Godzilla vs. Kong Finds Director

Godzilla vs. Kong Finds Director

With the versus movies in full swing, the newest film to feature two titular characters has found its director. Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. have confirmed that Adam Wingard will be the director of the crossover event film. He has previously directed films such as VHS, VHS 2, the Guest, and You're Next.

Godzilla vs. Kong does not have a scheduled release date or cast list as of yet. It is said to start production in the near future. 

Rotten Tomatoes: Useful, or Useless?

Rotten Tomatoes: Useful or Useless?

With the disappointing box office returns from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Baywatch, both studios involved have begun to blame Rotten Tomatoes for the financial lack of success. Deadline reports:

"Insiders close to both films blame Rotten Tomatoes, with Pirates and Baywatch respectively earning 32% and 19% Rotten. The critic aggregation site increasingly is slowing down the potential business of popcorn movies. Pirates 5 and Baywatch aren't built for critics but rather general audiences, and once upon a time the types of films -- a family adventure and a raunchy R-rated comedy -- were critic-proof. Many of those in the industry severely question how Rotten Tomatoes compute its ratings, and the fact that these scores urn on [the movie-ticket buying sites] Fandango (which owns RT) is an even bigger problem."

Personal Thoughts: I think that there is merit to the fact that Rotten Tomatoes affects box office. But that is no excuse for any film. If the movie is good, then it will get good scores. And both cases have been proven wrong. Deadpool, a raunchy R-rated comedy, made over 700 million dollars. Perhaps this is a case of movie studios seeking to blame something for their films' lack of success. That being said: I have not seen either films but I am going from what the general consensus is.

Edge of Tomorrow 2 to be the Final Film in the Franchise

Edge of Tomorrow 2 to be the Final Film in the Franchise

With the critically, but not financially, successful first film Edge of Tomorrow or Live, Die, Repeat, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, Doug Liman, the director, has confirmed recently that the sequel, called Live, Die, Repeat ad Repeat will be the second, and final film in the franchise. Speaking to MTV, Liman said:

"I see this as a two-movie franchise. There's the completion of the story we set up in the first movie and the relationships between Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, because, remember, at the end of the first movie, she doesn't know who he is, and that's gonna launch us into an amazing new direction. It does actually pick up right where we left off, bu tit doesn't keep going forward, because we'd screw with time, because the aliens screwed with time."

Liman has also confirmed that this will be a prequel of sorts, picking up where the first left off, but will detail events that happened before. This personally speaks to me because of the fact that studios are green lighting sequels left and right without any end in sight, but Liman seems to have a handle on direction and storyline for the franchise.

Live, Die, Repeat and Repeat does not have a release date. It is going to be directed by Doug Liman and will star Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. 

Superman Prominent in New Justice League Promo Art

Superman Prominent in New Justice League Promo Art

With Justice League going back for reshoots under the direction of Joss Whedon, it looks like the Man of Steel has been confirmed to be back, and perhaps in a major way through this new promotional material.

You can clearly see Superman on many of the promotional items. What does this mean? Does this mean that Superman will make a return early on in the film? Or does it mean that his role is significantly larger than we had thought? We'll have to wait and see.

Justice League opens on November 17th, 2017. It stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Henry Cavill, Jesse Eisenberg, JK Simmons, Jeremy Irons, and Ciaran Hinds. Fueld by his restore faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Tougher, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the plant from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

What Peter Parker Wants in Spider-Man: Homecoming

What Peter Parker Wants in Spider-Man: Homecoming

With the introduction of the new Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans wondered just what exactly is his place in the larger world. It looks like we now have confirmation. Speaking to Yahoo Movies through a Facebook Live conversation, Tom Holland had this to say about his character in Spider-Man: Homecoming:

"I think the difference now is the tPeter Parker finally has an all-time goal, and his goal is to become an Avenger. Everything he does, even though he's doing it for the right reasons, is done so that one day he an become an Avenger and prove himself to Tony Stark. And I think we've never really seen Spider-Man with that kind of motivation before."

Obviously, with Sony and Marvel Studios collaborating, Spider-Man is now afforded many opportunities now, and this new motivation wouldn't have been possible in previous incarnations of the character. We'll have to wait until July to find out how this plays into the larger movie and the Marvel Universe moving forward.

Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters on July 7th, 2017, and stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Donald Glover, Marisa Tomei, and Jon Favreau. Thrilled by whis experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to be live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider0Man. He also has to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when ea evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear. 

Did Infinity War Just Spoil Thor: Ragnarok?

Did Infinity War Just Spoil Thor: Ragnarok?

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS LIE AHEAD FOR THOR: RAGNAROK AND AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

The Russo brothers took to social media the other day and posted an intriguing picture which directly contradicts what we know so far about Thor: Ragnarok. The image in questions shows the directors standing on a set of Infinity War, with one of them holding Mjolnir, Thor's mighty hammer that only he and Vision can wielf thus far.

So what does this mean? We have seen in the Ragnarok trailer that Thor will lose his hammer, and presumably early in the film.

We have also seen from the above concept art that Thor is not wielding his hammer, and is holding what appears to be an axe of some sorts.

Regardless, we'll have to wait and see what happens until Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War hit theaters.

Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, and Jeff Goldblum. It hits theaters on November 3rd, 2017. Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor's quest for survival leads him in a race abasing time to prevent the all-powerful Helga (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his homeward and the Asgardian civilization.

Top Ten #1 - Top Ten Marvel Movie Villains

Top Ten #1 - Top Ten Marvel Movie Villains

It's safe to say that Marvel has put out a lot of quality films - however, the number of quality villains that they have brought to the table has been less so. Let's take a look at the top ten villains from Marvel. Keep in mind - these are from ANY Marvel move, not just the Disney MCU; this is my personal, subjective list and is not definitive by any means. (Spoiler alert from any Marvel movie released before May 30th, 2017).

10. Ultron: For all the hype that was built up for the Avenger's sequel, a lot was put on James Spader's Ultron. And while not perfect, Ultron brings about a complexity that is essential for a good villain. His motivations are clear-cut, and while his methodology is not the best, he brings about the right mixture of menace and humanity in an Artificial Intelligence to make it on the list. 

9. Ego the Living Planet: This villain is truly raised up by the performance given by Kurt Russell. Managing to remain jovial and happy-go-lucky near the beginning of the film, he transitions quickly into the typical maniacal villain. Some of these scenes do not work, including the blue skeleton form, but some of them do work very well. HIs motivations are relatively clear, and his seduction of his son, Peter Quill, works well. 

8. Bolivar Trask: Played by Peter Dinklage, this villain is the true embodiment of "believes what he's doing is right". He truly believes that mutants are dangerous, which, in X-Men: Days of Future Past, is understandable from his post of view, and he truly believes that his Sentinels are the answer. 

7. Alexander Pierce: While not a villain in terms of physicality, Pierce, played by the brilliant Robert Redford, brings a menace and a calm calculation that is completely portrayed through his performance. It's very nuanced and understated, and Pierce isn't given as much credit as he deserves. 

6. Helmut Zemo: Another villain that delivers on the mental aspects of a villain, Zemo is what you could call "a brilliant" villain. Although he relies on coincidences for the latter part of his plan, his ingenuity, and understated performance by Daniel Bruhl, make Zemo a memorable, albeit not flashy villain. 

5. William Stryker: A villain fleshed out over many films in the X-Men franchise, both good and bad, his full motivations and characterizations come in X-2: X-Men United. Here it is revealed he has a mutant son, which has caused him to become bitter towards mutant kind. His character is also given depth through the Weapon X programs and the bonding of adamantium to Wolverine. 

4. Winter Soldier: Though an anti-hero/hero now, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he was the villain. Silent, deadly, but in the end giving an emotional punch, he brings the deadly assassin to the screen, being more than a match to Steve Rogers in combat. 

3. Doctor Octopus: The only Spider-Man villain on this list, Doc Octopus comes from one of the best superhero films, Spider-Man 2. His motivations, performance, and delivery by Alfred Molina shows that even in the early 2000's, a villain can be just as menacing as any villain now. 

2. Loki: Clearly and very obviously the best villain of the MCU, Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief is definitely the most human, and yet the most motivated villain of the MCU thus far. His feud with his brother and his wish for power and approval from his father drives him as he teamed with Thanos at one point, and now sits on the throne of Asgard. 

1. Magneto: Narrowly passing Loki, Erik Lensherr is the most developed, yet most powerful Marvel villain. A holocaust victim whose powers were drawn out of him by Sebastian Shaw in brutal fashion, his vendetta against normal humans is clear, and he believes that he is one hundred percent right. What makes this villain even more brilliant is that both Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender bring the same, almost equal level of brilliant performance to their respective films. 

Memorial Day Weekend Box Office Report

Memorial Day Weekend Box Office Report (May 26th - May 29th)

Disclaimer: Every Monday, I will post the top five movies that grossed the most money DOMESTICALLY (in the United States), with some brief thoughts about each film. 

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ($62.6 Million): The fifth installment in the franchise is finally here. While reviews have not been overwhelmingly positive, the Pirates films are notorious for grossing a substantial amount of money. While the domestic totals will dip, the international totals will surely continue to rise. The Pirates franchise is far from dead. 

2. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 ($20.6 Million): The sequel to the wildly successful surprise hit continues to bring in money as Disney rules the weekend box office. Almost a month after the film's release, the Chris Pratt-led Marvel film is still in the top two and shows signs that its legs will carry it far into the summer. 

