sandwichjohnfilms

After a strong start, Locke becomes irritatingly predictable. We here at SJF are privileged to see so many mainstream films on an annual basis that when we get an actual arthouse, our pulse tends to quicken. Sometimes smaller productions, free of the harsh eye of studio execs, can yield wonderful fruit. Unfortunately, the one-man Locke doesn't satiate our appetite in the least, even though it's an interesting theoretical exercise. Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is facing a life's crossroads of conflicting priorities. A successful foreman whose fastidious nature has made him a success in office building construction, Ivan is pulled away from the largest concrete pour in England when he learns that his mistress is about to give birth in nearby London. As he speeds to her side, Ivan answers a series of phone calls from his livid boss (voiced by Ben Daniels), his soon-to-be ex (voiced by Ruth Wilson), and the expectant mother (voiced by Olivia Coleman). Ivan's 90-

So what do you think of the title. After months of guesses, speculation and one reveal of Ben Affleck ’s Batman in a monochrome picture, we now know the title for Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel follow-up.  Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Clearly intended to lead – as everyone and their super-powered uncle could have predicted – to Warner Bros. planned Justice League film, Batman V Superman will see DC Comics’ two titans (plus Wonder Woman and whoever else shows up in cameo form etc.) duking it out over some presumed difference of opinion, egged on by Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor, until they realise their forces are better united. And though he shot some early footage, Snyder is now officially rolling the cameras on the film in Michigan, with Henry Cavill back as Supes alongside Affleck, Eisenberg, Gal Gadot Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons (as Batman’s butler, Alfred) and Holly Hunter in a role shrouded in secrecy, which the official announcement refers

What's replacing all those sacked television shows?  We peel back the onion to find out! Story by: Matt Cummings This last week saw all five television networks announce their cancellations and renewals .  That leaves nearly 100 potential new shows in the oven, each vying for our hearts, space on our DVR's, and ultimately our time.  But first each has to appear before advertisers, whose votes will determine which are picked up and those that get sent back to the baker. As we prepared to post this, it became clear that two new trends had appeared in several new shows: first, the stranger their plot, the more apt to be considered.  And like that smelly stuff which has been thrown against the wall, the networks are hoping these will stick.  Second, many of these are rejects of previous pilots, regurgitated and repainted for your pleasure.  Neither of these sound particularly appealing Rather than share all of them, we've hand-picked a selected lot which sadly

Is your favorite show returning next year? Check our list to find out!

The period piece Belle suffers from a fluff script but looks amazing in the process. Review by: Matt Cummings If an image can tell a thousand words, then the painting featured at the end of the period piece Belle could fill a library. And while its story of 18th Century English slavery and social convention looks amazing, it's too self-congratulatory and lacks the emotion of a real winner. Inspired by the true story, Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is an illegitimate mixed-race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode), who is raised by Lindsey's great aunt and uncle (Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson) after Lindsay dies at sea. Belle's half-cousin and confidant Lady Elizabeth Murray (Sarah Gadon) instantly bond, yet Belle's status doesn't afford her the same standards. While Elizabeth chases suitors for a dowry, Belle remains isolated and the victim of the rigid social patterns of 18th Century England. Soon, tradition collides w

After lumbering through the first hour, Godzilla delivers big time. Review by: Matt Cummings It's uncommon for a summer blockbuster to favor story over flashy effects and slow-motion action set pieces, but Director Gareth Edwards's Godzilla pushes convention aside to deliver a smart disaster film that takes a little too long to show our favorite Kaiju. When nuclear physicist Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) loses his wife/colleague to a nuclear meltdown in Japan, he discovers that the event was no accident, but caused by a creature called a MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism). This beast feeds on radiation, tearing down cities and consuming spent nuclear material for unknown reasons. But as 15 years pass, the world realizes this isn't the only problem they must face: a 350 foot monster which the Japanese call Godzilla is hunting the newly-hatched MUTO as part of its prehistoric DNA. Soon, Brody's son Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) becomes involved w

