Jumat, 31 Mei 2019

6 Characters Hobbs And Shaw Needs To Bring Back

6 Characters Hobbs And Shaw Needs To Bring Back
The Fate of The Furious Cipher standing in front of her arsenal, with a really creepy stare

Is it weird to say that it’s so damned easy to keep going back to watch the latest Hobbs and Shaw trailer over and over again? Revving up the motors for one of the potentially largest hits of 2019 certainly isn’t a hard prospect, especially when you have the right people for the job.


But mixed in the new footage we saw was an interesting development: Helen Mirren’s Magdalene, the matriarch of the Shaw clan, and in jail nonetheless. Which brings up one of the most fun pieces of the Fast and Furious franchise’s arsenal: surprise returning characters.


If Mother Shaw can cross over between franchises and return in Hobbs and Shaw, then the door is open for so many more possibilities. More specifically, there’s six characters that need to return in the Hobbs and Shaw side of the house, and they’ve all got some pretty good reasons to be brought back into the fold.




Cipher


At the end of The Fate of The Furious, Charlize Theron’s techno baddie Cipher escaped and made her way to Athens, probably planning some new plot to send the world into chaos. If that’s not the definition of a loose end, then the term needs to be revised for clarity.


However, with the Hobbs and Shaw team specializing in franchise extension, via saving the world from threats to security and intelligence, there’s a chance to tie off said hanging thread. With the titular pair ready to take on those who set out to destabilize the status quo, and Cipher being owed a proper villain rematch, the path is pretty clear to seeing these irresistible forces collide with more than a couple immovable objects.


Mr. Nobody


Returning audiences to the world of espionage in the Fast and Furious cinematic racetrack almost requires bringing other figures of the Diplomatic Security Service back into the fold. While we’ll probably be meeting some new personnel in this fairly new and shadowy organization in Hobbs and Shaw, it’d be nice to have a familiar face to help explain what’s going on.




It’d also be helpful to see professional smart ass/secret agent Mr. Nobody return in Hobbs and Shaw, because who doesn’t enjoy some good Kurt Russell snark? Of course, that snark is usually helpful whenever Nobody shows up, seeing as he’s the one with the intel for important missions ahead. When Mr. Nobody comes to town, you know the situation is serious, and we’d seriously like to see him back.


Little Nobody


The man we know as Little Nobody is a given for who should be brought into the Hobbs and Shaw world. Just as Mr. Nobody is the guy with the information and the plans needed to get the job done, Little is equally helpful, though a bit wet behind the ears.


As such, he still has something to learn when it comes to saving the world, and his lessons would be best conducted in the field, with bullets flying past his head. Scott Eastwood’s young spy in the making was a fun addition to The Fate of The Furious, and even if the character eventually stays in the more driven part of the canon, a Hobbs and Shaw mission wouldn’t hurt in the character development of Little Nobody.




Owen Shaw


Family is who you fight alongside, no matter the challenge. We’ve seen that Magdalene Shaw is coming back in Hobbs and Shaw, and with Vanessa Kirby being added to the family tree, it feels like another reunion is in order. Which means Owen Shaw needs to return yet again.


Undoubtedly Magdalene is going to need some help leaving her current place of incarceration. Knowing the Shaw family, reunions are always at the most inopportune times, so the quest to break mother out of the slammer will require all three of her currently known children. Not to mention, much like Deckard himself, Owen is owed a redemption, with Hobbs and Shaw feeling like the best place to get it.


Sean Boswell


While we saw Fast And Furious: Tokyo Drift’s Sean Boswell return for a cameo in Furious 7, we didn’t see him at all during The Fate of The Furious. This is in spite of the fact that we were told actor Lucas Black would be back for two more installments in the series, which has us thinking that a new plan may be in order.




Sean could easily become a cadet in the Diplomatic Security Service, as he’s dealt with underground criminal operations in international settings. Also, with his connection to the Toretto gang not being as strong as some of the other members, it wouldn’t be hard to win him over onto the side of the law. Of course, it’d be nice for him to have a partner to navigate this new world with, which leads to the most important character return for the Fast and Furious extended universe.


Han Lue


No one is going to let go of the fact that Deckard Shaw killed Han Lue in Fast and Furious 6, and some how became accepted as a good guy later on in this particular universe. But, as we’ve learned in the past, just because they say you’re dead doesn’t mean you died. Just as Letty came back from the dead, it’s time for Han to come back to the world of the living.


In fact, there’d be no better way to do that then to reveal that, surprise, he was drafted into the Diplomatic Security Service and has been working as a deep cover agent. Right there, you not only bring back a fan favorite, you also squash a serious beef in the Fast and Furious canon. Also, reuniting Sean and Han for some excitement is too good of an opportunity to pass up, and since he’ll definitely be coming back in some way for the Fast and Furious sequels, you’re basically killing two birds with one stone.




The Hobbs and Shaw franchise is just starting up with this first film, so the possibilities are still up in the air. But there’s plenty of good characters to pursue once things get going, provided that they don’t already show up in this initial entry.


We’ve still got some time to see where things go, as Hobbs and Shaw doesn’t hit theaters until August 2; but if anyone wants to get out there and film some nifty post credits scenes with any of the characters above, we’re willing to accept an Executive Producer credit as a thank you.


Kamis, 30 Mei 2019

7 Changes The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Should Make So He Looks More Like The Video Game Character

7 Changes The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Should Make So He Looks More Like The Video Game Character
Sonic the Hedgehog

On Tuesday, Paramount unveiled the first official trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog, the long-gestured live-action film adaptation of Sega's beloved video game creation. On social media, it caused a commotion. And the fan response was far from flattering.


Fans have been hesitant about this Sonic movie ever since it was first announced. And the movie's weird first poster — which featured the character hidden in shadows, but sporting a pair of very beefy legs — was received with more trepidation than anticipation. Sure enough, what they got from this trailer wasn't great. And people didn't take kindly to the changes made to Sonic's iconic design.


Video game lovers worldwide revolted at the sight of Movie Sonic, while even casual movie fans were left puzzled by the anthropomorphic blue hedgehog's look and its unfamiliarity. This new Sonic the Hedgehog movie is the culmination of years of fandom and wavering appreciation for the video game series. As a result, this new Sonic design felt personally insulting to their their long-standing fandom, and the fans voiced their distain online loudly.




But in a surprise turn of events, director Jeff Fowler announced publicly to Sonic fans that he would make it up to them by changing the look of Movie Sonic before it debuted in theaters this November. Whether you consider it constructive criticism or damage control, Jeff Fowler is taking the negative word-of-mouth to heart, and Paramount and Sega want to win fans over again. With that, here are seven changes that could (and should) be made to make the animated speedster a little more likable to the fans.


Change Sonic's Eyes


It's often said that the eyes are the window into one's soul. If that's true, then people drew the curtains on Sonic, refusing into glance into his pixelated perspective. In the games, Sonic has one distinctively interloping eye.


While it would be hard to make that look realistic, it does disappoint fans of the long-running video game series to see Sonic with two little beady, well-parted eyes staring back at them. It's one of those things that instantly makes this design wrong to people. If there's one thing that should be changed, it's making the eyes bigger and more reflective of the well-accustomed, well-established character design of the video game persona.




No Human Teeth


It sounds weird to say (or, rather, type out), but Sonic the Hedgehog shouldn't have human-style teeth. One of the main reasons why many people were immediately off-put by the reworked design of Movie Sonic is because every time the character opened his tiny CG-ed mouth, fans bore witness to those strange little choppers.


At best, they were weird. At their worst, they were utterly terrifying. And they instantly turned some viewers away from appreciating this new character design. It's a hard fix, to be sure, but something that's even a little less... life-like would be preferable.


Extend The Head


Simply put: Movie Sonic's head is a little too small. In addition to the number of issues with his face and figure, his noggin could use a size adjustment or two. Of all the things listed so far, Movie Sonic's head size is probably the closest to accurate when it comes to how it looks in the original games and cartoons.




But it's still a smidge too small. Inflate his ego a bit and make his head a few sizes larger. As someone with a small head myself, I realize this might be a bit of a sensitive topic. But if the animators have the means to change it, they should definitely fix it.


Rework The Torso


In some of the games, Sonic the Hedgehog is rather barrel-chested. His stomach sorta rounds out compared to the rest of his features, and it looks like Sonic is a little too thin in this trailer. If they want to make him look a little more in-line with the character's design in the games, Movie Sonic could afford to run to a McDonald's or two to beef up his size.


Right now, he's looking a little too skinny. Side note: this one is up-for-date since Sonic's figure in some games is skinner than others. So, if he remains skinny, it's not the end of the world, but if he wants to look closer to some of the past designs, it might help to beef him up just a touch.




Widen The Hands


While Sonic is often using his feet to jog great distances, one of the character's most distinctive features remains his oversized hands. Often standing out with his distinctive white gloves, his hands are a key feature to his general design. And the weirdly smaller fists that were seen in the trailer don't quite cut it, frankly.


It seems like it would be a pretty minor tweak, from what I can gather, but it'd definitely be beneficial. At the very least, it would certainly help to have a firmer, ahem, grasp of the character. But also, don't get out of hand! Let's move on from my corny jokes.


Fix The Legs


Considering how Sonic is super-runner and all, one of the most crucial elements of Sonic the Hedgehog is his legs. His quads have been a source of controversy from the get-go when it comes to his film personification. As mentioned earlier, his beefy-looking limbs in the poster left many people completely puzzled. And when it came to his look in the trailer, while it wasn't quite as jarring as that first poster reveal, it still wasn't quite right.




In the video games, Sonic's legs are long and thin. In comparison, his legs in this trailer looked nothing like what we're used to seeing from the character. It would definitely help to change the runner's lower half.


Different Shoes


In the video games, Sonic's footwear is pretty solid and compact. They need to be. He's constantly running, after all, and this speed-loving hedgehog needs a pair of kicks that are pretty durable. Particularly during his usual high-energy sprints. In the trailer we saw, however, he appears to be wearing a fairly plain pair of sneakers. Those would not come in handy when he's running at over 700 miles an hour.


In the broad scheme of things, this is a minor nitpick. But if they're changing things, it's worth considering. Sonic shouldn't be running around in subpar shoes. And please, for the love of God, avoid the temptation to give him product placement-friendly footgear in lieu of these tennis shoes. Though, if the film's budget is gonna balloon through these last-minute changes, I understand if you need the extra cash.




Will any of these changes be made? Only time will tell. But one thing was made evident here: the fans were not the least bit happy about Sonic's new look, and the filmmaker responded in kind, promising to fix Sonic the Hedgehog before the film's November 8 release date. We'll have to wait and see if he is true to his word.


Rabu, 29 Mei 2019

21 Bridges Trailer: Chadwick Boseman's New Movie Has Him Playing A Cop After Cop Killers

21 Bridges Trailer: Chadwick Boseman's New Movie Has Him Playing A Cop After Cop Killers

Most people are probably getting ready to check out Avengers: Endgame this weekend and are curious what the ultimate fate of Black Panther is going to be. Whatever happens, to the Marvel hero, Chadwick Boseman knows where he's going next, and now so do we, as the first trailer for the thriller 21 Bridges is here. Check it out below.


Chadwick Boseman plays a cop who saw his father killed in the line of duty as a child, and as such has no love for criminals who kill other cops. When exactly that happens, Boseman's character is called in to hunt down those responsible. He goes to extremes to get the fugitives, including shutting down every possible route out of Manhattan. That includes closing all 21 bridges, from which the film gets its name.


Of course, what the trailer also makes clear is that there's more going on in this story. This isn't just as simple as a couple of thugs shooting cops. Even the criminals on the run appear to have found themselves involved in something they were never looking for.




While the story of 21 Bridges might be pretty far removed from that of Black Panther, behind the camera things are a little closer to home. The film is actually being produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors of this weekend's Avengers: Endgame.


The story is written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote Deepwater Horizon and World War Z, along with Adam Mervis for whom this is only his second feature writing credit. 21 Bridges is directed by Brian Kirk, who is primarily known as a television director, where he has worked on episodes of Game of Thrones, Penny Dreadful, and Luther among many others.


21 Bridges isn't quite the star studded action blockbuster that we would expect to see releasing in July, but the fact that it is shows a certain amount of confidence that the film will be able to hold its own against those tentpole releases. 21 Bridges is currently slotted into July 12, which is the weekend after Spider-Man: Far From Home comes out and the weekend before the remake of The Lion King makes its bow.




The movie's only direct competition of any note will be the action-comedy Stuber starring Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista. It will be interesting to see how these two Marvel alumni do against each other, as well as how they both do against the hold over business for the final chapter of the current phase of the MCU.


Of course, with Black Panther officially missing in action as far as Avengers: Endgame goes, it's entirely possible that 21 Bridges is going to be the only place to see Chadwick Boseman on the big screen this year.


Selasa, 28 Mei 2019

15 Best Tom Hanks Movies, Both Popular and Underrated

15 Best Tom Hanks Movies, Both Popular and Underrated
Splash Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah getting close in front of a city backdrop

If there ever was a Mount Rushmore of actors that are loved by the entire world, one of the first names to be submitted for approval would have to be Tom Hanks. Starting out as a star of TV, through roles in shows like Happy Days, Family Ties, and most notably, Bosom Buddies, Hanks eventually became an actor that would take the world of movies by storm. Launching the greatest charm offensive known to humanity, this legendary performer would traverse the spectrum of human behavior, with the ability to draw a crowd no matter where he landed.


In that career are hallmark roles that everyone knows and loves, but on top of those fan favorites are some roles that should be talked about with the same reverent tones that are used for all the popular picks. Which is why today, we’re going run down not only the best and most popular Tom Hanks movies that everyone can name by heart, but also talk about those films that need a friend. And buddy, these films have a friend in us.


Let's kick things off by delving into the 'popular' portion of his filmography.




15. Splash


His first big Hollywood credit, Splash not only was a gamble at the newly born Touchstone Pictures label, it was also Tom Hanks’ first shot as a romantic comedy lead. While he would cash in on more bawdy and outrageous films for a little while longer, this story about a man who falls in love with a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah, already laid down the foundation that would carry his career into a new phase in the next decade. Even in this early film, the chemistry between the leads only showed that Hanks and Hannah had the chops to play heart and humor, and it showed that director Ron Howard was a talent to keep watching out for as well. And to think, Tom Hanks originally auditioned for the supporting role that John Candy would eventually play.


14. A League Of Their Own


Tom Hanks has been known as a man that straddles the lines of comedy and drama with great style, and a knowledge of knowing when to play which side of the coin. A League of Their Own is the first calling card that Hanks picked up in that respect, as the role of crass alcoholic Jimmy Dugan gave him the chance to play both an arrogant baseball coach and a supportive teammate to the women he’s coaching. Mixing it up with Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna, Tom Hanks keeps up with everyone he’s playing to in each scene, and he taught us the greatest lesson of all: there’s no crying in baseball.


13. Big


It’s not easy to play a kid on screen, whether you’re a child performer or an adult that has to pretend that they’re of that same mindset. Big was the moment that Tom Hanks learned that lesson, and it was the first great success that really showed how strong his acting game was. His first collaboration with director Penny Marshall, before their famous re-teaming on A League of Their Own, Hanks’ role of Josh Baskin was mostly a vehicle for the laughs involved with a kid physically growing up overnight. Though it’s not the total package, as Josh’s story also delves into the pressures of adult life and the yearning to go back to the simplicity of childhood. You’ll laugh, cry and smile when Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia play piano at F.A.O. Schwartz.




12. Sleepless In Seattle


There are great shifts in Tom Hanks’ career that allowed him to play various roles, and Sleepless In Seattle is definitely one of them. Portraying a widower whose son casts a wide net to find him a new love, Hanks is teamed for the first time with Meg Ryan, who plays a reporter that’s interested in meeting his lonely character, all in the name of love. Wry wit sets the scene and heartfelt emotion takes the cake, as everything from riffing on romantic movies to a fateful meeting at the Empire State Building, find a way into everyone’s hearts. Naturally, with Tom Hanks as a leading man, it’s not that hard of a job, but it sure doesn’t downplay the results. Even if the man himself admits that during production, he might have been a bit cranky.


11. Saving Private Ryan


Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is a combination that has gone down in history as one of those peanut butter/chocolate mashups that usually brings something beautiful to the table. Their first teaming was in the 1998 World War II epic, Saving Private Ryan, and thinking back to how that film played out, one could see why they decided to stay together. Seeing Hanks’ Captain John Miller lead a platoon of men into occupied Germany, with the task of saving the last remaining survivor of a family of brothers fighting the war, invokes shades of the classic wartime epics that came before it. Of course, differentiating this film from its inspirations is the fact that Tom Hanks and his co-stars get to show the brutalities of war, in addition to its camaraderie. One of his most heartbreaking performances, and undoubtedly one of Spielberg’s greatest films, Hanks gave his director a lead to remember, and it helped keep them working together for some time into the future.


10. Toy Story


In the modern era of animation, taking a voice-over role in an animated film feels like a logical step, as well as a big cash-in. But back in the days of Pixar’s Toy Story, that practice was still getting its legs underneath it, even in the camp of Disney’s dream factory. In fact, it’s probably because of Tom Hanks’ iconic role as Sheriff Woody that the phenomenon of big stars in animated films kicked into overdrive by the late ‘90s. Co-starring Tim Allen and a cast of notables, Toy Story broke all sorts of ground for a genre that was merely seen as kids’ entertainment, and a lot of that effort came from the heart that Hanks and his co-stars put into the toy box. And from the looks of what’s been going on with Toy Story 4, it’s something that none of them have ever forgotten.




9. Apollo 13


In his earlier career, Tom Hanks thrived on roles that showed him as a person who would antagonize and even shirk off the yolk of authority. But eventually, this era of his career ended, and in its place was an air of authority that is undoubtedly present in most of his performances. And Apollo 13 is one of the films you should thank for it, as previous collaborator Ron Howard directed Hanks in this film about an infamous disaster during the American space race, and the efforts of all involved to save those caught in the aftermath. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon are the astronauts at the heart of the story, all sharing the burden of portraying real life figures, while keeping in mind that they’re more humans than gods. The results are unforgettable, and to this day, Apollo 13 is still one of the best movies about early space flight.


8. Forrest Gump


You knew this was coming. You cannot have a list of Tom Hanks’ most popular roles without mentioning his Academy Award winning role in director Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump. Whether you love the film, or absolutely hate its guts, there’s no denying that without Hanks in the center of that story’s universe, it all falls apart. Playing a man of less than average intelligence, Hanks doesn’t play the desperate cards that some might resort to for sympathy. Rather, he roots his decisions for the character in a humanity that links the entire world together. It’s because of this that anyone can identify with Forrest Gump, and in turn, anyone can laugh, cry or stare at the world as it’s shown through his particular viewpoint. Life may be like a box of chocolates, but Tom Hanks’ performance is that one piece you always run to in that box when you need an extra pick-me-up.


Now that we've covered Tom Hanks' popular movies, let's look at the underrated ones, i.e. the movies that don't get as much love as they should.




7. Dragnet


Right out of the gates holding back the underrated portion of this rundown is Dragnet, a movie that, by conventional wisdom and its place in time, should not have worked. It was a movie adaptation of a show that the '80s nostalgia machine was ready to play ball with, and you can see it in Dan Aykroyd’s Sgt. Joe Friday. That character is an almost note-for-note adaptation of the original TV character of the same name, and if the film had stuck solely on that track, it might have had problems. But adding in a younger comic relief character in Tom Hanks’ rookie Pep Strebeck not only gave Aykroyd’s schtick something to bounce off of, it allowed Dragnet to mash up its past history with a more modern beat. The result is something that’s so wonderfully right, it’s a shame it never spawned at least one sequel.


6. Road To Perdition


Sam Mendes had a blank creative check to do anything as a follow up to American Beauty, and it didn’t take long for the director to cash it. Paid out to the order of the comic adaptation Road To Perdition, Tom Hanks plays way against type as Michael Sullivan, a hitman working for the Chicago mob who has to run for his life. Protecting his son, who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, Hanks’ character gets to show a lethal edge that the actor didn’t get to show off too often before that point, and sadly hasn’t had too much of a chance to do again. The film, much like its lead performance, is a balance of emotional truth and raw survival in a world of organized crime.


5. The Terminal


We previously discussed the beautiful pairing that is Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, as the two collaborators have made legendary hits like Saving Private Ryan. But sitting in the darker corners of their collective canon is The Terminal, a Frank Capra-esque tale of Viktor Navorski, a man literally without a country. As a victim of a horribly timed coup in his home nation, Hanks’ Navorski plays through a fictionalized version of a similar event that happened in real life. Dealing with both threatening bureaucracy, as well as his own awkwardly funny lessons in acting more like an American, he melts into the central role in a tale of heartbreak and hilarity.




4. The 'Burbs


How the hell does a film between Gremlins’ Joe Dante and Tom Hanks fall into obscurity? It’s a question that comes out of thinking back on The ‘Burbs, a movie that took full advantage of the actor’s zany comic energy while it was still his stock in trade. Hanks’ protagonist, Ray Peterson, starts to believe that his neighbors are murderers, and the entire film is a sliding descent into madness that takes Ray and his friends by storm, as they become increasingly desperate to prove to the neighborhood that they aren’t crazy. Playing like a cross between Rear Window and The Little Rascals, this dark comedy only rises in value as it teams Tom Hanks with co-stars Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, and Corey Feldman to revel in the madness.


3. Charlie Wilson’s War


History isn’t always a stuffy, simple affair that gets told time and time again. Sometimes, like in director Mike Nichols’ Charlie Wilson’s War, it’s about colorful characters who take matters into their own hands. Senator Charlie Wilson was definitely one of those figures, and the film recounting his efforts has Tom Hanks starring as the drug-using, womanizing senator who, despite his wild reputation, tried to do some good in the war between Afghanistan and Russia. Writer Aaron Sorkin gives Hanks the sharp dialogue he thrives on, while Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman further fuel his performance as the titular senator, which makes for something both informative and incredibly hysterical.


2. Cloud Atlas


If you’re an actor at the top of your craft, you probably have a list of directors and creative talent that you’re dying to work with. That feels like the reasoning behind directors The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer teaming up with an all-star cast that includes Tom Hanks in the severely underrated mind-bender Cloud Atlas. Playing everything from a villainous doctor to a morally conflicted survivor of a future apocalypse, Hanks is given a laundry list of challenges and tropes to work into this collection of six narratives that run together with one common thread. Whether he be menacing, charming or anywhere in between, this is a film that gave one of American’s most treasured actors one hell of a performance exercise, and it deserves to be talked about so much more than it already is.




1. Bridge Of Spies


Honestly, at this point, history and Tom Hanks are inseparable, as it’s more likely that he’ll play every historical figure of note before his career is over. And yet, Bridge of Spies manages to take this, and the fact that it’s another Spielberg/Hanks collaboration, and use both aspects to their full effect. The film tells the real life story of lawyer James B. Donovan, who was drafted by the United States government to not only defend an outed Russian spy at trial, but also to exchange him for a U.S. hostage captured by the Russian government, and it does so in an interesting manner. Intrigue is mixed with sharp witted repartee in Donavan’s quest to make the best deal possible, and putting dialogue co-written by the Coen Brothers should be all you need to convince you to watch Bridge of Spies.


Whether the performance is popular or underrated, Tom Hanks always shows up to play like a champion. The man is a hard worker, and he’s also one of last remaining nice guys in a world that feels colder and more bitter than ever. But, of course, everyone has their favorite Hanks roles, and we may not have covered some of your A-List picks. So tell us in the comments below which popular or underrated roles of the man’s career you favor! There’s no wrong answers, as the answer always ties back to Tom Hanks.


Senin, 27 Mei 2019

8 Best Ryan Reynolds Movies And The 4 Worst

8 Best Ryan Reynolds Movies And The 4 Worst
Ryan Reynolds - Life

Ryan Reynolds has put a lot of Hollywood content out into the universe. Some of the actor's big screen work is good and some of it is not so good. We'll be able to decide on his latest this weekend, as Reynolds will be heard on the big screen again with his newest film, Detective Pikachu, which will either be his latest franchise-starter or his newest non-starter, depending on how the box office reception goes for this blockbuster.


Early reviews for Detective Pikachu are generally strong, which is both surprising and comforting given that A) it's a video game movie (which, admittedly, don't have great track records, critically-speaking) and B) it's the newest film starring Ryan Reynolds, an actor who has seen his fair-share of critical darlings and commercial failures throughout the actor's variety career. In this list, we'll look back on some of those triumphs and overlooked gems on the big screen, as well as a few of his regrettable failures.


Now, it should be noted there are some Ryan Reynolds films which have their loyal fans that didn't make the cut here. For instance, Waiting ... and The Proposal. Also, a few of Reynolds' most savaged movies, including Blade: Trinity and The Amityville Horror remake, were not picked-apart this time around, but easily could have been. There is also Just Friends, which didn't garner glowing reviews but a lot of people still have a passion for. And we mean they really love it.




