Categories
Movies

Up next in theatres it’ll be KNIVES OUT, but once again soon at home I’ll be watching THE IRISHMAN at least twice more!!

Frozen 2 makes competition shiver at the box office with record-breaking $124 million

Disney’s Frozen 2 has taken the lead spot at the box office for the second weekend in a row, with no other title coming close to icing them out.

The animated sequel to the 2013 original Frozen earned an estimated $124 million across the five-day weekend, according to Comscore. Not only does that earn them the winning spot for the holiday weekend, it also broke the record for the biggest Thanksgiving weekend gross of all time.

Newcomer Knives Out didn’t reach Frozen 2 level dollars, but the film took second place with $42 million during their first weekend in theaters. Returning titles Ford v Ferrari ($19 million) and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ($17.3 million) take the third and fourth spots.

Rounding out the top five is new entry Queen & Slim who earned an estimated $15.8 million during its debut weekend.

Knives Out was very well received by critics and boasts an all-star cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Ana de Armas, Lakeith Stanfield, and Katherine Langford. The murder mystery follows the investigation into the death of a crime novelist shortly after his 85th birthday.

EW gives the movie a respectable B+ calling it, “a silly, stabby, supremely clever whodunnit that only really suffers from having too little room for each of its talented players to fully register in the film’s limited run time.”

Moviegoers enjoyed the Rian Johnson-directed film much more, it earned an A- on Cinemascore. Rotten Tomato critics are more in line with fans, the title is currently rated 96% fresh.

Queen & Slim tells the story of an Ohio couple (played by Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith) on their first date, who are pulled over by a white police officer for a minor traffic infraction and soon find themselves at the center of a nationwide manhunt. The duo become unwilling outlaws after Kaluuya’s Ernest “Slim” Hines shoots the officer in self-defense.

The romantic drama heralds Turner-Smith’s feature film debut in a lead role and Melina Matsoukas’ feature film directorial debut.

EW gave the Lena Waithe-penned feature a B calling it, “a lush lovers-on-the-run odyssey.” Adding, “And yet this haphazard film is a ride, a romantic provocation torn between cultural strife and individual striving.”

Cinemascore gave the film an A- and it’s certified 84% fresh by critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Overall, box office is down -5.7% percent year-to-date, according to Comscore. Check out the Nov. 27-Dec. 1 numbers below:

Frozen 2— $124 million
Knives Out—$42 million
Ford v Ferrari—$19 million
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood—$17.3 million
Queen & Slim—$15.8 million
21 Bridges— $8 million
Playing With Fire — $6 million
Midway — $5.8 million
Joker — $3 million
Last Christmas — $2.9 million

Categories
Awards

Well done, one and all, eh?!

Alessia Cara, Will Arnett among those honoured at Canada’s Walk of Fame

Alessia Cara said getting recognition at this year’s Canada’s Walk of Fame gala event ranks among the most tremendous honours she’s received in her career.

“I feel like getting acknowledged by your own country in this way is huge,” the 23-year-old performer said on the red carpet before she received the special 2019 Allan Slaight Music Impact honour on Saturday night.

“It’s one of those things where I’m going to have to see it to actually believe it.”

The Grammy and Juno award-winning pop singer was among a group of Canadians being recognized for excellence in their respected fields, which include science, sports, entertainment and business. They will each be given stars in Toronto’s entertainment district.

Eight other influential names were added to Canada’s Walk of Fame during the event, including architect Frank Gehry, hockey player Mark Messier, investor Jim Treliving, and speed skater Cindy Klassen.

“When I look at all the inductees, these are Canadians that have made such a difference in the world,” Klassen said.

“It’s incredible to be a part of that, a very humbling experience.”

Fellow inductee Will Arnett, whose work on Arrested Development and Bojack Horseman has ushered him into the echelons of comedy fame, said he’s honoured the organizers considered him worthy — but he has a few suggestions for future ceremonies to spice up the Canadiana.

First, he’d change their name to “The Sorrys,” and that’s only the start.

“Instead of just a regular tuxedo, if we wore Canadian tuxedos that would be better,” he said, pitching the combo of denim jeans and jackets.

As for the red carpet? He’d like to see a Zamboni crawling across it before the big show.

“They should have an ice carpet. Had nobody thought of an ice carpet? I can’t understand why.”

Triumph guitarist Rik Emmett said he was amused when he learned the rock band’s star would be near a stretch of King Street West where generations of his family worked in the Canadian Pacific Express building where Roy Thomson Hall now resides.

