Review: ‘SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING’

Being a teenager is hard, but being a teenage superhero is harder as we learn from the sensational new Spider-Man: Homecoming, the first Sony/Marvel partnership film after Spidey’s wildly praised inclusion in last year’s Captain America: Civil War. For fans, Marvel’s most popular superhero being back under the direction of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the architect of the MCU, is about as exciting as the film itself and the newly found partnership has wielded it’s might right out of the gate with a fresh, intelligent and entertaining film that resets the Spider-Man franchise and gives die-hard fans a look at the character the way he is meant to be seen.

Tom Holland takes over the role of Peter Parker, a high school sophomore thrust into the world of superheros after a radioactive spider gives him super powers. Returning home after his brief stint with the Avengers, waiting for his next mission is making young Peter inpatient for action as he struggles with a normal life. Every aspect of his life pails in comparison to the thrill of being Spider-Man and swinging above the ground and being a high school student just doesn’t seem to be his destiny. All that changes when some mysterious alien artifacts start popping up on the street which thrusts the young superhero into action.

Too small a task for the Avengers is just how Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) likes it as he runs his underground illegal alien arms racket. Staying just ahead of the FBI and off the radar of Earth’s mighty heroes has allowed Toomes and his crew to make a lot of money off of stolen alien artifacts, but when Spider-Man begins peeking his nose into their business, well that’s just not something this crew will stand for. As Peter begins to snoop, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) begins to wonder if his young protege is able to handle the pressure of his powers. Tony assigns Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) to watch over Peter as a liaison, but when Peter decides he can no longer stand by and watch as criminals are threatening his city, he goes against everything Stark asks of him and dissolves the trust between the two. As a war wages on in his mind, Peter must face his destiny and embrace his present self to find the answers he is searching for and become the hero he is destined to be.

Director Jon Watts (Cop Car) brings a perfect mix of action and humor to his John Hughes-esque take on the Spider-Man story. Unlike previous incarnations of the character, where we’ve had to rehash the origin story, Spider-Man: Homecoming hits the ground running and allows for the story to shape organically around Peter and his life as a high school student. Tom Holland is the perfect embodiment of Peter Parker. Awkward, genius high school student with a knack for bad timing, check! Over hyper superhero with a knack for sarcasm, check! The kid is outstanding in his portrayal of the popular webslinger. Michael Keaton is the best comic book villain on film since Heath Ledger’s Joker. Keaton brings a calm, menacing demeanor to his role as the Vulture character, who is given an upgrade and a slightly altered backstory in this film.

The supporting cast around Holland enables the young actor to flesh out his character and bring out the emotional elements in the film. Jacob Batalon is wonderfully lovable as Peter’s best friend Ned and Marisa Tomei brings Aunt May into a whole new light with a younger, more self reliant take on the character which may come as a shock to comic fans. MCU alums Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr., pros to the superhero game, act as the “ole wise men” to young Holland and his character and help usher in the newest member to the MCU family with limited, yet crucial, screen time. Stand out kudos go out to Zendaya and Tony Revolori for their humor and sass as Michelle and Flash respectively.

Overall, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a grand slam and a huge boost to future Marvel collaborations. Sony took a chance and it paid off beyond expectations and the winners are the comic fans and audiences around the world. Superhero movies were kicked in the butt by Deadpool last year, but this year belongs to Spider-Man. Welcome home web-head.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene(s)?

Yes. One mid credit and one post credit

Trailer:

Disney Releases the First Trailer for Jon Favreau’s Live Action Remake of ‘The Jungle Book’

The Jungle Book

Walt Disney Pictures has now released the first trailer for director Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book and we have it for you below!

This live-action remake of the 1967 animated film of the same name stars Bill Murray, Neel Sethi, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, and Giancarlo Esposito.

The Jungle Book will hit theaters on April 15, 2016

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D23 Coverage: Live Action Presentation including ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5’

570167739AP00089_Worlds_GalDisney, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm presented their live action film slates this morning at the D23 EXPO 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. The presentations, which revealed exclusive news and details about the upcoming live action films, were aided by live and video appearances from talent and filmmakers. Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn hosted the highly anticipated biennial event.

 “It’s quite something to be able to have Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm all on the same stage, and it’s tremendously gratifying to unveil our upcoming projects to our most dedicated fans first,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “We always have an incredible time at the D23 EXPO.”

After welcoming the crowd to D23 EXPO 2015, Horn introduced Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, and Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, to present overviews of the Marvel Studios and Disney live action slates. Later Horn returned to the stage to present the Lucasfilm film slate to the enthusiastic audience.

