Based on the novel of the same name, Ang Lee’s 2012 film Life of Pi
had some people calling it the “next Avatar” due to its incredible art
direction and impressive visual effects. There’s no surprise it made a
nice run at the 2013 Academy Awards, taking home the Oscar for Best
Achievement in Directing, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best
Achievement in Music
— Original Score, and Best Achievement in Visual Effects. From a
breaching whale adorned in phosphorescence, to its incredibly lifelike —
and wildly terrifying — computer-generated Bengal tiger, Life of Pi is an otherworldly experience that pushes any home theater to its absolute limit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rKS6x1a8B_4
It’s been more than 10 years since our
last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin (Ice Cube) and his
longtime crew, including Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer), are still
there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably,
our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their
own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every
turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the
surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and
our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their
neighborhood.
Barbershop: The Next Cut Synopsis
Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer are reunited in Barbershop: The Next Cut, directed by Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man films, Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins).
It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s
Barbershop. Calvin (Ice Cube) and his longtime crew, including Eddie
(Cedric the Entertainer), are still there, but the shop has undergone
some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary
is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the
shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and
camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn
for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only
save the shop, but their neighborhood.
Barbershop: The Next Cut Release Date
In Theaters April 15, 2016
Barbershop: The Next Cut Credits
Starring: Ice Cube, Common, Anthony Anderson, Nicki Minaj, and Regina Hall
Written by: Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver
Directed by:Malcolm D. Lee
Produced by: Ice Cube, Robert Teitel, and George Tillman Jr.
When
it aims for comedy, The Next Cut is an enjoyable catch-up at the
Barbershop. But, even though it touches upon topical issues, its drama
is forced and hinders rather than compliments proceedings.
No one expected there to be a Barbershop 3.
Not even Ice Cube, who led the previous two installments stoically,
allowing the likes of Cedric The Entertainer and Anthony Anderson to
bring the funny. But Hollywood’s insatiable desire for a sequel is so
strong that Warner Bros, looking to profit from the recent impressive
response of urban films at the box office, have decided to return to the
South Side of Chicago to extend a franchise that most of us assumed
would remain dormant.
The fact that Barbershop and Barbershop 2: Back In Business are more appreciated rather than adored means that Barbershop: The Next Cut
doesn’t have to worry about damaging any legacy. But it’s at its best
when it follows the same traits that made the first two films connect
with an audience.
This time time around Ice Cube's Calvin and the rest of his barbershop
posse have grown tired of the increasing gun and gang violence that is
overwhelming their block and shop on the South Side of Chicago. They
look to do something about it by organizing a 48-hour cease fire between
the gangs in exchange for free haircuts.
Stepping back into the Barbershop is actually rather homely and
warm. It feels like old times watching Ice Cube, Eve, and Cedric The
Entertainer cutting hair again while taking part in lively and spirited
banter with one another, as the
variety of topics range from racism in America, the Kardashians,
Beyonce, Bill Cosby, all the way to Barack Obama and gun violence.
The new barbers Regina Hall, Nicki Minaj, Lamorne Morris, Common, and
Margot Bingham each add their own flair, too, as do Anthony Anderson,
J.B. Smoove, and Deon Cole, who inhabit the establishment for other
needs, all of which allows The Next Cut to feel fresh despite being in familiar surroundings.
And while the original Barbershop films relied heavily on Cedric The
Entertainer for humor, the extended cast are able to add their own quips
this time around, which allows The Next Cut to smoothly and quickly flow from one joke to another. When Barbershop: The Next Cut
is aiming to be humorous it works. But it ultimately fall flat because
it tries to shoe-horn in dramatic plots that just feel forced.
What makes the failure of the main dramatic storyline so disappointing
is that it tries to tackle an issue that’s depressingly rife in the
South Side of Chicago: gun and gang violence. Unfortunately, it’s
presented in a ham-fisted, contrived and predictable fashion, which
feels as though it belongs in a soap opera. Director Malcolm D. Lee, who
deserves praise for his concise handling of the comedic elements, even
leans heavily on cheesy musical cues to hammer home the supposed
severity of the scenes, which only undermines them.
