In theaters on April 11, is the upcoming movie THE AMATEUR, starring Oscar® winner Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and Academy Award® nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”).
Charlie Heller (Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge.
The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne.
THE AMATEUR is directed by James Hawes. The screenplay is by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli based on the novel by Robert Littell. The film is produced by Hutch Parker, p.g.a., Dan Wilson, p.g.a., Rami Malek, Joel B. Michaels, with JJ Hook serving as executive producer.
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
TRANSFORMERS ONE, the first animated theatrical feature since 1986’s THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE and a new look into the Transformers universe, catapults audiences back millions of years to the beloved behemoths’ home planet of Cybertron to reveal the origins of Optimus Prime, supreme leader of the heroic Autobots, and his nemesis Megatron, the diabolical commander of the Decepticon forces.
In 2007, the release of Michael Bay’s Oscar-nominated, live-action TRANSFORMERS stormed the global box office with its electrifying depiction of warrior robots battling for dominance on Earth. Inspired by the unprecedented success of Hasbro’s groundbreaking line of transforming toys, the film became a global phenomenon, spawning six more record-breaking films over the next 17 years. The new film shows us who Optimus and Megatron were before the wars and it lets us see Cybertron in total for the first time.
Long before the Transformers bots dreamed of escaping their dying planet for Earth, Cybertron has focused on mining the precious Energon that fuels all life no longer flows freely. The original Primes have been slaughtered in a war with the ruthless Quintessons. In subterranean Iacon City, elite Transformers bots live in luxury, while cog-less, non-transforming bots work tirelessly, digging for dwindling Energon reserves.
As the movie begins, the audience meets Orion Pax and D-16, a pair of lowly worker bots in the Energon mines deep within Cybertron. They are on the verge of a journey that takes them from being the best of friends to the bitterest of enemies. It is a classic tale, echoing powerful stories from the past, even as far back as the Bible’s Cain and Abel. Against this backdrop, ambitious mining bot Orion Pax risks everything in an effort to retrieve the long-lost Matrix of Leadership, a talisman of great power he believes will restart the flow of Energon. Along with fellow workers D-16, Elita-1 and B-127 (aka Bumblebee), Orion travels to the forbidden surface of Cybertron and discovers a breathtaking landscape – as well as a shocking conspiracy that extends into the highest levels of Transformer life.
Directed by Oscar winner Josh Cooley (TOY STORY 4), TRANSFORMERS ONE’s groundbreaking animation and innovative designs introduce a new level of cinematic artistry to the franchise and ups the stakes on the original live-action films. Cooley truly connects the audience with the characters emotionally by exploring the personal hopes and dreams of the alien robots.
TRANSFORMERS ONE’s terrific voice cast is led by Chris Hemsworth. In each previous iteration of the Transformers franchise, the voice of Optimus Prime, the stoic, heroic leader of the Autobots, has been provided by actor Peter Cullen. His silken growl has become synonymous with the character – until now – and Hemsworth steps into the role of Orion Pax, (aka Optimus Prime), with a natural ease. He had some big shoes to fill and he really honors Cullen’s previous work. Hemsworth even gives fans the line “Transform and Roll Out!”
Brian Tyree Henry plays D-16, aka Megatron, one of the greatest arch-nemeses of all time in the Transformers pantheon. He’s extremely likable at first and the opposite to Orion Pax’s rule breaker. He’s not a bad guy from the beginning. D-16 is a scrappy, smart, hard worker who follows the rules and hates injustice. He aspires to be more, but he’s not going to cross any lines. When he realizes that everything he thinks he knows is a lie, the disillusionment changes him.
Keegan-Michael Key (B-127, Bumblebee)
With a story by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari and a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, the funniest dialogue comes from Keegan-Michael Key who plays B-127 (AKA Bumblebee) who has been a mostly silent character in other chapters of the stories. He never stops talking and is constantly referring to himself as “Bad-Ass-atron”. The perfect partner for Bumblebee is Elita-1, a mining manager who takes no guff from anybody. Voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Elita-1 is an initially unwilling participant on the journey to the surface of Cybertron. She can barely wait to get back to Iacon City and turn the rest of the party into the authorities. Elita-1 is a central character in this sumptuous movie and a great opportunity for the filmmakers to create an authentic female Transformer.
L-r, Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) and Keegan-Michael Key (B-127)
The cast also features a trio of actors in pivotal roles, including Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, the leader of Iacon City. Since the loss of his brothers, he has diligently but fruitlessly searched for the Matrix of Leadership. Hamm brings the character a heroic air, as well as some comical pomposity as he postures for the adoring crowds. As Alpha Trion, a Transformer elder statesman believed to have died beside the Primes, Laurence Fishburne brings undeniable authority to his character as he tries to guide the four younger bots toward their goal. It’s heartbreaking to witness the betrayal and ultimate destruction of the Primes. Steve Buscemi also joins the cast as incipient Decepticon Starscream, bringing an unhinged, gonzo quality to the story. Fans will also be pleased to see Soundwave, Shockwave, Jazz and hear a reference to Ratchet as “Dr. Ratchet”.
L-r, Jon Bailey (Soundwave), Steve Buscemi (Starscream) and Jason Konopisos (Shockwave)
The artists behind the scenes Production Designer Jason Scheier, Cinematographer Christopher Batty, Editor Lynn Hobson, Art Director Gerald de Jesus, Visual Effects Supervisor Frazer Churchill and Animation Supervisors Rob Coleman and Stephen King, along with ILM give TRANSFORMERS ONE’s the most amazing action sequences which include the stunning Iacon 5000 road race, along with the final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron. The Transformers’ home planet of Cybertron has only been glimpsed in snippets in the previous films and TRANSFORMERS ONE is set entirely in this mysterious world. The grandeur is a wonder to behold. It’s richly colorful and gorgeously lit, with beautiful landscapes, while also giving the audience a sense of metals and mechanics, as if Transformers designed it.
TRANSFORMERS ONE is a story of friendship and betrayal, of aspiring and overcoming and composer Brian Tyler’s score is filled with heartfelt and heroic melodies. He makes you feel like you’re in an Alien world. His unique cues for The Iacon 5000 race and final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, once friends, is both exhilarating and tragic, and much credit is to be given to the beautiful work done by the orchestra and musicians.
For fans of the live-action movies where the Autobots were focused solely on protecting humanity, this origin story is fun for everyone. It’s a story filled with emotion, humor, betrayal and giant fights. If you’re a fan, it delivers on what you’re hoping to get and if you’re not yet a fan, you’ll experience something that you probably didn’t think Transformers had in it. TRANSFORMERS ONE is the exhilarating adventure fans have been waiting decades to see and it’s one of the best films of 2024.
TRANSFORMERS ONE opens in theaters on September 20, 2024.
TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi with Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm.
Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign, and ARE WE DREAMING (Composer – Brian Tyler) join forces on their new collaborative anthem, “If I Fall,” for Paramount Animation and Hasbro Entertainment’s upcoming motion picture TRANSFORMERS ONE. The three superstars build off one another’s resilient verses, vowing to “take no prisoners” and refusing to give up when the odds are stacked against them. “It’s in my bloodline; I have too much pride,” declares Quavo on the track.
Directed by Josh Cooley, TRANSFORMERS ONE is set to release September 20th.
The special screening is 11AM on Saturday, September 14th @ Marcus Ronnie’s Cine (10AM Suggested Arrival)
Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.
FOUR winners will each receive 4 passes to the screening.
“Transformers One” has been rated PG for sci-fi violence and animated action throughout, and language.
Bottom l-r clockwise, Keegan-Michael Key (B-127), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Brian Tyree Henry (D-16), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax) star in PARAMOUNT ANIMATION and HASBRO Present In Association with NEW REPUBLIC PICTURES
A di BONAVENTURA PICTURES Production A TOM DESANTO / DON MURPHY Production
A BAY FILMS Production “TRANSFORMERS ONE”
Opening only in theaters and IMAX on March 24 is the highly anticipated JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating the High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes. Starring Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.
Deadline is reporting the fourth chapter is “tracking today with a robust projection between $60M-$70M in what would rep the highest opening stateside for the Keanu Reeves R-rated franchise.” https://deadline.com/2023/03/john-wick-chapter-4-box-office-keanu-reeves-1235276778/
Check out this interview with Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski.
WAMG is giving away free passes to the advance screening in the St. Louis area. Tuesday, March 14th.
EMAIL michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com to enter.
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.
Directed by Chad Stahelski. Written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch. Based on Characters Created by Derek Kolstad.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series. With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.
The highly anticipated Lionsgate film stars Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4. Photo Credit: Murray Close
Keanu Reeves as John Wick and Donnie Yen as Caine in John Wick 4. Photo Credit: Murray Close
Check out the brand new trailer for JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
The film stars Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch and based on characters created by Derek Kolstad, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 opens in theaters March 24.
It was announced in early November Prime Video will launch The Continental, the highly anticipated special event series based on the blockbuster action franchise John Wick. The prequel is produced by Lionsgate Television, and will be exclusively available to Prime Video members worldwide excluding the U.S., Middle East and Israel in 2023.
The Continental is told from the perspective of the hotel manager, portrayed by Ian McShane in the film franchise – a young Winston Scott, played by Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant). Throughout the series, viewers will follow Winston through the underworld of ’70’s New York, where he will battle demons from his past as he attempts to seize control of the iconic hotel – a hotel that serves as a meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.
Woodell is joined by Mel Gibson (Braveheart), as Cormac; Ayomide Adegun (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), who will portray a young Charon (based on the character portrayed by Lance Reddick); Ben Robson (Vikings) as Frankie; Hubert Point-Du Jour (Dr. Death) as Miles; Jessica Allain (The Laundromat) playing Lou; Mishel Prada (Vida) as KD; Nhung Kate (The Housemaid) as Yen; and Peter Greene (Training Day), who dons the fedora of Uncle Charlie (based on the tight-lipped body disposal expert).
The John Wick films have grossed nearly $600 million worldwide to date, with each film outperforming its predecessor.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 22: Keanu Reeves speaks onstage during “Collider”: Directors on Directing Panel at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
Fans of JOHN WICK got a first look at the teaser for the upcoming fourth installment of the franchise during San Diego Comic Con 2022 over the weekend.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series. With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.
Reeves surprised fans during “Collider”: Directors On Directing Panel and told fans about what fans will see in the movie.
Lionsgate will release JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 in theaters on March 24, 2023.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad, JOHN WICK 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 22: (L-R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves speak onstage during “Collider”: Directors On Directing Panel At Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 hits theaters on March 24, 2023 but on Thursday, the eve on Comic-Con, fans received a mysterious text followed by this special early look at Keanu Reeves as John Wick.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series. With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad, JOHN WICK 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane.
Thandiwe Newton in ALL THE OLD KNIVES. Courtesy of Amazon.
ALL THE OLD KNIVES is an intense political thriller with a relatively unusual framework. Eight years before the principal action, terrorists hijacked a commercial plane in Europe and wound up killing themselves and over 100 others. We learn that from the get-go. The mystery comes from newly-discovered evidence that there may have been a mole in the CIA who contributed to that disastrous failure. The head honcho Victor Wallinger (Laurence Fishburne) assigns his top agent Henry Pelham (Chris Pine) to head up this new inquiry. Primary suspects among his old colleagues are his then-girlfriend Celia Harrison (Thandiwe Newton) and their veteran department head Bill Compton (Jonathan Pryce).
Pine approaches the task with great reluctance. Newton left him and the spy biz right after the incident, morphing into a suburban mom. Pine still pines for her from afar. The screenplay includes many flashbacks to the time of the tragedy, showing different perspectives and collateral relationships and transactions that may or may not prove who was culpable. Beyond that, the less you know the more intense and suspenseful the viewing will be.
Director Janus Metz and his editing team did well at bouncing us between the film’s then and now without losing coherence. Good work also from the makeup and wardrobe crews makes the casts’ ages look appropriately different for the two periods presented. Among performances, Fishburne’s fans won’t get to see much of their guy. Pine plays it appropriately blank, telegraphing little of his character’s agenda, like a good spy should. Newton is the one who shines brightest, as she continues to defy the calendar. Though closing in on 50, in scenes of that earlier period, she looks no older than her early thirties, even in the less-clad moments.
The film is based on Olen Steinhauer’s source novel and screenplay. I haven’t read the book, but I’d bet his adaptation preserved its best in the transition to our screens. The script is taut, low-key and keeps us guessing until the end. The story presents more emotional layers and complexities than most espionage films. Not only are the embers of Pine and Newton’s old romance in play, but many other friendships and alliances that were meaningful to the players beyond their professional dimension. There’s less action than in most genre entries (no Jason Bourne heroics) but it’s offset by the suspense and tensions throughout Pine’s investigation, resulting in a highly realistic, human-scale package. If you’re seeking entertainment more cerebral than visceral, this one’s a solid choice.
ALL THE OLD KNIVES opens in theaters and streaming on Amazon Prime on Friday, Apr. 8.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 is set to release in theaters on March 24, 2023, according to an all-new announcement teaser shared by Lionsgate.
The film had previously been dated for May 27, 2022.
The fourth installment went into production this summer and was announced via the film’s social media sites. JOHN WICK 4 was announced in May 2019 after the success of JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, which took in an astounding $93 million worldwide, including $57 million from North American ticket sales.
The JOHN WICK franchise takes place when sadistic young thugs senselessly attack John Wick [Keanu Reeves] – a brilliantly lethal ex-assassin – they have no idea they’ve messed with the wrong guy. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, Wick embarks on a merciless rampage, hunting down his adversaries with the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend, aka “Baba Yaga” and the crime world operating out of the Continental Hotel chain.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, Donnie Yen, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, Scott Adkins, Hiroyuki Sanada, Clancy Brown and Ian McShane.
