4-30-14 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...

(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)


        Actor Bob Hoskins, best known for starring roles in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Mona Lisa, Hook, Brazil and dozens of other classic films, has passed away at the age of 71 after suffering from pneumonia and complications from Parkinson's Disease.

        Although his film appearances in recent years had been scarce--his role as a crime boss in Jet Li's Unleashed is one of our recent faves--Hoskins' last film appearance was playing a dwarf in 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman and later that year, he announced his retirement from acting after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

        It's really sad hearing this news. I love Bob Hoskins and to me he will always be Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Also eventhough he was in Super Mario Bros. his performance (which he admitted to being drunk while filming it and I can't blame him) makes the film watchable. His family has my deepest condolences.



        Paramount Pictures has debuted a new version of the previously-released trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that features new footage from the movie, including several new shots of our titular heroes! Check it out in the player below.

        In the August 8 release, starring Megan Fox, Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Noel Fisher, Will Arnett, Danny Woodburn and William Fichtner, darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O'Neil (Fox) and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick (Arnett) to save the city and unravel Shredder's diabolical plan.



        This trailer is pretty much the same trailer that was released last moth but with a couple of new things. We get a better look at the turtles themselves and Shredder as well. Look I'm curiously optimistic about this film and I hope it does well, but it also has the potential to be really bad.



        Warner Bros. is moving forward with a big screen biopic about Elvis Presley and, according to a story today at TheWrap, are in negotiations with Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rogue!, The Great Gatsby) to direct.

        Currently untitled, the Elvis biopic is being scripted by Kelly Marcel, best known for Saving Mr. Banks and the upcoming big screen adaptation of the bestselling novel Fifty Shades of Grey. It has not yet been revealed whether or not the project will target a specific era of Presley's life, although Warner Bros. is said to have already sorted out rights access to the musician's full music library.

        This sounds really interesting. Listen if anyone deserves a biopic it's Elvis. Aslo Baz Luhrmann is a really good fit (if you've seen Moulin Rouge! then you'll know why) and I think that he could do a really great job with this film.




        Tim Blake Nelson has joined the cast of Josh Trank's upcoming Marvel Comics adaptation The Fantastic Four. The Hollywood Reporter says that he'll be playing Harvey Elder opposite Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan and Toby Kebbell.

        Comic book fans will recall Elder's name as being the alternate identity of the subterranean ruler known as the Mole Man. In comic book lore, Elder was a scientist who, after being lost on an expedition to Monster Island, wound up discovering the world of Subterranea. Because he was mocked by the surface world for his theories regarding the underground kingdom, Elder decided to stay and became the world's ruler. Although the Mole Man was the villain of the very first "Fantastic Four" comic, the trade notes that Elder is slated to appear as a scientist only, potentially setting the Mole Man up for future sequels.

        The Fantastic Four is set for release on June 19, 2015.

        This is some really interesting casting. first off Tim Blake Nelson is an incredible actor and it'll be nice to have some older blood in this younger version of the Fantastic Four. Now the only question is why Mole Man? Since there is a possibility of combing the Fantastic Four and X-Men in the future, you could ultimately bring Hyperstorm from the future into present day (they would be able to do that with the X-Men Days of Future Past storyline playing into this) and fight the Fantastic Four. Oh well that's just my opinion and hopefully Mole Man works out.



        The upcoming Elizabeth Banks-directed Pitch Perfect 2 has added a brand new star to its lineup. Variety reports that Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Three Days to Kill) will be joining the cast in an undisclosed role. Steinfeld joins the returning Banks, Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson for the big screen sequel, set for release on May 15, 2015.

        This is some great casting. Hailee Steinfeld is an Academy Award nominated actress so Pitch Perfect 2 got some damn good talent. I loved the first Pitch Perfect and I'm really curious to see where this one goes.


        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Review of Mean Girls

        I have a few requests to do this, so with today being the 10th anniversary of the film Mean Girls being released, I'm going to bring you my review of the film. So without further ado...







        Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan) is a 15-year-old girl who has spent most of her life in Africa, where she was home-schooled by her zoologist parents. When her family relocates to the United States, Cady finds herself attending a high school in suburban Illinois, where she gets a crash course in the various sub-strata of the student body: the jocks, the cheerleaders, the stoners, the "cool" kids, and so on. Much to her surprise, Cady finds herself embraced by a clique of rich and popular girls known to outsiders as "the Plastics," led by Regina George (played by Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Weiners (played by Lacey Chabert), and Karen Smith (played by Amanda Seyfried). While Cady is grateful for her new friends, it doesn't take long for her to realize how manipulative they can be, and she soon discovers she's violated an unwritten law when she goes out on a date with Aaron (played by Jonathan Bennett), who is charming, good looking...and Regina's former boyfriend. It isn't long before Regina and her pals are on the warpath, and Cady must face a level of vengeful behavior for which years in the jungle never prepared her.

       

        I really enjoyed the film. The film has some of the best one liners and memorable quotes and sayings. This can all be attributed to the comedic talents of Tina Fey. I also thought the acting was really good and I wasn't as annoyed as i thought I would be. Now I will say that the film drags on longer than it should and it got a little boring and repetitive. Overall I had a blast watching this movie and I feel I could watch it anytime. I'm going to give Mean Girls a 9 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Mean Girls, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Top 10 Favorite Silent FIlms of All-Time

        A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, mime and title cards. So with that being said I'm going to bring you my top 10 favorite silent films of all-time. So without further ado...





10. The Kid


        The film is hilarious and it's a big contribution to the and only Charlie Chaplin. As a mother (played by Edna Purviance) leaves the charity hospital and passes a church wedding, she deposits her new baby with a pleading note in a limousine and goes off to commit suicide. The limo is stolen by thieves who dump the baby by a garbage can. Charlie the Tramp (played by Charlie Chaplin) finds the baby and makes a home for him. The Kid has a rating of 100% on rottentomatoes.com.





9. The Battleship Potemkin 


        This film is very interesting as well as very gruesome.  A dramatized version of the mutiny that occurred in 1905 when the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin rebelled against their officers of the Tsarist regime. Th Battleship Potemkin does not currently have a rating on rottentomatoes.com.






8. A Trip to the Moon


        This film is absolute hilarious and it's amazing on how it has such a huge effect on film today. The film follows a group of astronomers who travel to the Moon in a cannon-propelled capsule, explore the Moon's surface, escape from an underground group of Selenites (lunar inhabitants), and return in a splashdown to Earth with a captive Selenite in tow.

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7. The Passion of Joan of Arc


        This movie is very emotional and very powerful as well. The film recreates the trial and execution of St. Joan with near-documentary authenticity, as if one were present at the actual 15th century event and both defendant and accusers were the genuine article. The Passion of Joan of Arc has a rating of 97% on rottentomatoes.com.





6. Nanook of the North


        This one of the more interesting documentaries I have seen in a while. The documentary follows the lives of an Inuk, Nanook, and his family as they travel, search for food, and trade in northern Quebec, Canada. Nanook, his wife, Nyla, and their baby, Cunayou, are introduced as fearless heroes who endure rigors "no other race" could survive. Nanook of the North has a rating of 100% on rottentomatoes.com.





5. Metropolis


        If you want to talk about changing the game, then this is the film did just that and it's still hard to top to this day. The film follows Freder (played by Gustav Fröhlich), the wealthy son of the city's ruler, and Maria (played by Brigitte Helm), to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes of their city. Metropolis has a rating of 99% on rottentomatoes.com.





4. Modern Times


        This film is hilarious and IMO it is Charlie Chaplin's best work. The film tells the story of an assembly-line worker (played by Charlie Chaplin) driven insane by the monotony of his job. After a long spell in an asylum, he searches for work, only to be mistakenly arrested as a Red agitator. Released after foiling a prison break, Chaplin makes the acquaintance of orphaned gamine (played by Paulette Goddard) and becomes her friend and protector. He takes on several new jobs for her benefit, but every job ends with a quick dismissal and yet another jail term. Modern Times has a rating of 100% on rottentomatoes.com.




3. The General


        I absolutely loved this film and I don't think I have ever laughed so much during a film. Union spies pursue an engineer (played by Buster Keaton) who chased them to recover his stolen train. The General has a rating of 93 % on rottentomatoes.com.




2. The Birth of A Nation


        This film is amazing simply because of the message that it portrays and how big of an epic spectral it is. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron (played by Henry B. Walthall) is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman (played by Lillian Gish) petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father (played by Ralph Lewis) and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch (played by George Siegmann). The Birth of a Nation has a rating of 100% on rottentomatoes.com.




1. Nosferatu


        This films seriously creeps me out and that's a credit to Max Schreck's performance. Real estate agent Hutter (played by Gustav von Wagenheim) has arrived to close a sale with the reclusive Herr Orlok (played by Max Schreck). Despite the feverish warnings of the local peasants, Hutter insists upon completing his journey to Orlok's sinister castle. While enjoying his host's hospitality, Hutter accidentally cuts his finger-whereupon Orlok tips his hand by staring intently at the bloody digit, licking his lips. Hutter catches on that Orlok is no ordinary mortal when he witnesses the vampiric nobleman loading himself into a coffin in preparation for his journey to the town Bremen. Nosferatu has a rating of 97% on rottentomatoes.com.



        So ladies and gentlemen what are some of your favorite silent films and what do you think of my list? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

4-29-14 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...

(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)



        Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm have announced the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII! Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film. You can check out the cast in the photo below

        Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

        Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.


(photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm)

        Just one day after saying I wanted official news, we got official news. This cast looks amazing and I'm really intrigued by the cast of Andy Serkis and I'm very curious to see who he will play. Also the casting of Max von Sydow is awesome as he just comes across as a sith and that get's me really excited. I still think that they aren't done casting just yet, but those will be really small roles and I still think that we'll hear something on Sunday and my guess is that we'll get the official title.



        It's no secret that Sony Pictures is looking to expand their big screen Spider-Man Universe and have already set Cabin in the Woods' Drew Goddard to write and direct the bad guy ensemble, The Sinister Six. Now, we've got our first hint as to exactly which supervillains are likely to be included in the lineup.

        Although The Amazing Spider-Man 2's post-credits are dedicated to teasing the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, the credits themselves are fully grounded in the Spidey-verse. Sony and Shazam have today revealed a special promotion whereby users can Shazam the end credits song to have a copy of the credits (minus the titles) delivered to their mobile devices. Comingsoon.net did just that and here's what they found

(photos courtesy of Sony Pictures and Silas Lesnick)

        These images look pretty great and I can't really tell what the bottom two images are but the top four are Green Goblin, then Doc Ock, then below the goblin glider is the Rhino and next to Rhino is Vulture and the other two I'm not for sure who they are but they could be Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio or The Chameleon. 4 of these we knew were coming (both The Green Goblin and Rhino are in TASM 2 and Doc Ock and Vulture were teased in the first full trailer), the big question to me is where is The Lizard (who is still alive after the first TASM) and Electro? Maybe Electro dies in  TASM 2 which in my opinion would be a waste of a talent like Jamie Foxx.



        This weekend The Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell on us when they revealed that director Zack Snyder would be stepping behind the camera for the long-rumored Justice League movie, which will follow the upcoming Batman vs. Superman. Now, in a piece on Warner Bros.' attempts to cash in on their DC properties, the outlet reports that the company has nine additional films based on DC comics in development for the big screen.

        Among those titles are the big screen adaptations of Sandman with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Fables with A Royal Affair director Nikolaj Arcel attached. WB's next DC-based film, Batman vs. Superman, is scheduled for release on May 6, 2016.

        I'm so proud of DC and Warner Bros.. They are finally growing a pair and stepping to the plate to expand their universe. Now I have heard that not all of these films will be connected to the Justice League, Batman vs. Superman or Man of Steel. I think it's a great idea to kinda have two separate universe's going on and making sure that every one in Dc's arsenal can get a moment to shine in the spotlight.



        With less than a month to go before the gargantuan movie star returns to the big screen, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have released a new trailer from director Gareth Edwards' upcoming Godzilla, offering a full-on look at the King of Monsters. You can check it out in the video below.

        Opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters on May 16, Godzilla stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston. An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, the spectacular adventure pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.



        This trailer is amazing. I honestly believe that this is the best trailer that's been released for the film and it get's me even more excited for this film. This trailer also gives us a look a the basic premise as well as our best look at Godzilla himself.



        Although star Michael Fassbender has been signed on for the video game adaptation for more than a year, Assassin's Creed has only just named its director. Deadline reports that Justin Kurzel (who just worked with Fassbender on the upcoming Macbeth) will direct the August 7, 2015 release.

        The original game involves Desmond Miles, captured by a secret organization with ties to the Knight Templar who repeatedly send Miles back in time into the body of his assassin ancestors to retrieve valuable historical artifacts, the first time going back to the Crusades. Fassbender is also set to co-produce with Frank Marshall. Michael Lesslie is providing the adapted screenplay.

        This is some really interesting news. I'm not really familiar with Kurzel's work and this is an interesting choice. I guess Fassbender (who is producing the film) really like what he did on Macbeth and wanted ot work with him again. All I can say is that I am really excited for this film and i can't wait to see it on the big screen.

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Review of The Quiet Ones

        So I recently watched The Quiet Ones and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado.......







        Tucked away in an estate outside of London, Professor Coupland (played by Jared Harris) along with a team of university students conduct an "experiment" on Jane Harper (played by Olivia Cooke), a young girl who harbors unspeakable secrets. What dark forces they uncover are more terrifying than any of them expected.

        This movie is horrible. Now granted the premise seems really interesting, but it's so boring and it's not even scary. The film is a somewhat of a combination of those really bad exorcism movies such as Devil's Due and The Last Exorcism with some aspects of The Paranormal Activity franchise. Now one of the positives of the film is the acting mostly by Jared Harris who gives a very haunting and disturbing performance that can give you nightmares and the acting of young gun Sam Claflin. But overall the film is stupid, boring and not scary and plus it's a horror movie that cam out in April. Overall i give the Quiet Ones a 1 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of The Quiet Ones, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

4-28-14 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...

(NOTE: All of these stories come from screenrant.com and comingsoon.net)

        With official casting for J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII expected to be announced any day now, Deadline has pieced together a number of rumors and are now adding Inside Llewyn Davis star Oscar Isaac's name to the list of talent up for potential leading roles. They also report on a tidbit that, if true, should delight Star Wars fans, claiming that Harrison Ford's Han Solo plays a "gigantic" part in the next chapter of the space fantasy. Isaac's name, meanwhile, joins the likes of Adam Driver, John Boyega and Maisie Richardson-Sellers as the alleged top choices to star in the December 18, 2015 release.

        Scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, Star Wars: Episode VII will be set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi and will follow a trio of new young leads along with some very familiar faces. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew are also expected to reprise their respective roles. At this time, however, Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm have only confirmed a single star: R2-D2.

        I want official Star Wars news to come, i'm literally sick of rumors. Listen it's never wrong th recruit talent and Oscar Issac would be a great addition, but he joins the long list of people who have been rumored to be in Episode 7. Also hearing that Han Solo will have a huge role means only one thing and I'm calling it her and now on April 28th, 2014... Han Solo will die.




        In an article profiling the upcoming summer movies, USA Today has debuted new images from a slew of films including Guardians of the Galaxy, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Jupiter Ascending, and The Expendables 3, all of which you can check out below.

        Transformers: Age of Extinction will be the first of these films to hit theaters, opening on June 27. Jupiter Ascending will follow on July 18, with Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, and The Expendables 3 on August 15.



(photos courtesy of USA Today)

        All of these images look really amazing. The two that really that stand out to me are the Guardians of the Galaxy and The Expendables 3. The other two are from each films respective trailers so they are not as fresh as the other two. 



        Remember back in January when Stan Lee said that he wouldn't be making a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, ending his streak of cameos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? False alarm! Variety reports that Lee was asked about cameo-ing in the film at a panel this weekend at C2E2 where he mentioned that he had filmed a sequence for the movie.

        "I did, already," he responded. "I can't tell you what it is, but I can tell you I do not understand what it was or why I did it. It has me with a girl — a very pretty girl — that's all I can tell you."

        We're going to assume that Lee was simply unable to film his cameo during principal photography on "Guardians" but was able to film a scene during the additional shooting that took place a few weeks ago. Now the matter of who this 'very pretty girl' Lee refers to is another mystery.

        I love hearing this news. Stan Lee has made some of the most epic cameos in cinema history and I'm glad to hear that he'll make a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm just very curious what he'll be doing.



        XYZ Films has picked up all international sales rights to Kevin Smith's just-announced Anti-Claus, a Yuletide horror film populated by the stars of Smith's Tusk, including Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez and Michael Parks.  Anti-Claus tells the tale of the centuries-old, devil-like creature known the world-over as the Krampus – the "Anti-Claus" of Alpine country folklore, infamous for eating naughty children during the season of giving.

        "When I was a kid, if they wanted to make a Christmas horror movie, they'd stick an axe in Santa's hands," says Smith. "In 'Anti-Claus,' we leave Santa alone and creep with the Krampus through twisted tales of holly-jolly murder, desire, desperation and despair. Just in time for the holiday season... In America, we're taught that nice kids gets presents from Santa and naughty kids get coal. But in countries like Germany, Austria, Bavaria, Romania and Hungary, Christmas is more metal than merry: Saint Nicholas brings a sack full of toys for good kids and the Krampus carries an empty bag for taking away the bad kids. I wanna see THAT Christmas movie. So rather than wait for it, we'll make it instead."

        I'm a huge fan of Kevin Smith and I'm actually really intrigued by this project. Kevin Smith has done some great films over the years and this film sounds to be one of best yet. 



        Sony Pictures Entertainment has set its summer tentpole Pixels for release on May 15, 2015. The movie, which stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage, will be directed by Chris Columbus.

        When aliens misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them, they attack the Earth, using the games as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper has to call on his childhood best friend, ’80s video game champion Jules Brenner, now a home theater installer, to lead a team of old-school arcaders to defeat the aliens and save the planet.

        This sounds interesting. For those that didn't know, I'm somewhat of a gamer who has played some of these 80's arcade games and I'm intrigued on what games they'll actually use. But the one downside is that I have to listen to Adam Sandler but oh well (at least Dennis Dugan isn't directing).

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

Weekend Box Office Review 4-25-14 to 4-27-14

        Here are the weekend domestic box office results for the weekend of 4-25-14 to 4-27-14  as well as my 5 key takeaways. So without further ado...

TW	LW	Title	Studio	Weekend	Theaters	Total	Weeks
1	-	The Other Woman	20th Century Fox	$24,763,752	3,205	$24,763,752	1
2	1	Captain America: The Winter Soldier	Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios	$16,219,025	3,620	$225,059,241	4
3	2	Heaven is for Real	TriStar Pictures (SONY)	$14,351,252	2,705	$52,462,168	2
4	3	Rio 2	20th Century Fox	$13,881,457	3,703	$96,389,900	3
5	-	Brick Mansions	Relativity Media	$9,516,855	2,647	$9,516,855	1
6	4	Transcendence	Warner Bros. Pictures	$4,226,339	3,455	$18,593,305	2
7	-	The Quiet Ones	Lionsgate	$3,880,053	2,027	$3,880,053	1
8	10	Disney’s Bears	Disneynature	$3,734,588	1,720	$11,281,525	2
9	7	Divergent	Summit Entertainment (Lionsgate)	$3,658,966	2,066	$139,521,857	6
10	5	A Haunted House 2	Open Road Films	$3,202,679	2,310	$14,183,335	2

1. The Other Woman pulled of a shocker by taking the number one spot from Captain America: The Winter Soldier

2. Transcendence continues be a comedic flop

3. Heaven is for Real continues to do extremely well at the box office

4. Even though it's a terrible film IMO Divergent continues to do really good at the box office

5. Overall this was a very excellent weekend at the box office 

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of this weekend's box office numbers and what are some of your takeaways? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

4-27-14 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...

(NOTE: All of these stories come from screenrant.com and comingsoon.net)

        A Justice League feature film is not only officially on track today, but has also announced a director. The Wall Street Journal reports that Man of Steel helmer Zack Snyder will make the ensemble blockbuster his followup to 2016's Batman vs. Superman. “It will be a further expansion of this universe,” Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman tells the outlet. "’Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’”

        Although no Justice League cast is official at this stage, the project is likely to again star Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg (with a view other JLAers expected to be announced in the future).

        This news is both disappointing and not shocking at all. Honestly I'm surprised we're getting a film called Justice League, I thought Batman vs. Superman was going to be Justice League simply by all of the casting. Warner Bros. is in complete limbo and the have no earthy idea what they are doing. Now the reason why it's disappointing is because I was really looking forward to a possible Ben Affleck directed Justice league film and now it will be in the hands of Zack Snyder (god help us all).

        The previous chapters in The Hobbit saga, An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug, surpassed Peter Jackson’s LOTR trilogy in epic spectacle, and now star Richard Armitage has hinted that the final film will include some suitably memorable moments.

        As Armitage told HitFix (via CBM):

“It’s going to be quite a nostalgic event I think. It’s going to be 15 years of seeing Middle Earth on the big screen, the culmination of Peter Jackson’s life’s work. I think the ‘Battle of the Five Armies’ is something that I cannot wait to see." 

Armitage echoed this sentiment to OTRC, adding: “There’s a couple of big surprises. [...] I think it will be probably quite a cinematic event.”

        I really like hearing this. For those of you that have read The Hobbit know exactly what is coming and I'm pretty excited to see it myself. Also if you've read the book you know what surprises the film has in store.

        A new photo from Universal Pictures' Dumber and Dumber To has surfaced and you can look at it below. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprise their signature roles as Lloyd and Harry in the November 14 sequel to the smash hit that took the physical comedy and kicked it in the nuts. The original film's directors, Peter and Bobby Farrelly, take Lloyd and Harry on a road trip to find a child Harry never knew he had and the responsibility neither should ever, ever be given.

(photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

        This photo perfectly explains Harry and Lloyd. I absolutely love the first film (it's one of my top 10 favorite comedies a list that you check out right here http://jonahsparks.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-top-10-comedy-movies-of-all-time.html). I'm really excited to see this film and I'm curious to see which way this film goes.



        With less than a month to go before the gargantuan movie star returns to the big screen, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have released a new still from director Gareth Edwards' upcoming Godzilla, offering a nice, clear look at the King of Monsters. Check it out in the gallery viewer below, courtesy of Les Toiles Heroique.

        Opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters on May 16, Godzilla stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston. An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, the spectacular adventure pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.


(photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures)

        Holy crap does this look awesome. I'm super excited for this movie and this photo just strengthens my excitement. This has the capabilities to be one of the biggest and best films of the year.



        Although Michael Fassbender was announced for the role in 2012, Deadline now reports that Jude Law will instead star opposite Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman in director Michael Grandage's Genius.

        Based on the National Book Award winning biography "Max Perkins: Editor of Genius," by A. Scott Berg (adapted by John Logan), Genius centers on the real-life relationship between literary giant Thomas Wolfe (Law) and renowned editor Max Perkins (Firth). Finding fame and critical success at a young age, Wolfe is a blazing talent with a larger-than-life personality to match. Perkins is one of the most respected and well-known literary editors of all time, discovering such iconic novelists as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Wolfe and Perkins develop a tender, complex friendship. Transformative and irrepressible, this friendship will change the lives of these brilliant, but very different men forever.

        This casting sounds amazing. It's never wrong to replace talent with talent and that's exactly what is happening right here.  Adding Jude Law to this film makes me a little more interested (although I would've really liked to see Fassbender in the film).

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

My Review of Brick Mansions

        So I recently watched Brick Mansions and I'm here to bring you my review. so without further ado........







        In a dystopian Detroit, abandoned brick mansions left from better times now house only the most dangerous criminals. Unable to control the crime, the police constructed a colossal containment wall around this area to protect the rest of the city. For undercover cop Damien Collier (played by Paul Walker) every day is a battle against corruption. For Lino (played by David Belle), every day is a fight to live an honest life. Their paths never should have crossed, but when drug kingpin, Tremaine (played by RZA) kidnaps Lino's girlfriend, Damien reluctantly accepts the help of the fearless ex-convict, and together they must stop a sinister plot to devastate the entire city.

        I was actually really disappointed with this film. I can honestly say that Paul walker is glad that he won't be remembered for this being his last film. But I will say that he is the best part of the film and he does a really good job. The film's story is reverse story of District 9 and Elysium and it just gets really complicated and very boring. Now I will say that the action is pretty darn good but the shaky camera just ruins it and it makes the film look very tacky and sloppy. Also I have a serious question, why in God's name does RZA act? My goodness this guy is horrible and when he's on screen I just want to blow my brains out, I mean it's literally that bad. I will say that this is a guy's movie and if you have the chance force your girlfriend to go see this instead of The Other Woman where I can guarantee you'll breakup after it's over if you see that other than this. Overall the film is very sloppy and boring so I'm going to give Brick Mansions a 3.5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Brick mansions, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in  the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks