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3 Ups and 3 Downs in Top Gun: Maverick

3 Ups and 3 Downs in Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun Maverick has bought Maverick and Iceman back to the big screen after 36 years. Top Gun Maverick is getting rave reviews from the audience who are delighted to return to find their need for speed one more time.

Having enjoyed Top Gun Maverick as the big cinematic experience. I did find myself asking a couple more questions by the end of the film. The question that are going to get looked out in this article.

This is done as a little bit of fun around movies. With the belief we can always find 3 good and 3 negative things about any movie. Even if we can enjoy them on different levels.

THERE WILL BE MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE BELOW.

Up 1 – Maverick

Maverick is the returning character played by Tom Cruise, after the 36 years. You can still see the regret, grief and pain he suffers through after the death of Goose in the first Top Gun. How this moment will make him care about the most important part of any mission. Bringing the pilots back, challenging everyone who doesn’t put this fact first. Maverick is filled the skills to make the best, better, flawless and will understand, prepare the pilots for the consequences if they don’t improve.

Down 1 – Penny

Penny might well be a welcome addition to the movie, giving Maverick a new love interest. Replacing Charlie from the original film. There is a lot of information that they were a former flame. With the need to do some research into the first Top Gun to learn that she is a former Admiral’s daughter Maverick once dated. None of this is filled in with the information given in the film. With certain parts of the film being seen as just a passing line to why she is still here.

Up 2 – Iceman’s Appearance

One of the more difficult returns in Top Gun Maverick was Val Kilmer’s Iceman. After we know the battle Val Kilmer has been through with cancer. he can’t perform the role of a fighter pilot, with even talking becoming difficult for the man. Iceman is kept with text messages with Maverick for the most part of the film. We do get one scene with the pair, one that is filled with emotion, one that will guide Maverick. Like any wingman in the air or in life. It is a fitting tribute to a man that was such an important part of the first Top Gun. Being the only other returning character, getting a touching send off.

Down 2 – Drone Competition

The opening sequence in the movie will follow Maverick dealing with the idea that pilots could get replaced by drones. with Radm. Chester ‘Hammer’ Cain wanting to get the drones in the skies, as pilot are being outsourced. He reassigns Maverick back to Top Gun to get rid of him from this latest research of achieving Mach 10. This is an interesting dynamic to bring to Maverick, which would reflect on how the workforce is getting replaced. Only we don’t even get a mention to this when it comes to this mission. It feels like this could have added an extra moment of conflict to making it happen. Even giving the younger pilots motivation to improve.

Up 3 – The Mission

The Mission, Maverick is assigned to prepare. Train, teach the importance of why they need to push things even further than they have ever done before. When it comes to watching the mission unfold, we get an amazingly intense action sequence. With a time-based mission, quick thinking manoeuvring and heart stopping dog fight. Showing the new skills the pilots have learned. As well as bringing an emotional impact to the sequences for both Maverick and Rooster.

Down 3 – Hangman

Hangman might well be one of the few of the cadets that stand out from the crowd. His arrogant approach, knowing he is the best in the fleet, with the personal ability. He lacks the teamwork abilities to remain in the team leader. He does clash with Rooster over what he believes is the role he should have. What this character does lack, is the reason why he doesn’t get picked. Once again, this does feel like a scene that could have easily had more to it, rather than only a disappointed look. This can be seen in two lights, the latest string of pilots respect orders over personal beliefs. Which then doesn’t seem to give enough to why we see such an impactful arrogant approach in the early meetings.

What do you think are some of the Ups & Downs from Top Gun Maverick?

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9 Tom Cruise Movies, We Need a Sequel To

9 Tom Cruise Movies, We Need a Sequel To

Tom Cruise starring in the new Top Gun: Maverick is one of the longest gaps between original and sequels. Where Tom Cruise comes back just as strong as ever, being the hot shot pilot even after 30 years. In what is an enjoyable action movie. This leads to the question. What other Tom Cruise movies do you think we could have a sequel to, that we don’t already have one of? As we know Cruise has always go onto make breathtaking action movies, with his commitment to living on the edge.

Cage – Live Die Repeat and Repeat

Cage is the reluctantly hero in this story, where he must relive each day in the ongoing war against an alien invader. That always seems to know how to defeat humans in each battle. Cage has that advantage and leads the fight back. The movie is the most likely to happen of any on this list. Which is why this is one that we can look at as the one we could enjoy in the future.

Nick Morton – The Mummy

The Mummy (2017) might well go down as one of the most disappointing movies of Tom Cruise’s career. It also killed the Dark Universe idea the Warner Bros has spent decades planning for. Outside of the sloppy storytelling technique. We did get some amazing action sequences and with the twist of who Nick is in the final act. We were left waiting for the next moment. This would need to chop the budget down, but it could still have been saved with the right tone and character inclusion. Even if the Invisible Man has gone onto get his own movie, it could still be bought together in the end.

Jack – Oblivion

Oblivion is one of the most beautiful sci-fi movies, with a brilliant concept. That turns everything on its head by the end of the movie. It follows what turns out to be clones of Jack covering certain amounts of space on Earth for resources. Before they start questioning why they are here, learning of humans still on the planet fighting back against the aliens that have taken over the Earth.  The movie might well end with a happy ending of Jack back with his lover Julia starting a new life on Earth. We don’t know how much further this world could go and what is waiting in different zones or when the aliens return for more.

Les Grossman – Tropic Thunder

Les Grossman might well be the most outrageous performance of Tom Cruise’s career. Only in the supporting role as the loud producer wanting to know what is happening to his movie. We could easily see this supporting character return. With another one of his movie productions going horribly wrong with a new cast of actors, playing actors. As long as Tom is let loose to do everything he wants with this outrageous character, we know we are going to have an excellent time.

Vincent – Collateral

Vincent is one of the few villainous roles that Tom Cruise has taken over his career. One where his character doesn’t make it out of the movie alive. This being said, what we would get would be a prequel. We know how skilled Vincent it during the film, he is open about how he has done this before. With this being a chance to see Vincent on one of his other overnight missions. This will give us a chance to see how the night goes past without anything going wrong.

Chief John Anderton – Minority Report

Minority Report follows a city that operates under the idea of Pre-crime. Where Chief John Anderton is one of the pre-crime officers who must go on the run. After he is seen as one of the murderers in the future. Uncovering a bigger conspiracy behind the system. This would see the division re-opened. The government doing whatever they want to try and stop crimes. John returning to need to prove why it doesn’t work. Even if the new creation would see this as an improvement on the previous system. We could have plenty of potential to where things could go next.

Jerry Maguire – Jerry Maguire

Jerry Maguire follows a sports agent that needs to rebuild his career. Where he fights for his one loyal client and one member of staff that leaves with him. Falling in love along the way. As Jerry learns more about what it means to be a loyal agent. Rather than one that is just flashy with fake promises. We could see him trying to turn the heads of new clients in the modern era. Taking a younger agent under his wing along the way, with his reputation being what carries how far his career has gone since the events.

Lt Daniel Kaffee – A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men follows a Navy lawyer Lt Daniel Kaffee that must investigate the death of a behind a marine. Where two marines are standing trial for that case. Kaffee was expected to take plea agreements as to why he has the highest success rate, with this being his first courtroom appearance. He is never seen as the professional, but by the end of the film, he shows what he is all about. We could easily watch another movie involving Daniel Kaffee in a courtroom. Defending a military crime. As long as Aaron Sorkin returns with the script, we should be getting a quality film.

Cole Trickle – Days of Thunder

Cole Trickle is the young hot-shot stock-car driver that finds himself racing at the top level, where he will need to take on the veterans of the sport to prove his worth. What is it we say about Tom Cruise and needing speed, well this could play out in reverse with a sequel, with Cole being the veteran, needing to deal with younger drivers with different attitudes towards the elder in the sport, mixing with some that give him respect, while others just want him off the road. I also know this sounds a lot like ‘Cars’, we can be honest here, Tom Cruise isn’t going to say no to a movie where he gets to do anything at extreme speeds.

What Tom Cruise movies would you like to see a sequel to?

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Pitches for Sequels in the 28 Days/Weeks Later Franchise

Pitches for Sequels in the 28 Days/Weeks Later Franchise

28 Weeks Later was released in 2007, 15 years ago this year. The highly anticipated sequel gave us a breath-taking opening sequence that is still talked about being one of the best in horror movie history today. 28 Weeks Later does end with our survivors’ children Tammy and Andy escaping over the channel with helicopter pilot Flynn, with an end credits sneak peak of 28 Days Later with the infected roaming around Paris.

15 years have passed now, and we don’t seem to be much closer to getting any news of a sequel. We do always seen rumours come around whenever Danny Boyle or Alex Garland release a new movie, but sadly, we never get any clear news.

I have decided to put together a list of potential sequels in the franchise that I feel could work, some are only wild concepts, while others are meant to be more serious ideas that could become excellent addition to the franchise.

28 Months Later

28 Months Later is the most logically pick, it is also the title that is rumoured the most to happen. It picks up where the last movie ended, we could explore a different European city, showing how the rage virus has now escaped the quarantine of the British Isle into Europe. Where the borders will see the virus spread like wildfire. This story could pick up, would be showing how the scientists have started getting answers of Andy, trying to create the cure, meeting other carriers from around Europe.

The story could follow a new group of survivors, having Tammy return too, needing to work the settlement, rather than being studied. Where she must prove her worth to the scientific side to everything involved. This could also show Jim, Selena and Hannah return, depending on the end of 28 Days Later you follow up too. The story could go in many different, bring more drama to the story, moving away from the chaotic scenes of the infected. Putting focus on Jim and Stone clashing on what is the more important way to survive. Not using the same motives that Major West had in 28 Days Later, clashing on what is important to survive, exposing Stone’s behaviour in 28 Months Later. We could have a cameo from Scarlet (Rose Byrne) making contact with another scientist who she trusts to help find an answer with what is in Andy’s blood.

This would end up becoming a much bigger movie, taking us around Europe, potential having this as the journey movie that 28 Days Later is. It include a mix of a set base of operations, and others needing to travel to that location. There are plenty of different set pieces that could be used, be infected or human enemies along the way too.

28 Minutes Later

28 Minutes Later would be a prequel to what we have seen before, but that doesn’t stop it bringing an interesting concept to the time-based outbreak. This would be focused on the activist group that got attacks by the chimps in the opening of 28 Days Later. We could turn this into a real time idea, we did the chaotic opening, showing a couple more members of this group waiting outside, hearing the noises, trying to get out of the facility.

We might well know how it ends, with the virus escaping, turning the battle into a more contained environment, against a small number of enemies, that are slowly growing as the film roles on, ending the movie, with the infected first breaking into the wider world, as the military starts to arrive looking to contain the situation.

