Rom-Coms, Thrillers & Action Films: Which February Blockbuster Are You Going to See in Theaters?

Michael Parmelee/Warner Bros.

February is the month of love, groundhogs and continuous cold weather, but that's not all. With a new month comes new movies hitting theaters which is very exciting.

Whether you're a fan of romantic comedies or love horror films, February is bringing something for everyone to see at the movies and we have a feeling you'll find more than one flick to watch in theaters.

The month kicks off with action thriller Miss Bala starring Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez and comedy/love story, Then Came You starring Nina Dobrev, Maisie Williams and Asa Butterfield.

There are also films for the kids with the newest toy film, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the third movie in the dragon-fueled franchise.

Of course love is in high supply as well thanks to Isn't Romantic which hits theaters the day before Valentine's Day, which sounds like the perfect date-night movie to us!

If you're more of a thriller fan then this month is all about you. There are three horror/thriller films that could interest you including Velvet Buzzsaw from Netflix, The Prodigy and Happy Death Day 2U.

To see all of the movies coming to theaters in February, check out the trailers below.

Make sure to cast your vote for the movie you plan on seeing in theaters as soon as it gets released!

Miss Bala: Feb. 1

Rodriguez brings the heat, action and thrills in Miss Bala, an intense story about an American named Gloria (Rodriguez) who is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime. Following the kidnapping of her friend at a club she is forced to help Mexican drug bosses commit crimes, but is later discovered and must help the U.S. take them down. The whole time she has own plan to finish it all and it's not going to be pretty.

Velvet Buzzsaw: Feb. 1

Netflix is no stranger to creating thrilling series and films and Velvet Buzzsaw is no different. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, this thriller shows what happens after a series of paintings by an unknown artist start coming to life and getting revenge on people who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art. It's scary and haunting all at once.

Then Came You: Feb. 1

Calvin (Butterfield), a hypochondriac, is forced to face his fears after meeting Skye (Williams), a girl who actually has a terminal illness and is dying. As he helps her cross off items on her to-die list (AKA a bucket list) he starts to fall for her and realize that he has a lot to live for himself.

The Prodigy: Feb. 8

If you're yearning for a movie that'll give you chills then this is for you. The Prodigy stars Taylor Schilling as Sarah, a mom who must decide what to do once her son Miles starts to exhibit terrifying and evil actions and thoughts. Does she protect him at all costs or save herself?

What Men Want: Feb. 8

Taraji P. Henson's Ali Davis can suddenly hear men's thoughts after drinking tea from a psychic and hitting her head at a club. Instead of seeing it as a burden she decides to use it to her advantage to finally get the recognition she deserves in the world of sports agents.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part: Feb. 8

Five years after everything was awesome, the LEGO citizens have a new foe and only one man can save them...Emmet (Chris Pratt). After Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) is taken by a LEGO DUPLO invader to outer space, Emmett sets out to save her and fix everything around him that is being wrecked faster than the citizens can rebuild. Oh, and he meets a new character Rex Dangervest (voiced by Pratt) who understands space and dinosaurs and is very manly.

Cold Pursuit: Feb. 8

Nels Coxman (Liam Neeson) might've been a normal snowplow driver but when his son is killed by drug dealers he quickly changes his mission in life in order to seek revenge. He becomes a cold hard killer and will stop at nothing to make the men who killed his boy pay.

Isn't It Romantic: Feb. 13

Natalie (Rebel Wilson) doesn't believe in love or love stories, but after she hits her head escaping a subway robber she wakes up inside a romantic comedy…and it's PG-13! Will she find love with Aussie hottie Blake (Liam Hemsworth) or will she still hate rom-coms and all the mushy gushy feelings they give you? We have a feeling it's the first one.

Happy Death Day 2U: Feb. 13

Death is back and it's coming for Tree (Jessica Rothe)! This film takes place two years after the events of the original film when Tree re-enters the time loop to figure out why it originally happened to her. Plus, this time she must save other college students in order to not die forever.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World: Feb. 22

The third installment in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise promises even more dragons, danger and drama. As Hiccup continues to rule the village as chief, Toothless finds love with an untamed dragon. Meanwhile, a new foe threatens everything they know as the bad guys plans to take all of the dragons and destroy their village once they're gone.

Vote now for the February release that looks the best to you.

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At Sundance, reporting on ‘The Report’ (among other new movies)

By Ty Burr Globe Staff  January 29, 2019

PARK CITY, Utah — Every year there's a big spender at Sundance; this year it's Amazon. The online superstore and streaming-video giant paid $13 million for "Late Night" — a fairly safe bet, given that it's a pleasant comedy starring Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling — and $14 million for "The Report," which is a better movie and a tougher sell.

It was hard to find anyone in Park City with a bad word to say about "Report," the second feature directed by Scott Z. Burns, a regular writer for Steven Soderbergh, but the subject — the five-year struggle to release the investigative report into the CIA's use of torture — may prompt glazed eyes in the general moviegoing public. It shouldn't. Situated firmly in the cinderblocks-and-process genre of "All the President's Men" and "Spotlight," "The Report" is a gripping procedural about the tenacity and moral certainty needed to navigate a complex Washington minefield.

I don't know that any other actor could have put across the screenplay's info-heavy blocks of dialogue with as much mensch-y hangdog naturalism as star Adam Driver. He plays Senate sub-committee investigator Dan Jones, who uncovered the horrifying details of the "enhanced interrogation techniques" used by the agency in the years following 9/11. Annette Bening plays his boss, Senator Dianne Feinstein, with a cautious, sometimes frustrating dose of realpolitik that doesn't obscure a smart, sly performance.

"The Report" isn't nonpartisan so much as dramatically aware of the gamesmanship and agendas of everyone on a crowded chessboard; it requires audience attention and greatly rewards it. If Amazon knows how to position "The Report" in theaters and at the right time, it could be a moneymaker and an awards contender. But that's asking a lot of a company unversed in the business of theatrical distribution.

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There have been other deals at Sundance, but speculation isn't running terribly high, perhaps because the buzz isn't either. There have been well-received movies and genuine crowd pleasers: "The Farewell," with its welcome star turn for Chinese-American actress Awkwafina ("Crazy Rich Asians"), which sold to A24, and "Blinded by the Light," a lively if conventional movie about a Springsteen-obsessed Pakistani teen in small-town England, from "Bend It Like Beckham" director Gurinder Chadha.

New Line already has US rights to "Blinded"; in the festival's early days, Neon bought the horror creepfest "The Lodge," while Sony Pictures Classics picked up the documentary "Where's My Roy Cohn?" and "The Sounds of Silence," starring Peter Sarsgaard as a mysterious "house tuner." Newcomer Apple spent an undisclosed sum for "Hala," Minhal Baig's affecting coming-of-age story about a Pakistani-American teenager (Geraldine Viswanathan).

The continued dominance of Amazon, Netflix, and now Apple means further new wrinkles in how new movies reach the public. The acquisitions at Sundance will almost certainly play theaters but perhaps in token loss-leader releases designed to raise awareness for their simultaneous or eventual appearance on-demand. More people may see them, but fewer may experience them on the big screen.

The more typical high-profile projects at the festival, meaning the star-heavy films playing in the Premiere category at the 2,500-seat Eccles Theatre, have been a loopy bunch this year. "Velvet Buzzsaw" is a broad satire of the LA art scene, wildly uneven in tone, that shades into supernatural horror. It features another amusingly mannered performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as an affected art critic, Rene Russo and Toni Collette as rival gallery owners, John Malkovich and Daveed Diggs as artists, and Zawe Ashton as an ambitious upstart who discovers a cache of outsider art that may have the power to kill people.

The writer-director is Dan Gilroy, who guided Gyllenhaal to gonzo greatness in "Nightcrawler" and Denzel Washington to an Oscar nomination in "Roman J. Israel, Esq." Here Gilroy's letting his hair down and having fun, which is not to be dismissed. The puncturing of art-world pretensions is mostly fish-in-a-barrel stuff, though — aside from one outrageous sight gag involving Collette and a visiting school group — and the tussling genres of "Velvet Buzzsaw" eventually cancel each other out. It's still something to see, in both senses of the word.

"Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile" is something not to see, a movie about serial killer Ted Bundy that tries to come in through the back door of his long-term relationship with a woman named Liz Kendall, who knew nothing of his crimes until he was arrested. Lily Collins plays Kendall with a mixture of naivete and guts that is appealing, and if director Joe Berlinger and writer Michael Werwie stuck to her point of view, the movie might feel as though it had something fresh to say about toxic relationships and the psychology of delusion.

They have one-time teen idol Zac Efron as Bundy, though, and while the actor gives a credible performance as a seemingly genial dude who reveals his insanity only in layers, "Extremely Wicked" — the title comes from a comment from a judge, played in the film by a hammy John Malkovich — can't resist being drawn to the devil. Collins's character takes a back seat in the trial scenes, and Berlinger, who's better known as a gifted and respected documentarian, offers vague notions about monsters, fame, and female fandom. In the end, the movie doesn't have a point, and a movie about Ted Bundy really needs a point. Otherwise, it's just a freak show.

The same might have been said about "Honey Boy," a film written by Shia LaBeouf that also casts him as his own father, a burn-out bad news stage parent. But the movie, which is clearly a work of therapy for the mercurial star/tabloid fixture, is beautifully acted by Noah Jupe ("A Quiet Place") as the young Shia, Lucas Hedges as an older Shia struggling through rehab, and LaBeouf himself. The performances and Alma Har'el's tender, canny framing of them, make "Honey Boy" worth attention, and while the final half hour doubtless means more to LaBeouf than it may to an audience, the movie digs deeply into the psychodynamics of fathers and sons and the abuses, obvious and otherwise, that can come with ambition and fame. "Honey Boy" doesn't have a distributor as of this writing. LaBeouf may not even care if it gets one.

Ty Burr can be reached at ty.burr@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @tyburr.

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Chevy's new Silverado will have a role in the 'The Lego Movie 2'

Chevrolet's newest product placement was built brick-by-brick, Lego-style.

The brand today announced that a Lego version of its redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will appear in "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part," which hits theaters Feb. 8. Chevy today also released a new ad showing two characters from the movie, Emmet and Lucy, riding in a Lego-ized Silverado. Emmet fires off a few intentionally obvious plugs, prompting Lucy to quip, "I think we are in a promotional tie-in."

Elizabeth Banks voices Lucy, while Emmet is voiced by Chris Pratt. The Lego-sized pickup truck will also be featured in social media ads on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "The new ads are a fun addition to our Silverado campaign and will hopefully attract the next generation of truck buyers to Chevrolet," Paul Edwards, U.S. VP for Chevrolet marketing, said in a press release..

The ads, by Commonwealth/McCann, follow the same lighthearted approach Chevy took in 2017, when it aired an ad for its tie in with "The Lego Batman Movie."

The new ads are part of a marketing blitz for 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, one of the most important vehicles in the General Motors fleet. The broader effort debuted earlier this month with a much more serious spot showing a cast of diverse Silverado drivers reciting lyrics from the song, "A Little Bit Country, a Little Bit Rock 'N Roll."

Chevy has an aggressive media plan for the campaign that includes a product placement deal with NBC's "This Is Us." But the media buy does not include a Super Bowl ad, a Chevy spokeswoman confirmed today. She also confirmed that no other General Motors brands will run in-game ads. The last time GM aired a Super Bowl spot was in 2017, for Buick.

Chevy's ads follow the release earlier this month of Discover's Lego campaign, which marked the company's first co-branded ad campaign with a major movie. The Martin Agency handled the ads.

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Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie Will Hit Theaters in July 2020

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Warner Bros. has announced it will release an untitled new film from director Christopher Nolan on July 17, 2020 — in IMAX, no less. We don't know the title, the plot or the cast, but with the release date now public, expect those details to surface soon.

As of right now, the only films slated to open on July 17, 2020 are a pair of animated titles — Bob's Burgers from Fox, and The Spongebob Movie from Paramount, as well as an untitled event film from Universal. You can bet the latter project, no matter what it is, really, will be moved to elsewhere on the studio's summer schedule. July 2020 also currently brings an untitled comic book movie from Sony/Marvel and an untitled DC movie, as well as Illumination's Minions 2 and Disney's Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

Image via Paramount Pictures

The month of July has proven to be a good luck charm for Nolan, whose two Batman Begins sequels opened in July, as did both Inception and Dunkirk, the latter of which earned Nolan his first Oscar nomination for Best Director, as well as $527 million worldwide — impressive for a World War II movie. Nolan previously earned original screenplay nominations for Inception and Memento.

Speaking of good luck charms, if there's a single actor one would identify with Nolan's filmography, it would have to be Michael Caine, who even managed to have an uncredited voice role in Dunkirk. Caine will be turning 86 years old in March, and it sure would be great to see him work with Nolan again, provided there's a role in the script for an actor of his age, and one worthy of an actor of his caliber.

One thing's for sure — every young actor in Hollywood will line up to work with Nolan, who launched several stars with Dunkirk. Its then-unknown lead, Fionn Whitehead, just starred in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Barry Keoghan landed the lead role of Yorick in FX's Y: The Last Man pilot, and Jack Lowden will soon be seen the wrestling movie Fighting With My Family, produced by Dwayne Johnson. The Nolan stamp of approval goes a long way in this town, and I can't wait to ask my sources who the director has his eye on when they're back from Sundance. Until then, we'll just have to wait for more information to leak out — which it almost never does when it comes to all things Nolan. I'm just relieved that the wait is, finally, over. July 2020 can't come soon enough!

Image via Warner Bros.

Image via Warner Bros.

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‘The LEGO Movie 2’ Expands the Building Brick Universe in a New Way, Phil Lord & Chris Miller Explain How

The ending of The LEGO Movie promised a clash of playtimes with some aliens from the planet Duplo arriving in Bricksburg and promising to destroy Emmet, Wyldstyle, LEGO Batman and the whole minifigure crew. As The LEGO Movie 2 trailers have teased, the invasion has brought about an apocalypse of sorts, and amidst all the chaos, a new villain named General Mayhem has kidnapped all of Emmet's friends, and it's up to the chipper Master Builder to get them back.

However, much like the original LEGO Movie, there's more than meets the eye with this sequel. The LEGO Movie 2 expands the building brick universe in a way that might surprise you, and it requires a little bit of explanation by co-writers and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. But beware that it dives into spoiler territory for The LEGO Movie 2, so proceed at your own risk.

Before The LEGO Movie 2 hits theaters with a sneak preview screening this weekend, a special screening of the sequel recently took place that was followed by a Q&A session with Phil Lord and Chris Miller. During the panel, they explained the new dynamic that comes in The LEGO Movie 2 when it's revealed that this session of imaginative playtime no longer lies only with the boy Finn from the first film. Instead, this sequel also comes from the mind of his little sister Bianca, played by The Florida Project star Brooklynn Prince. Lord and Miller explained their thought process behind the change in imagination and how it plays with The LEGO Movie universe (via IGN):

"You started this movie knowing that there was a human world, and that the world of LEGO was the world of Finn's imagination. so going into the movie, most people are armed with that information, so we wanted to try and tell a more complicated and sophisticated version of that story, where we had two different imaginations coming together. And part of the fun of the movie is trying to figure out what's happening in the real world and how that's represented in the world of the LEGO."

So when we encounter new characters like General Mayhem and Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi, we're getting part of Bianca's imagination in the film. In fact, there are even elements of the movie where she's controlling the characters that Finn was responsible for in the first movie. Lord and Miller explain how they approached that as writers and how it works in the LEGO universe:

"The general idea is that when Bianca, who is played by young Brooklynn Prince, who is an absolute delight of a human being, takes the […] characters upstairs she's playing with them and telling a story of her own, that's sort of analogous to a story that Finn was telling in the first movie, when he was playing both sides of a war that was happening with President Business, who represented his dad in the story. She's kind of imagining how [the LEGO characters] are experiencing it."

However, Lord and Miller noted that this is merely one interpretation of how The LEGO Movie 2 operates. Apparently there are people on the crew of the movie who interpret it differently. But Lord reiterated, "One interpretation is not that they are retaining their personalities across two imaginations, but rather that," and Miller followed up, "It's her representation of what his point of view would be."

That interpretation sounds like it's the most true to how this kind of playtime would be in the real world between a brother and sister who have their own idea of their toys' personalities. Having their imaginations clash is a delightful concept, and I can't wait to see how that's done in the final cut of the movie.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part hits theaters on February 8, 2019 with a sneak preview this weekend.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part" reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city. It's been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. The battle to defeat them and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet, Lucy, Batman and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.

