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9 things you never knew about the 'Godfather' movies from the stars and director

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On Saturday night, cast and crew from "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II" got together for a screening for the two films and a panel for the closing night of the Tribeca Film Festival — a festival that was started by "Godfather: Part II" star Robert De Niro.

De Niro, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, and director Francis Ford Coppola were all on the panel honoring the 45th anniversary of "The Godfather" this year. Director Taylor Hackford led the conversation.

Here's what you didn't know about the "Godfather" movies, from the panel at the Tribeca Film Festival:

SEE ALSO: 35 movies coming out this summer that you need to see

Francis Ford Coppola didn’t like the book when he first read it.

“I was disappointed in the book when I first read it because it’s very long," the director said. 



Al Pacino recalled that the studio didn’t even want him to play Michael Corleone — they wanted Robert Redford.

“The studio didn’t want me after they hired me,” Pacino said. “I was living on 90th and Broadway at the time. I walked to the Village and back. I did it every day, thinking about this role. Just thinking where I could go with it. I came, and started filming it. I was dizzy. I was new to film. We were theater actors.”



Diane Keaton felt out of place among the rest of the cast members.

“I always felt like I was the most outsider, weird person,” she said. “Like, why was I cast again? But then I had a couple good scenes with Al.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

5 things you didn't know about 'Reservoir Dogs' from Quentin Tarantino and the cast

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Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" turns 25 years old this week. To celebrate, the Tribeca Film Festival held a special screening of the film on Friday at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. 

Afterward, the director and cast — Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel, and Tim Roth — took the stage for a panel to discuss the film. They shared a few interesting stories about the movie.

Here's what we learned:  

The first ever screening at the Sundance Film Festival was a disaster.

When "Reservoir Dogs" played at the Sundance Film Festival for the first time, everything that could go wrong did. 

Tarantino allowed the film festival to screen the film despite the fact that the fest did not have a CinemaScope lens projector. Because the film was shot with a CinemaScope lens, the director explained that the screening looked like "caca" all the way through. 

But the nightmare was only getting started. 

"That would be bad enough, but then it gets to the final climax and all of the sudden the lights come up," Tarantino said. "And somebody realized, 'Oh s---, what's going on?' And they bring the lights back down. Then everybody has their guns pointed on everybody else and right at the height of that scene, there’s a power outage and all of the power goes out. It was a f---ing disaster." 

"I was at that first screening," Buscemi chimed in. "[Tarantino] didn't want me to go because he said it would be bad luck."



Steve Buscemi nearly didn't get the chance to audition for the role of Mr. Pink.

It's easy to forget, 25 years after the fact, that "Reservoir Dogs" was an indie film. The producers were working with a limited budget and, as such, were mainly casting actors from the Los Angeles area where the film was shot. 

Brooklyn native Harvey Keitel, who played Mr. White and also produced the film, insisted that Tarantino give New York actors a chance to audition. When Tarantino explained that they simply didn't have the money to go to New York, Keitel paid for their flights and hotels. 

It ended up being the right move, as they found their Mr. Pink that weekend. 

"I enjoy reminding Steve Buscemi that he owes me his career," Keitel said.



When "Reservoir Dogs" started screening on the festival circuit, Quentin Tarantino would count how many people walked out.

Before "Reservoir Dogs" became a cult classic, before Tarantino was a household name, he was just another director who had another film at a film festival. 

“The thing about it is, at a film festival screening sometimes no one really knows what they’re going to see,” Tarantino said. “They just get the program and hear a synopsis and that’s that. So it’s understandable somebody gets a ticket at a film festival and maybe this is not what they want to see and they have to leave.”

For some viewers, the infamous torture scene was too much to bear. When it premiered at Sundance, Buscemi informed Tarantino that people were saying the torture scene ruined the film. 

"What are they talking about?" the director replied. "It's the best scene in the f---ing movie! Did you see how many people walked out? That's the s---!" 

So divisive was the torture scene that Tarantino started keeping track of how many people walked out of each screening as he took the film on the festival circuit. During one screening, the director counted 33 audience members who got up and left. 

When he took the film to the Stiges Horror Film Festival, Tarantino thought he had finally found an audience that would sit through it. Alas, five audience members left once Michael Madsen started his shuffle, including the king of horror himself: Wes Craven. 

"The f---ing guy who did 'The Last House on the left' walked out?! My movie was too tough for him," Tarantino said. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

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Netflix has no shortage of content. Going through its growing original material along with other shows and movies, you could binge endlessly and still never crack the surface.

Welcome to the new world of streaming.

It's become harder on the movie front, as Netflix boosts its TV side, but you can put a good dent in some classic films if you have the right guide.

That's why we're here.

We have searched through all the latest titles on the streaming giant so you don’t have to, and we've put together the 100 movies streaming on Netflix right now that you have to watch in your lifetime.

Here are the 100 best movies streaming on Netflix:

Note: Numerous Netflix titles drop off the streaming service monthly so the availability of titles below may change.

SEE ALSO: 20 modern classic TV shows everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

1. "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999)

Heath Ledger and Julia Styles have an incredible love/hate vibe that fuels the movie. And a baby-faced Joseph Gordon-Levitt looking for love is great, too.



2. "13th" (2016)

This Netflix original documentary from director Ava DuVernay ("Selma") explores the history of racial inequality in the US, particularly the key moments that have led to a disproportionate prison population in the country (one out of four people in prison around the world, and many of them African-American).



3. "Adventureland" (2009)

Director Greg Mottola takes us back to that feeling of our first summer job — the experience that is supposed to prepare you for the real world. But really all that happens is hitting on your coworkers. 



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A new documentary gives a fascinating look into how Indian arranged marriages actually work

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Weddings are often thought of as celebrations of happy new lives and the unison of families. In the United States, weddings are glorified as such fantastic events and signify the choice of two people who found each and fell in love. So we often forget how different weddings — and marriage in general — are thousands of miles away from where we happen to live.

“A Suitable Girl,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last week in New York City, beautifully captures this topic. The documentary — directed, produced, edited, and completely made by women of color, an impressive feat in and of itself — follows three young Indian women in their pursuit of finding a man to marry, and how arranged marriages in the country are negotiated. Through their eyes, we see a close and personal examination of the complex journey Indian women face: They want to do right by their families by finding a good husband, but they don't want to lose themselves (or relatives) in the process.  

The cultures, backgrounds, and personalities of the subjects are completely different. Dipti is 30, and has been looking for a husband going on four years. Amrita sacrifices her social life, job, Western clothes, and family to move 400 miles away from the city for her husband. And Ritu is a career girl looking for a man who respects her intelligence, and will let her work. 

While these women come from different backgrounds, one thing remains the same: the immense pressure to get married. Friends, parents, siblings — everyone you can imagine being in your life puts them under pressure, and feels the pressure themselves. 

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What separates “A Suitable Girl” from other documentaries is its perspective, which is completely nonjudgmental. It’s respectful of Indian culture, no matter how surprising it might be to viewers. During Amrita's wedding, which we see early on in the film, we get up-close shots of her tearing up as she slowly realizes what she's given up. But she chose to give it up. What "A Suitable Girl" emphasizes more than the sad nature of pressures on young women to get married in India is the process of getting married for the women and their families. 

In the US and other Western countries, marriage means two families coming together. In India, marriage often means giving your daughter away. Dipti's parents feel badly that they haven't been able to help their daughter find someone to marry. And Dipti gets depressed because she feels like she's disappointed her parents because she hasn't found a husband yet. 

Ritu's mother, who is a matchmaker — and provides some comic relief in many of her matchmaking scenes — is trying to find a match for her daughter, but it's harder than any other match she's had to make in her career. 

In Amrita, "A Suitable Girl" highlights the role these women take on when they become wives. They can lose their identities, and suddenly everything they’ve done, everything they’ve achieved, is gone. Because when you’re married, it is your duty to please your husband and his family. Amrita has to give up her Western clothes, which are not welcome in her husband's family. She cannot work, save for domestic work around the house, which is 400 miles away from her family in Delhi.

Dipti's father tells a potential husband that she doesn't have any friends. That she teaches, but she comes straight home and doesn't do anything else. The audience at Tribeca laughed at this part, despite how heartbreaking it is. In Western culture, telling a potential lover that you don't have any friends is a major red flag. But in India, that's a good thing. 

"A Suitable Girl" tells these women's stories so well that you will feel like you're their friends who followed them on this journey, especially Dipti, who's the most enjoyable (and heartbreaking) to watch. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will have a new, more informed perspective on a culture that isn't so familiar 

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

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Watch the first trailer for 'The Dark Tower' — the new film based on Stephen King's epic series

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Fans finally have their first look at Idris Elba as the Gunslinger and Matthew McConaughey as the Man in Black. Stephen King's popular sci-fi series has been adapted into a major motion picture which hits theaters on August 4, 2017.

