Jason Derulo performs at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront launching the 2016 concert series and promoting the ‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign ‘ (Photo by Nancee E. Lewis / Getty Images for Hilton)
Singer/songwriter Jason Derulo kicked off the Hilton Concert Series off with an incredible performance at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in Downtown, San Diego, CA. Derulo announced the free surprise concert via social media, offering up 2,000 free tickets to fans. Those tickets were quickly snatched up (as you’d expect) and fans fortunate enough to be in San Diego on a balmy February night were treated to an energetic performance of Derulo’s hits just yards from the Pacific Ocean. Stripping off his shirt to thunderous applause, Derulo and his dancers delivered one hit after another with the backup support of 2,000 fans. Between songs, Derulo expressed his gratitude for the continuing support of his fans.
Among the fan favorites Derulo performed at the San Diego concert were In My Head, Cheyenne, Wiggle, Talk Dirty, and Want You to Want Me.
Derulo’s appearance at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront was the first of seven concerts that make up the 2016 Hilton Concert Series produced by Live Nation. Hilton’s HHonors members can use their points to enjoy the remaining six concerts scheduled across the globe this year. Grammy nominee Elle King will perform on April 8th at the Diplomat Resort & Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton in Hollywood, Fla. Halsey’s scheduled to take the stage on May 4th at the Hilton Tokyo Odaiba in Tokyo, Japan. Indie pop duo JR JR will perform a concert for fans on June 25th at the Hilton Toronto in Toronto, Canada. Singer/songwriter Grimes will entertain HHonors members on July 19th at the Hilton Berlin in Berlin, Germany. Country music’s Kip Moore heads to Nashville, Tennessee on August 31st to treat fans to a concert at the DoubleTree by Hilton Nashville Downtown. The 2016 Concert Series will finish up on October 28th with Gary Clark Jr performing at the Hilton Austin in Austin, Texas.
Derulo’s San Diego performance was also in support of Hilton’s new “Stop Clicking Around” campaign promoting its free HHonors membership program and the benefits of booking directly through Hilton. HHonors members who book their stays through the Hilton website receive special discounts, free wi-fi, and the ability to choose their room online.
The cast of ‘Spotlight’ (Photo Courtesy of Open Road Films)
Spotlight was in the spotlight at Film Independent’s Spirit Awards, earning five awards including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Other big winners at the February 27, 2016 event held on the beach in Santa Monica included Room and Beasts of No Nation, with Idris Elba (overlooked for an Oscar nomination) picking up the Best Supporting Actor award. The 31st Spirit Awards also handed out trophies to Carol, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Krisha, The Look of Silence, Son of Saul, and Tangerine.
SNL‘s Kate McKinnon and Silicon Valley’s Sumail Nanjiani hosted this year’s Spirit Awards which aired live on IFC.
2016 Spirit Awards Winners:
Best Feature: Spotlight
Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Best Screenplay: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight
Best First Feature: The Diary of a Teenage Girl Director: Marielle Heller
Best First Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room
John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Krisha
Best Supporting Female: Mya Taylor, Tangerine
Best Supporting Male: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Best Female Lead: Brie Larson, Room
Best Male Lead: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation
Best Cinematography: Ed Lachman, Carol
Best Editing: Tom McArdle, Spotlight
Best International Film: Son of Saul Director: László Nemes
Best Documentary: The Look of Silence Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Robert Altman Award: Spotlight Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Michael Cyril Creighton, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
London Has Fallen star Gerard Butler made a return trip to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California to visit with Marines and their families and to show off his new action film. Butler brought Olympus Has Fallen to the troops back in 2013 and was happy to be back among members of the U.S. military who he called the real heroes. After signing hundreds of London Has Fallen posters and taking hundreds of selfies with the fans, Butler hit the stage at the base theater to introduce a special screening of the Focus Features film which opens in theaters on March 4, 2016.
The London Has Fallen Plot: The visceral intensity springs from a timely premise: after the British Prime Minister passes away, his funeral becomes a target of a terrorist organization to destroy some of the world’s most powerful leaders, devastate the British capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future. The only hope of stopping it rests on the shoulders of the President of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) and his formidable Secret Service head (Gerard Butler), and an English MI-6 agent (Charlotte Riley) who rightly trusts no one. Morgan Freeman also stars as the Vice President of the United States.
