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Clint Mansell fans didn't have to decipher any hidden messages to feel Duncan Jones' enthusiasm in message he posted about "Source Code" yesterday. As was revealed in Twitter-Wood, the "Moon" soundtrack composer and director will team up once more to work on Jones' film about a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal) who wakes up in the body of a commuter and has to solve the mystery behind a train explosion.

"Have a bloody fantastic bit of 'Source Code' news," Jones wrote on his Twitter account. "Super star Clint Mansell WILL be scoring the film. You have no idea how relieved I am."

Mansell earned a lot of great critical attention for "Moon," just as he did on "Requiem for a Dream" and Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain." Coming along for Jones' sophomore full-length effort, Mansell should be a welcome asset to the project, which also has Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan in its cast. Read more...

Tags clint mansell, duncan jones, Source Code

Let's face it: school is a bummer, particularly in light of the summer's end and the school season's beginning. From awkward encounters with the opposite sex to loads and loads of homework, there's no disputing the fact that school can be a pain. But if you've checked out "Waiting for Superman," director Davis Guggenheim's compelling documentary about the failings of the American public education system, you'll realize that the average school experience could be a whole lot worse.

Of course, it could be a whole lot better, as other movies — fictional movies, mind you — have proven in the past. After the jump, check out five of the fictional schools we would gladly attend if given the chance! Read more...

Tags Waiting for Superman

If you’d like to boil it down to its simplest form, "Buried" -- opening in a limited release this Friday and going wide on October 8 -- is a movie that features actor Ryan Reynolds in a box. Which is, coincidentally, precisely how I like my Ryan Reynolds served up (preferably with a bow on top, delivered overnight express to my front door). Obviously, upon first hearing the premise, my feminine sensibilities were intrigued.

As for the rest of you, I’m not surprised that the concept is a harder sell. After all, the entirety of the film is set in a coffin. That’s 94 minutes of a dude in an 84x28x23-inch space. What Reynolds’ character, Paul Conroy, endures over those 94 minutes is an intense, claustrophobic, emotional ride (complete with multiple action sequences inside the wooden casket – believe it!). Not only is the film an adrenaline rush until the bitter end, but its underlying themes also serve as sage political and sociological commentary on the nature of war, government accountability, hostage negotiation and terrorism.

The director of “Buried,” Rodrigo Cortés, cites Alfred Hitchcock – iconic master of suspense – as a major influence on the film’s style. Those of you who’ve seen Hitchcock’s tales are familiar with the trademark psychological and stylistic elements that make his narratives wildly terrifying and affecting.

The Hitchcock themes within “Buried” are so plentiful that I decided to speak to an expert on the subject in order to create something of a primer to enhance your viewing experience.
Enter: Richard Allen, professor of the Department of Cinematic Studies at New York University, author of “Hitchcock’s Romantic Irony” and editor of “The Hitchcock Annual.” As Professor Allen explains, “Hitchcock is still alive and well 30 years after his death” thanks to the immortalization of his devices in popular cinema today. Read more...

Tags Alfred Hitchcock, Buried, Rodrigo Cortes, ryan reynolds

J.J. Abrams is having a good autumn. The noted producer and director ended the summer with a look towards the small screen: alongside Bad Robot, Abrams is setting up an Alcatraz-themed show at Fox, crime thriller "Person of Interest" with CBS and, as reported yesterday, the tentatively titled "Odd Jobs" starring Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson, with no network currently attached.

But it's not just television that's keeping Abrams busy, as the filmmaker is finally settling into the director's chair on "Super 8," his mysterious new directing vehicle that began shooting in West Virgina on Monday, reports Risky Business.

Already, "Super 8" has assembled quite the cast list in the form of Elle Fanning and Kyle Chandler in the lead roles. Fanning is the younger sister of Dakota Fanning, while Chandler is best known for his starring role on NBC's "Friday Night Lights" series. Read more...

Tags elle fanning, Gabriel Basso, jj abrams, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, noah emmerich, Riley Griffiths, Ron Eldard, Ryan Lee, Super 8, Zach Mills

I'll admit that I'm not Tim Burton's biggest fan these days. Sure, I love his old school efforts like "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," and pretty much anything before "Planet of the Apes." I even enjoy some of his later work, like "Big Fish" and "Sweeney Todd," but even the latter film highlights one of Burton's biggest problems at the moment: he can't seem to stop working with his wife Helena Bonham Carter and his pal Johnny Depp. Both actors are tremendously talented, but their frequent collaborations with Burton are way past bordering on overexposure.

I know I'm not alone in that sentiment — entire NSFW parody videos have been devoted to the topic — and it appears that Burton is listening to his detractors, for at least one film: the voice cast for "Frankenweenie" has been announced, and there's nary a Depp nor a Bonham Carter to be found.

That's not to say that there aren't some recurring Burton actors in the mix, of course. Read more...

