A fan asked James Gunn when the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie will be released. The director, whose social media activity often prompts news articles like this, made it known that 2020 is like the release year for Vol. 3.
Marvel Studios has three potential dates for 2020: May 1, Aug. 7 and Nov. 6. If we take a look at the original film’s release, along with Vol. 2‘s, the patterns is summer. Guardians of the Galaxy was released on August 1 and Vol. 2 hit theaters on May 5 of this year. I’d say May 1 is likely the top choice for Vol. 3.
Are you looking forward to the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie? Comment below, let us know.
As previously stated, Maleficent is getting a sequel and production will begin shortly. There were some concerns about if Angelina Jolie would be on board to reprise her role as the titular character, now all of that can be put to rest.
The mother of six just confirmed she’s returning to acting in Maleficent 2.
“I am now the breadwinner for the family so it’s time,”she joked during an interview with Deadline. “We have been working on the script and this is going to be a really strong sequel.”
Jolie’s on screen return has been long awaited. Her last on screen role was in the 2015 film By The Sea, which she and husband Brad Pitt directed.
She decided to take a break from acting to focus on her kids and deal with her 2016 split from Pitt.
“I’ve taken over a year off now, because of my family situation, to take care of my kids,” Jolie told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that she was excited about working on the Maleficent sequel. “I look forward to having some fun with that.”
In 2014 Maleficent was a box office hit grossing almost $760 million worldwide. Do you think the sequel can top that? Let me know in the comments!
Home Again is a combination of horrible casting, horrendous writing, and terrible performances, resulting in one of the worst releases of 2017.
Summary
Alice (Reese Witherspoon) is a separated mother who has just moved back to Los Angeles to start over with her two daughters. She isn’t in the same boat as most single mothers as she moving back into a mansion which she inherited from her late father (who just happens to be an Oscar winning director) and a vintage sports car (seems totally legit). The good thing is that now she’s closer to her mother (who happens to be a former actress played by Candice Bergen). The downside apparently is the idea that she’s turning 40 and life is kicking her butt (eye-roll). So rather than coming to grips with her birthday, she turns towards going out and blowing off a little steam drinking. While out she runs into three guys (Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, and Pico Alexander) who are filmmakers celebrating their forthcoming movie deal. A few drinks turned into shots of tequila and they all end up back at Alice’s house to crash overnight. Her mom shows up the next day with the kids (I guess they were having a sleep over) and stumbles upon this gaggle of men at her daughter’s house. Rather than questioning Alice’s judgement, her mother sees this as an opportunity to have some help for her daughter around the house. This appears to be a good idea until her ex-husband (Micheal Sheen) gets back into the picture.
HOME AGAIN
What Worked
Except for the rare instance where Candice Bergen’s character was able to get off a comedic zinger, nothing worked. A majority of the film was spent in complete silence as none of the obvious moments that were written to provide some levity to the film even elicited a faint chuckle.
What Didn’t Work
Wolff, Rudnitsky, and Alexander were terrible selections to portray the new men in Alice’s life. Their portrayal was stale and seemed more fit for Days of our Lives rather than a feature film. Those three actors had little chemistry with Witherspoon and managed to bring any scene to a screeching halt.
Hallie Meyers-Shyer proves that at this point in her career she is incapable of crafting a compelling storyline. Instead of creating a compelling storyline involving a single mom and how she’s dealing with her newly separation, too much emphasis was placed on Alice’s mid-life crisis. Instead of watching this film and relating to her issues with turning 40, most of the time I was shaking my head wondering what was wrong with her. While it’s easy to see that she was trying to be contrarian and come up with a different take on this type of narrative, but the content had better be well written in order to pull that off.
Witherspoon gives the single worst performance of her acting career. There is no angst or any anguish over her personal life falling apart. At times she’s flirtatious and other times she longing for a new career, neither of which matches what’s unfolding in this story. After the work she put in during HBO’s Big Little Lies and Wild, to see this type of performance is downright shocking.
Dean Cundey who is best known for his cinematographic work on the Back to the Future trilogy didn’t contribute anything visually to help enhance this storyline. It was one boring shot after another (none of which connected what was unfolding on screen).
Overall
I’ve never in all of my years of reviewing movies have witnessed multiple critics leaving before the end of an eerily silent screening. Home Again is a failure on multiple levels. While some will pay to see this as an escape from what’s been happening in the world, the only thing audience will feel when they leave the screening is rage. Why did I pay to this horrible film? If anyone in your family is dying to see this romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, tell then to rent Sweet Home Alabama. My biggest regret is that I stayed for the whole film rather leaving with the other critics when they did.
A new, extended TV Spot for Thor: Ragnarok has been released, delivering fans some footage of Thor, Hulk, Valkerie, Surtur, and even the villainous Hela. Watch it below.
This film is promising so much, I just hope it can sufficiently deliver on all its fronts. Not only are fans getting Hulk vs. Thor, but we have also seen a look at Hulk fighting Surtur, Hela taking over Asgard, and Loki’s side schematics. What plot will take focus and be the emotional crux? Ultimately, this is all speculation on my part; I trust director Taika Waititi to make an engaging, humorous, and powerful Thor movie.
