In the new ensemble comedy Table 19, Anna Kendrick stars alongside Lisa Kudrow, Stephen Merchant and Wyatt Russell, playing a woman who was relieved of her maid of honour duties at her best friend's wedding when she was dumped by the best man.

Anna Kendrick stars in 'Table 19'

The title refers to the worst table at the back of the reception. "There are always the people you don't want at your wedding but have to invite anyway," Kendrick explains. "This movie is about all of them at one table."

Continue reading: Anna Kendrick Would Rather Sit With The Losers At Table 19

Anna Kendrick To Play A Female Santa Claus?

By Ed Biggs in Movies / TV / Theatre on 12 January 2017

Anna Kendrick

The 'Pitch Perfect' star is being lined up for a project tentatively titled 'Nicole', which would see Santa's daughter forced to deliver the presents.

Anna Kendrick is being lined up to play a female Santa Claus by Disney, in a new movie written and to be directed by Marc Lawrence, according to new reports.

In a project with the current working title of Nicole (as in ‘Saint Nic-ole’), the story apparently sees Santa Claus getting tired of delivering presents and turning the family business over to his son, who then balks at the idea of taking over. This would leave Kendrick having to step in to save the day, according to Variety.

The 31 year old star is due to start filming Pitch Perfect 3 this year. She’s completed a wide range of projects throughout 2016, including The Accountant, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and The Hollars, not to mention providing a voice-over role in animated hit Trolls.

Continue reading: Anna Kendrick To Play A Female Santa Claus?

Kendrick And Timberlake Loved The Sparkle Of Trolls

By Rich Cline in Movies / TV / Theatre on 21 October 2016

Anna Kendrick Justin Timberlake

The idea of making a film based on those colourfully hairy little plastic trolls was met by quite a bit of scepticism when it was first announced.

When the Trolls filmmakers managed to get Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake to voice the lead characters Poppy and Branch in what would become a riotous musical comedy, cleverly titled Trolls. Kendrick admits that she was intrigued when she first heard about it. "I had trolls growing up," she says. "I had the pencil toppers, which made it seem like homework was fun, even when homework wasn't fun. They are that kind of ugly-cute. So my first question to them after they finished pitching me the movie was, 'Does Poppy have a diamond belly button?' Because the jewelled belly button trolls are the best trolls. They said, 'No, but she has glitter freckles!' So I was like, okay, that's fine."

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake provide the voice overs for Trolls

In voicing the character, Kendrick says she kept the image of Poppy in her mind the whole time. "I just love that she is tiny and she has pink hair and she loves parties," she says. "But she's also on this adventure to save her friends. Nobody else in the troll world is brave enough to go, and she's the one who goes after her friends. She even has a song to psych herself up and be brave and be courageous while being tiny and pink."

Continue reading: Kendrick And Timberlake Loved The Sparkle Of Trolls

Trolls Trailer

For the first time us humans get to have a look into the life of some of the most mysterious creatures ever known: Trolls! When Princess Poppy decides to go on an adventure to a new land, she's continually put in peril by giants and monsters unlike any that she's ever heard of.

Trolls the movie is produced by DreamWorks Animation and sees Thomas Dam's famous dolls being brought to life for the first time.

The lead characters are voiced by Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake whilst Shrek Forever After director Mike Mitchell teams up with Walt Dohrn on directorial duties.

The Hollars Trailer

Don and Sally Hollars' family are all grown up and they live alone. They have two sons and John lives in New York at works as an artist attempting to make a name for himself. Their other son, Ron lives closer to home and up until recently lived with his wife and their young family but now his marriage has fallen to pieces and he's alone.

When Sally falls ill, the family reunites and John leaves his heavily pregnant girlfriend, Rebecca, in the city whilst he pays a visit to the family home. Once back in the small town he grew up in, it seems the family matriarch is much more ill than they all first presumed.

Spending time in hospital, John is quickly submerged into his old family and all the issues that comes with them - not only that but he must deal with his ex-girlfriends new partner who's also his mother's nurse.

Continue: The Hollars Trailer

Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates Review

Weak

Watching this gross-out comedy, it's clear that the gifted cast and crew had a great time making it. Scenes are packed with wildly ridiculous improvisation, as the script throws characters into some genuinely outrageous situations. And yet it's never actually funny. The longer the film goes on, the more the audience will wonder why they don't feel in on the joke.

It's loosely based on the true story of chucklehead brothers Mike and Dave (Adam Devine and Zac Efron), whose parents (Stephen Root and Stephanie Faracy) tell them they can't go stag to the wedding of their sister (Sugar Lyn Beard) in Hawaii. They have to find dates to calm down the antics that have ruined family events for years. So Mike and Dave put an ad on Craigslist, and it goes viral, drawing the attention of slacker flatmates Tatiana and Alice (Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick). Pretending to be nice girls, they win over Mike and Dave and head to Hawaii for the big event. But the girls are even more anarchic than the boys. So it's no surprise that a wave of disruptive mayhem follows.

Basically this is a simple coming-of-age story, structured like a standard romantic-comedy that plays out in a series of messy set-pieces. Every beat of the plot is predictable, and the big surprise is that the filmmakers seem terrified of genuine sexuality. Despite using sex and nudity as the (ahem!) butt of most jokes, the film is childish and even prudish. And it doesn't help that virtually all of the gags are obvious and cheap.

Continue reading: Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates Review

Anna Kendrick: "I'd Be Terrible At Being Like Taylor Swift"

By Stephanie Chase in Movies / TV / Theatre on 02 July 2016

Anna Kendrick Taylor Swift

The ‘Pitch Perfect’ actress says she doesn't do being perfect very well.

Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick has said she would never be able to be a ‘perfect’ celebrity like Taylor Swift. Kendrick, who is known for having one of the funniest and most relatable celeb twitter accounts, says she is just too snarky and cynical even when it comes to her fans, but luckily that’s what they expect.

Anna Kendrick knows she’s no Taylor Swift.

"I could play Madame Bovary and I'd still end up being dry and cynical," Kendrick told Net-A-Porter's The Edit. "There are times where someone will be like, 'Do that thing! You know, do your thing!' I get mildly annoyed by that. But on a greater scale, I'm lucky that's [my] reputation; when I'm snarky with people, they know that's just how I communicate.”

Continue reading: Anna Kendrick: "I'd Be Terrible At Being Like Taylor Swift"

Elizabeth Banks Pulled Out Of Directing 'Pitch Perfect 3' Due To "Parental Responsibilities"

By Stephanie Chase in Movies / TV / Theatre on 06 June 2016

Elizabeth Banks Anna Kendrick

The actor and director pulled out of helming the film last week.

Elizabeth Banks has explained why she’ll no longer be directing upcoming musical comedy Pitch Perfect 3. Banks, who also stars as Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the movies, had co-produced the first film and directed its 2015 sequel, but returning behind the camera this time has caused conflict with her ‘parental responsibilities’.

Elizabeth Banks will no longer be directing Pitch Perfect 3 due to ‘parental responsibilities’.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter Banks said: “We have been in development and it took longer than we thought. It was all timing. We feel obligated to put out the best movie, and anyone who has done sequels, this third one is hard to figure out what the story is.

Continue reading: Elizabeth Banks Pulled Out Of Directing 'Pitch Perfect 3' Due To "Parental Responsibilities"

The Accountant Trailer

Ben Affleck is cast as Christian Wolff in this new action thriller film The Accountant. An extraordinary man with highly advanced cognitive skills that allow him to think on a different level to that of a standard human, more in line with the likes of Picasso and Einstein. He works as a freelance accountant for some of the world's most dangerous criminal organisations from the cover of a CPA office in a small town. He has two sides to his job one being an accountant and the other being a sleeping assassin, a job that when required to do so will see him perform extraordinary measures.

Continue: The Accountant Trailer

Get A Job Trailer

Will and Jillian are in love and both have recently graduated collage. Jillian managed to get a well-paid and high profile just almost instantly, Will on the other hand is still interning at companies for free but Will's luck is about to change (or so he thinks). He's just been offered a paid position at LA Weekly but when he turns up for work he's abruptly informed that the job position is no longer available because of downsizing.

Will lives with his pot loving buddies who are all really close but some might be on the verge of being called 'deadbeats'. Will and his friends are all in a similar position, they 'really struggling to find a job, Jillian is the only structured part of his life.

Needs must means Will must sell his beloved TV but things start to look up for the graduate when, against the odds, he's offered a job as a videographer. Just as Will gets into the swing at his new office Jillian finds herself jobless. Will is quick to encourage Jillian to get straight back out there but she finds herself with little luck.

Continue: Get A Job Trailer

Mr. Right Trailer

In Martha's mind, she's a fantastic girlfriend but finds it impossible to hold on to a boyfriend. When her partner cheats on her, that's the last straw, Martha begins to lose it. She turns into a party animal and takes everything to the extreme.

Francis is a hitman, for years he's been one of the best in the trade but recently he's been doubting his profession and grown a conscience that he's not had before. Dealing with it in the only way he knows how, Francis begins killing the clients who recruit him to perform hits.

Francis meets Martha when she's on the brink of doing something silly. The two instantly connect and are soon out having drinks together. When Francis notices the guy next to them is carrying a weapon, his new sense of justice kicks in and takes matters into his own hands.

Continue: Mr. Right Trailer

Johnny Depp 'Daunted' By Into The Woods Role

By Holly Williams in Movies / TV / Theatre on 27 November 2014

Johnny Depp Rob Marshall Stephen Sondheim Meryl Streep Emily Blunt Anna Kendrick

Even the best actors can intimidated by serious movies.

There's an enormous buzz surrounding Rob Marshall and Stephen Sondheim's stage to film musical 'Into The Woods' with it's spectacular ensemble cast and vibrant setting, but even a super A lister like Johnny Depp couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Johnny Depp in 'Into The Woods'
Johnny Depp is the wiley Wolf in 'Into The Woods'

Being surrounded by award-winning movie stars like Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Anna Kendrick is scary enough without the prospect of singing in front of them. While you'd think Johnny Depp would be used to it, having starred in Stephen Sondheim's Oscar winning film adaptation of 'Sweeney Todd' back in 2007 and appeared in a number of Hollywood blockbusters with the likes of Morgan Freeman, Helena Bonham Carter, Angelina Jolie, Christian Bale and John Malkovich. However, he admits he found his role as the Wolf 'daunting' even if it was a 'joy' to be involved. 'It's one of those moments that you realise you will never in your life have an opportunity like that again, as an actor or as a musician', he confesses, in the run-up to the film's release.

Continue reading: Johnny Depp 'Daunted' By Into The Woods Role

It's The Bellas Vs. The World In 'Pitch Perfect 2' [Trailer]

By Holly Williams in Movies / TV / Theatre on 21 November 2014

Anna Kendrick Rebel Wilson Elizabeth Banks

The Barden Bellas are finally going international - and this time, it's personal.

After raising the roof with their angelic a cappella chorus in 'Pitch Perfect', college crooners The Barden Bellas are back to show the world what they're made of as they go international in the much anticipated 'Pitch Perfect 2'.

Anna Kendrick at the premiere for 'Pitch Perfect'
Anna Kendrick returns for 'Pitch Perfect 2'

It seemed fortune was on their side in the first movie when they were spectacularly invited into the semi-finals of the national a cappella singing competition and thus went on to win it with a heart-warming rendition of 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' from 'The Breakfast Club'. But now it seems they could be pushing themselves too far as they venture forth into the daunting international contest - a competition that no American group has ever won before. Apparently, because no-one likes Americans. Go figure.

Continue reading: It's The Bellas Vs. The World In 'Pitch Perfect 2' [Trailer]

Into The Woods - Extended Trailer

When a Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) are unable to have children due to a curse, they are advised by a witch (Meryl Streep) to venture into the woods in order to find a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold. Along the way, they become intertwined in the stories of 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Little Red Riding Hood', 'Rapunzel', and 'Cinderella', in this original story based upon Grimm's classic fairy tales.

Continue: Into The Woods - Extended Trailer

Into The Woods - Alternative Trailer

When a Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) are cursed by a witch (Meryl Streep), they discover that they are unable to have children. The couple embark on an adventure into the woods in order to recover the magical objects required to break the spell and allow them to begin a family together. Over the course of their journey, they encounter iconic fairy-tale characters and motifs from stories like Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Cinderella. They also steadily learn valuable lessons about responsibility and being careful what they wish for.

Continue: Into The Woods - Alternative Trailer

Into The Woods - Featurette

Take a sneak peak of forthcoming musical fairytale flick 'Into The Woods' in this short featurette, featuring comments from the stellar ensemble cast and crew. Among them are stars Emily Blunt, James Corden, Chris Pine, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp, as well as director Rob Marshall ('Chicago'), author of the book James Lapine and composer Stephen Sondheim ('Sweeney Todd').

Continue: Into The Woods - Featurette

Life After Beth Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

While zombie rom-coms aren't original (see Shaun of the Dead or Warm Bodies), this take on the genre has such a deadpan tone that it feels refreshingly unpredictable. While the plot sometimes seems like it's going to spin completely out of control, writer-director Jeff Baena (who wrote I Heart Huckabees) holds it together with clever twists and turns and smart, witty dialogue. And the terrific cast helps balance the humour and horror with a hint of emotional depth.

It opens as soulful teenager Zach (Dane DeHaan) is grieving about his recently deceased girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza), who was killed by a snake bite. As Zach and Beth's parents (John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon) help each other get over the shock, they are startled when she arrives back home as if nothing happened. Utterly unaware that she's undead, Beth can't understand why Zach is looking at her strangely, while her parents become super protective, refusing to let her outside for fear that someone will spot a dead girl walking around. Then Zach begins to notice that Beth isn't the only person in town who has come back to life. And when he runs into old friend Erica (Anna Kendrick), Beth's jealousy seems to trigger a full-on zombie invasion.

By focussing on the warped relationships between the characters, the film keeps the audience both involved and entertained. The humour is a mix of bone-dry dialogue and riotously nutty visual gags that escalate as the story progresses. And there are constant wrinkles in the plot, such as how Beth conveniently can't remember breaking up with Zach before she died. Or how Zach's gung-ho brother (a scene stealing Matthew Gray Gubler) reacts to the growing threat of the walking-dead. And by combining real heart with silly comedy and even some genuine scariness, filmmaker Baena manages to make some sharp observations about both love and grief.

Continue reading: Life After Beth Review

'Life After Beth' Adds New Twist To Old Genre

By Rich Cline in Movies / TV / Theatre on 03 October 2014

Aubrey Plaza Dane DeHaan John C Reilly Jeff Baena Anna Kendrick Matthew Gray Gubler

With zombie movies steadily taking over the cinema, ‘Life After Beth’ strives to stand out from the undead crowd.

Zombie movies are as old as cinema itself, kicking off with 1930s hits like 'White Zombies' and 'The Devil's Daughter'. The genre came to mainstream prominence with George A. Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead' in 1968, after which the undead onslaught has been fairly unceasing. But a subset is just as venerable: the zombie comedy, or zom-com, can trace its roots back to 1941's 'King of the Zombies' and 1945's 'Zombies on Broadway'. More recent examples include Peter Jackson's 'Braindead' (1992) and 'Zombieland' (2009).

Dane DeHaan and Aubrey Plaza star in 'Life After Beth'

The most memorable recent zom-com is obviously Edgar Wright's 'Shaun of the Dead' (2004), which introduced a further sub-genre: the zom-rom-com. This paved the way for the likes of the Spanish romp 'Juan of the Dead' (2010), 'Warm Bodies' (2013) and 'All Cheerleaders Die' (also 2013).

Continue reading: 'Life After Beth' Adds New Twist To Old Genre

Let's Take A Sneak Peak 'Into The Woods'

By Charlotte Court in Movies / TV / Theatre on 08 August 2014

Emily Blunt James Corden Meryl Streep Johnny Depp Anna Kendrick Chris Pine

The trailer for Disney's latest fairy tale, Into the Woods, has arrived.

Disney’s Christmas offering this year comes in the form of a bewitching fairy tale based on Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical, Into the Woods. Set in an alternate world of various Brothers Grimm fairy stories, this modern twist centres around the original tale of a baker and his wife who have been cursed by a witch and must enter into the woods to break the spell so they can start their much-longed for family.

British stars Emily Blunt and James Corden play the baker and the baker's wife in Disney's musicial adaptation Into the Woods

Further well-known classics intertwine with the desperate baker and his wife and they interact with other storybook characters from Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel on their travels.

