According to: Selina
20 – Impractical
Jokers: the Movie (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
truTV
Director: Chris
Henchy
Writer: Joe
Gatto, Chris Henchy, James Murray, Brian Quinn, Sal Vulcano
Actors: Brian
Quinn, Joe Gatto, James Murray, Sal Vulcano, Jaden Smith, Paula Abdul, Joey
Fatone, Kane Hodder
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The story of a humiliating high school mishap from
1992 that sends the Impractical Jokers on the road competing in hidden-camera
challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and redeem three of the four
Jokers.
Honestly? I’m not a fan of Impractical Jokers (2011-).
I’m not the biggest fan of pranks and I think some of their stuff borders on
mean. That said, I do understand why other people might enjoy something like
it.
Aside from a bit of a story-driven framing device, it could
be pretty much a long episode of the show. That leads me to believe that if
you’re a fan, you’ll probably enjoy it.
It’s not for me, though.
19 – Saint
Frances (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Oscilloscope
Director: Alex
Thompson
Writer: Kelly
O’Sullivan
Actors: Kelly
O’Sullivan, Ramona Edith Williams, Charin Alvarez, Braden Crothers, William
Drain, Laura T. Fisher, Mary Beth Fisher, Meighan Gerachis, Francis Guinan, Max
Lipchitz, Lily Mojekwu, Bradley Grant Smith, Jim True-Frost, H.B. Ward, Rebekah
Ward, Roger Welp
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: 106 minutes
IMDb Blurb: After an accidental pregnancy turned abortion, a
deadbeat nanny finds an unlikely friendship with the six-year old she's charged
with protecting.
Saint Frances is getting insane reviews among the
film festival circuit goers. Still, I’m a bit concerned about it.
I can’t deny that the trailer makes the characters seem
interesting and I definitely look forward to seeing it. That said, movies like
this can turn out to be a bit preachy about whatever stance on abortion they
happen to be taking. Personally, I don’t care if I believe with the stance or
not, I don’t watch fiction movies to be preached at. If I want that I know
where the documentary section is.
That said, there’s no guarantees that this film will have
that kind of quality to it – and there are some other aspects that make me want
to see it.
Saint Frances touches on a huge number of
female-centric topics. The only movies I’ve seen cover this many of those
topics have been coming-of-age films. It’s like movie creators believe that
once a woman hits 18, those issues just vanish. It’s nice to see adults dealing
with them for once.
I do think that this film probably deserves to be higher
than I’m putting it, but my personal concerns won’t really let me do that.
18 – Greed (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Film4, Revolution Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, Sony Pictures
Classics
Director: Michael
Winterbottom
Writer: Michael
Winterbottom, Sean Gray
Actors: Asa Butterfield,
Sophie Cookson, Isla Fisher, Shirley Henderson, Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan,
David Mitchell, Sarah Solemani, Enzo Cilenti, Pearl Mackie, Jamie Blackley,
Charlie Cooper, Shanina Shaik, Polly Kemp
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 164 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Satire about the world of the super-rich.
Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge, The Secret Life of Pets,
Holmes & Watson) just has the most punch-able face I’ve ever seen. It
doesn’t help that I’ve only ever seen him play obnoxious characters. Of course,
that could be due to the face thing. In which case, I get it.
Previous opinion aside, this does look like an interesting
movie.
I enjoy films that explore the war between the classes. I
try not to fall victim to prejudgment of people, but I think it’s a very human
flaw that a lot – if not most – of us have. Movies like this let me indulge the
flaw for a couple of hours before I have to go back to fighting it, and I think
that’s important.
That said, the plot is a little muddled in the trailer,
that’s why I can’t put this any higher. I know it’s about a rich guy and I know
he’s super obnoxious (after all, he’s played by Coogan), but other than that I
don’t know much. Is it tax evasion? Is he scamming people? The trailer’s all
over the place, I don’t really know.
I might see this one, but I’m not likely to see it in
theaters.
17 – Olympic
Dreams (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
IFC Films
Director: Jeremy
Teicher
Writer: Nick
Kroll, Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher
Actors: Gus
Kenworthy, Nick Kroll, Alexi Pappas, Morgan Schild
Genre: Comedy,
Romance, Sport
Rated: PG-13
Length: 85
minutes
IMDb Blurb: In the Olympic Athlete Village, a young cross-country
skier bonds with a volunteer doctor after her competition ends.
