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Will Jared Leto Be The Joker in Suicide Squad?

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One of the films that Warner Bros. and DC Comics announced as part of their major superhero roll-out that truly caught our eye was Suicide Squad.

The idea of an Avengers-type grouping of many of the big villains from their canon in one movie is beyond thrilling. Toss in the fact that it will be directed by one of our favorites in Fury helmer David Ayer, well, you had us at DC Comics’ villain collective -- and now with Ayer in the mix, we might just explode.

The Joker in Comics

Of course with the casting of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we know that he will likely carry over into Suicide Squad. And rumors are starting to heat up that Jai Courtney (Terminator: Genisys) is circling Deadshot and The Wolf of Wall Street standout Margot Robbie could be Harley Quinn.

There’s one giant elephant in the room of those Suicide Squad characters and there could be no bigger shoes to fill.

Who will be The Joker?

After Jack Nicholson made a legendary and iconic turn as the Batman villain in Tim Burton’s Batman and then Heath Ledger won an Oscar for being The Joker for Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight, who on earth would dare tread into that villainous pool?

How about Jared Leto?! We likey.

Jared Leto Oscars

Rumors are flying that producers and Ayer are eyeing Leto for the role, and given how Nicholson is an Oscar winner, Ledger won the Oscar for being The Joker and Leto just won an Oscar -- we think they will have nailed it if this deal gets put together.

Can Leto play controlled crazy? Have you seen some of his work? Can he do subtle? Watch Dallas Buyers Club online and there you have it.

Make this happen, Warner Bros. and DC Comics! When it comes to iconic roles, there are few as pop culture permeating as The Joker and you could never do as good as you could do with Leto in the role.

Let us know what you think...

Will Jared Leto be a good Joker?

 

Click through and see one reason why it’s so hard to be the next Joker -- the 9 things Ledger did to make his iconic!

A Joker's Inspiration
In his diary, Ledger said he took a lot of inspiration from Malcolm McDowell's turn in A Clockwork Orange.

9 Biggest Moments From Guardians of the Galaxy DVD Bonus Features

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The Guardians of the Galaxy DVD and Blu-Ray lands December 9 with a bevy full of bonus features that will surely make the legions of fans happy who made the movie the number one box office flick of 2014.

Movie Fanatic headed over to the Disney lot and we were treated to the entire bonus feature selection from the home video, all introduced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn.

Gunn provided some insight into the making of his blockbuster (stay with Movie Fanatic for our full Q&A later today) and we could not be more excited to share with you the 9 biggest takeaways from witnessing the Guardians of the Galaxy bonus features which included a gag reel, deleted scenes and much, much more.

With the announcement of Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Gunn is busy writing that sequel right now. But first, he took some time to look back at the last smash.

Click through and discover the 9 things we learned from the Guardians of the Galaxy bonus features.

Fake Laugh Scene Is Longer
We saw that scene where Star Lord is telling the Guardians about his plan, or a percentage of a plan. That scene is actually longer and goes into more detail about Rocket's laugh... or fake laugh! They even vote to see who thinks the laugh is fake. And Gamora brilliantly even uses a percentage!

Tammy DVD Review: Melissa McCarthy Makes a Mockery of Herself

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The making of Tammy was a family affair and a passion project for Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone. Falcone wrote the script (with a little help from the missus) and made his directorial debut with the hit comedy. Tammy has arrived on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download and now the whole world can take home their little comedic baby.

Tammy DVD

As the Tammy trailer so hilariously shows, McCarthy is the title character and she’s not doing too well in this thing called life.

Tammy loses her job, totals her car and comes home to her husband cheating on her with their neighbor. What’s a girl to do?

She heads over to her mother's (Allison Janney) and looks for sympathy. And no, she doesn’t get it. But, grandma (Susan Sarandon) offers to take Tammy on a little road trip to get away from it all. Reluctantly, she agrees and our hilarity is on.

Janney and Sarandon aren’t the only fantastic names in this cast. Falcone scored Dan Aykroyd as Tammy’s dad, Mark Duplass as a guy who might be interested in Tammy romantically and Gary Cole (Office Space) as Duplass’ dad, plus Sandra Oh and Oscar winner Kathy Bates as lesbian lovers who are friends with Sarandon’s character.

Oh, and the film is co-produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (Anchorman)!

We are usually not the biggest fans of extended cut releases, except in cases where the director was controlled by the studio and the director’s edition proves to be more in line with his or her vision. But with Tammy, the theatrical version was just fine. And surprisingly, the Tammy extended cut includes facets of the film that must have been cut for time, because they are fantastic. Falcone truly shows his mettle as a budding comedic director and we cannot wait to see what he does next.

