Spider-Man: Homecoming Movie Review

Live-action Spider-Man films have been around since 2002. The first set of movies starred Toby Maguire, and then later Andrew Garfield. But what did these five movies lack? They were not created with the involvement of Marvel Studios, as part of their ‘Cinematic Universe’. These other ones also did not have Tom Holland in the role of Peter Parker. Now things are getting better and better…

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” starts with a direct nod to “The Avengers” (2012), with the aftermath of the fight over New York City against the alien race of Chitauri. The clean-up crew is led by Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), and when he is pushed out of the job by the government, he takes much of the alien technology. Eight years later, he and his crew have an underground network of alien-based weapons sold to the highest bidder. Toomes has created a flight suit and calls himself the Vulture.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is in high school, and with no specific back story, he is an amateur crime-fighter called Spider-Man. He is noticed by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and he joins Stark on a mission in Germany. For details on that, see “Captain America: Civil War” (2016). Stark gives Peter a Spider-Suit upgrade. It is very high-tech, but it is limited by the “Training Wheels Protocol”.  Peter keeps his secret identity hidden from his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). But by accident, his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) finds out.

Peter and Ned attend a science-based high school in New York, and they are part of the Academic Decathlon team. Also on the team are Liz (Laura Harrier) and Michelle (Zendaya). Peter attempts to live as a secret superhero while also navigating high school. Peter wants so much to be part of the Avengers. He calls and reports in daily to Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), so that Happy will report this to his boss Tony Stark. Peter decides to live a little dangerously, and he and Ned disable the “Training Wheels”.

Perter Parker as Spider-Man has a couple of run-ins with thugs that have the Toomes alien-tech weapons. He even has a run-in with Toomes (as the Vulture). He tries to get the attention of Tony Stark, and he wants to let him know that bad things are afoot. There are some pretty decent fight scenes in a New York bank, and then at the Washington Monument. Spider-Man has a number of high-tech tricks up his sleeve, even when he meets up with the Vulture on the Staten Island ferry. However, things get out of hand. Iron Man has to come to the rescue, and Peter Parker gets demoted.

But later, when he gets a date with Liz to the school Homecoming dance, he finds that the danger has only begun. Peter Parker will need his strength and his will to beat the Vulture in a final fight. Little does he know that his school life and his secret Spider-Man life are about to cross paths. The events that lead up to this are a bit of a surprise, so you can find out when you see what happens…

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a welcome change to the Spider-Man movies, and now that it folds into Marvel’s Universe, that makes it even better. The addition of Tom Holland as Peter Parker is terrific. He is much more in line with what a high school nerd kid should look like. Just because he has super Spider-Strength and Spidey-Senses, he still is awkward asking a girl out to a dance. Or even worse, learning to slow dance with his Aunt May…

All the casting is brilliant, especially Michael Keaton as the Vulture. The Toomes character does not get much in the way of development, but Keaton is great with a sarcastic line or a flinty, squinty sneer. All the high school related characters are fine, and the criminal gang of Toomes is also pretty good. Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau are again doing the roles that they do so well. Marisa Tomei does not have a lot of time in the movie, but she still makes an impression…

Overall, because there were six writers, I guess that some ideas did not have time to get fleshed out. Adrian Toomes goes from a blue-collar worker to an underground super criminal in a matter of minutes. Peter Parker’s experience with the radioactive spider is glossed over, so you can watch other movies to get into his back-story. Because Peter is a high school kid, he does not have a car, so getting around is more difficult. But he does make it to where he needs to go.

However, the overall attitude of the movie is refreshing and self-referential. It is almost like a PG-13 version of “Deadpool”. It has a humorous side, but it also gets into a father-figure situation between Peter Parker and Tony Stark. Plus there are some nice little cameo performances every once in a while: Chris Evans as ‘Steve Rogers: School Fitness Adviser’ on the school TV. Also, there is cute segment with Gwyneth Paltrow again playing Pepper Potts, helping Tony Stark announce the latest Avenger.

It’s enough to make your Spidey-Senses tingle…

Baby Driver Movie Review

Baby Driver is frenzied; just a CrAzY wild ride!!  It was written, directed and edited with schizophrenic prowess.  In the theatre this weekend, because I know you’re going to go see this, sit back and prepare to have your body attacked by an insanely high energy film where there will be no relief for you from the intensity of the madness playing out on the screen.  Your eyes and ears will be assaulted and your body will stiffen but when you walk out of that theatre you’re going to say (I know you will) ‘I gotta see that again!’  The cinematography, stunts and the special effects are just that good. 

The title refers to Baby (Elgort) who is an extremely talented driver of the getaway vehicles he drives for Doc (Spacey).  Doc is the big crime boss of Atlanta; even has some city police in his back pocket.  Not that Baby is long in the tooth, but when he was much younger, Baby did a stupid thing and took what wasn’t his; that thing belonged to Doc.  A bit eccentric and untrusting of people, Doc never works with the same crew twice and ever since except for this exceptional driver.  Luckily for Doc, Baby is paying Doc back by driving his bank robbing crew to safety until his debt is square.  Luckily for Baby, who isn’t a ‘bad guy’ that time is coming soon.  The film starts when he only has a few jobs left.  He desperately wants free of this obligation because the crews that Doc is hiring of late are getting worse and things are getting more dangerous.

What’s so exhilarating about this flick is that we don’t go into the bank with the crew and see the heist.  We’re inside the getaway car with Baby, waiting for them to come out and get them to a particular destination where they have yet another vehicle waiting for them to calmly drive away from the getaway car in case they were seen.  When Baby has his earbuds in, we are listening to the music with him and the music makes a lot of these scenes.  It’s a well-chosen soundtrack for us to jam to when he’s driving through the gorgeous city of Atlanta; running from cops at high speeds.  Why he loves cars and why he’s into music is because when he was a child, he was in the car when his parents were killed in an accident.  He was listening to music when the car rammed into the back of a truck and ever since, he has a ringing in his ears.  Playing his music is the only thing that momentarily gives him peace from this affliction.  That is until he meets Debora (James).  She gives him hope that there can be a life for him after his criminal behavior.  Debora wants what he wants and in their shared vision of the future, driving fast isn’t in the cards.  However, with Doc in the picture, is driving slow an option?

See Baby Driver… today!!  You’ll laugh, you’ll be shocked, and you’ll jump out of your seat.  Its fast pace will get your adrenaline running and its ending will surprise you… so will the appearance of Paul Williams!  Now, I KNOW you’re intrigued and I know you’re seeing it this weekend if not today, right?  Have fun and enjoy one of the best and most unique action films to be released in a long time.

Here’s a chancence to experience a special Planet of the Apes triple feature on Wednesday, July12th

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM TO HOLD SPECIAL PLANET OF THE APES TRIPLE FEATURE

Audiences Will Have the Chance to Experience the Trilogy in Full and Be Among the First to See “War For The Planet Of The Apes” In RealD 3D

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 23, 2017) – To celebrate the epic final showdown between apes and humans in the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes, Twentieth Century Fox Film will give audiences a chance to experience a special Planet of the Apes triple feature on Wednesday, July12th.  For one price, Planet of the Apes fans will be able to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2D, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in 3D, and be among the first to see the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes in 3D.   An exclusive commemorative item will be available to all guests who attend the Planet Of The Apes Triple Feature in RealD 3D, while supplies last.  This exclusive artwork is produced by Shepard Fairey in collaboration with Studio Number One.

  

Tickets for War for the Planet of the Apes and the triple feature are now on sale at:

http://www.apesmovietickets.com/

All films are rated PG-13.

In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel.  After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.  As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

Twentieth Century Fox Film will release War for the Planet of the Apes in theaters everywhere July 14th.

 

About Twentieth Century Fox Film

One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world.  These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of Twentieth Century Fox Film:  Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

‘Making History’ a War for the Planet of the Apes Featurette

Making History” highlights Andy Serkis’ amazing performance in WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES and the incredible VFX work done by Weta Digital to bring this movie to life.

