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The Gushing Cinephile: September 16, 2013

Well, it’s been quite a while since I’ve done The Gushing Cinephile, let’s see if I remember how to do it. Usually I’d start off with a meaningless introduction, but I think I might just skip that this week and jump right in. I’ve got a lot of news to get you all caught up on so its probably best if we get to it! Oh, and I know I might be a little late divulging this information, but give me a break…I’ve been busy.

CASTING NEWS:

Matt Damon added to “Interstellar”

As if Christopher Nolan’s hotly anticipated next project “Interstellar” didn’t have enough high-profile talent. The sci-fi epic added Matt Damon in a limited role. The film already stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Casey Affleck, Michael Caine, and John Lithgow. Set for release on November 7, 2014, the film will follow a group of explores who make use of a recently found wormhole to travel vast distances across space.

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James Spader is Ultron

When news broke at Comic-Con that the title of Joss Whedon’s sequel to the overwhelmingly successful blockbuster “The Avengers” would be The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” Speculation was never in short supply as to who would voice the menacing robot. Well, we finally have our answer. James Spader will be dismantling the Avengers on May 1, 2015.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Season 21

Tom Hiddleston Replaces Benedict Cumberbatch in “Crimson Peak”

Tom Hiddleston will be stepping in for fellow Brit Benedict Cumberbatch in Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming gothic horror “Crimson Peak.” The film already stars Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Charlie Hunnam. The film is set to begin shooting February 2014 in Toronto for a 2015 release date.

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Cumberbatch Joins “The Lost City of Z”

Is there a hotter commodity than Benedict Cumberbatch as of the moment? According to Brad Pitt, there isn’t. Cumberbatch is set to star as Percy Fawcett, an explorer trekking through the Amazon Jungle during 1925 who claims to have discovered a lost, mythical city. The film is spearheaded by Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B and is yet to set a release date.

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Michael Shannon in “99 Homes”

Shannon has officially signed on to star opposite Andrew Garfield in the upcoming drama, “99 Homes.” The film centres around a young man who is in severe debt and has his home foreclosed. In order to get his life back, he takes a job with the real estate broker who took away his home in the first place. The film does not have a release date.

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POSTERS:

What was arguably the sleeper hit of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival for me personally. Ti West’s “The Sacrament” officially has a poster, check it out below. I’ll have my review for the film up as soon as I can.

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TRAILERS:

Check out the first trailer for the cannibal horror “We Are What We Are.”

“The Last Days On Mars” might appear a bit generic through this first trailer, but still looks like so much fun.

Another sleeper hit of TIFF 2013 was “Under the Skin” starring Scarlett Johansson. Check out a brief teaser below. I will be posting my review as soon as possible.

CLIPS:

Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” has released a couple of new, incredible clips. Check them out below.

DIRECTING NEWS:

In some positive news regarding “Snowpiercer,” Joon Ho-Bong edited the American release. It still sucks that the film will be edited at all for North American viewers, but it’s not as bad as it could have been.

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Derek Cianfrance, director of “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond the Pines” is set to direct the film adaptation of “The Light Between Oceans.” The film is based around a man who takes his young wife to live on a secluded island as a lighthouse keeper. After several miscarriages and a still-birth, the woman hears a baby’s cries on the wind. Soon, they find a shipwreck with a living baby inside.

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Ben Wheatley will direct the adaptation of “High Rise.” A story about the denizens of a luxury high-tech tower who descend willingly into a murderous melee of chaos and destruction.

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NEW J.K ROWLING SERIES

J.K Rowling and Warner Bros announced that they will adapt the author’s Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” into a full length feature about the book’s scribe Newt Scamander.

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HOME VIDEO

“Pacific Rim” will be hitting home video on October 15, 2013.

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“The Conjuring” will be getting its home release on October 22, 2013.

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JURASSIC PARK 4 GETS A RELEASE DATE AND TITLE

Jurassic Park 4 gets an official title and release date. Set for release now on June 12, 2013, the newly titled “Jurassic World” is no longer hopelessly delayed!

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That’ll do it for this week’s edition of The Gushing Cinephile. Hope you all enjoyed it!

The Gushing Cinephile: August 26, 2013

It’s been a while since I’ve posted in The Gushing Cinephile so I won’t waste time with an introduction. I’ve got too much to tell you with too little time. So let’s get right to it.

