‘Without Remorse’ Trailer: Michael B. Jordan Is Ready To Bring The Pain In Amazon’s Tom Clancy Thriller

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March 3, 2021

Let’s say you’ve watched all of Jack Ryan and you just can’t get enough of that Tom Clancy world. Well, Amazon Studios has you covered with their new film, Without Remorse, and this one stars Michael B. Jordan who is way more exciting than John Krasinski. Just sayin’.

Without Remorse stars Jordan in the role of Sr. Chief John Kelly (aka John Clark), an elite Navy Seal who must stop an international conspiracy that could set off a war with Russia, while at the same time finding those who murdered his family.

It’s pure Clancy stuff, and just recognize that Kelly is typically seen as the “dark side” to Jack Ryan. You can see some of that in this trailer, as Jordan looks like he’s about to go apeshit on everybody.

Behind the camera is Stefano Sollima (Sicario: Day of the Soldado) from a script by Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water) and Will Staples (Sweet Girl). Joining Jordan in the cast are Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Brett Gelman, Colman Domingo, and Guy Pearce.

Without Remorse hits Amazon Prime on April 30th.

An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy’s ‘Without Remorse’, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly’s mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.

‘Kitbag’: Jodie Comer Joins Joaquin Phoenix In Ridley Scott’s Napoleon Film

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Travis Hopson

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March 3, 2021

Somehow, Ridley Scott has never heard of Killing Eve star Jodie Comer before casting her in his upcoming film, The Last Duel. She impressed him enough that he doesn’t want to let her go, and has set her to join Joaquin Phoenix in his Napoleon film with the weird name, Kitbag.

Deadline reports Comer is Scott’s choice to play Josephine opposite Phoenix’s Napoleon Bonaparte in Kitbag. The film is being described as an “original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.”

In other words, expect a lot of Comer squaring off against Phoenix in some heated scenes. Part of the volatility in their relationship was due to Josephine being unable to bear Napoleon an heir, something that became a bigger issue when he became Emperor of the French in 1804. The marriage was annulled in 1810 to give Napoleon the chance to marry another and have a son. Josephine maintained her title of Empress until her death in 1814. When Napoleon learned of it while in exile in Elba, he stayed locked in his room for two straight days. When he died a few years later, Josephine was mentioned in his final words.

Kitbag is written by David Scarpa (All the Money in the World) and is set up at Apple Studios. No word on a release date, but hopefully by the time it comes out Scott has given it a new title.

Alamo Drafthouse Files For Bankruptcy, Some Locations Due To Close

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Travis Hopson

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March 3, 2021

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been devastating to the movie business. That’s no secret; we’ve seen the entire theatrical model undergo severe changes that could have long-running impact, while many theaters have closed down for good. Here in DC a number of well-established venues are gone. And now one of the best, if not the best, boutique theaters in the country, Alamo Drafthouse, is filing for bankruptcy.

Variety reports Alamo Drafthouse has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will have its assets acquired by Altamont Capital Partners, as well as affiliates of Fortress Investment Group. This means some Alamo locations will be shut down as part of the restructuring, while in other ways business will run as normal.

Founder Tim League remains involved as part of the lender group.

The hope for Alamo is this bankruptcy process “will give it the capital it needs to continue operating”. Alamo, like every theater around the country, has been impacted by shutdowns at its locations, and the lack of big new releases as theaters began to slowly reopen. With so many films moving to the back end of 2021, the struggle continues on.

Sadly, the iconic Alamo location The Ritz in downtown Austin has already had to shut its door permanently. The spot was basically Alamo homebase for the last 13 years, so to see it go is pretty heartbreaking. You can read Alamo’s statement on the closure here.

A complete list of closure is unavailable at this time, but here in the DMV we have two locations. One is in Ashburn, the other in Woodbridge. If either of those is due to close, we’ll post it on our social media.

Review: ‘Tyger Tyger’
Kerry Mondragon Abandons a Relevant Plot In Favor of Pretty Pictures

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John Nolan
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COVID-19 hasn’t even slowed and already we’ve had a handful of pandemic films of varying quality, but we haven’t had THE pandemic movie yet. It’s really not fair for me to put Tyger Tyger in that group, yes it does have a devastating pandemic at the heart of it’s story but the film was made in 2019, so it’s not exactly relevant to our current situation.

Kerry Mondragon’s film about a near-future, almost post-apocalyptic hellscape ravaged by disease felt like it had a ton to say but got distracted by all the pretty pictures. Imagine if COVID decimated the population and a group of people had to steal medicine and deliver it to an outpost, but to do so they had to cross through Burning Man first. That is the best way I can describe Tyger Tyger. Blake (Sam Quartin) and Bobby (Nekhebet Kum Juch) are tasked with robbing a pharmacy and delivering their score to “Free City”, the film opens on the robbery in a Sherman Oaks pharmacy after which they nab Blake’s love, Luke (Dylan Sprouse) to take him along for the ride. Of course, Luke’s not exactly onboard for the joy ride due to his crippling heroin addiction and is forced to go cold turkey after the duo destroy his stash and throw him in the back seat. The trio journey’s through a fever dream of characters and events while crossing the desert to Free City.

There is something very Avant Garde about this film, which may be why I simply did not get it. It remains unclear to me whether each group of odd folks met on the journey were supposed to represent something, or not. The whole thing felt like Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas with less humor and no clear direction for the story to go. The real let down was the abandonment of themes that would have really hit home in a world where pharmaceutical companies are applying a 3000% profit margin to a world-saving vaccine (that’s our world, to be clear), and how the oppressed will always band together to rise up and fight the power to save each other. Nope, instead it’s a road trip movie on acid. We never even get to see “Free City”, instead the story quickly becomes a showcase for the odd characters and the mission to deliver life-saving (presumably time sensitive) medication takes a back seat.

While the story was a big miss for me, I will say that Kerry Mondragon definitely has an eye for striking visuals. While the use of the California desert does not produce anything ground-breaking the film knows how to combine visuals with color palettes to deliver something that will keep your eyes entertained. I can’t say that this will be a worthwhile purchase for most, but if your more concerned about something pretty then something that makes sense I’m sure Tyger Tyger will be available on Prime Video or another free service sooner rather then later, if you really want to see for yourself it’s a low-cost purchase, currently available for $7.99 from Prime.

‘The Ploughmen’: Ed Harris To Direct Robert Duvall And Garrett Hedlund In Crime Drama

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Travis Hopson

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March 3, 2021

Ed Harris is one of our most accomplished actors, a true benefit to just about every film he’s in. But he’s also quite a filmmaker when he wants to be, and has previously directed award-winning film Pollock, and a personal-favorite Western, 2008’s Appaloosa. Now he’s back behind the camera for an adaptation of The Ploughmen, and has already found his two stars.

Deadline reports Harris will direct Robert Duvall and Garrett Hedlund in The Ploughmen, based on the novel by Kim Zupan. Also in the cast are Amy Madigan and newcomer Lily Harris. The story, adapted by Harris, follows on the unexpected friendship between a troubled young deputy sheriff and a notorious murderer as the latter sits in a county jail.

For the legendary Duvall, this will be his first role since 2018’s Widows. Hedlund can be seen right now in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Filming on The Ploughmen begins in May.

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Bill Burr Comes To Defense Of Former ‘The Mandalorian’ Co-Star Gina Carano

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Travis Hopson

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March 3, 2021

Why? Why throw yourself on a live grenade? That’s pretty much what comedian and The Mandalorian actor Bill Burr has done by coming to the defense of former co-star Gina Carano, who was recently removed from the show for problematic comments made on social media.

On his podcast, Burr talked about “cancel culture” (>sigh<) and the firing of Carano, while also fearing for his own future on The Mandalorian since his stand-up act is fueled by abrasive, controversial rhetoric…

“It’s a weird time….Unless she did some truly horrible shit or said overtly racist shit,” Burr said. “I don’t know. I think there is just too many channels. And then you gotta do sensational shit…I don’t know what the fuck it is. I’m on that fucking show. Now, I gotta watch what the fuck I say.”

He added, “She was an absolute sweetheart. Super nice fucking person. And you know whatever and somehow someone will take this video and they’ll make me say something else and try to get rid of my bald action figure…It’s how it is out there. It’s fucking crazy times. People just waiting, laying in the weeds.”

Ugh. Bill Burr don’t make me hate you. What Burr fails to admit, and I do believe this is deliberate because he’s not a stupid man, is that Carano was fired for comments that were hurtful to a specific minority group. And she knew they were hurtful and did it anyway. She also spread lies and Qanon conspiracy theories about the presidential election, helping to foment the discord that led to violence. She also made a really stupid comparison between treatment of the Jews by Nazis and herself as an outspoken conservative. There is no comparison, and if she thinks so she’s too hateful to have a platform on an all-ages, family-friendly brand like Disney.

“Now it’s becoming like, ‘Hey you made an ignorant comparison. [Flushing Sound] There goes your dream, right?” Burr said. “I look at that and it’s like, ‘Who the fuck stands up to that?’”

So yeah, fuck Bill Burr, too. Dammit.

‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Casts Hugh Grant and Sophia Lillis

By

John Nolan

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March 2, 2021

The upcoming film adaptation of the iconic role playing game Dungeons & Dragons is building a cast to rival it’s own level of fame and has added two more names to it’s mage’s bag of tricks (mage’s bag…that’s probably a thing, right?). Hugh Grant and Sophia Lillis (IT) have officially signed on to venture into a far away realm of high adventure and mysticism we’ve just learned. Up and comer Sophia Lillis was cast in a yet to be revealed role. Grant, who has recently been choosing roles outside of his usual wheelhouse and killing it, will play the films villain and honestly I can’t wait to see what he does with it. There’s no word on the plot yet, so we don’t have source material to provide clues on what to expect and that’s why this is so exciting.