When it comes to bonus features on the Tammy DVD and Blu-Ray, the Tammy’s Road Trip Checklist is a hilarious delight. As Tammy is such a unique character, what she thinks is important for a road trip with grandma might not be what you and I would bring, and that’s what makes it so funny. It is a Tammy bonus feature must-see!

With so many comic talents, you can probably guess that the Gag Reel is something to behold. It’s not the best one we’ve ever seen (watch Anchorman online and you’ll see our fave!), but it is quite the study in brilliantly funny people firmly in their element. 

Intrigued? Watch Tammy online right now!

Melissa McCarthy "Flies" over Water!
Melissa McCarthy will do anything to get away from her life, including ride a jet ski she is clearly not prepared for.

Dumb and Dumber To Features a Huge Cameo: Watch Now!

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How good is a certain cameo in the Farrelly brothers Dumb and Dumber To?

Well, we ran a series of five Dumb and Dumber To clips last week and it was in one of them and we totally missed it. Then, we saw the movie and saw the entire scene and still… went right over our head.

No, it’s not that Movie Fanatic has become aloof in its fanaticism for movies!

It’s that the Farrelly brothers did an outstanding job of putting this comedy (and drama) superstar in a getup right out of Breaking Bad that no one could have guessed it was… Bill Murray!

Now that the Farrellys have told the world that Murray is the “glass” making roommate of Jeff Daniels and we re-watch the clip, of course that’s Murray!

Murray famously appeared in the Farrelly brothers Osmosis Jones and most memorably in Kingpin.  

Watch Dumb and Dumber online and get ready for a film that will give those Dumb and Dumber quotes a run for their money.

Harry As Lucy? Hardly!`
Harry gets his turn in the Lucy parody poster!

Mockingjay Part 1 TV Spot: No More Games!

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It’s game over for the folks in The Hunger Games world, as teased in the latest TV trailer from Lionsgate. We also really like the line from Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch about Peeta being a symbol for the Capitol, just as Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss is “for us.”

It’s a haunting tease at the film that will finally land on screens on November 21 and begin the two-part conclusion to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series that began just a few short years ago.

Yes, the Games are over -- and now the fighting begins, as teased in that full length Mockingjay Part 1 trailer

The cast (that seems to grow ever-impressive with each additional film) includes Josh Hutcherson, Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Jeffrey Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Donald Sutherland and Stanley Tucci.

Watch Catching Fire online to see where we left off with its thrilling cliffhanger!

Philip Seymour Hoffman Is Plutarch Heavensbee
Plutarch Heavensbee is playing both sides and we like the way this game master has "mastered" the "game."

The Homesman: Tommy Lee Jones on Learning From Good & Bad Directors

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To capture the feel of 19th century Middle America, The Homesman director and star Tommy Lee Jones (watch The Fugitive online for his Oscar winning role) was kind of lucky. There was a man back in those days, who traveled around the area whose work proved quite priceless.

Tommy Lee Jones Directs The Homesman

“[He made] his living taking photographs of people and their houses. He had a motif usually -- with a pretty wide lens he would feature 100-percent of the house which is very useful to us in providing architectural details as we began to build these houses ourselves,” Jones said.

“These people lived very isolated lives and photography wasn’t a part of their lives. They had a chance to get their picture taken, it was a big deal.”

Witnessing these works allowed Jones and his team to impeccably recreate a time and a locale that was traditionally not well documented. 

“The whole family would get out of the house with their best clothes on, and if they has a good crop of watermelons that year they would put a table. If they had a piano or a melodeon, they would bring it out of the house and get that into the picture and Granddad would be in the middle and they would all be there posing with their guns -- anything they were proud of,” Jones said.

“It is a wonderful record for costumes, hair and makeup. It was very useful to us.”

As you can see in The Homesman trailer, Jones stars with Hilary Swank in a story of the old west that we’ve never seen before. Swank is a woman living alone in Nebraska who takes it upon herself to help her community and ride with three mentally ill women to Iowa where they can get help from Meryl Streep’s pastor’s wife. As the journey is about to begin, she runs into Jones and through a series of events, she gets him to go with her and help.

Jones, who made his directorial debut with The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, returns to the director’s chair with The Homesman and told us that it was through no formal training, other than what he gleaned from acting with some of the most gifted storytellers of all time.

“My education as a film maker has been entirely practical. I started working professionally in the film business since 1970 and I have been at it steadily since. I pay a lot of attention and I’ve worked with some really good directors and some very bad ones,” Jones said.

“I learned a great deal from both. From the untalented people you learn what not to do, and when you work with highly talented people you want to emulate them. So as I said my education has been practical or on the job training. Everyday is a bigger, broader, brighter day then the day before.”

