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All the movies you’ll want to see in 2020

Filed under: Fantasy Realms, Movies, Retro Fix, Sci-Fi Café, Superheroes, TV — Leave a comment

December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas!

It’s that time of year again, time to take a look forward at what movies should be on your radar for 2020. Are you going to see them all? Heck no. These are the genre films we think borg readers will want to know about to make their own checklists for the coming year–and they are only the films we know about so far. We pulled 85 of the hundreds of films that have been finalized or are in varying stages of final production, slated for next year’s movie calendar.

What looks to top the list for most fanboys and fangirls? Ghostbusters: Afterlife! Scarlett Johannson solo in Black Widow! A new James Bond movie, No Time to Die. Vin Diesel in Bloodshot and a new Fast & Furious. The original Tom Clancy novel series is finally continuing with an adaptation of Without Remorse. Comic book adaptations are in less supply in 2020, but look for Venom 2, Wonder Woman 1984, Eternals, The New Mutants, Morbius, Birds of Prey, The Old Guard, and did we mention Black Widow? Compare the below list to our 2019 list and even the 2018 list, 2017 list, 2016 list, 2015 list, or 2014 list, and your takeaway may be seeing the studios moving genre content from the big screen to the small screen via streaming services.

Do you like sequels? There are far less coming to theaters in 2020 than in 2019, but many more remakes of movies, books, and TV shows are on the way. In fact, with all the blockbusters in 2019, 2020 looks pretty tame as the cinema marquee is concerned. Some films don’t have locked in release dates yet: Amazon Studios and Netflix haven’t revealed dates for the following 2020 releases (those we know you’ll find on the calendar below):

7500, a film about a highjacked airplane, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Amazon Studios)
The Dig, a film about a woman finding archaeological treasures on her land, starring Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, and Carey Mulligan (Netflix)
Horse Girl, Alison Brie stars and directs this story about an awkward girl who fuses her dreams with reality (Netflix)
Jingle Jangle, an animated Christmas story with the voices of Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, and Hugh Bonneville (Netflix)
Louis Wain, biopic of the 19th century artist starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, and Andrea Riseborough (Amazon Studios)
The Old Guard, adaptation of comic book story, starring Charlize Theron and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Netflix)
Radioactive, a film about Marie Curie, starring Rosamund Pike and Anya Taylor-Joy (Amazon)
Rebecca, adaptation and remake of the Daphne Du Maurier classic novel, starring Lily James, Keely Hawes, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Armie Hammer (Netflix)
Welcome to Sudden Death, sequel to Jean-Claude van Damme 1995 movie starring Michael Jai White (Netflix)
The Willoughbys, animated adaptation of the Lois Lowry book, with voices of Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, and Jane Krakowski (Netflix)
Wonderland, murder conspiracy mystery starring Mark Wahlberg, Allan Arkin, and Colleen Camp (Netflix)

Some of these films will have revised release dates, or get pushed to 2021.

So grab your calendar and start making your plans–here are the movies you’ll want to see in 2020 (and some you might not!):

January

The Informer – Thriller, starring Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Ana de Armas, Common, and Clive Owen – January 10.

Underwater – Thriller, stars Kristin Stewart in underwater horror story – January 10.

Dolittle – Family/Comedy, stars Robert Downey, Jr. in remake of the classic, with voices of Tom Holland, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, Emma Thompson, Antonio Banderas, Ralph Fiennes, and Michael Sheen – January 17.

