Check out this brilliant first trailer for MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.
I’m sold!
In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.
Exclusively in theaters June 5, 2026 in U.S. theaters on June 5, 2026 by Amazon MGM Studios and internationally this June, by Sony Pictures International Releasing.
Nicholas Galitzine stars in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
It looks like whatever crystal ball (maybe more of a big fishbowl) Hollywood was consulting certainly proved it’s worth. That’s because with most of the country on near-constant “staycation” (the other countries have pretty much shut their doors in our faces) the studios have supplied an almost constant stream (I should say “streaming”) supply of films concerning characters in “faraway places” or on their way to getaways. Vicariously we’ve been to Naples (PIRANHAS), Cornwall (FOUR KIDS AND IT), and a funny TRIP TO GREECE. But this country’s not been left out with last weekend’s EASY DOES IT driving a battered Mustang from Mississippi to Texas and stalling out in sunny San Clemente, CA. What’s the destination this week. Well, let’s head north to the Portland area, or nearby, to spend a wild long weekend with two fun-loving couples ready to kick back and enjoy some “R and R” at THE RENTAL. Ah, but they learn too late that getting away from it all (of course their cell phones get “no bars”) can make them the perfect prey.
Of course, the story begins at the place they need to “get away” from, namely the city of Portland. Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Mina (Shelia Vand) are partners in an “on the rise” design firm downtown. The business has been so great that they decide to rent a place on the water (an Airbnb type online deal) for the long upcoming weekend. But it’s not just for the two of them. Charlie’s bringing his live-in love Michelle (Alison Brie), while Mina’s with Charlie’s younger brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White). The road trip gets off to a bit of a rocky start when Josh insists on bringing his pet pooch Reggie (the listing was adamant banning pets). And Mina’s miffed at the renters for accepting Josh’s bid and not hers (she thinks her Middle Eastern name may have been the reason). When they arrive, the quartet is met by the house owner’s brother Taylor (Toby Huss) who lives nearby and does the upkeep on the gorgeous two-story luxury home. He also vets the renters which prompts Mina to question his decision on her inquiry. Luckily Charlie smoothes things over, the dog is kept out of sight, and Taylor promises to return to finish some minor repairs. After he leaves they debate about topping off Dinner with some psychedelic ‘shrooms. Michelle is too wiped out from her recent work deadlines, but promises that she’ll be up for it tomorrow (so, they better leave some). The trio indulges with Josh quickly fading. Charlie and Nina (now quite loosened up) fire up the hot tub. But with their “defenses down” the two act on their attraction, taking their tryst from the tub to the main shower. With dawn’s light, Mina notices something odd about the showerhead. Could it be a tiny camera lens? One transmitting to a router? Charlie joins her in a frantic search. Could these have been planted by the surly Taylor? Is it blackmail or is it something more sinister? And can they keep their indiscretion a secret from the oblivious Michelle and Josh?
The cast’s main quartet does their level best to bring the often flighty, undisciplined characters down to Earth. Stevens, best known to movie audiences as the Prince in the recent live-action (mostly)BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, is a compelling protagonist, the de facto leader of “the band’, reveling in the “commander” role. We soon see the cracks in his confident facade as he gives into lust. It also puts him in sweaty panic mode as he feverishly tries to make things “normal”, a near-impossible goal. Vand exudes an air of cool detachment in her early scenes as Mina, but she’s quickly put on the defensive by the renter’s perceived prejudices. Her friends, especially partner Charlie, are stunned when she decides to “pick a fight” just after the keys are handed off. Later she’s just as frantic as she discovers the “little spy” in their midst. Brie as the unawares Michelle appears to be the more reasonable “go with the flow” vacationer, who just happens to get high at the absolute worst time (prompted by her new knowledge of Charlie’s checkered romantic history). That intel is clumsily provided by brother Josh, who is given a “wild card” vibe by White. The slower sibling always feels as though he’s “in over his head” financially, intellectually, and emotionally. We’re told of his violent past which brings greater urgency to the cover-up. When his beloved Reggie vanishes his concern proves to release his inner demons. And they all, well maybe not Michelle, have qualms about Taylor, played with simmering menace by Huss. He wears the mask of an “easy-going reg’lar Joe”, but we can almost see steam rising from its edges as he tries to repress his seething jealousy of the privileged young couples. All his friendly gestures seem to have a dark, almost pitch black, undercurrent.
This marks the feature directing debut of actor Dave Franco (yes, James’ lil’ bro), who also collaborated on the script with Joe Swanberg and Mike Demski. He does his best to try and smooth over “the stitches” of meshing two types of stories (I kept thinking of the first FROM DUSK TILL DAWN going from criminals on the run with hostages caper to blood-soaked supernatural thriller). The first half or so is an intimate profile of two couples loosening up (with some it’s way too much) out in the middle of the woods, facing some hard emotional “truths”. Franco has a confident style in framing these scenes of lively conversation and frivolity (bring out the ‘shrooms). Then the paranoia kicks in, as the film becomes a new variation of the “stalking menace” movies of the past complete with the “POV” going after each character (they naturally split up). With Swanberg’s involvement, perhaps this is meant as a “mumblecore” take on the “horny teens” in peril flicks of the early ’80s. It’s then that the story becomes less engaging as the characters suddenly all sprout targets on their backs. Plus it becomes increasingly difficult to follow as the woods (of course) are filled with soupy mist and fog. A “found footage” epilogue may plant the seeds for a sequel, but it just adds to the confusion of the final act. That abrupt change in tone feels like a cinematic whiplash, frustrating drama, and suspense fans. Like the featured house, the film may look promising on the website, but THE RENTAL has lots of structural flaws. That’s why I’ll scroll down to its comment section and give it…
2 Out of 4
THE RENTAL opens at theatres and drive-ins everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the Hi-Pointe Theatre and the Galleria 6
The Hi-Pointe Theater, at 1005 McCausland Ave in St. Louis, is the best place to see movies. Dan Stevens and Alison Brie in director Dave Franco’s THE RENTALopens there Thursday July 23th. Check out this spooky trailer:
Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying on them. Before long, what should have been a celebratory weekend trip turns into something far more sinister.
Directed by Dave Franco, watch this clip from THE RENTAL. It’s set to be released In Select Drive-Ins, Theaters and On Demand July 24, 2020.
Watch the film at home or in theaters at this Ticket Link
Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying on them. Before long, what should have been a celebratory weekend trip turns into something far more sinister, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the four old friends come to see each other in a whole new light.
Dan Stevens as “Charlie,” Sheila Vand as “Mina,” and Jeremy Allen White as “Josh” in Dave Franco’s THE RENTAL. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Jeremy Allen White, and Sheila Vand star in this unnerving and sophisticated debut thriller from Dave Franco (NEIGHBORS, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, THE DISASTER ARTIST).
Dave Franco’s Directorial Debut THE RENTALwill be in Select Drive-Ins, Theaters and On Demand July 24, 2020. Here’s a clip from the film. Looks pretty scary!
Featuring an all-star cast including Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey,” Beauty and the Beast), Alison Brie (“BoJack Horseman,” “GLOW”), Sheila Vand (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Argo) and Jeremy Allen (“Shameless,”Movie 43),THE RENTAL was also co-written by Franco and Joe Swanberg (“Easy,” Drinking Buddies, Happy Christmas).
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Two couples looking to celebrate their seed money from a new business venture, embark on a weekend getaway to a seemingly perfect house they’ve booked online. But what begins as a festive weekend for the four close friends turns into something far more sinister as secrets they’ve kept from each other are exposed and paranoia grows that they may not be alone.
Meryl Streep, Director Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks on the set of THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Opening during awards season on December 22 is the much anticipated THE POST from 20th Century Fox.
Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in THE POST, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers – and their very freedom – to help bring long-buried truths to light.
THE POST marks the first time Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on a project. Streep has been nominated for 20 Academy Awards, winning three Oscars (THE IRON LADY, SOPHIE’S CHOICE and KRAMER VS. KRAMER), while Hanks has been nominated 5 times and garnered two back to back Oscars for PHILADELPHIA and FORREST GUMP.
In addition to directing, Spielberg produces along with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger. The script was written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and the film features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.
THE POST will be released in select theaters on December 22, 2017 and in theaters everywhere on January 12, 2018. Fox’s other BIG Oscar hopeful, opening on December 20th, is THE GREATEST SHOWMAN which stars Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum.
L-R: Tom Hanks (Ben Bradlee), David Cross (Howard Simons), John Rue (Gene Patterson), Bob Odenkirk (Ben Bagdikian), Jessie Mueller (Judith Martin), and Philip Casnoff (Chalmers Roberts) in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Meryl Streep stars as Kay Graham in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Tom Hanks (as Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (as Kay Graham) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Tom Hanks (as Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (as Kay Graham) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
From left: Kate Micucci, Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza play nuns with pent-up lust and schemes that are played for bawdy comedy and slapstick absurdity in a movie based on a 14th-century story. Photo: Gunpowder & Sky (c)
Writer/director Jeff Baena draws on Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th THE DECAMERON for THE LITTLE HOURS, a bawdy, absurd comedy where the F-bombs fly through air thick with schemes and suppressed lust. Some audiences may object to foul-mouthed women religious but for those who don’t, Baena’s comedy is very amusing, as well as a clever updated twist on a medieval classic.
Nuns in the 14th century were different from today, as a convent was a place where prosperous families could send unmarried daughters or in which women without wealth could shelter, as much as a place for the religiously devout. Like Chaucer’s later THE CANTERBURY TALES, these women in habits could speak in plain, even rough, language in this tale studded with witty exchanges, practical jokes and earthy humor, as well as observations on life and humanity.
THE LITTLE HOURS stars Aubrey Plaza, who also serves as producer, and features a supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and Nick Offerman. The costumes and rural setting may say 1347 but the language and behavior says 21st century teen girls. There are no “thees” and “thous” as these young women snark, eye-roll and “whatever” their way through the day. It is absurd, even silly, but mismatch between the surface appearance and the contemporary teen girl behavior is surprisingly funny, and the strong cast finds the human characters underneath as well.
Nuns Alessandra (Alison Brie), Fernanda (Aubrey Plaza), and Ginevra (Kate Micucci) live a quiet life in a convent in 1347 rural Italy, under the kindly eyes of Sister Marea (Molly Shannon) and their priest Father Tommasso (John C. Reilly). The life is so quiet that the young sisters entertain themselves with petty sniping and bickering, out of boredom if nothing else. Alessandra draws resentment and scheming from mean girl Fernanda and tattle-tale Ginevra as the rich girl who is too privileged to do her own laundry and living in the largest room. Meanwhile, clueless Alessandra is longing to escape life in the nunnery. When her nobleman father, a major contributor to the church, visits her, she presses him for any news on the marriage he had been arranging for her. It is not good – the dowry the suitor is asking is too steep. Depressed, Alessandra returns to her embroidery, which the convent sells for extra funds.
When the nuns’ latest sharp-tongued berating finally drives the gardener/handyman to quit, Father Tommasso is left in a quandary. But a trip to town to sell to Alessandra’s handiwork brings the priest in contact with a handsome young servant Massetto (Dave Franco) on the run from his last employer, a nobleman (Nick Offerman) who caught the young man in bed with his wife. The meeting solves both their problems: a place for Massetto to hide and a replacement for the convent’s handyman/gardener. To be on the safe side, the priest advises Massetto to pretend to be a deaf-mute.
That situation lays the groundwork for all kinds of mischief and silliness, plus lots of bed-hopping and drunkenness. The cast also includes Fred Armisen as a stern visiting bishop.
Writer/director Jeff Baena’s clever idea to keep the 14th century setting but have everyone speak and act as if it were present day works better comically than one might expect. As Boccaccio’s original collection of novels were written in the vernacular of its time, the idea makes a certain sense. The roles are played deadpan, not camped up, which actually makes it funnier. The film is not anything profound or deep, just a little bit of bad-language spiked fun, which has to count as a disappointment for literary fans. Still, Baena deserves credit for the effort although not everything about the film works and there are moments when the conceit seems forced. Updating the character’s language and behavior makes the situations sillier and adds a layer of fun, but it also often makes the source material’s underlying universal human themes more apparent, by taking away the disconnect created by archaic language.
Although a lot of intrigue and back-stabbing takes place, the film is surprisingly sweet in the end, Since this is a comedy, nothing really bad happens in the end, although audiences certainly will be aware things would not really turn out so sunny in medieval times.
