A Recommendation: Go See 'Furious 7'

I don't usually recommend to readers of this site to go see a movie - I think the only time I ever did was for Warrior back in 2011 - because I'm not a film critic nor should anyone be told what they should or should not see.

But in the case of Furious 7, I'm willing to make another exception.

I get if you're not a fan of the series and have no interest in seeing a 7th installment of a franchise built on fast cars, crazy stunts and constant butt shots of scantily clad women.  But for Furious 7, it's much more than just another entry into the franchise.  It's a touching tribute to the late Paul Walker who died midway through the filming of this movie back in November 2013.

I saw the film last night, and while it's not the best in the franchise (that title still belongs to Fast Five), it's an entertaining, exhilarating popcorn flick with some very moving dramatic weight in saying goodbye to Paul Walker's Brian O'Conner character.

I'm not going to spoil the last 5 minutes of the film, but to say I didn't get choked up seeing what the filmmakers did to honor their fallen star would be an understatement.  It was a touching sendoff that can speak to anyone about losing someone you love.

While they may no longer be there, they are always with you wherever you go.

Go see Furious 7, now playing in theaters everywhere.

Live-Action 'Beauty and the Beast' to Hit Theaters March 17, 2017

Hot on the heels of their successful live-action redo of Cinderella (#1 at the box office this weekend with $70 million, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes), Walt Disney Pictures has officially dated their next - Beauty and the Beast - exactly two years from tomorrow, March 17, 2017.

Being directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls), this newest update of the classic Disney fairytale will star Emma Watson (Harry Potter series) as Belle, Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) as Prince/Beast and Luke Evans (Dracula Untold) as Gaston.  Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) has also joined the cast, playing Mrs. Potts, while Kevin Kline (Life as a House) will play Belle's father, Maurice.

Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) wrote the script with an earlier version by Evan Spiliotopoulos (Hercules).

The film will be a blend of modern CGI magic mixed with real life actors to bring the beloved classic to a whole new generation.

While I'm sure Disney knows full well in what they're doing in not tarnishing the legacy of their animated classics, Beauty and the Beast is a whole other animal (no pun intended) to live up to.

The original 1991 film was not only a huge hit both with critics and audiences, but it became the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.  Yes, and that was when there were only 5 nominees!

Hopefully this newest version can at least be a solid entry (much like Cinderella), but given it's animated predecessor, I'm expecting great.

Source: Walt Disney Pictures

Jeremy Renner Seemingly Set for 'Captain America: Civil War'

Even though Captain America: Civil War - due out May 2016 - is starting to look like Avengers 2.5, it seems Marvel Studios is doing whatever they can to make sure it's the biggest movie of the year (and not Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice).

In a story announcing Jeremy Renner has joined Amy Adams in the sci-fi drama, Story of Your Life, The Hollywood Reporter let slip that that Renner is set to shoot the next Captain America this spring, reprising his role as Clint Barton/Hawkeye.

We already knew the film would be a crowded entry with not only Chris Evans, Scarlett Johanson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Frank Grillo and Samuel L. Jackson returning from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but also Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., and new Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman.  Oh, and also the villian - Baron Zemo - to be played by Daniel Brühl.

I'm sure Marvel has a well laid plan of what they want to do with this movie while keeping the focus on the title character in Steve Rogers/Captain America, but we've seen many time before where a comic book movie tries to fit too many characters into one film (Spider-Man 3, Iron Man 2, to a lesser extent The Dark Knight Rises) and turns out mediocre to bad.

But, if one studio has earned the faith in knowing what the heck they're doing, it's Marvel.  They haven't made a bad movie in years and don't look to be starting any time soon.

Renner - along with pretty much every other actor mentioned above - can next be seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron, due out May 1st.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Harrison Ford to Return for 'Blade Runner 2'; Denis Villeneuve to Direct

For all those Blade Runner fans who have been concerned about that 'in-development' sequel going on the past few years...it might actually turn out to be good.

Alcon Entertainment has announced that Harrson Ford - star of the original 1982 sci-fi classic - will return for the sequel as Rick Deckard.  While his character won't be the star this time around, he will appear in the third act of the film in a small but critical role.

On top of that, while it was believed the first film's director Ridley Scott would return to direct, it's now been announced the Denis Villenueve (Prisoners) will helm the sequel which is set to start shooting in the summer of 2016.

Having seen the original film (and not being the biggest fan of it but understanding why it's such a cult classic), this all actually sounds like the best case scenario they could have come up with for a sequel.

By bringing back Harrison Ford in a lesser but important role, you honor the connection to the first fiilm while being able to do something new and inventive this time around.  Also, by making Ridley Scott the producer for this (and let's be honest, he hasn't exactly been knocking them out of the park for the past decade), you ensure the new film's vision still stays true to the original with a great, young talent in Villenueve taking the reigns.

Hampton Fancher (who wrote the original film), wrote the script for the sequel based on an idea by him and Ridley Scott.  Michael Green (Green Lantern) is also credited as a co-writer on this project.

The film is set to take place decades after the conclusion of the 1982 classic.

See below for the official press release:

LOS ANGELES, CA, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 —Harrison Ford will reprise his celebrated role of Rick Deckard in the sequel to Alcon Entertainment’s BLADE RUNNER and Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve to (Prisoners, Incendies) is in negotiations to direct, it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.

Film is scheduled to start principle photography in summer of 2016. Hampton Fancher (co-writer of the original) and Michael Green have written the original screenplay based on an idea by Fancher and Ridely Scott.

The story takes place several decades after the conclusion of the 1982 original.

State Johnson and Kosove: “We are honored that Harrison is joining us on this journey with Denis Villeneuve, who is a singular talent, as we experienced personally on Prisoners. Hampton and Michael, with Ridley Scott, have crafted a uniquely potent and faithful sequel to one of the most universally celebrated films of all time, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this amazing, creative team.”

Ford will next be seen in The Age of Adaline for Lionsgate and the highly anticipated upcoming Star Wars for Walt Disney Pictures. Recent releases include the Warner Bros./Legendary box office hit 42.

Villeneuve most recently directed the crime thriller Sicario, staring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benecio Del Toro for Black Label Media and Lionsgate. He also directed Canada’s Oscar nominated French language film Incendies, and Alcon Entertainment’s critically acclaimed Prisoners, staring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Alcon Entertainment acquired the film, television and ancillary franchise rights to BLADE RUNNER in 2011 from producer Bud Yorkin to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic science-fiction thriller. Yorkin will serve as a producer on the sequel along with Kosove and Johnson. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will co-produce.

Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers.

Among its many distinctions, BLADE RUNNER has been singled out as one of the greatest movies of all time by innumerable polls and media outlets, and overwhelmingly as the greatest science-fiction film of all time by a majority of genre publications.

Released by Warner Bros., BLADE RUNNER was adapted by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples from Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and was directed by Ridley Scott following his landmarkAlien.” The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction).

BLADE RUNNER was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1993 and is frequently taught in university courses. In 2007, it was named the 2nd most visually influential film of all time by the Visual Effects Society.

ABOUT ALCON ENTERTAINMENT

Co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson founded Alcon Entertainment in 1997 with partner Frederick W. Smith, the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx. Warner Bros. distributes Alcon’s motion pictures via the companies’ long-term output distribution agreement.

Alcon has financed and produced, and/or co-financed/produced 29 films to date, including “My Dog Skip,” the Academy Award nominated Best Picture “The Blind Side,” which earned Sandra Bullock a Best Actress Oscar; “The Book of Eli,” starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman; “Insomnia,” starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank and directed by Chris Nolan; “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants;” “P.S. I Love You,” starring Hilary Swank; the critically acclaimed “Prisoners,” a dramatic thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Terrance Howard and Paul Dano, and the family hit “Dolphin Tale 2,” a sequel to its original starring Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson. Alcon is currently in production on “Point Break,” a reimagining of the classic action movie filming on four continents starring Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, and Ray Winstone. The Company is also developing a sequel to “Blade Runner” with Ridley Scott.

Alcon Television Group is currently producing a four-hour mini-series documentary for HBO about the life and times of Frank Sinatra, directed Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney; and “The Expanse,” a space thriller for Syfy Network.

Source: Alcon Entertainment

Press Release: 'Terminator Genisys' to be Released in IMAX 3D

I know what you're thinking: this isn't really much of a story since most summer blockbusters are released in either 3D or IMAX 3D anyway but, it's a slow news day so...

Paramount Pictures has announced director Alan Taylor's Terminator reboot, Terminator Genisys, will be released in both IMAX 3D and conventional theaters when it opens this summer on July 1st worldwide.

Again, this doesn't come as much of a surprise as pretty much every big budget film released in the summer tries to get that extra surcharge out of the moviegoer but, considering this is a first for a Terminator film, it's pretty cool.

I'm not really sure what to make of this new Terminator entry.  The filmmakers seem well intentioned in wanting to channel the vibe that series creator James Cameron did so well with the first two, but that's just the problem.  Trying to channel James Cameron means you're not James Cameron, and the results  can only end up disappointing.

Anyway, read below for the full press release:

IMAX Corporation today announced that Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions' release of Terminator Genisys, the reset of the blockbuster franchise, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke and Jai Courtney, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® 3D format and released into IMAX® theatres by Paramount Pictures worldwide starting July 1.

 

Terminator Genisys is directed by Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) and is produced by David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance Productions. The screenplay is by Laeta Kalorgridis (Avatar, Shutter Island) & Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry). The film also stars J. K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matthew Smith, Courtney B. Vance and Byung-Hun Lee.

 

"This film marks IMAX's first foray into the Terminator franchise and we're thrilled to be a part of it and team up once again with Alan Taylor and our friends at Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "We believe it's going to be a gangbusters summer at the movies next year, and Terminator Genisys is sure to be one of the season's most anticipated movies for IMAX fans worldwide."

 

"We are so proud of the world we have built in Terminator Genisys and are thrilled that audiences will be able to experience the film in IMAX and IMAX 3D," said Ellison. "The IMAX experience is the most immersive film experience in the world, and I am thrilled that fans of the franchise and newcomers alike will be able to experience the film in this premium format."

 

The IMAX® 3D release of Terminator Genisys will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Source: Paramount Pictures

First Trailer for 'Aloha' Starring Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone

Our first look at Cameron Crowe's romantic comedy, Aloha, has been released online.

The film - which stars Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone - is set in Hawaii, about a celebrated military contractor (Cooper) who ventures back to his greatest career triumphs and re-connects with a long-time former flame while falling for the Air Force watchdog (Stone) assigned to him.

With both Cooper and Stone's starpower having never been higher with both having Oscar nominations this year (especially Cooper though with the runaway success of American Sniper), this certainly looks like it could be the feel good film of the summer.

The trailer does it's job in selling both the fun and heart of the film, and with an all-star supporting cast including Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin (as well as Cameron Crowe seemingly back in his Jerry Maguire form), Columbia Pictures may have a hit on their hands.

Patrick Stewart May Co-Star in Next 'Wolverine' Movie

Much like Marvel Studios' brilliant move in pairing Chris Evans with Robert Downey Jr. to co-star in Captain America: Civil War, 20th Century Fox looks to be taking a page out of their same playbook for the next Wolverine movie.

According to Professor Xavier himself, Patrick Stewart states he may in fact co-star with Hugh Jackman in the forthcoming third Wolverine entry, due out March 3rd, 2017.  In a recent interview, the distinguished English actor states:

“Magneto, Ian McKellen, is certainly going to be in [X-Men: Apocalypse].  And what I’m very excited about is that we have been talking about a Wolverine movie, which would team Hugh Jackman and myself together.  Wolverine and Professor Xavier.  That would be a very different sort of X-Men from the four movies that I’ve already done.”

As you can see, Stewart also lets slip that his good friend Sir Ian McKellen is set to appear in the next X-Men (likely a cameo) - due out next year - when it was previously thought the two were finished with the franchise after last year's X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Back to Wolverine though.  I think it's a great idea to pair Professor Xavier with Logan for the next entry as it would certainly add a new dynamic to the franchise as well as bring in something familiar to excite old fans.

Wolverine 3 (tentative title) is likely to begin filming late this year, early next year under the direction of the returning James Mangold (who did a great job with The Wolverine) with a script by David James Kelly.

Stay tuned for more as this year should definitely be another exciting one for comic book fans everywhere.

Source: The Oregonian

First Look at 'Poltergeist' Reboot; *Trailer Now Online*

Having not seen the original 1982 horror classic, Poltergeist (though hoping to soon), I'm not sure what to make of a reboot coming 33 years later.

The original film was directed by Tobe Hooper (the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and was co-written by Steven Spielberg himself.  Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams starred as parents fighting back against an evil spirit who has abducted their daughter (Heather O'Rourke) within their home.

The reboot is being helmed by newcomer Gil Kenan (Monster House) and is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist, David Lindsay-Abaire.  It's also being produced by horror icon Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead series) whose plan is to mirror key aspects of the original.  Sam Rockwell (Seven Psychopaths) and Rosemarie DeWitt (Promised Land) now star as those parents fighting for their daughter (Kennedi Clements) against the evil spirit.

The director, Kenan, is apparenly a huge fan of the '82 classic and vows to make a contemporary, worthy horror film:

"Whenever someone approaches material that's so beloved, there's a reflexive reaction to be worried.  It's a responsibility we take very seriously.  We're working to make a Poltergeist film that lives up to the original's legacy."

He also states that while he realizes he's making a 'scary movie', he wanted to add a little something extra this time around:

"Unlike the traditional horror film, I wanted to put together a cast to give weight and reality to these characters.  It's the way to anchor the family.  It's such an emotional story at the core. Parents fighting to get their child back from the beyond."

Although the original film centered around one demented television set, to bring the story into the modern world, screens work a bit differently now says producer Sam Rami:

"The original film commented on how we've let television get out of control, babysitting our kids.  It's only gotten worse with the handheld portable devices.  Screens are everywhere."

Finally, Kenan adds that while the family seeks the help of a supernatural researcher and clairvoyant (Jared Harris) once the supernatural terror becomes overwhelming, they eventually come to rely on each other:

"The thing that keeps them a family is what they have to draw on, to stay sane, and also to win Madison back.  The film is super-scary.  And it's scary on its own terms.  I am excited to finally be able to share that with the world."

You can check out the first official images from the reboot below with the first trailer hitting tomorrow.

Poltergeist opens in theaters July 24th in 3D.

Source: USA Today

Peter Berg Replaces J.C. Chandor on Mark Wahlberg's 'Deepwater Horizon'

It seemed a little 'too good to be true' that a young, fantastic writer/director in J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost, A Most Violent Year) was going to direct a big budget action feature starring Mark Wahlberg.

With filming set to begin this spring, Deepwater Horizon - a film which chronicles the 2010 BP oil spill - will now be directed by Peter Berg, who helmed last year's terrific Lone Survivor, but has more of a spotty filmmaking track record.

Word is that Chandor left the project due to the proverbial 'creative differences' with Lionsgate and Participant Media along with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.  Translation: Chandor wanted to make a more thoughtful, poignant action film about a pretty sensitive subject (environmental pollution) while the big wigs wanted an action movie involving an oil spill.

This will actually be Berg and Wahlberg's (catchy?) 3rd project together as they are also working on the inflation-adjusted The Six Billion Dollar Man for Dimension Films, based off the popular 70s TV show.

As for Deepwater Horizon, the producers are said to be chasing Liam Neeson and Oscar frontrunner Michael Keaton for co-starring roles.

The film is set for release September 30th, 2016.

Sound off with your comments below.

Source: The Wrap

'Mission: Impossible 5' To Now Open July 31st!

In a surprising piece of news, Paramount Pictures has moved its 5th installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise (currently titled Mission: Impossible 5, though a subtitle is expected a la Ghost Protocol) from Christmas Day to July 31st!  

That's five months sooner than expected and just over six months away!

Little is known about the flick other than it will once again star Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, as well as Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, franchise stalwart Ving Rhames and newcomers Rebecca Ferguson and Alec Baldwin.

J.J. Abrams (who co-write and directed the 3rd entry) is once again producing under his Bad Robot banner alongside Skydance Productions after their success with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in 2011.  Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) is directing with a script by Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3).

Filming began last August in Austria and was believed to have been completed last month in London.

Expect more on the film soon as it's new release date likely means an imminent marketing campaign (Super Bowl spot anyone?).

Source: Paramount Pictures