AD
Home Blog Page 882

James Gunn Shoots Down ‘Gotham City Sirens’ As Possible Reunion With Margot Robbie

By
Travis Hopson
-

Although The Suicide Squad may not have killed it at the box office, James Gunn certainly seems to be sticking around the DCEU for a while, and Warner Bros. is happy to have him. Not only will there be a Peacemaker spinoff coming to HBO Max, but indications are that Gunn will do more superhero movies in the future. And considering how famously Gunn and star Margot Robbie got along recently, we could be seeing a reunion.

Gunn said as much while interacting with a fan on social media, he admitted to speaking with Robbie about working together again, but it won’t be the much-talked-about, seemingly-shelved Gotham City Sirens movie that would’ve featured Harley Quinn in a prominent role…

I feel like Gotham City Sirens is a thing that will never happen, even with Robbie publicly stating her desire to see the Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy relationship on screen. The film was being developed by Suicide Squad director David Ayer, but those plans crashed and attention was focused instead on Birds of Prey. With Robbie saying that she needs a break from Harley, it could be a long time before we see her in the clown make-up again. She’ll be busy filming Wes Anderson’s upcoming project in Spain, her first time working with the director.

As for Gunn, he’s really into doing a second season of Peacemaker, and of course, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 begins shooting soon.

‘Bullet Train’: Sandra Bullock Took Over Lady Gaga’s Role In The Brad Pitt-led Action Flick

By
Travis Hopson
-

As if Lady Gaga’s upcoming role in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci wasn’t enough of an indication of how sought-after she is right now, Collider reports of a project she had to exit due to scheduling conflicts. That film is Bullet Train, the upcoming action-thriller from David Leitch (John Wick) that stars Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, and others in a star-studded cast.

Apparently, the role recently taken over by Sandra Bullock is the one Gaga had been attached to. That would the role of Maria Beetle, the handler to Pitt’s assassin character, Ladybug. Due to delays caused by the pandemic, shooting on House of Gucci jammed with Bullet Train and Gaga had to drop out.

The role of Maria Beetle is interesting, because it’s the title of the original novel by Kōtarō Isaka, but is really that of a supporting character. Producers always saw it as a flashy part, though, and wanted an A-list star, hence the casting of Lady Gaga and then Sandra Bullock. Doesn’t get more A-list than that.

Also in the cast are Joey King, Andrew Koji, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karen Fukuhara, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Logan Lerman, Masi Oka, Zazie Beetz, and Bad Bunny. The story follows an assassin attacked by waves of killers while on a Japanese bullet train.

Gaga will be seen next in House of Gucci on November 24th. Bullet Train hits theaters on April 8th 2022.

Willem Dafoe Plays Coy About Possible Green Goblin Return For ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

By
Travis Hopson
-

Marvel first began introducing the concept of a Multiverse, alternate realities where basically anything can happen, way back with Doctor Strange. But it’s now during Phase 4 when we’re seeing it really take root in WandaVision, Loki, and What If…?, while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness literally has it in the damn title. However, it’s Spider-Man: No Way Home that could break the thing wide open if it means the universes of the MCU and Sony’s Spider-verse collide.

With the confirmed returns of Jamie Foxx as Electro and Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, along with rumors of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield coming back as Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe has also been mentioned as possibly suiting up as Green Goblin once more. But is it true? Well, the actor ain’t denying it…but he ain’t admitting it, either…

“No comment…I got lots of stuff happening now. And, you know, I always feel like when a film comes out, that’s when it’s time to talk about it.”

Fair enough. I think a younger actor might have tried being too cute and accidentally revealed something (lookin’ at you Tom Holland!), but Dafoe is old school and won’t give away a damn thing. He wants you to pay for the movie to find out if he’s in it.

And we’ll find out when Spider-Man: No Way Home opens on December 17th.

Review: ‘White As Snow’

Isabelle Huppert Stars In A Modern Softcore Retelling Of 'Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs'

By
Jen Pourreza
-

White as Snow is the latest French film from director Anne Fontaine (The Innocents, Coco Before Chanel, How I Killed My Father, Adore) that has a modern day approach of female sexual liberation to the Brothers Grimm classic tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This film includes elegant scenic visuals and is considered a dark and sensual comedy. 

Claire (Lou de Laâge, The Innocents and Breathe) is a beautiful but quietly reserved young woman who works at her late father’s hotel. Her strict stepmother Maud (Isabelle Huppert, Elle, Things To Come and The Piano Teacher) manages the hotel after her husband’s (Claire’s father) death and is deeply concerned about her ageing image. It is unclear when and how he passed as there is no mention of that information at all. As it turns out, Maud (Huppert) has a lover of her own.

Bernard (Charles Berling) is the manager of the hotel and has been involved with Maud for years. She entire fashions is saturated in deeps reds that portray the dark jealousy she possesses. Maud, growing bored of their affair as it was no longer one, decides that it’s time to call it quits with Bernard. However, Claire unknowingly sparks a burning jealousy in Maud when she overhears her ex lover lusting over Claire’s beauty and devises a plan to make her “go away”.

While out jogging, Claire is kidnapped and thrown into the trunk of a car. She is driven far from home along roads that wraps around the French mountains. There are beautiful images of lush vegetation, stone archways, and deep cliffs cascading down the mountain country roadside. A wild boar runs across the road and sends the car swerving into a tree. The trunk pops open and Claire is able to escape into the woods. The kidnapper catches up to her and the scene goes dark when a gunshot is heard. Claire awakens, unharmed, to find that she is in a rural cottage that’s located outside of a small village.

This is where White as Snow turns weird and super ridiculous for me. Overnight, her formerly shy demeanor is gone and she is suddenly aware of her feminine power. She meets Pierre (Damien Bonnard) who admits to killing her kidnapper and taking her for safety. Instead of wondering what the hell happened to her and how to get back home, Claire decides to sleep with Pierre instead. Then his twin brother, Francois (also Bonnard) when she mistakes him for Pierre. She laughs at the mistake which then begins her endeavor of sexual emancipation.

As Claire meets more local men in this small village, she starts to take joy in her new found escapade and soon, seven men fall for her youthful feminine beauty. Sam (Jonathan Cohen) is a local vet and tends to Vincent’s dog. He is tense and very needy. Charles (Benoit Poelvoorde) and Clemente (Pablo Pauly) are a father and son duo who both have sexual desires for Claire. Vincent (Vincent MaCaigne) lives with the twins and is a hypochondriac who beautifully plays the Cello. And finally, there is priest Pere Guilbaud (Richard Frechette) who drives a motorcycle and more or less, oddly encourages Claire’s sexual prowess.

For the first time in her life Claire allows herself to indulge in no-strings sex. She takes pride in belonging to no one and chooses not to care how her actions affect anyone else. Maud arrives at the village after being contacted by Claire and wants to reconnect, aka kill Claire herself. The naive Claire must decide who to trust—her sophisticated but cold stepmother or the circle of thirsty men that all lust for her. Her careless and reckless lifestyle puts Claire at risk and her wayward wildness stir up trouble. 

Huppert as Maud delivers a fascinating portrait of an older woman threatened by the freedom of her blooming and sexually awakened step-daughter . However, the relationship between Claire and Maud is, at best, cringe worthy and seriously uncomfortable to watch. Lou de Laâge is magnificent as Claire, the insouciant heroine of this sexually driven contemporary fairy tale. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save White as Snow from being an overall disaster. I am all for sexual liberation and respectable experimentation but this film is a sloppy mess. Scenes between Claire, Maud, and the suitors are straight up sexual assault circumstances rather than it portraying innocent, carefree fun. Nothing about this film is comedic in any way and reads more of an underwhelming softcore porn version of this Brothers Grimm tale that I absolutely don’t recommend.  Total disappointment.

White as Snow will be in theaters August 13th.

Taika Waititi Updates On His ‘Star Wars’ Movie, Won’t Let Go Of ‘Akira’ Just Yet

By
Travis Hopson
-

Of the many projects Taika Waititi finds himself attached to, the two with the most attention are a live-action Akira remake and a Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm. There hasn’t been a lot of information on either, perhaps because Waititi has been so busy including with his current role in Free Guy, but as part of an interview with Wired he’s provided promising updates on both.

The big one is obviously Waititi’s Star Wars film, in which he is to direct and co-write the screenplay alongside 1917 writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns. While he doesn’t offer up much, he does say that fans can expect him to add a personal spin to the galaxy far far far away…

“But we’ve got a story. I’m really excited by it because it feels very me.” Has it been a challenge to marry his irreverent tone with the operatically sincere Star Wars universe? “I tend to go down that little sincerity alleyway in my films. I like to fool the viewer into thinking ‘ha it’s this’ and then them going, ‘Damn it, you made me feel something!’”

“Feels very me” should get Waititi’s legions of fans very excited. He managed to bring his own personal flavor to the MCU with Thor: Ragnarok so why should Star Wars be any different?

Waititi’s live-action remake of Akira, based on the anime cyberpunk classic set in Neo-Tokyo, has been on the burner for a while and keeps getting pushed back. Last year Waititi seemed to be moving away from the film, but now he’s unwilling to let it go…

“I’m still trying [to make it],” he says. “I don’t wanna give up on that.”

Warner Bros. has been shepherding Akira through various troubled productions for more than a decade, with multiple filmmakers and actors passing through. Waititi has stuck around as long if not longer than any of them, so there’s some hope he might actually be the one to do it.

Meanwhile, Waititi has also completed his soccer comedy Next Goal Wins, and recently confirmed that his Flash Gordon movie will be live-action rather than animated.

