An exciting announcement; the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII" has been revealed, writes Scott Gentry.

After months of constant rumours, guessing and hoping, the day has finally come. Announced this very morning, Disney and Lucasfilm dispatched a press release, stating the cast members of J.J. Abrams' new instalment of the "Star Wars" series. This is what it read:

"The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker in the new film." 

A picture of the ensemble cast, conducting a read-through.


"Director J.J. Abrams says, 'We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.'



"Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.”

So, this is definitely exciting news; mainly because of the cast themselves. Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega, of "Attack The Block" fame? For many of us here at Utopia, we can definitely agree that  these cast members were not on our minds for any roles within the "Star Wars" universe, but we're immensely glad that they have been chosen.

Excited? Annoyed? Not too fussed? We'd love to know your thoughts! Have your say in the comments section below…

Star Wars: Episode VII will be released in cinemas on December 18th, 2015. 

An impressive continuation of the "Spiderman" story; Marc Webb's latest motion picture is a thrilling sequel.

"The Amazing Spiderman 2" (12A)
Directed by: Marc Webb.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti and Sally Field.
Rated: 12A for containing moderate violence and threat.
Running time: 142 minutes. 
Out now in UK cinemas.

It was only four years after the release of Sam Raimi's critical disaster "Spiderman 3", yet film and technology giant Sony Pictures was eager to get the ball rolling, on the rebooted franchise of the “Spiderman” universe. The main reason for their eagerness was due to the cinematic rights of the “Spiderman” creation reverting back to Marvel Studios, if a new instalment was not completed, in a certain amount of time. So naturally, hesitation was not something that arose in the minds of the filmmakers, as they decided to start production almost immediately, upon "The Amazing Spiderman".

The Fire Brigade had become fairly desperate for volunteers... 

Some said that this was a move that came too soon and seemed far too rushed. However, I always felt that it was a bold (yet needed) move for the studio and luckily, it was a choice which would eventually prove to be fruitful. 

How so? Well, it helped to establish the career of the terrific, young British actor, named Andrew Garfield and the talented director, Marc Webb (of “500 Days Of Summer” fame). Not only did it increase the prominence for those who worked upon it, but it also achieved praise from many fans and critics, who mainly believed that the reboot was faithful, and intelligent.

Peter (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen (Emma Stone) share a villain-free moment together...

Now three years on since the success of "The Amazing Spiderman", we now have "The Amazing Spiderman 2" (no points awarded for titular originality eh?).

Set soon after the events of its predecessor, "TAS2" sees Peter Parker/Spiderman (Andrew Garfield) falter, as he begins to not only question his parent’s strange and abrupt disappearance, but also whether he should risk the life of his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), in return for love. Soon this proves too much for our hero and with the introduction of three villains (setting up for a ‘Sinister Six’ film?), his task of fighting crime will only ever become a constant conflict, between heroes and villains. 


If it hadn't already occurred to you (from reading the plot synopsis), "TAS2" is an ambitious sequel. It endeavours to fit in three villains, a complicated love story and a section dedicated to Peter's parents. 

Where did Electro (Jamie Foxx) get that suit from?

Fortunately, "TAS2" tackles all of the above tasks with ease. With a script written by Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci and Jeff Pinkner, they manage to tie in all of these story arcs to an acceptable standard, by donating an acceptable amount of screen-time to each arc, and therefore allowing every single part to flourish. 

This is certainly evident in the romance of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone's characters, who are able to thrive and perform brilliantly together on screen and portray a couple (because they are in real life!) perfectly, with their emotional chemistry bouncing off of one another with seamless ease. 

Peter (Andrew Garfield) and
 Harry (Dane Dehann), the best
of
friends? 

It's not only the romance that seems convincing, it's the villains who are actually entertaining; “BAFTA Rising Star” nominee Dane Dehann, portrays Harry Osborne exceptionally well and far better than his predecessor James Franco, by delivering a fiendish performance with charm and wit. 

Jamie Foxx also shines in his role as Max Dillon, a lowly engineer from “Oscorp”, who after an accident, is transformed into Electro, a Spiderman-obsessed villain, who is particularly powerful and proves quite the match for Spiderman. However, the only weak link is found within Paul Giamatti's character Aleksei Sytsevich (AKA Rhino) who's screen presence is wasted without affection, as he appears only twice within the film, for only a short amount of time. However, the next instalment could see him reappear, for a lengthier and more fulfilling role. 

A battle between Spiderman (Andrew Garfield) and Electro (Jamie Foxx)...

For those who don't read comics particularly often (like myself), in terms of the back-story to Peter's parents disappearance, it may be slightly different, I’m not quite sure. But in this adaptation, the back-story provides compelling and gripping entertainment, with Embeth Davidtz and Campbell Scott, both reoccurring in their roles of Mary and Richard Parker, for longer screen time, whilst providing pivotal performances. 

 To add to the already exceptional sequel, Hanz Zimmer once again provides an electrifying score to accompany the film, including a terrific piece named “You’re That Spider Guy”. It's not his best score by far, yet it's a notable and entertaining soundtrack. 

Marc Webb on the set of
"The Amazing Spiderman 2".

Marc Webb's directing is also something which should be highly praised. Having only directed indie-hit "500 Days of Summer" prior to "The Amazing Spiderman", it was obvious that Webb's skill with the camera had been noted, and rightfully so. Throughout many of the action sequences Marc directs them perfectly, allowing every element of the action to be displayed smartly upon the screen and therefore provides a thrilling spectacle.  

Verdict

Despite small imperfections, "The Amazing Spiderman 2" is an affectionate gift to the Spiderman universe, with notable characters, a plausible romance and inventive set pieces, making "TAS2" an exceptional sequel.

8 stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

Panning shots, underused actors, and a slight sense of dissapointment: Transcendence

I was really looking forward to Transcendence. It promised to be an intelligent, well-thought out, and very entertaining piece, akin to, say, Inception. Alright, I didn't think it was going to be as good as Inception, but you can see what I'm getting at. Unfortunately, Transcendence didn't live up to that, but neither was it awful. It was fairly entertaining, but nothing extraordinary.

And yesterday, I was only excited.

Dr Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is a brilliant neuroscientist, working with wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max (Paul Bettany) to create the singularity--the perfect melding of human consciousness into a computer, to make a true Artificial Intelligence. However, this has made him enemies, in the form of R.I.F.T, who attack him and force him to advance his program before he dies. But if (and when) he can succeed in uploading his own brain to a computer, will it still be him?

Now, I think that's a great idea for a film. However, the execution didn't live up to the plotting. First of all, very little happened. There were far to many panning shots and the story didn't go anywhere fast enough. By the second act I found myself planning a novel. There were destinations, but Transcendence didn't get there fast enough. I feel as though Wally Pfister had his great idea, but tried to do too much with not enough. And almost all of the characters were underused; Johnny Depp (in person) was barely in it; most of his lines could've been done over Skype! I honestly don't know how this happens, but they all felt underused. There were also some gaps in the storyline--I don't want to say much, as it might ruin the film for you (assuming I've not already done that), but it might bother you. It bothered me; not so much my friend.

Johnny, like the film, isn't looking too healthy here.

That said, Transcendence, when it was good, was entertaining. When it worked, it worked well, and there was enough of this to save it from being truly awful. The first act, and the first half of the second act were good; it was around act three that the quality began to noticeably
drop. In sharp contrast to Her (the only other example I can think of in recent years that deals with AIs and emotions), Transcendence poses some interesting questions about a technology that will probably be available within our lifetimes. I was entertained in many places, but there were some obvious flaws in what otherwise could've been a five star film.

Watch this if the only alternative is Noah; watch this on TV if you've nothing better to do on a Friday night. Entertaining, but with large gaps.

(A low) 3/5

Directed and shot with style, yet Julian Gilbey's latest thriller is a predictable piece. Scott Gentry reviews "Plastic".

"Plastic" (15)
Directed by: Julian Gilbey.
Starring: Ed Speleers, Will Poulter, Alfie Allen, 
Sebastian De Souza, Emma Rigby and Thomas Kretschmann.
Rated: 15 for containing 
very strong language, strong sex, nudity and bloody violence.
Running time: 102 minutes.
Out in UK cinemas from the 30th of April, 2014. 


In the past five years, Will Poulter and Alfie Allen have risen from appearances in certain low-budget films, to roles in "We're The Millers" and HBO's "Game Of Thrones", but here amongst their success, we find them in Julian Gilbey's "Plastic", which has proven to be an unfortunate misstep. 

Based upon a true story, students Sam (Ed Speleers) & Fordy (Will Poulter) run a successful, yet fraudulent credit card scheme. But when they steal from a vicious criminal named Marcel (Thomas Kretschmann), they find themselves threatened, and are ordered to raise five-million pounds by completing a daring diamond heist, in order to clear their debt.


