In an interesting twist on the standard year-end awards voting, members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association* were asked yesterday to vote on whether to include Star Wars: The Force Awakens as a Best Picture nominee. Disney held press screenings around the U.S. on December 15, 2015 which was after the Critics’ Choice Awards nomination process had ended and a day after nominees were announced. An email was sent to all BFCA members asking if had the screening taken place in time for the initial round of voting, would Star Wars: The Force Awakens have earned a Best Picture nomination. The majority voted yes and Star Wars: The Force Awakens was just added as an 11th nominee in the Best Picture category. (The film was not added in any other category and members were not asked if any of the actors should be considered for awards.)
Announcing the new addition to the Best Picture category, the BFCA said this is the second time a film that was screened too late for consideration was added in the Best Picture category. A late screening also took place in 2000 for Cast Away and the membership voted after the nominations were announced to add it to the Best Picture category. Per the official announcement: “It is the purpose of the Critics’ Choice Awards to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Making this exception to our rules serves this purpose.”
The 21st annual Critics’ Choice Awards show will be held on January 17, 2016. T.J. Miller is hosting and the show will air live on A&E, Lifetime, and LMN at 5pm PT/8pm ET.
Critics’ Choice Awards Best Picture Nominees:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Sicario
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Michelle Yeoh in ‘Marco Polo’ season two (Photo credit: Netflix/Phil Bray)
Michelle Yeoh has joined the cast of Marco Polo season two in a recurring role. According to Netflix, Yeoh will play “a mysterious figure from Hundred Eyes’ (Tom Wu) past.” The second season will premiere sometime in 2016.
The action series stars Lorenzo Richelmy (Marco Polo), Benedict Wong (Kublai Khan), Joan Chen (Empress Chabi), Zhu Zhu (Kokachin), Tom Wu (Hundred Eyes), Olivia Cheng (Mei Lin), Claudia Kim (Khutulun), Rick Yune (Kaidu), Remy Hii (Prince Jingim), Mahesh Jadu (Ahmad) and Uli Latukefu (Byamba). John Fusco created the series and is the showrunner along with Dan Minahan. Minahan, Fusco, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Elizabeth Sarnoff, and Patrick Macmanus executive produce.
“Michelle Yeoh is not only a screen legend and one of the greatest international action stars of all time, she’s one of the best actors of her generation. So we are thrilled to have her join one of the most diverse ensembles in television and bring her unique talents to Marco Polo. Her role in the second season is one that’s going to add even more intrigue, mystery, and Asian martial arts to our rich story world,” said Fusco.
Yeoh’s credits include Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Sunshine, Mummy 3, Babylon AD, and The Lady.
Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis star in ‘Tumbledown’
A decade or two ago you could depend on a decent romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan to arrive in theaters every year. Then, slowly, studios stopped believing in the genre and the release of romantic comedies has now slowed to a trickle. Part of the problem is that there’s no longer a dependable (i.e. bankable) star to headline romcoms and because there was a run of box office failures, new releases are few and far between.
Here’s the list of what fans of romantic comedies can expect to see in theaters in 2016, although it’s possible some of these may go straight to On Demand or video.
2016 Romantic Comedies
(Listed in alphabetical order)
Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong (February 2016) starring Jamie Chung, Bryan Greenberg, Richard Ng, and Sarah Lian The Plot: In this sparkling romance, Ruby, a Chinese American toy designer from LA, visits Hong Kong for the first time on business. Finding herself stranded, she meets Josh, an American expat who shows her the city. Meandering through nighttime streets pulsing with energy and possibility, they fall into a winding and carefree conversation, buoyed by an undeniable attraction. Just as things start to look promising romantically for the pair, the night is stopped short by a surprising revelation. A year later, Josh and Ruby run into each other on the ferry from Hong Kong to Kowloon. Ruby is now living in Hong Kong full time. Josh, partially influenced by Ruby’s advice a year prior, has quit his finance job to write full time. After finding out that they’re both with someone else now, they make amends and end up spending all night hanging out in Kowloon – from bargaining at the Temple Street Market to an impromptu visit to the bird fortune teller. By the time Josh and Ruby get to an underground music club, they can no longer hide their feelings for each other. But when the opportunity presents itself at the end of the night, will either of them dare to make the next move and betray the person they’re with?
