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.

Movies + Music: Updates on the "Me Before You" Soundtrack

One of the things that makes me so happy is when a movie has a kick-ass Original Soundtrack that comes along with it, one that makes you dance in your seat in the cinema (one of my favorite things is when I see a kid literally getting up from their chair in the cinema and dancing to a music playing in the film-that just makes my 'pusong mamon' flutter) and makes you cry buckets of tears. 

If you've been following the blog then you probably know that I have been looking forward to the soundtrack of the upcoming movie "Me Before You" as much as the film itself.  

And now I have MORE DETAILS! -> 

ME BEFORE YOU Original Motion Picture Soundtrack  TRACKLISTING

1. Max Jury "Numb"

2. HOLYCHILD "Happy With Me"

3. X Ambassadors "Unsteady" (Erich Lee Gravity Remix)

4. Jessie Ware "Till The End"

5. The 1975 "The Sound"

6. Jack Garratt "Surprise Yourself"

7. Cloves "Don't Forget About Me"

8. Ed Sheeran "Photograph"

9. Imagine Dragons "Not Today"

I mean look at that tracklisting! It's so beautiful I can just cry! 

I wrote about X-Ambassador's "Unsteady" -you can read more on that here. 

The 1975's "The Sound" is my favorite track from their new album "I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it." (video above) and in case you have been hiding under a rock, the boys are coming back to Manila to perform for "In The Mix" - I really hope I get to see them perform, I already missed their two earlier concerts and Panic! At the Disco is in the line up so please, please concert gods be good to me. :) 

The music in New Line Cinema's sentimental romance “Me Before You” was carefully interspersed with the film’s score, created by composer Craig Armstrong, to evoke the romantic and provocative sensibilities of the story.

“Craig’s music and the songs we were able to find have a huge impact in the film,” director Thea Sharrock says. “They really resonate with what’s happening between [the lead characters] Louisa and Will at every turn and every stage of their relationship.”

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. -Don't forget to mark that on your calendars! I know I will :) 

Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, “Me Before You” is 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! 

Movie News: Neville Longbottom-MATTHEW LEWIS, NOW THE JEALOUS BOYFRIEND IN “ME BEFORE YOU”

Remember all those Before and Now Photos of the Harry Potter cast? How cute they were before and how gorgeous they all are now? One before and now photo stands out and that is of Neville Longbottom's Matthew Lewis who we first came to know as the shy and chubby Neville from the Harry Potter movies. Of course after eight movies, he has she'd the pounds and is now gracing the covers of magazines in the UK. 

We will get to see him on the big screen in New Line Cinema's “Me Before You” as Patrick, the one individual who is not exactly happy about the obvious camaraderie between his girlfriend, the caregiver Louisa (Emilia Clarke) and accident survivor Will (Sam Claflin).

Matthew Lewis says, “Patrick is Lou’s boyfriend of about seven years, and it’s comfortable, you know? He’s also a personal trainer and is obsessed with fitness. He’s set up his business and he’s won this local entrepreneur of the year award twice, and that’s just spurred him on to get fitter and fitter.

He adds, “Now he’s planning to do this Viking triathlon in Norway as his and Lou’s holiday together. In his mind, and probably hers at one point, they’re going to stay in this town for the rest of their lives, get married, get a house, have kids, and everything’s going to be okay.

“When Will comes into her life,” he continues, “suddenly her eyes are open to the possibilities and opportunities in the world outside of this town…and outside of Patrick.”

The Leeds-born actor began his career at the tender age of five with several TV roles, but a speculative trip to open auditions in his hometown six years later saw him secure the much-loved role of Neville Longbottom in the most successful film series of all time. His role as the hapless, endearing and eventually heroic Neville saw him build a massive worldwide fan base.

He made his West End theatre debut in Jonathan Lewis’ critically acclaimed “Our Boys” at the Duchess Theatre, alongside Laurence Fox and Arthur Darville, in 2012.

In 2014, Lewis joined the cast of BBC3’s award-winning “Bluestone 42,” a comedy-drama about a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan in which Lewis played ammunition expert Gordon House, and returned for the show’s third series in March 2015. He can currently be seen in the role of Sgt. Drum Drummond on the BBC and Amazon’s crime drama “Ripper Street,” and as Sean Balmforth in Sally Wainwright’s BAFTA-winning series “Happy Valley.”

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures' “Me Before You” is based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes.

The romantic drama stars Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” series), under the direction of 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…

Louisa “Lou” Clark (Clarke) lives in a quaint town in the English countryside. With no clear direction in her life, the quirky and creative 26-year-old goes from one job to the next in order to help her tight-knit family make ends meet. Her normally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge.

Taking a job at the local “castle,” she becomes caregiver and companion to Will Traynor (Claflin), a wealthy young banker who became wheelchair bound in an accident two years prior, and whose whole world changed dramatically in the blink of an eye. No longer the adventurous soul he once was, the now cynical Will has all but given up. That is until Lou determines to show him that life is worth living. Embarking together on a series of adventures, both Lou and Will get more than they bargained for, and find their lives—and hearts—changing in ways neither one could have imagined.

Thea Sharrock directs from a screenplay by Jojo Moyes and Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (“The Fault in Our Stars”), based on the book by Moyes.

I've read the book and I never imagined that the boy, formerly known as "Neville" will be playing the role of Patrick-and this is yet another reason to look forward to the film! 

“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.

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.

Movie News: WARNER BROS. PICTURES’ CINEMACON PRESENTATION HITS THE JACKPOT IN LAS VEGAS

SUICIDE SQUAD Cast (Jai Courtney, Cara Delevigne, Joel Kinnaman, Will Smith, Jay Hernandez, Adam Beach, Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara, Margot Robbie & Jared Leto)

Big Movies, Big Stars and Big News Take

Center Stage at the Studio’s Big Picture Presentation

BURBANK, CA, April 12, 2016 – Warner Bros. Pictures showcased an impressive lineup of talents and highly anticipated films at this year’s CinemaCon, which generated tremendous excitement for the Studio’s wide-ranging slate. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara opened the program and announced that Ben Affleck—who will again play the role of Batman in the upcoming Justice League movie—will direct, as well as star in, a new stand-alone Batman feature.

The Studio’s presentation was highlighted by trailers and film clips—including some never-before-seen footage—and appearances by some of the major stars and filmmakers involved in each of the movies. It also served to illustrate Tsujihara’s statement about the diversity of the slate: built on the foundation of the key franchises of DC Super Heroes, animated LEGO^® features, and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” but also encompassing a broad scope of dramas, action adventures, horror thrillers and comedies.

There were also speeches from Sue Kroll, in her new post as Warner Bros. Pictures President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, who was recently named President of Worldwide Distribution.

LEGEND OF TARZAN (Christoph Waltz, Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson)

Remarking on the Warner Bros. event, Kroll said, “CinemaCon is always one of the high points of our year: when we get to introduce our upcoming slate to our partners in the exhibition community who are responsible for bringing our films to audiences worldwide. It was wonderful to have this opportunity to showcase the broad range of films Warner Bros. has on the horizon, as well as some of the extraordinary artists behind them.”

Kwan Vandenberg added, “We appreciated the enthusiastic participation of actors and filmmakers from every title, who added tremendous star power to the presentation. CinemaCon gives us a chance to reinforce our commitment to the big-screen experience on a global level.”

Kicking off the film presentation with a bang, Ben Affleck and Amy Adams introduced a thrilling reel spotlighting the Studio’s ambitious slate of DC films. The roster includes the new Justice League film, as well as stand-alone features for Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg. Director Zack Snyder closed the reel with a greeting from the Justice League film set, surrounded by his stars.

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (Will Arnett and directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord)

The DC preview also included a glimpse of the summer’s hotly anticipated action adventure “Suicide Squad” and, immediately following, writer/director David Ayer took the stage and introduced the main ensemble cast, led by Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and Joel Kinnaman. The extended version of the “Suicide Squad” trailer was met with loud applause and the buzz surrounding the film was palpable.

Host Mario Lopez then took the attendees through the rest of the summer line-up, including advance footage from the wide range of titles. The stars and filmmakers who excited the crowd about their upcoming films included: Russell Crowe for the action comedy “The Nice Guys”; Emilia Clarke for the drama “Me Before You” (from New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn Mayer); James Wan, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson for the supernatural thriller “The Conjuring 2” (from New Line Cinema); Teresa Palmer and David F. Sandberg for the horror thriller “Lights Out” (from New Line Cinema); Kevin Hart and Rawson Marshall Thurber for the action comedy “Central Intelligence” (from New Line Cinema and Universal Pictures), which included a taped greeting from Dwayne Johnson; Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz for the adventure “The Legend of Tarzan” (from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures); and Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper for the comedic drama “War Dogs,” which is based on real events.

FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO FIND THEM 

(Colin Farrell, Alison Sudol, Eddie Redmayne & Dan Fogler)

Looking past the summer, Warner Bros. unveiled some of the films on the drawing board from the Warner Animation Group, or WAG for short. Three of the brilliant minds in the WAG think tank—Christopher Miller, Phil Lord and Nicholas Stoller—came to the stage to introduce a special reel featuring a few of the titles in the pipeline, anchored by three new films in the LEGO^® movie franchise: “The LEGO^®Batman Movie,” “The LEGO^® Movie 2” and “Ninjago.” Stoller, who co-directed the next WAG film on the slate, “Storks,” was joined by fellow director Doug Sweetland and voice talents Andy Samberg and Katie Crown to present new footage from the heartwarming and hilarious family adventure.

ME BEFORE YOU (Emilia Clarke) 

The animation portion wrapped with never-before-seen footage from “The LEGO^® Batman Movie,” which gives the breakout star of the hit “The LEGO^® Movie” a film of his own. Drawing laughter and enthusiastic applause, the clip was presented by producers Lord and Miller, joined by the voice of LEGO^® Batman himself, Will Arnett, who made a surprise appearance to the delight of everyone there.

Warner Bros. closed the presentation with a look at the most magical film of the year, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” written by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, which will bring moviegoers to a new place and time in the wizarding world. Four of the film’s stars, Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler and Colin Farrell, came to the stage to introduce the new teaser trailer and a look behind the scenes of the film, which has already captivated fans.