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Movie Reviews

Tons of Fun and Tons of Character, Power Rangers is a Must Watch | Review of ‘Power Rangers’

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By Cynthia Ayala

Power Rangers starring Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Bill Hader, Bryan Cranston & Elizabeth Banks
Lionsgate
Image Credit: IMDB

“A group of high-school students, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities to save the world.”

    —IMDB

Sometimes Hollywood can remake our childhood, tapping into everything that made us smile. Power Rangers is a perfect example of that. The old show was always intended for a much younger audience, layered with a degree of absurdity and campiness that made the show so good. With the new adaptation, the movie capitalizes on the absurdity but without the campiness, a deeper level that the writers used to make the story more grounded for an older audience.
 Continue reading Tons of Fun and Tons of Character, Power Rangers is a Must Watch | Review of ‘Power Rangers’ →

Movie Reviews

Worth the Watch | Review of ‘Nerve’

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By Cynthia Ayala

Nerve starring Emma Roberts & Dave Franco
Lionsgate
Image Credit: IMDB

“A high school senior finds herself immersed in an online game of truth or dare, where her every move starts to become manipulated by an anonymous community of ‘watchers.'”

—IMDB

Are you a player or a watcher? Nerve, based on the novel of the same name, is based heavily on the extreme’s some people take to be YouTube famous. But the film takes it to another level taking the control out of the daredevil and putting it in the hands of watchers, people who control the player and the game, giving them reckless dares that could cost them their lives. For Vee (played by Emma Roberts), becoming a player on Nerve is all about trying to prove herself, that she isn’t just the meek shy girl everyone thinks she is. Thrust into this game of do or die, she meets the handsome Ian (played by Dave Franco), another player in the Game who knows more than he is telling her.
 Continue reading Worth the Watch | Review of ‘Nerve’ →

Entertainment & News, Movie Reviews

Empowering and Action Packed Entertainment | Review of ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016 Film)’

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By Cynthia Ayala

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies starring: : Lily James, Sam Riley & Lena Headey Image Credit: Wikipedia
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies starring: : Lily James, Sam Riley & Lena Headey
Lionsgate & Screen Gems
Image Credit: Wikipedia

Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England is faced with a new challenge—an army of undead zombies.

.—IMBD

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies can be described with a few words: brilliant, hilarious, empowering. This film is a retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice based on the novel of the same title by Seth Grahame-Smith, this movie includes action, romance and zombies to retell the classic narrative. Continue reading Empowering and Action Packed Entertainment | Review of ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016 Film)’ →

Movie News

Twilight Parody Producers Sue Studios For $500 Million

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By: Sean O’Connell

image

And here I thought the Twilight Saga films ALREADY were a parody . Even if that’s the case, a separate parody film called Twiharder was scheduled to reach theaters last year when Lionsgate and Summit had Breaking Dawn Part 2 on the docket . However, a cease-and-desist order prevented the producers at Behind The Lines from releasing their comedy, and now EWsays they’re filing a lawsuit to seek damages (and free up the restraints for future projects).

The lawsuit – a 219-page complaint that’s seeking $500 million in damages – says:

“independent filmmakers, parodists and other ‘counter-cultural’ artists who create separate or derivative works that may be related to, inspired by or comment upon the pop culture events that dominate the national Cineplex and, by extension the attitudes, perspectives and behaviors of the populace.”

The site says that Lionsgate and Summit have registered so many Twilight-related trademarks that it potentially creates an intellectual property monopoly, which the lawsuit would love to break down. And a communications law professor at the University of Georgia tells EW that Behind the Lines has a pretty good chance, because Lionsgate would have a difficulttime proving in court that the existence of Twiharder was illegal. Likely, both sides would pour a lot of money into a fruitless court case, giving the studios the advantage because they have deeper pockets for a legal battle.

The team behind Twiharder likely won’t earn that $500 million, but maybe they’ll get their movie released. At the time, they had a trailer put together. Check it out below. Does itmake you want to see the movie … eventually?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsmtHiLe1Gc

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

Harry Potter’s David Thewlis Joins The Cast Of Red 2

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By: Eric Eisenberg

Red_2_32848David Thewlis is well known to the fans of fantasy movies thanks to his work as Remus Lupin in the series of Harry Potter films, but now he’s getting set to introduce himself to fans of action movies. The actor has officially signed on to the cast of Red 2, the sequel to the Robert Schwentke-directed comic book adaptation from 2010. Thewlis will join a cast that includes returning stars Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich as well as newcomers Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, as well as Byun-Hun Lee.

