Zoolander 2 is ramping up its publicity on the heels of a trailer that dominated the internet for a day a few weeks back. Now we have a new poster, with old guard and new, and this Vogue cover/cologne commercial mashup is perfect.
Ben Stiller spoke a little about the Zealander 2 “plot” as well:
“It’s ten years later and most of it is set in Europe… It’s basically Derek and Hansel ten years later – though the last movie ended on a happy note a lot of things have happened in the meantime. Their lives have changed and they’re not really relevant anymore. It’s a new world for them.”
The new trailer for I Saw The Light documents the troubled and short life of country music legend Hank Williams, played by Tom Hiddleston. The trailer appears to hit all the familiar music biopic notes, with the troubled inner demons, the stardom, and fleeting glimpses into the creative process and what made Williams such an icon before his passing at the age of 29.
Here is the I Saw The Light trailer:
Here is the synopsis:
I SAW THE LIGHT, the story of the legendary country western singer Hank Williams, who in his brief life created one of the greatest bodies of work in American music. The film chronicles his meteoric rise to fame and its ultimately tragic effect on his health and personal life.
Written and directed by Marc Abraham, I SAW THE LIGHT is based on Colin Escott’s award-winning biography and stars Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Bradley Whitford, David Krumholtz and Cherry Jones. RatPac Entertainment’s Brett Ratner and Bron Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert produced the film, with G. Marq Roswell and Abraham. James Packer of RatPac Entertainment and Jason Cloth of Creative Wealth Media Finance executive produced. Notable director of photography Dante Spinotti was the cinematographer for the film.
The film has seen a strange path to this trailer and the upcoming release date. After debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival, reviews were mixed at best, and the film was pushed away from this awards season and into March of 2016. The performances will certainly be top notch, but the narrative structure feels tired, like a redo on the Walk the Line formula from 2005. We’ll see on March 25.
It’s about that time. Time to talk and prognosticate and predict the Oscars 2016. Here at MFR, we will go through the major categories – the screenplays, supporting actress, supporting actor, actress, actor, director, picture – and see how we do when nominations are announced in early January. For the past several years, I’ve had a 78% prediction accuracy. Also, 56% of statistics are made up on the spot. But who’s counting?
Best Adapted Screenplay
This year, the adapted screenplays should go both big and small. On the bigger, bolder end of the spectrum, Drew Goddard’s screenplay adaptation The Martian should ride the wave of massive box-office numbers to a nomination. Goddard captures the essence of a tricky, hard-science novel from Weir, and keeps the mood of the story in tact. On the smaller end, we have Room, adapted by Emma Donoghue from her own novel. This devastatingly powerful, intimate picture absolutely deserves any and all attention it will get this season.
In between these films lie the remainder of the nominees, none of which are as sure bets as The Martian and Room. Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs should grab a nom, but the historically poor box office and rapid eschewing from theaters could hurt its chances. Nick Hornby’s adaptation of Brooklyn, from the novel by Colm Tóibín, will gather enough steam to get a nomination. The film will most certainly do the same over the next few weeks. That leaves roughly a half dozen screenplays for one fifth spot.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Mark L. Smith have an outside chance for The Revenant, based on the Michael Punke novel, but this feels like a big Awards film more reliant on physicality than dialogue. Still, don’t count out the power of Inarritu. Technically, Ryan Cooler and Aaron Covington’s Creed is based on previous characters, so if their solid script has a chance at a nomination it would be here. It feels like an outside shot, but don’t count out the film in a number of other categories. This fifth spot should fall into the hands of Phyllis Nagy’s Carol. Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, Todd Haynes’ progressive love story, and beautiful period picture, will grow into an Oscar darling over the next few weeks, and it might even make Carol the frontrunner for the statue.
PREDICTIONS
Drew Goddard – The Martian
Emma Donoghue – Room
Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs
Nick Hornby – Brooklyn
Phyllis Nagy – Carol
Best Original Screenplay
Somehow, Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer’s screenplay for the phenomenal Best Picture frontrunner Spotlight wasn’t based on previous material. It will get a nomination here, and probably a win. And it’s a Quentin Tarantino film year, so that means The Hateful Eight will grab a spot on this list. Pixar has been absent from the screenplay game since 2009, but Inside Out many consider to be their best film in several years. Pete Doctor, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley should get a nomination.