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Tags: 2020 movies, 7500, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Adria Arjona, Alex Winter, Alexander Ludwig, Ali Fazal, Alice Krige, Alicia Silverstone, Alison Brie, All the movies, Allan Arkin, Amanda Seyfried, Amazon 2020 movies, Amazon Studios, Amy Adams, Ana de Armas, Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Koji, Angelina Jolie, Anna Kendrick, Anne Dagg, Anne Hathaway, Annette Bening, Antebellum, Anthony Michael Hall, Antoine Fuqua, Antonio Banderas, Anya Taylor-Joy, Armie Hammer, Arsenio Hall, Artemis Fowl, Awkwafina, Úrsula Corberó, Bad Boys for Life, Ben Affleck, Ben Whishaw, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benh Zeitlin, Bill & Ted Face the Music, Bill Murray, Bill Nighy, BIOS, Birds of Prey, Black Widow, Blake Lively, Bloodshot, Bloodshot movie, Bob's Burgers: The Movie, Brian Tyree Henry, C.S. Forester, Carey Mulligan, Cassie Steele, Charles Dance, Charlie Heaton, Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine, Chris Pratt, Christopher Plummer, Cillian Murphy, Claire Foy, Clancy Brown, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Clive Owen, Cloris Leachman, Colin Farrell, Colin Firth, Colleen Camp, Common, Dan Aykroyd, Danai Gurira, Daniel Brühl, Daniel Craig, Daniel Mays, Dann Mintz, Danny DeVito, Darby Camp, Dave Bautista, David Harbour, Dawn French, Death on the Nile, Deep Water, Denis Villeneuve, Dev Patel, Diana Rigg, Disney, Dixie Egerickx, Djimon Hounsou, Dolittle, Donnie Yen, Downhill, Dune movie 2020, Dwayne Johnson, Dylan O'Brien, Ed Harris, Eddie Murphy and James Earl Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Edgar Wright, Eiza González, Elizabeth Debicki, Emily Blunt, Emma, Emma Mackey, Emma Thompson, Ernie Hudson, Eternals movie, Eugene Merman, Ewan McGregor, Fantasy Island, Fast & Furious 9, Finn Wolfhard, Florence Pugh, Forest Whitaker, Frances Hogson Burnett, Frank Langella, Free Guy, G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman, Gemma Arterton, Gemma Chan, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Godzilla vs. Kong, Gretel & Hansel, Greyhound movie, Halloween Kills, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Henry Golding, Hong Chau, Horatio Sanz, Horse Girl, Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant, Hugh Laurie, Iko Uwais, Infinite movie, J.K. Simmons, James Corden, James Marsden, Jamie Foxx, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jane Austin's Emma, Jane Krakowski, Janelle Monae, Jared Harris, Jared Leto, Jason Isaacs, Jason Momoa, Jason Scott Lee, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Saunders, Jessica De Gouw, Jessica Henwick, Jet Li, Jim Carrey, Jim Gaffigan, Jingle Jangle, Joe Keery, Joel Kinnaman, John Amos, John Cleese, John Krasinski, John Roberts, Jon Benjamin, Jon Bernthal, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin, Josh Gad, Jude Law, Judi Dench, Judy Greer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julie Walters, Jungle Cruise, Karen Gillan, Keegan-Michael Key, Keely Hawes, Kelly Marie Tran, Ken Jeong, Kenan Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, King Richard movie 2020, Kristen Schaal, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kristin Stewart, Kyle Chandler, Kyle Richards, Larry Murphy, Last Night in Soho, Letitia Wright, Li Gong, Lily James, Lois Lowry, Louie Anderson, Louis Wain, Maggie Q, Maisie Williams, Manuel Garcia-Rolfo, Margot Robbie movie, Marie Curie, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Lawrence, Martin Short, Marvel, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Matt Smith, Matthew McConaughey, Maya Rudolph, Mckenna Grace, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Caine, Michael Jai White, Michael Keaton, Michael Peña, Michael Rooker, Michael Sheen, Michelle Williams, Milla Jovovich, Millie Bobby Brown, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Miranda Otto, Monster Hunter, Monster Problems, Morbius, Movies in theaters 2020, Mulan, Netflix, Netflix 2020 movies, Nicholas Cage, No Time to Die, Octavia Spencer, Onward movie, Oscar Isaac, Paramount Studios, Patrick Wilson, Paul Rudd, Paul W.S. Anderson, Pedro Pascal, Peter Capaldi, Peter Dinklage, Pixar, Promising Young Woman, Rachel Weisz, Radioactive, Ralph Fiennes, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rami Malek, Ray Liotta, Raya and the Last Dragon, Rebecca, Rebecca Ferguson, Richard Armitage, Roald Dahl, Robert Downey Jr, Robert Pattinson, Robert Zemeckis, Ron Perlman, Rosamund Pike, Rose Leslie, Russell Brand, Ryan Reynolds, Salma Hayek, Sam Rockwell, Samara Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Samuel Leakey, Sasha Baron Cohen, Scarlett Johannson, Scoob!, Sebastian Stan, Sigourney Weaver, Skeet Ulrich, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sophia Lillis, Sophie Okonedo, Soul movie, Sterling K. Brown, Steve Carell, Tatiana Maslany, Tenet movie, Terence Stamp, The Call of the Wild, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Croods 2, The Dig, The Gentlemen, The Informer, The King's Man, The Last Full Measure, The Lodge, The Many Saints of Newark, The New Mutants, The Old Guard, The One and Only Ivan, The Personal History of David Copperfield, The Rhythm Section, The Secret Garden, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, The Tomorrow War, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Willoughbys, The Witches, The Woman in the Window, The Woman Who Loves Giraffes, Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, Tina Fey, Tom Bateman, Tom Clancy, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Tom Hardy, Tom Holland, Top Gun: Maverick, Tracy Morgan, Trolls World Tour, Troop Zero, Uncharted movie, Underwater, Universal Studios, Vanessa Hudgens, Venom 2, Vera Farmiga, Vin Diesel, Viola Davis, Voyager space probe, Welcome to Sudden Death, Wendy movie, Wesley Snipes, Will Ferrell, Will Forte, Will Smith, William Hurt, Without Remorse, Wonder Woman 1984, Wonderland, Wyatt Russell, Yifei Liu, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Ziyi Zhang

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Powerless–NBC’s silly, fun, new comedy we all need

Filed under: Comics & Books, Superheroes, TV — Leave a comment

February 4, 2017

Not every new television series needs to be the next five-time Emmy winner. NBC’s new comedy series Powerless doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and the content is as lighthearted as you’ll find anywhere today. And unless you’re a Scrooge, prepare for a fun half hour every week of positive, clean, silly humor. The kind we all could use more of.

Lead actress Vanessa Hudgens (Sucker Punch, High School Musical) plays Emily, and in the week’s season opener she was energetic and expressive. You believe she’s trying to bring together a group of R&D workers in her new job for Wayne Security, because Hudgens looks like she believes in what she’s doing. Alan Tudyk, star of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Firefly–plays the office boss for all it’s worth. Fan favorite Community’s beloved Danny Pudi is one of Emily’s new employees and he and the rest of the cast (Christina Kirk, Ron Funches, and Jenny Pierson) are like a sketch comedy troupe ready to dish out the next laugh. It’s not a riot, but it’s all good-natured fun–a show with a little bit of heart, and something appropriate and accessible to all ages.

The DC Comics tie-ins are sprinkled across the half hour of humor, and the clever bits produced some out-loud laughs, especially the last line of the first episode. And the opening credits clue viewers in upfront that this is not a show featuring the superheroes, but those civilians in the background of key superhero scenes across time.

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Tags: Alan Tudyk, Christina Kirk, Danny Pudi, Jenny Pierson, Marc McClure, NBC, Powerless, Powerless TV series, Ron Funches, Vanessa Hudgens

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First look–Hudgens, Tudyk and Pudi star in superhero series “Powerless”

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January 7, 2017

No doubt loads of fans from different areas of interest will be all over a new NBC series coming in February. First and foremost, each of the lead actors of the new superhero series Powerless have their own following. One of Hollywood’s highest paid young actresses, Vanessa Hudgens (Sucker Punch, High School Musical) has the lead role of Emily, who works in Research and Development for Wayne Enterprises as the Bruce Wayne company develops products to protect regular citizens from the kind of havoc wreaked by Superman in Man of Steel.

Then there’s Alan Tudyk, star of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Firefly–two of the most outspoken and loyal fanbases of any franchises in any genre–who plays the office boss. Fan favorite Community’s beloved Danny Pudi is a co-worker on the show. And securing yet another fanbase, Powerless is a DC Comics tie-in, featuring plenty of references to the pantheon of superheroes.

If it can only deliver some good humor and have some solid writing that is up to the quality of the cast, the series should be a hit. But don’t confuse this Powerless with the Marvel Comics mini-series from more than a decade ago. Also, don’t confuse this series with the Powerless previewed this past summer. Same actors, similar roles, but the storyline has obviously been significantly reworked. Check out a preview for Powerless followed by the preview for the series before it was reworked:

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Tags: Alan Tudyk, Danny Pudi, NBC, Powerless, Powerless TV preview trailer, Powerless TV series, Vanessa Hudgens

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Now streaming–Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch

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August 31, 2015

Zack Snyder. He’s the director of the acclaimed movie adaptation of comic books 300 and Watchmen. With those two movies he showed through his own unique style–adhering to Frank Miller’s panel work for 300, amplifying Dave Gibbon’s powerful images in his Watchmen–that he knows how to make comic book movies. So how could he have fallen so flat with Man of Steel (reviewed previously here at borg.com)? Snyder makes big movies but you can’t depend on his name to know what you’re going to get when you plop down the price of a ticket. When you hear about a movie advertised as Sucker Punch was, it’s easy to skip over it especially because he both wrote and directed the movie. Released in 2011, Sucker Punch is now available On Demand. Is it worth checking out?

Sucker Punch was only marketed as a movie featuring ass-kicking female characters in video game situations. Yet the story is grounded in some serious issues. It follows two tracks: first, a young woman only referred to as Baby Doll (played by Emily Browning) being abused by her step-father is sent to an “insane asylum,” and second, that woman enters into a fantasy world to survive and avoid being lobotomized by the doctor on staff (played by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm). If you give Snyder the benefit of the doubt, you can buy into the fantasy word elements. Baby Doll’s fantasy world consists of the stuff of David Carradine’s Kung Fu series, first person video games, and even The Lord of the Rings. Led by her own inner mentor, played superbly by Scott Glenn (Silverado, The Right Stuff, Backdraft), Baby Doll takes a team of four inmates–real-world accomplices–on Dungeons & Dragons type missions to capture key totems that Glenn’s character advises will help her break out of the asylum in the real world. In one scene they pilot a World War II B-25 plane, in another they attempt to slay a dragon, and another they are battling robot drones. And it all is woven with classic rock and pop songs.

A powerhouse performance can be found with Jena Malone (Donnie Darko, Into the Wild) as Rocket, the most complex of the inmates, as well as Abbie Cornish (RoboCop), who plays her sister and fellow inmate Sweet Pea. These two characters pretty much equal the military badass male action scenes of films like Alien and Predator. If Snyder had stuck to making a purely fantasy movie, he would have knocked this one out of the park with these actresses and his supernatural world. But his major miss is the real world depicted in Sucker Punch.

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Tags: Abbie Cornish, Carla Gugino, Emily Browning, FXM On Demand, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Jon Hamm, Men of Steel review, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn, Sucker Punch, Sucker Punch review, Vanessa Hudgens, Zack Snyder

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First look–So how long until “Machete in Space”? Trejo is back in “Machete Kills”

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June 1, 2013

So how long will it be before we see Machete in Space?

Danny Trejo fans (you know who you are), take note. This one is for you.

In 2010 Danny Trejo was asked whether his 1960s throwback, Robert Rodriguez-directed Grindhouse film Machete was all there was or whether it would be the beginning of a series. Trejo answered that he wanted to make Machete Kills, Machete Kills Again, and finally Machete in Space. The first of those sequels is finally real, and yesterday the first trailer was released in all its great, intentionally low-budget quality glory.

The first film, Machete, starred Trejo in the lead role along with an all-star cast, including Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, and Don Johnson. Machete Kills again stars Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriquez, and Electra Avellan, adding to the cast both big and little known actors like Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., William Sadler, Amber Heard, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexa Vega, and Lady Gaga. And, as you’ll see in this preview, Machete Kills introduces the actor born as Carlos Estevez following in his father Martin Sheen’s footsteps as a U.S. President.

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