With a new trailer set to arrive alongside Godzilla, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have dropped a teaser poster for Christopher Nolan’s next film, the hotly-anticipated and super top secret sci-fi Interstellar…

Interstellar is set for release on November 7th 2014, with a cast that includes Matthew McConaughey (Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Michael Caine (Inception), Mackenzie Foy (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn), Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games), Casey Affleck (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints), Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3), John Lithgow (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Bill Irwin (Lady in the Water), David Gyasi (Cloud Atlas), Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), David Oyelowo (The Butler), and Matt Damon (Elysium). Watch the first teaser trailer here.

The post Teaser poster for Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar appeared first on Flickering Myth.

As Universal prepares to continue the Bourne franchise with an as-yet-untitled fifth entry – and second outing for Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross – Matt Damon has once again spoken about the possibility of him reprising the role of super spy Jason Bourne, should The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum helmer Paul Greengrass return to the franchise…

“I’ve always been open to it if Paul Greengrass is the director, we’ve just never been able to come up with a story,” Damon told CNBC. “[The Bourne Ultimatum] felt like such a good way to end it last time.  Having said that, I love that character. I’d love to see what happened to him.”

Bourne 5 is currently slated for release on August 14th, 2015, with Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6) attached to direct. Presumably cameras will start rolling once Renner finishes up shooting Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Would you like to see Damon back for a fourth outing as Bourne? Or is Universal right to continue building the whole Aaron Cross storyline? Let us know your thoughts…

The post Matt Damon on a possible return as Bourne appeared first on Flickering Myth.

As Marvel gears up to kick off its big summer event series with the release of Original Sin #1, a trailer has arrived online for the cosmic whodunnit and you can check it out right here…

Who Shot The Watcher? The Watcher, the mysterious space-god who’s been watching us from the moon for as long as we can remember… is dead. Thus begins the greatest murder mystery in Marvel Comics history. As Nick Fury leads the heroes of the Marvel Universe in an investigation, other forces are marshaling as well and other questions are arising. Why is Black Panther gathering a secret team of his own, including Emma Frost, the Punisher and Dr. Strange? Who is the Unseen? What was the Original Sin? What was stolen from the Watcher’s lair? And most importantly, who now holds the Marvel Universe’s darkest secrets in the palm of their hand?

Original Sin is out tomorrow.

The post Check out a trailer for Marvel’s Original Sin appeared first on Flickering Myth.

With the marketing blitz on X-Men: Days of Future Past in full swing ahead of the film’s release later this month, CBM has got its hands on a new cast banner for the mutant superhero sequel featuring – from left to right – Colossus (Daniel Cudmore), Blink (Fan Bingbing), Sunspot (Adan Canto), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Professor X (James McAvoy), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Storm (Halle Berry), Shadowcat (Ellen Page), Warpath (Booboo Stewart), and Bishop (Omar Sy)…

The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from “X-Men: First Class,” in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.

X-Men: Days of Future Past opens in the UK on May 22nd and North America on May 23rd. Watch the latest trailer here.

The post X-Men: Days of Future Past cast banner unites the two X-Men teams appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Disney really are making the most of their new license. Not only did I visit a Disney store over the weekend to find it festooned in Star Wars merchandise, but it seems we’re going to get plenty more films from the House of Mouse.

The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger confirmed today during a Q2 Fiscal 2014 Earnings Conference Call that “at least three” Star Wars films are in development beyond the new trilogy of “Saga” chapters. Up until now, only two of these standalone projects were confirmed.

These films have previously been referred to as origin films, and will be keeping our multiplexes busy with Jedi and scruffy smugglers as they will be released in the years between the main episodes.

The only information we have so far is that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are involved with the screenplays. The stories being based on Han Solo, Boba Fett and Yoda are just rumour.

J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII meanwhile is set to star John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow in addition to original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. It will open in wide release on December 18th, 2015.

The post Three non-Saga Star Wars films confirmed appeared first on Flickering Myth.

With a month to go before the UK release of 22 Jump Street, Sony has dropped a new international trailer for the upcoming comedy sequel, which sees Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum back on the beat as officers Schmidt and Jenko; take a look after the official synopsis…

After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don’t have to just crack the case – they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship. If these two overgrown adolescents can grow from freshmen into real men, college might be the best thing that ever happened to them.

22 Jump Street is once again directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and sees Hill and Tatum joined by the returing Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle and Nick Offerman alongside Amber Stevens (Greek), Peter Stormare (Fargo), Wyatt Russell (This Is 40), Jillian Bell (Bridesmaids), Ashlyn McEvers (Star-Crossed) and original 21 Jump Street star Richard Grieco. The film opens in the UK on June 6th and in North America on June 13th.

The post New international trailer for 22 Jump Street appeared first on Flickering Myth.

UK box office top ten and analysis for the weekend of Friday 2nd Sunday 4th May 2014…

Sony’s superhero sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2 made it three weeks in a row at the top of the UK box office, with a third-weekend haul of £1,984,667 enough to retain the crown and push its cume beyond that of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with £19.8 million in the bank.

However, while Spidey officially takes the top spot, the real winner over the weekend was the Seth Rogen / Zac Efron comedy Bad Neighbours [read our review here], which opened on Saturday and pulled in over £2.5 million from Saturday and Sunday. Of course these figures don’t count until this coming weekend, and with a whopping six days of previews serving as a boost, expect Bad Neighbours to open big when the figures come in next time around.

Other new arrivals this week include the Kit Harington / Emily Browning disaster flick Pompeii, which fizzled rather than exploding, earning £1,165,551 to claim third, followed by Tarzan 3D in fourth with £808,174. And, down the bottom of the chart, thriller Plastic managed to nab tenth place, banking £154,441.

Number one this time last year: Iron Man 3

1 The Amazing Spider-Man 2, £1,984,667 weekend; £19,772,238 total (3 weeks)
2 The Other Woman, £1,447,983 weekend; £5,283,875 total (2 weeks)
3 Pompeii, £1,165,551 weekend (New)
4 Tarzan, £808,174 weekend (New)
5 Rio 2, £460,886 weekend; £12,410,619 total (5 weeks)
6 Captain America: The Winter Soldier, £357,448 weekend; £18,622,069 total (6 weeks)
7 Noah, £236,058  weekend; £9,580,366 total (4 weeks)
8 Transcendence, £229,178  weekend; £1,730,623 total (2 weeks)
9 Calvary, £203,752 weekend; £2,405,254 total (4 weeks)
10 Plastic, £154,441 weekend (New)

Incoming…

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest comeback vehicle Sabotage (cert. 15) arrives in cinemas today [read our review here], while Friday’s newcomers include Frank (cert. 15) [read our review here], I Declare War (cert. 15), Before the Winter Chill (cert. 15) [read our review here], The Wind Rises (cert. PG), Next Goal Wins (cert. 15) and The Canyons (cert. TBC) [read our review here].

The post The Amazing Spider-Man 2 makes in three in a row at the top of the UK box office appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Filth, 2013.

Directed by Jon S. Baird.

Starring James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan, Imogen Poots, Brian McCardie, Emun Elliott, Gary Lewis, John Sessions, Shauna Macdonald, and Jim Broadbent.

SYNOPSIS:

An egotistical and conniving Scottish police officer who sees the world through a drug-induced haze attempts to secure a promotion by undermining his fellow contenders.

Determined to win back his estrange wife and daughter, Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy) exploits the weaknesses of his colleagues in an effort to obtain a coveted promotion of Detective Inspector within the Scottish police force; prospects are looking great, especially, when the boss hands Robertson the responsibility of solving the murder of a Japanese student while he concentrates on learning how to write a screenplay.  When Robertson fails to save the life of man, the incident awakens his own guilt over his culpability in the death of his younger brother.  Hallucinations encroach on reality, thereby, revealing that the greatest threat to Robertson is himself.

