Ever since Star Wars was released in 1977, the fan art has never ceased. That movie inspired so many people over the years to create amazing art and it’s something that will never ever stop. I believe that fans will be creating Star Wars art forever. 

Today we have a few Star Wars illustrations created by Paul Johnson, and a couple of them feature an exquisite rendition of Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon. This ship has captivated me since I first saw it, and the detail featured in the above illustration is glorious. I’ve also included art of the Slave I, TIE Fighter, and an X-Wing.

Victor Frankenstein recently came out last weekend and it was met with mostly terrible reviews. Regardless of how bad the movie and script was, I thought that James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe gave solid performances, and they are the film's only saving grace.

The movie was directed by Paul McGuigan, who apparently doesn’t think very highly of Mary Shelley’s classic novel which inspired the film. In an interview with Screen Rant the director said the story was "dull as dishwater." Here’s the full quote:

“We give a lot of backstory to it. And it’s our backstory, it’s what we’ve chosen to make up. There’s not a reverence to the book. I think sometimes people are over-reverent about the book. It’s got a fantastic premise, I don’t know if you’ve ever read it, but it’s dull as dishwater, in my opinion.”

How in the hell this guy get the job to direct a Frankenstein movie? Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is not a “dull” book, it’s an intriguing classic that has been around for 200 years, and in that time has spawned hundreds of stories, movies, and TV shows. The only other iconic version of Frankenstein that has followed is Universal Pictures' classic monster film franchise. Makes me wonder if the guy had even actually read the book.

What I think is funny about McGuigan’s statement is that Shelley’s Frankenstein will continue to live on. It will always be remembered and revered, and McGuigan’s Victor Frankenstein is pretty much already dead and forgotten. Does he think his film is actually better than Mary Shelly’s novel?! Because that’s just delusional.

I think the only person that could bring us a Frankenstein movie worth watching at this point is Guillmero del Toro. That’s his dream project, and I hope one day he gets the opportunity to make it. What do you think of McGuigan's statement?

I’ve got a really interesting video for you to watch today that lists and offers details on every Jedi Knight that has been introduced in the Star Wars canon universe. The video was created by IGN and it’s worth checking out, especially if you're a fan. I actually learned a few things while watching this, which is always nice. It never hurts to learn new Star Wars stuff. 

Earlier this week, Harrison Ford appeared on Good Morning America to talk about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While on the show, he was asked about Indiana Jones 5, and he confirmed that he is up for reprising his role again:

"I would love to do another Indiana Jones and work with Steven [Spielberg] again," Ford said this morning on Good Morning America, concluding, "If we get a script, I'd love to it."

He then joked, "I'd love to see me do it before I turn 80.”

This fifth Indiana Jones film will happen some day. Director Steven Spielberg previously said that he can’t wait to work with Ford again on the sequel. We just don’t know when Lucasfilm and Disney will actually officially move forward with it. 

It has been rumored in the past that Ford could be replaced by an actor like Chris Pratt, but producer Frank Marshall has said that they will not recast the role, and Spielberg backed that up earlier this week, which is good to hear. As fun as it would be to see Pratt in the role, Ford can’t be replaced in the role.

Hopefully, we get an official announcement regarding Indiana Jones 5 sometime in the near future. You can watch Ford in the interview below.

I’ve got a new video list from Screen Rant called "10 Details That Almost Ruin Great Movies.” It points out a certain little aspect of several films that make absolutely no sense to the people watching.

Each of the movies on the list contain a little brain fart that makes you go, “huh?” Some of those movies include Django Unchained, Gravity, Inception, Pulp Fiction, Mad Max: Fury Road, and more:

Nailing a movie’s story is the best way to make it a hit with audiences, so there’s lots of pressure on the screenwriter to craft a narrative that compels and makes sense. And even if they do a great job highlighting interesting themes and character arcs, sometimes the script can get derailed just by one tiny mishap that becomes a point of confusion. Here are Screen Rant’s 10 Movies That Make No Sense Because Of One Small Detail.

Marvel has released a new poster for Agent Carter Season 2, and it has a very noir feel to it. It was also revealed earlier this week the season premiere had been delayed. The series was supposed to premiere on January 5th, 2016, but now it will be released on January 19th. 

Marvel’s Agent Carter season two offers ten episodes of adventure and intrigue, starring Hayley Atwell in the titular role of the unstoppable secret agent for the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve). Dedicated to the fight against new atomic age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy must now journey from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she discovers new friends, a new home–and perhaps even a new love–she’s about to find out that the bright lights of the post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.

The ten episode season also stars James D’Arcy as Edwin Jarvis, Chad Michael Murray as Agent Jack Thompson and Enver Gjokaj as Chief Daniel Sousa. It was also recently announced that supporting cast for season two will include Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, Bridget Regan as Dottie Underwood, Wynn Everett as Whitney Frost, Reggie Austin as Dr. Jason Wilkes, Currie Graham as Calvin Chadwick, Lotte Verbeek as Ana Jarvis, Lesley Boone as Rose, Ken Marino as mob boss Joseph Manfredi, and Kurtwood Smith as Vernon Masters.

