Quantcast
Channel: Movies
Viewing all 8368 articles
Browse latest View live

13 movies you probably didn't know were remakes

0
0

The Magnificent Seven

"The Magnificent Seven" is in theaters Friday. But if you thought the film featuring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington was the first of its kind, you're mistaken.

The film is a remake of not one, but two films before it. It's certainly not the first big remake. Go all the way back to the 1930s and 1940s and you'll find that Hollywood has been rebooting classics for a long time.

You may not even realize that some of your favorites from recent years are remakes themselves. 

Keep reading to see movies you probably didn't realize were remakes.

"The Magnificent Seven" is out in theaters now starring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington. A group of unlikely cowboys is brought together to defend a small western town.



It's based off the 1960 version of "The Magnificent Seven" starring Charles Bronson, Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, and James Coburn. But this film wasn't even the original.



It was an Americanized version of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 samurai epic "Seven Samurai."

Cowboys and samurai have a lot in common. Samurai movies were frequently used a base of inspiration for some of the most famous westerns of the 1960s. The films of Kurosawa were especially influential. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

If you got a small animal as your 'Harry Potter' Patronus, there’s a reason you should be upset

0
0

Harry Potter Luna Lovegood bunny patronus

"Harry Potter" fans can finally take the long-promised Pottermore quiz to find out their Patronus

A Patronus is a charm in the "Harry Potter" universe that's used to drive away soul-sucking Dementors. It's very difficult to conjure a corporeal Patronus ("It’s the only spell she ever has trouble with," Harry says when Hermione struggles to make one), but if you can do it, it takes the form of your very own guardian animal.

So ... which animal did you get?

If it's something small, your Patronus is probably really lame.

People seem especially upset if they got a salmon — like Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch. In the series, Lovegood's Patronus is a hare, but Lynch wanted a cat.

The thing about Patronuses is that we don't really know much about them. We know that they can only be conjured when the wizard or witch is thinking of a very happy memory. But they also seem to kind of have a life of their own. They tap into some deep part of you: Harry's Patronus is a stag, for instance, which is the same animal his father could transform into.

What we do know is that, in the Manichean world of J.K. Rowling, Patronuses are a good form of magic that serves partly as a foil to the bad magic of dementors. Patronuses are, in other words, a type of magic used for good to fight evil.

But how is your Patronus supposed to fight the bad guys if it's super tiny?

Look no further than a passage in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" that illustrates this point. When Harry and Hermione sneak into the Ministry of Magic in their quest to steal one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, they find Dolores Umbridge sentencing Muggle-born wizards — those who were born to non-magical parents — to Azkaban. The "courtroom" is filled with dementors, and Umbridge keeps herself safe with her own Patronus cat:

The moment he had passed the place where the Patronus cat patrolled, he felt the change in temperature: It was warm and comfortable here. The Patronus, he was sure, was Umbridge’s, and it glowed brightly because she was so happy here, in her element, upholding the twisted laws she had helped to write.

Later on, Harry stuns Umbridge, and her Patronus disappears. Harry casts his own Patronus — a big, badass stag — to keep back the dementors and escape from the courtroom.

And here's where "Harry Potter" fans should be disappointed in their smaller Patronuses. Harry's bigger stag warms up the entire room much better than Umbridge's Patronus cat:

The silver stag soared from the tip of Harry's wand and leapt toward the dementors, which fell back and melted into the dark shadows again. The stag's light, more powerful and more warming than the cat's protection, filled the whole dungeon as it cantered around and around the room.

Now, it's possible Rowling might explain away Harry's powerful Patronus by arguing that he either is more pure of heart than Umbridge or that he is a more powerful wizard.

Still, the more obvious solution is that the size of the Patronus — and thus the animal in question — matters.

Rowling's preference in Patronuses may even prove this point. At first, she got a pine marten (a kind of lame badger), but she decided the quiz wasn't finished. In the final version, she got a huge heron.

Meanwhile, I'm happy to say that I have a badass wolf.

Wolf Patronus

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: NASA just took these incredible images of mysterious rock formations on Mars

People are outraged over 'Transformers 5' using Winston Churchill's home as a Nazi headquarters

0
0

transformers 4 paramount pictures final

On Wednesday, the production for "Transformers: The Last Knight," the fifth movie in the profitable "Transformers" franchise from Paramount, set up shop at the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Blenheim Palace.

A common setting for Hollywood movies — recent titles like 2015's "Cinderella" and "Spectre" have shot there — "The Last Knight" had a different idea for the use of the palace as it became the setting of a Nazi headquarters for the film.

According to The Sun, actors dressed in SS stormtrooper costumes walked the grounds and giant swastika flags huge outside of the building.

Here's how Blenheim Palace typically looks:

Blenheim_Palace_wikipedia

And here's how it looked while "The Last Knight" was filming there:

“I know it’s a film, but it’s symbolically disrespectful to Churchill. He will be turning in his grave,” Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told the Sun.