The Best Man Wedding (December 2016) starring Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Nia Long, and Taye Diggs The Plot: The official synopsis hasn’t been released yet, however what we do know is that the gang is getting back together for a very unusual wedding.
Bridget Jones’s Baby (September 2016) starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Patrick Dempsey
Directed by Sharon Maguire The Plot: Oscar® winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth reprise their roles in the next chapter of the world’s favorite singleton in Bridget Jones’s Baby. Directed by Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones’s Diary), the new film in the beloved comedy series based on creator Helen Fielding’s heroine finds Bridget unexpectedly expecting.
How to Be Single (February 2016) starring Rebel Wilson, Dakota Johnson, Leslie Mann, Damon Wayans Jr, Anders Holm, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, and Jason Mantzoukas The Plot: There’s a right way to be single, a wrong way to be single, and then…there’s Alice. And Robin. Lucy. Meg. Tom. David. New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hook-up, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these unmarrieds all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. Sleeping around in the city that never sleeps was never so much fun.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties starring Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, and Ruth Wilson The Plot: Under the spell of the Sex Pistols, every teenager in the country wants to be a punk, including our hopeless hero Enn. Hearing the local punk Queen Boadicea is throwing a party, Enn crashes the fun and discovers every horny boy’s dream; gorgeous foreign exchange students. When he meets the enigmatic Zan, it’s lust at first sight. But these girls have come a lot further than America. They are, in fact, aliens from another galaxy, sent to Earth to prepare for a mysterious rite of passage. When the dark secret behind the rite is revealed, our galaxy-crossed lover Enn must turn to Boadicea and her punk followers for help in order to save the alien he loves from certain death. The punks take on the aliens on the streets of London, and neither Enn nor Zan’s universe will ever be the same again.
La La Land (July 2016) starring Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Finn Wittrock, and J.K. Simmons The Plot: In this modern take on the Hollywood musical from Damien Chazelle, the Academy Award-nominated writer and director of Whiplash, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
The Lobster – March 2016 (released in festivals in 2015) starring Colin Farrell, Léa Seydoux, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, and John C. Reilly The Plot: An unconventional love story set in a dystopian near future where single people, according to the rules of the Town, are arrested and transferred to the Hotel. There they are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing and released into the Woods. A desperate Man escapes from the Hotel to the Woods where the Loners live and there he falls in love, although it’s against their rules.
Maggie’s Plan (May 2016) starring Travis Fimmel, Greta Gerwig, Bill Hader, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Ida Rohatyn, Maya Rudolph, and Wallace Shawn The Plot: Greta Gerwig portrays Maggie Hardin, a vibrant and practical thirty-something New Yorker working at the New School who, without success in finding love, decides now is the time to have a child on her own. But when she meets John Harding (Ethan Hawke), a “ficto-critical anthropologist” and struggling novelist, Maggie falls in love for the first time, and adjusts her plans for motherhood. Complicating matters, John is in an unhappy marriage with Georgette Nørgaard (Julianne Moore), an ambitious Danish academic. With some help from Maggie’s eccentric and hilarious best friends, married couple Tony (Bill Hader) and Felicia (Maya Rudolph), Maggie sets in motion a bold new plan that intertwines the three main characters’ lives and connects them in surprising and humorous ways. Maggie learns that sometimes destiny should be left to its own device.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (March 2016) starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Elena Kampouris, Alex Wolff, Louis Mandylor, Bess Meisler, Bruce Gray, Fiona Reid, Ian Gomez, Jayne Eastwood, Mark Margolis, Andrea Martin, and Michael Constantine The Plot: The film reveals a Portokalos family secret that will bring the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding.
Spin Out (April in Australia) starring Xavier Samuel, Morgan Griffin, Lincoln Lewis, and Melissa Bergland The Plot: There is nothing on earth like an Australian Bachelors and Spinsters Ball, hundreds of Ute’s invade the outback for a weekend of fishtails and spin-outs. Spin Out finds two best mates, Lucy and Billy, going in circles – very fast – It can’t last. They’ve got one night to wake up to their love or they’ll be lost for life. (courtesy of IMDB)
Tumbledown – February 2016 starring Jason Sudeikis, Rebecca Hall, Joe Manganiello, Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, and Richard Masur The Plot: Deep in the Maine woods, Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is unable to move on after the death of her husband, an acclaimed musician and the subject of a biography she’s struggling to write, when she meets Andrew (Jason Sudeikis), a brash New York academic who has a different take on her husband’s life – and death. The unlikely pair must collaborate to craft the famous singer’s story and begin to write the next chapter in their lives together.
Poster for ‘Allegiant’ starring Shailene WoodleyLionsgate has released two more posters for The Divergent Series: Allegiant starring Theo James and Shailene Woodley. The new posters feature James and Woodley hugging, with Woodley as Tris’ poster stating, “I become better, sharper, every time I touch him.” James’ poster reads, “The person you became with her is worth being.”
The Divergent Series: Allegiant was directed by Robert Schwentke and will open in theaters on March 18, 2016. In addition to Woodley and James, the cast includes Jeff Daniels, Octavia Spencer, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Daniel Dae Kim, Rebecca Pidgeon, Xander Berkeley, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jonny Weston, Bill Skarsgård, Nadia Hilker, Andy Bean and Naomi Watts.
The Plot:
The third installment of the blockbuster Divergent series franchise, Allegiant takes Tris [Shailene Woodley] and Four [Theo James] into a new world, far more dangerous than ever before.
After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time ever, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites beyond the walls of Chicago which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.
Actor/writer/director James Franco will be working with Lifetime and Sony Pictures Television on a remake of Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?. The classic made-for-TV movie first aired 20 years ago and starred Tori Spelling, Ivan Sergei, and Lisa Banes, with Jorge Montesi directing. Franco will be involved in the remake as an executive producer along with Vince Jolivette, Diane Sokolow and Rachel Verno. Melanie Aitkenhead, who just directed Franco in Actors Anonymous, will helm the remake. Franco worked on the story and Amber Coney wrote the script.
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? will air sometime in 2016 on Lifetime. According to the official announcement, the new film will be a retelling of the 1996 movie that will “pay homage to the original film that continues to resonate in pop culture today.”
The 1996 film, which is considered a cult hit, starred Spelling as a girl who fell in love with a psychopath (played by Sergei). Banes played Spelling’s mother who discovers there’s something really wrong with her daughter’s boyfriend.
Franco will next be seen in the miniseries 11-22-63 based on the book by Stephen King. In addition, the Oscar nominated actor recently completed work on King Cobra for writer/director Justin Kelly, The Long Home (which he also directed), and he’s wrapped up work voicing a character in the animated movie Sausage Party.
10 films released in 2015 are still in the running for the Visual Effects Oscar at the 88th Academy Awards. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, members of the Visual Effects Branch of the Academy will watch 10 minute excerpts from each of the 10 films on January 9, 2016. They will then nominate five of the films in the Visual Effects category.
The 2016 Oscars will be hosted by Chris Rock and will air live on ABC on February 28th. The awards show will once again be held at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, with the live show kicking off at 4pm PT.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are so comfortable working together that they’re able to easily rise above uneven material, which is what they do in Sisters from director Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect). Fey and Poehler play, obviously, sisters in Sisters and their off-screen long-term friendship helps sell that dynamic on screen despite the fact they look nothing alike. With Sisters the duo prove they can squeeze a laugh out of material that shouldn’t work. If a joke doesn’t land like it should, no worries because Fey and Poehler keep the energy level up and the jokes fly so fast and furiously that if one doesn’t land the next one’s likely to stick.
In Sisters it’s Amy Poehler who’s the responsible, uptight sister while Tina Fey plays the wild child who can’t keep a job. Kate (Fey) struggles to remember she’s the adult in the relationship with her teenage daughter while Maura (Poehler) struggles to remember the last time she cut loose and had any fun. The opportunity to change things up comes when their parents (played by Diane Wiest and James Brolin) announce they’ve sold the family’s home and are moving to a retirement community. Maura and Kate have one final opportunity to go through the house and pack up anything that holds special memories. The weekend of packing transforms into a wild, alcohol-fueled orgy after Kate convinces Maura she needs to let her freak flag fly. All of their old childhood friends show up, but instead of partying hardy they hardly party. They’re all respectable adults now and it takes a lot of prompting by Kate and Maura to finally let it go and party like it’s 1999. Kate promises to be the designated sober adult, Maura plans a night of debauchery with the hunky neighbor, and the house – which was supposed to be in the hands of the new owners in just a few days – looks like it should be declared a disaster area and condemned by the time Kate and Maura’s attempt to resurrect their youth comes to an end.
Paula Pell (Saturday Night Live) wrote the script which at times feels a bit like an overly long sketch from the late night show. As drugs and alcohol fuel the action on the screen, the jokes get raunchier and devolve into the use of gross-out humor. But the supporting cast steps it up and along with Poehler and Fey give Sisters an energy that’s infectious. John Cena shows up as a badass drug dealer, Rachel Dratch revisits her Debbie Downer character, and Maya Rudolph plays Kate’s old nemesis from high school who tries every trick in the book to get invited to the party. SNL’s Bobby Moynihan plays against type as a guy who is unable to land a joke.
Sisters isn’t all about the jokes, squeezing a lesson or two in about families, relationships, responsibility, and love. In fact, the film tries a little too hard to be more than just a comedy. There’s a side story about the relationship between Kate’s daughter and Maura that doesn’t work, and I’d love to know what Pell was thinking when she created the deaf Korean manicurist character. Still, Fey and Poehler give it their all which is enough to make Sisters an entertaining two hours for fans of the funny ladies.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: R for crude sexual content and language throughout, and for drug use
Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox star in ‘Bad Santa.’
The long-awaited sequel to the R-rated holiday hit, Bad Santa, will open in theaters on November 23, 2016. Bad Santa 2 will find Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo) back as Willie Soke (aka Bad Santa), Tony Cox reprising his role as Marcus, and Brett Kelly returning to play The Kid. Emmy winner Kathy Bates joins the sequel to play Thornton’s mom.
Mark Waters (Mean Girls, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) is directing from a script by Johnny Rosenthal, Doug Ellin and Shauna Cross. Geyer Kosinski and Andrew Gunn are on board as producers, with Waters, Zanne Devine, David Thwaites, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Jessica Tuchinsky, Doug Ellin, and Adam Fields executive producing.
Miramax and Broad Green Pictures are co-financing and co-producing, and Broad Green Pictures will be handling the U.S. theatrical distribution.
Bad Santa opened in theaters on November 26, 2003 and grossed $76 million in theaters. Directed by Terry Zwigoff (Ghost World), the cast also included Bernie Mac, John Ritter, Lauren Graham, and Cloris Leachman.
While 2015 was a horrible year for comedies and only a so-so year for horror movies, the batch of action films that hit theaters in 2015 were, overall, pretty entertaining. Ant-Man barely missed making our list of the 10 best action films of the year as did Everest, San Andreas, and Avengers: Age of Ultron. And Spy was left off only because we felt it was more of a comedy than action film (it made our 10 best comedies of the year list), although in any other year it more than likely would have made both lists.
The following list is in alphabetical order, however our favorites in order for the top three spots would be Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Kingsman: The Secret Service.
2015’s Best Action Films:
Kurt Russell stars in ‘Bone Tomahawk’
Bone Tomahawk – Starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Lili Simmons, and Richard Jenkins
The Plot: When a group of cannibal savages kidnaps settlers from the small town of Bright Hope, an unlikely team of gunslingers, led by Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell), sets out to bring them home. But their enemy is more ruthless than anyone could have imagined, putting their mission – and survival itself – in serious jeopardy.
Why It Worked: Dark and twisted but with a killer sense of humor sprinkled throughout, Bone Tomahawk is one of those hidden gems you need to see but probably haven’t heard much about. The graphic violence escalates as the film nears its climax, so it’s definitely not for the squeamish. But for those who don’t mind brutal Westerns, it’s worth seeking out this action thriller from writer/director S. Craig Zahler.
Furious 7 – Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Elsa Pataky, Lucas Black, Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, and Ronda Rousey
The Plot: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast across the globe in their most gravity-defying and emotional adventure yet. Targeted by a cold-blooded black-ops assassin with a score to settle (Jason Statham), their only hope is to get behind the wheel again and secure an ingenious prototype tracking device. Facing their greatest threat yet in places as far away as Abu Dhabi and as familiar as the Los Angeles streets they call home, the crew must come together once again as a team, and as a family, to protect their own.
Why It Worked:Furious 7 felt like a farewell to all of the Fast and Furious family and not just a final goodbye to franchise star Paul Walker. However, the franchise is apparently moving on without Walker which is too bad as Furious 7 was one of the better films of the series and had some of the most spectacular action sequences. It’ll be tough for an eighth film to top the action scenes and have as much heart as Furious 7.
