Matthew Monagle
Watch Chewbacca ‘Disarm’ an Enemy in This ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Deleted Scene
While Star Wars: The Force Awakens was an international smash hit, it wasn’t devoid of criticism. Some people felt that the film veered a little close to the storyline of the original Star Wars film; others felt that the family friendly action didn’t quite line up with the darker tone they expected from movies like The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith. So to those fans, I offer you the above deleted scene (via i09) where Chewbacca rips out the arm of Unkar Plutt. It may be another throwback to the original movies, but at least it’s one with a little bit of bite.
Watch Cate Blanchett Play 13 Different Characters in the ‘Manifesto’ Trailer
Despite being around for more than a century, one of the major failings of cinema as an art-form is that it hasn’t found a way to make an entire film where Cate Blanchett plays every single role. Thankfully, 2017 will bring that horrifying streak to a close with Manifesto, a film adaptation of the Julian Rosefeldt art installation that will feature Blanchett in a total of 13 different roles. The only downside is that we’re going to have a tough time adjusting back to the non-Cate Blanchett characters out there. It all seems like such a waste of time now.
Headshots and Trumpets Abound in This ‘John Wick’ Supercut
There’s nothing quite as much fun as a perfectly conceived and executed supercut. Whether it’s a compilation of movie scenes where Nic Cage loses his mind or a movie dialogue version of one of Lionel Richie’s classic songs, a good supercut is the perfect piece of digital ephemera for movie lovers everywhere. And while most supercuts are fan-made labors of love, at least one studio has noticed the attention given to them and planned its marketing accordingly. So it was that the John Wick ‘Symphony of Violence’ supercut was given unto us, and it was very, very good.
‘Rogue One’ Featured Unused ‘Star Wars’ Footage Found by the Director
Even if you’re not the biggest fan of CGI actors returned from the dead, you probably had to appreciate the ways that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards tried to bring the events of Star Wars: A New Hope more directly into his film. In several key sequences, Edwards was even able to feature unseen footage from the original 1977 film, causing fans to wonder where that new footage came from (and why they hadn’t seen it before). Are there entire archives of unseen footage that Lucasfilm has been hiding from fans for all these decades?
‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ Brings the Jingle Bells in a Special Holiday Greeting
A few weeks ago, I attended a holiday party where Nick Offerman’s ‘Yule Log’ played in the background for the entire evening. As people milled about the living room, passing appetizers and making polite introductions, the wise face of Nick Offerman beamed forth from the television, taking occasional sips from a glass of whisky and listening to the crackling fire. And despite years spent listening to Mannheim Steamroller and Frank Sinatra around the holidays, it was the silence of Nick Offerman’s fake living room that now sounds the most like Christmas to me.
Dane DeHaan Is Not a Well Man in This New ‘A Cure For Wellness’ Trailer
Unless you keep a close eye on the Austin, Texas film scene, you might not have known that audiences were treated to a special advance screening of Gore Verbinski’s A Cure for Wellness this weekend as part of the annual Butt-Numb-A-Thon. This yearly film marathon — hosted each year by Ain’t It Cool News founder Harry Knowles — often features an enticing mixture of classic genre movies and upcoming releases, and this year, both Verbinski and lead actor Dane DeHaan showed up for a special advance screening of their 2017 release. And if Twitter is to believed, it’s extremely disturbing and absolutely insane. Sounds perfect.
It’s a Meeting of the Michaels in the Latest ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Clip
As far as movies go, Assassin’s Creed is kind of in a weird spot. On the one hand, the cast of A-listers — and a budget estimated somewhere around $200 million — would suggest that the studio has every intention of overcoming the terrible track record of big screen video game adaptations. On the other hand, though, executives at game developer Ubisoft have previously admitted that they do not expect the film to make a lot of money. While they have confidence in their movie, they view it as more of a marketing effort on behalf of the games, not the other way around.
Jyn Erso Rescues Herself in These New ‘Rogue One’ Clips
After months and months of anticipation, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story had its world premiere in Los Angeles last night, and the early reviews are absolutely glowing. Film critics and celebrities alike have commented on the blend of action and heart in the newest film — and, curiously, noted that a lot of the trailer footage did not find its way into the finished film — giving fans hope that Rogue One will be the next great thing to happen to the Star Wars universe. One more week, everyone. Tickets at the ready.
Dom Goes Bad in the First ‘The Fate of the Furious’ Trailer
Sometimes you discover something in your life that you didn’t know you needed until you finally have it. Take, for example, the brand new trailer for The Fate of the Furious. If you’d made me list the 100 different things I want from an action movie, I never would have thought to request a scene where a submarine chases a fleet of vehicles across an ice-field. Now that I’ve seen the first trailer for the film, I kind of wish every action movie was just that scene for ninety minutes.
Tom Cruise Is Only Mostly Dead in the First Trailer for ‘The Mummy’
Every year, when the bottom drops out of the summer movie season and audiences decide to stay home and watch television instead, some well-meaning critic will publish an article asking if cinema is dead. And every year, I pose the same question in response: “Is Tom Cruise still an action star?” As long as Tom Cruise is running across multiplex screens — fighting rogue nations, government consiparcies, and even the occasional mummy — there is still hope for cinema. Then, when Cruise’s career is done and Hollywood is in ashes, then, cinema, you have my permission to die.
This Trailer for ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ Is Absolutely Terrifying
A December release can be a tricky thing for a horror film. On the one hand, with the holidays just around the corner and award season in full swing, the overall demand for blood and monsters will never be lower. On the other hand, however, the right horror movie can serve as a smart piece of counter-programming for those tired of reruns of A Christmas Story on TBS or another politically charged conversation with the in-laws. Sometimes, even the best of us just want to slip away to the theater and watch a weird, messed up movie.
Watch the First Teaser for James Gunn’s Office Horror ‘The Belko Experiment’
I’ve always wondered why more horror films aren’t set in corporate environments. While the office remains a popular setting for comedies and the ubiquitous faux-documentary television programs, anything darker — such as the 2006 horror film Severance which centers on a group of coworkers in the midst of an office wilderness retreat — remains the exception rather than the rule. For how much hidden animosity and frustration your typical office building contains, you’d think this would be an area ripe for exploration by the right twisted storyteller.