The cast does a lot to make this unlikely concept work. As the three nuns, Plaza, Brie, and Micucci each bring their comic delights, making one think of high school even though what these women are doing involves digging vegetables, attending chapel and chasing the convent’s every-escaping donkey rather than attending classes and tryouts for the school play. As the conniving mean girl, Plaza is the queen of eye-rolling and her snarkiness particularly sets off the group’s outcast, busy-body Ginerva. As Ginerva, Kate Micucci is a bundle of nervous energy, chasing after the other two and never quite getting what is going on. Alessandra’s relative privilege gnaws at Plaza’s Fernanda, who cannot help plotting. Alison Brie’s Alessandra is cluelessly aloof and very much the princess, although clearly depressed at the prospect of spending the rest of her life locked in the convent. Dave Franco (younger brother of James Franco) is appropriately sexy and appealing as luckless Massetto, and O’Reilly plays Father Tommasso with a winning charm. The priest is almost the only character who talks about religion and God. While he seems a good-hearted man, he has a serious drinking problem and a casual view on lies and other sins.
With this winning cast, spending time with them is amusing if one is not too sensitive about the bad language, although the story kind of descends into nonsense when it brings in the spells and witches. THE LITTLE HOURS is a small delight more than a profound must-see but it does offer its share of bawdy fun, wrapped up neatly in the end. THE LITTLE HOURS opens Friday, July 7 at the Tivoli Theater.
Tom Hanks (left) and Steven Spielberg in BRIDGE OF SPIES
Twentieth Century Fox and Amblin Entertainment’s riveting drama inspired by actual events, THE PAPERS, began principal photography in New York on Tuesday, May 30th. Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg helms a powerhouse cast including Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in THE PAPERS.
In June 1971 The New York Times, the Washington Post and the nation’s major newspapers took a brave stand for freedom of speech and reported on the Pentagon Papers, the massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned four decades and four US Presidents. At the time, the Post’s Katherine Graham (Streep) was still finding her footing as the country’s first female newspaper publisher, and Ben Bradlee (Hanks), the paper’s volatile, driven editor, was trying to enhance the stature of the struggling, local paper. Together, the two formed an unlikely team, as they were forced to come together and make the bold decision to support The New York Times and fight the Nixon Administration’s unprecedented attempt to restrict the first amendment.
THE PAPERS marks the first time Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on a project. In addition to directing, Spielberg will also produce along with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger.
The script was written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer and features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.
An Amblin Entertainment production, THE PAPERS will be distributed domestically by Twentieth Century Fox and will be in select theaters December 22nd, going wide January 12th, 2018. Internationally, the film will be distributed through Amblin’s deals with Universal Studios, Reliance Entertainment, eOne and other international distribution partnerships.
THE LITTLE HOURS is writtten and Directed by Jeff Baena and based on “The Decameron” by Giovanni Boccaccio. It stars Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke, Adam Pally and Nick Offerman. THE LITTLE HOURS opens in select cities on June 30th, followed by a national rollout.
Check out this new red band trailer:
Medieval nuns Alessandra (Alison Brie), Fernanda (Aubrey Plaza), and Ginevra (Kate Micucci) lead a simple life in their convent. Their days are spent chafing at monastic routine, spying on one another, and berating the estate’s day laborer. After a particularly vicious insult session drives the peasant away, Father Tommasso (John C. Reilly) brings on new hired hand Massetto (Dave Franco), a virile young servant forced into hiding by his angry lord. Introduced to the sisters as a deaf-mute to discourage temptation, Massetto struggles to maintain his cover as the repressed nunnery erupts in a whirlwind of pansexual horniness, substance abuse, and wicked revelry.
Okay fellow film fans, are we ready for another flick attempting to replicate the BRIDESMAIDS box office bonanza? Hollywood has been frantically trying to clone that hit since it astounded the nay-sayers nearly five years ago. Back then none of the studio chiefs believed that audiences would flock to an “R” rated comedy that primarily focused on a group of woman (and mostly TV actresses at that!). Its success turned supporting player Melissa McCarthy into an “above the title” film star who headlines at one major comedy each year (she’s nearly a film franchise on her own). Now the execs want to tap into a slightly younger market, maybe the Rogen/Franco/Hill late 20’s crowd, but just a tad older than THAT AWKWARD MOMENT. And they’re banking on one of the minor BRIDESMAIDS players, the Aussie firecracker that stole scenes from lead Kristen Wiig, Rebel Wilson, who later headlined the PITCH PERFECT flicks. She’s now dishing out sage advice to Dakota (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) Johnson on HOW TO BE SINGLE.
