By Creative Media Times

Universal Pictures

The trailer introduces us to John Boyega’s Jake Pentecost, the son of Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) who sacrificed himself in the original 2013 Guillermo del Toro film. There is also franchise newcomer Scott Eastwood as Jaeger pilot Lambert, Pacific Rim alums Charlie Day, Burn Gorman and a glimpse of Rinko Kikuchi’s Mako Mori.

Directed by Steven S. DeKnight, the trailer certainly have that same spectacle seen on his TV work on Starz series Spartacus, fully aware of robot vs. monster appeal but a tad less serious than the original. Director Guillermo del Toro is credited for the story.

Pacific Rim: Uprising is scheduled to stomp into theaters on March 23, 2018.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising.

John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.

To read full synopsis, visit Pacific Rim Uprising’s website

By Creative Media Times

The director is back in another potential awards magnet “Wonder Wheel”, this time with Kate Winslet and Justin Timberlake. Amazon Studios has released the first trailer for the film, ahead of it’s closing night premiere at 55th New York Film Festival on October 14, 2017. Jim Belushi, Juno Temple co-star in the drama film set in late 1950s against the backdrop of 1950s Coney Island.

Allen also wrote the original script while Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) shot the film. Vittorio recently collaborated with Allen on 2016’s Cafe Society.

The trailer looks picturesque with beautiful shots of fluorishing Coney Island beaches and amusement park. It has Allen’s touch of old Hollywood vibe as it follows waitress Ginny (Wislet), her temperamental carousel operator husband Humpty (Belushi), a young aspring playwrite/lifeguard Mickey (Timberlake) and his estranged daughter Carolina (Temple) who is on the run from the mob.

The film will go into limited release December 1, marking the online retail giant’s first solo venture into self-distribution, seemingly moving closer into establishing itself a major film studio.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

WONDER WHEEL tells the story of four characters whose lives intertwine amid the hustle and bustle of the Coney Island amusement park in the 1950s: Ginny (Kate Winslet), an emotionally volatile former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; Humpty (Jim Belushi), Ginny’s rough-hewn carousel operator husband; Mickey (Justin Timberlake), a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina (Juno Temple), Humpty’s long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father’s apartment. Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro captures a tale of passion, violence, and betrayal that plays out against the picturesque tableau of 1950s Coney Island.

By Armando

Focus Features

The latest trailer for the historical war drama “Darkest Hour” has been released and it’s stunning (see below). Focus Features also released a new poster with the tagline “A Man With The Heart Of A Nation” (right).

Gary Oldman is literally unrecognizable, looking the spitting image of the larger-than-life British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who defied Hitler and rallied England during the darkest moments of World War II.

The masterful veteran actor, who has been strangely ignored by the Academy multiple times in the past has never won for an acting Oscar award. But he looks sensational here, and may have found the role of his illustrious career.

Oldman is gaining some of the best acclaim in his career for this portrayal after a standout play at Telluride Film Festival early this month, putting the actor in strong contention for the awards season. Darkest Hour will also be screening at Austin Film Festival.

The trailer is intense, with the track accompanied by ticking clock and war sirens in the background, capturing that dark and unpredictable period of a looming Nazi invasion.

“Darkest Hour” is the second film this year to chronicle events of wartime Dunkirk. But while Christopher Nolan’s eponymous blockbuster immersed viewers into the horrors at ground zero, Darkest Hour focus on its repercussions on other side of the Channel. They may in fact work as companion pieces or a great double feature watch.

Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement), and written by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything), Darkest Hour follows Winston Churchill’s early days as British Prime Minister while Hitler closes in on Britain in World War II. Oldman is joined by a sterling cast including Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI, Kristin Scott Thomas as Churchill’s wife Clementine, Ronald Pickup as Neville Chamberlain, Stephen Dillane as Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, and Lily James as personal secretary of Churchill Elizabeth Nel.

Focus Features is set to release Darkest Hour on November 22 in select cities.

By Creative Media Times

Bleecker Street – STX Entertainment

Based on a true story, Garfield plays Robin Cavendish, a young man who became paralyzed from the neck down after contracting polio while his wife Diana, played by Claire Foy, inspires him through his struggles. Cavendish became a pioneering advocate for the disabled.

Serkis, known for his motion-capture roles as Gollum in Lord of the Rings and as Caesar in Planet of the Apes series, is behind the camera this time. Serkis gets to do both tasks in next year’s Jungle Book, the live-action adventure fantasy film from Warner Bros which he is directing as well as voicing his motion capture performance as Baloo.

Gorgeously shot by multi-Oscar winner Robert Richardson, “Breathe” also stars Tom Hollander, Hugh Bonneville, Dean-Charles Chapman, Miranda Raison, Stephen Mangan. The film played earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival and will open in theaters on Oct. 13.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

For his directorial debut, Andy Serkis brings to life the inspiring true love story between Robin and Diana Cavendish (Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy), an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. When Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of Diana’s twin brothers (Tom Hollander) and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor Teddy Hall (Hugh Bonneville), Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together — raising their young son, traveling and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients. Written by two-time Academy Award nominated writer William Nicholson, and shot by three-time Academy Award winner Robert Richardson, BREATHE is a heartwarming celebration of love and human possibility.”

By Armando

New Line Cinema

James Franco’s latest directorial effort “The Disaster Artist”, is getting plenty of acclaim following its world premier Monday at the Toronto Film Festival. A24 has now released a full trailer (below) and its both hilarious and bizarre, showing a long-haired Franco with a strange accent, devouring ramen, awkwardly throwing football and shooting himself, all of which weird yet amusing; appropriate given the film’s eccentric subject.

The film chronicles the making of the 2003 independent romantic drama The Room, a critically lambasted film written, starred and directed by Tommy Wiseau. Often pilloried as “the Citizen Kane of bad movies,” The Room was pulled from theaters after just a couple of weeks and prompted refunds from audience.

In spite of that notoriety, or maybe because of it, the film’s love triangle tale managed to garner a cult following, and later inspired a video game and a live play/reading based on the original script.

One of the actors in The Room was Greg Sestero, who wrote a memoir of his experience during the troubled production of Wiseau’s vanity film. Titled The Disaster Artist, the book was published to critical acclaim in 2013 and received various literary awards.

That biographical memoir is the basis of James Franco’s eponymous film, which he developed with comedian/filmmaker Seth Rogen, with Franco playing Tommy Wiseau while his brother Dave plays Sestero. Writing partners Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (The Fault in Our Stars) penned the script.

“The Disaster Artist” marks the first time that the Franco brothers are working together in a film, and a good timing it is now that Dave made good on his own following appearances in Now You See Me, Neighbors, 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie, all of which received a sequel, with The LEGO Ninjago Movie out next weekend. The film also stars co-producer Rogen, as well as Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver and Zac Efron.

Not only is the film scoring well with critics (currently 96% on RT), many speculate James Franco’s efforts in front and behind the camera could be a player come awards season. The film’s work-in-progress version also received similar reception when it screened early this year at South by Southwest Festival in Austin.

The Disaster Artist is scheduled for theatrical release Dec. 1.

By Creative Media

Paramount Pictures

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are dealing with plenty of dad issues in the hilarious new trailer for “Daddy’s Home 2,” the sequel to the 2015 hit film Daddy’s Home.

The holiday themed film sees biological father Dusty (Wahlberg) and stepdad Brad (Ferrell) join forces to give the kids a great Christmas. But conflicts arise when Dusty’s tough guy dad (Mel Gibson), and Brad’s excessively affectionate dad (John Lithgow) came to visit for the holidays. More raucous arrives in the form of Roger (John Cena), who says he’s the kids’ “one true real dad.”

Directed by Sean Anders, and co-starring Linda Cardellini, John Cena, and Alessandra Ambrosio, “Daddy’s Home 2” is scheduled for release on November 10.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

In the sequel to the 2015 global smash, father and stepfather, Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) and Brad (Will Ferrell) have joined forces to provide their kids with t he perfect Christmas. Their newfound partnership is put to the test when Dusty’s old-school, macho Dad (Mel Gibson) and Brad’s ultra-affectionate and emotional Dad (John Lithgow) arrive just in time to throw the holiday into complete chaos.