Capetonians, tourists and movie lovers are in for a special Dezemba as our fave, The Galileo Open Air Cinema, brings the jolly vibes with their festive season lineup!
As locals know, with the sun setting later and clear skies as far as the eye can see, summer in Cape Town is the gift that keeps on giving and the Galileo is putting the bow on that present with a programme of Hollywood classics and new features guaranteed to give you a good time.
The Galileo Open Air Cinema offers festive season entertainment for the whole family this December! Image credit: Galileo Open Air Cinema
Screenings take place at some of the Mother City’s most drop dead gorgeous venues, including the iconic Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, the picturesque Century City’s Central Park and the urban wonder Battery Park at the V&A Waterfront. For those keen to take a mini-day trip out of the city, there are screenings in the Cape Winelands too.
The Galileo’s full festive season line-up is jampacked with some Christmas favourites so while it was SUPER hard to choose just a few to feature, here are a few of our must-sees:
Fun for the whole family:
Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in tights and a musical? Sign us up! Don’t miss Spirited at the Galileo Open Air Cinema on 26 December 2024. Image credit: The Galileo Open Air Cinema
Whether you’re indulging your inner 90s kid with the classic Home Alone 2 , introducing your little ones to the magic of The Polar Express or letting your long-forgotten musical festive geek freak fly with Spirited, Kirstenbosch Garden is THE place to be from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
For the lovers amongst us:
To us, Love Actually will always be perfect. Experience this classic under the stars with the Galileo Open Air Cinema on 19 December 2024. Image credit: Galileo Open Air Cinema
A far cry from the cheesy Hallmark movies making the rounds, Hollywood romcoms The Holiday and Love Actually are back to remind you that love conquers all. Remember to pack those tissues!
For the festive film buff:
We’ll stand by this: Die Hard IS a Christmas movie! Watch it with the Galileo Open Air Cinema crowd on 23 December 2024 and see if you agree. Image credit: Galileo Open Air Cinema
Settle that ongoing argument once and for all: Die Hard IS a Christmas movie! Prefer less explosions but still want that discerning cinematic experience? E.T. is your next best bet or you can go for the ultimate spooky festive experience with The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Your festive movie under the stars await:
Ready to be entertained with your beloved festive season film? The Galileo Open Air Cinema is ready to welcome you with a variety of ticket options to suit your comfort levels and needs. Get your Galileo Open Air Cinema tickets here.
There is nothing like a delicious pizza, hot drink and scrumptious snack to complete the Galileo Open Air Cinema experience this festive season! Image credit: Galileo Open Air Cinema
For more information about the movie schedule, ticket options and additional services, including setting up a festive season proposal, visit www.thegalileo.co.za.
Hey Cape Town Ghibli fans! Get ready for a special gathering!
Gravel Road Distribution is officially launching The Anime Festival at selected Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide, as well as The Labia in Cape Town, with three Studio Ghibli faves.
The festival kicks off with My Neighbor Totoro from 8 August, followed by the release of Spirited Away on 23 August, and Howlβs Moving Castle on 6 September.
The big screen experience will be paired with opening weekend activations at Ster-Kinekor in Cavendish and The Zone in Rosebank.
We’ve been invited to the premiere event on Thursday, 1 August, at The Labia Theatre in Cape Town and would like 8 Studio Ghibli superfans to join us!
To stand the chance to win, head to our Instagram page, comment on the competition post by tagging your Ghibli bestie and @gravelroadfilms with the #theanimefestival2024, and spread the love by sharing it to your stories.
Winners announced on Monday 29 July. Watch this space for more information about the opening weekend activation.
Hope to see you there!
T&Cs
Giveaway limited to fans in Cape Town.
Winners will be contacted by email and should be available to attend the screening on Thursday, 1 August.
Tickets may not be exchanged for another screening date.
Hold onto your seats, kids and kids-at-heart: the unbelievably fantastic Ryan Reynolds and his talented young co-star Cailey Fleming are stepping into the impossible with director John KrasinskiΒ ‘s Imaginary Friends (IF) movie, now on circuit in South Africa!
Twelve-year-old Bea (Fleming) is a quiet, reserved child who has already lost her mom to cancer and is terrified about losing her dad (KrasinskiΒ ) too, as he faces a cardiac crisis in a New York hospital. With no time to play or dream, Bea is initially hesitant to believe her eyes and mind when she encounters the mysterious, grumpy Cal (Reynolds) and his motley crew of IFs: Blue (Steve Carell), Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) , Lewis (Louis Gossett Jr.) and more. When she discovers that all IFs are in danger of being forgotten without having a child of their own to inspire and love, Bea sets about trying to match them with worthy kids. Along the way, she rediscovers things she’s forgotten and the power of her own big, beautiful imagination.
My Superfans Thoughts on IF:
KrasinskiΒ and Reynolds have managed to perfect that rare gold standard in Hollywood: they’re the sensitive, hilarious, hardworking actors who successfully straddle the lines between being action heroes (KrasinskiΒ in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Prime Video and Reynolds as the Merc with a filthy mouth Deadpool), romantic leads, comedic geniuses and guaranteed box office records. They are also a duo who have crossed the threshold into being superb filmmakers who relate to their audiences and create content they want to see onscreen.
A matchmaking imaginary friend service is ALWAYS a great idea! Image credit: Comicbook.com
For those reasons alone, IF is the kind of family movie I wish I had growing up in the 90s. I too was a young 11/12 year old who lost a parent and had to grow up pretty quickly. To cope, I didn’t just have AN imaginary friend – I made up an entire second family who were crazy about me. I regaled my home room class with the wonderous tales of adventures with my second family, including a too-good-to-be-true twin delivery I assisted with, every morning. It was all going swimmingly, until my teachers mentioned said second family to my mom π
My point being: childhood post-traumatic stress syndrome is a very real condition that kids of all ages and different generations deal with and IF, with KrasinskiΒ ‘s signature sensitive style of filming and writing and a cast of well-suited actors, makes this one of the most important movies for the youth of today. It’s right up there with Disney’s Encantoand Red Panda in addressing the challenges of growing up and family relations that a TikTok video or Roblox game just cannot deal with in the same way.
A dance number with the craziest imaginary characters? Sign us up! Image credit: Entertainment Weekly
Krasinski and Reynolds are pretty much big kids themselves , and the fact that they are both dads to constantly growing broods of kids (Reynolds is on his fourth daughter!) , helps them to accurately portray the magical, wild imaginations of children. Does an invisible IF make sense? Nope, but hey, Kevin is representing his kind onscreen. Are we reminded that even Grandma was a kid at one point too? Yep, and it is as shocking to Bea as it was to my younger sister when she realized the same thing about our grandmother. There is a a forgotten kid and their IF inside of all of us and this movie allows her to rediscover them once again.
The seamless chemistry and interaction between the actors and live action animated characters brings to mind Jessica Rabbit and the original Space Jam. Blue’s huge personality and lovability is classic Carell which plays off perfectly against Reynolds’ witty sarcasm and dark resignation to his character’s fate.
IF features fantastic chemistry between the live animation and real life actors. Image credit: The Mary Sue
The eventual reveal of who Reynolds’ Cal is in relation to Bea isn’t overly inventive but it does bring the emotional depth of this beautifully written movie to the fore. I sobbed and I don’t mind admitting that. Here’s to all IFs finding their kids and living their best imaginative lives.
Overall, IF is THE best family movie to catch at a cinema near you!
Editorβs Note: Superfans was hosted as a media guest at The Labia in Cape Town by United International Pictures (UIP).
There are very few movies that leave me with a HUGE grin on my face and a warm, happy feeling bubbling up inside of me as the credits roll. The Fall Guy IS that movie for me thus far in 2024!
Now playing at a cinema near you, The Fall Guy features the Barbenheimer crossover we have all been dying for since last July when Barbie andOppenheimerwere released on the same day, as Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt finally step into the spotlight:
A love letter to the stunt men and directors who work tirelessly to create the magic that makes Hollywood’s offerings into cinematic blockbusters, The Fall Guy sees Gosling’s stunt man extraordinaire Colt suffer a tragic “accident” on set, whilst doubling for douchebag deluxe star Tom Ryder (an epically awful and hilarious Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the Golden Globe winning actor of Bullet Train and Avengers: The Age of Ultron). Once the ever charming, handsome dude everyone loves on set, including Blunt’s assistant director Jody, Colt’s broken back and long recovery journey leaves him in a deep depression and cuts his brief but powerful fling with Jody short.
The Fall Guy follows Colt’s insane journey of being plucked from his dead-end car valet and horrible mullet-wearing life to Jody’s first feature film set as the stunt double for his old frenemy Ryder and his discovery that everyone wants him dead. Add in impressive visual shots and that inevitable “will they/won’t they” dynamic between the former couple, and you have the love child of a threesome between the Fast and the Furious franchise, every Seth Rogen bro comedy (i.e. the ones that are hilarious AF but deliver that must-have wholesome message about overcoming adversities) and the 2000s rom coms we all cut our teeth on.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is Tom Ryder in The Fall Guy.
The twist of Ryder and his agent Gail (a deliciously wicked Hannah Waddingham of Ted Lasso, Sex Education and Game of Thrones fame) being the ones who set Colt up for a murder that Ryder committed ,and the insane drug dealers on his tail, makes for nail-biting car chases on bridges in rush hour traffic, Evil Knievel style explosions and more.
As multiple Oscar nominees, most recently earlier this year, Gosling and Blunt are known for their top tier work but I’ve always considered them more dramatic performers than comedians and rom com leads. I am delighted that they have blown my mind and warmed my heart with their outstanding chemistry and very realistic portrayal of a former couple trying to work through their issues in the midst of very real danger.
We’ve all been there: the guy we unexpectedly fall in love with suddenly ghosts us and then has the absolute audacity to show up at our place of work or other important event/venue to declare that he has changed, he wants us back and admits he was an absolute goddamn idiot. We’ll eventually forgive him, of course, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make him work for it and damn, does Jody make Colt pay for his f***boyness!
Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in THE FALL GUY, directed by David Leitch
I admittedly took some sadistic pleasure in one of the funniest scenes of the movie, where Blunt’s Jody exercises her creative control as a director and makes Gosling’s Colt do eight takes of being set on fire (while he is safe, it still hurts him).Every woman has a story of how often she imagines setting her ex on fire and this was just perfect. Their mutual declaration of love in the midst of a car chase, whilst filming a stunt and getting the confession they need, is visually, contextually and emotionally fantastic.
This film is, of course, a visual testament to the undoubtedly vital work that stunt men and their teams do behind the scenes of huge movies and it is here, in particular, that director David Leitch’s vision shines. Every method Colt uses to get out of the increasingly dangerous situations he finds himself in, is a play on his stunt men skills – from how he takes down Ryder’s bodyguards without killing them, to maiming them with gasoline sprouted from his mouth and his awesome battle on a truck to save Ryder’s PA. My particular favourite scene is the very meta take of the real life film crew filming Jody’s film crew filming a one take action scene riddled with explosives, a rousing speech and an unbelievable car chase and jump.
L to R: Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in THE FALL GUY, directed by David Leitch
A special shout out, too, to Winston Duke (Black Panther) who, as Colt’s work bestie Dan, and stunt coordinator, puts a fresh spin on the ol’ Danny Glover “I am too old for this s***” type character. His dynamic with Gosling as they riff off of grandiose action movie speeches and lines really appealed to my inner film geek.
The soundtrack alone makes me want to do this:
Those anthems that get you going including KISS’ βI Was Made For Lovinβ Youβ, paired with the more obscure indie songs that make my emo self happy including The Darkness‘ “I Believe In A Thing Called Love“, are a wonderous, head-banging duo that I will be playing on repeat on Spotify.
The Fall Guy is the perfect date night and girls’ night out film – in fact, I may take my grandmother who is an action movie fanatic to see it. Book your tickets TODAY to see it at a cinema near you.
Editor’s Note: Superfans was hosted as a media guest at The Labia in Cape Town by United International Pictures (UIP).
As a seasoned horror film fan, there is very little that scares me, except … natural disaster and doomsday movies, like Netflix’s latest hit, Leave the World Behind.
Boasting a superstar cast with Academy Award winners Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali, this chillingly realistic film centers on two families, led by advertising exec Amanda Sanford (Roberts) and secret government analyst G.H.Scott (Ali), who find themselves sharing the latter’s Upstate New York vacation home during what turns out to be a U.S. toppling terrorist attack.
What starts out as a well-deserved family break for the Sandfords (Amanda, her husband Clay, played by Ethan Hawke, son Archie and daughter Rose) , quickly turns into a nightmare when G.H. and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la) return to the beach house, to escape the mass panic a sudden satellite outage has caused in the Big Apple. Cut off from communication with the outside world, suddenly being fed incorrect information with weird pamphlet drops by a mysterious drone and having to face off with a survivalist asshole neighbour (perfectly played by the always creepy Kevin Bacon), our newly blended family will have to rely on each other to make it through.
Throw in a timed siren that releases radiation though the airwaves, hints of racist undertones from neighbours, the local wildlife ready to attack our cast and the discovery of an underground bunker kitted out with every 90s kid’s dream DVD collection and everything else you need to survive the apocalypse, and you have the makings of the ultimate 2023 disaster flick.
A fully off-the-grid bunker with hundreds of DVDs to watch? Count me in for Leave the World Behind’s version of the world ending! Image credit: Digital Spy
Netflix has had some hits and misses with their year-end disaster offerings. In 2020, Death to 2020, by the Black Mirror creators , was a huge success because honestly, after a f***tard of a year, the world needed the relief. The following year’s special didn’t do as well and the Leonardo DiCaprio-led Don’t Look Up was a bit much for all of us living through unprecedented times.
I have a feeling that Leave the World Behind is going to have a split audience opinion. Those of us who are quite familiar with the more cerebral horror films that dominated the genre before all of the reboots this year, including Hereditary and Get Out, will appreciate those one continuous take wonders, the needle drop after a big emotional moment, the barely subtle inference that what takes place onscreen here is currently happening in at least four countries right now. Even more chilling is hearing Ali’s character spell out the exact three stages of an attack that is needed to destabilize a country and realizing how relatively easy it would actually be to implement.
