If the new trailer is any indication, you may need sunglasses to watch “Barbie”. Bathed in bright and vibrant colors, this wacky live-action movie based on the popular Mattel fashion dolls certainly grabs your attention with its visuals alone. Then you have it’s silly sense of humor and its interesting cast that includes Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Ana Cruz Kayne, Issa Rae, and Simu Liu among others. But what excites me most is Greta Gerwig. Not only does she direct, but she also co-writes with her husband Noah Baumbach. That’s the selling point for me.
In the movie’s world of multiple Barbies and multiple Kens, we watch as one Barbie (Robbie) leaves Barbieland, venturing off for the real world of humans, accompanied by Ken (Gosling) who insists on tagging along. To its credit the trailer doesn’t give away much at all meaning there are still a lot of questions about the story. I wish more trailers took that approach. On the other hand, the movie’s wacky “vibe” is so pronounced that it’ll be interesting to see how it feels after 100 minutes of it. And how much corny innuendo can we look forward to? I’m a little on the fence after this trailer, but I’m there for Gerwig.
“Barbie” hits theaters July 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
“Acidman” is built around a rather familiar father-daughter story. But director Alex Lehmann uses two stellar lead performances to infuse his modest yet genuinely heartfelt story with warmth and pathos. Co-written by Lehmann and Chris Dowling, “Acidman” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and is now set for its official release. Fans of intimate indies will certainly want to check this one out.
This earnest and thoughtful two-hander is driven by the sublime duo of Dianna Agron and Thomas Haden Church. Agron plays Maggie, a young woman who tracks and then travels 2,000 miles to check on her estranged father Lloyd (Church). She also has some important news to share – news that she’s struggling to come to grips with. In her mind she feels that reconnecting with her father will in some way give her clarity she desperately needs.
Lloyd (flawlessly played by Church) is a former engineer turned conspiracy theorist who lives alone with his German short-haired pointer named Migo way up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. These days he spends his time shooting video of what he believes are UFOs and working on ways to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors during their “interplanetary drive-bys“. His unusual beliefs have led to him being dubbed “Acidman” by some local delinquents from the nearest town.
Image Courtesy of Brainstorm Media
Most of what we learn about both Maggie and Lloyd comes through their conversations and interactions with each other. As father and daughter attempt to reconnect it provides us with a clearer picture of their lives, their emotions, and (in some cases) their motivations. We learn that Lloyd also has a son named Bucky; that there’s some tension between Maggie and her husband Ben, and that Maggie is worried about her father’s health – a concern that proves justified the more time we spend with them.
Again, this isn’t the first movie to deal with fractured families or lost souls. “Acidman” joins a long line of intimate character-driven dramas with similar interests. But the authenticity of its central relationship and the textured chemistry we witness draws us in. And there are enough variations to each of their personal journeys, as well as a compelling connecting tissue between father and daughter, that set it apart.
“Acidman” could have opened up its characters a bit more and gave a deeper insight into to what brought Maggie and Lloyd to the places they are now. But it’s hard to fuss too much about Lehmann’s choices. He shows good instincts in giving his two leads plenty of room to work. And he and Dowling put together a script that maintains a steady focus while packing some real feeling within its relatively small frame. “Acidman” is now showing in select theaters and on VOD.
Though definitely not in the same league as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern or The Flash, Blue Beetle has all the ingredients to be a nice addition to DC’s movie universe. The character is getting his own DC movie and it will all come down to how well he’s handled. The brand new trailer for “Blue Beetle” dropped yesterday and it shows some real potential. At the same time, it also looks like a pretty standard superhero origin story. Hopefully it has enough of its own special sauce to set it apart.
Xolo Maridueña plays Jaime Reyes, a teenager who gains superpowers after he is “chosen” by an alien Blue Beetle scarab. Of course what follows (in the trailer) is Jaime learning his new powers (hijinks ensue) and eventually becoming a true hero. There’s some cool history with the Blue Beetle character (his comics debut was waaay back in 1939) which (again) leads to a lot of fun potential. Hopefully screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer and director Angel Manuel Soto have more up their sleeves than just following a well-worn blueprint. I’m really looking forward to seeing more.
