Review: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ *SPOILER-FREE*

Ten years and eighteen movies have lead to this. Marvel Studios has been wildly successful in their films leading up to this moment, but this is quite possibly the biggest and most ambitious film of its kind. Avengers: Infinity War brings together the heroes of the MCU to take on Thanos, the mad titan, who is looks to fulfill his destiny of bringing together the infinity stones and reshaping the Universe. It’s all lead to this. Each past film was a piece in a larger puzzle and now it’s complete and the result exceeds expectations. Simply put, Avengers: Infinity War is epic.

Still broken following the events of Age of Ultron and Civil War, the Avengers are scattered across the galaxy. Thanos and his children have begun their quest in search of the infinity stones when they come across the Asgardian ship of Thor and his people, whom Thanos believes to be carrying the space stone. Seeing the sheer power of the mad titan, Hulk must reach Earth to warn the Avengers of the coming threat, but what he finds is a team shattered by squabble and a new group of heroes ready to take the fight to Thanos. The film is choked full of spoiler fodder at every corner so I will leave my summary there.

Directors Anthony and Joe Russo continue their onslaught into the MCU with yet another film worthy of calling the best and most ambitious, but this one certainly stands out above them all. Based on a storyline from the Marvel comics, the film is a re-imagining of the original story with obvious liberties, but nonetheless, works magnificently with the previous MCU films tying them all together nicely. The worry for some was the massive undertaking of the cast and how they would all fit into a 2 1/2 hour film, but the Russo’s and their writing team gave each subplot equal amounts of care and screen time without over saturation. And you would be hard pressed to find a weak link in the casting chain. Each actor shines in their corner of Infinity War with Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth and Zoe Saldana winning stand out stars.

Overall, Avengers: Infinity War is a overwhelmingly satisfying first act and will leave you speechless at the close. It’s a film that needs to be digested multiple times to catch everything you missed while you were trying to pick your jaw off the theatre floor as you look on in awe of the visual spectacle before you. I can’t wait for the next 10 years of the MCU. If Infinity War is any indication, the best is yet to come.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Yes. One after the credits

Trailer:

New Trailer For ‘MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE’ is Here

A dark force threatens Ponyville, and the Mane 6 – Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity – embark on an unforgettable journey beyond Equestria where they meet new friends and exciting challenges on a quest to use the magic of friendship to save their home.

The film has an all-star voice cast including Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, Sia, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana. The movie features original music and songs performed by Sia, Diggs, Saldana, Chenoweth and Blunt.

Lionsgate is releasing MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE in theaters nationwide on October 6, 2017.

 

Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ *VERY minor plot details*

The Guardians are back and in a big way. James Gunn returns to helm the sequel to Marvel’s unlikely smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy looking to capitalize on the franchises soaring popularity injecting more humor, more spectacle and more all outrageous fun this time around. This film is not short on stimulation so marvel in the infinite glory that is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are just a few weeks out from the events of the first film and their out to keep their good name by ridding the galaxy of those who would do it harm. Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), leader of the Sovereign race, has hired the Guardians for a mission in exchange for Gamora’s estranged sister Nebula (Karen Gillan), but situations turn sour as the Guardians find themselves on the other side of the fight. Facing certain death, a mystery traveler rescues the team and reveals himself to be Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill’s missing father accompanied by his servant Mantis (Pom Klementieff).

Angry about the escape, Ayesha hires Yondu (Michael Rooker) and his crew to hunt down the Guardians and bring them back to pay for their crimes. The Ravagers head out to find the heroes while Quill comes to grip with his new found father; but could everything be as it appears? Facing a multitude of foes closing in on the team, they must align with some unusual allies to once again protect the galaxy from certain destruction. Can the Guardians remain vigilant in their quest for good to prevail or will outside forces pull the team apart and end their friendship forever?

