Official Summer 2008 IMAX Line-Up - Speed Racer Included!

I was talking with my local theater manager earlier today about this year's exciting summer line-up. He mentioned that Speed Racer would be one of the big movies showing in IMAX. At first I was taken aback, but then I realized, of course, all of the Wachowski's movies have played in IMAX, including V for Vendetta! So on top of confirmation that Speed Racer is coming to IMAX, I decided to run a wrap-up looking at three big IMAX features this summer: Speed Racer, Kung Fu Panda, and The Dark Knight. If you're a fan of the IMAX experience, you won't want to miss this.

Iron Man's Director Jon Favreau Talks Flying and Action Scenes

One of the biggest concerns I've heard recently regarding the upcoming Iron Man movie is whether director Jon Favreau will be able to take on an action movie as well as a comedy or drama. Everyone seems to feel confident in Favreau as a director, but they're really unsure whether he's truly capable of pulling off the action that a comic book movie like Iron Man requires in order to be amazing. During press interviews after the presentation at WonderCon in San Francisco, Favreau specifically addressed that question. His answer not only settled any of my own concerns, but actually turned all of my hesitation around into pure excitement. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it - Favreau really knows what he's doing and really was born to direct Iron Man.

Top 15 Films To Look Out For: Pre-Summer 2008 Hype List

Although we're already well into 2008 with only three months left until we finally arrive at the beginning of the summer movie season in May, that doesn't mean there aren't an abundance of good films to look forward to before we get there. Last year we offered our readers a similar pre-summer 2007 list with 15 films that ended up being very worthwhile, and now it's time to look at what we have in store for 2008. Today we look at the 15 movies that should not be overlooked in the next three months in what we call the Pre-Summer 2008 Hype List. If you're ready to dive in, then take a look for yourself and make sure to jot down the names of these must-see pre-summer movies.

The 6 Glorious Heist Movies of 2008

In the immortal words of Dane Cook, "Where's the van?! The van was supposed to be here!" Or as he better put it, "Any guy here would rather be part of a heist." That couldn't be more true. What self-righteous movie-fanatic male doesn't want to be part of a heist? But unfortunately if none of your friends are skilled criminals, you'll have to resort to watching heist movies like the rest of us. There is no Ocean's Thirteen this year, but there is a line-up of six glorious heist movies that will each provide their own amazing experience. If you're ready to get in on the plan, then let's take a look at 2008's heist movies.

Second Annual Sundance Awards and Complete Review List

I tried to leave Park City today, but the powers that be wouldn't let me go! The snow was falling too hard and before long the only place I could go was my brother's condo in Salt Lake City. However, now I have the time I need to put together my comprehensive best of the fest awards and complete list of reviews from the Sundance Film Festival 2008. Although almost every straight drama was quite mediocre this year, there were some surprisingly impressive comedies. I know the five I've chosen below I will NOT forget and they'll all probably end up making it somewhere on my year end favorites list, too. Keep your eye on this list of films, they're guaranteed to be big hits sometime this year.

Official Guide to the Summer of 2008

As of this moment, this upcoming summer (kicking off on May 2nd with Iron Man) looks quite promising. There aren't as many sequels as 2007, which is good (and also bad), but there are quite a few movies that look absolutely incredible - The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones 4, and Wall-E, to name a few. To kick off the new year and start some early buzz for the summer, we're publishing the Official Guide to the Summer of 2008 - in trailers. Below you will find a chronological listing of the best upcoming summer of 2008 movies and links to their respective trailers. It's a list you need to check out and save for reference when we start nearing the end of April, to help you decide what to see this summer.

The Best 19 Movies You Didn't See in 2007

No one really has enough time (or money) to see every movie released every year, but shamefully too many great films are left in the dust. Sure, maybe you'll see a couple of those indies that are making the rounds on the year-end top ten lists, but even those critics missed a few good ones. This is about those movies that were phenomenal yet hardly anyone saw, so now we're giving them one final moment in the spotlight. I want to encourage you to maybe stop and ponder the next time you come across one of these and wonder why you didn't catch one in theaters - because they were worth that ticket price, guaranteed. If anything, you'll at least discover something new and something great from this list.

