New set video from 'The Dark Knight Rises'

I try to pretend that all the buzz surrounding “The Dark Knight Rises” doesn’t excite me, but it totally does.  A blurry photo here, a piece of gossip there, it doesn’t matter: I’m pouring over all of it. This is why today is very special: for the first time, we have a substantial video.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle and Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne are shooting a scene in the rain. Bruce knocks on a big door, no one comes to answer, and they walk across the street together.

I know, I know, this is nothing right? Wrong. If you’re like me, the chance to see a glimpse of anything from the third installment has become an addiction. So addicts, get your fix right here.

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Photos of Wayne Manor from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

After Liam Neeson burned Wayne Manor to the ground in “Batman Begins,” we never got a chance to see the comic’s most glorious estate. In “The Dark Knight,” Bruce and Alfred were cooped up in a penthouse suite overlooking Gotham.

Not so in “The Dark Knight Rises,” which opens July 20, 2012. Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star. Batman-News.com has posted a few new photos of the palace, and I got to say, it looks most impressive. 

However, more important than the architecture of the mansion, is the graveyard that sits on the premises.  Rumor has it that “The Dark Knight Rises” will incorporate an iconic scene from the comics in which Bruce visits the graves of his parents.

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'Avatar' DVD sets new record, sells lots of copies

The new "Avatar" DVD only includes a 2D version of the film and lacks special features, but it broke records nonetheless. The DVD sold a stunning 4 million copies Thursday, and 1.5 million of those were Blu-ray editions. The film also beat the previous recrod holder "The Dark Knight," which sold 600,000 Blu-ray copies on day one of its DVD release. Just imagine how many people will go grab the 3D version of "Avatar" when it hits the market sometime next year.

Wally Pfister briefly talks 'Batman 3'

We all know a third "Batman" flick is coming courtesy of Christopher Nolan, but that's pretty much all we know about it at this point. The folks at Cinematical recently got a chance to talk to cinematographer Wally Pfister, and he had a couple of things to say about the upcoming "The Dark Knight" sequel.

"What Chris and I have talked about is doing something cool and something interesting," he told Cinematical. One thing he said he chatted with Chris about is to shoot the entire thing in IMAX. Okay, that sounds good so far. He also said he's not sure they would want to shoot it in 3D, and I hope they won't.

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IMDb's 'Top Rated Films of the New Millennium' list

And the winner is... "The Dark Knight," of course. Christopher Nolan's second "Batman" flick took the No. 1 spot of IMDb's list of its top rated films of the new millennium. To be honest, that really doesn't surprise me much. That said, some of the films in here I didn't necessarily expect to make the cut.

I am quite surprised to see "The Lives of Others" in here, although it clearly deserves a spot because it's a masterpiece. I wasn't prepared to see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" in here either. I'm also really glad "City of God" made it in there, because that one was my favorite film of 2002. So was "The Departed" for 2006.

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Daily news dose: David Fincher to direct Facebook flick?; 'Dark Knight' wins big at Saturn Awards

Here is your dose of film news for June 25, 2009:

• David Fincher is in talks to direct "The Social Network," a film about the popular social networking Web site Facebook. Aaron Sorkin, whose credits include "The West Wing" and "Charlie Wilson's War," wrote the script. The project will center on the creation process and the following success of the site, which Mark Zuckerberg launched at Harvard. (Variety)

• Zac Efron is set to star in an untitled thriller for Mandate Pictures. Leslie Dixon is writing the script, but plot details are strictly kept under wraps. Efron, whose credits also include "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," recently starred in "17 Again." No director is on-board yet. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Dorian Missick, whose credits include "Six Degrees" and "Freedomland," is the latest to join Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler in Columbia's comedy "Bounty Hunter." The film follows a bounty hunter hired to find and bring in his ex-wife because she skipped bail. (The Hollywood Reporter)

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Daily news dose: 'Dark Knight' breaks $1 billion; 'Battlestar Galactica' movie coming

Here's your dose of film news for Feb. 21, 2009:

• Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" has done it! The film broke the $1 billion mark last week, becoming the fourth movie to do so. "Knight" has scored almost $533 million domestically and $567 million on its international circuit.

• Universal and Glen A. Larson are in talks to develop a big-screen version of "Battlestar Galactica." According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film would not be connected to the television series and relaunch the story. However, characters such as Adama, Starbuck, and Baltar would be a part of it.

• Fox has acquired the big-screen rights to Benjamin Mee's memoir "We Bought a Zoo," The story follows the author on his quest to buy an old zoo with 200 animals in the English countryside. According to the Hollywood Reporter, no writer is currently attached to the project.

• James Franco will star in "Howl," a drama about the obscenity trial over Allen Ginsberg's poem. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman wrote the script and will direct the project. Variety reports filming will start in New York City in March.

11th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards

Yep, clothes matter big time in movie, and they deserve their own awards as well. Here are all the nominees and winners from this year's 11th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards:

EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM:
Iron Man – Laura Jean Shannon & Rebecca Bentjen
Mamma Mia! – Ann Roth
Sex and the City – Patricia Field
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire – Suttirat Larlarb
The Wrestler – Amy Westcott

EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM:
Changeling – Deborah Hopper
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Jacqueline West
Winner: The Duchess – Michael O'Connor
Milk – Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road – Albert Wolsky

EXCELLENCE FANTASY FILM:
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – Isis Mussenden
Winner: The Dark Knight – Lindy Hemming
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – Sanja M. Hays

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Christopher Nolan's next is sci-fi action film

Christopher Nolan's next film won't be the sequel to "The Dark Knight." Instead, the filmmaker will direct "Inception," a sci-fi action flick he also wrote.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is described as "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." Okay, so far, so good.

The trade also said Nolan plans to shoot the film in the summer for a potential summer 2010 release. Warner Bros. is backing the project and will distribute.

Of course, this means Nolan will not gear up to direct another Batman flick in the near future. That said, there's no reason to panic, because he also helmed "The Prestige" between "Batman Begins" and "Knight."

Nolan's credits also include "Memento," a film I adored, and "Insomnia," which didn't impress me that much. I hope we'll soon learn more about the plot og "Inception." Stay tuned.

Oscar 2009 wish list: I want 'Milk' to win!

We're only a couple of weeks away from the 81st Annual Academy Awards, and here is my personal wish list for the ceremony. Please note these are NOT my predicitions. This is merely a list of films and folks I would like to see win an Oscar.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: MICKEY ROURKE

Why him? This is a tough one already, primarily because I also absoutely loved Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor." Still, to me personally, Rourke delivered the best performance of the year in "The Wrestler," and I would love to see him take home this golden statuette. He's nailed a wonderful comeback, and his efforts as Randy was just deeply moving and highly realistic.

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