Churchill is buried a mile from Blenheim Palace, an estate located 60 miles northwest of London, in Oxfordshire. The current resident is the 12th Duke of Marlborough Jamie Spencer-Churchill, who was not at the palace at the time of filming, according to The Sun.

churchillThe plot is currently unknown for "Transformers: The Last Knight," which is directed by Michael Bay and stars Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Hopkins, but should we assume that there is a time travel aspect to this one? Are they going back to World War II? Time travel was featured in the "Transformers" cartoons, but not in the movies yet. Or maybe it's a prequel?

Still, wouldn't it have been a better idea to shoot this sequence in a different location and not the birthplace of the British Prime Minister who helped defeat the Nazis?

Business Insider contacted Paramount for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

SEE ALSO: The 11 greatest Westerns of all time, ranked

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch this BMW turn into a Transformer in a matter of seconds

How a movie about eagle hunting nabbed a 'Star Wars' lead actor and a chart-topping singer

0
0

the eagle huntress Asher Svidensky sony pictures classics final

In 2014, photographs taken by Asher Svidensky of a 13-year-old Mongolian girl named Aisholpan attempting to be the first-ever female eagle hunter in her country instantly went viral.

Eagle hunting is predominantly taught only to males, and involves first building a connection with a golden eagle and then going out with it and hunting foxes and hares.

Aisholpan, whose father is a prominent eagle hunter, gained international notoriety thanks to Svidensky's photos as she set forth to break the mold and bring the art of eagle hunting to modernity. 

Basically, the story was just waiting to be made into a movie.

Director Otto Bell was transfixed by Svidensky's photos and quickly got the life rights of Aisholpan three months after her story went viral. He immediately began shooting in Mongolia as she continued her apprenticeship, which included her being part of the annual eagle festival.

Returning home, Bell realized he was completely broke. Having spent his life savings of $80,000 and getting a loan from the bank of $12,000, he was struck with fear as he realized he still didn't have enough money to finish his feature debut.

Otto Bell Matt Winkelmeyer Getty"I learned that Aisholpan had to achieve one more task before she could be declared an eagle huntress by the elders, I had to go back and film that," Bell told Business Insider while the film played at the Toronto International Film Festival. "That was a really dark time, a lot of sleepless nights."

He dug up the contact info of documentary titan Morgan Spurlock ("Super Size Me"), which Bell had done commercial work for years earlier, and cold called Spurlock to see if he'd come onboard the film as an executive producer.

"I cut together ten minutes from the eagle festival and I sent it to Morgan," he said. "He called me back that day and said, 'I've never seen anything like this, how can I help?'"

With the added financing from Spurlock, Bell went back to Mongolia, got the footage that he needed, and returned ready to edit the film. What he didn't realize was this film that would be titled "The Eagle Huntress" would eventually get the attention of some major players in the entertainment world.

Finding a Jedi

Before Spurlock came on, Bell already had an idea how to make his documentary stand out amongst the countless others that are made every year.

Highlighting the journey of the first female in twelve generations of her family to be an eagle hunter, Bell decided to tell the story not like a fly-on-the-wall non-fiction but as an action movie. With breathtaking photography of Mongolian landscapes where Aisholpan and her father gallop on horses to slow-motion shots of her eagle gracefully tracking its prey (cut over fast-paced music), Bell creates a movie that feels more Jerry Bruckheimer than the Maysles brothers.

But the movie also has a strong theme of female empowerment, and to drive that home Bell and Spurlock knew they needed to do something that would give the movie attention beyond its genre-busting feel. 

After wowing audiences at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where the film was bought by Sony Pictures Classics, Bell had the fortune of signing on with talent agency CAA, who also has Daisy Ridley, star of the latest "Star Wars" movies, as its client.

Daisy RidleyThe film was sent to Ridley, and the night before he flew to Sundance, Bell got a call from her wanting to be involved.

"It was clear that she had been moved by it," said Bell. "She talked about how she cried on the phone to her mother when she watched it."

Ridley agreed to come on as an Executive Producer. Then, following the film's reception at Sundance and being bought by Sony Classics, the decision was made to add narration to the movie, and Ridley agreed to do it.

Bell flew to London and recorded in one day the narration Ridley delivers in the movie (which is around five minutes of the 87-minute movie).

This allowed Bell to eliminate the numerous title cards that were present in the opening of the cut that was shown at Sundance and replace it with gorgeous drone shots of the Mongolian mountains over the narration by Ridley introducing us to Aisholpan.

"We want a G rating, we want this to be a family documentary," said Bell, "so with Daisy's narration it's a hand-hold through the film. Though there are subtitles, her narration is going to help young kids."

Landing a pop star

But perhaps even more powerful than the movie nabbing a Jedi is the original song they got from a chart-topping artist.

While in postproduction on the movie, and with its Sundance premiere drawing closer, Spurlock came up with the idea to include pop songs in the movie. Bell admits he wasn't a fan at first.

"With the music I wanted it to be more impressionistic and he wanted it to be more commercial," said Bell. "We fought a bunch during post production — but in a very constructive way."