Continue reading: Let's Take A Sneak Peak 'Into The Woods'

Into The Woods - Teaser Trailer

Continue: Into The Woods - Teaser Trailer

Fairytales Come To Life In The First Trailer For Disney's Into The Woods

By Hannah Woodhead in Movies / TV / Theatre on 01 August 2014

Meryl Streep Anna Kendrick Chris Pine Johnny Depp Emily Blunt

The first teaser trailer for Disney's new musical epic Into the Woods has been released, featuring a host of A-List stars.

Cinemas are set to get a whole lot more magical this winter with the release of the film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's hit Broadway musical, Into the Woods. Directed by Chicago masetro Rob Marshall, the film depicts beloved fairytale characters as they've never been seen before, and features an all-star cast including Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine and Johnny Depp.

Meryl Streep will be showing off her vocal talents once again

The story follows the Baker and his Wife, played in the film by James Corden and Emily Blunt, who are cursed by The Wicked Witch (Meryl Streep) to be childless, and subsequently set off on a quest 'into the woods' to find the items they need to break the spell. Along the way they will bump into familiar faces such as Cinderella and her Prince Charming (Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine) and the Big Bad Wolf (Johnny Depp).

Continue reading: Fairytales Come To Life In The First Trailer For Disney's Into The Woods

First Pictures Of Disney’s ‘Into The Woods’ Starring Anna Kendrick And Johnny Depp

By Stephanie Chase in Movies / TV / Theatre on 31 July 2014

Anna Kendrick Johnny Depp Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep, James Corden and Chris Pine also star in the upcoming musical.

Have you ever wondered what happened to Cinderella, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood after they got their ‘happy ending’? Well Disney’s latest musical, Into the Woods might make you wish you’d never asked. In the movie, starring Anna Kendrick and Johnny Deep we sadly learn that some of our favourite fairytale characters actually didn't end up living so ‘happily ever after’ once their stories ended.

Anna Kendrick Into the Woods Anna Kendrick stars as Cinderella

Fairytales have certainly been enjoying a bit of a renaissance as of late with movies such as Snow White and the Huntsman and Maleficent presenting the alternative side to some classic stories. But Disney’s Into the Woods it’s not just another fairytale retelling, instead it explores what happens after the fairytale ended, calling into question everything we ever believed about ‘happily ever after.’

Continue reading: First Pictures Of Disney’s ‘Into The Woods’ Starring Anna Kendrick And Johnny Depp

Life After Beth Trailer

Zach is a total mess following the sudden death of his girlfriend Beth and turns to her equally grief-stricken parents for support. However, when they stop contacting him, he becomes confused by their evasiveness and begins to suspect their daughter is still alive. Sure enough, there's a hole in the ground by her presumably previously occupied grave and she appears to have resurrected from the dead. Zach doesn't know what to think, but when he sees her looking just the same as she did before she died, he is overcome with emotion and decides to tell her everything that he wished he'd said before she passed. However, their happy ending is quickly cut short when Beth starts displaying increasingly erratic behaviour - such as biting and eating a man. Realising that she's a zombie complicates things for Zach, who'll give anything to keep her around but struggles to cope with her newfound brutality.

Continue: Life After Beth Trailer

Zac Efron? (Maybe) - We Pick Our Dream Cast For Fox's 'Grease'

By Stephanie Chase in Movies / TV / Theatre on 02 May 2014

Zac Efron Taylor Swift Anna Kendrick

Can anyone really replace John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in 'Grease', we have a few ideas...

This week Fox announced that they would be airing a three hour live broadcast of Grease next year. Lets think for a minute about what that means, Grease is coming back and there’ll be a whole new cast! Now there’s been no official announcements yet about who might be starring, but for us, that means it's a perfect oppourtunity to compile our dream Grease cast.

Could Zac Efron be Danny?

Danny

Continue reading: Zac Efron? (Maybe) - We Pick Our Dream Cast For Fox's 'Grease'

'Pitch Perfect 2': Are You Ready For More Hilarious A Cappella Action?

By Lauren James in Movies / TV / Theatre on 07 February 2014

Anna Kendrick Rebel Wilson Elizabeth Banks

Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson are officially back for the comedy sequel.

It's official: there's going to be a sequel to 2012's surprisingly successful musical comedy Pitch Perfect titled, of course, Pitch Perfect 2. Fans of the original movie need to get excited because the stars of the show, Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson, will be back in the sequel for more sing-offs, jokes and dramas.

It's Confirmed: Anna Kendrick Will Return For 'Pitch Perfect 2.'

The movie's Twitter feed posted two new posters for the movie, which will be released in May 2015. The new shots show Rebel and Anna as their characters Fat Amy and Beca with the caption "They're Back!" whilst the other shows the whole singing team - The Barden Bellas - posing with sunglasses. As far as teaser posters go, they've done a very good job.

Continue reading: 'Pitch Perfect 2': Are You Ready For More Hilarious A Cappella Action?

Anna Kendrick Describes Self As "Hot, But Like, Approachable Hot" In Hilarious Spoof Super Bowl Advert [Video]

By Lauren James in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 30 January 2014

Anna Kendrick

The '50/50' actress shows her sense of humour in an advert for Newcastle Brown Ale.

Anna Kendrick has shown that not only is she a warm and talented actress, she's also pretty funny too. The 'Twilight' star takes on the role of a rather narcissistic Hollywood bimbo in her latest role, advertising Newcastle Brown Ale in a 'non Super Bowl' advert that has premiered online.

Anna Kendrick Helps Newcastle Brown Make Fun Of The Fact They Didn't Buy Super Bowl Ad Time.

The ad plays upon the fact that the company haven't bought airtime during the commercial break of NFL's Super Bowl football game on Sunday. Kendrick stars in the campaign about how it almost did...

Continue reading: Anna Kendrick Describes Self As "Hot, But Like, Approachable Hot" In Hilarious Spoof Super Bowl Advert [Video]

The 10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2014

By Rich Cline in Movies / TV / Theatre on 24 December 2013

Meryl Streep Johnny Depp Emily Blunt Anna Kendrick Ben Affleck Rosamund Pike Lars Von Trier Peter Jackson Christopher Nolan Bryan Singer Liam Neeson Tom Cruise

As always, there are far too many sequels, spin-offs, remakes and reboots clogging the cinemas, but some of them might actually be good. Of course, release dates are subject to change...

10. The Expendables 3 (Aug) - Hopefully this meathead action romp will be the guilty pleasure of the year. Other muscle-bound, brainless thrills may come from Pompeii (Feb), Tarzan (May) and Hercules (Aug).
Read more about 'The Expendables 3' here

Continue reading: The 10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2014

Drinking Buddies Review

By Rich Cline

Very Good

Small and earthy, this low-key drama simply follows a group of 30-ish characters as they use their friends to sort out their own issues. It's nicely played with a raw openness, although filmmaker Swanberg has a tendency to overdramatise scenes to make a point rather than letting things play out organically. Even so, it's sometimes painfully easy to identify with these flawed people.

The story is set around a small Chicago brewery, where Kate (Wilde) works in the office then hangs out after hours with the guys who make the beer. So she's often late arriving home to her music producer boyfriend Chris (Livingston). For a weekend away, Kate and Chris are joined by Kate's work buddy Luke (Johnson) and his girlfriend Jill (Kendrick). But as they hike in the countryside and hang out together, attraction springs up in all the wrong places. Back home, Kate and Chris decide to separate, while Jill heads off on a long-planned holiday on her own. And as Luke helps Kate put her life back together, their flirtation comes to a head.

In fine mumblecore style, this film meanders through its scenes focussing on conversations while skipping over some key moments that might have helped us understand things more clearly. It feels more like a slice of life than a plot-driven story, even though we can see early on that Kate and Luke are on a potentially messy collision course. Fortunately, both Wilde and Johnson bring offhanded honesty to their roles, creating realistically awkward interaction that bristles with possibilities. These are people at a specific point in life where they feel the need to settle down even as they're still exploring their options.

Continue reading: Drinking Buddies Review

Olivia Wilde's 'Drinking Buddies,' The Smartest Comedy Of The Year

By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 20 August 2013

Olivia Wilde Jake M. Johnson Anna Kendrick Joe Swanberg

'Drinking Buddies' is one of the most easy watching and clever comedies of the year.

Joe Swanberg's new comedy Drinking Buddies is set in a craft brewery, in Chicago. It's not your typical setting or the likes of Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Jason Sudeikis to 'do their thing,' though it works, to perfection, in places.

Jake Johnson [L] and Anna Kendrick [R] Star in 'Drinking Buddies'

It premiered at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival whilst also screening at the Maryland Film Festival and received solid reviews. It follows Kate and Luke (Wilde and Johnson), co-workers at the brewery where they spend their days drinking and flirting.

Continue reading: Olivia Wilde's 'Drinking Buddies,' The Smartest Comedy Of The Year

Sophia Grace Brownlee Lands 'Into The Woods' Role, Ellen Degeneres Favourite Cast As Little Red Riding Hood

By Elinor Cosgrave in Movies / TV / Theatre on 09 August 2013

Ellen Degeneres Meryl Streep Johnny Depp James Corden Anna Kendrick Chris Pine Nicki Minaj

Sophia Grace Browlee has landed a role in Into the Woods. She will play the role of Little Red Riding Hood and will star opposite Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp and Anna Kendrick.

Sophia Grace Brownlee has been cast in Into the Woods. She has landed the role of Little Red Riding Hood, in the film which is due to be released in 2014.

Rosie McCelland and Sophie Grace Brownlee
Rosie McCelland (L) and Sophie Grace Brownlee (R) at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, held at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Brownlee first came to public attention after appearing on a YouTube video covering Nicki Minaj's 'Super Bass'. The 2011 video went viral of Brownlee, and her cousin Rosie McClelland, went viral and the two girls have since appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show. They have appeared on the talk show on multiple occasions as they have gained the approval of the crowd.

Continue reading: Sophia Grace Brownlee Lands 'Into The Woods' Role, Ellen Degeneres Favourite Cast As Little Red Riding Hood

Drinking Buddies Trailer

Kate and Luke are co-workers at a craft brewery who have a remarkably close friendship where they never fail to make each other laugh and always have time for each other. There's definitely a spark, but Kate is in a semi-casual relationship with music producer Chris and Luke is contemplating marriage with his other half Jill. However, when the couples decide to spend the weekend together, Kate and Luke's similar personalities mean they end up with a lot of time on their own together, to the unease of their respective partners. It proves too much for Chris who thus decides to end it with Kate leaving her homeless and devastated. Luke and Jill agree to take Kate in until she finds a place of her own, but can she and Luke continue to keep their deeper feelings for each other buried in such close circumstances?

'Drinking Buddies' is a romantic comedy about the pain of heartbreak, confusion in affections and finding true love. It has been directed and written by Joe Swanberg ('LOL', 'Kissing on the Mouth') and made its premiere at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival. It will soon be released in US movie theatres on August 23rd 2013 and in the UK on November 8th 2013.

Click here to read: Drinking Buddies Movie Review

'The Company You Keep' Has Hallmarks Of An Oscar Contender (Trailer & Pictures)

By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 22 March 2013

Robert Redford Shia LaBeouf Stanley Tucci Julie Christie Susan Sarandon Terrence Howard Anna Kendrick Nick Nolte

The trailer for 'The Company You Keep' suggest Robert Redford has returned to form as a director.

