Coming Attractions Thread 2015

[Mitch Henessey]

Only a handful of days left in 2014, so.....

The Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Release Date: May 1, 2015

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With S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed and the Avengers needing a hiatus from stopping threats, Tony Stark attempts to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program with Ultron, a self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence. However, his plan backfires when Ultron decides that humans are the main enemy and sets out to eradicate them from Earth, and it is up to Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, along with support from Nick Fury and Maria Hill, to stop him from enacting his plans. Along the way, the Avengers encounter the powerful twins, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, as well as the familiar Vision.

2015 is loaded with big name releases, and while I have some doubts about Ultron surpassing or living up to the 2012 film, Marvel is riding a huge wave of momentum right now, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

Jurassic World

Release Date: June 12, 2015

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Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar, off of Central America's Pacific coast, now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. This new park is owned by the Masrani Global Corporation. Owen (Chris Pratt), a member of the park's on-site staff, conducts behavioral research on the Velociraptors. At the corporation's request, the park's geneticists create a genetically-modified hybrid dinosaur to boost visitor attendance, but it soon runs wild on the island.

Eh, I can't say I'm say too excited about this. The name change doesn't bother me too much, but when you look at the Jurassic Park series as a whole, the 1993 film is the only five star worthy film in the series, and nothing comes close to it. The Lost World has its moments, and the anticlimactic ending ruins Jurassic Park III.

As far as the trailer goes, it's underwhelming, and I'm uneasy about the cast. Bryce Dallas Howard is more entertaining as a villainous character, and I'm not sold on a more serious Chris Pratt. Although, there's some promise with Vincent D'Onofrio as the main villain.

Furious 7

Release Date: April 3, 2015

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Furious 7 is set to take place after Fast & Furious 6. After defeating Owen Shaw and his crew, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and the rest of the crew are able to return to the United States and live the normal life again as they had wanted, but Owen's older brother, Ian Shaw (Jason Statham), is after Dominic, seeking revenge for the death of his brother, putting the entire crew in danger once more. After learning of Han's death, the crew sets out to find the man who killed one of their own, before he finds them first.

The Fast & Furious series is one of the rare franchises that's capable of maintaining a fairly consistent streak of quality films, with each film improving as the series progresses. Definitely something unique and worthy of recognition, because most franchises devolve into a mess of shitty and forgettable sequels after two or three films.

Of course, the story of James Wan directing his first major non-horror (long story short, he wants to prove he's more than a "horror guy", and he wants to avoid any typecasting problems in the future) film takes a backseat in the aftermath of Paul Walker's death, and with Furious 7 marking the final appearance for Walker's character, you can expect a heavy layer of realistic emotions attached to this one.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Release Date: May 15, 2015

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Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

The return of Mad Max on the big screen, Tom Hardy, and Charlize Theron? That's enough to hook me in.

Focus

Release Date: February 27, 2015

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Nicky Spurgeon is a seasoned con-man who becomes romantically involved with a young attractive woman; however, while introducing her to the tricks of his con man trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires as the opposing side of the same scam: a billionaire international race car owner. In the midst of Nicky's latest, most dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop...and consummate the con man off his game.

One of my bigger complaints about Will Smith's career is, he's never willing to take any real chances with a risky film or a character, and he's too content with playing it safe. If I'm using the trailer as a sign of things to come, Focus could be a hard R-rated film, with Smith taking a big step outside of his comfort zone.

The story sounds decent enough, and Margot Robbie has the sex appeal, but in the future, I'm more interested to see how she'll carry herself without the likes of DiCaprio and Smith.

Taken 3

Release Date: January 9, 2015

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Liam Neeson returns as ex-covert operative Bryan Mills, whose reconciliation with his ex-wife is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered. Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to evade the relentless pursuit of the CIA, FBI and the police. For one last time, Mills must use his "particular set of skills," to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now - his daughter.

Kind of surprised they're giving away Famke Janssen's death in the trailer. Maybe there's a twist behind it?

Anyway, the first Taken film was a solid enough action flick, Taken 2 was more preposterous than the first film, but it's a decent enough follow up film to the original. In a recent interview, Liam Neeson said Taken 3 is the final film in the series, and when it comes to Hollywood, there's always a "never say never" mindset, but I'm hoping it's the end of the road for Bryan Mills.

I don't have anything against the Taken series, but I can't imagine a plausible scenario, where they can milk this series (although, there's always the possibility of the prequel route) for another two or three films.

Knight Of Cups

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Filmmaker Terrence Malick dives into another esoteric production with this Christian Bale/Cate Blanchett-starring vehicle to be shot back-to-back with another unconnected picture, Lawless, featuring the same two actors.

No official release dates yet.

The cast:

Spoiler

Christian Bale as Rick
Cate Blanchett as Nancy
Natalie Portman as Elizabeth
Brian Dennehy as Joseph
Antonio Banderas as Tonio
Freida Pinto as Helen
Wes Bentley as Barry
Isabel Lucas as Isabel
Teresa Palmer as Karen
Imogen Poots as Della
Armin Mueller-Stahl as Fr. Zeitlinger
Jason Clarke
Ben Kingsley (voice)

I'm not a big fan of Terrence Malick's work overall, but this cast...wow. There's a nice balance here, and I'm hoping for a spark with Natalie Portman, because unless I'm missing something, she hasn't delivered a memorable performance since Black Swan (2010).

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Insidious: Chapter 3

Release Date: June 5, 2015

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The newest chapter in the terrifying horror series is written and directed by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. A twisted new tale of terror begins for a teenage girl and her family, predating the haunting of the Lambert family in the earlier movies and revealing more mysteries of the otherworldly realm The Further.

With Saw on the shelf, the only two active and established modern horror franchises around with any real name value are Paranormal Activity and Insidious.

We're only two films in, and I get the feeling the Insidious franchise is falling off the rails. The first Insidious film was outstanding, and Chapter 2 turned a good profit, but so far, it's easily the weakest film in the series.

To add to that, I don't like the idea of exploring The Further in Chapter 3. When I think of Insidious and The Further, I think of the worst parts (the demon playing a piano in the first film, and the wrinkly and naked old man screaming "he's got your baby!" in Chapter 2) of the movie in both films. Elise (Lin Shaye) and the other paranormal investigator from Chapter 2 gave an in-depth explanation for The Further, and after both films, I don't have any curiosity for any unanswered questions.

A prequel could breath some fresh life into Insidious, and taking a break from the Lambert family's story helps. A returning Lin Shaye with Specs and Tucker is the only true upside I can think of, and Dermot Mulroney should be a nice addition to the cast, but this trailer reeks of another forgettable and lousy horror sequel.

The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death

Release Date: January 2, 2015

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As bombs rain down on London during the Blitz of World War II, a group of schoolchildren are evacuated with Eve, their young and beautiful schoolteacher, to the safety of the English countryside. Taken to an old and empty estate, cut off by a causeway from the mainland, they are left at Eel Marsh House.

One by one, the children begin acting strangely and Eve, with the help of local military commander Harry, discovers that the group has awoken a dark force even more terrifying and evil than the city’s air raids. Eve must now confront her own demons to save the children and survive the woman in black.

The first Woman In Black film starring Daniel Radcliffe was a mediocre film at best, relying on cheap jump scares and worn out horror cliches. I see more of the same in this trailer, but The Woman In Black 2010 was a box office success with a worldwide gross of $127,730,736 (off of a reported production budget of $15,000,000), so you can easily understand why they're going with a sequel.

Jupiter Ascending

Release Date: February 6, 2015

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Unknown to Earth's residents, life on Earth and countless other planets has been seeded by families of alien royalty for the purpose of harvesting the evolved living creatures once they reach a "Darwinian state of perfection" to produce a type of youth serum that allows them to live forever. When the matriarch of the House of Abrasax, the most powerful of the alien dynasties, dies her children Balem (Eddie Redmayne), Kalique (Tuppence Middleton), and Titus (Douglas Booth) are at war over the inheritance. Eventually a new heir comes to their attention: Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), an unsuspecting Earth-living, unlucky caretaker of other people's homes. Jupiter encounters Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered interplanetary warrior, who came to Earth to reveal that her genetic signature makes Jones royalty and heir to Earth. Meanwhile, he has to protect her from Balem, who put a bounty on her head and would rather harvest Earth than lose it to Jones.

Jupiter Ascending was supposed to hit theaters on July 25, 2014, but the release was pushed back to complete special effects shots and to push a new marketing campaign.

But you have to believe in the very realistic possibility of a disastrous flop playing a role in the delay. Jupiter Ascending has a reported production budget of $175,000,000, and with a July release date, you're throwing Ascending into the crowd of big summer blockbusters.

Mila Kunis as an action heroine? I'm sorry, but I don't see it. Kunis usually does a good job in romantic comedies, but I have hard time buying into her as the headliner for a major blockbuster. Also, Channing Tatum is not a big draw, and he looks ridiculous in the trailer.

The Boy Next Door

Release Date: January 23, 2015

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Jennifer Lopez leads the cast in The Boy Next Door, a psychological thriller that explores a forbidden attraction that goes much too far. Directed by Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) and written by Barbara Curry, the film also stars Ryan Guzman, John Corbett and Kristin Chenoweth.

Overall, I'm not a fan of Lopez as an actress, and in her career, I can only think of two films (Enough and The Cell) that are worth watching. The storyline sounds cliched and generic, and without Lopez (she has enough name value and recognition to justify a theatrical release), there's a good chance we're talking about a straight-to-video film.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Blackhat

Release Date: January 16, 2015

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Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary's Blackhat follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta.

There's a very noticeable trope in this trailer, and if you really want to nitpick, it's illogical, when you stop and think about it. So the government, some other form of law enforcement, or a secret agency wants to catch or kill a master criminal. The solution? They use another master criminal to catch him or her, AND they have to agree to a non-negotiable deal on their terms?

It's off the top of my head, and this example is not 100%, because the character was framed, but I think about Sean Conery's Mason from The Rock. Remember, he pretty much bullied Nicolas Cage into a deal for a clean shave, a new suit, and a suite at a prestigious hotel. But I guess you could say said character has nothing to lose. During the interrogation (before Cage's character came into the picture), another agent told Mason something along the lines of "I'm in charge here." And Mason responded with "In charge of what? Fucking me over for another three decades?"

Anyway, unless I'm missing something, Blackhat is Michael Mann's first film since Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. As always, I have some doubts about Chris Hemsworth in a leading role, but I'm more interested in Mann's directing for this one.

In The Heart Of The Sea

Release Date: March 13, 2015

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In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. "In the Heart of the Sea" reveals the encounter's harrowing aftermath, as the ship's surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.

Ron Howard usually delivers behind the camera, and there's no doubt they'll overexaggerate certain parts of the story for a more dramatic effect, but I'm still looking forward to this one.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Release Date: February 13, 2015

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Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X-Men First Class), Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Kingsman was supposed to hit theaters on October 24, but the release was pushed back.

Kingsman is definitely on my must-see list. Looks like a slick and stylish action/espionage thriller, and there's a lot of promise with Samuel L. Jackson as the villain.

Wild Card

Release Date: January 30, 2015 (limited)

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Simon West directs this remake of the 1987 Burt Reynold action thriller in this Sierra/Affinity production starring Jason Statham as a paid enforcer who goes after a gang leader when a group of thugs beat up a personal friend. William Goldman provides the script.

I need to watch the original with Reynolds first, but Jason Statham usually delivers an entertaining film as the lethal ass-kicking machine. Sure, it's a formula we've seen time and time again with Statham, but if you just want to turn your brain off and have some mindless fun with an action movie, Statham is a reliable name more often than not.

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Release Date: February 20, 2015

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Nick (Craig Robinson) and Jacob (Clark Duke) use the time traveling hot tub to try to get back to the past after Lou (Rob Corddry) gets shot, but they inadvertently end up ten years in the future, which they must alter if they want to save their present-day environment.

When I first heard about Hot Tub Time Machine 2, I was sure they were going with a straight-to-video sequel (you know, one of those cheap knock off sequels that tries to capitalize on the name value of the original, with an all new D-list cast, and a mediocre screenplay), so the news of a theatrical release surprised me.

The original was a surprise for me, because I expected a train wreck, so I plan on watching the sequel. The best friends chemistry between Robinson, Corddry, and Duke was believable, but the story for this one worries me a little bit. In the first film, they stumbled into the hot tub by accident, so the story had a more spontaneous and adventurous feel to it. Going by the trailer, it looks they're trying way too hard to cram too many sub-plots into one story, and in the end, everything will devolve into a convoluted mess.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Divergent Series: Insurgent

Release Date: March 20, 2015

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THE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite. Racing against time, they must find out what Tris's family sacrificed their lives to protect, and why the Erudite leaders will do anything to stop them. Haunted by her past choices but desperate to protect the ones she loves, Tris, with Four at her side, faces one impossible challenge after another as they unlock the truth about the past and ultimately the future of their world.

I caught Divergent on HBO a little while ago, and it's just another mediocre (and forgettable) young adult adaptation. I'll admit, I haven't read the books, but the movie features the tired formula with Woodley playing the unlikely heroine, who's confused and reluctant to accept her role as the chosen one.

Nine times out of ten you can count on Kate Winslet for a great or good performance, and I'm not familiar with the books, so maybe this is how the character (cold and emotionless, with a robotic delivery) is supposed to be, but Winselt's Jeanine Matthews was pretty dull.

Shailene Woodley has the potential for a bright future, and she's the face of The Divergent Series, but if we're talking about The Divergent Series as the launching pad into super stardom for Woodley, I can't see it. Divergent had a nice run at the box office, but the overall reception was lukewarm at best. If I'm using the first film as a sign of things to come, The Divergent Series can't compete with likes of The Hunger Games. Instead, we're looking at another young adult adaptation series that's loaded with cliches, a formulaic story, and mildly entertaining action sequences.

Mortdecai

Release Date: January 23, 2015

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Juggling some angry Russians, the British MI5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part time rogue Charlie Mortdecai must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.

Strange. Charleie Mortdecai reminds me of a goofier version of Depp's Guy Lapointe from Tusk. I'm still a fan of Johnny Depp, but it's hard to build up any excitement for his films, because Depp's stuck on a lousy streak of terrible (i.e. Transcendence) and mediocre films.

Get Hard

Release Date: March 27, 2015

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Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart headline this Warner Bros. comedy about a wrongfully convicted investment banker who prepares for prison life with the help of the man who washes his car. Etan Cohen directs, with Ian Roberts and Jay Martel handling screenwriting duties.

Pairing Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart together will surely create some buzz, but I'm not too crazy about the story. The trailer really doesn't do anything for me, and I get the feeling the movie will turn into one big waiting game after ten or fifteen minutes for the fallout to Ferrell's reaction after he (or someone else) exposes Hart's lies. Although, I'll say this, I'll take pompous asshole or jerk Will Ferrell over goofy and over the top whacky Will Ferrell any day.

Another reason why I'm not excited about Get Hard is Big Stan 2007. For those, who don't know, it's a comedy starring Rob Schneider, and the storyline is eerily similar, with a rich jerk (Schneider) hiring an "expert" (David Carradine) to train him and toughen him up for jail, because he's afraid he'll take the beating of his life. Big Stan is an awful film, with the movie revolving around one lame running joke, and now that I think about it, Dax Shepard's Let's Go To Prison (the storyline doesn't mirror Get Hard or Big Stan, but it's in the same ballpark) is another horrendous "petrified rich guy goes to jail' comedy.

Project Almanac

Release Date: January 30, 2015

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A teenager prospers after using an Almanac when time traveling, but doesn't understand the ramifications of what he's done until it's too late in this Platinum Dunes production for Paramount Pictures.

Project Almanac (originally titled Welcome To Yesterday) was supposed to hit theaters on February 28, 2014, but the release date was pushed back to work on an improved marketing campaign with MTV films.

When the trailer hit last year, I had some expectations for Project Almanac, but now I'm taking a closer look at it, and if you take away the found-footage POV, I just see another generic time travel thriller. Also, we're talking about a Platinum Dunes production and Michael Bay. The 2010 Nightmare On Elm Street remake is a good example for having some serious doubts about this one.

San Andreas

Release Date: May 29, 2015

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After a devastating earthquake hits California, a Los Angeles Fire Department rescue-helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) and his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) attempt to leave Los Angeles and head to San Francisco to find and rescue their estranged daughter (Alexandra Daddario).

Furious 7 as a massive hit is a surefire guarantee, so The Rock's looking at another big year in 2015, if San Andreas has a successful run at the box office.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Chappie

Release Date: March 6, 2015

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Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy. Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings - some good, some bad - and he will rely on his heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his own man. But there's one thing that makes Chappie different from anyone else: he is a robot. The first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. His life, his story, will change the way the world looks at robots and humans forever.

Not a real complaint, but I'm hoping Neill Blomkamp changes things up in his next film to take a break from the dystopian settings.

Blomkamp set a high bar for himself after District 9, but Elysium didn't live up to expectations. I didn't have a big problem with Elysium, Sharlto Copley's performance as this sadistic lunatic was superb, but Elysium was pretty underwhelming (and dull) overall.

Interested to see how Sigourney Weaver fits into the cast, and I'm glad Blomkamp is avoiding the "OH NO! The machines are self-aware, and soon they'll figure out machines are superior! It's only matter of time before they exterminate the humans, and take over the world" cliche.

True Story

Release Date: April 10, 2015 (limited)

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When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) meets accused killer Christian Longo (James Franco) - who has taken on Finkel's identity - his investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat-and-mouse. Based on actual events, Finkel's relentless pursuit of Longo's true story encompasses murder, love, deceit and redemption.

With two Oscar nominations under his belt, Jonah Hill continues to prove himself as an actor with some real talent. James Franco should have some momentum from The Interview, and Franco is capable of stepping outside (127 Hours, Spider-Man 2 2004) of his comical comfort zone to deliver a good performance. The trailer looks good, and the plot is intriguing. Hopefully, we're looking at one of the true sleeper hits of 2015, because it'll be a shame if True Story is dismissed as some forgettable thriller.

Cake

Release Date: January 23, 2015

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The acerbic, hilarious Claire Simmons becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic pain support group.

Jennifer Aniston stopped working out for two months for a more authentic physical transformation, and in certain scenes, Aniston didn't wear make-up.

Overall, the Toronto International Film Festival reviews for Cake are mixed, but the vast majority praise Aniston's performance as Oscar worthy. Going by the trailer, Cake feels like a watch at home movie, because I'm not 100% sold on this right now.

Still Alice

Release Date: January 16, 2015 (limited)

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Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking, and inspiring.

There's a good amount of Oscar buzz surrounding Julianne Moore's performance for Still Alice. I'm a fan of Kate Bosworth, and usually, you can rely on Alec Baldwin for a solid performance, but I'm uneasy about Kristen Stewart's presence here, because she's a dull and emotionless actress.

Demonic

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DEMONIC centers on the aftermath of a horrific massacre where five college students were brutally murdered inside an abandoned home. Detective Mark Lewis and psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Klein question one of the few survivors who explains they were amateur ghost-hunters, seeking out paranormal phenomenon at the abandoned house, which was believed to be haunted. But what started out as a harmless activity turned into something truly terrifying.

No official release dates yet.

To be clear, James Wan is not directing Demonic. Will Canon is the director. James Wan is a producer, and he came up with the story. He's taking a little break from the genre, but Wan's name is big enough to bring attention to a horror film.

I see one too many horror cliches here. A group of friends opening a portal or making contact with evil spirits after a séance in some creepy abandoned house, and the evil spirits attack and kill each member of the group one by one? Sorry, I've seen this story one too many times, and I get the feeling they're going to rely too many jump scares here.

Also, it never ceases to amaze me how the protagonists react in similar horror films. You're trying to make contact with or resurrect evil spirits/rotting corpses from the underworld (or a grave), and you're surprised, devastated, shocked, or you're struggling to comprehend the situation, when the evil spirits attack and kill you? Seriously?

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Ant-Man

Release Date: July 17, 2015

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The Marvel character Ant-Man gets the big screen treatment with this Edgar Wright-directed film focusing on Henry Pym, a scientist who develops powers to grow and shrink in size. The script was penned by Wright and Attack the Block's Joe Cornish.

