Early Fan Reactions To ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’

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December 12, 2016

Over the weekend, Disney and Lucasfilm held the premiere of Rogue One in California. If we’re to believe the Twitter reactions of the ones lucky enough to attend, we’re in for one helluva great movie, according to Movie Web.

Wil Wheton, leech smorgasbord and star of that other outer space franchise, tweeted:

“The last time I loved a Star Wars movie as much as I loved #RogueOne, it was 1977.”

Rainn Wilson, Juno‘s snarky convenience store clerk and star of America version of The Office, tweeted this:

“1sr Rogue One review. It was actually AMAZING!!! Super fun & exciting. Ties in w/episode 4 perfectly. #StarWars”

Steven Weintraub, writer for Collider, tweeted:

“The 3rd act is really amazing. Some of the best action in any Star Wars movie. Need to see it again asap.”

And Anthony Breznican, author and writer for Entertainment Weekly, tweeted this:

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#RogueOne”

Aaaaaand this:

“People worried about #RogueOne not being a gritty war film need not worry. It’s intense, relentless. You can practically taste the grit.”

It appears Disney and Lucasfilms have another hit on their hands. How could it not be a success, though? Other tweets mentioned various screeners said the movie is better than last year’s The Force Awakens. No small feat considering fans had waited 32 years for a Star Wars continuation.

Rogue One follows a host of Rebels led by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) who try to steal the blue prints of the Death Star. It’s essentially a MadLib covering events between Revenge of the Sith and the A New Hope.
Besides Jones, the cast includes Forest Whitaker, Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, and the velvety smooth register of James Earl Jones back as Darth Vader.

Gareth Edwards directs from a screenplay written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters this week! Scavenge your tickets while you can!

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First Poster For Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’ Released

By

Kieran McLean

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December 12, 2016

Warner Bros. has released the first poster for Christopher Nolan‘s upcoming movie Dunkirk. The director of films such as Interstellar and The Dark Knight wrote and directed the WWII film, which is based on the evacuation of Dunkirk.

This first poster shows exactly how big Nolan is going with this latest venture. This is the first time the director has delved into the genre of historical drama, but of course, everything we’re seeing looks as epic as his usual display of skill.

Check out the poster below:

Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy, Jack Lowden,Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Harry Styles, the film will land in theaters on July 21, 2017.

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Alan Tudyk on whether Droid K-2SO is the Jar Jar Binks of ‘Rogue One’

By

Ryan Malik

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December 12, 2016

For every Boba Fett, there’s always a Jar Jar Binks. That’s the kind of character Alan Tudyk wanted to avoid creating in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, according to sources at The Huffington Post.

Hatred for Jar Jar ignited the moment he opened his mouth in The Phantom Menace. Director JJ Abrams even joked about putting an Easter egg in his Star Wars: The Force Awakens – the bones of Binks. Alas, he didn’t.

Tudyk, who plays new Droid K-2SO had this to say about the Jar Jar legacy:

“[Jar Jar] was such an outlier ― not an outlier, an anomaly in the world ― that was backed away from as quickly as they could.”

Knowing that Rogue One would essentially be a war movie, Tudyk strived for a balance between comedy and drama:

“I did have it in mind because K-2SO can be very funny in moments, and I talked to [director] Gareth Edwards, saying, I hope I’m not coming across as a character that makes jokes, that he is a sarcastic character or a passive-aggressive character or an honest character that can be funny within a moment, especially these moments of high-stakes life and death, which this movie has a lot of ― you know, it’a a war movie. He told me that I wasn’t, so I trusted him, and I’m really happy with the outcome.”

Rogue One is stand-on-its-own Star Wars movie that fills in the blanks featured in the opening crawl of A New Hope. The story centers around a cavalcade of Rebels who hatch a plan to steal the Death Star’s blueprints.

Joining Tudyk in the cast are Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Mendelsohn, Forrest Whitaker, Diego Luna, and the wheezing baritone of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader.

Gareth Edwards directs from a screenplay written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy.

Disney’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters this Friday. Tickets are available now

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‘The Lego Batman Movie’ Extended TV Spot Highlights The Joker

By

Aric Sweeny

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December 12, 2016

A new extended TV spot for The Lego Batman Movie has been released, putting focus on Zach Galifianakis as the Joker. Watch it below.

“In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The LEGO® Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble—LEGO Batman—stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.”

The movie features Will Arnett as Batman, Michael Cera as Robin, Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn, Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon, Bille Dee Williams as Two-Face, and Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth.

The Lego Batman Movie hits theaters on February 10, 2017.

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The Golden Globes 2017: Here’s Your Complete List of Nominees

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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December 12, 2016

The Golden Globes are like your favorite uncle. They don’t hold as much sway as your parents but they’re way more fun and they might get a little too drunk at the family reunion. This year, however, instead of Ricky Gervais coming in hot, NBC has tapped their very own milquetoast late-night host Jimmy Fallon to emcee things.

