Advertisement
Home Blog Page 1542

‘Sing’ Movie Review: Finishes Up 2016 on a High Note

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Sing stars Buster the Koala and Ash the Porcupine
Matthew McConaughey voices Buster Moon, Scarlett Johansson is Ash, and Beck Bennett voices Lance in ‘Sing’ (Photo Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures © 2016 Universal Studios)

Think American Idol but animated with animals and you’ve got Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ Sing. The animated musical comedy features more than 60 songs and dozens of different animated critters ranging from a mouse with a monster voice to an elephant who can sing like an angel. The film’s fast pace, colorful creatures, and catchy, recognizable pop tunes should hold the attention of younger audiences while the story and songs will play well to the older crowd looking for a little year-end escapism.

The ringmaster in Sing is a koala named Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) who owns a theatre that’s fallen on hard times. With the bank and creditors relentlessly hounding him, Buster decides the answer to all his financial woes is to host a singing competition. However, when his loyal but not-too-efficient iguana secretary, Mrs. Crawly, prints up flyers advertising a $100,000 grand prize instead of the $1,000 prize Buster had in mind, things get a little complicated. But no worries, Buster’s an eternal optimist with big dreams and a knack for landing on his little furry feet.

The singing competition pulls in a wide variety of furry, feathered, and scaly creatures, all of whom dream of being the next big singing sensation. Buster’s able to narrow the finalists down to a mouse (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) who models himself after Frank Sinatra and has a gambling problem; a talented, songwriting porcupine (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) who shoots quills when she’s nervous; an overworked, underappreciated momma piggie (voiced by Reese Witherspoon); a disco-loving, spandex-wearing, danceaholic hog (voiced by Nick Kroll); a brooding teenage gorilla (voiced by Taron Egerton) with a mobster dad and a killer voice; and a timid elephant (Tori Kelly) who suffers from stage fright and a lack of self-confidence.


The adorable cast of anthropomorphic animal characters also includes a video game-playing sheep named Eddie (voiced by John C. Reilly) who’s Buster’s best friend and who happens to come from an extremely wealthy family. Eddie’s grandmother, Nana Noodleman (Jennifer Saunders, with Jennifer Hudson as the singing voice of a young Nana), was once a musical theatre star and could quite possibly save Buster’s music hall if he can impress her with his singing competition.

In addition to the plot revolving around Buster’s efforts to raise money to save his theatre, Sing delves into the lives of each of the contestants. Mike the mouse is on the run from mobsters while Ash the porcupine is dealing with trying to stay true to herself and let her talent shine through. Rosita the pig wants to be thought of as a person apart from being a loving wife and mom. Johnny the gorilla doesn’t want anything to do with his dad’s gang of criminals and instead wants to make his mark in the world of music. And Meena the elephant is struggling to build up her confidence and let the world see just how talented she is and all that she has to offer.

Sing’s voice cast is topnotch, with Matthew McConaughey leading the cast and delivering an infectious, spirited vocal performance as Buster the theatre-loving koala. The actors, including Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, and Taron Egerton, all do their own singing which definitely works to the film’s benefit.

The colorful palette pulls you in and the music keeps you engaged throughout the swift 108-minute running time. Sing’s also full of positive, believe in yourself-type messages, but it’s not pushy about getting any particular point across. Sing, which has the honor of being the final animated film to be released in 2016, is joyous, uplifting, and surprisingly relatable. It’s fine family fun, complete with a catchy soundtrack and lovable animal characters.

GRADE: B+

Written By: Garth Jennings

Directed By: Garth Jennings and Christophe Lourdelet

Release Date: December 21, 2016

MPAA Rating: PG for some rude humor and mild peril

Watch the Sing trailer:





‘Passengers’ Movie Review: Romance and Adventure in Space

By
Rebecca Murray
-

Passengers stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt
Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Passengers’ (Photo © 2016 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc)
Passengers has a couple of twists – one creepy, one expected – some cool sci-fi effects, and terrific performances by Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, and Michael Sheen. What it doesn’t have is much of a story to tell over the course of two hours. Running about 30 minutes too long, Passengers is nonetheless a satisfying if forgettable sci-fi film that mixes in a little romance, a lot of unexpected humor, and a few thrilling scenes.

The setting of the film is a supersized spaceship called Avalon. The ship’s on its way to a new planet known as Homestead II carrying 5,000 passengers housed in suspended animation chambers, slumbering away for the 120 year journey. By the time they arrive, everyone they left behind on Earth will be deceased, and that’s okay with these space travelers who are looking to start over on a new world.