A recap of the presentation follows:

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  • Kevin Feige led off with a glimpse into the world of Marvel’s “Doctor Strange, featuring  a video greeting by Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars as the title character, followed by a pre-production piece that offered fans a taste of the look and feel of the upcoming  film, opening in U.S. theaters on October 26, 2016.

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  • Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” marched into D23 EXPO with an introduction by its producer, Kevin Feige. To the delight of the audience, Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie showed up on stage to help Feige show never-seen-before footage from the movie. Before the footage rolled, Feige revealed that there was a special “Easter egg” for fans to find: it was aptly a nod to D23 EXPO.

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War picks up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

The movie stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Emily VanCamp, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Frank Grillo, Tom Holland, with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl. Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War is directed by Anthony & Joe Russo and produced by Kevin Feige. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore and Stan Lee serve as executive producers and the screenplay is by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War opens in the U.S. on May 6, 2016.292472054,CEE631B59597DF48D0F

  • Sean Bailey took the stage to introduce the first film in the Disney live-action lineup, “The Finest Hours, which is based on the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the Coast Guard. Chris Pine, who plays Bernie Webber, the captain of the rescue boat, joined Bailey on stage to give fans a peak at the heroic action-thriller.

Presented in Digital 3D, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, the film, which is directed by Craig Gillespie and also stars Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz and Eric Bana, transports audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale.

The Finest Hours is produced by Jim Whitaker and Dorothy Aufiero and Doug Merrifield is the executive producer. The film is based on the book by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman and the screenplay is by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson. The Finest Hours storms into U.S. theaters on January 29, 2016.

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  • After an introduction by Sean Bailey, Jon Favreau, director of Disney’s upcoming “The Jungle Book, welcomed to the stage newcomer Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of candidates to play man-cub Mowgli; plus Oscar® winners Ben Kingsley, who helps bring panther-turned-mentor Bagheera to life, and Lupita Nyong’o, who lends her voice to the protective mother wolf Raksha. Favreau treated fans to a sneak peek of footage from the film, and each guest received a copy of the dramatic teaser poster following the presentation. The all-new, live-action epic adventure showcases Mowgli’s journey of self-discovery when he’s forced to abandon the only home he’s ever known.

Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s 1967 animated classic, the film features state-of the-art technology that immerses audiences in the lush world like never before. The Jungle Book also features the voices of Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Walken. Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylor produce and the screenplay is by Justin Marks. The Jungle Book hits theaters in stunning 3D and IMAX 3D on April 15, 2016.

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  • Bailey welcomed Mia Wasikowska to the stage, where she thrilled fans with a preview of the all-new spectacular adventure, “Alice Through the Looking Glass, featuring the unforgettable characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved stories. Director James Bobin brings his own unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen in 2010 with Alice in Wonderland, in which Alice (Wasikowska) returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. The film, which once again features Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and the voices of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall, introduces several new characters as well: Zanik Hightopp (Rhys Ifans), the Mad Hatter’s father, and Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock.

Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd, and Tim Burton produce and John G. Scotti is the executive producer. The screenplay is by Linda Woolverton. Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass opens in U.S. theaters on May 27, 2016.

In addition to attending the film’s presentation in Hall D23 at the Convention Center, fans had the opportunity to transform themselves into their favorite characters from Underland with an interactive experience, Travel Through the Looking Glass. By means of a first-to-market face-tracking application, D23 EXPO participants entering one of four photo booths located on the show floor were able to become the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen, the White Rabbit or the Cheshire Cat with full digital-makeup and cinematic 3D objects seamlessly—and instantly—applied to their reflections, and in real time. They were then emailed a 10-second video and still image, which they could share on their favorite social media platforms.

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  • Bryce Dallas Howard joined Bailey on stage to talk about her starring role in “Pete’s Dragon, a reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film. The heartwarming adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon, Pete’s Dragon is directed by David Lowery, produced by Jim Whitaker, and executive-produced by Barrie Osborne, and also stars Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence and Robert Redford. Pete’s Dragon opens in U.S. theaters on August 12, 2016.
  • Bailey, with the help of Lupita Nyong’o, introduced the crowd to the upcoming film “Queen of Katwe,” which is based on the inspirational true story of a girl from the poverty-stricken slums of rural Uganda who dreams of becoming a champion chess player. Directed by Mira Nair from a screenplay by William Wheeler based on the book by Tim Crothers, Queen of Katwe stars Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and newcomer Medina Nalwanga.
  • Bailey next presented “Beauty and the Beast,including a musical greeting from stars Emma Watson, Josh Gad and Luke Evans—sent from the London set where they are currently filming. The live-action musical, a retelling of the studio’s animated classic, stars Watson,  Dan Stevens, Evans, Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald and newcomer Nathan Mack. The film is directed by Bill Condon.  Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the animated classic, provides the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Tim Rice, as well as several new songs. Beauty and the Beast will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.

