"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Passes $500 Million Mark

The greatest gladiator match is still raking it big bucks at the box office.

On Tuesday the 29th, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" earned $12.2 million, making it the biggest Tuesday gross ever in the month of March, beating "The Hunger Games", which made $10.3 million in 2012. The film has grossed $193.3 million domestically in the past five days as is expected to cross the $200 million mark today. Internationally, the film grossed an additional $32.9 million, which makes the overseas gross $308.6 million. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" in total has made $501.9 million worldwide and is predicted to reach $1 billion by the end of its theatrical run.

So proud that the film is once again defying critics and reaching higher and higher.

Bring on more of the DC universe!

Ben Affleck Has Already Written Batman Script

Looks the caped crusader isn't done being awesome.

For the past few months, there were rumors circulating online that writer/director Ben Affleck was working closely with Geoff Johns, DC's CCO, to write a Batman solo film. Well, according to Patrick Whitesell, co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor, it looks like those rumors were indeed true.

"He's contracted to do at least Justice League One and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape," says Whitesell, adding, "there's a script that he's written that is a really cool [Batman] idea, so that's out there as an option."

While there is no confirmation whether or not Warner Bros. Pictures will use Affleck's script as the basis for their upcoming solo Batman film, it looks like a viable option. Can't wait to see Affleck back in the director's chair behind his own Batman film.

Hans Zimmer Officially Retires From Scoring Superhero Films

A sad day for us film soundtrack fans and comic book fans.

Today, Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer has officially announced that he will no longer score superhero films, with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" being the last of the genre he'll ever compose.

"This one was very hard for me to do, to try to find new language," he says.

In his massive career, he composed the soundtracks for films like "The Lion King", "The Dark Knight Trilogy", "Man of Steel", "Inception", "Interstellar", "Sherlock Holmes", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "The Last Samurai", "The Thin Red Line" and countless others.

As an aspiring film director, he's one of the great people that I am dying to work with. The "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" might be the greatest superhero soundtrack ever composed so Zimmer definitely went out with a bang if this is indeed the last superhero film he'll compose.

Can't wait to hear more of your music, Mr. Zimmer.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Has Biggest March IMAX Opening Ever

Defying critics, the film continues to break records at the box office.

After "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" broke the record for biggest worldwide opening for a comic book film, biggest March and biggest Easter opening weekend of all-time, it looks like the film isn't done breaking more records. In its first weekend in theaters, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" managed to score the biggest IMAX opening in March. The film made $36 million on IMAX screens alone, making it the 3rd biggest IMAX opening ever, behind "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Jurassic World".

Great to see "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" doing well at the box office.

If you haven't done so already, please go out and see "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" in theaters! It's a film you do not want to miss.

"Deadpool" Becomes Highest Grossing R-Rated Film of All Time

How many chimichangas can you buy with $745.9 million?

As "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" breaks numerous records at the box office this weekend, another superhero film triumphed over a milestone. As of today, "Deadpool" has officially become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time, making $745.9 million internationally. The previous record holder for highest grossing R-rated film was "The Matrix Reloaded", the 2003 sequel to "The Matrix", which grossed $742 million worldwide during its theatrical run. A big congratulations is in order for the filmmakers behind this wonderful film that no one at Fox wanted to make. Looks like those execs were totally wrong.

Have you seen "Deadpool" in theaters? If you haven't, why haven't you?!

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Deleted Scene Drops Online; Blu-ray Release Date Confirmed

Today, Warner Bros. Pictures released a deleted scene from "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" that features Lex Luthor talking to, what I assume is, one of the New Gods from the planet Apokolips, which is where Darkseid hails from. Regardless of who or what that was, this just makes me even more excited for the 3-hour R-rated cut of the film.

The Ultimate Cut of the film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on July 16th, 2016.

Will you be buying the Ultimate Cut of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"?

"Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" Breaking Box Office Records Grossing $424 Million Worldwide

Holy box office, Batman!

Although critical responses have been lukewarm at best, the audiences spoke this weekend as they stormed the theaters to see "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice". In its opening weekend, the film has become the highest grossing weekend [worldwide] for a comic book film, making $424 million. The only films ahead of "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" at the international box office are "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", "Jurassic World" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2". In the states, the film grossed $170 million, which surpassed expectation and made it Warner Bros' Pictures' biggest opening ever.

So pleased to see "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" triumph over the negative reception.

Go see the film in theaters now!

REVIEW: "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (SPOILER FREE)

The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world. God vs. man. Day vs. night. We will always remember 2016 as the year Batman and Superman came face-to-face and fought each other over their differing ideologies. This is a showdown that fans have been asking for for years. Ever since Frank Miller's 1986 graphic novel, "The Dark Knight Returns", comic book nerds have been wanting to see the dark knight and the man of steel go head-to-head in an all-out brawl in the streets of Gotham or Metropolis. And now, 30 years later, the people at Warner Bros. and director Zack Snyder have brought to us what we've always wanted. However, this film wasn't without its setbacks. Many fans have questioned some of the casting choices when the film first went into production, particularly Ben Affleck as Batman, and many were still unsure about the quality of the film judging by the trailers and marketing campaign. After all the ups and downs this film had until its release today, including a wave of negative reviews from professional critics, is the clashing of these two iconic titans any good?

