Tuesday, April 15, 2014

DVD releases for the week of April 15, 2014

Pick of the Week:




Philomena. When she fell pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee (Judi Dench) was sent to the convent to be looked after as a fallen woman. She cared for her baby for three years until the Church took him from her and sold him, like countless others, to America for adoption. Coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her child again, she nonetheless spent the next fifty years secretly searching for him, unaware that he was searching for her from across the Atlantic.

Other Notable Releases:



The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Ben Stiller directs and stars in this classic story of a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a fantasy world filled with heroism, romance and adventure. When his job, along with that of a co-worker (Kristen Wiig), is threatened, Walter takes action in the real world, embarking on a journey more extraordinary than anything he could have imagined.

 


Ride Along. For the past two years, high school security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has been trying to show decorated detective James (Ice Cube) that he’s more than just a video game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister. When Ben finally gets accepted into the police academy, James invites him on a ride-along designed to scare the hell out of him and ultimately demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner’s rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it. Also starring John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne, Ride Along is an action-packed comedy with big thrills and even bigger laughs.




Flowers in the Attic. Based on the bestselling book by V. C. Andrews, the Lifetimer Original Movie, FLOWERS IN THE ATTICE, is a gothic story of four siblings who, after the death of their father, are torn from a peaceful life and subjected to abuse resulting from a dark, family secret. Abandoned by their mother and forced to endure unimaginable treatment living in the attic of their grandparents’ mansion, the children form their own family unit. But as the oldest boy and girl come of age both emotionally and physically while caring for their younger siblings, they are entrapped by their family’s sordid past as they try to survive and escape the harsh living conditions. Heather Graham stars as the mother and Ellen Burstyn as the cruel grandmother.




The Nut Job. It’s time to go nuts for this action-packed comedy featuring the all-star talents of Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeff Dunham, Liam Neeson, Maya Rudolph and Katherine Heigl. Surly (Arnett) is a mischievous squirrel with a mission: to find the tastiest nuts for winter. When he discovers a whole store filled with his favorite food, he plans a heist of nutrageous proportions. But the place turns out to be owned by ruthless bank robbers, so it’s up to Surly and his furry friends to stop the nearby bank heist and save the town. The fur is sure to fly in this hilarious adventure that critics are calling “Funny and witty! For kids of all ages!” (Jeffrey Lyons, Lyons Den Radio, WCBS). Read our review here.




Ripper Street: Season 2. The job of preventing Whitechapel from descending into hell has never been harder for Inspector Reid and his loyal deputies. As the century enters its final decade, society teeters on the brink of moral collapse and nowhere are the bloated British Empire’s problems felt more keenly than in its dark heart: the East End of London. The memory of Jack the ripper may have faded but the Whitechapel streets he walked are more dangerous than ever.




Black Nativity. Struggling to pay the bills, single mom Naima (Jennifer Hudson) sends her teenage son Langston (Jacob Latimore) to live with his estranged grandparents, Reverend Cornell and Aretha Cobbs (Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett) in New York City. At first Langston resents their strict household, but with the help of new friends – and a little divine intervention – he embarks on an inspirational journey of self-discovery that brings the whole family together.

From: http://teamfogreviews.com/2014/04/15/dvd-releases-week-of-41514/

Monday, April 14, 2014

Jamesy Boy Movie Review & Film Summary (2014)

JAMESY BOY is the story of teenager James Burns (played by Spencer Lofranco) who goes from the suburban street gangs to a maximum-security prison cell surrounded by hardened criminals. In prison, he forms a friendship with a convicted murderer (Ving Rhames) who becomes his mentor and helps him turn his life around. In this unlikely setting, James ultimately emerges with hope and a brighter future.

Download it here.



Movie: Jamesy Boy

IMDB link: 1673734

Detected quality: 1080p

IMDB rating: 7.3 (30 votes)

RottenTomatoes: 26% 63%

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance, Music, Crime

Cast: James Woods, Mary-Louise Parker, Ving Rhames, Spencer Lofranco and others

Release date: 17 January 2014

Language: English

Description
Jamesy Boy 2014 1080p Blu-ray Remux AVC DD 5.1 - KRaLiMaRKo



Title: Jamesy Boy (2014)

Genres: Crime , Drama , Family , Music , Romance

Actors: Spencer Lofranco , Mary-Louise Parker , James Woods , Ving Rhames , Taissa Farmiga , Rosa Salazar , Michael Trotter , Ben Rosenfield , Aaron Opara , Taboo , Maria Broom , Robert F. Chew , James Burns , R. Emery Bright , Ken Arnold

Runtime: 109

Year: 2014

Plot:

The true story of James Burns who| as a teenager goes from the suburban street gangs of Denver to a maximum-security prison cell surrounded by hardened criminals. In

this unlikely setting| James ultimately emerges with hope and a brighter future.

Jamesy Boy 2014 1080p Blu-ray Remux AVC DD 5.1 - KRaLiMaRKo

--(GENERAL)---

Container.......: Matroska

Size............: 15.6 GB

Duration........: 1:49:34 (h:m:s)

Source(s).......: Blu-ray 1080p AVC DD 5.1 - PublicHD (thanks!)

Chapters........: Yes (not named)

Compression.....: no zlib, no header stripping

Release date....: 27.02.2014

---(VIDEO)----

Codec...........: AVC

Type............: progressive

Resolution......: 1920x1080

Bit rate........: 20.0 Mbps

Frame rate......: 23.976 fps

---(AUDIO)----

Format..........: AC3 (DN -27 dB)

Channels........: 5.1

Sample rate.....: 48 kHz

Bit rate........: 448 kbps

Language........: English

-(SUBTITLES)--

None

---(NOTES)----

Greetings to all our fans and friends!

-(SCREENSHOTS)-








Movie Review: Wicked Blood 2014 Directed by Mark Young

Hannah Lee Baker is a bright teen girl trapped in the dark Southern underworld of violence and guns, meth labs and vicious biker gangs, and whose only refuge is chess. She lives with Amber, her older sister; and her uncle Donny, an addict. All live in fear of Uncle Frank Stinson, who runs the illegal family business with an iron fist, aided by his psychotic younger brother Bobby.

Things change for the worse when Amber falls in love with Wild Bill, a meth trafficker who finds himself at war with Frank. Hannah realizes the only way to save her family is by cleverly scheming to pit one pawn against another in a cunning chess game.

Download the movie here.


IMDB link: 2761578

Detected quality: DVDRip

Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller

Cast: Sean Bean, James Purefoy, Alexa Vega, Abigail Breslin and others

Release date: 04 March 2014
Language: English



Plot:
Hannah Lee Baker is a bright teen girl trapped in the dark Southern underworld of violence and guns, meth labs and vicious biker gangs, and whose only refuge is chess. She lives with Amber, her older sister; and her uncle Donny, an addict. All live in fear of Uncle Frank Stinson, who runs the illegal family business with an iron fist, aided by his psychotic younger brother Bobby. Things change for the worse when Amber falls in love with Wild Bill, a meth trafficker who finds himself at war with Frank. Hannah realizes the only way to save her family is by cleverly scheming to pit one pawn against another in a cunning chess game.