Thinking of Hugh Grant I can only see him playing a hammy, over the top, type of baddie…like a better looking Dr. Evil, but that doesn’t seem to vibe with the buzz indicating a serious take on the world of D&D. I mean, they did that before with the version that came out in 2000 and starred Jeremy Irons and Marlon Wayans, it sucked. The difference between now and then is that 21 years ago playing D&D still wasn’t “cool”, the geek hath inherited the earth since that time and there’s no way that Hollywood would take such a beloved property and blatantly treat it with anything less then total respect, they know where their bread is buttered. So that only leaves one option, Hugh Grant playing a legitimately evil character and that, my friends, is something I want to see.

Paramount and eOne are producing and have already assembled a cast of superstars to surround Grant and Lillis including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith and Rege-Jean Page. The history of iconic games turned films is dark and full of letdown and heartache (I’m looking at you WoW movie), so here’s hoping that streak is broken like a dark wizards curse.

‘Bad Trip’ Trailer: Eric Andre And Lil Rel Howery Go On A Prank-Filled Road Trip

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Travis Hopson

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March 2, 2021

Look, I’ll be honest in that Bad Trip is a movie I couldn’t care less about. Comedian Eric Andre has never been for me, and prank comedies, outside of Jackass and Borat, rarely hit on anything funny. The film has been bounced around the release schedule a lot because of COVID, was accidentally released on Amazon Prime for a while, and then finally sold to Netflix, who will debut it later this month. Let me know how it is.

Eric Andre teams with Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish on Bad Trip, in which they go around playing pranks on folks who don’t know what the shit is going on. There’s an actual plot, though, one involving two best friends who go on a wild, joke-filled road trip.

Behind the camera is Kitao Sakurai, who worked on The Eric Andre Show. A lot is made of producer Jeff Tremaine, and for good reason as he’s one of the masterminds behind the creation of Jackass.

Bad Trip hits Netflix on March 26th.

From one of the guys that brought you Jackass and Bad Grandpa, this hidden camera comedy follows two best friends as they go on a cross-country road trip full of hilarious, inventive pranks, pulling its real-life audience into the mayhem. Bad Trip stars Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish and Michaela Conlin. The film is directed by Kitao Sakurai from the minds of Dan Curry, Kitao Sakurai, and Andre – and produced by Andre, Jeff Tremaine, David Bernad, and Ruben Fleischer.

‘Sharp Stick’: Lena Dunham Shot In Secret Her First Film In Eleven Years

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Travis Hopson

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March 2, 2021

Like Lena Dunham or not, and a lot of people would say “not”, she’s come a long way from her directorial debut, Tiny Furniture, eleven years ago. That film helped establish the “mumblemore” movement that took the indie scene by storm, leading to her creation of the HBO series Girls. Dunham has been pretty quiet since the show ended, but now we know she’s quietly been working on her next movie, and it’s already completed.

Variety reports Dunham has wrapped shooting on Sharp Stick, a film she shot in secret over several months. Now she is seeking distribution at the European Film Market. The film stars Kristine Froseth, Taylour Paige, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jon Bernthal, Scott Speedman, and Dunham herself.

“I made my last feature film 11 years ago in my family home with just a few close friends,” said Dunham. “It’s a testament to FilmNation and my incredible producers, cast, crew, and – especially – my COVID-19 compliance team that this experience felt just as intimate and creatively free.”

“This story is incredibly personal to me and a continuation of my career-long mission to create a free dialogue around the complexities of female sexuality and to turn the idea of the ‘likable’ female protagonist on its head — and you can’t do that in this business on any scale larger than your mother’s living room without forward-thinking partners. I feel very lucky.”

Dunham recently had a small role as Gypsy in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and appeared in comedy The Stand-In.

Whatever Sharp Stick turns out to be, rest assured that Dunham’s haters and fans have already decided on it one way or another.

‘Obi-Wan’: Indira Varma Cast In ‘Star Wars’ Series Opposite Ewan McGregor

By

Travis Hopson

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March 2, 2021

Can I just say that I’m a gigantic fan of Indira Varma? She’s absolutely great in everything, whether as Niobe in HBO’s Rome or Ellaria Sand in Game of Thrones. She even voiced one of my favorite characters in Dragon Age: Inquisition. And now Varma is joining the Star Wars universe as part of the Obi-Wan Disney+ series.

Variety reports Indira Varma will join Ewan McGregor in the upcoming Obi-Wan series for Disney+. Who is she playing? That’s a secret, of course, but Varma isn’t the kind of actor you bring in for just a scene or two.

The series will shed some light on Obi-Wan Kenobi and what he was doing on Tatooine between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

Production on Obi-Wan is expected to begin later this year, with Deborah Chow directing episodes. As for Varma, she can be seen right now in the drug war drama, Crisis.