This week’s episode of our podcast WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show is up! Hear WAMG’s Michelle McCue, Jim Batts and Tom Stockman discuss the weekend box office, and next weekend’s releases. We’ll review HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2, THE GREEN INFERNO, THE INTERN, SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, STONEWALL, COMING HOME and THE MARTIAN. We’ll also preview SACARIO and THE WALK. We’ll discuss Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING and Ed Wood’s PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, in advance of local screenings of both of those films this week . WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show is a weekly podcast and can be heard streaming at ONStl.com Online Radio.
The Weinstein Company has released the brand new trailer for their upcoming film, BURNT, starring Bradley Cooper as Chef Adam Jones.
Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) had it all – and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, the former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste.
To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, he’ll need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller). BURNT is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, the love between two people, and the power of second chances.
Miller and Cooper previously starred in Clint Eastwood’s gripping drama, AMERICAN SNIPER.
BURNT also stars Omar Sy, Daniel Brühl, Matthew Rhys, Uma Thurman and Emma Thompson and opens nationwide on October 23, 2015.
CAPTIVE, based on a miraculous true story that drew the attention of the entire nation, is the dramatic, thrilling, and spiritual journey of Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols. After being taken hostage by Brian in her own apartment, Ashley turns to Rick Warren’s inspirational book, The Purpose Driven Life, for guidance. In reading from the book, Ashley not only finds purpose in her own life, but helps Brian find a more peaceful resolution to a harrowing situation.
From director Jerry Jameson, the movie stars David Oyelowo, Kate Mara, Leonor Varela, Jessica Oyelowo, Mimi Rogers and Michael K. Williams.
Read Tom Stockman’s interview with actor David Oyelowo HERE.
CAPTIVE is in theaters now.
WAMG is giving away FIVE Run-Of-Engagement passes for our St. Louis area readers!
Enter for a chance to win the book and a Run-Of-Engagement pass (good for 2) to see the movie –This pass admits two (2) to the regular run at any St. Louis area AMC Theatre, Monday through Thursday excluding holidays (no IMAX, no ETX, no Prime + no 3D). Please present this pass at the box office for admittance. Not valid during ‘No Pass’ Engagements.
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN, ENTER YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.
We will contact you if you are a winner! No purchase necessary.
CAPTIVE has been rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving violence and substance abuse.
The most acclaimed and enduring film music in Hollywood history, the original soundtracks of Star Wars Episodes I-VI will be reissued by Sony Classical in three new, definitive editions – Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection(11 LPs), Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection (10 CDs plus DVD) and Star Wars: The Ultimate Digital Collection (hi-resolution download).
All composed by the legendary five-time Oscar-winning composer, John Williams, these unique collector’s sets are being reissued after the latest chapter in the saga, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters. All three of Sony Classical’s new soundtrack editions will be released worldwide January 8, 2016.
Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection includes each of the six film soundtracks – from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi – in deluxe gatefold sleeves faithfully replicating the original artwork. Audio was transferred from the original LP masters using the highest resolution (up to 192kHz/24bit) and pressed with heavy 180 gram vinyl. The six double-LP sets are presented in a black, soft-touch laminated slipcase with an embossed, hot silver foil Star Wars logo, which includes a digital download card for one complete box set (all six soundtracks).
Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection includes the original six soundtracks in mini album jackets on 9 CDs, plus a bonus CD featuring a new audio interview with Harrison Ford (Han Solo) alongside an interview with John Williams. Also included is the DVDStar Wars: A Musical Journey, a one hour special hosted by actor Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine) highlighting select musical themes alongside key sequences from the films. Rounding out the set are a fold-out poster and three collectible stickers.
Since Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope was released in 1977, composer John Williams’ scores have defined the soaring adventure for all six episodes in the saga. Williams won the Academy Award® for Best Original Score for the series’ first film and received Oscar nominations for Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). His Star Wars music has also won four Grammy Awards, two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe.
Williams continues his association with the Star Wars saga, composing the score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, to be released worldwide in December 2015.
