Movies: Fan-Favorite Han: Meet The Beloved Hero Of “Solo: A Star Wars Story”

Lucasfilm presents “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” charting the adventure-filled past of Han Solo, the iconic galactic scoundrel and one of the most beloved characters in cinema history. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo will meet his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounter the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that sets the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

Producer Kathleen Kennedy, describing what makes Han Solo such an iconic and beloved character, says, “He’s very authentic. He’s a scoundrel, he’s a maverick, and there’s a mystery to him. Handsome, incredibly charismatic and adorable—that’s a pretty great combination for a Star Wars action hero.”

Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan was hooked the moment he found out the film was about Han Solo, the character he is most passionate about in the Star Wars canon. “Han was always my favorite, right from the start,” says Kasdan. “He’s the most exciting guy in the saga for me. He’s unpredictable. He’s reckless. He’s not brilliant. He’ll say things that he can’t back up. He’ll leap in when he should stay back. There’s nothing more attractive to me than a screw-up who’s actually got a good heart but hides it as best he can.”

Movies: “Solo: A Star Wars Story” Launches New Trailer And Poster

Lucasfilm has just released the official trailer and poster for Solo: A Star Wars Story which may be seen below.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/jPEYpryMp2s

The trailer clocks in at over two minutes and shows more of the movie than ever before, including great Han-and-Chewie moments, a super-cool Lando and the equally super-cool droid L3-37, and some kinetic Falcon action.

Movies: Emilia Clarke Stars In Latest Movie “Voice From The Stone”

“Game of Thrones’” Emilia Clarke stars in the upcoming thriller mystery “Voice from the Stone” – a haunting tale of fear and romance that plays out amid the ghosts of memory.

Clarke takes on the role of Verena in “Voice from the Stone” and enters the gates of an isolated stone castle in 1950’s Tuscany, as a determined young nurse to cure the mute heir within.  As Verena struggles to bring silent Jakob back into the world, she finds herself submerged deeper and deeper into the hidden secrets of the castle.

The story develops as a haunting and suspenseful thriller harkening to classics like Hitchcock’s “Rebecca.”  Directed by Eric D. Howell, “Voice from the Stone’s” script screamed to be read under a blanket with a flashlight. It plays as a Hitchcock fairy tale set in 1950's Tuscany with mysterious characters and a ghostly antagonist.
             
Written by Andrew Shaw based on the Italian novel “La Voce Della Pietra” by Silvio Raffo, “Voice fromthe Stone” is shot on location in a misted, alternate vision of Tuscany, the international cast includes also Marton Csokas, Edward Dring, Caterina Murino, Lisa Gastoni and Remo Girone.

“It is about these very real deeper human struggles: dealing with grief, with heartache, with the urge to belong. In several different ways, it really gets under your skin,” Clarke shares.

“Voice from the Stone” opens April 26 in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.  Trailer link: https://www.facebook.com/ViewersChoicePH/videos/1208837529242326/

Movie Review: Me Before You

Glad that "Me Before You" was a read-first-watch-later, book to movie experience for me. Mostly because in hindsight the movie was (in my opinion) much better than the book. 

Book review here. 

This could be attributed to the great and tangible on-screen chemistry of Emilia Clarke (Lou) and Sam Claiflin (Will), the audiences loved them together. Every time Emilia made the slightest movement with her expressive eyebrows, the audience would laugh, every time she flashed her ear-to-ear goofy smile you could hear the audience howl in laughter. Of course, Lou's colorful #OOTD, which you just have to see for yourself just made her more lovable as well! 

The audience just loved her!

She is more than just the 'Mother of Dragons' on the hit TV show "Game Of Thrones" she is also a talented actress with lots of tricks up her sleeve. She should really consider doing comedies and romantic comedies. She is a big hit! 

I honestly did not expect that the people in the cinema would be laughing as loud as they did in the movie, there was even one scene when the audience was guffawing in laughter and I just didn't get it. I literally went - What's so funny? Why are they laughing? 

Needless to say, it was a good indicator that the audience enjoyed the movie - more than they should actually. 

Of course, it takes two to tango, so to speak and Sam Claiflin delivered, even if he was a quadriplegic on a wheelchair. In order to prepare for the role, Claiflin tied his arms behind his back to train him on the limited movement he should portray on the screen and it's actually harder than it sounds. 

