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‘Toy Story’, 25 Years Later

Declan Green — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 23:00:00 +0000

When we speak about the production of the first entirely computer-animated feature film, some astonishing statistics are often brought up. Toy Story consisted of 144,240 total frames, each one of which took anywhere from 45 minutes to 30 hours to render. All of this took up a “render farm” of 117 computers. By the end, this added up to 800,000 machine hours. The product was a fully realised, three-dimensional universe that transformed everyday objects into towering structures, obstacles, and amusement rides for the toy characters that inhabited it. It was a Herculean task unlike anything that had come before, a largely technological innovation that set off a new era of computer-animated films that we’re still in the midst of today.

Then there is also Toy Story’s writers, John Lasseter, Pete Docter, and Andrew Stanton, who set out to write a buddy comedy about toys who have the simple desire to be played with by a kid. The toys hold an essentialist ideology that their purpose and identity is set in stone prior to their creation, and they are led by Sheriff Woody, an old-fashioned, law-abiding cowboy. He and his philosophy face a reckoning when their kid, Andy, gets a new toy for his birthday, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. Andy is their sacred deity who deems which toys are worth his time and which ones aren’t, and now that most of his attention is being taken up by Buzz, Woody’s value suddenly seems a lot less certain.

What resonates so deeply about Lasseter, Docter, and Stanton’s screenplay is the character archetypes, which are used to create a broader narrative about cultural and personal progress. From the 1940s to the 1960s, westerns were by far the most marketable and popular film genre that Hollywood was producing. Cowboys and sheriffs fought outlaws, taming the rough, uncivilised terrain to establish the social order we have today.

Then in 1968, Stanley Kubrick’s science-fiction epic 2001: A Space Odyssey was released. A year later in 1969, humanity took its first steps on the moon. In the following decades, mainstream audiences turned their eyes away from the Earth and towards space, captivated by movies such as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Alien. The western and science-fiction genres both explored the expansion of human civilisation into new frontiers, but where westerns were looking to the past, science-fiction looked to the future, speculating how humanity might evolve alongside scientific and technological advances. In short, the cowboy was replaced by the astronaut.

By drawing on a significant shift in the movie industry, Toy Story essentially braced its audience for another of its kind. Disney’s move from traditional to computer animation happened rather quickly – it only took fourteen years for them to make the full transition, with 2009’s The Princess and the Frog being the last of its kind produced by the studio.

But it is important to note that Buzz’s dethroning of Woody isn’t as sudden as Woody initially feared. Woody remains in Andy’s good graces for a while before finding new appreciation with Bonnie in Toy Story 3, and finally learning how to exist on his own terms rather than at the mercy of other’s fickle interests in Toy Story 4. Likewise, traditional animation remains a viable option for television programs and other production companies such as Studio Ghibli. Though its popularity has dwindled like the western, it is unlikely it will ever die off completely, kept alive by nostalgic fans of the technique and style.

Computer animation is an art unto itself and has only improved in leaps and bounds since 1995. There is no reason this new style needs to be antagonised to appreciate traditional animation, as it has accomplished stunning visual feats in its own right – the world-building in the opening forty minutes of WALL-E, the experimental blending of techniques in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and the beautiful colours and lights in Coco to name a few.

Toy Story foreshadowed this sort of innovation at the start of it all in 1995 through the character of Buzz Lightyear, while using Woody as a symbolic nod towards the building blocks of our cinematic and cultural history. It reflected on its own inevitable impact through a celebration of the western and the science-fiction, old and new styles of artistic expression, and tradition and progress. Toy Story is often remembered as a technological and visual triumph, yet its story’s foundations in cultural archetypes resonate just as strongly today.

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Movie Review: Toy Story 4

Declan Green — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:03:21 +0000

After Toy Story 3, there was no real reason for this movie to be made. Pixar could have easily let its predecessor close out the trilogy, and leave Woody living out the rest of his days with Bonnie and the gang. There was the small question of what might happen once Bonnie grew up and whether the toys’ lives would just turn into a cycle of finding new owners, but this wasn’t exactly weighing on anyone’s mind. So for Toy Story 4 to justify its own existence, it needed to do something special. And in the eyes of this skeptical reviewer, it succeeds in doing so.

The introduction of Forky, a literal plastic spork with pasted on googly eyes and pipe cleaner arms, is an extension of the themes laid out in the previous instalments, but with a dose of existentialist dread for good measure. Tony Hale’s voice performance is reminiscent of his time on Arrested Development as Buster Bluth, painting Forky as a nervous wreck who is similarly always on the edge of a breakdown.

Being made out of trash, Forky is way outside of his comfort zone, believing that his place is in the garbage rather than by a child’s side. It seems as if this level of comical self-deprecation is aimed directly at the millennial audiences who grew up with the early films, yet it never strays too far from the themes of self-sacrifice and emotional support that the franchise has always advocated for. Unfortunately, the resolution to Forky’s own story arc comes a little too early, with the filmmakers missing the opportunity to prod these kid-friendly existentialist themes a little more than they do. While disappointing that this isn’t developed further, Forky remains compelling throughout the film simply for his comical naivety and the novelty of his character concept.

Forky’s disconnection to his environment also reflects Woody’s own diminishing sense of pride now he is no longer a child’s favourite toy. In his mind, a toy’s worth has always been directly correlated to the joy they bring to their owner, and every time a character has struggled against this belief they have always been starkly painted as villains. Toys such as Wheezy and Jessie who have been pushed aside often crave a child’s attention, basing their entire self-worth on whether they get played with. But the more that Woody explains this worldview to Forky, the more he is forced to question it. The ensuing story mirrors that of the first Toy Story movie – Woody’s owner brings home a new toy who is quickly lost, which compels Woody to go on an adventure to bring them home safely. What allows this sequel to stand on its own is Woody’s matured attitude that has been built up throughout the series, and sets up the final pay-off.

With Bo Peep’s appearance in this film, we see for the first time a toy who wishes to live an independent life without an owner and isn’t depicted as confused or evil. She recognises a much deeper truth to her existence than Woody ever has – that while providing emotional support to a child is a noble purpose, there is also value in knowing when you are no longer needed. In this way, Toy Story 4 becomes a moving metaphor for parenting and retirement and lets Woody make the largest shift in his character development yet.

The Bo Peep we see here is no longer the dainty ceramic doll from the first two movies. While she is living a liberated life without any attachment to an owner, she has also quite literally become a shepherdess to lost toys, helping them find owners while developing a passion for adventure. We see something inside Woody click as she shows him the beauty of the world outside a child’s home, and Pixar takes these as opportunities to demonstrate exactly why they are the leader of the animation industry. The beautifully coloured landscapes and the scarily photorealistic cat show just how far their technology has come since Toy Story 3 in 2010, drawing in particular from the innovative use of lighting and colour in 2017’s Coco.

The gradual increase in the size of Woody’s gang over the years reaches a tipping point in Toy Story 4, and with the introduction of new toys, many of the regulars are sidelined. Even Buzz Lightyear has relatively less to do than usual, though he does get his own hilarious running joke as he attempts to tune into his “inner voice” and eventually tries to take matters into his own hands.

Among the new toys is antique doll Gabby Gabby, this movie’s sympathetic antagonist, who is after a new voice box with the help of Benson, a terrifying ventriloquist doll. Being a puppet, his lack of talking is a clever touch to his character, as is his zombie-like limp and stiff, wooden movements. Once we realise there are multiple, identical Benson dummies we never feel safe again. Our heroes might be watching unassuming Bensons from a hiding spot, but we know that there could always be just one waiting to ambush them from the shadows. His apparent omnipresence and unsettling physical features easily make him one of the creepiest toys we have seen in the series.

The rest of the cast is filled with celebrity names such as Keegan Michael-Key, Jordan Peele, and Keanu Reeves, and each of their characters are instilled with distinct backgrounds, motivations, and styles of humour that support our main characters in their adventure. But the scene-stealing minor character who will win the hearts of the adults in the audience is Bonnie’s dad, who just can’t catch a break. The escalating attempts by Jessie and the other toys to delay Bonnie’s family’s departure from the carnival always end up leaving her unsuspecting father bearing the brunt of their actions. His tired resignation to their constant meddling continues the joke from previous Toy Story movies that the small actions of oblivious toys often have amusingly large ramifications on the adults around them.

Toy Story 4 as a final chapter works just as well, if not better, than Toy Story 3. Its bittersweet ending asserts the value of loyalty and selflessness that the series has always stood by, but it also moderates its own message by acknowledging that there is also a time to take a step back from expired relationships. In this way the movie could perhaps be a criticism of franchises that have served their purpose and need to be put to bed, further suggesting this really is the final Toy Story movie. Is that a stretch? Maybe. But the fact that Pixar managed to pull this off just goes to show that their focus is still on crafting compelling stories for children and families.

**Have you seen Toy Story 4? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!**

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June 2019 Movie Releases

Elise Dumpleton — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 20:00:15 +0000

June has some exciting and highly anticipated 2019 movies coming to a cinema near you! The X-Men universe expands once more with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, which focuses on Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey, while other franchises grow with the addition of Men In Black: International and Toy Story 4. Music related films continue to roll out with the release of Yesterday, which sees The Beatles forgotten by the world except for one man who has a chance to make it big.

For the kids, there’s The Secret Life of Pets 2, and then some films that are definitely not for the kids including Child’s Play and Annabelle Comes Home. Plus Netflix continues to toss their hat into the ring with two original movies, Murder Mystery, which stars Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and I Am Mother, which stars Hilary Swank.

Read on to discover what movies are coming out this month and tell us what you are looking forward to below!

X-Men: Dark Phoenix
TRAILER

Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. Starring Sophie Turner, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Men In Black: International

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organisation. Starring Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Liam Neeson (Taken), and Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks).

Toy Story 4
TRAILER

When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy. Voiced by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, and Laurie Metcalf.

Late Night

A late-night talk show host’s world is turned upside down when she hires her first and only female staff writer. Originally intended to smooth over diversity concerns, her decision brings about unexpectedly hilarious consequences as the two women who are separated by culture and generation become united by their love of a biting punchline. Starring Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks), Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), John Lithgow (The Crown), and Hugh Dancy (Hannibal).

Child’s Play
TRAILER

After moving to a new city, young Andy Barclay receives a special present from his mother — a seemingly innocent Buddi doll that becomes his best friend. When the doll suddenly takes on a life of its own, Andy unites with other neighborhood children to stop the sinister toy from wreaking bloody havoc. Starring Aubrey Plaza (Legion), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), and Tim Matheson (Hart of Dixie).

Yesterday

A struggling musician realises he’s the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate timeline where they never existed. Starring Himesh Patel (EastEnders), Lily James (Baby Driver), Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters 2016), Ed Sheeran, and James Corden.

Shaft
TRAILER

John Shaft Jr., a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, enlists his family’s help to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death. Starring Samuel L. Jackson (The Hateful Eight), Avan Jogia (Now Apocalypse), and Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon).

Annabelle Comes Home

Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room in their home, placing her “safely” behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest’s holy blessing. But an unholy night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits in the room, who all set their sights on a new target-the Warrens’ ten-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends. Starring Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), Patrick Wilson (Aquaman), Madison Iseman (Still The King), and Mckenna Grace (I, Tonya).

I Am Mother
TRAILER

A teenage girl is raised underground by a kindly robot “Mother” — designed to repopulate the earth following the extinction of humankind. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news. Starring Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids), and Clara Rugaard (Still Star-Crossed).

Murder Mystery

A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage, but end up getting framed and on the run for the death of an elderly billionaire. Starring Jennifer Aniston (Friends), Adam Sandler (50 First Dates), Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast 2017), and Gemma Arterton (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time).

The Dead Don’t Die
TRAILER

The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves. Starring Bill Murray (Ghostbusters), Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Selena Gomez, and Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange).

The Secret Life of Pets 2

Continuing the story of Max and his pet friends, following their secret lives after their owners leave them for work or school each day. Featuring the voices of Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Harrison Ford, and Eric Stonestreet.

What June movie are you most excited to see? Tell us in the comments below!

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2019 Movie Releases

Elise Dumpleton — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 20:00:40 +0000

With the new year, 2019 promises plenty of opportunities for you to be spending your money at the cinemas seeing one of the many great new movies coming your way! There’s something for everyone, along with some highly anticipated releases and even remakes coming out this year.

Disney will be leaving a mark this year with Dumbo, Aladdin, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, and Frozen 2 all being released over the course of 2019, so both the young and young at heart are incredibly excited to see these movies!

But if superheroes are more your speed, never fear because like every other year, they are here to save the day. This year sees Brie Larson assuming the role of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, while Zachary Levi will be in Shazam!, Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and of course, almost everybody starring in Avengers: Endgame, which is the final instalment in the Avengers franchise. There’s also Stranger Things star David Harbour taking on the role of Hellboy and two mutant-filled movies—New Mutants and Dark Phoenix.

Need a little romance or a good rom-com? Rebel Wilson stars in Isn’t It Romantic about a woman trapped in a romantic comedy, Riverdale‘s Cole Sprouse stars in the film adaptation of Five Feet Apart, another YA adaptation coming to our screens is The Sun Is Also A Star, and a gender-swapped version of What Men Want starring the hilarious Taraji P. Henson.

Other highly anticipated and intriguing movies include M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass, Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu in Detective Pikachu, Taron Egerton playing the infamous Elton John in Rocketman, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson donning suits in Men In Black International, a star-studded cast in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and a Downton Abbey movie.

Read on to discover some of 2019’s movies coming out this year and tell us in the comments below which ones you are most excited for!

JANUARY – MARCH

Glass

Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities. Starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy, Sarah Paulson, and Anya Taylor-Joy.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | Trailer

It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. Voiced by Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum, Will Arnett, and Alison Brie.

What Men Want | Trailer

A gender-swapped take on the Mel Gibson comedy What Women Want sees Taraji P. Henson playing a sports agent who can hear what the men in her industry are thinking. And, we suspect, she won’t take no s–t from any of them. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Max Greenfield.

Alita: Battle Angel | Trailer

An action-packed story of one young woman’s journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world. Starring Jennifer Connelly, Eiza González, Rosa Salazar, and Mahershala Ali.

Isn’t It Romantic | Trailer

A young woman disenchanted with love mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a romantic comedy. Starring Rebel Wilson, Priyanka Chopra, Liam Hemsworth, and Adam Devine.

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World | Trailer

As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind. Voiced by Jay Baruchel, America Fererra, Cate Blanchett, Kit Harington, and Kristen Wiig.

Captain Marvel

Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Starring Brie Larson, Lee Pace, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Us

A mother and father take their kids to their beach house, expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited. Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Elizabeth Moss, Winston Duke, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Five Feet Apart | Trailer

A pair of teenagers with life-threatening illnesses meet in a hospital and fall in love. Starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Trailer

After her anxiety-ridden mother disappears, 15-year-old Bee does everything she can to track her down, discovering her troubled past in the process. Starring Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer, and Laurence Fishburne.

Chaos Walking

A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each others’ thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise. Starring Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Mads Mikkelsen, and Nick Jonas.

Dumbo

A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer. Starring Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito.

The Dirt

The story of how Mötley Crüe came to be one of the most notorious rock ‘n roll groups in history. Starring Iwan Rheon, Machine Gun Kelly, Douglas Booth, and Leven Rambin.

APRIL – JUNE

Shazam!

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word – SHAZAM! – this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam. Starring Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, and Asher Angel.

Hellboy | Trailer

Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge. Starring David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, and Ian McShane.

Avengers: Endgame | Trailer

In the aftermath of Thanos wiping out half of all life in the universe, the remaining Avengers must do what’s necessary to undo the Mad Titan’s deed. Starring everybody.

Brightburn | Trailer

What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? Starring Elizabeth Banks.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, and Suki Waterhouse.

The Sun Is Also A Star

A teenager finds love at a difficult time in her family’s life. Starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton.

Aladdin | Trailer

Aladdin is an upcoming American musical romantic fantasy adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie, from the screenplay co-written with John August and Vanessa Taylor, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Starring Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Nasim Pedrad, and Mena Massoud.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Trailer

The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. Starring Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler, Sally Hawkins, and Ken Watanabe.

John Wick: Chapter 3

This movie picks up right where Chapter 2 left off, as John must survive the bounty on his head without the aid of the larger criminal underworld. Starring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and Anjelica Huston.

Rocketman

The story of Elton John’s life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Dark Phoenix | Trailer

Men In Black International | Trailer

Toy Story 4 | Trailer

JULY – SEPTEMBER

Spider-Man: Far From Home

After the events of Avengers: Endgame Peter Parker and his friends go on summer vacation to Europe and there Peter finds himself trying to save his friends against a villain known as Mysterio. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, and Michael Keaton.

The Lion King

From Disney Live Action, director Jon Favreau’s all-new “The Lion King” journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Voiced by Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and James Earl Jones.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

A faded TV actor and his stunt double embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Helter Skelter reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, and James Marsden.

Hobbs and Shaw

A spinoff of The Fate of the Furious, focusing on Johnson’s US Diplomatic Security Agent Luke Hobbs forming an unlikely alliance with Statham’s Deckard Shaw. Starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.

The New Mutants | Trailer

Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, and Alice Braga.

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl II, a young Irish criminal mastermind, kidnaps the fairy LEPrecon officer Holly Short for ransom to fund the search for his missing father in order to restore the family fortune. Starring Judi Dench and Josh Gad.

IT: Chapter Two

27 years later, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back. Starring Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and Bill Skarsgård.

Downton Abbey | Trailer

The hit UK period drama following the lives of the inhabitants of a fictional Yorkshire estate finally comes to the big screen, with several of the primary cast members reprising their roles and a handful of newcomers joining the fun. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, Imelda Staunton, and Geraldine James.

The Kitchen

The wives of New York gangsters in Hell’s Kitchen in the 1970s continue to operate their husbands’ rackets after they’re locked up in prison. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Tiffany Haddish, Melissa McCarthy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Common.

OCTOBER – DECEMBER

Judy

Legendary performer Judy Garland arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts. Starring Renée Zellweger, Michael Gambon, and Finn Wittrock.

Joker

A failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and becomes a psychopathic murderer. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, and Robert De Niro.

The Woman In The Window

An agoraphobic woman living alone in New York begins spying on her new neighbours only to witness a disturbing act of violence. Starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, and Anthony Mackie.

Zombieland 2

Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family. Starring Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, and Abigail Breslin.

The Goldfinch

A boy in New York is taken in by a wealthy Upper East Side family after his mother is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Starring Sarah Paulson, Nicole Kidman, Finn Wolfhard, Ansel Elgort, Jeffrey Wright, and Luke Wilson.

Charlie’s Angels

Reboot of the 2000 action comedy based on the 1970s TV series. Starring Elizabeth Banks, Kristen Stewart, Noah Centineo, and Sam Claflin.

Sonic the Hedgehog

A cop in rural town of Green Hills will help Sonic escape from the government who is looking to capture him. Starring James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Jim Carrey.

Margie Clause

When Santa goes missing during the holidays, it’s up to his wife, Margie, to save Christmas. Starring Melissa McCarthy.

Frozen 2

This is the sequel to Walt Disney Pictures’ 53rd full-length animated motion picture, Frozen. Voiced by Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad.

Star Wars: Episode IX

The conclusion of the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. Starring Oscar Isaac, Richard E. Grant, Daisy Ridley, and Domhnall Gleeson

What 2019 movie are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

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Movies You Should Watch Based On Your Zodiac Sign

The Nerd Daily — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 04:00:52 +0000

Written by Avantika Bose

Ever been stuck in that twilight zone where you’re in the mood to watch a decent movie but can’t quite find a bankable flick which might be more hit than miss? How about letting the stars be your guiding light if you can’t make up your mind?

After a tiring day (or sometimes in the middle of one), we just want to chill and unwind by watching something good with a tub of buttery popcorn by the side. But every once in a while, we’re already halfway through that popcorn and still unable to decide on that one movie that we’re sure we’ll enjoy. The vast array of entertainment on offer at online streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime doesn’t make it any easier for the indecisive mind.