If we were to compare this to another zombie/infected people movie, it would be {Rec}, where the group are trapped in a building. We could have the idea the military are trying to contain, but this being would be too similar. I think if we see the activists trying to escape and warn people being the more interesting, as they would have to work with the people they are fighting back against, because of their experiments.

28 Hours Later

28 Hours Later could work in two directions, with the idea the facility that the experiments took part in being in a remote location, near a small village or town. One that will see them become swamped by the outbreak. We would follow a few residents along with the military arrive on the scene, looking to close down the threat.

On the first idea we could get the same trapped feeling that ’30 Days of Night’ operated with, showing the resident needing to work together to elude the infected. Which will end up being the friends, mixed with the waiting out for the military arrival. It would take over the second half of the film, explaining what is going on, trying to keep the peace, turning into a bigger battle.

The other idea would follow Major Henry West and his men being the ones that arrive on the screen. Introduce another military figure, one above him, who clashes with West, bring back some of the original soldiers as we see how one is conflicted about what is happening in 28 Days Later. So we can see both sides come together for the bigger picture. This would see them looking to close down the facility, rather than dealing with a town having the outbreak or having them trying to contain a town.

Either side of these stories could continue the chaos involved in the infection spreading. Bring the human conflict that both the other movies have had, bring a chance to learn how Major West and his men ended up thinking and acting the way they did in 28 Days Later.

28 Years Later

28 Years Later is another sequel that could go in different directions, it does feel like a too long of a gap, but let’s hear the ideas out.

First would be looking at a well-oiled island community that has remained well out of the way of the rage virus. They watch over how it has all unfolded, seeing the last remaining infected slowly dying off, which we saw from 28 Days Later, over a shorter period of time.

We can see how the infection had adapted to last longer. With the latest members starting to scout, seeing them die off. As they look to return to the mainland to start up a community or search for supplies. Part of this will look like the ‘Peninsula’ because you could have a deadly group of survivors who have adapted to the mainland or who have built a function community, but don’t want anyone else joining in.

The second one could be looking back in a different direction, seeing the people looking back on the events. Studying what went wrong and how everything went wrong. This could end up diving into plenty of smaller stories, that would look like the ‘World War Z’ book. Focusing on smaller moments of the outbreak and how people survived, searching for cures and risking everything for survival.

This is something that would take the franchise in a different direction, almost looking at a court case vision of the outbreak. Seeing how each country tackled the problem. Addressing what happened and how other countries would offer their own ideas for defence from the next potential outbreak.

The third way would show us how the world as managed to find a cure for the virus, looking at the consequences of what happened. Until it manages to mutate again, unleashing the virus in the people you thought were safe around you. It would create the chaotic sequence or two, but it would struggle to feel as flushed out as the other stories that could happen in this world. Where we would need to spend more time focusing on the past, where the chaotic moments would be a fast finished. Something that might not give the fans of the franchise the intense moments needed.

Selena: The Next 28 Days

Selena is one of the survivors in 28 Days Later and depending on which ending you saw, will define how this next chapter could go. The cinematic ending has a happier ending, with Selena, Jim and Hannah waiting for rescue with military aircraft seeing their sign. This ending has been mentioned before where they could return in other ideas.

The darker ending where Jim dies after Selena and Hannah try to save him after the gunshot he takes from West. This shows the pair walking out of the emergency room, to an unknown world as a new pairing. We could easily have a movie following the pair as they look at their next option in the world, finding more survivors. Ones from different enemies and target new safer locations. This would mean a recast of the younger character in Hannah, but we would be ready to explore more of the devastated British cities or countryside.

Selena: The First 28 Days

Selena has become a tough no nonsense woman in this world. We get to see this with how ruthlessly she deals with a new potential infection in her travelling companion Mark, even if it meant she would be travelling alone. There is a reported back story that we don’t get in the movie. Which would be seeing Selena needing to make the difficult decisions in the new world, how she never wanted to, but it was the only way to survive. We would see the transition she goes through during the film, from her happy life to the toughest character in this world.

Which one of these ideas would you most like to see if we were to get one?
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10 Similarities Between The Lost World Jurassic Park and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

10 Similarities Between The Lost World Jurassic Park and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Jurassic World Dominion is about to hit the cinema, I thought it would be interesting to look into back at the last movie Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom and see how similar it was to The Lost World Jurassic Park, with both being the second parts of the franchises.

There will be spoilers for both films in this article.

1 – The Lost World – The opening reason to return to the island will see one of the founders John Hammond Richard Attenborough), puts together a select team, in this case Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore), Nick Van Owen (Vaughn) and Eddie Carr (Richard Schiff) to head to the island to do the right thing for the dinosaurs.

1 – Fallen Kingdom – The dinosaurs are now in danger from a volcano, a co-founder Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) looks to send a team of experts Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Clarie Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), Franklin Webb (Justice Smith) and Zia Rodriguez (Daniella Pineda) to rescue the dinosaurs before the volcano erupts.

2 – The Lost World – Once on the island, the small team learn that they aren’t the only team on the island, with another team lead by Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard) sent there to hunt down the dinosaurs for a profitable greed filled motivation by a man taking control of John Hammond’s assets.

2 – Fallen Kingdom – The man controlling Benjamin Lockwood’s assets Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) arranges for hunter mercenaries to go to the island to collect the dinosaurs for a profitable motivation back in the mainland. Proving that money is the most important part of this greed world for some people.

3 – The Lost World – Roland Tembo (Pete Postlethwaite) is a prize hunter, seeing his part of the team as a chance to capture the rarest ever predator, a T-Rex. It is the only thing he cares about doing on this hunt. He might have his selfish motives, but he is loyal to his men, knowing how to keep them safe, even if he doesn’t get to make the final decisions.

3 – Fallen Kingdom – Ken Wheatley (Ted Levine) is a prize hunter that sees this chance to collect dinosaur teeth to make for his latest trophy necklace, often putting himself in danger to achieve this. Wheatley will cross Owen, he isn’t interested in caring about whether he hurts people or dinosaur.

4 – The Lost World – The small team manages to break into a heavily guarded camp to release the dinosaur’s causing chaos in the presentation being held. The team watches the ruthless hunting sequences, before being the ones that are breaking the dinosaurs out at night, they will achieve this without putting themselves at risk, with the presentation that is being made, is being made looking for investment.

4 – Fallen Kingdom – The small team manages to get into the mansion, with some being taken, others sneak in to let the dinosaurs free, causing chaos at the auction, the main money-making moment for the villains in the film. The team will also watch over the collecting hunting sequence, seeing the mistreatment of the dinosaurs as they look for their opening to get inside.

5 – The Lost World – When the final battle in an environment location, we see the character needing to survive being hunted by raptors, turning to their skills to escape and predators. We have gymnastics being used here and a raptor will find itself impaled on a loose spike.

5 – Fallen Kingdom – When the Indoraptor is hunting Owen, Claire and Maisie around the mansion, it will find the hunting ground different to normal environment, giving the humans a chance to stay ahead of it using the environment around them. The battle will end up seeing the Indoraptor impaled on a spike like object, with this being a dinosaur skeleton.

6 – The Lost World – Ian Malcolm is reluctant to return to the island after his previous experience on the island, only agreeing once he finds out his fiancée is already on the island. Ian knows the dangers and has even profited from his experience on the island.

6 – Fallen Kingdom – Owen Grady is happy to never return to the island, after having to fight for his life, only having his arm twisted when he is returning to save a loved one, it is the raptor Blue this time. Owen like Ian believes that nature should take back the dinosaurs, which shouldn’t be in control of humans, whose reckless behaviour has caused death.

7 – The Lost World – When we first meet Sarah she finds herself surrounded by a herd of Stegosauruses almost getting trampled by the confused and sacred dinosaurs. This will get the camerawork give us an up close and personal experience within the dinosaur world, one we didn’t get in the first Jurassic Park.

7 – Fallen Kingdom – After Owen gets doubled cross by Wheatley, he finds himself out cold, only to be awakened by a Sinocreatops, licking and almost trampling on his, through its own fear of the lava chasing it down the hillside. The camerawork will show the nervous dinosaur getting involved in the human interaction, as well as the panic in Owen that can only be stopped by being calm.

8 – The Lost World – The dinosaur friendly team must help fix an injured dinosaur, a baby T-Rex, which will see them come under attack from the parents, showing them needing to survive the deadly predator, while still doing the right thing.

8 – Fallen Kingdom – The dinosaur friendly team must work together to save Blue after she is shot, this will see Owen and Claire needing to get up close and personal with a T-Rex for a blood transfusion, all to save a smaller dinosaur.

9 – The Lost World – Eddie is nervous about being around dinosaurs, while Nick is cocky and confident, he can handle himself around them, after dealing with many different dangerous predators in the past.

9 – Fallen Kingdom – Franklin is terrified about being around the dinosaurs, while Zia is looking forward to getting up close and personal, in an attempt to learn more about the dinosaurs. Proving both newer supporting positions in both films are on either scale of comfortable around the dinosaurs.

10 – The Lost World – When the T-Rex ends up in San Diego, it is seen roaring towards the city, a location you would never have imagined seeing the dinosaur interact with.

10 – Fallen Kingdom – When the auction is finished and the dinosaurs are free, the T-Rex finds itself in the local zoo, having a roaring contest with a lion, two animals that you would not have imagined seeing together.

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Which Stars Could Have a Movie Starring Themselves?

Which Stars Could Have a Movie Starring Themselves?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent has proven that once again, we can have movies where a star can play a version of themselves, like Being John Malkovich, JCVD or My Name is Bruce have done in the past. This style of movie doesn’t happen too often, with most real performances being cameos for character motivations. For this list, I am going to look at stars who could easily get a movie bringing their larger-than-life personalities into the movie scene, usually in a more comedic tone.

Sarah Michelle Gellar – The Buffy the Vampire Superfan

Sarah Michelle Gellar became one of the biggest names in television history with the plucky vampire slayer Buffy Summers and while the shows creator has shown the darker side of how he operated, the character Buffy Summers will forever be loved. Sarah did step into the movie side of the industry, where she often went against the typecasting as Buffy, with ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, ‘Scream 2’ and ‘Cruel Intentions’, she did struggle to make as big of an impact as she could, with her performances as Daphne in the Scooby Doo movies being the highlight. In Real-life Sarah seems to be happy away from the limelight not, doing voice work, and working on projects away from the industry. Where this concept could come, would be similar to ‘Mr Name is Bruce’ who has found themselves fighting vampires, who turns to her, believing she is the real Buffy who can fight evil, this could offer plenty of horror comedy, as we could see the damsel in distress figure she has in horrors, with the fighting side when needed of Buffy, as well as including a surprise cameo from Kristy Swanson as the wrong Buffy found by the fan. We can get plenty of laughs, we could have the cameos, for example Sarah phoning Anthony Head for help and after seeing Alyson Hannigan do comedy for years, she will bring that to the table for a bit of a Buffy reunion.

Tom Hanks – No Mr Nice Guy

Tom Hanks is known as one of the nicest men in Hollywood, everyone has only ever had good things to say about him, he always helps people. What if for the fun of this movie, we see how Tom Hanks isn’t a nice guy, he pays everyone around him to keep people quiet while terrorising everyone within his entourage with fear of being blacklisted if they go against him. This will be a very dark comedy, one that would get plenty of laughs along the way, while getting a message across that not everyone is who their public persona truly is.

Vin Diesel – Family Man

Vin Diesel with the backing of the juggernaut of the Fast and the Furious franchise behind him, has created one of the biggest meme lines of ‘Family’. Vin Diesel has always tried to do movies that aren’t going to be guaranteed success, constantly pushing for the Riddick movies to happen, letting the Fast movies finance his decisions. In this comedy, we will get to play heavily into everyone is Family elements of his persona, showing him meeting everyone who he is every going to work with and treating them like a family, inviting himself into their homes, like he has been there before, too much hugging, not showing any of the tough guy attitudes Dominic is known for.

Rowan Atkinson – Too Serious

Rowan Atkinson is known for his comedy presence, from Blackadder’s clever word play to the slapstick Mr Bean and dim-witted Johnny English. Outside of the world of acting Rowan did get degrees from Oxford University, which poses the big question, what is Rowan Atkinson like away from the spotlight. In this concept we will see how a journalist is looking to write a story about Rowan, following him around type of interview, only to learn he isn’t anything like his characters on screen, playing ever interaction straight, no comedy in sight, apart from the viewers laughing at the deadpan delivery to each line.

Ryan Reynolds V Hugh Jackman – Box Office Battles

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have one of the biggest inside joke rivals in Hollywood today, they always poke fun at each other when they have a new movie coming out, or birthdays etc, they know how to get a headline with the jokes without every getting into a position where they are offending each other. The twist in this film, will see the pair struggling to find the latest joke, putting the pressure on their teams to help them, seeing their loved ones neglected in their pursuit to get the flashy headline, boarding obsession over playful fun, with the pair needing to learn a life lesson over getting a playful headline.

Jackie Chan – I Will Just Do it All

Jackie Chan is known for doing all his own stunts, he has a huge reputation, what if for this movie we get to see him given a basic leading action man role, only to slowly take over the whole production of the movie, with his demands, styles and determination to get the movie made in his own vision. This would get to play into the roles and actors that are overly demanding on set, setting up a chance to Jackie Chan to do some silly stunts to prove to stunt performers how easy certain stunts are, casually doing them without any effort, as they escalate as the film rolls on.

Who would you like to see play themselves in a movie?

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Who Could Brie Larson be Playing in Fast & Furious 10?

Who Could Brie Larson be Playing in Fast & Furious 10?

Brie Larson joining the Fast Family is a major deal, with Vin Diesel taking to social media to announce she has joined the family. The question remains who will the former indie darling, turned Oscar winner megastar get to play in the franchise? Whenever the franchise has introduced a new character, we tend to always get a connection to a previous character, so taking out the potential of them giving her an unconnected original character, we are going to look at a few options she could end up playing in the franchise.

Brian O’Conner Sister

Brian O’Conner is bar far the most loved member of the Fast family, the one the fans felt shocked by the real life passing of Paul Walker, with the franchise letting him drive off into the sunset, while keeping the mentions of him returning, in every movie. This would be the popular choice, to bring back a new O’Conner, but with the last movie bringing in the long lost brother of Dom, it might well end up being too similar to make it click as smoothly, without giving us the backstory we were given to explain Dom and his brother in the last one.

Cipher’s Relative

My personal favourite choice would be to have Cipher have a relative, Charlize Theron and Brie Larson as a deadly duo, wow, come on, look at the pair. This could translate perfectly into the story too, because Cipher was willing to step over the line to kill family, Dom could have the tables turned on Cipher, or motive the new character to become even deadly than Cipher, who is the smartest enemy the family have come up against. Cipher was shown to still be at large at the end of Fast 9, capable of using people who believe they are in control, having two of them, would take things to another level. I pick relative because they could easily be sister in the Fast logic, see Hobbs and Shaw making Vanessa Kirby and Jason Statham a couple of years apart for that logic, or they could be mother daughter.

Mr Nobody’s Daughter

Mr Nobody is one of the biggest mysteries in the franchise, Kurt Russell playing this character to give as little away as possible, while being the connection to make things possible for Dom and the family. With him missing in action after the events of Fast 9, you would expect any family he does have following him into this business. This could see her recruit the family to help search for Mr Nobody, learning how much he trusted the team to get the job done, while being just as skilled as anyone when it comes to field operation.

Gisele’s Sister

Gisele is one of the few characters that has managed to actually stay dead, so far, her sacrifice saving Han was one of the best moments in Fast Five, because the pair had an amazing connection on the side, with Gisele finally getting out from previous life to help the family when they had people coming from all sides. With Hans surprise return from the grave in the Fast 9, we were left with a big cliffhanger in the end credits scenes with Hans arriving on Deckard’s doorstep. Having the three coming together as one, with the tensions of what Deckard did to her sister’s love, could see plenty of fun here. Add in how she might feel about how Dom and the crew conduct their operations, putting her sister’s life in danger. The downside of this choice would be this does sound a lot like the Deckard story arc we saw so far.

Owen Shaw’s Partner

Owen Shaw the younger brother to Deckard Shaw and former enemy in the Fast 6 movie, turned ally with a surprise appearance in The Fate of the Furious. Owen was turned like Deckard by Cipher and seemed to get forgotten about when it came to the Hobbs and Shaw movie, it is possible he could have more family members waiting to join the fight. This would also give Helen Mirren some excellent scenes, with her being a potential mother-in-law or grandparents talk, it is all about family right? This might well be the longest of long shots, but come on, this is the Fast and Furious, who just went to space.

Little Nobody’s Partner

Little Nobody was the thrown together younger law figure added to the franchise after Paul Walker’s passing, Scott Eastwood does a good job with the role, but the character is one the fans liked the least being added, as most of the lessons he learns are never given the real impact on the bigger story and he never feels connected to the family, ending up like an awkward new friend, rather than one of the group. This doesn’t stop him from being a good law man, willing to break a few rules along the way. Like of Brian had his own connections in the industry, this could be his partner on former mission, one that could easily be added to bring a difference dimension to the character that hasn’t clicked in the franchise yet.

Locke’s Partner

The most outside the box choice here would come with this choice, Ryan Reynolds played Locke, a former connection to Hobbs, now CIA, who has been keeping him around to do the most difficult jobs. There could easily be a similar CIA watching over Dom and the family, this would bring in Brie, who only steps in when they are in danger, rather than when they needed to get a difficult job done.

Who would you like to see Brie be a connection to, or would you like to see her be given a truly original character in the franchise?

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Discussion Piece

3 Ups & 3 Downs in Ambulance

3 Ups & 3 Downs in Ambulance

Ambulance is the latest Michael Bay ‘Bayhem’ movie following two robbers as they hijack an ambulance in an attempt to escape the scene, leading to an all-out race around LA in an edge of your seat action movie that will keep you heart racing throughout and could well be one of Michael Bay’s best movies in a long time.

This may involve a few more spoilers about the movie, so if you don’t want to know everything, come back once you have seen the film. This is also more for a bit of fun, with some of the suggesting being more about fun of being picky for no reason.

Up 1 – Will Sharp

Will Sharp is a veteran marine who hasn’t been able to find a place in the world after his military days, he has a new-born, and his wife needs an operation no insurance company will cover. He turns to his criminal brother for a loan, only to find himself dragged into a bank robbery, agreeing to help if things are done smoothly without anyone getting hurt. Will won’t let anyone get hurt after the brothers end up in the Ambulance, using his own training in military to help where needed, despite being the driver for most of the escape. Will, will get compared to General Hummel from ‘The Rock’ as man who has turned to crime because his country has abandoned him when he needed help from them, a man that will play the villain, but refusing to do any harm to anyone involved.

Down 1 – Referencing His Own Movies

During one of the opening sequences of meeting the characters involved, with meet Officer Zach and Officer Mark who are talking about asking a woman out, when Mark gives a speech about what he heard in ‘The Rock’ about ‘Losers always whine about their best, Winners go home and fuck the prom queen,’ before getting into a discussion about ‘The Rock’ movie, while the younger only knows him as an actor who was once a wrestler. To complete their interactions, they go they are going to turn up like Bad Boys. We don’t need a director to pump in lines about his previous movies, it feels arrogant, as well as constantly trying to play into the age gap in movies, which Marvel did with Spider-Man.

Up 2 – The Relentless Nature of the Action

The action in Ambulance is non-stop once the robbery starts, with the chaotic robbery and wild shootout, leading straight into the chase around the city. The chase around the city will feel like we are watching ‘Speed’ because the cops can’t get close to the vehicle because of the hostage onboard. The chases might be lots of flashy corner taking, mixed with car crashes it only adds to the chaos we are experiencing along the way.

Down 2 – Too Many Cops?

How many cops do we need to see trying to stop one ambulance, as we know they can’t bump into the ambulance, more just guide it to where they want it, but we end up seeing endless amounts of vehicles getting damaged along the way, instead of keeping the situation calmly trailing the ambulance, which will be better for the city, causing less damage to everything involved. Sure, this does add to the action, seeing the chaos caused, damage in typical Bayhem movies, but you must ask the bigger questions here.

Up 3 – Cam Thompson

Cam Thompson is the paramedic who gets taken hostage, she is known in the area as being the best at getting her patients to the hospital within 20 minutes, keeping them alive while others might not succeed, but also being cold, once they are in the hospital, she switches off, never following up on anyone she brings in, being distant from any partner she is given in the field. She refuses to be bullied by the aggressive Danny, staying committed to saving lives no matter how difficult the situation becomes, performing with help from experts just over the phone to perform an operation she isn’t prepared for. Cam is a great addition to this cast, being just an interesting as both leads, with Eiza Gonzalez holding her own through every scene.

Down 3 – The New Camera Toy

The new camera drone toy Michael Bay has, which will gives us plenty of different glossy shots for the action, which also includes loads of random dives down buildings, which make little sense to what is going on for those scenes. In fairness not all of the new camera shots for a Bay movie are bad, certain drone shots will work well, but the building ones are not needed for the film.

What were some of your ups & downs from Ambulance?

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Discussion Piece

Who Could Play Elena in the Next Uncharted Movie?

Who Could Play Elena in the Next Uncharted Movie?

The first Uncharted movie bought the action sequences and exploring. The popular characters from the game including Victor Sullivan and Chloe Frazer. One of the key members of the original game was missing Elena Fisher. Elena is the TV reporter, who is introduced as the person funding the latest journey. She is looking to make the bigger story, before becoming a love interest over the course of the franchise. Elena is just as quick as Nathan with the one-liners, always up for the adventure and has plenty of connections within the world to help Nathan along the way.

The Nathan Drake we got to meet is around 25 years old, which does explain why we didn’t get Elena. She meets the more adult version of Nathan, one that has a bigger reputation in treasure hunting world. If we do get the next movie, you would like to think Nathan would be around 30 now. The end credits scene hinting at somebody waiting for the pair, my guess is that it is meant to be Elena. Ready to rescue them, like she often did in the games.

I am going to put together a list of stars who I believe who take on the role of Elena and bring their own star power to the role. Expecting to see a cameo from Emily Rose, the original voice actor behind the character. I am going to be picking people who could play around 30 years old, to keep the age between them and Tom Holland similar to the games. I have also decided to exclude Zendaya because we don’t need to see Holland and Zendaya leading another franchise.

Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee was an actress that burst onto the screens with a big adventure role in True Grit. Uncharted would bring a more fun side to the adventure which she handled with ease in the Bumblebee movie. Her latest appearances in the Hawkeye TV show. Hailee is built with a natural confidence that will make Elena come to life. She will make Nathan have the daft moments, while she will be the smartest person in the room.

Florence Pugh

Florence could be one of the easiest choices if not the popular one. Her most recent outings as Yelena Belova is the Marvel universe. We know she can jump into an adventure movie and handle herself with ease. Her comedic timing was near perfect, and Florence would have everything needed to make a great Elena in this franchise. Florence might well be a name on the top of many people’s list, but it does feel like we might be getting countless offers to become her own leading character over a supporting one.

Anya Taylor Joy

Anya is one of the hottest stars in Hollywood right now, getting offers from every direction. Appearing in some of the most popular franchises already. With her latest one be Furiosa coming up in the next couple of years. When we look at the last couple of roles in The New Mutants and Last Night in Soho. We have seen her move away from the role she once was playing becoming a lot more confident. The role of Elena could give her a chance to enjoy breaking out in an adventure role, using her own natural bilingual skills to make Elena get plenty of laughs over Nathan along the way.

Kaitlyn Dever

Kaitlyn is the one actress on the list that has a connection to the games. She voiced Cassie, Nathan and Elena’s daughter in the fourth game. She would understand the tone in what is needed for the character. Kaitlyn has mostly handed the dramas, with Booksmart being her biggest comedic movie. This will be a chance for her to break out from a more commercial side in a way most people agree she would deserve.

Jasmin Savoy Brown

Jasmin is the star I know the least about and have seen in the least amount, but from just the Scream (2022) performance. I saw all the traits that will make her an excellent choice for Elena. Jasmin bought all the confidence with her performance, being the person that filled in any information needed. Showing her character as being the person that can deliver information. Which you will want to listen to and have the comedy timing for the sarcasm often seen in the banter between the Nathan and Elena.

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse might well be the strangest pick. When you look at her more recent work with her not touching the action roles since around 2013. Saoirse is an actress that is always able to surprise with the high standards she brings to her roles. With this being a challenge we haven’t see her take on in years. If we do dive back into her early career with films like The Host and City of Ember. We know she can bring it in the adventure roles, it is more about whether she is willing to step away from the serious dramas and take on an adventure once again.

Zoey Deutch

Zoey is an actress that has been turning heads in recent years. Turning movies that can often get the more negative reviews into performances that give her all the praise. Zoey knows how to make her characters the centre of attention. With Elena needing to be the main part of many of the points in Uncharted. This is playing into her strengths to make her stand toe to toe with the more action heavy leads in the film.

Emma Roberts

Emma has spent plenty of her career playing the confident female leads. She can bring the over-confident funny, the quirky, every type of ambitious female roles. One thing Emma doesn’t have much experience in, is the action genre. This would work in her favour because when we first meet Elena. She isn’t shown as a full-blown hands on approach to the adventures. More a reporter finding herself in too deep, needing to adapt to this environment.

Zazie Beetz

Zazie has come into Hollywood with a bang over the last couple of years. Scene stealing supporting role in the Gerard Butler disaster film Geostorm. Domino in Deadpool 2, where she easily keeps up with Ryan Reynolds fast talking. More recently Zazie was brilliant in The Harder They Fall and she is just waiting for a new role which could her return to for more than one outing. Zazie would bring a different dimension to this character. One that is filled with even more charisma than many of the other picks. One that will show how important Elena is for Nathan’s adventures.

Chloe Grace Moretz

Chloe has been appearing in movies since 2005 when she was just 8. We have seen the young star grow up with her movie roles. Where she has often played roles well beyond her years including the younger sister Rachel in 500 Days of Summer. Most famously the foul mouthed Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl in the Kick-Ass movies. In the last couple of years, Chloe has moved into the more adult roles. Elena being a great role for her to take on, with the confidence and comedic timing she could bring to the role.

Kathryn Newton

Kathryn has been making a big impact in recent years with her roles in Big Little Lies. A supporting roles in Oscar nominated movies such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Lady Bird. Where Kathryn will bring more experience than most of the selection comes from the plucky young reporter Lucy Stevens in Pokémon Detective Pikachu. Who is the character that has the most charisma in the human characters. Showing her as someone who will be resourceful throughout that film. The character of Lucy could be seen as everything we would expect from an early case for Elena.

Jessica Rothe

Jessica burst onto the big screens with her incredible performances in the two Happy Death Day movies. Where her performance elevated the movie to the next level. Jessica showed a range from these films that will show the strength as a performer that would work perfectly for role of Elena. Jessica might well be the oldest of the selection. Which is hard to think about calling someone in their mid-30s old, but with this comes the experience of a big adventure movie that could spark the next movie.

Who would you pick for the role of Elena in Uncharted?
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Looking at the Ghostface Killers Motivations in Scream

Looking at the Ghostface Killers Motivations in Scream

With the new Scream movie coming out in just under a week, I have re-visited the franchise to look at the different motivations the killers have had through the franchise. We have had a full range of motivations through the films and I personally can not wait to see where the new one will go for the franchise.

There will be spoilers for the first 4 films in the franchise from now on, so, if you haven’t seen them and don’t want to know who the killer is, come back when you know the truth.

Scream – 1996

Scream gave us two killers, which fast became the trend for the series, Scream will have the closest of the two killers, with two best friends behind it all. Strangely enough Scream is the only film in the franchise where a victim does remove a mask, letting them know who killed them before they took their final breath.

Killer One

Billy Loomis

Billy is Sidney’s boyfriend who has been patiently waiting for their first time together, between friends he is getting frustrated and instantly becomes one of the first suspects, even though he gets out. Billy will reveal his motivation later in the film, using Sidney’s mother’s affair with his father for causing him to snap, as it saw his parent’s marriage to fall apart. When it comes to his motivation to get revenge for his parent’s marriage falling apart, you can understand why he was behind Sidney’s mother’s death, but going after Sidney and her friends, does making things come off strange, almost like he enjoyed it too much and has finally lost it. He has however made a plan to make himself and his partner look like the heroes that survived a vengeful attack by Sidney’s father. He is clearly the brains between the two, having the plan down exactly how he wants things to unfold.

Killer Two

Stu

Stu is one of Billy’s best friends, he is a bit of a goofball, right down to his lack of motivation, willing to go along with the Peer Pressure motivation, despite showing regret for what he finds himself getting involved in, feeling like he has let down his parents. Stu does seem to be a character that comes off more unstable than the film presents him, as we have one moment where he is funny love, then regretful, then rage fuelled, going through everything in a matter of moments.

Scream 2 – 1997

Scream 2 kept with the trend of the franchise by having two killers again, which is used for the miss-direction the franchise likes to create when it comes to having one of the killers on the screen, when Ghostface is around. Scream 2 also struggled with the planned ending, after the script leaks forced a change along the way.

Killer One

Debbie Salt

Debbie Salt is an overly nosey reporting trying to get close to Gail, always around the stories as they are breaking, never being afraid to cross the line like her idol Gail Weathers. Debbie does have a different side, which is why she is kept away from Sidney for the whole film, with the final reveal, showing her to be Billy’s mother. She has come for revenge on the Sidney for killing her son, and everything the Prescott family has done to her in the most recent years. She recruits Mickey, needing someone who is eagerly willing to get involved in a killing spree.

Killer Two

Mickey

Mickey is one of the fellow film studies student whose knowledge of movies is above the rest of the class, he will use it to point fingers at different classmates, never looking like a suspect after being similar to Randy in the first film, having the movie fanatic not looking like a threat. Mickey wants to blame everything on the violence in movies, looking forward and enjoying killing people, making him the biggest psychopath created in the franchise yet.

Scream 3 – 2000

Scream 3 broke the mould of the franchise by only have one killer, despite having the largest cast, with the biggest list of potential suspects, misleading us once again with the final reveal.

Killer

Roman

Roman is the director of the third Stab movie, with this being a chance to break into the industry, he is feeling the stress because of the production being delayed, with the killer leaving pictures of Sidney’s mother at each murder. Roman has used his position in the film industry to get more information about Sidney’s mother, his own mother that abandoned him and never wanted anything to do with him. This has fuelled his anger for his lifetime, which saw him guide Billy in the original film to get revenge on the family he was never welcomed too.

Scream 4 – 2011

Scream 4 returned to the two killers, using the story to make the clearer points that when it comes to reboots, there are new rules and that anyone could be killed off, being a franchise that has always made the clear points for it position in the franchise, while poking fun at the idea that horror will continue to cash in on making more. Right down to having the ‘Stab’ movies already being at 7 within the movie world.

Killer One

Jill

Jill is the cousin of Sidney’s she has always lived in the shadow of her growing up in Woodsboro. She finds herself being targeted by the killer this time around, always making sure she is the victim, creating the narrative that she is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend Trevor. She does reveal her plan being about how she has always hated Sidney for living in her shadow, wanting to become the lone survivor of a vicious attack from a jilted lover, like Billy was to Sidney, setting up a framing plan on Trevor. She will leave the bodies laying around the home, before injuring herself to show how much she has been through. Jill will get the extra scene to react to news that Sidney survivors, which will break her cover and leave her plan, nothing more than a crazed person desperate for fame.

Killer Two

Charlie

Charlie does seem to have the weakest motivation, while being part of a film club, he only give one line to signal his motivation, which is to Kirby about how it so long her to even notice, him, making him more a brooding dangerous killer, only he doesn’t seem to have the click Stu had with Billy, just being the second when it comes to the bigger plan. This does show Jill in an even more evil light, as she knew who she could use to get more kills, for her greater fame if she succeeds.

That concludes my look at the different killers’ motivations, I will leave you with my ranking from weakest to most dangerous, even if some are only given more motivation because of the previous films. My ranking is based on the menace and threat they offer through the film, along with their motivation and how dangerous they would have been if they had succeeded.

7 – Charlie

6 – Stu

5 – Mickey

4 – Debbie

3 – Roman

2 – Billy

1 – Jill

Who would you pick as the best villain behind the Ghostface mask?