Here’s our first look at Let Me In, the American adaptation of the Swedish novel Let the Right One In which was originally adapted into the Swedish feature film by the same name. I can’t go any further without strongly encouraging you to, that if you haven’t, see director Tomas Alfredson’s  English subtitled Let the Right One In as it is one of the best thrillers I’ve seen in a decade. Let Me In was directed by Matt Reeves, best known for directed the J.J. Abrams produced Cloverfield in 2008. Let Me In stars Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Richard Jenkins (Burn After Reading). Let Me In is set to be released in theater on October 1, 2010 just in time for Halloween, why Halloween? If you don’t already know this is a vampire story but nothing like the vampires we’ve seen lately on the big screen. Let the Right One In, and I’m assuming Let Me In, takes vampires seriously and after you’ve seen (hopefully) either film I think you will too! What are your thoughts on this American adaption? Did you like the Swedish film?

A “Kickass” Piece of Pulp

“With no power, comes no responsibility.” Gems of dialogue like that, serving as the inner-dialogue of our hero Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski, are what make this adventure, sci-fi, action tale such a well-rounded and enjoyable romp of pulp style writing and action. Opening in theatres this weekend, “Kick-Ass” will be’ kicking’ off the spring movie season, and has the smart dialogue and high octane action that will make it #1 at the box office.

“Kick-Ass” centers on an ordinary teenager Dave Lizewski (aptly portrayed by relative newcomer Aaron Johnson: TV’s Nearly Famous, and 2006’s The Illusionist), who after contemplating ‘why’ no one has ever tried to be a superhero, makes the life-changing decision to become one himself. Enter Kick-Ass, a hero armed with nothing more than “optimism & naivety” and a pair of ju-jitsu style batons of which he has absolutely no training. Davei/Kick-Ass isn’t alone in this swarthy and crime-ridden city. Along for the ride is Damon Macready aka Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice & Fast Times at Ridgemont High), his daughter Mindy Macready aka Hit-Girl (Chloe Moritz: Diary of A Wimpy Kid & TV’s Dirty, Sexy, Money) and Chris D’Amico aka Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse: Superbad & Year One). When one of Kick-Ass’ outings as a crime-fighter goes viral on YouTube, it draws out the daddy-daughter tandem of Big Daddy & Hit Girl along with the ire of notorious crime figure Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong: Sherlock Holmes & Sunshine) and the flashy Red Mist.

Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) & writer Mark Millar (Wanted) truly deliver with this one. The film’s ‘R’ rating gives the creators free license to showcase the true side of crime and punishment but Kick-Ass is not just guns, blood, and in your face shocking violence, it’s a ‘real’ feeling film. Kick-Ass’ initial exploits as a do-gooder are atypical from what you’d expect to see in super hero films. Even the dialogue between father/daughter Damon & Mindy is rife with comedy and family connection while simultaneously shocking the viewer at how comfortable a father can be exploring the bounds of violence with a sibling. Their relationship is firmly witnessed when Damon instructs Mindy on the finer super hero art of handling a foe with a gun. Where else but this film could the hero’s love interest Katie (a striking raven-haired beauty portrayed by Lyndsy Fonseca: Hot Tub Time Machine & TV’s The Young & The Restless) remain in high spirits about a doldrum life as she wades through another uneventful shift at the methadone clinic’s needle exchange front office?

What separates “Kick-Ass” from other comic adaptations is really its’ pulp-style writing and feel. Evidenced when Hit Girl infiltrates Frank D’Amico’s fortress, there is tension in the mind of the audience as it plays out. It could be the low toned camera movement, or maybe because the viewer realizes that this is an 11 year old girl waltzing into the middle of an ‘R’ rated ambush. No matter how you see it, the execution of the scene is flawless and some serious ass-kicking ensues all around.

Filled with smart banter, raw and ruckus street fighting and great laughs courtesy of the warped friendship that blossoms between Dave and Katie, Kick-Ass is one enjoyable ride. Grab some popcorn and settle in for a dynamite-laden rocket-ride to the other side.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Kick Ass is rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use – some involving children.

Hot on the heals of his already underground phenom of a movie, Kick-Ass, Matthew Vaughn is taking on yet another comic book related gig. The good folks over at The Guardian had an opportunity to interview Jonathan Ross the other day and the interview brought out a few movie related tidbits. Who is Jonathan Ross you may ask, well he is the creator of the latest book to fly off the comic book store shelves, Turf.

Turf has been said to be moving so fast off the shelves that it’s gone back to the printing press for a second run already. According to the book itself  “Turf begins in Prohibition-era New York as a vengeful gang war erupts between booze-smuggling mobsters and the blood thirsty Dragonmir Family. As an ancient prophecy unfolds amidst the maelstrom of violence, the entire city is up for grabs and it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top. The only glimmer of hope is an unlikely alliance between tough guy Eddie Falco and a stranger from another world.”

While I have yet to pick this book up, it is looking more and more likely to be added to my already larger than life collection.

Premature nerd excitement? Premature use of Vaughn’s name based solely on his prize of Kick-Ass? We shall see. Let us know your thought’s below on what you think? Do you care? Is it way too early to start up news about something like this?

Atomic Popcorn presents: KICK-ASS a Lionsgate’s film that is going to kick your faces off! We have the pleasure of giving out passes to you fine Baltimore geeks to one of, if not the biggest, Spring event of the year in Baltimore. Kick-Ass is a movie based on the hugely popular comic series by Mark Millar by the same name. Make sure you grab these tickets and fast!!

See you there on April 7th! I will be in the front row ready to kick some ass!

Synopsis:

“How come nobody’s ever tried to be a superhero?” When Dave Lizewski – ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek dons a green-and-yellow internet-bought wetsuit to become the no-nonsense vigilante, Kick-Ass, he soon finds an answer to his own question: because it hurts. But, overcoming all the odds, the eager yet inexperienced Dave quickly becomes a phenomenon, capturing the imagination of the public. However, he’s not the only superhero out there – the fearless and highly-trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl have been slowly but surely taking down the criminal empire of local Mafioso, Frank D’Amico. And, as Kick-Ass gets drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and bloodletting with Frank’s son, Chris, now reborn as Kick-Ass’s arch-nemesis, Red Mist – the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil – in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name. Or die trying…

Check out the trailer below:

KICK-ASS, directed by Matthew Vaughn, opens nationwide on Friday, April 16, 2010.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR PASS: and enter

ATOMICGDU6 for the RSVP code!

Make sure you check out our other free screenings in the Baltimore Area.

Lionsgate just unleashed this eye-popping one-sheet for the Matthew Vaughn film based on Mark Millar’s acclaimed Marvel comic book series.

Kick-Ass follows a group of costumed vigilantes through a gritty, “real world” setting. No superpowers necessary. They just kick ass.

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a nerdy high-schooler and an avid comic book reader that decides one day that all he needs is a costume and a name, and he can take to the streets as a baton-wielding enforcer of justice. He’s joined by a few others with the same idea (namely Big Daddy, Hit Girl, and Red Mist) before running afoul of mobster Frank D’amico (Mark Strong.)

Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust) co-wrote the screenplay with writing partner Jane Goldman.

The film stars Nicolas Cage, Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, and Superbad‘s Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Fists, feet, and foul language start flying April 16th.

There was an immensely positive buzz going on about Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic Kick-Ass at San Diego Comic Con this year. Some who saw footage from the film are saying it is the most phenomenal comic book movie of all time, which is high praise indeed.

I don’t quite get that from this trailer, but I see the potential. I think the film will obviously venture into gritty territory that this green-band trailer can’t explore, so I’m definitely going to withhold judgment until I can see the final product.

That said, this movie has a great young cast: Chloe Moretz (from 500 Days of Summer), Aaron Johnson from the upcoming Nowhere Boy, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse from Superbad.

Check out the trailer below, and make sure to catch the film when it’s released on April 16 of next year.

Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass, based on Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comic that is now owned by Disney, will have an ending that not only mimics the ending of its serialized comic counterpart, but also functions as an entire teaser (as in teaser trailer) for the next film in the series.

Millar told MTV:

The series ends on a teaser for the next one, and the movie ends on that teaser, too [...] we don’t want to sound too cocky, but we know this is good. It didn’t cost that much money to make. There will definitely be another one.”

Should we be as sure as Millar is of a sequel, or is this simply Frank Miller-esque optimism?

I don’t doubt that Vaughn has the ability to deliver the goods. The fact that the writer has such confidence in what he has on his hands (and judging by the overwhelmingly positive reaction from Comic-Con this year), I’m more than excited about being left wanting more.

Lionsgate nabs itself some purely awesome property when earlier today they made the move to take the domestic distribution rights to Matthew Vaughn’s film Kick Ass. Originally an American comic book that’s been published out for many to see since spring of 08, this film caught the attention of many who attended the panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Plot:

Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so (IMDB). Starring Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong and others, the new release date for this film will be within 2010. With the great feedback from many which appeared to be the surprise hit of this year’s Comic-Con, it was just a matter of time that this film would be scooped up for the public to see. Matthew Vaughn has previously directed movies such as the Daniel Craig starring Layer Cake and the fantasy film Stardust.