It’s been a busy day for Jon Favreau, and Iron Man 3. First it was rumored that Favreau wasn’t going to direct it. Then it was confirmed. And now we have, courtesy of Slashfilm and the LA Times the reason behind his departure.

In an interview with Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher, Favreau said the rumored reasons why he’s leaving Iron Man, such as money issues or lack of cohesiveness, where inaccurate. He’s still a producer on The Avengers and remains friendly with Marvel main man Kevin Feige. His main reason for leaving was to “find something that lights a fire” inside of him and also something that will “blow people away, which is easier to do with a project that isn’t loaded with built-in expectations.” So, basically, he wants some new toys to play with. He thinks of the departure as more of a “graduation” rather than “divorce.”

Well then. Hard to blame the guy, isn’t it? If he was genuinely burnt out on the characters and would have been mailing in a third movie, I’m glad it oped out of it. If you’re reticent to agree with me, check out Spider-Man 3. It’s mind-blowing how awful a movie can be when a director no longer has the freedom he wants, or the passion for the characters. I forgive you, Sam Raimi.

So Favreau is gone. Wonder who is going to step in. Thoughts?

Hope your sitting down AND buckled up because the first trailer for next year’s Fast & Furious is online. Yesterday, Caffeine Powered posted on my Facebook the homoerotic promo photo of Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel staring each other down. Just when I thought I recovered from that testosterone sandwich, they release the first trailer. Boom! Not only are Vin Diesel and Paul Walker back once again, but Tyrese and Ludacris are up in this bitch as well. I hope they make Tyrese eat everything in sight again, like in the second one.

The movie is officially title Fast Five, which kinda sucks. Let’s brainstorm other titles so I can avoid writing any actual insight on the trailer. Hmmm…5ast & 5urious. Too edgy? How about Fast & Furious V: Axe Body Spray. Nah, too commercial. I give up. This is still gearing up to be the best worst movie of 2011. With NoS.

Update: Deadline confirms Favreau’s departure. Balls.

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Thar be reports pouring out that Jon Favreau isn’t going to direct Iron Man 3. This isn’t an enormous surprise. Both Favreau and Downey Jr. didn’t like the Iron Man 2 script, and felt it was rushed out. As well, Marvel has been developing a reputation for being cheap as fuck, and Favreau may have been/may be anticipating getting low balled. And now there are reports that he has informed Marvel that he shan’t be returning for the third movie.

But still, fucking shit. Favreau’s a talented son of a bitch, and he clearly gets Iron Man.

Over at Slashfilm, they point out that Favreau was even recently wavering on the topic:

Vulture first reported the news of Favreau’s apparently (sic) departure from the Iron Man franchise. He spoke about the third film at length just last week and you can read our report here. The video, from MTV, is below and in it, you’ll hear Favreau talking about his uncertainty concerning Iron Man 3.

Slash then links to a transcript of said conversation:

Kevin Feige, who’s been involved with superhero movies with Marvel movies since the X-Men films, is very aware of his path and how to weave [things together], so in theory, ‘Iron Man 3? is going to be a sequel or continuation of ‘Thor,’ ‘Hulk,’ ‘Captain America’ and ‘Avengers’… This whole world… I have no idea what it is. I don’t think they do either, from conversations I’ve had with those guys.

Balls. I’m getting frustrated with Marvel’s insistence on lowballing directors and rushing bullshit out. When you have a winning director, let them do their own thing with the franchise. Trust me. Maybe Iron Man 2 would have been more than decent but forgettable if Favreau had been able to work at his own speed.

Ask DC about it? Clearly letting Nolan rock out for a bit and then return invigorated to a franchise has worked.

More pictures of the designs behind Tim Burton’s mercifully aborted Superman movie have leaked out. Sometimes you’re like “it’s a shame this project never got off the ground.” But in this case you’re like “Thank god someone took this behind the wood shed, shot it, buried the ashes, and swore to stab anyone who muttered about its existence.”

I will say this, the artwork is cool. I don’t think it fits the Superman mythos I’d like to see executed, but it’s nice. The outfit? Still barf-covered infected fetus.

Hit the jump for more asstacular designs.

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There have been a few unique monster movies in recent years. The Host, Cloverfield, and Gooby come to mind. Now Monsters, an “indie,” comes out of left field. Shot on a meager budget (less than $500,000) on location in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, Monsters is a testament to what can be accomplished with limited resources by a determined and creative filmmaker. Dashing Brit Gareth Edwards not only wrote and directed Monsters, he also storyboarded and filmed the entire thing. And when he was done with that, he created all of the impressive special effects using Adobe. The result is a fresh approach to the genre — one light on exploitation and that focuses more on relationships and politics.

