We Are Movie Geeks

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE – Review

Don’t put away that passport! And stop unpacking! After taking a cinematic road trip to New Zealand last week for the superb documentary TICKLED, we’re back in that lush locale once more. Seems there’s more to that place than elves and hobbits. While David Farrier and friends lived in the city, the action in this fiction flick takes place out in the wild, also known as the “bush”. Our guide/director is the talented film-making actor Taika Waititi. You might recall that gem he released to theatres two years ago, the clever, hilarious “mockumentary” WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, about a quartet of vampires sharing a big New Zealand estate (it’s streaming via several services, so watch it after you see this). Now it looks like Mr. Waititi has been “called up to the majors”. Those savvy talent scouts at Marvel Studios have recruited him to handle the son of Odin’s third solo adventure, THOR: RAGNAROK (they’re filming right now). But before he crosses the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard, Waititi presents this sweet quirky little character study, THE HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE.

The person at the center of this hunt is a “husky” (the old kids’ clothing designation) 13 year-old orphan named Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a New Zealand lad throughly in love with American “hip hop culture”. As the film begins, a hard-nosed social services rep named Paula (Rachel House) is delivering him to, quite possibly, his last foster home. Considering his age and long “rap” sheet (swearing, spitting, etc.), Ricky’s next stop (if things don’t work out) could be “juevie jail”. His new home is a modest ranch/ farm on the outskirts of the “bush” owned by the warm, middle-aged Bella Faulkner (Rima Te Wiata) and her surly unsocial hubby Hec (Sam Neill). Things don’t go well for Ricky that first night (he wants to be back in the “hood”), so he runs away in the middle of the night. But the ill-prepared Ricky doesn’t get far, and he awakes to find Bella hovering near him. Suddenly Hec’s dog Zag zips past. An energized Bella leaps to her feet and follows. Zag has cornered a wild pig in a ravine. Bella pulls out a big knife from her coat and leaps atop the beast, cutting and slashing. Ricky is horrified and …incredibly impressed. She just may be the coolest “old lady” he’s ever seen! Soon, she’s giving Ricky rifle lessons (the boy hits those targets), and that evening they celebrate his birthday with a cake and a present, an adorable pit bull puppy, which Ricky names “Tupac” (after his hero). Ricky now loves his new home. “Cue” the happy music and “fade-out”, eh? Oh no…

Tragedy takes Bella the next day. A distraught Hec informs Ricky that Paula will soon return to take him back. The heartbroken lad decides to fake his death and escape into the woods with Tupac. But the over-confident kid is no “bush-man” and runs out of food (and he’s hopelessly lost, of course). Luckily Hec tracks him down, but before they can return home Hec injures his leg. While he heals, Paula returns to get Ricky, but finds the ranch empty. She believes Hec has kidnapped the boy. When Hec and Ricky head back, they nearly run into armed authorities. Later they learn that they are wanted, so the mis-matched pair have no choice but to hide out in the forest. Days turn into weeks, then months, as their story turns them into folk heroes and the stuff of legend.

The actor that most film goers will recognize, despite his scraggly salt ‘n’ pepper whiskers is the always engaging Sam Neill. Yes, “dino-man” Dr. Alan Grant is not the smooth intellectual this time around. Hec is a hard scrabble fella’, who’s constantly been kicked in the teeth by fate. But something about his new pal rekindles a spark in his eyes, one that was nearly extinguished by the loss of his mate. Neill shows us that transformation through Hec’s weary eyes and his initial hesitation at making another human connection. It helps that Neill has a terrific rapport with the film’s breakout star, the impressive screen newcomer Dennison as the unpredictable but endearing ball of energy, Ricky Baker. Much like Hec, Baker has built up a defensive wall around him as a swaggering “wanna-be” street punk. Perhaps this wall protects him from yet another rejection, like a bouncing ball from one foster home to the next. And like his partner, he is changed by love. We laugh as he decides to live off the land, but we’re worried about the blustery squirt. With his wide expressive eyes and rapid fire line delivery, Dennison is a real comic discovery.