The Homesman Tommy Lee Jones Hilary Swank

Jones knew he’d gotten an incredible actress in Swank (a two-time Oscar winner for Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don't Cry). But what he never expected was that the man from Texas would find a kindred spirit in his love of horses. But, it wasn’t always that way.

“She didn’t know a lot about horses or driving a team of mules or plowing with a double shovel. She worked at it until she was able to make a very convincing picture of all of those. Between takes, there she would go. It got to the point where I would have to send a wrangler with a radio on his belt to make sure she didn’t fall off in a gully or canyon somewhere or have a wreck or just not know when to come back,” Jones said and smiled.

The Homesman is based on the book by Glendon Swarthout, and as a man who adores novels of that nature and movies of a western nature, Jones thought it would make a great movie. But, it would all ride on the casting of the lead female, Mary Bee.

“The book offered us the chance to make a screenplay that had some originality to it, and of course our lives as filmmakers is a never-ending search for originality -- desperately clawing for originality. It’s not always readily available,” Jones said.

And then, there was Swank. “We worried about Hilary for probably two or three seconds. We met at that Italian restaurant and it was immediately obvious to me and Michael Fitzgerald that Hilary was absolutely perfect. I had seen all of her films before meeting her, but I knew immediately that if we could talk her into playing Mary Bee Cuddy, half our job would be done.”

Tommy Lee and Hilary Have a Moment
These two don't get along at first... but they warm up to each other -- unlike the weather.

Fifty Shades of Grey Trailer: Are You Curious?

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One of the most anticipated trailers of the year -- yes, it’s true -- has arrived and it's more than fitting that it debuted during the hit show Scandal.

The Fifty Shades of Grey trailer has arrived from Focus Features and now the countdown to the love affair between Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) has begun.

The trailer takes things much further than any previous preview. We get to see how they met and why this somewhat innocent woman would (Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele) get drawn into a world of wealth, domination and… what she thinks is love with a billionaire named Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).

Now, is it?

Sam Taylor-Johnson directed the adaptation of the blockbuster book and it will clearly be one of the most eagerly awaited film releases of early next year.

Fifty Shades of Grey is seeking to be the romantic movie to beat as it lands February 13, 2015 -- just in time for Valentine’s Day. It also stars Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden, Eloise Mumford, Max Martini and Jennifer Ehle. 

Would you believe that the book trilogy (that includes Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed) has sold over 70 million copies since the first one debuted in 2011? Yup!

So, you can say that anticipation is high for this flick. That’s a lot of eyes waiting for this trailer. Therefore, yes, it is one of the (if not the) most anticipated trailers of the year. And now it's here.

Dakota Johnson Lip-Biting Poster
Yeah, the poster of Dakota Johnson biting her lip has us wondering what she's looking at!

The Homesman Review: Tommy Lee Jones' Slow Ride

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Over his decades-spanning work as one of our finest actors, Tommy Lee Jones has only directed one film -- The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. There had to be something truly special to get him to do it again, and that arrived in the form of Glendon Swarthout’s Western novel The Homesman.

The Homesman Movie Poster

The Homesman tells the tale of a well-ahead-of-her-time woman named Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank). She lives alone in the Nebraska Territory in the 1800s. Her small town needs some help and she volunteers to lead the way. Three mentally ill women in the community are getting worse and they need to be taken on a dangerous journey to Iowa where they can get the help they need.

Although Cuddy’s farm will be neglected while she is gone, there is truly no one else who can make the journey as residents are struggling to keep their families alive in these rough times. As you see in The Homesman trailer, on the eve of her journey, she comes across George Briggs (Jones), a gruff somewhat typical Old West guy who has a noose around his neck. Death is only waiting for the horse he’s perched upon to move.

In exchange for helping her with the trek, she agrees to cut him down.

It’s not a match made in heaven -- it clearly is a pairing of necessity. But as played by Jones and Swank, we believe that Briggs and Cuddy would come to respect each other and, yes, even depend on each other to get these increasingly more difficult women to where they need to go.

Jones truly gets what an audience would want from a Western, because that’s what The Homesman truly is. He wields his camera expertly and efficiently and sets a pace that is firmly of that time. It is filled with majestic landscapes that are a feast for the eyes and a silence of open spaces that is haunting for the ears.

The Homesman Star Tommy Lee Jones

When there is music (by Marco Beltrami, The Hurt Locker, World War Z), it is sparse and haunting. But, there is also Swank’s singing. The actress nails the part of the character that longs for a more cultured life. We’re not sure what brought her out to the territories, but that’s where we meet her. Cuddy has a passion for music and it shows with her moments of melody that fill the open air with a sense of hope. In Jones’ world, there seems to be not too much of that.

It is understandable why Jones chose the pace he did for The Homesman. Yet, we felt at times the film (both in real time and in plot) moved at the same pace as a wagon crossing the Western landscape. Nothing really happens, at least not often enough to warrant the dramatic weight of the story itself. But, then again, maybe that is exactly the point. It is a simple life and a long journey back in those days would be dull, dry and deliriously slow.

Our The Homesman review just wishes that Jones’ movie was not like that too. 

Tommy Lee and Hilary Have a Moment
These two don't get along at first... but they warm up to each other -- unlike the weather.

Dumb and Dumber To Review: Not As Dumb As Original, But Still Stupid

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Upon first leaving Dumb and Dumber To, initial thoughts went to, “That took 20 years and six writers?” But upon reflection, this Dumb and Dumber To review can report that although it is not as fall-to-the-floor funny as the first film, it is still pretty entertaining.

Dumb and Dumber To Jeff Daniels Jim Carrey Photo

See, that’s the problem with expectations. After waiting so long for a follow-up to the 1994 film, the sky is where we expect this movie to land. But, in reality it is still very much of this earth.

For fans of those Dumb and Dumber quotes from two decades ago that are still among comedy’s most popular, well, let’s just say there is a fresh and hot heap of them from the Farrelly brothers. And although the tone of the film may be a hair different than the first time around, it is still clearly the silly cinematic siblings from Rhode Island doing what they do best.

In Dumb and Dumber To, Lloyd and Harry (Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels) are a bit more straightforward mean and less innocently stupid than they were in Dumb and Dumber to get their laughs.

Both executions work, it’s just a slightly different path to get there. But, there was something inherently hilarious about these clueless idiots doing what they do and seeing what happens next. When our comedy characters are pointedly doing things out of nastiness, we still laugh, but it’s not as hearty.

As you saw in the Dumb and Dumber To trailer, Harry has been visiting Lloyd in the mental hospital for the last 20 years. One day, Lloyd decides it's time to let Harry know the joke is on him. Yes, a joke that has been in the works for two decades. Detractors of the darker end of Harry and Lloyd in this incarnation should notice immediately that by making his best friend think he was crazy for so long, our zingers this time out will clearly be much more pointed.

Dumb and Dumber To Jim Carrey Rob Riggle Jeff Daniels

Upon heading back to their apartment, Harry announces he needs a kidney or he’s going to die. We all know that the duo hit the road again (like they did in the first film) and search for a daughter that Harry just found out he has… yes, just to get her kidney.

Meanwhile, there’s a subplot involving a scientist speaking at a TED-like conference with a discovery that could change the world and his scheming wife and her lover (an always awesome Rob Riggle). It all feels a bit like the first film in that vein. But, it’s different enough that we give the Farrellys a slight pass. They know what works for a Dumb and Dumber movie, so why change it?

Out on the road, there are a lot of laughs. There’s conflict and hilarious daydream vignettes aplenty that are actually among the funniest moments in the movie. We don’t remember any outright sexism in the first film. Lloyd’s passion for his lady in Aspen was innocently pure. Here the guys are yelling, “Show us your tits,” at respected scientists and… you get the idea. Guess they’ve changed, and thus why they’re still single. Well, that and being Dumb and Dumber.

The film is the Farrellys' best work in years, although that is not saying all that much. But for those who adore Dumb and Dumber and these two actors in these two roles -- watching them be so deliciously dumb again is almost worth the wait. 

Watch Dumb and Dumber online and get ready for a return to the silly.

Harry As Lucy? Hardly!`
Harry gets his turn in the Lucy parody poster!

Foxcatcher Review: Gold Medal Performances Abound

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Foxcatcher is an incredible true story of madness, obsession, jealousy and Olympic glory. Steve Carell stars as John du Pont, the eccentric multimillionaire with a passion for wrestling who starts Foxcatcher, a wrestling academy, at his home.

Steve Carell Foxcatcher Photo

Du Pont recruits gold medal winner Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) away from his brother, fellow gold medalist Dave (Mark Ruffalo), and their hometown base of training to come to Foxcatcher in Pennsylvania in the hopes of emerging from his sibling’s shadow and winning the highest honor in the sport all on his own.

Immediately, bells should have gone off for Mark. But as Tatum plays him, he has lived under his brother’s shadow and du Pont hits all the right nerves to pull him away. Mark also is not blind to the mind-blowing wealth and the lifestyle that the du Pont chemical fortune heir lives.

It is a lure that will prove tragic.

Since Foxcatcher premiered on the festival circuit the talk has been Carell and his incredible thespian transformation from laugh maker to risk taker.

Sure, there’s a physical metamorphosis with Carell looking more haggard, aged and there’s that prosthetic nose. But his alteration goes much, much deeper. Carell plays him as somebody who himself has lived under a shadow of immense pressure and that is his family history. His mother (Vanessa Redgrave) weighs on him like an anvil and she does not approve of a sport like wrestling. And that motivates du Pont even more. And yes, Carell goes toe-for-toe with Redgrave and that is saying something. The Oscar buzz is true.

The thing is, however, the “best actor” in Foxcatcher is Ruffalo.

He inhabits, lives and breathes Dave and plays him like a man who is always looking out for his brother, but too is taken in by the wealth, opportunity and passion for the sport that du Pont offers. When Ruffalo arrives at Foxcatcher, it is the spark that sets this entire tragedy into its explosive mode.

Foxcatcher Stars Mark Ruffalo Channing Tatum

And orchestrating the entire thing is director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball). He has taken a relatively recent headline-grabbing story and made it his own. He makes dozens of wise choices with the story. The pace is slow, yes. But it is on purpose. If you’ve been around East Coast old money, lives can move at a snail’s pace. That was a conscious decision and Miller should be rewarded for it with another Oscar nod.

He also chooses to focus on the intertwining of the characters, the richness of his actors and their portrayals of this triangle of winning passion that won’t end even remotely quietly. There was a “thrilling” conclusion to this story in real life… one that was built up with tension over 48 hours.

Miller instead decides to close out his tale, just as he started it -- with a pace that is deliberate and dedicated to storytelling at the highest order with three actors giving the most riveting performances of their collective careers.

Our Foxcatcher review also has to salute Tatum. He has stretched beyond his comfort zone with this film. It might be easy to think of the muscle-bound star as a no-brainer choice to play a superstar wrestling Olympian. But this character cuts much, much deeper and darker than that.

Just like Miller’s film itself. 

Foxcatcher Cast Poster
The Foxcatcher cast photo features three stars in one riveting movie... Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 Trailer: Security Chose Him!

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The first trailer for Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 has arrived. Kevin James’ alter ego has gone to Las Vegas, and finds himself in the big time.

Blart has taken his daughter with him to Vegas for a security guard convention. And unlucky for a group of robbers, their heist is going to occur where the legendary Blart is staying!

They will soon discover that nobody is better on a two-wheel upright scooter -- and that means trouble for those making trouble.

Look for James to add to those Paul Blart: Mall Cop quotes on April 17, 2015 with co-stars Molly Shannon, Eduardo Verastegui, Nicholas Turturro, Neal McDonough, Gary Valentine and Davie Henrie.

Until then, watch Paul Blart: Mall Cop online

Mockingjay Part 1 Clip: Katniss, Are You There?

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The latest Mockingjay Part 1 clip has landed and it’s a powerful one.

It features Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta trying to reach Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss via video message.

Hutcherson delivers a whale of a performance. Notice how his lip is subtly shaking, and he appears simultaneously nervous and afraid. Not afraid for himself, Peeta is terrified for his love at the other end of the video chat.

Peeta clearly believes that if this war gets going, no one is safe – not in the Districts, not in the Capitol… nowhere.  

And we could also not be more excited that what was teased in that first Mockingjay Part 1 teaser trailer is now only a week away from being unleashed on the world. That’s right -- the first part of the final chapter of The Hunger Games saga is only seven days away!

Watch Catching Fire online and get ready for the revolution to start November 21.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Is Plutarch Heavensbee
Plutarch Heavensbee is playing both sides and we like the way this game master has "mastered" the "game."

Beyond the Lights Review: Surprisingly Stellar

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One of the biggest surprises of the fall movie season arrives in the form of the music-laden romance Beyond the Lights.

Beyond the Lights Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is Noni and we meet her as a little girl at a talent competition. She sings Nina Simone’s Blackbird like an angel has fallen from heaven. But alas, she doesn’t win and her mother (Minnie Driver) has her trash her second place trophy because “coming in second is no way to make it big.”

In mere moments, writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love and Basketball) has given us the dynamic that will define the first two acts of her latest triumph.  We immediately flash forward to the present and Noni is a hip hop singer ready to become enormous. She has three number one songs with a rapper (also her boyfriend), her debut album is the most anticipated of the year and her mother/manager has orchestrated everything that “they” wished for into a version of reality that they always dreamed of. 

Except, as we see in the Beyond the Lights trailer, Noni is far from happy. It is there that she runs into LAPD officer Kaz (Nate Turner). They form the most unlikely of connections that will permeate the range of human emotions throughout the rest of the film. Their love affair is one for the cinematic ages -- yes, seriously.

See, those you love should not only have you striving to constantly better yourselves, but also to be your true self. And that is what Kaz does for Noni, and vice versa. It’s entirely believable that these two would fall in love and that their romance would be tested by the realities of her (and his) world. See, he’s being groomed to run for office in LA and dating a living on the edge pop star isn’t exactly helping his career either.

Mbatha-Raw is a revelation. She has the voice of angel and effortlessly moves from the hip hop world to a more soulful one that is truly her dream music to bring to the world. And then there’s her acting. We feel her pain. We feel her pull between maternal influence and striking out on her own that every single soul watching this movie could identify with.

Beyond the Lights Gugu Mbatha-Raw Nate Parker

Parker, well, he brings a subtle brilliance to his Kaz. He too is a product of what a parent (a too rarely used Danny Glover) wants. And the chemistry between these two is electric.

Both Noni and Kaz -- through their collective hearts and minds -- will have to find their own ways to self realization and thus happiness. It is the audiences’ true treat that we get to go along for the ride.

Prince-Bythewood has crafted a modern love story that works on every level, and that is a rarity in today’s cinematic market. Just when you think you can see where the story goes, it takes off in another direction. Yet, it’s not a movement of plot that doesn’t make sense. It’s just a refreshing turn for a romance when the audience is conditioned to expect certain things from their romances due to the many story avenues that are often traveled ad nauseum and this one goes down none of those roads.

Our Beyond the Lights review cannot recommend this movie enough for fans of music movies, romances and stellar storytelling, regardless of its genre. 

Nate Parker and Gugu Mbatha-Raw Have a Moment
The chemistry between Parker and Mbatha-Raw is palpable.

25 Characters That Transcend Movies

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When a movie becomes an international sensation, sometimes something truly special happens.

A character from that flick transcends the art of film and becomes part of our global culture at large.

Watch Forrest Gump online and heck, even his verbiage has become part of our vernacular.

And those Anchorman quotes are repeated all over the world because who doesn’t know Ron Burgundy? The man has become a symbol for so much, and it’s not just buffoonery.

And then there’s a man who cannot help but go beyond movie fame to international icon that lives and breathes beyond celluloid. Watch Skyfall online and yup, it’s 007!

Click through and discover our 25 characters that transcend the movies!

James Bond
After 23 movies, one would hope that James Bond has gone beyond just being a movie character!

Weekend Movie Preview: November 14, 2014

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Forgive the weekend movie preview this time out. We've gone a little daft. Dumb and Dumber To has finally arrived! 

That Farrelly comedy that is 20 years in the making is hardly the only release as we have three others to discuss. Steve Carell is getting serious awards buzz for his work in Foxcatcher​, Beyond the Lights has us singing in the aisles and The Homesman finds Tommy Lee Jones behind the camera for only the second time in his esteemed career. 

Let's break it down...   

Dumb and Dumber To: Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels return to the roles that gave us a comedy legend. The big question this weekend is: Will Monday come and a legion of fans of the first movie will be uttering the sequel's quotes? Time will tell, but what we can say is it is nice to see the two back in those roles and although the story is not quite as good as the first time around... is it ever, really? 

Harry As Lucy? Hardly!`
Harry gets his turn in the Lucy parody poster!

Our Dumb and Dumber To review also found where the first movie's humor was found in this simpleton's innocence, this time out, they seem a bit meaner. It still produces the funny, it's just different. 

Foxcatcher: Carell deserves the Oscar buzz for his portrayal of the real life John du Pont and his incredible story of how he took a pair of gold medal winning wrestling brothers (Dave and Mark Schultz) and their love of wrestling would end in tragedy and murder. 

Foxcatcher Cast Poster
The Foxcatcher cast photo features three stars in one riveting movie... Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

As our Foxcatcher review stated, if there is a "best" actor, it is Mark Ruffalo as one of the Schultz brothers. Channing Tatum is the best we've ever seen him, but if Ruffalo isn't nominated for an Best Supporting Oscar, that will be a true crime. Bennett Miller's film has a slow pace, but that is because it is a slow boil to something truly shocking and explosive. 

Beyond the Lights: The biggest surprise of the weekend is how much we truly adored Beyond the Lights. The romance about a singer who finds love with an LAPD officer in her darkest hour not only has an amazing soundtrack, it features one of the most compelling romances we've seen in some time. 

Nate Parker and Gugu Mbatha-Raw Have a Moment
The chemistry between Parker and Mbatha-Raw is palpable.

This is a "come out of nowhere" movie that we hope will find an audience this weekend. It is an utter treat, the soundtrack is fabulous and the filmmaker behind Love & Basketball has truly done it again. For more, check out our Beyond the Lights review.

The Homesman: Jones again steps behind the camera for this western based on the novel of the same name. Hilary Swank stars as a single woman living in the Nebraska territory who -- with Jones' help -- takes three mentally ill women from her small town to Iowa where they can get help. It is a gorgeous movie, filled with vistas and landscapes worthy of an artist's painting. 

Tommy Lee and Hilary Have a Moment
These two don't get along at first... but they warm up to each other -- unlike the weather.

But, as our The Homesman review stated, its pace is crippling in its slowness. That might be on purpose as Jones tries to mirror the pace of life during that time. Either way, just be prepared for a slow movie, that still manages to find some serious power.

Feel like staying in this weekend? A slew of movies have landed on digital download. Watch Tammy online and see Melissa McCarthy make us laugh like never before, watch Step Up: All In online and prepare for a house dance party and watch Hercules online and witness Dwayne Johnson in the role he was born to play.


Fast and Furious: Universal Could See “Three More”

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As that Furious 7 trailer landed, it set hearts-a-racing for fans of the Fast and Furious series. And what is interesting about this movie series is the box office for the last three films has grown and grown and grown. So, why stop at seven?

Fast and Furious 6 Car Jump

We know there will be a Fast and Furious 8, and previous helmer Justin Lin has reportedly been asked to direct.

“We think there’s at least three more,” Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley said to THR.

“Paul is, and always will be, an integral part of the story. But there are many other great characters, and it’s also an opportunity to introduce new characters.”

Langley believes that they may have just scratched the surface of this world. “I think it’s still a growing franchise. We’ll see what happens with Furious 7, obviously, but our box office has grown over the past three or four films and internationally, in particular,” she said.

“So we think that there’s more to mine there. But we’re of course very mindful about fatigue.”

Furious 7 stars Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Elsa Pataky. The flick lands April 3, 2015.

Until then, watch Fast and Furious 6 online

Furious 7 Teaser Poster
The teaser poster for Furious 7 is here! Notice this franchise is so recognizable that it doesn't need its stars on the poster?!

Foxcatcher: Steve Carell on Making Movie That “Meant Something”

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Steve Carell has gone dark, it’s official. Just watch the Foxcatcher trailer and his chilling portrayal of John du Pont already has many calling for his first Oscar nomination (we do so in our Foxcatcher review). We met Carell to talk about the role-of-a-lifetime and he said he was surprised that people are shocked that he could be at home in the mindset of a murderer.

Foxcatcher Channing Tatum Steve Carell

“Oh yeah, I am very dark. I am very dark inside,” Carell said and laughed.

Director Bennett Miller approached Carell and thought that there was something unique that the man who brought us the funny when you watch Anchorman online could do the role of a man obsessed with wrestling and Mark and David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum).

“It is not a part I would have campaigned for. Had I read the script and looked at that I wouldn't have thought I need to get in touch with Bennett and throw my hat in the ring. At the same time when Bennett called me in and we discussed it -- I trusted him frankly,” Carell said.

“The fact that he thought that I was capable of doing it allowed me to believe the same.”

It was then that Carell had to dive in and discover the man who was the heir to the du Pont chemical fortune and, by all accounts, had lived a charmed life. “I thought a lot about what a sad person he was. He’s a guy whose parents divorced when he was two. He grew up in this enormous house, essentially with just him and his mother, who by all accounts was a pretty chilly person,” Carell said.

“He was growing up surrounded by wealth and I think insulated by that wealth. I think he was lonely and in need of things that he didn’t have the tools to acquire. So starting with that I think that helped me along the way.”

It is easy to see why he would find joy in putting together his own wrestling school. It not only combined his joy of the sport with his desire to run something that didn’t have anything to do with family, it also allowed him camaraderie, which he had never truly experienced.

“He was somebody that I think was in need of assistance. He was somebody that didn’t have a circle of friends. He had a circle of employees, so no one was going to intervene. He didn’t have anyone that was there to see the red flags,” Carell said. “And that is incredibly sad and tragic to me. So I never approached him as a villain, I thought of him in that way.”

In the end, however he got the part in Foxcatcher doesn’t matter. Carell is beyond thrilled with the experience and most importantly, knows what he’s looking for in a role heading forward.

“You get to work with somebody like Bennett and you get to work with actors like Channing and Mark and it’s a different experience. The change for me is that I want to do more of this,” Carell said.

“It was challenging and exciting and exhilarating and I felt like it meant something. So much of the response that the film is getting, it’s very rewarding that it is resonating with people. The change for me is that this is something that I want to do. I don’t know if I’ll ever do anything at this level again, but I would aspire to -- because it’s been a great feeling.” 

Foxcatcher Cast Poster
The Foxcatcher cast photo features three stars in one riveting movie... Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

Captain America Civil War Nabs a Villain

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Whoever scores the role of the villain in Captain America: Civil War has some big shoes to fill. Hugo Weaving killed it as Red Skull when you watch Captain America: The First Avenger online and Sebastian Stan was beyond brilliant as the title character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Rush Daniel Bruhl

Now that Marvel has released the name of the actor set to go bad in Captain America: Civil War, we have the utmost confidence that they could not have done any better. Rush star Daniel Bruhl has been cast as a yet unidentified villain in the movie, which tells us that Iron Man and Cap don’t go to battle just yet. There’s one foe that they have to overcome, and he’ll be played by Bruhl.

There are a few rumors out there that are also saying that this character will carry over and be the baddie in Doctor Strange, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Kevin Feige is clearly thrilled with the incredible talent he has scored for Captain America: Civil War. “With Daniel’s ability to deliver intense, nuanced performances, we knew we had found yet another great actor to share the screen with some of our biggest heroes,” the Marvel Studio head said.

Captain America: Civil War Logo

Of course he didn’t exactly say what Bruhl would be doing, but sources close to the production say that he will be one, if not one of many, bad guys in the third Captain America movie.

Watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier online to see where we left off and be sure to check out the entire Marvel Studio lineup through 2019. Everything they do is part of a huge plan.

Look for Captain America: Civil War on May 6, 2016.

[on the Winter Soldier] He's fast... strong... and has a metal arm.

[on the Winter Soldier] He's fast... strong... and has a metal arm.

Steve Rogers
How are you going to fight that?!

Jersey Boys DVD Review: Oh, What a Movie?

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The Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Jersey Boys, hit the big screen earlier this year with Clint Eastwood in the director’s chair. The story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons has arrived on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download.

Jersey Boys DVD

For the millions of fans who adore their music who could not get to Broadway, now that the film has come out on home video, it’s your chance to have -- to paraphrase one of their biggest hits -- Oh, What a Night!

As you can see in the Jersey Boys trailer, the film stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning turn as Frankie Valli, the lead singer of The Four Seasons.

Erich Bergen also stars as Bob Gaudio, who wrote or co-wrote every single one of the band’s biggest hits. And Michael Lomenda stars as Nick Massi and Vincent Piazza stars as Tommy DeVito (yes, he’s related to Danny DeVito, who is a producer on the show and the movie).

And since their Jersey story does have its mob connections, how good is the casting of Christopher Walken as Gyp DeCarlo?!

The Broadway show is absolutely electric and has had audiences dancing in the aisles since its debut. As we stated in our theatrical Jersey Boys review, Eastwood’s film is a little more on the flat side. Sometimes it’s hard to capture a stage show on the screen, but the elements that made the story so legendary are front and center in Eastwood’s flick.

The Jersey Boys DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download feature many of the group’s biggest hits, including Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, Sherry, Dawn, Rag Doll and Bye Bye Baby.

Jersey Boys Photo

Given the effort to bring the hit show to the screen could not have been an easy one, the best of the bonus features chronicles that endeavor. From Broadway To The Big Screen follows Eastwood and the cast as they take the story of The Four Seasons and bring it to the widest audience possible that comes with the film medium.

There are significant choices that had to be made and to see Eastwood, a brilliant helmer, at work trying his best to capture the spirit of one of the most popular musicals of all time, is a fascinating one.

The featurette Too Good To Be True is also a gem in how it delves deeper into the (alleged) relationship between the mob and Valli. The documentary short features Donnie Kehr and Walken exploring the nature of the connection between DeCarlo and Valli and they theorize what role Valli’s mob connections might have had in the band getting a big break.

The best part of the entire film has to be the closing number, Oh, What a Night. The bonus feature Oh, What a Night To Remember painstakingly showcases how Eastwood and his talented cast brought that hit song to life in a show-stopping moment that could not have been a better end to a film that pays tribute to one of pop music’s greatest legends.

Check out our favorite Jersey Boys quotes and watch Jersey Boys online right now!

Jersey Boys Poster
This poster impeccably captures the spirit of Jersey Boys. Just four guys, singing on a street corner.

Marvel Phase Three Timeline: Revealed!

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You might recall when Marvel released their plans through 2019 and the internet exploded with joy. We finally had a clue what exactly would be in their so-called Phase 3 and it included their first African American superhero with Black Panther and first female solo superhero movie with Captain Marvel.

The studio has released that timeline so you can save it and look at it whenever you want to know what’s coming when!

Marvel Phase Three Logo

Clearly it will all lead up to a two-part Avengers conclusion that is called Avengers: Infinity War. Thanos will bring the hurt to our favorite superheroes -- that will probably find a way to work together after the split that is surely going to happen in Captain America: Civil War (which incidentally starts Phase 3).

Check out all the films' logos and their release dates in the slideshow below. And check out the most recent Marvel movie available now and watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier online

Avengers: Age of Ultron Logo
The Avengers: Age of Ultron logo. The sequel to The Avengers lands May 1, 2015.
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