Million Dollar Arm wants to inspire you. Here's why it doesn't fully accomplish its goal. Review by: Matt Cummings The story of baseball has matured over the years, once a white-only game then a highly-inclusive one made up of players from all over the world. But in the feel-good Million Dollar Arm , we learn that the final destination isn't as important as the journey, even if the story doesn't quite get that message quite right. As a sports agent, JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) could once sell ice to an Eskimo. His slick-talking style yielded representation of former players Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders, making him a star in a league filled with them. Unfortunately, JB's current effort to strike out on his own hasn't produced the same fruit. Stuck in front of his television after a failed negotiation, JB learns about the game of Crickett and soon realizes that India might be the last untamed resource for professional baseball players. He journeys there

Neighbors could be instant comedy genius, but we'll let your obscene laughter be the judge. Story by: Matt Cummings There are a few comedies that resonate so well with audiences that they become highly-quotable pop culture treasures, carrying on far longer than the movie which inspired them. The original Anchorman , Ted , and The Watch are a few recent ones that come to mind. We think the next to enter such rarefied air will be Neighbors , a fiercely unapologetic, exceptionally dirty production that almost enjoys rolling in its own crass and filth like a happy pig.  We're almost embarrassed it didn't initially make our May Movie List . Mac (Seth Rogan) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are newly with child, an adorable little girl with enough personality and looks to fill their newly-purchased first home. The area is quiet and filled with good neighbors, and prospects to fill the vacant house next door are high. That all changes when the Delta Psy Kappa fraternity

Was The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ...amazing at the box office? Read on to find out! Does the timid opening spell a larger problem with Sony's rollout plan? Story by: Matt Cummings  The Amazing Spider-man 2 scored one of the best opening weekends of 2014, but it didn't come close to that of its predecessors.  According to our friends at BoxOfficeMojo, the film opened domestically to an estimated $92 million.  That's below Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($95 million) but higher than overall winner  The LEGO Movie  ($69 million) and 2013's Thor: The Dark World ($85.7 million).   As usual, American movies are dong much better overseas, scoring $277 million in two extra weeks of release.  When adding those numbers, it has a good chance to beat ASM 's $490 million total. But, compared to previous releases in the series, this is a disappointing debut. Check out previous opening releases in both the Marc Webb and Sam Raimi era: ASM: $62 million Sp

Why does The Amazing Spider-man 2 feel so...unamazing? Read on to find out!

The newest Star Wars release arrives looking great. Read on to learn more.  Story By: Dave Beusing Matt Kindt has taken on an obscene number of comic book assignments over the past year. Ever since he became the author de jour following the critical success of Mind MGMT (one of the best comics on the stands for 2+ years now), his name has been all over the comic book market. From DC’s Villains Month (he wrote Solomon Grundy , Deadshot , & Harley Quinn ) to Marvel Knights: Spider-Man (really great Spidey mini-series; like Arkham Asylum meets the Webhead) to Valiant Comics Unity (think: their Avengers), Kindt has been working his ass off. All of this is to say, there’s a moment of hesitation, a tentative fear that his new 4 issue miniseries, Star Wars: Rebel Heist from Dark Horse, will sag under the weight of his impressive workload. Fortunately, it’s only a moment of hesitation. And then you take a look at that Kindt-painted cover of Han Solo and a blue alien

The utterly corny and lowbrow Brick Mansions is utterly enjoyable Summer action fare. 

The one-man-show Shatner's World is enjoyable, so long as you're a fan. Review by: Matt Cummings The career of SJF favorite William Shatner is a study in effective self-promotion. Working his way from the Canadian theater scene to the unflappable Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek, to wacko Denny Crane in Boston Legal, Shatner has made his fame one success (and failure) at a time. The one-man-show Shatner's World is more a retrospective celebration of the man than a release of new content, a fact which will entertain based entirely on your opinion of his career. Shot in his native Ontario, Canada, Shatner moves around the stage with frenetic energy, that of a man 20 years his youth. His 'co-star' - an office chair - becomes an important vehicle as he tells about living in a trailer shell after Star Trek's cancellation, or his drive from Canada to Detroit to transport a rabbi, or his hilarious battle with a rat during a ski trip. Grante

