below mediocre.

Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour flicks) has created a poor-man’s version of Ocean’s Eleven. And that includes the movie mechanics (directing, storytelling, etc.). Instead of breaking into a hi-tech casino, this batch of characters are trying to breach a penthouse at an elegant complex in the heart of New York City. The interesting aspect is the script isn’t spoofing an Ocean’s type product; for it seems to be trying to project a symbolic message fit for the current times. Problem that arises is the tone of whether it’s trying to be funny, serious or somewhere between is hopelessly lost in a cliff-notes type screenplay that doesn’t have any flow until the final, and surprisingly quasi-suspenseful, climax.

When personable Wall Street kingpin Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) gets busted for a Ponzi scheme, his loyal pawns, who work at his residential tower, all get the financial shaft. Thanks in part to a caring worker’s initiative to put all the staff’s pension funds into Shaw’s invest firm. Now that Shaw is under Federal investigation, his trusted building manager, a.k.a the caring worker, Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) isn’t feeling too good about himself as he deals with the extreme guilt for trusting Shaw.

Yet the guy refuses to let this go without a fight, even though sympathetic Special Agent Claire Denham (Tea Leoni) says the chances of recovering any of the monetary loses are slim. Josh decides to go outside the law and puts together a team from the pool of the slighted workers which include elevator operator Dev’Reaux (Michael Pena), concierge Charlie (Casey Affleck) and the buildings only evicted tenant in former Wall Street guru – now pansy – Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick). This group begins planning but realizes they are missing one pertinent element…a true thief to help prepare them. Enter in Slide (Eddie Murphy); a street hustler, who Josh walks by every day all while taking his insults directed at his suit-wearing ass.

Those wanting to see Eddie Murphy getting some of that edge back, well, let’s just say this is a start. Maybe even a gateway to the long-awaited return of R-rated Murphy! While he’s making the most of his time in a supporting capacity – same can be said for Alan Alda -, Stiller, Broderick, Affleck, and Pena are asked to carry this sucker. But this group has seldom chemistry happening, leading to seldom laughs.

In true campy crime-caper fashion, a few more role players show up with Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) playing a housekeeper; Stephen Henderson playing the loyal doorman; and criminally underutilized Judd Hirsch as the tower’s second-in-command. Why are they here? Because they simply fill out the formula for this type of flick. Essentially, none of them are needed or will be remembered. It’s not their fault; it’s the scripts and the shanty editing that bogs the atmosphere down. This just jumps around and highlights what they’re going to do without giving the audience the joy of seeing it unfold. Just about every sequence is missing a middle portion or an explanation how they got from point A to point B. And the middle portions are always what entertain in these flicks. Even the dialogue between the unorthodox crooks fails to even provide cheap laughs.

Although the climax brings in some tension and suspense, the pitch of the characters and dialogue just doesn’t mesh to fully get you going. It’s also at this point where Eddie Murphy is shut down, and aside from a thrilling set-piece involving a car and a high-rise using the backdrop of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, boredom sets in.

Overall, Tower Heist won’t rip you off but you’re definitely not getting your money’s worth based on the cast and projected story. Much like the Occupy Wall Street movement, the people have found one entity to blame for the number of messes we’re in. With regards to this flick, the blame for all the faults fall squarely on a chopped-up screenplay with very little humor outside of Eddie Murphy letting loose here and there. Brett Ratner may be in his element here, but he seems to be having an off-game with this one.

RATING: 2 out of 5

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In time for Halloween, Laika and Focus Features released a first look at the stop-motion animated flick ParaNorman. Directed by Sam Fell (Flushed Away, The Tale of Despereaux) and Chris Butler, ParaNorman is the story of a boy that can talk to the dead.

Norman Babcock is an outcast kid with the ability to communicate with the dead in this comedy-thriller. When his town comes under siege by zombies, Norman has to face, in addition to zombies, ghosts, witches and moronic adults. All this to save his town for a centuries-old curse.

For stop-motion animation studio Laika, this is only their second feature film after the successful and very well received Coraline back in 2009. As you can see from the trailer, it’s looking just as great visually and the premise could make for a fun movie. Casey Affleck, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick and Christopher Mintz-Plasse lend their voices to various characters in the film. ParaNorman is scheduled to open August 17th, 2012 even though it looks more like a Halloween release then a late summer one.

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According to Variety Casey Affleck (The Killer Inside Me, upcoming Tower Heist) has joined the cast of Paradise Lost, an action epic inspired by John Milton’s 17th Century poem. The site also mentions Camilla Belle (10,000 BC) has been offered the role of Eve, while Rock of Ages actor Diego Boneta is the frontrunner to play Adam.

Alex Proyas (I, Robot) is directing and the movie follows Michael (Benjamin Walker), an archangel engaged in an epic battle of good and evil with Lucifer (Bradley Cooper), who mounts an army after after he is cast out of heaven. The Angel of Death (Djimon Hounso) turns his back on The Devil to tell God of Lucifer’s defection, and Gods six-winged messenger Gabriel (Casey Affleck) also joins the fight to defeat The Devil.

The movie will be heavy on digital effects, meaning 20 weeks of pre-production are required. Only 8 weeks of actual filming will take place, followed by 72 weeks of post-production. There are said to be three epic battles in the story. One that takes place in Heaven, another in Hell, and a third in Eden. Proyas said he thinks only “an insane person would want to make this movie”, but he’s currently prepping the film in Australia ready for an early 2012 shoot.

Warner Bros. will release Paradise Lost sometime in 2013.

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Jessica Alba will be playing a prostitute who gets murdered in The Killer Inside Me, according to THR. Casey Affleck will play a West Texas sheriff who goes on a downward spiral from being a boring small-town cop into a ruthless, sociopathic murderer.

The film is based off the novel by author Jim Thompson and it has been made into a film before in 1976. The Mighty Heart director Michael Winterbottom will direct.

I can see where Alba is trying to take her career. She wasn’t getting taken as a serious actress with films such as The Love Guru and Good Luck Chuck, so she must have told her agent she wants the total opposite of what she has been doing. As a result she is currently filming drama An Invisible Sign of My Own where she plays a genius, and now she will be playing a prostitute.

Next we can expect her to play a schizophrenic drug addict followed by a lesbian serial killer. She will get an Oscar and we will take her seriously!

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