During a special Comic-Con panel last Thursday, Joss Whedon opened up about his upcoming Avengers film, which he will rewrite and direct for Marvel. Still only in the treatment phase (no draft as of yet), Whedon explained to the audience that so far he isn’t yet entirely sure what his unique take will be on the story, the pinnacle of all Marvel superhero movies. But he has some idea of the theme he’s going to pursue."The thing that made me excited [about this story] was how completely counter-intuitive it is," he said. "These people should not even be in the same room let alone the same team!" That he understands this story is more complex than a straight actioner where characters we love all inhabit the same world is a good thing; audiences should be reassured for two reasons that Whedon is taking the helm. First, based on his former work on Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we can be assured this will not be a mindless action flick where explosions and spectacle take precedence over character. For Whedon, characterization always comes before eye candy. And with a new bevy of rich, complex characters to draw from and build upon in the Marvel Universe, Avengers will surely look a lot more like the first Spider-Man and Iron Man than a mindless Wolverine or busy Spiderman 3. Secondly, Whedon is a complete comic book geek. In fact, he credits 'The Avengers' series as being "the seminal stories of my youth."Currently, The Avengers cast includes Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), and may just prove to be Marvel Studio's most anticipated movie yet.

After watching Despicable Me, the first film from Universal's new animation wing, Illumination Entertainment, the first question that came to mind was whether my expectations for cartoon features have become too high. A glance back at the pantheon of classic Disney animations reveals a real knack for storytelling and ingenuity. Ingenuity, not in the story itself –Disney, like Shakespeare, loves to re-tell old tales—but ingenuity in its ability to re-tell those stories in ways that appealed to everyone. My 70-year-old father often watched Disney films with me when I was growing up and even has a favorite, Pinocchio. Children still dress up like Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Twenty and thirty-somethings everywhere still know the words to "A Whole New World".But now, my dad who, in his retirement, sees every film that releases, refuses to see animated features. "What, that kid’s movie, you mean?" he says with a face like he wants to spit. Inevitably, he’ll choose the next Michael Bay or Nicholas Sparks instead.That’s the problem with most animated films these days. Their makers forget that animations are not solely for the young. They’re not just for miniature people who don’t yet have full vocabularies, who laugh more at fart jokes than a clever tête-à-tête, and who still hide their faces behind little fingers when the hero kisses the heroine. The beauty of animations as Disney defined them so early on, was that they were for everyone. They are for the whole family, which ultimately is what going to the movie theater is all about.Lately, however, with new animation companies building on Disney’s foundation, the animation film as a medium is being taken less seriously. Companies are juvenilizing content and characters by simplifying them, the effect being empty shirts that make decent enough coin in theaters from indiscriminate parents, but lose steam in the hearts and minds of children.Despicable Me may fall into this trap, which seems to be the new animation wave. It tromps along a little sloppily, taking full advantage at every turn of physical slapstick humor (much to the delight of all the kiddies in the theater), while missing opportunities for genuine story-driven comedy, and in the end forces adults to hum-and-hah and eventually relent this comment alone: "Well, it’s great for the kids."Despicable Me tells the story of Gru (Steve Carrell), an odd villain with serious mother issues, a team of loyal minions, and an evil scientist (Russell Brand) on retainer. In a world where villains can apply for loans from the Evil Bank to fund their master plans, Gru finds himself in competition to steal the moon with genius daddy’s boy, Vector (Jason Segal). When Gru discovers Vector’s weakness –girl scout cookies— he adopts three girls from the local orphanage to sell rigged cookies to Vector and thereby take him down. But what Gru doesn’t expect is to start caring for the girls until eventually being a father is more important to him than taking over the world.Which, in a way, is the story of the film itself. Rather than try to take the world by storm with a Carrell-driven film about a faulty bad guy –right in the middle of a modern obsession with superheroes—Illumination built something so family friendly it lost its bite.A prime example comes in the casting itself. Steve Carrell was forced into an Eastern-European hodge-podge accent that is empty of, for lack of a better word, Carrellness. Meanwhile, Russell Brand’s aged, scooter-ridden evil scientist was completely devoid of any of Brand’s outrageous, random, egoistic, and outlandish humor that makes him such a valuable cast member. Also, Julie Andrews makes a surprise appearance as Gru’s mother. Even after the film, it’s a surprise. There is none of that distinct Julie Andrews cadence which makes her, as a voice actor, so unique. While it’s true that movies need big names to open wallets, these great talents were simply held hostage in characters that did them no justice. Clearly thinking the names would draw adults, and the soft jokes would humor the kiddies, in the end it was disappointingly obvious that the cast was all a marketing stunt, not a story point.However, this is a kid’s movie. It makes no mistake about it. And, as the adults all say, "The kids like it." So maybe that’s all that matters. Maybe not every animated film has to be aiming for Oscar trophies, and maybe they don’t have to cater to the parents as well as the kids. After all, the parents are going to be in the theater with their kids no matter what. So, in the end, maybe Despicable Me accomplished precisely what it set out to do. I guess my only disappointment is that it didn’t try to aspire to do more.

The main characters of the new film The Crimson Mask represent a phenomenon not uncommon in modern society. For years, both Parker and Thomas Caine lived far beyond their means, accumulating debts that now seem insurmountable. Caine is a seemingly well-to-do businessman who finds his options drying up as the debt collectors are closing in; meanwhile, Parker is a washed-up fighter in the Terry Malloy mold—a coulda-been contender who never saved for a rainy day. Each man is desperate for the means to break from the past and start life over, sans his crushing financial burden. Enter the Crimson Mask, an ancient ritual that could provide Caine and Parker with the salvation they’re looking for, provided either can survive a rite-of-passage involving guns, swordplay, and characters whose intentions may not always be what they appear. Part-fantasy, part-noir, The Crimson Mask has performed remarkably well on the festival circuit to-date, upending expectations that usually surround a directorial debut (And a micro-budgeted one at that; the total cost of the film was roughly $200K). Today, it arrives on Blu-ray and DVD.Writer/director Elias Plagianos, who spent six years getting his vision up on the big screen, took some time out following his film’s international premiere at Cannes Film Festival to talk with CinemaSpy. Among other topics, he discusses whether the current financial crisis adds an extra layer of significance to The Crimson Mask, the challenge of balancing realism with the fantastical, and why low-budget films should probably avoid having elaborate swordfights (although his manages it very nicely).CinemaSpy: So The Crimson Mask got its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17. How did that feel? Also, what categories did the film compete in?Elias Plagianos: It was unbelievably exciting. For me, Cannes was always the pinnacle. I'd always dreamt of just getting a chance to attend the festival, but to actually have my film screened there is amazing. We screened out of competition in the palais as part of the Marche du Film and in competition as part of the Independent Film Festival.CinemaSpy: The plot of the film is about people who have lived beyond their means and who must now deal with the consequences. It sounds very timely. However, the previews seem to emphasize the action-thriller elements. Would you characterize the film as having a moral lesson, or more like an action-thriller which happens to touch on some prevalent issues? Elias Plagianos: The film was always a morality tale, but it was conceived as a cautionary tale, not a comment on current issues. The bubble didn't burst until well after we shot the film and the first draft of the script was completed in 2004. The film is definitely an action-thriller but one that resides in an art house rather than a multiplex theater. I structured the film to have several different layers so people could get as much out of it as they wanted. You can watch it as straight up action film or as layered art film.CinemaSpy: What got you started in wanting to make movies?Elias Plagianos: I think it had something to do with playing with G.I. Joe action figures. Most kids would just have the soldiers kicking one another, but I'd sit for hours and construct these elaborate dramas and interpersonal conflicts. Eventually I took my dad’s video camera and shot little movies with them. I'd do all the voices, and make sets out of Legos. Yeah, I was a weird kid.CinemaSpy: I got to see part of The Crimson Mask short. Did it get much festival attention?Elias Plagianos: The short film was more of a sample for the feature. Something to get investors interested. It was also used as a testing ground for techniques and looks we were planning to use in the feature. The script for the short was just a truncated version of the feature script that had already been written.CinemaSpy: Can you talk about who influenced you as a director? Looking at the clips and the new trailer, there were a few shots that reminded me of Bryan Singer, particularly The Usual Suspects. But maybe that’s just the noir elements of your film?Elias Plagianos: The Usual Suspects influenced an entire generation of filmmakers, and I was definitely one of them. I remember the second the film ended I rewound the VHS tape and watched it again. I think the biggest thing I learned from that film was to try and create a story that is familiar but at the same time unique. I think Crimson Mask accomplishes that and has some interesting plot twists too. Some other directors who heavily influenced me are John Frankenheimer, Terry Gilliam, Robert Rodriguez, Sam Raimi... the list goes on and on, actually. Basically I could never have made this film without a library of DVD commentaries from filmmakers I love.CinemaSpy: Earlier you mentioned making short films with your childhood toys, and a lot of directors you cited as influences — Gilliam, Rodriguez — they’re known for having a very playful style. You can kind of see that in The Crimson Mask as well; it’s set in modern times, but you have guys in costumes beating each other up, sword-fights. I guess my question is, at any point during the writing or filming, did you ever worry you were pushing things too far into the realm of fantasy?Elias Plagianos: There's always the fear that mainstream audiences won't connect with your film because they instantly label it as weird or cartoony, but I think if they watch Crimson Mask from beginning to end, all the fantasy elements make a lot of sense and add to the narrative. I think that you can tell the most honest stories in the most fictional of settings, and I play with that in the film. I have the boxer storyline set in a 1930's inspired cartoon world, but all the characters in that section are completely honest. The banker storyline is set in a world that looks and feels much like our own, but all the characters are deceptive and dishonest.But to answer your original question: No, I was never worried about the film going too far in the realm of fantasy, but I was worried about making sure the rules were consistent and the fantasy elements enhanced the story and theme.CinemaSpy: You’ve mentioned that you had no formal training in screenwriting, so you studied other screenplays to figure out how to write The Crimson Mask. Which screenplays did you read?Elias Plagianos: You know, that's a good question. I honestly don't remember. I was more concerned with format than structure, so I just read the first couple of pages of a lot of different scripts to see what was standard and what was up to the writer. In the end, my screenplay was really just a guide for myself and something to get the actors excited about. We changed a lot on set and even more in the editing room.CinemaSpy: Your two lead actors were Joshua Burrow and Robert Clohessy, who have each done a lot of TV work. Had you seen them before and thought, 'That guy would be perfect for my movie,' or was it a case of them answering a casting call?Elias Plagianos: I was lucky enough to see Robert in a reading of a play in Manhattan and I instantly knew this was the guy to play the role of Parker. Robert was essential to getting the rest of the cast together, because he brought a lot of his friends on board, and his name carried weight with local casting agents.Josh's casting was somewhat more traditional in that he came in to audition for us. The role of Thomas Caine was the hardest to cast because you needed an actor who made Thomas his own. I didn't want someone to come in and play the same Wall Street suit we've seen a million times. Josh brought charm and this really interesting inner turmoil.Having worked really closely with both Josh and Robert, I can't imagine making a film without them, so I hope they'll sign on for the next one as well.CinemaSpy: From what I saw of the short, I couldn't tell if Parker was a wrestler. Was that the case, or did Clohessy’s background as a fighter actually play a part in that?Elias Plagianos: The short film was really just a loose outline for the feature. It was always a tough guy role, but the boxer aspect was not there. I got the idea while watching Rod Serling's Requiem for a Heavyweight. Then when I approached Robert about the change, he told me about his Golden Gloves experience and it all came together. He even did a boxing film in the early 80's and we used scenes from it as flashbacks. Robert's buddy Ed Kershen, who plays 3 amazing roles in the Crimson Mask, was also in the same boxing film and it's really incredible how we were able to add this rich