Category: Flix Trailers

TWIN CITIES FILM FEST 2018 tickets on sale today! 20 of My Most-Anticipated Selections

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October is already here! And most of you know it’s always an exciting month for me thanks to TCFF!

Well, TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW… so if you haven’t looked at the diverse and inspiring lineup yet, you better get them asap before they sell out!

Check out the full lineup »
Click on the Buy Tickets button on its individual film page.

Once again, the 11-day film festivities runs from October 17-27 at Kerasotes ShowPlace ICON Theatres at The Shops at West End with ICON•X. Click the handy schedule grid below in PDF format.

Now, it’s hard to pick just a few to get excited about as there are simply too many great ones premiering at this year’s fest. So I come up with twenty of must-see movies, broken down by two categories. I’ve also posted the list of the daily schedules below. Films by female filmmakers are marked with an asterisk (*).

Indie and MN-connected Features:

Time For Ilhan*

Director: Norah Shapiro
An eye-opening documentary that follows the 2016 Minnesota House of Representatives campaign of Ilhan Omar, a Somalian immigrant who sets out to unseat a 43-year incumbent and other challengers.

As an immigrant living in Minnesota, this film obviously resonates with me. It’s a film by women AND about women. But surely this is an important film regardless of your background, and I’m thrilled to see this documentary be a part of this year’s TCFF!!

Inventing Tomorrow*

Director: Laura Nix
“Inventing Tomorrow” follows six young scientists from Indonesia, Hawaii, India and Mexico as they tackle some of the most complex environmental issues facing humanity today – right in their own backyards. Each student is preparing original scientific research that he or she will defend at ISEF, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Framed against the backdrop of the severe environmental threats we now face, the audience is immersed in a global view of the planetary crisis, through the eyes of the generation that will be affected by it most.

I love docs that highlights young people, especially young people of color! Yes the fact that I’m from Indonesia and there’s a student from my homeland immediately appeals to me but really, this sounds like an inspiring doc that would make us hopeful about our future.

Rich Kids*

Director: Laura Somers
A group of troubled teens from a low-income community break into “Los Ricos”, the local mansion with a border fence, and spend the day pretending to be rich in order to forget their difficult lives.

It’s another film by a female filmmaker which subject matter intrigues me. Who hasn’t tried to escape from difficult circumstances in our lives? But for these kids, that escape seems more elusive than most.

Noah Wise

Director: Ben Zuckert
As a saxophonist’s quartet comes to an end, he meets a singer-songwriter whose career is just beginning.

I love indie movies that deals with music/musicians. The preview just looks like something I’d enjoy. It reminds me a bit of the indie romance Dust Storm from a years ago that premiered at TCFF, and the storyline also has a bit of that A Star Is Born vibe to it.

Origin Story*

Director: Kulap Vilaysack
Twenty years after learning about her biological father, Kulap Vilaysack finally asks the questions that will lead her to him.

As someone who grew up without a dad, I feel fortunate that at least I knew who my dad was even if he didn’t raise me. I can’t imagine the intricate and likely painful journey of those trying to track down their biological parent. This sounds like a heart-warming tale that’ll sure to linger after the end credits roll.

Lez Bomb*

Director: Jenna Laurenzo
A comedy about a young woman who struggles telling her overbearing mother that the friend she brought home for Thanksgiving is actually her girlfriend.

Thanksgiving with family can be a wonderful as well as stressful time, and that’s why it always makes for an intriguing subject matter. This comedy will sure resonate with anyone who’s ever had a trepidation about sharing a secret with a family member, especially during the holidays.

Sadie*

Director: Megan Griffiths
“Sadie” is the story of a girl who will stop at nothing to preserve her father’s place on the home front. Sadie (Sophia Mitri Schloss) is the daughter of a soldier and models herself after his military example. When her mom (Melanie Lynskey) begins dating a new man (John Gallagher, Jr.), Sadie vows to drive him out by whatever means necessary. He is the enemy, and if she’s learned anything from the world she inhabits, it’s that the enemy deserves no mercy. Also starring Tony Hale, Danielle Brooks, Tee Dennard and Keith L. Williams.

I LOVE Melanie Lynskey and so I’m glad to see her in a film in this year’s fest! But sounds like Sophia Mitri Schloss is the breakout star here in this emotional family drama.

Humor Me

Director: Sam Hoffman
“Humor Me” is a heartfelt father-son comedy about a struggling playwright who is forced to move in with his joke-telling dad in a New Jersey retirement community and learns, as his father often says, “life’s going to happen, whether you smile or not.”

I feel like this ‘down on his luck guy moving back in with his parents’ story has been told many time before, but it instantly feels fresh with Jemaine Clement, one of the awesome musical duo of Flight of the Concords and of course, my all time fave vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows!

American Tender

Director: C.J. Renner
It was never just a date.

I’ve become a fan of MN filmmaker CJ Renner since I saw his innovative noir GUNN (see my interview last year with him here). He said this one sort of ‘sneaked up on him’ as he seemed to have shot this film fairly quickly. I was immediately hooked by the cool, mysterious trailer!

When Jeff Tried to Save the World*

Director: Kendall Goldberg
Starring Jon Heder in attendance (Napoleon Dynamite) & Jim O’Heir (Parks & Recreation): When the manager of an old-school bowling alley discovers the owner’s plans to sell, saving Winky’s World means pulling himself out of the gutter, too.

Can you believe ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ was 14 years ago?? I really enjoyed that one when I first saw it. Well, Jon Heder is back and he’ll actually be in attendance in October!! This sounds like another comedic winner that sure to warm the hearts.

Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me

Director: Sam Pollard
The first major film documentary to examine Sammy Davis, Jr.’s vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America.

I love Sammy Davis Jr.’s voice and music but I don’t know anything about his life. Given the era when he grew up, this sure to be a fascinating documentary not to be missed!

Point of No Return

Director: Noel Dockstader and Quinn Kanaly
Two pilots attempt to fly their fragile, experimental solar airplane – Solar Impulse – around the world to prove the potential of clean energy.

I love docs about innovative technology and this looks amazing visually plus the idea of solar plane is just so darn cool! 

 

Studio Features:

Green Book

Director: Peter Farrelly

A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali is a cinematic duo I didn’t think I need but now I can’t imagine living without. Last time I saw Ali was in the phenomenal Oscar-winner Moonlight (which I also saw at TCFF!) and Viggo was in the excellent family drama Captain Fantastic. Together they’d surely electrify the screen!

A Private War

Director: Matthew Heineman
One of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time, Marie Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontline of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless.

I’ve been a long admirer of Rosamund Pike, long before she starred in career-turning Gone Girl. This sounds like an Oscar-worthy performance from the versatile and talented Brit.

The Favourite

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne (Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Weisz) governs the country in her stead. When a new servant Abigail (Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah.

Whenever Yorgos Lanthimos directs something, it seems to always get tongue wagging. ‘The Lobster’ is one of those bizarrely-wonderful movie that makes you go ‘just what the heck is going on?’ This time he seems to apply that same strange sensibilities to a royal family period drama.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?*

Director: Marielle Heller
Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) who made her living in the 1970’s and 80’s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant). An adaptation of the memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats).

Melissa McCarthy is tackling a dramatic role in this biopic that’s originally supposed to star Julianne Moore. I’m even more intrigued the fact that she’s the lead here, and for me, I’m always intrigued by films about writers.

Widows

Director: Steve McQueen

“Widows” is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

When I first saw this trailer, I knew I had to see it!! I mean Viola Davis going full bad-ass mode a la Liam Neeson in ‘Taken’, and hey he actually played her husband!! Then I saw Steve McQueen directing… so yeah, bring. it. on!!

If Beale Street Could Talk

Director: Barry Jenkins
“Widows” is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

I mentioned one of TCFF’s gala films ‘Moonlight’ earlier. Well glad to see Barry Jenkins’ follow-up feature made it to TCFF this year. This looks like a tear-jerker and absolutely heart-wrenching. I was instantly smitten by the two young leads KiKi Layne and Stephan James.

Saving Flora

Director: Mark Taylor
An unbreakable bond between an elephant and girl is put to the test, How far will you go to save a friend?

A family drama about a kid bonding with an elephant? Well this looks like a heart-warming and less-fantastical version of ‘Dumbo’ that’s out next year. Glad to hear David Arquette and Tom Arnold might attend the premiere on October 22!

Chef Flynn

Director: Cameron Yates
Ten-year-old Flynn transforms his living room into a supper club using his classmates as line cooks. With sudden fame, Flynn outgrows his bedroom kitchen, and sets out to challenge the hierarchy of the culinary world.

This doc about young culinary whiz will sure wet our appetite and wish you had even an iota of his talents around the kitchen! So interesting that he even involves his classmates as cooks. Renowned chef Andrew Zimmern who’s now based in MN is scheduled to make an appearance on Thursday, Oct. 25’s premiere!

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* Films directed by women

Great things come in small packages! Don’t forget about the wonderful short films selections. Check out what’s playing in the seven SHORT BLOCKS that’s been curated by TCFF programmers!

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2018 TWIN CITIES FILM FEST DAILY SCHEDULE

