Moviefone Editorial

Tag: triple-9

  • What’s New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: May 30-June 5

    At a loss for what to watch this week? From new TV, we’ve got you covered.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

    “London Has Fallen”
    It’s Memorial Day in the U.S., so instead of watching our landmarks get blown up on screen, why not head across the pond and see how the U.K. likes it. “London Has Fallen” has its Digital HD release on May 31, then on disc/demand June 14. Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, and company return for this sequel to “Olympus Has Fallen,” following the aftermath of the British Prime Minster’s death. Bonus features include “The Making of London Has Fallen,” featuring interviews with cast and crew; and “Guns, Knives & Explosives,” delving deeper into Butler’s character, Mike Banning, and the extensive training he needed to play a Secret Service agent.

    Check out this exclusive clip on the logistics of making the film, including making sure there are enough trousers for the actors to wear. Really!

    “Hello, My Name Is Doris”
    Two-time Oscar winner Sally Field leads an all-star cast (Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root, Natasha Lyonne) in this coming-of-age-story about a quirky 60-something woman who takes a chance on love with a much-younger new co-worker (“New Girl” star Greenfield). Catch it on Digital May 31, then Blu-ray and DVD June 14. Extras include an alternate opening, deleted and extended scenes, and filmmaker commentary.

    “Strawberry Shortcake: Campberry Stories”
    Here’s one for the kids. (Or for you — grown-ups can be Strawberry Shortcake fans, too. Not here to judge.) Follow SS and her friends on their annual campout in Very Beautiful Meadow when they decide to see who can tell the most outrageous story. It’s available on Digital HD platforms May 31.

    TV Worth Watching

    “Roots” (Monday on A&E, Lifetime, and History at 9 p.m.)
    This remake of the landmark 1977 TV miniseries will run over four consecutive nights, starting Memorial Day, simulcast on the History Channel and sister networks, A&E and Lifetime. The eight-hour miniseries stars Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin, Laurence Fishburne, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anika Noni Rose, T.I., Matthew Goode, Mekhi Phifer, and James Purefoy, with Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte.

    Watch the powerful trailer:

    “POV: Of Men and War” (Monday on PBS at 10 p.m.)
    Here’s another strong option for Memorial Day viewing. This latest episode of PBS’s POV documentary series follows a dozen combat veterans and their families as the soldiers undergo intense residential PTSD therapy at the Pathway Home, a unique specialized care facility. Filmmaker Laurent Bécue-Renard reveals the enduring consequences of PTSD and the role treatment can play in helping soldiers reclaim their lives.

    “Outcast” (Friday at 10 p.m. on Cinemax)
    Cinemax’s new horror series, based on the comic by “The Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman, debuts June 3. “Outcast” follows Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit), who has been plagued by possession since he was a child. He sets out to find answers, but what he discovers could mean the end of life on Earth. (Eh. That’s OK. We had a good run.) The first season has 10 episodes and it already has a Season 2 renewal, so you don’t have to worry about being left high and dry if you get hooked.

    Check out the Season 1 trailer:

    “Feed the Beast” (Sunday on AMC at 10 p.m.)
    David Schwimmer and Jim Sturgess star in this new crime drama (based on a Danish series) about two best friends who open a restaurant together in their hometown of the Bronx. According to the AMC’s synopsis, “Together, they take on the insanity of the New York restaurant world, and navigate its underbelly of petty criminals, corrupt officials and violent mobsters.” The original start date was May 31, but it got moved to June 5, to air after “Preacher.”

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “Triple 9”
    A veteran cop and his rookie nephew uncover a conspiracy that hits close to home in “Triple 9,” which arrives on DVD, Blu-ray, and On Demand May 31. Every other great actor in Hollywood is in this movie, including Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Kate Winslet, Clifton Collins Jr., Teresa Palmer, Michael K. Williams, and Gal Gadot. Extras include deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes look the making of the thriller.

    Check out this exclusive deleted scene starring Woody Harrelson as Sgt. Detective Jeffrey Allen:

    “Pride + Prejudice + Zombies”
    The Bennett sisters and Mr. Darcy are force to slay zombies in the adaptation Jane Austen never saw coming for her classic novel. Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey star in the film, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray May 31. The DVD has tw featurettes, and the Blu-ray has four featurettes, plus deleted scenes, a gag reel, and “Mr. Collins Line-o-rama.”

    “Gods of Egypt”
    This is SPARTA! a pretty big week for Gerard Butler releases. You can watch him as London falls, and then here in Egypt for this battle between good and evil. Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau play rival gods Set and Horus, who both want to rule the universe. The Blu-ray and DVD, out May 31, include six featurettes, including behind-the-scenes videos on the costumes, hair, makeup, location, visual effects, stunts, action, and casting.
    “Race”
    This sports biography, based on track-and-field athlete Jesse Owens’s real-life triumphs at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, comes out on Blu-ray an DVD on May 31. Bonus features for both versions include “The Making of Race,” with interviews from the cast and filmmakers’ ” Becoming Jesse Owens,” featuring Stephan James and director Stephen Hopkins; and ” The Owens Sisters,” with Jesse’s three daughters sharing unique insight into their father’s life.

    New on Netflix
    It’s a new month, and that means a ton of stuff is being added to Netflix as of June 1, and some other stuff is going bye-bye. Hold on to your butts, ’cause three of the new titles coming Wednesday are dino-mite:

    “Jurassic Park” (1993)
    “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (1997)
    “Jurassic Park III” (2001)

    “Hibana: Spark” (Netflix Original)
    Netflix is debuting Season 1 of this new series on June 2, based on the award-winning book by Naoki Matayoshi. It’s set in Japan (with Japanese subtitles) and follows the friendship and conflict between two comedians who search for meaning in life and comedy.

    “Pretty Little Liars” Season 6
    Also on June 2, Netflix will start streaming the 20 episodes of PLL Season 6. You should have just enough time to watch them all before Season 7 premieres June 21 on Freeform.

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  • 7 Reasons Why ‘Gods of Egypt’ Was an Epic Box Office Flop

    Forget “13 Hours.” With “Gods of Egypt,” 2016 has its first bonafide megaflop.

    That may seem a harsh way to describe a movie that opened near the high end of predictions, with an estimated $14.0 million, placing second only to the still-unstoppable “Deadpool.” But remember, “Gods” cost a reported $140 million to make and was supposed to launch the next big fantasy franchise for Lionsgate, the studio behind the “Hunger Games” and “Divergent” films. This weekend’s figures make the prospect of lucrative sequels very doubtful, especially since the movie looks like it’s going to struggle to earn back even a fourth of its budget in American multiplexes.

    In retrospect, it’s hard to figure why the studio gambled so much on this film, given all the strikes against it that are apparent now. For instance:

    1. The CastingGame of Thrones.” Actually, Butler does well in the right circumstances, which is why there are higher hopes for his “London Has Fallen” action sequel, opening next weekend.

    It’s possible that there are Butler fans who didn’t want to blow their money on the unknown-quantity “Gods” because they’re saving it for the actor’s more familiar franchise next week. But just because he excelled in a swords-and-sandals epic a decade ago doesn’t mean he should be the go-to guy for ancient-world action spectacles.

    2. The Whitewash
    This was the even bigger problem with the casting: that the main roles were almost entirely played by white actors. It’s not just an #OscarsSoWhite thing; the time seems to have passed when you could get away with casting an Egyptian story with so few brown performers in it.

    In 2014, Ridley Scott famously said he couldn’t have financed his $140-million Egyptian epic, the biblical “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” without a predominantly white cast. But having Christian Bale and box office non-entities like Joel Edgerton didn’t help either. That movie opened with $24.1 million and topped out at $65.0 million in North America. You’d think the makers of “Gods of Egypt” would have learned from “Gods and Kings” and gone for historical accuracy over cynical pandering, but they didn’t, and the result backfired. When the trailers for the new film came out last fall, the backlash was so loud that both director Alex Proyas and Lionsgate issued statements apologizing for the miscalculation. That bad press might not have kept moviegoers away this weekend, but it didn’t help.

    3. The Testosterone
    How did Lionsgate think this was going to be the next “Hunger Games” or “Divergent?” Two things those franchises had in common: they were based on best-selling book series, and they had likable teenage-girl heroines. “Gods” has no literary pedigree and is pretty much a sausage fest.

    4. The Filmmakers
    Alex Proyas used to be considered a truly visionary director, thanks to cult hits “The Crow” and “Dark City” (pictured). More recently, he’s made big, corporate action/sci-fi movies like “I, Robot” and “Knowing.” He’s working here with the screenwriters behind (woof) “Dracula Untold” and “The Last Witch Hunter,” both movies that critics and audiences alike rejected.

    5. Really Bad Reviews
    With a team like that, it’s no wonder that “Gods of Egypt” received such dismal reviews (13 percent fresh at Rotten Tomatoes, 24 at Metacritic). But even audiences gave it poor word-of-mouth, judging by the film’s B- grade at CinemaScore.

    6. The Videogame-y Visual Effects
    No doubt Lionsgate was hoping that the movie’s 3D bookings would bring in more money, but by many accounts, “Gods”‘ visuals weren’t that impressive — with creatures and sets that would have been more at home in a video game than on the giant screen. American audiences have shown that they’re not willing to pay extra for 3D unless the movie offers a real treat for the eye.

    7. The Timing
    LHF_DAY_20_CR_0154.NEFNot only was positioning the movie a week before Butler’s “London Has Fallen” (above) a bad idea, but so was putting it in the sights of “Deadpool,” which earned another estimated $31.5 million this weekend. In fairness, everyone underestimated “Deadpool.” Still, when action/fantasy fans have a choice between a contemporary Marvel superhero movie and an unfamiliar adventure set in the ancient world, it’s not hard to guess which one they’ll pick.

    It’s not all bad news for “Gods of Egypt.” The movie has already earned an estimated $38.2 million overseas, which isn’t earth-shattering, but that total is nearly three times what it earned here. Foreign moviegoers have certainly shown themselves to be less picky than homegrown audiences about the quality of their action movies, non-diverse casting, and ho-hum 3D.

    Still, after you take away marketing costs and the share of revenue that goes to the theaters, “Gods” will have to earn about $305 million overseas just to break even. Anyone who thinks that’ll happen is living on de banks of de Nile.
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  • Norman Reedus Talks ‘Triple 9’s’ Biggest Action Scene and ‘The Walking Dead’

    At the junket for his new heist thriller “Triple 9,” Norman Reedus warned me, “I’m sick. So don’t make out with me.” I told him I’d restrain myself, although it was tough.

    Sounding hoarser than usually and sipping on tea, “The Walking Dead” star wore sunglasses and talked enthusiastically about playing brother to buddy Aaron Paul, who — along with some very corrupt cops — is his partner in crime in this fast-paced, all-star heist drama from director John Hillcoat.

    He also talked about the return of his AMC hit show and his new unscripted TV show, “Ride With Norman Reedus.”

    Moviefone: Aaron Paul plays your brother — had the two of you met before?

    Reedus: We’ve known each other for at least 15 years. When I first moved to L.A. — I used to live here, ages ago — he’s one of the first people I knew. I’ve always been a fan of his work. One of the reasons I really wanted to get on “Walking Dead” was because it was on AMC, and I was a big “Breaking Bad” fan. So I’ve known him for a long time. There was already a love there, so we didn’t have to fake that.

    What are the Do’s and Don’ts you learned about bank robbing?

    Ha! Always have a back-up plan is a definite “Do.” Don’t open a bag full of money with a red-dye explosive in it. That’s definitely a “Don’t.”
    But it made for a great scene when the bag explodes on the freeway.

    It looked cool. Luckily, I wasn’t in that van when that scene was going on, because that was gross.

    This is such a great cast — was there anyone you wished you had a scene with?

    Kate, definitely. Our children went to the same grade school in New York, so I’d see her in the morning sometimes. We’d both have sunglasses on and just doing that morning thing where you’re just shoving your kids in the car, right? I’m friends with her to a certain extent, but I would love to work with her. She’s such a badass.

    You’re kind of a badass, too, in this. Did you do any Special Forces training?

    [My character] was Blackwater, so I did a lot of research on that. I have a cousin who’s in Blackwater, so I got some inside scoop there. A lot of my role in this is sort of like the navigator or the puppet master on these heists, so John really stressed that I have a very calm demeanor about me – somebody that could f*** you up, but also somebody that, when things went down, he was very calm. [The director] gave us a buttload of homework. Films to watch and articles to read and photographs to go over and stories to listen to, all the things that you would think. He’d give us a Dropbox full and you’d get through all that and the next day it would be full again! I never had a director give you so much homework. It was great, though.

    What kind of films?

    Some heist movies, but mostly a lot of clips, like raids and mafia gang stories and this horrific shit. Just horrible, horrible stuff. Just to know the world that you’re in. And a lot of military stuff, too — Blackwater operations and a ton of it.

    Between this and “The Walking Dead,” do you have a tactical mindset when you walk into a room, like where the exits and danger zones are?
    Andrew Lincoln, left, and Norman Reedus star in AMC's <em>The Walking Dead.</em>
    I started thinking about that in New York when I was walking around after doing “The Walking Dead.” I’d be like, “Okay, there’s four people coming at me on the sidewalk right here. I see that guy’s camera phone coming out, so I’m going to have to bypass that.” I did kind of start doing that just for fun. It’s kinda like when you play that game Tetris, everything becomes Tetris. I look at the downtown skyline and think, “I can fit this guy in here.”

    “Walking Dead” doesn’t seem to give you much time to make movies. This was set in Atlanta, so that probably made it a lot easier.

    It’s almost impossible. I think I got offered three movies at the beginning of this season and couldn’t do any of them. Even when they came back to me and offered me smaller parts, I still couldn’t do them. I’m on a show that’s a 24/7 thing. But because this is in Atlanta, it kind of worked out for me. And then on the hiatus, I’m doing another show, “Ride [With Norman Reedus].” That’s why my throat’s all messed up. I’ve been in Death Valley on dirt bikes, just swallowing sand for the last five days. But it’s awesome. I’ve done Florida, California Coast, Georgia Hills. I’m about to go do Texas and Louisiana. And then Vegas through Death Valley.

    Who’s joining you on some of these rides?

    Different guests. [“Easy Rider” star] Peter Fonda was in Florida, that was kind of awesome. Just different guys. I’m not supposed to say. The Peter Fonda bit was all over the Internet so I guess I can say that one.

    What will you do when “The Walking Dead” ends?

    I’ll do more “Ride.” And I’ll do some more movies. And then I’ll be back here, talking to you about doing something else. And then, hopefully, I’ll be going back to Georgia in May. Hopefully we just keep this ball rolling for a minute, you know?

    “Triple 9” opens February 26.
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  • Anthony Mackie Talks ‘Triple 9’ Deleted Scenes, Working With Wonder Woman

    In the new crime drama, “Triple 9,” Anthony Mackie plays a corrupt cop who pulls bank robberies on the side and isn’t happy when he’s saddled with a straitlaced new partner, played by Casey Affleck.

    The great cast includes Kate Winslet as a ruthless Russian mob boss, Woody Harrelson as Affleck’s uncle — who’s also a cop — and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Norman Reedus and Aaron Paul as members of Mackie’s bank-robbing gang.

    Mackie sat down with Moviefone to talk about his favorite heist movie, the deleted scenes he hopes resurface on the DVD, and hanging with “Mr. Atlanta,” T.I.

    Moviefone: This has a terrific heist scene in it — so what’s your favorite heist movie?

    Anthony Mackie: Eddie Murphy did this movie called “Harlem Nights.” The premise was that the mob was bullying them and they had to pay a fee to do business in Harlem. And they turn it and basically jack the mob for all their money and leave town. The only movie with more one-liners is “Coming to America.” And those are my two favorite movies of all time.

    What are the “Do’s and Don’ts” about bank robbing?

    (Laughs) The Do’s: Be fast. Wear gloves. Be well orchestrated. The Don’ts: Don’t go slow. Don’t hang around afterwards. Don’t lose your gloves. I think the big thing is, as long as you don’t hurt anyone in the act of bank robbing, you’re okay. I think once you go in and start shootin’ people, they’re gonna find you. Cuz nobody cares about a rich dude losin’ a P.O. box. They care about people being hurt.

    The film has a scary-good ensemble cast. Who were you disappointed you didn’t get any scenes with?

    Of course, Kate. I admire Kate for the work that she’s done. She’s done some really, really good movies. If you want people to know you’re a great actress, you have to change your name to Kate. Of course I was disheartened I didn’t have any scenes with her. I’ve worked with Woody before, and he’s just a hoot to be around. He’s such his own person that not having worked with him in this movie… we were on set at the same time and I’m like, “C’mon, man! Shouldn’t we be in the same room at the same time or something?” So those two were kind of frustrating that we didn’t have scenes together.

    At one point in the movie, Casey Affleck tells you he’s a “total badass.” So which one of you is the bigger badass in real life?

    I would say Casey’s wife [Summer Phoenix] is the biggest badass. She kind of trumps both of us. She’s badass. If there’s one thing Casey is not, it’s a badass. I would say the only person who’s further away from being a badass than Casey is Screech.Was there more to your character’s backstory than we see in the film?

    Watching it, there’s certain scenes that [director] John [Hillcoat] deleted, so I’m interested in hearing the feedback once the DVD comes out. Because if this movie were two hours and 15 minutes, it would be a completely different movie. Completely different. [The stuff that was cut] was more character-driven. I feel like this is still character-driven, but what they took out was more in-depth. But I think the DVD version is going to be really interesting if people like it now.