In the not too distant future, a NASA probe lands near the U.S.-Mexico border. This spreads alien life throughout the region, forcing a quarantine of half of Mexico, now known as the Infected Zone. The U.S. throws up an enormous wall on the border to keep the aliens inside Mexico and out of America. The U.S. military conducts expensive bombing of areas in hopes of destroying these aliens that may or may not be a threat. Sound familiar, nudge, nudge? A brash, young photojournalist named Andrew is assigned by his wealthy boss to bring his daughter, Samantha, back into the U.S. Their journey back to the States takes them through the Infected Zone by foot, boat, and, finally, by U.S. military transport. It’s a treacherous road the whole way but that does nothing to thwart the blossoming romance between our travelers. Miraculously, the romantic plot manages to avoid cliche in the hands of Edwards.

During their journey, we see glimpses of the monsters and hear them moaning woefully in the night. Yeah, they sound sad. You’d be bummed too if you just wanted to coexist but people where flinging missiles at you all the time. There is, in fact, a strong vibe of melancholy throughout the entire film. From the beautiful shots of the landscape to the dialogue between Andrew and Samantha. Even when they get to spend a night partying in Mexico it’s like being in the doldrums. No one is happy with their situation: not Andrew, not Samantha, and certainly not the monsters.

One thing to be happy about is the design of the monsters. They’re pulled right out of the pages of Lovecraft with squid-like attributes nodding towards Cthulhu. They disperse a toxic gas when killed, hence the popular use of gas masks. Godzilla, Mothra, and that Coverfield thingy may be bigger and more ferocious than the beasts in Monsters, but these guys have more personality. They’re like jaded hipster monsters.

It’s Edward’s low-key approach to the genre that holds your attention throughout the film. It’s not necessarily suspense that grips us — we know there are monsters in the jungle, but we never really feel threatened by them — it’s the film’s unconventional way at looking at the human condition and relationships. Did that sound corny and cliche? My bad. But if you’re looking for something different and seriously original, check out Monsters.

[caution: the following post is a narrative analysis of BLACK SWAN. as such, it’s filled with spoilers, half-baked jib-jab, and words that even a thesaurus shouldn’t contain. proceed at your own risk]

Walking out of Black Swan, I knew that I was impressed. The one hundred and three minutes of celluloid that had just flashed before me were not only visually appealing (and I’ll be goddamned if you don’t think it’s eye-candy) but bursting at the thematic seams.

It’s a layered work – an adaptation of Swan Lake in which a ballet company reimagines Swan Lake. Yes, that’s right. There’s sexual tension, the tug-and-pull between repression and reckless liberation. Body image issues arise, as self-mutilation and bulimia make both subtle and palpable appearances. And for good measure, a heaping of parental expectation is thrown in, reminding the audience that even the most brilliant of feats can lose their shimmer when serving as vicarious fulfillment.

It’s all in Black Swan. All that and more, in fact. But what struck me as most compelling about Aronofsky’s fifth feature is that it serves as a warning to those in pursuit of a goal. No, I don’t think Black Swan is telling the audience to relish in apathy, aspiring for nothing and thereby achieving everything desired. But I do think that the movie is pursing its lips next to the ear of the aspirant individual, whispering, “Look at yourself — is this what you want?”

Because without even knowing it, even the purest of feather can become sullied and despoiled.

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Marvel finally released the Thor trailer. I think it’s fucking awesome. Epic viking and fantasy shit! Stupendous. I’m hoping that this movie can bring the wonder back to superhero flicks. At the very least, the trailer wins my loins’ approval. It’s two minutes of a sexy bearded dude swinging a hammer, fighting gods, and cuddling up to gorgeous Natalie Portman.

I’m sold. Hit the jump, watch the trailer, and then leave your impressions in the comments box.

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If the Thor movie is anything like this poster for it, we’re in good shape. Sometimes when browsing through the promotional material, Thor looks so fucking awesome and his outfit gets me fucking jacked. And then sometimes it looks plastic-y and something you buy at the Big Party.

They crank it out of the park for this poster. Sure it’s photoshopped to hell and everything, et cetera. It’s still swank.

Hit the jump for the full beast.

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Kick it! The 2011 Sundance Film Festival kicks off on January 20th and one short film is already being called a “must-see.” Directed by Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys, Fight For Your Right Revisited is a look at the making of the classic video. That in itself would be awesome, but what’s really creating buzz for the short is the cast. Seth Rogen as Mike D, Elijah Wood as Ad-Rock, and Danny McBride as MCA. That’s them from left to right in the photo. John C. Reilly, Jack Black, and Will Ferrell also star, probably as party goers. Hell yes.

The short promises to look at what happens when “the party’s over.” That’s all the information Yauch has revealed so far, but the cast list alone is enough to get pumped about. I’m most excited about seeing Frodo in the mix. Seeing how he plays off of McBride and Reilly is going to be a treat. (via MovieFone)

Someone is going to a funeral! As Spider-Man begins shooting this week, the first set photos have dropped. Just what the fuck is going on here? Slashfilm speculates that Gwen is attending (spoilers, fools) the funeral of her father. Apparently Father Stacy   passes away in the comic books and implores Spidey to watch over Gwen. Guess he’s going to be pretty upset that its his webbing that snaps her damn neck in the funnies.

But also, why not Uncle Ben’s funeral? Who knows.

Hit the jump for the pictures.

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