EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Columbia Pictures have unveiled the first teaser trailer along with three new photos from the 24th James Bond movie, Spectre, with Daniel Craig back as Bond, James Bond. Sam Mendes also returned to the franchise to direct from a script by John Logan and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade. In addition to Craig, the Spectre cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, and Andrew Scott.
Spectre opens in theaters on November 6, 2015.
The Plot:
In Spectre, a cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
We’re just a few days away from the premiere of the second half of season one of Outlander and Starz has released a new video providing insight into the relationship between Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan). Droughtlander ends when part two of season one kicks off on April 4, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT, and the story picks up with Jamie and Claire now committed to their relationship and marriage.
Based on the bestselling book series by Diana Gabaldon and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore, Outlander has become one of Starz’ most popular series and was renewed for a second season back in August 2014. The cast also includes Tobias Menzies, Graham McTavish, Lotte Verbeek, Duncan Lacroix, and Grant O’Rourke.
The cast of NBC’s Heroes Reborn has grown by one, with Masi Oka signing on to reprise his character from Heroes in this new event series. Oka will once again play Hiro Nakamura in a guest-starring arc when the show debuts this fall.
“I’m excited to return to my ‘Heroes’ roots,” stated Oka. “Hiro Nakamura was such an inspirational role to play, and I’m hoping the fans will enjoy seeing him back on TV.”
“We are thrilled to have Masi back in the Heroes family,” added creator/executive producer Tim Kring. “The character of Hiro Nakamura was such a huge part of the first series’ success and a gigantic fan favorite. We felt the fans would really love seeing him back in action again.”
Oka joins a cast that includes returning Heroes player Jack Coleman as well as Zachary Levi, Ryan Guzman, Robbie Kay, Danika Yarosh, Judith Shekoni, Kiki Sukezane, Henry Zebrowski, and Gatlin Green. The 13-episode event series from creator/executive producer Tim Kring will once again follow the lives of “ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities.”
Joe Doyle as Judas in National Geographic Channel’s ‘Killing Jesus’ (Photo credit: National Geographic Channels / Kent Eanes)
The new National Geographic Channel movie Killing Jesus premieres this Sunday at 8pm ET/PT with an all-star cast that includes Kelsey Grammer playing King Herod, Stephen Moyer as Pontius Pilate, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Herodia, and Haaz Sleiman as Jesus himself. Based on the Bill O’Reilly/Martin Dugard book, Killing Jesus tells the story of the crucifixion and requires an ensemble cast to do it.
Joe Doyle plays Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus for 30 silver coins, the act famous beyond religious circles so that any betrayer could be called a Judas. I met Doyle at the Television Critics Association press tour where Nat Geo was presenting a panel on Killing Jesus.
Judas isn’t just the villain, right? Is he a lot more complicated?
Joe Doyle: “That’s what I wanted to steer clear of completely as well is just looking at it with a kind of view that he is the archetypal and revered character that people know him for. What was interesting to me was to get his motives at the time, what drove him, what kind of person he was to be able to let that in, to let some sort of influence or persuasion in. For one, I think it was the best Judas that I’d seen written so far.
I got a sense of, I guess, a sensitivity to the guy. He was a young lad who was obviously passionate and obviously had political beliefs but he was easily led. It was a really interesting journey, a really interesting arc to play. In this version, he’s a scribe of the court and he sees Jesus and his disciples and is immediately fired up by his speech. But I think that’s the same mechanism that leads him to eventually start to doubt him.”
It is the persuasion and manipulation of politicians that drive him to do this, to turn on Jesus?
Joe Doyle: “Yes, and I think for me he was very aware of the political situation being a scribe and working in the courts, to then renounce it all and become a disciple. I think when he’s become aware or slightly toyed with by an ex-tax collector, I think that really hits home that he knows the fate of all the disciples.”
Was there a chance in the movie to show when Jesus and Judas were great friends?
