The hilarious misadventures of Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike aka Gone Girl Review

David Fincher. He has some of the most stunning movies out there. Seven, Fight Club and The Social Network to name but a few. This time around he goes for something a little bit different,with Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick Harris along for the ride. The story to Gone Girl is about Nick Dunne (Affleck) who comes home one day to find his wife, Amy Elliott Dunne (Pike), is missing. He brings in the police and that is where I am going to leave you. I will not spoil Gone Girl for you, I can’t and won’t do it. I will give you a spoiler free review though so here we go.

Gone Girl is a fascinating movie. It’s incredibly real but at the same time surreal. The characters are people you know in your life but then they do the most off the wall intense actions which will leave you dumbfounded. I never say this, but it was a roller-coaster of emotions from start to finish and by the time the end credits roll you will be exhausted. I haven’t watched such an intense and engaging movie in a long time, I honestly can’t, and that is where Gone Girl excels, being utterly unforgettable. Our leads are superb, in particular Pike who gives the best performance of her career, I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t get an Oscar nod at least. Then comes Affleck’s Nick Dunne, who is very much a mystery for most of Gone Girl as you get many different perspectives on him, with Ben Affleck bringing his A game to Gone Girl.

Please just accept me as Batman and we can all move on with our lives.

Unfortunately it’s not all a bed of roses. Some of the characters are a bit on the clichéd side which could be forgiven in a lesser movie but not in Gone Girl. Then there is Neil Patrick Harris, who gives in a cartoonish performance as Desi Collins, a cheap knock off of Barney Stinson. I know I said that the surrealism of the movie at times adds a great layer to Gone Girl but Harris felt slightly out of place. His character feels like Bizarro Barney; Imagine all the ridiculousness of Barney thrown into a real world situation and it just comes off as odd.

There is then the time, clocking in at just two and a half hours, Gone Girl feels bloated. I have to say, as the movie came to its conclusion, I wished that Gone Girl had ended just fifteen or twenty minutes sooner. These are however a few nitpicks but they are still nitpicks which take away the perfect score Gone Girl deserves. What surprised and intrigued me was the level of humour that was so organic and felt well earned. The preview screening was packed and roaring with laughter whenever a situation called for it. It was great, and again added another appreciated layer to the film.

Between the stunning scene set ups, the outstanding performances and the intense atmosphere, Gone Girl flirts with perfection. Unfortunately a bloated length, a clichéd supporting cast and a cartoonish Neil Patrick Harris takes away from this almost masterpiece. I'm being harsh but with such strong expectations you have to. Let me know what you thought. Too tough or too nice? Did it hit perfection or was it just shy? Catch you later.

3/5

Some Movie Reviews and a movie interview

Hey guys, so it's been a little while and I've been up to a ton of stuff. I've seen a ton of movies and I've again gotten to interview some choice actors and an up and coming director. A week or two back I got to interview Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon and Irish director Gary Shore for Universal's latest, Dracula Untold. There's a link below for the interview with them and it was pretty great. Again I owe it to Scannain.com for giving me the opportunity because it was a lot of fun. I've also seen some movies as well, Annabelle, Gone Girl, The Maze Runner as well as A Most Wanted Man and Robert Downey Jrs up and coming passion piece The Judge with Robert Duvall. Things are going really well with Geek Ireland, you should definitely check out our site and as per usual I'll keep you guys up to date with my goings ons, my interviews, my reviews and my shenanigans. So as to not leave you with nothing. I'll leave you a few images from the Dracula Untold premier and the link to the interview with Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon and Gary Shore. Later guys.

Interview with the cast and director of Dracula Untold.

It's been awhile, what have I been up to?

Well it's been a a few months since the last update from my blog. Since the Noah review I've been interviewing, reviewing and acting. I've been in a movie called Poison Pen, which opened in the Galway Film Festival. I've seen a lot of movies, ranging from the grand Guardians Of Galaxy to the terrible Tammy.

My work with Geek Ireland has really grown in popularity, I'll link some of the articles I've penned as well as some of the competitions Geek Ireland has set up. In particular, we have a great competition where you can win a pair of tickets to a Studio Ghibli Movie season going on in Screen Cinema.

What's been really weird is that I even got to stretch my acting muscles in Fair City, that's right Fair City. If you're a fan of Fair City you can probably catch me on an episode in the next week or two.

I've gotten to interview the Director and Producer of Planes Fire and Rescue, as well as voice acting legend Liam O'Brien, who has given life to animated characters like Gaara of the anime Naruto, War from the Darksiders video game series and Nightcrawler and Angel from Wolverine and the X-Men. The cherry on my career cake was my interview with Daniel Radcliffe for his new movie What If. You guys should seriously check it  out, it's a great movie. Check out the video below and I hope you enjoyed my long overdue update. Next one shouldn't take as long.

Noah Movie Review

Bitchin'

There have been many movies over the years which deal with biblical figures and event, The Passion of The Christ, The Prince Of Egypt, Life Of Brian, my personal favourite is The Prince Of Egypt, deep, meaningful and stunning animation. That brings me to Noah, Darren Aronofsky's take on the biblical tale with Russell Crowe as the titular figure, along with Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Ray Winston and Anthony Hopkins. Noah tells the story of Noah the descendant of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve and the journey he must take from simple father to biblical saviour. Along the way he'll converse with fallen angels, do battle with the descendant of Cain and his armies and deal with a teenager who is really hung up on sex.

Noah is an unusual take on the biblical tale as it deals with some unanswered questions some people might have. One such question is, how the hell did Noah build that ark for every conceivable creature on Earth? Well in this iteration he is helped by the "Watchers", a group of fallen angels on Earth who volunteer to help Noah build the ark after they realise that the "Creator" has chosen him to save the innocent, aka the animals. Which is an interesting storyline, the animals are the ones to be saved not humanity. Noah points it out several times that man has to be obliterated, humanity has to be destroyed so that Earth can go on with its innocence intact. It's a dark theme and the movie follows that theme well. With its brutal characters and at times disturbing imagery, one particular moment is when Noah goes into the enemy camp looking for wives for his two sons and he see's himself as a disgusting, evil scavenger feasting on a living feral dog, Noah will stick with you for a while after the credits roll. 

I am the storm.

The visuals also reflect the dark theme, there is nothing bright and colourful in this world, except when they show what the Garden of Eden looked like.The muted colours are clearly there to give an apocalyptic feel to the movie and it works well. The characters also add to this atmospheric world, for example Russell Crowe is superb as Noah. He is a believable father who tries to nurture his family the best way he knows how, all the while having to deal with the fact that he has to judge all of humanity. Emma Watson is great as Illa a young woman in love with Noah's eldest, Shem. She gives a wonderful performance throughout the entire movie and I thoroughly enjoyed her in Noah. The rest of the cast are okay,unfortunately they can be pretty forgettable.Some of them are simply spouting important information you need to know but apart from Ray Winston's Tubail-Cain the rest of the characters are as interesting as the animals Noah is saving.

The biggest problem I had with the movie in the end was the message and who it was directed towards. They show you how the "Creator" created everything and it is the oddest mish mash of beliefs I have ever seen and I still don't know how I feel about it. There is then the whole pc issue, this movie was made to please everyone, between the combined creation theory to the fact that God is never called God I just kind of felt like, make a statement. Pick a side. It irked me and I just couldn't get past it.

Visually stunning, biblically brutal reshaping of the story of Noah. A muddled execution at times doesn't stop Noah from giving you an epic story full of wonder, tragedy and boulder angels.
Rating; 3/5

Captain America The Winter Soldier Film Review

Captain America The Winter Soldier is the sequel to Captain America The First Avenger and The Avengers. Captain America The Winter Soldier is the final film before The Avengers Age Of Ultron and after Thor The Dark World and Iron Man 3, it has a lot to live up to. Especially since some fans felt Captain America The First Avenger was the weakest of the Avenger films.Not only that a percentage of fans felt he was one of the less interesting characters in The Avengers. Well I've seen it and I'm here to let you know how Captain America The Winter Soldier fares against all those other superhero movies out there. Read on Agents.

The Winter Soldier, terrifying. 

It's been an undisclosed amount of time since The Avengers and Steve is still learning to acclimate to his new surroundings. He's taken up residence in Washington DC(bit on the nose don't you think) and he's now working for S.H.I.E.L.D as a full time agent. As missions go down he begins to question Nick Fury and what he is doing for S.H.I.E.L.D, as he questions everything around him and lamenting for everything he has lost, his friends, his world, his innocence. Then Nick gets attacked and Steve is implemented in the conspiracy around that whole attack so from that point on he is on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D with Black Widow and Falcon in tow to help him sift through all the conspiracy crap and to find out who the mysterious Winter Soldier is and what his connection is to Captain America.

With Captain America The Winter Soldier a lot of promises were made. We were given a storyline which involved a character that is a fan favourite to every Marvel comic book reader, the Winter Soldier and he is fantastic. Every scene that he is in is just elevated from your run of the mill action sequence to something deep, dark and visceral. He is legitimately threatening, at times depressing and an all round fantastic live action interpretation of the Winter Soldier. What is unfortunate is that, in my opinion, he is not in it enough and is also not given nearly enough lines. The dynamic between Steve and new guy Sam Wilson aka Falcon is handled well, both are men who have come back from war and don't know how to adjust to the "softer" side of life and there is a real sense of brotherhood here as Sam looks to Steve as both a symbol that needs to be protected and as a friend who needs help. Unfortunately this cannot be said for the "relationship" between Steve and Natasha, shoehorned into this budding friendship is a kind of weird attraction that just does not work because Scarlett Johansson is not great in this film. She is without a doubt one of the weaker elements of an almost perfect movie and on that note I'll mention the other weak link, Robert Redford who plays Alexander Pierce a character who is pretty forgettable. He is just there to put a face to the enemy and what dignified face it is but that's really it if you're looking for more interesting villains look elsewhere.

The story is pretty deep and raises so many interesting questions, for example I honestly don't know how Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D will go on now and I really like that. The ramifications of this movie will be felt throughout the entire series of films dare I say even more so than any other Marvel movie. With Stephen Strange mentioned, the status quo of the Marvel Universe up in the air and an end credits scene that sets up The Avengers Age Of Ultron perfectly this is my favourite Marvel sequel and in my opinion the best Marvel sequel. With intense, focused action and depth that wasn't in the last movie Captain America The Winter Soldier is a fantastic movie for everyone.

Rating: 4/5

Labor Day Movie Review

Tons of fun with your kidnapper.

I was invited along to the press screening of Labor Day last Friday, from what I knew about the filmed it starred an unusual cast which was lead by Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. Among the cast was J.K Simmons, Clark Gregg and James Van Der Beek!? All the while this movie was narrated by ex Spider-Man Tobey Maguire. Labor Day has the premise of a Saturday Night Live sketch and I could not get past that. If you're still interesting read on Agents.


Our movie follows Henry, a boy who's mother Adelle has entered into a depression due to her husband leaving her for another woman. As Henry states it she gave up on love and becomes a nervous wreck, not being able to leave the house except for once a month when Henry and herself head to the local grocery store to restock on food, essentials etc. On the latest occasion Henry wanders around checking out comics and vogue when he bumps into Frank, a man on the run who kidnaps Henry and Adelle and holds them captive in their own home which is kind of ironic since they both are already prisoners due to the mother's crippling depression. Labor Day then goes on with the two leads as they learn to love each other. He learns to care for someone again and she learns to be a somewhat competent human being. I'm serious the characterisation in this movie is terrible, especially with Adelle.


What I had to keep reminding myself of was that Frank had kidnapped them, every now and then someone comes over just to remind the audience that he is a bad man then they leave and he becomes the ultimate domestic God that every woman fantasizes about.This movie feels like one of those Daniel Steele novels, a female character who can't do anything for herself gets kidnapped by a strong man who then falls in love with her and becomes a better person for her. What made this uncomfortable was the fact that a child is involved. There is a scene, I shit you not where Henry is listening in on Adelle and Frank having sex and it is super creepy. I suppose that is the main element here, a lot of this film is super creepy.


Only one or two of the characters are in anyway convincing as actual human beings. Clark Gregg and Josh Brolin give great performances, Clark coming off as a father who is just trying to do his best and Brolin's Frank is charming and broken and as you learn about him you actually begin to care unfortunately this is all bogged down with some of the most awkward acting I've seen in a long time. In Labor Day there are some interesting and moving scenes but they could have been more interesting movies by themselves than part of Labor Day. As well as that the confusing and frustrating ending which just infuriates me to no end. This movie insults women, men and small children with cliche upon cliche. Then there is that odd scene where Brolin bakes a pie with Winslet, weird.


Rating:1.5/5


Two great actors do not make a great film.

300 Rise Of An Empire Movie Review

In 2007 a film hit our screens that would change how we viewed visual effects. 300 was a Greek legend that was re-imagined into a comic book extravaganza by the legendary Frank Miller. It was then brought to us by director Zack Snyder. It was one of the smash hits of the year and brought Snyder up to elite status, as far as Hollywood directors go. Fast forward seven years, Warner Bros. brings us a sequel titled 300 Rise Of An Empire. The question is, did we really need a sequel?

300 Rise Of An Empire is set some time after the events of 300. Xerxes defeated Leonidas and all of Greece is about to be levelled by the God King. However the warriors of Athens believe that they can use Leonidas' sacrifice to rally all of Greece to combat this threat. A new cast of characters are introduced, plus a few surprise cameos. Leading the cast is Sullivan Stapleton as Athenian, leader Themistocles, and Eva Green as the primary villain, Artmeisia. There's also a supporting cast that includes many from the first film such as Lena Heady and David Wenham returning as Queen Gorgo and Dillios respectively.

300 Rise Of An Empire was an interesting experience in the fact that many wondered if the success of the previous film could be replicated again this time around. The limited plot and dialogue was all forgiven in the first film because it was masked by a visual awesomeness we had never seen before, but now we're four Zack Snyder movies in. We're used to his brand of visuals by now, so all attention is on how well everything else is executed.

First off I'd like to say there are a ton of returning elements, such as over-the-top violence, beautiful scenery both punctuated by slow motion. Slow motion scene after slow motion scene. You see where this is going. Why this worked in the first film was that Zach Snyder knew how to use it to its full potential. Noam Murro, who takes the director's chair in this film, uses this same technique seemingly just for the sake of having them. It makes for some awkward of moments. The dialogue is not only less punchy and dramatic but also feels a bit recycled at times. Different characters will spew the exact piece of inspiring dialogue that was used in 300. I suppose that is the whole problem with this film, everything that could really have been said well was already said.

300 Rise Of An Empire does have redeeming qualities in the shape of its two leads, Eva Green and Sullivan Stapleton, who play their roles fantastically. Green especially was a fantastic villain; she brought so much to the role. Her back story (one of many) stands out the most, she easily has the best lines and some of the most memorable scenes in the entire film. Sullivan Stapleton is given the unenviable role of Leonidas 2.0, which he fills out very well and then some. Themistocles is his own man with unique and interesting skills, and I found him to be an interesting protagonist. Also, when the final battle kicks off at the end, I got chills. That's saying something when a movie is filled with nothing but battle after battle.

Rating; 3/5

Batman's 75th Anniversary: The Top Five Batmen

The 75th Anniversary of our favorite Dark Knight is coming up, and as a way to begin the celebration of this momentous occasion, we take a look at the top five Batmen throughout the DC multi-verse. We take a look at the comics, the cartoons and the many, many films about our favorite caped crusader. Batman has become a pop culture icon, rivalling that of Superman. 

5. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Brave and The Bold indeed.

A lot of you may be wondering what is this cartoon series doing in the hallowed list of favorite Batmans. This series was a true homage to every aspect of the Batman you'll ever find, namely from the Golden and Silver ages. Was it childish? It's a kids' show, you be the judge. Did it always hit the mark with jokes and story-lines? Again, it's a kids' show, there are usually spectacular hits and misses. The animation was top notch for what it was, the humor was, for the most part, brilliant, and the wide cast of characters was diverse enough to keep things interesting. The series knew how to balance every aspect of Batman's long career, from all the silly story-lines along to some of the deepest and darkest ones. Diedrich Bader brought the dry humour to the otherwise brooding vigilante, which was surprisingly fantastic. If you ever watch one episode watch "Chill Of The Night," you will be hooked.

4. Batman: Earth One

More man than bat.

DC Comics' Earth One graphic novel series is populated by a scant amount of superhuman beings. Superman has only made himself known for a few months, and...that's pretty much it. So far, there is no Wonder Woman, no Green Lantern, and no Green Arrow in Star City. Yet. Like Clark, this was a younger Bruce; however, this version was incredibly naive and filled with even more anger than any of Frank Miller's versions. That's kind of saying something... Either way, it was incredibly refreshing. This was a Bruce who made mistakes, who miscalculated and grew right in front of our eyes. This is also the first Batman in recent memory where you can see his pupils under the cowl. You wouldn't think so, but this actually makes a difference. We see the man behind the bat and it makes him so much more accessible. And what's Batman without his superb partner in crime, Alfred? Bruce's guardian and butler is a no nonsense ex-Royal Marine who trains Bruce so that he can be better at combating the villainy of Gotham. Then there are James Gordon and Harvey Bullock who both make for an interesting odd couple dynamic. Gary Frank's art on every page is a visual wonder, a great accompaniment to Geoff Johns. This is definitely a recommended read for any Batman fan.

3. Batman Beyond (Terry McGinnis)

A new Bat for a new generation.

Set several decades later in the DC Animated Universe, Batman Beyond features a retired and very aged Bruce Wayne. He is way past his prime, and has long hung up the cape and cowl. Batman was no more. That is, until Terry McGinnis loses his father, finds out Bruce is Batman, and then steals the high tech Batsuit for justice. After showing Bruce that he has potential to be Gotham's next Batman, Terry takes his place as Bruce's protége. The dynamic between the two is one of the more compelling reasons why we stayed on for as long as the network allowed. It was very reluctant teacher mentoring reluctant student. They bicker, they fight, they reconcile, and they become closer for it.

