Jacob Hall
Watch the Dark and Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Reboot You’ve Always Wanted (or Dreaded)
As the kids of the ‘80s and early ‘90s are dragged kicking and screaming into middle age, their nostalgia for the things they enjoyed in childhood has only grown stronger. And Hollywood has responded in kind, taking those childhood obsessions and transforming them into movies that are specifically crafted to appeal to adults with fond memories instead of kids. That’s why director Joseph Kahn’s new grim ‘n gritty Power Rangers short film is brilliant and unsettling in equal measure. On one hand, it’s exquisitely made and just tongue-in-cheek enough. On the other, it’s exactly the kind of movie that we’re worried will actually get made in the next few years.
Spider-Man Rumor: Marvel’s Spidey May Not Be White (or Peter Parker)
In news that will surely ignite all kinds of controversy, a new Spider-Man rumor has arrived on the internet suggesting that the new Peter Parker will not be played by a white guy. In fact, he could be played by (gasp!) a black or Latino actor! And, he might not even be Peter Parker!
2015 Oscars: Idina Menzel and John Travolta Meet at Last
Last year, John Travolta took the Oscar stage to introduce Idina Menzel so she could perform “Let It Go” from Frozen. What should have been a very simple, teleprompter-aided introduction quickly became a Big Deal when Travolta stumbled over his words. Instead of “Idina Menzel,” Travolta said “Adele Dazeem.” An internet meme was born and everyone added another great John Travolta joke to their repertoire. The 2015 Oscars decided to revisit that memorable flub and the results were weird, awkward, and yeah, pretty funny.
2015 Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ Segment Pays Tribute to Robin Williams, Mike Nichols and More
For many viewers, the Oscars are are chance to snark and make fun of everything that happens on stage (and can you blame ‘em?). But then the “In Memoriam” segment comes around and reduces even the most cynical person to puddle of bubbling tears. The 2015 Oscars “In Memoriam” is no different, offering a whirlwind tour through a year’s worth of beloved people who passed away. Get ready ... it’s about to get a little dusty in here.
2015 Oscars: The Performance of “Everything Is Awesome” Is, of Course, Awesome
Although the Oscars infamously snubbed The LEGO Movie in the Best Animated Feature category, the joyous and hilarious movie got the last laugh at the ceremony itself. The film was nominated for its delightful song “Everything is Awesome!” and the live performance of the impossibly catchy number brought the house down and probably made everyone feel really bad about not giving the full movie its due.
Louis C.K. Wants to Star in Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Alien’ Movie and Die in Gruesome Fashion
Last night, we heard official word that 20th Century Fox was moving forward with director Neill Blomkamp’s Alien sequel and today, we already have one actor expressing his desire to be in it! However, that actor may not be who you expect and his reason for wanting to be in the film is a little unusual. We are talking about the one and only Louis C.K., the comedian and star of FX’s Louie, who wants to star in the new movie just so he can die a horrible onscreen death.
SNL 40 Monologue: Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Everyone Else You Love Stops By
We knew going in that the SNL 40th anniversary special would be chock-full of just about every famous person who has ever walked within spitting distance of 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the opening monologue was quick to make use of this genuinely insane temporary cast of stars. Things got started on the right foot when the always-welcome Steve Martin took the stage ... but then he was joined by Tom Hanks. And then things got really crazy.
The Wrap Up: ‘Frozen’ is Officially Becoming a Broadway Musical
ScreenCrush wraps up the latest in movies and TV you might have missed. Today, Frozen finally makes its move to Broadway, a Space Invaders movie (!) gets a writer, and a ranking of all of Djimon Hounsou’s sidekick roles.
Ryan Reynolds Teases His ‘Deadpool’ Costume
Ryan Reynolds has been trying to get a proper ‘Deadpool’ movie off the ground ever since he helped botch the character in the deplorable ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine.’ Yeah, he says he has a genuine affinity for the character, but he also has to appease the ever-fickle movie gods, who punished him for his earlier comic book movie transgressions by putting him in ‘Green Lantern.’ Making a ‘Deadpool’ movie is how he restores order to the universe. Anyway, Reynolds took to Twitter to share our first glimpse of the Merc With a Mouth’s costume and even in this early state, it’s a significant improvement over the previous big screen version of the character.
‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Trailer: The Bellas Go International
The first ‘Pitch Perfect’ was a sleeper success, doing surprisingly solid business at the box office and earning equally solid reviews from critics. But it was home video that transformed this little a cappella comedy into a genuine sensation, instantly becoming the favorite film of 12-year-old girls (and their initially reluctant parents) all over the world. So the new ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ trailer arrives with the air of an event film. The sequel is not an underdog, but the Bigger, Flashier, and Louder follow-up that has the confidence to suggest that there is an entire franchise to be found here.