Maybe the answer is written in the stars. I mean, if your zodiac sign can predict your love life and explain your weird mood swings, letting it determine which movie to watch is definitely worth a go. Leo’s being the Hollywood stars of the Zodiac, would absolutely love the Earth’s mightiest heroes who come together and fight off a threat to earth in The Avengers and a romantic Libran would love nothing more than a rom-com like Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Aries

Your Movie: The Matrix
Why? Ruled by the angsty planet Mars, a sci-fi or an action movie that keeps their mind running is a perfect match for their fiery personality. What’s better than the legendary 1999 cult classic, The Matrix? This sci-fi action film saw the iconic ‘bullet time’ effect conceived and created.

Taurus

Your Movie: Sideways
Why? The reliable, practical, sensual Taureans love to laze around and watch anything that would take their mind off reality. Sideways is a dark comedy film about a mismatched pair—a struggling writer and his friend who’s about to walk down the aisle—go on a trip to Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country. It’s a movie about two college roommates who take a wine-filled, sex-ridden road trip, and in the end, collide with reality.

Gemini

Your Movie: Psycho
Why? The intelligent, hyper-energetic, and inquisitive Gemini would enjoy nothing more than a good horror movie with a twisty plot. A psychological horror from 1960, Psycho is truly a masterpiece and will keep them riveted to wherever they’re sitting (which we all know is almost next to impossible).

Cancer

Your Movie: Coco
Why? Cancerians are traditional with a twist and are suckers for emotional sagas, or anything with a sheen of vintage charm. Coco is a soul-stirring movie about a boy who wants to be a musician. Filled with family values, history, tradition, and a lot of emotions, this movie is right up the alley of the softhearted Cancer.

Leo

Your Movie: The Avengers
Why? Leo’s are confident, passionate, warm-hearted, cheerful, and have an air of royalty about them. They need high entertainment value in the movies that they watch. The Avengers is a superhero based movie where the mightiest heroes on earth come together and fight off a common enemy is something that’ll immediately capture the interest of a Leo.

Virgo

Your Movie: Interstellar
Why? Typically analytical, kind, hardworking, and practical, Virgos tend to stay away from drama filled movies. They prefer watching science fiction or anything rooted in reality. Being creatures of logic, precision, and curiosity, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar in which a team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival is perfect for them.

Libra

Your Movie: Crazy, Stupid, Love
Why? Librans are kind, gentle, and lovers of beauty, harmony, and peace, and love anything light-hearted and oozing with love. Crazy, Stupid, Love is one such movie that would completely disarm the charming Libran and leave them feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Scorpio

Your Movie: Zodiac
Why? Scorpions are magnetic, mysterious, and have the ability to shock and surprise people in the best way possible. And just like their personality, they tend to have a thing for mysterious and scary movies! Which is why if you haven’t watched Zodiac, which tells the story of the manhunt for the Zodiac Killer, then in the words of the late Chester Bennington, what the hell are you waiting for?

Sagittarius

Your Movie: About Time
Why: Always on the move, these on-the-go adventurers have a lust for life. They would watch anything related to travel and lands far, far away. They may appear tough on the outside, but deep down inside they’re gentle and love romantic movies. About Time is the perfect movie which will satisfy them on both fantasy and romantic front.

Capricorn

Your Movie: Toy Story
Why? Although Capricorns are extremely determined, disciplined, responsible, and focused, what adds charm to their personality is that they’re secretly a goofball on the inside! And hence, they secretly love animated movies! A movie for them is a way of switching off from reality. What’s better than the all-time-favourite and the classic, Toy Story to keep the goat entertained!

Aquarius

Your Movie: Argo
Why? An Aquarius will never do anything that’s expected of them, and if they do end up watching a movie they’ll be intrigued by a real-life story of inspiration, history, art, or a thriller. Watch Argo, a historical drama based on the true story of the daring CIA rescue of Americans in Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis.

Pisces

Your Movie: Eat Pray Love
Why? The calm, romantic, emotional, and mystical Pisces are the dreamers of the Zodiac! Eat Pray Love is a romantic comedy-drama about a woman who’s in an unhappy marriage and realises that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to “find herself”. This movie will resonate with a lot of fishes who’re trying to find themselves in this dog-eat-dog world.

Found your pick? Just look up at the sky and thank your lucky stars! Tell us in the comments below what star sign you are!

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