Written by Chris Howard, Julian and Will Gilbey, "Plastic's"script is not only vulgar, but unintelligent and generic. Using a typical heist anecdote, "Plastic" attempts to become something which is reminiscent of Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's 11, 12 and 13" trilogy, but ultimately fails, as it's intriguing cast is not used to the film's advantage. 

In fact, the filmmakers have failed to notice just how talented their cast is. Considering that Will Poulter has won a BAFTA "Rising Star" award, his acting capabilities are stronger than ever, and are deserving of a well written part; here he is neglected and is instead left to portray a particularly thin character. However, it's Ed Speleers who manages to produce the only engaging performance within the entire film, making him an actor to look out for, in the up-coming years.  

If there is a silver lining to Gilbey's film, it's the cinematography by Peter Wignall (a camera operator from films such as "Kick Ass" and "Layer Cake"), as he uses clear shots to convey every detail perfectly, and helps to compose an exciting shoot-out, later on in the film.

Verdict

Despite the undeniable talent onscreen, "Plastic" is an unoriginal piece which fails to become an exciting heist thriller.

4 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

5 reasons why we're looking forward to "X-Men: Days Of Future Past". Written by Scott Gentry.

"X-Men: Days Of Future Past" (TBC)

Director: Bryan Singer.

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart.

Rated: TBC.

Running time: TBC.

Out in UK cinemas on the 22nd of May, 2014.

Almost fourteen years since the release of Bryan Singer's widely acclaimed superhero epic, "X-Men" (2000), the X-Men team are finally receiving their seventh outing, in "X-Men: Days Of Future Past". 

However, the past fourteen years haven't always been easy for the “Marvel”-led franchise, including disappointing sequels ("X-Men: The Last Stand"), departing directors, and constant re-writes. 

Nonetheless, it seems as though the series has fared exceptionally well in terms of its entire box office haul, raking in an impressive box office profit of $2,304,925,865 to date.

Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Hoult and Michael Fassbender, in a still from "X-Men: Days Of Future Past".

Based upon the "Uncanny X-Men" storyline "Days of Future Past" by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, this highly anticipated adaptation sees Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) unite and put aside past differences, to send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to the past, in a desperate attempt to change history before the destruction of all mutant-kind. 

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender
in a still from "X-Men: Days Of Future Past".

Now only thirty-eight days away from its UK release, Bryan Singer's largest film to date, could be the superhero movie we've all been waiting for and here at Utopia, we've been discussing the five things that we're most looking forward to seeing, in Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Days Of Future Past".

5) The Wolverine

Must we say anymore? Having appeared in six Marvel films (including his surprisingly hilarious cameo from "X-Men: First Class"), the Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is perhaps the most iconic and beloved character from the "X-Men" franchise. From the trailers and images, we can undoubtedly assume that Wolverine won't be staying calm for long. So viewers, expect adamantium claw slashing aplenty. 

Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine, in a still from "X-Men: Days Of Future Past".

4) Bolivar Trask

One of the X-Men's most feared villains, Bolivar Trask (played here by Peter Dinklage) is the famed creator of murderous robots named Sentinels, and the main villain of the "Uncanny X-Men" series. Arrogant, yet brilliant in terms of his skills as a scientific genius, Bolivar's power of knowledge makes him a formidable villain for the X-Men team.

Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask, in a still from "X-Men: Days Of Future Past".

3) Time Travel Capabilities

With a plot-line that relies heavily upon the capabilities of time travelling, it will definitely be interesting to observe how Bryan Singer and his team have confronted this complex plot device. 

James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart, in a still from"X-Men: Days Of Future Past". 

2)  The Sentinels

First appearing within the comic "The X-Men" (vol. 1) back in November 1965 and created by Bolivar Trask, the group of robots known as Sentinels are programmed to locate mutants, capture and kill them. Throughout the comics many types of Sentinels have been introduced, however the Sentinels within this film are capable of flight, projectile energy blasts, and the ability to detect mutants. 

The Sentinels, in their comic book form.

1) The Return Of Bryan Singer

A still of Bryan Singer.

Due to Bryan Singer directing the reboot of the "Superman" franchise in the form of "Superman Returns" (2006), the third (and seemingly final) "X-Men" film was ultimately directed by Brett Ratner. Unfortunately, this was a mistake of large proportions, and "X-Men: The Last Stand" turned out a critical flop, but fortunately, not financially.

Thankfully, Bryan Singer has now returned to direct this highly anticipated reboot, with an exceptional cast and crew behind him, in the hope to direct a piece which provides the much needed emotion and heart, which Ratner's film lacked. 

"X-Men: Days Of Future Past" is released in UK cinemas from the 22nd of May 2014, and the trailer is available to watch below. 

Bradley Cooper's "Limitless" meets "The Fifth Element", as Luc Besson's new Sci-Fi extravaganza, "Lucy", releases its first trailer.

After a few recent failures ("The Family" and the "Arthur And The Invisibles" franchise) it seems as though Luc Besson's latest endeavour could prove to be an exciting piece of Sci-Fi. 

"Lucy" tells the strange tale of the titular drug mule (Scarlett Johansson), who after ingesting a certain drug obtains superpowers and the ability to access her brain's full capabilities. 

The film itself has an interesting premise; cast and director all at its helm, but can Luc Besson prove that he is finally back on form? All will be revealed soon (but not too soon), as "Lucy" is released in UK cinemas from the 22nd of August, 2014. The first trailer is now available to watch now, below.

Magnetic Tape and Plot holes: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

by Jon Petre

Recently, Marvel have set the standard quite low for sequels. Captain America: The Winter Solider was by no means brilliant, but neither was it in the same vein as The Wolverine (the one where he goes to Japan; it's so un-memorable I had to Google the title). I was quite impressed, but it was far from polished and was rough around the edges.

See what I mean? A lot darker, eh.

Captain America had a strong, dynamic opening, with some very brutal scenes from the Cap from the off, which surprised me--in a good way. Literally, the Cap crushes someone's lungs in half with his shield. Marvel have tried to shed the image of a jingoistic, champion-of-manifest-destiny and all-American hero, in favour of a darker, more realistic and overall gritty vigilante. Not quite a "Watchmen" is the "new" Captain, but I'll bite.The key theme at play here is that America has gotten dark and shady and corrupt, and generally fairly evil. The Captain reflects this at the outset, and then goes on to outright combat it in the third act. Obviously Christoper Markus (scriptwriter) watched the NSA scandal and the Snowden case last year with hungry eyes. Well, at least more people know about it, I suppose.

Let's have a quick rundown. But be forewarned! Here be spoilers...ish.

SHIELD is under attack. Forces of evil have converged against them --and in today's age of computers and technical wizardry and Total Recall energy masks and photo-grams and motor cars and wiff-waff (look it up, you'll laugh) and kinetoscopes, they may not always be who they seem...but, of course, that's been done so many times (especially in Marvel movies--especially in sequels) that you can guess straight away who's bad. Oh well, I wasn't expecting miracles anyway. The champion of this New World Order is the eponymous Winter Soldier.

Now, I don't want to be a stick in the mud (a lie), but the Winter Solider was in it for all of twenty minutes. In a two and a half hour film. I mean, come on. Why not just call it Captain America 2 and be done with it? Stop lying to us, industry. And you can make the case that they're trying to spread the characterization over two films; I get that, and while it's good, the lack of detail given over to the Winter Soldier was shockingly low. Either go hard or go home--it's hard to be subtle in a superhero movie like this. Don't just put in an antagonist just because you can.

Oh, Winter S! Nice of you to show up for the final act.

And as soon as you start picking, the whole rotten facemask starts peeling away. There were so many implausibilities. And it's not like they're subtle, fan-boy only problems; they're quite huge! You'll notice it as you go along, and unless you're okay with it then it'll annoy you. And another thing; at a key moment, ******* uses a Total Recall-esque energy mask (remember that scene when Arnie is an old fat woman at the airport? that). So now, in any future Marvel movie, any stealth or infiltration can be plot-hole'd by saying "why not use an energy mask?" you've set yerselves up for a world o' hurt, darngummit!

That said, there were some fun things about it. In comparison to the other sequels we've seen recently, it was stellar. The action was well done (if un-polished toward the end) and the plot made sense; it was just marketed terribly and re-branded to suit the title, and it would have done better if they'd played down the Winter Solider in the promos. It was a refreshing change --especially for the Cap-- to see an Avenger acting with such brute force and blase violence. Refreshing. Also, there was the cutest AI ever! He was stored over "20,000 meters of magnetic tape", and had a nice retro interface. It lifted the film out of the abyss that it was sinking towards, and kept the thing afloat at one of its weakest points. I think that there are also some scenes that have been cut out, so if you notice something fairly major missing, that could be the explanation. Or, it could just be a terrible scene. Your choice.

I can't go too low with this one, as it's not fair to class this alongside the standard that Marvel has (sadly) set, but neither is it a must-see. Enjoy it for what it is, and be aware that you'll probably be disappointing if you take it at the value it's been presented as. A reluctant 3/5 for me.

3/5