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.
People like Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) are what America is all about… right? Well, maybe. Before becoming "downsized" by his employer, a big box company he has worked for since his days in the Navy, Larry Crowne was amiable, affable, and had a big sense of humor. Now he is about to lose his house because he owes more than it would sell for and he can't quite figure out what to do with his time now that he's no longer employed.Going back to school, Larry finds he is definitely not alone and in fact finds plenty more who have either lost their job or never quite had one to begin with. As they band together and travel about town in a herd of scooters, Larry discovers strong feelings for one of his teachers, Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts). With a strong cast like Hanks, Roberts, Pam Grier, Jon Seda, Bryan Cranston, and George Takei plus director Tom Hanks (also co-director with Nia Vardalos) this is a must see summer time movie."
Ms Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is foul mouthed, greedy, and recently lost her "sugar daddy" so she sets her sights on a colleague at the elementary school where they work. The R rating is well earned for this one as the Bad Teacher in question shows how Bad she can be as she smokes pot, swears a blue streak, and guzzles booze quite effortlessly. Cameron Diaz has plenty of film creds on her resume including There's Something About Mary and My Best Friend's Wedding so she doesn't need this kind of role yet somehow it fits her like a glove and she wears it well. Justin Timberlake (portraying Scott Delacorte) is the fellow teacher she sets her sights on and he is no slouch in the talent department either with six Grammy Awards and a pair of Emmy's on his shelf. There is something about this film that makes it well worth watching and it involves humor and putting those who deserve it in their place. Jake Kasdan directs this summer release which involves jealousy, breast implants, junior high high-jinks, and a rather beautiful teacher who suffers from constant hang-overs.
An old tradition, Jumping the Broom refers to a couple who jump over a broomstick at the end of their wedding ceremony to complete their "togetherness". It's a UK and African tradition that was brought back and popularized after airing of the miniseries Roots. But when two totally different socioeconomic families get together for a wedding on Martha's Vineyard the sparks will fly because one side wishes to hang on to traditional values while the other want a more modern ceremony.Starring Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?) as mother of the bride, Paula Patton (Precious) is the bride, Laz Alonzo (Avatar, Fast & Furious) is the groom, and Loretta Devine (Grey's Anatomy, Waiting to Exhale) portraying the groom's mother this comedy is well casted and extremely funny. The social differences in the two families brought together by love and marriage cause sparks to fly while seeking to find common ground for the sake of the kids. A great movie that shows blacks can be educated, smart, and classy. A welcome change from the stereotypical type casting of blacks we usually see."
Look for the 2011 version of the Alexandre Dumas literary classic on film, and this time it has been filmed in thrilling 3D. An action packed flick starring Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma) as D'Artagnan, Matthew Macfadyen (Robin Hood) as Athos, Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans) portraying Aramis, and Ray Stevenson (The Book of Eli) as Porthos take on the ultimate rogue film roles. This time around the three legendary Musketeers are seen as down on their luck and in need of D'Artagnon's leadership and influence. A beautiful female double agent, along with her evil employer, are attempting to seize the French throne while inciting war in Europe so the Musketeers must act quickly to prevent the mayhem.Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil: Afterlife) portrays Milady de Winter and Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest) as the Duke of Buckingham are the villains who would love to take over Europe and the rest of the world as well. Look for plenty of entertaining action and comedy when The Three Musketeers comes to the big screen in 3D soon."
Red Riding Hood is back and more popular than ever in 2011 because she and her counterparts are in 3D. This sequel to Hoodwinked is about Hood versus Evil and we find that two innocent children have been kidnapped by a wicked witch (voice of Joan Cusack). The kids who have been abducted are Hansel and Gretel and Red Riding Hood needs help from Wolf (voiced by Patrick Warburton). Original characters from the first film including Granny (voice of Glenn Close) and Wolf's partner who drinks way too much coffee, Twitchy (voiced by Cory Edwards) are all there to help or hinder in the rescue. Red Riding Hood is training with a covert and mysterious group known as the Sisters of the Hood when she is given the mission to find the captured children by Nicky Flippers (voice of David Ogden Stiers) who runs the HEA (Happily Ever After Agency) where Red has agreed to help out. Hilarious fun and high jinks will prevail as Red Riding Hood and her cohorts pursue their most challenging enemy yet."
Writer-director Mike Mills put all his heart and art into Beginners, a powerful, poignant autobiographical film that shows "Oliver," Mills' fictional avatar, coming to terms with his seventy-five year old father's simultaneous revelations (a) that he is gay, and (b) that he has a terminal disease. Beginners premiered at The Toronto International Film Festival, where it earned rave reviews—not the cliché kind of raves, but genuinely exuberant, effusive exclamations of praise and delight. Beginners is scheduled to hit theaters during the summer, 2011, when it can provide welcome relief from ripped-from-the-comics fare."Ewan McGregor stars as Oliver, and Christopher Plummer stars as Hal, Oliver's "tumultuously gay" father. No strangers to intense drama, ribald comedy, or brilliant performances, both McGregor and Plummer show, as The Los Angeles Times said, "a strong sense of responsibility to their real-world counterparts." Responsibility comes to life in Beginners as humor, honesty, genuine love and affection, which Oliver learns in the last days of his father's life and then attempts to carry into new love with Anna, also brilliantly portrayed by Melanie Laurent. Anna is as unpredictable and irreverent as Hal was tumultuous and exuberant, so that loving her challenges all the bravery, humor, and hope Oliver has learned from his father.