    We see why Chiwetel Ejiofor gets into these kinds of heists, but we don’t really see why your character does it — apart from the money.

    One of the things that was taken out of the movie … my character’s a young detective. He’s flamboyant. You see him in the strip club. You see him in his hot-rod Mustang. He’s that guy. But with [my character] Marcus Belmont, what’s really cool is his appreciation for being a police officer and the honor of being promoted to detective. That’s one of the things I feel that comes with him that I really liked when I read the script, and I think you’ll see once all the scenes are put back into the movie.

    But there are some pretty big action scenes here. Did you get a chance to say your catchphrase “cut the check” during filming?

    Oh, every day. I don’t care, when I earn my money, I make sure everybody knows they gotta cut the check. Now this movie, it was a really fun shoot. Runnin’ down the street and shootin’ and doin’ all this stuff was fun to us.

    So we had the scene where we’re tactically going in to the projects to arrest this guy who’s a drug dealer. And I’m behind the car and Casey’s running away from him. My cover is getting shot at, so I had to run from behind the bushes, and jump onto a mat behind the car. So every time, goofin’ off, I would try to jump and land on the car and roll onto the ground. So John would yell, “Anthony, stop doing that!” And I’m like, “Fine.” So I come out the bushes, I run, I jump and I start shooting and he’s like, “Perfect!” I’m like,”Cut the check.” [Laughs]

    You were trying to give him more.

    I was trying to give him more! I was trying to give him a burger with many condiments and he just wanted a plain burger. So I gave him a plain burger.

    I know you like to listen to music on set. And Chris Evans has said that your iTunes collection is better than his. What did you listen to on this set?

    I listened to a lot of hip hop. Because we were in Atlanta, I had everything Jermaine Dupri, OutKast, Organized Noize, and Goodie Mob on constant rotation. And because this was such a grimy movie, we had to be in such a mindset to shoot everyday, it was all Atlanta funk hip hop all day.

    You’re a fan of the soundtrack?

    I love the music in this movie. I worked with T.I. In “Ant-Man” and it was so funny because T.I. is like Mr. Atlanta. My goal in shootin’ this movie was, “I need to hang out with T.I., so I’m gonna go to the places I hear T.I. likes to hang out at and I’ma hang out with T.I.” So I get his number and I text him, “Yo, Tip. It’s Mackie. I’m in Atlanta and I’m shootin’. Let’s get up.” So T.I. introduced me to Atlanta. That was my goal in this movie.

    Gal Gadot is also in the movie. It seems like you can’t have a movie now without someone from the Marvel Universe and someone from the DC universe in it.

    Pretty much. The last two years have been insane. And what they’re doing now is really interesting, DC and Marvel. Instead of doing the Superman movie with just Superman, there’s Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. And instead of doing Captain America with just Cap, you have everybody in the movie. So instead of one dude, you have a full cast of actors. And fortunately, Marvel casts really good actors. So if you’re in a Marvel movie, it’s not because of the way you look, it’s because of the way you act.

    What’s the biggest difference in making a huge movie like the “Captain America” films versus a smaller one like this?

    It’s way less people. [Laughs] You work on a Marvel movie, you never see 90 percent of the people who are working on it. And it’s just expansive. You shoot a Marvel movie, the entire city of L.A. is working on that movie. With this, it was very intimate. It was about John’s vision and the story he wanted to tell, as opposed to spectacle that the movie could become … It’s more about the characters and the story and the idea of what happens.

    You have to put yourself in a certain mindset or position to watch a movie like this because it’s introspective. It makes you think about and challenge yourself, as opposed to a movie for movie’s sake.

    “Triple 9” hits theaters Friday.
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  • A Heist Spirals Out of Control in Star-Studded ‘Triple 9’ Trailer

    Triple 9What do you do to cover up a bank robbery? Set it up so that an even bigger crime is taking place at the same time.

    That’s the premise we see in the trailer for the star-studded heist drama “Triple 9.” This cast is incredible: Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Casey Affleck, Aaron Paul, Gal Gadot, Michael K. Williams, Norman Reedus, and Clifton Collins Jr.
    Winslet plays a Russian mob boss (so awesome) who puts the screws to a gang of thiefs to pull off a nearly impossible heist. The only way they can get it done is to manufacture a “999,” police code for “officer down.” But things go very awry when the rookie they target foils the plan, putting everyone in a high-stakes game of life or death.

    The trailer looks down and dirty, and it seems we can expect a lot of intense action and scenery-chewing (particularly on the part of Winslet).

    “Triple 9” opens in theaters February 19.

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