I don't know too much about comic books, and I'm not familiar with the character, but this trailer doesn't do anything for me. Although, I didn't know anything about Guardians Of The Galaxy, but the first trailer grabbed my attention. I can't say the same thing about this one. Maybe I'll change my tune between now and July, but for now, I just see a generic and forgettable superhero film.

Entourage

Release Date: June 5, 2015

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The film picks up where the series left off, chronicling the continuing career of movie star Vincent Chase and his entourage of friends. Ari bankrolls Vince's directorial debut with a $100 million budget which goes $15 million over. He does this by securing financing from a Texas billionaire Larsen McCredle and his son Travis. Vince continues his carefree lifestyle saying if the film fails they can just move back to Queens. Now with his own studio Ari deals with the problems of being a start up movie producer in his own ill tempered way.

A list of the cameos:

Spoiler

Mark Wahlberg
Calvin Harris
Tom Brady
Rob Gronkowski
Julian Edelman
Stevan Ridley
Liam Neeson
Emily Ratajkowski
Cynthia Kirchner
Piers Morgan
Russell Wilson
Ronda Rousey
Thierry Henry

I lost interest in Entourage (the show was a shell of what it used to be in the earlier seasons) towards the end, so I never took the time to watch the final season. You have to believe they'll use closure as a big hook for die hard fans of the show, but I'm hoping the Entourage movie will actually feel like a full-length feature, and not an overlong episode with too much fluff.

The Lazarus Effect

Release Date: February 27, 2015

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A team of ambitious medical professionals have found a way to bring dead patients back to life using a serum codenamed "Lazarus". After several successful tests are done on animals, Zoe (Olivia Wilde), one of the lead researchers, dies in a lab accident. In desperation, the team uses "Lazarus" to bring her back and they are successful. But as she begins to display unusual abilities the team begins to realize that in their attempt to resurrect the dead, they may have opened the door to unfathomable evil.

An intriguing and thought-provoking premise, and you can see some early signs for a nasty gore fest here.

A few doubts about Olivia Wilde in the leading role, but I'm definitely looking forward to this one. Although, I'm kind of bummed out they gave away the jump scare with the dog in this trailer.

The Voices

Release Date: February 6, 2015 (limited theatrical & VOD platform)

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Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) is an upbeat man with a sugary view of the world. He is also mentally ill, and has been avoiding taking his prescribed anti-psychotic medication. He hallucinates that his cat is telling him to be a serial killer, while his dog argues against the cat and insists that he is good. When Jerry starts reluctantly taking his medication again, he starts experiencing brief moments of lucidity in which he realizes that the reality of his life is already far more violent than he had perceived it to be.

Ryan Reynolds is a strange case as an actor. He has the potential to be good (not great), but at this point in his career, I think it's safe to say we're past the point of waiting for that one breakout role. Reynolds plateaued a while ago, his range is limited, but he's usually reliable, when he sticks to his comfort zone (i.e. the smug, condescending jerk).

As far as the movie goes, well I'm not sure what to think about it now. The kooky premise is enough to catch my attention, but I'm not sold on this trailer, and there's a good chance we're looking one of 2015's early turkeys here.

Vice

Release Date: January 16, 2015 (limited)​

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Julian Michaels (Bruce Willis) has designed the ultimate resort: VICE, where anything goes and the customers can play out their wildest fantasies with artificial inhabitants who look, think and feel like humans. When an artificial (Ambyr Childers) becomes self-aware and escapes, she finds herself caught in the crossfire between Julian's mercenaries and a cop (Thomas Jane) who is hell-bent on shutting down Vice, and stopping the violence once and for all.

Outside of the Die Hard films, I have a hard time building up any anticipation or excitement for Bruce Willis' films, because the vast majority of Willis' recent films are mediocre or underwhelming. Yes, the plot is intriguing, but Vice reminds me of another sci-fi/action thriller with an intriguing plot starring Bruce Willis. Surrogates 2009 had a lot of potential, but the end result was a massive failure, and after watching the trailer, I have similar feelings for Vice.

Escobar: Paradise Lost

Release Date: January 16, 2015 (limited)

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Opening in the summer of 1991, young Canadian surfer Nick is called into a cartel's hideout and tasked with committing a murder on the drug lord's behalf. Speeding off on his mission along the dark road and hardly able to keep his breath, Nick is stuck in a conundrum that only becomes clear as it flashes back to 1983. Arriving on the Colombian coast to run a surf camp with his eager brother (Corbet), Nick meets the smarmy Maria (Traisac), and quickly falls for her. The sunny beaches provide a notable visual contrast to the murkier scenes that follow, as Nick gradually realizes the extent of Escobar's power. At social gatherings, Escobar's domineering personality leaves Nick in a confused state about his priorities.

I'll take a chance on this for Benicio del Toro's performance, but Paradise Lost looks like a run-of-the-mill doucdrama/thriller.

Tracers

Release Date: March 20, 2015 (limited)

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After he crashes his bike into a super-sexy stranger named Nikki (Avgeropoulos), Cam (Lautner) is introduced to her crew -- a team that uses parkour to pull off heists. Hoping to alleviate his deepening debt to a violent crime gang, Cam quickly joins the group. As the stakes get higher with more dangerous side ventures, the payouts get bigger. Cam must use every ounce of his skill to stay alive as the crew's heists grow more daring with each job, and gang enforcers breathe relentlessly down his neck.

An inventive concept with a lot of potential.....but Taylor Lautner is a problem. Abduction 2011 is an action/thriller starring Lautner, and I watched it once, but I can still remember how terrible the movie was. One of the main problems was they tried to transform Lautner into this action star/resourceful bad ass, and it didn't work out. Hopefully, they'll find a way to avoid the same problem here.

The Loft

Release Date: January 30 ,2015 (limited)

[YOUTUBE]1bJZYqGfYGE[/YOUTUBE]​

Five married men share ownership of an upmarket loft, which they use to discreetly meet their respective mistresses. When the body of a murdered woman is found in that loft, the men begin to suspect each other of having committed the gruesome crime, as they are the only ones with keys to the premises. Through flashbacks, which are intertwined with scenes from the present, the entire story is unraveled.

My only concern with The Loft is the big reveal for the killer at the end. Hopefully, they're not going with one of the wives hiring someone to murder the woman for vengeance, because it'll be too predictable. That, or one of the husbands betraying the group for an affair with another wife in the group after some elaborate scheme. Okay, maybe I'm over thinking things too much now.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Tomorrowland

Release Date: May 22, 2015

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From Disney comes two-time Oscar (R) winner Brad Bird's riveting, mystery adventure "Tomorrowland," starring Academy Award (R) winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland." What they must do there changes the world-and them-forever. Featuring a screenplay by "Lost" writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, "Tomorrowland" promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.

An intriguing concept, but the main character worries me a little bit. It looks like they're going with the tired cliche for the troubled teen, who's on a downward spiral, but she reluctantly accepts her role as the unlikely hero, and after it's all said and done, she transforms into a better person after her experiences in Tomorrowland.

Unfriended

Release Date: April 17, 2015

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One year ago, Laura Barnes (Heather Sossaman) decided to commit suicide due to ridicule received over an embarrassing video of her passed out at a party. Six of her classmates were especially horrible in their treatment of her, as they were unpopular and Laura was the most popular girl in school. Tonight, those same six classmates have decided to get together to talk with one another via Skype, but are ill-prepared when an uninvited seventh person logs onto their Skype chat and shows that they know quite a bit about the prior year's events. The unknown person threatens the group and states that if they log out or stop talking, someone will die. As the chat progresses, the truth about who posted the video begins to emerge and other secrets are revealed.

Interesting.

The premise is LOADED with potential, but I have a few doubts about the trailer. Hopefully they'll take the time to explore the problems with an unnatural obsession for social media, how social media affects people, society, relationships, the community, and cyber bullying, but I have bad feeling they'll just scratch the surface.

Also, the trailer worries me. After watching it a few times, I get the feeling we're headed for another generic horror film, that's loaded with cheap jump scares, creaky doors slowly opening, and shadowy figures standing around in the background. To add to that, this trailer looks like a preview for a short in one of the V/H/S (there's a short that's eerily similar to this from the first V/H/S film) films.

Spy

Release Date: May 22, 2015

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Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency's most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

This again? McCarthy playing the clumsy and foul-mouthed underdog, who drops f-bombs every five minutes? Sorry, but I've reached a point, where I'm kind of burnt on McCarthy's shtick. I enjoyed McCarthy in St. Vincent, but she took a break from her normal routine, so the change was refreshing.

As far as the movie goes, I don't see anything promising in the trailer. I just see a forgettable spoof, but there's some potential with Jason Statham as a hothead.

It Follows

Release Date: March 27, 2015 (limited)

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After 19-year-old Jay has what she believes to be an innocent sexual encounter, she begins to be plagued by strange visions and the unavoidable feeling that someone - or something - is following her. With her friends, Jay has to find a way to escape the terror that seems to be only a few steps behind.

Love the music in the trailer, because it's reminiscent of music from an 80's horror film.

Creepy and eerie trailer, and there's a strong 80's horror throwback vibe here. Definitely looking forward to this one.

Seventh Son

Release Date: February 6, 2015

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In a time long past, an evil is about to be unleashed that will reignite the war between the forces of the supernatural and humankind once more. Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) is a knight who had imprisoned the malevolently powerful witch, Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), centuries ago. But now she has escaped and is seeking vengeance. Summoning her followers of every incarnation, Mother Malkin is preparing to unleash her terrible wrath on an unsuspecting world. Only one thing stands in her way: Master Gregory. In a deadly reunion, Gregory comes face to face with the evil he always feared would someday return. He has only until the next full moon to do what usually takes years: train his new apprentice, Tom Ward (Ben Barnes) to fight a dark magic unlike any other. Man's only hope lies in the seventh son of a seventh son.

After a series of delayed (Seventh Son was supposed to hit theaters on February 13, 2013) release dates, it looks like Seventh Son will finally hit theaters in February. There's some hope with Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in the cast, but I'm not sold on Seventh Son right now.

