[Trailer] Palo Alto
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High school is certainly a time full of hormonally driven decisions and rebellious actions. There is this need to be full of angst yet a simultaneous desire to have complete affection. However, this angst can sometimes lead a teen to getting into too much trouble, whereas the need for affection can have one befriending a box of Kleenexes and a tub of Ben & Jerry's. It definitely isn't the easiest time for anyone, even when one seems to be succeeding pretty well. These multiple emotions that many feel throughout four short years are attempted to be captivated in dozens and dozens of films. While my own personal favorites are from the 80's generation, there are countless others made in recent years like Mean Girls, Juno, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower that take a bold stance on the controversial issues that American high schoolers face. Palo Alto is the latest film that will be taking on this challenge, covering the issues of teacher-student scandals and teenage rebellion.
Starring James Franco, Emma Roberts, Val Kilmer, and Nat Wolff, this dark drama covers a the lives of a few teens with the desire to find trouble. Roberts plays April, a 14 year old who just wants to feel love from a significant other who seems consistently disappointed by Kilmer's character Stewart's ignorance. However, Franco's character, Mr. B, sees this in April and is suddenly a bit more interested in being just her soccer coach and teacher. Simultaneously, Stewart is trying to make a better image for himself but is finding it difficult with the poor influence of his friend Fred (Wolff). The story lines appear to intertwine in order to make a film with just about as much complexity as that period in life is for all who experience it.
I must say, it's been awhile since a trailer had me so pumped up to go to the movies, but I'm eagerly anticipating this release. Franco and Roberts are two of my favorite performers, and I hope that it turns out as great as I'm hoping it to be. The latest film written and directed by Gia Coppola will be in theaters May 9, 2014.
[Weekend Box Office] Captain America Saluted at the Box Office
In a surprise to nobody, Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier topped domestic box offices this weekend with a resounding $96.2m opening, making the film's release the largest April release in history. What's more interesting is the film's international gross, surpassing the $207m mark this weekend. For a film so deeply rooted in American patriotism, it's surprising to see Captain America perform so well overseas.
Ever since Marvel Studios officially began producing their own films with 2008's Iron Man, the studio has been on a box office tear, with each subsequent film generating millions, if not billions, in returns. Analysts have noted the The Avengers effect, which has shown to help every Marvel film released since 2012's The Avengers, and that effect has been as clear as day, with Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and now Captain America: The Winter Soldier raking in the big bucks following the superhero team-up film. Of course, the real test for Marvel, as I've been saying for over the past year, is whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy can make as much at the box office as the aforementioned films have.
In other box office news, Noah dropped to the second spot with a $17m weekend, which was a dramatic downturn from last weekend's $44m showing. Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel climbed a spot to 5th with $6.3m, while 300: Rise of an Empire completely fell out of the Top 10. This weekend's openings include the family-friendly Rio 2, the NFL-related Draft Day, and the horror film Oculus. However, the biggest news is that The Raid 2: Berandal expands to more theaters this week; I implore every single one of you to catch The Raid 2 this weekend. Trust me, you won't regret it.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - $96,200,000
2. Noah - $17,000,000
3. Divergent - $13,000,000
4. God's Not Dead - $7,726,000
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel - $6,300,000
6. Muppets Most Wanted - $6,285,000
7. Mr. Peabody and Sherman - $5,300,000
8. Sabotage - $1,908,000
9. Need for Speed - $1,836,000
10. Non-Stop - $1,827,000
[via Collider]
GoPro Announces a New Software Update Alongside New Accessories
GoPro couldn't wait to release some of their new products individually, so they decided to unleash them all at the same time. They have released some new accessories and a new software update for the all the GoPro users to have new ways to shoot, edit, and share video and images. For $40 - $50, GoPro enthusiasts can choose from two new different housing units, such as the Black Housing, which is a durable black matte mount when you want to go incognito, or if you want to go smaller can opt for The Frame.
If those mounts aren't your style, GoPro also introduced the Gooseneck mount for $20. You'd think that was it, but there is one more accessory left: the $200 Dual Hero System that houses not one but two GoPro cameras if you want to dedicate one camera for images and the other for film. With all of the new accessories, you'd think GoPro would be done, but they went ahead and released new software updates as well. To make the whole GoPro experience easier, they updated their mobile app, as well as making improvements to camera HERO3+ software.
For more detailed information on all the new accessories and software updates visit the GoPro website here.
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[Via GoPro]
[Trailer] A Haunted House 2
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Countless scary movies cycle through movie theaters as the year progresses. People wait in lines for tickets with the hope that in a few hours they won't even be able to sleep with the lights off. They watch the movie for a little bit and more often than not are extremely disappointed in just how terribly not scary the experience was for them. In fact, if a majority of viewers are anything like me, they were probably laughing throughout the film instead of screaming.
A Haunted House 2 is the sequel to the popular flick A Haunted House, and it proudly embraces the humor that could come from scary movie situations. Malcom, played by Marion Wayans, was forced to exorcise his former girlfriend but is now working to make things go smoothly with his current girlfriend and her two kids. However, the paranormal manages to follow him to his brand new house. A parody of many recent horror movies, it's a film that's sure to get some laughs.
A Haunted House 2 is directed by Michel Tiddes and produced by Rick Alvarz and Marion Wayans. Other cast members are Jaime Pressly, Gabriel Iglesias, Ashley Rickards, Steele Stebbins, Essence Atkins, Affion Crocket, Dave Sheridan, Hayes MacArthur, Missi Pyle and Cedric The Entertainer. The film will hit the theaters on Friday, April 18! Below is A Haunted House 2's parody poster of Insidious 2.
Johnny Knoxville Voicing Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
...what the what? It appears that the de facto leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the blue-masked, katana-wielding Leonardo, will be voiced by none other than Jackass star Johnny Knoxville in Jonathan Liebesman's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. This is a bit odd, considering Knoxville's known for his wacky shenanigans whereas Leonardo's known for his... anti-wacky shenanigans. If anything, Knoxville would have fit more naturally as Michelangelo, the dude with the 'tude. However, this isn't my way of saying Knoxville can't portray Leonardo in a fitting way, especially if the film's script calls for a less serious Leonardo, or if Knoxville can be firm and wise in playing the part.
Also joining the voice cast is Monk's Tony Shalhoub as the turtles' father figure, Splinter. His casting is more fitting, as Shalhoub's turn as Monk is much more in line with Splinter. I know there were worries that Splinter wouldn't be in the film due to his lack of screen time in the first trailer, but what's a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film without Splinter or pizza? Then again... there was a distinct lack of pizza in the trailer, too.
Now that the first two voices have been announced, it's only a matter of time before we find out who'll portray the rest of the brothers in the Michael Bay-produced reboot. Are there any actors out there that you'd want to portray your favorite turtles? Let us know!
[via /Film]
[Weekly Netflix Fix] Amores Perros, Mean Girls Highlight New Additions
After months of consideration, I've finally pulled the trigger on providing weekly Netflix Instant updates. After all, I always wonder what's new on Netflix myself, so this is like killing two birds with one stone. Thankfully, I chose a great week to begin the Weekly Netflix Fix, because the past week saw dozens of titles added to Netflix. Some of my personal recommendations include Amores Perros, Bob's Burgers Season 3, Lars and the Real Girl, Mean Girls, Rocky I - V, and Terminator.
It's about time Mean Girls found its way to Netflix. Say what you will about Lindsay Lohan's downfall, but Mean Girls was a shining moment not only for her and for the rest of the cast (Hey, Lacey Chabert), but also Tina Fey's writing career and general acclaim for female-driven comedies. Hell, just last week, a close friend of mine told me she thinks she has ESPN. Bob's Burgers inclusion is self-explanatory: If you're not watching Bob's Burgers, you're missing out on one of the best animated shows on-air right now. Rocky I-V and Terminator are also self-explanatory. Amores Perros, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel, 21 Grams), is actually the first film in the Death Trilogy that also includes the two aforementioned films. The film is told through three interconnected vignettes that are tied together narratively by a car accident, and thematically by each vignette's characters' relationships with the dogs around them. It's gripping and infinitely better than Babel. Lars and the Real Girl, my left field suggestion, will be expanded on another time...
Check out the full list of updates below. Take note: the Weekly Netflix Fix will be updated every Thursday morning and will have a full list of new additions from the previous week (with the exception of this week where I simply added new titles from the beginning of April). Netflix Pix, where we choose one new title and explain why you should watch it ASAP, will be moved to Fridays to accommodate the Weekly Netflix Fix.
- Act Like You Love Me
- After Porn Ends
- Ali
- Alice
- Amanda
- Ambush at Dark Canyon
- Amistad
- Amores Perros
- Angel Heart
- Ass Backwards
- Axed
- Baby Genius: A Trip to the San Diego Zoo
- Baby Genius: Animal Adventures
- Baby Genius: Favorite Children's Songs
- Baby Genius: Favorite Nursery Rhymes
- Baby Genius: Mozart and Friends
- Bad Company
- Barton Fink
- The Bells of St. Mary's
- Bending the Rules
- Best of TEDx
- Berkeley in the Sixties
- The Black Tulip
- Bob's Burgers: Season 3
- Braveheart
- The Brooke Ellison Story
- Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
- Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot
- Cheaper by the Dozen
- Chinatown
- Click
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- Comic Book Villains
- Commune
- Coneheads
- Cotton Comes to Harlem
- Craigslist Joe
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- Death Wish
- Death Wish 2
- Death Wish 3
- Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
- Decoding Deepak
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Dragonslayer
- The English Patient
- ETXR
- A Fierce Green Fire
- The Fifth Element
- For a Few Dollars More
- Frankenstein's Army
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
- Germ Z
- The Goebbels Experiment
- Going Ape!
- The Graduate
- The Great Train Robbery
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
- The Heart of the Game
- Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
- The Hive
- The Hive: Season 1
- The Hive: Season 2
- House, M.D.
- House, M.D.: Season 1
- House, M.D.: Season 2
- House, M.D.: Season 3
- House, M.D.: Season 4
- House, M.D.: Season 5
- House, M.D.: Season 6
- House, M.D.: Season 7
- House, M.D.: Season 8
- In the Hive
- The Inexplicable Universe with Neil...
- Inside Out
- Inventing the Abbotts
- Jake Blauvelt: Naturally
- Jane Eyre
- Jumanji
- The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
- Lars and the Real Girl
- Last Tango in Halifax: Season 1
- League of Super Evil: Season 1
- A League of Their Own
- The Legend of Hell House
- Les Miserables
- The Little Prince
- A Man Called Peter
- Man Hunt
- The Man with One Red Shoe
- Mean Girls
- Midnight F.M.
- Mortified Nation
- Moto 5
- Mumfie: Season 1
- The Muppets Take Manhattan
- Murder at the Presidio
- My Bloody Valentine
- My Bodyguard
- The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear
- No Holds Barred
- No Way Home
- NotBad
- Now Is Good
- The Odd Couple
- Orgasm Inc.
- The Paradise: Series 1
- The Player: Secrets of a Vegas Whale
- Point Blank
- The Princess Twins of Legendale
- Pumpkin
- The Queens of Comedy
- Rabbit-Proof Fence
- The River's Edge
- The Robe
- Robinson Crusoe on Mars
- Rocky
- Rocky II
- Rocky III
- Rocky IV
- Rocky V
- Roger Dodger
- Royal Pains: Season 1
- Royal Pains: Season 2
- Royal Pains: Season 3
- Royal Pains: Season 4
- The Running Man
- Scary Movie 3
- Secret Things
- Sense and Sensibility
- Shenandoah
- Sommore: Chandelier Status
- Spanglish
- Steel Magnolias (2012)
- Stephen King's Thinner
- Strangers in Good Company
- Stuart Saves His Family
- Survival of the Dead
- Tentacles
- The Terminator
- That Splendid November
- There's No Business Like Show Business
- This Ain't California
- The Thomas Crown Affair
- Titanic
- The Turning Point
- The Undershepherd
- Women Who Kill
- The Wotwots: Season 1
- The Wotwots: Season 2
- The Writers' Room
- The Yards
Toby Kebbell Cast as Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four Reboot
Josh Trank's Fantastic Four reboot is finally settling into form. Following the official casting of Michael B. Jordan (That Awkward Moment) as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Kate Mara (Transcendence) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Jamie Bell (Nymphomaniac) as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now) as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, it's being reported that Toby Kebbell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) will be portraying the Fantastic Four's arch-nemesis, Victor Van Damme/Doctor Doom.
The Fantastic Four reboot will be primarily based on the Ultimate Fantastic Four line of books that re-imagined the staple Marvel 616 heroes as teenagers modernized for the current generation of fans. In the Ultimate FF universe, Sue, Reed, and Victor are young adult prodigies part of the Baxter Building's think tank devoted to the advancement of science and technology. After the cosmic event that give Sue, Reed, Ben, and Johnny their powers, the arc eschews away from the standard Marvel 616 continuity. Your Dad's Fantastic Four, this is not.
With Simon Kinberg's (X-Men: Days of Future Past) rewrites of the film's script, Trank's Fantastic Four should be infinitely better than 2005's Fantastic Four and its abysmal 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. With such a young cast at the core of the reboot, Fox has flexibility (and incentive) to re-build a Fantastic Four trilogy around them, furthering the Fox/Marvel film universe with a more cohesive, unified universe that could also see the X-Men sharing the same space. Let's just hope Fox doesn't go overboard with their plans in a desperate attempt to match the Disney/Marvel universe.
[via /Film]
[Weekend Box Office] Noah Sails to Top Spot
After a minor break in the action, Weekend Box Office is back, and what a week to return to. Darren Aronofsky's Biblical epic, Noah, debuted in the top spot despite Paramount Pictures' worries about the film's reception from religious groups. Perhaps the supposed "controversy" surrounding the film's artistic reimagining of the Biblical Flood, buoyed by positive critical reviews, is what helped the Russell Crowe-led film to a resounding $44m. This weekend's other big release, the David Ayer-directed (End of Watch), Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring Sabotage opened to a dismal $5.3m, landing in 7th place.
The weekend's two other limited release films, Diego Luna's Cesar Chavez and Gareth Evans' The Raid 2: Berandal, didn't place in the Top 10. The Michael Pena-starring Cesar Chavez did end up in 12th place with $3m while opening in 664 theaters, however. The Raid 2: Berandal, meanwhile, was only released in a handful of theaters, but will be getting a rollout release over the next few weeks and should track well amongst the 18-34 male audience.
You can check out the rest of this weekend's box office numbers below!
1. Noah - $44,000,000
2. Divergent - $26,500,000
3. Muppets Most Wanted - $11,373,000
4. Mr. Peabody and Sherman - $9,500,000
5. God's Not Dead - $9,075,421
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel - $8,825,000
7. Sabotage - $5,330,000
8. Need For Speed - $4,335,000
9. 300: Rise of an Empire - $4,300,000
10. Non-Stop - $4,086,975
[via Rentrak]