ABC Family has just given the go-ahead to the supernatural drama Beyond and the half-hour comedy series Gorgeous Morons. Beyond comes from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland‘s Adam Nussdorf who’s writing the series and executive producing along with Heroes‘ Tim Kring, Zak Kadison, Justin Levy and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Gorgeous Morons was co-created by Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky (The Office, Trophy Wife), with The Office‘s Danny Chun writing the show and also executive producing.
“Quality comedies and epic adventures are key elements of our programming strategy,” stated Karey Burke, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development. “The teams behind these pilots have a history of creating amazing series in those genres, and I am thrilled to have them creating for ABC Family.”
Gorgeous Morons “focuses on two stunningly handsome but ridiculously simple brothers – one is a model, the other a personal trainer – who find their lives rocked by their brainy new roommate, a female literature PhD whose looks are, by their standards, in desperate need of help.”
The one-hour supernatural series Beyond is about “a young man who wakes up from a coma after 12 years and discovers new supernatural abilities that propel him into the middle of a dangerous conspiracy.”
George Clooney, Britt Robertson, director Brad Bird, and screenwriter Damon Lindelof talk about the upcoming sci-fi adventure film Tomorrowland, based on the Disneyland park attraction, in a new behind-the-scenes video. The featurette shows a few new clips from the movie and explores more of the actual story. In addition to Clooney and Robertson, the cast includes Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, and Thomas Robinson.
Tomorrowland opens in theaters on May 22, 2015.
The Plot:
Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.
Featuring a screenplay by Lost writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, Tomorrowland promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.
Simon Pegg stars in ‘Kill Me Three Times’ (Photo Courtesy of Magnet Releasing)
One of the constants in my cinematic viewing is that if Simon Pegg is cast in a film, I want to see it. He’s the unsung hero of the now revived Mission: Impossible franchise and whether he’s in some form of collaboration with Edgar Wright and Nick Frost or not, he’s a part of some of the entertaining TV and movie projects in the past decade. And so when I saw that he was involved in a little Australian film playing a hitman, I couldn’t wait to see it.
Called Kill Me Three Times, the film is an efficient yet obvious take at the twisty-turny series of criminal backstabbery kind of ordeal (I love being technical). Pegg is the through-line among an interconnected group of people in a small, seaside Aussie town. I’d elaborate on how people are connected but that’s sort of the only thing the movie attempts to do: show you one side of things and then turn it around. So I’ll keep from spoiling things.
Not that anyone who’s seen any decent conspiracy film won’t see things coming from miles away. But whether it’s because of my positive bias for all things Australian, all things Simon Pegg, or because I’m writing this on a beautiful sunny day, I was fairly entertained by it all. While the plot was about as opaque as a sheet of tracing paper, the cast clearly had a good time practically mugging for the camera.
Pegg delivered a wonderfully comedic yet ruthless performance, exactly as I had hoped. Teresa Palmer did a nice job of echoing Neve Campbell and Denise Richards from Wild Things (without the need for gratuitous nudity), and all of that is a compliment. There actually is some nudity, though it comes from Alice Braga (I am so not complaining) and aside from Pegg’s involvement, her ability to ground the story is perhaps the most important factor in keeping the movie from coming off the rails.
Then there’s the use of Bryan Brown. Many of you may be asking who that is but if you’re an Aussie film fan like I am, he’s kind of a big deal (Americans may know him best from the F/X film franchise). In any case, it was fun to watch him play the part he does and he brought a much-needed level of intimidation to the affair.
Another element that maybe won’t be as exciting to some as it is to me is the copious amount of people who actually get shot … whether or not it’s a fatal hit or not. The movie has to have an element of danger for its participants or it won’t work. As much as I’m not too impressed by first-time screenwriter James McFarland in terms of clichés and his attempts to make the plot clever, he doesn’t shy away from letting bad things happen to people in the midst of doing bad things – no matter how good their reasons may be.
So in the end, if you’re looking for a light filler of a movie, I heartily endorse Kill Me Three Times. It certainly doesn’t push the boundaries of its genre, but the cast turns what could be quite a droll affair into a fun way to spend an hour and a half. My guess is that this movie won’t be in a lot of theaters so if it’s not playing near you, maybe just keep it on your radar for the home market. I mean, it’s got Simon Pegg. You really should see it simply for that reason alone.
GRADE: C+
MPAA rating:: R for bloody violence, language and some sexuality/nudity
Following on the heels of the release of a short teaser clip comes the official full trailer for the horror sequel, Sinister 2, along with a creepy new poster. Sinister director Scott Derrickson co-wrote the script with C. Robert Cargill and Citadel‘s helmer Ciaran Foy directed Sinister 2, with Blumhouse and Focus Features aiming for an August 21, 2015 theatrical release. Shannyn Sossamon leads the sequel’s cast which also features James Ransone, Robert Sloan, and Dartanian Sloan.
The Plot:
In the aftermath of the shocking events in Sinister, a protective mother (Shannyn Sossamon of Wayward Pines) and her 9-year-old twin sons (real-life twins Robert and Dartanian Sloan) find themselves in a rural house marked for death as the evil spirit of Bughuul continues to spread with frightening intensity.
Entertainment One’s releasing Bravetown on VOD and in limited theaters on May 8, 2015, and they’ve just unveiled a new trailer and poster for the upcoming dramatic film. Directed by first-time feature film helmer Daniel Duran from a script by Oscar Orlando, the cast is led by X-Men: First Class‘ Lucas Till and Josh Duhamel. Kherington Payne, Maria Bello, and Laura Dern co-star.
The Plot:
Josh Harvest, a hardened New York City teen from a broken home – and quietly one of the country’s top dance club DJs and remixers – is sentenced to counseling for a minor drug infraction, along with an extended stay with his estranged father, who lives in a small town in North Dakota. He is slow to warm to his new environment, a town best-known for sending its young off to war, many of whom never return. But when Josh is asked to help out the last-place dance team as they vie for the state competition title, his rough exterior begins to soften. As his relationships emerge with both the team’s captain, Mary, and his therapist, each of whom have lost someone special to war, it forces all three to begin to face and heal their pasts.
NBC’s newest drama series, American Odyssey, premiered on April 5, 2015 with Anna Friel, Peter Facinelli, and Jake Robinson in starring roles. The search for the truth of who’s behind an international conspiracy brings disparate characters together in American Odyssey, and at the 2015 WonderCon writers/executive producers Adam Armus and Kay Foster said they are attempting to be as realistic as possible in telling this compelling story.
“We do a lot of research. We’re trying to present a world that shows all sides. So as you watch the episodes you’re going to meet people – especially in the Muslim world – that will surprise you and you’ll find different perspectives that you never thought existed there. And on the New York side as well you’re going to find people that you think you’re supposed to be able to believe in, that you can’t believe in. That’s sort of where we’re getting our stories from,” said Armus.
Asked how difficult it is to craft a conspiracy story that’s believable, Armus replied, “What’s really fun about this is that all we did is sort of read some newspapers. One of the first things that we discovered is that there are over a hundred private military contractors working in the Middle East right now.”
“And North Africa,” said Foster.
“And North Africa. And that was the first thing we said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s so many people who are hired soldiers in that region, I can’t believe it.’ And then at the time Blackwater was being investigated and all these things were happening, it’s like, ‘Wait a minute, here’s the story right here. Here’s the conspiracy right here.’ And suddenly it dawned on us that who’s paying for all this? The corporations that have business interests in all these different parts of the world,” explained Armus. “There was the conspiracy sort of laid out right in front of us, so we just sort of wrote to what we saw.”
It’s an incredibly physically and emotionally difficult role for Anna Friel, and both Armus and Foster praised the actress for her commitment to the part of a soldier struggling to survive and get to the truth of the conspiracy. “Honestly, she’s amazing,” said Armus. “She’s just fantastic. A wonderful actress, and she knew what she was getting into because we had written a lot of them before we cast anyone. She knew the kind of adjure that she would have to endure. But, she was a brave soldier, literally. She trained. She got stronger, because when she came to us she’s a small lady, 5’2″…”
“Diminutive,” offered Foster.
“Diminutive. I remember when we were in Morocco she used to show me her muscles. She was like, ‘Look at me!’ I’m like, ‘You’re awesome!’ She was really proud of what great shape she got into. She kept it up the entire time. We had a trainer with her the entire time,” said Armus.
Watch the entire interview for more on why the show’s called American Odyssey, the characters, and how Eliot Spitzer inspired the character played by Peter Facinelli:
The new trailer for New Line Cinema and MGM’s action comedy Hot Pursuit starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara finds Witherspoon’s height and Vergara’s age used as the butt of jokes. Trailer #2 also shows Witherspoon’s character in disguise as a boy and Vergara obsessing over her shoes. Directed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal), the cast also features John Carroll Lynch and Robert Kazinsky.
Hot Pursuit opens in theaters on May 8, 2015.
The Plot: In Hot Pursuit, an uptight and by-the-book cop (Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas, pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.
Cory Michael Smith (Edward Nygma/The Riddler) promises that before season one of Fox’s Gotham ends, audiences will be treated to scenes of Edward alone in a room that will be pretty disturbing. Audiences have really embraced Smith’s performance as Edward and are ready to see more of his transition from a decent guy who’s basically ignored or taken for granted, to one of DC Comics’ best-known Batman villains.
The steady journey from hero to villain is taking place as Gotham heads toward its season one finale, and at the 2015 WonderCon Smith discussed what fans can expect from the rest of the season as well as his take on Edward’s arc.
“We’ve ended in [episode] 18 where he’s taking bigger challenges, getting a little bit more brave. He finally goes up to Kristen and actually asks her on a date, rather than just giving her cupcakes and bullets. So he’s really reaching out. It’s a big deal; it’s a really big deal and he totally gets shot down,” explained Smith. “I asked the director, I’m like, ‘Look, we’ve been following this little love interest for a while now. At a certain point this is just really frustrating. I’ve been nothing but kind to her and enthusiastic, and shown her exactly how I feel. And to get just shut down because there’s another guy already, it’s frustrating.’ So, I just mutilate the flowers. That’s like a momentary flash of very much darker things that Edward has inside that we will unlock the door and take a peek at. It’s quite horrifying, really, the man inside. I think the veneer of trying…he tries, there’s so much effort. And underneath that, what’s behind that, is a pretty hurt guy.”
“The last few episodes you’ll spend some time alone with Edward in a room with no one else there,” added Smith. “God help America and Canada and France, and everywhere else this is airing. It’s not a pretty place up here.”
Smith admits that waiting to reveal the Riddler has been challenging to his patience.
“I think the fans are so attracted to the mischief in this character, the terrorizing that he does to Gotham, and we all just want to do it – like feel it and see it, and it’s exciting. This character has this ability to just be like massively ornery, and so that is to come. But before that, we had to create a world where this good guy, really the only villain that we’ve let be entirely good at the beginning, you have to earn that and it takes time for this person to constantly be shutdown by everybody that he comes in contact with to really create a human being that would respond the way that he needs to to become the man that he’s going to become. So, I feel like it’s been a well-thought-out and appropriate arc.”
Asked if he believes there was a way to stop the Riddler from becoming a full-on villain, Smith replied, “Oh, sure. If James wanted to embrace how helpful Ed has been. Like, no one talks about it but Ed has really solved three or four crimes. Has anyone ever thanked him for giving them the golden egg that solves the puzzle? No! No, it’s ridiculous. If people would honor him the way that others are celebrated when things are solved, things might be different. Anyone want to promote him? The medical examiner’s gone – got rid of him and they immediately brought in someone else. And he, maybe he’s not a doctor but perhaps he’s more equipped to do some of these examinations. So he’s just not getting any love whatsoever.”
So, it’s actually in Edward to change if he was given the recognition? “Absolutely,” says Smith. “I would like to think that a lot of people in this world who’ve done really terrible things, there’s a reason. I think events are avoidable potentially. People are the response to their environment, response to the way they’re treated, so that’s kind of just how we’re building Ed. It’s fun to have a hero and a villain, to understand why those people have gone those routes, for me as an actor and being interested in psychology, it’s more exciting.”
About those scenes in which Edward will be alone in a room, what will the audience actually be hearing? “You’ll hear his actual thoughts. Yeah, I like to think, you know, it’s funny the way this was all timing out as we were filming this. I don’t know if any of you watched the Robert Durst documentary on HBO, but you know in the final episode of that he’s in the bathroom talking to himself. That aired right before we filmed me being alone in a room talking to myself.
I was reminded that it’s not just a way to tell a story verbally so that the audience knows what you’re thinking. People actually do this. When you’re alone, you talk to yourself. I mean, I do – I don’t know if everyone else does. Some people talk to themselves and you essentially see that. And you get to see a human being fighting with himself, the good and evil, both sides of his conscience are having a conversation, walking through an issue. Or stomping…’stomping’ may be a more appropriate word,” said Smith, laughing.
HBO’s critically acclaimed True Detective returns for a second season with a completely different cast on June 21, 2015. Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch lead the ensemble and are featured in the first minute-long teaser trailer for the dramatic series. The eight-episode season two also features Kelly Reilly, with the first two episodes directed by Justin Lin (the Fast and Furious franchise) from a script by series creator Nic Pizzolatto.
The basic plot: “A bizarre murder brings together three law-enforcement officers and a career criminal, each of whom must navigate a web of conspiracy and betrayal in the scorched landscapes of California.”
Per HBO, here the details on who Farrell, Vaughn, McAdams, Kitsch, and Reilly will be playing:
The Plot: Three police officers and a career criminal must navigate a web of conspiracy in the aftermath of a murder.
– Colin Farrell as Ray Velcoro, a compromised detective whose allegiances are torn between his masters in a corrupt police department and the mobster who owns him.
– Vince Vaughn as Frank Semyon, a criminal and entrepreneur in danger of losing his empire when his move into legitimate enterprise is upended by the murder of a business partner.
– Rachel McAdams as Ani Bezzerides, a Ventura County Sheriff’s detective whose uncompromising ethics put her at odds with others and the system she serves.
– Taylor Kitsch as Paul Woodrugh, a war veteran and motorcycle officer for the California Highway Patrol, running from a difficult past and the sudden glare of a scandal that never happened.
– Kelly Reilly as Jordan, Frank Semyon’s wife, a former D-list actress who is a full partner in his enterprises and ambitions.
Starz has set a November 8, 2015 premiere date for the new dramatic limited series Flesh and Bone, created, written and executive produced by Moira Walley-Beckett (Breaking Bad). The eight-hour series stars Sarah Hay, Ben Daniels, and nearly two dozen ballet dancers.
Animal Kingdom‘s David Michod directed the first episode, and John Melfi, Lawrence Bender, and Kevin Brown executive produce the dance-driven original series.
Former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Irina Dvorovenko, former American Ballet Theatre soloist Sascha Radetsky, Ballet Arizona company dancer Raychel Diane Weiner, and Emily Tyra co-star in Flesh and Bone along with Josh Helman, Damon Herriman, Tina Benko, and Tovah Feldshuh. Ethan Stiefel, former artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and a former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, choreographed the series.
The Plot:
Flesh and Bone follows a young dancer with a distinctly troubled past as she joins a prestigious ballet company in New York. The dark, gritty, complex series unflinchingly explores New York City through the eyes of Claire, played by Sarah Hay, an emotionally wounded but transcendent ballerina navigating the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world. Claire’s self-destructive tendencies amid her vaulting ambitions drive her in compelling, unforeseeable ways, especially when she is confronted with the machinations of the company’s mercurial Artistic Director, played by Ben Daniels and an unwelcome visitor from her past.
