"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Production Companies:
Columbia Pictures, Kerner Entertainment Company, LStar Capital, Sony Pictures
Animation, Wanda Pictures
Producer: Mary
Ellen Bauder, Véronique Culliford, Raja Gosnell, Ben Haber, Jordan Kerner, Mandy
Tankenson, Ben Waisbren
Director: Kelly
Asbury
Writer: Stacey
Harman, Pamela Ribon, Peyo
Actors: Demi
Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Joe Manganiello, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Mandy
Patinkin, Dee Bradley Baker, Frank Welker, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper,
Julia Roberts, Ariel Winter, Meghan Trainor, Bret Marnell, Kelly Asbury, Jake
Johnson, Gabriel Iglesias, Tituss Burgess, Jeff Dunham, Gordon Ramsey
Blurb from Netflix:
Smurfette and best pals Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty journey deep into the
Forbidden Forest to save a mysterious lost village from evil wizard Gargamel.
Selina’s Point of View:
Back when I was young, I used to love The Smurfs (1981-1990). I even had a tape of The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1976) that I watched until it
degraded.
For all you youngsters out there, VHS tapes used to degrade
over time or with a lot of use. That means the more you liked a film, and
watched it, the quicker you’d have to go out and get another copy. Now you come
at me with your DVDs and Blue Rays and digital files…
Get off my lawn.
Back to my point, though.
I used to love The Smurfs,
but I wasn’t fond of this rendition.
The animation itself was fine, so was the story… I just felt
like it was badly executed. There was even a really great message for kids… but
it was hidden way at the very end without any way for a young child to make
that leap themselves. I don’t know if you’ve ever sat and watched a movie with
a five-year-old, but they don’t usually have the focus to wait for a message
that comes way at the end of an hour and a half film. There’s got to be little
messages between the beginning and the end to bring them there.
When it comes to adults… I still don’t really recommend it.
The ending, with the message and the epic climax… was great.
The rest of the film was bordering on torture-by-boredom. All the smurfs were
giving mercilessly annoying characterizations – except maybe Papa Smurf and
Smurfette – so I couldn’t even revel in the cuteness of things.
As reboots go, this will never be thought of as a favorite
for me – or even good. That disappoints me. I was looking forward to a nice
nostalgic story that I could share with my daughter when she’s a little older.
This was not that.
Cat’s Point of View:
The Smurfs
(1981-1990) was a staple of my childhood. My love of the series even helped my
cousin win a GI Joe aircraft carrier from a TV contest when we were in 3rd
grade. That monster play set was bigger than us and amazing – but I digress.
I was over the moon when my daughter enjoyed watching the
classic cartoon series.
There are some mixed feelings about the recent two
live-action adaptations for this beloved franchise. The movies possessed
elements I both liked and disliked. When news of the latest attempt by
Hollywood to resurrect this franchise began to circulate, I became cautiously
optimistic. With the cast they had lined up, it was certainly worth a shot.
Even better, it was getting a fully animated treatment.
Smurfs: The Lost
Village landed at #17 on my Top 20 for April 2017 for those very reasons.
Fast forward to now.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this film.
I almost felt like I was taking a small trip back in time with the warm fuzzy
nostalgic feelings. My daughter got a kick out of watching, as well; and we
both giggled over hearing Gordon Ramsay (Kitchen
Nightmares, Masterchef, Burnt) as Baker Smurf. (We like watching his
cooking shows together.)
There were so many recognizable and incredible voices that
added depth to the experience of this animated movie.
I’m not sure how canonical the story is regarding “The Lost
Village,” but the details that brought the new world to life were simply
smurftacular. Not only does this new chapter in the saga of the little blue
mushroom-dwelling people take us into uncharted territory, it opens a fresh
world of wonder full of magic and color. The new creatures, settings, and
characters were a good fit.
Production Company:
Inside Producción, Embankment Films, Grand Piano Productions, Natixis Coficiné,
Crea SGR, Nostromo Pictures
Director: Miguel
Angel Vivas
Writer: Jaume
Balaguero, Alexandre Bustillo, Manu Diez, Julien Maury
Actors: Rachel Nichols,
Laura Harring, Stany Coppet, Andrea Tivadar, David Chevers
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 100
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A woman in her third trimester of pregnancy is
stalked by a stranger who is obsessed with her unborn child.
I’m not sure I’d call this film the most original thing I’ve
ever seen, but it does look sufficiently harrowing. Of course, I’m a little
bias at the moment. Pregnancy hormones are a bitch.
The thing is, January is when production companies put out
films that they don’t have a huge amount of confidence in. December is the big
month for snagging an audience. In January, no one’s really got money left over
and they go back to work or school after breaks. That means, the pickings are
often slim for the month.
As a result, Inside
likely wouldn’t have made my list on any other month. It didn’t catch my
attention so much as the thought of watching it didn’t repulse me. Quite a few
of the films this month fit into that same category.
Now, that doesn’t mean any of them would definitely be bad
or generic. Don’t put a huge amount of stock in what production companies think.
Fox might not have put Deadpool (2016)
out in January, but they were vocal about having no faith in it – and that
movie was phenomenal.
19 – The
Competition (1/26)
Tag Line: Play or
be played.
Production Company:
The Theory Inc., Ascension Media
Director: Harvey
Lowry
Writer: Kelsey
Tucker
Actors: Thora
Birch, Claire Coffee, Chris Klein, David Blue, Jason Tobias, Tiffany Fallon,
Gabrielle Stone, Harvey Lowry, Michael Draper, Tim Harrold, Kimberly Stanphill,
Betsy Hume, Jasmine Fontes, Kelsey Tucker, Catherine B. Johnson, Henry Noble,
Shelly Lipkin
Genre: Comedy,
Romance
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: None
Is it just me or is Chris Klein (Just Friends, American Reunion, Authors Anonymous) somewhat
type-cast? It’s like he never really left his American Pie (1999) days.
Still, this film doesn’t look awful. It’s not really all
that unique, either, but it seems like it could be watchable at the very least.
Likely not something I’d choose, but I wouldn’t be too upset if we rolled it.
Who knows? It might even surprise me.
18 – Primal Rage
(1/26)
Tag Line: The legend
of Oh-Mah
Production Company:
None listed
Director: Patrick
Magee
Writer: Jay Lee,
Patrick Magee
Actors: Casey
Gagliardi, Andrew Joseph Montgomery, Eloy Casados, Justin Rain, Marshal Hilton,
Shannon Malone, Jackey Neyman Jones, Jim Roof, Brandon Gibson
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A newly reunited young couple's drive through the
Pacific Northwest turns into a nightmare as they are forced to face nature,
unsavory locals, and a monstrous creature, known to the Native Americans as
Oh-Mah.
