The awaited trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of Moana (2016) has landed, and it stars Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga’aia and John Tui, while Thomas Kail directs.
I enjoyed Moana (2016), I didn’t get around to Moana 2 (2024), but this live-ation remake of the original movie? It feels super unnecessary.
I’ve been trying to imagine who this appeals to the most. The answer is clearly not me. Perhaps it’s the die-hard fans for whom there’s no such thing as too much Moana.
There simply isn’t an element of this remake that appeals to me in a major way. Whereas, with Disney’s 2015 live-action Cinderella film, it had been a while since a Disney Cinderella movie, and the filmmaking team couldn’t have appealed to me more, as per my response to the excellent trailer.
Are you looking forward to Moana 2026? I’m guessing that there has to be someone who’s super excited.
In new drama Remarkably Bright Creatures, the setting is the night shift at an aquarium. And Sally Field is Tova, an elderly widow who chances upon a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.
Directed and co-written by Olivia Newman, additional key cast includes Lewis Pullman, Beth Grant and Dan Payne.
‘Occasionally is right.‘
That’s my response to the Octopus’s observation towards the end.
I haven’t read the book of the same name by Shelby Van Pelt, on which this story is based, but I do want to know what else the octopus has to say about us, and to see Field being as good as always.
Are you drawn to this one, too?
Colm Meaney, Laura Harris, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Kathy Baker, Joan Chen, Meghan Heffern, Donald Sales, Carolyn Adair and Ezra Wilson also star.
The time has come for me to bow out of watching future Bridgerton stories.
For six years and four seasons, I’ve been quite devoted to following the love stories of the eight Bridgerton siblings.Season onewas good, even if it had its frustrating moments. Season tworemains my favourite, largely because of the Viscount, Anthony, though I wouldn’t call it perfect either.
My enjoyment dipped more significantly with season three. Season four, the most recent one, ultimately confirmed my decision to step away.
One might say I’ve had my fill of the colourful costumes, opulent set design, and clever use of modern music that the Regency-era series is known for. In truth, though, it’s the stories themselves that have gradually lost their hold on me. With each season after the first two, I’ve found the siblings’ love stories less engaging. It didn’t help that the most recent season leaned quite heavily on Cinderella.
Ironically, the part I enjoyed most in season four was the storyline involving the ‘evil’ stepmother and her two daughters. I was fully invested in seeing their behaviour exposed and their comeuppance delivered. I also appreciated the conclusion of the Queen’s best friend and her new lady-in-waiting storylines. Those are my main highlights, along with one more: a very sweet scene featuring the youngest members of the cast dancing.
Even though I’m bowing out halfway through, with eight Bridgerton siblings and a season planned for each, I’m grateful for the good times I did enjoy because the series happened. That includes attending two London premieres and eating the best gluten-free scone of my life in Leicester Square on April 21st, 2023. It was so good I even tried, unsuccessfully, to track down the caterer. I digress.
From here on, I intend to leave the series to those still fully enthused by it. The most I’ll do, if anything, is feature an especially great Bridgerton trailer, but that’s it.
Are you one of the fully enthused Bridgerton fans? If so, which season or character is your favourite?
Patrick Wilson and Amy Adams play a happily married couple who face a growing threat when a notorious vengeance-seeking killer (Javier Bardem) from their past is released from prison.
Cape Fear is a ten-part crime/drama/thriller series that features Lily Collias, Samantha Clifford, Gem Marc Collins and Dot Cloud as additional key cast.
I haven’t seen the 1991 version of this story starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte. Nor have I watched the 1962 release with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum.
If the trend with remakes is anything to go by, this new iteration is unlikely to be better than the earlier versions, but only time will tell because this cast isn’t at all bad.
Bardem seems to be having fun with his second, or is it his third villainous era, the first of which, for me, started with No Country for Old Men (2007).
Have you seen any of the first two Cape Fear films? If so, how were they for you?
Lily Collias, Samantha Clifford, Gem Marc Collins, Dot Cloud, Brandon Hirsch, Jay Huguley, Wynn Everett, Patrick Fischler, Evan Ivory and George Murray Jr. also star.
The latest trailer forMasters of the Universe, the upcoming action/adventure/fantasy where Nicholas Galitzine plays He-Man,is here.
Directed by Travis Knight and with additional key cast that includes Morena Baccarin, Idris Elba, and Jared Leto, He-Man is the young man on Earth whose destiny involves a magic sword and a return home to protect his planet.
It’s looking better. Even more so now I’ve been enlightened to the fact that this is a movie based on a toy, and therefore is inherently silly.
Hopefully, this new trailer edit has true fans feeling more optimistic. As for me, I have no strong emotions. But I do want this to be good.
Are you feeling better after this new trailer?
Alison Brie, Kristen Wiig, James Purefoy, Kojo Attah, Stephen Adentan, Charlotte Riley, Camila Mendes, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Christian Vunipola and Sasheer Zamata also star.
