Editorials

Every Easter Egg in the New Ant-Man Trailer

ant-man easter eggs

Reid Jones | Moviepilot:

Ant-Man’s daughter, Cassidy Lang, has been fully revealed as Scott’s main motivation for getting into the suit. Little did you know that in the comics, Cassidy grows up to be the superheroine known as Stature, who uses Ant-Man’s same powers, except in reverse: to grow to skyscraping heights. Could we end up seeing a fully grown Cassidy by the time an Ant-Man 3 film comes out? Ant-Man 2 won’t be coming out until at least 2019, leaving Cassidy around her teenage years should a third film ever make its way to the big screen.

A fellow writer at Moviepilot, Reid Jones, compiled a full list of even the most subtle references scattered in the first Ant-Man trailer, which premiered just last night during “Agent Carter.”

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, you can still check out the article and stream the trailer at the top.

For those of you who have seen the trailer, what did you think?

Andrew Garfield Is Still Spider-man (For Now)

spider-man andrew garfield

Confirmed: Andrew Garfield is Still Spider-man:

Sorry Tobey Maguire fans, The Amazing Spider-man 3 will NOT feature a recasting of Sony’s latest franchise for the webhead. Andrew Garfield is here to stay. This confirmation actually comes from a casting call that released the starring roles for the film. It shows that both Andrew Garfield and Dane DeHaan will be reprising their roles as Peter Parker and Harry Osborne, respectively.

The above is a piece I wrote for Moviepilot upon hearing the news. In a nutshell, it highlights how Sony, after rumors of straying, has apparently decided to stick with Andrew Garfield, rather than going back to Maguire.

Honestly, I feel like I’m writing a gossip column about superheroes at this point.

If David Fincher Rebooted ‘Spider-man’

spider-man david fincher

A few years ago, David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, Gone Girl) was one of a handful of directors considered for revamping the Spider-man franchise. Of course, Marc Webb was ultimately the final decision, but did you know that Fincher was also considered to launch the franchise back in 1999?

Though Sam Raimi did a brilliant job with at least two movies from that trilogy, a lot of people (like me) believe new blood would be a great start to rebooting Spider-man for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (you know, with the Avengers in the background).

Most of you already know that I despise 2011’s The Amazing Spider-man and moderately enjoyed this past year’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. That said, I still think a new Spider-man franchise is worth exploring, whether it conserve Andrew Garfield or toss him.

Back to David Fincher. If he was the man behind the camera behind the cowl, we already know some of his vision for telling Peter Parker’s story. Here’s an excerpt from a 2011 interview he did concerning the last Spider-man reboot:

My impression what Spider-Man could be is very different from what Sam [Raimi] did or what Sam wanted to do. I think the reason he directed that movie was because he wanted to do the Marvel comic superhero. I was never interested in the genesis story. I couldn’t get past a guy getting bit by a red and blue spider. It was just a problem… It was not something that I felt I could do straight-faced. I wanted to start with Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin, and I wanted to kill Gwen Stacy.

The title sequence of the movie that I was going to do was going to be a ten minute — basically a music video, an opera, which was going to be the one shot that took you through the entire Peter Parker [backstory]. Bit by a radio-active spider, the death of Uncle Ben, the loss of Mary Jane, and [then the movie] was going to begin with Peter meeting Gwen Stacy. It was a very different thing, it wasn’t the teenager story. It was much more of the guy who’s settled into being a freak.

Sounds a lot like the beginning of Spider-man 2 (2004) right? Only it would be ten minutes long and resemble more of an opera than comic book pages.

I doubt Fincher will ever be taking on Spider-man anytime soon, though it would be crazy for his first superhero film to be about the webhead. For now, we just have to assume that Marc Webb and Avi Arad still hold all the cards to Spidey’s future.

The 10 Movies That Made 2014 Incredible

I don’t usually do “top lists” for movies because, well, who cares what I think? So, instead I made a list of the “best” highlights of 2014.

As usual, I watched plenty of movies this year, but I didn’t see all of them. If there’s a movie missing from this list (or just something about movies in 2014 that you loved), don’t hesitate to share in the comments!

 

#10 The One I Love

the one i love

Mad Men‘s Elizabeth Moss was in a movie with The League’s Mark Duplass this year. But unless you regularly scroll through your Netflix queue (like I do), you probably missed The One I Love, which was one of 2014’s most inventive, and unsettling, films.

It’s hard to describe the movie without spoiling it, but I will say that it’s a dark romantic science fiction comedy (sorry for being so vague) centering around a couple trying to make their marriage work during a weekend getaway.

The movie wins this spot on my list (from Reese Witherspoon’s incredible performance in Wild) simply for being one of the few movies in recent memory to actually make me think critically about relationships and love. In a way that I probably never would have.

This one was 2014’s BEST romantic anything.

 

#9 Captain America: The Winter Soldier

captain america winter soldier

This is the superhero movie that made superhero movies cool again. And with Captain America, no less.

TWS wasn’t just an excellent sequel, it was one of Marvel’s strongest films period, even compared to The Avengers.

It was the perfect film to kick off what turned out to be a fun summer for movies, and it was the first case study of how Marvel can nail just about any genre with their capes.

2014’s BEST hero.

 

#8 Nightcrawler

nightcrawler

Imagine my surprise when this low-profile Jake Gyllenhaal movie about filming crime scenes in LA turned out to be one of the best films in Gyllenhaal’s already incredible career.

I still hold Lou Bloom as Gyllenhaal’s best role yet, and it was easily one of 2014’s most memorable characters.

2014’s BEST car chase.

 

#7 The Imitation Game

imitation game

This isn’t a perfect movie by any means. I think Keira Knightley was miscasted (her final, excellent scene notwithstanding), and parts of the script dragged on. When the credits rolled, I didn’t feel like I knew enough about Alan Turing, though I think that’s the point.

Still, Benedict Cumberbatch did a fantastic job as the genius who invented the first computer, only to be shunned for his private life. The Imitation Game had the most teary ending of any of the movies on this list, and the end still gives me chills when I start to think about it.

Sorry Fury, this was the BEST WWII movie of the year (that I saw, anyway).

 

#6  Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer

A post-apocalyptic science fiction movie about trains? Sheldon Cooper would be proud.

Easily the best sic-fi movie of the year (and there were tons of other great sci-fi movies this year), and I’m really shocked that Chris Evans managed to be in two movies on this list. Never thought I’d see the day circa 2007.

Snowpiercer brings back the overused post-apocalyptic premise that audiences declared “stale” back in, I don’t know, 2012, I guess. It also recycles the familiar rich vs. poor/revolution message that sci-fi has been throwing at us since before my parents watched movies.

Despite this, Snowpiercer was almost impossible not to like. The action, cinematography, and overall tension of watching abused survivors fight their way up the last train on Earth is one of the best ways you can spend a weekend.

And yes, it has the BEST twist ending of 2014.

 

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy

guardians of the galaxy

If Captain America made superhero movies cool again, then Guardians of the Galaxy is the movie that made space operas cool again. And I can’t think of a better way for Disney to tell us a year early that they can handle Star Wars.

This was one of the biggest movies of the year (the biggest in the U.S. for sure), and for good reason. It was funny, the characters were lovable, and the action was on-point.

BEST soundtrack, by the way.

 

#4 How to Train Your Dragon 2

how to train your dragon 2

The subtitle for this movie should really be: Don’t worry Pixar fans! We’ll make a great animated movie for you while you wait for the next Pixar movie in 2015!

This was my favorite animated movie of the year (sorry Big Hero 6. You were a lot of fun, but DRAGONS), and I would even say it’s neck and neck with Captain America for the year’s best sequel.

BEST animation of 2014.

 

#3 Boyhood

boyhood

I watched Boyhood on a plane to Florida recently, and I noticed two important things about the movie: it’s my childhood, but in movie format — I couldn’t stop watching.

A lot of people give Boyhood flack for being a bit of a “gimmick” movie. Its main selling point is that it’s one of the most ambitious films of all time, in that it filmed the same boy (and other actors) for over 12 years. We literally watch him grow up onscreen.