Zookeeper immediately deserves nomination for the "Cute" Hall of Fame. Or "precious" or "adorable" or one of those ever so warm and friendly adjectives that describe both people and animals you just want to hug with all your might. You must understand that the animals star in Zookeeper, and the people are the supporting cast. Naturally teddy-bearish Kevin James stars as Griffin Keyes, long-time zookeeper who doesn't get out much. More at home with his critters than members of his own species, the zookeeper bravely resolves to leave the zoo and venture out into the bigger world, where he hopes, naturally enough, he can get a life and get a girl. When the animals ferret-out Griffin's plan, they feel so desperately heart-broken they elect to break their "code of silence," revealing not only that they can talk but also that they have quite a bit to say on questions of love, romance, and mating. Rosario Dawson plays Kate, "the girl." The animals, of course, conspire to help their boy win the girl and to keep their happy family together. Seriously, how cute is that!"Zookeeper features an exceptionally high-powered collection of voice talents: Adam Sandler plays a Capuchin monkey, Cher appropriately plays a lioness opposite Sylvester Stallone's lion, Billy Crystal plays a llama, and the venerable Don Rickles gives us his very best frog. And that's just the headliners. Zookeeper also has the strange distinction of going into the film history books as the last movie MGM studios wrapped before it went into bankruptcy. That part isn't cute—just quirky.
Captain America: The First Avenger will not be just another one of those "ripped from the comics" movies that have become a 2011 Hollywood staple. No way. "Captain America himself looks remarkably fit for a super-hero who celebrated his seventieth birthday in 2011, and his box office prospects are remarkably sanguine, too. For all those years, Captain America consistently has ranked well-up the list of popular comic characters. Maybe not the sexiest man alive, but a perpetual contender, and always the consummate patriot. Therefore, producers, writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, all the grips, and even the craft services crew understand they have their hands full as they make Captain America: The First Avenger. Their main character is, after all, revered as the United States' bravest, noblest, most-selfless, and greatest hundred-and-one percent hero…ever. "Captain America: The First Avenger tells the story from the beginning. Our hero, Steve Rogers, is rejected for service in World War II—very highly motivated but sadly unfit physically. Determined to serve, Rogers volunteers for "Project: Rebirth," a super-secret project that gives him the ultimate make-over, making him a super-soldier. The brass dub him "Captain America" upon his completion of training. Teaming-up with intrepid sidekick Bucky Barnes, "The First Avenger" kicks some serious Nazi butt as he fights "Red Skull," director of advanced weaponry for the Reich. Well-funded, well cast, well-scripted, Captain America: The First Avenger promises to kick some serious box office butt in the summer of 2011, putting all those other comic movies to shame.
As movies go, Something Borrowed stays remarkably faithful to Emily Giffin's breakout best-seller, the movie's inspiration. Darcy, engaged to Dex, whose despicable behaviour must be forgiven in deference to the plot, throws a thirtieth birthday party for her very-very best friend Rachel. At party's end, perpetual good-girl Rachel ends-up in bed with Dex; and to no one's surprise except her own, Rachel subsequently finds herself constitutionally incapable of lettingh it go as a one-night stand. Give props to Ginnifer Goodwin as Rachel and Kate Hudson as Darcy, who hold their positions in the movie's unsteady love triangle with painstaking attention to the poignancy and precariousness of their situation as both best friends and bitter rivals."Of course, as her affair with Dex continues, Rachel finds herself torn between devotion to her still-engaged, still-oblivious best friend and her genuine affection for her pet philanderer. While Giffin's book rode the top of the charts, critics wrote, "Something Borrowed… will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend." Plan for the same reaction to the movie.
Think of Prom as High School Musical with heavy doses of teen-aged angst. Summarizing Prom in frighteningly reductive terms, Disney says, "A group of teenagers get ready for their high school prom," and the producers list it simultaneously as "comedy" and "drama." If you read only that description, you easily could conclude Prom dramatizes debutantes' struggles with mascara and up-dos. To her everlasting credit, Aimee Teegarden, veteran of heavy high school drama in "Friday Night Lights," goes a long way toward redeeming Prom from its awkward identity crisis. With a properly delicate and ironic touch, Ms. Teegarden effectively captures every sophisticated senior's inchoate recognition that "valedictory" means farewell and "commencement" is a synonym for "see ya." "Nova, Ms. Teegarden's allegorically named character, recognizes her pet antagonist probably is the ideal prom date, heavy on the fun factor and devoted to keeping rented tuxedos and poofy dresses in perspective. The unlikely pair contrasts sharply with Mei and Tyler, swept-away sweethearts, who wrestle with conscience and logistics as they work to wring every last micro-gram of meaning and romance from "the biggest night of their lives.""Set for release the last weekend of April, 2011, Prom may or may not set the tone for the Class of 2011's dining and dancing extravaganzas, but it surely will provide invaluable fashion and etiquette tips.