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" stars an incredible ensemble cast, including Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot, and is directed by Zack Snyder. The film takes place 18 months after the events of "Man of Steel" as Superman gradually becomes a controversial figure in the eyes of the public with some saying he is humanity's savior while others think he is a false god. Among those that believe Superman is a threat is Gotham City's very own Batman, who will stop at nothing to bring the Kryptonian to answer for his actions. As the film came to a close and the end credits started to roll, I felt my entire body shaking under the weight of what I just witnessed. What a remarkable and risk-taking film. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is a heart pounding, relentless, dramatic and exhilarating film. It is also, in my opinion, the most beautiful comic book film ever made since "Watchmen". Zack Snyder pulled no punches when making this film and the immense amount of effort the cast and crew put into this film is actually astounding.

When the casting of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman was officially announced 3 years ago, many were quickly taken aback by this creative decision and immediately petitioned to recast the role with a different actor. Sadly, I was one of those people who initially disagreed with this casting choice. However, after seeing Affleck in the film's trailers and promotional images, those negative feelings quickly vanished into thin air. And now that I have seen the film, any lingering doubt I had about Ben Affleck's casting were murdered and buried. Ben Affleck's portrayal of the dark knight might possibly be the greatest live-action incarnation of the character to date and is, hands down, one of the best aspects of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"  This is a cruel, unforgiving and brutal Batman. One that is not afraid to cause some major casualties, which may turn off some comic book fans, but it is clear that Zack Snyder is pulling influences from Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns", which featured a Batman who has, at times, went beyond his own moral code. Although many may disagree with my opinions on the film overall, they will all agree that Ben Affleck nailed the part of Bruce Wayne/Batman and we cannot wait to see him in a future solo outing.

3 years ago, we were introduced to Henry Cavill as Superman in "Man of Steel", who has proven himself to be a great Superman and gave the character a presence we have never seen before. In the film, we saw a more realistic and grey version of the character, which was a different change of pace for DC's super boy scout. With "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", we are introduced to a Superman who has become a threat in the eyes of some people. His immense power and lack of authority has made him a dangerous figure, which inevitably causes him to reflect upon his own purpose on planet Earth. This is a Superman who questions his morals and questions his own existence, which makes him a much more compelling character, more than he ever was in any live-action film. Henry Cavill graces every scene he is in with strength and integrity, as he continues to be the best live-action Superman since Christopher Reeves.

A recent poll has shown that audiences who have seen the film were most drawn to the scenes involving Wonder Woman and I can definitely see why. Many comic book fans have shouted over roof tops when the news of Gal Gadot's casting was first made official. With not much experience in the field of acting outside the "Fast and Furious" films, fans were not sure what to think of this new take on the iconic character. Thankfully, the creators did the character justice and brought this feminist icon out of the comic books and onto the cinema screen. Gal Gadot commanded presence in the minimal scenes she had in the film and presented a different aura, which helped reinforce a larger universe in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". One of the stand out action scenes in the film solely centered around her and it was phenomenal. You will applaud and cheer for Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman as you anxiously anticipate her first solo film coming out next year.

Jesse Eisenberg, like Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, was met with very lukewarm and negative fan reactions when he was officially cast as iconic super villain Lex Luthor. When seeing the film, you will need to be reminded that this is a contemporary version of the character that has been adjusted to the times we live in today. LexCorp in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is a Google-like corporation with Eisenberg's Lex being an eccentric billionaire who has inherited the company from his father. If you can look past the fact that he is not the Lex Luthor we know and love from the comics, you will appreciate Jesse Eisenberg's performance. Delving into the character's motivations could reveal some of the film's key plot elements so without going into spoiler territory, I will say that Eisenberg, at least in my opinion, posed an interesting threat to Batman and Superman, which made him a very memorable villain.

Outside of the main leads in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", the film also presents us with an amazing supporting cast filled with Oscar winners and nominees. One of the newcomers to the DC Cinematic Universe is Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, who is one of the stand characters in the film. While different from Michael Caine's portrayal in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Trilogy", Irons was able to bring strength, sophistication, intelligence and genuine care to the role that made his version of the character unique. As a much more hands on Alfred, Irons was given a lot to play with in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and it pleases me to know that we will be seeing him in future DC films, most likely in a solo Batman film.

Zack Snyder has always been a visual director and his work in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" continues to prove his expertise behind the camera. Every single frame he crafts in this film resembles a painting in motion. The balance, style and execution of each individual shot in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is honestly astounding. The film is worth the price of admission for the cinematography alone. However, the criticism against most of Zack Snyder's films is that he is unable to craft a concise story within the beautiful visuals he creates. While there are some scenes that fly by very quickly in the first act of the film, the pacing of the story moved at a brisk pacing that never left you bored or unentertained. The story, while having many different elements and plot points, managed to hold the audiences' attention for the entire 153-minute runtime, which is no small feat.

In the past 10 months, it has been difficult to be impressed by action sequences because of the more than spectacular work George Miller has done with "Mad Max: Fury Road". The film has made action scenes in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", "Jurassic World" and "Spectre" look almost obsolete. However, in 2016, two comic book films have successfully provided us with visually breathtaking, exhilarating, creative and memorable action set pieces. Those two films are "Deadpool" and "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". Zack Snyder has never conceived a bad action scene in any of his films. Even in a film like "Sucker Punch", which is not a good film, Snyder managed to create fun, exciting, flashy and intense scenes of action. And "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", again, is no different. With a title that pits two of that most iconic superheroes of all-time together, you can expect the epic showdown between the two titans to be visceral, harsh and powerful. Explaining these action set pieces in more depth would be ruin it for you, so without giving anything away, I will say that Snyder does not fail at bringing us engaging, energetic, fierce yet beautiful action scenes with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice".

Larry Fong, who worked with Zack Snyder on "300", "Watchmen" and "Sucker Punch", returns behind the camera for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and brings something extraordinarily special to the film. Many of the heart-pounding action scenes in the film were shot with precision and grace. While Amir Mokri did an excellent job with the cinematography of "Man of Steel", Larry Fong's approach to shooting "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was more stylized, elegant and grandiose. Regardless of whether you think this is a good or bad film, many will admit that this probably is one of the most beautifully shot films of the year [maybe even in recent memory]. With "Watchmen", Fong was able to take many of the comic panels from the famed graphic novel and faithfully translate them onto the silver screen. And now with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", there are a few moments in the film that come right out of the pages of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". It is very clear from the film's opening that both Snyder and Fong have a clear love for comic books and their aesthetics, and the two of them were able to create a living, breathing comic book for the cinemas.

As many of us comic book fans know, Warner Bros. Pictures has already moved forward with an entire slate of DC Comics films including "Suicide Squad" [coming later this year], "Wonder Woman", "Justice League" and more. And with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", it is clear that they have already begun spring boarding this new franchise with full force. Without giving anything away, there are clear connections in the film to the wider DC universe, which will please the die hard comic book fans who have been waiting for so long to see these characters on screen for the first time.

Although I have praised the film overall, it isn't without it's shortcomings. As mentioned before, some of the scenes in the first act of the film fly by very quickly and are, at times, unresolved in the end. There is also a scene in particular that seemed out of place, which I felt would have worked better as a mid-credit or after-credit scene instead. The issues I have with the pacing of the film may be fixed with the 3-hour extended cut of the film that is to be released later this year on Blu-Ray and DVD. "Watchmen" also had a similar problem with its pacing, which was mostly resolved with the film's director's cut. However, in my opinion, these were the only glaring issues I faced when experiencing "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" in theaters. 

Before the film opened to audiences worldwide, critics across the nation have slammed the film for being overly serious, humorless and "not fun". Many of these criticisms were also cited in the reviews for "Man of Steel". To the critics who claimed that "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was boring, dull, uninteresting and overly serious, I would respectfully disagree. While not a perfect, I believe the film's dark tone gives it more of a mature edge, which separates this comic book film from the rest. While I do not want to compare this film to those made by Marvel Studios, many critics have made such comparisons regardless. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is its own entity and the films produced by Marvel Studios are also their own. They are completely separate in tone, delivery and execution. Because "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is darker, mature, more toned down and less humorous than the films from Marvel Studios, it does not mean it is any less engaging. I would like critics to stop comparing the films from DC and Warner Bros. to the ones from Marvel Studios. As a comic book fan, I love both Marvel and DC. To me, it is not a competition. A good film is a good film, no matter what studio. When "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" gets things right, it's beyond spectacular, but I will not ignore the film's mistakes either.

Whether or not you enjoyed "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", we should all take this time to appreciate the fact that somebody out there actually tried to bring these two pop culture titans together in the same film. It is clear that a huge amount of effort was placed into the hands of the cast and crew of this film and they all delivered their A-game. Whether or not you agree with their creative decisions is entirely up to you, however "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is not a lazily put together film, by any means. Zack Snyder and company brought their creative visions to life and we all experienced one uniquely distinctive film. Are there some flaws in the film? Yes. But they don't detract from the other amazing aspects of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". I can't express enough how much I enjoyed watching this film. Is it an Oscar contender? No. Is it one of the best comic book films out there? I would say yes. I give "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" a 9 out of 10.

Go see it in Real-D 3D, IMAX 3D and Dolby Cinemas today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/batmanvsuperman:dawnofjustice_169807/movietimes

Garry Shandling Dies At 66

Another great soul gone.

Garry Shandling, star of "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and "The Larry Sanders Show", reportedly passed away at the age of 66. As of right now, the cause of death is unknown. This extraordinarily funny man has had an amazing career, including 19 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. Many of us comic book fans will recognize him as Senator Stern in "Iron Man 2" and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", with the latter being his final film appearance.

You will be missed, Garry Shandling. May you rest in peace.

"The LEGO Batman Movie" Trailer Released Online

Darkness! No parents!

One of the highlights of 2014's "The LEGO Movie" was Will Arnett hilarious portrayal of the dark knight himself. Now, he's getting his own solo movie! The first official trailer for "The LEGO Batman Movie" was just released today and it's clear that the filmmakers haven't lost the charm and wit of "The LEGO Movie". Looking forward to February 10, 2017!

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBJyp2LFHgk

"Wonder Woman" Image Featuring Amazonians Revealed

The women of the Amazon.

Entertainment Weekly has just released this new image from next year's "Wonder Woman", showcasing 4 of Themyscira's greatest warriors. Including Wonder Woman herself (played by Gal Gadot), we have Queen Hippolyta (played by Connie Nelson), General Antiope (played by Robin Wright) and her adjutant Menalippe (played by Lisa Loven Kongsli).

It's going to be one epic film. Can't wait for June 23, 2017!

New "X-Men: Apocalypse" Trailer Debuts

Apocalypse is upon us.

The upcoming "X-Men: Apocalypse" film is getting a little lost in the sea of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Captain America: Civil War" news, but now here is a brand new trailer to remind us that we have another big superhero card being played this May. This looks incredible. The stakes are higher, the villain is menacing [played by the amazing Oscar Isaac], and the scale is much, much grander. Clearly Bryan Singer knows what he is doing with this universe.

This is going to be one hell of a movie, folks.

Can't wait to see it!

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfBVIHgQbYk

"Bur-Hur" 2016 Remake Debuts First Official Trailer

Sigh... Just why?

A lot of us film buffs will know that "Ben-Hur" will forever be considered one of the greatest achievements in cinema history. Clearly the filmmakers behind this lazy remake didn't acknowledge the genius of the original. Director Timur Bekmambetov, "Wanted" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", is bringing us new "retelling" of the classic tale that looks like a tasteless, witless, unimaginative and watered down version of other sword-and-sandal films like  "300", "Immortals" and "Gladiator". Hell, the "Clash of the Titans" remake looked more epic than this. This new "Ben-Hur" remake is an eerie reminder of 2014's "The Legend of Hercules", which currently holds a 3% on Rotten Tomatoes...

With nothing new to offer, a B-list cast [aside from Morgan Freeman] and a presumably smaller budget in comparison to other great epics, this is a remake that should never have existed.

Why remake a classic masterpiece without putting in some thought into it? Senseless.

Watch the [horrible] trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLJdzky63BA

"Indiana Jones 5" With Harrison Ford And Steven Spielberg Confirmed For 2019

Grab your bullwhip and hat because Indy is back!

Disney announced today that a fifth "Indiana Jones" film with director Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford reprising the iconic role is moving forward for a July 19, 2019 release date.

Ever since Lucasfilm was bought by Disney, we've been hearing rumors of an "Indiana Jones" reboot of some sort, with some reports saying Chris Pratt may take over the legendary character. After months of hearing Ford wouldn't return to the play Indy again, I'm actually kinna relieved to hear that we are getting the one and only Indiana Jones back on the silver screen. I think "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has proved that Ford still has it in him to play the action hero so I'm excited to see what Spielberg and Ford will bring to the character for his 5th outing.

Welcome back, Indiana Jones. Be better than Crystal Skull please.

"Sausage Party" Trailer Drops Online

What even is this movie?!

That's right. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the guys that brought us "This Is The End", "Neighbors" and "The Interview", are here with a rated-R 3D animated movie about... food entitled "Sausage Party". It's pretty much like "Toy Story" but more deranged and starring the usual crew of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride and Michael Cera, along with Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Nick Kroll, Paul Rudd, David Krumholtz, Salma Hayek, Anders Holm and even Edward Norton.

This is gonna be a weird movie and I absolutely love it. Bring on the filthy, guys.

Watch the red band trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7fP9q_LyDc

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" Trailer Released Online

The strange and unimaginable... the perfect fit for a strange and unimaginable director.

Tim Burton is a man that many associate with quirky dark visuals and for casting Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter as the lead roles. Well, in his latest film based on the best-selling novel, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", neither Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter make an appearance, but his signature dark visuals and aesthetics fill up every single frame. 

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" centers around a young boy, Jacob Portman (played by Asa Butterfield), who accidentally stumbles upon a mysterious island and discovers a group of orphaned "peculiar children" who are all living in a home, lead by the orphanage's director Miss Peregrine (played by Eva Green). There, Portman is given the task of protecting the children from dark creatures that are out to kill them.

With his visual flair never getting tiresome, it looks like "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" will be Burton's return to form in the world of fantasy after unsuccessfully dabbling with "Alice in Wonderland" and "Dark Shadows".

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_IhWE4LP0

"Captain America: Civil War" Trailer Viewed 100 Million Times In 24 Hours

"I can do this all day."

Without even hitting theaters, "Captain America: Civil War" is already breaking records. 24 hours since the release of the new trailer [featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man], it has been viewed up to 100 million times, surprising the previous record help by "Avengers: Age of Ultron" which received 34.3 million views in its first 24 hours.

Looks like people are loving "Captain America: Civil War" so far.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrVegVI0Us

REVIEW: "Eye in the Sky"

2 months ago when Alan Rickman suddenly passed away, many of us were left wondering if he had any more projects lined up for upcoming release dates and thankfully we have two films this year that features Alan Rickman. One being the sequel to 2010's "Alice in Wonderland", "Alice Through the Looking Glass", and the other being "Eye in the Sky". But who so far has heard of this relatively under-the-radar film? "Eye in the Sky" was released in September of last year at the Toronto International Film Festival and was met with critical acclaim. And now on March 11th, the film has finally hit theaters in New York and Los Angeles, which will then gradually expand nationwide in the following weeks. Because "Alice Through the Looking Glass" would only feature Rickman's voice, "Eye in the Sky" marked the last on-screen performance of this legend's career so many of us cinephiles are cramming the theaters to see him one last time. So how is "Eye in the Sky"?

"Eye in the Sky" stars Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman and Barked Abdi, and is directed by Gavin Hood. The film centers around a drone strike that is targeted at several high profile terrorists as Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) attempts to authorize the attack while making sure the operation is legally and ethically sound. Putting aside that this is Alan Rickman's final on-screen performance, I'm happy to say that "Eye in the Sky" is an extremely well crafted, brilliantly acted and profoundly important film. Tackling the subject of drone strikes, this film discusses the benefits and dilemmas of performing these military operations with no biased or preconceived ideas of what is right and what is wrong. The film is thankfully smart enough to let you, the audience, decide what is right and what is wrong.

Academy Award winner Helen Mirren takes charge in this suspenseful 102-minute film and it seems she hasn't lost one bit of her power and dignity. Playing Col. Katherine Powell, she is placed with a very difficult scenario of minimizing collateral damage but is determined to kill her dangerous targets. Handling life and death scenarios with strength and courage, Mirren shows that she can still be a showstopper and continues to impress us with her acting abilities.

For many of us, Aaron Paul is still Jessie Pinkman from "Breaking Bad". Even I have a hard time separating the two. However, Paul does his best to distinguish himself as drone pilot Steve Watts and provides the film with a sense of humanity and humility. The conflicts that Watts has to face, and eventually overcome, are both relatable and meaningful, making him one of the more vulnerable and sympathetic characters in a film that is surrounded by very authoritative and dominant people.

When the words "In Loving Memory of Alan Rickman" came on screen, I couldn't help but feel moved and a little sad. Seeing him with his usual commanding presence and gravitas was very heartbreaking. But in his last [live-action] role, Rickman took charge of every scene he was in with his deep noble voice and his everlasting charisma. Playing the experienced Lieutenant General Frank Benson, you can instantly tell that this is a man who has seen the face of war and has experienced hell. His quick thinking and militaristic mindset made him an assertive and striking character in the film, which was a good bittersweet note to end the man's impressive career.

Aside from the great cast, the thing I respect most about "Eye in the Sky" is that the film doesn't take a certain stance on its touchy subject matter. The film is neither pro or anti-drone strikes. Rather than choosing a side, it paints us a picture and gives the scenario without any judgement or prejudice. Making this a propaganda piece for or against drone strikes would have been a sloppy and lazy screenwriting tactic, but "Eye in the Sky" intelligently asks the audience to decide where you stand on this modern issue. The smart writing and direction from director Gavin Hood and writer Guy Hibbert helped mold a riveting film that was both a nail-biting thriller and a tension-filled political drama.

Pleased to say that "Eye of the Sky" caught me by surprise. Its acting, its pacing and its realistic approach to drone strikes made this film stand out among the rest. The film holds you until the end of its runtime and makes you ask questions, makes you grip down into your armrests with suspense and breaks your heart. While acknowledging both the good and the bad of drone strike operations, the film keeps itself in a moral and ethical middle ground and cleverly decides to keep the audience involved in this controversial topic. We are seeing one side of the argument. We are seeing both. This is an Oscar quality film that definitely deserves more attention and, of course, I give "Eye in the Sky" a 10 out of 10. So proud that the last time we'll see Alan Rickman's face was in a great film.

Go see it in theaters today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/eyeinthesky_189278/movietimes

REVIEW: "10 Cloverfield Lane"

In 2008, producer J. J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves treated audiences to a highly secretive, unknown and mysterious monster film titled "Cloverfield". Filmed on a rather small $25 million budget, the film went on the gross $170.8 million worldwide and was well received by critics. Famed critic Roger Ebert thought "Cloverfield" was "an effective film, deploying its special effects well and never breaking the illusion that it is all happening as we see it". Ever since the film's release in theaters, people have been wondering if a "Cloverfield" sequel will ever been greenlit. Rumors and talks have been circulating the Internet for a while until the project went almost no where... Or so we thought. On January 15, 2016, J. J. Abrams and Bad Robot Productions revealed the trailer for "10 Cloverfield Lane", which is meant to, what Abrams called, "a blood relative" to the original film. The film's trailer and the film's production came out of no where and was a shock to all of us movie fans who have been waiting so long to see a "Cloverfield" sequel. But since it is not entirely a sequel or a continuation, what exactly is "10 Cloverfield Lane"?

"10 Cloverfield Lane" stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher, Jr., and is directed by first time director Dan Trachtenberg and produced by J. J. Abrams. The film centers around a woman named Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who, after a fatal car accident, finds herself in an underground cellar where a survivalist, Howard Stambler (John Goodman), claims to have saved her life and tells her that a chemical attack has ravished the planet, making it uninhabitable. Not sure what to believe herself, Michelle does everything she can to learn the truth and figure out a way to escape. Sitting in that theater once this rollercoaster ride of a film came to an end, I couldn't breathe. My heart was pounding and my chest was burning. I can honestly say that "10 Cloverfield Lane" is master class suspense filmmaking. The tension that builds and builds in this movie is behind phenomenal.

For some of us, Mary Elizabeth Winstead may be one of the best scream queens in recent memory, after starring in films like "Final Destination 3", "Black Christmas" and "Death Proof", and here is no exception. Although the scares and frights here are not death or a murderous stunt drivers. Winstead as Michelle is our main lead and we, as the audience, view this world through her eyes as she frantically tries to set herself free of this terrible situation. Winstead, as usual, delivers a natural and engaging performance as Michelle, who is an intelligent, cautious and troubled young woman who will stop at nothing to learn the truth and escape. The "chemistry" that her and John Goodman have is really what makes this film great. Winstead's effortlessly natural acting takes front and center in "10 Cloverfield Lane" and she was able to gracefully carry [most of] the film's weight on her shoulders.

While Winstead delivered a strong and natural performance, John Goodman as Howard Stambler felt to me like a literal force of nature. His sheer size and commanding presence gives his survivalist character a unique edge. Many other films would make this character a pervert or a rapist but I'm glad to see that "10 Cloverfield Lane" doesn't go for that old cliche. His intentions are unknown but we, as the audience, are able to see multiple sides of him, creating a fully realized and captivating character. As said before, the "chemistry" Goodman and Winstead share on screen truly does make this film great as it leads to so much unforgettable scenes of great tension. It definitely is hard to talk about Goodman's character in detail without spoiling anything but I will say that he delivers an Oscar-caliber performance that will quickly get under your skin and make your heart race every time you see him appear on screen.

The one wildcard "10 Cloverfield Lane" had would have to be John Gallagher Jr. as Emmet. I couldn't quite grasp what kind of a character he would be from the film's trailers but Gallagher played Emmet perfectly and was able to naturally sink into the character with ease. The innocently gullible blabber mouth character created many important and engaging moments and provided the film with a different kind of charm that was very welcomed. Because Gallagher is not as big of a name as Mary Elizabeth Winstead or John Goodman, it must have been easy for many audience members to see him slip into the character of Emmet without any preconceived notions on how he may play the part.

Since the debut of the film's trailer 2 months ago, many people have been wondering what the connection is between "Cloverfield" and "10 Cloverfield Lane". To put it simply, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is the spiritual successor to the original and acts as an expansion of the universe. It is not a sequel to the 2008 film nor is it a prequel or a remake. "10 Cloverfield Lane" provides us with brand new characters, brand new settings and brand new stories. While there are some connections to the original "Cloverfield", it is best to see this film as a separate entity. Abrams explains, "This movie is very purposefully not called 'Cloverfield 2', because it’s not 'Cloverfield 2', [...] So if you’re approaching it as a literal sequel, you’ll be surprised to see what this movie is. But while it’s not what you might expect from a movie that has the name 'Cloverfield' in it, I think you’ll find that you’ll understand the connection when you see the whole thing."

While the basic story of "10 Cloverfield Lane" isn't anything ground breaking or new, what the filmmakers were able to do with the simple idea of having 3 people stuck in a bunker is what made it special. Although it's a story I have seen before in the past, experiencing "10 Cloverfield Lane" felt extremely fresh and new. Because of its well paced storytelling, accompanied by many lot of twists and turns, and suspenseful moments, "10 Cloverfield Lane" almost never lets you take a breath, exhausting you with situation after situation [in the best way possible]. By the end of the film, you will be sitting in your seat trying to maintain your breath. In an age when horror films are made cheaply and lazily, it's so refreshing to see a non-horror film create actual sequences of terror and anxiety.

What amazes me about this film is how well made it is. For a film this small in scale, it would have been easy to shoot a film with sloppy editing, uneven pacing and bad/mediocre acting. Thankfully, Dan Trachtenberg, making his directorial debut, and writers Josh Campbell, Matthew Stucken and Damien Chapelle (writer/director of "Whiplash") managed to pull off something most horror directors of today have failed to do for years: create actual tension. The film is handled in a very old school fashion, which allows the film's slow burning tension to build and build into something massive. Of course, producer J. J. Abrams had a lot to do with this creation of this film and his fingerprints are all over it. Like most of Abrams' projects, not knowing anything about the film is the best way to watch it.

Before I wrap up this review, I just want to remind everyone to stay away from spoilers as much as humanly possible. Do not Google or look up how the film ends because it will definitely ruin the entire movie going experience for you.

What can I say? This was an outstanding picture. It's smart, carefully executed, well-paced, sharply directed and brilliantly acted. Abrams has provided us with the film equivalent of Pandora's box. What lies inside is tempting but dangerous. The nail-biting suspense accompanied with outstanding performances from the entire cast made this film an instant modern Hitchcockian classic [with a touch of sci-fi]. As a sucker for science fiction and thrillers, I couldn't help but love this amazing film. I give "10 Cloverfield Lane" a perfect 10 out of 10. EVERYONE GO SEE THIS FILM NOW!!!

Go see it in theaters in DLP and IMAX today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/10cloverfieldlane_189857/movietimes

New "Captain America: Civil War" Trailer Released, First Look Of Spider-Man

That's right. The web crawler has arrived in the MCU!

The all new "Captain America: Civil War" trailer has just hit the web and it already is shaping up to potentially be the best film Marvel Studios has ever made. It's an explosive and emotional trailer with a pay-off that will get fans all over the world cheering. Tom Holland appears as Spider-Man for the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in this trailer, disarming Captain America of his shield. This is just unbelievable.

Watch the epic trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrVegVI0Us

"X-Men: Apocalypse" Releases New Villain Poster

The four horsemen...

Yahoo! Movies just unveiled an all-new poster for this summer's "X-Men: Apocalypse", spotlighting the main antagonists of the film. Looming above we see Apocalypse himself (played by Oscar Isaac) alongside his four horsemen: Magneto (played by Michael Fassbender), Psylocke (played by Olivia Munn), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Archangel (played by Ben Hardy).

The film opens on May 27th, 2016. Will you be there for the apocalypse?

"Jump Street" / "Men In Black" Crossover Moves Forward

The world's worst cops are back.

Sources say that the proposed "Jump Street" / "Men In Black" crossover film, which will act as "23 Jump Street", is moving forward with "The Muppets" director James Bobin. While there is no official greenlight for the film, Sony is eyeing for a June production start date. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are expected to reprise their roles from the 2 previous films and, sadly for all of us "Men in Black" fans, the studio has confirmed that both Agent Jay and Kay (Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones) will not appear in this crossover.

James Bobin's upcoming film, "Alice Through the Looking Glass" [the sequel to Tim Burton's film "Alice in Wonderland"], will be released on May 27, 2016.

"Fargo" 20th Anniversary

Time to get out that ol' wood chipper.

20 years ago today, the Coen Brothers released their neo-noir black comedy crime thriller, "Fargo", that told the story of a pregnant Minnesota police chief, played by Frances McDormand, who begins investigating a series of homicides orchestrated by a down on his luck car salesman, played by William H. Macy, and two criminals, played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare.

The film later went on to receive 7 Oscar noms and winning Best Actress for McDormand and Best Original Screenplay, and is also a part of The Library of Congress' National Film Registry. "Fargo" is definitely one of my favorite films of all-time and I want to celebrate its 20th anniversary here today. 

If you haven't already, go see this film!

J.K. Simmons Cast As Commissioner James Gordon In "Justice League"

Farewell, J. Jonah Jameson.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Oscar winner J.K. Simmons will be playing GCPD's very own Commissioner James Gordon in Zack Snyder's "Justice League". While I am very happy with this great casting decision, I am sad that this most likely means that chances of seeing Simmons play J. Jonah Jameson in the upcoming Spider-Man film have died.

Simmons, you have graduated from the Daily Bugle to the GCPD. Congratulations.

REVIEW: "Zootopia"

One of the things that Walt Disney Pictures is known for is filling their films with anthropomorphic characters and creating entire worlds that are populated only with animals. However, in the past few years, Disney has mainly been focusing on telling stories with human [or human-like] characters (i.e. "Tangled", "Wreck-It Ralph", "Frozen", "Big Hero 6") so seeing them going back to their roots was very charming. We all saw the hilarious teaser trailer right before "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" involving two of the main characters entering a DMV run by sloths. Judging by that teaser and the following trailers that were released shortly after, "Zootopia" seemed like an innocently simple film that mainly kids will enjoy. But will the parents like it as much?

"Zootopia" stars the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, and Shakira, and is directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore [and co-directed by Jared Bush]. The film takes place in a fictional world populated by anthropomorphic mammals as a young rabbit, Judy Hopps, becomes the first of her kind to be a police officer. After graduating at the top of her class, she heads over to Zootopia, a New-York-esque city where predator and prey supposedly get along, to join the Zootopia Police Department (ZPD). Once there, she realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew and, in an attempt to prove herself, takes on a case involving a missing mammal, along with a reluctant partner. Thankfully, "Zootopia", by far, is the best [non-Pixar] Disney film produced in recent years. Not only is it irresistibly cute and charming, the film is satirical, deep, warm hearted and [for the most part] successfully teaches children concepts that are very important in our modern society.

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman (Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde) are both instantly charming, likable and funny as the two main leads. With Goodwin playing the good natured, determined bunny and Bateman playing the cynical, wise cracking fox, the two have excellent chemistry and thankfully don't fall into the typical Disney cliche of falling in love or having any romantically charged scenes together. Bateman's voice work as Nick Wilde was especially sharp and memorable, making his character one of the best aspects of the film. Without giving too much away, there are several emotion scenes that really do pull at your heart strings and provide these two characters with much more depth than most Disney characters. Although these two are not game-changing or iconic individuals, they are always cute and always engrossing.

With an out-there concept like a world filled with anthropomorphic mammals, you would expect many interestingly colorful characters and "Zootopia" is filled with them. With actors like Idris Elba and J.K. Simmons voicing some of the character, you can expect some very funny and memorable supporting characters scattered across the film.

However, it does disappoint me that a film called "Zootopia", mixing the words "zoo" and "utopia", doesn't have more unique or creative animal choices. The animals that we see in the film are the kind of the animals that you see in children coloring books. Exotic animals that look and feel more creative and distinguished are not present here, which is a great loss. The animal world is filled with amazing creatures and the filmmakers only chose the ones your kids can name at home. I understand that the audience can easily recognize their figures and shapes right off the bat but the film doesn't break any new grounds when it comes to character designs, which is real shame.

Also, the exclusion of fish, insects, amphibians, reptiles and birds was definitely a huge mistake. Again, the film is called "Zootopia" and the creative team behind the film neglected to include some of the most beautiful, fascinating and alluring creatures on the planet. If the film was called "Mammal-topia" or "Mammal City" it would make sense but to call your film "Zootopia" and not include the other animal groups is misguided, especially in a film that tries to promote diversity and tries to put an end to xenophobia.

Although "Zootopia" lacks creatively when it comes to choosing what animals should appear on screen, the story is more intricate than your usual Disney romp. The trailers market the film as a simple and cute film that kids will enjoy but "Zootopia" provides adults with a much more mature and [at times] grounded film. Taking a lot of the elements of buddy cop films of the 80's, the filmmakers cleverly take certain issues that most animated films would never touch. As a lover of police dramas and procedurals, I couldn't help but enjoy myself when sitting in that theater and watching Hopps and Wilde go on this crazy adventure together.

In a time when everyone points fingers and shouts words like "racist" or "sexist", it really is pleasing to see a film like "Zootopia" come along and teach kids that it's okay to be different but not okay to be stereotyped. While most Disney films have a strong message of "dream hard to get your wish" or "you can do anything if you don't give up", this film chooses to discuss issues of xenophobia, racism and stereotypes, which is quite refreshing. Having different species of mammals at odds with each other or judging each other was a clear, simple, yet effective way to portray how horrible racism is to children. However, there is a catch...

While "Zootopia"'s message is important and covered to a certain degree, it does falter in a few parts of the film. Xenophobia is a difficult topic to teach your kids and the writers/creators of "Zootopia" tried their darnedest to make it simple and easy to understand, but the impact of said message didn't feel as profound as it should have been. While a film like "Inside Out" proves that you can express extremely complicated emotions and messages to children in a simple and clever way, it seems that "Zootopia" tried to over simplify it, thereby making it less impactful and meaningful. By the end of the film, you don't remember the message as much as the charming characters or situations. The simplification of the message doesn't hurt the film's plotline or overall flow, but it would have been nice for the filmmakers to put just a little more thought into how to convey such a difficult yet crucial issue. Today, we still live in a world where racism and sexism flourish in our society and kids all over the world should hear this message loud and clear. In "Zootopia", the message is loud but not clear.

On a side note, there was one small thing I've noticed [that honestly is trivial but important at the same time] in the film that literally broke the rules of its own universe. The universe of "Zootopia" is a world inhabited only by anthropomorphic mammals. There is no other evidence of other groups of animals living in said world. No fishes nor insects nor amphibians nor reptiles nor birds. However, the character Yax (voiced by Cheech & Chong's Tommy Chong) is constantly surrounded by a cloud of flies, which clearly doesn't make sense since insects are not a group of animal that exists in this universe so how is Yax always covered in flies...? It saddens me that the filmmakers weren't thinking too carefully about the world they created.

Overall, "Zootopia" is a very well rounded, cute, funny and adventurous film that everyone should see. Although it does have a few flaws concerning the universe it creatives, the certain lack of creative choices and its message, the film is insanely enjoyable and fun for your kids. Without a doubt, "Zootopia" is miles ahead of "Frozen", "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Tangled". Take your kids (or yourself) to see the film in theaters today because I'm giving it a 8.5 out of 10.

Go see it in theaters in 2D, Real-D 3D and IMAX 3D today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/zootopia_183935/movietimes