Jake Gyllenhaal-Produced True Crime Film 'Gilded Rage' Casts Christoph Waltz, Lily Collins, And Bill Skarsgard

When Tommy Gilbert murdered his father, wealthy hedge-fund manager Thomas Gilbert Sr., it was the kind of sordid tale of the rich and powerful that can grip a nation.  It was also practically gift-wrapped to become a big Hollywood movie, and now that's starting to come together with Gilded Rage, which has a wealth of talent on both sides of the camera, starting with Jake Gyllenhaal as a producer.

Gilded Rage is set to star Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror), and Bill Skarsgard (It), with Gyllenhaal producing through his XYZ Films label. Directing and co-writing is Charlie McDowell, best known for the offbeat sci-fi film The One I Love and its bizarre followup, The Discovery. He's a director who comes with big ideas, and it'll be interesting to see his approach on this true crime tale. McDowell co-wrote the script with Justin Lader, who worked with him on his two previous films.

Skarsgard is set to play Tommy Gilbert, and while it's not made clear, I'm guessing Waltz will play his doomed father. They're pretty similar as actors, gravitating to roles with an ominous edge to them.  I really want to see how this one plays out. Gilded Rage begins shooting next spring. [Deadline]

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Review: 'Tolkien' Fails To Measure Up To Its Namesake

J.R.R. Tolkien is one of those names that everyone just knows. Known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy and many other stories set in middle earth, Tolkien’s influence spans decades and art forms. Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin credits Tolkien’s work as inspiration for his own phenomenon. Peter Jackson’s adaptions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy were nominated for 30 Oscars, winning 17, and was fully responsible for New Zealand’s rise in tourism. It makes sense that Hollywood would eventually make a film about the author. It also makes sense that it would fail to measure up to the legend himself. Starring Nicholas Hoult as J.R.R. Tolkien and Lily Collins as is future wife Edith Bratt, Tolkien explores how war, love and personal loss affected and influenced Tolkien’s writings.

Starting with the influence and death of his mother, the film mainly looks at Tolkien’s love of language and story and how those passions were woven into his relationships. Primarily focusing on Tolkien’s romantic relationship with fellow orphan Edith Bratt and life long friends Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gibson, and Christopher Wisemen, the film hints how these relationships influenced and inspired his writing, without ever making a direct connection or comparison between a Middle-earth character and its real-life counterpart. Because of this any emotional connection the audience might have with these characters fail to shine through. 

Like most of Nicholas Hoult’s performances, this one seemed wooden and lacked passion. There’s not much emotion behind Hoult’s face. Tolkien’s faults are hidden by a lack of personality, making him seem like another boring British guy instead of one of the most influential authors of all time. Lily Collins performance is endearing, providing grace, class, and dimension to the archetype of the overlooked wife of a genius. The main problem with Tolkien is that it scratches the surface of so many aspects of Tolkien’s life, instead of taking a deep dive. Instead of focusing on the relationships between his friends and with Edith, we are also bombarded with his school woes, his experiences as a soldier in WWI, a relationship with a fellow soldier that never really plays out, and the hinting of a genius neglecting his husbandly and fatherly duties. This overcrowded narrative prevents any meaning from shining through. 

Despite narrative shortcomings, the film visually captures the mythos of a literary great. There’s whimsy to the film’s composition. Soft pans glide and camera frames swirl around scenes from Tolkien’s imagination. Intense intimate close-ups make certain scenes more personal. Dragons, knights and fire monsters morph and blend into the Tolkien’s real world. There is something pleasing to the eye in almost every frame. Thomas Newman’s score also provides the film with an ethereal feel, making it one of the best parts of the film. It almost serves as the bridge between Tolkien’s fantasy life and real life, however, director Done Karukoski fails to make the connection between visuals and story. 

What Tolkien went through wasn’t remarkable. It was tragic, but not remarkable. War. Losing friends. Societal obligations and pressure. Those things are unfortunately a part of life. For the last 100 years, every generation has had a war to define their generation. What is interesting is what Tolkien took away from his tragedy. What is remarkable is how he morphed his trauma into epic tales of love, loss, war, and friendship. It’s a shame that the film failed to form any audience investment to the characters. It’s upsetting that you almost have to be a Tolkien scholar to understand the innate connections between the books and this film. The film makes the point numerous times to point out that a pretty sounding word without meaning is just a pretty sounding word. It’s unfortunately ironic that the same can be said for this film. 

