"Now You See Me 2" Review by Tim Hellman

'NOW YOU SEE ME 2': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Sequel to the 2013 surprise 'caper flick' hit; about a group of four illusionists, that rob from the rich and give to the poor, during elaborately staged magic shows. This installment has the magic team being forced to pull off their most challenging heist yet, for a greedy tech genius. Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine all reprise their roles (from the original movie); while Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe and Sanaa Lathan join the cast (Isla Fisher is noticeably absent, due to her recent pregnancy). Jon M. Chu directed the flick (he's previously helmed films like 'G.I. JOE: RETALIATION', two Justin Bieber documentaries, and two 'STEP UP' sequels), and it was written by Ed Solomon (who also co-wrote the original movie) and Peter Chiarelli. The film is definitely a lot of fun, and consistently entertaining throughout (just like the original).

The remaining three members of the famous illusionist team, known as the Four Horsemen (Eisenberg, Harrelson and Franco), have been hiding out for a year. The FBI is still on their trail, and FBI mole, Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo), is still protecting them. Then Rhodes helps them setup another elaborate magic show heist, that goes horribly wrong. The team wakes up in China, and finds themselves being blackmailed into another caper; by a tech genius named Walter Mabry (Radcliffe). A witty magician named Lula May (Caplan) joins the crew, on this new mission.

I'd say if you're a fan of the original flick, you'll probably like this sequel just as much (or close to it). It's filled with all the same cool magic tricks, detailed (and impressively involving) heists, and witty banter. The cast is all great again (I'm a huge fan of Eisenberg's) and Caplan is an awesome addition to the cast (she's definitely an improvement over Fisher). I can't really see any major faults in it; and at over two hours, it impressively flies by!

First Trailer for the Upcoming Summer 2016 Film "Now You See Me 2"

Summit Entertainment recently released the first trailer for their upcoming summer film "Now You See Me 2". The film stars  Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

"Now You See Me 2" hits theaters on June 10th, 2016

Plot Synopsis:

THE FOUR HORSEMEN [Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan] return for a second mind-bending adventure, elevating the limits of stage illusion to new heights and taking them around the globe. One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public's adulation with their Robin Hood-style magic spectacles, the illusionists resurface for a comeback performance in hopes of exposing the unethical practices of a tech magnate. The man behind their vanishing act is none other than WALTER MABRY [Daniel Radcliffe], a tech prodigy who threatens the Horsemen into pulling off their most impossible heist yet. Their only hope is to perform one last unprecedented stunt to clear their names and reveal the mastermind behind it all.

"Now You See Me 2": Teaser Trailer

Official Trailer and Poster for the Upcoming Frankenstein Drama "Victor Frankenstein"

20th Century Fox recently released the official trailer and poster for the upcoming "Victor Frankenstein". The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott and Freddie Fox. "Victor Frankenstein" hits theaters on November 25th.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/FrankensteinMovie

Plot Synopsis:

James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale. Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. But Victor’s experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences. Only Igor can bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from his monstrous creation.

"Victor Frankenstein": Official Trailer 

Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplin and Jay Chou Join the Cast of "Now You See Me 2"

Summit Entertainment recently send us some casting information for the upcoming sequel "Now You See Me 2".  Daniel Radcliffe (“HORNS,” “KILL YOUR DARLINGS,” “HARRY POTTER FILMS,”), Lizzy Caplan (Showtime's "MASTERS OF SEX," the upcoming "THE INTERVIEW") and Jay Chou (Taiwanese mega-star) joins Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, and Dave Franco for this film. "Now You See Me 2" is slated to hits theaters

Press Release:

It's OFFICIAL! - Daniel Radcliffe (“HORNS,” “KILL YOUR DARLINGS,” “HARRY POTTER FILMS,”), Lizzy Caplan (Showtime's "MASTERS OF SEX," the upcoming "THE INTERVIEW") and Jay Chou (Taiwanese mega-star) will star in Lionsgate's NOW YOU SEE ME 2.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE (“HORNS,” “KILL YOUR DARLINGS,” “HARRY POTTER FILMS”) will play WALTER in Lionsgate's NOW YOU SEE ME 2. Radcliffe is repped by UTA and ARG in the UK and attorney Fred Toczek.

