Scorsese De-Ages De Niro in First Trailer for THE IRISHMAN

Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro converse in “The Irishman.” (Photo courtesy of Netflix)

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

On Wednesday morning, Netflix released the teaser trailer for Martin Scorsese’s latest film, The Irishman, based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt.

The film follows Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) as he reflects on his time as a member of the mob, including his friendship with former Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino).

Firstly, the film carries a hefty $160 million budget, which mostly went towards the CGI used to de-age De Niro, Pacino and fellow Academy Award winner Joe Pesci. The effects here look pretty good, though some shots feel like they have a video game-like quality to them, especially the close-up on De Niro that appears at the end of the trailer.

The production design also looks excellent, as is to be expected from a Scorsese film, and the all-star cast looks to be delivering top-tier performances.

The trailer also confirmed that The Irishman will receive a limited theatrical run this fall prior to being released on Netflix.

Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin, Bobby Cannavale, Ray Romano and Sebastian Maniscalco also star. The film is set to premiere in September at the New York Film Festival.

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TIFF 2019 Lineup Revealed; JOKER, KNIVES OUT, FORD V FERRARI and More Selected

Joaquin Phoenix in JOKER / Warner Bros. Pictures

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

On Tuesday morning, the Toronto International Film Festival announced the first films to screen at the 2019 festival, including several awards contenders and many of the fall’s biggest films.

The selected film with the highest profile is undoubtedly Todd Phillips’ Joker, which will make its North American premiere at the festival. The film, a study of the titular Batman villain, stars Joaquin Phoenix. Cameron Bailey, artistic director of the festival, said to expect a career-best performance from Phoenix in the film, which would squarely place Phoenix near the top of the pack to earn a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards.

Some of the other major awards contenders to earn selections include Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy, Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite, John Crowley’s The Goldfinch and Steven Soderbergh’s The Laundromat.

Other selections include Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, Rupert Goold’s Judy, Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet, Drake Doremus’ Endings, Beginnings, Edward Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn, Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse and The Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems.

Jill Culton’s Abominable, the latest from DreamWorks Animation, is also set to play at the festival.

The documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band will open the festival. Marjane Satrapi’s Radioactive, starring Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie, will close.

TIFF is seen as the festival most indicative of the state of the Oscar race to come, with the festival’s People’s Choice Award winner typically going on to be nominated for Best Picture. Last year’s winner was Green Book, which went on to take home the most coveted Academy Award.

The full festival lineup is set to be revealed on August 20.

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Taika Waititi Satirizes Nazis in JOJO RABBIT Trailer

Jojo Rabbit / Fox Searchlight Pictures

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

Fox Searchlight has released the first trailer for Jojo Rabbit, the latest film from Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi.

The film is billed as an anti-hate satire in which Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) finds a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) hiding in his home. The discovery leaves Jojo spinning as he consults his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Waititi). Yes, you read that correctly. I assure you.

The trailer may be short, but showcases the What We Do in the Shadows writer/director’s vision for what an anti-hate satire looks like. In this case, taking symbols of hate such as Hitler’s Youth and Hitler himself and poking them endlessly. Waititi’s closing bit talking about how people used to call him a lunatic is uproariously funny, putting his ability to write comedies to use.

It seems as though Waititi drew inspiration from the films of Wes Anderson when shooting Jojo, which is an interesting way to bring a sort of comic whimsy into a world full of hatred. Hopefully, the film will pay off some those Anderson-esque elements.

Jojo Rabbit also stars Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson and Alfie Allen. The film will be released on October 18.

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Tom Hanks Plays Mister Rogers in the First Trailer for A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” / Sony Pictures Entertainment

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

Monday was a beautiful day for a neighbor, as Sony Pictures released the first trailer for Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

The film is based on the true story of journalist Tom Junod (Matthew Rhys), who is assigned to write a profile about children’s television legend Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), who helps to enrich his life. Junod and Rogers would later become real-life friends.

 

Rogers is the rare childhood icon that receives more than a simple nostalgic response from his fans, but rather a truly emotional reaction related to the lessons that he taught children through his show and his incredible acts of kindness. Upon first viewing of the trailer this morning, emotions overcame me when I saw Hanks walking through the front door and singing the theme song from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood while wearing Rogers’ signature garb. It did not just bring back memories, but brought back his teachings, much as Morgan Neville’s sterling documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, did last year. However, it was not just those memories that made this trailer so emotional, as there were several tearjerking moments throughout the footage that teased the emotional journey Heller will be taking audiences on.

Hanks looks like a surefire awards contender in the lead role, which could land him his first Oscar in 25 years. He is not attempting to do a full-on Rogers impression, but rather trying to imitate his speech patterns and inflections. Rhys’ performance looks like a potential contender as well.

In the hands of an incredible filmmaker in Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, The Diary of a Teenage Girl), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood has a chance to be not just an awards contender, but one of 2019’s best films.

Chris Cooper and Susan Kelechi Watson also star. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is in theaters on November 22.

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Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Announced; Simu Liu Cast as Shang-Chi; Mahershala Ali to Play Blade

The movies and shows announced by Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 (Photo by @RottenTomatoes on Twitter)

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

Today, at their panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios unveiled their slate of films and television shows in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, up through the end of 2021. The films, as well as confirmed details, can be found below.

In addition to the announcement and confirmation of six movies and five Disney+ series, Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, announced that Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu has been cast as Shang-Chi and will star in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu tested for the role last Sunday and was officially cast last Tuesday.

It was also announced that two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali has signed on to play the titular role in a reboot of the Blade franchise, which has not seen a theatrical release since 2004. Wesley Snipes previously played the character. No release date or director has been announced.

Feige also confirmed the development of films that were not officially announced during the panel, including Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fantastic Four and X-Men.

BLACK WIDOW

May 1, 2020

Marvel Studios

• Director: Cate Shortland
• Starring: Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, David Harbour as Alexei/Red Guardian, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, O-T Fagbenle as Mason and Rachel Weisz as Melina

ETERNALS

November 6, 2020

Marvel Studios

• Director: Chloe Zhao
• Stars: Richard Madden as Ikaris, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajax, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh and Don Lee as Gilgamesh

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER (Disney+ series)

Fall 2020

Marvel Studios

• Starring Anthony Mackie as Falcon/Captain America, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Solider and Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

February 12, 2021

Marvel Studios

• Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
• Starring: Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Tony Leung as The Mandarin and Awkwafina

WANDAVISION (Disney+ series)

Spring 2021

Marvel Studios

• Starring: Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as Vision, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau

LOKI (Disney+ series)

Spring 2021

Marvel Studios

• Starring: Tom Hiddleston as Loki

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

May 7, 2021

Marvel Studios

• Director: Scott Derrickson
• Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch
• Considered to be the first “scary” MCU film, but still rated PG-13, according to Derrickson

WHAT IF…? (animated Disney+ series)

Summer 2021

Marvel Studios

• Starring: Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher and dozens of actors and actresses from throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe

HAWKEYE (Disney+ series)

Fall 2021

Marvel Studios

• Starring: Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
• Kate Bishop will be introduced

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

November 5, 2021

Marvel Studios

• Director: Taika Waititi
• Starring: Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster/Thor
• Tessa Thompson seemed to confirm that Valkyrie is a LGBTQ+ character. “As new king (of Asgard), she needs to find her queen. That will be the first order of business,” Thompson said.

BLADE

TBA

Marvel Studios

• Starring Mahershala Ali as Blade

 

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AVENGERS: ENDGAME to Become Highest-Grossing Film of All Time

Avengers: Endgame / Marvel Studios

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

During Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con panel Saturday night, Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, confirmed that Avengers: Endgame is set to become the highest-grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office, unadjusted for inflation.

This weekend, Endgame surpassed $2.7892 billion worldwide and the film will go on to exceed the $500,000 in ticket sales needed to surpass James Cameron’s Avatar.

“A huge congratulations to the Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios teams, and thank you to the fans around the world who lifted ‘Avengers: Endgame’ to these historic heights. Of course, even with the passage of a decade, the impact of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ remains as powerful as ever, and the astonishing achievements of both of these films are ongoing proof of the power of movies to move people and bring them together in a shared experience. The talented filmmakers behind these worlds have much more in store, and we look forward to the future of both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Pandora,” Alan Horn, Disney co-chairman and chief creative officer, said in a statement.

Endgame is the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is now the film that took the MCU to the top of the all-time box office charts.

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The First Trailer for Tom Hooper’s CATS is… Something

Cats / Universal Pictures

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

There is no need for an introduction here, so without any further ado, here is the trailer for the big screen adaptation of Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical based on the poems of T.S. Eliot.

It truly is as terrifying as all of Film Twitter always thought it would be.

First things first… TOM HOOPER LEARNED HOW TO SHOOT WIDE SHOTS! Unlike Les Miserables (also directed by Hooper), however, wide shots may not be as necessary for the scope of Cats. The “digital fur technology” looks rough here, especially in a shot where Jennifer Hudson’s face is superimposed on to CGI fur.

Andy Blankenbuehler’s choreography looks promising, but that seems like a given, considering his talent and his past work. Much of how the choreography will work in the film will be determined by how Hooper elects to frame the musical numbers, so we will learn more about that when the film hits theaters.

The trailer is set to Memory, which is easily the best and most famous song from the musical, beautifully performed by Jennifer Hudson in what will likely be the best part of the film.

Cats follows a group of cats who gather once each year to introduce themselves to the group and decide which one gets to die and go to heaven.

There is a good chance that the film will have a great deal of success financially and during awards season. Hooper’s last three films have all been major awards players and Cats is somehow one of the longest running musicals of all time in several countries.

Cats stars James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson and Francesca Hayward. It will be in theaters on December 20, the same day as Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.

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Edward Furlong to Return as John Connor in TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

Edward Furlong will return as John Connor in “Terminator: Dark Fate.” (Photo courtesy of TriStar Pictures)

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

During the Terminator: Dark Fate Hall H panel at San Diego Comic Con, producer James Cameron announced that Edward Furlong will be returning to the franchise as John Connor in the upcoming film.

Furlong’s only previous appearance as Connor came in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. His appearance in Dark Fate is not just a triumphant return for the character, but for Furlong’s acting career. The film industry struggled to figure out what to do with him following the film’s success, and Furlong has struggled with addiction in his adult life. Hopefully, reprising this role will help him to get his acting career back on track.

There are no further details about Furlong’s role in the upcoming film.

Terminator: Dark Fate will be in theaters on November 1.

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Pennywise Returns in New IT: CHAPTER TWO Trailer

“It: Chapter Two” / New Line/Warner Bros. Pictures

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

The final trailer for It: Chapter Two, which is sure to be one of 2019’s biggest box office hits, has just been released.

Based on the second half of the titular book by Stephen King, Chapter Two follows Beverly (Sophia Lillis & Jessica Chastain), Bill (Jaeden Martell & James McAvoy), Richie (Finn Wolfhard & Bill Hader) and the rest of the Losers’ Club as they return to Derry, Maine 27 years after their initial encounter with Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) to defeat him once and for all.

Director Andy Muschietti seems to have put together an unsettling collection of scares here, especially in the Derry carnival’s house of mirrors. Has the “house of mirrors” trope been overused recently in horror cinema? Yes. Is it still effective? Absolutely. There are also some terrifying shots that show off the director’s penchant for beautiful, yet horrifying imagery.

Muschietti is once again leaning into Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise, as he delivers a chilling monologue in which Pennywise states that he has “craved” The Losers’ Club for 27 years and is just as excited about killing them has they are about killing him.

It: Chapter 2 also stars Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Isaiah Mustafa and Teach Grant. The film can be seen in theaters on September 6.

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Latest AD ASTRA Trailer Showcases Potential Awards Contender

Brad Pitt in “Ad Astra” (Courtesy of 20th Century Fox/The Walt Disney Company)

By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor in Chief

The second trailer for auteur James Gray’s latest film, Ad Astra, has premiered online. The long -delayed space drama is set to be one of this year’s prime awards contenders, especially with Gray in the director’s chair and Brad Pitt starring.

Ad Astra follows Roy McBride (Pitt), an astronaut who is sent on a mission to find his long-thought-dead father (Tommy Lee Jones), who is believed to be hiding in space while conducting experiments that could be affecting the behavior of the human race.

The trailer’s opening shot, an overhead shot of Pitt sitting down to speak into a microphone, feels like a Kubrick-esque shot straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is a good sign of the kind of movie Ad Astra aims to be. Much like 2001, this film appears to be delving not just into the rapid development of technology and space travel, but also into the protagonist’s psychology, as hinted in Ad Astra‘s teaser trailer. The visual effects look incredible, a product of the two release date delays that Gray requested in order to complete post-production. If the film turns out to be the trippy science-fiction adventure that the trailers have teased thus far, audiences are in for a treat. Even if the film does not turn out to be a trippy adventure, it will be a treat nonetheless, since Gray is writing and directing.

Ad Astra also stars Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland. The film can be seen in theaters, including IMAX and Dolby Cinema, on September 20.

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