From: http://video-share-review.blogspot.com/2014/02/wicked-blood-2014-movie.html

ByteCopy Review- A wonderful Blu-ray/DVD Ripper with multi-track function

This tutorial aims to give a review for the best BD/DVD coping tool- Patube ByteCopy which is better than MakeMKV, Miro Video Converter, Handbrake.

If you have a large collection of Blu-ray or DVD movies at home, it’s necessary to own a Blu-ray/DVD ripping program to help you backup or convert Blu-rays and DVDs for different uses. If you are in the process of doing such thing, and can’t find the best one among the market. Read this article below, in which, i will introduce a wonderful Blu-ray/DVD Ripper with multi-track function for you.


Having tried MakeMKV with Miro Video Converter and Handbrake for when I need something besides .mkv files, and unlike other Blu-ray ripping software, Pavtube ByteCopy, is a open source Blu-ray & DVD baukuping/coping/ripping application to help you copy dvd to mkv with chapters and subtitles. The Mac version is ByteCopy for Mac.

The main reason I bought Pavtube was for Blue-ray ripping (slightly cheaper than MakeMKV for that). ByteCopy make a good quality for ripping my BD/DVD discs to wathing on our smartphones. And I found MakeMKV has a similar basic function (except it only remultiplexes without re-encoding).The result was that I preferred ByteCopy for several reasons: ByteCopy is somewhat easier to use, and it can re-encode which is nice even though it wasn’t the deciding factor. MakeMKV crashed on a two DVDs which ByteCopy managed to copy. In colusion, ByteCopy does just what I wanted.

(See also: Compare: MakeMKV vs. DVDfab vs. Pavtube ByteCopy)

Screenshots:



Features:

Rip BD/DVD to MKV from disc, folder and IFO/ISO image file

Pavtube ByteCopy not only can rip BDs directly from Blu-ray Disc and Blu-ray Folder, but also can convert DVDs from DVD disc, DVD Folder, DVD IFO File, and DVD ISO Image File.

Select subtitles/audio tracks for more than one file at a time

Pavtube ByteCopy makes it possible for you to select subtitles/audios for more than one file (title) at a time.

Non-burnt subtitles

Pavtube ByteCopy stores subtitles in the MKV file format without burning them to the video, so you can switch subtitle languages at will during viewing.

Keep forced subtitles and export .srt subtitles

The recently updated ByteCopy allows users to preserve the forced subtitles in a Blu-ray/DVD movie into the MKV output, and it also features option to help users export their required subtitles as .srt external subs to do other use.

Encode audio tracks with specified codec

Pavtube ByteCopy enables users to encode the source soundtracks in Blu-ray/DVD movies to your desired audio types, including DTS 5.1 channels, AC3 5.1 channels, AAC 6 channels, and PCM 6 channels.

Produce MKV files for PC Media Players

The MKV files generated by Pavtube ByteCopy are playable with a number of free PC players, including VLC media player, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, MPlayer, etc. And the audio tracks, subtitles streams, and chapters preserved in the MKV container are available to select at will during playback.

Set Preferences

Select your preferred languages as usually-used audio tracks and subtitles, e.g. English, Spanish, French, Deutsch, Portugues, Norsk, Japanese, Chinese, etc.

Inlaid Preview Window

This program also helps merging, splitting, trimming, cropping movies, as well as adjusting volume, adding image/text/video watermarks, replacing audio, etc.

Edit movie by trimming, cropping, merging, etc.

A preview window is inlaid for you to view the source video (image only, audios and subtitles are not available when previewing).

Support adding *.srt and *.ass subtitles to BD/DVD movies
In Subtitle tab on Editor Window, you are able to add *.srt and *.ass subtitles you get from internet or other places to the BD/DVD movies.

Shut down computer after conversion
Pavtube ByteCopy keeps you free from waiting around by ticking off the checkbox “Shut down computer after conversion” when processing Blu-ray/DVD encoding.

How to use Bytecopy as the Best Blu-ray ripping software?



Requirements:

  • Processor: Intel or AMD Dual core CPU, 1.6 MHz at least
  • Operating System: Windows 2003/XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8
  • Memory: 512MB or above
  • Display resolution: 1024 x 768 or above
  • Optical Drive: DVD drive/ BD drive(BD drive is required for ripping Blu-ray disc)
Learn more Money-saving Tips:

ByteCopy($42) + Video Converter Ultimate($65) = Only $79.9, Save $27.1
ByteCopy($42) + DVD Creator($35) = Only $44.9, Save $32.1
ByteCopy($42) + Vidpie($29) = Only $54.9, Save $16.1
ByteCopy($42) + MXF MultiMixer($45) = Only $69.9, Save $16.1

Some posts you may interest:

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Reviews for the best Romantic Movies 2014

Romance is in the air with these great romantic movies 2014. But these are not just romantic films but also romantic comedy films 2014 that you simply must not overlook. You will be in the edge of your seats with your heart beating fast or laughing on the floor with your heart full of love when you find out what’s in store for you this year.

Think Like a Man Too is a romantic comedy film that is a sequel to Think Like a Man in 2013. It is all about a fun-filled weekend that turns into a challenging romantic getaway for couples which features the all original cast of the movie. This comedy-romance movie will be released on June 20.

The Best of Me which will be released on October 17 is about a couple that is reunited after being apart for a long time as they visit their hometown. Rekindling of young love is the theme for The Best of Me which is from a book written by Nicholas Sparks.
These are just two of the best romantic titles to watch out for this 2014. So get ready to fall in love all over again with these romantic movies 2014.

Her – Release Date 1/10/2014



An unconventional romance, this movie chronicles the relationship a divorced man has with an operating system. Joaquin Phoenix embodies this role, making Theodore’s emotions as real as any of your own. An interesting take on the parameters of love, this movie is sure to make you think.

About Last Night – Release Date 2/14/2014


Sometimes going back to the well is a good thing. About Last Night is an updated version of the 1986 film of the same name, which was based on a play. The movie follows two couples at the beginning of their relationships. The chemistry between the couples, both friends and romantic entanglements, makes each scene feel real. Kevin Hart’s comedic sense showcases the humor that exists in all relationships. Being released on Valentine’s Day, this movie is poised to be more than a chick flick in 2014 – it might be one of the best Romantic Comedies of 2014.

Endless Love – Release Date 2/14/2014




This tried and true trope works every time – Endless Love is no exception. Two star-crossed lovers find each other by chance and begin to share every waking moment together to the chagrin of her father. He makes it his purpose to keep them apart. We’ve seen this many times over in stories like Romeo and Juliet and Jack and Rose in Titanic. The urgency of their love is palpable. This is definitely a romance movie of 2014 that you don’t want to miss.


