Oscar winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist) has signed up for the fourth season of BBC Two’s Peaky Blinders. Brody joins a cast led by Tom Hardy as gang leader Alfie Solomons and featuring Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby, Natasha O’Keefe as Lizzie Stark and Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs. Returning cast members also include Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly, Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby, Joe Cole as John Shelby, Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, Finn Cole as Michael Gray, Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Esme Shelby, and Kate Phillips as Linda Shelby.
Production on Peaky Blinders season four got underway this week in Liverpool. Steven Knight, Caryn Mandabach, Will Gould, Jamie Glazebrook, Frith Tiplady, and Cillian Murphy are executive producing, with David Caffrey (Line of Duty) directing season four.
Commenting on Adrien Brody joining the cast, series creator Steven Knight said, “It’s fantastic to have Adrien join our team. He genuinely was the actor in my head when I wrote the part. I’m sure he will be a formidable presence in the world of the Peaky Blinders.”
“Adrien Brody is a world-class actor famous for producing mesmerizing performances,” added Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama. “I cannot wait to see him in action alongside the rest of Peaky Blinders‘ superb cast, bringing Steven Knight’s extraordinary writing to life on BBC Two.”
The Plot: When he receives a mysterious letter on Christmas Eve, Thomas Shelby realises that the Peaky Blinders are in danger of annihilation. As the enemy closes in, Shelby flees his country house and returns to the streets of Small Heath, Birmingham, where a desperate fight for survival begins.
The two-part season one finale of CBS’ Kevin Can Wait will reunite The King of Queens stars Kevin James and Leah Remini. James and Remini played husband and wife for nine seasons on The King of Queens and will pose as husband and wife in the upcoming two-part Kevin Can Wait finale. Remini will guest star as police officer Vanessa Cellucci in the episodes airing on May 1 and May 8, 2017.
Per CBS, the storyline involves Kevin agreeing to “come out of retirement briefly to reprise his undercover assignment in an ongoing police investigation where he and fellow cop Vanessa Cellucci (Remini) will, once again, pose as husband and wife.”
Kevin Can Wait is executive produced by Kevin James, Rock Reuben, Rob Long, Jeff Sussman, Andy Fickman, Tony Sheehan, and Steve Mosko. In addition to Kevin James, the half-hour comedy stars Erinn Hayes, Taylor Spreitler, Mary-Charles Jones, James DiGiacomo, Ryan Cartwright, Lenny Venito, Gary Valentine and Leonard Earl Howze.
The Plot:Kevin Can Wait stars Kevin James as a newly retired police officer looking forward to spending carefree, quality time with his wife and three kids, only to discover he faces tougher challenges at home than he ever did on the streets. Kevin’s retirement plans consist of chilling with his family and having epic adventures with fellow retirees Goody, his former partner and close friend, and Duffy, his oldest pal, as well as his brother, Kyle, a fireman whose closest encounter with a blaze would be a grease fire in the firehouse kitchen.
However, Kevin’s dream is jeopardized when he discovers that Donna, his wonderful wife of 20 years, has shielded him from key family info while he worked overtime protecting the community. Their usually reliable eldest, Kendra is dropping out of college so she can support her unemployed fiancé, Chale, while he designs the next “big app”; his teenage daughter, Sara has budding anger-management issues; and their youngest, Jack is a bit of a hypochondriac. For now, his plans for a cushy life will have to wait, because Kevin has work to do, and this time, his family is his beat.
Groot may be small but apparently he’s still fierce in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The latest trailer for the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel finds Baby Groot on the attack, Drax celebrating, Rocket attempting to broker a peace deal, and the team saving the galaxy yet again. Marvel Studios released the new trailer along with the announcement tickets are now available in support of the film’s May 5, 2017 theatrical release in 2D, 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D.
Directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Vin Diesel as Baby Groot, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Kurt Russell as Star-Lord’s father.
The Plot: Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand.
“You know, I know of at least five guys back home who can do my job. Nobody can do yours except you. We don’t know what it is and you’re in there playing around with it like it’s your buddy. I’m your buddy,” says Rory Adams (Ryan Reynolds) to Hugh (Ariyon Bakare) who’s been spending way too much time with a new lifeform, almost causing a catastrophic accident on board the international space station in the sci-fi thriller, Life.
The six member crew of the international space station has just made one of the biggest, most important discoveries in human history: the proof of extraterrestrial life from Mars. They’ve collected a new single cell organism and head scientist Hugh Derry begins studying it within the proper quarantine and safety precautions.
