Here’s a fun fact for you: The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the highest grossing motion picture trilogy worldwide of all time at $2.91 billion. That is not a typo. 9 years on from The Return of the King – this bagged 11 Oscars, another record – director Peter Jackson returns to Middle Earth. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey takes place 60 years before The Fellowship of the Ring, and will follow the journey of Bilbo Baggins in his quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Many characters from the celebrated trilogy will be making a return, most notably Ian McKellen as the wise wizard Gandalf the Grey, and Cate Blanchett as Galandriel. New additions to the cast include Sherlock Holmes alumni Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug, and Martin Freeman as the titular character, Bilbo Baggins. Take a look at the new trailer below.

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I don’t know about you, but I got a little bit of nostalgia watching that! The visual and tonal similarities between this and the trilogy are evident, and seeing all these fantastic characters in Middle Earth once again is enough to whet one’s appetite. The trailer itself is low on action, focusing more on the aforementioned back-story, although we do get brief glimpses of epic battles and a fleeting look at fan-favourite Gollum. All things considered, there’s a good chance that Peter Jackson’s prequel will stand just as tall as The Lord of the Rings trilogy when it is released on December 14, 2012.

Are you excited for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey? Let me know on Twitter @awarmann.

Even though the film is still a good 6 months away from release, anticipation for Christopher Nolan’s conclusion to his Batman trilogy, entitled The Dark Knight Rises, is already at a fever pitch. The marketing machine has been working hard recently; A couple of weeks ago we had an awesome theatrical poster released (see above), and the first six minutes have been shown in US IMAX theatres. Incidentally, I will finally be watching that prologue later this week when it hits the UK, so make sure you head to Yin & Yang for my thoughts. There have also been leaked bootleg copies of a new trailer that have made the rounds on the internet this past week. Today Warner Bros. officially released that trailer online, and you can watch it in all its HD glory below.

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Even though the trailer ultimately affords us brief glimpses of the film, which is currently in post-production, The Dark Knight Rises looks every bit the epic conclusion it claims to be. Tom Hardy is a smart casting as the formidable Bane, who will surely test Batman physically as well as mentally. Fans of the comic books are no doubt aware that Bane actually broke the Batman’s back in the Knightfall saga, and there has already been much speculation as to whether Bane will do the unthinkable again. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next summer to find out when The Dark Knight Rises hits cinemas on July 20, 2012.

What did you think of the trailer? Will Batman meet his end at the hands of Bane, or will he save Gotham? Sound off in the comments below or let me know your thoughts on Twitter – @awarmann.

2007’s Ghost Rider made over $228 million worldwide, but many critics and fans alike disliked the movie. Although the special effects were fantastic for the most part, the poor acting and script really hurt the film. The sequel, which sees Nicolas Cage reprise his role as the cursed anti-hero, has been steadily gaining buzz over the past few months. The first trailer was unveiled back in August, and a new trailer has just surfaced online today. Check it out after the jump.

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Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was recently screened at the annual Butt-Numb-A-Thon to negative reviews, but after viewing that trailer, I am willing to give it a chance. Once again promising explosive action, if – and it’s a big if – everything else can come together, this could be a film worth seeing. Check out the synopsis below and make sure you head back to Yin & Yang for our review when it hits cinemas.

Set several years after the first film finds Johnny Blaze in self-imposed exile from the world. Blaze has become a tormented soul, convinced that his powers are a curse. Former stuntman Blaze is then approached by Moreau, a member of the monastic order of Michael, the warrior angel. Moreau seeks a protector for a mother and son duo who are being pursued by a figure named Roarke – a fellow with a detailed knowledge of the Ghost Rider and his different identities over the centuries.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance stars Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba & Johnny Whitworth and rides into cinemas February 17, 2012.

Earlier today the first official trailer for the highly anticipated ‘The Avengers‘ hit the net. In case you’re not clued up on what The Avengers is all about, have a quick gander at the synopsis: ‘Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins’. Hit the jump to check it out!

Check out the trailer below.

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Well, that was impressive! Avengers will undoubtedly be one of, if not the biggest, film of next summer. I have to say, Marvel were very smart to produce 4 (5 if you count Iron Man 2) separate films on the main heroes.If you’ve watched closely, and stayed after the credits, you’ll know that the films have linked themselves together, uniting their universes. It will be interesting to see how the heroes interact with each other – by the looks of things, it seems that sparks are likely to fly.

What did you think of the trailer? The Avengers is currently scheduled to hit cinemas May 4, 2012.

Starring| Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston.

I have been careful not to include any spoilers in this review. However, if you wish to know absolutely nothing about this film, skip to ‘Any Last Words?’ at the bottom of this page. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is not your typical spy film. You won’t find Gary Oldman’s George Smiley engaging in fisticuffs with evil men, or saying a cool line after offing a villain. Action has been replaced with words – a lot of words – resulting in an absorbing, if at times slow-paced, whodunnit of a film which unfolds in meticulous fashion.

