Dumbo

Director Tim Burton

Genre Family | Fantasy

Cast Eva Green, Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito

Rating PG

Release Date March 29th, 2019

“A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.”

Directed by the talented visionary Tim Burton, Dumbo is a live-action remake of the Walt Disney film Dumbo that first released in 1941. The film tells the story of a circus elephant named Dumbo who was ridiculed because of his enormous ears, but his luck changes when he befriends a mouse that helps him to reach his full potential. With Burton at the helm and the faith and bankroll of Disney backing the film, I absolutely expect this to be an instant hit. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Dumbo:

• This is Tim Burton's first live-action remake of a Disney animated film. Alice in Wonderland (2010) is completely different from the 1950s Animated Film.

• Will Smith and Tom Hanks were approached for roles. Smith was interested but backed out to do Bad Boys for Life (2020) and would later sign on for Aladdin (2019). Hanks was courted for a villain role, but turned it down to film Greyhound (2019).

The Beach Bum

Director Harmony Korine

Genre Comedy

Cast Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Stefania LaVie Owen

Rating R

Release Date March 22nd, 2019

“A rebellious stoner named Moondog lives life by his own rules.”

Written and directed by Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers), The Beach Bum tells the story of a rebellious stoner who insists on living life by his own set of rules. California native writer/director Harmony Korine made a name for himself with the 2012 sleeper hit Spring Breakers which made over $30 million on a very modest $5 million budget. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Beach Bum:

• According to director Harmony Korine, some cinemas in Los Angeles have agreed to show the movie while spreading curls of marijuana (smoke).

• The first film with Martin Lawrence in 8 years since Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son (2011).

The Highwaymen

Director John Lee Hancock

Genre Crime | Drama | Mystery

Cast Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, Kim Dickens

Rating R

Release Date March 29th, 2019 (Netflix)

“A pair of police officers come out of retirement to catch the infamous outlaws Bonnie & Clyde.”

“The outlaws made headlines. The lawmen made history. From director John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), THE HIGHWAYMEN follows the untold story of the legendary detectives who brought down Bonnie and Clyde. When the full force of the FBI and the latest forensic technology aren’t enough to capture the nation’s most notorious criminals, two former Texas Rangers (Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson) must rely on their gut instincts and old school skills to get the job done.”

From director John Lee Hancock (The Rookie, The Blind Side), The Highway men tells the story of a pair of police officers come out of retirement to catch the infamous outlaws Bonnie & Clyde. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, The Highwaymen:

• In 2013, Woody Harrelson was set to star alongside Liam Neeson, but Neeson left the project, and was replaced by Kevin Costner.

• The film was originally set up as a collaboration between 'Robert Redford' and 'Paul Newman', but due to Newman's death in 2008, Redford left the project.

The Twilight Zone

Genre Drama | Fantasy | Horror

Cast —

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere April 1st, 2019 (CBS All Access)

“An updated version of the classic TV series featuring various tales of science fiction, horror and mystery.”

Hosted by Jordan Peele, The Twilight Zone is an updated version of the classic 1959 TV series featuring various tales of science fiction, horror and mystery. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Twilight Zone:

• After The Twilight Zone (1959), The Twilight Zone (1985) and The Twilight Zone (2002), this is the fourth "Twilight Zone" television series. There have also been two films in the franchise: Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics(1994).

• On August 6, 2018, it was confirmed that the first season would consist of ten episodes.

Unplanned

Director Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon

Genre Drama

Cast Ashley Bratcher, Brooks Ryan, Robia Scott, Jared Lotz

Rating R

Release Date March 29th, 2019

“Abby Johnson becomes the youngest clinic director in the history of Planned Parenthood, then a life-changing experience turns her into an anti-abortion activist.”

“As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, Abby Johnson was involved in upwards of 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women on their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose led her to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, fighting to enact legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in. Until the day she saw something that changed everything.”

Check out the official trailer for Unplanned below!!

Barry: Season 2

Genre Comedy

Cast Bill Hader, Henry "Fonzie" Winkler, Stephen Root, Sarah Greenberg

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday, March 31st, 2019 10:30PM (HBO)

“A hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city’s theatre arts scene.”

The successful dark comedy is returning for it’s 2nd season!! Barry is about a hitman from the Midwest who moves to Los Angeles and finds himself caught up in the city's theatre arts scene. I genuinely enjoyed the first season and thought that it included a fantastic cast and a great script. My biggest complaint would be how short the season was. Check out the official trailer for the new season below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, HBO’s Barry:

• The series marks the directorial debut for actor Bill Hader.

• Henry Winkler actually showed up to audition for the show. Bill Hader and Alec Berg have claimed that they would have just offered him the role regardless, but Winkler was insistent that he audition like everyone else.

Hanna

Genre Action | Drama

Cast Esme Creed-Miles, Mireille Enos, Joel Kinneman, Khalid Abdalla

Rating TV-14

Series Premiere March 29th, 2019 (Amazon Prime)

“In equal parts high-concept thriller and coming-of-age drama, HANNA follows the journey of an extraordinary young girl raised in the forest, as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is.”

From creator David Farr, Hannah is a drama thriller that tells the story of an extraordinary young girl raised in the forest, as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is. Farr also wrote the script for the 2011 film version of Hannah staring Saoirse Ronan. Check out the official trailers for the upcoming Amazon Prime series below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Hanna:

• Creator David Farr was born in 1969 in Guildford, Surrey, England. He is a writer and producer, known for The Night Manager (2016), Hanna (2011) and The Ones Below (2015).

What We Do in the Shadows: Season 1

Genre Comedy

Cast Kayvan Novak, Harvey Guillen, Natasia Demetriou, Matt Berry

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 (FX)

“A look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who’ve lived together for over 100 years, in Staten Island.”

What We Do in the Shadows is a series spin-off of the 2014 film from directors and co-writers Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi (the film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime). The series, written by Clement and directed by Waititi, follows the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who've lived together for over 100 years, in Staten Island. Check out the official trailer below!!

A Vigilante

Director Sarah Daggar-Nickson

Genre Crime | Drama | Mystery

Cast Olivia Wilde, Morgan Spector, Tonye Patano, Betsy Aidem

Rating R

Release Date March 29th, 2019

“A vigilante helps victims escape their domestic abusers.”

Written and directed by Sarah Daggar-Nickson, A Vigilante is a drama thriller that tells the story of a woman who adopts the vigilante lifestyle helping victims escape their domestic abusers. Check out the official trailer below!!

The Legend of Cocaine Island

Director Theo Love

Genre Documentary

Cast Bo Butterworth, Bri Bryant, Greg Engleberg, Matthew Ezell

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 29th, 2019

“A desperate man goes on a buried treasure hunt for $2 million worth of cocaine.”

From director Theo Love, The Legend of Cocaine Island is a documentary that tells the story of a desperate man who goes on a buried treasure hunt for $2 million worth of cocaine. Check out the official trailer below!!

2019 Oscar Winners

The 2019 Academy Awards have concluded, and although the Kevin Hart-less show was painfully boring and brutally corny more often than not, once the smoke cleared some unexpected winners took home the gold…

Green Book took home three Oscar wins including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), and Best Original Screenplay. Many “experts” were certain Green Book had no chance at winning Best Picture due to some lingering controversy, but looks like they were wrong in the end.

Black Panther made history for Marvel with three Oscar wins as well including Best Original Music Score, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design (these Oscar wins we can live with and feel they are well deserved).

Check out the full list of Oscar Winners below!!

Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Drama

• Jason Bateman, "Ozark"

• Stephan James, "Homecoming"

• Richard Madden, "Bodyguard" - WINNER

• Billy Porter, "Pose"

• Matthew Rhys, "The Americans"

Best TV Series, Drama

• "Bodyguard"

• "Homecoming"

• "Killing Eve"

• "The Americans" - WINNER

• "Pose"

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series

• Alan Arkin, "The Kominsky Method"

• Kieran Culkin, "Succession"

• Edgar Ramirez, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace"

• Ben Whishaw, "A Very English Scandal" -- WINNER

• Henry Winkler, "Barry"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Amy Adams, "Sharp Objects"

• Patricia Arquette, "Escape at Dannemora" -- WINNER

• Connie Britton, "Dirty John"

• Laura Dern, "The Tale"

• Regina King, "Seven Seconds"

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

• "A Quiet Place"

• "Isle of Dogs"

• "Black Panther"

• "First Man" -- WINNER

• "Mary Poppins Returns"

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

• "All The Stars"

• "Girl in the Movies"

• "Requiem for a Private War"

• "Revelation"

• "Shallow" -- WINNER

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Motion Picture

• Amy Adams, "Vice"

• Claire Foy, "First Man"

• Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk" -- WINNER

• Emma Stone, "The Favourite"

• Rachel Weisz, "The Favourite"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

• Caitriona Balfe, "Outlander"

• Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"

• Sandra Oh, "Killing Eve" -- WINNER

• Julia Roberts, "Homecoming"

• Keri Russell, "The Americans"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

• Mahershala Ali, "Green Book" -- WINNER

• Timothee Chalamet, "Beautiful Boy"

• Adam Driver, "BlacKkKlansman"

• Richard E. Grant, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

• Sam Rockwell, "Vice"

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

• "Roma"

• "The Favourite"

• "If Beale Street Could Talk"

• "Vice"

• "Green Book" -- WINNER

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series

• Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"

• Patricia Clarkson, "Sharp Objects" -- WINNER

• Penelope Cruz, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace"

• Thandie Newton, "Westworld"

• Yvonne Strahovski, "The Handmaid's Tale"

Best Actor in a Film, Comedy or Musical

• Christian Bale, "Vice" -- WINNER

• Lin Manuel Miranda, "Mary Poppins Returns"

• Viggo Mortensen, "Green Book"

• Robert Redford, "The Old Man and the Gun"

• John C Reilly, "Stan & Ollie"

Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language

• "Capernaum"

• "Girl"

• "Never Look Away"

• "Roma" -- WINNER

• "Shoplifters"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for TV

• Antonio Banderas, "Genius: Picasso"

• Daiel Bruhl, "Alienist"

• Darren Criss, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" -- WINNER

• Benedict Cumberbatch, "Patrick Melrose"

• Hugh Grant, "A Very English Scandal"

Best Director, Motion Picture

• Bradley Cooper, "A Star Is Born"

• Alfonso Cuaron, "Roma" -- WINNER

• Peter Farrelly, "Green Book"

• Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"

• Adam McKay, "Vice"

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series

• Kristen Bell, "The Good Place"

• Candice Bergen, "Murphy Brown"

• Alison Brie, "GLOW"

• Rachel Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" -- WINNER

• Debra Messing, "Will & Grace"

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

• "Barry"

• "Good Place"

• "Kidding"

• "The Kominsky Method" -- WINNER

• "Marvelous Mrs Maisel"

Best Limited Series or TV Movie

• "The Alienist"

• "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" -- WINNER

• "Escape from Dannemora"

• "Sharp Objects"

• "A Very English Scandal"

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy

• Emily Blunt, "Mary Poppins Returns"

• Olivia Colman, "The Favourite" -- WINNER

• Charlize Theron, "Tully"

• Elsie Fisher, "Eighth Grade"

• Constance Wu, "Crazy Rich Asians"

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical

• "Crazy Rich Asians"

• "The Favourite"

• "Green Book" -- WINNER

• "Mary Poppins Returns"

• "Vice"

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Glenn Close, "The Wife" -- WINNER

• Lady Gaga, "A Star Is Born"

• Nicole Kidman, "Destroyer"

• Melissa McCarthy, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

• Rosamund Pike, "A Private War"

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Bradley Cooper, "A Star Is Born"

• Willem Dafoe, "At Eternity's Gate"

• Lucas Hedges, "Boy Erased"

• Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- WINNER

• John David Washington, "BlacKkKlansman"

Motion Picture, Drama

• "Black Panther"

• "BlacKkKlansman"

• "A Star Is Born"

• "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- WINNER

• "If Beale Street Could Talk"

Do you feel like they got it right this year?! Let us know in the comments section.

Us

Director Jordan Peele

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong'o, Elisabeth Moss, Anna Diop

Rating R

Release Date March 22nd, 2019

“A mother and father take their kids to their beach house, expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited.”

Written and directed by Jordan Peele, the comedian/actor turned director who made a huge splash with his horror/thriller Get Out 2017, Us is yet another foray in the same genre that tells the story of a mother and father who take their kids to their beach house expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited. Similar to the vast majority of critics and viewers alike I really enjoyed Peele’s debut Get Out and couldn’t wait to see what he came up with next. A self-proclaimed horror fanatic, it seems we have yet another gem on our hands from this rising star. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Us:

• Jordan Peele gave the cast ten horror films to watch so they would have "a shared language" when filming: Dead Again (1991), The Shining (1980), The Babadook (2014), It Follows (2014), A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), The Birds (1963), Funny Games (2007), Martyrs (2008), Let the Right One In (2008), and The Sixth Sense (1999).

• Reportedly the unofficial sequel to Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning film Get Out (2017).

Captain Marvel

Director Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Genre Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Cast Brie Larson, Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 8th, 2019

“Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.”

From directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel is the highly anticipated origin story that introduces us to one of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel cinematic universe. Carol Danvers (played by Brie Larson), becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. I don’t know about you but I have been fired up for this movie ever since the end of Infinity War and the trailers are finally here - check them out for yourself below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Captain Marvel:

• This will be the twenty-first film to be released by Marvel Studios for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

• Both Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) and Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson) will be digitally de-aged in order for their characters to look like their younger selves, since the movie is set in the 1990's.
  

Hotel Mumbai

Director Anthony Maras

Genre Drama | History | Thriller

Cast Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Tilda Cobham-Hervey

Rating R

Release Date March 22nd, 2019

“The true story of the Taj Hotel terrorist attack in Mumbai. Hotel staff risk their lives to keep everyone safe as people make unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and their families.”

Directed and co-written by Anthony Maras, his feature-film directorial debut, Hotel Mumbai is the true story of the Taj Hotel terrorist attack in Mumbai. Hotel staff risk their lives to keep everyone safe as people make unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and their families. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Hotel Mumbai:

• The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Canada on 7th September 2018 and received a standing ovation.

• A significant amount of actual dialogue in the film was repeated verbatim being taken from original transcripts of actual intercepted mobile (cell) phone calls during the 2008 siege.

Dragged Across Concrete

Director S. Craig Zahler

Genre Action | Crime | Drama

Cast Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White

Rating R

Release Date March 22nd, 2019

“Once two overzealous cops get suspended from the force, they must delve into the criminal underworld to get their proper compensation.”

From director S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99), Dragged Across Concrete is a crime drama about two police officers who get suspended after roughing up a suspect on video, forcing them to turn to the criminal underworld to make ends meet. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Dragged Across Concrete:

• Mel Gibson previously directed Vince Vaughn in Hacksaw Ridge (2016). Vaughn's role in Ridge, was originally supposed to be played by Gibson before handing it over.

• The first film directed by S. Craig Zahler to receive an official rating from the MPAA. His previous films were released as unrated.

The Act

Genre Drama | Horror | True Crime

Cast Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere March 20th, 2019 (Hulu)

“Gypsy Blanchard is trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother; her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, which ultimately leads to murder.”

The Act is a true crime drama series based on true events that tells the painful story of Gypsy Blanchard, a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother. Check out the official trailer for the Hulu original series below!!

Ted Takes Series Facts, The Act:

• Joey King shaved her head for the 4th time for this role.

• The Blanchards’ story of abuse and deception prompted a blockbuster BuzzFeed article by Michelle Dean (who also co-created the show with Nick Antosca) and a feature-length HBO documentary (Mommy Dead and Dearest); now, Hulu has adapted the saga into a mini-series that builds on America’s fascination with true crime, bad parenting and scams.

Amy Schumer Growing

Genre Comedy | Stand-Up

Cast Amy Schumer

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere March 19th, 2019 (Netflix)

“Amy Schumer’s live stand-up set performed in Chicago where she jokes about marriage, pregnancy and personal growth.”

Amy Schumer's live stand-up set performed in Chicago where she jokes about marriage, pregnancy and personal growth. Check out the official trailer below!!

Catastrophe: Season 4

Genre Comedy

Cast Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Mark Bonnar, Ashley Jensen

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere March 15th, 2019 (Amazon Prime)

“American boy Rob gets Irish girl Sharon pregnant while they hook up for a week while on a business trip to London.”

It is sad to say that one of Amazon’s best comedies will reach the end with it’s 4th and final season in just over a month, but it has been one heck of a ride!! Check out the official trailer for season 4 of Amazon Prime’s Catastrophe below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Catastrophe:

• Stars and co-creators Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan met each other through Twitter. They both have several credits on the project; they both star, produce and write the series, and oversee editing and casting.

• Ryan Reynolds personally offered Rob Delaney the role of Peter in Deadpool 2 (2018) after seeing him in this series.

Triple Frontier

Director J.C. Chandor

Genre Action | Adventure | Crime

Cast Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund

Rating R

Release Date March 13th, 2019 (Netflix)

“Five former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.”

“Five former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. For the first time in their prestigious careers these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for self instead of country. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.”

— Netflix

From director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, A Most Violent Year), Triple Frontier is a crime drama from the team that brought us the Oscar-winning film The Hurt Locker (one of my absolute favorites). Although unable to direct, The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow served as an executive producer. The film will receive a limited theatrical release on March 6th and will be available to stream on Netflix March 13th. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Triple Frontier:

• Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) was going to direct the movie but left to work on Detroit (2017).

• The film has been in development since 2010 and over the years a number of big name actors left the project for a variety of reasons including Tom Hardy, Channing Tatum, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mahershala Ali, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, Casey Affleck, and Sean Penn.

Captive State

Director Rupert Wyatt

Genre Sci-Fi | Thriller

Cast Vera Farmiga, Machine Gun Kelly, Alan Ruck, John Goodman

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 15th, 2019

“Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, Captive State explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.”

From director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Gambler), Captive State is set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, Captive State explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Captive State:

• Director Rupert Wyatt left Gambit (2019) to complete this movie.

• Machine Gun Kelly sustained a chest injury on set of this film. Doctors requested he take a month off from touring. Despite this, he only postponed 3 shows and continued on his tour for the release of his new album, Bloom.