Category: Movies

Well, this is wonderful. Polaris is an animated short film made by Japanese filmmaker Hikari Toriumi, finishing his 4th year of study at CalArts. This is his 4th year short film in the character animation program, and it’s an adorable, heartwarming film about a young polar bear leaving home for the first time, having trouble letting go of her mother. The animation style is unique and simple, but still meaningful and elegant. And the story perfectly captures that feeling of leaving home for college, or wherever, and how much you miss your parents. This film really moved me and made me sad at first, then happy by the end. Watch below. ›››

Continue Reading Watch: Wonderful Animated Short ‘Polaris’ About a Young Polar Bear

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It’s fairly easy to throw around the phrase that a film is an “instant cult classic”, but this time I really mean it. Border, which is the translation of the title Gräns in Swedish, is a new film from filmmaker Ali Abbasi (Shelley) and it just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. File this one under “what the fuck did I just watch?!?” It’s one of those kind of “WTF” films, but it’s actually damn good. The more I think about it, the more I love it, so quirky and ridiculous and weird and wild and disgusting yet surprisingly amusing and tender. The only problem – I don’t want to give away the big reveal, and it’s hard to talk about this film without discussing that aspect of it. For this early festival review, I’ll be as vague as I can, and I won’t spoil it – because this is best experienced without knowing the big reveal before watching it. ›››

Continue Reading Cannes 2018: Ali Abbasi’s ‘Border’ is a Wacky, Wild Instant Cult Classic

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“This is insane! Have you ever felt so alive?” Lionsgate has debuted the second official trailer for the buddy comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me, starring Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon as best friends who get into some spy trouble. The title is a riff on the classic James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me (released 1977). The plot involves the two women getting caught up in a deadly spy conspiracy with assassins on their tail, and even though he’s her ex-boyfriend, they’re still going after them. This trailer is a more conventional action movie trailer, and I still prefer the Bond song riff for the first teaser. Justin Theroux co-stars as the titular “spy”, with Gillian Anderson, Ivanna Sakhno, Sam Heughan, and Hasan Minhaj. This does look a little too absurd, and a little too cheesy, maybe it could be entertaining? Let’s hope it’s not a disaster. ›››

Continue Reading Second Trailer for ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ with Kunis & McKinnon

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“It has this kind of gothic element…” Universal has launched another final “Look Inside” featurette for J.A. Bayona’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which hits theaters next month (yep, we’re already getting deep into the summer movie season!). We already posted the epic final trailer as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette from last year with the first trailer, but now we get another final look to keep you excited. This doesn’t really have any new footage, only a few interview clips and that’s it. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return as co-stars, along with “Ian Malcolm” himself, Jeff Goldblum, also starring BD Wong, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, James Cromwell, Geraldine Chaplin, and Rafe Spall. I’m honestly really looking forward to seeing this, it looks like a fun time at the movies with killer dinosaurs going wild. Enjoy. ›››

Continue Reading Get a ‘Look Inside’ in a Featurette for ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’

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There’s always a few good Russian films at the Cannes Film Festival every year, but this is one of the best Russian films I’ve ever seen in the nine years I’ve been coming here. Leto, which translates to Summer, is the latest feature from Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov (who is currently under house arrest and unable to attend the festival). The B&W film is a tribute to 80s punk rock and musicians who break the rules and sing songs and make music despite the government saying they can’t. I could describe Serebrennikov’s Leto as a Soviet, 80s rock version of Inside Llewyn Davis meets Trainspotting, directed by a Russian Edgar Wright. It’s awesome. And easily my favorite film at Cannes so far (it’s only Day 3). The songs throughout, composed by a Russian band called Zveri, are excellent and I need a copy of this film’s soundtrack already. ›››

Continue Reading Cannes 2018: Serebrennikov’s ‘Leto’ is an Awesome 80s Rock Tribute

