Written and directed by Etan Cohen, starring two funny guys – Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are reunited – this time playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective and his assistant biographer in what looks like a ridiculous version of Holmes & Watson.
Cohen’s credits include being a writer and producer of movie sequels like Men in Black 3 and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
The interviews with all four stars are silly and explain a bit about the movie.
Written and directed by Steven Knight, Serenity follows Baker Dill, played by Matthew McConaughey, a fishing boat captain. Dill leads tours off a serene, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island.
I watched the movie last night on Prime. It is nothing like what we see in these clips and trailers, and the poster is not true to the story. I recommend this movie because it has a message that lingers with you long after the film ends.
The movies gradually become daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller as Dill’s quiet life is shattered. His former wife Karen, played by Anne Hathaway, tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband, played by Jason Clarke, by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead.
Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.
The third trailer shows more of the movie and how it plays out for Dill.
These clips are intense, and this movie will have me on the edge of my chair. Such good acting in these two clips is all I can say right now until I see more. Here, we have two Oscar winners and a strong supporting cast. It is a suspenseful movie, which means it is plot-driven. That is even better. I love a good story.
The story thickens with three more intense and story-driven scenes. The whole time I am watching each scene, I think, “Dill is being taken advantage of.” He is vulnerable and surrounded by unscrupulous people. I am being kind when I say “unscrupulous.” McConaughey plays Dill as if he has no control over everything that happens; he is just being affected by the circumstances.
Co-written and directed by George Gallo, the movie Bigger follows Joe and Ben Weider. They were brothers who originated the muscle. The bodybuilding contests launched several careers. Not only did they discover Arnold Schwarzenegger, but they inspired female empowerment. They promoted championing diversity and started a fitness movement that literally changed how the world viewed men.
If you think about it, how did bodybuilding and muscle start and become so popular? We all know Schwarzenegger led the way in building more enormous muscle mass. But who was the impetus behind the craze? This movie is supposed to answer that question.
The ensemble cast includes Tyler Hoechlin, Aneurin Barnard, Julianne Hough, Victoria Justice, Colton Haynes, Max Martini, Tom Arnold, Steve Guttenberg, Calum Von Moger, DJ Qualls, with Kevin Durand, and Robert Forster.
Gallo wrote the screenplay with Andy Weiss, Ellen, and Brad Furman. Gallo is known more for his screenwriting credits for movies like Midnight Run and Bad Boys.
Directed by Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk, is set in early-1970s Harlem as a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year old Tish Rivers, played by KiKi Layne. Tish is a daughter and wife-to-be. She vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust connect her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny, played by Stephan James. Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.
The movie clip shows how sharp and poignant the movie comes across.
The second poster shows the love story and the bonding of the main characters.
Tish knows that Fonny is innocent, and is mindful that his good friend Daniel Carty, played by Brian Tyree Henry, was recently freed after an unjust incarceration. Fonny’s mother, played by Aunjanue Ellis, clings to her devotion to God and his father, played by Michael Beach, struggles with feelings of powerlessness. Tish’s earthly father Joseph, played by Colman Domingo, and fierce older sister Ernestine, played by Teyonah Parris, hold steadfast in their support. Even more anxious to clear Fonny’s name is Tish’s deeply compassionate mother Sharon, played by Regina King, readying to put herself on the line for her daughter and future son-in-law’s happiness.
The undercurrents fill the story including the couple’s unborn child, whose arrival will herald new joys and challenges. Facing the unexpected prospect of parenthood and holding down a job without her partner at her side. Tish must adjust her perspective on the realities of her existence. She visits Fonny regularly, trying to shore up his spirit even as prison takes its toll. As the weeks turn to months, Tish reaffirms their hopes and resilience, relying on familial and inner strength.
If Beale Street Could Talk is based on a book by James Baldwin, charting the vivid emotional currents navigated in an unforgiving and racially biased world as the Jenkins poetically crosses time frames to show how love and humanity endure.
The talented cast also includes Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Beach, Ed Skrein, Diego Luna, Dave Franco, and Pedro Pascal.
The song playing in the background might seem cheesy to some but I like it because it shows how poetic and deep their lives are intertwined. Just beautiful – true love.
Jenkins won an Oscar for directing Moonlight and Beale Street is his beautiful and poetic follow up. Watch the movie and be transformed.
The Blu-ray and DVD are hitting the streets with streaming available as well. The movie is poetry. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is your chance. It’s a beautiful love story about bigotry and family. Both disc sets have deleted scenes and featurettes about the making of the movie.
Produced and directed by Xiao Feng, Air Strike follows a U.S. Army colonel, played by Bruce Willis. The studios call this movie a pulse-pounding epic about the courage of China’s citizens during WWII.
The colonel trains Chinese pilots for Japanese battle fighters, and a hotheaded pilot, played by Ye Liu, begs to fly a mighty bomber that could stop the attacks. I bet he flies the craft.
In another storyline, a team of spies and refugees must carry an advanced decoder device through the war-torn countryside.
Air Strike is Feng’s second movie. His first is Hushed Roar.
Also starring are Adrien Brody and Willis’ daughter Rumer.
The screenplay is by Ping Chen, whose other credits include episodic television.
Directed by Scott Speer from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs, I Still See You follows Roni, played by Bella Thorne, is in this spellbinding and romantic supernatural thriller. The movie is based on the book “Break My Heart One Thousand Times” by Daniel Walters.
Ten years after an apocalyptic event left the world haunted by ghosts, Roni receives a threatening message from beyond the grave. Joining forces with a mysterious classmate, Kirk, played by Richard Harmon, Roni descends into a shadow world that blurs the bounds of the living and the dead—and begins a desperate race against time to stop a cunning killer.
Thorne starred in a love story called Midnight Sun with Patrick Schwarzenegger, which Speer directed. These two characters played by Thorne in each movie are complete opposites in nature.
Jason Fuchs is also an actor but his writing credits include Wonderwoman and Pan.
The movie trailer shows a touch of comedy with the suspense.
The movie looks good via trailer and the rest of the cast include Amy Price-Francis, Hugh Dillon, Shaun Benson, Dave Brown, Thomas Elms, Louis Herthum, and Dermot Mulroney.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson, as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in a galactic war between two alien races.
The movie is now available as Blu-ray/DVD or streaming with some excellent bonus features.
Brie Larson is from my hometown and an Oscar winner for the movie Room, which I highly recommend. She works hard at her craft and believes in the roles she plays.
Captain Marvel is not the first film Boden and Fleck collaborated on. Half-Nelson, starring Ryan Gosling, is their first movie. It is about a drug addict teacher whom a student discovers. Boden and Fleck collaborated on other short films. All are garnering their nominations and awards, including Half-Nelson. Please scroll down and watch their interview about directing the latest Marvel movie.
Taking on a blockbuster movie production such as Captain Marvel is a bold but exciting move for these two crackerjacks. Boden wrote the screenplay with the help of over half a dozen other writers.
The second trailer is much better and tells the story of Larson’s character, which I like and find refreshing. The first trailer is farther down and just as fun to watch.
Also cast in the movie is an impressive talent such as Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, and Annette Bening.
Larson worked out for nine months before shooting the film. She immersed herself in the role, which included super jets.
The three movie clips give us a feel for how the movie flows. I can’t tell if Jude Law’s character is a good or bad guy yet. Only time will tell, but I hope he’s a good guy.
It’s leaning toward Law’s character being a good guy because it looks like they are having fun. A playful fight scene like this doesn’t move the plot along. I hope the plot is exciting and not a typical superhero story.
Jude Law talks about what it means to be in a Marvel movie and how it influences the box office. He refers to all the Marvel movies interloping in each other’s movies. He dressed down for the red carpet premiere, and I like it. He seems to understand the superhero movie-making process.
In the following movie clip, we don’t get a good look at the bad guy. From what I see, he seems innocuous without the mean kicks.
From 15 interviews available on my YouTube Channel, I picked these two interviews for here. One is with the directors, and the other with Brie Larson. I chose these two interviews because the directors explain how they approached the topic to make an authentic movie. In Larson’s interview, she talks about how hard she physically trained for this role.
The featurette about the cast is pretty simple and doesn’t indicate anything new about Marvel. The camaraderie is evident and a pleasure to see during the quick cuts to the different actors. It looks like an excellent movie for popcorn entertainment.
