Category: Movies

“The Black Phone” Rings Box-Office Success Globally

Ringing beyond the $100M-mark global box-office, Universal Pictures’ “The Black Phone” has successfully brought in the horror genre fans once again to the cinemas and continues to do so, making it one of the “biggest non-sequel horror” films to-date.

“The Black Phone” comes to Philippine cinemas on July 20, starring a subtle powerhouse of veteran and young talents led by Ethan Hawke along with Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw who continue to earn praises and raves for their work in the film.

“The Black Phone” is based on the short story by Joe Hill (son of legendary horror author Stephen King) where Ethan Hawke takes on the role of The Grabber, a child abductor and serial killer. Both the short story and the film follow 13-year-old Finney (Thames), abducted by The Grabber in a small town in northern Denver. Locked in the killer’s soundproof basement, Finney discovers that he can hear the killer’s previous victims through a disconnected black rotary phone on the wall.

In most films about child abduction or serial killers, the victim needs to be rescued by an intrepid, driven detective or other adult. In The Black Phone, the well-meaning adults are essentially useless and the kids – Finney himself, the voices of the dead boys on the phone, and especially Finney’s younger sister, Gwen (McGraw) – are the only people who can possibly save Finney from certain torture and death. Beyond the blood-chilling terror, it’s a film about the strength of children, their ability to believe in unseen forces, and the power of family and love to endure even the darkest, most unthinkable events.

Set in the ‘ 70s, for Gen Xers, this was a time without anti-bullying initiatives, where, for boys in particular, learning to defend yourself against mean kids was considered a normal rite of passage. “My earliest memory up until high school was the violence of the neighborhood that I lived in,” director Derrickson says. “The primary feeling that I remember having as a child was fear. I was the youngest kid on the street full of bullies.”

Hawke was, in fact, hesitant at first since The Grabber is a failed magician who is shrouded in darkness. “Some part of The Grabber’s soul has been so eroded that he can justify doing things that most of us can’t even think about,” Hawke says. “It’s hard to play that level of malevolency because it’s impossible to justify.” The script, and in particular the relationship between Finney and his sister Gwen, changed his mind. “I thought it was special because, yes, it’s a scary movie, but it has a heart of gold,” concludes Hawke.

A Universal Pictures International film, answer the call when “The Black Phone” opens on July 20 in local cinemas nationwide.

“The Black Phone” is rated R-13 by the local censors board (MTRCB), only 13 years old and above are allowed inside the cinema.

July 19, 2022
‘Game of Thrones’ Star Peter Dinklage to Play the ‘Hunger Games’ Creator in Prequel Film

Emmy-winning actor Peter Dinklage, who is best known for his role as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones is joining yet another much-anticipated book-to-film adaptation: the prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Dinklage will be joining the film’s ensemble as the Dean of the Academy, Casca Highbottom, Deadline reports. In the book, Highbottom is a friend of Coriolanus Snow’s father, Crassus, and in a drunken stupor, he was the one who came up with the idea of what would become the Hunger Games.

Based on the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows the younger years of Panem’s tyrannical President Coriolanus Snow. At 18 years old, Coriolanus was assigned to mentor the District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. When Lucy Gray shows her defiant nature, Snow finds an opportunity to unite their showmanship and political savvy to turn the odds in their favor as the 10th Hunger Games commences.

Francis Lawrence, who directed three films of the original movie saga, returns to direct The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Also starring in the film are Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird. It is set for release in US theaters on November 17, 2023.

ALSO READ
WATCH: Hunger Games Prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Unveils Teaser Trailer

—
Homestream image from the 70th Emmy Awards clip on YouTube.

July 19, 2022
Former Stunt Double of Brad Pitt Now Directs “Bullet Train”

Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train. The end of the line is just the beginning in this non-stop thrill-ride through modern-day Japan.

For director David Leitch, the chance to direct a movie that was unlike any other presented an unmissable opportunity. “I was attracted to how bold and original it is, and that’s the kind of movie I like to make,” he says. “It has a tone of relentless fun and snappy dialogue. But the most important thing to me was that it had well-defined characters that gave the actors a lot to chew on. It’s a fun action-thriller with crazy, bombastic characters – and it’s a meditation on fate. Really.”

Brad Pitt & David Leitch (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

“All of these characters show their humanity,” adds Leitch. “Ladybug wants to be a better person. But you also see it in the characters played by Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in their brotherhood – they clearly care for each other. Joey King’s character is a sociopath, but she has a dynamic with her father that we can all connect with. You can go on this journey with these remorseless killers and still feel for them, have fun, laugh at the jokes.”

Photo: Columbia Pictures

That makes it a movie that fits squarely into Leitch’s vision as a director. “It’s hard these days to strike out and make an original movie – not a sequel or a superhero story – but we’re up for the challenge,” Leitch continues. Through his company 87North, Leitch is seeking to bring his own personal stamp to action movies and the way action is portrayed. Having entered the business as a stuntman, and rising to become a stunts supervisor and choreographer before staking a groundbreaking directorial style with the films Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and John Wick, Leitch says that there are boundless opportunities to stretch the action genre. “There’s action in comedy, there’s action in thrillers, there’s action in horror,” he says. “My entire adult life has been action on film. Action is in my DNA. So I’m excited by the idea of taking big, provocative swings and making bold choices, as we keep it action-adjacent.”

Photo: Columbia Pictures

Leitch had gained Pitt’s trust by serving as his stunt double on several of the actor’s classics – Fight Club, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Troy, and more – before making his mark as a director. Pitt knew he’d be in safe hands. “It was a little funny to me, watching Brad play a stuntman in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. I can tell you that the relationship between actor and stuntman that was part of that movie is real,” says Leitch. “You develop a close and collaborative relationship. We went in different directions for a while, but fate wasn’t done with us, and I’m so glad it’s brought us back together.”

In Philippine cinemas August 03, Bullet Train is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #BulletTrainMovie

July 19, 2022
‘The Black Phone’ keeps it simple and puts the tension front-and-center

One of the best things about ‘The Black Phone’ is how it keeps the narrative down to its essentials. There are a lot of backstories implied or referred to but it never digresses from the main storyline to explore them. It stays focused on the main plot, about a young kid who is kidnapped and trapped in a basement, and keeps the camera on them and the kid’s sister, who is trying to find him. Another interesting point is that ‘The Black Telephone,’ based on the short story by Joe Hill, is a supernatural tale but the danger doesn’t come from the ghosts that you see in the trailer. That real danger here is another human being. And for some reason, that makes the film even scarier.

Directed by Scott Derrickson, with a screenplay by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, ‘The Black Phone’ is not your typical horror film. The source of fear comes from the anticipation that something bad is going to happen. From the trailer, you can tell that the ghosts are actually all the former victims of the kidnapper. While they do appear in gruesome forms, they are actually helping Finney, the latest victim, to try and get out alive. Instead of shocking you with images of violence, it is implied; that it is coming but not yet and that is what creates the tension that pervades throughout the film.

It’s a nice subversion of the genre, extending the suspense, building the anticipation, and creating moments of hope that Finney can get out in one piece. The film, then, isn’t so much as scary as it is thrilling, capitalizing on our hope that this story will end well for the protagonist and that’s what drives the film’s momentum forward.

Another interesting subversion, shared by one of the critics I got to see this with during the special screening, is how the voices of the victims are amplified in this movie and not the villain’s. There is no glorification or humanization of this kidnapper and after this was pointed out to me, I thought that was a welcome and necessary change.

_{Photo: The Black Phone Trailer}

Derrickson builds a very distinct world in this film. ‘The Black Phone’ is set in the late 70s so the lack of technology creates even more obstacles for our characters. Before Finney is kidnapped, we see the world he inhabits: a close relationship with his sister, their abusive alcoholic father, and the bullies at his school that have made life very challenging for him. The stronger one amongst the siblings is his sister Gwen, who might’ve been smart enough to not get kidnapped, but knowing Finney’s vulnerabilities makes us feel more attached to him as the victim.

Compounded by the narrative elements is the wonderful acting amongst all the kids. Mason Thames, who plays Finney, and Madeleine McGraw, who plays Gwen, do a great job at bringing their characters to life. For Thames, he instills so much fragility within his Finney but also shows his sparks and moments of cleverness, while McGraw makes tough and foul-mouthed Gwen such a spirited character. She juggles multiple emotions including a surprisingly genuine laugh-out-loud moment in the middle of the film that completely endears you to the character. While the adults like Ethan Hawke, as the kidnapper, and Jeremy Davies, as the alcoholic father, play a great role, this movie is really a showcase for all the child actors involved.

_{Photo: Universal Pictures PH Facebook}

There are minimal jump scares in this film and that’s perfectly alright because what ‘The Black Phone’ does is to put you right smack dab in the center of a very tense situation and then plays with your emotions and gives you characters and a goal to root and cheer for. You’ll find yourself tapping your feet anxiously hoping that things don’t turn out the way the film manages to illustrate through the presence and stories of these ghosts.

Derrickson does an amazing job at managing and playing with expectations and suspense and I’m excited to see what he’s up to next.

My Rating:

––

The Black Phone opens in cinemas nationwide on Wednesday, July 20. Buy your tickets here.

ALSO READ:
Rings of Horror in “The Black Phone” Starts July 20 with Sneak Previews on July 11 and 12
WATCH: Voices of the Dead Assist the Abducted in ‘The Black Phone’ Trailer

July 19, 2022
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves Lead Voice Cast of “DC League of Super-Pets”

In “DC League of Super-Pets,” Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack—Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel—to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the Super Heroes.

In addition to bringing together some of the DC Universe’s biggest names, the film boasts a huge casting coup as well, with the one and only Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, together again with Kevin Hart as Ace—no dynamic duo plays off each other better and who but Johnson and Hart banter with such a biting wit?

Johnson, who also serves as a producer on the film under his Seven Bucks banner, observes, “When you think about the conceit of what this is, about the pets of these Super Heroes, and the fact it has never been done before in cinema history!? That is pretty remarkable, considering the genre of superheroes films as a whole. What kind of pets would your favorite DC Super-Heroes have, from Superman to Wonder Woman to Batman to Flash to Green Lantern? So, when I first heard the idea, I was in without hesitation, 100%. And when you think about the players—from Warner Bros. to DC, and the love that we at [our production company] Seven Bucks Productions have for the superhero genre and for animation as well—we jumped at the partnership and the opportunity.”

Dwayne Johnson as Krypto (Photo from Warner Bros. Pictures)

Hart’s Ace is the de facto leader of the shelter pack. The actor was drawn to the story right away, noting, “It’s a big movie with big characters. I feel like there are so many moments throughout the script where the verbiage on the page popped, and they put the right people into those positions and the material just blows you away—they did a great job casting. That’s what you want on a movie like this—to be part of an amazing ensemble that feels special. You really feel, ‘Hey, we got something here.’”

The ensemble that the filmmakers assembled to voice the four-legged reluctant heroes and delightfully villainous baddies featured in the film include Vanessa Bayer as potbellied pig PB, Diego Luna as scaredy squirrel Chip, Natasha Lyonne as vision-impaired turtle Merton, Kate McKinnon as evil genius guinea pig Lulu, with Lulu’s main mutant guinea pig recruits, Keith and Mark, voiced by Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz.

Kevin Hart as Ace (Photo from Warner Bros. Pictures)

For the film’s two-legged heroes, John Krasinski voices Krypto’s bestie and Metropolis’s own Clark Kent, aka Superman, and Olivia Wilde is the voice of his sweetheart, Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane. The Justice League members seen and heard in the film are Batman, voiced by Keanu Reeves; Wonder Woman, by Jameela Jamil; Aquaman, by Jemaine Clement; The Flash by John Early; Green Lantern by Dascha Polanco; and Cyborg by Daveed Diggs.

“In an animated movie, the most important thing is that the actor’s voice is the perfect voice for the character, but we got lucky that they also happened to be huge movie stars,” director Jared Stern smiles.

(Photo from Warner Bros. Pictures)

Amidst all the high-flying action and adventure, the film also touches on the importance of friendship and family—and emphasizes that anyone’s real superpower, no matter how many legs you stand on, is being true to yourself.

“DC League of Super-Pets” will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in Philippine theaters July 27. Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #DCSuperPets

July 18, 2022
Colleen Hoover Shares News on ‘It Ends With Us’ Film Adaptation

In case you missed it, Colleen Hoover’s romance novel It Ends With Us is being adapted into a movie! The author shared an update on the film through Facebook, stating that she’s confident with the adaptation of her book, having seen the script from its producer, Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios.

“Seeing how much effort they’ve put into this script and into wanting to give readers what they want, I’m confident you are all going to be very happy,” Hoover wrote in her post. She also stated that she would post more photos, “but when you’re sitting in a room of creatives, listening to them discuss scenes and characters in a lively way that you developed all alone from your own head, it’s hard to break out of that trance and take pictures.”

Published in 2016, It Ends With Us tells the story of a girl named Lily, who just moved to Boston to start her own floral business. Here, she meets the surgeon Ryle, and romance begins to blossom between them, but an encounter with her first love Atlas will complicate their relationship. A sequel to the novel, It Starts With Us, is also slated to get published on October 18 this year.

More details about the movie, including its cast and release date, are yet to be announced.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!

—
Homestream images from Colleen Hoover’s Facebook page and website.

July 15, 2022
Now Streaming: New Live-Action ‘Resident Evil’ Series from Netflix

A new live-action adaptation of Capcom’s popular horror video game franchise has just arrived on Netflix! Simply titled Resident Evil, the new series once again attempts in recreating the world that has been plagued by the T-virus unleashed by the Umbrella Corporation.

Watch the trailer for this year’s Resident Evil series below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIdjcDTc9Vk&t

The new series tells its story through two different timelines. It opens in the year 2036, where a woman spends her time roaming the ruined city streets, and observing the zombies and monsters that the T-virus has spawned. The story also follows the 2022 timeline, where half-twins Billie and Jade arrive at their new home located in the heart of Umbrella Corporation’s New Raccoon City.

The 8-episode series comes from Supernatural writer Andrew Dabb, and stars Ella Balinska, Lance Reddick, Tamara Smart, Siena Adubong, and Paola Núñez.

The first Resident Evil game was released in 1996, while its latest title and 8th major installment in the series, Resident Evil Village was released last year. The video game franchise has also been adapted for film and TV multiple times, including the 6-part movie series starring Milla Jovovich, the recent Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City film, and Netflix’s CGI miniseries Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness.

Resident Evil is now streaming on Netflix.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!

July 14, 2022
10 Horror Movies with the Most Ridiculous Monsters and Killers

Horror movies have gifted us with some of the scariest and most iconic monsters and killers in pop culture, including Chucky, Michael Myers, Jason, and Pennywise just to name a few. But the movie genre has also given life to some of the most ridiculous killers that one could think up– objects and animals that you wouldn’t think could ever hurt you, like fluffy bunnies and rolling tomatoes!

On this list, we’ve rounded up some movies with monsters that are so weird and bizarre, they would probably not scare you, but they’re still worth considering if you’re in for the entertaining absurdity!

10. Black Sheep (2010)

Sheep have always been portrayed as helpless prey, but this movie tries to change our minds with its fluffy yet bloodthirsty sheep that crave human flesh. Set in New Zealand, the film centers on herds of sheep who are turned into carnivorous creatures by a mad scientist. Worse, one bite from such monsters and you will be turned into the human-sheep hybrid, Weresheep!

9. Jack Frost (1997)

A year before the family-friendly live-action Jack Frost movie was released, a horror take on the classic tale was put in cinemas with none other than the most well-known snowman as its monster. This killer snowman, complete with a carrot nose and twigs for eyebrows, is created after a serial killer gets melted by chemicals and is fused with the snow on the ground. Revived as a snowman, this monster can shoot sharp icicles, roll and crush things on its path, and can even enter a victim’s body!

8. Thankskilling (2009)

Thanksgiving takes a dark turn in the low-budget comedy-horror movie Thankskilling, which features a killer turkey… literally. Named Turkie, this crass, demonic bird was first summoned by a Native American who wanted to kill all Caucasians. Five hundred years later, a group of teens crosses paths with Turkie, who goes on a killing spree to fulfill his purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z70Wr9nE41U

7. Night of the Lepus (1972)

If you think sheep and turkey are not non-threatening enough as animals to be turned into movie monsters, then Night of the Lepus and its enormous rabbits will beg to differ. Due to the growing bunny population, a West-American town decides to inject the rabbits with a serum that will control their birthrates, but as with many creature features, the experiment goes wrong and the small, fluffy animals turn into giant, carnivorous creatures ready to devour people.

