Latest Movie News From Moviefone |
- Top TV Shows to Watch From Canada
- 'Star Trek' Actor Anton Yelchin Dead at 27
- 5 Best TV Shows to Watch If You're a History Buff
- Weekend Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Makes a Splash With a Record-Breaking Weekend
- Top Rated Movies for Anime Fans
| Top TV Shows to Watch From Canada Posted:
'Schitt's Creek' (2015 - ) "Schitt's Creek" is the brainchild of father-son team Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, and proves that dry comedy runs in the family. Part "Arrested Development," part "Waiting for Guffman," "Schitt's Creek" follows the Rose family as they go from being billionaires to being forced to retreat to their only remaining asset -- the tiny, podunk town of "Schitt's Creek." The Levys -- along with co-stars Catherine O'Hara, Annie Murphy, and Chris Elliott -- do a great job at playing out-of-touch rich people adjusting to squalor. Each scene is played straight-faced for maximum laughs, and watching O'Hara and the elder Levy on-screen again -- the pair have worked together since "SCTV" -- is a master class in comedy. 'Orphan Black' (2013 - ) "Orphan Black" is a fast-paced, hard sci-fi show -- think "Alias" or "The Prisoner" -- featuring Tatiana Maslany as a woman who discovers she is one of many clones. While the show is mainly driven by the concept of human cloning, it's Maslany's performances as multiple versions of the same character that really sells it: She transforms herself so completely, it's easy to forget that each one of the clones is actually the same actress. "Orphan Black" answers questions each episode as it presents new mysteries, creating a pace that's just right for fans -- but as each season ends, expect an epic cliffhanger or two. 'Being Erica' (2009 - 2011) "Being Erica" is a hidden gem that puts a unique spin on time travel -- Erica (Erin Karpluk) is a dissatisfied 30-something who is given the opportunity to revisit her biggest regrets from her past. What makes "Being Erica" so compelling is that it focuses on the emotional impact of time travel, rather than simply being another show with a hero trying to get home. While parts of it are a bit campy, most of the plots find ways to surprise the audience, and as Erica alters her past, the biggest changes are always to her perspective on the present. 'Trailer Park Boys' (2001 - ) "Trailer Park Boys" started as a low-budget mockumentary series -- often described as "'Cops,' but from the point of view of the criminals." The show was massively popular in Canada for seven seasons, and it later exploded in the U.S. after finding a home on Netflix, which bankrolled an additional three seasons (so far). The adventures of Ricky (Robb Wells), Julian (John Paul Tremblay), and Bubbles (Mike Smith) -- three petty criminals with hearts of gold in a Halifax trailer park -- also spawned three movies, countless live shows, and a subscription-based video network dubbed "Swearnet." "Trailer Park Boys" is definitely not family-friendly, but it is wildly entertaining: Each episode, the boys create an illegal scheme with good intentions, but ultimately end up in a comedy of errors (and sometimes jail). 'Letterkenny' (2016 - ) A spiritual successor to "Trailer Park Boys," "Letterkenny" follows rural farmers Wayne (Jared Keeso), Daryl (Nathan Dales), and Squirrelly Dan (K. Trevor Wilson) as they live life in the tiny town the show is named after. "Letterkenny" is based on the trio being straight shooters in a town full of hicks, hockey players, crazies, and meth addicts -- all side characters that are each hilarious -- while trying to protect Wayne's title as the toughest guy in town. The show is a bit of an acquired taste -- the dialect alone takes a few tries to understand completely -- but is well worth being patient for, as the story line develops into thoughtful, if somewhat raw, comedy. Sources
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Star Trek' Actor Anton Yelchin Dead at 27 Posted:  Anton Yelchin, best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died. He was 27.The "Green Room" star was found dead early Sunday morning, according to TMZ, after suffering a freak car accident at his home in the San Fernando Valley. The actor came onto the scene with high-profile roles in such films as "Charlie Bartlett" and "Alpha Dog." Yelchin played the navigator of the Starship Enterprise, Ensign Pavel Chekov, in director J.J. Abrams' first two "Trek" films: 2009's "Star Trek" and 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness." One of Yelchin's last films will be this summer's "Star Trek Beyond," which opens July 22. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 5 Best TV Shows to Watch If You're a History Buff Posted:
1. 'Raiders of the Lost Art' (2014 - ) This highly detailed series is a combination documentary and mystery show, focusing on some of the more infamous art heists in history. Each episode deals with just one theft, so there's time to really get into the details of what happened to each piece of art. Sure, you might know the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911, but do you know exactly how it was found, and by whom? What about the real-life Monuments Men trying to discover and return the countless artifacts smuggled by Nazi art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt during World War II? The use of archival footage and reenactments makes "Raiders of the Lost Art" compelling viewing. 2. 'Poldark' (2015 - ) Redcoat soldier Ross Poldark returns to his Cornish home after the Revolutionary War to find his father dead, his lands in ruin, and the woman he loves about to marry his cousin. Bummer. Based on the novels by Winston Graham, "Poldark" is an Anglophile's dream, with sweeping, gorgeous English landscapes, a haunting soundtrack, and a brooding, complicated hero in Aiden Turner as the title character. History buffs will enjoy flashback sequences set during the War of Independence, as well as a look at life in 18th-century Cornwall from the perspectives of both the rich and the servant class. 3. 'The Tudors' (2007 - 2010) "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived." The tale of Henry VIII and his six wives remains a source of endless fascination for historians, and for good reason. Henry was a man of contradictions -- a man who changed the face of his kingdom by breaking from Rome and setting up the Church of England. He was an educated man, but also a ruthless, vindictive murderer. All these elements make for great TV and "The Tudors" is a good choice for history buffs willing to suspend disbelief for some entertainment. The series is not a serious historical retelling of Henry VIII's reign. Instead, enjoy it as a historical soap opera with a stellar cast (Natalie Dormer's Anne Boleyn is up there with the best of them). A high point is lithe, dark-haired Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing what is supposed to be the old, fat, red-headed Henry. Artistic license was never put to better use. 4. 'Rome' (2005 - 2007) This historical drama details the tumultuous period when Rome changed from a republic into an empire, told through the viewpoints of both the Roman aristocracy and ordinary people. Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson play soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, while James Purefoy and Tobias Menzies play Marc Antony and Brutus. What sets "Rome" apart is the sheer scale of production involved in bringing the ancient city to life. History buffs will appreciate the minute attention to detail paid to the show's costumes, architecture and landscapes. 5. 'Outlander' (2014 - ) Based on Diana Gabaldon's series of books, "Outlander" tells the story of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a married nurse who accidentally travels back in time and falls in love with Highland hunk Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). The background to this love story is the Jacobite uprisings, which culminated in the Scottish rebels being roundly defeated at the 1746 Battle of Culloden. Claire and Jamie do everything they can to prevent the rebellion from happening, knowing as they do the fatal outcome for the supporters of Charles Stuart. The show does an impressive job detailing the background to the rebellion, from Protestant-Catholic tension to the Scottish desire for independence from England. Beautiful costumes, stunning scenery, and sizzling romance make "Outlander" a pleasure to watch. Sources This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Weekend Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Makes a Splash With a Record-Breaking Weekend Posted:  BY LINDSEY BAHRAP FILM WRITER LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The forgetful blue fish of "Finding Dory" is box office gold. The Pixar sequel far-surpassed its already Ocean-sized expectations to take in $136.2 million in North American theaters, making it the highest-grossing animated debut of all time, according to comScore estimates Sunday. The 2007 film "Shrek the Third" was the previous record-holder with a $121.6 million debut. "Finding Dory," which comes 13 years after "Finding Nemo" hit theaters, is also now the second-largest June opening of all time. The well-reviewed film features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks and played particularly well with audiences, who gave the film an A CinemaScore. The Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson buddy comedy "Central Intelligence" also had a relatively muscular weekend, with a better-than-expected $34.5 million, putting it in second place. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Top Rated Movies for Anime Fans Posted:
And Japanese anime -- for all it's bombastic style, intricate craft, and heady narratives -- is definitely part of that nerd-tastic fantasy celebration. Roger Ebert was ahead of the curve in 1999 when he wrote that "Japanese animation unleashes the mind," helping everyone "understand that animation is not an art form limited to cute little animals and dancing teacups." These are some of the greatest movies that do said unleashing. 'Akira' (1988) Though anime has been around since animation has been around, 1988's "Akira" was anime's ambassador to the rest of the world. If only more ambassadors came with badass motorcycles and city-destroying psychic mutants. In a lot of ways, director Katsuhiro Otomo's movie -- adapted from the manga series he also penned -- crystallizes the best modern anime has to offer. Not only is every frame a fluid piece of pop art, its radical sci-fi trappings conceal an absolute head-trip of a mature narrative about government cover-ups, teen angst, and grotesque body horror. Like the British Film Institute said, it's this cocktail of factors that makes "Akira" the "most influential Japanese film of its era, animated or otherwise." 'Perfect Blue' (1999) Great anime, from "Patlabor: The Movie" to "Metropolis," has a science-fiction obsession. But the late Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue" sheds the sci-fi and showcases anime's range. You wouldn't be wrong for thinking the movie's plot sounds like an early draft of "Black Swan." When J-pop singer Mima Kirigoe breaks up the band to pursue a solo career, her pursuit of edgier expression makes her lose her dignity, her clothes, and maybe even her mind, as she's plagued with everything from hallucinations to bloody piles of dead bodies stacking up in her wake. "Perfect Blue" pulls off the psycho thriller with the best of the subgenre. And it doesn't hurt that you could frame just about every cell of the densely detailed, pinup-on-acid animation and hang it up on the wall. 'Ghost in the Shell' (1995) Getting back to sci-fi -- "Ghost in the Shell" not only defined how tons of other anime flicks would look in the coming decades, it left its mark on Hollywood in a big way. Apart from the controversial, Scarlett Johansson-led American live-action remake, this cyberpunk icon stirred up the gene pool "The Matrix" sprang from. Pages of green code flying across the screen? Check. Jacking in to a virtual existence via a creepy hole in your neck? Check. Martial arts meets existential dread? Check. In addition to influencing everyone from the Wachowskis to James Cameron, "Ghost in the Shell" taught an entire generation what the phrase "deus ex machina" means. So that's a bonus. Much of the Studio Ghibli Catalog The studio founded by legendary directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata could easily have a list all its own, three times as long as this one. And you'd be missing out if you didn't include a whole bunch of Ghibli flicks on your animated journey. Start with Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro" to ease yourself in to the mix of heartfelt fantasy, whimsical creatures, and childlike nostalgia that defines the studio. Then move on to his "Princess Mononoke" for a dose of hard-hitting but child-friendly adventure that makes it easy to see why it's one of the biggest movies in Japanese history. Follow that up with the most gut-wrenching animation you'll ever watch in Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies," the traumatic tale of two recently orphaned siblings struggling to survive the brutal last days of World War II in Japan. After that one, you'll need all the whimsy "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Spirited Away," and "Howl's Moving Castle" can throw at you. Consider that a prescription. Sources
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
While most of the world only knows Canadian sensation 
With the wealth of historical TV shows and documentaries available these days, you'd think the average history enthusiast would be spoiled for choice. But quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality (there's a reason "
It's time to come out of the basement. So you play Dungeons & Dragons every weekend with your drow-elf-loving friends; so you've beaten The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask once a year since 2001; so you build life-sized Lego statues of your favorite "| You are subscribed to email updates from Moviefone News RSS Feed - Moviefone.com. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment