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Read MoreDAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Is Just Another Unwieldy Blockbuster
Reading the reviews that have come in for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, you would think that the sequel to the blockbuster surprise Rise of the Planet of the Apes was something special. Truth be told, there’s a special movie in it somewhere. But it’s the stuff that’s so desperately ordinary that keeps it from differentiating itself from any given summer blockbuster. What’s so ordinary here? I could say it’s shallow characters or standard sequel-itis, making a movie bigger than the first just to be bigger. That’s not it, though. Dawn of the Planets of the Apes is exactly the kind of blockbuster we’ve become accustomed to in the last decade or show: An unwieldy one. Dawn of the Planets of the...
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Read MoreWill We See THE BATMAN In 2019?
When the supposed Warner Bros./DC Comics film slate through 2018 hit the internet last week, there was one burning question: What about a stand-alone Batman movie? Wonder Woman will finally get her movie. We’re getting a sequel to Man of Steel. Plus, there’s a Green Lantern/Flash team-up in the mix. But noticeably absent from the list was the first Batfleck flick. Given the overly enthusiastic response to Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, it makes sense that WB/DC would let the new Batman take hold in a series of DCCU movies before launching a new Batman series. Still, it has to be in the works, right? Right. According to Latino Review, WB/DC are planning Batfleck’s stand-alone movie for 2019, with the current working title of The Batman. It’s just a...
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Read More22 JUMP STREET Exceeds All Comedy Expectations
I loved 21 Jump Street. I thought it was smart, funny and best of all, a surprise. It managed to successfully score with its target audience and further without having to follow the mindless, juvenile fart and sex joke tropes that films in the same genre now seem to contain all too often. I had very cautious high expectations for the sequel, 22 Jump Street. I was scared that the trailers had given the film away and that the all too familiar plot would detract from the enjoyment. That’s why I was disappointed with Neighbors (and I have heard some pretty dismal things about A Million Ways to Die in the West), so I was really hoping for a redeeming comedy this year. 22 Jump Street not only met my...
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Read MoreThe DC Cinematic Universe May Include 7 Films in 3 Years!
DC’s continued effort to create a cinematic universe that can rival Marvel‘s may have it’s problems, but apparently ambition isn’t one of them. According to Nikki Finke, formerly of Deadline infamy, Warner Bros. and DC are planning a major launch for the DCCU at next month’s Comic Con. That plan looks to include seven films in the next three years, including the long-speculated Justice League film, as well as Wonder Woman and a Flash/Green Lantern picture. Here’s what the schedule looks like: May 2016 – Batman v Superman July 2016 – Shazam Xmas 2016 – Sandman May 2017 – Justice League July 2017 – Wonder Woman Xmas 2017 – Flash and Green Lantern team-up May 2018 – Man Of Steel 2 If this turns out to be true, and knowing it’s coming...
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Read MoreIs Singer Out For X-MEN: APOCALYPSE?
Bryan Singer has always been a divisive director in the X-Men Universe. There are fans who hate the first two movies because Singer made Singer movies rather than simply making fun X-Men flicks. Then he left the franchise in order to make Superman Returns over at Warner Bros., causing the top brass at Fox to hate fuck rush X-Men: The Last Stand to release with a mediocre director just so they could beat Superman to theaters. But just as Singer returned to the franchise and crushed it with X-Men: Days of Future Past, the director faced sex abuse allegations that could now derail his return to the franchise. Radar Online is reporting that Singer and execs at Fox are squaring off over whether Singer can or should helm what could...
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Read MoreSpielberg Planning An ALL THE WAY Mini-Series For Bryan Cranston
Just a day after winning Best Play and Best Actor at the Tony’s, All the Way, which chronicles LBJ‘s attempt to get the 88th Congress to pass civil rights legislation, may already have a TV mini-series adaptation in the works… from none other than Steven Spielberg. According to Deadline, Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment is eyeing a production of the award-winning play complete with Bryan Cranston reprising his role as Landslide Lyndon. Since it is a mini-series and not a feature film, Deadline is also speculating that it may involve All the Way playwright Robert Schenkkan’s soon-to-premiere sequel The Great Society. It’s not yet known where the mini-series will find a home, but you can bet that HBO is at the top of the list given Spielberg’s history with the premium cabler. The...
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Read MorePeyton Reed Gets Marvel’s ANT-MAN Gig
Well, that’s disappointing. Just hours after the spectacular David Wain was name dropped as a possible Edgar Wright replacement on Marvel’s Ant-Man, director Peyton Reed, the man who has given us Bring It On (which I love), Yes Man (which I can take or leave) and The Break-Up (which I hate), was announced as the final choice. As a David Wain fan, this is doubly tough. Edgar Wright dropping out was sad, but I get it. David Wain, who could have actually brought something more than benign comedy to the mix, not getting the gig just salts the wound. Oh well, good luck to Mr. Reed. He’s going to need it. We may not get an interesting Ant-Man or an off-beat Ant-Man but at least we’ll get a harmlessly funny one. It’s worth...
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Read MoreMarvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE Gets A Director!
While Marvel searches for Edgar Wright’s replacement over on Ant-Man, they’ve locked in the helmer for the highly anticipated adaptation of Doctor Strange. According to Variety, director Scott Derrickson, whose filmography includes Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the direct to video sequel Hellraiser: Inferno, is in final talks to take the reigns of a film that could be the next big Marvel superhero franchise. If you aren’t familiar with Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange, he’s a former neurosurgeon who protects the Earth from magical threats as its Sorcerer Supreme. Derrickson has a history of turning in solid (and profitable) horror pictures with mystical/religious themes, which very well could mean see Strange versus Daimon Hellstrom (a.k.a. Son of Satan). Ant-Man issues aside, a Doctor Strange film could be pretty epic. I’ve been excited for it...
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In the Lyons Den: Location
Part Two For a project like Schism, the main filming location is important. Very important. When director John C. Lyons finally found the assisted living facility that could serve as his character Neil’s home, Lyons described it as “huge.” Of course, calling the development “huge” may be a bit of an understatement for an Erie production without a budget. Regardless of how you want to phrase it, Schism has its main shooting location and the fun is really about...
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Movie Review: THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006)
The Last King of Scotland (2006) — ***1/2 Until I watched The Last King of Scotland, I didn’t believe that cinema’s rekindled love affair with Africa was hitting the right notes. The Interpreter, Blood Diamond and even Hotel Rwanda all made the mistake of making a statement and not a film. The Last King of Scotland never gets caught up in the politics of the situation on a macro level like its predecessors. Instead we are forced to look at the state of affairs through the...
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Movie Review: ALL THE KING’S MEN (2006)
All the King’s Men (2006) – *1/2 I’m not one to think that all remakes are a bad idea. In fact, remaking the Best Picture winning film All the King’s Men was something that, if done with an eye for epic political drama, could have succeeded. Steve Zaillian’s adaptation of the novel All the King’s Men is not the film it could have been. It’s not even the film it should have been. It’s not a remake, per say, but rather a different...
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Quickie: THE BLACK DAHLIA
The Black Dahlia (2006)–*1/2 Quickie Review Bucky Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) is a former boxed turned cop who befriends another boxing cop Lee Blanchard (Aaron Eckhart). The two get close after fighting for an LAPD publicity stunt. When the stunt goes in the LAPD’s favor, Bleichert gets a nice bonus check and joins Blanchard at homicide. There the headline grabbing partners take down some of L.A.’s top criminals The biggest headline, however, comes after a woman is found cut in...
Read MoreIn the Lyons Den: Screenplay and Auditions
Part One It’s 11:55 a.m., five minutes before auditions begin, and John C. Lyons is talking to a pair of women at a registration table behind the locked doors of the Erie Playhouse Rehearsal Hall, 919 State Street. Outside, where I’m at, 15 or so hopefuls have been waiting, some since 11:30 a.m., to get their shot at a role in Lyons’ first feature film Schism. Dancers. Kids. Older men. Young adults. The crowd is diverse enough, but it’ll...
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