Now Showing: 101

101
Genre: Thriller/Action
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Mo Buck
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jon Hamm, James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hailee Steinfeld, Ezra Miller

Plot: On a cold and cloudy December morning, Adam (James McAvoy) wakes up and does goes on with his usual morning routine. It’s been a while since Adam had a long conversation with someone. He’s the walking definition of a loner, hardly leaving his home, only when he has to. After he eats his two eggs and his toast, he goes into his room. In there, he takes packs of ammo and puts them in a bag. He’s preparing to go, he goes out today. He takes his two guns, a handgun and an assault rifle and he leaves the door, cautiously locking the door behind him.

Dustin (Ezra Miller) is running away from the cops again. This kid surely has a talent for getting into trouble. After a troubled childhood, his parents apparently gave up on him and just let him do whatever he wants to and don’t really care about him anymore. This time, he only wanted to steal shoes from a store but ended up emptying the register. The heartless and unfriendly Paul Thomas (Jon Hamm) was the cop running after him, again. These two already met in the past. After a lengthy chase, Dustin is caught by Paul and he’s arrested.

A couple of months back, Eliza (Hailee Steinfeld) was at the wrong place at the wrong time. She went out with a couple of friends and it ended with them wanting to buy drugs. They went to a warehouse where they used to get their stuff, only this time, Jack Kellerman (Hugh Jackman) and his team were all ready to take the dealers down. They breached through the door and after one of the dealers took out a gun, Kellerman shot and killed her. After the lengthy operation was over, Kellerman realised the girl he had killed looked just like his daughter who died a couple of years back. This episode is the reason why Kellerman took a leave of absence from the police corps, citing a depression as a reason. Therefore, he’s pleading his cause today in front of the commission, to show them that he’s ready to go back in action. He knows he’s not ready, but he misses the action dearly. He did is best, and they allow him to reintegrate the forces the next day. On his first day back, Kellerman is paired up with the ruthless Paul Thomas.

The school bell rings and it indicated that it’s time for Dustin and Eliza to suffer in Mrs. Miller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) math class. The two teenagers have been in an on-off relationship for quite some time, their recent personal struggles creating a stronger bond between the two. About two minutes after the class started, they start hearing people screaming in terror. The class starts to get agitated and Mrs. Miller loses control of her group as the screams grow closer and closer. Everyone starts to scream. They see student running in the corridors, with a look of terror on their face. The door of Mrs. Miller math class opens and Adam (James McAvoy) an assault rifle in hands, starts shooting on the students. Dustin and Eliza are luckily unharmed and so is Mrs. Miller. Adam spots them and say that they’re his hostages now.

It’s been a week since Jack Kellerman came back and he’s still stuck with Thomas and stuck is a great word for it. They were about to eat their breakfast when they received the call to go to the high school for the shooting. It is Mr. Jones (Forest Whitaker) who made the call, hidden behind his desk in his office. Kellerman and Thomas went straight to the high school and entered, as instructed, by Mr. Jones’ office window. They started the extraction as they received no instruction in stopping the maniac, something Mr. Jones was against. The two cops didn’t know the school as well as the principal and he guided them, so they had to make a big detour, in the hopes that they would find the killer. It’s been a while since they heard the last shots fired and they walked rather quickly. When they reached the library, they were an easy target for Adam who was inside with his three hostages. The two cops then decided on a plan to stop him. They had spotted a door that would give them a good, open look. Kellerman insisted on taking the shot. He has a flashback on the night he killed that girl in the warehouse and he’s unable to take the shot. Thomas expressed his anger towards his colleague and they were taken hostages. Adam tied them up and left the library.

He’s walking down a corridor now, listening to the voices in his head, indicating him where to go. He enters various classrooms and kills people as he is ordered. He makes his way to the cafeteria and starts shooting at the people who were hidden there. During this time, the hostages were able to break free, thanks to Eliza’s ring. Instead of trying to go out, they wanted to surprise Adam from behind. They heard him in the cafeteria, shooting at people and judged that they would tackle him while he was reloading. They lost track of where he was and he finally saw them. He threatens them with his gun and he kills Dustin as a warning. They started to hear the police forces making their way in the school. Adam gets nervous and locks them in the gym. They start talking to him after he shot and killed all the students who were there at the time. He says he doesn’t like talking and kills Mrs. Miller, so they’ll shut up. Kellerman and Thomas were tied up together, so Thomas’ able to grab Kellerman’s handgun. They turn around so they can shoot Adam, but Young misses his shot and drops the gun, prompting him to kill Eliza and Mr. Jones. They two cops tried to reason him, and Thomas grew aggressive with him. He shoots and kills Thomas, with only Kellerman remaining as his hostage. They hear the police surrounding the gym and Adam takes Kellerman has a shield. The police enters the gym and they all point their gun at Adam. He takes and gun and in one final gesture, shot himself in the head, his brains splattered all over Kellerman. The movie ends with images of the aftermath of the shooting, with a death toll of 101, including the killer.

In Development

Planet LV 426: The cast of Alien spin-off Planet LV 426 from director Anthony Russo and writer Carl Flimmer is now complete. The film has added Charlie Hunnam (The Lost City of Z, Pacific Rim) and Jack O'Connell (The Job, Money Monster) in the last key roles in the film. Hunnam will play a doctor in the colony, while O'Connell will play a soldier.

Atlas Shrugged: Cary Fukunaga continues to assemble an all-star cast for his adaptation of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. January Jones ("The Last Man on Earth", Good Kill) has been cast as Lillian Rearden, wife of Hank (Ben Affleck). Edgar Ramirez (Paradise Lost, Birth of Frankenstein) will play Francisco d'Anconia, owner of the world's largest copper mining operation. Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water, Kong: Skull Island) will round out the cast, playing Wesley Mouch, a treacherous lobbyist who becomes the nation's Economic Dictator.

The Secret History: Freddie Highmore ("Bates Motel", "The Good Doctor"), Alex Wolff (My Friend Dahmer, Patriots Day) and Ewan McGregor ("Fargo", American Pastoral) have joined the cast of Ang Lee's The Secret History. Highmore will play Chloe Grace Moretz's twin brother, Wolff will play a member whose country home becomes a hangout for the group, and McGregor will play the group's charismatic Classics professor.

Zombieworld: Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Father Figures), Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries", xXx: The Return of Xander Cage) and Suki Waterhouse (The Bad Batch, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) have all joined David Ayer's latest film, Zombieworld. Rhames will play the billionaire founder of the theme park, while Dobrev and Waterhouse will play guests at the park.

Silver Surfer: After a couple of DC Comics films, Last Resort Films now has its sights set on the characters of Marvel Comics. Silver Surfer will be the first such film. They have hired special effects whiz Robert Stromberg (Malificent) to direct and have cast Keanu Reeves (John Wick, Knock Knock) in the lead role as the Silver Surfer himself.

Inferno: Last Resort Films has officially greenlit the ambitious Inferno for production. The film is the first in a planned trilogy based on The Divine Comedy by Dante Aligheri. Tom Tykwer (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, The International) will direct the Mo Buck penned project, while James Franco ("The Deuce", The Disaster Artist) and Tom Hiddleston (I Saw the Light, Kong: Skull Island) will lead the cast. Franco will play Dante, who must journey through the realms of the dead. Hiddleston will play Virgil, Dante's guide.

Release: Eclipse

Eclipse
Genre: Action/Horror
Director: Alexandre Aja
Writer: Clive Steinbeck
Cast: Jai Courtney, Fan Bingbing, Donnie Yen, Daniel Wu, Michael Rooker, Lili Simmons



Budget: $35,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $41,076,013
Foreign Box Office: $36,622,156
Total Profit: -$15,323,944

Reaction: We're not sure what happened with the foreign box office numbers for this film. We figured that having such an international cast would drum up interest overseas, but it seemingly had no (or even negative) effect.

"Fun, bloody, sexy and action-packed, this vampire film milks its unique premise and setting for every last ounce of blood." - Perry Manson, CinemaBlend.com

"This torturous vampire bloodbath is a wasted opportunity for those involved." - Richard Park, Globe and Mail

"This film had all the potential to be a fun, B-movie ride on paper, but in the end it just doesn't work. The acting is wooden across the board. No amount of bloodshed - and boy is there plenty - can save it." - Shawn Moseby, Fresno Bee

Now Showing: Eclipse

Eclipse
Genre: Action/Horror
Director: Alexandre Aja
Writer: Clive Steinbeck
Cast: Jai Courtney, Fan Bingbing, Donnie Yen, Daniel Wu, Michael Rooker, Lili Simmons

Plot: For many centuries, the Kōng biānfú (vampires who have vowed never to drink human blood) have lived among the villages of China. 800 years ago, a young human warlord named Fang (Daniel Wu) fell in love with one of the Kōng biānfú, a woman named Ling (Fan Bingbing). Fang wanted Ling for his own, so he killed her husband and son. In her pain and rage, Ling attacked and bit Fang during a New Year solar eclipse, turning him into a vampire.

From Fang's bloodline have come many Xuèxīng biānfú (vampires who drink human blood and kill for pleasure). Only Ling can end the Xuèxīng biānfú's nightly attacks on humans. Doing so, however, will end the entire bloodline and turn every vampire, Kōng biānfú  as well as Xuèxīng biānfú, into mere mortals again. Since the coming New Year festival will feature the first solar eclipse in 800 years, Ling intends to kill herself by exposing herself to the sun's rays at the end of the eclipse and thus wipe out all the vampires in China.

Michael (Jai Courtney) and Jenna (Lili Simmons) are vacationing in Shanghai, China, during that year's New Year festival. Michael takes Jenna to see a kung fu match. However, Jenna does not enjoy the event and goes back to their hotel alone.

On the way, Jenna gets lost in a market place, and a man offers to show her the way to her hotel. He leads her on a short cut down a deserted alley, then turns into the vampire Fang, drinking her blood and carrying her off on a motorcycle. Michael tries to follow, but he is stopped by another vampire intent on killing him. Just as the vampire is about to succeed, a  man, Lau (Donnie Yen), appears and chops off the vampire's head. Michael begs for his help finding Jenna, but he warns Michael to leave China immediately and threatens to kill Michael if he follows him. Michael stealthily follows Lau home to Àn Yuè House.

When the police refuse to consider Jenna missing until 48 hours have passed, Michael goes back to Àn Yuè House, only to find everyone asleep. While snooping through the house, Michael is attacked by Ling. Michael gets away from her by jumping out a window. As Michael lands on the ground below, he is stopped by vampire slayer Hannibal (Michael Rooker) who insists on testing Michael's blood to see if he is infected. When Michael comes up clean, he begs Hannibal to help him find Jenna but, like Lau, Hannibal warns him to leave Thailand. Jenna is as good as dead, Hannibal says. If she resists, the Xuèxīng biānfú will bleed her dry; if not, they'll turn her, and then Hannibal will slay her (he gets $10,000 for every vampire he kills).

Michael won't accept it and returns again to Àn Yuè House. While there, he sees a photo of Fang in front of a building in the market place. Figuring that Fang might have taken Jenna there, he snoops around. He finds Jenna being held in a cell with skeletons, carcasses, and other humans in various stages of having their blood drained. Jenna and Michael escape, but are attacked outside by two Xuèxīng biānfú on a motorcycle. One drives off with Jenna while the other stays to kill Michael. Just as Fang and the rest of the Xuèxīng biānfú arrive, Ling appears. Michael grabs a motorcycle, and with Ling riding behind him they succeed in outrunning the Xuèxīng biānfú.

Jenna must decide whether to allow Fang to turn her or to keep on drinking from her. Michael has to decide whether or not to join the Kōng biānfú  in hopes of winning the battle with the Xuèxīng biānfú and helping Ling to kill herself so that all vampires (including him) will be turned back into mortals. The alternative, if Ling is not successful, is that Michael will remain a vampire until the next New Year eclipse rolls around in 800 years and Ling can try again. Michael's decision is made doubly hard because he is attracted to Ling. Jenna decides to continue resisting, and Michael decides to become a Kōng biānfú.

The day of the eclipse is upon them. Since Ling's embrace of the sun must take place in the same spot where the curse began 800 years ago, the Kōng biānfú  have made a deal with Hannibal. Hannibal and his slayers will line the buildings and walls that overlook the site, which looks like an archeological dig, in order to kill any Xuèxīng biānfú who try to stop Ling. Michael, Lau, and the rest of the Kōng biānfú  will help Ling get to the required spot. The eclipse starts at 3:00, and they will have 17 minutes to do the job.

The Xuèxīng biānfú arrive on their motorcycles. In the battle that follows, Michael and Fang fall through a weak spot into a pit where they continue fighting. Time is running out, and Lau realizes that the slayers have double-crossed them. The slayers open fire, shooting everyone, both Kōng biānfú  and Xuèxīng biānfú. Only Michael and Fang remain protected in their hole. Michael manages to impale Fang, but when he surfaces from the pit, Michael finds only bodies. He shouts for Ling, but there is no answer. Hannibal walks up, gloating over how much he will get for all the vampire heads and those in the future. If Ling ends the curse, he explains, there's no more vampires, and he's in the vampire hunting business.

Michael locates Ling as Hannibal turns his crossbow on her. Michael offers to shoot Ling so that she does not have to suffer. Hannibal hands his bow to Michael. Michael aims at Ling but suddenly swings his aim to Hannibal. Forcing Hannibal to carry Ling to the designated spot, Michael gives her one last kiss before the sun reappears. She explodes, taking Hannibal with her. Michael hurries back to the Xuèxīng biānfú's base and rescues Jenna.

Premiere Magazine #17

Release: The Child Martyr

The Child Martyr
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Writer: Mo Buck
Cast: Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Mackenzie Foy, Anthony Hopkins, Jacob Tremblay, Diane Kruger, Noah Schnapp, Elise Fisher


Budget: $42,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $66,790,065
Foreign Box Office: $64,625,377
Total Profit: $70,084,275

Reaction: The trio of director Jean-Marc Vallee, writer Mo Buck and star Brie Larson is now two-for-two with their tragic dramas. We could never imagine such a downer of a story would be such a successful film for us. We, as well as everyone else, will eagerly await what this trio has in store for us in the future.

"The Child Martyr is often hard to watch and isn't particularly enjoyable. While Larson was great in Maria, her performance here is one very cruel note." - Jeff Stockton, Deseret News

"After a solid, but not often talked about performance in The Last of Us, Mackenzie Foy is the real standout among the cast here. She's both sympathetic and strong in her portrayal of a difficult role that could simply be that of a helpless victim." - Lisa Winger, Newsday

"Jean-Marc Vallee once again shows that he is great at handling actors. The child actors here are all very strong, and stand out more than adult stars Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell and Anthony Hopkins." - Eli McCown, NJ.com

In Development

Dino Crisis: The casting of Matt Reeves' Dino Crisis finished with the additions of Stephen Lang (Avatar, Salem's Lot), Jack O'Connell (The Job, Unbroken) and Taylor Handley ("APB", Chasing Mavericks). Lang will play the film's villain, a scientist who allows the dinosaurs through an energy portal. O'Connell will play a government agent who has infiltrated the research facility. Handley, meanwhile, will play a member of the extraction team.

Velvet: Velvet has rounded out its cast with a trio of European actors. Russian actress Veronika Vernadskaya (The Darkest Hour, Stonewall) has been cast as a woman who has a sexual encounter with the main characters. Russian actor and director Vladimir Mashkov (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Behind Enemy Lines) will play a Russian detective. Croatian character actor Rade Serbedzija (Hercules: The Legend Begins, The Promise) will play a blackmailer. David Cronenberg directs from a script by Lon Charles.

Planet LV 426: Alien spinoff Planet LV 426 has made some additions to its cast, with Melissa George ("Heartbeat", "The Slap"), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Sherwood, "The Tudors") and Lulu Wilson (Annabelle: Creation, Ouija: Origin of Evil) all joining the film. George and Rhys Meyers will play a married couple trying to raise their kids on the mining planet. Lulu Wilson will join the already cast Jacob Tremblay as their children.

Atlas Shrugged: The latest additions to the cast of Atlas Shrugged answer the question "Who Is John Galt?" The answer: Michael Fassbender (Alien: Covenant, Steve Jobs). The actor has been cast as the mysterious character who is working to unite the most skilled inventors and business leaders under his leadership. Jeremy Renner (Wind River, Kill the Messenger) has also joined the film, playing James Taggart, Dagny's incompetent brother who is the actual president of the railroad.

The Secret History: The cast of Ang Lee's latest film continues to load up on young talent. Josh Hutcherson (Escobar: Paradise Lost, "Future Man") and Chloe Grace Moretz (The Equalizer, The 5th Wave) have joined the film. Hutcherson will play a student who holds a dangerous secret over one of his classmates, while Moretz will play a member of the Classics class and romantic interest of the main character. She has reportedly demanded a much higher salary than usual in order to appear nude in the film. At the director's insistence, the studio has met her salary demands in order for her to appear in the film.

Zombieworld: One of the first releases of Season 3 will be Zombieworld from writer Andrew Doster and director David Ayer (Suicide Squad, Bright). The film will take place in a theme park where zombies are the main attraction. Rose Leslie (The Osterman Weekend, Honeymoon) and Amber Heard (Justice League, Magic Mike XXL) have signed on to play two of the main characters trapped in the park following an attack by environmentalists who free the zombies.

Now Showing: The Child Martyr

The Child Martyr
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Writer: Mo Buck
Inspired by the play Aurore : L'enfant martyr by Henri Rollin and Léon Petitjean
Cast: Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Mackenzie Foy, Anthony Hopkins, Jacob Tremblay, Diane Kruger, Noah Schnapp, Elsie Fisher

Plot: In 1920's Quebec, Tom Gagnon (Sam Rockwell) has the honor of being one of the richest man in his village, owning more than $10,000 to his name. His wife, Annie (Diane Kruger) is said to be one of the most beautiful woman who ever step foot in the Province. Together, they have four children, Jane, Aurore (Mackenzie Foy), George (Jacob Tremblay) and Joseph. Aurore and her siblings live a happy life with their loving mother and enjoy the best childhood a family could offer in those terrible times in Quebec. However, even with all the money they have, the family isn't immune to diseases. Tuberculosis strikes hard in the Gagnon household, bringing Annie, Jeanne and Joseph to their grave.

