Posts

Here we are, at the end of yet another weekend trying to find the silver lining on an ever-darkening box office cloud. Sure, Warner Bros.Tenetis still at the top of the box office chart, with 20th Century Studios’The New Mutantsand Solstice Studios’Unhingedrounding out the top three. But those rankings lose some shine when we get down into the nitty-gritty (more on that in a sec). Theaters across the U.S. feel the hurt of pandemic-affected attendance more and more with every passing day....

The art of making movies is incredibly challenging. From the creation of a story to the actual act of filming, there is a massive crew of people who often don’t get the credit that they should. The final product can be great or it can be an absolute disaster. Still, many films become iconic, whether they are good or bad. It’s always interesting to find out the stories behind movies, especially ones where you wonder what exactly happened behind the scenes....

It’s no secret Hollywood has struggled through a long history with a lack of representation on screen. Fromthe silent film eratothe Golden Era’s Studio Systemand beyond, Hollywood was run by old white men who mostly gave leading roles to white actors.Minorities were typically cast as characters from a white perspective, normally playing the help or comedic relief. While the practice of blackface was a serious issue that fumed theCivil Rights Erain 1954,the consistent act of yellowface was also undermining Asians in the movie industryuntil the first Asian American musical film changed the game!...

I have a Love/Hate relationship with Netflix. They have some of the best, most unique, original content out there today, especially in terms of my beat, animation. But they also leave it entirely up to viewers to discover new content for themselves without much information to go on. Happily, their suggestion metrics were on point whenThe Hollow, a title I had only briefly become aware of when Netflix announced a long list of new series coming to the platform, popped up at the top of my “Recommended Viewing” queue....

At long last, a new trailer forThe New Mutantshas been released online, confirming that this 20th Century Fox film will indeed see the light of day. Directed byJosh Boone(The Fault in Our Stars) and scripted by Boone andKnate Lee(Kidnap), the film takes place in a secret facility where young mutants are housed, only just now learning what their abilities can do. The film was shot in 2017, conceived of by Fox during the period in which the studio was making bold, tonally dynamic superhero films likeLoganandDeadpoolto great success....

If one were to have never seenSaw, the production and release ofJames Wan’s first film would come off as a familiarly inspiring Hollywood narrative. Straight out of film school, Wan partnered withLeigh Whannelland they penned a script about a secretive serial killer who builds elaborate death traps for those who he feels are ungrateful and unworthy of the miracle of life. They shot the film over 18 days for a little more than a million....

AddThe Shackto the growing list of faith-centric mainstream movies coming out this holiday season and beyond. The Lionsgate drama based on a New York Times bestselling novel byWilliam P. YoungstarsSam Worthingtonas Mack Phillips, a grieving father who meets the Holy Trinity, as one does. There is also a shack involved. The Shackalso starsOctavia Spencer,Tim McGraw,Sumire Matsubara,Radha Mitchell, andGraham Greene, and is directed byStuart Hazeldine, who has previously been better known for his screenwriting than his directing....

As you’ll see below,The WildscreatorSarah Streicher(Daredevil) and showrunnerAmy B. Harris(Sex and the City,Gossip Girl,The Comeback) are not offended if you bring upLostin connection to their new Amazon drama — after all, it’s hard to deny the ABC show’s influence on their series, which tracks a group of teenage girls trying to survive after being stranded together on a deserted island after a mysterious plane crash. While the premise might be familiar (and the format even utilizes character-focused flashbacks to illuminate each girl’s backstory),The Wildshas a very unique spin on the concept of what’s tougher to handle: surviving a desert island, or adolescence?...

Netflix’s fantasy prequel seriesThe Witcher: Blood Originhas just found its next star inVikingsandGame of ThronesactorLaurence O’Fuarain. This prequel toThe Witcherwasgreenlit back in the summer of 2020. The new series is currently in pre-production and is expected to start filming sometime this year. O’Fuarain will be joining the only otherpreviously announced cast member,Jodie Turner-Smith, in this highly anticipated fantasy prequel. O’Fuarain is mostly known for his guest appearances in several well-known shows, but this is the first time he will headline a series....

If there is one franchise that is completely synonymous with the holidays, it’sPeanuts. Based on the beloved comic strips byCharles M. Schultz, the holiday adventures of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang havedelighted audiencesfor nearly 60 years. FromIt’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brownto aCharlie Brown Christmas, the specials fill the holiday season, withA Charlie Brown Thanksgivingserving as a midquel, but the Turkey Day classic isn’t the only Peanuts adventure for the month of November....

Actor and directorBen Stiller’s first foray into drama directing just dropped onNetflixearlier this month. TheShowtimeminiseriesEscape at Dannemorais based on a true story that became national news back in 2015 when two convicted murderers,Robert Matt and David Sweat, escaped from an upstate New York prison. It turned out that they had help from an unassuming tailor shop supervisor at the prison,Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell, and a prison guard, Gene Palmer. Created byBrett JohnsonandMichael Tolkinand initially premiering in 2017,Escape From Dannemoradepicts the events surrounding the jailbreak, as well as the aftermath, witha star-studded castthat includesPatricia Arquette(Mitchell),Benicio del Toro(Matt), andPaul Dano(Sweat)....

A highlight ofThor: Ragnarok? The scene that featuresMatt Damonplaying Loki,Luke Hemsworthplaying Thor andSam Neillplaying Odin in a play that depicts Loki as the savior of the realm. While the moment might just be a good laugh in the grand scheme of things, there is one burning question about the scene that’s mighty fun to discuss; are Damon, Hemsworth and Neill playing Asgardian actors or are they playing themselves being forced to perform by Loki?...

Batman’s most iconic villain is without a doubt the Joker, and for good reason. The maniacal clown has been played a number of times in TV and movies, most recently byJoaquin PhoenixinTodd Phillips’Jokerand most famously byHeath LedgerinThe Dark Knight. When pre-production was in full swing onTim Burton’s originalBatman,Warner Bros. knew exactly who they wanted for the pivotal role of the Joker. Not many things were certain on the set of the accidental masterpiece that isTim Burton’sBatman....