Two of the world’s top secret agents (Chris Pine and Tom Hardy) are best friends who never let anything come between them – until they inadvertently fall for the same woman (Reese Witherspoon). It’s all-out war, as the two spies battle each other with high-tech surveillance, advanced tactics, and an arsenal capable of bringing down a small country. Directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Salvation), ‘This Means War’ co-stars Chelsea Handler, Til Schweiger, Laura Vandervoort, Leela Savasta, Angela Bassett, and Abigail Spencer. The film is set for release Febuary 17th in the US, and March 2nd in the UK.

‘This Means War’ plays with the special agent/spy archetypes. What do you think is so appealing about that world?

McG: In the film we were going for the archetype of the classic British special agent, naturally James Bond comes to mind. Then the classic American agent, the Ethan Hunt archetype comes to mind with what Tom Cruise has done in the Mission Impossible movies. We were having fun with that, with what Tom Hardy brings, with what Chris Pine brings. We wanted them to be very proficient in the world of agenting and their skill sets – the use of firearms, fighting, and everything they do. But then when it becomes to affairs of the heart, they’re just like everybody else.

What I think is sexy about that world is that it’s life or death, it’s international, and it’s the antithesis of what most people experience day to day in “cubicle” life. I think we all want to travel around the world, go to exotic locations, cheat death, play around with fancy toys, fire guns, chase women, and be reminded of our mortality on a regular basis. It’s a fun aspirational life that we all sort of aspire and dream about.

What was it like working with Tom Hardy and Chris Pine in this love triangle?

Reese Witherspoon: Both guys were so much fun. Tom Hardy, who plays Tuck, he is just this amazing actor who has just exploded onto the movie scene. Everybody’s so excited about Tom because he has such incredible energy, he has a mind that just goes a 100mph. He’s also just the most sweetest, loving guy in real life. He was perfect casting for Tuck because Tuck is obviously very physically strong, like Tom is. But he also has such a soft heart.

Chris Pane, playing FDR, he’s just fantastic for that character because he’s very composed and put together, very fast talking and quick witted….and so is his character. FDR is always talking himself and Tuck out of situations, he’s sort of the brains behind their operation. He really is just a perfect match for that character They’re both so funny too, they’re very different people, and very different characters. It was nice to see them have such a great friendship on screen and off screen.

The chemistry between the three leads is great, with the back on forth between Tuck and FDR. Chris Pine goes full-on rogue mode….

McG: Oh yeah. When it came to Chris Pine’s character, you needed a rogue, and I wanted someone who was lovable even in the face of supreme self-confidence. To me the greatest example of that is Han Solo. That sort of thing where you think he’s so self-confident he’s borderline cocky, but you absolutely love him. He’s such a swashbuckling charismatic guy that I love his self-assuredness. I want to hate him for it, but I’d be damned if I’m not attracted to him. I think Chris Pine really has a way of doing that, where you can’t help but love what he’s bringing. Even though, by his own admission, he does everything in a sort of decidedly self-assured way. The ability to do it with such self-assuredness, but still be charming, that’s a real gift, most people can’t do it. Chris Pine, he’s a young actor who has that rare skill set.

Then you have Tom Hardy as Tuck….

McG: Tom Hardy is incredible, he’s extraordinarily good looking, he’s very very tough – he’s a phenomenal fighter, an MMA fighter. He has that rough and tumble Paul Newman/Steve McQueen thing that he brings. Also, his style of speaking, his accent, his command of language, the way he views the world. Where else are you going to find someone who’s that funny, that talented of an actor, that intense, that tough. He just hits all those beats that are required of the character. He was the only choice for Tuck.

What was it about Reese Witherspoon that you thought would be a great fit for Lauren?

McG: Reese is perfect for this role. She’s unbelievably talented, she’s smart, she’s engaging, she’s funny, she’s appealing to the Reese Witherspoon army of female fans (laughs). And hopefully in this movie we’ve expanded her fan base into the male audience, who can think, “Wow, she’s really a sexy, powerful, capable woman, that’s appealable to men and to women.”

Chelsea Handler plays your best friend in ‘This Means War.’ How was she to work with?

Reese Witherspoon: There’s very few women who are as funny as Chelsea, we’re so lucky to have her in the film. She’s just one of those woman that all girls I know, who have read her book and watched her television show, they completely relate to her and think she’s so funny. She talks the way girls talk (laughs).

How was it for you getting involved in all the action? I read that your first scene filming with Tom Hardy involved you shooting him with a paintball?

Reese Witherspoon: (Laughs) It was, it was a good ice breaker! It was really a first for me with ‘This Means War,’ I’ve never really been in an action film. They’ve got all kinds of crazy sequences; car chases, shoot outs, people jumping off of buildings. It was really fun making it, the boys had a great time shooting it, shooting guns, getting to do all kinds of crazy action – and they were good at it too! McG is so great, we had a lot of fun. He has endless enthusiasm, which rubs off on us all.

Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Johnny Blaze in ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.’ In this gritty new vision for the character, directed by Neveldine/Taylor (Crank), Johnny is still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – but he may risk everything as he teams up with the leader of a group of rebel monks (Idris Elba) to save a young boy from the devil… and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ opens February 17th.

Your character, Moreau, he’s an alcoholic warrior monk, that must be interesting to play?

Idris Elba: (Laughs) I had a lot of fun playing Moreau. He’s a monk, a very religious man….actually, he’s a monk, but I wouldn’t call him a very religious man – he‘s got a lot of vices. He’s a monk that has sort of gone on his own path. He’s a lone ranger type character. He’s travelled a bunch. He drinks a lot of wine and rides a lot of motorcycles (laughs). He may have his vices but I would say he’s a righteous man. When you meet Moreau he’s in the midst of a journey, if you like. He’s searching for Nadya and Danny. And he has been for a while, not with much luck – which is why he ends up finding the Ghost Rider, Nicolas Cage’s character. He gets him to get on board with his journey.

Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the two directors, I keep hearing stories about their unique way of filming?

Idris Elba: Trust me, they’re great guys. What they do is they operate this whole film. They have the camera on their shoulders and they do what I call moving postcards. The whole time they’re shifting this postcard around, and at the same time they’re paying attention to detail, performance, the background. They’re really fully on fellas (laughs). These dudes go for it. When I saw Mark break out the rollerblades….and I’m on a motorcycle, I’m on a motorway in Romania, and I can hardly ride because I just learnt, and he’s on the back of my motorcycle with his camera and his rollerblades (laughs). I’m like, “This dude is nuts. But hey, lets go for it.” They’re just a very courageous set of filmmakers. You feel like they’re having fun, but you also feel like they really REALLY know what they want. Mark and Bryan, they’re not the type of directors that just sit behind a monitor and wave, they really get into the mix of things. They’re ridiculously talented guys.

How did you find doing a lot of your own stunts?

Idris Elba: The stunt team were very open to me doing as much as I could. They were just clear with me, “Idris, you move a certain way, you do things a certain way, we want to see you do it.” So I was like, “Cool, I’ll give it a shot.” There’s a scene where I literally jump over two flights of steps, they slung a wire on me and I did it myself. I was a little nervous, I’m not going to lie (laughs), but at the end of the day I think it helps the film. It was a unique approach, “ISN’T THIS DANGEROUS?” I kept wanting to ask (laughs). The answer would be, “Yeah it’s dangerous, but lets just do another take?” Riding up and down on motorcycles and jumping over stuff, it’s all a part of the DNA of this film. They wanted the cameras really close so that the audience get the feeling that that character is really doing it, not suddenly cutting to a stunt man. We really did a lot of that work.

I remember you telling me you fell off a motorcycle when you were younger….

Idris Elba: Yeah, it was when I was 19. I fell off a motorcycle and never wanted to get onto one again until this film. But Brian Taylor was like, “No man, I want you to do the stunts.“ I was like, “What did the insurance company say?” And he said, “I don’t know, but you’re doing your stunts.” (Laughs) I love bikes, but I had been nervous about getting on one. It was good fun though.

From the creators of ‘Despicable Me’ and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-CG feature ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,’ an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Danny DeVito lends his vocal talents to the iconic title character of the Lorax, while Ed Helms will voice the enigmatic Once-ler. Also bringing their talents to the film are Zac Efron as Ted, the idealistic youth who searches for the Lorax, and Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams. Rob Riggle will play financial king O’Hare, and beloved actress Betty White will portray Ted’s wise Grammy Norma. ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax ‘ is the third feature created by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, Hop). The film is set for release March 2nd in the US and July 27th in the UK.

What is your own personal background with the work of Dr. Seuss?

Zac Efron: I was raised on Dr. Seuss, my parents read his books to me. I’m pretty sure I learnt how to read via his pros. I got interested in art very young as well, I was definitely inspired by his drawings and artwork. He was definitely a figure in my childhood, an important figure. And The Lorax in particular, I clearly remember being read that book by my parents, I vividly remember flipping through the pages.

Having that connection to the story and Dr. Seuss, what was it like being offered this part and undertaking this role?

Zac Efron: It was one that really meant something to me. It wasn’t just a made up character, this is a book I had a personal connection to. It just felt right, sometimes the universe does those things, sends something back your way (laughs). This film really felt like that for me. I felt very lucky to be a part of this film. In the movie, Ted’s young, he’s spontaneous – I know what it’s like to be a kind of young, ambitious, crazy kid. It was definitely fun to go back there and re-live those moments through Ted. It was fun. There is definitely something for everybody in this movie. I actually can’t wait for people to see these characters brought to life. This once in a life time epic journey to save the planet, it’s a fun journey.

The way Ted has Audrey, did you have a sort of infatuation when you were really young?