I’ll be honest, the movie itself looks pretty basic,
plot-wise. There are other things that make this film seem more interesting
than most.
Olympic Dreams is the first feature film made in an
Olympic village. That alone is kind of interesting. It’s not just a setting
designed to look like the Olympics – it’s the actual place. That gives the
whole thing an extra layer of authenticity that I feel comes through in the
trailer.
Then there’s Nick Kroll (Big Mouth, Operation Finale,
Uncle Drew). I only know Kroll from his comedy work. While researching this
movie, I found dramas that he’s been in, but I don’t recall him ever being a
leading man in a romance before. I’m significantly interested in seeing how
he’ll do in this role. I’ve also looked into getting to see one of his dramas.
I’ve never considered Kroll as anything but a comedian an I’m looking forward
to seeing him in parts I once couldn’t fathom him in.
I think that Olympic Dreams can go one of two ways. It
could be incredibly basic, not much more than a sports romance that you’d see anywhere
else. Or it could rise above other films with a sense of realism because of the
phenomenal setting and interesting casting choices. I look forward to finding
out.
16 – Brahms: The
Boy II (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Huayi Brothers, Lakeshore Entertainment, STX Entertainment, GEM Entertainment,
Capelight Pictures, Golden Village Pictures, Polyfilm Verleih, Viva
International Pictures, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group,
The Searchers
Director: William
Brent Bell
Writer: Stacey
Menear
Actors: Katie
Holmes, Owain Yeoman, Ralph Ineson, Anjali Jay, Christopher Convery, Oliver
Rice, Joely Collins, Daphne Hoskins, Charles Jarman, Natalie Moon, Ellie King,
Joanne Kimm
Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: After a family moves into the Heelshire Mansion,
their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll called Brahms.
The first film, The Boy (2016), had good and bad
aspects. There was decent suspense and some really great acting. On the other
hand, there were unnecessary scenes and, although the twist at the end should
have been good, it kind of negated the rest of the film.
That ending, however, makes what the trailer shows for the
sequel interesting.
Already, you have a different feel because the child seems
to be the main focus of the malevolent entity this time around and he doesn’t
seem all that innocent according to the trailer. It seems like the film is
building him up to be some kind of psychopath in the making.
There will be a different cast, which is pretty par for the
course in movies like this – but it does leave the casting quality up in the
air. The new actors will be filling some pretty big shoes. Katie Holmes (Ocean’s
Eight, Logan Lucky, The Giver), however, gives me some hope that the
quality should be pretty parallel to the first one.
Without going too much into it, in an attempt to not spoil
the first one, the sequel looks like it will be relying much more heavily on a
supernatural feel than the first one did. Although this makes me worry that the
suspense factors will suffer, especially since we already know the original
twist, it also leaves room for William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside, Stay
Alive, Wer) and Stacey Menear (Mixtape), the director and writer, to
explain some of the essence of the first film a little better.
If it’s made properly, Brahms: The Boy II could wind
up improving the original. Here’s hoping.
15 – VFW (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Fangoria, RLJE Films
Director: Joe Begos
Writer: Max
Brallier, Matthew McArdle
Actors: Martin Kove,
Stephen Lang, David Patrick Kelly, William Sadler, Sierra McCormick, Dora
Madison, George Wendt, Fred Williamson, Tom Williamson, Travis Hammer, Graham
Skipper, Josh Ethier, Chloe Carabasi, JP DeStefano, Linnea Wilson
Genre: Action,
Horror
Rated: Unrated
Length: 92
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of war veterans must defend their local VFW
post and an innocent teen against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless
army of punk mutants.
Although VFW does seem to have a lower production
value than some of the movies lower on my list, I still find it interesting
enough that I don’t mind.
The film was shot on location in a Texas Veterans of Foreign
Wars hall. There were actual veterans used as extras. Normally, movie trivia
doesn’t affect my decision on whether or not I want to see a film, but in this
case it’s caught my attention.
