Cinematical

We all know 007 hops continents with ease... so where is he finding action these days? Antofagasta, Chile, home to the driest desert in all the world. Moviefone sent a spy down to set of the new Bond flick Quantum of Solace (OK, fine, we were invited by Sony Pictures) to dig up dirt from Daniel Craig and company. You can find a full report from the set of Solace Tuesday on Moviefone.com -- including rumors confirmed and debunked, and a full Q&A with Craig -- but here are a couple nuggets to whet your appetite.

--Why Chile? Antofagasta is home to the headquarters of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which stands as the lair of Bond's latest adversary, Dominic Green (Diving Bell and the Butterfly star Mathieu Amalric). But even the ESO's funky digs (a domed, modern building which will, thanks to special effects, be blown up in the finished film) take second billing to the gritty landscape. "I think what attracted us is the beautiful landscape, which contrasts with all the other landscapes in the film," producer Michael G. Wilson told our reporter. "It reflects Bond's inner feelings."

It's Insert Caption craziness this week on Cinematical. On Monday, we posted not one but two photos, doubling your pleasure with hotties Halle Berry and Frances McDormand (yeah I said it) modeling MGM's summer and winter lines. At stake: Four boxed sets for four lucky winners. Congrats to our victors below, and special shout out to William G. for entering a single caption that applied to both photos, you're our Mickey Rourke Rebel of the Week.

1. "No I can't stir them; I can only shake them." -- Kurt M.

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1. "I got his keys! His wife and kids are about to get Punk'd!" -- Max R.

2. "Duck...Duck....Duck...GOOSE!
-- Adi B.

3. "Hurry up with that coffee. And bring some of those donuts! I think somebody slipped Ed here some decaf, but yah, we're not too late he's still breathin." -- Chaz K.

This week we're giving away more lavish prizes, with a photo from the indie sleeper Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, starring Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and an incredibly cute monkey. Our grand prize winner will take home the DVD (available on Dec. 4), plus all sorts of amazing Pirates goodies (a Gentle Giant Jack Sparrow Animated Maquette, Gentle Giant Elizabeth Swann Animated Maquette, Flying Dutchman Dual Deck playset and more) that totals up to almost $600. Our first runner up gets a DVD, a Barbossa porcelain structure and Pirates action figures, while our third-place winner gets the DVD. Got that? Good.

On a personal note -- this will be my last week posting Insert Caption contests as increasing responsibilities on the Moviefone side will limit my blogging action, so I'll be passing the caption-master torch to Erik Davis. But thanks for playing along with me! We'll always have India. And Finland. And Mr. Woodcock hats.

Read the official rules for this contest

Thanks to all who entered our Fred Claus contest for a chance to win a trip for four to Finland. As much as we'd like to send you all to Finland (OK, we're just saying that, almost all of you), we could only choose one winner, selected through a careful democratic process (similar to the Electoral College but simpler and logical). Congratulations to our winner below. Say hello to lovely head of state (and Conan O'Brien look-alike) Tarja Halonen for us. And like we told we told our India winner, though you are in no way legally (or morally) obligated, an exotic magnet is always nice. Or maybe even a snow globe.

Grand Prize Winner:

1. "Vince wished he had heeded Dorothy's warnings. He was quickly learning why nobody screws with the Lollipop Guild." -- Anthony G.

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To make up for our inability to send almost all of you to Finland, we return this week with two amazing prizes to dole out. The first is one copy of the James Bond Ultimate Collector's Set, which includes every single Bond title on DVD. That's like a five-night, six-day trip around the world all in one beautifully packaged box, and without the threat of double-crosses or parasites. See the pic from Die Another Day after the jump.

Also, in honor of their new film No Country for Old Men, we're giving away three copies of the Coen Brothers Movie Collection, which includes Fargo, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, Blood Simple and Barton Fink. See the pic from Fargo after the jump, and get bonus points if it's funnier when read in a thick Midwestern accent. Feel free to submit a caption for each photo in a single comment. It will help if you specify which caption is for which photo (especially if you choose to only enter one of these contests), though hopefully we'll be able to figure that out. Winners will be announced Friday. Good luck!

Ocean's Thirteen
George Clooney and pals caught a lot of flack for faltering (somewhat) in the second installment of this crime caper trilogy. Critics berated Hollywood's finest for enjoying themselves off set so pointedly you'd think dead hookers were popping up left and right. Excuse the guy if he needs a break from trying to save Darfur and prepping pensive, top-notch fare like Syriana, Good Night, And Good Luck, Michael Clayton and so on. And for all its faults (I'm looking at you, Julia Roberts cameo), Twelve was still as entertaining as a popcorn movie needs to be. There seemed to be a "you owe us" attitude among some critics, and Thirteen for the most part put the carping to rest. Its biggest strength? It becomes personal for Ocean's crew, once Reuben (Elliott Gould) is royally screwed over (nearly keeling over as a result) by Al Pacino's SOB casino mogul. Not only is our faith fully restored in Ocean et al here, but suddenly we're rooting for them harder than ever. As nice as it is to see Pacino hooting and hollering again (mostly hollering), the real treat in terms of new blood is Ellen Barkin as his empowered assistant/ the "cougar" Linus (Matt Damon) attempts to seduce in the movie's funniest sequence. Who'd think Barkin could be still be so sexy 16 years after Switch?