6. The Stuff (1985)

We all know how devouring desserts too many is never good for our body, but the satire horror The Stuff takes this to a whole new level. An alien “stuff”– a white substance akin to ice cream, finds its way to the dessert market where it quickly became a hit! But the catch is, this sentient substance can turn people who eat it into mindless zombies before the stuff eats them from the inside.

5. The Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong (2013)

Charles Band is the man behind two of the most bizarre horror movie franchises. The Gingerdead Man is about a dead killer whose ashes had been baked into a gingerbread man, fusing his spirit into the pastry. Meanwhile, Evil Bong is about a malevolent bong that traps stoners inside its sinister Bong World. If these movies’ monsters aren’t ridiculous enough, Band also made a crossover flick where the two creatures wreak havoc upon more victims.

4. Rubber (2010)

You may have seen films where a car is haunted or is being used by a killer as a murder machine. In the comedy-horror meta film Rubber, however, the big villain is a lone car tire. The film, which declares in its opening scene that it is a homage to “no reason”, features the car tire named Robert who just suddenly gained consciousness. After discovering that he has psychokinetic powers, Robert goes on a killing spree, making people explode with his mind.

3. Slaxx (2020)

If you think all the ridiculous movie killers were born over a decade ago, and no more would follow suit, then you’re dead wrong. Slaxx is a 2020 film from the streaming platform Shudder which puts trendy consumers at the mercy of a killer pair of jeans. When Libby McClean gets hired into Canadian Cotton Company, she thought it was a dream come true, but it all turned into a nightmare when a possessed pair of pants begin to murder people inside the store.

2. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978)

We know food could kill– as The Stuff depicts– but we always imagine that it’s through ingestion that food can become a sinister threat. In Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, however, the soft fruit actually kills by any means, including rolling around and squashing people on its path! Of course, you do not expect that this film will actually scare you with a tomato (Boo!), but the film being a parody film might make it worth seeing for fans of the genre out there.

1. Killer Condom (1996)

It has been a well-established trope for horror slashers that when two people participate in sexual intercourse, it is often followed by their deaths. In this comedy-horror film, intercourse is inevitably followed by a bloody mess because the culprits are condoms with sharp teeth! When New York gets plagued by these creepy creatures, it is up to Detective Luigi Mackeroni to put a stop to these bizarre attacks.

Stay in the loop and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

July 14, 2022
WATCH: ‘Orphan: First Kill’ Trailer Brings Back Isabelle Fuhrman as the Young Esther

After over a decade, we’re finally getting a follow-up to the 2009 slasher thriller, Orphan, through the upcoming prequel film Orphan: First Kill.

Staying true to the premise of an adult woman pretending to be an innocent child, the prequel brings back the now adult Isabelle Fuhrman to play the role of Esther once more. When the film was first announced in 2020, it was revealed that the filmmakers would be using a combination of “forced perspective shooting and a world-class makeup team” to make Fuhrman look the part.

You can now watch the first trailer for Orphan: First Kill below:

The prequel film will reveal how Esther made her escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility, and how she picked up the identity of a wealthy family’s missing daughter. Soon, she’ll let her true face unfurl, pitting her against a mother who will do everything to protect her family from Esther’s malicious and murderous intent.

Directed by William Brent Bell, Orphan: First Kill also stars Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland, Matthew Finlan, and Jade Michael. It is set for release via streaming at Paramount+ this August 19. It is yet to be revealed if it will also hit theaters in countries where the streaming platform isn’t available.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!

July 14, 2022
New Movie This Week: Doraemon: Nobita’s Little Star Wars 2021

Plan your week ahead and choose which schedule of this movie opening this July 13, 2022, you’ll see on the big screen.

Doraemon: Nobita’s Little Star Wars 2021

Action, Adventure, Animation

Directed by Susumu Yamaguchi, it follows Nobita who picks a small rocket from which a small-sized humanoid alien Papi comes out. He came from the planet name Pirika and came to Earth to escape from the PCIA army of this planet. At the very beginning, Doraemon and his friends were confused by the small size of Papi, but with the gadget “Small Light,” they became small and played together. It features the voices of Megumi Ohara, Wasabi Mizuta, and Yumi Kakazu.

July 13, 2022