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At the Movies: Inside the rise of luxury cinemagoing in New Zealand

HOYTS Australia

My Kitchen Rules' Manu Feildel is the man behind the Hoyts Lux menu.

Kiwi cinemas are going upmarket in their battle for our entertainment dollar.

The rise of Netflix and other streaming services are just the latest competition for the more-than-century-old movie screening business and to combat them multiplexes and boutique cinemas across the nation are putting their money into revolutionising the audience's experience. Seating is being upgraded and menu offerings refined to offer more choices than just the traditional holy trinity of soft drink, popcorn and ice-cream.

While New Zealand's big trio of Event, Readings and Hoyts cinemas have all boasted premium options for some time (Event and Readings have Gold Class cinemas, while Hoyts has it's Lux brand), recently there has been an uptick in activity. Event has unveiled a new look at its Albany complex, Readings now have dine-in cinemas at their Auckland and Dunedin locations and Hoyts introduced the Lux concept to the South Island for the first-time with the opening of the state-of-the-art, inner-city EntX building in Christchurch last year.

READ MORE:* A first look inside Christchurch's new Hoyts EntX cinema complex* At the movies: Celebrating New Zealand's best cinemas* At the movies: The argument for and against noisy cinema-goers* CuriousCity: Behind the curtain at a modern movie theatre

Multiplexes and boutique cinemas across the nation are putting their money into revolutionising the audience's experience.

Hoyts NZ operations general manager Paul Wood says they are "exceptionally proud" of their latest addition and delighted with how locals have embraced it since it opened in late September.

"Movie theatres have always faced challenges from competitors, from DVD, back to video and TV, but I think the point-of-difference has always been the experience that we can offer that you just can't replicate at home. And that's what we are particularly focusing on now."

The more-than-900 seats throughout the seven-screen complex are all faux-leather electric recliners, something that Wood says wouldn't have even been contemplated a decade ago.

Then there's the $30-a-ticket, 40-seat Lux cinemas, which offer culinary delights – at additional cost – dreamed up by My Kitchen Rules' celebrity chef Manu Feildel .

"Having him on board has been phenomenal for us," says Wood. "He's fully onboard in what we're trying to do with Lux – creating a one-stop shop for entertainment. Whereas before, you would have gone out to eat separately, now you can come for dinner, dessert and the movie all in the same place."

IAIN MCGREGOR/STUFF

Hoyts' flagship New Zealand cinema opened in central Christchurch in September 2018.

Wood says the Lux concept (which Hoyts also currently offer at Auckland's Botany and Sylvia Park and Hamilton's Te Awa locations) has proved popular with a range of age groups. "Older audiences like the idea of having a little space with good food and good drink, while those in their 20s and 30s see it as a treat so they can watch that must-see movie they've been hanging out for in the best environment possible."

He also confirms that a lot of thought goes into watch movies play in the Lux cinemas. "As well as using historical data of what has worked best, we also work collaboratively with the film distributors on a weekly basis. They do like it when their movies play there because it helps with a title's profile."

Hoyts have also embarked on a programme of upgrading their existing sites as well. EntX's Christchurch sister complex Northlands has recently been refurbished. Electric recliners now grace all the auditoriums, while the ticketing and candy bar area has been upgraded "to improve customer flow", says Wood.

"We don't want to take away human interaction, but you can now pre-order your tickets and beverages, pick them up and head straight to the cinema, bypassing the traditional queues."

Hoyts introduced the Lux concept to the South Island for the first-time with the opening of the state-of-the-art, inner-city EntX building in Christchurch last year.

Of course, it's not just the big players who are adapting to increased competition and audience demands for "an experience". Opening in 2011, Wellington's Roxy Cinema not only attempts to evoke the aura of a 1930s picture palace, it also boasts a top-class onsite restaurant CoCo.

A popular destination for "young professional couples and middle-aged women", the two-screen Miramar complex have built a reputation for offering "unique experiences", believes Roxy's social media manager and marketing co-ordinator Kaitlin Laing. One example is their regular Eat The Film programme where a screening of a cult classic is accompanied by an in-cinema degustation where each dish and drink is inspired by the scene on the screen. Recent titles have included Pulp Fiction, Point Break, The Wicker Man and Evil Dead II. Fans of the oeuf (or indeed oeuvre) may want to reserve their spot for February 3's Cool Hand Luke session.

"We block off every second row for service and bring in each dish to attendees as they are watching the film," explains Laing.

"It's the perfect night for any self-professed film buff or foodie and takes place seasonally to launch our latest CoCo menu. It became a staple after an immensely popular Wellington On A Plate event."

ROSS GIBLIN and ROBERT KITCHIN/Fairfax

The Roxy Cinema, a restored art deco theatre in Miramar, was purpose-built in 1928 to play silent films, but now shows everything from $1 mystery movies to film classics.

The Roxy have also set their sights on movie-loving families, recently introducing a Happily Ever After programme. "It's a tea party and film event based around the release of children's films. We most recently did one around The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Attendees were invited upstairs and greeted by ballet dancers and a decorated lobby with lands of ice, flowers and sweets. For each land, there was a different dressed table covered in themed sweets.

"Meanwhile, for Wellington on a Plate last year, we hosted a Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory screening where we turned our Grand Lobby and cinema into Wonka's factory. There was candy everywhere and it was a really magical afternoon for everyone involved.

"We plan to continue to host more and more of these themed events to create a better experience for cinemagoers. With the increased consumption of online streaming services we have found we need to be really creative and to create events that are unique and you can't get anywhere else."

Roxy Cinema

Miramar's Roxy Cinema hosts a regular immersive dining experience Eat the Film.

However, acutely aware of their suburban surroundings, Laing says the also try to offer affordable experiences so the whole community can get involved.  "It's important to us to not just be seen as a cinema with luxury experiences, but also a place where the locals can come and feel welcome for a coffee or cinema screening."

In another part of the capital, Empire Cinema and Eatery's general manager Nick Payne says he's definitely noticed people changing their perception of a night out at the cinema.

"They want more than the multiplex offerings of a candy bar and not much else. We have regular diners for brunch and dinner before or after a film."

John Nicholson

Island Bay's Empire Cinema and Eatery opened in 2015.

Offering a mix of blockbuster and art house viewing fare, the fully-licensed, three-screen, independent Island Bay cinema, which opened in 2015, boasts two-person couch seating and also has everything from cabinet food to Italian-inspired small plates.

"We also don't have screen advertisements and keep our trailers under 10 minutes so you're not waiting a lengthy time for the feature to start," Payne says.

Back at Hoyts, Wood says Wellington (whose main inner-city multiplex Readings Courtenay Central is currently out of action) is a market "we would like to be in, but who knows?".  The Australian company used to have two CBD locations – Mid-City and Regent on Manners – the last of which closed in 2009.

"It has to be the right location to allows us to build the right kind of cinema that we hope and believe customers are looking for now."

 

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New movies in theaters – Glass and more

The long-awaited Glas s by director M. Night Shyamalan opens today. If thrillers aren't your thing, there's also an anime film and a biopic about two beloved classic Hollywood movie stars. Check out all the details about the latest movies below! ~Emily Chavez

Glass – Self-proclaimed vigilante David Dunn (Bruce Willis) tries to stop the evils that have come to his city, but winds up in a psychiatric hospital. While there, he must stop psychopaths Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson) and The Beast (James McAvoy) before they hurt innocent people. Click here for showtimes.Trailer: Glass

Stan & Ollie – Hollywood stars Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly), both suffering from poor health, try to reignite their careers with a theater tour in post-war Britain as they embark on what becomes their swan song. This biographical film is based on the beloved comedy duo known as Laurel and Hardy, who starred in films during the 1930s and 1940s. Opening in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Click here for showtimes.Trailer: Stan & Ollie

Dragon Ball Super: Broly – When Planet Vegeta is destroyed, a powerful race is reduced to nothing and the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core. Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves pitted against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force. Opens in select theaters across Canada. Click here for showtimes.Trailer: Dragon Ball Super: Broly

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'2.O' makes a new record in Tamil Cinema

Superstar Rajinikanth's latest offering 2.0, the sequel to his 2010 blockbuster Endhiran directed by grand maker Shankar, and bankrolled by lyca productions has been setting the box office on fire with huge collections.

