This week in Las Vegas, there’s an event called CinemaCon in which theater exhibitors and industry types gather to see presentations from the studios about their upcoming films. Paramount has released a brand new trailer for their upcoming summer blockbuster G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and it definitely has enough to keep action fans happy. Take a look for yourselves after the jump.

I’ll give director Jon M. Chu credit – it seems like he’s doing all the right things to appease fans who didn’t care for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The movie comes to theaters on June 29th, 2012.

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Though they’re technically co-directing with Tom Tykwer, the upcoming Cloud Atlas will be the first directorial effort we’ve seen from the Wachowskis since 2008′s Speed Racer. They’ve flirted with other movies, including a modern update of Robin Hood and a controversial Iraq War film called Cobalt Neural 9, but we haven’t heard anything about those films in quite some time. Now, the directing duo has a new sci-fi project called Jupiter Ascending on the horizon, and they want Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis to star.

Deadline says the plot details for this movie are being kept under wraps, but that it’s the first big sci-fi action franchise for the duo since The Matrix and it’s based on their original idea. At one point, Natalie Portman was in talks for the lead female role and was “seriously weighing taking the part,” but it’s now been offered to her Black Swan co-star Mila Kunis. She’s done solid work before, and Tatum is coming off a great comedic performance in 21 Jump Street, so I’m excited about seeing these two go to work under such iconic directors. We’ll keep you posted as soon as the Jupiter Ascending plot emerges.

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Last year we heard that Channing Tatum had teamed up with Sony and Alice in Wonderland producer Joe Roth for a “dark re-imagining” of Peter Pan.

Now according to Variety Gavin O’Connor (Warrior) has been hired to direct, and Deadline has heard that Tatum doesn’t intend to star in the film himself, but will serve as a producer.

With the re-imagining/rebooting/remaking of classic literature all the rage right now, Channing Tatum and his production company came up with an idea for an origins movie based on Peter Pan. They took it to producer Joe Roth (who is also involved with Oz: The Great and Powerful and Snow White and the Huntsman) who liked it, and together with The Hunger Games screenwriter Billy Ray they developed the idea and pitched it to studios, where it was picked up by Sony.

No start date has been set, but O’Connor will now develop the script and we may hear further development later this year.

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When I first heard about 21 Jump Street, I couldn’t be more disinterested. I pegged the film as another in a long line of unnecessary remakes of 80s properties, nothing more than desperate grasping by studios to conjure and capitalize on nostalgia. Turns out my preconceived notions were proven incorrect; this movie could care less about nostalgia because it’s far more interested in being a post-modern comedic commentary on both the buddy cop genre and the teen high school movie. It’s action-packed, smartly written, and downright hilarious at times; in short, 21 Jump Street is worth taking the leap.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller previously directed 2009′s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which became one of my favorite animated films of all time after only one viewing. (Seriously: if you in any way value my opinion – and I assume you do if you’re reading this – seek out Cloudy immediately, regardless of your age. It’s fantastic.) 21 Jump Street is the duo’s first attempt at a live action film, and they absolutely knock it out of the park. Unlike their Academy Award-winning contemporary Andrew Stanton, who directed instant animated classics Finding Nemo and Wall*E and then went on to make John Carter, Lord and Miller are able to coach memorable performances out of their lead actors and successfully transition their comedic style seamlessly into a live action arena.

It helps that this script is great; Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) were in different social strata in high school, but seven years later, they become friends on the police force. They’re mostly inept, failing to read the Miranda rights to apprehended criminals and yearning for explosions, car chases, and “a lifetime of being badass motherf*ckers.” They’re more than a bit reminiscent of Nick Frost’s character in Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz. Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World writer Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill wrote 21 Jump Street, and their approach of Hollywood’s current remake craze is to address it head on; when our heroes are transferred to a new division that’s resurrecting a previous program from the 80s which places young-looking cops undercover in high school, their captain laments the lack of originality from the higher-ups, claiming they’ve “run out of ideas.” It’s a direct acknowledgement of the film’s purported reason for existence, and a fun way to let the audience know that the filmmakers are in on the joke of the movie as a whole.

Tossed back into high school to locate the supplier of a drug ring, Schmidt and Jenko find their roles reversed both literally and figuratively. Jenko is the dumb jock with a good heart, and he accidentally mixes up their new secret identities and must take Schmidt’s course load filled with band and chemistry and things he knows nothing about. Schmidt, the intellectual nerd when he was actually in high school, becomes the stereotypical popular kid because of the way trends have evolved since he and Jenko were there the first time: smart kids who read comics and care about the environment are the new breed of cool kids, leaving the once-popular Jenko confused and befriending the school’s tech-savvy nerds. It’s a cool play against audience expectations, something this movie does frequently and often during its runtime.

This film allows Jonah Hill to transition from the seriousness of Moneyball back to his comedic roots, but the true standout here is Channing Tatum. He shines as he plays into the public perception that he’s an oafish dope, giving people who previously had no interest in his work (read: me) a reason to take notice and keep an eye on him during his future projects. His comedic timing is spot-on, and he’s an unlikely-but-perfect foil for Hill in this film. The story gets a bit conventional near the end, taking them down a well-tread path of testing their friendship before preparing for the big climactic showdown, but the film transitions from point to point so smoothly that it’s hard to get upset about the occasional slip into conventionality. Plus, the jokes are profane and really funny throughout, with people like Rob Riggle, Ice Cube, Jake Johnson, Ellie Kemper, Chris Parnell, and Nick Offerman peppered in to keep you laughing from start to finish.

There are also some surprisingly heartwarming moments mixed into all the vulgarity, which really grounds the film and gives it some emotional stakes when the characters get into any danger. Dave Franco (yep, James’ brother) and Brie Larson are both solid as the kids Schmidt befriends in school, and it says a lot about this movie that I was so caught up in the laughs that I barely thought about the weirdness of Schmidt’s love interest being a high school girl. Bonus points are awarded for having a unique “tripping” sequence when the main characters are forced to take drugs, and extra bonus points go to the marketing team, who, in the trailers, gave us a sense of the film’s tone but actually switched up scenes for fresh laughs. 21 Jump Street is a dose of much-needed creativity in these early months of the year, and will likely remain one of my favorite comedies as we move forward through 2012. Until next time…

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When I first heard about a 21 Jump Street movie, I wasn’t interested at all. The TV show was before my time, and it sounded like another lame attempt at cashing in on nostalgia at the box office. But as we get closer and closer to the film’s March 16th release date, my excitement is rising. Early buzz is overwhelmingly positive, claiming that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have struck the perfect balance between parody and homage.

Sony has just released a new red-band trailer that is nearly five minutes long, and while I’m not going to even watch this (I’m seeing a screening next week so I can write my review, so I’ll hold out for the real thing), I wanted to throw it out there for those of you still may be on the fence about seeing this one. Fair warning, though – as with any extended trailer like this, it could reveal the best parts of the film before you even see the movie. The adventurous among you can check it out after the break.

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So was this Steven Soderbergh’s final project for film school?  The question is posed for it seems that the stylish director (Ocean’s flicks, Traffic, Contagion, etc.) couldn’t afford a talented lead for Haywire. Plus, the sound edit, uh, sounds as if a micro-budgeted indie filmmaker made this on his Macbook. Actually, one could probably get better sound out of that computer.

Obviously, this isn’t Soderbergh’s senior project and there was some coin behind it ($25 million) as you can surmise from the talented cast that chimed in on this 93 minute flick.  And although the action, which is to say hand-to-hand combat sequences, had some intensity to them, the script suffers immensely from the storytelling execution via the femme fatale, Gina Carano.

Her dialogue delivery is bloody awful to the point that you feel sorry for her as you watch this.  Now even though the story wasn’t all that riveting to begin with, having the majority of it told through the more-or-less rookie actress was clearly too much to ask here.  She is surrounded by an accomplished supporting cast and she does have the ability to carry them in the above mention decently choreographed fight sequences.  But once those come and go, the mediocre level this flick attains drops faster than a man between Carano’s leg scissors.  And speaking of those legs, the one thing Carano did accomplish is the dethroning of Famke Janssen (Goldeneye 1995); as she can now proudly wear the title of having the sexiest choke-hold in cinematic history.

While Carano just isn’t ready to enhance this spy-betrayed-by-the-system saga outside of using her apt MMA skills – and perhaps Soderbergh realized this during filming, as there are prolonged shots of her just running around and scaling rooftops (one of the better shot sequences though), it all falls on Soderbergh and the story to keep us wired in.  Watching Soderbergh’s camera placement is always intriguing.  If he’s shooting on a rooftop, he’ll find a crevice between a fireplace and a pipe and guide the lens through as it follows the character.  When screenplay is active, he’s at his best.  And much like his Ocean’s flicks, the luring musical score has the ability to set the tone.

