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Production Companies:
Universal Pictures, Vendome Pictures, StudioCanal, Playtone Productions, Summit
Entertainment
Producer: Jeb
Brody, David Coatsworth, Katterli Frauenfelder, Fabrice Gianfermi, Gary
Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Philippe Rousselet, Steve Shareshian
Director: Tom
Hanks
Writer: Tom
Hanks, Nia Vardalos
Actors: Tom
Hanks, Sarah Mahoney, Roxana Ortega, Brady Rubin, Sy Richardson, Rob Riggle,
Dale Dye, Barry Sobel, Claudia Stedelin, Bob Stephenson, Rita Wilson, Cedric
the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Holmes Osborne, Wilmer Valderrama, Tom Budge,
Julia Roberts, Pam Grier, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Rami Malek, Malcolm Barrett, Grace
Gummer, Maria Canals-Barrera, A.B. Fofana, Sarah Levy, Julia Cho, Chad W.
Smathers, David L. Murphy, George Takei, Bryan Cranston, Carly Reeves, Ian
Gomez, Nia Vardalos, Herbert Siguenza, Ric Salinas, Richard Montoya
Stunt Doubles: Alex
Daniels, Daniel Headecker, Toby Holguin, Natascha Hopkins, Brian Machleit, Chrissy
Weathersby Ball
Blurb from Netflix:
Laid off from his longtime job at a soulless retail giant, an average
middle-age guy heads back to college, where he finds romance with a professor.
Selina’s Point of View:
I haven’t met a Tom Hanks (Toy Story, Ithaca, Captain Phillips) film that I dislike. I mean,
he’s in 82 of them (two are coming soon) so I haven’t seen them all. There
might be a stinker among them, I just haven’t seen it.
This film featured two sweethearts of the film industry.
Clearly, Tom Hanks is one of them. Sure, females are normally the ones
described as sweethearts… but Hanks absolutely deserves the title, too. Julia
Roberts (Money Monster, Mother's Day,
Mirror Mirror) would be the other.
When you take two titans of the industry and put them
together like this, it’s almost unfair to all the other movies. Then you throw
in phenomenal talents like Bryan Cranston (Power
Rangers, Why Him?, Breaking Bad), Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Person of Interest, No Good Deed), Rob Riggle (How to Be a Latin Lover, True Memoirs of an
International Assassin, Hell and Back), George Takei (Eat with Me, Axel: The Biggest Little Hero, Supah Ninjas), Cedric
the Entertainer (The Soul Man, Why Him?,
Top Five), Wilmer Valderrama (That
'70s Show, The Girl is Trouble, School Dance), Rami Malek (Mr. Robot, Need for Speed, Short Term 12),
Grace Gummer (Mr. Robot, Extant, Jenny's
Wedding), and Ian Gomez (Supergirl,
Cougar Town, The Drew Carey Show)… was there ever a question as to whether
or not this film would be good?
The script could have been crap, and it still would have
been a decent film. That said, the script was not crap and I really enjoyed the
plot. Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek
Wedding, I Hate Valentine's Day, Connie and Carla) is a great writer.
Where romantic comedies are concerned, this is the single
best that I’ve seen in a very long time. If not the actual best.
I can’t think of a single complaint.
Everything from the acting to the background music all
seemed to really fit. The people who worked on this film were working at the
top of their game. I think that’s a real testament to what working for a good
director, like Tom Hanks, could be like. If things are chill behind the scenes,
you can tell on the screen. You can tell because it looks like the people want
to be there.
I would absolutely watch this again.
Cat’s Point of View:
I have to admit that, while I was vaguely aware of this
movie before, it was largely flying under my radar. Other than knowing who the
leads were, I really didn’t remember what it was supposed to be about when I
started it. What I discovered was a wonderful blend of drama and comedy that
was a delight to experience.
What about the romance element, you ask? Well it was there,
certainly, but it wasn’t in-your-face the way a lot of romantic comedies are.
This was more slanting towards the ‘dramedy’ combination.
I can certainly relate with Tom Hanks’ (Saving Mr. Banks, Sully, Inferno) character, Larry. They do say
that one door closing means another will open for you – or something like that.
It doesn’t make things suck any less to unexpectedly find your life turned
upside down out of left field. I have been there more than once. Sometimes it
takes longer than others for that other door to open.
Can we talk about this cast for a second? I was really
tickled over quite a few of the actors. The talent was just packed in and was
quite an eclectic mix; such as Taraji P. Henson (Date Night, Think Like a Man, Term Life), George Takei (Heroes, Money Fight, Kubo and the Two
Strings), and Wilmer Valderrama (To
Whom It May Concern, The Adderall Diaries, NCIS) -- to name a few.
I’m not sure that this is my favorite role for Julia Roberts
(Eat Pray Love, The Normal Heart, Secret
in Their Eyes), but I certainly couldn’t fault her performance. Just as
Hanks’ role was relatable – I could empathize with Roberts’ character and that
ground down feeling.
Hanks and, fellow screenwriter for this film, Nia Vardalos (My Life in Ruins, Helicopter Mom, Star vs.
the Forces of Evil), really captured some magic here.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Not only would I
watch it again, but I would recommend it in a heartbeat.
Producer: Carol
Cuddy, Trevor Engelson, Michael Lannan, Nick Osborne, Robert Pattinson
Director: Allen
Coulter
Writer: Will
Fetters
Actors: Caitlyn
Rund, Chris Cooper, Robert Pattinson, Tate Ellington, Emilie de Ravin, Ruby
Jerins, Lena Olin, Gregory Jbara, Pierce Brosnan, Meghan Markle, Chris
McKinney, Kate Burton, Martha Plimpton
Stunt Doubles: Paul
Darnell, Samantha MacIvor
Blurb from Netflix:
Tyler’s still feeling lost following the tragedy that’s strained his
relationship with his father when he meets Ally, a girl who understands his
pain.
Selina’s Point of View:
Holy balls, that took a hard left turn.
I’m writing this forty-five minutes later and my eyes are still
wet. That film went in a completely different direction than I expected it to.
I’m going to stick to talking about the beginning and the
middle right now, because the ending might as well have been another movie
altogether.
To start off with, it was pretty much what you would expect
from a romantic drama. In fact, the beginning was so normal that it could have
been the start of any romantic drama out there. I particularly liked the
pick-up lines Robert Pattinson (The Lost
City of Z, Cosmopolis, Little Ashes), as Tyler, had to issue when he first
met Emilie de Ravin’s (Once Upon a Time,
Love and Other Trouble, The Perfect Game) character. They were such
bullshit, dorky lines. However, it’s because Pattinson’s character was not
smooth that it made sense.
