We just got a wake-up call from the Nintendo Generation, the Samurai… the Keyboard Cowboys… those that live in the world of the electron and the switch; those that appreciate the beauty of the baud.  Yes, the X-Realms forums (The X-Boards) were hacked today and disabled by information superhighwaymen. Full service has now been resumed although we cannot guarantee that there won’t be another instance of the attack until we do a full security update tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.

Again, we can confirm that no llamas came to harm. 

Click here to enter the X-Boards.

Posted in X-Realms •

In our continuing efforts to push a true cinematic masterpiece into the minds of as many moviegoers as possible, we are looking to report on every significant film award that Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth wins.

The Mexican film scooped seven Goyas this week, the Spanish equivalent to the Oscars. While Pedro Almodovar’s Volver received the Best Picture and Best Actress (Penelope Cruz) awards, Pan’s Labyrinth earned the most wins, succeeding in the categories for Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematrography, Best Special Effects, Best Makeup, Best Sound and Best Montage. In addition, the film’s 12-year old lead actress Ivana Baquero was awarded with the Best New Actress prize. Meanwhile, Stephen Frears’ The Queen took home the Goya for the Best European Film.

Click here to discuss Pan’s Labyrinth on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

A few months ago it was revealed that director Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces) is working on a film adaptation of the James Elroy novel White Jazz, with George Clooney attached to star in the lead role. The book is a sequel to Elroy’s L.A. Confidential, which was turned into a movie in 1997 to much critical acclaim.

Australian actor Guy Pearce starred in the role of Detective Ed Exley in L.A. Confidential, a character who is also of importance in White Jazz. CHUD had the opportunity to speak to Pearce and asked him if he would consider reprising his role, to which the actor replied: It’s been mentioned to me, but I haven’t read the script yet […] I ultimately don’t feel hugely compelled to revisit any character I’ve played before, really - but having said that it would depend on how it was realized, I guess.”

Click here to discuss White Jazz on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

Director Paul Greengrass (who’s up for this year’s Best Director Oscar for United 93) and his crew are currently in Berlin, Germany, filming The Bourne Ultimatum. The first pictures and videos from the set have now appeared on Moviereporter.net.

The third installment in the Jason Bourne series sees Matt Damon reprising his lead role, trying to hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris, Madrid and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne–all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.

Click here to discuss The Bourne Ultimatum on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

Screenwriter William Monahan, currently nominated for an Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for The Departed, is toying with the idea of writing a sequel to Martin Scorsese’s hit film, reports Variety.

The fact that just about all of the central character met their demise by the end of the film doesn’t seem to prevent Monahan from working on a treatment for a possible sequel, and bringing his idea to the attention of Scorsese (albeit in an informal approach). The Departed is based on the Hong Kong hit Internal Affairs, which spawned both a prequel and a sequel. The latter focused on the character played by Matt Damon in Scorsese’s film, since he was not killed in the original.

Currently, neither Scorsese nor Warner Bros. have given any indication as to whether or not they’d be interested in pursuing a sequel.

Click here to discuss The Departed on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

IGN have reported that Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) is attached to the movie adaptation of Greg Rucka’s Oni Press graphic novel series Whiteout.

The British actress is reportedly in negotiations to star in the project which will be directed by Dominic Sena  (Swordfish, Gone in Sixty Seconds) with a screenplay adaptation by Erich & Jon Hoeber. Principal photography is scheduled to begin March on location in Montreal and Manitoba.

The story revolves around U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko who has made a home in the Antarctic. In its vastness, she has found a place where she can forget her troubled past and feel at peace…. Until someone commits a murder in her jurisdiction and that peace is shattered. With the sun about to set for six months, Stetko must catch the killer before he leaves the ice or be stuck there with him in the dark.

Click here to discuss Whiteout on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

The Chicago Tribune has reported that like its franchise predecessor, much of The Dark Knight will be shot in Chicago. Batman Begins locations included the Samuel Cole Building, the Alexander White Building and the Randolph and Lake Parking Garage.

“After Vince Vaughn and company wrap shooting of “Fred Claus” here on Friday, the city gets a break before Universal Pictures brings “The Express” to the Windy City in April for three months of filming. It’s the life story of Ernie Davis, the first black college football player to win the Heisman Trophy. Once The Express is done, Warner Brothers will be in Chicago for 13 weeks for its next “Batman” project, starring Christian Bale.”

The Dark Knight is scheduled for release July 18, 2008.

Click here to discuss The Dark Knight on the X-Boards.

Posted in Batman, Movies •

Director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) shared some details as to the status of some of his upcoming projects in a Q&A with Moviehole.

Aronofsky revealed that both Lone Wolf and Cub, based on a 1970’s manga comic about a shogun executioner gone assassin, and Black Flies, based on a coming of age book about a Harlem medical technician, are still in the writing stages. Filming on both is therefore still a while off. Talking about The Hunt, an unknown project he’s been linked to, he said: “The Hunt is a great action film in the spirit of Predator. It is being scripted by Lucas Sussman a college roommate of mine and the project is at Universal”. The entire Q&A, which also sees the director address the DVD of The Fountain and detail what his take of Batman would have been like, can be read here.

Click here to discuss this on the X-Boards.

Posted in Movies •

With Katie Holmes opting out of the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, Canadian Actress Rachel McAdams (The Wedding Crashers) is once again being attached to the project.

These rumors first began to circulate in December when Moviehole mentioned her name in conjunction with the next outing for the caped crusader. Now Batman-on-film is suggesting that she will replace Holmes in the role of Rachel Dawes, Assistant D.A. and Bruce Wayne’s love interest.

DarkHorizons reports that this time around the role “will be very small, amounting to a few scenes at most.” This looks to be third time lucky for McAdams who has been linked to both Iron Man and Superman Returns in the past.

Click here to discuss The Dark Knight on the X-Boards.

Posted in Batman, Movies •

The Screen Actors Guild has announced its winners, honouring the top acting performances of the year 2006.

Matching the outcome of the Golden Globe awards, Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Helen Mirren (The Queen) took home the Best Actor/Actress awards, and Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) the prizes in Supporting Actor/Actress categories. The main award for the Best Ensemble Cast surprisingly went to Little Miss Sunshine, over favourites The Departed and Babel. Variety believes this, together with the PGA award, puts the indie film in the forefront for the Best Picture Oscar.

Click here to discuss the SAG winners on the X-Boards.

Posted in Awards, Movies •