Unable to take care of his two remaining children alone, Tom Gagnon marries Marie Paquin (Brie Larson) his cousin's widow. Marie Paquin, now Marie Gagnon, brings her two children with her :Gabriel (Noah Schnapp) and Maria (Elsie Fisher). It is quite clear Marie favors her children first and poor little Aurore and George are left aside, often not eating enough food. They try to talk to their father about it, but he says Marie is doing the best job she can, completely unaware of the treatment she gives to them. He blames their frustration on the fact that they miss their mother.

On a particularly hot summer day, Marie lets the kids go play outside and remains at home, cooking. Aurore and George go play in the woods, not really playing, but trying to find food to eat. Gabriel and Maria, decide to go play with the horses. They're not really gentle with the cows and the beef. However, they're not gentle with the beef and he eventually kills both Maria and Gabriel after it had enough. Coming back from the woods empty ended, Aurore and George look for Maria and Gabriel, only to find them dead.

Still mourning her children, Marie goes to see the Father Phillip (Anthony Hopkins) at the church. She confesses that she doesn't like Tom's children and she blames them for the death of her own children and claims that she doesn't know what to do with the remaining kids, Aurore and George. Father Phillip suggests that she should be tough with them to punish them for their sinful acts.

It is at that precise moment that Aurore and George's life become a living hell. She forbids them to drink water, forcing them to drink hard water, she tears off their fingernails, hit them repeatedly, causing them to bleed and have many ecchymosis. Each and every time Tom Gagnon starts to suspect something, Marie always find a way to put the blame on the kids themselves. Tom doesn't know what to do and go see Father Phillip, saying to him that his children aren't able to get over the death of their mother. He suggests to Tom to make his children learn the hard way and he should be severe with them and they will soon start to behave normally. This is what he says to his wife and that's exactly what she does.

The living hell the kids are living in only gets worst from that point. She frequently burns them, peel off their skin and hit them with a fork. George eventually dies and Marie throws him down the well. She successfully hid her torture. After she's left alone with Aurore, Marie tears off Aurore's flesh on her forearm, to the point that we can see her bones. Aurore eventually dies from the injuries she sustained from Marie. Father Phillip autopsies her body and discovers 54 different injuries all over Aurore's body. He secretly contacts the authorities.

At Aurore's funeral, celebrated by Father Phillip, Marie and Tom Gagnon are arrested for the murder of Aurore Gagnon. Marie has the time to tell Father Phillip that he's the one who recommended to her to be tough and aggressive towards Tom's children. After the funeral, Father Phillip commits suicide with dynamite. Marie Gagnon is sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Aurore, while Tom Gagnon is declared guilty of involuntary homicide.

Marie Gagnon was never hanged for the murder of Aurore and spent only 15 years in jail. Tom Gagnon was also sentenced to life in prison, but only spent 5 years in jail before being released. The movie ends with a picture from Aurore Gagnon's real grave, in Fortierville, Quebec, Canada.

Release: The Question

The Question
Genre: Action/Superhero
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writer: D.R. Cobb
Based on the DC Comics character
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Christina Hendricks, Ray Winstone, John Malkovich, Mads Mikkelsen, Hong Chau


Budget: $106,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $150,860,040
Foreign Box Office: $267,105,398
Total Profit: $260,890,147

Reaction: Excellent numbers for a smart, mature superhero film. Don't be surprised if you see more movies featuring the adventures of The Question, seeing as the lack of superpowers keeps the budget relatively modest.

"Nicholas Winding Refn's The Question is like the little brother of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight series, taking the characters and their world seriously with serious stakes and ample dramatic tension." - Lisa Winger, Newsday

"Ryan Gosling has finally found the big-budget tentpole franchise that deserves and makes proper use of his talents. His disturbed screen presence perfectly adapts to this intriguing character. He's joined by an equally talented cast that inhabit Refn's dark and grimy world." - James Tubbs Jr., Vice Magazine

"Nicholas Winding Refn isn't the most obvious choice for a superhero film, but his particular talents work wonders here, creating a whole world full of neon lights and corruption and bloody noses. The Question stands alone as both a realistic action film and as a dream-like drama." - Mark Rawls, Seattle Times

Now Showing: The Question

The Question
Genre: Action/Superhero
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writer: D.R. Cobb
Based on the DC Comics character
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Christina Hendricks, Ray Winstone, John Malkovich, Mads Mikkelsen, Hong Chau

Plot: Charles Victor Szasz (Ryan Gosling), stands in the rain outside a shack on the wharf in a blue fedora and matching trenchcoat. Inside, three men huddle around a card game. A voice on the TV inside announces a special report from KBEL's Vic Sage, and as if it were his cue, Szasz puts a foot through the door of the shack, and tells the men inside that they possess a tape he wants. The men stand and challenge him. Szasz responds by elbowing the biggest of them, sending him crashing into the TV. A second man advances, swinging wildly. His punches miss, but Szasz's counter-punches all connect. A woman looks on silently. Szasz swings a chair at the third man, knocking him to the ground. The biggest man, recovered from the earlier hit grabs at Szasz's face, but whatever covers his face won't come off. Szasz kicks him in the face. It is now clear that Szasz has no face. He demands the tape from the one thug that isn't out cold. The thug goes over to a safe and pulls out a tape. The thug asks who he is. In response, Szasz hands him a white card with a question mark written on it.

Szasz climbs into his car and speeds away. He pulls away the featureless mask, revealing himself to be Vic Sage. Szasz arrives outside KBEL studios. Szasz/Sage enters the production room and hands the tape to the news director. The tape contains footage of the Hub City Commissioner of Schools snorting cocaine with a woman Sage ties to a man who he believes blackmailed his way into a lucrative building contract with the school district.

Mayor Wesley Fermin (John Malkovich) watches the report with Reverend Hatch (Ray Winstone) and one of the thugs from the wharf. The thug asks what they should do about Sage. Hatch suggests getting him fired, but the thug cites Sage's ratings a reason the station would keep him on. The Reverend then suggests that Lady Shiva (Hong Chau) could teach him a lesson. Shiva, the woman who watched the earlier fight, agrees to do what they wish.

Lady Shiva attacks Szasz/Sage as he gets home from the TV station. Shiva has Szasz heavily overmatched, but during the course of the fight realizes that Sage is the man from the wharf. She decides to spare his life and just make it look like he's dead.

Mayor Fermin admires Vic's co-worker Myra Connelly (Christina Hendricks) on television as she reports the disappearance of Vic Sage.

Shiva sends Sage on a helicopter that drops him off in the middle of nowhere, where he meets a wheelchair-bound man in a small cabin. The man, Richard (Mads Mikkelsen), offers to teach Sage the ways of the warrior, but first Sage must chop wood.

Sage spends the next year under Richard's tutelage, training his mind, his body and his soul, until one day while tilling the garden, Richard announces that school is out. Richard tells him that he must make his own way. He tells him that his passion isn't fighting, it's curiosity. Lady Shiva emerges from the shadows and disagrees with Richard. Shiva gives Sage a key to a locker containing his suit, fedora and mask.

Sage hitchhikes back to civilization, where he finds his suit, fedora and mask right where Shiva said they'd be. He refamiliarizes himself with the featureless mask, and breaks into the Mayor's mansion.

Meanwhile, Rev. Hatch tells Myra stories of his time as a chaplain in the Army, but is interrupted by someone singing "Danny Boy." The Question appears before Hatch.

The Question stands before the grovelling figure of Rev. Hatch, demanding that he pray. Myra appears in the doorway and asks who he is. The Question does not answer, but only speak her name. Then Hatch swings a steel fire poker at The Question's head. The Question ducks it, and kicks Hatch into the fireplace. Hatch's clothing catches fire, and he crashes through the window.

Myra takes the Question by the arm, leading him to her room before guards arrive. He asks her why she's helping him. She says that she hopes he can help her. The guards arrive and demand to check Myra's room, but she calls their bluff by stepping out into the hallway in a skimpy bustier. The sheepish guards retreat.

The Question asks why they called her Mrs. Fermin. She tells him that it's a forced marriage, that Hatch threatened to hurt her daughter otherwise. She tells him that Hatch plans to blow up a schoolbus full of white children to frame a local black leader. She leads the Question to the back door and asks him to hit her. She shows the guards her bruise and misdirects their attention while the Question leaps over a fence.

The Question goes to the school district bus garage, where the watchman informs him that he's the second nutjob to show up. Sage asks for the schedule and the watchman tells him there isn't one - it's Martin Luther King Day. But a bus recently left to take a group of kids from the suburbs to see the black leader make a speech. Sage adds up the facts and realizes that someone must have been sen to distract the watchmen while the other planted the bomb.

The Question races his car down the snowy streets. Hatch's thug questions Myra about her helping the Question escape the previous night. He holds a picture of her daughter in his hands, threatens her and rips up the picture.

Sage catches up to the bus, and notices a green van following it. He rams his car into the side of the van, he leaps from his car onto the van. He shoves one guy out the door and struggles with the driver, until he knocks him out of the van too. He pulls the van up alongside the bus and gets the driver to pull over. He searches the bus for the bomb, finding it in the back. The timer is down to 30 seconds. Sage grabs the bomb and throws it away from the bus before it explodes.

Later, the police arrive, but only get reports of a guy with no face from the kids. The two men from the van are tied up next to a white card with a question mark written on it.

Sage drives his heavily damaged car to the orphanage. He asks to see Jackie. A nun directs him to a little girl building a snowman. He introduces himself. Jackie and her friends ask him to build a snowman with them. Two cops watch through binoculars, planning a kidnapping. They're waiting for a nun and a man (Sage) to leave. The nun recognizes Sage from TV and asks if he once lived at St. Catherine's. He says yes. The nun confides in Sage, that the orhanage faces financial problems and may be shut down. The two policemen interrupt the conversation to say they're taking Jackie to her mother. Sage intervenes and one of the cops shoves him. Sage knocks him to the ground. The other cop puts his gun to the nun's head, and they take Jackie.

Sage figures out they're taking Jackie to control her mother Myra. He climbs into his car and gives chase, but the damage is too much and the car won't start.

Mayor Fermin wakes up ad finds his way downstairs to his car, drives it through the front of the garage, and into a tree across the road from the estate. The Question watches as the guards rush to help him. Hatch meets Myra upstairs and orders her to dress Jackie in a new suit of clothes. He tells her to have the girl ready by midnight. She asks why, and Hatch replies with Genesis 22.

Outside the Spot Bar and Grill, two policemen find an empty place where their car once was. Vic Sage drives through the front gates of the Mayor's estate, claiming he's been sent for to take Mayor Fermin to the hospital. Myra walks to the Mayor's library, grabs a copy of the Bible to find Genesis 22, the chapter where God calls for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

Sage parks his car behind the Mayor's house and transforms into the Question. Hatch has Myra bound and shows her a long, sharp knife. The Question's gloved fist sends a thug flying into a wall. The Question asks where Myra is. One thug grabs a flamethrower, but the Question knocks it away from him. A pair of drapes catch flame. The fire is quickly too large to contain.

Myra continues trying to talk Hatch out of whatever he's planning. He reveals that he's not a real minister: he was kicked out of seminary for mental instability. He fooled his way into the army, where he realized his true lot in life -- bringing about corruption until God has no choice but to rain down fire and brimstone. The master demands a sacrifice, Hatch says, and it's to be Jackie. He prepares to stab the girl, when the Question appears in the doorway speaking his name. Hatch falls to his knees and asks who sent the Question.

The Question frees Jackie and turns to Hatch as the house fills with smoke. He knocks the knife out of Hatch's hand. Myra scrambles on the floor, finds the knife, and plunges it through Hatch's back. The Question hands Jackie over to a pair of firemen and tells them she's been drugged.

He then returns to the TV station, sans mask, and announces the return of Vic Sage and outs Rev. Hatch as a crazed criminal, and Mayor Fermin as his booze-riddled pawn.