I hate going into a rom-com or rom-dram and watching the
supposedly nervous guy be so smooth that his shit clearly doesn’t stink. That
was not an issue here.
Pattinson isn’t even an actor I really like, but I enjoyed
his part in Remember Me. I respected
his chemistry with Tate Ellington (Shameless,
The Endless, Straight Outta Compton), the actor playing Tyler’s best
friend, and Ravin – but it was his interaction with Pierce Brosnan (No Escape, Survivor, The Love Punch)
that had me glued to the screen a lot of the time. Not just because I totally
related to the speech Pattinson’s character gave at one point… though that
helped.
I’m kind of stalling because I don’t know what to write
about that ending. How the hell do I do it justice?
The most I can really tell you, without issuing spoilers, is
that I didn’t even consider the possibility of the ending. It caught me so
off-guard that my mouth was hanging open the whole time. As I’ve said, it could
have been the end to a different movie. I don’t mean it was off topic or that
it didn’t fit, I mean that they took life and made this film reflect the
unpredictability. That is not an easy thing to do. Especially successfully.
That’s what this whole review comes down to. Remember Me was successful. It was a
tearjerker that broke my heart over and over again while keeping me riveted.
Cat’s Point of View:
Wow.
I’m actually reeling a bit in the wake of watching this
movie.
That’s not a bad thing, though, I promise. I just couldn’t
have seen the ending coming even if it was the speeding freight train I was
standing on the tracks of – and it feels like it hit me like that, too.
I’m going to admit that I underestimated this movie a little.
Scratch that. A lot. Given that this was filmed during a time when Robert
Pattinson (Water for Elephants, Bel Ami,
Queen of the Desert) was on top of the world because he could be broody and
sparkle, I guess I expected that this would fall into the same sort of romantic
drama recipe – sans supernatural glitter-bugs.
Boy was I wrong.
Pattinson really didn’t get much of a chance to shine in the
tales of wand-wielding wizard school – there was just too much else going on.
This movie offered up so many opportunities to show his range through a whole
gauntlet of emotions – which he delivered believably. I was sucked into the
story; and even found myself worried about, and rooting for his character. Not
to mention Emilie de Ravin’s (The Hills
Have Eyes, Lost, The Submarine Kid). She displayed her character’s strength
and vulnerability beautifully.
The supporting cast here was also great.
I was jazzed that we had two Pierce Brosnan (The World's End, Urge, The Son) movies
this week. Surprisingly, I liked this much more than the one we watched for
Monday. Tate Ellington (The Kitchen,
Sinister 2, Quantico) was an epic best friend slash roommate, as well.
I’m not saying that the film didn’t play on some of the
well-established romantic drama tropes. I am saying, however, that it put a new
spin on the old recipe to give it a kick – right to the feels. I really have to
tip my hat to the screenwriter, Will Fetters (Georgetown, The Lucky One, The Best of Me), for this one. There
were so many little nuances in the story that spell a bigger picture than was
just hiding in plain sight.
I would definitely recommend this movie in a heartbeat.
Unfortunately, I don’t think I can watch it again after it already stomped on
my feels already.
Producer: Todd
Black, David J. Bloomfield, Jason Blumenthal, Topher Dow, Norman Golightly,
Stephen Jones, Aaron Kaplan, Ryne Douglas Pearson, Sean Perrone, Alex Proyas,
Steve Tisch
Director: Alex
Proyas
Writer: Ryne
Douglas Pearson, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White
Actors: Nicolas
Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, Lara Robinson, D.G. Maloney, Nadia
Townsend, Alan Hopgood, Adrienne Pickering, Joshua Long, Danielle Carter,
Alethea McGrath, David Lennie, Ben Mendelsohn, Gareth Yuen, Liam Hemsworth
Blurb from Netflix:
An MIT astrophysics professor and his son unearth a string of numbers from a
time capsule that seem to reveal a cataclysm that will wipe out humanity.
Selina’s Point of View:
I had some knowledge of this film before I saw it. I had
seen bits and pieces of the ending, but I saw it out of context so I can’t
really say I was spoiled. Never-the-less, it was enough information for me to
be able to suss out the ending pretty quickly. I will say that if I hadn’t seen
those minor spoilers, I wouldn’t have been able to predict much at all.
Knowing had a
really interesting premise, but that wasn’t the part I enjoyed the most. I
rather enjoyed the execution of the plot. I mean, plenty of films have the same
basic premise, but this one puts a spin on it that I rarely see.
I’m not surprised by the bad reviews that I’ve read about
this film, however. The films that take the route Knowing took tend to get pretty rough reviews. It doesn’t matter
who’s in the cast, how well they do, who the director is, or anything else; critics
hate this kind of film. It’s unfortunate. Because films like this leave you
guessing and kind of take the safety of tropes away from the audience. Due to
the films being labelled ‘unpredictable’, instead of being judged on their own
merits, they’re described as Shymalanesk and shrugged off.
That’s what I saw people say about this film. Quite frankly,
I do not believe it felt like an M. Night Shyamalan (The Village, Devil, Lady in the Water) film. There was a twist,
yes, but not one that was out of the realm of possibility. It wasn’t from far
over in left field, there was ample fore-shadowing. If I had been more
interested in guessing what came next than letting myself get engulfed in the
film, I probably would have figured it out.
Aside from that, there were a lot of biblical references.
None that I can really bring up by name without ruining the film, however.
Personally, I liked the film’s basic interpretation of those references. I
understood what they were talking about, but didn’t feel slapped in the face by
them.
I wasn’t completely impressed with the acting. Most of it
was good, but there were parts that left me wanting. I feel like it wasn’t
entirely the cast’s fault, though. It’s tough making a grown-up film with kid
actors. Sometimes they just don’t fully comprehend the content which makes it
difficult for them to figure out what would be realistic acting in that
situation.
When it comes down to it, even with the flaws, I enjoyed
this film. I’d watch it again.
Cat’s Point of View:
Having already seen Nicholas Cage (The Wicker Man, Trespass, The Trust) in his future-predicting role
in Next (2007), I wasn’t sure I was
going to encounter anything new in this movie. There were some distinct
differences, however, that set this movie apart from the film he worked on 2
years prior.
While the movie was somewhat predictable in places, I have
to give it credit for being rather intense. There are some scenes that are just
hard to watch. This is definitely not one to share with small children or
anyone easily disturbed or distressed by graphic images. (Not the nudity kind.)
