Baskets: Season 3

Genre Comedy

Cast Zach Galifianakis, Martha Kelly, Louie Anderson, Sabina Sciubba

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Tuesday January 23rd, 2018 (FX)

“After failing at a prestigious French clowning college, Chip Baskets looks to keep his dream of becoming a professional clown alive.”

The FX series Baskets is a ridiculous show but it is absolutely hilarious, and any fan of Zach Galifianakis and his wacky sense of humor needs to give it a try. Overall, it is more of a dark comedy with a heavy dose of dry humor but it is NEVER boring, and it is very well-written. Plus Galifianakis plays twin brothers so you get a pretty sweet 2 for 1 deal. I can't wait for this new season to begin! Check out the official trailer for season 3 below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Baskets:

• Zach Galifianakis did his own stunts for the rodeo clown scenes with the bulls.
• The voice and mannerisms that Zach Galifianakis uses for Dale Baskets is the same he's used for his own fictional twin brother, Seth Galifianakis. "Seth" has been a staple of Galifianakis' stand-up for years.

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Director David Wain

Genre Biography | Comedy

Cast Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, Thomas Lennon, Emily Rossum

Rating TVMA

Release Date January 26th, 2018

“In the 1970s and ‘80s, National Lampoon’s success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Doug Kenney.”

From director David Wain (Role Models, Wanderlust), A Futile and Stupid Gesture is a movie about how National Lampoon's changed the comedic landscape for print and film during the 70's and 80's. The story that is being told is pretty awesome, add in the fact that the film is stacked with acting talent how could this not be worth watching? Plus its a Netflix streaming exclusive!! The cast includes  Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, Thomas Lennon, and Emily Rossum. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, A Futile and Stupid Gesture:

• Joel McHale will be portraying Chevy Chase in this project. The two costarred on Community (2009). A number of episodes centered on McHale's character fearing he would become like Chase's one day.
• Multiple scenes from National Lampoons Animal House and Caddyshack were filmed for the production.

12 Strong

Director Nicolai Fuglsig

Genre Action | Drama | History

Cast Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Trevante Rhodes

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018

“12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghani warlord to take down the Taliban.”

From director Nicolai Fuglsig, 12 Strong is a history war drama based on the book Horse Soldiers from author Doug Stanton, and that was the original title for the film before they changed it. I just finished the book and it was absolutely amazing. It is mind boggling how little I knew about what these men did in sacrifice of our great country, and I can't even tell you how many times the book gave me chills. This is the story of real-life action hero's post 9/11, taking the fight to the terrorists to prove that they made a costly mistake messing with us. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, and Trevante Rhodes. Check out the newly released official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, 12 Strong:

• General Abdul Rashid Dostum was quoted, 'I asked for a few Americans, they brought with them the courage of a whole Army' according to eyewitness Robert Young Pelton's in his March 2002 National Geographic Adventure article "The Legend of Heavy D and the Boys". Pelton was the only journalist with the Green Beret and CIA team whose story is featured in "Horse Soldiers".
• Chris Hemsworth was initially offered the role during filming for Thor: Ragnarok and nearly turned it down hesitant to take on yet another physically demanding role and he also didn't want to be away from his family. To get Hemsworth on board his wife Elsa Pataky was offered the role of his on-screen spouse, allowing them time together during filming.

Den of Thieves

Director Christian Gudegast

Genre Action | Crime  | Drama

Cast Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O'Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Netflix May 1st, 2020)

“An elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew collide as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.”

Written and directed by Christian Gudegast, his directorial debut, Den of Thieves is a crime drama about a thief who gets stuck in the middle of two dangerous sets of criminals while attempting to plan a bank robbery. Gudegast previously wrote the screenplays for the Vin Diesel film A Man Apart and Gerard Butler's London Has Fallen. The cast includes Gerard Butler, 50 Cent, Pablo Schreiber, and Sonya Balmores. Check out the official trailers below!!

Also check out our Spoiler-Free Review for Den of Thieves here

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Den of Thieves:

• Filmed in Atlanta, GA.

