Best horror movies of 2016

Hi It's the Halloween season and it's a perfect time to go over the best horror movies of 2016, the first on the list is my favorite...
THE CONJURING 2

In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren come out of a self-imposed sabbatical to travel to Enfield, a borough in north London. There, they meet Peggy Hodgson, an overwhelmed single mother of four who tells the couple that something evil is in her home. Ed and Lorraine believe her story when the youngest daughter starts to show signs of demonic possession. As the Warrens try to help the besieged girl, they become the next targets of the malicious spirit.

Initial release: June 8, 2016 (Belgium)

Director: James Wan

Box office: 320.2 million USD

Film series: The Conjuring Film Series

Budget: 40 million USD

Critic Review
"This is a great movie, it's funny and scary at the same time ; James Wan did a great job as usual on it." - Rosie Martini (MARTINI'S MOVIE BLOG)

And for the  second place on the list..

OUIJA :ORIGIN OF EVIL

In 1967 Los Angeles, widowed mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) unwittingly invites authentic evil into her home by adding a new stunt to bolster her séance scam business. When the merciless spirit overtakes her youngest daughter Doris (Lulu Wilson), the small family must confront unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.

Initial release: October 20, 2016 (Germany)

Director: Mike Flanagan

Film series: Ouija Film Series

Budget: 9 million USD

Producers: Michael Bay, Jason Blum,Andrew Form, Bradley Fuller, Brian Goldner,Stephen Davis

Critic Review
" this is a prequel to OUIJA (2014), this movie gives meaning to OUIJA (2014) and it explains alot of events that took place in it. Good one ". - Rosie Martini (MARTINI'S MOVIE BLOG)

The third on the list is...

THE PURGE :ELECTION YEAR

As a young girl, Sen. Charlie Roan survived the annual night of lawlessness that took the lives of her family members. As a presidential candidate, Roan is determined to end the yearly tradition of blood lust once and for all. When her opponents hatch a deadly scheme, the senator finds herself trapped on the streets of Washington, D.C., just as the latest Purge gets underway. Now, it's up to Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), her head of security, to keep her alive during the next 12 hours of mayhem.

Initial release: July 1, 2016 (USA)

Director: James DeMonaco

Box office: 118.1 million USD

Film series: The Purge film series

Budget: 10 million USD

Critic Review
" An unexpected turn of events from the storyline of The Purge : Anarchy. I bet I was not the only one expecting this movie to be a continuation of the previous one. All in all its still a good movie ". - Rosie Martini (MARTINI'S MOVIE BLOG).

And at number four.....

DON'T BREATH

Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Money gets word about a blind veteran who won a major cash settlement following the death of his only child. Figuring he's an easy target, the trio invades the man's secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.

Initial release: August 25, 2016 (Italy)

Director: Fede Alvarez

Box office: 147.2 million USD

Budget: 9.9 million USD

Producers: Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert,Joseph Drake, Nathan Kahane, J.R. Young.

Critic Review
" A muscular exercise in brutal, relentless peril that should please genre fans ". - Dennis Harvey (variety).

And At number four....

LIGHTS OUT

When Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) left home, she thought that her childhood fears were behind her. As a young girl growing up, she was never really sure of what was real when the lights went out at night. Now, her little brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that jeopardized her safety and sanity. Holding a mysterious attachment to their mother (Maria Bello), a supernatural entity has returned with a vengeance to torment the entire family.

Initial release: July 21, 2016 (Denmark)

Director: David Sandberg

Box office: 148 million USD

Budget: 4.9 million USD

Producers: James Wan, Eric Heisserer,Lawrence Grey

Critic Review
" This simple but effective horror movie seems to do everything exactly right". - Jefferson M. Anderson (common sense media ).

Coming through at number five is....

THE SHALLOWS

Still reeling from the loss of her mother, medical student Nancy Adams (Blake Lively) travels to a secluded beach for some much-needed solace. Despite the danger of surfing alone, Nancy decides to soak up the sun and hit the waves. Suddenly, a great white shark attacks, forcing her to swim to a gian… More

Initial release: June 21, 2016 (New York City)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Box office: 119.1 million USD

Budget: 17 million USD

Music composed by: Marco Beltrami

Critic Review
"Like the shark at the Center of its story, this movie pulls you in the minute Nancy grabs her surfboard and gets into the water ". - Yvonne Condes (common sense media).

At number Seven position it's the......

TRAIN TO BUSAN

A man (Gong Yoo), his estranged daughter and other passengers become trapped on a speeding train during a zombie outbreak in South Korea.

Initial release: July 2016 (South Korea)

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Film series: Seoul Station Film Series

Box office: 99 million USD

Screenplay: Yeon Sang-ho

Critic Review
"Train to Busan is a public-transportation horror movie with a side helping of class war fare". - Jeannette Catsoulis (The NY times )

At the number Eight it's....

THE WAILING

Suspicion leads to hysteria when rural villagers link a series of brutal murders to the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Kunimura Jun).

Initial release: June 3, 2016 (USA)

Director: Na Hong-jin

Cinematography: Hong Gyeong-Pyo

Screenplay: Na Hong-jin

Languages: Korean, Japanese

Critic Review

"As a whole, THE WAILING is the hard stuff, Handle with care". - Glenn Kenny (The NY times).

At number Nine we have ....

UNDER THE SHADOW

After Shideh's building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbor suggests that the missile was cursed and might be carrying malevolent Middle-Eastern spirits. She becomes convinced a supernatural force within the building is attempting to possess her daughter Dorsa, and she has no choice but to confront these forces if she is to save her daughter and herself.

Initial release: October 7, 2016 (USA)

Director: Babak Anvari

Box office: 98,517 USD

Screenplay: Babak Anvari

Music composed by: Will McGillivray, Gavin Cullen

Critic Review
" A satisfying tense and atmospheric thriller set in a haunted Tehran apartment during the terrifying final days of the  Iran-Iraq war". - Justin Chang (variety)

And last on the list but definitely not the least, at number ten is...

HUSH

A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.

Hush is a 2016 American horror thriller film directed by Mike Flanagan from a screenplay by Flanagan and Kate Siegel. The film stars Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, and Emilia "Emma" Graves. Wikipedia

Initial release: March 12, 2016

Director: Mike Flanagan

Budget: 70,000 USD

Production company: Blumhouse Productions

Screenplay: Kate Siegel, Mike Flanagan

Critic Review

"A resourceful deaf woman takes on a psychopathic killer in a hugely effective film that recalls the opening of scream". - Benjamin Lee (the Guardian).

And it's a wrap, I hope you enjoyed the reviews as much as I did while compiling them. And if you haven't seen some of the movies listed or any of them I suggest you do so. You will be glad you did.

RAMBO IS BEING REBOOTED, HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW

MI hope you're having a good Friday, because depending on your opinion of reboots, you're either about to have a really good one or a really bad one. It was just announced that Nu Image/Millennium Films are plotting to reboot the action franchise Rambowith an all-new star in the title role. Series star Sylvester Stallone will not return as the title character (not that he wanted to).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reboot will continue the franchise's confusing title pattern and will be called Rambo: New Blood.It's unknown if Stallone will be involved in the project as a producer (or have a cameo), but a younger actor will take up the mantle. The producers are comparing the character to being similar to James Bond, presumably meaning that they can cast anyone as Rambo whenever they need to and people will just shrug and say "okay." Brooks McLaren will write the screenplay, while Ariel Vernon is tapped to direct.

Brooks McLaren doesn't have much to credit him with just yet, but he seems to have experience in the action genre. He first came onto the scene with the screenplay for How it Ends, a post-apocalyptic survival film that made the 2010 Black List. One of his in-development projects is the action thriller Line of Sight, which is being developed by Ben Affleck for Warner Bros -- which gives McLaren some good street cred. Ariel Vernon is arguably best known for directingThe Iceman, a crime drama with Michael Shannon. His latest film,Criminal, premiered just this year starring Kevin Costner as a brain-swapped Ryan Reynolds alongside Gal Gadot.

Based on the book First Blood by David Morrell, the first Rambo burst into theaters in 1982 starring Stallone as a struggling veteran. Despite delivering the usual high doses of adrenaline and gun fights, the movie offered a surprising look at the effect of war on Vietnam veterans. The sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II, was a massive success and cemented the character as an action icon. He would go on to hit the big screen again in the simpler titledRambo III before Stallone returned to the role for what is now the last time in 2008's Rambo.

The project is still in the infancy of development, so there are no details on the plot. Assuming that the point of the reboot is to set a younger Rambo in a modern time, then it could aim to replace the Vietnam War with, say, the Iraq War for a more relevant commentary. That COULD be good, but it's all up in the air at this point.

No matter what the story is, I hope that it hires Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation, as the narrator because of his excellent commentary on the original.

There's no word on a release date forRambo: New Blood, but keep checking here at CinemaBlend, and we'll keep you updated.

The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2016: The Rock Leads With Knockout $64.5 Million Year

Full List: The World’s Highest-Paid Actors 2016

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson elbowed out reigning top-ranked Robert Downey Jr. to become the world’s highest-paid actor–and scored his biggest ever annual paycheck in the process.

Johnson’s $64.5 million payday more than doubled his 2015 earnings, making him this year’s biggest dollar gainer. The erstwhile wrestler’s millions and millions came from upfront fees for movies including Central Intelligence and Fast 8, as well as the forthcoming Baywatch in which he’s set to play Mitch Buchannon. A staple of the Fast and Furious franchise, the stellar box office performance of his recent films (including 2015’s hit San Andreas) have seen his quotes skyrocket.

“I can kick ass better than anyone on the planet,” Johnson told FORBES in 2012. “And I have a decent smile.”

He bested second-ranked Jackie Chan($61 million), who mints money with movies in China, and Matt Damon, who tallied $55 million largely off the success of The Martian to boost his earnings 120% year over year.

Rounding out the top five is perennial list member Tom Cruise (No. 4, $53 million) and Johnny Depp (No. 5, $48 million), the latter of whom received a restraining order against him in May, after his wife, Amber Heard, alleged he physically and verbally abused her. The couple reached a $7 million divorce settlement in August; Heard donated the cash to charity. The damning accusations did not impact his earnings during our scoring period–he pocketed an estimated eight figures upfront apiece for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean installment and box office bomb Alice Through the Looking Glass–but his paychecks look set to plummet next year.

The only returnee to the ranking: Harrison Ford, who sneaks on with an outsized payday for his return as Han Solo in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He most recently made the list in 2009.

From the squared ring to the silver screen: Dwayne Johnson nabbed his highest-ever paycheck thanks to soaring upfront fees. 

 

“I can kick ass better than anyone on the planet,” Johnson told FORBES in 2012. “And I have a decent smile.”

He bested second-ranked Jackie Chan($61 million), who mints money with movies in China, and Matt Damon, who tallied $55 million largely off the success of The Martian to boost his earnings 120% year over year.

A quarter of this global list hail from outside the U.S. Aside from Chan, four Bollywood stars returned to the ranking for the second year in a row. Shah Rukh Khan ($33 million), the top-ranked Indian actor, banked as much as Downey Jr. , while Akshay Kumar ($31.5 million) earned the same as Brad Pitt in our scoring period.

Almost universally, a gender pay gap persists. The world’s highest-paid actress, Jennifer Lawrence ($46 million), earned 71% of Johnson’s $64.5 million. That ratio is a little lower than the 79 cents a white woman is typically paid to every dollar a white man makes, but better than the pay disparity Hispanic or Black women typically face.

There are simply more big budget roles for men that pay the high fees and cut of profits needed to score multimillion take-homes. In fact, there are more roles for men, period: Male characters comprise an overwhelming 71% of all speaking roles in movies, according to a recent study. To wit, eighteen actors banked over $20 million in our scoring period, compared with just four actresses.

Combined, the world’s 20 highest-paid actors earned a whopping $703.5 million between June 1, 2015 and June 1, 2016, before management fees and taxes. That’s more than three times the $205 million tallied by the top 10 highest-paid actresses in the same time frame.

Men in movies can also have longer careers than the top-earning women: 95% of the highest-paid actors are over 40, compared with half of the actresses. The same study found that men fill nearly three quarters of all roles for characters over 40. In our rankings, all of the highest-paid actresses are under 50, while 45% of the actors are 50-plus. In fact, two of the actors on the list, Ford and Amitabh Bachchan, are even in their seventies.

Just missing the cut this year is 64-year-old Liam Neeson, whose earnings dropped below the $15 million barrier to entry. Seth Rogen, Chris Hemsworth and Channing Tatum were among the drop-offs, largely due to quieter years or movies that fell outside our scoring period.

While last year’s ranking evaluated 34 men, this year’s list scaled back to the top 20 to home in on acting’s earning elite. Figures are based on data from Nielsen, BoxOffice Mojo and IMDB, as well as interviews with agents, managers and lawyers.

Highest-grossing films of 2016

Captain America: Civil War, Zootopia, andFinding Dory have grossed more than $1 billion, making them the 25th, 26th, and 27th films, respectively, to reach the $1 billion mark and the 12th, 24th, and 26th highest-grossing films of all time; the latter two are also the fourth and fifth animated films, respectively, to reach the mark following Toy Story 3 (2010),Frozen (2013), and Minions (2015).Zootopia became the second original film to cross $1 billion after Avatar(2009), while Finding Dory became the second Pixar film to reach the mark after Toy Story 3, being the fourth and fifth highest-grossing animated films of all time. This marks the first time that two animated films grossed more than $1 billion in a single year. The Jungle Book grossed more than $966 million, making it the 31st highest-grossing film of all time. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice grossed more than $873 million, making it the 47th highest-grossing film of all time. The Secret Life of Pets has grossed more than $864 million, making it the 50th highest-grossing film of all time and the twelfth highest-grossing animated film of all time.

Captain America: Civil War, Zootopia, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Warcraft have grossed more than ¥1 billion at the Chinese box office, making them the 21st, 19th, 20th, and 22nd films, respectively, to reach the ¥1 billion mark, and the 15th, 7th, 22nd, and 8th highest-grossing films in China. Civil War became the second superhero film (after Avengers: Age of Ultron) and the ninth American film;Zootopia became the first animated film and seventh American film (third highest after Furious 7 andTransformers: Age of Extinction with ¥1.53 billion); Kung Fu Panda 3 became the second animated film and eighth American film; and Warcraft became the first video game adaptation, the tenth American film, and the fastest film to hit the milestone (114 hours).

Dog Eat Dog

Plot Summary

Ex-cons, Troy (Nicolas Cage), Mad Dog (Willem Dafoe) and Diesel (Christopher Matthew Cook), are hired by an eccentric mob boss to kidnap a baby and hold it for a large ransom. When the abduction goes awry, the men find themselves on the run from the mob and the cops. Vowing to stay out of prison at all costs, getting away with the crime is a matter of life and death.

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Matthew Cook, Louisa Krause, Omar Dorsey, Melissa Bolona, Rey Gallegos, Chelcie Melton

Director: Paul Schrader

Genres: Crime drama, Thriller

Distributor: RLJ Entertainment

The Charnel House

Plot Summary

Strange events plague the new owners (Callum Blue, Nadine Velazquez) and tenants of a building that used to be a slaughterhouse.

Cast: Callum Blue, Nadine Velazquez, Makenzie Moss,Erik LaRay Harvey, Danielle Lauder, Andy Favreau, Kate Linder, Neil Thackaberry

Director: Craig Moss

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Distributor: Freestyle Releasing LLC

ONE BIG WAY INDIANA JONES 5 WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS ADVENTURES

Movie news
Just when we thought that everyone's favorite cinematic archaeologist belonged in a museum, he dusted himself off and got back into the fight. Just in case you didn't know, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford will soon revive Indiana Jones for a fifth film in 2019. Nearly four decades after the iconic hero debuted in cinemas, the series is going to bring back a number of vital elements to the fray -- with one major exception. It turns out that George Lucas is reportedly not involved with the development of Indiana Jones 5in anyway, which is a major shift for the series. Screenwriter David Koepp explained:

He's not [involved in the story], to my knowledge. I've had no contact with him.

During a recent interview with collider, Indiana Jones 5screenwriter, David Koepp, revealed that George Lucas is not involved in the development of the upcoming Indy sequel. If that's truly the case, then it marks the first time that the man behind the Star Wars saga has not contributed to the development of an Indiana Jones movie. Prior to Indiana Jones 5, the partnership between Lucas and Steven Spielberg operated with Lucas developing the basic idea for Indy's latest adventure, and Spielberg taking the reigns on actual production. It had previously been announced that Lucas would once again serve as an Executive Producer on Indiana Jones 5, but Koepp's statement bring's Lucas' overall involvement into some form of question.

It's fairly safe to assume that not everyone will react to this news the same way. For some, George Lucas' apparent lack of involvement in the project may be somewhat disheartening. However, there's likely to be an equal portion of the population who feels somewhat relieved by this. For all of his prowess and wizardry on the technical  side of filmmaking (something we really cannot ignore), George Lucas has not exactly proven himself as the most competent storyteller in recent years. With that in mind, David Koepp and Steven Spielberg have done stellar work together on films like Jurassic Parkand War of the Worlds, so Lucas' absence could allow the next Indymovie to flourish in unforeseen ways.

No matter what, it's already clear that Indiana  Jones 5 will look and feel considerably different compared to the hero archaeologist's last adventure. In addition to staying away from ridiculous elements like lead-lined fridges, Koepp has been quite vocal in his desire to rejigger the franchise to focus on a vastly different type of MacGuffin compared to what audiences saw in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As long as no aliens show up, we will be happy.

At this point it remains unclear howIndiana Jones 5 will pan out without George Lucas' involvement. The film is currently slated to hit theaters on July 19, 2019, so we still have a few years left until we know for sure.

Ouija 2 ending: why it had to be so dark.

Spoiler Alert !!! 

While there are plenty of classic horror films that wrap things up in a nice little, happy bow at the end, writer/director Mike Flanagan's Ouija: Origin of Evil is not one of them. Instead of a classic, "Hooray! We got rid of the ghost" moment, the movie instead comes to an end with three of the major characters being dead, and the survivor being put in an institution. It's seriously dark stuff, particularly for a PG-13 movie, but it was something that the story just couldn't avoid, simply because of the established continuity in the original Ouija.

When the movie's director was interviewed about Ouija: Origin of Evil  earlier this month over the phone, one of the subjects that was  discussed was the film's finale and how it connected back to its 2014 predecessor. Because the filmmaker felt it was important to have the two movies sync up in their descriptions of what happens, he always knew where the story was going to wrap up, and just dived in head-first while fully acknowledging the darkness and emotional impact. Said Flanagan,

"One of the things about the continuity we chose to keep with the first movie, meant three things had to happen. There was no way out it. By the end of the day, Doris was dead, Alice was dead, and Lina is in an institution - which is an incredibly brutal downer of an ending, especially after we try to make you care about everybody for so long. But we knew that, and there was some talk of, 'Well, maybe we can get away with a happier ending.' But it just didn't feel honest."

It would have betrayed the continuity with Lin Shaye's character in the first Ouija to have the story go any other way than it did in the film -- but Mike Flanagan did admit that did wind up changing an important part of that sequence with reshoots. Specifically, the mother-daughter moment where Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) says goodbye to Lina (Annalise Basso):

"We fleshed out one moment toward the end. There's a moment where Lena and Alice get to connect with each other and have a couple words right before Alice died, and that was not in the original [script]. That was an idea that came up in post, just because I felt like the characters had earned that, and I really wished we had built that in from the beginning. So they were kind enough to let us go back and get it."

Ultimately, the end of Ouija: Origin of Evil does stay in line with the way events are recounted in the firstOuija, and there's certainly something to appreciate in that attention to detail -- but there was an extra bonus in it all for Mike Flanagan as well. In a way, it turned out to be a way for him to stand up for PG-13 horror movies and show audiences that they can still provide an emotional impact. Said Flanagan,

There was always this kind of thing when we talked about the rating, that was like, 'Everyone is aware we're killing a nine year old, right? Everyone? Ok. Just wanted to say that out loud again.' So no one is surprised when we see the movie, because it's not going to end well. Just saying. But yeah, it's a downer, but one of the criticisms a lot of people level against PG-13 horror is that there is perception that they're not as dark and they don't kind of have the fangs narratively that their R-rated counterparts do. And that was another thing that I was excited about. It's going to be PG-13, but you know what? We're going to be as brutal as we can emotionally.

For those of you who saw the 2014 Ouija, did you appreciate the sequel's connection back to the first film? For those of you who saw the follow-up first, did you dig the darkness ofOrigin of Evil's ending? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts.

Dead pool 2

Unlike most superhero blockbusters that get $150 million to wow audiences with ridiculous spectacle, the limited budget and smaller scale of Deadpool made it truly depend on the sharpness of its script -- and it was that sharpness that kept the project fighting through years and years of development hell until it finally got made. The film could never feature a giant battle against an army of aliens... or really an army of any kind, but it succeeded by focusing on character -- which made it uproariously funny thanks to the sheer awesomeness of its titular hero, but also unique within the genre. Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds were the three men responsible for that, and given that the plan is to once again keepDeadpool 2 tight and small-scaled, it's hard not to remain confident in what the sequel can deliver.

Absolutely none of this is meant to diminish Tim Miller's contributions on the first Deadpool, as the movie probably couldn't have been made and exist in the form that it does without his particular expertise. Coming from the world of visual effects as the founder of Blur Studio, the director's background meant that the small production was able to push its budget far further than most filmmakers would have been able to do, and that clearly turned out to be massively important (in terms of the quality visuals in the film, but also just in 20th Century Fox giving the project the green light). Incredibly significant as that contribution was, however, the fantastic box office numbers mean that particular skill won't be as significant when it comes to making Deadpool 2. The first Merc With The Mouth movie is now the most successful title in the X-Menfranchise, and while the sequel won't change things much scale-wise, the studio will surely be giving the production all the money it needs to be a success.

The news of Tim Miller leavingDeadpool 2 is definitely disappointing news for fans. We will miss the particularly fun and appropriate style he brought to the 2016 blockbuster, and who ever winds up sitting in the director's chair will have some absolutely massive shoes to fill. That being said, fans have no reason to worry about the upcoming sequel, as it is still very much in appropriate and capable hands. And if you need assurance of that, all you need to do is remember who's described as "The Real Heroes Here" in Deadpool's opening credits.

JACK REACHER : NEVER GO BACK

Synopsis :
Investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) Springs into action after the arrest of Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), an Army major accused of treason. Suspecting foul play, Jack embarks on a mission to prove that the head of his old unit is innocent. After crossing paths with the law, Reacher must now go on the lam to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy that involves the death of U.S.
soldiers.

Credits:

Directed by : Edward Zwick
Produced by :  Tom Cruise, Don Granger,
Christopher McQuarrie.

Starring : Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders,
Patrick Heusinger ,Aldis Hodge, Danika Yarosh and Holt McCallany .

Distributed by:  Paramount Pictures
Release dates: October 16, 2016 ( New Orleans) October 21, 2016 (United States)

Boo! A Madea Halloween

Synopsis :
Madea (Tyler Perry) winds up in the middle of mayhem when she spends a
hilarious, haunted Halloween fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies while keeping a watchful eye on a group of misbehaving teens.
Credits :

Directed by :Tyler Perry
Produced by: Tyler Perry, Ozzie Areu, Will Areu.
Written by: Tyler Perry
Starring: Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Liza Koshy, Diamond White, Lexy Panterra, Yousef Erakat, Andre Hall, Brock O’Hurn, Bella Thorne.

Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release dates :October 21, 2016
Running time: 103 minutes

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them franchise

It looks at though Warner Bros. has a lot
of faith in J. K . Rowling ‘s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise . During a live event yesterday that premiered three minutes of footage from the film , Warner Bros and J. K . Rowling announced that the movie is the first in a total of five feature films . Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them stars Eddie Redmayne , Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler , Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton and Ron Perlman .
It opens in theaters on November 18 th .

STORKS (2016)

Everyone's heard the stories of how the stork supposedly delivers babies to families that are awaiting a little bundle of joy, and on top of that, everyone's seen at least one cartoon involving stork deliveries gone horribly wrong. The ground that the film Storks travels on certainly isn't new,
however the film's novelty comes from its
approach to the subject matter. Writer / director Nicholas Stoller has taken a time worn myth and turned it into one of the funniest, most thrilling animated adventures we've seen this year, putting
Warner Animation Group on the map in a big way.It's truly a triumph of fun. Junior (Andy Samberg) is about to become "The
Boss" of stork deliveries for dotcom giant
CornerStore.com. With his boss Hunter (Kelsey Grammar) grooming him for the position just days before their annual StorkCon, Junior is given one simple task that will signify his worthiness of the position: fire the orphan Tulip (Katie Crown,) who's inventions misfire more than they work, and somehow rob the company of precious profit. Of course, matters are only further complicated
by the fact that our enterprising stork and his human employee are roped into a child delivery, which turns into an adventure that teaches us the meaning of family.

I'm just going to admit it: the synopsis I've just provided above sounds like a lot of animated films that have come before Storks, and a lot of cartoons that are being produced at this moment to succeed it. That's because it's hard to sum up the actual comedic gold that the film contains in mere words. With a sly blend of both grown-up humor centered around parenting and relationships, as well as the physical gags and bright colored dialogue that kids can enjoy, Nicholas Stoller has applied skills he's displayed in comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and even his Neighbors films, and created a film so
influenced by the Looney Tunes canon, he may as well be handed the keys to that mythic franchise on the back of this film.
This recommendation doesn't come lightly, as I've seen enough faulty kids movies to know that films like Storks don't come along often. A lot of your standard tropes litter the film, only in the hands of Stoller and his team, they're made new
again. I can't remember the last time I saw an animated film use pop music to its advantage, as this film actually breaks into song a couple of times throughout and actually manages to stay on target. One moment in particular sees the
adversarial Toady Pigeon dreaming of fame and wealth while singing The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now." It is probably one of the most hysterical scenes in the film, and it shows that
the folks that put Storks together really
understand the fine line between savvy family entertainment and stereotypical pablum. Of course, the writing is only as good as the cast that it's printed on, and Storks has a murderer's row of talent at its disposal. Besides Andy Samberg playing our goofy, not ready for prime time CEO candidate, we've got the tremendous
Katie Crown, who imbues "the orphan" Tulip with a child like sense of wonder that comes off as extremely sweet, and surprisingly never annoying. Even supporting roles featuring everyone from
Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele, to the parents played by Ty Burrell and Jennifer Aniston, get moments of comedic glory throughout the film - though Key and Peele naturally threaten to run away with the film in their roles as wolves who want the baby macguffin for their own. The only real downside to Storks is that the story
and subject matter may come off as problematic for some parents, and even some adult film viewers. Older children may question the true nature of "baby delivery," and if viewed the wrong way the message of the film may come off as
saying, "Hey guys! Having babies solves
everything!" Real life logic aside, Storks is a beautifully hilarious film that glides through comedy, action, and heartfelt emotion, to deliver an immensely satisfying package.

MOANA (2016)

Synopsis :

An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she always sought: her own identity.

Credits :

Directed by: Ron Clements, John Musker
Produced by: Osnat Shurer
Screenplay by: Jared Bush, Ron Clements, John Musker, Pamela Ribon, Taika Waititi.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Auli'i Cravalho.

Distributed by : Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release dates : November 23, 2016 (UnitedStates).

ARRIVAL (2016)

Synopsis :
When mysterious spacecraft touch down
across the globe, an elite team, led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams), is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers -- and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and, quite possibly, humanity.

Credits :

Directed by :Denis Villeneuve
Produced by: Dan Levine, Shawn Levy,
David Linde, Karen Lunder, Aaron Ryder.
Screenplay by: Eric Heisserer

Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner,
Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg.

Distributed by :Paramount Pictures
Release dates: September 1, 2016 (Venice), November 11, 2016 (United States).

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016)

Synopsis :
The year is 1926, and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident, were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a
misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

Credits :

Directed by : David Yates
Produced by: David Heyman, J. K.Rowling,
Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram.
Written by : J. K. Rowling

Starring : Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Carmen Ejogo, Colin Farrell.

Distributed by : Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates : 18 November 2016

The Accountant (2016)

The Accountant (2016) Synopsis :

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a mathematics savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Using a small-town CPA office as a cover, he makes his living as a freelance accountant for dangerous criminal organizations. With a Treasury agent (J.K. Simmons) hot on his heels, Christian takes on a state-of-the-art robotics company as a legitimate client. As Wolff gets closer to the truth about a discrepancy that involves millions of dollars, the body count starts to rise.

Credits : 
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Produced by: Lynette Howell Taylor, Mark  Williams
Written by: Bill Dubuque

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor , John Lithgow.

Release Dates: October 10, 2016(TCL Chinese Theatre)October 14, 2016(United States).

Oloibiri (2016)

OLOIBIRI

SYNOPSIS:
on Nigeria’s Niger-Delta town Oloibiri, which is credited as the country’s first point of crude oil discovery in January 1956, the movie, “Oloibiri” speaks the central theme: ‘The Price of Neglect’. It addresses this theme through three subject-matters: the tragic journey of Oloibiri into developmental retrogression, the socio-cultural under runs which birth militancy, and the agitation to compensate a land which has been raped of its resources.

“Oloibiri” is an action thriller mirroring fear and dread, community complacency, international exploitation and governmental responsibility.

CAST: Richard Mofe Damijo, Olu jacobs, willaiams moses, Taiwo Ajai Lycett, Ivie Okujaye and Ifeanyo Williams.

Release Date: October, 2016

76' (2016)

76' (2016) Synopsis :

 A young officer from the Middle Belt gets into a romantic relationship with an O-level student from the South-eastern region. However, their relationship is strained by constant military postings. The soldier gets accused of being involved in the 1976 unsuccessful military coup and assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, and the heavily pregnant wife, gets entangled in an emotional dilemma.

76 (2016) Credits :
Starring :
Ramsey Noah, Chidi Mokena, Rita Dominic, Ibinabo Fiberesima.

Director: Izu Ojukwu

Cinematography: Yinka Edward

Producers: Izu Ojukwu, Adonaija Owiriwa

Release dates: 25th November , 2016

Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange (2016) Synopsis :

Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a young, arrogant surgeon with a promising career, loses his ability to operate after a terrible accident. Despondent and suicidal, Dr. Strange seeks advice from a mystical being known as the Ancient One and learns that he is the newly designated Sorcerer Supreme, responsible for protecting the planet from evil. With his girlfriend Clea and his loyal assistant Wong in tow, Strange sets out to fulfill his destiny.

Release Dates :

October 13, 2016 (Hong Kong) November 4, 2016(United States)

Doctor Strange (2016) Credits :

Starring : Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong,Michael Stahlbarg, Benjamin BrattScott, AdkinsMads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton.

Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Screenplay by: Scott Derrickson C. Robert Cargill

John Wick : Chapter 2

It was a little bit of a surprise when a sequel to John Wick was announced. Sure, it grossed $86 million from just a $20 million budget, rejuvenated Keanu Reeves' career, and was a breath of fresh air in comparison to other action films meant that it warranted a follow-up. But by the end of John Wick everyone that had wronged the titular character was dead, which meant that there wasn't much room for a follow-up. Writer Derek Kolstad has now admitted thatJohn Wick: Chapter 2 will expand the universe and its background so that Baba Yaga can get back down to killing.

During the panel for John Wick: Chapter 2 at last weekend's New York Comic Con, Derek Kolstad was quizzed about what the action thriller will actually consist of, considering that John Wick's work was clearly done at the end of the film. This provoked Derek Kolstad to explain:

When we did the first one what we loved was alluding to scenes that we never see from John's past and alluding to characters and worlds just to pop it out a bit. John Wick: Chapter 2takes place arguably a week after the first one. One of the things that we loved about that is that of all the treatments, script notes and screenplays that we did the one thing that we held onto was this item called The Marker, which was regulated by The Continental. And it is a blood oath. Meaning that John Wick gave someone the ultimate request, so that he could get out of that life. And because he's resurfaced, they have resurfaced to actually capture him. But John Wick has changed.

In the original it was revealed that Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nygvist) had given John Wick, who was his best assassin, the "impossible task" of killing all of his competitors in one night. Because John succeeded, he allowed to retire- but the Tarasov crime syndicate was established, too. In John Wick, the crime syndicate was then destroyed by the revengeful assassin after Viggo's son Iosef had killed Wick's pup.

The Marker is likely an agreement between The Continental and John Wick that states once he left the profession he then wasn't allowed to return. Of course, because Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) killed John Wick's dog, he was left with no other option than to come out of retirement. But this is set to have violent repercussions for John Wick, and anyone that comes up against him in Chapter 2. 

Chad Stahelski also looked to clarify shortly after Derek Kolstad had made his above comments that John Wick: Chapter 2 is set just 4 days after the original. This seems a little bit excessive. Surely the man deserves a holiday after what he went through? We'll get to see if he still has the stamina to match his antics in the original when John Wick: Chapter 2 is released on February 10, 2017.

31 (2016)

31 (2016) Synopsis :

Five carnival workers are kidnapped the night before Halloween and held hostage in a large compound. At the mercy of their captors, they are forced to play a twisted game of life or death called 31. For the next 12 hours, they must fight for their lives against an endless parade of homicidal maniacs.
 
31 (2016) release date :  October 21, 2016

31 (2016) Credits :

Directed by : Rob Zombie
Produced by : Rob Zombie, Mike Eliot
Written by : Rob Zombie

Cast :

Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Meg Foster, Richard Brake, Malcolm McDowell, Judy Geeson, Jane Carr.

The Magnificent Seven

 Magnificent? Not quite, but a more accurate title -- say, The Perfectly Average Seven -- doesn't pack the marketing punch needed to sell the latest retelling of a very familiar story. This time around, Training Dayand The Equalizer director Antoine Fuqua hops in the saddle for a star-studded yarn, lassoing previous collaborators (Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke) and some shiny new wild cards (Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio) for a dependable, unsurprising account of blood-soaked frontier justice, delivered by heroic outlaws who are known for their quirky personalities, as well as their lethal hands.

It's 1879, and the mid-sized mining town of Rose Creek finds itself under the manicured thumb of the maniacal and frigid Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard, who sadly disappears for the duration of the movie after a scenery-chewing opening scene). There's plenty of gold coming out of the Rose Creek mines, and Bogue's intimidating the locals into selling their land for pennies on the dollar. The few men brave enough to stand up to this crooked land thief ended up dead, so now the populace cowers in fear.                                                                                                                          Salvation for Rose Creek begins with one woman, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), who cooks up a longshot of a plan. Emma uses the last of the town's finances to hire an entrepreneurial bounty hunter (Washington), who recruits some guns of his own. And before long, the streets of Rose Creek play host to a bloody -- and I do mean bloody -- stand off between the forces of Sort Of Right, and the thugs of Oh So Very Wrong.

Have you heard that summary before? That's because the plot ofThe Magnificent Seven already powered a previous Western starring Yul Brenner, Eli Wallach and Steve McQueen that hit in 1960, and that movie additionally was lifted from Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samuraireleased in 1954. Suffice it to say, this isn't hallowed ground. It's actually been tilled and recycled numerous times, meaning there's a familiarity to the proceedings that walks the line between comfortable and wearisome. Fuqua, however, specializes in gritty stories of questionably moral men who dig down deep and rise up against corruption, and evil forces. I wouldn't be surprised if the original Sevens, both Magnificent and Samurai, were enormous influences on Fuqua as he started making his own movies, so an updated adaptation likely sounded inevitable.

Except, the term "remake" has become a dirty word, thanks to spurned efforts such asGhostbusters and Point Break, andThe Magnificent Seven isn't going to convince a lot of detractors that the rehash concept holds a ton of promise. Fuqua's take on the vengeance drama is cold-hearted and ruthless, with the reality of death lurking around every corner for each character -- whether they be a supposed hero, a clear-cut villain of an innocent bystander. Character development is thin amongst the ensemble, particularly when Washington recruits the men on his mission. Quite often, people join the crusade because the movie's title demands that there be seven by the time the final battle arrives.

Fuqua's approach is by-the-book, so we immediately appreciate any time an actor attempts to scribble in the margins and go off of the page. Ethan Hawke hides some tantalizing secrets as a war hero with a mysterious past. And Vincent D'Onofrio immediately grabs us by the lapel with his high-pitched dialogue delivery. His character, Jack Horne, is a bear of a man who tackles and stabs with reckless abandon, and I'm convinced that every line of dialogue he uttered was improvised, because it rarely fits the action of his particular scenes... and yet, it works.

Chris Pratt, meanwhile, is fed the film's laugh lines, but he's too much of a "Movie Star" to blend into the rugged character-actor motif that the dusty Western requires. He tries, but his lawless swagger comes off as an act, while the likes of Washington, Hawke and even Sarsgaard pull the same attitude off with ease. Additionally, when Pratt's paired with Bennett -- who strikes me as a Junior Varsity Jennifer Lawrence -- I could only think of Passengers, the sci-fi romance that marries Pratt and the actual J-Law, due in theaters later this year.

Basically, with Antoine Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven, you get exactly what you paid for, but many of us have paid for it at least two times before. This is a meat and potatoes Western, with two ladles of gravy poured over the top to fill in the narrative cracks. Its macho ensemble isn't trying to reinvent the wagon wheel. They just aim to retell a recognizable, infamous and forceful vengeance tale. And to a certain extent, they have succeeded.

The Magnificent Seven opened the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.

RATING: