My Review of Halloween (1978)

        So with tomorrow being Halloween, I thought it would be fitting to review the horror film which bares the holiday's name Halloween. So without further ado...

        On Halloween night in 1963, a six-year-old Michael Myers (played by Will Sandin) murders his older sister by stabbing her with a kitchen knife. Fifteen years later , Michael escapes from a psychiatric hospital, returns home, and stalks teenager Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends. Michael's psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (played by Donald Pleasence) suspects Michael's intentions, and follows him to Haddonfield to try to prevent him from killing.

        I really enjoy this film. This film was the first horror film that I ever saw in my life. The film has a lot of violence that puts it on par with Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The actin gin the film is also spectacular with Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut and she (in my opinion) deserved an Oscar nomination as well as Donald Pleasence. It also has some of the best suspense for a horror film and it has never been matched by any other film that has followed. The film however borrows too much from Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre and it isn't really that original nor is it very scary. Overall I say that it is one of the greatest horror films of all-time, but it's more creepy than scary and in all honesty it's not that scary. I give Halloween a 9 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Halloween, 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

10-29-14 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)


        In the new final trailer from Lionsgate for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, Katniss--defiant as ever--loudly declares to President Snow, "If we burn, you burn with us!" You can check out the trailer below. Opening in theaters on November 21 (with advanced tickets going on sale today), the Francis Lawrence-directed third film in the franchise stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. "Mockingjay - Part 1" finds Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage.



        I really enjoyed this trailer. It was intense and it showed a few new scenes and I enjoyed the line that Katniss delivered and it may be a line that will be remembered for a very long time. I've loved the franchise so far and this film looks to make it better. 



        Entertainment Weekly has just revealed the plot of Terminator Genisys. The big piece of news for the film's plot is in how different Sarah Connor (played by Emilia Clarke) will be portrayed in the film. According to the report, Sarah was orphaned at 9 years old due to a Terminator sent back in time and as a result is raised by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, whom she calls “Pops." This older T-800 is "programmed to guard rather than to kill," and has apparently rubbed off on Sarah as she is described as "great with a sniper rifle but not so skilled at the nuances of human emotion." "Since she was 9 years old, she has been told everything that was supposed to happen," producer David Ellison says. "But Sarah fundamentally rejects that destiny. She says, 'That's not what I want to do.' It's her decision that drives the story in a very different direction."The first in a new trilogy of films, Terminator Genisys also stars Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Byung-hun Lee, Michael Gladis, and Sandrine Holt. Directed by Thor: The Dark World‘s Alan Taylor from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, Terminator Genisys is set to hit theaters on July 1, 2015.

        This is a really neat plot. It pretty much confirms what we've heard about the film and it starting off in the 1950's (30 years later would be the timeline for the original Terminator). The most interesting part is hearing that Arnold's character will be watching over and taking care of Sarah Conner. I really excited for the film to come out and see how it will revive the Terminator franchise.



        Sony Pictures Classics has today released a new poster for director Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher, starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller and Anthony Michael Hall and you can check it out below. Based on true events, Foxcatcher tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers. When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother, Dave (Ruffalo). Driven by hidden needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz's bid for Gold and the chance to "coach" a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Redgrave). Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont's majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont's mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training. Soon du Pont's erratic behavior and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete's already shaky self-esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money cannot buy. Fueled by du Pont's increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen. Foxcatcher hits theaters November 14.



        I absolutely love this poster. It gives us a good glimpse of the main characters and it also gives off a dark ominous tone that sends chills down my spine. The trailers for the film have been perfect and Steve Carell's transformation looks amazing and I cannot wait to see this film.



A new trailer for Susanne Bier's Serena has arrived and you can check it out in the player below, courtesy of the interactive charity network Chideo. Marking the third time Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have teamed up (following David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle), Serena is set in the North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s. George and Serena Pemberton, love-struck newly-weds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man: overseeing loggers, hunting rattlesnakes, even saving a man’s life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George's hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pembertons' passionate marriage begins to unravel leading toward a dramatic reckoning. Magnolia Pictures will release Serena on iTunes / VOD February 26, 2015 and in theaters March 27, 2015.


        This was a pretty bland and boring trailer. The film sounds interesting, but it doesn't look that great. It also didn't really show anything new from its first trailer. Eventhough you do have Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in a film togehter it doesn't mean the film will be great, but I'll give it a shot.



        Having surpassed a $1 billion dollar box office gross for his most recent film, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Michael Bay is looking at telling a very different kind of big screen story. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bay is eyeing 13 Hours, an adaptation of Mitchell Zuckoff's recently released, officially described as follows: "13 Hours" presents, for the first time ever, the true account of the events of September 11, 2012, when terrorists attacked the US State Department Special Mission Compound and a nearby CIA station called the Annex in Benghazi, Libya. A team of six American security operators fought to repel the attackers and protect the Americans stationed there. Those men went beyond the call of duty, performing extraordinary acts of courage and heroism, to avert tragedy on a much larger scale. This is their personal account, never before told, of what happened during the thirteen hours of that now-infamous attack. Chuck Hogan (The Town) has adapted the screenplay for the project, which is set up at Paramount Pictures with Erwin Stoff producing.

        This is pretty interesting. Now look I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest Bay fan and what he's done to the Transformers franchise is flat out embarrassing. But outside of that franchise he's had some pretty decent films and he also has a great relationship with the military. With those factors in play this film has some good potential to it, I just wish it was in someone else's hands.

        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 St. Vincent

        So I recently watched St. Vincent and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado.....







        Vincent (played by Bill Murray), a drunken, gambling war veteran retiree, gets recruited by his new single-mom neighbor Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy) to watch over her small grown 12-year-old son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Vincent's ideas of after-school activities involve racetracks and strip clubs, but eventually the mismatched pair begin to help each other grow up.

       

        I really enjoyed the film. First off let me say that the performances are spectacular especially from Bill Murray (who gives his best performance since Lost in Translation) and from Melissa McCarthy (who gives the performance of her career). Director/Writer Theodore Melfi does an amazing job of writing some very catchy and humorous dialogue that may get him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and for getting great performances form the films two leads. Now some of the jokes don't hit home and the performance of young Jaeden Lieberher is less than spectacular. Overall this is one of the more original films and one of the more comedic films of the year. I give St. Vincent a 9 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of St. Vincent, 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

Special Movie News Edition Marvel Announces it's Phase 3 plans

        Earlier today at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood, California, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige invited press and fans to announce something special. That something special was Marvel's upcoming Phase 3 slate of films which will take us to 2019. Now unlike the DC slate post. there will not be a regular Movie News post simply because this deserves a lot of my time and I will be on a regular schedule tomorrow. With that being said let's take a look at the list and my 5 big takeaways...





2016

Captain America: Civil War May 6th, 2016




Doctor Strange November 4th, 2016





2017

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 May 5th, 2017




Thor: Ragnarok July 28th, 2017




Black Panther November 3rd, 2017





2018

The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 May 4th,2018



Captain Marvel July 6th, 2018



Inhumans November 2nd, 2018





2019

The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2






1. The news is finally confirmed that Captain America 3 will be called Captain America: Civil War and that Robert Downey Jr. will be in the film as well as an appearance from Black Panther. With this news being confirmed it looks as if Black Panther will take the place of Spider-Man (who is a huge character in the comic storyline) so we'll be seeing a lot of Black Panther.
2. Speaking of Black Panther, it was announced that actor Chadwick Boseman will be playing T'Challa. Now this is great casting is amazing. Chadwick Boseman is a very young and talented actor and I think he'll do great things in the MCU. He wasn't my first choice but I'm actually pleased with the casting.
3. We are finally getting a Captain Marvel film and Marvel's first female superhero stand alone film. Now they didn't announce who would be playing Carol Danvers, but there is a rumor floating around that the end credits scene in The Avengers: Age of Ultron will feature her and a few other new faces.
4. The Fact that this is fourth says a lot about these announcements. The Avengers will have a two part film and it will be a culmination of the previous Marvel films.  I'm really excited for this simply because we're going to see how much destruction Thanos can cause in the first film and see the teaming up the original Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, The Inhumans, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Ant-Man. The second film is shaping up to be the highest grossing film of all-time.
5. The fact that we didn't get an announcement about who was going to play Doctor Strange really surprised me. Of course there was a rumor going around that Benedict Cumberbatch had been cast as the sorcerer supreme. Feige made a comment saying that if that rumor was true it would've been announced today. This coupled with the fact that Cumberbatch has a busy schedule makes me think that the rumor is false. Now it could be true, but this makes me doubt it.

        Now one of the big things people are wanting to do is compare the DC and Marvel list to see which films will be going head to head and that's what I'm going to do

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice March 25th, 2016
Captain America: Civil War May 6th, 2016

        Both films come out 6 weeks apart and they won't hurt each other and both will be very successful at the box office.

Suicide Squad August 5th, 2016
Doctor Strange November 4th, 2016

        Like the films before it they come out far from each other and neither will hurt the other.

Guardians of the Galaxy May 5th, 2017
Wonder Woman June 13th, 2017
Thor: Ragnarok July 28th, 2017

        All 3 films are within 6 weeks of each other so they won't hurt each other and the summer of 2017 looks to be shaping up to be a really great summer.

Black Panther November 3rd, 2017
Justice League Part 1 November 12th, 2017 (date may change to the 10th or 17th)

        This will be the first match-up that we'll have between Marvel and DC and both could do very well at the box office on opening weekend and not hurt each other.