Unfortunately, something goes horribly wrong during the flight and Jim (Pratt) wakes up far too early – 90 years too early, to be exact. Alone on the gigantic ship, Jim has only robots, including a bartender (Sheen) who dispenses wisdom as well as whiskey, to keep him company. Jim spends his days attempting to find a way to put himself back to sleep, trying to break into the ship’s control room, and keep himself entertained as best as possible. As his loneliness and sense of isolation reaches a breaking point, Aurora (Lawrence) wakes up and the film switches from a sci-fi dramedy to a romantic thriller in space.

Director Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) and screenwriter Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange, Prometheus) pass up the opportunity to attack corporate greed, although they do lightly hint at the subject before shooting past it to emphasize the shiny world awaiting wealthy travelers. Tyldum and Spaihts do however explore a significant ethical and moral dilemma that turns out to be at the very heart of Passengers, but because it’s a huge spoiler is kept out of all trailers and video clips. Without going into specifics, this dilemma is a surprise twist that elevated Passengers from a simple story of survival to one which addresses darker issues.


Laurence Fishburne is a pleasure to watch in an all too brief appearance, but otherwise it’s just Pratt, Lawrence, and Sheen driving the film. Pratt and Lawrence have chemistry on screen, but the love scenes which have been the topic of so many interviews leading up to the film’s release won’t make anyone blush. They’re PG-rated yet get the point across as the relationship between Jim and Aurora transitions from strangers to friends to lovers.

The effects are first-rate and Tyldum made a wise choice in building large sets as the effort put into the spaceship’s design truly makes the ship feel not only real but like another character in the film. However, as fantastic as the special effects and set design are, Passengers is really a film about two lonely people finding each other in the most unlikely of circumstances. It’s more a romance than a thriller, so keep that in mind when you’re heading to the theater.

Passengers‘ premise is fairly intriguing and it’s hard to find fault with the actors in this sci-fi romance. Unfortunately, the film’s saddled with an ending that nearly ruins the entire experience of sitting through a screening. Exit the theater with about 10 minutes left to go and you’ll have a much more enjoyable time than if you stayed until the very end. Trust me on this one.

GRADE: B-

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexuality, nudity and action/peril

Release Date: December 21, 2016

Running Time: 116 minutes





‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie Review: Yet Another Video Game Misfire

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Assassin's Creed Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender in action in ‘Assassin’s Creed’ (Photo by Kerry Brown © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)

Assassin’s Creed had the distinction of being the final press screening of 2016 in my neck of the woods. And, unfortunately, this action adventure sent the year out with a resounding thud rather than a bang. If it weren’t for the performances of Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, Assassin’s Creed would have very few redeeming qualities. As it is, even Fassbender and Cotillard can’t overcome a story that’s a bizarre, topsy turvy mess.

Don’t even get me started about the big payoff that’s promised throughout the two-hour running time. It’s a cheat, a huge letdown of the sort that makes you angry to have invested any time watching the first two acts.

The film is inspired by the popular video game and is just the latest in a long string of disastrous adaptations. The story follows a murderer sentenced to death named Cal Lynch (Fassbender) from the day he’s administered the chemicals that will stop his heart to the day he embraces his family’s history and assumes a role as an Assassin. The Assassins were charged with protecting the Apple of Eden from the Knights Templar who wanted to obtain the relic in order to take away free will…. or something of the sort. Apparently, Cal’s DNA matches that of the Assassin Aguilar who hid the Apple of Eden, and that’s why Cal was saved on the day of his execution by modern-day Templars.


Cal’s held in a facility with other Assassins and forced to endure a procedure that includes being hooked up to a one-armed machine called an Animus. The procedure, administered by Sofia (Cotillard), connects Cal with Aguilar’s memories from 1492 and Cal actually relives his ancestor’s actions as if he was actually there as Aguilar. Sounds confusing? It’s not actually, although there are action scenes in which it’s hard to track who is fighting who.

Sofia and her father, Rikkin (Jeremy Irons), believe that Cal channeling Aguilar will lead them to the hiding place of the Apple of Eden. Sofia wants to use the knowledge to unlock the secret to aggressive thoughts and squash them, while Rikkin wants to use the Apple’s secrets to get rid of the Assassins and make people submissive.

If you toss aside the story and just let yourself become immersed in the action, Assassin’s Creed does deliver some truly innovative and entertaining fight scenes. There’s an extensive amount of Parkour used in the 1492 chase scenes, and in fact when the film focuses on that era – and on Aguilar (also played by Fassbender) – it’s fairly entertaining. Fassbender, who also served as a co-producer on the project, is fierce and fearless as Aguilar/Cal. And when he belts out a rebellious, off-tune rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Fassbender demonstrates just how truly committed he is to the role. Fassbender’s Cal is far more complex than you’d expect, and Cotillard can always be counted on to rise above the material and deliver a compelling performance.