history to the two characters by having these old film clips interspersed within our storyline.CinemaSpy: You managed to finance Crimson Mask by yourself and with the help of friends and family. Are there tips from the experience that you could share with aspiring filmmakers, for example, with keeping costs down?Elias Plagianos: I would say the biggest thing is to surround yourself with people you trust. On set everyone can take advantage of your wallet to make their job easier. Whether it's needing extra crew members or having a luxurious meal, there are many opportunities for waste. If you trust the people around you to only spend when necessary, you can keep your budget in check. Also try to learn as many jobs as you can and have a multi-talented crew. You might be in a spot where you'll need your gaffer to hold a boom mic, to save a shot.CinemaSpy: The film was made available instantly on Netflix, Blockbuster and Amazon on May 22. The Internet seems to be the wave of the present when it comes to film distribution (A recent New York Times article mentions that a lot of distributors are now going digital to build interest in DVD‘s and foreign sales). When you made the decision to go the video-on-demand route, did you think it was the best way to reach a wide audience, or were there other factors as well?Elias Plagianos: I think that you have to have your film available in as many formats as possible, so your audience has easy instant access. That being said, I think too much emphasis is being put on the distribution side of things and not enough on the quality of films. If you have a good film, people will find it no matter the format. VOD is just the most direct route, so to me it makes the most sense.CinemaSpy: In an interview last year, it was mentioned how you accumulated debt making the film, and how you were hoping to break even. How has that been going so far?Elias Plagianos: I am excited to say that we have made some foreign sales and our DVD pre-orders are looking good, so unlike my countrymen in Greece, I will be completely debt free in a few short months. All joking aside, putting up your own money to make a film is a tremendous risk and one that I would only suggest doing if you’re prepared for the consequences. For every success story there are a hundred failures. But if your driven, and have a story that you just have to tell, it could be your only option.CinemaSpy: So do you already have some idea what your follow-up is going to be?Elias Plagianos: We just optioned a great film noir script by writer Jim Foye that's called "City of Lies". It's a classic private eye tale that deals with human trafficking. I'm also developing a video game with Cody Yarbrough that will eventually be a film called Dark Noon, and I'm writing a comic book that I hope to turn into a big sci-fi film property. I learned so much making The Crimson Mask and I'm excited to use all that knowledge and continuing this crazy artistic journey.CinemaSpy: One more question: Early reviews of The Crimson Mask have praised the sword-fighting. How did you go about staging and preparing for those scenes?Elias Plagianos: There is a reason why ultra low budget films don't have swordfights. It's impossibly difficult to make a believable swordfight on a budget, but because of the dedication of an amazing crew and a cast that woke up early to go to fight training school, even when they had scenes to shoot that day, we were able to pull off the impossible. Everyone praises my editing in that scene, but I have to admit, it was so much fun, and much easier to do than a lot of the dramatic scenes. The hard part was done by our fight coordinators and our amazing D.P. Matthew Woolf. They have all won a bunch of awards for their work and they definitely deserve it.

Born To Be Bobby presents New York comic and part-time actor Bobby Slayton giving a stand-up comedy performance that is abrasive and, some might say, abusive.You can't really review this stuff because, with due respect to the director, there is little art in pointing a camera at a man on stage. Also, whether or not you think Slayton himself is funny is a matter of personal taste.As with all observational humor, Slayton's comedy is likely to hit most people's funny bone at some point. Those moments may be few an far between, though, if you are offended by strong language and jokes about race, gender, marriage, sex, blondes and terrorism.Slayton mocks his reputation as the so-called Pitbull of Comedy but it's well deserved. He's a classy dresser but his gravelly-voiced, motor-mouth delivery is aggressive and coarse. At one point he makes fun of the voices of Jewish women but his own may get annoying if you don't find him funny. This is definitely not one to watch with granny.DVD Extras: The two included featurettes, 'Tatoo Joo: It Hurts To Be Me' and 'Backstage Nonsense,' will likely appeal to the Pitbull's fans but won't add much background for the uninitiated.

Summit Entertainment and DC Comics have released a second trailer for the upcoming graphic novel-based film Red. You can see it by clicking the Trailer tab above.Red is described as "an explosive action-comedy" and stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren. It is based on the cult D.C. Comics graphic novels by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. Robert Schwentkef has directed from a screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoeber. Here is the official synopsis:Frank (Bruce Willis), Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin (John Malkovich) and Victoria (Helen Mirren) used to be the CIA’s top agents – but the secrets they know just made them the Agency’s top targets. Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive. To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history.Red is scheduled for release on October 15, 2010.

Lionsgate has released a new trailer for the upcoming thriller Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds. You can see it by clicking the Trailer tab above.Buried tells of the claustrophobic ordeal of Paul Conroy after he wakes up six feet underground with no idea of who put him there or why. Life for the truck driver and family man instantly becomes a hellish struggle for survival.Buried with only a cell phone and a lighter, Conroy's contact with the outside world and ability to piece together clues that could help him discover his location are maddeningly limited. Poor reception, a rapidly draining battery, and a dwindling oxygen supply become his worst enemies in a tightly confined race against time. Fighting panic, despair and delirium, Paul has only 90 minutes to be rescued before his worst nightmare comes true.Buried was directed by Rodrigo Cortés and also features Robert Paterson (Sahara), Stephen Tobolowsky (Glee) and Samantha Mathis (Harsh Realm, Grey's Anatomy). It premieres in selected theaters on September 24th and goes nationwide in the US on October 8th.

Syfy has officially announced when Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica will return for the second half of its first season: January 2011. The first half of the season aired early this year, meaning that Season One of the series will end over a year after it first premiered. Syfy ran Caprica's early episodes immedately after the end of Season 1.0 of Stargate Universe. That show premiered in 2009. Like Caprica, SGU proved to be controversial among fans of the franchise that spawned it. It has since completed its first season and a second is in production.A trailer for Caprica's return will be revealed at the show's Comic-Con panel on July 23 before going out online. More details are given below in the Caprica press release we received from Syfy:New York, New York – July 21, 2010 – Syfy has announced the highly-anticipated return of critically-acclaimed series Caprica. The second half of season one premieres in January 2011 (date TBA), and kicks off with a thrilling pace as the citizens of Caprica deal with the chaotic aftermath of the mid-season finale’s harrowing events.In season 1.5, the once idyllic world of Caprica – as well as life across the colonies – falls prey to an explosive chain reaction of consequences set off by the characters’ many questionable actions in the season’s first half. Tensions rise, power shifts and the line between reality and the virtual world becomes increasingly blurred as everyone struggles to learn – and conquer – the stakes in this volatile setting. As the season races towards its stunning conclusion, events of each episode lay the framework for the inevitable (and brutal) clash between the newly-created Cylon race and their human creators. An all-new trailer for season 1.5 will premiere at Caprica’s Comic-Con panel on July 23, and before landing on Syfy.com, it will be available exclusively on Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace on Xbox LIVE and Windows PCs through the Zune PC software available for free at www.zune.net. (July 26). Caprica stars Eric Stoltz (Daniel Graystone), Paula Malcomson (Amanda Graystone), Esai Morales (Joseph Adama), Polly Walker (Sister Clarice Willow), Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Magda Apanowicz (Lacy) and Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama). Caprica is a prequel to the award-winning series Battlestar Galactica. The series is from Universal Cable Productions, and is executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. Jonas Pate serves as co-executive producer and director.