Warner Bros. has released the first full-length trailer for director James Wan’s (Saw, Insidious) upcoming horror film The Conjuring.  The first trailer for the film was a genuinely terrifying clip that showcased the kinds of scares Wan has crafted for this latest horror pic, and this new full trailer is no less terrifying.  The film is based on the story of the Perron family who inhabited a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s.  Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston play the Perrons, and Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play a husband and wife team of psychic investigators who encounter the most horrifying case of their career.  Wan recently told the audience at WonderCon that the film received an R-rating simply for being “too scary,” and I’m now fairly certain that I’ll be watching this one through covered eyes this summer.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer, click here to read Dave’s recap of the film’s WonderCon panel, and click here to read our interview with Wan.  The pic also stars Joey King and Mackenzie Foy.  The Conjuring opens on July 19th.

The first trailer for director Roland Emmerich’s presidential thriller White House Down has been released.  While the trailer (and plot) have lots of elements in common with Antoine Fuqua’s Olympus Has Fallen, our first introduction to White House Down comes through the lens of various news outlets reporting an attack on Washington, D.C. rather than centering on the heroic lead; we don’t even seen Channing Tatum until about half-way through.  Emmerich’s usual flare for the dramatic is evident, but then he goes and does something interesting by allowing silence to fill a good portion of the trailer.  It also looks like the danger will come not from an outside enemy, but from within.  There are moments that appear to be more Die Hard in nature (and a few glimpses that could be considered spoilers), but there’s just enough here to warrant some interest even after a movie with the exact same plot was just released.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Woods, Richard Jenkins, Jason Clarke, Jake Weber, Lance Reddick and Joey King.  White House Down opens on June 28th, 2013.

We can find truth in deception.  We find the deeper truth beneath the artifice.  Sam Raimi‘s Oz the Great and Powerful makes no secrets of its deception, and shows how deception can be used for good or evil.  We just don’t call it deception when it’s used for good.  Then it’s an illusion, not a trick.* Oz creates a beautiful illusion that we can get lost in not because of the visual effects wizardry or the size of the canvas, but because of the honesty of the characters and Raimi staying true to his oddball style.

Two new clips and 13 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage have been released from Sam Raimi‘s Oz the Great and Powerful.  The film centers on a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics (James Franco) who finds himself transported to Oz and drawn into a battle between the three witches Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams).  We previously saw a clip showcasing the conflict between Theodora and Evanora, as well as Oz and his cohorts “traveling by bubble”, which should be impressive on the big screen in 3D.  The new clips showcase the film’s attempt at comedy by showing Oz’s frustration with his traveling companions, Finley (voiced by Zach Braff) and China Girl (voiced by Joey King).

Hit the jump to check out the previously released clips and the new ones as well as the behind-the-scenes footage.  Also, click on the respective links for Steve’s set visit: 30 things to know about the film plus a video blog, and his interviews with Sam Raimi, James Franco, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, and Joey King.  Oz the Great and Powerful opens March 8th.

Warner Bros. has released the incredibly creepy first trailer and poster for director James Wan’s (Insidious, Saw) horror film The Conjuring.  The pic is based on the story of the Perron family who inhabited a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s.  Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston play the Perrons, and Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play a husband and wife team of psychic investigators who encounter the most horrifying case of their career.  The film’s release date was moved into the middle of the summer after some through-the-roof test screening responses, and from this trailer I can most certainly see why.  Horror films rarely frighten me, but I found this incredibly well-cut trailer to be extremely effective and just a little bit terrifying.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster, and click here to read Matt’s positive recap of the film’s New York Comic-Con panel.  The film also stars Joey King, Mackenzie Foy, and Shanley Caswell.  The Conjuring opens on July 19th.

Prior to last Sunday, Zero Dark Thirty was my favorite pic of 2012 by a considerable margin. However, after my matinee viewing of Silver Linings Playbook, that margin has been replaced with a draw. Whereas Zero provided me with a tension that left me on the verge of breathless at moments, Playbook‘s spectacular performances and head-on portrayal of mental illness and our ability to help each other cope/prevail proved not only hugely entertaining but also quite cathartic.

My 2012 movie scorecard aside, this week’s Top 5 includes our set visit coverage of Oz the Great and Powerful, Duncan Jones being tapped to helm the World of Warcraft movie, more visit coverage from the set of Jack the Giant Slayer, a slew of news from X-Men: Days of Future Past, and a Sundance 2013 wrap-up. A brief recap and link to each of the above is promised after the jump.

While Joey King has a huge part in Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, you’re only going to see her on screen in the beginning of the film.  King explains:

 “I play two characters.  When Oz in Kansas, I play a little wheelchair girl. I meet Oz while he’s doing a magic show. She asks him a favor that he can’t return, really. Then I play China Girl, which is my main role. I play a little two-foot tall girl. She’s really cute. She’s really sassy. Oz just kind of takes her in and becomes an adopted father to her.”

As I said in my set report, to make China Girl feel real while filming, King would be in a voice booth off set while Phillip Huber did on set puppetry with a custom made maquette.  Whoever was acting with China Girl would see the maquette but would hear King in an earpiece.  In post production, the maquette will be digitally removed and an all CGI creation will be added in.  While it’s a ton of work, I think this will make the performances look and feel authentic.   Hit the jump for more.

The first bits of footage from Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful have gone online.  The behind-the-scenes video features a great look at costumes used in the film for a number of characters, including Theodora (Mila Kunis) and Oz himself (James Franco).  Franco and Kunis also talk at length about their characters and the world they live in, along with a comparison of the similarities and differences to the beloved film, The Wizard of Oz.  They also comment on being fans of the L. Frank Baum source novels and reflect on memories of the original film they viewed as kids.  Hit the jump to check out the footage and a few screencaps highlighting the costume design.

McKenzie Foy and Joey King are in talks to star opposite Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lilli Taylor, and Ron Livingston in New Line’s horror feature The Warren Files, formerly known as The Conjuring.  The script by Chad and Carey Hayes is based on the story of the Perron family who inhabited a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s.  Taylor and Livingston are the Perrons.  Farmiga and Wilson will play Ed and Lorraine Warren, a husband and wife team of psychic investigators.  According to Variety, director James Wan (Insidious) will start shooting in North Carolina later this month.

Foy is most known for her role as Renesmee in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, with Part 2 on the way in November 2012.  King is the utterly charming star of 2010′s Ramona and Beezus who will next be seen as Young Talia Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises on July 20.  Hit the jump for more on the real life tale that inspired the project.

We’ve got a few casting stories for you tonight. First up, Jamie Chung has joined Rob Lowe in the dark political flick Knife Fight, with Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Jennifer Morrison, Rebecca Mader and Titus Welliver all in talks to join the cast. And yes, that’s three actors from Lost in one movie (Bowen, Mader and Welliver). Lowe plays a political crisis specialist who plays hard and tough in dealing with various October campaign surprises.

Variety reports that Chung will play his assistant, Bowen plays an ambitious TV reporter sleeping with Lowe’s character for scoops, Britton plays an earthy liberal eyeing a run for public office, Welliver plays a private investigator working for Lowe, Mader plays a masseuse/prostitute with a penchant for blackmail and Morrison plays one of her classmates. Bill Guttentag is directing, with production set to start next month with an eye towards an October 2012 release date, just in time for election season. Hit the jump for news on the casting of Joey King as China Girl in Sam Raimi’s Oz, The Great and Powerful and Katrina Bowden in American Reunion.

Warner Bros. has released the first image from director’s Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris) Crazy, Stupid, Love which features Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Jonah Bobo John Carroll Lynch, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Analeigh Tipton, Josh Groban, Liza Lapira, and Joey King.  The premise is Steve Carell has been living the dream life (good job, nice house, great kids) when he finds out his wife wants a divorce.  Since he’s been out of the dating scene for decades, he starts spending his time with a thirty something player (Ryan Gosling) and he becomes his wingman and protege.  As you might imagine, comedy ensues.

While many of you missed I Love You Phillip Morris, it’s a gem that deserves your time.  In addition, Ficarra and Requa wrote Bad Santa, so anyone thinking Crazy, Stupid, Love might be a cookie cutter Hollywood release, I think it’s safe to assume it won’t be.  Personally, I can’t wait to check this out.  I’d imagine a trailer will hit soon. Until then, hit the jump for the full synopsis and the image.

Columbia Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for director Jonathan Liebesman’s alien invasion film Battle: Los Angeles and it’s fraking awesome.  I absolutely love the way this teaser has been cut, and wait till you hear the song it’s cut to.  Note to other studios, this is how you sell a movie in a teaser trailer.

If you’re not familiar with Battle: L.A., it stars Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), Michelle Rodriguez (Machete), Michael Peña (Eastbound & Down), Joey King (Ramona and Beezus), and Bridget Moynahan (Blue Bloods) star.

Check out the teaser trailer after the jump and tell me you’re not excited.