
The Netflix Streaming Report for February 11, 2016 includes new titles such as Dope, Bates Motel, Hannibal Buress, and more. Continue reading
The Netflix Streaming Report for February 11, 2016 includes new titles such as Dope, Bates Motel, Hannibal Buress, and more. Continue reading
After last week’s nominations were revealed for the 22nd Annual SAG Awards and 73rd Golden Globes, it feels like it could be anyone’s game at this point. This morning the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) announced their 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees with George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road leading the charge with 13 nods. Hosted by T.J. Miller, the winners will be revealed during a live broadcast from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on A&E, Lifetime, and LMN on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.
Mad Max: Fury Road has undoubtedly become the underdog favorite of this awards season, as it has become one of the most revered features of the year by critics, myself included – my review. The big topic of conversation, aside from gaining Best Picture recognition, is Charlize Theron’s nods for both Best Actress and Best Actress In An Action Movie. Tom Hardy, of course, is nominated for Best Actor In An Action Movie, but it’s George Miller for Best Director that has really invested my interest into whether he could be a contender come Oscars. The film has also garnered nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Action Movie, and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.
Trailing behind the whirlwind, critically acclaimed hit is Carol, The Martian, and The Revenant with nine nominations each. While this year’s big favorite, Spotlight, has earned itself eight nominations from critics, followed by The Big Short and The Hateful Eight with six each. Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, The Danish Girl, Jurassic World, and Sicario each earned five nominations and Room obtained four. Charlize Theron isn’t the only actress up for multiple Best Actress categories, as Jennifer Lawrence is up for three for her work in Joy and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, while Rachel McAdams is up for two awards for Spotlight and True Detective.
And while the film categories are all up in the air, the television categories prove that the increasing output of excellent programming continued this year with FX, ABC, and HBO both gaining 14 nominations each; FOX is close on their heels with 12 nods. The big standout series this year, as determined by critics, is FX’s Fargo with eight nominations. The Leftovers (HBO) and Transparent (Amazon) are not far behind with five nominations each; Black-ish (ABC), Mr. Robot (USA), and Penny Dreadful (Showtime) each earned four.
So what can we takeaway from this year’s 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees? For starters, no other awards group has seen more movies this year than the critics, assumably. It’s their jobs to assess the year in film. Who better has a sound voice of reasoning than those who sit in dark rooms and watch movies multiple times per week? In the long run, sure, all awards are practically meaningless gold statues, and the varying award categories the BFCA and BTJA have set have little influence when it comes to the Oscars, but if these voices of reason can help sway voters to at least make an earnest decision at the polls we can be safe in knowing we won’t have another year where a Shakespeare in Love wins against a Saving Private Ryan.
BEST PICTURE
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BEST ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST COMEDY
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
BEST SONG
BEST SCORE
Brace your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available to Own for the week of October 13, 2015. Every Tuesday we run down new movie, television, and video game releases that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, as well as some slick deals that can save you some coin. New on shelves this week are Tomorrowland, Mad Men: The Final Season Part 2, Aladdin, The Gallows, and more.
*Note: Originally I had said that Mike Tyson Mysteries (Season 1) and The Wolfpack came out this week, nope. They release on October 20, 2015.
Tomorrowland (Brad Bird) Rated PG [130 min] – Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory. Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, and Raffey Cassidy [Watch the trailer]
Tomorrowland is the cinematic equivalent to the Disney ride It’s a Small World. Both vibrant and chock-full of wonder and promise, the further into them you go the more likely you’ll want out. There’s many strong themes layered within each, but the bad outweighs the positive messages, making them unmemorable. As soon as Tomorrowland drops you into its titular destination and we meet Hugh Laurie, the film loses its way and becomes a mixed bag of blockbuster action and bloated, unjustified villainry.
Special features include:
Dope (Rick Famuyiwa) Rated R [103 min] – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. Starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, and Kimberly Elise
Pressured by a white man of power, our hero must enlist the help of his two socially awkward friends to embark on a journey through an industry looked down upon by society in order to save himself and graduate high school in one piece. But enough about 2004’s The Girl Next Door, Dope is this year’s soap box movie that speaks volumes by commenting on society and the way we assume agendas based on appearances and where we come from. Basically, never judge a book by its cover. Dope is really smart and funny, but at times the focus is lost and struggles to get back on track.