Over the course of three films, Weta Digital has mastered the art of translating human actors to apes. The apes level of sentience has developed throughout each film and so too have Weta Digital’s techniques and toolsets. Developing some of the most advanced techniques in the industry Weta artists employ these tools to create exceptional CG characters.

 

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

Action/Drama

Release: July 14, 2017

Director: Matt Reeves

Written by: Mark Bomback & Matt Reeves

Producers: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver

Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Judy Greer & Terry Notary

 

SYNOPSIS

In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel.  After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.  As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

 

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Official Channels

WEBSITE: WarForThePlanet.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ApesMovies

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ApesMovies

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ApesMovies/

#WarForThePlanet

Transformers: The Last Knight Movie Review

Bayhem: defined as the non-stop assault of wild images and loud sounds that come at you from a movie directed by Michael Bay. That is what is expected from his movies, and “Transformers: The Last Knight” will not disappoint the Bay fans out there. It is a long, non-stop and nonsensical action meat grinder of a movie. Are there giant robots – yes of course. Are there gaping plot holes – yes of course. Are there spectacular scenes of motion and movement – yes of course. Will Bay fans eat it up – yes, without a doubt.

To sum up: Autobots are good guy robots that transform into various vehicles. Decepticons are the bad guy robots that fight the Autobots, and they also transform. Autobots are led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) who always pledges support to the humans. The robots go all the way back into history, back to the days of King Arthur. The last living descendant of Arthur, along with the “Last Knight” are needed to fend off an attack on Earth from the crazy robot who has taken over the robot planet and is going to smash it into the Earth. Or something like that…

Actually, there is a very broad outline of what goes on in this movie. There might be an overall plot line, but it is obscured by all the action set pieces. Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) is a friend of Optimus Prime and is hiding a group of Autobots in a junkyard in the dessert. Viviane Wembly (Isabela Moner) is a Professor at Oxford in England, and she is the final one related to Arthur. Sir Edmund Burton (Anthony Hopkins) is an English earl with a vast knowledge of the Transformers history and why they are always coming back and mucking around on Earth. William Lennox (Josh Duhamel) is a military guy who is sometimes helping Cade and most times chasing after him. Due a set of some unclear circumstances, they all get together to work with the Autobots and save the world.

The action scenes are fantastic, yet the excessive editing cuts made them all look very choppy. The visual special effects are overwhelming and overbearing. They are done professionally and look terrific, yet the images are just thrown at you for more than two hours. It can just wear you down. The audio sound effects are growling and grinding and full of a lot of noise. There is a bombastic score playing under everything else, which increases the sound level. It is impressive and disturbing at the same time, like not being able to turn away from a bad car crash.

The story meanders from the US to England, where Sir Burton has brought Cade and Viviane together. There is some special staff that used to belong to Merlin, but it was given to him by an ancient Autobot. Viviane is the only one who control the staff, since she is the last of Arthur’s line. Cade had been given a special talisman that identifies him as “The Last Knight”. So, the major money of this movie went to the visual effects and not the script. However, there are a handful of performances that are OK. The plot is secondary to the stunning special effects, so call it a wash.

 

Mark Wahlberg is always a great action figure, even if the movie bumps into crazy dialog that could come from “The Happening”. He plays the earnest and trustworthy guy who can fight off anyone with his brains and brawn. Isabela Moner does a fair job in her role, nothing too special, but plays it with no problems. Anthony Hopkins does a delightful job as the slightly befuddled old guy who has a glint in his eye and tells you he knows more than he says. Just hope that he does not consider you a “friend that he would like to have for dinner”.

Granted, if Michael Bay is your thing and you have a deep appreciation for all things ‘Transformer’, then by all means, this is the movie for you. However, everyone else still need to determine how much of an action-packed blast in the face you can stand. If you have extra bucks, you can even see the “No Reason to be 3-D” version. It has 3-D on top of the already crowded screen of visual ADHD fever dreams. There are few scenes that use the 3-D to a good effect, but it sails through the film just fine without it.

More than likely “Transformers: The Last Knight” will make a ton of money, either here or abroad. Can it be too much to ask that Bay finally give up ‘his’ franchise? Or will he get enough incentive to come up with a sixth movie… “Transformers: The Ring of the Register”?

 

American Assassin Trailer

AMERICAN ASSASSIN

Directed by Michael Cuesta

Screenplay by Stephen Schiff and Michael Finch and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz

Based on the American Assassin novel in the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn

Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Nick Wechsler

Starring Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Shiva Negar, Scott Adkins and Taylor Kitsch


AMERICAN ASSASSIN follows the rise of Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) a CIA black ops recruit under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton).  The pair is then enlisted by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) to investigate a wave of apparently random attacks on both military and civilian targets.  Together the three discover a pattern in the violence leading them to a joint mission with a lethal Turkish agent (Shiva Negar) to stop a mysterious operative (Taylor Kitsch) intent on starting a World War in the Middle East.

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In Theaters September 15th

http://www.fandango.com

Cars 3 Movie review

After a pretty successful spin in “Cars”, Pixar went and made “Cars 2”, but it went right off the track. So, Pixel has made a third outing with the NASCAR-influenced “Cars 3”. This is the first third attempt at a series from Pixar since “Toy Story 3”. That one was critically acclaimed and much beloved by the general audiences around the world. Will “Cars 3” get the green flag and maintain a high-octane level of excitement? Or will it sputter off to the junkyard? Let’s kick the tires and find out.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is a famous racing car in the alternate world of vehicles only (and no people). He has run and usually won every major race, including the grand prize – The Piston Cup. He has fond memories of his mentor, and old-school racer named ‘The Fantastic Hudson Hornet’ (voiced by the late Paul Newman). McQueen spends his time in Radiator Springs, with his pals from the first movie – including Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). But McQueen has his heart in racing and winning.

But then some new next-generation race cars come onto the scene. They are sleek and custom-designed to be better than the older cars. Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) is one of the new super-fast cars, and he wins while McQueen crashes and sits out the remaining season. But his sponsors have special news for McQueen. They have sold Rust-eze to a new owner named Sterling (Nathan Fillion). He has created a state-of-the-art facility to train new racers. McQueen goes there and meets Sterling and a peppy trainer named Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo). McQueen is excited to start off with the training, but Cruz wants him to go slow.

Cruz and McQueen have different ideas about how to train. McQueen wants to get his tires dirty on the old-fashioned dirt tracks, just like Doc. Hudson taught him. Cruz wants to go high-tech, with lots of equipment. Sterling gives McQueen one chance to get another win, and then he will need to retire. McQueen wants his chance to beat Jackson Storm just one more time. So, he goes out to train in secret. He ends up in a demolition derby by mistake with Cruz. But they both learn some things about how to handle bad conditions. McQueen goes on a country-wide search to find Doc. Hudson’s old crew chief.

They find Smokey (Chris Cooper) and a bunch of Docs old pals in a worn-down speedway. But they still have some tracks and ideas for McQueen so he can compete in the next big race and beat Storm. Cruz and McQueen find out old secrets about the early days of racing and the origins of fast cars. They become good friends with Smokey and Docs old racing pals. But they all know that the upcoming race in Florida will take all that McQueen has got. And Cruz says that she would have been a racer, but when she had her one chance, she backed out and never even tried.

The Florida 500 will be the big race for Lightning McQueen. But will his practice and his skills be enough for a super-slick racer like Jackson Storm? Can the help of experienced crew, led by Smokey, help McQueen during each lap? There will be a lot of fans rooting for Lightning McQueen, rooting for his comeback and his success. Will McQueen find his greatest joy in winning another time? Or will he see a way that will make his future match the path of his own mentor – Doc. Hudson?