There is no doubt that author Irvine Welsh has been able to mine the drug culture in Scotland which turned into popular culture gold when Danny Boyle did a cinematic adaptation of Trainspotting (1996).  Another Welsh novel has been given the big screen treatment, this time it is Filth by filmmaker Jon S. Baird (Cass) who wrote and directed the project.  Overdosed with bawdy comedy and mixed with a bitter hint of drama Baird has produce a slick and stylish story which is as fragmented as diminishing mental state of the protagonist.

Everything hinges on the performance of James McAvoy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) who has to turn a despicable human into a charming rogue.  One can see the attraction to a role where nothing would be considered too outrageous and McAvoy who is nearly in every single frame of movie seizes the opportunity with gusto.  The trouble is that the debauchery becomes tiresome and repetitive.  The growing darkness causes Filth to take on surreal nature as like Black Swan (2010) which also chronicles how an obsessive pursuit can lead to destructive madness, but unlike the Academy Award winning film it comes across as being more distracting than cleverly executed.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★  / Movie: ★ ★

Trevor Hogg 

Video Services Corp. presents Filth which will be available on Premium iTunes and cable VOD across Canada on May 20, 2014 and opens theatrically on May 30, 2014 in Toronto at the Carlton Theatre.

The post Movie Review – Filth (2013) appeared first on Flickering Myth.

With a long line of hilarious ‘honest’ trailers giving us the true lowdown on well known films, Screen Junkies have finally got round to Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. If you think they had a field-day on it, then you’d be right!

From Hayden Christensen and his coarse sand to Jedi chin stroking, it’s all there.

They also raise one point that had me proclaiming ‘How had I not clocked that myself?’

Just ask yourself, when do the clones actually attack anyone?

Check out the trailer below…

The post Watch the Honest Trailer for Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Trevor Hogg takes a look at the four-part miniseries where saving the world from all hell breaking loose is just part of job for the scorching hot Apocalypse Al…

All too often, private investigator Allison Carter is the only one who stands between the rest of us and the end of the world. In her biggest and most dangerous case to date, Apocalypse Al must fight her way through a collection of some of the biggest lunatics this side of the abyss: mad prophets, techno-wizards, cybervoids, dead but still nagging relatives, undead boyfriends, zombie cops, trolls, and machine gun toting imps. See for yourself the horror awaiting her on the other side of the happiest place on Earth…which may also be the very last place on Earth for her and all of us.

When it comes to dealing with demon worshippers, Allison Carter does not hesitate in firing a series of bullets at them along with some stinging sarcastic remarks.  The routine of having to dealing with paranormal activities is nothing unusual for the sexy and quick witted heroine who is carrying on the family business which has been going on for generations.  A new assignment is given to Carter by former LAPD detective who happens to be a member of the walking dead as well as the messenger from a shadowy group known as the Committee.  A mysterious individual has gotten hold of the Book of Keys to unlock the doorway to Hell and if successful he will bring about the end of the world.

Following the path of destruction resulting from the nefarious plan unleashing nightmares, elder worlds and other dimensions, Allison Carter starts to piece together the whereabouts and identity of the person of interest whom she seeks.  A homeless man who is insane and has the ability to envision the future assists Carter in providing a location; arriving too late she gets swept away into a nightmare which takes the shape of being a temp in a legal office.  Reality happens to be literally a toilet bowl flush away.  Matters get even stranger when the forces of Hell make contact via the Ultimate Darkness because too much time and effort has been spent putting together their own apocalypse to have it occur before the designated date.

J. Michael Straczynski is definitely having a lot of enjoyment creating supernatural adventures for his female protagonist who is a kindred spirit to the sassy and ingenious Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars.  Hollywood and Disneyland get lampooned along with Walt Disney who has a fatal encounter with certain enraged mouse.  Sid Kotian has created a buxom redhead who would give Mary Jane Watson some serious competition and he takes full advantage of exhibiting her sultry physique.  Along with the eye-popping assets of the leading lady, colourist Bill Farmer has chosen a vibrant colour pallet which at moments glows right off the page.  Troy Peteri gets to have some fun with the lettering from the scroll narratives to the word sound effects which echo the Batman TV series from the 1960s.   Needless to say, if the end of world had to be prevented I am certainly glad that Allison Carter is on the case.

The Adventures of Apocalypse Al, Vol. 1 which collects issues #1 to #4 arrives on May 28, 2014.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.

The post Comic Book Review – The Adventures of Apocalypse Al, Vol. 1 appeared first on Flickering Myth.

It seems that no franchise, however old, is safe from being resurrected or rebooted by Hollywood.

Deadline reports that Lionsgate is teaming up with Saban to produce a reboot of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The TV series is still running after 20 years and has proven its longevity. But should it be on the big screen again?

The original ‘Mighty Morphin‘, which ran for 3 seasons, introduced kids everywhere to the idea of “teenagers with attitude” who fought giant monsters in their similarly large dinosaur-esque zords.

I was always a big fan of Blue Ranger myself. The best colour and the best dinosaur? Can’t beat it!

Update: Lionsgate has just dropped an official press release announcing the movie, which you can read in full here…

Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, and Saban Brands, a strategic brand management company that acquires and builds global consumer brands, are partnering to develop and produce an original live action feature film based on the iconic Power Rangers property, it was announced today by creator of Power Rangers Haim Saban and Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer.  The announcement marks another step in Lionsgate’s continued commitment to build a broad portfolio of branded properties and franchises with global appeal.

Saban launched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as a live action television series more than 20 years ago, and the series has been in continuous production ever since.  It has subsequently grown into one of the world’s most popular and recognizable brands, with toys, apparel, costumes, video games, DVD’s, comic books and other merchandise.

The two companies noted that, with an extensive and extremely devoted worldwide fan base as well as a deep and detailed mythology, the Power Rangers are primed for the big screen.  The new film franchise will re-envision the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a group of high school kids who are infused with unique and cool super powers but must harness and use those powers as a team if they have any hope of saving the world.
 
“Lionsgate is the perfect home for elevating our Power Rangers brand to the next level,” said Saban.  “They have the vision, marketing prowess and incredible track record in launching breakthrough hits from The Hunger Games to Twilight and Divergent.  In partnership with the Lionsgate team, we’re confident that we will capture the world of the Power Rangers and translate it into a unique and memorable motion picture phenomenon with a legacy all its own.”
 
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Haim Saban and his team to maximize the potential of this immensely successful and universally recognized franchise,” said Feltheimer.  “The Power Rangers stories and characters have been embraced by generations of audiences for more than 20 years, and today they are more powerful than ever.  We have the ideal partner and the perfect brand with which to create a motion picture event that will resonate with moviegoers around the world for years to come.”

The post Lionsgate and Saban to reboot Mighty Morphin Power Rangers appeared first on Flickering Myth.

The wait is over as the newest edition of DC Universe Original Animated Movie has arrived from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack (includes Digital HD with UltraViolet™), DVD and Digital HD.

 Batman learns he has a son, Damian – and to further complicate matters, the mother is Talia al Ghul, daughter of one of his most dreaded enemies, Ra’s Al Ghul. When the odds quickly turn against Batman and Damian, Batman must become both father and mentor to the aggressive, agile new Robin. Together they form an uneasy alliance to try and thwart the criminal enterprise of Deathstroke and his army of ninja man-bats before there are international consequences.

“Son of Batman delivers all the elements to create a memorable film – powerful villains, treacherous plot twists and tensions amongst allies,” stated Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation and Partner Brands Marketing. “Showcasing a cast that brings together some of today’s popular primetime television actors, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is proud to release this title as the 20th DC Universe Animated Original Movie.”

To mark the occasion Warner Home Entertainment has unveiled a series of new images plus an image of Morena  Baccarin (Homeland) recording for the film.

As well here is a clip featuring a captured and defiant Talia being confronted by Deathstroke.

Spring Breakers was an artistic, fluent and well-textured film. It was concise in its points and atmosphere, helmed by respected independent film-maker Harmony Korine. The film wasn’t one that required a sequel.  Its conclusion was satisfying and not overly involved with its characters, more the situation they become involved in. Regardless, ScreenDaily is reporting Spring Breakers: The Second Coming, with Jonas Akerlund (Small Apartments) set to direct a script written by author Irvine Welsh (Filth).

An immediate thought is whether the film will stay truthful to the original, particularly Harmony Korine’s aim to not glorify his characters, crime or violence. Of what’s known of the story, the logline describes it as ‘the Spring Breakers doing battle with an extreme militant Christian sect that attempts to convert them’. With Irvine Welsh attached to write the script, it’s a fair guess it’ll be well written. One could also assume it might surprise our expectations from the first instalment, as Welsh’s material tends to be crude, rude and generally outrageous.

Another aspect to think about is the lack of an immediate audience for the film. Fans of the original may not be interested due to a lack of Harmony Korine, as it was very well received by fans of the auteur’s work. Others may miss the sequel, as they think the original failed to deliver what the marketing campaign promised. Another issue is a lack of cast, as story coherence would imply most of the characters won’t be returning, even if they desire to. This sequel seems like an oddball, but the potential is still there with Akerlund and Welsh on board.

The post Springs Breakers: The Second Coming without Harmony Korine appeared first on Flickering Myth.

As the second season of Arrow edges towards its conclusion, The CW has released a brand new clip from tonight’s penultimate episode ‘Streets of Fire’, which sees Laurel (Katie Cassidy) getting a crash course in archery from Ollie (Stephen Amell); take a look after the official episode description…

“MALCOLM MERLYN RETURNS – Oliver (Stephen Amell) rallies his team as Slade’s (Manu Bennett) soldiers attack the city. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) gets a call from S.T.A.R. Labs with game-changing news and Thea (Willa Holland) comes face-to-face with her father – Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman).”

Update: And here’s another sneak peek…

Arrow airs on The CW on Wednesday evenings.

Beast and Mystique get close in new X-Men: Days of Future Past image

The post Watch a clip from tonight’s episode of Arrow ‘Streets of Fire’ appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Every Wednesday, FM writers Simon Columb and Brogan Morris write two short reviews on Woody Allen films … in the hope of watching all his films over the course of roughly 49 weeks. If you have been watching Woody’s films and want to join in, feel free to comment with short reviews yourself! Next up is Alice and Stardust Memories …

Simon Columb on Alice…

Beginning with a flirtatious fantasy, Alice is Woody Allen indulging his upper-class thoughts again. Released in 1990, it’s clear that this was a low point as Alice is tired and hollow. Alice, an upper-class housewife, turns to herbal remedies from an acupuncturist to solve her woes. Her privileged life is an excuse for boredom and frustration as she is attracted to the tall and handsome Joe (Mantegna). Akin to the desperately creative characters we’ve seen before, Alice wants to be a writer, but lacks the desire and motivation to become one. Magical powers and extreme wealth is simply not enough though, as she continues to blame circumstance. The finale tries to offset her blissfully ignorant perspective, but it fails to elevate the majority of Alice, whereby her apathy and “tortured” sense of self grates and frustrates. A returning ghost is a highlight, but Woody can do much better than this.

Simon Columb

Brogan Morris on Stardust Memories…

Woody Allen doesn’t disguise the fact that he’s channelling Fellini’s 8 ½ for Stardust Memories – he rather wears it as a mark of pride, this admiration for another artist. Allen seemingly supposes he must imitate the art of another to make this movie work, and through acting as Fellini, Woody allows himself to make a film rich with ideas and feeling. These same concerns apply to Stardust Memories’ lead Sandy Bates (Allen), a director being lauded at a film festival whilst suffocating from artistic blockage and self-inflicted celebrity. The parallels are clear: if Stardust Memories were any more autobiographical, it’d be a documentary. This is a film set inside the director’s head; Allen’s thoughts on relationships and the human condition burst onto the screen, almost as though he couldn’t control his need to get serious after years of being funny. Initially criticised, Stardust Memories is shamelessly derivative, but it’s beautiful.