This is an excellent interview with Samuel L. Jackson about working with Larson and Gregg again. He talks about how this Marvel movie is different than the rest. His character, Nick, is younger in this Marvel movie because it takes place in the 1990s.
The world premiere of Captain Marvel included an Air Force fly to acknowledge Carol’s Air Force background in the movie. Two interviews with Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson at the world premiere recognize the Air Force and the young men who protect our country.
I like Jackson more and more. This guy rocks. He is so comfortable in front of the camera, unforgettable.
I am including Pinar Toprak’s soundbites regarding her music composing. She discusses her journey from presenting a demo to creating the theme song. Anyone who loves movies will appreciate this interview.
Screenplay by David Magee with the story co-written by David Magee, John DeLuca, and Rob Marshall, Mary Poppins Returns with direction by Rob Marshall. The sequel takes place during Depression-era London. Suppose you are familiar with the original Disney Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. In that case, you will relate to the now-grown Jane, played by Emily Mortimer, and Michael Banks, played by Ben Whishaw. Together with Michael’s three children, they are, once again, following a personal loss visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins, played by Emily Blunt.
Through her unique magical skills and with the aid of her friend Jack, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.
The movie clip shows the brother and sister, now older, up in the attic, finding memories.
The latest featurette explains how the movie is not a remake but a sequel.
The studio now blocks one clip of the movie I posted. What I liked about the video was it showed the energy each actor contributes to the scene and, thus, the film.
My family and I saw the movie over the holidays and loved it. The film is upbeat and fun. The curtain call at the end will raise your spirits. Emily Blunt became Mary Poppins, which differs from Julie Andrews’ version but is more faithful to the books.
Here are more movie clips. The “Sing For Us” is now blocked, so I removed it, but Emily Blunt is still stunning in all the other clips.
The featurette is true to the Mary Poppins stories. Enjoy!
Other cast members include Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, and Angela Lansbury.
After my family saw the movie, we all agreed that the little dance scene was the best in the film. Next is the curtain call with balloons at the end, a great ending. I highly recommend the movie.
Emily Blunt marvels at how she takes “The Place Where the Lost Things Go” and sings it gently and beautifully to the Banks children. I hope Blunt sings an Oscar-nominated song at the Academy Awards presentation. I’d be ecstatic! The movie nabbed another Oscar nod for Original Score – Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Listen in on their discussion with Richard Sherman about developing the music for the film.
Mary Poppins Returns Blu-ray and DVD are on the streets, with streaming happening online. Now, you can see the movie again with the bonus features.
Directed by Tom Volf, Maria By Callas is a documentary about one of the world’s greatest opera singers that ever graced the stage and performance halls. What is unique about this documentary is that it is a compilation of the life of Maria Callas. Nothing is made up or slanted as documentaries do today. No. This is her life story. The story of the legendary Greek/American opera singer completely in her own words.
The compilation is told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, nearly all of which have never been shown to the public.
The movie shines a light on the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.
Google Maria Callas and you will discover her life was riddled with negative press and marriages as well as love affairs. She died of a heart attack at the age of 53, which is tragic in itself, because her confidant, a woman, at the time swindled her trust and spent Callas’ money freely without helping young singers as promised but finally established a foundation.
Notable artists and well-known personalities star in the documentary including Fanny Ardant, Aristotle Onassis, Vittorio De Sica, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Luchino Visconti, and Omar Sharif.
The movie clip shows Marie Callas in an interview describing how she is two people, interesting.
I am not quite sure, but I believe, Volf is French and holds two acting credits in French films. Marie By Callas won the best Documentary in Music and Dance at the Master of Art Film Festival 2018.
Directed by Maryam Keshavarz, Viper Club follows ER nurse Helen Sterling, played by Susan Sarandon, who struggles to free her grown son, a journalist captured by terrorists in the Middle East.
After hitting walls with the FBI and State agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists, advocates, and philanthropists who might help.
Keshavarz credits include directing shorts and movie Circumstance. She’s also a producer and won awards for one of her shorts and documentaries.
Seeing Sarandon take on a major role in a movie is exciting. She is such a talented actress. Other cast members include Matt Bomer, Lola Kirke, Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Adepero Oduye, and Edie Falco.