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Coming Soon to Blu-ray: I AM THE NIGHT, JACK RYAN, TITANS, and More[teaser]The TNT miniseries starring Chris Pine, Amazon's Tom Clancy show, and DC's new superhero series headline our latest roundup of upcoming Blu-ray releases.[/teaser] Pre-orders are now available for several new Blu-rays from Cohen Media Group, Mill Creek Entertainment, MPI, Paramount, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Here's a full rundown of recently revealed details and title announcements: First up, Cohen Media Group is bringing Clyde Bruckman and Charles Reisne's Buster Keaton Collection: Volume 1 starring Buster Keaton to Blu-ray on May 14. The package will feature The General and Steamboat Bill, Jr.. Supplements will include: Reflections on The General Buster Keaton: The Luminary Theatrical Trailers In addition, the label is prepping James Ivory's The Bostonians starring Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, and Jessica Tandy for Blu-ray on May 21. Supplements will include: New Interview with Director James Ivory Conversations from the Quad: James Ivory on The Bostonians Original Trailer 2018 Re-release Trailer Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Mill Creek Entertainment has announced plans to release Irvin Kershner's Eyes of Laura Mars starring Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, and Brad Dourif on May 14. Supplements have not been revealed. Likewise, John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars starring Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, and Jason Statham is also in the works for Blu-ray on May 14. Supplements have not been announced. In addition, Luis Llosa's Anaconda starring Jennifer Lopez, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, and Ice Cube is slithering its way to Blu-ray on May 14 as well. Supplements have not been detailed. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray MPI is prepping Paul Raschid's White Chamber starring Shauna Macdonald, Oded Fehr, and Amrita Acharia for Blu-ray on May 21. Supplements have not been detailed. In addition, the label will release Gabor Csupo's The Secret of Moonacre starring Ioan Gruffudd, Dakota Blue Richards, Colin Firth, and Tim Curry on June 4. Supplements have not been revealed. Meanwhile, Sharon Maguire's Incendiary starring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew Macfadyen will hit Blu-ray on June 25. Supplements are not currently listed. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Paramount is bringing Comedy Central's South Park: The Complete Twenty-Second Season starring Matt Stone and Trey Parker to Blu-ray on May 28. Supplements will include: Deleted Scenes #SocialCommentary on all episodes Season commentary by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone In addition, the studio will release Amazon Prime's Jack Ryan: Season One starring John Krasinski, Ali Suliman, Abbie Cornish, and Wendell Pierce on June 4. Supplements will include: Deleted Scenes Meanwhile, Mark Waters' Mean Girls - 15th Anniversary Edition starring Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, and Rachel McAdams will then follow on June 11. Supplements have not been detailed. And rounding out Paramount's upcoming lineup will be Dylan Brown's Wonder Park starring Sofia Mali, Jennifer Garner, Ken Hudson Campbell, and Mila Kunis. Supplements and an exact release date have not been revealed yet, but pre-orders are now live. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Lionsgate is set to release Sarah Daggar-Nickson's A Vigilante starring Olivia Wilde, Morgan Spector, and Tonye Patano on Blu-ray on May 28. Supplements will include: Catharsis: Creating A Vigilante - Featurette Likewise, the studio is also preparing Gaspar Noé's Climax starring Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub for Blu-ray on May 28. Supplements will include: A Visceral Experience: Making Climax - Featurette In addition, Vincent D'Onofrio's The Kid starring Vincent D'Onofrio, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke is in the works for Blu-ray on June 4. Supplements will include: Making-of Trailer Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral starring Tyler Perry, Patrice Lovely, and Cassi Davis is also coming to Blu-ray on June 4. Supplements will include: Deleted Scenes Outtakes Madea’s Tips for Attending a Funeral Making A Madea Family Funeral: An Affair to Remember Hellllur: Looking Back on Madea Meanwhile, Sebastián Lelio's Gloria Bell starring Julianne Moore, John Turturro, and Brad Garrett is on deck for June 4 as well. Supplements will include: An Extraordinary Woman: Making Gloria Bell - Featurette Audio Commentary with Director Sebastián Lelio And rounding out Lionsgate's June 4 lineup will be Daniel Farrands's The Haunting of Sharon Tate starring Hilary Duff, Jonathan Bennett, and Lydia Hearst. Supplements have not been detailed yet. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Warner Bros. is bringing Adult Swim's The Venture Bros.: Season 7 starring Christopher McCulloch, James Urbaniak, and Doc Hammer to Blu-ray on June 4. Supplements will include: Multiple Audio Commentaries Extended and Deleted Scenes Likewise, the studio is set to release The New Scooby-Doo Movies: The (Almost) Complete Collection on June 4 as well. The package will include: Ghastly Ghost Town – The Three Stooges The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair – Batman and Robin The Frickert Fracas – Jonathan Winters Guess Who’s Knott Coming to Dinner! – Don Knotts A Good Medium is Rare – Phyllis Diller Sandy Duncan’s Jekyll And Hyde – Sandy Duncan The Secret of Shark Island – Sonny and Cher The Spooky Fog – Don Knotts Scooby-Doo Meets Laurel & Hardy – Laurel & Hardy The Ghost of the Red Barron – The Three Stooges The Ghostly Creep From the