“Blue Beetle” lands in theaters on August 18th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
Apple Original Films, working in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, dropped an exciting bit of news today. Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” will be receive a worldwide theatrical release on Wednesday, November 22nd. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, Youssef Kerkour, and Phil Cornwell. “Napoleon” will stream globally on Apple TV+ following its exclusive theatrical release. Along with the special announcement came a striking new image (see below) from the upcoming film.
Here’s the official press announcement:
Apple Original Films announced today that the epic historical drama “Napoleon” from acclaimed director Ridley Scott will first be released exclusively in theaters worldwide, in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, on Wednesday, November 22, before streaming globally on Apple TV+.
Directed by Scott from a screenplay by David Scarpa, “Napoleon” stars Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military leader. The film is an original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine, played by Vanessa Kirby. The film captures Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary. An Apple Studios production in conjunction with Scott Free Productions, “Napoleon” is produced by Scott, Kevin Walsh, Mark Huffam and Phoenix, with Michael Pruss and Aidan Elliott serving as executive producers.
Momentum around the Apple Original Films slate continues to grow since the debut of Apple TV+ just over three years ago. In addition to Apple making history as the first streaming service to land the Academy Award for Best Picture with “CODA,” Apple Original Film “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” also recently earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. “Napoleon” will premiere alongside upcoming Apple Original Films including the broadly praised “Tetris,” which stars Taron Egerton and recently held its world premiere at SXSW; acclaimed documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie”; feature documentary and Sundance selection “Underrated: Stephen Curry”; “Ghosted,” a high-concept romantic action adventure film starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas; “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the upcoming film starring Academy Award winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, as well as newcomer Lily Gladstone, from Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese; the star-studded spy thriller “Argylle,” with Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose and Samuel L. Jackson, and more.
Sony Pictures’ distinct commitment to exclusive theatrical windows has driven significant box office returns including that of hit films “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” “Uncharted,” “Where the Crawdads Sing,” “Bullet Train,” “The Woman King,” and “A Man Called Otto.”
Continuing their year-long celebration of their 100th anniversary, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has announced “Rebel Without a Cause” 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR). This beautifully packaged release also includes the film on standard Blu-ray and digital. This landmark coming-of-age drama features James Dean’s most celebrated role and was originally released less than one month after his tragic death. This handsome new edition is a must for long-time fans and collectors.
The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital edition of “Rebel Without a Cause” hits shelves April 4th, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and features breakdown of this brand new combo-pack.
Year: 1955
Rating: NR
Runtime: 111 Minutes
Director: Nicholas Ray
Starring: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, William Hopper, Rochelle Hudson, Edward Platt, Marietta Canty, Dennis Hopper, Virginia Brissac.
James Dean stars in a movie that shocked the United States with a performance that still electrifies the screen twenty-five years after his untimely death prior to the film’s release. In this archetypal drama of teenage angst and rebellion, three high school students who should lead idyllic lives in their stable, comfortable suburban families explode with a violence and sexuality that their parents cannot understand. This film–which ripped the façade from the post-war American dream to expose the rage of the country’s youth–resonates with an energy that has made it a modern classic and a powerful coming-of-age story.
The 1955 film is directed by Nicholas Ray from a story by Ray, a screenplay by Stewart Stern and an adaptation by Irving Shulman. It is produced by David Weisbart and James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, and William Hopper.
In 1990, “Rebel Without a Cause” was added to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.
BONUS FEATURES
Rebel Without a CauseUltra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:
Commentary Douglas L. Rathgeb
“James Dean Remembered” (1974 TV special)
“Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents” (featurette)
“Dennis Hopper: Memories from the Warner Lot” (featurette)
Screen Tests
Wardrobe Tests
Deleted Scenes
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French
I won’t pretend to know much about Dungeons & Dragons other than it has been an immensely popular tabletop role-playing game for nearly five decades. That’s pretty much all I know about the game itself. I do know it has spawned several novels, some not-so-great feature films, a Saturday morning cartoon, and a number of video game spin-offs. To say it has impacted popular culture would be an understatement.
Still for me, seeing the name Dungeons & Dragons attached doesn’t exactly grab my attention. That was especially true when the new film “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” was announced. But this turned out to be one of those cases where the trailers and TV spots slowly won me over. Before long I had gone from “thanks but no thanks” to “show me where to buy my ticket”. So I checked it out. And wouldn’t you know it, “Honor Among Thieves” is one of the bigger surprises of the movie year so far. It’s not without issues, but it makes for a good time.
Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, “Honor Among Thieves” is a fantasy action adventure comedy and a needed franchise reboot. And it’s no B-movie cheapie. The film has a reported $151 million budget which thankfully is put to good use – from its wonderful visual effects, exciting locations, fantastic action set pieces, and an immensely fun cast. That’s an overload of adjectives, but in these cases they fit.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
What drew me most to the trailers was the comedy, and for the most part the movie delivers the humor. Maybe not as much as I had hoped, but it’s there. It’s just goofy enough to not take itself too seriously which is a good thing. And you’ll find some genuinely funny gags scattered all throughout the 134-minute runtime. But what can I say? I was hoping it would be even sillier. But that’s a small quibble for a movie that’s actually a lot of fun.
In the mystical land of Faerûn, a doltish bard named Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine) and an exiled Barbarian named Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez) are serving time in a remote icy prison for “grand larceny and skullduggery”. During what amounts to their parole hearing, we learn that Edgin’s wife was killed by a Red Wizard leaving him to raise their daughter Kira (Chloe Coleman). He befriended Holga and the two became thieves, along with their friends – a cut-rate sorcerer named Simon (Justice Smith) and a cheeky con-man named Forge (Hugh Grant). The foursome swipe from the wealthy with Edgin using his part of the spoils to help better Kira’s life.
But when one particular risky heist goes bad, Edgin and Holga are trapped while their cohorts escape. Before leaving, Edgin charges Forge with taking care of Kira and keeping her safe until he can return. That was two years ago. Now Edgin and Holga are pleading their case before the prison “parole” board. But before they can hear a verdict, the two bust out of jail and head back home so Edgin can reunite with Kira. But wouldn’t you know it, a lot has changed in two years.
Edgin discovers that Forge has become the Lord of Neverwinter, living lavishly and ruling with the help of the mysterious wizard named Sofina (Daisy Head). Even worse, since taking over as Kira’s guardian, Forge has turned her against Edgin, filling her head full of lies. So Edgin and Holga hatch a plan to rescue Kira, first reuniting with Simon and then adding a shape-shifting tiefling druid named Doric (Sophia Lillis) to their ranks. They’re even joined a dashing paladin named Xenk Yendar (a scene-stealing Regé-Jean Page who unfortunately leaves far too early).
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Some may be wondering how much they need to know about Dungeons & Dragons in order to get “Honor Among Thieves”. I can say from personal experience – not much. The story (penned by Goldstein, Daley, and Michael Gilio) is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. I’m sure there are numerous nods and winks scattered throughout that fans of the game with pick up on. But they’re nothing that the uninitiated (like me) would see as egregious.
The performances are all spot-on starting with Chris Pine whose charisma allows him to be brazenly silly but also believably warm-hearted. Page is a lot of fun, right up until he vanishes. And Rodriguez, who’s no stranger to tough-girl roles, really shines. Then of course there’s Hugh Grant, so perfectly cast as the film’s roguish yet delightfully goofy antagonist. There’s even one particularly great cameo that everyone should enjoy.
Admittedly, while I liked “Honor Among Thieves”, I wasn’t as into its overall story as I wanted to be. That said, much of the enjoyment comes from simply hanging out with this ragtag group as they bop along to fantastical locales, encounter creatures of all kinds, and learn to work together in the process. Along the way we’re treated to some good laughs, some exciting action, and some fun camaraderie. It makes this a considerably more entertaining experience than I first expected. And it’s one worth catching on the big screen – where all its visual flourishes and flavor really stands out. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is in theaters now.
Keith & the Movies 