The 2016 film gets its director. Story by: Matt Cummings We're happy to report that multi Oscar-nominated Composer Hans Zimmer will score the 2016 release of Batman vs. Superman, which will marks the second time he and Director Zack Snyder will collaborate, the first being 2013's Man of Steel . While Zimmer was concerned about singing on, due entirely to his work on the first three Batman films with Christian Bale, he's onboard now, adding an important part to a film that needs good news right now.  We talked about the game of Scheduling Chicken that Warner Bros. is playing with Marvel over sharing the release date, which has come under intense and negative reaction from fans. Zimmer's a creator of some of film's most iconic music in the past 20 years, includes Broken Arrow , Batman Begins , Pirates of the Carribean , and literally a dozen more.  His drum-heavy marches mixed with vocals has revolutionized an industry that used to employ orchest

Here's why Marvel and DC's game of Scheduling Chicken needs to end soon.  Story by: Matt Cummings While Captain America: The Winter Soldier continues to rake in the box office bucks, an impending release continues to garner almost as much attention.  As we all know, a certain DC film will be premiering on May 6th, 2016 which is the same date for the next Captain America film.  Recently, Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution for WB, said the cinematic version of Chicken is still on schedule over at his studio: “It doesn’t make a lot of sense for two huge superhero films to open on the same date but there is a lot of time between now and 5/6/16. However at this time, we are not considering a change of date for ‘Batman vs. Superman.’”  There's several levels which are readily apparent here, the first of which is more machismo than anything.  After the big delay by Director Zack Snyder, Warner Bros. is now locked into a brass knuckles fight with Marvel t

Kevin Costner's Draft Day is far-fetched but entertaining.  Review by: Matt Cummings The NFL in recent years has been something of a tale of two cities: in the first, it's the most popular American sport, eclipsing Baseball after Commissioner Roger Goodell took over in 2006. But it's also seen its fair share of off-field controversy, from concussions to play conduct. The one thing we haven't seen is the process which teams select players in their yearly draft. Draft Day grants us an acceptable view, although its commercialization is blatantly apparent. Cleveland Browns General Manager Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) has the first pick in the impending NFL Draft, and he's under pressure from his boss (Frank Langella) to select star Quarterback Bo Callahan (Josh Pence). The problem is, he must give up three number one future picks to secure him - in his heart, Weaver wants to select fiery Defensive Lineman Vontae Mack (Chadwick Bozeman), but eventually c

The intricate supernatural thriller Oculus loses steam after a rough start. Review by: Matt Cummings We've been in the middle of a sort of horror film renaissance, gifted with low-budget but wonderfully-terrifying fare, such as 2013's The Conjuring and the Insidious series, as well as 2012's Sinister . Meanwhile, lesser films like The Marked Ones continue to miss the point about what really scares. Their efforts to hunt for low hanging fruit in the form of standard shock are surrounded by truly boring plot lines. The Mike Flanagan flick Oculus is caught somewhere between them, boasting several strong points but mired in frustrating third act. Orphaned siblings Tim (Brenton Thwaites) and Kaylie Russell (Karen Gillan) have a dark secret: their father  (Rory Cochrane) and mother (Katie Sackhoff) were victims of possession by an antique mirror. Initially written off as murder/suicide, Kaylie doubts the reports and sets off to prove the mirror's true natu

The only mildly entertaining Rio 2 give us little to dance about. WARNING: Major Spoilers Ahead!  Review by: Matt Cummings Our first experience with the Rio franchise was decidedly meh - we found the movie about a lost Macau to be decent but ultimately drab entertainment, failing to keep our attention after a very cute opening. It wasn't that we hated Rio , but we soon found ourselves diverted to our tablets and other entertainment while things on screen limped along. Rio 2 doesn't give us much to dance about either, settling in on a superficial story about the environment surrounded by somewhat enjoyable comedic skits. As Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) continues to adjust to life with Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway), he and Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) move to Rio de Janerio. There, Linda and Tulio (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro) open a wildlife habitat, while Blu and Jewel deal with their three precocious children. Soon, these foursome learn about a habita