The rest of the population may just enjoy Ali and Roberts rocking out to Next’s 2000 hit Too Close, played on a vinyl record!!! Man, I felt old AF watching this scene but it is also hands down one of my favourites:
Roberts has always been one of my favourite actresses (she ought to be, considering my very liberal 90s parents took me to see Pretty Woman as my first cinema experience when I was 5 years old. Forget Prince Charming – give me Richard Gere in a tuxedo and a limo. Judge my folks all you want, it’s ok. I tease my mom about this constantly π). Her character Amanda in Leave the World Behind may just be my favourite one of hers yet. Amanda, as an advertising exec, is tired of humanity after seeing the deeply f***ed things they are willing to do to each other for the next big thing. After the pandemic, I feel the same way.
I have never felt as seen as I did , watching this scene:
Leave the World Behind isn’t the Christmas family fare you’re looking for. What it is , is a vehicle for you to start thinking about the state of the world right now and what exactly you want your 2024 and beyond to look like if your country (ahem, loadshedding, election year and rising crime levels, South Africans) goes tits up.
Leave the World Behind is available for streaming on Netflix.
As if 2023 wasn’t enough of a horror show (wars, Jada Pinkett-Smith’s memoir and loadshedding!), along comes Halloween to scare the living daylights out of us!
Now, you know that I am the Supreme Scream Queen so I’ve been watching the scariest entertainment all year long . My hours of spooky viewing is yours to sample too if you’re ready to quiver in fright.
I’ve got your top 5 Halloween Horror Must-Watch Movies and Shows right here:
The Exorcist: Believer
A direct sequel to the 1973 classic (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, by the way!), Believer was denounced from beyond the grave by the original director William Friedkin, as mentioned in a recent interview by one of the late director’s friends.
Believer is focused on two young girls, Angela and Katherine, who wander off for three days and come back to their families possessed by seemingly the same demon, Pazuzu, who terrorized poor little Regan (Linda Blair) in the 70s. Ol’Zuzu seems to have a bloody score to settle with Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and it will take everyone, from the girls’ quarrellingΒ parents (including Hamilton‘s Leslie Odom Jr.Β ) to a couple of nosy neighbours (including The Handmaid’s Tale’s Ann Dowd who is, as per usual, fantastic!) to the requisite hot priest, played by E. J. Bonilla , who goes against the Vatican’s wishes to abstain from the exorcism, to save the suffering children and their damned souls.
This latest outing is directed by the “genius” mastermind behind the latest batch of horrible Halloween remakes, David Gordon Green, and completely ignores everything that has happened in the existing Exorcist universe. You know, not-so-small details like OG mom Chris’s death in the 2016 series and how the first movie and its source novel are actually about FatherΒ Karras’s personal battle against the demon.
As a loyal fan of the original movie, I am pissed off at the lack of consistency. As a fan of horror movies, though, this was an enjoyable Halloween month outing to the cinema. It takes ALOT to scare me into screaming at the top of my lungs (the last time was on a theme park ride!) so the fact that Believer had me nearly wetting myself 15 minutes in is proof of horrific, candy-floss style entertainment. Watch The Exorcist: Believerat a SterKinekor near you!
Totally Killer:
Amazon Prime is serving up its take on Back To The Future with a bloody twist in Totally Killer, starring Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Julie Bowen (Modern Family) and others. Jaime goes back in time to 1987 via an old photo booth (her version of the DeLorean) to save her teen mom Pam (played by Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger actress Olivia Holt ) and her friends from the Sweet 16 Killer.
Naturally ,gruesome chaos ensues as Jamie’s presence in the past turns the order of events and the future upside down.
I really enjoyed this one because as long as you don’t think about the mechanics of time travel too hard and you love the liberal pop culture references, it’s easy horror movie night fodder. I particularly loved that Totally Killer simultaneously takes the piss out of Gen Z’s wokeness whilst making this 80s baby realize that the era I was born in was problematic, in a hilarious fashion.
Haunted Mansion:
Disney+ has released its remake of the 2003 film and its iconic Park ride, Haunted Mansion, and it is currently the platform’s number one horror film!
Featuring a star-studded cast including Rosario Dawson (currently blowing Star Wars fans’ minds in Ahsoka), Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis (the OG Final Girl!), Tiffany Haddish, Jared Leto and LaKeith Stanfield, Haunted Mansion is a fun romp for all Disney kids and adults.
Riders of the famous attraction will enjoy the many Easter eggs included in this version, including the way the ghosts shove the living out of the house, in chairs styled to look and move like the Doombuggies of the real life ride. Keep an eye and ear out for the elongating walls’ scene and quotes that include snippets of the ride’s narration.
The Fall of the House of Usher:
Netflix and Mike Flanagan have gone and done it again by giving us yet another heart-stopping, breathtaking, emotional rollercoaster of a horror show with The Fall of the House of Usher.
This eight episode scare fest sees most of Flagan’s former horror show stars return including The Haunting of Bly Manor‘s Rahul Kohli and T’Nia Miller , The Haunting of Hill House’s Carla Gugino and Katie Siegel, Midnight Mass’s Zach Gilford and The Midnight Club‘s Ruth Codd . Iconic actor Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek and The Resident) and Mary McDonnell (Dances with the Wolves) are the heads of the Usher family, a clan so depraved and deep into the criminal world while fronting as a pharmaceutical company, that the only way for them to be brought to justice is supernaturally. Star Wars icon Mark Hamill is dreadfully delightful as the Ushers’ dodgy lawyer cum caretaker.
While this one doesn’t quite live up to Hill House (I doubt anything ever will), House of Usher is a mastermind study of human depravity through the lens of horror.
NOS4A2:
This Amazon Prime show is already 4 years old but my Gods, what a scary ride! Quite literally so as the evil soul-sucking, child kidnapping Charlie Manx (played with devilishly bad boy energy by my longtime crush Zachary Quinto) drives a 1930s Rolls Royce called The Wraith to do his dark deeds.
Our villain uses The Wraith to drive the kidnapped children to Christmasland, a fun but deadly theme park that exists within his imagination, his Inscape, all the while stealing their life force to maintain his youth and health.
Manx’s opponent is the sometimes bad but always goodhearted teen, and later mom, Victoria McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), who takes him down with the help of her trusted Shorter Bridge, her own Inscape, and a motley crew of psychics, bumbling FBI agents, drunk dads and curvy boyfriends.
Based on the novel by Joe Hill, son of the true horror monarch himself, Stephen King, NOS4A2 will make all of your Halloween and Christmas crossover nightmares come true.
Got any ghastly recommendations of your own? Share them with us on Facebook, X and Instagram!
Red alert:This review about the Scarlet Speedster’s first solo cinematic vehicle is FILLED with spoilers so if you haven’t seen The Flash yet, run, Superfan, run!
I’ve just returned home from watching The Flash, starring Ezra Miller in the titular role and co-starring Michael Keaton as his iconic 1980s Batman, and I absolutely cannot stop smiling.
Recap:
Barry Allen/The Flash (Miller) is tired of cleaning up all of Batman/Bruce (Ben Affleck)’s rescue messes, being late for work, trying to get his dad Henry (a re-casted role from the Justice League with Ron Livingstone taking over from Billy Crudup)’s conviction overturned and failing to impress Iris West (Kiersey Clemons), his long-time crush. Being the fourth last first person on Alfred (Jeremy Irons)’s superhero call sheet isn’t helping to improve Barry’s mood either.
The Flash is having a tough superhero day. Image credit: IMDB
After a particularly hard day that includes him rescuing a nursery of babies, a service dog and a nurse and watching Batman and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) flirt awkwardly, Barry accidentally reverses time and gets the bright idea to go back to the day his mom Nora (Maribel VerdΓΊ) died to save her.
Bruce, while sympathetic to the absolute trauma losing your parents gives you, gives Barry the “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” speech and considers that to be the end of the discussion. Oh, Batfleck, when will you learn? Barry will do what Barry does best: mess up the timeline!
Barry messes with the timeline and ends up creating the Flashpoint. Image credit: IMDB
After a super weird non-date with Iris, Barry runs back in time, dodging a Time Wraith (something like a ghost) in the Speed Force, and changes his mom’s fate by correcting what he thinks is the chain of events that led to her death in the original timeline. Welcome to Flashpoint, people! That one change, instead of taking Barry back to his own timeline, sends him back to an alternate version of the past, 2013 specifically, where he is a college student returning home to both of his parents.
Barry relishes living his ultimate dream life for just a second before the 18 year old Barry (played by Miller too, with more innocence and a daredevil attitude) of this new timeline shows up and chaos ensues. With two Barrys in the same timeline, things are bound to get a little crazy. A series of misadventures leads to the original Barry losing his powers and alternate Barry getting them.
Barry meets Barry. Image credit: IMDB
The ripple effect, which Bruce warned Barry about, is felt all over the world since Superman (Henry Cavill) is missing in this timeline and cannot stop General Zod (Michael Shannon) from destroying Earth to build his new evil version of Krypton. In fact, Barry’s time-changing mishap has erased all metahumans and demigods from this timeline so Barry cannot even ring up the Justice League for help. Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) was never born, Wonder Woman is off-world and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) hasn’t been created yet.
Alternate Barry comes up with a possible save, though: Batman DOES exist in this timeline. He just hasn’t been seen for years. Original Barry finds his way back to Wayne Manor, which won’t be familiar to the 2020s movie fans but which we 80s and 90s babies recognise immediately: it’s Michael Keaton’s Wayne Manor!!!! Woohoo!
Michael Keaton is back as Batman/Bruce Wayne! Image credit: IMDB
The two Barrys get a beatdown as a welcome from a sprightly yet grey-haired and sandal-wearing Bruce. Original Barry is shocked that Bruce doesn’t look like or act like his one back home. Alternate Barry is overwhelmed by the fact that Bruce Wayne IS Batman – since he was just a little kid when this version was the Caped Crusader.
It’s there, in the cosy kitchen of Wayne Manor, where Bruce explains rather haphazardly with some pasta and tomato sauce that what Original Barry did wasn’t merely go back in time – he created four different realities or, as we now know it to be, the multiverse. Barry’s time-hopping is the intersection point and because of this, there are multiple versions of the world.
Michael Keaton’s Batman reluctantly comes out of retirement to help the Barrys save the Kryptonian. Image credit: IMDB
Bruce, against his better judgement, decides to help the two Barrys break the Kryptonian he has found out of a Russian stronghold. An awesome battle ensues and they manage to rescue β¦ Kara Zor-El/ Supergirl (Sasha Calle). As with all of the comic book lore that has come before, Kara and Kal-El/Clark’s pods were separated in space and she was captured. Kara has no idea where Kal-El is. After resting at Wayne Manor and being powered back up by the sun, Kara goes to confront Zod who announces that he killed baby Superman when he discovered that it was Kara’s blood that contained the miracle seeds to recreate Krypton.
Kara returns to Wayne Manor to find that Bruce has agreed to a freaky experiment to give Original Barry his powers back, despite Alternate Barry’s protests. Our misfit Justice League engages in an epic battle with General Zod and his alien army that is a visual marvel (LOL!) but ultimately a deadly one: both Kara and Bruce lose their lives.
Original Barry makes the unfortunate mistake of showing Alternate Barry how to reverse time so that Kara and Batman don’t die. Except that is their fate and despite the many times Alternate Barry, who has now decided that Supergirl is the love of his life and mother of his future children, goes back to save her and Batman, the end result is their deaths.
Savitar/Dark Flash is out to kill Original Barry to get what he wants. Image credit: IMDB
In the Speed Force, Original Barry tries to get Alternate Barry to see sense and understand that the only way to save the multiverse is for their mom to die. Just as Alternate Barry is about to make peace with this decision, the Time Wraith shows up. In a twist, however, that the TV series The Flash fans will be familiar with, the Wraith is actually Savitar/ Dark Flash, the older version of Alternate Barry who has gone back so many times to save his mom, Kara and Bruce and never succeeded. He has gone quite mad in his attempts and because of his meddling with the timelines, the multiverses are now destroying each other.
We get a SUPER awesome montage of the alternate universes, including seeing the legendary late Christopher Reeves and Helen Slater as the original Superman and Supergirl; Adam West as the 1960s TV series and movie Batman and β¦ wait for it β¦ Nicolas Cage in the often-talked about but never produced Superman Lives film by Tim Burton!
Nicolas Cage as Superman? Yes, please! Image credit: Wiki of Nerds
Mad Barry tries to kill Original Barry but Alternate Barry swoops into save him and is killed instead, thus also killing Mad Barry. It is a mindf*** of note! With their death, Original Barry decides to run home. Not before stopping off to correct his mistake of saving Nora and sharing an emotional moment with her (bring your tissues along – you’re going to need it), though.
Barry says an emotional goodbye to his mom Nora. Image credit: Warner Bros Pictures
While he is there, Barry can’t resist doing one teeny, tiny thing he thinks will help his dad in the future. Once home, he discovers his little correction worked: his dad’s appeal is granted and he is a free man. Barry even has Iris by his side. It’s coming up roses for our Speedster, right?
Not so fast, Barry… As our Flash gets off a call with Bruce, whom he is eager to see and tell his entire adventure to, the Caped Crusader pulls up in his fancy car. He makes his way through the paparazzi and we, like Barry, are expecting to see Batfleck until the crowd parts and we see β¦ George Clooney’s Bruce! WHAT?!!!
George Clooney, is that you back as Batman?! Image credit: Joshua Sammer/Getty Images
When a confused Barry asks who he is, this version of Bruce asks “What’s wrong with you?!“
What’s wrong, indeed! Oh, Barry.
Impressions:
I got to watch The Flash ALL by myself in Ster Kinekor V&A Waterfront’s D-Box cinema (a 4D movie theatre with chairs that are motion-activated to make you swoop, shake, bounce and float when the characters are doing the same onscreen) and it was awesome. In fact, the usher came in as the credits rolled to tell me that he could tell that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie because he could hear me scream and shout with joy outside π
The Flash is a pure fan service film and that’s ok. Image credit: IMDB
The fact that Muschietti balances the outrageously hilarious Cage’s Superman with flowing locks and all (this is extra funny when you know Cage is going bald at a rapid rate) and the emotional wound of seeing Reeves’s Superman alive and well is what endears him to me.
The Flashpoint plotline has been done onscreen in both the Arrowverse series and animation films. It was a tall ask for Muschietti to put his own live action spin on it but with the help of writer Christina Hodson, he pulls it off admirably.
The Flash movie is a new take on the Flashpoint storyline. Image credit: IMDB
Lead star Miller’s horrendous personal issues and criminal cases have tainted this film’s release, there is no denying that. I, like many people, have questioned CEO James Gunn’s decision to go ahead with The Flash’s release but I am now so happy that he did.
I haven’t smiled this wide since Spiderman: No Way Home and Doctor Strange: Into the Multiverse. Giving us THREE Batmen? Are you kidding me? Even if the most lambasted one was added at the last minute, I feel like Clooney was always better at the ridiculously handsome and suave Bruce Wayne playboy part of it all, back in the late 1990s.
Michael Keaton is in top form as the returning OG Batman! Image credit: CNN
Keaton… GODS, Keaton! I finally watched his 1989 Batman debut film as an adult last night (I was a toddler when it was released so I have no recollection of it) and I was blown away. His Bruce/Batman is more off-center, daring and tenacious than Batfleck’s measured, reserved and responsible one (that isn’t a bad thing. Someone has to be a good leader of the Justice League and with all of the craziness we’ve seen them display in previous movies, it is well needed). It makes total sense that Barry would be able to talk Keaton’s Bruce into a suicide mission.
I had absolute shivers hearing Keaton once again say “Yeah. I’m Batman” and oh my god, seeing Wayne Manor, complete with its hall of historical artifacts and the Bat Cave? Heaven on Earth! The Bat Mobile is still sexy as all hell and I was swooning.
That’s some mad sexual tension there, Wonder Woman and Batman! Image credit: Twitter
I am always going to be sad that Gal Gadot’s time as Wonder Woman has ended. I am doubly sad because the chemistry between her Wonder Woman and Batfleck on that bridge is HOT. I know that his Bat Cave is filled with all kinds of toys that would make a love scene between these two there so goddamn erotic. DC and Warner Bros, give me my Batman and Wonder Woman sex scene, you cowards!!!!!
A Supergirl who looks like her audience finally. Image credit: IMDB
Calle’s Supergirl is a departure from what we’ve seen of Kara onscreen in the original Superman movies, her 1984 solo movie, Smallville and the Supergirl series. She is a brunette in The Flash, which makes the family connection to Cavill’s Superman more believable. She’s hardened by her imprisonment and she is reluctant to partner with the Barrys and Batman. I loved how Calle made the role her own. She isn’t a mere stand-in for Cavill in the wake of Warner Bros and DC reneging on their contract with him. Her Kara needs her own film soon, please.
With Clooney now being Bruce in Original Barry’s timeline, what does this mean for the new DC cinematic universe? Only time will tell!
Barry and Iris seconds before a new (old) Bruce Wayne arrives! Image credit: IMDB
All in all, The Flash surpassed my expectations. I cannot recommend watching it enough!
With this being Father’s Day weekend, I’d be remiss in not thanking my late dad Faizel for introducing me to the wonderfully wacky world of comics. He loved Keaton’s Batman and I bet he would have loved this movie. Happy Father’s Day, Dad xx
The latest trailer for the highly-anticipated Barbie The Movie, starring Margot Robbie as the titular toy icon, has dropped and we are absolutely tickled pink by it:
With Ryan Gosling as Ken, Simu Li (Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings) as the other Ken, Issa Rae, Emma Mackey (Sex Education) and Dua Lipa as the other Barbies, this is the most star-studded movies about toys since Toy Story!
With Barbie The Movie just WEEKS away, we are already planning and coordinating our hot pink outfits (yes, Tendai too! π )
Barbie The Movie is stepping into cinemas with its high heels on, on 21 July 2023.
Reader warning from Sebastian: Aye, Child, we are about to go deep under the sea with this review so listen to this old crab and swim away to avoid any spoilers!
My little Disney Princess heart is singing! The live action version of The Little Mermaid has been released and it is EVERYTHING my toddler self could have ever dreamed of!
Starring Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the Sea Witch, the film welcomes Daveed Diggs (of Hamilton! fame), Jacob Tremblay (Room) and Awkwafina (Ocean’s Eight) as the voices of Sebastian the Crab, Flounder the Fish and Scuttle the Seagull respectively. Ariel’s six sisters include Simone Ashley (Bridgerton) and others.
Recap:
All of us 1980s babies and current parents are well versed with the iconic tale of a teenaged mermaid who gives up her voice for the chance to have legs and win the heart of the handsome prince. Her devil’s bargain with the Sea Witch ends in tragedy when her father gives up his throne and magical trident to the Sea Witch to save his youngest daughter’s life. One big storm and tons of magic later, everyone (except Ursula) lives happily ever after and the young royal bridal couple sail off into the sunset.
That was 1989. In 2023, with the rise of wokeness and Gen Z, Disney, writer David Magee, director Rob Marshall and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda have had to update a few key plot points to be more in line with the times.
Whilst much of the storyline remains the same, like Ariel saving Eric’s life and singing to him, the movie has been updated for Gen Z and 2023.Image credit: Glamour
Now, Ariel is a strong-minded black teenager who is a little more daring in defying her beloved Daddy. Ursula the Sea Witch is Triton’s banished sister with an axe to grind. All of King Triton’s daughters are multiracial to reflect the Seven Seas they all inhabit and rule. Scuttle has been gender swapped to become female. The chef trying to chase and kill Sebastian has been eliminated completely to be more PETA friendly. Flounder is a slimmer, most realistic looking version of himself so there is no fat shaming i.e. him struggling to get through the window in the original movie.
Turning societal norms on its head, Eric is a poor orphaned white commoner who has been adopted by the black Queen (Noma Dumezweni, the magical original Hermione in Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production) , a new character added to the movie. This Eric and Ariel are Disney’s first interracial onscreen couple and I am here for it!
Disney hasn’t coloured too far outside of the lines with this adaptation and that is going to offend some people but let us remember the point of their movies: to make us believe in magic and on that score, they have achieved the impossible!
Not only do Eric and Ariel not get married at the end of the live action, they are seen building a real relationship around common interests and supporting each other. Image credit: IMDB
Going into The Little Mermaid live action screening, I was apprehensive about how all of that would play out onscreen (with Aladdin, my feminist views were extremely triggered) but I needn’t have worried. Instead of getting married at the end, Eric and Ariel decide to explore the great uncharted waters, a passion that they share along with collecting baubles from their adventures. King Triton’s rage still frightens me but Bardem’s version is less explosive than the animated one.
Javier Bardem plays the stern but loving King Triton in The Little Mermaid. Image credit: IMDB
The cinematography and visual effects are breathtaking. One feels like you are scuba diving and seeing all of the ocean’s underwater wonders in technicolor. You have to watch this film in 3D to get that surreal effect. It’s like being in the Two Oceans Aquarium’s tunnel – simply incredible!
Hands down, the big musical numbers “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” are visual feasts for the eyes. Yes, some of the magic is lost in the translation from animation to live action, like Ariel playing charades to tell Eric her name instead of Sebastian singing it to him, but overall, it is wonderful.
— Disney Animation Promos (@DisneyAPromos) April 13, 2023
Miranda’s influence is keenly felt with the addition of four extra songs and the changing of a few lyrics in the beloved numbers. It wouldn’t be a Miranda production if there wasn’t a rap number and honestly, using that medium for Scuttle and Sebastian to tell Ariel that the Prince is going to propose was a lot of fun.
Prince Eric in the live action version may not have his animated counterpart’s jawline but he does have more respect for women. Image credit: People
I have always been partial to a Prince Eric with a chiseled jawline (and to be fair, since I saw Kevin Richardson with his jet black hair and deep blue eyes at the Backstreet Boys concert last week and discovered he played Prince Eric when he worked at Disneyland many years ago, he is ALL I have pictured Eric as!) but Hauer-King grew on me eventually and I liked him.
Billions of little girls will grow up with a Disney Princess who looks like them. Image credit: IMDB
Bailey was always going to crush the titular role but to actually see her pull it off… wow! An entire generation of Disney kids are going to grow up seeing themselves represented on screen and the importance of that is immeasurable. From all of us brown girls, thank you, Ms. Bailey!
Having the OG Ariel voice actress Jodi Benson pop up in a cameo was a sweet touch.
Melissa McCarthy is deliciously evil as Ursula the Sea Witch in The Little Mermaid. Image credit: People
I know that McCarthy was a controversial choice for Ursula and that the queer community was campaigning for her to be played by a drag queen because the animation’s version was based on one. I am going to go out on a limb here and say, take a seat, darlings. McCarthy rocked this role. From the bouncing breasts (well done to the writers for keeping that from the original) to her diabolical evil nature and cheeky snide remarks, McCarthy is fun. Her version of the character makes Triton banishing her extremely relatable for any older sibling who has had enough of their annoying little sister π
Flounder’s more realistic look loses the magic of the original. Image credit: IMDB
I am saddened by Flounder’s reduced role in this adaptation but seeing how unlike himself he looks (ugh, Disney and its insistence on turning its live adaptations into Discovery Channel doccies) to fully embrace the realism nature of the film, makes me believe that it’s for the best.
When there are more adults than children in the Kids Cinema to watch The Little Mermaid and as Disney Princesses, you simply must have a selfie!
Finally, let me tell you that Leonie and I watched The Little Mermaid at Ster Kinekor’s Kids Cinema at the V&A Waterfront. Besides living our best Disney Princesses lives sans children, we had to refrain from using the epic slide in the cinema π If that isn’t your speed, you can catch the movie of the day at Nu Metro or The Labia.
Watch The Little Mermaid and become part of her world.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and let us know what you enjoyed the most about The Little Mermaid.
90s kids, it’s Morphin’ Time! Streaming giant Netflix released the first trailer for the upcoming 30th anniversary special, titled Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. The special will debut on 19 April 2023.
The mature heroic team are called back to fight against their iconic villain Rita Repulsa (voiced byΒ Barbara Goodson) and solve the mystery of original Yellow Ranger Trini’s death. It looks to be an emotional adventure of note for our rainbow coloured friends.
While this special is billed as a reunion of the original Power Rangers, there are only two of the OGs returning: Walter Emanuel Jonesβ Zack and David Yostβs Billy. The first Pink Ranger actress Amy Jo Johnson will not be returning due to a pay dispute and whether we will see the late Jason David Frank as Green/White Ranger Tommy remains to be seen.
As I mentioned to Tendai, I will be watching this special purely for the nostalgia but I already have some doubts. Yost was already too old to play a teenager in the 90s (he was 26!) and to now make a return as a 54 year old super powered fighter is just pushing it. I also don’t know how I feel about the producers using the very real tragedy of actress Thuy Trang’s death in 2001 as a motivation to explain Trini’s death in-universe.
Still, I am super excited to sing along to the iconic theme song and see Alpha 5 again!
Go! Go! Go! Power Rangers!
Set your reminder for the debut of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always on Netflix on 19 April 2023.
Red alert: While Darla has proven she CAN keep a secret, I cannot – this review is filled with spoilers so please, for the love of Zeus, stop reading right now if you haven’t watched Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
One of the few DC Films to not be shelved post James Gunn taking over, Shazam! Fury of the Gods was released worldwide on Friday 17 March 2023. Leonie and I had the honour of being guests of Comic Con Cape Town and Fan Con Cape Town at the exclusive preview screening at the V&A Waterfront’s new Ster Kinekor on Thursday 16 March 2023.
Recap:
Two years after the events of Shazam! (and four years for the audience), Billy Batson (Asher Angel and Zachary Levi) and his superpowered foster siblings Mary (Grace Caroline CurreyΒ ,who now plays both teen and superhero Mary), Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody), Pedro (Jovan ArmandΒ and D. J. Cotrona), Eugene (Ian ChenΒ and Ross Butler) and Darla (Faithe HermanΒ and Meagan Good) are drifting apart as everyone tries to find their identity within the team. Juggling fighting crime with learning calculus and lying to their parents is taking a toll on the siblings’ relationships. The negative publicity and anger from the Philadelphia (Philly) residents after every superhero save causes millions of dollars in damage aren’t helping matters much either.
Billy/Shazam is trying his best to keep everyone together but he is being a bit of a control freak and Freddy, in particular, is starting to feel smothered. Cue Freddy meeting a really beautiful, funny and sweet girl Anne (Rachel Zegler) who is like really into him. Blind to all of the red flags, our reluctant sidekick is instantly smitten and willing to ignore his family and superhero responsibilities for his new girlfriend.
Which naturally gets him kidnapped by Anne, who is really the goddess Anthea, and her sisters Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu), the Daughters of Atlas. The trio want their deceased father’s magic back – the same magic that the old wizard (Djimon Hounsou) gave to Billy/Shazam and which he and his siblings are squandering.
Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler are The Daughters of Atlas in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Image credit: comicbasics.com
Chaos reigns in Philly as Kalypso does her best Voldemort impression trying to kill a bunch of teenagers with magic. With the help of the old wizard, who it turns out did not die in the first movie, turning Hespera and Anthea to their side, and finally coming clean to their parents, our superheroes band together to try and save the day.
Billy/Shazam, after finally admitting he loves Rosa and calling her Mom (our boy has serious mommy issues since his bio mom rejected him twice in the previous installment), sacrifices himself to defeat Kaylpso and her dragon. Just when all seems lost, along comes Billy’s not-so-secret crush, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) in a freaking awesome cameo, to raise our fallen hero from the dead, using her father Zeus’s power.
Gal Gadot makes a stunning cameo as Wonder Woman in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Image credit: Screenrant
With a few well-placed post-credit scenes, including Billy being recruited to the Justice Society of America (note the crucial difference here between the Society and the League), Shazam looks to be firmly part of the upcoming Gunn DC reset.
Impressions:
As I said to Leonie post screening, it’s rare to find a sequel that is as good or even better than the first film. In the superhero movie business, it’s a freaking unicorn. Which is apt, since there are unicorns in this one π
Jokes aside, one can tell that director David F. SandbergΒ and writers Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan had fun creating this sequel and so did the cast. When joy lives behind the scenes, it translates to the screen. Shazam! Fury of the Gods doesn’t take itself too seriously but it delivers messages about the strength of non-biological familial bonds; the importance of queer acceptance; the possibility of it never being too late to change the error of your ways and the power of forgiveness with great heart.
The Shazam family. Image credit: Polygon
Levi is starting to look a little too old as the adult Billy/Shazam (it’s particularly noticeable when he is onscreen with the adult superheroes. It doesn’t help that Brody and Good continue to be baby-faced well into their 40s) but he really hits the awkward teen/adult man body swap routine well. Angel as teen Billy has so much more emotional range this time round and it plays off really well when he has the heart to heart with mom Rosa (Marta Milans). At some point, I would LOVE a scene with the two Freddys interacting. The casting of Grazer and Brody as the same character is just pure perfection. Grazer gives off Brody as Seth in The OC vibes all day everyday.
Liu as a villain? Yes, please! Mythical characters, particularly in the DC films, tend to be portrayed as serious, OTT, pompous jerks but I love what both Liu and Mirren did with theirs – irate, gorgeous immortals who find humans tedious and look good in gold armour. While their age differences in relation to Zegler as Anthea are stark, their chemistry and sisterly bond feels natural and relatable.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Shazam and Kaylpso face off in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Image credit: Rolling Stone
The CGI and stunts have been ramped up for this sequel and I am happy that the previous Warner Bros/DC Films execs didn’t skimp on that budget. I suppose they really couldn’t afford not to, what with all of The Flash references and how Shazam is like him but different.
Judging from the excited exclamations in our cinema at the sight of Gadot as Wonder Woman, I know I am not the only one who is doubly sad that her third movie has been scrapped. There was so much potential for a team up between these two characters and then the expansion of the Justice League. Ugh.
Don’t miss Shazam! Fury of the Gods! Image credit: Warner Bros Pictures
Which leads us to the Gunn-sized elephant in the room: Shazam! and Wonder Woman are arguably the two most successful franchises of the current DCEU so why the hell would he and his partner scrap the latter? Does it not make more sense to build with what you have than to burn everything to the ground and start anew? Make it make sense.
All in all, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a fun cinematic romp and worth the splurge seeing it at the movies. Catch it at a Ster Kinekor near you.
Attention Shazam! superfans: Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the hugely anticipated DC sequel to the 2019 DC hit from New Line Cinema, comes to our screens later this month. And here’s the great news – you have the chance to win tickets to a special pre-screening of the film before it releases!
What is Shazam! Fury of the Gods all about?
βShazam! Fury of the Godsβ continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word βSHAZAM!,β is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego.
Now fully bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billyβaka Shazamβand his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
But can a bunch of teenagers actually save the day? Does Billy even want to�
Get ready for an insanely action-packed Super Hero sequel that will bring even more excitement, adventure and comedy, along with all-new realms, bigger threats, monsters and mythical creatures to our heroes.
About the Pre-Screening
The special pre-screening will take place at Movies@ Monte Casino on 16 March at 7pm.
To stand the chance of winning double tickets to this pre-screening, please complete your entry below.
PLUS: Win one of three Shazam! hampers!
Three lucky superfans also stand the chance of winning an awesome Shazam! hamper. Enter below and it could be yours!
Enter for the chance to win Shazam! Fury of the Gods double movie tickets or an exclusive hamper.
Competition Terms
This competition closes on 14 March 2023. Winners will be contacted via email on 15 March. Please submit a valid email address.
The ticket giveaway is exclusive to the JHB venue only.
The prize excludes travel, and cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash.
Those lucky Americans get to celebrate their football championships with the best halftime show AND trailer drops galore every February and honestly, I am JEALOUS! At yesterday’s epic event, Rihanna made her comeback after six years and dropped her big news: she’s pregnant with her second kid. Go RiRi!
Rihanna had a special guest artist at her Superbowl show last night: her second baby bump! Image credit: Pitchfork
In addition to the Queen of the Barbados rocking it out on stage, some of our favourite returning shows, upcoming comic book movie features and delicious drive-thrus dropped some cool ads and trailers.
Much like their character Barry Allen, Erza Miller royally screwed up the timeline of the release of The Flash with their much publicized arrests and meltdowns over the past few years. Thank the Speed Force, though, and begrudgingly the new DC CEOs, for reverse flashing the decision to can the movie. Thanks to their timeline fixing, we will now get two Flashes, both played by Miller; the Batfleck; the return of OG Batman Michael Keaton; and a Supergirl of colour, Sasha Calle as Kara.
Enjoy the trailer:
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny:
Is Harrison Ford far too old to play his second most iconic character? Probably but as long as there is an item of Holy Grail stature to save, a pretty girl to impress and bad guys to outsmart, Ford will slip back into Indy’s skin and enthrall a new generation of treasure hunters. With the miracle of de-aging effects and a cast bolstered by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas and fellow Indiana Jones alum John Rhys-Davies , Ford returns for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have stepped back from directing and writing this fifth and final installment and will serve as executive producers instead.
Crack a whip and a look at this:
Scream VI:
Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott may be out but Ghostface is still in and he/she/they (don’t forget the rules: there are ALWAYS two murderers!) and terrorizing several returning franchise final girls in New York City!
Scream VI sees recent stars Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Melissa Barrera team up with Courtney Cox and Hayden Panettiere (she was the final girl in Scream 4) to finally (yeah, right!) put an end to their worst nightmare.
Get ready to slash your way to freedom:
Fast X:
My Khal Drogo Jason Momoa being the bad guy and taking on Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto and his entire family in the tenth Fast&The Furious movie, Fast X? Hell yes, my man, SIGN ME UP!
After the guys went full throttle in space in the last movie, I was willing for this franchise to go gently into the night. Now Momoa is shifting the acting into high gear, John Cena is back as Dom’s younger brother and we are getting the late Paul Walker making a comeback as Brian (thanks to his brothers and CGI). I am so here for it!
Pump the gas with this epic trailer:
Ben Affleck loves his Dunkin’ Donuts:
Finally, the world can move on from Ben Affleck being every bored husband at his wife’s work event (Google Ben Affleck Grammys) and see that our guy is just like us in this delicious Dunkin’Donuts ad:
What did you think about the Superbowl 2023 show, trailers and ads? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook!
Whether you have been playing Miley Cyrus’s Flowers on repeat, trying to recapture the spark with your boo or been doom scrolling through dating apps, I’m sure you could do with a little romance this February.
Channing Tatum is giving it a final go in Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Image credit: Out.com
Luckily, our cinemas and streaming sites are serving up all kinds of love-filled gems so grab your FWB, significant other or bestie and enjoy these epic offerings:
Magic Mike’s Last Dance:
Channing Tatum is shaking those buns of steel one last time with the final sequel to his hit Magic Mike movie trilogy, Magic Mike’s Last Dance.
This time, Salma Hayek is, uh, coming along for the ride and things are about to get all kinds of steamy on a London theatre stage.
Leonie and I are going to shed our inhibitions and underwear at Ster Kinekor’s Girlfriends’ Getaway event at the V&A Waterfront on Wednesday 8 February. If you can’t make it for that event, book your tickets to see it here.
The 365 Days films:
Sure, these aren’t the streaming site’s latest releases BUT they are the steamiest so if you are wanting to get off, Netflix and chilling doesn’t get any hotter or better than the 365 Days film trilogy. Let Massimo (Michele Morrone) and Laura (Anna-Maria Sieklucka) indulge your every sexual fantasy as they find their way to each other in very unusual circumstances.
My personal favourite is the extended yacht sex scene in the first film – I have TONS of questions about whether they remembered to put sunscreen on their delicate bits, where the ship’s crew are and who is cleaning up every spot they’re hooking up on? That being said, I love the sheer erotic fantasy of it all and I respect the film making aspect of this complex scene. What, guys? It takes very skilled cameramen and women to capture the true erotic experience on film! Don’t smirk at me through your screens like that! π
The Lost City:
Last year’s romcom hit starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum (yes, yes, I am obsessed with him, I know!) is now streaming on Showmax. The Lost City follows the pair as they try to escape from a treasure crazy Daniel Radcliffe off of an island and charmingly fall in love in the process.
Its popcorn viewing at its finest and perfect for a couple’s, solo or girls’ night in experience.
Beauty and the Beast:
The only Disney live action movie I don’t completely hate and I can watch multiple times is the 2017 Beauty and the Beast.
Emma Watson is Belle who is forced to live with the cursed Beast (Dan Stevens) in his enchanted castle and befriends his motley crew of formerly human and now animated furniture and crockery, including a clock, a teapot and a candelabra.
This fairytale has always been my favourite because Hi, full stocked, gigantic library! I’ve watched the animated movie, the live-action film, the Once Upon A Time series and the Broadway musical AND I thoroughly enjoyed the Disney on Ice act devoted to Belle and Beast, so I may be a tiny bit obsessed with this cautionary tale about falling in love with your kidnapper. Show me a Disney kid who doesn’t have issues!
Beauty and the Beast is streaming on Disney Plus.
Dirty Dancing:
If it’s a classic romantic night in you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s 80’s hit Dirty Dancing!
Streaming on Prime Video this month, this one is perfect to set your heart aflutter and get those hips swaying β¦ nudge nudge, wink wink.
Got any other romantic movie suggestions? Tweet them at me/Superfans at @SuperfansSA on Twitter!
Anyone else get severe time sickness when you watched James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios announce the new slate of movies, series and games on Tuesday 31 January 2023?
Look, I as much as any DC fan, am absolutely in favour of the DCU connecting all over the various mediums so kudos to Gunn and his co-CEO Peter Safran for that. What I cannot wrap my head around is the blatantly stupid decisions and choices being made about which problematic stars get to stay (yes, Ezra Miller, even the Flashpoint cannot save you now!) and which mega stars are being cut loose.
Henry Cavill is not my favourite Superman and honestly, Zack Snyder took himself WAY too seriously with his movies but there was a potential in the Cavil and Batffleck combo that could have been explored more with the right writers and crew. Hell, the man gave up his damn fine lead role on The Witcher for the DC deal he was promised and Gunn and Safran went “nah, thanks but no thanks!”. This has the smell of those dumb asses and Game of Thrones Season 8 all over again.
James Gunn has announced a new DC slate of shows, movies and games and a few of our favourite actors are out! Image credit: Joblo.com
Speaking of which β¦ really, Gunn? Describing a drama series set in Wonder Woman‘s birthplace, Themyscira, as a GOT-style show makes it sounds like you are trying too hard to convince viewers and fans that this is going to work. Instead of just letting Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot finish off their Wonder Woman threequel and then waiting a few years to do a series spin-off, the boys are now bulldozing their way into making their own show. Ugh.
Don’t get me started on the fact that, despite Dumb and Dumber hailing Wonder Woman as one of their “diamond characters”, she is being sidelined into a series while Supermanand Batman are being rebooted especially for the new DC slate. As if we don’t already have a plethora of Batman projects and actors out there. Let Matt Reeves do his thing with Robert Pattison and bring Ben Affleck back, you cowards!
Bring Batfleck back, you cowards! Image credit: Digital Spy
I get it – Gunn saw what Marvel and Kevin Feige did with making the MCU, Netflix series, ABC shows and Fox films one big universe and decided to follow the same formula. BUT Feige at least had the common sense to respect the various fandoms and honour their history with the various characters by bringing them together under the convenient multiverse concept. Gunn and Safran are decimating entire characters, universes and plotlines.
This is a shame because Greg Berlanti and his team were really great at bringing back former DC actors as either other characters or crossing the mulitverses in fun crossover episodes. Two of my favourite scenes were these in the Arrowverse:
I won’t deny that Gunn’s Peacemaker is a great series but I hardly think that is going to help him and his partner with this overhaul of the DC content. In the Arrowverse, it has been strongly hinted at that John Diggle (David Ramsey) is the next Green Lantern John Stewart so will he the star of the new Lanterns series? Unlikely, now that Gunn and Safran have parted ways with Berlanti who was heading up the first proposed Lanterns series.
We are all still reeling from the fact that the completed Batgirl movie was scrapped. We’ve lost out on the opportunity to have the first Batgirl of colour played by Leslie Grace and to see Michael Keaton return as his OG Batman character. Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl series has ended (and honestly, not a moment too soon since it was the weakest of the Arrowverse shows) but Gunn and Safran think giving Kara Danvers a traumatic childhood makeover and exploring how it affects her in a miniseries, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, is going to appeal to younger audiences.
Supergirl gets a tragic makeover in the new series on DC’s slate. Image credit: IGN.com
Let us not forget that Gunn is the reason Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is a disappointment and pales in comparison to the rest of its counterparts. It’s so bad that some of its leads are now speaking out against it.
Gunn’s own history of being being fired by Disney for his past paedophilia and molestation tweets aside, the decision to go ahead with Miller’s Flash movie is a strange one. Like the Royal Family, the DC Studios is happy to keep promoting an alleged child molester but won’t support a black woman in a leading role. Classy, real classy.
The proof of this madcap slate will be in the proof of the pudding β¦ or viewing, as the case may be.
Ok, I’ll get off of my soapbox now. What are your thoughts on the new DC slate? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram!