Trailer for Omnibus 'The Turning' with Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving, and More

Omnibus films have always had a hard time finding an audience, no matter the amount of big names that may be attached. Case in point the Australian anthology film The Turning, which features performances by Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving, and Miranda Otto, along with segments directed by David Wenham, Mia Wasikowska, and Justin Kurzel. Completed in 2013, it still hasn't secured a U.S. date but has a new trailer ahead of its U.K. release.

Based on the short stories of Tim Winton, The Turning tells ten interweaving stories largely centered on the troubled Lang family. Here's the official synopsis:

Ten stories interweave in their respective narratives, creating an intriguing and twisting central plot-line that often centres around the enigmatic members of the Lang family, each consumed by their shared pasts.

The Turning explores the impact of past on present, how the seemingly random incidents that change and shape us can never be escaped or let go of. All of the stories are bound together by recurring themes; the passing of time, regret, addiction and obsession.

A 90-minute broadcast version aired in Australia early last year, but the cut headed to theaters elsewhere would presumably run the full 180 minutes. The Turning opens in the UK on February 6th.

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Magic is Cast in New Trailer for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella'

There are so many versions of Cinderella's story that I'm pretty sure we've all lost count, and even Disney itself has got a few, which now includes the live-action version of their originally animated Cinderella. And while the story has the possibility of becoming tiresome and worn out, the new trailer for the film, which stars Lily James in the title role and the wonderful Cate Blanchett as her evil stepmother, looks fantastic, I must say. 

The trailer, along with the sneak peek for the film, is filled with magic, beautiful costumes and settings, and that airy, breathless way that people talk to make the film seem even more dream-like. And what's even better about Cinderella is that Disney could release a million trailers for it, but nothing would ever be spoiled because, well, we already know what happens! 

Cinderella opens in theaters March 26, 2015 and also stars Helena Bonham-Carter as the Fairy Godmother, Richard Madden as Prince Charming, Hayley Atwell, and Stellan Skarsgard. 

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New Trailer for Disney's 'Cinderella' Casts a Spell

 Unlike Disney's Sleeping Beauty reimagining Maleficent, their live-action version of Cinderella seems to be taking a more traditional approach. Granted, it's tradition dressed up in lavish visual effects but for the most part the story is the one we're familiar with, and there's nothing wrong with that.

A new trailer for the magical fairy tale has been released, and it's easily the most lavish film Kenneth Branagh has ever directed. Lily James takes on the titular role with Cate Blanchett vamping it up as her evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and Helena Bonham Carter as her Fairy Godmother. While mostly following the same beats as the earlier trailer, this international cut does offer some glimpses of new footage, putting more emphasis on Blanchett who looks like the real scene-stealer. Couldn't Disney find a way to crossover Jolie's Maleficent with Blanchett's Tremaine? Somehow? Make it happen, Mouse House.

Also starring Richard Madden, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Hayley Atwell, and Stellan Skarsgard, Cinderella casts its spell on March 13th.

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Review: Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies'

The decision by Peter Jackson to expand JRR Tolkien's slim, trim novel The Hobbit into three movies was met with derision, and for very good reason. They all but guaranteed an extensive amount of filler and more of this new fellowship walking through grassy plains than ever. The first film was a crashing bore, the second film a marked improvement, and now with The Battle of the Five Armies we are treated to the final chapter of the trilogy and the first to meet the high quality standards of The Lord of the Rings. While the series as a whole doesn't quite measure up, Jackson deserves credit for wrapping up this massive fantasy epic on an incredibly high note.

Easily the best of the trilogy, Battle of the Five Armies is exactly what it promises to be: one mammoth war fought between every faction in Middle Earth. Picking up right where the last film left off with Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) setting Laketown ablaze, the heroic Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) races to find a way to ground the armored dragon.  If there was too much drag on the first two movies, 'Armies' is all gorgeously detailed action. Would it have been cool to see what another director could do with this world visually? Absolutely, but there's a comfort in the beautiful familiarity he brings to Middle Earth, and his ability to choreograph multiple battle sequences at a time is stunning.

While Laketown burns, what seems like a dozen other plots are playing out at elsewhere. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) has discovered the dooming arrival of a darker evil threatening the land; while Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and the company of dwarves are holed up in the Lonely Mountain reclaiming their lost treasure. True character arcs are few but Oakenshield gets the best one as he's torn between greed and leading his people. Bilbo's arc was completed mostly in the second film as he became more than just burglar, but he's important here as Oakenshield's conscience. With so many characters wrapped in prosthetics and make-up it's easy to take the acting for granted, but Armitage and Freeman are both excellent. Meanwhile, the other dwarves remain mostly interchangeable and indistinguishable, with the exception of Kili (Aidan Turner) who is memorable only for his romance with the elf, Turiel (Evangeline Lilly). Even that is handled with efficiency and a little bit of sweetness which shines through in the midst of the raging war surrounding it.

And let's talk about that war because it encompasses almost 60% of the movie, if not more. Jackson has never spared any expense in crafting his special effects budget but he really outdid himself this time.  Again pushing the limits of CGI technology, every disgusting orc, mountain range, and glittery elf looks exquisite. Tolkien himself would be in awe of what Jackson has been able to accomplish. With so many characters and plot threads weaving in and out of the fighting, there's also the need to connect with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. While that connection is definitely forced on occasion, we don't see a bunch of characters from the other films shoe-horned in where they don't belong, a problem faced by predecessors. Running at only 2 hours and about 20 minutes, this is the shortest and briskly-packed film of the bunch. There's simply not a lot of standing around this time, and even if the final battle stretches on a bit too long it never gets boring.  The humor doesn't always work, like with the aggravatingly duplicitous "Alfrid" character, but it's a welcome presence in what is basically a fantastical war movie.  That we care so much about these characters and their connections to one another speaks to the richness of Tolkien's vision but also Jackson's ability to fully realize it.

Now that it's all said and done, The Hobbit will certainly go down as inferior to The Lord of the Rings by comparison, but so what? They should be taken as a complete whole, one that reaches incredible heights of imagination and technical precision. Jackson will probably never do anything as big as this again (although we've said that before!), but he's left a mark with these films that can never be erased.

 Rating: 4 out of 5

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First Trailer for Terrence Malick's 'Knight of Cups' with Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Natalie Portman

Oh, how naive we were. There was a time not that long ago when many of us sat back and thought we may get two or maybe even three Terrence Malick movies in 2014, remarkable given the low output for the majority of his career. Instead we got none (unless you count Malick-produced The Better Angels, which I don't), but today has brought some unexpected news on Malick's film Knight of Cups, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, and Imogen Poots. Not only will it premiere as part of the Berlin Film Festival lineup next year, but out of the clear blue the first trailer has arrived.

Typical of Malick, there doesn't appear to be much of a plot but the basic logline seems to be well-represented here. Bale plays a womanizer who gives in to temptation, celebrity, and excess, while the net effect of this footage is like The Wolf of Wall Street done Malick-style. It's actually quite a refreshing change for Malick to get us out of the natural environment with beautiful twirling women and frolicking children, and into something more modern and contemporary.

While there's still no release date we can expect to see Knight of Cups in 2015.

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Cate Blanchett Eyes a Role in Disaster Thriller, 'Cascade'

In a couple of weeks you'll be able to see the always-glamorous Cate Blanchett in full glory as Galadriel in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. But the days of getting dolled up for Middle Earth are over, and Blanchett is now eying a role in Cascade, a film based on a 2003 BBC mock documentary, The Day Britain Stopped.

Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian picked up the rights a couple of years ago, and now they've set Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband) to direct. Written by Kieran Fitzgerald (The Homesman), the story is set after an oil tanker collision in the Persian Gulf sets off an international crisis. Blanchett would play the tanker captain who must convince others she's not a terrorist. [THR]

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First Trailer for Disney's Live-Action 'Cinderella' starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett

If the $1B earned by Alice in Wonderland taught Disney anything, it's that there is a a whole new market to be tapped into by remaking fairy tale classics. And so we've seen them jump into the genre with both feet, bringing us Maleficent earlier this year, adapting The Jungle Book and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast. That's really just the tip of the iceberg, though, continuing next year with Cinderella, and the dazzling first trailer for it has arrived.