Wilson practically explodes off the screen when the film begins. As Robin she’s a one woman party, always on the move, and bouncing from club to club in NYC. But then the film abruptly backtracks to the story’s main focus, recent college grad Alice (Johnson). We first encounter her as a freshman when she has a “meet cute” with future beau Josh (Nicholas Braun). Jump to graduation as she tells a crest-fallen Josh that she wants to take a “break” from their relationship. After all, she’s moving to the “big apple” and wants to keep her options open. Josh begrudgingly agrees. Alice crashes at the plush apartment of her single big sis, Meg (Leslie Mann), a hard-working obstetrician, then begins a paralegal gig at a big law firm, where receptionist Robin introduces her to the singles scene, mainly the “do’s and the “don’ts”. One of the “do’s” is a hunky bartender Tom (Anders Holm). He’s slingin’ drinks while verbally sparring with the pub’s upstairs neighbor Lucy (Alison Brie). She’s taking advantage of the free Wi-fi essential to her determined online search for “Mr. Right”. Meanwhile Meg suddenly comes down with “baby fever” and searches for a “donor”. This later complicates her fling with the decade or so younger Ken (Jake Lacy). As for her kid sis, will Alice re-unite with Josh once she has “sewn her wild oats” or will she embrace Robin’s “wild style”?
Though Wilson is most prominently featured in the ads and TV spots, this is really the story of Johnson’s Alice (she takes over the film’s narration from Robin early on). The talented second (no, third) generation actress helped make GREY more tolerable than it deserved which serves this often sluggish script well. Her screen presence makes the flighty, impulsive Alice somewhat sympathetic. As mentioned earlier, Wilson is a comedic force of nature making Robin’s irresponsible antics (blacking out drunk and waking in a stranger’s bedroom is more dangerous than wacky) a touch more palatable. For several scenes she comes off merely as a less musical cousin to PITCH’s Amy (both make men turn to jelly). Unfortunately, like many award show comic hosts, she just disappears from the stage for great clumps of time (at lest 20 minutes it seems), making the producers guilty of “bait and switch” marketing. Mann builds on the mature, no-nonsense character she’s aced in her hubby’s flicks (especially THIS IS 40), and beams as the woman who decides to travel down a different path (and she can really draw blood with her verbal jabs). These ladies fare much better than the very talented Ms. Brie (so fabulous as Annie on TV’s “Community”), whose comic skills are wasted with the ludicrous, lazily conceived Lucy. Why can’t she be as sharp and smart as the other characters? And to top it off, just as in last year’s trifle SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, Brie must again behave inappropriately in front of a gaggle of toddlers! C’mon! The male actors have even less to work with, script-wise. This hampers the gifted Damon Wayans Jr. as a “could have been interesting” suitor for Alice, whose story arc seems brutally cut short. Braun is an affable boy next door who at least gets to move past being Alice’s doormat (unfortunately right into “Jerktown”). Holm is never completely convincing as an irresistible “babe magnet” and seems like a revamp of TV’s sitcom stud Sam “Mayday” Malone, particularly in exchanges with Brie there’s a big “Cheers” vibe (but not nearly as clever). The best of the boys may be the energetic and charming Lacy (perhaps the only bright light of the dismal LOVE THE COOPERS) who has a real leading man comic charisma (check out OBVIOUS CHILD). May he find a film more worthy of his talents…the future of the “rom com” just may depend on him.
The best that can be said about the whole “she-bang’ is that it’s a bright candy-colored “infomercial” for Manhattan with cute shops and fun, safe bars on every corner and no piles of garbage in sight…ever! This helps peg this flick as the wilder kid sister of the SEX AND THE CITY films and TV series (heck, Meg references that HBO hit). The tepid direction is definitely high-end tube style (aside from a nicely framed shot of Alice alone on a fire escape) with far too many montages (Alice and Robin having fun shopping, Meg tends to her patients, Lucy endures lousy dates, Alice decorates her new digs) set to turgid pop tunes. Once again, just as in the PITCH flicks, Wilson is used as an easy laugh, to energize the flagging pace. When one scene falls flat cut to Robin, the boozing, toking, fornicating live action blond Tasmanian Devil. In the last act she is almost humanized by delivering a “wake-up call” to Alice (finally good advise!), but it doesn’t quite mesh with the previous debauchery. As I mentioned earlier, the sloppy subplot with Alice and David tries to invoke pathos, but it seems rushed. Perhaps the Lucy scenes could have been jettisoned (her desperate debacles are tiresome) to give it room to breathe and be truly moving. Or it might just feel as flat as most of the film. Rebel is often raunchy fun, but there’s really no need to mingle with HOW TO BE SINGLE. As they say in “speed-dating”…next!