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“They are in the business of helping people in pain.” Wait, what? Nuns who grow weed? Get out of here. Deadline has debuted a trailer for a new documentary that is being shopped at the Cannes market this week. Titled Breaking Habits, the new film from Robert Ryan is a feature documentary about a group of women who started a medical marijuana growing business in California. These are really real nuns, per se, but they operate under the guise of nuns at a convent/farm called “Sisters of the Valley” taking names like “Sister Kate” in order to run their business and safely grow their weed. Of course, she has also “faced a number of challenges over the years including run-ins with the county sheriff and black-market thieves playing a role as well as threats from local drug cartels and the California state Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.” Say no more, I’m already way into this, and I want to see it as soon as I can. This trailer is just about perfect. ›››

Continue Reading Festival Trailer for Doc ‘Breaking Habits’ About Nuns Who Grow Weed

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“Tell me about the mission – did you see anything unusual?” 20th Century Fox has revealed the first teaser trailer for The Predator, a new take on the Predator sci-fi action franchise, this time directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, The Nice Guys) – who appeared in the original Predator as the character Hawkins. This is somewhat of a re-imagining, or reboot, focusing on only one predator alien again who comes to Earth and wreaks havoc. The ensemble cast is lead by Jacob Tremblay, who “accidentally triggers” their return to Earth again, along with Sterling K. Brown, Yvonne Strahovski, Olivia Munn, Lochlyn Munro, Thomas Jane, Boyd Holbrook, Jake Busey, Keegan-Michael Key, Niall Matter, Trevante Rhodes (from Moonlight), plus Edward James Olmos. This is our long-awaited first look at any footage from this, and so far it looks damn good – of course. It’s only a tease but I’m totally sold already. ›››

Continue Reading First Teaser Trailer for Shane Black’s New ‘The Predator’ Lands on Earth

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One of the most anticipated premieres at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival is the first-ever film from Kenya to play in Cannes, titled Rafiki (which translates just to Friend in Swahili). Rafiki is the directorial debut of a Kenyan filmmaker named Wanuri Kahiu, and it tells a simple but sweet story of two young women who fall in love on the streets. The film is already banned in Kenya, because of deep-rooted cynicism about about same sex relationships, but that’s why it’s an important film. As much as I really wanted to love it, the story is nothing new and alas ultra cliche, but it’s still a sweet story about falling in love and remaining in love even when everyone else rejects it, and the two leads are wonderful to watch. There is a genuine attraction. ›››

Continue Reading Cannes 2018: Kenyan Lesbian Drama ‘Rafiki’ is Sweet, But Too Cliche

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“I’m over it Dell, this whole thing – sex, love – I’m out.” Netflix has debuted a trailer for a teen comedy titled Alex Strangelove, the latest feature from director Craig Johnson (of The Skeleton Twins and Wilson previously). This quirky sexual awakening story is about a high school senior named Alex Truelove, played by newcomer Daniel Doheny (from Adventures in Public School), who has a “wonderful girlfriend” named Claire. Things get complicated when he meets Elliot, a “handsome and charming gay kid from the other side of town”, and this “unwittingly sends Alex on a roller-coaster journey of sexual exploration, kicking off a hilarious and moving adventure of love, sex and friendship in our liberated and confusing modern times.” The full cast includes Antonio Marziale, William Ragsdale, Joanna Adler, Isabella Amara, Ayden Mayeri, and Madeline Weinstein. This looks fresh and fun, all about the challenges of modern sexuality. ›››

Continue Reading Daniel Doheny in First Trailer for Teen Comedy Film ‘Alex Strangelove’

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“What is it about dogs that brings us so much joy?” LD Entertainment has debuted the first teaser trailer for a doggie romantic comedy titled Dog Days, a film about how dogs bring us together and connect us with people. Set in Los Angeles, Dog Days is an ensemble feature that follows a group of interconnected people in Los Angeles who are brought together by their lovable canine counterparts. The big ensemble cast includes Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Adam Pally, Eva Longoria, Rob Corddry, Tone Bell, Jon Bass, Michael Cassidy, Thomas Lennon, Tig Notaro, Finn Wolfhard, Ron Cephas Jones. Plus tons of cute doggies who also deserve to be credited as well. This looks very entertaining, I just hope it’s more than a super cheesy comedy, and from this teaser there could be some depth to it. Maybe. Take a look. ›››

Continue Reading First Teaser Trailer for Adorable Doggie Ensemble Comedy ‘Dog Days’

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