“It’s showtime!”…well more like HBO and Max eventually after this brand spankin’ (careful) new sequel to a much-beloved iconic 1980s cinema classic enjoys a healthy stint at the ole’ multiplex. Yup, it’s now been 36 years since that original comedy/fantasy firmly announced the quirky storytelling style of a former animator (though he’d keep a hand in the medium) after hinting at what to come with that “big adventure” with a much-missed movie hero. But can he, along with a new movie generation and fans of the “first”, really “go home” again (and the “great beyond”)? Now all it’ll take is a theatre ticket, along with proclaiming the main character’s name three times, though to be safe the formal title only repeats it twice with BEETLJUICE BEETLEJUICE. Now what’s that “sniff” sulfur smell…?l
After an airborne trek over scenic Winter River, meshed with that bouncy Danny Elfman circus-style march, we meet up with the all-grown heroine of the first flick, Lydia Dietz (Winona Ryder). She’s “tapping” into her past by hosting a reality TV show called “Ghost House” complete with that night-time spooky green photography. The crew has to stop the tape when she’s distracted by an audience member clad in familiar white and black stripes. Nah, it couldn’t be him. Luckily her producer/ beau Rory (Justin Theroux) is there to help and hand her her phone which is blowing up with calls from her stepmom. The duo rushes off to an art gallery hosting her latest “installation”. Delia (Catherine O’Hara) delivers the news of the big family tragedy. They’ll have to return to their old home, but first, they’ve got to convince Lydia’s estranged daughter from a previous marriage Astrid (Jenna Ortega) to join them. The “double-team” of mom and grandmom get her to head away from her boarding school, but not before Lydia sees those stripes again. Down below (way down), that ole’ demonic “fashionista”, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) is a bored “pencil-pusher” managing a team of “shrunken-head” office drones. Ah, but something shakes things up. In the aftermath of a “janitorial accident” his first wife Delores (Monica Bellucci), a “soul-sucker”, has been “re-assembled” and is on her way for a deadly reunion. This also attracts the attention of the head of “afterlife security”, former movie cop Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe). Meanwhile, up above, things are also getting wild as Rory proposes to Lydia at the memorial, insisting that they be married in two days, on Halloween at midnight. The announcement prompts Astrid to dash away into town where she runs into Jeremy (Arthur Conti) a brooding hunky heartthrob. But all is not what it seems as the Dietz family will have to call on that “bio-exorcist” to survive the holiday and put the spirits and “ghosties” back in their place.
After so many years of terrific dramatic roles, I had almost forgotten about Keaton’s formidable comedy “chops”. Well, here’s a big reminder as he truly delivers, not losing a bit of the gravelly delivery nor the superb mugging beneath the makeup. Here he scores by delving into a seminal character from the “first phase” of his career, much as he did by donning the cowl and cape in last year’s ill-fated THE FLASH. Part of that could apply to Ms. Ryder who turns her adored Lydia into a woman of wit and action, returning to the site and source of her teen nightmares, building on her recent resurgence in “Stranger Things”. Speaking of Netflix, kudos for casting the delightfully deadpan “Wednesday” herself, Ortega, as the youngest of the Dietz line. I was getting a bit of a flashback in her early school scenes, but Astrid is more openly passionate over her skepticism of her family’s “gift”. And then there’s the comedic force of nature that is Ms. O’Hara as Delia who mixes her daffy artist spirit with caustic unfiltered wit, verbally giving the others a swift “kick in the past”. Most deserving of such treatment is the movie’s real comedy “find”, the droll devious pompous twit Rory given a snarky sneer (and “man-bun”) by the hilarious Theroux who regurgitates trendy psycho-babble in order to seem hip (you can almost hear Astrid’s eye-rolling). Dafoe appears to be having a blast as the campy action movie star who thinks that he’s the star of another noisy crime thriller while boasting about doing his own stunts (which got him his new gig). Bellucci is sinister and sultry as the seductive stitched-together (a Burton mix of his animated Sally and Corpse Bride with a touch of his Catwoman) siren, while Conti is the teen dream hiding a secret behind his soulful eyes. Another member of the Burton troupe has a nice cameo while newcomer Burn Gorman makes the most of his scant screen time as the verbose and slightly buzzed Father Daman.