RATING: 2.5 OUT OF 5 STARS.

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Review: 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile', Zac Efron Slays As Ted Bundy

*NOTE* This is a reprint of my review from the Sundance Film Festival. The film hits Netflix on May 3rd. 

A sense of deja vu hit me while watching Joe Berlinger's buzzy Sundance film with the eye-catching title, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. The feeling that I had sat through a similar film at Park City with a lot of buzz, a loaded cast of stars, and a big name playing an infamous figure in celebrity history. That film, sadly, was Lovelace, and like it, Berlinger's movie doesn't have much going for it other than a charismatic, perfectly-cast lead.

Zac Efron's All-American good looks and boyish charm make him the right choice to play serial killer Ted Bundy, who seduced his way into murdering dozens of women. Even as charges mounted against Bundy in multiple states and he fought to defend himself in a court of law, women were willing to throw themselves at his feet, taken by his smile and magnetic personality. But Berlinger's film teases more than just a look at Bundy's prolific murder career. One woman totally swept off her feet by Bundy was Liz Kloepfer(Lily Collins), a single mother who let's him into her home and into her life.

Berlinger teases us with a movie that he gives up on way too early, one that explores Bundy's duality as a family man living with Liz, while hiding his darker side from her; a hug and a birthday celebration with a butcher knife clutched in his hand.  We see Liz falling in love with Bundy, and accepting his excuses as his name mysteriously comes up as a suspect in a series of killings, always of young women. Bundy's got an excuse for everything, and Liz is eager to hear them.

The perspective Berlinger chooses is a fascinating one and something we haven't seen before. Berlinger's documentarian instincts kick in exploring the personality of the one person who was duped by Bundy more than anyone.  But Berlinger doesn't show us how he won her over to such an extent that she was willing to overlook the obvious signs of danger. We see their first date, in which he picks her up at a college bar (the idea of Bundy stalking a place frequented by young women is chilling in itself), perhaps with the idea of killing her, if she hadn't revealed to him that she is mother to an infant. From there, Berlinger jumps ahead a few years just as the accusations are beginning to swirl, and it feels like some crucial context is missing.

Still, if Berlinger had stuck to his guns we'd be talking about a much better movie than the finished product. However, Berlinger can't help but veer into less-interesting, oft-covered territory. Soon the movie is less about Liz and more about Bundy's many arrests and the eventual circus trial in Florida, with much of the insane dialogue pulled straight from the actual televised event. Despite the title, which is quoted from the statement by Judge Edward Cowart (John Malkovich) when sentencing Bundy to the death penalty, we don't see any of the murders take place. The Bundy we see, at least in the beginning, is the caring man Liz fell in love with. Later, as certain revelations about Liz come to light, it makes the decision to show things from her point-of-view confusing.  Berlinger could almost be accused of romanticizing Bundy, especially by refusing to show his crimes, but I found him to be pretty heinous simply for the mental abuse he was willing to inflict on the women around him. I didn't need to see him in action.

As the film begins to drag on, Liz fades into the background although Berlinger keeps tabs through brief scenes of her downward spiral. Bundy won't stop calling her, despite having a new woman (Kaya Scodelario) ready to defend him privately and publicly. Liz drinks and smokes herself into a tailspin, but still manages to find a safe new boyfriend (Haley Joel Osment) who, we know instantly, doesn't stand a chance against the spectre of Bundy. As she sits riveted by TV coverage of the trial, we're also taken by the sheer lunacy of it. But as the credits roll minutes later, and Berlinger shows archival footage of the real events he just depicted on screen, it dilutes rather than enhances their impact. If Berlinger wanted to do a documentary, he should've. Oh wait, he did, and it's already available on Netflix.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile' Trailer: Zac Efron Is Ted Bundy In Netflix's True-Crime Biopic

Netflix is riding this Ted Bundy wave all the way, controversy be damned. It wasn't long ago that a docu-series about the infamous serial killer took some heat for glorifying the man who many found to be extremely attractive.  The network's response to this was to pick up the Sundance film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile which stars the painfully-unattractive Zac Efron as Bundy and is directed by Joe Berlinger, the guy responsible for the aforementioned doc.

The film had a ton of buzz at Sundance for Efron's performance as the killer, who committed dozens of murders across multiple states in the 1970s. The whole time he was hiding his dark side from his partner, Elizabeth (Lily Collins), and the film is about her slow realization of Bundy's true nature.

I attended the premiere and came away disappointed, wishing it had focused less on Bundy's dull courtroom battles. But Netflix is clearly positioning the film as a horror keeping in line with their plethora of true-crime content, and I think that's the best way to market it to those specific subscribers.

Also starring Kaya Scodelario, Jeffrey Donovan, Angela Sarafyan, Dylan Baker, Brian Geraghty, Terry Kinney, Haley Joel Osment, James Hetfield, Grace Victoria Cox, Jim Parsons, and John Malkovich, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile hits Netflix on May 3rd.

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'Tolkien' Trailer: The 'Lord Of The Rings' Author Is Inspired To Create His Masterpiece

Hey, if you can't make a proper Lord of the Rings movie, why not tell the story of its author, J.R.R. Tolkien? The man who took us all into the incredible world of Middle Earth had an exciting life of his own, one that inspired the vast adventures that have entertained millions of hobbit fans for decades. And now that story is being told in Tolkien, which stars Nicholas Hoult as the revered author.

Continuing the trend of movies about authors and how they came up with their great ideas. The feel-good drama centers on Tolkien's school-aged years and his time fighting in WWI. Those experiences and the people he would meet became the inspiration for the places and characters in his novels. While

Here's the synopsis: TOLKIEN explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-Earth novels.

Directed by Dome Karukoski with Lily Collins,  Colm Meaney, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson, Tom Glynn-Carney, Craig Roberts, Laura Donnelly, Genevieve O’Reilly, Pam Ferris and Derek Jacobi co-starring, Tolkien opens May 10th.

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'Tolkien' Trailer: The 'Lord Of The Rings' Author Has A Real War To Fight

Ever wonder how author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien aka J.R.R. Tolkien dreamed up the ideas that would eventually lead to Middle Earth and the Lord of the Rings novels? Me neither, but we're getting that story anyway in Tolkien, which stars Nicholas Hoult as a hot, young version of the writer before he created one of the most influential fantasy franchises ever.

The truth is that we know very little about who Tolkien was, which is crazy when you consider how much of an impact Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit continues to have. This film, which is directed by Dome Karukoski, tracks Tolkien through his upbringing in the English countryside, which looks a lot like the Shire, to his studies in Oxford and his time fighting in WWI.  All of these experiences would form the basis of what he would eventually put on paper, from the exotic locales to Tolkien's views of friendship. That Sam and Frodo bond didn't just emerge out of nowhere.

Lily Collins plays Tokien's wife Edith, the inspiration for the Arwen

We've seen a lot of movies about authors whose real-life experiences inspired some of the greatest children's novels, and Tolkien looks to be treading similar ground.  Lily Collins plays Tolkien's wife Edith, the inspiration for the Arwen and Luthien characters in his Middle Earth novels. Also in the cast are Tom Glynn-Carney, Craig Roberts, Derek Jacobi, Anthony Boyle, and Patrick Gibson.  Tolkien hits theaters on May 10th.

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Sundance Review: 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile', Zac Efron Slays As Ted Bundy

A sense of deja vu hit me while watching Joe Berlinger's buzzy Sundance film with the eye-catching title, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. The feeling that I had sat through a similar film at Park City with a lot of buzz, a loaded cast of stars, and a big name playing an infamous figure in celebrity history. That film, sadly, was Lovelace, and like it Berlinger's movie doesn't have much going for it other than a charismatic, perfectly-cast lead.

Zac Efron's All-American good looks and boyish charm make him the right choice to play serial killer Ted Bundy, who seduced his way into murdering dozens of women. Even as charges mounted against Bundy in multiple states and he fought to defend himself in a court of law, women were willing to throw themselves at his feet, taken by his smile and magnetic personality. But Berlinger's film teases more than just a look at Bundy's prolific murder career. One woman totally swept off her feet by Bundy was Liz Kloepfer(Lily Collins), a single mother who let's him into her home and into her life.

Berlinger teases us with a movie that he gives up on way too early , one that explores Bundy's duality as a family man living with Liz, while hiding his darker side from her; a hug and a birthday celebration with a butcher knife clutched in his hand.  We see Liz falling in love with Bundy, and accepting his excuses as his name mysteriously comes up as a suspect in a series of killings, always of young women. Bundy's got an excuse for everything, and Liz is eager to hear them.

The perspective Berlinger chooses is a fascinating one, and something we haven't seen before. Berlinger's documentarian instincts kick in exploring the personality of the one person who was duped by Bundy more than anyone.  But Berlinger doesn't show us how he won her over to such an extent that she was willing to overlook the obvious signs of danger. We see their first date, in which he picks her up at a college bar (the idea of Bundy stalking a place frequented by young women is chilling in itself), perhaps with the idea of killing her, if she hadn't revealed to him that she is mother to an infant. From there, Berlinger jumps ahead a few years just as the accusations are beginning to swirl, and it feels like some crucial context is missing.

Still, if Berlinger had stuck to his guns we'd be talking about a much better movie than the finished product. However, Berlinger can't help but veer into less-interesting, oft-covered territory. Soon the movie is less about Liz and more about Bundy's many arrests and the eventual circus trial in Florida, with much of the insane dialogue pulled straight from the actual televised event. Despite the title, which is quoted from the statement by Judge Edward Cowart (John Malkovich) when sentencing Bundy to the death penalty, we don't see any of the murders take place. The Bundy we see, at least in the beginning, is the caring man Liz fell in love with. Later, as certain revelations about Liz come to light, it makes the decision to show things from her point-of-view confusing.  Berlinger could almost be accused of romanticizing Bundy, especially by refusing to show his crimes, but I found him to be pretty heinous simply for the mental abuse he was willing to inflict on the women around him. I didn't need to see him in action.

As the film begins to drag on, Liz fades into the background although Berlinger keeps tabs through brief scenes of her downward spiral. Bundy won't stop calling her, despite having a new woman (Kaya Scodelario) ready to defend him privately and publicly. Liz drinks and smokes herself into a tailspin, but still manages to find a safe new boyfriend (Haley Joel Osment) who, we know instantly, doesn't stand a chance against the spectre of Bundy. As she sits riveted by TV coverage of the trial, we're also taken by the sheer lunacy of it. But as the credits roll minutes later, and Berlinger shows archival footage of the real events he just depicted on screen, it dilutes rather than enhances their impact. If Berlinger wanted to do a documentary, he should've. Oh wait, he did, and it's already available on Netflix.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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Lily Collins Joins Zac Efron In Ted Bundy Film 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile'

I kept thinking Lily Collins and Zac Efron had been in a movie together before, but it may have just been all of those reports of them dating a few years ago. Hopefully that won't make for any awkardness because they're about to star in the same movie together, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, about serial killer Ted Bundy.

Efron boarded the project earlier this summer, playing Bundy as he hid his multiple murders from live-in girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer, who will be played by Collins. Bundy was executed in 1989, having admitted to 30 murders.

Directing the project is Joe Berlinger, a terrific documentary filmmaker behind the Paradise Lost trilogy and Whitey, but is unfortunately best-known for Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, which nobody has forgiven him for.

Collins has had a busy year, starring in Netflix's Okja and To The Bone. She'll be seen next year as Edith Tolkien in Dome Kurokoski's film on J.R.R. Tolkien. [Variety]

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Jon Bernthal Blasts Off For 'First Man', 'Hellboy' Reboot Adds Penelope Mitchell, Lily Collins Joins J.R.R. Tolkien Biopic

What a great few months Jon Bernthal has had, between excellent performances in Baby Driver, Pilgrimage, Shot Caller, and Wind River. A good way to cap it off? With a brand new role in First Man, the latest film from La La Land director, Damien Chazelle. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, centering on NASA's mission to land the first man on the moon. Corey Stoll, Kyle Chandler, Jason Clarke and Shea Whigham will play Buzz Aldrin, Deke Slayton, Ed White and Gus Grissom, with Claire Foy as Armstrong's wife. Bernthal will play Dan Scott, who walked on the moon in 1971 as part of the Apollo 15 mission. First Man opens October 12th 2018. [Deadline]

