The Year That Was: 2014 in Film

Check out ALL of the PDC end of year lists!

Review: Ava DuVernay's 'Selma'

Starring David Oyelowo

Review: Rob Marshall's 'Into The Woods'

Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick

Tim Burton's 'Big Eyes'

Starring Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams

Showing posts with label Jesse Eisenberg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesse Eisenberg. Show all posts

Saturday, January 17, 2015

First Look at the Cast of 'Now You See Me 2' Appears


The real magic of  Now You See Me was that it became one of the year's biggest hits that didn't involve a Marvel or DC superhero.  The heist flick had a pretty fresh concept involving illusionist bank robbers, and the starry cast certainly didn't hurt, so it was no surprise when a sequel was conjured up. But there have been some notable changes, and we're getting a look at them in the first set image from Now You See Me: The Second Act.

Right off the bat you'll notice that Isla Fisher isn't around as she has been replaced by Lizzy Caplan who plays Lula, the newest member of the Horsemen. The other new addition is Daniel Radcliffe as the son of Michael Caine's character, and he'll probably be gunning for some revenge. Alongside Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco is Jesse Eisenberg, whose short haircut may have something to do with his Lex Luthor role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, Now You See Me: The Second Act opens June 10th 2016. [Fandango]

Friday, October 24, 2014

We May See Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor in 'Suicide Squad'


If Marvel can do it, so can Warner Bros., and we've seen the latter aiming high in building their DC Comics universe. With ten movies coming over the next few years that means plenty of opportunity for crossovers, and it looks like we're going to see one involving David Ayer's Suicide Squad.

According to Deadline, talks are underway for Jesse Eisenberg to reprise his role as Lex Luthor in Suicide Squad, after appearing in (and apparently surviving) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The search is underway for an A-list cast to star in the film, with Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Tom Hardy, and Ryan Gosling sought to play the team of government-sanctioned villains. So what does Lex Luthor have to do with them? Not much, but they crossed paths during the Doomsday Protocol storyline which took place when he was briefly President of the United States. Yes, Luthor was the POTUS for awhile.

There's just one problem, and it's Eisenberg's schedule. He's set to star in Arms & the Dudes, the crime film from The Hangover's Todd Phillips. He may have to choose one or the other, and something tells me WB is going to have the edge on this one. Suicide Squad opens August 5th 2016 with production to begin in the spring.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Jesse Eisenberg and Shia LaBeouf in Talks for Todd Phillips' 'Arms and the Dudes'



Now that The Hangover trilogy has become one of the most successful comedy franchises ever, Todd Phillips has been moving in a totally different direction. With his buddy Bradley Cooper he's got a couple of dramatic projects in the works, including one that would put Cooper in the role of pulp action hero, Mack Bolan. But before that Phillips is lining up true crime flick Arms & the Dudes, with a couple of big names lining up to star.

According to Deadline, talks are set to begin with Jesse Eisenberg and Shia LaBeouf to star in the film, which is based on Guy Larson's Rolling Stone article about a couple of stoners who became unlikely arms dealers. The two somehow managed to score a $300M contract to supply arms in Afghanistan. Cooper is producing and Jonah Hill had been eyed for a role but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

Phillips could probably turn this into a Pain & Gain style caper if he wanted but may choose to take the material seriously....or as seriously as the idea of pot smoking arms dealers can be.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Rumored Character Details for Wonder Woman, Batman, and Lex Luthor in 'Batman v Superman'


There has been a great deal of attention focused on the future of Warner Bros.' DC Comics movies, but before any of that unfolds there's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to deal with first. And as we saw with the failed Green Lantern movie, one screw-up can alter the course of an entire franchise. The gang over at Joblo.com have rounded up some new 'Dawn of Justice' info that goes into some detail on Wonder Woman's costume and screen time, Batman's home, and even a little bit on Lex Luthor and why he's such a jerk. This is all available via Youtube video, so we'll just skim the basics and you can watch the vid for the full deal. And obviously, there are some spoilers beyond this point.

There had been some conflicting reports in regards to the costume Gal Gadot (the image above is fan made, not official) would be wearing as Wonder Woman, with some stating she'd be wearing the updated version with jacket and leggings, but it will reportedly be a traditional "battle ready" costume that is "ripped straight from the comics". She'll also have her full arsenal of weapons from the shield, sword, spear, and of course the golden Lasso of Truth. Wonder Woman won't just be making a cameo, either, as she's said to have a fair amount of screen time and is involved in a major battle sequence.

The relationship between Batman's "grizzled veteran" crime fighter and Superman will be much as it is in the comics, with their personalities frequently clashing. Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne will have Wayne Manor , although his Batcave is situated underneath another building on the property. And as for Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg who may have red hair in the beginning of the film, he's basically pissed because Superman makes him feel inadequate. This causes Lex to try and partially succeed in swaying public opinion against Superman, calling him a threat to humanity.

The rest you can check out in the below video. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens May 6th 2016.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Review: Kelly Reichardt's 'Night Moves' Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning



Night Moves is the latest film from indie auteur Kelly Reichardt, director of neo-realistic dramas Old Joy, Meek's Cutoff, and Wendy and Lucy. Wait, come back! There's a good many who would say "neo-realistic" is euphemism for "dull", and to be fair her prior work, while incisive and emotionally staggering, tends to lack positive action. Night Moves is slightly different, however, in that its characters are set to take a very explosive action for what they perceive is a just cause.

Night Moves follows a similar tract as last year's kinetic thriller, The East, in its exploration of the radical environmentalist movement. But this is a Reichardt film through and through; more concerned with the motivations and contradictions in its trio of lead characters. Little in the way of fanfare introduces us to Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), a quiet, simmering environmentalist raised on a "green" commune; Deena (Dakota Fanning), who comes from a place of privilege, and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard), a military vet with personal demons to spare. Out of some notion that a hydroelectric dam is in a state of anguish, the trio decide to blow it to smithereens.

Reichardt has always preferred an economy of plot in order to leave room for her character building efforts, and those who appreciate that in her work will find plenty of it. To put it bluntly: there's not a lot of story here as we simply follow the trio, almost in documentary style, as they go about their plotting. That means watching them buy the ingredients for explosives, obtaining phony credentials, and securing transportation. The minutia isn't terribly exciting but the interactions between them are rife with tension. Josh is a no-nonsense sort, angry and with a touch of social awkwardness. It's a darker spin on what we'd expect out of Eisenberg and he is one of the reasons the film works as well as it does. Dissension, jealousy, and ultimately paranoia threaten to rip the group apart, ratcheting up when it comes time to trust one another fully.

And trust is ultimately what this film is about. Told in haunting, muted tones emphasizing the natural environment, Reichardt explores the dichotomy between those who value life while causing destruction. When a twist of fate backs the trio into a dangerous corner, Reichardt casually shifts into another mode, telling a compelling story of obsession, guilt, and murder. The second half of Night Moves is gripping and unlike anything she's done before, and despite the incredibly slow pacing it's a side of her that needs to be on display more often.


Friday, May 9, 2014

Review: 'The Double' Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska


It's so refreshing to see a director fully embrace a story's quirks, to dive head on into the weirdness while pulling the audience under with him. Richard Ayoade's follow-up to the charming and under seen coming-of-age comedy Submarine turns out to be a surreal and bizarre update of Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Double, and it's safe to say there aren't too many films like it anywhere.

The despairing, icy world Ayoade fashions would be the stuff of nightmares if it wasn't also absurdly humorous. That duality is also inherent in Jesse Eisenberg's performance as Simon James, a forgettable office worker in some sort of weird steampunk office in an indeterminate location in an indeterminate time. His workplace is retro yet like something from the Jetsons; it's all buttons, control panels, and clunky oversized machinery. Simon is seen as a rising star in the data processing business, although nobody seems to really know his name, especially not his boss (Wallace Shawn) or the security guard who can barely recognize his face. It's a depressingly rote existence of work, boring nights in his cramped apartment, and occasional visits to his mother at an assisted living home. Even she considers him a disappointment.

But if there's an oasis in the routine it comes from Hannah (Mia Wasikowska), the office copy girl who seems to have some of the same issues as Simon. Both are struck by loneliness and emptiness, comparing themselves to Pinocchio. Simon's wish their fragile connection would turn into love is hamstrung by his introverted nature, but somebody else is ready to make the move he won't. Unfortunately, that person is his exact duplicate, a doppelganger named James Simon who shows up at work one day and turns the place upside down. He's the polar opposite of Simon in every way; the other workers love him, he's aggressively commanding and sexual towards women while lazy at his job. Worse, nobody notices how they look exactly alike. It isn't long before James starts getting the recognition Simon could never achieve, and even begins dating Hannah...along with a number of other women.

Simon is eventually compelled to try and reclaim his life, but of course nobody will listen to him, driving him further into paranoia and madness. The conflict within Simon is wonderfully captured by Eisenberg in a slight twist on his usual awkwardness, while he gets to show flexibility as the edgier James. He gets a lot of help from a terrific supporting cast of character actors. Wallace Shawn brings his usual pep as Simon's clueless boss, while Cathy Moriarty, Noah Taylor, and Paddy Considine (as a TV superhero!) and Submarine's Craig Roberts help round out this oddly-shaped little film. Wasikowska makes the most out of a fairly understated role, making you feel something for her quiet desperation, her yearning for a more exciting life that doesn't really seem possible for anybody.

In only his second feature, Ayoade has already established a unique visual flair, and he expresses the torment within Simon's soul in every single frame. Duality can be seen everywhere with Ayoade using parallel framing and the like to construct a claustrophobic yet engaging netherworld. Co-written by Ayoade and Avi Korine (that last name sound familiar? Yep, it's Harmony Korine's bro), the story leaps beyond a premise that could be its own worst enemy by presenting a bevy of ideas about the loss of one's sense of self. However, the script labors to make these ideas clear without dull, unnecessary exposition. It's the only thing that distracts from a bold and uncommon experience, one that establishes Ayoade as a filmmaker with a fresh, singular voice.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Review: “Rio 2,” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, and Andy Garcia


In the three years since Rio, was anyone really clamoring for a follow-up? Yes, the movie made a bunch of money, but so did The Smurfs, and then that got a sequel that turned out to be terrible. So maybe it was within Rio’s destiny as an already-meh children’s movie that it would get a further-meh children’s movie sequel. Those are the laws of Hollywood, I guess.

So there it is: Rio 2 is not very good, and I say that as an adult who knows about being in love and being in a relationship, concepts that Rio 2 is surprisingly obsessed with given that it’s supposed to be a children’s movie, you know, for children. Not for parents with trust issues or identity crises, but kids. But we have a movie that focuses predominantly on the marriage of our main bird characters, Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway), and very little on their children, or on any other younger protagonists. It’s kind of strange, but the plot overall is a recycled save-the-forests thing, so maybe it’s not that surprising that nothing about this movie feels remarkable.

Here’s the gist: Some years ago, blue macaws Blu and Jewel, supposedly the last birds of their kind, fell in love, even though Blu used to be a pet and Jewel was once a wild animal. Despite their differences, they decide to start a new life together, and their former owners, Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) and Tulio (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro), start a nature sanctuary together. Fast-forward to where Rio 2 picks up, with Blu and Jewel the parents of three tween birds; you won’t really catch their names, but there’s a chubby older girl attached to her music device, a nerdy younger girl with her beak in a book, and a mischievous boy who likes to blow things up. Blu and Jewel live on the nature sanctuary created by Linda and Tulio, who are married and still exploring the Amazon, trying to find more blue macaws in the jungle. Instead, they stumble upon illegal loggers, cutting down the rainforest for their own personal gain. Oh no!

Simultaneously, Blu and Jewel are also being stalked by the evil bird Nigel (voiced by Jemaine Clement), who Blu seriously injured during the first film; now unable to fly, Nigel wants his revenge. Along with a poisonous frog who is in love with him but can’t touch him because she’d kill him and a goofy anteater that serves as his main transportation, Nigel wants to inflict revenge on Blu, and if his family gets in the way, so be it.

While those plots are going on—loggers vs. Linda and Tulio, Nigel and Co. vs. Blu and Family—there’s also a third plot involving the appearance of hundreds of other blue macaws, who have been hiding in the rainforest from humans all this time. Among them are Jewel’s father Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and an old crush, Roberto (voiced by Bruno Mars), who are shocked at Blu’s human-like qualities, like needing a GPS to get around the jungle and a fondness for breath mints. Why wouldn’t Jewel and her children move to the jungle to be with their family? And if Blu doesn’t want to come along—well, Roberto could raise his children, and Eduardo doesn’t really want this pansy city bird as a son-in-law, anyway.

Oh, and at the same time, there’s ANOTHER side plot about the Carnival, as Blu’s other bird friends, Toucan Rafael (voiced by George Lopez), cardinal Pedro (voiced by will.i.am), and canary Nico (voiced by Jamie Foxx), try to find a bird or animal act that could suitably perform at the festival. So they come along to the jungle, too, thinking they could find a good “native” option that will add some local flair to the proceedings.

That’s a lot, right? That’s an overwhelming amount of sideplots for an animated movie that lasts only 101 minutes, and because the movie is so crammed and jumps so often from thing to thing, the characters don’t really move past what they already were in Rio. Blu is still too complacent, still too awkward; after years of marriage, why are he and Jewel still sparring over the most simple things? And Jewel seems incredibly selfish, forcing Blu to meet her demands regarding her family without ever acknowledging that for him, the human Linda is the closest thing he has to a mother. Bad-guy Nigel remains one-dimensional; the only good part of his storyline is evil frog Gabi (voiced by Kristin Chenoweth), whose operatic rendition of their tragic love story is one of the only humorous parts of this otherwise boring movie. And Blu and Jewel’s children, or his friends Rafael, Pedro, and Nico—they remain vehicles for one liners, nothing more.

The strength of Rio 2 should be its music and visuals, really, because its characters are so lackluster. But while Rio 2 is pretty enough visually—the colors of the various birds pop, the detail given to the rainforest is nice, and the Carnival scenes are very exciting—it doesn’t need its 3D effects, and there are no songs—aside from the one sung by Gabi, in which she laments that touching her love Nigel would kill him—that are memorable. Not one. Competition for “Let It Go,” this isn’t.

Perhaps the fact that Rio 2 is set in South America and voiced by a multicultural cast is in itself an accomplishment for a children’s film. But the ho-hum songs, the weirdly mature plot, the expected nature-is-good messaging—children’s movies are defined by their attention to detail and creation of relatable characters, and the lack of both in Rio 2 make it thoroughly mediocre.

Rating: 2 out of 5 Guttenbergs




Thursday, March 27, 2014

Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning Join a Revolution in New Trailer for 'Night Moves'


Kelly Reichardt's Night Moves probably isn't the sort of film one would expect to get a big marketing push. It's likely to end up at your local art house rather than in a multiplex somewhere. But here we are with the second trailer released in about a week, meaning somebody has some pretty high hopes for the environmental thriller.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard, the film centers on a trio of radical environmentalists as they plot the bombing of a damn. It's a world of paranoia and mistrust that Reichardt has created, not unlike her neo-Western Meek's Crossing, and it'll be interesting to see these three actors in that environment.

Night Moves opens on May 30th.

Friday, March 21, 2014

First Trailer for Kelly Reichardt's 'Night Moves' Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning



Wendy and Lucy. Old Joy. Meek's Crossing. The...ummm, let's just say "deliberately paced" films of Kelly Reichardt aren't going to get her work in multiplexes any time soon. It hasn't stopped her from gaining a share of devoted fans, and considering the talent she's worked with many of them are Hollywood actors. She's rounded up another solid group for her latest film, Night Moves, and the first trailer has arrived before it hits the Tribeca Film Festival.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Peter Sarsgaard, and Dakota Fanning as a trio of radical environmentalists. As we see in this footage, the group is planning their biggest and most dangerous action yet to gain attention to their cause. The film seems to bear all of Reichardt's trademarks, setting it apart from last year's The East, which told a similar story.

The revolution begins when Night Moves opens May 30th.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Eisenberg vs. Eisenberg in New Trailer for 'The Double'


Doppelgangers are definitely in right now, and while Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal's Enemy is a total creep-fest, The Double seems to be offering something lighter...but still quite weird. Directed by Richard Ayoade (Submarine) and starring Jesse Eisenberg in twin roles, the film centers on Simon James, an inconsequential office worker who discovers he has a more aggressive, more confident double named James Simon. He proceeds to take over Simon's world, even moving in on the woman (Mia Wasikowska) he's been crushing on.

Although we've seen quite a bit already, yet another trailer has been released and it may be the best one yet. Funny, with a slippery offbeat tone, it still holds a darker edge that should make it one of the more interesting movies to come out this year. Co-starring Chris O'Dowd, Sally Hawkins, Wallace Shawn, Yasmine Page, and Noah Taylor, The Double opens May 9th.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

New Full Trailer for 'The Double' Starring Jesse Eisenberg


If it seems like we've been seeing a lot of Richard Ayoade's The Double, it's because we have. After a number of teasers, including the "Two Snakes" footage released just a few days ago, now the first proper trailer has been released for the doppelganger flick starring Jesse Eisenberg and....Jesse Eisenberg.

Based loosely on Dostoyevsky's novella, the film has Eisenberg as Simon James, an introverted man whose life begins to crumble when his exact duplicate begins to make its presence felt. As the more confident version of himself begins to take over, looking to steal his job and the girl he loves, Simon must fight back to reclaim his life.

Co-starring Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, and Noah Taylor, The Double opens May 9th.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Two Sides of Jesse Eisenberg in New Trailer for 'The Double'


One of the films I sadly missed at Sundance was The Double, Richard Ayoade's doppelganger tale starring Jesse Eisenberg in a dual role. Based on the Fyodor Dostoevsky novella, the story follows the shy and unimpressive Simon James who discovers he has a perfect double out there, and it's one who is more charismatic, more aggressive, more everything than he could ever hope to be.

A new "2 Snakes" trailer has been released, playing off the duality in not only the lead character, but the film's spooky-comedic tone. Mia Wasikowska plays the love interest at the heart of the story, who finds herself caught between the warring duo. Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, and Yasmine Page, and James Fox make for a strong supporting cast for Eisenberg to play off of.

The Double opens on May 9th.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Possible Details on Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor in 'Batman vs. Superman'


It seems some just can't get over Jesse Eisenberg playing Lex Luthor in Batman vs. Superman, and the complaining about Zombieland star has yet to slow down over the last week. Perhaps they had their minds set on someone else (Bryan Cranston, maybe?), or feel the character will stick too closely to his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, although why that would be a bad thing is unclear. Whatever the case may be, nobody has any exact details on who Lex Luthor will actually be in the film, although Latino Review claims to know.

The site, which admits this could all change due to Chris Terrio's rewrite, has hit their sources and come up with a spoiler-filled description of Luthor and his connection to Superman and Batman. First of all, they note that Lex is most definitely bald, and is apparently "one part tech genius, one part ruthless business man and two parts Metropolis street tough." with tattoos of Metropolis on his body. He's the richest man on the planet and the owner of LexCorp, and he perceives Superman to be an alien (which he literally is!) and an intruder on this planet. He also doesn't think very highly of Bruce Wayne, considering him to be a trust fund baby born into his wealth, while Luthor worked his way up from the streets. While he's convinced Superman is mortal and can be killed, his real obsession is with Batman, leading so some sort of eventual conflict.

Okay, so the "street tough" stuff sounds a little ridiculous and not at all the sort of role one would expect from Eisenberg, there's every reason to believe he can pull it off. Plus it makes more sense to have an actor closer to Henry Cavill's age, and Warner Bros. came to that same conclusion according to THR. While Girls star Adam Driver was considered for the role at one point, he had to pass due to a scheduling conflict. So much for those rumors of him playing Nightwing. Joaquin Phoenix was in the mix but turned it down, and Cranston, who seems to have been the popular choice, was never even approached. 

We'll see if any of this Luthor stuff pans out when Batman vs. Superman opens May 6th 2016. 


Friday, January 31, 2014

Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons is Alfred in 'Batman vs. Superman'



So while the rumors have suggested Bryan Cranston or Joaquin Phoenix for the Lex Luthor role in Batman vs. Superman, Warner Bros. is going in a completely different direction. With Henry Cavill as a somewhat younger version of the Man of Steel, they are going for a more youthful version of his arch-nemesis by setting Jesse Eisenberg for the role.

Warner Bros. has announced that Eisenberg will play Luthor, which makes sense since both he and Cavill are 30 years old. In addition, Jeremy Irons has been brought on to play Bruce Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred. Both are great additions to surround Cavill and Ben Affleck with, although let's face it...nobody's going to beat Michael Caine as Alfred. Let's be honest here.

Anyway, this is a solid move in the right direction, and we know Eisenberg can make for an awesome douchebag when he needs to.

Batman vs. Superman opens May 6th 2016.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

New Trailer for 'Rio 2' Takes to the Air


With only a few exceptions from the usual suspects, this has been a pretty weak year for animated movies. Pixar's Monsters University was a hit at the box office but hardly their most inspired work, and Despicable Me 2 was an enjoyable if familiar sequel. Disney's Frozen has given the year a substantial boost but overall the field has left much to be desired. Fortunately, 2014 is looking a lot better, and a film that's guaranteed to be the most vibrant is Rio 2.

Bringing back Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway as the voices of macaws Blu and Jewel, the film finds leaving their boring domesticated city life for a return to nature in the Amazon jungle. Expect lots of crazy characters, salsa music and big dance numbers orchestrated by director Carlos Saldanha.

Featuring the voices of Jemaine Clement, Tracey Morgan, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, Rodrigo Santoro, Andy Garcia, Rita Moreno, Natalie Morales, Kristen Chenworth and Jamie Foxx, Rio 2 opens April 11th 2014. Check out the latest trailer below:

Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg to Lead James Ponsoldt's 'The End of the Tour'



After a pair of alcoholism dramas in Smashed and The Spectacular Now, James Ponsoldt is moving in a different direction. He's still attempting to find someone to play Hillary Clinton in Rodham, a biopic targeted for the presidential elections, and now he's planning to another true-life account, that of late author David Foster Wallace in The End of the Tour. And the project is off to a good start with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg taking the lead roles.

Segel will play Wallace, the Infinite Jest author who committed suicide in 2008, while Eisenberg is Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky. Donald Marguiles will adapt Lipsky's book Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace, which comprises a number of interviews he conducted with Wallace while on a 5-day road trip during the Infinite Jest book tour. Professional competition and jealousy bubbles up between the two as they discuss the pros and cons of celebrity.

While there are definitely some humorous moments between the quarreling duo, which Segel and Eisenberg should have no problem recreating, it'll be interesting to see how Segel tackles the dramatic elements. He's shown flashes of being a more well-rounded actor recently but he's never taken on something quite like this. Thankfully this won't disrupt the Rodham schedule any as The End of the Tour should begin filming next February. [TheWrap]

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Full Trailer for 'Rio 2' Featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway


Not every animated film featuring mouthy talking animals needs to be as uninspiring as Free Birds and The Nut Job. 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios are back with Rio 2, the sequel to their vibrant and charming rare bird comedy featuring the voices of Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway. Directed by the returning Carlos Saldanha, the film has macaws Blu (Eisenberg) and Jewel (Hathaway) happily living with their three kids in the comfort of the sanctuary, only to take a vacation in the Amazon where things are very different than what they are accustomed to. Along the way they meet a cast of colorful characters, including Jewel's father (Andy Garcia) and their evil nemesis, Nigel the Cockatoo.

The prior film beautifully captured the splendor and festive atmosphere of Brazil, which made the the rather generic bird smuggling plot more fun than it had any right to be. This trailer suggests a simple Meet the Parents-style plot while maintaining the same gorgeous animation and wonderful soundtrack.

Featuring the voices of Jemaine Clement, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, and Jamie Foxx, Rio 2 takes flight on April 11th 2014.


RIO 2 - Trailer 2 by dmagianet

Friday, September 6, 2013

Bluesy First Trailer for 'The Double' Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska


The last film from Brit writer/director Richard Ayoade was the charming, Wes Anderson-inspired coming of age comedy Submarine, and while it was met with great critical acclaim it didn't do much here at the box office. His attempt to break through to American audiences as an actor in Ben Stiller's sci-fi comedy The Watch didn't exactly work out because the film was so awful, and thankfully Ayoade jumped right back behind the camera for an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Double.

Just a day before it's due to premiere in Toronto, the first trailer for The Double has been released, and it's an all around bluesy, eerie affair. Jesse Eisenberg stars in the psychological flick as a man who slowly loses his mind by the appearance of his doppelganger, who happens to be bolder, aggressive, and well-liked than he ever was. The footage doesn't really show us much other than Eisenberg emphatically walking while the supporting cast of Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, and Noah Taylor flash by.

No release date for The Double has been set but that could change if the response out of TIFF is strong.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

First Clip from Kelly Reichardt's 'Night Moves' with Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning


It's putting it mildly to say that the thoughtful, considered dramas of Kelly Reichardt aren't everyone's cup of tea. There's a small but extremely loyal audience for her three most notable films; Wendy and Lucy, Old Joy, and Meek's Cutoff, which were never designed to strike at the mainstream in any way. But her latest film Night Moves occupies a unique space for the director, as it deals with eco-terrorism, a premise we saw hit multiplexes recently in The East, and it features bankable stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard.

With the film recently debuting in Venice and heading off to Toronto, the first clip has been released to help generate a little buzz. Not a single word of dialogue is spoken in this footage, instead focusing on the three leads as they take in the deforested surroundings. The story, which bears quite resemblance to Edward Abbey's novel The Monkey Wrench Gang (there was even a lawsuit), centers on three eco-terrorists with plans of blowing up a dam.

Night Moves has yet to gain distribution, so who knows when it will turn up in theaters. [ThePlaylist]

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Get down with the teaser trailer for 'Rio 2'


Blue Sky Studios has had a pretty good go of it with their animated line-up, beginning of course with the mega-successful Ice Age movies and others like Robots and Horton Hears a Who! But nobody could have predicted that 2011's incredibly vibrant Rio would take home nearly $500M worldwide. Yet that's exactly what it did, and so a sequel was whipped up that now has a trailer all set and ready to go.

The teaser doesn't actually explain much of the plot, instead letting us know this will be as much of a jubilant musical celebration as the last one. Jesse Eisenberg is back voicing Blu, the quirky blue macaw who now lives in Rio de Janiero with his three kids and wife Jewel, voiced by Anne Hathaway. Afraid their kids are growing soft in the big city, they decide to take them out in the Amazon wilds to live like real birds.  Tracy Morgan, Leslie Mann, Will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, and Jermaine Clement all return.

Carlos Saldanha is back to direct Rio 2, which opens on April 11th 2014.


RIO 2 - Bande-Annonce Teaser [VF|HD1080p] by Lyricis