Mary Poppins Returns has something the original never had — Lin-Manuel Miranda. The multimedia star and Hamilton creator loved the look and feel of Mary Poppins, so he’s proud to be part of the sequel. He told us the new movie carries on the whimsical spirit of the first, and that’s something we could all use these days.
Mary Poppins Returns opens in theaters next Wednesday.
If you’ve watched Ellen DeGeneres on her syndicated talk show, you know there’s nothing she enjoys more during the holidays than giving away stuff. Now that she’s got her own game show, she’ll be able to double down on that holiday spirit of giving, and she says that if you watch the holiday version of Ellen’s Game of Games, you’re going to have some spirited fun, too. (Click on the media bar below to hear Ellen DeGeneres)
Ellen’s Game of Games Holiday Spectacular airs Wednesday at 8/7c on NBC.
The new sci-fi movie Mortal Engines was produced by Peter Jackson, who recruited Lord of the Ringsand The Hobbit effects wizard Christian Rivers to direct. So, like the Middle Earth movies, the film has a distinct, striking visual look. When we talked to the movie’s stars, Hera Hilmar and Jihae, they spoke about how unique the film’s story and look really are.
Michael Caine, still an acting workhorse at 85, headlines King of Thieves, the true story of a group of retired crooks who pulled off a jewelry raid at London’s diamond district. Caine plays Brian Reader, the mastermind behind the operation, with Ray Winstone, Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Jim Broadbent rounding out the ensemble. James Marsh, best known for his work inThe Theory of Everything, directed the project.
Though the obvious situation was a serious one, the trailer suggests that King of Thieveswill have its ample share of laughs, and much of the humor comes from Caine’s obvious displeasure over his colleague’s lack of discretion.
King of Thieves hits theaters, On Demand, and Digital HD on January 25. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think!
Three time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan is the titular character in Mary Queen of Scots, a look at Mary’s stab at securing an alliance with cousin and rival queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie). The project is the feature filmmaking debut of revered theatre director Josie Rourke.
“I knew a little bit about Mary separately,” said Ronan. “When I was a child we had been taught a little bit about Tudor history and obviously Elizabeth is a massive part of that. I knew a little bit growing up but I actually signed on to the job when I was 18. So for the last five years I’ve sort of grown up learning more and more about Mary in particular and Elizabeth and the English Court as well. I’ve sort of grown with that story over the last five years. It’s been a massive part of my life.”
In the clip below, Ronan discusses why the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth continues to transcend time and weather:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse shows us our friendly neighborhood superhero in an all-new setting: an animated film that follows him through a number of parallel dimensions. Jake Johnson plays this new version of the web-slinger, and he told us he’s proud to be taking on a role he’s loved, in a movie that he says really represents Stan Lee’s vision for the character.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse opens in theaters on Friday.
With everything that’s going on in America today, a productive discussion of the issues facing Americans is more important than ever. That’s exactly what The Conners specializes in, says star Lecy Goranson, and she thinks the show really shines when it’s speaking for the people living in places that are too often ignored on television. (Click on the media bar below to hear Lecy Goranson)
With the Supreme Court being such a hot topic of conversation over the past few months, perhaps there’s no better time for a movie about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On the Basis of Sex tells the story of Ginsburg’s struggle to navigate the American legal system and make her way to the top of the profession. Felicity Jones plays Ginsburg, and she told us she spent a lot of time learning about her younger years and what made her tick.
First Man, the acclaimed film based on the book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, hits Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD January 22 via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Ryan Gosling reunited with La La Land filmmaker Damien Chazelle to play Armstrong, and the story centers on Armstrong’s journey to become the “first man” to walk on the moon.
The picture received 10 Critics’ Choice nominations, including for Best Picture, Best Actor (Gosling), Best Supporting Actress (Claire Foy), and Best Director (Chazelle).Click on the media bar to hear Gosling talk about the opportunity to work with astronauts during the production of First Man.
Special features on the Blu-ray include deleted scenes, audio commentary (from Chazelle, editor Tom Cross, and screenwriter Josh Singer), and several featurettes (“Shooting for the Moon,” “Preparing to Launch,” “Giant Leap in One Small Step,” “Mission Gone Wrong,” and “Putting You In The Seat,” “Recreating the Moon Landing,” “Shooting at NASA,” and “Astronaut Training”).
Director Robert Zemeckis’ career has included a healthy share of excellent films (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, Flight), and now he’s back with Welcome to Marwen. The project, penned by Zemeckis and Caroline Thompson (Edward Scissorhands), centers on the true story of Mark Hogancamp’s (Steve Carell) intriguing manner of dealing with a nearly soul crushing attack.
Creating a town via miniatures, Hogancamp builds an art installation where he can be the hero of his own story. Hogancamp was the subject of the 2010 documentary Marwencol.
In the clip below, Carell talks about how Zemeckis, whom he describes as a “legend,” impacted him as a moviegoer.
Welcome to Marwen, co-starring Diane Kruger and Carell’sThe 40-Year-Old Virgin co-star Leslie Mann, opens nationwide December 21.
Mary Poppins Returns has something the original never had — Lin-Manuel Miranda. The multimedia star and Hamilton creator loved the look and feel of Mary Poppins, so he’s proud to be part of the sequel. He told us the new movie carries on the whimsical spirit of the first, and that’s something we could all use these days.
