Monthly Archives: September 2018

“Anna and the Apocalypse” Trailer, Featurettes, & Posters

comedy, horror, music, , ,

Directed by John McPhail,  Anna and the Apocalypse is a silly, comedy, horror, musical movie. The story focuses on Anna, played by Ella Hunt.  A zombie apocalypse hits the sleepy town of Little Haven on Christmas. Anna and her high school friends have to fight, sing and dance to survive the apocalypse. They are surrounded by a large mass of undead people around them.

The music featurette explains how the horror movie is really a musical.  It looks like a lot of fun.

The “Zombie” featurette is quick paced and educational while entertaining.  We get to see how they make up people worked to create the zombie motif.

Another poster came from the studios for the NY Comi Con. So many posters. I am losing track of which poster is which.  They all look great, and the NYCC Poster is my favorite, right now.

I am inserting the various posters the studio keeps releasing. This one with the candy cane raised over Anna’s head is pretty cool. I like it because it communicates the excitement of a horror Christmas musical, which I find interesting.

Teaming up with her best friend John, played by Malcolm Cumming, Anna has to battle her way through zombified snowmen, Santas, elves and Christmas shoppers to get across town to the high school.

At the high school, they will be safe. But they soon find out that being a teenager is just as difficult as staying alive, even at the end of the world.

McPhail is from Scotland and is best known as a cinematographer, and Anna and the Apocalypse is his first feature film. The screenplay was co-written by Alan McDonald and the late Ryan McHenry.

The movie trailer shows how crazy and silly the movie as Anna and her friends break out into a song among the dangers of the zombies.

“Slice” Red Band Trailer

comedy, horror, , , ,

Written and directed by Austin Vesely, Slice is a comedy horror movie. When a pizza delivery driver is murdered on the job, the city searches for someone to blame.

The usual suspects are ghosts, drug dealers, and a disgraced werewolf.

After watching the trailer, the movie either is so silly and crazy that it will become a sleeper hit or it will become horror fans’ greatest secret.

Vesely’s include video shorts and a movie made for television. Slice is his feature debut.

Joe Keery from Stranger Things plays a photojournalist, and the other cast members include Zazie Beetz, Katherine Cunningham, and Hannibal Buress.

“At Eternity’s Gate” Trailers, Movie Clips, Featurettes & Posters

drama, legend, , , ,

Co-written and directed by Julian Schnabel, At Eternity’s Gate is a journey inside the world and mind of Vincent van Gogh, played by Willem Dafoe.

Gogh is a person who, despite skepticism, ridicule and emotional turmoil, created some of the world’s most beloved and stunning works of art.

The movie is not Gogh’s life story but rather vignettes based on Vincent van Gogh’s letters, common agreement about events in his life that present as facts, rumors, and moments that are just plain invented.

Dafoe is meant to play the brilliant but troubled artist. Rounding out the cast are Mads Mikkelsen, Emmanuelle Seigner, Amira Casar, Niels Arestrup, and Oscar Isaac.

The two movie clips get under my skin. I am interested in the movie and look forward to seeing it.

Schnabel other directing talents include The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Before Night Falls, and Basquiat.

The two movie clips show how the movie is formulated, and it more of a revelation than a linear story.  The camera work is amazing. I have an interview with the cinematographer on my YouTube Channel.

Here is the second poster, which is not all that different but the first poster. The cast list is larger and on the left side of the poster instead of almost centered.  Quotes from reviewers or critics are included as well.

The second trailer shows the magnificent cinematography by Benoît Delhomme, who also shot The Theory of Everything.

The screenplay is co-written by Jean-Claude Carriere, who won an Oscar in 1963 for Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects sharing it with Pierre Etaix.  He also won a BAFTA for Best Screenplay – Adapted for The Unbearable Lightness of Being shared with Philip Kaufman in 1989.

 

“Instant Family” Featurette, Movie Clips, “I’ll Stay” Song & Trailer

comedy, family movies, , ,

Co-written and directed by Sean Anders, Instant Family is based on real events in Anders’ life when he and his wife decided to adopt three kids over the age of five. Releasing the featurette before the movie trailer is unique but effective.  Watch the featurette and you will understand the reason for the featurette first. Anders and his wife are telling the story and the featurette focuses on their story.

Mark Wahlberg stars as Pete in the movie about a childless, married couple who decide to adopt three children. Isabela Moner, Octavia Spencer, and Rose Byrne also star in the movie. Moner and Wahlberg previously starred together in Transformers: The Last Knight.

This is the third collaboration for both Wahlberg and Anders. Their other movies are Daddy’s Home, and Daddy’s Home 2.

She is very beautiful and vibrant. “I’ll Stay” is so true about families.  I hope this clip isn’t blocked because of the song’s copyright.

These movie clips are fun to watch. The first one is so funny, hilarious.  Enjoy!

The movie clips so how much fun this movie is to watch. Enjoy!

John Morris co-wrote the screenplay. His other movies include Dumb and Dumber and Sex Drive.  At times, Morris wears the hat of producer.

The movie trailer came out after the release of the featurette.

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” Trailers, Movie Clips, Featurettes & Posters

adventure, based on a book, children movies, classic, family movies, holiday movies, remakes, , , ,

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms centers on Klara, played by Mackenzie Foy. All she desires is a golden key,not just any old key. A unique key like no other key to unlock a box that holds a priceless gift from her late mother.

Her godfather Drosselmeyer, played by Morgan Freeman, presents a golden thread to her at the annual holiday party. The thread leads her to the key she yearns.  The thread quickly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world.

In the mysterious world, which seems a bit like Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Klara happens upon some quirky characters such as a soldier named Phillip, played by Jayden Fowora-Knight, a gang of mice, and the regents. The regents preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, and Land of Sweets.

Klara and Phillip journey together and brave the threatening Fourth Realm, which is home to the tyrant Mother Ginger, played by Helen Mirren.

For Klara to her key and with a bit of luck, return harmony to the unstable world, she must confront Mother Ginger.

The following three featurettes show how much creative work went into production. One of the featurettes is about the famous ballerina Misty Copeland.

These two movie clips show how the story unfolds.

Hallstrom’s credits include directing What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and he is also a writer.

The featurette explains the four realms.

The magical movie also stars Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Featuring an individual ballet performance by Misty Copeland, all ballerinas will want to see this movie. But keep in mind, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic tale inspires the cinema. It is not the same story.
The second trailer shows more of the story, and the music sounds familiar.

The Blu-ray/DVD and streaming is now available if you’re interested in watching it with your kids. It is a kids’ movie, but mom and, possibly, dad will like it, too.