But honestly, that’s not what makes the movie great. Strangely, the movie’s lack of narrative worked for me, and I normally hate mosaics (think Tree of Life or anything else by Terrence Malick). In a way, the boy’s life is the story, which made me connect with Boyhood in a way I don’t think I’ve ever connected with a fictional character.

This one had the BEST script of 2014.

 

#2 Gone Girl

gone girl

Like Boyhood, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen as I watched the movie where even the twists have twists.

Gone Girl is filet mignon. It’s a movie that just gets everything right and cooks it perfectly. The pacing, acting, story, dialogue, and even Ben Affleck are executed brilliantly in this creepy thriller about a man whose wife goes missing.

In my opinion, the BEST story of 2014.

 

#1 Whiplash

whiplash

It’s tragic that this movie hasn’t reached a broader audience yet, but I’m really hoping it will as we enter the new year. Featuring Miles Teller (the future Mr. Fantastic) and J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson and TENZIN), Whiplash is the chaotic tale of how obsession separates ordinary people from legends.

But the real draw of the movie was watching Simmons play the brutal Jazz instructor, Fletcher. His character was the most memorable villain of 2014, I think, and his terrorizing teaching tactics were a real thrill to watch.

And of course, if you’ve seen the movie already, you know that it has the BEST ending of 2014.

whiplash

 

But these aren’t the only movies that made 2014 such a great year for movies. Here are some other standouts:

BEST Cinematography: Birdman

BEST Wit and Humor: Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST Premise: The LEGO Movie

lego movie

BEST Biopic: Selma

BEST New Character: Baymax (Big Hero 6)

BEST Onscreen Pair: The Skeleton Twins

BEST Prequel: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

BEST Special Effects: Interstellar

BEST Actress: Reese Witherspoon in Wild

BEST Action: The Edge of Tomorrow

BEST New Universe: John Wick

BEST Use of Michael Fassbender: Frank

frank

 

Have a great 2015!

Is Egypt Banning ‘Exodus’ To Make It More Popular?

exodus banned

BBC | Egypt bans ‘inaccurate’ Exodus film:

The head of the censorship board said these included the film’s depiction of Jews as having built the Pyramids (the Pyramids are believed to have been built about 1,000 years before the story of the Exodus), and that an earthquake, not a miracle by Moses, caused the Red Sea to part.

There have also been reports that the film is banned in Morocco.

I’m honestly worried that this is just a ploy to generate interest in a failing movie, akin to how the Sony hack ended up being “good” for The Interview (at least in terms of popularity).

I know it’s a baseless theory, but some things about this whole thing don’t add up. It seems strange that the movie would be banned outright like this, despite some inconsistencies that are frankly not that big of a deal.

And the timing is suspicious too. Exodus has been out for a few weeks now, and it’s not doing well. The film has only gone on to collect about $100 million worldwide, which isn’t close to the production budget alone. Once you add marketing expenses, Exodus is in big trouble of flopping.

I’m currently researching to find out if there’s a precedent for this in Egypt and Morocco. Is it normal for them to ban an inaccurate adaptation of a true story? That’s what I want to find out ASAP.

Review ‘Annie’ Is the Worst Movie I’ve Seen All Year.

And that’s saying something.

Let me preface this by saying that I was absolutely in love with the idea of a new Annie movie for this new generation. I was also glad that they were willing to take creative risks with the story, characters, and even original music.

Ironically, none of that is what makes the film the worst Annie movie of all time, as well as one of the worst movies I’ve seen in years.

annie movie

 

That said, the new story is inventive and even gutsy. I actually bought that it was “Annie” for the modern day. It was a little jarring to be taken out of the 1930s, but I stuck with it.

No, what brings this film down is the fact that someone decided to release a post-2005 Disney Channel Original Movie into theaters, masquerading as a tribute to one of the most celebrated stories of the 20th Century.

I’ll state outright that anyone who even remotely dislikes the post-High School Musical Disney Channel will be disgusted by this movie. For them (and me), it’s unwatchable.

annie movie

And even if the Disney Channel is your thing, I suspect you’ll still be put off by various other gaping missteps this movie takes, from countless potholes plotholes to unwittingly preachy left-wing messaging that felt incredibly out-of-place.