Meanwhile, the trio of Common, Eve and Nicki Minaj and the duo of Ice
Cube and Regina Hall have romantic and business subplots, respectively,
which each could be resolved within minutes by the characters actually
talking to one another, but instead they are stretched out over the
course of the film.
Like its predecessors, though, Barbershop: The Next Cut still
displays a humungous heart and its message about the importance of
community deserves to be embraced. Pity then that the delivery of this
message lacks any of the flavor, edge or entertainment of its comedy.
Because if it had, then Barbershop: The Next Cut would eclipse the quality of both of its predecessors. But instead it just nestles firmly in the middle of them.
The Jungle Book (2016) in hindi Film Short Story :
A vagrant kid is brought up in the wilderness with the assistance of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a dark puma. The Jungle Book (2016) in hindi Full Movie Review:
I believed Disney’s Zootopia has achieved
an age in CGI, however The Jungle Book is certainly the delegated gem. I
was awestruck by the level of visual subtle elements of every creature
that possesses the screen. The outward appearances reflecting its
running array of feelings, the physical developments of every creature,
the pitch-immaculate voicing – who wouldn’t trust they have a human
soul?
A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.
This is the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.
User Reviews
Dirty, funny, sexy, violent and unabashedly romantic: Deadpool has arrived!
I really, really liked Deadpool. And you know what? I didn't expect to. Seriously, I was never a fan of the character (in the sense that I hardly knew anything about him) and the humor as well as the violence seemed forced and overdone in the trailers. Still, I remained interested in the film, I just never expected it to actually be good - until the reviews arrived. After most critics unexpectedly showered this newest superhero movie with praise, I went in cautiously optimistic (but still fully prepared to hate the film). The first thing I noticed was how inventive the storytelling is. The film throws you into the action from the first moment (literally: the very first moment) and then it goes back and forth in brilliant and unexpected ways to slowly unspool the story of this insane - but oddly charming - antihero. Flashbacks and fast-forwards can be annoying as hell, but when done right, they can help render even a somewhat simple story fresh and exciting. And that's exactly how Deadpool felt to me right from the start: like a fresh (if somewhat dirty) jolt of energy. The action itself is beautifully designed, employing playful visuals and using pretty much every camera technique available; it never feels repetitive and the pacing is close to perfection. But, and that was probably the key to me liking the film so much, there's a beating heart underneath all the action and carnage, and that has a lot to do with how brilliantly Ryan Reynolds portrays the character and the great chemistry he has with co-star Morena Baccarin. What came as a complete surprise to me was how unabashedly romantic Deadpool is. The love story in this film is probably the most sincere I've ever seen in a superhero movie and it gives the film the strong emotional core which so many of these movies lack. The humor, which I initially feared would just be non-stop juvenile wisecracks and soon become distracting, also works surprisingly well. Not every line or every joke lands - but that's the beauty of this character: they don't really need to. Deadpool can't help himself; as long as he's able to breathe he'll crack wise and make fun of himself and those around him. It's a clinical condition; he's not a stand-up comedian whose jokes need to land: he's a madman (albeit a very entertaining one) and the comedy in his case is born out of tragedy. Despite all my praise, it's not a perfect film. The villain in this revenge tale could be more memorable and the story itself is a bit too derivative to really do its highly unconventional protagonist (he insists he's not a hero) justice: but it's a damn good first entry in a franchise that will hopefully explore the character and his world to a much larger extent in the sequel(s). And it's actually a very important film for another reason. If Deadpool is a financial success - which at this point is already clear it will be - this could play a vital role in how studios henceforth view the financial prospects of R-rated superhero films, and we'll hopefully see more of them in the future. Many people might feel different - and I respect their opinion - but I've grown tired of the entirely bloodless CGI overkill in all those 200 million productions where even the most terrible villains talk like Mormon schoolgirls. I mean: there's a gigantic audience out there that is over the age of 18, loves to read comic books and can absolutely handle real-world language, real-world sex and real-world violence in superhero movies. This genre is so diverse; it's ridiculous to believe just because comic books have pictures in them all film adaptations - regardless of the material - must automatically be made for kids in order to be successful. As it is, I think Deadpool - a dirty, funny, sexy and violent film which is decidedly NOT for kids - just proved my point perfectly. 9 stars out of 10.
As a war between rival queen sisters Ravenna and Freya escalates, Eric and fellow warrior Sara, members of the Huntsmen army raised to protect Freya, try to conceal their forbidden love as they combat Ravenna's wicked intentions.
As a war between rival queen sisters Ravenna and Freya escalates, Eric and fellow warrior Sara, members of the Huntsmen army raised to protect Freya, try to conceal their forbidden love as they combat Ravenna's wicked intentions.
Some people really need to get over themselves, judging by some of the reviews for this film. It is a fantasy based on children's stories - what the hell were they expecting, Hamlet or Henry V? It was a fun ride with plenty of action, plenty of humour, and a great cast - Chris Hemsworth brings his usual cheery action hero to the mix, Jessica Chastain was a good addition as The Huntsman's wife, and Emily Blunt played the fragile Ice Queen wonderfully well. The Dwarfs were comic relief as always, but it worked well with fewer of them and a couple of females in the mix. The story wasn't overcomlicated but if I want that, I'll go watch Memento. Chill out a little, folks.
Stars: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
Release Date: 25 March 2016 (UK)
8.4/10
Plot: A beginner cop and a con man build unlikely partners in an investigation which fits to the guts of Zootopia, a sprawling metropolis colonized by human animals of each form, size and color. Disney’s latest film is a half crime procedural and part life lesson regarding a way to get on during this melting pot of a world
In a world populated by anthropomorphic mammals, Judy Hopps, a rabbit from rural Bunnyburrow, fulfills her dream of becoming the first rabbit officer in the police department of nearby city Zootopia. However, upon arrival, she is assigned parking duty by Chief Bogo, an African buffalo, who doubts her potential due to her being a rabbit and thus smaller than most of the large animals on the force. During one of her shifts, she meets Nick Wilde, a con artist fox. Hopps abandons her shift to arrest a thief, Duke Weaselton. She is reprimanded by Bogo and nearly fired until Mrs. Otterton, an otter, arrives pleading for help locating her missing husband – one of many animals recently missing in Zootopia. To Bogo's dismay, Hopps volunteers and agrees to resign if she cannot solve the case within 48 hours. She sees Wilde in the last known photo of Otterton and tracks him down, coercing him into to assisting her with the investigation. After acquiring Mr. Otterton's license plate number, Hopps and Wilde track the vehicle to Mr. Big, an Arctic shrew crime boss. Mr. Big informs the pair that Otterton, his florist, had gone savage and attacked his chauffeur Manchas, a black jaguar. Hopps and Wilde locate Manchas, who mentions "night howlers" were responsible for attacking him before he goes savage and chases the pair out of his home. When Bogo and his reinforcements arrive, Manchas disappears. Bogo demands Hopps resign, but Wilde takes a stand, insisting they have 10 more hours to solve the case. As the pair leaves, Hopps learns from Wilde that he was bullied by prey animals as a pup and became a criminal, believing he would be stereotyped as one no matter what due to being a fox. Wilde realizes that the city's traffic camera system may have captured Manchas's disappearance, and the pair consult Assistant Mayor Bellwether, a sheep. They identify the captors as wolves, hence "night howlers". Hopps and Wilde locate the missing mammals (including Mr. Otterton) at Hillside Asylum. All are predators, and all have gone savage like Manchas. The two discover Mayor Lionheart consulting with a doctor about the predators' condition. The pair escape with the evidence and the police swarm the area, arresting Lionheart. Having developed a friendship with Wilde throughout the case, Hopps requests that he joins the Zootopia Police Department and become her partner, which Wilde happily considers. However, during a press conference, Hopps mentions that the savage animals are predators and argues they have gone back to their "natural state." Wilde is hurt and angrily walks out on her offer. Fear and discrimination against predators spreads across Zootopia, and a guilt-ridden Hopps resigns. During this time, pop singer Gazelle holds a peaceful protest and publicly asks for the harmonious Zootopia she loves to be restored. Back in Bunnyburrow, Hopps learns that "night howlers" are flowers that have a severe psychotropic effects on mammals. Hopps returns to Zootopia and reconciles with Wilde. They locate Weaselton and learn that he has been collecting night howlers for a secret laboratory. The pair discover the lab and find ram scientists creating a night howler serum, which has been injected into predators via dart guns. Hopps and Wilde race to the ZPD with the evidence, but the rams pursue them. Just short of the ZPD, the pair encounters Bellwether, who tries to take the evidence. Realizing Bellwether is the mastermind of a species-supremacist conspiracy, Hopps and Wilde try to flee, but Bellwether shoots a dart at Wilde and calls the ZPD for help. Wilde becomes savage and corners Hopps, but it turns out the pair were acting and had swapped out Bellwether's darts for blueberries. With Bellwether's confession recorded on Hopps's carrot pen, the two have enough evidence to unravel the conspiracy. Some months later, Hopps is reinstated into the ZPD. The savaged mammals are cured. Lionheart is cleared of all charges and is reinstated as mayor. Wilde joins the ZPD as the first fox officer and Judy's new partner. In the final scene, all of Zootopia enjoys a performance by Gazelle, who dances with four tigers.