“In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok”, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladictorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!”
Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi and stars Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Hopkins, and Jeff Goldblum.
This film, the third in the Thor franchise, hits theaters on November 3.
Though over a year and a half away, we’re starting to get more information—or at least more rumors—of Avengers 4. The newest bit of information comes from MCU Exchange, and it could reveal quite a bit of how Avengers: Infinity War affects the Avengers.
We already know that Steve Rogers is dropping the Captain America mantle in Infinity War, taking the Nomad role in the wake of Captain America: Civil War. But he’s not the only person changing identity. In Avengers 4, Clint Barton might trade Hawkeye for Ronin.
In the comics, Barton donned the Ronin costume during a very dark time for him and the Avengers. He was resurrected by Scarlet Witch in House of M, and didn’t know what he wanted to be. In the wake of Civil War, he joined Luke Cage’s underground Avengers and took the new persona during Secret Invasion and Dark Reign.
The unnamed source where MCU Exchange got this rumor from has a proven track record too. They uncovered both Cap’s Nomad status, and the inclusion of Thanos’ Black Order, so while this is still a rumor, it does have validity.
Either way, we have 20 months before we might see Barton kick ass with swords and a bow-staff. Jeremey Renner will sure have fun with the new identity.
Captain Phasma is a Star Wars character that, so far, has very much gotten the Boba Fett treatment. She’s a visually grabbing villain that didn’t get enough screen time and met a pretty lame fate in The Force Awakens.
Journey To The Last Jedi: Captain Phasma is a fleshing out of the character. Picking up from the garbage shoot she was left in when we last saw her on screen, through the Starkiller Base assault, and beyond.
Phasma quickly recovers from being disposed of and immediately gets back to work. With their massive base falling down around her, she pursues a First Order traitor who assisted in this Resistance assault.
The job comes first for Phasma, she is the ultimate FO trooper. This was not a Star Wars elaboration that feels unnecessary. As we get ready for The Last Jedi, books like this will bridge the gap perfectly and build major hype for the December release date.
I’m a sucker for any time a Stormtrooper uses anything from their utility pouches. Captain Phasma gets her hands dirty and even does her best Batman impression.
Despite having limited dialogue in the movie, I hear her voice through every line I read. With Star Wars books specifically, this can sometimes backfire if what you’re reading doesn’t sound like the character we know intimately. That’s not the case here, this book only adds to the bad-ass lore of the good Captain.
Getting Phasma’s perspective on the biggest moments to The Force Awakens‘ finale was a nice touch. As her chase leads her off planet in pursuit of the traitor, we also get introduced to evil BB-8.
As pleasing as this Captain Phasma tale is, the art is kind of a mess at first. When Starkiller Base is falling apart, the action panels and pages are more overloaded than a Tatooine background in the Star Wars Special Editions.
That being said, every shot of Phasma is glorious. Her reflective armor creatively plays a part in conveying emotion in a stone cold soldier wearing a full helmet.
The first installment of Captain Phasma’s solo journey is a quick read. Fast, fun, and straight to the point. This doesn’t feel like a pointless waste of time like some of the other Star Wars mini-series.
Here’s to Captain Phasma getting more screen time and leaving a bigger legacy behind than Boba Fett.
A narrative which is grossly imbalanced plus campy elements of horror makes It a massive disappointment.
Summary
The narrative is centered on seven young kids who are considered by many to be outcasts growing up in Derry, Maine. Each of them seems to have some sort of target on their respective back which makes them the subject of ridicule from any number of bullies. The “Losers’ Club” takes solace in the idea that each member has had to face their own fears at the hand of one or many perpetrators. When they’re not dodging behind corners to avoid being beaten, they are subjected to unspeakable terror at the hands of a shape-shifting clown they refer to as “It”. When the kids finally come to grips with the recent disappearances being part of a killing cycle that happens every 27 years, they resolve to be the ones to end this brutality. However, “It” (aka Pennywise the Clown) might have his own agenda for these seven brave preteens.
What Worked
The ensemble they cast to portray “The Losers Club” was absolutely fantastic. Jaeden Liberher (Midnight Special), Sophia Lillis (37), Wyatt Oleff (Guardians of the Galaxy), Chosen Jacobs, Jake Dylan Glazer (Tales of Halloween), Jackson Robert Scott, Nicholas Hamilton (Captain Fantastic), Fin Wolfhard (Stranger Things)andJeremy Ray Taylor exhibited chemistry which was reminiscent of both Stand By Me and Goonies. Their presence in the story provided an appropriate amount of levity to counterbalance how dark the film was at times.
Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman developed a screenplay which played to the talents of the fairly young cast. Each member of “The Losers Club” has to come to grips with their own fears. Liberher’s portrayal of Bill had him coming to grips with losing his brother to the very thing terrorizing his hometown for years. Lillis’s character Beverly has to realize she can’t allow her dad to continue sexually assaulting her. The narrative certainly hits on the idea that sometimes our biggest fears are right in our homes.