Marvel continues to find the perfect directors to lead their franchises, bringing out the very best in the source material by allowing these directors to inject their unique style of storytelling. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Director James Gunn‘s radical departure from the core Marvel movies made the first film a surprise hit, but no one will be surprised when Vol. 2 wows audiences this weekend with its rare brand of humor and eye popping visuals. The cast, including Chris PrattZoe Saldana and Dave Bautista, are noticeably more comfortable this time around within their characters and within their collaboration with each other. Kurt Russell is an outstanding edition to this cast and, as the elder statesmen, brings out the very best in Pratt’s Star Lord during their emotional scenes.

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an absolute joy of a film. From start to finish, the ride is nothing short of exactly what you would expect from a James Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy film. Take the family, take the neighbors, take everyone you know and run to the theater to see this…and do NOT leave your seat throughout the credits…there is 5 extra scenes!

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Yes. 5! 4 throughout credits and 1 post credit

Trailer:

Review: ‘Live By Night’- An American Crime Drama from Ben Affleck

Oscar winner Ben Affleck (Argo) directs and stars in Live By Night, an American crime drama about a young man from Boston and his desire for revenge. The film is based on the award-winning best-seller by Dennis Lehane and is written for the screen by Affleck himself. A film that starts with a lot of promise but quickly loses steam and struggles to make it to the finish.

Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) is the son of a Boston Police Deputy Superintendent, a WWI vet, and an outlaw. He’s a man with a good heart who seems destined for a better path, but it’s his anti-establishment ways that keep him in business for himself. Joe works with a loyal crew including Dion (Chris Messina), a close friend who’s got Joe’s back under any condition. Joe falls for Emma (Sienna Miller), the girlfriend of Irish gangster Albert White (Robert Glenister) and the two have a secret love affair, but when the gangster finds out, it forces Joe to make some life changing decisions. Driven by a need to right the wrongs committed against him, Joe accepts an alliance with the Italian mob and a move to Tampa with his crew to run the rum business there. But every decision comes at a cost as does the price of revenge, and Joe is about to find out just how much.

Live By Night, on the surface, is an enjoyable enough gangster film. An all star cast including Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller, Chris Cooper, Brendan Gleeson and Elle Fanning do their best to provide insight into their personal piece of the elaborate puzzle, and each actor does an admirable job to help bring their character arc to fulfillment, but Ben Affleck tries to navigate thru the myriad of storylines he’s created and ultimately leaves the story winded and the characters unfulfilling.

Overall, the film sets out to tell a gangster story and it does just that, but the journey is long and tiresome and loses it’s muster about halfway thru. Should you see it? Sure, but don’t expect the next Godfather, for that it is not.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

No

Trailer:

Teaser Trailer for ‘Star Trek: Beyond’ is Here!

Star Trek Beyond

Paramount Pictures has released the teaser trailer for Star Trek: Beyond and we have it for you below!

From director Justin Lin comes Star Trek: Beyond starring Idris Elba, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Zach Quinto, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Karl Urban.

Star Trek: Beyond hits theaters July 22, 2016

Melissa’s Review: ‘Infinitely Polar Bear’ is a warm and sweet story of a struggling family

Left to right: Imogene Wolodarsky as Amelia Stuart, Mark Ruffalo as Cam Stuart, Zoe Saldana as Maggie Stuart and Ashley Aufderheide as Faith Stuart Photo by Seacia Pavao, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Left to right: Imogene Wolodarsky as Amelia Stuart, Mark Ruffalo as Cam Stuart, Zoe Saldana as Maggie Stuart and Ashley Aufderheide as Faith Stuart
Photo by Seacia Pavao, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Watching Infinitely Polar Bear, I was anxiously waiting for some terrible event to happen that tears the family apart, only to bring them back together again. This is such a standard in movies that it almost ruined this movie. However, if you decide to let go and just watch, it’s a beautiful and heartwarming story of the inevitable ups and downs of parenthood and life.

Left to right: Zoe Saldana as Maggie Stuart and Mark Ruffalo as Cam Stuart Photo by Claire Folger, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Left to right: Zoe Saldana as Maggie Stuart and Mark Ruffalo as Cam Stuart
Photo by Claire Folger, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Maggie (Zoe Saldana) and Cam (Mark Ruffalo) have a tumultuous relationship, mostly due to Cam’s mental instability. After an incident, Maggie is left raising their two daughters and searches for a way to support their family. Maggie is accepted into an MBA program and moves to New York so Cam returns home to care for their children while she’s away.

Based on a true story and told in the late 1970s, the dialogue is incredibly intimate and the story goes in unexpected yet inevitable directions. Mark Ruffalo brings a desperation to Cam that is never outshined by his genuine love for his daughters. Zoe Saldana is authoritative yet compassionate as a mom doing anything it takes to give her family a better life.

Left to right: Imogene Wolodarsky as Amelia Stuart and Ashley Aufderheide as Faith Stuart Photo by Seacia Pavao, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Left to right: Imogene Wolodarsky as Amelia Stuart and Ashley Aufderheide as Faith Stuart
Photo by Seacia Pavao, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

This is the first feature film for both the daughters, Imogene Wolodarsky as Amelia and Ashley Aufderheide as Faith. Their relationship is just as important and they each have their own qualities that complement and play off each other.

I think what I enjoyed the most was the love and dedication of Cam for his family. He was not perfect but he never gave up. I enjoyed watching a movie where it was purely a story of a family and not a contrived, artificial sensationalization.

3 movie ideas & a draft of the casts – The Reel Big Show Studios

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Which actors & actresses would you draft for the perfect movie?

In this special edition of The Reel Big Show, Michael had the idea for the gang to choose a movie concept and then they would cast it, ala snake draft!

Here’s a few teasers, but you’ll have to listen to get the details!

  • Movie A: The Dear Johns – Four guys get dumped by their wives on the same day
  • Movie B: The Master Plan – Action/adventure/drama escape movie set during World War II
  • Movie C: 1940s era big band club comedy with a crime element

 

So which cast goes with which movie?

  • Cast #1: William H. Macy, Paul Giamatti, John C. Reilly, Michael Pena, Judy Greer, Billy Murray
  • Cast #2: Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgard, Adrien Brody, Jon Hamm, Patton Oswalt, Zoe Saldana
  • Cast #3: Matthew McConaughey, Oscar Isaac, Dylan O’Brien, Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hiddleston

2015 MTV Movie Awards Nominations Announced

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The 2015 MTV movie awards is upon us and the nominations for the coveted golden popcorn (sorry, I can’t say that without laughing) are here! The award show is unique as it is one of the few awards shows where the viewers actually get to vote for the winners. You can vote for your favorites at MovieAwards.MTV.com through April 11.

I for one can’t wait for the Best Shirtless Performance..that’s a tight race…get it!

Amy Schumer, star of Judd Apatow’s upcoming Trainwreck, will host this year’s show on Sunday, April 12 at 8/7c on MTV.

Movie of the Year
“American Sniper”
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“Gone Girl”
“The Fault In Our Stars”
“Boyhood”
“Whiplash”
“Selma”

Best Female Performance
Jennifer Lawrence, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Shailene Woodley, “The Fault In Our Stars”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”
Scarlett Johansson, “Lucy”

Best Male Performance
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Ansel Elgort, “The Fault In Our Stars”
Miles Teller, “Whiplash”
Channing Tatum, “Foxcatcher”

Best Scared-As-S**t Performance
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Annabelle Wallis, “Annabelle”
Jennifer Lopez, “The Boy Next Door”
Dylan O’Brien, “The Maze Runner”
Zach Gilford, “The Purge: Anarchy”

Breakthrough Performance
Ansel Elgort, “The Fault In Our Stars”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Dylan O’Brien, “The Maze Runner”
Ellar Coltrane, “Boyhood”

Best Shirtless Performance
Zac Efron, “Neighbors”
Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Channing Tatum, “Foxcatcher”
Ansel Elgort, “The Fault In Our Stars”
Kate Upton, “The Other Woman”

Best Duo
Channing Tatum & Jonah Hill, “22 Jump Street”
Zac Efron & Dave Franco, “Neighbors”
Shailene Woodley & Ansel Elgort, “The Fault In Our Stars”
Bradley Cooper & Vin Diesel, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
James Franco & Seth Rogen, “The Interview”

Best Fight
Jonah Hill vs. Jillian Bell, “22 Jump Street”
Chris Evans vs. Sebastian Stan, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
Dylan O’Brien vs. Will Poulter, “The Maze Runner”
Seth Rogen vs. Zac Efron, “Neighbors”
Edward Norton vs. Michael Keaton, “Birdman”

Best Kiss
Ansel Elgort & Shailene Woodley, “The Fault In Our Stars”
James Franco & Seth Rogen, “The Interview”
Andrew Garfield & Emma Stone, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″
Scarlett Johansson & Chris Evans, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
Rose Byrne & Halston Sage, “Neighbors”

Best WTF Moment
Seth Rogen & Rose Byrne, “Neighbors”
Jonah Hill, “22 Jump Street”
Jason Sudeikis & Charlie Day, “Horrible Bosses 2″
Miles Teller, “Whiplash”
Rosario Dawson & Anders Holm, “Top Five”

Best Villain
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Jillian Bell, “22 Jump Street,”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Peter Dinklage, “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

Best Musical Moment
Jennifer Lawrence, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″
Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Seth Rogen & Zac Efron, “Neighbors”
Bill Hader & Kristen Wiig, “The Skeleton Twins”
Miles Teller, “Whiplash”

Best Comedic Performance
Channing Tatum, “22 Jump Street”
Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Rose Byrne, “Neighbors”
Chris Rock, “Top Five”
Kevin Hart, “The Wedding Ringer”

Best On-Screen Transformation
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Elizabeth Banks, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″
Zoe Saldana, “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Ellar Coltrane, “Boyhood”

Reel News Daily’s Top Movies of 2014 on The Reel Big Show!

best-movies-of-2014

It’s a full house on The Reel Big Show! Michael leads the group in discussion of their favorite movies of 2014, the night before the Oscar nominations. Below are their lists – with bold for which were nominated. See the list of nominations at Oscar.org.

Check out the fun IMDb quiz based on the 36 movies in all the lists!
Read More →

Reel News Daily’s Top Summer Movies of 2014

TopSummerMovies2014At one point the Summer Season was depicted by the film’s released between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, but the time’s have changed and so has Hollywood. Summer tent-pole films are being released earlier and earlier to avoid the cluster of blockbusters being released weekly to capitalize on the lack of competition which of course means more money. So we’ve decided to expand our scope and include April into out Top Summer Movies of 2014…buuuuut we’re also cutting off the last 2 weeks of August…so sue us!

Jeremy‘s List

10. Fort Tilden
9. Obvious Child
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past
7. Calvary
6. Life Itself
5. Bluebird
4. Snowpiercer
3. Boyhood
2. Under the Skin
1. Only Lovers Left Alive

Liz‘s List

10. Neighbors
9. Chef
8. Coherence
7. Filth
6. Dom Hemingway
5. Frank
4. About Alex
3. Boyhood
2. Snowpiercer
1. Only Lovers Left Alive

Michael‘s List

10. Edge of Tomorrow
9. Filth
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past
7. Nymphomaniac
6. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
5. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. Only Lovers Left Alive
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2. Snowpiercer
1. Boyhood

Melissa‘s List

10. Coherence
9. Godzilla
8. Locke
7. Dom Hemingway
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
5. Filth
4. Frank
3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
2. Only Lovers Left Alive
1. Snowpiercer


Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Marvel’s Newest Team Makes A Grand Entrance

guardiansofthegalaxy53068374435daFor nearly a decade, Marvel Studios has taken their comic book properties and turned  them into blockbuster movies but never have they taken as much of a gamble as they have this week with the release of their newest team-up adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy. A story centered around a group of unlikely companions thrown together by chance and tasked with saving the galaxy for certain destruction; everything you want in a summer blockbuster but with a lot more heart than we have reason to expect. Simply put, Guardians of the Galaxy IS the savior of this summer movie season! Read More →

#AskTheGuardians – Submit Your Questions to the Cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

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