Zac Efron: Yeah, I sort of did (laughs). It was my first babysitter, her name was Brooke – she might read this, “Hi Brooke!” I had a huge crush on her but she was a lot older than me. I done all kinds of crazy stuff to try to impress her. I’ve totally been there (laughs), I could relate to Ted on that one.

The visuals are stunning and so detailed. What was it like for you seeing the final product for the first time?

Zac Efron: That was amazing. Dr. Seuss’ world is so whimsical, I was amazed how well the movie captured that. Everything from the trees, the forest, the animals, all the different technology you see – it was all so Dr Seuss, there’s no other way to put it. It’s a beautiful film to look at. The message as well, The Lorax was a book that when I read it at a young age, it planted that first seed of the environmentalist in me. The Lorax’s message about the environment, it’s one of the reasons I feel the way I do today. Another thing to take away from this movie is that it can take one person to change the world, even as a kid you can feel powerless, but all it takes is a little bit of hard work and you’d be amazed at what you can accomplish – I really liked that. That’s what Dr. Seuss was trying to teach us all as kids and now we’re spreading the word.

Hollywood 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), it seems the sky’s the limit – major movie stardom awaits. ’The Artist’ tells the story of their interlinked destinies. Directed and written by Michel Hazanavicius, the film also stars John Goodman, James Cromwell, Missi Pyle and Penelope Ann Miller. Receiving 10 nominations overall, ‘The Artist’ is nominated in all major categories at this years Academy Awards: best picture, original screenplay, best director, leading actor and supporting actress.

What was it about this format of silent film that interested you?

Michel Hazanavicius: I had the desire because I felt that it would be a good movie to do in Hollywood, that format, silent film, to do it now in this day and age. There are people who do silent movies, there’s a director in Canada named Guy Maddin, he does some silent movies, which are very experimental. I wanted to do a mainstream movie, a popular movie with a very accessible story, something that would be very entertaining. It’s a simple story. It’s the story of a silent movie actor in Hollywood in the late 20s, he’s a huge star, but here comes the talkies, so he falls. At the same time, in the beginning, a young lady who’s an extra in movies, she rises up and becomes a huge star in the talkies. The movie is really about the way they meet. It’s a love story, it’s about opportunities. I thought this format would be a great way to tell it, a very joyous way to tell it.

Was silent film something you latched onto growing up?

Michel Hazanavicius: When I was a kid I used to go with my brother and grandfather. My grandfather brought us to a theatre in Paris. It was a theatre that specialised in silent movies, so we saw a lot of the shorts from Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd, all these short slapstick movies. I was a huge fan of Buster Keaton, that is my first memory of silent movies. Also, ‘The Kid’ by Charlie Chaplin, I was so impressed by that movie. I cried, I laughed and I thought it was wonderful (laughs). As a kid I used to love movies, I was not a specialist of silent movies, I used to love spaghetti westerns, so many different types. I really appreciated the good silent movies, there’s a lot of bad silent movies, but the good ones are really incredible.

You collaborated with Jean Dujardin again on ‘The Artist.’ When you were writing the script did you always have him in mind to play George?

Michel Hazanavicius: Yes, it’s my third collaboration with him. I wrote the script with Jean and Bérénice Bejo in mind. I really wanted to see him in that kind of role, in this kind of movie with the situations that happen in it. He’s a very expressive actor, and the kind of actors I tried to cast in the movie were expressive actors. You have a lot of huge actors who are very stone faced, it’s perfect, but it’s not that kind of acting I needed for ‘The Artist,’ it’s a lot more expressive. Jean is very much that, he’s very comfortable with his body, his body language. He has something very rare, in that he’s as good in the close-up as he is in the wide-shot. He can show feelings in the close-up and it’s accurate, it’s not too much. Then he can do the same thing with his body in a wide-shot.

Working with Bérénice Bejo, who’s also your wife, I’d imagine she was there when you first immersed yourself in this project?

Michel Hazanavicius: Oh yes. I wrote something for her that I knew would be for her. She really inspired me for the role. I live with her, so I know her well – I hope (laughs)! She really started to work very soon in the process, at the beginning of the writing. She came with me to all the screenings I went to, all the silent movies. As soon as I finished a book about that era, autobiographies, things like that, she grabbed them and read them also. She listened to the same music I listened to for it, look through all the photo books I looked through. She really went into the emersion process with me. She knows a lot about silent movies now. She did the same thing I tried to do when I was writing the screenplay, in trying to find the American spirit of the story – because it takes place in Hollywood. I really wanted to respect the way to shoot it, but also the way to think about it. She really tried to be an American actress for ‘The Artist,’ which is not the same codes of acting. There’s a different way to move, and she really worked on that. She did such a great job, she’s very gifted….but she is my wife, so I’m not the most impartial person to speak about her, I‘m not neutral (laughs).

From the creators of ‘Despicable Me’ and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-CG feature ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,’ an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Danny DeVito will lend his vocal talents to the iconic title character of the Lorax, while Ed Helms will voice the enigmatic Once-ler. Also bringing their talents to the film are Zac Efron as Ted, the idealistic youth who searches for the Lorax, and Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams. Rob Riggle will play financial king O’Hare, and beloved actress Betty White will portray Ted’s wise Grammy Norma. ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ is scheduled for release March 2nd in the US and July 27th in the UK. Look out for a more in-depth interview with Ed Helms for the film in March.

What is your own background with the stories of Dr. Seuss?

Ed Helms: I’ve loved Dr. Seuss from a very young age. My mum, I guess, just sort of started pounded it into me, my brother and sister when we were little – and The Lorax in particular. That was a book that had a very special place on our book shelf for some reason. When I heard that these guys were making it I was just immediately like, “I’ve gotta be a part of this!” Dr. Seuss just speaks to children, I don’t know he does it. He was a genius. Just beautiful stories, beautifully told.

This being your first animated movie, where the filmmaking process for an actor is incredibly different to live-action film, how was it for you watching the final product?

Ed Helms: When I’m working on a movie or TV show, I’m there, I’m acting, I’m seeing the scenes play out around me. I see the sets, I know what people look like, I know what I’m involved with so I have a pretty good idea what it’s gonna end up looking like when it’s all said and done. With this, for two years I went into a voice-over booth and said things, it was kind of like acting in a void – I had no idea exactly how it was gonna come together. But then I just recently watched the finished movie, I was like, “OH MY GOD! THIS IS INSANE!” (Laughs) I loved it, it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I’m so proud to be a part of it, it’s kind of jaw dropping because it makes you realise what a massive collaboration something like this is – and I’m such a little part of it. My character, the Once-ler, he’s prominent in the movie, but from an executional standpoint all I did was say a bunch of things. The design of the whole world, the movement of the characters, the animation, the story telling, the great big epic score. It was mind-blowing!

The visuals are stunning, there’s so much detail to the whole world….

Ed Helms: Oh yeah, the visuals are just breathtaking. And the character designs of all these characters are really cool. Some of them are sweet and funny, then some of them are austere and a little bit spooky. It just covers the whole gamut. The characters are so engaging and unique. It’s easy when you’re telling a big story like this to have a lot of generic archetypal characters that just fill a role. On this, the animators, the director, the writers, they’ve gone to great lengths to give every single creature or person such a unique personality. It’s awesome.

Your surrounded by a great voice cast in The Lorax as well?

Ed Helms: That’s always cool, to be surrounded by people you admire. It’s an incredible ensemble cast. It’s a real honour to be a part of it. Danny DeVito, he’s one of the great comedy actors and directors of all time. Of course Betty White, she’s just a legend. Rob Riggle, who plays O’Hare, he’s a very old friend of mine, with whom I’ve done comedy with for ever and ever. It was a joy to be brought together on such a cool project. Jenny Slate, she’s just another phenomenal comedian. And then Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, they’re great performers in their own rights.

Paige and Leo (Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum) are a happy newlywed couple whose lives are changed by a car accident that puts Paige in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, Paige has no memory of Leo, a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange), and an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) she may still have feelings for. Despite these complications, Leo endeavours to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage. ‘The Vow’ is released Febuary 10th.

What was it about this particular story that spoke to you?

Rachel McAdams I was excited to work with Channing, and I really liked Michael Sucsy’s (director) vision. He seemed to have a new take on the classic love story, and this was one I’d never seen before inspired by true events. It seemed like a really worth while story to tell. And I like the challenge of not making it so predictable and working against that. It seemed quite unique to me, and Paige was certainly a character I hadn’t played before. Also, unlike some so-called “chick flicks”, we’re seeing things through the guy’s eyes, which is a little different as well. The fact that it happened and this woman goes through this trauma and finds her way out of this darkness, I really loved that it was not straightforward, that they have major bumps along the way, that it takes time. And it seems like the odds are completely against them….I think that’s really inspiring.

What was the biggest challenge for you in playing Paige, this young wife who can’t remember her husband after a bad car accident? Did researching about brain trauma help?

Rachel McAdams: Because Paige becomes so disconnected from Leo, it was a challenge to keep things hopeful and not knowing what’s coming around the next corner. Also, being true to the experiences and emotions that she would be going through….which are quite erratic, as she’s frustrated and anxious. That was difficult. Researching about brain trauma presented a challenge of making her sympathetic. These reactions are totally understandable but you’re also rooting for them. You want them to get back together. We talked about how irritable she could be. How far away can they get from each other and still be able to come back and leave a shred of hope. It was a challenege, it was fascinating though.

How was it working with Channing? What do you think he added to Leo?

Rachel McAdams: He’s the perfect guy for this role because he so chivalrous, he’s such a man of his word. He’s a real renaissance man in that way, a real gentleman. He added some lovely touches to Leo, for example; he would always offer his hand out to me when I was getting out of the car, that he had such manners. I’d always heard lovely things about Channing but it’s one thing to hear that and another to experience it and he went above and beyond all expectations. He’s the most open-hearted, generous, open-spirited person I know and he doesn’t do anything halfway either. Even our meeting was unique. He came bounding into the room and almost knocked me down. He had three dogs following him. He shook my hand, tried on a dress, threw it down and ran out of the room (laughs). He was trying to help me. I was in a fitting (laughs).

Part of this movie is about a moment in life that changes everything. Was their a moment in your career or life that showed you what you wanted to do?

Rachel McAdams: I definitely thank my drama teacher, Linda Maskell-Pereira, every day of my life for intercepting me on my way to college. I was going to take cultural studies or something and our college applications were due and I hadn’t seen her all term. One day I was just walking around at lunch and I bumped into her and she said, “Oh, college applications are due today? What are you taking?” I said, “Cultural studies. Don’t ask me what that means.” She said, “I really thought that you would do theatre.” I was like, “I didn’t know that I could go to college and get a degree in theatre.“ She said, “Of course you can. Don’t be ridiculous.’“So I just marched right into my guidance office and I said, “Can I please have my application?” I didn’t even know anything about the theatre programmes at the schools I’d applied to. I just scratched out cultural studies, put in theatre and my whole life changed.

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds co-star in the action-thriller ‘Safe House.’ Washington plays the CIA’s most dangerous traitor, who stuns the intelligence community when he surfaces in South Africa. When the safe house to which he’s remanded is attacked by brutal mercenaries, a rookie (Reynolds) is forced to help him escape. As the masterful manipulator toys with his reluctant protégé, the young operative finds his morality tested and idealism shaken. Now, they must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, ’Safe House’ co-stars Nora Arnezeder, Vera Farmiga, Ruben Blades, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Cunningham, Tim McGraw, Robert Patrick, and Sam Shepard. The film is due to hit cinemas February 10th in the US, and Febuary 24th in the UK.

What was it that attracted you to this script? Also, your character is very much an ideologue to begin with, that slowly breaks down over the course of the film….

Ryan Reynolds: I wanted the chance to work with who I think is the greatest actor working in Hollywood today, Denzel, and that was a huge impetus, but I just love the idea of this guy slowly being disillusioned by everything he believes in. It’s the slow disintegration of God and Country for him, and that’s what means everything to this guy. Watching that be peeled away slowly, measure by measure by Tobin Frost, just kind of feeling that. These days it’s about what we don’t know that’s more terrifying, and I liked investigating that kind of world.

I feel like that line can blur between jingoism and idealism, a little bit. I think we start out, my character, as a God and country guy, he’s a patriot, he has that kind of mentality. But then layers of that are slowly pealed away, he has to deal with a lot of disillusionment. He sees that this job he signed up for is incredibly murderous and corrupt in a lot of ways. And then he’s seeing this sort of weird perverting mirror image of himself in this guy who’s much older and who’s been doing it a lot longer. I know for a fact, spending time with these guys that have been in the CIA for 30 or so years, that when you talk to them they started out with a real, ultra patriotic, idealism that really gets replaced by a kind of cynicism later. But part of that is because they’ve spent their entire life as a lie. They have to lie to their wife and children, for 20 or 30 years….I spoke to one guy who just revealed to his wife and children what he does for a living after 25 years, 25 years! That is amazing, I just asked, “What was the reaction like?” I was fascinated, and he replied, “Not good,” (laughs). It’s tough, because when you go to bed….all those details, it makes her wonder, “What was true? What was wasn’t?”

Denzel Washington is so good at playing charming yet at the same time fierce – which is ideal in playing a sociopath. How was it working with him?

Ryan Reynolds: It was fascinating. He’s just a really interesting guy to work with, so good at what he does. It was wild to see someone who’s been doing this so well for so long. He’s just a real classy and disciplined actor, and I think that’s what makes him….the success is irrelevant to him, what makes him such a good actor is that he really cares about what he does and he’s passionate. As a younger actor I look at that and it really hits me, that’s amazing, you can go this long in this industry and be that prolific, be that passionate.

How was it preparing for the physical fights? In this film there‘s something very primal about it, in particular the final fight sequence you’re involved in.

Ryan Reynolds: It was a lot of choreography, you don’t have to choreograph pretty fights as much. It’s the ugly, messy, knife fights in a phone booth that you really need to work on. Because they’re the ones people can get hurt. It was a couple months of choreography, especially that last fight sequence I’m in – that was shot over two days. We spanned every room in the house with that fight. We’re falling out of windows….it felt very old fashioned in a way. There was no real trickery. By the end of it we were covered in scrapes cuts and bruises. We were happy when it was over, definitely (laughs). There’s nothing polished about it. When we are in these intense fight sequences, you’re seeing veins popping out of peoples necks, it’s ugly and nasty. It’s kill or be killed? There is definitely something raw, primal, and deeply screwed up about it. I think it’s much more interesting to watch a guy who’s forced to fight when he doesn’t want to, than it is to watch someone who’s very well versed in those sort of activities.