Terry's career as Batman had two notable events that secured him a place on our list. The first was when the Joker returned to exact his revenge on the world in Return of the Joker. The second was when we found out Terry's true parentage in Justice League Unlimited, "Epilogue."

2. Batman and Robin (Dick Grayson)

Grayson and Wayne.

Dick Grayson has had the most natural and fascinating development of any superhero in all of comic book history. His journey from wide eyed sidekick to taking up the mantle of Batman has not been an easy one, but when Bruce "died," the most natural and obvious choice to be the new Batman was Grayson. With a new Robin by his side, the brash and arrogant little tyke, Damian Wayne, Grayson took to Gotham and he was fantastic. His tenure as the Dark Knight was a memorable one. He had his own incredible roster of villains that included Professor Pyg and Mister Toad, two wonderfully twisted characters.

1. Batman: The Animated Series

A genre defining cartoon.

Of course we have to mention Bruce Timm's Batman The Animated Series. It's a 90s gem almost all of us grew up loving. Every aspect of it was seamless, every voice was chosen with care and love. Kevin Conroy could play the vulnerable Bruce Wayne who could charm all the ladies, and then switch to the denizen of the dark recesses of every nightmare of every criminal with a flip of the switch. He didn't need a gravel infused voice (we're looking at you Christian Bale) to make you believe he was two different men.

So there you have it. The top five Batmen. Do you have any favorites? Let us know in the comments section below!

Muppets Most Wanted Movie Review

The Muppets are back again with Muppets Most Wanted. Last time around we saw the gang get back together with a film full of everything that made the Muppets great, musical numbers, audacious celebrity cameos and top notch humour that hits every demographic. The Muppets came back in a big way, and naturally we asked the inevitable question, will there be a sequel? Chances certainly looked high. It was crazy successful in the box office, and it won Oscar for "Best Original Song." After all of that, my brain could only think, "God, I hope it's decent."

Muppets Most Wanted picks up directly after the previous film and brings up an excellent issue, what next? The gang is back together and they are once again successful (kind of). What's the next step? Enter Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), a promoter who wishes to "help" the Muppets get worldwide recognition with a world tour. Their first stop is the comedy central of the world, Berlin. There, Kermit is mistaken as the number one criminal in the world, Constantine. The real Constantine pulls the ol' switcheroo, takes his place with the Muppets, and poor Kermit gets placed in a Gulag in Siberia. The jail is run by Nadya (Tina Fey), a woman with incredible ambition, drive, and a little crush on Kermit.

Danny Trejo is annoyed at Kermit.

Muppets Most Wanted is an unusual film in that I felt I have seen this plot before. All the elements of previous Muppet films are there. Kermit is trying to keep the madness created by his friends focussed while he fends off the advances of Miss Piggy (didn't they marry two decades ago?). The Muppets themselves don't listen to Kermit until they realise they may not have him around any more. Also Walter (one of the main cast from the previous film) is relegated to supporting cast member and is barely given any material to work with -- an unfortunate outcome considering they made such a big deal about adding a new Muppet.

Thankfully, that is where my problems with Muppets Most Wanted end. If you can get past these little issues you will be in for a real treat. Tina Fey was absolutely hilarious, and her supporting cast was top notch. Ricky Gervais continues to impress as he brings a needed edge to this film. Ty Burrell partnered with Sam Eagle was non-stop laughs.

Muppets Most Wanted feels like an homage back to the days when song and dance was the norm in films and I loved it. It's not perfect but it brought me back to those evenings I'd stay up and watch The Muppet Show on television where I would just lose myself in their ridiculousness.

Rating: 4/5

Warner Bros. Announces New Tarzan Epic

WARNER BROS. PICTURES SWINGS INTO A NEW BIG-SCREEN

TARZAN ADVENTURE, SLATED FOR A JULY 1, 2016 RELEASE

Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie, and Christoph Waltz

are starring under the direction of David Yates, with Jerry Weintraub producing.

BURBANK, CA – February 11, 2014 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that the Studio has entered into pre-production on a new live-action 3D Tarzan action adventure, bringing Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary character back to the big screen. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. 

Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, also announced that the film has been slated to open in the U.S. on July 1, 2016. 

Alexander Skarsgård (HBO’s “True Blood”) has been set to star as the man who was orphaned as a baby and raised in the jungle, later to return to the urban jungle of London. The film also stars Oscar® nominee Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction”); Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), as Jane Porter, who becomes the love of Tarzan’s life; and two-time Academy Award® winner Christoph Waltz (“Inglourious Basterds,” “Django Unchained”).

David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters, will direct the new feature from a screenplay based on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. A Jerry Weintraub production, the film is being produced by Weintraub (“Behind the Candelabra,” the “Ocean’s” trilogy), together with David Barron and Alan Riche.

In making the announcement, Silverman said, “We have assembled a phenomenal international cast to tell this extraordinary story. Warner Bros. has also enjoyed long and successful collaborations with both David Yates and Jerry Weintraub, and we look forward to seeing what they and the entire team have in store for this timeless tale.”

Kroll added, “Tarzan has been an enduring and enigmatic figure in literature and cinema for more than a century. The adventures of a man who was torn between two worlds has entertained and intrigued people young and old, and we are excited to bring him to the screen for a new generation.”

Fellman stated, “This is a perfect entry for the summer movie season corridor, with a terrific combination of action, adventure, romance and suspense that is sure to appeal to a broad audience.” 

Jerry Weintraub added, “I am so pleased to be reuniting with the team at Warner Bros. on this thrilling project. David Yates and I are going to be using the best of today’s technology in creating this new adventure, and we can’t wait to get started.”

Breaking Superman Versus Batman Casting News.

JESSE EISENBERG AND JEREMY IRONS JOIN THE CAST OF

WARNER BROS. PICTURES’ UNTITLED SUPERMAN/BATMAN FILM

FROM DIRECTOR ZACK SNYDER

Eisenberg to star as Superman’s greatest foe, Lex Luthor, while Irons takes on the role of Alfred.

BURBANK, CA, January 31, 2014 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Jesse Eisenberg has been set to star as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons will play Alfred in the upcoming Zack Snyder untitled Superman/Batman film. The dual announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Snyder stated, “Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”

The director added, “As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”

Eisenberg received Academy Award®, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award® and BAFTA Award nominations for his starring role as Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher’s “The Social Network.” He also starred in Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love” and Louis Letterier’s “Now You See Me.” He next appears in “The Double” and “Night Moves.”

Irons won the Academy Award® for his portrayal of Claus von Bülow in “Reversal of Fortune.” His work in the film also garnered him a Golden Globe Award. He won an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® for his performance in the TV miniseries “Elizabeth I,” opposite Helen Mirren, and recently starred on the small screen as Rodrigo Borgia in Neil Jordan’s highly acclaimed Showtime series “The Borgias,” for which Irons earned a Golden Globe nomination. He was recently nominated for a SAG Award® for the PBS Great Performances television miniseries “The Hollow Crown,” for his performance as Henry IV.

Snyder’s film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also reunites “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

The new film is currently being written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

The film is set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, and is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

Grudge Match Film Review

Grudge Match, a film about two geriatric boxers striving for personal glory in a world that has given up on them. Starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro this film centres around a fanboys dream. What if Rocky Balboa went up against Jake Lamotta? Who would win? Who would lose and most importantly, would we(the audience) care? Grudge Match has a lot going for it, a decent cast, an(almost) original plot and decent talent behind the camera, Peter Segal(Get Smart).

Razor and Kid(Stallone and De Niro respectively) are two washed up boxers, each living their lives the best way they know how. Razor is working at a factory having lost all his winnings due to some swindling and bad money management(Rocky 4 anyone?), Kid owns a bar and a car dealership but you can tell that he will never let go of the loss that he suffered at the hands of Razor all those years ago. Both men are living in the past albeit in very different ways, Razor is trying to forget while Kid is desperately holding on. Events take place and both men are offered the chance to settle the score once and for all, to decide which of the two of them is the greater boxer and during the course of the film they both learn what it means to move on from the mistakes they made in the past all the while preparing for this event that will mean closure for the both of them.

One of the weirder and funnier moments.

I'm unsure about this film. There were moments where I was genuinely interested with what happened to these two guys and the circle of friends and family they have surrounded themselves with. BJ(Jon Bernthal) is a wonderful character who has some great scenes with Kid. They bounce off each other fantastically and you can feel an actual warmth growing as the film progresses, this can be said the same between Razor and Lightning(Alan Arkin) who have this wonderful chemistry due to their long standing friendship. There's some good humour peppered throughout the film and each character is given enough time and fairness to him so that neither comes off as an antagonist or a protagonist(you may argue that Razor is a more likeable character and though at times this can be true he has as many flaws as Kid). The problem with Grudge Match is funnily enough the Grudge Match, not nearly as interesting as it should have been and the ending is so full of sporting film cliches that it would make the Rocky film blush. In the end I enjoyed this film, it's okay not great, not bad just okay and Stallone does not deserve a Razzy for this performance. So I'll finish with the immortal words of Henry "Razor" Sharp, "it's not the best but it's the best we got".

Jack Ryan: Film Review

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is an unusual film in that it is about a character who is the poster child for a lot of Tom Clancy's novels and films inspired by his novels. The character of Jack Ryan has had many faces, Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and now Chris Pine. Very much like James Bond, the character of Jack Ryan is the American super spy though unlike Bond the narrative makes Jack Ryan out to be an every man, an average Joe who rises to the occasion to become something more. It is this every man style of narrative that most films go for to bring the audience closer to it's protagonist.

With this reboot we start at the beginning(again) of Jack Ryan's career. This time however it is brought into the modern era. We meet Jack Ryan in his formative years in college, then 9/11 occurs and we are flash forwarded to Jack Ryan as a soldier, his unit is attacked and we are(again) flash forwarded to him in his rehabilitation where we meet Cathy(Kiera Knightley), the love interest. Jack is then recruited by shadowy agent Thomas Harper(Kevin Costner) to help with protecting the United States from terrorist actions. Flash forward(seriously?) ten years and we begin the narrative anew with Jack Ryan being sent to Russia(that's right the Russians are the bad guys) to seek out the nefarious leader of a conspiracy that may bring the United States to its knees.

Hey,have you ever wanted to travel back in time to a place where Americans are always good guys and Russians are bad guys and are patriotic to the extent that they will destroy an entire nation just to feel important again? Well you've come to the right place, welcome to cliche 90's film which is unusually set in 2014. There is so much wrong with this film,from the boring action set pieces to the unbelievably bad Kiera Knightley who gives such a terrible performance it just aches to watch, every little romantic moment her and Pine have is full of cliche's and I cringed watching every single one.



The most disappointing part of this film is the talent on hand and the talent behind the camera. I mean come on, Kenneth Branagh is the man who brought Thor to the mainstream. He is a fantastic actor, writer and director, so what happened? His character is laughably bad and is given literally two dimensions to work with. There is a terrorist attack shoe horned into the last twenty minutes which is absolutely ridiculous. Well there you have it, a film that celebrates everything America, Michael Bay would be proud.

Breaking News from Marvel: Michael Douglas is Hank Pym

Michael Douglas has stepped is now a Superhero. Hell he is now an Avenger.
The two-time Academy Award-winning actor will join director Edgar Wright and Paul Rudd in Marvel's "Ant-Man," hitting theaters July 31, 2015.

"With Hank Pym's rich history in the Marvel Universe, we knew we needed an actor capable of bringing the weight and stature to the role that the character deserves," said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. "We felt incredibly relieved when Michael Douglas agreed to step into the part with the charm and fortitude he brings to every character he inhabits, and couldn't be more excited to see what he will do to bring Hank Pym to life."

This is Michael Douglas, I know I'm as surprised as you.

The legendary actor, who earned an Academy Award in the category of Best Actor in a Leading Role for his iconic portrayal of Gordon Gecko in "Wall Street," has also starred in numerous modern classics including "Basic Instinct," "Fatal Attraction," "The Game," "Wonder Boys," "Traffic" and many more. In addition to acting, Douglas has also served as Producer and Executive Producer on a number of films including "Romancing the Stone," John Carpenter's "Starman" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," for which he also won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Most recently, Douglas earned a Golden Globe and his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role as legendary entertainer Liberace in the HBO original film "Behind the Candelabra."

Douglas will star as Hank Pym, who first appeared in TALES TO ASTONISH #27 (Jan. 1962), with Rudd starring as Scott Lang in the film. Who saw this coming, not me, I am in absolute shock. Comment below and let us know what you think about this earth shattering news.

More on Marvel.com: http://marvel.com/news/movies/2014/1/13/21746/michael_douglas_to_star_as_hank_pym_in_marvels_ant-man#ixzz2qJN8g5Qu

Sherlock His Last Vow Review

It's been a turbulent three weeks for Sherlock. His whole life has been turned upside down after his return from his apparent death. With the loss of his flat mate, the introduction of a wonderful new person to his inner circle(Mary) and the fallout of Moriarty there ha been many difficulties for Sherlock. However there has been nothing more turbulent and terrible than fan reaction to each and every episode that has been released these last few weeks. With fans having mixed opinions to the third season ranging from absolute love to claims of shark jumping this season has been the most unusual. With that we go into the season finale of Sherlock with the long awaited introduction of Charles Augustus Magnussen, the ultimate douche. Just to let you know now this is a spoiler free review, I hope you enjoy.



It's been a month now since the wedding and Sherlock and Watson haven't seen each other since then. In a series of unbelievable events they meet up again. Sherlock explains that he is on to his hardest and most dangerous case to date and he hopes that Watson will join him and because Watson is getting restless he jumps on the opportunity. They come face to face with Magnussen and within five minutes of meeting him both they and the audience want to take him down. With every episode there is the twists and turns but with this I found the twists just mind boggling. Between the villainous turns of Magnussen who just oozes disgust and evil, the wonderful scenes between Mary, Watson and Sherlock that show how Sherlock clearly loves and respects these two people and that is one of the most genuine and touching parts of this episode and the season as a whole. 

There are some genuine what the fuck moments in this episode that are just pure Moffat and that can be good and bad. For the most part it is fantastic but then it starts to get a bit laboured. In particular the moment at the end. When I saw it all I could think is one thing, this could be a Doctor Who plot, some of the dialogue is even reminiscent of an episode of Doctor Who. I won't lie I was torn between wow they just did that to wow, did they just do that?

With an unusual ending with twist upon twist upon shenanigan, great dialogue and wonderful character moments this was a great way to end the season just wish they didn't pull some stuff from Doctor Who to forward their series. Also stay after the credits, it's freaky.

Rating; 3.5/5

Interstellar news

INTERSTELLAR, Cert tbc will be released in Ireland on 7th November 2014

Directed and co-written by Christopher Nolan (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy), the production will travel the globe and utilize a mixture of 35mm anamorphic and IMAX film photography to bring to the screen a script based on the combination of an original idea by Nolan and an existing script by Jonathan Nolan, originally developed for Paramount Pictures and producer Lynda Obst. The new script chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage. Here is the teaser for your bewilderment:



“Interstellar” features a prestigious cast that includes Matthew McConaughey (“Magic Mike,” “Mud”), Academy Award® winner Anne Hathaway (“Les Miserables,” “The Dark Knight Rises”), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Tree of Life”), Bill Irwin (“Rachel Getting Married,” TV’s “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”), Academy Award® nominee John Lithgow (“Terms of Endearment,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), Academy Award® nominee Casey Affleck (“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” “Gone Baby Gone”), David Gyasi (“Cloud Atlas”), Wes Bentley (“The Hunger Games”), Mackenzie Foy (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 and 2”), Timothée Chalamet (TV’s “Homeland”), Topher Grace (“Spider-Man 3”), David Oyelowo (“Jack Reacher,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), Academy Award® winner Ellen Burstyn (“The Last Picture Show,” “The Exorcist”), and Academy Award® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy).



The film is being produced by Academy Award® nominee Emma Thomas (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy) and Lynda Obst (“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “The Siege”). Renowned theoretical physicist Kip Thorne is consulting on the film as well as serving as executive producer, along with Jake Myers (“Jack Reacher,” “RED,” “RED 2”) and Jordan Goldberg (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy).



The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” “The Fighter”), Academy Award®-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley (“The Dark Knight” Trilogy), Academy Award®-nominated costume designer Mary Zophres (“Gangster Squad,” “True Grit”) Academy Award®-nominated editor Lee Smith “The Dark Knight” Trilogy,” “Elysium”), Academy Award®-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“The Lion King,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy), and Academy Award®-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Franklin (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy).

Big Warner Bros. Film News

EDGE OF TOMORROW

Oscar® nominee Tom Cruise (the “Mission: Impossible” films, “Collateral,” “Jerry Maguire”) and Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada,” “The Adjustment Bureau”) star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ sci-fi thriller “Edge of Tomorrow,” under the direction of Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”).

The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.

Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again.

But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFUT7FzyGTA

The international cast also includes Bill Paxton (“Aliens,” HBO’s “Big Love”), Kick Gurry (Australian TV’s “Tangle”), Dragomir Mrsic (“Snabba Cash II”), Charlotte Riley (“World Without End”), Jonas Armstrong (BBC TV’s “Robin Hood”), and Franz Drameh (“Attack the Block”).

Liman is directing “Edge of Tomorrow” from a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie and Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth, based on the acclaimed novel All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Erwin Stoff produces, along with Tom Lassally, Jason Hoffs, Gregory Jacobs and Jeffrey Silver. The executive producers are Doug Liman, Dave Bartis, Joby Harold, Hidemi Fukuhara, and Bruce Berman, with Kim Winther and Tim Lewis serving as co-producers.

The behind-the-scenes team includes Academy Award®-winning director of photography Dion Beebe (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), production designer Oliver Scholl (“Jumper,” “Independence Day”), editor James Herbert (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”), costume designer Kate Hawley (upcoming “Pacific Rim”), and Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Nick Davis (“The Dark Knight”).

“Edge of Tomorrow” is the first motion picture to be shot at the recently christened Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.



Edge of Tomorrow, Cert TBC will be released in Ireland on 30th May 2014