The Atticus Institute

Release Date: January 23, 2015 (limited)

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Dr. Henry West founded The Atticus Institute in the early 1970s to test individuals expressing supernatural abilities - E.S.P., clairvoyance, psychokinesis, etc. Despite witnessing several noteworthy cases, nothing could have prepared Dr. West and his colleagues for Judith Winstead. She outperformed every subject they had ever studied - soon gaining the attention of the U.S. Department of Defense, who subsequently took control of the research facility. The more experiments they conducted on Judith, the clearer it became that her abilities were the manifestation of evil forces within her, prompting the government to take measures to weaponize this force. But they soon discovered there are powers that exist in this world that simply cannot be controlled. Now the details of the inexplicable events that occurred within The Atticus Institute are being made public after remaining classified for nearly forty years.

If there's one storyline that's been done to death in horror, it's the storyline about evil forces haunting an old mental institution/asylum, with one of the patients possessing telekinetic powers, or said patient being possessed by the evil forces at the asylum. Out of the pack of modern or recent horror films (most of them are found-footage) featuring this storyline, you might find two or three decent enough films every now and then.

I'm not saying The Atticus Institute is a guaranteed stinker, but I don't see any true redeeming qualities in this trailer.

Good Kill

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Andrew Niccol's 21st century war drama Good Kill stars Ethan Hawke as Air Force Major Thomas Egan, a talented pilot who spends his days operating a drone over various terrorist threats in the middle east while sitting in a trailer on a base in Las Vegas. Egan hates not being allowed to fly actual planes anymore, and as the CIA begins dictating orders to Egan and his crew, he begins to feel morally disconnected from his job. This leads to more conflict at home with his wife (January Jones), who wishes her husband could focus on their family as much as his military duty.

No official release dates yet.

5/10.

Big Game

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A timid Finnish boy serving a rite of passage by spending the night alone in the forest must protect the President of the United States (Samuel L. Jackson) from terrorists who have shot down Air Force One in order to hunt the most powerful man on the planet. Young Oskari (Onni Tommila) descends from a long line of seasoned hunters; on his first trip into the woods, Oskari's rugged father became a legend when he returned to civilization with a bear in tow. In contrast, Oskari can barely muster the strength to draw his bow. Nevertheless he is a courageous boy, and as Oskari ventures into the woods, Air Force One prepares for arrival in Helsinki. Just as the president's plane begins its descent, however, radars indicate that it has been targeted by a missile, prompting the Commander in Chief's head Secret Service agent (Ray Stevenson) to rush him into a safety pod just before the entire fleet is blown out of the sky. Upon touching down in the darkened forest, the pod is quickly discovered by Oskari, who frees the shaken president just as the heavily-armed hunters close in for the kill. Now, as the sun rises the chase begins, and Oscari must prove his manhood by protecting the biggest game of all. Victor Garber, Ted Levine, Felicity Huffman, and Jim Broadbent co-star.

No official release dates yet.

Taking a chance on this to see Sam Jackson as the President, but I highly doubt Big Game lives up to its promising premise.

New trailers for Age Of Ultron and Chappie:

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[Mitch Henessey]

Terminator: Genisys

Release Date: July 1, 2015

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In 2029, John Connor, leader of the Resistance, continues the war against the machines. At the Los Angeles' offensive, John's fears of the unknown future begin to emerge when John is notified by his army unit, Tech-Com, that Skynet will attack him from two fronts, past and future, and will ultimately change warfare forever.

On the verge of winning the war against Skynet, Connor sends his trusted lieutenant Kyle Reese back through time to save his mother's life and ensure his own existence. However, Kyle finds the original past changed. After being orphaned at age nine by a T-800, sent to kill her when she was young to prevent the future, Sarah Connor has been brought up by another Terminator T-800 programmed to protect her. This Terminator has then trained her to face her destiny, which she adamantly tries to reject. Now, Kyle and Sarah have to escape the new T-800 and the T-1000 sent by Skynet to kill them, with the help of the old Terminator.

Judgment Day was the last high quality Terminator film, and I don't see any real positive signs for hope in this trailer. I just see another forgettable and mediocre Terminator film, so I'm setting the bar low for this one.

Everly

Release Date: February 27, 2015

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Holed up in her apartment with nowhere to hide, a Mexican hitwoman must take on deadly forces of the Chinese/Japanese Yakuza, a corrupt police team , the cartel she used to work for and a squadron of deadly assassins in order to try and escape alive.

The only two films, where can I remember Salma Hayek portraying anything close to a lethal bad ass are Desperado (Once Upon A Time In Mexico is a blur to me) and Bandidas, and well, I guess you can throw in From Dusk 'Till Dawn.

Going by the trailer, Everly should be a hard hitting, bloody, and gory action flick, and I like the idea of Hayek having to fight her way out of an isolated setting, so I'm definitely looking forward to this.

Run All Night

Release Date: March 13, 2015

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An aging hitman is forced to take on his brutal former boss to protect his estranged son and his family.

Liam Neeson portraying an aging character, who's fighting to protect his family? Sounds familiar.

More often than not, Neeson is a reliable name for an entertaining action flick. And with Vincent D'Onofrio and Ed Harris in the cast, there's a slight chance for Run All Night standing out amongst the pack for run-of-the-mill Neeson action films.

Anarchy

Release Date: March 13, 2015 (limited)

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This is a gritty story of a take-no-prisoners war between dirty cops and a drug-dealing biker gang. When extortion, betrayal, and fiery passions threaten his criminal empire, a drug kingpin is driven to desperate measures in this explosive film based on Shakespeare's Cymbeline.

Ethan Hawke is one of my favorite actors, and you can always rely on a solid performance from Ed Harris as a villain. Although, I'm not too sure about Milla Jovovich in this one.

Accidental Love (Or Nailed)

Release Date: February 10, 2015 (limited)

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A small town waitress gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head causing unpredictable behavior that leads her to Washington, D.C., where sparks fly when she meets a clueless young senator who takes up her cause - but what happens when love interferes with what you stand for?

Source Code, End Of Watch, Prisoners, Enemy, Nightcrawler.......and now this? There's no denying Jake Gyllenhaal's impressive and consistent streak over the past three to four years for high quality films and performances, but I don't see it with this trailer for Accidental Love.

There's a chance I'm wrong, and the premise has some potential, but I get the feeling Accidental Love will devolve into another formulaic and shitty romantic comedy after the first fifteen or twenty minutes.

The Gunman

Release Date: March 20, 2015

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An international operative named Martin Terrier (Sean Penn) wants out of the game, so he can settle down with his longtime love (Jasmine Trinca). The organization he works for has other plans in mind, and he is forced to go on the run across Europe.

The story sounds cliched, and without Penn, Idris Elba, and Javier Bardem in the cast, there's a good chance we're talking about a straight-to-video or VOD release/limited theatrical release.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Ted 2

Release Date: June 26, 2015

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Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and voice star of Ted 2, Universal and Media Rights Capital’s follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. Joined once again by star Mark Wahlberg and fellow Ted writers Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild, MacFarlane produces the live action/CG-animated comedy alongside Bluegrass Films’ Scott Stuber, as well as John Jacobs and Jason Clark.

While I enjoyed the first Ted film, a sequel feels unnecessary from a storyline standpoint. Although, I'll say this, I don't get the feeling of a lazy cash grab sequel from the trailer. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait, and the sperm bank scene reminds me of a Family Guy episode with Peter stuck in the same awkward situation.

Child 44

Release Date: April 17, 2015

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A politically-charged serial killer thriller set in 1953 Soviet Russia, CHILD 44 chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov [Tom Hardy], who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa [Noomi Rapace], as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov [Gary Oldman] to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo's psychopathic rival Vasili [Joel Kinnaman], who insists "There is no crime in Paradise."

A promising cast list, with a dark and gritty trailer. Hopefully, Child 44 lives up to its potential, because it'll be a big misfire, if they fail to capitalize on a talented cast.

The Intruders

Release Date: February 24, 2015 (DVD & VOD platforms)

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After the traumatic loss of her mother, a teenaged girl tries to uncover the dark secrets behind her new home, in spite of her father's disbelief.

Every now and then, you MIGHT find one gem in the yearly pack of low-budget and low profile horror releases, but I have too many doubts about The Intruders. Going by the trailer, the story is too generic and formulaic, and you get the feeling the movie will follow the same old pattern for the vast majority of haunting horror films:

-New family moves into spooky house, where the previous tenants were A) brutally murdered, or B) they used the house for a series of creepy satanic rituals.

-Primary protagonist: "The house is haunted. You have to believe me!"

-No one believes him or her, and family or friends suggest psychiatric help as a solution to the problem.

-After a bizarre and unexplainable incident, the non-believers are convinced ("What are we gonna do now!") evil supernatural forces are wreaking havoc in the home.

- And the movie usually ends with digging up a corpse, an exorcism, or a seance.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Poltergeist

Release Date: July 24, 2015

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Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi (“Spiderman,” “Evil Dead”, “The Grudge”) and director Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and hold the youngest daughter captive, the family must come together to rescue her before she disappears forever.

Raimi's name as a producer is a positive sign, and I like the cast, but the trailer is kind of dull. Watching the Poltergeist remake on the big screen (not sure about the 3D) should provide a great experience, but unfortunately, I get the feeling we're looking at another forgettable horror remake here.

The Age Of Adaline

Release Date: April 24, 2015

[YOUTUBE]7UzSekc0LoQ[/YOUTUBE]​

After miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret, save her one confidante, her now-elderly daughter Flemming (Ellen Burstyn). But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.

I have two big problems with this. First, Blake Lively is a decent enough in supporting roles (i.e. The Town), but she's not the type of actress, who can carry a film in the leading role.

Also, I get the feeling they'll squander a premise that's loaded with potential. Instead of taking the time to explore the mystery behind Adaline's miraculous gift, or Adaline actually using her gift, it looks like we'll get a cliched love story about a depressed and lonely woman, who struggles to cope with eternal youth.

Danny Collins

Release Date: March 20, 2015 (limited)

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Al Pacino stars as aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins, who can't give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.

Kind of hard to get your hopes for anything starring Al Pacino now a days, and I highly doubt Danny Collins will rise above average for a run of the mill "I'm trying to change, and reconnect with family" drama.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Hitman: Agent 47

Release Date: August 28, 2015

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HITMAN: AGENT 47 centers on an elite assassin who was genetically engineered from conception to be the perfect killing machine, and is known only by the last two digits on the barcode tattooed on the back of his neck. He is the culmination of decades of research - and forty-six earlier Agent clones -- endowing him with unprecedented strength, speed, stamina and intelligence. His latest target is a mega-corporation that plans to unlock the secret of Agent 47's past to create an army of killers whose powers surpass even his own. Teaming up with a young woman who may hold the secret to overcoming their powerful and clandestine enemies, 47 confronts stunning revelations about his own origins and squares off in an epic battle with his deadliest foe.

