We Are Movie Geeks

Paul Bettany, Natalie Dormer, Martin Freeman, Anthony Hopkins And Harrison Ford Join OFFICIAL SECRETS

Paul Bettany (AVENGERS film series, IRON MAN film series), Natalie Dormer (THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy, The Forest, HBO’s ‘Game Of Thrones’), Martin Freeman (THE HOBBIT films, upcoming CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, SHERLOCK), Sir Anthony Hopkins and Harrison Ford have joined the espionage thriller OFFICIAL SECRETS which will be produced by Elizabeth Fowler (DEVIL’S KNOT).

Justin Chadwick (MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL) will direct the true story based on the best-selling book The Spy Who Tried To Stop A War: Katherine Gun and The Secret Plot to Sanction the Iraq Invasion. The screenplay is written by Sara and Gregory Bernstein.

The Solution Entertainment Group’s Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel are executive producing the feature film and are handling the financing and international sales at the upcoming European Film Market. UTA Independent Film Group packaged the project and represents domestic rights.

The film is slated to begin principal photography in May 2016 in the UK.

In the run up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Katharine Gun (Dormer), a young British intelligence officer reveals a secret illegal NSA spy operation against the UN Security Council designed to ensure passage of a resolution for war to Martin Bright (Bettany) a reporter at the British newspaper, The London Observer. Katharine’s arrest following the leak makes headlines around the world. In an attempt to gain the evidence to free Katharine, Martin unearths the shocking plot which puts both Katharine and Martin’s lives in great jeopardy. Freeman will be playing Peter Edwards, the foreign affairs editor at The Observer, while Hopkins is playing a retired UK general and Ford a CIA agent.

Paul Bettany most recently starred as Jarvis/Vision in the blockbuster Marvel films THE AVENGERS and IRON MAN and will reprise the role in the upcoming anticipated CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR for Marvel. Bettany previously starred opposite Kevin Spacey in Lionsgate’s MARGIN CALL and the Academy Award Best Picture winning film A BEAUTIFUL MIND directed by Ron Howard and starring Russell Crowe.

Natalie Dormer, known for her role as Margaery Tyrell in HBO’s Golden Globe nominated hit series ‘Game Of Thrones’, currently stars in Focus Features’ The Forest, and will next be seen in the upcoming Screen Gems thriller PATIENT ZERO opposite Stanley Tucci and Matt Smith, and directed by Stegan Ruzowitzky, slated for a September 2016 release. She most recently appeared in Lionsgate’s global box office hit THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy starring alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.

Martin Freeman will next appear in the upcoming Marvel film CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. He previously starred as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG. Freeman was nominated for a Golden Globe Best Actor award for his starring role in FX’s series ‘Fargo’.

Justin Chadwick recently directed the upcoming TULIP FEVER starring Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz and Academy Award nominee Alicia Vikander, and to be released by The Weinstein Co. in 2016. Chadwick also directed The Weinstein Co.’s Academy Award nominated film MANDELA: LONG WALK TO starring Golden Globe nominee Idris Elba, and Columbia Pictures’ THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana.

Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner Star In New Trailer For NINE LIVES

EuropaCorp has debuted the teaser trailer, poster and first photos for the upcoming film, NINE LIVES. The movie stars Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Malina Weissman, Cheryl Hines, Christopher Walken and Robbie Amell,

Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a daredevil billionaire at the top of his game. His eponymous company FireBrand is nearing completion on its greatest achievement to date – the tallest skyscraper in the northern hemisphere. But Tom’s workaholic lifestyle has disconnected him from his family, particularly his beautiful wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) and his adoring daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman).

Rebecca’s 11th birthday is here, and she wants the gift she wants every year, a cat. Tom hates cats, but he is without a gift and time is running out. His GPS directs him to a mystical pet store brimming with odd and exotic cats- where the store’s eccentric owner- Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken), presents him with a majestic tomcat, named Mr. Fuzzypants.