Here is the entire list of the 2016 Golden Globe nominees, in film and television. Shout out to Hell or High Water, by the way…

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell Or High Water
Lion
Manchester By The Sea
Moonlight

Best Director – Motion Picture:
Damien Chazelle
Tom Ford
Mel Gibson
Barry Jenkins
Kenneth Lonergan

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening
Lily Collins
Hailee Steinfeld
Emma Stone
Meryl Streep

Best Television Series – Drama
The Crown
Game Of Thrones
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Rami Malek
Bob Odenkirk
Matthew Rhys
Liev Scrieibler
Billy Bob Thornton

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
20th Century Women
Deadpool
La La Land
Florence Foster Jenkins
Sing Street

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Amy Adams
Jessica Chastain
Isabelle
Ruth Negga
Natalie Porton

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Casey Affleck
Joel Edgerton
Andrew Garfield
Viggo Mortensen
Denzel Washington

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Anthony Anderson
Gael Garcia Bernal
Donald Glover
Nick Nolte
Jeffrey Tambor

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Caitriona Balfe
Claire Foy
Keri Russell
Winona Ryder
Evan Rachel Wood

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Viola Davis
Naomie Harris
Nicole Kidman
Octavia Spencer
Michelle Williams

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Colin Farrell
Ryan Gosling
Hugh Grant
Jonah Hill
Ryan Reynolds

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
Cant Stop The Feeling, Trolls
City Of Stars, La La Land
Faith, Sing
Gold, Gold
How Far I’ll Go, Moana

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Bryan Cranston, All The Way
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
John Turturro, The Night Of
Courtney B Vance, The People Vs OJ

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Atlanta
Black-ish
Mozart In The Jungle
Transparent
Veep

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Moonlight
La La Land
Arrival
Lion
Hidden Figures

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Lena Heady, Game Of Thrones
Chrissy Metz
Mandy Moore
Thandie Newton, Westworld

Best Motion Picture – Animated
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As A Zucchini
Sing
Zootopia

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Riley Keough
Sarah Paulson
Charlotte Rampling
Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Sterling K Brown
Hugh Laurie
John Lithgow
Christian Slater
John Travolta

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language
Devine
Elle
Neruda
The Salesman
Toni Erdmann

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Rachel Bloom
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Sarah Jessica Parker
Issa Rae
Gina Rodriguez
Tracee Ellis-Ross

Best Limited Series
American Crime
The Dresser
The Night Manager
The Night Of
The People V OJ

Best Original Screenplay
La La Land
Nocturnal Animals
Moonlight
Manchester By The Sea
Hell Or High Water

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Central City Brewers: Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine – A Mjölnir Review

By

Michael Bedford

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December 11, 2016

The holidays are coming and with them the ubiquitous limited-release beers and gift packs. As such you may have seen these 650-mL bottles on the shelves of your local beer and liquor store. Never one to miss an opportunity to drink something named in honour of an Asgardian, I picked up a bottle of Central City‘s Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine, and based on its size and alcohol percentage I’m sure one will be sufficient. Previously I wrote a review of Central City’s Red Racer IPA for Autism. Check that review for some information on the brewery and the charitable work it does in the name of autism research.

I don’t know if I’ve ever drunk barley wine before, so I did some reading. Wikipedia assures me that barley wine is strong ale (generally between 8–12% ABV). There are two different styles of barley wine, American and English. The American style is generally more hoppy, and the English is less so, tending more toward sweet flavours.

But how will this Canadian version compare? According to the Central City website, Thor’s Hammer is light on the hops. So, it’s probably more of an English-style barley wine. The problem with a website, though, is that you can’t drink it.

Central City Brewers: Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine – First Sip

After doing honourable battle with the wax-covered cap, I poured Thor’s Hammer, a cloudy amber-brown colour with barely any foam, into a goblet. If you’re not as fancy as me, try yours in a nonic pint glass. I smell raisins as I take my first viking-sized glug. I resolve to take smaller sips after tasting Thor’s Hammer’s sweet malty flavour. Thor’s Hammer’s sweetness and low carbonation give it a syrupy mouthfeel, like port.

Central City Brewers: Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine – Last Sip

Weighing in at a holiday-sized 11.5% ABV, this beer is not to be trifled with, unless that means drinking it alongside a trifle. But with its malty flavour you probably won’t want to drink it while eating a sweet dessert. As the website suggests, try it with something sharp tasting, like salami. Because of its sweet flavour, it would probably go well with wings and blue cheese sauce. Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to find this beer at your local pub … unless you’re in Valhalla.

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‘The Fate Of The Furious’ Trailer Is Here! Holy Sh*t!

By

EJ Moreno

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December 11, 2016

Nothing Will Ever Be The Same For The Family After ‘The Fate Of The Furious’!