Clearly, just by watching the trailer alone, you can see
there are a lot of stereotypes in play for this creature feature horror. I
mean, they even bothered to show us the creepy convenience store/gas station
clerk warning the protagonists about the woods. What’s worse is that this film
seems to be utilizing those tropes seriously instead of ironically.
Still, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a sasquatch-based
horror film and this one seems to be higher quality than the majority of them.
It could just be a bad trailer. That’s what I’m hoping for.
It was funded on Kickstarter, too. That makes me want to
have faith in it.
17 – Swinging
Safari (1/18)
Tag Line: Staying
alive was harder than you think.
Production Company:
Piccadilly Pictures, See Pictures, Wildheart Films
Director: Stephan
Elliott
Writer: Stephan
Elliott
Actors: Guy
Pearce, Julian McMahon, Radha Mitchell, Kylie Minogue, Asher Keddie, Jack
Thompson, Jacob Elordi, Alice Lanesbury, Oscar Bailey, Atticus Rob, Ava Taylor,
James Calder, Jesse Denyer, Imogen Hess, Marcus Guinane, Renaud Jadin
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A teenager comes of age in a small Australian town
during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
This will be coming out in Australia, specifically.
I imagine there’s going to be a huge amount of cringe in
this film that’s going to make me shy away from seeing it, but the raunchy
humor is clearly there and there’s a decent cast backing it up. I can’t really
hold the cringe factor against it, because that’s personal opinion. Tons of
people love watching that kind of thing. I’m just super sensitive to it and
wind up hiding in my shirt.
I’m just weird.
The tagline indicates that there might be more to this movie
than meets the eye, as well. Especially when you take into account that IMDb
doesn’t list it as a comedy. It may be misrepresented in the trailer. In fact,
it almost definitely is – considering the blurb mentions a whale that doesn’t
even make an appearance in the video I just saw.
16 – Insidious:
The Last Key (1/5)
Tag Line: Fear
comes home
Production Company:
Blumhouse Productions, Entertainment One, LStar Capital, Stage 6 Films
Director: Adam
Robitel
Writer: Leigh
Whannell
Actors: Lin
Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Kirk Acevedo, Caitlin Gerard, Spencer
Locke, Josh Stewart, Tessa Ferrer, Aleque Reid, Ava Kolker, Pierce Pope, Bruce
Davidson
Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 103 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most
fearsome and personal haunting yet - in her own family home.
I’m so done with the Insidious
series that it’s not even funny. However, I have decided to reluctantly admit
that this one doesn’t look bad. At the very least it doesn’t look like a repeat
of all the others.
I still hope it’s the last one.
15 – Death Race
4: Beyond Anarchy (1/30)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Universal 1440 Entertainment, UFO International Productions, Capital Arts
Entertainment
Director: Don
Michael Paul
Writer: Paul W.
S. Anderson, Tony Giglio, Don Michael Paul
Actors: Zach
McGowan, Frederick Koehler, Christine Marzano, Yennis Cheung, Cassie Clare,
Lucy Aarden, Danny Trejo, Danny Glover, Nicholas Aaron, Cameron Jack, Lorina
Kamburova, Diana Dimitrova, Valislav Pavlov, Lee Shone, Natalie Ann Parry
Genre: Action
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: None
This film is going straight to DVD, which makes sense for
something in this kind of series that’s going into the fourth film and has more
of a cult following than a mainstream one.
It’s very easy to write this film off as typical sequel
fodder. Until you watch the trailer and realize there’s actually a really
decent, strong, cast behind it.
Sure, it’s Mad Max
lite, but I’m still really interested in seeing people like Danny Glover (Day of the Mummy, Legendary, Lethal Weapon 4)
and Danny Trejo (Bad Ass, Machete, Shoot
the Hero) pull Death Race 4 out
of the ‘typical’ pile and put it into one that’s more for films worth watching.
Don’t write this movie off just yet.
14 – A Tale of
Two Coreys (1/6)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Hybrid, Philco, Mayor Entertainment, Brain Before Brian Productions
Actors: Elijah
Marcano, Justin Ellings, Scott Bosely, Casey Leach, Ashley Scott, Patrick
Muldoon, Paula Lindberg, Brian Huskey, Aleksandra Jade, Brandon Howard, Keith
Coogan, Jacob Loeb, Bella Popa, Michael Carbonaro, John Ennis, Richard Tanner,
Jennifer Peo, Claude Knowlton, Brian Nolan, Jono Cota, Jay Disney, John Colton
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: The story of teen heartthrobs Corey Feldman and
Corey Haim, whose lives were forever changed by the glitz, glamour, and the
darker side of show business.
With everything going on in Hollywood today, I think it’s
more important than ever to explore what happened with the Coreys when they
were young actors.
Hollywood likes to think it’s above the law. It’s not. Furthermore,
no entertainment is so important that it excuses the abuse of a child – for any
reason. What happened in the lives of Corey Feldman and Corey Haim is
inexcusable, and it’s about time people paid attention.
13 – Day of the
Dead: Bloodline (1/5)
Tag Line: Join
the undying war.
Production Company:
Campbell Grobman Films, Nu Boyana Film Studios
Director: Hector
Hernandez Vicens
Writer: Mark Tonderai,
Lars Jacobson, George A. Romero
Actors: Sophie
Skelton, Johnathon Schaech, Jeff Gum, Marcus Vanco, Mark Rhino Smith, Lillian
Blankenship, Shari Watson, Rachel O’Meara, Luke Cousins, Lorina Kamburova,
Cristina Serafini, Debbie Sherman, Nathan Cooper, Teodora Duhovnikova, Ulyana
Chan, Bashar Rahal
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A small group of military personnel and
survivalists dwell in an underground bunker as they seek to find a cure in a
world overrun by zombies.
Oh, this film scares me. Not in the typical zombie/horror
way, either.
For those of you who don’t know, the brilliant George Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of
the Dead, Land of Dead), the grandfather of zombie lore and the original
creator of Day of the Dead, died this
past July.
Now, it’s very possible that this film is coming out now as
a way to honor the memory of Romero… but it could also wind up dishonoring his
memory. Bloodline is not a sequel,
it’s a reimagining that is coming out less than a year after Romero’s death.
