Latest Movie News From Moviefone |
- 'Godzilla' Director Gareth Edwards Will Direct the First 'Star Wars' Spinoff Movie
- The 'Fast & Furious 7' Budget Is Ballooning
- A Whitney Houston Biopic is Coming to Lifetime
- Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Team Up Again to Roast Don Rickles (VIDEO)
- 'Interstellar' Confuses Star Jessica Chastain Too
- Is Alfonso Cuaron Directing 'The Shining' Prequel 'Overlook Hotel'?
- 7 Great HBO Films You Shouldn't Miss Out On
- Xavier Dolan's 'Mommy': Will It Win the Palme d'Or at Cannes?
- Weekend Movies & TV: 'X-Men: Days of Future Past,' 'The Normal Heart,' & More
- Jennifer Lawrence's Drunk Oscars Story and Celebrities Reading Mean Tweets Lead Today's Late Night Roundup (VIDEOS)
- The New Teaser for Disney's 'Big Hero 6' Will Make You Go 'Awwww' (VIDEO)
- TV #TBT: Jon Hamm in 'Gilmore Girls,' Christina Hendricks in 'Undressed'
- X-Men Movie Mistakes: 25 Undoable Blunders From the Superhero Franchise (PHOTOS)
- 'Star Wars: Episode 7': Fans Can Win Role in the Movie
- 30 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'
- 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Review: 10 Things You Need to Know About the Time-Warping Sequel
- Angelina Jolie on What Scares Maleficent, Breaking Character, and Acting as a Family Business
| 'Godzilla' Director Gareth Edwards Will Direct the First 'Star Wars' Spinoff Movie Posted:  We may not know what the first "Star Wars" spinoff is going to be about but at least we know who's directing it: Gareth Edwards. That's right, the man who brought you that new, killer "Godzilla" is going to tackle the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, along with "Book of Eli" writer Gary Whitta who will be penning the screenplay. Of course, we don't actually know what that the movie is about, so what that screenplay will be is anyone's guess. We'll know soon enough since the movie comes out December 16, 2016. According to StarWars.com:
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| The 'Fast & Furious 7' Budget Is Ballooning Posted:  The budget for "Fast & Furious 7" is set to reach as high as $250 million, as the delayed production and special effects needed to accommodate the sudden death of series star Paul Walker last year have proven considerably costlier than filmmakers initially estimated.The Hollywood Reporter writes that the "Fast 7" production could make the biggest insurance claim in film history -- approximately $50 million -- following Walker's death last November. Already budgeted at around $200 million, the flick will easily surpass that amount, THR writes, and is expected to eventually cost in the $250 million range, thanks in part to the amount of special effects that are required to complete the scenes still earmarked for Walker. "They are finishing the film more or less as scripted, replacing Paul with [computer-generated] face replacement," a source told THR. "They have two of Paul's brothers as well as an actor to 'play' Paul when needed." The trade added: That certainly seems like an ambitious -- and expensive -- undertaking, and THR reports that Universal's insurer, Fireman's Fund, isn't exactly pleased with the production's hefty insurance claim. Still, the studio is expecting a positive outcome from its claim, which includes costs associated with the production's four-month delay following Walker's death and the extra salary allotted to "Fast"'s stars and staff to keep them on for a longer shoot. For more on the pricey shoot -- and some background on similar insurance claims following deaths during other film productions -- check out the entire story over at THR. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| A Whitney Houston Biopic is Coming to Lifetime Posted:  Whitney Houston is set to be the subject of a Lifetime biopic, which will be directed by another big-name female star. Angela Bassett will helm the film, titled simply "Whitney Houston," which will focus on the late singer's rollercoaster relationship with fellow musician Bobby Brown, and her rise to international celebrity status. Bassett and Houston co-starred in the 1995 drama "Waiting to Exhale." Though "Whitney" will mark Bassett's first time behind the lens, the actress-turned-director already has a relationship with the Lifetime network, having starred in 2013's "Betty & Coretta." She also has some background in music, thanks to her Oscar-nominated portrayal of Tina Turner in "What's Love Got to Do With It." "I have such regard for both Whitney's and Bobby's amazing talents and accomplishments; and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story," Bassett said. "Their humanity and bond fascinates us all. I'm beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world." "Whitney Houston" is set to premiere sometime in 2015. via: TheWrap This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Team Up Again to Roast Don Rickles (VIDEO) Posted:  Eighty-eight-year-old comedy legend Don Rickles is set to receive the celebrity roast treatment, and America's favorite BFFs, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, were there to dish out some zingers during the event's taping. In a short promo clip for the show -- set to air next week -- Fey and Poehler joke about Rickles' advanced age and needle the roast's organizers for the dearth of women present. "Jesus, I thought that was somebody's purse," Fey said when Poehler reminded the comedienne that Rickles was not dead, and in fact, was sitting at a table right across from them. "They thought it was important that Don be honored by at least one woman, which apparently we count as," Poehler said of the reason that she and Fey appeared onstage together. Vanity Fair has a transcript of the pair's entire routine here. Jon Stewart, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Johnny Depp, also make appearances during the event. The roast special will air on Spike TV on May 28th at 9 p.m. Get a sneak peek below: via: Vanity Fair This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Interstellar' Confuses Star Jessica Chastain Too Posted:  The trailer for Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" proved to be both exciting and confusing for viewers, and star Jessica Chastain can relate to both feelings.Speaking with Vulture, the actress discussed the secrecy surrounding the film, and admitted that sometimes even she didn't understand some of the scientific concepts Nolan wanted her character to master. When asked how much of the movie's plot the trailer covered, Chastain told the site, "I can't say ANYTHING," adding, "Everyone knows pretty much who I'm playing," without confirming or denying her character's identity. (She's widely suspected to be portraying the now-grown daughter of space traveler Matthew McConaughey.) Of the mystery shrouding the film, Chastain said she wanted to do her part to follow Nolan's spoiler-free example. "Christopher Nolan is the kind of person you NEVER want to disappoint," she told Vulture. "Not because he's mean, but just because, you know, if your dad ever said to you, 'I'm really disappointed in you,' you'd go, 'Oh my God!' That kind of thing. If he ever said, 'I'm really disappointed,' you'd be like, [pretends to sob] 'I've ruined everything!'" What Chastain would reveal, however, centered around the film's exploration of the space-time continuum, and how Nolan's knowledge of the subject intimidated her. A special on-set consultant also helped set up some of the film's subject matter, she said. "I'm playing a character where I should know certain things, so I tried to do what I could," Chastain said of learning more about the space-time continuum. "I mean, your brain either works a certain way or it doesn't. My brain is more like an artist's brain, not a science brain. But I had conversations with [theoretical physicist] Kip Thorne, which were really cool. He's one of the most famous physicists. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but he works in a certain types of space studies." And as for "Interstellar"'s ultimate message, the actress indicated that it would mean different things to different people. "To me it's a beautiful film because it's a metaphor, too," Chastain said. "There's more than just outer space. It's very emotional." Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Is Alfonso Cuaron Directing 'The Shining' Prequel 'Overlook Hotel'? Posted:  Fresh off rumors that he may helm "Harry Potter" spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" comes another bit of gossip about Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron: He's reportedly been offered the directing gig for "Overlook Hotel," a prequel to "The Shining."Schmoes Know reports that Cuaron has been approached by Warner Bros. about the mysterious movie, and has been given first pass at the project. According to the site, two key sources have confirmed that Cuaron is the studio's top choice to helm "Overlook," though there's no indication as to whether he'll actually take the job. As for the story behind the film, Deadline first reported way back in April 2013 that Glen Mazzara, former showrunner for "The Walking Dead," had been secured to write the "Shining" prequel. The production team in place for the project included Laeta Kalogridis ("Shutter Island"), Bradley Fischer ("Shutter Island," "Zodiac"), and James Vanderbilt ("The Amazing Spider-Man," "Zodiac"). As with most top-secret, long-in-development productions like this one, it's still unclear what's going on behind the scenes (including if Mazzara's script is still the one WB is working with), and what sort of plot audiences can expect from "Overlook." And of course, Cuaron's involvement is also a giant question mark at this point, and will remain so until the director officially announces his latest project. Stay tuned to see what Cuaron's next move will be. [via: Schmoes Know, h/t Cinema Blend] This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 7 Great HBO Films You Shouldn't Miss Out On Posted:  This Sunday May 25th, HBO will premiere "The Normal Heart," a film based on Larry Kramer's play following the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in '80s. The highly anticipated movie boasts a star-studded cast, including Mark Ruffalo, Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, and Taylor Kitsch. In addition to popular series like "Game of Thrones" and "True Blood," HBO has a history of producing provocative movies that cover everything from the 2008 election race to the Yankees' 1961 season. In fact, HBO movies have taken home the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie every year since 1993, except 2000 and 2003. So while you're gearing up for "The Normal Heart," here are 7 other HBO films worth checking out: This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Xavier Dolan's 'Mommy': Will It Win the Palme d'Or at Cannes? Posted:  In Canadian director Xavier Dolan's short career (so far, the guy's only 25), he has received a record number of accolades for someone so young. There is a ton of Dolan buzz emanating out of this year's Cannes Film Festival, where his fifth directed movie in as many years, "Mommy," is getting rave reviews. Dolan's also up for the prestigious Palme d'Or, which is bestowed upon the best director/movie of the festival; he's the youngest person in contention. Critics are heaping praise on the film, and early odds are that Dolan is going to win. "Mommy" follows a single mother as she tries to raise a spastic, difficult-to-contain teenage son. Their lives metamorphosize when they make friends with a shy neighbour, who makes unexpected changes to their very existence. If Dolan were to win the Palme d'Or, it would be the first time in Cannes Film Festival history that a Canadian took home the prize. Dolan has been an up-and-comer for years -- so much so that calling him an "up-and-comer" now is probably a misnomer. His movies have been a staple at the Toronto Film Festival, and even at Cannes before, with "Les Amours Imaginaires (Heartbeats)" (2010) and "Laurence Anyways" (2012), both of which received standing ovations. His Cannes premiere was back in 2009, where his film "J'ai tué ma mère" won three separate awards. He was the ripe old age of 20 when that happened. His entry to TIFF last year, "Tom à la Ferme," the unsettling story of a man visiting his deceased boyfriend's family, also got a positive response from critics and moviegoers alike. This Montrealer's career is most definitely on the rise, and we might just be seeing the beginning of it. Two other rather well-known Canadians are also up for the 2014 Palme d'Or: David Cronenberg for his "Maps to the Stars" (getting great reviews) and Atom Egoyan for "The Captive" (not-so-great reviews). (No official trailer is available for "Mommy" yet.) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Weekend Movies & TV: 'X-Men: Days of Future Past,' 'The Normal Heart,' & More Posted:  This weekend, our favorite mutants attempt to change history in the star-studded "X-Men: Days of Future Past," the Elijah Wood-starring thriller "Grand Piano" arrives on DVD, the critically-acclaimed Broadway play "The Normal Heart" gets the HBO treatment with stars Mark Ruffalo and Julia Roberts, and the seventh and last season of "Mad Men" has its mid-season finale. Also in theaters this weekend:
Also on TV this weekend:
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| Posted:  You snooze, you lose, right? Wrong! Because we're rounding up the best of last night's late night shows in case you missed out. Here are the highlights: Jimmy Kimmel brought back his hilarious recurring segment where celebrities read mean tweets about themselves. Behold, the amazingness: One of our favorite late night guests, Jennifer Lawrence, told Seth Meyers about how she got drunk at the Oscars, puked at Madonna's party, and Miley Cyrus told her to "get it together": And the always lovely Hugh Jackman stopped by "The Tonight Show" to engage in a beer-chugging scooter race with Jimmy Fallon: This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The New Teaser for Disney's 'Big Hero 6' Will Make You Go 'Awwww' (VIDEO) Posted:  While this weekend's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is the current Marvel movie that everyone is talking about (and arguing over), with August's sci-fi-y "Guardians of the Galaxy" coming in a close second (it looks so good!), there's another Marvel property that will be coming to the big screen later this year that has the possibility of out-charming all of them: Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Big Hero 6." The first teaser for the animated feature just dropped (via Yahoo), and boy-oh-boy, we cannot wait.The movie is based on a cult comic book series originated by writer Steven T. Seagle and artist Duncan Rouleau, with the movie playing fairly loose with the particulars but instead focusing on the general vibe and atmosphere of those earlier comics. In "Big Hero 6," a team of young misfits, led by Hiro Hamada, who band together to save the citizens of the futuristic city of San Fransokyo (a witty amalgam of San Francisco and Tokyo). This teaser is much like that first teaser for "Frozen," with zero dialogue and animation that could not even be in the final movie. In it, Hiro attempts to turn his squishy, inflatable robot Baymax into an armor-plated superhero. To mixed results. We first fell in love with Baymax at Disney's D23 convention last summer, where the initial test footage from the film was screened. Look at him - he's so damn cute! (And based on actual technology that is being developed now.) "Big Hero 6," with a voice cast that includes T.J. Miller, Jamie Chung, and Maya Rudolph, was directed by Don Hall (2011's brilliant, wholly underrated "Winnie the Pooh") and Chris Williams ("Bolt") and is set for release on November 7th.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| TV #TBT: Jon Hamm in 'Gilmore Girls,' Christina Hendricks in 'Undressed' Posted:  Long before Jon Hamm became Don Draper, he was a mostly unknown guest star on a variety of TV shows, including "Ally McBeal," "Charmed," and "CSI: Miami." But one of his most memorable spots was as Lorelai's potential love interest on a Season 3 episode of "Gilmore Girls." So it's only fitting that in honor of this Sunday's upcoming "Mad Men" Season 7A conclusion we take it back to the show's leading man and one of his gigs, circa 2002. Please enjoy Hamm's turn as Peyton Sanders, a wealthy bore who likes fine wines and picking up women at auctions: And here's Christina Hendricks AKA Joan Holloway, who recurred on MTV's "Undressed." This is a true relic of the early 2000s: Bonus! Watch this interview with other "Mad Men" star Jessica Pare (Megan) to catch her as an adorable 12-year-old competing in a horse show. (Clip at the 1:20 mark): This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| X-Men Movie Mistakes: 25 Undoable Blunders From the Superhero Franchise (PHOTOS) Posted:  The 14-year-long "X-Men" franchise makes its time-traveling return to the big screen this week with Bryan Singer's highly anticipated "X-Men: Days Of Future Past." While we've seen the X-Men shapeshift, heal instantly, and read minds, their super-mutant powers can't save the very human filmmakers from making a few mistakes here and there. Here, we've gathered movie mistakes from the "X-Men" films, which should make you feel a little better about your normal human self. As always, all photos are courtesy of Moviemistakes.com. Article photo courtesy of Fox This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Star Wars: Episode 7': Fans Can Win Role in the Movie Posted: In a special video message from the set of "Star Wars: Episode VII," director J.J. Abrams has announced the creation of "Star Wars": Force for Change, a brand new "Star Wars" initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm. In collaboration with Bad Robot, the campaign will raise funds and awareness for the United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) Innovation Labs and its innovative programs for the world's most vulnerable children. Disney has committed $1 million USD to support the launch of "Star Wars": Force for Change. Fans can now contribute directly for a chance to appear in "Star Wars: Episode VII." For each $10 contribution made through the Omaze fundraising platform, eligible participants will be automatically entered for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The campaign runs from 12:01 a.m. PST on May 21 until 11:59 p.m. PST July 18, 2014. The "Star Wars": Force for Change Grand Prize includes:
"The 'Star Wars' films were made through George Lucas' adventurous combination of technology and creativity," says Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "We wanted to honour and carry on that positive spirit as we start production on 'Episode VII' and use 'Star Wars' to make a difference in the world. 'Star Wars': Force for Change will help us do that, letting us give back to the fans who keep 'Star Wars' alive, and raising much-needed funds for programs like UNICEF's Innovation Labs." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 30 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' Posted:  Thirty years ago, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," the much-awaited follow-up to "Raiders of the Lost Ark," debuted. Indiana Jones was back -- although the film was set earlier than the events of "Raiders" -- and this time, he had a dame (Kate Capshaw) and a kid (Jonathan Ke Quan) with him. Oh, and he wasn't fighting Nazis, just a deadly, child-enslaving cult. If you're not old enough to remember, this (along with "Gremlins" and "Poltergeist") was the movie that prompted the creation of the PG-13 rating, after parents complained that a PG-rating wasn't adequate for a movie that includes a scene where a man's still-beating heart is ripped out of his chest. But did you know that an Oscar-winning Hollywood legend almost had a small role in the film? Or what stars pranked Harrison Ford on the set? Didn't think so. Here are 30 things you might not have known about the movie. 1. Since he had extensive scenes where he was shirtless, Harrison Ford bulked up for the part with fitness guru Jake Steinfeld, who happens to be the uncle of "True Grit" star Hailee Steinfeld. 2. This was only the second film for Kate Capshaw, who went on to marry director Steven Spielberg. Her brown hair was died blonde to distinguish her from Indy's other love, Marion Ravenwood, from "Raiders of the Lost Ark." She later said of the part that Willie was "not much more than a dumb screaming blonde." 3. Jonathan Ke Quan (Short Round) got the part (his first) after accompanying his brother to his audition at an open casting call. He captured the attention of the casting director because he kept telling his brother what to do and how to do it. Short Round bossy? Never! 4. Sharon Stone was in the running to play Willie Scott before Kate Capshaw auditioned. Stone did star the next year in the forgettable "Raiders" wannabe "King Solomon's Mines," with Richard Chamberlain. 5. Harrison Ford's stunt double, Vic Armstrong, shared in his memoir, "The True Adventures of the World's Greatest Stuntman," that Spielberg was terrified of the rope bridge (which was strung over a real 200-foot-deep gorge) and every day vowed to walk across it, but never did. Instead, the director drove a mile and a half to get to the other side. 6. Armstrong says that the bridge was strong enough for the entire crew to walk across. The scene where Indy cuts the bridge in half was done in one take. "I remember waiting for it to blow because it was a one-off shot, there was no second chance," he writes in his memoir. 7. Armstrong's wife, Wendy Leech, doubled for Capshaw, while he doubled for Ford. 8. Capshaw's elaborately beaded dress was made out of vintage beads from the period. In a twist too crazy to make up, an elephant started eating the dress during the scene where it's hanging from a tree while Indy and Willie sit by a camp fire. It was repaired, but the costume designer had to fill out the insurance forms with the unique claim of "dress eaten by elephant!" 9. Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote "Raiders," didn't want any part of the story involving child slavery and human sacrifice. As he told Lucas biographer John Baxter in 1999, "I didn't want to be associated with 'Temple of Doom.' just thought it was horrible. It's so mean. There's nothing pleasant about it. I think 'Temple of Doom' represents a chaotic period in both their [Lucas and Spielberg] lives, and the movie is very ugly and mean-spirited." Kasdan did "The Big Chill" instead. 10. Lucas was going through a bitter divorce at the time. In the "Making Of" Documentary, Lucas admitted "Temple" ended up darker than he'd intended, since he was "not in a good mood." 11. Spielberg isn't that keen on the film either, in retrospect. In 1989, he was quoted in "The Complete Making of Indiana Jones," "I wasn't happy with 'Temple of Doom' at all. It was too dark, too subterranean, and much too horrific. I thought it out-poltered 'Poltergeist.' There's not an ounce of my own personal feeling in 'Temple of Doom.'" He's also called it "my least favorite" of the Indiana Jones films, saying, "The greatest thing that I got out of that was I met Kate Capshaw... to me was the reason I was fated to make 'Temple of Doom.'" 12. For the creepy, crawly bug scene, Kate Capshaw was covered with over 2,000 insects. Spielberg originally wanted to have a giant snake wrap itself around her, but she panicked. She agreed to do the less scary (for her) bug scene instead. Producer Frank Marshall said that the bugs got everywhere: "Crew members would go home and find bugs in their hair, clothes and shoes." 13. At the gross-out dinner scene, the "chilled monkey-brains" were made of custard and raspberry sauce. 14. You may recognize Captain Philip Blumburtt at the infamous dinner scene. He's played by Philip Stone, who was the sinister caretaker, Delbert Grady, in "The Shining." The far-more-famous actor David Niven was originally cast in the part, but died before filming. 15. Ford suffered a severe spinal disc herniation during film. Lucas said that Ford persevered: "He could barely stand up, yet he was there every day so shooting would not stop. He was in incomprehensible pain, but he was still trying to make it happen." The actor finally had to be flown to the U.S. for surgery. His stunt double, Vic Armstrong, stood in for him for five weeks, with Ford filming the necessary close-ups on his return. 16. According to Armstrong, on a very hot day while filming the mine car chase sequence, Capshaw pulled a prank by rubbing ice cream all over her and Short Round's doubles' faces. "God, it was funny, but not for the poor grips who had to run like hell .... sweating their nuts off only to see us playing jokes." 17. Capshaw got a black eye in the runaway mine car sequence. The next day, everybody else on the set also sported a black smudge under their eye. 18. Another famous prank: While filming the whipping scene where Ford is chained up, Barbra Streisand appeared, dressed in a leather dominatrix outfit, wielding a whip. She started to whip him for making "Hanover Street" and for all his "Jedi" money. Then who but Carrie Fisher appeared to shield Ford! Don't believe us? Watch it here. 19. The sounds of the mine car during the chase scene? It's actually Disneyland rollercoasters, recorded with no music. And if the sound effect of the plane's failing engine sounds familiar, it's because it's from the Millennium Falcon's struggling engine in "The Empire Strikes Back." 20. An arcade game, which included voice clips and John Williams's score, was released in 1985 by LucasArts and Atari. 21. Ford always preferred hanging out with the crew to the bigwigs. In fact, Ford's then-wife Melissa Mathison later asked Armstrong where Ford had been on the last night of shooting, since he didn't get home until 2 a.m. Ford had been drinking with him. 22. The original draft featured a chase along the Great Wall of China, but the country's government refused to grant permission. India also took exception to the script, which is why the bulk of the film was shot in Sri Lanka instead, using some of the same locations as "The Bridge on the River Kwai." 23. The three main characters are all named after dogs. Short Round was named after screenwriter Willard Huyck's dog -- which was named after the orphan in "The Steel Helmet" (1951) -- Willie was named after Steven Spielberg's Cocker Spaniel and, as you all know, Indiana was George Lucas's Alaskan Malamute. 24. The python that Willie mistakes for an elephant's trunk had to be smuggled into the country. Animal handler Michael Culling booked himself and the snake into hotel rooms under the names Mr. and Mrs. Longfellow. 25. Indy almost tangled with zombies! A scene featuring cult members drinking the Kali blood and turning into zombies was cut from the film. 26. The film's original title was "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Death," a name it retained in Germany, where it was called "Indiana Jones und der Tempel des Todes." 27. The "vampire bats" were actually fruit bats. 28. Although you never see his face, listen closely for Dan Aykroyd: When Indy, Short Round, and Willie get to the airfield, he's the officer that takes them to the plane. 29. Lucas and Spielberg both play missionaries in the airport scene at the beginning, while producer Frank Marshall appears as a tourist in the background. 30. An expensive scene involving an air chase between vintage biplanes had to be cut when the film went over budget. It reappeared in the next installment, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989). Article photo courtesy of Everett This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Review: 10 Things You Need to Know About the Time-Warping Sequel Posted:  Well, it's another summer weekend, which means that another giant superhero movie, coming at you in deluxe surround sound and in eye-straining 3D, will be hitting the big screen. (Remember when Memorial Day used to be the weekend when the big movies really started?)This time up at the plate are the X-Men in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," those band of merry mutants last seen in 2011's ultra-swank reboot "X-Men: First Class." This time, original "X-Men" director Bryan Singer returns to the franchise he created and unifies the two halves of the series. While the plot doesn't matter much (it involves time travel and parallel dimensions and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine), the cast (including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan and Ellen Page) does. It's a typical superhero movie in the sense that it's full of spectacle but also deep melancholy, with both factions of mutants teaming together to stop an assassination that leads, decades down the line, to the near-extermination of their race. And also, since the movie is largely set in the '70s: bell-bottoms. Now those are more terrifying than a race of powerful, mutant-exterminating robots. But does this super-complex superhero saga make the grade? Or should we just have stuck with a follow-up to the comparatively simpler "X-Men: First Class"? WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD 1. It's a Sequel to 'X-Men: First Class' Back in 2011, Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" hit the big screen as a kind of reboot of the original franchise, which was started by filmmaker Singer with "X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United" and continued by Brett Ratner in "X-Men: The Last Stand." It was set in the '60s and featured a new cast of super-powered mutants, who were learning to deal with their abilities together. And more importantly, it had an entirely different vibe, like a European spy movie that just happened to feature characters that could bend the fabric of reality. So this features a handful of those characters, like Magneto (Fassbender), Professor X (James McAvoy), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), and Mystique (Lawrence). But as promising as that film was, much of it has been thrown away, including whole swaths of the cast (goodbye, January Jones! You looked really hot in lingerie!) 2. It's Also the Sequel to 'X-Men: The Last Stand' What the deletion of much of the cast and continuity of the first film (Professor X can walk again!) and the return of most of the principles from the original X-movies (including Halle Berry, come to think of it), "X-Men: Days of Future Past" functions as a sequel to "X-Men: The Last Stand." And, not to spoil anything, but after Wolverine's time-hopping exploits, the possibility is set up for additional adventures with that older cast. This is the cinematic equivalent of having your cake and eating it too. So... yay? 3. Wolverine Is Basically Austin Powers The idea of Wolverine going back in time is always fun. A lot of the charm of last year's deeply underrated "The Wolverine" was watching the character in World War II-era Japan, a setting that has given us some of Logan's most memorable moments in the comic books (seriously, get Brian K. Vaughan's gorgeously water-colored "Logan" -- it's breathtaking). There's an extra, meta-textual kick from seeing Wolverine in a place before he was created in the comic books, in the '80s, and, of course, endless possibilities for fish-out-of-water comedy (or is it fish-back-in-water, since he'd already been there before?) Sadly, the movie doesn't play up the hilarity of Wolverine being back in the '80s, aside from a joke about lava lamps and some offhanded remarks. Oh well. Maybe there'll be a director's cut where the movie remembers it was based on a comic book. 4. The Magneto Jailbreak Sequence Is Great "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is largely full of overstuffed action set pieces that aren't in the least bit exciting or visually engaging... Except for one. One of Wolverine and Professor X's first orders of business is to break Magneto, imprisoned at the end of the last film, out of a high tech jail underneath the Pentagon. They enlist the help of a new mutant, Quicksilver (Evan Peters from "American Horror Story") and the entire sequence is just delightful. Thinking about it, weeks later, I'm still getting goosebumps. It's great -- beautifully choreographed, wittily staged, and funny as hell. Oh man it's great. The other action sequences? Not so much. 5. It Looks Not-So-Great At one point, there was talk of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" being released via the god-awful rapid frame rate technology that made Peter Jackson's $200 million fantasy "The Hobbit" look like an HD soccer broadcast. Thank god that didn't happen. But it looks like the movie was shot using those crummy rapid frame rate cameras, which leaves the image muddy and undefined (and not soft in a '70s way but soft in a maybe I need to change my prescription in these lenses way). It's a shame, too, because the period setting and abundance of visual effects could have lent itself to some nice texture and stylization. Alas, it was not meant to be. 6. The Future Stuff Doesn't Add Up to Much Yes, the old timers are back, but it doesn't add up to a whole lot. The future-world stuff maybe takes up 10 minutes total, and every time Singer cuts back to it you want to let out an audible groan. It's not very compelling, and, even if it was, it doesn't mean much considering the fact that if Wolverine is successful in his mission (and, spoiler alert, he is), then that future means virtually nothing. Oh well. 7. There's Much More J-Law This Time True, the two-issue comic-book miniseries that the movie is based on did feature Jennifer Lawrence's deadly shape-shifter Mystique in a prominent role, there is waaaaay more Mystique here than there has ever been in earlier movies. But that's what happens when you have the hottest actress on the planet in the role. Not only is the actress a tremendous talent and was a heartbeat away from winning another Oscar this year for her larger-than-life performance in David O. Russell's "American Hustle," but she also anchors the biggest franchise around: "The Hunger Games." And she's adorable, even underneath all that blue paint. 8. Bryan Singer Is Back But His Politics Aren't Singer turned the "X-Men" into the ultimate metaphor for the discriminated-against outsider, and "X2" is one of the better movies about what it's like being a gay teenager, at least in terms of mainstream cinema (the "coming out" scene is classic). Sadly, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" isn't really about anything. There aren't any underlying metaphors Singer wishes to plumb, with the entire movie feeling like a hollow exercise in Hollywood showmanship and not, as was true of the earlier movies, a $150 million personal exploration that just so happened to feature characters who could fire laser beams out of their eyes. 9. Next Time, You'll Just Want the Younger Cast Honestly, the old fogies drag the movie down. "X-Men: First Class" was so much fun because of its youthful energy, and Vaughn's willingness to throw everything at the wall in an effort to see what sticks. And the actors he chose are genuinely wonderful. When you have Fassbender and McAvoy do you really need McKellen and Stewart? Honestly, no. 10. There's an Post-Credits Treat Yep. There's something after the credits (which seem to go on for about 15 minutes). It's hard to explain what, exactly, this is, but considering they've already announced "X-Men: Apocalypse," which should be a more straight-up sequel to "X-Men: First Class" than whatever this was, that probably has something to do with it. But if you have a train to catch or really need to pee, you're not missing much. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" hits theaters Friday, May 23. Photo courtesy Fox This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Angelina Jolie on What Scares Maleficent, Breaking Character, and Acting as a Family Business Posted:  Angelina Jolie is fearless. At least she strives to be.Over the course of her career, the Oscar winner has tackled addiction, mental illness, and serial killers (in movies, of course), but now she's taking on a sinister force so powerful that it's been giving kids -- and some adults -- nightmares for decades. "Maleficent," Disney's live-action re-imagining of "Sleeping Beauty," retells the story from the oh-so-misunderstood villainess's point of view, following the fairy from her mysterious childhood to her better-known darker years. And who better to play one of Disney's most celebrated villains than one of the world's most celebrated stars? On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, Jolie sat down with Moviefone to chat about Disney's dark fairy, the challenges of bringing her to life, breaking character for some snuggle time with a scene-stealing costar, and whether or not she's raising a family of actors. Moviefone: How intimidating is it to take on an iconic character like Maleficent? Angelina Jolie: Hugely intimidating. She was done perfectly the first time: Her extraordinary voice and the way they animated her, and the way she looked. And I was in awe of her when I was a little girl. I thought she was so elegant and so tough and so cool. Our first goal was, okay, it's different, but we're going to end up with the christening scene, so that christening scene... Whatever I choose to do, however I create things or expand her story, I have to understand that that christening scene has been done and we cannot disappoint the fans of the original in that scene. And so, whatever choices we make, it has to all come together there. I was nervous. I was nervous about my voice. I worked really hard on my voice. I worked on it with my kids until I found a voice that made them laugh. I did some voice classes -- because I don't have theater background -- so I kept trying to get comfortable speaking. It's an odd thing. You don't walk into a room and just... do that. And then figuring out the look and the horns... It was fun. All the while, every decision was kind of weighted with, Are we going to mess this up, or are we going to nail it? Was there anything or anyone saying "Don't do it, it's too precious"? I kind of felt like I was at that place in my life where you just can't -- maybe I've always been at that place in my life -- but you just... you can't be scared of things, you know? And I finally realized, okay, if I do it with the intention of giving the audience what they want, if my goal is to tell this story -- entertain, not disappoint -- then I will go into it with a kind of generosity and openness. I won't go into it taking myself seriously and thinking of myself as the mistress of evil. I'll go into it with a sense of goofball a little bit. If I have fun, they'll have fun. And we'll have fun together. And somehow that made me feel like it was going to be okay. But it was scary. And the day of the christening [scene] was scary. Maleficent's fixation on Aurora changes from a kind of revenge focus to more of a protective coveting. What flipped the switch? Was there a turning point? I don't think there was. I think it's kind of this idea of something we can all relate to, where we've gotten to a place in our lives where we feel a little hardened by life. We feel a little darker. We feel we've been hurt, wounded, upset -- whatever it may be that's turned us where we don't trust. We've all got it. And then there's something that enters your life -- whether it be love or children or something that we just discover -- that just kind of opens you up again and takes you a while to identify or understand what's happening inside of you, and especially for Maleficent. It would take her a while because it is very foreign to have certain feelings. And so I think that there's not one moment, but I think that the person she was when she was born had a lot of the qualities of this later person. And it was in watching [Aurora] grow up that she starts to remember and wonders if she could ever be that again. I think the fun in her is in her reluctance to not really be comfortable doing that or know how that's going to work. So, in fact, it's quite funny in that Aurora actually has the ability to scare Maleficent with her purity and spirit. One of those "scary" moments was maybe the most adorable in the movie, which was when your daughter, Vivienne, showed up as Aurora. There were audible "aws" in the theater when you picked her up and she started pulling at your horns. Was it a challenge to stay in character in that moment? It was. It was. But also because I had to say things to her, like "go away" and "I don't like children." But that's how we knew Viv would be perfect, because she is like my little shadow and there's nothing I can say that she doesn't just interpret as "Mommy doesn't mean that. She wants me to stay." But it was hard to stay in character. We did -- in our outtakes -- we get very snuggly, just to apologize. Your kids have been popping up here and there in your movies. Zahara was in "Maleficent" as well. [She] and Pax are in the christening scene for a moment. It's like a cameo. And then Maddox was in "World War Z"... He was going to be in "World War Z," but they didn't tell us when they were filming that the ratings wouldn't allow a child zombie. Really? So are there any future acting gigs for the Jolie-Pitt kids, then? Our idea is not to have them in film but to share our lives with them and play with them, so it's not to look for them to be actors. But if there is some kind of experience where they can jump on set and feel what it's like to be on set and not feel separated from our work, then it's fun. But we would really like to keep them separate from it... as a career. We're hoping that we don't have actors, but maybe we do. You never know. You never know. Let's talk about "Unbroken," which is coming out later in the year. Christmas. Yes, Christmas. This is your second time directing a feature film. What's the most important thing you learned from directing "In the Land of Blood and Honey" that you took to your work on "Unbroken"? "Unbroken" is based on a true story, and "Blood and Honey" wasn't a true story but it was based on many true stories that happened, and it was a real history. So both being real histories you understand that you have to take the time to learn about all sides, really understand the history. There's not one view of history... You're not doing a documentary, you're doing a film, and you have to try to find that line of what things mean for an audience. So it's an interesting balance to pay respect to all the things you know you need to pay respect to, and then also give the audience the journey they're ready to take. The Coen brothers were very helpful with that in helping me to understand that they're all different mediums. A documentary is one. A book is one. A biography is one. And a movie is one. And they're all not to be done the same, and so find the best version for film. And, as always, to hire great crew and listen to them because I think that's what makes a great director. There are so many people around me who have done this many, many times more than me. And if you just ask for advice, they'll give it to you. One last question: Is there anything you can tell me about "Salt 2"? Only that I've never read anything. [Laughs] I don't think it's actually in the works. I think maybe there's somebody planning it, but I have absolutely no idea. Disney's "Maleficent" casts its spell in theaters May 30. Get movie times and tickets now. Article photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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