Indy's Still Kicking Butt in Crystal Skull

John Hurt reveals premiere plan

(NEWSER) - The first new Indiana Jones movie in 18 years will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival before its May 22 release in the US, according to one of the movie's stars. But British actor John Hurt, who spilled the beans on BBC TV, is sworn to secrecy about details of the movie, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. More»

Lucas spent 15 years persuading Spielberg and Ford of new idea

(NEWSER) - It seems like a sure thing: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, in on 13 of the 100 highest-grossing movies ever, revive the billion-dollar Indiana Jones franchise. But Lucas spent 15 years trying to convince Spielberg and Harrison Ford to do Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, due out May 22. Why the discord? It all came down to what Hollywood calls a MacGuffin, Vanity Fair reports. More»

Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford can't quite save it

(NEWSER) - You’d think a movie called Cowboys and Aliens could at least hold your attention--but though the acting is good, there’s not much else to keep things interesting.

• The film is “chockfull of elements from classic oaters—a posse, a dusty round-up, saloon stand-offs—as well as monster flick staples like abductions, experiments and explosions, and still nothing very exciting happens,” writes Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News .

Transformer sexpot axed for comparing director to Adolf

(NEWSER) - A key insider has finally confirmed what many suspected: Megan Fox got bounced from the Transformers series that made her famous because she compared her director to Adolf Hitler. The order to fire her came directly from producer Steven Spielberg, reports the Telegraph . The 25-year-old actress claimed last year that she was quitting—before production of the about-to-be-released Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon—in order to pursue other "acting" opportunities. But in fact she was drop-kicked by her bosses immediately after a tirade against director Michael Bay, in which she said he wants to be "like Hitler on his sets." More»

JJ Abrams directs Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning in sci-fi flick

(NEWSER) - Super 8 is a fun summer blockbuster about kids, monsters, and filmmaking—but don’t expect a classic.

• Director JJ Abrams is “clever and sincere,” notes AO Scott in the New York Times , “but still, at least on the big screen, more student than master. Like his previous features, Super 8 is an enticing package without much inside.”
• Claudia Puig applauds the film in USA Today . “Super 8 packs the emotional punch of vintage Steven Spielberg with the spectacular effects and sense of mystery at which writer/director J.J. Abrams excels.