Deep – The Three Stooges The Haunted Horseman of Hagglethorn Hall - Davy Jones The Phantom of the Country Music Hall – Jerry Reed The Caped Crusaders – Batman and Robin The Loch Ness Mess – Harlem Globetrotters The Mystery of the Haunted Island – Harlem Globetrotters The Haunted Showboat – Josie and the Pussycats Scooby-Doo Meets Jeannie (Mystery in Persia) – Jeannie & Babu The Spirited Spooked Sport Show – Tim Conway The Exterminator – Don Adams Weird Winds of Winona – Speed Buggy The Haunted Candy Factory – Cass Elliot Scooby-Doo Meets Dick Van Dyke – Dick Van Dyke In addition, Patty Jenkins' I Am The Night starring Chris Pine, India Eisley, and Jefferson Mays is in the works for Blu-ray on June 11. Supplements have not been detailed yet. And rounding out Warner's upcoming lineup will be DC Universe's Titans: The Complete First Season starring Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Teagan Croft, and Ryan Potter on July 16. Supplements will include: Raven and Robin Dark Rebirth The Story of Titans The Characters of Titans The Making of Titans Dick Grayson's and Rachel Roth's Dark Past A Look at Vigilantes Hawk and Dove The Identity of Titans Kory Anders/Starfire Gar Logan's Journey Rachel's Powers The Doom Patrol Meets the Titans Jason Todd's Robin From Comic to Live-Action Adventure Meet Wonder Girl Dick Grayson's Dark Past World of Super Heroes and Vigilantes Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule.Posted Fri May 3, 2019 at 05:50 PM PDT by: -
May The Fourth Be With You - RIP Peter MayhewMay the Fourth Be With Us... Always Star Wars Day - May the 4th has quickly become a cultural phenomenon. People around the world gather together and celebrate their love for lightsabers, Jedi, Sith, and Midi-chlorians… well, maybe not Midi-chlorians. But you get the picture. This time is typically spent getting hyped for any and everything Star Wars, from new movies such as The Rise of Skywalker to exciting new television events like Disney+'s The Mandalorian. While we should be overjoyed at everything coming our way, this year is a little different. With the breaking news yesterday, we also must stop and thank our favorite big guy, Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew who sadly passed away April 30th at 74 years old at his home in Texas. This one hits hard for me because Chewbacca was my favorite as a little tyke growing up devouring repeated viewings of Return of the Jedi. I didn't have a Luke Skywalker figure. I didn't have a Darth Vader. I didn't have Han Solo and a sure as heck-fire didn't have any of the cool vehicles - but I had a Chewbacca figure! (I still have it!) It's taken a beating over the 30-odd-some years of G.I. Joe battles and Transformers invasions, but he's safely tucked away in my rare collectibles lockbox alongside my first editions of The Crow and Giant Sized X-Men #1. Before I ever knew who Peter Mayhew was or that Wookiees didn't actually exist, I knew Chewbacca. Technically, legally, I can say that I saw Return of the Jedi in theaters when I was all of 10 months old. We still have the ticket stub to prove it, but I don't remember sitting in that darkened theater. Like many kids of the 80s, my memories of Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back were on the floor in front of our enormous 25-inch Sony television watching the recorded copies on VHS my dad made from rentals. I couldn't read, but I knew the color of the ink used to label the white stickers on the tapes, and that was good enough for me to figure out which movie was Star Wars, Empire, or Jedi. My clearest early Star Wars memory is the day my dad came home with a rental tape of Return of the Jedi. He said he was going to get it. He'd built it up all week long. When he got home from work, he played it cool as a cucumber while my sister and I eagerly awaited confirmation that he executed on his promise. When he finally pulled out the tape from his briefcase, we lost our collective shit. We were so damn excited that it was aggravating waiting through dinner and then the eternity it took for him to hook up our second VHS player so we could make a copy. But it was worth the wait! Kids these days just don't know how good they've got it! Back in my day of having to walk to and from school uphill and in a blizzard, we didn't get new Star Wars movies every other year. We didn't get awesome animated T.V. shows that expanded the universe and introduced cool new characters. We got none of that. The best thing we got while we waited for George Lucas to make another movie was The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. That was it! On the scale of things that's pretty crappy compensation. While I didn't get new movies and TV shows every year, I did get comic book conventions! By 1992 I was a full-on comic addict with a $40 a month habit. I was blown away when I learned conventions were a thing that existed and I could get my favorite books signed. I was even more amazed when I learned that various movie and T.V. personalities would make the rounds and sell autographs and do personal meet and greets. Before May the Fourth and huge dedicated Star Wars conventions were a thing - this was how we got to see our heroes up close and in person. It was at my first Motor City Convention in Detroit that I saw Chewbacca himself - Peter Mayhew. I'd already spent my entire day standing in line getting signatures from guys like Jim Lee, Andy Kubert and Rob Liefeld (Don't judge, I didn't know better at the time). I'd already blown all of my stashed up allowance money on X-Men figures and back issues I needed for my collection. I was literally on my way out the door when he walked in surrounded by eager fans. This tall, gentle giant of a man just strode in with a big smile and friendly eyes saying "hi" to people as he tried to make his way to the signature booth for which he was very late. I didn't have the money for an autograph, and my folks were there to pick me up so I couldn't stay - all I could do was watch him pass by. But somehow, in that throng of people, I made eye contact with Peter. His big eyes seemed to get even bigger, and that smile got wider as he gave me a friendly wave - I waved back giddily knowing I just said "hello" to Chewbacca! Through the course of several conventions, I eventually did get to actually meet Peter and shake his hand as we rode in the same elevator together in Chicago, but it's that memory from when I was 11 that sticks with me. It's these kinds of memories that make days like May the Fourth special for fans. It still amazes me that Star Wars has become a generational phenomenon. Consider all of the franchises that have withered, rebooted, or faded into complete obscurity and Star Wars is still here. And if Disney has any say in the matter, it'll be here for a long time to come! With time marching on, we'll have to keep remembering our heroes while we celebrate. Days like May the Fourth make it easy to take a moment from our chaotic day-to-day lives and just have fun. We get to come together and share our experiences of first discovering this wild space opera while we speculate about where that galaxy far, far away is going. We'll also have days like this year where we tip our hats and remember those who are no longer here to celebrate with us who helped bring this wild vision to life and bring so many people so many amazing memories.Posted Fri May 3, 2019 at 01:14 PM PDT by: -
New MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL Trailer Promises Plenty of Sci-Fi Action & Comedy[teaser]The Men in Black will return in June.[/teaser] Sony has released a second trailer for Men in Black: International, offering fans a better look at the flick's story and new characters. The latest entry in the sci-fi action/comedy series will hit theaters on June 14, 2019. The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization. Check out the new trailer below! The movie stars Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Infinity War) as Agent H, Tessa Thompson (Thor Ragnarok) as Agent M, Emma Thompson (Love Actually) as Agent O, and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) as Pawny, along with Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible - Fallout), Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Liam Neeson (Taken), Larry Bourgeois (Breaking Through), and Laurent Bourgeois (Breaking Through). F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton) directs from a script written by Matt Holloway & Art Marcum (Iron Man) based on the Malibu Comic created by Lowell Cunningham. Men in Black: International will be the fourth installment in the franchise, following Men in Black (1997), Men in Black II (2002), and Men in Black 3 (2012) starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. All three previous movies were directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who now serves as an executive producer for this new entry. In addition, Steven Spielberg and E. Bennett Walsh are also on board as executive producers. Meanwhile, Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are attached as producers. Source: Sony (YouTube)Posted Thu Apr 25, 2019 at 04:25 AM PDT by: -
New BOND 25 Details Set to Be Revealed During Special Live-Stream Event Tomorrow[teaser]New info about 007's latest big-screen adventure will be unveiled tomorrow morning.[/teaser] According to a recent social media post on the official James Bond (@007) Twitter account, the curtain is about to be peeled back on Bond 25. A special live-stream event is scheduled for tomorrow, April 25, at 5:10AM PT / 8:10AM ET to reveal new details about the upcoming film. Though it's not yet clear exactly what will be announced, the press notice mentions cast news and a Q&A session. In addition, it's also likely that the film's official title will be confirmed. The event will held at "one of 007's most iconic locations" and viewers can tune in via YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Likewise, posts on Good Morning America's Twitter account seem to indicate that the news will also be broadcast on the show. Check out the @007 announcement tweet below! Coming tomorrow at 13:10 BST/05:10 PST, the #BOND25 Live Reveal from an iconic 007 location. Ask the cast a question using #BOND25 pic.twitter.com/OwfjrRYZQd — James Bond (@007) April 24, 2019 Bond 25 is currently set for release on April 8, 2020. Star Daniel Craig will once again reprise his role as James Bond, marking his fifth appearance as 007 on the big screen following his previous turns in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Meanwhile, Cary Joji Fukunaga is on board to the direct the film. Fukunaga is best known for directing the first season of HBO's True Detective starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and Netflix's Beasts of No Nation starring Idris Elba. Likewise, he also directed the recent Netflix series Maniac starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, and is credited as one of the writers on Andy Muschietti's It. Fukunaga will be the first American born director to helm a James Bond movie. He replaces filmmaker Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) who was previously attached to direct the movie before departing the project over creative differences. Plot details are unknown at this time, and it's not quite clear who is handling scripting duties, though writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are expected to be involved. In addition, reports also indicate that Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) has been brought on to tweak the screenplay. MGM will distribute the movie in the US while Universal will handle international duties. Sources: @007 (Twitter), Entertainment WeeklyPosted Wed Apr 24, 2019 at 04:30 PM PDT by: -
