11-3-15 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)


        Director Patty Jenkins’ upcoming Wonder Woman movie may have just gained an Academy Award winner. According to The Wrap, none other than Nicole Kidman is in talks to join Gal Gadot and Chris Pine for the DC Comics adaptation. Although the specific part Nicole Kidman is up for has not yet been revealed, the outlet claims that she’d play “a high-ranking Amazonian warrior” and goes on to speculate that the role might be that of Amazon Queen Hippolyta. It’s also very easy to imagine Nicole Kidman playing the villainous sorceress Circe as well, although the character has only been rumored to appear in the 2017 release. Gal Gadot is attached to headline Wonder Woman, opening in theaters on June 23, 2017. The character will make her first cinematic appearance, however, in next year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It’s pretty much a guarantee, too, that Wonder Woman will play an important role in Justice League Part One, hitting theaters on November 10, 2017. Nicole Kidman, who earned an Oscar for her performance in The Hours, recently took a villainous turn in Paul King’s acclaimed children’s book adaptation Paddington. Coming up, Kidman can be seen starring opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julia Roberts in Billy Ray’s Secret in Their Eyes. Look for it to hit theaters later this month. Then, next year, Nicole Kidman teams with Robert Pattinson and James Franco, headlining Werner Herzog’s Gertrude Bell biopic, Queen of the Desert.

        This is terrific casting if true. So far the rumors for this film from The Wrap, Heroic Hollywood and Collider and I feel like this one could come true and it's a great choice. Nicole Kidman is one of the greatest female actors of all-time and seeing her in a comic book film is an amazing feat. Now the article says she might play Hippolyta and that could be a possibility, but I feel like she would play Aphrodite because Nicole Kidman is a very beautiful woman and her giving Wonder Woman her beauty is a storyline that could work for her origins. Now granted I'm probably way wrong on this so take everything I say with a grain of salt. Hopefully this rumor comes true becasue it really gives the film a lot more credibility 



        The Hollywood Reporter brings word that The LEGO Batman Movie has added another cast member with Ralph Fiennes as Batman’s trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth. He joins a cast that includes Will Arnett as the titular Dark Knight, Michael Cera as Robin the boy wonder, Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, and Zach Galifianakis as The Joker. Fiennes’ most famous roles include his Academy Award-nominated work as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List and Count Laszlo de Almásy in The English Patient. He is also well known to fans as Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” franchise, Francis Dolarhyde in the 2003 remake of Red Dragon, and taking over in the role of M for both Skyfall and the upcoming SPECTRE. The LEGO Movie animation supervisor Chris McKay will direct The LEGO Batman Movie, which features a script by Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter creator Seth Grahame-Smith. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who directed The LEGO Movie and are also developing an animated version of Spider-Man for Sony, will produce the film along with Dan Lin. The LEGO Batman Movie will swing into theaters on May 26, 2017.

        I think this is great casting. Ralph Fiennes is a very underrated actor in my opinion and I think he deserves a lot more credit and I think he is perfect for this role. He is British which helps, plus his voice will work very well for the character of Alfred Pennyworth. So far this film has a really great cast and I think they only missing a voice for Commissioner Gordon and I think we'll get that news fairly soon. I'm really looking forward to this film not only because I'm a Batman fan, but becasue I thought Will Arnett as Batman in The Lego Movie was fantastic and I think a solo film can be fantastic. 



        DreamWorks Animation has just debuted the first Kung Fu Panda 3 trailer, which you can check out below. In the animated feature film sequel, Po, continuing on his now legendary adventures of awesomeness, must face two hugely epic, but very different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to home. When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible—learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas! This chapter in the continuing adventures of Kung Fu Panda is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni, and features a script by series writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. Jack Black returns as the voice of Po in the film along with Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim, Bryan Cranston, and J.K. Simmons. The first two chapters of DreamWorks Animation’s critically-acclaimed Kung Fu Panda franchise opened in 2008 and 2011. Both films were honored with Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film. Together, they have generated approximately $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office. 20th Century Fox will open Kung Fu Panda 3 in theaters everywhere on January 29, 2016.


