Tim Burton's last film as director, 2010's Alice in Wonderland, opened in 3D and IMAX 3D, going to gross over a billion dollars worldwide and becoming the ninth biggest global earner of all time (not adjusted for inflation).  This ensured that every subsequent Burton film at the studio would be released in 3D and IMAX 3D.  Though it doesn't have Johnny Depp or the fairy tale familiarity of that last movie, Burton's Frankenweenie will nonetheless be getting the blockbuster treatment, and as we all know, contemporary blockbusters need to be presented in the most spectacular fashion.

If you're a fan of Tim Burton's work, more specifically stuff like Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride, or Ed Wood as opposed to say, Alice in Wonderland or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then you're going to really like the newly released teaser trailer for Frankenweenie.  The second Burton-directed movie to hit theaters this year is a black and white stop motion animated feature looks like it's packed with the sort of elements that won Burton so many fans in the first place.  It's stylized, sweet, thoroughly morbid, and happily playful.  Oh and it has some nice Danny Elfman score, of course.

Today we have a teaser poster for Frankenweenie, the second of two 2012 movies directed by Tim Burton, both of which are derived from existing properties.  The first, this summer's Dark Shadows, is based on the 1967-1971 gothic soap opera created by Dan Curtis.  Interestingly, though, Frankenweenie is based on Burton's own 1984 short film, that one that, according to legend, got him fired from Disney.  Now that he's household name Tim Burton, however, Disney was happy to let him oversee a a feature length version of the story, which finds a suburban little boy bringing his beloved dog Sparky back from the dead. 

What with the presence of Johnny Depp and all, Dark Shadows is the 2012 Tim Burton film that's been hogging the attention as of late, but today Disney released the first official images from Frankenweenie, the director's feature-length stop-motion expansion on his 1984 short film of the same name.  These two stills introduce Sparky, a dog, and Bob, the suburban boy who uses science to play god and resurrect his beloved pet when Sparky dies unexpectedly.  Of course, this leads to all manner of complications.  For the first time since Ed Wood, Burton's doing an entire feature in black and white, and I'm sort of astonished Disney is allowing it.  The lack of color carries over from the original short, is inarguably stylish, and fits the tone of the material like a glove.

Ron Howard’s newest film, The Dilemma, tells the darkly comedic story of a man who finds out his best friend’s wife is having an affair and must deal with the repercussions.

Ronny (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Kevin James) are best friends who are completely honest with each other until Ronny finds that Nick’s wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder), is involved with an attractive young man named Zip (Channing Tatum). Ronny struggles with whether he should tell his oldest friend the truth. The problem is how honest should you be with someone you care about?

Darren Aronofsky has created what is one of the most haunting and terrifying films of the year. Taking the famed ballet, Swan Lake and turning into a living nightmare. At the same time, you could look at this as a coming of age drama, albeit one that is plenty dark. At times the director’s work here reminded me of David Lynch, he too offers such great beauty that can be peeled away. The music, the dance and the glorious glimpse inside the art of ballet make for a thrilling motion picture. Several times I had to stop myself from saying out loud, “Holy f*ck!” While this is certainly more traditional in narrative than say every single Lynch film, it has the raw power and intensity of something like Blue Velvet.

As beautiful as the dancing is, we also get an unnerving and painful look at the hell one goes through for their art. When Nina Sayers (a fantastic Natalie Portman) rehearses her turns, we see how damned impressive her balance is. We also hear the cracking and bending of her toe supporting her entire body. And it is near maddeningly painful! This moment of dance becomes a frighteningly intense visual as you wonder how much pressure her foot can take before she breaks it in half. A whole new respect is born for ballet dancers after witnessing Black Swan.

In Ron Howard’s latest The Dilemma, Vince Vaughn and Kevin James play best friends who would do anything to help each other out. That is until Vince realizes that Kevin’s lovely wife (played by Winona Ryder) is cheating on him.

Thus, he finds himself between a rock and a hard place. Should he tell his lifelong buddy about the love of his life and her cheating heart? Of course, in the world of “bromance”, there is bound to be confusion, miscommunication and painful pee.

Still nearly a full two years away from release, Tim Burton’s full length 3D stop-motion animation picture Frankenweenie (which is an adaptation of his 1984 short) has got quite the cast attached. The film, which tells the tale of a man who reanimates his deceased dog will feature the voice work of Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and Martin Landau. Also fixed to the project is screenwriter John August, who’s collaborated with Burton on three separate occasions in the past (Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish).

Fox Searchlight has released the first teaser trailer for Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. Check it out and let us know what you think...

Synopsis: BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Because of 2008's critically acclaimed film, The Wrestler, hopes are astoundingly high for Darren Aronofsky's next pic, Black Swan. Now, with the release of several stills and news that Swan will premiere at the Venice Film Festival, buzz has grown enormously.

Swan stars Natalie Portman "as Nina, a featured dancer who finds herself locked in a web of competitive intrigue with a new rival at the company (Mila Kunis). Black Swan takes a thrilling and at times terrifying journey through the psyche of a young ballerina whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect."

Will Swan be as well received in Venice as the Golden Lion-winning Wrestler was? I have a sneaking suspicion that much of The Wrestler's success came from Mickey Rourke's impressive comeback rather than the artistic merits of the film itself. Not to say that the daring Aronofsky doesn't deserve the attention, but without starring a self-destructive has-been, can Swan be as impressive as his last?