6 Not everyone excited about latest Twilight news.

   Fans of the Twilight series were given something new to celebrate yesterday. Summit Entertainment confirmed that the fourth installment, Breaking Dawn, will be split into two separate films. Academy award winning director Bill Condon has already signed on along with stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. That means three more movies are now on the horizon, with Eclipse hitting theaters later this June.

   Naturally the reaction from many movie-goers has been one of utter euphoria. Yet one segment of audience members in particular has responded with indignation. Specifically, males in the 15-18 age range forced into seeing Twilight films by girlfriends/first dates. A number of online petitions have sprung up protesting a lengthening of the series. One such petition has grown to over 3,000 members, begun by sixteen-year-old Eric Campbell. When asked about his opposition, he explained "My girlfriend makes me go to every Twilight film. You don't know what it's like in there... girls shrieking... it's like a pack of animals in heat or something."

   Thousands have expressed similar distaste for the popular franchise. Some complain about a lack of real drama in the series. Others are turned off by the less-than-terrifying nature of the vampires. Or, as one movie-goer succinctly put it: "Vampires shouldn't ****ing sparkle." In the end, many teenage males are pressured into seeing these films at the risk of alienating a potential love interest. One teenager, speaking on anonymity, described it as a choice between "a chance at getting laid" and "having to sit through three hours of shirtless dudes prancing through meadows."

1 Hollywood gives me a scare

    This may be somewhat old news, but it was a shocking revelation for me. According to the LA Times online site, Disney passed on making a sequel to the highly successful romantic comedy The Proposal. I felt my world turn upside down as I read this article. Where is the Hollywood I know and love(hate)? Normally, once a movie turns over one cent of profit studio executives begin salivating uncontrollably with thoughts of a sequel. They descend on fresh intellectual property like a pack of ravenous wolves hunting down Lisa Lampanelli through the woods. Every last morsel of creativity is devoured until nothing is left but scraps and made-for-TV movie spin-offs. Not to mention The Proposal, starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock, made over $300 million! I figured this decision by Disney would send waves of panic through the entire industry. I could just picture some studio executive hearing the news, beginning to hyperventilate, and then diving out a fourth-floor window.

   But yesterday I read an article which put everything back in perspective. Apparently Disney is bringing the Bullock/Reynolds team back. This time for a different romantic comedy to be penned by the writer of The Proposal. It's going to be an action comedy involving an FBI agent (Reynolds) escorting a criminal (Bullock) to jail. They end up getting ambushed along the way and have to go on the run. This may sound similar to The Bounty Hunter, mostly because it's basically the exact same thing. Yet originality aside, this is definitely one of your average Hollywood moves. Pay $1 million up front for a screenplay that hasn't been written yet and one that's specifically designed to cash in on the popularity of a mediocre comedy. After reading this article I felt the world slowly returning to normal. Hollywood hadn't changed the slightest. And I was actually kind of glad.

Side note: It really says something that Bullock, coming off an Oscar win, has agreed to star in her next movie before actually reading the script.

14 Movie review: The Road

   The Road centers on an unnamed father (Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) struggling to survive in a hellish, post-apocalyptic world. Their intense journey will leave you feeling drained but ultimately satisfied. Okay, that last part made it sound like I was reviewing a porno. Emotionally draining is a better description. That's because the viewer is quickly drawn into a bleak, desperate atmosphere as our two protagonists fight to stay alive by any means necessary.

   Don't go into this movie expecting your average Hollywood end-of-the-world story. There are no hordes of CGI monsters. No wild car chases through abandoned streets. And no Will Smith making sarcastic wise-cracks. It's just normal human beings battling starvation and disease. Indeed, the most terrifying moments of the film involve acts of unspeakable depravity committed by regular people. Cannibalism has run rampant. Violence is an everyday occurrence. So much so that the characters never appear to be truly safe. With each abandoned shelter, each deserted highway, there's a sense of danger lurking just around the corner. Director John Hillcoat helps build this atmosphere of despair by filling his palate with tones of gray and black. Billowing clouds of smoke envelope the sun. Trees are plastered with soot and grime. Let's just say it's not exactly spring break in Cancun.

    Yet for all the gloom and doom, the heart of the story is truly uplifting. A story about father and son depending on one another in times of need. On one hand, the father protects and cares for his son. In turn, the son gives his father hope, gives him a reason to go on. Every interaction between the two is believable and enjoyable thanks to inspired performances by Viggo and Kodi. Both actors give raw, authentic portrayals that really bear the hearts and minds of their characters. In the end, the film is both a depressing study of human nature pushed to the limit and a heartwarming testament to the unwavering bond between father and son. Not to mention a film I highly recommend.

Rating: GOOD

6 Tensions mount on the set of Transformers 3

  It appears not everyone appreciates Shia Labeouf's newfound candor when discussing past films. For those of you unaware, the star recently admitted Transformers 2 was a disappointment while on a promotional tour for his new movie. He blamed the lack of human character relationships, claiming that without this element "it's just a bunch of robots fighting each other." Now apparently these remarks have ruffled feathers with several of the non-human cast members, including co-star Optimus Prime.

  Yesterday, Optimus offered his own explanation for the disappointing sequel, claiming "the real problem was too much Shia Labeouf running around screaming like an idiot." The normally reserved leader of the Autobots could barely contain his anger when speaking on the matter, at one point growling "I didn't become the Protector of Earth to have some greasy little weasel talk down to me." What was once a solid working relationship between the two has obviously turned sour quickly. Prime even went so far as to question Shia's talent, saying "I've seen third-graders in Christmas Pageants who are better. People aren't watching these movies for his acting, I can promise you that."

   This new conflict comes on the heels of Megan Fox's dismissal from Transformers 3 after altercations with Director Michael Bay. Only this time there are numerous cast members involved. Will it ultimately end up delaying production? It's certainly a possibility considering all the animosity. Rumor has it even Bumblebee is no longer on speaking terms with Shia. When asked about the matter, the usually friendly robot replied "Shia can go suck my giant metal **** for all I care."