Joe Doyle: “There was. I think what Chris [Menaul] did, our director, was kind of embellish that as well, just to really set up that kind of relationship. Maybe what makes that decision even harder to do for Judas maybe, and also the fact that there was a strong bond, there was really strong belief and he didn’t do anything intentionally. That was always the thing for me. Whether he was just fulfilling scripture and had this agreement with Jesus, or whether he was just blindsided by an offer of money, trying to find the balance between the two. We did get a couple of opportunities to get them close and have some kind of rapport.”
What accent did you use for Killing Jesus?
Joe Doyle: “For this one it was just a toned down British accent, I guess, like an old RP accent but much more toned down. There’s quite a few accents, because a lot of the actors were from all over the place. We didn’t agree on one thing specifically.”
Is there a great Last Supper scene?
Joe Doyle: “There is. I think what Chris wanted to do as well was strip it back, so like in everything, we wanted to portray the characters as completely real. So he didn’t want to set it up as if it was the sort of renowned Last Supper like you see in old classic paintings or like you imagine I guess, but it was just a very subtle dinner around low tables on the floor. It make it much more humble.”
How many days did you shoot that scene?
Joe Doyle: “We were on it for, I think, about two days.”
How much of the film shows Judas away from Jesus?
Joe Doyle: “I think it’s more suggested. I guess it comes down to the cut of where he positions certain things, but there’s suggestions. A lot happens after he does the deed and Jesus is handed over. I think there’s a lot going on with him and the Romans. That’s stuff that I didn’t get to see at all, but I think Judas is later seen in his final moments. A good bit goes on so I’ll be interested to see. It was the stuff where he goes to the Kidron Valley.”
Were you shooting in modern Morocco that was just dressed historically?
Joe Doyle: “We were shooting in old kasbahs and old little towns. People still lived there. Essentially some of them are much more run down. They look as though they’re abandoned but you’ve got new towns tacked onto them as well. It’s just an incredible place to film. Along with the costumes and set design as well, it was kind of like taking a real step back in time. It was incredible.”
What was your costume?
Joe Doyle: “It was two layers of Hessian tunic, essentially. It was green, had a green tint to it which maybe echoed the color of jealousy maybe in Judas. He was meant to be the scribe of the court so he was not wealthy, not affluent, but he had a bit of money and he wore slightly finer tunics.”
Were the other costumes thematically color coded?
Joe Doyle: “I don’t think so and I don’t know that it was necessarily intentional, but definitely it was such a contrast between the disciples and the Romans.”
It’s still fun to read that into it.
Joe Doyle: “Yeah, maybe that’s my take on it.”
Did making Killing Jesus illuminate any of Jesus’ philosophies for you that aren’t necessarily religious, but may just be good advice?
Joe Doyle: “Absolutely, and I was really surprised how clear and concise it was when I was reading the script. It was more so the morals behind it. Even though you’ve heard the sermons and you’ve heard everything spoken many times, but I was just surprised to see behind that, the moral of it. That was the first read I did of it, and then when it was actually put into play when we were actually doing them, it was even more so. I think it’s cause and effects. There’s a reason for those sayings. There’s a reason for the sentiment behind them. So it made a lot of things clearer for me.”
What are you doing after Killing Jesus?
Joe Doyle: “I just got a job down in Louisiana […] called Salem.”
You’ll be on the second season? What character are you playing?
Joe Doyle: “I’m going to be playing a baron, Baron Sebastian Marburg.”
Was he a real person?
Joe Doyle: “From what I can understand, he is real within the times. He’s a real character. I don’t know if he is, historically.”
Did you watch the first season of Salem?
Joe Doyle: “I did, I enjoyed it. I’d seen the pilot a while ago and I just caught up with it recently in the past couple of months but I really enjoyed it.”
Were you excited about the opportunity to further complicate their drama?
Joe Doyle: “I was very excited because that kind of stuff is sort of a dream to play. It’s blood and guts, folklore. It’s great to get stuck into and they’ve got a great cast. It looks like a lot of fun and great character as well. I’m really pleased with the character.”
Do you know how many episodes you have?
Joe Doyle: “I’m going to be on it for at least seven.”
The Academy completely overlooked Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in Nightcrawler, but it’s possible Southpaw could put him back in the Oscar spotlight. The first trailer for the dramatic thriller has been released and it’s what you’d expected from a film starring Gyllenhaal, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Olympus Has Fallen), and written by Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy and the upcoming The Bastard Executioner) and Richard Wenk (The Mechanic). In addition to Gyllenhaal, the cast includes Forest Whitaker, Rachel McAdams, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Rita Ora, Naomie Harris and Victor Ortiz.
The Weinstein Company will release Southpaw in theaters in July 2015.
The Plot:
The story of Billy “The Great” Hope, Junior Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World. When tragedy strikes and he loses it all, Billy enters the battle of his life as he struggles to become a contender once again and win back those he loves.
NBC and executive producer Ellen DeGeneres will be exploring new relationships with First Dates, a new reality series based on the U.K. format. NBC’s ordered eight episodes of the series and plans on shooting First Dates in Chicago this July.
The one-hour show looks at first dates taking place at one restaurant on one night.
Here’s the synopsis provided by NBC:
Whenever a prospective couple goes on a first date, the same question always arises: Will the date blossom into a long-term love affair? It’s the moment when sparks often fly and our imaginations run wild — when two people realize they may have found their soul mate.
Based on a hit U.K. format, this unique hour-long series offers an authentic look at a variety of real first dates happening over one night at the same restaurant. The audience will be along for the full ride in a relatable viewing experience that plays like a real romantic comedy. Viewers will judge for themselves about how the couple is interacting and whether they are a good fit for one another. Is there a palpable sense of chemistry? Will there be an ever-elusive second date, or will it be back to love’s drawing board?
“What did you do to my car?!” yells Tip (voiced by Rihanna). “It should hover much better now,” replies Oh (voiced by Jim Parsons), a cute, well-meaning, but accident-prone alien from another world who’s on the run from his own kind (“The Boov”) in the family-friendly animated film Home.
When Oh and his kind land on Earth, Chief Alien Captain Smek (voiced by Steve Martin) orders all humans to be relocated to Australia to make room for the Boov. Trying to fit in and be accepted – Oh, it seems, is not popular among his kind – Oh sends an email to everyone in the universe inviting them to attend his housewarming party. This is a bit of a problem as a rival alien race that’s been hunting the Boov down will receive the message and know where to attack.
Oh goes on the run from his own people and bumps into Tip, a teenage girl who’s trying to find her mom while avoiding being detected and relocated by the Boov. When the Boov captured and relocated all the humans to Australia, they missed Tip. Needing Tip’s help and promising her he can help reunite with her mother, Oh and Tip form an unlikely partnership to avoid the Boov at all costs and get to Australia to find Tip’s mom. So begins a new friendship and a series of funny and dangerous adventures for the two unlikely heroes, and for Oh an opportunity to discover what being human and different is really all about.
Cute, colorful, and loud, Home is a goofy animated fantasy adventure that works due to the talents of its voice performers and its ability to recover from a sluggish first half. Jim Parsons is perfect as the voice of the little alien named Oh, a sweet, lovable misfit who just wants to be accepted and liked by his own, kind and who wants nothing more than to make his friends happy. Rihanna does a great job in bringing to life Gratuity ‘Tip’ Tucci, the young teenage girl who only wants to find her mom, the person she’s closest to in the world. Rihanna provides Tip with just the right amount of smart-aleck humor and sadness to make her a relatable character.
Steve Martin delivers a terrific performance as the voice of Captain Smek, the obnoxious, self-absorbed, and brainless leader of the Boov who always steals and takes credit for other aliens’ ideas and usually makes a bad situation worse without even trying. It’s a character that adds even more humor to the film. Another character who adds both humor and a little heart to the adventure is Pig, Tip’s pet cat who takes an early liking to Oh and always has perfect facial reactions to the chaos and craziness occurring during Tip’s and Oh’s adventure.
The film has a wonderfully bright and colorful look to it, but its use of 3D is almost non-existent, which is unfortunate as half of the film is spent with Oh and Tip in a hovering car. Not once did the 3D make the audience feel as though it was soaring or diving amongst the clouds alongside the animated characters. This is truly a shame considering the movie was made by Dreamworks, the same studio responsible for both How to Train Your Dragon films which were full of stunning 3D effects.
Home has a strong soundtrack with some catching tunes, including “Feel the Light” performed by Jennifer Lopez, who also voices Lucy, Tip’s mom.
Charming and funny, Home is a solid animated fantasy adventure with lessons for children about friendship, trusting yourself, and self-sacrifice. It also features a touching and emotional ending that lifts the film above the average animated movie.
GRADE: B-
MPAA rating: PG for mild action and some rude humor
Ryan Reynolds just shared this ‘official’ photo of Deadpool posing on a bearskin rug! Reynolds tweeted the photo with the message: “With great power, comes great irresponsibility.” #deadpool #officialsuit #deadpoolmovie – @VancityReynolds
Reynolds has waited years to play Merc with a Mouth and now that the film is actually moving forward, fans can expect more Tweets from Reynolds as he chronicles his Deadpool journey. 20th Century Fox has set a February 12, 2016 theatrical release date for the comic book-inspired action adventure film directed by Tim Miller and co-starring Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, and Gina Carano.
The Plot:
Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.
Arrow‘s 17th episode of season three titled “Suicidal Tendencies” found Diggle smack dab in the middle of the action. It also found Arrow’s reputation smeared and people murdered by a fake Arrow. Read on for a recap of all the action of the March 25, 2015 episode.
The episode opens on a beautiful wedding. Oliver (Stephen Amell) arrives late, and Diggle (David Ramsey) gives him grief about it. Then Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) walk in, arm-in-arm and smiling. Diggle pulls Ray into an embrace and whispers that Ray had better never hurt Felicity, or no one would ever find his body.
Suddenly, Diggle gets a text from Lyla. It seems their minister is unable to make the ceremony. Ray surprises everyone by saying that he is a minister and will officiate. He and Diggle walk off to make arrangements, leaving Felicity to tell Oliver that she hopes it’s okay that she came with Ray. He said, of course, it is, and he only ever wanted her to be happy.
The ceremony is short and sweet. Afterward, Felicity receives a text with news that the Arrow has killed several people. Everyone they know gets the same text.
At the lair under Verdant, everyone is discussing what to do. Oliver tells Diggle and Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) to go on their honeymoon. Felicity sees another crime in progress, and Oliver says the imposter will probably turn up. Roy (Colton Haynes) offers to suit up, but Oliver tells him he can handle it alone. Then they see Ray at a press conference with Captain Lance (Paul Blackthorne), Laurel (Katie Cassidy), and the Mayor (Christina Cox), assuring the people of Starling City that justice will be served.
At a warehouse, several criminals are working with drugs. The fake Arrow shows up and starts killing them. The real Arrow arrives, only to discover the culprit is not Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable), as he had suspected. He has no idea who it is. But suddenly, there are more green hooded figures. Oliver starts fighting them all until Maseo (Karl Yune) arrives.
Oliver tells him that killing all these people is pointless because he doesn’t want to be Ra’s al Ghul. But Maseo tells him he had better take the role, or more people will continue dying. Then he and the fake Arrows disappear in a cloud of smoke. Before Oliver can escape, Ray flies in, hovering just outside the warehouse. Using a facial recognition software, he figures out that the Arrow is Oliver Queen.
Meanwhile, Lyla gets called in by Amanda Waller (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) for a mission to extract a Senator from a hostage situation in another country. Lyla isn’t the only one called in. Carrie Cutter, a.k.a. Cupid (Amy Gumenick), and Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot (Michael Rowe), are on board as well.
Felicity comes to see Ray in his office. He confronts her with the fact that the Arrow is Oliver and that she has been lying to him all along. She tries to talk to him, to convince him that Oliver hasn’t been killing these people, but he doesn’t believe her. He doesn’t trust her anymore. Ray tells her that he will get justice, one way or another.
The Suicide Squad drops into their location. Floyd talks about how being in love is just a distraction from the task at hand, but Lyla and Diggle say it gives them more to fight for. They break into the hospital where the hostages and the Senator are being held. The mission is going well until Senator Cray (Steven Culp) pulls a gun. He tells them that no one was supposed to come for him. It appears they’ve been set up.
Felicity visits Oliver in the lair and tells him that Ray knows his identity.
At the police station, Ray is giving his statement to Laurel that Oliver Queen is responsible for the recent killings. Laurel puts him off, so Ray says that if the courts don’t help him, he’ll get justice himself.
Back with the Suicide Squad, the team regroups only to discover that the Senator has rigged the building to explode. Diggle and Lyla regret taking the mission, worried about their daughter when Floyd assures them that they will live to be a family. (Through flashbacks, we learn that Floyd had a family, but the war destroyed him, making him turn on his family.)
In the lair, Team Arrow gets a call that another crime is in progress. Oliver and Roy suit up and leave, hoping to meet the imposter. However, it’s a trap and Ray shows up as the Atom. He blasts Arsenal with some kind of electricity and knocks him out. Just when he thinks he’s taking Oliver down, Oliver throws a well-aimed dagger and shuts down Ray’s entire suit. (Duh! No training!) He shows Ray that, even though he could kill him, he won’t. That he’s not the killer he’s looking for.
Back with the Suicide Squad, Lyla, Diggle and Carrie enter the room where the hostages are being held. While the Senator talks about looking like a hero and becoming President, he realizes that only three of them are there. Deadshot starts taking out guards and he shoots the bomb’s ignition button out of the Senator’s hand.
Diggle, Lyla and Carrie get the hostages out, but the bombs are already set to go off. Diggle radios to Floyd, telling him to get off the building and get away. But Floyd says he’ll stay put to make sure they get away safely. The bomb counts down, Floyd looks at a picture of his family, and the building explodes.
Back in Starling City, the Mayor is holding another press conference but this time Ray Palmer is trying to convince everyone that the Arrow is not responsible for the recent deaths. Just as the Mayor is arguing with him, she’s killed by an arrow.
Diggle and Lyla are back at their apartment, discussing how scary it was that they could have left their daughter an orphan. Diggle tells Lyla that he’ll quit Team Arrow, but Lyla tells him he doesn’t have to, because she quit her job. (I wonder what they’ll do for money? Does Oliver just keep everyone afloat?)
Felicity visits Ray again. He tells her that, essentially, he got his behind handed to him. But he also tells her he believes Oliver is innocent. She tells him that she would like to be with him, and they kiss.
Have you been watching the new Netflix original drama Bloodline? I got hooked just from the first three episodes I got to see early before Netflix presented Bloodline to the Television Critics Association. After that panel, and again at Sundance for the film Slow West, I got to talk with Ben Mendelsohn about the show. Here is a combination of both interviews.
The Plot: Bloodline stars Mendelsohn as Danny Raynor, the black sheep of the Raynor family who returns to try to get close with his siblings John (Kyle Chandler), Meg (Linda Cardellini) and Kevin (Norbert Leo Butz) and their parents (Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard) again, but causes more trouble. All 13 episodes of Bloodline are available on Netflix now.
Do you think Danny is dangerous?
Ben Mendelsohn: “I think that’s something that will unfurl as it were, as people get into the series. But, the family feel very strongly about this guy and it changes from family member to family member. Danny, for his part, feels very strongly about his family too. There’s definitely a friction there and there’s definitely conflict, and it’s an unresolved conflict. In that context, that’s where the danger, as it were, is. Now, about Danny’s life outside of this family, that’s something that gets gotten into a bit.”
I feel we know these people who may think, “Hey, why won’t people help me out with my plans?” Well, we’ve seen in the past something always goes wrong with their plans. I expect the Rayburn family has been burned many times already, haven’t they?
Ben Mendelsohn: “I don’t know. There’s a lot of access points to this in terms of the way one looks at it. I think that’s really important to Bloodline. I think Danny can equally have that feeling towards various family members as well.”
Even episodes two and three change our impression of Danny. We’ve prejudged him, just like Kevin does.
Ben Mendelsohn: “Yeah, and I think these are things which I don’t want to dilute any of that for viewers.”
Did you understand the family dynamics right away or did it take a few scripts?
Ben Mendelsohn: “Well, it evolved too. There were certain dynamics, the rudimentaries of the dynamics that were pretty clearly understood, but in a way you got a clue from the casting. When we all arrived in the room more or less, the first time or two, and we sort of felt each other out, we sort of knew what the dynamic kind of was. I think there were a couple, just speaking for myself, myself and Norbert’s character was a surprise where that dynamic came from. I understood it, but I’d spent a bit of time with the creators, the KZK boys talking about it beforehand. I like to think I understood it.”
Are we going to understand it a lot more after 13 hours?
Ben Mendelsohn: “I think you’re going to be left with things being revealed, yeah. I would hope that you will also be left putting your own connects together. I think that’s part of the pleasure of the series is that you’re not going to get it all carte blanche in that way. Because I think part of the thing with Bloodline is the ability to look at it and think about your own family or a family you know, because family dynamics tend to mirror each other, repeat each other or be archetypes of some type of another again and again and again, more or less. But the big family thing, that’s a particularly American specialty. I think big family, a piece where there’s a large number of kids, that’s not something you see so much in other cultures.”
Is that because people in Australia have smaller families or they just don’t make movies about them?
Ben Mendelsohn: “It might be but it’s not just us. It’s England, it’s anywhere I would care to think of. It’s very unusual to have that much dynasty, if you like, on display. I struggle to think of ones from other cultures but I could think of a bunch of American ones.”
You are remarkably good with accents.
Ben Mendelsohn: “Oh, thank you. I think it’s something, if you come from Australia and you want to work in other places, you’d best try and work at it.”
Is the region in Bloodline a specialized accent?
Ben Mendelsohn: “There is a Florida accent but there’s a lot of different sounds there, so I don’t think we were going for a specific Floridian. There are small sounds and stuff. I mean, there are so many beautiful accents in this country, but generally speaking, I guess the thing about accents is you don’t want them to announce themselves ever. You don’t want to be listening and registering. The less you know about it, the better, I guess.”
Have you been able to find these complex characters in these complex worlds like Bloodline and Starred Up, or is it something filmmakers come to you for?
Ben Mendelsohn: “I would say in the case of these two things, it’s more the latter. These are things that had appeared and then got discussed about. The common theme is the writing was really, really special. For actors, it’s really the writing that gets you and then of course the people you work with.”
Starred Up was so interesting to me because of the culture and structure in the prison. Were you aware of that before that movie came along?
Ben Mendelsohn: “No, not particularly. Again, my prison learning stuff is a couple of people I’ve known along the way, prison films and prison shows and Nat Geo bullsh*t, the same stuff. That’s all Jonathan Asser, the writer, who is the Rupert Friend character really and worked in that jail. The first thing I did was sat down with six or seven of his prisoners, his ex-guys that had gone through that program that he had. They’d all been violent within jail, problem violent guys, and none of them had gone back. So he knew what he was on about. For me, that’s the most important thing about Starred Up. That’s the heart for me is I think he was really onto something. A good guy too. Really good guy.”
I’ve always wondered, in Killing Me Softly, you are so sweaty. Had you actually not bathed or was that all makeup?
Ben Mendelsohn: “I helped it along. I always try and do at least a little something just to lean things in the right direction, but that look was pretty special. I’ve got to tell you, in the New Orleans heat, under that polyestery [jacket], it wasn’t hard to sweat.”
