It’s fun time with the family as Disney’s MUPPETS MOST WANTED lands on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD on August 12 with entertaining extras including 12-minute of never-before-seen footage.
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Marvel and Disney have launched a contest in search of real Guardians of the Galaxy right here on Earth with MARVEL’S “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY”—GUARDIANS OF GOOD contest. Five winners will be selected and the lucky winners will travel to Hollywood for the red carpet premiere of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, a backstage tour of the Walt Disney Studios and a trip to the Disneyland Resort with special access. What's not to like about those prizes.
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CineMovie ran a contest to giveaway SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN advance movie tickets in Los Angeles and San Jose to winners with the best answer to our question, "If you had a magic mirrror, what would you ask for?" The majority of the answers were hilarious, but unfortunately, we had a limited amount of tickets to award the best responses, so we decided to share them online. Take a read at the funniest entries we've seen in a long time.
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Revisiting fairy tales and super heros seems to be very popular these days, and in most cases I enjoy the fresh take. But when watching SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth, there was one nagging question forefront in my mind, “Where is this film taking me?”
Marvel's The Avengers sunk BATTLESHIP at the box office this weekend. Was there room for another expensive science fiction action film in movie theatres? According to fans, BATTLESHIP didn't live up to the hype. Watch fan movie reviews of BATTLESHIP.
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THE DICTATOR starring Sacha Baron Cohen got a head start this weekend with a mid-week release on Wednesday, May 16. So what do the fans have to say about Cohen's transition into a scripted comedy on YouTube? Watch fan video reviews.
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Are you a struggling artist? You may not be for long. Universal Pictures announced a call for submissions for artwork inspired by the upcoming Snow White movie, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. The winner's work will be displayed alongside costumes by the film's three-time Academy Award®-Winning Costume Designer, Colleen Atwood in Los Angeles. Add a comment
We can all expect a top notch performance from Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY -- as proven by the numerous nominations she received this week for Best Actress (SAG, Golden Globes) -- but is the story about the former British Prime Minister equally as good?
As one who could easily be turned off by politics, let me assure you that this is a very exciting film. It is as much a love story as a historical review. Politically the seventies and the eighties were a very volatile time.
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I’m not sure what was more alien to me -- the South London street kids or the extraterrestrials falling from the sky, but the comedy-horror Brit flick ATTACK THE BLOCK was a lot of fun.
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GREEN LANTERN is taking a beating from critics but what do the fans have to say about the Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively movie? Watch fan videos below.
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.
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Part II is an appropriate title for The Hangover sequel given it sticks to the same formula but THE HANGOVER PART II antes up the comedy with more raunchiness and more shock value than the first.
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SCRE4M returns to the formula that made the first Scream work but the new cast doesn't bring anything fresh to the fourth installment.
Ten years after the third (rate) Scream sequel, SCRE4M reunites the original writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven with the veteran victims Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell. Sidney Prescott returns to Woodsboro after ten years as a successful novelist and Ghostface begins his killing spree. Gale Weathers (Cox) is now married to Dewey (Arquette) who is no longer Deputy but Sheriff of the town. The new cast includes Emma Roberts as Sidney's cousin and her circle of high school friends (Hayden Panetierre, Rory Culkin).
The story, courtesy of Kevin Williamson ("The Vampire Diaries", "Dawson's Creek"), plays out much like the first Scream but the rules have changed to reflect and comment on the rise of social media and the spawning of new kind of horror films influenced by Saw.
The new kids on the block do not have the same energy as the original teens played by Jamie Kennedy, Rose McGowan, Matthew Lillard, and Skeet Ulrich. Emma Robert's character is rather bland and boring. Hayden Panetierre plays an obnoxious know-it-all teen but she does have some of the funnier lines in the movie early one. Rory Culkin doesn't have much energy and seems to be calling in the performance. And the" OC's" Adam Brody doesn't have enough to do in the film which renders him rather useless. It feels like characters were added just to increase the body count. The only standout from the new group is Erik Knudsen, a blogger filming live for his website. Too bad Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell aren't in the film long enough to enjoy them. At least Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell, and David Arquette gave the film a bit of nostalga.
After fifteen years and four sequels, you would think the Scream franchise would also update with a diverse cast. Yes, its a small town but SCRE4M after all is fictional. Funnyman and "Law & Order's" Anthony Anderson gives the film some color as the token black guy.
As in the first Scream, the story serves as a commentary of pop culture especially the social media craze which gets worked into the motives for the kills -- more kills, more hits on You Tube. It's obvious the screenwriter Kevin Williamson has no love for the new technology and with good reason. The characters also expound on their dislike of remakes of classic films like Halloween and slasher films yet they subscribe to the Saw formula of lots of gore and blood.