Needless to say, the audience also loved Sam Claiflin and you could feel all the surging hormones in the air whenever the camera would focus on his face. 

Sam just had to work with his (very handsome) face to act out all the emotions he was feeling and while, there are some hilarious scenes, things get pretty dramatic, pretty fast. 

When I first read the book I thought that the premise was pretty common and predictable. Caregiver falls in love with her rich, handsome quadriplegic patient, nothing new there but that's where author Jojo Moyes, pulls the rug under you and when you least expect it you're in a fetal position, crying your eyes out. 

SPOILER ALERT 

Seriously if you don't want to find out - this is you last chance. 

Last chance. 

The film takes a different direction and tone with the decision of Will (Claiflin) to go to 'Dignitas' an "Assisted Dying Organisation" which is located in Sweden, yes, it is a real place, which 'provides assisted/accompanied suicide to those members of the organisation who suffer from terminal illness and/or sever physical/or mental illnesses.    

Lou takes it upon herself to try and change Will's mind taking him to enjoy various activities and in the process the two fall in love. 

I did mention that there were some insights that I failed to grasp in the book but understood in the movie (that's how good it was) and this was that Will, want Lou to live a life more than just the one that she grew up with. Will wants Lou to get out of the small English town that they both call home and to fulfill her potential. Will tells Lou to live boldly and in the ultimate selfless act, does so.

In addition to Clarke and Claiflin's impressive performance, I must note the hilarious portrayal of Matthew Lewis as Lou's jealous boyfriend, Pat. In case you don't put it together he played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter movies!

The audiences just laughed at the well meaning yet oblivious Pat.
You can read more on Lewis' role here.

Another reason why I love the movie is the soundtrack. If you've been following me you know how long I've been gushing over the songs included in the movie and I have already been listening to the songs prior to seeing the movie (on Spotify). I have yet to pick up a physical CD in record stores but I will, maybe as a birthday treat to myself. You can read more on the OST here.

The only thing that I felt uncomfortable about in the film, was that there were too many close ups, I think. Maybe it was because of the limited actions of Claiflin but still, too many close ups for comfort, for me anyways.

9 out of 10 stars. I was really looking forward to the movie and I'm happy to say that it delivered. I think that having author Jojo Moyes also work on the screenplay was a good way of keeping the story intact and with a powerhouse duo in Clarke and Claiflin, the audience are captivated and just laughs and falls in love.

"Me Before You" is in cinemas on June 15 and is a presentation of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Movie News: Tywin Lannister is Dany's employer in "Me Before You"

So my Thronie (Game of Thrones fan) and cinephile is beyond ecstatic upon the upcoming "Me Before You" movie. I mean, not only is the Mother of Dragons (Emilia Clarke) a real girl (you know, falls in love and gets weak in the knees over a guy and does not have to deal with slavery issues and claiming the Iron Throne) in the film but 'father of the year' (Randal Tarly only comes in second) Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) is also in the film. 

He plays Stephen Traynor, who employs Lou Clark (Emilia Clarke) to look after his son. 

Let's get to know more of the characters, shall we? 

Lending creative and emotional support to the lead stars of New Line Cinema's “Me Before You” are three actors: one on the verge of stardom, two are established stars on their own right. They are Stephen Peacocke (“Hercules”), Charles Dance (HBO's “Game of Thrones”) and Janet McTeer (“Insurgent”).

“Me Before You” is based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes. The story revolves around Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) whose world, at one time, was all-encompassing; he lived a “no limits” lifestyle. Now, two years on, we find him utterly confined. Betrayed by his own body due to a spinal cord injury, he resides at his parents’ countryside home. Lou (Emilia Clarke), on the other hand, has rarely stepped outside this little town, and even stepping into the grand Traynor estate—the “castle,” as it’s called by the locals—is foreign to her. Yet they meet, whether by chance or by fate.

Though Will was very social at one time, the only mainstay in his life when Lou comes along, apart from his parents, is his nurse/occupational therapist, Nathan. Amidst a solidly British cast, Aussie actor Stephen Peacocke plays the role.

 “Nathan functions as Will’s carer, or occupational therapist, or nurse, whatever you want to call it,” Peacocke offers. “But in the scheme of things, he’s probably been with Will the longest out of just about anyone since his accident, and they’ve got a kind of friendship as well. At the end of the day, Nathan’s the bloke that Will can talk to about things.”

To aid both Peacocke and Claflin in preparing for their characters’ interactions, Peacocke says, “We had some lovely occupational therapists come in to help us. Someone in Will’s condition can do virtually nothing for himself; the little things we take for granted like scratching your nose, stretching, getting in and out of the chair, are things that Nathan has to do for Will, so there’s a lot of trust that exists between the two lads. The great thing about the script was that, wherever possible, there was a bit of humor in the way these two fellows work together. They can have a joke about things, and Will’s got a pretty sharp wit, so I think Nathan enjoys the experience.”

Will's mother, Camilla Traynor, strives to temper her motherly concern with characteristic English self-control, though she’s still coping emotionally with what happened to her son. His father, Stephen Traynor, primarily wants what any parent wants for their child: to live a life that makes them happy. He simply realizes, better than his wife, that Will may have reached his limit on that score. To play the couple, the filmmakers cast veteran stage and screen actress Janet McTeer and distinguished actor and filmmaker Charles Dance.

“The reason I like the story is that it’s multi-facted,” McTeer says. “It’s not just a love story between these two; it’s also about life and the many things that make that interesting. “It’s also very English in terms of it’s about class and how we can all make assumptions about people based on that.

“It’s a substantial, moving story, but there are a lot of laughs along the way,” says Dance. “When Louisa comes in to this not-so-easy setup, she brings a kind of eccentricity with her; she’s a bit wacky. But she also keeps Camilla’s hopes alive that Will will change his mind. My character, however, is past that point and has accepted what his son wants to do and, as much as he hates the idea, will help him do it.”

Director Thea Sharrock says that both actors’ performances “are incredibly moving. They managed to capture the shared pain of what the Traynors must be going through…those moments when a parent realizes that what he or she wants is not necessarily the best thing for the child. That sometimes you have to let them do what they think is the best thing for them,” she concludes.

“Me Before You” is a presentation of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM). Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, it will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Movie News: EMILIA CLARKE FINDS LOVE IN “ME BEFORE YOU”

I love Emilia Clarke and I can't wait to see her in this role, which is so different from Daenerys in "Game of Thrones", she seems to be such a cheery person in interviews and even her Instagram posts are hilarious. Which is why I think she is well suited for the portray Lou in the upcoming, highly anticipated, bring-in-the-waterworks "Me Before You". Book review here. 

British actress Emilia Clarke takes a 360-degree turn from her famous Mother of Dragons character, Daenerys, in “Game of Thrones” to portray the wide-eyed, endearing Louisa, in New Line Cinema’s heart-tugging romance, “Me Before You.”

“What drew me to this movie were the words of Jojo Moyes, the book first and then the script,” explains Clarke. “I was hooked on page one and so excited to play a character with such charm and sincerity, who is so authentically and brilliantly British, and with such a lovely arc in her story.”

With no clear direction in her life, quirky and creative Lou works hard as a waitress in a small café in order to help her family make ends meet. “Louisa is a happy-go-lucky, very content girl,” observes Clarke of her character. “When we first meet her, she is working at The Buttered Bun Café, serving tea and scones. She’s very good at it, she loves the clientele, and we see she’s a sweet kind of caring girl who just wants to do well.”

But times are tough and Lou is let go. Knowing her income is as crucial as her skill set is minimal, she tells her local job placement agent that she’ll happily try anything. Her naturally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge as caregiver and companion to Will Traynor. A once robust young man, he became wholly dependent on others due to an accident two years prior, and his whole world changed dramatically in the blink of an eye.

Director Thea Sharrock says, “Lou lives with her parents, her sister, her grandpa and her nephew in a very small house in a very small town. But her mum doesn’t have a job, Granddad doesn’t have a job, and Dad now doesn’t have a job, so her small income is a very big deal. Yet her outlook remains a sunny one.”

To find an actress who could play positive under pressure, the filmmakers cast a wide net. “We saw hundreds of girls, and I had Skyped with Emilia about the role, but I can honestly say that when she walked in to audition and did her first scene, it was literally like Lou was in the room,” Sharrock recalls. “There was no question. Her energy was exactly right; like Lou, she was just a breath of fresh air.”

Clarke had an easy rapport with the first-time feature director. “Thea is just the greatest, I love her. You’d never, ever, know that this was her first film,” she declares. “It’s a testimony to her intelligence, her integrity and her work ethic that working on this project, with its very tricky subject matter, felt almost effortless. She was so giving and always had a smile and a laugh to put us at ease, and that trickled down to everyone. I never felt like I was working.”