The Flash March 23rd, 2018
The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 May 4th, 2018

        Like its predecessors in 2016 both are coming out 6 weeks away from each other and both have a chances to do well on opening weekend.

Captain Marvel July 8th, 2018
Aquaman July 27th, 2018

        This will be an interesting battle simply because they are both properties getting there first stand-alone films and they are unproven properties. Plus they'll both have some sort of cameo in their respective brands team-up film.

Shazam April 5th, 2019
The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 May 3rd, 2019
Justice League Part 2 June 14, 2019

        These films come out a month apart and I think they'll be successful in their own right and neither will hurt the other. It'll be really interesting to see The Avngers and Justice League going head-to-head

        Now another key thing to remember is that there is a Batman solo film and Man of Steel 2 on the way in this timeframe so we could have a few more battles waiting. All I can say is that we are in for something special over the next few years with Marvel and DC releasing films left and right The real winner in all of this news is us... the fans.

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of today's announcements and what really stood out to you? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of 23 Blast

        So I recently watched 23 Blast and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado..........







        In the fall of 1997, Travis Freeman (played by Mark Hapka) (who in the prime of his youth), is unexpectedly stricken with an infection that destroys his optic nerve. He becomes blind overnight. Under the influence of parents who love him, a physical therapist who challenges him, a coach who inspires him, and a best friend who he cannot bear to leave behind, Travis shows us what true bravery is by competing on the gridiron, helping his team advance to the State playoffs. We follow Travis and Jerry Baker (played by Bram Hoover), his closest friend, from the time they meet on the football field as kids through high school. Jerry's attraction to the dark side of teenage temptations, beer and drugs, threatens to pull the friends apart. It is only on the football field where they truly connect.

       

        This was pretty good movie. Now being from Corbin (where the film takes place and shot) the film hits home for me. I really liked the acting in film mostly by Mark Hapka and Stephen Lang. I also thought Dylan Baker did an amazing job in his directorial debut and did the story of Travis Freeman justice. If I were a person who didn't know anything about the story then  I would say that the film is predictable and it brings nothing new to the table. Another thing really bothered me was the supporting cast which I thought were boring and intriguing (not saying the real people are this way). Overall the film is very inspirational and has a few good performances, but it lacks a great supporting cast and it is very predictable. I give 23 Blast an 8 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of 23 Blast, 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

10-27-14 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 comingsoon.net)


        Benedict Cumberbatch, the star of "Sherlock," The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and the upcoming The Imitation Game, has, according to Deadline, taken the leading role in Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange! Doctor Strange is based on the character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who made his first appearance in 1963's "Strange Tales" #110. It follows the adventures of Stephen Strange (nodded at in this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier), a brilliant neurosurgeon who, following a car accident, loses precision in his hands. His quest to regain his former skills sets Strange on a path to become the "Master of the Mystic Arts."Although no official release date has been set for the film, the time table for production would lead one to believe that Doctor Strange will land on the July 8, 2016 release date that Marvel has already bookmarked for a theatrical release.

        This is great casting. Now let me be clear this is just a rumor since Marvel hasn't released anything official. Some repeatable sources such as Deadline and Variety are confirming the news, but nothing is truly official until Marvel says so. If it is true then I am excited as can be for this simply becuase Benedict Cumberbatch is so talented and this is a perfect role for him. The big question that might convince me otherwise on the news is if he'll have time to do the film because he's a very busy man. My choices for the role were Patrick Dempsey and Jared Leto, but Cumberbatch is just as good.



        "The Old Order Changeth!" Stan Lee famously set as the title for "The Avengers" #16 (a nod to Alfred Tennyson's "Morte d'Arthur"). That issue, which hit the stands in 1965, offered the first roster shift for Marvel's mighty superhero team. Now, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirms to BuzzFeed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is likely to follow suite in the wake of next summer's Avengers: Age of Ultron. "It's like as it was in publishing," Feige tells the outlet, "when each of the characters would go on their own adventures and then occasionally team up for a big, 12-issue mega-event. Then they would go back into their own comics, and be changed from whatever that event was. I envision the same thing occurring after this movie, because the [Avengers] roster is altered by the finale of this film.”

        In the original comics, the founding members of The Avengers included Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, Wasp and Hulk. Hulk quit during the second issue and Captain America joined in issue four, but the significant shakeup that happened in issue 16 saw Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man (Giant-Man by then) and Wasp leave the team, making room for Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch to continue alongside Captain America."It has to be this way" Iron Man says in that very issue. "The ranks of the Avengers will always need replenishing! The old must ever give way to the new!"

