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Olivia Munn Joins Shane Black’s ‘The Predator’

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We are still pretty far away from Shane Black’s The Predator, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it, right?

Olivia Munn has joined the cast, alongside James Franco, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The report says Munn will be playing the very generic “scientist” opposite Franco and Boyd Holbrook (Narcos), who is replacing Benicio Del Toro as a Special Forces commando.

As for the story itself, little is known aside from the setting for The Predator: suburbia?

Plot details are being kept under wraps but this is known: the story plunks the deadly alien hunter, who audiences have seen fight in jungles, concrete jungles, frozen wastelands and alien planets, in the harsh environment of … suburbia.

Soccer moms beware! The Predator is in the middle of pre-production with a scheduled February 8, 2018 (it feels like a hundred years away) release date. Black is directing and wrote the script with longtime buddy Fred Dekker – the two worked together on Monster Squad way back in the day.

Stay tuned for more details. Like, hopefully confirmation that Old-Man Dutch will appear in some capacity.

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The Wheel of Ka Turns Yet Again For ‘The Dark Tower’

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It seems us Dark Tower fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the film’s premiere, reports Entertainment Weekly. Originally scheduled for February 2017, the movie has now been pushed back into the summer. No specific details have been given. Principal photography was completed in July, so perhaps the delay is due to the extensive post-production needed to finish the fantasy film. A television series, reportedly based on the fourth book in the series Wizard and Glass,  is also expected to help finish the story after the movie’s release.  The film has had a long history of starts and stops, with many attempts at production by  J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard. 

The Dark Tower, based on a series of novels by Stephen King, details the heroic quest of Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger of his land, who along with a young boy from our Earth named Jake, attempts to stop the evil Man In Black from destroying the Dark Tower and eradicating all reality with it.

The film stars Idris Elba as Roland, Matthew McConaughey as the Man in Black, and Tom Taylor as Jake Chamber .  The cast also includes Jackie Earle Haley, Franz Kranz, Abby Lee Kershaw, Claudia Kim, Michael Barberi, Jose Zuniga, Alex McGregor, De-Wet Nagel, and Nicholas Hamilton. It is directed by Nikolaj Arcel and produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Media Rights Capital.

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Trailer: Neil Patrick Harris is Count Olaf in ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’

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Neil Patrick Harris nails the Count Olaf look in this trailer for Netlifx’ A Series of Unfortunate Events. I had completely forgotten this was going to be a thing in 2017, but this trailer gives off a pretty fun vibe:

After the Baudelaire parents die in a terrible fire, the Baudelaire orphans search for their families secrets and get them and their fortune away from the terrible grasp of the sinister Count Olaf as he moves with them between different gaurdians in desquise.

NPH looks awesome, and goes a long way to help erase the memory of that Jim Carrey movie… kidding. Carrey’s movie was fine, but not good enough to kickstart the franchise they wanted.

This version of A Series of Unfortunate Events is an 8-episode Netflix series, so it’ll have more breathing room. There’s a ton of talent scattered in this version, including Bernadette Peters, Aasif Mandvi, Joan Cusack, among others. Also, Barry Sonnenfeld is directing alongside Mark Palansky, which explains the cool Addams Family movie vibe to the visuals.

A Series of Unfortunate Events releases on January 13 on Netflix.

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Seven Great Films Made In Chicago In Honor Of The Chicago Cubs

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Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs!

The Cubs gnawed the faces off of the Cleveland Indians in a World Series destined to break at least one curse. The Windy City is a gorgeous place that’s starred as the setting of many great films. In honor of the Cubs winning in seven games, here are seven great films made in Chicago!

The Blues Brothers – 1980

comedy-film-chicagoBorn on Saturday Night Live, the Blues Brothers are characters created by legendary comedians Dan Akroyd and John Belushi. From comedy sketch to several music albums later, the duo featured in this raucous buddy comedy directed by John Landis. The Blues Brothers is one of the wildest rides in and around Chicago committed to film.