Marvel’s Agent Carter Season 2 will premiere with a two-hour episode. Are you looking forward to seeing Peggy get back in action?

Source: IGN

Earlier this week, Prisoners writer Aaron Guzikowski was hired to pen the screenplay for the new Friday the 13th film. Now it looks like one of his other efforts has a release date: Universal's remake of The Wolf Man. Box Office Mojo reports that the film will arrive in theaters on March 30th, 2018.

The studio tried a remake of the movie back in 2010 with Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro, but that didn't turn out very well. This one, however, will be part of the studio's push to resurrect all of its classic movie monsters — including Dracula, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, and The Mummy, the latter of which now has Tom Cruise attached to star — into a shared cinematic universe, Marvel-style. Whether that will actually work is still up in the air, but they're definitely not off to a good start considering Dracula Untold is supposed to be a part of that new cineverse. We'll see if The Mummy fares any better, and if not, I wouldn't be surprised to see the studio give up on this whole shared universe entirely.

Are you excited about a new Wolf Man film?

I’ve got an incredibly impressive short film for you to check out today called The Shaman. The short is described by the filmmakers as “mind-bending” and it truly is. Not only that, but the production value is amazing, and it offers us some stunning visuals.

The film trusts the audience right into the story from the very beginning. From the moment it started, I was hooked in. The short premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015. From there it was screened at several film festivals around the world. The full film is now online for you to watch, and it’s one that you don’t want to miss.

The dark year 2204, in a world that has seen 73 years of continuous war. Recently mankind re-discovered the arts of Shamanism. The Shaman’s school of thought believes that every person or object has a soul. During battle Shamans step over into the Netherworld to find and convert the souls of their enemies’ giant battle machines. This tactic enables a single man to overcome an invincibly seeming steel monster.

This is the story of Joshua, a Shaman, who is sent on a mission to convert the soul of a giant battle colossus. He does not yet know that the soul is prepared for his coming and that the deadly psychological soul-to-soul confrontation in the Netherworld will be on eye level.

The movie was directed by Marco Kalantari and he really pulled off something spectacular. It’s rare coming across short film of this scale and one that is so rich with unique content. This thing seems like it should be a feature film. 

An awesome new behind-the-scenes featurette was released for Star Wars: The Force Awakens called “Legacy." The featurette premiered at Comic Con Experience in Brazil, and now it has been released online for all to watch and enjoy. In it the cast and crew talk about film and the legacy of the franchise. This looks like it would have an amazing film production to be a part of, and I'm sure everyone who was considers themselves lucky. Lucasfilm also released a new character poster featuring Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron looking determined to save the galaxy from the evil threat of the First Order. 

I’ve got a cool-looking piece of fan art here for you’re viewing please that reimagines Hellboy as a girl. It’s called Hellgirl and it was created by artist Sebastian Skrobol. I’m a huge fan of Hellboy and it’s always interesting seeing the character reimagined in various ways. What do you think about this one?

Via: XombieDirge

The Sundance Film institute has released the line-up of film for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Going to Sundance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love going because you never know what kind of movies you're going to see. Sometimes they are great films that amaze and entertain, other times they completely suck ass, but that's all part of the fun of going to the festival. It's an awesome experience for any hardcore movie geek, and if you ever get a chance to go, you need to.

The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups. 

Some of the films included in the festival this year include Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers, Chloë Sevigny's Antibirth, Armie Hammer's The Birth of a Nation, Rebecca Hall and Michael C. Hall's Christine, Equity starring Anna Gunn, Jena Malone's Lovesong, Saturday Night Live writer-turned-director Chris Kelly‘s Other People starring Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford and Maude Apatow, Swiss Army Man starring Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney. These are just a few of what the 2016 Sundance Film Festival has to offer. 

You will find the complete line-up of films that have been announced so far below:

MIDNIGHT

31 / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rob Zombie) — Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns. Cast: Sheri Moon Zombie, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Brake, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Meg Foster. World Premiere

Antibirth / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Danny Perez) — In a desolate community full of drug-addled marines and rumors of kidnapping, a wild-eyed stoner named Lou wakes up after a crazy night of partying with symptoms of a strange illness and recurring visions. As she struggles to get a grip on reality, the stories of conspiracy spread. Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Chloë Sevigny, Mark Webber, Meg Tilly, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos. World Premiere

The Blackout Experiments / U.S.A. (Director: Rich Fox) — A group of friends discover the dark underworld of the ultra-scary, psychosexual horror experience called Blackout. But what starts as a thrill ride through the unknown becomes deeply personal, developing into an obsession that hijacks their lives and blurs the line between reality and paranoid fantasy. World Premiere

Carnage Park / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Mickey Keating) — The year is 1978. A team of wannabe crooks botch a small-town bank heist and flee with their hostage deep into the California desert, where they inexplicably find themselves in a harrowing fight for survival against a psychotic ex-military sniper. Cast: Ashley Bell, Pat Healy, Alan Ruck, Darby Stanchfield, James Landry Hébert, Larry Fessenden. World Premiere