For these last two slots, there are a handful of worthy candidates. It all depends on the publicity push for these two nominations, but I suspect Straight Outta Compton, Sicario, Joy, and Bridge of Spies will all have solid chances. Early buzz for Joy is middling at best, so let’s keep that one on the outside looking in despite the Oscar power of David O. Russell. I feel like Sicario, one of the highest-grossing “indie” films of the year, will find itself in the thick of several categories, including the screenplay from Taylor Sheridan.
That leaves, theoretically, Bridge of Spies and Straight Outta Compton, both worthy candidates. Given Oscar’s penchant for reactionary nominations – last year was criminally white and male as far as films and nominees were concerned – I expect Jonathan Herman & Andrea Berloff, Alan Wenkus & Leigh Savidge’s script for Straight Outta Compton to beat out the Coen Brothers for the fifth spot.
Predictions
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer – Spotlight
Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Pete Doctor, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley – Inside Out
Taylor Sheridan – Sicario
Jonathan Herman & Andrea Berloff, Alan Wenkus & Leigh Savidge – Straight Outta Compton
Up next, we’ll take a look at supporting actress and see who’s in and who’s out…
Warner Bros. released a new Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice teaser Monday night on FOX during Gotham. It appears that Jimmy Kimmel Live is the new place to debut comic book movie trailers as Warner Bros. will release a new trailer on the late show, Wednesday.
Superman doesn’t look too happy.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice is directed by Scott Snyder, and stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Diane Lane, Ezra Miller, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne.
The film is set to open worldwide on March 25, 2016
Peter Jackson is a tease. He basically announced on social media that he’s going to be directing a Doctor Who episode, with the help of his daughter… and Peter Capaldi.
“I’m the Doctor.”
“Who?”
“Correct.”
Jackson is happily polishing away his Oscars while his daughter tells him about the fact that Stephen Moffat is trying to contact him for a directing job. But of course Peter Jackson is too busy for that, or is he?
Apparently, this is a thing which has been going on for three years! Only after Matt Smith said he’d love to film an episode of Doctor Who in New Zealand with Peter Jackson… Oops. I guess that’s not happening. But it seemed like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit director liked the idea: “I’m a huge Doctor Who fan, and I think Matt’s fantastic. Just name a time and place, and I’ll be there!” With the production of The Hobbit trilogy he must have been so busy that it took them this long to come to a deal.
Jackson mentions Moffat being extremely active with the science-fiction show as well as Sherlock… The funny thing is that both Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch have worked with Peter Jackson in between seasons of Sherlock. The director even stopped filming to give Freeman the break he needed to go back to England and shoot the famous detective show before going back to New Zealand.
Are you a Doctor Who fan? Do you approve of this news?
Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza teamed-up to bring us this thrilling story in the form of a found footage film. It’s one of the major inspirations of the video game Outlast: dark, claustrophobic, and a general unease feeling dominate throughout.
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
[Rec] was filmed chronologically in a building in Barcelona (Spain), and all actors were unknown to the public but good in improvisation because they didn’t get the scripts sometimes until right before shooting the scenes. The lead actress was indeed a presenter on Spanish television and the only directions she got were the places she had to go, the number of floors she had to go up or down, etc. She wasn’t allowed in the make-up room to see the other actors, so her reactions of terror were genuine.
The film only made it to the US on DVD after a sequel was planned and Quarantine, it’s remake, had been already released.
Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. Written by Jaume Balagueró, Luiso Berdejo and Paco Plaza. Starring Manuela Velasco, Carlos Vicente, Claudia Silva, Javier Botet.
EL ORFANATO [THE ORPHANAGE] (2007)
Can’t talk about Spanish horror without mentioning this beautiful and scary piece.
A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.
J.A. Bayona’s feature film debut kickstarted his career with a bang. Not only did he get one of the most sought-out actresses in Spanish movie and television, but he also helmed El Orfanato in the most perfect way. The story is already compelling, but Bayona’s craft makes it one of the greatest films of the 2000s.
Directed by J.A. Bayona. Written by Sergio G. Sánchez. Starring Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep.
https://youtu.be/jA6pPzh6Bd4
LOS CRONOCRÍMENES [TIMECRIMES] (2007)
A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.
My favorite genres, all together in one film: Horror, Sci-Fi and Thriller. It’s a perfect packaged film from the directing and development of the main character to the way it’s all tightly connected, not leaving a sliver of flaw in the timeline. Its small scale helps elevate the intelligence of the writing.
Directed and written by Nacho Vigalondo. Starring Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga, Nacho Vigalondo.
LOS OJOS DE JULIA [JULIA’S EYES] (2010)
Horror movies about eyesight always freak me out, with characters not being able to see and creepy things happening around them, like Gin Gwai (The Eye), which was included in our list about Asian Horror: Modern Classics. What I felt watching this is no different.
The story of a woman who is slowly losing her sight whilst trying to investigate the mysterious death of her twin sister.
We have Belén Rueda being incredible again and Luis Homar, who’s always a strong asset to any film he’s in. Produced by Guillermo del Toro, this original thriller doesn’t fail to entertain and scare, while also keeping you engaged with an unpredictable mystery.
Directed by Guillem Morales. Written by Guillem Morales and Oriol Paulo. Starring Belén Rueda, Lluís Homar, Pablo Derqui, Julia Gutierrez Gaba.
https://youtu.be/v0ImiRLFlSs
MIENTRAS DUERMES [SLEEP TIGHT] (2011)
We have already included two other films in this list of Spanish horror from Balagueró, but this is probably his best one.
You wake day after day to the comfort and security of your home. But how safe is it really?
I don’t want to give too much away of this film, because it’s truly one to watch without too many pre-conceived notions about it. Trust that if you like creepy, twisted and disturbing characters, this is for you. Enjoy.
Directed by Jaume Balagueró. Written by Alberto Marini. Starring Luis Tosar, Marta Etura, Alberto San Juan.
Marou Hyakki, a man who has lost all his limbs in an accident, visits Hazama’s university. It turns out that Hyakki was in attendance at the surgery that saved Hazama’s life when he was a child. Now he wants to get his limbs back in an experiment surgery with Hazama’s help.
There is a bit of a stretch here with the limbs that Hyakki gets after surgery. Yes, it’s anime and boundaries are always pushed but the prosthetic limbs Hyakki gets are things which aren’t even available with today’s technology. There is no way they would actually be able to exist in the time period Young Black Jack takes place in. For a show which keeps using the time period and events in it as a plot device, this storyline borders on going too far with suspension of disbelief.
It’s also become apparent just how many of Hazama’s actions have been illegal in nature. Every surgery he has taken part in during the series has been in shadows with few knowing what he is doing. At this point there really isn’t much reason for him not to become the unlicensed doctor he is destined to be. The show really may have benefited from an episode or two were following the rules actually helped a patient instead of glorifying the, “I know my way is right and it will save the day” storylines prominent in the series.
Interesting plot, but a bit slow and nearly jumping the shark with the elements introduced. Hopefully things will pick up in part two. With a bit more grounding in reality.
Star Wars and Steven Spielberg have a strong relationship dating back to the original film, which is weird considering he’s never directed any of the Star Wars films. Spielberg has been steadfast in stating that simply it just hasn’t happened but he is resolute in his love of Star Wars. It came to light recently that Spielberg has in-fact seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens three times and had this to say about the experience according to makingstarwars.net.
That’s awfully high praise for J.J. Abrams as we are now less than three weeks away from the release of the most anticipated film of 2015.
Episode VII in the Star Wars Saga, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters December 18, 2015.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan & Abrams, features a cast including actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.
The Walking Dead wrapped up the first half of the sixth season this past Sunday night. AMC released a Prologue to the Next Chapter of The Walking Dead, which featured Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham’s first encounter with Negan’s crew.
The Walking Dead showrunner Scott Gimple spoke with Deadline about the focus for the second half of the season.
“I will say that we are going to see much more Daryl Dixon next half-season. (…) I was trying to push myself to take it in a new direction, maybe not permanently but for these next eight episodes I wanted to do something different and you’re going to see something different,” said Gimple.
The rumors of Glenn or Daryl’s death at the hands of Negan are marching towards a supernova explosion, Gimple addressed fans speculation.
“It wasn’t specific to play against that expectation, but I will say that last year’s midseason finale and Episode 15 of Season 5 were very much episodes that closed the stories. We wanted to do something different this year; we wanted to play with that general expectation and that it’s not always going to be the same thing as the comic or previous seasons. (…)I will add that we’ve done things from the comics to the letter and we’ve done things from the comics very very differently. I think that’s probably the guiding principle that fans should have when they think about Negan,” said Gimple.
The Walking Dead returns to AMC on February 14, 2016.
Do you think Daryl Dixon will survive season six?
#TheWalkingDead
Watching Tom Hardy playing twin British Gangsters (one straight, one gay) in 1960’s London is such a unique premise that Legendhad me hooked from the start. The good news: Hardy manages to create two of the most distinct/memorable characters I’ve seen in 2015. He makes some bold choices in his characterization of the Kray brothers that enriches Legend, the story of the Kray Twins.The bad news: Legendmanages to be quite stagnant for long stretches to the point where it becomes derivative.
The film is based on the brothers, who weren’t much as criminals in the 1960’s, but truly made a name for themselves based on who they were seen with in public (they were celebrity mobsters). The telling of their story is simplistic, which is saved somewhat by the complex performance given by Hardy. Early on, Reggie falls for Frances Shea (Emily Browning). She narrates the story by a voiceover that is, most of the time, simply not needed. Legend tries in vain to make this story center around Frances (which is in contrast to The Krays which centers around the boys relationship with their mother) but all this effort does is distract from any importance Frances has in the overall story. Frances wants to leave, to find something better, but Reggie tells her the East End is fine. While this is transpiring, Reggie and Ronnie are also conspiring to take over the underground crime world and the club scene in London as well.
At times, Legendjust becomes too predictable. For example, the musical selection; any movie that uses “Chapel of Love” to move right into a wedding scene isn’t really striving for any sort of originality. Part of what makes Goodfellasand The Godfathersuch timeless classics in the genre are the colorful moral ambiguities or codes of conduct exhibited by the gangsters. Even though this story is about Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious gangsters in London’s seedy underworld history, the narrative does little to get that point across to the audience. If anything the narrative makes Reggie and Ronnie Kray look like a couple of thugs from the East End of London.
It’s remarkable, thanks to the miracle of modern-day film and the smart use of a body double, Hardy is given the platform to play these two notorious gangsters. What was striking is how seamless scenes with both of the Kray brothers were (it basically defies logic). Hardy’s versatility is on display in Legend, as we believe that Reggie and Ronnie are two very different people right down to the walk and the cadence of their voices. Hardy loses himself in both roles and out comes two men who have their sights set on dominating London. This may seem like it’s no big deal, playing two roles like this since it’s been done before. Way back in the 80s Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin did it in Big Business. Armie Hammer in The Social Network.The best example might be Jeremy Irons in David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers. But to say that what those three did was even in the same ballpark as what Tom Hardy does in Legendis an oversimplification. Hardy creates two characters that are so distinct of one another it would be easy to believe these were two actors.
Reggie Kray looks like a ripped Paul Newman: a handsome, stylish shiester who favors flashy jewelry and uses his cigarette as more of a prop than anything else. Reggie’s twin Ronnie is of course the same age, but everyone treats him as if he’s the unpredictable, odd younger brother. In Legend,Ronnie is quite open about his homosexuality, and even most gangsters seem to accept it. Ronnie’s issues don’t stem from being a homosexual, they stem from being mentally ill and when he forgets his medicine; he’s a complete psychopath.
It’s confusing why director Brian Helgeland (Payback) would waste the bold stroke of casting Hardy as twin gangsters by building a mundane film around him. They had the hook, but squandered any avenue for creativity. Neglecting better source material takes away from the overall quality of the Legend.
Despite the flaws in Legend,Tom Hardy’s performance in the movie is reason alone to see it. It’s not difficult to understand why the movie is called Legend(Because the Kray brothers were considered legends in the London crime scene), but the title really doesn’t fit the finished product. The audience never gets to witness the Kray brothers rise to legendary status but they do get to see a couple of thugs make an impact in London.
