“The Good Dinosaur” revealed its roster of voice talent

BURBANK, Calif. (June 12, 2015) – Disney•Pixar’s upcoming movie “The Good Dinosaur” revealed its roster of voice talent today. “We were lucky to work with a number of incredible pros along the way and our story ultimately led us to this amazing and talented group,” said the first-time-feature-film director Peter Sohn. “We’re all taking this journey with Arlo, and it’s been a privilege to see these performers bring our characters to life.”

·       RAYMOND OCHOA (NBC’s “The Night Shift,” TNT’s "Rizzoli & Isles," "Disney’s A Christmas Carol") provides the voice of an Apatosaurus named Arlo.
·       JEFFREY WRIGHT ("The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" - parts I & II, HBO's "Boardwalk Empire") was tapped as the voice of Poppa, Arlo’s father.
·       STEVE ZAHN (“Captain Fantastic,” “Ridiculous Six,” “Rescue Dawn,” “Mad Dogs”) provides the voice of a pterodactyl named Thunderclap.
·       AJ BUCKLEY (TNT’s “Murder in the First,” FX’s “Justified”) voices a T-Rex called Nash.
·       ANNA PAQUIN (HBO’s “True Blood”) is the voice of T-Rex Ramsey.
·       SAM ELLIOTT (FX's "Justified," "I’ll See You In My Dreams," “Grandma”) was called on as the voice of a tough T-Rex named Butch.
·       FRANCES MCDORMAND (HBO's "Olive Kitteridge," "Fargo") was tapped as the voice of Momma, Arlo’s mother.
·       MARCUS SCRIBNER (ABC’s “black•ish”) voices Arlo's brother Buck.
·       JACK BRIGHT (“Monsters University”) provides the voice of Arlo’s unlikely human friend, Spot.

ABOUT THE MOVIE
"The Good Dinosaur" asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?  Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

Directed by Sohn and produced by Denise Ream (“Cars 2”), Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” opens in theaters on Nov. 25, 2015.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl - Review

PG-13  |  105 min  |  Drama
Review - Matt Mungle

Once in a while a film comes along that is so unexpected and wonderful that you want to make sure everyone knows about it and has the opportunity to see it. ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is that sort of film. 




It is very important that you don't dismiss this flick too quickly as some sort of teen riddled, angst filled, emotionally manipulating pity party. Yes there is a dying girl and yes they are all in High School, but the main heart of this story beats for young and old alike. Unless you are old and cranky and can't find humor and spirit in anything. If that is the case then I can't help you. 

Greg (Thomas Mann) is a that guy in school that we have all known or even been. He tries to never stand out but instead makes friends with all social groups so that he never offends anyone. His mom (Connie Britton) is doting and his dad (Nick Offerman) an odd tenured professor. So his home life is a bit eccentric. Greg mainly hangs out with his best buddy Earl (RJ Cyler). They watch classic movies and then adapt them, creatively, into their own short films. When Greg's mom asks him to befriend Rachel (Olivia Cooke), a classmate who has been diagnosed with cancer, it takes him into a whole other world of awkwardness.

This is a drama but never quite feels like it. The characters are so full of humor and personality that the dialogue and scenes always have an uplifting nature about them. Even during the serious moments the weight is taken off of you by their mannerisms and delivery. It is almost as if they do not want you to be sad. So as the story unfolds they continually entertain you with their antics, film parodies, and positive outlook. If not for that this would be just a heavy downer. But not once does it ever feel that way.

I have been a fan of Cooke since seeing her on the A/E series Bates Motel. Here she brings a range of emotion as her character copes with the hand she has been dealt. Mann is proving to be a solid young actor and here he plays the quiet, introvert so that it is endearing and real. As I mentioned you know this guy. And then there is Earl. Everyone needs a friend like this to egg them on in those moments that become the catalyst of adventure. He has no filter which brings many of the laughs in this dramatic story. 

The film really is not about Greg or Earl or the dying girl. Instead it is about friendship and how that is so vital to surviving any hard time; whether it is sickness, high school, or family weirdness. Having someone that unconditionally stands by your side is monumental. Writer Jesse Andrews nails this point splendidly in the way he crafts both the story and the characters. 

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL is rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug material, language and some thematic elements. It is a pretty tame film. The sexual content comes mainly from Earl and his missing filter. Though unnecessary and awkward for some viewers it is harmless. The meat of the movie overshadows anything that would come across as offensive. I give it 4 out of 5 sock puppets. It is original, endearing, funny, and heartbreaking. And it delivers all of that with a subtle hand. 

Jurassic World - Review

PG-13  |  124 min  |  Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi 
Review - Matt Mungle

Rest assured that JURASSIC WORLD is the perfect companion to the Jurassic Park franchise. It respects the brand and pays homage to the original. Full of jaw dropping creatures and wall to wall action, this film is the top ticket attraction in some time. 

It has been over two decades since the debacle of John Hammond's Jurassic Park. But his vision has been reborn and Isla Nublar is now rebuilt as a family destination and fully working theme park. Full of new and improved dinosaurs it is the go to place for fun and excitement. When ticket sells begin to wan a bigger and scary dinosaur must be created; which of course is the worst mistake possible. In the words of Dr. Ian Malcolm in the 2nd film; "Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that's how it always starts. Then later there's running and screaming." 

The film offers a lot to not only fans of the franchise but those visiting the park for the first time. There are intense thrills, humorous quotable dialogue, and dinosaurs. Lots and lots of dinosaurs. It is like an all star reunion as many of the familiar creatures from the past make an appearance plus new ones that we have yet to encounter. The movie does a great job of respecting these beings and not treating them as props. They were larger than life in the franchise and deserved that here. 

One thing that made the early film so successful was the dynamic characters. They were likable and strong in their delivery. Same with this one. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Claire, the parks manager, and she captures a bit of both Dr. Sadler and Hammond. She is headstrong and tenacious but also too focused to see the danger around her. Owen (Chris Pratt) is phenomenal as the rugged ex-navy animal trainer. He respects the power of the park like Dr. Grant did. He is the only one in the film that understands the cost. There is of course one character that does come back. And rightly so. I will not give it away here but it was very cool to have him be a part of the new one. 

For those who have never seen any of the early films you can easily jump into this one and never feel lost. The story revolves around Claire's young nephews who visit the park. When things start going horribly wrong she has to elicit the help of Owen to help save the boys. The action is non stop and there are plenty of edge of your seat sequences. The visuals are stunning and the sound track soars. 

JURASSIC WORLD is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril. This one, as great as it is, may not be super for all ages. The dinosaurs are vicious and the film does not shy away from making them ferocious. There are many scenes of attacks and human carnage. Safe for the older teens but I would not recommend you drag your 11 and under kids in there; unless you want to have a few sleepless nights. I give it 5 out of 5 teeth. A perfect film for the Jurassic Park franchise and an unbeatable summer blockbuster. 

STAR LEAF available to order.

From '90s science-fiction fave Robert Leeshock, star of EARTH : FINAL CONFLICT, and starring Z NATION's Russell Hodgkinson comes a Richard Cranor film, STAR LEAF.

Synopsis : A group of friends set off to find a secret forest of marijuana hidden deep in the Olympic Mountains. Legend has it the plants are of extra-terrestrial origin, and two ex-Marines among the group hope it will cure their PTSD born from hard combat in Afghanistan.

The highly-anticipated science-fiction/horror film is now available from Leomark Studios, available to order from http://www.starleafmovie.com/

REVIEW: I grew up watching Cheech and Chong smoke a lot of weed. But nothing ever took them on a trip like this one. Part sci-fi, part horror film STAR LEAF is an odd film that for some reason keeps you engaged throughout. The characters are stereotypical but at the same time likable.

Tim (Tyler Trerise) is a free spirited stoner just looking for the ultimate high. His girlfriend Martha (Shelby Truax) is fascinated with the Twilight films and thinks she looks like Kristen Stewart. They bring along Tim's marine buddy James (Julian Gavilanes) on a search for a special, out of this world, pot farm that can only be found with a special map. They soon find out that breaking the "code" of the land brings about some strange and terrifying creatures.

The images, story, and graphics are pretty solid and this doesn't feel like the typical low budget VOD rental. Granted it is also nothing that is going to win any awards. But if you are looking for a fun, unique, and at times head tripping survival film you can do a lot worse.

THE MARTIAN | FIRST Global Trailer Released

20th Century Fox is excited to debut the FIRST global trailer for their highly anticipated cinematic adventure, THE MARTIAN! Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

Also, be sure to head to IMDb's twitter page at 12PM CT for an exclusive twitter chat with Author Andy Weir and Screenwriter Drew Goddard!