Special features include:
Aladdin (Ron Clements and John Musker) Rated G [90 min] – When a street urchin vies for the love of a beautiful princess, he uses a genie’s magic power to make himself off as a prince in order to marry her. Starring Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin
For the first time on Blu-ray, Aladdin makes its debut in a spectacular way. It’s always been a pretty colorful movie, full of reds and blues, and they just pop with this new hi-def transition. Along with the crispness of the format, the movie remains as sharp and witty as you remember it. The real catch is the slew of special features, which peak with Robin Williams outtakes.
Special features include:
San Andreas (Brad Peyton) Rated PG-13 [114 min] – In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his estranged daughter. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, and Colton Haynes [Watch the Trailer]
Nothing could prepare us for the real life devastation that would befall upon the U.S. if the entire state of California were to crumble into the Pacific Ocean, but you can brace yourself for the lunacy and pure cheeseball one-liners embedded within San Andreas. If it weren’t for the Rock’s Rockyness there would be little enjoyment to be found. I can’t even imagine the pleasure the special effects team found in themselves by killing millions of people digitally. But I’m sure their sick grins pail in comparison to execs’ who greenlit this disastrous disaster piece.
Special features include:
The Gallows (Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing) Rated R [81 min] – 20 years after a horrific accident during a small town school play, students at the school resurrect the failed show in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy – but soon discover that some things are better left alone. Starring Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown, Cassidy Gifford, and Ryan Shoos
I missed the release of The Gallows this summer due to Comic-Con, but I had high hopes after seeing the first preview of the film at WonderCon. Sadly, the excitement of the teaser faded quickly as headlines started pouring in about its quality. I try to give all horror movies a chance as many mainstream critics tend to be unjust toward genre movies. The Gallows is a mid-level horror that plays out almost entirely in real time and invites some OK scares. Half of the characters are unlikable and the ending is mediocre. I’d give it a go on Netflix whenever it comes out.
Special features includes:
The Little Death (Josh Lawson) Rated PG-13 [96 min] – The secret lives of five suburban couples living in Sydney reveal both the fetishes and the repercussions that come with sharing them. Starring Bojana Novakovic, Damon Herriman, and Josh Lawson
I’m honestly surprised this has a PG-13 rating and then again I’m not. The Little Death plays itself too safe and isn’t the raunchy sex comedy it desperately wants and needs to be. Each story within this interwoven neighborhood of sexual deviants is playful, but as a whole the stories don’t come together well enough to create a satisfying movie. It is widely unique, but feels more like an afterthought rather than a complete film.
Team America: World Police (Trey Parker) Rated R [98 min] – Popular Broadway actor Gary Johnston is recruited by the elite counter-terrorism organization Team America: World Police. As the world begins to crumble around him, he must battle with terrorists, celebrities and falling in love. Starring Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Elle Russ
It’s hard to find a reason why I need to justify the sanctity of Team America: World Police. There’s puppet sex, Matt Damon, and incredible acting. Could you ask for anything more?
Matchstick Men (Ridley Scott) Rated PG-13 [116 min] – A phobic con artist and his protégé are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the former’s teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly. Starring Nicolas Cage, Alison Lohman, and Sam Rockwell
They don’t make Nic Cage movies like they use to. One of the classier Cage movies that reeks of Cage-ness, Matchstick Men is a dazzling look into the world of con artists and parenting. It’s a whirlwind of plots that mesh well together to form a unique and entertaining piece of cinema.
Special features include:
Witness (Peter Weir) Rated R [112 min] – A young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder; policeman John Book goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him until the trial. Starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, and Lukas Haas
Fresh off the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as his second stint as Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford takes it down a few pegs to deliver a simpler story during a simpler time. Witness is thrilling and not of this time. It won the Oscar for Best Editing and Best Writing/Screenplay back in 1986, and it would be hard to imagine a studio attempting to make a film of its nature today. But somehow the film hasn’t shown it’s age too much and still works well.
Kiss the Girls (Gary Fleder) Rated R [115 min] – Police hunting for a serial killer are helped when a victim manages to escape for the first time. Starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Cary Elwes
The content of Kiss the Girls almost sounds too close to some of the content we’re seeing in many of the procedurals or crime dramas of today. With the caliber of Morgan Freeman at the forefront, Kiss the Girls stands tall. However the actor isn’t entirely able to support the picture all on his own as it buckles under the weight of its empty antagonist.
Along Came a Spider (Lee Tamahori) Rated R [104 min] – A congressman’s daughter under Secret Service protection is kidnapped from a private school by an insider who calls Det. Alex Cross, sucking him into the case even though he’s recovering from the loss of his partner. Starring Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott, and Monica Potter
Bordering on the edge of parody, Along Came a Spider is the follow up to Kiss the Girls with Det. Alex Cross (Freeman). It plays out almost as if it were a fake trailer you’d see within a movie. I don’t think the director really had a great handle on the tone or content to really make this as gripping as the original novel intended it to be.
While we provide you with a list of available new releases Now Available to Own every Tuesday, Coming Soon to Blu-ray and DVD looks at all of the recent home video announcements. For the week of August 15, 2015 we have Mad Men: The Complete Collection, Justified: The Complete Collection, and more. Find out when they’ll be out and what special features movie fans can expect below.
Inside Out (Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen) Rated PG [94 min] – After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.Starring Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith [Watch the trailer]
Special features include:
The Walking Dead (Scott M. Gimple) Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies. Starring Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yuen, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, and Danai Gurira
Special features include:
Dope (Rick Famuyiwa) Rated R [103 min] – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. Starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, and Kimberly Elise
Special features include:
Insidious: Chapter 3 (Leigh Whannell) Rated PG-13 [97 min] – A prequel set before the haunting of the Lambert family that reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity. Starring Lin Shaye Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, and Leigh Whannell
Special features include:
Max (Boaz Yakin) Rated PG [111 min] – A dog that helped US Marines in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler’s family after suffering a traumatic experience. Starring Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins, Luke Kleintank, and Lauren Graham
Special features include:
Cop Car (Jon Watts) Rated R [86 min] – A small town sheriff sets out to find the two kids who have taken his car on a joy ride. Starring Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, and Shea Whigham
Special features include:
Edward Scissorhands: 25th Anniversary Edition (1990)PG-13 | 105 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance | 14 December 1990 (USA)8.0Your rating:-/10Ratings: 8.0/10 from 325,686 users Metascore: 74/100Reviews: 569 user | 103 critic | 19 from Metacritic.comAn uncommonly gentle young man, who happens to have scissors for hands, falls in love with a beautiful girl.Director: Tim BurtonWriters: Tim Burton (story), Caroline Thompson (story), 1 more credit »Stars: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest
Special features include:
And that’s it for this week. What are you looking forward to picking up when they release?
Stay tuned for more Blu-Ray and DVD announcements every Saturday.
All plot synopses courtesy of IMDb.com
Every week, movie studios select candidates to enter the glorious battlefield for your hard-earned dollars. The weekend warriors of June 19, 2015 includes Inside Out and Dope, as well as three limited releases. Box Office Battlefield is here to help you decide which movie(s) will take priority over the others and determine who will be victorious. Should you see ’em, skip ’em, or rent ’em? Find out below!
Last weekend, Jurassic World completely obliterated the competition, breaking records and taking names. Grossing $208 million domestically and totaling $524.4 million worldwide, Jurassic World is the first movie to ever cross the $500 million mark in an opening weekend. Universal even beat Marvel Studio’s The Avengers record of highest grossing domestic opening weekend by $1.4 million. Jurassic World earned can also claim the highest single day grosses for Saturday and Sunday; it broke the national per theater average with $49 thousand; and it’s the greatest PG-13 opening weekend ever. Suffice it to say Universal is very happy.
This weekend however, Jurassic World is up against some tough competition: Pixar. Having no release last year, a feat which has not been seen since 2005, and with little offerings to younger demographics in theaters recently, the latest animated feature from the studio powerhouse may bring about the second extinction of the dinosaurs. I’M IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTIONS! This is the Box Office Battlefield:
Inside Out (Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen) Rated PG [94 min] – After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.Starring Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith [Watch the trailer]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 98% • Audience – 93%
My review:
Although my expectations may have been far too high going in, I found Inside Out to be very, very sweet and incredibly well-developed. Compared to the Pixar’s latest, Inside Out definitely feels like a return to form for the once unstoppable animation studio. The story is more straightforward than I imagined, but its mechanics and world building are impeccably thought out, making the journey worth every second. Inventively hilarious and playfully smart, Inside Out is a touching coming-of-age story that stands up to Pixar’s finest. SEE THIS FILM! (Since this is an animated film the 3D works just fine.)
Dope (Rick Famuyiwa) Rated R [103 min] – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. Starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, and Kimberly Elise
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 88% • Audience – 83%
My review:
I didn’t quite know what to think about Dope going in. Coming out of Sundance, the film received critical acclaim, but it has a very different indie sheen compared to most from the festival. But after seeing Dope this week I can confidently agree with all the hype. Despite having beat-for-beat similarities to 2004’s comedic adventure through the world of porn, The Girl Next Door, Dope is far more calculating and smarter than your average bear. Dope offers a very surreal look at racial politics and socio-economic classes in the most cleverest of ways and delivers a tripod of characters worth rooting for. For a fresh young actor, Shameik Moore, puts in one hell of a performance – both sincere and confident – as the lead character of Malcolm. The only real problem I had with the film is its unique structure that made Dope seem a lot loner than it actually is. SEE THIS FILM!
Infinitely Polar Bear (Maya Forbes) [Limited] Rated R [90 min] – A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don’t make the overwhelming task any easier. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, and Ashley Aufderheide
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 82% • Audience – 81%
Their reviews:
“Mark Ruffalo is yet again a revelation in Infinitely Polar Bear, and he’s not the only one. This is a first feature by Maya Forbes, yet many of its accomplishments put far more experienced filmmakers in the shade.” – Joe Morgenstern (Wall Street Journal)
“Though the film is choppily told and its episodic rhythm never gathers momentum, it contains well-observed moments and astute performances by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana.” – Sheri Linden (LA Times)
My take:
Mark Ruffalo always dominates in these dramatic, indie roles. The man is a force majeure when it comes to switching from genre to genre. His newest feature, Infinitely Polar Bear looks very honest and mostly sad. Another Sundance pick from 2014, from what I understand this movie is an emotional journey thanks to Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. MATINEE IT!
Manglehorn (David Gordon Green) [Limited] Rated PG-13 [97 min] – Left heartbroken by the woman he loved and lost many years ago, Manglehorn, an eccentric small-town locksmith, tries to start his life over again with the help of a new friend. Starring Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, and Chris Messina
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 38% • Audience – 35%
Their reviews:
“A movie so listlessly written and constructed that it nearly redefines tedium.” – Sam Fragoso (Film School Rejects)
“But while Pacino is, as ever, a compelling presence, David Gordon Green’s latest is simultaneously overwrought and curiously slight.” – Keith Phipps (The Dissolve)
My take:
David Gordon Green is a unique director. He can hit you over the head with films like Your Highness and Pineapple Express, but can also transplant you in some very intimate character driven stories such as Joe and Prince Avalanche. Manglehorn is a terrible title and it feels like James L. Brooks’ As Good as it Gets. I’m not a big fan of Green’s indie storytelling too much, the concepts are there, but I’ve never thought they were told fairly well. And critics do not seem very fond of the picture either. WAIT FOR IT ON NETFLIX!
The Overnight (Patrick Brice) [Limited] Rated R [79 min] – Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family “playdate” becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Starring Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, and Judith Godrèche
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 83% • Audience – 69%
Their reviews:
“Brice manages admirably to make his comedy at once daring and earnest, outlandish and relatable, obscene and sweet.” – Ella Taylor (NPR)
“The Overnight is the movie equivalent of fuzzy handcuffs: a tame and unimaginative attempt at spicing up the overly familiar scenario of a married couple trying to get their groove back.” – Inkoo Kang (The Wrap)
My take:
It may be a bit odd to see Taylor Schilling outside the confines of Litchfield Penitentiary, but with Adam Scott by her side I welcome this comedy with open arms. Again, yet another Sundance selection from this year, The Overnight has this comedic tone about it that invites my curiosity. Just from the trailer, I am anxious to see what kind of madness there is to behold based on the situational teases it presents. MATINEE IT!
Yes, Jurassic World absolutely dominated over this past week, but reviews have been quite mixed. I foresee a decent fallout, but there will be those stragglers who waited to see if the fourthquel would be any good. I’m sure there will be many clamoring for a second round viewing because it is entertaining to some extent, but its main challenger this weekend, Inside Out, brings a hard sell. For one it’s from Pixar; second, Inside Out draws in children, so their parents must take them which means more butts in seats; third, the reviews are practically unanimous in its favor; and lastly, the studio always proves to create stories for all ages. Dope is in somewhere close to 1,000 less theaters than Inside Out and does not cater to broad audiences. And Spy, Insidious: Chapter 3, and San Andreas stand no real chance based on their poor performances. It’ll be a close one this weekend folks. So as it stands, I believe the victor for this weekend will be:
Movie synopses courtesy of IMDb.com and Tomatometer Scores from Rotten Tomatoes