Directed by and co-starring Kenneth Branagh (Thor) with up 'n comer Lily James in the title role, the film seems to be a straight retelling of the familiar story, not a total reimagining like Maleficent was.  Cate Blanchett stars as the wicked stepmother Lady Tremaine, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) is Prince Charming, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, plus supporting roles for Branagh's Marvel pals Stellan Skarsgard and Hayley Atwell.

Cinderella opens next year on March 13th.

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New Epic Trailer for Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies'

When Peter Jackson first agreed to return to Middle Earth for The Hobbit after Guillermo Del Toro had backed out, it was envisioned as merely a two-parter. Already that was a bit of a stretch considering the thin nature of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, and yet somehow Jackson found a way to get three massive movies out of it. With the third and "final" film (I'll believe it when I don't see any more) The Battle of the Five Armies coming in just a few weeks, a new trailer gives us one more advanced look at what will probably be another massive 3-hour+ spectacle.

This trailer focuses heavily on the choices made by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) as he tries to reclaim the dwarf homeland from the dragon Smaug. It's just one of a few storylines Jackson has to juggle, as we also see the emergence of Sauron and glimpses of the massive "battle of the five armies" that follows.  So yeah, you might want to pack a lunch for this one.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens December 17th. Check out the trailer and synopsis below.



SYNOPSIS: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo's frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide - unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

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Seven Character Posters for 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies'

Not that a franchise like The Hobbit  needs a huge marketing push or anything like that but that hasn't stopped Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema from flooding us with promo material for each and every film. That continues with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which has released a new character poster every day for the past week. The images feature Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the latest with Evangeline Lily's Tauriel.

SYNOPSIS:  “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

Directed by Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens December 17th. 

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Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and More Join 'Jungle Book: Origins'

While Disney and Jon Favreau (whose Chef is being re-released into theaters, by the way) are already cooking up their version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, over at Warner Bros. they've hired mo-cap pro Andy Serkis for the CG-animated/live-action Jungle Book: Origins. On the heels of Benedict Cumberbatch joining the film to voice Shere Khan comes word that Serkis has lined up a star-studded cast to breathe life into the jungle's other denizens.

THR reports that Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, Tom Hollander, Eddie Marsan, and Peter Mullan will be voicing characters in Jungle Book: Origins, while Rohan Chand (Bad Words) will take the live-action role of Mowgli. Bale is set to voice Begheera the panther, Blanchett is Kaa the python, with Hollander as Tabaqui the jackal and sidekick to Shere Khan. Mullan, Harris, and Marsan will voice the wolves Akelah, Nisha, and Vihaan.

Produced by Steve Kloves and written by his daughter Callie, Jungle Book: Origins opens October 21st 2016.

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Prepare for War with 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' Teaser Trailer; Plus Watch the Comic-Con Panel

This past weekend Peter Jackson was on hand at Comic-Con to unveil The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the sixth film in the franchise that he has been the steward of for more than fifteen years. To introduce it he began with a reel that showed everything that had happened in war-torn Middle Earth in the prior movies, and seeing everything unfold it's hard to deny this is probably the most epic cinematic series we've ever seen. They've retained such a visual consistency and general quality (even the maligned first 'Hobbit' movie is very well-made) that it's easy to take a film like The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies for granted, but now the first trailer is here to remind you why that may be a mistake.

Reuniting Martin Freeman as young Bilbo Baggins, Luke Evans as the heroic Bard the Bowman, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, and of course Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug, this film wraps up Jackson's epic run (for now, anyway) with one gigantic war. And this trailer would be sewing the sides for that battle, showing the colorful faces involved and hinting at the conflicts that will erupt amongst them when honor and treasure are the spoils. There will be orcs, goblins, dwarves, and everything else Jackson can throw into the mix for his final blow out, and yes it looks incredible. This is the same footage he unveiled to an awed crowd at Comic-Con, leading to one fan who pondered if The Silmarillion is next.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens December 17th. Check it out below and also the full Comic-Con panel where Jackson and much of the cast field questions from the audience. An even longer cut of the Lord of the Rings on Blu-Ray? Yeah....probably.


