Edge of Tomorrow

If you had told Major Bill Cage at the beginning of the day that he would be promoted to the front lines of battle against an alien enemy, and in the heat of battle would be soaked in alien blood which would cause him to gain the ability to restart the day over and over again, chances are he would have scoffed at you. Probably anyone in his position would have thought you were crazy and put you in a psych ward. As it turns out, that's exactly what happens. Branded a deserter for not complying with orders to go to the front lines and film the soldiers fight to rally morale back home, Cage is now forced to relive an invasion on France (think of an alien invasion version of the storming of Normandy's beaches). Along the way Cage meets a soldier named Rita Vrataski, the only other person alive who knows exactly what's happened to him. Together they must relive the last 30 hours, each time getting a little bit closer to finding and stopping the alien source of power controlling the time loop, and in the process saving millions of lives.

Based on the Japanese graphic novel All You Need Is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best sci-fi films I've seen in recent years. I know there probably aren't many Tom Cruise fans out there, but I personally have liked just about everything I've seen with him in it. Edge of Tomorrow is no different. There were some things I was initially confused about in regards to how certain events fit into the story, but after reading a few other people's reviews, and thinking about it myself it made a lot more sense, as well as made it much more impressive. It was a little weird to see Tom Cruise as sort of a self-proclaimed wimp in the beginning, stating that he couldn't stand the sight of blood from even a paper cut, and then through the course of the film turn into the gung-ho hero type. I've been used to seeing him in more heroic roles right from the start. And yet, he managed to pull it off tremendously. Emily Blunt was also great in her role as Rita Vrataski. Thankfully, I didn't see anything in Edge of Tomorrow that could possibly make a sequel work, unless they decide to go with a prequel. To be honest though, I actually think a prequel would be interesting if the story focused on the beginning of the alien invasion as to why they attacked in the first place. Unless I missed the explanation, there wasn't anything that said why the aliens attacked Earth.

For those who saw (and loved) Groundhog Day, and/or are sci-fans, this is a must-see film. Even if you're not a Tom Cruise fan, I would still highly recommend Edge of Tomorrow.

The first full trailer for the big screen adaptation of Paddington is here

To kick off the release of the first trailer of the big screen adaptation Paddington, this past week has brought a creepily humorous meme turning the popular children's story into a horror story, photoshopping the lovable Paddington Bear into stills of different horror flicks. Thankfully, the real trailer for the upcoming adaptation is far less creepy. 

With the title character played by Colin Firth, Paddington will tell the story of how the teddy bear makes his way from his home in the forest to the big city to look for some adventure. While traveling the city Paddington comes across a taxidermist who wants to stuff him. He finds refuge from the city and the taxidermist through a kind family - the Browns - that takes him in as one of their own. 

I wish I could put into words just how happy I was initially to see one of my favorite childhood memories being adapted into film. After seeing the trailer however, I still have hope that it's going to be wonderful, but I wish Hollywood would stop going for the more vulgar/toilet humor and go back to the days of comedies like Cool Runnings, Toy Story, Princess Bride, etc. I really did not need to see Paddington Bear sticking toothbrushes in his ears and licking the stuff that came out. I'll save that rant for another day though.

Paddington will make his way into theaters in the UK on November 23, 2014 and will then arrive in the US a month later on Christmas Day 2014. 

Sources: Film School Rejects and Entertainment Weekly

Maleficent

If it were not for the betrayal of a dear friend named Stefan (or so she thought), Maleficent might not have turned evil and cursed his newborn daughter Aurora to an eternal sleep-like death. War might have also been avoided if both Stefan's human kingdom and Maleficent's magical fairy kingdom had learned to live together in peace.

Alas, the arrogance and greed of man can be a powerful thing - and not in a good way. Despite having grown up together and becoming the best of friends after Stefan stumbled into Maleficent's home as a child, his human nature got the best of him once the king offered the throne to anyone who could vanquish Maleficent and destroy the magical realm. After sneaking out of the castle to "warn" Maleficent of the coming danger, Stefan caused her to fall into a deep sleep, and while she rested he cut off her wings to bring them back to the king as proof of his deed. When she woke up and discovered what he had done, her heart hardened and she developed an intense hatred for the man she once loved. As revenge for his treachery, Maleficent visited Stefan at his castle and cursed his daughter Aurora to fall into an eternal sleep-like death after pricking her finger on a needle of a spinning wheel when she turned 16.

I honestly was kind of surprised at just how dark Maleficent turned out to be. I knew from the trailers it wasn't going to be a feel-good type of love story that Disney is so well known for but I wasn't ready for the tone to be similar to that of, say, Snow White and the Huntsman, or even Oz the Great and Powerful. Not to mention that the focus this time is one of Disney's most notorious villains instead of the princess. In a weird sort of way, I sort of appreciated the dark nature of the film, however I wonder if it was too dark for a kids movie. Disney's original cartoon Sleeping Beauty still had a pretty dark nature, but Maleficent seemed to take that darkness and multiply it. If this were a PG13 or R movie I might not make such a big deal out of it, however since it's specifically targeted towards kids I'm hesitant to instantly recommend Maleficent for young kids. Personally, I know I would have freaked out at some of the things portrayed onscreen if I had seen it at a young age.

And yet, with all the darkness prevalent throughout the film, there were some positive changes from the original story I greatly appreciated. For instance, instead of cursing Aurora and then waiting for her to die, Maleficent feels remorse and tries to take away the curse. When she is unable to do so, Maleficent becomes a make-shift fairy godmother, watching Aurora from a distance to make sure she is safe from harm. This action in turn makes Maleficent's heart soften and makes what was a pure evil character more complex.  (SPOILER WARNING) Another thing I appreciated was that Disney pulls a move similar to what they did with Frozen where someone else other than a stereotypical lover delivers the act of true love that breaks the spell. It was also interesting to see the background story come to life onscreen as to what made Maleficent so evil.

In the end, I really did enjoy it, and I would recommend Maleficent to families with kids probably around middle school age and up. Parents of younger kids should be careful though.

Godzilla

Though man has tried to understand - and in essence control - nature, there is still quite a bit that we cannot even begin to understand. However, all of our knowledge could not have prepared humanity for what was to come, a problem that began in 1954. You see, on a little island there were reported nuclear tests, but nobody realized the "tests" were actually trying to kill off something terrible; a force of nature which if left to its own devices, was feared to be detrimental to humanity. Unfortunately, those nuclear attacks only made the terror bigger and more dangerous.

Fast forward 50-plus years later, and a new threat has emerged. A Japanese nuclear plant is destroyed by what was thought to be a natural earthquake, forcing people to evacuate the area. It turns out that "earthquake" was caused by a terrible monster called a M.U.T.O. (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Object), and it just so happens that the M.U.T.O. feeds off of nuclear energy. Both the U.S. and Japanese governments try to contain and cover up the existence of the monster, but are eventually unable to do so. It isn't until they have exhausted all their options that they realize their only hope lies in the very force of nature they tried to kill off 50 years earlier.

That force of nature? A giant creature named Godzilla.

"The arrogance of man is that nature is in our control and not the other way around...Let them fight!" That sentence alone pretty much sums up Godzilla, especially those last three words. It took quite a bit of convincing from friends who saw it before I did to get me to break down and see it for myself. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by a great story or acting, and Godzilla for the most part met my expectations. The acting was almost completely wooden, what felt like a waste of talent. I was hoping that the star-studded cast, as well as the fight(s) between the monsters would help to elevate the film to at least a "good to see it in the theater at least once" kind of summer flick. Unfortunately, it couldn't even do that for me. Not even the final fight between Godzilla and the M.U.T.O. made it something I would want to see again (though I will admit it was an epic scene to witness). The only things I could say that are positive are - Gareth Edwards did do a good job of not showing Godzilla right from the start, instead only showing flashes of him until near the end. It kind of reminded me of old monster movies that have done the same thing. A few years ago, a reboot of The Wolfman came out and tried the same technique, but that one failed in its attempts to be scary. As mentioned above, the fight scenes between the M.U.T.O. and Godzilla were pretty epic, and at the very least made it watchable.

Another thing I had trouble with was the cities Godzilla chose to destroy. I've been wondering lately why is it that Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City - or if it's overseas then it's most likely a place like Japan,  such as what happens in Godzilla - are the ones that get destroyed? Very rarely have I seen any other cities get destroyed by either a monster attack (Godzilla), alien attack (Independence Day) or a homicidal maniac (The Avengers, or action flicks such as the Die Hard series). For me personally, it's getting kind of old to see such massive destruction to the same cities every time. I would kind of like to see a smaller scale of destruction, and to different cities than the ones mentioned above. Don't get me wrong, I still love these types of films, but it's still getting a little old.

If you're looking for a good action/monster flick, this isn't the droid you're looking for. Personally, I would consider this the kind of film to rent on a rainy day or if you're bored and just want to pass a few hours. To be honest, if the news is true and there is going to be at least one sequel, I'm not really looking forward to it. Somehow I get the feeling I'm going to get roped into seeing it, but I highly doubt it'll be good if the first one is any evidence of what's to come. Although, I do hope I'm wrong.

Sonic the Hedgehog is heading to the big screen

Last seen in a short cameo for the animated film Wreck-It Ralph, Sony Pictures announced at E3 (a popular gaming expo) that SEGA's popular video game speedster Sonic the Hedgehog is officially getting his own live-action/computer generated film. Sony Pictures will collaborate with Marza Animated Planet to distribute Sonic's feature film debut. Producer Neal Moritz will be in charge of production for Original Films, and first-time feature film writers Evan Susser and Van Robichaux will co-write the script.

In a press release about the upcoming adaptation, Sony Pictures stated that "The film will look to capture Sonic’s irreverent tone and spirit, reuniting him with some of the most revered and infamous characters of the franchise, including the evil Dr. Eggman." I hope so, as long as they stay true to the spirit of the original character(s) I feel like it should turn out fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't turn into a flop like The Smurfs. Sonic has been featured in several television shows over the years since his inception back in 1991, so it shouldn't be too difficult to bring him and his friends to the big screen.

As of right now, there is no release date or casting news for Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sources: First Showing , Screen Rant

New Trailer for Step Up All In debuts

Apparently the popularity has not died down for the Step Up franchise, as there is now going to be a fifth installment coming in August 2014. Titled Step Up All In, the newest dance film will be the first one to unite people from each film in the series.

According to the trailer, the story will take place in Las Vegas and then Los Angeles, where the flash mob crew from Step Up: Revolution travel to try to make it into the big leagues. When they are unable to get a breakthrough, the crew finds out about an underground dance competition in Los Angeles called The Vortex where the grand prize is a three year contract. To enter, they call on friends from previous Step Up films for help.

As mentioned above, Step Up All In will feature Ryan Guzman (Sean) and Misha Gabriel (Eddy) from Revolution, Stephen "tWitch" Boss (Jason) from Step Up 3D, Briana Evigan (Andie) from Step Up 2: The Streets, Alyson Stoner (Camille) from the original Step Up, and series regular Adam Sevani will return for his fourth outing as Moose.

The Step Up series is not known for its storytelling, but rather more for its choreography/dancing and visual effects. That's not to say it's a bad thing in and of itself, because the majority of the dance sequences in the franchise are admittedly pretty cool; however, it would be nice if these films focused a bit more on the story and acting rather than just on the dancing. Personally, I'd like to see a different storyline than the overused 'amateur dance group tries to make it big, so they enter into a competition to battle it out with the best'. Step Up: Revolution sort of did that with the crew trying to stop a major corporation from tearing down a neighborhood and forcing people out of their homes, but it still was greatly lacking in the acting department. And even then the film began with the crew trying to enter into a competition.

Still, it looks like from the trailer it will be a fun time. I'll be happy as long as it is better than Step Up: Revolution. That didn't really capture my attention as much as I would have liked. So far, the best one I've seen of the Step Up series is Step Up 2: The Streets.

Step Up All In will arrive in theaters August 8th, 2014.


Source: Screen Rant

Marvel has finally found its Ant-Man director and screenwriter

There is finally some good news coming from Marvel regarding their upcoming Ant-Man film: Peyton Reed will take the reigns from Edgar Wright as director, and Adam McKay will assist in fleshing out the script. This news comes after a long and exhaustive search that led Marvel to approaching at least eight potential directors before finally settling on Peyton Reed. It looks like Ant-Man can move forward at last and is on schedule to make it to its original July 2015 release date.

Adam McKay was originally rumored to be one among several high-profile directors with a comedic background in the running to direct Ant-Man, however there were rumors that for unknown reasons he stepped away from his discussions with Marvel about the project. Since that time, Marvel has officially confirmed his involvement as the screenwriter.

A couple good things about Peyton Reed in the director's chair is:  A) He does have a comedic background, with films such as Yes Man and The Breakup in his portfolio; and B) Reed already has some experience with working on a Marvel film due to his involvement in Fox's original Fantastic Four film back in 2003. What's interesting, though, is Peyton Reed parted ways with Fantastic Four for creative differences, much like the situation between Marvel and Edgar Wright.

Time will tell if hiring Peyton Reed and Adam McKay was a good decision. As of right now, production for Ant-Man is supposed to begin in a few short weeks, and yet they still haven't completed the script for it yet. It's not unheard of to move forward without a finished script; however, it usually doesn't bode well for the film as a whole.

On top of the news of Peyton Reed and Adam McKay officially moving forward with Ant-Man, we also have an official synopsis for the upcoming superhero film: "Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world." The premise sounds interesting, let's just hope Reed and McKay can deliver a good film for Marvel.


Ant-Man will be a part of Marvel's Phase 3 after Avengers: Age of Ultron is released. Guardians of the Galaxy opens August 1, 2014. The Avengers: Age of Ultron will arrive on May 1, 2015. Ant-Man on July 17, 2015. Captain America 3 on May 6 2016. Unannounced films are set for July 8, 2016 and May 5, 2017.



Source: Screen Rant