Wed – October 17

5:45p.m.: Time for Ilhan, Noah Shapiro*

8:15p.m.: Green Book, Peter Farrelly*

Thurs – October 18

1:30p.m.: The Eyes of Thailand, Windy Borman

2:00p.m.: Lez Bomb, Jenna Laurenzo

3:30p.m.: After Hours Trading, Fredrick Johnson

4:00p.m.: Inventing Tomorrow, Laura Nix

6:15p.m.: Point of No Return, Noel Dockstader and Quinn Kanaly

7:00p.m.: American Tender, C.J. Renner*

8:40p.m.: Time Trap, Mark Dennis & Ben Foster

9:15p.m.: Laugh ’til You DIE Shorts, Various

Fri – October 19

2:15p.m.: Nor Any Drop to Drink, Cedric Taylor

3:00p.m.: Coby, Christian Sonderegger

5:00p.m.: The Shingle Life, Peter Marcy

5:15p.m.: One Bedroom, Darien Sills-Evans

7:20p.m.: When Jeff Tried to Save the World, Kendall Goldberg

9:35p.m.: Strange Nature, Jim Ojala

9:45p.m.: In This Gray Place, R.D. Womack II 

Sat – October 20

10:00a.m.: Through the Windmill, Amanda Kulkoski

11:45a.m.: Kids Incorporated Shorts, Various

12:00p.m.: F.R.E.D.I, Sean Olson

1:45p.m.: Not in My Lifetime, Pam Colby

2:30p.m.: Chasing the Thunder, Mark Benjamin + Rhino Shield, Billy Ward

3:45p.m.: Noah Wise, Ben Zuckert*

5:10p.m.: Summer ’03, Becca Gleason

6:15p.m.: Widows, Steve McQueen*

7:30p.m.: Black, David J. Buchanan

7:30p.m.: Humor Me, Sam Hoffman

9:10p.m.: Long Lost, Erik Bloomquist

9:45p.m.: Gags, Adam Krause

Sun – October 21

10:10a.m.: Rich Kids, Laura Somers*

11:00a.m.: Belong to Us, Patrick Rea

12:30p.m.: Regarding the Case of Joan of Arc, Matthew D. Wilder

1:30p.m.: Life in the Doghouse, Ron Davis

3:00p.m.: Operation Wedding, Anat Zalmanson Kuznetsov

5:00p.m.: The Testament, Amichai Greenberg

7:00p.m.: Homeward Bound – Shorts, Various

7:30p.m.: 93Queen, Paula Eiselt

9:30p.m.: Two in the Bush: A Love Story, Laura Madalinski

Mon – October 22

3:45p.m.: The Push, Grant Korgan and Brian Niles

4:00p.m.: Special Ed, Frank Anderson

6:00p.m.: Saving Flora, Mark Taylor

6:30p.m.: The Lumber Baron, Barry Anderson

7:00p.m.: Sadie, Megan Griffiths

9:15p.m.: We Can Relate – Shorts, Various

9:20p.m.: All Square, John Hyams 

Tues – October 23

2:45p.m.: Fire on the Hill, Brett Fallentine

5:00p.m.: The Skin of the Teeth, Matthew Wollin

5:10p.m.: Finding Hygge, Rocky Walls

7:00p.m.: Can You Ever Forgive Me? Marielle Heller

7:30p.m.: Across the Water, Nicolo Donato

9:30p.m.: Wunderland, Steven Luke

9:40p.m.: JackRabbit 29, Kyle Klubal

Wed – October 24

2:45p.m.: American Tender, C.J. Renner

3:15p.m.: Sadie, Megan Griffiths

3:45p.m.: The Lumber Baron, Barry Anderson

5:00p.m.: The Prodigal Dad, Robert Wenzek

5:45p.m: Big Dream, Kelly Cox

6:30p.m.: Legend of Cambria, Alexei Tylevich

7:10p.m.: Passionate Voices – Shorts, Various

8:00p.m.: Who Will Write our History, Roberta Grossman

8:15p.m.: The Best People, Dan Levy Dagerman

9:25p.m.: Witch, Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers 

Thurs – October 25

2:45p.m.: Chasing the Thunder, Mark Benjamin

5:00p.m.: Song of Back and Neck, Paul Lieberstein

5:10p.m.: Artistic Expressions – Shorts, Various

7:05p.m.: Chef Flynn, Cameron Yates

7:15p.m.: Shoelaces, Jacob Goldwasser

9:15p.m.: Thrilling, Tingling Tales – Shorts, Various

9:25p.m.: Newly Single, Adam Christian Clark 

Fri – October 26

10:00a.m.: Noah Wise, Ben Zuckert

10:30a.m.: Time Trap, Mark Dennis & Ben Foster

12:15p.m.: In This Gray Place, R.D. Womack II

12:45p.m.: The Prodigal Dad, Robert Wenzek

5:00p.m.: Electric Love, Aaron Fradkin

5:30p.m.: Generation StartUp, Cynthia Wade, Cheryl Miller Houser

7:00p.m.: Boy Erased, Joel Edgerton

7:45p.m.: Lez Bomb, Jenna Laurenzo

9:45p.m.: Muse, John Burr 

Sat – October 27

10:00a.m.: Origin Story, Kulap Vilaysack

10:10a.m.: The Push, Grant Korgan and Brian Niles

12:20p.m.: In a Relationship, Sam Boyd

12:30p.m.: DocuMNtary: The Story of Tech in MInnesota, Nick Roseth

2:00p.m.: Zeroes, Charles St. John Smith III

2:45p.m.: The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos

4:30p.m.: A Private War, Matthew Heineman

5:30p.m: If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins

7:00p.m.: United Skates, Tina Brown & Dyana Winkler

8:15p.m.: Doubtful, Eliran Elya

Festival Passes breakdown:

  • Silver Pass – $50 (5 pack of non-Gala tickets)
  • Gold Pass – $80 (10 pack of non-Gala tickets)
  • Platinum Pass – $120 (12 pack of non-Gala tickets + 2 Gala tickets)
  • Gala Pass – $100 (6 tickets to any Gala Film)
  • All Access Pass – $500 (Guaranteed seat in premiere row at ANY screening +more!).

Oh and as if great films aren’t enough for the 11-day festivities, check out the amazing lineup of FREE EDUCATIONAL events!!

So which of these film(s) are YOU most excited about?

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Super Bowl 2018 trailers: MI6 Fallout | A Quiet Place | SOLO | Avengers Infinity War | Westworld Season 2

On By ruthIn Flix Trailers20 Comments

Happy post-Super Bowl Monday!

Me & hubby at Mall of America

I normally don’t even watch Super Bowl at all but this year my home state is hosting the big game so I can’t help getting a bit caught up in the spirit of it all. Mall of America was practically a SBLII hub with the teams sleeping on opposite ends of the mall (Eagles at JW Marriott and the Pats at Radisson Blu).

I stayed away from downtown though, I mean it’s freakin’ cold even for longtime Minnesota resident like me (-3˚F temp but feels like -15˚) at the time of the game, plus traffic & parking has been a nightmare this entire week. Yes we’re the #BoldNorth and all but we have to deal w/ this frigid winter and snow all season long, not just on Super Bowl weekend.

I started typing this as the game just wrapped. Congrats Eagles! It was a pretty exciting game actually, though I was really paying attention during commercials to make sure I don’t miss any new trailers!

So if you missed the game last night, or just wanna rewatch those trailers again, here we go…

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT

This is the one I’ve been waiting for! Tom Cruise has recently joined Instagram and has been teasing us w/ a bunch of exciting stills. He even shared the video of how his ankle got broken on Graham Norton which made it into the movie! Well, MI:6 looks like another crazy action flick!!

Pscyhed to see the practically ageless Angela Bassett joining the team (she’s also in Black Panther AND Infinity War, wahoo!!), whichever side she’s on, I know she’s gonna be bad ass! Heck, she’ll be 60 this year but this lady looks like she could easily take out both Cruise and even Superman himself. Speaking of Henry Cavill and his much-ballyhoo-ed ‘tache, just what is the purpose of his facial hair in this flick??

A QUIET PLACE

Now, as you know I don’t normally go for the horror genre. But this one has got me intrigued mainly for the pairing of real life husband/wife John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, and it’s Krasinski’s directorial debut! The trailer looks so suspenseful w/ the family in an isolated place facing an unknown, but terrifying threat. I might wait for some reviews to see if my nerves can handle this movie.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

Hmmmm, not really feeling this one. Alden Ehrenreich (who was good in Hail, Caesar!) have huuuuge shoes to fill. I mean it’s hard to get Harrison Ford‘s iconic smirk out of my mind, that playful, smug, sarcastic style we’ve known and love. I love the casting of Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, but it remains to be seen if Alden could be even half as charismatic as Ford in the role. He does have nice hair though 😉

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Ok the entire gang is back to unite against a common enemy! Watching the trailer made me even more pumped to see Black Panther (they scheduled the advanced screening on the evening on the 13th, YAY!!). Amongst the entire Marvel superheroes, I’m most excited to see T’Challa and Cap…

… not only Cap’s got a new haircut, he’s got some new cool, albeit rather strange-looking, shield too!!

HBO’s WESTWORLD Season 2

This is the TV series I’ve been eagerly anticipating! It’s been over a year since season 1 wrapped, and I remember thinking how long we’d have to wait. An entire year! But at the same time I’m glad the writers take their time to make it, and now we’ve only got a couple more months to go ’til season 2 drops on April 22!

“… we’ve lived by your rules long enough… we can save this world… we can burn it to the ground… and from the ashes build a new world… our world.”

The trailer gives me goose bumps!! Yep, the robotic hosts will rule over all… man I can’t wait to see this series!! April can’t come soon enough!

BONUS trailer!

Ok this one isn’t even a movie, but the teasers have been one long, brilliant buildup to … a commercial for Australia!

DUNDEE

What an amazing cast the Aussie Tourism Board managed to assemble for this commercial!! Danny McBride is hilarious as Crocodile Dundee’s supposed son (even Paul Hogan made a cameo), surrounded by the who’s who of Australia celebs superheroes … Thor, Harley Quinn, Wolverine and even Gladiator himself. Apparently the campaign cost $36 mil which isn’t surprising given the scale, but it was a lot of fun to watch.

Thoughts on these trailers? Which movie(s) are you most anticipating?
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Trailer Spotlight: Ocean’s 8

On By ruthIn Flix Trailers12 Comments

It’s the last week before Christmas and the present comes early! I’ve been excited for this all-female Oceans flick for some time. Normally I’d say we don’t need another reboot/sequel/spinoff what-have-you… but y’know what, this year (well, any year really), an extra dose of girl power is extra awesome. 2017 is the year of Wonder Woman, and 2018 will be the year of Wonder Women. I mean this is as close as we’re probably gonna get to an all-female Avengers flick!

This is the one to watch just for the cast. Bullock + Blanchett + Bonham Carter … just those three alone is enough to shell out full price cinema ticket (if I had to pay that is). My hubby and I watched this right after dinner and he’s as pumped as I am to see this [is it any wonder I love my man?]

So Sandra Bullock is playing Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie, I wonder if this all-female Oceans flick idea happened when she and George Clooney were filming Gravity four years ago. In any case, buh-bye Clooney, Pitt, Damon & co. and hell-o ladies!! Fresh out of prison, Debbie Ocean plans a big heist at the Met Gala in NYC. What a team she’s put together: Lou (Cate Blanchett), Nine Ball (Rihanna), Amita (Mindy Kaling), Constance (Awkwafina), Rose (Helena Bonham Carter), Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), and Tammy (Sarah Paulson). Too bad Elizabeth Banks dropped out of the cast, though I don’t mind Jennifer Lawrence isn’t in this (apparently she was offered a part).

Per IMDb, the eight main cast has won four Oscars, two Emmys, eight Grammys, six Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, and 10 SAGs combined. Woo wee! #girlpower

I totally forgot about Richard Armitage in this, he didn’t have a single line in the trailer so I have no idea who he’s playing. I barely noticed James Corden either until I saw it a second time. No matter though, forget the boys, it’s all about the ladies whoopin’ it up!

Not sure how involved Steven Soderbergh is on this spinoff, but given his track record with bad ass female in his movies I’d imagine he’d approve. This time we’ve got Gary Ross (Hunger Games, Seabiscuit) in the director’s chair and he wrote the script with Olivia Milch (one of Variety’s 10 screenwriters to watch in 2016).

I’m always up for a heist flick and this seriously it looks like a riot! The worst thing about this is the wait… June 8 can’t come soon enough. Well now I now what I’ll be anticipating come Summer movie season!

What say you? Thoughts on Oceans 8’s first trailer?

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Trailers of Movies I Can’t Wait to See… from arthouse indies to blockbuster movies

On By ruthIn Flix Trailers, Upcoming Flix17 Comments

Hello everyone! Remember me? 😉

Feels like it’s been ages since I posted trailers on this blog. It’s truly been a whirlwind year for me. You already know about my short film which consumed the first 2/3 of 2017. As if that wasn’t busy enough already, I also still blogged for TCFF, my hubby and I became US citizens 🇺🇸 in late November… aaaand we’re moving to a new home! 😮

Suffice to say, not only do I not have any time to blog these days…  I barely have time to watch things either. But I do make time to watch trailers! I’ve always enjoyed trailers and they always make me excited about movies even when life is extremely hectic.

In fact, since I was home sick today, I watched a ton of trailers as I sat on my bed… and so I thought why not make a blog post of it. In any case, I like to mix up arthouse indies with huge blockbusters, so let’s start with this one…

A Wrinkle In Time

After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.

…
An intriguing scifi adventure by a female director (Ava DuVernay) w/ an all-star (mostly female) cast (including my girl muse Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Can’t wait to see this next March!

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool

Based on Peter Turner’s memoir, the film follows the playful but passionate relationship between Turner (Bell) and the eccentric Academy Award®-winning actress Gloria Grahame (Bening) in 1978 Liverpool.

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I remember hearing the title but just finally saw the trailer last night and was swept away by it!! I had never heard of Gloria Grahame but I do love Annette Bening and she looks phenomenal here. I haven’t been impressed by Jamie Bell since Billy Elliot but he looks good here. I love stories about star-crossed lovers and a reverse May-December romance where the woman is older.

Phantom Thread

Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.

Ok so interestingly enough, Andrew Llyod Weber’s Phantom of the Opera also opened around Christmas time (2004), a movie I still unabashedly love despite what the critics say. Now this one is likely gonna be known as Daniel Day Lewis‘ last film as he’s reportedly retiring. It looks pretty intriguing but given December’s packed schedule, I probably end up renting this one.

The Shape of Water

An other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.

Ohhh this trailer always gives me goosebumps from the first time I saw it in a theatre. The more I read about this film and all the rave reviews about Guillermo Del Toro‘s magical touch, I’m even more intrigued. Talk about the ultimate unconventional love story… starring the reliable Sally Hawkins (who I loved as Anne Elliot in BBC’s Persuasion), this one will run my tear ducts dry for sure.

Downsizing

A social satire in which a guy realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself.

I LOVE the premise of this movie and I sure hope the movie will deliver. But I enjoyed The Descendants and Nebraska from Alexander Payne, and he seems like the right filmmaker to do such a quirky dramedy. Yeah it’s yet another Matt Damon flick (this guy is everywhere!) but the story is pretty intriguing I’m still curious to check this one out.

Black Panther

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

Woo wee!!! Forget about what I said about superhero fatigue, I’m still very much in the mood for the genre (and guys in tight-fitting outfit), especially when they look as good as Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther! [meow!] The cast is pure awesomeness…  I mean, yes the boys are cool and all that, but I’m all about Angela Bassett & Lupita Nyong’o in the same movie!! Marvel Studios taking a chance on an another indie filmmaker, this time it’s Ryan Coogler and judging from the second trailer, this is gonna be epic!! February can’t come soon enough.

Avengers Infinity War

DC sort of have ‘ruled’ 2017 with Wonder Woman and Justice League. Ok so not exactly ruled the box office given all the talks about how JL underperformed. Well, 2018 will likely bring Disney even more s*&$-load of cash (but then again every year is ‘Disney just take my money’ year since they owned EVERYTHING).

Just three months after Black Panther, we’ve got the whole gang back together. Everyone’s got their faves, but for me I’m most excited to see T’Challa and Capt (sporting longish hair and rugged beard, yowza!!)

Heh I think DC is missing out with the whole Henry Cavill mustache-erasing fiasco, methinks Supes looks pretty darn sexy unshaven… a la Chris Reeve in Superman III 😉

Dayum, that Alan Silvestri‘s score in that last slo-mo scene promises us SO much epic-ness. I rolled my eyes when they’re gonna do the last Avengers in two parts (of course, why not stretch those mighty dollars right?) but heck I trust the Russo brothers to bring us something truly worth watching, as the last two Captain America films are on the top list of fave superhero films ever!

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Having taken her first steps into the Jedi world, Rey joins Luke Skywalker on an adventure with Leia, Finn and Poe that unlocks mysteries of the Force and secrets of the past.

I can’t believe I didn’t include this one. I was actually watching it (three times in a row) as I wrote the post, then got sidetracked by the Jimmy Kimmel episode with ALL of the cast from the new flick (including Laura Dern!). So yeah, even though I wouldn’t call myself a SW fan but I’m actually really looking forward to Episode VIII more and more. Glad I don’t have long to wait (seeing it this Monday, yay!!)

I’ve only seen Looper from director Rian Johnson, which I quite like. I always like the idea of having indie filmmakers joining big franchises (a la Marvel) so hopefully it’ll pay off once again. The trailer certainly promises more drama in the epic saga of the most dysfunctional family in space 😛

Ok last one… I know this one is just a teaser and the movie isn’t out ’til next June! But man Deadpool‘s marketing team ought to win some awards for creativity and pure silly good fun! I hadn’t even heard of Bob Ross before but the teaser made me search for clips of him on youtube and it’s freakin’ hilarious!! I’m not a huge Ryan Reynolds fan but he totally owned this character! Nice to see that kid from Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Julian Dennison, making an appearance in this flick!

Ok these are just a sampling of stuff I’m excited about… what are some recent previews that got your heart pumpin’?

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A sneak peek into the 8th annual Twin Cities Film Fest schedule

On By ruthIn Film Festivals/Events, Flix Trailers, Upcoming Flix8 Comments

Can’t believe it’s just a little over a month away until the fun film festivities begins here in the Twin Cities! If you follow me on Facebook, then you’d already know that this year’s film fest is an extra special for yours truly… yep, I’m still in a daze that Hearts Want is actually premiering at TCFF in October!! If you told me around the same time last year that I would have my own film playing at TCFF in 2017 I’d say that you are nuts. Our film will be playing in one of several short blocks at the fest, I will update this post as soon as I know the exact schedule.

Well, if you haven’t seen the teaser yet, well here you go…

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This year’s fundraising gala’s theme is A Year of Spectacular Women… which is as timely as ever and it’s also a play on this year’s Opening Night film, A Year of Spectacular Men, a directorial debut of Minnesota native Lea Thompson and stars her daughters Zoey Deutch and Madelyn Deutch. The upcoming drama-comedy will make its world premiere at TCFF on Oct. 18 with both Lea Thompson and Zoey Deutch in attendance.

We don’t have a trailer yet but here’s a clip from the film:

The official 2017 Centerpiece film will be the inspirational documentary Purple Dreams, which follows lives of inner-city, at-risk students who succeed at their passion while embracing the transformative power of their arts education. The true-life adventure screens Oct. 23.

TCFF will continue its tradition of honoring a Social Cause this year by putting a spotlight on ‘Addiction.’ To highlight addiction TCFF will screen three documentaries (Chasing the Dragon, Addicted to Porn and Screenagers) and a drama called Tatertot and Patton which showcases alcohol addiction.

Some of Fall’s most-anticipated films are also amongst the lineup…

Acclaimed director Sean Baker’s The Florida Project starring Willem Dafoe:

Dramedy Last Flag Flying starring Bryan Cranston, Steve Carrell and Laurence Fishburne:

WWII drama The Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman as Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

It’s a year of debuts it seems. Motion capture virtuoso Andy Serkis’ directorial debut Breathe, starring Andrew Garfield as a young man struck down with polio looks like a heart-warming tearjerker.

Those are just the studio films. There are plenty of indie features to be excited about…

The Bachelors stars J.K. Simmons dealing with an early death of his wife with his teenage son.

A grizzled, rugged looking Matt Bomer stars in Walking Out, where he plays an estranged father who faces a brutal encounter in the heart of Montana wilderness with his teenage son.

Little Pink House stars Catherine Keener and Jeanne Tripplehorn about a working-class neighborhood struggling to save their homes from political and corporate interests bent on seizing the land and handing it over to Pfizer Corporation.

I gotta give a shout out to Minnesota-made indie feature Twin Cities, produced by the filmmaker who directed my short film, Jason P. Schumacher. Hearts Want‘s lead actor Peter Christian Hansen also has a supporting role in the film. Directed by David Ash, its prequel 2021 actually premiered at TCFF in 2015.

The festival will close with writer and director Colette Burson’s Permanent, a film centering on a story of a hairstyle gone incredibly wrong and a young girl’s fight to fit in while encountering bullies at a new school. Burson will be in attendance for the red carpet and hosting a Q&A following the film.

Tickets will open up to members and pass holders on September 29th, with general public access the following week. To find out how to become a TCFF Member and for a full list of films playing at this year’s festival please visit TCFF official site »


Hope to see you at TCFF next month!
Which of these films are you most looking forward to?

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Everybody’s Chattin’ + ‘Professor Mars & The Wonder Women’ Teaser Trailer

On By ruthIn Everybody's Chattin', Flix Trailers11 Comments

Hello folks! What’s happening in your world? As you can imagine my life is still pretty much consumed by my short film… and will be so for at least the next year.

Hearts Want is currently on post production now, specifically in editing… where most of the magic of filmmaking happens. In the meantime, I’ve been busy working on getting the page up on IMDb, as well as planning our Kickstarter campaign that would hopefully launch sometime in mid June.

We need to get the word out about our film, and I do believe social media is a big part of that. So would you be so kind as to LIKE our FB page…

… and follow us on Instagram, too! 

Well, suffice to say I haven’t got much time for anything else. So pardon my lack of visit and comments to your blogs folks. But I do miss doing the community blogging thing on here, so I think this is as good a time as any.

So let’s get to those fine links now shall we?

I’m so thrilled that Wonder Woman is resonating in a big way w/ both critics and audiences alike. Over $100mil box office take, people, woot woot!!

Well, I’ve reviewed it earlier this week. Read on what Margaret, Chris, Brittani and Steven say about it.

Mark wrote about 12 Angry Men (1957) for the Decades Blogathon

Cindy‘s posted some gorgeous pics of cacti blooming in her hometown of Arizona

In honor of Roger Moore’s passing, Alex posted anecdotes from the late 007 actor

Nostra reviewed one of my fave films from last year, Hidden Figures

Last but not least…

Michael has a new entry of his ‘Same Song Different Movie’ series featuring Sinnerman by Nina Simone

Professor Marston & the Wonder Women Teaser

Well, talk about perfect timing. A few days after Wonder Woman opened with a box office smash, Annapurna Pictures, which unsurprisingly is founded by a woman (Megan Ellison) released this teaser…

Per SlashFilm, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is a biopic about the three people responsible for creating DC’s most famous female hero.

Professor Marston & The Wonder Women is the story behind the creator of Wonder Woman and his unusual relationships that inspired the iconic super heroine. In a superhero origin tale unlike any other, this is the true story of 1940s Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), the inventor of the lie detector and creator of the iconic Wonder Woman, who defends his feminist superhero against charges of ‘sexual perversity’ while at the same time maintaining a secret that could have destroyed him. Unknown to others, Marston’s inspiration for Wonder Woman was his wife Elizabeth Marston (Rebecca Hall) and their lover Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote), two empowered women in the field of psychology who defied convention, building a secret life together with Marston that rivaled the greatest of superhero disguises.

I’m really curious about this one, and I quite like the cast too. Check out the awesome teaser poster!

 

What do you think of this teaser trailer?

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Everybody’s Chattin’ + Trailer Spotlight: WONDER WOMAN (trailer 3)

On By ruthIn Everybody's Chattin', Flix Trailers35 Comments


Hi everyone! Hope all is well in your part of the world. Well I don’t have to tell you that my life’s been practically consumed by my short film now. As they say, writing is pretty much rewriting and that’s where it’s at now… constant script revisions. It’s a very exhausting, humbling and also fruitful learning experience for me. But believe it or not, that’s not the worst part of it so far… scheduling is definitely a bloody nasty process!

So pardon me if I haven’t been around your blog lately, heck I haven’t even been around MY own blog. But I do miss doing these community links… so let’s get to it!

Margaret participated on the Unsung Heroes Blogathon. Of course it’s one of Ed Harris‘ movies 😉

Let’s take some time from movies to gaze at Cindy‘s stunning shots of full moon over Sycamore Canyon, AZ

Jordan reviewed an Italian film Perfetti Sconosciuti (Perfect Strangers)

Meanwhile Allie just reviewed a book, Truly Madly Guilty. I actually haven’t done a book review before, not sure I’m cut out for that. I think I’ll stick to movies.

As I’m about to write my quick thoughts on LOGAN, glad my friend Mark loves it as much as I do!

On the other hand, glad I’m not the only one who isn’t so ga-ga over La La Land. Eddie didn’t fall head over heels with it either.

I love Michael‘s Best Album Covers series, this time he shone the spotlight on trumpeter Freddie Hubbard’s album Hub-Tones

Speaking of music… Chris has been listing his Top 100 songs of 2016. Check out if one of your faves made his list.

TRAILER SPOTLIGHT

Ahhh yes… wonder indeed!! I have posted about Wonder Woman here which was around Comic-con last year. Man I can’t be more excited for this movie. It’s one of the rare DC movies I’m actually super looking forward to.

Behold…

Woof, this gives me goosebumps! I love that first part of the Amazon princess Diana in warrior training. Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman! I actually had trepidation about her casting initially, but just like Daniel Craig w/ Bond, I’m definitely sold as soon as I saw the first teaser!! Interestingly enough she actually auditioned to be a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace, heh I’d love to see her play a female spy, and the fact that she was in the Israeli Army, she likely could kick any of those Bond actors’ arses effortlessly 😉

I like this alley scene, definitely reminds me of a scene in Superman: The Movie, the first time Clark Kent saves Lois Lane from a bullet in an alley, complete with Diana wearing dark rimmed glasses too!

Nice to see Connie Nielsen back on screen again as Diana’s mom Hippolyta. Oh and Princess Buttercup er Robin Wright as an Amazon warrior? Yes please! Chris Pine is instantly likable as her love interest, glad he took on a second-banana role despite being one of Hollywood’s hottest leading men. But mostly I’m thrilled because we have a woman behind the camera this time! That in itself is history in the making, Patty Jenkins is the first woman to have directed a live-action movie with a $100 million budget.

I sure hope this movie will be a huge success… I mean dayum, DC sure needs a hit right about now. As for me, I’m hugely optimistic… heck this scene alone looks darn epic!!!

I still gets goosebumps when the Wonder Woman theme came on… thanks to Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL. I love that they use it sparingly for the finale, which made it all the more impactful.

 

What do you think of the the third Wonder Woman trailer? 
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Five for the Fifth: MARCH 2017 Edition

On By ruthIn Five for the Fifth, Flix Trailers27 Comments

Welcome to FlixChatter’s blog series! As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here.

1. I know it’s been over a week since the death of Bill Paxton, who passed away on February 25 at the age of 61 from surgery complications. As this and many other tweets pointed out… Paxton was the only man to face off against a Terminator, Alien, and a Predator. He’s certainly famous for his sci-fi genre roles, but boy he’s done SO many memorable roles in his illustrious career. He’s such a consummate character actor who’s convincing playing anything… the ultimate ‘everyman’ in most of his movies as he’s so darn likable.

billpaxton

I pretty much grew up with Paxton in the 90s too, with movies like True Lies, Apollo 13, A Simple Plan, Titanic and of course Twister, where he got the lead role. It’s hard to pick which is my fave role of his, but certainly Twister is in my top 3.

What’s your fave Bill Paxton movie(s)?

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2. I got a chance to see an adaptation of Shakespeare’s epic tragedy King Lear at the Guthrie Theatre. One of the main reasons for me to see it is because Blood Stripe‘s lead actress Kate Nowlin plays Goneril, one of Lear’s three daughters.

kinglearguthrie

It was a brilliant stage performance, with great lighting effects and sound design. I actually hadn’t seen any film version of the movie, not the 1971 movie nor the 2009 PBS’ Great Performances version with Ian McKellen. So I saw it fresh for the first time and was quite riveted by it.

What’s your favorite film based on a play… and which play would you like to see made into films?
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3. Ok switching gears drastically… I hadn’t even been paying much attention to this sequel but when I saw the teaser last night I knew I had to include it here. Behold the Deadpool 2 teaser …

Ryan Reynolds and his Deadpool team has done it again! They’ve been very savvy w/ their promotional efforts for the first one and looks like their crazy, unhinged brand of humor is in full display! I wonder how much they had to pay DC to get the rights to use John Williams’ Superman music but man was it awesome!! It’s the kind of teaser I could watch over and over, let’s hope the sequel is as funny as this teaser!

Thoughts on the teaser? Are you excited to watch the Deadpool sequel?
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4. Well, some of you might’ve read that LOGAN is my pick of February Movie of the Month. I hadn’t been anticipating it much, my hubby was more psyched about it than I did, but I was blown away by the film.

jackman_logan

It’s incredible that the 48-year-old Aussie actor has played the role for 17 years in various X-Men films and their spin offs. It’s rare for any actor to have played the same role that long, so it’s no surprise that Logan marks he last time he’ll reprise the role.

Let’s walk down memory lane and watch this audition tape from back in 1999 when he first audition to the role that made him famous…

It proves that scheduling conflict can be a good thing for some actors… most of you know that Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine, but he had to bail as Mission: Impossible II (2000) required more filming time. Well I can’t imagine anyone else but Hugh as Wolverine now.

What are your thoughts on Hugh Jackman retiring as Wolverine… and who do you think should play the role next?
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5. Ok, since this might be my last Five for the Fifth post in a while (given I’ll be filming my short film in mid April and the following months I might be tied up with post-productions), so I decided to come up with all five questions 🙂

I got a press release email in early February about The Ottoman Lieutenant I hadn’t even heard before. Perhaps this is the first time you’ve heard of it too? I also got another email from the press rep that there’s a possible phone interview with the lead actor Michiel Huisman, who I loved in Age of Adaline. We’ll see if that pans out. In any case, check out the trailer:

The Ottoman Lieutenant is a love story between an idealistic American nurse and a Turkish officer in World War I.

Well, I might check it out when it opens later this month, interesting to see Minneapolis native Josh Hartnett in it as well. It’s a pretty crowded Spring though with a bunch of big-budget releases like Kong: Skull Island, Beauty & The Beast, as well as smaller fares like Wilson,Kristen Stewart’s Personal Shopper and T2 Trainspotting.

So what’s the one movie you can’t wait to see this Spring?

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Well, that’s it for the MARCH edition of Five for the Fifth. Hope you’ll take part!

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Spotlight on [ + review] of indie comedy ‘We Make Movies’

On By ruthIn Flix Reviews, Flix Trailers9 Comments

wemakemovies

A hilarious and heartfelt look “behind the scenes” as a group of college kids spend their summer making a movie for their town’s Film Festival. Cameras chronicle the tumultuous ups and downs as an egotistical student Director rounds up his friends (and some bystanders) to help make his masterpiece: a movie that blends together all the greatest films ever made.

;;;

Laura’s review:

I love mockumentary-style comedies. Christopher Guest movies always crack me up, and The Office is one of my top go-to binge shows on Netflix. So I was delighted to have the chance to watch We Make Movies, an independent film by Matt Tory, when I found out it was the same style as some of my favorite comedies.

We Make Movies follows a group of college-aged individuals, led by wannabe filmmaker Stevphen (Matt Tory -and yes, I did spell the name right), in their journey to make a great movie for their small town’s film festival. Stevphen is joined by his best friend and loyal assistant producer Donny (Jordan Hopewell), their friend and the movie’s straight man Garth (Jonathan Holmes), Garth’s acting classmate Leonard (Zack Slort), and Donny’s cousin Jessica (Anne Crocket). The group struggles with filmmaking logistics as well as personal conflicts behind the scenes.

wemakemovies_stills

I really enjoyed this movie. I laughed out loud multiple times (especially at the titles of some of Stevphen’s previous movies), and was impressed by most of the cast’s acting skills. Jordan Hopewell as the lovably dorky Donny was especially hilarious, and Jonathan Holmes as Garth struck a great balance of being the exasperated voice of reason while still bringing a lot of humor to his character. The writing overall was fantastic, with several hilarious one-liners and sight gags.

That said, there were a couple problems I had with this film. The main one had to do with Stevphen. While it can be interesting and funny to have an unlikeable main character, Stevphen is a little too one-note. He has absolutely no redeeming qualities: he’s pretentious, jealous, and self-absorbed. They try to give him a bit of a character development at the end of the movie, but by then it’s too little too late. Leonard, the lead actor in Stevphen’s movie, had similar flaws, but he was also self-conscious, which added at least some depth; I’m not sure why they couldn’t do that with Stevphen.

wemakemovies_jordan_matt

Jessica has a similar problem: her character is underdeveloped. I’m not sure if it’s the acting or the way the character was written, but it was unclear if she’s supposed to be a deadpan pessimist or the straight woman to Stevphen, Leonard, and Donny’s ridiculous behavior. I worry that, as the sole female character, she was just there as a romantic interest, and as such didn’t get as much effort put into writing her.

Despite these complaints, We Make Movies is a genuinely funny, enjoyable comedy, and I hope to see more from Matt Tory soon.

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wemakemovies

Visit We Make Movies‘ official site

 

Five for the Fifth: JANUARY 2017 Edition

On By ruthIn Five for the Fifth, Flix News, Flix Trailers, Upcoming Flix45 Comments

fftf

Welcome to FlixChatter’s primary blog series! As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation/poster, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here.

1. Well HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! (I think you can still say this for at least another week 😉 ) Hope you had a great Christmas break. I barely had any vacation left but I did take the last Friday of the year off, and since Monday was a company holiday it was nice to get four days off. It ended up being a pretty productive time as we were able to binge on Westworld! So yeah we’re done with all of season 1 and boy that season finale is phenomenal!!

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We got a free trial month subscription on HBO, but since we already got Netflix and Amazon Prime, we’re not gonna pay another $15 bucks to continue. But since we still have 3 weeks left, we’re hoping to catch up on season 1 of True Detective. We’re 2 episodes in so far and we loved it.

So did you binge on any TV show(s) this holiday season?  

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2. It seems easy to poke fun at the superhero genre. Veteran filmmaker Ridley Scott’s recently quoted as saying “Superhero movies are not my kind of thing — that’s why I’ve never really done one… [I’ve been asked] several times, but I can’t believe in the thin, gossamer tightrope of the non-reality of the situation of the superhero.” [per The Wrap] He went on to say, “I’ve done that kind of movie: ‘Blade Runner’ really is a comic strip when you think about it. It’s a dark story told in an unreal world. You could almost put Batman or Superman in that world, that atmosphere, except I’d have a f—ing good story, as opposed to no story!”

ridleyscott

No story. Ouch! Though it made me laugh when he said about the non-reality bit, I mean Alien and Prometheus aren’t exactly steeped in realism now are they? I agree BVS is shiat but he clearly hasn’t seen the Captain America trilogy.

Another slam to DC superhero universe comes from the Batman himself. It seems Ben Affleck isn’t too sure about directing the Batman films for DC. Asked by The Guardian about directing The Batman, he replied “That’s the idea. But it’s not a set thing and there’s no script. If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it.” Heh, he certainly doesn’t sound like he’s clamoring to save the DC universe, does he?

Thoughts on Scott’s and Affleck’s comments?
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3. After seeing Knight Of Cups, I felt inclined to just give up on Terence Malick altogether. I mean, a visual poetry should not be confused with feature films, and I bet even poetry has more to say than a film with no script. But dayum, does the guy knows how to get actors to star in his films, even despite not knowing if they’d actually end up in the final cut!

So apparently his latest film Song To Song (previously titled Weightless) is scheduled to be released in mid March. Here’s a first look image courtesy of Collider:

songtosong_still2

“In this modern love story set against the Austin, Texas music scene, two entangled couples — struggling songwriters Faye (Rooney Mara) and BV (Ryan Gosling), and music mogul Cook (Michael Fassbender) and the waitress whom he ensnares (Natalie Portman) — chase success through a rock ‘n’ roll landscape of seduction and betrayal.”

I also found this image from IMDb … is Bale wearing the same black shirt from Knight of Cups??

songtosong_still2

The film also stars Val Kilmer, Christian Bale, Benicio Del Toro, Cate Blanchett, Haley Bennett, and a slew of music artists: Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Florence Welch of Florence And The Machine, and all of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Are you a Malick fan? Whether or not you are, thoughts on Song To Song?
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4. It’s just my luck that I always fall for actors whose work aren’t readily available in the US :\ I’ve been waiting for this BBC series for over a year now, and there’s barely any news on it! Well finally I got a glimpse of my darling Sam Riley on this BBC trailer…

RadioTimes also posted this article 17 TV dramas everyone will be talking about in 2017. Thrilled to see SS-GB on there. I’ve read the book, as I’ve mentioned about it here, and I knew Sam would be perfect in the role!

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Based on the 1978 novel by Len Deighton, SS-GB is a dystopian thriller set in an alternative 1940s London, where the Germans have won the Battle of Britain, and the capital is under Nazi occupation. Sam Riley stars as Douglas Archer, a Scotland Yard detective who’s torn between co-operating with the SS or joining the resistance. He becomes embroiled in a sinister underworld while investigating what appears to be a simple black-market murder.

Joining Riley is Kate Bosworth, as American journalist Barbara Barga, who finds herself linked to the case Archer is working on. SS-GB is written by James Bond movie writers Robert Wade and Neal Purvis, and other cast members include Jason Flemyng, James Cosmo, Aneurin Barnard and Maeve Dermody.

What do you think of SS-GB? What new/returning show(s) are you most looking forward to in 2017?
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5. This month Five for the Fifth’s guest is Jordan from Epileptic Moondancer Blog! Well, given US/Russia relations seem to harken back to the Cold War era, his question is ever so timely.

I love cold-war era films, with that paranoia always in the background. Some of my favorite cold war era paranoia/thrillers are ‘The Conversation’, ‘Seconds’, and to a more obvious extent, stuff like ‘The Spy Who Came In From the Cold.’
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Richard Burton in 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold'
Richard Burton in ‘The Spy Who Came In From The Cold’

So what do you think is the best cold-war film that was made during the cold-war?

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Well, that’s it for the JANUARY edition of Five for the Fifth, folks. Take part by picking a question out of the five above or better yet, do ‘em all! 

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