Sony Kicks ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ To October

By
Travis Hopson
-

Oh, you thought we were done with every major film getting delayed because of COVID-19? Well, with the Delta variant out there and cases spiking, we’re seeing one of the most anticipated superhero sequels pushed back nearly a month. Sony has moved Venom: Let There Be Carnage from its September 24th date to October 15th.

While no official reason was given, Sony has clearly been paying attention to the disappointing box office numbers of Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, and The Suicide Squad. While those studios also have a streaming component, Sony, which does not have one at this point and hopefully never will, are being cautious with their Venom franchise. And who can blame them? The first movie in 2018 was bonkers and people loved it, with genuine hope out there it could lead to an eventual Venom/Spider-Man crossover. But that, plus the fates of spinoffs such as Morbius and Kraven the Hunter, depend on this Venom movie being a hit.

Don’t be surprised if this is the first of many dominoes to fall. I’ve got my eye on Dune getting moved at some point in the coming days, and Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings seems like a candidate to be made available on Disney+ Premier Access.

Review: ‘Beckett’

John David Washington Stumbles Through Greece In An Unremarkable Political Thriller

By
Travis Hopson
-

It’s been a few years, but there was a time when I used to joke about Netflix’s early attempts at original movies, and how they would all immediately sink “into the memory hole.” It’s like they weren’t actual films at all; they would be released and then disappear as if they never happened. The streamer has scored enough legit hits that it doesn’t happen that much anymore, but then a forgettable thriller like Beckett arrives to remind you the old times  aren’t completely in the rear view. With stars the  caliber of John David Washington, Vicky Krieps, Alicia Vikander, and Boyd Holbrook, and a gorgeous Greek locale, it’s amazing how painfully bland and unremarkable this movie is.

There’s a lot that goes wrong here, and much of it has to do with Washington. While not a bad actor, I think it’s time to pull back on comparisons to his father, Denzel. Washington plays the eponymous Beckett, a man traveling through Greece with the love of his life, April (Vikander). They’re the type of couple that gaze longingly at one another even when the other is just stepping out to get coffee or something. A mysterious backstory is teased for her; he’s something of a dorky flake with zero personality. When she plays a game making up colorful pasts for other tourists, he’s got nothing to add.

With political unrest boiling over in Athens, Beckett and April hit the road, taking a dangerous evening journey in an unfamiliar area. When he falls asleep, the car skids off the road and crashes into a house. She’s thrown from the car, and he wakes up in time to see a red-haired kid hurriedly whisked away. Later, he finds himself in a hospital, racked with grief and guilt over April’s fate, and interrogated by a police officer. After bucking orders and leaving to go back to the crash site, Beckett is shot at by a woman who apparently trained at the Stormtrooper Academy, joined by the same cop who questioned him earlier.

And just like that, the chase has begun, with Beckett pinballing from one near-death scenario to the next, accumulating more bruises than a rotten apple. Eventually, he encounters Lena (Krieps), a liberal activist on her way to a protest rally in Greece. She gets ensnared in helping this confused American and becomes, literally, the only person he can actually trust. That’s true even when he manages to somehow evade capture or death and make it to the U.S. Embassy where the official he meets is played by Holbrook. Literally, the first thing that popped in my head upon seeing him “Well you obviously can’t trust him because it’s Boyd Holbrook”! Overall, I can’t imagine why anybody in this movie, especially Vikander who must have lost a bet. Isn’t there a Tomb Raider movie she could be doing?

The film is directed by Italian filmmaker Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, frequently the AD for Luca Guadagnino, who is on board here as a producer. There’s potential here for a Fugitive-style political thriller, with Washington the innocent man thrust into a paranoia-filled world of conspiracies. And at times it seems like that is the direction the film will go; much is made of the disparities within the government and corrupt elements within, but none of it has any meat on the bone. Further, Beckett’s becoming so entrenched in aspects of it never makes any sense, and it doesn’t help that his personality stays so frustratingly blank. When he miraculously gains the combat skills of a Terminator we don’t care enough to question where this dweeb got them. As Krieps’ activist Lena instantly becomes the more interesting of the two, it’s more than just a testament to her overwhelming acting ability. Beckett is just not particularly interesting, and Washington miscast in a role that diminishes him. Think of his best performances in BlacKkKlansman or Malcolm & Marie, he practically leaps from the screen. In Beckett, he’s a mediocre, ordinary part of a mediocre, ordinary movie that should make Netflix more discerning about their output in the future.

Beckett is available on Netflix now.

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Remake Showrunner Defends Series’ Existence As Netflix Reveals Full Cast

By
Travis Hopson
-

Announced a few years ago, Netflix’s live-action series remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender has been flying under the radar. And perhaps it should’ve stayed there, because now that a cast announcement has been made, it’s riled up questions as to why this project needs to exist at all, and a reminder the original creators disliked what they saw enough to quit. The anime is just as beloved as ever, and M. Night Shyamalan’s attempt at a movie is best left forgotten.