Tags Catherine O'Hara, Martin Landau, Martin Short, tim burton, Winona Ryder

Brett Ratner hasn't been quiet in the past about his enthusiasm for the new film "Catfish," but you probably didn't know how many times he's watched it. I won't tell you whether to believe him or not but you can find out what he claimed yesterday on his Twitter account.

In other topics, Paris Hilton made this news this morning after reaching a plea deal in her Las Vegas cocaine case. Brian Lynch identified who he thinks the lucky ones are in the whole story. His explanation, as well as 50 Cent's story of why he named his dog Oprah Winfrey and some hints about the upcoming Halloween episode of "Community" await you below.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is Twitter-Wood for September 20, 2010. Read more...

Tags 50 cent, brett ratner, brian lynch, danny pudi, doug benson, duncan jones, Fred Durst, ken jeong, miranda cosgrove, Sylvester Stallone, Twitter-Wood

Episode Title: "Pilot"

Written By: Peter M. Lenkov

Story: When Navy SEAL Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) returns to Hawaii to investigate the murder of his father (William Sadler), he's hired by Governor Pat Jameson (Jean Smart) to head up a task force charged with busting high profile criminals — criminals like Victor Hesse (James Marsters), the man who killed McGarrett's dad.

McGarrett fills out the rest of his team with New Jersey transplant Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), disgraced ex-cop Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) and rookie detective Kona "Kono" Kalakaua (Grace Park). Read more...

Tags Alex O'Loughlin, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park, Hawaii Five-0, len wiseman, Scott Caan

"Buried" opens in limited release this Friday, with a wide opening to follow next week. It's a great flick. For 90 minutes you are trapped inside of a box with Ryan Reynolds. I'm guessing at least a few of you readers would like to be trapped in there with him, but you might change your tune if you knew how he got there: a civilian contractor stationed in Iraq is kidnapped after his convoy is ambushed, kidnapped and buried alive. He's got a way out, but no one will help him.

Still want to be locked in there?

To celebrate the film's release, we've got an exciting week of coverage planned. To kick things off, I've got a treat for you dedicated readers who don't mind doing a little sleuthing: buried somewhere on this blog in our coverage of "Buried" are two keyphrases. Find one and be the first to tweet it to @MTVMoviesBlog to win one of two "Buried" prize packs (only one pack per person, so there's no use in trying to find both). The prize pack contains a branded flashlight and miniature wooden coffin as well as a poster for the movie, signed by Reynolds and director Rodrigo Cortes. Good stuff, right? The keyphrases ought to be buried somewhere on the blog even as you read this, so start hunting!

Tags Buried, Chris Sparling, Rodrigo Cortes, ryan reynolds

"The Social Network" doesn't represent the first time writer Aaron Sorkin has tackled a script about cutthroat politics and drama behind the media and invention. His screenplay-turned-stage-play "The Farnsworth Invention" explored winners and losers who emerged from the creation of the television, and his short-lived TV series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" looked at the anatomy of a major network's sketch comedy show. This time, he's telling the tale of Facebook with director David Fincher, but Fincher thinks of the movie as a nuanced take on adolescent tales like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club."

Fincher jokingly referred to "The Social Network" as "the 'Citizen Kane' of John Hughes movies," according to a piece from New York Magazine. That's a dissonant pairing of genres to connect, but in the context of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's life, the personal story that Orson Welles told in his cinematic masterpiece and the ego-driven wish-fulfillment that often propelled John Hughes' characters, it makes a lot of sense. Read more...

Tags david fincher, The Social Network

"Buried" opens in limited release this Friday, with a wide release to follow next week. Ryan Reynolds stars as a civilian contractor who is working as a driver in Iraq when his convoy is ambushed and he is taken captive. The movie opens in complete darkness, with Reynolds buried alive in a wooden box. For the 90 minutes that follow, we stay locked with him inside that box. Director Rodrigo Cortes and writer Chris Sparling, along with Reynolds, accomplished something special here: they took a concept that could easily be construed as unfilmable and turned it into a very well-made, suspenseful movie.

Fantastic Fest, an annual gathering of movie geeks in Austin, TX sponsored by Alamo Drafthouse, kicks off this Thursday. The limited release of "Buried" begins on Friday, but Fantastic Fest attendees will be able to catch it a day earlier. To celebrate the Austin screening, Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest set up a pretty remarkable contest/stunt: four lucky fans won themselves the opportunity to watch the movie from inside a buried wooden coffin. This is at once terrifying and awesome. I'd do it in a heartbeat. We'll hopefully have some video for you soon, but for now you'll have to make do with the creepy image after the jump. You'll also find the full press release for the promotion, but beware that there's a light spoiler or two to be found within. Read more...

Tags Alamo Drafthouse, Buried, Chris Sparling, Fantastic Fest, Rodrigo Cortes, ryan reynolds