As Hugh spends time with the alien lifeform, conducting experiments and trying to coax the living thing out of its slumber, it reacts quickly and violently. It’s not long before the crew realize the fast-growing and highly intelligent lifeform is a dangerous threat to them as well as everyone on Earth if it ever manages to reach the planet. The fight is on for the crew to work together to kill their discovery before it kills them and threatens life on Earth.
Life is a completely unoriginal science fiction horror film that seems to lift most of its scenes and plot points from other great films. It’s Alien-lite with less gore and nowhere near as scary.
The film does have a solid cast led by Jake Gyllenhaal as Dr. David Jordan and Rebecca Ferguson as Commander Miranda North. Gyllenhaal and Ferguson give the strongest and most emotional performances in the film as they struggle to save their comrades and fight the deadly lifeform. Ryan Reynolds is perfect as Rory, the outgoing, likeable engineer who’s the first voice of reason in dealing with the organism. Reynolds steals every scene he’s in including the scene featured in the trailer in which he goes up against the organism.
Life suffers from a lack of originality in plot, special effects, and scares. As the alien grows, it begins to look like a distant cousin to something out of James Cameron’s film The Abyss combined with a squid. The spacewalks and shots outside the space station aren’t anything the audience hasn’t seen done better in other recent sci-fi feature films including The Martian and Gravity.
Another major problem with the film is the terribly weak dialogue the actors are saddled with. From the painfully obvious, “It’s trying to find a way through the airlocks,” as the creature tries to travel through the airlocks, to the unbelievably dumb and groan-worthy, “It’s hard to watch people die,” the cast deserved better. Or, better still, the opportunity to show their talent by remaining silent and looking terrified.
With a good cast but an unoriginal premise, unimpressive special effects, a monster that’s not very scary, and awful dialogue, Life is a subpar science fiction horror film that isn’t worth exploring.
GRADE: C
Directed By: Daniel Espinosa (Child 44, Safe House)
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout, some sci-fi violence and terror
Kevin Smith returns as director for The CW’s Supergirl season two episode 17. Episode 17 marks Smith’s second episode at the helm of the superhero series having previously directed the second season’s ninth episode, ‘Supergirl Lives.’ Episode 17 airing on March 27, 2017 is titled ‘Distant Sun’ and was written by Gabriel Llanas and Anna Musky-Goldwyn.
The season two cast includes Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, Chris Wood, Mehcad Brooks, Jeremy Jordan, David Harewood, and Floriana Lima.
The ‘Distant Sun’ Plot: LYNDA CARTER RETURNS AS PRESIDENT MARSDIN; KEVIN SMITH DIRECTS – A large bounty is put out on Supergirl (Benoist) and aliens from far and near attack National City intent on taking out the woman of steel. Alex (Leigh) and Maggie (Lima) run into Maggie’s ex-girlfriend, Emily (guest star Hayley Sales), who is in town for a week. Hank (Harewood) gets an interesting order from President Marsdin (guest star Lynda Carter).
Netflix has unveiled a new trailer for Casting JonBenet, a documentary hybrid that takes a unique approach to examining the still-open murder case of JonBenet Ramsey. JonBenet was only six years old when she was found dead on December 26, 1996 in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado. There’s plenty of speculation over who took the life of the pretty girl who loved dressing up and competing in beauty contests, but to date no one has been charged with the murder. Director Kitty Green’s Casting JonBenet, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, features people who weren’t intimately involved in the case offering their opinions as to who committed the murder.
Casting JonBenet is set to debut on Netflix and in limited theatrical release on April 28, 2017.
The Plot: Over 15 months, the filmmakers traveled to the Ramseys’ Colorado hometown to elicit responses, reflections and even performances from the local community. In doing so, Casting JonBenet examines how this crime and its resulting mythologies have shaped the attitudes and behavior of successive generations of parents and children.
Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara has signed on to star in Bent, a revenge thriller from writer/director Bobby Moresco (Crash). Karl Urban (the Star Trek film franchise) and Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven) have also committed to starring roles in the drama based on characters created by Joseph O’Donnell. Bent‘s expected to begin production this month in Rome.
The project’s financed by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Media Group and Joseph O’Donnell’s Deadly Codes Productions. Commenting on the cast, producer Iervolino stated, “Bent delivers on the best of film noirs – a main character driven by revenge, who is forced to choose between the truth he knows, the evidence against that truth, and the woman he loves most in the world. Karl, Sofia, and Andy are a powerful onscreen trio who have a rich story to work with, thanks to the brilliant story and characters created by Bobby and Joseph.”
The Bent Plot:Bent is a powerful action/suspense/thriller in the classic noir tradition. It’s the redemptive tale of Danny Gallagher (Karl Urban), a shamed and discredited narcotics detective who, upon his release from prison, makes plans to seek revenge on the accuser who framed him and killed his partner. In seeking out the truth of what happened the night his partner was killed, and he was framed, Gallagher investigates the mysterious car bomb murder of a local bookie’s sister. Gallagher soon discovers that the murder is connected to an elaborate conspiracy involving high-stakes treason with major international implications.
The story of the film examines the themes of loyalty and betrayal played out through the vast corruption of our most secret government agencies along with the compelling characters of society’s criminal underbelly. The story’s twists and turns force Gallagher to confront a ruthless, seductive government agent (Sofia Vergara), who may or may not be on his side, and his mentor Murtha (Andy Garcia), a retired cop, who’s fought corruption his entire career.
Carrie Coon and Justin Theroux in ‘The Leftovers’ season 3 (Photo: Van Redin/HBO)
HBO’s set an April 16, 2017 premiere date for the third and final season of The Leftovers, and they’ve released details on the seven of the third season’s episodes. The final season will consist of eight one-hour episodes starring Justin Theroux (as Kevin Garvey), Carrie Coon (Nora Durst), Amy Brenneman (Laurie Garvey), Christopher Eccleston (Matt Jamison), Kevin Carroll (John Murphy), Jovan Adepo (Michael Murphy), Scott Glenn (Kevin Garvey Sr.), Lindsay Duncan (Grace), and Regina King (Erika Murphy). The cast also includes Chris Zylka (Tom Garvey), Margaret Qualley (Jill Garvey), Janel Moloney (Mary Jamison), Jasmin Savoy-Brown (Evie Murphy) and Liv Tyler (Meg).
The Leftovers is based on Tom Perrotta’s bestselling novel and was created by Perrotta and showrunner Damon Lindelof (Lost). Mimi Leder, Tom Spezialy, Eugene Kelly, Peter Berg, and Sarah Aubrey also serve as executive producers.
The Leftovers Plot: In an instant, 140 million people vanished from the face of the earth. The cause of that incredible event remains unknown, and there is no indication that those who are gone will ever be seen or heard from again. The Leftovers follows the lives that were forever changed by the event that shook the world on October 14.
Season one explored the dynamics of one family, the Garveys, in the suburbs of New York. Continuing to focus on the ways ordinary people react to inexplicable events, season two uprooted that family and introduced another, the Murphys, as the show ventured into the unexplored territory of Miracle, Texas.
In the third season, those families come together as they desperately grasp for a system of belief to better explain what defies explanation. The world is crackling with the energy of something big about to happen, a corresponding bookend to the Sudden Departure that sent them all spinning years earlier, bringing their journey Down Under.
With the seventh anniversary of the Sudden Departure approaching, Kevin Garvey is at a crossroads. Though no longer tormented by Patti, he still questions if an ordinary life is possible. For Nora, Miracle didn’t turn out to be the safe haven she was looking for, and Kevin’s strange behavior has made her fear for the stability of their family. But Nora’s nothing if not resilient. Laurie Garvey, who left the Guilty Remnant (G.R.) and became a sworn enemy of her former cult, has rejoined her splintered family in Texas. Steady, watchful and wiser than her years, Laurie’s daughter, Jill, seeks stability in her own life. Laurie’s son, ex-Holy Wayne follower and former undercover G.R. member Tom, wonders if he can just be a son and brother again.
Meanwhile, Matt Jamison’s faith in God — and in Miracle — has been rewarded. His wife, Mary, who awakened pregnant from her coma, has resumed life with him. All Matt can do is count his blessings and keep preaching the Word. Season three also finds the Murphy family affected forever by the faked disappearance of their rebellious teenager, Evie, and by the rogue operation in Miracle, conducted by Meg, the most radical member of the G.R. Hardcore skeptic John Murphy has been shaken to his core by a series of inexplicable events, making him believe there may be miracles in Miracle after all.
Erika Murphy, a physician who dabbles in magical thinking, and a mother spurned by the daughter she loves, is smart and tough, but there’s only so much she can take. Son Michael, the most religious member of the family, is a faithful Christian who believes he has witnessed an actual resurrection. And while all of them in Miracle are trying to find what is lost, to reconnect, to get better, Kevin Garvey, Sr. (Scott Glenn), the former Mapleton Chief of Police who heard voices in his head, is now at large in Australia.
