It’s not a game anymore. The BBC has just released the official trailer for Sherlock season four. The trailer gives us a good look at the upcoming season and reveals that the hit series will return on January 1, 2017.
The trailer teases a much darker turn for Sherlock as well as the highly anticipated return of Andrew Scott as Moriarty. Season three closed with Sherlock being exiled from England for the murder of Charles Augustus Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen). His exile, however, was short-lived, as the government needed his help with another case. As the dead villain, Moriarty seemingly returned.
Watch The Trailer For Sherlock Season 4 Below!
Cumberbatch and Freeman won’t be alone when they return for season four. It seems they have a new foe to face in The First Avenger actor Toby Jones. Season four of the hit BBC drama will officially return with the first of three episodes, titled The Six Thatchers. Benedict Cumberbatch is currently getting a lot of attention for his starring role in Marvel’s Doctor Strange however, it’s great to see the actor back in the role that made him such an enormous star.
Sherlockseason 4 will premiere on BBC and PBS with ‘The Six Thatchers’ on January 1, 2017.
Fans of Brad Bird and ‘The Incredibles’ received some pleasant news Wednesday afternoon as Pixar moved up the release date of ‘The Incredibles 2’ up a full year to June 15, 2018, according to reports from Variety. The animation giant also pushed ‘Toy Story 4’ back a year to June 21, 2019.
Bird returns to direct ‘The Incredibles 2.’
Check back for more news on Toy Story 4′ and ‘The Incredibles 2’ as it develops.
‘Toy Stoy 3’ just destroyed the box office in 2010, grossing a billion dollars, more than doubling ‘Toy Story 2’s take.
‘The Incredibles’ ranks seventh all-time at the box office for Pixar, it will be interesting to see how the sequel does 14 years later. There is a whole new generation to experience the film and two other chopping at the bit for the sequel.
It is definitely time to start worrying about Wolverine. The first official trailer for Logan revealed that Wolverine’s healing factor isn’t what it used to be. Now a newly released photo is showing off some of the characters battle wounds.
Director James Mangold has been constantly tweeting out photos from Logan, but the latest gives us an amazing new look at Hugh Jackman as the aging hero.
Check Out A Wounded Logan In The Image Below!
It certainly looks like Wolverine will be throwing himself towards a lot of danger in Logan. Among old scars, there are some clearly visible bullet holes and stab wounds in this image. Wolverine might not be healing, but when it comes to protecting people he’s not going to let some bullets get in the way.
The image is also an extension of the style of the first trailer. This doesn’t look like your typical superhero movie but appears to be going down a more gritty, independent route, which is more than fine with us. As we all know this is Hugh Jackman’s final outing as Wolverine and so far it looks like he’ll be going out with a violent, bloody, and great movie.
Set in the future of 2024, Wolverine and Professor Charles Xavier must cope with the loss of the X-Men when a corporation lead by Nathaniel Essex is destroying the world leaving it to destruction, with Logan’s healing abilities slowly fading away and Xavier’s Alzheimer’s forcing him to forget. Logan must defeat Nathaniel Essex with the help of a young girl named Laura Kinney, a female clone of Wolverine.
It would be easy to compare Violent Love to the likes of Bonnie and Clyde, Natural Born Killers, and Romeo and Juliet. The parallels are definitely there, but honestly this comic doesn’t need to be compared to any other works. In fact, doing so would be a disservice to the creators. Frank J. Barbiere and Victor Santos have crafted a tale so enthralling that it deserves to stand on its own. Yes, this story pays homage to the classics, but it does so while still feeling fresh and wholly original.
Violent Love is the story of Rock Bradley and Daisy Jane, a couple whose love left a legendary trail of death and destruction in its wake. It’s shaping up to be an action packed thrill ride, but first Barbiere and Santos are taking the time to give these characters their due and show what makes them tick. This first issue, entitled “The Ballad of Daisy Jane,” is an origin story of sorts, and a masterful one at that.
The book’s cover reads “crime/romance,” but “tragedy” may be a more suitable category. There looks be a lot of fun along the way, but through all the guns and violence, deep down this is going to be a story about loss and what people are capable of when they have nothing left to lose. Readers are treated to just a taste of that depth in issue one, and it hits like a freight train. Huge credit goes to Frank Barbiere for that impact; he’s created characters so interesting that people are invested in their well-being after just 30 pages.
However, Victor Santos’ art is what truly brings Violent Love to life. You can remove Barbiere’s words completely and still follow along without missing a beat; that’s how strong the visual storytelling is. Santos makes the players feel classic in a Darwyn Cooke kind of way, and the world around them gritty and mean. His layouts pop with a cinematic quality (complete with beautiful title cards), and his use of color – especially red – makes for epic tableaus.
