your name.

The official trailer for Makoto Shinkai's hit film Your Name. Coming to theaters in 2017 both English dubbed and Subbed! Go to funimationfilms.com/yourname to buy tickets! ____________________ From director Makoto Shinkai, the innovative mind behind Voices of a Distant Star and 5 Centimeters Per Second, comes a beautiful masterpiece about time, the thread of fate, and the hearts of two young souls.

Romantics and hopeless romantics should really enjoy this movie, that converges two typically regular teenage life stories, with a fantastical element that adds a very entertaining twist to the plot. Story elements of history, traditions, self identity, friendship, social standings, romance, the passage of time, risks, proactive action, and longing, make for a familiar but engrossing tale that should keep your attention from beginning to end. The beautiful animation also helps a whole lot in getting your eyes glued to the screen as well, and wow are there some amazing imagery in this anime movie, with a few sequences that actually play off like music videos. 

I really liked the premise of this movie a lot. Although it may pander to the audience a little too much at times, and may rely too much on your own knowledge of some typical and predictable anime tropes in the plot progression, I found myself absolutely charmed by the story anyway. It's sense of adventure in the mundanity of a teenager's life; plus the fantastical premise, it's sense of humor in the more ridiculous aspects, and it's ability to raise the emotional level when needed, all together makes it easy for people to fall in love with the movie. The characters are also very endearing, especially the two leads of Mitsuha and Taki, as well as the supporting cast of friends. You're going to want to root for all of them to achieve a happy ending. 

While it's very easy to praise this movie for it's accomplishments, there are a few factors that will determine how much you will really enjoy this movie. Those would be the fact that there are quite a few major plot holes and plot conveniences, that kinda forces you to have a huge suspension of disbelief for this movie, and asks that you don't question the logical flaws that effects the plot and characters of this story. While it's also easy to root for both the primary leads equally, I felt that the character of Mitsuha was simply more developed than Taki was. The romantic angle of this movie was also frankly a little bit rushed, and I would have liked more exposition to completely buy into it. 

As a feel good movie, it's hard not to find it very appealing. It's heart is absolutely in the right place, and that's what will resonate the most with an audience. 

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ghost in the shell 2017

"I'm going in." Watch this extended clip from #GhostInTheShell, and see the film in theatres, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D on March 31. Get tickets: fandan.co/2neYNWt GHOST IN THE SHELL starring Scarlett Johansson opens in theaters nationwide on March 31, 2017.

Visually, this movie is very pretty to look at. From the cinematography, the CG work, the costumes, and the set design. Most importantly, this movie does a great job in bringing the world of the manga and the anime Ghost In The Shell original source materials to life. At least in the looks department. I especially like the gigantic holographic advertisements that can be found all over the city, and the general future-tech stuff. 

As for the story, despite the fact that this is an adaptation, it actually attempts to be it's own thing. That's a good thing, and a bad thing. The good thing is that I actually appreciated some of things added to a certain character's back story, as well as seeing the live-action recreated scenes from the original source materials. That's about it really. The bad thing is that while the story technically has some interesting things to say; usually the elements found in the original source materials, the general premise of this adaptation is rather mediocre, drab, and just plain boring. What's unfortunate is that the screenplay is not able to adequately handle the scenes that diverge into philosophical topics, with the dialogue just ending up sounding stilted and awkward. 

I appreciate some of the ambition that this movie does have, but it doesn't help that the only thing really fleshed out in the world building are the visuals. The thematic topic about whether a human is still a human if 95% of their body is artificial, may constantly be present here, but that's as far as the movie is capable of handling in terms of big ideas. One could argue that this is the most dumbed-down version of the Ghost In The Shell story, and one could even argue further that this is just another typical western adaptation that focuses more on action sequences, eye popping visuals, and familiar plot tropes, that is meant to be easily digestible to the viewing audience. 

It's too bad that this is how the movie turned out. I generally like this ensemble cast of characters and the promise that they could bring into a story. Batou, Aramaki, and Major, are characters I'd honestly like to see more of in a live-action format. The way the movie ends with these characters, it's almost like this is just a prequel story to what could potential result in a more fleshed-out sequel with better plot development. Speaking of characters, Scarlett Johansson is just serviceable as Major Mira Killian, especially during the action sequences. Unfortunately she is playing her mostly robotic character, like a robot, as she should I suppose. It doesn't make for a captivating performance though.

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P.S. I would like to give kudos to the movie for figuring out some way to justify the fact that the Major is played by a western actress, when she is typical portrayed as a Japanese woman. There shouldn't have been a need for it's justification in the first place though, if you know what I mean... 

raw

Watch the official red band trailer for 2016 horror-thriller "Raw," starring Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Oufella, Laurent Lucas, Joana Preiss, Bouli Lanners, and Marion Vernoux. Directed by Julia Ducournau. Release Date: March 10th, 2017 About "Raw" Everyone in Justine's family is a vet. And a vegetarian.

What do you get when you combine a vegetarian, a veterinary school, hazing, peer pressure, dance parties, a strong willed older sister, and eating raw meat? You get this movie that is like a combination of multiple different themes that involves a coming-of-age story, sexual awakening, to gore horror scenarios. You also get a movie that was able to get me to squirm uncomfrotably in my seat, by being absolutely disgusted and horrified by what I was witnessing on screen. This movie definitely has scenes that will not be leaving my mind anytime soon. Just, wow. 

In terms of being a horror movie, this isn't exactly a jump-scare-a-thon type, and more in the disturbing side of things. The downward spiral of Justine; this intellectual prodigy that's lacking in some social skills, who discovers something unusual about herself, is quite the journey for us to follow. Garance Marillier is absolutely incredible in the role of Justine, and carries this movie with such confidence; especially considering some of the things that she has to do in this film. A fantastic and captivating tour-de-force on Marillier's part. 

If I didn't make myself clear enough, this isn't a movie for everybody. Some people are likely not going to be able to stomach some of the more gruesome scenes, or just the content of the premise in general. Despite the crazy stuff that happens in this film, there is also a bit of erotica to it, which is likely helped by some of the cinematography in several of Marillier's scenes. Needless to say, the visuals in several of those scenes are beautifully riveting to see, even if you may not want to look at some of them. 

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t2 trainspotting

T2Trainspotting - In Theaters March 2017 Get Tickets Now: http://sonypictures.us/T2TrainspottingTicketsYT Director Danny Boyle reunites the original cast: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle. Follow us on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/T2Trainspott... Twitter: https://twitter.com/t2trainspotting Subscribe for exclusives: http://bit.ly/SonyPicsSubscribeYT

As much as I'm not a fan of the title; since I associate "T2" with a certain killer robot from the future, this is still a welcome sequel to the cult classic from 1996. The whole premise of it being a literal 20 years follow up and update to the characters, brings with it a nice sense of nostalgia, which in itself brings in a nice thematic structure to this movie that is filled with middle aged men defined by the memories of their youth. There's definitely a strong sense of sentimentality to what has come before with these characters, and how they are dealing with their past and what they want with the future. 

What we have with this movie is a good ensemble cast of characters; played by excellent actors, who are going through some reflections on who they are, and what they mean to each other. There are some crazy moments here when things come to a head, fun coincidences that lead to chases, schemes that go sideways but end up with an entertaining song, to serious moments of truth and realizations. From beginning to end, the story takes us through different forms of excitement, intrigue, and emotions.

While the kinetic visual style of a Danny Boyle film is still present here, this sequel isn't completely like the original in tone. The energy between the two is different, with this one being a little bit more subdued and polished than some fans of the original would prefer. The thematic emphasis on nostalgia might also be very effective with people older than 35 years old, but it might not resonate so much with younger people. The point is that the target audience for this movie is a little bit more specific than a typical sequel usually caters too. However, if the movie works for you with what it's trying to say, then you might just enjoy this a lot. 

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life

See the #LIFEmovie extended sneak peek Bloody-Disgusting is calling "one of the single best clips ever released by a studio prior to a film's release." In Theaters March 24.

There are actually many negative factors that I can point out with this movie. The most obvious one is that it's not exactly a highly original concept of a story, and is simply unable to stand out because of that. The characters aren't as interesting as they should be, although you will know just enough about them to have some investment to their well being. The opening scenes that introduces the premise and the characters isn't really that interesting, and is borderline boring. The story ends as expected. 

What works with this movie? The fascinating alien, and the intensity of the suspense sequences. It's a pretty straightforward progression, but as soon as the first person is attacked by the alien creature, from that point on I was on the edge of my seat non-stop until the very end. I thought the alien's design is pretty good, I was absolutely captivated by how smart it is, disturbed at how brutal it can be, and can imagine it being scary enough to likely give somebody nightmares.

The cat and mouse game between the alien and the astronauts are what makes this movie as enjoyable as it is, despite all the drawbacks. If all this movie wanted to be is an entertaining thrill ride, then it succeeded. 

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personal shopper

Personal Shopper is a 2016 French suspense drama film written and directed by Olivier Assayas. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2016, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. The film will be distributed by Les Films du Losange in France, and IFC Films in North America.

Saying that this movie is "unconventional" or how "I've never seen any movie quite like this," may sound like I'm making hyperbolic statements. I really don't think I am. Consider the premise though, which is about a medium who is trying to receive some kind of contact from her recently deceased twin brother, and at the same time has a day job that involves being a personal shopper for a celebrity. The movie switches between different plot scenarios that ranges from a haunting, documentary segments, abstract art work, fashion wear, shopping around, traveling from place to place, and even iMessage. Definitely the description of an unusual movie. 

The mashups of all these different plot elements may admittedly make the movie feel aimless, to the point that it's like the story is progressing along like a stream of consciousness. Some might argue that it even moves too slow, and has a constant dour tone. Others might actually find themselves on the edge of their seat from the unpredictability of what direction the movie is going in next. There will also be those that might describe this to be a voyeuristic view of the main character, that's not too far removed from a reality TV show. Then there will be those that will just find the odd and offbeat nature of this movie to be too frustrating to see through the end. 

Despite all the weird story elements found in this movie, this is first and foremost a character study of a woman grieving the passing of her brother, and how she is dealing with it through her already odd life. Kristen Stewart is easy to make fun of by her seemingly limited methods of acting, although it does seem like she got herself a really good role to shine a light on her strengths here as the character of Maureen Cartwright. Writer-Director Olivier Assayas seemed to have taken her acting talent into account, by creating a peculiar and fascinating character that seemed tailor made for Stewart to play to perfection. There are some stupid things that happen in this movie, and several of that may be Maureen's fault, but it does flesh out her character more. 

Needless to say, this movie is not for everybody. It may be too artsy for the average movie goer to enjoy, but fans of Kristen Stewart should definitely watch this. 

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saban's power rangers

Power Rangers - Now Playing in Theaters! Get tickets now: http://powerrange.rs/tickets #PowerRangersMovie #ItsMorphinTime https://Facebook.com/PowerRangersMovie https://Twitter.com/ThePowerRangers https://Instagram.com/PowerRangersMovie Follow 'PowerRangersMov' on Snapchat: http://powerrange.rs/snapchat SABAN'S POWER RANGERS follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove - and the world - is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat.

Ultimately, you can't really expect too much from a movie that's adapting a kid's TV series from the '90s, that's already an adaptation of a Japanese TV series. This movie doesn't really offer anything groundbreaking to genre films, nor does it separate itself too much from being another superhero type origin story. When watching this, you are going to be expected to have a high level suspension of disbelief, to hopefully ignore all the unbelievably illogical leaps of faith that constantly happen with the characters and with the plot. I suppose you can just excuse all these flaws since this is suppose to be a simple fantasy movie that acts as wish-fulfillment for little kids and young adults, but should you? Maybe. 

If all a person is looking for is the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers aspects of this movie, they too might be a little disappointed. The Power Rangers premise may be present throughout the whole story, but this movie isn't exactly action packed. When there are action sequences, they are just serviceable at best. Bill Hader voicing the android is always entertaining, but his character is in a pretty minor supporting role, which goes the same with Bryan Cranston as Zordon. Elizabeth Banks seems to be having fun hamming it up as the main villain, but there really isn't too much for her to do with that character either. 

So what did this movie get right? This is essentially the '80s movie "The Breakfast Club" with a superhero premise. The cast of diverse actors who play the motley crew of outcast teenagers are likable enough to get your attention, and should be pretty relatable to many young kids watching this. The growing chemistry between these characters is the primary strength of the movie, and the basic moral thematic lessons that are told here is worthwhile enough. Once again, all this is still nothing really new, but at least it's not without some merit. Be warned though, you might have an urge to eat some Krispy Kreme doughnuts after watching this movie. 

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the sense of an ending

IN CINEMAS APRIL 14TH. Starring Academy Award®-winner Jim Broadbent, alongside a stellar cast that includes Charlotte Rampling and Michelle Dockery, The Sense of an Ending is based on the Man Booker Prize-winning novel by Julian Barnes. From acclaimed director Ritesh Batra, it is a deeply moving and uplifting story about the paths chosen in life, and the power of memory, love and forgiveness.

Jim Broadbent is always good, and this movie is no exception. Him alone is enough to recommend seeing this, even if he is playing a curmudgeon of a man. Actually seeing him surly and bad-tempered is probably a plus anyway. Broadbent himself can carry the movie, but I also in particular really enjoyed all the scenes he shared with Harriet Walter, as there was a sense of lightheartedness in their interactions, especially considering the premise of this movie. 

Half of this movie are filled with flashbacks, and they aren't even in chronological order. Having the narrative done this way only helps the thematic lesson here about our perception of memory and history. Some might find it frustrating to put up with, but it does add to the mysteriousness surrounding the plot. If there is another thing that has to be pointed out about this movie, is that it also takes it's sweet time telling you what exactly is going on. Sometimes, it doesn't even bother explaining things. We are put in the dark a lot, and it wants to keep us guessing. Admittedly that is one way of keeping you engaged and motivated to keep watching until the end. 