The major sins of Annie (and trust me, I hate to even call the movie Annie) include some of the things a movie based on a major broadway play should make priority #1. The first is the sound recording. None of the characters even look like they’re actually singing, and the recordings are so “polished,” there isn’t an ounce of immersion.

annie movie

The closest the film came to decent choreography and sound was during “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” but that was only thanks to the fact that you couldn’t really see the characters anyway. And other classic numbers are so poorly done, you’ll wonder why they even included music in this movie at all.

Jamie Foxx does what he can with this script, along with Rose Byrne and Quvenzhane Wallis as Annie herself. Strangely, these three main characters deliver fine performances, and it was their chemistry that made the trailers seem promising.

But the acting falls apart nearly everywhere else. Cameron Diaz is clearly phoning it in as the persistently drunk Ms. Hannigan, and her overacting makes me think she was actually wasted on set.

annie movie

And the children from the orphanage couldn’t deliver a single believable line, despite the fact that countless other young (and competent) actors would be chomping at the bit for a role in Annie. Where were they during auditions?

None of the humor worked for me (yes, they save the few funny lines for the trailer), and as I mentioned earlier, the plot holes are too huge to ignore, no matter how old you are.

SPOILER WARNING (though, it’s related to pretty much every other Annie plot):

annie movie

One of the biggest plot holes of the movie left me with my jaw so wide, I couldn’t write this without pointing it out. Toward the end of the movie, Annie gets kidnapped by two people claiming to be her parents.

We clearly see her leave her room with her phone on her, but when she’s later locked in the car with her kidnappers, she doesn’t use the phone to call for help. We just don’t see the phone at all (the phones in this movie, by the way, look bizarre to the point where I feel compelled to bring up how strange they look).

Now Jamie Foxx plays the CEO of a cell phone company, and we find out early in the movie (by the chauffeur of all people) that the company spies on everyone. You know, like Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight.

annie movie

But when they try to use this technology to find Annie, they just give up and decide to use recent pictures of her posted on Instagram and Twitter.

Guys, can I just say that I am sick and tired of these movies made by people who try way too hard to incorporate modern technological phenomenon in their movies. It’s to the point where “going viral” is the plot device of almost every single movie since The Social Network, including objectively good movies like Birdman.

Bottom line: it’s lazy. And incredibly overused.

Another gaping plot hole is that the kids in Annie’s orphanage know that Ms. Hannigan is auditioning people to pretend to be Annie’s parents. We see them admitting people into the orphanage for tryouts as they practice their lines. These are Annie’s closest friends, and they don’t say a word to anyone about it.

annie movie

I could go on, but I think you get my point. It’s very rare that a movie infuriates me to this level. I can shrug off a bad movie. They happen. But when you mess with a legacy like Annie, which has legions of fans of all ages, and ruin it for an entire generation, you do something cinematically unforgivable.

This is saying something, but Annie (2014) is so terrible, I’m actually glad that it strays so much from the original Annie. At least this way, fewer people will confuse the two.

My advice? You’re better off watching the TV movie version from 1999.

More North Korea-Based Movies Are Being Canceled Thanks to The Sony Hacks

north korea sony hack

Mike Fleming Jr. | Deadline:

The chilling effect of the Sony Pictures hack and terrorist threats against The Interview are reverberating. New Regency has scrapped another project that was to be set in North Korea. The untitled thriller, set up in October, was being developed by director Gore Verbinski as a star vehicle for Foxcatcher star Steve Carell. The paranoid thriller written by Steve Conrad was going to start production in March. Insiders tell me that under the current circumstances, it just makes no sense to move forward. The location won’t be transplanted. Fox declined to distribute it, per a spokesman.

This entire debacle makes we wonder how we managed to get away with a Red Dawn remake and Team America.

The good news, however, is that not everyone is taking this lightly. President Obama publicly encouraged we “go to the movies,” and George R.R. Martin (author of Game of Thrones) has offered to show The Interview in his own theater to anyone who wants to see it.

And if you’re wondering if The Interview is even any good, you can read Richard Corliss’s review of the film on Time, as he is one of the few outside Sony to have already watched it.