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Now You See Me Review: The Four Horsemen Hit Hard

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In Now You See Me, the film has the most original of premises. And for that alone, our Now You See Me review has to salute it. It also has one of the better casts of 2013 with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman and Dave Franco.

Now You See Me Woody Harrelson Jesse Eisenberg Isla Fisher

As teased in the Now You See Me trailer, Eisenberg, Fisher, Harrelson and Franco are a magician quartet called The Four Horsemen who steal money from banks all around the world and share the loot with their magic show audiences. In a field of film where sequels dominate and remakes abound, finding something this fresh at the Cineplex is a welcomed joy.

Director Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans) has crafted a world where showmanship is all and that fact permeates every frame of his film. One of the strongest aspects he has going for his film is the pacing as it feels as if the audience is watching a magic show from beginning to end -- complete with the ebbs and flows that captivate audiences that flock to Las Vegas to see slight of hand shows.

Watching The Four Horsemen do their thing is pure bliss, especially lead Eisenberg. The panache he exhibits throughout could remind us of the cocky “character” he played in The Social Network. But, his J. Daniel Atlas is a different breed of boisterous. Eisenberg plays him as a man who not only thinks he is the best at what he does, both onstage and off, but also finds it amusingly annoying that the law wants to stop him and his Horsemen from their successful run.

And perhaps it is a coincidence of casting, but witnessing Harrelson and Eisenberg reunite after their stellar work in Zombieland has us thinking these two could be the new Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. The way they banter with one another is nothing short of a movie miracle. Let Now You See Me and the Zombieland be the first two of a dozen films they make together.

Morgan Freeman Now You See Me

Fisher, meanwhile, is no wallflower. She may be the only female in this boys' club of magic meets robbery, but the Australian actress handles herself with supreme confidence. In fact, her scene where she pulls off a Houdini-like escape from a water tank will leave you breathless. As told to us in our Isla Fisher exclusive interview, she almost drowned and since in hindsight we know she is fine, let’s just say suffering for one’s art never came off so good!

By the third act, this Robin Hood personified as magicians (who still keep a large percentage of what they steal) loses a bit of steam. It never quite lives up to its promise of premise. But, overall, Now You See Me is like a famed magician’s show. You may not remember the details of each moment, but will go home satisfied it was entertainment money well spent.


World War Z Clip: Stay In Your Vehicles!

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A brand new clip from World War Z is here, showing the moment that Brad Pitt and his family realize something is wrong. Watch it below:

Pitt stars as Gerry Lane, a U.N. employee charged with traveling the world to help find a cure for a zombie pandemic. With the entire world at stake, Lane must choose between staying with his family and helping to save humanity.

Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale (Iron Man 3), Lucy Aharish, Matthew Fox, Bryan Cranston, David Andrews, and David Morse also star. The film is based on the book by Max Brooks, with Marc Forster directing.

World War Z premieres June 21. Watch the World War Z trailer for a full preview.

Pacific Rim Featurette: Enter the Cockpit

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The new featurette for Pacific Rim takes us inside the robot's head, showing off the giant mechanical set used in production. Hear director Guillermo Del Toro explain the whole thing below:

In the near future, a pack of giant monsters emerges from the sea. To combat them, humanity builds an army of robots called Jaegers.

Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi star as two Jaeger pilots who hold the fate of the world in their hands.

Idris Elba, Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses), Burn Gorman, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, and Ron Perlman also star.

Pacific Rim premieres July 12. Watch the Pacific Rim trailer for another look.

The East Review: I Spy a Revolution

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Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have done it again. The duo have written another riveting screenplay (after last year’s Sound of My Voice) with The East and with Batmanglij in the director’s chair and Marling starring again, they have doubled down on a thriller based in a world that lives in the shadows.

Brit Marling Alexander Skarsgard The East

Where Sound of My Voice followed a cult-like world that may or may not be led by an alien, The East chronicles the efforts of an eco-terrorist group who follow through on their missions with cult-like vive. The world’s richest corporations are profiting on the peril of our planet and the group -- called The East -- believes that those who led these companies should pay in kind. Allow an oil spill on your watch Mr. Oil Executive -- we’ll pour oil through the vents of your house making it uninhabitable.

As we learn in The East trailer, Marling works for a wealthy consulting group who recruits former spies and FBI agents to perform espionage for those “evil” corporations. Her first assignment, given to her by her boss -- the ever awesome Patricia Clarkson -- is to infiltrate The East by any means possible.

Even with a loving boyfriend at home, she must do her job and disappear into the wilderness, for however long it takes, to find The East and bring them to justice.

The Marling-Batmanglij tandem brings on a few newcomers and their contributions to their cinematic world are immense. Ellen Page (X-Men movies) and Alexander Skarsgard (most recently in Disconnect) star as a highly vocal member of the group and their leader, respectively.

After Batmanglij shows the audience images of nature scarred by greed, it is quite easy to commiserate with The East and in the hands of Page and Skarsgard, that much easier. Both actors sear in their portrayals and embody the feelings the audience possesses after witnessing such eco-horror. Yet, and this is a question that will be debated long after the credits roll, are their methods “right?”

Alexander Skarsgard Brit Marling The East

Movies such as The East are not meant to present sides of an issue as black and white. Through Marling’s character we can see how one can personally identify with The East, even if their form of justice is quite illegal. It is a debate that rages in our society currently, with no end in sight. And don’t look for The East to provide any answers. If anything, the debate only gets as murky and thick as an oil spill.

Our The East review cannot recommend this film enough. Marling is a force of nature and it is a delight to see her shine her talent on the natural world and what we as a species are doing to it.

Now You See Me: Jesse Eisenberg Dishes Magician Inspirations

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Now You See Me star Jesse Eisenberg met Movie Fanatic for an exclusive video interview in New Orleans and talked about his joy in re-teaming with his Zombieland co-star Woody Harrelson.

“He’s a great actor, he’s fun to watch. When you work with him, he’s so endlessly creative,” Eisenberg said. “He comes up with the most creative things.” 

As teased in the Now You See Me trailer, Eisenberg is the leader of The Four Horsemen, the magician quartet at the heart of the thrilling film. As part of their act, they rob banks all over the world and share the loot with their audience. The film also stars Isla Fisher, Dave Franco as Eisenberg and Harrelson’s magic cohorts and Mark Ruffalo as the federal agent on a mission to stop them.

Eisenberg’s character thinks he is the “best magician in the world” and the actor admits that audiences should be able to find a few famous magic men in his performance.

“I watched a lot of magicians and the one thing they all have in common, regardless of their specific style, is a kind of confident attitude,” Eisenberg said.

“I watched David Blaine, and he has a relaxed attitude, but he’s also very confident. And David Copperfield who is this old school showman, he is still very confident. I tried to meld those two styles.”

Machete Kills Character Poster: Michelle Rodriguez as Shé

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Coming on the heels of yesterday's Machete Kills trailer premieres--both a Spanish and an English version--we now have a new character poster for Michelle Rodriguez in the role of Shé. Check it out:

Machete Kills Michelle Rodriguez Poster

The action sequel once again stars Danny Trejo as Machete Cortez, the ex-Federale. This time, he is hired by the U.S. President to stop a ruthless millionaire bent on spreading war across the world.

Charlie Sheen stars as the President, with Mel Gibson as the villain. Jessica Alba, Sofia Vergara, Demian Bichir, Amber Heard, Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness), Edward James Olmos, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Lady Gaga round out the giant cast.

Machete Kills premieres September 13. Visit our Machete Kills poster gallery for more.

Sam Mendes to Direct Bond 24

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It just goes to show ya: never trust anything anyone says ever, especially not anyone who gets paid lots of money to do stuff.

Skyfall director Sam Mendes, who insisted that he didn't want to direct the next Bond film, will direct the next Bond film.

Sam Mendes Picture

Mendes has long been out of the running, with producers looking at such big names as The Dark Knight's Christopher Nolan to take over the franchise. But the search can end, as Mendes is reportedly on board for Bond 24 as well as Bond 25.

It is unclear exactly what changed Mendes' mind, but it's likely some combination of money and scheduling.

So with Mendes and Daniel Craig returning together for at least two more films, how do you think the immediate future of the James Bond franchise looks?

This is the End International Trailer: Scarface Style

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The international trailer for This is the End has dropped! Despite seeing a lot of the same scenes lately, the new promo features some brand new footage! Check it out:

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg co-wrote and co-directed the comedy, with Rogen starring. While at a party at James Franco's house, the apocalypse hits Los Angeles, leaving Rogen and his friends to fight for their lives.

Craig Robinson, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Jonah Hill round out the group of friends. Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Michael Cera, Jason Segel, David Krumholtz, Paul Rudd (Anchorman), Martin Starr, Kevin Hart, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse also star.

This is the End premieres June 12. Watch the This is the End red band trailer for more.


Weekend Movie Preview: May 31, 2013

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For the last weekend in May, Hollywood is presenting three movies that truly break the mold and hopefully usher in a new era of originality -- After Earth, Now You See Me and The East.

After Earth: Will Smith reteams with his son Jaden in a sci-fi thriller from director M. Night Shyamalan. The story finds the human race having escaped the unlivable planet Earth 1,000 years ago, finding refuge on a distant planet similar to ours. Jaden is a cadet wanting to be like his military leader father. Only, he keeps failing the tests that are required of him to become a military Ranger. As stated in our After Earth review, the film is a fresh take on a sci-fi genre that can be stale. And although Jaden is no Tom Hanks, a la Cast Away, the young actor still commands the screen solo for much of the movie.

Now You See Me: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher are The Four Horsemen. They are a wildly popular magician troupe whose big schtick is robbing banks across the globe to the delight (and profit) of their audience. As reported in our Now You See Me review, the film boasts one of the best casts of the year with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo filling out the ensemble.

The East: Brit Marling has dazzled of late with her films Another Earth and Sound of My Voice. She has done it again, writing and starring in the film that takes eco-terrorism and puts it front and center. Alexander Skarsgard and Ellen Page star as part of a group called The East, who do to corporate executives what they have done to the environment. Marling is a former FBI agent who works for a corporate espionage firm who seeks to infiltrate them and bring them down. But, she starts to have affinity for their cause. For more, check out our The East review.

Fast and Furious 6 Stays On Top: Weekend Box Office Report

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In a weekend the brought disappointment to the biggest new film, Fast and Furious 6 reaped the benefits. The action-packed six-quel stayed in first place at the box office this weekend, earning $34.5 million to bring its total gross to $170.4.

Vin Diesel Fast and Furious 6

Now You See Me opened in second place, earning $28.05 million in its first three days. The magic-themed thriller stars Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher (The Great Gatsby), Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman.

The high-budget thriller After Earth saw a very disappointing opening weekend, coming in third place. The Will and Jaden Smith vehicle earned just $27 million in its first three days.

Star Trek Into Darkness and Epic round out the top five. The films grossed an estimated $16.4 million a piece, landing them in a virtual tie.

Box office top 10:

1. Fast and Furiuous 6, $34.54 million
2. Now You See Me, $28.05 million
3. After Earth, $27 million
4. Star Trek Into Darkness, $16.4 million
5. Epic, $16.4 million
6. The Hangover Part III, $15.93 million
7. Iron Man 3, $8 million
8. The Great Gatsby, $6.27 million
9. Yei Jawaani Hai Deewani, $1.65 million
10. Mud, $1.23 million

Penelope Cruz to Play Bond Girl in Bond 24

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Last week we learned that Sam Mendes will return to direct Bond 24. And it looks like he's already casting.

Today, Penelope Cruz signed on to play a Bond Girl in the next installment of the iconic franchise.

Penelope Cruz Picture

Cruz, who turns 40 next year, will be the oldest Bond Girl in the history of the franchise. She is actually a refreshingly age-appropriate choice for the 45 year-old Daniel Craig, however.

Mendes is apparently attempting to stay in the family with his next Bond film, as Cruz's husband Javier Bardem played the villain in last year's Skyfall.

Bond 24, which has yet to get a title or any plot details, is expected to begin filming next Summer, with a release expected by 2016.

Kick-Ass 2 International Trailer: It's Not Just a Costume

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The new NSFW international trailer for Kick-Ass 2 has arrived! Take a look below:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloe Moretz (Carrie) return to star in the darkly comedic superhero movie. This time, a slew of masked heroes begin to pop up after being inspired by Kick-Ass, while a brand new villain is born.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), Jim Carrey, Donald Faison, Clark Duke, John Leguizamo, and Morris Chestnut also star. The film is based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

Jeff Wadlow directs the film, which premieres August 16.

Benicio Del Toro Joins Guardians of the Galaxy: Could he Play Thanos?

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The cast of Guardians of the Galaxy is quickly filling up, and Benicio Del Toro is the latest to join on!

Del Toro will reportedly be playing a major role, with an option to appear in other Marvel movies. While the character has yet to be revealed, it seems likely that Del Toro may be the Thanos we've all been waiting for.

Benicio Del Toro Picture

Guardians of the Galaxy will star Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, the half-alien half-human leader of the Guardians. Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness), and Michael Rooker will also star.

James Gunn will direct the film, which will be a part of Marvel Phase 2.

Guardians of the Galaxy has a release date set for August 1, 2014, with production slated to begin this Summer.

Do you think Del Toro is gearing up to play Thanos? Would he be a good fit for the character? Give us your thoughts in the comments section!

Man of Steel Giveaway: Win Fandango Gift Card!

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With Man of Steel arriving in theaters June 14, it truly is an explosive summer -- proof is seen in the most recent Man of Steel trailer. Movie Fanatic is pleased to get into action by presenting a Man of Steel prize that includes a $60 gift card to Fandango that celebrates their Fandango’s Summer of Action.

Man of Steel Logo

Enter below to be the lucky winner of not only that $60 Fandango gift card, but also a Man of Steel T-Shirt and two Funko Pop Toys.

Director Zack Snyder has the difficult task of “rebooting” one of the most identifiable superheroes in history. He scored first by signing Henry Cavill (The Immortals) to portray the titular character, and then filled out his cast astoundingly with Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon (check out his Zod Man of Steel clip!) and Lawrence Fishburne.

And remember as part of Fandango’s Summer of Action, don’t miss any of the summer’s most explosive action movies. Start your movie mission now -- find Man of Steel, World War Z plus more action movie show times, tickets and offers on Fandango!

Fandango Summer of Action Logo

Use the widget below to enter on Facebook or Twitter. There are three unique ways to enter, and by entering all three ways you can increase your chance of winning. A winner will be announced on the film’s release day, June 17. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Man of Steel Featurette: Zack Snyder Explains His Vision

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A new 13-minute featurette has dropped for Man of Steel! The video goes in-depth about director Zack Snyder's process of updating Superman.

Snyder wanted to make the Superman story more relatable to a modern audience, and bring it into a realistic realm.

Henry Cavill stars as Clark Kent in the origin story, which reboots the Superman franchise. The film tells the story of a young Kent, seeking meaning in the face of his extraordinary powers.

Michael Shannon stars as General Zod, with Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Laurence Fishburne, and Christopher Meloni (42) also star.

Man of Steel premieres June 14. Watch the Man of Steel trailer for more.


Short Term 12 Trailer: Here We Go

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Short Term 12 is a new indie drama starring Brie Larson that premiered at this year's SXSW festival. Now, the film is getting a theatrical release.

Watch the first Short Term 12 trailer below:

Larson (21 Jump Street) plays Grace, a young woman working at a foster care center as she tries to navigate that turbulent world as well as her own personal life.

John Gallagher, Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek (Breaking Dawn Part 2), and Stephanie Beatriz also star.

Destin Cretton wrote and directed the film, which hits limited theaters August 23.

This is the End Clip: Who Did This?

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Danny McBride did something disgusting to James Franco's magazine in this new NSFW clip from This is the End, courtesy of Machinima. Watch it below:

McBride and Franco star as themselves in the apocalyptic comedy, along with Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, and Craig Robinson. When the apocalypse hits Los Angeles, the six friends must try to survive at Franco's house.

Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Michael Cera, Jason Segel, David Krumholtz, Paul Rudd (Anchorman), Martin Starr, Kevin Hart, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick-Ass 2) also star.

This is the End was writted and directed by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and will premiere June 12. 

World War Z World Premiere: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie & Muse Rock London

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The zombie apocalypse thriller World War Z had its world premiere in London last night and Movie Fanatic brings you a sizzle reel that includes Brangelina and Muse! “We are unleashing the world premiere of World War Z,” Brad Pitt proudly said in the video. “It’s massive. It’s global. It’s the most intense thing you will see this summer.”

Angelina Jolie accompanied World War Z star Brad Pitt in Leicester Square in front of thousands and we could not tell if the deafening cheers were for Pitt and his upcoming blockbuster or for his love and her triumphant return to the public stage after Jolie's double mastectomy.

Muse contributed to the score and director Marc Foster was beyond thrilled that the band agreed to play a free concert for tens of thousands of fans after the World War Z premiere.

“Muse collaborated with us on the soundtrack and they are one of the greatest rock bands of our times,” director Marc Forster said.

As teased in the World War Z trailer, the story takes place after a virus has rapidly infected the world, turning humans into flesh and brain sucking monsters. Pitt’s character is a U.N. worker who must leave his family behind to track where the disease started, all in an effort to stop it.

Identity Thief DVD Review: Melissa McCarthy Steals Our Hearts

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Since she stole scenes from an incredibly funny cast in Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy has been on a roll unlike any other. Proof of that arrives on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download today with Identity Thief. She stars opposite Jason Bateman as the titular character and further shows why the world is going gaga for the comic female phenomenon.

Identity Thief DVD

As the Identity Thief trailer shows, McCarthy is a low level crook who has gotten her minor operation into quite the groove. She lives in Florida and seeks out suckers over the phone and cons them into giving her their social security number and other vital pieces of information. As our film starts, the mark is Bateman’s Colorado yuppie. Almost nonchalantly, she phones him posing as his bank and our con is on.

When his bank account and credit cards are cleared of fund availability, it affects his job because it also seems she has done some illegal things -- all using his name. Guess the second crime committed against him is his parents giving him a girl’s name, Sandy!

Bateman learns where this Identity Thief lives and leaves his wife and family behind, all in an effort to get her himself (as the law is ineffectual).

Our Identity Thief review from when the film hit theaters stated that McCarthy and Bateman are a killer comedy duo. The McCarthy part was originally written for a man, but when Bateman saw The Groundlings veteran in Bridesmaids, he immediately had screenwriter Craig Mazin change the gender to get the up-and-coming comedy starlet. It could not have been a wiser move.

The film did decent business in theaters, and should do quite well on home video. The usual comedy DVD suspects are here and with comedy improv pros working the funny, watching a gag reel is rarely this fun and fresh. And the “making of” doc is a delight to witness, again, simply because of the joy of watching the two stars do their thing.

Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy in Identity Thief

There are some side stories that don’t quite work in the film, especially the one starring Robert Patrick. We adore the work of the man who was the second Terminator, but his storyline is superfluous in the film itself. Yet, the bonus feature that takes you inside his Skiptracer vehicle, The Skiptracer Van, is more fascinating than the character’s entire storyline.

Finally, the featurette Scene Stealing: Capturing the Humor of Identity Thief, is a well thought out look for comedy fans at how two stars, their director and screenwriter, join forces to create the funny that is honestly on the highest of levels.

Wizard of Oz Coming to IMAX 3D

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Film studios have been exploring IMAX 3D re-releases of older films a lot lately. From Titanic 3D to Top Gun 3D to Jurassic Park 3D, the re-releases have proven to be somewhat successful, with very little downside.

Now, a true classic in the strictest sense of the word, The Wizard of Oz, is getting the IMAX 3D treatment!

The Wizard of Oz Poster

In honor of the film's 75th anniversary, The Wizard of Oz will hit 400 IMAX theaters across America this September, followed by a 5-disc Blu-ray set on October 1. It seems Warner Bros. may have jumped the gun a bit, however, as the film's original August 25, 1939 release date makes it just under 74 years old.

No matter how old it is, though, The Wizard of Oz is a doubtless masterpiece. The film received a prequel this year, with Sam Raimi's Oz: the Great and Powerful.

Catch the 3D re-release in IMAX theaters for one week only, beginning September 20.

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