Oops, I left the screeching black cat “out of the bag” by revealing that Tim Burton is back behind the camera for his first feature flick in five years. And it could be his most “Burton-y” ever. Perhaps it’s because he’s not adapting a classic kid flick, or a stage musical, or a “loose” biography. I’d go so far as to say this is his best feature film since ED WOOD (which is now 30 years old). He keeps the action zipping along at a brisk pace, but still allows us to savor some striking visuals. At times he seems as giddy as a kid in a candy store since he eschews CGI (used for a bit of touch-up, smoothing, and enhancement) in favor of practical effects (prosthetics, puppetry, and actual shape-shifting sets). It all adds to the lived-in, grungy quality of the afterlife and the wonky world of Winter River. It’s truly a sweet dessert for the eyes, though it veers on gluttony since the story is overstuffed with homage (yes, there’s music but not another Calypso classic) and subplots. There may be enough story for two or more flicks, so you can almost feel as though you’re getting more “bang” (and “boo”) for that ticket price. After a Broadway stage show and a Saturday morning cartoon series (when the TV broadcast networks did that on weekends), the world of the “Juice still feels like the coolest undead underworld place to hang out, even though the surprise of the 88′ original isn’t quite there. Speaking of ‘toons, we even get a nifty flashback told with stop motion figures. So, the off-kilter quirks of Burton, the practical “on-set” VFX, and the comic wizardry of Keaton (not to mention again that Elfman score) add up to a most welcome, though too many years in the making, nostalgic sequel romp, so nice they named him twice, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE. Now everybody board the Sooouulll Train…
3.5 Out of 4
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is now playing in theatres everywhere
Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton’s award winning BEETLEJUICE.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE was the opening film at this year’s Venice Film Festival and the sequel had a four minute standing ovation.
“There are so few opportunities to be in something that you can say is 100% original and unique,” said Keaton, who joked about his character’s evolution.
“I think my character has matured,” Keaton said. “As suave and sensitive as he was in the first, I think he’s even more so in this one.”
The early reviews are raving about the movie.
Deadline writes: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is not clunky. Yes, there are plenty of animation joins that haven’t been smoothed over by CGI. Some of the props look like tat Burton bought in a flea market. But it also has a proper plot, full of twists and turns; a terrific cameo characters supporting the impeccable main cast; a meticulous spoof Italian horror film in the middle of it all; and a climactic musical number in which key cast members mime to Richard Harris’ 1968 pop hit “Macarthur Park” while dancing around a giant cake with icing the exact green of snot. A ghost-driven dance to Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O” in the first Beetlejuice was hilarious because it was just so ludicrous. This, however, is a proper showpiece.”
BBC’s review states: “As unwieldy as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is, though, this gleefully zany farce is still one of Burton’s most enjoyable films, and a welcome return to his own brand of oddball creepiness after the Disney dud that was his 2019 live-action Dumbo remake. He reunites with some old friends in front of and behind the camera, and he throws in some musical numbers, animated segments and Italian film pastiches, so you can tell that he was having great fun when he was making it. Viewers will have great fun, too.”
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) says: “The zippy pacing, buoyant energy and steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments hint at the joy Burton appears to have found in revisiting this world, and for anyone who loved the first movie, it’s contagious. That applies also to the actors, all of whom warm to the dizzying lunacy. The double-barrel title might suggest this is Keaton’s show, and he gets an ample share of antic opportunities — looking as moldy and slobby as ever and crawling with cockroaches — but he never crowds out anyone else in the strong ensemble.”
THR is also reporting that the film, “is already tracking to open as high as $80 million at the domestic box office when it drops in theaters on Sept. 6.” The 1988 classic was a box office success, grossing a total of $74,849,333 worldwide.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is premiering at the festival out of competition.
Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara (Schitt$ Creek, The Nightmare Before Christmas) as Delia Deetz, with new cast members Justin Theroux (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (Spectre, The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, At Eternity’s Gate).
After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Burton, a genre unto himself, directs from a screenplay by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Wednesday), story by Gough & Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (The LEGO® Batman Movie), based on characters created by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson. The film’s producers are Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper and Burton, with Sara Desmond, Katterli Frauenfelder, Gough, Millar, Brad Pitt, Larry Wilson, Laurence Senelick, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary, Anthony Tittanegro, Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg executive producing.
Burton’s creatives behind the scenes includes director of photography Haris Zambarloukos (Meg 2: The Trench, Murder on the Orient Express); such previous and frequent collaborators as production designer Mark Scruton (Wednesday), editor Jay Prychidny (Wednesday), Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sleepy Hollow), Oscar-winning creature effects and special makeup FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman (Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman); and Oscar-winning hair and makeup designer Christine Blundell (Topsy-Turvy).
A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released only in theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 nationwide, and internationally beginning 4 September 2024. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton’s award-winning Beetlejuice. Check out the new trailer that just dropped today and see the film in theaters on September 6.
Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara (Schitt$ Creek, Corpse Bride) as Delia Deetz, with new cast members Justin Theroux (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (Spectre, The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, At Eternity’s Gate).
Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Burton, a genre unto himself, directs from a screenplay by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Wednesday), story by Gough & Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (The LEGO® Batman Movie), based on characters created by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson. The film’s producers are Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper and Burton, with Sara Desmond, Katterli Frauenfelder, Gough, Millar, Brad Pitt, Larry Wilson, Laurence Senelick, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary, Anthony Tittanegro, Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg executive producing.
Burton’s creatives behind the scenes includes director of photography Haris Zambarloukos (Meg 2: The Trench, Murder on the Orient Express); such previous and frequent collaborators as production designer Mark Scruton (Wednesday), editor Jay Prychidny (Wednesday), Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sleepy Hollow), Oscar-winning creature effects and special makeup FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman (Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman); and Oscar-winning hair and makeup designer Christine Blundell (Topsy-Turvy).
A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released only in theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 nationwide, and internationally beginning 4 September 2024. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
As you can tell by the rising temps when you step outside, it’s really Summertime, and so it’s also superhero cinema season with a biggie speeding into the multiplexes this weekend. Oh, but hold your horses (or horsepower) we’re not diving back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (last month we took a possibly final space spin with those Galaxy Guardians). No, Warner Brothers is showcasing another possible franchise from their spandex stable at DC (Detective Comics, though the late, great Stan Lee referred to them as the “distinguished competition” when he wasn’t jabbing them as “Brand Echh”). We visited their “cinematic Universe’ a few months ago with SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (correction: few of you did as that sequel left a massive crater in the box office stats). Ah, but they’re hoping that this won’t be a repeat as one of DC’s most enduring heroes (not part of the Supes, Bats, or WW trinity) makes his solo big-screen debut. Really, he’s been a TV staple since 1967 (via Filmation cartoon shorts on CBS Saturday mornings), so the big screen is more than ready for the premiere “scarlet speedster” himself, THE FLASH.
it all begins in Central City where Barry Allen AKA The Flash (Ezra Miller) is having a “day”. He’s going to be late again at the forensics lab where he works because his go-to server is not at his fave coffee shop to create his high-calorie breakfast sandwich. Of course, that’s when he gets an emergency call from Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons). Batman (Ben Affleck) needs some backup in Gotham City as he’s in pursuit of some virus-stealing baddies while a big sinkhole is about to swallow a hospital. Naturally, the rest of the Justice League is AWOL, so he dashes away. Near the end of the rescue, Barry realizes that his super sprinting has broken the time barrier landing him in the Speedforce and its time arena (resembling a massive zoetrope with multiple images of past events). After talking on the phone to his dad Henry (Ron Livingston), who’s incarcerated at Iron Heights Prison before his scheduled execution for the murder of his wife, Barry’s mom Nora (Maribel Verdu), which he did not do, Barry returns to the past to revisit that fateful day of Nora’s demise when he was only nine or ten-years-old. Zipping to the present he confides in Batman who warns him of tinkering with history (that pesky “butterfly effect”). But Barry believes he can get in and out without causing a dangerous “ripple”. He goes back to that awful day, then ahead a few years and bumps into his 18-year-old self, right on the day of the accident that will give him his powers. They make it to the spot in time, but it goes awry, and “old Barry” loses his speed, while “younger Barry” gets the ‘gift”. And they’re going to need it as General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his Kryptonian army demand the other Krypton survivor. But there’s no Superman in this reality, but there is a Batman (Michael Keaton). Can the “Barry twins” enlist his help to locate that missing Man (or person) of Steel and stop the forces of Zod from claiming Earth as their new Krypton?