The ending leaves open the possibility for more adventures with the Assassins, but Assassin’s Creed should be a one-and-done video game adaptation. Fassbender can and should move on to better projects because Assassin’s Creed doesn’t deserve a follow-up.

GRADE: D

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic elements and brief strong language

Release Date: December 21, 2016

Running Time: 115 minutes





Jimmy Fallon, Paul McCartney, ‘Sing’ Cast and The Roots Perform “Wonderful Christmastime”

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Jimmy Fallon, Sing Cast, Paul McCartney Perform Wonderful Christmastime
Scarlett Johansson, Seth MacFarlane, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Paul McCartney, Reese Witherspoon, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Jimmy Fallon, Kirk “Captain Kirk” Douglas, Tori Kelly, Matthew McConaughey, and James Poser sing “Wonderful Christmastime” (Photo by NBC)

The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon teamed up with cast members from Sing, Sir Paul McCartney, and The Roots for an a cappella rendition of the classic holiday song, “Wonderful Christmastime.” Matthew McConaughey, Tori Kelly, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, and Scarlett Johansson represented the Sing cast for the one minute 35 second music video which aired on the December 20, 2016 episode of NBC’s The Tonight Show.


The Sing Plot: Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (Seth MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Taron Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.

Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.

Watch the “Wonderful Christmastime” video:





‘The Emoji Movie’ Teaser Trailer is Introduced by Meh

By
Rebecca Murray
-
The Emoji Movie Meh voiced by Steven Wright
Mr. Meh (Steven Wright) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘The Emoji Movie’ (Photo © 2016 CTMG, Inc)

Sony Pictures Animation’s The Emoji Movie just released a teaser trailer with Mel Meh (you know, the Meh emoji) providing the narration. Steven Wright voices Meh, T.J. Miller is Gene, James Corden provides the voice of Hi-5, and Ilana Glazer is Jailbreak in the animated comedy from director Tony Leondis. Audiences can expect to see all the familiar emojis, including poop, pop up in the comedy which is heading to theaters on August 4, 2017.


Commenting on the film, director Tony Leondis said, “Everyone – from your preschooler to your grandmother – sends emojis every day to share love, frustration, happiness… We all have an immediate connection with these icons that we send out as ways to express ourselves, and it paved the way for a very rich story and characters that audiences of all ages and backgrounds will be able to relate to.”

The Plot: The Emoji Movie unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene (T.J. Miller), an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 (James Corden) and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak (Ilana Glazer). Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.

Watch The Emoji Movie trailer:





‘Fargo’ Season 3 Casts David Thewlis, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jim Gaffigan

By
Rebecca Murray
-

Fargo TV Series Logo

FX announced additional actors have signed on to Fargo season three. David Thewlis (the Harry Potter franchise), Michael Stuhlbarg (Doctor Strange), and Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show) have been cast in the third season of the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning series. Scoot McNairy (Halt & Catch Fire), Shea Whigham (Vice Principals), Karan Soni (Blunt Talk), Fred Melamed (Casual), and Thomas Mann (Me, Earl and the Dying Girl) have also committed to the upcoming season. Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead were previously announced to star in Fargo season three.


Filming will get underway on season three in January 2017. FX hasn’t announced the premiere date but did confirm the show will return in 2017. Fargo was created by showrunner/writer/director Noah Hawley. Hawley also executive produces along with Joel & Ethan Coen, Warren Littlefield, and John Cameron.

In addition to announcing the cast, FX revealed who the new members of the ensemble will be playing:

  • David Thewlis joins the cast as “V.M. Vargas,” a mysterious loner and true capitalist who delivers Emmit the bad news that the Parking Lot King of Minnesota has just become partners with his employers, whose business interests lay outside the law.
  • Michael Stuhlbarg will play “Sy Feltz,” Emmit’s right hand man and consigliere.
  • Jim Gaffigan will play “Donny Mashman,” Gloria’s deputy at the local police department.
  • Scoot McNairy is “Maurice LeFay,” a stoner with a criminal past.
  • Shea Whigham is Meeker County Chief of Police “Moe Dammick.”
  • Karan Soni plays scientist “Dr. Homer Gilruth.”
  • Fred Melamed will play “Howard Zimmerman,” a mover and a shaker, with a knack for spinning a yarn and making a profit.
  • Thomas Mann will play “Thaddeus Mobley,” an award-winning science fiction author.

The Plot: Set in 2010, the next installment of Fargo will feature an all-new “true crime” tale centered on “Emmit” and his slightly younger brother “Ray Stussy” (Ewan McGregor). Emmit, the Parking Lot King of Minnesota, sees himself as an American success story, whereas Ray is more of a cautionary tale. Forever living in his more successful brother’s shadow, Ray is a balding and pot-bellied parole officer with a huge chip on his shoulder about the hand he’s been dealt – and he blames his brother. Their sibling rivalry leads to a twisted path that begins with petty theft but soon leads to murder, mobsters and cut-throat competitive bridge. Carrie Coon stars as “Gloria Burgle,” the steady chief of the local police department. A newly divorced mother, Gloria is trying to understand the new world around her, where people connect more intimately with their phones than with the people around them. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Ray’s girlfriend, “Nikki Swango,” a crafty and alluring recent parolee with a passion for competitive bridge.




‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Video: Bringing K-2SO to Life on the Screen

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Rogue One A Star Wars Story Alan Tudyk and K-2SO
Alan Tudyk and K-2SO star in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (Photo © Lucasfilm)

Disney and Lucasfilm have shared a new behind-the-scenes video from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The film opened in theaters to the third highest first weekend numbers of 2016, and one of the scene stealers was the prequel’s version of C-3PO. Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials) wore a motion capture suit to play the droid, and in the new video fans are treated to a look at Tudyk in action. Directed by Godzilla‘s Gareth Edwards, the Star Wars prequel stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker.

Rogue One opened in theaters on December 15, 2016.

The Plot: From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Watch the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story video:





‘A Cure for Wellness’ Unveils a Freaky New Trailer Starring Dane DeHaan

By
Rebecca Murray
-
A Cure for Wellness starring Mia Goth
Mia Goth in a scene from ‘A Cure for Wellness’ (Photo Credit: 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp)

A bizarre new trailer has been released for A Cure for Wellness, directed by Gore Verbinski. Verbinski’s latest film stars Dane DeHaan (Life, The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter franchise, The OA), and Mia Goth (Everest). Justin Haythe wrote the script and Verbinski, Arnon Milchan, and David Crocket produced the thriller. 20th Century Fox is releasing A Cure for Wellness in theaters on February 17, 2017.

The Plot: An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious “wellness center” at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests here longing for the cure.

Watch A Cure for Wellness trailer:





‘Riverdale’ New Trailer: The Town’s Hiding Deep, Dark Secrets

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Riverdale stars KJ Apa as Archie
KJ Apa as Archie and Luke Perry as Fred in ‘Riverdale’ (Photo by Diyah Pera © 2016 The CW Network)

The CW’s set to premiere Riverdale on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT and in support of the series’ upcoming debut, the network just unveiled a new trailer. Riverdale‘s based on characters from the popular Archie comic books and is executive produced by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Jon Goldwater (from Archie Comics). KJ Apa stars as Archie, Cole Sprouse plays Jughead, Camila Mendes stars as Veronica, and Lili Reinhart is Betty. The cast also includes Sarah Habel, Ashleigh Murray, Mädchen Amick, Madelaine Petsch, and Marisol Nichols.

The Riverdale Plot: As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom — and nothing feels the same. Archie Andrews (Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer’s events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music and not follow in his dad’s footsteps despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale’s young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Habel).

Now Archie has no one to mentor him, certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Murray), who is only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It’s all weighing heavily on Archie’s mind — as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and fellow classmate Jughead Jones (Sprouse).

Meanwhile, girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Reinhart) is anxious to see her crush Archie after being away all summer, but she’s not quite ready to reveal her true feelings to him. And Betty’s nerves, which are hardly soothed by her overbearing mother Alice (Amick), aren’t the only thing holding her back. When a new student, Veronica Lodge (Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother Hermione (Nichols), there’s an undeniable spark between Veronica and Archie, even though Veronica doesn’t want to risk her new friendship with Betty by making a play for Archie.

And then there’s Cheryl Blossom (Petsch)… Riverdale’s Queen Bee is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty and Veronica, but Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own. What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason? Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows.

Watch the Riverdale trailer:





‘Sing’ Video: Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy Recreate a Scene

By
Rebecca Murray
-

Sing Video Laurie Hernandez Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Dancing with the Stars winner Laurie Hernandez teams up with her partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy in a number inspired by a scene from Sing. The animated music-filled comedy features a scene with Rosita (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) dancing her way through a supermarket while shopping for her 25 little piglets. Hernandez puts her own spin on the scene, and Chmerkovskiy briefly shows up as her partner.

Sing was directed by Garth Jennings and Christophe Lourdelet and features the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Tori Kelly, Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton, Nick Kroll, Beck Bennett, Nick Offerman, Jennifer Saunders, Leslie Jones, and Jay Pharoah. Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are releasing Sing in theaters on December 21, 2016.


The Sing Plot: Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.

Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.

Watch the new Sing video:





1...1,5411,5421,543...3,073Page 1,542 of 3,073

Trending

All Rights Reserved – Showbiz Junkies 2020