"You're not getting a confession. You're not in my head." "Oh I'm definitely living rent-free." Prime Video has revealed the first look teaser trailer for their upcoming Cross series, the latest adaptation from James Patterson's crime thriller novels. Cross is an adaptation of the Alex Cross series, and will be streaming in 2024. Aldis Hodge (seen in Black Adam, City On A Hill, One Night In Miami, "Leverage", "Underground") stars as Cross - detective and forensic psychologist, uniquely capable of digging into the psyches of killers and their victims, in order to identify—and ultimately capture—the murderers. The series is created by producer and writer Ben Watkins ("Burn Notice", "Hand of God"), and produced by Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television. The series cast also includes Isaiah Mustafa, Darnell Bartholomew, Ashley Rios, Stacie Greenwell, Siobhan Murphy, Sharon Taylor, Mercedes de la Zerda, as well as Jennifer Wigmore as Chief Anderson. This looks like a fairly dark and intense series, investigating brutal crimes and mysterious things happening in dark corners. Might turn out pretty good - check this out. https://onfs.net/3yj6kfX

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid." Focus Features has unveiled the official trailer for Didi, the feature directorial debut of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sean Wang (of the short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó) - who is one of my favorite new filmmakers from 2024. I love this film! At its premiere in competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival it received critical & audience acclaim, winning both the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award & also the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast. "For anyone who's ever been a teenager." In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. A distinct coming-of-age story from Sean Wang. The film stars Izaac Wang as Chris "Didi" Wang, with Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua as Nai Nai, Mahaela Park, Raul Dial, Aaron Chang, Chiron Cillia Denk, Sunil Maurillo, and Montay Boseman. I wrote a glowing review of this film which is quoted in this trailer! And I couldn't be happier to support it and spread the good word. Enjoy. https://onfs.net/3wqo20z

"Darkness will bind them." Here we go again! Prime Video has revealed an epic first teaser for Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series. It's start to launch in late August during the fall - just like Season 1 did back in 2022. The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. For Season 2, as we all know from the finale of Season 1: Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season 1's epic scope and ambition, Season 2 plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. The ensemble cast for Season 2 features Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh. So far so good, this footage rocks! This looks much more darker than Season 1, with even more action and greater stakes with Sauron menacing all of Middle Earth. https://onfs.net/3wwiHop

"Ever been on a bull? It's the greatest rush of adrenaline..." An official trailer it out for a beloved indie film titled National Anthem, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker / photographer Luke Gilford. This premiered at the last year's SXSW Film Festival, and also played at TIFF, Mill Valley, and NewFest. The film is a fictional version of the story of Luke discovering the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA). Charlie Plummer stars as Dylan, who's from rural New Mexico. He takes a gig at the House of Splendor, a homestead built by a community of queer rodeo performers & ranchers, and soon the indefinable magic of an untamed America unfolds before him. SXSW adds: "Finding space to explore and discover himself, he becomes entwined in the life of Sky, a talented barrel racer and free spirit." Also starring Eve Lindley, Rene Rosado, Mason Alexander Park, and Robyn Lively. The film is also inspired by Gilford's photo book of the same name profiling real queer rodeo performers. It looks fantastic! What a magnificent trailer. https://onfs.net/4dBsNVz

"I got the situation under control." Prime Video has revealed a first look teaser trailer for a comedy movie titled You're Cordially Invited, the next big comedy created & directed by filmmaker Nick Stoller (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, The Five-Year Engagement, Neighbors 1 & 2, Bros). Another marriage comedy for everyone to enjoy! You're Cordially Invited follows a woman who is planning her sister's wedding and the father of another bride-to-be. They discover that they are double-booked for their destination wedding, so both parties decide to share the venue, but chaos and disaster await. "Save the date." It's set for release in January 2025, so there's a long wait, but until then have fun with this footage. Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon star as the double-booked hosts, with Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, Wesley Mann, Jimmy Tatro, Celia Weston, Leanne Morgan, Rory Scovel, and Keyla Monterroso Mejia. There's only 60 seconds of footage, but this is a hilarious trailer that might get your attention! Stoller is back with something akin to Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Join Will & Reese below. https://onfs.net/3UVFi77

"The killer... is one of us!" Republic Pictures has revealed a trailer for a murder mystery comedy called Reunion, from director Chris Nelson (of Ass Backwards, Date and Switch, The Perfect Date before). This one is set for a direct-to-VOD release in June this summer. After a murder at a high school reunion party, the remaining guests are trapped in a snowbound mansion, not knowing who to trust. They race to uncover which one of their old classmates is the killer before they're all iced out for good. Starring Lil Rel Howery, Billy Magnussen, Jillian Bell, Jamie Chung, Michael Hitchcock, Nina Dobrev, Chace Crawford. This just a movie version of that streaming series The Afterparty, which is already on Season 2. Looks extra cheap, and cheesy, and definitely something to skip over on the VOD options when choosing what to watch. https://onfs.net/3UFGQ3J

"Nothing is as it seems. And the truth will be revealed." Lionsgate has unveiled an official trailer for the US remake of the film titled Longing, which was originally an Israeli film from filmmaker Savi Gabizon (aka Savi Gavison). The film is a direct remake of his own 2017 film also called Longing (or Ga'agua), and it is once again written and directed by Gabizon this time. A business mogul named Daniel Bloch runs into his old small town girlfriend from 20 years ago while she is visiting the big city only to find out that they had a child together that he was unaware of, but has since died. This remake is set to open in the US in June this summer. Starring Richard Gere as Daniel, with Diane Kruger, Suzanne Clément, Marnie McPhail, Jessica Clement, Tomaso Sanelli, and Shauna MacDonald. This trailer reveals almost the entire plot though that doesn't help much, because this just doesn't look like it's good enough to pay to watch anyway. https://onfs.net/3wAAlHu

"There was no chemistry. They didn't even like each other! But they had a style of relating to the movies, which both of them loved. They were very good critics, and very smart." It's finally time to announce a very special giveaway at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. This is my 14th year attending Cannes, and it's the year 2024, so I have decided to give out 4 signed copies of a new book about two legendary film critics. Back in 2019, I hosted a Cannes giveaway of the hard-to-find Roger Ebert book "Two Weeks in the Midday Sun: A Cannes Notebook" about his thoughts while attending the 1987 Cannes Film Festival. Some of my colleagues that received this book have told me how much they still cherish it. Now in 2024, I want to hand out another Roger Ebert book – but he only published one Cannes diary book in his time. However, the superb author / film critic Matt Singer recently published his own book about Ebert called Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever. 37 years after Ebert published his Cannes diary, we're back again in Cannes for the 77th iteration of this festival and I'm happy to give away a few copies of Matt's book. https://onfs.net/3ymO4Cs

"If we want to help win the war, this is how we're gonna do it." What a killer line of dialogue. Maverick Film & Complex Corp have unveiled the official trailer for a cheap and cheesy World War II action thriller titled Murder Company, based on actual events that are rumored to have really happened. It's set for a VOD launch in July this summer, directed by another junk B-movie filmmakers who churns out nothing but bad movies. In the midst of 1944's D-Day invasion, a group of US soldiers are given orders to smuggle a member of the French resistance behind enemy lines to assassinate a high-value Nazi target. Their mission has never been officially acknowledged, and there is no record the unit ever existed. But those who were there gave it a name of its own: Murder Company. The film stars William Moseley, Pooch Hall, Gilles Marini, Joe Anderson, and Kelsey Grammer as General Haskel. There is really not much to see here. https://onfs.net/3wBbKlR

"Will you love him like we love him?" "Will you actually make time for us?" Republic Pictures / Paramount Movies has revealed the trailer for an indie film titled The Young Wife, the second feature film made by filmmaker Tayarisha Poe, after Selah and the Spades from Sundance 2019. This new one premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival last year, and it will finally be out on VOD at the end of this month to watch. On her wedding day, all that stands between a young woman named Celestina and marital bliss with her soon-to-be husband (played by the singer / songwriter Leon Bridges) is surviving the chaos and expectations of family and friends, each intensifying her spiraling panic. It's a story about marriage and all that comes with it, good and bad. Starring Kiersey Clemons as Celestina, with Kelly Marie Tran & Michaela Watkins. Reviews are mixed, though they do say that "The Young Wife can be a chaotic experience, but Poe has the skills to carry us through the noise and toward the future." If you're curious about this anyway, have a look. https://onfs.net/3UGYggv

"You're going to have to show me who you are." Let's rock!! Warner Bros has revealed two new making of featurette videos for Furiosa, George Miller's highly anticipated follow-up to the sensational action classic Mad Max: Fury Road (from 2015). It opens in theaters in just a few more weeks at the end of May. This action prequel tells the origin story of the renegade warrior Furiosa before she teamed up with Mad Max. It was shot again in Australia in 2022 and is ready to blow the lid off the summer movie season this year. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as a younger Imperator Furiosa, the same Furiosa kicking ass in Mad Max: Fury Road (played by Charlize Theron). It also co-stars Chris Hemsworth as Dementus, Tom Burke, Nathan Jones, Angus Sampson, Quaden Bayles, Daniel Webber, and Lachy Hulme, plus Alyla Browne as the young Furiosa character. We've seen three trailers for this already, each one better than the last, and with the world premiere this week in Cannes – it's time to get your tickets booked. Cannot wait for this!! Dig these looks at how much work they put in on set, with vehicles & make-up, to make it all feel real. https://onfs.net/3K7yzk8

"Don't be afraid." "I"m not afraid." Magic is in the air! Discover a whole new world with Glinda & Elphaba. Universal Pictures has revealed the full-length official trailer for Jon M. Chu's Wicked movie, arriving in theaters everywhere in November later this year. After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Directed by filmmaker Jon M. Chu (of Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba Thropp, a young woman with green skin who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande co-stars as Glinda, with Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, plus Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz. The first teaser trailer from a few months ago actually looked pretty good, but this trailer is even better. Massive real sets, vivid colors everywhere, passionate performances galore! This should be worth the wait as it looks like it might live up to great expectations as a proper cinematic version of the beloved Wicked story. https://onfs.net/3K3DEtZ

"Sisterhood above all..." Warner Bros has revealed the first look teaser trailer for the epic new sci-fi series Dune: Prophecy, a spin-off TV series streaming on Max later in 2024 (aiming for a fall release). It's set 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides, before the universe knew them as the Bene Gesserit... This is directly connected to Denis Villeneuve's two (so far) brilliant Dune movies but it's not a direct prequel since it's set so far in the past. It's also based on the book "Sisterhood of Dune" by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Frank's son). The intro to that book is much more fascinating: "It is eighty-three years after the last of the thinking machines were destroyed in the Battle of Corrin, after Faykan Butler took the name of Corrino and established himself as the first Emperor of a new Imperium. Great changes are brewing that will shape and twist all of humankind." This sounds intense! Dune: Prophecy stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, Chris Mason, Jodhi May, Josh Heuston, Tabu, plus Sarah-Sofie Boussnina & Shalom Brune-Franklin. We've been waiting for this ever since Dune: Part Two opened a few months ago! Glad to finally get a glimpse at some footage - check it out below. https://onfs.net/4bgADT5

"We're gonna change the world, Maria." Netflix has revealed an official trailer for an upcoming sci-fi movie called Bionic, the first Brazilian (sci-fi) movie of its kind produced by Netflix, featuring (what they claim are) "innovative visual effects." This is set to drop on Netflix in just a few weeks coming up at the end of May - not too long of a wait at all. The year is 2035 and the world has been transformed by technology. In this dystopian future where these robotic prosthetics redefine sports, two sisters compete in long jump — but their rivalry leads them down a sinister path. The story focuses on one sister named Maria who rejects the bionic enhancements. Starring Jessica Córes, Gabz, Bruno Gagliasso, Christian Malheiros, Paulo Vilhena, Danton Mello, and Klebber Toledo. In Bionic, ambition, moral dilemmas and family conflicts unfold in a cyberpunk setting, with numerous adrenaline-filled action scenes. Bionic tech isn't really a brand new thing in sci-fi movies, but it's cool to see them trying something else within sci-fi. It seems worth a look. https://onfs.net/3UHhd2G

"Do the police not teach you that coincidences don't exist?" Lionsgate has revealed an official US trailer for a psychological thriller film titled It's Not Over, made by Italian producer / director Alessandro Riccardi. This is an Italian production but shot in English, that first opened in Italy in 2022, now hitting VOD in the US two years later. Max and Sarah are lovers. They meet whenever Albert, her doctor husband, is on duty at the hospital. One night, Albert dies in a domestic accident and, suddenly, Max and Sarah's clandestine love can come out into the open. However, Max notices some disturbing details in Sarah's behavior, insinuating a series of suspicions into the man. What if he's not the person he says he is? It's described as "a spine-chilling thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last minute." Starring Christopher Lambert, Gianni Capaldi, Weronika Rosati, Ian Reddington, Sarah Collier, and John-James Colvin. Ugh this looks like an extremely trashy Lifetime After Dark made-for-TV movie that you really don't want to waste time on. https://onfs.net/4dFoCbs

Another year, another Cannes Film Festival. The 77th Festival International du Film de Cannes has begun this week in the South of France in the lovely beach city of Cannes on the Mediterranean coast. We're back again, along with thousands (and thousands) of film critics, journalists, cinephiles, industry members, filmmakers, students, and more. Cannes remains the BIGGEST film festival in the world, not only with the most prestigious line-up and the most attendees. It's always an exciting time, just to be here in the midst of it all. In the weeks leading up to Cannes, it's particularity challenging to gauge whether everyone is actually excited about coming back, or if there's some other controversy or snag that will disrupt the festival... With its pandemic years now in the rear-view, Cannes is powering forward with another full-on, fireworks-filled two week celebration of the power of cinema. Artistic director Thierry Frémaux also stated during the announcement of the official selection that due to the strikes in Hollywood last year, there are not as many American films, but there are plenty of other new discoveries and surprises ready to shine on the big screen. https://onfs.net/3yjulDA