With the movie crossing 15 crores mark in Chennai alone, becoming the Second Highest grosser in Chennai only next to Baahubali 2 the conclusion, the movie has grossed more than 600 crores worldwide within just 2 weeks.

On the other hand, the movie has created a new record in the US box office as it has reached $ 4.7 mn surpassing Kabali's earlier record of $ 4.15 mn to become Kollywood's biggest blockbuster grosser at US box office. The movie is still running in few parts of the USA.

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The Oscar Nominations Prove We're in a New Age of Documentaries

There comes a moment in Minding the Gap when everything shifts. A Sundance darling that won the 2018 Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking and was later acquired by Hulu, the movie focuses on a trio of skateboarding friends in Illinois to delve into the unending cycle of generational abuse in poor communities ravaged by joblessness. Until about 20 minutes from the end, the viscerally gutting documentary had only hinted at the possibly abusive behavior of one of its subjects. Director Bing Liu is adamant in showing how the three Illinois teens—one of which is him—are more alike, and deeply connected, than what viewers might assume.

Grown with a son of his own, Liu's friend Zack reflects on the volatile, often confrontational relationship he had with his child's mom, Nina; the two are separated. "You can't beat up women, but bitches deserve to get slapped sometimes," he says plainly, a can of beer in one hand. "Does that make sense?" In a blink, the film cuts to another interview and the camera silently, hauntingly hovers on Liu's face and then his mother's. She carries a look of naked despair. Both were victims of domestic abuse by Liu's former stepfather, an alcoholic. It's here, in the uncomfortable marsh of reality, in the reckoning, that the film becomes about that sheer gap between healing and hurt. It is the film's most shattering and difficult moment. It is also its most triumphant.

Like Hoop Dreams before it, Minding the Gap is a rare type of film: revelatory and fraught with pain, but still hopeful despite its enveloping darkness. Somehow, it's not even the exception in a banner year for documentaries. When the Academy Award nominations were announced Tuesday, I found comfort amid the nominees for Best Documentary—alongside Liu's transformative portrait of abuse was Hale County This Morning, This Evening, director RaMell Ross's impressionistic meditation on black southern life in Selma, Alabama. (Talal Derki's powerful Of Fathers and Sons, about radical Islamist families, was also nominated, along with RBG and rock-climbing epic Free Solo.) Minding the Gap pushes documentary to its limits; Hale County This Morning, This Evening attempts to apply a new framework entirely. Together, the two films herald an elevated form for the genre and drive at its expanding possibilities.

Much like Liu's film, Hale County chronicles a small community of people who come up against ordinary and uncommon odds. Ross is a photographer by trade, and the tone of his documentary assumes poetic authority—it flickers, swoops, levitates, zooms out, exhales, recoils, bleeds, cracks, and crackles, but never does it avoid who and what crosses its lens. The lyrical tone lends the film a welcome lightness, texturally and structurally. Whittled down from 1,300 hours of footage accumulated across five years, it runs a slim 76 minutes, yet manages to shoulder a great amount of weight in that time.

A series of questions bookend the film's informal chapters. "What is the orbit of our dreaming?" "How do you not frame someone?" "Whose child is this?" Ross doesn't answer those questions outright but instead introduces the audience to four locals. There's Daniel, a college basketball player with NBA aspirations; Mary, Daniel's mom who's worked at the town catfish plant for two decades; and Boosie and Quincy, two young parents. Other town residents make appearances in images and blinking clips, but Ross mostly strips the film of dialogue. We listen as one man envisions a world without guns. Later, two elders play guitar by moonlight. There are no grand tensions, no clear-cut answers to making it, to getting over, to surviving the toll of loss in Hale County. There are only the lives—the very black lives—presented in a plain, unadorned light. With daring and compassion, the film beautifully navigates that prickly gray space of uncertainty.< /p>

In Hale County, the narrative becomes what you make it, what you choose to hold onto. It feels a lot like life.

I recently saw Hale County, and similar to Minding the Gap, was staggered by its thoughtful, almost holy, evocation of the everyday. Films depicting black life have historically skewed toward spectacle, whether chronicling street hustlers (New Jack City, Paid In Full), athletes who are forced to overcome racism (Glory Road), or death and poverty (Boyz N the Hood, Precious). While the last decade produced an incredible and incredibly important crop of documentaries focused on black history—13th, I Am Not Your Negro, and OJ: Made in America (which won the 2016 Academy Award for Best Documentary)—they all tackled larger-than-life figures and issues, acting as social commentaries rather than personal ones. Ross' eye looks elsewhere, and to great effect: He destabilizes the audience's vantage point by moving swiftly across Alabama's emerald terrain, shifting in and out of scenes, lives, homes, experiences. The narrative becomes what you make it, what you choos e to hold onto. It feels a lot like life.

This year marks the largest streaming presence for Oscar nominees—particularly for Netflix, with Roma and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs up for multiple awards. History is also being made in other categories: Several nominated films—including BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, and If Beale Street Could Talk—have helped to redeem, if partially, the academy's seeming distaste for inclusivity. Still, the inclusion of Minding the Gap and Hale County remain bright spots for me. That they beat out the Mister Rogers doc Won't You Be My Neighbor? that was considered by many critics to be a sure-fire contender, adds to the gravity of the moment.

Predictions are never safe ground, but I'm willing to wager that more indie documentaries like Minding the Gap and Hale County This Morning, This Evening will populate festivals, streaming services, theaters, and award seasons in the years ahead. It's akin to the Ryan Coogler effect, the way Black Panther opened the door for filmmakers of color in unprecedented ways. (It also helps that the documentary market is booming.) Of course, documentary operates on a much smaller scale—but it's welcome transformation nonetheless, especially in an industry sick with its own conservatism. I'm reminded of a flickering scene in Hale County, when a young black boy on a bicycle skids into the center of the camera's eye. Before taking off, he looks up with a wide smile and puts forward a question to Ross and the audience—and aptly enough, to academy voters who must now embrace their changing future: "Ready?"

More Great WIRED Stories

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James Gandolfini’s Son, Michael Gandolfini, To Take On His Father’s Role In ‘Sopranos’ Prequel Movie

New Line Cinema’s prequel to the hit HBO series The Sopranos has found its young Tony Soprano â€" and they didn’t have to look too far from home. The film, The Many Saints of Newark, would star 19-year-old Michael Gandolfini, son of the late actor James Gandolfini, who originated the role of Tony Soprano in the show. The younger Gandolfini’s credits include HBO’s The Deuce and a small role in the recent Blockbuster hit Ocean’s 8. Bearing a striking resemblance to his father, Michael is eager to take up the mantle James left empty after his tragic passing in 2013 at the age of 51.

“It’s a profound honor to continue my dad’s legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano,” Gandolfini said in a statement given to Deadline.

But continuing The Sopranos‘ legacy is a tough task to take on. The show, which aired on HBO from 1999 to 2007, won 21 Emmy awards and five Golden Globe awards throughout its six-season run, and is often lauded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Gandolfini’s father ‘s performance as the head of the Soprano mob family was highly acclaimed, and he went on to win three Emmy awards, three SAG awards, and one Golden Globe award.

But the creators and producers of the upcoming prequel are determined to deliver a  film Tony Soprano himself would approve of. The script was penned by David Chase, who created the original HBO series, and Lawrence Conner, who served as a writer for The Sopranos from 2001 to 2002. At the movie’s helm is director Alan Taylor, whose previous credits include HBO’s Game of Thrones and Marvel’s Thor: The Dark Road, as well as directing six episodes of The Sopranos in 2007. 

50 CELEBRITIES WHO DIED IN 2018 â€" TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Although the film’s plot is still under wraps, it is known that the prequel will be set in Newark during the riots of 1967, a particularly acrimonious time of tension between the city’s Italian and black residents. Only Gandolfini’s character has been confirmed, but reports suggest that the film will see the return of other beloved Sopranos characters as well.

Along with Gandolfini, the film will star Jon Bernthal (The Punisher), Vera Farmiga, Alessandro Nivola (Disobedience), Billy Magnussen (Black Mirror), and Corey Stoll. The Many Saints of Newark is being produced by New Line Cinema and distributed by Warner Bros.

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‘The LEGO Movie 2’ Early Screenings Hit 500 Theaters Two Weeks Before Release

Early screenings seem to have become the hottest thing in Hollywood for studios that want to build buzz for their films. Warner Bros. is the latest to leap onto the early screening trend, offering The LEGO Movie fans a chance to see The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part a whole two weeks before the animated sequel's theatrical release.

Warner Bros. Pictures announced that they will be holding a one-day preview screening of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part in 500 theaters across North America on January 26, 2019. The special preview screening is part of the studio's "Awesome Week" celebration in anticipation of the sequel to the lauded 2014 hit.

Tickets for The LEGO Movie 2 early screenings will go on sale on today at participating theaters and on regular online outlets.

The LEGO Movie 2 is the latest film to screen early for audiences following the steps of  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bumblebee and Aquaman. While the latter two were part of an Amazon Prime promotion, this seems to be an increasingly common practice to build buzz for family-friendly releases, such as the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World early screening. Though early screenings aren't exclusive to kid-friendly films: Glass was shown at Alamo Drafthouse locations on January 12 as part of a marathon showing both Unbreakable and Split.

But considering the success of The LEGO Movie and its various spin-offs, I'm sure The LEGO Movie 2 doesn't need all that much buzz. But it can't hurt the film, especially with the filmmakers who shepherded the original to success, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, no longer in the director's chair. Mike Mitchell (Trolls) takes over directing duties while BoJack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg pens the script.

Returning cast members Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, and Alison Brie are joined by newcomers Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, and Arturo Castro.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part officially hits theaters on February 8, 2019.

The citizens of Bricksburg face a dangerous new threat when LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space start to wreck everything in their path. The battle to defeat the enemy and restore harmony to the LEGO universe takes Emmet, Lucy, Batman and the rest of their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds that test their courage and creativity.

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New Technology Offers Movie Production Companies New Ways to Reach Audiences

NEW YORK, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- NEW YORK, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

FinancialBuzz.com News Commentary  

Continuous shifts in consumer trends have been pressuring the movie and entertainment production companies, causing revenue to falter. Industry players are challenged with appealing to a larger audience in an effort to deliver a successful film. Now, companies are transitioning from traditional business models to more technology-based approaches such as the mobile consumer, business model reinvention, emerging technologies, value shift to platforms and personalization. According to data compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the U.S. total cinema revenue will remain stable throughout the forecast period from 2018 to 2022. The industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 1.8% and reach USD 12.3 Billion by 2022. Due to the steady growth, box office revenue will remain reliant on a small number of big-budget studio "tentpole" and franchise movies for growth. The Wonderfilm Media Corporation  WDRFF, -0.57% AT&T Inc. T, -1.23% Sony Corporation SNE, -3.41% Cinemark Holdings, Inc. CNK, - 3.32% iQIYI, Inc. IQ, -4.16%

Despite audience attendance slowly declining, PwC still sees box office revenue growing and at a steady pace, as box office revenue is expected to grow during the forecast period at a CAGR of 1.7%. Regardless of decreasing attendance, PwC says rising ticket prices and an increase in film production is allowing entertainment and movie companies to combat the decline. "As the movie business continues to morph and evolve alongside shifting audience behavior, smart brands will consider employing a direct-to-consumer content strategy that piggybacks off new audience platforms to reach customers anytime, anywhere. There has been much talk about retailers needing to adopt an "omnichannel" strategy in order to better serve their customers on all sales channels, and now is the time for brand marketers to take a similar approach to prepare for the impending shake-up in the theatrical movie business," said Richard Yao, Senior Associate of Strategy and Content, IPG Media Lab.

The Wonderfilm Media Corporation  WDRFF, -0.57% is also listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol (WNDR). Yesterday, the Company announced breaking news that, "it has green lit six separate new movies to begin principal photography in the first two quarters of the year. Wonderfilm is on pace to meet its expected target of 17 produced films in the 2019 calendar year. Currently, 8 films are in production, with another 16 movies green lit for production in the near term. The additional six films add $22 million USD in total production budgets to Wonderfilm, bringing the current slate to ~$120 million USD.

Wonderfilm producers, Kirk Shaw, Jeff Bowler, Bret Saxon, Dan Grodnik and Randy Charach will be on film sets spread out on four continents - Europe, Australia, North America and Asia - over the coming months to oversee the Company's films, which include: Fishlake, Reciprocal Beat, Fight Ward, The Marvista Kids, Pitbull and Sought After ("the Movies").

'2019 is starting very strong for Wonderfilm with these six films being slated for production,' commented Kirk Shaw, CEO, co-founder and Executive Producer of Wonderfilm. 'By leveraging the Company's movie packaging strengths, each of the Company's films are pre-sold leaving minimal financial risk for the Company. Wonderfilm is one of the very few production companies with the creative and financing depth to develop, package and produce several films simultaneously.'

About the Movies : Fishlake is an ensemble thriller. 'If the guys from Clerks were working the night shift and the guys from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels came in, you'd have Fishlake.' Scott Weintrob (Top Gear, Fastest Car) will be directing. Wonderfilm will produce along with Peter Block (Rambo, Saw, Crank, The Bank Job) and James Huntsman and his Blue Fox Entertainment.

Reciprocal Beat is a gritty film that follows a young, fresh out of jail ex-con trying to reconnect with his estranged son, as dirty cops, his parole officer and what seems like the entire local crime world try to end him. Reciprocal Beat will be directed by Tomer Almagor and produced by Wonderfilm's Jeff Bowler along with Gabrielle Smith Almagor.

Fight Ward is a psychological thriller set in a twisted mental ward. Michael Winnick will direct, while Steven Dell and John Lewis will produce alongside Wonderfilm.

The Marvista Kids is a poignant yet hilarious story set in the world of the Southern California rehab culture. Written by stand-up comedian cult legend Shelton Bradshaw, Marvista Kids is being directed by Ben Peyser and produced by Wonderfilm along with Shyam Sengupta, Chris Cash, Omar Martinez and Shelton Bradshaw.

Pitbull, scheduled to begin shooting in June, is a heartwarming romantic comedy in the vain of Sweet Home Alabama and Hitch. Pitbull was written by best-selling author James Houston Turner.

Sought After is an edge of your seat action thriller written and to be directed by Mark Jackson, whose most recent film Geezas was deftly layered. Sought After is the story of a feisty young woman, snatched by a charming human trafficker, with 48 hours to draw from her past to save herself and what remains of her family.

Wonderfilm is pleased to provide updates to investors as it continues to execute its ambitious business plan in a rapid and sustained manner.

Kirk Shaw, Producer & Board of Directors: Over his 30-year career, Kirk's producer credits exceed 230 movies and six series making him Hollywood's second most prolific film producer in history. Best known for his business and financing prowess, Kirk has contributed his talents to both U.S. television series and feature films, including the Oscar winning, "The Hurt Locker." Kirk's worked with all major studios, plus many notable "A" list stars such as Charlize Theron, John Travolta, Woody Harrelson, Kim Basinger, John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Nicolas Cage, Thomas Jane and Cuba Gooding Jr. Among his many past successes, is the creation of Canada's largest production company, Insight Film Studios, which in 2007 and 08 did $100 million consolidated revenue each year. To jump-start Wonderfilm's production acquisitions and library exploitation, Kirk vended 46 completed movies into Wonderfilm.

As CEO of Wonderfilm, Kirk remains on the cutting edge of industry trends, actively shaping Wonderfilm's financing and production packaging to meet the demands of a fast-changing industry."

AT&T Inc. T, -1.23% is a diversified, global leader in telecommunications, media and entertainment, and technology. AT&T Inc. recently completed its acquisition of Time Warner Inc., bringing together global media and entertainment leaders Warner Bros., HBO and Turner with AT&T's leadership in technology and its video, mobile and broadband customer relationships. Randall Stephenson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Inc. said the future of media entertainment is rapidly converging around three elements required to transform how video is distributed, paid for, consumed and created. "The content and creative talent at Warner Bros., HBO and Turner are first-rate. Combine all that with AT&T's strengths in direct-to-consumer distribution, and we offer customers a differentiated, high-quality, mobile-first entertainment experience," said Stephenson, "We're going to bring a fresh approach to how the media and entertainment industry works for consumers, conte nt creators, distributors and advertisers."

Sony Corporation SNE, -3.41% subsidiary Sony Pictures Entertainment global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Entertainment announced last year the establishment of Innovation Studios, Sony Entertainment & Technology, a state-of-the-art facility housed in a 7,000 sq.-ft. sound stage on the Sony Pictures Studios lot. The space, which will be overseen by Glenn Gainor, President, Innovation Studios, and President, Physical Production, Screen Gems, will feature the latest in research and development from Sony Corporation and others in areas including volumetric video and customizable set scanning to help storytellers around the world create content for the future. Innovation Studios will work with engine ers from throughout Sony Corporation and pursue business development opportunities for its proprietary technology in motion pictures, television, music and gaming. "By harnessing technology throughout Sony's many businesses and applying it to production here at SPE, we are giving content creators essential tools to tell real-world stories in radically new ways," said Gainor. "At Innovation Studios, we will be able to take a set in India and reproduce it here in Culver City, creating a valuable digital asset. The future of production is hinged on the monetization of digitizing the analog world, and we are excited to be a part of it," said Gainor.

Cinemark Holdings, Inc. CNK, -3.32% is a leading domestic and international motion picture exhibitor, operating 541 theatres with 6,014 screens in 41 U.S. states, Brazil, Argentina and 13 other Latin American countries as of September 30, 2018. Cinemark Holdings, Inc. recently announced that Movie Club, the first exhibitor-sponsored subscription program, has surpassed 500,000 active members. This milestone exceeds the company's original first year forecast by more than doubling initial projections. In addition to this achievement, Cinemark is excited to see the membership program is driving moviegoers to the theatre more often, with members visiting more frequently than Cinemark's average moviegoer. Since the program's launch last December, Movie Club members have purchased 10 million tickets, and Movie Club represented 8% of Cinemark's Q3 domestic box office revenues. Members remain highly engaged and satisfied with a 75% credit redemption rate and 98% reporting positive satisfac tion with the program. "The popularity of Movie Club continues to grow as more of our moviegoers recognize the value that our program provides," said Mark Zoradi, Cinemark's Chief Executive Officer. "Features like our new gifting program have driven member acquisition and unique member benefits such as rollover tickets have driven member retention and helped us reach this impressive milestone."

iQIYI, Inc. IQ, -4.16% is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. iQIYI, Inc. recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of 100% equity stake in Skymoons Inc. and Chengdu Skymoons Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. Headquartered in Chengdu, China, Skymoons focuses on the development and global publishing of mobile games. Skymoons has entered into cooperation agreements with a number of renowned international IP powerhouses with respect to the synchronized development and promotion of mobile games, films, anime and comics based on the same source materials. The aggregate consideration consists of a fixed payment of RMB 1.27 Billion, as well as additional consideration valued at RMB 730 Million as of June 30, 2018 to be delivered in the event the acquire satisfies the agreed upon performance benchmarks in the next two years. Dr. Yu Gong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of iQIYI, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Skymoons into the iQIYI family as we further broaden our comprehensive offering of entertainment content across multiple formats. iQIYI has always been pursuing a diversified monetization model that fully leverages the IP value in our content. We believe Skymoons is a natural extension to our business and will strengthen iQIYI's media platform and our overall ecosystem."

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New movies in theaters – 'A Dog’s Way Home' and more

© Columbia Pictures A Dog's Way Home

A drama, a comedy, a biopic and a sci-fi movie round out the assortment of wide releases opening across Canada today, in addition to a selection of limited releases, which you can read about below. Happy movie watching this weekend! ~Alexandra Heilbron

A Dog's Way Home – A young man (Jonah Hauer-King) adopts a stray puppy and quickly falls in love with her. However, when she gets lost, she has to cross 400 miles of wilderness to get home. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: A Dog's Way Home

The Upside – A paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston) hires an unqualified ex-con (Kevin Hart) as his caretaker. Although they come from completely different worlds and backgrounds, the two form an unlikely friendship. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: The Upside

On the Basis of Sex – The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) and her quest to get equal opportunities for women during a time of discrimination. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: On the Basis of Sex

Replicas – After his family is killed, a neuroscientist (Keanu Reeves) replicates them and transfers their consciousnesses into cloned bodies. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: Replicas

Destroyer – World-weary LAPD detective Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) has to face her demons when a gang leader from her checkered past turns up. Toronto; expands Jan 25. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: Destroyer

Uri: The Surgical Strike – Based on the true events of 2016, when the Indian Army avenged a deadly terrorist attack by carrying out a surgical strike. Opening in select cities. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: Uri: The Surgical Strike

Capernaum – A neglected boy from a large family in Beirut sues his neglectful parents to stop them from having more children in chaos and squalor. Toronto; expands Jan. 18 to Vancouver and other cities beginning in February. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: Capernaum

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Cinema on the Bayou to screen almost 200 films in Lafayette

The 14th annual Cinema on the Bayou, which runs Wednesday through Jan. 30, in Lafayette will present 181 films, nearly all of them Louisiana premieres. The state’s second largest film festival will also feature world and United States premieres.

“When we have a world premiere, it’s a big deal for our festival,” said the festival's director, Rebecca Hudsmith. “It means that we’re launching a film’s festival run.”

Cinema on the Bayou will take place at the Acadiana Center for the Arts and other venues around Lafayette. The nonprofit, volunteer-run festival also features filmmaker Q&As, music, parties, panel discussions and workshops.

The festival’s 2019 world premieres include “And Those Who Dance It Surrender Their Hearts To Each Other,” a documentary about Lone Piñon, a group of young New Mexico musicians who perform traditional works from the Southwest.

It's a story that resonates in Acadiana.

“It’s about saving traditional music and culture in New Mexico,” Hudsmith said. “That’s what our Cajun musicians are about, so there’s a real connection. It’s a beautiful film with music that I wasn’t even aware of.”

Another world premiere, “Finding Cajun,” examines the origin and evolution of Cajun identity over the past 70 years. Nathan Rabalais, a Eunice native who is assistant professor of French and Francophone studies at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, directed the documentary. It screens at 7 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

“Finding Cajun,” said Pat Mire, Cinema on the Bayou founder and artistic director, presents a fresh take on the Cajun experience.

“It’s a young perspective on the culture,” Mire said. “Things have changed dramatically in the past 15 or 20 years. More young people want to speak French.”

Mire’s own award-winning documentaries include “Dirty Rice” and “Against the Tide: The Story of the Cajun People of Louisiana.”

“We’re excited,” Hudsmith said, “that a new generation of young scholars and filmmakers are continuing to do what others started, including Pat Mire.”

True to Cinema on the Bayou’s southwest Louisiana roots, more than 60 of the festival’s films are in French. The festival is furthering its French connection through partnerships with two major Canadian festivals, Les Percéides Festival International de Cinéma et d’ art de Percé and the Québec City Film Festival.

Opening night film “Black Indians,” screening at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, links New Orleans and France. Four years in the making, the documentary depicts the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans.

Already screened throughout France, “Black Indians” will receive its U.S. premiere at Cinema on the Bayou. Patrouilleau, the film’s Paris-based co-writer-director, will be among the more than 200 directors, producers, cinematographers, actors and other film professionals from France, Canada, the U.S., Australia, Japan and Lebanon in attendance.

“We have a warm festival here,” Mire said. “We try to welcome everyone."

Friends of Hudsmith and Mire in Paris recommended that the makers of “Black Indians” submit their film to Cinema on the Bayou.

“There have been other films about the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians," Hudsmith said, "but this one comes from the French perspective. And it’s a film with a Louisiana connection, which we love. We also feel like our festival starts the Mardi Gras season. So, we usually have a least one Mardi Gras film. And we always want to show culturally significant projects.”

Judges at the 2019 festival include prominent members of Quebec’s filmmaking community, among them Montréal writer-director Marc-André Forcier (“Coteau Rouge.” “The Countess of Baton Rouge,” “A Wind from Wyoming”).

“I’m excited about that,” Mire said. “It says that we are the go-to festival for Canadian filmmakers. They passed up Sundance and other festivals to come here. It’s the French-Louisiana connection again. And they fall in love with our food and music.”

Musicians performing at the festival include two local bands, Yvette Landry and the Jukes and Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars, and a singer-songwriter from New Brunswick, Canada, Daniel Léger.

“Music is a key element of this festival,” Mire said. “And it’s not just musicians playing at the festival, it’s the filmmakers drifting to venues beyond the festival.”

Films in competition at Cinema on the Bayou are eligible to win one of festival’s Goujon Caille awards. Local artists Pat and Andre Juneau create the colorful catfish-shaped statuettes.

This year also includes the festival’s first artist in residence, John Blouin. A filmmaker from Quebec, he’s brought an installation to the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

Tickets to individual screenings are $5, except for "Black Indians" ($20) and "Finding Cajun" ($10). Eight-day passes are $100; day passes are $10-$20. More information about the festival is available at cinemaonthebayou.com.

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New in theaters this weekend (January 18-20)

Glass

From the master of the twist, M. Knight Shyamalan.. "Glass" comes with big expectations, completing a trilogy 19 years in the making. First there was 2000's intriguing "Unbreakable," then the pretty amazing "Split" in 2016. Now the three main characters wind up in the same mental hospital. They are James McAvoy as a killer with multiple personalities (23 and counting), Bruce Willis, the hero tracking him down and Samuel L. Jackson, the evil genius who brings them together. But this culmination is a yawn. A climactic ending is teased and never happens. McAvoy, terrifying in "Split," is reduced to a novelty act, and Sarah Paulson as their therapist is a waste. Shyamalan can be hit and miss. This one's a definite miss!

Universal Pictures - Rated PG 13

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

"Dragon Ball Super: Broly" is the 20th installment in the anime series from Japan which has become a worldwide sensation. You can find it dubbed in viewer-friendly English. In this one, the warrior anti-hero acquires a newfound power and challenges the heroes. How popular is this franchise? It made $7 million when it opened on Wednesday.

Funimation Films - Rated PG

KidFilm 2019

And don't forget KidFilm 2019. The U-S-A Film Festival presents the 35th annual event, the oldest and largest children's film festival in the country! You can see fabulous children's films, some of them before anyone else. There will be 30 films over Saturday and Sunday at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas.. from shorts to features like the new "How To Train Your Dragon" movie. It's all free, but first come-first served. The Box Office opens an hour before each film. Go to usafilmfestival.com for the schedule.

Oscars Spotlight: Documentaries

Are you into the Oscars? The Alamo Drafthouse Lake Highlands in Dallas has something special for you. They're screening the 15 films short-listed for documentary feature. It kicks off Saturday, Jan. 19 and runs through the 27th. Go to drafthouse.com/theater/lake-highlands for the schedule. Of course, we'll know the five films in contention when the Oscar nominations are announced on Tuesday. Stay right here with wfaa.com for complete coverage! 

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New movies in theaters - 'Glass' and more

© Universal Pictures Glass

The long-awaited Glass by director M. Night Shyamalan opens today. If thrillers aren't your thing, there's also an anime film and a biopic about two beloved classic Hollywood movie stars. Check out all the details about the latest movies below! ~Emily Chavez

Glass – Self-proclaimed vigilante David Dunn (Bruce Willis) tries to stop the evils that have come to his city, but winds up in a psychiatric hospital. While there, he must stop psychopaths Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson) and The Beast (James McAvoy) before they hurt innocent people. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer:

GlassStan & Ollie – Hollywood stars Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly), both suffering from poor health, try to reignite their careers with a theater tour in post-war Britain as they embark on what becomes their swan song. This biographical film is based on the beloved comedy duo known as Laurel and Hardy, who starred in films during the 1930s and 1940s. Opening in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer:

Stan & OllieDragon Ball Super: Broly – When Planet Vegeta is destroyed, a powerful race is reduced to nothing and the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core. Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves pitted against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force. Playing in select theaters across Canada. Click here for showtimes.

Trailer: Dragon Ball Super: Broly/

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The Lego Movie 2 Teases New Infectious Song

Mike Sanders / 7 hours ago

The Lego Movie 2

Given the success of the first Lego film which was released in 2014, the fact that a sequel would come sooner or later was guaranteed. We have, admittedly, seen a number of spin-offs in the meantime, but the 2nd official film is on the way and it seems that they are looking to replicate more than just the look of the original.

Following the release of a new video, it seems that they want to tie in another catchy song. Everything is awesome!

"The Song That Will Get Stuck In Your Head"

'Everything is Awesome' clearly proved to be something of a surprise from the first film. Specifically, just how popular it became for a rather generic pop-tune. This time around, however, they're going for the rather more blunt approach. Namely, 'The song that will get stuck in your head'.

You can check out snippets from the song in the video below. Be warned, however, that the song title isn't unwarranted!

When Is It Out?

The Lego Movie 2 will release in cinemas (all going well) on February 8th. I only add this caveat as the film has already been delayed twice (with it originally intended for release in 2017). If the film is half as good as the first though, we're in for more than a little treat here and don't be surprised if 'The song that will get stuck in your head' starts scooting up the charts!

What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!

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GHOSTBUSTERS Star Ernie Hudson On Original Cast Returning For The New Film: "Everybody Is In"

There's a lot of excitement surrounding the recently announced Ghostbusters movie, which was revealed to be a true sequel to the original two films. But a lot of the hype is riding on the hopes that the original cast will return for the movie - something which hasn't been confirmed nor denied as of yet.

However, speaking to Daily Mail, original Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore in the 1980s movies, has reportedly revealed that at least all of the original stars are willing to return. 

It should be noted that Hudson didn't confirm that the original cast is definitely returning, as the Daily Mail headline suggests; but rather, he said: "everybody is in." 

"Ivan Reitman is there and everybody is in. Now whether the studio will do it, I'm the guy who sits by the phone and waits for the call. So if they call, I'll answer. If not, I've got other stuff that I'm doing.'"

Hudson and co-star Dan Akroyd (who played Ray Stantz) have already expressed a willingness to return on social media. The only one who hasn't commented on it is Bill Murray, but Hudson's comment has been interpreted by many media outlets to mean that even he's willing to return under the right circumstances.

Of course, the only original star who can't return is Harold Ramis, who passed away in 2014. Hudson had nothing but glowing praise for Ramis, who played Egon in the films but is confident the studio could still make it work.

Details regarding the plot of Ghostbusters are still being kept under wraps. The upcoming movie was written and is being directed by Jason Reitman, whose dad Ivan directed the first two hit movies. Rumors suggest the movie will feature two young kids - a boy and a girl - as the main focus of the story, or possibly a team of four teenagers (two boys, two girls).

Ghostbusters 3 is slated to hit theaters in 2020.

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M. Night Shyamalan Hints 'Glass' Is the Last Movie in His 'Unbreakable' Universe

Universal Pictures

Movie

AceShowbiz - M. Night Shyamalan just brought together Bruce Willis', Samuel L. Jackson's and James McAvoy's characters for the first time in "Glass", but it may also be the last time fans see them. The filmmaker hints that he's finished with the interconnected universe that he first introduced with the 2000 film "Unbreakable".

"Yeah, I would say so," so the director tells Entertainment Weekly when asked if he's done with the "Unbreakable" universe. "I have a lot of original stories I want to tell. I'm an original filmmaker and I want to keep on telling new stories and new characters. It's fun for me to figure out a new language, and then learn it, and try to get an audience in two hours to learn, and accept it, and really find their way."

Shyamalan indeed has new projects on his plate after "Glass". He has been working on a new TV series for Apple, which he refuses to dish on the details. "[I can't talk about it] too much yet," he says. "It's a thriller, a half-hour thriller. When Apple launches their streaming network, our show will be one of their major shows, if not their launching show."

He also already has two ideas for his next big-screen project, though he's still not sure which one that he will pursue first. He shares, "Well, I've got two ideas and I guess after 'Glass' opens, I'll start to write them. I'm trying to decide which to do next. I'm leaning towards one over the other for the next one."

"Unbreakable", which features Bruce Willis' David Dunn as the protagonist and Samuel L. Jackson's Elijah Price a.k.a. Mr. Glass as the antagonist, is one of Shyamalan's best films. Gaining a strong cult following, it ranked No. 4 in Time's 2011 list of the top ten superhero films of all time.

The sequel, "Split", was released in 2017 to positive reviews. Featuring James McAvoy's Kevin Wendell Crumb / The Horde as the lead character, it doesn't reveal that it shares the same universe as "Unbreakable" until the end, in which Willis' character makes a brief appearance in a diner.

"Glass", a sequel to "Split", pits Dunn against Kevin's The Beast, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men. It is set to bow in U.S. theaters on January 18.

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There's a New Movie Theater in Columbia

A new movie theater has opened in Northeast Columbia, on property owned by a local church.

The Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8 has opened at 201 Columbia Mall Blvd., near Columbia Place Mall and not far from Two Notch Road. Spotlight Cinemas â€" a small chain that has seven theaters in Maine, New York and South Carolina â€" also operates a discount theater that shows second-run movies on St. Andrews Road. The Capital 8 is a first-run cinema. (As of Jan. 15 it was showing current hits such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Aquaman, Bumblebee and Clint Eastwood's The Mule, among others.)

According to a release, the new theater "is part of The Meeting Place Church of Greater Columbia’s 23-acre property, which supports the church’s vision to revitalize the surrounding community."

The church reportedly bought the 200,000-square-foot commercial complex where the Capital 8 is located in early 2017. The project is located within an area recognized by the federal government as an opportunity zone. The zones are economically distressed areas that have been targeted for revitalization through private investment.

“I have to thank Bishop Eric Freeman and [theater owner] Rick Phillips for seeing and acting on a vision for a family- friendly movie theater in our city, particularly in this neighborhood,” Mayor Steve Benjamin said, in a statement. “This project is one of the first of what we hope are many successful, impactful Opportunity Zone developments in Columbia."

One thing the opening of the Capital 8 does is add to what is a robust number of movie screens in the Midlands. In fact, with the opening of the Capital 8, there are now 11 movie theaters in the Columbia/Lexington area, with a collective 101 screens: eight screens at the Northlake Pavilion in Lexington, 14 at the Columbiana Grande, 14 at AMC Harbison, five at the St. Andrews Cinema, 14 at the AMC Dutch Square, 10 at AMC Columbia, eight at the Capital 8, seven at the Regal 7 on top of Richland Mall, two at the Nickelodeon Theatre, 16 at Regal Sandhill and three at the Big Mo Drive-In.

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New WWI documentary returns to theaters Monday

After breaking box-office records when it played nationwide for two days in December, Peter Jackson's new WWI documentary "They Shall Not Grow Old" will play in more than 1,000 theaters nationwide, including two in Bakersfield, on Monday.

The film took in more than $2.3 million when it debuted in U.S. theaters at 1,122 locations. After a second showing on Dec. 27, it went on to become the highest-grossing U.S. cinema event to date, for both Fathom Events and the event-cinema industry, bringing in a total of $5.7 million. 

“The response to ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ has been overwhelming," said Jeffrey Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, in a news release. "Peter Jackson’s documentary is a towering achievement of film restoration that has conquered the ravages of time and stands as a fitting tribute to all those who fought and died in what was then called ‘the war to end all wars.’ We are so proud to be part of bringing this film to audiences across the U.S. and Canada.”

Released 100 years after the end of World War I, the documentary by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker (“The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies) takes viewers into the trenches of the Great War. Jackson applied state-of-the-art restoration, colorization and 3D technologies to century-old footage from the archives of the Imperial War Museum. The sole narration is from veterans themselves, culled from more than 600 hours of BBC and IWM archive interviews.

The film will be shown Monday at Regal Bakersfield Stadium 14 and Studio Movie Grill. Two of the showings (4 and 10 p.m.) at The Marketplace theater will be in 3D. Check fathomevents.com or with the theaters for a complete list of showtimes.

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Showcase Cinemas Launches New, More Versatile Starpass Loyalty Program

NORWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2019--Showcase Cinemas, a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry, is thrilled to announce the launch of the loyalty program. FREE to use, Starpass, enables guests to earn a 10 percent reward for virtually every dollar spent, with no blackout dates, and flexible options to redeem reward value for a myriad of purchases including tickets, concessions and at cinema restaurants and in-seat dining!

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190115005446/en/

Showcase Cinemas celebrates the launch of the NEW Starpass loyalty program with FREE popcorn on National Popcorn Day for all members. (Graphic: Business Wire Boston)

The simplified loyalty program empowers members to choose how to spend their rewards and allows redemption through ShowcaseCinemas.com and the Showcase Cinemas App. Furthermore, as part of the program members can make purchases with cash and the rewards value earned with their Starpass membership. Showcase Cinemas will also offer special promotions through the program like a 20 percent reward boost for certain events or films, increased member discounts on bargain days, free large popcorn and soda refills and seasonal promotions. And for the first time ever, Starpass will be available for use at the Showcase SuperLux location in Chestnut Hill, MA!

“We are excited to start the new year by unveiling a more flexible Starpass loyalty program to our customers,” said Mark Malinowski, Vice President of Marketing for Showcase Cinemas. “The new Starpass program empowers our members to choose their rewards and redeem them how and when they want. Even better, seeing more movies means earning more rewards!”

To celebrate the new program, Showcase Cinemas is encouraging guests to sign up before National Popcorn Day, January 19 th, as members will receive a FREE POPCORN with any ticket purchase on that day.

“What better way to celebrate National Popcorn Day than with warm, buttery popcorn, reclining plush chairs and this season’s biggest blockbuster movies; all while earning Starpass rewards?” said Malinowski

To learn more and to sign up for a Starpass membership visit the newly redesigned Showcase Cinemas website at www.ShowcaseCinemas.com.

ABOUT SHOWCASE CINEMASShowcase Cinemas is a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry, operating more than 932 movie screens in the U.S., U.K., Argentina and Brazil under the Showcase, Cinema de Lux, SuperLux and UCI brands. With 28 theatre locations in the United States, Showcase Cinemas delivers the finest entertainment experience, offering the best in comfort, dining and viewing. For more information about Showcase Cinemas please visit  www.ShowcaseCinemas.com.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190115005446/en/

CONTACT: Francesca Rovello

frovello@marlomarketing.com

617-375-9700

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MASSACHUSETTS

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ENTERTAINMENT FILM & MOTION PICTURES RETAIL FOOD/BEVERAGE

SOURCE: Showcase Cinemas

Copyright Business Wire 2019.

PUB: 01/15/2019 10:00 AM/DISC: 01/15/2019 10:01 AM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190115005446/en

Copyright Business Wire 2019.

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DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY Opens in Theaters January 16

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Starting tomorrow, moviegoers throughout NORTH AMERICA can enjoy the eagerly awaited new movie "Dragon Ball Super: Broly," the 20th film from the Dragon Ball anime franchise and the first from the "Dragon Ball Super" series. Based on the original story, screenplay and character designs of creator Akira Toriyama, "Dragon Ball Super: Broly" will screen in English dub in 1,260 theaters locations across the U.S. and Canada. As part of the movie release, Funimation Films, the theatrical division of Sony Picture Television's Funimation, is giving fans an opportunity to be a part of history and experience the first-ever anime film to screen in IMAX in North America. Together with select screenings offered in Cinemark XD, "Dragon Ball Super: Broly" will be available on 180 digital premium large format screens as a special opening-day-only presentation. For a complete list of theaters including IMAX and Cinemark XD locations, visit the official movie website dragonballsuperoffi cial.com.

"We're truly excited to finally share 'Dragon Ball Super: Broly' with audiences across North America. Tomorrow represents the culmination of an incredible theatrical campaign that put fans front and center while simultaneously introducing Dragon Ball for the first-time-ever to millions of families in the U.S. and Canada," said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and President of Funimation. "'Dragon Ball Super: Broly' truly showcases creator Akira Toriyama's incredible imagination and masterful storytelling. The movie is sure to please long-time fans as well as win the hearts of those experiencing Dragon Ball for the very first time."

"Dragon Ball Super: Broly" follows the events of the hit anime series "Dragon Ball Super," the first new Dragon Ball storyline from original creator Akira Toriyama in more than 18 years. Since premiering in summer 2015, "Dragon Ball Super" has propelled the popularity of the franchise globally - with both lifelong fans and a whole new generation of children and teens. Consumer interest in theatrical anime releases has risen since 2015's "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'," which grossed $8.4M in North America, becoming the first independent film to make the Top 10 list of highest grossing anime films domestically as well as establishing a new record for the highest grossing event style theatrical release in the U.S.

Synopsis

A planet destroyed, a powerful race reduced to nothing. After the devastation of Planet Vegeta, three Saiyans were scattered among the stars, destined for different fates. While two found a home on Earth, the third was raised with a burning desire for vengeance and developed an unbelievable power. And the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core!

Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force.

Locked into battle with the formidable Broly, Goku and Vegeta face their most dangerous opponent yet!

For more about "Dragon Ball Super: Broly" including trailers and cast information, visit dragonballsuperofficial.com.

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/funimation and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/funimation and on Instagram at instagram.com/funimation.

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