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"Star Wars" and "Dune" have already defined the modern space opera, but could the world be ready for a "space musical"? Other than "Jews in Space." "Fame" director/choreographer Kevin Tancharoen wants to pursue his directing aspirations now that he's completed work on this year's tale of high school stardom quests. And he's looking at George Lucas' "Red Tails" writer John Ridley to do it.

"'Arcana' is a unique blend of the graphic-novel backdrop -– like 'Blade Runner' -– and shot like '300,' and has a little bit of 'Warriors' mixed in there, with a little bit of martial arts, so it’s got a lot of crazy elements in there," Tancharoen told Moviehole. "We’re writing it right now actually -– a guy named John Ridley is writing it; I’m very happy we got him." Read more...

Tags arcana, fame, kevin tancharoen

Unfortunately for you squeamish readers, the same can't be said for the movie. Director Lars Von Trier has been very outspoken about his art-horror film "Antichrist," going as far as declaring himself "the world's greatest director" at Cannes this year. It's a slow, simmering build to the violence, extremely graphic violence, making it all the more shocking when the plot takes its nasty turn.

The story follows an unnamed husband and wife -- Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg -- who hide away in their remote cabin in the woods shortly after the accidental death of their toddler. He, as Dafoe's character is called, is a psychoanalyst who attempts to help his wife get through the difficult moment by forcing her to face her fears. Things get progressively creepier until a late-game explosion of violence brings things to a close with a brief, agonizing roller coaster ride. In the exclusive image after the jump, you can see Von Trier standing with a smiling Gainsbourg, an expression she doesn't wear much in the film. Read more...

Tags antichrist, Charlotte Gainsbourg, lars von trier, Photo, willem dafoe

Paul McCartney once claimed, “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” He was talking about Brian Epstein, the Fab Four’s discoverer and manager from 1961 until his early death in 1967. Like many other famous people who died young, Epstein is finally being given his own biopic, Variety reports. Titled “A Life in the Day” -- a play on the title of the classic Beatles tune, "A Day in the Life" -- the project rests in the capable hands of producer David Permut (“Face/Off”) and screenwriter Tony Gittelson.

Permut, who is also working on biopics about Sam Kinison and John DeLorean, will try to get the rights to as many Beatles songs as possible for the film, but he says the focus will be on Epstein and the formation of the band, so a lot of famous tunes aren’t necessary. Still, the roles of John, Paul, George and Ringo will have to be significant. Maybe not big enough to warrant big stars portraying the iconic figures, but considering there’s never been a straight and comprehensive biopic about any of the actual Beatles, I’d love to see some familiar faces take on those roles. Read more...

Tags A Life in the Day, David Permut, Tony Gittelson

Call them "cult classics." "Guilty pleasures." "Comfort movies." We all have a mental rolodex of flicks that may not be terribly popular but, for one reason or another, they resonate in a very special way. Maybe you saw it at the right moment. Maybe you just see gold where everyone else sees feces. Whatever the case, these are the special favorites that you keep stashed away for sick days. Here are some of ours.

This week's guest blog editor, "Halloween II" director Rob Zombie, shared his own Sick Day Stash pick with us, as you'll see in the video below. For the record, no one was trying to embarrass you, Rob. Please don't send Sid Haig and Bill Moseley after me. I'm not sure my frail heart could take the scare. With that out of the way, I would expect nothing less than "Dawn of the Dead" -- the George Romero one, of course -- from a horror geek like Zombie. Hit play to hear him defend it.

Tags Halloween II, rob zombie

While talking to Emile Hirsch this week about his new movie “Taking Woodstock,” Collider.com got some new details on the actor’s upcoming reunion with “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke. The two previously worked together on “Lords of Dogtown,” and now they’re closely collaborating on a modernized version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

Hirsch, who helped conceive of the idea of this college-set take on the tragic play, mentioned a film he’s looking to for inspiration. “It’s almost like mixing ‘Hamlet’ with ‘The Shining’ a little bit,” he told Collider.com, “and making this kind of scary-cool vision of the play.” Read more...