The Greasy Strangler / U.S.A. (Director: Jim Hosking, Screenwriters: Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard) — When Big Ronnie and his son Brayden meet lone female tourist Janet on Big Ronnie’s Disco Walking Tour—the best and only disco walking tour in the city—a fight for Janet’s heart erupts between father and son, and the infamous Greasy Strangler is unleashed. Cast: Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo, Gil Gex, Jesse Keen, Joe David Walters. World Premiere

Outlaws and Angels / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: JT Mollner) — With a notorious bounty hunter closing in on their trail, a gang of cold-blooded outlaws invades the home of a seemingly innocent frontier family, where an unexpected game of cat and mouse ensues throughout the night, leading to seduction, role reversal, and ultimately bloody revenge. Cast: Chad Michael Murray, Francesca Eastwood, Luke Wilson, Teri Polo, Madisen Beaty, Nathan Russell. World Premiere

Trash Fire / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Richard Bates Jr.) — When Owen is forced to confront the past he’s been running from his whole adult life, he and his girlfriend, Isabel, become entangled in a horrifying web of lies, deceit, and murder. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be scarred for life. Cast: Adrian Grenier, Angela Trimbur, AnnaLynne McCord, Fionnula Flanagan, Matthew Gray Gubler, Ray Santiago. World Premiere

Under the Shadow / United Kingdom, Jordan (Director and screenwriter: Babak Anvari) — Tehran, 1988: As the Iran-Iraq War rumbles into its eighth year, a mother and daughter are slowly torn apart by the bombing campaigns on the city coupled with the country’s bloody revolution. As they struggle to stay together amidst these terrors, a mysterious evil stalks through their apartment. Cast: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian, Arash Marandi. World Premiere

Yoga Hosers / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kevin Smith) — Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store. Cast: Lily-Rose Depp, Harley Quinn Smith, Johnny Depp, Justin Long, Austin Butler, Tyler Posey. World Premiere

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION

Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.

As You Are / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) — As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere

The Birth of a Nation / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nate Parker) — Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World Premiere

Christine / U.S.A. (Director: Antonio Campos, Screenwriter: Craig Shilowich) — In 1974, a female TV news reporter aims for high standards in life and love in Sarasota, Florida. Missing her mark is not an option. This story is based on true events. Cast: Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, Maria Dizzia, Tracy Letts, J. Smith-Cameron. World Premiere

Equity / U.S.A. (Director: Meera Menon, Screenwriter: Amy Fox) — A female investment banker, fighting to get a promotion at her competitive Wall Street firm, leads a controversial tech IPO in the post-financial-crisis world, where regulations are tight but pressure to bring in big money remains high. Cast: Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner. World Premiere

The Free World / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jason Lew) — Following his release from a brutal stretch in prison for crimes he didn’t commit, Mo is struggling to adapt to life on the outside. When his world collides with Doris, a mysterious woman with a violent past, he decides to risk his newfound freedom to keep her in his life. Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Elisabeth Moss, Octavia Spencer, Sung Kang, Waleed Zuaiter. World Premiere

Goat / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Neel, Screenwriters: David Gordon Green, Andrew Neel, Michael Roberts) — Reeling from a terrifying assault, a 19-year-old boy pledges his brother’s fraternity in an attempt to prove his manhood. What happens there, in the name of “brotherhood,” tests both the boys and their relationship in brutal ways. Cast: Nick Jonas, Ben Schnetzer, Virginia Gardner, Danny Flaherty, Austin Lyon. World Premiere

The Intervention / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Clea DuVall) — A weekend getaway for four couples takes a sharp turn when one of the couples discovers the entire trip was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, Clea DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz. World Premiere

Joshy / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Josh treats what would have been his bachelor party as an opportunity to reconnect with his friends. Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, Jenny Slate. World Premiere

Lovesong / U.S.A. (Director: So Yong Kim, Screenwriters: So Yong Kim, Bradley Rust Gray) — Neglected by her husband, Sarah embarks on an impromptu road trip with her young daughter and her best friend, Mindy. Along the way, the dynamic between the two friends intensifies before circumstances force them apart. Years later, Sarah attempts to rebuild their intimate connection in the days before Mindy’s wedding. Cast: Jena Malone, Riley Keough, Brooklyn Decker, Amy Seimetz, Ryan Eggold, Rosanna Arquette. World Premiere

Morris from America / U.S.A., Germany (Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) — Thirteen-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence. Cast: Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Giersza?, Levin Henning. World Premiere

Other People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chris Kelly) — A struggling comedy writer, fresh from breaking up with his boyfriend, moves to Sacramento to help his sick mother. Living with his conservative father and younger sisters, David feels like a stranger in his childhood home. As his mother worsens, he tries to convince everyone (including himself) he’s “doing okay.” Cast: Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow, Zach Woods, June Squibb. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Southside With You / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Richard Tanne) — Southside With You is a chronicle of the summer afternoon in 1989 when the future president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady on an epic first date across Chicago’s South Side. Cast: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway. World Premiere

