War For The Planet Of The Apes – Final Trailer

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.Ā  After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.Ā  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.

In Theaters July 14th

http://www.fandango.com

Good Time Trailer

The first trailer for GOOD TIME, starring Robert Pattinson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Barkhad AbdiĀ is a haywire symphony of violence and mayhem, featuring Robert Pattinson and original music from OneOhTrix Point Never and Iggy Pop.

Josh and Benny Safdie’s latest film will have its world premiere In-Competition at the Cannes Film Festival next week.Ā 

 

Following the mind-bending HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT, celebrated filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie return to the mean streets of New York City withĀ GOODĀ TIME, a hypnotic crime thriller that explores with bracing immediacy the tragic sway of family and fate.

After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Constantine Nikas (Robert Pattinson) embarks on a twisted odyssey through the city’s underworld in an increasingly desperate—and dangerous—attempt to get his brother out of jail. Over the course of one adrenalized night, Constantine finds himself on a mad descent into violence and mayhem as he races against the clock to save his brother and himself, knowing their lives hang in the balance.

Anchored by a career-defining performance from Robert Pattinson,Ā GOODĀ TIMEĀ is a psychotic symphony of propulsive intensity crafted by two of the most exciting young directors working today. Josh and Benny Safdie’s transcendent vision is an intoxicating portrait of desperation and destruction that will not be soon forgotten.

In Theaters August 11th

http://www.fandango.com

Chuck Movie Review

Chuck is based on a true story.Ā  Interestingly enough the film is based on the man who Sylvester Stallone based his Award Winning film Rocky on and that is Chuck Wepner (Schreiber) of Bayonne, New Jersey, who was a humble yet moderately successful prizefighter… and liquor salesman.Ā  His nickname was the ā€˜Bayonne Bleeder.’  This came from his childhood and stuck with him because one thing he could do almost better than anyone was take a punch.Ā  It didn’t matter how many times a fighter hit him, he took it and kept coming back for more.Ā  He and his manager, Al Braverman (Perlman), had a ā€˜Never stop the fight!’ agreement.Ā  Wepner seemed also to be a self-centered narcissist, though he’d never see himself that way… putting himself above all others was his style and only when he needed help did he truly allow people into his life.

In 1975 he was going to get his big break.Ā  He was given the chance to fight George Foreman but suddenly, Muhammed Ali beats Foreman and the fight is off.Ā  He’s crushed as his future depended on a match of this size.Ā  At what seemed like the final hour, his manager gets a call from promoter Don King.Ā  Since Chuck is a white fighter with stamina, King has the idea that he’d be ideal for a fight with Ali.Ā  Odds of Wepner winning are Forty to One.Ā 

Only someone like Chuck would love those odds.Ā  Then we’re in the ring where it’s a much different story.Ā  It’s a good match where Chuck admits to liking to ā€˜wear him down with my face.’  The crowd loses its mind for the butt kicking he’s taking, but he sends a surprised Ali (Pooch Hall) to the mat once and the crowd loves him even more.Ā  Chuck’s inner dialogue during the fight is insanely comical and shows how erratic his thinking was and how unstable his mind was at the time.Ā  If you don’t want to know the outcome, don’t read this part (skip to the next paragraph) but at the end of the fight, and much in the same way that Balboa ends his fight with Creed, he almost ā€˜Goes the Distance’ with Ali.Ā  Just nineteen seconds shy of making it the entire fight, the fight is called and it’s a technical win for Ali.

I enjoyed this film.Ā  The 70’s music and the styles are represented incredibly well; the overall look of the film itself shouts another time.Ā  The characters are great.Ā  Chuck shows you who he is before this fight and who he becomes after the fight… neither guy particularly pleasant but somehow still loveable.Ā  When he’s depressed he looks for women to make him feel better… which doesn’t go over well with his wife, Phyliss, played by Elisabeth Moss who should get recognized for this performance.Ā  She’s frightening as she approaches Chuck sitting with his latest conquest.Ā  Her performance is excellent.Ā  She has to hold the family together by herself because her husband, who desires to get knocked out for a living, can’t take the beating once it’s over.Ā  She alone is worth seeing this movie.Ā 

I really liked Chuck.Ā  It’s perfect for both men and women; not at all just a guy film, despite the subject matter.Ā  It’s interesting to learn that this boxer was the inspiration for Rocky and intriguing to watch him interact with Sly before the making of Rocky II.Ā  It’s also a fascinating look at the relationship between men and women.Ā  A quote by Chuck at the end of the film sums up his views flawlessly.Ā  ā€˜Sometimes life is like a movie… and sometimes, it’s better.’  He has enjoyed being Chuck as Rocky enjoyed being who he was.Ā  Winning or losing, it didn’t matter, as long as he was in the ring.Ā Ā 

Home Again Trailer

HOME AGAIN stars Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies,” Wild, Walk The Line, Sweet Home Alabama) as Alice Kinney in a modern romantic comedy.