Mom and Dad

Director Brian Taylor

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters, Lance Henriksen

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Limited)

“A teenage girl and her little brother must survive a wild 24 hours during which a mass hysteria of unknown origins causes parents to turn violently on their own kids.”

Written and directed by Brian Taylor (Crank, Crank: High Voltage, Gamer), Mom and Dad is an intense horror thriller about parents losing their minds and subsequently trying to murder their children. Sounds pleasant right? Yeah this definitely isn't a family friendly flick but is looks like a ton of fun and director Bryan Taylor certainly has an eye for style and a "unique" imagination. The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters, and Lance Henriksen. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Mom and Dad:

• Nicolas Cage said this is his favorite movie in ten years that he's filmed.
• First premiere was at Toronto Film Festival at 11:59 p.m. on 9 September 2017.

Phantom Thread

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Genre Drama

Cast Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, Camilla Rutherford

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Limited)

“Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.”

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood), Phantom Thread is a drama based in 1950's London about a renowned dressmaker who has his life disrupted by a young, strong willed woman. To be honest I really don't know much about this film but the combination of Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis is all I need to convince me to give it a shot. The full cast includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, and Camilla Rutherford. Check out the official trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Phantom Thread:

• This will be Daniel Day-Lewis's last film. He announced that he will be retiring from acting on June 20, 2017
• Paul Thomas Anderson directed and shot the film as he served as both the Director and Cinematographer.
• At $35 million, this is Paul Thomas Anderson's second highest budgeted movie after Magnolia (1999) at $37 million.

The Open House

Director Matt Angel, Suzanne Coot

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Dylan Minnette, Piercey Dalton, Sharif Atkins, Patricia Bethun

Rating Unrated

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Netflix)

“A teenager and his mother find themselves besieged by threatening forces when they move into a new house.”

Written and directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coot, The Open House is a horror thriller about a teenager and his mother moving into a home where they end up crossing paths with much more than they bargained for. The cast includes Dylan Minnette, Piercey Dalton, Sharif Atkins, and Patricia Bethune. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Open House:

• Netflix acquired worldwide rights to this movie and it will be available to stream on Netflix Jan 19, 2018.

Forever My Girl

Director Bethany Ashton Wolf

Genre Drama | Music | Romance

Cast Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, John Benjamin Hickey, Abby Ryder Fortson

Rating PG

Release Date January 19th, 2018

“After being gone for a decade a country star returns home to the love he left behind.”

Written and directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf (Little Chenier), Forever My Girl is a romantic drama based on the book written by author Heidi McLaughlin, about a country music star who returns to his hometown and the love he left behind. The Cast includes Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, John Benjamin Hickey, and Abby Ryder Fortson. Check out the official trailer below!!

The Shape of Water

Director Guillermo del Toro

Genre Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Cast Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2017 (Limited)

“In a 1960s research facility, a mute janitor forms a relationship with an aquatic creature.”

Directed and co-written by twisted mastermind Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water is an R-rated fantasy drama set during the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963, and it looks pretty twisted! The cast includes Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, and Michael Stuhlbarg. Check out the newly released official trailer below!! 

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Shape of Water:

• Set during a real-life war and featuring magical elements. This was also the premise for Guillermo del Toro's earlier film Pan's Labyrinth (2006).
• del Toro has worked on this film for several years, and developed it before he began production on Pacific Rim (2013). Eventually, he chose to direct this film instead of Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018).

Check out the newly released unrated Red Band trailer below!!

Release day is less than a month away and the final trailer is here, check it out below!!

The Current War

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland

Rating Unrated

Release Date January 19th, 2018

“The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.”

From extremely talented director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), The Current War is the story of how electricity came to be, more or less, as Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battled it out to determine who would be the man behind the curtain. The cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, and Tom Holland. Check out the exclusive new trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Current War:

• Jake Gyllenhaal was originally cast alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role, however, Gyllenhaal dropped out and Michael Shannon replaceed him.
• The War of Currents (sometimes called War of the Currents or Battle of Currents) was a series of events surrounding the introduction of competing electric power transmission systems in the late 1880s and early 1890s.

Call Me by Your Name

Director Luca Guadagnino

Genre Drama | Romance

Cast Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Limited)

“In Northern Italy in 1983, seventeen year-old Elio begins a relationship with visiting Oliver, his father’s research assistant, with whom he bonds over his emerging sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the beguiling Italian landscape.”

From director Luca Guadagnino (A Bigger Splash), Call Me by Your Name is a romance drama based on the 2007 novel from American author André Aciman.  The critically acclaimed film has been making its mark at film festivals prior to receiving a wider theatrical release in the U.S. The cast includes Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Amira Casar. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Call Me by Your Name:

• The entire film (including the opening credits) was shot with a single 35mm lens.
• On its premiere night, Call Me By Your Name (2017) received a ten-minute standing ovation, which was the longest standing ovation ever at the New York Film Festival.
• Timothée Chalamet learned to speak Italian and to play the guitar for the role of Elio.

Small Town Crime

Director Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms

Genre Crime | Thriller

Cast John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson, Clifton Collins Jr., Michael Vartan

Rating R

Release Date January 19th, 2018 (Limited)

“When alcoholic ex-cop Mike Kendall finds the body of a young woman, he becomes obsessed with redeeming himself by finding the killer. In the process, he puts himself and his family in danger while hanging out with an assortment of shady characters.”

Written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms, Small Town Crime is a crime thriller with a stellar cast about an alcoholic ex cop who stumbles upon the body of a young women and decides this is an opportunity for redemption. The cast includes John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson, Clifton Collins Jr., Michael Vartan, and Octavia Spencer. Check out the official trailer below!! 

The Commuter

Director Jaume Collet-Serra

Genre Crime | Drama | Mystery

Cast Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill

Rating PG-13

Release Date January 12th, 2018

“A businessman is caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home.”

From talented director Jaume Collet-Serra, the man behind House of Wax, Orphan, Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night, and The Shallows (he clearly enjoys the company of Liam Neeson), The Commuter is yet another intense crime drama about a man who gets caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his commute home from work. The cast includes Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill, and Dean-Charles Chapman. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Commuter:

• Liam Neeson and Sam Neill are both Irish actors and were both contenders for the role of James Bond in Goldeneye (1995), which eventually went to fellow Irish actor Pierce Brosnan. Neill was also considered for Bond in The Living Daylights (1987). Additionally, both actors starred in two 1993 Steven Spielberg films (Schindler's List and Jurassic Park).

Molly's Game

Director Aaron Sorkin

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Chris O'Dowd, Kevin Costner

Rating R

Release Date January 5th, 2017

“The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.”

The directorial debut for successful screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Moneyball, Steve Jobs), Molly's Game is an incredible story based on true events right from Molly Bloom's hard-hitting memoir. The impressive cast includes Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Chris O'Dowd, Kevin Costner, and Michael Cera. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Molly's Game:

• Based on the memoir Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker by Molly Bloom
• Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut.

Paddington 2

Director Paul King

Genre Animation | Comedy | Family

Cast Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Ben Whishaw

Rating Unrated

Release Date January 12th, 2018

“Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.”

Paddington (2014) director Paul King returns for the sequel, and the world's cutest bear is packed and ready for a new adventure! The original was very well received by critics, finishing with a phenomenal 98% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel looks to build on that success. The cast includes Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington. Check out the official trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Paddington 2:

• After months of speculations, in October 2015 it was confirmed that Paul King would return to helm this second installment.
• Creator of the Paddington books, Michael Bond, was told of the official announcement of the second film on his 90th birthday.
• Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant previously all three appeared in Cloud Atlas (2012).

The Post

Director Steven Spielberg

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon

Rating PG-13

Release Date January 12th, 2018

“A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government. Inspired by true events.”

From acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, The Post is a biographical drama based on a widespread cover-up that set forth a battle between a journalist and the government. The cast includes Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Alison Brie, and Carrie Coon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Post:

• This is the fifth feature film collaboration of actor Tom Hanks and director Steven Spielberg. The earlier films were: Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), and Bridge of Spies (2015).
• This is the second film coming out in 2017 about a historical high-profile whistleblower case. Spielberg's The Post (2017) is based on Daniel Ellsberg and the release of the secret 'Pentagon Papers', while Landesman's Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017) is based on 'Mark Felt' and the Watergate scandal. Both films feature by coincidence Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood.

