Director: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee and Kit Harrington
Screenwriters: Chloé Zhao, Ryan Firpo, Kaz Firpo, Patrick Burleigh

Marvel has never been afraid to go big before, but even by their own standards, Eternals, the latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a tale of epic proportions.

Directed by recent Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao (Best Director and Best Picture for Nomadland), Eternals spans the ages, from 5000 BC all the way through to the present day. Taking place on a cosmic scale, the film introduces a new ensemble of heroes known as the Eternals (immortal beings created by gods called the Celestials), who, 7000 years ago, were sent on a mission to protect the people of Earth from a race of monstrous creatures known as the Deviants.

Eternals, in all its fantastical glory, marks a sharp departure from Zhao’s previous films (Nomadland, The Rider, Songs My Brother Taught Me), which focus on telling the stories of marginalised groups living in America. Notably gritty yet tender, incorporating stunning panoramic shots and landscapes vistas, Zhao’s past work can be characterised by its sensibilities and realism, her filmmaking understated but powerful. Yet as much as Zhao’s work is known for being grounded, Marvel has their head in the clouds, bringing the fantastical to life and going heavy on the CGI to do so. In answering the question of how these two seemingly opposing styles meet, Zhao’s influence doesn’t override the Marvel formula so much as it merges with it. Eternals is a careful fusion of Zhao’s stylistic tenderness, careful pacing and penchant for naturalistic shots, and Marvel’s traditional superhero romp, creating a story that manages to remain grounded and heartfelt despite the magnitude of its undertaking. The result is enough to make Eternals feel different and distinctly more mature from previous MCU instalments, while still remaining true to the tried and tested superhero formula.

A star-studded cast brings the new team to life, with Gemma Chan taking the lead as Sersi, alongside Richard Madden’s Ikaris. Other standouts amongst the cast include Angelina Jolie as Thena, an incredibly fierce yet vulnerable warrior, Lia McHugh as the blunt yet loveable Sprite, and Brian Tyree Henry as the brilliantly smart Phastos.

Spread across the globe, the Eternals have been living in hiding for thousands of years, until an unexpected attack forces them out of the shadows. With the return of the Deviants and an even more devastating event on the horizon, the Eternals reunite after years apart, coming together to once again try to protect humanity from a threat that is set to destroy the world (Earth really just can’t seem to catch a break).

With so much history to unwrap, the story flickers between the past and the present day. From Babylon, to Mesopotamia, to the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, part of the fun is seeing imaginings of some of the most intriguing lost civilisations from across history come to life on screen, and discovering how the presence of the Eternals has accordingly been worked into the timeline of human evolution. The globetrotting doesn’t end there either, in the present day, the story flits across the planet from London (hitting a couple of the tourist high spots like Trafalgar Square and… well, Camden), to suburban America, and the outback of Australia, as the team reunites and each member is pulled out of hiding.

With the vastness of the stage on which the film is playing, the sheer amount of history to cover and the large number of new characters to be introduced, Zhao is careful to structure the film so as to avoid an information overload. A crawl sets the scene, imparting crucial information necessary to digest the almost biblical nature of the concepts being explored, (the creation of life, the functionality of the universe; this is no small story). The Eternals are introduced over the course of the movie, reconnecting at a steady pace that spans much of the runtime, ensuring characters aren’t lost in the crowd.

When it comes to the Eternals themselves, Zhao deftly handles the characterisation of each new hero, dedicating time to flesh out their backstory and personality. The result is a welcomed well-rounded team of diverse individuals. There is a wonderful mix of backgrounds and accents, characters also speak American Sign Language, and it’s refreshing to see such diversity on screen without it being expressly called out or deliberately addressed.

It could have been the thing that bought the movie down, but the challenge of introducing a team of ten newcomers, each with a different set of powers, to the MCU in one film was cleverly done. The abilities of the Eternals are clearly differentiated and each power is visually unique, brought to life on screen with beautiful golden VFX detailing—a stunningly elegant styling that also sets the Eternals and their powers apart from those of previously seen MCU heroes.

While it’s fun discovering everyone’s powers, it’s the characters themselves and the evolution of their relationships with one another that are the heartbeat of the film. Much of the story is driven by the exploration of individual vulnerabilities and insecurities, and how those wants and dreams, fears and beliefs play into the group dynamics. This is one of the film’s greatest strengths; despite the cosmic scale of the movie, Zhao focuses on the characters at a human level, and in doing so, manages to keep the story grounded, capturing a poignance that could easily have been washed away by the size of setting in which the Eternals play. Time sees relationships grow and fracture, sees the heroes heal and hurt each other; seven thousand years of history all leading up to the choices they have to make in the present day.

The third act does deliver on the expected Marvel battle, leaning on the usual MCU formula. And yet, contrary to most MCU films, the central conflict is less about the big threat and more about the Eternals themselves, their choices, the debate of right and wrong, and the consequences of those decisions. It’s by no means a revolutionary final act (there is still a ton of CGI and a lot of powers being thrown about—after all, it’s still a Marvel movie), but the subtle change in approach is refreshing, and Zhao’s sensibilities shine through enough that, in many ways, the final act does feel distinctly different to previous final battles; less glorious, more tender, more earnest.

It’s strange to think that a story playing with such vast, fantastical concepts could be at all considered grounded, and yet against all odds, that is exactly what Eternals manages to be. When it comes down to it, Eternals is about what you’d do for those you love, and Zhao never loses touch with the soul of the story, managing to inject a surprising amount of heart and gentleness into a film with a story that spans such mammoth proportions.

Be warned, there’s no neat bow to tie everything up; fresh mysteries open as the film ends with not one, but three massive cliffhangers, courtesy of both a mid credits and post credits scene. And yet, by the end of the 157 minute runtime, the story has spanned so many years and there has been so much emotional payoff for many of the characters that Eternals still manages to feel resolved and satisfying in many respects, despite the fact that there is still more of the tale to come.

A captivating instalment in the MCU that doesn’t buckle under the weight of its own ambition, Eternals remains true to the Marvel formula, yet is different enough in scale and tone to set it apart. A brilliant addition to the MCU, bringing oodles of new lore to the franchise with its grand sweeping story and stellar cast of new characters, Eternals is a movie worth buying a ticket (and popcorn) for.

Just be prepared to also buy a ticket to its promised sequel too.

What did you think of Eternals? Tell us in the comments below!

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If you didn’t know, Disney is producing a sequel to the much-loved Mary Poppins and it comes almost 54 years later after being released in 1964. However, the sequel is only set 25 years after the original film with Emily Blunt taking over from Julie Andrews in the role of Mary.

Set in 1935, the film will see Mary Poppins revisit the now grown-up Michael and Jane Banks, along with Michael’s three children, after they experience a family tragedy. Alongside Mary, her friend Jack (played by Lin-Manuel Miranda) will join her and the children as they embark on a new magical journey, as seen in the behind-the-scenes photos released earlier today.

Blunt looks practically perfect as the magical nanny in these new images as herself, Lin-Manuel and the children cycle through fog outside Buckingham Palace over the weekend. In the new photos, we see flying bicycles, umbrellas and the chimney sweepers, which are all important elements to revive the magic of Mary Poppins. Several videos have also been popping up capturing the filming of these scenes and contain brief snippets of the musical score, and from what you can hear, it sounds as though we will be in for a treat!

To add a touch more magic from the original film, Dick Van Dyke will be joining the cast. Van Dyke played both chimney sweeper Bert and Mr Dawes Snr in the original film and will now be playing Mr. Dawes Jr. But the talented cast doesn’t stop there. Meryl Streep will be playing Mary Poppin’s cousin Topsy, Julie Walters as Ellen the housekeeper, Angela Lansbury as a balloon seller, and Colin Firth as William Wetherall Wilkins.

Mary Poppins Returns stars Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep and Colin Firth, with the film scheduled to be released in December 2018.

Are you excited for the film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

A post shared by Todd Bixby (@toddbixby) on Apr 2, 2017 at 4:03pm PDT

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Written by Tasya

While Beauty and the Beast is the most anticipate film of 2017 for many, I wasn’t so sure if I wanted to see it. When it was first announcement caused excitement, both the teaser and the trailer didn’t seem impressive. Nor did I believe Emma Watson was the right choice for Belle, especially in comparison to the casting choice for the live-action remake of Cinderella. This may seem trivial, but the dress as well! It may be just a dress, but being a Disney film, it’s always an important element of the film!

But oh boy, how very wrong I was.

Emma Watson’s performance in the role of Belle was commendable. Albeit her facial expressions may have been too much at times and many facing the issue of separating Hermione Granger from Emma Watson, there was little to disapprove of. From the way she has made Belle move and talk, you can truly see how Belle is different from the rest of the villagers.

Now let’s talk about the Beast. There seems to be not much to say about him, especially since he’s not that different from the original Beast. At first he was violent and scary until he showed his sweet side. The CGI effect and Dan Steven’s acting really added another dimension to his character. As for Gaston, Luke Evans did an excellent job in playing the suave and handsome character and even though this is strange to say, he really makes you hate the character more than the original Gaston.

The visual effects in this movie are spectacular. From the menacing and alive castle, with hints of its previous glory to the furniture such as Chip and Lumière, it truly feels magical. The team behind the film has truly taken their time in paying attention to the details and capturing the essence of a Disney film.

Beauty and the Beast follows the same story as its animated original, but the atmosphere and the acting seem to alter some of the scenes. For example I found this to be the case during the beginning of the film during the voiceover about the Beast’s origin story and the fight scene between Gaston and Beast. The diversity in this film was a step up with LeFou, Plumette and Garderobe and even though they’re side characters, it’s a start and if you pay attention, you can also see many Asian actors during scenes of the film. While many believe the slight twist in altering the film to add a homosexual scene is nothing, for some countries, such as my own, it’s been the source of a significant amount of controversy, especially when Disney refused to cut the scene.

There aren’t many areas which come across disappointing, with the only ones being quite trivial for some. Firstly, the iconic yellow dress is gorgeous, but it feels too plain in comparison to the live-action Cinderella dress. Then there’s the ballroom scene. Thankfully they didn’t use Ariana and John’s version (even though it’s a decent cover), but the scene just doesn’t feel as magical as the animated version with grand windows and the starry sky.

All in all, Beauty and the Beast is a beautiful and magical movie which stays true to its core. It’s full of nostalgia, but fresh for both viewers who have or have not seen the original film. It also seems to mark a new era for Disney, and as much as I am hesitant to say this, I look forward to seeing what Disney has in store for us next.

The post The Live-Action ‘Beauty and The Beast’ is Magical appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Based on the children’s book series of the same name, the film centers on a pair of elementary school pranksters who aggravate their principal to the point that he moves to separate them into separate classes. But the pair manage to hypnotize their principal and convince him into believing he’s a silly and awful superhero.

The film features the voices of Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Jordan Peele and Nick Kroll.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie hits cinemas in June.

Did you love the Captain Underpants books? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Credit: Entertainment Weekly

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Before I Fall follows a teenage girl when she is tragically killed in a car accident and forced to relive the same day over and over—Groundhog Day-style.

The film is based on Lauren Oliver’s novel of the same name, who has also written the best-selling Delirium trilogy. When it comes to book-to-film adaptions, I fall into the category of those who prefer to read the book prior to watching the movie and typically the book is always better, however, sometimes the film can surpass its original source material.

With the Groundhog Day concept done many of times in both television and film, Oliver did a commendable job with the book, but this may not be this case for the film.

The film follows Sam (Zoey Deutch) who is your typical high school student until she is killed on February 12th. After the car accident, instead of dying, she instantly wakes up to have the day replay again and again until something changes. Her character is considered to be part of the well-known clique in her high school and their clique are praised as if they are the ‘Regina George and minions’ of the school.

In the novel, Oliver did well to depict the high school setting, which isn’t always achieved well in all young adult novels. In many high school based plots, it’s always one of the outcasts who beat the popular kids, but in this story, Sam turns on her friends in order to understand what’s going on.

As she relives each day over, she discovers there has been some drama involving a girl named Juliet, who later commits suicide. Eventually the conflict is resolved, but does it end happily? Read or watch to find out!

The film stars Zoey Deutch (Vampire Academy), Halston Sage (Paper Towns) and Elena Kampouris (My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2). Before I Fall is out in most cinemas worldwide.

Have you seen the film? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta. In the name of all that is good, your wrath upon this world is over.

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine released the latest trailer for Wonder Woman at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday night. The new trailer release came after the release of a brand new poster with the promise of an “even bigger surprise”.

The new trailer features more about the female warrior, including Diana training with the Amazons when the young trainee unleashes the force of her mystical bracelets. Soon after, we see her head to the “hideous” London to help save the world.

The film stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen.

Wonder Woman hits cinemas in June.

What do you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!

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There seems to be a few Little Mermaid’s in the sea as this adaption comes from Conglomerate Media and Kingsway Productions. There is an official Disney live-action film in the works with Lin-Manuel Miranda and another was previously in the works by Universal until Chloe Moretz dropped out of the film last year.

In this reimagining of the classic tale a young girl and her reporter brother travel to a small Mississippi town to meet a woman believed to be a mermaid of legend. The film stars William Moseley (Narnia), Poppy Drayton (The Shannara Chronicles) and Shirley MacLaine.

The Little Mermaid is slated for release in mid-2017.

What did you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!

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The novel was published last September and today it was announced the rights to the four-part book series has been acquired by Fox with Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps producing the film.

The series follows a set of triplets who are all equal heirs to the crown and have magical powers — one can spark flames or storms, another can ingest the deadliest poisons, and the third can bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions, but only one can be queen.

One Dark Throne is the sequel in the series and will be released September this year.

Are you excited by this news? Did you like Three Dark Crowns? Let us know in the comments below!

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Who doesn’t love superhero movies? Currently the television and film industries are saturated with superheros, and this just goes to show how big of an interest people have in the genre. In particular, there always seems to be a handful of heroes which pop-up frequently and one of them is Batman.

In the late 2000s, the critically acclaimed The Dark Knight trilogy was released and then last year, we saw the extremely polarizing Batman vs. Superman, which divided casual viewers and fans alike. We will be seeing Ben Affleck’s Batman once again in November when in Justice League. But with all the Batman’s we’ve seen so far, how does Lego Batman stand out on its own?

If there’s one thing which never changes about Batman it’s his brooding. By day, he is a lonely, brooding billionaire and by night, he becomes a vigilante. In his many portrayals, he always seems to be a little obsessed as well. Lego Batman continues to take up the same issues by going through Bruce’s defences and family issues while using Alfred to be his guide and provide some much-needed common sense at times. But they’ve also incorporated a different aspect into the film and that is through a child coming into his life.

Yes, you did read that right. Batman adopted a child, and it took him a week to remember him. He must find it within himself to accept the boy as his family and attempt to raise him in his typical narcissistic and egotistical way, of course. The thing is, with the movie part of the Lego franchise, their approach is usually quite different. The film isn’t afraid to joke about Batman’s stereotypical characteristics, such as how he works along and his relationship with the Joker. So instead of being serious as Batman films usually are (and typically not suitable for children) Lego Batman incorporates a tonne of jokes and references. Usually these can always be a bit of a hit or miss, depending on the situation or understanding, but either way, it does make the film quite enjoyable.

Lego Batman is perfect for multi-fandom viewers as it contains numerous pop-culture references. It is filled with super-villians like Joker, Bane and Harley Quinn, plus unrelated ones such as Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter) and Sauron (Lord of the Rings). Other than the appearance of these big bad’s, it also satirizes other movies in its genres—because really, the superhero genre deserves it every now and then.

With its fast pace and zippy energy, you’ll find yourself enjoying the film that will never bore you while watching the movie. The animation follows its usual Lego film characteristics with its vibrancy and attention to details. For new viewers, the Lego format can be unsettling, but as the movie continues, the playful nature tends to distract you. In addition, it has some very catchy original music filled with self-worship on Batman’s part.

Lego Batman appears to be the perfect blend with Batman’s usual origin story and character in conjunction with the lightness and vibrant atmosphere of the Lego films and games. Lego Batman has certainly given us a good start to the year with it being the first superhero movie out and many more to come over the following months.

What did you think of Lego Batman? Let us know in the comments below!

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In the new preview, we see Belle (played by Emma Watson) sing the opening song, ‘Belle’ as she strolls through the village.

The film also stars Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans as Gaston, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, and Ian McKellen as Cogsworth.

Beauty and the Beast hits theatres next month.

Let us know in the comments what you think about this new preview!

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