Blog Posts by Matt McDaniel

(Photo: Paramount Pictures/Columbia Pictures/20th Century Fox/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Last summer we saw some massive hits and more than a few high-profile bombs, resulting in a box office total that trailed behind the seasonal record set in 2011. This year we've got a new crop of superhero flicks, long-awaited sequels, and animated family films, without a single big-budget adaptation of a board game in the bunch (yes, we're still not over 'Battleship').

Helen Mirren in 'RED 2' (Photo: Summit Entertainment)

Helen Mirren has traded in Queen Elizabeth's pearls and corgis for camouflage and a sniper rifle. And according to her director, Dean Parisot, "She actually loves being sort of her own version of an action hero."

Parisot previously directed the now classic sci-fi action comedy "Galaxy Quest," and he gets to show the world just how bad Dame Helen can be in his new film, "RED 2." And to hear him tell it, the esteemed 67-year-old Academy Award-winning actress was fully committed to causing mayhem.

"She actually would train with all the weapons so that she was sure to look incredibly proficient at it," Parisot told Yahoo! Movies in a phone interview this week. "And in some ways she's more proficient than anyone in the movie. She's taking out bad guys left and right in this one."

The film reunites Mirren with the stars of the original "RED," the surprise 2010 hit adapted from the comic book by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. Bruce Willis and John Malkovich also

The long-running HBO comedy "Entourage" made stars of its leading men, and it made the phrase "Let's hug it out!" a common refrain for bros everywhere. But Kevin Connolly, known as superstar Vincent Chase's best friend-turned-manager "E," revealed to Yahoo!'s  The Sidebar that he wasn't all that thrilled to embrace Jeremy Piven to begin with, and the subsequent reaction from fans has been even more grating.

In addition to being an actor, Connolly has been moonlighting as a director for years. Now he's combining his passion for directing with his love of hockey for his first documentary, "Big Shot," about the mogul who bought the New York Islanders in the mid-90s and the fallout that ensued.

Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp in 'The Lone Ranger' (Photo: Walt Disney Pictures)

Even if you've never seen an episode of the old TV show, there are still three things you surely know about the Lone Ranger: he wears a mask, he has a best friend named Tonto, and he carries silver bullets.

The reasons behind the first two are obvious: he wears a mask to obscure his identity, and his trusted pal Tonto is a skilled scout and valuable resource. But why on earth would someone cast bullets out of silver?

Michael Shannon as General Zod in 'Man of Steel' (Photo: Clay Enos/Entertainment Weekly)

Superman's most fearsome foe is back, and he'd like to have a word with you.

A new video for this summer's "Man of Steel" presents a static-filled message from General Zod (played by Michael Shannon) to both the citizens of Earth and the lone Kryptonian living amongst them, Kal-El (better known around these parts as Superman). Zod wants Superman -- who, of course, was sent to our planet as a child — returned to him. We can deliver him, or he can give himself up in 24 hours, otherwise, Zod promises that Earth will "suffer the consequences."

Rebel Wilson hosts the 2013 MTV Movie Awards (Photo: MTV)Rebel Wilson first grabbed our attention with her scene-stealing turn in 2011's "Bridesmaids." And then she was everywhere last year, appearing in six movies including the sleeper hit "Pitch Perfect." She's become such a rising star that MTV invited her to host their 2013 Movie Awards. But you have to wonder just how huge her career would be today if she hadn't been cut out of one of 2012's most talked about movies, "Magic Mike."