Lillis was easily the best part of this film for me. Her character in the film brings an equal amount of toughness and morality to the picture. “The Losers Club” didn’t have any idea how they were going to combat “It” until she showed the power in having little fear. Whether it was leaping off a cliff into the lake below to swim or grabbing a metal spike to attack Pennywise, she proves that having no fear can be empowering.
What Didn’t Work
Bill Skarsgård portrayal of Pennywise came off as just a bit too safe. Shouldn’t audiences have been just a bit more frightened by his presence? After all, we are talking about one of the most iconic characters Stephen King created. While the writing team of Palmer, Fukunaga, and Dauberman were able to knock it out of the park when it came to providing source material for “The Losers Club”, Pennywise came off as a supporting character more than the central source of terror in this story. Had Skarsgård been given even more to work with, the 2017 version ‘It’ could have easily eclipsed the original.
The CGI scenes were awfully executed. They were cheesy and boarding on slightly campy as well. Director Andy Muschietti should have stuck to using as many practical effects in the film as possible as it would instill terror in any number of scenes and heighten the realism in the picture.
Director of Photography Chung-Hoon Chung didn’t nearly do the same quality work in his scenes involving Pennywise as he did with individual members of “The Losers Club.” In the scenes involving the preteens, he was able to capture the angst of each member of the group by utilizing close up shots as each kid was being terrorized by what they feared at home. When Beverly’s dad asks, “Are you still my little girl”, he immediately switched to a shot of the child fighting off this level of disgust on her face. In contrast, when we were in scenes involving Pennywise, it was nothing but generic shots of the group and the psychotic clown. My guess is Muschietti was betting on the story being able to conjure up fear rather than visuals on the screen. Why can’t it be both?
Overall
The best way to sum up It is to say that the film is really a combination of two different pictures. On the one hand, there’s this powerful coming of age tale involving seven pre-teens. We also have this poorly executed story of a shape shifting clown who has been terrorizing the town of Derry for years. Had more attention been made towards punching up the elements of horror in this film, we might be talking about a great horror film. It is at best a mediocre attempt at recreating a great piece of horror movie magic. My advice is stick with the original and avoid being disappointed.
Drew Goddard who launched the ‘Daredevil’ Netflix series, and was set for a Sinister Six film until it got scrapped, will get his chance to lead the ‘X-Force’ into battle as FOX has signed Goddard to write and direct the film, according to Deadline.
According to the report, the team will feature Deadpool and Cable as head figures. Ryan Reynolds is one of the producers of the film as well. 2018 will be a big year for the X-Men film universe with ‘New Mutants’ set for release on April 13, ‘Deadpool 2’ follows with a June 1 release, and then ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ closes out the year on November 2.
Not plot details, release date, or additional casting was announced at this time.
‘X-Force’ is written and directed by Drew Goddard, and stars Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin.
Welcome to the Movie Show, we have a jammed packed episode for you with three films that are powerful all in their own way: ‘IT,’ ‘Crown Heights,’ and ‘Chuck’
Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 131 of the MOVIE SHOW by Monkeys Fighting Robots is here.
Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show? Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
Never heard of Matt Sardo? For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.
Although there were several Japanese trailer drops for Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You!, the English marketing, for individuals in the west, has just kicked off.
Along with a new trailer, Game Freak has announced a special promotion that allows players to receive a special Pikachu in their game.
“Starting September 19, check back here on Pokemon.com to discover a code that allows you to receive a Pikachu wearing one of six different hats in your game. Each hat is based on the hat Ash wore in the various regions he and Pikachu explored. Not only will each Pikachu sport a different hat, but they will also come equipped with a unique set of moves that reflect those that Pikachu would often use in the region that corresponds with the hat it wears.
PLEASE NOTE: You will only be able to use this code once! The date you choose to enter the code will determine which hat and move set your special Pikachu will have. This means you’re going to have to be very careful when deciding on which Pikachu you wish to add to your party. Study the schedule below, and get ready to choose your Pikachu!
9/19/17 – 9/25/17: Original hat (Kanto and Johto regions)
9/26/17 – 10/2/17: Hoenn region hat
10/3/17 – 10/9/17: Sinnoh region hat
10/10/17 – 10/16/17: Unova region hat
10/17/17 – 10/23/17: Kalos region hat
10/24/17 – 10/30/17: Alola region hat”
Along with this code giveaway, the company has incentivized seeing the film in theaters even more:
“There is yet another special Pikachu that you will be able to receive, this time in your copy of the upcoming Pokémon Ultra Sun or Pokémon Ultra Moon. When you attend a showing of Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, you will receive a QR code that will grant you a Pikachu wearing the hat that Ash wears in the movie. Fans who attend the movie will also receive a special, never-before-seen card for the Pokémon TCG. It’s been an exciting journey we’ve been on with Ash and Pikachu, and we can’t think of a better way to commemorate it!”
Are you looking forward to Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You!? Comment below, let us know.
Click here for more information on seeing the movie in theaters.