This unlikely team is most ably helped by an impressive supporting cast. House makes a most impressive pursuer, a tightly wound “Javert” who is all single-focused determination. Her hair tightly pulled back around a constant scowl, Paula is almost a programmed police drone (she even compares herself to the “Terminator”) with a stalled audio system that repeats the old catchphrase “no child left behind” on an endless loop. Her polar opposite is Te Wiata as the nurturing Bella. She stumbles a bit upon her first meeting with Ricky ( looking at his girth, she remarks “Honey, looks like you ate ALL the pies!”), but she wins him over by showing her wild side (that crazed blood-splattered smile after she’s dispatched the pig), and then making Ricky feel welcome and wanted. The loss of this warm, kind woman who took in these two strays because she wanted a family resonates through the story. Some memorable characters interact with the duo during their lengthy time in the bush. Ricky is completely “gob-smacked” by the ethereal beauty of tween actress Tioeore Ngatai-Melbourne as the generous Kahu who meets him while riding her horse (perhaps Ricky thinks that she’s a princess of the forest). And later, there’s the manic, slightly mad “Psycho” Sam played by gifted comic actor Rhys Darby (so good as the leader of the werewolf pack in SHADOWS). Darby is a bolt of pure energy as he shows off his hidden HQ to the bewildered Hec and Ricky. A true wild and wacky wood sprite, Darby’s Sam is a real delight. Oh, and the director himself is a true “hoot” as a befuddled minister conducting an awkward funeral service for Bella.

As funny as his cameo is, Waititi really shines in his double duties behind the camera. Adapting the novel by Barry Crump, the director/screenwriter has delivered a very funny modern fable on family and friendship. Waititi veers a tad into Wes Anderson territory by opening scenes with chapter titles (“Chapter 10: The Tide Turns”, etc.), but never forces the whimsy or humor into “preciousness”. He gets wonderful performances from the cast (Dennison’s Baker is real original) and makes wonderful use of the beautiful vibrant green forests of New Zealand (kudos to cinematographer Lachlan Milne). No wonder the brains at Marvel Studios scooped this talented film maker up! But before they see his version of Thor and the Hulk team up, movie audiences would be wise to join Hec and Ricky on the run in the very sweet and entertaining HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE.

4.5 Out of 5

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE plays everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre

EQUALS – Review

Review by Stephen Tronicek

EQUALS is EQUILIBRIUM without guns. That’s not just to call a comparison to the worlds that the films create, but also to show how Equals elevates itself using a very similar setting. Both take place in societies where emotions are demonized, and the inhabitants must keep from feeling anything in the attempt to fit in. The divergence is that while Equilibrium allows its awesome action to take over the plot, EQUALS doesn’t have guns, meaning that it cannot devolve into just another generic future action movie by the end. Instead, it turns into a wrenching love story, that while heavy-handed and melodramatic, works to a more satisfying degree.

Nicholas Hoult plays Silas, a man who suddenly starts to feel. He starts to notice Nia, (Kristen Stewart) who is another person that is starting to feel. Together, they find their way through these new feelings, avoid the authorities, and fall in love.

There’s a genuine Orwellian sense to Equals, in that its passion is genuine but subtle, and everything else is made up of the world. 1984 as a work seems to be a huge inspiration as the romance parallels it in many ways. Equals almost seems an adaptation of the structure of Orwell’s masterpiece, and the dry sensibility of the book transfers over just as much as the themes. That sensibility isn’t really for everyone, but here it serves to create simplicity in the internal logic of the movie leading the audience into a state of emotionlessness that actually allows an understanding of the way each character feels. That’s disarming and boring at times, but the world is consistently interesting enough and the payoff is spectacular. The “boring” sense to it also benefits some aspects. The feeling comes down thick creating an oppressive feel making the villains even more menacing.

This is the type of movie where the use of melodrama is justified. The twists and turns that the story eventually takes may seem cheesy to the point of feeling uncomfortable, but it fits the way the characters suddenly and violently gain their emotions back. The emotion in the film isn’t played safe at all, and that’s actually completely appropriate for the world. Hoult and Stewart aren’t always the best emoters (though Stewart is getting pretty good now) and this explosion of emotion serves them well as their subdued nature makes it much easier to wrestle. The other actors here: Guy Pierce, Bel Powley, Jacki Weaver etc are all predictably compelling but underused for their pedigree.

EQUALS is one of those films that Andrew Niccol should have made a while ago but didn’t. The world is beautifully stark, and the emotions are both disarming and overwhelming. It’s a sci-fi film that actually considers the world rather than the action, and is worth seeing even if it can be little monotone at times.

4 of 5 stars

EQUALS opens in St. Louis July 22nd exclusively at the AMC Chesterfield 14

ICE AGE COLLISION COURSE – Review

The Ice Age films are generally good at being “good enough”, but the fifth installment, ICE AGE COLLISION COURSE barely rises to that low bar. The filmmakers behind this franchise have proven to be much better at convincing parents to bring their kids to see their movies than they are at actually making these movies any good.

The lazy, sit-commy side of ICE AGE COLLISION COURSE’s story finds Manny the wooly mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), forgetting his wedding anniversary with Ellie (a barely-there Queen Latifah) and disapproving of his daughter Peaches’s (Keke Palmer) fiancé (the admittedly obnoxious) Julian (Adam DeVine). The more interesting, ARMEGGEDON-inspired action side finds that half rat/half squirrel Scrat’s pursuit of his acorn has taken him to other planets which results in a meteor hurtling destructively towards earth and Buck the weasel’s (Simon Pegg) attempts to stop it.

ICE AGE COLLISION COURSE is harmless, and when it focuses on Scrat‘s determined obsession with that acorn, it’s occasionally amusing – a film that might mesmerize the under-10 crowd but will most likely fail to keep their parents distracted. Sure, the characters are sort of cute, the voices are silly, and everyone learns the lessons they need to learn about friendship and family etc. But I think kids are smarter than this movie and way too much of the comedy here is uninspired. With most of the characters from the first four films plus a few new ones, there’s barely time to adequately explore anyone’s conflicts, leaving the series’ two original central characters, Romano’s Manny and especially Dennis Leary’s saber tooth Diego, relegated to the background. On the plus side, the movie looks fantastic, the 3D has decent depth, and Pegg’s one-eyed weasel is such a deranged scene-stealer that I wouldn’t mind seeing this character in a film of his own. I also liked Neil deGrasso Tyson as Neil deBuck Weasel, mixing in a few facts about our solar system with all the nonsense. ICE AGE COLLISION COURSE will satisfy its young fan base and is bound to make a ton of money, but at this point, the series is less an artistic pursuit and more a business deal. If you’ve already taken the tots to FINDING DORY and SECRET LIFE OF PETS you may be stuck, so keep your expectations low. ‘

2 of 5 Stars

LIGHTS OUT – Review

Anything could be lurking in the darkness. Imagining what could be hiding in the shadows opens a door to all sorts of nightmarish visuals. Horror films frequently fall back on characters nervously peering into the dark unknown, while audiences grip the armrests with sweaty palms. It’s an effective horror tool that will continue on film after film long after the lights turn back on in the theater.

LIGHTS OUT builds an entire film around the threat of sleeping without a nightlight. It’s a simple enough idea that could then be taken in many directions. David Sandberg builds upon his own 2 and a half minute short film in such a way that the wealth of possibilities hiding in the darkness has now become rather limited. In the process of creating a more personal and dramatic story, he has actually restricted the depth of what the darkness can hold.

