Sony Pictures released the first trailer to ‘Underworld: Blood Wars’ Wednesday afternoon.
Kate Beckinsale returns as Selene with Theo James at her side.
The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS follows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The film is directed by Anna Foerster from a screenplay by Cory Goodman and Jayson Rothwell. ‘Underworld: Blood Wars’ stars Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Lara Pulver, Tobias Menzies, Bradley James, James Faulkner, and Chales Dance.
The war between Lycans and Vampires continues on January 6, 2017.
We Also Get Some Teases About J.K. Simmons and Ben Affleck Working Together!
As expected, J.K. Simmons will spend most of his time with Batman, himself! Talking about his role as Commissioner Gordon, Simmons gives a preview as what to expect from 2017’s ‘Justice League‘.
He also talked about the “fun set” that Zack Snyder has created.
J.K. Simmons had this to say to Entertainment Weekly:
“Yeah, mostly with Ben. In this first installment of the Justice League, Commissioner Gordon is not a particularly sizable part. We just kind of introduce him and see a little bit of his interactions with Batman — and with most of the Justice League.
That was a really fun set. Zack [Snyder] runs sort of a big, happy family and it’s obviously, in many ways, a very different work environment when you’re working on a big, giant movie like that than a relatively small movie like The Meddler.
But at the end of the day, the director is the one who sets the tone. And one of the things that Zack and Lorene have in common is they’re just nice, smart, competent, fun people that you don’t mind spending a 12-hour day with. My part is done. They are filming that for basically most of 2016, so some of the superheroes are still at work in jolly old London, but I’m back home with my family.”
Looks like the movie won’t be wrapping filming anytime soon. They are not trying to rush anything along when it comes to making ‘Justice League‘. I, personally, love seeing the praise for Zack Snyder. His work as a director and reputation as someone who brings a great atmosphere to his sets is admirable. Love seeing this good connection with DC films and their artist.
Are you excited to see J.K. Simmons turn as Commissioner Gordon?
Marvel’s Chief Operating Officer, Joe Quesada, in an interview with CBR has revealed that fan favorite newcomer Kamala Khan (Who took over the Ms. Marvel mantle after Carol Danvers was promoted to Captain Marvel) could be headed into live action in one way or the other due to her popularity with fans. While rumors have persisted of her involvement into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is the first time the possibility has been officially discussed.
“Our readers are the Johnny Appleseeds. They tell us something is resonating, something is hitting a core, and that’s something we should try to cultivate. Another great example of this: Ms. Marvel. If we had put this book out ten years ago, it probably would never have succeeded. Not only did we find the audience, but we had the right people on the book and we had the right editor on the book, the right creators on the book. And now we have a character that’s very recognizable — very, very quickly.” Said Quesada. On the character’s possible live action appearance, he said
“That doesn’t happen a lot. Who knows where Ms. Marvel’s going to end up. You can be sure that, somewhere down the road, she will be a part of the future of Marvel in other media”
Kamala Khan was an overnight success for Marvel when she was launched as Ms. Marvel in 2014. While Quesada’s comments are far from active development, it does suggest that Kamala Khan is on their radar and should be expected on the big or small screen in the near future.
Sully is a compelling but stressful hour-and-thirty-six minutes of cinema. Based in part on the memoir penned by Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow, “Highest Duty,” it depicts the harrowing experience of US Airways flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, a flight that ended with what’s now remembered as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”
Director Clint Eastwood’s re-creation of the experience itself in the film could be a study in crafting tension and suspense in film without unnecessary melodrama.
But Sully is just as effective in depicting the character-driven moments that went unseen at the time. Tom Hanks carries those moments, balancing the film’s methodical approach to the events and details with conviction and emotional weight.
What’s it about
As a film, Sully does not progress chronologically. Rather, it follows the emotional roller coaster that Captain Sullenberger (Hanks) experiences as he and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiiles (Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight) are questioned regarding their actions during the crisis by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Over and over again, the members of the board question Sully’s decision to land the plane in the Hudson River. Their computer data contradicts what Sully and Jeff believed at the time, that the plane did not, in fact, lose both its engines, and that they could have made it back to LaGuardia Airport.
Outwardly, Sully maintains his belief in what his instincts told him was happening and what they told him to do. They could not make it back — he made the only choice available to them.
But away from the doubting glances of the board and all the media attention, the fear that there might have been another way manifests itself. It’s only to his wife, Lorrie (Laura Linney), that Sully reveals those doubts, the anxiety that keeps from sleeping peacefully.