I want to believe this film will take into account how loyal
Romero’s fans are and not screw things up… but a reimagining so soon… it makes
me nervous.
I’m still willing to give it a chance.
12 – Devil’s Gate
(1/5)
Tag Line: Pray
they are never found.
Production Company:
Caramel Film, Mednick Productions
Director: Clay
Staub
Writer: Peter
Aperlo, Clay Staub
Actors: Milo
Ventimiglia, Bridget Regan, Amanda Schull, Shawn Ashmore, Jonathan Frakes,
Javier Botet, Adam Hurtig, Spencer Drever, Scott Johnson, Will Woytowich, Jan
Skene, Sarah Constible, Beverly Ndukwu, Jean-Francois Ferland
Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 94
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Set in the small town of Devil's Gate, North
Dakota, the film examines the disappearance of a local woman (Regan) and her
young son. Schull plays an FBI agent who helps the local sheriff (Frakes)
search for answers. Partnering with a deputy (Ashmore), they track down the
missing woman's husband (Ventimiglia) and find that nothing is as it seems.
On first look, Devil’s
Gate looks like a typical supernatural cop thriller, but there’s more
beneath the surface.
First of all, I have no fucking clue what this trailer is
telling me. It may not be supernatural at all – that hand that reaches out at
one point looks very alien in nature. Does that necessarily mean it’s an alien
film? No. I mean, the title indicates there’s a hellish factor, since devils
are mentioned. If it is hellish, though, I expect something really interesting
in design according to what that hand looked like.
Second of all, the cast is nothing to sneeze at. There are a
couple of relatively big names that don’t tend to take on typical projects.
Although they might not always find the best of them, they’re rarely typical.
They like to go out on a limb.
Finally, I’m very curious about Peter Aperlo (300: March to Glory, Watchmen: The End is
Nigh, Legend fo the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole). He’s one of the
writers working on Devil’s Gate, but
he’s mostly familiar with writing for video games. That’s something that
intrigues me. I want to see how his experience in the gaming world translates
to the film world – especially with the kind of acting back-up he’ll have in
this project.
11 – Saturday
Church (1/12)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Spring Pictures, Round Films
Director: Damon
Cardasis
Writer: Damon
Cardasis
Actors: Margot
Bingham, Regina Taylor, Evander Duck Jr., Marquis Rodriguez, Peter Y. Kim,
Jaylin Fletcher, Luka Kain, Mj Rodriguez, Jose Baez, Stephen Conrad Moore, Kate
Bornstein, Indya Moore, Jarrett Austin Brown, Alexia Garcia
Genre: Drama,
Fantasy, Musical
Rated: NR
Length: 90
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A 14 year-old-boy, struggling with gender identity
and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and
find his passion in the process.
This musical is very politically relevant at the moment,
with light being shined on the transgendered community, awareness, and
acceptance.
I believe a film on this subject that allows people to see
the life of a child coming to terms with their own identity in the safety of a
musical, might be exactly what the world needs right now. That musical
component allows people who may not be as tolerant, or who may not understand
transgendered youth very well, to see the honesty in the story through a gentler
lens… even if the story is harsh.
Sometimes, the answer is to hold someone’s hand as they walk
a path to understanding, instead of throwing them in head first.
10 – Stratton
(1/5)
Tag Line: The
enemy has a weapon. So do we.
Production Company:
Atomic Arts, GFM films, SquareOne Entertainment, Stratton Film Productions,
Twickenham Studios
Director: Simon
West
Writer: Duncan
Falconer, Warren Davis II
Actors: Dominic
Cooper, Austin Stowell, Gemma Chan, Connie Nielsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Tom
Felton, Jake Fairbrother, Tyler Hoechlin, Derek Jacobi, Lizzie Winkler, Rinat
Khismatouline, Igal Naor, Olegar Fedoro
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 95
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A British Special Boat Service commando tracks down
an international terrorist cell.
Really, Stratton
just looks like a good, solid action film with a decent cast.
It’s very possible that the film might spiral off into
trope-town… but I’m hoping there’s more to it. I really want to believe in Stratton.
9 – Proud Mary (1/12)
Tag Line: Execute
with style.
Production Company:
Screen Gems
Director: Babak
Najafi
Writer: Steve
Antin, John Stuart Newman, Christian Swegal
Actors: Taraji P.
Henson, Neal McDonough, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley, Billy Brown, Margaret
Avery, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Owen Burke, Jose Guns Alves, Adrian M. Mompoint,
Alex Portenko, Bo Cleary, Al’Jaleel McGhee, Shawn Doherty, Roger Dillingham Jr.
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an
organized crime family in Boston. Mary's life is completely turned around when
she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.
This film just looks like a fun way to see some great actors
be badasses. I’m absolutely ready to see Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Hidden Figures, Top Five) act as an assassin.
Proud Mary has a
very 70s quality to it and that makes me curious about where the plot is going
to go. In my experience, 70s films were pretty fucked up – many of them in the
best way. At the very least, some of the craziest movies I’ve seen were made in
that decade.
Needless to say, I expect a lot from this film, as well as
the cast.
8 – The Leisure
Seeker (1/19)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Indiana Production Company, Bac Films, Rai Cinema, Ministero per i Beni e le
Attività Culturali (MiBAC)
Director: Paolo
Virzi
Writer: Michael
Zadoorian, Stephen Amidon, Francesca Archibugi, Francesco Piccolo, Paolo Virzì
Actors: Donald
Sutherland, Helen Mirren, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney, Joshua Mikel, Chelle
Ramos, Christian McKay, Elijah Marcano, Robert Pralgo, Dick Gregory, Matt
Mercurio, Marc Fajardo, Mylie Stone
Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 112
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in
the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.
Donald Sutherland (The
Hunger Games, Crossing Lines, The Mechanic) is one of my favorite actors of
all time. Possibly in my top ten, though people likely wouldn’t guess it. I’ve
never seen him act poorly in anything he’s ever been in, though. He always
throws himself into every part he takes.
In this case, I can’t imagine how difficult it much have
been for him to throw himself into the part of an Alzheimer’s victim. It had to
have been heartbreaking…
And I will be disappointed if watching his performance is
anything less than life changing.
7 – 12 Strong (1/19)
Tag Line: The
Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers
Production Company:
Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Lionsgate
Director: Nicolai
Fuglsig
Writer: Ted
Tally, Peter Craig, Doug Stanton
Actors: Chris
Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky, Taylor Sheridan,
Michael Pena, Rob Riggle, Ben O’Toole, Marie Wagenman, Seth Adkins, Peter
Malek, Kenneth Miller
Genre: Action,
Drama, History
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: 12 Strong tells the story of the first Special
Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new
captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.
There’s no way this film wouldn’t look good, I think. Chris
Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok, Blackhat, Rush)
in a war film based loosely on reality just sounded like an awesome movie, even
before I saw the trailer or who else was involved.
When you add the trailer and the rest of the cast to the
equation, 12 Strong seems like it can’t
miss.
6 – Molly’s Game (1/5)
Tag Line: Deal
with her.
Production Company:
STX Entertainment, Huayi Brothers Pictures, The Mark Gordon Company, Pascal
Pictures, Entertainment One
Director: Aaron
Sorkin
Writer: Molly
Bloom, Aaron Sorkin
Actors: Jessica
Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd,
J. C. MacKenzie, Brian d’Arcy James, Bill Camp, Graham Greene, Justin Kirk,
Angela Gots, Natalie Krill, Stephanie Herfield, Madison McKinley, Piper Howell
Genre: Biography,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 140
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class
skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an
FBI target.
Every time I saw this trailer, I liked it a little more. It
crept up my top 20 list very quietly, until it plateaued here.
It does fall in that biographical film dead horse category
that Hollywood has been beating… but it still looks good to me. There’s strong
women, action, intrigue… I have some difficult looking passed Molly’s Game without giving it credit.
I am a little concerned about the run time, which is why
this film couldn’t climb higher on the list than this. Two and a half hours for
a biographical film about someone relatively unknown is a little much. There’s
some significant risk of the story getting boring.
5 – Paddington 2
(1/12)
Tag Line: Magic.
Mystery. Marmalade.
Production Company:
StudioCanal, Anton Capital Entertainment (ACE), Amazon Prime Instant Video,
Canal+, Ciné+, Heyday Films, Marmalade Films Ltd.
Director: Paul
King
Writer: Paul
King, Simon Farnaby, Michael Bond
Actors: Michael
Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Ben Whishaw, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Sally
Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Marie-France Alvarez, Sanjeev Bhaskar,
Ben Miller, Jessica Hynes, Robbie Gee, Jim Broadbent, Enzo Squillino Jr., Tom
Conti, Louis Partridge, Hugh Grant, Peter Capaldi, Tom Davis, Noah Taylor,
Aaron Neil, Brendan Gleeson
Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
Length: 103
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown
family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd
jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, only for
the gift to be stolen.
I never got around to seeing the first Paddington (2014), but I was only a little interested anyway. This
sequel actually speaks to me more than the original did. I just think this film
looks better.
Of course, I’m aware that there could be all manner of
sequelitis at work here that makes it suck horribly… but I don’t think that’ll
be the case. I have faith in Paddington 2
– and I might just watch the first one in order to prepare myself for it.
4 – The Commuter (1/12)
Tag Line: Lives
are on the line.
Production Company:
Ombra Films, StudioCanal, The Picture Company
Director: Jaume
Collet-Serra
Writer: Byron
Willinger, Philip de Blasi, Ryan Engle
Actors: Liam
Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Sam Neill, Elizabeth
McGovern, Killian Scott, Shazad Latif, Andy Nyman, Clara Lago, Roland Moller,
Florence Pugh, Dean-Charles Chapman, Ella-Rae Smith, Nila Aalia, Colin
McFarlane, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Mystery
Rated: PG-13
Length: 104
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A businessman is caught up in a criminal conspiracy
during his daily commute home.
Liam Neeson (A Monster
Calls, Silence, A Christmas Star) is always a good reason to want to see a
film. In this case, I find the plot of The
Commuter to be interesting as well – if not entirely original.
It actually reminds me quite a bit of Eagle Eye (2008), a movie I relatively enjoyed. The only thing that
makes this one stand out against the other is that the cast is better.
Hopefully, the story deviates enough to make a difference. I may have liked Eagle Eye, but I don’t need another film
exactly like it.
3 – The Post (1/12)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks, Participant Media, Pascal Pictures, Star
Thrower Entertainment
Director: Steven
Spielberg
Writer: Liz
Hannah, Josh Singer
Actors: Meryl
Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford,
Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, David
Cross, Zach Woods, pat healy, John Rue, Rick Holmes, Philip Casnoff, Jessie
Mueller, Stark Sands, Michael Cyril Creighton, Will Denton
Genre: Biography,
Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed
the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to
join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.
I love films that advocate standing up for what’s right at
all costs, especially when ‘what’s right’ is specifically centered around the
truth.
Transparency is a huge factor in government and, without it,
politicians cannot be held accountable because no one knows what they’re really
doing. This film touches on that idea, while looking into the true story of a
badass woman standing her ground when people thought she couldn’t.
All of this is a part of The
Post, along with a ridiculously talented cast and crew that includes Steven
Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, War
Horse, The BFG), Meryl Streep (Into
the Woods, The Giver, The Iron Lady), Tom Hanks (Inferno, Sully, Ithaca), and Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story, Blue Jay, The Runner). I really don’t see
how this film can go wrong.
2 – Please Stand
By (1/26)
Tag Line: You can’t
blend in when you were born to stand out.
Production Company:
Allegiance Theater, 2929 Productions
Director: Ben
Lewin
Writer: Michael
Golamco
Actors: Dakota
Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve, River Alexander, Marla Gibbs, Jessica Rothe,
Michael Stahl-David, Patton Oswalt
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A young autistic woman runs away from her caregiver
in an attempt to submit her manuscript to a "Star Trek" writing
competition.
There’s something completely endearing about this film – and
not just because I consider myself a Trekkie.
Dakota Fanning’s (The Last
of Robin Hood, Effie Gray, Very Good Girls) part looks incredibly in depth
and I can’t wait to see how she works with Patton Oswalt (BoJack Horseman, Veep, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
I’m hoping that Please
Stand By goes down a more heartwarming path, but I like that there are numerous
possible outcomes to this plot. That means you can’t really know where the film
is going to end up while you’re watching it.
1 – Maze Runner:
The Death Cure (1/26)
Tag Line: The
time of reckoning has come.
Production Company:
Gotham Group, Temple Hill Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Wes
Ball
Writer: T. S.
Nowlin, James Dashner
Actors: Rosa
Salazar, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Walton
Goggins, Katherine McNamara, Aidan Gillen, Nathalie Emmanuel, Patricia
Clarkson, Giancarlo Esposito, Barry Pepper, Ki Hong Lee, Jacob Lofland, Paul
Lazenby
Genre: Action,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Young hero Thomas embarks on a mission to find a
cure for a deadly disease known as the "Flare".