Robert Redford appears to be back on track. Some five years after his disappointing drama 'Lions For Lambs', the Oscar winning director has returned to similar territory with 'The Company You Keep,' a slick looking drama starring an all-star cast. And when we say all-star cast, we really do mean it.

Stanley Tucci as Ray Fuller & Shia LaBeuouf as Ben Shepard In The Company You Keep

Redford stars and directs in the story of Jim Grant, a public interest lawyer and single father living in New York. Shia LaBeouf plays a scruffy intrepid journalist who exposes Grant as a man wanted for a murder he allegedly committed in his days as an anti-war radical. When another member of the Weather Underground - played by Susan Sarandon - is arrested, LaBeouf's Ben Shepard smells an opportunity to make a name for himself with a national story. The superb Stanley Tucci plays his prickly finger-pointing editor (is it us, or was he born to play a prickly finger-pointing editor?) while the excellent Anna Kendrick plays a vulnerable FBI agent. Elsewhere, there's a gruff looking Nick Nolte, the old-hand Richard Jenkins and legendary western actor Sam Elliott. Oh, and there's Brendan Gleeson. And Terrence Howard. And Julie Christie.

Continue reading: 'The Company You Keep' Has Hallmarks Of An Oscar Contender (Trailer & Pictures)

The Company You Keep Trailer

Ben Shepard is a young and ambitious reporter determined to make a name for himself in the media world. When Sharon Solarz, a member of the radical left organisation Weather Underground, is arrested for her involvement in a bank robbery and subsequent murder 30 years ago, Ben smells an important story that could be his big break. Meanwhile, attorney Jim Grant, a single father of an 11-year-old daughter named Isabel who was also involved in the crime, is forced on the run from the FBI as Ben sparks a new manhunt, but on the way he changes course in an effort to expose the truth and prove his innocence. Ben discovers that the whole story is more complicated than he initially thought, particularly as not everyone appears to be who they say they are.

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Anna Kendrick Tweet Goes Viral. You Did WHAT At A Ryan Gosling Movie, Anna?

By Hayley Avron in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 16 January 2013

Anna Kendrick Ryan Gosling Eva Mendes

That Anna Kendrick Tweet about Ryan Gosling? Yup, that went viral. For those of you that haven’t seen the tweet, which got re-tweeted like crazy last night, the seemingly butter-wouldn’t-melt Scott Pilgrim actress posted a racy tweet about the actor Ryan Gosling, to her 669,000 followers, who then helped her out a little by spreading the word.

The ‘offending’ tweet (although it seems most people saw the funny side, read “Ugh – NEVER going to a Ryan Gosling movie in a theater again. Apparently masturbating in the back row is still considered inappropriate.” Move over Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Anna Kendrick’s wit is sharpening and if she’s got any more snappy jokes like that up her sleeve, we reckon she’d be the perfect choice for next year’s Golden Globes. The tweet has already been re-posted over 28,000 times and marked as a favorite tweet over 23,000 times and will have gained Hendrick quite a few new followers.

Hendrick isn’t a very avid tweeter and hasn’t posted anything since last night, though frankly, if you had had such a great response to a single tweet, you’d probably just lie back and bask in your own social media success for while, would you not? When she’s not ‘enjoying herself’ at Ryan Gosling movies, Kendrick is preparing for the release of forthcoming movie Get A Job, in which she stars alongside Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston. And presumably, praying for the end of Ryan’s relationship with Eva Mendes.

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Anna Kendrick's Tweet About Ryan Gosling Shows No Sign Of Slowing Up

By Michael West in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 16 January 2013

Anna Kendrick Ryan Gosling Edgar Wright

Anna Kendrick's tweet about Hollywood hunk Ryan Gosling went viral this week and shows no signs of slowing up, having been re-tweeted over 7,000 times in less than 24 hours. The racy message has now been shared by Twitter users 20,713 times and has been favourited over 23,000 times.

In case you hadn't heard, the 27-year-old Pitch Perfect actress tweeted, "Ugh-NEVER going to a Ryan Gosling movie in the theatre again. Apparently sitting in the back row and masturbating is still considered 'inappropriate'." The tweet - posted at 10.45am on Monday - lit up the internet and received a slew of replies almost immediately. One user joked, "The hell it is! I do that at Gosling movies and I never get in trouble," while another suggested, "They should put this in the trailers for Gangster Squad to get people to watch. Best testimonial yet." A pretty good idea considering the movie has a dismal score of 34% on Rotten Tomatoes - the New York Times critic A.O Scott said, "Gangster Squad would have been more fun as an animated feature, with fanciful animals in the principal roles." Kendrick - who has over 600,000 followers on the micro-blogging site - has not posted since the tweet in question.

Despite her love for Gosling, she has been in a relationship with the Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright since 2009.

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Anna Kendrick's Inappropriate Ryan Gosling Tweet Goes Viral!

By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 15 January 2013

Anna Kendrick Ryan Gosling Eva Mendes Edgar Wright

Anna Kendrick lit up the internet on Monday (January 12, 2013), tweeting a deadpan and frankly hilarious message about her love for Hollywood hunk Ryan Gosling. The 27-year-old has starred alongside the likes of George Clooney, Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Robert Pattinson, though it appears Kendrick is longing for a starring role alongside everyone's favourite leading man, Gosling.

Kendrick tweeted, "Ugh-NEVER going to a Ryan Gosling movie in the theatre again. Apparently sitting in the back row and masturbating is still considered 'inappropriate'". Posted at 10.45am on Monday, the message has been re-tweeted 20,713 times and favourited over 17,000 times. Replies to the surprising tweet began flooding in almost immediately, with one user saying, "HAHAHAHA you're actually amazing omg. I wish you followed your fans cause I would DIE to be followed by you!" Another user - Emily Higgins - had an ingenious idea, saying, "They should put this in the trailers for Gangster Squad to get people to watch. Best testimonial yet." Not a bad idea, considering Gosling's new movie is garnering less than impressive reviews. Finally, Scuba Cat offered the less helpful, "Wow I love you."

Despite the tweeting, a date probably isn't on the cards, given Kendrick has been linked to the Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright since 2009. Gosling also seems pretty infatuated with actress Eva Mendes too. Oh well.

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End Of Watch Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

A strong sense of camaraderie sets this edgy police thriller apart from the crowd. And it's also a change of direction for writer-director David Ayer, who has explored the dark side of police corruption in Training Day, Harsh Times and Street Kings. But this film focusses instead on two good-guy cops just trying to do their job and have happy private lives.

On the gritty streets of Los Angeles, officers Taylor and Zavala (Gyllenhaal and Pena) continually make important arrests, which really annoys their serious-minded colleague Van Hauser (Harbour) because they're usually joking around as well. But their captain (Grillo) is slowly starting to respect their work. Meanwhile, their loyal partnership in the streets spills over into their private lives, and they lend support to each other as Taylor falls in love with Janet (Kendrick) and Zavala's wife (Martinez) gives birth to their first child. On the other hand, a Mexican cartel boss has just put a price on their heads after they busted his operation.

Ayer shoots the film like a fly-on-the-wall doc, with hand-held cameras capturing each scene. Sometimes the shaky imagery is a bit distracting since it has nothing to do with the plot, but it encourages the cast to deliver offhanded, bristly performances that build our interest during the nicely meandering first half. Then things shift drastically as a major plot kicks into gear that involves what the cops call the three food groups: drugs, money and guns.

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Could Anna Kendrick Play Princess Leia In Star Wars Episode 7?

By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 05 November 2012

Anna Kendrick Mila Kunis Star Wars Rachel McAdams

The Jedis have spoken, and it's Anna Kendrick who they want as Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode 7, the first of the movies in the new Disney franchise. The film should hit theaters in 2015 and all eyes are turning to the forthcoming casting process to see who will snag the major roles.

It's likely that all the parts will be up for grabs, with Disney looking to provide a new take on the franchise - a new era. In a poll run by E! Online, fans weighed in on who they'd like to see take up the role of Princess Leia, the twin sister of Luke Skywalker. Mila Kunis, Anne Hathaway, Rachel McAdams and The Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence all scored admirably, though there was one overall winner: Anna Kendrick. We're guessing it may have something to do with Kendrick's likeness to previous Leia actress Carrie Fisher. Oscar nominated Kendrick rose to prominence in the Twilight films, though won acclaim for her turns in the George Clooney-starring Up In The Air and comedy 50/50, with Seth Rogen. Her schedule looks pretty clear for the next couple of years, though she's set to begin work on comedy-drama Drinking Buddies, set for a 2013 release.

A weekend poll on Broadway.com saw Aaron Tveit the clear choice to play Luke Skywalker in the new movies. The Ghost Town actor took a stonking 25% of the vote.

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Pitch Perfect Review

By Rich Cline

Essential

You can call this Glee meets Mean Girls if you want to, but this riotously intelligent comedy is much better than that. With one of the funniest scripts of the year, the film keeps us laughing all the way through, never running out of witty gags even when the rather predictable plot kicks into gear. But then, we never really care where the story's going when getting there is this much fun. And honestly, we never want this movie to end.

Anna Kendrick stars as Beca, a young woman who would rather mix mash-up tracks than attend a boring university. But here she is, so she decides to make a go of it by getting a job at the student radio station and joining the women's competitive a cappella group, the Bellas. But control-freak leader Aubrey (Camp) is annoyed to have the snarky Beca in her group, to say nothing of self-named Fat Amy (Wilson). Meanwhile, Beca's colleague at the radio station, Jesse (Astin), joins the champion male group the Troublemakers, led by the arrogant Bumper (DeVine). But as Beca and Jesse start to become friends, they risk running afoul of Aubrey's only rule: Bellas cannot date Troublemakers.

This rom-com plot isn't the focus of the film, nor is the impending a cappella championship, which we know from the start will be a showdown between the two groups. No, the focus is on the individual journeys of the characters, and even the smallest side characters are given space in which to grow on us. They're also brilliantly well-played by the entire cast, anchored by a solid, surprisingly layered turn from Kendrick. But the film's real scene-stealers are Banks and Higgins as competition commentators who reel off snappy jokes with such blinding speed that we can barely breathe whenever they're on screen.

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ParaNorman Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

The most surprising thing about this lively 3D stop-motion adventure is the way it never talks down to children. It recognises that kids like to be scared at the movies, and that they have a more sophisticated understanding of adults and relationships than we give them credit for. As a result, it's a movie that's both hilariously silly and genuinely creepy. And the superbly written and voiced characters will appeal to young and old viewers alike.

It's set in the sleepy town of Blithe Hollow, a tourist village cashing in on its grisly history of 18th century witch trials. This is where Norman (Smit-McPhee) lives, which is a bit annoying since he can speak to the ghosts which are lurking everywhere. His parents (Mann and Garlin) dismiss this as a childhood fantasy, while his boy-obsessed teen sister (Kendrick) just ignores him. At school, the class bully (Mintz-Plasse) makes his life miserable, and just when Norman thinks things can't get worse, his vagabond uncle (Goodman) tells him that he's the next in line to make sure the town's legendary witch doesn't enact her curse on the 300th anniversary of her death.

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Pitch Perfect Trailer

Beca is a fairly aloof music lover who arrives at Barden University as a freshman apathetically unable to fit into any sort of clique on campus. She is approached by the leaders of an a capella girls singing group, The Bellas, who ask her if she would like to join. Beca declines insisting that she doesn't sing, however she is soon discovered by one of the leaders whilst she belts out some tunes in the shower and is almost forcibly dragged onto the team. The singing group turns out to be an odd mix of weird kids, mean ones and dumb but nice girls who all create the most amazing sound when bundled together for a song session; Beca fits into the diversity pretty easily. The group set out to compete against their counterparts, a formidable male singing group, in a college contest.

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What To Expect When You're Expecting Review

By Rich Cline

Weak

The odd moment of honest drama or genuinely witty humour catches us completely off guard, because this is one of those resolutely bland Hollywood star machines that bears no resemblance to the real world at all.

In Atlanta, TV fitness guru Jules (Diaz) is about to reveal that she's pregnant by her celebrity dance show partner Evan (Morrison). Meanwhile, Holly and Alex (Lopez and Santoro) are looking into adoption even though they're not sure they're ready; Wendy and Gary (Banks and Falcone) are finally expecting after trying for years, only to be upstaged by Gary's dad (Quaid) and his much younger wife (Decker); and food truck operators Rosie and Marco (Kendrick and Crawford) rekindle their teen romance with unexpected results.

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End Of Watch Trailer

Two loyal LA police officers Taylor and Zavala patrol the city's streets arresting drug dealers and gang members, protecting each other's backs and each other's families. The story is told through a series of amateur film footage apparently from police officers, criminals, civilians and surveillance cameras to provide a uniquely accurate depiction of the city's dangers and its cops.

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What To Expect When You're Expecting Trailer

What to Expect When You're Expecting is a comic adaptation of the New York Times' bestselling pregnancy advice book of the same name. The film centres around five couples whose lives are turned upside down when they learn of their forthcoming parenthood. Whilst Jules and Evan (a fitness guru and a dance show star, respectively) struggle to fit the demands of pregnancy into a busy showbiz lifestyle, the author Wendy finds herself in a spin when her body is held hostage by her rampant pregnancy hormones. Meanwhile, Wendy's husband Gary finds himself competing with his own father, who is expecting twins with his much-younger partner Skyler.

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Paranorman Trailer

Norman Babcock is an unpopular kid who has a strange ability: he can talk to the dead. Normally, this unusual talent wouldn't come in useful in everyday life but Norman lives in a town that has a centuries old curse put on it.

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50/50 Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

Films about cancer aren't generally this funny. And while this movie isn't a comedy, beyond its generous dose of realistic humour, it has a smart, personal script that dares to face a difficult situation head on. And the light tone makes it hugely involving.

Young journalist Adam (Gordon-Levitt) is shocked to discover that his sore back is actually a rare tumour twithonly aa 50 percent survival rate. His girlfriend (Howard) promises to stick by him, best pal Kyle (Rogen) offers support, even as he uses Adam's illness to get girls, and Adam's mother (Huston) can't help but offer too much help. But he develops an awkward rapport with inexperienced therapist Katie (Kendrick) that actually does some good. And as his treatment sucks the life out of him, he finds two new friends in his fellow patients (Hall and Frewer).

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Breaking Dawn: Part 1 Review

By Rich Cline

Very Good

Finally, everyone stops taking the Twilight saga so seriously, creating a surprisingly entertaining romp. Yes, everyone still mopes, but they now do so with a twinkle in the eye and a growling sense of underlying menace.

After an idyllic woodland wedding and Brazilian-island honeymoon, Bella (Stewart) finds herself unexpectedly pregnant by her new vampire husband Edward (Pattinson). But what's growing inside her? Edward's family closes ranks to take care of her fast-growing foetus, watched over by her wolf-pal Jacob (Lautner). The problem is that if Bella dies, as seems likely since the baby is sucking the life from her, the tenuous treaty between vampires and werewolves will be broken, leading to all-out war. This of course puts Jacob in a tricky position.

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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Review

By Rich Cline

Part 3 of Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster tale continues the downward spiral of moping. It's efficiently made, with a few moments of energy and levity, but everyone really needs to lighten up.

Even though they're now pledged to be together forever, Bella (Stewart) and her dreamy vampire boyfriend Edward (Pattinson) are stuck in a gloomy funk. Not only does she have lingering feelings for Edward's mortal enemy, the hard-bodied werewolf Jacob (Lautner), but vengeful vampire Victoria (Howard) is still after her. Meanwhile, an army of young-blood vampires is building in nearby Seattle, mobilised by the hot-headed Riley (Samuel). And a Vulpari delegation, led by pain-monger Jane (Fanning) is on its way to clean up the mess.

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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Trailer

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner once again take up their much loves roles for the latest instalment in the Twilight series. Eclipse is the third part to the saga and the script stays loyal to Stephenie Meyer's book of the same name.

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The Twilight Saga: New Moon Review

By Rich Cline

Good

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga continues with this darker and even mopier chapter. The relational knots of emo heroes and dreamy hunks are making it start to feel rather soapy. It may not be as sharp as Catherine Hardwick's Twilight, but it'll keep fans swooning.

Just as Bella (Stewart) turns 18 and begins her senior year in high school, her beloved Edward (Pattinson) decides he has to leave town for her safety. In a deep funk, she eventually turns to neighbour Jacob (Lautner) for company, but their friendship takes a twist when he starts getting hunky and tetchy and hanging out with gang-leader Sam (Spencer). But it's not steroids; the gang members are actually werewolves, locked in mortal combat with vampires. And she needs (and wants) to keep both Edward and Jacob in her life.

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