Terminator Genisys and Cake Trailers

Franchise star Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, "I'll be back", and he wasn't kidding around. Terminator Genisys arrives in 2015 and Arnold makes his long awaited return to the series that he helped build. This time, however, Alan Taylor has been given the keys to direct. And if you aren't familiar with the name, Taylor has dabbled in the premium television ranks having directed a small number of episodes for shows such as Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men and The Sopranos, all before tackling the 2013 blockbuster Thor: The Dark World. Check out the debut trailer for Terminator Genisys below.





Megastar Jennifer Aniston could be in line for the first Oscar Nomination of her career with what many have labeled as a "brilliant" performance in the festival circuit hit, Cake. Aniston stars as Claire, a woman fascinated by the suicide of a fellow member (Anna Kendrick) of the chronic pain support group she attends. Her curiosity leads her to the deceased woman's home, where Claire meets the widower (Terminator Salvation alumni Sam Worthington) and develops a relationship with him. In limited release this December and expanding in January, check out the trailer for Cake below.

The Gambler (2014)

Film: The Gambler (2014)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg (Lone Survivor), Brie Larson (Short Term 12) and John Goodman (Argo)

Director: Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)

U.S. Release: December 19th, 2014 (Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 111 minutes


Many aspects of life operate in cycles and Hollywood is no exception. The latest Tinseltown remake comes from Rise of the Planet of the Apes director, Rupert Wyatt, who teams up with Mark Wahlberg in the slightly re-imagined version of 1974's The Gambler. When Paramount originally announced the remake in the summer of 2011, it was believed that visionary Martin Scorcese and his loyal leading star, Leonardo DiCaprio, were in line take on the project. But after viewing Wyatt's unnecessary adaptation, I'm left to ponder what could have been.

Jim Bennett (Wahlberg) is a high stakes gambler who falls further and further into debt in an underground casino ring with his risky and careless betting habits. But after the self-destructive English professor borrows from a second loan shark and offers his life as collateral, his addiction continues to place him on a very dangerous path. And in Jim's mind, his only way out of this mess is to go all-in one final time.

For a brief moment before the film had ever been screened, some insiders gave The Gambler an outside chance at making an awards season splash. However, Rupert Wyatt's effort is far from Oscar contention. Boasting a constrained and soulless script that's drowned in timely cynicism and betting cliches, you can only watch a blackjack dealer flip over cards for so long before you start tuning out, and that limit is reached very early on. Simply put, The Gambler would rather show its protagonist losing than have the audience experience the feeling through a clever and well-crafted character-driven screenplay. As for the film's leading star, Wahlberg's performance is by no means a burden to the overall product, but he isn't a bright spot either. Unlike the 1974 original where James Caan delivers a character that viewers can connect with, it's difficult to tell whether Jim Bennett's lack of allure is a product of Wahlberg's acting, or the result of poor writing and development on the part of Academy Award winning screenwriter William Monahan. Odds are, it's a combination of both.

Thankfully, though, The Gambler offers a saving grace with its long list of exceptional supporting roles from John Goodman, Brie Larson and Jessica Lange. Each do their part to successfully transition Bennett's collapse from scene to scene, and some of the film's finest moments occur when John Goodman takes command of the screen. In fact, the movie would have been much better served opening the door a little wider for these vastly under-utilized characters. Brie Larson is such an emerging talent in Hollywood and, unfortunately, she isn't given the proper platform to work with in the film.

No matter how hard Rupert and his team attempt to offer a slick and cool tale of underground gambling, the final product fails to resonate. The Gambler's biggest detractor is an unlikable protagonist who becomes impossible to connect with for a multitude of reasons. For example, if you're trying to sell a story about an unlikely gambling addict, you should make the character significantly more endearing and vulnerable. Instead, all we're given are Wahlberg's frequent "woe-is-me" rants followed by a careless and unforgiving attitude that repels the audience almost immediately. There's no rooting interest here, so I suggest spending your time elsewhere.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C+

DVD Outlook: December 2014

Thanksgiving has come and gone (a wonderful day for me and all the other Eagles fans out there) so that means the world now shifts to Christmas mode. This holiday season offers plenty of excellent summer and early fall titles arriving to DVD in December. And since November contained such mediocre selections, you'll want to know about these hot new upcoming releases.




