Category Archives: Movies

It’s Batman versus Superman in debut ‘Dawn of Justice’ trailer

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Less than a day after leaking online, Warner Bros. shifted the release date of the first Batman v Superman teaser trailer from Monday to today. That’s right–merely one day after Disney dropped its splendid second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, WB is jumping into the limelight with a first look at its upcoming high-profile flick.

The first half of the two minute and thirteen second teaser focuses on a statue of Superman; as we zoom in closer and closer to it, a barrage of moral, philosophical, and even religious questions and statements fill in as noise. In a world that was introduced to Superman in Man of Steel, the people are questioning his status: is he a hero, a villain…the devil? Listen carefully and you’ll recognize Jesse Eisenberg’s voice in the mix; as Lex Luthor he says, “We know better now, don’t we? Devil’s don’t come from Hell beneath us; no, they come from the sky.” An unseen angry mob starts chanting “Go home! Go home!” and bam: the next shot reveals that the chestplate on the Superman statue has been defiled with words in red shouting “FALSE GOD.”

Next, enter Jeremy Irons’s disembodied voice. As Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth he speaks, “That’s how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness. That turns good men, cruel.” And here’s our latest glimpse at Ben Affleck as Bruce, who is staring with intent at his suit; is he pondering whether or not to don it and take down the “false god” once and for all?

More shots of the Caped Crusader fly by, and we also get peeks at his Bat-vehicles. But the most striking image is saved for last. A close-up of Batman’s cowl in a dark rainstorm reveals his ominous, glowing eyes; so, so cool. Henry Cavill’s Superman floats above him in the sky. Batman growls, “Tell me. Do you bleed?” The man from Krypton anchors to the ground with powerful force and just as he’s about to meet Batman’s gaze, everything goes black. “You will,” snarls Batman. Superman’s emblem takes over, with Batman’s logo as the backdrop.

It’s all very dark and gritty, just the way director Zack Snyder likes it. The teaser is cut extremely well, reintroducing Superman into a chaotic world and unveiling Batman as a promising adversary. Plus, you must admit, Affleck wears the suit well (those glowing eyes are so cool!) and manages the Bat’s signature voice with finesse.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.

Update (4/20): To celebrate the trailer’s release, Zack Snyder tweeted out a grand look at his take on the famed Bat Suit. Jump after the break to see it in all its glory. Continue reading It’s Batman versus Superman in debut ‘Dawn of Justice’ trailer →

A memorable new teaser for ‘The Force Awakens’ arrives at Star Wars Celebration, plus new character details

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Today at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, director J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy unveiled the latest teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Tons of fans present at the event exploded in excitement over the new one minute fifty-nine second teaser, and now you can too; go on, don’t hesitate, mash play above and let all of its glory wash over you! Done? Watch it again.

A few things to note. That is original Star Wars star Mark Hamill providing voice-over during the first half of the teaser; his lines are directly plucked from Return of the Jedi when he’s revealing to Leia that Darth Vader is his father. “The force is strong in my family,” says Hamill’s Luke Skywalker. “My father has it. I have it. My sister has it.” The line that comes next is new: “And you have the power, too.” We’re left to assume here that Luke is talking to a next-generation Skywalker in The Force Awakens, but neither Abrams nor Kennedy would confirm. Seeing Darth Vader’s utterly maligned helmet here is a striking image that I know will sit with me for some time.

What else? Referring to the desert world that made its debut in the first teaser, Abrams confirmed it is not Luke Skywalker’s home of Tattoine, but instead an entirely new world called Jakku. These expansive, beautiful sequences were filmed in the deserts of Abu Dhabi.

The latter half of the panel introduced new franchise stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac. Respectively they play a scavenger named Rey, a Stormtrooper named Finn, and an X-Wing pilot named Poe Dameron. Though plot details are still being tightly kept under wraps, Abrams allowed each of them to briefly let some character details fly.

“We discover Rey on the desert planet Jakku,” Ridley shared with the crowd. “She is a scavenger in a ship graveyard. She’s completely self-sufficient and does everything for herself, until she meets another character and an adventure begins.” Boyega picks up and says, “When we find Finn, he’s in incredible danger. The way he decides to react changes his life and launches him into the Star Wars universe in a unique way.” Issac goes on to describe Dameron like this: “He’s the best fricking pilot in the galaxy, that’s who he is! He’s been sent on a mission by a certain princess. He comes across Mr. John Boyega’s character and their fates are forever intertwined.”

Making fun surprise appearances today were R2-D2 and the new droid BB-8. Though The Force Awakens admittedly uses lots of green screen for its special effects, Abrams reiterated his film’s reliance on practical effects and BB8 is a prime example of that. “We talked about how having a CGI BB-8 would be easier,” Abrams noted. “But we thought it would be better for the actors and the performances to have the real thing.” The director is taking a cue from Star Wars creator George Lucas’s playbook here; the original trilogy took advantage of robotics and advanced puppetry to pull off some of the most inventive and impressive stunts in cinematic history. Sounds like J.J. is on board with that, too. Watch BB-8 in action on stage right here.

The trailer ends with perhaps the most exciting bit yet: Han Solo and Chewbacca return in fleetingly grand fashion and ignite the nostalgic part of our collective brains. “Chewie, we’re home,” Han positively snarls, which is then followed by the lovable Wookiee’s signature roar. Though Han’s portrayer Harrison Ford wasn’t on hand at the event, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew showed up to express their ultimate gratitude for the generations of passionate Star Wars fans. “I have a simple message: a simple thank you,” Hamill gushed. “If it weren’t for all the UPFs—Ultra Passionate Fans—we wouldn’t be here. It never ceases to amaze me.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens December 18.

[Via EW 1, 2]

‘Ant-Man’ flexes superpowers in new trailer, plus latest look at ‘Terminator: Genisys’ inside

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If the original Ant-Man teaser left you feeling twinges of excitement for Marvel’s next superhero movie, the first official trailer will have you beaming in adrenaline. This is our first major look at Paul Rudd as the poorly (?) named hero who can shrink down to the size of an insect at will. The clip features extended scenes showing Rudd’s Scott Lang utilizing the power of his suit, as well as the introduction to Corey Stoll’s villainous Yellowjacket. The special effects look breathtaking, and the thrilling adventure laid out here–sprinkled with Marvel’s signature humor, of course–comes off as more than promising.

Ant-Man hits theatres July 17.

Jump after the break to watch the latest trailer for Terminator: Genisys. Continue reading ‘Ant-Man’ flexes superpowers in new trailer, plus latest look at ‘Terminator: Genisys’ inside →

Preview Sundance breakout ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’

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Here’s the debut trailer for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a breakout hit from this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The story hails from author Jesse Andrews; he adapted his 2012 novel of the same name for the big screen. You may recognize its stars Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke from Project X and TV’s Bates Motel, respectively. Also starring is Connie Britton (Nashville), Nick Offerman (Parks & Rec), Molly Shannon (SNL), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead), and Ronald Cyler II. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (American Horror Story) directs.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the uniquely funny, moving story of Greg (Thomas Mann), a high school senior who is trying to blend in anonymously, avoiding deeper relationships as a survival strategy for navigating the social minefield that is teenage life. He even describes his constant companion Earl (RJ Cyler), with whom he makes short film parodies of classic movies, as more of a ‘co-worker’ than a best friend. But when Greg’s mom (Connie Britton) insists he spend time with Rachel (Olivia Cooke) – a girl in his class who has just been diagnosed with cancer – he slowly discovers how worthwhile the true bonds of friendship can be.

Coming out of the festival it won the coveted Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, and critics were captivated. Positive word of mouth spread quickly, and now’s your chance to preview it in this trailer. Looks like a beautifully shot, emotional rollercoaster of a love story. What do you think?

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is out June 12.

‘Tron: Legacy’ Light Cycle replica is fully-functional, beyond cool & ready for auction

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Calling all Tron fans. Say what you will about the flashy sequel Tron: Legacy, but it’s hard to deny just how cool the flick is in the visual effects department. Perhaps the most bleeding cool thing from the movie is the modernized Light Cycle; see the original version here, and the updated model here. Now’s your chance to actually own a fully-functioning Light Cycle-inspired electric motorcycle. The Andrews Collection, a car collector, has completed production on the custom-made bike that entirely resembles the new Light Cycle as featured in Tron: Legacy. For all you moto enthusiasts out there, the bike features a 96 volt, direct-drive electric motor with lithium batteries and a computer-controlled throttle, rebound and compression damping with spring-preload front suspension and rigid rear suspension, and front and rear hydraulic brakes. It also sports a low seat height of 28.5 inches, making it easy to ride even at low speeds, says the Andrews family. The sleek replica is being prepared for an auction that will take place on May 2 and it’s expected to sell for anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000. Yep, that probably puts a damper on things for most of you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fully take in the beauty that is this real-life Light Cycle.

Salivate in the gallery below, and just imagine how freakin’ rad it’d be to ride this thing around whilst blasting Tron: Legacy‘s Daft Punk soundtrack in the background. It’s fun to use your imagination!

Update (5/11): In case you were wondering, the Tron bike sold for $77,000. Crazy, huh? Perhaps for a die-hard Tron fan, maybe not so much.