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DC Adds Two Big Pieces and a Release Date:

You know, it’s rather funny. This past Thursday I was at the theatre watching You’re Next and I put my phone away as every good cinephile does when the lights go down. Now, usually I get big movie news instantly, whether it be from Twitter, Facebook, fellow bloggers, etc…essentially what I’m getting at is that my phone is a big player in me receiving news, new posts, comments, likes, followers, again etc…but it was a mere two hours spent without looking at it, “what’s the worst that can happen?” I thought to myself. So, after the movie, which was terrific by the way, I begin scrolling through twitter until something caught my eye. Lo and behold, Ben Affleck had been officially cast as Batman and apparently I was the last to know. I may start thinking twice about putting the device away during screenings from now on…but I digress.

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Officially, the next film DC is set to release with Affleck under the cowl is the untitled “Batman vs Superman” flick which is scheduled to begin shooting in Toronto sometime in February. However, it now appears that Affleck has signed on to play Batman in multiple upcoming releases, much to the dismay of fanboys and critics everywhere. When news broke regarding Batfleck, the negative backlash and harsh criticism was abundant and chaotic. Yet, if you recall, fans everywhere were adamant when Heath Ledger was cast to play the Joker in “The Dark Knight” and similar outage followed Anne Hathaway when she officially became Catwoman…look how those castings turned out. Everyone just needs to relax and give Ben a chance, he is an outstanding filmmaker and has the potential to create a formidable caped crusader. Listen to Val Kilmer and Joss Whedon who both tweeted their support of Ben.

Not long after the announcement that shook the world, rumours began to swirl regarding Bryan Cranston stepping in as Superman’s nemeses, Lex Luthor. And what began as hearsay seems to have been all but officially announced. Cranston has been very vocal in his desire to play the role and appears to be well on his way to getting his wish. News is floating around that his casting isn’t merely a one film deal but a package that could include up to ten appearances. “Batman vs Superman” is scheduled to hit theatres July 17, 2015, whether you like it or not.

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“Man of Steel” Home Video Release:

Speaking of Superman, “Man of Steel” will be hitting home video November 12th across all platforms, including a special collectors edition that’ll feature a metal “S” casing. Check out all the images and all the special features here.

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If this happens to be your sort of thing, it’ll run you $59.99. I…honestly…whatever, just shut up and take my money.

First Look at Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar”

Below you’ll find just a brief video recorded on what appears to be a cell phone of Christopher Nolan shooting Matthew McConaughey in Alberta for his upcoming film “Interstellar.” The flick also stars Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, John Lithgow, and Michael Caine.

Magnolia to Distribute “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa”

For us Partridge fans in North America, it’s been difficult to see the release of “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa” go over so well in the UK, but fear not. Magnolia has picked up the film and is going to distribute the film in North America with a release date set for early 2014. You can check out a few clips below to hold you over.

New Trailers:

I’ve got a few new trailers for you all. Click on the title for all you need to know about the film.

The Counselor

Inside Llewyn Davis

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane

New Posters:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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A Single Shot

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Kirsten Dunst Joins Jeff Nichols “Midnight Special”

With Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton already confirmed, Nichols follow up to “Mud” adds Kirsten Dunst. Not much is known about the film other than the fact it has a sci-fi edge and is about a father and boy, who has special powers, on the run.

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Cotillard is Fassbender’s Lady Macbeth:

Natalie Portman was originally slated for the role but bowed out for reasons unknown. Not to be mean but I’d prefer Marion Cotillard for this role any how. Cotillard will star alongside Michael Fassbender in this Justin Kurzel directed pic. If you recall, Kurzel directed the incredibly unsettling but overly outstanding flick, “Snowtown.”

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Ridley Scott’s “Exodus” Adds Some Big Names:

Reports are trickling in that Christian Bale will portray Moses in Scott’s biblical epic “Exodus.” Starring opposite Bale is Joel Edgerton as Ramses.

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“Her” Set for Winter Release:

Spike Jonze “Her” will open in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles on December 18, 2013 and then get a wider release on January 10, 2014.

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That’ll do it for this week’s edition of The Gushing Cinephile, everyone have a great week!

The Gushing Cinephile: July 22, 2013

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What a week it has been! For those of you lucky enough to have attended Comic-Con, know that I secretly despise you with all my heart. I’m sorry, that isn’t entirely fair…I’m just extremely envious, not being able to reap the benefits and experience it and all. Hopefully next year will be fortuitous for me and I can head to San Diego for the big event…but I digress.

Speaking of Comic-Con! Let us get into this week’s edition of The Gushing Cinephile so I can get you up to speed on what’s been going on in the world of cinema. Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you’ll know that Comic-Con dropped some BIG news.

“Man of Steel” sequel:

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First up, Zach Snyder (pictured above) made an appearance at Comic-Con and brought with him a sliver of news that…simply put…brought tears and screams of joy to all in attendance. Playing it out rather lackadaisical, Snyder stated officially that there will be a “Man of Steel” sequel. Then, Snyder brought up Harry Lennix to read the quote below, then proceeded to reveal the following image.

“I want you to remember, Clark. In all your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand around your throat. And I want you to remember the one man who beat you.”

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In case you were wondering, the quote is from Frank Miller’s graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns.” So, supposedly, Batman will be making an appearance in the sequel to “Man of Steel! The film is set for release sometime in 2015.

“The Avengers” sequel.

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Next, Joss Whedon (pictured above) showed up and took the stage at the end of Marvel’s panel and revealed a brief teaser trailer for the newly titled “Avengers” sequel, “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” For those of you who don’t know, Ultron is a rogue, sentient robot determined to exterminate humanity. In addition, Ultron has much to do with the origin of Ant-Man, which is scheduled to have its own spin-off directed by Edgar Wright in the near future.

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Okay everyone, take a breather…let’s get back to business.

“Warcraft” film officially announced.

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Warner Brothers officially announced the “World of Warcraft” film and screened some test footage of a warrior facing down an Orc. The film will be directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) and is scheduled to start production early next year.

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“Sherlock”

The hit television series “Sherlock” also had a panel at this year’s Comic-Con. While no spoilers for the upcoming season were released, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman did record a playful video for everyone in attendance, check it out below. The new season is scheduled for release overseas in October and should hit North American televisions early in 2014!

“Insidious: Chapter 2″ clips.

With the successful release of “The Conjuring” this weekend, I thought I’d post a couple of clips from James Wan’s “Insidious: Chapter 2″ which will be released on Friday, September 13…oooo…spooky!

John Lithgow joins Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar”

In other news, John Lithgow joined Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” which also stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastsin, Casey Affleck, and Anne Hathaway. The film is set for release on November 7, 2014.

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Trailers:

Finally, a slew of new trailers hit this past week. It’s about time we got our first look at big Oscar contenders such as Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” and “The Fifth Estate” which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as wiki leaks founder Julian Assange. There are also trailers for Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” and ”Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.” I smell a possible early Oscar nomination coming for Idris Elba who stars as Nelson Mandela. Check out all the trailers below.

“12 Years a Slave”

“The Fifth Estate”

“The Counselor”

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

Okay all, that’ll do it for this week’s edition of The Gushing Cinephile, hope everyone enjoyed it! Have a great week!

This Is 40 (2012)

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A weaker outing from the brilliant Judd Apatow. This is 40′s familiar (possibly overused) cast is not as effective this go around. Once again treading relevant waters. Apatow is known for his ability to keep his pictures heartfelt and grounded while still being able to evoke hilarity out of common situations. This time, the comedic twists, nor the emotion are as potent as his previous efforts. This “sort of” sequel to Knocked Up is “sort of” not near as entertaining. For all of this mouthing off, it actually wasn’t that bad. It still has more depth and laughs than any spoof or hackneyed comedy picture. But if it wasn’t for the performances of John Lithgow and Albert Brooks, I would have completely discarded this film. Also starring Apatow’s family, who’ve become quite frustrating as they’ve become more orbited as well as the always hilarious Paul Rudd. This is 40 has the potential but fails without consistency.

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A few years after the events in Knocked Up. Pete and Debbie begin to struggle with their age and the needs of their two daughters as they continue to grow. While undertaking initiatives to better themselves physically and emotionally, Pete and Debbie begin to unearth buried tribulations. They decide to confront their parents about the neglected youth they suffered through and the financial problems surrounding the family. On top of that, Debbie and Pete become more involved in their own children’s lives which has, initially, a negative effect. While Pete and Debbie continue to learn as they go, unforeseen events begin to destroy their relationship.

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You can obtain as many guest appearances from relevant celebrities you feel necessary. But unless you entwine them into the story with meaning, it becomes painfully apparent that it is just a ploy to keep the sinking afloat. With This is 40, the issues present, more than Apatow’s other chapters, seem to deal with problems outside the norm which renders its overall theme ineffective. The pop culture references and endless annoyances of youth don’t add any hilarity to the film. In fact, conversely it dwindles its intended broadness and damages its overall relevance. This Is 40 is Apatow’s most emotional picture to date, but the humour is faded and the connectivity is not as strong or as universal as in his previous films. While it may conjure up some big laughs, its overall tone and reliability suffers.

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I couldn’t resist putting a picture of this in the review.

This Is 40: 6 out of 10.

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