Even though these particular movies weren't put on either list, you should know they were not forgotten — for better and for worse. And that shouldn't diminish your feelings towards them, whether passionate or rage-inducing. With that said, without further ado, here is a list of some of Ryan Reynolds' best and worst movies to date.


Deadpool


Because how could we include a list about Ryan Reynolds without mentioning Deadpool? The surprising 2016 hit is not without its detractors. But at its core, it represents the rise and fall and rise again of Reynolds' constantly wavering career. And though it took a long time to get it on the big screen justly, Deadpool proved everyone wrong by becoming a gleeful, cheeky middle-finger to the other superhero movies before it, while still falling in line with their heartfelt spirit.


After years of false starts and unfulfilled potential, both for the actor and the character, Deadpool felt like a breath of fresh air. Yes, it didn't exactly change superhero movies forever. It still falls in line with your typical origin story, just with some more four-letter words thrown into the mix. Still, it gave Ryan Reynolds the chance to prove his strengths as a comedic actor, dramatic actor and a romantic lead, and it showcases the talent and promise that only seen in minor indie movies and overlooked dramedies before it. Deadpool is a winner, and it's a well-deserved one for Ryan Reynolds too.




Mississippi Grind


While Ryan Reynolds and directors/screenwriters Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel) are perhaps best known for their new superhero movies, their first (and, to date, only) team-up came before their biggest blockbusters. And their collaboration had absolutely nothing to do with super-heroics. The sorely overlooked 2015 character drama Mississippi Grind is the film that quietly snuck its way to select theaters before the aforementioned Marvel movie smashed records everywhere, and it's a low-down, no-good shame, since it's some of their best work.


Working alongside a career-best performance from his co-star Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds puts his talents for fast-moving confidence and weighted gravitas to excellent use in the role of Curtis Vaughn, a hard-drinking, smooth-talking card player who winds up in a state-crossing gambling spree with his new acquaintance. Appropriately (and/or ironically) addictive in its gritty, hard-nosed approach, this indie flew under the radar before Ryan Reynolds made it big with Deadpool and Anna Fleck & Ryan Boden worked their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it's well-worth a watch if you're a fan. It's anything but a grind. I'll guarantee that.


Van Wilder


For many folks, Van Wilder served as their first introduction to Ryan Reynolds. The actor was playing a veteran, party-loving super senior who had no ambitions or prospects of graduating from college anytime soon. But it's a frat-boy comedy with heart, particularly as Reynolds begins to form a relationship with a bookish, headstrong Tara Reid during the course of the film. It's a simple premise, told with no shortage of crass and coarse humor, that could've gone nowhere if it weren't for Ryan Reynolds.




Beyond the gross-out humor, the sex jokes and the general raunchiness on display here, Van Wilder is able to work because Ryan Reynolds commits wholeheartedly to the crass, jubilant title role. It was an early showcase for his talents as an actor, and it lead the young performer into superstardom. And while it is no longer his most famous role, it is definitely one that holds a soft spot for many viewers out there.


Buried


To captivate an audience for 95 minutes, particularly while trapped inside a box, you have to be one hell of a good actor. That's certainly not an easy feat to accomplish. While Ryan Reynolds has endeared himself to audiences through in his various films, Buried is one of those underground masterworks (you see what I did there?) that shamefully tends to get overlooked in the broad overview of the actor's diverse, accomplished career. Nevertheless, despite its small-scale reputation, it towers over some of his other films.


A claustrophobic nightmare to the nth degree, Buried is centered around a terrifying prospect: What if you woke one day and you were buried alive, under totally mysterious circumstances, with only a cell phone with limited service and a dying phone battery as your fleeting connection to the above world. In addition to being a logistical struggle for any filmmaker to shoot, it relies a lot on your actor to make this enclosed movie both captivating and commanding — especially as the tension ratchets up and you feel your own air supply starting to dwindle. With Ryan Reynolds as the only actor on-screen for the whole length of the film, it puts all the attention on him. Thankfully, he shines in this dark, underseen little thriller.




The Nines


Until a certain point in time, Ryan Reynolds was liked but not fully respected as an actor. With people still seeing him as the guy from Van Wilder or Waiting..., it was hard for audiences to take him seriously. Sure enough, in true comedic actor fashion, there came a time when Ryan Reynolds decided he wanted to become a dramatic actor. It's a risky proposition for a lot of comedic performers, with the success rate being varied-at-best. With Ryan Reynolds, however, he proved himself enormously with the compelling, heartbreaking indie drama, The Nines.


Joined alongside Hope Davis and a pre-fame Melissa McCarthy, both of whom are also fantastic in this movie, The Nines finds Ryan Reynolds taking on a variety of different roles throughout the course of this twist-heavy drama. As a result, audiences who sought out this indie title got a chance to see the early potential of the actor, and how he proved himself through a wealth of layered and dynamic roles and performances. He really takes it, yes, to the nines. It's not the movie that people often think about when they put together their list of favorite Ryan Reynolds movies, but that just means more people should seek it out.


Adventureland


While Ryan Reynolds has often been at the forefront of his movies of late, he has also proven himself exceptionally verstaile in supporting roles. The actor bleeds charisma and charm, and when he's the side character who is hanging around throwing jokes willy-nilly, it really plays to his strengths. Sure enough, while Adventureland might not be considered your typical "Ryan Reynolds movie," his appearances in the romantic coming-of-age dramedy certainly play a big role in audience's affections for this sweetheart movie.




In fact, depending on how you feel about the movie in general, you could argue that in his scenes, he arguably steals the movie away from the main leads: Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, respectively. We're not here to make it a debate. We just wanted to recognize Ryan Reynolds' talents as a supporting actor in attention to his commendable and varied work in lead roles throughout nearly two decades of filmmaking.


Definitely, Maybe


While Ryan Reynolds is no stranger to the romantic comedy genre, there are only a select few who became both critical and audience successes. Namely, Definitely, Maybe. The 2008 rom-comedy, written and directed by Adam Brooks, is a time-hopping New York City story that follows Ryan Reynolds and his on-screen 11-year-old daughter, as they do a sort of How I Met Your Mother-esque flashback to his previous relationships in order to explain why he is getting divorced to the girl's mother, and how they got married in the first place.


Though it was well-liked upon release, it has earned a bigger cult following for those romantic types who are looking for something comforting and sweet during a date night on the couch, while still offering something a little different than your garden variety romantic comedy. Sure enough, Ryan Reynolds is typically at his best when he makes something that's at least a little subversive, while still hitting on the hallmarks of a given genre. That is definitely true for Deadpool and (hopefully) Detective Pikachu, and that's certainly the case for this lovable, sweet and good-hearted romantic comedy.




The Voices


Another dark comedy that came out in 2015, just a year before Ryan Reynolds hit it big again with Deadpool, The Voices was another brilliant showcase for Ryan Reynolds' talents as a comedic and dramatic performer. A bittersweet horror comedy that centers around a timid and unhinged factory worker who starts to hear voices from his animals (also voiced by Reynolds) telling him to kill other people, it is definitely not a film with wide audience appeal, particularly as the film grows more violent and disturbing. But it is not only a credit to the vibrant and commendable direction from Marjane Satrapi, but Ryan Reynolds' unlikely performance that really makes this movie sell.


The Voices is a disturbing and twisted movie that is given nuance, depth and surprising tenderness from Ryan Reynolds' remarkable performance. It is a hard sell of a movie, and it would be a difficult movie to appreciate if it weren't for Reynolds work here, as he showcases the light and the darkness of his character in stark depictions, inviting us into this character's twisted mindset while also sympathizing with his despicable actions. It is a very difficult balance, and it's only that works thanks in large part to Reynolds' triumphant acting.


Now that we mentioned Ryan Reynolds' Best Films, let's switch things up. It's time to divert ourselves to Ryan Reynolds' better movies to his less-than-favorable flicks.




Green Lantern


Thankfully, Ryan Reynolds is doing pretty well these days in the superhero genre. His raunchy, foul-mouthed take/redo on Merc With A Mouth earned a number of renewed fans, and the actor's bumpy career has seen a resurgence in the wake of that R-rated film's surprise success. But it was a rough start for Ryan Reynolds. Beyond the bad decisions made to his original take on Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds was the butt of many jokes (more than a few, of course, he made at his own expense) for his infamously terrible appearance in Green Lantern.