The Hobbit 3 Battle of the Five Armies - Official Movie Trailer (2014) (HD). by Newest Trailer

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Robert Redford to Play Dan Rather Opposite Cate Blanchett in 'Truth'

Robert Redford and political movies are like peanut butter and jelly, they just go together naturally. His politics have been at the forefront of many a film he's starred in and continues to this day, even rearing their head during his performance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And now he's set to star in another political film in which he'll play 60 Minutes anchor, Dan Rather.

Redford will play Rather in Truth, an adaptation of 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes' memoir Truth and Duty: The Press, The President, And The Privilege Of Power. The story centers on the events that took place in 2004 when Rather and Mapes reported on George W. Bush's record in the Air National Guard, a record that showed a dereliction of duty and the efforts by higher-ups to embellish his record. The report surfaced mere weeks before the 2004 election, and the documents put in as evidence had their authenticity challenged almost immediately. They were judged (but never proven) to be forgeries and the firestorm that followed got Mapes fired and basically ruined Rather's career. Of course this became a major issue to those on the "conservative" wing who claimed it showed a clear media bias against Bush.

So it's another hot button story with a ton of potential, and only making it more impressive is Cate Blanchett taking on the role of Mapes, and superstar writer James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) making his directorial debut on the film. Shooting is planned for this fall and you can bet studios will be lining up to snag this one and turn it into a potential Oscar contender.

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Review: 'How to Train Your Dragon 2'

When How to Train Your Dragon went on to be a smash and rival Pixar's Toy Story 3 at the Oscars, it must have shocked Dreamworks Animation as much as it did everyone else. The studio had been around probably a lot longer than many thought, and for every creative and box office success like Shrek or Kung Fu Panda, there were numerous other retreads and copycats. Anybody remember MegaMind? Didn't think so. But sequels have proven especially difficult, with few ever coming close to matching the original. Does the string of bad luck continue with How to Train Your Dragon 2?

The answer is a resounding "No" as How to Train Your Dragon 2 is bigger and soars higher than the first and will undoubtedly be one of the year's best animated features. Dean DeBlois takes the directing reins solo this time, and rather than coasting along with what worked before he's expanded and evolved the 'Dragon' universe into someplace unpredictable and dangerous.

Five years have passed and Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is on a different sort of journey, one where he is literally charting a new world astride his dragon pal, Toothless. The rough-housing Viking village of Berk has changed more than Hiccup's slick new armor, with the townspeople living in peace with the dragons they once hated. Astrid (America Ferrera) is now firmly his woman, the people respect him (mostly), and now his father Stoic wants him to take over the role of Chief. Is he ready to handle that kind of responsibility? Does he even want to be Chief? Hiccup must again decide whether to be his own viking or follow in his father's footsteps.

The emotional throughline may be familiar, but honestly it's probably going to be a theme throughout the entire franchise, and it resonates due to a screenplay that throws many unexpected twists into the mix. On one of Hiccup's outings he encounters a group of dragon trappers led by the brash Eret (Kit Harington), who is ensnaring the creatures for Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou), a man building up an army. But while Drago's plans are for evil, Hiccup also encounters the mysterious Valka (Cate Blanchett), a hermit hidden away in an icy cave where she has created a dragon sanctuary of sorts. This isn't about changing the hearts and minds of the Berk people anymore, Hiccup must try and prevent full-scale war while also finding out the secrets to his past.

In some ways the film follows the typical path set by most follow-ups in that there are deeper questions, more characters, and bigger action in the 'Empire Strikes Back' mold. And that also means some of the humor slips into the background, or at least it seems to be relegated to Hiccup's pals (voiced by TJ Miller, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and more) who seem to be around only to appease younger viewers. That's not to say there aren't plenty of laughs, but this is definitely the dark middle chapter of a larger story, one where Hiccup again endures terrible and shocking loss that may be tough for younger audiences. We don't get to see nearly enough of Hiccup and Astrid as a couple, which would have made for a nice parallel with another romantic relationship rekindled in the film. More interesting and explored in greater detail is the bond between Hiccup and Toothless which is stronger than ever but still somewhat tenuous and easily manipulated. Drago, a villain of uncertain ethnic origin, is impressive only in his physical and mental dominion over pretty much everybody, but giving him a stronger motivation would have made an already-great film even better.

And of course the film is a visual stunner with aerial sequences that will take your breath away, and many of the dogfights (dragonfights?) have that Star Wars sizzle; you'd think they were piloting X-wing fighters. Even during the slower moments it's worth taking time to just soak up the surroundings and take in the lush colors and unique creature design. Roger Deakins (Skyfall, No Country for Old Men) had a hand in crafting the film's look and the result stands apart from anything we've seen from Dreamworks before. With heart and action to spare, How to Train Your Dragon 2 reaches incredible heights.

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Michael Shannon Boards 'Freeheld'; Adele Exarchopoulos in 'Bastille Day' ; Cate Blanchett Narrates 'Voyage of Time'

* Ellen Page's gay rights drama, Freeheld, has just added Michael Shannon to a cast that already includes Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis. Directed by Peter Sollett, the film tells the true story of a gay police woman diagnosed with a terminal illness who must fight to ensure her pension passes to her partner. No word on Shannon's role but the cast and subject matter alone make this project a pretty big deal.

* Blue is the Warmest Color's Adele Exarchopoulos is starting to see the results of her success. She's taken a role in Sean Penn's latest directorial effort, The Last Face, and now she's boarding action flick, Bastille Day, starring Idris Elba. Coming aboard to replace the departed Pierre Morel as director is James Watkins (The Woman in Black), which should amount to quite a change in approach. Anyway, Elba plays a washed-up CIA agent with Exarchopoulos likely as the artist accused of a terrorist attack in the Paris metro.

* Terrence Malick's forever-developing documentary, Voyage of Time, has long had Brad Pitt attached to narrate. And it made sense considering the director shot much of it while filming The Tree of Life, and is something he calls "a celebration of the earth, displaying the whole of time, from the birth of the universe to its final collapse.” After all this time the film still isn't coming out until 2016, with two versions of differing length, and now we know Cate Blanchett will be joining Pitt as narrator. She'll apparently be replacing Emma Thompson, who had been attached previously. [ScreenDaily]

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Opening 5-Minutes, Clip, and Photos from 'How to Train Your Dragon 2'

Dreamworks is pulling out all of the stops for this summer's How to Train Your Dragon 2, as well they should. The sequel to the surprising $490M, Oscar-nominated hit comes with a ton of anticipation and a growing franchise that includes a TV series. The studio is banking a lot on this second chapter in Hiccup's story, and so they've revealed the first 5-minutes from the film, plus a new clip and a handful of photos.

Taking place about five years after the first film, and finds Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) still inseparable from his loyal dragon, Toothless. That is until they discover a new land and a cave inhabited by dozens of never-before-seen dragons led by the mysterious Dragon Rider. The opening minutes basically catch us up on what's been going on, while the clip shows many of the characters engaging in a Quidditch-style game atop their dragons.

Featuring the voices of Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller, Djimon Hounsou, and Kit Harington,  How to Train Your Dragon 2 takes off on June 13th.

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New Trailer and Poster for Dreamworks' 'How to Train Your Dragon 2'

With nothing from Pixar coming up in 2014, the most anticipated animated of the year is Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon 2. After the first film surprised all with $500M at the box office and an Oscar nomination, the sequel arrives with expectations that it too will soar.

A new trailer and poster have been released, offering a different look at the world of dragons. Five years have passed, but the bond between Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless has only grown stronger. In their quest to find new lands, they discover a cave with hundreds of new dragon species led by the mysterious Dragon Rider, voiced by Cate Blanchett.  Meanwhile, war is on the horizon and Hiccup must again choose where his destiny lies.

Featuring the voices of Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, America Ferrera, Djimon Hounsou, Kristen Wiig, TJ Miller, and Jonah Hill, How to Train Your Dragon 2 takes off on June 20th.

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