Pixar has gotten a lot of mileage (so to speak) from Cars. But in this movie, you can see that the quality that makes Pixar special. All the animation is gorgeous and sharp in every detail. All the characters are spot-on with the voice acting. There are family-friendly storylines and lessons throughout. There is a 3D version that makes the screen look like a place that you would want to visit.

From the original Cars characters, such as Lightning McQueen and Mater, and now including new characters – Cruz Ramirez and Smokey and others, this Pixar franchise still has some gas left in the tank. So give “Cars 3” a green light and ‘Cruz’ into a local theater to watch it.

The House Advance Movie Screening

Movie Screening Summary: After Scott (Will Ferrell) and Kate (Amy Poehler) Johansen lose their daughter Alex’s college fund, they become desperate to earn it back so she can pursue her dream of attending a university. With the help of their neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), they decide to start an illegal casino in his house.

Movie Website: TheHouseMovie.com

See more advance movie screenings from tmc

Advance Movie Screening For THE HOUSE

Find your chance to receive special advance movie screening passes below.

 

Phoenix, Arizona

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, June 28
Location: Harkins Tempe Marketplace
Movie Screening Time: 7:30pm
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Las Vegas, Nevada

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, June 28
Location: AMC Town Square
Movie Screening Time: 7:30pm
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Tucson, Arizona

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, June 28
Location: Century El Con
Movie Screening Time: 7:30pm
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Albuquerque, New Mexico

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, June 28
Location: Regal Winrock
Movie Screening Time: 7:30pm
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Advance Movie Screening Information

To redeem a pass, simply click the Get Passes button. You will taken to our movie screening partner site (where you can sign up for a free account). Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to print out your pass and bring it with you to your screening or event.

Admittance into a screening or event is not guaranteed with your pass. Events and advance screenings are filled on a ” first come, first served ” basis. To ensure that you stand a good chance of being admitted, we recommend that you show up 30 minutes to one hour early.

The number of admissions that are permissible for each pass are printed clearly on the ticket that you print out. You are allowed to bring as many guests as is indicated on your pass. For example, if your pass is for ” Admit Two, ” you can bring yourself and one guest. If you have an ” Admit One ” pass, you can bring only yourself.

If you have any other questions or comments, please contact us.

The Mummy Movie Review

Universal Studios has long history of horror and fantasy movies from back in the day. It is time to revive those golden years with something they call the “Dark Universe”. Many of the creatures and monsters from the past will be remade, with the first one in the series called “The Mummy”. This will not be the same one as the 1999 version with Brendan Fraser. No sir, this will star Tom Cruise! But it will have the same big bad monster as the last time, however it will be a female version…

Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) and Sergeant Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) are attached to an Army unit in a far off village in Iraq. Nick is helping to locate “precious antiquities” in the desert, and a bomb explosion has uncovered an ancient Egyptian tomb. Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) is searching for the same buried treasures, and she has a special pass from the London government to assist Nick and Chris Vail. However, what they find is soon to be discovered not as a burial site, but an Egyptian tomb/prison for a wicked Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella).

Ahmanet had become an evil power-hungry killer, who had murdered the Pharaoh and his family. Her punishment was to be entombed alive, as far away from Egypt as possible. But now her sarcophagus is being unearthed and flown to London. There is a secret group there that oversees finding all monsters and destroying them. It is led by Dr. Henry Jekyll (Russell Crowe), however he has a bad tendency to turn into Mr. Hyde. Not the nicest chap on the block. The plane ride does not end well, with Chris Vail being possessed by ‘The Mummy’ (Ahmanet) and Nick shooting him dead. The plane is about to crash, and Nick saves Jenny, but he does not survive.

Until he does survive, without any explanation. But wait, Chris Vail is still there, and he is dead. But Nick can see him sometimes. The Mummy has broken out of her coffin, and attacks the guards at the plane crash site. She sucks the life from them, and they become her un-dead zombie slaves. There is a secretly stashed knife in an abbey nearby. It was smuggled out of Egypt by the Crusaders years ago. But there is a special crystal gem that gives the knife special powers. It was taken off the knife years ago, and now The Mummy needs it badly.