Brogan Morris – Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the young princes. Follow Brogan on Twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion.

The post Woody Allen Wednesdays – Alice and Stardust Memories appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Angus Houvouras reviews the penultimate episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D….

There’s a sound I’m hearing while watching the latest episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..  It’s the sound of someone hitting the brakes over and over again bringing all the build up momentum to a screeching halt.  That would be the second to last  episode of the season “Ragtag” which sidelines the show while trying to deliver some wildly unnecessary back story about the nefarious Agent Ward.

‘Why?’ is a question that often derails a good story.  Sometimes the why isn’t all that important.  Ever since Agent Ward was revealed to be a double agent working for Hydra, I hadn’t once considered why he did it.  He’s a cold, calculating, blunt instrument who turns out to have been working for the enemy.  The motivation behind it didn’t really seem all that important.   Finding out his origin story in flashback form felt like a big dead weight wrapped around the neck of the show.  It’s utterly pointless and does nothing to further the plot or add weight to the proceedings.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a show that has found a good rhythm by keeping the tension high and delivering some fun character moments.  ”Ragtag” is a jumbled mess that has the down and out Agents trying to track down the Clairvoyant/John  Garrett before they successfully unlock the secrets to Coulson and Skye’s  resurrection formula.  It turns out Garrett was the first Deathlok and has been trying to find a way to stave off death.  His body is failing him and he has only months to live.  Without the formula he’s a dead man.

There’s a lot of attention paid to the relationship between Garrett and Ward, and frankly it’s the kind of semi-abusive father figure story that makes Ward come across like a wide-eyed puppy.  It’s meant to humanize him but ultimately it greatly diminishes the character.  He’s just another lost little boy desperate for validation from his mentor.  It’s a stock character assignment that doesn’t pan our creatively or emotionally.

There are a few good bits in the episode, mainly from the interplay between Coulson and May who have mended their fractured relationship.  Seeing the old suitcase of Howling Commando World War Two era spy-tech was fun.  The Easter eggs always buy a little goodwill from me but it ultimately can’t save a very flawed installment.

I’m still looking forward to the finale but there is a lot of unresolved dangling threads which might be difficult to tie up.  Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. launched unevenly, let’s hope it sticks the landing.

Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.

The post Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Episode 21 Review appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Angelina Jolie returns to the screen this month for the first time since The Tourist, starring as the Mistress of All Evil in the live-action Sleeping Beauty reimagining Maleficent, and Disney is making sure we know all about it. Over the past few days we’ve had five character posters, an IMAX one-sheet and a featurette, and now thanks to CBM we’ve got a final trailer, as well as another featurette that explores the fantastic creatures set to appear in the fairy tale fantasy. Check them out after the official synopsis…

From Disney comes Maleficent—the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.

Maleficent is set for release on May 30th with Robert Stromberg (Oscar-winning production designer on Avatar and Alice in Wonderland) directing a cast that also includes Elle Fanning (Super 8), Sharlto Copley (Elysium), Imelda Staunton (The Pirates! Band of Misfits), Miranda Richardson (The Hours), Juno Temple (The Dark Knight Rises), and Lesley Manville (Romeo and Juliet). Watch the latest trailer here.

The post Final trailer and new ‘Creatures’ featurette for Disney’s Maleficent appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Following on from yesterday’s viral videos [see here], 20th Century Fox has continued its countdown to the second trailer for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes by giving us a sneak peek at the next preview for the simian sequel, which offers up a few snippets of exciting new footage….

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is directed by Matt Reeves (Let Me In) and sees Andy Serkis returning as Caesar alongside Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises), Keri Russell (Mission: Impossible III), Toby Kebbell (Wrath of the Titans), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), Enrique Murciano (Black Hawk Down), Kirk Acevedo (The Thin Red Line) and Judy Greer (13 Going on 30).

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set to open on July 18th.

The post Another trailer tease for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Gavin Logan on Hugh Jackman’s legacy and the future of Wolverine…

Let’s face it, Wolverine is a little bit like marmite isn’t he. But love him or hate him there’s no denying he has been one of, if not the most important characters to help raise the bar for superhero movies and establish comic book stories as the number one force of entertainment in popular cinema today. Hugh Jackman’s casting as Logan, as idiotic as it sounds now, was met with muted scepticism and I suppose some fans could be forgiven for considering an unknown Australian becoming their comic book idol as a risky move. In fact Jackman only got the role when Dougray Scott had to pull out due to scheduling issues with Mission: Impossible II. Prior to his take on Logan, Jackman had only previously starred in two minuscule Australian produced feature films and the London revival of Rodgers & Hammersteins’s classic musical Oklahoma. Despite having almost zero fan base outside of his native country, Jackman had garnered much praise for his roles on stage receiving notable award nominations. In a star studded cast Jackman was able to steal each of his scenes with ease. He had the arrogant cockiness. He had the animalistic rage. He did exceptionally well to play with the mysterious element of Logan’s character and by the time the credits rolled on Singer’s groundbreaking movie, we all knew he was made for the part of Wolverine. When X2: X-Men United hit, Jackman had grown into the role and all the initial fuss made about his casting seemed like a lifetime away.

However much of a likeness Jackman shares with his comic book counterpart he simply can’t play Wolverine forever. You see Jackman is human after all and unlike Logan he’s getting old. Having personified Logan on seven occasions already on the big screen some people – including Jackman himself – have stated that it’s almost time he hung up his claws. With a third solo outing on the cards, it’s looking more and more likely that his days as the brash, cigar smoking Canadian are numbered. Despite some bumps along the way Jackman’s portrayal as Wolverine has been nothing short of brilliant. Looking back now in hindsight the choice to bring him in definitely seems like an inspired one. Was it his destiny? I don’t normally entertain other aspects outside of solid fact but if fate ever intervened in a casting decision then Scott’s omission and Jackman’s inclusion was surely it.

But what’s next for Wolverine?

Of course Jackman is set to reprise the role in Bryan Singer’s momentous return to the universe. X-Men: Days of Future Past will open up in a few weeks and Wolverine will play a pivotal role. However it’s likely he won’t make an appearance in the already announced follow up X-Men: Apocalypse but if he does it will be minimal at best. The script for a third Wolverine movie is currently being drafted by David James Kelly – who was originally onboard to scribe the Daredevil reboot – with James Mangold returning to the directors chair. Mangold has stated that production of the threequel won’t begin until after filming wraps on Apocalypse. Although Jackman hasn’t officially confirmed his return just yet he has opened up about the potential story arc that a third movie might explore – Old Man Logan, which seems to tease the demise of the character.

In terms of the comic books, Marvel have recently announced Death of Wolverine, to equal measures of much internet appeasement and joy. But let’s not be naive here. The title may be a smoke screen or some subtext for a continuing story arc. Plenty of superheroes have “died” in the past only to be resurrected in future issues. But all this talk of Wolverine “dying” and Jackman wanting to bow out has got me thinking about what’s in store for the future of the character on the big screen, and no matter how many times I think about it I keep coming back to “They can’t recast Wolverine. Jackman IS Wolverine!” I’ll be sad when Jackman says goodbye to the character he’s played for 15 years but I’ll be even sadder if the studios simply recast him just for the sake of squeezing more money out of his adamantium skeleton. That doesn’t mean I’m completely against ever seeing him again, but the studio needs to allow a suitable amount of time to pass before even considering a recast. Firstly they need to be sure they want to tell another Wolverine story and secondly they need to make sure they have the right actor who can both respect the legacy that Hugh Jackman left and also breathe some new life into the character. I wouldn’t be against seeing a new actor portray Wolverine in a future origins type movie of another mutant but only in a small role, perhaps even donning the classic mask? Who knows maybe Marvel will re-acquire the rights and maybe he’ll pop up in a future New Avengers franchise? That seems like years away but as Kevin Feige recently said about universe crossing, “never say never!”

As much as I love Wolverine it does feel like it’s getting to the point where his character has been overexposed. We’re at a crossroads now, the X-Men universe is expanding again and we’re getting to meet new mutants so maybe it’s time we let Logan take a back seat and give the limelight to the new breed. Whatever happens to Wolverine in the years to come one thing is for sure, Hugh Jackman has achieved something incredibly special with this character and deserves all the plaudits he has received and whoever might step in to replace him will undoubtedly have monumental boots to fill.

Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter

The post Hugh Jackman’s legacy and the future of Wolverine appeared first on Flickering Myth.

Luke Owen reviews the eighth episode of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series…

Last week’s episode was a madcap and bloody affair with plenty of decapitations, mutilations, throat slitting and a fair amount of titillation. This week’s episode, La Conquista, slows the pace down somewhat to deliver some much needed exposition to explain the history of Carlos, Santanico and the Titty Twister. What is surprising however is that this episode was directed by Evil Dead‘s Fede Alverez.

For a good three-quarters of the episode, you have to wonder why Robert Rodriguez gave La Conquista to Alverez. The majority of the episode is people sitting around and explaining the plot so it seems a waste to use a blood-thirsty horror director to sit behind the camera – like giving Sam Raimi an episode of a television adaptation of Clerks. La Conquista does pick up in terms of action towards the end, but it’s hardly the “completely bananas” 45-minutes he promised in his interview with Collider. Instead, La Conquista is a lot of talking. Necessary talking, but talking none the less.

The amount of exposition also hampers certain moments that needed more attention. Because the majority of the episode is Carlos and Santanico explaining their backstories, the episode rushes through other plot points. Kate gets kidnapped, but is rescued in the next scene, virtually 30 seconds after the initial capture. She also has a vision of her mother killing herself, a vision she gets having spent mere moments in the tomb corridors. The crew encounter a previous survivor, but his arc is rushed to the point where his name is irrelevant and his sacrifice has no impact. But perhaps the biggest crime is in Scott’s story. While this review won’t go into spoilers, the twist in his tale isn’t handled with the greatest of grace and just ends up being a forgotten footnote as the episode comes to a close.

Thankfully, La Conquista is saved due to the great script by Marcel Rodriguez who not only pens very good Tarantino-esque dialogue to fit in with the original movie’s tone, but he also crafts the history of Carlos and Santanico beautifully. Their dialogue is hokey and very silly, but he somehow makes it seem less stupid. He does however have a tendency to fall back on pop culture references to get a cheap laugh as if writing an indie comedy in the mid-1990s, which can become quite tiresome. Having said that, his Indiana Jones joke at the mid-way point of the episode is very cute and clever.

And to match his writing, the performances from everyone are once again strong. D.J. Controna has little do as does Zane Holtz, so the episode falls on the shoulders of Wilmer Valderrama and Eiza González to deliver the goods. And while Valderrama holds his own and proves that he is more than just “Fez from That 70s Show“, González falls a little flat. She is incredibly beautiful and well-cast as the temptress Santanico, but her delivery can often be very forced which makes her already hammy dialogue seem childish.

But none hold a candle to the joy that is Jake Busey. No matter what drivel they give him to read, he makes it sound great and he looks like he is having the time of his life in the role. When it comes to ‘who survives for season two’, we can all hope that Sex Machine will be one of the lucky few.

Eight episodes down and only two remain. La Conquista ends on a big note (even if it is one we all saw coming) and it will be interesting to see how the fallout of this episode effects the other characters as we move further into the final act. It may have been a waste to give this rather tepid episode to a director who gave us one of the gorier films of last year, but From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series is still riding high and running strong.

Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.

The post From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series – Episode Eight Review appeared first on Flickering Myth.