Disney’s prequel to show a whole different side to the well-known evil character
Oscar winner Emma Stone is playing as the new role of villain- Cruella de Vil in the upcoming live-action version of the Disney’s iconic “101 Dalmatians”. Glen Close, who played the same role back in the 1990’s version to the cartoon is also on the scene, this time as producer.
The first official trailer has been launched and by the looks of it, there is a dark punk feeling as fans get a sneak behind the back story of a younger Cruella.
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According to Disney, the synopsis for the 2021 version: “In 1970s London, young fashion designer Estella de Vil becomes obsessed with dogs’ skins, especially Dalmatians, until she eventually becomes a ruthless and terrifying legend known as Cruella.”
“Cruella” is scheduled for theatrical release on May 28, 2021.
First, we saw a sneak-peek image of Ben Affleck as Knightmare Batman for the upcoming release of “Justice League”. Next, two newly released Joker images played by Jared Leto, give fans a glimpse of a very different type of villain, free of his face tattoos as compared to the Joker in the 2016 “Suicide Squad”.
The new trailer features additional never seen footage and, on the heels of WW84 and other success of the various individual heroes this huge conglomeration of the league can only be called epic. Four hours epic. See the newest trailer below:
https://youtu.be/vM-Bja2Gy04
Known as Zack Snyder’s Justice League so as not to be confused with the original 2017 version that was, among fans of Zack Snyder a disappointment – this extreme treatment is building up to be a major event.
The world’s greatest super heroes, the Justice League, comprising of DC’s unprecedented team, including the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash, who are known to have fought to restore faith, and recover the humanity in humanity.
Above: first look at his Crown Prince of Crime
“It will be an entirely new thing, and, especially talking to those who have seen the released movie, a new experience apart from that movie.”
Though known for a tsunami of anti-trump and pro-biden campaign ads, so successful that they may have help defeat Trump last November, this clip is designed to bring out the dramatic and deadly truth of the Insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021
Beginning by calling for justice for officer Brian Sicknick, who died as a result of the Capitol riot, the clip builds to point out the simple truth that the death and destruction of that day was fomented, not only by Trump in his speech in Washington D.C. shortly before the terrorist riot, but by the incitement and lies that were so blatantly and vehemently broadcast to his followers in the weeks and months before.
The video begins with a somber statement:
“In the Capitol Rotunda, the remains of a brave man rest in a place of honor, he died a hero, and now Brian Sicknick deserves justice.”
In many ways, by the very nature of a Senate impeachment trial, somehow simple unavoidable facts seem to become unfocused in the process: That a good, heroic man died protecting democracy and those that were in the Capitol that day to try and practice it.
Prequel based on Game of Thrones: Fire will Reign, GOT fans will see the history of the Targaryens come to life
During a panel for Television Critics’ Association, the HBO network confirmed that the GOT prequel is happening and will begin filming, starting in April. The prequel, “House of the Dragon” is co-created by George R.R. Martin and based off his book “Fire & Blood”.
Click here to see “Fire & Blood” and help independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
The series will have a total of 10 episodes and star Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen and will tell the story of the Targaryen war that happened 300 years before events in the series “Game of Thrones”.
Other characters include Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen played by Emma D’Arcy, Queen Alicent Hightower played by Olivia Cooke, Viserys’ and Prince Daemon Targaryen played by Matt Smith.
Another character, Aegon II Targaryen, who is Princess Rhaenyra’s half-brother, who will be pivotal for the series. The younger half sibling challenges her claim to the throne and ultimately the cause of the civil war, however the actor to play the character has yet to be revealed.
Filming is said to begin in April and based on current information will be slated for release sometime in 2022 on HBO and HBO Max.
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Dark, Suspenseful, Thriller and Swedish, yes please
Netflix has released a number of crime related documentary series like that of “Crime Scene” and “Night Stalker”. Want the crime, but also want some fiction? Check out the new Swedish thriller, “Red Dot”, the film has jumped up to the top 10 ranks and is worth a watch.
The movie centers on a hiking trip a couple takes to rekindle their marriage, yet its not long before the two find themselves instead fleeing to save their lives. The couple, David and Nadja struggle against the unforgiving wilderness and an unknown shooter.
Thanks to Netflix, viewers are getting a wider selection of titles to watch. This thriller is just one foreign film with rising popularity that is continuing the tradition of other recent foreign release successes, like that of Lupin. And based on those that have already watched, get ready for a crazy and intense ending!
Two newly released Joker images played by Jared Leto, give fans a glimpse of a very different type of villain, free of his face tattoos as compared to the Joker in the 2016 “Suicide Squad”.
The director did not initially have Joker as part of the original plan and decided to add him into his version of the DC Comics team up. The hotly anticipated release details and content reveal is now beginning to emerge, as weekly a new character seems to be featured in a missive from the director.
“The Joker is really the only thing that I thought of in retrospect,” Snyder says in an interview with VF. “But I will say that it was always my intention to bring Joker into that world.”
In all the DCEU movies, Batman and Joker have never faced off, yet definitely have history (Joker killed Robin) thus the director is ultimately teasing fans, who will have to wait until its release on March 18, 2021 on HBO Max to finally see the two come head to head.
The official full trailer as Snyder has shared in his twitter post, will be released on Valentine’s day, 2/14/2021.
Netflix’s newest drama, “Firefly Lane” has jumped to the first spot on the platforms top 10. The series follows the decade-long friends, Tully Hart played by Katherine Heigl and Kate Mularkey played Sarah Chalke. The young girls original meet in the early 1970’s when then the two teens move across from one other on ….Firefly Lane.
The two become inseparable friends through 30 years of the good and bad times, as well as everything that in between that can happen when you’ve been friends for multiple decades. The series follows the two young ladies from their teens years up to their 40’s.
I’m not gonna lie…this feels really really good!! Thank you to all those who watched!! You’ve made our #fireflylane dreams come true!! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/no73tIyp0Y
Click to see “Firefly Lane” and help independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
Katherine Heigl, who many people recognize her name from the very famous ABC series “Grey’s Anatomy”.
The actor who has been working for decades, was labeled in Hollywood as “difficult” back in the early 2000’s and was essentially blacklisted for a period of time. “Firefly Lane” is the actresses latest comeback, and by looks of her tweet, she is very happy about it!
The episodic, based on the bestselling novel by Kristin Hannah (with same title) premiered February 3rd, and those that have already binged it, are already wanting to know, desperately when season 2 will be out.
Those that have read the book, without giving away any spoilers, knows that there will be a dramatic ending to the season.
A total of 6 nods for “Mank” were announced during the nomination ceremony for the 78th Golden Globe Awards. The film about “Citizen Kane” available on Netflix is now leading the most nominations for the company, with no other streaming service (Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime or Apple TV+) coming close. Last year Netflix dominated at the Globes and it appears they will follow the same lead, commanding a total of 42 nominations (22 in the film category and 20 for television series).
Co-writer Herman Mankiewicz landed a nomination for best film (drama). Best actor for Gary Oldman. Best director for Jack Fincher. Best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried. Best score and best screenplay for Jack Fincher.
“Despite a stressed pandemic year, there is a comfort of sorts in embracing traditions, perhaps it is a hopeful sign that we will get out of this eventually,” Oldman said in a statement. “The Golden Globes are such a sign of both tradition and normal.”
The 78th Golden Globe Awards is set to be hosted by comedians Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler on February 28, 2021, and will be telecast live on NBC at 5 p.m.
A hall of mirrors, not only of reflections on “Kane” and “Mank” but this very moment in time
Seeing “Mank” on netflix, in painstakingly low tech black and white on and ancient 2004 vintage plasma flat screen many coincidences seemed to converge and collide.
In the final sequences of Mank as the epilogue divulges the Oscar win for best screenplay and indicates that “Citizen Kane” was the final film written by Herman J. Mankiewicz, while as is part of Hollywood history and lore, it was the first by Orsen Wells, as a director and actor.
And Mank was released a day after it was announced that Warner Bros. would begin releasing all its films (the next 17, at any rate) simultaneously on HBO max and in theaters. For many, particularly those in the movie theater business, this was seen as a possible death knell for live cinema.
And, taking this thread further, “Mank” also touches on the fact that Citizen Kane, which in many ways marks the birth of modern filmmaking, was only released at all due to legal maneuvering by RKO Radio Pictures, and Orson Wells only had the contract allowing him full autonomy because of his status as a radio star…
Radio, in other words, was present at the inauguration of modern cinema while Streaming attends the death of the movie theater experience, for the time being, at any rate.
And while these various technical marvels, the luxurious, sensual and powerfully stimulative immersion in a dark theater, on the one hand, and the inconsistent and convenient yet ever evolving systems of today both share, as a prerequisite to all creation the written, spoken and word and the imagination the imbues its invocation.
A movie for the ages and a single man’s creative life that was fulfilled through it’s creation
Adding to the layers of what seems like uncanny timing, “Citizen Kane” inspirational subject in real life, William Randolph Hearst, was at the time of the film’s initial release, rich on the level that would compare to Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos today, but was a newspaper Publisher. Newspaper publishing is yet another storytelling technology that, already at that time was considered on its way out, and in “Mank” there is even a scene where Hearst touts “Talkies”, movies with sound and dialog, as the technology that would captivate the future.
Implying, inadvertently perhaps, that we are at a similar crossroads of change, and that, while streaming, digital publishing and beyond may be “the future”, the light of good works, and of a great story well told, will shine into eternity, as will “Citizen Kane” and the man who originally conceived it: Mank.
At the beginning of the year, Netflix dropped a beautiful and major bombshell, that they will be premiering a brand new movie every week of 2021. That means, thee will be appropxiately, it appears, upwards of 71 new movies with all the various genres covered! (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more).
If you are not new to the platform, 2021 is streaming gold for Netflix (with 42 total Golden Globe nominations). With Bridgerton, Lupin, The Dig, Below Zero, Night Stalker and we are only barely into February.
Streaming is looking like a permanently dominant dissemination method for visual content going forward, as, in addition to Netflix, HBOmax is getting all of the WB theatrical slate based on the initial North American debut schedule, while Disney is going full bore with a string of Star Wars and Marvel spin offs. A slew of books are also getting film treatment including best selling titles: The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window, Munich, The Last Letter from Your Lover.
Below are some of the upcoming releases with trailers for the next two months:
Sam Levinson teams up with Zendaya and John David Washington for an achingly romantic drama in which a filmmaker (Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) return home following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love. Working with cinematographer Marcell Rev, Levinson creates a film of rare originality; an ode to the great Hollywood romances as well as a heartfelt expression of faith in the medium’s future.
THE DIG:
As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain’s past are illuminated in the face of its uncertain future.
BELOW ZERO:
A Spanish gritty action thriller movie (Bajocero) that has English voice-over features is set when a prisoner transfer van is attacked. The cop, Martin, who is in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: surviving the icy temperatures.
NIGHT STALKER
This historical limited series is a documentary that follows the young detective Gil Carrillo and legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno as they work expeditiously to catch the “Night Stalker”. Beneath the sunlit glamour of 1985 LA lurks a relentlessly evil serial killer. In this true-crime story, two detectives won’t rest until they catch Richard Ramirez, who was eventually arrested for his terrible crimes.
I CARE A LOT:
A crooked legal guardian who drains the savings of her elderly wards meets her match when a woman she tries to swindle turns out to have equally shady ties of her own. Starring Rosamund Pike, Eiza Gonzalez, Dianne Wiest, Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina, and Isaiah Whitlock Jr.
PENGUIN BLOOM
Penguin Bloom tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts), a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her unable to walk. Sa m’s husband, (Andrew Lincoln), her three young boys and her mother (Academy Award-nominated Jacki Weaver), are struggling to adjust to their new situation when an unlikely ally enters their world in the form of an injured baby magpie they name Penguin. The bird’s arrival is a welcome distraction for the Bloom family, eventually making a profound difference in the family’s life.
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
A bright city, a dull morning and a curious girl on the train. When a voyeuristic divorcee fixates on the lives of a perfect couple from afar, she soon gets embroiled in a murder mystery that unfolds revealing truths about her own life. Get on board a thrilling experience with Parineeti Chopra, Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari and Avinash Tiwary. Catch Ribhu Dasgupta’s The Girl On The Train on 26th February, only on Netflix.
Upcoming drama focusing on the complicated matters of Love
Zendaya, most recently known for her HBO episodic work in “Euphoria” is making a return to the big screen for the Netflix. The actress will be joining John David Washington (“Tenet”) in the romance film “Malcolm & Marie”, which was shot in black and white.
The upcoming film was created by Sam Levinson (also writer, producer and director of “Euphoria”) and was among the first films that were put together during the pandemic. It has been reported that the production team went above and beyond with precautions to be compliant with the covid-19 protocols.
“Malcolm & Marie” focuses in on a couple’s conversation regarding their past relationships.
The film, which is scheduled for release Feb. 5, has already started to stir up talks of an Academy Award nomination for Zendaya, and as can be hinted from trailer she gives highly charged, emotional performance.
“I am so grateful to this cast and crew, many of whom are my ‘Euphoria’ family, for coming together during such uncertain times. We felt privileged to be able to make this film together and we did so with a lot of love. We are all thrilled that it has ended up with Netflix which is unparalleled in allowing filmmakers the freedom to tell their stories that reach audiences all over the world.”
Looking like a slowdown and shift to new sponsors for 2021
Super Bowl LV airs live on CBS and CBS All Access on Sunday, February 7th kicking off at 6:30 p.m. Before you see one of the biggest sporting events of the year when the Chiefs and Buccaneers (with Tom Brady) take the field, below are sneak peaks of some of the ads set to air during the big game.
With a few exceptions many of the usual sponsors are back. Tide, Pringles, Amazon, Cheetos, Doritos, Frito Lay, M & M’s and, of course, Bud Light. But a few notable newcomers include Square Space, Rockstar Energy and the ad that already has people cringing, Robinhood.
After the incredible backlash against the app restricting trading in GameStop, AMC, BlackBerry and others, for many the ad falls flat, crashes you might say. Probably a great test of the theory that any publicity is good publicity. They have seen a surge in signups. Go figure. Check the ad below and then take a look at the 16 we collected as a preview to the big day.
Promising content continues to go live each week in 2021
Netflix announced earlier this year, they will be rolling out some major content each week and will premier a brand new movie every week of 2021. With the upcoming price hike for another $1 for the standard account and $2 for the premium subscription, it seems like the streaming platform is giving viewers a bang for their buck..
New movie releases will have all the various genres covered! (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more). Below are the movie releases for January, 29, 2021.
This British, period piece, based on real life events, casts Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James. The movies tells the story: on the eve of World World II, a British widow hires a self-taught archaeologist and embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Digging up a mysterious formation on her land, leads to a staggering find.
A Spanish gritty action thriller movie (Bajocero) that has English voice-over features is set when a prisoner transfer van is attacked. The cop, Martin, who is in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: surviving the icy temperatures.
Right now, the best movies on the financial crises of 2008 and 2000 and stock trading in general are all trending on the streaming rental market, since they are nearly impossible to find on subscription based platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max, Disney +, etc.
As a result, paid views have skyrocketed, for example, on iTunes, where “The Big Short” is #3 and “Wolf on Wall Street” is #4
This surge applies to other films such as the excellent ‘Boiler Room” with Giovanni Ribisi. The films are all excellent and worth paying for if the chaotic craze with huge money gained and lost with GameStop, AMC and the whole Reddit, Robinhood brouhaha has you curious to learn more about the financial markets.
Click to buy “The Big Short” and help Lynxotic and all Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
The reality is sinking in, slowly, that the future is truly unknowable and that big changes and even bigger challenges are looming. Twin shocks of a health emergency and a financial crisis, intertwined and yet with separate trajectories, are still to be resolved in our near future.
And then there’s the myriad of other challenges that were already acute, such as global warming and the “other” epidemic; corruption and greed. It’s almost too much to face up to, and no one can be blamed for wanting to just turn away.
Too much has been glossed over. After the 2008 crisis we all just wanted to put that ugly mess behind us and get on with our lives. I suppose the criminals that netted billions as a “reward” for almost destroying the entire global economy were also eager to just move on.
All that as it may be, perhaps, a way to begin the process of regaining our courage and looking into the future with some kind of hope, or at least a deeper understanding of the human dilemma and historical precedents, might be to enjoy films about small moments of triumph before great adversity. Here are a few recent options:
Barely 12 years ago, the financial collapse and ensuing “Great Recession” was a nightmare scenario. The aftermath of that debacle is also a contributor to the economic dangers we see before us in 2020. This film, likely the best based on that era, highlights how outsiders and misfits were able to prosper, even as they witnessed the corruption, failure and systemic injustice that brought the world to the brink of total economic chaos.
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
Want know more about shorting? About the shady and complicated scams? And also see an incredible film?
‘Wolf of Wall Street’:
The Wolf of wall street is simply a great movie. It’s even better though if you watch it in the context of stock market mania. Just like the one that’s happening now.
Beyond the fact that the story is incredibly entertaining it does also get into the heart of the “pump & dump” boiler room mentality. While the so called ‘retail investors” who are riding the Robinhood stock purchasing app to what they see as well deserved revenge on Wall Street, and Belfort who was the real life “Wolf of Wall Street” was more of a wannabe that couldn’t get into the establishment.
He then set forth, with chutzpa and insanity and some drugs, built his own criminal empire, there are some very clear correlations between his tricks that made him rich and what the short-squeezing Reddit & Wall Street Bets chat room vigilantes are doing right now.
Can we all be like the guys, Jordan Belfort or Michael Burry, who was played by Christian Bale in the movie, and even though it was about going short, it’s sill ok, cause, Christian Bale?
History does exist, even if it happened before your uncle was born
Up until 1934 many things were legal and rampant that today, technically, are not allowed. Insider Trading is the most obvious and best defined, look up Martha Stewart and jail time if you want to know more about that.
Collusion in the market is another less well known practice, also known as “pump & dump” that has as many variations as Ponzi schemes and, though illegal, will never be stamped out. The technical terms for Colluding in relation to stock trading are “securities fraud” or “market manipulation.”
Not to get technical but here’s an partial excerpt of the legal specifics:
15 U.S. Code § 78i – Manipulation of security prices
(a) – (2 To effect, alone or with 1 or more other persons, a series of transactions in any security registered on a national securities exchange, any security not so registered, or in connection with any security-based swap or security-based swap agreement with respect to such security creating actual or apparent active trading in such security, or raising or depressing the price of such security, for the purpose of inducing the purchase or sale of such security by others.
Click to buy “Antrhopocene” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
For a bird’s-eye overview and scientific perspective – Athropocene is a film for those ready to think deeply on how, once beyond the immediate danger, we would want to emerge into a new era as a species. A positive reaction to the current crisis, worldwide, has been a series of ideas and proposals that show a willingness to confront the challenges from an entirely new perspective. Maybe new leadership can mean starting over and making a pledge to try a new approach to literally everything.
‘The film follows the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group who, after nearly 10 years of research, argue that the Holocene Epoch gave way to the Anthropocene Epoch in the mid-twentieth century as a result of profound and lasting human changes to the Earth.”
Cinderella Man
This Depression era feel-good story takes on new meaning as we see a “Great Depression II” potentially looming. Looking for strength and courage facing forces that threaten our survival, and coming out at the end in a better place, that’s a synopsis and blueprint we can all benefit from observing, even if it’s packaged as a Hollywood vehicle. Russel Crowe at his best. Maybe worth a second look.
Want know more about shorting? About the shady and complicated scams? And also see an incredible film?
The Wolf of wall street is simply a great movie. It’s even better though if you watch it in the context of stock market mania. Just like the one that’s happening now.
Beyond the fact that the story is incredibly entertaining it does also get into the heart of the “pump & dump” boiler room mentality. While the so called ‘retail investors” who are riding the Robinhood stock purchasing app to what they see as well deserved revenge on Wall Street, and Belfort who was the real life “Wolf of Wall Street” was more of a wannabe that couldn’t get into the establishment. He then set forth, with chutzpa and insanity and some drugs, built his own criminal empire, there are some very clear correlations between his tricks that made him rich and what the short-squeezing Reddit & Wall Street Bets chat room vigilantes are doing right now.
Can we all be like the guys, Jordan Belfort or Michael Burry, who was played by Christian Bale in the movie, and even though it was about going short, it’s sill ok, cause, Christian Bale?
History does exist, even if it happened before your uncle was born
Up until 1934 many things were legal and rampant that today, technically, are not allowed. Insider Trading is the most obvious and best defined, look up Martha Stewart and jail time if you want to know more about that.
Collusion in the market is another less well known practice, also known as “pump & dump” that has as many variations as Ponzi schemes and, though illegal, will never be stamped out. The technical terms for Colluding in relation to stock trading are “securities fraud” or “market manipulation.”
Not to get technical but here’s an partial excerpt of the legal specifics:
15 U.S. Code § 78i – Manipulation of security prices
(a) – (2 To effect, alone or with 1 or more other persons, a series of transactions in any security registered on a national securities exchange, any security not so registered, or in connection with any security-based swap or security-based swap agreement with respect to such security creating actual or apparent active trading in such security, or raising or depressing the price of such security, for the purpose of inducing the purchase or sale of such security by others.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer / Netflix
Streaming started January 13. This historical limited series is a documentary that follows the young detective Gil Carrillo and legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno as they work expeditiously to catch the “Night Stalker”. Beneath the sunlit glamour of 1985 LA lurks a relentlessly evil serial killer. In this true-crime story, two detectives won’t rest until they catch Richard Ramirez, who was eventually arrested for his terrible crimes.
A gradual climb up the internal Netflix chart has kicked the limited series up to #3 for the weekend. The quality of the presentation seems to be the draw and the time frame that it deals with – the mid-eighties – has been au du jour of late – with Wonder Woman 1984 and other films that focus on that unique decade and its zeitgeist. Check out the trailer below if you want a taste:
The reality is sinking in, slowly, that the future is truly unknowable and that big changes and even bigger challenges are looming. Twin shocks of a health emergency and a financial crisis, intertwined and yet with separate trajectories, are still to be resolved in our near future.
Click to buy “The Big Short” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
And then there’s the myriad of other challenges that were already acute, such as global warming and the “other” epidemic; corruption and greed. It’s almost too much to face up to, and no one can be blamed for wanting to just turn away.
Too much has been glossed over. After the 2008 crisis we all just wanted to put that ugly mess behind us and get on with our lives. I suppose the criminals that netted billions as a “reward” for almost destroying the entire global economy were also eager to just move on.
All that as it may be, perhaps, a way to begin the process of regaining our courage and looking into the future with some kind of hope, or at least a deeper understanding of the human dilemma and historical precedents, might be to enjoy films about small moments of triumph before great adversity. Here are a few recent options:
Barely 12 years ago, the financial collapse and ensuing “Great Recession” was a nightmare scenario. The aftermath of that debacle is also a contributor to the economic dangers we see before us in 2020. This film, likely the best based on that era, highlights how outsiders and misfits were able to prosper, even as they witnessed the corruption, failure and systemic injustice that brought the world to the brink of total economic chaos.
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
Click to buy “Antrhopocene” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
For a bird’s-eye overview and scientific perspective – Athropocene is a film for those ready to think deeply on how, once beyond the immediate danger, we would want to emerge into a new era as a species. A positive reaction to the current crisis, worldwide, has been a series of ideas and proposals that show a willingness to confront the challenges from an entirely new perspective. Maybe new leadership can mean starting over and making a pledge to try a new approach to literally everything.
‘The film follows the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group who, after nearly 10 years of research, argue that the Holocene Epoch gave way to the Anthropocene Epoch in the mid-twentieth century as a result of profound and lasting human changes to the Earth.”
Facing death constantly is a reality in war times. This story is a testament to resilience and survival against all odds.
Angelina Jolie directs this adaptation from Laura Hillenbrand’s popular book, “Unbroken” stars Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Alex Russell, Miyavi and Finn Wittrock
Cinderella Man
This Depression era feel-good story takes on new meaning as we see a “Great Depression II” potentially looming. Looking for strength and courage facing forces that threaten our survival, and coming out at the end in a better place, that’s a synopsis and blueprint we can all benefit from observing, even if it’s packaged as a Hollywood vehicle. Russel Crowe at his best. Maybe worth a second look.
Click to buy “Unbroken” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
Get ready for a wave of fantasy coming to the Netflix streaming platform. A new series based and adapted from on the Grisha trilogy “Shadow & Bone” by author Leigh Bardugo.
The stories are based on Russian folklore and follows the young orphan, Alina Starkov, played by Jessie Mei Li, who discovers something big. She finds out that she is a Grisha, which is the rare ability to manipulate the elements. Set in the Kingdom of Ravka. Other young actors that will be cast include: Ben Barnes as General Kirigan, Kit Young as Jesper Fahey, Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa, Freddy Carter as Kat Brekker and many others.
Netflix describes the series:
“Sinister forces plot against a young soldier when she reveals a magical power that might unite her world”.
-NETFLIX
The teaser trailer dropped late last year and is set for release this spring, currently for April 23, 2021. The first part of the series (Season 1) will include 8 1-hour long episodes.
Shadow and Bone
Click to see “Shadow and Bone” and help independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.
Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.
As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.
Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.
Emilio Estevez is back and coming to Disney+, he will reprise his role from “Mighty Ducks” as hockey coach Gordon Bombay. A new trailer just dropped the trailer and release date.
Set in present day in Minnesota, the new TV show based on the iconic movie takes place 30 years after the Mighty Ducks first took to the ice. Unlike the movie, where the young hockey players were underdogs, this time around they are an ultra-competitive team. Enter, young hockey player Evan, who gets cut from the team for not being good enough. Evan’s mom, Alex, played by Lauren Graham sets out to form a new team for any “misfits”.
The new series will have a total of 10-episodes for the first season. Disney+ will premier “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” on March 26, 2021.
Promising content continues to go live each week in 2021
Netflix announced earlier this year, they will be rolling out some major content each week and will premier a brand new movie every week of 2021. With the upcoming price hike for another $1 for the standard account and $2 for the premium subscription, it seems like the streaming platform is giving viewers a bang for their buck..
New movie releases will have all the various genres covered! (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more). Below are the movie releases for January, 29, 2021.
This British, period piece, based on real life events, casts Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James. The movies tells the story: on the eve of World World II, a British widow hires a self-taught archaeologist and embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Digging up a mysterious formation on her land, leads to a staggering find.
Below Zero / January 29
A Spanish gritty action thriller movie (Bajocero) that has English voice-over features is set when a prisoner transfer van is attacked. The cop, Martin, who is in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: surviving the icy temperatures.
If you loved Part 1, the second installment is coming later this year…
Omar Sy plays Assane Diop in ‘Lupin’, a limited Netflix series that has become a somewhat unexpected hit. While there have been some successful streaming hits with original French production and English sub-titles, this time it’s not an impediment but a feature.
Going to the source can make the Netflix series all the more satisfying
The series is based on Leblanc’s book series, which includes 17 novels and 30 novellas, all of which were written in the early 1900’s. The turn-of-the-century surprise hit. Lupin was initially created in response to the popularity of Sherlock Holmes. These stories–the best of the Lupin series–are outrageous, melodramatic, and literate, and they sparkle with amusing banter.
We’ve rounded up the first five books in the series to get you started.
Leblanc’s creation, gentleman thief Ars ne Lupin, is everything you would expect from a French aristocrat–witty, charming, brilliant, sly…and possibly the greatest thief in the world. The inspiration for the new Netflix series, Lupin, starring Omar Sy
The poor and innocent have nothing to fear from him; often they profit from his spontaneous generosity. The rich and powerful, and the detective who tries to spoil his fun, however, must beware.
They are the target of Lupin’s mischief and tomfoolery. A masterful thief turned detective, his plans frequently evolve into elaborate plots, the predecessor to such present day capers as Ocean’s Eleven and The Sting. Click to see “Gentleman-Thief” and help independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon and Google Shopping.
LeBlanc’s creation, gentleman thief Arsene Lupin, is everything you would expect from a French aristocrat — witty, charming, brilliant, sly . . . and possibly the greatest thief in the world.
In this classic tale, Lupin comes up against the only man who may be able to stop him . . . no less than the great British gentleman-detective Herlock Sholmes Who will emerge triumphant? Includes a new introduction by Darrell Schweitzer.
In a country manor, a terrible noise awakes the household. Downstairs, the estate’s secretary has been murdered. There are signs of a break-in, but everything appears to be in its proper place. What kind of thief would commit murder to steal nothing?
The first detective on the case is Isidore Beautrelet, a precocious teenager who wears a fake beard to disguise the fact that he has not yet graduated from high school.
Although the other investigators do not take him seriously, Beautrelet is the one to pick up the trail of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief.
Lupin, it is soon discovered, is chasing the most valuable object he has ever had the opportunity to steal: the Hollow Needle. Passed down for generations by the kings of France, it holds a secret that could undo the republic. No one has ever managed to foil one of Lupin’s fiendish plans, but Beautrelet is counting on beginner’s luck.
Arsene Lupin, accused of murder, heads the police investigation to clear himself by finding the true killer! One of the very best Lupin novels.
When one of Arséne Lupin’ victims is found dead in a way that implicates the wily criminal, he insists on heading the police search for the real murderer.
The mystery involves finding a package of letters once written to Bismarck, locating a clock on which the number 813 has significance, as well as causing a reigning emperor to make several journeys incognito. Murders by the dozens, suicide and mild forms of torture are warp and woof of the plot.
Author Maurice LeBlanc (1864-1941) was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsene Lupin, often described as a French counterpart to Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation Sherlock Holmes. (The two actually meet in one of LeBlanc’s novels.)
Arsene Lupin may have finally met his match in Deputy Daubrecq, a cunning detective who foils Lupin’s most cunning roberies, thefts, and even a kidnapping.
Can the world’s greatest thief get his act together, save his arrested men from the guillotine, and recover his lost honor?
A thrilling adventure from the author of Arsene Lupin, Arsene Lupin vs. Herloch Sholmes, and The Hollow Needle!
When you just want to find the best without sorting trough all the rest
With all various streaming platforms so readily accessible, it can be a real struggle to figure out what to watch on any given day. Aside from new releases, there are often a handful of recent or classic movies and Amazon originals you may have overlooked. Amazon Prime videos can also be tricky to navigate as you can search practically any TV show or movie, but that doesn’t always mean it will be free to watch for subscribers. It can be a real let-down to finally find the movie you want to watch and realize it’s going to cost you $, sometimes mega $ if it is a current release.
Unlike Netflix, where the same movies keep circulating within various sub-categories of curated recommendations, the problem with Amazon is that there are virtually unlimited choices but the sections featuring the “included with Prime” options are, similar to Netflix, confusing to navigate at times. It’s almost as if they want to make it appear as if there are many more available than is actually the case, even as you stumble on the same titles again and again in a different mixture.
Below are the top 10 movies we recommend to watch on Amazon Prime video ( including both the best new releases along with some not-so-new quality classics):
On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, (Eli Goree), defeats heavy weight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).Based on the award-winning play of the same name, and directed by Regina King, One Night In Miami… is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these four formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.
Sylvie’s Love / 2020
Sylvie has a summer romance with a saxophonist who takes a summer job at her father’s record store in Harlem. When they reconnect years later, they discover that their feelings for each other have not faded with the years.
Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in KNIVES OUT, a fresh, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, KNIVES OUT is a fun, witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.
Sound of Metal / 2019
During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. Utilizing startling, innovative sound design techniques, director Darius Marder takes audiences inside Ruben’s experience to vividly recreate his journey into a rarely examined world.
From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har’el brings to life a young actor’s stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health. Fictionalizing his ascent to stardom, and subsequent crash-landing into rehab and recovery, Har’el casts Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges as Otis Lort, navigating different stages in a frenetic career. LaBeouf takes on the therapeutic challenge of playing a version of his own father, an ex-rodeo clown and a felon. Dancer-singer FKA twigs plays a neighbor and kindred spirit to the younger Otis. Har’el’s feature narrative debut is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between filmmaker and subject, exploring art as medicine and imagination as hope through the life and times of a talented, traumatized performer who dares to go in search of himself.
You Were never Really Here / 2018
A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe’s nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Based on author David Grann’s nonfiction bestseller, “The Lost City of Z” tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as “savages,” the determined Fawcett—supported by his devoted wife (Sienna Miller), son (Tom Holland) and aide-de-camp (Robert Pattinson)—returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925. An epically scaled tale of courage and passion, told in writer/director James Gray’s classic filmmaking style, “The Lost City of Z” is a stirring tribute to the exploratory spirit and a conflicted adventurer driven to the verge of obsession.
The Big Sick / 2017
Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he’s never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.
Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver) set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Manchester by the Sea / 2016
After the death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by- the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited15-year- old, and is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi (MichelleWilliams) and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to a world without him.
More and more these days a search for something to enjoy on Netflix leads the the top 10 list and what others are watching and, recommending to their friends. Cause, after all, how does a movie from three, five or even eight years ago get into the top 10 or even the top 5?
You’d think it’d be not only people randomly landing on a slightly older film and checking it out for kicks, but also, after watching that they’d pass the idea along in social media or to friends “at the water cooler” that no longer exists, right?
Whatever the mysterious way that it happens, the result at the moment is this credible, decent romantic action film with James Franco and Jason Statham has ascended to nearly the top spot, at #2 as of this writing.
That’s pretty incredible, considering it was released in around 2013. I suppose it goes to show that they just don’t make ’em like they used to. Check out the trailer and see what you think.