        Of course, that original storyline sees relatively amicable departures for everyone involved. After last week's epic trailer, it's probably a safe bet that that's not going to be the case on the big screen Avengers: Age of Ultron, starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, James Spader, Cobie Smulders, Thomas Kretschmann, Paul Bettany and Stellan Skarsgard, hits theaters May 1, 2015.

        This news isn't really surprising. I mean most of the actors involved have contracts that will be running out soon and Marvel needs to save these people for another film. What I mean is they don't want the contracts to run out with The Avengers 3, so they'll assemble a new team for the third film and then possibly bring back the original Avengers for an epic team-up film for The Avengers 4.



        Ahead of the trailer debut this coming Saturday, November 1 (12 p.m. PST), Universal Pictures has unveiled a new one-sheet for Furious 7 that proves the series is so iconic we don't even need to see the leads in focus, just a set of tires and the promise of more vehicular mayhem and you can check out the poster below. Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. Directed by James Wan, Furious 7 also features Jason Statham, Tony Jaa, Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Djimon Hounsou, John Brotherton and a cameo by Iggy Azaela. The new film will hit theaters on April 3, 2015.



        I really like the poster. It gives us something that we already know about which is the cars, but the tagline also gives us something new. "Vengeance Hits Home" and what that basically means is that the main crew is out to get revenge for Hans death. I cannot wait for the trailer and for the film to come next April.      



        Moses (Christian Bale) is destined to lead, while Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton) is born to rule as 20th Century Fox rolls out three new posters for Ridley Scott's Bible epic Exodus: Gods and Kings and you can check out all three below. The December 12 release co-stars Aaron Paul, John Turturro, Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley. Exodus: Gods and Kings is the story of one man's daring courage to take on the might of an empire. Using state of the art visual effects and 3D immersion, Scott brings new life to the story of the defiant leader Moses as he rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.



        I really like all of these posters. They show us the main two characters in there own posters and then them clashing against each other and I also like the color in each of the posters, but the main characters look a little silly just staring into space. The film looks amazing, but I'm a little nervous simply because Ridley Scott hasn't been himself lately and hopefully this film career can be a resurgence to his career.



        Miramax has announced the start of principal photography on the supernatural thriller The 9th Life of Louis Drax, based on the 2010 novel by Liz Jensen. Starring Jamie Dornan, Aaron Paul, and Sarah Gadon, Oliver Platt (X-Men: First Class, Chef) has now joined the cast and will be playing one of Louis Drax’s psychologists, Dr. Perez. Aaron Paul plays the father of a Louis, a boy involved in a near-fatal accident. When Louis miraculously survives, the father comes under investigation even though there may be more mysterious forces at work. Jamie Dornan will play the boy's primary psychologist, Dr. Allan Pascal, who uncovers troubling sides to the story that defy reality. The 9th Life of Louis Drax is being shot in Vancouver under the direction of Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D), and will mark the screenwriting debut of actor Max Minghella (The Social Network).

        This is great casting. Oliver Platt is a very talented actor and he is very underrated. I personally think that this is a great role and film for him. The film sounds really interesting and it has a solid cast so far and I'm really anxious to see it.

        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 10-24-14 to 10-26-14

        Here are the weekend domestic box office results for the weekend of 10-24-14 to 10-26-14 as well as my 5 key takeaways. So without further ado...

TW	LW	Title	Studio	Weekend	Theaters	Total	Weeks
1	-	Ouija	Universal Pictures	$19,875,995	2,858	$19,875,995	1
2	-	John Wick	Lionsgate	$14,415,922	2,589	$14,415,922	1
3	1	Fury	Columbia Pictures (SONY)	$13,356,718	3,173	$46,407,146	2
4	2	Gone Girl	20th Century Fox	$11,044,357	3,106	$124,037,579	4
5	3	The Book of Life	20th Century Fox	$10,049,271	3,113	$30,162,720	2
6	15	St. Vincent	The Weinstein Company	$7,746,596	2,282	$8,577,553	3
7	4	Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day	Walt Disney Pictures	$7,197,217	3,117	$45,718,836	3
8	5	The Best of Me	Relativity Media	$4,623,519	2,936	$17,550,193	2
9	6	Dracula Untold	Universal Pictures, Legendary Pictures	$4,395,945	2,364	$48,421,335	3
10	7	The Judge	Warner Bros.  Pictures	$4,366,039	2,610	$34,398,108	3

1. Despite horrible reviews, Ouija took the number one spot from Fury

2. John Wick exceeded expectations and brought in over $14 million and grabbed the number 2 spot

3. St. Vincent had the biggest jump of the weekend jumping all the way up from the 15th spot to the 6th spot

4. Gone Girl continues to do well at the box office and stays in the top 5 for the 4th week in a row

5. Although Fury lost the number 1 spot it still had a solid second week at the box office

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

                                                                                                                                       Jonah Sparks