Posted in Movie

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – Cherry at the Movies

Guess who’s coming to dinner

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a beautiful ‘girl power’ sequel to the 2014 hit that retold the Sleeping Beauty fairy-tale from the ‘Evil Queen’ point of view. This is Angelina Jolie’s movie but Michelle Pfeiffer brought the ice cold Queen fire willing to take down the fae queen with the big horns and cheekbones that can cut a beotch. 

This action film ups the color, action and digs deep into where, what and who Maleficient is since she looks like no other fairy creature in the forest that she defends to the death.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opens with Aurora Queen of the Moors (Elle Fanning) holding court and embarking on a new life with her own Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson) of Ulstead but like MANY an interfering Mother in Law Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) does not care for the usurper out to steal her precious child! Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson) is an attractive replacement to the original actor but like Aurora (Elle Fanning) just doesn’t have the fire to hold against the flames of Maleficient who burns the scenery with every smirk, growl and look of love. The only one who’s able to burn as bright is Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) the Ice Queen married to the kindly King John (Robert Lindsay) who’s she doesn’t love AND plots to steal his kingdom and murder all the Fae <scream>! 

It all goes down under the dream closet of jewels, shoes and dresses <swoon> that hides the truly ugly her nefarious plan to start a war with iron and a semblance poisonous to our sweet woodland creatures. I have to say bad is looking MIGHTY good on the Queen Ingrith who’s choice to wear white, silver and drip in diamonds the color of ‘innocence’ as a stark difference to Maleficent in the classic LBD (Little Black Dress) but as both these powerhouse actors prove any line delivered from such talent can sound like Shakespeare! 

The action speeds up at the engagement dinner when Maleficent meets the soon to be in-laws and Ingrith puts her plan into action causing a riff between mother, daughter, human and fae. As the film begins to create Maleficent mythology and background where she comes from we get to meet new dark fae as well as battle lines for the coming war. The film has a bit of hamhanded comment on racism and otherism in real life with the Dark Fae peaceful faction led by Conal (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who wants peace with humans while other faction wants to destroy them.

King John is ‘cursed’ by Maleficient, Aurora and Philliop navigate love and a mother’s desire to create a ‘mini me’, Ingrith’s plan to kill all the creatures during the nuptials well it’s a hodgepop that leads to what I want to see Maleficent kicking booty and I wish that we’d had some sort of fight between her and Ingrith. But if wishes were horses I’d have a Prince Charming sweep me away forever to a love castle.

I enjoyed the bitter dark chocolate bon bon fairy tale that was sumptuous to the eye and ears. It is appropriate for older small kids and kids at heart who love dark fairy-tales with a little Grimm to it. You can go see Maleficent: Mistress of Evil on October 18, 2019.

Distributor: Disney

Production: Roth Films

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sam Riley, Harris Dickinson, Ed Skrein, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Lindsay, David Gyasi, Jenn Murray, Miyari, Warwick Davis

Director: Joachim Ronning

Screenwriters: Linda Woolverton, Noah Harpster, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, based on characters from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty and La Belle au Bois Dormant by Charles Perrault

Producers: Joe Roth, Angelina Jolie, Duncan Henderson

Executive producers: Jeff Kirschenbaum, Matt Smith, Michael Vieira, Linda Woolverton

Director of photography: Henry Braham

Production designer: Patrick Tatopolous

Costume designer: Ellen Mirojnick

Editor: Laura Jennings, Craig Wood

Music: Geoff Zanelli

PG rating

Running Time: 118 minutes

Rattlesnake: 31 Days of Halloween on Netflix

Rattlesnake will gives you chills and screams!

It’s the spooky season and Netflix new original movie Rattlesnake reminds me of the classic Hitchock two people on the train with a bit of a momma bear for bite!

Rattlesnake is about a single mother Katrina (Carmen Ejogo) driving cross country to start anew with her young daughter Clara (Apollonia Pratt). Things go off course when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and Clara gets bitten by a rattlesnake. Katrina desperately finds help from a stranger in a trailer who cures the child but asks for a ‘favor she can’t refuse’. In exchange for saving Clara the woman demands a life for a life and gives Katrina 7 hours to kill someone. The psychological horror film was directed by Zak Hilditch (1922, These Final Hours), also starring Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy, Marvel’s Luke Cage) and Emma Greenwell (Shameless, Love & Friendship, The Rook), and produced by Ross Dinerstein (1922, The Package, 6 Balloons). It will be released October 25th on Netflix.