        I thought this was a pretty decent trailer. I've been a pretty big fan of the franchise so far and this film looks like it can continue the momentum of the franchise. I didn't laugh as much as I thought I would, but there were some really great laughs. I love the additions of Bryan Cranston and J.K. Simmons and I they will help this movie out a lot. My only worry and it has always been the release date of January 29th because January is a bad months for movies, but this is a film that could do very well on that date due to the success of the previous two films. As I  mentioned before I've loved the franchise so far and I'm hoping this film can be just as good. 



        Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson is set to headline Parkland director Peter Landesman’s latest, the historical spy thriller Felt. Neeson will play the famous informant known as “Deep Throat”. Felt aims to be a taut spy thriller, centering on “Deep Throat,” the pseudonym given to the notorious whistleblower for one of the greatest scandals of all time, Watergate. The true identity of the secret informant remained a mystery and source of much public curiosity and speculation for more than 30 years. That is until, in 2005, special agent Mark Felt shockingly revealed himself as the tipster. This unbelievable true story chronicles the personal and professional life of the brilliant and uncompromising Felt, who risked and ultimately sacrificed everything – his family, his career, his freedom – in the name of justice. Felt is based on a script by Landesman, who will also produce. MadRiver Pictures will finance and produce, alongside Scott Free Productions, Playtone and Cara Films. Ridley Scott, Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Giannina Scott, Marc Butan, Christopher Woodrow and Jay Roach will produce. Steven Shareshian and Michael Schaefer will executive produce alongside Michael Bassick and Steven Marshall. This will be the second collaboration for writer/director Peter Landesman, Giannina Scott and Ridley Scott, following their very successful collaboration on Concussion, starring Will Smith, which Sony will release wide on Christmas Day. Neeson starred earlier this year in Run All Night. He also made appearances in both Entourage: The Movie and Ted 2, the latter of which reteamed him with A Million Ways to Die in the West helmer Seth MacFarlane. CAA arranged the financing and will introduce the Felt to domestic distributors at AFM. Sierra/Affinity will handle the foreign rights. Principal photography on Felt is set to begin in March 2016.

        I think this is great casting. Liam Neeson is a tremendous actor who has been in the conscious mind of everyone because he's in just about every film nowadays (but I think it's for different reasons than just money) and I think he is perfect for this role. The reason for that is because of his voice and he has the voice to play Deep Throat and from everything we know about Deep Throat he did have a deep and dark voice and Neeson has that. I think this is a great film for him and I'm really excited to see how much he'll be in the film and how the character will be, but Liam Neeson can knock the role out of the park. 



        Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures have released a new poster for Michael Dougherty’s Christmas horror Krampus and you can check out the Krampus poster below. When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max (Emjay Anthony) is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers. All hell breaks loose as beloved holiday icons take on a monstrous life of their own, laying siege to the fractured family’s home and forcing them to fight for each other if they hope to survive. The Legendary Pictures horror-comedy also stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, Conchata Ferrell, Stefania Lavie Owen and Krista Stadler. Krampus and his mischievous underlings have been created by the combined efforts of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital, both renowned for their epic work on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies and King Kong, among many others. Written and directed by Dougherty (Trick ’r Treat), Krampus is co-written by Zach Shields and Todd Casey and produced by Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni, Alex Garcia and Dougherty. The film will be released by Universal Pictures on December 4.



        This is an ok poster. Granted it feels pretty haunting and creepy, but it's nothing we haven't seen before and I actually like the first poster a whole lot more. This isn't the only Krampus film coming out (Kevin Smith is coming out with one next December) so I'm really curious how high the bar will be set for that film depending on how this film does. It has a really interesting story and I'm excited to check it out mainly because of the Krampus himself. 

        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 Burnt

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







        Adam Jones (played by Bradley Cooper) is an up-and-coming chef whose drug use and erratic behavior lead him to lose his restaurant. He attempts to rebuild his life and his career in London, in the hopes of returning to Paris to open a new restaurant that will gain three Michelin stars.

       

        This is a pretty bland and boring movie. Bradley Cooper is easily one of the best actors working in the business and he is great in just about everything he is in (excluding All About Steve) and he actually does give a great performance, but it isn't a performance that will be remembered for any amount of time. Sienna Miller also gives a pretty decent performance and her and Bradley Copper continue the great chemistry they had in the film American Sniper. While those two give pretty decent performances, the film around them is just dreadful. It has a plot that has been seen several times and you what is going to happen throughout the entire film and it just becomes really boring. There are some points where the film get a little over-dramatic and it just didn't feel like a cohesive film. One of the things that stand out are the food making scenes and the food in film looks delicious and if you're a fat guy like me then you might gain weight just watching the food get made. Overall this is a film that has a really boring and predictable plot and even the performances of Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller can't help the film be any better. I give Burnt a 3 out of 10.

