Despite what we learned in middle school, peer pressure can be a good thing for both parties. Last month, Lionsgate Entertainment acquired Summit Entertainment for a good $712.5 million. The agreement comes with the rights to a certain eternally-youthful vampire series and some how-tos for international distribution. Good call, LionsGate.

Summit Ent. has had a decent range of more independent theatrical releases from Memento to Mr. and Mrs. Smith to the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker. But the production company is most synonymous with the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. Yes, screeching tweens everywhere have Summit to thank for bringing to life Bella, Edward and Jacob (and female fantasies alike) for the big screen, but aside from these films… the studio has hardly had another marquee headlining movie to brag about (unless you’re a fan of Sex Drive…).

Along these lines, Lionsgate’s biggest claims to fame are the blockbusters Fahrenheit 9/11 and testosterone-heavy The Expendables. And thank this studio for every nightmare you’ve woken from in terror after watching Saw I-XVI. Other than that… we’re hearing crickets.

The merger comes at a perfect time as Lionsgate is ready to launch its new YA-adaptation hopeful The Hunger Games in March and could use Summit’s advice in promoting such a popular series and forgoing the fates of less fortunate series (The Golden Compass and Percy Jackson come to mind). Also, Summit had great success in the late ’90s distributing American Pie overseas, and maybe that’s why people look at us funny when we’re biting into apple pies while abroad. But seriously, campaigning for THG is going to take serious skill that Lionsgate can’t afford to be lackadaisical about.

Studio mergers, of course, are nothing groundbreaking. Back in the ’20s and ’30s when film was just becoming a viable industry, there was a rat pack of studios known as The Big Five: MGM, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Brothers and RKO Radio Pictures. It’s because of these production companies that we worship celebrities today, as they formulated the star system that allowed audiences to associate actors and actresses with certain film genres and archetypes. However, the Hollywood studio system ended with the Golden Age as stars and filmmakers felt too constricted with the monopolies and binding contracts.

Independent studios and films arose from this circumstance, creating a new league of “mini-major” studios like the Weinstein Co., Lionsgate and Summit. Now that the latter two will be joining forces, what does that mean for the future of indie filmmaking? Mergers make things easier in terms of business and name-game association, as studios like Marvel and Disney can attest.

Lionsgate-Summit could potentially dominate the YA demographic with its franchises, and buying out the latter studio could even mean proliferation of Edward and Bella’s love in future films/TV shows/action figurines. And together, they are more appealing to indie films looking for a wider audience.

Win-win for us all! Bring out the bubbly for the sparkling vamps and girls on fire!

Do you guys agree this is a good move on both studios’ parts? Let us know!

So you’ve already got your bets placed for the dark horses and frontrunners of the Oscar race. When the nominations were announced early January 24, most came as no surprise. The Artist and Hugo lead the noms, the ladies of The Help are shining brighter than ever before, and it looks like it could finally be Clooney’s year for Best Actor. But the only thing more exciting than nomination announcements are the snubs. And boy, were there a few that riled up the fans and critics.

Young and old shed a few years the world over when The Boy Who Lived waved his wand for the last time in Deathly Hallows: Part II. Audiences were essentially unanimous in thinking the final installment was a series’ best, with acting, action, and visual effects. And yet…Alan Rickman got not even a nod for his last act as the cunning Severus Snape. The film wasn’t even considered for Best Picture, despite the fact that it definitely grossed more than all the nine nominated movies combined worldwide! In fact, like a few of the other installments, Harry Potter was only appreciated in the visual department, for Art Direction, Visual Effects, and Makeup. We can’t help but be a tad offended by this.

But looking at Deathly Hallows: Pt. 2 from a genre standpoint, it’s hard to narrow the film down to one category. Fantasy? Action? Children’s movie? A combination of the three and more, which throws Oscar voters in for a loop. Though the J.K. Rowling books are geared towards a demographic under the age of 25, the films have reached populations of all age spans. Both the universality and ambiguity of who in the audience can relate and appreciate the film shows how voters were not swayed by an adaptation of YA fiction novels, no matter how great of reads they are or how well they translate on-screen.

Actor Ryan Gosling sure kept busy in 2011 with three starring roles in Crazy, Stupid, Love; Drive; and The Ides of March, not to mention his much-hyped role in last year’s Blue Valentine. No doubt he’s one of the hardest working thespians out there (good thing he still has time for the gym…), but come ON, voters! Give the man his due for something other than Half Nelson. It’s not enough that he was robbed of People’s Sexiest Man Alive by a tool; now he had to show off his muscles that much harder. Gosling is one of few actors who can say a mouthful within a script by saying nothing at all; shame the Academy Awards didn’t use those few extra votes wisely. But the Oscars rarely go for films so edgy and indie like Drive, which had many good aspects and even Albert Brooks’ terrifyingly-amazing performance to back it up.

And let’s not forget the man who dropped trou and made US, the audience, feel bad about looking. Steve McQueen’s Shame was one of the most provocative films of last year, and we’re not talking just about Michael Fassbender’s impressive member. The film made the viewer feel sorry for his nymphomanic character, and it seemed more violating than pleasurable watching Fassbender get it on with, well, everything on-screen. Hardly has an actor this year been so raw in a role, and we feel Fassbender, as a rising star of 2011 and 2012, deserves much more praise in the form of gold statuettes. Or at the very least, why not fill the awkward 10th spot of Best Picture nom with Shame, which portrayed a usually-euphemistic-looking New York City as a grim, gray place. McQueen and Fassbender were horrible robbed of such fine craft that we the audience so rarely get for our money’s worth at the theaters. It’s a damned shame that the NC-17 rating made the film so taboo for moviegoers and critics, who have truly missed out.

Are we just huffing and puffing here, or do you ‘Buffs agree with these snubs?

Once again, a four-letter word has dominated the headlines. It’s spewing from the mouths of every American in fits of rage. Ladies, gents and ‘Buffs, SOPA used to be Spanish for ‘soup,’ but now it’s known worldwide as a ‘problem.’

Since we all scour the interwebs for funny cat videos, up-to-date news, great movies and Fandango showtimes, we know you know the very threat SOPA and its partner-in-crime PIPA pose to our daily lives. Bill 3261 has become the 2012′s DADT issue, and it imposes upon the very liberties of freedom our founding fathers promised. Sure, they weren’t expecting us to trade information over fiber optics instead of pigeon carriers, but the same rights are being encroached upon by the House’s proposal.

In a nutshell, the U.S. government wants to slam websites with court orders if they are suspected or accused of copyright infringement. SOPA’s right hand man, PIPA, aims to punish “rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods” that are based outside our borders. If this sounds at all over your head or ridiculous, or both, here’s a comprehensive infographic and an entertaining-yet-educational animated GIF that argue the same thing: SENATORS, Y U NO LIKE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION?!?

The Internet even staged a blackout on January 18, and many frequently used sites like Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of SOPA/PIPA. The result was a good 18 senators giving up their support of the Acts, and 4.5 million Americans signing a petition in a swift move of online activism.

Yes, the MPAA is fully on-board with the bills, which threaten the job security of some two million jobs. FilmBuff also sees the validity of wanting to stamp out piracy and petty crooks who make money from the sweat and blood of artists of all fields and genres.

But let’s really think about this.

In a SOPA/PIPA ruled world (aka 1984 or Panem), the previous linked URLs could initiate legal action against our website, and that’s just not cool. We (and the rest of the Internet users out there) are not intent on infringing any copyrights. Punishing the many because of the acts of a few (many, but still) does not get your point across, senators. Even President Obama is against the potential violation of our First Amendment rights, and you don’t mess with the guy. In his recent State of the Union address, he promises to investigate further into the real bad guys of the piracy debacle, and it isn’t Tiny Tim in Kansas or Joe Schmoe in Utah, but sites of “unfair trade practices.”

And with curating digital content for our loyal and unique visitors alike, FilmBuff does not want to cower in fear of getting in trouble with the law for wanting to promote indie films. Word would never spread if websites were afraid of being sued for supposed copyright infringement. Start-ups would never get off the ground if they cannot use already available resources. Well-deserving, hard-working actors and filmmakers would never get their due recognition and views.

Let’s not hinder creativity and expression. If you want to help, contact your state representatives to encourage their stance against SOPA and PIPA.

Fun fact: people like TV. Please note: calling anyone Captain Obvious is beyond passé.

We like to laugh, cry and be horrified by “our shows,” and there’s nothing wrong with calling them that. High/low ratings and critical acclaim be damned; if the fans want a show, we’ll give them a show! And sometimes that show happens to find itself on a large multiplex screen. Yes friends, some of our TV faves will be coming soon to a theater near you, and you may be jumping up and down with glee while also scratching your head asking “…Wait, why?” Will these shows still be relevant after being off the air for so long?  Let’s examine and discuss.

The Show: Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer will save the world (yet again) in a day with a movie adaptation of  24. The Fox show had success for eight seasons, so why not have Agent Bauer thwart terrorists on the big screen one last time? The end of a show’s run is never really the end when money is at stake… and producers think fans are willing to dish their bucks.
FilmBuff’s Rating: 2 out of 4 stars. Give Bauer a day off, world. He’s saved us enough already.

The Show: In the case of Arrested Development, the fanbase has all but stormed the networks’ buildings demanding that the show live on. AD fans have waited years (literally) for a movie to be in works, and last year the good news finally came at the New Yorker Festival, not only a movie but another season of the quirky show. But will the Bluth clan still be as weirdly funny as they were in 2005?
FilmBuff’s Rating: 3 out of 4 stars. We have high hopes for the little TV show that almost could.

The Show: Along those lines, Party Down had a diehard, yet small, fanbase and was cancelled after two seasons. Much demand and perhaps a few thousand clicks on Netflix have prompted the cast and writers to come back for a bigger hurrah. Megan Mullally said last week that filming could start as early as this summer.
FilmBuff’s Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars. The show’s stars are still under the radar, and they deserve some large exposure for their hilarious antics. Maybe the film will even resurrect the show back on TV!

The Show: The two shows’ quiet but loyal followings have surely helped the underground successes become pop culture staples. A few months ago, we also reported rumors for other TV-to-theater-bound shows. Of course, we’re not making any huge scientific declaration over here, as the industry has been doing this for decades. Even movies are striving for continuation of relevance in pop culture and become adapted to TV shows, like the new animated Napoleon Dynamite on Fox. However, viewers have yet to warm up to the liger-lovin’ high school dork. So maybe this transition isn’t the best order to go in.
FilmBuff’s Rating: 1 out of 4 stars. Our “Vote for Pedro” shirts are collecting dust in our attics somewhere. Let’s keep it that way. High school isn’t as frickin’ sweet as it used to be.

TV shows are no longer sole platforms for washed up actors and over-gelled guidos. Some of the best actors in Hollywood can be seen weekly on scripted shows, like Don Cheadle’s newest Showtime debut, House of Lies. In fact, Hollywood may learn a thing or two from current shows, which, if you think about it, have a much more dedicated following than movies do, since fans tune in regularly. Shows become character studies, and even social studies, and we are dedicated to these shows because of the storytelling and weekly execution of it.