Bell and Spurlock could never agree on the same music until finally, according to Bell, Spurlock asked, "Who do you want?'" and Bell answered, "Sia! F---ing get me Sia!"

"And sure enough he did," said Bell with a laugh.

As post production pushed on, Bell said Spurlock would give matter-of-fact mentions that he was talking to Sia's manager. Then a few weeks before Sundance began, Bell got a call from Spurlock to come to his office.

"I was like, 'S--t, now what?" said Bell.

siaBell arrived at Spurlock's office, and Spurlock told him he wanted to play him something.

"He pressed play on his laptop and I swear to god we both cried," said Bell.

Sia had written and recorded the song "Angel By The Wings" for the movie in a matter of days. Bell would place it at the end of the movie moments before the screen goes black and the end credits roll. The powerful pop girl power anthem matches the message and tone of the movie perfectly and gives audiences an uplifting feeling when they leave the theater.

Bell has experienced on numerous occasions the reaction of audiences at that moment when Sia's song comes, and he said it's the most effective when the movie has been shown to kids.

"Those are our best screenings," he said. "Middle schoolers, high schoolers, that music plays at the end and then I'll be with Aishoplan and she comes on stage and kids just start cheering."

Bell admits there were many nights while making the movie when he wondered if people would be as moved as he was by the story of Aishoplan. But the journey the film has taken since filming wrapped has given him confirmation.

"With Daisy and Sia, when they saw it and were moved by it, that was a real validation to have those ladies come on board," said Bell. "It's not just me who loves it, it's these incredibly powerful women as well."

"The Eagle Huntress" opens in theaters October 28.

SEE ALSO: A new documentary investigates murder allegations against John McAfee and finds chilling answers

Join the conversation about this story »

The new 'Magnificent Seven' just had one of the biggest box office openings of any Western

0
0

the magnificent seven pratt washington sony

Who says the Western is dead?

Sony's "The Magnificent Seven" has proven that a movie without any superheros and catered more for adults can make some coin as it took in an estimated $35 million at the box office, according to Exhibitor Relations.

The shoot-'em-up starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and breakthrough star Haley Bennett (who is also in the anticipated "The Girl on the Train") had a strong Friday with with $12.6 million on the day (including $1.7 million from Thursday previews) and finishing the weekend with $35 million that puts it second all-time for biggest opening weekend for a live-action Western (2011's "Cowboys & Aliens"$36.4 million, all-time is 2011 animated Western "Rango" with $38 million).

The movie is the biggest box office opening for director Antoine Fuqua and star Washington, as this marks their third time working together. Their past biggest success was 2014's "The Equalizer" ($34.1 million).   

We'll see what kind of staying power "Seven" has with stiff competition coming: "Deepwater Horizon" and Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" opening next week and "The Girl on the Train" the following week.

The weekend's other big release came in second place as Warner Bros. animated movie "Storks" took in $21.8 million. Though that's a little lower than industry expectations, it could find continued business in the weeks to come as more mature titles open in coming weeks, leaving "Storks" the only kid's movie at the multiplex.

SEE ALSO: The 11 greatest Westerns of all time, ranked

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The extraordinary life of former fugitive and eccentric cybersecurity legend John McAfee

The best movies and TV shows coming to Amazon, HBO, and more in October

0
0

bad moms STX Entertainment final

We are now officially in the fall, so that means time to curl up under the covers and watch some movies and TV from your favorite streaming service.

New titles coming your way in October from iTunes, Amazon, Hulu and others include movies like “Bad Moms” and “Star Trek Beyond,” to shows like the new season of “The Mindy Project” on Hulu and the series premiere of “Westworld" on HBO.

Here’s everything coming in October, and we also highlighted some titles you shouldn’t miss.

SEE ALSO: Here's everything coming to Netflix in October that you need to watch

iTunes

Available on October 4

“Star Trek Beyond”

Available on October 11

“Nerve”
“The Infiltrator”
“Lights Out”
“Captain Fantastic”

Available on October 18

“Bad Moms”
“Sausage Party”
“Alice Through the Looking Glass”
“Cafe Society”