Growing up, Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went out. Now that Rebecca is older and has moved out of the house, she doesn’t experience the shadowy woman in the night. However, now her little brother, Martin (Gabriel Bateman), is experiencing the same thing. The frightening entity seems connected to their despondent mother (Maria Bello), so it is now up to Rebecca to help save her younger brother from the darkness.

I applaud the film more for delivering strong characters instead of strong scares. A swapping of the typical relationship roles brings an interesting twist to the main female lead, Rebecca. She is the strong and more aloof one in her relationship, while he’s the more needy and clingy type – she very specifically doesn’t call him her boyfriend. It’s a refreshing role reversal that isn’t typically presented on film.

Mario Bello is perfectly cast as a distraught mother dealing with her own personal demons. She effectively portrays a mother who is burdened by the very real hardships in her life and the unseen guilt from her past. The ghastly woman in the shadows becomes a metaphorical symbol for Mario Bello’s depression and grief. Horror fans don’t have to be reminded of the sensational THE BABADOOK from 2014, which also used this same “boogeyman as an emotional metaphor” structure. Given the fact that the short film that LIGHTS OUT is based on has zero story, I can’t help but think that screenwriter Eric Heisserer and director David Sandberg might have been inspired by this recent superior film (along with maybe a few other films). Even a flashback sequence or two of the characters as friends in the 60s is presented in the scratchy Super-8 film style that was recently at center stage in SINISTER.

Given the nature of the story, Sandberg has a limited bag of tricks: scratching noises are heard off-screen, a shadowy figure stands silently in the dark and then disappears in the light, and elongated fingers pull a person into the darkness. These tried but true scares are repeated again and again. Given the short running time, I can’t help but think that a few of the scares might have been more effective if they had a little more setup, drawing out the tension for both the characters and the audience. As a result, there’s a familiar beat or pattern to the scares that becomes apparent after a while.

That being said, horror fans will still find enough to like about LIGHTS OUT. At 82 minutes, the film moves along at a brisk pace and delivers an in-your-face sound design filled with loud bangs and creepy voices set against a classic horror score. LIGHTS OUT doesn’t offer anything particularly memorable aside from the opening scene, which is essentially a longer but masterfully staged version of the short film. However, it does show the promise of a young horror director who is beginning to find his footing in the dark world of horror.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

LIGHTS OUT opens in theaters July 22

Listen To Michael Giacchino’s STAR TREK BEYOND Soundtrack Plus Comic-Con Photos

Check out images and video from the premiere of STAR TREK BEYOND at San Diego Comic-Con.

The premiere featured the first ever outdoor IMAX screening as well as Academy Award®-Winning Composer Michael Giacchino’s thrilling film score performed live-to picture by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 20: (L-R) Actors Chris Pine, John Cho, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Qunito, Justin Lin, Zoe Saldana, Sofia Boutella and J.J. Abrams pose together at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title "Star Trek Beyond" at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Pine; John Cho; Karl Urban; Simon Pegg; Zachary Qunito; Justin Lin; Zoe Saldana; Sofia Boutella; J.J. Abrams — (L-R) Actors Chris Pine, John Cho, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Qunito, Justin Lin, Zoe Saldana, Sofia Boutella and J.J. Abrams pose together at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title “Star Trek Beyond” at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 20: Actor Idris Elba attends the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title Star Trek Beyond at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Idris Elba — Actor Idris Elba attends the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title Star Trek Beyond at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images)

Composer Michael Giacchino speaks onstage at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title ìStar Trek Beyondî at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images)

A fireworks and laser display is seen during the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title ìStar Trek Beyondî at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Varèse Sarabande will release the STAR TREK BEYOND – Music From The Motion Picture digitally worldwide on July 22, on CD July 29 (U.S. and Canada) and rest of the world on August 5, 2016. The album features original music by Michael Giacchino (ZOOTOPIA, STAR TREK, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS).

Star Trek Beyond, the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In Beyond, the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

“To me it feels like an episode of the original series, but on a much grander scale. The crew is now on their five-year mission embarking on a completely new emotional journey than we have previously seen, ” said Giacchino. “It’s been a chance to create a new musical landscape for the film that reflects both hope and exploration.”

Composer Michael Giacchino has credits that feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent years including Zootopia, Inside Out, Jurassic World, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Giacchino’s 2009 score for the Pixar hit UP earned him an Oscar^®, a Golden Globe®, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two GRAMMY® Awards.

Giacchino began his filmmaking career at the age of 10 in his backyard in Edgewater Park, New Jersey, and eventually went on to study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. After college, he landed a marketing job at Disney and began studies in music composition, first at Juilliard and then at UCLA. From marketing, he became a producer in the fledgling Disney Interactive Division where he had the opportunity to write music for video games.

After moving to a producing job at the newly formed DreamWorks Interactive Division, he was asked to score the temp track for the video game adaptation of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Subsequently, Steven Spielberg hired him as the composer and it became the first PlayStation game to have a live orchestral score. Giacchino continued writing for video games and became well known for his Medal of Honor scores.

Giacchino’s work in video games sparked the interest of J.J. Abrams, and thus began their long-standing relationship that would lead to scores for the hit television series Alias and Lost, and the feature films Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8 and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Additional projects include collaborations with Disney Imagineering on music for Space Mountain, Star Tours (with John Williams) and the Ratatouille ride in Disneyland Paris. Giacchino also was the musical director of the 81st Annual Academy Awards®. His music can be heard in concert halls internationally with Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Ratatouille films being performed live-to-picture with a full orchestra.

Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin, marks Giacchino’s third film in the franchise, and will be released this summer. Upcoming projects include Colin Trevorrow’s The Book of Henry and his first Marvel film, Dr. Strange, helmed by Scott Derrickson.

Giacchino serves as the Governor of the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and sits on the advisory board of Education Through Music Los Angeles.

Paramount Pictures presents STAR TREK BEYOND in theaters, REAL3D and IMAX 3D on July 22, 2016. Varèse Sarabande will release the STAR TREK BEYOND – Music From The Motion Picture digitally on July 22, on CD July 29 (U.S. and Canada), and August 5, 2016 (rest of the world).

Watch The Trailer For The Disney Animator Documentary FLOYD NORMAN: AN ANIMATED LIFE

A new trailer has been released for FLOYD NORMAN: AN ANIMATED LIFE.

From filmmakers Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey, the feel good documentary is an intimate journey through the celebrated life and career of the ‘Forrest Gump’ of the animation industry – Disney Legend, Floyd Norman.

In Theaters, On Demand and Digital HD August 26, 2016

Comic-Con Screening & Panel July 22nd tomorrow Friday, (July 22nd at 3:10pm) followed by a Q&A with Floyd, the filmmakers Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey and composer Ryan Shore – a separate panel will be held that evening at 9pm.

Hired as the first African-American at Disney in 1956, Floyd worked on such classics as SLEEPING BEAUTY and 101 DALMATIANS, to name a few. In 1967, he was hand-picked by Walt Disney to join the story team on THE JUNGLE BOOK. He would later work at Hanna Barbera on many classic cartoons, including SCOOBY DOO. His talents would later take him to Pixar to work on TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS INC… But on Mr. Norman’s 65th birthday in 2000, Disney HR force-retired him. He struggled with Disney’s decision and refused to leave his “home”.

For the last 16 years, Floyd has “hijacked” a cubicle at Disney Publishing, unpaid, but picking up freelance work when he can. At 81 he continues to have an impact as both an artist and a mentor. As Mr. Norman says “[He] [plans] to die at the drawing board.”

For more info, visit: http://www.floydnormanmovie.com
Pre-Order on iTunes Today: http://apple.co/2a8MWHx

Facebook: @FloydNormanDocumentary
Twitter: @FloydNormanDoc
Instagram: @FloydNormanMovie

Best Theaters in America

We all have our favorite go-to theater. The picture-perfect screens, the sound quality, the comfy seats and the awesome popcorn.

Ever wonder where people who make movies love to watch them? Recently The Academy asked filmmakers share what their favorite movie theater to watch a film in is.

From Steven Spielberg and Sarah Silverman, to Danny Boyle and Nia Long their answers included an amazing list of theaters from all over the globe!

We begin our picks for the Best Theaters in America with Hollywood’s own Cinerama Dome.

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the 1963 zany chase to reach the Big W was the Dome’s very first film. One upon a time, The Dome was from a timewhen having a big Hollywood premiere along with big stars was a HUGE event.

Sundance Cinemas – Seattle, WA

The Seattle Weekly called it THE BEST MOVIE THEATRE IN SEATTLE. https://www.sundancecinemas.com/seattle_insiders_guide.html

It’s described as a brand new and exciting film center for moviegoers in Seattle. The entire location was redesigned adding a full Bar & Bistro, Living Room, Reserved Stadium Seating, all new plush and comfy rocking love chairs, new digital presentation and new sound – it’s a new theatre. The experience is unlike any other cinema, with a combination of the best film programming available and special and exciting filmmaker screenings making the Sundance Seattle the place to see a movie.

Graumans Chinese – Hollywood, CA

http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/

Since 1927, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre) has been the home to the most prominent red carpet movie premieres and special events. The theatre has the unique Forecourt of the Stars, which features cement hand and footprints of major movie stars from past to present. Part of the Hollywood & Highland complex, this cinema palace is the most famous movie theatre in the world. It’s the world’s largest IMAX auditorium, as well as the only movie palace in California with a state-of-the-art IMAX Laser projection experience.

Tivoli Theatre – St. Louis, MO

https://www.landmarktheatres.com/st-louis/tivoli-theatre

3 Screens. Built in 1924. Operated by Landmark from 1977 to 1991 and from 1999 to present. St. Louis’ beloved Tivoli Theatre features the finest in independent film and foreign language cinema. Architecturally and historically, the Tivoli Building is the most prominent edifice in The Loop area of St. Louis. It has a street frontage of 180 feet, is four stories tall, houses seven specialty shops in addition to the theatre, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Alamo Drafthouse – Austin, TX

https://drafthouse.com/austin

One of the absolute coolest theaters in the U.S., the Alamo Drafthouse ”is dinner, drinks, movies and events, all under one roof.” They don’t allow cell phone use during any movie and no annoying commercials prior to the show. It’s win-win all the way around.

The Music Box Theatre – Chicago, IL

http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/

You’ll definitely be spoiled when you go to a movie at the Music Box Theatre. Opened 1929, the Music Box Theatre retains its original architecture and design. With a dark blue ceiling, “twinkling stars” and moving cloud formations suggesting a night sky, and walls and towers suggesting an Italian courtyard, patrons are made to feel as if they are watching a film in an open-air Tuscan palazzo.

Old theaters have ghosts and The Music Box is no exception. “Whitey”, as was his neighborhood nick-name, was the manager of The Music Box from opening night 1929 to November 24, 1977.

Cinemark Monaco – Huntsville, AL

http://www.monacopicturesusa.com/

A revolutionary new upscale movie entertainment experience combining state-of-the-art technology, reserved theater seating, stylish dining experiences, and the Prive’ VIP Experience. It is the next step in the evolution of the movies – worth leaving home for.

HiPointe – St. Louis, MO

http://hi-pointetheatre.com/

The region’s second oldest movie house still in business, The HiPointe is also the home of the world’s largest Amoco sign. Taking its name from the surrounding neighborhood, it is the highest point in the City of St. Louis.

Livingroom Theaters – Portland, OR

http://pdx.livingroomtheaters.com/

Living Room® Theaters is a visionary new concept created by longtime filmmakers. We set out to reinvent the way films are viewed and distributed. And to change everything we didn’t like about conventional and art house movie theaters – from the film selection to the lobby ambiance, food, seating and service.

Welcome to the new evolution of cinema – Living Room Theaters — the sophisticated yet superbly comfortable environment that combines a European style café and lounge with a relaxing place to see wonderful movies. Cinema has come to its senses.

Cinemark NextGen Theater – North Haven, CT

http://www.cinemark.com

Reclining chairs, a bar, a self-serve concession line filled with a variety of food and an auditorium with a 68-foot screen are just some of the best thing about this theater located in North Haven, CT according to myrecordjournal.com. We’ve been to this theater and its 3-D XD theater is really an awesome experience.

The Oriental – Milwaukee, WI

https://www.landmarktheatres.com/milwaukee/oriental-theatre

Every Friday and Saturday before the 7pm show in the main theatre, the lush sounds of the Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ introduce the film, just like the good old days. This pipe organ is the largest of its kind in a theatre in America, and the third largest in the world.

The Castro – San Francisco, CA

http://www.castrotheatre.com/

June 22, 1922. The Castro’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ is played nightly before the first evening show as well as before the late shows Friday & Saturday night. Plus a great venue of old and new cinema.

Jacob Tremblay Stars In New Trailer For Horror Film BEFORE I WAKE

Relativity Studios has just released a scary new trailer for their upcoming film, BEFORE I WAKE, starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish, Dash Mihok and Jacob Tremblay as Cody.

In this intense and heart pounding supernatural thriller, Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) decide to take in a sweet and loving 8-year-old boy, Cody. Unbeknownst to them, Cody is terrified of falling asleep.

At first, they assume his previous unstable homes caused his aversion to sleep, but soon discover why: Cody’s dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. In one moment they experience the incredible wonder of Cody’s imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of his night terrors. To save their new family, Jessie and Mark embark on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind Cody’s nightmares.

Directed by Mike Flanagan, BEFORE I WAKE hits theaters everywhere on September 9, 2016.

Learn more about BEFORE I WAKE on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeforeIWakeMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beforeiwakefilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforeiwakemovie/
Hashtag: #BeforeIWake

Robert De Niro Stars In First Trailer For HANDS OF STONE

The Weinstein Company has released the brand new trailer from their upcoming film,HANDS OF STONE. Written and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, the movie stars Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Usher Raymond, Ana de Armas, Ellen Barkin and John Turturro.

HANDS OF STONE follows the life of Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez), the Panamanian fighter who made his professional debut in 1968 as a 16 year-old and retired in 2002 at the age of 50.

In June 1980, he defeated Sugar Ray Leonard (Usher Raymond) to capture the WBC welterweight title, but shocked the boxing world by returning to his corner in their November rematch, famously saying the words “no mas” (no more.)

HANDS OF STONE hits theaters on August 26th, 2016.
Facebook: facebook.com/handsofstonemovie
Twitter: twitter.com/HandsofStoneMov
Instagram: instagram.com/handsofstonemov

WAMG Giveaway – Win Six John Travolta Blu-rays Including I AM WRATH

To celebrate the upcoming release of John Travolta’s I AM WRATH on July 26th, We Are Movie Geeks would like to offer a John Travolta Blu-ray bundle as a giveaway for our readers! (check out our coverage of I AM WRATH HERE)

You can win all of these John Travolta Blu-rays:

I am Wrath

From Paris With Love

Pulp Fiction

The Punisher

The Forger

She’s So Lovely (Digital copy)

All you have to do is leave a comment below answering this question: What is your favorite movie starring John Travolta? (mine is SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER). It’s so easy. We’ll be picking the winners next week. Good Luck!

1. You must have a U.S. mailing address.
2. No purchase necessary.

Brace yourself for a thrilling experience with the intense action-revenge thriller, I Am Wrath, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital) and On Demand onJuly 26 from Lionsgate. John Travolta (From Paris with Love) stars as a man who takes action after realizing a group of corrupt police officers will never solve his wife’s murder. From the director of The Scorpion King, I Am Wrath is currently available On Demand and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

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