And technology is only aiding our TV addictions. TiVo, Netflix, and Hulu, among other resources, let us pick up wherever and whenever we left off while also exposing us to shows no longer in syndication. The recent portability of TV shows creates endless access to these gems that have stolen our hearts and time slots on weeknights. So movies we plead that you use technology and pure fan base to push projects into the convenience of our hands. Don’t let TV have all the glory.

The new year always brings with it new gadgets, and here at FilmBuff we love gettin’ our geek on. Here are a few products we’re stoked to get our hands on, and what you should put on your next wish list.

Libratone Live AirPlay speaker: $699; now available

These compact speakers may seem pricey at first, but take another gander before you write them off. The speakers take surround sound to a whole new level. Not only can you place them wherever you want in a room, but they emit sound at 360 degrees! Your whole room becomes the inside of a boombox! And you can wirelessly play music from your iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, or any computer with iTunes; all it takes is a Libratone app download. You can also hook up the TV to the speakers for the ultimate sound. You’ll never experience the Super Bowl or 300 the same way again. Oh, and the speakers are covered in cashmere, so they look AND feel great. Mmmmm, fuzzy speakers…

iPad 3: estimated $499-$699; likely available by May

We don’t need to convince you that the iPad 3 will be the hottest tablet on the market in 2012. We’re only going off of hearsay and rumors at this point, but like each subsequent Apple product outdoing the one before it, you can expect a bigger screen, higher resolution, and maybe an even smaller tablet. Pardon us while we wipe the drool off our faces…

Bionic contacts: unknown cost; unknown availability

THE FUTURE IS HERE! And soon we won’t even have to open our eyes to see it. The University of Washington has been working on bionic contacts that project images on your retina, and they’ve already had a “pixel” worth of success in rabbits. The scientists hope to eventually make contacts that receive data and display them directly in the vision of the wearer, making them aware of “physiological anomalies” or important events. They’re even working on contacts that help you see in the dark! Goodbye, night vision goggles, hello, creepy cat vision! Pretty soon, we’ll probably have EYESiri on our hands (er, eyeballs). A downside, however, is that since these screens are directly on your eye, “you can’t un-see anything they decide to project.” Uh, that means we have to actually sit through Saw I-VI? Thanks, but no thanks.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: cost unknown; available December 2011

iPhone who? This is the phone of tomorrow. Loaded with the new operating system, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Nexus is all about multi-tasking, Google, and zero lag. It’s sleek and ready to play with 32 GB, 2 mics and 2 cameras. Forget passwords and voice recognition; you unlock the phone WITH YOUR SMILE! (Make sure to get your braces off before you get one.) Not only that, but movie rentals are even easier with Android Market. Starting at $1.99, the movies are instantly available in HD, and you’re not limited to WiFi only or using all your data watching Iron Man 2.

Microsoft Surface 2.0 by Samsung: $8,900; available January 2012

Welcome to the new dining room table. The SUR40 has been available for pre-order since November, and it’s ready to revamp your ideas of a typical tabletop. Geared with PixelSense, it’s the ultimate touchscreen, as “every pixel acts as a camera” and has over 50 points of touch interaction; touchy, much? The 40-inch screen is aimed more for use in businesses, hospitals, and casinos (digital Blackjack anyone?) than for the average household, but hey, if you got the money for it, why not?

Are you ‘Buffs excited for this technologically titillating new year we’ve got upon us? Any other gadgets that you’re pumped for that don’t begin with ‘i’? Let us know in the comments!

Yes ‘Buffs, we are being that obvious. We think ‘cloud’, and its intangible, ghostly presence conjures up confused stoners and their perennial questions. Typically, we hear (in Keanu’s voice) ‘Totally man, it’s like, out there or something’ as well as ‘Dude, if it’s got all the knowledge, then what are we left with? Whoa, man’. Accordingly, it is our duty to clear the confusing smoke and well, replace it, with a much more explanatory cloud. We know this sounds odd, and frankly some of us are sympathetic to the grass guzzlers, but the cloud is relatively simple. 

If it wasn’t clear thus far, we are dissecting server/cloud service, more specifically Apple’s titular iCloud. The subscription provides a user with access to distant servers which, once uploaded with a user’s media, can be accessed by an Apple iOS device (iPhone, iPod, iPad) with an internet connection. We have certainly covered cloud service before, and will soon be highlighting holiday season gifts and services, but we thought we missed something. We know, we know, FilmBuff is thorough, but a little nugget slipped between our fingers. So, rather excitedly we’d like to report the following: The iCloud service will be providing access to your movie collection…soon. Yay! We think.

Streaming of this size is bound to cause issues. Remember, with this great power, comes great responsibility. And though Uncle Ben wasn’t referencing IT infrastructure, his aphorism still rests true. Will uploading take hours? Movies, especially in HD, are huge files. How will they handle that? Will streaming from the server/cloud decimate battery life? If it’s wifi only, is it useful, or plainly gimmicky? Unnecessary? Just cool?

These unanswered questions are constantly solicited by any burgeoning technology, but with iCloud and other ‘clouds’ pervading 2011/2012 these concerns are only more valid. We stand cautiously optimistic, hoping that the service will remain useful as it grows, incorporating speed and engendering new compression technology for faster downloads. We are unsure how this increase in needed bandwith will be handled, but we know the niche is beckoning solution. More 4G? Faster wifi? We shall see. In the meantime ‘Buffs, we leave you with the aforementioned and most beloved philosopher of all. Maybe he will answer our cloudy concern?

Is Keanu onto something? How has your cloud service been? Do you use it? Concerned about speed? No, not the movie. Tell us in the comments below!

We’re all about cross-culturalism at FilmBuff, and totally dig when the rest of the film world gets that way, too. A few foreign rumors have especially caught our interest, and if the post’s title gives any sort of indication, you’re in for a treat.

Nothing piques both a human rights activist and moviegoer’s interest more than child exploitation in the form of film entertainment. Desert Riders is sure to do the trick next year. The documentary by Canadian director Vic Sarin and producer Noemi Weis exposes the underworld of camel racing in the Middle East, a sport for the rich to enjoy and the trafficked little boys to suffer through. Though the sport was officially banned in 2004, Sarin explores how the young camel jockeys, child smugglers, sheiks and all parties involved are dealing with the aftermath of the ban. The doc premiered at Amsterdam’s International Documentary Film Festival in late November and is looking for U.S. distribution rights for next year.

Of course, everybody loves a good love story, and it’s about time there was one made centered around a lesbian affair.With Every Heartbeat is a Swedish film from Alexandra Therese-Keining about two women who fall for each other at their parents’ engagement party. Cue family drama. The film has garnered many positive reviews about the complicated relationship between the stepsisters-to-be, and LGBT Specialists Wolfe Releasing will distribute the movie stateside next year. No word on if the title comes from the catchy Robyn song, but seeing as it’s Swedish and pro-LGBT (and the trailer includes the song…), we have no reason to believe otherwise. Win on every aspect for Team FilmBuff!

Finally, Bollywood is set to remake the South Korean box office hit My Girlfriend is an Agent. The film resonates much of Mr. and Mrs. Smith‘s storyline, as it revolves around two spies in a love-hate relationship that fight Russian baddies in hopes of saving the world. UTV Motion Pictures, one of Bollywood’s biggest production companies, loved the rom-com potential of the original film and seek to recreate it for a Hindi audience. No word on U.S. distribution yet, but if the fight scenes are anything like those between Brangelina, we fully support this movie.

Enjoy these international tidbits? Sound off below!

Alright ‘Buffs, we know you’ve been awaiting the latest dish about what will be hitting the theaters in the next few years. We’ve got a special treat for you: FIVE films in talks or in the preliminary stages! At least two are seemingly unnecessary, two ensure catastrophe and FX on some grand scale, and another promises an R-rated action comedy. Say what? Without further tease, let’s get to the grind!

Legendary Pictures, the studio that revamped the Batman series to a whole new standard of comic book adaptations, is prepping its pens for another classic redo: Godzilla. Newbie screenwriter Max Borenstein is slated to be the next hot thing behind the scenes and has been chosen to write the city-crushing monster tale. No word yet on when the project will hit the big screen, but we’re guessing a late 2013/early 2014 release. Given Legendary Pictures’ streak of dark, gritty, and psychologically enticing films, this Godzilla could be a definite upgrade from the 1997 mediocrity. Here’s hoping there’s no gender twist in this one…

Speaking of city-crushing, our favorite apocalyptic director is making some last-minute changes to his next flick’s script. Roland Emmerich, the mastermind behind mayhem movies like The Day After Tomorrow and 2012, was scheduled to do a reading with the cast of Singularity earlier in November, but wasn’t pleased with the script and halted production for edits. The film, to be released in May 2013, centers around a man whose body consists of many nanobots. Emmerich brought in the crazed futurist Ray Kurzweil to work with him on his project, as Kurzweil’s singularity theory (when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence) is the basis of the film. Smells like I, Robot, but with the actual super genius giving input on the development, this could be a film way over many a ‘Buff’s head.

America’s favorite swaggering Brit will be producing and starring in another outlandish film. The President Stole My Girlfriend will feature Russell Brand as a “sexy hippie” who gets his girl snatched by the prez. Can’t wait to see how crazy this Warner Brothers movie will be. We fell in love with Brand back when he was shirtless and sweeping Kristen Bell off her feet in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Since then…well…the love affair has dwindled a bit. But maybe Brand can recaptivate us in this one; let’s give him another chance!

A Very Harold and Kumar 3-D Christmas director Todd Strauss-Schulson has been tapped to direct Family Getaway. The film follows a family whose vacation turns into a cross-country chase when they find out enemies are hunting down the dad, a covert expert assassin. No doubt this will be along the lines of the Harold and Kumar series’ humor and the streak of this year’s R-rated action-packed comedies. We’re feeling a Mr. And Mrs. Smith-meets-Are We There Yet?-meets-The Hangover, and we like the sound of that.

Last but not least: M. Night Shyamalan, the director everyone loves to hate as of recent years, has been working on One Thousand A.E. a post-apocalyptic thriller starring the epic father-son duo, Will and Jaden Smith. They will star as a father and son (surprise, surprise) who make an emergency-landing on an abandoned Earth. The Little Smith must find help for his injured dad on the barren planet, and knowing Shyamalan’s tricks, there will be creepy surprises in store. Yes, Shyamalan’s given us less than stellar films lately (we still want a refund for The Happening!), but hear us out. Given the script is from Stephen Gaghan (Traffic, Syriana) and will feature the hottest action star in the world right now, maybe Shyamalan can get his groove back with this one.

Satisfied, guys? Ready to get wow’ed by these upcoming flicks? Or have you been rolling your eyes at every paragraph? Let us know!

Hey ‘Buffs, just like the high school cafeteria, we’re stopping our day to discuss rumors—of the casting variety. So hang on to your hats.

We’re sure you’ve heard by now that there is a Steel Magnolias remake in the works that is set to be directed by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Yes, the two that are responsible for directed the new Footloose remake. This time around the Southern ladies once portrayed by Sally Field, Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton will be represented by an all-black cast that is rumored to feature some of today’s top black female actresses (in an effort to emulate the high profile cast in the original).

No one has been confirmed yet, but we’re ready to speculate. We think if they stick high profile Angela Bassett or Loretta Divine in as Sally Fields’s role as M’Lynn Eatenton and, perhaps, Zoe Zaldana or Kerri Washington for Julia Roberts’ role as Shelby, it could work. But what about other worthy actresses? Some have thrown out Jurnee Smollet for Shelby and Viola Davis for M’Lynn Eatenton. In our opinion, these two would be perfect at maintaining the same essence of the characters that Roberts and Fields brought while still giving their own flair to make you forget you are watching a remake. Big name stars will just feel like Death at a Funeral all over again.

At first we winced at this idea of a remake, but after our casting suggestions, we’re a little more comfortable. With that said, Craig and Neil, we’re speaking to you directly. DO NOT (Craig and Neil) ATTEMPT TO RECREATE SCENES! …like other ’80s movies, you’ve tackled…

Enough ’80s for now. Time to discuss Akira!

Yep fellow nerds, geeks and dweebs we’re talking about Katsuhiro Otomo’s popular anime. There will soon be an adaptation of it—well, we don’t exactly know how soon, but it’s coming—for you to add to your collection. We’ve been doing some diggin’ for about a month now to give you the lowdown on who will take the roles of your favorite characters and… we’ve found nothing. Nothing specific, that is. It appears that the details are still up in the air and have caused a fierce speculation competition between sites. Garrett Hedlund seems to be the top (and most consistent) choice amongst them all to play leading character, Kaneda. Helena Bonham Carter (for you Potter fans, Bellatrix Lestrange) is also rumored to be playing close ally of Kaneda, Lady Miyako. We don’t strongly oppose either. What do you ‘Buffs think? Anyone surprised they are white-washing this one a little and avoiding an Asian cast?

Bruce Willis coming back to Die Hard? Yep! Die Hard 5, entitled A Good Day to Die Hard is actually in preproduction and is set to begin filming January 2012. Mr. Willis is locked in to appraise his role as John McClane (we likey!), and we hear the storyline deals with John McClane going to Russia to hunt down one of his biggest enemies. Hmm… we’re not too sure about this storyline because it’s one that has been done so many times before that we at FilmBuff are wondering how much further it can go. Will it even be interesting? Of course the action will be entertaining, but will that be enough? Roderick Thorp is one of the writers again, so we have faith.

As for the rumored casting, there has been a lot of buzz about who will take on the role of John McClane’s son. We heard that Liam Hemsworth, Aaron Paul, and Ben Foster are set to have a chemistry reading with Willis; may the best man win! Cough, Ben Foster, cough.

What do you think ‘Buffs? Do you think those men have what it takes? Do you absolutely hate the idea of a Steel Magnolias remake? We know you’re loving the Akira adaptation! Shout to us below!

In 2011, our round world became flat. Columbus had to navigate with three ships and outdated maps; all we have to do now is swipe, pinch and tap our fingers. Tablets have become the hottest thing of the year, and the trend is continuing well into 2012. Apple plans to roll out the iPad 3 by May, and all the other competitors are looking to surpass its standards.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire was released November 14, and to date has given the iPad a run for its money…seriously. At $199 a pop to Apple’s minimum $499 tablet, the Kindle Fire is a steal for those looking to stuff stockings with these tech pads. Pre-orders were coming in by the truckload; Amazon stated customers were reserving more than 50,000 Kindle Fires per day prior to the mid-November release. To put it in prospective, the iPad 2 sold 300,000 in its first day (including pre-orders) when released March 11.

The Kindle Fire is the cheapest tablet to date, given its WiFi and web capabilities. What was once primarily for reading e-books has crossed over multiple usage points to be more desirable to the masses. The Barnes & Noble NOOK has even taken to Internet browsing, offering free WiFi at any B&N bookstore and offering its own apps for modern-day bibliophiles. So far, it seems like the Android operating system is faring well against Apple’s latest iOS5 update on the iPad. While the iPad 2 is far surpassing its competitors (a ChangeWave Research poll found that of those planning to buy a tablet before the end of the year, 65% are leaning towards an iPad 2), the Kindle Fire is holding its ground as a newbie in the cutthroat tablet race.

Trying to decide which to get the youngins’ and which to keep for yourself? Look no further than our concise infograph below, and see for yourself which tablet is the most bang for your buck.

Which are you hoping to see under your Christmas tree? Or are you a devotee of a different tablet? Enlighten us below!

It’s never too early to start guessing which movies will be on the 2012 Oscar ballot. While we’re still waiting for some good potentials to come to a theater near us, other countries are already submitting their picks for Best Foreign-Language Film. Nominations won’t be announced until January 24, but hey, the early bird gets the worm, right? Here are some that we think have a good chance of landing in the top five.

China will domestically release its pick, The Flowers of War, later this year. The film centers around an American priest who protects prostitutes and female students in his church during 1937′s “Rape of Nanking.” Doesn’t sound like a pretty history lesson, but with Christian Bale starring as the priest, the Oscars will probably take a liking to it. Plus with director Zhang Yimou at the helm, there’s little wrong with this picture. Well, except for the poster… why is Bale looking so creepy?

Scandinavia has a slew of movies in the running, but it looks like Sweden’s Beyond will be top dog. Starring The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo‘s Noomi Rapace, familiarity plus talent usually makes a winning combination. It’ll be interesting to see Rapace, who tries to make peace with her alcoholic mother in the film, break out of her iconic Lisbeth Salander role.

New Zealand is making its Oscar race debut with its chosen film, The Orator. The Samoan-language film is lauded by many, including Peter Jackson, for its depiction of a rarely-seen culture and beautiful storytelling style. The protagonist, Saili, wants to be chief of his community, but the little guy has trouble making his voice heard and tries to find the courage to do so throughout the film. The Oscars love an underdog story, and The Orator seems to fit the bill.

Mexico’s Miss Bala is an action-packed entry, a distinct choice for the usually somber category. Produced by Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, the film follows Laura Guerrero, a beauty pageant contestant who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets swept up in a Californian drug war. We can’t say the Oscar voters will be won over by a cartel cutie, but hey, when have Bernal and Luna ever steered us wrong? They (and the rest of Mexico) have high hopes for director and co-writer Gerardo Naranjo, who promises moviegoers a fast-paced good time.

Are you ‘Buffs excited for these foreign features? Sound off below! (Bonus points if it’s in another language!)

America is all about world domination. Not only did we conquer…thought we were going to get political? We’re talking film politics, we’ll leave the news sites to discuss broader issues. But as far as spreading U.S. entertainment products even further into other industries—well, we’ll let the information do the talking.

Sony Picture Television has opened a distribution office in Dubai to make more Sony films available in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. International has signed a deal with Mumbai’s UTV Broadcasting to air 110 movies on the channel. The two-year contract allows the films, such as The Dark Knight, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, to be translated to Hindi and Telugu and broadcasted all over the India TV network, which will expand the reach of the American films to an audience that previously did not have access.

Disney will be premiering its shows and made-for-TV movies in Turkey beginning in January. While most countries in Europe have to pay to watch Disney shows, the company is testing out free TV models in a few countries, dubbing their content in the home language. Disney will also be airing a brand new show and 3D home movie for its Russian audience next fall. Posle Shkoly (After School) will be a dramedy focusing on real-life situations for teens and will air entirely in Russian.

Netflix announced streaming rights to be available to the United Kingdom and Ireland starting early 2012. Having just launched the Latin American streaming option in September and with plans to do the same in Spain next year, Netflix doesn’t seem to be letting that loss of  805,000 subscribers get the company down.

American film crews are headed outside the U.S. borders to make movies now more than ever. While Vancouver used to be the movie hotspot (the Twilight saga was mostly shot there), Toronto and Montreal are making names for themselves with major tax credit savings for studios.

Other U.S. productions are headed to the land down under to save a few bucks. Director Baz Luhrmann is filming the 3D epic adaptation of The Great Gatsby in Australia, which has been quite the head scratcher for Fitzgerald fans. How is Lurhmann going to portray Gatsby’s East Egg and West Egg, along with Long Island and 1920s Manhattan, in the land of the Outback? It’ll be interesting to see the results onscreen, but a huge incentive of filming off-location is the estimated $40 million the production is saving. Sounds like a bargain to us!

Striking deals on other continents, filming in foreign lands, and spreading our vast VOD libraries to other nations: sure, we’re sharing the wealth, but why aren’t we retrieving some international box office booty for ourselves? If we’re reaching out to these countries to make our films and shows more known worldwide, why aren’t we doing the same for our domestic audiences? Let’s acquire more rights to foreign films for distribution and open our minds to movies in other languages and other techniques. This whole taking over the world thing could be really beneficial for us, if we let it be.

What happens when a film buff attends a conference about television? We learn how much people love watching movies on their devices through their television. Well, we already knew that.  So what did we actually learn?  We got a chance to hear firsthand how all companies are adapting to what consumers want, advertiser want and being accessible to EVERYONE.

1.  Forget DVR. Ian Blaine of “thePlatform” says people want complete control over what device they view their content on. And guess what, DVR? The cloud will be even more helpful with such control. And while 40% of the US consumer population watches their content online, for now, they still want to connect this content to their TV. What can DVR do? Adapt or die. Figuring out how to work within the cloud system will be their best. They should look into how they can license and work with devices.

2.  Consumers and producers of content are on a level playing field. So don’t think for a second that “the man” is programming what you watch like in the 80′s and 90′s. With the robust market of content, digital allows content providers faster access to what content works for their consumers. So you don’t like the AMC network on your new Kindle Fire? Just you watching it on your Amazon Fire gives you far more power than you ever thought possible. If the collective of society hates something; content providers have to react faster.

3.  In continuation of #2, please know producers of content won’t take this level playing field lying down.   In partnering with “you,” screens will now infiltrate all your moods and tastes. Say your grocery store decides to get rid of elevator music and adds a TV while you wait in line. Sounds good? Fooled you!  It doesn’t matter what it sounds like to you; now you may see cooking shows while you wait anywhere in the store. Just like all the ads at the airports folks, sponsors will continue to look for content that will inspire you to spend more money. There will be no escaping them; no matter where you go an advertiser will find you and inspire you to spend. Watch out public restrooms…

4.  Wall Street is still reluctant to invest in digital mobile media. Right now they see media conglomerates such as Viacom and Disney still having a strong foothold in television. Digital is an unknown creature that is just now beginning to understand its user. And that user keeps changing as the market changes. The data they have received so far is not complete enough to be quantified on a publicly traded company’s stock chart. Wall Street feels that the content that digital mobile media provides is just too inexact for them to confidently project financially. Until digital mobile media gains traction and provides some solid analytics and a consistent track record it will be difficult to get a true understanding of its value in the marketplace, which lends to a very catch 22 feeling.

5.  Google TV, AppleTV, YahooTV. Where’s TV,TV? We want it easy, but if the medium of consumption is shifting, which do you buy? Well ‘Buffs, it’s likely a matter of taste. Macheads will want the AppleTV. Android lovers get thee to a GoogleTV box. And perhaps everyone else will head to Yahoo, like Grandma. Looking at their respective prototypes, all feature the same major functions: Easy adoption, attractive UI and cloud storage. Moral of the story folks, there will be a leader in the market, but not a monopoly. As content expands online, you’ll just have to decide where you want to go with your TV connected device. So, don’t be bamboozled by your friends. Fanboys be warned! Go with what the proprietary function that suits you best. Whether it’s OS or search based, these nuanced distinctions will ultimately help you choose. Just note that while we would like to believe our crystal ball, it’s still too soon to tell which TV-type will satisfy the most. Though, we do know preference may rear its head based on the most seamless integration.

So do you feel more informed?  Less informed?  Sad we’re posting this on a Saturday with way too much technical talk?  Tell us!

Start hoarding those RealD glasses when you leave your next 3D film (we may or may not have already been doing so…). Sony Pictures, which has been doling out the special spectacle for years, is putting its foot down and demanding moviegoers to pay up for them. Starting as early as next May, Sony is leaving it up to the audience to carry along their pair of 3D glasses next time they decided to make a matinee showing. Cue the angry mobs of cinephiles who argue that they already fork over an arm and a leg for the cost of one 3D movie ticket.

Is it fair to spring this on us, the loyal moviegoers and footers of the bill that pays for Hollywood’s budgets and paychecks? Well, yeah, in a way. Sony was already spending an estimated $5-10 million dollars per feature to make available the black-rimmed specs for audiences. With 21 movies released in 3D in 2010, that comes to around $100-200 million spent on those plastic bifocals (yeesh, ever heard of the 3 R’s, Sony?). And the way-high price for 3D tickets actually pays for the theater’s ability to screen the films on screens more apt for 2D. And they also want to make a quick buck, but hey, that’s capitalism for you.

Some are even starting to capitalize on the news. Ingri:Dahl is a company that was started by two USC grads and sells trendy 3D glasses, offering different colors and frames for the movie-savvy folk. We find this a bit ironic and unnecessary, as people shell out the big bucks at 3D movies to watch the movie and stare face-forward at the screen (last we checked, anyway). Also, aren’t theaters dark during showtime? So who will be looking at your fashionable accessories anyway? The glasses go for $29.50, which is the mere price of two 3D tickets in NYC, so while the price model isn’t outlandish, the whole context of it seems….overblown.

Since the release of Avatar in 2009, there’s been an upsurge in 3D films that doesn’t seem to be dying down in the next year. And the recent box office success of The Lion King’s rerelease has prompted other studios to reformat their 2D hits into 3-dimensional competition-crushers. So maybe this announcement could be a blessing in disguise (a really convincing, drag-costume-worthy disguise).

We should all be a little more eco-conscious about our plastics anyway, and there’s nothing like extra fees to give us incentive on saving a few bucks. And as 3D TVs are starting to become more present in our homes, maybe we’ll start having to buy our own for the couch as well as the theater; why not use the same pair for both movie-watching locales? And come on, admit you stole a pair of Harry Potter round-rimmed glasses from your Deathly Hallows Part 2 midnight screening. They’re pretty fun keepsakes to have, and totally useful for next time!

Are you guys groaning from the idea of having to shell out even more on your movie dates? Or are you excited to make use of your secret stash of spectacles from movies past? Let us know!

If there are three things Hollywood likes, it’s biopics, sequels and spin-offs. Hopefully you guys aren’t getting tired of them anytime soon, because rumor has it we’ve got some good ones coming our way.

Raise your hand if you’re reading this on an Apple product. Okay, now put your hand down and keep scrolling. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs changed millions of people’s lives with his innovations and products, and the news of his recent passing struck a chord in every human that has come in contact with a Mac. Walter Isaacson’s upcoming biography simply titled “Steve Jobs,” is being sought heavily by Sony Pictures for the movie rights. Naturally, people want to know more of the backstory behind the most famous innovator of our time, and Sony seems to be riding a good wave of based-on-true-events films (like The Social Network and Moneyball). There’s a ton of buzz surrounding this adaptation, and critics are saying that the biopic has the potential to break box office records when released. An official announcement will likely not be released until the book is in stores, but we’re now curious who could best portray the icon in a black turtleneck.

Perhaps a few of you ‘Buffs saw the mediocrity that was Green Lantern this summer. But do you guys remember when leading man Ryan Reynolds portrayed another badass comic book character, Deadpool, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? (Yeah, we don’t blame you if you forgot). Ever since the first Origins story came out, Marvel has been in production for a Deadpool spin-off for years, to no avail. Supposedly, it’s to be released in 2014, but given Marvel’s priority with the Avengers, and DC keeping its fingers crossed for a Green Lantern sequel, Reynolds may have to opt for rom-coms in the meantime.

Speaking of comic-books, Kick-Ass star Chloe Moretz teased MTV about some upcoming sequel news. SAY WHAT? We loved Moretz’s Hit-Girl and the rest of the foul-mouthed gang in Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation, so we’ve been all ears for any word of Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall (just the title alone is amping our anticipation). Director Matthew Vaughn is occupied with other projects, so a pressing matter is who can live up to his bloody fun tour de force. Another concern is getting the film in production before the stars get too old to kick more ass. In the graphic novel diegesis, the characters are in high school, and given that Moretz has grown considerably since 2009 and Kick-Ass himself Aaron Johnson is venturing into his early 20s, it’s time to get a move on, execs!

Have you guys already pre-ordered the Steve Jobs bio? Are you as curious and stoked as we are for these films-to-be? Let us know!

Face it, FilmBuffs: you like seeing things go boom over and over again. Well, Hollywood got the memo, and the studios are working fast to give us our demands, albeit, with different marquee names.

Paramount and Hasbro are determined to get explosion fanatic Michael Bay back in the directors chair for the next Transformers movies. Yep, that was movies, plural. Seems like a lot of franchises are having success with back-to-back filming (Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, and Twilight to name a few), and seeing as Dark of the Moon raked in $1 billion worldwide, the execs want Transformers 4 and 5 in multiplexes ASAP. Not only are they trying to nab Bay for another two films, but rumor has it Shia LeBeouf is out, and they want Crank star Jason Statham in. Not sure how we feel about that… between his accent and the Autobots’ muffled voices, those could be some hard films to understand.

Looks like the Robocop remake is making some progress. The issue now is who is going to be the policing protagonist. MGM has been pining for Star Trek‘s Chris Pine, while director Jose Padilha has expressed public interest in X-Men: First Class‘ Michael Fassbender. Not that we aren’t huge fans of both dudes, but why isn’t Hollywood seeking more newcomers? Both Pine and Fassbender are involved with series reboots and have taken on iconic characters; surely they can find another square-jawed action star-in-the-making to fill in those crime-fighting shoes?

Take note from the Bond series, execs. Bond 23 is going through the final auditions to cast one of its supposed villains, all which are actresses of Chinese descent. Now that’s interesting. Tang Wei, Fan Bingbing, Li Binging, Shu Qi and Josie Ho are vying for the role to face Daniel Craig’s 007, and the fact that we’ve barely heard of these actresses has got us excited. We already know Javier Bardem will be up against Bond in the upcoming film, so seeing that Mr. Shaken-Not-Stirred is also battling a female villain is going to make this even more awesome.

How do you ‘Buffs feel about these rumored castings? Think someone else would fit the roles better? Comment below and let us know!

Step aside, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles: Sir Elton John is finally getting his own big screen biopic. The music icon is lending a hand to the adaptation titled Rocketman, based on his earlier years, and he’s hoping for it to be an elaborate musical, a la Across the Universe. Given his colorful background in his career and private life, we like the the sound of this!

James McAvoy is the front-running candidate to play John, but does the latest Charles Xavier have what it takes to tickle the keys and belt the tunes? Not sure how to feel about that, though he is easy on the eyes… John should be so lucky!

If you love gore with your Victorian-era novels, let’s hope you like some Gossip Girl added to the mix: Blake Lively has reportedly been offered the role of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a best-seller adaptation of the Jane Austen novel set during a zombie apocalypse. Natalie Portman, Emma Stone and Anne Hathaway already turned down the role, but who knows if the “legs for days” blonde will do the same. Lively has been trying super hard to break out of her TV show shell (portraying a drugged-up hooker in The Town was a good start), and what better way than to hack up the undead in a corset and hoop skirt while being wooed by Mr. Darcy?

In other classics-turned-adaptations news, John Milton’s Paradise Lost is getting A-list treatment. Director Alex Proyas has 300 and Lord of the Rings in mind for his fantastic good-versus-evil battle scenes (angel wings and abs galore). Benjamin Walker is set to play Archangel Michael, Bradley Cooper as Lucifer and Djimon Hounsou as the angel of death. Casey Affleck recently accepted the role of God’s messenger, Gabriel.

As for Adam and Eve, the offers stand for Diego Boneta and Camilla Belle, but no word yet if they’ve signed on officially. The cast sounds awesome and promising, but let’s hope they don’t butcher the epic poem too much.

Now just picture her dressed in leaves.

So what do you think, ‘Buffs? Has this round of rumors whet your movie appetite? Sound off below!

Hey Hollywood, ever heard of the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” That’s how we’re feeling about these latest rumors we’ve heard. Classic and iconic don’t necessarily equal cash money; even if these rumors are true, please reconsider, for pop culture’s sake?

Coming off the heels of two surprising Emmy wins this month, Friday Night Lights could be headed to a theater near you sooner rather than later. Fans mourned the show’s finale earlier this year, and there’s always been talk of a movie continuing the storylines from the popular TV drama. Head writer Jason Katims hinted that he’s definitely on board for writing a big screen adaptation, and with the two trophies in hand, there’s even more incentive to get the ball rolling. But the priority, Katims said, is telling “a great story” that is true to the heart of the show. So this might not be such a bad idea… Hopefully FNL fans don’t have to wait too long for it!

Rescue Me co-creator Peter Tolan is working on the script for a Baywatch movie, and no, Yasmin Bleeth will not be running slow-motion in a red swimsuit. In fact, the storyline will not be even remotely close to the iconic ’90s TV series. SAY WHAT? Tolan admitted he’s never even watched the original show. Why bother calling it Baywatch then?! Supposedly Pam Anderson and David Hasselhoff will make cameo roles, but will not be reprising their characters. The movie is reportedly not even cheesy, but centers around two guys who take lifeguard jobs for the summer. Excuse us while we throw ourselves into the crashing blue waves of despair since we now know Mitch Buchannon won’t be saving us.

And why can’t we just let Patrick Swayze rest in peace? Alcon Entertainment just announced a Point Break remake. Add that to a Dirty Dancing remake, a Red Dawn remake, and a Broadway adaptation of Ghost, that makes FOUR revivals of classic Swayze movies. The guy hasn’t been gone that long, and his films are enough at the forefront of pop culture that this all seems #toosoon. The new movie will involve more “extreme sports,” and the Johnny Utah character will be busting a drug ring instead of bank robbers. Doesn’t Keanu get a say in this?

Seriously Hollywood: is nothing sacred anymore? Do you guys agree that Hollywood is way too remake-happy?