Jenny and Nick work together to help Dr. Jekyll finally capture The Mummy. Jekyll plans to kill and examine the remains of Princess Ahmanet, to find out how she become The Mummy. But Nick has a special bond with The Mummy, because she needs a new victim to kill in a ritual that will make him an Egyptian god. Oh, yeah, there’s lots going on, and the action goes on full tilt. But there is a confusing mish-mash of why most of this happening. Dead Chris Vail is still around on occasion, and he lightens up the mood. Nick is always overwhelmed when he tries to fight off The Mummy, the evil Mr. Hyde, and all the un-dead zombies chasing after him.

So this is pretty typical summer movie, with a bare plotline and tons of wild action. The major reintroduction of The Mummy, and Jekyll & Hyde as an aside, is real reason for the movie. This will become one of many based on the old creatures and monsters in the Universal Studio catalog. They want you to forget the 1999 version (with Brendan Fraser) and take this movie as the exciting start of something big. We will see how that goes. All the acting is OK, for a summer monster movie.

Tom Cruise runs and fights and gets along with his co-stars well. Annabelle Wallis does fine, but not memorable. Russell Crowe is low-key as Dr. Jekyll, and then turns into crazy-town when he becomes Mr. Hyde. Jake Johnson could have been used a lot more to lighten up the tone of the movie. Sofia Boutella is an attractive lady, but she has makeup and shrouding strands that bring her looks down quite a lot…

This creature feature can also be found playing in ‘No Reason to be 3-D’. 3-D does not show up well in dark and dimly-lit scenes, and there are plenty of them here. There are very few times in the movie where any 3-D stands out as a benefit to the scene. It just makes you put on dark glasses in a dark theater to watch a dark movie. It seems like more of a money grab then a way to make a more enjoyable product.

So, make room for sweet nostalgia in your new monster movies. Don’t look for well thought-out plots and dialog. Look for stunts and explosions and visual CGI. Don’t expect great character development, but get ready for lots of action in exotic places. Stay away from light-hearted comedy touches, get ready for serious ACTING!. This is not the 1999 “The Mummy”.

Tom Cruise, you’re no Brendan Fraser!

Meet the extended family from Disney Pixar’s “COCO”

CHARACTER & TALENT LINEUP REVEALED

MEET THE EXTENDED FAMILY FROM DISNEY·PIXAR’S “COCO”

Upcoming Film Features Generations of Characters and All-Latino Voice Cast

BURBANK, Calif. (June 6, 2017) – Disney·Pixar’s “Coco,” a multi-generational story about the power of family relationships, features characters from the Land of the Living, and their loved ones who’ve moved on to the Land of the Dead. Joining aspiring musician Miguel, voiced by Anthony Gonzalez; charming trickster Hector, voiced by Gael García Bernal; and musical icon Ernesto de la Cruz, voiced by Benjamin Bratt; are a host of colorful characters and the voice talent behind them that bring both worlds to life. Directed by Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist “Monsters University”) and produced by Darla K. Anderson (“Toy Story 3”), “Coco” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017.

 

“These parallel worlds couldn’t be more different,” said Unkrich. “One is the Rivera family’s charming and hardworking hometown of Santa Cecilia, and the other is the vibrant, rich land where loved ones go when they’ve passed. ‘Coco’ introduces characters from both worlds on the eve of Día de los Muertos—one extraordinary night when a living boy named Miguel gets a glimpse of the other side.”

 

Added Molina, “Our voice cast is incredibly talented, helping to shape our eclectic group of characters. Each actor has told us they find something relatable in this film, so they’re finding it easy to capture the heart of this story—it’s all about family, so we hope that these characters will resonate with everyone.”