Granted, it worked out in the end. It provided the actor with a good blueprint (or, rather, green-print) for what not to do with a origin story (you can't just copy Iron Man's homework). It also introduced Ryan Reynolds to his lovely wife and the mother of his kids, Blake Lively, and it obviously gave him great self-deprecating material later on. But that doesn't make the movie any better. This awkward, ugly, clunky and creatively bankrupt movie is an absolute mess. Reynolds tried his best, but it wasn't meant to be. Thankfully, while the rejection stung for years, the A-lister licked his wounds and he moved on nicely.


X-Men Origins: Wolverine


Everyone has to start somewhere. Ryan Reynolds eventually made a name for himself in the superhero genre, but the road that took him there was a very bumpy, windy road. In addition to the aforementioned Green Lantern, there was also X-Men Origins: Wolverine, an ill-fated spin-off film centered around Hugh Jackman's excellent portrayal of the long-standing, muscle-bound comic book character. And what was meant to introduce Deadpool into Fox's X-Men franchise turned very, very bad in a very, very quick fashion.




Where does one begin with X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Let's just mention Deadpool. It has been said a million times before, but you really thought it was a good idea to sew the Merc with a Mouth's literal mouth shut? In all the boardroom meetings, script rewrites, pitch meetings, what-have-you, that was always thought to be the best decision for this character? Seriously?! But I digress. Beyond this bone-headed decision, Ryan Reynolds plays a very minor part in this film, and he really ever gets beyond a moment or two to shine. Thankfully, he fought hard for a spinoff movie that was more in the vein of the character's self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking comic book origin. Before we got the movie that gave the character justice, however, we were stuck with this unfortunate stinker of a X-Men movie. At least we got a nod in Deadpool 2...


R.I.P.D.


Before Deadpool exploded its way onto the big screen and following the fallout of the utterly laughable Green Lantern, Ryan Reynolds had another comic book adaptation up his sleeve. Sure enough, he tried to bring Peter M. Lenkov's graphic novel Rest in Peace Department from the page-to-screen and provide another starring vehicle for the not-very-consistent career he's held these last few years. It was a clear attempt to have the actor headline a new Men In Black-style action-comedy for the new decade and generation. Suffice to say, it did not work out.


Hindered by bad special effects, a muddled story, some sweet-and-sour chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges and a weird lack of pulpy fun (despite the movie's laborious attempts at goofiness), R.I.P.D. doesn't carry Ryan Reynolds' charm and charisma, offering only a poor substitute for other, better movies in a similar vein, despite its strong, promising outer-worldly premise. This troubled movie was in development hell for a long time before it stumbled its way into theaters. Sometimes, things are better left dead.




The Change-Up


Ryan Reynolds has great comedic chops. Most people can agree on that point. The famous actor is funny, charming, likable and affable the right roles and characters. There's no doubt that he should be at the forefront of a few raunchy comedies. Obviously, his success as Deadpool proved that he knows how to make people laugh. But as we've noted in this article, the road to Reynolds' most winning roles was not without its fair share of struggles. Sure enough, The Change-Up isn't one of Reynolds' finer works. That's putting it mildly.


Starring alongside Jason Bateman in a body-switching comedy that would've felt dated back in the '80s, this attempt to rejuvenate a tired premise with bad jokes and lackluster character development was not worth the hassle. While Ryan Reynolds got to play a little bit out-of-type when Bateman's timid persona embodied him (and visa versa for Jason Bateman), there is little heart or endearing humor to be found in this ribald comedy. It's better forgotten in the scheme of things. Thankfully, when it came to his career, Ryan Reynolds decided to change things up.


So, here are my picks on Ryan Reynold's best and worse. Doubtless, some of you would have chosen a little differently. (My editor even felt burned about The Proposal not making the cut.) All in all, though, this just means that Ryan Reynolds has made a lot of likable, exciting and re-watchable movies -- and maybe a few more duds than he'd like to admit. Do you prefer some of Ryan Reynold's other titles?




Minggu, 26 Mei 2019

15 Best Movies To Watch On Amazon Prime Right Now

15 Best Movies To Watch On Amazon Prime Right Now
A Quiet Place Emily Blunt signals Millicent Simmonds to be quiet in front of the radios

Having a streaming subscription is only as good as knowing how to use it, and in order to get the most out of a service like Amazon Prime, you need a good starting point. That’s easier said than done, as the library of films and TV options is so voluminous that you could spend a whole day just browsing.


But that’s not what you should be doing. You should be watching things, otherwise you’re just paying for a really cool slide show.


To that effect, we’re going to show you 15 of the best launchpads into the world of Amazon Prime’s moving offerings. Now these titles are subject to change, so you may want to check on the availability of these titles yourself. But at this moment, these are the 15 best movies included with an Amazon Prime membership that are totally worth the time.




A Quiet Place


Writer/director John Krasinski’s big debut behind the camera, A Quiet Place, was an unquestionable success at the box office upon its release. Taking the world by storm, this tale of an apocalypse where the slightest sound may be your last is a thrilling exercise in tension and horror. But even more impressive is how Krasinski and his actual wife, Emily Blunt, use their own real life connection to not only tie their characters together in a realistic manner, but also to include their on screen children in a similarly effective manner. It just makes this already thrilling horror blockbuster all the more believable.


Cold War


One of the best films to come out in 2018, Cold War, also happens to be an Amazon Studios original film. Its big entry into the Best Foreign Language Race of this past Oscar race, the film tells the story of a complicated romance between a music teacher and his young pupil. That love story alone is intriguing, but seeing it weave in and out of the rise of Communism in Poland between the end of World War II and the sociopolitical era it’s named after is something that only enhances the conflict between these characters in Pawel Pawlikowski’s lush directorial follow up to Ida.


The Shawshank Redemption


Just because a movie like Frank Darabont’s classic adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption has been talked up to the high heavens doesn’t mean everyone’s seen it. To that effect, it’s important that streaming services like Amazon Prime make it available, as this classic tale of hope in a time of imprisonment is always a good bet for entertainment. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are the two faces mostly associated with this film, but an incredible supporting roster that includes Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton, William Sadler and James Whitmore Jr. are all present to lend powerful assists in bringing Stephen King’s cherished novella to life.




The Blues Brothers


Sometimes a musical is just a musical, and sometimes it’s a car-chasing, soul singing, blues-fueled adventure like The Blues Brothers. Born out of a recurring musical act/gag featured on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as Jake and Elwood, two orphaned brothers with a taste for mayhem. The story is technically about the boys trying to raise enough money to keep their childhood orphanage open, but don’t let that fool you. Director John Landis’ film is just as much about keeping the songs and celebrity cameos coming as it is about saving the day.


Eighth Grade


It’s an odd bit of symmetry knowing that writer/director Bo Burnham made a film about a young girl trying to become YouTube famous in her last days of middle school. Eighth Grade tells us that story through the eyes of Kayla, actor Elsie Fisher’s lead character in Burnham’s film. But knowing that Burnham became a sensation through the platform only lends more credence to his story about a young person trying to strike the very same sort of success, and why maybe it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. No matter what age you are or what era you grew up in, this movie hits home hard.


The King of Comedy


As the new Joker film seems to be pulling a lot of influence -- and possibly even lifting whole plot points -- directly from Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, it’s a good time to experience one of the legendary director’s lesser-known films. With even Robert DeNiro himself stating that this film feeds pretty heavily into the DNA of Joker, this film will set you up for what could be one of DC’s most experimental films ever. But even without the connection to that new film in the DC Comics line of cinematic storytelling, it’s a damned treat to watch DeNiro’s Rupert Pupkin go from mere daydreaming to full-blown psychosis, under the trusted hand of one of his most trusted collaborators.




Dirty Rotten Scoundrels


Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a rather interesting title to discuss, as it’s an intersection between two subjects we’ll discuss in this rundown. Much like The King of Comedy, it has ties to a more modern version, thanks to The Hustle being a remake of this very film. On top of that fact, director Frank Oz’s ‘80s comedy classic is a remake itself of the David Niven/Marlon Brando comedy romp Bedtime Stories. So substitute Niven for Michael Caine, Brando for Steve Martin, and unleash this combination on the French Rivera, in the name of racing to a $50k swindle that proves who runs the show and who’s got to go. That’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on paper, but the execution is so beautiful to behold on screen.