[Via Engadget; RM Auctions]

Movie trailer round-up: ‘SPECTRE’, ‘Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation’ & ‘Entourage’

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In December, director Sam Mendes introduced to the world the next Bond film, SPECTRE, with the cast and car in tow. Today, we get our first look. Daniel Craig is back as 007 for the fourth time and his past comes to haunt him here. Dangling threads from Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall come to a head in SPECTRE and Bond is forced to face the sinister Hannes Oberhauser, played already to perfection by Christoph Waltz. Though Waltz is credited as portraying Oberhauser, I had speculated that he’d end up being Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the actual head of the SPECTRE organization. (SPECTRE, remember, is an acronym that stands for SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.) In the teaser, Waltz’ Oberhauser tells Bond, “It’s been a long time. And finally, here we are.” In Bond lore, Oberhauser served as a mentor for Bond before he mysteriously vanished; so perhaps Waltz really is Oberhauser and Blofeld’s portrayer is still being kept under wraps? So much speculation to be had here. It’s just so exciting how serialized Craig’s rendition of Bond has become in terms of his past meeting up with his present to propel the story forward. Watching this latest mystery unfold which has so much to do with Bond’s origins and his connection to SPECTRE and Oberhauser is going to be a fun ride, to say the least.

SPECTRE hits theatres November 6.

Jump after the break to view more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘SPECTRE’, ‘Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation’ & ‘Entourage’ →

Ryan Reynolds suits up for ‘Deadpool’ stand-alone spinoff

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After appearing in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds is set to reprise his superhero alter ego Deadpool in his own stand-alone spinoff film. In case you don’t know, Deadpool is perhaps Marvel’s most out-there superhero. Deadpool aka Wade Wilson aka “The Merc with a Mouth” is famous for his tendency to break the fourth wall. In his comic roots and even in video games, the character knows he’s a part of the medium he’s in. So for example, in the upcoming Deadpool movie, Reynolds’ character will be aware that he is in a movie. Freaky, huh? This opens the flood gates for all kinds of off-kilter hilarity.

The official synopsis goes like this: “Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.”

Deadpool is being directed by visual effects artist Tim Miller and Reynolds is joined by Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, and Gina Carano. It’s due out February 12, 2016. See Reynolds in the suit above; his tweet with the image reads, “With great power, comes great irresponsibility.” It parodies Burt Reynolds’ 1972 nude Cosmo centerfold (which Ryan Reynolds tweeted out for unsuspecting fans).

Update (4/1): Just in time for April Fool’s Day, a cheeky video featuring a faux-interview between Extra’s Mario Lopez and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds has arrived and it confirms the movie’s R-rating (thank god). And yes, that is Reynolds in the suit. Watch it after the break. Continue reading Ryan Reynolds suits up for ‘Deadpool’ stand-alone spinoff →

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in ‘Dawn of Justice’

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Henry Cavill is Superman, Ben Affleck is Batman, Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa is Aquaman, and Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder’s next superhero flick Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Here’s our first look at the Social Network star’s villainous turn as Superman’s bald nemesis, provided by Entertainment Weekly. When it was first announced that Eisenberg would be portraying Lex, people were skeptical about him filling those particular shoes. Though we’re still waiting on his performance, this harrowing still should assuage fears about him pulling it off. That’s one intimidating dome. What do you think?

“He’s not any of the Lexes that you’ve seen, that’s for sure,” Snyder tells EW, “other than him being a captain of industry and one person to the world and another person to himself. And bald, of course. Our Lex is disarming and he’s not fake. He says what he believes and he says what’s on his mind. If you can unravel the string and decipher what he means, it’s all there.”

BvS:DoJ releases March 25, 2016.

Disney confirms ‘Star Wars’ stand-alone film, ‘Episode VIII’ & ‘Frozen’ sequel

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Today, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger led a shareholder meeting and made some exciting announcements regarding a couple of his company’s most lucrative franchises.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams, is coming December 18–we all know this. Now what comes after? Details about the future of Star Wars just got a bit clearer. Sandwiched between Episode VII and its direct followup Episode VIII, Disney is releasing the first stand-alone Star Wars film. “Rogue One is the title for the first film in a unique series of big-screen adventures that explores the characters and events beyond the core Star Wars saga,” reads a press release. Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters) is confirmed to direct Rogue One, and Chris Weitz (Cinderella, About a Boy, Antz) is penning the script. Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) will star. The idea for the stand-alone came from John Knoll, an Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer at Industrial Light & Magic (that’s the visual effects company created by George Lucas in 1975). Production on Rogue One begins this summer and it’s slotted to hit theatres December 16, 2016.

Iger went on to confirm that Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick, Breaking Bad) will direct Star Wars: Episode VIII, “which continues the saga after the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Ep8 releases May 26, 2017.

In other Disney-related news, Iger made an unsurprising but still incredibly exciting announcement about the future of Frozen. A sequel is most definitely in the works! Frozen co-directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck are working on the followup to the top-grossing animated film of all-time.

“We enjoyed making Frozen Fever so much and being back in that world with those characters,” said John Lasseter, Pixar chief creative officer. “Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have come up with a great idea for a sequel and you will be hearing a lot more about it and we’re taking you back to Arendelle. We are so excited about that.”

That’s all there is to know for now. But now I bet you’re craving Frozen like Olaf craves summertime. Don’t fret–you can experience a brand new Frozen adventure starting tomorrow when the Pixar short Frozen Fever hits theatres; it’s playing in front of Disney’s new live-action Cinderella.

‘Zoolander 2’ made official by Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson crashing Paris Fashion Week in character

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ORANGE MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO!

Call it the most inventive way to announce a sequel. On Tuesday, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson strutted down the Maison Valentino runway during the Paris Fashion Show as Derek Zoolander and Hansel (So hot right now. Hansel.) McDonald; by bringing back the acclaimed Blue Steel pose, they officially announced a sequel to the 2001 cult comedy Zoolander. See their surprise appearance after the break. Afterwards, Paramount made it official with a tweet revealing the film’s release date: February 12, 2016.

And the fun didn’t stop there. The really, really, ridiculously good looking duo also appeared on Instagram to promote the forthcoming Zoolander 2 by posing together and also with American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

Stiller is expected to direct again and he co-wrote the script with his Tropic Thunder collaborator Justin Theroux. Beyond Stiller and Wilson, no other casting news has been made. However, Stiller has publicly stated in the past his want for Will Ferrell to return as the villainous Mugatu.

The plot is being kept under wraps for now, but a peek at a 2010 interview between MTV and Stiller might shed light on what we can expect: “In the fashion world, if you go away for a year, it’s changed — it just happens so quickly,” he said. “I think the idea in the beginning of the movie is that it’s 10 years later, and Derek and Hansel are literally forgotten. Nobody remembers who they are, so they have to reinvent themselves.”

As a proud hardcore fan of the original, I am beyond excited to see what Stiller has in store for Derek Zoolander. The first one is jam-packed with memorable, timeless one-liners and undeniably outrageous sequences to-boot. I trust he and Theroux have cooked up a good enough story to warrant the return for these characters. I mean, what was done at the Paris Fashion Show is such an incredibly fun way to bring it all back. Can’t wait to see what happens next. Continue reading ‘Zoolander 2’ made official by Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson crashing Paris Fashion Week in character →

Movie trailer round-up: Ryan Reynolds in sci-fi thriller ‘Self/Less’ & Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’

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Are you a fan of psychological science fiction thrillers? Self/Less should whet your appetite plenty. Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3) stars as an extremely wealthy man dying from cancer. He doesn’t want his life to terminate earlier than expected, so he undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man, played by Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern). It works, but it doesn’t take long for the dangerous side effects to kick in: Kingsley’s younger self starts to see glimpses of a life he does not know, experiences originating from Reynolds’ body.

It’s a very cool idea and it brings to mind the always interesting and up-for-debate conversation about who we are and what happens after death. Are we a soul and our bodies a receptacle for it? If so, do our souls move on to new bodies after dying? And do those new bodies having any sort of recollection of the soul’s past lives? I could go on and on… I’m hoping the movie explores these intriguing topics in a fun and entertaining way. We’ll find out when Self/Less hits theatres July 31.

Jump after the break for a new look at Disney’s Tomorrowland. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: Ryan Reynolds in sci-fi thriller ‘Self/Less’ & Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’ →

Final ‘Age of Ultron’ trailer assembles Avengers one last time ahead of May release

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Here we have the third and final trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron and it’s a doozy. In it we learn more about the origins of the superhero film’s big bad Ultron, who’s voiced by the incomparable James Spader. “I was designed to save the world,” snarls the A.I. And then: “There’s only one path to peace: their extinction.” Ultron was created by Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) as part of a project that would “create a suit of armor around the world.” Unfortunately, things went unexpectedly awry and he ended up “creating something terrible.”

Ultron’s plan? “We can tear them apart from the inside,” he brainstorms alongside Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Does this mean the new additions are playing for the wrong team, or is this all a trick? Regardless, the plan will prove fruitful since we’ve already seen The Hulk duke it out with Stark’s Hulkbuster.

Finally, there’s the tantalizing tease at the very end–our first look at The Vision, a popular superhero that Marvel’s been hinting at in its recent slew of movie posters. He’s played by Paul Bettany, the same actor who’s been voicing Stark’s home and suit A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. Intrigue!

Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theatres May 1.