I have been waiting for this film for so damn long.
As a fan of the books, I don’t actually like the Maze Runner films. Everything is off and
wrong and makes me cringe on an Eragon (2006)
level. Still, I’ve been dying to see how they wrap it up – since it almost seems
to follow a different storyline altogether.
With everything Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf, American Assassin, The Internship) went through to get
this film recorded, I really hope it’s as good as it could be. (Provided you ignore
the book series)
Production Company:
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Babieka Films, Ego Film Arts,
Gigantic Studios, Outpost Digital, Serendipity Point Films
Director: Joe
Berlinger
Writer: Joe
Berlinger, Cy Christiansen
Actors: Shohreh
Aghdashloo, Taner Akcam, Hagop Asadourian, Peter Balakian, Christian Bale, Ian
Bedford, Michael Bobelian, Paul Boghossian, Eric Bogosian
Genre: Documentary
Rated: NR
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Filmmaker Joe Berlinger meets with historians and
scholars to discuss the Armenian Genocide and the continuing denial by the
Turkish government of it ever happening.
This film made the list more because of its importance than
its entertainment value.
Intent to Destroy is
a documentary about the Armenian Genocide. It goes into the way the Turkish
government has continued to attempt to deny it. I can understand the
frustration behind that subject. The idea of holocaust deniers practically
turns my vision red with fury.
I am not sure this film is completely a documentary, even
though that’s what IMDb claims. Judging from the trailer and some of the people
involved, it’s very possible that there are dramatic reenactments of some of
the scenes. I’m not sure how I feel about this subject being delivered in a
half documentary, half drama fashion, but I’m curious enough that it made the
list.
19 – Pokemon the
Movie: I Choose You (11/5)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
OLM-Animation Studio, Oriental Light and Magic (OLM), Pikachu Project,
Shogakukan, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, TV Tokyo
IMDb Blurb: Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is 10 years old today.
This means he is now old enough to become a Pokémon Trainer. Ash dreams big
about the adventures he will experience after receiving his first Pokémon from
Professor Oak.
So, I’m not 100% sure exactly what this is. It seems like it
might be a bit of a remake or a reboot. That’s what I’m thinking it might be,
but there are parts of the trailer that indicate that it doesn’t only touch on
the true beginning of Ash’s quest to become the greatest Pokemon trainer of all
time.
I left this film low on the list simply because of that
confusion. I love Pokemon, and I used to watch the series when I was younger
without missing an episode. I’ve enjoyed some of the later games, but nothing
hits me quite like that first series and film.
If you can watch that first movie and not cry during the
final Mewtwo/Pikachu scene… then I don’t think I want to know you.
I’m hoping this is a whole new film designed to help the
original fans – like me – get into the later storylines. It may, however, just
be a reboot/remake. Either way, I’m looking forward to it.
18 – Roman J.
Isreal, Esq. (11/22)
Tag Line: All
Rise.
Production Company:
Bron Studios, Cross Creek Pictures, Culture China, Escape Artists, Imagenation
Abu Dhabi FZ, LStar Capital, MACRO, Topic Studios
Director: Dan
Gilroy
Writer: Dan
Gilroy
Actors: Denzel
Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Shelley Hennig, Nazneen Contractor, Brittany
Ishibashi, Pej Vahdat, Tony Plana, Niles Fitch, Kelly Sullivan, James Paxton,
Amanda Warren, Joseph David-Jones
Genre: Crime,
Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 129
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Denzel Washington stars as Roman Israel, a driven,
idealistic defense attorney who, through a tumultuous series of events, finds
himself in a crisis that leads to extreme action.
This trailer looked pretty good. Great cast, interesting
story, etc. For some reason, it just didn’t speak to me as much as I would
expect it to. That’s just a personal thing, though.
Clearly, this is going to be the kind of film that draws
people and that ignites emotion. Exactly the kind of thing you want to see.
17 – LBJ (11/3)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Acacia Filmed Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, Savvy Media Holdings,
Star Thrower Entertainment
Director: Rob
Reiner
Writer: Joey
Hartstone
Actors: Jennifer
Jason Leigh, Woody Harrelson, Bill Pullman, C. Thomas Howell, Jeffrey Donovan,
Michael Mosley, Michael Stahl-David, Richard Jenkins, Rich Sommer, Travis
Wester, Wallace Langham, Judd Lormand, Gary Grubbs, Joe Chrest, Brian Stepanek,
Doug McKeon
Genre: Biography,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 98
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson
from his young days in West Texas to the White House.
The trailer for this film gave me chills. I think the people
chosen to play the various political figures were absolutely perfect. I love
Woody Harrelson (The Glass Castle, The Edge
of Seventeen, Zombieland), on top of that. I think he’s incredibly talented
– whether his roles are comedic or dramatic.
I like the perspective being taken in the trailer, too.
Viewing the JFK assassination through the eyes of his vice president.
I’m not saying it’s never been done before, of course, but
the way the film is approaching it feels fresh anyway.
16 – Angelica (11/17)
Tag Line: Hell hath
no fury like the love of a mother.
Production Company:
Pierpoline Films
Director: Mitchell
Lichtenstein
Writer: Mitchell
Lichtenstein, Arthur Phillips
Actors: Jenna
Malone, Janet McTeer, Ed Stoppard, Tovah Feldshuh, Glynnis O’Connor, Charles
Keating, Henry Stram, Daniel Gerroll, James Norton, Stephanie Inorio, Pela
Kolodziej, Connor Inorio, Vincent Sanchez, Emma Caraman, Angela Dee
Genre: Drama,
Horror, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 95
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A couple living in Victorian London endure an unusual
series of psychological and supernatural happenings following the birth of
their child.
At first glance, Angelica
looks like a basic possession-based or psychologically twisted film. I’m not
sure if that’s what it is, but regardless, it seems to be something that would
be incredibly interesting to watch.
Although this film is getting its limited debut on the
seventeenth, it’s hit a few festivals already, mostly in 2015. The rating it
shows on IMDb is above average. That leads me to believe it’s very likely that
there’s some kind of twist that makes Angelica
rise about other similar films.
15 – Amanda and
Jack Go Glamping (11/10)
Tag Line: Love
the one yurt with.
Production Company:
Spiral Films
Director: Brandon
Dickerson
Writer: Brandon
Dickerson
Actors: Amy
Acker, Adan Canto, David Arquette, June Squibb, Nicole Elliott, Daniel Ross
Owens, Gustavo Gomez, Richard Robichaux, Catherine Grady, Sicily Bellia,
Jaytyler Ferretti, Chris Carpenter, Keri Tombazian, Evelyn Hawk
Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Romance
Rated: NR
Length: 94
minutes
IMDb Blurb: With his marriage and career against the ropes,
dejected author Jack Spencer travels with his wife, Amanda, to an isolated
glamping retreat in search of a spark. When a surprise double booking finds
their private retreat anything but private, Jack spins into a comedic
exploration of love, lost dreams, small-town-wisdom, and friendship with a miniature
donkey to get over himself before he loses all he holds dear.
First thing I feel compelled to say is that I HATE the word
‘glamping.’ Hate it. This is not the first time I’ve heard it, probably won’t
be the last… but I wish it would be eradicated from the English language. It’s
an awful word.
That said, this movie looks like it could be somewhat
hilarious.
I barely recognized David Arquette (Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Once Upon a Time in Venice, Sold)…
but I love Amy Acker (The Gifted, Con
Man, Much Ado About Nothing) and I’m always up to see what she’s working
on. She’s a very underrated actor.
14 – Daddy’s Home
2 (11/10)
Tag Line: More daddies.
More problems.
Production Company:
Paramount Pictures, Gary Sanchez Productions, Huahua Media
Director: Sean
Anders
Writer: Sean
Anders, Brian Burns, John Morris
Actors: Linda
Cardellini, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Will Ferrell, John Cena, John Lithgow,
Scarlett Estevez, Alessandra Ambrosio, Owen Vaccaro, Lean Procito, Didi
Costine, Oscar Wahlberg, Susan Garibotto, Yamilah Saravong
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 98
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Brad and Dusty must deal with their intrusive
fathers during the holidays.
I don’t like Will Ferrell (Zoolander 2, The Spoils Before Dying, Get Hard) and I have issues
with Mel Gibson (Get the Gringo, Machete
Kills, Signs). The idea that this movie made my list actually makes me very
angry. The two of those guys are pretty well balanced out, however, by Mark Wahlberg
(Deepwater Horizon, The Gambler, Ted)
and John Lithgow (The Accountant, Beatriz
at Dinner, Trial & Error). Then I add the amusement of John Cena (Sisters, The Wall, Trainwreck)… and I
can overlook the actors I’m not fond of.
Against my will, I have to admit the film looks funny. I
avoided the first one, though that looked funny too. That means I don’t know
how this will be as a ‘series’.
When it comes down to it, the big picture of this film seems
to be worth more than its parts.
13 – Last Flag
Flying (11/3)
Tag Line: Their
last mission wasn’t on the battlefield.
Production Company:
Amazon Studios, Big Indie Pictures, Cinetic Media, Detour Filmproduction
Director: Richard
Linklater
Writer: Richard
Linklater, Darryl Ponicsan
Actors: Bryan
Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, Steve Carell, J. Quinton Johnson, Deanna
Reed-Foster, Yul Vazquez, Graham Wolfe, Jeff Monahan, Dontez James, Tammy Tsai,
Richard Robichaux, Cicely Tyson, Samuel Davis, Ted Watts Jr.
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 124 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam,
a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old
buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his
son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.
There’s a dark comedy to this film that I have to
appreciate. When you mix that with a phenomenal cast that has no weak links and
a great director, and there’s no complaints I can possibly have about this
movie.
Richard Linklater (Me
and Orson Welles, Bad News Bears, Boyhood) is a drama king – and I mean
that in the good way. Of course, he could also be one in the bad way, I don’t
know him personally… but I digress. If he’s at the head of any drama film,
chances are it’s going to be good. Good in a way where you don’t actually need
to be a drama fan to appreciate it.
Linklater is working with some incredibly experienced and
loved cast members in this movie. I really cannot conceive of a world where
this film would fail to meet my standards.
12 – Lady Bird
(11/3)
Tag Line: Time to
fly.
Production Company:
Scott Rudin Productions, Entertainment 360, IAC Films
Director: Greta
Gerwig
Writer: Greta
Gerwig
Actors: Saoirse
Ronan, Odeya Rush, Kathryn Newton, Timothee Chalamet, Laurie Metcalf, Jake
McDorman, Lois Smith, Andy Buckley, Lucas Hedges, Laura Marano, Daniel Zovatto,
Jordan Rodrigues, Kristen Cloke, Tracy Letts
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern
California for a year.
I was hooked on this trailer from the moment the main
character jumped out of the car. I had one of those moments of total
inappropriate laughter for it. I can’t even explain how many times I’ve been
trapped in a car during an argument and thought of doing that exact same thing.
I see a lot of my relationship with my mom in this trailer.
That tendency to be yelling at each other one moment and gushing over a pretty
dress the next.
So, I guess I relate very heavily to this film – or at least
what this film seems to be. It definitely makes me more interested to see it
than I otherwise would be.
11 – Blade of the
Immortal (aka: Mugen no Junin) (11/3)
Tag Line: To save
her life he will take a thousand others.
Production Company:
Warner Bros., Oriental Light and Magic (OLM), Recorded Picture Company (RPC), GyaO,
Ken-On, Kôdansha, Rakueisha, TV Asahi, Toei Kyoto Studios
Director: Takashi
Miike
Writer: Hiroaki
Samura, Tetsuya Oishi
Actors: Takuya
Kimura, Hana Sugisaki, Sota Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki
Kitamura, Chiaki Kuriyama, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Ken Kaneko,
Yoko Yamamoto, Ebizo Ichiawa, Min Tanaka, Tsutomu Yamazaki
Genre: Action,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 140
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed
with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his
sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises
to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group
of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change
Manji in ways he could never imagine - the 100th film by master director
Takashi Miike.
What really caught my eye the first time I watched this
trailer… was the captions.
Clearly, I know the captions likely won’t be like that for
the entire film. They’ll probably be more traditional, on the bottom of the
screen… but for a trailer – it worked well enough.
We see a lot of immortal warriors in cinema, but I really
liked the take Blade of the Immortal
took on the subject. There’s a close up of how his arm reconnects after disarticulation…
and it was fascinating. A little creepy, but fascinating none-the-less.
This looks like a bloody, gory, battle-choreographed bit of
goodness. I’d love to watch it for a Foreign Film Friday. I hope Netflix gets
it.
