Author: Alex Billington

"Light the fuse..." Paramount+ has revealed a Super Bowl TV spot for the Mission: Impossible movies. Our guess is that this was originally meant to be a big preview for Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two, which was set to release in June 2024 following Part One last summer. Thanks to the strikes last year, that sequel has been delayed for another year entirely - and they aren't calling it "Dead Reckoning Part Two" anymore either. We'll have to wait for an update on this one - which is expected around May 2025 now. In the meantime, it looks like they kept this airtime and made this Mission: Impossible franchise recap video instead. Tom Cruise's account tweeted out the video with this amusing note: "It's hard to put all 7 films into 90 seconds, but we certainly had fun trying." This 90-second video features a few of the most iconic stunts: the Burj Khalifa, the airplane, the motorcycle cliff, the train in the tunnel, and a few others, but not all of them. It's much more focused on all the ...

"We're getting tangled in exposition." Universal debuted this 60-second action-packed, goofy, heartfelt new TV spot for The Fall Guy during the Super Bowl this weekend. Ryan Gosling stars as "The Fall Guy" – he's a stuntman, and like everyone else working in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right? A new hilarious, hard-driving, all-star apex-action thriller film + love letter to action movies and the hard-working and under-appreciated crew of people who make them. The Fall Guy also stars Emily Blunt, with Winston Duke, Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Teresa Palmer, Lee Majors, Ben Knight, and Stephanie Hsu. The first trailer was an enjoyable preview, this TV spot packs in the fun and crazy. It has "everything!" With aliens, Australian cops, boats, ...

"What is it your holding?" "A cookie." Universal + DreamWorks Animation have debuted an amusing new Big Game TV spot for Kung Fu Panda 4 this weekend. The first trailer dropped last fall. This follow-up to Kung Fu Panda 3 from 2016 is landing in theaters starting in early March, not too long of a wait if you're into this. This spring, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po the Panda, the world's most unlikely kung fu master, for a hilarious, butt-kicking brand new chapter in DreamWorks Animation's beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4. Po is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot and will encounter a villain called the Chameleon who conjures villains from the past. Starring Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master, Shifu; James Hong as Mr. Ping; Bryan Cranston as Li; and Ian McShane as Tai ...

This weekend, the winners of the 76th Annual DGA Awards were announced at a big celebration in Los Angeles. We're down to the last few weeks of the 2023 awards season, with the Oscars airing soon in early March. This year, champion of the theatrical experience Christopher Nolan won the top DGA prize for his film Oppenheimer, along with Past Lives director Celine Song winning for Best First Feature. These two are unquestionably two of the best filmmakers of 2023 and both of them deserve to win (both films were on my Top 10 of 2023). It's a big relief and also immensely satisfying to see the DGA choose these two winners. I couldn't be happier for the both of them! In addition, Mstyslav Chernov won the Documentary prize for his film 20 Days in Mariupol about the awful war in Ukraine (here's a trailer). The Directors Guild Awards are one of the premiere prizes in Hollywood, honoring "Outstanding Directorial Achievement" in multiple categories including TV and commercials. Congrats to all of the great films and series nominated this year. The ...

"I understand the impossibility of getting home, but we will find a way to be together again." Hulu has revealed an official trailer for a World War II series called We Were the Lucky Ones, which has been in he works for years. Now set for release starting in March streaming on Hulu. Based on Georgia Hunter's NY Times bestselling novel, the TV adaptation of We Were the Lucky Ones is a limited series inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II. The series follows them across continents as they do everything in their power to survive, and to reunite. We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the 20th century's darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive. The series is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds. The ensemble cast features Joey King, Logan Lerman, Hadas Yaron, Henry-Lloyd Hughes, Michael Aloni, Eva Feiler, Sam Woolf, Amit Rahav, Moran Rosenblatt, Lior Ashkenazi, & Robin Weigert. Looks like an endearing ...

"The exchanges between Mahito and the heron... they really reflected my usual sort of conversations with Miyazaki." GKids has released a promo featurette video for Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron. It features Studio Ghibli co-founder / producer Toshio Suzuki answering a few interview questions and discussing life with Hayao Miyazaki, working with Studio Ghibli, his thoughts on hand-drawn animation's relevance nowadays, and everything else. Miyazaki's new film The Boy and the Heron has been playing in theaters since December and is nominated for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards. "A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, [and] in tribute to friendship." With an original score by Joe Hisaishi, heard in the background of this video. I wish I could spend a whole hour or more chatting with Suzuki, there's so much more I want to ask and hear his thoughts on! Whether you've ...

"I'm going to tell you everything." Mubi has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film titled High & Low - John Galliano, arriving to watch in select US theaters this March. The film originally premiered at the prestigious 2023 Telluride Film Festival last fall, and it also played at the Zurich, Hamburg, London, and Rome Film Festivals last year. From acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, the doc examines the rapid ascent, fall from grace, and journey forward for controversial fashion designer John Galliano. In 2011, his career abruptly ended after being caught on video using shocking antisemitic and racist insults. Macdonald's film investigates the multiple facets & contradictions of Galliano's character and context, including decades of industry pressure and drug & alcohol addiction, that surrounded his downfall and recovery. Featuring conversations with: Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Penelope Cruz, Charlize Theron, Anna Wintour, Edward Enninful, Boris Cyrulnik, Hamish Bowles, and Sidney Toledano, among others. This looks crazy fascinating. Official trailer (+ poster) for Kevin Macdonald's doc High & Low - John Galliano, direct from YouTube: Widely recognized as one of the most influential ...

"There's a whole new generation of fans waiting to be introduced to this incredible world." Netflix has unveiled a new 4-minute long making of video for their live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series. It's out later this month, hence the final marketing push after the other two trailers. A reimagining of the beloved series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation. Together with his friends Sokka & Katara, Aang embarks on an action-packed quest to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. The series' main cast features: Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, plus Dallas Liu as Zuko, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Iroh, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari, Ken Leung as Zhao. This video features some behind-the-scenes glimpses and interviews, and it's mainly meant to show fans that they really did go all-out turning this into live-action and making sure it was handled correctly this time ...

"How safe can any kids be in that environment?" Investigation Discovery (ID) has unveiled a trailer for a documentary series titled Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV, debuting in March. The series is a chilling look back at entertainment history that uncovers the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children's shows of the late 1990s & 2000s. It is a sad look back at the early days of Nickelodeon run by a harmful individual. Quiet On Set features unprecedented access to key cast, writers, and crew spanning Dan Schneider's popular series at Nickelodeon. Over the course of four parts, the doc series will shine a spotlight on these emotional accounts, chronicling a pattern of gross, abusive, manipulative behavior that unfolded across decades, as well as exclusive stories about child predators on set. Featuring Alexa Nikolas, Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan, Bryan Hearne, Marc Summers, Christy Stratton, and more. This is unfortunately a tragic counterpart to the more positive Nickelodeon doc from just a few years ago called The Orange Years. Official trailer for Robertson & Schwartz's doc ...

"Are you going to show me to my room?" Quiver Distr. has revealed an official trailer for an indie horror comedy titled Night Shift, the latest feature from the filmmaking duo The China Brothers - Ben & Paul. This premiered at the 2023 Mammoth Film Festival last year and will be out on VOD to watch this March. Phoebe Tonkin stars in Night Shift as Gwen Taylor, a young woman who takes on her first shift as a night manager. She begins to suspect the property is haunted, with eccentric customers and an escaped murderer on the loose. The thriller is the first joint directorial effort from Benjamin and Paul China, known for their previous work on Sweet Virginia and Crawl. The full cast also includes Madison Hu, Lamorne Morris, Patrick Fischler, Christopher Denham, Connor Price, & Lauren Bowles. Looks freaky fun! Enjoy. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Benjamin & Paul China's Night Shift, direct from YouTube: A young woman named Gwen (Phoebe Tonkin) working her first night shift at a remote motel begins to suspect that she is being ...