 

FROM THE LAND OF THE LIVING

  • ANTHONY GONZALEZ (“Ice Box,” TNT’s “The Last Ship”) lends his voice to MIGUEL, a 12-year-old aspiring musician who struggles against his family’s generations-old ban on music. When a magical mishap lands him in the Land of the Dead, Miguel seeks out his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, to help him return to the Land of the Living before it’s too late.
  • ANA OFELIA MURGUÍA (Amazon’s “Mozart in the Jungle,” “Bandidas”) voices Miguel’s cherished great-grandmother MAMÁ COCO. She is very old and fragile, but that doesn’t stop Miguel from sharing his daily adventures with her.
  • RENÉE VICTOR (“Weeds,” “The Apostle”) provides the authoritative voice of ABUELITA, Miguel’s grandmother and the ultimate enforcer of the Rivera family’s ban on music. She loves her family very much and will do anything to protect them. But when she gets angry, she wields a mean slipper.
  • JAIME CAMIL (CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor,” “Secret Lives of Pets”) is the voice of PAPÁ, Miguel’s supportive father who hopes that someday Miguel will join him in the family shoemaking business.
  • SOFÍA ESPINOSA (“Gloria”) provides the voice of Miguel’s loving MAMÁ who gently encourages her son to embrace their family’s traditions.
  • LUIS VALDEZ (“Which Way Is Up,” director “La Bamba” & “Cisco Kid”) is the voice of TÍO BERTO, Miguel’s uncle, a hard worker in the Rivera family shoemaking business.
  • LOMBARDO BOYAR (“Happy Feet,” TNT’s “Murder in the First”) lends his voice to a friendly MARIACHI who Miguel encounters in Santa Cecilia Plaza.

 

FROM THE LAND OF THE DEAD

  • GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL (Amazon’s “Mozart in the Jungle”) helps bring to life HECTOR, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who is forced to enlist help from Miguel to visit the Land of the Living.
  • BENJAMIN BRATT (FOX’s “Star,” “Doctor Strange”) is the voice of Miguel’s idol ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico. Revered by fans worldwide until his untimely death, the charming and charismatic musician is even more beloved in the Land of the Dead.   
  • EDWARD JAMES OLMOS (“Blade Runner,” “Stand and Deliver”) lends his voice to CHICHARRÓN, a curmudgeonly friend of Hector’s who is sadly being forgotten—an unfortunate condition in the Land of the Dead.
  • ALANNA UBACH (“Meet the Fockers,” Bravo’s “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce”) provides the voice of MAMÁ IMELDA, Miguel’s great-great-grandmother, the matriarch of the Rivera family and the founder of their successful shoemaking business. Miguel meets Mamá Imelda in the Land of the Dead and discovers she does not share his passion for music. 
  • SELENE LUNA (“My Bloody Valentine,” “Celebrity Wife Swap”) voices TÍA ROSITA, Miguel’s late aunt who resides in the Land of the Dead.
  • ALFONSO ARAU (“Three Amigos,” director/producer “Like Water for Chocolate,” director “A Walk in the Clouds”) is the voice of PAPÁ JULIO, Miguel’s late great-grandfather who he meets in Land of the Dead.
  • HERBERT SIGUENZA (“Larry Crowne,” “Ben 10: Alien Swarm”) lends his voice to both TÍO OSCAR and TÍO FELIPE, Miguel’s late identical twin uncles who he meets in the Land of the Dead.
  • OCTAVIO SOLIS playwright “Lydia, Santos & Santos”) is the voice of an ARRIVAL AGENT in the Land of the Dead’s Grand Central Station.
  • GABRIEL IGLESIAS (“Planes,” “The Nut Job,” “The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature”) provides the voice of the HEAD CLERK in the Land of the Dead’s “Department of Family Reunions.”
  • CHEECH MARIN (“Cars 3,” “Tin Cup,” CBS’ “Nash Bridges”) is the voice of a CORRECTIONS OFFICER in the Land of the Dead.
  • BLANCA ARACELI (“The Bridge”) voices the EMCEE for a colorful talent show in the Land of the Dead.

 

ABOUT THE MOVIE

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself magically transported to the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history. Directed by Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist “Monsters University”) and produced by Darla K. Anderson (“Toy Story 3”), Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017.