A lot of films about veterans follow strict trope rules. As
much as you want to root for those characters, it’s hard to see past their
cookie-cutter existence.
VFW seems like it’s going to take a different route.
They may have one or two characters that follow the veteran recipes, but with
as many as there are in the film, they’ll have to deviate and give the audience
a fresh take somewhere. Otherwise, what would be the point?
Stephen Lang (Into the Badlands, Don’t Breathe, Avatar)
is a bonus. It’s hard to look away from him when he’s on screen.
Also, the punk mutants remind me of the Freakshow enemy group
from City of Heroes and I’m looking forward to seeing how they work on
the big screen.
14 – Come to Daddy
(2/21 – Canada and Japan)
Production/Distribution:
Firefly Films, Blinder Films, Nowhere, Scythia Films, Saban Films, Umbrella
Entertainment, Hark, Mongrel Media, Signature
Director: Ant
Timpson
Writer: Ant Timpson,
Toby Harvard
Actors: Elijah
Wood, Stephen McHattie, Garfield Wilson, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan,
Michael Smiley, Simon Chin, Ona Grauer, Ryan Beil, Raresh DiMofte, Alla Rouba, Noam
Zylberman, Gord Middleton, Oliver Wilson
Genre: Comedy, Horror,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A man in his thirties travels to a remote cabin to
reconnect with his estranged father.
I had trouble getting past the title of this film. ‘Come to
daddy’ just feels like such a gross and creepy sentence to me. I don’t know
why. It’s just, ick.
Of course, the trailer fits with what the title imparts upon
me. It seems creepy and weird and scary. It’s remarkable just how good Elijah
Wood (Star Wars Resistance, Lord of the Rings, The Last Witch Hunter) is
at portraying that kind of film or the kinds of characters that belong in that
kind of film.
With the interesting trailer, this film would be higher, but
there’s something stopping me.
I know the writer, Toby Harvard (Tropical Cop Tales, The
Greasy Strangler, Privado), from ABCs of Death 2 (2014). If you
remember that review, I hated that movie, though I liked some of the segments.
Harvard, however, is from one of my least favorite parts of the film. “G for
Grandad” was nonsensical and relied on basic gross out cringe. It didn’t even
really feel like horror.
I’m concerned that Harvard might not be up to a movie like
this. I’m hoping I’m wrong, though. Maybe Wood’s involvement should be telling
me different. We’ll have to watch it to find out.
13 – Buffaloed (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Lost City, Bold Crayon, Particular Crowd, Magnolia Pictures
Director: Tanya
Wexler
Writer: Brian
Sacca
Actors: Zoey Deutch,
Judy Greer, Jai Courtney, Noah Reid, Lusia Strus, Jayne Eastwood, Jermaine
Fowler, Raymond Ablack, Brian Sacca, James M. Connor, Kate Moyer, Alex
Harrouch, Casey Hudecki, Nicholas Carella, Nicole Williams, Jennifer Farrugia
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: 95
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Set in the underworld of debt-collecting and follows
the homegrown hustler Peg Dahl, who will do anything to escape Buffalo, NY.
I love this story – at least the way the trailer shows it.
I have some insane student loan debt and I can kind of understand
the desire to do pretty much anything to get through it. Personally, I’ll stick
to the legal shit, though.
Still, with that in mind, this plot seems very realistic.
Zoey Deutch (The Politician, Set it Up, The Disaster Artist) looks adorable
and well-fit for her part in it and the trailer looks bad ass. There’s nothing
I don’t want to see about Buffaloed.
12 – The Lodge (2/7)
Production/Distribution:
FilmNation Entertainment, Hammer Films, Neon, GEM Entertainment, Cine Canibal,
SquareOne Entertainment, The Searchers, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Sony
Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), Stage 6 Films, VVS Films
Director: Severin
Fiala, Veronika Franz
Writer: Sergio
Casci, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Actors: Richard
Armitage, Riley Keough, Alicia Silverstone, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Rebecca
Faulkenberry, Katelyn Wells, Danny Keough, Lola Reid
Genre: Drama,
Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 108
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé's
two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw
between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.
The Lodge feels like an interesting take on the
typically claustrophobic ‘cabin in the woods’ film. The ‘mom’ figure is barely
known to the children which takes away that built-in form of trust that you get
whenever the main characters in a film are a family. They don’t trust her and
they definitely don’t seem to like her.
That leaves a lot more room for psychological scares. I’m
betting, at some point in the film, either the mother figure suspects the kids
or vice-versa.
I’ll admit that this film could turn out to be very tropey,
possibly preachy. I’m hoping it checks itself enough to be able to utilize the
intriguing setting that’s being used.
11 – Emma (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Working Title Films, Blueprint Pictures, Perfect World Pictures, Focus
Features, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International
(UPI)
Director: Autumn
de Wilde
Writer: Eleanor
Catton, Jane Austen
Actors: Tanya
Reynolds, Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh O’Connor, Gemma Whelan, Bill Nighy, Johnny
Flynn, Mia Goth, Callum Turner, Miranda Hart, Rupert Graves, Chloe Pirrie,
Amber Anderson, Myra McFadyen, Isabella Kennard-Barden, Rose Shalloo, Jill
Buchanan, Suzy Bloom, Charlotte Todd
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: PG
Length: 122
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Based on the classic Jane Austen novel.
It could be argued that Emma looks like just another film
based on a classic book. It very well could be. That said, the trailer does a
decent job of portraying the characters to me. I wind up curious about how the
actors will interact on screen.
Both the director and writer, Autumn de Wilde (The
Postman Dreams, Directions, Blame it on the Youth) and Eleanor Catton (The
Luminaries), are wild cards. For both of them in their respective roles, it’s
their first full-length feature film. Since they’re working off a well-known
masterpiece, however, I feel like it will be a decent measure of what they are
capable of.
The actors are where the majority of my interest comes from,
though.
I only know Gemma Whelan (Horrible Histories, Christmas
Survival, Prevenge) from Game of Thrones (2012-2019), but I thought
she was amazing throughout her time on the series. Bill Nighy (Pokémon
Detective Pikachu, Pride, The World’s End) is one of those actors with a
range that could have him popping up in any film of any genre and still rocking
the part. The one I’m most interested in seeing, however, is Anya Taylor-Joy (Peaky
Binders, Glass, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). I only know her from
a couple of movies, but I enjoyed her so much in Split (2016) that I’m
seriously looking forward to seeing her in anything else.
I believe Emma will be worth a watch.
10 – Sonic the
Hedgehog (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Paramount Pictures, Sega, Original Film, Blur Studio, Marza Animation Planet, DJ2
Entertainment, Paramount Animation, Digital Makeup Group, Sega Sammy Group, Stories
International, Andes Films, B&H Film Distribution, Blitz, Central
Partnership, Finnkino, Forum Film Bulgaria, Intercontinental Film Distributors
(HK), Karantanija Cinemas, Lotte Entertainment, Towa Pictures, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Jeff
Fowler
Writer: Patrick
Casey, Josh Miller, Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, Hirokazu Yasuhara
Actors: Jim
Carrey, James Marsden, Neal McDonough, Ben Schwartz, Adam Pally, Tika Sumpter,
Leanne Lapp, Debs Howard, Michael Hogan, Shannon Chan-Kent, Lisa Chandler, Emma
Oliver, Elfina Luk, Lee Majdoub, Melody Nosipho Niemann
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Family
Rated: PG
Length: 100 minutes
IMDb Blurb: After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a
small-town police officer must help it defeat an evil genius who wants to do
experiments on it.
I don’t really find the trailers that compelling for Sonic
the Hedgehog. It’s not that I wouldn’t be up for a movie about the
character, either. When other people had a Nintendo, I had a Sega. I was a
Sonic girl up until much later in life. Still, the story in the trailers seems
a bit on the weak side.
Never-the-less, it’s in my top 10 because something needs to
be said for a production company that listens to the fans.
After that first atrocious Sonic design came out, I was
ready to shrug off the film altogether. I figured there was no way the company
was going to spend millions just to fix things. It was clearly going to go the
way of Super Mario Bros. (1993). When they decided to change things
instead and then came out with the MUCH better look we see in later trailers… I
knew that the story no longer mattered to me.
I intend to see this movie in theaters, opening weekend. I
feel like I have to. The more money this movie makes, the more likely
production companies will be to listen to the fans in the future. As movie
goers, we have a chance to send a message to the production companies that if
they write and design for the fans, it will be better for them. Then maybe
we’ll have to be a little less nervous about adaptation flicks.
I hope it’s worth it.
9 – The Call of
the Wild (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
3 Arts Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Animation, Twentieth Century Fox, 20th
Century Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 20th Century Fox
Argentina, 20th Century Fox Brazil, 20th Century Fox, Forum Hungary, Walt
Disney Studios Japan, Galaxy Distributors
Director: Chris
Sanders
Writer: Michael
Green, Jack London
Actors: Karen
Gillan, Harrison Ford, Cara Gee, Dan Stevens, Bradley Whitford, Jean Louisa
Kelly, Omar Sy, Wes Brown, Terry Notary, Preston Bailey, Colin Woodell, Michael
Horse, Scott MacDonald, Stephanie Czajkowski, Alex Solowitz, Brad Greenquist,
Adam Fergus
Genre: Adventure,
Drama, Family
Rated: PG
Length: 105 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A sled dog struggles for survival in the Alaskan
wild.
Who doesn’t like a good faithful dog story?
Honestly, my love of dogs knows no bounds. I would watch
pretty much any film based around a pup, no matter how ridiculous. In this case,
there seems to be some serious action going on. It looks like the kind of movie
no one’s going to be bored during. (Assuming not all the action is in the trailer.)
I will admit that the CGI dog looks a little off. I imagine
they went that route, instead of having a dog actor, because a lot of the
stunts look very dangerous. Even for a well-trained animal. I have to respect
that… but the CGI still looks a little weird. If it was a bit more realistic
this film might have been higher on my list.
8 – The
Photograph (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Perfect World Pictures, Will Packer Productions, United International Pictures
(UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI), Universal Pictures
Director: Stella
Meghie
Writer: Stella
Meghie
Actors: LaKeith
Stanfield, Issa Rae, Chelsea Peretti, Rob Morgan, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Courtney
B. Vance, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Teyonah Parris, Kenneth Kynt Bryan, Lil Rel
Howery, Y’lan Noel, Wakeema Hollis, Chanté Adams, Ken Holmes, Dakota Paradise
Genre: Drama,
Romance
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A series of intertwining love stories set in the past
and in the present.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m much more likely to have
a soft spot for films like The Photograph. That said? It really does
look like a beautiful movie. It takes a look at two different generations and
how the younger of the two learns from her mother’s successes and mistakes. I love
stories that go into that kind of thing.
The plot alone, and how it’s shown on the trailer, would
have gotten it on my list. The reason it’s so high is because of my absolute
adoration of LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out, Atlanta, Get Out).
Even with Stanfield’s awards and nominations I still find
him criminally under-valued. As amazing as he’s been in good films, I’ve seen
him take bad movies and make them watchable – in some cases even somewhat
enjoyable. I’m absolutely sure that he can elevate just about any film he’s in
to new heights. I think he should be a household name. I’ll follow him to any
movie he’s in.
7 – Wendy (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
The Department of Motion Pictures, Court 13 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures,
20th Century Fox Brazil, 20th Century Fox España, 20th Century Fox, Twentieth
Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: Benh
Zeitlin
Writer: Benh
Zeitlin, Eliza Zeitlin
Actors: Tommie
Lynn Milazzo, Shay Walker, Devin France, Stephanie Lynn Wilson, Ahmad Cage,
Gage Naquin, Krzysztof Meyn, Gavin Naquin, Romyri Ross
Genre: Drama,
Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 112
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Lost on a mysterious island where aging and time
have come unglued, Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the
joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.
This seems like a more realistic version of the Peter Pan
story, told entirely about Wendy instead of Peter. I have to admit, it’s cute
take.
The trailer looks like it’s full of action and whimsy. It
tells a new story from the view point of Wendy about Wendy but, at the same
time, there are familiar aspects. You can see pirates and that fear of growing up.
Adults vs. children. Hope. It’s all there.
Pretty much everyone in, and responsible for, this film is an
unknown to me. That interests me as well. It’s pretty rare that a big film like
this would involve so many less experienced people. It’s something to take note
of.
6 – Downhill (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Filmhaus Films, Likely Story, Searchlight Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Nat
Faxon, Jim Rash
Writer: Nat Faxon,
Jim Rash, Jesse Armstrong, Ruben Östlund
Actors: Will
Ferrell, Miranda Otto, Zach Woods, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kristofer Hivju, Giulio
Berruti, Zoe Chao, Hélène Cardona, Julian Grey, Matt Lindquist, Ammon Jacob
Ford, Nadiv Molcho, Kimberly Rydell, Jono Bergmann, Ferdinand Ramml, Peter
Schorn
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 86
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski
vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are
forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.
I am not a Will Ferrell (Zeroville, Daddy’s Home, Get
Hard) fan. I don’t like his style of line delivery. It’s just my general
opinion of things and I understand it’s not the popular opinion. Still, as a
result, his movies do tend to be lower on my list – if they make it at all.
That makes it kind of interesting that Downhill is
this high.
Will Ferrell’s involvement is not as important to me as how
amusing the plot is.
Everyone thinks they know what they’d do in a life-or-death
situation. I mean, how many times have you heard someone say they’d take a
bullet for someone else? There’s a whole damn song about it. This film explores
the truth that you don’t really know what you would do if your life was on the
line. It’s instinctual. Fight or flight.
In this case, the father of the family doesn’t protect them,
he grabs his phone and runs away and there’s, understandably, fall out.
The concept is interesting and the trailer looks so amusing
that I’m absolutely here for it.
5 – To All the Boys:
P.S. I Still Love You (2/12)
Production/Distribution:
Ace Entertainment, All The Boys Productions, Awesomeness Films, Overbrook
Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Netflix
Director: Michael
Fimognari
Writer: Sofia
Alvarez, J. Mills Goodloe, Jenny Han
Actors: Noah Centineo,
Madeleine Arthur, Lana Condor, Ross Butler, Sarayu Blue, Holland Taylor, Jordan
Fisher, John Corbett, Janel Parrish, Jill Morrison, Anna Cathcart, Emilija
Baranac, Trezzon Mahoro, Jara Zeimer, Julie Tao, Linda Ko, Momona Tamada,
Christian Darrel Scott, June B. Wilde, Alessandro Miro, Maggie Sullivun, James
Hibbard, Gary Hetherington, Winslow Holmes, Irene Reynolds
Genre: Drama,
Romance
Rated: Unrated
Length: 99 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Lara Jean and Peter have just taken their
relationship from pretend to officially official when another recipient of one
of her old love letters enters the picture.
As cute at the first move was, and as much as I could
personally relate to it, there was no way for me to know that it would become a
film some would say was iconic of a generation. It was a good film, but for
people in the age demographic it targeted, it rose to much higher levels.
That means that I’ve known the sequel would be on my list
since way before I ever saw the coming attraction.
The trailer, however, looks pretty good. It gives me the
same feelings I got watching the John Hughes (Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast
Club, Sixteen Candles) films from the 80s – much like the first film did.
Everything feels relatable and it tugs at the heart strings. Even just assuming
what the full-on plot will be, I feel for the characters. I want to know what’s
going to happen.
Lana Condor (Summer Night, Alita: Battle Angel, Patriots
Day) and Noah Centineo (The Perfect Date, T@gged, Swiped) are
returning, which I’m all for. Their characters are acted phenomenally by them
and I couldn’t imagine a sequel without either actor. I’m eager to see how they
interact with Jordan Fisher (Liv and Maddie, Rent: Live, Grease Live!) –
who looks adorable in the trailer.
I want to believe that this film will stack up to the first.
I hope it does.
4 – Blumhouse’s Fantasy
Island (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Columbia Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Sony Pictures Releasing, AMC Theatres,
Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Galaxy Distributors, Sony Pictures Releasing,
Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Jeff
Wadlow
Writer: Jillian
Jacobs, Christopher Roach, Jeff Wadlow
Actors: Maggie Q,
Lucy Hale, Portia Doubleday, Michael Peña, Michael Rooker, Kim Coates,
Charlotte McKinney, Ryan Hansen, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Evan Evagora, Robbie
Jones, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Goran D. Kleut, Nick Slater, Ian Roberts,
Renee Murden, Jeriya Benn, Tim Wong, Steven A. Davis, Tane Williams-Accra, Mark
Weinhandl
Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Horror
Rated: PG-13
Length: 110
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A horror adaptation of the popular '70s TV show
about a magical island resort.
