SEX AND THE CITY 2.
The traditional tale has been freshened with a blast of girl power, courtesy of writer Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast). Alice, 17, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. Off she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years before yet doesn't remember.
Among those who welcome her back is the Mad Hatter, a part tailor-made for Johnny Depp as he collaborates with Burton for the seventh time. "This character is off his rocker," Zanuck says.
Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska, 19, best known for HBO's In Treatment, has the coveted title role. "There is something real, honest and sincere about her," Zanuck says. "She's not a typical Hollywood starlet."
There is the usual Burton-esque ghoulishness (Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen, whose favorite retort is "Off with their heads," has a moat filled with bobbing noggins), but Zanuck assures most kids can handle it. "The book itself is pretty dark," he notes. "This is for little people and people who read it when they were little 50 years ago."
The Prologue starts of with the ultimate question, "What does it mean to truly love another?" John Tyree watches as he relives every memory, emotion, and touch while falling in love with Savannah Lynn Curtis.
Part I John as a little kid struggled with finding the balance between himself and his father. While on leave from the Army, he meets Savannah. She goes to UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina and is in Wilmington, NC to work for Habitat for Humanity. They become quick friends after John dives into deep ocean water in order to retrieve her fallen purse. At a bonfire, with wild college students, John meets Savannah's friend Tim Wheddon. John quickly learns of how inviting and mature Savannah and Tim really are. After the initial meet, John and Savannah meet again at the beach where he teaches her to surf. They then quickly more than just friends. At the end of John's leave, Savannah meets with him at the pier. She mentions that she thinks John's distant father has Asperger's. Asperger is a developmental disorder which would explain why John's dad is distant, has the same exact schedule and conversation everyday, and is fairly only interested in his gigantic coin collection. After having this conversation, John quickly gets mad and accidently hits Tim right in the nose, breaking it himself. Savannah and Tim forgive John for what he did. Before he departs, he promises Savannah he'll marry her when he completes his deployment.
Part II, John comes home on leave and him and Savannah spend a very close night together while at one of the empty project houses for Habit for Humanity. Savannah writes him a letter, beginning with Dear John, that promises her love to him. John is very excited to come home to Savannah; however, due to 9/11, John feels the duty to reenlist in the Army. After years away from each other, Savannah writes John another letter. It starts with Dear John and ends with good-bye.
6. THE RUNAWAYS. The Runaways (Neon Angels) is based on lead-singer Cherie Currie's book 'Neon Angel' - a reflection of her experiences as a rock star, but also delivering a strong anti-drug warning to teens and others. David Bowie's "Space Oddity" serves as a metaphor for the narrative-- a slow countdown, a surreal but spectacular rise to fame, then alienation and burnout - a long long way from home.
The movie chronicles THE RUNAWAYS from 1975 - 1977; formed by teenage girls living near Hollywood, CA., and heavily manipulated by their manager Kim Fowley as 'jailbait rock' (all the girls were 16 or younger when the band recorded their first album). The band ultimately succeeds on their own merits as musicians, becoming the first all-girl rock-band to ever break into the world of arena-filling hard rock acts.
The movie focuses on the band's formation, and their meteoric rise to fame. Their first single, 'Cherry Bomb', gets some attention in the United States, where THE RUNAWAYS' U.S. tour hits major venues (Cobo Hall, with RUSH) and sleazy rock-clubs, often pairing them up with The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and other popular 1970's rock acts. But 'Cherry Bomb' and several other songs from THE RUNAWAYS' first 2 albums become huge hits in Japan -- and their arrival for a set of shows there in 1977 is like Beatle-Mania. The band is overwhelmed by the Japanese reception. Almost prophetic, THE RUNAWAYS' last big hit song in Japan is 'Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin'.
Cherie is initially thrilled to be in the band, and lives the rock star life. She pushes the edge -- and their records sell well, generating lots of media controversy and hype. But during the tour of Japan, her personal life disnintegrates, and she burns out -- ultimately leaving The Runaways when they return to the U.S. The bass player (Jackie Fox) quits too, leaving only Lita Ford, Joan Jett and Sandy West. Joan Jett has decided that rock & roll is her life, and that The Runaways is her 'family'; she is upset by Cherie's decision to leave, but knows that decision is best -- for Cherie.
THE RUNAWAYS' success was earth-shaking in rock music -- changing the rules forever. But with the successful 5-girl lineup no longer intact after the Japan tour, their future was dubious, at best. Lita Ford (guitar) and Sandy West (drums) still think the band can make it big again, so they persevere with Joan Jett.
7. IRON MAN 2. With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances -- and confront powerful enemies.
8. THE STORY OF BONNIE & CLYDE. An account of the career of the infamous and notoriously violent bank robbing couple and their gang. Starring Hilary Duff as Bonnie. Yes, you read that right. To be fair, The Story Of Bonnie And Clyde is not technically a remake of the classic Warren Beatty/Faye Dunaway film, but comparisons are unavoidable. Per Variety, writer/director Tonya Holly's film is "a new adaptation" of the story behind Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow's romance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7QfTYH2L2k
A SNEAK PEEK at what's to come in 2011.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.
CAPTAIN AMERICA.
SPIDERMAN 4.
HALO.
THE HOBBIT.
THE DARK KNIGHT.