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

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

11-2-15 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)


        Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures have released a brand-new poster for the upcoming video game adaptation Warcraft, which you can check out below. In addition, it has been revealed that the first Warcraft trailer for the film will debut this Friday in conjunction with Blizzard’s annual BlizzCon! Legendary’s Warcraft is a 3D epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based upon Blizzard Entertainment’s globally-renowned universe. Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), the film was written by Charles Leavitt with a rewrite by Duncan Jones. The film, a Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production, is produced by Charles Roven, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Alex Gartner. Stuart Fenegan, Jillian Share, Brent O’Connor, and Blizzard Entertainment’s Michael Morhaime and Paul Sams serve as executive producers. Rob Pardo and Blizzard Entertainment’s Chris Metzen and Nick Carpenter co‐produce with Atlas’s Rebecca Steel Roven. Fighting for The Alliance, Warcraft features Dominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn, Travis Fimmel as Anduin Lothar, Ben Foster as Medivh, Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar, and Ruth Negga as Lady Taria, and on the side of The Horde is Clancy Brown as Blackhand, Toby Kebbel as Durotan, Robert Kazinsky as Ogrim, and Daniel Wu as Gul’Dan, with Paula Patton’s Garona caught in the middle. Warcraft is set to debut in theaters on June 10, 2016.



        I really like this poster. It is something different and new for a big blockbuster film like this and plus it gives a clear idea of the factions that will be going head-to-head in the film. This is a film that I've been looking forward to simply becasue of director Duncan Jones who is a masterful director and I think his style fits this property perfectly. Now I haven't played much of the games, but from what I have played of them I enjoyed and I think this film can be the film to put video game movies on the map. 



        TWC-Dimension announced today that the action film The Six Billion Dollar Man, starring Mark Wahlberg (Ted, Lone Survivor, Transformers: Age of Extinction), is set to be released on December 22, 2017. Oscar-nominated and acclaimed filmmaker Damián Szifron (Wild Tales) wrote the screenplay and has now been confirmed to direct. Principal photography will commence in September of 2016. Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Bob Weinstein will produce the film. The Six Billion Dollar Man is based on the classic television series “The Six Million Dollar Man” and the novel “Cyborg” by Martin Caidin. The story follows military officer, Steve Austin, who becomes part of a top secret government program after a horrific accident leaves him near death. With the help of cutting edge technology, Steve is brought back to life with extraordinary abilities, making him the world’s first truly bionic man. “I’m thrilled to assemble ‘The Six Billion Dollar Man’ for the big screen with the likes of Bob Weinstein and Damián Szifron,” said Wahlberg. “We look forward to creating a Steve Austin for the 21st century.” “Writing the screenplay was such a fantastic ride and embarking on this journey with Mark, Bob and Stephen to take this story to a whole new level is simply spectacular,” said Szifron. “Growing up, these kind of films left an indelible mark on me and now it feels so good to be making one.” “Damián’s unique vision and longtime passion for this story will usher in an new take on this series for a new generation,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films. “We are excited to release the film during the holidays to bring audiences an explosive reimagining of this cultural icon.” Overseeing production for TWC-Dimension are Matthew Signer, EVP of Production and Creative Affairs, and Keith Levine, SVP of Production and Development.

        I really like this date. It's coming out around Christmas which should help the money financially and it will offer some decent counter-programming with a few animated films that are coming out around that date. I've been behind this idea from the start and now that $1 billion dollars is a real prices now compared to $1 million back in the 1970's it makes sense for the film to be the Sic Billion Dollar Man. I also think Mark Wahlberg is the perfect choice for the role of Steve Austin and if this film does great this could be a potential multiple film franchise. 



        The Hollywood Reporter brings word about another casting addition to Marvel’s upcoming Doctor Strange feature film with actor Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man, “Boardwalk Empire”). Variety adds on that Stuhlbarg will play the role of Doctor Nicodemus West, the character who fixed Strange’s hands and even follows him to Kamar-Taj and undergoes his own mystical training. Scheduled to hit theaters November 4, 2016, Doctor Strange is scripted by Jon Spaihts and directed by Scott Derrickson. It is said to follow the story of neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions. Also attached to star in Doctor Strange is Rachel McAdams as the female lead with Tilda Swinton set to appear as the Ancient One and Chiwetel Ejiofor as the good doctor’s arch foe, Baron Mordo. “Hannibal” and Rogue One star Mads Mikkelsen is also in talks for the villain role of the film, which remains a mystery. Although no official Doctor Strange artwork has yet been revealed, fans attending the recent D23 Expo in Anaheim, California were treated to a concept art sizzle reel, teasing the look of the “Phase Three” entry.

        I really like this casting. Michael Stuhlberg is an actor who is good in everything he is in, but he never gets any recognition and that's most obvious in the film A Serious Man which if you haven't seen then I highly recommend you check it out. I'm really curious to see how he does in the role and how it will help bring it to life. I'm not familiar with the whole Doctor Strange universe so I'm going into this blind and I'm excited to see what Scott Derrickson can do with something outside of his comfort zone. 



        Sony Pictures Animation announced today that Hotel Transylvania 3 is officially on the way! The third film in the animated franchise will arrive on the big screen September 22, 2018. 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. The sequel, the recently released Hotel Transylvania 2, performed even better than its predecessor, and has already passed $373.6 million worldwide. In fact, Hotel Transylvania 2 was number four at the domestic box office this week, despite being in its sixth week of release. It has not yet been revealed who among the voice cast will be returning for Hotel Transylvania 3. The second film featured the voice talents of Adam Sandler, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Jon Lovitz, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Fran Drescher and Mel Brooks. Tartakovsky, however, has stated that he doesn’t think he’ll be back in the director’s chair for a third film. Hotel Transylvania 2, which opened September 25, saw Mavis (Gomez) and Jonathan (Samberg) married having just had their first baby. Although a home video release date has not yet been revealed, you can preorder Hotel Transylvania 2 at Amazon. Hotel Transylvania 3 will face some monstrous competition at the box office. September 21, 2018 is the same date Warner Bros. Pictures has scheduled for their still-untitled Scooby Doo animated movie.

        This isn't surprising news to hear. I haven't big the biggest fan of the franchise so far, but when you are an animated film that makes money like this franchise has, then you obviously want to continue to make more films. I'm very curious to see what the plot of the third film will be because I honestly have no idea where they could go. I'm also interested to see how many more SNL buddies Adam Sandler can cram into his movies because that's all he does and doesn't care about making quality films. 



        As the casting for Lionsgate’s upcoming Power Rangers movie rolled out, it was unclear if the film would be taking its cues from the original series. With every announcement, each actor was only designated by the corresponding color of the Ranger they would be playing and no further details. Now, a tweet from the official Power Rangers account has seemingly revealed that the characters in the film will feature the same names as the original cast. Dacre Montgomery will lead the team as Jason aka the Red Ranger with RJ Cyler (Me and Earl and The Dying Girl) as Billy the Blue Ranger, Naomi Scott (The Martian, “Terra Nova”) as Kimberly aka the Pink Ranger, Ludi Lin as Zack aka the Black Ranger, and musician Becky G. as Trini aka the Yellow Ranger. Screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor) wrote the screenplay for Power Rangers, which is described as a modern reinvention of the long-running franchise. In it, a group of ordinary high school kids find themselves infused with extraterrestrial powers and must harness those powers as a team to save the world. Original creator Haim Saban is acting as producer along with Brian Casentini and Allison Shearmur. Saban’s “Power Rangers” franchise is the brainchild of Haim Saban, creator and producer of the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” hit series that launched in 1993. Following its introduction, “Power Rangers” quickly became the most-watched children’s television program in the United States and remains one of the top-rated and longest running boys live-action series in television history. The series follows the adventures of a group of ordinary teens who “morph” into superheroes and save the world from evil. It is seen in more than 150 markets around the world, translated into numerous languages and is a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks.  20th Century Fox previously released two feature films, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie in 1995 and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie in 1997. Set to be directed by Project Almanac‘s Dean Israelite, Power Rangers will debut in theaters on January 13, 2017.

        This is a really great news to hear. One of the things that I've been impressed about so far is that the studio has built a cast of complete unknowns and this was a big question on whether or not the original names were going to be used and now that we have that confirmed I couldn't be happier. It makes so much sense for the studio to do this because it keeps with the mythology and it does a lot of fan service for those who loved the original show. I'm afraid of building my excitement for this film because there is a possibility that the film could be terrible, but I'm still going to give the film a shot because I am a fan of the early incarnations of the Power Rangers. 

        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 10-30-15 to 11-1-15/ Weekend Preview

        Here are the weekend domestic box office results for the weekend of 10-30-15 to 11-1-15 as well as my 5 key takeaways, as well as my predictions for the top 5 films at the box office this weekend. So without further ado...

Box Office Totals courtesy of boxofficemojo.com

TW	LW	Film	Studio	Weekend	# of Theaters	Total Domestic Gross	Weeks
1	1	The Martian	20th Century Fox	$11,715,097	3,218	$183,121,850	5
2	2	Goosebumps	Sony Pictures	$9,867,077	3,618	$56,761,492	3
3	3	Bridge of Spies	Walt Disney Pictures	$8,389,284	2,873	$45,531,900	3
4	5	Hotel Transylvania 2	Sony Pictures	$5,860,784	2,962	$156,035,264	6
5	4	The Last Witch Hunter	Lionsgate	$5,162,398	3,082	$19,025,259	2
6	-	Burnt	The Weinstein Company	$5,002,521	3,003	$5,002,521	1
7	6	Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension	Paramount Pictures	$3,435,120	1,530	$13,554,743	2
8	-	Our Brand Is Crisis	Warner Bros. Pictures	$3,238,433	2,202	$3,238,433	1
9	8	Crimson Peak	Universal Pictures	$3,072,100	2,112	$27,708,080	3
10	7	Steve Jobs	Universal Pictures	$2,691,360	2,493	$14,652,043	4

1. The Martian continues to be very impressive as it holds onto the number 1 spot for the second consecutive week and it's also in it's 5th week of release.

2. Both Burnt and Our Brand Is Crisis had very poor opening weekends.

3. This is a very disappointing weekend at the box office

4. The biggest loser of the weekend was Steve Jobs as it made 62.1% less than it did last week and there was no biggest winner

5. I went 1 for 5 on my predictions

Predictions

1. Spectre $90 Million

2. The Peanuts Movie $50 Million
3. The Martian $7 Million
4. Goosebumps $5 Million

5. Bridge of Spies $3 Million

        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

Weekend Movie News 10-30-15 to 11-1-15

        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)


        Very little is known about the upcoming solo Batman movie, though we know Ben Affleck is co-writing the script with comic scribe Geoff Johns and is open to directing the feature. Unlike some other DC comics-based films, it still has no release date, but new details about Batman movie reveal it may be further along than expected and the seeds for the film are being planted in next year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. JoBlo reports that Warner Bros. is very eager to bring the anti-hero The Red Hood to the big screen and are eyeing the former Robin-turned-killer as one of the film’s antagonists. The Batman movie is said to take its cues from both the “A Death in the Family” and “Under The Hood” storylines, seeing the resurrected Jason Todd working from the shadows and framing Batman for his crimes. Todd will also reportedly be leaving clues for the Dark Knight as to his true identity in the film, and according to the outlet we’ve already seen his first clue in the trailer for “Dawn of Justice” as the newspaper clipping labeled “You let your family die” was a “gift” from Red Hood. As far as casting, WB is apparently looking for an unknown actor to fulfill the role and they’re aiming for the character to become The Winter Soldier of the DCEU. In addition, JoBlo reports that the Batman movie will see Jared Leto’s Joker featured as a “primary antagonist” along with Red Hood. Furthermore, the first Robin, Dick Grayson, will feature in the film having ascended to the position of Nightwing and will help Batman in his fight against both Joker and Red Hood.

        This is really interesting news. Now while I trust everyone over at JoBlo and they are a very reliable movie news site, but since this is not confirmed by Warner Bros. it is simply a rumor. However eventhough it is a rumor it's fun to speculate and listen if this comes to fruition, I'll be first in line. This is one of my favorite storylines featuring Batman and there are a lot of great moments that would look absolutely amazing on the big screen. I'm hoping this comes true and if it does I think it may become the best Batman film and for me that's saying a lot since The Dark Knight is my favorite film of all-time. 



        Lionsgate continues their rollout of the cast for the upcoming Power Rangers reboot and has now revealed that musician Becky G, who previously appeared in two episodes of the hit series “Empire,” will take on the role of the Yellow Ranger for the upcoming film. She joins a cast that includes RJ Cyler (Me and Earl and The Dying Girl) as the Blue Ranger, Naomi Scott (The Martian, “Terra Nova”) as the Pink Ranger, Dacre Montgomery as the Red Ranger and Ludi Lin as the Black Ranger. Screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor) wrote the screenplay for Power Rangers, which is described as a modern reinvention of the long-running franchise. In it, a group of ordinary high school kids find themselves infused with extraterrestrial powers and must harness those powers as a team to save the world. Original creator Haim Saban is acting as producer along with Brian Casentini and Allison Shearmur. Saban’s “Power Rangers” franchise is the brainchild of Haim Saban, creator and producer of the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” hit series that launched in 1993. Following its introduction, “Power Rangers” quickly became the most-watched children’s television program in the United States and remains one of the top-rated and longest running boys live-action series in television history. The series follows the adventures of a group of ordinary teens who “morph” into superheroes and save the world from evil. It is seen in more than 150 markets around the world, translated into numerous languages and is a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks. 20th Century Fox previously released two feature films, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie in 1995 and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie in 1997. Set to be directed by Project Almanac‘s Dean Israelite, Power Rangers will debut in theaters on January 13, 2017.

        This is pretty interesting casting. Now granted I cannot say a whole lot about Becky G because I haven't seen her in Empire nor have I heard her music, but boy she looks absolutely gorgeous and I think she could be a good fit for the film. I love how the full cast is now officially rounded out and the film can begin to move toward the January 2017 release date and I'm getting more and more excited to see the film and next thing the studio has to release as early as possible is the actors in their costumes just keep building the momentum and get more people interested. Overall I think this is a great cast and I'm excited to see how the film turns out. 



        Warner Bros. Pictures has debuted the final trailer for director Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea, starring Chris Hemsworth (Rush, Thor), Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Flags of Our Fathers), Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins, Inception), Ben Wishaw (I’m Not There, Cloud Atlas), Tom Holland (Captain America: Civil War, The Impossible), Brendan Gleeson (Edge of Tomorrow, The Company You Keep) and Jordi Molla (Riddick, Bad Boys 2). Check out the In the Heart of the Sea trailer below. Set in the winter of 1820, In the Heart of the Sea follows the New England whaling ship Essex as it is assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Melville’s Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. In the Heart of the Sea reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down. In the Heart of the Sea hits 3D and 2D theaters and IMAX 3D on December 11, 2015.


        This was an amazing trailer. I was holding my breath the entire time because there are so many of those moments in the trailer. The film looks absolutely beautiful and you can see why the studio wanted to move the film back from earlier this year in March to December becasue this could compete for several Oscars. From the first moment I heard the film I was immediately hooked (no pun intended) and I'm really anxious to see the film. 



        Miramax and Broad Green Pictures announced today that Billy Bob Thornton (The Man Who Wasn’t There, Sling Blade) is officially set to reprise his Bad Santa role as Willie Soke for the long-discussed Bad Santa 2! Geyer Kosinski (The Astronaut Farmer, “Fargo”) will produce the follow-up to the raucous 2003 comedy hit. Miramax is partnering with Broad Green Pictures to co-finance and co-produce Bad Santa 2. Broad Green will distribute the film theatrically in the U.S. during the 2016 holiday season. Sierra/Affinity will then handle foreign sales with sales starting at the upcoming American Film Market (November 4-11, 2015). “We’ve been waiting far too long to see Billy Bob’s Willie Soke mess with the holiday season in his own unique way,” said Zanne Devine, Miramax’s EVP of Film & TV. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Billy Bob, the entire creative and producing team, and Broad Green and Sierra/Affinity to bring back the outrageous humor and characters that made this movie brand iconic in the first place.” “Bad Santa has been a part of our family holiday tradition ever since we all saw it together at our neighborhood theatre,” said Broad Green Pictures CEO Gabriel Hammond and CCO Daniel Hammond. “We are excited to bring this memorable character and new chapter back to the big screen.” David Thwaites will oversee the project for Miramax and Victor Moyers for Broad Green Pictures. Principal photography will commence in January 2016 in Montréal, Québec, Canada.

        I really like this news. Bad Santa is one of my favorite Christmas films as well as one of my favorite comedies and I've been waiting for a sequel for a long time, but that kind of worries me about the film. It's been way too long in between the first and second film and I just don't know if the audience is still there for it. Another thing is that it is a comedy sequel and those are really hard to make and my only hope is that they don't use the same jokes from the first film unless they just give small little nod to things that occurred in the film. I'm really excited to see these characters come back on the big screen and I hope that it does good enough not to be a disappointment. 



        Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock is back in theaters this week with the political satire Our Brand is Crisis in a role originally developed for the film’s producer George Clooney. Now she’s looking to go two-for-two with the Cloonster, as The Playlist has revealed and Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that the actress will take over his lead role in the Ocean’s Eleven franchise in an all-new, all-female reboot. Whether Bullock will be playing Danielle Ocean, one of Danny’s embittered ex-wives or another character entirely is unclear at this time, but we do know that The Hunger Games director Gary Ross is onboard to helm the reboot. Ross has a longstanding friendship with “Ocean’s” trilogy director Steven Soderbergh, with the latter having produced Ross’s 1998 hit Pleasantville and famously directed second unit on the first Hunger Games. Soderbergh has been onboard to develop the reboot with producers Clooney and the late Jerry Weintraub since last year, with screenwriter Olivia Milch (Queen & Country, Little Women) having recently turned her draft in to Warner Bros. Bullock had previously scoffed at turning her Melissa McCarthy buddy comedy hit The Heat into a franchise after her bad experiences on Speed 2: Cruise Control and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. It sounds like her friendship with Clooney may have persuaded her to step back into the sequel arena, not to mention that “Ocean’s” is a well honed brand that dates back to the original Rat Pack-led Ocean’s 11 from 1960, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.

        I honestly don't know how I feel about this news. On one hand I'm glad that an all female led ensemble film is happening, but I'm just not behind the fact that it's a reboot of Ocean's Eleven. If you are going to make the film just call it something else. The one plus side to the news is that we are going to get a really great cast and I'm excited to see how it all works out, I just wish it wasn't a reboot of Ocean's Eleven. 

        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 Our Brand Is Crisis

        So I recently watched Our Brand Is Crisis and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        An American woman (played by Sandra Bullock), well-versed in political campaigns, is sent to the war-torn lands of South America to help install a new leader but is threatened to be thwarted by a long-term rival (played by Billy Bob Thornton).

       

        This is an absolutely dreadful film. When you look at the films plot and who all is in it, you kind of expect it to be a big political drama with a lot of emotion and you end up getting more of a comedy than a drama. Now granted the film is a dramedy (comedy/drama), but there just isn't enough drama to really qualify as a dramedy. The performances are the best part of the film and that's mainly attributed to the former Academy Award winning actress Sandra Bullock and Academy Award nominated actor Billy Bob Thornton. When they are both on screen together they have tremendous chemistry and they should've been on the screen together more. Outside of that the performances are pretty weak, bland, boring and uninteresting. The plot seems like there might be a few redeeming qualities, but there just nothing to sink your teeth into. Overall this is a film that doesn't know what it wants to be genre wise, but the performances are enough for you to at least check out the film somewhere else other than a movie theater. I give Our Bran is Crisis a 2 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Our Brand is Crisis, 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 Review of Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

        So I recently watched Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and 'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        Three scouts, on the eve of their last camp-out, discover the true meaning of friendship when they attempt to save their town from a zombie outbreak.

       

        This is a fun, but yet really terrible movie. From the onset this film sounded really interesting and the trailers made the film look absolutely hilarious. While the laughs are there, the plot just falls flat on it's face. It's pretty much a carbon copy of Shaun of the Dead and while it tries to do some things different, it ends up going beat by beat of that film and it just doesn't work. Tye Sheridan is truly leading his first film and he just isn't a big enough star to carry it and the supporting cast doesn't work well around him. The effects are pretty lackluster and they just look cheap and tacky as if the film is almost like a B-Level Horror film. As mentioned before the jokes are really funny and timed perfectly and they keep the film alive through a lot of rough parts. Granted this film isn't supposed to be over-the-top serious, but it just doesn't come togehter as a good film. Overall this is a pretty disappointing film, but there are a few good shining moments. I give  Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse a 1.5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of  Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, 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