Spa Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Ahn) — A young Korean-American man works to reconcile his obligations to his struggling immigrant family with his burgeoning sexual desires in the underground world of gay hookups at Korean spas in Los Angeles. Cast: Joe Seo, Haerry Kim, Youn Ho Cho, Tae Song, Ho Young Chung, Linda Han. World Premiere

Swiss Army Man / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan) — Hank, a hopeless man stranded in the wild, discovers a mysterious dead body. Together the two embark on an epic journey to get home. As Hank realizes the body is the key to his survival, this once-suicidal man is forced to convince a dead body that life is worth living. Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. World Premiere

Tallulah / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sian Heder) — A rootless young woman takes a toddler from a wealthy, negligent mother and passes the baby off as her own in an effort to protect her. This decision connects and transforms the lives of three very different women. Cast: Ellen Page, Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard, Evan Jonigkeit, Uzo Aduba. World Premiere

White Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Elizabeth Wood) — Summer, New York City: A college student goes to extremes to get her drug dealer boyfriend out of jail. Cast: Morgan Saylor, Brian ‘Sene’ Marc, Justin Bartha, Chris Noth, India Menuez, Adrian Martinez. World Premiere

U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.

Audrie & Daisy / U.S.A. (Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk) — After two high school girls in different towns are sexually assaulted by boys they consider friends, online bullying leads each girl to attempt suicide. Tragically, one dies. Assault in the social media age is explored from the perspectives of the girls and boys involved, as well as their torn-apart communities. World Premiere

Author: The JT LeRoy Story / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Feuerzeig) — As the definitive look inside the mysterious case of 16-year-old literary sensation JT LeRoy—a creature so perfect for his time that if he didn’t exist, someone would have had to invent him—this is the strangest story about story ever told. World Premiere

The Bad Kids / U.S.A. (Directors: Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe) — At a remote Mojave Desert high school, extraordinary educators believe that empathy and life skills, more than academics, give at-risk students command of their own futures. This coming-of-age story watches education combat the crippling effects of poverty in the lives of these so-called “bad kids.” World Premiere

Gleason / U.S.A. (Director: Clay Tweel) — At the age of 34, Steve Gleason, former NFL defensive back and New Orleans hero, was diagnosed with ALS. Doctors gave him two to five years to live. So that is what Steve chose to do: Live—both for his wife and newborn son and to help others with this disease. World Premiere

Holy Hell / U.S.A. (Director: undisclosed) — Just out of college, a young filmmaker joins a loving, secretive, and spiritual community led by a charismatic teacher in 1980s West Hollywood. Twenty years later, the group is shockingly torn apart. Told through two decades of the filmmaker’s archival materials, this is their story. World Premiere

How to Let Go of the World (and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change) / U.S.A. (Director: Josh Fox) — Do we have a chance to stop the most destructive consequences of climate change, or is it too late? Academy Award-nominated director Josh Fox (Gasland) travels to 12 countries on six continents to explore what we have to let go of—and all of the things that climate can’t change. World Premiere

Jim / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Oakes) — The public execution of American conflict journalist James Foley captured the world’s attention, but he was more than just a man in an orange jumpsuit. Seen through the lens of his close childhood friend, Jim moves from adrenaline-fueled front lines and devastated neighborhoods of Syria into the hands of ISIS. World Premiere

Kate Plays Christine / U.S.A. (Director: Robert Greene) — This psychological thriller follows actor Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to play the role of Christine Chubbuck, a Florida television host who committed suicide on air in 1974. Christine’s tragic death was the inspiration for Network, and the mysteries surrounding her final act haunt Kate and the production. World Premiere

Kiki / U.S.A., Sweden (Director: Sara Jordenö) — Through a strikingly intimate and visually daring lens, Kiki offers a riveting, complex insight into a safe space created and governed by LGBTQ youths of color, who are demanding happiness and political power. The film is an exciting coming-of-age story about agency, resilience, and the transformative art form of voguing. World Premiere

Life, Animated / U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — Owen Suskind, an autistic boy who could not speak for years, slowly emerged from his isolation by immersing himself in Disney animated movies. Using these films as a roadmap, he reconnects with his loving family and the wider world in this emotional coming-of-age story. World Premiere

Newtown / U.S.A. (Director: Kim A. Snyder) — After joining the ranks of a growing club no one wants to belong to, the people of Newtown, Connecticut, weave an intimate story of resilience. This film traces the aftermath of the worst mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history as the traumatized community finds a new sense of purpose. World Premiere

NUTS! / U.S.A. (Director: Penny Lane) — The mostly true story of Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, an eccentric genius who built an empire with his goat-testicle impotence cure and a million-watt radio station. Animated reenactments, interviews, archival footage, and one seriously unreliable narrator trace his rise from poverty to celebrity and influence in 1920s America. World Premiere

Suited / U.S.A. (Director: Jason Benjamin) — Bindle & Keep, a Brooklyn tailoring company, makes custom suits for a growing legion of gender-nonconforming clients. World Premiere