I have a weak spot for ‘be careful what you wish for’ horror
films. Most of them are pretty basic, though. Make a wish, a supernatural being
makes it come true, usually with malicious intent. Occasionally, it could just
not be what the main character thought it would be like.
This is a little different. If anything, it reminds me of a
horror version of the episode of the original Star Trek (1966-1969) series
called ‘Shore Leave’. It was my favorite episode of that entire series next to ‘I,
Mudd.’ So, I’m really in love with the trailer for Blumhouse’s Fantasy
Island.
It doesn’t hurt that it has a hell of a cast. Lucy Hale (Dude,
The Unicorn, Pretty Little Liars), Michael Rooker (Brightburn, Guardians
of the Galaxy, Hypothermia), and Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy, Bad Blood,
Goon: Last of the Enforcers) are all great at their art. Michael Peña (A
Wrinkle in Time, 12 Strong, Extinction) was an actor that I enjoyed even
before his part in the Marvel films, but after that I just find him that much
more adorable – especially since a lot of his ranting was apparently ad-libbed.
Then there’s Maggie Q (Designated Survivor, Young
Justice, Allegiant) who is just a QUEEN. I have been following her since Nikita
and I think she is VERY underrated. I’ve never seen her turn in a bad
performance.
Logically, I know that there are a thousand ways for this
film to go wrong. It is an adaptation, after all. That said, I have high hopes.
3 – The Invisible
Man (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Goalpost Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Dark Universe, Universal Pictures, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Leigh
Whannell
Writer: H.G.
Wells, Leigh Whannell
Actors: Elisabeth
Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Michael Dorman, Harriet
Dyer, Amali Golden, Benedict Hardie, Zara Michales, Sam Smith, Anthony Brandon
Wong, Bianca Pomponio, Dennis Kreusler, Michael Knott, Randolph Fields
Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and
leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of
coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by
someone nobody can see.
I love this trailer. It takes a realistic motivation for an
antagonist and adds in a thread of paranormal. I’ve been looking forward to
this film for a while.
If you’re a horror fan and you’re not looking forward to this,
then I think you might need to re-evaluate things.
Writer/Director Leigh Whannell (Saw, Insidious, Upgrade)
is a modern horror heavyweight where writing is concerned. He is responsible
for millions of butts jumping in theater seats. If anyone is going to do the
story of the invisible man justice, it’s him. He knows creepy. It runs in his
veins.
He’s even getting to work with a great cast. I’m a casual
fan of Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Us, The Pack), but a huge
fan of Aldis Hodge (Clemency, Brian Banks, Hidden Figures). He’s been
getting some decent attention these past few years and I hope that recognition
keeps on coming, because he deserves it.
There’s a deep psychological terror woven, even just through
the trailer. It draws attention to mental abuse and equates it to the physical
stuff that people think of much more often when someone has an issue. It doesn’t
just go through the intensity of an invisible antagonist, but even the
invisible torture an abused person can suffer.
It’s brilliant and I will be severely pissed off if the
movie doesn’t measure up.
2 – Burden (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Bill Kenwright Films, The Fyzz Facility, Unburdened Entertainment, Thefyzz, 101
Studios
Director: Andrew
Heckler
Writer: Andrew
Heckler
Actors: Crystal
Fox, Andrea Riseborough, Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker, Tom Wilkinson, Tess
Harper, Austin Hébert, Usher Raymond, Anna Colwell, Jason Davis, Dexter Darden,
Charles Green, Robin Dyke, Jeff Pope, Joshua Burge, Jessjames Locorriere, Alex
Van, Al Mitchell, Olivia De Paux, Devin Bright, Tia Hendricks, Roman Spink,
Fiona Domenica, Lindsey Moser, Tian Richards, Chris Ward, Nicole Dupre
Sobchack, Estes Tarver, Tyrin Niles, Michael David Yuhl
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Length: 129 minutes
IMDb Blurb: When a museum celebrating the Ku Klux Klan opens in
a South Carolina town, the idealistic Reverend Kennedy strives to keep the
peace even as he urges the group's Grand Dragon to disavow his racist past.
There is so much to say about this film based on a true
story.
A lot of the plot of Burden is grounded in forgiveness.
Honestly, that’s something that never came easy to me. Especially when it comes
to severe breaks of trust. I absolutely believe I wouldn’t be able to forgive a
former KKK member. That’s a crime against mankind. Not exactly an ‘I scratched
your car’ kind of thing.
I think that’s why I find this movie to be such an
incredible draw. I don’t understand what kind of faith and love someone needs
to hold inside them to help a person that has hurt so many of their own.
There’s a lot to be said for the thread of ‘change through
love’ that is shown in the trailer. I understand that the world needs to
believe people can change. That racists can be shown the light. That violence can
be turned into protectiveness.
The world is fucked up and I treasure films like this that
try to show a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
There are some decent actors involved here. I very much
enjoy the talent of Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound, Pan, Tron) and Usher
Raymond (Hands of Stone, People You May Know, Bad Hair). They’re both
very good at what they do and tend to embody their characters well.
Forest Whitaker (Finding Steve McQueen, Empire, Black
Panther) is who I found myself watching the most in the trailer. Just from
what I can get from the plot, I don’t think there’s anyone else I would have
been able to believe as the reverend. I think he was the perfect choice.
This was a passion project for writer/director Andrew Heckler
(Roads to Riches, Duty Dating, Lip Service). He learned the story of
Reverend Kennedy in 1998 and he’s been working on it since then. Whenever there’s
passion like that involved, I expect a lot. And this was a behemoth of a
subject to tackle for his first time writing or directing a full-length feature
film.
I have faith in Burden and I cannot wait to see how
it turns out.
1 – Birds of Prey
(2/7)
Production/Distribution:
Clubhouse Pictures (II), DC Entertainment, Kroll & Co. Entertainment, LuckyChap
Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, Warner Bros.
Director: Cathy
Yan
Writer: Christina
Hodson
Actors: Margot
Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie
Perez, Bojana Novakovic, Greice Santo, Matthew Willig, Chris Messina, Ali Wong,
Charlene Amoia, Ella Jay Basco, Jenelle McKee, Steven Williams, Isabel Pakzad, François
Chau, Derek Wilson, Paloma Rabinov, Nico Greetham, Dana Lee, Mike Ferguson, Dominic
Pace, Anthony Molinari, Sara Montez, Gerald Downey, Michael Masini, Anna
Mikami, David Anthony Buglione, Lenora May, Ella Mika, Joe Bucaro III, Miyuki
Matsunaga, Ego Mikitas, Dan Cole, Bruno Oliver
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Crime
Rated: R
Length: 109
minutes
IMDb Blurb: After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins
superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from
an evil crime lord.
They took the best part of Suicide Squad (2016), cut
the rest, and made a movie out of it. Of course this was going to be my number
one film for February.
Margot Robbie (Bombshell, Mary Queen of Scots, Terminal)
IS Harley Quinn. The casting director that tapped her was on point that day.
Robbie is to Quinn as Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Endgame, The Judge, Chef)
is to Iron Man. I can’t imagine anyone else being able to do better than her.
End of story.
I cannot wait to see what she does in her very own movie. There’s
a great cast backing her, but I’m ALL Robbie for this one.
Even if I wasn’t, though. All the trailers are SICK. Even
the soundtrack trailer. I’m going to trust this new era of DC and give my faith
to Birds of Prey.
I’m going to see this film as soon as I can – hopefully opening
night, definitely that first weekend.
Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat
Buffaloed .20
Come to Daddy .19
Come As You Are .18
Ordinary Love .17
What About Love .16
The Whistlers .15
VFW .14
Brahms: The Boy II .13
The Lodge .12
Saint Frances .11
The Invisible Man .10
Downhill .9
The Photograph .8
Sonic the Hedgehog .7
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 .6
Burden .5
Blumhouse’s Fantasy
Island .4
Emma .3
Birds of Prey .2
The Call of the Wild .1
FAQ:
