High quality streaming fare is rising in focus with theatrical releases uncertain…
A 4 minute standing ovation was the result of the first screening of “Power of the Dog” at the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival on September 1st, 2021. Thunderous applause and cheers erupted at the end of the debut screening for the romantic drama that features Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst.
Based on the novel by Thomas Savage set in Montana in the 1920s, the performance, partly perhaps the ability of Cumberbatch to overcome his “Sherlock / Dr. Strange” image via the power of acting along with top flight writing and directing, appears to be the impetus for the Oscar buzz that’s already building.
It’s not uncommon for that to happen with a strong showing at the Venice Film Festival and, though this is a streaming / Netflix production, awards for quality films financed by streamers is also no longer unusual.
Previously, Cumberbatch got the nod from the Academy in 2014 for his work in The Imitation Game, and, although the award ultimately went to Edward Redmayne for ‘The Theory of Everything’, the nomination itself put a big spotlight on his career.
‘Culturally, it’s really important for streaming services to help nourish the cinema experience,’
Benedict Cumberbatch commenting on “Power of the Dog”
Naturally, it’s always great when an actual actor becomes a movie star. Benedict Cumberbatch has been in a myriad of productions recently such as “Doctor Strange“, “The Mauritanian”, “The Courier”, “Avengers” and on and on, with nearly 100 actor credits and that doesn’t even touch on his work as an executive producer.
Running the gamut from the Multiverse to spy thrillers and serious suspense his ability to portray depth and intelligence has stood him in good steed.
Going all the way back to “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy” and “The Imitation Game” (not to mention his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes) a solid body of work is has been established which hopefully will not turn into a house of cards as a result of inevitable over-exposure.
Cumberbatch’s newest role is as a rancher from Montana named Phil Burbank. “The Power of the Dog” is based on a novel by the same name. Set in 1925, Phil “inspires fear and awe in those around him”. When his brother (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife (Kirsten Dunst), Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to… the possibility of love.
Netflix gave viewers a little taste with the official teaser trailer for the film. The movie will be released initially in theaters on November 17 and will debut on the streaming platform the 1st of December.
Some big-name movies are set to be removed from the streaming platform as it makes way for the new Sept 1st arrivals. Among the soon to be departed (including, ironically, The Departed!) there is something for everyone and it would be a real shame to miss out on anyone of these titles, especially if you have never seen them.
Whether comedies staring the likes of John Goodman, Jeff Bridges, Reese Witherspoon or Jonah Hill, or a drama on the making of Facebook with Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg, a love story with Kiera Knightley, or a scary movie like “The Ring”, these diverse movie selections, iconically, each in their own right and unique reasons, are a must watch.
Streaming platform heading for a strong finish with tons of new content for the rest of ’21
Netflix has pumped up the volume for the remainder of 2021! There are 42 films slated to drop, spread across the next 4 months, that’s an average of 10 releases a month!
Get ready to see tons of star power on your screens, including big names like: Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Lawrence and those are just Oscar award winners. Ryan Reynolds, The Rock, Michael Keaton, Idris Elba, Melissa McCarthy, Gal Gadot and so many more are also set to appear in the Fall lineup of movies (read “soon”).
There are also heavy hitters scheduled in November and December that we will report back on, once trailers have been released. Already, however, they also look to have awesome potential: “Red Notice” with The Rock, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, “Don’t Look Up” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence and “The Power of the Dog” with Benedict Cumberbatch.
Below are several that do have already released trailers – these are not all but our hand-picked favorites from the many on deck for your consideration:
September 3 – Worth:
October 29 – Army of Thieves:
November 3 – The Harder They Fall:
November 11 – Tick, Tick…BOOM!:
December 1 – The Power of the Dog:
December 3 (Theater) December 15 (Netflix) – The Hand of God:
Warner Bros. is set to release its next big horror movie. The film is helmed by James Wan. If that name doesn’t strike a cord, one of his many many scary movies like “Saw”, “The Conjuring”, “Annabelle”, “Demonic” “Lights out”, “Insidious” or “The Curse of La Llorna” probably will.
This time around, the director wants to deviate from what he is most known for, mastering the jump scare, you know that moment when something crazy scary pops up on the screen and you are immediately jerked, or in my case, scream like an insane person. He promises that “Malignant” will be a different kind of horror movie from his past endeavors.
And I’m always trying to find new ways to reinvent myself so that I don’t get stale, so to speak… Part of the reason, too, why I wanted to make Malignant was that I want people to know that this is not a jump scare film.”
-James Wan / Malignant
In the film, “Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.”
The cast includes Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, Mckenna Grace, Jake Abel, George Young, Ingrid Bisu, Michole Briana White and Jacqueline McKenzie. “Malignant” will be released simultaneously in theaters and HBO Max (for 31 days) on September 10.
At sound of a whistling in teaser video evokes an eeriness and tension between characters….
It’s always great when an actual actor becomes a movie star. Benedict Cumberbatch has been in a myriad of productions recently such as “Doctor Strange“, “The Mauritanian”, “The Courier”, “Avengers” and on and on, with nearly 100 actor credits and that doesn’t even touch on his work as an executive producer.
Running the gamut from the Multiverse to spy thrillers and serious suspense his ability to portray depth and intelligence has stood him in good steed.
Going all the way back to “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy” and “The Imitation Game” (not to mention his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes) a solid body of work is has been established which hopefully will not turn into a house of cards as a result of inevitable over-exposure.
Cumberbatch’s newest role is as a rancher from Montana named Phil Burbank. “The Power of the Dog” is based on a novel by the same name. Set in 1925, Phil “inspires fear and awe in those around him”. When his brother (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife (Kirsten Dunst), Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to… the possibility of love.
Netflix gave viewers a little taste with the official teaser trailer for the film. The movie will be released initially in theaters on November 17 and will debut on the streaming platform the 1st of December.
The Ice Road is the latest venture for Liam Neeson, who, no stranger to action packed thrillers, already boasts a huge list of theatrical hits including: “The Marksman“, “Honest Thief”, “Cold Pursuit“, “Non-Stop“, “Taken” and more.
This time, he’s back at it in the Netflix produced Ice fest. Neeson’s character, Mike, plays a big rig driver traveling through the dangerous icy roads of Canada. A remote diamond mine collapses, trapping workers with only a limited time to survive without freezing. Mike must lead a seemingly impossible rescue mission transporting necessary equipment needed to save the 26 trapped miners.
In a sense with plot is a hybrid of Neeson’s two most dominant sub-genres, the violent triumph of the good guy against obvious pure evil and, initially in this case, the survival hero against the odds. As the trailer shows, the evil enemy does emerge, apparently in the form of the corrupt mine company that conspired in the collapse and thereby add even more tension to the already dire straits.
Though not a surprise in terms of genre, there is a sense that Liam Neeson is pushing all the buttons he’s pushed so well before, and with a star cameo from Laurence Fishburne as the man charged with putting together the crack team of misfits to make the rescue happen, it looks like this could be another winner.
Along with Liam, cast includes: Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Marcus Thomas and Laurence Fishburne. Check out the official trailer that just dropped. “The Ice Road” will be available to watch on the streaming platform starting June 25, 2021.
‘Seaspiracy‘ was met with a suspicious amount of criticism in the media…
Above: photo / Netflix Seaspiracy
Which, for some, can be added reason to view it anyway, with open eyes, and judge for oneself. The same goes for many of the films show here below. It’s understandable that we are all still recovering (many in a literal sense) from the year long emergency crisis related to the novel coronavirus, and “crisis fatigue” has put the climate out of mind, to a degree.
Maybe it’s just that we are all tired of being scared out of our wits? That makes sense for sure. However, the situation can only improve with increased awareness leading to action.
“Seaspiracy“, regardless of its possible shortcomings, many of which were very convenient to the industrial fishing interests that are exposed in the film, there is one theme that runs throughout that is the one that deserves more and more attention.
Forget the shocking facts and figures. That’s all obvious news by now in many areas including the challenges to the ocean and it’s ecosystem. The message is the overwhelming importance of both Industry and Government in solving a problem that has been, in essence, created primarily by those same interests and entities.
In the film there is a thread of awakening that occurred in the mind of director / author Ali Tabrizi. He explains how he was very focused on individual responsibility and issues like plastic drinking straws and how they end up polluting the ocean.
The awakening came about when he dug deeper, with hands-on research, detailed in the film, and found out that, basically, the straws were a tiny, infinitesimal percentage of the plastic destroying the ocean. The real causes, it turned out, of the huge and growing problem traced back to…. you guessed it Industry and Governments.
Likewise, the Kiss the Ground documentary (also below) presents a strong and eminently sensible case for a sure-fire way to reduce carbon in the atmosphere by massive amounts. The film has been popular but there are many more “tech” based ideas that are getting a lot of attention also, and it’s easy to imagine millions being pumped into some wacko expensive high tech “solution” when the real-world solution (such as outlined in the movie) is staring us all in the face.
Why? Because to implement the Soil Regeneration systems put forth in the film would require the support of… wait for it…. The huge Industrial Agribusiness Complex and Governments. To be fair the Biden administration has put forward a plan to reward farmers that are using regenerative soil systems and that is definitely needed. But will it be enough? Will it be blocked when it hits the Senate and Congress?
In the mean time it is these films, and more certainly to come, are a lifeline to real solutions, and in particular increasing clarity regarding where the actual, devastating problems lie. And they are essential in countering the “pro-pollution propaganda” that can be so cleverly disguised by organizations that are dedicated to getting “rich” by practices that amount to planetary suicide.
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species — and uncovers alarming global corruption.
Kiss the Ground is a full-length documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson that sheds light on an “new, old approach” to farming called “regenerative agriculture”
In celebration of Earth Day 2021, Apple TV+ will debut “The Year Earth Changed,” an original documentary special narrated by Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning broadcaster David Attenborough. “During this most difficult year, many people have reappraised the value and beauty of the natural world and taken great comfort from it,” said Richard Attenborough. “But the lockdown also created a unique experiment that has thrown light on the impact we have on the natural world. The stories of how wildlife responded have shown that making even small changes to what we do can make a big difference.”
What if confronting the climate crisis is the best chance we’ll ever get to build a better world?
Filmed over 211 shoot days in nine countries and five continents over four years, This Changes Everything is an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change.
Directed by Avi Lewis, and inspired by Naomi Klein’s international non-fiction bestseller This Changes Everything, the film presents seven powerful portraits of communities on the front lines, from Montana’s Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast of South India to Beijing and beyond.
Presented by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic and Chris Paul — a revolutionary new film about meat, protein and strength.
Cowspriacy
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.
Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.
Chasing Coral
Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
The film took more than three years to shoot and is the result of 500+ hours of underwater footage, coral bleaching submissions from volunteers in 30 countries, as well as support from more than 500 people in various locations around the world.
A Plastic Ocean
When he discovers the world’s oceans brimming with plastic waste, a documentary filmmaker investigates the pollution’s environmental impacts. Starring:Tanya Streeter
In the center of the Pacific Ocean gyre researchers found more plastic than plankton. A Plastic Ocean documents the newest science, proving how plastics, once they enter the oceans, break up into small particulates that enter the food chain where they attract toxins like a magnet. These toxins are stored in seafood’s fatty tissues, and eventually consumed by us.
Coming from Focus Features, “Stillwater” follows an American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma who travels to the French city Marseille, to see his daughter, who is now in prison for a murder she said she did not commit.
FIRST LOOK: Matt Damon, Abigail Breslin, Camille Cottin and Lilou Siauvaud in #STILLWATER, a film by Tom McCarthy. In theaters July 30. pic.twitter.com/3FP4CKkAvd
Matt Damon stars as the father, Bill Baker, who at every turn is confronted with obstacles; language barrier, cultural clashes and navigating complicated foreign legal systems. No matter, Baker immerses himself into life on the other side of the world in order to exonerate his daughter.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Director Tom McCarthy explains Damon’s character – “He’s a guy that’s had a difficult life, he’s struggled, but he sort of tried to make amends and do what’s right, I think, when we meet him”.
This dramatic thriller will be in theaters only starting July 30th, 2021. Directed by Tom McCarthy, the Oscar Award winning filmmaker responsible for “Spotlight”. Along with Damon, the film stars Abigail Breslin and Camille Cottin.
Echoes of the Amanda Knox ordeal, as well as “Taken” with Liam Neeson come to mind but neither quite fit, which is a good thing. Not even gonna mention the Bourne Identity connections! Check it out below for yourself and see if it feels derivative or original and if Matt is inhabiting the cowboy-esque character in an interesting way…
The Search for Justice is on and promises to have plenty of violence
The surge in film release activity, which all cinephiles welcome with open arms, comes from the need to push forward all the various productions that were previously on ice due to the pandemic. One such movie, “Wrath of Man,” from MGM and Miramax, which will get its theatrical launch from United Artists on May 7, 2021.
The film was adapted from the 2004 French film “Le Convoyeur” also known as “Cash Truck” and follows closely to the original outline of the story. Statham plays the character Hill or “H” as nicknamed by coworkers, a seemingly cold and mysterious man working for an armored cash truck company responsible for moving millions of dollars.
Little does anyone know “H” has positioned himself as truck driver for an undercover mission to find who murdered his son. We will have to watch to see the violent surprises that result, as there will be plenty of blood spilled..
"It's been one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had making a film." – Josh Hartnett and the cast on Guy Ritchie's #WrathOfMan. Now playing in theaters. pic.twitter.com/Jal7kfzVtM
“Wrath of Man” marks the latest match up, a total of 4 films between English filmmaker Guy Ritchie and action staple Jason Statham.
In addition to Statham, he is joined by a slew of actors including: Alex Ferns, Holt McCallany, Scott Eastwood, Jeffrey Donovan, Laz Alonso, Josh Hartnett, Niamh Algar, Raúl Castillo, Post Malone, Lyne Renee, Anthony Molinari, Deobia Oparei, Tadhg Murphy, Babs Olusanmokun, Darrell D’Silva, Chris Reilly, Matthew Illesley, Rebecca Calder, Jason Wong, Alessandro Babalola, Cameron Jack, Montana Manning, Rocci Williams, Josh Cowdery, and Eve Macklin.
Every month Netflix ads new films and removes others. The new ones are publicized and celebrated and the ones that are going to be gone…. Well that’s not big news. Since May 1st in 2021 lands on a Saturday, the last day of April is the time for these to disappear, just as the weekend begins.
Adapted from acclaimed author Richard Matheson’s influential novelette of the same name, Constantine director Francis Lawrence’s I Am Legend follows the last man on Earth as he struggles to survive while fending off the infected survivors of a devastating vampiric plague. A brilliant scientist who raced to discover a cure for the man-made virus as humanity came crumbling down all around him, Robert Neville (Will Smith) was inexplicably immune to the highly contagious superbug.
Now the entire population of New York City — and perhaps the world — has been transformed into carnivorous bloodsuckers that fear the light and live solely to spread their contagion to any remaining living creature that crosses their path. It’s been three years since civilization came to an end, and the loneliness has taken a devastating toll on Neville.
By day he scours the city for food and supplies while sending out desperate radio messages in hopes that someone might respond, and by night he attempts to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus by experimenting with his own blood.
But time is running out for Neville as the legions of infected watch his every move from the safety of the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They, too, long to learn the secret that lurks in Neville’s blood, though they will have to take caution while attempting to procure it because Neville will sooner die attempting to slay every last one of them than willingly giving up a single drop.
Previously adapted for the screen in the 1964 Vincent Price frightener The Last Man on Earth and the 1971 Charlton Heston action film The Omega Man, Matheson’s novelette also served as the inspiration for George A. Romero’s groundbreaking zombie classic Night of the Living Dead. – Jason Buchanan, Rovi
HDTrailers: “A Los Angeles crime saga in the vein of “Heat”, Den of Thieves follows the intersecting and often personally connected lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles.”
HDTrailers: “In this sci-fi epic from director Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Mother), a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet. The final survivors board the SNOWPIERCER, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine. When cryptic messages incite the passengers to revolt, the train thrusts full-throttle towards disaster.”
Here’s the full list of what’s gone after today (April 30th, 2021):
Nomadland was added to the AP best films and National Society of Film Critics 2020, and as well as beingan Oscar contender will now be available for viewers to watch starting February 19, 2021. Movie-goers can either visit the big screen available anywhere movie theaters are open, or opt for a stay-at-home watch.
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
John Wick with a milquetoast twist? No, much better than that…
Are you, like me, someone who just has to watch any movie with Liam Neeson after “Taken” where he plays an underestimated character doing mega damage to the bad guys? Was “John Wick” (and 2 and 3 etc) a worthwhile experience but you could imagine a bit of Bob Odenkirk à la mode mixed in? You’re in luck (seriously).
The official blurb from Universal goes like this: Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska, Breaking Bad) stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.
Add to this his “particular set of skills” and ominous past and you have an inspired next step in this now established feel-good as the blood-flows genre. (trailer below)
At a time when, metaphorically, perhaps all of us feel like we are bullied once too many times, and when the vagaries of trying to live in peace have us at wits end, watching this could be the antidote to all those pent-up feelings.
However, if going to see it live in a movie theater still seems too dangerous, you will soon be able to stream – if you are willing to pay for video-on-demand.
As of Friday, April 16th you will be able to purchase to stream at the usual VOD outlets (most likely, Apple, Amazon and others) and there’s even a blu-ray disk in the offing which has pre-order options already.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), and written by Derek Kolstad (John Wick), a great cast that includes Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska) and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father, musician-actor RZA as Hutch’s brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.
Here is the description provided on the official web site by Universal Pictures:
Sometimes the man you don’t notice is the most dangerous of all. Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska) stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody.
When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe, The Shack), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman), seems to pull only further away.
The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov, Amazon’s McMafia)—and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again.
Nobody is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), from a script by Derek Kolstad, the narrative architect of the John Wick franchise, and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father and multi-hyphenate musician-actor RZA as Hutch’s brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.
The film is produced by Kelly McCormick, p.g.a, and David Leitch, p.g.a., the filmmakers of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde, for their company 87North, by Braden Aftergood, p.g.a. (Hell or High Water, Wind River), for his Eighty Two Films, and by Bob Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero (Hulu’s PEN15) for Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment. The film is executive produced by Derek Kolstad, Marc S. Fischer, Annie Marter and Tobey Maguire.
Made for Love, is a new half-hour dramedy series streaming now on HBO Max. The first three episodes were released on April fools day, (not sure if this is significant) and there are seven more episodes that will come out in a subsequent 2 bundles all available as of April 15th.
Although there may be a familiar vibe for those who enjoyed “Palm Springs”, the Hulu production, there are also some meaningful differences. “Made for Love” is mining the rich ground where love and disaster intersect. The united front in the face of chaos is no longer central to the themes.
The twin or triumvirate of themes, all dark yet at times ridiculously amusing are woven well. Those that have an appetite for the dystopia of tech and romance will be right at home and feel an affinity for the tone.
From HBO: Made for Love is a darkly absurd and cynically poignant story of love and divorce. It follows Hazel Green (Cristin Milioti), a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen), a controlling tech billionaire.
Synopsis: “A woman is on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to a tech billionaire, who has implanted a monitoring device in her brain, allowing him to track her, watch her and know her “emotional data” as she tries to regain her independence.”
Above: Emilia Clarke in “above Suspicion” Credit: HULU
After 2019’s ‘Last Christmas RomCom, finally some gritty drama and action from the G.O.T. star
Coming just hours ahead of the new trailer for “Black Widow“, we are gifted with two films coming soon with the most dynamic female actors in action and drama. Long synonymous with Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke is now branching out and, after the cute but less weighty “Last Christmas” outing in 2019, we now can feast on her upcoming role via the brand new trailer for her upcoming thriller, “Above Suspicion”.
With a release scheduled for next month, the film also stars Fargo‘s Jack Huston as a crime partner – and Jackass star Johnny Knoxville, who rounds out the main desperado ensemble.
Phillip Noyce (Salt; Netflix series What/If) helmed the project and it was written by Chris Gerolmo. “Above Suspicion” is actually based on a true story and “one of the most notorious crimes in FBI history”.
According to the official synopsis: “This gritty crime-thriller stars Emilia Clarke as Susan Smith, a young woman desperate to escape a seedy life of crime and drugs in a Kentucky coal mining town. When a newly minted FBI agent named Mark Putnam recruits Susan as his informant for a high-profile case, she believes her bad luck may finally be changing. But as Susan and Putnam’s relationship deepens, so does the danger, setting them both on a collision course with deadly consequences.”
Above: Emilia Clarke in “above Suspicion”
Above Suspicion will open in US cinemas and on-demand on May 14. A UK release date is not yet confirmed.
Above: Scarlett Johansson as ‘Black Widow’ Photo Credit: Disney
Building to a climax? A tough road but Black Widow still has potential to be worth the wait…
A year since the first potential release window and various delays, and after a launch postponement from May to July, finally this new trailer is released, and is designed, it would appear, to keep the anticipation, suspense and interest in the future blockbuster in waiting.
Since this has to be the real and bonafide date we can confirm it here: “Black Widow” will hit theaters and Disney+ on July 9th, 2021.
“Black Widow is directed by Cate Shortland and was written by Eric Pearson from a story conceived by Jac Schaeffer and Ned Benson. Starring, as is well known, Scarlett Johansson, reprising Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, along with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz.
Set sometime after the Captain America: Civil War epoch, which had Natasha on the run from the government and dealing with her personal spy history, and the many personal changes since she became an Avenger.
Natasha’s voiceover sets the stage as the trailer begins, while flashbacks to previous movies are cross-cut beneath — and the focus on her secrets and mysterious past are intoned:
“You don’t know everything about me, I’ve lived a lot of lives,” she says. “Before I was an Avenger. Before I got this family. I made mistakes choosing between what the world wants you to be, and who you are.”
Dialog from new “Black Widow” Trailer
Synopsis: “In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.”
Above: “Black Widow” Credit: Marvel Studios
Above Suspicion will open in US cinemas and on-demand on May 14. A UK release date is not yet confirmed.
In the Director – Star pairing this marks the fourth try
Has anyone noticed the seemingly sudden surge in new films announced and confirmed for release dates? Especially for theatrical runs? And doesn’t it feel like summer is kicking off artificially early? I guess that’s a sign of all of us wanting to kick-in the teeth of the lock-down era. Miami was just a beginning, perhaps.
Part of the reason, of course, for the sudden surge in film release activity, is the need to push forward and outward various productions that were previously on ice due to the pandemic. One example of this phenomena is “Wrath of Man,” from MGM and Miramax, which will get its theatrical launch from United Artists on May 7. As already mentioned this is the newest, fourth match-up between English filmmaker Ritchie and action staple Jason Statham.
The first date that was set for this film was an optimistic January 15th, which just so happened to coincide with the peak of what is now being called the “third wave”, and certainly no fortuitous release date, action god or no.
A second scheduling attempt was originally set for April 23rd until finally landing on the May 7th date. That date is traditionally one that can be a strong one for future summer blockbusters and was, luckily for “Wrath of Man” recently vacated by “Black Widow” which has been shifted by Disney to July 9th for both streaming on Disney+ and in theaters.
Whew! Stay tuned for more updates as the changes and new confirmed releases are happening, seemingly, by the hour. Oh, and enjoy the trailer.
Sex, Drugs, Florida, Strip Clubs, what can go wrong?
“Zola” emerged initially as a tweet thread (of approximately 148 tweets) which captivated and vent viral at the time, say around late 2016. The thread was Aziah Wells’ firsthand account of what Rolling Stone has called “The Greatest Stripping Saga ever Tweeted“, which began with an idea, inspired by her work-friend, that it might be fun and profitable to try to make money dancing at strip clubs…
It’s actually spawned a feature film – one that attempts to bring online mash-up ethos and and mind-set to the big screen. Staring Taylour Paige and Riley Keough this genre obliterating dark, wild stab into now had its initial run at Sundance (2020) and has gained adherents enough to gain a theatrical release now that the lock-down is finally abating.
This new trailer will give more than a taste of what’s in store with Zola arriving in theaters (exclusively, at least initially) this summer.
The Dystopian drama will proceed after almost 2 year hiatus
Hulu’s biggest hit series will continue starting on April 28th. After Season 3, almost two years ago, the much loved drama starring Elisabeth Moss will finally return. The series, which was based on the classic novel by Margaret Atwood, revolves around Moss’s character, June, who lives in a world called Gilead, a.k.a. “The Devine Republic, a totalitarian patriarchal theocracy, which belonged to the former continental United States in the Novel. The dystopian society portrays a place where women are oppressed and only used in society for their fertility.
Above: The Handmaid’s Tale Credit: HULU
As per Hulu: In the upcoming fourth season of The Handmaid’s Tale, June (Elisabeth Moss) strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.
Synopsis as per IMDB: The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate.
The trailer (below) reveals a constant struggle for justice against a seemingly hopeless established oppressive order.
The movie makes waves in its portrait of the iconic jazz singer
Grammy nominated singer Andra Day appears in her first lead acting role in the new Hulu film “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”. The film has already earned the actress two Golden Globe nominations, for best original song and for best actress in a motion picture drama.
The film’s cast also includes Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Natasha Lyonne, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
The film has been met with some criticism, in the mean time, as some that have already watched the film point out the movie fails to fully encapsulate the vibrance and stardom of Billie Holiday. Yet others offer praise in how the film explores the singer’s rough up-bringing and shines a light on the treatment of African Americans living in a Jim Crow America during the 1940’s.
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The movie follows the jazz singer, chronicling how the government went after her for her ballad, an anti-racist song titled “Strange Fruit” that spoke about the lynching of African American people and racism. For fear that its popularity would spark a civil rights movement, Holiday became the target by the Federal Department of Narcotics with much of the film focusing on her drug addiction as government tries to quiet and derail the star.
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday” streams on Hulu starting February 26, 2021.
Apple TV+ and YouTube event: Acoustic performance, interview and “surprises” in store
The release for the upcoming Apple TV+ documentary which follows Billie Eilish’s journey into fame, spotlighting a “sliver” of her life during the three year period the doc was filmed, is nearly here. Aside from the upcoming film, fans will also get another musical treat before the debut. Apple teamed up with the artist to commemorate the release with a livestream and exclusive performance, which will be available for all to watch for free. (Free!)
During the live event, Eilish will perform some (new) music, and maybe even talk about her new album that her and brother/co-writer created during her time at home due to covid-19 restrictions.
The artist also recently launched a live version of the song, “ilomilo” which has the song lyric “the world’s a little blurry” from which the title of the doc is inspired. Check out video above.
In addition to the musical performance, there will also be an interview with director R.J. Cutler, hosted by Apple Music’s DJ Zane Lowe. The Apple press release also notes that the event will include “other special surprises” but you have to watch in order to find out what those may be.
Eilish will perform live and can be streamed for free Thursday, Feb. 25 starting at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET via the Apple TV app, Apple Music app or Billie’s YouTube Channel. Immediately following the event, her documentary will debut on the Apple TV+ streaming platform.
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The trailer gives fans a peak of what’s to come, centered around Eilish’s rise to fame, offering behind the scenes of the inner workings of her highly successful album: “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”.
There is also footage of Eilish off stage, doing normal teenage activities like getting her driver’s license, as well as scenes of her at home hanging out with her brother and collaborator, Finneas.
“Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry” tells the true coming-of-age story of the singer-songwriter and her rise to global superstardom. From award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, the documentary offers a deeply intimate look at this extraordinary teenager’s journey, at just 17 years old, navigating life on the road, on stage, and at home with her family, while writing, recording and releasing her debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”
For those that do not currently have Apple TV, subscription starts at $4.99 per month with a 7 day free trial. Any buyer of Apple hardware is given a free subscription for up to a year as well.
Get ready for an entertaining showcase of hilarious yet predatory wickedness
Watch out for Marla Grayson in Netflix’s “I Care a Lot”, she’s truly bad, bad to the bone. The crooked legal guardian played by Rosamund Pike is all about the next opportunity.
Grayson and business partner Fran are hawks, able to easily identify rich powerless older clients. She traps them in her care by declaring them mentally incompetent and then drains all their savings.
Marla then meets her latest mark, Jennifer Peterson, played by Dianne Wiest who has a nice amount in her savings and no apparent living relatives.
This time around, she may have finally met her match, when up pops some unexpected baggage she was definitely not prepared for. Those that have watched the movie have called it “diabolical ruthlessness“, “unapologetically sour” and “a sleekly unnerving thriller“.
In addition to Pike and Wiest, the film stars Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, Alicia Witt, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Macon Blair. Available to stream starting February 19, 2021 on Netflix.
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Up until this point, fans have only gotten a small taste of what to expect with a teaser trailer and “first look images” for the upcoming “Mortal Kombat”. The time has finally come. Wait no longer, Warner Brothers’ live-action film inspired by the popular fighting video game franchise dropped its official trailer and its awesome! The trailer is pretty violent, which most likely suggests the movie will keep in line with the famously gory and brutality shown within the video game series.
In anticipation for the new trailer, the official twitter account for the movie also shared a series of moving posters, showing a more detailed look into the well-known favorites like Mileena (Sisi Stringer), Kung Loa (Max Huang), Sub Zero (Joe Taslim) and Shang Tsung (Chin Han) to name a few.
The synopsis for the upcoming cinematic adventure according to WB:
In “Mortal Kombat,” MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld’s Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family’s safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with. Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe. But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana—the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family, but to stop Outworld once and for all?
Mortal Kombat” is scheduled for release in theaters and HBO Max streaming platform (available for 31 days from theatrical release) starting on April 16, 2021.
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