San Diego Comic-Con might seem light this year with no “Avengers” or “Star Wars.” However, there are plenty of movie-related panels and presentations to keep fans in California, and across the world, invested.
Continue reading “Monday Movie Report: Comic-Con 2018 Preview”
It’s funny how “The First Purge” turned out to be better than the first “Purge.”
Way back in 2013, I wasn’t expecting this little, low budget horror franchise to have a fourth installment, but here we are. Unlike the previous two, this entry is a prequel, showcasing how the first Purge event took place. The film picks up in the not so distant future where a new political party has taken power amid high unemployment and a crumbling infrastructure.
As a result, some scientists working for the government decided the best option is for an “experiment” where all crime could be legal and any individuals who are upset about the system or just their daily lives could take out their anger. As a trial run, the experiment only takes place in the area of Staten Island. There, a group of characters we’re introduced to must try to survive this new government operation, which we as the audience know from other “Purge” movies is really to eliminate poor Americans.
Continue reading “REVIEW: Intense action, good lead characters make ‘First Purge’ a fun B-Movie”
Keri Russell who recently has been best known for her roles in the TV series “The Americans” and the film “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” could find herself in the “Star Wars” universe soon.
Continue reading “Monday Movie Report: Keri Russell could appear in next ‘Star Wars’ film”
Superhero couples are relatively rare in Hollywood, with the one featured in “The Incredibles” series being likely the most prominent. Fortunately, Marvel Studios has added to that catalog.
This sequel to the 2015 “Ant-Man” again follows the life of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). The movie picks up with the character on house arrest, a punishment he received following the fight between members of the Avengers at an airport.
Despite this factor, though, the father-daughter duo of Hank (Michael Douglas) and Hope (Evangeline Lilly) once again recruit Scott for a mission. Despite having reservations about working with Scott again because of his recklessness, Hank explains that he needs Lang’s help to save his long lost wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer). The mission doesn’t feature Scott on his own this time, though, as Hope gets her own advanced suit and joins the mission, going by the Wasp alias.
Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ powered by super couple”
Matt Damon has been brought in on a film project about the life of commodities trader Marc Rich.
According to Variety, Damon will star as Rich in the film, titled “The King of Oil.” The Universal Pictures project is being produced by John Krasinski, Variety reports, through his Sunday Night Productions.
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I don’t know if anyone was really asking for a “Sicario” sequel, but I sure as hell won’t complain.
Denis Villeneuve, who directed the first picture, didn’t helm “Day of the Soldado.” Instead, Stefano Sollima enters the director role and did solid work in crafting a crime thriller. The movie picks up sometime after the events of the previous one, with tensions along the U.S.-Mexico border reaching a boiling point.
The reason for such intensity is because some cartels have allegedly started smuggling terrorists over the border. Following a terrorist attack in the heartland of America, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) is recruited because of his experience on the border and is sent to throw the cartel system into chaos, and subsequently ruin their drug empires. To help, Graver once again teams up with the mercenary Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro).
Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Sicario’ sequel is a (mostly) satisfying follow-up”
New Line Cinema is rounding out the cast for the conclusion of the “It” story.
According to Variety, the studio announced recently that Teach Grant and Jess Weixler are attached to the project, titled “It: Chapter Two.” Variety reports that Grant will portray the former bully Henry (played by Nicholas Hamilton in the original) and Weixler will perform as the character Bill’s wife.
Weixler’s credits include work on the television series “The Son” as well as films “Chained for Life,” “Who We Are Now” and “Entanglement.” Grant, meanwhile, has had work in TV series including “The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco,” “Altered Carbon” and “Damnation.”
Continue reading “Monday Movie Report: Studio signing cast for ‘It’ sequel”
Coming from someone who loved “Jursasic World,” I have to say, this was a real disappointment.
This entry, bringing the series to a total of five films, begins a few years after the incident that destroyed the “Jurassic World” theme park and left the island as a jungle, home only to dinosaurs. The island’s fate comes back into focus, though, as early in the first act, the audience learns that the long dormant volcano on the island is now active, and when it erupts, it will cause the “re-extinction” of the dinosaurs.
With that in mind, a man in charge of a billion-dollar estate named Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) hires raptor handler Owen (Chris Pratt) and the manager of “Jurassic World” Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) to lead a rescue expedition. Upon arriving, though, the protagonists uncover that the mission is more than just providing aid to a species.
Continue reading “REVIEW: It’s more like ‘Jurassic World’ Fallen Franchise”
Two biopics about legendary singers are taking shape in Hollywood. One of them will follow the life of Marvin Gaye while the other is about Sammy Davis, Jr.
According to Deadline, the latter is coming together under the leadership of Paramount Pictures and Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Deadline reports that plans are in place to hire a writer and director soon to push the project into production.
Continue reading “Monday Movie Report: Biopics of Sammy Davis Jr., Marvin Gaye in the works”
I was already skeptical walking in the screening room for “Tag.” Unfortunately, it turned out even worse than I anticipated.
The film follows a group of men who’ve not only been friends since childhood, but also reserve the month of May as a time to play the classic game of Tag with each other. The group includes Hogan (Ed Helms), Bob (Jon Hamm), Randy (Jake Johnson), Kevin (Hannibal Buress) and Jerry (Jeremy Renner).
Since they started, Jerry has been the undisputed champion of the game, having never been tagged from day one. However, with Jerry having his wedding during the month of May, the others see an opportunity to catch Jerry off guard and finally tag him. While this is taking place, the group, (more specifically Bob as he’s the head of a major company) are being interviewed by a Wall Street Journal reporter named Rebecca (played by Annabelle Wallis).
Continue reading “REVIEW: Go ahead and skip this game of ‘Tag’”
Matthew Liedke on Film 