Did his choice in those fleeting moments put lives in danger needlessly, rather than save them? That question haunts him, along with the possibility that his choices may jeopardize his career and his family’s future.
Meticulous recreation
Folks who get nervous when flying please take note. Sully is so well crafted in terms of the scenes that re-create the “Miracle on the Hudson” from start to finish are very likely to evoke air travel anxiety.
Especially when experienced in IMAX (the film was shot with IMAX cameras), even the incident-free take-off of flight 1549 in the film will likely bring about sensations like that involuntary tightening of the stomach muscles that some feel on planes when the craft first leaves the ground. It’s that convincing.
Add to that “normal” anxiety the knowledge viewers have going into the movie, that something will go wrong, and you have a film experience rife with genuine tension. Eastwood and the production in Sully put audiences in a seat on that plane, and it’s a powerful experience.
To truly appreciate just how accurate the representation of the events is in Sully, audiences should stay for the credits. Photos taken on the Hudson River that day of the rescue efforts and the plane in the water are the best evidence possible to the effort in this production to “get it right.”
A compelling, credible character portrait
Balancing all that effort into the technical aspects of Sully is a truly memorable performance from Tom Hanks as Captain Sullenberger.
Yes, that’s saying a lot, considering the memorable work Hanks has delivered over decades in Hollywood. But the film demands the juggling of a great deal of conflicting emotions. It also asks that Hanks effectively convey a decision-making process that in mere seconds saved more than a hundred lives.
Hanks projects a great deal of Sully’s emotions through his eyes. During the crisis, they exude stress, but also calm intensity, calculation, and confidence. During the aftermath, they show fear and anxiety almost to the point of panic.
In terms of physicality, it’s an understated performance for Hanks. But through his eyes he makes you believe that beneath Sully’s reserved exterior all those emotions are roiling.
The supporting players here are strong, as well. Aside from Hanks, Eckhart gets the most screen time. His portrayal of the personable and funny Skiles helps to lighten things during particularly tense moments.
Linney’s role is, unfortunately, very limited, but understandably so, considering the script’s tight focus. Nevertheless, she’s solid in her relatively few moments on screen as Sully’s only real outlet for his fears and doubts.
Worth seeing?
For fans of the principals as well as anyone with an interest in this true-life positive story, Sully is a must-see film. See it in theaters — all the visual power and immersive qualities of the IMAX camera work will surely be lost on all but the largest of TV screens.
Don’t let Eastwood’s presence in the directorial chair turn you away, either. Yes, his other directorial efforts, while compelling, are undeniably long, drawn-out affairs.
Not so with Sully. At a lean 96 minutes, the film stays on point and focused the very real drama surrounding the event and those involved.
Plus, in the end, it’s a positive story that came out of a difficult period in our recent history. It’s a story highlighting inspiring courage and professionalism without saccharine or artifice.
Let’s face it. Stories crafted in that manner are few and far between in big Hollywood films these days.
Sully
Starring Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney. Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some peril and brief strong language.
Johnny Depp is starring in a movie called Labyrinth, and probably the best news about this is it isn’t a remake of Jim Henson’s 80s fantasy. Because that definitely could be a possibility, and I could see the disaster in my mind pretty easily.
No, this Labyrinth will have nothing to do with muppets. According to the the Screen Daily report, Depp will be playing Russell Poole, the late LA detective who investigated the double murders of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. “Poole encountered endless dead ends, yet his dogged legwork uncovered corruption in the LAPD that rocked the institution to its core.”
So there you have it. Another Johnny Depp movie to deal with in the near future. I wonder if the guy has a single noteworthy performance left in him; it’s been quite a while.
There is no director attached or release date for Labyrinth, but it certainly seems like they should – or they might have to – change the title eventually. Production is scheduled to begin later this year.
Tarzan on The Planet of The Apes is the crossover fans wanted but never thought to ask for! Written by Tim Seeley and David Walker, the story centers around the reunion of Tarzan and Caesar who, in this iteration, grew up with Tarzan, and their united fight against an enemy that threatens their home while contending with issues at home. The story delves into very familiar subject matter and successfully brings the worlds of Tarzan and The Planet Of The Apes together in a cohesive timeline.
The strongest points in this comic come from how seamlessly the worlds of Tarzan and Caesar come together. While it could have ended up coming off as a gimmick, the writing elevates the premise and draws the reader into this universe. The story opens on a flashback which serves as both a backstory to the current predicament and a crash course into this brand new world. It is fast paced but not rushed and never misses an opportunity to slow down for smaller moments when it needs to.
The art is also used expertly to capture and sustain the feel and tone of the story with great detail put into the aesthetic of the world in a way that would please classic Burroughs fans and fans of the original Apes series.
While the book is a blast, it isn’t without some flaws. For one, despite the entertaining value, the story does seem predictable at times, especially with the choice of villain. Which isn’t the writer’s fault because these classic stories come with their very specific and iconic adversaries. There was also one particular piece of dialogue that felt like it was there purposely to be a homage to the classic Apes films.
Overall, Tim Seeley and David Walker have set up a world that can definitely go to new and exciting places with these classic characters and yet continue to feel familiar to the audience.
Clint Eastwood’s films – the ones he directs anyway – ebb and flow in odd ways over time. Typically, his films are lauded, awarded, celebrated as masterworks when they are first released. But time dilutes their impact more so than any other director’s works. Recently, however, save for the divisive but popular (and subpar) American Sniper, Eastwood has been struggling.
Think about the impact of Million Dollar Baby in 2004, the Best Picture winner that year; with 2016 eyes, the boxing drama has faded from the national consciousness, slotted as a decent but somewhat cloying story. The same fate met his one-two punch of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. More recent efforts (Jersey Boys, anyone? J. Edgar?) have been simple bores.
To be honest, it’s been about a decade since Clint Eastwood’s work behind the camera has had any true staying power. But, of Eastwood’s 35 films he’s directed (this weekend’s Sully is #35), the quality far outweighs the mediocrity. From thrillers to westerns to wallops of undeniable dramatic intensity, here are Clint Eastwood’s 10 greatest films as a director.
10. The Eiger Sanction (1975) – Eastwood’s fourth film as director focuses on an art professor who also happens to be a hired assassin. No, it isn’t based on a true story (or is it?!). This is one of his only forays into some sort of espionage thriller, as his Professor Hemlock must take a job where he winds up in Switzerland trying to find a Russian killer. The plot is infinitely more muddled than that, but it remains something altogether unique from the rest of Eastwood’s subdued catalogue in its globetrotting scope and adventurous spirit.
9. Heartbreak Ridge (1986) – Clint Eastwood fits the hard-living Marine gunnery sergeant character better than just about anyone this side of R. Lee Ermey. Heartbreak Ridge fits Eastwood’s grizzled persona and, while it might fall into typical storytelling rhythms – rough drill sergeant has to whip cocky kids into shape – the film has authenticity coursing through its veins. The rough-natured boy club of the military, coupled with the energy and tension among so many well-constructed characters, elevate a standard plot.
8. Million Dollar Baby (2004) – Yes, Million Dollar Baby is cloying and it eventually drowns in melodrama. And yes, it’s a boxing movie, the most worn sports genre in cinema history. And yet, Eastwood’s direction, his starring turn as Frankie Dunn – reluctantly (always) taking female boxer and white-trash offspring Maggie under his wing – still pulls us in. We can see certain twists and turns coming a mile away, but this film still manages to throw around some of its emotional weight in spite of its generic DNA.
7. The Bridges of Madison County (1995) – I know my father wasn’t the only old man suckered into seeing this movie with their wives under the guise that “it’s a Clint Eastwood movie.” This is something entirely different than what pops expected; zero bullets are fired. Eastwood pulls way back, adapting Robert James Waller’s novel of heartbreak and longing, with a patient, loving eye. He and Meryl Streep star, and the brief respite they share in the middle of their predetermined lives is wonderfully light and eventually soul crushing.
6. Absolute Power (1997) – On the heels of Madison County, Eastwood returned to the thriller genre with one of the most under appreciated political/heist thrillers in the subgenre. Eastwood plays an expert jewel thief who, wait for it, is estranged from his daughter and family. On a job one night, he witnesses the Secret Service murder a woman with whom the president is having an affair. Gene Hackman oozes evil as the president, and the duo of Dennis Haysbert and Scott Glenn are perfect as Secret Service agents. Eastwood’s film begins with an enrapturing murder scene, then builds from there.
5. Play Misty for Me (1971) – Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut encapsulates everything that works about him behind the camera, especially in thrillers. He again stars, this time as a radio deejay who, after having an affair with an adoring fan (Jessica Walter, terrific), winds up in a whole heap of trouble. A precursor to Fatal Attraction, Play Misty for Me exists on the razor’s edge of incredible tension, yet it still manages to stay within itself without ever spinning out of control.
4. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – Even if it didn’t have that kickass poster, The Outlaw Josey Wales would be one of Clint Eastwood’s three or four greatest westerns. Joey Wales is a Missouri farmer and Civil War veteran who must leave his new peaceful life behind to avenge the death of his family; he also happens to be wanted man. Eastwood’s familiarity with the genre is on display in his second western as a director – the first being High Plains Drifter – as he manages to perfectly balance the dramatic moments with the intense action.
3. Mystic River (2003) – Some may dismiss Mystic River as another Eastwood melodrama, but for me this will forever be a powerful drama filled to the brim with unforgettable performances. Sean Penn leads the charge as Jimmy, a man ripped apart by the murder of his teenage daughter. His childhood friend, Dave (Tim Robbins), is a suspect, and another, Sean (Kevin Bacon), the investigating officer. The fact that these three men share a childhood polluted by the abduction and sexual assault of Dave deepens the text of the film, and pulls us further into the way all of these men’s lives have been destroyed over time. But in the middle of this boy’s tale, let us not forget the incredible performances from Laura Linney, channeling Lady Macbeth, and Marcia Gay Harden, as Dave’s troubled, uncertain wife.
2. A Perfect World (1993) – In the wake of Unforgiven’s success, Eastwood snuck in a quiet little masterpiece in the fall of ’93. Kevin Costner’s escaped convict, Butch, builds a surprising paternal relationship with his young “hostage,” Phillip/Buzz, and the pursuit of Eastwood, Laura Dern and federal marshals build and ominous road to reckoning. While the tension is terrific in A Perfect World, the relationships between its central players is the real draw. Eastwood captures the texture and sprawling openness of mid-century Texas, and shows us the inner turmoil of the characters with subtle beauty.
1. Unforgiven (1992) – It’s fitting that Clint Eastwood’s greatest achievement both in front of and behind the camera would be a deconstruction of the very genre which created his legend. Unforgiven is not an anti-western as so many people claim – there are still all the elements of the genre in play here – but an examination of what makes men violent in a world seemingly ruined by bloodshed for decades. It’s just as these outlaws and dusty plain towns are on their way out that we see the plight of Will Munny, a man who knows very little outside of killing despite his best intentions. “Killing is a hell of a thing” he says, and Unforgiven is a beautiful, powerful examination into the blackest hearts of humanity.
The cast for Collateral Beauty is amazing, if the movie itself looks to be a little melodramatic. Though, that isn’t always a bad thing.
Will Smith leads a cast that includes Ed Norton, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, and Michael Peña… wow. Here’s the trailer:
We don’t have much of a synopsis for Collateral Beauty, but you get the basics from this trailer. Will Smith’s character suffers a tragic loss and shuts down while so many people around him try and pull him back into life. This could go one of two ways, and I don’t really see it anywhere in between.
This could be a tremendous film, an award-contending melodrama full of terrific performances. Or… it could be a straight up disaster. These ensemble life-affirming films are almost always one or the other, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s the former and not the latter. That title isn’t the most promising either way.
It looks like a reboot of The Crow is finally happening. According to a new report from The WrapJustice League star Jason Momoa will lead The Crow remake which is set to begin filming in January 2017. Corin Hardy is still set to direct the comic book adaptation.
Momoa’s involvement in the reboot means the actor will move quickly from one comic book role to another. James Wan’s Aquaman has a 2018 release date, so Momoa will have a busy few years of filming comic book movies.
As a new adaptation of James O’Barr’s classic book, the reboot won’t simply remake the 1994 film, and is said to be a true adaptation of the comic. The production company behind The Crow fell into financial trouble in the last few years, but the announcement of the reboot seemingly confirms that they are back on their feet and ready to start producing the long awaited remake.
The Crow will introduce Jason Momoa as Eric Draven, a murdered man who with the help of a talking bird returns from the dead to bring vengeance to the men that killed him and his fiancée.
Are you excited to see The Crow make a return to theatres? How about Jason Momoa’s casting? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below!
I haven’t seen all of Netflix’s exclusive content, but The Little Prince is definitely among the best they have to offer. The Little Prince takes overused themes with overused characters and an overused story to bring us something so genuine it almost hurts. The Little Prince is sincerity at its finest, its real with every single emotion it is expressing and even though it takes on so many ideas, it never falters in tone or presentation. It proves that there is more to a story than the sum of its parts.
We’ve all heard the story of an uptight little girl and parent with the best intentions. They move and while the girl is trying her best to stick to what her parent have taught her, an unconventional old man comes in and opens the girls eyes to fun and wonder, while re-accounting a story the old man experienced in the past. Mind you this is only the first half of the movie. It’s predictable at every turn but it’s not trying to be unpredictable. Its trying to make you remember something.The Little Prince is told in a way where it speaks to parents and children about the same subject simultaneously. It’s also very self-insertive. With the movie going so far as to not give any of the characters actual names. I’m pretty sure this is to present the lack of individuality this world has. It also represent’s how when we grow up we are so defined by our titles that what we do replaces who we are.
The Little Prince’s narrative is pretty “by the book” up until an hour in. The story with the little girl and the old man/aviator mostly lasts about an hour with a two-minute conclusion at the end. Most movies that use this dynamic end up falling short and incorporating things that don’t really have anything to do with the story or sidetrack the themes. The Little Prince decides that its going to take the “Girl” (I have no idea what to call her besides that…) and test her against all the idea’s that she had been exploring. But it’s not her who develops surprisingly, it’s the Little Prince from the story, all grown up. The second half almost feels out-of-place but it has so many characters that we’ve already seen; so it grounds the situation even though the environment and whats going on doesn’t feel like the first half at all. What it does feel like though is a continuation of The Little Prince story that the girl was reading up until this point. By having context to how the boy see’s the grown ups from the other asteroids versus how he sees them now as an adult, it helps us understand exactly what our views can turn into and why we would rationalize them. (It is a little confusing as to why any of this happened, but I’m pretty sure The Little Prince was tricked by a snake or something) For the girl its a chance to help the Little Prince remember what he had forgotten in a very meta way.
There’s two endings to this movie, which feels right since there is two stories being told here. Like I said earlier there’s one for us adults and one for the kids. When the Little Prince gets back to his rose and finds out she’s dead, the message really hit home in a clear and concise way. The Little Prince knows that he can’t go back with things being the same. His rose is dead, but not forgotten. He doesn’t forget what he had before but can’t go back to it, and it doesn’t matter. He exists now instead of in the past with the memory of the rose and thus balances his life. The message for us is that we can do the same thing. There are things we forget and lose for no reason as adults. We can’t go back to those times but its important that we don’t forget them. Not just for ourselves, but for our kids so we can help them grow up. This is what being a parent is all about. Which is weird since the parent in this movie doesn’t really have this realization, it’s just us the audience. The girls resolution is that she can finally be herself and grow up without losing the things she had gained from the old man/aviator. He dies just like the Little Princes rose, but she’ll continue to cherish the things he showed her. By the end of the movie she has destroyed the idea of things needing to be essential, and redefined what essential means. Now essential doesn’t just have to mean progress, it is all the things that make you special and worthwhile. Its more of a blatant resolution but it’s for the kids to realize so it wouldn’t be as subversive as the Little Princes arc.
The way The Little Prince tells a story with it’s art designs is also very creative. While I don’t necessarily enjoy the CG Disney/Pixar character designs, I do like the worlds aesthetic and its contrast with The Little Prince story that the girl is reading. The real world is really gray and undersigned, in a way it’s very essential, nothing is added for flair or fun. But the story world is so lavish and the most simplistic things have life breathed into them. Not only that but it gives an idea of how the old man/aviator see’s his past. Then when in the movie’s second half it takes all the fairy tale paper mache character designs and brings them into the real world, the conflict of getting back what you lost feels more real and important because it’s not just something the character’s are feeling, us as viewers want it to go back to the way it was, to how it should be. Except for the Little Prince, he can stay a kid forever because space magic. Also the movies unexplained logic of the moving fox doll and the way asteroids are just floating in our atmosphere are never once brought up. It’s all just a matter of fact. I don’t know whether to call this lazy writing or symbolic of the way a child see’s a world versus an adult whose world view is already concrete. It all happened so fast and fit itself into the story I don’t really care either way. Also those insert songs were just the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. They made me want to cry so hard.
The Little Prince proves that you don’t need to have a new idea to mean something. It Just by telling its story with sincerity and broad appeal it can capture a wide net to hit all audiences. This is what the Disney Renaissance did in the early 90’s, and we all know how that worked out. The thing I like most about kids movies is when they can honestly admonish mistakes that adults make and give a kid guidance on how to be better. I’m a big fan of growth in the most literal sense and any film that is willing to embrace that idea and executes it with this level of quality, makes it a win for me. It’s on Netflix so go watch it now.
P.S. I wrote this before realizing that its based off a book adaptation, but decided to keep everything the same because I feel its irrelevant to the ultimate message.
Momoa’s involvement in the reboot means the actor will move quickly from one comic book role to another. James Wan’s Aquaman has a 2018 release date, so Momoa will have a busy few years of filming comic book movies.