April 14th, 2017 will be the day when everything changes for Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and crew! ‘The Fate Of The Furious‘ is the upcoming eighth film in the action-packed “Fast And The Furious” franchise.

What do you think of the first trailer of the ‘The Fate Of The Furious‘?

Let me know in the comments below!

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James Gunn Explains Why Baby Groot Isn’t About Selling Toys

By

Aric Sweeny

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December 11, 2016

If the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 trailer gives us any indication of what’s to come for the movie, it’s that Baby Groot is going to be a fan favorite. With many fans already wanting to purchase a plush of the character, director James Gunn explained why keeping Groot a baby was not just to sell toys. Read the full post below.

“I’m not an idiot. I knew if Baby Groot worked, the world would want Baby Groot toys and figures and plushies. But that certainly didn’t seem like a certainty when I was alone in my office conceiving of a story, and it most definitely was not the driving force of the decision. I, like so many of you through the trailer alone, had fallen in love with the little dude – even though at that point he was only in my head.”

Was Baby Groot your favorite part of the GotG Vol. 2 trailer?

The film hits theaters on May 5, 2017.

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‘DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow’ Reverse-Flash Reveals ‘Flash” Connections

By

Devon Kenney

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December 11, 2016

Reverse-Flash teases at connection with ‘The Flash’!

Messing with the timeline comes with very big consequences. Barry/ ‘The Flash’ has learned far too well what that means. Since the cross over event, everyone knows the truth about what Barry did. This was troubling for all members of the different teams (Team Flash, Team Arrow, Team Supergirl), but now it is exposing some secrets with the Legends.

In season one of ‘The Flash’, Reverse-Flash or Eobard Thawne, is erased from existence. Or was he? A different version, the version before he killed Harrison Wells and got stuck in the past. Thawne’s identified, this can’t be good.

On Thursdays mid-season finale, Dr. Martin Stein, (Victor Garber) had a moment where he totally remembered seeing Thawne, asked if they know each other, to which Thawne replied, “Let’s just say, it’s complicated.”

According to my source, “This is not a Reverse-Flash from a different Earth if that’s what you mean — after all, Eobard seemed to know who Stein was during the winter finale. “We are going to find out shortly on Legends of Tomorrow just how this Eobard links into the Eobard from The Flash,” Matt Letscher says, “where he’s coming from, and more importantly, where he’s going to after this.”

Flashpoint screwed up every timeline.

Will we learn the real truth about Thawne in the upcoming season? Reverse Flash makes his way back to Central City?

Could we even see another Cross over event this year? Doubtful, but the fans can hope!

‘Legends’ stars Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano, Franz Drameh, and Victor Garber as Dr. Martin Stein.

‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’ normally airs Thurday nights at 8/7c on the CW, but will be moving to Tuesday nights at 9/8c following ‘The Flash’ starting on January 24th, 2017 after the midseason winter break.

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Looking Ahead – 2017 Animated Films

By

Aric Sweeny

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December 11, 2016

After 2016’s slew of incredible animated movies, I’ve decided to look ahead and break down the animated films hitting theaters in 2017.

January 13 – Animal Crackers

With a premise as odd as this, the January release date seems fitting.

February 10 – The Lego Batman Movie

Capitalizing on the success, both financially and critically, of the original Lego Movie, this DC themed comic book film looks to please fans and tell a story filled with humor and heart.

March 31 – The Boss Baby

Despite the trailers and conceptual idea of this movie not sounding appealing to me, the cast is solid and Hanz Zimmer is doing the score.

April 7 – Smurfs: The Lost Village

After the horrendous live action/CGI cross over Smurfs films we got a few years back, the franchise is seemingly going back to its roots with this new installment.

June 2 – Captain Underpants

Captain Underpants could go one of two ways: either it’s a smash hit that spawns a franchise, or it bombs and the franchise never sees the light of day again. It has potential, but we’ll have to see if the marketing draws viewers in.

June 16 – Cars 3

Following the universally agreed upon worst Pixar film in Cars 2, the company is putting out a third installment which looks darker in tone than the previous two.

June 30 – Despicable Me 3

Rounding out the Despicable Me trilogy comes a movie that will likely get buried by Pixar’s Cars 3, which is released a mere two weeks prior.

September 22 – The Lego Ninjago Movie

Although the less anticipated of the two Lego movies hitting theaters in 2017, the Ninjago franchise is a hit among kids and the cast is stacked, including names such as Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, and Michael Peña .

November 22 – Coco

Coco is an original Pixar film telling the story of “a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who sets off a chain of events relating to a century-old mystery, leading to an extraordinary family reunion”. With a stacked, diverse cast, can Pixar deliver another Inside Out sized hit

So, are you excited about the animated movies coming out in 2017? I’m hyped for Lego Batman, Smurfs, Cars 3, and Coco. Other than that, the quality seems to be mediocre; only time will tell if 2017 is as good for animation as 2016 was.

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