I think this is one of those film that you’ll really have an opportunity to see a variety of different things. I mean, I think it appeals to people who are pure adrenaline/action junkies, then at the same time it’s a character piece. As actors, I don’t think there’s many of us who are particularly attracted to shooting a movie that is purely an action film because they’re hard (laughs), you get your ass kicked. I remember 10 years ago, falling on cement was hilarious, now? It hurts (laughs). When you get those two components right, when you have an action film that is also deeply rooted in character, you get something really rewarding from it, from both sides.

How were the driving sequences?

Ryan Reynolds: What’s odd about the sequences driving the car is that when I’m driving the car it’s actually much less terrifying for me than when we have a pilot guy that’s on top of the car for some of those scenes and he’d have that car on two wheels and Daniel, our director, who’s sitting in the wheel well beside me giggling like a little schoolgirl while the car goes up on two wheels and just yelling, “Faster! Faster!” He can’t see anything and I find out later that Daniel’s never driven a car before in his life. Being in that position was crazy because we would head headlong for a brick wall and I would hit the break and the guy up top would hit the gas, so that was a very strange feeling. I’ve never been in a situation like that. I’ve never seen a rig like that for a car. And this is a professional driver up top and he just knows the weight of the car. At least that’s what you’d like to believe when he’s doing it (laughs).

What was it like working with Daniel Espinosa? His sort of kinetic approach to film-making.

Ryan Reynolds: If you spend time with Daniel you kinda see where he’s coming from. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever worked with or met before. He’s like this incredibly wise, intellectual, intuitive, thug….which is sort of a weird combination for a person (laughs). It gives him this incredible street sense and feeling that he’s a guy who can very easily be in a bar fight, but at the same time you could name any book and there’s a good chance that he’s read it before you. He’s just a truly incredibly gifted filmmaker and so insightful, he’s seen every film that you can imagine and he’s learned from the best, and that’s applied everyday to what he does. It really is a craft for him. Daniel’s a guy you want to buy stock in.

Paige and Leo (Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum) are a happy newlywed couple whose lives are changed by a car accident that puts Paige in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, Paige has no memory of Leo, a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange), and an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) she may still have feelings for. Despite these complications, Leo endeavours to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage. ‘The Vow’ is set for release Febuary 10th.

What was it about this story that interested you?

Channing Tatum: I really just loved the idea of Leo in an extraordinary circumstance with his lover Paige, and it doesn’t take a stereotypical Nicolas Sparks way to get back around to love. There’s no “ah-ha” moment where everything falls into place. It’s a more realistic way to get back to love. Rachel McAdams did some interesting study on people who lose their memories. A certain percentage just fall back into who they were which I thought was very interesting.

What do you think is the attraction between Leo and Paige?

Channing Tatum: Not only do they make each other intensely happy, and they love everything about each other, but also I think they really push each other to grow – especially Paige. She was in a part of her life that when she met Leo she was kind of going through a re-birth, in a way, and Leo was looking for someone to start a life with, to start his adult life with. And I think they really helped take each other to the next level, by challenging each other to be a better person, to be better at whatever you’re doing.

Did you meet and talk to the real-life couple this story is based on?

Channing Tatum: Michael Sucsy (director) shied me away from reading their book or going to get any details on who they were because we took some different liberties with their story. I think they were stronger than our characters. They stayed together and I don’t know how you do that in reality. I don’t know if I’d be able to do that. She just woke up and didn’t know him. I think that had a lot to do with their faith, they’re very religious. They are so positive and have two beautiful kids running around. I was nervous to meet the guy.

Rachel McAdam’s character is hard to play honestly, and I didn’t know who could play it and keep the audience’s sympathy. She was an entirely different person before the accident. Waking up was a world-changing thing for her. Not just waking up and not remembering one person.

Since you hadn’t worked with Rachel before, what surprised you about her?

Channing: To be totally honest, I think that so much of Rachel comes out in her films. There are different things in each character that are so her. Some people are totally different, you would expect, “Oh my God, you’re nothing like I thought you were going to be!” She’s lovely and I think you can tell that. She’s a sweetie and she has that in most of her characters. We joked that she has a curse of making any line work….it’s a Hollywood film, we’ve got some serious big lines in it (laughs), which are hard to pull off sometimes. But she can pull it off, she has this uncanny ability of being able to make anything sound real and amazing. I’m in awe by her, she’s an amazing, shining little thing (laughs).

This is a big year for you, you’ve got five films out in 2012.…

Channing Tatum: I had no intention of five movies coming out (laughs). Two of them were supposed to come out last year so it was not supposed to happen like this, but, it’s a very high class problem. I’m very proud of all the films. They’re all very different. If they were all the same, I’d be freaking out!