Shrek the Third
Speaking of critical lashings, Shrek's third outing was a popular target for ire this past summer. Not so much in terms of popular opinion, though. Mylesomaticx, for one, declared it "THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE" in his/her user review on Moviefone. Whoa there, Mylesomaticx. I'll play the diplomat and say it falls somewhere smack dab in the middle of the critiques of the Rotten Tomatoes majority ("flat and pointless," says one) and the Caps Locked Mylesomaticx. I didn't find Shrek the Third any less enjoyable than Shrek 2 (which got glorious reviews), that's for sure. There are more storylines here (they could've done without those creepy dronkeys) and the humor, seemingly skewed even further for adults, is still funnier and smarter than the vast majority of animated rip-offs we see nowadays. The suddenly ubiquitous actor Justin Timberlake (when in the world does he find time to practice the Moonwalk?) joins the fun as Artie, the rightful heir to the throne of Far Far Away, and is surprisingly adept at voicing a whiny teen. But Mike Myers needs to hurry up and play someone/something else. Is it just me or is he becoming increasingly interchangeable with the character Shrek? Luckily, The Love Guru, his first non-Shrek film in five years, opens next June. JT co-stars.

Ratatouille
Really, what else is there to say about the omnipotence of Pixar? How about this: They're robots from outer-space that have concocted a flawless entertainment formula (typically blending visual mastery, imaginative storytelling, witty humor and John Ratzenberger) that wins over critics and normal human beings alike time and again (even if Cars showed a few slight glitches in the matrix). What's scary is that Ratatouille is one of their best films yet, easily among their top three. What's even scarier is that they appear to challenging themselves, "What can't we make audiences fall in love with? How about a rat who cooks?!" Well, turns out Remy (Patton Oswald) is the most lovable rodent since Splinter, and has surely given his species a fighting chance to coexist more fruitfully with future generations of humanoids. Just think how many kids pleaded for pet rats after this one (hey, hamsters are close). Young buck Peter O'Toole continues chewing up the scenery as a stuffy food critic (Pixar's revenge for the staggering 24% percent of critics on Rottentomatoes who didn't deem Cars fresh pickings?), while Lou Romano marks the studio's latest in-house talent to thrive as the voice of Remy's man-pal Linguini. You have eight months to enjoy repeated viewings of Ratatouille on DVD before Pixar's next film drops: It's called Wall-E, and it's about -- get this -- robots in outer-space.
Read Erik's full DVD review | Go inside the Ratatouille DVD at Pixar

Ladies and gents, boys and girls (of at least 18 years of age)... it seems like just 13 days ago we were announcing the winner of a trip for two to India for our Darjeeling Limited contest. And we quite enjoyed it. So here we go again: Welcome to another International Edition of Insert Caption. This time we're sending the writer of our favorite caption for the photo below from the new holiday comedy Fred Claus on a trip for four from New York to Finland, courtesy of our friends at Warner Bros. and the Finnish Tourist Board.

As you probably know, the great country of Finland is home to Nokia, the Savonlinna Opera Festival and Renny Harlin. It's also home to Santa Claus (played in the film by Paul Giamatti; Vince Vaughn is his black-sheep brother) and Santa's Village, where the winner of our trip will get to tour during a six-day, five-night stay. While in all likelihood Paul Giamatti will not be there to greet you, Santa will be, and perhaps you'll even be able to whisper a wish into his ear. So give us the funniest, most clever, jolliest caption you've got. The winner will be announced at the launch of our next contest, Wednesday, November 21 @ 4 PM EST Monday, November 26 @ 6 PM EST. Just bookmark this link and come on back. Good luck!

Read the official rules for this contest

Winners from last week's 28 Weeks Later contest:

1. "Oh my God, the dining room window faces New Jersey!"
-- Matthew B.

2. "Catherine knew she would have a small part in this film, but making sure wall didn't fall over wasn't in her job description." -- Joshua B.

3. "Still struggling in her Mime classes, Jill resorts to practicing on a window." -- Anthony G.

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Spider-Man 3
The many flaws of Spider-Man 3 have been well-documented: The elevated cheese factor, the overabundance of baddies, that absurd 10-minute stretch of song, dance and unsightliness where it suddenly feels like we're watching some strange mash-up of Willard vs. The Mask... But it's not like this is a bad movie. Underwhelming compared to its pair of astonishing predecessors? Sure, but still entertaining enough for a Sunday afternoon slouchfest. Yes, a movie that costs $250 million (or more?) should make our eyes pop and our remaining senses tingle (and possibly even leave us a craving a cigarette and a shower afterward), and Spidey 3 has moments of such bliss. Its single biggest flaw is that when it needs to get really dark, it gets really hokey -- perhaps catering to a younger audience, but losing a whole lot of credibility in the process.

