The new trailer for the horror film The Last Witch Hunter features Vin Diesel looking a bit like Travis Fimmel in Vikings, Rose Leslie getting witchy, and Ciara’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black.” Directed by Breck Eisner, The Last Witch Hunter will open in theaters on October 23, 2015.
The cast also includes Elijah Wood, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine in supporting roles.
The Plot:
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
Poster for ‘The Last Witch Hunter’ starring Vin Diesel ‘The Last Witch Hunter’ poster featuring Rose Leslie
The Big Bang Theory‘s Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting was nearly in tears before the Pup Quiz even began on the September 17, 2015 episode of The Tonight Show. Cuoco-Sweeting took on The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon in the most adorable game Fallon’s ever come up with: Pup Quiz. The object of the game is to answer questions correctly and earn a chance to cuddle puppies. Pup Quiz also features Double Puppardy (win two puppies with one correct answer) and Final Puppardy in which the winner gets to cuddle all of the puppies on stage.
Poster for the movie ‘Heist’ starring Robert De Niro and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Lionsgate Premiere’s debuted a new poster and trailer for the dramatic thriller Heist (formerly known as Bus 657) starring Robert De Niro and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Directed by Scott Mann, the cast of Heist also includes Kate Bosworth, Gina Carano, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, D.B. Sweeney, Lydia Hull, Tyler J. Olson, Morris Chestnut, and Dave Bautista.
Heist will open in theaters and On Demand on November 13, 2015.
The Plot: When their attempt to rob a casino owned by the feared gangster Pope (De Niro) goes awry and a shootout ensues, Vaughn (Morgan) and Cox (Bautista) are forced to flee on foot and hijack city Bus 657 and take the passengers hostage. Now, in a high speed chase, Vaughn will not only have to outwit the police, led by Officer Bajos (Gina Carano) who are in hot pursuit, but he will have to contend with Pope’s maniacal right hand man, Dog (Morris Chestnut), in order to make it through the day alive. But we quickly learn that things are not what they seem, and Vaughn has more than one card up his sleeve.
“The maze is one thing but you kids wouldn’t last one day out in the Scorch,” says Janson (Aidan Gillen) to Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) as he and his friends are breaking out of the facility they just discovered is being run by the powerful organization known as WCKD in the second installment of the Maze Runner series, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.
The Gladers, as they’re known from the first film, survived and escaped the maze only to end up as guinea pigs in medical trials and tests for WCKD in a new controlled facility. Once Thomas, with the help of a new ally, discovers the terrible truth of what’s in store, they make a break for it with WCKD in close pursuit. Finally escaping the medical prison, Thomas, Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), and the rest of the gang must travel across the Scorch, a desolate, dangerous wasteland of what once was civilization. Remnants of what once was a great city including destroyed buildings, bridges and sewer systems are all that’s left.
The Gladers struggle to stay clear of WCKD’s searching air machines while also running from the Cranks, a slang term for anyone infected by the virus known as the Flare which makes them similar to the infected in the film 28 Days Later. Thomas tells his friends they need to head for the mountains and try to find the resistance fighters who are known as the Red Army. At first, Teresa and Newt are hesitant about the plan. They don’t believe the army exists, but seeing no other option they decide to follow Thomas and the others to the mountains in the hopes of finding the resistance and eventually reaching a safe sanctuary they can finally call home.
Bigger with more action and more involved set designs, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a welcomed improvement over the first film in the series but still suffers from mediocre to unrealistic performances from its young cast. The production design and look of the film is extremely strong, bringing to life up on the big screen the vast, deadly wasteland of the Scorch. The mangled and crumbling high rise buildings and major bridges are very impressive as is the highly guarded medical facility Thomas and his friends are brought to in the beginning of the film. The steel doors and slick floors along with a military-looking barracks for rooms add a real feel of menace and uneasiness.
The direction by Wes Ball and pacing is also much better this time, with thrilling chases from the Cranks down in the sewer system and in abandoned buildings. In particular, a scene featuring Thomas struggling to save a new ally from a Crank while not plummeting to his death from the leaning, hallowed out high-rise building they’re in is truly suspenseful.
The biggest problem with the franchise is unfortunately still with the performances from the young cast and some of the horrible dialogue. Dylan O’Brien gives an energetic performance as Thomas, the one Glader who never lets his guard down and seems to be the only teen survivor who has a brain and uses it. Out of all the young performances his is the strongest, and yet what’s lacking is the emotional connection and friendship he feels for his comrades. It’s clear Thomas wants to survive but that he’s also willing to sacrifice himself to save his friends, which he almost does twice. But, there is zero chemistry between O’Brien and the rest of the cast.
Kaya Scodelario as Teresa gives a walk-through performance, never showing any emotion. She reads her lines adequately enough but has absolutely no chemistry with O’Brien who her character is supposed to care for. Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt is still the ever-doubting comrade, always questioning Thomas and his instincts. It’s a one-dimensional role that doesn’t require too much from the young actor. That said, Game of Thrones audiences know what Brodie-Sangster is capable of but doesn’t get the opportunity to show off in this role. Ki Hong Lee is solid as Minho, the loyal muscle of the group but, again, he doesn’t have any chemistry with O’Brien or any of the other young cast members.
The film also suffers from a weak script that has some of the supporting characters responding illogically and unrealistically during moments of grave danger. A perfect example of this is when Thomas comes back to the barracks after sneaking out and discovering a horrifying truth and tells the others they all have to leave right now because they’re in immediate danger. Minho and Newt want him to stop, sit down, and calmly tell them everything he saw…OH PLEASE! No one would react that way, especially after everything they’ve been through together.
With visually impressive sets, exciting action scenes, but hampered by stilted performances from the young cast, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a decent though forgettable, dark, post-apocalyptic teen adventure film.
GRADE: C+
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for extended sequences of violence and action, some thematic elements, substance use and language
How sad is it that one of the main concerns going into Black Mass isn’t about whether the story that will unfold on the screen will be entertaining and worth the price of a ticket but instead it’s whether Johnny Depp’s makeup for this film will overwhelm his performance as it did in just about every movie he’s made over the past decade? Depp went from being considered a brilliant chameleon who loses himself in his characters to an actor who seemed to seek out roles based solely on whether they offered the chance to sport bizarre hair and makeup.
Depp got a pass for his costume, hair, and guyliner in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies because at least the first film of that franchise was highly entertaining due mostly to Depp completely embracing the role of a pirate captain. But somewhere along the way Depp turned into a pale version of his former self on screen. He didn’t phone it in, but he did choose a series of projects that puzzled fans who knew he had so much more in him than The Tourist, Dark Shadows, The Lone Ranger, Tusk, and Mortdecai. And now Depp fans who’ve watched the Black Mass trailers have been concerned this is yet another forgettable ‘Depp in bizarre makeup’ film. Rest assured, that is definitely not true with Black Mass. Black Mass is Depp completely and authentically portraying real South Boston mobster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger and not Depp disguised as a weird, strangely lifeless character as has recently been the case.
Directed by Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace, Crazy Heart) and based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill, Black Mass is the latest in a long line of gangster films set in Boston. Depp plays Whitey Bulger, complete with ugly false teeth, a strange-looking nose, and piercing blue contacts. It’s not distracting but instead serves to help Depp disappear into this notoriously ruthless gangster who was well loved by the people of his neighborhood, despite his quickness to anger. Depp’s Bulger is a cold-hearted killer who believed he was above the law, and in fact he had FBI Agent John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) looking out for his interests and ensuring he was left alone to run the Boston criminal underground. Surrounded by sycophants and cold-blooded killers, Bulger ruled with an iron fist, seeking vengeance on anyone he thought was working against his interests and often killing his enemies in plain sight of multiple witnesses. He was protected and untouchable, and Black Mass attributes Bulger’s rise to power directly to FBI Agent John Connolly.
Black Mass isn’t the best mob movie nor is it even in the top 10, but it is a solid addition to the lengthy list of Boston mob films. The film’s tone is all over the place and the story is summed up much too quickly, leaving the audience without the satisfaction of learning the truth of Bulger’s capture. If you’ve read anything about the production, you know Sienna Miller was completely cut out of the film. The scenes that were shot focusing on the period leading up to Bulger’s arrest were also left out of Black Mass. Those scenes are missed as the final cut now ends with a third act that feels incomplete and rushed.
Black Mass feels sluggish in places when a sense of urgency and menace is needed to completely capture the mood. There are also a few supporting characters who are so underdeveloped and yet integral to the story that they appear more as caricatures of mobsters rather than fleshed out characters. However, what makes Black Mass so entertaining despite the film’s missteps are the performances of the entire cast. Cooper’s put together an incredible ensemble led by Depp whose return to form has been a long time coming. Welcome back, Mr. Depp, we’ve missed you. Depp’s the biggest star of Black Mass and well deserving of the praise heaped on his performance, but Joel Edgerton delivers an even better performance as the smarmy FBI agent who threw away a career to play a huge role in Bulger’s sleazy world. Edgerton is the standout in this strong ensemble that includes terrific performances from Kevin Bacon, Rory Cochrane, Benedict Cumberbatch (as Whitey’s politician brother), Corey Stoll, and Peter Sarsgaard.
Depp and Edgerton drive Black Mass and in their hands this mob film rises above its rough spots. Their performances are the reason to see Black Mass.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: R for brutal violence, language throughout, some sexual references and brief drug use
A scene from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Former The Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson will be the star of a new half-hour series on the History channel. Join or Die with Craig Ferguson has received a 16-episode first season order, with Ferguson, Phil Cottone, Brian Volk-Weiss, Jim Biederman, Tim Healy, and Matt Ginsburg executive producing.
Announcing the new series, History’s Executive Vice President and Head of Programming Paul Cabana said, “Craig is incredibly knowledgeable, but also has a fun way of getting people engaged in history. It’s clear this is his passion project and we’re looking forward to having him join the network.”
“I’m a huge fan of History and what they do,” added Ferguson. “I’m delighted to be on their schedule and promise that we will have a lot of fun but we will also stick to the truth.”
The Plot:
In the half-hour show, comedian Craig Ferguson debates provocative and timely topics, in his unorthodox and iconoclastic manner, with a panel of guests that will include celebrities and history experts, as well as the American public through social media.
Categories will range from topics such as: what was the biggest presidential campaign flop; who was the greatest founding father; or which invention was history’s greatest game-changer – clue: it’s not the “selfie stick.”
The expression, “Join or Die” is not only Benjamin Franklin’s 1754 rallying cry to the divided colonists; it is also the tattoo Craig received on his forearm after becoming an American citizen. This passion for history and spirited debate will be infused not only in every episode but also in extensive digital pieces.
In support of the upcoming second season premiere of the animated series Star Wars Rebels, executive producer Dave Filoni is providing a behind-the-scenes look at the Clone troopers in this just released five-minute video. Voice actor Dee Bradley Baker also discusses season two of the popular series, sharing details on what it’s like to voice multiple characters with vastly different personalities.
Star Wars Rebels season two will premiere on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 9:30pm ET/PT on Disney XD.
The Plot:
Continuing the epic tradition of the legendary Star Wars saga, Star Wars Rebels unfolds between the events of Star Wars Episodes III and IV and tells the story of the motley but clever crew of the starship Ghost, who together face threatening new villains, encounter colorful adversaries and embark on thrilling adventures.
In its second season, Star Wars Rebels features recurring appearances by fan-favorite characters, including Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano.
Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles‘ Megan Fox will have a recurring role in the fifth season of Fox’s New Girl starring Zooey Deschanel. Fox will have a “multi-episode arc” according to the network, playing a new character named Reagan beginning in the sixth episode of the upcoming season.
Reagan is described as a “gorgeous, straight-shooting pharmaceutical sales rep who comes to town on business and shakes things up in the loft when she rents out Jess’ (Deschanel) room while she is sequestered on jury duty.”
“It’s insane to me that such a gorgeous person can be so funny, but I guess we just all have to accept it,” said executive producer Liz Meriwether. “I’ve been a fan of her comedic skills since This is 40, and I’m so excited to have her on the show. We had Megan in mind when we wrote this part – she’s the perfect person to come in and shake these guys up.”
In addition to Deschanel, New Girl‘s returning stars include Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone. Season five guest stars include Fred Armisen, Taran Killam, Nasim Pedrad, Rob Riggle, John Cho, Julie Hagerty, and Henry Winkler.
The second trailer for Warner Bros Pictures’ action thriller Point Break is actually pretty entertaining (and the best the studio’s released so far promoting the movie). In fact, it’s better than you’d expect from what’s been labeled a re-imagining of the still-popular 1991 film that starred Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.
The new trailer lays out the story and features clips focusing on scenes that set this version apart from the first Point Break, as well as scenes showing Luke Bracey as a young FBI agent out to infiltrate a gang that’s pulling off big money heists. It appears so much of the story has been twisted/expanded/altered that you’ve got to wonder whether calling this 2015 release Point Break was a wise idea in the first place. Sure, there’s surfing, robberies, and an undercover agent, but there are also other extreme sports and heists that look nothing like the original Point Break. Change the title, a few character names, and Warner Bros would be putting this action film out with a lot less baggage attached to its theatrical release.
Directed by Ericson Core, Point Break will open in theaters in 2D and 3D on December 25, 2015.
The Plot:
A young FBI agent, Johnny Utah (Bracey), infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes – led by the charismatic Bodhi (Edgar Ramírez). The athletes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely unusual ways. Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceivable crimes. The film is replete with the most daring athleticism ever seen in a motion picture. These action adventure feats are performed by elite athletes representing the world’s best in class in big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycling.
Chris Hemsworth stars in ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ (Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures)
The epic whaling tale that inspired Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick comes to life on the screen in In the Heart of the Sea starring Chris Hemsworth. The new trailer for the Warner Bros Pictures release offers a better look at the whale at the center of the story as well as more action shots featuring Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, and Tom Holland. Directed by Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), the cast also includes Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, and Jordi Molla. Charles Leavitt adapted Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex and Joe Roth, Paula Weinstein, Will Ward, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard produced the action adventure.
In the Heart of the Sea will open in theaters on December 11, 2015.
The Plot:
In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. In the Heart of the Sea reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.
Chris Hemsworth stars as the vessel’s veteran first mate Owen Chase; Benjamin Walker is its inexperienced Captain, George Pollard; Cillian Murphy is second mate Matthew Joy; and Ben Whishaw is novelist Herman Melville, whose inquiries into the event 30 years later helped bring the story to light. Tom Holland also stars as young seaman Tom Nickerson, and Brendan Gleeson as the same man, 30 years later. Spanish actor Jordi Mollà is the captain of another ship, the Archimedes, who tries to warn the Essex of what may lie ahead.