The end sequence certainly proved climactic and had the best line in the film from Sidney Prescott.
The fourth installment of Scream certainly improved over the last two messy sequels but it feels like a retread of the same formula except with updated references and more blood splatter. Despite that, the film is good fun.
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Wes Bentley (American Beauty, Ghost Rider), Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible, Ever After), and Rodrigo Santoro (300, Che) star in the very dramatic war drama There Be Dragons directed by acclaimed director Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields).
In 2002 Pope John Paul II canonized a priest by the name of Josemaria Escriva. Dubbed “the saint of the ordinary” Escriva started an organization known as Opus Dei (Latin for “Work of God”). Starting with just three men and enduring through the Spanish Civil War when priests were shot on sight, membership now consists of over 90,000 members worldwide. Escriva’s vision was that every man and women in their ordinary tasks of life are capable of representing Christ’s love to one another. The mission of Opus Dei is to help ordinary people turn their work and daily activities into opportunities for growing closer to God, serving others and improving society.
The revolutionary idea of Opus Dei came in a time of civil unrest, when a war was being fought not over land or property but over ideals. Fascism and Communism was challenging the status quo ripping families apart and setting brother against brother. In the middle of all this was a young priest speaking of faith, love and serving others.
To bring this story to us, Roland Joffe (The Mission) has combined historical events with a fictional tale to illustrate the scope of this man’s monumental deeds. In There Be Dragons, Dougray Scott plays a writer named Robert who comes to Spain to do research for his book on the famed priest. When he discovers that his estranged father came from the same small village as Josemaria, Robert seeks out his father, played by Wes Bentley, to get more information about Escriva as a young man. His father Manolo, who fought in the Civil War, never shared his memories of that time, but suddenly he’s willing to talk. In revealing how he and Josemaria chose different paths, Manolo is not only able to unburden himself of a guilty past, but reconnect with his son as well.
Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War There Be Dragons follows the lives of these two childhood friends. Manolo, who is acting as a fascist spy infiltrating the communist party and Josemaria, a priest driven underground by hatred against the church. Also involved in this story is a charismatic communist leader named Oriol, played by Rodrigo Santoro. Manolo is smitten with a beautiful freedom fighter, but Iidiko (Olga Kurylenko) is enamored with Oriol. Manolo’s jealousy over the charismatic Oriol has him making some very poor decisions. On top of that is his hatred of the Communist Party. Their organization efforts lead to his father’s death and the destruction of their family’s business. Manolo is a angry young man. On the other side of the coin is Josemaria who spends his life serving God, holding mass and taking confession in secret while caring for the poor. Two boys from the same small village could not have turned out any more different.
When the film about Josemaria Escriva was first begun it was intended as a bio-pic, but when Roland Joffe came aboard he really wanted to show the magnitude and the scope of what Escriva was up against. There was such a backlash against the Catholic church that priests were being murdered and churches were being destroyed. Yet out of this, one man following the voice of God begins a simple straightforward mission that has thrived and lasted longer than the heyday of Fascism and Communism both. Charlie Cox, who portrays Josemaria Escriva plays him as a man full of love and compassion. He is fierce in his conviction, but he struggles with his anger over what is going on and the injustices taking place. By giving his anger to God and devoting himself to prayer he is able to lead by example inspiring a core group of men and women who spread his message all over the world.
Josemaria’s accomplishments are very inspiring and Roland Joffe has provided a dramatic stage to share this man’s story. His life is presented in a straight forward matter and the religious aspects are underplayed. Wes Bentley has the undaunting task of playing Manolo as both a young man and as an aged father alone with his bitter memories. But I believe that Charlie Cox has the toughest job. How do you portray a young man who grows up to be a saint? Luckily Charlie Cox got to view a lot of footage showing Escriva speaking in front of a crowd. He was known to be warm, funny and very much a man of the people. In that, Charlie Cox got it right.
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
Kevin Kline stars in Queen To Play, a movie you won't want to miss.
A sultry couple sits on the balcony playing chess under the morning Corsican sun. Not hearing the knock, the chambermaid enters and is surprised to discover them there. The lady is wearing a negligee and she shows no signs of modesty. The gentleman is dressed and encourages the maid to go ahead and clean the room. As they continue to play they hold hands, drink wine, and gaze loving at each other. Then the lady beats him while the gentleman crosses to the railing to take in the view and contemplate his loss. The lady enters inside and helps herself to a cigarette. She is beautiful, sexy and very alluring.
Helene, the maid (Sandrine Bonnaire) is intrigued by this mysterious woman, but even more so she is fascinated by the game of chess. Having come to this island as a young woman in marriage she now finds her life very dull. Her teenage daughter is embarrassed by her occupation and her husband is taking her for granted. He often leaves her home alone while he goes off to play backgammon with a friend. Helene is looking for something to wake her up.
As a second job Helene cleans house for an expatriate American (Kevin Kline). While dusting she discovers his chess set and cannot resist the urge to examine it. When her employer catches her with the set she boldly asks him to teach her the game. Reluctantly he agrees and their weekly lessons turn into a friendship.
As Helene spends more and more time at the Kroger house the village suspects that she is having an affair, little do they know that she has fallen in love with the game of chess. It permeates her entire life as she tries to understand the intricacies of the game. Queen To Play is a story about female empowerment. It shows how even housewives need intellectual stimulation and that every woman, no matter who she is, needs some little passion to call her own.
I loved this quiet film. Sandrine Bonnaire is exquisite as an unobtrusive housewife slowly evolving into a confident woman of her own. It is feminist, but not in a brash audacious way. It is a personal film about a woman discovering her worth and the people who love her coming to terms with it. Kevin Kline is also lovely as a widower who has locked him self away in grief. In his first French-speaking role, Kevin displays a layered performance which contains melancholy, sorrow, disdain, and a touch of paternal pride. The two of them together are touching. Add in the lovely location and this film is like a vacation for the mind, restful, yet still challenging. This is a mature love story and one you won’t want to miss. Your best move is to see this film.
As an adult the idea of going to see an animated film mixed with live action starring the Easter Bunny and a bunch of yellow chicks was pretty low down on my to do list. But after seeing Universal Studios’ HOP I’m ready to jump on the bandwagon and tell you, you must see this film. Hop is terrific. With a smart script, witty dialogue, charming performances and a Willy Wonka-esque atmosphere, Hop is going to become a perennial Easter favorite.
Beginning on Easter Island, E.B. voiced by Russell Brand is poised to inherit the title of Easter Bunny succeeding his father played by Hugh Laurie. But E.B. has other plans. His dream is to be a drummer so he runs away and heads for Hollywood. Here he is destined to cross paths with Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) who is being pressured by his father (Gary Cole) to live up to his expectations. After a rocky start, Fred agrees to help E.B. and these two kindred spirits learn a lesson in responsibility.
Director Tim Hill has done a wonderful job guiding the delicate balance between the animation and live action sequences. With James Marsden’s commitment to the process you believe the relationship between these two. Russell Brand’s voice work is equally important and when you add in the rest of the cast, you have a truly delightful film.
Every good film needs a good villain and in HOP we have Carlos, the Easter Bunny’s second in command. Tired of being number two, Carlos, voiced by Hank Azaria, wants to be number one. When E.B. runs away he plots to take his place, if not by persuasion, then by force. Imagine a fat diabolical chick with hundreds of chick minions and you’ll get the idea. This film is funny and refreshingly original.
Rounding out the cast of Hop is Kaley Cuoco as Fred’s sister, Elizabeth Perkins as Fred’s mom and Tiffany Espersen as Fred’s adopted little sister. The entire cast is rising to the occasion on this one and even David Hasselhoff puts in a wonderful performance satirizing himself. But the real star here is James Marsden. His reactions and connection to the animated E.B. make the entire film. Like his role in Enchanted, his innocence allows you to follow him down this rabbit hole. We believe because he does. And I believe that James is a treasure.
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
Interview: Jencarlos Canela Gives Latin Spin To HOP
Sing-Along With HOP's 'I Want Candy' Song In Spanish By JenCarlos
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Just Go With It has redeemed the romantic comedy. After a string of bad ones lately I was ready to give the genre up, but Just Go With It has restored my faith. Adam Sandler is at his charming Wedding Singer best and I will go as far as to say that this is now my favorite Jennifer Aniston movie. The banter between Sandler and Aniston is so much fun. There is a sense of familiarity and closeness between them, yet they also seem to challenge each other to be even funnier. I really like them as a comedic couple. I’d love to see them do another film. |
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Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Last Airbender lead with the most nominations for the 31st Annual Razzie Movie Awards celebrating the worst films and performances of 2010.
Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner also made the list for worst performances in Twilight Saga: Eclipse along with Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Jack Black, Megan Fox, Miley Cyrus, Ashton Kutcher, and Cher for their roles in last year's duds. George Lopez and Jessica Alba have the honors of representing several movies for Worst Actor/Actress with Jessica taking heat for four of her films in 2010 (Machete, Little Fockers, Valentine's Day, The Killer Inside Me).