In the lead role, which turns into dual roles, Miller conveys the giddy joy of a youngster playing with an unexpectantly fun new “toy” (his fantastic speed). But his Barry is frustrated to be thought up as a “clean-up guy” for the JL and haunted by his family tragedies. Miller also taps into his comedic skills as he fumbles over a budding romance with an old college pal and becomes a bickering comedy team with his younger self. He’s good, but the film’s real MVP is the return of Keaton to the role that cemented him as a movie star. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 30 years since he donned the cape and cowl. His Bruce Wayne goes from reclusive gazillionaire (shades of Howard Hughes) to the snarky mentor to the Barrys. Ah, but he reverts to that guttural growl as soon as he finally suits and becomes the grim, yet sometimes grinning, dark knight (with all those “wonderful toys”), complete with a snazzy reworking of that lush Danny Elfman 89 theme. Rounding out the quartet is the soulful Sasha Calle as Kara the true name of a familiar comics hero. Years of captivity have almost drained the spark from her dark brooding eyes, but with the help of her trio of rescuers, she proves to be a powerhouse protector. We’ve got to mention the other caped crusader as Affleck gives us a hint of what a terrific action romp his solo Batman flick would have been, alas. Livingston is a kind and supportive papa while Verdu shines as the nurturing doomed Allen matriarch. Irons makes a superb “man at the desk” as the tech overseer Alfred, while Shannon returns as the regal and menacing demigod General Zod.
Director Andy Muschetti confirms his talent for mixing action, comedy, and pathos in this epic superhero tale. Of course, much of the wit comes from the screenplay by Christina Hodson and Joby Harold (reportedly with some input from the team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein). which offsets the rapid-fire quips with fun pop culture nods and inspired slapstick (Barry’s gotta’ fuel up whenever he can). The new red suit looks swell, especially as it lights up right before Barry takes off (from a Greek statue-like pose). The action sequence in Gotham City is breathtaking, though the final act feels a bit too drawn out and somewhat chaotic (it seems like Zod’s army was tougher in MAN OF STEEL and not he pixel fodder in this). The effects used to depict the high-speed journey of The Flash are very imaginative (Star Wars lightspeed to the nth level), but some of the CGI used in the hospital rescue and the speed force zoetrope feels a tad off looking as though some dead-eyed denizens lumbered out of the Uncanny Valley. But the big “crashing of alternate worlds” finale is lots of geeky fun filled with insider winks and cozy nostalgia. In the DC cinema-verse, this flick is one of the high points, not quite up to the glories of WONDER WOMAN, but miles above her dreary sequel and last year’s BLACK ADAM. Though another Aquaman is being prepped, this action fantasy would be a good “capper” for the DCCU (or as some call it, the “Snyder-verse”). Those in need of a comic book hero fix should be pleased with the fun and very fast antics of THE FLASH.
In one week, Warner Bros. Pictures THE FLASH, directed by Andy Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) opens in theaters on June 16.
Ezra Miller reprises their role as Barry Allen in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film. Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
“The Flash” is a film that puts the fan-favorite DC Super Hero front and center in a big-screen outing filled with epic action, surprising humor and heart, along with the wish-fulfilling superpower of the ability to bend time… and change the past. Reuniting iconic and beloved DC characters across timelines– Batman, The Flash, Supergirl and another Batman!–and featuring one of the canon’s towering villains in Krypton’s own General Zod, this film distinguishes itself as a cinematic spectacle that elevates the genre through the unique lens of Andy Muschietti.
And the character of The Flash is more than deserving of such extraordinary treatment. Introduced in 1940 as “quicker than the rapidity of thought” in Flash Comics #1, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. Later, with Fox partnering with Carmine Infantino on 1961’s Flash of Two Worlds, The Flash became the first character in comics to play with a multiverse.
In creating THE FLASH, filmmakers were influenced by two seminal works within the comic book canon:
Flash of Two Worlds (Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino, 1961), where a Silver Age Barry Allen finds that by vibrating his molecules at a certain frequency, he is transported to another version of Earth, where he meets a Golden Age Jay Garrick
Flashpoint (Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, 2011, a five-issue miniseries), where Barry Allen wakes to discover that his world has changed, and only he is aware of the difference between his real world and this altered one.
To get you pumped for the opening of the film, WAMG brings you the Top 5 movies to catch before you head out to cinemas to see THE FLASH.
