Official Trailer for Disney's "Live-Action" THE LION KING

The official trailer for director Jon Favreau's "live-action" adaptation of Disney Animation Studios 1994 classic, The Lion King, is here and...can we just talk about how fantastic the music is for a second? Hans Zimmer may now be known as Christopher Nolan's composer of choice the man has had a long history of producing movie scores and the original The Lion King is among some of his best work and that really shines here. While it's easy to be cynical about what are more or less re-makes of your childhood favorites in favor of modern technologies such as motion capture and some downright astonishing CGI over the classic hand-drawn style of animation that mine and so many generations before me were raised on it's also hard to deny the beauty and scope of what Favreau has seemingly been able to accomplish here. As with the filmmaker’s The Jungle Book, Favreau's take on The Lion King will feature a mix of CGI and live-action techniques; the tangible environments only making the CGI, but wholly convincing animals all the more real. The moment that music breaks in though, I dare anyone born between 1985 and 2000 to try and not be won over by what this movie might potentially bring to the table as the majesty and wonder these songs capture along with the pure spectacle these visuals provide will seemingly give audiences plenty to chew on even if the narrative is known. Also of note is the fact Elton John returned to re-record some of his original music for this updated version collaborating with cast member, Beyonce Knowles Carter, in the process; it seems as if the Rocketman will be having quite the summer. The Lion King will also feature the voice work of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Eric Andre, Billy Eichner, Alfre Woodard, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Kani, and opens on July 19th, 2019.

Teaser Trailer for Jon Favreau's THE LION KING

The first trailer for director Jon Favreau's "live-action" adaptation of Disney Animation Studios 1994 classic, The Lion King, has arrived and while it gives us more than that Aladdin teaser did a month or so ago, this is still very much a tease. While it's easy to be cynical about what are more or less re-makes of your childhood favorites in favor of modern technologies such as motion capture and some downright astonishing CGI over the classic hand-drawn style of animation that mine and so many generations before me were raised on it is also hard to deny the beauty and scope of what Favreau has seemingly been able to accomplish here. Like Favreau’s The Jungle Book, the filmmaker's take on The Lion King will feature a mix of CGI and live-action techniques as is evident in the shots in this first-look footage; the tangible environments only making the clearly CGI, but nearly convincing animals all the more convincing. The moment that music breaks in though, I dare anyone born between 1985 and 2000 to try and be overly cynical or pessimistic about what this movie might potentially bring to the table as the majesty the song captures and the pure grand spectacle these visuals boast is something that-even if we know the story and know what's coming-will be astonishing to experience on the big screen. Speaking of the music, one has to wonder how many of the original songs will be included and to what degree. Favreau included the notable arrangements from the 1967 animated The Jungle Book in his 2016 version, but while there has been talk of cutting certain songs, The Lion King has such an iconic roster of musical moments it's hard to imagine the finished product with any of them missing. That said, Elton John did in fact return to re-record some of his original music for this updated version collaborating with cast member, Beyonce Knowles Carter, in the process. The Lion King will also feature the voice work of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Eric Andre, Billy Eichner, Alfre Woodard, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Kani, and opens on July 19th, 2019.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Review

There is no mention of the force. Barely a lightsaber is wielded. In these tangential Star Wars stories Disney has somehow figured out how to not only expand a brand, but simultaneously how to sell what were once mid-range, star-driven vehicles that have more or less become obsolete in the current theatrical landscape of tentpole after tentpole. It makes sense: to be not what everything else is, but what you need to be sometimes means taking up the mantle of that which will make people feel the urge to venture out to the theater while ultimately delivering something they didn't know they missed seeing on the big screen. And so, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a heist film that just so happens to feature characters with names and a few locations a few of us might recognize. Moreover, these characters may not require further backstory or exploration as this may in fact be detrimental to the mythos of some while fascinating in other circumstances, but in this universe as it now exists both the recognizable and additional characters on display here all have their own stories that can be expanded upon and thus is the reason LucasFilm and Kathleen Kennedy no doubt found this a solid if not necessarily wholly compelling piece to produce in the beginning phases of these extraneous stories taking place around the core trilogies. Because of this and because of Disney's inability to add any genuine stakes to Solo given it takes place prior to the original trilogy and they've already spoiled what happens to the character after; the studio has been afforded the opportunity to make a Han Solo movie which isn't really as much a movie about who Han Solo is and why or how he became the Han Solo we all came to know and love in Star Wars, but more it is a movie about a team of scoundrels and smugglers who are always seeking that "one job to end all jobs". You know, the one they might retire on, settle all their debts with, and that will set them up prettily for the rest of their lives? Yeah, that's what Solo is. Solo is a mob drama of sorts, albeit an intergalactic one, that by default functions as part of two specific genres and works well enough to varying degrees in both for the general effect that it suffices to satisfy audiences seeking either type of movie just well enough. Does it hold much weight? No. Was it necessary? Of course not. Worst of all, it's not very efficient with its own storytelling in certain acts, but it's a fun enough time with characters that, if you loved them already, you won't mind hanging out with more and getting to meet some of their extended circles you weren't acquainted with prior.

Movies I Wanna See Most: Summer 2018

The summer movie season is always one of my favorite times of the year because it seems people outside those of us who consistently devour movies seem to make a big deal of what's opening in theaters each week. When it's something the masses are interested in it feels like a celebration and no matter how crappy or generic some of these movies might be that attract the masses I can't help but smile about people finding joy and excitement in the cinema. I've always attempted to find a balance between big-budget and indie fare rather than dismiss the blockbusters and only adore the smaller, more intimate movies. I like to try and think in terms of objectives and how well a movie accomplishes the objectives it sets out to accomplish by the end of the film. This seems especially critical when approaching traditional summer popcorn movies. That doesn't mean I'm necessarily more excited for Skyscraper than I am something like Hot Summer Nights, but rather that I'm interested in both for very different reasons. While neither of those titles will be on my list I would place director Brad Bird's follow-up to his 2005 Pixar juggernaut, The Incredibles II, just outside my top ten along with the likes of Rupert Wyatt's follow-up to his The Gambler re-make titled Captive State that stars John Goodman and explores the lives of beings on both sides of a conflict that has been in place for nearly a decade after an extra-terrestrial force took occupation in Chicago. The film has an August release date and was included in my most anticipated of the year as Wyatt's entry in the last Planet of the Apes trilogy is still my favorite and this film seems like a natural progression after Goodman's fantastic turn in 10 Cloverfield Lane, but the absence of any trailer or any promotional material whatsoever makes me wonder if this one might not get delayed. Elsewhere, there is The Happytime Murders from Brian Henson (son of Jim) a dark comedy about the puppet cast of an eighties children's TV show that begin to get murdered one by one, Gary Ross' (Pleasantville, The Hunger Games) take on a Steven Soderbergh heist flick with the star-studded Ocean's 8, and likely Morgan Neville's (20 feet from Stardom) documentary that explores the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host, Fred Rogers in Won't You be My Neighbor?. You won't find the likes of The Equalizer II or The First Purge on my list and none of the broad mainstream comedies such as Tag or Uncle Drew are on there despite the fact I'll no doubt end up enjoying both of them, but like I said, I'm by no means opposed to unabashed blockbusters as is evidenced in my number ten pick...