According to THR, Thewlis will be playing a man known simply as The Frog, an "information dealer." The origin of his nickname comes from the time he poisioned the water at the Kremlin using an Amazonian frog. While the star hasn’t had a hectic schedule since the end of the Harry Potter franchise last year, he has most definitely kept busy and has starred in movies like Roland Emmerich’s Anonymous, Luc Besson’s The Lady and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse.

Dean Parisot, who last directed the Jim Carrey comedy Fun with Dick and Jane, is helming the sequel and Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Mark Vahradian are all producing. The script was written by Erich and Jon Hoeber, whose previous credits include the first Red, Battleship and Whiteout. Production is gearing up to start some time this fall and Summit/Lionsgate has already given it an August 2, 2013 release date.

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Casts Jeffrey Wright As Beetee

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By: Katey Rich

The_Hunger_Games_Catching_Fire_32830Jeffrey Wright, the character actor and theater veteran who seemingly shows up in every other movie, has become the latest– and quite possibly the last– actor added to the massive lineup for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Lionsgate announced today that they’ve cast him as Beetee, the former tribute from District 3 who has knowledge about electronics that becomes very, very valuable as he, Katniss, Peeta and many others return to the arena for the Quarter Quell.

Beetee is teamed up throughout the film with Wiress, the other District 3 tribute who was actually one of the first Catching Fire characters to be cast, when Amanda Plummer signed on back in July. And though Beetee isn’t as flashy a role as dreamboat Finnick (who will be played by dreamboat Sam Claflin) or fiery Johanna Mason (Jena Malone is playing her), he’s important to the action that happens in the arena, as well as the revolution that eventually engulfs Panem and changes Katniss’s life.

Catching Fire is set to start production this fall, with a release date set for November 22 next year. In addition to all the new cast members mentioned above, Philip Seymour Hoffman is on board to play head games maker Plutarch Heavensbee, and of course all the original cast that survived the first film will be back– that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones and Stanley Tucci. We don’t know a whole lot else about it just yet, but you can follow along all the news as it comes by clicking here.

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

Adjustment Bureau Director To Helm Fatal Attraction-Facebook Mash-Up XOXO

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By: Eric Eisenberg

george_nolfi_32674The film once called "Fatal Attraction for the digital age" has finally found its director. George Nolfi, who is best known as the director of the 2011 Matt Damon thriller The Adjustment Bureau, is now attached to both direct and oversee a rewrite of XOXO, a film about a dangerous relationship that begins in the world of social media. The original script was written by Mark Heyman , who is best known as one of the scribes of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (Heyman will be doing the re-write himself).

Variety reports that the movie is about a soon-to-be-married executive who makes a bad habit out of flirting with women online. He then begins a relationship with an woman only to discover that " his Internet romance is seeping into his actual life in a deadly way." The project is being developed by Lionsgate and both Aronofsky and Michael London are on-board to produce. In order to prevent the film from just being two people sitting in front of a computer, it has been reported that the film will have many stylized visual sequences, though it’s unknown exactly what that will entail (with Nolfi now on-board that picture should become clearer).

XOXO will only be Nolfi’s second directorial effort, as his previous work in the movie industry has been as a screenwriter. In addition to writing the script for The Adjustment Bureau, his other titles include 2003’s Timeline,Ocean’s Twelve, The Sentinel and The Bourne Ultimatum. Most recently he served as a writing supervisor on The Last Stand, the upcoming thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

Sam Claflin Confirmed As Catching Fire’s Finnick

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By: Katey Rich

Catching_Fire_32598After weeks of casting announcements about minor characters even diehard Hunger Games fans probably didn’t care about, we’ve finally snagged the final bit casting notice about Catching FIre— and it’s exactly what you’re expected. Sam Claflin, last seen in Snow White and the Huntsman, will play the dreamboat tribute Finnick, who competes alongside our heroine Katniss in the Quarter Quell.