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The synopsis is as follows: Set in the 1970’s during the Cold War, George Smiley is called out of retirement amidst fears that the British Secret Service, aka ‘The Circus’, has been infiltrated by a Soviet mole. The story is very intelligent, adapted from John Le Carré’s novel of the same name. Having not read the novel before watching the film, I found myself in the unenviable position of not fully understanding all the subtleties which I am sure were there. It’s not so much that it will stop you enjoying the film, but it is present enough that you notice.

Additionally, the story plays out in a confusing manner – whilst the flashbacks would have almost certainly made sense in the book, here they feel out of place. This can lead to the audience struggling to keep up with what’s going on, which is particularly frustrating in a film such as this. However, to the film’s credit, it concludes in such a way that even if you had no idea what was happening up to that moment, you are satisfied by the payoff.

That Gary Oldman has not won an Oscar to date is a crime against film. If you don’t agree, have a look at his filmography and watch some of his past works. In a film brimming with exceptional actors, from Colin Firth’s Bill Haydon to Benedict Cumberbatch as Smiley’s right hand man Peter Guillam, Oldman steals the show with an Oscar-worthy turn as the retired agent tasked with finding the mole. The intricacies of his performance alone demand a second viewing. It is a testament to just how good the acting is that you’ll still be engrossed even when you’re lost.

Any Last Words?

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is likely not going to have people flocking to the cinemas. However, there’s a lot to love – the story draws you in, and the star studded cast are excellent. It’s such a shame that, particularly for those who have not read the book, the structure of the film prevents the viewer from appreciating it that much more.

Just seen the trailer for ‘Demons Never Die‘ a horror flick produced by Idris Elba and debut delivery in terms of writing and direction from Arjun Rose. As a fan of blood and guts, I was eager to watch the trailer but if I am honest it doesn’t particularly excite me very much. I think the trailer does look good but I thought some scenes weren’t compelling enough and the screaming was slightly excessive. However it’s not everyday we get a horror film written, directed, produced and performed by UK talent so I hope it will be a great film.

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Launching on 28th October, the film stars Tulisa Contostavlos, Reggie Yates, Emma Rigby (Hollyoaks) and Robert Sheehan (misfits). Watch the trailer below, what do you think?

One advantage of me being in the US for the past 7 months is that I can preview great films that are set to be released in the UK. Last week I watched “The Help” directed by Tate Taylor and based on the hugely successful same titled novel by Kathryn Stockett. I am definitely calling it in advance that “The Help” will attract Academy award nominations. I hope I am right because, for me, it is the best film I have seen this year. Short preview and trailer after the jump.

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“The Help” is set in Jackson, Mississippi during the late 1960s period after the abolision of slave laws in the South. Although slave laws had been abolished, the residue of racial segregration and inequality still very much existed. The ‘Help’ are the African-American maids/care givers who worked in the homes of wealthy white families in small town Jackson.

These African-American women in many ways had a huge hand and influence in raising white children during this period whilst the children’s mothers were often absent or neglectful. However despite their positive influence in white homes, racial segregation from the African American maids was enforced in many ways such as them having to use separate bathrooms.

Although this was very much ‘the way it was’ during that period filled with hate and adversity, the film does a great job of balancing the realities of the heavy issue of racism with heart-warming humour, love and unity for change. I went through so many emotions during the film ranging from anger to laughing to crying and I guess that’s what makes it such a great movie.

It has a remarkable cast with Emma Stone who played “Skeeter”, a young white author raised by her black maid Constantine who decided to write a book from the perspective of the African-American maids. Octavia Spencer who plays brave and opinionated “Minny” and Viola Davis, the loving but heavy hearted maid “Aibileen” give incredible performances.

I would highly recommend going to see “The Help”. It will be released in UK cinemas in October. I also bought the book shortly after watching the film and it is a wonderful as the film!  Check out the film trailer below

Ciao!

If you follow me on Tumblr then you’ll already know I have a slight love affair with jets. So this movie is right up my street, it is first movie in over 15 years from Lucasfilm not associated with either Indiana Jones or Star Wars! The movie revolves around the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African American combat pilots to serve in the U.S. military during WWII, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Rhodey Terrence Howard, and Bryan Cranston (from Breaking Bad or more commonly known as “Malcolm’s Dad”).

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As I write this post I am in bed trying to recover from a drunken night, in celebration of graduating from uni (see Yin‘s Graduation post here). The Paranormal Activity series seems to be heading in the same direction as saw by being release every year in October. It’s crazy to think a film with pretty much the same premise as its predecessors will do well but as we have seen in that past it can be done, think the Final Destination and Saw movies. Anywho click the read on button to see the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3.

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The wait is finally over, the trailer for the new Spiderman film (The Amazing Spider-Man) set to swing onto the bring screen summer next year has dropped. By the looks of the trailer, the film is a reboot of the Spiderman franchise, revisiting the the beginning of Peter Parker’s discovery of his powers after being bitten by the spider. Brand new director means brand new direction and and I feel this film has a much darker tone than all of the previous films. Watch the tailor for yourself, it’s available to view exclusively from MSN. Follow the link after the break.

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