Well now showrunner Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow) is here to tell you why this version of Avatar must happen, penned in an open letter (since deleted by Netflix) to fans. Kim’s statements come with a reveal of the full cast which includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, and Dallas Liu as Zuko. Chances are you don’t know any of these folks.

“My first thought was, ‘Why? What is there I could do or say with the story that wasn’t done or said in the original?’” admitted Kim. “‘A:TLA’ had only grown in popularity and acclaim over the last decade and a half, which is a testament to how complete and resonant a narrative experience it had been. So if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

Kim added, “A live-action version would establish a new benchmark in representation and bring in a whole new generation of fans. This was a chance to showcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people. Not just in a cartoon, but in a world that truly exists, very similar to the one we live in.”

Having no particular affinity for Avatar: The Last Airbender, this situation doesn’t mean much to me. But I know it has legions of fans out there who will be watching this show like a hawk. At least Kim is coming at it from a place of recognition about things that worked and probably don’t need to be messed with, and things that didn’t and should be reimagined.

Check out a more detailed character breakdown below:

GORDON CORMIER (he/him) is AANG (12), a fearless and fun-loving twelve-year-old who just happens to be the Avatar, master of all four elements and the keeper of balance and peace in the world. An airbending prodigy, Aang is a reluctant hero, struggling to deal with the burden of his duties while still holding on to his adventurous and playful nature.

KIAWENTIIO (she/her) is KATARA (14), a determined and hopeful waterbender, the last in her small village. Though only fourteen, she’s already endured great personal tragedy, which has held her back from rising to her true potential, though it’s never dimmed her warm and caring spirit.

IAN OUSLEY (he/him) is SOKKA (16), Katara’s sardonic and resourceful 16-year-old brother. Outwardly confident, even brash, he takes his responsibility as the leader of his tribe seriously, despite his inner doubts over his warrior skills… doubts that he masks with his wit and deadpan sense of humor.

DALLAS LIU (he/him) is ZUKO (17), a skilled firebender and the intense and guarded Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Currently roaming the world in exile, he’s on an obsessive quest to capture the Avatar because he believes that is the only way to reclaim his life and live up to the demands of his cruel and controlling father, the Fire Lord.

‘Finch’ First Look: Tom Hanks, A Dog, And A Robot Go On A Post-Apocalyptic Journey This November

By
Travis Hopson
-

Of the many films delayed due to COVID, Tom Hanks’ sci-fi film Finch may have been hurt the most. Originally titled Bios when it was announced back in 2017, it finished shooting in 2019 and was to open in October 2020, only to be bounced around the schedule several times. During that stretch, any buzz for it evaporated, but now that Apple has revealed a first look and given it a November 5th release date, that should change.

In this image from Finch we see Hanks as a robotics engineer, one of the few human survivors of a cataclysmic solar event. He’s joined by his loyal pup Goodyear and a robot, played by Caleb Landry Jones, built to take care of the canine when Finch no longer can. Eventually, circumstances force the trio into a journey across the American West, where Finch can teach the robot, who calls itself Jeff, the true meaning of being alive.

The film is directed by Game of Thrones filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik, from a script co-written by Ivor Powell and Craig Luck.

I don’t know if this is awards material or not, but will say that the last time Hanks went on a trek through the west it was in News of the World which earned four Oscar nominations.

First Look At Florence Pugh In ‘The Wonder’ From ‘Gloria Bell’ Director Sebastian Lelio

By
Travis Hopson
-

It didn’t take long, but I think Florence Pugh has made us all fall in love with her. We’ll not only watch anything she’s in, from Midsommar to Little Women to Black Widow, but even follow the heck out of her social media where she comes across as someone cool to just hang out with. And that makes this first-look at her upcoming role in The Wonder all the more exciting.

Netflix has released the first image of Florence Pugh in The Wonder. It’s the latest film from director Sebastian Lelio, known for acclaimed dramas Gloria, its American remake Gloria Bell, Disobedience, and A Fantastic Woman.

The story is based on author and co-screenwriter Emma Donoghue’s novel about a young girl in the 19th-century Irish Midlands who can apparently survive without food. Pugh plays an English nurse who has come to see if this is truly a medical anomaly or something miraculous. Also in the cast are  Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds, Dermot Crowley, Brían F. O’Byrne, and David Wilmot.

The Wonder hits Netflix in 2022.

1...881882883...1,889Page 882 of 1,889
Want To Advertise With Punch Drunk Critics?
Contact us: info@punchdrunkcritics.com
Facebook Instagram Mail Twitter Youtube
© Copyright 2020 PDC Entertainment