Cowboys & Aliens is this year’s Independence Day or Iron Man; it’s a slam-bang ride that puts summer movies back on the map. Well, at least for this year. Jon Favreau (who directed Iron Man, aptly enough) knows how to craft an adrenaline rush without making it overkill. There’s just enough information about characters to make them more than redshirts waiting to die, or meaningless background noise. Viewers will care about the good guys, boo the bad guys…because Cowboys & Aliens pulls at the same strings the old-fashioned Westerns used to do. This is a well crafted popcorn fest of the highest order, with everyone from cinematographer to special effects tech to Extra Number Three giving it their all.

As to the story, it’s simple enough. Aliens have landed on planet Earth, and taken up residence in a remote part of Arizona in 1873. Meanwhile, back in town, Jake Lonergan, a man with no memory of his past, crosses paths with a powerful rancher’s son who has spent all his free time making trouble for the poor townspeople. As the two clash, the aliens show themselves, and it’s time to lay down their differences or get wiped off the planet. Implausible? No more so than The Three Stooges as cowboys, or Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter. Cowboys & Aliens plays it straight, and it’s a testament to the screenwriter — and to Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, the writers of the original graphic novel — that the story comes across so successfully.

The success of this genre melding is also thanks to the starpower involved. Favreau had the good sense to cast big stars whose talent lies in their ability to take larger than life characters and make them believable. Daniel Craig (Quantum of Solace, Defiance) plays Jake, the cowboy with a memory problem that can still sling lead with the best of them. As with his Bond films, this hard-edged character has a hidden humanity that comes to the surface when the chips are down. Harrison Ford (seriously, if you need me to mention his movies, you’ve lived under a rock the past several decades) plays badass rancher Woodrow Dolarhyde, one of those Wild West bigwigs that just as soon shoot you as come up with a way around you. How Jake and Woodrow come together to battle the outer-space bad guys plays out well, with plenty of understandable bumps along the road.  Other standouts include Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy) as the mysterious Ella, a woman who has experience with these aliens, and Adam Beach (Smoke Signals, Law & Order: SVU) as Dolarhyde’s hired hand Nat.

Cowboys & Aliens makes the most of the Western genre by casting several well-known character actors that give a familiar feel to the proceedings. Buck Taylor (Gunsmoke), Clancy Brown (Highlander), Chris Browning (3:10 To Yuma), Sam Rockwell (Galaxy Quest), and Keith Carradine (Deadwood, Southern Comfort) all have parts to play, and their genre cred, along with the ease in which they’re able to inhabit their characters, gives Cowboys & Aliens a touch of genre class.

The most astonishing thing about this film is how it blends the Western and Science Fiction genres together so well. The scenes in the small western town feel like a straight-up western, and when you see the aliens, it feels like a sci-fi joint. And when the two combine? Well, I can’t put a name to it, but all I know is that I was too busy enjoying the story and the gorgeous location shots to try to piece out if I found the tale credible or not. Any movie that keeps me so enraptured has done their job well.

Cowboys, indians, aliens…it’s like a Saturday morning matinee lover’s wet dream. Add some popular actors to the mix, and it’s a sure-fire way to spend an enjoyable few hours at the local multiplex. Like you want to stay outside in the 100 degree heat? Better to sit inside and watch the hotness from a safe distance.

Although news broke of Daniel Craig’s casting a while ago, the speculation can now cease as to who will be playing Lisbeth Salander, the female protagonist of Stieg Larsson’s Millenium trilogy.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is the first installment of a trilogy of books written by Stieg Larsson. Larsson was a journalist who wrote these in his spare time, but never published them After his death, the books released to high critical praise and enormous popularity in his homeland of Sweden as well as the rest of the world. Three films were quickly made, and the first two have been released in America.

However, barely after the first had hit US theaters, Sony Pictures bought the rights to the books in order to make an American version. David Fincher is directing, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in the lead roles.

Mara has only a few film credits to her name, with Youth in Revolt, the new A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Fincher’s upcoming The Social Network being the most prominent. It kind of makes sense that an unknown actress like her got the job. Salander is an interesting character that has the potential to be an excellent protagonist that will really take the audience through the story. Mara has little baggage from other roles, and hopefully will really make the character her own, even though Noomi Rapace has already done an outstanding job in the Swedish originals.

With a director of the caliber of Fincher and the acting talent to back it up, this remake has the potential to be an excellent film. Still, I find it odd that the American public is so much against foreign films that a remake is the only viable option to get people to see this great story. Also, I wonder if Fincher will return for the second and third installments as Sony Pictures makes it clear that those are also coming down the road.

Today at Comic-Con saw less news, but much more high-profile announcements. Most of the action took place in Hall H, which was bogged down with some serious line management problems, but we’ve got it all summed up right here for you.

The first big presentation of the day was from Warner Bros. First, the first footage from Green Lantern was screened. Although nothing spectacular, the fans enjoyed it overall, but were disappointed with the lack of Reynolds in the suit. This only confirms the fact that the suit is a work-in-progress. Still, I am looking forward to this film and hope that it can be a simple, fun superhero origin story, which we haven’t seen a lot of recently. Also, I’m looking forward to the more fantastical elements of the hero. Producer Donald DeLine said that many other Green Lanterns are featured and that the movie is part space opera, which is a good sign that they’re not ignoring that area of the Green Lantern mythos. And although the Green Lantern announcements are cool, DC has really not stepped up their game to challenge Marvel’s cinematic dominance. Geoff Johns is now in charge of their creative decisions moving forward, which is a great move, but the company has not centralized their film properties as Marvel has to such enormous success. Also, there was no word on Batman, which was a huge missed opportunity. Still, I’m hoping that after Green Lantern DC gets their act together and makes something great, maybe a Justice League movie? (Although I’m torn on whether or not Chris Nolan’s Batman should be a part of anything like that.) After a short Harry Potter trailer and panel, Zack Snyder came onstage for Sucker Punch. This new movie is based on his idea and stars an ensemble cast of women who are breaking out of a mental institution and includes Carla Gugino, Jamie Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone and Emily Browning. I’m not sure what to think about this movie, but the footage got a fantastic reception and it sounds truly unique. Hopefully the trailer gets released online soon so we all can see it.

Let Me In, the American remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, has had an enormous 360 when it comes to the public’s view. After a period of resenting the fact that such a movie was being remade, it seems like every detractor has been shut up by footage from the upcoming movie. I know I wasn’t too excited for this, but now its definitely on my radar. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), from what I can tell, is doing a fantastic job helming the movie. He talked about how Steven Spielberg gave him tips for interacting with young actors, and that is what has me most excited for this film. Both Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloe Grace Moretz ((500) Days of Summer, Kick-Ass) have a lot of potential to give amazing performances and I hope they both pull it off. Check out this trailer for the film:

At this point, Hall H screeched to a halt after a fight broke out. It’s still unclear what actually happened, but the prevailing rumor is that someone asked another guy to move and when he didn’t, he stabbed him in the face with a pen. That’s speculation, but the scene was pretty grisly with blood everywhere and the victim being taken out on a stretcher, all with 8 or 9 cops in the vicinity.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost then introduced their new film, Paul. In the movie, the duo travel to Comic-Con and then embark on a road trip to Roswell, New Mexico. On the way they meet an alien named Paul, who is voiced by Seth Rogen. Paul is directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and the supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman, and Jeffrey Tambor. I am really looking forward to this movie as Pegg and Frost are consistently hilarious and the story is pretty original. Paul is not your typical alien – he basically thinks of himself as an everyday Joe. Road trips are always pretty fun so having one with this trio of comedians and an alien should be awesome.

Once again Jon Favreau showed his skill at captivating the geek demographic by creating huge anticipation for Cowboys & Aliens, his new movie starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell. Although the idea is great, it takes skill to blend such two very different genres, but Favreau is going for a very Western feel. After explaining that he is trying to emulate the Sergio Leone/John Ford films of the 40s and 50s, while using practical effects from the 80s as well as CGI for the aliens, he decided to just screen some early footage. Although the crew has only been shooting for three weeks, attendees were very impressed by the scene. In a surprise appearance, Harrison Ford was brought on stage in handcuffs by two security guards. It was his first appearance at the convention and the crowd went nuts. This a natural reaction, of course, to the man who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, as well as many other awesome characters. I hope Favreau can really nail the Western feel and deliver a really fun, interesting film due out next summer, July 29th.

Now the presentation you’ve all been waiting for: Marvel. What Marvel is doing with their properties on film is incredible. By going independent and forming Marvel Studios where writers can collaborate and come up with great, interlocking stories for all of their superheroes, the company shows that it knows what its doing. Hopefully the result will be incredible, but there are a lot of moving parts, and all of them must come together perfectly. Captain America was first, as a short teaser showed Chris Evans in full costume throwing the iconic shield at the camera. After some discussion, the filmmakers actually had some footage to show which involved Hugo Weaving as Red Skull searching for an artifact that has something to do with Odin. I really like the Indiana Jones/World War II period piece vibe I’m getting for this movie. I hope Joe Johnston can create a very good atmosphere and seeing Cap killing Nazis is going to be sweet. Next up was Thor, which is much farther into production. A lot of footage was shown, and I can’t wait to see the trailer. Apparently the costumes are not nearly as cheesy as they looked in the first images we were shown. Reactions were very positive, which is a relief. Finally, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige brought on The Avengers. After years of rumors, this movie is finally actually happening. The final lineup was announced: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman/Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Donald Blake/Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (see the full cast in the photo from the event). It’s going to be insane seeing so many heroes on screen at the same time. I hope Joss Whedon can bring together all of this madness and deliver an amazing film.

Behold the cast of "The Avengers"

Well that was a very big day at Comic-Con, and while we knew most of this going in, it was still awesome to see all of these projects materializing before our eyes. Its going to hard, but we can’t fuel the hype too much. I’m looking forward to all of these films as much as anyone, but I’m not going to let the anticipation ruin my enjoyment of the movies as movies.

A few days ago, Latino Review’s El Mayimbe suspected that Harrison Ford would be joining Cowboys & Aliens. That rumor has now been confirmed.

Cowboys & Aliens is Iron Man director Jon Favreau’s next project. The movie is based on a graphic novel series in which aliens attempt to conquer the Wild West. Cowboys and Apache Indians must put aside their differences in order to defend earth. You can read the first issue here.

The movie is moving forward based on a script by Star Trek scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelhof. The current cast includes Daniel Craig in the lead, Zeke Jackson, and Olivia Wilde as Ella.

Earlier today, Favreau confirmed the rumor, saying:

Please stop asking if Harrison Ford is in Cowboys & Aliens. Okay? He is. Please don’t tell anybody.

Harrison Ford is my all-time favorite actor. Han Solo and Indiana Jones are among the greatest characters in all of movies. That being said, his recent roles haven’t had the same effect. Hopefully, C&A can give Ford another gritty hero to play and, although the actor is quickly approaching his 70th birthday, I think he still has a lot more in him.

Recently I asked you who your favorite big screen werewolf was and that got me thinkin’ about some other popular characters portrayed by multiple leading men in the movies. This discussion must always start with the character of agent 007 James Bond, best played by Sean Connery. Other popular Bonds were Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore while Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby aren’t

remembered so fondly for their portrayal of the famous secret agent. Currently carrying the torch and ordering shaken martinis is Daniel Craig who seems to make a lot of people happy; I prefer him on the other side of the law as he was in Layer Cake and Road to Perdition.

Then there’s Dracula, or vampires in general. The list of actors who have played a vampire on film is a long one. So here are a few that come to mind, please remind me of any as I’ll most definitely leave some out – Leslie Nielsen (Dracula: Dead and Loving It), Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise (Interview with the Vampire), Willem Dafoe (Shadow of the Vampire),  Robert Pattinson (Twilight), Bela Lugosi (Dracula), Gary Oldman (1992′s Dracula), Frank Langella (1979′s Dracula), Christopher Lee (1970′s Count Dracula), and Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys). Needless to say, all of these guys suck, but who is your favorite?

Second in big-screen adaptation popularity to Dracula is  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes who, along with Dracula, has been in the movies since the very beginning. Personally I’ve got a John Barrymore’s Sherlock Holmes (1922) waiting for me on my DVR, which I recorded after seeing Robert Downey Jr. play the part this past Christmas. I also watched a slew of Sherlock films from the late 1930s into the 40s starring Basil Rathbone, the man most of us think of when we imagine Holmes. Robert Stephens played the part of Holmes in what I consider to be one of the worst Holmes films The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Probably the most popular Holmes story The Hound of the Baskervilles has seen many leading men including Peter Cushing (1959) and Peter Cook (1978) in the role of Holmes. My favorite Holmes adaptation is Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective (1986) starring Barrie Ingham’s Basil of Baker Street as a Holmes-like mouse.

Another Hollywood mainstay that’s been around almost as long as Sherlock and Dracula is Robin Hood. Russell Crowe will be slinging arrows this May in theaters as Robin Hood. My favorite Hood is a tie between Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Disney’s foxy 1973 adaptation voiced by Brian Bedford. Douglas Fairbanks first wore the tights and feathered cap in 1922′s Robin Hood followed by Errol Flynn in 1938′s Robin Hood. Mel Brooks didn’t play the part but he did direct Cary Elwes as he had fun with the part in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. One Hood adaptation that I’ve not seen and as a native Texan am dying to see is Gene Autry’s 1947 Robin Hood of Texas! I can only imagine…

Honorable mention goes to Batman and Superman, both qualify for this discussion but I really don’t think either are very interesting as the best/worst in each case are pretty black and white. Don’t agree with me? Say so!

Daniel Craig is stepping off of the Broadway stage and heading back to the big screen–but not just in the role of James Bond.

Craig is moving from Pinewood Shepperton’s studio in Britain, where the James Bond films are shot, to the company’s Toronto location to star in Jim Sheridan’s psychological thriller Dream House.

In the film, Craig will be playing the role of a man whose family moves to a small town, only to find out they’ve moved into a house that’s being haunted by its previous inhabitants.

Although the Morgan Creek production is being shot at Pinewood Shepperton’s Toronto studio, the parent company in Britain will earn fees based on the revenue performance of the Toronto studios.

Dream House is scheduled to be shot from January 25th to April 9th, 2010.

Well, it may not have been the most in-depth update, but being the star of the film I think we can trust what Daniel Craig tells us.

Craig is currently starring in the Broadway production of A Steady Rain with fellow Hollywood star Hugh Jackman. After a recent performance, Craig was graciously signing autographs for fans waiting outside the stage door exit when he was asked the question we’re all curious about: When do we get to see 007 back in action?

In a brief yet direct response, Craig informed the fan that they’re going to begin filming James Bond 23 at the end of next year.

It’s not much to go on, but considering that MGM’s financial issues presented the possibility of bankruptcy, it’s reassuring to hear from Mr. Bond himself that the movie is still taking place.

The script for Craig’s 3rd Bond performance is still being worked on, and James Bond 23 is still without a director, but if what Craig said is true, MGM has over a year to get everything tied together to start filming.

Daniel Craig in Defiance

2008 finished with three WWII films (Miracle at St. Anna, Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Valkyrie), and 2009 continues the trend with Defiance. Even though Striped Pajamas had the least amount of action, I would say it was by far the strongest of the four films with Defiance coming in a close 2nd. But I wonder where this fad is coming from, and how much more Hollywood thinks they can wring out of us before people stop watching.

I enjoyed Defiance, and the true-story aspect of the film. In fact, if it hadn’t been based on a true story, I don’t think it would have had so great an impact as it did. But the weight of the atrocities of this war, as well as the heroic efforts of those who refused to be mere victims, certainly came through in a story worth being told.

Focusing in on the three Bielski brothers,  Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Azael (Jamie Bell), the plot unfolds as the band of brothers hide out in the woods from the Germans who are systematically killing off Jews in the region. The growth of the resistance the real story of the movie. As more and more people take refuge in the area, it begins as a matter of survival for them all to band together. From a means of support and survival to the development of intentional resistance, the leadership in the brothers’ lives is mirrored in the larger group – growing, straining, coming undone and finding redemption.

There are certainly other bit players in the film, but they merely orbit the stars. And while it’s a powerful story, it does seem to try to stretch itself onto more film than was needed. Half an hour less would have sufficed and still been true to the plot and characters. Much of the time spent in the forest seemed like filler and could have been cut. And while that time may have been included to bring into sharper focus the harsh and bleak conditions, it never seems that bleak. Yes, we see a scarcity of food, and people beginning to fight among themselves, but then it moves on to other things. You never really feel that bleakness in your gut.

You do feel, however, the evil that prompts the story. And as long as we deal with evil in our world, movies like this need to be made. Attempted genocide must not be forgotten or turned away from. Remembering it in films like this and Hotel Rwanda serve to honor the fallen and to prompt good people to live out what’s right. Celebrating what was right about the Bielski brothers is worth your time.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