"This land has it all." Time for a look at even more footage. Les Films du Losange has debuted the first full-length official trailer for The Damned, a French production made by an Italian filmmaker about America's Civil War in the 1860s. The film just premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, playing in the "Un Certain Regard" section. It's the latest narrative feature made by Italian filmmaker Roberto Minervini, whose last film was a doc also set in America called What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire?. The Damned is set in the winter of 1862, during the Civil War. The U.S. Army (meaning the Union army) sends a volunteer company to patrol the uncharted Western territories. As their mission changes course, the meaning behind their engagement begins to elude them. The film stars Jeremiah Knupp, René W. Solomon, Cuyler Ballenger, Noah Carlson, Judah Carlson, and Tim Carlson. We posted the first teaser just a few days ago, but apparently that didn't get enough buzz so here comes a longer trailer. Still not sure about this one. https://onfs.net/4dJqakQ

"If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?" Lionsgate has debuted an official trailer for Blackwater Lane, yet another of these cheap and clunky thrillers that looks like it was made-for-TV in the 90s. This is getting released in June right away on VOD if anyone cares. Adapted from the book titled "The Breakdown" written by B.A. Paris. Late one night a woman drives by a stranded motorist who is later revealed to have been murdered. After a series of terrifying events the woman believes she is the killer's next victim. From the book: "The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. And the silent calls she's receiving, or the feeling that someone's watching her..." Blackwater Lane stars Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, Dermot Mulroney, with Natalie Simpson, Kris Johnson, Edward Baker-Duly, and Pandora Clifford. "It doesn't make any sense..." Why does this look so bad? https://onfs.net/3WIFoQH

Time for something scary. Lionsgate has revealed an official trailer for Never Let Go, a new horror film from the acclaimed horror filmmaker Alexandre Aja (of High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, Piranha 3D, Horns, Crawl). This one is set for release in theaters nationwide in September later this year. Never Let Go follows a mother and her fraternal twin sons who have been tormented by an evil spirit for years and are convinced to never let go of their family’s protective bond. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, their connection is severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. It's set almost entirely at a creepy old cabin in the woods. Halle Berry stars as the mother, with Percy Daggs & Anthony B. Jenkins as the two boys. Alexandre Aja is a master of horror and is always cooking up something terrifying - this is no exception. A chilling trailer promising a clever new horror movie that will frighten audiences later this year. https://onfs.net/3V1eAKh

"Ultraman - do your job!" Netflix has unveiled the full official trailer for Ultraman: Rising, a brand new animated take on Ultraman from director Shannon Tindle (also of Kubo and "Lost Ollie"). This has been in development for years at ILM, with the VFX house handling most of the key animation, along side Netflix Animation & Tsuburaya Productions. Based on the classic Japanese mecha superhero of the same name, this Ultraman movie is a fresh update made for American audiences (there's already the Ultraman anime series on Netflix to watch as well). Ken Sato is a superstar baseball player who returns to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. His plans go awry, however, when he ends up raising a newborn kaiju monster as his own kid. Staring Christopher Sean, Tamlyn Tomita, Gedde Watanabe, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman. This is a fantastic trailer that really sets up the vibe of this movie, which is kid friendly with this adorable kaiju, but it still looks like everyone can enjoy it. Don't write this off! Dive in. https://onfs.net/44HeZ85

"Mike – there's a storm coming. Things are gonna get bad..." Sony Pictures has debuted a second & final trailer for Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth Bad Boys movie after the previous #3 Bad Boys for Life from 2020. Dropping in theaters this June! This sequel is once again directed by Belgian-Moroccan action duo Adil & Bilall, who also directed Bad Boys for Life and Batgirl and Rebel. The world's favorite "Bad Boys" are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy but this time with a twist: Miami's finest are now on the run in Miami. This one is produced by Columbia Pictures in association with 2.0 Ent., Don Simpson / Jerry Bruckheimer Films, and also Westbrook Studios. Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, DJ Khaled, and Jacob Scipio reprise their roles from the previous film, with Tasha Smith taking over the role of Theresa Burnett from Theresa Randle, who played the character in the last three. New cast members include Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhea Seehorn, and Joyner Lucas. Also starring Tiffany Haddish, and Joe Pantoliano of the previous movies, who has a key role in this. Will it be any good? Worth a watch? Who knows! Have fun. https://onfs.net/3UCgUWQ