Dawntrail—the next expansion for Square Enix’s masterfully designed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV—doesn’t release until July 2, but fans can get a taste of what’s to come right now. The official benchmark for the game is available as of April 14, and will let players experience some of the expansion’s most anticipated…
PLOT: The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
REVIEW: Guy Ritchie has had quite an interesting career over the last decade but he’s really settled into this period/action niche. And I’m all for it. If there’s one thing I’ll never tire of, it’s Nazis being killed in brutal ways. They’re the most one-dimensionally evil bad guy possible. And The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare gives us that in spades with what feels like hundreds of them getting gunned down before our very eyes. It’s absolutely glorious.
The film follows Gus March-Phillips (Cavill) and his band of soldiers as they try to stop Nazi U-boats from preventing American help during World War 2. While this is proudly proclaimed to be based on a true story, it’s hard not to question just how loose the truth may be. Because there are more unbelievable moments of badassery that it’s hard to see them as factual. But if there’s anything I’ve learned about life, it’s that some of the most insane things can be true. And The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare strikes the perfect tone between whimsical and grounded.
I’ve always felt that Henry Cavill is far more charismatic than the roles he tends to take on would have you believe. So I’m glad to say that Cavill finally seems to have a part that takes advantage of his natural charm. Gus March-Phillips has just the right amount of bravado and skill to back it up, that he’s constantly demanding of your attention. From Henry Golding to Alex Pettyfer each character has their own set of skills. Their distinct personalities prevent them from simply being action movie set dressing. Even if their roles can fall into a more stereotypical label.
But in a film full of great characters, the real highlight is Alan Ritchson‘s Anders Lassen. His enthusiasm is infectious and his machismo is unmatched. I’ve been a fan of Ritchson since his Blue Mountain State days so it’s been great to see him fully embrace the action hero role. He also utilizes those comedic chops to give us some of the funniest moments as well. So Ritchson, much like his character, really is a jack of all trades.
Unfortunately, the whole Eiza Gonzalez subplot feels like a waste of time. While I’m sure the real life Marjorie Stewart was vital to the operation, these asides were completely lacking in energy. It really felt like the film screeched to a halt whenever focusing on Gonzalez. And it’s not even the fault of the actress, it’s more the subplot that just fails to excite. Maybe in a different film, it would have worked but instead, it just takes away from the people that are worth the screen time. Thankfully, many of her scenes involve Til Schweiger, who is still as great as ever.
The action in the film is properly grounded, with some wonderful use of practical explosions and stunts. I’m sure there are CGI bullet hits (they’re hard to avoid these days) but they all work great. There’s a sequence that I’ve been waiting for my entire cinema-going life: a ludicrously long stealth scene. I’m sure there are some that will tire of it as it’s a lot of the same thing happening over and over with various Nazis being shot with silencers. But there’s something so satisfying about it that I could have watched another 20 minutes. These men are good at their job, but their job is killing bad guys.
Despite its 2-hour runtime, the film moves lightning quick. The plot is rather straightforward, and some may dislike the lack of twists, but not every film needs to pull the audience in a million different directions. I found the inclusion of James Bond author Ian Fleming to be a little “on the nose” but hey, reality has some stupid things happen sometimes. Regardless, I had an absolute blast with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and would probably consider it my favorite Guy Ritchie film. I tend to find his work a bit style over substance, but that really works here. There’s a little bit of Inglorious Basterds while still carving its own path. Here’s hoping we get a sequel and that this isn’t our last time with this band of misfits.
THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE IS IN THEATERS ON APRIL 19TH, 2024.
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Kevin Costner’s tense departure from his hit show Yellowstone has settled and he’s moved on to his grand vision of an old west tale in Horizon. Costner began work on Horizon in 1988. He has more movies planned, and the character he invented in 1988 was so important to him that he named his son after him (Hayes). His character is about a drifter who wants to find a home. He hopes the movies can be a big franchise and that years from now, people can binge-watch hours of Horizon in theaters.
Costner’s connection to the Hayes character was strong enough that the Dances with Wolves star knew he still had it in him to lead his epic. However, Variety reports that Chris Hemsworth was vying for the starring role, and the Thor star explained to Entertainment Tonight how the part fell through for him. The Aussie actor didn’t come right out and say it was for Horizon, but he stated, “There was a movie, a script that I’d read and loved and was like, ‘I want to get that,’ and then someone said, ‘Kevin Costner has that [role].’ I’d love [to have] him as a director. I was like, ‘G*ddamnit!’ [I spent] an hour the other day trying to convince him, and he was like, ‘I’m doing it, kid.’ Didn’t work. I didn’t get the part.”
While Hemsworth did actually reveal the title of the film in his anecdote, it was deduced to be Horizon by his inclusion of saying, “There are horses involved,” and the character was a “horse wrangler.” That aspect appealed to Hemsworth. “My wife read [the script] and loves horses. We have 10 or 11 horses back home, and so she’s like, ‘You’ve got to do this.’” Hemsworth said the story was described as “abstract and interesting …a small story about a man and a woman.”
Costner would confirm Hemsworth was up for the role when he also spoke with ET about the film. “It’s a love story, but as long as I’m still young enough to play it, I’ll play it. Chris will have to wait his turn. [Hemsworth] ’s so handsome, and he’s so good. He’s going to have to go find his [own] love story. [But] I’m glad he likes this one. If I reach a moment where I [don’t] think I could do that, I would [reach out]. He’s certainly one of our great leading men right now.”
The post Horizon: Chris Hemsworth recalls how he lost the part in Kevin Costner’s western epic when Costner decided to cast himself appeared first on JoBlo.
Blizzard’s customer service is in hot water after a series of exchanges about Overwatch 2’s profanity rules caught the attention of the community and subsequently went viral. Apparently, profanity of any kind is considered against the hero shooter’s code of conduct, and if someone reports it, seemingly regardless of…
Blizzard’s customer service is in hot water after a series of exchanges about Overwatch 2’s profanity rules caught the attention of the community and subsequently went viral. Apparently, profanity of any kind is considered against the hero shooter’s code of conduct, and if someone reports it, seemingly regardless of…
Made on a budget of less than $100,000, director Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s movie Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (watch it HERE) earned more than $6 million during its global release in early 2023… and sure, the movie racked up the Razzies, but it’s money that matters, and that’s why Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 was made and given a theatrical release last month. Now the Australia-based company Umbrella Entertainment is taking pre-orders for their special edition Blu-ray release of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, which is scheduled to be released on July 17th.
A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book Winnie-the-Pooh and the characters in it lapsed into the public domain at the start of last year, and that’s how Frake-Waterfield was able to make these movies happen, no permission required. In the build-up to the release of the first movie, the filmmaker explained to Variety that Pooh and Piglet (go) on a rampage after being abandoned by a college-bound Christopher Robin. “Christopher Robin is pulled away from them, and he’s not [given] them food, it’s made Pooh and Piglet’s life quite difficult. Because they’ve had to fend for themselves so much, they’ve essentially become feral. So they’ve gone back to their animal roots. They’re no longer tame: they’re like a vicious bear and pig who want to go around and try and find prey.”
Matt Leslie, writer/producer of Summer of 84, wrote the screenplay for the sequel, working from a story he crafted with Frake-Waterfield. Here’s the synopsis for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2: Deep within the 100-Acre-Wood, a destructive rage grows as Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger find their home and their lives endangered after Christopher Robin revealed their existence. Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, the group decides to take the fight to the town of Ashdown, home of Christopher Robin, leaving a bloody trail of death and mayhem in their wake. Winnie and his savage friends will show everyone that they are deadlier, stronger, and smarter than anyone could ever imagine and get their revenge on Christopher Robin, once and for all.
The film stars Ryan Oliva, Scott Chambers, Eddy Mackenzie, Marcus Massey, Tallulah Evans, Kelly Rian Sanson, Simon Callow, Alec Newman, Nicola Wright, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Lewis Santer, Tade Adebaio, and Nichaela Farrel.
Umbrella Entertainment’s Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 includes the following extras:
A Ruined Childhoods 16 page ‘kids’ book “The Sticky Story of a Bloody Pooh” with custom illustrations by Saoirse Wallace and written by Xavier Smith
Custom designed rigid case
16 artcards
A3 reversible poster
Limited Edition Numbered release
Audio commentary with cast and crew
Deleted Scenes
Behind the Score
Behind the Scenes Pooh
Audition tapes
Interviews
Death scene extended
Set build interview
Behind the Scenes On Set -Rave
Does this sound like a Blu-ray release you would like to add to your collection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
The post Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 Australian Blu-ray release includes a 16-page illustrated book appeared first on JoBlo.
The similarities between Nier: Automata and Shift Up’s upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, are evident—and not just because the former inspired the latter. Both games center women piecing together a world at its collapse, which makes the two sisters of a sort. And as it does between sisters, jealousy…
The similarities between Nier: Automata and Shift Up’s upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, are evident—and not just because the former inspired the latter. Both games center women piecing together a world at its collapse, which makes the two sisters of a sort. And as it does between sisters, jealousy…
After helping my childhood friend, Cloud, through a reality-bending experience to reclaim his identity, I listen as he apologizes for his worst actions and explains to a room full of people why he misled everyone. Yes, his mind was under the influence of an invasive presence, but this confession comes from a place of…
After helping my childhood friend, Cloud, through a reality-bending experience to reclaim his identity, I listen as he apologizes for his worst actions and explains to a room full of people why he misled everyone. Yes, his mind was under the influence of an invasive presence, but this confession comes from a place of…