Matthew Monagle
Magic Can Fix Anything in the Latest ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Clip
The way I see it, I’m kind of the target audience for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I’ve seen all of the movies but read none of the books, which puts me on a kind of level playing field with everyone else tackling J.K. Rowling’s original screenplay. Granted, a lot of people might know about the history of Newt Scamander or how the events of Fantastic Beasts fits into the Harry Potter universe as a whole, but I don’t mind being left out. I spent years of my adolescence being a Star Wars book snob; as an adult, it’s kind of nice to just be able to show up to a franchise and learn as you go.
There Probably Won’t Be a ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3’
Hey, remember when they released a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie this past summer? Crazy, right? No hard feelings if you forgot: the second movie in the franchise hit theaters the first weekend in June and promptly tanking, making less than $100 million at the domestic box office despite a nine-figure budget. It’s the sort of showing that could stop a franchise in its tracks; and according to the film’s producers, that might be exactly what happened.
‘Deadpool’ Director Tim Miller Leaves ‘Deadpool 2’
One of the biggest Hollywood success stories of the past few years was Deadpool, the R-rated superhero movie from 20th Century Fox. From dead in the water to surprise box office smash, Deadpool became a perfect parable for young filmmakers who have a story to tell and won’t let failure stand in the way of getting their movie made. Unfortunately, though, life doesn’t always adhere to clean narratives. Despite all the setbacks that Deadpool director Tim Miller faced along the way, it turns out there was only one thing that could cause him to throw in the towel: success.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Star on Rey’s Parents: ‘We Will See in a Year’
While Star Wars: The Force Awakens left us with plenty of unanswered questions, perhaps no question looms as big over the franchise as the lineage of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Ever since the film was released, fan theories have run wild with the questions of why Rey was abandoned by her parents and how she may have come by her force sensitivity. Is she the daughter of Obi-Wan Kenobi? Is she the daughter of Luke Skywalker? What is the significance of that flashback sequence? Inquiring minds want to know.
Martin Scorsese Manages to Cut ‘Silence’ to Under Three Hours
There’s an old adage that once a filmmaker reaches a certain point in his or her career, they become incapable of delivering a movie with a running time of three hours. This has become increasingly true of directors who work in both art films and superhero adaptations. I’d wager that most of us don’t spend time worrying about whether our favorite horror film or Disney musical will crack the 180 minute mark, but if the movie stars Batman or was directed by Martin Scorsese? Then yeah, it’s a legitimate concern.
Ghostbusting Gets Colorful in the ‘Ghostbusters’ VFX Reel
We’ve all complained about Hollywood’s increasingly monochromatic color scale from time to time. It seems that no blockbuster franchise is immune to a post-production color correction that turns everything into the shame shades of dull and dingy. So while reactions to the new Ghostbusters movie were more than a little split — that seems like the charitable way to put it — I hope that most people could agree that the bright splashes of color in the new movie were a breath of fresh air for studio films. Fluorescent purples, yellow, and greens are a nice change of pace from browns, blacks, and… wait, did I mention browns already?
‘Star Wars’ Actor Kenny Baker Passes Away at Age 81
Sad news today for fans of the Star Wars films and Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits: Kenny Baker, the man who brought droid R2-D2 to life, has passed away at the age of 81. According to The Guardian, Baker’s passing comes after a long battle with an unspecified illness.
Jeff Bridges Talks ‘The Big Lebowski’ Possible Standalone Film and Sequel
Back in June, actor John Turturro talked to The Hollywood Reporter about his ongoing efforts to make a film featuring his popular bowling lothario Jesus from The Big Lebowski. In the interview, Turturro explained that the character had actually been created years before the movie as part of a public theater company Turturro had participated in. While the actor described the ongoing legal discussions as “very complicated,” he did claim to have the involvement of the Coen Brothers on the film, although not as the directors.
J.K. Rowling Says That Harry Potter is ‘Done Now’
A few weeks ago, Daniel Radcliffe gave a very diplomatic answer when asked if he would ever consider a return to the Harry Potter franchise. And while the actor admitted that he would never close the door to the possibility — for the right script and with the right people involved — it turns out he may not have a franchise to return to. As reported by io9, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling told reporters at the premiere of London stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child that her beloved character was done after the events of the play.
‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ Will Pick Up Right Where ‘The Force Awakens’ Left Off
Remember those dramatic last minutes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Rey landing on a distant planet. A robed figure pulls back his hood to reveal an anguished Luke Skywalker. Rey reaches out, lightsaber in hand, as the camera pulls back and a familiar fanfare starts to play
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Matthew McConaughey to teach University Film Class
Remember those days in high school where your regular history teacher would call in sick and some anonymous substitute would just put on a VHS of Glory or Gettysburg and call it a day? It turns out that practice is still alive and well at universities across the country, with one small difference: instead of some random recent college graduate as a substitute teacher, these students will be visited by Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey.
J.K. Rowling has Already Written a ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sequel
One of the major truths of the entertainment industry is that there will never be a more interesting movie than the one you haven’t yet made. This weekend, while The Legend of Tarzan director David Yates was gently trying to nudge conversations towards his film currently in theaters, people were understandably curious about his upcoming return to Hogwarts, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. And Yates let a particularly interesting piece of information drop.