In Development

And Then There Were None: The large ensemble cast of the latest adaptation of Agatha Christie's And There Were None has been completed with the additions of Cillian Murphy (Dunkirk, "Peaky Blinders") and Kit Harington ("Game of Thrones", Lancelot). Murphy has been cast as Thomas Rogers, Kate Beckinsale's husband and the butler of the estate. Harington has been cast as Anthony Marston, a handsome but amoral young man. Joe Wright directs from a script by James Morgan.

Dino Crisis: Matt Reeves' video game adaptation Dino Crisis has added Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Sicario) and Nicolaj Coster-Waldau (Headhunters, "Game of Thrones"). Kaluuya will play a computer expert, while Coster-Waldau will play an experienced special forces operative. They join the already cast Karen Gillan. Billy Cruder wrote the script based on the 1999 PlayStation game.

Velvet: Robert Pattinson now has company in the cast of David Cronenberg's latest film, Velvet, with the casting of Tatiana Maslany (Stronger, "Orphan Black") and Tim Robbins (Maria, Green Lantern). Maslany will play Pattinson's wife. Robbins will play the US Ambassador to Russia, Pattinson's boss and Maslany's father.

Planet LV 426: One half of the directing duo, the Russo brothers, Anthony Russo (Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), has been hired to direct this film set within the Alien universe. In addition to his hiring, the film has also added two actors to the project: Frank Grillo (The Purge: Election Year, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Jacob Tremblay (Wonder, the upcoming The Child Martyr). Grillo has been cast as a soldier on the title planet, while Tremblay has been cast as a boy growing up at a mining colony.

Atlas Shrugged: The second film in the deal with Ayn Rand's estate will be what is being called a proper adaptation of the author's most famed novel, Atlas Shrugged. The studio has hired Cary Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, "True Detective") to direct the film with Charlize Theron (Atomic Blonde, Mad Max: Fury Road) and Ben Affleck (The Town, Justice League) in talks for two of the lead roles. Theron will portray Dagny Taggart, hero of the story and the runner of Taggart Transcontinental railroads. Affleck will portray Hank Rearden, owner of the most important steel company in the US and a romantic interest of Theron's.

The Secret History: Last Resort Films has optioned the rights to the novel The Secret History by Donna Tartt, which will be directed by Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi) from a screenplay by Clive Steinbeck (the upcoming Eclipse). Leading the film will be Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name, Paradise Lost) and Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver, The Fault in Our Stars). Chalamet will play a lower-class college freshman who goes to a prestigious college in Vermont. Elgort will play a rich student who belongs to a small Classics class that Chalamet's character becomes involved with.

Release: Siren

Siren
Genre: Horror/Fantasy
Director: Robert Eggers
Writer: Ben Collins
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Miles Teller, Eric Bana, Josh Pence, Alexander Ludwig, Jeremy Irvine, Emily Meade, Michael Rapaport


Budget: $50,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $43,951,068
Foreign Box Office: $71,932,842
Total Profit: $20,525,272

Reaction: We're very happy that such a dark, bold and unique fantasy film found an audience - especially overseas. We were really worried that spending $50 million on this film would backfire, but we wanted to give the filmmakers everything they would need to realize Collins' vision for the film.

"Robert Eggers has taken Ben Collins' script and crafted a true visual journey led by a seductively and intimidating performance by Amanda Seyfried." - Josh Manning, NY Daily News

"While there are some genuine surprises, Siren routinely takes the easy way out, splattering gore across the screen instead of coming up with genuine scares." - Jeremy Raren, RottenTomatoes.com

"Miles Teller and Amanda Seyfried make for an easy to watch lead couple  and Eric Bana seems to be having a blast as the villainous Mr. Nyx. Add those fun performances with the film's bold and original design, and you have a film worth watching." - Gillian Donaldson, Variety

Now Showing: Siren

Siren
Genre:Horror/Fantasy
Director: Robert Eggers
Writer: Ben Collins
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Miles Teller, Eric Bana, Josh Pence, Alexander Ludwig, Jeremy Irvine, Emily Meade, Michael Rapaport

After a prelude, in which a sheriff (Michael Rapaport) and the cowboy-hatted Mr. Nyx (Eric Bana) discover the bloody aftermath of an apparent occult ritual, we enter standard horror terrain with the introduction of young protagonists whose numbers will surely dwindle in short order. It’s the bachelor party for generic nice guy Jonah (Miles Teller), who’s about to marry Eva (Emily Meade). Neither he nor best men Elliott (Alexander Ludwig) and Rand (Jeremy Irvine) are much inclined toward hedonistic excess. Unfortunately, they’re at the mercy of Jonah’s brother Mac (Josh Pence), who promptly ditches their cellphones (so no girlfriends or spouses can be contacted mid-revel), breaks out the drugs, and hustles the otherwise reluctant group to the nearest strip club.The quartet find themselves faced with an incongruous mansion-full of upscale club/bordello kinkiness under the proprietorship of the aforementioned Mr. Nyx. Suspicious exotic libations are drunk, and, as a special treat, Jonah is hustled off to a side chamber for a promised “experience” that will be memorable.

The experience turns out to be sexual, however, despite Jonah and the mysterious Lily (Amanda Seyfried) being different rooms, with a window in-between. All it takes for the imminent newlywed to experience an earth-shaking orgasm is for her to press up to the glass. Upon leaving, he takes note of her locked cell and assumes she is being held against her will. He’s right about that, but very wrong in freeing her, which has immediate unfortunate consequences for everyone — not least for Jonah, to whom this shape-shifting “Lilith” now has an emotional attachment, and woe betide anyone who gets in her way. The bachelor party members flee, pursued not only by that amorous, now-not-so-pretty critter but also by her enraged keeper Nyx and his goons.Elliott is killed to Mr.Nyx.

The girl, Lily, is actually a demon from hell (a succubus to be exact) that was summoned years ago, imprisoned by Nyx, and forced to become a sex slave. Lily had become infatuated with Jonah because he was kind and helped her escape.Lily wants him to stay with her, killing anyone who gets in her way. The church near night club is the location where she was originally summoned and Nyx needs Jonah to lure her into a rune circle and reattach the shackle around her ankle, as he is the only person she won't kill.

Jonah tells Lily he made a mistake when he released her, not knowing what she was. To Nyx's anger, Jonah makes a new deal with Lily; he won't put the shackle on if she will let Jonah go. Lily agrees, and proceeds to slaughter Nyx and his henchmen, while Jonah grabs a seriously injured Rand. Mac arrives and sacrifices himself saving his brother from a vengeful Nyx. Lily kisses Jonah goodbye, and watches while Jonah and Rand leave.

Once there, a few things become clearer. The girl, Lily, is actually a demon from hell (a succubus to be exact) that was summoned years ago, imprisoned by Nyx, and forced to become a sex slave. Lily had become infatuated with Jonah because he was kind and helped her escape. Lily wants him to stay with her, killing anyone who gets in her way. The church is the location where she was originally summoned and Nyx needs Jonah to lure her into a rune circle and reattach the shackle around her ankle, as he is the only person she won't kill.

Lily arrives, and proceeds to slaughter Nyx and his henchmen, while Jonah grabs a seriously injured Rand. Mac arrives and sacrifices himself saving his brother from a vengeful Nyx. Lily kisses Jonah goodbye, and watches while Jonah and Rand leave.

A year later, Jonah and Eva are married. They make love on their anniversary. Jonah goes to get a glass of water afterwards and sees Eva asleep on the couch, realizing that he had made love to Lily and not Eva. Jonah attempts to get Lily to leave and almost succeeds, until Eva notices Lily and starts to scream, whereupon Lily starts to attack her. Jonah begs her to stop and says he will go with her. Lily grabs Jonah and they fly off into the night, Eva hysterically screaming after them.

Premiere Magazine #16

Release: American Psycho the Musical

American Psycho the Musical
Genre: Thriller/Musical
Director: Rupert Goold
Cast: Benjamin Walker, Jennifer Damiano, Colin Donnell, Helene York, Kristen Bell, Steven Pasquale, Cheyenne Jackson, Andrew Rannells, Grant Gustin, Raul Esparza



Budget: $35,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $43,404,012
Foreign Box Office: $50,273,620
Total Profit: -$2,301,926

Reaction: So close! While it grossed nearly three times as much as the original, it cost seven times more - even with fairly minimal talent costs. It definitely would have been nice had it found more of an audience on domestic home video - where its numbers were abysmal.

"While not all of the songs are particularly catchy, the film's cold, sleek design and the talented cast's performances make up for that and any other shortcomings in Goold's film." - Eli McCown, NJ.com

"The musical definitely loses something in its execution. Walker nails his performance, but the rest of the film is a dud." - Lisa Winger, Newsday

"The film is anchored by a tour-de-force, star-is-born performance from Benjamin Walker, whose Patrick Bateman is much more human and endearing than either Christian Bale's smirky performance in 2000, or in Bret Easton Ellis' original novel." - Josh Manning, NY Daily News

In Development

The Child Martyr: Rounding out the cast of Jean-Marc Vallee's latest drama are Noah Schnapp ("Stranger Things", Bridge of Spies) and Elsie Fisher (Despicable Me, McFarland, USA). They have been cast as Brie Larson's children from a previous marriage.

101: Rising stars Hailee Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 2, The Edge of Seventeen) and Ezra Miller (Justice League, Perks of Being a Wallflower) have signed onto to co-star in 101 from writer Mo Buck and director Denis Villeneuve. They will play a young couple held hostage during an incident at their high school.

Mona Lisa: Sami Gayle (Detachment, "Blue Bloods") and Kaitlyn Dever ("Justified", Short Term 12) will finalize the cast of Antonio Campos' new film Mona Lisa. Sami Gayle will play a friend and colleague of Penelope Cruz's, while Dever will play Mickey Rourke's daughter that wants to reconnect with him.

And Then There Were None: The impressive cast of And Then There Were None continues to get more impressive with the additions of Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, The Lobster) and Matthew Goode (Watchmen, The Associate). Whishaw will play Philip Lombard, a soldier of fortune. Goode will play William Blore, a former police inspector turned private investigator.

Dino Crisis: Following the huge success of Creature from the Black Lagoon, director Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes, Creature from the Black Lagoon) has been hired to direct this video game adaptation from writer Billy Cruder. Frequent blockbuster scene-stealer Karen Gillan (Splinter Cell, Guardians of the Galaxy) has been cast in the lead role, a memberf of a special forces team that must survive a government facility that is overrun with time-displaced dinosaurs.

Velvet: Last Resort Films has optioned Velvet, a script by writer Lon Charles that will reteam director David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, Cosmopolis) and actor Robert Pattinson (Roanoke, The Lost City of Z). Pattinson will play a US diplomatic employee in Russia that gets caught up in drugs, sex, kidnapping and extortion.

Now Showing: American Psycho the Musical

American Psycho the Musical
Genre: Thriller/Musical
Director: Rupert Goold
Cast: Benjamin Walker, Jennifer Damiano, Colin Donnell, Helene York, Kristen Bell, Steven Pasquale, Cheyenne Jackson, Andrew Rannells, Grant Gustin, Raul Esparza

Plot:  Patrick Bateman (Benjamin Walker) is an investment banker living in New York City at the end of the 1980s. Bateman documents his morning routine, which involves fastidious grooming, tanning and carefully selecting a designer suit, before travelling to Wall Street ("Opening (Morning Routine)"/"Selling Out"). He arrives at Pierce & Pierce, the elite bank for which he works, and is greeted by his secretary, Jean (Jennifer Damiano) ("Everybody Wants to Rule the World"). He inquires about the Fisher account, an exclusive account that is highly sought after by Patrick and his colleagues. Later, Patrick has lunch with his coworkers: Tim Price (Colin Donnell), Craig McDermott (Cheyenne Jackson), Luis Carruthers (Andrew Rannells) and David Van Patten (Grant Gustin). They exchange fashion tips and critique restaurants before another colleague, Paul Owen (Steven Pasquale), enters. Patrick learns that Owen has secured the Fisher account as well as reservations at Dorsia, New York's most exclusive new restaurant. Patrick attempts to save face by showing everyone his new business card, which leads Owen to show his ("Cards"). Owen mistakes Patrick as Marcus Halberstam, another coworker of Bateman's. Patrick then invites him to his birthday dinner, thrown by his girlfriend Evelyn Williams (Zosia Mamet) and Courtney Lawrence (Helene York), her best friend and Luis Carruthers' girlfriend. Patrick calls Evelyn, telling her about Owen coming to the party. Evelyn hates the idea of having an odd number at her table, so Patrick also invites Jean to appease her ("You Are What You Wear").

Patrick and Price arrive at Evelyn's townhouse late, which irritates Evelyn. Over dinner, the party blandly pontificate about social and political issues. After dinner, Patrick and Price go to a club, where they dance and do cocaine. Suddenly overcome with despair and an awareness of the hollowness of his existence, Patrick leaves the club and angrily vows to never go clubbing again. ("True Faith"/"Killing Time"/"In the Air Tonight"). Patrick meets a homeless man on the street, offering him money before taunting him and killing him.

At the gym, Patrick's coworkers work out and comment on the physiques of their female instructors. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Patrick is having an affair with Courtney. After having sex, Courtney decides to end the affair, telling a dismissive Patrick that they are betraying their respective partners. He meets his friends at the gym and attempts to strangle Luis in the steamroom. Luis misinterprets Patrick's actions as a sexual advance. Patrick flees. During the intermission of a showing of Les Misérables, Evelyn broaches the subject of marriage with Patrick.

Patrick heads to the Meatpacking District and picks up a prostitute named Christine, introducing himself to her as Paul Owen. He hires another prostitute named Sabrina and pays the two to engage in violent, sadistic sex with one another and with him ("Not A Common Man"). Patrick escorts his mother to Evelyn's Christmas party, where he binges on drugs and alcohol ("Mistletoe Alert"). He runs into Paul Owen at the party and invites him back to his apartment. The two dance to "Hip to be Square". Patrick spikes Owen's drink, puts on a raincoat and begins a long one-sided analysis of the artistic and commercial merits of the band Huey Lewis and the News. Patrick then beheads Owen with an ax.

Patrick takes Owen's body to an apartment he owns anonymously and dissolves it in a bathtub with a bag of lime. Afterwards, he lets himself into Paul's apartment and stages his disappearance by resetting his voicemail and packing many of his possessions into a suitcase ("Clean"). Months pass, during which Patrick murders several people ("Killing Spree"). One afternoon, Detective Donald Kimball (Raul Esparza) calls on Patrick to question him about Owen's disappearance. Uneasy, Patrick tries his hardest to evade questioning and asks Kimball to keep him updated about the manhunt. Patrick calls Evelyn and suggests a holiday, and so the two take a short break in the Hamptons. The idyllic setting cannot heal Patrick's psyche, however; while Evelyn flourishes amid garden parties and Pilates classes, Patrick's grasp on reality loosens further ("At The End of An Island"). He promises Evelyn that if they return to New York he will marry her. On his return, he appropriates Paul Owen's apartment as a place to host and kill more victims, beginning with Sabrina and Christine ("I Am Back").

Luis runs into Patrick at a Barneys store and begs Patrick to run away with him. Patrick responds aggressively, assaulting Luis. With his appetite for murder now totally unchecked, Patrick targets Jean, offering to take her to dinner at a restaurant of her choice. His sense of inferiority is piqued once again when she suggests Dorsia, where he is still unable to get reservations. Patrick gives Jean the rest of the day off and she wonders about her feelings for Patrick ("A Girl Before"). At Patrick's apartment that night, the pair discuss her hopes and aspirations. As he is preparing to murder her, Jean tells Patrick that she is in love with him. Her confession causes him great distress and he implores her to leave. He leaves a long voicemail for Kimball confessing to the murder of Paul Owen and countless other people.

The next morning, Jean apologizes to Patrick for what happened the night before. He forgives her and tells her that he will be recommending her for a junior executive program. Tim Price unexpectedly arrives at Patrick's office, having been AWOL from Pierce & Pierce since Bateman's birthday. Patrick asks him where he's been; Price responds by saying that he's been in New York the whole time, but their paths haven't crossed. He also asks Patrick about Paul Owen's disappearance.

Patrick and Evelyn have their engagement party at Tunnel nightclub ("Don't You Want Me"). Patrick is noticeably ill at ease and is desperate to go to dinner. Price says he is able to get reservations at Dorsia, which impresses the guests. Patrick sees Kimball at the bar and approaches him, asking him about the voicemail confession. Kimball breaks into laughter, stating that he found Patrick's joke hilarious, despite Bateman's protestations that the confessions were genuine. Kimball tells Patrick that his narrative of what happened to Owen is impossible, as Owen is in fact in London; Kimball allegedly had dinner with him there twice. The next day, Patrick goes to Paul Owen's apartment, expecting it to be full of decomposing bodies and cordoned off by the police. Instead, he finds the apartment vacant and in pristine condition; the real estate agent, Mrs Wolfe, deflects all of Patrick's questions about Paul Owen and the bodies that were left in the apartment, before asking him to leave and never return. He marries Evelyn and resigns himself to a pointless existence in which the punishment and notoriety that he craves will forever be denied him. ("This Is Not An Exit").

Release: Lucky Luke and the Daltons

Lucky Luke and the Daltons
Genre: Western/Comedy
Director: Taika Waititi
Writer: Harry Wright
Based on the Lucky Luke comic series by Morris
Cast: Paul Rudd, John Cusack, Zach Galifianakis, Charlie Day, Peter Dinklage, Diana Rigg



Budget: $43,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $79,919,024
Foreign Box Office: $88,662,991
Total Profit: $179,712,217

Reaction: The comedic genre hasn't especially worked out for us as a studio so far, and the western genre is well past its peak in worldwide popularity, but thankfully the all-star cast of this film put butts in the seats.

"While the film is well-shot and features a highly talented cast, it ultimately isn't very funny. And isn't that the point of a comedy?" - Jeremy Raren, RottenTomatoes.com

"All the pieces of a good movie are on and behind the screen, but it really just falls shorter than Peter Dinklage's character." - James Tubbs Jr., Vice Magazine

"While light on the comedy, this western farce delivers family-friendly yucks from an all-star cast." - Jeff Stockton, Deseret News