The Plot: Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Why It Worked: Who would have thought Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Pride and Prejudice) would make sure a convincing action hero? Kingsman features incredible, fast-paced, must watch twice just to catch everything action, with Firth in the lead kicking some serious butt.
Mad Max: Fury Road – Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoë Kravitz, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Abbey Lee
The Plot: Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max (Tom Hardy) believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa (Charlize Theron). They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.
Why It Worked: Sure, it took far too long for George Miller to deliver another Mad Max film, but the wait turned out to be well worthwhile as Mad Max: Fury Road is everything anyone could possibly want and expect from a Mad Max film. With Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, and Nicholas Hoult in the lead, Fury Road is a wild ride that’s brutal, violent, and incredibly fun.
The Martian – Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, Aksel Hennie, Kristen Wiig, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover
The Plot: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return.
Why It Worked: Ridley Scott’s The Martian was one of 2015’s big winners, earning $600 million at the box office as well as rave reviews. Even the fact it came along shortly after the critically acclaimed Gravity and Christopher Nolan’s less successful space thriller Interstellar apparently didn’t lessen movie audiences’ desire to head back into outer space. Mixing sci-i, comedy, and action, The Martian made science fun and even earned the support of the scientific community.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation – Starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris
The Plot: Ethan (Tom Cruise) and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate – an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.
Why It Worked: Love him or hate him, Tom Cruise knows how to wow as the lead in the Mission Impossible franchise. Cruise performed death-defying stunts (including hanging on to the outside of a plane as it lifted off) that helped make Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation one of the better films of the series. But what really elevated this MI was the chemistry between the cast and the snappy writing.
The Revenant – Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter
The Plot: Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.
Why It Worked: Could Leonardo DiCaprio not only earn an Oscar nomination but actually take home the statuette for his performance in The Revenant? DiCaprio’s been nominated four times in the acting categories and once as a producer, but he’s never had the opportunity to hear his name announced as the winner. This year’s Best Actor race is wide open and DiCaprio may finally have his chance to deliver an Oscar thank you speech for his work in this riveting and brutal film.
Victor Garber and Emily Blunt star in ‘Sicario.’
Sicario – Starring Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, and Jon Bernthal
The Plot: In Mexico, SICARIO means hitman. In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elite government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past (Benicio Del Toro), the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.
Why It Worked: One of my favorite films of 2015, Sicario is spectacularly shot, fast-paced, and thrilling. Sicario features one of the best ensembles of the year, led by Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro, and the R-rated action film is the best drug war movie since Traffic.
Kodi Smit-McPhee and Michael Fassbender star in ‘Slow West’ (Photo Credit: A24)
Slow West – Starring Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Mendelsohn and Caren Pistorious
The Plot: At the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas (Michael Fassbender), a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way.
Why It Worked: It’s a shame Slow West didn’t get more attention when it opened in theaters in limited release in May because this action thriller is a terrific example of how a Western should be made. With the team of Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee leading the way, Slow West is a delightful slow burn of a film that presents the genre in completely fresh way.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max Von Sydow
The Plot: Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn (John Boyega) crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights.
Why It Worked: Opening to record-breaking box office numbers, Star Wars: The Force Awakens lived up to fans expectations and delivered a new batch of heroes (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac) to cheer for. Co-written and directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars Episode VII brought the franchise back to life by recapturing the vibe of the original Star Wars movie – something the second trilogy failed to do.
We’re still over a year away from actually being able to see the limited series, however Showtime’s already teasing us with a video from Twin Peaks. The teaser trailer aired during the finales of The Affair and Homeland and actually doesn’t give anything away about the series. Running less than one minute, the teaser video shows off the location and the Twin Peaks town welcome sign.
Twin Peaks is currently shooting with David Lynch on board as the limited series’ only director. Lynch also wrote the scripts with Mark Frost and executive produces. The limited series will star Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Amanda Seyfried, and Dana Ashbrook.
The Plot:
Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential broadcast series of all time, Twin Peaks followed the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town who were stunned after their homecoming queen Laura Palmer was shockingly murdered. The town’s sheriff welcomed the help of FBI agent Dale Cooper, who came to town to investigate the case. As Cooper conducted his search for Laura’s killer, the town’s secrets were gradually exposed. The mystery that ensued set off an eerie chain of events that plunged the inhabitants of Twin Peaks into a darker examination of their very existence. Twenty-five years later, the story continues…