I tried over and over again, but for some strange reason, I can't sit through the 2007 (a reboot/remake eight years later.....yikes) original.

The Walk

Release Date: October 2, 2015

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The Walk is the true story of a young dreamer, Philippe Petit, and a band of unlikely recruits who together achieve the impossible: an illegal wire walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. With little more than nerve and blind ambition, Petit and his ragtag crew overcome daunting physical obstacles, betrayals, countless close calls and overwhelming odds to beat the system and execute their mad plan.

Robert Zemeckis is an amazing director, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is slowly building (50/50, Premium Rush, Looper, and the movie itself is horribly overrated, but he did a good job in Don Jon) a pretty impressive resume, as one of the more noteworthy leading actors in Hollywood.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Release Date: August 14, 2015

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Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s period of the Cold War, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. centers on U.N.C.L.E. agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin. The two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. The duo’s only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.

Henry Cavill looks good in the trailer, and Guy Ritchie is one of my favorite directors, but I'm not sure how I should feel about this right now.

Crimson Peak

Release Date: October 16, 2015

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Set in Cumbria, in a crumbling mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region of northern England in the 19th century, young author Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) discovers that her charming new husband Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) is not who he appears to be.

Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and Tom Hiddleston in a horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro? I'm in.

Regression

Release Date: August 28, 2015

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Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.

After her performances in The Bling Ring and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Emma Watson proved she's more than capable of holding her own outside of the Harry Potter franchise, and you can always rely on Ethan Hawke for a solid performance.

Trainwreck

Release Date: July 17, 2015

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Since she was a little girl, it's been drilled into Amy's (Schumer) head by her rascal of a dad (Colin Quinn) that monogamy isn't realistic. Now a magazine writer, Amy lives by that credo-enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring romantic commitment-but in actuality, she's kind of in a rut. When she finds herself starting to fall for the subject of the new article she's writing, a charming and successful sports doctor named Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), Amy starts to wonder if other grown-ups, including this guy who really seems to like her, might be on to something.

Meh. The story doesn't do anything for me, and Judd Apatow's films are really hit-and-miss more often than not. Personally, I'm more interested to see how Cena and James carry themselves here.

Aloha

Release Date: May 29, 2015

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In Aloha, a celebrated military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs – the US Space program in Honolulu, Hawaii – and reconnects with a long-ago love (Rachel McAdams) while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him. From Academy Award®-winner Cameron Crowe, the writer-director behind such films as Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, Aloha also stars Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin.

Aloha has the ideal cast for a romantic comedy, and I know Jerry Maguire is a popular choice, but Vanilla Sky is still my favorite Cameron Crowe film.

Unfinished Business

Release Date: March 6, 2015

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A hard working small business owner (Vince Vaughn) and his two associates (Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco) travel to Europe to close the most important deal of their lives. But what began as a routine business trip goes off the rails in every imaginable and unimaginable way, including unplanned stops at a massive sex fetish event and a global economic summit.

4/10.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

While We're Young

Release Date: March 27, 2015

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Noah Boaumbach's comedy While We're Young stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as Josh and Cornelia, a childless New York married couple in their mid-forties. As their other friends all start having children, the couple gravitates toward a young hipster couple named Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried). He's an aspiring documentary filmmaker, a vocation Josh already has. Soon the older couple begins enjoying the energy they feel haging out with the younger generation, but eventually Josh begins to suspect his new best friend might not be as straightforward and trustworthy as he thought. While We're Young screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

I like the cast for While We're Young, and the trailer is decent enough. But I get the feeling we're looking at another ordinary mid-life crisis comedy/drama about an aging couple, and their mission to take one last shot at reliving their glory days.

Pan

Release Date: July 24, 2015

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The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. There, he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.

Hugh Jackman is barely recognizable in the trailer.

The Water Diviner

Release Date: April 24, 2015

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After the Battle of Gallipoli, in 1919, an Australian farmer, Connor (Russell Crowe), travels to Turkey to find his three missing sons. While staying at a hotel in Istanbul, he meets Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), the hotel owner. He makes his way to Gallipoli. Once there, he finds his sons' graves, and finds evidence that one might still be alive.

I haven't seen Noah yet, but I can't say I'm too excited about this, because the vast majority of Russell Crowe's more recent films with Crowe in the leading role are mediocre, forgettable, or terrible.

Home Sweet Hell

Release Date: March 13, 2015 (limited)

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Mona and Don's seemingly perfect suburban bliss is disrupted by a sexy extortionist and Mona will stop at nothing, including killing the competition, to keep her little slice of heaven.

I dunno about this one. On one hand, the premise with a perky suburban housewife turning into a deranged killer for a black comedy is loaded with potential, but I'm not sure if Katherine Heigl is the right actress to pull it off. I won't go as far as must-see for Home Sweet Hell, but I'll keep this one my radar. Although, I'm kind of bummed out the trailer gives away 80% of the movie.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Dark Places

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Set in a farming town in Kansas, Dark Places follows Libby Day (Charlize Theron), the only surviving witness of a horrific massacre that took her mother and sisters. Believing the slaughter to be the work of a Satanic cult, Libby testifies in court against her own brother. 25 years after the murder, she remains haunted by the gruesome violence of her past when she meets a group of amateur investigators who call themselves "The Kill Club". Looking to satisfy their morbid curiosity, the group begins their own inquiry about the case, believing Libby's brother is innocent. In order to help them, Libby must unearth painful memories of the event and learn that her past may not be what it seems.

No official release dates yet....and that's kind of odd, when you consider Gone Girl's success, and Charlize Theron (with Chloe Grace Moretz in supporting cast) in the lead role.

No Escape

Release Date: September 2, 2015

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An American family moves to Cambodia and must survive a coup and the resulting violence towards foreigners.

Pierce Brosnan is easily the main highlight in the trailer, but I have a hard time picturing or buying into serious Owen Wilson.

Ex Machina

Release Date: April 10, 2015 (limited)

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Alex Garland, writer of 28 Days Later and Sunshine, makes his directorial debut with the stylish and cerebral thriller, EX MACHINA. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer at an internet-search giant, wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of the company's brilliant and reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Upon his arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan has chosen him to be the human component in a Turing Test-charging him with evaluating the capabilities, and ultimately the consciousness, of Nathan's latest experiment in artificial intelligence. That experiment is Ava (Alicia Vikander), a breathtaking A.I. whose emotional intelligence proves more sophisticated--and more deceptive--than the two men could have imagined.

High hopes ( Ex Machina holds a 94% on RT) for a stylish sci-fi thriller, but the only downside here is the trailer reveals too much.

Mr. Holmes

Release Date: June 24, 2015 (limited)

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MR. HOLMES is a new twist on the world's most famous detective. 1947, an aging Sherlock Holmes returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now, in his remote seaside farmhouse, Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his bees, with only the company of his housekeeper and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement, and searches for answers to the mysteries of life and love - before it's too late.

Not sure if it's worth a trip to the theater, but the role of an aging Sherlock Holmes is tailor-made for Ian McKellen.

Selfless

Release Date: July 31, 2015

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In this provocative psychological science fiction thriller, an extremely wealthy man (Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley) dying from cancer undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man (Ryan Reynolds). But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body's origin and the secret organization that will kill to protect its cause.

Looking forward to this, but Ryan Reynolds usually flounders outside of comedies and his usual comfort zone.

New trailers for Age Of Ultron and Big Game:

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[Mitch Henessey]

A few tidbits for new release dates. The Poltergeist remake moved up to May 22nd to avoid a collision with Pan, and Spy's new release is set for June 5th.

The Vatican Tapes

Release Date: May 22, 2015

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Starring Michael Peña, Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, Peter Andersson and Kathleen Robertson, The Vatican Tapes follows the haunting tale of 27-year-old Angela Holmes, played by Dudley, an ordinary girl who begins to have a devastating effect on anyone close to her, causing serious injury and death. The local priest, Father Lozano (Peña), examines Holmes and believes she is possessed, but when Vicar Imani (Hounsou) and Cardinal Bruun (Andersson) are called from the Vatican to exorcise the demon, it proves to be an ancient satanic force more powerful than they imagined.

Kind of surprised Michael Pena is in this. For the most part (I haven't seen the Cesar Chavez film yet), Pena's done a good job of choosing his roles and films with Fury as a recent pick.

There's always a chance you might find one or two decent or solid exorcism horror films in the pack, but more often than not, it's the same old story: the priests, family members, and friends have no idea what to do with or how to help the possessed victim. After a series of bizarre incidents and extensive research to learn more about the evil spirits, everyone is convinced a demon (or demons) is controlling the victim, and the movie concludes with an over the top exorcise scene/finale.

Looking at the trailer, I have no doubts The Vatican Tapes will follow the same worn out formula we've seen over and over again for as long as I can remember.

The Forger

Release Date: April 24, 2015 (limited)

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A second-generation petty thief arranges to get out of prison to spend time with his ailing son by taking on a job with his father to pay back the syndicate that arranged his release.

I honestly can't remember the last good or decent John Travolta film. Oddly enough, Travolta's bizarre incidents and awkward moments at the Oscars over the past two or three years, his personal life, and the massage parlor allegations have overshadowed his film career.

It's still very early, but out of the six reviews counted on Rotten Tomatoes, The Forger currently holds a 0%, and from what I can see in the trailer, The Forger looks like a generic and cliched drama/caper film.

The Woman In Gold

Release Date: April 3, 2015 (limited)

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Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann, starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt's famous painting 'The Lady in Gold'. Together with her inexperienced but plucky young lawyer Randy Schoenberg, she embarks upon a major battle which takes them all the way to the heart of the Austrian establishment and the U.S. Supreme Court, and forces her to confront difficult truths about the past along the way.

5/10.

New trailers for Furious 7 and Tomorrowland:

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[Mitch Henessey]

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Release Date: July 31, 2015

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IMF agent Ethan Hunt is tracked down by the Syndicate, a highly trained organization of rogue assassins that kill on order. With the help of his colleagues, he plans to bring the Syndicate down by any means necessary.