The Big Sick


Real life can be funny, but it can also be pretty sad. Both are pretty powerful emotions and they’re difficult to nail when taking a true story like The Big Sick and bringing it to the big screen. Based on the real life courtship of writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, and how a mystery illness brought them closer together, this particular story understands the balance between those emotions perfectly. The funny and the sad radiate throughout this film with beautiful clarity, creating a film that truly understands the humanity in its source, while still being quite entertaining.


Kick-Ass


Without Kick-Ass’s success, we probably would have never gotten X-Men: First Class or either of the Kingsman films to feast our eyes on. That’s because director Matthew Vaughn honed his comic adapting skills on this indie book, showcasing a normal high school kid’s rise into a street-level vigilante. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloe Grace Moretz made a pretty big splash as the high school kid who gives the film its name, and the young Hit-Girl who becomes a friend and sidekick to Kick-Ass’s crime fighting crusade. But if you’re a Nicolas Cage fan, you’ll want to partake in this particular film, as it has one of his best performances to date.




Hereditary


Horror movies live and breathe on word of mouth, quite possibly more than any other genre out there. While we all want that occasional good scare, we also want to know if said scare is going to be within our comfort zone before taking the trip. As such, when a film like Hereditary is talked about to the extent that it did during last summer’s box office heatwave, that sort of hype can be scary in and of itself. But you shouldn’t fear Ari Aster’s slow burning film, as it ramps up to the truly terrifying stuff in such a way that you’re freaked out, but you’re only jumping out of your seat every so often. Think less of a jump scare parade and more of an atmospheric dimming of the lights of safety, and you can begin to understand what Hereditary has in store for you.


The Thomas Crown Affair


Good luck creating a remake as awesome as The Thomas Crown Affair. Two years before Oceans’ Eleven would take another piece of ‘60s pop culture and turn it into a sharp and witty ride for the new millennium, director John McTiernan got the jump on the game and made a caper as sexy as it is funny. Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo anchor the tale of a millionaire who steals things for the fun of it, and the investigator who wants to make him pay in the name of the hunt. Though with all of those elements acknowledged, Michael B. Jordan’s proposed remake of this very same film does have a good chance of bringing this particular property back into the pop culture fold in similar style.


The Birdcage


It’s not easy to adapt a stage play into a film, much less remake that adaptation into something equally as funny as it source. And yet, La Cage Aux Folles not only translated perfectly into its initial French film offering in the ‘70s, it also made the comedic genius that was The Birdcage. When your cast consists of a comedic battle royale that includes Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest, it’s up to the creative team to screw things up. Not only did the legendary team of director Mike Nichols and writer Elaine May deliver the perfect playground for all of these legends to play ball in, they dropped Hank Azaria in for an extra dose of spice.




Child’s Play


Yes, that Child’s Play remake is happening this year, and if it does well, we’ll have another variant of Chucky to run and hide from in pop culture. As the prospect of Mark Hamill being the newer, more digital Chucky is pretty damned exciting, it’s still going to be hard not to think back to the original film. That’s not a knock to the Child’s Play for the modern era, but Brad Dourif’s original incarnation is still pretty iconic, and always worth a revisit; especially in the pre-comedic state that this very first film embodies so perfectly.


Cloverfield


While it was released a little over a decade ago, Cloverfield still has a pretty strong following of fans and theorists that dig into its humble origins for clues to the future. What started as a clever viral marketing sensation became yet another franchise that has spurred on a fresh round of detective work with each passing film. And no matter how many sequels are made, it all seems to lead back to this modern legend.


Arrival


The 2016 sci-fi hit Arrival made a huge name for itself as a contender for Best Picture in its Academy Awards class, but the film seems to be settling into a newer, bigger role since its upsetting loss. Director Denis Villeneuve’s tale of linguistics in a first contact scenario seems to be on the track to becoming a classic, as the beauty of its story is only outdone by the perfect performances from Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and a supporting cast of notables. Just be prepared to cry more than a little while watching this one.




Amazon Prime has a ton of options for anyone looking to entertain themselves through the medium of the movies. So when you’ve exhausted your best options on this list, don’t forget to venture deeper into the waters the company provides. You might just find a new, lesser-known favorite that’s dying to get its moment in the sun.


Sabtu, 25 Mei 2019

10 Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies, Ranked

10 Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies, Ranked
Spider-Man: Far From Home Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal is one of Hollywood's top talents, and after a brief marathon of his movies it isn't hard to see why. He's played many different types of characters throughout his career, and in all honesty he's good in just about every single one of them. At least, he is in these 10 movies, which are among the 10 best that the actor has offered audiences over the years.


As the world waits to see Jake Gyllenhaal play Mysterio in the upcoming sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home, I've put together a list of the 10 best films he's put out into the universe for your reading pleasure. These are the top 10 films to enjoy for those who want to see a good Jake Gyllenhaal movie featuring the actor at his best, even if the story or other actors didn't quite live up to the hype. Take a look and find these movies in the universe ASAP.


1. End Of Watch


The top Jake Gyllenhaal movie on this list, End Of Watch earns its spot for the gritty story of two LAPD officers just trying to survive the crime ridden streets. There's action, there's tension, and there are tear-jerking and terrifying moments. This movie is Jake Gyllenhaal at his best, and he looks completely in his element from start to finish. Others may believe there are better options out there, but I really feel they'd be wrong in regards to Gyllenhaal performances.




2. Donnie Darko


No disrespect to everything he's done after, but Jake Gyllenhaal's Donnie Darko remains one of his best to date. It features a much different performance than the characters Gyllenhaal would become later in life. It may not be the most groundbreaking performance the actor has ever given Hollywood, but it is the one that really set him on a path to be one of Hollywood's premiere names. Without it, there's no telling where the actor would be today. Plus, the movie itself still holds up.


3. Brokeback Mountain


No one should need a list to know Brokeback Mountain is one of Jake Gyllenhaal's best. Those who have gone this long without seeing it are making a mistake, and missing out one of the best performances of Heath Ledger's career to boot. For Gyllenhaal it's really on another level than any other role he's taken since, and absolutely one every movie lover should experience at least once. It's insane so many people passed on making this movie!


4. Zodiac


This Jake Gyllenhaal movie isn't more optimistic than many of the others on the list, but at least his character is more of the hero in this harrowing story of one of the most enigmatic serial killers in America's history. Of the selections on this list, Zodiac is the one that best highlights Jake Gyllenhaal's ability to portray an obsessed character, which is often an element in his roles. See this one immediately.




5. Nightcrawler


Here's another Jake Gyllenhaal movie where the actor turns on the crazy, although his character in Nightcrawler is far more insane and sadistic than funny. Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a man determined to make a living as a tragedy cameraman in Los Angeles. The film and Gyllenhaal is bonkers from start to finish, but it doesn't really hit peak freaky until that scene where he's laughing watching television and looking around and reacting to no one in particular.


6. Okja


One of Jake Gyllenhaal's most underrated roles in a while, Okja features the actor taking that crazy angle he does so well and spinning it into the eccentric television host Dr. Johnny Wilcox. Johnny Wilcox is not the type of character one sees often in a Jake Gyllenhaal movie, let alone a character that he would be the actor to play. It's hilarious, and a high point in a movie that can get pretty damn depressing as it goes on.


7. Southpaw


In a ranked list detailing the best boxing films of all time, Southpaw probably wouldn't be super high. That said, this Jake Gyllenhaal movie has earned its spot here for the way the actor portrays loss, and for how absolutely jacked he got for this movie. He's never in bad shape, of course, but this performance had to have sold a few people on him playing Batman someday.




8. Jarhead


Jarhead puts Jake Gyllenhaal in the shoes of former real life marine Anthony Swofford. For those who haven't seen it, this isn't the typical war movie, as it details one soldier's journey during Operation Desert Storm. This Jake Gyllenhaal movie captures a side of modern warfare from a unique perspective not often shown, and is only elevated in the respect that Gyllenhaal's performance is heightened by director Sam Mendes and a great supporting cast.


9. Brothers


There are a fair amount of feel-good Jake Gyllenhaal movies for audiences to enjoy, but I need to point out this film is not one of them. In Brothers, Gyllenhaal plays the supportive brother Tommy to Tobey Maguire's Sam, who has been overseas. Though he only plays a supporting role, Jake Gyllenhaal knocks it out of the park as Tommy, who only wants the best for his brother in a situation that gets increasingly out of control before anyone realizes it.


