Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a 2023 animated superhero film produced by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, it is the sequel to the Academy Award-winning Into the Spider-Verse (2018).
Shameik Moore returns as Miles Morales, who is pulled across the multiverse and introduced to the Spider-Society — an interdimensional task force of Spider-People led by the severe Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). When Miles learns the Society operates on a rigid doctrine about which tragedies must be allowed to happen, he finds himself at odds with hundreds of versions of himself. Hailee Steinfeld returns as Gwen Stacy, with Jason Schwartzman voicing the villainous Spot.
Released on June 2, 2023, the film grossed over $690 million worldwide and drew rapturous reviews, with critics calling its animation among the most ambitious ever committed to a mainstream feature. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature and ends on a cliffhanger leading into Beyond the Spider-Verse.
The Lazarus Effect is a 2015 horror film directed by David Gelb and starring Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, and Sarah Bolger. Frank (Duplass) and his fiancé Zoe (Wilde) and their team of medical researchers have discovered a way to resurrect the dead using a serum which they have given the codename "Lazarus." So far, Zoe and Frank have only tested their research on a lifeless animal, but when Zoe is killed in a lab accident, Frank decides to resurrect her in an unsanctioned experiment with the help of their research team. Zoe returns from the grave with the help of the Lazarus serum, but begins to display uncanny supernatural abilities. The team then realizes that she may not be alone, and they have unleashed a terrible and powerful evil into the world.
Focus is a 2015 film starring Will Smith as Nicky, an accomplished con artist, and Margot Robbie as Jess, his apprentice. While Nicky teaches Jess his trade, the two become involved in a romantic relationship. Uncomfortable with the change in their situation, Nicky severs the relationship, only to encounter Jess again years later while working a dangerous job in Buenos Aires involving a billionaire international race car owners. Jess is working the opposite side of the same scam that Nicky is involved in—the most dangerous job he has tackled yet. To add to Nicky's woes, Jess is now an accomplished con artist in her own right, and manages to throw Nicky off his game at a time when he cannot afford to be anything but focused. What will happen when these two seasoned con artists with a romantic history collide?
Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2015 erotic romantic drama directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, based on the bestselling novel of the same name by E.L. James. Dakota Johnson stars as Anastasia Steele, a sexually inexperienced and repressed college graduate, who enters into a codependent relationship with emotionally stunted businessman Christian Grey, played by Jamie Dornan. The film grossed more than $410 million in the first month of its release, but met with largely negative reviews from critics, who felt the source material was weak. Nonetheless, they praised the actors and the director for their effort to make the movie shine. The film polarized moviegoers, who either loved or hated it. To some, Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic film based on a beloved book; to others, it is a story that glamorizes abuse. Love it or hate it, there is no denying it is a film which has shattered records worldwide.
Ballet 422 is a 2015 documentary by cinematographer and documentarian Jody Lee Lipes, and offers viewers a rare look behind the curtain of the professional world of ballet. The film follows Justin Peck, the 25-year-old choreographer of the New York City Ballet as he strives to create the ballet company's 422nd original piece while also balancing other professional commitments in the ballet world. This film offers an intimate look at Peck's creative process, and has been well received by critics. Not only does the movie provide startling insight into the process that brings an idea from its inception into realization as a ballet show, but it also highlights the commonplace workaday atmosphere that pervades life behind-the-scenes in an industry which is usually enshrouded in glamour. This piece is a must-see for anyone who is thinking of becoming a professional in the ballet world, or for any passionate ballet enthusiast who wants to learn more about what goes on behind the curtain.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is a 2015 animated/live action film based on the popular Nickelodeon TV show SpongeBob SquarePants, and serves as a sequel to 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Tom Kenny stars as SpongeBob and Gary the Snail, supported by Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star, Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, Mr. Lawrence as Plankton, and Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks. In the movie, SpongeBob must team up with his nemesis Plankton in order to recover the secret Krabby Patty formula from a pirate. The show received positive reviews from critics, who enjoyed its sense of humor, entertaining pacing, and visual effects. It was also a big hit with fans of SpongeBob SquarePants, and received the 2015 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie. For those in search of a fun, colorful family film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water has a lot to offer.
Seventh Son is a 2014 epic fantasy film directed by Sergei Bodrov, based on the novel The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney. The story follows Thomas Ward (Ben Barnes), a seventh son of a seventh son as he apprentices to the Spook (Jeff Bridges), also a seventh son of a seventh son. Thomas Ward is trained by the Spook to protect the land from all manner of supernatural threats, but his training is dangerous, and time and again tests his abilities and his courage. Eventually, he will have to go up against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the land, in order to protect his county's inhabitants from her threat. The film's release was delayed a number of times, but finally hit theaters on February 6th, 2015. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, but praised the performance of the cast.
Jupiter Ascending is a 2015 science fiction film directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski. The film was plagued by production problems which delayed its release for nearly a year. The film stars Mila Kunis as Jupiter Jones, a woman working a dead-end job cleaning other peoples' houses. As it turns out, though, there is more to Jupiter's life than she could possibly imagine; when Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), an ex-military hunter arrives on earth to track her down, Jupiter discovers that she is genetically marked as the next in line for an astounding inheritance. Her actions from this point forward could change not only her own destiny, but the entire balance of power in the galaxy. The movie received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who praised the beautiful visuals featured in the film, but who derided clunky narrative storytelling. Fans of Terry Gilliam will be amused to know that the director of Brazil makes an appearance in a scene made to resemble his classic film.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the 2014 conclusion to Peter Jackson's Hobbit film series, preceded by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 2013, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 2012. This story concludes the big screen re-telling of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved fantasy saga about the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the band of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield II (Richard Armitage) on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' homeland. Will the dragon Smaug be defeated? What will happen when the five armies clash? Who will emerge victorious on the battlefield, and at what price? This film reveals the fates of the heroes while also creating a bridge to Peter Jackson's hit franchise The Lord of the Rings. While this installment diverges significantly from the original book, it crafts a satisfying emotional conclusion to an epic film saga.
Director Ridley Scott takes on the epic task of retelling one of the most beloved stories in the Old Testament. Exodus: Gods and Kings, follows Moses (Christian Bale) as he rises to stand against the Pharaoh Ramesses II (Joel Edgerton). Other stars include Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Aaron Paul, and John Tuturro. Moses frees the slaves and parts the Red Sea so that they can cross. The plot will be familiar to anyone who has seen Cecil B. DeMille's classic film The Ten Commandments. Exodus: Gods and Kings received mixed reviews from critics, but was lauded for its visual spectacle and epic tone and sweep. The actors in the film were also praised for their stirring emotional performances. For those who enjoy Bibles stories transported to the big screen, Exodus: Gods and Kings is an entertaining and epic retelling of a classic tale.
The Hunger Games Mockingjay – Part 1 is the first installment in the two-part finale to the Hunger Games trilogy film series adaptation, based on the final book in the series by Suzanne Collins. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen, who has twice survived the Hunger Games, and now finds herself in District 13. Her victory in the 74th Hunger Games has sparked a rebellion, and she now finds herself both a target and an inspiration. Reluctantly, she becomes the figurehead for the revolution, while also fighting to save Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). The actors in the film received critical acclaim for their performances. On its release, the film helped the series to set a record as being the only franchise to have three films earn more than $100 million in a weekend. For readers of Suzanne Collins' hit book series, this movie is a must-see continuation.
