Senior Reporter covering entertainment for
@Gizmodo
&
@io9
, pop culture art authority, germain.lussier
@gizmodo
.com. Opinions/tweets my own. Legacy Verified.
Am I the only old person who sees an interesting link, thinks "Oh, cool, I want to learn more about that," clicks on it, sees it's only a video and goes "Nah, I'm good" instead of watching? I just want the text.
I can't be the only person who saw news that "Halle Bailey is The Little Mermaid" and got very confused because my mind misspelled her last name to make it read "Halle Berry is The Little Mermaid," right?
The Gray Man is two hours of James Bond meets Fast and Furious. Super exciting action, massive scale & set pieces, solid, self aware performances, consistent laughs, just a whole lot of fun. Gosling and Evans rule, supporting cast great, it’s a little obvious but never boring.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is everything. Intense, funny, emotional, exciting. It’s jam-packed with absolutely jaw dropping moments and I loved it so, so much. I’m still shaking.
Blackthorne: It’s a whole bloody thematic through line! She’s nobody, Broom Boy, the legend being passed down to inspire a future generation but then that all gets immediately thrown out and she’s the granddaughter of a dead man?
Mariko: The Anjin is mad about Star Wars.
Chris Evans was asked about Captain America in Endgame. He said he couldn’t talk about it. So Favreau said, “Okay, let’s just talk about Scott Pilgrim.” Brie Larson lit up and said “Yeah, let’s talk about that!”
#avengersendgame
Wait. I’m supposed to just work today when this just arrived??
Playing for coverage at the embargo is work, right?
I guess you’ll all find out on October 16.
#SpiderMan2PS5
Black Panther:
#WakandaForever
is as epic as Marvel sequels get. The story is hugely ambitious & thematically rewarding with gut-wrenching twists and turns throughout. You feel the length but it’s fun, wildly beautiful and has the best credits scene in Marvel history, no contest.
“To everyone who hasn’t seen the film, I apologize on behalf of those who have seen the film. They’re a rowdy bunch.” -
@ssrajamouli
on
@RRRMovie
#RRRMovie
Wait. Did I just watch a panel where Natalie Portman was revealed as the Female Thor and Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek are the same MCU movie and Monica Rambeau is here and Kate Bishop too and did Tessa Thompson say Valkyrie is looking for her queen? My God, my head is spinning.
I figured
#RRRMovie
was gonna be fun, epic and entertaining, but I didn’t expect it to be THAT fun, epic, and entertaining. Just a joyous celebration of life and film that slow motion was practically invented for.
It’s now on Netflix. Highest possible recommendation.
Wow.
#AvengersEndgame
is staggering. It’s surprising in ways I never saw coming and satisfying in ways I didn’t realize I needed. It’s kind of the ultimate gift to fans of the MCU. It’s very long and has a few hiccups, but is everything you’re hoping for and more.
What’s in the
#WandaVision
box?
Notebook, travel silverware set, coasters, pint glass and a TV tray. Perfect to enjoy a nice TV dinner while watching the show next week.
Thanks
@MarvelStudios
!
Imagine overseeing a coronavirus outbreak that has resulted in more than twice as many people in your country dying as the second hardest-hit country, then attacking Mexico for not doing a better job handling the pandemic
Now we're talking
#Ahsoka
.
That was absolutely fantastic.
The action, the mythology, the reveals, the rollercoaster of emotions. Great stuff from the villains, even better stuff from the heroes.
And that cliffhanger! Is it next week yet?
Just saw the first trailer for Oliva Wilde's Don't Worry Darling. It looks and seems like Pleasantville mixed with Black Swan mixed with...Logan's Run? Supremely intrigued by everything about it. She said it was inspired by Inception, Truman Show & Matrix.
#CinemaCon
Yup.
#TheFlash
is as good as rumored. It’s Back to the Future meets Spider-Man: No Way Home with all the humor & heart of the former and action and surprises of the latter. If anything, it might be a tad too ambitious but it’s also just incredibly satisfying, heartwarming & fun.
I just blew my father-in-law’s mind by explaining to him that The Mandalorian took place after Return of the Jedi.
“But it’s baby Yoda.”
“It’s not actually Yoda.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know.”
“It’s literally my job.”
...”You just blew my fucking mind, man.”
I guess all of the people freaking out about Idris Elba Being on the Coachella list don’t follow him on social media...where ALL HE TWEETS ABOUT IS BEING A DJ.
Your life can now be split into before and after watching RRR.
Director
@ssrajamouli
's unpredictable, unforgettable, outrageously cinematic action epic
#RRRMovie
is now streaming in Hindi on Netflix around the globe.
If you don’t like a movie, that’s cool. I understand. We all have our own valid opinions.
But don’t be PROUD of it. Don’t brag about it. Be disappointed you didn’t think the movie wasn’t good enough.
Always want to like movies. Be upset when you don’t and happy when you do.
If you haven’t rewatched any original trilogy since The Last Jedi, I recommend you do so. It’s very obvious rewatching them that
@rianjohnson
understood what being a Jedi meant more than anyone. Well, anyone not named Lucas or Filoni.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny made me feel like I was 9 years old again. Just a fun, nostalgic, action packed blast. As good as the first 3? God no. A film that feels wholly in the language of those with some whole new twists? Hell yes.
The Batman's Matt Reeves just showed up to talk about the return of the theatrical experience and then introduced the head of WB's domestic distribution by saying "I'm looking forward to working with him again."
#CinemaCon
Yesterday I saw Wonder Woman 1984 at home & it was everything I needed & more. The movie is hugely ambitious, incredibly exciting, and full of much needed hope. It's also very long, to a fault at times, but mostly it reminded me how wonderful a big blockbuster can make you feel.
Denis Villeneuve sticks the landing with
#DunePartTwo
, a fascinating, terrifying character study told on a gloriously grand sci-fi scale.
Timothée Chalamet & Zendaya are INCREDIBLE in it, the set pieces are jaw-dropping, & the supporting cast elevates all the rest. It's great.
This morning I was lucky enough to go to
#AvengersCampus
at Disney’s California Adventure. Full write up coming tomorrow but while it’s small, it’s packed with so much detail it made me never want to leave. Cool stuff in every corner. Here are a few of the characters. (1/4)
The Mandalorian S3E7 is something special. It’s everything you love about the show - action, suspense, humor, big stakes, exciting story, heart - all rolled into a single episode. Lots of surprises too. Def the best episode of the season so far. It does Mando right.
I'll never forget the day Ben Affleck was cast as Batman. I was in the Dome at Arclight Hollywood for the Edgar Wright Cornetto triple feature & between two movies, in a moment of quiet, someone shouts "Ben Affleck is Batman" and the whole place booed. Dim lights, roll Hot Fuzz.
Loved the
#Ahsoka
finale. Filoni found a very nice balance of leaving plenty of stories to tell (and one very sick tease in particular) while also bringing all the main characters to satisfying endpoints. I feared the worst, I got much much better. Hope we get some S2 news soon
It's been 12 years but I can now say that footage from Avatar 2 exists! It's called AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER. And we just saw the teaser trailer. It'll debut exclusively in theater with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It'll be online a week later.
#CinemaCon
Totally dug
#Transformers
#RiseOfTheBeasts
. It’s got some issues in the middle but it starts strong, has fantastic 90s hip hop, makes great use of the humans & the 3rd act is a blast. Plus I damn near jumped out of my seat at the end. Right up there with the 1st Bay & Bumblebee.
If only there was an actor who recently got back in the game who had a beloved character in Indy's world that fans would love to see come back and follow...hmm....
The Suicide Squad is as funny, irreverent and violent as promised.
What I liked best, though, was its heart. Gunn really balances the silly and the serious in a way that the two compliment each other really well. I dug it. Also? King Shark RULES.
I'm so mad I can't livestream what's happening right now.
Vin Diesel has gone off script and is pacing back and forth in a white leather jacket with a big X on the back musing about how he doesn't care about the teleprompter, etc. 10/10. Legend.
#CinemaCon
That was THE MOST Star Wars episode of Star Wars that ever did Star War.
Did it move the plot a lot? Not really. Was it absurd and hilarious and beyond over the top with everything? Oh my god yes. Loved it!
#TheMandalorian
Shazam: Fury of the Gods clip just played too. Billy has a dream that Wonder Woman wants to date him. Later he tells Helen Mirren's character he's seen the Fast and Furious movies, so saving the world is about FAMILY. Then his whole family shows up. Funny and sweet.
#CinemaCon
#MissionImpossible
- Dead Reckoning Part 1 is fantastic.
Dynamite, timely story. Excellent new characters. Huge variety of action and a final set piece that ranks top 2-3 all-time for the franchise.
It gets a little dense at times but its pace & intensity more than cover that.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a goddamn delight. It’s a non-stop adventure packed with way more emotion than your expecting. You’ll have a smile on your face the whole time and leave eager for more.
The
#SuperMarioMovie
: I really wanted to like it but I did not.
A few solid scenes capture the spirit of the game but mostly it's an overly goofy, bare-bones plot, filled w/ bad jokes & worse song choices.
It looks great but I was more bored & annoyed than entertained.
#FastX
is the worst Fast yet. Yes, including [insert your least fave here]. The action is fun but it's the 1st film to not up the ante from the last one & the trademark notion of "Family" is an afterthought.
But! Jason Momoa is God-Level in it and worth the price of admission.
Tonight's
#Andor
is another banger. Tension upon tension. Conflict upon conflict. Intrigue upon intrigue. Everyone on the show, top to bottom, firing on all cylinders. The whole prison thing is just *chef's kiss* and I can't wait to see where it goes after that last line.
Zack Snyder's Justice League: I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's both very different, and eerily similar, to the original film with almost all of the changes and additions improving the characters and story. Better motivations. Bigger stakes. It's bloated but superior & worth the wait
Last night I lost my mom, Nancy Lussier, to a decade plus battle with cancer. She was truly the best. Everything I am is because of her and a piece of me is now forever gone.
Love you Nance. Thank you so, so much for everything.
Wicked looked like everything fans want. Epic sets, beautiful music, 9 million real tulips. Kinda wish it wasn’t 2 movies but when you see the Lord of the Rings scale of their Oz, it makes more sense.
#CinemaCon
Boba Fett isn't the icon he is today without the talent and swagger of Jeremy Bulloch.
We don't care nearly as much about a comeback without Bulloch's touch.
It's a sad day for the Star Wars community.
Spider-Man: Across the
#SpiderVerse
is magnificent. Truly. You didn’t think they could make a worthy sequel to the original but they somehow did and maybe even topped it. I’m in awe.
I don’t think I could’ve loved
#TMNTmovie
#mutantmayhem
more. Holy CRAP.
Effortlessly cool & retro while also being hip & hilarious, it wraps you up in a meaningful story while weaving a brand new turtle tale. The music choices are amazing too. I smiled & laughed the whole time.
The best Star Wars movie since 2018 is
#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania
. It’s a huge sci-fi adventure with gorgeous world building that feels almost little un-Marvel in how much world building there is. But it’s got humor, heart, Kang completely rules & Michelle Pfeiffer steals it.
Oppenheimer is just - wow.
Powerful, propulsive, provocative. Saw it in 70mm IMAX which was incredible but I think on any screen, the film's casting, editing, music, and cinematography would shine.
Definitely one of Christopher Nolan's best films.
Losing Peter Mayhew is like losing a family member. Not only was he amazing as Chewbacca, but to Star Wars fans he was always the kindest, most wonderful person imaginable. I'm truly heartbroken.
Did you see those exciting new reports with the title, start date and synopsis of the new Rey Star Wars movie?!?
Well, don’t worry if you didn’t. Lucasfilm told me it’s mostly bullshit. (1/2)
Avatar: The Way of Water left me breathless. Visually stunning, emotionally overwhelming, with some of the most impressive sustained action scenes I’ve ever seen. The performances are incredible too, especially by all the kids. Wow. James Cameron truly doesn’t miss.
#Avatar
It’s official:
#RRRMovie
’s FYC awards/Oscars campaign is going for Best Picture,
@ssrajamouli
for Best Director, Actor (both Jr NTR & Ram Charan), Screenplay, Original Song, Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Production Design, VFX and more categories
#RRRforOscars
#OscaRRRs
From
#TheMandalorian
press release:
The directors of the eight-episode Season 3 include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.
I can't stop thinking about The Matrix Resurrections.
It brilliantly reinvents the franchise while increasing the importance of the first 3 films all while being touching, exciting and gorgeous. It's very trippy and complex, but I loved it. Can't wait to see it again and again.
Spider-Man: Far From Home made me smile from start to finish. Its got huge reveals and exciting set pieces but the way it builds off Endgame to to dive deeper into Peter’s emotions is really what make it soar. Mysterio also rules. I can’t wait to see it again.
Incredibles 2 is excellent. Super funny, super smart, & the action is bigger and better than before. It shares some narrative DNA with the first film but it works nonetheless. Another Pixar winner.
Shazam! is another win for DC. Sure, the humor & action you'd expect from a superhero film are there, but
#ShazamMovie
stands out because of the emotional, family story at its center. I had some small issues with the hero/villain aspects but the family stuff is dynamic & powerful
Soooo...I straight up can't process what I just saw on The Mandalorian. I'm completely speechless.
Hopefully I can cure that tomorrow because I have to write about it but...wow.
That was an incredible season of television.
The Last Jedi is on TBS and I have to say I’m all for a world where this movie can now just be randomly on cable at anytime. I love it so much. Each time I watch it I get more out of it.
(RIP my mentions)
I remember in 2002 when Spider-Man made $114 million over its opening weekend. We thought it could never be beat.
In 2012 The Avengers made $207 million and we said the same.
In 2015, The Force Awakens made $248 million. Ditto.
Today, Avengers: Endgame makes $350 million. Wow.
TOP 5 DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE
1. THE BOY AND THE HERON ($12.8M)
2. HUNGER GAMES ($9.4M)
3. GODZILLA -1 ($8.3M)
4. TROLLS 3 ($6.2M)
5. WISH ($5.3M)
America: also the land of the rising sun. Two Japanese films in the Top 3--pretty amazing stuff right there, folks.