Before I Wake

Director Mike Flanagan

Genre Drama | Fantasy | Horror

Cast Jacob Tremblay, Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish

Rating PG-13

Release Date January 5th, 2018 (Netflix)

“A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps.”

You never quite now what to expect with the horror genre these days but Before I Wake is certainly an intriguing entry. Originally set to release in 2016, this movie fell off the map for awhile in the states and just turned back up recently as a Netflix exclusive now available for streaming. It is directed by Mike Flanagan, who also directed the highly rated horror film Oculus, The cast includes Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, and Jacom Tremblay from the Oscar-winning film Room. Before I Wake looks like it could provide plenty of scares and I am looking forward to finally checking it out. Check out the official trailer below.

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Before I Wake:

• This movie was originally titled "Somnia," which would have made it the third film by Mike Flanagan featuring a single Latin word for a title after, Absentia (2011) and Oculus(2013).
• This movie was slated for wide release on September 25, 2015 until Relativity Media (the film's domestic distributor) filed for bankruptcy, leaving the fate of the film unknown. The film was later acquired by Netflix.
• Director Mike Flanagan had repeatedly objected to the film being marketed as a "horror movie," and instead referred to it as a "fable" or a "supernatural drama."

The Polka King

Director Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

Genre Biography | Comedy | Drama

Cast Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Vanessa Bayer, Jason Schwartzma

Rating Unrated

Release Date January 12th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Local Pennsylvania polka legend Jan Lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail.”

Written and directed by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky, The Polka King is the story of local Pennsylvania Polka king Jan Lewan who concocts a get rich scheme that lands him in jail, as well as in hot water with the locals. The cast includes Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Vanessa Bayer, and Jason Schwartzman. Check out the official trailer below!!  

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Polka King:

• The real Jan Lewan, whose life this film is based, was in attendance at the Sundance Film Festival 2017 screening at the Eccles theatre. During the cast and crew Q&A, Jan joined Jack Black onstage to perform an a capella version of the Polka Rap.
• A book based on Jan Lewan's life is currently in the works by author Melinda Stanislawczyk.
• This film was selected as an official entry to the Sundance film festival 2017.

Proud Mary

Director Babak Najafi

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Taraji P. Henson, Neal McDonough, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley

Rating R

Release Date January 12th, 2018

“Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.”

From director Babak Najafi (London Has Fallen), Proud Mary is an action thriller about a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Her career takes a drastic turn when she crosses paths with a young boy after a contract goes south. The cast includes Taraji P. Henson, Neal McDonough, Danny Glover, and Xander Berkeley. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Proud Mary:

• Multiple scenes filmed in Lowell, MA.
• This film reunites Danny Glover and Margaret Avery, who starred together in The Color Purple (1985).

HBO's Divorce Season 2

Genre Comedy

Cast Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, Tracy Letts

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday January 14th, 2018 10:00 PM EST (HBO)

“A couple goes through a long, drawn-out divorce.”

HBO's comedy series Divorce returns for a second season this January and I personally cannot wait. I loved the first season and simply couldn't get enough of the back and forth between Sarah Jessica Parker and one of my absolute favorite underappreciated actors Thomas Haden Church. This show is a perfect example of societies sick obsession with finding enjoyment in the pain of others, and man is it enjoyable! The show is created by Sharon Horgan, co-creator and star of the Amazon series Catastrophe. I have enjoyed that show as well but to me Divorce is much more of a satisfying guilty pleasure. The cast includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, and Tracy Letts. Check out the official season 2 teaser trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, HBO's Divorce:

• Creator Sharon Horgan was not only interested in the intricacies of the couple parting ways, but also the industry of lawyers, authors, mediators and counselors that deals with divorce.
• Despite many offers, this is Sarah Jessica Parker's first foray into a television show, since Sex and the City (1998). Just like that show, this is also an HBO production and Parker herself also serves as a producer. She also spent four years developing the series.