Wondering about how Russell Crowe is going to look as Noah?  Wonder no further, thanks to our friends at Grace Hill media who provided us with this image from the set!

Also, don't forget to check out this image from the set of the Ark that Hollywood built:

What do you think?  Can Aranofsky pull off a good adaptation of the classic Bible story?  I'm eager to find out!

Will Ferrell probably has the easiest time making me laugh of all actors and comedians.  His sense of timing and line delivery usually have me belly laughing, even if the source material is weak.  I even think “Land of the Lost” is hysterical thanks to his performance.  Zach Galifianakis is also incredibly funny.  In spite of his Mitch Hedberg influenced joke structure feeling borrowed, I still laugh at his style of comedy on a consistent basis.  When I first saw “The Campaign” trailer, I was thrilled.  It looked hilarious - I rewatched the trailer dozens of times and laughed just as hard with each viewing.  So it’s with total disappointment that “The Campaign” ends up being one of the worst films I’ve seen in years.

“The Campaign” is sort of like that super inappropriate friend who thinks they’re hilarious, but doesn’t get that everyone else in the room isn’t laughing at their stupid jokes.

The Dark Knight Rises is amazing.  

I’m tempted to leave that as my review...really, I am.  I restrained myself from indulging in trailers, pre-release photos, articles, and all manner of promotion (save for when it was front-page news and I couldn’t avert my eyes in time) because I knew going into it that I wanted to just be surprised.  Nolan had my trust after Batman Begins without hesitation, then The Dark Knight upped that trust even further.  He took his characters seriously, crafted exhilarating action sequences, and made me believe some of this mythical world could be real.  The Dark Knight Rises may not be the clear winner of his trilogy of films, but it ends the 3 film story arc fittingly with only a few minor shortcomings.

The story picks up right after The Dark Knight.  Harvey Dent’s war on crime kept Gotham relatively quiet for 8 long years.  Batman has since been chased out of town.  But a new threat emerges to carry out what Ra’s Al Ghul began 2 long movies ago.  The Batman must decide how to respond amongst a new cast of characters that include famous and infamous characters within the Batman mythos, as well as a few returners.

Teenagers.  The years of the teen are fraught with difficulty and fear for many a good-hearted parent.  Conflict is inevitable, often to the bewilderment of the parent, and the teen usually feels like no one “gets” them.  Perhaps the worst of the conflict seems to come in the form of the relationship with Mom.  “Brave,” Pixar’s latest film, plays on this dynamic to tell the story of a Princess and her Queen.

Merida is a Princess against type.  She prefers her bow and arrows to the latest in fashion.  She and her Mother Elinor fight constantly.  Elinor is raising her to be the Princess, which has led to the day of her being courted by a future Prince.  This angers Merida, as she sees her life going much differently.  Meanwhile Dad (Fergus) is delicately in the middle of his wife and daughter, while awaiting revenge on a bear that left a permanent mark on his body.  And then there are the triplet siblings who never cease to make us laugh.  After an encounter with a mysterious woman, things change.  People struggle thanks to this encounter, but as a result they learn things about themselves and each other…like any good movie would have them do.

Wes Anderson’s films are my event films.  Some people wait all year for their favorite superhero film (spoiler alert – the good guys win EVERY TIME), but for me it’s all about The Anderson’s (Wes and P.T.), Coen’s, and Scorsese’s.  I can wait for a lot of home releases, but these guys make day 1 films for me.  While Wes Anderson has made consistently fun, stylized trips into carefully articulated visual and aural worlds, it often offsets the heavier emotional themes about family and relationships Anderson often attempts to portray.

In Moonrise Kingdom, two kids plot to meet and go on a wild adventure together.  The boy, a scout who knows the ropes of survival but is disliked by his peers, helps set the plan into motion.  The girl, an emotionally disturbed kid looking for a way out from her family, goes along without hesitation.  As the plan unfolds and the children are reported missing, panic from the adults sets in and search parties are formed. Thus, the scouts, rangers, cops, and the Department of Social Services engage in the little-man hunt.

How's this for fun?

Darren Aronofsky - the guy who made Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, and other great films - is making a film version of Noah's Ark.  I for one am eager to see his take on the classic Bible story.  In the meantime, check out this photo provided to us by our friends at Grace Hill of the Ark.  I'm pretty sure its size is big enough to actually carry everything two by two with legroom to spare.

If “Alien” is sci-fi horror, and “Aliens” is sci-fi action, then “Prometheus” is sci-fi thriller.  From the tense atmosphere, benchmark visual design, and philosophical ambitions, “Prometheus” feels like a film that was made with love at every turn.  Though my peers and the film’s critics accuse the front end of the film as being boring, I found the total experience to be jolting, tension filled, and visually spectacular.

Prometheus is the name of a trillion dollar ship funded by Peter Weyland, CEO of the Weyland Company.  The ship spends 2 years in flight to find the origin of mankind.  On board the ship are scientists, engineers, and a humanoid robot.  We learn quite early on that each crew member has varying allegiances to the purpose and goals of the mission.  One such scientist, Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) has a dedication and belief in God that appears unwavering.  Her quest is fueled by the question of who created humanity.  Meanwhile, David (Michael Fassbender) is a robot who appears to have varying motives, more than alluded to in the films viral video marketing campaign.  This all mixes together to stir a pot of tension that sets off a crate of fireworks in the second half of the film.

As a music geek, I can't help but be excited about last month and the month to come.  Allow me to share a couple profiles of who I consider to be the names of those responsible for creating music that can only be described as gorgeous.

As a lover of the genre affectionately known as "prog-rock", I have always loved thoughtful instrumental music.  First it was groups like Tristeza, Tortoise, and Unwed Sailor.  Then it was The Mercury Program.  But if you want the height of beautiful, introspective, emotional music, then look no further than The Cinematic Orchestra.  Each album is a brilliant progression over the last, but (with only the exception of their first album) their entire library of music is without peer.

Live drums, some sampling, string and horn sections, guest vocalists, pianos, synthesizers, light guitar work and other elements get shaken up in a bottle with jazz and fusion touches that combine into a mix all its own.  The songs can literally leave you breathless, while others will just grab you where you stand and freeze you in your tracks.  What makes it work is the orchestration is varied, simple, yet complex and delicate in the way it combines so much yet remains so intentional and sparing.  Never does it feel like too many instruments are playing too much.  The song literally is king with this group, and they know how to push just the right notes to create a maximum sense of aural euphoria.

Are you interested in getting on television?  Do you like the Bible?  Do you despise the Bible but still know a ton about it?  Well, have we get some information for you!  Jeff Foxworthy is hosting a new television show called "The American Bible Challenge".  Check out some information from the press release:

"The first ever game show created to test your knowledge of The Bible will make its television debut this August.  GSN – the Game Show Network - and the creators of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" are producing “The American Bible Challenge” which will be hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

...And right now – THE SHOW IS LOOKING FOR CONTESTANTS who have a passion for The Bible and giving back to their community!!!!

“The American Bible Challenge” is criss-crossing America scouting potential players who want to win money for their favorite charity.  Individual players or teams of up to three people who have competitive spirits, great personal testimonies, and of course know their Bible are encouraged to try out.  ALL ARE WELCOME TO THE CASTING CALL. 

For a list of casting cities, additional information, and to sign-up as a prospective contestant, please go to: http://tv.gsn.com/shows/the-american-bible-challenge/casting/

This could be the kind of thing you sign up your youth or small group for.  Kind of interesting as well that the money made gets raised for charity.  The better question is - am I going to see you on TV anytime soon?

“The American Bible Challenge” will debut on Game Show Network this August.

I can't help but be all excited like Brett McCraken finding a new Terrence Malick film.  PT Anderson is among my favorite living filmmakers, with Punch Drunk Love being my favorite film of all time.  He is also responsible for the brilliant films "There Will Be Blood" and "Magnolia".  So, when his new stuff gets announced, I get giddy.

The newest PTA film is called "The Master".  An early description of the film from imdb.com says this: 

"A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as "the Master" whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man."

Trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oZDKFoCqAw