It'll be hard to top Ghost Protocol, but MI is a fairly consistent film series (while I don't believe it's as bad as a lot of people make it out to be, MI: 2 is easily the weakest film in the series), so I'm holding out some hope for Rogue Nation.

Pixels

Release Date: July 24, 2015

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In 1982, in the hopes of establishing peaceful communication with extraterrestrial life, NASA launches a time capsule into outer space containing images and footage of Earth life and culture. However, aliens misinterpret enclosed video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, specifically Pac-Man, with the Earth being him, and the aliens being the ghosts. They attack the Earth using the games as models for their various assaults, including Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. President William Cooper (Kevin James) calls upon his best friend since childhood, former 1980s arcader champion Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), who is now a home theater installer and had a previous relationship with William's wife (Jane Krakowski). After support from Professor Iwatani (Denis Akiyama) to seduce Pac-Man with a pitcher of Kool-Aid turns to him pixelating, Brenner decides to lead a team of retrogamers (Peter Dinklage and Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens with various technology similar to those used in games.

I'm not sure about this.

On one hand, you could say Pixels has the chance to be a refreshing film, and something different. But there's a chance we're looking at a huge misfire, and a film that squanders a unique premise. Although, there's a chance I'm overthinking everything too much with Pixels, a fun movie about aliens and giant video game characters attacking Earth.

The Transporter Refueled

Release Date: June 19, 2015

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The producers of Lucy and the Taken trilogy bring you the next adrenaline-fueled installment of The Transporter series, THE TRANSPORTER LEGACY, starring newcomer Ed Skrein as Frank Martin, the most highly-skilled transporter money can buy. The stakes are greater and technology better, but the same three simple rules apply: never change the deal, no names and never open the package. When Frank is hired by cunning femme fatale Anna and her three stunning sidekicks, he quickly discovers he's been played. Anna and her cohorts have kidnapped his father in order to coerce Frank into helping them take down a ruthless group of Russian human traffickers. Fueled by revenge, he will break all his rules and stop at nothing to rescue his father in this action-packed thrill ride across the French Riviera.

Eh, I don't see any positive signs for a decent film here, and after watching the trailer, I'm more convinced Transporter 3 should've been the last film in the series. Refueled looks like a cheap direct-to-video sequel, and a Transporter trailer doesn't feel the same without Statham.

The first Transporter film was a solid action flick. Transporter 2 was preposterous and over the top, but it's an enjoyable popcorn flick, and Transporter 3 bored me to tears. I'll admit, I don't know too much about Ed Skrien, and I'm not saying he's irreplaceable, but Statham was the face of the Transporter film series.

New trailers for Insidious: Chapter 3, San Andreas, and Good Kill:

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[Mitch Henessey]

Maggie

Release Date: May 8, 2015

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When a deadly zombie virus sweeps the nation, a father will stop at nothing to save his infected daughter in this post-apocalyptic thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Abigail Breslin.

I want to have high hopes for this, but more often than not, when Arnie steps outside of his comfort zone, the end result is a mediocre film (End Of Days). And if we're talking about comedic turns, Jingle All The Way is the only positive film I can think of, because I cringe at the thought of Twins and Kindergarten Cop. To add to that, you really can't rely on Schwarzenegger as a powerhouse box office draw anymore, because if we're talking about recent films, The Last Stand and Sabotage flopped at the box office.

Maggie? I dunno. Breslin is a promising young actress, and Schwarzenegger looks good in the trailer, but I have a bad feeling we're looking at another failed (and forgettable) attempt to reinvent or put a refreshing spin on zombie films.

Southpaw

Release Date: July 31, 2015

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Jake Gyllenhaal plays a boxer who perseveres and punches his way to the top, only to have his wife and daughter torn from him, and his life fall to pieces.

Another bad case of a trailer showing (Rachel McAdams' death) too much.

Still, I'm really looking forward to this, because Jake Gyllenhaal is an amazing actor, and there's a good chance we're looking at another Oscar worthy performance in this one.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Spectre

Release Date: November 6, 2015

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In the aftermath of the bombing of MI6 by Raoul Silva, a cryptic message sets in motion events that will see James Bond come face-to-face with a sinister organisation known as SPECTRE. As Gareth Mallory, the newly-appointed M, continues fighting political pressures that threaten the future of MI6, Bond is drawn into a confrontation with an enemy who knows him better than he knows himself and holds a dangerous secret that will force Bond to question the value of everything he has fought to protect.

The perfect trailer.

I'm a fan of the less is more approach, and this teaser for Spectre nails it. It's a mysterious and intriguing trailer that hooks you in, without giving away too much, and I'm guessing we'll see the first glimpse of Batista in the full trailer.

Slow West

Release Date: May 15, 2015

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'Slow West' follows a 16-year-old boy on a journey across 19th Century frontier America in search of the woman he loves, while accompanied by mysterious traveler Silas.

Michael Fassbender is an outstanding actor, but I'm not sold on this trailer for Slow West. I'm sure Fassbender will deliver a good or great performance, but this trailer feels cheap, and Slow West looks like some random and forgettable straight-to-video Western.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Straight Outta Compton

Release Date: August 14, 2015

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In the mid-1980s, the streets of Compton, California, were some of the most dangerous in the country. When five young men translated their experiences growing up into brutally honest music that rebelled against abusive authority, they gave an explosive voice to a silenced generation. Following the meteoric rise and fall of N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton tells the astonishing story of how these youngsters revolutionized music and pop culture forever the moment they told the world the truth about life in the hood and ignited a cultural war.

It's not a bad trailer, but Straight outta Compton looks like another routine biopic.

Fantastic Four

Release Date: August 7, 2014

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When four people teleport to an alternate universe, which alters their physical form and grants them new abilities, they must learn to harness their abilities and work together as a team to save the Earth from a familiar enemy.

A lot of promise in this teaser, and it's one of the rare cases, where a reboot feels necessary, because the previous Fantastic Four films were underwhelming and disappointing.

Lost River

Release Date: April 10, 2015 (limited)

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A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town.

I know I'm kind of late on this, but Lost River is Ryan Gosling's directorial debut. It's too early to tell if Gosling will have a future behind the camera, but so far, the vast majority of reviews for Lost River are negative, and the movie holds a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sinister 2

Release Date: August 21, 2015

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The sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit horror movie. In the aftermath of the shocking events in “Sinister,” a protective mother (Shannyn Sossamon of “Wayward Pines”) and her 9-year-old twin sons (real-life twins Robert and Dartanian Sloan) find themselves in a rural house marked for death as the evil spirit of Bughuul continues to spread with frightening intensity.

Sinister 2012 was a nice surprise, and a damn good horror film. The Saw franchise is on a hiatus, there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding Paranormal Activity, and I'm not too sure about Insidious: Chapter 3 (Chapter 2 was horrible). To add to that, I have a hard time believing in The Conjuring 2 living up to or surpassing the original film, so the field is open for Sinister to establish itself as the next big name horror franchise.

Scott Derrickson is not directing this one, and that worries me a little bit. Also, I get the feeling we’ll see too much of Bughuul. The mythology for Bughuul really worked in the first film, and they limited his appearances to a malevolent entity quietly lurking in the shadows. Although, it looks like we’ll see more of Bughuul here, and they’re taking a chance of crossing the line for overkill, if they decide to change the limited appearances formula.

Still, the trailer looks good, and they’re making an effort to maintain some continuity with the Deputy So-and-So character investigating the mystery behind the deaths in the first film.

The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence)

Release Date: May 22, 2015 (limited theatrical & VOD platforms)

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Bully prison warden Bill Boss (Dieter Laser), leading a big state prison in the US of A, has a lot of problems; his prison statistically has the highest amount of prison riots, medical costs and staff turnover in the country. But foremost he is unable to get the respect he thinks he deserves from his inmates and the state Governor (Eric Roberts). He constantly fails in experimenting with different ideas for the ideal punishment to get the inmates in line, which drives him, together with the sizzling heat, completely insane.

Under threats of termination by the Governor, his loyal right hand man Dwight (Laurence R Harvey) comes up with a brilliant idea. A revolutionary idea which could change the American prison system for good and save billions of dollars. An idea based on the notorious ‘Human Centipede’ movies, that will literally and figuratively get the inmates on their knees, creating the ultimate punishment and deterrent for anyone considering a life of crime. Having nothing to lose, Bill and Dwight create a jaw-dropping 500-person prison centipede.

I actually enjoyed the first Human Centipede film, but The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)? Not so much. Full Sequence is one of the most disgusting and vile horror films (don’t exhale, if you make it past the laxative scene) I’ve ever seen, but that’s one of my main problems with it. I won’t stand up on a soap box about gory and disgusting horror films, but Full Sequence gave me the impression of a film that’s just gross for the sake of being gross.

As far as Part 3 goes, well you get the feeling it’ll be more of the same old, same old. I highly doubt it’ll be a satisfying finale for the trilogy, but at the same time, it’s impossible for anything to be as bad as Full Sequence.

Before I Wake

Release Date: September 25, 2015

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In this intense and heart pounding supernatural thriller, Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) decide to take in a sweet and loving 8-year-old boy, Cody. Unbeknownst to them, Cody is terrified of falling asleep. At first, they assume his previous unstable homes caused his aversion to sleep, but soon discover why: Cody’s dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. In one moment they experience the incredible wonder of Cody’s imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of his night terrors. To save their new family, Jessie and Mark embark on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind Cody’s nightmares.

The trailer is okay, but the story? I have a feeling they’ll follow a very familiar pattern for evil children in horror films. At first Cody, is the seemingly innocent child, who needs a loving family. But as the story unfolds, they’ll throw in the obvious twist for Cody as the evil and possessed demon child, who secretly destroys happy homes. After a while, Jessie and Mark will realize their dead son is the only solution to stopping him, and after they put an end to Cody‘s reign of terror, Jessie and Mark will say their tearful good-byes.

Masterminds

Release Date: August 14, 2015


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In this action comedy based on true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite; Nacho Libre), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime.

Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash…only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.

7/10.

The D Train

Release Date: May 8, 2015 (limited)

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Dan Landsman is the self-proclaimed chairman of his high school's alumni committee. While planning for the 20th reunion he has the idea of convincing Oliver Lawless, the most popular guy in his graduating class, to return, thinking that this will make people want to attend.

James Marsden is at his best, when he’s playing a cocky jerk (i.e. Anchorman 2) or a bad guy (2 Guns), and Jack Black is a solid and entertaining comedic actor, but Black’s films are really hit-and-miss more often than not. The D Train looks like a decent enough comedy, but it’s not worth a trip to the theater.

New trailers for Age Of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road, Poltergeist, Spy, and Entourage:

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[Mitch Henessey]

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Release Date: December 18, 2015

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The Force Awakens is set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and features three new leads alongside characters returning from previous Star Wars films.

Outstanding.

The Gallows

Release Date: July 10, 2015

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Twenty years after an accident caused the death of the lead actor during a high school play, students at the same small town school resurrect the failed stage production in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy—but ultimately find out that some things are better left alone.

I'm kind of burnt out on food-footage horror, but the teaser for The Gallows really works. It's creepy and eerie, and I'm really looking forward to the full trailer.

The Gift

Release Date: July 31, 2015

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Simon and Robyn are a young married couple whose life is going just as planned until a chance encounter with an acquaintance of Simon’s from high school sends their world into a tailspin. Simon doesn’t recognize Gordo at first, but after a seemingly coincidental series of encounters proves troubling, a terrible secret from their past is uncovered. As Robyn learns the truth about what happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins questioning how well she really knows her husband.

It's refreshing to see Jason Bateman take a break from his usual shtick, as the nerdy and uptight comedy guy to take on more serious roles. Although, the trailer worries me a little bit, because you get the feeling they're relying on the big twist behind Edgerton's secret to sell the movie.

New trailers for Fantastic Four and Terminator Genisys:

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About Terminator Genisys……why would you give away the hybrid Terminator (or a clone, I guess) John Connor in a trailer? I know they’re promoting Genisys as the movie that’s supposed to “reset the future,” but Connor as a Terminator? Maybe I’m reaching here, but I just see a desperate move to sell the movie.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Visit

Release Date: September 11, 2015

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Things appear normal until two children discover that Nana and Papa (Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie) are involved in something deeply disturbing after being left to stay at their Grandparent's house while their mother is on vacation. They’re warned not to come out of their room past 9:30 at night, but when they do they realize that there's something terribly wrong with their grandparents. After pleading online to Mom for rescue, they realize that they're on their own against the seemingly insane elders.

So M. Night Shyamalan is taking a shot at found-footage horror?

Shyamalan's career is one of the more popular rise and fall stories in Hollywood. Years ago Shyamalan was praised as the next big thing after The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, but his career took a dive after The Village.

I'll admit, the premise for The Visit is intriguing, but it's hard to have any hope for a Shyamalan film. Shyamalan's most recent films are The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth, and they're all stinkers for a variety of reasons.

Shyamlan's not a bad director, but his writing? That's another story. One reoccurring problem with Shyamalan's work is, he relies on SHOCKING twist endings too much. He rarely delivers a satisfying payoff, and more often than not, the twist is too preposterous to believe, or the twist is incredibly stupid (The Village is a combination of both).

With all that said, I want to take a chance on The Visit, because I'm curious to see how Shyamalan handles a found-footage POV. I know Shyamlan's track record for success is pretty low, and after I'm done with one of his films, it's hard to shake the feeling of being duped, because his films rarely live up to the hype. Still, I want to see what happens in The Visit, and I want to know why 9:30 is a special time.

Kathryn Hahn is at her best in comedic roles, and I have a feeling her character is the one pulling the strings here. Her kids are pleading and begging for help, and she's too calm and relaxed.

Black Mass

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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The film depicts the true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston. Following a string of too many of his violent actions, he becomes an FBI informant for 30 years in order to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.

Whoa.

It’s refreshing to see Johnny Depp taking a break from his usual comfort zone with whacky and eccentric roles to portray a more serious character. He is genuinely menacing in this trailer, and Johnny Depp desperately needs a rebound film.

I didn’t have a big problem with Mortdecai, but the movie was a box office flop and a critical failure. To add to that, if we’re talking about recent stuff, Transcendence and Dark Shadows are awful films. The overall cast looks good, and if Depp delivers a good performance, Black Mass could be the first film to start a comeback run for Depp. Also, I don’t know about anyone else, but with Depp’s look and his voice, I sense some similarities to Jack Nicholson in The Departed here.

I’m not a fan of Public Enemies, but if we’re talking about Johnny Depp and crime dramas, Donnie Brasco and Blow are two films I can watch over and over again without any problems.

New trailer for Jurassic World:

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[Mitch Henessey]

American Ultra

Release Date: August 21, 2015

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American Ultra is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike (Eisenberg), a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe (Stewart), is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly government operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.

On paper, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, and Topher Grace starring in an action comedy about a sleeper agent/stoner sounds like a terrible idea, but this trailer is impressive.

Jesse Eisenberg does a good job of balancing his films. After The Social Network, Eisenberg proved he's more than capable of stepping outside his usual comfort zone (the quirky and nerdy persona), and his character in Now You See Me was a cocky jerk for the most part. And it's obvious Kristen Stewart is trying step outside of the Twilight shadow.

Cooties

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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In COOTIES, a mysterious virus hits a small Illinois town affecting only the prepubescent population, transforming them into violent, feral little monsters. The virus centralizes in the town's elementary school, and quickly the infected students have the teaching staff under siege, acting out deadly revenge fantasies with an eerie sense of childlike glee. Finally, the teachers band together, led by a hapless substitute who grew up in the town, realizing they must do the unthinkable if they hope to survive.

Eh, the cast looks good, but Cooties reeks of another forgettable low budget zombie horror comedy.

Burying The Ex

Release Date: June 19, 2015 (limited)

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It seemed like a great idea when all-around nice guy Max (ANTON YELCHIN, Star Trek) and his beautiful girlfriend, Evelyn (ASHLEY GREENE, Twilight Saga) moved in together. But when Evelyn turns out to be a controlling, manipulative nightmare, Max knows it's time to call it quits. There's just one problem: he's terrified of breaking up with her. Fate steps in when Evelyn is the victim of a fatal, freak accident, leaving Max single and ready to mingle. Just as Max is thinking about moving on with what could be his dream girl, Olivia (Alexandra Daddario, True Detective) - Evelyn has returned from the grave and is determined to get her boyfriend back...even if that means transforming him into one of the undead.

A decent enough trailer for a zombie romantic comedy, but the story? That's another problem. Obviously, Yelchin's character is stuck in a dilemma, where he'll have to choose between Daddario and Greene at the end, and if I'm using the trailer as a sign of things to come, it looks like a generic and predictable love story (unless they throw in a twist with Greene turning a willing Yelching in the end).

Also, I have a bad feeling they'll rely on one too many "the dead girl readjusting to civilization and the living world" laughs (i.e. the gooey kiss with Yelchin towards the end of the trailer and the party). Crossing the line for overkill and stale humor with Evelyn's mishaps in the living world as a zombie is a big problem, and they spoiled a few scenes in this trailer.

The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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In this next chapter of the epic “Maze Runner” saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

The Maze Runner was average at best, and I just see another franchise that's good enough to stand out in the crowded pack of YA adaptations.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Pawn Sacrifice

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire. Also starring Liev Schreiber and Peter Sarsgaard, Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer's terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world.

I won't go as far as labeling Tobey Maguire an underrated actor, but when he sticks to his comfort zone (the awkward and mopey loner or the outcast with a chip on his shoulder), he's more than capable of delivering a good or great performance. I'm really looking forward to this, Liev Schreiber is a good choice for the adversary, and when you consider the source material for Pawn Sacrifice, there's a chance for Maguire earning an Oscar nomination.

Me & Earl & The Dying Girl

Release Date: June 12, 2015

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Awkward Pittsburgh high school student Greg (Thomas Mann) befriends a classmate, Rachel (Olivia Cooke), who has leukemia. Greg and his best friend Earl (Ronald Cyler II) make low-budget films in their spare time, and together, decide to make a film for Rachel.

Early reviews are praising (with 13 total reviews, the movie holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes so far) M&E&TDG as an instant classic, and the trailer looks good, so hopefully this one will live up to all the hype.

The End Of The Tour

Release Date: July 31, 2015 (limited)

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THE END OF THE TOUR tells the story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, Infinite Jest. As the days go on, a tenuous yet intense relationship seems to develop between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave around each other, sharing laughs and also possibly revealing hidden frailties - but it's never clear how truthful they are being with each other. Ironically, the interview was never published, and five days of audio tapes were packed away in Lipsky's closet. The two men did not meet again. The film is based on Lipsky's critically acclaimed memoir about this unforgettable encounter, written following Wallace's 2008 suicide. Both Segel and Eisenberg reveal great depths of emotion in their performances and the film is directed with humor and tenderness by Sundance vet James Ponsoldt from Pulitzer- Prize winner Donald Margulies' insightful and heartbreaking screenplay.

It's not a bad trailer, but I really hope there's more to the movie, because the majority of the trailer is limited to a series of conversations and interviews between Segel and Eisenberg.

A Walk In The Woods

Release Date: September 2, 2015

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In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson (Academy Award winner Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Academy Award winner Emma Thompson), and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - 2,200 miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek - his long lost and former friend Katz (Academy Award nominee Nick Nolte), a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law - sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before its too late. The trouble is, the two have a completely different definition of the word, "adventure". Now they're about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.

A Walk In The Woods looks like another ordinary mid-life crisis comedy/drama about two aging characters taking one last shot at an adventure before it's too late, but I'll take a chance on this for Redford and Nolte.

Z For Zachariah

Release Date: August 21 ,2015 (limited)

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In the wake of a nuclear war, a young woman survives on her own, fearing she may actually be the proverbial last woman on earth, until she discovers the most astonishing sight of her life: another human being. A distraught scientist, he's nearly been driven mad by radiation exposure and his desperate search for others. A fragile, imperative strand of trust connects them. But when a stranger enters the valley, their precarious bond begins to unravel.

More often than not, trailers for a post-apocalyptic thriller are loaded with the threat of bloodthirsty cannibals, zombies, or a corrupt group of violent maniacs, so Z For Zachariah feels like a refreshing change of pace.

Everest

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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2 Guns helmer Baltasar Kormakur directs Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, and John Hawkes in this adventure docudrama set in 1996, when a number of simultaneous expeditions up Mount Everest resulted in the deaths of eight climbers.

8/10.

New trailers for Crimson Peak, Black Mass, The Gallows, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, and The Walk:

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[Mitch Henessey]

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2

Release Date: November 20, 2015

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With the nation of Panem in a full-scale war, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the District 13 unit as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. Although rebels now control most of Panem, the girl on fire must still overcome one last challenge to win President Snow's "game" - to conquer the Capitol at the risk of losing her friends. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games as she realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.

A lukewarm reaction to this trailer. I know it's just the teaser, but I don't feel the enormity for the conclusion of The Hunger Games series in this trailer. That, and Mockingjay Part I was a so-so setup/lead-in film, so I don't have any eager feelings of anticipation for the big finale.

The Martian

Release Date: October 2, 2015

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During a manned mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after being caught in a fierce storm, and is left behind when the rest of the crew evacuate the planet and begin to head back to Earth. Watney finds himself stranded and alone, with only meager supplies and his ingenuity, wit, and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal home, despite knowing that even if his survival is made known there is no realistic prospect for a rescue.

Good trailer, an excellent cast, and when you think of Ridley Scott's career, sci-fi films are at the top of the list, so hopefully we're looking at another potential classic here.

Bridge Of Spies

Release Date: October 16, 2015

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A dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of a series of historic events, DreamWorks Pictures/Fox 2000 Pictures’ “Bridge of Spies” tells the story of James Donovan, a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot. Screenwriters Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen have woven this remarkable experience in Donovan’s life into a story inspired by true events that captures the essence of a man who risked everything and vividly brings his personal journey to life.

Spielberg, Hanks, and The Coen Bros. working together on a historical spy thriller? Yeah, I'll go with a Best Picture nomination, and a minimum of five Oscar nominations, including a Best Actor nomination for Tom Hanks.

Goodnight Mommy

Release Date: September 11, 2015 (limited)

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10-year-old twins wait for their mother. When she returns with her head wrapped in bandages after surgery, nothing is as it was before. Stern and distant now, she shuts the family off from the outside world. Starting to doubt that this woman is actually their mother, the boys are determined to find the truth by any means.

A genuinely eerie and creepy trailer for Goodnight Mommy. If we're talking about critically acclaimed horror films in 2015, with a low-profile status, I highly doubt Goodnight Mommy will reach It Follows levels of success. But Goodnight Mommy could be another enjoyable and quality under the radar horror film.

The Intern

Release Date: September 25, 2015

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In “The Intern,” De Niro stars as Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Hathaway).

Anne Hathaway cooled off a little bit after Les Miserables and The Dark Knight Rises, and Interstellar did not receive the expected universal praise. The Intern looks good so far, and there's a lot of promise with the relationship between De Niro and Hathaway.

Sicario

Release Date: September 25, 2015

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In Mexico, SICARIO means hitman.

In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent [Emily Blunt] is enlisted by an elite government task force official [Josh Brolin] to aid in the escalating war against drugs.

Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past [Benicio Del Toro], the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.

Emily Blunt is the only real question mark for me in this trailer. When I think of Emily Blunt, I think of someone, who's better off in romantic comedies, but more recently, she delivered a solid performances in Looper and Edge Of Tomorrow, so there's a chance she'll do a good job of holding her own in the leading role.

Creep

Release Date: June 23, 2015 (iTunes)/July 14, 2015 (Netflix)

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Aaron (Patrick Brice) is an optimistic videographer that decides to come work for Josef (Mark Duplass) after answering his ad on Craigslist. All Aaron has to do is record Josef throughout the day and remain discreet about the entire setup. Josef tells Aaron that he'll be recording a series of videos for his unborn son, as he's suffering from a terminal illness and will never be able to see him grow up. While Josef seems strange, the money is too good for Aaron to pass up and he agrees to the task. However as the day progresses Josef becomes increasingly strange and Aaron finds it difficult to tell whether or not some of the things Josef is saying or doing are truly jokes or actually a sign of true danger and mental instability.

There's some promise with Mark Duplass as this unhinged and kooky lunatic, but after watching the trailer, I get the feeling we're looking at a potential horror comedy disaster.

The Last Witch Hunter

Release Date: October 23, 2015

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An immortal witch hunter is tasked with the job of coming between the covens of New York City and their goal to destroy humanity by way of a horrific plague. In order to accomplish this he must partner up with a beautiful female witch, something that he thought he would never do.

A Kurt Angle sighting? Interesting. Oh, and a 7/10 for the trailer.

Rock The Kasbah

Release Date: October 23, 2015 (limited)

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“Rock The Kasbah” is the story of Richie Lanz, a rock manager with a golden ear and a taste for talent, who has seen better times. When he takes his last remaining client on a USO tour of Afghanistan, she gets cold feet and leaves him penniless and without his passport in Kabul. While trying to find his way home, Richie befriends a band of misfits and discovers a young girl with an extraordinary voice. Against all odds, Richie will take his last shot at creating an unlikely superstar.

Bill Murray deserves a lot of credit. He could easily his use star-power and his name value to star in a barrage of forgettable, sub-par, and awful films (i.e. Pacino, De Niro, Cage, etc.). But when you look at his roles in Wes Anderson's films, and more recently St. Vincent, you can tell Bill Murray takes the time to carefully choose his roles and his films.

The Runner

Release Date: August 7, 2015 (limited)

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In the aftermath of the BP oil spill, an idealistic but imperfect New Orleans politician (Nicolas Cage) finds his plans of restoration unraveling as his own life becomes contaminated with corruption, scandal and deceit. Directed and written by Austin Stark, the film includes dynamic performances by Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas), Golden Globe® and Emmy® award nominee Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Connie Nielsen (Gladiator), Wendell Pierce (The Wire), Bryan Batt (Mad Men) and Golden Globe® winner Peter Fonda (Easy Rider).

When it comes to Nicolas Cage, it's hard to tell if you're looking at another stinker, another middle-of-the-road film, or the rare surprise every now and then.

Captive

Release Date: September 18, 2015

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On March 11, 2005, Brian Nichols escapes from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta, during a trial for rape case. During escaping, he murders the judge presiding over his trial, Rowland Barnes, as well as court reporter Julie Brandau. He also shoots Sergeant Hoyt Teasley while escaping from the prison, and then Agent David G. Wilhelm at his home.

With Fantastic Four and The Martian coming up, 2015 could be a big year for Kate Mara, and If the vast majority of the film revolves around one on one scenes with Mara and Oyelowo, hopefully she'll have the chance to show off her talents.

New trailers for The Man From U.N.C.L.E and Regression:

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[Mitch Henessey]

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Release Date: October 23, 2015

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The film will follow supernatural occurrences that take place in a newly moved family's home in Palo Alto, California. The family consists of four members including Ryan, a game developer, Ryan's wife Emily, a stay-at-home mom described as "more serious than her young husband—she's constantly on the go, does yoga, and though loving, has an air of maturity about her", their 6-year old daughter Leila, described as "a fearless, opinionated tomboy", and Ryan's younger brother described as a "less fit, less funky version of his brother". The brothers finds tapes of young Katie and Kristi being taught supernatural abilities by their grandmother when Katie noticing the Brothers' presence despite this video being filmed 20 years ago. They also find a camera which can see paranormal phenomenons that the human eye can't see. With Leila being targeted by supernatural forces, Ryan must find a way to protect his daughter before it's too late.

According to Jason Blum (founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions), The Ghost Dimension is the final film in the Paranormal Activity series. Also, Blum promises The Ghost Dimension will tie up all the loose ends (Toby!), and the movie will finally reveal the answers to a long series of questions. You can read the interview in its entirety here- http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/para...interview-paranormal-activity-amityville-more

The final film in the PA franchise? Eh, I'll take that one with a handful of salt for now. Yeah, the spin-off film (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) had a disappointing run at the box office, but I'm 90% sure The Ghost Dimension will end with an ambiguous cliffhanger to leave the door open for another series of films.

The PA franchise peaked after Paranormal Activity 3 (my pick for the best film in the series), because PA 4 was an awful film. One of my bigger complaints for the PA franchise is, the dog chasing its tail style of storytelling, the constant runaround bullshit, all the teasing with no real payoffs, and lackluster surprises (Katie's back......again).

IF fans really buy into The Ghost Dimension as the final film in the series, there's a chance the movie will have a solid run at the box office, but I have a few doubts. Remember, The Ghost Dimension (an untitled project at the time) was supposed to hit theaters in October 2013, that date was delayed to October 2014, and the release date for October 2014 was delayed to the current release date. Nine times out of ten, it's never a good sign, when a film is stuck in a standstill with numerous delays.

As far as the trailer goes, I'm indifferent to it. I don't think it's terrible, but at the same time, it's to hard to ignore that same old, same old feeling for your run-of-the-mill PA trailer.

Boulevard

Release Date: July 10, 2015 (limited)

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Nolan Mack (Robin Williams) has worked at the same bank for almost 26 years in a life of monotony. He and his wife Joy (Kathy Baker) have embraced their marriage as a convenient distraction from facing reality. However one day, what starts as an aimless drive down an unfamiliar street turns into a life-altering decision for Nolan. When he meets a troubled young man named Leo (Roberto Aguire) on his drive home, Nolan finds himself breaking from the confines of his old life and coming to terms with who he really is.

Robin Williams is easily the main highlight in this trailer, and hopefully, Boulevard will deliver, as an earnest and heartfelt drama.

 

[Dave]

I've been tracking the progress of the latest addition to the Paranormal Activity series for, what seems like, forever now. So I guess it is good to finally see a concerete trailer... Even if it looks like a rehashing of the first four movies that have come before it. Honestly, at this point I'm not that fussed in finding out the answers anymore. For me, the series should have ended after the third installment and the answers should have come then. Dragging the series out for another slice of money pie has killed the momentum of the series.

The trailer looks okay, of a little nonsensical. So, they find a bunch of tapes that allow them to make contact t with the past. Then they find a camera that is just as advanced , if not more advanced, than current models? And let me get this straight, it allows people to see paranormal activity? That sounds like horse shit. I don't know about the whole plot of the movie, man. It just seems like the same old with the twist of there being a fancy camera.

I'll still see it, probably.but it doesn't make it any less stupid.