LIZZY CAPLAN (Showtime's "MASTERS OF SEX," the upcoming "THE INTERVIEW") will play LULA in Lionsgate's NOW YOU SEE ME 2. Caplan is repped by WME, Mosaic and Jackoway, Tyerman, Werthheimer, Austen, Mandelbaum & Morris.

JAY CHOU (Taiwanese mega-star) will play LI in Lionsgate's NOW YOU SEE ME 2. Chou is repped by JVR Music.

The ensemble cast includes JESSE EISENBERG, MARK RUFFALO, MORGAN FREEMAN, WOODY HARRELSON, MICHAEL CAINE and DAVE FRANCO.

One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their mind-bending spectacles, the Four Horsemen resurface in NOW YOU SEE ME 2 only to find themselves face to face with a new enemy who enlists them to pull off their most dangerous heist yet.
NOW YOU SEE ME 2 will be directed by Jon M. Chu (GI JOE: RETALIATION) from a script by Pete Chiarelli and Ed Solomon. Producers are Bobby Cohen, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.
Erik Feig, Co-President of the Motion Picture Group, along with Geoff Shaevitz, President of Production, will oversee the project for Lionsgate.

Horrorpalooza 2014: "Horns" Review - Written by Jim Herling

Horns is a great novel written by Joe Hill, son of the legendary Stephen King. Unfortunately when it comes to the film adaption, as is so often the case, that greatness is lost in translation.

The mystery of a man, possibly wrongly accused of killing the love of his life, who wakes up one day suddenly in possession of surprising supernatural abilities that can help him discover the truth of his lover's death, Horns as a novel is an amazing dark comedy about love, revenge, and the horrors hidden within the human soul. And Alexandre Aja's movie, screenplay by Keith Bunin, does cover all those bases. It couldn't help but be dark, what with the main character Ig, played by Daniel Radcliffe, slowly transforming into a devil who can manipulate people's sins. And Radcliffe is absolutely captivating; he plays Ig with a perfect combination of desperation, anger, and horror, and when he wakes up and spontaneously sprouts horns, he is absolutely hysterical as people start spilling their secret sins and desires to him.

The problem is that other than Ig, all the other characters in what should really be a story with four leads get shorted when it comes to characterization. Joe Anderson is great as Ig's brother Joe, but we get nothing about him other than he's a drug-addled musician. Max Minghella is awful and one-note as Ig's best friend Lee, but even his monotone performance is made worse by characterization no deeper than "best friend and lawyer." Juno Temple, meanwhile, is positively luminous as Merrin, the deceased girlfriend who obviously only appears in pictures. But even she gets the short end of the characterization stick; all we learn about her in flashbacks can be summed up by "dead mother, Ig's girlfriend, deceased." And it's absolutely astounding that that's all we get from those flashbacks, considering they take up half the movie, to the detriment of all the other characters and what's going on in the present. Without being given enough to go on to care about the characters and what happens to them, the emotional beats of the story, rushed as they are, fall flat.

I won't go into specifics to avoid spoilers, but even Ig's transformation is rushed, which is a shame, because his transformation is key to the whole story. It's a shame. Horns is a dark, funny, beautiful love story about darkness, vengeance, and redemption, and it had the potential to be a great movie. I'd been looking forward to it for quite some time, but what we got instead was a story of stilted characters going through a fairly boring plot, the whole thing only slightly enjoyable because of Radcliffe's performance. It's for him alone and how awesome he looked in those Horns that I'm generously giving those movie 2 out of 5 stars.

Horns is available on VOD now and opens in theaters on Halloween, October 31st.

Horrorpalooza 2014: Dark Stills for the Upcoming Alexandre Aja Film "Horns"

Radius-TWC recently release stills for the upcoming fantasy/horror film "Horns". The upcoming film is the latest from director Alexandre Aja (High Tension, Piranha 3D) and stars Daniel Radcliffe (The Woman in Black), Juno Temple (Sin City: A Dame to Kill), Max Minghella (The Social Network)and Joe Anderson (Hercules). "Horns" is currently available on ITunes and hits VOD and theaters in limited release on October 31t.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/hornsfilm

Plot Synopsis:

Blamed for the murder of his girlfriend and ostracized by everyone he knows, a small-town guy (Daniel Radcliffe) awakens one morning to find he’s grown a pair of horns. Armed with the supernatural powers they possess, he sets out to find the true killer.