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  • A surprise visit by Johnny Depp, who showed up on stage completely decked out as Captain Jack Sparrow, brought down the house and thrilled fans at Sean Bailey’s presentation of the next exciting film in the “Pirates of the Caribbean “ franchise, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” 

570167739AP00093_Worlds_GalThrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him.  Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.

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The film is directed by Espen Sandberg & Joachim Rønning and stars Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kevin R. McNally, Kaya Scodelario, Golshifteh Farahani, Stephen Graham, David Wenham and Geoffrey Rush. Jerry Bruckheimer is the producer and Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Joe Caracciolo, Jr. and Brigham Taylor serve as executive producers. Jeff Nathanson wrote the screenplay. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales releases in U.S. theaters on July 7, 2017.

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  • Alan Horn took the stage again to present the Lucasfilm slate and timeline to the D23 EXPO fans.  Horn told the audience that there were only 124 days to the release of Episode VII, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” on December 18, 2015 and added that there have been record-breaking trailer views and fantastic fan response. Touching on “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” Horn reminded the audience that Rian Johnson will be directing the film slated for release on May 26, 2017. Then in a surprise announcement, Horn informed everyone that Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) has signed on to direct “Star Wars: Episode IX,” which is scheduled for release in 2019.

Moving on to the new Star Wars stories series, Horn touched on the “Untitled Han Solo” stand-alone film, slated for release on May 25, 2018 by reminding everyone that it  will be directed by Christopher Miller & Phil Lord, with Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jon Kasdan writing the screenplay.

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  • Horn then took the audience by surprise, announcing the cast for Rogue One, the first of the standalone Star Wars stories to hit the big screen, which has commenced principal photography. Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters) is directing Rogue One, which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star.

The filmmakers have assembled a stellar cast, including Felicity Jones, nominated for an Academy Award® for her leading role in The Theory of Everything; Diego Luna, who was featured in 2008’s Oscar®-winning Milk and the critically acclaimed Killing Them Softly; Ben Mendelsohn, recently nominated for an Emmy® for his leading role in Bloodline and co-starring  in the upcoming Mississippi Grind; Donnie Yen, Hong Kong action star and martial artist who starred in Ip Man and Blade II; Jiang Wen, who co-wrote, produced , directed and starred in the award-winning Let the Bullets Fly and Devils on the Doorstep; Forest Whitaker, recently featured in the critically-acclaimed Lee Daniels’ The Butler and winner of an Academy Award® for his leading role in 2006’s The Last King of Scotland; Mads Mikkelsen, who starred in The Hunt and was the memorable villain from 2006’s Casino RoyaleAlan Tudyk,  who plays a performance-capture character in Rogue One, stars in the soon-to-be-released “Con Man” series and “Trumbo,” which releases this November; and Riz Ahmed, who was recently featured in Nightcrawler and starred in the BAFTA-winning film Four Lions.

The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and is slated for a December 16, 2016 release.

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  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ended the live-action presentation with a bang as J.J. Abrams introduced stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and Lupita Nyong’o. The crowd cheered when John Boyega announced that everyone there would get a Drew Struzan D23 EXPO commemorative poster to take home. Then, in a bringing-down-the house surprise moment, Harrison Ford, who is reprising his role as Han Solo, joined Abrams on stage to wild applause.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von SydowKathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by J.J. Abrams & Lawrence Kasdan.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens releases in U.S. theaters on December 18, 2015.

Heartland Film Festival 2014 Jeremy’s Review/Interview: ‘Ben’s at Home’ Is an Incredibly Engaging and Delightful Comedy + Interview with Co-writer/Director Mars Horodyski & Co-writer/Star Dan Abramovici

BENS_AT_HOME_POSTER-731x1024Neil Sedaka famously sang in that once ubiquitous 60s song that breaking up is hard to do. When people are forced out of relationships, they can take it a number of ways, right? Some people move on without hesitation, others get terribly emotional and cry, while others attempt great romantic gestures meant to win back the heart of their love. And some, they just internalize the pain, retreat from friends and family, and do their best to avoid anything that can hurt them again in the same way. And that’s what happens in the wonderful comedy Ben’s at Home, co-written and directed by Mars Horodyski. Read More →