10 – A Bad Moms
Christmas (11/1)
Tag Line: Merry
is relative.
Production Company:
Huayi Brothers Media, STX Entertainment
Director: Jon
Lucas, Scott Moore
Writer: Jon
Lucas, Scott Moore
Actors: Mila
Kunis, Kirsten Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christine Baranski, Susan Sarandon, Cheryl
Hines, Jay Henandez, Justin Hartley, Peter Gallagher, Oona Laurence, Emjay
Anthony, Lyle Brocato, Wanda Sykes, Christina Applegate, Cade Mansfield
Cooksey, Ariana Greenblatt, Jacks Dean, Madison Muffley, Kenny G, Phil Pierce
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: R
Length: 104
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A Bad Moms Christmas follows our three
under-appreciated and over-burdened women as they rebel against the challenges
and expectations of the Super Bowl for moms: Christmas.
Now, I haven’t yet seen the original Bad Moms (2016), but I’ve heard great things from friends that have
gone to see it. The film has some heavy hitters where actors are concerned, and
the sequel seems to up the ante quite a bit.
Not to mention, the trailer alone sends me into giggle-fits
at times.
I’m nervous about the possibility of sequelitis, but – with any
luck – Jon Lucas (21 & Over, The
Hangover, Mixology) and Scott Moore (The
Change-Up, Mixology, The Hangover) were able to avoid that by concentrating
hard on the funny.
9 – The Man Who Invented
Christmas (11/22)
Tag Line: How
Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol and created a tradition.
Production Company:
Mazur / Kaplan Company, The Mob Film Company, Parallel Films, Rhombus Media
Director: Bharat
Nalluri
Writer: Susan
Coyne, Les Standiford
Actors: Dan
Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Callow, Miriam Margolyes,
Ian McNeice, Bill Peterson, Cosimo Fusco, Donald Sumpter, Annette Badland,
Morfydd Clark, Justin Edwards, Eddie Jackson, Ger Ryan, Valeria Bandino
Genre: Biography,
Comedy, Drama
Rated: PG
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: The journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation
of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine the
holiday.
We’re seeing a lot of these biographical fiction films
lately, which means they’re going to start getting very old. As of right now, I’m
still interested, but that may be due to the subject matter.
In this case, we were going to get a Christmas Carol (1901) film. We just were. We always do. Every
year, without fail. If not a theatrical release, then a TV movie. If not a TV
movie, then an episode in a show. It’s tradition. Like department stores
putting out ornaments before Halloween is even over. It’s not a tradition we
particularly need in our lives, but we suck it up because it’s just going to
happen.
At least, this year, we get something a little less on the
nose. It’s still basically a Christmas
Carol… but it’s got a twist to it that makes the old, constantly retold,
story seem a little newer.
I appreciate the fresh take. It was needed.
8 – Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (11/10)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Blueprint Pictures
Director: Martin
McDonagh
Writer: Martin
McDonagh
Actors: Frances
McDormand, Caleb Landry Jones, Kerry Condon, Sam Rockwell, Alejandro Barrios,
Jason Redford, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish, Riya May
Atwood, Selah Atwood, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Amanda Warren, Malaya Rivera
Drew, Sandy Martin, Peter Dinklage
Genre: Comedy,
Crime, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: In this darkly comic drama, a mother personally
challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder, when they fail
to catch the culprit.
The name of this film is very misleading. At first glance, I
thought it would be some kind of documentary. That’s not what the trailer gave
me. At all.
This film just suffers from Bad Title Syndrome. Basically,
that’s when the concept, cast, crew, and script are about twelve thousand times
better than the title leads you to believe.
In this case, the horrible TV Movie title is forgotten once
you start up the trailer and get a hint of the dark comedic drama that’s in
store for you. Really, I think this movie could be more popular than a lot of
the other films coming out this month – the problem is that the title is so
damn forgettable, that I’m not sure people will remember to see the film even
after the trailer hooks them.
7 – Wonder (11/17)
Tag Line: You can’t
try and blend in, when you were born to stand out.
Production Company:
Lionsgate, Mandeville Films, Participant Media, Walden Media
Director: Stephen
Chbosky
Writer: Stephen
Chbosky, Steve Conrad, Jack Thorne, R.J. Palacio
Actors: Julia
Roberts, Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Mandy Patinkin, Ali Liebert, Crystal
Lowe, Daveed Diggs, Izabela Vidovic, Nadji Jeter, Emma Tremblay, Sonia Braga,
Steve Bacic, Noah Jupe, Danielle Rose Russell
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
Length: 113
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER
tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy
with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream
elementary school for the first time.
This looks adorable and inspiring.
A lot of kids experience bullying throughout school. This protagonist,
though, has a special case. It will be really easy for kids with visible
physical disabilities or deformities to relate to Auggie. I think it’s
important to have that kind of film out there.
It’s not just an important film, I think it looks
entertaining as well.
There’s enough of a look at Jacob Tremblay’s (Shut In, The Book of Henry, Room)
performance in the trailer for me to believe he’s going to be amazing at his
role – despite his young age. Child actors are not usually my favorite to
watch, but he’s already captivating in a two-minute video. I feel like he’ll be
even more-so in a feature-length film.
Fun Fact: Izabela Vidovic (The Fosters, About a Boy, Homefront), an actor in this film, is
also one of the actors in the #1 Crowdfunding project for the week of
10/22/2017.
6 – Murder on the
Orient Express (11/10)
Tag Line: Everyone
is a suspect.
Production Company:
Twentieth Century Fox, Genre Films, Kinberg Genre, The Mark Gordon Company,
Scott Free Productions, Latina Pictures, The Estate of Agatha Christie
Director: Kenneth
Branagh
Writer: Michael
Green, Agatha Christie
Actors: Daisy
Ridley, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Kenneth
Branagh, Willem Dafoe, Josh Gad, Lucy Boynton, Marwan Kenzari, Olivia Colman,
Miranda Raison, Derek Jacobi, Tom Bateman, Leslie Odom Jr., Manuel
Garcia-Rulfo, Sergei Polunin
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Mystery
Rated: PG-13
Length: 114
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A lavish train ride unfolds into a stylish &
suspenseful mystery. From the novel by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient
Express tells of thirteen stranded strangers & one man's race to solve the
puzzle before the murderer strikes again.
Murder on the Orient
Express (1974) is a classic tale. It was bound to be remade constantly. The
fact that they went with a grade A cast and experienced project runners just
means that this particular remake will be beyond memorable.
I haven’t seen any of the adaptations, but I did read the
Agatha Christie (ABC Murders, Peril at
End House, Evil Under the Sun) novel when I was younger.
I’m thinking I’ll look up the original film version before I
see this one, but I’m guessing this one is going to hold up more simply due to
the techniques in use.
5 – My Friend
Dahmer (11/3)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Ibid Filmworks, Aperture Entertainment, Attic Light Films
Director: Marc
Meyers
Writer: Marc
Meyers, Derf Backderf
Actors: Anne
Heche, Ross Lynch, Vincent Kartheiser, Dallas Roberts, Alex Wolff, Miles
Robbins, Cameron McKendry, Harrison Holzer, Dontez James, Tommy Nelson, Katie
Stottlemire, Liam Koeth, Nancy Telzerow
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Horror
Rated: R
Length: 107
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Before Jeffrey Dahmer became a notorious serial
killer, he was a shy, alcoholic teen who never quite fit in. Based on the
acclaimed graphic novel by Derf Backderf, this is the true, haunting story of
Jeffrey Dahmer in high school.
This film looks super creepy and cringy.
It’s fascinating, because you can get to see what makes this
weird kid into one of the most well-known serial killers of all time. A part of
me is afraid to watch it because there’s going to be a sickening amount of
animal harm in it and that tends to make me queasy.
Still, this film seems like it will be something to watch
with other people. It may be too creepy for solo watching.
4 – Coco (11/22)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Lee
Unkrich, Adrian Molina
Writer: Lee
Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich, Adrian Molina
Actors: Edward
James Olmos, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Gael Garcia Bernal, John
Ratzenberger, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Cheech Marin, Gabriel Iglesias, Jaime Camil,
Alfonso Arau, Sofia Espinosa, Lombardo Boyar, Anthony Gonzalez, Selene Luna,
Renee Victor, Daniella Garcia, Luis Valdez, Blanca Araceli, Carla Medina,
Herbert Siguenza, Ana Ofelia Murguia, Denise Blasor, Octavio Solis
Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
Length: 109
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Aspiring musician Miguel teams up with charming
trickster Hector on an extraordinary journey through the Land of the Dead.
I was so concerned that the only kid’s movie that would make
this list was Pokemon. Luckily, that’s
not the case. This is a new Disney-Pixar film that looks just as awesome as all
their stuff usually does.
As with most of their later films, it touches on family as
well as some serious subjects that are difficult to approach with kids. In this
case, that subject is death. We’ve all heard someone tell their kid that the
old family pet went to live on a farm, or try to explain why they won’t be
seeing grandma anymore.
This film seems to give an alternate look at the idea that
the dead are still with us as long as we remember them. It’s a nice thought…
and makes the entire subject a little easier to swallow. Especially for a
young, innocent child.
Aside from that, it just looks really entertaining.
3 – I Love You,
Daddy (11/17)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
None Listed
Director: Louis
C.K.
Writer: Louis
C.K., Vernon Chatman
Actors: Pamela
Adlon, George Aloi, Rose Byrne, Louis C.K., Charlie Day, Venida Evans, Edie
Falco, Helen Hunt, Suzanne Lenz, John Malkovich, Doris McCarthy, Chloe Grace
Moretz, Ebonee Noel, Johnny Otto, Billy K. Peterson, Dan Puck, Souleymane Sy
Savane, Saskia Slaaf, Roger Brenner
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 123
minutes
IMDb Blurb: When a successful television writer's daughter
becomes the interest of an aging filmmaker with an appalling past, he becomes
worried about how to handle the situation.
Whenever I see a trailer like this, I think about the first
time I gave a black and white comedy a chance. That comedy was Clerks (1994).
Granted, there aren’t many similarities here… but there is
some sexual comedy and this film was written by a hilarious and established
comedian.
I wound up loving everything about this trailer. You can
tell, since it beat out a Disney-Pixar film in this list. It’s got a fantastic
cast and I just have significantly high hopes for the script.
Also, I highly doubt we’ll miss color in this kind of film.
2 – Justice
League (11/17)
Tag Line: Unite.
Production Company:
DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Lensbern Productions, Warner
Bros.
Director: Zack
Snyder
Writer: Chris
Terrio, Joss Whedon, Zack Snyder, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton
Marston, Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
Actors: Gal
Gadot, Robin Wright, Jason Momoa, Connie Nielsen, Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Ezra
Miller, Amber Heard, Henry Cavill, Diane Lane, Kiersey Clemons, Billy Crudup,
J. K. Simmons, Ciaran Hinds, Jeremy Irons, Jesse Eisenberg, Daniel Stisen, Ray
Fisher, Erin Eliza Blevins, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Samantha Jo, Eleanor Matsuura
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 121
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and
inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his
newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.
After Wonder Woman (2017),
I am cautiously optimistic about Justice
League.
In general, I love me some super heroes. Where comics are
concerned, I enjoy a mix of DC, Marvel, Vertigo, and random indie stuff. TV
shows are also a mix of Marvel and DC… but other media methods I’m pickier on.
The cinematic universe is definitely won by Marvel. DC has my heart where the
animated films are concerned.
This film… is not animated, but it’s DC. And that makes me
nervous. Because Martha. I feel like nothing explains my reasoning better than
that. Wonder Woman was great… but
that doesn’t mean this will be.
I still want to watch it anyway. It helps that Joss Whedon’s
(The Cabin in the Woods, Avengers: Age of
Ultron, Dollhouse) involved. It really does.
1 – Thor:
Ragnarok (11/3)
Tag Line: No
hammer. No problem.
Production Company:
Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Taika
Waititi
Writer: Eric
Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby
Actors: Chris
Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa
Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch,
Taika Waititi, Rachel House, Clancy Brown, Tadanabu Asano, Ray Stevenson,
Zachary Levi, Luke Hemsworth, Sam Neill, Charlotte Nicdao, Taylor Hemsworth,
Rob Mayes, Matt Damon, Stan Lee,
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 130
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Imprisoned, the mighty Thor finds himself in a
lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. Thor must fight
for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from
destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.
If a DC film is number two, then it’s a safe bet Marvel is
my number one.
Thor: Ragnarok
looks fucking amazing. That scene with The Hulk and Thor running into each
other in the coliseum (in the first trailer) is hilarious. First time I saw
that trailer was before another movie (don’t remember which) and I burst out
laughing… along with everyone else in the theater.
There’s so much awesome in this one trailer that it’s almost
impossible to believe that there could possibly be even more in the actual
film.
