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Trying to figure out how to get your movie made? Well, just pull up a chair and watch the above video, in which Adi Shankar — the wunderkind producer behind that recent (and very controversial) Power/Rangers video — provides a gritty explanation of the world of independent film financing. Shankar was just 26 when he had his first breakthrough hit with 2011’s Liam Neeson-versus-wolves movie The Grey . But what gives him even more nerd street-cred is his role as the executive producer of 2012’s Dredd, the big screen reboot of Judge Dredd , the Sylvester Stallone-as-futuristic-cop flick from 1995. Dredd was a major bomb at the box office, making only $35 million worldwide. But it has since become a cult hit amongst the Reddit crowd, who are clamoring for a sequel. Taking advantage of his recent spate of press attention, Shankar — who dresses like he lives inside his own The Crow fan film — recorded a video inside his poorly lit office to explain why a follow-up to the Karl Urban-s

Learn why you shouldn't care about the 2013 Oscar nominations. In a year that produced the best stock of films in recent memory, one would think the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) would have recognized this and rewarded us with a similarly diverse group of candidates. Sadly, this 'professional honorary organization' that shrugged off Elizabeth in 1998 and Star Wars in 1977 have done it again, and in doing so damaging their credibility and alienating audiences. Filling the nominations with unrecognizable films - Amour and Beasts of the Southern Wild - and the overrated Silver Linings Playbook , Hollywood has proven once again its complete lack of connection with its customers. Here's our main beefs: Silver Linings Playbook and The Life of Pi: While we gave SLP a passable review, it certainly didn't garner our attention in any category. Viewed as more of a date film, the dramedy starring Bradley Cooper stole quality spots

In a year that saw some of the worst films ever, 2012 also brought us some of the most memorable. But how do you reduce a list from 65 to just 10 - you add five more ! Yes, SJF brought you an amazing 65 reviews in 2012 - how do I still have eyes after seeing that many? In short, there were so many good films that a top 10 just felt too small. I know that some of you might not agree with what you're about to see, but that's the great thing about 'best-of' lists: they should generate discussion and thoughtful consideration, while ultimately encouraging you to either catch a hidden gem for the first time, or to relive the moment when one became a favorite. We've been building this list all year, with some films receiving a last-minute bump or demotion based on their release date or a recent revisiting. To be clear, we include films that probably won't even be nominated for an Oscar, either because of their subject matter or their poor performance at thea

One of the nicest interviews and coolest guy I have met so far might be getting into the super hero film business. Though this remains one for the Rumor Files until the final decision is made, The Grey ’s Frank Grillo has hit Twitter to drop a hint that he has tested for a role in a Marvel film. He followed that up with one about Marvel fans with #bones and then radio host / comedian Matthew Aaron Show added fuel to the fire, saying that Grillo is close to scoring the role of Crossbones , one of the villains in Captain America: The Winter Soldier . You might not recognize the name but you are sure to know the face. He has starred in Edge of Darkness, Warrior, The Grey and End of Watch . With Joe and Anthony Russo set to start directing the movie in March, casting is naturally in full swing. Grillo certainly seems to fit the physical type for Crossbones , who is often seen in the comics as a henchman of Red Skull and has appeared in Cap’s titles in stories alongside Falco

In an 11th hour upset, " Journey 2 " pulls ahead of new entry " Ghost Rider 2 " to come in No. 3 with $26.4 million; " Ghost Rider " places No. 4 with $25.7 million, followed by " This Means War " with $20.4 million. The long Presidents Day weekend saw a trio of strong holdovers -- Safe House, The Vow and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island --top the domestic box office chart in a surprise upset over new entries. SAFE HOUSE Movie Review- THE VOW Movie Review- THIS MEANS WAR- Universal's Safe House, starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, was in a tight race with The Vow for much of the four-day weekend, but pulled ahead to grab $28.4 million. The action pic dropped a narrow 40 percent from its opening weekend, and has now grossed $82.6 million domestically. "A broader audience is finding the movie appealing, Universal president of domestic distribution Nikki Rocco says. "And I think the Ryan Reynolds factor is making