Guardians of the Galaxy - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

By now everyone has heard about the hype surrounding Marvel's new team of misfits, Guardians of the Galaxy, and I've validated my affection for the superhero flick plenty of times before. Plain and simple, Guardians of the Galaxy is a uproariously funny thrill ride that won't disappoint. The film definitely has a ceiling, but it never falls short of giving you everything it has. The laughs are legitimate, the story is entertaining and Chris Pratt proves to be a more than serviceable lead. By the time the closing credits roll, you'll have established a favorite member of the team and you'll be eager for the next chapter. (December 9th)




Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

The other major summer blockbuster that I've been touting for some time is Matt Reeves Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. With a long-winded franchise that's seen its fair share of peaks and valleys over the years, this latest installment is one of its brightest spots. The film uses smart writing and a combination of fantastic performances from Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell and the CGI specialist, Andy Serkis to bring a truly unique vision to life. I will openly admit that the third act tends to go a little overboard in certain parts, but all in all Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a well-crafted action film. (December 2nd)




The Skeleton Twins - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

One of my favorite films out of Sundance was Craig Johnson's heartfelt dramedy, The Skeleton Twins. Although I haven't seen the film again since my trip to Park City nearly one year ago, I remember how impressed I was with the pair of Saturday Night Live alumni, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. The duo obviously have a knack for humor, but they use their comedic charm to lure the audience into their troubled but genuine stories. The film tells a tender story of two twins who reunite under unfortunate circumstances after a decade without speaking to one another. The Skeleton Twins evokes a wide range of emotions thanks to superb storytelling and engaging performances from its leading pair. (December 16th)


Honorable Mention: Despite failing to land in my top 3 releases of the month, Reese Witherspoon stars in the Philadelphia Film Festival selection, The Good Lie (12/23), a film I definitely enjoyed. Two lesser known titles that I heard plenty of positives about are the Lasse Halstrom comedy, The Hundred-Foot Journey (12/2), as well as the British gay-activist comedy, Pride (12/23). Moreover, I found both the young-adult franchise origin, The Maze Runner (12/16), and the Tina Fey/Jason Bateman comedy, This is Where I Leave You (12/16), to be extremely mediocre. Finally, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (12/16) and the indie Sundance hit, Frank (12/9), are two films I haven't seen but I plan to catch later this month.

Star Wars: Episode VII and Peanuts Teaser Trailers

Two new teaser trailers have recently premiered that have what's left of my youth jumping for joy. First up is J.J, Abrams first attempt at the Star Wars franchise. The Force Awakens, which is due to reach theatres in December 2015, is a continuation of the saga set 30 years after Return of the Jedi. This teaser offers very little plot wise (I mean, it's only a teaser!) but shows an amazing level of visuals that we can hope to enjoy almost one year from now.





I was actually completely unaware of the second return to my childhood until the trailer for Peanuts was unveiled. Charlie, Snoopy and the rest of Charles Schulz's lovable characters will be making their big-screen debut Christmas 2015. Catch Snoopy and Woodstock doing their usual thing and a Charlie Brown appearance by the very end of the trailer that will make you eager for its release next year.

2014: Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I've always admired how its core principles are positive in nature, and I was raised by my parents to show gratitude and appreciation for the people, opportunities and possessions I've been given in my life. Therefore, this Thanksgiving I've decided to outline some of the great cinematic offerings throughout 2014 for which movie lovers should be thankful.

#5. A Successful Summer Blockbuster Season

You're going to find plenty of summer flops every year, it's inevitable. Thankfully, 2014's long list of blockbuster duds happened to be overshadowed by a pair of big winners. The Marvel addition, Guardians of the Galaxy, proved that superhero films don't need to be drowned in flashy long-winded action sequences. And then there was Matt Reeves' Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. An even better and more daring installment than its franchise rebooting predecessor, Dawn tied together an intriguing story and a stellar cast of performers.

#4. A Long List of Memorable Performances

While many of these roles occur in movies that fall short of the year's best, I spent 2014 enjoying a wide range of committed performances. Oscar hopefuls Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones have burst onto the scene with impressive turns in the Stephen Hawking biopic, The Theory of Everything. J.K. Simmons and his onscreen counterpart, Miles Teller, were unforgettable in the tense music drama, Whiplash. Although Teller has surprisingly been omitted from most Oscar conversations, Simmons has the inside edge in the Best Supporting Actor race. 

Other exceptional performances from Reese Witherspoon in Jean-Marc Vallee's Wild and Benedict Cumberbatch in Morten Tyldum's The Imitation Game are well deserving roles believed to be major players in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories. Despite the rare chance of either of these turns landing in the Best Actor top 5, I was captivated by Jeremy Renner as journalist Gary Webb in Kill the Messenger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the crime-thriller Nightcrawler. 

#3. Daring Filmmakers

Following in the footsteps of Gravity auteur, Alfonso Cuaron, director Alejandro G. Inarritu, constructed a transcending piece of work with his 2014 critical darling, Birdman. It's the type of film that cinema lovers need to see. Furthermore, the often Oscar-snubbed filmmaker, Christopher Nolan, continued to push boundaries this year with his wild sci-fi adventure, Interstellar. Nolan managed to bend both space and time in this well-crafted epic tale.

#2. Fantastic Indie Efforts

Richard Linklater, a groundbreaking filmmaker who could have also been mentioned above, reminded the general public of the powers of independent cinema with his coming-of-age story, Boyhood. By now it's widely known that Linklater filmed his masterpiece in bits and pieces over the span of 12 long years, but nothing can prepare you for just how fantastic of an experience Boyhood really is. Also, Jon Favreau returned to his indie roots with the wonderful father-son film, Chef. I wasn't a huge fan of its convenient ending, but the road-trip journey is an absolute pleasure to witness.

#1. Dark and Entertaining Dramas

It's no secret that the Academy Awards typically fawns over period pieces and hearty dramas, but two of 2014's finest films center on darker and more complex themes. Bennett Miller's enormously anticipated true-crime drama, Foxcatcher, dives deep into the human psyche and examines many complex individuals and their various obsessions. Channing Tatum and Steve Carell match extraordinary performances in one of the year's best films, period! Furthermore, David Fincher continues his trend of remarkably entertaining thrillers with the adapted tale, Gone Girl. Packing a hefty amount of twists and surprises, this missing-wife drama helped confirm that 2014's most notable films are of the dark-themed variety and there's no shame in that!

*** HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Jurassic World and The Interview (NEW) Trailers

The wait is finally over! After releasing a teaser advertising the first theatrical trailer, we've been given a full length preview into the new 2015 action blockbuster, Jurassic World. Safety Not Guaranteed director, Colin Trevorrow, appears to have jump-started the rebirth of this beloved franchise with a visually magnificent journey into a fully functioning dinosaur theme park that was originally intended 22 years earlier. Starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, check out the first-look into Jurassic World below.





If you're like me and you can't get enough sneak peeks into the upcoming Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy, The Interview, then you will definitely want to check out the film's latest and supposedly "final" trailer. Franco stars as Dave Skylark, the host of a popular celebrity tabloid show who is granted an exclusive interview with one of his biggest fans, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. As Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Rogen) prepare for the interview of a lifetime, the CIA recruits them to assassinate the dictator. This final trailer gives a more in-depth look into the Kim Jong-Un character, and it's pretty priceless. Check it out yourself.