There are a handful of geeky Easter Eggs in the movie,
though most of them would likely go over the average audience’s head. (I know
they went right over mine – but I’m not into high math or astrophysics,
either.) After you watch the movie, consider looking them up – looking back, I
found them pretty neat.
There’s some shaky-cam in places that felt a bit jarring to
me but it wasn’t anything that became a consistent problem.
For all that I thought I had things figured out – it’s
possible that this movie could just surprise you like it did me.
I’d more than likely end up watching this again, and would
recommend this one to Cage fans for sure. He’s actually pretty serious and not
all loony in this one.
Production Company:
Anonymous Content, Ball & Chain Productions, Star Thrower Entertainment
Director: Kasra
Farahani
Writer: Mark
Bianculli, Jeff Richard
Actors: James
Caan, Logan Miller, Keir Gilchrist, Laura Innes, Edwin Hodge, Anne Dudek,
Bailey Noble, Lili Reinhart, Mindy Sterling, Nik Dodani, Tamlyn Tomita, Dean
Cameron, William Charles Mitchell, Billy Khoury, Ted King, Luke Spencer
Roberts, Elyse Dinh, Hannah Elise Pilkington
Genre: Thriller
Rated: Unrated
This film kind of defaulted to my list because there was
nothing else interesting, or even mildly amusing, that I wanted to see this
month.
Basically, The Good
Neighbor is just like Rear Window (1954),
Disturbia (2007), and every other
thousand films that follow the same basic plot. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed
both the aforementioned films, but the tropes are getting old. The only reason
I’m even mildly interested by The Good
Neighbor is because it seems to touch on what happens to the neighbor ‘spy’
when the story is over (the trailer focuses on a court trial involving one of
the ‘spies’).
I don’t expect much from this film, but James Caan (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Get
Smart, Las Vegas) is very, very good… so he might make it worth watching
even if the minor twist doesn’t change the plot enough to matter.
19 – Who Gets the
Dog (9/13)
Tag Line: Breakups
can be woof!
Production Company:
2DS Productions
Director: Huck
Botko
Writer: Matt JL
Wheeler, Rick Rapoza
Actors: Alicia
Silverstone, Ryan Kwanten, Randall Batinkoff, Michele Sweeney Abrams, Amy J.
Carle, Paul Rawson, Rachel Cerda, Danny Rhodes, J. Anthony Kopec, Lamar Curtis,
Asta Razma, Matty Ryan, Chris P. Demetriou
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
Watching the trailer for this film makes it absolutely
obvious how it’s going to go. The main characters break up, they fight over the
dog, the dog either gets sick or dies, and the fear/mourning brings the couple
back together again. I really don’t foresee any twist to the story from what
the trailer shows.
Still, it looks funny.
Alicia Silverstone (Angels
in Stardust, Ass Backwards, Braceface) and Ryan Kwanten (Reach Me, True Blood, Knights of Badassdom)
have very compatible comedic acting styles. Even before I saw the trailer, with
just the IMDB page to inform me about the film, I knew the two actors would
likely work well together.
This film didn’t make my list based on any interest in the
plot, it was simply the actors involved that caught my eye.
18 – Blair Witch
(9/16)
Tag Line: There’s
something evil hiding in the woods.
Production Company:
Lionsgate, Room 101, Snoot Entertainment, Vertigo Entertainment
Director: Adam
Wingard
Writer: Simon
Barrett
Actors: Corbin
Reid, Wes Robinson, Valorie Curry, James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandex,
Brandon Scott
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: R
I’ve never been a fan of the original Blair Witch Project (1999) film. Its sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000), wasn’t even in the same feel as the first one which always irked
me. When I heard that they were making a third one, I wasn’t really all that
interested, until I learned who the director was.
Adam Wingard (V/H/S,
The Guest, You’re Next) is a great director. He’s done a lot of shaky cam,
which isn’t my thing at all, and he was featured in the ABCs of Death (2012), which is not a film I enjoyed at all. However,
even when he’s part of those type of projects that I dislike, he winds up
creating something really amazing that actually speaks to me.
I don’t think I’ll be seeing the new Blair Witch in theaters, but I might catch it on TV or Netflix
later on. Hopefully, Wingard will do something incredible with the third film
of the series.
17 – When the
Bough Breaks (9/16)
Tag Line: It all
went wrong.
Production Company:
Screen Gems, Unique Features
Director: Jon
Cassar
Writer: Jack
Olsen
Actors: Morris
Chestnut, Jaz Sinclair, Regina Hall, Theo Rossi, Sue-Lynn Ansari, Glenn
Morshower, Christina Bach, Heather Ashley Chase, Tom Nowicki, GiGi Erneta,
Denise Gossett, Isabella B. Turner, Brett Baker, Ted Ferguson, Jeff Caperton
Genre: Drama,
Horror, Mystery
Rated: PG-13
Before I get into the reason I chose this film, I want to
make sure everyone knows this is not a remake of When the Bough Breaks (1947) or When
the Bough Breaks (1993). Clearly someone is running out of ideas for movie
titles because it’s getting ridiculous.
That being said, this film looks like it really rides the
line between thriller and horror. I was fascinated by the trailer. It was
sufficiently creepy.
Still not a film I’d shell out $18 to see in theaters, but I
DO want to see it.
16 – Ithaca (9/9)
Tag Line: One
message will change everything.
Production Company:
Co-Op Entertainment, Apple Lane Productions, Pilothouse Pictures, Playtone,
Bron Studios, Creative Wealth Media Finance
Director: Meg
Ryan
Writer: Erik
Jendresen, William Saroyan
Actors: Tom
Hanks, Meg Ryan, Sam Shepard, Hamish Linklater, Molly Gordon, Jack Quaid,
Gabriel Basso, Scott Shepherd, Alex Neustaedter, Alex Miller, Christine Nelson,
Connor Berry, Kaira Klueber, Robin Skye, Lucia Scarano, Lois Robbins, Griffin
Littles, Danny Jolles, Spencer Howell, Ethan Wasson, Nick Williams, Bridget
Gethins
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
What year is it?
The Spice Girls were on the radio while I was at a
restaurant the other day, my husband is obsessed with Rubix Cubes, and Tom
Hanks (Saving Mr. Banks, Captain
Phillips, Electric City) and Meg Ryan (In
the Land of Women, Kate & Leopold, City of Angels) are in another movie
together. What time machine have I stepped into?