Superman and Batman are in a race against time to stop a world-killing asteroid from destroying the Earth. The mission is complicated by the fact that it is primarily made of kryptonite, so Superman will need Batmans resourcefulness and connections to stop it, all the while President Lex Luthor sees this as an excuse to demand all superheroes do his bidding. Naturally Superman and Batman decline and decide to solve this problem on their own, all the while evading all other superheroes that are out to get them. This is fifth on our list because is shows that Batman is way more than just a man in tights, way more. He is a leader and the brains behind the Justice League.
2013’s MAN OF STEEL stands right up there with 1978’s SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE as one of the best films on the famous Kryptonian. The music for Zack Snyder’s MOS from Hans Zimmer goes hand in hand with John Williams’ soaring score, Michael Shannon’s General Zod is as menacing as Terence Stamp’s in SUPERMAN 2 and, sigh, we never thought anyone could fill the red boots of Christopher Reeve’s Kal-El… and then along came Henry Cavill. Once again the familiar phrase of Truth, Justice and the American Way was an emotional mantra and as the SUPERMAN movie poster tagline said, “You’ll Believe A Man Can Fly.” Indeed we did.
The four hour version is a triumph and made us want an additional four.
An army of persuasive fans, and along with one very colorful, newly-shot scene, after four years in 2021, director Zack Snyder returned to the DCEU to complete his vision. Even before the 2017 version of the movie was released, there were rumblings from the fans. First it was quiet. Give us the Snyder Cut. After the movie hit theaters in November 2017, it only got louder. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, people demanded, circulating petitions and pleading with the studio. Once fans learned an actual Snyder Cut existed, they were overjoyed and doubled down on their efforts. It worked. The extended Justice League allowed for extended world building. Never before seen, existing-footage scenes with Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello), Calvin Swanwick/Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix), and Ryan Choi (Zheng Kai) rounded out the mythology. We got the opportunity to watch our heroes join forces to eliminate Steppenwolf, much to the chagrin of New God Darkseid, making his first appearance. With his soaring music cues, Tom Holkenborg’s score brought the film and earth’s defenders to new heights.
Producer Deborah Snyder said in our interview: “We were planning a 2nd and 3rd Justice League movie where we would be also able to complete the arcs we had fully fleshed out. The idea was to meet Cyborg, who was set to be the heart of this movie. At the time we hadn’t come up with a Cyborg standalone, but that was our plan. So, we did the deepest dive of the movie into Cyborg’s backstory and what makes him tick.”
The OG, Michael Keaton plays Batman/Bruce Wayne and Jack Nicholson, The Joker, go head-to-head in the ultimate BATMAN movie. Danny Elfman’s booming score, Bob Ringwood’s colorful costume design and Tim Burton’s direction instantly made the 1989 movie the ultimate superhero film by which all are measured. Anton Furst was the amazing English production designer who won an Academy Award for overseeing the design of Gotham City and the iconic Batmobile.
In an effort to change his mothers fate, the Flash causes a temporal ripple that creates a fractured reality where the Justice league has never formed, Superman does not exist and a war rages between Wonder Woman’s Amazons and Aquaman. Flash teams up with Batman and Cyborg to restore the timeline. Staring the voices of Justin Chambers, Michael Jordan, Kevin Mckidd, Dee Baker, Steve Blum, Kevin Conroy, Sam Daly, Dana Delany, Grey DeLisle, Cary Elwes, Nathan Fillion, Vanessa Marshall, Ron Perlman and, James Stuart.
This is number one on our list because it is the animated adaptation of the DC Comics story Flashpoint and THE FLASH Movie is an adaptation of both.
THE FLASH ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon (“Bullet Train,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), Ron Livingston (“Loudermilk,” “The Conjuring”), Maribel Verdú (“Elite,” “Y tu mamá también”), Kiersey Clemons (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Sweetheart”), Antje Traue (“King of Ravens,” “Man of Steel”) and Michael Keaton (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Batman”).
THE FLASH is produced by Barbara Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) and Michael Disco (“Rampage,” “San Andreas”). The screenplay is by Christina Hodson (“Birds of Prey,” “Bumblebee”), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Joby Harold (“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Army of the Dead”), based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.
Joining director Muschietti behind the camera are director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Suicide Squad”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“IT Chapter Two,” “The Shape of Water”), editors Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Great Gatsby”) and Paul Machliss (“The Gentlemen,” “Baby Driver”), and costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”); the score is by Benjamin Wallfisch (“The Invisible Man,” the “IT” films).
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, THE FLASH. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.
Plus Max is showcasing the incredible DC Universe in June.
Viewers who are looking for DC’s legendary characters and enduring stories can check out the hundreds of hours of films and series available on Max’s DC hub. Max is the home of fans’ favorite DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains, timeless DC series and movies that resonate with the entire family, and epic blockbusters that feature larger-than-life characters from across worlds and generations.
Max features a collection of classic and current animated series and films spanning across different eras of the DC Multiverse including Batman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, DC League of Super-Pets,Batman: Gotham Knight, Justice League: The New Frontier and more. Even the house’s youngest members can enjoy animated titles such as Super Friends,Batwheels, The LEGO Batman Movie, and the Teen Titans Go! series.
DC favorites like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman are brought to life through a lineup of iconic films and series spanning decades, all available to stream on Max. Oscar® nominees Joker and The Batman, and other notable titles such as Wonder Woman, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Superman the Movie and the HBO Original Watchmen are just a handful of the series and films that bring DC’s characters to life on screen.
Fans can embrace titles aimed towards older members of the household with films like The Suicide Squad,Injustice, Batman: A Death in the Family and Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons. Max Originals like Peacemaker, Titans, Harley Quinn, and Doom Patrol offer fans an alternative view into the DC library, with dark twists and laughs along the way.
Below is a look at some of the DC library available to stream now on Max:
Animation Masterclass:
Batman: Year One, 2011
Batman and Harley Quinn, 2017
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, 2022
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, 1998
Batman vs. Two-Face, 2017
Batman vs. Robin, 2015
Batwheels, Season 1
Batwheels Holiday Special: Holidays on Ice, Season 1D
Batwheels Origin Special, Season 1A
Catwoman: Hunted, 2022
DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis, 2018
DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year, 2016
DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, 2017
DC League Of Super Pets, 2022
Green Lantern: First Flight, 2009
Harley Quinn, Max Original, Seasons 1-3
Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One, 2023
Justice League Unlimited, Seasons 1-3
Legion of Super-Heroes, 2023
The LEGO Batman Movie, 2017
LEGO Batman: DC Super Heroes Unite, 2013
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, 2018
LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain, 2017
LEGO DC Batman: Family Matters, 2019
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis, 2018
LEGO DC Shazam: Magic and Monsters!, 2020
LEGO Justice League: Cosmic Clash, 2016
Meet the Batwheels, Season 1
My Adventures with Superman, Season 1
Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave & the Bold, 2018
Static Shock, Seasons 1-4
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, 2009
Superman: Man of Tomorrow, 2020
Superman vs. the Elite, 2012
Teen Titans Go!, Seasons 1-8
Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, 2022
Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, 2021
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, 2006
Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, 2019
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, 2018
Wonder Woman (Animated), 2009
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, 2019
Vixen, 2017
Iconic Characters:
Aquaman, 2018
Batman, 1966
Batman, 1989
The Batman, 2022
Batman Begins, 2005
Batman Returns, 1992
Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition, 2016
Batwoman, Seasons 1-3
Black Adam, 2022
The Dark Knight, 2008
The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
DC’s Stargirl, Max Original, Seasons 1-3
Doom Patrol, Max Original, Seasons 1-4
Green Lantern, 2011
Peacemaker, Max Original, Season 1
Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler, Max Original Seasons 1-3
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, 2023
Supergirl, 1984
Superman: The Movie, 1978
Superman II, 1980
Superman Returns, 2006
Superman & Lois, Seasons 1-2
Titans, Max Original
Wonder Woman, 1975
Wonder Woman, 2017
Embracing the Magical, Mystical and Villainous Side of Comics
The Batman vs. Dracula, 2005
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, 1993
Catwoman, 2004
Constantine, 2005
DMZ, Max Original
Gotham, 1988
Gotham Knights, 2008
Joker, 2019
The Suicide Squad, 2021
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, 2010
V for Vendetta, 2005
Watchmen, 2009
Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains:
Batman & Robin, 1997
Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn), 2020
When Barry Allen, A.K.A. The Flash finds he can use his superpowers to travel back in time, he races back to save his family. But he soon learns that changing something in one timeline affects the multiverse—he’s now in a world with his younger self, a very different Batman and a Kryptonian he’s never met. With General Zod poised to destroy Earth, can Barry and this new team save the world and reset the universe? Warner Bros. Pictures presents “The Flash,” the DC Superhero’s first ever standalone movie. Only in theaters June 16.
The Advance Screening is on Monday, June 12th, 7pm at The Alamo Drafthouse (6PM Suggested Arrival Time)
The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed. Rated PG-13
“The Flash” ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon (“Bullet Train,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), Ron Livingston (“Loudermilk,” “The Conjuring”), Maribel Verdú (“Elite,” “Y tu mamá también”), Kiersey Clemons (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Sweetheart”), Antje Traue (“King of Ravens,” “Man of Steel”) and Michael Keaton (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Batman”).
“The Flash” is produced by Barbara Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) and Michael Disco (“Rampage,” “San Andreas”). The screenplay is by Christina Hodson (“Birds of Prey,” “Bumblebee”), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Joby Harold (“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Army of the Dead”), based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.
Joining director Muschietti behind the camera are director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Suicide Squad”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“IT Chapter Two,” “The Shape of Water”), editors Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Great Gatsby”) and Paul Machliss (“The Gentlemen,” “Baby Driver”), and costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”); the score is by Benjamin Wallfisch (“The Invisible Man,” the “IT” films).
Directed by Andy Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”), Ezra Miller reprises their role as Barry Allen in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film.
Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
The Flash” ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon (“Bullet Train,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), Ron Livingston (“Loudermilk,” “The Conjuring”), Maribel Verdú (“Elite,” “Y tu mamá también”), Kiersey Clemons (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Sweetheart”), Antje Traue (“King of Ravens,” “Man of Steel”) and Michael Keaton (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Batman”).
“The Flash” is produced by Barbara Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) and Michael Disco (“Rampage,” “San Andreas”). The screenplay is by Christina Hodson (“Birds of Prey,” “Bumblebee”), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Joby Harold (“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Army of the Dead”), based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.
Joining director Muschietti behind the camera are director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Suicide Squad”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“IT Chapter Two,” “The Shape of Water”), editors Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Great Gatsby”) and Paul Machliss (“The Gentlemen,” “Baby Driver”), and costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”); the score is by Benjamin Wallfisch (“The Invisible Man,” the “IT” films).
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, “The Flash.”
It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.
EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash, EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash and SASHA CALLE as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE FLASH,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
“This guy – he doesn’t have fun. I’m gonna teach him – this wild man – how to have fun right now.”
Michael Keaton in Ron Howard’s NIGHT SHIFT (1982) is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive
The world of Wall Street drove Charles Lumley III up the wall. His new job at the New York City Morgue is quieter – until Billy “Blaze” Blazejowski shows up with a cool idea on how to liven things up.
Directed by Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), Night Shift is a breakneck farce rife with hysterical ideas thanks to veteran comedy writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, Fever Pitch). Henry Winkler (Happy Days) is low-key Lumley in a delightfully offbeat performance. Shelley Long of Cheers also scores as a hapless happy hooker. But the casting triumph is film-debuting Michael Keaton as Billy Blaze, launching a career rich in comedic and dramatic highlights. Is this a great country or what?!
16×9 1.85:1 WIDESCREEN. Includes Theatrical Trailer (HD).
“Let’s turn on the juice and see what shakes loose!”
Nothing’s more fun than The Wildey’s Tuesday Night Film Series. Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s s BEETLEJUICE will be on the big screenwhen it plays at The Wildey Theater in Edwardsville, IL (252 N Main St, Edwardsville, IL 62025) at 7:00pm Tuesday October 12th. Tickets are only $3 Tickets available starting at 3pm day of movie at Wildey Theatre ticket office. Cash or check only. (cash, credit cards accepted for concessions) Lobby opens at 6pm.
So just over the horizon, after clearing a couple of weeks, Labor Day looms over the cinematic landscape. Not only is it a time for heading back to school and cooler temps, but at the multiplex, it ushers in more serious somber fare. So the studios want Summer to go out with a bang, actually several “bangs” with the release of this weekend’s high body count thriller. Sure, we’ve had several action flicks in F9, JUNGLE CRUISE, and BLACK WIDOW, but nothing that’s gotten really, well, messy and R-rated since THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD a couple of months ago, which followed NOBODY. We haven’t had a visit from that efficient Mr. Wick in a couple of years now. So, in the meantime, how about a “Joan Wick”, a ruthless female super-assassin? Well, this weekend the bullets will be flying, courtesy of the lady known as THE PROTEGE.
Her story begins with a flashback thirty years ago to the bloody backstreets of Vietnam, as an American “free agent” named Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) walks into the aftermath of a bloody shootout and tries to befriend the only survivor, a pre-teen local girl clutching a still-warm pistol. Flash-forward to today, as Moody and the adult lass, now named Anna (Maggie Q) are concluding their latest mission in Bulgaria. They’re mercenaries for hire, but they only take out the “bad ones”. After the job is done they return to London where Anna runs a posh exclusive rare bookstore and Moody “chills” at his country estate while nursing a truly nasty cough (which could do him in, before his rivals get the chance). During his brief birthday celebration, he gives her a new “gig”, locating, “only finding” the now-grown son of a long-deceased business tycoon. The next day, Anna encounters an odd, but attractive book client named Rembrandt (Michael Keaton) who’s more interested in her than the literary rarities. Later that night her world crashes. Heavily armed thugs destroy the shop in an attempt on her life. Returning to Moody’s mansion, Anna sees that he was not as lucky. She vows to complete the job, which will hopefully “smoke out” the culprits. But in exacting her revenge, Anna must return to Vietnam for a most bloody homecoming. As she delves into the mystery, will those shadowy killers finish the “hit”?
The confident Ms. Q seems to be more than up for the task of carrying the lead in a “go-for-broke” energetic action-thriller after working on several TV shows over the years, most notably the lead in the CW series “Nikita”. As she’s eluding the hordes of hitmen, Q shows us how Anna’s mind is racing for the quickest solution to the problem (often an escape route, but more likely brutal retaliation). In between battles, she displays a knack for humor, imbuing much of the dialogue with a fun, off-the-cuff delivery. That’s the case for her exchanges with Jackson’s Moody, the type of role he can effortlessly toss off like a comfy old robe. Saddling him with a frequent cough just seems like a Camille-like affectation to give Moody a bit more urgency and a tragic future outlook. The flick’s real MVP may be the always surprising Keaton, who should be snatching up the grumpy but sweet grandpa’ roles as he hits the big 7-0. Instead, he’s proving his worth as a sexy (the grey hair adds to his rascally charm) action hero. His confident swagger extends both to the big action set-pieces (talk about kitchen calamities) to his playful banter with Q, almost making us forget the huge “age gap”…almost (this after he seems a bit creepy in his bookstore pick-up try). As a bonus, there’s a supporting role for a past terminator Robert Patrick, though he’s doing a crusty ole’ biker version of Bond’s Q “provider’ when he’s not cruisin’ the ‘Nam countryside in a variety of too-tight jean vests.
Speaking of Bond, this flick is helmed (and the marketers feature this prominently in the poster) by 007 vet (2006’s CASINO ROYALE) Martin Campbell, who tries to bring some of that same vitality to the big stunt set-pieces. Unfortunately, his efforts are tripped up by a needlessly complex script and an overall nasty attitude, embracing the R-rating as a way to proclaim how “radical’ and “edgy” it is. The many flashbacks of Moody and teen Anna in Vietnam derail any sort of momentum, while the roster of snarling Euro-kingpins makes little impact with the “big boss’ a near-lifeless “dud”. And though I hate to use the “double G’ combo, I found much of the gore so gratuitous, meant to shock and even titillate (did we knew to see a fountain of blood from the bottom of a poorly sculpted severed head). As with many action-extravaganzas, the film has multiple endings, none very engaging (much like this weekend’s other release). This is worth catching for fans of Keaton (and his career’s amazing ongoing third act), but the filmmakers don’t know what to do with the bullet-ridden banter between him and Q, actually dodging any real dramatic consummation. This is a “last gasp of Summer” throwaway potboiler that may distract and engage the adrenaline “junkies” but most audiences won’t recall THE PROTEGE by the Fall. Nice locales though (who knew Bulgaria could double for Southeast Asia).
2 Out of 4
THE PROTEGE opens in theatres everywhere on 8/20/21