M266 (Left to right.) Melina Weissman, Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken star in EuropaCorp's "NINE LIVESÓ. Photo Credit: Takashi Seida © 2015 EuropaCorp. — (Left to right.) Melina Weissman, Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken.
Photo Credit: Takashi Seida © 2015 EuropaCorp.

En route to his daughter’s party, Tom has a terrible accident. When he regains consciousness he discovers that somehow, he has become trapped inside the body of the cat. Adopted by his own family, he begins to experience what life is truly like for the family pet, and as a cat, Tom begins to see his family and his life through a new and unexpected perspective. Meanwhile, his family adjusts to life with an odd and stubborn cat, and his son David (Robbie Amell), steps up in ways Tom never expected.

If any hope exists of returning to his family as the husband and father they deserve, Tom will have to learn why he has been placed in this peculiar situation and the great lengths he must go to earn back his human existence.

M201 (Left to right.) Jennifer Garner and Melina Weissman star in EuropaCorp's "NINE LIVESÓ. Photo Credit: Takashi Seida © 2016 EuropaCorp. All rights reserved. — Takashi Seida © 2016 EuropaCorp. All rights reserved.

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, NINE LIVES hits theaters this summer on August 5th.

Learn more about NINE LIVES on:
Instagram (Mr. Fuzzypants): https://www.instagram.com/mrfuzzypants
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninelivesfilm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ninelives
Hashtag: #NineLives

Tina Fey, Kevin Hart Announced As Presenters For 88th Oscars

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today the first slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar Sunday, February 28, on ABC.

The presenters and performers, including past Oscar winners and nominees, are:

Benicio Del Toro
Tina Fey
Whoopi Goldberg
Ryan Gosling
Kevin Hart
Lady Gaga
Sam Smith
Charlize Theron
Jacob Tremblay
The Weeknd
Pharrell Williams

“Each of these artists brings a wonderfully distinctive element to the Oscars stage,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Together they represent the many thrilling ways stories can be shared about the human experience, and we’re honored they will be part of the celebration.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE Starring Harold Lloyd February 7th in St. Louis with Live Music

“Bull” Brindle was so tough he wouldn’t eat lady fingers unless they had brass knuckles!”

The 1926 silent film FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE starring Harold Lloyd screens in St. Louis Sunday, February 7th at 4pm at Second Presbyterian Church (4501 Westminster Place St. Louis MO 63108). It will be accompanied by Organist Andrew Peters.

While not as much of a household name as Chaplin or Keaton, Harold Lloyd was one of the most popular and influential film comedians of the silent era. Lloyd made nearly 200 comedies, both silent and “talkies”, between 1914 and 1947. He is best known for his bespectacled “Glasses” character, a resourceful, success-seeking go-getter who was perfectly in tune with 1920s era United States. Llyod’s films frequently contained extended chase scenes and daredevil physical feats. The image of Lloyd hanging from the hands of a clock high above the street in SAFETY LAST (1923) is now part of cinema folklore. Lloyd performed these dangerous stunts himself, despite having injured himself in August 1919 while doing publicity pictures for the Roach studio. An accident with a bomb mistaken as a prop resulted in the loss of the thumb and index finger of his right hand (the injury was disguised on future films with the use of a special prosthetic glove).

In FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE (1926), Lloyd played J. Harold Manners, an irresponsible young millionaire who changes his tune when he falls for the daughter of a downtown minister. FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE features one of Lloyd’s most hair-raising stunts as a double-decker bus (with atop it the star and his ‘flock’) races driverless along busy city streets on its way to Harold’s wedding. Other hilarious highlights include: the destruction of two cars owned by our reckless hero – the first happens because of a crate of cat food in the middle of the street, which the black chauffeur mistakes for the real thing and tries to avoid but ends up slamming straight into another car, and an irresistible routine involving the indigestible ‘cakes’ which Lloyd is made to eat by his beloved at the mission.

