WatchMojo recently put together a list of the 10 best biopics, considering sports movies based on real-life people and teams. The list, which does not include documentaries, puts together a decent list that is a good start for prompting a discussion.
There are some good choices on the list, even including some nice surprises like Hurricane (1999), Chariots of Fire (1981), Remember the Titans (2000), 42 (2013), and Cinderella Man (2005). I doubt everyone will agree with the complete list, but everyone will agree with some of the films. Check it out.
It is difficult to argue with WatchMojo’s number one pick. But no Miracle (2004), Eight Men Out (1988), Brian’s Song (1971), Rudy (1993), Pride of the Yankees (1942), or We Are Marshall (2006)? What sports biopics would you add to the list? Leave your two cents in the comments.
One of my favorite Disney movies as a kid was The Jungle Book (1967), so I cannot help but be worried and excited that Disney is remaking the animated film as a live-action movie with CGI effects. On the other hand, the cast and the new teaser trailer make me think this new version of Rudyard Kipling’s story might just be a hit.
Iron Man director Jon Favreau directs the upcoming The Jungle Book film, which was written by Justin Marks. The actors selected to voice the various animals seem perfect: tiger Shere Khan is voiced by Idris Elba, panther Bagheera is voiced by Ben Kingsley, the bear Baloo is voiced by Bill Murray, the wolf Raksha is voiced by Lupita Nyong’o, the python Kaa is voiced by Scarlett Johansson, and the orangutan King Louie is voiced by Christopher Walken. The young boy Mowgli will be played by Neel Sethi.
Richard M. Sherman who wrote songs for the original The Jungle Book with his late brother Robert B. Sherman, is writing new songs for the new film. But we will still get to hear Bill Murray sing the original’s “The Bare Necessities.” Unfortunately, there are as of yet no reports that Christopher Walken will sing “I Wan’na Be Like You,” but I would think the movie must include it.
The Jungle Book is scheduled to hits theaters April 15, 2016. Disney also recently announced plans for a new Mary Poppins movie, which will be set twenty years after the original 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Will you see The Jungle Book? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Although some thought Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki in the Marvel movies, was an unusual choice to play country music’s Hank Williams in a new biopic, you cannot argue that the actor strikes a similar look to the great country singer. Now, we get our first peak at the English actor as Williams in a clip from the upcoming movie I Saw the Light.
In the short clip below, we get Hiddleston singing “Move It On Over” as Hank Williams in the studio, as well as some additional footage of his portrayal. From one short clip, it is difficult to tell whether the movie is able to immerse us into believing Hank Williams is on the screen. But the clip is enough to make me want to see the movie. Check it out.
Among those who have been critical of the movie, including the choice of Hiddleston as the lead and of Marc Abraham as director, is Hank III. HitFlix liked Hiddleston, but not the movie, which is scheduled to open in limited release on November 27.
What do you think of Hiddleston as Hank Williams? Leave your two cents in the comments.
The End of the Tour(2015) recounts Rolling Stone magazine reporter David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) accompanying the late writer David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) on a five-day book tour in 1996. The movie, based on Lipsky’s memoir Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace, is a low-key fascinating meditation on several topics, illuminated by the clash of a literary genius with the reporter’s attempts to find a story.
Segel has received a lot of well-deserved praise for his sympathetic portrayal of Wallace, and Eisenberg also gives one of his best career performances. The main focus on the film is on the conversation of the two men. As in movies like My Dinner With Andre (1981), it is imperative that the actors engage us with the dialogue, and the actors pull it off, aided by director James Ponsoldt and screenwriter by Donald Margulies.
The effectiveness of the film depends not on major action and not even on a major revelation. Instead, the movie engages us as we listen and try to learn more about Wallace, the genius who wrote Infinite Jest. We do learn about Wallace, but the movie does not overshoot, staying anchored in Lipsky’s memoir where he only had five days of access to Wallace. But the movie features smart dialogue and is revealing, both about Wallace and about Lipsky, as we watch the reporter do what reporters do as they invade a person’s privacy.
Viewers do not need to know much about Wallace, who killed himself in 2008 (as revealed at the beginning of the movie). The film works on a number of levels and is entertaining to anyone seeking a thoughtful movie about an interesting man. But for fans and those interested in Wallace, the movie is especially revealing, as Segel’s portrayal allows us to feel we have Wallace back, even if for a short while. While there is no big revealing scene that tells us all we want to know about Wallace, the final shot of Wallace before the end credits is quite beautiful. There is an additional cute short scene after the main end credits (although one might have preferred that the director would have let the earlier final scene stand).
Conclusion? The End of the Tour is thoughtful entertainment for those who enjoy interesting conversation and can be satisfied with a well-made film that features no major action sequences or a surprise ending. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 92% critics rating and an 87% audience rating.
The End of the Tour Trivia: Fans of the TV show Freaks & Geeks will be happy to see Becky Ann Baker playing a bookstore manager onscreen with Segel. Both Baker and Segel were regulars on the TV series.
The End of the Tour Unimportant Mistake: In an early scene in the film where Wallace and Lipsky are in a convenience store, the two walk past a shelf where Heinz mustard is prominently displayed. It is unclear if it is a paid product placement, but Heinz mustard is a new product that was not around in 1996 when the movie is set. Of course, only mustard fans will notice.
What did you think of The End of the Tour? Leave your two cents in the comments.
The cast of the upcoming third movie in the Star Trek franchise reboot Star Trek Beyond created a short video tribute to Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the original series and passed away February 27, 2015. In the new video, Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the new franchise, encourages fans to give to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of Nimoy’s favorite charities.
Quinto also explains that if you give to a charitable campaign featuring nine charities selected by cast members and Nimoy’s widow Susan Nimoy, you can win a role in Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin. Go to the Omaze website or watch the video below for the Leonard Nimoy tribute and more information.
Star Trek Beyond, which has been filming in Vancouver recently, hits theaters on July 8, 2016. The movie’s screenplay was written by Doug Jung and Simon Pegg, who plays Scottie.
, is a low-key fascinating meditation on several topics, illuminated by the clash of a literary genius with the reporter’s attempts to find a story.
. We do learn about Wallace, but the movie does not overshoot, staying anchored in Lipsky’s memoir where he only had five days of access to Wallace. But the movie features smart dialogue and is revealing, both about Wallace and about Lipsky, as we watch the reporter do what reporters do as they invade a person’s privacy.