Trapped / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — American abortion clinics are in a fight for survival. Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws are increasingly being passed by states that maintain they ensure women’s safety and health, but as clinics continue to shut their doors, opponents believe the real purpose of these laws is to outlaw abortion. World Premiere

Uncle Howard / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Aaron Brookner) — Howard Brookner’s first film, Burroughs: The Movie, captured the cultural revolution of downtown New York City in the early ’80s. Twenty-five years after his promising career was cut short by AIDS, his nephew sets out to discover Howard’s never-before-seen films to create a cinematic elegy about his childhood idol. World Premiere

Weiner / U.S.A. (Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg) — With unrestricted access to Anthony Weiner’s New York City mayoral campaign, this film reveals the human story behind the scenes of a high-profile political scandal as it unfolds, and offers an unfiltered look at how much today’s politics is driven by an appetite for spectacle. World Premiere

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

Belgica / Belgium, France, Netherlands (Director: Felix van Groeningen, Screenwriters: Felix van Groeningen, Arne Sierens) — In the midst of Belgium’s nightlife scene, two brothers start a bar and get swept up in its success. Cast: Stef Aerts, Tom Vermeir, Charlotte Vandermeersch, Hélène De Vos. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Between Sea and Land / Colombia (Directors: Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo, Screenwriter: Manolo Cruz) — Alberto, who suffers from an illness that binds him into a body that doesn’t obey him, lives with his loving mom, who dedicates her life to him. His sickness impedes him from achieving his greatest dream of knowing the sea, despite one being located just across the street. Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky Hernandéz, Viviana Serna, Jorge Cao, Mile Vergara, Javier Sáenz. World Premiere

Brahman Naman / United Kingdom, India (Director: Q, Screenwriter: S. Ramachandran) — When Bangalore University’s misfit quiz team manages to get into the national championships, they make an alcohol-fueled, cross-country journey to the competition, determined to defeat their arch-rivals from Calcutta while all desperately trying to lose their virginity. Cast: Shashank Arora, Tanmay Dhanania, Chaitanya Varad, Vaiswath Shankar, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Sid Mallya. World Premiere

A Good Wife / Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia (Director: Mirjana Karanovic, Screenwriters: Mirjana Karanovic, Stevan Filipovic, Darko Lungulov) — When 50-year-old Milena finds out about the terrible past of her seemingly ideal husband, while simultaneously learning of her own cancer diagnosis, she begins an awakening from the suburban paradise she has been living in. Cast: Mirjana Karanovic, Boris Isakovic, Jasna Djuricic, Bojan Navojec, Hristina Popovic, Ksenija Marinkovic. World Premiere

Halal Love (and Sex) / Lebanon, Germany, United Arab Emirates (Director and screenwriter: Assad Fouladkar) — Four tragic yet comic interconnected stories come together in this film, which follows devout Muslim men and women as they try to manage their love lives and desires without breaking any of their religion’s rules. Cast: Darine Hamze, Rodrigue Sleiman, Zeinab Khadra, Hussein Mokadem, Mirna Moukarzel, Ali Sammoury. International Premiere

The Lure / Poland (Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska, Screenwriter: Robert Bolesto) — Two mermaid sisters, who end up performing at a nightclub, face cruel and bloody choices when one of them falls in love with a beautiful young man. Cast: Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Jakub Gierszal, Kinga Preis, Andrzej Konopka, Zygmunt Malanowicz. International Premiere

Male Joy, Female Love / China (Director and screenwriter: Yao Huang) — Portrays an unlimited cycle of love stories. Cast: Nan Yu, Daizhen Ying, Xiaodong Guo, Yi Sun. World Premiere

Mammal / Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands (Director: Rebecca Daly, Screenwriters: Rebecca Daly, Glenn Montgomery) — After Margaret, a divorcée living in Dublin, loses her teenage son, she develops an unorthodox relationship with Joe, a homeless youth. Their tentative trust is threatened by his involvement with a violent gang and the escalation of her ex-husband’s grieving rage. Cast: Rachel Griffiths, Barry Keoghan, Michael McElhatton. World Premiere

Mi Amiga del Parque / Argentina, Uruguay (Director: Ana Katz, Screenwriters: Ana Katz, Inés Bortagaray) — Running away from a bar without paying the bill is just the first adventure for Liz (mother to newborn Nicanor) and Rosa (supposed mother to newborn Clarisa). This budding friendship between nursing mothers starts with the promise of liberation but soon ends up being a dangerous business. Cast: Julieta Zylberberg, Ana Katz, Maricel Álvarez, Mirella Pascual, Malena Figó, Daniel Hendler. International Premiere

Much Ado About Nothing / Chile (Director: Alejandro Fernández, Screenwriters: Alejandro Fernández, Jerónimo Rodríguez) — An upper-class kid gets in trouble with the one percent. Cast: Agustín Silva, Alejandro Goic, Luis Gnecco, Paulina García, Daniel Alcaino, Augusto Schuster. World Premiere

Sand Storm / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Elite Zexer) — When their entire lives are shattered, two Bedouin women struggle to change the unchangeable rules, each in her own individual way. Cast: Lamis Ammar, Ruba Blal-Asfour, Hitham Omari, Khadija Alakel, Jalal Masrwa. World Premiere

Wild / Germany (Director and screenwriter: Nicolette Krebitz) — An anarchist young woman breaks the tacit contract with civilization and fearlessly decides on a life without hypocrisy or an obligatory safety net. Cast: Lilith Stangenberg, Georg Friedrich. World Premiere

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
Eleven documentaries are listed below, and a twelfth will be announced in the weeks ahead.