3. Baywatch ($18.6 Million): What a huge disappointment. This film was promised as the quintessential popcorn, summer movie. It even had slow motion shots running down the beach; yet the movie has been critically panned. Due to the negative reviews, this film, which looked to be a box office juggernaut over the summer, looks to be going nowhere but down. 

4. Alien: Covenant ($10.5 Million): The newest installment in the Alien franchise and the follow up to the generally disappointing Prometheus, the film, while not bringing in big money, promises to continue the franchise with the generally positive reviews. 

5.  Everything, Everything ($6.02 Million): A smaller movie that nobody really saw coming; this film has enough intrigue to bring it in the top five this weekend, but does not appear to be in here for long. 

Where does Aquaman take place?

Where does Aquaman Take Place?

Producer Charles Roven, who has produced many DC films such as the Dark Knight Trilogy, has confirmed where Aquaman takes place. Speaking to Cinema Blend, Roven said this:

"Aquaman will make reference [to Justice League]. There will be some reference of something that preceded Aquaman that will be in Aquaman. I believe that is the intention.

... James [Wan] definitely knows where he's going with [Aquaman], and that movie takes place in a world where Justice League happened, and Man of Steel happened, and Wonder Woman obviously takes place before Man of Steel - except for the bookends we have. So that's where we have the most ability to freeform. We could do a movie that takes place after Justice League, we can do a movie that takes place after Batman v. Superman... well not really. You can't do a movie in between Batman v Superman and Justice League, but we can do movies that take place after Justice League and we can do movies that precede Justice League."

Clearly, Warner Brothers has a clear vision about where Aquaman is going. What is also encouraging is that James Wan appears to have a clear handle on the property, which brings some semblance of calm amidst the talks of all the directors, writers, and producers entering and exiting DCEU projects.

Aquaman stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and Willem Dafoe, and will hit theaters on December 21st, 2018. Aquaman finds himself caught between a surface world that ravages the sea and the underwater Atlanteans who are ready to revolt. 

Early Wonder Woman Reviews and Reactions

Early Wonder Woman Reviews and Reactions - What are Critics Saying?

The first major female-led comic book film is almost here in the United States, hitting theaters on June 9th; but in the meantime, here are some early reviews and reactions from critics about the new film.

The DCEU's Saving Grace?

While most critics have admitted that this movie is not perfect by any means, the general consensus is that it is by far the best DC Cinematic Universe film to date. This bodes well for DC, who has been struggling recently with the three divisive films: Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and Suicide Squad. The positivity in this movie should also help the upcoming Justice League, and with other DC films going forward. 

Gal Gadot is serviceable ...

A lot of pressure was on Gal Gadot's shoulders to deliver on the titular character, and while critics are not panning her performance, many are agreeing that she was not completely spectacular either. Her performance did not have many emotional beats according to critics, which limited her performance somewhat, but when she did deliver dialogue, many agree that she was serviceable in the role.

... but Patty Jenkin's direction is fantastic

While many were divided on Gal Gadot's performance, the vast majority of critics agree that Patty Jenkin's delivered from the director's chair. Her stylistic choices, whether it be the World War I set pieces or Themyscira, were spot-on and fit the tone of the film perfectly.

The Action Scenes were a Spectacle

When looking at a big-budget action film, the action needed to deliver. And it did. Perfectly blended into the movie, while not being Michael Bay-esque, the major action set pieces brought out Wonder Woman in a different light and makes us look forward to her in Justice League.

The Villain is Lackluster

The one thing the marketing did which other DCEU films did not was keep the villain mostly a secret. I will not reveal who the villain is here, but the villain is not the major selling point in the film. Due to the nature of this movie being about Wonder Woman the character, the villain takes the backseat and is rather disappointing.

The General Consensus?

In general, the audience reactions were hugely positive, especially in comparison to other DC films recently. This is a movie worth seeing for its action, story, and thematic elements, while the villain and Gal Gadot (to some) were not highlights of the film.

Wonder Woman opens on June 9th, 2017. It stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, and Danny Huston. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first tie. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny. 

About Me and This Blog - Introduction

About Me and This Blog - Introduction

What is this Blog?

If you're interested in anything related to Hollywood and Blockbuster movies, this is the place to be. Access Blockbuster will keep you updated on new releases, trailer reactions, editorials, and more. This is the place to stay up to date on all your favorite movies.

Who am I?

I am someone who wants to make an impact in this world; and if reading this brightens your day or informs you, then my job is done. I am a film enthusiast, with interests in many other fields.

What to expect?

This blog will have most of the major pieces of film news daily, as well as movie reviews, top ten lists, trailer reactions, and much more. As much as I would like to post consistently and everyday, running a one-man-blog is not easy - so bear with me if there are days or stretches of time where no posts are available. I will try to notify you if this is to happen.

Thank you for stopping by - hopefully you enjoy what you see here. Keep loving movies!

- CL