Most of everything stated above is realized within the first thirty minutes.  And while the direction of this piece doesn’t quite come fully together, one is hopeful the plot will eventually catch you.  Unfortunately, it just isn’t happening here.  The atmosphere is subdued despite it being a spy-thriller.  It’s not wordy or bland like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or The American, but it doesn’t have an adrenaline rush commonly found in a Bourne movie or even Salt for that matter.  As far as originality goes, there is none.  Well, except for the fact that Carano actually looks like she can kick some ass as opposed to a 95lbs. Angelina Jolie. So basically, this is just Soderbergh’s take on a spy-thriller…that isn’t all that thrilling and has a few mechanical issues.

Overall, Haywire can never really get going.  At certain turns, you wonder if this would even make the cut to be shown in a local film festival based on the production and acting levels of Gina Carano. The pacing is fairly good when considering the short running time, yet the product as a whole feels like a rush job that people just wanted to unload.  In other words: Why bother even making this?

RATING: 2 out of 5

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Thanks to The Playlist, we now know who Steven Soderbergh has in mind for his next film, The Side Effects – and the director didn’t have to look very far to find his cast. The film, written by Soderbergh mainstay Scott Z. Burns (The Informant!, Contagion), has attracted some talent the director has worked with before. Hit the jump to find out who, and to see what this project is all about.

Formerly known as The Bitter Pill, The Side Effects, according to writer Burns, centers around “people and their moods. It’s about how we as a society can’t tolerate sadness and what that makes us vulnerable to.” Sounds very atmospheric, and The Playlist says the script is akin to something along the lines of Fatal Attraction. Blake Lively (Green Lantern) has locked down the lead role of a woman taking prescription pills to deal with her husband’s upcoming release from prison, and Channing Tatum is playing her husband. Jude Law will play Lively’s psychiatrist.

Tatum worked with Soderbergh on both Haywire (out in theaters this month) and the upcoming stripper drama Magic Mike, and Law collaborated with the director on Contagion last year. Lively is the wild card, and after a solid performance in Ben Affleck’s The Town, it will be interesting to see how she handles such a high profile leading role.

Soderbergh decided to take on this project after The Man From U.N.C.L.E. fell through at Warner Bros., and financing and distribution for The Bitter Pill is still up in the air at this point. Summit was supposed to be involved, but now that they’re being sold to Lionsgate, they’ve dropped out. But it’s a Soderbergh film, so I don’t imagine it’ll languish for long. We’ll keep you updated on further developments.

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We got a brief glimpse earlier but now Paramount has released the first full length trailer for G.I Joe: Retaliation. The trailer is introduced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and looks to be a big improvement on G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Johnson appears to be the new lead (Channing Tatum is barely seen or heard in the trailer), and Paramount leave the introduction of Bruce Willis right till the end.

Watch the trailer below:

As well as Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, and Channing Tatum the cast includes Adrianne Palicki, D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Ray Park, RZA, Joseph Mazzello, Elodie Yung, and Walton Goggins. In the film the G.I. Joe team faces off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation, directed by Jon M. Chu (Step Up 3D) and written by Ryan Wernick and Rhett Reese (Zombieland ), opens June 29, 2012.

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If the casting of Dwayne Johnson in G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation last month wasn’t enough, Paramount are now in talks with another action star to join the film.

According to Heat Vision, if the deal works out, Bruce Willis will play General Joe Colton, the man who in the 1980s comic books starts the G.I. Joe strike team, called the ultimate freedom fighting force, and got the handle G.I. Joe.

Willis will join a cast that already includes Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Ray Stevenson (villain Firefly), Adrianne Palicki, Lee Byung-hun, D.J. Cotrona, and Ray Park.

Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick wrote the script for the sequel, and Jon M. Chu (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Step Up 3D) will be in the directors chair when filming begins later this month. Paramount have set the release date for June 29, 2012, a slot previously held by Star Trek 2 until it became clear it wouldn’t make that date.

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The first trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire has appeared online. The movie stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas and Bill Paxton, however they are all in supporting roles. The lead belongs to Gina Carano, a mixed martial arts fighter who, by the looks of things, can also act.

Watch below:

Beautiful freelance covert operative Mallory Kane is hired out by her handler to various global entities to perform jobs which governments can’t authorize and heads of state would rather not know about. After a mission to rescue a hostage in Barcelona, Mallory is quickly dispatched on another mission to Dublin. When the operation goes awry and Mallory finds she has been double crossed, she needs to use all of her skills, tricks and abilities to escape an international manhunt, make it back to the United States, protect her family, and exact revenge on those that have betrayed her

It’s quite refreshing to see a female-driven action film that doesn’t involve Angelina Jolie. Hiring a relative unknown was a risk (Soderbergh discovered Carano on a random Saturday when watching an MMA fight), so surrounding her with strong (and well known) supporting actors was a good move.

Haywire will be released by Relativity Media on January 20, 2012.

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