The news was confirmed today by Lionsgate, though the all-but-settled rumor went around more than a month ago, dashing the hopes of many who thought charismatic types like Armie Hammer or Matt Bomer might get the part. He joins a huge cast of newcomers for the second film, which finds Katniss and Peta (Josh Hutcherson) coming to the end of their Victory Tour across Panem, only to wind up back in the arena as part of the Quarter Quell, in which the new contestants are chosen from among the previous victors. Finnick is probably the new character most beloved by fans– the fact that he’s a handsome man probably doesn’t hurt– but right up there is Johanna Mason, the fiery tribute who clashes immediately with Katniss but eventually learns to work with her. Johanna will be played by Jena Malone, who was confirmed in the cast back in July.

Claflin, the Orlando Bloom of our time, will probably be just fine as Finnick– i’m still holding out hope he’s got charisma that just didn’t emerge in Snow White or the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie. We’ll find out for sure when The Hunger Games: Catching Fire comes to theaters November 22 next year.

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Finds Its Cashmere

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By: Kristy Puchko

The_Hunger_Games_Catching_Fire_32473Whether or not you’ve read Suzanne Collins’ wildly popular YA trilogy, the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games made clear that not all the districts of Panem are equal when it comes to their tributes’ chances in the Capital’s cruel competition. While the film’s romantic leads, Katniss and Peeta, scraped by in the squalid District 12, Districts 1 and 2—known for industries in luxury items and weaponry respectively—are far wealthier regions. And so, the children of these districts are trained extensively to kill from an early age, giving them an edge on the games and the label of Career Tributes. For them, the Reaping is not a lottery to be feared, but an opportunity for glory, fame, and fortune.

As the killer clique of Clove, Cato, Glimmer and Marvel showed in The Hunger Games, this makes the tributes from these districts distinctly deadly. In the upcoming sequel Catching Fire, the names may have changed, but their attitude and fearsome nature is frighteningly familiar. For the 75th Annual Hunger Games, the Capital has changed up the rules, calling upon past victors from each district to return to the ring for the Quarter Quell and now we have learned that Stephanie Leigh Schlund will join the battle as the cold-hearted Cashmere out of District 1. The actress, who previously appeared alongside Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth in the romantic drama The Last Song, joins Alan Ritchson, Bruno Gunn, and Meta Golding, who will play Cashmere’s brother Gloss, and District 2 champions Brutus and Enobaria respectively.

While we’re all waiting for Lionsgate to finally unveil who will play District 4 heartthrob Finnick, its likely we’ll first get casting announcements on Districts, 10, 9, 8, 6, 5, and the male tributes from 3 (Beetee) and 7 (Blight), because apparently the anticipation is just too delicious. So hang in there.

Source: Cinema Blend

Entertainment & News

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Adds Two More Tributes

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By: Katey Rich

The_Hunger_Games_Catching_Fire_32422Usually when a movie begins casting its smaller roles, it announces them in one big batch, or doesn’t announce them at all, allowing you to discover once you peruse IMDB which character actors will be filling the frame behind the main stars. But The Hunger Games is not most movies, as Lionsgate discovered when fans shrieked with anticipation every time a new person was cast, and they’re repeating the strategy for Catching Fire, sending out a press release every single time a new person joins the lineup.

So we actually have two new names to announced, since we left out yesterday’s– consider it a bonus. E. Roger Mitchell, an actor you might recognize from Battle: Los Angeles or Tyler Perry’s TV show House of Payne, has signed on to play Chaff, a former Hunger Games winner who hails from District 11. And Alan Ritchson, a young actor with some minor roles behind him, will play Gloss, a "Career Tribute’ from District 1 who, along with his sister Cashmere, is a former Hunger Games winner who is chosen to participate in the Quarter Quell. We’ve been trying to dance around the idea of the Quarter Quell for weeks now in posting these casting announcements, but Lionsgate mentioned it in their press release so we may as well. In Catching Fire, the format of the annual Hunger Games changes formats so that former tributes are chosen to compete in the arena yet again. Gloss and Chaff are among those chosen, and if you think our heroes Katniss and Peeta won’t also get involved somehow… well, I won’t ruin your illusions just yet.

Catching Fire starts production this fall, and while many of the new names added to the cast recently are minor, bigger names signing on include Philip Seymour Hoffman (as Gamesmaker Plutarch Heavensbee) and Jena Malone, who will play former Games champion Johanna, who strikes up a tempestuous relationship with Katniss. We’re still waiting patiently for news on who will play the other major new character, Finnick– but at the rate we’re going, I guarantee we’ll have a press release about it soon enough.

Source: Cinema Blend