Amazon Prime

Available October 1

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2”
“Pride and Prejudice” (20015)
“Happy Gilmore”
“Secretary”
“The Witches”
“Training Day”
“Quigley Down Under”
“The Pink Panther” (1963)
“Revenge of The Pink Panther”
“Curse of The Pink Panther”
“Son of The Pink Panther”
“Trail of The Pink Panther”
“The Pink Panther Strikes Again”
“Before Sunrise”
“Chinatown”
“Bachelorette”
“Deep Impact”
“Bowling for Columbine”
“Before Sunset”
“Slap Shot”
“Final Destination”
“Lethal Weapon”
“Lethal Weapon 2”
“Lethal Weapon 3”
“Lethal Weapon 4”
“The Last Waltz”
“The Gift”
“Tucker & Dale vs Evil”
“The Warriors”
“A Shot in the Dark”
“Dreamcatcher”
“The Devil’s Advocate”
“Mutant Chronicles”
“Congo”
“Stigmata”
“Troll 2”
“Splinter”
“Love and Death”
“I Saw the Devil”
“Lost and Delirious”
“Bananas”
“Monsters”
“Stage Beauty”
“Stuart Saves His Family”
“Peter and the Wolf”
“Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers”
“V/H/S”
“Trollhunter”
“North Dallas Forty”
“The Dog of War”
“Timecrimes”
“Married to the Mob”
“True Colors”
“Alice”
“Class”
“Troll”
“Island in the Sky”
“Nick of Time”
“The Host”
“The Stone Age”
“Cool It”
“Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland”
“Roger Dodger”
“The Falcon and the Snowman”
“Let the Right One In”
“Misery”
“Throw Mamma from the Train”
“Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex”
“A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy”
“Redacted”
“The Patriot”

Available October 3

“Madam Secretary” (Season 3)
“Elementary” (Season 5)
“Stonewall”

Available October 4

“American Horror Story” (Season 5)
“The Last King”
“Sharknado The 4th Awakens”

Available October 5

“The Flash” (Season 3)

Available October 6

“Arrow” (Season 5)

Available October 10

“The Dark Horse”
“First Degree”

Available October 11

“Supergirl” (Season 2)

Available October 12

“The Real O’Neals” (Season 2)

Available October 14

“Goliath” (AMAZON ORIGINAL)

Available October 17

“Louder Than Bombs”
“Power” (Season 3)

Available October 18

“Alice Through the Looking Glass”

Available October 21

“Spectre”

Available October 27

“Complete Unknown” (AMAZON ORIGINAL)



HBO Go/Now

Available October 1

“28 Days Later”
“An American Haunting” (Extended Cut)
“Balls of Fury”
“Bride Wars”
“Cast Away”
“Cop Car”
“Cocktail”
“The Cowboy Way”
“Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles”
“Deadpool”
“Demolition Man”
“Drumline”
“Eastern Promises”
“I Am Legend” (Extended Cut)
“Jeepers Creepers”
“The Jewel of the Nile”
“John Carpenter’s Ghost of Mars”
“A Kid in King Arthur’s Court”
“The Kingdom”
“The Place Beyond the Pines”
“Poltergeist”
“Repo Man”
“Romancing the Stone”
“Spider-Man”
“Spider-Man 2”
“We Were Soldiers”
“The Wedding Singer”

Available October 2

“Westworld”

Available October 8

“Ride Along 2”

Available October 9

“Divorce”

Available October 10

“VICE News Tonight”

Available October 13

“By the Sea”

Available October 15

“Joy”

Available October 18

“Mr. Right”

Available October 22

“Gods of Egypt”

Available October 29

“Poltergeist” (Extended Edition)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

John Carpenter slams Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' remake

0
0

John Carpenter Alberto E Rodriguez Getty final

It turns out John Carpenter wasn't a big fan of the "Halloween" remake Rob Zombie did, either. 

The 2007 remake only took in $80 million worldwide at the box office (strangely, he was able to do a sequel in 2009, and that only made $39.4 million worldwide). And now a video of Carpenter — the legendary director of the original "Halloween" as well as "Escape from New York" and "They Live"— bashing Zombie has surfaced.

"He lied about me,” the 68-year-old told a group of students at the New York Film Academy when asked what he thought of Zombie's film. “[Zombie] said [in an interview] I was very cold to him when he told me he was going to make it. Nothing could be further from the truth. I said, ‘Make it your own movie, man. This is yours now. Don’t worry about me.’ I was incredibly supportive. Why that piece of s--t lied, I don’t know.”

Rob Zombie Frazer Harrison Getty finalBut Carpenter admits, even putting his thoughts about Zombie aside, he still didn't like the movie.

“I thought he took away the mystique of the story by explaining too much about [Michael Myers],” said Carpenter. “I don’t care about that. He’s supposed to be a force of nature, he’s supposed to be almost supernatural, and he was too big, it wasn’t normal.”  

Carpenter is looking to bring Myers and the "Halloween" franchise back to prominence as he's executive producer on a new sequel that's being produced by Blumhouse Productions, which is responsible for the "Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious" franchises.

Here's video of Carpenter's remarks about Zombie (they start around the 17 minute mark):

SEE ALSO: The best movies and TV shows coming to Amazon, iTunes, Hulu, and more in October

Join the conversation about this story »

7 behind-the-scenes pieces of concept art from the most iconic 'Star Wars' artist ever

0
0

ralph mcquarrie star wars art book

"Star Wars: Episode VIII" isn't out for another year, but that doesn't mean you can't get your fix on a bunch of original "Star Wars" art.

On September 27, publisher Abrams is releasing a collection of concept art and behind-the-scenes work from renowned "Star Wars" artist Ralph McQuarrie who designed not only Darth Vader, but also R2-D2, C-3PO, and more.

"Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie" contains storyboards, paintings, posters, and Lucasfilm's holiday cards which were all rescanned and photographed for the release. For the ultimate collector, the book contains hundreds of never-before-seen illustrations and unpublished interviews.

Abrams shared several images from the upcoming book exclusively with INSIDER ahead of its debut. Keep reading to check out some of McQuarrie's artwork.

McQuarrie came up with the concept design for C-3PO, a robot who was inspired by the character Maria from 1927's "Metropolis."

There's a small notation in the bottom righthand corner which reads, "This one is right." It's thought that this was from George Lucas himself saying he approved of this concept sketch.



This illustration of Cloud City was drawn in January 1978. The drawing was based on the Imperial City production illustration McQuarrie did for "Star Wars."



Here's McQuarrie's take on the iconic showdown between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker — right before Luke finds out Vader is his dad. This production illustration, made in August 1978, is simply titled "Sword fight on antenna."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 movies you should watch on Netflix before they’re gone next month

0
0

back to the future

It's hard to tell what's more surprising: the fact that it's almost October already, or the fact that there are some really good movies leaving Netflix this month. The departures of some aren't surprising, while others might just come as a shock, but all are worth the time and queue space you'll allow them to take up. Keep in mind that the following ten films are disappearing throughout the month, so check the individual listings to be sure how much time you have left. And now, without further ado, let's see what's coming up to the chopping block for Netflix Instant.

Back To The Future

It seems like only yesterday that Back To The Future and its two sequels were added to the Netflix streaming lineup. Yet just as quickly, Marty McFly's adventures through time are vanishing like a photograph being altered by time itself. While most of you may already own the trilogy on Blu-ray or DVD, it's still comforting to know that the kids of the Netflix generation can discover all three adventures, much as we discovered them through multiple HBO showings in our childhood. So get 'em while the getting is good, kids!



The Exorcist

How in the world does Netflix decide to pull The Exorcist right as Halloween celebrations are starting to get into full swing? If we're being honest here, we're ready to blame the "early celebration" crowd who keep pushing Halloween earlier and earlier, forcing Netflix to dump this classic chiller before everyone gets to show it at their annual Halloween party. Though, to be fair, if you're hosting an annual Halloween party, you really should be varying the lineup from year to year. Still, one last time before watching the new TV series couldn't hurt, could it?



Beverly Hills Cop II

Eddie Murphy's been making the rounds lately for his role in the drama Mr. Church, but if CBS had zigged instead of zagged, we could have been talking about his role in the Beverly Hills Cop series they were looking to create. Instead, we have a Lethal Weapon series on Fox, and Tony Scott's entry into the Axel Foley franchise is leaving Netflix. Besides being the high gloss action/comedy hit we all know and love, any viewing of Beverly Hills Cop II is capped off with Bob Seger's underrated 80's hit "Shakedown." If we need to convince you any further, then maybe you should just press play and come back to us afterwards.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Martin Scorsese's movie that took 2 decades to make will be released this year

0
0

silence paramount final

Everyone brace yourselves — a Martin Scorsese movie will be released this year.

Paramount announced Monday that it will release the Oscar-winning director's passion project "Silence" on December 23.

The story — which the auteur of such classics as "Goodfellas" and "Taxi Driver" has been trying to get off the ground for two decades — follows Jesuit priests in 17th-century Japan as they face violence and persecution.

It stars Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, and Adam Driver.

Paramount will first release the movie in limited release on December 23 to qualify it for the Academy Awards, then open it in wide release sometime in January 2017.

"Silence" is based on the 1966 Shûsaku Endô novel, and adapted for the screen by Scorsese's longtime collaborator Jay Cocks ("Gangs of New York").

After 12 Oscar nominations, Scorsese finally won the best director award for 2006's "The Departed."

SEE ALSO: Matt LaBlanc will be back as the host of "Top Gear."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The directors of 'Catfish' and 'Nerve' reveal how to make it in Hollywood without going to film school

Google is rumored to unveil a new 4K Chromecast that's cheaper than Roku's new 4K streamer (GOOG)

0
0

Google is rumored to unveil a brand new Chromecast media streamer during its October 4 event, supposedly called the "Chromecast Ultra" or "Chromecast Plus."

Newly leaked renders of the upcoming Chromecast Ultra/Plus suggests it'll look similar to previous Chromecast models, if a little bigger. 

chromecast ultra

The new Chromecast is said to come with support for 4K resolution video, and it'll apparently cost $65 – an additional $30 over the regular Chromecast that streams in 1080p.

On Monday, Chromecast's main competitor Roku announced its new lineup of media streaming devices. There are now five new Roku streaming boxes to chose from with varying features, one of which is said to be a "Chromecast killer."

The new $30 Roku Express has similar features as Google's Chromecast, like 1080p streaming and app support, for $5 less. If 4K streaming is what you seek, Roku's new $80 Premier streaming box will be your cheapest choice.

If the rumors are true, Google's new Chromecast would cost $15 less than Roku's 4K offering.

Everything about the upcoming Chromecast is still hearsay, and nothing is confirmed until Google unveils its new products at its event on October 4.

SEE ALSO: Roku just refreshed its streaming box lineup, with a $30 Chromecast killer leading the way

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: WhatsApp is now sharing your data with Facebook — here's how to turn it off

The first intense trailer for Denzel Washington's 'Fences' could land the film a spot in the Oscar race

0
0

Fences

The Academy might have a lot to thank Denzel Washington for.

The actor directed and starred in a movie adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences," which will likely decrease the chances of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy from happening for a third straight year.

"Fences" is one of Wilson's classics that examines the African American experience by following the Maxsons, a black family in 1950s Pittsburgh. Troy (Washington) is a former star baseball player who now works as a garbageman and struggles to provide for his family. 

Washington won a Tony Award for his performance of the lead role in the 2010 Tony Award-winning revival of the play. He performed opposite Viola Davis, who played Troy's wife Rose and also won a Tony for her performance. Davis reprises her role in Washington's film adaptation.

"Fences" is likely to garner a lot of attention for offering black actors a chance to break into the award races, and Wilson's work stands the test of time.

The film is set to be released nationwide on Christmas.

Watch the full trailer:

Watch a clip of Davis and Washington's performance in the 2010 Broadway revival:

SEE ALSO: 27 movies you have to see this fall

DON'T MISS: This one chart shows why the Oscars still aren't diverse

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson tells us why 'Star Trek' is so much better than 'Star Wars'

The 10 movies that made the most money after adjusting for inflation

0
0

star wars

While blockbusters like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Avatar" have demolished box-office records, they're still no match for the heavy hitters of years past when you adjust for inflation.

So for this list, we looked at domestic box-office grosses adjusted for inflation to see what old movies would have made in today's dollars, as calculated by Box Office Mojo. That means there's no "Avatar" on this list.

The original 1977 "Star Wars" comes in high, but not quite first. You might be surprised by some of the other titles.

SEE ALSO: How new 'Star Wars' star Adam Driver went from a former Marine to the Hollywood A-list

10. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937)

Adjusted gross: $909,060,000

Unadjusted gross: $184,925,486

Walt Disney's first cel-animated feature-length film, about the princess and the queen fearful of her beauty, is also the company's biggest hit in adjusted dollars.



9. "The Exorcist" (1973)

Adjusted gross: $922,397,100

Unadjusted gross: $232,906,145

The 1970s horror film about a young girl possessed is widely regarded as the best in the genre. And at the time it came out, William Friedkin's masterpiece was by far the most terrifying thing around.



8. "Doctor Zhivago" (1965)

Adjusted gross: $1,035,289,700

Unadjusted gross: $111,721,910

The David Lean-directed epic starring British icons Alec Guinness and Julie Christie tells the story of a romance set against the backdrop of World War I.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Carrie Fisher reveals why Leia and Han Solo broke up

0
0

Screen Shot 2016 09 26 at 12.29.09 PM

Han Solo’s inability to satisfy Princess Leia in bed, constant space smuggling, and too much bro-ing down with Chewbacca all culminated in the pair breaking up prior to The Fore Awakens.

Speaking at the Saskatoon Comic and Entertainment Expo, Carrie Fisher enumerated her beliefs as to why the greatest science fiction romance ever somehow crumbled after Return of the Jedi. It seems Han Solo was unable to change his less-than-clean-cut ways even after settling down. He continued to hang out with “the hairy guy” and engage in illegal activities for money.

“You don’t want your husbands smuggling, do you?” Fisher said, adding bawdily, “He wouldn’t take me on that hyperspace thing enough… that’s a euphemism.”

While Fisher is obviously joking around a little bit, there is something to her analysis. The Force Awakens didn’t give us a settled-down Han Solo who had grown out of his irresponsible bad habits. If anything, the Han of The Force Awakens is in even more dangerous debt than Han in The Empire Strikes Back.

If we’re being more generous to Han, we could argue that the real reason Han and Leia broke up probably had to do with anger and sadness over the loss of their son Ben, to the dark side. Perhaps Han was on the straight-and-narrow in terms of employment prior to Ben’s betrayal of Luke. But, after Ben started calling himself Kylo and got into murder, Han probably had a breakdown and went back to hanging out with Chewbacca and doing illegal stuff a little bit more than he had before.

Still, it’s interesting to think that Han and Leia might have had regular problems prior to Ben going to the dark side. Though, if Leia really believed that Chewbacca was a bad influence on Han, we’re going to have to disagree. From everything we’ve seen, Chewie is Han’s Jiminy Cricket, the only person preventing Han himself from turning into a total degenerate.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Scientists discovered something 'shocking' that could rewrite a key part of human evolution

Disney is making a live-action version of 'The Lion King' with the director of 'Iron Man' and 'The Jungle Book'

0
0

The Lion King

On the heels of his massively successful live-action adaptation of "The Jungle Book," director Jon Favreau is now set to give the same treatment to Disney's animated classic "The Lion King."

Walt Disney Studios confirmed the news in a press release after Favreau alluded to his "next project" on Twitter with a lion and crown emoji Wednesday morning.

Favreau's "The Jungle Book" has earned $968.5 million at the worldwide box office since its release in April, according to Disney. 

"The Lion King" will follow the same musical format of "The Jungle Book" and the upcoming live-action "Beauty and the Beast" adaptation in that it is set to include original songs from the 1994 animated film. 

Disney has also announced that Favreau is developing a sequel to "The Jungle Book," and neither the sequel nor "The Lion King" have release dates as of yet. 

SEE ALSO: Here's what 'The Jungle Book'— the most visually stunning movie of the year — looks like without special effects

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson tells us why 'Star Trek' is so much better than 'Star Wars'


The latest trailer for the ‘Harry Potter' prequel ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is the best yet

0
0

Eddie Redmayne Newt Scamander Fantastic Beasts trailer screeshot

Ellen DeGeneres debuted the final trailer for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" Wednesday morning. If the "Harry Potter" fan in you was on the fence about the movie before, you'll probably be convinced to see it now.

The third trailer for the movie is the best yet, showing off even more magical creatures and hinting at a huge potential wizarding war to come.

"Fantastic Beasts" is about the adventures of Newt Scamander, a magizoologist (it means he studies magical animals) played by Eddie Redmayne, trying to deal with magical animals that have gotten loose during his visit to the city. It takes place in the same universe as the "Harry Potter" series, but several decades earlier and across the Atlantic Ocean — in 1926 New York.

The movie also stars Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, and Jon Voight. It'll be in theaters on November 18.

Check out the trailer below:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens, but this astronomer says it's 'too late'

Disney is planning 18 more live-action movies of its animated classics — here they all are

0
0

lion king mufasa simba

Disney is bringing even more animated classics back to life!

Wednesday, Disney announced "The Lion King" will be adapted into a live-action movie. The news follows on the heels of the successful "Maleficent" and "Jungle Book" live-action films.

Those aren't the only ones in Disney's wheelhouse. There are over a dozen live-action movies in the works. Some of the movies are complete remakes of their animated counterparts, while others are based on origin stories or sequels to existing live-action adaptations. 

Keep reading to see all of the live-action remakes and sequels Disney has planned.

Disney just announced "The Lion King" will be getting turned into a live-action film.



The story follows young Simba, who, with the help of his friends Timon and Pumba, must eventually save his kingdom from his evil uncle, Scar.



Jon Favreau, who directed "Iron Man" and the live-action "Jungle Book" remake, is set to direct.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The final trailer for the Harry Potter spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is here

0
0

The final trailer for "Fantastic Beasts (and Where to Find Them)" has arrived. "Fantastic Beasts" is technically a prequel to the "Harry Potter" series.

The movie was written by "Potter" author J.K. Rowling, who here makes her screenwriting debut. It chronicles the adventures of Newt Scamander, an eccentric wizard who loses the titular creatures in New York City circa 1926.

"Fantastic Beasts" arrives in theaters on November 18, 2016.

Follow BI Video: On Twitter

Join the conversation about this story »

Don't worry, parents — 'Storks' will keep you as entertained as the kids

0
0

storks

Storks is set in a world where the titular birds have moved on from their old calling of delivering babies to expectant parents. Deeming the practice too dangerous, the storks’ boss Hunter (Kelsey Grammer) reorganizes the company into cornerstore.com, an Amazon-esque business that brings manufactured goods (such as smartphones) to customers in an efficient manner. Junior (Andy Samberg) has established himself as one of Corner Store’s top employees, and his performance puts him in line for a major promotion. All he has to do to secure his new position is fire the well-meaning, yet inept, human Tulip (Katie Crown) – but Junior feels guilty and sends Tulip to the now defunct letter room instead.

Meanwhile, young boy Nate (Anton Starkman) has become frustrated by his workaholic parents Sarah (Jennifer Aniston) and Henry (Ty Burrell) dedicating more time to their jobs than him. Seeing a brochure for the Storks, Nate writes a letter requesting a baby brother. Tulip receives it, and much to Junior’s chagrin, accidentally creates a little baby girl. The two are then forced to deliver the adorable Diamond Destiny to her family before anyone figures out what has happened.

storks

Storks is the latest film from Warner Animation Group, the studio that was responsible for the critically acclaimed The LEGO Movie, and is written and directed by Nicholas Stoller. Stoller both directed the Neighbors films and co-wrote the two most recent Muppets movies – and with Storks, his intention is to bring his zany brand of comedy to the animation realm. Fortunately, he’s very successful in this regard. Storks is an entertaining family film fueled by a series of powerful messages for everyone in the audience.