Recently separated from her husband, (Michael Sheen), Alice decides to start over by moving back to her hometown of Los Angeles with her two young daughters. Ā During a night out on her 40th birthday, Alice meets three aspiring filmmakers who happen to be in need of a place to live. Ā Alice agrees to let the guys stay in her guest house temporarily, but the arrangement ends up unfolding in unexpected ways. Ā Alice’s unlikely new family and new romance comes to a crashing halt when her ex-husband shows up, suitcase in hand.

HOME AGAIN is a story of love, friendship, and the families we create. Ā And one very big life lesson: Starting over is not for beginners.

In Theaters September

http://www.fandango.com

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Movie Review

All the best Superhero movies seem to come with origin stories. Can you do the same for Classical Myth characters? Take a famous legend such as King Arthur, and make a fantastical story of his origins. Would it be better if you just come out and make him a Superhero along the way? This is what the movie ā€œKing Arthur: Legend of the Swordā€ does in its retelling of the Arthurian myth.

Back in some long ago times, when scenes set in Scotland were called England, the ruler was Uther Pendragon (Eric Bana). He was the King, and he ruled in peace over humans, and a people called ā€˜The Mage’. These were magic wizards and warlocks, who could control nature and animals. His brother was Vortigern (Jude Law), who was evil and willing to sacrifice his wife to gain the throne.

Uther was killed in the fighting, and he sent his little boy away to survive. The magical sword Excalibur was frozen in stone, so that none could posess it. The little boy grew up to become Arthur (Charlie Hunnam). He knew nothing of his childhood, or his royal blood, because he was raise in a house of ill repute. Vortigern was worried that Arthur would return some day, so he forced every man in the kingdom to try and take the sword from the stone.

Arthur is of course the only man who can do it. So Vortigern sets out to have a public execution Arthur. However, a loyal soldier named Bedivere (Djimon Hounsou) still serves the late King Uther, and he plans an escape for Arthur. With the help of a magic-enriched woman call ā€˜The Mage’ (ƀstrid BergĆØs-Frisbey), he helps Arthur to be free. But now in return, he wants Arthur and the legendary sword Excalibur to fight against evil king Vortigern.

With a small underground ā€˜Resistance’, they plan ways to eliminate Vortigern. Goosefat Bill (Aidan Gillen) is an excellent archer, and can shoot the king from a great distance. But things go awry, and soon Arthur, Bedivere, Goosefat Bill, The Mage, and many others are on the run. Arthur wants no part in the group’s plans and tries to get rid of the magical sword. But since it is magical, the Lady of the Lake delivers it back to Arthur. When he can finally use it, it unlocks the secrets of his past and it has the power that can take down Vortigern. So can Arthur find the way to become England’s rightful King, and first Superhero?

That is what director Guy Ritchie hope everyone wants to know. This is supposed to be a beginning part of a series of ā€˜Arthur’ movies, so hang on to your bollocks. This concocted story of Arthur’s roots has very little to do with well-known stories and legends. It has a blenderized version of Arthur, Bible stories, ā€˜Lord of the Rings’ and even the kitchen sink thrown in. Monty Python had more ā€˜accurate’ storytelling in ā€œThe Holy Grailā€.

Charlie Hunnam Ā (Arthur) is a poor-man’s Brad Pitt, and he finally warms up into this role. Jude Law is quick to chew up every piece of scenery and perhaps a few other actors as Vortigern. Every other actor does pretty good, looking like they just walked out of the Renaissance Faire. The backgrounds of the countryside are quite striking.

But the relentless motion and movement on the screen, along with the booming and blaring soundtrack, makes it a major effort to sit through and watch the movie. There is no ā€˜three act’ structure or any type of structure at all. It is mostly action, frantic action, major battles, speedy escapes, more frantic action, more battles, etc. So there are always a lot of things going on, but there is no time to catch your breath at all…

There are many clever sequences and nicely edited shots, but usually the sum total is just overwhelming. It might be a huge box office hit, and I hope it does well. But in the back of my mind, I would like to slow down a bit and rewatch Disney’s ā€œSword and the Stoneā€.

Baywatch Red Band Trailer

BAYWATCH follows devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Johnson) as he butts heads with a brash new recruit (Efron). Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.

The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, Jon Bass, Kelly Rohrbach, and Ilfenesh Hadera.
Directed by Seth Gordon.

Tickets on-sale NOW:Ā http://bit.ly/BaywatchTix

#BeBaywatch

Twitter: @BaywatchMovieĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  Instagram: @BaywatchMovieĀ Ā Ā  Facebook: /BaywatchMovie

In Theaters May 25th

http://www.fandango.com

A24’s Woodshock Trailer

Kirsten Dunst is sublime in the hypnotic first trailer for WOODSHOCK,Ā 
written and directed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy

The exquisite feature film debut of visionary fashion designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), Woodshock is a hypnotic exploration of isolation, paranoia, and grief that exists in a dream-world all its own. Kirsten Dunst stars as Theresa, a haunted young woman spiraling in the wake of profound loss, torn between her fractured emotional state and the reality-altering effects of a potent cannabinoid drug. Immersive, spellbinding, and sublime, Woodshock transcends genre to become a singularly thrilling cinematic experience that marks the arrival of the Mulleavy siblings as a major new voice in film.

In Theaters September 15th

http://www.fandango.com

A24 and DTV’s The Exception Trailer

From A24 and Direct TV comesĀ THE EXCEPTION,Ā available exclusively on Direct TV on April 27, 2017Ā and in select cities June 2, 2017

A riveting World War II thriller that is filled with espionage and romance in equal measure, The Exception follows German soldier Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) as he goes on a mission to investigate exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer). The Kaiser lives in a secluded mansion in The Netherlands, and as Germany is taking over Holland, the country’s authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be watching the Kaiser.Ā Ā  As Brandt begins to infiltrate the Kaiser’s life in search of clues, he finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke (Lily James), one of the Kaiser’s maids whom Brandt soon discovers is secretly Jewish.Ā 
Ā 
When Heinrich Himmler (Eddie Marsan), Head of the SS, decides to come for an unexpected visit with a large platoon of Nazis in tow, the stage is set for a breathtaking showdown, as secrets are revealed, allegiances are tested, and Brandt is forced to make the ultimate choice between honoring his country and following his heart.Ā 

Directed By:Ā David Leveaux
Written By:Ā  Simon Burke
Produced By:Ā Lou Pitt, Judy Tossell
Starring: Ā Christopher Plummer, Lily James, Jai Courtney, Janet McTeer, Eddie Marsan
DTV Release Date:Ā April 27, 2017
Theatrical Release Date:Ā June 2, 2017
Running Time:Ā 107 minutes
Rating:Ā Ā R

In theaters June 2nd

http://www.fandango.com

Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer Movie Review

Norman is the new film by Academy AwardĀ® nominated director Joseph Cedar.Ā  In my opinion, having been only nominated could change with this absorbing and compelling narrative.Ā  The film is remarkable.Ā  Immediately, the title may lead you astray.Ā  You’ll think this is just a story about a simple, meek and non-threatening older man named Norman Oppenheimer (Gere), which is a brilliant maneuver on the part of Cedar, who also wrote and produced the movie, to set you at ease right off the bat.Ā 
It doesn’t allow for the watcher to be suspicious of any of Norman’s activities.Ā  He seems to be as unassuming as they come.Ā  At the start of the film, Norman is asking his nephew Philip (Sheen) who’s a lawyer, for information on a client.Ā  Philip’s client is necessary for him to set up a deal where he can benefit financially and move up in the political and financial world of New York.Ā  He promises the deal is so good, everyone will prosper, including Philip.Ā  Less than excited about it, the dutiful Philip gives him the name of Bill Kavish (Stevens). Ā When he tries to speak with him we see the real Norman and his vulnerabilities exposed; he’s a nobody with no experience.Ā  He’s a New York dealer trying to get the right connections hoping to join with the right people so that maybe something will pay off.

The film goes into four Acts.Ā  Each is titled. Ā The first is, A Foot in the Door, because, a meeting finally does pay off. Ā He meets Micha Eshel, played by Lior Ashkenazi, who is brilliant in the movie.Ā  Eshel is an up and comer in Israeli politics.Ā  Norman sees Eshel admiring a pair of very pricey shoes and purchases them for him as a favor.Ā  Several years later, we’re into Act Two which is Backing the Right Horse… and we learn that Norman did.Ā  The shoes make it into several inventive and important shots.Ā  When Act Two starts, we see them being worn by the new Prime Minister of Israel.Ā 
We move up from the shoes to the face of the person wearing them and it’s Eshel.Ā  Norman sees him backstage after an event and Eshel instantly recognizes him.Ā  Norman finally has an in with someone in power. Ā Soon, we see some truly imaginative visuals and editing on the part of cinematographer Yaron Scharf (Footnote) and editor Brian A. Kates (Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Kill Your Darlings) to not only fill in an awful lot of the story in ingenious and stimulating ways but to keep us entertained.Ā  You’ll be absolutely engrossed at what Cedar came up with to cover a few phone calls Norman has to make.

Eventually, a relevant character emerges; Alex Green (Gainsbourg).Ā  She’s cold when Norman tries to get her to open up to him but then reverses it on him and begins to ask him questions… questions he should realize he shouldn’t be answering.Ā  Cedar characters are so well developed, Norman in particular, that you being to worry about him; especially as flaws surface, such as talking about Eshel to strangers and his inability to tell the truth to anyone.Ā  It’s critical to him that he is a friend of an important leader to get favors for one friend or another. Ā Those lies and promises start to stack one on top of the other. Ā How he hasn’t had a heart attack by now is beyond comprehension.

Without revealing too much about this provocative film or of who the real Norman is, Cedar does an extraordinary job of getting us to feel for the man he is or who we think he is.Ā  He is compassionate… or is he?Ā  He’s reliable and virtuous… or is he?Ā  He’s a small man trying to get something to finally hit for his friends and finally for himself.Ā  Maybe it has or it hasn’t… all due to a pair of shoes.Ā  This is an amazing film with some outstanding acting.Ā  Josh Charles has a small role but is noteworthy, as well as Gainsbourg but then everyone in this cast does an exceptional job bringing this impressive script to life and you don’t want to miss it. Ā This is a must see as soon as possible.

The Promise Movie Review

ā€œThe Promiseā€ is a big-budget, professional production that looks at World War I and how the Ottoman Empire mistreated the native Armenian population in Turkey. It is not a common topic in the movies to delve into the roots of genocide and ethnic cleansing. But Terry George has written and directed this subject before (in ā€œHotel Rwandaā€) about the ethnic killings in Rwanda in 1994. With this movie, he makes a strident point of the cruelty of the Turks regarding the minority Armenians.

Prior to the start of World War I, many small villages in Turkey had many Armenians, and from one village came Mikael (Oscar Isaac). He wanted to study medicine, so he agreed to marry into a wealthy family and use the dowry money for schooling in Constantinople. While he is there, he stays with his rich uncle. He hires a young woman named Ana (Charlotte Le Bon) to tutor his children. Ana is Armenian, but she has grown up with her father in France. Makael and Ana meet, and both are attracted to each other.

Ana spends her time with Chris Myers (Christian Bale), who is an American reporter for the Associated Press. He is there to cover the tensions as the world comes to war. Once that war is declared, Turkey finds an ally in Germany. Turkish government officials find it easy to tighten down on all non-Turks, and they are especially hostile to the Armenians. Many villages are ransacked, and all non-Turks are jailed. Mikael tries to get a student exemption, but he instead gets put into a work camp.

Mikael finds a way to escape and he gets back his village. His mother Marta (Shohreh Aghdashloo) makes him marry the girl in the village he had agreed to marry. Mikael was secretly in love with Ana, but he knows he must make good on his promise. Turkish troops get deeper into the outlaying lands to scour and destroy more villages, and Mikael’s village is on the list.

Ana and Chris Myers had spent time fleeing the chaos in Constantinople. They found a missionary clinic in the hills, where the pastor in charge was secretly taking orphans to a nearby port and getting the children out of Turkey. Mikael’s wife is pregnant and she needs medical help, so they wind up at that same clinic. He again meets Ana and Chris, but he says he must stay with his family and the village. But the villagers are slaughtered, and there is nothing there for Mikael.

They travel to find the village with the port and the boats for the children. But the Turkish forces had destroyed the port and the village, and the people are wandering out into the hills. Chris is captured the Turks and it takes a visit by the U.S. Ambassador (James Cromwell) to get his free. Chris runs into a French destroyer captain (Jean Reno) and convinces him to use his artillery power to fight off the Turks. That will give the people fleeing the country a chance to stay alive.

The subject matter is difficult, because war enters Turkey and gives them all the room they need to quietly exterminate the Armenian people. There is a lot at stake; the story of the three people on the screen is shadow of what misfortune hits the country as a whole. The three main characters are mostly well-defined. Ā Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale play the roles with a lot of empathy for the pain all around them. They are at times proud, and frightened, and shell-shocked, and worn down and then happy to meet up again. Love is found and lost in the shadows of war.

The movie is paced a little slow in some area, and the overall length might have been cut down a little bit. There a lot of characters over the course of the movie and many of those who are the main group or in the immediate surrounding group, they all tend to blur into a fuzzy stereotype. The Turks and almost all bad, and the Germans are all mean and stuck-up. The occasional American is noble and good-hearted, and the French need to be talked into doing the right thing.

There are some minor flaws in the movie. But in the long run, it is an honest and heartfelt effort to tell a story about World War I that normally gets pushed aside. But don’t expect the movie to be a box office smash (in Turkey).