10. The Day After Tomorrow


The Day After Tomorrow is one of the biggest guilty pleasure Jake Gyllenhaal movies on the market. The decisions the characters make throughout this disaster film are ridiculous, and it's overall a very subpar blockbuster film. With that said, there are laughs for those willing to "weather the storm." My personal favorite Gyllenhaal moment is when his character Sam Hall nearly drowns in a flood because he won't get off the payphone with his dad.




Now, Jake Gyllenhaal has made a lot more movies than the ten that appear on this list, and it wouldn't be surprising if someone's favorite movie was left off this list. What are your favorites? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!


Jumat, 24 Mei 2019

14 Best Disney Quotes That Found Their Way Into Everyone's Hearts

14 Best Disney Quotes That Found Their Way Into Everyone's Hearts
Pinnochio and the Blue Fairy

It’s been nearly 100 years since the entity that is now The Walt Disney Company was founded and over 80 years since the studio began to produce theatrical length animated films. Thanks to consistent re-releases and the advent of home video and DVD, those movies have remained in regular circulation for that entire time, which means several generations have grown up with these great animated movies and have taken advice from many of them.


While many pop culture fads have come and gone, Disney has remained, and while we all might have different particular favorite movies, we’ve all seen the classics, probably countless times. Since we saw many of them as impressionable children, these films may have had more of a profound impact on us than many of the other movies in our lives. Disney movies aren't immune to giving advice either; in fact, a single piece of dialogue can sometimes be enough to inspire people for years to come. With that in mind, we've compiled just a few of the quotes that have stuck with fans through thick and thin and that over the years we haven't been able to forget. Take a look.


"Always let your conscience be your guide."


These words were spoken by the Blue Fairy as an instruction to Pinocchio that came along with him being transformed into a living puppet and began his quest to become a real boy. Jiminy Cricket gets drafted into surface as Pinocchio's conscience, and remarkably, for a homeless insect, he’s well-suited to the job. It’s a good lesson for all of us to take to heart, even if we’re not always that great about following it.




"Just keep swimming!"


Dory is one of those Disney characters that you can’t help but love simply because she is so unabashedly optimistic. She deals with a pretty severe disability, but she never lets it get her down. Instead, she focuses on the future and simply repeats her mantra, “just keep swimming.” It’s something to keep in mind when you come up against any obstacle. Sometimes you just have to put your head down and keep moving forward.


"Think happy thoughts."


In order to learn to fly, you need to think happy thoughts. In Peter Pan it allows you to literally fly through the air. Unfortunately, in real life happy thoughts won’t let you actually fly, but they will help you feel like you could. Maybe thinking about Peter Pan is your actual thought, maybe it’s something more real, but we should all think happy thoughts as often as possible.


"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."


The Emperor of China has been around the block a few times and so he knows the lesson Li Shang needs to learn when he very nearly lets Mulan go without letting her know how he feels. So often we all feel that the difficulties we deal with weaken us, but this quote reminds us that we’re all actually stronger because of it.




"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it."


As much as we might love the song “Hakuna Matata,” The Lion King is very clear that the tune’s message about forgetting the past is the wrong way to go about things. As Rafiki tells us, the past is there for each of us to learn from. This line is what drives Simba to face his past after so many years away.


"I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now."


Of course, Edna Mode might not necessarily agree with Rafiki, but that doesn’t make her any less fun or her quotable lines any less memorable. Edna is the most quotable of the entire Incredibles franchise and this is probably the line that we all think of when we think of her.


"Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind."


For a movie that starts out as a science fiction movie about a destructive alien, Lilo and Stitch gets remarkably emotional This is best exemplified by this line, which is spoken a few times throughout the film. It’s a reminder that family isn’t always the people we’re related to. It’s also about the people that we choose to make a part of our lives. Like little blue destructive aliens.




"Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it."


Questions of fate and destiny are often at the heart of Disney stories. In Brave, Merida fights against the idea that she has no control over her own life. While things don’t exactly go the way she planned, she does come to realize that, whatever you call it, her life, as well as all of ours, are only what we make them. However, taking that responsibility in our own lives isn't always as easy as it seems.


"Some people are worth melting for."


Frozen’s Olaf has many great lines throughout the movie, but the most beautiful is probably this one. Anna is worried that Olaf will melt as he attempts to warm her. While one might have assumed that the childlike Olaf might not have realized what he was doing, he makes it clear that he’s a bit smarter than we’ve given him credit for, and he’s willing to do what must be done to help a friend, even if it harms him, because friendship is worth it.


"Like so many things, it’s not what’s outside but what’s inside that counts."


The peddler opens Aladdin with these words, giving us the smallest hint of the story we have yet to come. It’s not exactly an original idea, that who you are inside is what truly matters, but that’s part of why it works so well. The peddler himself acknowledges that we already know this, but that only reinforces its importance. Also, the line is spoken by Robin Williams so you can’t go wrong there.




"There’s no one I’d rather be than me."


Wreck-It Ralph may be a bad guy, but he’s not a bad guy, know what i mean? This line, part of the bad guy affirmation from the beginning of the film, comes back at the end as Ralph does what he can to save the world of Sugar Rush and his friend Vanellope. He accepts himself and all of his qualities that are beyond his control.


"Take her to the moon for me, okay?"


Of all the things that Pixar has done to tear our hearts out over the years, none may have been quite as powerful as introducing Bing Bong in Inside Out. His final words to Joy are a request to do the one thing with Riley that he had never been able to do. It tore our hearts out, but we never forgot it.


"Success doesn’t come for free. You have to do whatever it takes to seize your moment."


Sometimes, even bad guys have something useful to say. Ernesto de la Cruz may have taken this idea to an extreme in Coco by literally killing somebody in order to seize his moment, but the ultimate idea, that you have to work for success and take the opportunities that come along, is certainly one that we can’t forget.




"The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work"


While Disney is frequently known as the company that cashes in on the idea of dreams and wishes, not every Disney Princess would believe you'll ever get what you want from life if all you did was wish for it. She believed in hard work and that's something we can certainly all take to heart.


Of course, this list really only scratches the surface of the great Disney quotes that have become memorable and important to all of us. Is there a quote not listed here that means a lot to you? Let us know about it in the comments below.


Kamis, 23 Mei 2019

15 Avengers: Endgame Lines That Are References To Past MCU Moments

15 Avengers: Endgame Lines That Are References To Past MCU Moments
A suit of armor around the world We'll lose Avengers Age Of Ultron

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major details about Avengers: Endgame – beginning, middle, and end. If you have not yet seen the film, feel free to bookmark this page and come back after your screening!


There is no question that the greatest miracle Avengers: Endgame pulls off is the way in which it references the entire span of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. There isn’t one movie in the canon that doesn’t get at least one reference in the blockbuster, and while some are certainly more significant than others, it would be a challenge for any fan not to appreciate the level of detail.


This is an element of the movie that is particularly significant in the dialogue, as there are many lines throughout Avengers: Endgame that are direct callbacks to previous Marvel Studios titles. There are so many that you might not have caught them all, but in that particular arena we have you covered. We have noted all 15 lines that directly reference an earlier MCU script, and collected them all here. So without further ado…




"A suit of armor around the world."/"We'll lose." – Avengers: Age Of Ultron


Following the dramatic events of Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame is the first Marvel movie to reunite Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) – but rather than referencing that particular trilogy capper, their conversation brings back notable lines from Avengers: Age Of Ultron. Specifically, there are references to two scenes: the first when Tony Stark is explaining to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) his desire to build a “suit of armor around the world,” and then a later exchange between Tony and Steve. The former notes about the looming extraterrestrial threat, “We’ll lose,” and the latter retorts, “Then we’ll do that together too.” Sadly, Steve was wrong, and the reason they lost to Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War was because of their conflict.


"I went for the head." – Avengers: Infinity War


Part of the reason why the ending of Avengers: Infinity War is so crushing is because of just how close the titular team came to beating Thanos. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) successfully buried Stormbreaker in the Mad Titan’s chest shortly after the villain collected the final Infinity Stone, but it wasn’t enough. Thanos explained to the Asgardian that he should have gone for the quick kill via decapitation – “You should have gone for the head” – and not doing so allowed him to snap away half of life in existence. This is a mistake that Thor rectifies quickly in Avengers: Endgame, right after learning that all of the Infinity Stones have been destroyed.


