Mortal Kombat 1 is the latest entry in one of the most iconic fighting game franchises. But compared to other major players like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, its registration numbers for EVO, the biggest fighting game tournament in the world, are minuscule, coming in at 645 compared to SF6’s 5265. On top of this,…
Apocalypses are a dime a dozen in Hollywood. Still, Donald Glover (Community, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Atlanta) is putting a creative spin on the world’s end that combines his love of film and music in a way that could surprise you. After debuting the trailer for his new movie, Bando Stone & The New World, ahead of A Quiet Place: Day One, Glover is sharing the preview with fans online, and suddenly, I’m adding another movie to my must-watch list for 2024. Today’s Bando Stone & The New World trailer coincides with the upcoming release of Glover’s new album under his stage name, Childish Gambino, also titled Bando Stone & The New World.
In today’s Bando Stone & The New World trailer, Glover plays the titular Bando Stone, a singer who tries to deliver mail and then finds that most of the world’s populace has disappeared. Stone then crosses paths with two survivors, a mother, played by Jessica Allain (Thriller, The Laundromat), and her young son. The trio joins forces to navigate their new surroundings. However, Bando finds out that the world has changed in strange ways as ferocious creatures, dinosaurs hunt the group, lethal geometry, and more attempts to wipe them off the face of the planet.
Glover plans to release a new album, Bando Stone & The New World, as the film’s soundtrack. If you listen closely, you’ll hear Glover’s latest Childish Gambino song, “Lithonia,” playing in the trailer. “Lithonia” begins with organ pipes bellowing a soft tune before Childish Gambino brings soul and charged energy to the track. With a heavy guitar riff, choir-like backing vocals, and a smidge of apathy, Glover proclaims that “No one gives a f*ck,” about someone trying desperately to make their life better. It’s a grim theme, but then again, look at the state of the world and tell me it’s not apt.
Donald Glover directs, stars in, and scores Bando Stone & The New World based on a script written by Evi Wilder. What do you think about the trailer? What would you do if everyone suddenly disappeared from your world? What do you think is going on in this strange movie? Let us know in the comments section below.
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It always seemed a bit weird that famed, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett decided to be a part of the Borderlands live-action movie. Now we know the story of how this odd casting happened and it seems we can blame covid-19.
It always seemed a bit weird that famed, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett decided to be a part of the Borderlands live-action movie. Now we know the story of how this odd casting happened and it seems we can blame covid-19.
When Dwayne Johnson isn’t clowning on Kevin Hart, drinking tequila, or crushing weights at his portable gym, he’s granting wishes for young people worldwide. While continuing to heal from an elbow injury he got on the set of his upcoming A24 film The Smashing Machine, Johnson received a “rush wish” from the Make-a-Wish Foundation. This organization makes miracles happen for young people with life-threatening illnesses. They’ve worked with Johnson on various requests before. Still, a recent request from 4-year-old Lily is making the rounds online. Speaking with his followers on social media, Johnson shared a video of Lily’s wish fulfillment, which is for Johnson to sing ‘You’re Welcome’ from the Moana movie soundtrack.
Lily’s parents asked Johnson to share his performance on social media so others could hear about her story, fight, and bravery in the face of dire circumstances.
“I received a request that I need to share with you guys,” Johnson told the camera. “The sharing of this request is in the spirit of Make-A-Wish, which is a foundation that I hold near and dear to my heart.”
Johnson continued, “This is a special Make-A-Wish request and it’s called a rush wish. And a rush wish means, what the implication sounds like, which is time is just not on our side.”
Before belting out his classic Disney tune, Johnson explains that Lily is in a home hospice. While she cannot eat independently and is non-verbal, she can still react to stimuli and is excited about Johnson granting her wish. Before breaking into song, Johnson says he’s a little rusty when channeling Maui’s mana and powerful vocals. Still, he gives it the old college try for an endearing performance that Lily will undoubtedly enjoy.
After his performance, Johnson speaks to Lily directly, saying, “Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of making your Make-a-Wish come true,” he said. “That was me singing ‘You’re Welcome’ in probably a few keys that don’t exist. I hope you enjoyed it and Lily, you are so special.” He then urges his followers to send their well-wishes to Lily, to let her know she is loved, strong, and brave.
I’m not crying! You’re the one who’s crying!
Johnson reprises his iconic role as Maui in Disney’s Moana 2, coming to theaters on November 27.