Talk to Me
About a month back we ran a feature speculating (guestimating, too) over early Oscar contenders, and a few of our readers astutely inquired, "Where the f*** is Don Cheadle?" Our bad. Cheadle does indeed deserve to be part of the discussion in the Best Actor race, as crowded a field as it looks this year. Shoot, even Cate Blanchett wants in. Cheadle begins chewing the scenery faster than you can say Chiwetel Ejiofor as Civil Rights-era radio talk show host Ralph "Petey" Greene in this honest and engaging portrayal. Also thoroughly impressive -- and who I wish would also get mentioned in awards chatter -- is Taraji P. Henson. The Hustle & Flow breakout has a vibrancy about her to match Cheadle at every turn, AND she's got a killer Afro to boot. Though unexpectedly conventional at times, the film is a rare treat for folks who appreciate thoughtful yet feel-good, socially relevant entertainment.

The Comebacks may not have exactly wreaked havoc at the box office like those immigrant vampires trying to take all the good blood in 30 Days of Night, but at least it inspired a fair amount of caption comedy for last week's contest. That should put a few studio execs at ease (is laughter not the best medicine for the absence of laughter?). And as much as we wanted to give away a romantic getaway with David Koechner, we're hoping a tee-shirt, Frisbee, cup (again, to sip from, not put the junk in) and more goodies from the movie will suffice for our three winners below.

1. "This was the moment Carl remembered why he and David aren't friends anymore." -- Eric W.

2. "Don't worry, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night."
-- Joel C.

3. "Okay, coach, but I better make first string this year."
-- Wayne A.

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This week we're in Halloween mode with a pic from the sprinting zombie sequel 28 Weeks Later, which released on DVD earlier this month. Writers of our three favorite captions will win the DVD and a signed poster from the movie. Don't worry, it's not signed in blood. Good luck, and a heads up: We have another MASSIVE giveaway launching next week that involves foreign travel and free-ness. Sadly, no David Koechner, however. Look for the big announcement next Thursday, November 1 at 4 PM EST.

UPDATE: WINNERS ANNOUNCED! Click Here

"Oh yes there will be blood," and considering the annual profits being raked in by the Saw series, there might very well be blood every October for the rest of time. Regardless of your feelings toward them, there's no denying these folks have gotten the formula down cold for budget filmmaking that yields fattening returns. Of course it helps that the movies are mostly starless (no offense, Donnie Wahlberg), with the sole exception of Tobin Bell, a character actor who's appeared on roughly 40 percent of all the world's television shows and has become famous as the face of the franchise. It's no wonder that his character Jigsaw, the diabolical madman who teaches people how to appreciate life just in time for them to die, is back for Saw IV despite meeting a grisly end in the last chapter. We visited with Bell in his lair (OK, hotel suite), where he told us about interactions with fans and the time he read his young son the Saw script as a bedtime story. Well, sort of.

Cinematical: Do you get recognized much for your playing Jigsaw?

Tobin Bell: Oh yeah sure. But you know, I'm always amazed... I took my 11-year-old to an oceanography camp and these girls came over to me, and my son was like "Oh here we go, Dad," because they had been looking. They were like, "You're the guy, aren't you?" And I said, "Well, maybe." They said, "He is, he's the guy on Charmed!" They were like 13, and Charmed was their favorite show and I did one episode of Charmed as this blind guy. Sometimes people will say "You're the guy on Stargate." Or, "I loved you on Seinfeld." So I get recognized depending on where I am. Saw is a particularly popular film with 14-30 year olds, so I'll be at a playground and meet six or 10 skateboarders who just wanna talk about Saw. They don't want to talk about Seinfeld but they are just very excited about Saw. I'm always psyched about that because seeing something that engenders as much enthusiasm amongst young people as Saw does is a very interesting experience.

Cinematical: What do you think drives that fascination with 'Saw'?

TB: I remember meeting a girl in New York some years ago and she went to horror films all the time. She was very reserved, very presentable, a personal assistant type, extremely articulate, very well educated. She went to horror films and I asked her, "Why do you go to horror films?" Because I never personally was drawn to being frightened in the theater. She said it's because it's such a visceral experience. It's not something you can intellectualize. You can't control it. So she liked that. That always stuck with me. When I sit in the theaters and watch the Saw films and watch the audiences' reaction, it's true. You can't control what your body does. Like the last moment of Saw 1 when I get up off the floor, it induced this sort of universal reaction that people had to this moment. It was like "Ahh!," and their little asses came right off their seats in that moment. Their bodies would rise out of the chair. And there are other moments like that.