Storyline
From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde, a wily fox who makes her job even harder.
Based on the novel of the same name, Ang Lee’s 2012 film Life of Pi
had some people calling it the “next Avatar” due to its incredible art
direction and impressive visual effects. There’s no surprise it made a
nice run at the 2013 Academy Awards, taking home the Oscar for Best
Achievement in Directing, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best
Achievement in Music
— Original Score, and Best Achievement in Visual Effects. From a
breaching whale adorned in phosphorescence, to its incredibly lifelike —
and wildly terrifying — computer-generated Bengal tiger, Life of Pi is an otherworldly experience that pushes any home theater to its absolute limit.
The first thing I noticed was how inventive the storytelling is. The film throws you into the action from the first moment (literally: the very first moment) and then it goes back and forth in brilliant and unexpected ways to slowly unspool the story of this insane - but oddly charming - antihero. Flashbacks and fast-forwards can be annoying as hell, but when done right, they can help render even a somewhat simple story fresh and exciting. And that's exactly how Deadpool felt to me right from the start: like a fresh (if somewhat dirty) jolt of energy.
The action itself is beautifully designed, employing playful visuals and using pretty much every camera technique available; it never feels repetitive and the pacing is close to perfection. But, and that was probably the key to me liking the film so much, there's a beating heart underneath all the action and carnage, and that has a lot to do with how brilliantly Ryan Reynolds portrays the character and the great chemistry he has with co-star Morena Baccarin. What came as a complete surprise to me was how unabashedly romantic Deadpool is. The love story in this film is probably the most sincere I've ever seen in a superhero movie and it gives the film the strong emotional core which so many of these movies lack.
The humor, which I initially feared would just be non-stop juvenile wisecracks and soon become distracting, also works surprisingly well. Not every line or every joke lands - but that's the beauty of this character: they don't really need to. Deadpool can't help himself; as long as he's able to breathe he'll crack wise and make fun of himself and those around him. It's a clinical condition; he's not a stand-up comedian whose jokes need to land: he's a madman (albeit a very entertaining one) and the comedy in his case is born out of tragedy.
Despite all my praise, it's not a perfect film. The villain in this revenge tale could be more memorable and the story itself is a bit too derivative to really do its highly unconventional protagonist (he insists he's not a hero) justice: but it's a damn good first entry in a franchise that will hopefully explore the character and his world to a much larger extent in the sequel(s). And it's actually a very important film for another reason. If Deadpool is a financial success - which at this point is already clear it will be - this could play a vital role in how studios henceforth view the financial prospects of R-rated superhero films, and we'll hopefully see more of them in the future.
Many people might feel different - and I respect their opinion - but I've grown tired of the entirely bloodless CGI overkill in all those 200 million productions where even the most terrible villains talk like Mormon schoolgirls. I mean: there's a gigantic audience out there that is over the age of 18, loves to read comic books and can absolutely handle real-world language, real-world sex and real-world violence in superhero movies. This genre is so diverse; it's ridiculous to believe just because comic books have pictures in them all film adaptations - regardless of the material - must automatically be made for kids in order to be successful.
As it is, I think Deadpool - a dirty, funny, sexy and violent film which is decidedly NOT for kids - just proved my point perfectly. 9 stars out of 10.