Based on the novel by Julian Barnes, this story might simply be much more interesting in the written form than it is in a film medium. I think Director Ritesh Batra and Screen-writer Nick Payne do a good enough job juggling and mixing the present day narrative with the flashbacks, but some people might just get impatient with the story anyway. A touch of melodrama and pretentiousness also doesn't help this movie, and there is also a sense of incompleteness to the plot that might make the ending unsatisfactory for some people. 

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beauty and the beast 2017

Watch the brand new trailer for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," starring Emma Watson & Dan Stevens. See the film in theatres March 17, 2017!

As far as remakes go, this one doesn't try and stray too far at all from the 1991 version. That's this movie's biggest strength and it's biggest problem. There are remade scenes that actually improved over the original, and there are several that doesn't compare as favorably. The production value of the visuals definitely went all out here, but for certain aspects it is way too over-produced. The familiar songs redone for this version aren't exactly better either; although the Gaston song is done incredibly well here, plus some of the new songs are actually really really good. Basically, there's a lot of hit or miss situations in this adaptation, but thankfully I would say that it's more hit than miss. 

While there are some liberties done with the story and the characters, this is more or less the same tale that is as old as time, that involves the magical elements, the comedic moments, and of course the romance. This classic premise is what successfully keeps this movie together, and it still retains that charm and entertainment value. It can be argued that nostalgia for the Disney animated original also helps the enjoyment factor of this film. The more questionable plot points carried over as well unfortunately, although I have to admit that the additional new story elements were actually very welcome to see here. 

The cast here is overall really good. Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan, to Emma Thompson are enjoyable as the animated characters of the castle. Kevin Kline adds a great emotional aspect to Belle's Father Maurice. I also really liked Dan Stevens as Beast, doing his best to try and emulate the animated original. I'm now afraid to say that while Emma Watson looks good in the role, she is only really decent and serviceable as Belle. At least there is some successful chemistry between Stevens and Watson. The best character improvement over all here are Luke Evans and Josh Gad, as Gaston and LeFou respectively. Evans and Gad pretty much steals the movie with their scenes, and adds an incredible amount of fun into it. 

Without a doubt, this 2017 live-action version of Beauty & The Beast cannot possibly escape the shadow of the 1991 animated movie, and comparing the two is unavoidable. It's unfortunate, because I could argue that this version is actually a better musical; short of the re-imagined songs that I didn't think work as well that is. 

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table 19

Connect with Table19 Online Visit Table 19 on our WEBSITE: http://table19movie.com/ Like Table19 on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Table19Movie/ Follow Table19 on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/table19movie Follow Table 19 on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/table19movie/ #Table19Movie Connect with Fox Searchlight Online Visit the Fox Searchlight WEBSITE: http://foxsearchlight.com/ Like Fox Searchlight on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/foxsearchlight Follow Fox Searchlight on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/foxsearchlight Ex-maid of honor Eloise (Anna Kendrick) - having been relieved of her duties after being unceremoniously dumped by the best man via text - decides to hold her head up high and attend her oldest friend's wedding anyway.

If you've seen the trailer for this movie, you probably had an automatic conceived notion as to how it's going to play out. I don't think the movie is even bothering to hide the fact that there are some very familiar plot tropes and archetypal characters in the premise. Misunderstood characters bonding over the fact that they aren't really wanted in a wedding reception that they are attending to. What crazy things are they going to do? What sentimental and emotional scenes are we going to see? Predictable stuff, right? You wouldn't be completely wrong into thinking that way, however there is this one pivotal scene during the middle of the movie involving Wyatt Russell and Anna Kendrick, that completely made me reconsider trashing this as yet another derivative story. 

By the end of the movie, I was surprisingly charmed by it. I didn't completely fall in love with this movie, nor do I think it's essential viewing, but I won't deny that I liked it more than I thought I would. It helped that it had an overall talented cast of actors in it, from Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson, Stephen Merchant, and several more. While Kendrick's character is the primary focus of the plot, I actually found the characters played by Craig Robinson and Lisa Kudrow, to be the ones I was most interested in. Stephen Merchant and Tony Revolori also helped contribute a lot to the awkward sense of humor that this movie has from time to time. 

If there is one major complaint I have about this movie, is that the wedding reception is merely a plot device and not as significant as it probably should be, especially considering the premise. What happens at the end of the wedding reception is also plain stupid and unbelievable. I did enjoy the '80s soundtrack playing through the movie at least. 

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