You have ‘21 Jump Street‘ coming out with Jonah Hill?

Channing Tatum: Yeah, that was kind of like this film. When I heard Rachel came on I was like, “I’m in!” Then on ‘21 Jump Street,’ when Jonah Hill called I was like, “Okay man. I don’t do this comedy so you’re gonna have to take care of me on this”. He’s like, “I got you!” “Okay, I’m in”. (Laughs) I put my faith in people that I admire, love and want to learn from. When I tell you it’s one of the most fun things I’ve ever done – I mean it! It’s a completely different style of acting. Even the first week I didn’t know if I could do it. It’s so weird and strange. Jonah will stop in the middle of a take and take one line a whole lot of different ways and they’re funny every time. I’ve never done that.

From the creators of ‘Despicable Me’ and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-CG feature ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,’ an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Danny DeVito will lend his vocal talents to the iconic title character of the Lorax, while Ed Helms will voice the enigmatic Once-ler. Also bringing their talents to the film are Zac Efron as Ted, the idealistic youth who searches for the Lorax, and Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams. Rob Riggle will play financial king O’Hare, and beloved actress Betty White will portray Ted’s wise Grammy Norma. ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ is scheduled for release March 2nd in the US and July 27th in the UK.

What was your initial reaction to this film?

Zac Efron: At first, when I heard about ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,’ I vividly remembered being read that book by my parents. I remember flipping through the pages. It was this book that first planted that seed of the environmentalist in me. Also, who doesn’t want to do Dr Seuss? He’s just the coolest person ever. The fact that The Lorax is about the environment and has those messages, it’s one of the reasons I feel the way I do today. Dr. Seuss taught me that when I was so young. And I wanted to be a small part of his legacy. I feel very very lucky to be apart of this film.

Taylor Swift: It’s got this magical essence to it. There’s something so insane about the story, there’s such loss, but then there’s also such hope to it. And that’s always been my favourite thing about the story –  the hope. One of the reasons I’ve been drawn to Dr. Seuss is the rhyming, I’ve always had this obsession with rhyming – so I grew up and became a song writer, so now I get to rhyme stuff all the time (laughs). Also, I’m drawn to anything cute, these animals in the story are heartbreakingly cute. Just ridiculously cute – maximum capacity of cuteness (laughs).

What appealed to you in particular about Audrey?

Taylor Swift: She’s got some really extraordinary characteristics about her personality. She’s adventurous, she takes chances, she’s brave, she’s strong, all the while being the object of affection for Ted – which is this really cute crush that he has on an older girl. Also, this character, Audrey….this book was in part inspired by Dr. Seuss’ wife Audrey. Audrey is an original character in the film. For the filmmakers to create a character and name her after Dr. Seuss’ wife, it’s amazing , and to get the honour to do the voice is pretty cool, very exciting.

Ted’s crush on Audrey, it’s the catalyst of his journey and adventure.…

Zac Efron: Yeah. Audrey’s into nature, she’s into trees. And he’s never seen trees, he doesn’t really know what they are. But besides him doing anything he can for this girl that he loves, he decides he’s gonna go and find a tree. Which is pretty hard in a world where they practically don’t exist. As soon as he gets to the Once-ler and hears the Once-ler’s story and starts to become involved, he realises there’s a much more important reason that he’s been put on this journey. He suddenly takes charge and realises he can make a difference, and that there’s a reason he was sent here.

What really speaks to you about Dr. Seuss’ stories?

Taylor Swift: My favourite thing of Dr. Seuss’ books is that he creates an entire world. His imagination spans so far that he’s created this entire world of…..whimsy and quirkiness. You’re so drawn into it that you almost forget that you’re being fed a really important message. I think the message of ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ is that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Appreciate what you have while you have it. Appreciate the beauty of what’s there right now, and try to preserve it for tomorrow.

You’re joined by a great voice cast in this film?

Zac Efron: Oh yeah, there’s definitely something for everybody in this movie. The cast is incredible. I love every single person in it. I can’t wait for people to see them bring these characters to life. Also, from where it is in the book, we’ve really made this a cool movie adventure version of it. This is a once in a life time epic journey to save the planet, it’s a fun journey to be on. Taylor’s perfect for this, she’s so sweet all the time – unconditionally sweet. I think she’s great because….she has exactly what I think the reason Ted has such a big crush on Audrey – sweetness.

You’ve also got Danny Devito as the grumpy but charming Lorax.

Zac Efron: When I heard Danny Devito was doing the voice of the Lorax, I thought that was legendary (laughs). I just saw a little mock-up that they created, it was actually very detailed, you could see the hairs moving on his face. It was Danny’s voice put through, he was walking along and saying, “Who’s chopping down that tree? Was it you?” I was in love, I just thought I love this character, I was sold straight away, I wanted see what happens to this guy. It’s a magical pairing.

