Tag: Chris Evans

Animation, Interview, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Cast Talk Pixar’s Relentless Pursuit of a Perfect Story

Michael Lee

Buzz Lightyear has come a long way since Pixar introduced him first as a space ranger action figure in Toy Story. Voiced by Tim Allen, the character was the believable hero, but also served as comic relief throughout the films, sequels, shorts, and TV specials. However, Lightyear is different. Instead of telling another chapter of the long-running Toy Story film franchise, director Angus MacLane wanted fans to see the Buzz (Chris Evans) with a new perspective, one that shows nuances to his heroism, ambition, humor, bravery, and maturity.

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Interview, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Composer Michael Giacchino on Storytelling Through Music

Michael Lee

A movie score is one of the emotional hooks that draws audiences into that world. Whether the film is a sci-fi thriller or romantic comedy, it’s the kind of music that connects you with what’s going on within the frame. But for Lightyear composter Michael Giacchino, the score is much more than an assembly of notes that makes a movie sound good. It’s also something that tells a story.

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Animation, Movies, Reviews

NOC Review: Decent ‘Lightyear’ Doesn’t Quite Reach Infinity and Beyond for Pixar

Mike Manalo

At the beginning of this movie there’s a disclaimer briefly explaining that this was the movie Andy saw, loved, and became obsessed with when he got his first Buzz Lightyear action figure. Andy really needs to see more movies.

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Animation, Interview, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Creative Team Discusses its Place within the ‘Toy Story’ Universe

Michael Lee

Lightyear is not exactly what you’d call a prequel. Its opening exposition tells us it is based on the toy that Andy got as a gift for his birthday, and that it was from his favorite movie. So for the first time, audiences everywhere will get to see the title space ranger’s origins story.

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Movies, Streaming

Here’s the Official Trailer for ‘The Gray Man’

Sophia Soto

Netflix has finally released the official trailer for The Gray Man. The Russo Brothers directed film stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Wagner Moura, Dhanush, Billy Bob Thornton, Alfre Woodard, Regé-Jean Page, Julia Butters, Eme Ikwuakor, Scott Haze. You can see the new thriller in select theaters July 15 and streaming on Netflix starting July 22.

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Movies, Streaming

Here’s Your First Look at ‘The Gray Man’ Starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans

Sophia Soto

From directors Anthony and Joe Russo comes the new thriller starring Ryan Gosling as The Gray Man and Chris Evans as his psychopathic adversary. Based on the novel The Gray Man by Mark Greaney, the screenplay was written by Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely. The rest of the cast includes Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Wagner Moura, Dhanush, Billy Bob Thornton, Alfre Woodard, Regé-Jean Page, Julia Butters, Eme Ikwuakor, and Scott Haze.

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Animation, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Cinematographer Talks Collaborating to Find Film’s Visual Language

Michael Lee

In 1995, Andy, from the Toy Story films, received a Buzz Lightyear action figure for his birthday. It was from his favorite movie. And Lightyear is that movie. Directed by Angus MacLane, the spinoff is Buzz’s (Chris Evans) origins story. In the spinoff, the title character explores uncharted space for Star Command with his fellow space ranger Alicia Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) in the name of peace. However, when the evil Emperor Zurg threatens the universe’s safety, Buzz may be its only hope to save it.

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Animation, Interview, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Artisans on Film’s Themes and Achieving the IMAX Experience

Michael Lee

Time is a construct of which we are all familiar. It’s the universal truth that there is simply never enough of it. Which makes it the perfect theme for Pixar’s Lightyear. Billed as their first Sci-Fi epic, the Toy Story spinoff is an origins story — and film that Andy watched as a kid — for the title character who accidentally maroon’s his entire crew on an uninhabited planet.

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Animation, Movies

‘Lightyear’ Footage Goes “To Infinity and Beyond”

Michael Lee

It’s been 27 years since Pixar released the first Toy Story in 1995. Since then, the animation studio has told us stories about innovative bugs, family fish, a lonely geriatric man and his flying house, not-so-scary monsters, romantic robots, our inner emotions, and 13-year-old Chinese Canadians who turn into red pandas. Audiences everywhere have connected with each title emotionally while being wowed at the incredible visuals. So with Lightyear hitting theaters later in June, we will get to see the man that made the beloved toy.

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Animation, Movies1 Comment

‘Lightyear’ Trailer is Not Pretending to Go to Infinity and Beyond

Michael Lee

It all started with a cowboy and a space ranger in Pixar’s Toy Story. Nearly 30 years later, the studio will be releasing Lightyear, its first spinoff film based on the Toy Story film franchise, that follows the man that inspired the Buzz Lightyear space ranger toy. While previous trailer slightly teased a journey to the unknown, We are getting a better sense of the story in a brand new action-packed trailer that mixes high-stakes space exploration with futuristic humor.

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Animation, Movies, Sci Fi

Star Command is Calling! Teaser and Poster for ‘Lightyear’ Lands

Mike Manalo

Back in 1995, when Andy went through his “Buzz Lightyear” phase, didn’t you wonder what all the fuss was about? Well Pixar, leaving no stone unturned, is finally going to show you! And they’re bringing out Steve Rogers from retirement to do it!

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Marvel, Movies, Streaming1 Comment

UPDATED: Cap is Back! ‘Captain America 4’ in the Works with Malcolm Spellman

Mike Manalo

It’s not a spoiler alert to say A LOT happens in six episodes of the epic The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series. So it would make sense for the story to continue in some way, shape, or form to explore everything it sets up. As such, it’s not surprising that today via The Hollywood Reporter it was announced that showrunner Malcolm Spellman is teaming up with staff writer Dalan Musson to write the fourth installment in the Captain America franchise.

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Movies, Reviews

NOC Review: Rian Johnson Slays with ‘Knives Out’

Constance Gibbs

On the morning after his 85th birthday party, acclaimed mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead in his study, a cut carotid and blood splashed everywhere. His family, a classic Christiean cast of characters, are all waiting to find out the contents of his will. It’s with this well-known whodunit premise that Rian Johnson’s uproariously hilarious Knives Out begins.

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Hard N.O.C. Life, Marvel, Movies

Hard NOC Life: We’re in the ‘Endgame’ Now

Hard NOC Media

After it demolished box office records around the globe, we finally talk about Avengers: Endgame! Though the film has been out for more than a week, you should be aware that the discussion will be filled with spoilers throughout.

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Marvel, Movies2 Comments

The Avengers Assemble for the ‘Endgame’

Mike Manalo

“We’re in the endgame now.” The ominous words of Doctor Strange rang in everyone’s ears almost  one year ago today. After months of crazy anticipation, and intense speculation by fans, we’re finally going to get closure and see what those words truly mean.

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Guest Post, Marvel, Movies1 Comment

What Worked (and Didn’t) in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

Guest N.O.C.

by Benjamin To

I finally understand now why this machine took ten years to assemble. This film is pure spectacle in every best sense of the word. Once the first second starts rolling, it’s all pedal to the metal for 149 minutes.

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Marvel2 Comments

Your Move, Marvel

Dennis R. Upkins

So Misty Copeland and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, two of my favorite superheroes, have spoken out against the Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank for his support of President Donald Trump. The athletic clothing company sponsors both A-list superstars. That’s both awesome and to be expected given that both Copeland and Johnson are the epitome of Black/Asian Excellence.

My question however is this. Marvel CEO Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter gave a $1 million to Trump’s presidential campaign and continues to support his administration. Why aren’t any of the white actors from Marvel Studios stepping up and calling him out like Copeland and Johnson did Plank?

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Marvel, News4 Comments

O Captain! My Captain! Chris Evans Battles the KKK (on Twitter)

Laura Sirikul

With the recent confirmation of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General of the United States, Chris Evans has proved to us just how much he is like his film counterpart, Captain America. Evans recently tweeted his disappointment in the confirmation of Sessions. And his argument? David Duke’s praise for Sessions:

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Marvel, Movies17 Comments

A Non Spoiler Review of Captain America: Civil War

Dennis R. Upkins

If the first two Captain America films are any indication, I’ve learned not to watch them with any expectations good or bad. Like most of the Marvel Phase One films, I found First Avenger to be a yawn and filler for the payoff that was the first Avengers movie. Winter Soldier blindsided me and years later I’m still trying to process how amazing that film is.

As much as I love Winter Soldier (it along with Avengers and Age of Ultron rank as my favorite Marvel flicks), and even though I knew I would finally get the Black Panther in this film, I still watched with no expectation.

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Marvel, Movies4 Comments

Thankful for the Captain America: Civil War Trailer

Keith Chow

Last night on a special all-Marvel edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live (corporate synergy, yay!), stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. were on to hype next summer’s Captain America: Civil War. Unsurprisingly, Disney and Marvel Studios used the opportunity to unveil the hotly anticipated first trailer, and predictably, the internet lost its shit. But in a good way!

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Marvel, Movies9 Comments

Captain America: Civil War is the Avengers Sequel I Wanted in the First Place

Keith Chow

Marvel Studios has just announced it is starting production on Captain America: Civil War, the first installment of “Phase 3” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filming is currently commencing in Atlanta, but the production will span the globe with filming to take place in Germany, Puerto Rico, and Iceland. Since it’s also the third film in the Captain America saga — with the Russo brothers returning to direct — you would think that the film would be following up on the events of The Winter Soldier. However, the official plot synopsis and cast list make it sound more like Avengers 2.5.

This is not a complaint by the way.

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Marvel, Movies5 Comments

The Marvel Studios Empire Strikes Back

Keith Chow

About a week and a half ago, Marvel Studios (owned by Disney) and DC Entertainment (owned by Warner Brothers) got into a bit of a pissing contest. Marvel struck first by announcing Robert Downey Jr. would be bringing Iron Man to the Captain America sequel, setting up a “Civil War” story line in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and making it the highest profile superhero vs. superhero showdown of 2016 (sorry, Batman v Superman).

The next day, Warner Brothers unveiled its long-gestating slate of DC Comics-based films that was supposed to satiate fanboys’ appetites through 2020. While a lot of folks found some of the choices in Warner’s ambitious schedule confounding — including yours truly — the one area where DC had a leg up on Marvel was in the diversity of its lineup. In addition to the inclusion of solo movies for Wonder Woman (finally!) and Cyborg (huh?), you also had people of color top-lining two more films — Jason Momoa in Aquaman and Dwayne Johnson in Shazam. As groundbreaking as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, it’s also overwhelmingly white and male. At least until today.

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