Based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes, New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ “Me Before You” stars Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” movies), under the direction of renowned theatre director Thea Sharrock, making her feature film directorial debut.

Oftentimes you find love where you least expect it. Sometimes it takes you where you never expected to go…

When Louisa Clark—Lou, as she’s known—unexpectedly loses her waitressing job she must scramble to replace the income that her tight-knit family depends upon. Desperation drives her to take a job as a caregiver to Will Traynor, a man who used to be a wealthy banker with an adventurous soul, living life to the very fullest, but for whom those days are in the past. After a tragic accident, Will lost the desire to live and now keeps everyone at a distance with his caustic, overbearing attitude. But unlike his family, Lou refuses to tiptoe around him or cater to his moods. In fact, her sparkling personality and easy nature are hard for even Will to ignore, and soon enough each becomes exactly what the other needs.

Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, “Me Before You” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

The film's Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be available to download/stream via digital stores starting June 3. Get the CD for only Php 459.00 at Astroplus/Astrovision stores starting June 10.

-> Can't wait to get my hands on that OST! Click here for a tracklisting of the soundtrack! 

Book Review: Me Before You

So I finally found the time to write a book review for Jojo Moyes "Me Before You". I actually finished reading the book during my four day stay in the hospital due to Cholelithiasis, (in hindsight, reading the book, while in the hospital was probably not a good idea given that one of the main characters in the book was a C5-6 quadriplegic) the review was delayed due to the many movie releases + Paul's birthday celebration. Now that "Civil War" is released, I'd better get this review out before "X-Men: Apocalypse" comes out. 

I only found out about "Me Before You" due to the movie's trailer, I was immediately sold with Emilia Clarke in the role, along with Sam Claflin. Who wouldn't? I'm a big Daenerys fan and Sam Claflin is gorgeous. I always thought that his other romantic movie "Love Rosie" with the equally gorgeous Lilly Collins was unmercifully dragging and nauseating. Hopefully, things will be different with the movie adaptation of "Me Before You" 

The trailer in itself was enough to get me to start reading the book, but I also saw lots of recommendations and approval and excitement on the upcoming movie from online friends, who have already read the book, so it was a no brainer to start reading. 

At first glance, "Me Before You" is a predictable love story, or at least the part where pretty, quirky employee falls in love with rich and handsome (yes, it seems to be a prerequisite) employer. But that's where the predictability ends.

The book opens with a quick glance at Will Traynor's exciting life, living in a high end apartment, a successful career, a beautiful girlfriend. He seems to have it all, until an accident leaves him as a quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair. 

Two years later, we meet 26 year old Lousia (Emilia Clarke) fondly called "Lou" by her tight knit middle class family who is satisfied with her waitressing job in a local cafe but is suddenly at a loss when she loses this specific job. After going through various occupations at the Job Center (one of them was processing chicken carcass) Lou is employed as a caretaker/companion for Will. 

Taking on the job because of the high pay, (her family really needs the money), Lou struggles with the cold and cynical Will, even her bright and shiny demeanor can't seem to pierce through Will's fortified walls, as he keeps to himself and shuts Lou out. The ever feisty Lou, takes it upon herself to give Will something to live for; the task becoming even more pressing with a deadline shadowing over the unsuspecting pair. Lou discovers that Will has decided to (Spoiler Alert. Stop reading if you do not wish to be spoiled. You have been warned. Last chance.)

-a clinic in Sweden that offers "Assisted Suicide". Okay, so this is the part in the book that takes all "love story cliches" out the window. I was really surprised that Moyes was gutsy enough to tackle such a controversial topic (in a romantic novel, none the less) and this is where readers may have some different opinions. I grew up in a very Catholic household, married into one and spent my whole scholary years in Catholic schools but as a Nurse by profession (yes, this is true) I'm really on the fence about this. 

And so does every character in the book, it seems. As Will's decision leaves his family and Lou, confused and devasted (even Lou's family gets in the mix). Can Lou convince Will to scrap Sweden and continue on living-even if it means being trapped in his chair, unable to be his well travelled adventurous self? 

The book takes on a deep and comprehensive dive in the quadriplegic community, which I must applaud was very informative and interesting. It was a refreshing read and I really learned a lot. 

The very British novel, has a simple enough narrative that is easy to read and follow, nothing poetic but the themes and the thoughts that they provoke are very deep and make you think and reflect on the choices that the different characters make in the story. 

3.8 out of 5 stars. Bring out the tissue for this one. 

Can I just take this space to say another reason that I'm looking forward to the film is the music! 

Some of my favorite bands will be contributing to the soundtrack of the film, The 1975 and Imagine Dragons so Yehey!!! 

“Me Before You” is a presentation of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM). Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, 2016, it will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

The Terminator + Game Of Thrones Equation: Emilia Clarke is the new Sarah Connor

There are a few franchises that cross paths and become even closer than the theory of six degrees of separation as much as The Terminator franchise and the hit HBO series Game Of Thrones does. Here is how their equation works. 

1. Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) played Sarah Connor in the Terminator TV spin off, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. 

2. Terminator Genisys director Alan Taylor is also a Game Of Thrones director! He directed tha last 2 episodes of Season 1 of Game Of Thrones. Taylor then became an executive producer for Season 2 of the TV series and went on to direct four more episodes. You can read more on Director Alan Taylor here. 

Director Alan Taylor on set. 

3. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) is the new Sarah Connor! 

Let's talk more about that shall we? 

Mother's Mercy: Emilia Clarke as the new Sarah Connor. 

An undeniably talented actress, Emilia Clarke has garnered the attention of audiences for her pivotal performances and intriguing beauty. In 2013, Clarke received an Emmy Award nomination her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen (or the Mother of Dragons) on HBO’s hit fantasy series “Game of Thrones,” based on the bestselling novels by George R.R. Martin.

To take on the iconic character of Sarah Connor, the filmmakers of Paramount Pictures' “Terminator Genisys” chose Emilia Clarke for the role. “We go back a long way,” smiles director Alan Taylor, clearly happy to be working with his “Game of Thrones” star again.

Producer David Ellison interjects, “We all love `Game of Thrones,' and there is a strength, and a sense of honor and nobility to Emilia—those are things that can’t be taught. You either have them or you don’t. I think those attributes work perfectly for Sarah Connor, whom I consider a seminal female heroine in cinema.”

Clarke echoes her colleagues when she says, “Arnold (Schwarzenegger) is the first thing that comes to mind when you say ‘Terminator,’ and you can’t do it without him. Probably what I love the most about this script is the relationship between the Guardian, played by Arnold, and Sarah. It’s the heart. It’s beautiful. We get to see his character in this whole other gorgeous light. Watching her all this time has kind of softened him—except, of course, when people have tried to kill her. That hasn’t softened him at all!”

While the guardianship of Sarah has had an effect on the Guardian, the Guardian’s presence has also affected Sarah. Co-star Jason Clarke feels, “Emilia brings a strength in femininity—the Sarah we pick up now is different. She didn’t have to grow up without a strong parental presence. I think there’s a bit more confidence in the woman, not just the paranoia of knowing there’s a future out there that’s trying to end her existence. There’s a bit more ‘girl about town’ that I think helps—you can see her truly start to fall in love with Kyle Reese.”

The weeks prior to the start of principal photography for “Terminator Genisys” saw Emilia Clarke entering the arena of training—the very physical shooting schedule included stunts, fights, heavy wirework and…weapons.

Clarke jokes, “Yeah, there was training every day with guns, lots of guns, and then some more guns, and then a few more guns thrown in. I didn’t know anything about guns before this film, and now, well, I know a lot about guns! Since I had done some stunt work before, they also had me preparing, to get a physical understanding of what was going to be needed. This Sarah was brought up by a Terminator to be a warrior, so she has a huge body of knowledge when it comes to fighting and survival. So a lot of what was done was to help me feel comfortable embodying that part of Sarah, always being prepared. I worked with an amazing military advisor, and a weapons specialist, and then stunts and just physical training.”

Mommy's very angry.
-Ian Malcolm. The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
Sorry guys! I'm still on a Jurassic World high!

Paramount Pictures presents the action-thriller “Terminator Genisys” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons Matthew Smith, and Byung-hun Lee.

In the film, when John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including a new T-800 terminator, the Guardian (Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Will definitely be missing Game Of Thrones especially with the finale for season 5 just around the corner so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the Mother Of Dragons on the big screen (for the first time) kick butt with big as* guns. 

Opening across the Philippines on July 01, “Terminator Genisys” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.