The Leftovers April and May 2017 Episodes:
Episode #21 (season 3, episode 1): “The Book of Kevin”
Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Three years after Miracle, Texas was overrun by the Guilty Remnant, Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) has returned to his role as chief of police. Although he seems to have moved past the incredible events surrounding his “resurrection,” the Seventh Anniversary of the Sudden Departure is just two weeks away and many believe another apocalyptic event may come with it.
Written by Damon Lindelof & Patrick Somerville; directed by Mimi Leder.
Episode #22 (season 3, episode 2): “Don’t Be Ridiculous”
Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
In her official capacity as fraud investigator for the Department of Sudden Departure (D.S.D.), Nora (Carrie Coon) travels to St. Louis to investigate a possible scam that involves convincing the family members of The Departed there’s a way to see their loved ones again.
Written by Tha Lonely Donkey Kong & Specialist Contagious; directed by Keith Gordon.
Episode # 23 (season 3, episode 3): “Crazy Whitefella Thinking”
Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
With the clock ticking towards the anniversary of the Departure and emboldened by a vision that is either divine prophecy or utter insanity, Kevin Garvey, Sr. (Scott Glenn) wanders the Australian Outback in an effort to save the world from apocalypse.
Written by Damon Lindelof & Tom Spezialy; directed by Mimi Leder.
Episode # 24 (season 3, episode 4): “G’Day Melbourne”
Debut: SUNDAY, MAY 7 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Kevin (Justin Theroux) and Nora (Carrie Coon) travel to Australia, where she continues to track down the masterminds of an elaborate con, while he catches a glimpse of an unexpected face from the past, forcing him to confront the traumatic events of three years earlier.
Story by Damon Lindelof; teleplay by Tamara P. Carter & Haley Harris; directed by Daniel Sackheim.
Episode #25 (season 3, episode 5): “It’s a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MAY 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Convinced it is Kevin’s (Justin Theroux) destiny to be in Miracle for the coming seventh anniversary of the Departure, Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston) impulsively heads to Australia in an effort to bring Kevin home. Unfortunately, God gets in the way.
Written by Lila Byock & Damon Lindelof; directed by Nicole Kassell.
Episode #26 (season 3, episode 6): “Certified”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MAY 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Laurie Garvey (Amy Brenneman), a former therapist, must become one again as she heads to Australia to help Nora (Carrie Coon) and Kevin (Justin Theroux) along their paths.
Written by Patrick Somerville & Carly Wray; directed by Carl Franklin.
Episode #27 (season 3, episode 7): “The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MAY 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
On a mission of mercy, Kevin (Justin Theroux) assumes an alternate identity.
Written by Nick Cuse & Damon Lindelof; directed by Craig Zobel.
CBS announced Eliza Dushku has joined the cast of the popular dramatic series, Bull. According to the network’s official announcement, Dushku will be playing J.P. Nunnelly, “the savvy head of the best criminal defense firm in New York, who is hired by Dr. Jason Bull (Michael Weatherly) when a member of his Trial Analysis Corporation team faces prison time.” The cast of season one also includes Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Annabelle Attanasio, and Christopher Jackson.
Bull just received a renewal order for its second season, along with 17 other CBS series. The series is executive produced by Mark Goffman, Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phil McGraw, Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, and Jay McGraw. Bull airs on Tuesday nights at 9pm ET/PT.
Duskhu’s best known for her starring role as Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her credits also include Banshee, The Saint, Jane Wants a Boyfriend, Leap Year, Torchwood: Web of Lies, Dollhouse, and Tru Calling.
The Bull Plot:Bull stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.
Bull employs an enviable team of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation to shape successful narratives down to the very last detail. They include his quick-witted former brother-in-law, Benny Colón, a lawyer who acts as defense attorney in the company’s mock trials; Marissa Morgan, a cutting-edge neurolinguistics expert from the Department of Homeland Security; former NYPD detective Danny James, the firm’s tough but relatable investigator; haughty millennial hacker Cable McCrory, who is responsible for gathering cyber intelligence; and Chunk Palmer, a fashion-conscious stylist and former All-American lineman who fine tunes clients’ appearances for trial. In high-stakes trials, Bull’s combination of remarkable insight into human nature, three Ph.D.’s and a top-notch staff creates winning strategies that tip the scales of justice in his clients’ favor.
Odds are you’ll put Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri on your must-see list after checking out the restricted (not safe for work or kids) trailer. Three Billboards comes from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) and stars Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Željko Ivanek, Caleb Landry Jones, Clarke Peters, Samantha Weaving, John Hawkes, and Peter Dinklage. Fox Searchlight will release the dramedy in theaters later this year.
The Plot:Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a darkly comic drama from Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh. After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated.
