It appears Mel Gibson’s career is far from over. Once a bankable movie star with the Lethal Weapon and Mad Max series and the successful director The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto and the Academy Award-winning Braveheart, he life came crashing down in 2006 after a drunken-driving charge and some well-publicized anti-Semitic remarks. After spending a decade on what could be best described as being on a Hollywood blacklist (he had very few roles in movies that were not very successful), he has started his comeback with his latest directorial effort.
Hacksaw Ridge is the extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) who, during the bloodiest battle of World War II in Okinawa, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. The first ever conscientious objector ever to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor, Doss believed the war was justified, he believed killing was wrong in any situation and served on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic, he almost literally suffered slings and arrows because he was wounded several times while tending to soldiers behind enemy lines. After receiving a 10-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival and receiving fantastic critical reviews, Hacksaw Ridge is now getting Oscar buzz. Welcome back Mel.
It seems that Marvel can do no wrong in their Cinematic Universe as every single movie since the first Iron Man has been a hit. And it seems that Doctor Strange will continue the streak with Benedict Cumberbatch starring as the brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon whose hands are ruined in a devastating car accident. In his attempts to regain full use of his hands, he comes across The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who teaches him to become a Sorcerer. Not your typical super-hero, Doctor Strange is said feature some impressive and mind-bending special effects with amazing and original action scenes. It also features a strong supporting cast including Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mads Mikkelsen.
Even before last summer’s blockbuster movies started coming out in May, Justin Timberlake released his latest song Can’t Stop the Feeling!. At the time of release, one would think that this mind-worm-of-a-song was for a movie coming out in the summer. However, it was actually for a movie coming out in Nov. 4. DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls is based upon the little dolls of the same name and is a musical comedy featuring the voices of Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, James Corden and Gwen Stefani. The Trolls are small creatures who live in an almost perptual state of happiness – singing and dancing all day long. When their village is discovered by the perpetually unhappy Bergens, they are all in danger when the large creatures discover they can have a moment of bliss when they eat a Troll. It does sound a little horrific, but Trolls is getting critical praise for not only being a colourful adventure for kids and entertaining for parents as well.