Teaser Trailer for SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

We got our first, brief glimpse of proof last night during Super Bowl LII that Solo: A Star Wars Story is an actual movie that exists and that it is in fact coming to theaters on Memorial Day weekend this year (that's just over three months away, mind you). The morning has now brought us the full version of that tease. Outside of the fact this thing looks pretty spectacular from a visual standpoint (it was shot by Arrival cinematographer Bradford Young) there isn't much to go off of as far as how the final product will turn out given the rocky production the film faced. If you haven't heard, don't follow movie news, or have otherwise been living under a rock you may not be privy to the fact that original Solo directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (21 Jump Street, The LEGO Movie) were essentially given the boot with less than a month to go in principal photography. Lucasfilm, and more specifically Kathleen Kennedy, then brought in Ron Howard to re-shoot much of the film and complete production. At the very least, Solo will be a film that will keep attentive audiences brimming with curiosity up until the release date as it's worth speculating as to whether or not Disney and Lucasfilm will even drop another trailer prior to the film's release. I'm sure there will be another trailer of some sort-likely an extended "Official Trailer" released just before Infinity War bows in early May, but I'm willing to bet the new footage included will be minimal and the story beats even more so. With this teaser no doubt being attached to prints of Black Panther though, Disney and Lucasfilm seem to be using Solo as a test case for how far they can push the Star Wars brand name with how much they can limit the advertising while still managing to have a sizeable hit on their hands. As a result of this, it will also be interesting to see how fans respond in terms of awareness and excitement for what will undoubtedly become more common in the Star Wars filmscape as these kinds of anthology films are far more easier to develop and make in terms of nailing down stories than the episodic films will be. Where will Lucasfilm and Kennedy take the brand after the current trilogy finishes and Rian Johnson begins work on his own trilogy? Who knows, but films like Solo seem to be the future of Star Wars. Solo: A Star Wars Story stars Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany, and opens on May 25th, 2018.

Movies I Wanna See Most: 2018

With a new year we are brought many a new prospects for our entertainment and in looking forward to 2018 I decided there was more than enough I was looking forward to in order to compile a most anticipated list. Too much, probably. That said, even in counting down twenty-five titles there is still plenty else that I would have loved to include. While I adored writer/director Alex Garland's directorial debut in Ex Machina his follow-up that comes out next month, Annihilation, has seemingly been shifted around in ways that make it feel less of a prospect. While I'm curious I'm not as excited to see the movie as I thought I might be. Others that were close to making the cut were director John Curran's (The Painted Veil) Chappaquiddick about how Ted Kennedy's life and political career became derailed after his involvement in a fatal 1969 car accident that claimed the life of a young campaign strategist. The film received strong reviews out of Toronto last year and I'm anxious to see what all the buzz is about when the film opens in early April. And then, there are of course the obvious big tentpoles that I'll be more than happy to see including The Incredibles 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Ocean's 8, The Predator, Equalizer 2, Sicario 2: Soldado, and Mary Poppins Returns, but beyond being happy to see these come their opening weekends I'm not exactly looking forward to what they'll bring to the table. There is also supposed to be that live-action Mulan from director Niki Caro (McFarland USA) that is set to open this November, but I didn't include it here as I'm rather skeptical given we've heard little about it besides the casting of the lead and the main players in the creative team being in place. Time will tell and I'm looking forward to the film, but if we'll see it in 2018 I'm not sure. Finally, I would love to have highlighted lesser known upcoming titles such as The Diary of a Teenage Girl director Marielle Heller's new film, Can You Ever Forgive Me? Starring Melissa McCarthy as bestselling celebrity biographer, Lee Israel, or John Krasinski's latest directorial effort, A Quiet Place, that stars himself and wife Emily Blunt along with Wonderstruck breakout Millicent Simmonds in what looks to be a departure for the actor/filmmaker. Jim Henson's son, Brian, also returns to feature filmmaking with The Happytime Murders which sounds like a blast and then there is of course the likes of Red Sparrow, the new Steven Soderbergh flick, Unsane, Richard Linklater's Where'd You Go Bernadette? not to mention new efforts from both Adam McKay and Alfonso Cuaron that don't have set release dates yet, but that we can probably expect at some point this year. There just isn't enough space in the world for everything that sounds promising in 2018 and so, here are twenty-five I definitely can't wait to watch and know I'll see this calendar year. 

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Review

The thing that will forever allow Spider-Man: Homecoming to stand apart from the previous five iterations of the webslinger is that it is very much its own movie. Homecoming stands on its own and doesn't feel the need to repeat any of the beats from either Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield's stints as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Rather, Homecoming picks up after the first Avengers film, carries us behind the scenes of Civil War, and onto Peter Parker's first solo adventure where, as a sophomore in high school, he's already been bit by the radioactive spider and learned of the abilities he's adapted since that fateful encounter. Homecoming is a movie that embraces Parker's youthfulness in its character dynamics and his eagerness to become a hero in its action scenes. Most vital though is that Homecoming isn't the origin story we've all come to know, but it is still a movie about how Peter Parker truly becomes Spider-Man. Somehow, with six credited screenwriters, it is the screenplay that stands to be one of the strongest factors in Homecoming's corner when it comes to setting itself apart from a character that has had two previous actors portray them and five previous incarnations on the big screen over the last fifteen years. Most startlingly is the fact this isn't a film based around a bad guy who is trying to take over the world or a villain who is trying to obtain a large sum of money in order to take over the world or even an antagonist who wants to steal a device that will help them take over the world, but rather this is, funnily enough, a movie that is born from the repercussions of Tony Stark's actions and one of the many enemies he's made in the process. As much as Sony and Marvel Studios have pushed the presence of Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark in the marketing for Spider-Man: Homecoming Downey Jr. is rarely on screen, but his influence is everywhere. From the opening frame of the film we are aware of the fact that this is a Spider-Man who exists well within the same world as Thor and Hulk. From what motivates our villain to act in the first place, what is born out of those motivations, and how it has come around time and time again for Stark and his peers to have to dispel them Spider-Man: Homecoming is a result of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in more ways than one which is, thankfully, very much to its benefit. Thus, what we have is a movie that is very fun, yet another enjoyable entry in what is more or less a TV series on the largest scale possible, and while Homecoming is as fun as one could hope and entertaining as all get out it never reaches a point of greatness that pushes it into the realm of exceptional.        

Official Trailers for SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING

As we close in on a month until a brand new Spider-Man movie opens it is still strange this will actually be the third time in fifteen years that we've had a new Spider-Man. Of course, the difference with Spider-Man: Homecoming is the fact this latest version of the webslinger will be co-existing with the heroes that have come to define the Marvel Cinematic Universe and fighting alongside them. If anything has become clear through its marketing strategy thus far it's that Homecoming very much wants to take on this John Hughes-like approach to Spidey given Peter Parker's young age and prime high school status. This is taken as a point of pride here as opposed to twenty-somethings playing high school seniors as has been done in the past. This certainly makes the fact we're getting a new Spider-Man flick a win, but it also doesn't hurt that these newest trailers are the best Sony and Marvel have released and make this movie look like a ton of fun. Directed by John Watts (Cop Car) who, along with his writers room, have taken their opportunity to make as retro a movie as we've indeed heard have also made the smart move in not again telling an origin story. From the design of the logo to the very outspoken intent of making this an inexperienced Peter Parker who enlists Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark as something of a mentor (who designed Spidey's suit as we saw in Civil War) this is a fresh approach given this is now the story of a normal kid with super powers in a world where superheroes are more or less the norm. This is timely considering this too is what Spider-Man movies have become in an era where the Guardians of the Galaxy are as widely known as Captain America. All of that said, these latest official and international trailers have made me more excited for this latest Spider-Man movie than anything else we've seen. Still, I sincerely hope Watts has a lot more up his sleeve that will make this latest Spidey iteration stand apart from his protagonist's new pack. Spider-Man: Homecoming also stars Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Marisa Tomei, and opens on July 7th, 2017.

New Trailer for SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING

It's still strange that we have a new Spider-Man movie coming that is again re-booting the series for the third time in fifteen years, but here we are. Of course, the difference with Spider-Man: Homecoming is the fact this latest version of the webslinger will be co-existing with the heroes that have come to define the Marvel Cinematic Universe and fighting alongside them. In the same way Power Rangers did this past weekend Homecoming seems to want to take on this John Hughes-like approach to Spidey as the major differentiators have always been Peter Parker's young age and prime high school status. This is taken as a point of pride here as opposed to twenty-somethings playing high school seniors as they've done in the movies before. This certainly makes the fact we're getting a new Spider-Man flick a win, but if this new trailer shows anything else it's that this won't simply be an origin story, but a full on action adventure picture. Directed by John Watts (Cop Car) it seems he and his writers room are taking their film as retro as we've indeed heard throughout most of the production. From the design of the logo to the very outspoken intent of making this an inexperienced Peter Parker who enlists Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark as something of a mentor (who designed Spidey's suit as we saw in Civil War), but who really just exists as a normal kid with super powers in a world where superheroes are more or less the norm. This is timely considering this too is what Spider-Man movies have become in an era where the Guardians of the Galaxy are as widely known as Captain America, but while this newest trailer delivers what we all expect from a Spider-Man movie I'm excited to see what else Watts has up his sleeve to make this latest iteration stand apart from his protagonist's new pack. Spider-Man: Homecoming also stars Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Marisa Tomei, and opens on July 7th, 2017.

Teaser Trailer for SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING

As happened last year with the release of The Force Awakens every studio and their mothers are releasing trailers for their biggest films of 2017 in hopes of getting them attached to prints of Rogue One which will undoubtedly be seen by more eyeballs than any other movie in theaters this year. One that is something of a given though is that of the first glimpse of our new Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in action as the Sony Pictures/Marvel co-production exists at least partially under the Disney banner. One can bet that Disney will pair their new iteration of the webslinger with as many prints of Rogue One as possible so as to both let those who are unaware we're getting a new Spider-Man movie in 2017 aware of that fact while also giving those who anxiously await that film something to look forward to once the anticipation for Rogue One has passed. It's a win/win all around and this first look at the footage from director John Watts (Cop Car) John Hughes-inspired take on Spidey certainly makes the fact we're getting a new Spider-Man flick just that: a win. In the short tease that was dropped yesterday the fact Holland's Spider-Man would sport the webbed wings that allow him to fly through the air only signaled that Watts and his writers room would be taking their film as retro as we've indeed heard throughout most of the production. From the design of the logo to the very outspoken intent of making this a very young, very inexperienced Peter Parker who enlists Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark as something of a mentor (who designed Spidey's suit as we saw in Civil War and are told in this trailer), but who really just exists as a normal kid with super powers in a world where superheroes are more or less the norm. It will be interesting to see how Homecoming brings the newly minted Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but if this first footage is any indication it seems it will pose no issue at all. Spider-Man: Homecoming also stars Jon Favreau, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Marisa Tomei, and opens on July 7th, 2017.

TIFF 2015: THE MARTIAN Review

It's weird. With everything The Martian has going on and going for it you'd think it might be more of a straightforward action film, but rather this is a movie about problem solving. Problem solving in the cheesy sense of never giving up, but legitimate in that our protagonists circumstances have him stranded on Mars. These days, one almost goes into a Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator) picture with the expectation of receiving something handsome without necessarily having any sustenance and that reaction has been warranted over the last few years (Prometheus has it's lovers and it's haters, but I'm in the former camp). What makes The Martian different than say Robin Hood, The Counselor or even Exodus though is that it once again sets the director up in what seems to be his most comfortable and inspiring setting: space. In going back to the cosmos, the director does his own problem solving and dives head first into his grand new science fiction film by embracing every aspect that makes up this story. Whether that be in the Mars-based segments with Matt Damon's astronaut Mark Watney or on Earth at the various NASA headquarters with engaging intellects like Chewitel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. Beyond having rounded up a stellar cast Scott has more or less crafted his most entertaining film in years by really seeming passionate about the material. Of course, rather than space, this could be the reason all of his films taking place out of our planet's orbit tend to generally turn out for the best. Scott is an explorer, a man who likes his scope large and his stories fairly bombastic. What bigger canvas is there to paint on than space?

MAGIC MIKE XXL Review

In the summer of 2012 the idea of Magic Mike seemed little more than a way for the studio and Channing Tatum himself to push his celebrity and sex appeal even further than The Vow and 21 Jump Street already had that year. When the film ended up having a $40 million opening weekend with only a budget of $7m it was clear Tatum was no longer just an added-value element, but something of a movie star in his own generations right. This was a film with no previous film in the franchise, no brand recognition, no book or memoir it was based off of, but instead was solely the product of Tatum sitting down with writer Reid Carolin and hashing out a story around his early days as a male stripper. Billed as a film for the ladies, Magic Mike actually turned out to be something of a heavy handed dramatic piece as directed by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, the Ocean trilogy) that wasn't exactly what the target audience expected. There was still plenty of dancing and grinding and a whole bunch of humping, but beyond this the film examined the social stigmas of such a career choice and the difficult task of leaving that kind of a life behind despite someone only being able to last in that lifestyle for a small window of time in their life. This latter part is where the sequel, Magic Mike XXL, picks up and more or less runs with the idea of knowing this won't last forever so let's give it one last hurrah. There aren't as many deeper themes going on here, in fact there isn't really much going on at all other than the goal of having a good time and in that regard, the Kings of Tampa succeed. Magic Mike XXL is not the same kind of film its predecessor was, but this sequel doesn't attempt to be that kind of film either. Instead, XXL is its own beast entirely and while that may, on the surface, make it less of an artistic success than the first this exclusively fun, road trip movie turns out be just as good and just as insanely stylistic because it never loses sight of what makes these movies tick: the characters.

First Trailer for Ridley Scott's THE MARTIAN Starring Matt Damon

I picked up Andy Weir's novel, The Martian, a few months back and plan on beginning to read it within the next few days. Naturally, my goal is to finish Weir's book before the film version arrives this Thanksgiving, but while that sounds completely plausible I have a bad habit of taking long breaks in between books. That said, I will at least have a strong point of visual reference once I do begin to read the novel as the first trailer for director Ridley Scott's (Gladiator, Alien) film adaptation has now premiered and gives away slightly more than I wanted or expected it to. Over the last few weeks we have received a barrage of marketing material in the form of stills as well as an introductory video yesterday to the Area 3 crew before the launch of their mission to mars. With the trailer though, we get our first glimpse at the tone of the film and Scott's visual style this time around. I have really relished in his visual approach for his last few films (Prometheus naturally coming to mind) and that seems to have been applied here as well. The visuals are stunning and, without knowing more of the story than what the trailer indicates, the narrative seems to have some exceptionally gripping aspects that I hope push this further than the rather lackluster efforts he's delivered as of late. The guy simply turns around projects so quickly it's hard to see how he can take the necessary care, but at the age of 77 it's likely not wise to argue with then man. The Martian stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover and opens in 3D on November 25th. Hit the jump to also see the featurette released yesterday as well as several stills from the film.

New Trailer for MAGIC MIKE XXL

Well, here we are again. In what feels like one of the more crowded summers over the last few years it will be interesting to see how this sequel to Magic Mike plays out. The first film opened three years ago at what was arguably the climax (pun intended) of Tatum's rise to fame. It had been a slow build until 2012 when he hit audiences with a three-way (pun intended) blitz of The Vow, 21 Jump Street and then Magic Mike in the summer. He was not only competing against a summer with another Avengers and Ted (which opened against Magic Mike then and will open a week before the sequel this year), but it opened a mere week before The Amazing Spider-Man and just less than a month before The Dark Knight Rises. Granted, it didn't have much competition throughout July besides the two aforementioned tentpoles, but Magic Mike thrived because it spoke to a different audience, a female audience. In the end, Tatum's take on the average working man cloaked in stripper routines debuted to a healthy $39 million and went on to claim $167 million globally. Coupled with the fact the first film was made for $7 million this really shows the power of star plus concept. Tatum has only become a bigger star since and arguably a more credible one which I only assume will boost this sequels prospects given it looks more in line with what women wanted from the first film anyway. With Warner Bros. placing Magic Mike XXL on the coveted fourth of July weekend with its only competition that weekend being the Terminator reboot it seems XXL will again fill the alternate programming slot all the way through to at least the 17th when Judd Apatow's Trainwreck opens. Beside Tatum, Magic Mike XXL also stars Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Amber Heard, Elizabeth Banks, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Michael Strahan and hits theaters on July 1st.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT Review

The Lazarus Effect feels like it should be a cheap horror film. It is the end of February, there hasn't been much of a marketing scheme and it tops out at a brisk hour and twenty-three minutes. With those factors taken into consideration I wondered what might have drawn the likes of talent such as Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass to the project not to mention a supporting cast that includes Evan Peters and Donald Glover. There had to be a little something more to this if not for names of this stature to get involved, but for the fact these names usually represent some kind of interesting tendencies. Duplass especially as not only does the guy star in an outright hilarious sitcom, but has written, directed and starred in more than a handful of very indie-feeling films that generally receive good reviews. So, what was it about this very obvious-looking genre film that made it acceptable for each of these actors to dip out of their known niche and into something that might otherwise come off a little second-rate? Well, for starters there is the fact it comes to us courtesy of director David Gelb who made Jiro Dreams of Sushi which was a rather acclaimed documentary four years ago and was co-penned by Jeremy Slater who was picked up to write the Fantastic Four re-boot for Josh Trank. Coming at the film from this more optimistic perspective one can see early on what the attraction might have been for the actors. Most who come to the art form of acting likely have more consistent existential crises than the majority of us and The Lazarus Effect gets the point across fairly quickly that it wants to mess around with some big questions whether it is ready for the big answers or not. There is discussion about the after-life, metaphoric implications of what exists after we die might mean as represented by the lives we lead as well as good ol' talk about the precautions of playing God in a laboratory. The good is there is plenty of interesting topics to latch onto here, the bad is that the film doesn't give itself room to breathe and really explore any of its topics much less focus on a main thought.

First Trailer for MAGIC MIKE XXL

Well, here we are. In a world not only where Channing Tatum has become something of a formidable actor, but one where his original hit dance movie has spawned four sequels and now his second hit dance movie is getting a sequel as well. Granted, that second dance movie concerned a more specific set of skills and was more of a passion project for the actor as well as featuring THE performance from Matthew McConaughey that signaled his complete one-eighty-it is with anticipation we awaited what Tatum and collaborator Steven Soderbergh have come up with for this second time around. Though Soderbergh only acted as cinematographer this time as directing duties went to Greg Jacobs (who has served as second unit on countless Soderbergh flicks) Tatum again penned the script with Reid Carolin who he also wrote the original film with. While I enjoyed that the first film didn't deliver exactly what everyone expected, this second trailer certainly plays up that same angle so as to pull in the "girls night out" crowds. It will be interesting to see if the ladies still flock to this one knowing how the first turned out, which was good for the rest of us, but maybe they were fine with what dancing and grinding they did see to the point there is no question about attending a sequel. Heavily bumping Ginuwine's "Pony," and putting all their eggs in the confident and cocky basket, Magic Mike XXL is looking to have a massive fourth of July weekend even without the McConaughey returning. Magic Mike XXL also stars Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Amber Heard, Elizabeth Banks, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Michael Strahan and hits theaters on July 1st.

THE TO DO LIST Review

Walking into something like The To Do List it is hard to decide whether or not you are going to get a film along the lines of Adventureland or something more akin to an Adam Sandler comedy, but the cast would certainly suggest the former. That was my optimistic hope going into the film and while I never expected this to be the comedy of the summer (the film was originally scheduled to come out this past February) or even a kind of cult hit I did expect to find a rather low key dirty comedy with enough good bits to sustain its brisk running time. What we actually get is a great cast littered throughout a flimsy film that knows what it wants to be and has a clear agenda, but doesn't necessarily have the intelligence or originality to achieve its own aspirations. As this fact became clear within the first fifteen minutes of the film I was at least relieved to see so many funny people and even rather credible actors popping up in roles of all shapes and sizes whether it was cameos, supporting players, or main cast. As films such as this usually go there isn't enough substance or depth to the characters to justify the emotional journey the makers would like us to go on, but as far as staging crude and vulgar sex acts in awkward places between awkward people this movie hits the nail on the head. The title of "sex comedy" is a term tossed around loosely these days and used to describe pretty much any R-rated comedy that includes at least one boob joke, but The To Do List earns this branding with its head held high. I don't know if it was the fact I wasn't sure what to expect from the film or that it was so unabashedly blunt about its sexual awareness but the film is ultimately a mixed bag ranging from amusing sight gags to jokes as old as the time period in which it's set (sadly, this means 1993 was twenty years ago). While Aubrey Plaza has become known for playing the witty and extremely deadpan chick in films like last years Safety Not Guaranteed and TV's Parks & Recreation the actress takes small steps here to separate herself from that persona which should count for something, but ends up meaning very little when the project surrounding you really isn't that good.