Wednesday, June 17, 2015

6-17-15 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)


        Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios have revealed a new trailer for The Peanuts Movie, which you can check out below, you blockhead! In the film, Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle – and flying ace – embarks upon his greatest mission as he takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest. The Peanuts Movie comes from the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the Ice Age films. The most popular and influential comic strip of all time, “Peanuts” was read every day by 355 million people in 75 countries. In addition to the famous strip, “Peanuts” holiday television specials such as “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” have won Emmy’s and continue to be among the highest rated prime time TV specials. Featuring the voices of Noah Schnapp, Hadley Belle Miller, AJ Tecce, Noah Johnston, Venus Schultheis, Alexander Garfin, Francesca Capaldi, Mar Mar, Mariel Sheets, Rebecca Bloom, William Alexander Wunsch, Anastasia Bredikhina and Madisyn Shipman, The Peanuts Movie features a script by Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, and Cornelius Uliano. Look for it to hit the big screen on November 6, 2015.


        This was a fantastic trailer. This trailer finally showed us what the plot of the film would be about and I really enjoy it. I laughed the entire time watching it and it brought back a lot of memories from the holiday specials over the years. The animation looks beautiful and I'm glad that Blue Sky kept true to the original animation. This is one of my top 10 most anticipated films of 2015 and I don't think it will disappoint.

     

        Academy Award-nominated actor Woody Harrelson and Academy Award-nominated director Rob Reiner have signed onto the film LBJ, a political drama being produced by Acacia Entertainment, Savvy Media Holdings, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Star Thrower Entertainment. Reiner will helm the project with Harrelson signed on to portray Lyndon Baines Johnson, as he ascends to become the 36th Presidentof the United States. Filming is slated to begin in September 2015 in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., Dallas, Texas and Washington, D.C. The project was originally developed by brothers Tim and Trevor White (Star Thrower Entertainment) and is being financed by Acacia Entertainment, Savvy Media Holdings, Parkside Pictures, ITS Capital and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). Matthew George is producing the film alongside Rob Reiner, Liz Glotzer, Michael R. Williams and Tim and Trevor White. Executive producers include Martin Shafer (Castle Rock Entertainment), Elizabeth A. Bell (production counsel), Susan Lanot (SMBC), Danny Roth and Damiano Tucci (Parkside Pictures), Michael Tadross Jr. (Tadross Media Group) and Julie May (ITS Capital). Sales are being handled by Voltage Pictures (international) and Creative Artists Agency (North American).

        The script by Joey Hartstone, a 2014 Black List winner, centers around the political upheaval that Vice President Johnson faced when he was thrust into the presidency at the hands of an assassin’s bullet in November 1963. With political battles on both sides of the aisle, Johnson struggles to heal a nation and secure his presidency by passing Kennedy’s historic Civil Rights Act. “Tim and Trevor White did a great job developing this project and Joey’s screenplay truly captures the soul of Johnson as he navigates this turbulent time with a government and a country in crisis,” explained George. “During the sixties,” recalled Reiner, “I was a hippy and Lyndon Johnson was my president. At the time LBJ was the target of most of my generation’s anti-Vietnam-War anger. But as time has passed and my understanding of political realities has grown; I’ve come to see LBJ in a very different light. He was a complex man; a combination of brilliant political instinct, raw strength, ambition, and deep insecurities. The strength and power of persuasion that he showed to his colleagues existed alongside of a soft, almost childlike quality that perhaps only Lady Bird got to see. His life’s path was nothing short of Shakespearean. From the poor hill country of West Texas to the corridors of power in Washington, he used his brilliant political acumen to pass the most groundbreaking civil rights legislation of the twentieth century. And had it not been for the Vietnam War, I believe he would have gone down as one of America’s greatest presidents.” “We’re very excited about this project and see its central message of overcoming the odds and personal redemption as having universal appeal,” noted George. “We’re all very much looking forward to working with two incredible artists, Reiner and Harrelson, and the rest of the team on this amazing project.”

        This is terrific casting. Woody Harrellson is an amazing actor and being that he is a former Academy Award nominee makes this film more credible. It's also a plus that the film is directed by Rob Reiner who I'm glad is back behind the camera than in front of it because when he is behind the camera he knocks films out of the park (i.e. This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, Misery, A Few Good Men). LBJ is one of the more intriguing figures in American history and I'm really curious to see how this film will turn out and what topics they will cover of his presidency. 



        Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures have revealed the first teaser trailer for their animated animal movie The Secret Life of Pets and you can watch it below. The fifth fully-animated feature-film from Illumination (Despicable Me, Hop and the upcoming Minions), The Secret Life of Pets is a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day. Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in The Secret Life of Pets, which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film, which is directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Brian Lynch and Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio. It is set to open on July 8, 2016.


        This was a really interesting and hilarious trailer. I honestly don't think I've ever laughed so hard while trailer before in my life. The film is presenting a really neat idea that as pet owners will make us wonder what our pets do while we are away. I'm not for sure what the main story is about, but voice cast is amazing and if the film is as funny as this trailer then this could be a great movie.

     

         Sony Pictures Animation has revealed the new Hotel Transylvania 2 trailer, which you can watch below. Everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania… Dracula’s (Sandler) rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. So while Mavis (Selena Gomez) is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny (Andy Samberg) – and in for a major cultural shock of her own – “Vampa” Drac enlists his friends Frank (Kevin James), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Griffin (David Spade) to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad (Mel Brook) is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood – and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty! Released in 2012, the original Hotel Transylvania was helmed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of hit animated series like “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack,” and grossed more than $350 million at the worldwide box office. Again directed by Tartakovsky and featuring a script by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel, Hotel Transylvania 2 hits theaters on September 25.


        This was a pretty great trailer. it gave us an idea of the plot and it had some great laughs. Now I'mm going to go ahead and say the the film is going to be predictable throughout, but if it keeps me laughing then I'll end up liking the movie. I wasn't a huge fan of the first film, but I am willing to give this film a chance. 

     

      According to The Hollywood Reporter, Academy Award winner Christian Bale (The Fighter, The Dark Knight) and Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) will join forces for indie film The Promise. Directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), the film is set in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire and centers on the relationships between Michael (Isaac), a brilliant medicalstudent; the beautiful and sophisticated Ana; and Chris (Bale), who is a renowned American journalist based in Paris. Written by George and Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), The Promise is produced by Mike Medavoy, Eric Esrailian, Ralph Winter and William Horberg. Shooting will take place in Southern Europe this fall, including Portugal and the Canary Islands. This is poised to be a breakout year for Isaac after the surprise success of Ex Machina and the all-but-assured blockbuster status of the next Star Wars installment. He is currently shooting his part as the title villain in Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse, and is expected to follow that by reprising his heroic Resistance pilot Poe Dameron in Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII. Bale also has a stellar lineup of films on his plate, including two re-teamings with legendary director Terrence Malick (Knight of Cups, Weightless), Adam McKay’s satire The Big Short opposite Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling, as well as a presumably mo-cap performance as the black panther Bagheera in Andy Serkis’ Jungle Book: Origins.

        This is great pair to cast in a film. Christian Bale is one of the best actors in Hollywood and adding talent to a film is never a bad thing (he is a former Academy Award winning actor and multiple nominee) and Oscar Issacs who is one of the best rising actors in the business and putting these two together is a great idea. It also helps that you have the guy who directed Hotel Rawanda which is a really powerful film that everyone should see. The film sounds really interesting and I think that these two will work really well with each other. 

        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

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