All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point as they restlessly roam the streets of Warsaw in search for answers. World Premiere

A Flag Without a Country / Iraq (Director: Bahman Ghobadi) — This documentary follows the very separate paths of singer Helly Luv and pilot Nariman Anwar from Kurdistan, both in pursuit of progress, freedom, and solidarity. Both individuals are a source of strength to their society, which perpetually deals with the harsh conditions of life, war, and ISIS attacks. North American Premiere

Hooligan Sparrow / China, U.S.A. (Director: Nanfu Wang) — Traversing southern China, a group of activists led by Ye Haiyan, a.k.a. Hooligan Sparrow, protest a scandalous incident in which a school principal and a government official allegedly raped six students. Sparrow becomes an enemy of the state, but detentions, interrogations and evictions can’t stop her protest from going viral. World Premiere

The Land of the Enlightened / Belgium (Director: Pieter-Jan De Pue) — A group of Kuchi children in Afghanistan dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to child workers in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of an Afghanistan after the American withdrawal, Gholam Nasir and his gang control the mountains where caravans are smuggling the blue gemstones. World Premiere

The Lovers and the Despot / United Kingdom (Directors: Robert Cannan, Ross Adam) — Following the collapse of their glamorous romance, a celebrity director and his actress ex-wife are kidnapped by movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il. Forced to make films in extraordinary circumstances, they get a second chance at love—but only one chance at escape. World Premiere

Plaza de la Soledad / Mexico (Director: Maya Goded) — For over 20 years, photographer Maya Goded has intimately documented the lives of a close community of prostitutes in Mexico City. With dignity and humor, these women now strive for a better life — and the possibility of true love. World Premiere

The Settlers / France, Canada, Israel, Germany (Director: Shimon Dotan) — The first film of its kind to offer a comprehensive view of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, The Settlers is a historical overview, geopolitical study, and intimate look at the people at the core of the most daunting challenge facing Israel and the international community today. World Premiere

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang / U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Macdonald) — Having reached the pinnacle of the global art world with his signature explosion events and gunpowder drawings, world-famous Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang is still seeking more. We trace his rise from childhood in Mao’s China and his journey to attempt to realize his lifelong obsession, Sky Ladder. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Sonita / Germany, Iran, Switzerland (Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) — If 18-year-old Sonita had a say, Michael Jackson and Rihanna would be her parents and she’d be a rapper who tells the story of Afghan women and their fate as child brides. She finds out that her family plans to sell her to an unknown husband for $9,000. North American Premiere

We Are X / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Japan (Director: Stephen Kijak) — As glam rock’s most flamboyant survivors, X Japan ignited a musical revolution in Japan during the late ’80s with their melodic metal. Twenty years after their tragic dissolution, X Japan’s leader, Yoshiki, battles with physical and spiritual demons alongside prejudices of the West to bring their music to the world. World Premiere

When Two Worlds Collide / Peru (Directors: Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel) — An indigenous leader resists the environmental ruin of Amazonian lands by big business. As he is forced into exile and faces 20 years in prison, his quest reveals conflicting visions that shape the fate of the Amazon and the climate future of our world. World Premiere

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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.

THE 4TH / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andre Hyland) — It’s the Fourth of July in Los Angeles, and Jamie, a broke illustrator who is behind on his rent, tries to throw a cookout while his overbearing roommate is out of town, but everything seems to go wrong. Cast: Andre Hyland, Johnny Pemberton, Eliza Coupe, Yasmine Kittles, Anna Lee Lawson, Paul Erling Oyen. World Premiere

Dark Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A suburban landscape plays witness to the inevitable, unfolding events that culminate in a Cineplex massacre. Over the course of one day, from sunrise to midnight, six strangers—the shooter among them—share in this new American nightmare. Cast: Robert Jumper, Anna Rose, Rosie Rodriguez, Karina Macias, Aaron Purvis, Eddie Cacciola. World Premiere

The Eyes of My Mother / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nicolas Pesce) — A young, lonely woman is consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet country life. Cast: Kika Magalhães, Will Brill, Paul Nazak, Flora Diaz, Clara Wong, Diana Agostini. World Premiere

First Girl I Loved / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kerem Sanga) — Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend, Clifton—who has always harbored a secret crush on her—he does his best to get in the way. Cast: Dylan Gelula, Brianna Hildebrand, Mateo Arias, Jennifer Prediger, Tim Heidecker, Pamela Adlon. World Premiere

The Fits / U.S.A., Italy (Director: Anna Rose Holmer, Screenwriters: Anna Rose Holmer, Saela Davis, Lisa Kjerulff) — In this psychological portrait, Toni, an 11-year-old tomboy, is assimilating into a tight-knit dance team in Cincinnati’s West End when a mysterious outbreak of fainting spells plagues the team, and her desire for acceptance is twisted. Cast: Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Da’Sean Minor, Lauren Gibson, Makyla Burnam, Inayah Rodgers. North American Premiere

How To Tell You’re A Douchebag / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tahir Jetter) — This romantic comedy follows a misogynist who falls in love. Cast: Charles Brice, DeWanda Wise, William Jackson Harper, Alexander Mulzac, Jenna Williams, Tonye Patano. World Premiere

Jacqueline (Argentine) / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A young French woman hires a man to document her self-imposed political asylum in Argentina after supposedly leaking highly confidential government secrets. Cast: Camille Rutherford, Wyatt Cenac, James Benson, Martin Anderson, Sarah Willis, Enrique Dura. World Premiere

The Land / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Steven Caple Jr.) — Four teenage boys devote their summer to escaping the streets of Cleveland, Ohio, by pursuing a dream life of professional skateboarding. But when they get caught in the web of the local queenpin, their motley brotherhood is tested, threatening to make this summer their last. Cast: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Moises Arias, Rafi Gavron, Ezri Walker, Erykah Badu, Michael K. Williams. World Premiere

Operation Avalanche / U.S.A., Canada (Director: Matt Johnson, Screenwriters: Matt Johnson, Josh Boles) — In 1967, four undercover CIA agents were sent to NASA posing as a documentary film crew. What they discovered led to one of the biggest conspiracies in American history. Cast: Matt Johnson, Owen Williams, Josh Boles, Ray James. World Premiere

Sleight / U.S.A. (Director: JD Dillard, Screenwriters: JD Dillard, Alex Theurer) — After a young street musician is left to care for his little sister following their mother’s passing, he turns to dealing drugs, but quickly runs into trouble with his supplier. When his sister gets kidnapped, he must rely on his smarts and sleight of hand to save her. Cast: Jacob Latimore, Dulé Hill, Seychelle Gabriel, Storm Reid, Sasheer Zamata, Cameron Esposito. World Premiere

In the latest episode of Man at Arms: Reforged, a team of blacksmiths recreate the daggers that Drax used to decimate people in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Like always, these craftsmen did a stellar job!

Every other Monday, our team of blacksmiths and craftsman build some of your favorite eapons, and some weapons that you’ve never seen before. The guys over at Baltimore Knife and Sword are big fans of Guardians of the Galaxy, so they decided to take on Drax’s Daggers in this week’s episode of Man At Arms: Reforged.

Illumination Entertainment, the same studio that brought us Despicable Me, Hop, and the Minions spinoff movie has released a teaser trailer for their latest project, The Secret Lives of Pets. This is a teaser that celebrates the Christmas season and the awkwardly weird things that some people make their pets do. 

The Secret Life of Pets is being directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2) and co-directed by Yarrow Cheney, and it features the voice cast of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress, and Albert Brooks. 

Taking place in a Manhattan apartment building, Max's life as a favorite pet is turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke. They have to put their quarrels behind when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of abandoned pets determined to take revenge on all happy-owned pets and their owners.

The movie is set to be released on July 8th, 2016. 

Animation Domination High-Def has released a new Marvel-themed animated comedy short for your viewing enjoyment. It centers on Bruce Banner, who decides it’s time for him to join a gym. He ends up turning into The Hulk and forces himself into the gym so he doesn’t have to pay the $45 membership fee, and of course, he completely destroys the place while working out. One thing is for sure, I'd hate to be towel whipped by the Hulk!

Hulk doesn’t need to work out, but his new gym is Incredible.

This is the program cover for DesignerCon 2015, the ultimate '80s jam. It was created by Patrick Ballesteros, who says:

“The nostalgia of the 80's should never be lost and is hopefully captured here with these unruly kids.”

I’m a product of the '80s, and it’s always fun to see art that pays tribute to the awesome geekery that was born in that era. Everyone who grew up in the '80s has a duty to pass that greatness on to their kids so that everything we loved about it will live on and so the world will stay in balance.

It’s been an exciting year for Star Wars fans, and I don’t imagine that excitement is going to ever die. Star Wars fan Nick Jensen is keeping the excitement alive with his life-size recreation of the Stormtrooper E-11 blaster rifle, which is built completely out of LEGO bricks.

Battlefront was lovingly crafted by EA Dice to be true to the Star Wars original trilogy (they took 3D scans of the original props to create their digital counterparts), so I trusted that their in-game model of the E-11 was accurate enough to build from. For scale reference, I used the dimensions of a Sterling SMG, the gun from which the original E-11 film props were built. Working features on the LEGO replica include a moving trigger and a folding stock.

This is just a fan made thing and is not a part of the LEGO Ideas, so we can’t vote it into existence. You’ll just have to learn how to build your own! 

Darth Trevor and Michael Kenobi put their force powers to the test in this incredibly entertaining Star Wars lightsaber battle that was created using Grand Theft Auto V footage and After Effects. The video comes from Boris the Blade, who explains:

This isn't a mod, I spent a month and a half doing all the effects in Adobe After Effects . Enjoy!

I'm pretty sure you'll all get a kick out of this video. I especially enjoyed the part when Darth Trevor uses his lightning force power.

Over the weekend Netflix gave a two-hour presentation at Comic Con Experience in Brazil. During the panel they showed off a bunch of trailers for some of their upcoming new shows and movies. One trailer they showed was for season two of Marvel’s Daredevil.

They showed a video of Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Jon Bernthal (Punisher), and Elodie Yung (Elektra) talking about the highly anticipated season and then introduced an early trailer. Thanks to cherryvane, who was at the event, we have a description of that trailer for you to read through. You can read that below:

The “teaser” started on a scene where Matt, dressed as Daredevil (wearing the uniform from the end of season 1) walks on a room that looked like a refrigerator. The place was barely lit and had big slices of meat hanging from the ceiling. 

As Daredevil walks on that room (the camera focused only at him) we see that he’s searching for something as he stays quiet, slowly walking deep into the room, turning his head trying to hear something. At some point, something not show to the spectator grasps his attention. 

The camera open focus to the rest of the room and we see that there are also people being hanged like meat. 

Matt searches the corpses with his super senses, not touching, only trying for heart beats, once he finds someone he rush to aid the man: “I’ll take you of that” (or something like it), he says as he tries to take the barely alive man off the hook. 

After succeeding, he lays the guy (that I have no idea of how he could be alive considering how badly injured the dude was) on the ground and say something along the lines “Why did they do this to you?” In which the guy mumbles “They? It was just a guy”. Matt stays dead silent, camera focusing on him. 

The scene shifts. It’s night time and someone is on the top of a building aiming a sniper riffle at a person on a taxi. I’m not sure if the person being aimed was a man or a woman, though it looked like a woman. 

The man behind the gun is no one else but the Frank Castle. While Frank is readying his riffle for the perfect shot, unaware of his surroundings, DD appears. 

Running on the rooftop, he jumps and kicks the gun, amazingly diving over Frank to stop him. They soon engage on a fight, but when it was getting interesting and intense as fuck the scene was cut with the Daredevil logo and “2016 - NETFLIX”.

There’s no word on when this trailer will be officially released for the rest of us to see, but it definitely sounds like it will get fans pumped up for season two of Daredevil and The Punisher’s introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Not long ago a rumor surfaced that Disney and Lucasfilm would no longer make Slave Leia merchandise. It seems to have become a heavy topic of conversation among fans. Those conversations have now reached the ears of Carrie Fisher and in a couple of separate interviews, she has been asked about what she thinks of the Slave Leia merchandise controversy. She gives great outspoken responses, and she doesn’t seem to hold back on how she really feels.

Here’s a fantastic response that she gave to the Wall Street Journal:

There’s been some debate recently about whether there should be no more merchandise with you in the “Return of the Jedi” bikini.

“I think that’s stupid.”

To stop making the merchandise?

“The father who flipped out about it, ‘What am I going to tell my kid about why she’s in that outfit?’ Tell them that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn’t like it. And then I took it off. Backstage.”

It’s a great response, but I just want to point out that I seriously doubt any father flipped out over the Slave Leia outfit the way she thinks they flipped out. I’ve never met a dad who complained about that outfit, but I’ve sure met plenty of moms that have!  

Fisher also gave a response to the Los Angeles Times, and this one was a little testier:

“How about telling his daughter that the character is wearing that outfit not because she’s chosen to wear it. She’s been forced to wear it. She’s a prisoner of a giant testicle who has a lot of saliva going on and she does not want to wear that thing and it’s ultimately that chain, which you’re now indicating is some sort of accessory to S&M, that is used to kill the giant saliva testicle…. That’s asinine.”

Now I will never be able to think of Jabba the Hutt again and not think of him as being a “Giant Saliva Testicle.” One thing is for sure, and that is that Fisher doesn’t tolerate this kind of nonsense. Hell, maybe Disney and Lucasfilm should just focus on making a shit-ton of other Princess Leia merchandise like all of the other characters in the franchise. 

Later this month, Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated western, The Hateful Eight, will be released in theaters. I’ve already seen it, but I can’t tell you what I thought of it yet. I will tell you, though, that you have to watch it in 70mm projection if you can! It will make all the difference in the world. I already have a review written and ready to go, and I’ll be able to post it on December 21st, so keep a lookout for that.

In the meantime, we've got a lot stuff for you to watch! Below you'll find eight clips that have been released for the film that shows you eight minutes of footage from the film. There’s nothing really spoiled in these clips, but they offer you a good sense of what you will see in the film and offer you some new insight into the characters and their different personalities. I’ve also included a featurette that focuses on the ensemble cast in the movie, a couple lengthy interviews with the cast and crew, and even some cool behind-the-scenes B-Roll footage. 

In THE HATEFUL EIGHT, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff.

Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Demian Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

The Hateful Eight hits theaters on December 25th. All of the videos have been embedded below for you to watch.