"I do, Captain America." – Captain America: Civil War


One of the greatest bits about Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the utter awe he projects whenever he’s around more established superheroes. This is especially true when he’s around Captain America, and perfectly exemplified when he returns the World War II hero’s shield at the start of the airport battle in Civil War – where he notably delivers the line, “I believe this is yours, Captain America.” It’s one of the movie’s most memorable moments, and wonderfully echoed when Scott is pitching his time travel idea in Avengers: Endgame and feels compelled to address the star spangled man by his full name.




"This is a long way from Budapest." – The Avengers


As Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) hop on a spaceship and plan to depart the planet Morag for Vormir, the former turns to the latter and notes that the experience is “a long way from Budapest.” This is a direct reference back to one of the more grounding moments in The Avengers, specifically when the same two characters are fighting Chitauri warriors during the Battle of New York. In the scene, Widow remarks, “It’s like Budapest all over again,” to which Hawkeye replies, “You and I remember Budapest very differently.” Unfortunately, we still have no idea exactly what happened to the heroes in the capital of Hungary – but perhaps that’s something that will be covered in the upcoming Black Widow solo film.


"If it's all the same to you, I'll take that drink now." – The Avengers


This bit is different than all the others in this list, in that it’s the only line of dialogue from a previous movie that we hear in the exact same context, albeit at a new angle. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) says this line at the very end of The Avengers when he is cornered by the heroes in Stark Tower, and while it was originally delivered in the medium shot you see above, Avengers: Endgame gives us a new look at it. While the aforementioned scene is playing out, Future Tony Stark and Future Ant-Man are sneaking behind them, and we wind up catching more of the exchange than was previously shown in the Joss Whedon film.


"Hail Hydra." – Captain America: The Winter Soldier


This is a fun one, in that it’s not only a great callback to one of the meme-able lines in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but also a nod to a recent controversy in the pages of Marvel Comics. When trying to acquire Loki’s staff from the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” agents who are taking it, Captain America whispers “Hail Hydra” to the group while in an elevator in Avengers: Endgame, and it makes an impact so significant that he gets the staff without having to throw a single punch. This will most definitely remind audiences of the moment featuring Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) and Agent Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernández), but it’s very likely included as a reference to 2017 Marvel Comics event Secret Empire, which featured a Captain America as a Hydra sleeper agent due to his past being manipulated by Red Skull.




"I can do this all day." – Captain America: The First Avenger/Civil War


Get ready for a callback to a callback! One of the most impactful moments in Captain America: Civil War is when the titular character and Iron Man are fighting at the end, and despite being beaten and bloody the soldier gets to his feet and remarks that he “can do this all day” – a reference back to the same exact line that the de-powered Steve Rogers delivered to a bully in the first act of Captain America: The First Avenger. This bit is brought back again in Avengers: Endgame, albeit with a funny twist. After getting Loki’s staff, Future Cap winds up in a fist fight with 2012 Cap (who thinks he is the God of Mischief in disguise), and the latter brings back the line as a kind of psych out move. It doesn’t really work, though, as the more experienced of the two retorts with a semi-exhausted, “I know.”


"I'm the strongest Avenger." – Thor: Ragnarok


In Avengers: Endgame, a fight over which of the heroes should wear the newly-made Infinity Gauntlet and repair the damage done by Thanos leads Thor to make the argument that he is the strongest Avenger and therefore should be the one to do the job. This is ultimately a thought that is shut down due to the fact that he isn’t really in a solid place emotionally – but it’s also a sly callback to Thor: Ragnarok. You may remember that the God of Thunder guessed that his access code to activate the Quinjet was “strongest Avenger,” but it didn’t work because his real access code was “Point Break” (itself a reference to The Avengers). What makes this bit even funnier is the fact that Hulk was able to access to the Quinjet in Ragnarok with the code “strongest Avenger,” and also winds up wearing the Gauntlet in Endgame.


"On your left." – Captain America: The Winter Soldier


It’s not surprising in the slightest that Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) become fast friends in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as their rapport and chemistry is established mere seconds into the movie. Both are fans of morning jogs around Washington D.C., and Cap makes a habit of poking fun at the fellow veteran by regularly speeding past him – calling out “On your left” while doing so. This big comes back at the end of the film when Steve wakes in a hospital bed to find his pal by his bedside, but the callback is even more significant in Avengers: Endgame. After all, these are the words that Sam uses to let the team leader know that he and the rest of the resurrected heroes are ready to unite and do battle with Thanos… with a few other friends in tow as well.




"Avengers: Assemble" – Avengers: Age Of Ultron


Avengers: Endgame is the fourth Avengers movie, but it’s the first to include arguably the most iconic and oft-repeated line from the Marvel Comics that inspired it. “Avengers Assemble” is the call to action regularly used by heroes to get the superhero team prepared for battle, and it’s perfectly delivered by Captain America right at the start of the massive third act battle in the 2019 blockbuster. Of course, we previously came extremely close to hearing it in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, as half of the line was delivered by Cap at the very end of the film right before it cut to the credits. Back in 2015 it was considered a bit of a controversial move by Joss Whedon, but in retrospect we’re happy he left the door to instead be opened by Joe and Anthony Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely in Endgame.


"We’re on it, Cap." – Ant-Man And The Wasp


Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) gives Scott Lang quite a lot of crap in Ant-Man And The Wasp for stealing her family’s tech to go fight in the superhero civil war, and this includes some razzing about his familiarity with Captain America – whom he refers to as “Cap” at one point. In the moment this is mocked by Hope a.k.a. The Wasp, but it comes back in a great way in Avengers: Endgame. During the big final battle, the Avengers leader assigns the two shrinking heroes to get the Quantum Tunnel in the X-Con van working again, and Wasp replies over the radio, “We’re on it, Cap.” It’s quick, but you may notice that Scott gives her a bit of a look – and it’s perfect.


"Activate 'Instant Kill.'" – Spider-Man: Homecoming


Like many heroes in the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) typically does everything he can not to kill his enemies… but the same can’t be said of Iron Man. It’s for that reason that it wasn’t hugely surprising to learn in Spider-Man: Homecoming that Tony Stark installed a special function in the Spidey suit called “Instant Kill” mode. This was presumed to be just a one-off joke that fans would never hear about again, but Avengers: Endgame brought it back in the best way. Peter Parker might not try to murder other human beings, but mindless aliens is another subject entirely, so it made every kind of sense to bring back “Instant Kill” mode during the blockbuster’s final battle.




"And I am Iron Man." – Iron Man


In the final moments of Avengers: Endgame’s big battle, Thanos proves to have an ego big enough to quote himself in dramatic fashion – borrowing a line from his alternate timeline self and letting Tony Stark know that he is “inevitable.” After it’s revealed that Tony stole the Infinity Stones from him, however, the genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist does the Mad Titan one better by also quoting himself… notably with the line that originally cemented the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. “I am Iron Man” was a perfect final declaration at the end of the first Iron Man, and its return in 2019 is absolutely epic, and ultimately a beautiful way to say goodbye to a version of a character who completely changed modern pop culture.


"Your dad loved cheeseburgers." - Iron Man


“I love you 3000” will likely go down in history as the most heartbreaking line in Avengers: Endgame, but not to be sold short is the quick exchange between Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and Morgan Stark (Lexi Rabe) at Tony Stark’s funeral. Iron Man’s former driver/bodyguard/forehead of security asks the young girl how she is doing, and she not only remarks that she is hungry, but that she wants a cheeseburger – to which Happy replies, “Your dad loved cheeseburgers.” This doesn’t seem like anything special at first – after all, who doesn’t like cheeseburgers? – but it gains significance when you remember Tony Stark’s first request after his rescue in the desert in Iron Man. That’s right: an American cheeseburger.


"Don’t do anything stupid." – Captain America: The First Avenger


One third of the quotes on this list come from the Captain America trilogy, and that’s not super surprising when you consider that it was the collection of Marvel titles that Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wrote before tackling the last two Avengers movies. Endgame is particularly tapped into those films, and perhaps the best example is the exchange between Cap and Bucky Barnes a.k.a. Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) right before the former’s final time travel adventure. The lines are switched, but “Don’t do anything stupid” followed by the reply, “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you” is exactly what the two men said to each other back in 1942 before Bucky was deployed in World War II to fight with the 107th Infantry Regiment. It’s a beautiful moment reflecting back on Captain America: The First Avenger, and even more excellent when considered in context with what happens next.




Do you have a favorite callback moment in Avengers: Endgame? Hit the comments section below with your pick, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a ton more Marvel feature coverage in the coming days.