One of the best movies I saw at the SXSW film festival earlier this year was definitely Frank, an offbeat musical dramedy starring Michael Fassbender as the title character, the elusive and papier-mâché head-wearing lead singer of a band called the Soronprfbs. Filled with humor, heart and a compelling story about the nature of true artistry, Frank is a truly unforgettable experience. Today, Magnolia Pictures released a new trailer for the film, along with a poster and some new images.
An absolutely chilling clip from this summer's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has touched down online, expanding on a scene we previously saw in the final trailer. I don't think it comes as much of a surprise to anyone that we're going to get a much darker film than Rise of the Planet of the Apes when Dawn opens in July. But with this clip, which finds angry ape Koba (mo-capped by Toby Kebbell) tricking and then brutally murdering two human guards, it's becoming increasingly clear that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is not going to be your typical family-friendly blockbuster.
We have good reason to be excited for this fall's Birdman. The dark comedy was directed by Biutiful helmer Alejandro González Iñárritu, who worked with Gravity cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki to design the film's more visually intimidating aspects (hinted at in the awesome teaser trailer we got two weeks back). It also stars Michael Keaton, in what looks like a career-restarting role, as a veteran actor who attempts to mount a comeback with a Broadway adaptation of the titular superhero movie for which he's best known. Now, a set of new images has popped up on the web, reminding us of the fact that many accomplished actors are involved with Birdman besides its lead.
In the closing scenes of Wes Anderson's latest and greatest adventure, The Grand Budapest Hotel, aged hotel owner Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham) reflects on the larger-than-life presence of his long-time friend and mentor, hotel concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes). "His world had vanished long before he entered it," notes Zero. "But I must say he certainly sustained the illusion with a marvelous grace." It seems clear that, in that line, Anderson is speaking not only of Gustave but also of himself. Out of all the filmmakers working today, Anderson is definitely one of the most wackily distinctive. His films are like elaborate train sets wound up to power themselves, or intricately designed dollhouses possessing a symmetry that doesn't limit the life inside but enhance it. Characterized by madcap characters and cheerfully intelligent stories, Anderson's movies are always a joy to watch, both visually and in terms of narrative. And, thrillingly at this stage in his career, The Grand Budapest Hotel is his most marvelous and graceful illusion to date - not to mention his most strikingly dark and thoughtful.
Few comedians currently have the sway of Kevin Hart, who has recently delivered a string of huge hits like Think Like a Man, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain, Ride Along and About Last Night. And with Think Like A Man Too actually outpacing both its predecessor and surprise smash Ride Along in pre-sales going into the weekend, it's a safe bet that Hart isn't giving up his newly claimed throne as king of comedy quite yet. Now, we've got our first look at another Hart vehicle - The Wedding Ringer, in which he stars with Josh Gad.
With a cast that includes Aubrey Plaza, Jane Levy, Max Greenfield, Nate Parker, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter and Maggie Grace, dramedy About Alex is already high on my list of movies to see. That talented ensemble features some of the hottest young actors and actresses working on the small screen today, and in particular Plaza, who broke out on NBC's Parks and Recreation, has impressed in almost every big-screen vehicle she's had for her deadpan talents thus far (I was in the minority who despised The To-Do List). Now, a first trailer for About Alex has arrived, highlighting the film's tricky blend of serious drama and light-hearted laughs.
At long last, a feature film based on the iconic 1960s sci-fi television series The Outer Limits is moving forward over at MGM. The studio has wanted to turn the property into a movie for more than four years, and now we're hearing that it has enlisted the help of Sinister scribes Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill to bring The Outer Limits to the big screen.
The first major awards ceremony honoring this past year's accomplishments on the small screen took place last night as Cedric the Entertainer hosted the 2014 Critics' Choice Television Awards from the Beverly Hilton. I've always preferred the Critics' Choice Awards to the Emmys, just because my views tend to line up more with the members of the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. This year was no different, as a number of highly deserving actors, actresses and shows were honored.
Finally, this summer will see the arrival of Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, a follow-up to Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's 2005 insta-classic film noir Sin City. Genre fans have been patiently biding their time until the sequel's August release, but it's hard not to get excited when the marketing department is unveiling posters like this and trailers as crazily awesome as this. Now, the first clip for the movie has landed online.
Almost everyone was shocked when Magic Mike, Steven Soderbergh's movie about male strippers, turned out to actually be a phenomenal flick, packed with humor, warmth, visual panache and terrific performances. Perhaps even stronger than Channing Tatum, who portrayed the title character, was Matthew McConaughey (in the midst of his McConaissance), who played the sleazy Xquisite club owner Dallas. He actually built up serious Oscar buzz for his performance - and anyone who saw the movie knows why. Now that Magic Mike XXL is happening, one of the things I was most excited about was seeing McConaughey take on Dallas once again.
