Movies

When it was announced in January that Jason Momoa would star in Marcus Nispel’s remake of Conan as the legendary barbarian himself, it was also revealed that Mickey Rourke was being considered to play his father Corin, the village blacksmith. Then, a few weeks ago, it was announced that Rourke would be joining Tarsem’s War of the Gods . With Rourke taking on that role instead, that meant his spot in Conan was open, however, Vulture has now learned that it will be Ron Perlman (also seen as Hellboy) who will play Corin in place of Rourke. Another awesome addition to this cast, which seems to be coming together pretty well. Conan is set to start shooting in Bulgaria later this month. We don’t know much about the plot besides that it will (obviously) tell of Conan’s adventures across the continent of Hyboria. Wikipedia also says Conan was born on a battlefield, so with Perlman cast as his dad, we might get to learn about his birth and upbringing before getting into the meat of the story. In addition to Jason Momoa and Perlman, the Conan cast includes Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Bob Sapp and Leo Howard. I’m actually looking forward to this quite a bit, Nispel seems to have put together a solid cast, and I’m not as worried as I’ve been previously. Thoughts? Discover More: Casting News , Movie News

Shot through with flashes of outright brilliance, Colm McCarthy’s Outcast is a film that never quite figures out what it wants to be. Is this the story of Fergal, the roving Irish teen of unusual parentage struggling to hold on to the first romantic relationship he has ever experienced? Or is this the story of Mary, Fergal’s wild and wildly protective mother? A woman steeped in lore and history Mary fears that her son may take a wrong turn and may unleash something terrible in the process. Or is this the story of Cathal, the man with a dark history tracking down both mother and child, intending to kill them both? Because the film never decides which it wants to be it ends up being a curious and sometimes clumsy amalgamation of all three, an unfortunate situation that prevents it from reaching the heights that are so nearly in its grasp. First, the good. Director Colm McCarthy has created here a gripping, intimate and shockingly visceral portrait of the sidhe, the Celtic fairy people. Theirs is a wild magic, one steeped in blood and pain and ritual and McCarthy captures it all in potent fashion. To my knowledge there has never been a film to touch on this enormous wealth of myth and folklore in such a fashion and that seems an absolute crime because the magic elements of Outcast are exactly that on screen: magical and mysterious, a little bit frightening and absolutely riveting. The magic is riveting because it is believable and for that McCarthy deserves full marks for the way he handles his talented cast. Youngsters Niall Bruton and Hanna Stanbridge as the star crossed lovers who make up the young end of the cast while Kate Dickie and James Nesbitt positively burn up the screen with their mutual hatred and menace. If there is justice in the world, Dickie and Nesbitt will soon be fielding a wave of offers from Hollywood on the back of this film. And here’s where McCarthy makes the first of his two significant mistakes, I think. Strong as Bruton and Stanbridge may be, their love story is badly underwritten and verges on cliche. The story of Fergal and Petronella just isn’t all that interesting, particularly not when put beside the burning hatred of Mary and Cathal and yet every time things heat up between the two adults we cut away to spend a bit more time with the teens. Though Fergal is only really interesting in that Cathal wants to kill him while Mary wants to protect him, he is given lead time in the film which frequently throws things out of balance and disrupts the flow. It’s almost as if McCarthy didn’t realize just how strong his adults were and felt the need to young things up a bit to appeal to a broader audience. Not only an unnecessary move but also a counterproductive one. Mistake number two? While attempting not to completely spoil the ending I can say that while the technical aspects of the film are generally very strong – the work of cinematographer Darran Tiernan, in particular, is outstanding – there is a significant special effects sequence in the finale of the film that just isn’t good enough. Instead of the finale bolstering the emotional distress of one of the core characters the dodgy work ends up verging a bit on the silly side. Though Outcast never becomes the brilliant film it is so close to being it nonetheless showcases a stack of impressive talent. McCarthy is clearly one to watch for, as is Teirnan behind the camera, and his entire cast is very strong indeed. The flaws are significant, yes, but the high points are very high indeed.

