Category Archives: MOVIES

Benedict Cumberbatch To Have Role In Star Wars VII?

September 4, 2013 Adam Parker-Edmondston Leave a comment

It seems a few weeks cannot go by with out a new Star Wars related whisper spreading across the internet (like these ones here and here). It is hardly surprising when such a beloved series has a whole new creative team behind it and the possibility of countless new movies ahead of it. The Star Wars fans have a right to be excited. So when the website Film Chronicles puts up an article with the title “Benedict Cumberbatch is in Star Wars VII”, even the most hard core fanboy and fan girls heads are likely to explode.

But this does appear to be the case. Benedict was previously scheduled to be working with Guillermo Del Toro on his new film Crimson Peak but dropped out and strangely no answer was given. As the shooting schedules would have been roughly the same it is hard not to draw a comparison between the two events. Though no information on his role in the franchise is available, we do know he is a huge fan of Star Wars. Look at the extract below from Collider (via Total Film) to see him gush about the franchise.

“I’ve already asked him if I can be a lightsaber and we’re in talks – about whirring sounds and the rates for the lights and everything [laughs].

“I thought, ‘Yeah, I grew up with them,’ and I just looked recently at when they were released and now I’m like, ‘No, I didn’t grow up with them, I was born with them.’ They were a huge part of my background, and my upbringing.

“I was much more connected to [Star Wars] as a kid, in the way that a lot of kids are because it’s immediate storytelling, very simple – a beautifully, outrageously simple narrative in a way – and a wonderful three-act melodrama, opera. And I loved them. I really, really loved those films and I always wanted to be Han Solo. Everything Harrison Ford did I just thought was the coolest thing ever.”

Is there any role this man cannot pull off? In his epic rise to stardom he has already played Frankenstein and his monster, an iconic Star Trek character, given vocal life to Smaug in the upcoming Hobbit movies and brought Sherlock Holmes to life again for a new generation. This guy is incredible so hearing he is in the new Star Wars movies is a definite thumbs up. Working with JJ Abrams again has got to be a dream combination after seeing their great work on Star Trek Into Darkness. Hopefully Disney will not keep us out the loop to long and we will get an insight into his character soon. If not, be safe in the knowledge that it looks like he could be set to wield a lightsaber very soon.

Movie Trailers

‘Neighbors’ Official Red Band Trailer Released, Hijinks with Seth Rogen & Zac Efron To Be Had

September 4, 2013 ryancroftj Leave a comment

As 2014 approaches, more and more trailers for the beginning of the year are dropping in hopes of engaging the audience early, and that’s the case with this surely R-rated comedy, Neighbors. Director Nicholas Stoller, whose most recent credit is the underrated The Five Year Engagement, but whom most know as the man behind Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the spin off, Get Him to the Greek, is at the helm of this Adults vs Frat Bros comedy.

The story goes as follows, a couple with a newborn baby are faced with troubles when a fraternity moves in next door. The story seems pretty simple, but it’s definitely prime for some raunchy comedy with its stellar cast. Seth Rogen (This is the End) and Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids) star as the older couple, while Zac Efron (High School Musical), Dave Franco (21 Jump Street), and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) play the frat boys. Check out the hilarious, albeit short, red band trailer below:

As I said above, the set up seems prime for some R-rated comedy, and while we’ve seen the whole adults trying to fit in with the younger crowd before, this seems to be more of insane hijinks between the two groups than them trying to fit in with one another. I mean that ending bit with the airbag was freaking hilarious, and the Robert De Niro costume is a funny idea too. While it’s still a ways off, I’m sure come time next year people will be talking about this comedy. In addition to the cast listed above, some notable TV comedic talents star as well; Jake Johnson (New Girl), Carla Gallo (Undeclared), and Lisa Kudrow (Friends) each have a part in this 2014 flick.

Neighbors, formerly titled Townies, is due out May 9 next year.

MOVIES

Cinematic Art Ruined by Thieves; The World Says Goodbye to “The Giant Spider Invasion” Spider

September 4, 2013 Adam Parker-Edmondston Leave a comment

Now this reviewer is a huge fan of films which some people may call B movies. I have never thought of them that way, they are just as valid a form of cinematic entertainment as any other and if they bring joy to a select amount of people then they should be championed because of this. So it is with a sad heart that we have to report (via IO9) that a piece of cinema has been taken from us. That piece of cinema is the huge frikking spider from The Giant Spider Invasion.

The rusty framework of the spider (which had resided at the director’s home) has been stolen from its home in Merrill Wisconsin which was also where the film was made. Below is the video of the crime with comments from director Bill Rebane.

http://v9.anv.bz/scripts/anv_mcp_9.jsvar p = new anv_pl_def();p.loadVideoWithKey(“eyJtIjoiR1JUViIsInAiOiI1MyIsInYiOiIyNjY2MDE3In0=”);

For those that do not know, The Giant Spider Invasion is a cheesy little movie from 1975 which actually feels more like something made in the atomic obsessed 1950s. It is, for the most part, hilariously bad but part of its charm is the lead: a giant spider with red eyes. A lot of people have seen this from the amazing guys of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, who have pretty much been instrumental in keeping awful movies like this alive (even if it is through their ridicule).

It was actually made from a parade float that went on top of a Volkswagen. If you look at the photo below it becomes pretty apparent that it has car lights for eyes. People in the car would hold the spider legs out the window. It may have been ranked in the top 25 worst movies ever made but who cares? It was loads of fun and to be honest, looks a damn slight more realistic than some of the CGI rubbish I have seen going direct to DVD.

This film had heart even if it did not have a budget and this is what makes it kind of sad. Sure it is not a crime on the scale of someone stealing a frame model of The Terminator but to the director and a lot of fans around the world, this piece of cinematic history meant a lot and to hear of its theft for the purposes of scrap is very sad. If nothing else we will always have the movie to keep us entertained even if the spider has gone to the big scrap heap in the sky.

Movie News & Opinions

Will Loki Be Present For Avengers: Age of Ultron? Tom Hiddleston Might Be Hint-Dropping…

September 3, 2013 Anna Coffman Leave a comment

We already know that Joss Whedon has stated Loki isn’t part of his plan for the highly anticipated Avengers sequel, but does that rule out an appearance by the God of Mischief entirely? A recent interview via MTV.com with Tom Hiddleston hints at the possibility. “I do feel like there’s some unfinished business between Loki and the Hulk,” Hiddleston said. “I feel like he didn’t get a fair fight.” The Hulk’s brutal bruising of Loki is one of the most memorable scenes from The Avengers and a fan favorite. And surely even Joss Whedon can’t deny a god’s demand for a rematch.

With or without an appearance in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, we are going to see plenty of Hiddleston’s Loki soon. In Thor: The Dark World, a movie that Hiddleston says is “a sequel to Avengers as much as it is to Thor,” Loki has a prominent role in the story alongside Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. “Loki has a very complicated relationship with Thor. He is an agent of chaos without equal in the world he inhabits. He knows his true nature. He knows he doesn’t belong in the family of Asgard, and he’s locked away in the beginning of the film in the deepest, darkest recesses of the dungeon as public enemy number one.” Loki doesn’t stay locked up for long, however. Hiddleston playfully joked, “Lo and behold, Asgard needs his help. That’s going to be a very complicated allegiance.”

Once Thor: The Dark World is released on November 8, we may know more about Loki’s future in the Marvel Universe. When asked about when we can expect the trickster’s next appearance, Hiddleston answered, “Who knows. You’ll have to see what happens in The Dark World to find out where Loki finishes up.”

I think we’re ready for a Loki-centric movie, don’t you?

MOVIES

DVD Catastrophe – Mock Buster Round Up – What’s Up: Balloon to the Rescue! (2009)

September 2, 2013 Adam Parker-Edmondston Leave a comment

Since the dawn of cinema, studios have always managed to milk the next best thing until it is bone dry. Genres that come back in vogue again are quickly reused and tons of very similar products instantly hit the market. For the best example, just look at the zombie movie genre now. Since its resurgence (roughly around when Land of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead came out) we are constantly bombarded with new zombie titles every few months with varying degrees of entertainment value. However, some companies are a lot more blatant than just copying a genre; they go one step further and actual copy everything. This is what I want to look at with this section, the cheeky chappies who put out movies copying the entire plot lines and even the cover art too. So welcome to Mock Buster Round Up where it is with much pride that we promote these movies (good or bad) so you know what you are getting yourselves in for the next time you look up a movie on Netflix!

