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December Movies: Hobbit, Exodus, Unbroken, & The Interview...


Mark Vader

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December is here and that will put an end to the Holiday Season of movies and the year of 2014. The last of the big budgeted, big titles of the year arrive, until next summer, and that final push for Oscar and other awards events all come at this point in time. Leading the way is the final chapter of a celebrated story, which will more likely mark the end to the film making of stories from an amazing world.

 

Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, MGM & director Peter Jackson bring us, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies". Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the terrifying Smaug from acquiring a kingdom of treasure and obliterating all of Middle-Earth. What started back in 2001 with the very first "Lord of the Rings" movie brought a revolution to the fantasy genre and an excitement to these epic fictional tales. Now, we prepare to say goodbye, as it appears that this will be the last film ever made involving Middle Earth. That is of course, unless somebody attempts to re-make all of these films. Hopefully someone will have the guts to bring other fantasy stories to life on the big screen. Fantasy tales that are geared more to adults than to children. Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Benedict Cumberbatch & Christopher Lee.

 

20th Century Fox and director Ridley Scott bring us, "Exodus: Gods and Kings". The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues. Starring Christian Bale, Joel Edgarton, Ben Kingsley & Sigourney Weaver.

 

Universal Studios and director Angelina Jolie bring us, "Unbroken". A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II. Starring Jack O'Connell, Garrett Hedlund, Domhnall Gleeson & Jai Courtney.

 

Columbia Pictures presents, "The Interview". Dave Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapoport run the popular celebrity tabloid TV show "Skylark Tonight." When they discover that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, they land an interview with him in an attempt to legitimize themselves as journalists. As Dave and Aaron prepare to travel to Pyongyang, their plans change when the CIA recruits them, perhaps the two least-qualified men imaginable, to assassinate Kim Jong-un. Starring James Franco & Seth Rogen.

 

Disney and director Rob Marshall bring us, "Into the Woods". A witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree. Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine & Johnny Depp.

 

Director Tim Burton presents, "Big Eyes". A drama centered on the awakening of the painter Margaret Keane, her phenomenal success in the 1950s, and the subsequent legal difficulties she had with her husband, who claimed credit for her works in the 1960s. Starring Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams, Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman, Danny Huston & Terrence Stamp.

 

Ben Stiller stars in "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb". Larry spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever. Also starring Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ben Kingsley, Ricky Gervais, Mickey Rooney & Dick Van Dyke.

 

In "Annie", A foster kid, who lives with her mean foster mom, sees her life change when business tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Starring Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale & Cameron Diaz.

 

Chris Rock directs and stars in "Top Five". A comedian tries to make it as a serious actor when his reality-TV star fiancée talks him into broadcasting their wedding on her TV show. Also starring Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Seinfeld & Adam Sandler.

 

Calendar with Trailers

 

12/12

"Top Five": http://www.topfivemovie.com/

 

"Exodus: Gods and Kings": http://www.exodusgodsandkings.com/#home

 

12/17

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies": http://www.thehobbit.com/

 

12/19

"Annie": http://www.annie-movie.com/site/'>http://www.annie-movie.com/site/

 

"Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb": http://www.annie-movie.com/site/

 

12/26

"Unbroken": http://www.unbrokenfilm.com/

 

"The Interview": http://theinterviewmovie.tumblr.com/

 

"Into the Woods": http://movies.disney.com/into-the-woods/

 

"Big Eyes": http://bigeyesfilm.com/

 

That's all for now. I will post the Independent films later. Until then.....Enjoy!

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Great job as always Vader! I'm especially excited for the final installment of The Hobbit. Jackson has done such a phenomenal job of bringing a cherished series of mine to life. When I first learned that the Lord of the Rings trilogy was being made into films, I was skeptical of how it would turn out, because each reader has his own vision of Tolkien's world and its many characters. Jackson did not disappoint in his vision, for me at least.

 

There is a chance that we could be brought back to Middle Earth if they get the rights to his other works. The Silmarillion could work, though it would be difficult. The scope is so broad and the rights are owned by Tolkien's family and they are not looking to have that discussion at this time. It also wasn't written entirely by J.R.R. so there's that issue as well. I sincerely hope that no one attempts to remake these trilogies, at least not until a good amount of time has passed (many decades).

Edited by KikoSeeBallKikoGetBall
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I am torn on Exodus. I am a big fan of the original "Ten Commandments"-- not sure I want to see it re-made.

 

I'm torn on it too. It looks like a movie that really didn't need to be made, but then it has a good cast and good people behind it. Maybe if I'm bored one day I'll check it out.

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Looking forward to Unbroken.

 

I am torn on Exodus. I am a big fan of the original "Ten Commandments"-- not sure I want to see it re-made.

I thought it was about Moses leading his people out of Egypt and the 10 plagues. I dont think it will focus on the 10 commandments much until the end

 

 

CBF

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  • 3 weeks later...

Interesting you say that. I am a huge musical theater fan. But the one time I saw "into the woods," I thought it was dreadful. No desire to see the movie.

 

I like a decent musical, though I'm not a huge fan, and didn't realize this had so much singing. I lasted about 2/3 of the way through before I wanted to leave, but my gf who likes musicals more than me, was ready to leave long before that. She was ready to go about the halfway mark. The only thing that kept us there was we were boxed in on all sides by other people.

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Watched the interview Christmas night. I'm a fan of Franco and Rogen et al so I enjoyed the movie for what it was. I know alot here won't like it, but after the Kate Upton thread I question people's tastes. If you like that kind of movie, you'll like it, if you are looking for a film with deep meaning and Oscar worthy acting, stay away because it's not for you.

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As everybody probably knows... Zamperini (Unbroken) was born in Olean, New York. Little bit of the WNY connection, even if he moved away when he was two. It's a sense of pride w/my 2nd generation Italian MiL who was also from Olean. Her mother and father were both from Italy. Her father's greatest sense of pride was when he was in WWII Italy. An Italian born US soldier liberating Italy.

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As everybody probably knows... Zamperini (Unbroken) was born in Olean, New York. Little bit of the WNY connection, even if he moved away when he was two. It's a sense of pride w/my 2nd generation Italian MiL who was also from Olean. Her mother and father were both from Italy. Her father's greatest sense of pride was when he was in WWII Italy. An Italian born US soldier liberating Italy.

 

Did you see the movie yet? I read the book, which was great.

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