In October 2006, Netflix launched a contest that challenged entrants to improve its recommendation algorithm by 10%. The winner(s) would receive $1 million, dubbed the Netflix Prize . It was a win-win: Netflix received relatively cheap R&D, while everyday statistics enthusiasts had a shot at making a big payday. The results of the competition came down to a buzzer-beating finish , with a group called BellKor Pragmatic Chaos submitting the winning entry just four minutes before the contest was over. The Netflix Prize was a resounding success. It generated tons of publicity for Netflix and BellKor Pragmatic Chaos was obviously glad to take home the prize. This past August, Netflix announced it would follow up the Netflix Prize with a sequel. But the initial contest also attracted the attention of  the FTC and of certain Netflix users, who were concerned that the anonymized data Netflix provided to contest entrants compromised Netflix users’ privacy. Today, Netflix announced on its company blog that it would be canceling its Netflix Prize Sequel, after completing negotiations with the FTC and settling a private lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Netflix gave away private information, even though it anonymized the movie rental information, such as movie choices and movie ratings. But in 2007, two researchers from the University of Texas released a paper demonstrating that they could determine a user’s identity if that user had also left movie ratings at another site, such as IMDB.  “Simply removing names does not ensure that data will remain anonymous,” one of the researchers insisted. “And the implications stretch far beyond the world of Netflix.” In its announcement today, Netflix promised: We have reached an understanding with the FTC and have settled the lawsuit with plaintiffs. The resolution to both matters involves certain parameters for how we use Netflix data in any future research programs. In light of all this, we have decided to not pursue the Netflix Prize sequel that we announced on August 6, 2009. We will continue to explore ways to collaborate with the research community and improve our recommendations system so we can constantly improve the movie recommendations we make for you. So stay tuned. Releasing anonymous user data has proven ill-advised in the past, even when companies thought it could do no harm. In 2006, the New York Times was able to determine the identity of an individual just by using her anonymous AOL search data, which AOL released to the general public without permission. Interestingly, Forbes points out that Netflix could have avoided this issue the first time around by employing “data masking,” which would have allowed the data to retain its usefulness while making it untraceable. While protecting user privacy is always a good thing, it’s too bad we won’t see a Netflix Prize sequel in the near future; I may never get a good follow-up recommendation for Atanarjuat now… Netflix Adds Hundreds of Indie Films to Watch Instantly Retail Conspires Against Redbox by Limiting DVD Purchases Netflix/WB Updates: A Chat with Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, First Two Movies to Be Delayed Disney’s Re-Negotiation with Starz Could Limit Netflix Ability to Offer Streaming Movies Netflix Rental Patterns by Zip Code: Who Rents What, and Where? Netflix Brings Streaming Service to the Nintendo Wii

The special effects house formed by Robert Zemeckis will close next January.

This Sunday on HBO comes a television event that a great many people have been waiting years to see. In 2001, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks collaborated on a 10-episode miniseries — “Band of Brothers” — following the trials and tribulations of Easy Company, one of the American Airborne divisions that dropped behind enemy lines during World War II in advance of our country’s storming of the beaches at Normandy. Those 10 hours made for stellar television, and there’s long been talk of Spielberg and Hanks teaming again to tell the story behind another of that war’s theaters, the battle against Japanese forces in the Pacific. That miniseries, appropriately titled “The Pacific,” kicks off this Sunday at 9pm, with the first of 10 episodes. Star James Badge Dale stopped by the MTV newsroom earlier this week to talk about the miniseries and what fans of “Brothers” can expect as they engage with an entirely different side of the war. “‘Band of Brothers’ focused on the 101st Airborne, ‘The Pacific’ focuses on three Marines, and it has to do more with their personal stories and their personal struggles,” he said. As you might remember, “Brothers” followed this rather large group across a great stretch of time, with different soldiers coming into focus for each episode. As Badge said, the focus in “The Pacific” is much more on the arcs of only a few individual characters. Though “characters” isn’t exactly right since “The Pacific,” like “Band of Brothers,” is written around the exploits of actual soldiers. Badge plays PFC Robert Leckie, whose book “Helmet for My Pillow” serves as the basis for the arc of the actor’s role across these 10 episodes. When we meet him in the first episode, he’s a hopeful young man, a soldier-to-be who intends to chronicle his journey with a pen at night while making it through the days with his gun. The harsh conditions in the Pacific theater confront him almost immediately, and — without spoiling too much — he is changed for the experience. “I think what ['Band of Brothers' fans] will find is that the conflict in the Pacific was a little more brutal. The circumstances were harder on the men, but the nature of the combat was [also] very face-to-face, hand-to-hand and it was very difficult for men on both sides to process,” Badge explained. Indeed, the first two episodes call to mind the intensity of noted “Band of Brothers” episodes “Crossroads” and “Bastogne.” Interestingly, “Bastogne” writer Bruce McKenna serves as co-executive producer on “The Pacific.” And as Badge told us, as rough as those first two episodes are, things only get worse for him and his fellow Marines. “The tone of our show is a little darker, but I think it’s honest and true to the accounts of these men.” Are you a “Band of Brothers” fan? Will you tune in for “The Pacific”? Look for more coverage of HBO’s latest World War II miniseries next week on MTV Movies Blog!

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: I celebrate all levels of trailers and hopefully this column will satisfactorily give you a baseline of what beta wave I’m operating on, because what better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? Some of the best authors will tell you that writing a short story is a lot harder than writing a long one, that you have to weigh every sentence. What better medium to see how this theory plays itself out beyond that than with movie trailers? Future X- Cops Trailer If I had any money to give someone to make a movie, if I had any pull to give someone all the time in the world to put their creative vision on the screen, I would give all of it to writer/director Jing Wong . Without question this trailer has to be one of the most unintentionally bizarre examples of what is possible when you mix a hyper stylized vision of the future with an action movie that looks like it belongs on basic cable circa 1986 as a dubbed import that would have been played after Lazer Tag: The Cartoon Series but before Soul Train. This is my new favorite film. I mean, you cannot watch this and think this is anything but an episode of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers that got plumb out of control in the wardrobe department, where the director decided to steal wholesale from action movies from America, and where the writers campaigned, and won by attrition, to have a love story crammed within its action scenes. When you start a trailer that rips off Iron Man’s assembly montage, and does it without winking an eye and plays it completely straight, while also having a battle sequence where a guy has bulletproof, pterodactyl wings and another guy with metal alligators on the end of octopus tentacles a la Spider-Man 2 , you’ve got my attention. It’s phenomenal. It’s glorious. It’s a battle royale that I can’t help watching a few times over because it is just that good. You’ve got a guy doing battle with a Conair hair dryer, the costumes are outrageous, and a guy gets crushed with a mega forklift arm that seems to be straight out of Aliens. This trailer is above reproach because after all this insane stuff happens, the mood changes and we get a violin suite that sounds like it should belong in Gone With The Wind, our hero cuddles with a woman he deeply cares about. Smash cut to a flaming helicopter falling to the ground. Bad guys start terrorizing an amusement park, one guy hand cranks a Ferris wheel hard enough to jettison a car while another removes some track off a roller coaster in a special effect sequence you can’t help but wonder who authorized it, while some woman is driven through concrete walls by a flying motorcycle. Cut to violins and our hero making out with his girlfriend. This trailer is utterly insane and defies any rational explanation. The ending of this is no better, with our hero ( Andy Lau ) becoming a glossy white Iron Man, looking like it was designed with Mega Man in mind instead, and literally boring a hole through one of the bad guys. I couldn’t make this up on paper if I tried but so help me God I want to own this movie and savor it today. The Myth of the American Sleepover Trailer Look, three things: One, these kids are way too self-aware to be the kind of horned up, late teen crowd that I, and many of my cohorts, was back in the day. Some of the dialogue is way too snappy for some pimple faced geek who is looking to break himself off a piece like a Kit-Kat bar, splittin’ a log if you want to get vulgar about it I guess, to be spewing as some of these kids are in this trailer. Two, as anyone who is a regular reader of this column knows, I am an avid lover of most anything teen related. I was personally felled with great sadness when PBS’ American  High was over, but the subject matter of this trailer reminded me of that series in a way. Three, high fives to director David Robert Mitchell for getting a cast, mostly, of kids who at least look like they could be your average American teenagers on the screen; this helps to not only create a sense of voyeuristic realism but it enhances the drama unfolding on the screen. By his own admission, as it states on his website, Mitchell cuts movie trailers. This helps to explain how this thing starts out feeling like a film and not a trailer cut by a first-time director who only knows how to make movies. There’s a subtlety to it and it shows here as we ease into this film with girls being girls; it’s a little cutesy but it gets to the heart of what we’re watching. The music accompaniment is perfect, eschewing some emo blowhard band and putting in a nice pop track that doesn’t overpower what’s happening on the screen, and the subsequent scenes only help to flesh out those who we’re going to be following. Like I mentioned, we get a little too cerebral with the language in some areas but the cinematography just makes up for it. Dare I say it but this trailer has the strongest final half I’ve seen of many trailers this year. It’s a bunch of seemingly unrelated moments but those moments make you want to see this film that much more. It’s when you realize the trailer’s over that you’re left wanting. Kudos all around for making me feel something on the inside. No One Knows About Persian Cats Trailer You’ve got a lot of things people can project on this film happening all at once. Bahman Ghobadi has directed a movie that feels like a documentary shot within Iran. In that regard, you wonder whether this is a movie that was made in a clandestine manner as it is set in a country where political and social unrest lies just beneath the hard crust of their patriarchal exterior. Then you have the actors who brim with such joy and are passionate about their love of music you can feel your mind drift as you think why our 24 hour news cycle hasn’t told us about the normal lives of Iranians. The trailer is a wonderful mix of all these things, it keeps you engaged throughout, as we try and piece together what it is we’re supposed to be focused on. What I like about this preview, primarily, is that we’re given a solid push from the start. The interstitial lays it all out from the beginning about informing us about what it’s like in modern Iran for those who love talking about their government and who love to listen to rock n’ roll. It’s a dichotomy that drives the entire trailer. The Cannes recognition at the front helps to establish its pedigree and, like a popularity contest, says how special important people think this movie is. And it is, as the trailer’s musical beats feel peppy and hard to not root for as the action on the screen tells the tale of a band who wants to play music. It’s a mix of the traditional and the sacred as we see some of the more fundamental aspects of traditional Iranian music give way to these long hairs who find themselves playing in alcoves and cow farms. There does feel like there is a tension simmering below what’s happening on the screen and that’s when the fuzz pops up. The trailer spells it out, what happens to people like musicians who decide to play for passion and for creative expression. It’s all very hush hush and the risks that these kids take in order to express themselves through their art is captured wonderfully. The tail end of this trailer, filled with quotes from people who excite you with their praise of this picture, packs little moments that show you further the line between doing what you feel and doing what you’re told. Glorious. Shelter Trailer When Timur Bekmambetov was tapped to direct Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy in Wanted , I was intrigued more than anything else. It’s not that I thought that Timur was going to light the world on fire with his brilliance or ability to film a scene in a way that’s never been done before but I was nonetheless curious at how an artist goes from making films in his own style to making one in a studio system. Forget about geography, I would bet dollars to doughnuts there was an adjustment in making a movie that conforms to the way us here in America like our action films given to us. Truth be told, he nailed it well and he seems to be doing fine on his own. Now, with this film, Shelter, co-directed by Swedes Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein , you have a movie that stars Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers with these guys’ previous directorial credits being “ Snapphanar ” and “ De drabbade .” Again, it’s interesting to see how the language of an artist comes through when they do a project wholly separated from the system they’re used to. Here, I would say, there seems to be nothing lost in translation as I was pretty dialed in to what was happening in the beginning of this trailer. It absolutely has the vibe of a big picture thriller, no question; we’re all used to how sanitized these movies can be but there does, at the very least, have the sheen of something foreboding, exciting. Meyers plays someone with a multiple personality disorder which does open the door for overacting, I know, but it seems pretty well in check along the lines of Primal Fear . That was a movie that depended on the strength of its story and of the actors in it and this trailer at least teases that Meyers is channeling something great along with this movie being penned by Michael Cooney of Identity fame. Yes, it’s a little hokey with the flashbacks to when Meyers wasn’t mental, his illness being explained as a result of emotional abuse, but I will tell you what I really do love the cut scenes with images of deformed freaks, dudes wielding tire irons in the rain, snakes being drained of their poisonous juices, and a plot line that isn’t spoiled with anything revealing. It’s refreshing not to have something like this ruined with too much information and it’s equally pleasing to have a movie that looks like it could be enjoyed by the older set as it seems like it’s skewing that way. No matter, as the mix of weirdness and the fantastical makes this appear like a solid two or three star thriller. As well, this trailer knew, and embraced, what it is and it made for a viewing experience that didn’t feel false or a lie and for that I think it deserves a place on the radar. The Disappearance of Alice Creed Trailer Taken surprised a lot of people last year so with a little effort at least this movie has something to attach its hitch to. No matter that you have one of the most frightening actors working in the UK today, Eddie Marsan , starring as a wicked kidnapper but the trailer just gets right down to it without any set up. In fact, we start out with a video camera capturing the plea of a tormented victim founded in actress Gemma Arterton that we don’t need background, we don’t need an explanation. With that, we’re off and running wild to put together how we got to this point. I’m not sure of the particulars but the story elements that we’re given just make this look like a straight kidnap tale with a pack of guys who planned everything out. It’s all so well-presented that when the script is flipped and the kidnapped becomes the person in charge it all becomes so much more interesting. This trailer just explodes with its concept that it’s not she who is going to blow these guys away with a gun she wrests away from one of the kidnappers but that she’s going to allow the ransom to be paid so she can take a slice of it, much to Marsan’s ignorant disappointment. Seeing how Marsan is on the outside it just follows that the plan concocted will eventually be sniffed out and the trailer just does an excellent job in ratcheting up the excitement. It’s a game of who will figure out whom first but this trailer plays it simple with just giving us enough information without being too predictable. In case you missed them, here are the other trailers we covered at /Film this week: The Runaways Trailer – You read it here first, people, I am officially excited about a Dakota Fanning project. Make no mistake about it, the trailer just brims with charisma, has a peppy pace, and actually makes you want to rock out with your male rooster out. Animal Collective: Oddsac Trailer – Acid will do you no good here. Much like an episode of Tim and Eric, the visuals do all the storytelling you need in order to know what’s afoot. While I don’t own any Animal Collective (gasp!) this honestly looks like something I’d like to check out. Iron Man 2 Trailer #2 – I don’t know who got beaten with a sun dried piece of rubber hose for the travesty that was the first Iron Man 2 trailer but they got the message. This trailer just rips you out of your chair and demands every piece of attention. Great mix of music and spectacle. Tron Legacy Trailer – The best trailer to come out this year so far. No hyperbole. This is an amalgam of technology, music, visual pop rocks put into a can of Sprite and shaken vigorously. I love that we are given a lot to look at but yet we don’t know what’s happening. So mysterious and so delicious. Suck Trailer – I’m pretty surprised that I found this trailer pretty entertaining, if nothing else. A problem I have, though, is that the trailer gives away too much information and showcases all the various guest stars ( Iggy Pop , Malcolm McDowell , Alice Cooper ) like some latter-day Love Boat. This is teetering on the absurd but it has some charm. Robin Hood Final Trailer – It’s been a great week for trailers that have changed my tune. From Iron Man 2’s blistering and bombastic preview that now makes me jiggle in my Jockey’s to this trailer which now makes me feel excited to see a period piece that will feature flaming arrows. The difference between this one and the last is evident and it’s a much appreciated departure with its focus on the story, the characters. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Teaser Trailer – “I want you to pick me instead of him”, the ol’ switcheroo with Bryce Dallas Howard in true Bewitched fashion which just looks odd, the pandering shirtless shot of Taylor Lautner, the awful dialogue. I hated this teaser trailer and I am sure, in turn, it will make billions of dollars. My word is of no use regarding this tractor beam of suck. Shrek Forever After Trailer #2 – If I could insert a picture of a farmer beating a big, dead horse, violently, I would post it here as a visual representation of what this franchise means to me. This trailer says nothing to me as a viewer, inspires no sense of what made the first film so good, and just leaves me feeling disappointed at the idea I will try to do what I can to not take my kids to see it. Final Poster for Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Movie Trailer #2 Exclusive Clip from the Red Riding Trilogy, Britain’s Ambitious Serial Killer Epic Red Band From Paris With Love Clip From Paris with Love Movie Trailer #2 The Warlords Movie Trailer: Jet Li’s Recent War Epic Finally Comes to the States

Director Lee Unkrich may have inadvertently broken news that will surprise no one today when tweeted about his new iPad and announced that he can’t wait to watch ” Toy Story 3 ” on it. The movie’s post-theater arrival to iTunes was a foregone conclusion anyway, especially considering how heavy a presence Apple has in the film and Pixar’s long-running ties with the MacBook-maker. Their relationship is obviously a bit cozier that, for instance, Michael Rosenbaum ’s is with “American Idol” at the moment. I’ve read critical commentary in the Twitter-Wood feed before, but the show rubbed him the wrong way last night. Check out the bone he had to pick after the jump along with who pulled Tom Felton over, what Diablo Cody thinks of Beyoncé and who Edgar Wright had dinner with. It’s all retweeted in Twitter-Wood for March 12th, 2010. Twitter Pic of the Day: @JessicaSimpson I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. RT@kenpaves: This girl looks like a really smart @jessicasimpson ! http://tweetphoto.com/14076375 -Jessica Simpson, Actress/Musician (“Employee of the Month,” “The Dukes of Hazzard”) @leeunkrich Ordered my iPad. Looking forward to watching Toy Story 3 on it. -Lee Unkrich, Director (“Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story 2″) @mrosenbaum711 Idol p—-d me off to hell tonight.Are you freaking kidding me?Lilly voted off? And Paige wasn’t? And Kara?Stop leaning on Simon. -Michael Rosenbaum, Actor (“Smallville,” “Poolhall Junkies”) @alisonbrie Guess what I wore to work today you guys… http://twitpic.com/18427m -Alison Brie, Actress (“Community,” “Mad Men”) @diablocody I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say the words “Grand Central Station” quite like Beyonce does in Telephone. -Diablo Cody, Writer (“Juno,” “Jennifer’s Body”) @FINALLEVEL http://twitpic.com/184dz2 – Daily Pic: Name this ‘Living Color’ Double OG… -Ice-T, Actor (“New Jack City,” “Law & Order: SVU”) @TomFelton Got pulled over this morning by 2 armed police men outside the US embassy.I was terrified! They asked for autographs for their kids lol x -Tom Felton, Actor (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “13Hrs”) @edgarwright Status update: I might not be alive. I just had dinner with Olivia Williams and she said nothing to me throughout a three course meal. -Edgar Wright, Director (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) Don’t forget to follow @MTVMoviesBlog on Twitter for all the latest updates and colorful commentary from the world of movies.

One of my favorite movies at Sundance in 2009 was Antoine Fuqua’s cop drama ” Brooklyn’s Finest ,” which finally hit theaters last week. One thing I’ve noticed about the movie since that Sundance cut is a small yet significant change made to the ending. When MTV’s Josh Horowitz spoke to Fuqua recently at the film’s press junket, I requested that he ask about the ending and why it was changed. “That ending was an experiment,” Fuqua said. “The Sundance cut was a chance for me to put the movie in front of a real audience. It wasn’t done at all, by far. Everything is temporary. What it did was it allowed me to watch it with an audience reaction and then go back and go to my original notes, and then follow… again why I wanted to tell the story which dictated that ending.” This is all pretty vague so far, and that’s because I’m trying to keep spoilers after the jump. So if you haven’t seen the movie, click onwards at your own risk. In the movie as it now exists, the cops played by Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke end up dead, killed in the line of duty. Richard Gere’s cop is seen in the new cut’s final frame; he’s walking away from a crime scene where he’s just killed two men and saved the women they kidnapped when everything stops in a freeze frame on a close-up of his face, then cut to black as the credits roll. That’s not how things went in the Sundance cut however. Gere keeps walking, leaves the scene, carries out his retirement. The last shot of the movie is an extreme long shot showing us Gere sitting in a boat on a peaceful lake. He takes out a gun, puts it in his mouth — bringing us back to his first scene in the movie — and the screen cuts to black as we hear a loud bang. Fuqua first addressed his original ending. “Before, I was doing it in a way because it was an independent movie, I had my freedom, I could do whatever I want, I read a New York Times article and I wanted to punch people in the gut with that, but then that would’ve been just me…” he pauses, “jerking off, so to speak. It wasn’t really about the story so much as it was about me wanting to make a statement about some of the things I read in the process of making this movie.” Hawke, who was also present for the interview, added, “All of these characters, they’re really in a state of spiritual crisis. We had come across this [fact] that more cops had violent deaths by suicide than in the line of fire. It kind of guided our thinking on the movie about the state of mind these guys were in. But you know, movies are always– it’s a work in progress. You have to have a lot of good ideas to make a movie.” Fuqua then circled things back around to the changed ending. “When I got to the ending with Richard and you see his face, and the blood and his eyes swollen, I said ‘That’s America.’ That’s kind of where we are right now. Dazed, confused, but then we’re still moving forward, there’s still some hope, we still have a chance. We’ve taken some hits, but we’re still standing. It kind of came out of everything that was happening.” What’s your take on the new ending vs. the old? Are you hoping to see the original ending restored or at least included on the home video version of the movie?

Between his roles as Sulu in ” Star Trek ” and the possibly ill-fated Demetri Noh on ” FlashForward ,” John Cho has made quite a name for himself in the world of science fiction — but the actor hasn’t forgotten his comedic roots with ” Harold & Kumar .” Cho spoke with Collider about ” A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas ,” the upcoming third installment in the stoner comedy franchise. According to the actor, the current plan is to shoot the film this summer. “It looks like it’s happening,” he said. “The script has been turned in, though I haven’t read it. But from what I know, we catch up a little bit later in Harold and Kumar’s lives and it takes place over the holiday season. This could be a legit holiday movie, which is a shocker, but I think their intent is to honor the traditions of the holiday movie style, that genre.” Cho said that the only possible hurdles standing in the way of a third “Harold and Kumar” installment are the lack of a director and possible scheduling issues with Kal Penn , who withdrew from acting last year to assume a role within President Barack Obama’s administration. “I don’t know if there’s an issue with Kal or not,” said Cho. “I know he’s at the White House now and I don’t know if he can take time off. I don’t even know if his job is, like, a term-length job — that it has a set number of months, and whether that’s completed or not. They tell me we’re moving forward, so we’ll see what happens.” The actor gave some quick updates on his science fiction commitments, saying that if his character survives the current season of “FlashForward” and assuming the series is renewed for another year, he’ll gladly return to the show. On the “Star Trek” front, however, Cho had less to report. “I don’t know that there’s an update,” he said. “I just saw Damon Lindelof and I still think they’re hammering out script ideas.” Tell us what you think of the “Harold and Kumar” plans in the comments section and on Twitter !

Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan headline this upcoming relationship drama.