Hanks and Ryan are known for their chemistry. In the 90s
they starred together in: Joe vs. the
Volcano (1990), Sleepless in Seattle
(1993), and You’ve Got Mail (1998).
It makes sense that when Ryan got the chance to direct her first full-length
feature film that she would choose Hanks to star in it.
I’m not only looking forward to the on-screen chemistry,
though. The story looks fascinating. It’s based on a book, The Human Comedy by William Saroyan, which was based on a mix of
the original author’s life and Homer’s Odyssey.
I haven’t read the book, but seeing World War II through the eyes of a
messenger instead of through the eyes of a soldier or a victim, is something I’ve
never seen before.
I really hope Ryan did right by the story and I’m looking
forward to seeing how it came out.
15 – The Wild Life
(9/9)
Tag Line: Just
because you’re stranded… doesn’t mean you can’t make some friends.
Production Company:
Illuminata Pictures, StudioCanal, nWave Pictures, uFilm
Director: Vincent
Kesteloot, Ben Stassen
Writer: Lee
Christopher, Domonic Paris, Graham Weldon, Daniel Defoe
Actors: Matthias
Schweighofer, Kaya Yanar, Ilka Bessin, Dieter Hallervorden, Aylin Tezel, Ghadah
Al-Akel, Tommy Mergenstern, Melanie Hinze, Bert Franzke, Tobias Lelle, Gerald
Schaale, Jesco Wirthgen, Jan Makino, Axel Lutter, Jan-David Ronfeldt, Colin
Metzger, Yuri Lowenthal, Sandy Fox, Doug Stone, Ron Allen, Michael Sorich, Jay
Jones, Marieve Herington, Dennis O’Connor, Jeff Doucette, Debi Tinsley, Laila
Berzins, B.J. Oakie, Joey Camen, Kyle Hebert, Alexandra Jimenez, David Howard
Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
The story of Robinson
Crusoe from the point of view of the animals.
This months is all about similar stories that have different
perspectives, isn’t it?
I found the trailer for this film to be adorable and
amusing. Between that and the unique perspective, how could I not want to see
it?
14 – The
Dressmaker (9/23)
Tag Line: Revenge
is back in fashion.
Production Company:
Screen Australia, Ingenious Senior Film Fund, Film Art Media, Embankment Films,
White Hot Productions
Director: Jocelyn
Moorhouse
Writer: Rosalie
Ham, P.J. Hogan, Jocelyn Moorhouse
Actors: Kate
Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving, Sarah Snook, Judy Davis, Caroline
Goodall, Kerry Fox, Rebecca Gibney, Julia Blake, Hayley Magnus, Gyton Grantley,
James Mackay, Shane Jacobson, Barry Otto
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
I’ll attempt to explain the presence of this film on my list
without going into the topless Liam Hemsworth (Paranoia, Independence Day: Resurgence, The Duel) scene, but it won’t
be easy. He IS my favorite Hemsworth brother.
That being said, the movie doesn’t look terrible. I’m not
much for fashion, but there’s an underlying mystery/drama story going on
through the trailer that intrigues me. THIS is what a trailer should be. It
raises enough questions that I wind up wanting answers, but it doesn’t confuse
me. Who did the woman supposedly kill? Did she actually kill him? Questions
like that are what drive people to want to see a film.
Dramas aren’t usually my thing, but this one seems to have
moments of comedy and mystery. I think that’ll make it much more interesting.
13 – Skiptrace (9/2)
Tag Line: Watch
your backup.
Production Company:
Cider Mill Pictures, Dasym Enetertainment, InterTitle Films, JC Group
International, Talent International Media
Director: Renny
Harlin
Writer: Jay
Longino, BenDavid Grabinski, Wen-Chia Chang
Actors: Jackie
Chan, Johnny Knoxville, Bingbing Fan, Eric Tsang, Eve Torres, Winston Chao,
Lanxin Zhang, Michael Wong, Jai Day, Youn Junghoon, Charlie Rawes
Genre: Action,
Comedy
Rated: PG-13
I just want to see Jackie Chan (Police Story: Lockdown, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Karate Kid) and Johnny
Knoxville (Bad Grandpa, Movie 43, Walking
Tall) play off each other. The images in my mind are probably funnier than what
the movie will show, but still.
12 – I.T. (9/23)
Tag Line: Your
life is not secure.
Production Company:
Voltage Films, Friendly Films, Irish DreamTime, Mutressa Movies, 22h22, Fastnet
Films
Director: John
Moore
Writer: Dan Kay,
William Wisher Jr.
Actors: Anna
Friel, Pierce Brosnan, Stefanie Scott, Michael Nyqvist, James Frencheville,
Clare-Hope Ashitey, Jason Barry, Austin Swift , Adam Fergus, Rico Simonini,
Bruce Johnson, Melissa Veszi, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Brian F. Mulvey, David
McSavage, Olivia Romao, John D. Hickman, Steve Hartland
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Mystery
Rated: Unrated
Pierce Brosnan (The
World’s End, Mamma Mia!, The World is Not Enough) is acting royalty. He is
the king of any part he plays. It’s very rare for him to be in a film that I
don’t instantly want to see just because he’s in it.
In this case, the plot also looks kind of interesting. It’s
part ‘old guy in an action film of the month’ and part thriller, according to
the trailer. It’s got the basic stalker tropes in it, but it’s brought into the
era of automation in a way that I think will breathe fresh life into the
recipe.
11 – Morgan (9/2)
Tag Line: Don’t
let it out.
Production Company:
Scott Free Productions
Director: Luke
Scott
Writer: Seth E.
Owen
Actors: Kate
Mara, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rose Leslie, Michael Yare, Toby Jones, Chris Sullivan,
Boyd Holbrook, Vinette Robinson, Brian Cox, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul
Giamatti, Crispian Belfrage, Amybeth McNulty, Jonathan Aris, Charlotte Asprey
Genre: Drama,
Horror, Mystery
Rated: R
Does IMDB not categorize films as Sci-Fi or Fantasy anymore?
Clearly Morgan is a Sci-Fi film – it includes
“an artificially created humanoid being” (as written by IMDB itself), but the
only genres listed are those written above.
Whatever the reason it was categorized as it was, Morgan looks like an awesome new hard
Sci-Fi film. I’m not a HUGE fan of Kate Mara (House of Cards, The Martian, Man Down), but the story looks amazing
anyway.
10 – Tell Me How
I Die (9/16)
Tag Line: Knowing
your fate is a real killer.
Production Company:
Base Station, Big Block Media Holdings, Culprit Creative, Supergravity Pictures
Director: D.J.