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – 1986

ferrisb-mfr2Did you know that the greatest movie about ditching school is also a science fiction film? Ferris Bueller is a time-controlling imp who gives viewers of a tour of Chicago in record time. The adventures are legendary in pop culture. Director John Hughes and star Matthew Broderick created a timeless comedy classic about seizing the day, friendship, and more.

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The Untouchables – 1987

the untouchables-film-chicagoThe Untouchables is about mafia kingpin Al Capone and all his murderous antics in 1930s Chicago. It’s directed by Brian De Palma and stars Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert DeNiro and Billy Drago. If you consider yourself a pop culture addict and don’t know who Billy Drago is then, you know nothing! The Untouchables is a fantastic film that will likely be rebooted sooner or later.

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Home Alone – 1990

home alone-comedy-film-chicagoThe comedy hit of its time and one of the highest grossing ever, Home Alone made a star of Macauly Caulkin. If you don’t know the story by now, little Kevin McAllister is left home alone by his super-neglectful parents. Two criminals played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, who have been targeting the house, attempt to get inside only to meet the many traps set by Kevin.

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The Fugitive – 1993

the fugitive-action-film-chicago“It was a one-armed man!” Harrison Ford stars in the Oscar-nominated action movie directed by Andrew Davis. The Fugitive is the rare combination of a high-stakes action thriller and smart character drama. It’s also the film on this list that is most unabashedly Chicago, even including the green river during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

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Road to Perdition – 2002

comic book-comics-film-chicagoArguably the most visually stunning movie on this list. Road to Perdition brings to life the richly drawn graphic novel by Max Allan Collins to create a film that’s absorbing. Tom Hanks and a star-studded cast including Jude Law, Daniel Craig, and legend Paul Newman feature in a movie about fathers, sons, and the ties that bind. Director Sam Mendes dresses the character drama as a mob movie with all the tension and violence that goes with it.

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The Dark Knight – 2008

the dark knight-comic book-movie-chicagoThe second chapter in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy is widely considered as one of the greatest comic book movies ever. I’m not here to debate that. Though the movie takes place in fictional Gotham, the actual filming took place in Chicago, and Nolan uses the traditional and modern angles of the city’s buildings to take us to another world where heroes face phyrric victories.

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Extra Inning (aka Honorable Mention): Barbershop – 2002

comedy-film-chicagoWho knew a comedy about a barbershop in South Chicago could be so much fun? Director Tim Story leads Ice Cube (for the first of their now three films together) and a cast that includes Queen Latifah, Cedric the Entertainer, and Anthony Anderson. The film is a lot more heartwarming that it needed with a funny story about friends and family. It even spawned a four-movie cinematic universe!

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The Latest ‘Wonder Woman’ Trailer Debuts And It Is Epic

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Wonder Woman Is About To Hit The Big Screen With All Her Might!

Warner Bros. has been teasing a their official trailer of ‘Wonder Woman‘ for a few days now. It looks like she has finally arrived.

Could this be the movie to save the DC Extended Universe?

Diana Prince a.k.a Wonder Woman has never looked better. Fans of her have been waiting decades for a feature film and this trailer lives up to the hype.

After debuting in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice‘, Gal Gadot wonderfully brought the princess to life. This trailer shows she will continue that with a dynamic performance. The trailer hints at a lot of things to come but remains subtle. After the debacle with previous DCEU trailers, I’m glad to see they worked on it for this.

Wonder Woman‘ comes out June 2, 2017. It stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Robin Wright. The story goes as follows: “An Amazonian princess leaves her island home to explore the world and, in doing so, becomes one of the world’s greatest heroes.”

Wonder Woman

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How DOCTOR STRANGE’s Kaecilius Ranks Among The MCU Villains

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Marvel Studios has a problem: as good as their movies are, the villains often fall flat. MCU rogues tend to be underdeveloped and unforgettable, dating all the way back to War Monger in Iron Man. But with each new film comes the hope for a better class of criminal, and that hope is reborn with Doctor Strange. So how does Mads Mikkelsen’s sinister Kaecilius stack up against his peers? Is he more Loki or more Malekith? Read on, true believers.

mfr spolier alert

The problem with Marvel’s villains usually lies in their motivation. Breaking bad simply for money or power is boring; audiences can’t invest themselves in that. People want bad guys that they can sympathize with. In that regard, Kaecilius has most MCU wrongdoers beat.

The sorcerer learns that his master, the Ancient One, has been drawing power from the forbidden Dark Dimension (where time doesn’t exist) to prolong her own life. He sees this as a great injustice, and steals an ancient ritual to bring the dread Dormammu from the dark realm into our own. Kaecilius aims to stop time, extending the life of the Earth and saving its inhabitants.

That’s a pretty sound motivation. Sure many people die along the way, and he almost unleashes a terror greater than he ever imagined, but that’s what makes him the villain. At least he’s not doing it just to get rich like Darren Cross in Ant-Man. Kaecilius wants to save the world he loves. And who wouldn’t get angry at an authority figure abusing their power?

Doctor Strange Kaecilius

Unfortunately, in spite of his relatable rationale, Kaecilius is still another forgettable MCU villain. Mads Mikkelsen is serviceable in the role; he’s simply not given much to work with. He doesn’t get much screen time, and the time he does get feels wasted. Then he gets totally upstaged when Dormammu finally shows up.

The Bottom Line

Kaecilius is more interesting than most Marvel movie villains, but he’s no where near as memorable as Loki, or even Ultron. Still, what little character development he is given inspires hope for the future of the MCU. If the writers can keep this momentum going, soon fans will have a rogue who they can sympathize with AND who will leave a lasting impact.

Doctor Strange is in theaters November 4th.

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Here is a Full, Glorious Trailer for ‘T2 Trainspotting’

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Forget about that weird title, this first full trailer for T2 Trainspotting, the long-gap sequel to Danny Boyle’s classic drug flick from 1996, looks pretty impressive.

Check it out:

Here’s what Sony has to say about T2:

First there was an opportunity……then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance.

Of all the movies to get a sequel after 20 years, I wouldn’t have expected Trainspotting to be on that list. But it’s here, Danny Boyle is back behind the camera, and it looks just as high energy and manic as the original. Only with a touch of appropriate maturity to all those shenanigans this time around.

T2 Trainspotting opens January 27.

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Director Scott Derrickson Details Deleted ‘Doctor Strange’ Scene

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With Doctor Strange  opening tomorrow, director Scott Dickerson has been making the rounds and has discussed a deleted scene in an exclusive interview with news site Collider. In the interview, Derrickson discusses a scene where a young Stephen Strange witnesses the drowning of his sister (fans of the comic will remember this as the event that inspires Strange to become a doctor). In the scene, the sister is played by Lulu Wilson, (Ouija: Origin Of Evil). The director also touches on various pre-production and production stories, and most interesting of all, how close we got to having Joaquin Phoenix as the Sorcerer Supreme. You can watch the interview video below.

Doctor Strange tells the story of neurosurgeon Stephen Strange whose life takes a tragic turn after a horrific car accident damages his hands. When medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing in a mysterious place known as Kamar-Taj. There he learns that this is not just a place for healing but also the sight of a magical battle to save the world. Soon Doctor Strange must choose to return to his normal life or leave it all behind  and take his new place as the world’s Sorcerer Supreme.

The character is also expected to appear in Avengers: Infinity War.

Doctor Strange stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Into Darkness, ), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Rachel McAdams (True Detective Season 2), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man), Mads Mikkelsen (Valhalla Riding/Hannibal) and Tilda Swinton (The Grand Budapest Hotel). It is directed by Scott Derrickson, and written by Derrickson, Jon Spaihts (Prometheus), and C. Robert Cargill (Sinister). It opens tomorrow, November 4, 2017, in theaters nationwide.

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EJ’s ‘Doctor Strange’ Review: Strong Visuals Can’t Save A Weak Film

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Doctor Strange Is More Of The Same From Marvel. At Least This Is Pretty To Watch…

Like a slasher franchise in the 1980’s, somehow Marvel gets away with making the same movies over and over again. There was times during ‘Doctor Strange‘ that the movie feels like a re-hash of ‘Iron-Man‘ from 2008. Sure the characters are similar but does the film have to follow the same beats and patterns?

What I will say that this movie ended up being my favorite first film for a Marvel Cinematic Universe character. It lacks in any real depth but it’s a far better introduction than most characters have gotten during their first solo outings.

There is glimmers of a great piece here. The artistic visual journey ‘Doctor Strange‘ takes you on is unlike any other comic book film. I never thought a Disney-produced movie would conjure up comparisons to surreal films like ‘Enter The Void‘ and ‘2001: A Space Odyssey‘. Can’t help but be amazed by how art-house this attempted to be. Especially that masterful final fight that’s in reverse; that was one of the single best things the MCU has ever done.

But just when it gets good, their tropes come right back in to meddle with the fun.

What are these tropes you ask? Let me break them down for you:

Since roughly ‘Iron-Man 2‘, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has fallen into using a formulaic approach to crafting their films. With this formula comes obvious flaws some critics and myself have pointed out. The villains are notoriously weak, female love interests are pointless, and the humor nears cringe-worthy territory.

“You think you know how the world works. You think this material universe is all there is. What if I told you the reality you know is one of many?”
-The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)

Doctor Strange‘ has all of flaws I noted. Some of them even overlap with each other. Like ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘, the final confrontation between Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dormammu went for jokes rather than tension. Basically, the movie told me that this mystic being who lives for eternity was annoyed by Strange enough to just leave Earth alone. Why even invite Dormammu to the party if you were just gonna make him a laughing stock?

Mads Mikkelsen is another in a long line of wasted villains with one-note, thankless roles. His character Kaecilius would disappear for much of the film’s running time to then suddenly pop up to be a threat. Not buying it. Marvel is so drawn to the hero’s journey that their villain never goes anywhere.

The over-use of that Marvel comedy is a glaring issue in ‘Doctor Strange‘. The company has proven before they know how to use their comedy properly with films like ‘Captain American: Winter Solider‘ having less of it and more intensity. But this movie goes as far as using a dated Beyonce joke and constant one-liners from literally EVERYONE. I’m sorry but Kaecilius doesn’t need to be a jokester as well. The only character who used comedy properly was the Doctor Strange’s cloak. It got a bit slapstick but it felt organic at least.

Strange         Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange

Other than the stunning visuals, the only thing I can really praise is the acting from some of the actors. Benedict Cumberbatch does his best with the material given to him. He doesn’t handle the comedic moments well but he brings some intensity to the few serious ones. The standout performance for me is Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One. She’s regal and stern but can crack a joke when needed. She may be the best actress the Marvel Cinematic Universe as ever seen. Out of all the supporting characters, Benedict Wong’s mystic arts librarian Wong was the scene-stealer. He had a better character arc than the movie’s two villains did.

Those actors shine but Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor just played one-dimensional characters. I don’t know why McAdams was even in the movie and I already mentioned the waste of Mikkelsen. I was looking forward to Chiwetel Ejiofor just as much as I was looking forward to Tilda Swinton but he played second-fiddle until it was too late to care.

Mostly, I was upset that a talented director like Scott Derrickson made another Marvel that seems like the rest. Derrickson shined in 2012’s ‘Sinister‘ but his knack for subverting genre expectations couldn’t be used here. ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘ director James Gunn found a way to work his brand into the Marvel cookie-cutter but maybe Derrickson should’ve went the route of Edgar Wright and Patty Jenkins.

Final Thoughts:

If you’ve liked Marvel movie 1-13, then you will most likely enjoy their 14th film. If you are looking for something different plot/character wise, then you will be disappointed. This will get a pass from viewers for the odd visuals but look beyond those and you’ll see a film struggling to be interesting.

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First ‘Defenders’ Set Photos Reveal Jessica Jones & Misty Knight

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Filming for The Defenders is officially underway and the first set photos have been released via Comingsoon.net. See Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones and Simone Messick as Misty Knight in the gallery below.

“Marvel’s The Defenders follows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.” 

Along with the two cast members seen above, the show stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Finn Jones as Danny Rand, and Sigourney Weaver as the villain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBZtM8q2Z1g

See The Defenders on Netflix in 2017.

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