Marvel Movies Ranked: Worst to First[Teaser]With the release of Avengers: Endgame, I needed to put this final film in our ever-updating list of favorite MCU films. I'm quite shocked where it ended up on the scale here. I've already talked about each character in the MCU, which you can see HERE.[/Teaser] With Avengers: Endgame taking over cinemas this week, it's time to return to the time-honored tradition of figure out where this new flick ranks among our personal favorites in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before we get into talking about the films, I'd like to say that I have enjoyed every single film in the MCU thus far, but when asked to rank them, this is how they'd be listed. There are a ton of great moments in each film, with brilliant lines of dialogue, engaging story arcs that provide great continuity, as well as some very funny moments throughout. We originally published this list almost a year ago. Since then, a few more MCU films have come out in theaters and on Blu-ray/4K UHD. Over the past couple months, I re-watched every MCU film, in order, from Iron Man all the way up to Avengers: Endgame. I must say, revisiting some of these again, some hold up more for me, and some less. Coming at this again without the MCU goggles on in ultra fan-guy mode, I've re-ranked a few of the films. It's nice to revisit movies ever-so-often because I do believe our taste changes and we see things we necessarily didn't see before. Without any further delay, here is our list of Marvel Cinematic Univesre movies ranked from bottom to top. I hope you all enjoy. Please do chime in with your rankings in the comments below! THOR: THE DARK WORLD (November 8, 2013 - Dir. Alan Taylor) Several years ago, Hollywood was obsessed with adding a darker tone to every film. We had Star Trek Into Darkness and The Dark Knight Rises to mention a couple, but Marvel decided to get in on the action with Thor: The Dark World. This is by far the worst Marvel film because not even Tom Hiddleston as Loki or Chris Hemsworth as Thor could save this film. Sure, there are some fun moments with Loki as the comedic element, but a movie that replicates bad aspects of Lord of the Rings with dark elves, the fate of the universe left in a bored looking Thor, a lot of walking, and a possessed Natalie Portman made this MCU film too silly to be taken seriously with an all too dark tone. In fact, I'm willing to bet very few have seen this film since it was released on Blu-ray years ago. This was a paint-by-the-numbers movie that failed to entertain, despite the background of the nine realms and Infinity Stones. INCREDIBLE HULK (June 13, 2008 - Dir. Louis Leterrier) Hulk is such a great character, but with this Incredible Hulk film along with Ang Lee's version of Hulk a few years earlier, it's difficult to see Hulk working as a solo spinoff film. The film itself here is often bland and downright upsetting. When we have Bruce Banner on-screen, he is such a depressing character that isn't fully fleshed out. It's only when he turns into the big green machine that the film starts to feel like an actual, entertaining Marvel movie. Mark Ruffalo finally made the character relatable, funny, and intense, where poor Edward Norton did better work in Death To Smoochy. Since this was so early on in the MCU franchise of films, I don't think Marvel knew exactly what kind of character they had in Banner/Hulk until Avengers, and we paid the price for it. THOR (May 6, 2011 - Dir. Kenneth Branagh) The only God of the Avengers team had a rough start early on in the MCU. I'm a fan of Kenneth Branagh's work, but his story wasn't all that great in Thor. At least he had the ability to see just how amazing Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth were in casting them as Loki and Thor, because I firmly believe that these actors bring so much to the table in regards to the MCU, that this Marvel film franchise wouldn't be as good as it is without them. That being said, in Thor, Branagh showed the powers of Thor for the first couple of minutes, then sent him to Earth without any powers for the rest of the movie. Sure, it was fun to see Thor eat in a diner and try to buy a horse at a pet store, but that's as far as this movie goes. It wasn't until much later on where we get some great Thor moments and his more entertaining identity. CAPTAIN MARVEL (March 8, 2019 - Dir. Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck) Captain Marvel blasts onto the big screen in a very flawed way. The first 35-45 minutes are a complete mess that is loathsome to get through. With terrible editing, the same set of sequences and storylines we've seen 20 times before it, and an actress trying to navigate the internal struggles of one of the most powerful characters, but not succeeding until the final act, it was tough to get through. Fortunately though, in the final 30 or so minutes of the film, Captain Marvel and Brie Larson find their footing and the movie shows us a glimpse of what it could aspire to, even though poor musical choices and sub-par CGI make the film laughable (and not in a good way). Luckily, we get a subplot within Captain Marvel featuring Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury character, which is a delight to see in 1995. He's happy, smiling, and even singing soul music. It was a delight, for sure. Additionally, I do believe Larson can pull this off in future films, but this Captain Marvel origin story was real rough around the edges. IRON MAN 2 (May 7, 2010 - Dir. Jon Favreau) Remember how excited we all were when Samuel L Jackson appeared in Tony Stark's house and said he's putting a team together? Then we got Iron Man 2 and that excitement fell off a cliff and died. Despite some very cool action sequences and that one scene where Tony Stark turned into Iron Man from his work briefcase, this movie just loses all control of story and character from the get-go. In fact, they took the best character in the film (Sam Rockwell) and made him a side-note. Instead, we got Mickey Rourke as a Russian with no real motive, a bad accent, and a poor performance, which was upsetting, because he was so good in The Wrestler prior to this. With a terrible villain and Iron Man finding the one thing that can save him in an old desk drawer, this sequel seemed rushed and bloated. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (July 5th, 2018 - Dir. Peyton Reed) The sequel to Ant-Man, simply titled Ant-Man and the Wasp was released at a bad time, which was right after Avengers: Infinity War, although this sequel takes place prior to that movie, it just felt unnecessary, which is a good way to describe this film despite it's charm. Ant-Man and the Wasp is the easy-going Marvel movie with almost nothing at stake, which is good and bad. It doesn't really further anything in the MCU, however we get more time with Paul Rudd as Scott Land, which is just a slice of heaven. The technology used in the movie is great, but its main villain is the worst villain in any comic book movie, including the DCU. That being said, it's nice to have a breather from the rest of the Marvel films that put millions of lives at risk in addition to the entire galaxy. This movie is non-sense, but it's fun non-sense. ANT-MAN (July 17, 2015 - Dir. Peyton Reed) While Ant-Man was good, it definitely shouldn't have been this good by any means, given its crazy production story. Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead) had worked on this film for Marvel for years, only to leave, because they didn't trust Wright's vision. Instead, they hired the Bring It On director Peyton Reed, which lead to a wonky execution that didn't seem to fit together in one movie. Not only that, this became not a superhero or Avengers film really, but more of a different genre of movie altogether, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The one saving grace of this film is Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, who might be the most relatable character in all of the Avengers. This movie lives solely on Rudd's performance because the story was lackluster and the villain was one of the worst in the entire MCU. Despite a good backstory with Rudd, the action sequences and furthering the MCU Universe still wasn't on par with any of the other films. DOCTOR STRANGE (November 4, 2016 - Dir. Scott Derrickson) The cast is incredible, but it's largely wasted in this movie on drab interactions and a slow-moving pace. There are a few good aspects to the film though, being Strange's transformation from a terrible person into a good person, sacrificing himself literally to save the universe, and a great climactic battle scene in reverse. Other than that and, of course, Wong, the film isn't as good as it should've been. The whole Inception visuals and arc wasn't executed well and the fine line they walked with the magic and sorcery angle could have been handled better. At the end of the day, this is one Marvel film that didn't need a sequel to it, although Strange's small cameo in Thor: Ragnarok was excellent. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (July 7, 2017 - Dir. Jon Watts) As a superhero, Tom Holland and this version of Spider-Man is the best we've seen yet. He's funny, great in action sequences, and has a lot of charm that the previous two incarnations didn't bring to the table. Also, Homecoming kept it light-hearted and friendly, like some versions of Spider-Man are in the comic series. There's a lot to like here, however, nothing ever felt suspenseful or with great conflict. It played out like a Gilmore Girls episode, but with some action sequences. That's fine and all, but there really isn't anything involving to do with the Avengers storyline as a whole here, other than introducing Spider-Man. In fact, there aren't any risky moves here at all. Uncle Ben isn't even mentioned, which is a shame. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (May 5, 2017 - Dir. James Gunn) Don't get me wrong. I really love this film a lot. There's so much good here, however, it lacks plot and feels quite bloated. In addition, the cast is split up on different worlds for most of the film. What this movie lacks in plot, it makes up for in developing each character, which is just fantastic. There are some amazing moments, but the story/plot has no real place in the film other than to showcase character backgrounds and bring the message of family and loyalty once again, which is great. I just don't see why this film fits in the whole MCU other than to quickly show a few items that will come to fruition a bit later. IRON MAN 3 (May 3, 2013 - Dir. Shane Black) While I love that Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) got the chance to make Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr., there are a couple of major flaws at work in this film. Before that, let me say that I dearly love this movie because we get to see Tony Stark be a superhero without any of the technology. In fact, he starts from ground zero all over again in a run-down garage, which was great to see how well his mind works when he's put to the test. On the other hand, there were about 115 villains in this movie that Iron Man had to fight, which just became over-populated and downright silly at times. This has happened many times before in superhero films, and it always brings down the movie. Despite some great sequences, here, Iron Man 3 wasn't at the top of its game. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (May 1, 2015 - Dir. Joss Whedon) This was a great film, but it has a couple of problems with it. One of the bigger problems with the film was Ultron himself, but that wasn't the main point of the movie. I think the main point of the movie was to show the start of Civil War with the Avengers coming head-to-head early on. Ultron was a robot both literally and personality wise, who didn't have any real backstory or sympathy. He was a weak character for the most part, even though James Spader did a great job with his voice. Still, we get a ton of great moments, both quiet and action-packed with each character. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (July 22, 2011 - Dir. Joe Johnston) Marvel's best origin story to date. The way Johnston told Steve Rogers' story and how he became Captain America was fantastic, despite some slower moments. The fact that we get to see Steve Rogers as this little runt with so much heart that is bigger than his body is brilliant, with the added Bucky Barnes friendship. Once the serum is added to Rogers, we see him keep his morals and values even though he's a superhero now and quite possibly the best definition of a hero if there ever was one. I love that most of the film is set during WWII, which gives the good Captain a ton of background. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (April 4, 2014 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) This film is just as good if not better than its previous installment. Here, we see Captain America truly shine in the best ways, while never failing to go down a wrong path and always keeping loyal to his friends and country. In The Winter Soldier, Rogers just wants the world to be at peace and to save his friend, Bucky Barnes. The action sequences are top notch, specifically the scene in the elevator, as is every character-developing scene with Rogers, which highlights his best qualities throughout. BLACK PANTHER (February 16, 2018 - Dir. Ryan Coogler) As the years have passed, watching a Marvel movie can be something tedious, even though most of the films are fun and enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, Marvel has done a great job with each and every film they’ve put out, but it was starting to seem like we’d seen almost everything, where every action scene is something recycled from the previous, whether it be superheroes jumping from car to car during car chases or aliens coming out of the sky and destroying the planet. Luckily for all of us, Black Panther breathes new and creative life into a somewhat stale film series in the best ways possible. The character development is amazing and the villain is among the best in the MCU. In fact, everything about this film was amazing, with both smart dialogue and fantastic action sequences. (Even though it still has superheroes jumping from car to car.) IRON MAN (May 2, 2008 - Dir. Jon Favreau) The whole MCU depended on this first film -- how well it was received and how much money it made. Of course, it did amazingly well, both critically and financially, and we are now 18 movies into the MCU some ten years later. Favreau did a fantastic job with casting Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark/Iron Man who just embodies the role and concept of the character and even the MCU. Even though the villain here was sub-par, we got everything we wanted in a superhero film made by a comic book company and it worked and continues to work. Iron Man not only shows some excellent action sequences, but also tells an emotional and important story with these characters that we can relate to still today. MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS (May 4, 2012 - Dir. Joss Whedon) Our first look at the entire Avengers team was simply phenomenal. It was the biggest threat we had ever seen in the MCU, with beings from another world that seemed hell-bent on destroying Earth, and we had our team of superheroes come together to save the day. The perfect balance between character, drama, and action sequences was top notch on all levels. Seeing this team side by side for the first time was nothing short of spectacular and it continues to be that way some 10 years later. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (August 1, 2014 - Dir. James Gunn) Nobody thought that the Guardians would be a part of the MCU, given that the comic book series was nowhere near as popular or mainstream as the main Avengers storylines. Little did we all know that they would be instantly loved by everyone in movie form due to the different take on the MCU with these oddball characters. Guardians of the Galaxy was so different in style, tone, and character than what we've seen before, it gave the MCU a much-needed breath of invigorating life that was charming, action-packed, and completely funny. Not only that, but it touched on an excellent message -- sticking by your family. THOR: RAGNAROK (November 3, 2017 - Dir. Taika Waititi) Finally, someone made a super fun and entertaining Thor film that showcased the genuine sibling rivalry between Loki and Thor as well as Thor and Hulk's funnier sides. Not only that, the visual style is pitch perfect, which I hope future MCU films adopt. There's a lot to love here, but most of it just feels silly for the only point of being silly and different. Add in one of the worst villains with Thor and Loki's long-lost sister and you have yourself a terrible conflict at hand due to her nature and one-note performance. Things seemed good early on in the film, but by the end, the story and characters had to play catch up in a matter of seconds to end the film. Despite it being a ton of fun to watch, there are real problems at bay with Ragnarok. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (May 6, 2016 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) The Civil War storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the better storylines in recent memory in all of Marvel. It pitted your favorite superheroes against each other and caused some real havoc, before taking on a much bigger enemy. It introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU as well, but the storytelling -- how the government wanted to interfere with the Avengers and why or why not these superheroes wanted to remain anonymous -- brought us one of the best and most fun battles between all of the superheroes at an airport. It's simply amazing on both a grand and small scale. If you're looking at big, blockbuster movies, Captain America: Civil War is how you do it right. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (April 27, 2018 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) It was all leading up to this since 2008. Ten years later, we have all of our heroes we've met in the MCU thus far fight the big bad Thanos. This is easily one of the best Marvel films to date because just about everything is perfect about it. We get a ton of time spent with each of our favorite characters and there is a solid story arc that never allows itself to follow any side tangents. You just don't want the movie to end. The film is equally emotional as it is funny with some excellent team-ups and witty dialogue. The action sequences are top notch with a ton of surprises in what might be the darkest Marvel movie of them all, but also the best so far... well, it was, until I saw its second half: AVENGERS: ENDGAME (April 27, 2019 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) This is the culmination of every MCU film over the past decade. Every character. Every storyline. All of it in play. It's a three-hour film that is the perfect sendoff for the biggest franchise in history (you know, until the next chapter of adventures). It's rich with character, high emotions, and some amazingly-placed comedy. The action and thrills are at an all-time high, including some moments that make you want to stand on your feet, applaud, and cheer out loud. There were a couple of those moments in Infinity War, of course, but here they are amplified by 10,000. Not only that, we finally get to see the transformation and growth of each character that we've come to know, and it feels wonderful. Avengers: Endgame is not only here to entertain and enjoy, but it is a testament to an impossible 10-year filmmaking odyssey that has been accomplished with integrity and fun. In my humblest opinion, Endgame is not only one of the best superhero films ever made, but it is also one of the best films to ever grace the big screen.Posted Wed Apr 24, 2019 at 10:20 AM PDT by: -
Ghidorah Is on the Hunt in Final Trailer for GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS[teaser]"Our planet will perish, and so will we, unless we set Godzilla free."[/teaser] Warner Bros. has released the final trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, offering a closer look at the flick's story and action-packed battles between the Titans and Godzilla. The film serves as a sequel to 2014's Godzilla, and is set to hit theaters on May 31, 2019. Following the global success of Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures' cinematic MonsterVerse, an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance. Check out the final trailer below! Godzilla: King of the Monsters comes from director Michael Dougherty (Krampus, Trick 'r Treat) and a script by Dougherty, Max Borenstein, and Zach Shields. The cast includes Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell, Vera Farmiga as Dr. Emma Russell, Bradley Whitford as Dr. Stanton, Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham, Kyle Chandler as Mark Russell, and Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, along with Charles Dance, Ziyi Zhang, and Thomas Middleditch. The film will be the third entry in Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse franchise, following 2014's Godzilla and 2017's Kong Skull Island. A fourth film, currently titled Godzilla vs. Kong, is scheduled to arrive on May 22, 2020 from director Adam Wingard. Source: Warner Bros. (YouTube)Posted Tue Apr 23, 2019 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Best Memes from Episode Two of GAME OF THRONES: SEASON EIGHT[teaser]Another episode of Game of Thrones means more blood, laughs, tears... and memes![/teaser] What was the only thig better than actually watching the season eight premiere of Game of Thrones last week? Well, all of the memes that followed, of course! Seriously, the internet really stepped up its game with an endless supply of witty, silly, laugh-out-loud posts. And now that episode two has come and gone, it's time for some more! Though not quite as gut-bustingly funny as some of the gems that hit the web last week, social media has been abound with a few great memes and reactions to "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." And while it should go without saying at this point, readers should be aware that there will indeed be some SPOILERS below for any who have not seen the episode yet. So, without further ado, here's a roundup of some of the funniest memes culled from various Twitter and Instagram accounts for episode two of Game of Thrones: Season Eight: 1. Like last week's premiere, episode two also managed to leak online a few hours early. This meme pretty much says it all. pic.twitter.com/cc8d9MFEaG — Game of Thrones Memes (@Thrones_Memes) April 22, 2019 2. It's amazing how well this one sums up the episode. #GameOfThrones spoilers without context 😂 pic.twitter.com/apvSrr3tWl — Jon Snow (@LordSnow) April 22, 2019 3. The first Ghost sighting of the season couldn't go by without a proper meme to mark the occasion. Ghost 😔 #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/sQmXEwRNLM — Jon Snow (@LordSnow) April 21, 2019 4. Not exactly what he had in mind but I think we all like this episode's pairing a bit better. Tonight summed up in one gif #DemThrones pic.twitter.com/MwsBUnDeKU — Alexis Ramirez (@aramirez0217) April 22, 2019 5. Tormund clearly has his priorities straight. #GameofThronesThe dead are coming to kill everyone...Tormund : pic.twitter.com/q7p3MSmdRH — Lost Wizard 🐘 (@Mlle_Charlene_) April 22, 2019 6. Nothing like the sweet voice of Podrick Payne to get rid of the bad taste left by that distracting Ed Sheeran cameo. The real voice of Westeros #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/Usre1DRhz8 — Sadaf Ali (@notSadaf) April 22, 2019 7. "That's how I got so strong: giant's milk." “Your crush is here, act normal” Tormund:#GOT8 #Tormund pic.twitter.com/9h4okLPXZc — طيبه (@Taibz_) April 22, 2019 8. And finally, I think this is how we're all preparing to react next week... I'm so not ready. Me this episode vs. me next week when everyone dies #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/i9qIS7CWzY — احمد. (@i__bv1) April 22, 2019 Sources: Posts embedded from source accountsPosted Mon Apr 22, 2019 at 04:35 PM PDT by: -
HBO Debuts GAME OF THRONES Lyric Video Performed by Florence + the Machine[teaser]The song from last night's episode is now available to stream online.[/teaser] HBO has released a lyric video for "Jenny of Oldstones," the melancholy song featured in last night's episode of Game of Thrones. The video includes clips from various seasons of the show as the track's lyrics are shown on screen, often relating to the sequences they accompany. "Jenny of Oldstones" is based on "Jenny's Song" from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series. Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi wrote the music for the track and the show's writers added extra verses. Actor Daniel Portman, who plays Podrick Payne, sang the song in episode 2 of season 8, though the version here is the end credit's rendition performed by the band Florence + the Machine. Check out the lyric video below! Game of Thrones: Season Eight consists of six episodes, with the series finale set to air on May 19. Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Jerome Flynn, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Rory McCann all reprise their roles for the final batch of episodes. And beyond the currently airing eighth season, HBO is set to start shooting a Game of Thrones prequel spin-off pilot this summer. Here's a synopsis per the network: Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world's descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros' history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks of legend… it's not the story we think we know. The potential series comes George R. R. Martin and Jane Goldman (Kingsman, X-Men: First Class), and is set to star Naomi Watts as "a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret." Source: Game of Thrones (YouTube) via Mashable, A Wiki of Ice and FirePosted Mon Apr 22, 2019 at 11:15 AM PDT by: -
Dwayne Johnson & Jason Statham Take on Idris Elba in New HOBBS & SHAW Trailer[teaser]The Fast & Furious spin-off flick will hit theaters in August.[/teaser] Universal has released a new trailer for Hobbs & Shaw, offering an extended look at the flick's over-the-top action scenes. The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprising their roles as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw from the Fast & Furious franchise. Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America's Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015's Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they've tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw's sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves. Check out the new trailer below! The film comes from director David Leitch (Deadpool 2) with a script written by Chris Morgan. In addition, Morgan also serves as a producer along with Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Hiram Garcia. Executive producers include Dany Garcia, Kelly McCormick, Steven Chasman, Ethan Smith, and Ainsley Davies. Hobbs and Shaw is set to premiere on August 2, 2019. The movie is the first spin-off in the Fast & Furious series and will be the ninth feature length entry in the franchise following The Fast and the Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Fast & Furious (2009), Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and The Fate of the Furious (2017). Source: Fast & Furious (YouTube)Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 at 07:45 AM PDT by: -
Fox's X-MEN Film Series Prepares for the End in Final DARK PHOENIX Trailer[teaser]Marvel's mutant superheroes will face their greatest threat in June.[/teaser] 20th Century Fox has released a final trailer for Dark Phoenix, offering a closer peek at Jean Grey's turn to the dark side. The film is now poised to be the studio's final entry in the main X-Men film series following Disney and Marvel Studios' acquisition of the franchise. The movie is set to hit theaters on June 7, 2019. In Dark Phoenix, the X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiraling out of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite -- not only to save Jean's soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy. Check out the final trailer below! Dark Phoenix comes from writer/director Simon Kinberg. Kinberg also serves as a producer, along with Hutch Parker, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Todd Hallowell. The cast includes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, and Jessica Chastain. Other upcoming films in 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise include The New Mutants from director Josh Boone. The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, and Alice Braga, and is set to premiere on August 2, 2019. Source: 20th Century Fox (YouTube)Posted Wed Apr 17, 2019 at 08:35 AM PDT by:
