Book, Film & TV Reviews
Directed and produced by Noah Baumbach and released on Netflix this month, Marriage Story follows a stage director (Adam Driver) and his actor wife (Scarlett Johansson) as they struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
The 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the fourth Avengers film, following on from last year’s Infinity War and once again directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Avengers: Endgame picks up with the surviving members of the Avengers and their allies – including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) – as they must work together to reverse the damage caused by Thanos (Josh Brolin). and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
The third Avengers ensemble film and the nineteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Infinity War sees The Avengers – Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Vision (Paul Bettany), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) – and The Guardians of the Galaxy – Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) – come together for the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, these new superhero allies have to sacrifice everything in an attempt to prevent the powerful Thanos (Josh Brolin) from amassing the all-powerful Infinity Stones before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Directed by Wes Anderson, Isle of Dogs is set in a fictitious city in Japan where the city’s authoritarian mayor, Kenji Kobayashi, has banished all dogs to Trash Island after an outbreak of canine influenza. The film follows a boy’s odyssey in search of his lost dog and has an ensemble voice cast including Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, and Tilda Swinton.
The 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Captain America: Civil War follows on from the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron as a rift forms in the Avengers team after political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when another incident results in collateral damage. When the new status quo fractures the team, the Avengers split into two camps – one led by Captain America (Chris Evans) and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other led by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), following his surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability – causing an epic battle between former allies.
Continue reading “Film Review: Captain America 3 – Civil War”
Based on Rudyard Kipling‘s classic collection of stories, and a re-imagining of the 1967 Disney animation, directed by Jon Favreau, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), an orphaned human living in the remote jungle of India. Guided by his guardians – Raksha the wolf (Lupita Nyong’o), Baloo the bear (Bill Murray), and Bagheera the black panther (Ben Kingsley) – Mowgli sets out on a journey of self-discovery, meeting monsters of the jungle – including Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) and King Louie (Christopher Walken) – while evading the threatening Shere Khan (Idris Elba).
“The reason the beasts give among themselves is that Man is the weakest and most defenceless of all living things.”
Based on Rudyard Kipling‘s classic collection of stories and a re-imagining of the 1967 Disney animation, directed by Jon Favreau, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), an orphaned human living in the remote jungle of India. Guided by his guardians – Raksha the wolf (Lupita Nyong’o), Baloo the bear (Bill Murray), and Bagheera the black panther (Ben Kingsley) – Mowgli sets out on a journey of self-discovery, meeting monsters of the jungle – including Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) and King Louie (Christopher Walken) – while evading the threatening Shere Khan (Idris Elba).
(Written for Filmoria)
The film industry has gone a little mad with their live-action remakes of classic Disney films at the minute. We’ve seen Cinderella, Maleficent, Alice In Wonderland, two Snow White adaptations, Jack The Giant Slayer, Hansel and Gretel, and even 101 Dalmatians (many years ago!), and there are many which are still yet to be released, including Beauty and The Beast, The Sword In The Stone, Pinocchio, and The Little Mermaid.
I think that’s them all so far, anyway…
Continue reading “First Beautiful Poster for ‘The Jungle Book’”
Sequel to 2012’s Avengers Assemble and the eleventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Age of Ultron, directed by Joss Whedon, picks up with our favourite superhero team. When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry, calling for the need of The Avengers once again, bringing back together Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). To save the planet from destruction at the hands of the villainous Ultron (voiced by James Spader), The Avengers are put to the ultimate test.
Written and directed by Luc Besson, Lucy follows a woman (Scarlett Johansson) who, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic, when a drug inside her body allows her to use 100% of her brain. With the help of Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman), Lucy needs to find out what her new ability means and if it can be stopped before it takes over completely.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe picks up with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) a.k.a. Captain America, as he struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. Under the authority of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Captain America is forced to face a new threat from old history – the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier – as S.H.I.E.L.D. is subverted by its enemies. But when Rogers acts on Fury’s warning to trust no one there, he is branded as a traitor by the organisation. Now a fugitive, Captain America must get to the bottom of this deadly mystery with the help of the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and his new friend, The Falcon (Anthony Mackie).
Continue reading “Film Review: Captain America – The Winter Soldier”
(Published in Issue 9 of my publication In Retrospect)
Written and directed by Joss Whedon, Avengers Assemble centres around the Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)’s, need for a superhero team. Uniting Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), The Avengers are brought together to face Thor’s Godly brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his Chitauri alien army as they declare war on Earth.
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
A whopping 27 new images of Marvel’s Avengers Assemble have been released online this week, which include a look at How I Met Your Mother’s Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, the Hulk at his angriest, a lot of lasers, and the odd-looking antagonist Loki played by Tom Hiddleston.
(Written by Lost In The Multiplex)
Another new image has been released for Marvel’s long-awaited action adventure, The Avengers, by Walt Disney Pictures this week, this time featuring Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).
Set to be released on 27th April, The Avengers, begins when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team after an unexpected enemy threatens global safety.
Continue reading “New Avengers Image of Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow”
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
Marvel Studios have released a new German trailer and two universal stills for Joss Whedon’s The Avengers this week, showing some new footage for the superhero comic book adaptation.
When an unexpected enemy threatens global safety, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team.
Continue reading “New German Trailer and Stills For ‘The Avengers’”
(Written for HeyUGuys)
Eagerly ready for Christmas, We Bought A Zoo has wrapped us up a zebra in a big green bow in a new poster for Cameron Crowe‘s exotic animal-filled drama this week.
From the director of Jerry Maguire, We Bought A Zoo is based on a memoir by Benjamin Mee about how he and his family – played by Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Elle Fanning – used their life savings to buy Dartmoor Zoological Park in the English countryside.
From seeing Matt Damon as a father figure in last month’s Contagion, I think we can expect something really moving from his portrayal in this heart-warming story. But We Bought A Zoo is also a comedy, so it will be interesting to see how he and Johanson work that in too.
This week sees the trailers of two of the most anticipated and upcoming superhero films, the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan‘s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, and Marc Webb‘s first in a series of rebooted Spider-Man films, The Amazing Spider-Man. Captain America is out in cinemas next week and a (good quality) trailer is due for The Avengers shortly. With the Comic-Con this week, as well, everyone has gone Marvel and DC mad.
First up there’s Captain America which is released in UK cinemas next week on 29th July. Only a short time to wait until the year for the following three films. However, Captain America is the last of The Avengers team that we need to meet so it’s about time. Captain America is the story of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) who is deemed unfit for military service and volunteers for a top-secret research project, thus turning him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.
Continue reading “It’s Been a ‘Super’ Week for Marvel and DC”
Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man 2 follows on from its predecessor as billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) announces his dual life as the armoured superhero, Iron Man, to the rest of the world. As news bulletins repeat in the background of family homes, the setting focuses in on the dull streets of Russia as a powerful enemy, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), watches with an evil glare, adding the final touches to his own weaponed suit. Meanwhile, Tony Stark is facing pressure from the government to share his technology with the military. Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) are growing tired of Tony’s unwillingness to cooperate, leaving Tony isolated with his own problems.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Prestige follows two stage musicians – Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) – who, after a tragic accident engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.
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