Gerard Butler introduces London Has Fallen at Camp Pendleton:
Jimmy Smits at the ‘Sons of Anarchy’ final season premiere (Photo by Frank Micelotta /PictureGroup/FX)
Fox confirmed Jimmy Smits (Sons of Anarchy) will be starring in 24: Legacy‘s pilot. Smits joins previously announced cast members Miranda Otto (Homeland), Teddy Sears (The Flash), and Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead) in the dramatic spin-off of 24. The new event series comes from executive producers Howard Gordon, Brian Grazer, Evan Katz, and Manny Coto, with Stephen Hopkins on board to direct the pilot.
According to Fox’s announcement, Smits is playing a character named John Donovan. Donovan’s described as “a powerful U.S. Senator with higher political aspirations, who is married to the blazing smart former head of CTU (Miranda Otto).”
The Plot: The pilot will feature an all-new cast of characters and retain the real-time, pulse-pounding, fast-paced format with split screens and complex interweaving storylines, with each episode representing one hour of an eventful day. The project will revolve around a military hero’s return to the U.S. and the trouble that follows him back – compelling him to ask CTU for help in saving his life, and stopping what potentially could be one of the largest-scale terror attacks on American soil.
Kelly Clarkson almost made it through her song ‘Piece by Piece’ while performing on American Idol on Thursday, February 25, 2016 without being overcome by emotion, but as she neared the song’s end she was forced to stop and collect herself. The first winner of Fox’s American Idol wrote the song about her father who walked out of her life when she was just a child.
“Piece by Piece” was written while Clarkson was pregnant with her daughter River Rose and recalls how she felt abandoned growing up. It’s a powerful song and Clarkson had the judging panel and audience crying along with her during the emotional, heart-wrenching performance.
After finishing the performance, Clarkson apologized for crying. Clarkson said it was partly due to the fact she’s pregnant with her second child (a son) and she’s nostalgic because this is the last season of American Idol. No apologies were necessary as she delivered one of the most memorable performances in American Idol‘s history.
Disney’s 55th animated film, Zootopia, is celebrating Oscars weekend with a special trailer that alters the names of the nominees, giving them an animal twist. Directed by Byron Howard (Bolt), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), and Jared Bush, Zootopia features the voices of Once Upon a Time‘s Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence, Jenny Slate, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Alan Tudyk, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Raymond Persi, Katie Lowes, Jesse Corti, and John DiMaggio. Disney’s opening Zootopia in theaters on March 4, 2016.
The Plot: The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (Bateman), to solve the mystery.
“I heard you were a champion so I was wondering… Maybe you could give me a few tips?” asks Eddie (Taron Egerton) who’s trying to learn ski jumping in order to qualify for the 1988 Winter Olympics. “Give up. There’s one for free,” replies Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) in the inspirational sports movie Eddie the Eagle.
Since he was a little boy Michael “Eddie” Edwards always wanted to be an Olympian. Growing up he tried sports from weight-lifting to javelin-throwing, but none of them seem to take. Then one day while at work with his father Eddie discovers skiing and actually turns out to be decent at the sport. Unfortunately for the wannabe Olympian, the British Olympic Association kicks him off the team, not because he’s a bad skier but because of his parents station in life; they’re working class people. Just as Eddie is about to give up on his dream he discovers ski jumping, and off he goes to attempt to learn the sport.
Of course Eddie, who’s now 22, is laughed at by the other athletes who’ve been practicing jumping since they were six. Eddie, however, has a courageous spirit and is eternally optimistic. He keeps trying to master the sport and meets former Olympic ski jumper Peary, who now drives a snow plow at the practice site, and approaches him for some pointers. At first, Peary wants nothing to do with the goofy kid. And then one night while he’s in his usual state of intoxication Peary gets tired of the other athletes picking on Eddie and gives him a few pointers about how to take off correctly from the ski ramp. Eddie, who has been successful jumping from the 40m ramp, tries too soon to do the same jump from the 70m ramp and injures himself badly enough to be taken to the hospital. Peary, who’s now in awe of Eddie’s determination, goes to visit him in the hospital and realizes Eddie is not going to quit. Instead of leaving him to fend for himself, Peary decides to help him qualify for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.
Based on a true story, Eddie the Eagle is an inspirational, feel-good, classic underdog film that’s raised even higher due to the performances and chemistry of its two leading men. Taron Egerton shines in his performance as Michael “Eddie” Edwards, not just by making himself look like the real life Eddie – which he does – but by capturing his determination, awkwardness, spirit, and heart. It’s impossible not to like and root for Eddie as he takes on the odds, battles bullies, and is challenged by his own country’s Olympic Association who change the rules suddenly to try to prevent Eddie from representing his country in the Olympics.
Hugh Jackman delivers another solid performance as Peary, the one-time Olympic champion who eventually befriends and coaches Eddie not just on the basics of ski jumping but how to really love the experience of soaring off the ramp, flying in the air, and sticking the perfect landing. It’s the chemistry and friendship between the two men that elevates Eddie the Eagle.
The ski jump scenes are wonderfully shot, capturing the tension and incredible height at the top of the 70m and 90m ski ramps. This critic’s hands actually started to sweat the first time Eddie went up the 70m ramp and looked down to where he was hoping to land. The actual ski jump scenes are awe-inspiring and heart-stopping.
Eddie the Eagle is an extremely entertaining, crowd-pleasing film that’s sure to have audiences cheering – and laughing – right up to the film’s credits. It reinforces great traditional values such as to always believe in yourself, work hard, chase after your dream, and ask for help when you need it. And, it does so without ever getting cheesy or campy.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some suggestive material, partial nudity and smoking
The latest trailer for The Purge: Election Year teases that it’s an American duty to take part in the annual Purge. The third film of the franchise was written and directed by James DeMonaco and stars Frank Grillo and Elizabeth Mitchell. Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, and Sebastien K. Lemercier produce. Expect to see The Purge: Election Year in theaters on July 1, 2016.
The Plot: It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.
Gerard Butler stars as Set in ‘Gods of Egypt’ (Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate)
Geoffrey Rush battles a sand worm from Dune, Brenton Thwaites does his best Hobbit impersonation, and Egyptian gods use light sabers to battle over the future of mankind in Gods of Egypt, quite possibly the silliest film to hit theaters in a decade. If you have fond memories of the original Clash of the Titans and have been longing for a film just like it – and you’re not picky about the quality of special effects – then Gods of Egypt is for you. For the remaining 99.99% of the population, Gods of Egypt should be a definite no-go.
The luckiest cast member in Gods of Egypt is Bryan Brown who escapes from the screen after a mere five minutes. Brown plays Osiris, father to Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and brother of Set (Gerard Butler) – none of whom look anything alike, but that doesn’t matter. Set’s upset Horus will be taking over Osiris’ throne and so he kills his brother, plucks out Horus’ eyes, and crowns himself the ruler. The remainder of the film is all about Horus getting his eyeballs back so he can fly again and take on Set. The Hobbit Bek (Thwaites) takes a break from Middle Earth to help steal the eyeballs from Set’s “surprisingly simple yet no one else is willing to even try to break in” vault. From there, the action is centered around Set’s desire to completely screw over all humans (dead and undead) while Horus, who’s not actually the nicest chap himself, has to attempt to regain his strength in order to defeat Set.
There’s one ridiculous love story and one mildly amusing romance, but those are just background noise for the film’s action. Unfortunately, said action is utterly laughable and not even up to the standards of popular video games. I can’t recall a big-budget feature film that has more obvious shots of actors not actually hitting each other during fight scenes. And when the action turns to the CG creatures taking over for flesh and blood actors Butler and Coster-Waldau, it goes from ridiculous to unwatchable.
I joke about the Hobbit involvement but Thwaites’ Bek looks like one next to Set and Horus, and the comparison to Peter Jackson’s work on the Tolkien trilogy is impossible to ignore. However, unlike Jackson’s Hobbits, the size difference between Bek and his larger co-stars is constantly changing. (If you do watch this and I’m not recommending it, pay attention to how tall Bek is when he goes through tunnels/caves/anything with walls compared to how tall Horus is in the same situation.)
The dialogue is silly, the plot is overly complicated, and it’s impossible not to sit through this and wonder what happened from script to screen. Rufus Sewell and Chadwick Boseman show up in supporting roles, adding to the confusion over what the actors saw in this project that made them sign on in the first place.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau trades in his missing hand as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones for an eye patch and Gerard Butler is back in 300 beast mode as a very naughty god who pouts over not being the Chosen One, but neither can save this CG mess. Some films are so bad they’re good. Gods of Egypt isn’t one of those.
GRADE: F
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, and some sexuality
Bones fans will have just one more season to follow the adventures of Booth and Brennan. Fox has announced the popular show will return for a final 12th season which will air during the 2016-2017 season. The final season will consist of 12 new episodes that will, according to the network, “bring the storylines of Brennan (Emily Deschanel), Booth (David Boreanaz) and the Jeffersonian-FBI team to a close.” By the time the last episode airs, Bones will be one of Fox’s longest running series. The final 12 episodes will bring the total over the show’s run to 246 episodes.
“This is for the fans! Thank you to everyone at Fox and, of course, Dana and Gary – for all your support,” said David Boreanaz. “Thank you to Hart, Stephen, Ian [Toynton], Michael and Jonathan. Also to the crew and cast for their countless support along the way! And I couldn’t have done it without you, Emily!”
“I am thrilled the show will have the ending it deserves for all of our amazing, loyal fans!,” added Emily Deschanel.
“In times like these, marked by instability and doubt, it’s comforting to know the world can count on at least one dependable beacon of stability. Apparently, that beacon is Bones,” said creator/executive producer Hart Hanson. “It just shows what you can do with an amalgam of genius cast, amazing crew, cunning writers, stalwart studio, sweat, a tough economy, a mercurial network, determination, luck, magic, miracles and the most loyal audience in the world.”
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have another season, so we can give the show, characters and fans the end they so richly deserve,” stated executive producers and showrunners Jonathan Collier and Michael Peterson. “Also knowing there is a Season 12, we can now write the most rewarding Season 11 finale possible – one we hope will leave our fans excited for what’s to come in this final season of Bones.”
“Bones has been part of the fabric of our network and studio for over a decade, and during that time it has attracted one of the most devoted fan bases we’ve ever seen. So it was extremely important to us and to Hart, the producers and the cast that we send the show off in a way that gives those loyal fans a meaningful and satisfying conclusion,” said Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group. “We’d like to thank Emily and David for anchoring this extraordinary group of talented people, as well as Hart, Stephen Nathan, Barry Josephson and this season’s showrunners, Michael Peterson and Jonathan Collier, for delivering such an incredible series season after season.”
Details on Bones, Courtesy of Fox: Bones returns for its spring premiere on Thursday, April 14 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Picking up after the explosive fall finale, the all-new episode, “The Death in the Defense,” finds Hodgins (TJ Thyne) eight weeks into his rehabilitation and forced to navigate life in a wheelchair. Meanwhile, Brennan and Booth investigate the death of a public defender who had multiple defendants from previous cases with motives to kill her.
In the series, Brennan, a highly skilled forensic anthropologist who works at the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington, D.C. and writes novels on the side, and her FBI partner, Booth, have taken on cases other law enforcement can’t solve and proven to be a formidable partnership, both at work and at home. Over the course of the series, Brennan has devoted herself to her career, to Booth, with whom she’s had two children, and to her team at the Jeffersonian. They include best friend Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin), an artist who specializes in reconstructing facial features and crime scenes; Angela’s husband, Hodgins, a conspiracy theorist and expert on insects, spores and minerals, who is affectionately known as “the slime and bug guy”; Dr. Camille “Cam” Saroyan (Tamara Taylor), the street-smart and centered coroner; and Booth’s most recent colleague at the FBI, Special Agent James Aubrey (John Boyd), a young, intrepid FBI agent with a voracious appetite for solving crime, junk food and career advancement.
Utilizing a wide swathe of skills, and using human remains as their roadmap, this exceptional team has cracked some of the toughest cases to cross their lab tables and, in the process,escaped near-death experiences on multiple occasions. Inspired by real-life forensic anthropologist and novelist Kathy Reichs, the series also has explored more ways for human remains to have been discovered than ever thought imaginable.