Viola
Writer: James
Hibberd, Rob Warren Thomas, D.J. Viola
Actors: Nathan
Kress, Virginia Gardner, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Ryan Higa, Mark Furze, Ethan
Peck, William Mapother, Mark Rolston, Christopher Allen, Katie Booth, Shaun
Brown, Daisun Cohn-Williams, Reiley McClendon, Wayne Alon Scott, Matthew Skomo,
Pam Trotter
Genre: Horror
Rated: Unrated
The trailer for this film reminds me of Final Destination (2000). I really enjoy that kind of
premonition-based recipe horror. I don’t expect much from it, but there is
usually a twist that makes the good versions very interesting in the long run.
9 – Queen of
Katwe (9/23)
Tag Line: One
girl's triumphant path to becoming a chess champion.
Production Company:
ESPN Films, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Mira
Nair
Writer: Tim
Crothers, William Wheeler
Actors: Lupita
Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Madina Nalwanga, Russel
Savadier, Esther Tebandeke, Peter Odeke, Maurice Kirya, Tebandeke Samuel,
Charity Rose Pimer, Taryn Kyaze
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Sport
Rated: PG
Disney is a favorite production company of mine and this
film looks like it’s right up the company’s alley. It’s heartwarming and
inspirational and seeming to be on the feel-good side of things.
I don’t know that I would categorize chess as a sport, but
the story still seems to be a very interesting one.
8 – Deepwater
Horizon (9/30)
Tag Line: When
faced with our darkest hour, hope is not a tactic.
Production Company:
Closest to the Hole Productions, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Imagenation Abu Dhabi
FZ, Leverage Entertainment, Lionsgate, Participant Media, Summit Entertainment
Director: Peter
Berg
Writer: Matthew
Michael, Matthew Sand, David Rohde, Stephanie Saul
Actors: Mark
Wahlberg, Dylan O’Brien, Kate Hudson, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, Ethan
Suplee, John Malkovich, Joe Chrest, J.D. Evermore, Robert Walker Branchaud,
James DuMont, David Moldonado
Genre: Action,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
A lot of the films on my list this month are based on true
stories. This is another one of them. In this case, the action involved makes
the truth the story was based on seem even more fantastic. On top of that, if
it were just an action film, I would immediately assume there was a happy
ending, but that isn’t always the case when there’s truth involved (even if it’s
just a little truth). I’m a sucker for a more realistic ending.
7 – The
Magnificent Seven (9/23)
Tag Line: Justice
has a number.
Production Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Columbia Pictures, LStar Capital, Village Roadshow
Pictures, Pin High Productions, Escape Artists
Director: Antoine
Fuqua
Writer: Akira
Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, Richard Wenk, Nic Pizzolatto
Actors: Denzel
Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel
Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Haley Bennett, Peter Sarsgaard, Luke Grimes,
Matt Bomer, Jonathan Joss, Cam Gigandet, Emil Beheshti, Mark Ashworth, Billy
Slaughter
Genre: Action,
Western
Rated: PG-13
Get ready to sigh.
This film is a remake of a remake. It’s a remake of The Magnificent Seven (1960), which was
a remake of Seven Samurai (1954).
Yes, Hollywood is so into remakes and reboots right now that they are double
remaking things.
It’s because of that remake culture that’s diluting our
movie lives, that I hate myself a little for wanting to see this film. Knowing
the plot looks awesome should make me want to see the film’s predecessors. I
should want to see the original, not the imitation.
It’s Vincent D’Onofrio’s (Daredevil, Jurassic World, Ass Backwards) fault. Ever since the first
time I saw him, in Full Metal Jacket (1987),
I’ve been mildly obsessed with him. He’s a phenomenal actor. Put him in a film
with Denzel Washinton (Unstoppable, The
Equalizer, American Gangster) and Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Her, What’s Your Number) and there’s no way I’m
not gonna want to see it. That’s just playing dirty.
6 – Denial (9/30)
Tag Line: The
whole world knows the holocaust happened. Now she needs to prove it.
Production Company:
Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment, Participant Media, Shoebox Films
Director: Mick
Jackson
Writer: David
Hare, Deborah Lipstadt
Actors: Rachel
Weisz, Andrew Scott, Timothy Spall, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Gatiss, Jack Lowden,
Harriet Walter, Alex Jennings, Caren Pistorius, Andrea Deck, Maximilian Befort,
Todd Boyce
Genre: Biography,
Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
I come from a Jewish family and my mother was always big on
the idea that forgetting the past ensures that you commit the same mistakes in
the future. As a result, I was always reading about the holocaust and World War
II.
With racism and religious hatred being such a huge part of
what’s going on in the world right now, I think that thought process is more
important than ever. That makes this film necessary.
Holocaust deniers piss me off, but it’s important to know
they exist. I mean, I get it. The holocaust was such a terrible thing that no
one WANTS to believe it happened… but it did. Holocaust deniers are on the same
level as those people who believe the world is flat again. I look forward to
seeing this movie.
5 – 31 (9/1)
Tag Line: Death
is the only escape.
Production Company:
Bow and Arrow Entertainment, PalmStar Media, Protagonist Pictures, Spectacle
Entertainment Group, Spookshow International, Windy Hill Pictures
Director: Rob
Zombie
Writer: Rob
Zombie
Actors: Meg
Foster, Sheri Moon Zombie, Elizabeth Daily, Malcolm McDowell, Sandra Rosko,
Richard Brake, Daniel Roebuck, Ginger Lynn, Jane Carr, Judy Geeson, Tracey
Walter, Torsten Voges, Lew Temple, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Jeff Daniel
Phillips, David Ury, Devin Sidell, Pancho Moler, Kara Gibson, Andrea Dora,
Jermain Hollman, Esperanze America, Kevin Jackson, Michael ‘Red Bone’ Alcott
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: R
I’m a huge fan of Rob Zombie (Halloween, House of 1000 Corpses, The Lords of Salem). I will watch
anything he writes or directs, I will listen to any music he makes… really I’ll
just throw money at him to get to see his creations.
4 – Goat (9/23)
Tag Line: Cruelty.
Brutality. Fraternity.
Production Company:
Killer Films, Fresh Jade, RabbitBandini Productions
Director: Andrew
Neel
Writer: David
Gordon Green, Brad Land, Andrew Neel, Mike Roberts
Actors: Ben
Schnetzer, Nick Jonas, Gus Halper, Danny Flaherty, Virginia Gardner, Jake
Picking, Brock Yurich, Will Pullen, Austin Lyon, Eric Staves, James Franco,
Jamara Jackson, Taylor Brown
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
This film looks fascinating. I’m almost certain I can guess
the ending, but that doesn’t changing anything. Hazing is a big issue in
college circles and the way it seems to be portrayed in this film makes me want
to watch it.
I suspect the ending will be very, very sad.
3 – Miss
Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (9/30)
Tag Line: Stay
peculiar.
Production Company:
Bulletproof Cupid, Chernin Entertainment, Scope Pictures, St. Petersburg
Clearwater Film Commission, Tim Burton Productions
Director: Tim
Burton
Writer: Jane
Goldman, Ransom Riggs
Actors: Eva
Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Asa Butterfield, Allison Janney, Kim Dickens, Elia
Purnell, Chris O’Dowd, Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, Milo Parker,
Ella Wahlestedt, Raffiella Chapman, O-Lan Jones, Pixie Davies, Lauren
McCrostie, Aidan Flowers
Genre: Adventure,
Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
I haven’t read the book this film is based on, but my mother
has. She told me about it several months ago and said that it was something I’d
probably enjoy. Judging from the trailer, she’s right.
I enjoy this kind of film that plucks a kid from normal
surroundings and insists they’re special. I think it sends a really good
message to children that watch it. It shows them that weird is good and that
they can be the hero if they want to. Kids really need that message.
I look forward to both seeing the film and reading the book.
2 – Snowden (9/16)
Tag Line: The
only safe place is on the run.
Production Company:
Endgame Entertainment, Vendian Entertainment, KrautPack Entertainment
Director: Oliver
Stone
Writer: Kieran Fitzgerald,
Oliver Stone, Anatoly Kucherena, Luke Hardin
Actors: Scott
Eastwood, Shailene Woodley, Nicolas Cage, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Timothy
Olyphant, Zachary Quinto, Logan Marshall-Green, Joely Richardson, Ben
Schnetzer, Melissa Leo
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
This is another film based on a true story.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The
Night Before, Premium Rush, Don Jon) was a great choice for Snowden and he
seems to be taking to the part exceptionally well as far as I can see in the trailer.
The cast working with him is filled with some of my other favorites as well:
Scott Eastwood (Suicide Squad, The
Longest Ride, Fury), Nicolas Cage (Left
Behind, Outcast, Rage), Shailene Woodley (Allegiant, White Bird in a Blizzard, The Secret Life of the American
Teenager), Timothy Olyphant (This is
Where I Leave You, I Am Number Four, Rango) and Zachary Quinto (Star Trek Beyond, The Slap, American Horror
Story).
With a cast like that, and an interesting story, this film
looks like it’s going to be outstanding.
1 – The Girl with
all the Gifts (9/23)
Tag Line: Our
greatest threat is our only hope.
Production Company:
Poison Chef, BFI Film Fund, Altitude Film Entertainment
Director: Colm
McCarthy
Writer: Mike
Carey
Actors: Gemma
Arterton, Glenn Close, Paddy Considine, Dominique Tipper, Anamarie Marinca,
Lobna Futers, Sennia Nanua, Daniel Eghan, Anthony Welsh, Fisayo Akinade, Alex
Reed
Genre: Drama,
Horror, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
I fell in love with this film the moment I saw the trailer.
It’s a new take on the zombie apocalypse recipe. It’s rare for there to be a
NEW take on zombies these days, because the old takes are so popular. I am
seriously considering shelling out the money to see this in theaters.
Production Companies:Brainstorm Media,
EchoWolf Productions, Shout! Factory
Director:Mark Pavia
Writer:Mark Pavia
Actors:Makenzie Vega,
Cassidy Freeman, Lora Martinez-Cunningham, Bill Sage, Dre Davis, Steven Michael
Quezada, Kelsey Leos Montoya
Genre:Horror, Thriller
Rated:NR
This looks like a movie that fans of
classic slasher horror will really appreciate. It seems to hearken back to the
days when Jason Voorhees ruled the screen. The story seems to take a new twist
on the horror/thriller recipe (at the very least in victim selection). I’m
looking forward to seeing how it stands up to other films in the genre.
19 – Wiener-dog (6/24)
Tag Line: Experience four different stories and the one dog that
connects them all.
Production Company: Annapurna Pictures, Killer Films
Director: Todd Solondz
Writers: Todd Solondz
Actors: Charlie Tahan, Greta Gerwig, Zosia Mamet, EllenBurstyn, Danny DeVito, Kieran Culkin, Clara
Mamet, Julie Delpy, Tracy Lets, Michael James Shaw
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
This movie looks fun and quirky. Four different takes on the different owners and lives of the same dog. It looks both hilarious and endearing and worth a watch.
18
– Careful What You Wish For (6/10)
Tag Line: This summer, temptation, seduction, obsession has its
price.
Production Companies: Troika Pictures, Hyde Park Entertainment, Merced Media
Partners, Amasia Entertainment, Roberi Media
Director: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum
Writer: Chris Frisina
Actors: Dermot Mulroney, Isabel Lucas, Nick Jonas, Graham Rogers,
Kandyse McClure, Paul Sorvino, Alex ter Avest
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
The trailer of this movie had me
thinking a bit about Sleeping With the
Enemy (1991) – though with a bit of a twist. I’m interested in seeing what Nick
Jonas (Hawaii 5-O, Scream Queens, Goat)
does with a dramatic role on the big screen. I’ve enjoyed his work in
television, since his departure from his boy band member persona. The movie
looks steamy and is Jonas’ character the hero or a villain?
17 – No Stranger Than Love (6/17)
Tag Line: Looking for love in all the wrong places.
Production Companies: Innis Lake Entertainment, Pangaea Pictures
Director: Nick Wernham
Writer: Steve Adams
Actors: Alison Brie, Justin Chatwin, Colin Hanks, Mark Forward,
Christopher Cordell, Lisa Berry
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rated: R
I love the whimsy in the
concept of a cartoonesque hole opening up in the main character’s living room
floor. I’m looking forward to seeing what else might be laced into the plot to
add to the romance or comedic elements.
16 – The Neon Demon (6/24)
Tag Line: The wicked die young
Production Company: Space Rocket Nation, Vendian Entertainment, Bold Films
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writers: Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, Polly Stenham
Actors: Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Elle Fanning, Jena
Malone, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote, Desmond Harrington, Jamie Clayton
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
This movie intrigued me with its
trailer. It seems to be a movie exploring the predatory nature of the modeling
world in a literal horror-movie sense. If nothing else, this film looks like it
will be visually stunning. Visuals like that are even better on the big screen.
15
– Electra Woman & Dyna Girl (6/7)
Tag Line: Meet Hollywood's newest super stars.
Production Company: Legendary Digital Media
Director: Chris Marrs Piliero
Writer: Chris Marrs Piliero
Actors: Hannah Hart, Grace Helbig, Christopher Coutts, Trevor
Lerner, Matreya Fedor, Aaron Paul Stewart, Andy Buckley, Clayton Chitty
Genre: Comedy
Rated: NR
This is an unusual add to our list,
considering that signs are pointing to this property as an 8-part TV
mini-series. Though, other sources show this being released across digital
platforms this month as an 81 minute film with a July DVD release date. If the
series is set to launch, this might be a film-length pilot. Either way, we love
a good super hero movie – even if it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There
are plenty of big budget movies around at the moment that do that so let’s walk
on the lighter side!
14
– Clown (6/17)
Tag Line: The kids aren't alright.
Production Companies: Cross Creek Pictures, PS 260, Vertebra Films, Zed
Filmworks
Director: Jon Watts
Writer: Christopher Ford, Jon Watts
Actors: Andy Powers, Laura Allen, Peter Stormare, Christian
Distefano, Chuck Shamata, Elizabeth Whitmere, Matthew Stefiuk, Eli Roth
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Rated: R
Just the title alone might strike
fear into some that have an aversion to these characters that are supposed to
spread comedy and light into our lives. Sometimes they can be a bit creepy. There
have been some costumes I’ve seen around lately that have been dowrnright
terrifying. I think it’s an interesting and quite scary concept harkening to The Mask (1994) – except this clown suit
doesn’t seem to turn its wearer into a gregarious goofball lothario; but rather
a monster.
13
– The Duel (6/24)
Tag Line: Vengeance cannot be denied.
Production Companies: Lionsgate Premiere, Atomic Entertainment, Mandeville
Films, Mississippix Studios, 26 Films, Bron Capital Partners, Crystal Wealth,
Media House Capital
I love a good western now and again
– especially if it has a combination of good talent and an interesting premise.
Most westerns are tales of either survival or revenge – sometimes a bit of
both. This does seem to fall squarely in that category. Though, while it seems
to be reminiscent of the old shoot-em-up films of yester year, there seems to
be a new twist with this one, as it explores the grip of a religious leader on
a ‘wild west’ community.
12 – Intruder (6/24)
Tag Lines: Not Available
Production Companies: Stormchaser Films
Director: Travis Zariwny
Writer: Travis Zariwny
Actors: Justin Ament, Steven Beckingham, Teresa Decher, Louise
Linton, Susannah Mars., Mary McDonald-Lewis, Moby, Zach Myers, John Robinson,
Aaron Trainor
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: NR
The trailer for this movie gave me
the creeps. The concept of an intruder lurking somewhere in the darkness has
always been nightmare fuel for me. If you’ve ever been freaked out by the scary
story of the babysitter getting calls from inside the house – this movie looks
like it might be right up your alley. While it’s not following the premise of When A Stranger Calls (2006), it does
seem to have captured the concept of danger invading personal space that’s
supposed to be safe. I’m going to be leaving the lights on and checking behind
doors and under things for a while after watching this one.
11
– The Shallows (6/29)
Tag Line: What was once in the deep is now in the shallows.
Production Company: Columbia Pictures, Ombra Films, Weimaraner Republic
Pictures
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writers: Anthony Jaswinski
Actors: Blake Lively, Oscar Jaenada, Bret Cullen, Sedona Legge
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Rated: NR
I love a good shark movie. I’ve had
a morbid fascination with the creatures since I was little. They’re also a good
box office draw. Anyone who’s afraid of going into the ocean isn’t going to
feel any better after watching this film. Though, I think waders are probably
still safe since this movie seems to take place about 200 yards out, give or
take. That’s what the blurbs say, at least. Blake Lively (The Town, Savages, The Age of Adeline) will be getting the primary
focus in this small-cast film. I think she’ll be able to carry it well. The
trailer looked intense.
10 – Sausage Party (6/2)
Tag Line: A hero will rise.
Production Companies: Annapurna Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Nitrogen Studios
Canada, Point Grey Pictures
Actors: Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Salma
Hayek, Jonah Hill, Edward Norton, David Krumholtz, Bill Hader, Michael Cera,
Sugar Lyn Beard, Danny McBride, Nick Kroll, Craig Robinson
Genre: NR
Rated: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
This animated movie is definitely
not for children. It’s a hilarious look at what it would be like if food was
actually sentient. (I hope this doesn’t start any strange food movements.) It’s
a comedic take on the plight of the things you eat – from the supermarket to
your kitchen. What if the food were to decide that it didn’t want to be eaten?
This looks like a hilarious romp of a comedy. It’s not kid friendly due to
frequent cursing and sexual innuendo.
9 –
The Conjuring 2 (6/10)
Tag Line: The next true story from the case files of Ed and Lorraine
Warren.
Production Companies: Evergreen Media Group, Atomic Monster, Dune Entertainment
(as RatPac-Dune Entertainment), New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, Soho VFX
(visual effects)
Director: James Wan
Writers: Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes, James Wan, David Leslie Johnson
Actors: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Franka Potente, Maria Doyle
Kennedy, David Thewlis, Frances O'Connor, Robin Atkin Downes, Simon McBurney,
Sterling Jerins, Javier Botet, Madison Wolfe
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
I find that horror movies are always
scarier when they’re based on true stories, even in part. The trailer gave me
the impression that this movie is one wild ride, and it looks like they
certainly amped up the scare factor from the first film.
8
– The Last Heist (6/17)
Tag Line: Not Available
Production Companies: Benattar/Thomas Productions, Parkside Pictures, Tadross
Media Group, DH Films
Director: Mike Mendez
Writers: Guy Stevenson
Actors: Henry Rollins, Torrance Coombs, Victoria Pratt, Mykel
Shannon Jenkins, Nick Principe, Mark Kelly, Ken Lyle, Kristina Klebe, Zo Zosak
Genre: Action
Rated: NR
I’m pretty sure I’ve said before
that Henry Rollins (Sons of Anarchy, He
Never Died, Gutterdammerung) is a badass. He’s perfect for the role of the
serial killer in this movie. Some bank robbers have bitten off more than they
can chew. This man can be seriously disturbing, even when he smiles. I think
the premise of this one is a good twist on the crime-action movie and I can’t
wait to see it.
7 –
Central Intelligence (6/17)
Tag Line: Saving the world takes a little Hart and a big Johnson
Production Companies: New Line Cinema, Bluegrass Films, Principato-Young
Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Writers: Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, Rawson Marshall Thurber
Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Aaron Paul, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Ryan
Hansen., Megan Park, Brett Azar, Danielle Nicolet, Kristen Annese, Chaunty
Spillane,
Genre: Action, Comedy
Rated: PG-13
This movie has the potential of
being absolutely hilarious. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Snitch, Pain & Gain, San Andreas)
has proven to be a bit of a jack of all trades. Sure movies tend to play to his
strengths a lot of the time, but he has had some gritty roles that show off his
acting chops beyond being able to suplex his co-stars and show off his
physique. His comedic timing is actually really good. Put him together with Kevin
Hart (Ride Along, About Last Night, The
Wedding Ringer) and it’s a movie I just don’t want to miss.
6 –
Me Before You (6/3)
Tag Line:Based on the New
York Times Bestseller.
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), New Line Cinema
Director: Thea Sharrock
Writer: Jojo Moyes
Actors: Sam Claflin, Vanessa Kirby, Emilia Clarke, Eileen
Dunwoodie, Pablo Raybould, Henri Charles, Samantha Spiro, Brendan Coyle, Jenna
Coleman, Matthew Lewis, Muzz Kahn, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG-13
I’m surprised that this movie is
competing for summer box office rather than Valentine’s Day. I fully expect
this film to be both heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time. Bring
your tissues to this one if you’re prone to crying at movies. It’s a touching
tale showing life doesn’t, and shouldn’t, stop when you have disabilities
(though being as rich as this guy seems to be in the movie definitely helps).
5
– Now You See Me 2 (6/10)
Tag Line: Reappearing June 10
Production Companies: Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment
Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Ed Solomon, Pete Chiarelli, Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt
Actors: Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo,
Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Sanaa Lathan,
Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Jay Chou, Justine Wachsberger
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Magicians and modern day ‘Illusionists’
are capable of putting on shows that bend the mind and our perceptions of
reality. Masters of misdirection, you never know what they’re doing when they
have you looking somewhere else. I loved the premise of the first movie and I
am very glad to see that they made a sequel. I can’t wait to see what mystical
shenanigans that this group is up to next.
4
– Finding Dory (6/17)
Tag Line: Have you seen her?
Production Companies: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
Writers: Andrew Stanton, Victoria Strouse, Bob Peterson
Actors: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Idris Elba, Kate McKinnon,
Bill Hader, Dominic West, Diane Keaton, Kaitlin Olson, Andrew Stanton, Ed
O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy, Hayden Rolence, Bennett Dammann, Torbin Zan
Bullock
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
If you haven’t already seen Finding
Nemo (2003), I would recommend doing that before watching this movie, since
this occurs after that, and likely references points from that plot. That being
said, this looks like an adorable continuance of the tale of friendship between
Dory and her new friends, Marlin and Nemo (among others). The forgetful fish
remembers that she has a family – and, in a flip from the other tale, instead
of her family looking for her; she goes out to look for them. I think
Disney/Pixar has another hit on their hands with this one.
3
– Warcraft (6/10)
Tag Line: Two worlds. One destiny.
Production Companies: Atlas Entertainment, Legendary Pictures, Blizzard
Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Director: Duncan Jones
Writers: Duncan Jones, Charles Leavitt, Chris Metzen
Actors: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper,
Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Robert Kazinsky, Clancy Brown, Daniel Wu, Ruth
Negga, Anna Galvin, Callum Keith Rennie
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
This movie will introduce people to
the world that millions of online gamers enjoy on a regular basis. This is a
rather brilliant strategy by Blizzard Entertainment to get a big movie out
there to boost their game. More than that, though; this movie appears to have
heart and substance. It doesn’t appear to be a mad grab for more subscribers to
the mass multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). I’ve enjoyed the
trailers and am excited to get a glimpse into this world. (Alas, I do not play
the game, but I have many friends whom do.)
2 –
Independence Day: Resurgence (6/24)
Tag Lines: We had twenty years to prepare. So did they.
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Director: Roland Emmerich
Writers: Nicolas Wright, James A. Woods, Dean Devlin, Roland
Emmerich, James Vanderbilt
Actors: Maika Monroe, Joey King, Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum.
William Fichtner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Sela Ward,
Brent Spiner, Judd Hirsch
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: NR
I remember when I saw this trailer
before a movie I’d seen in the theater – I was fairly giddy and bouncing in my
seat. I loved the first movie and had wondered if they would ever revisit this
property to make a sequel. From what I’ve seen, it looks fairly awesome. I hope
that this doesn’t fall into the sequel pitfalls that plague some franchises. I
am optimistic, however, and this looks like a fun summer movie, either way.
1
– Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (6/3)
Tag Line: Raise some shell.
Production Companies: Gama Entertainment Partners, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount
Pictures, Platinum Dunes
Actors: Megan Fox, Stephen Amell, Alan Ritchson, Laura Linney,
Will Arnett, Noel Fisher, Stephen Farrelly, Alessandra Ambrosio, Brad Garrett,
Tyler Perry, Pete Ploszek, Gary Anthony Williams, Brian Tee, Judith, Hoag,
Jeremy Howard, Tony Shalhoub, Danny Woodburn
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG-13
I have been super excited about this
movie. Sure, I’m an original Turtles fan. However, I don’t think they did so
bad with the first one. Who cares if they look a little different if the movie
is good and doesn’t deviate too far from the original material?! In fact, it
looks like this movie brings it back even closer to the Turtles story that we
all know and love with the introduction of Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang this
time around. I’m also super super excited that Stephen Amell (When Calls The Heart, Code 8, Arrow) is
playing Casey Jones. I can’t wait to see what he does on the big screen. (I
believe his other movie credit was a made-for-tv-movie.) He’s just about my
favorite actor, so this movie has me fairly giddy.
Movies
to Look out For
According
to: Selina
Now You See Me 2 - 20
Free State of Jones - 19
Internet Famous - 18
Careful What You Wish For - 17
The Neon Demon - 16
Weiner-Dog - 15
No
Stranger Than Love - 14
Clown
- 13
The Last Heist - 12
Septembers
of Shiraz - 11
Electra
Woman & Dyna Girl - 10
Me
Before You - 9
The
Shallows - 8
The
Duel - 7
Sausage
Party - 6
Finding
Dory - 5
Central
Intelligence - 4
Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows - 3