The new film, WILDLIKE, is playing in theaters, on demand and iTunes now.
Check out what our writers have to say about director Frank Hall Green’s movie:
“Director Frank Hall Green expertly uses the breathtaking visuals of the Alaskan wilderness as a metaphor for the cold isolation that Mackenzie feels.”
– Dana Jung, We Are Movie Geeks
“In WILDLIKE, Greenwood gives one of his best performances”
– Dana Jung, We Are Movie Geeks
“WILDLIKE is a masterpiece of that type of story, we come to care very deeply about MacKenzie, and Bartlett, and hopefully something about ourselves in the process.”
– Sam Moffitt, We Are Movie Geeks
“Five out of Five Stars”
– Sam Moffitt, We Are Movie Geeks
WAMG is debuting an exclusive clip from the film below.
In this thrilling coming-of-age adventure, a troubled teen must face the dangers of the Alaskan wild, as well as her own past, in order to find her way home. Sent to stay with her uncle in Alaska while her mother is in treatment, 14-year-old Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) is forced to flee as her uncle’s attention turns threatening.
Unable to reach her mother and afraid that the authorities will return her to her uncle, she embarks on a journey across miles of wilderness to find a way back home to Seattle. As she plunges deeper into the Alaskan interior, a chance connection with gruff backpacker Bartlett (Bruce Greenwood) proves to be her only lifeline. Mackenzie shadows Bartlett across the rugged frontier, thwarting his efforts to cut her loose until he has no choice but to help her survive, and against the backdrop of a spectacular landscape, they discover the redemptive power of friendship. (Trailer)
In celebration of the upcoming ALADDIN: DIAMOND EDITION release, Scott Weinger, the voice of Aladdin, hosted a special screening of the film at the Walt Disney Studios lot and WAMG was there for Sunday’s fun events.
There was a host of fun activities for kids – a coloring table, ring toss, belly dancing lessons and a nice pre-movie breakfast. Youngsters in attendance also left with gifts such as Disney action figures, the iconic fairy wings, and a special Golden Books edition of Aladdin.
For many of the kids in the audience, this was their first time seeing ALADDIN, including star Scott Weinger’s own son and his delighted friends, further confirming that this Disney classic holds up through generations.
Disney’s beloved masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar.
Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score) for the first time on Blu-ray and Digital HD. And now ALADDIN shines even brighter with never-before-seen tributes to the enchanting talent of Robin Williams, the “Genius behind the Genie.
ALADDIN: DIAMOND EDITION will be available for the first time on Blu-ray and Digital HD on September 29th and on Blu-ray/DVD on October 13.
Scott Weinger was joined by Ron Clements (“Aladdin” Producer/Director); Jodie Sweetin (“Full House/Fuller House”); Luna Blaise (ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat”); Joey Bragg (Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie”); Ricky Garcia (Disney Channel’s “Best Friends Whenever”); Murray Rundus (Disney Channel’s “Gamer’s Guide”); Nina Lu (Disney Channel’s “Bunk’d”); Lauren Taylor (Disney Channel’s “Best Friends Whenever”); Nathan Arenas (Disney Channel’s “Bunk’d”); Kamil McFadden (Disney Channel’s “KC Undercover”)
(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)Director/producer Ron Clements(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
The voice cast includes Robin Williams (Jumanji, Night at the Museum) as The Genie, Scott Weinger (TV’s “Full House”) as Aladdin, Linda Larkin as Jasmine, Gilbert Gottfried (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”) as Iago, Jonathan Freeman (Aladdin: the Musical on Broadway) as Jafar, Douglas Seale (Rescuers Down Under, For Love or Money) as Sultan and Frank Welker (Mulan, The Smurfs 2) as Abu.