Don’t miss the screening of FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE at 4pm February 7th at Second Presbyterian Church (4501 Westminster Place St. Louis MO 63108). It will be accompanied by Organist Andrew Peters. Admission is FREE

KUNG FU PANDA 3 – The Review

In the mostly satisfying second sequel to the charming 2008 hit, Po the panda (voice of Jack Black) returns in pursuit of food, inner peace, family reconnections, and more food. KUNG FU PANDA 3 opens with wise old turtle Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) attacked and defeated by centuries-old nemesis Kai (J.K. Simmons), a sword-wielding bull. Kai has crushed many martial arts legends and swiped their chi (mojo), which he keeps in jade ornaments and uses to raise his mighty zombie army. Kai turns his attention to Po, whose fate it is, he has learned, to conquer him. But Po has just reconnected with his long-lost father Li (Bryan Cranston), and finally met more of his species, including a potential love interest in the form of Mei Mei (Kate Hudson). Aware he must harness his own chi to defeat Kai, Po and his pop take refuge in a secret mountainside village where their kind have gathered after the panda extermination detailed in the previous film, to prepare for battle with Kai and his evil minions.

Much of the freshness and novelty that made the original film such a kick is lacking in KUNG FU PANDA 3, but kids who enjoyed the first two installments of Po’s saga aren’t likely to complain. It’s entertaining enough but feels too familiar and a bit overstuffed. The three new major characters are fun additions but they crowd out the screen time of the fighting team of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), and Crane (David Cross) as well as Po’s adoptive dad, the dumpling-cooking goose Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) who all return. Despite their obvious importance to Po’s success as a fighter, these characters are pushed too far to the background, so as not to take the spotlight away from our hero’s bonding with his father. Many of the jokes are retreads (Po’s clumsy at martial arts – but boy he sure loves to eat!), and the subplot about Po reconnecting with his long-lost dad is so simplistically sentimental that it’s more patronizing than heartening. This new villain Kai is formidable enough but his brutish design and attitude don’t seem to fit the KUNG FU PANDA universe, looking more like he wandered in from the upcoming Warcraft movie. The quality of Dreamwork’s animation is top-notch (as expected), the 3-D effects are well-integrated instead of superfluous, and Jack Black charms the audience with enough one-liners, but it loses a couple of points for a narrative that overstretches by at least 15 minutes. Kids may love it and parents won’t be terribly bored but unlike the TOY STORY series that added real depth and heart to each sequel, KUNG FU PANDA 3 is more of the same.

3 of 5 Stars

Check Out The First Poster For Mike Epps’ Comedy MEET THE BLACKS

Feast your eyes on the first poster for Mike Epps’ hilarious new comedy MEET THE BLACKS. The film will release nationwide on April Fool’s Day (April 1^st) – no joke!

In the meantime, check out the trailer.

From writer/director/producer Deon Taylor, MEET THE BLACKS is comedy/horror hybrid spoofing the hit film “The Purge,” and stars Mike Epps (“The Hangover,” “50 Shades of Black,” “Resident Evil: Apocalypse”), George Lopez (“Lopez Tonight,” “Swing Vote,” “Balls of Fury”), Mike Tyson (“The Hangover” series “Scary Movie 5”), Bresha Webb (NBC’s “Truth Be Told”), Zulay Henao (“True Memoirs of An International Assassin”) as well as a ‘who’s who’ of pop culture personalities including Gary Owen (“Ride Along”) Charlie Murphy (“The Chappelle Show”), Tameka “Tiny” Cottle (VH1’s TI & Tiny with Rap artist husband TI), gossip columnist Perez Hilton, Paul Mooney (Richard Pryor’s longtime writing partner), Vine star Andrew Bachelor, and comedians Lil Duvall,DeRay Davis and Lavell Crawford.

MEET THE BLACKS is written, produced and directed by former pro basketball player turned filmmaker Deon Taylor (“Supremacy” “Chain Letter,” “Dead Tone”).

Roxanne Avent (“Nite Tales,” “The Hustle,” “Free Agents”) and Shannon McIntosh (“The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Inglorious Basterds”) produced the film alongside Taylor. Executive producers are Mike Epps, NBA star Tony Parker, Michael Finley, Venu Kondle and Derek Dudley. Freestyle Releasing will distribute the film nationwide.

Original music for the film is written, produced and performed by RZA, the iconic producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, rapper, actor, director, composer, and screenwriter. RZA is also an executive producer.

MEET THE BLACKS OFFICIAL SOCIAL PAGES

OFFICIAL TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MeettheBlacks
OFFICIAL FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/meettheblacks/
OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/meet_the_blacks/
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://meettheblacksmovie.com/
#MeetTheBlacks

Watch The New Trailer For THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

Check out the seriously hilarious new trailer for THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. I can’t wait for this one!

For their fifth fully-animated feature-film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.

Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks.

Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Brian Lynch and Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS opens in theaters July 8.

Visit the official site: www.thesecretlifeofpets.com

Second Trailer For THE BRONZE Arrives – Stars Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole And Sebastian Stan

Sony Pictures Classics has released the new trailer and new photos from the upcoming comedy THE BRONZE, starring Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Cecily Strong and Haley Lu Richardson.

The film hits theaters March 18.

A decade ago, Hope Ann Greggory (Melissa Rauch) was America’s sweetheart. Her inspired performance on a ruptured Achilles at the world’s most prestigious gymnastics tournament clinched an unlikely bronze medal for the U.S. team and brought glory to her hometown of Amherst, Ohio. But in the years since that epic third place victory, Hope hasn’t done a whole lot with her life. Still living in her dad Stan’s (Gary Cole) basement, still sporting her daily uniform of a Team USA gym suit with teeny-bopper bangs, ponytail and scrunchie, she spends her days at the mall milking her minor celebrity for free food and favors.

Hope’s routine is upended when she learns that she must coach Amherst’s newest gymnastics prodigy Maggie (Haley Lu Richardson) in order to receive a sizeable financial inheritance. The hard-edged yet insecure Hope is faced with a serious dilemma: does she jeopardize her “hometown hero” status by devotedly training this rising star to achieve the dreams she never could? Or does she attempt to sabotage the impressionable Maggie to ensure that she remains the one and only star in Amherst?

Visit the movie:

twitter.com/TheBronzeMovie

www.facebook.com/TheBronzeFilm

Meet The TROLLS In First Teaser

DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox have released the first trailer for TROLLS.

From the genius creators of SHREK, TROLLS stars Anna Kendrick as Poppy, the optimistic leader of the Trolls, and her polar opposite, Branch, played by Justin Timberlake. Together, this unlikely pair of Trolls must embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond the only world they’ve ever known. TROLLS also stars Gwen Stefani, James Corden, Russell Brand, Icona Pop, Ron Funches and Kunal Nayaar.

Get ready for a hair-raising adventure, when this irreverent comedy extravaganza with incredible music comes to theaters November 4, 2016.

Visit the official site: www.dreamworks.com/trolls

www.facebook.com/DreamWorksTrolls

twitter.com/trolls

instagram.com/trolls

EDDIE THE EAGLE Premieres At Sundance 2016 – Watch The New Clip

On Tuesday evening, Park City locals were treated to the surprise of the festival. Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton, and Director Dexter Fletcher (Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels) brought their film EDDIE THE EAGLE to Sundance 2016. It was the culmination of over 100 word of mouth screenings across the country that garnered clapping and cheering.

Check out photos from the Sundance carpet below and some initial fan reactions from screenings across the country.

(Photo Credit: Wireimage)

Check out the new clip now.

Inspired by true events, EDDIE THE EAGLE is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out.

With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. (trailer)

From producers of KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE, EDDIE THE EAGLE stars Taron Egerton as Eddie, the loveable underdog with a never say die attitude.

EDDIE THE EAGLE hits theaters everywhere February 26, 2016.

Visit the official site: www.foxmovies.com/movies/eddie-the-eagle

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