Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
Zack Snyder Received Christopher Nolan’s Bat-Blessing for ‘Batman v Superman’
Christopher Nolan delivered a solid trilogy of Batman films (okay, two really good Batman movies and a competent sequel we begrudgingly accept) and inspired a wave of gritty blockbuster imitators. His Dark Knight trilogy gave us the best Batman movies since Tim Burton’s time with the iconic superhero, which made fans feel a little skeptical about Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck’s plans for the character. In an attempt to soothe your fears — however reasonable and totally justified they may be — Snyder has revealed that he received Nolan’s blessing for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. So that’s something, right?
New DVD and Blu-ray Releases: February 2016
If you’re in need of a break from the movie theater next month, there are lots of great titles heading to DVD and Blu-ray in February, including some of last year’s most critically acclaimed releases to help you get caught up before the Oscars. Whether you’re looking to rent or own, you’ll find plenty of titles to choose from in our guide to February’s new DVD and Blu-ray releases.
New Amazon Prime Video Releases: February 2016
If you're looking for an alternative to heading out to the theater or if you need a change of pace from Netflix, don't neglect that Amazon Prime subscription. The streaming service has some new exclusive titles arriving next month, including the critically-acclaimed documentary Amy and Spike Lee's bold and bombastic Chi-Raq. There's also a handful of classics for you to discover and rediscover, along with new seasons of TV shows for your binge-watching needs. Read on for your guide to what's hitting Amazon Prime Video in February.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Deleted Scene Had Maz Kanata Battling Stormtroopers
If you were one of the fans disappointed by Maz Kanata’s limited role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, then we have good and bad news for you. The good news is that Lupita Nyong’o’s wizened old alien pirate is as much of a badass as you suspected. The bad news is that the scene in which she showed off her very particular set of skills was left on the cutting room floor. Silver lining: it could be one of the deleted scenes that shows up on The Force Awakens Blu-ray.
John Boyega Says ‘Star Wars: Episode 8’ Will Be ‘Much Darker’
There was plenty of the dark side in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though overall, J.J. Abrams’ first film in the new trilogy skewed a bit more toward the light side of things, tonally-speaking. It was a solid, entertaining re-introduction to the world of Star Wars, giving us a bit of the familiar and plenty of new elements, setting the table for Episode 8 to really expand on the newer characters and their journeys. And while it’s still a bit early to speculate about Rian Johnson’s plans for the follow-up, John Boyega has offered a couple of clues.
NBC Orders Sitcom Pilots From Tina Fey, DC Comics, ‘Parks and Rec’ Creator and More
With the loss of 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, NBC has struggled in the sitcom department and fallen far short of their former glory, particularly in the face of FOX’s strong lineup and excellent original content from Netflix, Amazon and other streaming providers. There are potentially great things ahead, however, as the company has ordered pilots from Tina Fey, Mike Schur, Marlon Wayans and DC comics, offering a veritable variety platter of humor that could very well punch-up their sitcom lineup and put them back in the game.
‘Bad Santa 2’ Casts Christina Hendricks as Billy Bob Thornton’s Love Interest
So much for a Lauren Graham appearance in Bad Santa 2! Billy Bob Thornton’s foul-mouthed crook will have a new love interest in the upcoming sequel, as Christina Hendricks has joined the lineup, joining fellow new addition Kathy Bates and a few other returning stars whose names are not Lauren Graham.
‘The Jungle Book’ Poster Monkeys Around With King Louie and Kaa
The next in Disney’s long, long line of live-action adaptations of beloved animated properties is The Jungle Book, featuring a stellar voice cast and a lively blend of CGI and live-action elements in Jon Favreau’s reimagining of the classic story. We’ve seen glimpses of them in the trailer, but this new poster for the upcoming film gives us a closer look at two of the film’s main animal characters: King Louie and Kaa.
The ‘Star Wars: Episode 8’ Script Is So Good, J.J. Abrams Wishes He Were Directing It
J.J. Abrams revved up the engine on the ol’ Star Wars ship, launching the series on a new journey with The Force Awakens, but declining to return for the subsequent sequels. Instead, Rian Johnson (Looper) and Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) will be steering the franchise from here on out, directing Episodes 8 and 9, respectively. Johnson is in production on Episode 8 right now, and according to The Force Awakens star Daisy Ridley, the script is “very good.” How good? Abrams regrets turning down the chance to direct it.
Johnny Depp Dethrones Adam Sandler as the Most Overpaid Actor in Hollywood
Last year, Forbes dubbed Adam Sandler the most overpaid actor in Hollywood with the help of some basic math skills — the publication looks at how much a studio makes for every dollar they paid their leading man. Johnny Depp came in second place in 2014, and although Sandler has had an impressively terrible year, Depp succeeded in overthrowing the former funny man and stealing his overpaid crown.
Weekend Box Office Report: ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ Flounders in the Wake of ‘Mockingjay’
While many suspected that In the Heart of the Sea would perform well in its opening weekend at the box office, Ron Howard's seafaring epic delivered incredibly underwhelming numbers, while The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 continued its reign for the fourth week in a row. That's all going to change next weekend when Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives and completely demolishes the competition — if you can even call it "competition."
SNL Brings Will Ferrell’s George W. Bush Back for a Hilarious Announcement
Maybe you didn’t realize how much you missed Will Ferrell’s George W. Bush impression on SNL until the actor popped in for a surprise appearance during the cold open, delivering a State of the Union address on our current crop of GOP presidential hopefuls — which is essentially just Ferrell’s Dubbya roasting his fellow Republicans in an attempt to make an unprecedented bid for a third term as POTUS.