Woody Harrelson

  • Review: ‘Zombieland — Double Tap’ nuts up for the sequel (Includes first-hand account)

    It’s not always easy for actors — or audiences — to return to popular characters years after they were last seen. It means filling viewers in on anything they may have missed during the hiatus and finding a natural starting place for the story to resume. Yet, rejoining beloved personalities on their journey can be one of the greatest joys in cinema. Hopefully, rather than a rushed sequel, the follow-up is carefully planned and well thought-out. Perhaps allowing the characters to mature off-screen opens the door to different types of storylines previously incompatible with their arcs. In Zombieland: Double Tap, the foursome are still beating the odds, staying alive… and having fun.

  • ‘Solo’ swaggers with the best in the galaxy (Includes first-hand account)

    More than 40 years ago, audiences were introduced to a loveable scoundrel whose chauvinist charm won hearts and fearless audacity earned envy. Han Solo’s love affair with Princess Leia, almost lifelong friendship with Chewbacca and affection for the Millennium Falcon are just some of his most recognizable traits. But he was already an established pilot and smuggler when he made his entrance into the Star Wars universe, so little was known about his past. Although where Han came from was not a question on the tip of many tongues, it is an answer his fans may find interesting. Thus, the latest standalone film in the franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story, goes back to the hero’s beginnings.

  • Review: ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ ends the brutal confrontation (Includes first-hand account)

    Mankind has always insisted on climbing to the top, first of the food chain than the tower of power. Eventually, being king of their own local heap wasn’t enough and they went about conquering additional land, fighting bloody battles and feeding their desire for more. Living apart peacefully often seems against our natures, and thus nothing and no one are left to their own devices. In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar doesn’t want to fight but he may not have a choice.

  • ‘Three Billboards’ trailer looks compellingly sharp (Includes first-hand account)

    A truly great trailer entices viewers to watch a soon-to-be-released film without revealing too much of the story — particularly not the narrative’s key twists, best jokes or scares, or the entire film’s trajectory. These skillfully ambiguous trailers are no longer the norm as it’s not uncommon to finish watching a preview for a movie and feel as if you’ve just seen the whole thing; but occasionally a studio finds this balance of creating temptation through vagueness that convinces moviegoers to head to the theatres once it’s released. Fox Searchlight appears to have done so with the trailer for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

  • ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’: the height of Caesar’s journey (Includes first-hand account)

    One of the great things about big conventions is studios reward people’s fandom with free swag and sneak peeks of their latest projects. Every day there is a panel with directors and cast of a certain TV show or movie in which they answer questions, drop hints about what’s to come and, most coveted, share exclusive clips that may never be seen again outside of that room. At New York Comic Con, lucky fans were provided a first look of next year’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

  • Review: ‘Triple 9’s cast is more than a triple threat (Includes first-hand account)

    The heist movie is a classic of the crime genre. The various opportunities it provides to blend action, drama and expectation can be very stimulating in the hands of the right director. Moreover, the inclusion of the perspective of the police investigating the robbery adds another layer of intrigue and chance for excitement. Combined with skilled performances, a strong script and well-choreographed action, filmmakers can create a compelling picture that effectively engages audiences from start to finish. Triple 9 is a striking example of everything going right.