“Not only my dad worked there, but my grandfather worked there, my great uncles and my great grandfather,” he said.

“So, it’s very special.”

Posthumous honours went to children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs, known by many families as TV host Mr. Dressup, and James Naismith, who invented the game of basketball.

Categories
People

He was never horrible, but the movies he’s been in as Superman have been.

Henry Cavill on Superman: ‘I’ve Not Given Up the Role’

Superman hasn’t hung up his cape yet.

Or so says Henry Cavill, who portrayed the superhero beginning with “Man of Steel” in 2013 and most recently, in the failed 2017 movie “Justice League.” The “Witcher” actor is insisting his time as the DC character isn’t over.

“The cape is in the closet,” Cavill said in Mens’ Health’s December cover story. “It’s still mine. I’m not going to sit quietly in the dark as all the stuff is going on. I’ve not given up the role. There’s a lot I have to give for Superman yet. A lot of storytelling to do. A lot of real, true depths to the honest of the character I wasn’t to get into. I want to reflect the comic books. That’s important to me. There’s a lot of justice to be done for Superman. The status is: You’ll see.”

Cavill’s statement comes as Warner Bros. has refrained from announcing any new films starring the British actor since its decision to revamp the plan for the DC Extended Universe following “Justice League’s” flop. The most recent installments in the DCEU include 2018’s “Aquaman” — one of the most profitable movies of the year, grossing over $1 billion worldwide — and “Shazam!” in April.

Most recently, Cavill appeared in “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” alongside Tom Cruise and stars in Netflix’s TV adaptation of “The Witcher,” which debuts Dec. 20.

Categories
Movies

FROZEN…I’m sure I’ll see it one day. I managed to see FORD V FERRARI this weekend and absolutely loved it!!

Frozen 2 freezes out the box office competition with $127 million opening

Disney’s Frozen 2 may take place in a world with freezing temperatures, but fans melted the ice with their warm reception of the animated film, to the tune of an estimated $127 million opening this weekend. It shattered box office records, becoming the biggest opening ever for Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Ford v Ferrari seizes second place in the race with an estimated $16 million during its second week in theaters, falling from the top spot. Another new title, the Tom Hanks-led A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, takes third place with an estimated $13.5 million.

Closing out the top five are newcomer 21 Bridges ($9.3 million) and returning military drama Midway with $4.7 million.

Frozen 2 ‘s huge debut is unsurprising, given the enormous success of the 2013 original, which opened to a staggering $243.4 million. The sequel sees the return of everyone’s favorite characters Anna (Kristen Bell), Elsa (Idina Menzel), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), and Olaf (Josh Gad) as they leave Arendelle to travel to the ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land as they set out to discover the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom.

Moviegoers gave the film an A- rating, and reviews from critics were largely positive — though most agree it was probably a sequel they could have lived without. EW gave the movie a B saying, it’s “a sequel in an age of connected universes, so the movie does its best to mimic that feeling of a larger mythology. But the only thing it has to draw on for reference is the first movie, so Frozen 2 treats viewers to multiple rehashes of the plot of Frozen.”

Tom Hanks brings to life beloved children’s show host Fred Rogers in the Marielle Heller directed bio-drama A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. The film brings to life the friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod, who wrote the now famous Esquire profile “Can You Say…Hero?” that the film is based on. The production co-stars Matthew Rhys in the role of Lloyd Vogel, a fictionalized version of Junod.

EW gave the title a B+ saying, Heller’s “minor-key storytelling may not be what viewers hoping for either hagiography or exposé will expect from Neighborhood; it’s a much quieter, less conclusive movie than that. But nearly impossible not to L-I-K-E, exactly as it is.”

One thing is for certain, at least — Hanks is being lauded for his portrayal of Rogers with critics hailing the legendary TV and film actor’s performance as “absolute perfection.” As an added bonus, Hanks, it was recently discovered, is actually related to Fred Rogers in real life.

Chadwick Boseman’s 21 Bridges takes a respectful fourth place, where he stars as an NYPD detective who is thrust into a manhunt for cop killers after he uncovers a massive conspiracy. The Brian Kirk-directed drama co-stars Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons, Taylor Kitsch, and Keith David.

EW gave the film a B saying the screenplay “keeps zigging nearly every time you wish it would zag, piling on heavy exposition and hoary lines.” Adding that “Boseman and James, particularly, seem aching to break free of [it]. There’s a sharper, less expected drama lurking just at the edges here; but wishing for some kind of subtlety, particularly in the wake of the movie’s blood-soaked finale, might be a bridge too far.”