While Storks doesn’t get as deep as some of Pixar’s works or The LEGO Movie, the script still tackles some surprisingly mature topics that will arguably strike a chord more for the adults in attendance than the children. The subplot involving Nate, Henry, and Sarah is extremely effective and emotional, and may cause some people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Nate in particular has several lines of dialogue that hit hard, and Starkman’s matter-of-fact delivery strongly complements the writing. The lessons taught here are Storks’ most memorable and elevate the film to well-rounded entertainment for the whole family.

storks

The main storyline involving Junior and Tulip makes for a fun adventure, incorporating the trope of a mismatched pair on a quest. Samberg does a good job as Junior, relying heavily on his goofy man-child persona to entertaining results. As one would expect, he is responsible for many of Storks‘ humorous beats and remains committed to the role. Crown is a standout as Tulip, portraying the character as a vulnerable, kind-hearted individual with achingly relatable hopes and dreams. The two actors play off each other nicely and sell their characters’ arcs. Tulip has the most depth of the duo, but luckily Junior isn’t one-note. And Diamond Destiny steals the show as one of the cutest on-screen babies in recent memory, instantly melting hearts with her infectious laugh and ninja skills.

That said, not everything in the screenplay is as well-executed. In particular, a detour featuring a wolf pack trying to make Diamond Destiny one of their own overstays its welcome (with a repetitive gag that loses its punch as it goes on) and comes across as superfluous to the narrative – despite the best efforts of Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele, who voice two of the wolves. As a result, crucial side characters Hunter and Pigeon Toady (Stephen Kramer Glickman) are shortchanged and come across more as caricatures than fully rendered characters. For the purposes of the movie, they’re solid additions, but as presented they are thin sketches that won’t stick around. Of the supporting cast, Jasper is probably the best, with Danny Trejo coming in to cameo as the characters – an old stork looking to right previous wrongs.

storks

Though Storks has its shortcomings, it’s able to make up for whatever’s missing with unbridled enthusiasm. Stoller leans on the cartoon physics of the Looney Tunes world for his film, which makes for amusing visual comedy and jokes (like a fight between Junior, Tulip, and a group of penguins). The world-building here is reminiscent (though not as extensive) as something like Monsters, Inc. in that it puts a bird spin on traditional everyday tasks (see: the sequence where Nate’s letter is sent to Storks HQ). Some may have hoped to explore the Storks universe further, but what’s presented gets the job done. And with a svelte running time, Storks breezes by with a brisk pace that keeps the plot moving forward. From a directorial perspective, Stoller has a nice handle on the material and possesses a good understanding of the audience. For his first animated effort, it’s visually sharp and impressive.

In the end, Storks is a solid, well-made movie that viewers of all ages should be able to enjoy. It doesn’t scale the emotional heights of some of 2016’s other animated offerings (like Zootopia and Finding Dory), but it still has important morals that speak volumes to kids and adults. The positives outweigh the negatives, and Storks‘ merits make it worth checking out on the big screen. Families looking for a fun time at the theater won’t be disappointed by what Stoller and company have to offer them.

 

Storks is now playing in U.S. theaters. It runs 89 minutes and is rated PG for mild action and some thematic elements.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments section below!

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The last harvest moon eclipse of the decade has come and gone — here’s what a harvest moon actually is

Benedict Cumberbatch conducted an in-depth interview with Tom Hiddleston and refused to ask about Taylor Swift

0
0

tom hiddleston benedict cumberbatch

For the cover story of October's Interview magazine, Benedict Cumberbatch interviewed Tom Hiddleston.

 

In their 26,000-word conversation, the two friends, who met on the set of 2011's "War Horse" talked about everything from playing Marvel characters (Cumberbatch will be playing Doctor Strange in November, Hiddleston plays Loki) to their greatest fears (the passage of time and regret, respectively).

One thing Cumberbatch refused to talk about? Hiddleston's now-broken relationship with Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift Hiddleston

Hiddleston and Swift dated this summer in a relationship that was subject to extensive tabloid speculation. They broke up at the beginning of September, and Cumberbatch interviewed Hiddleston in August.

The subject almost came up when the two discussed how dramatists and normal citizens interpret the nature of epistemology differently (it's a very highbrow conversation).

"There's another weight of us being in the public eye," Cumberbatch said. "Which is this presumption that, because your work and your promotion work is very public, your private life should be, too."

Then he continues:

"And, without getting into a huge debate, I just want to say that I'm not going to ask questions about my friend's personal life just because there are unsolicited photographs of him and a certain someone, in a relationship or together. I'm not going to get into that. So that door is closed, dear reader."

Hiddleston's response? A chuckle, and then a "Thank you."

During the interview, Cumberbatch suggests that he and Hiddleston should talk later when they're not being recorded so they can discuss things that "are off bounds."

What could the two have possibly discussed? Did they talk about the hot gossip of what went on in Hiddleston's breakup with Taylor Swift? Did Hiddleston ask for his advice? Did Cumberbatch know about the impending breakup weeks before it happened? What does he know?

We may never find out.

You can read the full interview here.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Samsung now says it's too dangerous to even turn on your Galaxy Note 7

Viewing all 8368 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images