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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Visually, Everest is a stunner. (IMAX 3D… WOW!) The story itself mirrors the mountain. It takes a long time to get there, it’s painful at times and it is overloaded with characters to the point where many get lost in the shuffle. The payoff, in the end, is solid but there’s a lingering question of was it worth it?

From the moment the movie starts, Everest‘s visuals smack you in the face. It’s reminiscent of a documentary filmed specifically for an IMAX experience. Throughout, the movie relies heavily on the stunning visuals to immerse the audience into Everest rather than the deep, talented cast it has access to.

Here’s the challenge Everest has: How do you tell a tale about a group of mountain climbers where any of a handful of characters could take the lead but no one is truly compelling enough to make it necessary for them to become the focus?Read More →

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In: 2016, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 40/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 48/100

The Angry Birds trailer does about as much for a movie about a mobile phone app as possible. There’s a number of funny actors lending their voice to this film. So, there’s that. Maybe it won’t be that pointless.

Personally, I’m more excited for Words With Friends: The Movie.

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 25/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 55/100

Meadowland looks like it could be an under-the-radar hit. The cast is full of supporting players who add to any film they are in and Olivia Wilde has a full resume (although it’s not the most consistent one).

The movie itself about a couple dealing with unimaginable loss looks dark and has solid buzz with a limited October release expected.

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 90/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 100/100

Write The Big Short in ink on the Best Picture nominee list. No, I didn’t see it but let’s run it down. Based on a book by Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Blind Side), The Big Short features a loaded cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo and Marisa Tomei.

The only square peg in round hole aspect is director/writer Adam McKay whose resume includes Talladega Nights, Anchorman, Anchorman 2, Step Brothers and The Other Guys. But then again, such a pairing could mean great things. I have to see The Big Short.

Oh, and it’s a Christmas release!

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: A fun, laugh out loud animated film in Spanish with English subtitles. While it’s geared toward younger audiences, the PG-13 rating, animated fighting and some racy humor to appease the adult audience makes Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos unique.

After viewing the trailer for Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos (which means “A Rooster With Many Eggs” in English), I had to see it. While I’m not an animated movie aficionado and seldom see movies with subtitles, the trailer was very funny.

Overall, Un Gallo has a handful of laugh out loud moments. There are plenty of jokes geared toward a younger audience. However, there is some humor with sexual innuendo an audience would be unlikely to get but that would resonate with the adult viewers. There’s enough of these types of jokes to pin a PG-13 rating on the film.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 50/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 50/100

So, John Q, Ocean’s 11 and The Cooler are thrown in a blender and out comes Heist, I guess. Something off-putting about this trailer makes me think this might not be good. The film looks heavy on poker gambling lingo which isn’t your normal table games lingo. Unless Harry Dean Morgan’s character is a poker dealer, I’m going to have a problem with that.

However, Heist has Robert DeNiro so it won’t be a complete miss. The film goes all-in November 13.

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 5/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 85/100

Give the trailer for The Program credit. They took a story I had almost zero interest in ever reading or seeing and made it something I have to see. The question isn’t if this will get nominated for an Oscar but how many?

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Pencil in Johnny Depp’s name on the list of Best Actor nominees for his portrayal of James “Whitey” Bulger. On the back of Depp’s mesmerizing performance and a great somewhat under-utilized cast, Black Mass might even be a Best Picture nominee. Very, very good (not quite great) biopic.

When your recent resume includes Mortdecai, Transcendence and The Lone Ranger, it’s easy to see why a great performance would have some referring to it as a return. If that’s what Johnny Depp’s turn as notorious kingpin James “Whitey” Bulger is, welcome back!Read More →

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In: #5LinkMinimum

Is it still Friday somewhere? It’s time for #5LinkMinimum:

1. Watch It: Project Greenlight is back!
The premiere went off with a whimper until #Damonsplaining became the hot topic due to an interaction in the season’s first episode between Matt Damon and Effie Brown. Beyond the controversial scene is a show that has proven in the past to be an enlightening glimpse into the making of a feature film. This year’s director is Jason Mann. You can see all of the clips of who he beat out on Project Greenlight‘s YouTube Channel or just enjoy the short film that got Mann in the mix:

Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Admire director Wes Ball’s dedication to action in this thriller but eventually the lack of details in The Maze Runner catches up and scorches the sequel. The Scorch Trials still delivers but overall, the second installment is slightly diluted.

Somehow, more is less in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials when it comes to plot development. While the second film in The Maze Runner trilogy has the same intense pace to its action scenes and close to the same dedication to focusing on the thrilling action, the plot rides shotgun and occasionally gets an opportunity to take the wheel as the audience learns along with the characters what is exactly going on here. Read More →