Tags catherine hardwicke, emile hirsch, Hamlet

Jason Reitman's "Juno" follow-up, "Up in the Air," will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival next month. As a fan of the Oscar-winning pregnant teen dramedy and of the Reitman family in general, I'm definitely looking forward to checking it out. Star George Clooney is another selling point for what sounds an awful lot like an offbeat love story.

Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a dreaded corporate axeman who very much enjoys his jetsetting, constantly-on-the-move lifestyle. Just shy of earning his long-awaited 10 millionth frequent flyer mile, Bingham's single lifestyle is disrupted after he meets a fellow frequent flyer (Anna Kendrick) whom he clicks with. At least I think that's what it's about. It doesn't really matter; Clooney playing a Reitman-penned character is all that's necessary to sell me on this one. Read more...

Tags anna kendrick, george clooney, jason reitman, Photo, up in the air

“The Open Road” isn’t the kind of movie I’d go out of my way to see. Nothing against Jeff Bridges or anything. I know as well as you do that the Dude abides. It’s just that dramedies about fathers and sons getting to know one another as adults isn’t what I usually seek out in a major motion picture. I am, to a fault, a genre guy. Though I do like a good vintage romance or comedy, especially from the 1960’s and earlier. I’m thinking about checking out “The Open Road” when it opens this weekend though.

Because Justin Timberlake’s starring in it.

Strange, I know. What twenty-seven year-old man goes to a movie because an ex-boy band member is starring in it as a baseball player? Hey, I like the guy. His “SNL” performances are funnier than most of the past twenty years of the show, it’s worth slogging through all of “Southland Tales” just for his bizarre musical interlude and he’s pretty badass in “Black Snake Moan”. I even dig some of his solo tunes. Read more...

Tags jeff bridges, justin timberlake, The Open Road

There are some mornings when I fire up my news feeds and have to hit refresh because the words I'm reading make no sense together. Today is one of those mornings, with Variety reporting that "The Sopranos: Road to Respect" video game writer Malcolm Spellman is adapting the hit music TV series "Soul Train" for a narrative feature. The article also lists "Dead Presidents" among Spellman's previous credits, though I can't seem to find any evidence of his involvement in that film.

The TV series ran from 1971 to 2006, though Spellman's story is said to be set in the '80s. The protagonist, a Los Angeles native, wants out of the 'hood and his ticket is his gift for "popping", a hip hop dance style that originated in California during the 1970s. The aspiring dancer will pursue some kind of break on a fictional hip hop dance/music tour. Read more...

Tags Don Cornelius, Malcolm Spellman, Soul Train

I feel like a hole in the time-space continuum ought to open around this image. You've got Jason Bourne (ie Matt Damon), "Quantum Leap" protag Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) and "The Soup" host Joel McHale looking very serious over their diner food in Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant!," based on the 2000 book by Kurt Eichenwald.

In the movie, Damon stars as Mark Whitacre, former company man VP-turned-corporate corruption snitch. Whitacre worked for years to gather evidence of price-fixing against ADM, an Illinois-based agri-business. He remains the highest-ranking executive officer to ever blow the whistle on an employer's corrupt practices. Hit the jump for the intrigue. Read more...

Tags joel mchale, matt damon, Photo, Scott Bakula, steven soderbergh, The Informant!

Frankie Muniz is a race car driver. Did you know that? The "Malcolm in the Middle" star took a step back from acting in 2006 to make more room in his life for this new passion. He's been moderately successful too, and it's clearly something he enjoys.

That doesn't mean it's not dangerous though. Today's Daily TwitPic illustrates just how much risk Muniz faces in his new line of work. A few weeks ago, he tweeted that he'd broken his wrist during a race. Then he tweeted this last Friday: "Update on my hand... Every ligament connecting my thumb is torn... also chipped bone in my thumb. Can't move it, surgery Monday night..lame." Ouch. Well Muniz had surgery on Monday and, as you can see in the TwitPic'd x-ray below, it's going to be a painful recovery. Best wishes, Frankie... we hope you get well soon! Read more...

Tags frankie muniz