Look familiar? It should, as it looks pretty much like a small, teeny-tiny Pixar movie from 2009 titled Up (as if you did not know). Even having a title as long as What’s Up: Balloon to the Rescue barely disguises that the word ‘Up’ takes up a third of the cover box. Look at the description below from Amazon for even more shameful re-using of plot devices.

[quote]Packed with magic and eye-popping animation, What’s Up Balloon to the Rescue! takes off with a bang when the brilliant, but befuddled Dr. Crumb discovers a magical stone that turns his house into a hot air balloon. The discovery allows Crumb and his trusted brainiac companions to pursue a heroic career of monster-chasing. But soon, the criminal-minded Jean-Pierre hatches a particularly diabolical plan which sends this airborne voyage into a new level of turbulence!
Without the magic stone, will the scientists crash land, or will they be able to save the world by using their own ingenuity? What s Up Balloon to the Rescue! is a gravity-defying adventure for the entire family. [/quote]

So we have a house that floats (only one balloon this time), a quirky old man (this time a doctor) and a balloon having trouble flying. Looks like all bases are covered then. Amazon reviews for this are as you would expect and it seems that some serious borrowing has been going on here. You will no doubt be seeing a lot of Disney and Pixar copy cats in this section just because they can knock out the animation pretty quickly. Just so you can see how bad this is here is a collection of the (so called) best bits some off which come of as slightly racist.

For comparison purposes I leave you with this, the actual cover for Up, one of the most tear jerking Pixar movies ever created. Enjoy.

Movie News & Opinions

Marvel Phase 2: Avengers 2 Has Found Its Ultron & Guardians Has Its Raccoon

August 30, 2013 Chris Tansuche Leave a comment

There have been some major Marvel news coming out in the past few days that will greatly impact Phase 2 movie slate so let us get to it. First off, according to The Hollywood Reporter and several other news outlets, The Avengers sequel has found its main baddie. James Spader has been tapped to take on the all-star cast as the supervillain Ultron for the major Marvel movie of 2015.

James Spader has been seen recently in Lincoln, the Spielberg movie for which he got a ton of critical praise for. He’s also most known for his work on television, with the most recent gig being Blacklist on NBC. Granted, he was also on that one forgettable season of The Office as Robert California but we won’t let that get in the way of the excitement. I think he definitely has the gravitas and the acting chops to keep up with Robert Downey Jr. and his superhero squad so it’ll be interesting to see the chemistry between the heroes and villain and their back and forth.Ultron does hate the Avengers with the passion of a thousand burning suns so there should be some great back and forths on screen.

In the other big news, Marvel.com has officially named the voice actor for Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy. That happens to be recent Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper. Yep, that same dude from the Hangover movies and Silver Linings Playbook. He joins the ensemble cast that already boasts Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista to name a few.

It’s an interesting choice because Cooper has not done any voice acting before and there has been mixed reactions in the fanboy community as to whether he can pull it off. I like the choice because I do like Bradley Cooper and I think he should be able to pull off playing a military leader behind Star Lord and dish out some damage with his affinity for weapons. Again, it’s all contingent on how the movie looks, as well as his character, but I have faith in Marvel. Phase 2 should make for some interesting fun and their recent casting, for the most part, seems inspired. Recent actor choices have ranges from Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3, to Captain America: Winter Soldier getting Robert Redford to now Spader and Cooper joining the Marvel cinematic universe. Time will tell but I think it’s safe to say they know what they are doing at this point.

What do you guys think? Make sure you leave comments either down below or on the Facebook page and if you want, offer up some suggestions who you think it should be for these movies if you don’t agree with the choices. For those that don’t know yet, Guardians of the Galaxy will hit theaters August 1st, 2014 while Avengers: Age of Ultron hits on May 1st, 2015.

Grizzly Bomb