Given that this past weekend hosted the annual sportsgasm known as the Super Bowl, the usual trend is for lower box office results. So the teams behind super powered found footage thriller Chronicle and horror chiller The Woman In Black should be feeling extra pleased this morning, as both films performed beyond expectations. Chronicle managed to sneak out a win, taking the top spot with $22 million, but the Daniel Radcliffe ghost story did almost as well, earning $21 million for second place. CHRONICLE Movie Review- Liam Neeson and his hungry pack of wolves held off other competition, so that The Grey only dropped one place to third, earning $9.5 million. That meant heart-warming family tale Big Miracle had to make do with fourth place, opening with a slightly disappointing $8.5 million. Underworld: Awakening rounded out the top five with $5.6 million. THE WOMAN IN BLACK Movie Review- Katherine Heigl’s latest, One For The Money , appears to be hitting a fast descent, s

Joe Carnahan has confirmed via twitter that he will be writing and directing a Death Wish remake. And for the first time he is writing the film exclusively for an actor who is non other then Frank Grillo . Who is one of the stars of THE GREY . Here is what Joe had to say: Guys. I'm doing 'Death Wish.' But this version is a re-imagining of the book and set in present day Los Angeles. The L.A. of 'Collateral. The only role I'm writing in 'Death Wish' which will mark the ONE time I've ever written exclusively for an actor, will be for @FrankGrillo There is little information on what direction the film will take. But Frank did an amazing job in THE GREY and was a stand out in the film WARRIOR. So I can only expect great things from the news. Based on Brian Garfield's novel of the same name, the original Death Wish was released in 1974, and was directed by Michael Winner. Although it was panned by critics for advocating vigilantism, the fi

The weekend is already shaping up nicely for Joe Carnahan , the director of the Liam Neeson survival thriller " The Grey " which is poised to take the box-office crown. Now Carnahan has landed a new gig: He's being hired to write and direct a remake of " Death Wish ," the 1974 vigilante picture that helped put Charles Bronson on the map, according to a person familiar with the project who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about it publicly. MGM and Paramount are developing the film, which will reboot Michael Winner's box-office hit. The original starred Bronson as Paul Kersey, a liberal architect who morphs into an assassin after his wife and daughter are brutally attacked. Bronson's character then undertakes a one-man mission to hurt and kill a host of criminals on the streets of New York. The movie was a cultural phenomenon of sorts, helping birth the modern action movie and also provoking criticism for its intense

Liam Neeson and Luc Besson have come to a meeting of the minds and they have worked out the scheduling snafu that made him iffy for Taken 2 . They are now closing the deal for Neeson to reprise what has become a signature role. Production is now being eyed for year end or beginning of 2012. Neeson will stick to his plan to take the rest of the year off, after completing the Clash of the Titans sequel he's shooting in London. He has been working almost nonstop, wrapping The Grey for Joe Carnahan and Battleship for Peter Berg. A fascinating drama has been playing out over the past few weeks on Taken 2, the sequel to the surprise global hit film hatched by Luc Besson that reinvigorated Liam Neeson. I'm told Besson has teamed on a script with Robert Mark Kamen, and that he's in talks with his Transporter 3 director Olivier Megaton to direct the sequel. But he has been dealing with a huge problem: Neeson has all but withdrawn from reprising his role as Bryan Mills, the re

  Joe Carnahan To Re-Team With Liam Nesson Sacramento's own  Director Joe Carnahan has gotten a green light to start production next week on The Grey , a thriller that stars Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, James Badge Dale, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo (Warrior), Nonso Anozie , and Joe Anderson . They play oil-rig roughnecks left stranded by a plane crash right in the hunting zone of a pack of rogue wolves on the frozen Alaskan tundra. Coming off the Fox film The A-Team, Carnahan said he was glad to be making a down and dirty indie, even though the locations in Vancouver in the Northern British Columbia region are numbingly cold. “It gets to be 30 below, and when we went out the other day, I took off my hat to see how long I could last, and my skin was burning with frostbite in a little over a minute,”  Read more after the Jump.. Carnahan said . “In a way, it’s great, because it beats the shit out of the cast and that suits the storyline.” He said cold and an indie budget