Arrested Development returns this Sunday for a fourth season after a seven-year absence.  Ever since the announcement of season four (and a possible movie), I’ve felt a mix of excitement and anxiety.  Season 3 ends on a great note.  It brings the series full-circle, and has Michael (Jason Bateman) realizing that there’s really no saving his family, and it’s time to start the Bluth legacy anew with the timid but good-hearted George Michael (Michael Cera).  Will Season 4 find a way to reopen this story?  Will it find a way to at least meet the thematic strength of the final episode?  And most importantly, will it possess the same qualities that made the show such a hit?  We know these characters, and we can all quote our favorite lines, but Arrested Development is so much more.

Hit the jump for six things we might expect from the upcoming season of Arrested Development, which will air all 15 episodes at once on Netflix starting at midnight on Sunday.

Hey, remember when Patton Oswalt did a guest spot on NBC’s Parks and Recreation and did an eight-minute filibuster on his pitch for Star Wars: Episode VII?  Well, it took the internets about a month to do it, but that dream is now a reality.  Animated by Isaac Moores, the eight-minute video features your favorite Star Wars characters reimagined for a contemporary audience and quite a few crossovers from the Marvel realm (now that both are owned by Disney).  If you haven’t heard Oswalt’s original speech, I won’t ruin the surprises for you here.  Hit the jump to check the short out instead.

Continuing our coverage of excellent novels that have somehow been overlooked for Hollywood feature adaptations, today we’ll visit the first book in a Gothic urban fantasy trilogy.  Before you scoff, this isn’t another “young teen girl is revealed to have supernatural abilities but is torn between two equally-attractive and powerful guys.”  This story pits assassins against heathens and angels against gods, all taking place in a city of chains suspended over a bottomless abyss. That’s something you don’t see every day.  Want to know more?  Then hit the jump! Hollywood! Adapt this: Alan Campbell’s Scar Night.

As someone whose only firsthand experience with the Star Trek franchise comes by virtue of J.J. Abrams‘ two Trek films, I know I’m in over my head when the topic presents itself. When you mention Trek, you’re referencing (either directly or indirectly) a rich legacy filled with peaks and valleys, genre-defining characters and moments, and an international fanbase that rivals any of pop-culture’s most enduring titles. And yet here I am, with two films under my belt (both of which I enjoyed), talking about it. Obviously, I have nothing at stake with regards to Star Trek Into Darkness. Whether you like it or dislike it is of no consequence to me. My only aim today is to extend a humble word of caution to the Trek fans who have years of equity built-up in their beloved franchise: be careful not to dismiss or begrudge it solely because it’s trying to appeal to the largest possible audience. Abrams’ Trek films aren’t above reproach, but they also aren’t void of redeeming qualities. Try to at least acknowledge some of those qualities when tearing into them or risk coming off as someone whose real issue is that a bunch of people now enjoy this thing that you once considered yourself unique for liking.

All preachiness aside, this week’s Top 5 includes several interviews from Star Trek Into Darkness, rumors surrounding Christopher Nolan being approached to direct James Bond 24, the first trailers for Marvel’s new ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a new trailer for Guillermo Del Toro‘s Pacific Rim, and new photos and a video from the set of director Jose Padilha‘s RoboCop remake. If I haven’t lost you yet, a brief recap and link to each of the above can be found after the jump.

Last night I turned to Xbox Live to check out Shane Carruth‘s Upstream Color for the first time. While not quite as impenetrable after one viewing as its predecessor, 2004′s Primer, Upstream still demands the utmost attention of its viewers in exchange for the slightest hint of clarity. The dialogue is sparse, the setting is ever-changing, the editing is heavily dependent on juxtaposition as a way of creating meaning, and the sound design/foley work is turned up to “11″ at times. Whereas Primer played more to the intellect behind making time travel a reality, Upstream is an extremely visceral experience that is more interested, or at least more successful, in eliciting an emotional response than explaining how a rare organism can be harvested, used as a method of mind control, and ultimately link humans to pigs. The exact degree to which it succeeds will vary from viewer to viewer but it’s ultimately an experience I recommend taking in.

Of course a movie like Upstream lends itself to more than a few lines of my humble analysis, but that’s not actually why we’re here. In this week’s Top 5 you can check out the first trailer and poster for Alfonso Cuaron‘s Gravity, a generous number of set pics from director Jonathan Liebesman‘s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot, Steve’s exclusive phone interview with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, the first trailer for Ender’s Game, and a look at Iron Man by the Numbers. A brief recap and link to each will greet you after the jump.

A new Between Two Ferns is always cause for celebration, and this latest installment is among the best.  It begins like most Between Two Ferns: Zach Galifianakis makes deadpan insults towards his guest (in this case James Franco), but then it turns into the music video for the new Lonely Island single, “Spring Break Anthem”, which is appropriately in the style of Spring Breakers but also supports gay marriage.  And because The Lonely Island–which is comprised of Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg–likes to embrace the random, Edward Norton co-stars in this excellent sketch/music video.

Hit the jump to check out the music video.  The Lonely Island’s new album, The Wack Album, will be released on June 11th.

In today’s installment of our continuing series, Hollywood! Adapt This, we’ll talk about a trilogy of novels that has somehow managed to avoid even a conversation about possible film adaptation.  The author behind the books, Joe Abercrombie, has stated that he’d be more than happy to see his fantasy novels turned into a film but “no one seems to be listening.”  As a fan of the first trilogy and beyond, I’m frankly amazed that no producer has stumbled across them, especially considering how visually rich and cinematic the scenes are.  With the exception of HBO’s Game of Thrones, there’s a real dearth of original fantasy projects in TV and films these days, having been shoved aside by sci-fi and superheroes.  Hit the jump to see how Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself could carve out a place.  Hollywood! Adapt this: The First Law Trilogy.

Marvel makes it look easy. That’s what kept running through my head while watching Iron Man 3 Thursday night. Pumping out one solid standalone film after another with the overall goal of creating a whole that is equally, if not more, entertaining than its formidable parts can’t be that easy. And yet, Marvel makes it seem that way. In a medium outside of their native reach no less. Granted, Iron Man 3 isn’t without its flaws. But it doesn’t have to be. It succeeds on the exact level it’s meant to: in moving both the individual character and universal stories ahead in an entertaining and logical way. If “Marvel makes it looks easy” was my primary takeaway from IM3, “DC has their work cut out for them” isn’t far behind.

But enough Marvel love for one opening paragraph. In this week’s Top 5 we’ve got Iron Man 3 interviews with director Shane Black and more, a video blog review for Star Trek Into Darkness, the Pacific Rim trailer from WonderCon, Fox’s courting of Michael B. Jordan the the role of Human Torch in its upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, and the new trailer for Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx‘s White House Down. A brief recap and link to each is a “Continue Reading” click away.

Blockbusters dominate the summer movie season, and some will definitely be worth your time.  You’ll pre-order your ticket, get together with friends for the earliest possible screening, and probably have a grand time.  But there are some smaller films this summer that shouldn’t escape your attention.  I’ve compiled a list of ten worthwhile indie films I saw at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and SXSW 2013.  The list includes coming of age comedies, moving romances, brutal dramas, and more.  There are other smaller films this summer that might be worth a look such as The Bling Ring and Blue Jasmine, but I haven’t seen them yet.  I can vouch for these ten.  Hit the jump for the list.

In adaptation-related news this week, we learned that director Takashi Shimizu will be at the helm for a live-action feature of Kiki’s Delivery Service and that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot was bidding on the TV rights to Stephen King’s time-traveling alt-history tome, 11/22/63.  Today’s installment of Hollywood! Adapt This features another revisionist history  that isn’t contained in just one volume, but rather spread out over twenty-some issues.  This sci-fi superhero anthology series dates back to 1987 and continues still today with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin acting as contributor and editor.  What’s it all about?  Hit the jump to find out.  Hollywood! Adapt this: Wild Cards. 

Last night I had the opportunity to check out a late showing of Pain & Gain during which I encountered a few thoughts that I couldn’t shake: 1) I wish Michael Bay would make more films like this and less of the transforming car variety. 2) Why can’t Dwayne Johnson be in every movie? 3) This is probably the craziest “Based on a True Story” movie I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard Bay say that some of the most extreme elements of the plot are also the most true to the original story. This is good to know because had someone written a lot of what shows up in the film I would likely call it too farfetched for my suspended disbelief to withstand. Make no mistake, this is a wild, entertaining ride that utilizes layers of action, crime, comedy, sex, and even a touch of sadism to keep you invested from beginning to end.

My mini-review aside, this week’s Top 5 includes the first trailer for Thor: The Dark World, Pain & Gain interviews with Michael Bay, Mark Wahlberg, and more, a recap of our visit to Pixar for Monsters University, news that Zack Snyder could take the helm of Justice League pending Man of Steel‘s success, and the first entry in a new interview series from Steve: “Breaking Down the Movie” with The Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance. As is customary, a brief recap and link to each of the above is ready and waiting after the jump.

Earlier this week you may have read the announcement that Universal is developing a remake of Weird Science.  That particular project never crossed my mind for Hollywood! Adapt This, but it actually has a sliver of commonality with today’s installment.  While not exactly a household name, author Paolo Bacigalupi has quickly risen through the ranks of respectable sci-fi writers and, like all good sci-fi, his stories are both visually striking and contextually relevant to contemporary issues.  Set in 23rd century Thailand, Bacigalupi’s award-winning debut novel takes place in a world drastically altered by global warming, devoid of most fossil fuels and ravaged by worldwide failures of genetically-modified crops.  Sound familiar?  Hit the jump for more.  Hollywood! Adapt this: The Windup Girl.

Last weekend I finally had the chance to check out director Rodney Ascher‘s The Shining analysis doc Room 237 on Xbox Live. The film garnered a rave review from Matt when he screened it at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and for the most part I share his enthusiasm for the pic.  On one hand, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I admire it for that exact reason. The extensive scenic analysis Room 237 employs, the hypnotic score, and its refusal to show the faces of those presenting their theories makes it an absolutely captivating ride that never lets you come up for air. On the other hand, I now have to live the rest of my life looking for Stanley Kubrick‘s airbrushed face in the clouds during The Shining‘s opening scene. And when/if I ever find it, what am I supposed to do with that information? Sigh.

I could go on about the film’s individual parts, but suffice to say that I consider it required viewing for anyone with even a fleeting interest in film analysis, Kubrick, and/or The Shining. And with that I’ll move on to the reason we’re all here. In this week’s Top 5 you’ll have the pleasure of checking out a stellar new trailer and a slew of other assets from Man of Steel, our set visit recap for The Hangover Part III, the first trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, more set visit goodness for Now You See Me, and all of our CinemaCon 2013 coverage. The “Continue Reading” button below is your ticket to a brief recap and link to each of the above.

In addition to giving a moving response to the Boston Marathon tragedy, Patton Oswalt has been using his status as Lord High Geek to star in some amazing comedy videos this week.  The first is a bit from College Humor where he plays the Penguin in the site’s ongoing mockery of Batman, “Badman”.  In the sketch, Batman fails to understand the difference between death and being asleep.

The other video is a deleted scene from Parks and Recreation where he plays a citizen doing a filibuster by creating possibly the nerdiest fan-fiction crossover ever between Star Wars: Episode VII and The Avengers 2 while also bringing in the rest of the Marvel Universe, licensing rights be damned.  Eventually it just becomes geeky white noise where I stopped following the plot and just heard bits like “Lando Calrissian, Princess Leia, Han Solo love triangle”, “Robot Chewbacca”, and “Time Ribbon”.  I imagine that Oswalt wrote/riffed the uncut 8-minute scene, but since Parks has such amazing writers, I could believe they had input as well.  Hit the jump for comic greatness.

Today’s installment of Hollywood! Adapt This is all about fun and games.  One of the best parts of growing up in the 80s and 90s was the wealth of game shows on TV that were aimed at kids.  The shows were exciting, energetic and often even informative as they combined contests of physical activity with brain teasers and trivia challenges.  While there were plenty of game shows to choose from for possible reboots or adaptations into other another medium, only one stands out from the pack…mostly because it featured a giant talking carved stone head.  Hit the jump to get reacquainted with Olmec.  Hollywood!  Adapt this: Legends of the Hidden Temple.