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The first thing that struck me about Stephen Frears’ The Queen is that the film is an incredibly intimate portrait of two remarkably courageous women. On the one hand, we have Queen Elizabeth II, on the other, Diana, Princess of Wales. These women are important, famous, and powerful individuals, but the film treats them both as human beings as common as you and me. This is not the story of one woman’s stubbornness as a result of centuries of tradition, but instead a battle of wills between two people who had once been related through marriage. The only problem is that one of these women continues the battle, even when the other is being prepared to go to her grave.

Jack Nicholson had a birthday over the weekend and you’ll never guess by looking at him which one it was. We all have our own reasons here in the U.S. of A and across the Big Pond, The Scotsman (which is why some of the words have funny spellings) has listed 70 more reasons to love the guy.

1: NICHOLSON is a basketball nut, and is said to pay for his own court side seats to support his beloved LA Lakers. He enjoys hounding the opposition and the referee, and was arguing with officials so much during a 2001 Lakers playoff game that he was assessed as a technical foul. His refusal to miss a home game means that directors need to schedule filming around the Lakers’ home fixtures.

Get the other 69 Reasons after the jump…

In the decade and a half since his memorable turn in The Silence of the Lambs, Anthony Hopkins has been getting progressively hammier in a Rod-Steiger-in-Oklahoma! sort of way, an actor whose style just seems out of place with the movies around him. It’s not entirely his fault, moreso that the movies just don’t have much of a place anymore for senescent thespians from the Olivier school; that is, for old-fashioned Britons. However, in Fracture, a dumb and forgettable film, he turns in a heck of a performance; though only in it for the money, he has a discernibly good time playing a charismatic madman which is, after all, demonstrably the sort of thing he does best.

So, Gaspard Ulliel failed to give you that old time Hannibal itch that needed scratching. Well, you may now be able to satisfy that itch. No, this is not a a new entry in the Hannibal series, but it does feature Anthony Hopkins in a deliciously twisted role that has him facing off with the forces of good. No, it is not a horror movie, but it does deliver murder and an ingenius way of covering it up. Fracture is an effective crime thriller featuring strong performances in its two leads. It is a filled with tense drama, surprising humor, and is one of the best thrillers so far this year.

Ryan Gosling stars as Will Beachum, a sly, cocksure assistant district attorney whose impressive conviction record has allowed him to rise up the ranks in a short period of time. His rising stock has attracted the attention of a high powered private firm that brings the promise of big money and a whole new lifestyle. Before he can leave his public job behind, he has one more case to try, and it promises to be the toughest one he has faced yet, putting his future in jeopardy.

Brian Helgeland is an award-winning screenwriter, earning both an Oscar and a Razzie a few days apart. He made his feature film directorial debut with Payback, starring and produced by Mel Gibson. It is based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Hunter, written under the pseudonym Richard Stark, and was made into a movie once before, John Boorman’s Point Blank starring Lee Marvin.

Of all the places to pick up movie news, I grabbed this off of What Would Tyler Durden Do?, one of my favorite pop culture sites. They are commenting on a report from Radar Online, who is claiming that Spider-Man 3 has cost Sony over $500 million dollars to make. While this really wouldn’t surprise me, it is notable.

Read the whole report after the jump…

Some parents with small children might not like it, but cursing can actually make a movie better. Movies are about bringing fantastical, unreal moments and making them seem just for a few moments as if they are really happening. That’s hard to accomplish when a censor dictates that a character who gets shot in the neck has to utter a loud “Gosh darn it to heck and back!” because of some kids in the audience.

But just like any performance art, cursing takes talent. Anyone can utter a string of obscenities that could make Kevin Smith ask them to stick a quarter in the cuss jar, but it takes talent and the right touch to make a curse word funny, scary or dramatic. So get your soap and cover your kids’ ears because here are 10 of the finest filthy-mouthed film stars.

I have seen this little movie described as Psycho meets Saw, and that description is rather fitting. It is not entirely appropriate, but effectively describes the movie in a form of cinematic shorthand. I went into the movie with lowered expectations, although I cannot deny that I was excited over the possibility of a down and dirty little horror movie. When I walked out, I wondered why I had those lowered expectations. Vacancy turned out to be a gritty little film that succeeded at creating a foreboding atmosphere and delivering some old school thrills.

We’ve all had a moment when we’ve been “hooked on a feeling,” shredding away on our own invisible guitar to an old Led Zeppelin track. The complete and utter freedom accompanied by doing something completely uninhibited. And whether it is dancing naked, singing in the shower and yes, even playing the air guitar; it is always an unbelievably uplifting feeling to let the music grab you and move you in ways that you wouldn’t normally move in front of others. But what if you could do that sort of thing in public? What if you could immerse yourself in a persona that is nothing short of insane and achieve rock star status? If you can see yourself in that world, then you are a prime candidate for the US Air Guitar Championships, the driving force behind the ferociously entertaining documentary Air Guitar Nation.

Last weekend Disturbia swung in and snapped box office gold away from Blades of Glory, which had been on top for two straight weeks. This weekend it faced the challenge of 4 more new releases, all with some serious star power, and it still came out on top.

Disturbia dominates, Fracture surprises and Hot Fuzz comes on strong. See the entire recap after the jump…

Fresh off of seeing Hot Fuzz twice this weekend, I have really been diving into the upcoming projects of its creators, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright (and bothering publicists for an interview, but that is another story.) Then I came across something uber-cool that is very new, a trailer for Simon Pegg’s next film, Run, Fat Boy, Run.

Run, Fat Boy, Run is the feature directorial debut of David Schwimmer (Ross from Friends) and is written by Michael Ian Black (Reno 911!). It tells the story of a chunky, clueless guy who leaves his fianc©e on their wedding day only to discover — some 10 years later — that she is his one true love. But in order to win back her heart, he looks to finish his first marathon while making her realize her new man is the wrong guy for her.

It has all the potential to be a very funny flick, especially considering Pegg. It is set for a 2008 release. Check out the first trailer after the jump…

Here is reason #11 to my Top 10 Reasons Why You Should See “Hot Fuzz”! It is a trailer that I picked up off of Edgar Wright’s MySpace page. Check it out below:

Happy Sunday!

When it comes to the new film “Vacancy,” I know what you’re thinking: Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale and snuff films… what can go wrong with that?

Surprisingly little, believe it or not.

Many things seemed to point to the possibility that “Vacancy” would be a real dud. First, it’s a springtime horror movie. These tend to blow hot and cold, often leaning towards lukewarm or less. Second, it wasn’t widely screened for critics. This is rarely a good sign, and on principle, I trash these movies before I see them. After all, if they won’t show them to critics, what are they trying to hide?

Only in America would the Virginia Tech Massacre be knocked off the top story by Alec Baldwin doing what he does best, being an asshole. I’ve listened to the caustic message this fat, former heartthrob left for his bratty pre-teen daughter Ireland, and I have to say that the man’s biggest mistake was saying these things on tape.

It’s like Rob Lowe or R. Kelly. I can’t really blame the guys for getting down and dirty with a trashy, little under-18 whore. Just don’t put it on tape, guys. Trust me, I never do.

No matter how much is written about Jack Bauer, it’s never enough for college students who wait anxiously to see Fox’s Emmy-winning suspense thriller, 24.

Students would like Bauer to run for president in ‘08 because first of all, he’s better than anyone else trying to get nominated, and second of all, he helps students relax. Every time he says, “Dammit,” someone lifts a brew in his honor. As proof, check out the Jack Bauer Dammit video.

Check out the video and much more after the jump…

“Hot Fuzz” was a movie that had been under my radar for a while. I’d caught a glimpse of it at the beginning of a movie a while back thinking it’d be funny but a catchy DVD release and something that I could be happy catching later.

Thursday I got to catch screening and I laughed hard. Not in a ha, that’s funny hard. More like a Holy Crap, I caught a hernia hard. It’s really honestly one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a while and totally blew away my expectations.

Spider-Man 3 is hitting theaters on May 4th, but I can’t wait. I have a press screening for it next week, but I can’t wait. Some people have already seen the film, but I don’t care. At this point someone from the press could come out and say that Kirsten Dunst becomes The Kingpin and kills Peter Parker in the bathtub with a toaster, and I would still go see it. I can’t wait!

I have been sitting at my computer for a while now just digging stuff up on the film to see if anyone who has seen it has anything awesome to say. On Monday Michael Rechtshaffen of the Hollywood Reporter will report that Spider-Man 3 is “A dazzling kick-off to the Summer ‘07 movie season.” Like I said, even if Jesus trashed the movie, I’d still tell him to sit down, shut up and throw my popcorn at him. I am a nerd, and I need Spider-Man in my life. I know how pathetic that sounds, but at least I’m not camped outside of a theater wearing a black cape and a voice box.

See more from The Hollywood Reporter’s review after the jump…

As you might remember, I have already ranted and raved about how much i hate Alec Baldwin. In my editorial, appropriately named I Hate You Alec Baldwin, I give some valid reasons to hate the man. In light of recent events, I must revisit this topic. If you have not heard the very interesting voice mail message that Baldwin left his 11 year old daughter Ireland, just go here. Any man who calls his daughter a pig and says that she doesn’t have brains, needs to be hated by the masses. Thankfully, I’m here to help.

#10 - His official website
My hatred for this “actor” began when I first visited his official website. The first thing that caught my eye, was the welcome message: “Welcome to the Official Alec Baldwin website. This is the only authorized website for one of the entertainment industry’s most recognized actors.” Can he get sued for false advertising?

Here is some news that will get people all fired up, The Incredible Hulk will not only be played by Ed Norton in the next film adaptation, he will also not be green. He will, in fact be grey. Alex over at FirstShowing.net has confirmed via Avi Arad, ex-CEO of Marvel, that the new Hulk will be colored grey. Go figure, right?

Based on this little tidbit of news, this project, which is scheduled for a 2008 release, becomes a little bit more interesting.

For more on this particular story, visit FirstShowing.net.

If you are like me, then you don’t need many reasons to go see Hot Fuzz when it opens here in the states this weekend. If you are not like me, then I will be happy to provide you with 10 Good Reasons why you should go see Hot Fuzz this weekend. They are as follows:

#10 - Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
2 Men, 1 reason. These guys are comedic dyn-o-mite! Ever since Shaun of the Dead became a cult classic, we have been waiting for these guys to pop up somewhere. And while they have both done other things, nothing has come close to the awesome nature of their performances in Shaun… until now.

FSR Associate Editor Brian Gibson returns as our special guest, only to take a severe beating from Kevin, causing him to lash out about Kevin’s lust for Judi Dench. Kevin also shows his age through his understanding of John Hughes movies. Eventually everyone calms down and movies are discussed, including Hot Fuzz, Fracture and Vacancy. We also play clips from our Exclusive Interview with David Arquette.

Listen to the Fat Guys at the Movies right after the jump…

You work hard all week, so you don’t want to sit around and read long, drawn out prose and diatribe about every single film that is releasing for the weekend. For the longest time, you have yearned for someone who is willing to just get to the point, someone willing to tell you what is worth it and what is not. I am here to be that person for you, the faithful readers of FSR. As the Weekend Warrior, I will give you the low-down on all of the major releases every Friday so that you can quickly and easily make decisions on how you will spend your weekend. I will also provide a “Risk Assessment” for each film, showing how risky it would be to spend your hard earned money to see it on theaters.

Get the skinny on this week’s releases after the jump…

I have been looking forward to “Hot Fuzz” for months. The anticipation was enough to make me want to move to the UK in order to catch the film in theaters before it made its way over the Atlantic for us.

The wait is finally over, and I couldn’t be more happy. With so many films coming out that just don’t live up to my expectations, it was a joy to watch “Hot Fuzz,” which turned out to be exactly what I wanted.

One reason I was looking forward to seeing “Fracture” was to see Anthony Hopkins take on the role of the bad guy. After all, behind Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter is one of the best movie villains of all time. And for the most part, I enjoyed Hopkins as the would-be killer in “Fracture.”

The problem with this film was that everything else about the movie just didn’t live up to Hopkins’ performance.

Those of you out there, like me, who didn’t get a chance to catch Little Children in a theater, take heed. Here’s your chance to see one of the best films of 2006. Todd Field (In the Bedroom) has returned to the director’s chair after a five year hiatus, and he delivers one of the bravest and most honest films of recent years. He has made a film that seems to go against everything that Hollywood usually offers us. This is a strong film with provocative subject matter, made for mature audiences that want to be challenged.

Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) has recently accepted a job offer from an elite law firm. Before he can leave his current position with the District Attorney’s office, he has to close out one final case. Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) has been arrested for the murder of his wife, and confessed to the crime. When Willy finds out that Crawford has confessed and the murder weapon is in custody, he thinks it will be just another open and shut case. Soon though, Willy figures out that this case will take much more than he had bargained for.

Sir Anthony Hopkins is one hell of an actor. He scared the dickens out of people as Hannibal Lecter, he was on an epic scale in Titus and most recently he delighted us as a sweet old loon in The World’s Fastest Indian. he is quite possibly one of the greatest actors of the most recent generations. Thus, he should have a clause in his contract that states that his talents are not to be misused in any way; then at least schlock like Fracture wouldn’t even get made.

“From the guys who watched every action movie ever made, and brought you Shaun of the Dead.”

That tagline alone is enough to get the cult-like audience who swarmed Shaun of the Dead into a frenzy. In 2004, British director Edgar Wright bursted onto the American scene with his zombie horror spoof, coming out of nowhere and establishing himself as one hell of a comedic presence in Hollywood. This weekend he will attempt to fight off the sophomore slump with his second comedic feature, buddy cop satire Hot Fuzz.

Recently we at Film School Rejects had the opportunity to sit with David Arquette and talk about his new film, The Tripper. For any horror fan, the film looks like gold, the right ingredients are there. The film opens on April 20th and promises that “On 4.20, Hippie Blood Will Trickle Down.” In a horror film containing drugged out hippies at a rock concert, gratuitous nudity and blood, what else could a fan ask for?

Find out about The Tripper, boobs in Horror flicks and killing kids after the jump…

If Penelope Cruz hadn’t been up against Helen Mirren for an Academy Award, she probably would have won. Cruz, the first Spanish actress ever to be nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Best Actress, was nominated no fewer than 26 times for awards worldwide, and won 16 of them for her performance in Volver. She’s not only gorgeous and sexy, but a much better actress than she had a chance to show us in previous films.