The Hellboy reboot has added another castmember as Hemlock Grove's Penelope Mitchell has joined the cast. She'll play Ganeida, an elder witch who thinks the Blood Queen's reign of evil must end. David Arbour will don the red skin, horns, and brick fist of Hellboy, with Ian McShane, Milla Jojovich, and Sasha Lane co-starring. Ed Skrein was also in the cast but he recently dropped out due to a whitewashing controversy that broke out. [Deadline]

Most recently seen in Netflix's To the Bone and Okja, Lily Collins has now joined Tolkien, a biopic on Lord of the Rings writer J.R.R. Tolkien. Nicholas Hoult will play the writer in a film set  pre-WWI during his military service. His experiences would help shape the imagination that led to his novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Collins will play Tolkien's wife, Edith Bratt, herself the inspiration for his Elven characters, Lúthien Tinúviel and Arwen Evenstar. Dome Karukoski will direct. [Variety]

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Review: Marti Noxon's 'To the Bone', Starring Lily Collins and Keanu Reeves

Note: This review was originally published during the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Illnesses in film are often mistreated, over-simplified, or not given enough focus in the proper ways. Most of the time they deal with how the family of the ill is dealing with the situation and, while that’s important, the ill person in question is often overlooked and underrepresented. To the Bone tackles anorexia and one young woman’s struggle to get better and find worth in living. It isn’t always a smooth road and the story eventually cuts good development for an epiphany; but the film’s primary attention goes to its main character attaining the realization of wanting to fight her anorexia instead of giving into it and does it with a decent amount of depth.

To the Bone opens with Ellen (Lily Collins) leaving a rehab facility (one in a long line of rehab centers) and going back to stay with her stepmom (Carrie Preston), her sister, Kelly (Liana Liberato), and her constantly absent father. Kelly doesn’t quite understand the reasons behind Ellen’s anorexia (something the film doesn’t really get into very much, either). What she does understand is that she doesn’t want her sister to die.

Eventually, Ellen finds her way to Dr. William Beckham (Keanu Reeves). Dr. Beckham has a different kind of facility and treatment that gives Ellen more of an upfront, challenging, and truthful attitude toward overcoming her anorexia. While at the treatment, Ellen meets a group of different young people who are suffering from various things, including bulimia. But it’s Luke (Alex Sharp) who really befriends Ellen and allows a sense of optimism into their friendship. But even though she is getting help, finding friends, and being told that life is worth living, Ellen has to realize this and want it for herself.

To the Bone has a clear direction with where it wants to go. It has no real interest in finding the reasons behind Ellen’s anorexia (Ellen herself says she’s not quite sure of it herself). It ultimately allows her to go on this journey of self worth and realization that she can continue going down the road she has been, or face the facts of her illness and seek to fight it. Often, she’s asking, “What’s the point?” This is especially the case when Dr. Beckham tells her that there is no point in life, no real meaning, and that you just have to work with what you’ve got. And it’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves before. Why do something, why work so hard if it all amounts to nothing in the end? What do we have to live for? It’s in these questions that Ellen finds herself lost in trying to embrace their answers.

Director and writer Marti Noxon balances heavy material with some lighter touches so that it never gets too dark. After all, illnesses and disorders such as this are a very tightrope to walk. The film simplifies some aspects of anorexia to make its point, and this is especially true in the end when it takes a shortcut for Ellen to reach her realization. But its strengths lie in the exploration of Ellen and her psyche within the relationships she has with other characters.

Ellen loves her mother (Lili Taylor), but is frustrated that she has largely made her illness about her. Her sister’s frustrations lie in the fact that Ellen’s struggle with anorexia have taken her sister from her in the most important moments of her life. And Luke carries a sense of hope and a spark for life that Ellen has largely lost. Through these interactions, Ellen is shaped into more of full-fledged person and the relationships never become about anyone but her.

Ultimately, To the Bone is a more meaningful look at the struggles of coping with an illness like anorexia and has a bit more depth than most other films of this nature allow. Lily Collins in particular delivers a strong performance and the supporting cast is wonderful. By the end of the film, it’s obvious that Ellen will continue to struggle, but at least she comes to a very distinct realization about her life that will direct her in these struggles. Inspired by the director's own struggles with anorexia, the film definitely feels more authentic than most.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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First Trailer For Netflix's 'To The Bone' Has Lily Collins Battling Anorexia

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about To the Bone, and that our own +Mae Abdulbaki  reviewed at Sundance earlier this year. The anorexia drama from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Fright Night writer Marti Noxon, making her directorial debut, earned star Lily Collins some strong reviews. But yeah, it obviously wasn't very memorable. However it's coming out in less than a month courtesy of Netflix, and the first trailer is here.

Co-starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie Preston, Lily Taylor, Liana Liberato, and Brooke Smith, the film follows an anorexic woman with a failed history of recovery, who finally gets the help she needs from a new doctor and his unconventional approach. It looks like pretty standard stuff, but as Mae says in her review, Noxon's reliance on personal experience to give the story an authentic edge is what sets it apart.

To the Bone hits Netflix on July 14th.

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New Trailer For Bong Joon-Ho's 'Okja' Features A Friendly & Tasty Superbeast

While the majority of Netflix's original movies have left a lot to be desired, praise has been nearly universal for Okja. The followup from Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho premiered at Cannes to tremendous reviews for its weird storyline, offbeat aesthetic, and unconventional ideas. It's a movie about a giant pig-like animal that a corporation wants to turn into tasty, environmentally-conscious superfood, and the young girl trying to prevent that. It doesn't get much weirder than that.

The film stars young An Seo Hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Steven Yeun, Byun Heebong, Devon Bostick, and Giancarlo Esposito. Here's the official synopsis:

For 10 idyllic years, young Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja—a massive animal and an even bigger friend—at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when a family-owned multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where image obsessed and self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend.

With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission, but her already daunting journey quickly becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with disparate groups of capitalists, demonstrators and consumers, each battling to control the fate of Okja…while all Mija wants to do is bring her friend home.

Okja hits Netflix on June 28th.

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New 'Okja' Character Posters Cut The Cast Down To Size

The marketing for Bong Joon-ho's Okja continues to reinforce it one of the weirdest movies of the summer. The film stars Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, Steven Yeun, Giancarlo Esposito, Jake Gyllenhaal, Byun Heebong, and An Seo Hyun, and in the latest batch of character posters we see them all cut up like slabs of beef in a butcher shop.

What's the deal? The film centers on a young girl who must protect her friend Okja, an environmentally-safe "super pig" from being captured by an evil corporation and, likely, portioned into cans like tuna. Each image gives us a clue as to the character's personality, like Swinton's crooked CEO Lucy Mirando, who is described as a "butcher", "savior", "sociopath", "visionary", and more.

Okja hits Netflix on June 28th.

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Awesomely Bizarre Trailer For Bong Joon-Ho's Monster Movie, 'Okja'

Controversy and Cannes go hand-in-hand, and this year was no different. There's been a great deal of polite exchange over Netflix having a couple of movies at the festival, with some arguing the streaming service shouldn't have a place alongside theatrical efforts, especially if those movies aren't going to actually be released in France. Cannes judges Pedro Almodovar and Will Smith were split on the subject, which isn't going to go away any time soon. Anyway, one of those Netflix movies that hope to make an early impact on the Croisette is Bong Joon-ho's monster movie, Okja, and an awesome new trailer just debuted ahead of its world premiere.

Starring young An Seo Hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, Steven Yeun, Devon Bostick, Daniel Henshall, Shirley Henderson, Giancarlo Esposito and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film follows a young girl who must rescue her best friend, a genetically-engineered creature named Okja, from a corporation that has nasty intentions for it. This is Joon-ho's second English-language film after Snowpiercer, and fortunately we don't have to worry about Harvey Weinstein swooping in to chop it up. We'll get to see it exactly as the director intended.

Okja hits Netflix and a few theaters on June 28th.

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First Teaser For Bong Joon-ho's 'Okja' Reveals The Mysterious Creature

Bong Joon-ho, the acclaimed South Korean director behind monster movie The Host, mystery drama Mother, and the futuristic Snowpiercer, is heading to Netflix for his next film. Titled Okja, its arrival on the streaming service practically guarantees a bigger U.S. audience than Joon-ho has ever received, and based on the new trailer they are in for quite a treat.

Starring Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito, Lily Collins, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, and Ahn Seo-hyun, the film centers on a little girl who stops at nothing to prevent a powerful, multinational corporation from kidnapping her best friend, a massive animal named Okja. So in premise it sounds very Amblin-esque, almost like E.T., and I think you can see some of that influence in the new trailer. Filtered through Joon-ho's perspective that should be very interesting to see play out.

However I must admit it's a little disappointing Okja won't be on the big screen. Netflix will debut it on June 28th.

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Review: Warren Beatty's 'Rules Don't Apply' Starring Lily Collins And Alden Ehrenreich

For his first directorial effort since 1998's political comedy Bulworth, Warren Beatty couldn't have chosen a more personal yet problematic figure to follow than Howard Hughes. For Beatty grew up admiring the golden Hollywood era the eccentric Hughes was such a part of. And there are similarities in the playboy personas they cultivated. It's clear he has a fondness not only for the time but the famed philanthropist and aviator's many strange quirks. But that appreciation also has him reducing Hughes to little more than a jumble of idiosyncrasies, which when combined with the rust from Beatty's long layoff has Rules Don't Apply landing with a thud like Hughes' famed "Spruce Goose".

The forever-developing passion project was long billed as a Hughes biopic with Beatty back in front of the camera for the first time since 2001's Town & Country. Beatty, with a little caterpillar of a mustache, does indeed play the reclusive entrepreneur but he's largely secondary to a chaste screwball romance between two fictional characters of little consequence. The charming Lily Collins and future Han Solo himself Alden Ehrenreich play Marla Mabrey and Frank, whose conservative values put them at odds with Hughes and the Hollywood culture they are a part of. She's basically a stand-in for the many women Hughes kept under contract as part of his unofficial harem, promising them roles in projects that didn't exist or would always crumble. Frank is one of Hughes' army of drivers, who escort the ladies around town when they aren't busy transporting the boss himself. We're reminded ad nauseum that she is a "good Baptist girl" who doesn't do nasty things like smoke, drink, or have sex (guaranteeing that she will do ALL of these things at some point). Frank just hopes to finally meet Hughes, who stays in hiding from practically everyone, so he can pitch him on a land deal.But their romance comes under threat from potential retribution from Hughes who forbids his employees from fraternizing with his girls. Think those rules apply to him? What's the name of this movie again?

So not the typical Hughes drama, right? And that's clearly what Beatty was going for, hence the title, as he tries to buck the usual biopic structure. In a way, Rules Don't Apply mirrors the free-wheeling fiction of Don Cheadle's Miles Ahead, only less competently put together. Sloppy editing leads to some abrupt and jarring scene changes that only muddle the passage of time, not to mention raise questions over what Beatty wants us to focus on. See if you can count the number of times he cuts away to a random character who has nothing to do with the present scene.  And at least Cheadle had the good sense to make his movie about Miles Davis, not some random flunky in his employ. By the time we finally meet Hughes he's already fallen off the deep end. He's hiding in the darkness refusing to be seen, he's serving his girls TV dinners and ordering hundreds of gallons of banana nut ice cream. He's fickle, moody, unkempt, and on the verge of losing his business if proven insane. It's a potentially interesting plot that would have made for a far better movie than the extended meet-cute we're treated to.

There are a few shining moments, beginning with the polished cinematography by Caleb Deschanel that presents Hollywood like one gigantic fantasy backlot, similar to the Coen Brothers' ritzier Hail Caesar. And there's one laugh-out-loud hilarious moment when an aging Hughes wobbles through piloting one of his planes while the passengers (including Steve Coogan in a brief, almost wordless cameo) look to one another in horror. Otherwise, the parade of celebrity guest stars don't get much to do. Matthew Broderick, Annette Bening, Taissa Farmiga, Haley Bennett, Candice Bergen, Oliver Platt, Alec Baldin, Dabney Coleman and many more get to say they worked with a legend like Beatty. Too bad Rules Don't Apply fails to represent the best of Beatty's career, but more like Hughes' sad final years when time had passed him by.

1.5 out of 5

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Warren Beatty Becomes Howard Hughes In Final 'Rules Don't Apply' Trailer

Not every actor can take fifteen years away and come back like he never left. Fortunately for Warren Beatty his legendary status allows him to do just that. His Howard Hughes film Rules Don't Apply is his first in that stretch of time, and with the star-studded film on the way next month the final trailer has arrived.

Directed by and starring Beatty as the reclusive, eccentric Hughes, the film stars Lily Collins as a contract actress who finds her faith tested and career jeopardized her love for her driver, played by Alden Ehrenreich. Kind of an oddball premise, but with a cast that includes Alec Baldwin, Annette Bening, Haley Bennett, Candice Bergen, Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, Steve Coogan, Taissa Farmiga, Ed Harris, Oliver Platt, and Martin Sheen it should be fun.  Here's the synopsis:

An aspiring young actress (Lily Collins) and her ambitious young driver (Alden Ehrenreich) struggle hopefully with the absurd eccentricities of the wildly unpredictable billionaire (Warren Beatty), who they work for.

It’s Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), who is engaged to be married to his 7th grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have any relationship whatsoever with a contract actress. Hughes’ behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.

Rules Don't Apply opens November 23rd.

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The 'Rules Don't Apply' In Trailer For Warren Beatty's Howard Hughes Film

Younger moviegoers may not have a clue who Warren Beatty is, sad as that may be. The Hollywood icon hasn't directed a movie in 18 years and hasn't been in front of the camera much, either. But he's coming back in a big way with his long-developing Howard Hughes film, Rules Don't Apply, in which he gets to direct and share screen time with a pair of rising stars in Alden Ehrenreich and Lily Collins.

Also featuring Alec Baldwin, Annette Bening, Haley Bennett, Candice Bergen, Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, Steve Coogan, Taissa Farmiga, Ed Harris, Megan Hilty, Oliver Platt and Martin Sheen, the film follows a pair of young lovers who must hide their relationship from the reclusive, eccentric Hughes.  Here's the synopsis:

It’s Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), who is engaged to be married to his 7th grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have any relationship whatsoever with a contract actress. Hughes’ behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.

Rules Don't Apply opens November 23rd.

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First Trailer And Poster For Warren Beatty's Long-Awaited 'Rules Don't Apply'

Whether you've been waiting for screen legend Warren Beatty to make his return in front of the camera or take his place behind it, you've been waiting a really long time. Eighteen years have passed since his last directorial effort, 1998's Bulworth, and fifteen years since he starred in 2001's Town & Country. And since that time he's been slowly, VERY slowly, developing his Howard Hughes biopic, Rules Don't Apply, and finally the first trailer for the passion project is here.

This isn't a straight biography of the reclusive Hughes, however. It's more of a comedy romance starring Lily Collins and future Han Solo himself, Alden Ehrenreich, as an actress and driver who fall in love while under Hughes' employ. Here's the synopsis for the latest trek through old Hollywood:

It’s Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen and devout Baptist Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her personal driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), only two weeks on the job and also from a religiously conservative background.

Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have an intimate relationship with a contract actress. But Hughes’ absurd behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.

Also starring Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick, Candice Bergen, Alec Baldwin, Steve Coogan, Taissa Farmiga, Ed Harris, and Haley Bennett, Rules Don't Apply opens November 11th.

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First Look At Alden Ehrenreich And Lily Collins In Warren Beatty's 'Rules Don't Apply'

It was way back in 2011 when word first broke that Warren Beatty would be returning to the big screen with a Howard Hughes biopic that he would also direct. Ever since, the project has been more legend than reality, even as names such as Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, and Beatty's wife Annette Bening joined the cast. Now suddenly not only do we have the first images from the long-awaited film, but an official title: Rules Don't Apply.

The images reveal Ehrenreich, who recently snagged the coveted Han Solo role in a standalone Star Wars movie, and Lily Collins, who was last seen in the romantic comedy, Love, Rosie. Unfortunately, no images of Beatty, who would be making his first appearance on screen in 15 years. He'll play Hughes, the famed filmmaker, aviator, and philanthropist, who forbids any kind of romance between his two employees, played by Collins and Ehrenreich. Beatty tells EW about the long wait to the film's completion...

“I never lost my curiosity about him. It’s just that I don’t run around doing movies all the time.”

Rules Don't Apply will open on November 11th, and has to be considered a player in the awards season. The rest of the cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Haley Bennett, Oliver Platt, Ed Harris, Martin Sheen, Candice Bergen, Steve Coogan, and many more.

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