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A new documentary gives us an up-close, creepy look at WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

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Coming off her Oscar-winning film "Citizenfour" about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, director Laura Poitras returns with "Risk," a profile of another controversial figure in the hacker community: WikiLeaks founder .

Filming over six years, Poitras got access to Assange that she says in the documentary was beyond what she expected. The WikiLeaks head navigates his budding popularity while also fighting off allegations of sexual assault and rape. Those claims are why he has remained inside the Embassy of Ecuador in London since the summer of 2012, when the country granted him asylum.

The most unfiltered look at Julian Assange

Poitras is a fly on the wall during some of the most important moments of WikiLeaks' existence: the series of leaks provided by Chelsea Manning, assisting Snowden to leave Hong Kong after news broke of his leaks, and, most recently, the leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 US presidential election (though there are accusations that Russia worked with WikiLeaks on the leaked election emails, Assange denies the charge).

But then there's the glance at simply the man behind the site. Poitras portrays Assange as someone filled with contradictions, who is constantly paranoid and extremely vindictive. Poitras is under the impression through most of the movie that Assange doesn't like her, though he continues to give her an incredible window into his daily life.

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Poitras is even there beside Assange in the hotel room preparing for his secretive dash to the Embassy of Ecuador, which included his coloring his hair and sporting a goatee so he wouldn't be recognized as he sped on a motorcycle through London.

Poitras also offers glimpses into how her life has been affected by being in Assange's inner circle. She speaks of being detained in airports, and there's leaked FBI audio of agents talking about her, saying the American filmmaker is "anti-US."

Then there's Poitras' involvement with Snowden. When Assange sees that Poitras was behind the footage of Snowden revealing his reasons for leaking, the WikiLeaks figurehead becomes enraged that Poitras didn't bring the Snowden info to him (it was released by The Guardian). It's just another example of Assange's creepy Jekyll-and-Hyde persona.

This isn't the first movie about Assange. There was also the forgettable 2013 fictionalized movie "Fifth Estate" with Benedict Cumberbatch playing Assange. That same year, we got Alex Gibney's "We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks," which delves more into the Chelsea Manning chapter of the group.

But "Risk" gives us the most unfiltered look at Assange we've seen. In the end, it shows us a complex man you'll have more questions about than answers after seeing the movie.

"Risk" opens in theaters Friday and airs on Showtime later this year.

SEE ALSO: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" lives up to what made the original movie so fun

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Here's everything we know about what will happen in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

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If you're a true "Star Wars" fan, you've been counting down the days until "The Last Jedi" comes out since way before the film even had an official title and was just "Episode VIII," and Star Wars Day (May 4) is just another excuse to feel the anticipation and speculate.

We knew some things about the "Force Awakens" follow-up based on quotes from the actors and director Rian Johnson ("Looper"), but we couldn't really start theorizing too much until we knew the title and got a look at footage earlier this year. 

When we got the trailer in April, it brought up so many questions. And since we have too little patience to wait until December to figure it all out, below is everything we know so far about the movie (which comes out December 15, 2017), from the mouths of its stars and director, plus the first trailer. 

Here's everything you need to know about "Star Wars: The Last Jedi":

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

SEE ALSO: Meet Alden Ehrenreich — the 27-year-old actor who will play Han Solo in the next 'Star Wars' spin-off

Not familiar with Rian Johnson? He wrote and directed the hit original sci-fi movie "Looper."

Though he's only made three feature films going into "The Last Jedi," those include stunning works like the modern-day film noir "Brick" and sci-fi mobster movie "Looper," which have shown he's likely ready for the largest stage in filmmaking.

Johnson also directed some of the most memorable "Breaking Bad" episodes, including "Fly" and "Ozymandias" (arguably the greatest episode of the series).

Looking to take a deeper dive? Here's more about Johnson you need to know.



Johnson spent six weeks at the Lucasfilm headquarters, Skywalker Ranch, figuring out the "Episode VIII" story.

At Star Wars Celebration 2016, Johnson revealed that while writing the script for "Last Jedi," he spent six weeks at Skywalker Ranch. But he wasn't just taking inspiration from the grounds that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas walks. He also had an eye on "The Force Awakens."

"We would watch dailies come in from 'VII,'" Johnson told the Celebration crowd. "It was probably really healthy creating the story based on our reactions to the footage rather than the cultural reactions. It was a unique experience."



The movie will start right where "The Force Awakens" ended.

Before principal photography began in London, Johnson and his crew took actors Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Daisy Ridley (Rey) to Skellig Michael, the island where the final scene of "The Force Awakens" was shot, to film an extension of the scene. 

That will be the opening of the film, according to Johnson.

"I don't want to skip ahead [after] that last moment of 'Episode VII.' I want to see what happens next,"Johnson said.

This has sparked an interesting conversation among fans. Will there be an opening crawl in "The Last Jedi"? There are typically months to years between "Star Wars" episodes, so the crawl brings the audience up to speed. Johnson did not say whether there will be a crawl in the new movie. 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's how big 'Star Wars' ships are compared to real-life objects

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Exactly how big is the Millennium Falcon? How about Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle?

We used measurements from "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" book "Incredible Cross-Sections" to compare the ships in the new film to iconic monuments and real-world animals and objects.

Keep reading to see how big the Millennium Falcon, Rey's speeder, and more are in real life.

Let's start with something relatively small. Rey's Speeder isn't too large.



You could compare Poe Dameron's X-Wing to the size of a yacht.



Other ships are a lot larger. If you've ever seen the Rockefeller Christmas tree in person, Han Solo's ship would just edge it out.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Star Wars: Episode IX' 'started over' after Carrie Fisher’s death, says Kathleen Kennedy

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In late 2016, the "Star Wars" universe (and the world) lost one of the greats with Carrie Fisher’s shocking passing.

Shortly after her death, it was confirmed that Fisher had filmed all of her scenes for "The Last Jedi," the follow-up to "The Force Awakens" due out in 2017, and there wouldn’t be any chamges made to the story. 

Concerns, however, did arise for fans and the filmmakers alike when it came to her role in "Episode XI," the last film in the new Disney-era "Star Wars" trilogy.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has confirmed that Leia will not appear in “Episode IX” at all. 

“Obviously, with Carrie having passed away, it shook everybody,” Kennedy said. “We pretty much started over.”

Kennedy also said that while Fisher will not be in "Episode IX," we’ll  see "a lot of Carrie in VIII," aka "The Last Jedi."

It will be heartbreaking to see the last of Fisher’s work as Leia (and ever) in "The Last Jedi," but we’re certainly looking forward to seeing a lot of her in the film, which hits theaters December 15. 

SEE ALSO: Here's everything we know about what will happen in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 7 details you might have missed in episode 1 of 'American Gods'

19 celebrities who've made millions of dollars outside of Hollywood

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Actors, athletes, and musicians can get paid a lot of money. And while it's easy to buy a couple of extra yachts or a crystal-studded bathtub, the smartest ones know when to invest.

Often, they'll invest in a business they already know. Brad Pitt founded Plan B productions, which produced the Oscar-winning "12 Years a Slave" and "Moonlight." But they can also invest in unrelated companies, and use their fame to get publicity and open doors in the business.

Sometimes, the investments are a massive failure, like Ja Rule's Fyre Festival. Other times, they can be huge successes, like the projects on this list.

Here are 19 celebrities who've made tons of money outside of their usual line of work.

SEE ALSO: 35 movies coming out this summer that you need to see

Ashton Kutcher was an early investor in Uber, Airbnb, and Spotify.

Aside from his romantic comedies and stint in "Two and a Half Men," Ashton Kutcher has made millions of dollars from his venture capital fund, A-Grade Investments. Kutcher co-founded the firm in 2010. By 2013, it was valued at over $100 million.



Magic Johnson has a sprawling portfolio of investments in different franchises.

The retired basketball player owns Magic Johnson Enterprises, a massive investment company. It has stakes in a bunch of different companies, but he mainly uses it to invest in franchises. At different times, Magic Johnson Enterprises owned shares in movie theaters, gyms, and hundreds of  T.G.I. Friday's, Burger King, and Starbucks locations. He also became a co-owner of the LA Dodgers, for which he paid $50 million.



Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand, Goop, raised millions in venture capital.

Goop is frequently mocked online for selling obscenely expensive knicknacks, but Paltrow seems to have convinced investors that it's a promising business. She's raised $20 million in venture capital funding since she began Goop as simply a personal newsletter in 2008, according to CNBC.

It's not clear, though, if Goop is profitable yet. In 2014, leaked documents seemed to show that the company was $1.2 million in debt. But it's e-commerce business seems to be growing steadily, according to Racked.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Why critics are saying 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' is the 'most fun' movie this year

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Ever since the original "Guardians of the Galaxy" film came out in summer 2014, Marvel fans, movie fans, and Chris Pratt fans have been impatiently awaiting the sequel.

Luckily it hits theaters Friday. Overall, critics are loving it. The spirit of the film, the memorable personalities, and the modern music made "Guardians of the Galaxy" feel fresh, special, and unlike any other Marvel film. Critics agree that "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" doesn't disappoint. 

While the film doesn't feel as fresh as the original, it's still a must-see. 

Here's what critics are saying about "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2":

SEE ALSO: 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' confirms a crazy Marvel theory fans have had for years

It’s just like the first — and that’s a good thing.

“All sequels repeat the best tricks of their predecessors, but director James Gunn's choice of tricks is way more fun than most.” Slate

 



It maintains the spirit of the original that fans loved so much.

“Like many a sequel to a slam-bang, much-liked mega-hit, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' isn't quite as much fun, not quite as clever, not quite as fresh as the original — but it still packs a bright and shiny and sweet punch.” Chicago Sun-Times

 



Like the first, it's movie magic.

“The most fun I've had in a theater this year and as much fun as the original. This is the kind of fun that made me love movies as a kid and is why I keep reviewing film.” Tri-City Herald

 



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Here's the only right way to watch the 'Star Wars' movies

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Perhaps you're planning to binge all of the "Star Wars" movies in preparation for the latest, "The Last Jedi," coming later in 2017. But there are so many these days that you have no idea where to start.

Do you watch the original trilogy first? Do you watch the prequels first, and then get instantly upset with yourself for watching them because they ruined your unbridled love of "Star Wars"?

And where does the standalone “Rogue One” fit into the marathon? And when the new Han Solo spin-off comes out, where will that fit in?

It turns out a lot of people have opinions about the right order in which to watch the “Star Wars” movies.

Here's the right way to watch the "Star Wars" movies — and why:

SEE ALSO: The first trailer for the next 'Star Wars' movie is here!

By watching the original trilogy first, you get to experience the films the same way the rest of the world did.

We’re assuming you’ve seen the movies before. But if you’re showing them to someone who has been living in a bunker for the past 40 years or if you're showing the movies to your kids for the first time, the original trilogy is the right way to immerse them into the universe. Don't spoil it for them right off the bat.

 



“A New Hope” — along with the other two films in the original trilogy — immerse you in the world and gradually introduce you to beloved characters and mythology.

In 2015, Vulture asked some famous people what they think is the right way to watch “Star Wars”:

Lin Manuel-Miranda said “chronologically, when it was released. Absolutely. I had a pretty good time experiencing it that way. Linear is the best way to do it.”

(It should be noted that in the chronology of the "Star Wars" fictional world, however, the prequels come before the events of "A New Hope.")

Dennis Quaid agreed. "See the first one that was out, and then watch them in order. That way you get the whole experience, just as we earthlings did. I was actually at the very first night of the very first 'Star Wars.' We weren't really aware what we were watching. All I remember is seeing that big, huge spacecraft going across the scene, going across the screen. It just kept going and going. It was like the greatest special effect ever. The whole audience was in then."



The prequels just aren’t as immersive and magical as the original films. And the problem with watching them first is that they were made with the understanding that everyone knew that Anakin was going to turn into Darth Vader.

Not knowing what Anakin becomes from the beginning makes the movies even more boring than they already are.

Then you're left with the Trade Federation “drama” that sucks all of the fun out of “The Phantom Menace.” 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' dominates the box office with a $145 million opening

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Disney/Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" lived up to its high expectations with an estimated $145 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, according to Exhibitor Relations.

That puts the movie in 6th place on the all-time opening weekends for May. It's wedged between "Spider-Man 3" ($151.1 million) and "Iron Man 2" ($128.1 million).

This marks the 15th release by Marvel Studios. Every single one has gone to number one at the domestic box office its opening weekend.

Following a $56 million take on Friday (including $17 million in Thursday preview screenings), the movie then took in an impressive $51 million on Saturday. If you subtract the Thursday preview coin that's a 30% spike over the movie's take on Friday.

It's rare that a movie's Saturday has that kind of performance after a strong Friday, so word of mouth has certainly been strong. An 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes also doesn't hurt. 

Then there's the unique fun the "Guardians" franchise has over its equally successful counterparts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Director James Gunn's sarcastic writing style and use of classic songs has built a loyal following, while characters Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Yondu (Michael Rooker), and, of course Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) have evolved nicely from the hugely successful 2014 original.

All that adds up to Marvel Studios having another hit movie in a franchise that doesn't look to have a finish line anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

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7 major questions we have after watching 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'

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Warning: There are massive spoilers ahead for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

Marvel has done it again.

Even against the seemingly unbeatable weight of some lofty expectations, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" has gone on to become a major hit with critics and fans alike. The latest adventure of Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and the rest has turned into a textbook example of a box office smash, and it represents another major stepping stone on the road to next year's "Infinity War."

Of course, now that we have actually seen "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," it's worth mentioning that we have some major questions. The film's story is incredibly tight, but it leaves a number of things extremely ambiguous. On that note, we have put together a list of questions that have been raised by the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and we demand that they receive answers as soon as possible.

First and foremost, let's kick this off with a serious question about Michael Rooker's dearly departed Yondu.

1. Is Yondu gone forever?

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 James Gunn deserves credit for several of the bold choices that he makes with "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but the decision to kill Yondu is arguably the boldest. The fan-favorite Ravager went out like a real hero, and his funeral clearly showed the destruction of his body.

However, Michael Rooker is currently listed as a member of the "Infinity War" cast on IMDb, which raises huge questions about the future of Yondu in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Will the character somehow receive a miraculous resurrection, or will he appear in a flashback sequence? A major character death is relatively uncharted territory for Marvel, so we don't have much information to go by right now.

2. Are Star-Lord's celestial powers gone?

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Peter Quill's ability to survive holding an Infinity Stone served as a perfect cliffhanger at the end of the first "Guardians of the Galaxy," and the latest installment in the franchise paid off the tease of his celestial abilities in grand fashion.

However, one major question that we now have about the ending of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is whether or not Star-Lord has retained any of the powers inherited from his father. The climax of the movie shows him no longer able to perform any of the same tricks used to defeat Ego in combat, but it's never fully explained whether or not he has completely lost these powers, or if they have simply gone dormant.

3. Where will Nebula go from here?

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Yondu wasn't the only personality who evolved into a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional character in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." Gamora's robotic sister Nebula also received far more attention from James Gunn this time. We know that Nebula is now on the warpath in her mission to kill Thanos, but because the Guardians sequel only takes place three months after the events of the original film, we have no idea what she has been up to over the course of the last four years.

Nebula is clearly going to play a significant role in the conflict of "The Avengers: Infinity War," but we have very little understanding as to what that role could look like.

4. Is Mantis an official Guardian now?

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Among all of the new characters introduced during the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Mantis easily stands out as the one with the most potential moving forward. Her defection from Ego has left her without a real home in the cosmos, and her connection to Drax seems to indicate a possible romantic entanglement at some point in the future of the franchise.

That said, "Guardians" does not make it entirely clear whether or not she has officially signed on as an official, full-time member of the team. Is she now a core Guardian of the Galaxy, or is she more of a ringer along the lines of Kraglin and Nebula?

5. What's next for the Ravagers?

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"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" gives audiences a far more complex look at the inner workings of the Ravagers as a massive band of intergalactic outlaws and hints at some genuinely entertaining adventures in the near future. Most notably, the film ends with Sylvester Stallone's Stakar uniting an all-star band of Ravagers for a new mission to "steal some s---."

What's next for this group of sci-fi pirates? Are they now allies to the Guardians of the Galaxy? Will they be the bad guys in a future film? Will they possibly even receive a solo movie of their very own? All of these are viable narrative avenues, but as of right now it remains incredibly vague.

6. How is Earth reacting to the fallout from Ego's scheme?

Avengers

One of the most surprising aspects of the entire "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" story is the fact that we actually get to see portions of contemporary Earth when Ego's plan finally begins to come into focus. The seed he planted on Earth caused immense damage, and it's clear that this event did not go unnoticed by the townsfolk who almost died. That raises the question of how humanity will respond.

Will The Avengers be called in to investigate this occurrence? Does anybody on Earth even really understand what just happened? That's something we will need more clarification on when the Guardians make their way to Earth for "Infinity War."

7. How will Adam Warlock factor into the future of the franchise?

adam warlock character

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" features five credits scenes, but only one seems to have direct and specific implications over the narrative of the next film: the introduction of Adam Warlock. A creation of Ayesha in this incarnation of the Marvel universe, it seems that Adam will begin his Marvel Cinematic Universe tenure as an enemy of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

That said, where he will go from there remains a mystery to us. Adam is an iconic Marvel hero with significant ties to the "Infinity War" story arc, so it's clear that he's about to become a valuable player; we just need to know more about why he's important.

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Ryan Gosling is looking for answers in the stunning trailer for 'Blade Runner 2049'

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Blade Runner 2049

Thirty-five years after Ridley Scott's dazzling adaptation of the Philip K. Dick novel hit the big screen and became a sci-fi classic, a "Blade Runner" sequel is coming this fall, and its first official trailer is now here. 

Ryan Gosling plays the new Blade Runner, Officer K, with Harrison Ford returning as the one from three decades ago, Rick Deckard. The futuristic Los Angeles is brought to life this time by "Arrival" director Denis Villeneuve and legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins (the two worked previously on "Prisoners" and "Sicario").

The trailer has a familiar synthesized score that pays homage to the original movie, and the visuals look to be as lush as anything Deakins has done (and that's saying something).

Watch the trailer below. The movie opens in theaters October 6.

 

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Watch the first trailer for 'Blade Runner 2049' starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford

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The sequel to Ridley Scott's popular 1982 sci-fi film is finally here. Harrison Ford returns and Ryan Gosling joins the cast as a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K. The film is set 30 years after the original. According to the IMDB summary, Officer K "unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years."

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'Alien: Covenant' has major thrills but is ultimately frustrating

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Warning: Mild spoilers for the movie below.

Director Ridley Scott kept us in suspense with his last "Alien" movie, 2012's "Prometheus," with an ending that saw sole survivor Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Repace) flying away from the distant moon she and her crew thought would have answers about the creators of humanity, only to find a species that wanted to destroy them.

With the bodiless android David (Michael Fassbender) as her guide, Shaw set out to find why the beings she calls "Engineers" want to end the human race.

"Alien: Convenant" (opening in theaters May 19) picks up the story 10 years later. No one has heard from Shaw and we are now following the crew of Covenant as they travel to a remote planet to colonize it. But after getting a faint broadcast from what may be a human on a planet that seems to be perfect to colonize and is conveniently closer than the one they were originally planning to go to, they change course.

And if you've ever seen any of the "Alien" movies, you know anything too good to be true is just that.

Michael Fassbender plays the android on Covenant, Walter, and accompanies Daniels (Katherine Waterston), Oram (Billy Crudup), and Faris (Amy Seimetz) as they land on the planet in search of the "ghost" who sent the transmission. Like in "Prometheus" (well, pretty much every "Alien" movie), someone does something stupid to begin the domino effect that leads to an alien bursting out of someone's body and terrorizing the rest of the crew.

Scott has pretty much mastered the execution of building suspense in the sci-fi thriller genre, and the first half-hour of "Alien: Covenant" is some of the best work in the franchise.

AlienConvenant320thCentiryFoxBut the movie hits a speed bump when David (Fassbender) comes out of nowhere to save the group on the planet from aliens. Yes, we get some needed answers about what was left unexplained at the end of "Prometheus," but I have to admit, they're kind of a letdown.

And then there are the strange interactions between David and Walter that fill up a lot of the middle of the movie. That's right — Fassbender talking to Fassbender (in fact, at one point they kiss).

David has always taken his fascination with the human race a little too far, as we saw in "Prometheus," and this movie shows he's moved from an obsession with how humans operate to having a god complex and doing some creature building of his own. (You can thank David for the legendary pods from the first "Alien" movie.)

Back up on the Covenant, Danny McBride's Tennessee character is the movie's secret weapon. Showing some impressive dramatic chops and heroic moves, Tennessee is the character you assume will be the first to die, and you will be pleasantly shocked how things turn out for him.

There are a few surprising moments in the movie that are best not to mention for ultimate viewing enjoyment, but if you were hoping for some finality to this prequel portion of the "Alien" franchise, you don't get that here. Seeing as how Scott has a few more "Alien" movies coming down the pike, with this one you get some great thrills, but you're pretty much strung along, which is extremely frustrating.

Alien Covenant Prologue 20th Century Fox finalOne major tip: Before going to see the movie, definitely check out the teaser videos 20th Century Fox has released on the web in the last few months. The "Last Supper" and "The Crossing" prologues will really bring some clarity to a few plot points in the movie.

Though the thrills in "Alien: Covenant" live up to the franchise, and Waterston gives a worthy, badass performance in the vein of Sigourney Weaver in the early movies, it would have been nice to see Scott stray from beats similar to the "Prometheus" plot (not to mention other "Alien" movies).

I guess there's always the next "Alien" movie.

 

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All the Marvel Cinematic Universe's post-credits scenes, ranked from worst to best

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The Marvel movie ends, and the credits start to roll. You see some people in your row start to gather their things and leave. Amateurs.

But not you. You stay in your seat, just like you have since you first saw "Iron Man" in 2008 and heard whispers of an extra scene after the credits. It seemed unlikely — why would anyone want to stay that long once the film is over? But you waited, and your patience was rewarded. Now you know not to leave the theater until every last name has scrolled past and employees are starting to sweep up popcorn. 

Now 15 movies deep, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is famous for its post-credits scenes. Some are used to tease new characters and plotlines, while others are there to give a wink to hardcore comics fans.

Viewers of Marvel's latest, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," are treated to not one, not three, but five mid- and post-credits scenes. They're worthy additions to Marvel's already extensive collection.

Here is the definitive ranking of Marvel's post-credits scenes:

Note: This list only mentions two of the five credits scenes from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" so as to not give away any plot points. All other Marvel films are fair game.

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23. "Thor: The Dark World"— The kiss

Look, I'll be honest, I haven't seen "Thor: The Dark World." It's the only Marvel movie that I've missed, and at this point I haven't heard anything that makes me want to go back and watch it. 

That said, I'm confident that this is the worst post-credits scene that Marvel has put out. It doesn't tease a future plotline or character, and it's not remotely funny. I'm glad I didn't sit through the credits to watch this. 

Watch it here.



22. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"— The twins

A generally underwhelming scene is buoyed somewhat by the appearance of two new characters: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. 

Watch it here.



21. "Doctor Strange"— "Too many sorcerers"

Doctor Strange was a niche, unfamiliar property for many moviegoers. Perhaps a post-credits scene focusing on the creation of a niche, unfamiliar villain was not the best way to go. Unlike most Marvel post-credits scenes, this one did not leave me wanting to see what was going to happen next. 

Watch it here.



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All the movies you didn't know Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin produced

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Former Goldman Sachs banker turned film producer turned Treasury Secretary of the United States Steven Mnuchin wasn't in Hollywood for long, but he built a substantial resume filled with popular movies (and some not so popular ones) during his time as a producer.

In 2013, Mnuchin's production company, Dune Entertainment, partnered with Brett Ratner's company, RatPac Entertainment, to form RatPac-Dune Entertainment. Mnuchin was producing movies left and right until recently, when President Donald Trump appointed him Treasury Secretary and he was confirmed.

He even acted in one of the films he produced — as a banker. He also produced some films that are coming out very soon. 

Here are all the movies Treasury Secretary Mnuchin produced in his Hollywood career:

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"6 Below" (2017, postproduction) — executive producer



"The LEGO NINJAGO Movie" (2017, postproduction) — executive producer



"The Disaster Artist" (release date TBD, 2017) — executive producer



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The Honest Trailer for 'Fifty Shades Darker' proves love interest Christian Grey is a total creep

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fifty shades darker

The INSIDER Summary:

  • The "Fifty Shades" series is pretty creepy.
  • Christian Grey stalks Anastasia Steele and steals her financial information.
  • The new "Honest Trailer" for the movie highlights the problems with the series.


"Fifty Shades of Grey" and its sequels strive to be the sexiest big-budget movies around right now. Based on the books by E.L. James, they're about a Seattle billionaire, Christian Grey, who introduces a young woman named Anastasia Steele into the world of BDSM.

But the plot of the books — and by extension the movies — is kind of creepy.

Look no further than the latest movie, "Fifty Shades Darker." Grey obtains Steele's bank account information without her permission and wires her more than ten thousand dollars, and then tries to buy the publishing company she works for because she's spending too much time with her boss. It's also revealed that he has serious Oedipal issues — he's really into women who resemble his mother.

The new "Honest Trailers" entry captures the weirdness of it all: "Watch as this walking red flag stalks his ex-girlfriend," the narrator jokes.

As the video points out, it doesn't help that the movie is crushingly boring, and surprisingly modest compared to the first film, "Fifty Shades of Grey." Maybe "Fifty Shades Freed" will be sexier, but it probably won't be any less slimy.

SEE ALSO: All the movies you didn't know Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin produced

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