Stay strong, Lily. You’ve made a lot of people smile today.
The post Dwayne Johnson brings the house down by singing ‘You’re Welcome’ from the Moana soundtrack for a child’s Make-A-Wish request appeared first on JoBlo.
About two years ago, we heard that Halle Berry had signed on to star in a horror movie called Mother Land, with genre regular Alexandre Aja on board to direct. Last year, the project went into production under a new title, Never Let Go. Earlier this year, we saw the unveiling of a teaser poster, which just featured text on a snakeskin background (you can take a look at the teaser poster HERE). Lionsgate is planning to give Never Let Go a theatrical release on September 27th (the date they previously had reserved for Saw XI, which has been pushed back a year) and now, with that date swiftly approaching, they have unveiled a new poster for the film, and you can check that one out at the bottom of this article.
Berry is joined in the cast by Percy Daggs IV (The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey) and Anthony B. Jenkins (Florida Man). Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine of 21 Laps (the production company behind Stranger Things and Free Guy, among other things) are producing the film with Aja. Berry is executive producing alongside Holly Jeter and 21 Laps’ Emily Morris. Chelsea Kujawa and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate.
Scripted by KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, Never Let Go follows a mother (Berry) and her fraternal twin sons (Daggs and Jenkins) who have been tormented by an evil spirit for years and are convinced to never let go of their family’s protective bond. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, their connection is severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. Here’s a different version of the synopsis: As Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother (Berry) and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
Aja’s previous directing credits include High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, Piranha 3D, Horns, The 9th Life of Louis Drax, Crawl, and Oxygen. We first heard about Never Let Go (then known as Mother Land) over three years ago, when it was announced that Mark Romanek had signed on to direct the film. There were eight years between Romanek’s first film One Hour Photo and his second feature Never Let Me Go, and it looked like this was going to be his third movie. Eleven years (at the time) after Never Let Me Go. But then Romanek dropped out, Aja signed on, and the project got a title that’s quite similar to the title of Romanek’s second feature. Now we continue to wait and see if Romanek is going to make a third feature.
A trailer for Never Let Go can be viewed at THIS LINK.
Are you looking forward to Never Let Go? Let us know by leaving a comment below – and check out the new poster while you’re scrolling down:
The post Never Let Go: Halle Berry / Alexandre Aja horror film gets a new poster ahead of September release appeared first on JoBlo.
After being delayed several months by the writers strike and the actors strike, season 5 of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things (which is also the last season of the show) finally went into production at the start of the year and is now six months into its twelve month shooting schedule… and cast member Maya Hawke, who joined the show in season 3 to play Robin Buckley, told Podcrushed that each of the eight episodes is so long, it’s like they’re making eight movies.
Hawke said (with thanks to Deadline for the transcription), “Our showrunners, Matt and Ross (Duffer), take a lot of responsibility. They have an amazing team of writers, but they’re very involved. They write a lot and they are very intense and serious about the quality of the continued writing, and it takes a long time to write each season, and it takes a long time to shoot them. We’re making, basically, eight movies. The episodes are very long.“
Stranger Things season 4 (which consisted of nine episodes) also had long episodes, with the shortest of the bunch being 63 minutes and the season finale clocking in at 150 minutes.
Stranger Things has the following synopsis: A love letter to the ‘80s classic genre films that captivated a generation, Stranger Things is a thrilling drama set in the seemingly normal Midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana. After a boy vanishes into thin air, his close-knit group of friends and family search for answers and are pulled into a high-stakes and deadly series of events. Beneath the surface of their ordinary town lurks an extraordinary supernatural mystery, along with top-secret government experiments and a dangerous gateway that connects our world to a powerful yet sinister realm. Friendships will be tested and lives will be altered as what they discover will change Hawkins and possibly the world — forever.
Here’s the list of the cast members and the characters they played in season 4: Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Matthew Modine (Dr. Brenner), Paul Reiser (Dr. Owens), Jamie Campbell Bower (Peter Ballard), Joseph Quinn (Eddie Munson), Eduardo Franco (Argyle), Sherman Augustus (Lt. Colonel Sullivan), Mason Dye (Jason Carver), Nikola Djuricko (Yuri), Tom Wlaschiha (Dmitri), Myles Truitt (Patrick), Regina Ting Chen (Ms. Kelly), Grace Van Dien (Chrissy), Logan Riley Bruner (Fred Benson), Logan Allen (Jake), Elodie Grace Orkin (Angela), John Reynolds (Officer Callahan), Rob Morgan (Chief Powell), Amybeth McNulty (Vickie), and Freddy Krueger himself Robert Englund (Victor Creel).
Stranger Things is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment. Series creators The Duffer Brothers serve as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps Entertainment, Iain Paterson, and Curtis Gwinn.
10 Cloverfield Lane and Prey director Dan Trachtenberg is directing an episode of the final season before he heads off to make the new Predator movie Badlands, starring Elle Fanning. New to cast for Stranger Things season 5 is Linda Hamilton (The Terminator).
What do you think of Stranger Things season 5 having such long episodes that it’s like being made up of eight movies? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
The post Stranger Things season 5: Maya Hawke says each episode is basically a movie appeared first on JoBlo.
Following an unusually long period of maintenance, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is finally here! While many will eagerly embark upon their adventure in the New World the second they log in, others may wish to make a beeline towards unlocking the new DPS jobs: Viper and Pictomancer. If you’re in the latter category,…
Following an unusually long period of maintenance, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is finally here! While many will eagerly embark upon their adventure in the New World the second they log in, others may wish to make a beeline towards unlocking the new DPS jobs: Viper and Pictomancer. If you’re in the latter category,…
Booger comes to VOD/Digital on September 13th! This is a repost of our 2023 Fantasia review
PLOT: After her dead friend’s cat runs away, Anna grows desperate to find him, ignoring the fact that her life (and body) are totally falling apart.
REVIEW: Booger deals with the aftermath of a massive loss and how that can affect a person. Your twenties are a tough time regardless of circumstance so adding in the loss of a best friend is enough to push most people over the edge. So it’s easy to understand where Anna is coming from. Her friend Izzy isn’t simply just another person, its someone who knew the very being of Anna. Losing Izzy means that Anna has lost a part of herself, so her grief is for more than just physical loss. And anyone that’s experienced intense grief knows how strangely that can manifest itself.
Some films stand out for their characters, their story, or even their visual language. But a select few stand out because of their name, and it’s hard not to be taken aback by the title, Booger. It brings about some obviously gross imagery and isn’t the easiest title to get someone to watch. Let me put your fears aside and say there is no “snotty” imagery in this and is simply the name of a cat. But that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of acts to make you squirm.
I feel like it needs to be stated outright that Booger isn’t your stereotypical body horror. Most of the disgusting and wince-worthy acts are more of the “acting like a cat” variety. So expect some hairballs and skin licking but less so of the more FX-heavy stuff. It’s mostly trippy visuals and some gross-out gags. And I sincerely hope that she didn’t actually eat cat food because I haven’t had my stomach churn in regard to a scene in a long time. Apparently, blood and guts are “a-okay” but suddenly add some pet food being eaten by a human and I get all queasy. Humans are weird. Which almost feels like it could have been a tagline for this film.
Grace Glowicki stars as Anna and she does a great job with a tough role. Disconnected from her surroundings, she’s walking through life on autopilot. It’s fascinating to watch as Anna deals with her conflicted feelings about moving on. She almost feels like an entirely different person when we see flashes of her before Izzy’s death, as she seems so much happier. Those moments, both for their character development and the glimpses of seeing Izzy alive to see how she left such an impact, are some true highlights.
The Mom is absolutely incredible and absolutely broke my heart. While seeing Anna lose her best friend is one thing, the grief of the mother hits harder due to her overt kindness. Anna is cold towards everyone yet this woman is just desperate for connection in the wake of her daughter’s death. As a viewer I found myself wanting to plead with Anna to take this woman up on her offer for dinner. Heather Matarazzo plays an eclectic pet store owner and she’s one of the film’s few light spots. She seems to represent nearly every single “cat person” I’ve ever met. There’s a really great bit with her and a litter box that is hysterical.
Writer/Director Mary Dauterman provides a film that doesn’t always follow the worn path. There are some strange turns in the story but they ultimately serve the greater narrative. Booger is a film about grief and all of the ways that it can manifest itself. While I do feel as though things wrap up a little too perfect and abrupt, the journey getting there was satisfying enough that it didn’t matter much. Loss is something that we all go through.
The post Booger Review appeared first on JoBlo.