The Bottom Line
Barbiere and Santos just joined Brubaker and Phillips as one of comics’ great noir teams.
Violent Love #1 is everything you expect it to be and more. If you only buy one comic on November 9th, make it this one.
This new trailer for Frank and Lola is director Matthew Ross channeling Adrian Lyne, with a splash of Refn, Lynch, and any number of psycho-sexual influences. Plus, it stars Michael Shannon, so it’s probably going to be worth your time.
Check this out:
A psychosexual noir love story, set in Las Vegas and Paris, about love, obsession, sex, betrayal, revenge and, ultimately, the search for redemption.
That scant synopsis doesn’t tell us anything we can’t surmise from this trip trailer. Sometimes, I worry about Michael Shannon over saturation – the dude is in every other movie out there – but then I remember I have yet to be disappointed by any of his performance, and he has the sort of quiet magnetism that allows him to slip into so may different roles. Sure, a lot of those are emotionally or mentally unstable characters, but he manages to give each and every one of them their own fingerprint.
Shannon opposite Imogen Poots, who’s been pretty great her whole career but really lit up Green Room earlier this year, could be special. And then there’s the unusual addition of Justin Long, and the welcome surprise of Rosanna Arquette. Always nice to see her.
Something is seriously amiss about the aesthetics in Ti West’s new low-fi Western, In a Valley of Violence. And the story doesn’t help out either. From the opening scene where our lone hero, Paul (Ethan Hawke), comes across a stereotypically miscreant preacher on the outskirts of town, to the subsequent credit sequence, it’s clear West is going for a retrograde 70s vibe. But this all falls apart when we get to town.
The town is Denton, one of the dustiest, most sparsely populated towns in Western cinema history. And that’s the problem: this place is too dusty, too empty, too cheap looking to sell the mood West wants. Everything in Denton looks like a poorly-constructed set, and interiors have this weird, lightweight emptiness. The saloon Paul walks into and runs into predictable trouble looks like a set built in a church dining hall. Everything is spread out and there are only a couple of tables and chairs, giving the scenes this strange vacant feel.
It’s all really weird.
And, as far as I can tell, Denton is occupied by one group of misfits – the ones who stir up trouble with Paul – the leader’s manic, shrill girlfriend, a younger girl (Taissa Farmiga, Vera’s youngest sister) who takes an uncomfortable liking to Paul, and the Marshal, played by John Travolta with his standard VOD combo of silly accent and sillier facial hair. There are maybe a couple of other people in the background, and by that I mean literally two. From what I can tell, the town of Denton is populated by about ten people, and that’s including Paul and his trusty sidekick, his dog Abby. It’s almost as if West and his team were going to add in details to the set and people who actually live in Denton somehow in post production, and they just never got around to it.
As for the plot, well, it’s quite literally the John Wick story refashioned with cowboy hats and horses. Paul is a Civil War deserter who was a skilled killer back in his day, and he “doesn’t want any trouble” anymore. He finds trouble in town of course, but then goes about his business until his dog is murdered and he seeks revenge (Maybe this is a spoiler, but the trailer all but shows this). This is John Wick all the way down to the dog.
Hawke and Travolta do their best with the material, but In a Valley of Violence feels like a short film pushed and pulled and stretched into a 104 minute feature. Whatever eventually happens could have been trimmed down and fit into a 40-minute vignette. Every moment of action is preceded by seemingly endless buildup and very little pay off. For example, early in the film when Paul gets into a scrum with Gilly, one of the baddies in town (James Ransone, a cookie cutter villain), Gilly stomps outside and calls out Paul for a fight. We’re presuming a gunfight in the middle of town, but what we get after what feels like an eternity of “tension building” is Paul walking up to Gilly and punching him. He knocks him out in front of the other six occupants of Denton – except the Marshal who must be sleeping or something.
That’s it. That’s the payoff, and it’s the whole movie in a single moment. Paul gets his vengeance and we plod along predictable lines until we reach a merciful end. In a Valley of Violence feels like an incomplete film, a weird experimental film school movie, a major disappointment on a story level that doesn’t even have the “at least it’s good to look at” aesthetic to fall back on.
If the first trailer for M. Night Shyamalan’s Split didn’t get you excited, perhaps this new one will do the trick.
Split looks like a completely irresponsible take on multiple-personality disorder, with James McAvoy playing Kevin, a nut job with 23 different personalities who kidnaps a trio of young girls for… something. There’s sure to be a surprise or two along the way.
This new trailer, however, leans into the supernatural element of the story. What happens when Kevin realizes his full craziness potential? Apparently he unleashes some sort of creature. Check this out:
This looks awesome. It seems like M. Night has finally tried to get rid of that self-seriousness that began plaguing his work after Signs and all the way up to the decent little thriller The Visit last year. I like this new Shyamalan.
And anyone who’s pissed off about the depiction of mental illness in an M. Night Shyamalan horror movie needs to go be offended elsewhere. If you’re looking for clinical accuracy here, it’s you who has the problem.
Split debuted at Fantastic Fest last month and got some positive early reviews. It opens wide January 20.
Doctor Strange himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, is scheduled to host Saturday Night Live on the weekend the film opens, reports Newsarama. The musical guest will be Solange. The appearance was confirmed on SNL’s Twitter. This will also be SNL’s final episode before the presidential election which is on Tuesday, November 8th.
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.
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 November 4, 2017, in theaters nationwide.
The “Robert Langdon” series is one of those series that Hollywood is desperate to make into a success – getting talents like Tom Hanks and Ron Howard involved. However, it has been a case of diminishing returns: the first movie The Da VinciCode was a big hit but only has a Rotten Tomatoes of 25% and the sequel Angels & Demons made half as much as money as its predecessor, although it had a better critical response. Now after a seven-year break Hanks is back as Langdon, traveling across Europe to stop a megalomaniac.
Robert Langdon awakes in hospital in Florence, Italy, after being shot in the head and has no memory of the last 48 hours. After being attacked by an assassin posing as a police officer, Langdon and his genius doctor Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) have to go on the run, finding out that a mad billionaire Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster) plans to release a virus that can kill half the world’s population in a radical bid to save the planet. Fortunately for Langdon, there have been clues left behind regarding the virus’ location hidden in artifacts related to the famous medieval poem Inferno by Dante Alighieri.
The Da Vinci Code was a publishing sensation back in 2003, selling 80 million copies by 2009, and been translated into 44 languages – a huge achievement considering the book wasn’t that good, filled with illogical plotting, an unbelievable storyline, having an author showing off how much research he has done instead of entertaining and if the world did find out that Jesus did have a family, the public’s reaction would have been ‘that’s interesting’ and then they would move on with their lives. Darren Brown follow-up books haven’t been as successful. Inferno follows many of the story beats and ideas that were set out in The Da Vinci Code – both movies are historical mysteries that require international travel to famous locations involving famous artefacts in Christian art and history, there are numerous double and triple crosses on their journey and like The Da Vinci Code Langdon has to team up with another attractive lady and to solve the mystery while avoiding the law. The stories even have the same story beat where Langdon and his partner trick the authorities into going to the wrong location.
As a writer, Brown does not let logic get in the way of telling a story. Inferno moves at such a fast pace that it does not let you think about the plotholes that appear throughout the movie – any attempt to dissect the story would result in it falling like a house of cards. Even the basic premise is faulty – why would there be clues to the location of the virus, when the plan of the villains is revealed it results in thoughts about everything that could have gone wrong and everything is just overly complicated. There are red herrings to distract the audience, including a diversion to the wrong city, and bombards you with historical facts.
There is some inconsistency in the characters’ intelligence levels. The amnesia plot device is an excuse for Langdon to remember or forget important facts at convenient times, while Sienna is shown to be a child prodigy yet comes up with some suggestions that a woman with high intelligence wouldn’t have even humored. The world of Inferno also shows agents working for the World Health Organization are more like the CIA than a pan-national team of scientists. However, everyone in front of and behind the camera seems to be aware of the silliness, and it is reflected in how some of the dialogue was written and how it was delivered. Two examples are when Langdon showing off his knowledge and Sienna pointing out that he couldn’t remember the name of a hot brown beverage, and when Langdon says, he needs to read a copy of Dante’s Inferno, Sienna says she uses Google – possibly a reference to Angels & Demons where Langdon had to read a document in the Vatican archives. Sienna was so smart for most of the movie it leaves the question: why did she even need Langdon?
Each Robert Langdon film raises the stakes of the previous one – The Da Vinci Code was about personal survival and an issue that in all respects was minor for most people: Angels and Demons was about Langdon and his allies trying to stop a bomb destroying Rome and Inferno is about Langdon saving humanity. The idea of an eco-warrior billionaire wanting to kill off a large portion of the world’s population to save the planet has been explored before – it was the villain’s plan in Kingsman: The Secret Service and in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (the novel where Clancy jumped the shark). Inferno comes across as a cross of a Bond film and Assassin’s Creed – minus the action. Bertrand Zobrist is pretty much a Bond villain – his plan and circumstances are similar to villains from that series, and his ally is a private security company based on a yacht is a Bondesque idea. The whole story has the air of a ’60s or ’70s style Bond film, and the finale during a classical concert would have fitted perfectly for a spy adventure. The Connery/Moore era Bond film were travelogues as well as spy adventures – giving audiences a chance to see manmade and naturals wonders that they were unlikely ever to see in person and the Langdon series would have worked better if it had made in the 60s.
The Assassin’s Creed references come from the fact that the movie is set in the same cities that Ezio visited, it has a historical conspiracy and Irfan Khan’s Mr. Sims had blades coming out his wrists like the assassins in those games. The Assassin’s Creed references also come in some of the imagery of Langdon’s visions of hell and a battle. These senses were when Inferno was at its most visually inventive – replicating Sandro Botticelli’s Map of Hell [a visual representation of Dante’s Inferno] and the battle sequence was based on Giorgio Vasari’s painting The Battle of Marciano: a battle that happened in the 16th Century.
Inferno is the best movie in the Robert Langdon series so far, but considering the low standard of the previous flicks, it’s not much of an accomplishment. It looks pretty because of its locations and the more daring visuals due to Langdon visions; has a grander plot, fine music from Hans Zimmer and altogether a more epic plot. But the Langdon series cannot overcome its illogical plotting – being more a history lesson than entertainment.
The leaves are turning another color and October is almost at an end. It’s time to look at the geekiest shows, movies, and original programs Netflix has to offer in November. Take the time to look at these titles and plan what to watch after the turkey dinner and before Black Friday Shopping.
1. Candyman 2: Farewell To The Flesh (November 1st)
Need help say goodbye to Halloween? Try watching a bad horror movie and your feelings of nostalgia will disappear before you know it. This charmer has a 25% on RottenTomatoes.com and did some real damage by making sure Candyman 3 went straight to DVD.
2. Cujo (November 1st)
The original bad dog makes his way to Netflix. Consider this an alternative to the first entry. Not in the mood to give up the Halloween spirit so soon? Then watch as Cujo becomes rabid, turns from big cuddle fellow into a killing machine, and you’ll be able to keep the horror movie buzz alive.
3. The Jetsons: The Movie (November 1st)
With DC reintroducing Hanna-Barbera titles it might be best to give this movie a shot so you can get familiar with these classic characters just in case they make an appearance sooner or later. Or at least before the next straight to DVD special comes out where they meet the WWE. Yes. It’s happening. You don’t even have to go to google, trust me, it’s a thing.
4. World of Winx (November 4th)
In need of a little girl power? Look no further than this Italian created magic girls series. In their new spinoff series, they are going to come to Earth in an effort to look for individuals who are blessed with talent which is being stolen by a villain known as the Talent Thief.
5. Danger Mouse: Season 2 (November 9th)
The second season of the Netflix original series which helped to breath new life in the world’s greatest animated secret agent returns. If you didn’t treat yourself to this series back when it first debuted, take this opportunity to catch up before season two starts. Don’t worry, the episodes aren’t very long. You’ll binge it in no time.
6. Tales From The Darkside: The Movie (November 11th)
Haven’t hear of this horror anthology? If you call yourself a true horror fan than you owe it to yourself to check it out. One of the stories in this movie was based on a Stephen King short story and brought to life by George A. Romero (Night of The Living Dead). If this doesn’t sound appealing to you than you should really rethink if you are truly a horror fan or not.
7. The 100: Season 3 (November 16th)
While it had a slow gathering at first, it seemed sometime after the second season and into the third, this show finally got the following it deserved. Watch as survivors from a space station work to stay alive in an unforgiving world they aren’t prepared for. Also, the show has been renewed for a fourth season so best to catch up now.
8. Burn After Reading (November 16th)
Need something a bit out there? Check out this movie from the Coen Brothers (Fargo and Big Lebowski) which features government secrets, adultery, and murder but presented in a very entertaining and comical fashion. Also, Brad Pitt is just nuts in this movie.
9. Paddington (November 16th)
An adaptation many didn’t think would be as good as it turned out to be. Watch as the talking bear from the deepest part of Peru comes to civilization and discovers a fondness for marmalade. It was so good, a sequel will becoming out next year. It looks like the perfect film to watch with the family after Thanksgiving dinner.
10. The Jungle Book (2016) (November 30th)
The new live action adaptation of The Jungle Book took many by surprise with just how good it was. Now you can check it out for yourself and see if it’s really worthwhile. If you need convincing, you can listen to the hosts of our podcast discuss it if you need more convincing to check it out.
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What movies and shows are you looking forward to coming to Netflix in November? Leave a comment below and let us know.
