“Call Me By Your Name,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird” Lead Spirit Awards Noms

By Creative Media Times

Awards season race is upon us and a few leading films are starting to emerge. On Tuesday, nominees for the 33rd annual Independent Spirit Awards were announced and a few familiar films came up on top.

“Call Me By Your Name,” “Get Out,” and “Lady Bird” are a few that will be competing for the top honors of best feature, alongside Sean Baker’s The Florida Project and Chloé Zhao’s The Rider.

Overall, Call Me By Your Name led the pack with six nominations. The coming-of-age romantic drama film from director Luca Guadagnino and written by James Ivory has been receiving plenty of acclaim the past few months particularly for star Timothée Chalamet which is also up for best male lead.

Get Out also solidified it’s status as a serious awards contenter. The horror film from Jordan Peele in his directorial debut received five nominations including one each for Peele’s direction and screenplay. Get Out was a surprise box-office hit earlier this year.

A24’s crime drama Good Time is a major surprise. Starring a reinvented Robert Pattinson, the film received 5 nominations including one for the Twilight actor; though the film itself missed best feature nom.

Dedicated to independent filmmakers, the Spirit Awards require films to be produced in the United States for less than $20 million to qualify.

In the last three years, Spirit Award winners successfully aligned with the eventual Oscar best picture including “Moonlight,” “Spotlight,” and “Birdman.”

“This year’s nominations reflect the range and vitality of artist-driven, independent film. Diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision are the hallmarks of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, and the films this year powerfully embody all those qualities,” Film Independent President Josh Welsh said.

The 2018 Independent Spirit Awards will air live Sunday, March 3, 2018 on IFC and will be hosted by John Mulaney and Nick Kroll. Head over to filmindependent.org to see the full list of nominees, or click here.

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Dwayne Johnson Back In Action In New ‘Rampage’ Trailer

By Creative Media Times

Warner Bros. Pictures


Giant monster animals are on the loose wrecking havoc and its up to Dawyne Johnson to save the world in the first official trailer for Warner Bros/New Line’s action adventure “Rampage.”

The film is directed by Brad Peyton who was responsible for Johnson’s another massive blockbuster San Andreas, which raked in $473 million worldwide.

Set to “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by the Smashing Pumpkins, the trailer features a gorilla named George who starts growing into a monster size after a scientific experiment gone wrong. Soon after a giant wolf and a giant lizard shows up and all three stomped all over Chicago and starts destroying cities. The mutated giant animals duke it out as David (Johnson) attempt to deliver antidote.

Based on the epic visuals on display in the trailer, there’s good reason to believe this will be another monster hit for the team after the trailer was trending at number one in youtube after it release.

From the story by Ryan Engle, who wrote the screenplay with Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel, the film also stars Naomie Harris, Malin Åkerman, Joe Manganiello, Jake Lacy, Marley Shelton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The film is based on a classic 1980s arcade video game of the same title.

Rampage is slated for release on April 20, 2018.

Here is the film’s synopsis courtesy of Warner Bros:

Primatologist Davis Okoye (Johnson), a man who keeps people at a distance, shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla who has been in his care since birth. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size. To make matters worse, it’s soon discovered there are other similarly altered animals. As these newly created alpha predators tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, fighting his way through an ever-changing battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.

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The Incredibles 2: First Teaser Trailer Released

By Creative Media Times

Walt Disney Pictures
Pixar Animation Studios


Its been a 13 year wait and now, we finally have our first glimpse of the sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles, writer director Brad Bird’s boxoffice hit from Pixar Animation Studios.

The movie reunites Bird with the voice cast including Craig T Nelson (Mr. Incredible), Holly Hunter (Elastigirl) and Samuel L Jackson (Fozone) and sees their characters’ continuing adventures which picks up immediately after the events of the first film.

The teaser features Jack-Jack, the Parrs family’s adorable infant cheerfully experimenting with his superpowers, shooting lasers out of his eyes, and transforming the franchise logo into II, clearly indicating that the film is a sequel. “You have powers, yeah baby!,” Craig T. Nelson’s Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible celebrates. But things went awry when the baby’s sneeze sets off eye lasers and scorching Bob’s hair right in the middle.

The original film grossed $633 million worldwide in 2004 and received the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature. The Incredibles also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Disney-Pixar originally slated the film to 2019 but later switched release dates with “Toy Story 4.” “Incredibles 2” will hit cinemas on June 15, 2018.

See teaser below.

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“Fantastic Beasts” Second Installment Title Reveals Film’s Focus

By Armando

Warner Bros.


Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, that’s the official title of the second installment to J.K. Rowling’s five-part fantasy drama movie franchise.

An extension of the Harry Potter wizarding universe, the first film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was released in 2016 and focused on Eddie Redmayne’s character Newt Scamander, the eccentric magizoologist from the Ministry of Magic who was responsible for the capture of dangerous dark wizard Grindelwald.

The character was played by Colin Farrell throughout most of that film while masquerading as Percival Graves, then later near the end by Johnny Depp when the true nature of the character was revealed.

The upcoming installment’s ominous title clearly reveals that focus is shifting towards Grindelwald.

Potter fans would surely remember Grindelwald’s rise as dark wizard during the Dumbledore’s era and how the latter won their duel. With the limited info we have so far, the film’s plot suggest that the new film will see the history of that legendary rivalry.

David Yates is back for directing duties, with a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. James Newton Howard is also returning to compose the film’s music.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is set to be released Nov. 16, 2018.

Here is part of the film’s premise:

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

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“Justice League” Premiere Livestream from Los Angeles!

By Creative Media Times

Warner Bros. Pictures


The time has finally arrived. With Warner Bros. Justice League opening this weekend, the studio is holding a world premiere in Los Angeles tonight.

Watch the Justice League cast and filmmakers as they gather and walk the red carpet live tonight at 8:30 PM ET/5:30PM PT.

The event is presented by Warner Bros., DC Entertainment, and iHeart Media.

Directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by Joss Whedon, Justice League is set for release on November 17, 2017 with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Adams, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, and J. K. Simmons.

Here’s the film’s full synopsis:

“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.”

Watch the cast of Justice League’s red carpet world premiere:

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“Lord of the Rings” TV Series Announced By Amazon

By Creative Media Times

New Line Cinema


The one TV series to rule them all is coming to Amazon as the streaming giant announced Monday that it acquired the TV rights for J.R.R. Tolkien’s the “The Lord of the Rings” fantasy book series with a “with a multi-season production commitment.”

The surprise in the announcement however, is that the series will be a prequel to the first of three volumes Fellowship of The Ring, effectively “exploring new storylines” and possibly even new characters that may be unfamiliar to audiences. No cast has been announced yet.

“The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios. “We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”

The epic stories of “The Lord of The Rings,” was famously adapted into films by filmmaker Peter Jackson, which was a global phenomenon beginning in 2001 with “Fellowship of the Ring,” followed by The Two Towers in 2002, and culminating in the billion dollar grossing The Return of the King which also won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture. To this date, Jackson’s towering achievement remains the benchmark for other subsequent fantasy adventure movies.

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Trailer: Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams Caught In A “Game Night” Murder Mystery

By Armando

Warner Bros. Pictures

Tonight, we’re kicking game night up a notch,” says Kyle Chandler’s character Brooks in the opening monologue.

Warner Brothers has released the hilarious first trailer for “Game Night” with Mean Girls’ Rachel McAdams returning to her comedy roots alongside another genre veteran Jason Bateman. The film looks like a laugh out loud crowd pleaser that suggest we may have a genuine comedy hit next year.

The trailer shows a suburban group of couples gathering together for a night of fun and games where one of them gets kidnapped. “Someone in this room is going to be taken, and it’s up to you to find them,” says Brooks. “Whoever finds the victim wins the grand prize. You’re not gonna know what’s real and what’s fake.

Hilarity ensures when real thugs break in and kidnaps the game organizer with the group seemingly clueless that the whole thing is real, all the while snacking on cheese while the crime unfolds before their eyes.

What follows is a collage of comedy and thrills where someone get shot, another gets hit by a car, a bad guy gets sucked into a jet engine, and in one absolutely hysterical scene where an adorable dog accidentally got smeared in blood, all of which works and humorously played by the cast.

Joining McAdams, Bateman and Chandler on Game Night are Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Chelsea Peretti, Danny Huston, and Michael C. Hall. The Warner Bros. is set to release the film on March 2, 2018.

Here’s the official synopsis of Game Night courtesy of Warner Bros.:

Bateman and McAdams star as Max and Annie, whose weekly couples game night gets kicked up a notch when Max’s charismatic brother, Brooks (Chandler), arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and faux federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it’s all part of the game…right? But as the six uber-competitive gamers set out to solve the case and win, they begin to discover that neither this game—nor Brooks—are what they seem to be. Over the course of one chaotic night, the friends find themselves increasingly in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn. With no rules, no points, and no idea who all the players are, this could turn out to be the most fun they’ve ever had…or game over.

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“Wallace and Gromit” Creators Back With Early Man

By Creative Media Times

Aardman Animations
StudioCanal


“Meet your great, great, great, great…ancestors.” Director Nick Park has another animated comedy guaranteed to make us laugh and smile with “Early Man,” the latest stop-motion animated comedy from Aardman Animations set.

The genius behind the film, Nick Park also created Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep. He also have four Oscar wins under his belt, one for 1989 animated short comedy mockumentary Creature Comforts, followed by Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (1993), Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave (1994), and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).

A stellar voice talent is featured in the film, including Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, and Timothy Spall. “Early Man” is set for release by Lionsgate on February 16, 2018 through its Summit Entertainment label.

From the look of the trailer, “Early Man” is another winner for Aardman Animations. Fans of Aardman’s infinitely charming stop-motion brand should also be excited to know that Shaun the Sheep 2 is currently in pre-production.

Here’s a brief synopsis of “Early Man”:

Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of Dug, along with sidekick Hognob as they unite his tribe against a mighty enemy Lord Nooth and his Bronze Age City to save their home.

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First Trailer For “The Post” Has Been Released

By Creative Media Times

20th Century Fox


20th Century Fox has released the first look at Steven Spielberg’s latest historical drama “The Post.” The film marks the first time Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks are starring in a film together, so it goes without saying the film is getting Oscar buzz just from the names attached alone.

Based on a true story set in the years after Vietnam War, the story features Streep as The Washington Post’s publisher Katharine Graham and Hanks as editor Ben Bradlee as they grapple on whether to publish Pentagon Papers about the extent of the Vietnam War.

Written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, The Post co-stars Bradley Whitford, Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bob Odenkirk, Alison Brie, Bruce Greenwood, Zach Woods, David Cross, and Jesse Plemons.

The film will open in select theaters on Dec. 22, 2017 followed by nationwide release on Jan. 12, 2018.

Here’s the movie’s official synopsis:

Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers – and their very freedom – to help bring long-buried truths to light.

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Johnny Depp Is Sherlock in “Sherlock Gnomes” Trailer

By Creative Media Times

Paramount Pictures


The gnomes are back in action as Paramount Pictures releases the first trailer “Sherlock Gnomes”, the sequel to 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet which features the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt and Johnny Depp.

The trailer shows Gnomeo (McAvoy) and Juliet (Blunt) moving into a new garden with new garden gnomes and getting ready for spring. The picture looks happily ever after, until everyone in the garden have gone missing. Enter, Sherlock Gnomes (Depp) who comes in to investigate the mysterious disappearances of their friends, sending the gnomes into a rollicking London adventure.

Directed by Kung Fu Panda’s John Stevenson, talk of the sequel has been bouncing around for years since the original film premiered to mixed reviews, though embraced by audiences enough to gross $194 million on a $36 million budget.

Also reprising their voice roles are Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Stephen Merchant and Ozzy Osbourne along with Mary J. Blige who is new addition to the franchise. The film features original music from Elton John (whose 1983 hit song “I’m Still Standing” plays in the background) and Bernie Taupin.

Here’s the film’s concise synopsis per movie’s Facebook page:

After a string of garden gnome disappearances in London, Gnomeo & Juliet look to legendary detective Sherlock Gnomes to solve the case of their missing friends and family.

Paramount Pictures is scheduled to releases “Sherlock Gnomes” from MGM and Paramount Animation on March 23, 2018.

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