Think Like a Man Too – Release Date 6/20/2014



This sequel to the 2013 release, Think Like a Man, starts off at a wedding. The original cast returns to attend this event in Las Vegas… need I say more? What could have been a fun-filled weekend changes course and challenges the stability of the relationships. Like the first movie, Think Like A Man Too promises to be one of the best romantic movies 2014.


The Best of Me – Release Date: October 17, 2014



A couple reunites after years spent apart during a visit to their hometown. In this age of relationships rekindling with the help of social media sites, the premise of this story is timely and relevant. Based on a book with the same name by Nicholas Sparks, this movie is one to watch.

If you accumulate tons of new Romantic Movies and crave for backing up them to PC, iPhone, iPad, etc. Pavtube Video Conveter Ultimate can deliver a light-hearted solution for you. It lets you rip these romantic movies in Blu-ray, DVD and other video formats to to any popular video/audio format without any glitch and untouched video and audio quality.

You may be also interested in:

Bollywood Movies 2014
Warner Movies 2014
Disney Movies 2014
New Action Movies Of 2014
Comedy Movies Of 2014

Top 10 Hottest Movies to be releasing in the first half of 2014

The following is an overview of the Top 10 Hottest Movies and Films released In 2014.

Lets get a look at some upcoming movies that will be releasing in the first part of 2014. This year is positioned to be a banner movie year with continuing traditions in the horror and action thriller genres and new plot lines that will keep us on the edge of our seats. All though it is tough to say right now if the 2014 movie year can compete with last years record breaking year. Some will say, that the 2013 movie year was the best film year of all time. Below are the Top 10 Hottest Movies to be releasing in the first half of 2014 and their release dates. Stay tuned because this movie list is subject to change at anytime.


22 Jump Street – Release Date 6/13/2014


22 Jump Street starts where the first movie rightfully ends. Set to be released in June 2014, Jenko and Schimdt is back at it again after making it through high school – twice, and now they are going to up the ante by going undercover (again!) in a college. Written and co-starred by Jonah Hill, this action-comedy is making its way to the silver screen June of 2014, with Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) on lead. Kurt Russell and Craig Roberts also join the pack in supporting roles, and Ice Cube will reprise his role as Captain Dickson.

How to Train your Dragon 2 – Release Date 6/13/2014


How to Train your Dragon 2 is the long-awaited sequel of the success hit, How to Train your Dragon 1. Based on the successful books, the movie tells the story of the Vikings and dragons after five years within their unification. Dragon racing is all the rage and Astrid and Snotlout are challenging every young Viking in the area to the contact sport. Hiccup and Toothless joins the bandwagon, but in one of their high-octane races, they find a secret ice cave where there’s a secret breed of wild, undiscovered dragons. Later, they will find out a mysterious dragon trainer for these cave dragons, and the two protagonists will once again save the Viking-dragon world to ensure peace.

X – Men: Days of Future Past – Release Date 5/23/2014


Sir Ian Mckellen, Patrick Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Halle Berry, Michael Fassbender, and Hugh Jackman are just few of the A-list stars who will grace the grand, heroic, and epic mutant battle when the past and future collide in X-Men: Days of the Future Past. Wolverine is going back to the past to secure the present-day mutant world from an imminent destruction of epic proportions, with a mission to stop the impending fall-out that resulted to the extinction and hunting of mutants. The present-day mutant heroes find themselves acquainted with their younger versions in X-Men: First Class to rally for a fight to the preservation of their species.

Godzilla – Release Date 5/23/2014


Godzilla 2014 is the epic remake of the Japanese cult classic, Godzilla of 1998. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) stars as mad scientist Joe Brody, who will fight and create the “malevolent force of nature” that is Godzilla, which will put the world into a post-apocalyptic dystopia. The world’s most famous monster will be pitted against some of men’s harshest conjured creatures, bolstered by their creators’ uncharted arrogance. Directed by Gareth Edwards and an elaborate screenplay by Max Borenstein, Godzilla brings back the radioactive, monstrous monster that questioned the twisted genius of today’s scientists. The movie starts to wreak havoc May 2014.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return – Release Date 5/9/2014


The Legend of Oz: Dorothy’s return is one of the must-watch summer releases of the year with singer-actress Lea Michelle (Glee) voicing Dorothy, with Patrick Stewart (X-Men) as Tugg. The animated sequel starts after the glorious adventure from the first story, and Dorothy is back in Kansas in a monotonous, ordinary life. Back in Oz, there is a burgeoning situation that threatens the peace of the land, and Dorothy decides to go back again, one more time to save her friends and the Land of Oz from the impending doom that is set to ravage the magical alter-universe.

The Amazing Spider Man 2 – Release Date 5/2/2014


The Amazing Spiderman 2 continues the journey of Andrew Garfield’s reign as Spiderman, as he fights off a continuous slew of enemies which are thrown into New York City by the mysterious corporation, Oscorp. Enter Electro, from the Spiderman comics’ second villain, and the seemingly normal life of Peter Parker is yet thrown again into a world full of building-swinging and constant danger. Directed by Marc Webb and set to be released the second day of May this year, The Amazing Spiderman 2 stars Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Jamie Foxx as Electro. The New York-set movie will vie for the top spot of Hollywood summer blockbuster movies, with Rio and Maleficent weighing in the mix.

Rio 2 – Release Date 4/11/2014


Rio 2 begins with Blu and Jewel having three kids, and leaving domestic city life to visit the wilderness of Amazon where they will have a string of adventures and misadventures, with Blu having a feather-to-feather fight with Jewel’s father, Eduardo. Anne Hathaway reprises her role and lends her voice once more to Jewel with Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) as Blu. The big, white, evil Nigel stars as the adorable antagonist, with Jemaine Clement on voice. Expect a riot of festivities, interspersed with family bonding moments and a full ride to the vast biology and wildlife of the Amazon rainforest. Rio 2 is set to be released April 2014.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Release Date 4/4/2014


The long-awaited sequel to the original Captain America movie will take off from where The Avengers left off, Captain America: The Winter Soldier follows Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow in modern-day Washington, D. C., where a looming danger awaits in the form of a mysterious shadow. As Steve Rogers adjusts to the complexities of the modern world, he also struggles with his inner demons from the past. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johannson reprise their roles as Steve Rogers and Black Widow, respectively, with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. A precedent to the sequel of original The Avengers, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: The Winter Soldier comes this April.

Noah – Release Date 3/28/2014



Noah is the grand retelling of the classic Bible story that defied generations, and is arguably the most popular Bible story of all time. When Noah saw visions of an upcoming flood of epic proportions, he started to build a massive ark that will house his family and a pair of every living thing on the planet. Academy Award winner Russell Crowe is Noah, starring alongside a star-studded cast with Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Oscar winner Jeniffer Connelly as Ila, Ham, and Naameh, respectively. Sir Anthony Hopkins is Methuselah, and Douglas Booth is Shem. The rain starts pounding April 4.

300: Rise of an Empire is the story of how Themistocles persevered and succeeded with great tribulation, in his effort of uniting Greece to overthrow the quintessentially-tattooed and pierced antihero of the first 300 movie, Xerxes. Xerxes returns as a deity, with a thousand-strong army and a single posse, Artemisia. Rodrigo Santoro recurs as the demi-god Xerxes, and newcomer Sullivan Stapleton as Themistocles. Loosely based on the widely-successful graphic novels Xerxes of Frank Miller, the film is directed by Noam Murro and a screenplay by Zack Synder. Set to be released March 2014, 300: Rise of an Empire takes the Greek revolution to the seas, with massive wooden arcs clashing together in a Greek Pirate-of-the-Caribbean splendor.

In 'Le Week-End,' love is a battlefield — even in Paris

Marriage is not a pop song. Love does not keep us together. The hard work it requires causes stress fractures and fault lines.



The longtime marriage in "Le Week-End" is at a tipping point. And the next 48 hours will determine which way it falls.

Because it is being spent in the most romantic city in the world, the outcome seems to be a no-brainer. But not even Paris can gloss over how this couple's banter and familiarity have turned into bickering and discontent.

This heartbreakingly hilarious third collaboration by "Notting Hill" director Roger Michell and "My Beautiful Launderette" screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, reflects the sort of graceful clarity and discipline that the 60-something married couple, played by Jim Broadbent and veteran British TV actress Lindsay Duncan, lack.

They know each other so well that they choose to misunderstand everything the other says or does. He has turned fawning and needy; she has turned brittle and says his embrace is "like being arrested." They are visiting Paris, a holiday they can't really afford, for their 30th anniversary, traipsing through museums, lingering in restaurants and turning the city's pleasures into a battleground. They eat and drink with little merriment. Instead, snatches of complaint and argument reveal the chasm between them.

And yet marriage is not the problem; it's their lives. She's fighting for the sliver of individuality marriage can smother; he clings to her "like a drowning man to a shelf of melting ice."

"Love dies," she snarls. "Only if you kill it," he barks.

Such back-and-forth, sometimes drowned out by ambient noise and English accents, is acidly delivered by hangdog, stubble-chinned Broadbent and stone-faced Duncan, set against a spectacular City of Lights that beckons at every turn.

An energetic Jeff Goldblum, Broadbent's old college chum, is the deus ex machina with a young wife, luxury flat and a lucrative career, but whose success comes at the cost of the sense of connection that causes and allows people in love to also be at each other's throats.

The film's harried travelogue quality recalls Steve Coogan's "The Trip," the vexed spouses suggest Neil Simon's "The Out of Towners" and the shambling human comedy is the stuff of Woody Allen.

"People don't change," Broadbent argues. "They do," counters Duncan. "They get worse."

Because it's the only way old dogs will ever learn new tricks.

Le Week-End★★★1/2

A British couple in their 60s goes for a weekend in Paris to celebrate their anniversary, revisiting a trip they had taken many years before. Nick (Jim Broadbent) is a philosophy professor, and Meg (Lindsay Duncan) is a teacher. One moment it appears that they are happy together, joking and laughing, then it seems like their marriage could be tearing apart at the seams. These are not cutesy people in late-middle-age—they fight and swear and criticize. Their exchanges are intense and brutal and loving and funny and furious as they look at their life together. “You can’t not love and hate the same person,” Nick states. The trip is a testing of their bond. They have shared a lifetime of experiences and joy and disappointments. The film is charming but it isn’t sweet, and the terrific leads perfectly show the complexity of a couple in a long-term marriage.  —— by GILLIAN ANDERSON

Director: Roger Michell

Producer: Philip Knatchbull, Sue Smith, Louisa Dent, Bertrand Faivre and Kevin Loader

Cast: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum, Olly Alexander, Xavier de Guillebon, Brice Beaugier, Marie France Alvarez, Sebastian Siroux

Behind the scenes: Produced by Kevin Loader. Written by Hanif Kureishi. Directed by Roger Michell.

Rated: R; language, sexual references

Approximate running time: 93 minutes

From: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/in-le-week-end-love-is-a-battlefield--even-in-paris-b99243068z1-254825571.html

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Transformers Energon- The Complete Series DVD Collection New Cover and Release Details

TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES
Relive the Adventures of This Classic Animated TV Series in One Complete Set
Featuring All 51 Action-Packed Episodes

OWN THIS COLLECTIBLE 7-DVD SET ON MAY 6, 2014 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

This spring, get ready to relive some of the most exciting classic action battles of the AUTOBOTS through the complete series release of TRANSFORMERS ENERGON. In 2004, TRANSFORMERS fans were introduced to the animated series TRANSFORMERS ENERGON, the second part of the rare UNICRON Trilogy – consisting of ARMADA, ENERGON and CYBERTRON. The heroic OPTIMUS PRIME, his legions of AUTOBOTS and their human friends are in search of the valuable substance Energon, which they find on Earth. A mysterious force has discovered the Energon as well and will stop at nothing to gain control all of it. It’s up to the AUTOBOTS to save the fate of mankind and planet Earth from total destruction.

On May 6, 2014, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will release TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES on home entertainment shelves, featuring all 51 unforgettable episodes collected in one deluxe 7-DVD set. Whether discovering this series for the first time or reliving the childhood memory, this collectible DVD set is a must-have for every fan and collectors to complete their TRANSFORMERS home entertainment library. TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES is priced to own at $44.99 SRP. Pre-order is available now at www.amazon.com



Synopsis:

The UNICRON Trilogy Continues…

Ten years of peace have passed since UNICRON’s destruction, but all of that’s about to change. A mysterious enemy has unleashed the TERRORCONS on the AUTOBOTS’ cities, gathering energy for plans of total domination. Enter a newly revived MEGATRON and the universe is in for a war unlike any it’s ever seen between the AUTOBOTS and the DECEPTICONS. And once again, Earth is caught in the middle!

Can OPTIMUS PRIME and his valiant AUTOBOTS — alongside their human allies — protect the Earth against this new threat? Find out with the complete series of TRANSFORMERS ENERGON!

About Hasbro Studios

Hasbro Studios is the Los Angeles-based entertainment division of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS). The studio is responsible for entertainment brand-driven storytelling for the company across television, film, commercial productions and short-form. It develops, produces and distributes TV shows based on Hasbro's world class brands, including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, LITTLEST PET SHOP and FAMILY GAME NIGHT. Many of these shows air on the Hub Network, a U.S. television network for kids and their families, that is a joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Hasbro Studios shows can also be seen on networks in more than 180 territories globally. Since its formation in 2009, the studio has received seven Daytime Emmy wins and 16 nominations. On the film side, the studio is developing and producing a number of features based on Hasbro's brands, including TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (Paramount), G.I. JOE 3 (Paramount) and CANDY LAND (Sony). The studio team also oversees the production of commercials that feature Hasbro's brands as well production of short-form content that can be seen on all of the major digital and social media platforms globally.

About Shout! Factory


Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD and Blu-Ray? offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials in lavish packages crammed with extras. Shout’s audio division boasts GRAMMY?-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast digital distribution network which delivers video and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America. Shout! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group, Biograph Records, Majordomo Records, HighTone Records and Video Time Machine. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com



Get the scoop on all the Transformers updates as they happen right here at Tformers.com. The best resource for all your Transformers news and reviews every day.

From: http://tformers.com/transformers-energon-the-complete-series-dvd-collection-new-cover-and-release-details/22803/news.html

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Stallone vs. Schwarzenegger: Who wins the Escape Plan tale of the tape?

Images (C) Getty/Original GWR illustration

If you told anyone in the late-80s that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone would one day start teaming up to make movies, they probably would've reacted the same way as when they found out The Mega Powers were forming.



But here we are, some 20 years later, and two of the biggest action stars of all-time are following up their work in "The Expendables" and its sequel with co-top billing in "Escape Plan," releasing this weekend.



But enough about these massive humans working together - what would happen if we threw these long-in-the-tooth He-Men into a hypothetical world record brawl? On the eve of their new film, let's find out who would escape in one piece!

(See what we did there?)


THE CASE FOR SCHWARZENEGGER

World-class bodybuilder. Top-flight action star. United States governor.

The Schwarzenegger résumé is certainly varied and distinguished. And it's reflected in some of the world records he's been recognized for, which show off one of the truest examples of "The American Dream" we'll ever see.

Winner of six straight Mr. Olympia titles from 1970-75 and another in 1980, Schwarzenegger held the records for both most consecutive and overall wins of the event until later being surpassed by Lee Haney (1984-91) and Ronnie Coleman (1998-05). Still, that five-year gap between his sixth and seventh titles still remains as the record for longest time between Mr. Olympia titles.

Arnie's influence in the bodybuilding world was so great, he later went on to have the Arnold Sports Festival named after him. Having skyrocketed in popularity since its founding in 1989, it was recognized in 2007 as the bodybuilding event with the largest attendance.

And that's not even getting into his movie records. And no, we don't mean the record for most awesome movie line ever:



We mean the fact he holds the record for most films made by a bodybuilder. To go from winning 13 world titles (seven Mr. Olympia, five Mr. Universe, one Mr. World) to starring in 36 feature films is incredible. In fact, he grew into such an in-demand star that his epic "True Lies" in 1994 became the first-ever movie with a $100 million budget.

THE CASE FOR STALLONE

Impressive on Arnold's behalf, for sure. But if you're already counting out Stallone, you've obviously never seen a "Rocky" movie.

And there's no better place to start when debating the merits of the de facto Italian Stallion. The "Rocky" franchise, running from the original in 1976 to "Rocky Balboa" 30 years later, is the most successful sports movie franchise ever, grossing $1,251,372,491 throughout its six installments. And the way Stallone keeps going, it wouldn't shock us to see a "Rocky 7" add to this total soon.



Stallone is also responsible for one of the most audacious stunts pulled off in movie history. For his 1993 vehicle "Cliffhanger," Stallone had stuntman Simon Crane perform the most expensive film stunt in air: performed just once, Crane's trick of moving between two jets at an altitude of 15,000 ft (4,572 m) cost $1 million. Ever the nice guy, Stallone offered to to reduce his salary on the film by the same cost in order to make sure the stunt went off.

Stallone even bled into the gaming world, as his Rambo character begat the first movie-licensed run-and-gun game, "Rambo: First Blood Part II" on the SEGA Master System in 1986. And while it's not a record, Stallone (for "Rocky") is also one of only two men (Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles) to be nominated for Oscars in best original screenplay and best actor for the same film - good company!

THE VERDICT

Unfortunately, Stallone also holds a dubious distinction on the other end of the movie awards spectrum. He's the most-nominated Razzie recipient of all-time, garnering 30 noms en route to 8 career "wins" in the Golden Raspberry Awards for the worst in film.

And while it absolutely crushes me to go against the man who graced my life with this...



...there's just no way I can overlook the impact Schwarzenegger had on both movies and sport (without even accounting for his completely incongruous two-term run as governor of California).

So two jacked geriatrics enter; only one wins. Hasta la vista, Sly.

Winner: Arnold Schwarzenegger

From: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/10/stallone-vs-schwarzenegger-who-wins-the-escape-plan-tale-of-the-tape-52220/

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Top 30 Best New Action Movies Of 2014

Kaboom. These are the guys that toss a lit cigar at a gas station.

Here’s the breakdown of the biggest and best new action movies, 2014.


- JANUARY -

Lone Survivor


Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Eric Bana, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster
Director: Peter Berg
Out: 10 January 2014 (U.S. Release Dates)



In 2005, four-man ‘SEAL Team 10′ is tasked with capturing or killing a notorious Taliban leader. But the mission goes spectacularly wrong, and despite rescue being on the way the result is a considerable loss of American life. Based on the true story, this was adapted by director Peter Berg several years back while he was embedded with a SEAL team in Iraq. He couldn’t get studio support to make it then without agreeing to helm ‘Battleship’ first. Consensus is it’s uncompromising, brutal and paints a vivid picture of the challenges fighting in Afghanistan. In other words, it’s given ‘Battleship’ a reason for existing.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Starring: Chris Pine, Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Out: 17 January 2014





A young covert CIA analyst (Pine) uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. Knightley plays his fiancé, Branagh is the Russian oligarch villain, Costner the CIA liaison. This is the first Jack Ryan movie not based off one of Tom Clancy’s novels. They’ve already tried to reboot the series with Ben Affleck to little effect. Chris Pine, despite a couple of interesting early roles, has become a bland leading man and isn’t a patch on Harrison Ford, or the Alec Baldwin/Sean Connery team up that were the cornerstones of the earlier movies. Furthermore, Russia is a dull setting and antagonist Kenneth Branagh’s accent is pure ham. However it’s co-written by two of Hollywood’s best screenwriters, David Koepp (‘Jurassic Park’) and Steven Zaillian (‘Clear and Present Danger’). The final critical and public consensus is that it all works well enough. Box office success would have spurred on adaptations of Clancy’s ‘Rainbow Six’ and ‘Splinter Cell’, which are more interesting prospects, but unfortunately it has underperformed.

I, Frankenstein
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto
Director: Stuart Beattie
Out: 24 January 2014





Frankenstein’s creature (Eckhart) has survived to present day due to a genetic quirk in his creation, and is now an intelligent, evolved man. Making his way to a dark, gothic metropolis, he finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans. Soon he is being hunted by demons wanting to learn the secret of his creation to build an army of the undead. Otto plays the queen of the gargoyles. Nighy is the film’s villain, a former angel who descended with Satan. It’s an adaptation of the graphic novel, from the producers of ‘Underworld’. Director Stuart Beattie is an established screenwriter (‘Collateral’, ’30 Days Of Night’) who recently made a shaky directing debut with ‘Tomorrow, When The War Began’. The lead actors did 3 months of martial arts training. If ‘Underworld’ was your thing, expect this to have a similar tone. Reviews have been absolutely dreadful.

- FEBRUARY -

Robocop

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Sam Jackson, Abbie Cornish
Director: José Padilha
Out: 12 February 2014




oel Kinnaman (TV’s ‘The Killing’) is the new Alex Murphy and the plot’s still about a crime-ridden city, this time in 2046, where a fatally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg, haunted by submerged memories. However Robocop himself looks and acts very differently to the 1987 original – for one, there will be no twitchy robotic moves. This version focuses much more on the transitional phase, about a man becoming part-machine. Oldman plays the scientist overseeing the transformation, Keaton is the possibly-villainous CEO, Jackson is a powerful TV mogul, Cornish is Murphy’s wife who’s initially led to believe her husband is dead. From the director of Brazil’s highest grossing movie of all time ‘Elite Squad’. The trailer revealed a number of weak choices that mean this seems destined for ‘meh’ status. But I love the original, so here’s hoping they surprise us.

Pompeii
Starring: Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kiefer Sutherland, Jared Harris
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Out: 21 February 2014




In 79 A.D. a slave turned invincible gladiator (Kit Harington, ‘Game of Thrones’) finds himself in a race against time to save his true love (Emily Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator (Kiefer Sutherland). As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him…. Aiming for the ‘Titanic’ action-romance-in-midst-of-disaster-tragedy, this is coming from dreaded director Paul W.S. Anderson (‘Resident Evil’, ‘Alien vs. Predator’, ‘The Three Musketeers’). With a bland pair of leads, there’s little chance it’ll be anything more than mediocre/mildly entertaining.

Three Days To Kill
Starring: Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld, Connie Nielsen
Director: McG
Out: 21 February 2014




Darkly-comedic actioner about a dying Secret Service Agent (Costner) who retires to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Steinfeld) but is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in return for one last assignment. Now he must complete the mission while coping with the drug’s hallucinatory side effects. It’s great to see Costner back as leading man in an action movie, and Steinfeld did well in ‘True Grit’. McG is directing. Luc Besson’s production company (‘Taken’, ‘From Paris with Love’, ‘Transporter’) is behind it, and Besson also co-wrote the script. Expect it to be similar to those movies in budget and ambition. The recent trailer suggested a pretty cheesy film with a wooden performance by Heard.


-MARCH-
300: Rise Of An Empire

Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Rodrigo Santoro, Lena Headey
Director: Noam Murro
Out: 7 March 2014



Set before, during and after the events of 2007′s ’300′. This is based on Frank Miller’s upcoming graphic novel ‘Xerxes’ which follows Greek leader Themistocles (Stapleton, ‘Animal Kingdom’) as he leads Athens against Persian invaders in a naval battle, that plays out simultaneously with the Battle of Thermopylae (depicted in the first film). The massive Persian force is led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Santoro) and Artemesia (Green), the vengeful commander of the Persian navy. The narrative will also cover the backstory of Xerxes, explaining how he became ‘the God King’. Previous director Zach Snyder is off helming DC movies but he’s chosen his replacement, a commercials director whose work includes recent ‘Halo’ campaigns. He seems to have done a good job of replicating the visual style, but it’s uncertain if the movie will have a charismatic central performance – Gerard Butler’s madness could be sorely missed.

Need For Speed

Starring: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Ramon Rodriguez, Michael Keaton
Director: Scott Waugh
Out: 14 March 2014




Fresh from prison, a blue-collar street racer (Paul) who was framed by a wealthy business associate (Cooper) joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins. From the director ‘of Act of Valor’, this is based on the videogame racing series. If you thought ‘Fast & Furious’ had got too cartoony, wait ’til you get a load of this. The glossy collection of cars is so exquisitely expensive they’re only driven in the real world by the sons of oil barons. Aaron Paul is making his shot at movie stardom, catapulted by the phenomenal success of TV’s ‘Breaking Bad’. With no ‘Furious’ movie now due this year, this might just be a sleeper hit.

The Raid 2

Starring: Iko Uwais, Alex Abbad, Julie Estelle, Cecep A. Rahman
Director: Gareth Evans
Out: 28 March 2014




Picks up right where the first film left off and follows Rama (Uwais) as he goes undercover and infiltrates the ranks of a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and uncover the corruption in his own police force. The Indonesian martial arts sequel is written and directed once again by Welshman Gareth Evans. Here the action is not confined to one building and takes place over three years, not one day. Original title ‘Berandal’ means thugs, and it will be largely prison-gang based. Included is Evans’ take on a car chase, focusing on what impact a crash has on the person inside. The first movie was superb badass action. The teaser trailer for this was great too (even though the idea was stolen from ‘Oldboy’). Evans says he is currently outlining ‘The Raid 3′.

- APRIL -
Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie
Out: 4 April 2014



Two years after The Avengers, Steve Rogers is struggling to adapt to his role in the modern world. When a SHIELD compatriot is attacked, he teams up with Black Widow to battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in Washington, D.C. Before long they recruit the help of the Falcon (Mackie) and encounter a powerful new adversary with links to Cap’s past and Black Widow’s heritage — The Winter Soldier… The Falcon will have telepathic abilities and be able to fly using a harness. Frank Grillo plays supervillain Crossbones, though the size of the role is uncertain, and Baron Zemo is rumoured. Sam Jackson is back, this time accompanied by Robert Redford as a senior leader within SHIELD and a member of the World Security Council (great casting). The comedic directors of ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘You, Me and Dupree’ are an odd choice for this, but we have to trust Marvel at this point. I’m looking forward to a full-on Cap story set in the modern era, but am I the only one who doesn’t find his co-star Black Widow interesting?

Sabotage

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard
Director: David Ayer
Out: 11 April 2014



Ten members of an elite DEA task force find themselves being assassinated one by one after somebody steals $10 million during a drug cartel raid. Which one of them is behind it? Directed and co-written by the man behind ‘End of Watch’ and the screenplay for ‘Training Day’. This is loosely based on Agatha Christie’s 1939 whodunit ‘And Then There Were None’, aka ‘Ten Little Indians’ (the movie’s original title was ‘Ten’). It’s a brilliantly plotted book and it’ll be great to see it adapted to this sub-genre, especially with talent behind it. However it’s reported that a solid ending had to be scrapped and rewritten after test audiences turned their noses up. Also, let’s be honest, Arnold is looking too old to convince as someone who could win a physical fight.

- MAY -
The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti
Director: Marc Webb
Out: 2 May 2014




Spider-Man squares off against the Rhino (Giamatti) and the powerful Electro (Foxx) while struggling with his promise to keep Gwen Stacey out of his dangerous life. When his old friend Harry Osborn (DeHaan) returns, Peter begins to discover more about his parents. Pre-transformation, Electro is a “nobody” electrical engineer working for Oscorp who idolises Spider-Man, it’s an accident at the labs involving electric eels gives him the ability to control electricity. The Rhino meanwhile will be a Russian mobster, and end up in a giant mech suit. Chris Cooper is Norman Osborn, but you won’t see his Goblin this time. Felicity Jones makes a small appearance as Black Cat. (The production is working toward a ‘Sinister Six’ movie.) The director of the first ‘Amazing’ returns. There’s a concern that both main villains look to be putting in hammy performances but the movie should still be great Spidey fun, free from having to tell the origin story again. Let’s not forget, ‘Spider-Man 2′ was the best in the series.

Godzilla

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe
Director: Gareth Edwards
Out: 16 May 2014




The famous monster hero goes up against various malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence (one is described as centipede-like, another is reminiscent of the Cloverfield monster). 1999′s Godzilla was a crushing disappointment but the franchise has so much potential on the big screen and now the West is going to try again. This is a $160m effort from Legendary Pictures, who rebooted Batman so successfully. It’ll be directed by Gareth Edwards, the newcomer who brought us the similarly-themed low-budget ‘Monsters’. It’s a huge step up for him. The new, much more faithful, creature design was revealed at Comic-Con (see picture above). Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Cranston are the leads, playing a lieutenant and a scientist respectively. I can’t wait to see Godzilla done right.
-May 2014-
X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
Director: Bryan Singer
Out: 23 May 2014




In a 2023 dystopian future where mutants are all but wiped out by giant robotic Sentinels, the X-Men send Wolverine’s mind back to his 1973 body through Kitty Pryde’s phasing powers in a desperate effort to stop Mystique and Magneto assassinating key figures and changing the future. Characters from the original X-Men film trilogy are joining forces with their younger selves from ‘X-Men: First Class’. Confirmed so far are Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Iceman, Kitty Pryde, Professor X, Magneto and Colossus from the original, and Mystique, Beast, Magneto, Professor X, and Havok from ‘First Class’. New mutants include Quicksilver, Blink, Bishop, Sunspot, Warpath, and Ink. Overall the plot is much changed from the comics (where it was Kitty Pryde going back to 1980). Director Bryan Singer, of ‘X1′ and series-highlight ‘X2′, is back in charge. Having mutants involved in blowing JFK’s head off really is in bad taste, but that aside, this should be thrilling ensemble action.

- JUNE -
Edge Of Tomorrow

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Jeremy Piven
Director: Doug Liman
Out: 6 June 2014



A conscript (Cruise) fighting in the United Defense Force against the mysterious ‘Mimic’ aliens laying siege to Earth, finds himself caught in a time loop of his last day of battle – dying each time but becoming better skilled as he repeats it. Fighting alongside him is a special forces solider (Blunt) who is highly decorated and peerless in battle, seen as a hero by the entire world, but really she has experienced the time loop too. The script adapts the Japanese novella ‘All You Need Is Kill’ and was on the Black List (an industry rundown of the best unproduced screenplays). It’s a sci-fi ‘Groundhog Day’ (as was ‘Source Code’), with a touch of ‘Starship Troopers’. Director Doug Liman (‘The Bourne Identity’) is solid, and was unfairly bashed for his inventive ‘Jumper’. Cruise’s sci-fi effort last year, ‘Oblivion’, was very capable, expect him to be just as committed here.

Transformers: Age Of Extinction
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Kelsey Grammer, Stanley Tucci
Director: Michael Bay
Out: June 27, 2014



A semi-reboot: Shia is gone, along with the entire human cast, a couple of key writers, and all but two of the Transformers (a redesigned Prime and Bumblebee). Instead this is about a mechanic (Wahlberg) and his daughter (Peltz) making a discovery 4 years later that brings the Autobots, Decepticons, and a paranoid government official (Grammer) down on them. Also involved is the long-overdue introduction of the Dinobots (see Grimlock, above), who may not necessarily be Autobot allies much of the time. The all-new Decepticons are Galvatron, Cyclonus and Lockdown. The human cast was tired so I’m glad to see fresh talent. If only Bay would hand directing duties onto someone else.

- JULY -

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Starring: Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Keri Russell
Director: Matt Reeves
Out: 18 July 2014




A decade on, the growing nation of genetically-evolved apes is threatened by a band of human survivors. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived and soon they’re on the brink of a war that’ll determine who emerges as Earth’s dominant species. James Franco is not returning, instead the main human will be played by Gary Oldman, alongside a family played by Jason Clarke (‘Zero Dark Thirty’), Keri Russell (‘Dark Skies’) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (‘Let Me In’). The capable Matt Reeves (‘Cloverfield’, ‘Let Me In’) comes on board as director. Andy Serkis is back doing motion capture for lead ape Caesar. His work was jaw-dropping last time, so he’s reason alone for seeing this – even though his arc this time can’t be nearly as fascinating. Fans will be interested to know that Caesar now has a son and his main rival is Koba. Since the Charlton Heston original tells us that the apes win and humanity is enslaved/extinguished, this is surely going to be a depressing watch. Still the previous movie was surprisingly entertaining so let’s assume this has a satisfying way of doing it.

Hercules: The Thracian Wars

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Rufus Sewell, Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, John Hurt
Director: Brett Ratner
Out: 25 July 2014




Having endured his legendary twelve labours, Hercules, the Greek demigod, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord. He and his six companions will have their eyes opened to how far they have fallen as they train the king’s army to become as ruthless and bloodthirsty as their reputation has become… Not to be confused with Renny Harlin’s ‘The Legend of Hercules’ which also came out this year but was so bad it isn’t worth mentioning. This $110 million-budgeted project is based on the graphic novel of the same name, and directed by fanboy bogeyman Brett Ratner. The ‘Conan’ reboot didn’t work out too well but this has true star power in Dwayne Johnson and should make for an entertainingly-average musclebound saga.

Jupiter Ascending

Starring: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne
Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Out: 25 July 2014



In a universe where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, an unlucky Russian immigrant (Kunis) who cleans toilets for a living encounters an interplanetary warrior (Tatum) who the Queen of the Universe has sent to kill her. He tells her that the stars were pointing to an extraordinary event on the night she was born, and that her DNA could mark her as the universe’s next leader… Sean Bean plays Stinger, a “Han Solo-type character”, who helps them as they are pursued by cyber hunters. Also Terry Gilliam has “a small but vital” acting role. The Wachowskis are returning to their ‘Matrix’ roots with another story of an average person plucked from obscurity and told they’re “The One”. But is the rest of the plot too wacky to connect with people? (Are Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum the actors you’d want to sell a silly idea as serious – here Tatum plays a half-albino with wolf and human DNA). Visually the Wachowskis are about the best in the business, and in a sci-fi setting it should be something to behold. I hope this sees them back on top.

- AUGUST -
Guardians Of The Galaxy

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice)
Director: James Gunn
Out: 1 August 2014



A jet pilot gets stranded in space, and must unite a diverse team of aliens to form a squad capable of defeating cosmic threats. Leading the ensemble is Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, who left Earth in the mid-1980s and goes around space as a rogue until he realises he needs a higher purpose. Zoe Saldana plays the blue-skinned adopted, but runaway, daughter of Thanos. Also in the team is Groot, an extraterrestrial tree-like creature who is royalty on his homeworld and can regenerate most devastating wounds, to be voiced by Vin Diesel. And Rocket Raccoon, an anthropomorphic raccoon created on Earth to be an expert marksman and master tactician, who’s voiced by Bradley Cooper. Nova Corps (Marvel’s interstellar police force) also feature with Glenn Close as Nova Prime and, oddly, John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey. The best Marvel movies are character introductions, and space is a refreshingly different arena for them. Director James Gunn (‘Slither’) is well equipped to handle the quirk and complexity of the material, hopefully he won’t let it slip into overly-campy ‘Farscape’/'Red Dwarf’ territory.

-August 2014-
Lucy

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi, Amr Wacked
Director: Luc Besson
Out: 8 August 2014




Lucy (Johansson), a woman living in Taiwan, works as a drug mule. When a drug she inadvertently takes goes into her system it changes her into a metahuman. Now she can absorb knowledge instantaneously, is able to move objects with her mind and can’t feel pain. Morgan Freeman plays the scientist Lucy seeks out to save her life. It’ll be interesting to see South Korean Choi Min-sik, ‘Oldboy’ himself, in his first significant English speaking role. Writer/director Luc Besson returns to the territory of ‘Nikita’, ‘Leon’ and ‘The Fifth Element’. He’s perhaps better suited than anyone at tackling a female superhero. This is his production company’s (EuroCorp’s) biggest ever budget, and probably its biggest ever risk given the box office returns for superheroine-led movies.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Starring: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Whoopi Goldberg
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Out: 8 August 2014




Aliens invade Earth and inadvertently spawn a quartet of mutated reptile warriors, the Ninja Turtles, who rise up against them to defend the world. Megan Fox is friendly reporter April O’Neil. Will Arnett is April’s cameraman and rival, Vernon Fenwick. William Fichtner dons armours as arch-nemesis Shredder (complete with “surprising” backstory). Size-challenged actor Danny Woodburn plays Splinter. Whoopi Goldberg portrays an aggressive journalist. Casey Jones, Bebop and Rocksteady won’t be appearing. From Michael Bay’s production company, the director’s track record is poor (‘Battle Los Angeles’, ‘Wrath of the Titans’, etc), so this will probably be substandard, but I’m excited to see the turtles fully realised in live action. It could be badass.

The Expendables 3

Starring: Stallone, Statham, Li, Schwarzenegger, Lundgren, Couture, Crews
Director: Patrick Hughes
Out: 15 August 2014



The mercenary group led by Ross (Stallone) comes face to face with their co-founder Stonebanks (Gibson). Ross was forced to kill Stonebanks when he became a ruthless arms trader, but Stonebanks survived and has now made it his mission to destroy The Expendables. To help his team Ross resorts to recruiting several younger technology-oriented mercs, but they are soon bumping heads with the veterans. New additions to the cast include Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Robert Davi, Kelsey Grammer, Kellan Lutz, MMA star Ronda Rousey and welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz. Bruce Willis is out after a very public argument over money. The director of the uninspiring ‘Red Hill’ takes over behind the camera. The series is missing a serious trick not getting John Woo to direct, or the likes of Paul Verhoeven. There are certain action directors from the era that are fantastic but have become unfashionable, just like the stars. ‘Expendables 2′ had a great cast line-up but struggled to hold the attention with its paint-by-numbers story and visuals. The series also needs to become more of an ensemble, less Stallone-focused and stop filming in bland Bulgaria. However, expect ‘Expendables 3′ to be more of the same.


- NOVEMBER -
Fury

Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, Michael Peña
Director: David Ayer
Out: 14 November 2014



During the last months of World War II, as the Allies made their final push in the European Theater, a battle-hardened army sergeant (Pitt) commands a Sherman tank called “Fury” and its five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, they face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany… Pitt’s on an ‘Inglourious Basterds’ re-run, but with the writer-director of ‘End of Watch’ (who also wrote ‘Training Day’) this should be tonally very different – i.e. dark and gritty. The director’s screenplay for ‘U-571′ pretended that operation was American not British so there may be more grating historical inaccuracies in store here. Hated man of the moment Shia LaBeouf features prominently which may be a distraction – reports claim he annoyed Pitt by refusing to shower, to maintain authenticity. Brad Pitt remains a compelling, bone-fide movie star so with a quality dramatist behind the camera this is one to keep an eye on.

- DECEMBER -

The Hobbit: There And Back Again

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom
Director: Peter Jackson
Out: 17 December 2014



The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug’s lair but can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it? This movie not only concludes the Hobbit trilogy but goes beyond the novel and acts as a bridge to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Peter Jackson has used the appendices of the novel of ‘The Return of The King’ to help develop an original story. The exact contents of this third part are unknown however the Battle of the Five Armies will be in it, so a significant portion of The Hobbit is included. Should the 400 page book have been stretched to a trilogy when Lord of the Rings was 1250 pages? No, but each Hobbit movie makes $1 billion+ worldwide. So expect more padding here. Still it’s a must for fans of this world, which is most of us.


- SOME TIME IN 2014 -

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Hugh Grant, Jared Harris
Director: Guy Ritchie
Out: TBC 2014



At the height of the Cold War in the early ’60s a CIA agent (Cavill) and a KGB agent (Hammer) are forced to put aside longstanding hostilities to stop a mysterious criminal organization seeking to destabilise the balance of power through proliferating nuclear weapons and technology. The duo’s only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, the key to infiltrating the group… The premise and sensibility are well suited to director Guy Richie’s skillset. He reimagined Sherlock Holmes with considerable success and should get good quirk and interplay out of the otherwise bland pairing of Cavill and Hammer. Hugh Grant will be fun as their boss Waverly. David Beckham makes his Hollywood debut.

From: http://www.movie-moron.com/?p=28501