The Movie Paradise

I think I was actually more excited for xXx: Return of Xander Cage than most people. I hadn't seen the other films, but the trailers for this movie were so ridiculous that it made it look like stupid fun. It could be a disposable, fun thrill-ride for ninety minutes where you just shove candy in your mouth the whole time. Maybe in the vein of what the Fast and the Furious franchise has turned into. If Samuel L. Jackson's line in the trailer "Kick some ass, get the girl, and try to look dope while you're doing it" doesn't tell you everything you need to know about this movie, then I don't know what does. So I went in hoping for something really fun. I wasn't expecting to get La La Land. I wasn't even expecting to get a film as good as the latest Fast and Furious movies. I just wanted to have fun. And unfortunately, I didn't really have fun. xXx: Return of Xander Cage has some fun moments, but a terrible script, awful acting, and decent action b…

I have actually been really excited for Beauty and the Beast. I loved the animated film as a kid, and seeing the images and watching the trailers for this live action adaptation brings me right back to my childhood. It looks as if they've really captured the look, feel, and essence of the animated movie. The cast is really spot on. Emma Watson is a great choice for Belle. The voice cast of Ewan McGreggor as Lumiere, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts is truly excellent casting. And Luke Evans as Gaston is perfect. I have always thought that this movie has a lot of potential, especially after seeing the last two Disney animated film adaptations, The Jungle Book and Pete's Dragon. I think they've got something really special here, so I for one am really excited to check it out in March. But we've been waiting on one final trailer. While I don't necessarily need it to convince me in seeing this film, it would be nice to get a better sense of the s…

Even critics of last year's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which I am among, will say that Ben Affleck's Batman was the best part of the film. Affleck brought a new side to the Caped Crusader that we had not seen before, one that was grittier and brutal. So even with the DC Universe up in the air, fans have been holding onto hope for The Batman. With Affleck writing, directing and starring in it, it was the light at the end of the tunnel for fans. Wonder Woman, Justice League, The Flash, etc. could suck, but at least we would be getting The Batman. It was certainly the DC project I was most excited for, because you know that Affleck is going to put everything he has into this film, and work to make the best possible movie he can make. There have been hints that the studio has tried to interfere. Affleck has made it clear that he intends to direct this film, unless it goes in a direction he doesn't want to take it. He has seemed to use his position as director as col…

Welcome to this week's The Movie Paradise Nerd Round-Up. Essentially what we do here is we take a look at all things nerdy. We break down everything in the world of nerdom, ranging from superheroes to Star Wars and every other geeky thing in between, and analyse the smaller bits of news that weren't big enough stories to necessarily warrant an entire article, but are still significant and important. Perhaps it's casting news, a contract detail, a set image, or something else that's more on the minor side, but is definitely worth checking out. Then we have a little bit of fun with some movie-related videos and clips. It's a time and place for all of us unabashed nerds to come together and talk about the things that we love so much. So, without further ado, let's get started with this week's Nerd Round-Up. 
The News

While Andy Serkis made his debut as the villain Ulysses Klaue in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it wasn't clear whether or not there were plans for…

Actor John Hurt, known for his roles in Alien, The Elephant Man, and V for Vendetta has passed away at the age of 77 after a battle with cancer, just five days after his birthday. The actor was born January 22nd in Chesterfield, England. Hurt attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and debuted on stage in 1962. He also made his film debut in 1962, with a role in Young and Willing. Through the rest of the 60's and 70's, Hurt took supporting roles in films, known for his performance in Midnight Express, which he got an Academy Award nomination for, and for his role of Kane in Alien. In 1980, Hurt got another Oscar nomination for his leading role in The Elephant Man. Through his long career that spanned several decades, he starred in many acclaimed films including 1984, Spaceballs, Dead Man, and Hellboy. He also gave stand-out performances in movies like V for Vendetta, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part One and Two, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, and Snowpiercer.
Upon hi…

The following article is the transcript of a previously recorded exchange between main writer Nate and special guest writer Rob, as they talk about their top five worst movies of 2016. 
Nate: Hi and welcome to The Movie Paradise's Top Five Worst Movies of 2016. I'm the main writer here, Nate, and I'm here with special guest writer, Rob.  Rob: We're talking about the sh*tbombs today! Nate: That's right. These are the fart clouds of the year. These are the ones that clog your toilet, and you have to call a plumber, and the plumber is actually Casey Affleck from Manchester by the Sea.  Rob: These movies sucked.  Nate: Yeah, these movies were pretty f*cking bad. Now, keep in mind-- Rob probably saw some of these, but I personally didn't go see some of these really bad movies. I didn't see Nine Lives. I didn't see Independence Day: Resurgence. I didn't see Alice Through the Looking Glass. I didn't see these, because for me, personally, I'd rather spe…

For film fans, the Academy Awards are our Super Bowl. It's the time that we all come together to celebrate the previous year of film. It's one of my favorite times of the year, because the Oscars actually matter. It's monumental if an actor gets an Academy Award, and it changes their career. So it's a very important and special night for us film fans. But today was the day the nominations came out. I'll do an editorial later breaking down the nominations and discussing the snubs and surprises, but right now here's just the list of all the nominees:
Best Picture Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Lion Manchester by the Sea Moonlight
Best Lead Actor Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Ryan Gosling, La La Land Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Denzel Washington, Fences
Best Lead Actress Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster …