Elite Squad 2

Director José Padilha's blockbuster sequel is making its way to the states after becoming the highest grossing film of all time in Brazil. More than a decade after waging urban war on the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento (Wagner Moura) remains the controversial head of BOPE, the special-forces military police. Government officials hope to weaken the rash, but publically adored, officer by taking him off the streets and giving him a desk job in the State Department. Never one to fall in line, a maturing Nascimento must adapt his old tactics to a new position and a new enemy. I caught the film at LAFF this week and I really liked it. It's a political drama disguised as an action film and it works incredibly well. Moura's fantastic performance gives the film an emotional core that keeps you completely invested. It also works as a stand alone film so you don't have to see the first one to enjoy it. New Video has acquired the rights (retitled Elite Squad The Enemy Within) and it's scheduled to be released in October.

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Poster - Immortals

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Poster - 13 Assassins

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Trailer - Hanna

The new film from UK director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice) stars Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Atonement) as a 16-year-old killing machine! Ronan plays Hanna, who has been "raised from childhood to be the perfect assassin by her ex-CIA man father (Eric Bana) in rural Finland". Cate Blanchett plays "the ultimate target". Looks pretty badass. Also it was scored by The Chemical Brothers! Opens April 8th.

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Trailer - The Mechanic

Jason Statham takes over for Charles Bronson in this remake of the 1972 film about a hitman who takes on a young apprentice. The action looks badass and I'm a big Ben Foster fan. Coming in January.

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Poster - The Mechanic

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TV Tonight - Chuck

A new episode, entitled Chuck Vs. The Couch Lock, airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. Casey is shadowed by his past when his former team returns and searches for him. Meanwhile, Chuck continues his quest to find his mother, and Morgan tries to summon the courage to disclose a delicate secret to Casey. Guest stars include: Eric Roberts, Joel David Moore, Dave Batista, and Mekenna Melvin.

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Centurion

Centurion is a solid action movie bursting with kick-butt moments from beginning to end. There's no room to get bored because it's fast-paced with lots of great close contact kills (if you're into that sort of thing). It's so good, I saw it twice. Centurion is about a group of tough Roman soldiers being hunted by a relentless she-warrior (Olga Kurylenko) who's out for serious revenge. Neil Marshall directs this beautifully shot film with a well cast ensemble including Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Noel Clarke and Imogen Poots.

Now in theaters.

Official Site: www.centurionmovie.com

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Trailer - Red

Like action movies? Wanna see Helen 'The Queen' Mirren firing machine guns? Then check out the trailer for Red, based on Warren Ellis' graphic novel about a group of retired CIA agents who get back together. It hits theaters on October 15th.

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Trailer - The Green Hornet

Indie director Michel Gondry teaming up with Seth Rogen for a big mainstream action movie? Sounds strange but this trailer has me excited. They will be at Comic-Con next month to promote it and demo Gondry's 'Kato Vision' effect in 3D.

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Trailer - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

A trailer for the third C.S. Lewis film has been released. This time around – Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the edges of the world. Joining forces once again with Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan’s Country can they save Narnia. I love this series and I'm so glad Fox picked it up after Disney passed on making another one. It hits theaters on December 10th.

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Trailer - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1

During the MTV Movie Awards the first teaser was finally shown! It opens on November 19th, with part 2 coming in July.

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TV Tonight - Chuck

The 2 hour season finale airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. The first hour is entitled Chuck Vs. The Subway and the second is Chuck Vs. The Ring: Part II. Shadowy thugs from the Ring inch closer to take down Chuck and his team, but not if Chuck's father (Scott Bakula) has anything to say about it. Elsewhere, Casey undertakes a clandestine mission to protect his daughter from the Ring; and big news about Buy More's Big Mike. It looks like a great finale and will feature flashbacks of a young Chuck. Hopefully Daniel Shaw will go down for good this time and Ellie will stop being stupid. I'm so glad we have a fourth season to look forward to!

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TV Tonight - Chuck

A new episode, entitled Chuck Vs. The Living Dead, airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. Chuck enlists Morgan's help for a side mission, but the assignment turns complicated upon the arrival of Chuck's father (returning guest star Scott Bakula), who discovers that an advanced version of the Intersect has been downloaded into his son.

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Kick-Ass

Even though it's titled Kick-Ass the real star of the film is Hit Girl. Once you're introduced to her character you eagerly await her next scene. Hit Girl's action sequences are on par with the best and Chloe Mortez is definitely taking her career to a new level post 500 Days of Summer.

If you haven't seen Kick-Ass yet watch it before it leaves theaters. And then buy it on DVD/Blu-ray. It's that good!

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TV Tonight - Chuck

A new episode, entitled Chuck Vs. The Tooth, airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. When Chuck experiences alarming nightmares, Gen. Beckman forces him to see CIA psychologist Leo Dreyfus (guest star Christopher Lloyd). Meanwhile, Ellie receives big news; and Anna (Julia Ling) returns to the Buy More and reaches out to Morgan. Doc Brown! This show has the best geek-friendly guest stars. Also nice to see Anna back.

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TV Tonight - Chuck

A new episode, entitled Chuck Vs. The Role Models, airs tonight at 8/7c on NBC. Chuck and Sarah train under the tutelage of a married CIA team (guest stars Fred Willard and Swoosie Kurtz!), who have a glowing record together but despise one another. In another training mission, Casey must show the spy ropes to an unlikely student, Morgan.

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Trailer - Jonah Hex

A badass Brolin, Will Arnett, and music by Mastodon!

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Notable New Releases

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
A visual masterpiece and one of Terry Gilliam's better films. It's got some great performances, especially Tom Waits as the devil!

Extras include:

• Terry Gilliam Film Introduction
• Commentary
• Behind the Mirror
• The Imaginarium of Terry Gilliam
• Building the Monastery
• The Drunk' Multi-Angle Progression Sequence
• Heath Ledger and Friends
• Heath Ledger Wardrobe Test with optional video commentary from director Terry Gilliam
• Interview With Heath Ledger
• Doctor Parnassus Around the World
• Cast & Crew Presentation On Stage
• The Artwork of Doctor Parnassus
• Deleted Scene with optional Terry Gilliam commentary

Ride with the Devil (Criterion Collection)
I haven't seen Ang Lee's civil war drama but I look forward to checking out this disc, which features his director's cut.

Extras include:

• Two audio commentaries, one featuring Lee and producer-screenwriter James Schamus, and one featuring DP Frederick Elmes, sound designer Drew Kunin, and production designer Mark Friedberg
• New video interview with star Jeffrey Wright
• PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critic Godfrey Cheshire and Edward E. Leslie, author of The Devil Knows How to Ride: The True Story of William Clarke Quantrill and His Confederate Raiders

District 13: Ultimatum
Sequel to the awesome 2004 parkour (free-running) movie.

Extras include:

• Making Of
• Production Diary segments
• Music video
• Deleted/Extended Scenes

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The Losers

Three reasons to see The Losers this weekend...

1. Zoe Saldana kicks butt.

2. Idris Elba can kill you with his stares.

3. Columbus Short is funny and cool.

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