A Wrinkle in Time (Cinema Review) – Disney magic or misfire?
March 22, 2018 By George Elcombe Leave a Comment
Starring: Storm Reid, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine
Director: Ana DuVernay
Certificate: PG
Release Date: March 23rd 2018 (UK)
Disney are having a huge amount of financial and critical success with live action remakes of their classic animated features, but not so much with original properties. For example, I was hyped at the prospect of Tomorrowland (2015), but was disappointed with the result and, unsurprisingly, it was a flop. This is a shame as big studios with big budgets need to take risks in order to bring fresh stories to the screen. There are successes such as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), but also some misfires along the way and unfortunately this movie is one of them.
A Wrinkle in Time is apparently a passion project for director Ava DuVernay who has been developing it for a number of years. It is based on a bestselling book series which I have never heard of. Maybe it's that the book was huge in America or that I've never heard of it simply due to the fact it hasn't already been translated to the big screen before. [Read more…]
New A Wrinkle In Time Trailer – Oprah, Reese Witherspoon & Chris Pine star in Ana DuVernay's family adventure
With its first teaser trailer, A Wrinkle In Time suggested it might be something unusual and rather special. That feeling has continued to grow as we've seen more of the movie, with hints that this could be a 'kid's film' that's intense, beautiful and very entertaining.
Here's the synopsis: 'From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney's "A Wrinkle in Time," an epic adventure based on Madeleine L'Engle's timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl's transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one's individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one's own light.'
The movie is due out in the UK on March 23rd 2018. Take a look at the new trailer below. [Read more…]
ACTORS: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Pena, Levi Miller, Zach Galifianakis, Chris Pine, Storm Reid DIRECTORS: Ana DuVernay FILMS: A Wrinkle In Time
A Wrinkle In Time Trailer – Oprah, Reese Witherspoon & Chris Pine star in Ana DuVernay's family adventure
With its first teaser trailer, A Wrinkle In Time suggested it might be comething really special. That feeling is only going to grow with this new, full trailer for the movie, which hints that this could be a 'kid's film' that's intense, beautiful and very entertaining.
A Wrinkle In Time Teaser Trailer – Oprah, Reese Witherspoon & Chris Pine star in Ana DuVernay's family adventure
July 15, 2017 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment
There was already a fair amount interest in the movie version of A Wrinkle In Time, both because Madeline L'Engle's 1962 novel is a bit of a classic, and it's the first ever $100+ million movie directed by a black woman. Now we've got out first look at the film, with a teaser that's a bit of a stunner.
On this evidence, it could be one of the most interest and perhaps bizarre movies of 2018.
Here's the synopsis: 'The film, which is an epic adventure based on Madeleine L'Engle's timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and ultimately, the triumph of love.
'Directed by Ava DuVernay from a screenplay by Jennifer Lee based upon the beloved novel by Madeleine L'Engle, "A Wrinkle in Time" is produced by Jim Whitaker and Catherine Hand with Doug Merrifield serving as executive producer. The film stars: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peňa, Levi Miller, Deric McCabe, André Holland, Rowan Blanchard with Zach Galifianakis and Chris Pine and introduces Storm Reid.'
The film is due in cinemas March 2018. Take a look at the beautiful teaser trailer below. [Read more…]
Lee Daniels May Remake Terms of Endearment With Oprah Winfrey Starring
February 14, 2017 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment
Director Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey has a very successful collaboration with The Butler, which scored Winfrey a BAFTA nomination, and found plenty of commercial success. Now it looks like they may be getting back together, for a remake of Terms Of Endearment.
It is apparently very early days on the project and neither Winfrey or Daniels is saying much, but TheWrap reports that Paramount has bought the rights to Terms Of Endearment for the Empire and Precious filmmaker, with Winfrey apparently circling the role of Aurora Greenway, memorably played by an Oscar-winning Shirley MacLaine in the 1983 movie version.
Larry McMurtry's original novel follows the life of Aurora and her daughter, Emma. While the daughter has an unsuccessful marriage and deals with health issues, the widowed Aurora is looking for a new lease of life, which includes getting to know the drunken astronaut who lives next (previously played by Jack Nicholson, who also won an Oscar).
Although messing with a classic is tough, Winfrey could be a good choice is Hollywood does want to take on Terms Of Endearment again. However, we'll have to wait and see whether it really happens.
ACTORS: Oprah Winfrey DIRECTORS: Lee Daniels FILMS: Terms Of Endearment
Selma Trailer – David Oyelowo takes on a key moment in MLK's civil rights struggle
November 7, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment
You wouldn't think making a movie about one of the most important moments in the Civil Rights struggle in the US would be that difficult to get off the ground, but Selma faced a massive struggle. Even with Lee Daniels directing and a high profile cast attached (including Hugh Jackman and others), it couldn't get funding).
However now it's finally happened, with Ava DuVernay directing and David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, Tim Roth, and Oprah Winfrey starring.
Here's the synopsis: 'SELMA is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay's SELMA tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.'
Selma opens in a few US cinemas on December 25th, 2014, and will go wide in early January. A February 6th UK release is planned. [Read more…]
ACTORS: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr. FILMS: Selma
The Butler Trailer – Forest Whitaker watches history in the White House
May 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment
The Butler could well be a fascinating film, and now we get our first taste of the movie, as a trailer has popped up online.
Gay director Lee Daniels' film stars Forest Whitaker as real-life figure Eugene Allen, who rose through the ranks at the White House from 1952 through 1986, where he served eight different Presidents and eventually became the head butler. It gave him a unique vantage point on the civil rights struggle.
As the trailer shows, the movie has a starry cast including Robin Williams and Melissa Leo as Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson, James Marsden and Minka Kelly as JFK and Jackie O and Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, while the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Alex Pettyfer, Lenny Kravitz, Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Redgrave, Jesse Williams, Mariah Carey, and David Oyelowo also star.
The movie is due out in the US in October, and is likely to be hoping for a strong Oscar run.
ACTORS: Terrence Howard, Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker DIRECTORS: Lee Daniels FILMS: The Butler
Oprah May Return To Acting For Lee Daniels' The Butler
Oprah Winfrey was nominated for an Oscar for her movie acting debut in The Color Purple, but she's rarely returned to the silver screen, preferring instead to get paid ludicrous amounts of money to host a chat show and then setting up her own TV station. However it appears she's thinking about returning to acting, as THR reports that she's considering taking a role in Lee Daniel's The Butler.
The movie has slowly been working its way to the big screen, but like several other films Daniels (who is, incidentally, openly gay) has tried to get made since Precious, it's been a tough slog. His civil rights drama, Selma, fell to bits despite having an incredibly starry cast, but Daniels is hoping that a bit of star power will help The Butler, as alongside Winfrey, he's busy lining up Hugh Jackman, John Cusack, Mila Kunis and David Oyelowo.
The movie will be about Eugene Allen, an African American who worked in the White House through eight presidencies, from 1952 to 1986, going from the lowly position of pantry man to being the highest ranked butler in the house. The film is based on a series of articles about Allen and his life, written by Will Haygood.
No deals are in place for the actors, but Daniels is hoping that if he can attach their names to the movie it'll help The Butler actually get in front of the cameras. To be honest, it's slightly worrying that even after the success of Precious, Daniel's is still having such incredible difficulty getting films about African Americans made. It's not even as if he's asking for hundreds of millions of dollars, but it appears that as soon as the subject is black people and the issues they face, the coffers dry up (unless you've already got a hit book like The Help to base it on).
ACTORS: Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Mila Kunis, David Oyelowo DIRECTORS: Lee Daniels FILMS: The Butler