Stockholm

Director Robert Budreau

Genre Animation | Adventure | Comedy

Cast Ethan Hawke, Noomi Rapace, Mark Strong, Christopher Heyerdahl

Rating R

Release Date April 12th, 2019 (Limited & On-Demand)

“Based on the absurd but true 1973 bank heist and hostage crisis in Stockholm that was documented in the New Yorker as the origins of the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’.”

From director Robert Budreau (Born to Be Blue), Stockholm is a crime drama based on the absurd but true 1973 bank heist and hostage crisis in Stockholm that was documented in the New Yorker as the origins of the 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Stockholm:

• The hostage situation depicted in the film is what originated the psychological phenomenon known as the "Stockholm syndrome", where hostages develop a psychological alliance with their captors as a survival strategy during captivity.

Shazam!

Director David F. Sandberg

Genre Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Cast Zachary Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer, Mark Strong, Ross Butler, and Djimon Hounsou

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 5th, 2019

“We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word - SHAZAM! - this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam.”

From director David F. Sandberg, the man behind great recent horror films like Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation, Shazam! is a very different project for him. The film tells the story of a boy that is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Shazam!:

• Originally, this was going to be one film with Shazam and Black Adam meeting and clashing, but the producers decided to split the film into two origin films for both characters.

• DC renamed their "Captain Marvel" to "Shazam" in 2012, due in part to Marvel holding the trademark on the name.

Pet Sematary

Director Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer

Genre Horror

Cast Jason Clarke, John Lithgow, Amy Seimetz, Lucas Lavoie

Rating R

Release Date April 5th, 2019

“Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie ‘Pet Sematary’ located near their home.”

From directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer (Starry Eyes, Holidays), Pet Sematary is a re-imagining of the 1989 Stephen King classic horror film based on King’s novel about a family that moves to Maine and discovers a Pet Sematary out behind their house built on Indian Burial Grounds. The original film scared the crap out of me as a kid so naturally I consider it to be a fond memory during my childhood. I am genuinely impressed with the casting decisions and fingers crossed the due this classic justice. Check out the official trailers for yourself below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Pet Sematary:

• Originally filmed in 1989, Stephen King has stated that of all his novels, this is the only one that genuinely scared him.

• The original Pet Sematary (1989) opened theatrically on April 21st, 1989. The remake also opens in April thirty years after the original, just a few weeks earlier.

• Late actor Fred Gwynne who starred in the 1989 original and was a big reason for the films success, tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer only four years after the film premiered in theaters. Actor John Lithgow plays his character in the 2019 version.

The Haunting of Sharon Tate

Director Daniel Farrands

Genre Drama | Horror | Thriller

Cast Hilary Duff, Jonathan Bennett, Lydia Hearst, Pawel Szajda

Rating R

Release Date April 5th, 2019 (Limited & On-Demand)

“Pregnant with director Roman Polanski’s child and awaiting his return from Europe, 26-year-old Hollywood actress Sharon Tate becomes plagued by visions of her imminent death.”

Written and directed by horror aficionado Daniel Farrands, The Haunting of Sharon Tate tells the true story of 26-year old actress Sharon Tate, who while Pregnant with director Roman Polanski's child and awaiting his return from Europe, becomes plagued by visions of her imminent death. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, The Haunting of Sharon Tate:

• The plot is inspired by an actual quote from Sharon Tate, from an interview published a year before her death, wherein she reveals having a nightmare in which she saw a strange man in her house and then discovered herself and her friend Jay Sebring tied up with their throats cut open.

• Hilary Duff called her role as Sharon Tate this film an "incredible opportunity" and "a true honor", viewing Tate as an "amazing" woman

Unicorn Store

Director Brie Larson

Genre Comedy

Cast Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Bradley Whitford, John Cusack

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 5th, 2019 (Netflix)

“A woman named Kit receives a mysterious invitation that would fulfill her childhood dreams.”

Actress Brie Larson’s directorial debut, Unicorn Store tells the story of a woman named Kit who receives a mysterious invitation that would fulfill her childhood dreams. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Unicorn Store:

• Brie Larson auditioned for the role of Kit, back in 2012, when Miguel Arteta was attached to direct.

• Brie Larson didn't want to play Kit, but Screenwriter Samantha McIntyre insisted that she should play the part.

The Best of Enemies

Director Robin Bissell

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Sam Rockwell, Taraji P. Henson, Anne Heche, Wes Bentley

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 5th, 2019

“Civil rights activist Ann Atwater faces off against C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina over the issue of school integration.”

From director Robin Bissell, his directorial debut, The Best of Enemies tells the story of civil rights activist Ann Atwater as she faces off against C.P. Ellis of the Ku Klux Clan in 1971 over the issue of school integration. Check out the official new trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Best of Enemies:

• Adapted from the book by author Osha Gray Davidson.

High Life

Director Claire Denis

Genre Adventure | Drama | Horror

Cast Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin, Mia Goth

Rating R

Release Date April 5th, 2019 (Limited)

“A father and his daughter struggle to survive in deep space where they live in isolation.”

Co-written and directed by Claire Denis, High Life is a horror drama that tells the story of a father and his daughter as they struggle to survive in deep space where they live in isolation. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, High Life:

• Claire Denis had in mind this project since 2002. She has been carrying it around for many years and thought she would have to abandon it given the financial issues. Denis wrote the film keeping Philip Seymour Hoffman in mind and was deeply saddened by his untimely demise in 2014.

• The films world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018 has caused multiple walkouts during it's screening because of how graphically disturbing and provocative it was. Despite it's divisive reactions from the audience, the movie was well received from film critics attending the festival.

In the Dark

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Perry Mattfield, Brooke Markham, Keston John, Morgan Krantz

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Thursday, April 4th, 2019 9:00 PM EST (CW)

“A young, blind woman tries to solve her friend’s murder.”

“Blind 20-something Murphy is drifting through life in a haze of drunkenness, and her only friends are her understanding roommate Jess and Tyson, a sweet teenager she met when he saved her from a violent mugging. Murphy’s life is turned upside down when, while out for a walk with her guide dog, she stumbles upon what she is certain is Tyson’s lifeless body in the alley outside her apartment. When the body disappears by the time the police arrive, and they don’t seem inclined to investigate, Murphy clings onto the only thing that can keep her together: figuring out what happened to her friend.”

Check out the official trailer for In the Dark below!!

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 2

Genre Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Cast Kiernan Shipka, Richard Coyle, Lucy Davis, Tati Gabrielle

Rating TV-14

Series Premiere April 5th, 2019 (Netflix)

“As her 16th birthday nears, Sabrina must choose between the witch world of her family and the human world of her friends. Based on the Archie comic.”

Sabrina the witch is back in Part 2 of the much darker telling of Sabrina the Teenage Witch we all remember from the late 90’s/early 2000’s starring Melissa Joan Hart. In the exclusive Netflix series is a dark coming-of-age tale that follows Sabrina, as she wrestles to reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting evil forces. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina:

• The Weird Sisters are a trio of Witches in the Shakespeare play Macbeth. The spell Sabrina uses to summon them is taken directly from actual lines spoken by the witches in Macbeth (Act 1, scene 3).

• Over 150 paintings were contributed by Clive Barker (mastermind behind Hellraiser and Candyman) to use for the show.

Peterloo

Director Mike Leigh

Genre Drama | History

Cast Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley, David Moorst

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 5th, 2019

“The story of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre where British forces attacked a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester.”

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Peterloo is the story of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre where British forces attacked a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester. The cast includes Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley, and David Moorst. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Peterloo:

• The speech delivered by Rory Kinnear in "London", was filmed in Gainsborough Old Hall, Lincolnshire, and was written by Kinnear himsel

• Premiered at TIFF in Toronto in September 2018.

The Public

Director Emilio Estevez

Genre Drama

Cast Emilio Estevez, Alec Baldwin, Gabrielle Union, Jeffrey Wright

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 5th, 2019 (Limited)

“An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold.”

Written and directed by Emilio Estevez, The Public is a drama about an act of civil disobedience that turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Public:

• The first film directed by Emilio Estevez which does not star either his father, Martin Sheen or his brother, Charlie Sheen.

• Ironically, the movie's release occurred when the real Cincinnati Public Library was being taken over by activists who were demanding the leadership not sell one of the downtown buildings.

Night

Director Nicholas Michael Jacobs

Genre Horror

Cast Alexis Beacher, Danielle Iannucci, Gianna Jacobs, Nicholas Michael Jacobs

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 23rd, 2019 (Amazon Prime)

“A young girl is kidnapped by a strange man, who forces her to be the star of his sick and twisted live stream.”

From director Nicholas Michael Jacobs, Night is a horror film that tells the story of a young girl who is kidnapped by a strange man and forced to be the star of his sick and twisted live stream. Check out the official trailer below!!

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!!