TRAILER FOR SEASON 3 OF “STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN”

 

Tonight, Disney+ debuted the thrilling new trailer for the upcoming Season 3 of “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” during halftime of the NFL Super Wild Card matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, simulcast on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

 

New key art was also released for the third season of the critically acclaimed, original, live-action series from Lucasfilm, streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting March 1.

 

The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.

 

The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. 

 

The directors of the eight-episode Season 3 include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.

 

Jon Favreau is the showrunner/head writer and serves as an executive producer along with Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck are co-executive producers.

Some still images from the trailer:

Digital Movie Review: The Menu

 

Horror and humor come together in The Menu features a group of diners heading to the exclusive Hawthorne facility where a meal is $1,250 per person. Only 12 customers will be dining tonight. Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) are prepared for a fine dinner. Tyler considers himself a huge foodie and an even bigger fan of Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). The customers discover that tonight's menu is designed to tell a story. As the meal and the story unfolds, things begin to get strange. Is it part of the show or something more sinister?

Video Quality:

The HD video is a beautiful 1080p presentation. There is some extremely fine detail levels here especially when it comes to the food. The props, sets and actors are all presented here in a fine natural looking color scheme with little to no compression issues.

Audio Quality:

The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is decent. Dialogue is clear though in the beginning of the film, the dialogue is seemingly second to the ambient environmental effects. The surround channels are subtle and creates a wonderful sense of space. The score also shares the space in the surround channels.  

Bonus Features:

Featurettes: Open Kitchen: A Look Inside The Menu - Feast on the special ingredients of The Menu to see how director Mark Mylod and his formidable cast, the biting script and renowned chef consultants concocted the perfect recipe to bring authenticity and dark humor to the film’s high-end culinary world.

• First Course: Take a seat at the table as director Mark Mylod delves into some of the key ingredients that went into crafting The Menu. Meet the renowned chefs and food stylists who brought their culinary expertise to the set.
• Second Course: Savor the world-building of Hawthorn, from kitchen “boot camp,” to the meticulous details of the production design. Hear from the cast and writers about the director’s naturalistic approach to capturing the nuances of the performances.
• Dessert: Dig into the creation of the s’mores sequence as costume designer Amy Westcott explains the painstaking process of sewing ponchos made of actual marshmallows. The cast discusses chocolate hats and the absurd predicament of their characters.

Deleted Scenes: There are three deleted scenes.

Conclusion:

The Menu is the perfect horror movie for those that don't like horror movies. It is dark, intense and humorous. The performances are fantastic and draw you further into the story. The video quality is fantastic and the audio mix brings you in the restaurant over the course of the meal. Bonus features are at a minimum. But this is highly recommended. 

 The Menu is available on digital now and on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 17.

*The movie was provided for review purposes by Searchlight Pictures but the review is strictly my own*

Action-Packed Trailer for Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania”—Trailer and Poster

 

A new, action-packed trailer for Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania,” which opens in theaters Feb. 17, 2023, just debuted during tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship. Kicking off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fast-paced, big-screen adventure features the MCU’s most powerful villain to date: Kang the Conqueror.  

 

Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a. and Stephen Broussard, p.g.a., “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O'Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar. The sci-fi adventure opens in theaters on Feb. 17, 2023. 

DISNEY+ ANNOUNCES FEB. 1 STREAMING DEBUT MARVEL STUDIOS’ “BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER”

 

Disney+ rang in the New Year with fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, announcing the Feb. 1 streaming debut of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Key art and a new TV spot are now available to download and share.

 

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will join 16 other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies now streaming in IMAX Enhanced on Disney+, which gives subscribers more picture with an expanded aspect ratio for an immersive viewing experience at home (content availability varies by region). More information about IMAX Enhanced on Disney+ is available here. 

 

In anticipation of the film’s upcoming streaming debut, Proximity Media, in collaboration with Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment, released “Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast.” Audiences are invited to listen and learn about the exciting and emotional journey to make the film over the course of six episodes. The first episode is out now on the “Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast” feed, available on all major podcast platforms and at ProximityMedia.com. Five additional episodes will be available weekly beginning Jan. 18. You can preview the rest of the season with a brand-new trailer: https://megaphone.link/ESP3174748639.

  

In Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, ruler of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livinalli. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, is now playing in theaters.