Westworld Season 2

Genre Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Cast Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday, April 22nd 2018 9:00PM EST (HBO)

“Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, explore a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged without consequence.”

The HBO original series Westworld is poised to make it's return with the 2nd season, and man am I beyond excited! I absolutely love this show, from the amazing intro, to the characters, the acting, the dialogue, and simply the way it makes you feel like you are a part of the story simply because it has so many layers. This is an example of television as a work of art, and if you have yet to watch Westworld be sure to check out the first season prior to the release of season 2. The cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, and Jeffrey Wright. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Westworld:

• Ben Barnes broke his foot before arriving to the first day of shooting. Being afraid of losing the job, he didn't tell anyone and just used the limp to look like a character choice. He then had to maintain the limp throughout the filming.
• Jonathan Nolan describes Westworld as "the next chapter of the human story, in which we stop being protagonists."
• The repetitive three chord phrase often heard in the background music comes from the original movie, where it underscored the Gunslinger's slow but relentless pursuit of the hero.

Ghost Stories

Director Jeremy Dyson, Andy Nyman

Genre Drama | Horror

Cast Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 20th, 2018

“Arch skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman embarks upon a terror-filled quest when he stumbles across a long-lost file containing details of three cases of inexplicable ‘hauntings’.”

Written and directed by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, the feature-film directorial debut for both, Ghost Stories horror drama about a skeptic professor who embarks on a terror-filled quest when he stumbles upon a long lost file containing details on three inexplicable hauntings. The cast includes Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, and Alex Lawther. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Ghost Stories:

• Based on the West End play by League of Gentleman writer Jeremy Dyson.
• Filmed over the Halloween weekend of 2016 in Roundhay Park, Leeds.

Traffik

Director Deon Taylor

Genre Thriller

Cast Paula Patton, Omar Epps, Roselyn Sanchez, Laz Alonso

Rating R

Release Date April 20th, 2018

“A couple off for a romantic weekend in the mountains are accosted by a biker gang. Alone in the mountains, Brea and John must defend themselves against the gang, who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.”

Written and directed by Deon Taylor (Meet the Blacks), Traffik is a crime thriller about a couple who decide to take a romantic getaway weekend and find themselves face to face with a violent biker gang attempted to protect a secret at all costs. The cast includes Paula Patton, Omar Epps, Roselyn Sanchez, and Laz Alonso. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Traffik:

• Paula Patton and Laz Alonso third collaboration together following 2010's Just Wright and 2011's Jumping the Broom.

Wildling

Director Fritz Böhm

Genre Fantasy | Horror

Cast Liv Tyler, Brad Dourif, Bel Powley, James Le Gros

Rating R

Release Date April 20th, 2018 (Limited)

“A blossoming teenager uncovers the dark secret behind her traumatic childhood.”

Co-written and directed by Fritz Böhm, Wildling is a horror thriller about a teenager who escapes a traumatic childhood only to find herself deeply impacted by nightmares and eventually the uncovering of a terrifying secret. The film was an official selection at the SXSW film festival. The cast includes Liv Tyler, Brad Dourif, Bel Powley, and James Le Gros. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Wildling:

• Principal photography comprised only 23 days with generally no overtime. According to the director Fritz Bohm, he and his DP Toby Oliver averaged between 50 and 65 setups per day while maximizing set times for child actors, animals and water scenes.
• Film features roughly 350 visual effect shots.

Kodachrome

Director Mark Raso

Genre Drama

Cast Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis, Elizabeth Olsen, Bruce Greenwood

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 20th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Set during the final days of the admired photo development system known as Kodachrome, a father and son hit the road in order to reach the Kansas photo lab before it closes its doors for good.”

Written and directed by Mark Raso, Kodachrome is a drama set in the final days of the admired photo development system known as Kodachrome where a father and son embark on a journey to the Kansas photo lab before it closes its doors for good. The cast includes Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis, Elizabeth Olsen, and Bruce Greenwood. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Kodachrome:

• Kodachrome is a brand name for a non-substantive, color reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935.It was one of the first successful color materials and was used for both cinematography and still photography.

Best F(r)iends: Volume One

Director Justin MacGregor

Genre Comedy | Thriller

Cast Greg Sestero, Tommy Wiseau, Kristen StephensonPino, Vince Jolivette

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 30th, 2018 (Limited)

“When a drifter befriends a quirky mortician, an unlikely business partnership is formed. Paranoia soon develops, however, and both men are forced to come to terms with the fragility of friendship and loyalty.”

From director Justin MacGregor, Best F(r)iends is a comedy thriller that reunites the duo that brought us the cult classic The Room (2003) that was so bad it was actually amazing. Written by The Room star Greg Sestero, Best F(r)iends is about a drifter that befriends a quirky mortician, forming a unlikely business partnership. The cast includes Greg Sestero, Tommy Wiseau, Kristen StephensonPino, and Vince Jolivette. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Best F(r)iends:

• This is the first project that Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau have appeared in together since the 2003 cult phenomenon The Room (2003).
• The film is based on a story by Greg Sestero about a road trip he took with Tommy Wiseau in 2003.
• Director Justin MacGregor is a friend of Greg Sestero. He saw The Room (2003) for the first time when he was 16 years old.

Blockers

Director Kay Cannon

Genre Comedy

Cast Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Newton

Rating R

Release Date April 6th, 2018

“Three parents try to stop their daughters from having sex on Prom night.”

The directorial debut for up-and-coming screenwriter Kay Cannon, who wrote all three Pitch Perfect Films, Blockers is a seemingly raunchy comedy about a trio of parents who try to stop their daughters from having sex on Prom night. With this talented cast this movie could be one heck of a debut for Cannon and I hope it is! The cast includes Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, and Kathryn Newton. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Blockers:

• The film marks the second collaboration between John Cena and Ike Barinholtz after Sisters (2015).
• Originally planned to be released with the title Cock Blockers but it was decided marketing would be difficult with that title so it was changed to Blockers with the rooster logo to get the point across. 

A Quiet Place

Director John Krasinski

Genre Drama | Horror | Thriller

Cast Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 6th, 2018

“A family lives an isolated existence in utter silence, for fear of an unknown threat that follows and attacks at any sound.”

From actor turned director John Krasinski, who has two directorial credits on his resume thus far, A Quiet Place is a horror thriller about a family forced to live in silence as a way to survive in a very dangerous world. Married in real-llife, Krasinski and Emily Blunt play a married couple in the film. I am a HUGE Blunt fan and I think these two are quickly becoming a Hollywood "power couple". Early reviews for the film have been incredible, and considering the lack of quality horror thrillers as of late and my obsession with the genre, I can't wait for this (hopefully I can keep my high expectations in check). The full cast includes Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Noah Jupe, and Millicent Simmonds. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, A Quiet Place:

• Written by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods for Paramount, who submitted the script to John Krasinski to star. His wife, Emily Blunt, also read the script and then wanted to co-star in the film. She also persuaded Kraskinski to direct the film.
• Bryan Woods and Scott Beck's original screenplay only contained one line of dialogue.
• Actress Millicent Simmonds has been deaf since infancy due to a medication overdose. This was the second film she starred in, with Wonderstruck (2017) being her first.