Wonder Woman takes on Silver Swan in the newest DCU Movie

“Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” takes on Silver Swan (Marie Avgeropoulos)

“Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” is the newest film in the popular series of DC Universe Movies produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC. The film has the added bonus of the DC Showcase animated short Death, inspired by Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman”

NYCC had the world premier of Wonder Woman: Bloodlines with Rosario Dawson (Wonder Woman), Marie Avgeropoulos (Silver Swan), Adrienne C. Moore (Etta Candy), Mozhan Marno (Dr. Cyber) and Courtenay Taylor (Dr. Poison) at the World Premiere of “Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” on Friday, October 4 at New York Comic Con. Attendees were able to attend a panel discussion with cast and filmmakers James Tucker (executive producer), Sam Liu (producer/co-director), Justin Copeland (co-director) and Mairghread Scott (screenwriter).

Fans can stream “Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” starting Saturday, October 5 and on 4k, Blu-ray and DVD starting October 22.

I’m a huge fan of Marie Avgeropoulos who plays Octavia Blake in The CW’s “The 100” and brings a richness to the dark character enriching the pain, choices and trying to survive. I’m very excited to see her in new roles as a VO actor, action, drama and (hopefully) comedy! She’s filming the final season of the 100 and juggling a couple of additional projects. She will co-star with Nicholas Cage in the upcoming “Jiu Jitsu” and Cary Elwes, Susan Sarandon, Diane Kruger, Brad Dourif & Nick Offerman in “Butterfly in the Typewriter.”

THE SCREENWRITERS NETWORK LAUNCHES 1ST ANNUAL ‘KILLER SHORTS’ HORROR SHORT SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

It’s all about the script for the first annual “Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition”

It all starts with getting your ‘foot’ in the door <cough> script in front of the right person. You may not realize some of the most beloved horror films started out as proof-of-concept shorts. A few that have likely made you scream include The Babadook, Lights Out, Mama, and Saw. The next big things that start out as shorts are Whisper, The Burden, Behind, Sweet Tooth, and Milk that are in development as features discovered by producers like James Wan and Sam Raimi.

Our goal is to motivate, inspire, and guide screenwriters to write horror shorts with feature adaptation potential. We’re looking for big ideas. The best horror shorts rely heavily on visual scares and unique world building. Putting this kind of terror on the page isn’t for the faint of heart. For the few who succeed, this could be the break that launches their career.

Alison Parker, Contest Director

It’s about the script and having the chance to to have it seen by literary managers, agents, executives, and producers. The genre is changing to appeal to fans across the world and new voices/pov that can run with this opportunity. I’m sure it will be competitive filled with talented writes where the top 3 scripts will be read by agents, managers and producers at the following companies: Grey Matter Productions, Paradigm Talent Agency, Good Fear Content, and Affirmative Entertainment. 

The top 3 will have the industry reads and a combined $3,000+ worth of prizes that include a free copy of Final Draft, waived entry to WeScreenplay Shorts, Screencraft Shorts, Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest and Oregon Scream Horror Week Film Festival, 5 Free Pitches on Virtual Pitch Fest, Free Subscriptions to Shudder, VIP Platinum Membership on Screenwriters Network, Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List, with exposure to thousands of industry professionals who are looking for great screenplays, and more that might launch the next horror movie franchise!

Submissions are now open for the 2019 season! Deadlines and Fees are as follows:

  • Early Bird – October 15th 2019 – $15
  • Regular – November 15th, 2019 – $20
  • Final – December 15th, 2019 – $25

About The Screenwriters Network
Established in 2016, The Screenwriters Network is the world’s most popular screenwriting Discord server, with a fast-growing community of over 3000+ amateur and professional screenwriters. The server offers both free and premium VIP membership with additional perks and benefits.

For more information visit: http://www.killershortscontest.com/The-Screenwriters-Network/ 

Ryan Reynolds in 6 Underground on Netflix

Michael Bay is bringing the boom this December 13th with his new film 6 Underground premiering December 13th on Netflix. The new action film stars Ryan Reynolds as the leader of a covert group with no past, present or future aka ghosts that are the heroes no one will ever know taking about the bad guys/gals.

6 Underground writers are Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese. The producers are Ian Bryce, p.g.a., Michael Bay, p.g.a., David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger. Matthew Cohan, Garrett Grant, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese are the Exec Producers and the film is co-produced by Michael Kase, JJ Hook and Marco Valerio Pugini. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Lior Raz, Payman Maadi and Dave Franco.