Moviegoers this weekend mostly agree with critics, giving the film a B+, according to Cinemascore.

Overall, box office is down a whopping 7.0 percent year-to-date, according to Comscore. That number had been steadily shrinking over the summer, but it’s shot back up now as we approach the end of the year. Check out the Nov. 22-24 numbers below:

Frozen 2— $127 million
Ford v Ferrari—$16 million
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood—$13.5 million
21 Bridges— $9.3 million
Midway — $4.7 million
Playing With Fire — $4.6 million
The Good Liar — $3.4 million
Charlie’s Angels — $3.2 million
Last Christmas — $3 million
Joker — $3 million

Categories
People

He was great in a lot of movies, but I especially loved him in SCROOGED. May he Rest In Peace.

Michael J. Pollard of ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ dead at 80

Michael J. Pollard, a character actor best known for roles in 2003’s “House of 1000 Corpses” and 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” has died. He was 80.

His death was announced by rock star and filmmaker Rob Zombie, who directed Pollard in his role as Stucky in the cult film.

“We have lost another member of our ‘HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES’ family. I woke up to the news that Michael J. Pollard had died,” Zombie, 54, wrote on Facebook. “I have always loved his work and his truly unique on screen presence. He was one of the first actors I knew I had to work with as soon as I got my first film off the ground. He will be missed.”

The post was accompanied by a photo of several cast members of the film on set including Sid Haig, Pollard and Irwin Keyes, who have all died, as well as podcaster-comedian Chris Hardwick, 47, the host of AMC’s “Talking Dead.”

“I can’t believe all three of my friends in this picture are now gone,” Zombie added.

Haig, who played Captain Spaulding in Zombie’s debut film and its 2005 sequel, “The Devil’s Rejects,” died in September. He was also 80. Haig starred in the follow-up movie in Zombie’s horror film franchise, “3 From Hell,” alongside Zombie’s wife, Sheri Moon Zombie, and Bill Moseley, in 2019.

Keyes, who also starred in “The Warriors,” “Friday the 13th” and Woody Allen’s “Stardust Memories,” died at 63 in 2015 of complications caused by acromegaly, a pituitary gland disorder he had all his life.

Pollard, who was born in Passaic, NJ, played C.W. Moss in “Bonnie and Clyde” opposite Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. His role in the classic film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Categories
Star Wars

This is awesome!! Baby Yoda is double awesome!!!

‘Baby Yoda’ toys coming for ‘Mandalorian’ fans in time for Christmas

Get ready for fights over Baby Yoda toys on Black Friday.

Disney is said to be launching merchandise of the Child — the adorable, big-eyed new character that captured everyone’s hearts in “The Mandalorian” — just in time for holiday shopping, CNBC reports.

Dubbed by adoring fans as “Baby Yoda,” the newcomer all but lends itself to mass-market appeal, so Disney plans to cash in on its popular newbie.

Apparel and accessories are slated to become available as soon as Friday, hitting stores like Amazon, Zazzle, Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Hot Topic and, of course, the Disney Store, ShopDisney and Disney parks. Pre-sale purchases of the toys will be available in the next few weeks, but it’s not clear when they will ship.

The newest character in the “Star Wars” universe who resembles infamous Jedi master Yoda debuted in the first episode of the new Disney+ show, completely outshining the titular main character played by Pedro Pascal.

While there’s still mystery surrounding the species of the cute little green bundle of joy and where it came from, one thing is for certain: All eyes are on the Child. Jon Favreau, creator of “The Mandalorian,” tweeted original concept art for the fan-favorite character Tuesday and the tweet already has over 214,000 likes.

News of “Mandalorian” merch comes just after the show’s executive producers Favreau and Dave Filoni told Entertainment Tonight the character was kept under wraps to avoid spoilers.

“We really wanted to have it be that you had to watch it yourself, so that every time you watch the show, there are new twists and secrets that come out,” Favreau said. “Part of that was holding back on some of the merchandise and holding back on some of the characters.”

A fourth episode of “The Mandalorian” is set to air Friday on Disney+.

Categories
Movies

It can’t be any worse than the theatrical cut…can it?! So..#ReleaseTheSnyderCut

Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck join calls to ‘release the Snyder cut’ of Justice League

On the 2-year anniversary of DC and Warner Bros.’ Justice League, Wonder Woman and Batman themselves have joined fans’ calls for the release of director Zack Snyder’s cut of the much-maligned 2017 film.

Both Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot tweeted “#ReleaseTheSnyderCut” on Sunday, with Gadot also posting a photo of her character, Diana Prince/Wonder Woman.

Affleck played Batman in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League, which also starred Gadot. The Israeli actress previously embodied Wonder Woman in Patty Jenkins’ acclaimed movie of the same name that premiered in March 2017, and she’s also set to reprise her role in the 2020 movie Wonder Woman 1984.

Affleck and Gadot joined other DC actors, like Ray Fisher (Cyborg) and Christina Wren (Major Carrie Farris), who posted on social media for the anniversary to demand the release of Snyder’s original vision for Justice League.

Snyder departed as director of Justice League during production following his daughter’s death, and director Joss Whedon was brought on to finish the project. The movie debuted to the disappointment of many DC fans who felt the project wasted a roster of talented stars like Affleck, Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, and more. People have long speculated that there is a director’s cut of Snyder’s original vision for the movie, and thus the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement was born.

Momoa and director Kevin Smith added fuel to the fire this summer after they said they’ve either seen the Snyder cut or heard about it from reliable sources. In August, Momoa posted an Instagram video with Snyder, saying the director had shown him the cut and that it was “ssssiiicccckkkkkk.” Smith was less complimentary, saying the cut was “not a finished movie by any stretch of the imagination.”

Still, it is a big deal that Justice League’s own stars are calling for a redo of sorts. Fans are celebrating Affleck and Gadot for speaking out, and even Snyder himself has thanked the public’s support.

“This ancient Amazonian can’t be wrong,” Snyder tweeted on Sunday, sharing Gadot’s tweet. “Neither can Batman.” Just last month, he also thanked supporters for continuing to use the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut hashtag. “I’m honored to have such amazing fans,” he tweeted.

Categories
Movies

Hope to use my Honda to get to the theatre to see FORD V FERRARI this week.

Ford v Ferrari overtakes competition at the box office with estimated $31 million

Ford vs Ferrari zoomed past the competition, taking the top spot at the box office this weekend with an estimated $31 million, according to Comscore. The Disney drama overtook the competition, including Roland Emmerich’s Midway, which battled its way to second place this week with $8.8 million.

Sony’s Charlie’s Angels came in at a disappointing third with an estimated $8.6 million. Rounding out the top five are the John Cena-led Playing With Fire earning $8.6 million, and the romantic dramedy Last Christmas with $6.7 million.

Ford v Ferrari is not only going the extra mile with moviegoers, but there are rumblings of possible Oscar contendership for the drama directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon.

In the film, the duo brings to life American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (Bale) and the real-life events surrounding the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans competition in France that saw the Ford defeat Ferrari. Jon Bernthal brings to life former Ford Vice President Lee Iacocca, the visionary behind the Ford GT40 and the drive to elevate the brand on the race track.

Josh Lucas, Ray McKinnon, Caitriona Balfe, Tracy Letts, and JJ Field also co-star.

EW gave the film a B+ calling it a “rare kind of David-and-Goliath story that actually asks you to root for Goliath.” Cinemascore confirms movie-goers loved it much more, the title earned an A+ from audiences. Overall, critics agree that Ford v Ferrari is a movie worth your money—it’s certified fresh by 92% of Rotten Tomato critics.

This is Mangold’s and Bale’s second collaboration, the pair worked together in 2007’s 3:10 to Yuma.

Elizabeth Banks‘s Charlie’s Angels is further proof that audiences love of nostalgia is flatlining. Based on the 1976 series of the same name, the reboot tells the story of three bad ass female detectives known as Angels who travel the world risking their lives to solve serious crimes and bringing bad guys to justice.

Newest franchise Angels Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska lead the continuation of the franchise, following the events that took place in 2000’s Charlie’s Angels and 2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle that saw Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu at the helm.

The new generation of super spies, unfortunately, fell flat for moviegoers who have a multitude of options to drop dollars on. It scored a B+ on Cinemascore, and critics didn’t rate it much better. EW gave the action comedy a B- saying it took “almost a whole movie for the new Charlie’s Angels to get going.”

It’s $8.6 million earnings this weekend fall way short of the McG directed films, even without adjusting for inflation. In 2000, Charlie’s Angels earned $40 million during its opening weekend and the 2003 sequel raked in $37.6 million.

The only other new title in the top ten is the Helen Mirren and Ian McKellan led crime thriller The Good Liar, landing in the seventh spot earning an estimated $5.7 million. Directed by Bill Condon, the film tells the story of career con artist Roy Courtnay (McKellan) who is surprised when he starts caring for a well-to-do widow Betty McLeish (Mirren) who was meant to be his mark. Can feelings get in the way of Courtnay’s swindle, or will he forge ahead with the crime and ruin her life forever?

The Good Liar co-stars Jim Carter as Courtnay’s longtime business partner Vincent, and Russel Tovey as McLeish’s grandson Steven who knows something is not right with Courtnay’s story.

Audiences via Cinemascore gave the film a B, critics averaging around the same via Rotten Tomatoes who gave it a 64%.

Overall, box office is down 6.2 percent year-to-date, according to Comscore. Check out the Nov. 15-17 numbers below:

Ford v Ferrari—$31 million
Midway — $8.8 million
Charlie’s Angels—$8.6 million
Playing With Fire — $8.6 million
Last Christmas — $6.7 million
Doctor Sleep — $6.2 million
The Good Liar—$6.2 million
Joker — $5.6 million
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil — $5.2 million
Harriet — $4.8 million

Categories
The Simpsons

Well done, Disney+!! Now if you can fix the mistake(s) in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, then you’ll be amazing!!

After Backlash, Disney Plus Will Make ‘The Simpsons’ Available in Original Uncropped Format in Early 2020

Eep! After an outcry from “The Simpsons” aficionados, Disney has decided to offer classic episodes of the iconic animated sitcom on Disney Plus in their original 4-by-3 aspect ratio early next year.

The streaming service launched Nov. 12 in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands with the full batch of “Simpsons” episodes in 16-by-9 HD format, which cropped out key details from older episodes — and angered many fans.

In a statement, Disney said it launched “The Simpsons” in 16:9 aspect ratio at launch “in order to guarantee visual quality and consistency across all 30 seasons.”

“Over time, Disney+ will roll out new features and additional viewing options,” the company said. “As part of this, in early 2020, Disney+ will make the first 19 seasons (and some episodes from Season 20) of ‘The Simpsons’ available in their original 4:3 aspect ratio, giving subscribers a choice of how they prefer to view the popular series.”

The problem with cropping older “Simpsons” eps in 16:9 format was that it literally destroyed some of the show’s jokes. In one widely cited example, Tristan Cooper of CH Media’s Dorkly and CollegeHumor pointed out this scene showing how Disney Plus users wouldn’t get the gag about how three varieties of Duff beer all come from the same source.

The Mouse House announced earlier this year that Disney Plus would be the exclusive subscription VOD home of “The Simpsons.” That came shortly after Disney closed a deal to buy big pieces of 21st Century Fox, including “Simpsons” producer 20th Century Fox Television.

“The Simpsons,” from creator and executive producer Matt Groening, was renewed for Seasons 31 and 32 earlier this year by the Fox broadcast network (now part of the new Fox Corp.). At the end of Season 32, the show will have produced 713 episodes total. “The Simpsons” is the longest-running primetime scripted TV show in history, having surpassed “Gunsmoke” last year during season 29.

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Ghostbusters

I was hoping to be in it too, but I never got a callback. Oh well, I’ll probably still go and see it. :D

Bill Murray confirmed for Ghostbusters 2020

Bill Murray is returning to screens for the upcoming Ghostbusters 2020.

The 69-year-old actor has long been rumoured to be reprising his role as fan-favourite Dr. Peter Venkman in the new movie, but now co-creator Dan Aykroyd has confirmed the news during an appearance on The Greg Hill Show.

Aykroyd noted that Murray, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts all completed filming on the movie, adding: “Jason Reitman wrote a beautiful, heartfelt script that takes the real DNA from the first two movies and transfers that directly to the third, the next generation.

“It hands the legacy off to a new generation of stars, and players, and actors, and characters,” he explained.

New cast members in the upcoming flick include Paul Rudd, The Sinner’s Carrie Coon, Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard, and Gifted’s Mckenna Grace.

While Murray rose to fame on Saturday Night Live, and has appeared in comedies including Scrooged, Groundhog Day, and the first two instalments of the Ghostbusters franchise, the comedy legend recently landed himself a new side gig after applying to work at an airport restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia.

The star has since been offered the position at Chinese eatery P.F. Chang’s, with a post on its official Twitter page reading: “Bill, you’re hired! When can you start?”

Murray has yet to publicly respond to the offer.