Why 2008 Will Be An Awesome Year For Movies

In August of last year we ran a controversial look at 43 reasons why 2007 would be a great year for movies. Now that 2007 has nearly come and gone and almost all of those 43 movies have been released, it's time to look ahead at 2008. The last 12 months have played a major part in building the hype for most of the movies mentioned and I can now say that 2008 looks way more appealing at this moment than 2007 did at the same time last year. This could be the year that we see revolutionary new changes in Hollywood, not only as the Writers Strike ends but as we encounter films like Cloverfield, Speed Racer, and The Dark Knight. Let's take look at 54 reasons why 2008 will be an awesome year for movies and an even better year than 2007.

This is a comprehensive list of what will make 2008 a truly memorable year for movies.

The State of Cinema: Poor Projection Quality is Here to Stay - Unless You Make a Difference

It's been mentioned as one of the major problems with movie theaters these days, but usually gets pushed to the bottom of the list below rowdy teenagers and over-priced concessions and tickets - poor projection quality. In theaters all around the world, movies play out-of-focus, framed incorrectly, with low volume or bad sound, and no one says anything or even cares. Back in April I even wrote an article when a screening of Disturbia turned out terrible at a local Landmark theater and it aggravated me enough to say something about it. Thanks to a recent post at Jeffrey Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere, we get one of the best explanations as to why this issue persists.

Official FS.net Thanksgiving Break Movie Guide

As is tradition, Thanksgiving Break has arrived and its time to relax, catch up on all the movies currently out in theaters, and enjoy some great food. We have put together the Official FirstShowing.net Thanksgiving Break Movie Guide to help everyone learn what the best films to watch are and how to pick through the selection at your local theater. Find out what you may be interested in and what the top suggestions are so when you head out to the theaters this upcoming weekend you won't be disappointed. Read onwards for our guide!

From Motion Capture to 3D: The Technology of Beowulf

The action you watch on screen in Beowulf certainly looks great, sounds great, and is truly enthralling, but it's a vastly different filmmaking experience that took years to develop into the version you see on screen. The film has some of the most talented actors and most visionary filmmakers on the planet involved, but their process is quite different from any typical film. Angelina Jolie, who is undoubtedly the most memorable character in the film, only shot for two and a half days back in 2005. Actor Ray Winstone, who plays Beowulf, admits about the filming process, "All these geniuses are standing around you smiling. You become a little bit scared, then you have to find something deep down inside you and say f*ck it. And once you get over that barrier, you really start to enjoy it. I really didn't know what to expect!" So what exactly goes into the technical process of creating Beowulf?

Donnie Darko's Richard Kelly Explains Southland Tales

Arriving in theaters in just a few weeks is Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly's next movie, Southland Tales. This long-awaited post-apocalyptic film has gone through over a year of editing since a rough working cut debuted at the Cannes Film Fest in mid-2006. It's been described as incredibly complex, often confusing and even a mess, which is why we've got Richard Kelly himself to explain just exactly what happens in Southland Tales. The first step: pick up a copy of the graphic novel that Kelly wrote and read through that.

Top 4 Recommended Gangster Movies to Watch Before American Gangster

If you read my last recommended list, Top 4 Recommended Westerns to Watch Before Seeing 3:10 to Yuma, then hopefully you took my advice and brushed up your knowledge of the western genre. With the release of American Gangster this coming weekend I wanted to come up with a diverse list of gangster movies to whet your appetite and give you a few films to compare American Gangster to.

If you have the time then watch one or two of these, even if you have seen them, to get in the mood for American Gangster. Get together with a few of your friends, or your significant other, and enjoy some truly classic films, then when you see American Gangster compare it to one of these classics below. So without further ado, I give you my Top 4 Recommended Gangster Movies to Watch Before Seeing American Gangster (in no particular order).

This Year's Absolutely Perfect Ending: Michael Clayton

Do you remember browsing over Entertainment Weekly's 40 Perfect Movie Endings back in early August? There were a lot of great films listed, with The Bourne Ultimatum sticking out as the big one from this year. However I've got a new one to add to that list: Michael Clayton. Holy shit, the ending in this movie is exhilarating. It's absolute perfection that I just can't get over. I've seen it twice now and each time I feel a new sense of satisfaction. I'm not just talking about something that maybe I thought was cool, I'm talking about sheer brilliance that hopefully everyone else will recognize.

Top 4 Recommended Westerns to Watch Before Seeing to 3:10 to Yuma

If you're anything like me I like to watch certain movies to get pumped up for an upcoming release. Before Matrix Revolutions I watched Matrix and Matrix Reloaded. But I don't just do this with sequels. With certain directors like Sam Raimi or the Coen Brothers, when they make a new movie I like to go back and watch some of their previous work. I like to see how their style has progressed over the years. I'll also do this with certain film genres. Before I went to see Sunshine I watched a few sci-fi films like Blade Runner and Minority Report just to get me in a science fiction kind of mood. In anticipation for the upcoming release of the new western, 3:10 to Yuma, I wanted to put together a guide of a few films that I would suggest watching.

The Best is Yet to Come: Fall / Winter 2007 Movie Guide

The summer is over, school is starting back up, the leaves are slowly beginning to change; it's fall again and that means we're in for an exciting selection of Oscar-bait and two more blockbuster seasons: Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may have thought with the likes of 300, Grindhouse, Knocked Up, Sunshine, The Host, Sicko, and much more that we'd already seen most of this year's best films. Unfortunately that's not the case - the best is yet to come! Take a look at FS.net's exclusive fall / winter 2007 movie guide highlighting the best of what's to come from this September to December.

Official 2007 Mid-Year Movie Showdown

The summer is just about over and we're creeping closer to the start of the fall movie season where Oscar hopefuls hit and big Thanksgiving / Christmas tentpoles debut. It admittedly hasn't been the best year for movies so far, but it definitely has been an enjoyable one. I've already seen around 86 movies (not counting all of Sundance) and without writing full-length reviews for each and every film, I'm instead providing a quick-and-easy showdown of what's good, what's bad, and everything in between. Without further ado, let's dive into the most comprehensive mid-year movie showdown you'll ever find.

Comic-Con Video Interview: Clive Owen and Director Michael Davis on Shoot 'Em Up

Just a few days ago, FS.net had the chance to chat with the legendary Clive Owen and the director of Clive's next movie, Shoot 'Em Up - Michael Davis. We spent a few minutes firing questions towards these two and discussing one of the most exciting upcoming action movies this year. Not only is Michael Davis just a big action movie fan himself, but Clive Owen is as charismatic and "badass" in person as he is on screen. Read on to watch our exclusive video interview.

Incredible Hulk Updates from Comic-Con: Ed Norton Speaks

At the Marvel films panel at the San Diego Comic-Con yesterday, two of next year's most highly anticipated comic book movies, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man, took the stage to talk with thousands of fans. The Incredible Hulk was one of the highlights, with appearances by director Louis Leterrier, and stars Liv Tyler and Ed Norton. Although they're only 2 weeks into production and have hardly filmed enough footage to show to anyone, they did debut a concept photo of the Hulk, which you can see above. More information and details on the Hulk were revealed at the panel, so read on!

FS.net's Live Comic-Con Coverage Details and Schedule

The San Diego International Comic-Con hits in just under a week, kicking off on Thursday, July 26th. Are you ready for the BEST Comic-Con movie coverage on the internet? FirstShowing.net will be there in full force to cover every last bit of the biggest gathering of geeks and fans alike. We're all set and ready to go, our travel and hotel arrangements finalized, laptop batteries charged, and excitement at its peak. If you're interested in following our coverage, which will include live blogging of the big panels, interviews, latest news, and much more, you can find all the details and a schedule below.