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Hut Hut Huddle Up! STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI TRAILER DEBUTS DURING HALFTIME ON ESPN’S “MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”

October 9, 2017 (updated October 9, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI TRAILER DEBUTS TONIGHT

DURING HALFTIME ON ESPN’S “MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”

Tickets to Star Wars: The Last Jedi Go on Sale Everywhere Following the Trailer Launch

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. Lucasfilm announced that the trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi will debut on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” on Monday, October 9, during halftime of the National Football League (NFL) game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears in Chicago. The game starts at 5:15 p.m. PDT/8:15 p.m. EDT.

Following the trailer launch, tickets to the highly anticipated cinematic event will be on sale everywhere movie tickets are sold.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in U.S. theaters on December 15.

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.

The film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski and Jason McGatlin are the executive producers.

As Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” heads into theaters this Thanksgiving, the film’s soundtrack gears up for its debut!

October 4, 2017 Published by Shari K. Green

AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 10

“COCO” SOUNDTRACK FEATURES ORIGINAL SONGS, A MEMORABLE SCORE AND TRADITIONAL MEXICAN SOUNDS

Grammy®-Winning Singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade to Perform End-Credit Version of “Coco” Signature Song “Remember Me”

BURBANK, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2017) – As Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” heads into theaters this Thanksgiving, the film’s soundtrack gears up for its debut. The film features an original score from Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino, a song by Oscar winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. Also part of the team is musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound. Plus, Grammy®-Winning Singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade are teaming up to record the end-credit version of the signature song “Remember Me.” Set for release from Walt Disney Records on Nov. 10, the physical CD is now available for pre-order HERE.

“Coco” tells the story of 12-year-old Miguel, an aspiring musician who hopes to follow in his idol’s famous footsteps despite his family’s ban on music. “‘Coco’ has music in its DNA,” said director Lee Unkrich.

Score

“Coco” features an original score from composer Giacchino, who wrote the Oscar®-winning score for Disney•Pixar’s 2009 film “Up.” “When I saw ‘Coco,’ a mosaic of emotions came over me,” said Giacchino.” “It made me think about my family and my connections to relatives back in Italy. This film speaks to everyone.”

Giacchino worked with Franco, who composed the score for 2015’s “Dope,” to supervise the orchestrations and realize an engaging and specific sound. “She illuminated the complex richness of Mexican music so well,” said Giacchino. “The collaboration between all the musicians on this film has been a beautiful experience.”

Added Franco, “We really wanted to marry this idea of original music with elements of Mexican music to create a unique balance of sound, harmony and rhythm.”

Franco explored a wide array of Mexican instrumentation in the score, including a guitarrón, folkloric harp, a quijada, sousaphone, charchetas, jaranas, requintos, marimba, trumpets and violins.

The score was recorded in August featuring an 83-piece orchestra.

Source Music

“Coco” also features traditional Mexican songs as source music, to bring to life Miguel’s town of Santa Cecilia. “Even though music isn’t allowed in his home, Miguel finds inspiration in the musicians who perform in his hometown plaza,” says co-director/screenwriter Adrian Molina. “Santa Cecilia—home of superstar Ernesto de la Cruz—is so full of music, it inspires Miguel to want to be a musician.”

Franco and musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound were called on to help create the soundscape of Miguel’s world, along with the assistance of cultural consultants Benjamín Juárez Echenque and Marcela Davison Avilés. Lara joined the music team early, helping filmmakers navigate various moments from the film through the spectrum of Mexican music—from cumbia to mariachi music. Said Lara, “From day one, the whole idea was to be as authentic as possible. We listened to a lot of music—from sophisticated to street. I think we managed to present a beautiful mosaic of the vast diversity of our music.

“I was also responsible for a magical session in Mexico City,” continues Lara. “We recorded a wide range of top Mexican musicians of many genres—banda, marimba, mariachi and son jarocho. We had top Mexican maestros. It was a mind-blowing experience.”

Original Songs – “Remember Me”

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who were behind the Oscar®-winning song “Let it Go” in 2013’s “Frozen,” penned the thematic song “Remember Me,” which is the signature song for beloved performer Ernesto de la Cruz in the movie. “The song is from the point of view of a person hoping to be remembered by a loved one,” said Anderson-Lopez. “But the lyric can be interpreted a few different ways depending on the tempo and tone of the music.”

End Credit Version

Grammy®-winning singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade teamed up to record the end-credit version of “Remember Me,” which Miguel and Steve Mostyn produced. “The song is special because it is about family and remembering where we come from,” says Miguel, who won his first Grammy® for best R&B song for the lead single “Adorn” in 2013. “It’s a reminder to be appreciative of the love and sacrifice that those before us had to make in order for us to be who we are. I think the message in the song is powerful enough to connect with everyone, but we’re adding another layer of depth and soul to the emotion of the song in this version.”

Added eight-time Latin Grammy® winner Lafourcade, “I feel very excited to be part of a Pixar movie because I have loved those films ever since I was little. I really enjoyed singing a song that gives life, color and joy to our Mexican traditions, as the Day of the Dead is one of my favorite traditions and celebrations of our culture.”

Original Songs – “Un Poco Loco,” “Everyone Knows Juanita,” “The World Es Mi Familia,” “Proud Corazón”

Franco worked with Molina to write several songs, including “Un Poco Loco,” a song in the son jarocho style of Mexican music performed by Miguel and Héctor on stage in the Land of the Dead. “This is one of my favorite types of Mexican music,” says Franco. “It involves a mix of indigenous, African and Spanish musical elements.”

Among other songs are the aspirational “The World Es Mi Familia” and the tongue-in-cheek lullaby “Everyone Loves Juanita.” “Proud Corazón” was penned for the final scene in the movie. “The lyrics in this song are probably the most personal to me,” said Molina. “It’s about filling your heart with the pride you have for your family, where you come from and who you’re connected to. [It] speaks to this connection across generations—between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead. Our thoughts, the memories in our hearts make it possible that our loved ones are always with us.”

The “Coco” soundtrack will be available from Walt Disney Records on Nov. 10. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, check outFacebook.com/disneymusic, Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic.

Join the Justice League in a thrilling Virtual Reality experience!

September 8, 2017 Published by Shari K. Green

Put your powers to the test in immersive VR experiences, leading up to
the film’s much-anticipated November 17^th release and beyond

Warner Bros. invites fans to join the Justice League in a thrilling Virtual Reality experience that allows you to step into the shoes and feel the powers of the iconic DC Super Heroes: Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. The Justice League VR experience will be rolled out in stages—to be released prior to, during, and after the theatrical opening of Justice League, on November 17, 2017. The four-stage unveiling will culminate with the at-home Justice League VR: The Complete Experience.

The first taste of the VR experience kicks off globally with a promotional demo in partnership with Gillette: Justice League VR: Join the League – Gillette Edition. It will be available for iPhones and Android phones starting September 7 for free download from Apple App Store, the Google Play Store and at http://justiceleaguethemovie.com/vr. This demo version is an interactive, gaze-based experience and will have up to 90 seconds of gameplay per character. The experience requires Google Cardboard or an equivalent VR viewer to play.

The following month, the Justice League booth at New York Comic Con will offer attendees a more in-depth sneak peek of the HTC Vive version of the experience with the Justice League VR: Join the League – New York Comic Con Edition. Users will be able to use the HTC Vive’s controllers for an enhanced version of the Super Hero simulations. Located at the Javits Center, New York Comic Con runs from October 5 through October 8.

The IMAX VR: Justice League Experience will be unveiled at IMAX VR Centres beginning on November 17—the opening day of the feature film—and will be an IMAX exclusive for its first two weeks. This totally immersive and completely interactive adventure will test if you are able to master your Super Hero powers. For more details and locations please visit http://imaxvr.imax.com.

Finally, in December, the VR experience comes home with an expanded Justice League Virtual Reality: The Complete Experience, to be released for transactional purchase on multiple VR platforms. Featuring additional modes and expanded missions, the home-based VR experience will support controllers, spatial tracking and room scale tracking, depending on the platform. Targeted platforms include HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung GearVR, Google DayDream and Sony PSVR (subject to change).

The Missions include:

Play as the Justice League members and see if you can master their powers:

Outrace your enemies as BATMAN
Fight Parademons as WONDER WOMAN
Face a creature from the deep as AQUAMAN
Stop a ticking bomb as THE FLASH
Take out enemy drones as CYBORG

In addition, other characters from the DC universe may be added to the VR experience.

You can’t save the world alone. Join the league!

http://justiceleaguethemovie.com/vr

About Justice League:

Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Raymond Fisher, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller star in the action adventure Justice League.

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Justice League was directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, story by Terrio & Snyder. Based on characters from DC Entertainment; Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Jon Berg and Geoff Johns produced the film, with Jim Rowe, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, Chris Terrio and Ben Affleck serving as executive producers.

Opening beginning on November 17 in 3D and 2D in select theatres and IMAX, Justice League will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The Dark Tower Movie Review

August 6, 2017 Published by Shari K. Green

By now, we’re all used to movies being two hours long, right? That’s the norm these days. With The Dark Tower at only 95 minutes, I felt I had just adjusted myself in the seat and I was hopping out of it again headed home. Part of why it felt short was because what should have been an imaginative and vivid excursion across worlds, that promised so much, was dark (as in hard to see) and dull; almost as exciting as someone reading a menu. Well, maybe not THAT dull. There are a few moments that will thrill you. The scenes that center on guns and bullets are quite enterprising but that’s about all The Dark Tower brings. A scene fighting monsters is so amateurish if I had been watching a student film, I would have graded it higher.

Perhaps directed by someone other than Nikolaj Arcel, who doesn’t have very much directing experience other than the film, A Royal Affair, we would have a much better, action-packed, colorful thriller on our hands. Arcel may want to stick to writing which he is very good at doing. As it is, we have this disjointed, routine, uninspired misfire that falls short of the expectations of, not only the general audience but of most of the Stephen King fans that have seen it.

The Dark Tower is a movie based on a series of eight King books; it’s number seven in the set. The Tower, itself is a point where all universes connect. The film is about Good vs. Evil but doesn’t give the impression that it believes in either. Being that it’s a series, bringing number seven about doesn’t make sense and also leaves one to wonder if the previous six books are crammed into one film. If so, this could be why it appears to be so vexing and why King fans are not or will not be too happy. What is being missed and what is the point in doing this to a wonderful, successful series?

Anyway, rather quickly, we are introduced to the antagonist of the tale, the Man in Black, played mutedly by Matthew McConaughey. We also meet Jake Chambers, (Tom Taylor). He’s a young boy who has the ‘Shine.’ The Shine, referenced also in the King book and film, The Shining, is an amazing psychic ability. The presence is strong with this one! The Man in Black only wants to use Jake’s powers to his advantage to destroy the Tower but is also aware that the ‘mind of a child’ can work against him and this plan.

We then make the acquaintance of the protagonist, Roland (Idris Elba), also known as a Gunslinger. His guns are made from the metal of the Excalibur and he is the last living Knight who has the strength to defend the universe against the Man in Black. What’s on the other side of the universe is death and destruction and the Tower is the only thing holding it back. Children like Jake, and their strong, potent, telepathic minds, are being used to attack the Tower.

In the beginning, we see that Jake has fevered dreams about the destruction of his world. He stumbles on the mid-world of his dreams and meets the Gunslinger. This Gunslinger is sold as powerful and almost unbeatable but the film almost immediately turns on that theme and shows him to be weak and vulnerable to a tiny stab and to infection. Jake meets Roland, teams up with him to help stop evil from winning, there are battles and… The End. Yes. It’s like that.

So, maybe if you love the books and would like to examine this close enough to look for a few of the Easter eggs within, such as the Shine and the Man in Black seeming to resemble Randall Flagg, the bad guy from, The Stand, check it out for the curiosity factor. I’d recommend going to the matinee or waiting for cable release. Either way, you’re going to be disappointed in the results. Maybe pick up a book instead?

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Movie Review

July 21, 2017 (updated July 20, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

Luc Besson has a history of involvement in many action-packed fun movies. His movies are more concerned with moving the plot along than just pure logic. When he creates a new world, such as in “The Fifth Element”, it can be impressive and very detailed. When he has a strong emotional tie to the material, he treats it with great care. That is what is happening with “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”. He wanted to bring the graphic novel source material to life.

“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” makes a quick update on the state of human space exploration. In the first few minutes, it visually shows that an International Space Station is welcoming humans of every race up on board to make a new home. Soon there are non-human species that also arrive, so the station gets bigger and bigger. It soon has to be moved out to its own little corner of the galaxy, now that it is home to hundreds of species and tens of thousands of beings.

This place is called ‘Alpha’ and it ruled by large council. There is a Defense Minister (Herbie Hancock) and a leading General Filitt (Clive Owen). There are two Federal agents working to keep the peace in space. Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) is ready to defend the Federation laws in space. There he is joined by Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne). They are about to go on a super-secret mission, but Valerian has just had the oddest dream. He was captivated with a vision of a planet called Mül. This perfect world is destroyed by sinister outside forces, and the dying princess of the Mül people cried out to Valerian.

But first the mission needs to happen, so they meet a military team on a distant planet. Valerian and Laureline are disguised as tourists in a freakish bazaar. This multi-dimensional place has lots of gaudy visitors and gift stalls. There are also pirates selling stolen one-of-a-kind items. Items like the “converter” which is the same small armadillo-like creature from Mül. This is the last of its kind, and someone wants it bad. But Valerian gets into the deal and takes the “converter” before the aliens can buy it for the big ugly beast pirate (voiced by John Goodman). Valerian and Laureline get away, but the danger is just beginning.

But in Alpha, there is a growing danger in the planet-size spaceship-conglomerate. There is an area near the core that has become a dead zone. It is radioactive, and nothing that comes in will ever come back out. If it is not stopped, it could take over everything. General Filitt is now being guarded by Valerian and Laureline. The “converter” creature is being held by Laureline. Mystery beings break into the council chambers and kidnap General Filitt. Valerian gives chase and goes into the dead zone, so they lose contact. Laureline goes to try and find him. She finds Valerian, but soon Laureline gets kidnapped by some ugly monster type creatures.

Valerian finds a place called “Paradise Alley”. He meets Jolly the Pimp (Ethan Hawke) who sets him up with a shapeshifting entertainer named Bubble (Rihanna). Bubble agrees to help Valerian find Laureline and get her out. Laureline is being dressed up to attend a fine dinner for the monster king, and is not pleased when she becomes part of the menu. Valerian and Bubble arrive to help her escape. Valerian and Laureline go on to find General Filitt and the mystery creatures that have been making a home in the dead zone.

The visuals created in “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” are breath-taking. The various worlds created are amazing and the creatures are fantastic. The ease in which it goes from current time to many centuries into the future is interesting. But then the story gets wrapped up in the job that Valerian and Laureline must do, and it totally bogs down. Any sense of wonder and awe gets disrupted.

The direction is very broad and enveloping, because Luc Besson is caught creating these new worlds. But then the people who fill these worlds start to fail him. Dane DeHaan starts out in smart-alec mode, doing a Keanu Reeves voice over. Cara Delevingne has little personality to make her the smarter and more likable of the two. There is no chemistry between them, and the jokey quips feel too forced.

Clive Owen is a non-impressive bad guy. Ethan Hawke has little more than a cameo. Rihanna is good edition and her story has some pizzazz. Herbie Hancock is an odd choice, but does little more than appear as a concerned face on a screen. John Goodman has few lines in voiceover for a big ugly beast.

The 3D effects are helpful to bring more life to the great production design, but it gets wasted a lot during the long stretches in dark and dreary places. The story and the acting cannot come close to the efforts put into the visual aspects.

Overall, this is fine movie to see if you are a big Luc Besson fan, especially if you liked “The Fifth Element”. If you like a good well-visualized alien world, then go see this. It is a fun little summer popcorn flick, but don’t work your brain too hard by trying to make any sense out of it.

War for the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

July 14, 2017 (updated July 17, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

When the ‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise restarted in 2011, the focus was on how the apes got started and how humans lost control of the planet. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” focused on Caesar (Andy Serkis) who become a genetically-enhanced ape. Then in 2014, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” moved forward with a large group of very intelligent apes fighting off the remaining humans, who had been killed off by a world-wide simian flu. The next movie is “War for the Planet of the Apes” and it brings the human/ape conflict to breaking point.

In this movie, the apes are gaining much more control. But there is a breakaway Army group that has a blood-lust for killing every last ape. Caesar is still in control, and the splinter military group is led by The Colonel (Woody Harrelson), a sadistic monkey-killing machine. The Army group invades the apes’ nesting area, and Caesar’s wife is killed. He goes to seek revenge on The Colonel with his friends Maurice (Karin Konoval) and Rocket (Terry Notary). They meet up with an orphaned human girl, and decide she can come with. They call her Nova (Amiah Miller).

On the way they meet an escaped monkey from a zoo, who calls himself ‘Bad Ape’ (Steve Zahn). Bad Ape knows that The Colonel has camped in an abandoned weapons depot. The military has captured all the apes from Caesar’s village and are holding them as prisoners. Caesar is caught also, and he meets The Colonel who explains his plans. All the apes are used as forced labor to rebuild a defensive wall around the depot to protect the soldiers. Caesar correctly guesses that the wall is not being built to keep out the apes. The Colonel is building the wall to keep out the actual military, which are after The Colonel and his extremist ideas – and his radical followers.

The tiny group of apes outside the compound finds a way to get into the compound. Soon they are breaking out all the imprisoned apes, and even Caesar is let free, but first he must confront The Colonel one last time. He regular Army attacks, and all hell breaks loose. The apes have beaten the humans, and it may not be the last time…

This movie is the exciting conclusion of the rebooted ‘Planet of the Apes’ trilogy. The story is sleek and streamlined, with many references to other movies. There is a little bit of “Apocalypse Now”, “The Great Escape” and “Stalag 17”, along with shades of the Moses story from the Bible. Even with diverse sources, the movie ties it all together with a single sang. The motion-capture work done by the actors to play the apes is incredible. Andy Serkis would be an Oscar winner if they would give them out for “Best Performance as a Different Species”. Woody Harrelson is perfect playing a bat-crazy loon that happens to control a large cache of Army weapons. Steve Zahn does a great job being a bit of humor relief in a tense and serious movie.

The direction is direct and to-the-point, and gets you into the story with no problem. The cinematography is beautiful in the wide-open shots, and it can be frantic and driven in the battle scenes. The movie score is quite good and does not overload the action on screen. But the way the actors can make a fictional ape come alive with all the feelings and emotions, well — that is worth even a second viewing.

The original plan was to make these three movies for the ‘Planet of the Apes’ reboot project. But seeing how much better each movie has become, and how polished the story is progressing – it would not be a surprise to hear of a new effort in a short while. So if you are interested to see if the third picture is a series can be any good, then see this. There are no little yellow minions and no little cartoon cars. There is only a great story with an amazing amount of acting that is CGI-enhanced.

Spider-Man: Homecoming Movie Review

July 7, 2017 (updated July 7, 2017) Published by JMcNaughton

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…

Despicable Me 3 Movie Review

June 30, 2017 (updated July 31, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

Despicable Me 3 is fun in that it keeps with the theme and the intent of the original… Good vs. Bad and that sort of thing but it lost one key element that is so very important to the big picture; The Minions! DM3 centers mostly around Gru and the girls. One could argue they all do but not to this degree. Minions have a finger on the pulse of why adults AND the children get tickets to see these films and to a large extent, they were absent from the third installment. They did get their own movie so maybe they were out spending lavishly and weren’t quite available, but I asked their publicist and this wasn’t the case. They weren’t included much, outside of Mel, for unknown reasons at this point. Illumination and Universal Pictures would have done better to have had more Minions in the film. They’re present, just not enough and at the end of the day, that’s the big takeaway here.

However, do not fear! DM3 is still very good. Gru and his new wife Lucy are fired when they are unable to stop, Balthazar Bratt, a former 80’s child star who hit puberty and was never heard from again, from stealing a very big pink diamond. Bratt is angry he has been thrown away by Hollywood and vows revenge. He has a good catchphrase, is a good villain and is often followed by some ‘neato’ 80’s tunes that he likes to dance fight to. The Minions would most likely take his side in a fight. Hmm… maybe they do? You’ll have to see.

The movie is full of cute and, of course, villainy. The girls, Agnes, Edith and Margo are very much a part of the story with Agnes and Margo having more focus than Edith. She pretty much ends up being more of the Jan Brady of the Trio. Adorable Agnes’ story centers on her finding a real unicorn and Margo has her first taste of boy troubles. The real meat of the yarn is Gru finding out he has a twin. There was a custody battle with his parents and his mother, who had lied to him about his father’s death, got the rotten end of the deal. Harsh. Poor Gru.

This angle smells of desperation a bit but it works and, to be honest, I’m looking forward to part four. I’m thinking they’ll have a few things ironed out, get all the Minions back on and signing new contracts and settle into what works best with films like this… the extraordinary. Give the people what they want! They don’t necessarily want NICE all the time. It’s cute when a Minion is sweet but let’s see the little stinkers for who they really are used more.

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

June 27, 2017 Published by Shari K. Green

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, July12^th. 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 14^th.

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

June 21, 2017 (updated June 21, 2017) Published by Shari K. Green

“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

Tag: Adventure