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds co-star in the action-thriller ‘Safe House.’ Washington plays the CIA’s most dangerous traitor, who stuns the intelligence community when he surfaces in South Africa. When the safe house to which he’s remanded is attacked by brutal mercenaries, a rookie (Reynolds) is forced to help him escape. As the masterful manipulator toys with his reluctant protégé, the young operative finds his morality tested and idealism shaken. Now, they must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, ’Safe House’ co-stars Nora Arnezeder, Vera Farmiga, Ruben Blades, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Cunningham, Tim McGraw, Robert Patrick, and Sam Shepard. The film is due to hit cinemas February 10th in the US, and Febuary 24th in the UK. Look out for another interview with Denzel Washington for the films UK release date.

At the beginning, Ryan Reynolds’ character is very much an ideologue. However some of that slowly peals away as the movie moves along. Your character, Tobin Frost, his outlook is completely different…..

Denzel Washington: Yeah. I really enjoy how as the movie moves along, we peel away the layers of who these people are, the mind-games that are going on. I liken it to ‘Silence of the Lambs’ where this guy, this young kid, he’s trying to get in my head, and I’m all getting in his head – to the point where he doesn’t know what he’s thinking about.

Tobin Frost, he’s on his own, he’s a murderer, he’s a liar, he’s a sociopath, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. All he’s interested in is winning. I think that he’s been so isolated for so long, he doesn’t know how to feel, he doesn’t have feelings, he just knows how to use. He has no family, no relationships, he just uses people…..and drinks good wine (laughs). Making the money is not an important thing for him, I think winning is the important thing. The chance to manipulate this kid is winning, the chance to shove it up the CIA’s behind is winning for him. And he has no remorse about it.

I read that rather than study CIA operatives to prepare for the film, you studied sociopaths. What did you learn from your research that helped you portray this character?

Denzel Washington: There’s a book called ‘The Sociopath Next Door,’ that sort of became my bible for the character. I thought most sociopaths were violent when in fact they aren’t. They say 1 in 25 people are sociopaths, and only 2 or 3 in 25 are violent. But almost all sociopaths want to win no matter what. Some sociopaths use pity, “Oh, woe is me. I just can’t do it like you.” And then you go, “Oh, no no. You’re all right,” and I already got you. Now I got you in a weak position and feeling sorry for me. I read about one sociopath who was actually a psychologist and she was so sick, there’s this other psychologist that she hated and she had a nicer car than the other woman, so she would purposely park her car next to the other woman’s car just to make her feel bad every day. She was working with this other psychiatrist’s patient and all the work that this woman had done, she destroyed. She brought the person in the room and just destroyed them. They just want to win. There was one sociopath who would steal things in the post office and then get there the next day because he just loved the chaos that it created. He wanted to see how everybody was trying to figure out what it was. I guess it’s a feeling of power. In my journal as I was writing, going through the script, as we were shooting, I had to find a way to win every situation no matter what. There’s a scene we were talking about earlier at the football game, the soccer stadium, he’s willing to even act like a scared little girl to get away. A sociopath will do anything to win. Anything.

The physical scenes in the film are brutal, there’s something very primal about them. How was that for you preparing? With your character as well, he has a sort of inner calm to him when so much chaos is going on around him.

Denzel Washington: We had tremendous fighters, Oliver Schneider and his whole crew of guys, they’re really brilliant, dangerous guys. The way they trained us, it was dirty fighting, in close, use whatever you needed….I don’t even call it fighting, I call it winning – they know how to win. I remember we went out to some big club, and there was these big American Football looking dudes, they were roughing around and getting drunk. I was with the guys and I just watched how they moved around the room. They separated themselves and just spread out, they took over the four corners of the area (laughs). I just thought, “These big guys have no idea of what they might get into.” But I think they could sense, because there’s a peace about them because they know what they’re capable of. I think that was a lesson for me, to see calmness in them, how to lower your blood pressure and wait.

These guys, they were the most unassuming guys and we really had the luxury of time, a good 2 or 3 months while we were over there. In fact, there’s a fight I have where I crash through the roof or something and start fighting this guy, and even the fights Ryan and I do at the end, we had 2 or 3 or 4 months before we even got to do those fights.

Do you have more fun playing a quote-unquote “bad guy“?

Denzel Washington: The next picture I made, it’ll come out the end of the year or the beginning of next year, it’s called ‘Flight,’ and I play an alcoholic, drug addicted pilot who crashes a plane – but saves a lot of lives. It was the most intense film I’ve done probably in 20 years. I guess it’s cliché to say that the bad guy has more fun because you can say anything, you can get away with anything. Sometimes when you’re the good guy, you’re sort of trapped or he can’t say that. And even when you’re playing a real person, like Steven Biko or someone, you’re sort of stuck within those confines. So, yeah, bad guys do have more fun (Laughs)!