Trailer for Julie Taymor's 'The Tempest'

Who's ready for some weirdness? The first trailer for Jule Taymor's "The Tempest" is here, and it looks quite odd to say the least. Check out for yourself below.The film is based on Shakespeare's masterpiece.

In Taymor's adaptation, the gender of Prospero has been switched to Prospera. Going back to the 16th or 17th century, women practicing the magical arts of alchemy were often convicted of witchcraft.

Prospera is usurped by her brother and sent off with her four-year daughter on a ship. She ends up on an island; it's a tabula rasa: no society, so the mother figure becomes a father figure to Miranda.

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Movie Review: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

Seen on: July 8, 2010

The players: Director: Jon Turteltaub, Writers: Matt Lopez, Doug Miro, Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer

Facts of interest: Turteltaub also directed "National Treasure."

The plot: Cage plays a sorcerer who must train a young nerd (Baruchel) so he can use magic to defeat the world's most dangerous sorceress.

Our thoughts: Wearing long hair and a threatening black coat, Nicolas Cage runs around as a master magician in Jon Turteltaub’s new Walt Disney action adventure “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” a film that boasts solid production values but lacks the decent script that could’ve turned it into a cool big-screen experience. Instead, this chaotic movie qualifies only as a mediocre effort to entertain audiences.

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New 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' trailer

Okay, we're back in action, and why not kick off with a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Nicolas Cage Disney adventure flick "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"? Check it out after the jump... it's, well... you'll see.

Yes, it seems to boast plenty of loud action and magic tricks, but somehow, I simply can't warm up to this thing. There is something about Cage in this costume and hat that just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, I'm sure it's just me, and who knows, maybe this Bruckheimer production will blow us away. Cage plays Balthazar Blake, a freaky sorcerer who recruits an average guy to help him fight his rival.

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Nicolas Cage in new 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' trailer

Hollywood's wig master Nicolas Cage is back in action in Jon Turteltaub's upcoming action comedy "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice," which Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer are releasing July 16, 2010.

A first trailer for the film has debuted online, and you can see it below. It looks like we're in for plenty of big visual effects, silly action and a crazy Cage as a sorcerer. Luckily, his hair doesn't look that awful.

Cage plays Balthazar Blake, a freaky sorcerer who recruits average guy Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) to help him fight in his big battle against his ruthless arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina).

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Daily news dose: Jason Statham boards 'Killer Elite;' Jerry Lewis joins 'Max Rose'

Here's your dose of film news for May 16, 2009:

• Jason Statham is set to star in "The Killer Elite" directed by Gary McKendry. Based on Ranulph Fiennes' novel "The Feathermen," the film follows a bunch of former British special forces members tracked down by ruthless killers. Statham, who also stars in the upcoming "The Expendables," plays a Navy Seal leaving retirement to save a good friend. (Variety)

• Spiros Stathoulopoulos is in talks to direct "Love and Let Die," about an expert seducer who runs into his long-lost childhood love. Asimakis "Alfa" Pagidas wrote the script, and Theo Alexander is in talks to play the title role. Stathoulopoulos also directed "P.V.C.-1." (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Jerry Lewis will play the lead in Daniel Noah's "Max Rose," a drama following a widower who decides to turn to his past to unlock the mysteries of his marriage and family life. Lewis last appeared on the big screen in Peter Chelsom's 1995 comedy "Funny Bones." (Variety)

• Alfred Molina and Ed Speleers will star in Guido Chiesa's "The Good War," which follows a British major as he leads a poorly equipped team of soldiers into the battle against the Nazis on the island of Malta. ean-Pierre Magro, Matthew Hobbs, James W. Mitchell, Valentine Stockdale and Mark Thomas wrote the script. (THR)

Alfred Molina gears up for 'Sorcerer's Apprentice'

Alfred Molina is the latest the join the cast of Walt Disney's upcoming "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Nicholas Cage, Teresa Palmer and Jay Baruchel are already on board of the project, which Jon Turteltaub is directing. Jerry Bruckheimer is producing the film.

Baruchel plays an apprentice who is supposed to take care of a magic workshop when a sorcerer (Cage) gives it to him.

The apprentice develops a broomstick to do all the household work for him, but chaos ensues when the broom refuses to obey. Palmer is on board as Baruchel's love interest.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Molina is playing Horvath, an evil magician.

Molina was last seen in "The Pink Panther 2." He will also appear in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."

The folks over at SlashFilm announced this scoop earlier this morning.

'Nothing Like the Holidays' web reviews

Are you in the mood for a holiday family flick? Then Alfredo De Villa's "Nothing Like the Holidays" is just right for you. Starring John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Vanessa Ferlito, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz, Alfred Molina and many others, the film follows a family's desperate attempt to celebrate a peaceful Christmas. Here's what the Web's critics have to say about it:

• CinemaBlend's Katey Rich: "People do things that are illogical if not outright stupid, and out of character, for the sake of the creaky plot and maybe a laugh."

• Collider's Brian Orndorf: "If the filmmaking fails to a certain degree, the charisma of the performers picks up the slack."

• Kevin Carr at FilmSchoolRejects: "I thought there were some pretty funny moments, most of them courtesy of Luis Guzman and John Leguizamo."

Take a look at Gyllenhaal as the ‘Prince of Persia’

The folks over at Just Jared got a hold of some pictures taken of Jake Gyllenhaal on the Moroccan set of Mike Newell’s upcoming video game adaptation “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” You can see part of one shot just above, and the rest of them right here!

The plot of “Persia” follows Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal) as he teams up with a princess (Gemma Arterton) to stop a ruthless leader from laying his hands on the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can be used to reverse time and rule the world. Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina co-star.

I’ve never actually played the game and don’t know much else about the plot or characters, but considering the screenshots and trailers I've seen from the game, Gyllenhaal seems like a good choice to portray the hero of this adventure. “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is scheduled to open May 28, 2010.

Click here for all Jake Gyllenhaal images.