While the Star Trek franchise has always delivered strange new worlds, a diverse assortment of aliens, and epic battles in space, it has also always had a heart and a conscience. Key to Gene Roddenberry’s original vision was a desire to hold a mirror up to mankind’s own issues, and the franchise’s various TV shows and movies usually deliver. With a new season of Star Trek: Discovery set to debut next month, star Sonequa Martin-Green told us it will be some of the most emotional “Trek” you’ve ever seen. (Click on the media bar below to hear Sonequa Martin-Green)
Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery will begin to boldly stream January 17 on CBS All Access.
Stephan James’ year has been a creatively gratifying one, as he received great notices for his work in the Amazon Prime Video series Homecoming and filmmaker Barry Jenkins’ (Moonlight) latest film If Beale Street Could Talk. Based on the James Baldwin novel, If Beale Street Could Talkis a 1970s, Harlem set story about Tish (KiKi Layne), a pregnant woman who is trying her best to free her boyfriend Fonny (Stephan James) from prison. Fonny has been wrongly accused of rape, but even against seemingly impenetrable odds the couple do whatever it takes to make it through intact.
In the audio clip below, James discusses the deep love that is shared between Tish and Fonny in If Beale Street Could Talk.
If Beale Street Could Talk, now playing in select theaters, opens nationwide December 25.
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:
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.
While the Star Trek franchise has always delivered strange new worlds, a diverse assortment of aliens, and epic battles in space, it has also always had a heart and a conscience. Key to Gene Roddenberry’s original vision was a desire to hold a mirror up to mankind’s own issues, and the franchise’s various TV shows and movies usually deliver. With a new season of Star Trek: Discovery set to debut next month, star Sonequa Martin-Green told us it will be some of the most emotional “Trek” you’ve ever seen. (Click on the media bar below to hear Sonequa Martin-Green)