Producers/Directors: John Musker and Ron Clements (Moana,The Little Mermaid, Hercules)
Writers: Ron Clements and John Musker (Moana,The Little Mermaid, Hercules) Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean 1-4)
Music & Lyrics: Alan Menken – Music (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Howard Ashman – Lyrics (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), Tim Rice – Lyrics (The Lion King, Evita)
Release Dates: September 29, 2015 (Digital) & October 13, 2015 (Physical)
Product SKUs: Disney Movies Anywhere, Digital HD & SD, Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital) and DVD
Blu-ray & Digital Bonus Features:
The Genie Outtakes – Robin Williams’ Genie outtakes are magically brought to life.
Genie 101 – Our host, Scott Weinger (the voice of Aladdin), takes us through the various transformattions of the famous (and formerly famous) celebrity references of the Genie.
Ron & John: You Ain’t Never Had a Friend Like Me – Directors John Musker & Ron Clements sit down and discuss the experiences of their long-running partnership together at Disney.
Aladdin: Creating Broadway Magic – Join host Darren Criss as we take “a new fantastic point of view” at the story of how Aladdin went from a classic Disney animated film to become Broadway’s smash hit with Composer Alan Menken and others.
Unboxing Aladdin – Our host, Joey Bragg from Disney Channel’s Liv & Maddy, explore the Easter eggs and hidden secrets of Aladdin in this unboxing video.
Classic Bonus – ALL classic bonus from the original DVD release
DMA Exclusive Bonus Features: Deleted Song – “My Finest Hour” – Jafar takes the stage in this never-before-seen deleted song. Includes intro from Ron & John. (DMA exclusive)
DVD Bonus Features: Select Classic Bonus, including:
Deleted Song / “Proud Of Your Boy” (Original Demo Recording)
Deleted Song / “You Can Count On Me”
Deleted Song / “Humiliate The Boy”
Deleted Song / “Why Me”
Deleted Scene / “Aladdin & Jasmine’s First Meeting”
Deleted Scene / “Aladdin in the Lap of Luxury”
Ratings: G in US & Canada (bonus materials are not rated)
Feature Run Time: Approximately 91 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Audio: Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. DVD: English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital.
“Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It’s a tale of good and evil. Hate: it was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love: these five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that’s right. Ooh, it’s a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he’s down. Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love!”
The next two Sundays, two of my favorite movies about the black experience will be showing at The Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112). Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING screens this Sunday, October 4th at 6pm and Jack Hill’s FOXY BROWN, featuring my favorite actress Pam Grier at her foxy best, screens Sunday October 11th at 5pm.
I remember seeing DO THE RIGHT THING at the now-shuttered Northwest Square Cinema in North St. Louis County the weekend it opened. I recall being the only Caucasian in the audience. I also remember when Samuel L. Jackson, as local DJ Mr. Senor Love Daddy remarked it was so hot there was a “Jheri curl alert. If you have a Jheri curl, stay in the house or you’ll end up with a permanent black helmet on your head fuh-eva!” The audience roared with laughter but I sat there not getting the joke….…and that’s the truth, Ruth!
“Always do the right thing?” says Da Mayor, played by Ossie Davis in DO THE RIGHT THING. “That’s it?” retorts Mookie (played by Lee), “That’s it!” Da Mayor, is the local old-timer spending the day drinking, meditating, giving advice and occasionally flirting with Mother-Sister, a woman of the same generation played by Ruby Dee, Davis’ real-life wife, observing the neighborhood’s life through the window. But the most emblematic scene of DO THE RIGHT THING consists of characters of different races facing a camera and delivering a series of racist rants until Mister Senor Love Daddy tells them to chill out. Some remarkable writing there by Mr. Lee (who is in St. Louis Monday night for a sold-out presentation at Webster University)
25 years later Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING has endured as one of the very best movies of the ‘90s. (okay, technically it is a 1989 film, but that’s ‘90s enough for me). It was fittingly voted #96 in AFI’s Top 100 Greatest Movies and features a sprawling cast including Danny Aiello (Oscar-nominated for his terrific work here), Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Robin Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nunn, Rosie Perez, and John Turturro. Lee’s film is a harrowing 24-hour journey into Brooklyn’s multi-ethnic Bedford/Stuy neighborhood and takes place during the summer’s hottest day. It’s not a coincidence that the suffocating atmosphere fits the overall mood of the film as it foreshadows the tragic inevitability of a coming storm. Apparently some in St. Louis thinks it foreshadows, or at least is pertinent in regards to, Ferguson and the recent race riots here.
Cinema St. Louis presents a free screening of DO THE RIGHT THING as part of the Greater St. Louis Humanities Festival, whose theme in 2015 is “Community Vitality and Viability.” at The Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112). The event begins at 6pm.
A post-screening panel discusses DO THE RIGHT THING status as a film and explores its continuing relevance in light of recent events, both in Ferguson and throughout the country. Kenya Vaughn from the St. Louis American moderates; participants include Sowande’ Mustakeem, Washington University assistant professor in the Department of History and in African and African American Studies; St. Louis native Tiffany Shawn, an educator, social-justice activist, and writer for several publications, including the St. Louis American; and Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch critic, who writes on film, jazz, and dance.
Check back here at We Are Movie Geeks for details about the FOXY BROWN screening!
ATTACK ON TITAN: Part One Screens at The Hi-Pointe (1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63117) Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10:00pm,Thursday, Oct. 1 at 10:00pm, and Wednesday, Oct. 7at 10:00pm
I have no idea what the popular manga/anime ATTACK ON TITAN even looks like, but this live-action version looks ambitiously nuts! Apparently fans of the source material aren’t happy with it, but that’s not surprising. St. Louis area fantasy film fans will get the opportunity to see ATTACK ON TITAN: Part One when it plays three nights at St. Louis’ best movie theater: the fabulous Hi-Pointe!
The man-eating humanoids called Titans first appeared over 100 years ago, devouring humans without motive or remorse. What was left of mankind retreated behind three enormous concentric walls. After a century of relative peace, a young boy named Eren is growing restless. He dreams of one day seeing the world behind the walls. But on the day he and his friends Armin and Misaka decide to investigate the great and mysterious wall that keeps them penned in like cattle, a titan larger and fiercer than any that have been seen before breaches the wall, kicking a large hole through the base of it. Now, titans are flooding the city, consuming much of the surviving human population. Eren and his surviving friends enlist to fight against the insatiable monsters. The future looks bleak, but there’s more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity’s last hope against extinction.
James Segal at Filmlink said the live-action ATTACK ON TITAN is:
“an essential example of Japanese pop-culture loaded with thematic intrigue and audacious visuals.”
ATTACK ON TITAN is in Japanese with English Subtitles – – THE FIRST EVER LIVE-ACTION VERSION OF ATTACK ON TITAN IS SO GIANT, IT’S BEING RELEASED IN TWO FEATURE LENGTH PARTS – Part Two will play at The Hi-Pointe Tuesday, Oct. 20 – Thursday, Oct. 22 – Tuesday, Oct. 27 (87 minutes)
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 was number one at this weekend’s box office with a staggering $47.5 million. The monster comedy adventure from Sony Pictures Animation stars Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi and Mel Brooks . The sequel is Sandler’s best debut ever and if estimates hold, a record for a September opening. (Review)
Another film with dazzling worldwide weekend box office results is LOST IN HONG KONG.
Rentrak’s Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian commented, “Actor, director Xu Zheng enjoyed an incredible global weekend as his ‘Lost in Hong Kong,’ the highly anticipated follow up to 2012’s ‘Lost in Thailand,’ grossed a spectacular $100.559 million in just 6 territories. Sony’s ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ also made its mark in 42 international territories and took the top spot in North America with a combined $76.7 million worldwide.”
The top 12 worldwide weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, are below.
1. Lost In Hong Kong – Multiple – $100.6M
2. Hotel Transylvania 2 – Sony – $76.7M
3. Everest – Universal – $46.9M
4. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – 20th Century Fox – $42.4M
5. Intern, The – Warner Bros. – $30.0M
6. Visit, The – Universal – $11.7M
7. Black Mass – Warner Bros. – $11.5M
8. Inside Out – Disney – $8.4M
9. Throne, The – Unknown – $7.9M
10. Fack ju Gohte 2 – Constantin – $7.5
11. Third way of Love, The – Multiple – $7.5M
12. Minions – Universal – $7.2M
The top 12 domestic weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, are below.
1. Hotel Transylvania 2 – Sony – $47.5M
2. Intern, The – Warner Bros. – $18.2M
3. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – 20th Century Fox – $14.0M
4. Everest – Universal – $13.1M
5. Black Mass – Warner Bros. – $11.5M
6. Visit, The – Universal – $6.7M
7. Perfect Guy, The – Sony – $4.8M
8. War Room – Sony – $4.3M
9. Green Inferno, The – High Top Releasing – $3.5M
10. Sicario – Lionsgate – $1.8M
11. Pawn Sacrifice – Bleecker Street – $1.0M
12. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation – Paramount – $0.9M
What if the party never ends? More importantly, what if the guests actually want to drive themselves to the point of no return? This is one of many ideas that takes up occupancy in Ben Wheatley’s masterful new work. HIGH-RISE is about excess to a crazy level. The characters, situated in their little microcosms on each floor are practically begging for the apocalypse. They are boozing and pushing themselves past the point of depravity because… well… what else is there.? No one wants to return to reality the next morning. When the drinks run dry and the record plays its last tune, do we really want to go back to a sense of normality?
Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston) has just moved into a new building designed by architect Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons) – a wealthy hermit who takes up residence on the top floor of the multi-story building. In fact, the building is situated as such that each floor is a class of their own, going from the lower class on the bottom to the wealthy at the top. As Laing adjusts to life in the high-rise, he becomes more aware of tension between the classes, which ultimately leads to all-out chaos.
HIGH-RISE presents an unpredictable world. Even though there’s an obvious structure that’s inherent to the building, Ben Wheatley shows that everyone is essentially the same. The base needs and desires of humans are all the same regardless of their social or financial status. Wheatley shows how each class uses sex and alcohol and “the party” as a way to escape the harsh reality of life. What gets darkly funny is how “the party” becomes a status symbol and a way to create a rivalry among groups. Life is a competition, even if it’s something that seems as trivial on the surface as a night of excess. But that is what’s most interesting about J.G. Ballard’s novel and Amy Jump’s script that Ben Wheatley understands: happiness is equated with overindulgence.
Tom Hiddleston delivers a subtly nuance performance. Even when he doesn’t appear to be doing anything, his line delivery or shifts in posture create a character that carries this ensemble film. Elisabeth Moss creates a fragile character that you hope will escape the struggling marriage and lonely life she lives, even though you know that this is a hopeless wish. Who delivers a star-making performance is Luke Evans. His career has consisted of background or supporting characters, and although he plays another supporting character here, he finds a way to stand-out in a considerable way. His journey from the start of the film to the anarchic finale is more moving and tragic than any character in the film. It’s a character that you love to hate, but Evans gives it just enough humanity that Academy voters will be hard-pressed to avoid acknowledging.
Ben Wheatley has a knack for placing the perfect song with a particular scene. This is especially evident in his exceptional prior film SIGHTSEERS. HIGH-RISE is no exception. Pop music from the 1970’s and classical compositions breathe life into the film. But Portishead’s cover of Abba’s “S.O.S” is one of the most memorable musical moments I have seen in a theater this year.
HIGH-RISE can be looked at as a spirtual cousin to Fellini’s LA DOLCE VITA. The elite appear to be asleep in both films in a dream world that is foreign to many. However, Wheatley’s film continues the conversation past the dream state. It shows what happens when they awake from their night of champagne and caviar and how they are supposed to live when the champagne runs out. HIGH-RISE is a masterful satire of society’s instinctual lust for depravity. Made with Kubrick-like precision, HIGH-RISE is an uncompromising look at an apocalyptic dystopia that might be the most relevant and important film of the year.
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