Bring on 2014!!

2013 was a very good year for me that saw a lot of personal and family success. I can only hope for even better things to come in the next year. As for the blog, I know there were times where there was a lull in the content and I tried to (over)compensate with everything I posted here in December. Hopefully as there becomes more stability in my life, it will coincide with more consistent postings from me throughout the coming year. As always you can expect to hear all of my thoughts on the major films, big TV shows, and Cleveland Indians season that will go down in 2014. Thanks as always for those of you who come to my site and read everything. I always enjoy the feedback. Here's to a safe New Year's Eve and a wonderful new year for each and every one of you!

2014 Movie Preview: #1 - Interstellar

Release date: November 7

Plot summary: "Interstellar" chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

My take: While a Nolan-clone like Transcendence is worthy of being on my list, only the real deal is deserving of the top spot. Having now ended his work on the Batman franchise, Nolan can return to some original ideas here. Of course, he's brought along some familiar faces for his cast including Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine, but he also has plenty of talent like Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain who are new to the Nolan universe. We've still got a long time to go before this comes out, but I'm going to enjoy the anticipation for it each and every day.

2014 Movie Preview: #2 - X-Men: Days of Future Past

Release date: May 23

Plot summary: The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in "X-Men: Days of Future Past." The beloved characters from the original "X-Men" film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class," in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.

My take: It is serendipitous that I review The Wolverine right before previewing this upcoming X-Men film given that events at the end of one set up this big blockbuster. This is looking like the end all to be all of X-Men movies. I am so excited to see how the casts of the two respective X-Men franchises coming together in this one epic film. From the reports we are hearing, it sounds like they have a ton of material and are needed to remove entire characters just to cut the film into a reasonable runtime. It's exciting to also see that Bryan Singer has come back to direct this since he's the one that started this franchise in the first place. My expectations for this one are really high, so I hope they do not disappoint.

RBR: The Wolverine

Given the lukewarm reception that the first solo Wolverine film received back in 2009, I wasn't sure if we really needed to see another movie featuring the mutant with the adamantium claws. However, credit director James Mangold and the rest of the crew behind this new adventure for delivering something dramatically different. Set almost entirely in Japan, the film focuses Wolverine being asked to say goodbye to a dying Japanese man he once saved back in World War II. On his deathbed the man offer Wolverine the opportunity to remove his mutant power and make him a mortal man. From there the plot kicks into gear as there are several parties involved trying to take over the dying man's corporation. The action in the film is quite compelling, especially a scene that involves Wolverine battling members of the Yakusa on top of a speeding bullet train. However, the film does suffer from some pacing issues. The middle of the film sags and the risk of having a cast of unknown actors alongside Hugh Jackman does not always pay off. The woman who plays Mariko, the granddaughter of the dying man and potential love interest for Wolverine is a real bore. However, the actress who plays Mariko's adopted sister is a real fine. She is compelling and brings an energy to the scenes she's in with Jackman. Overall, the film's flaws prevent it from being an out-right winner. However, I applaud the efforts of everyone involved for trying something different. I want to see more attempts like this rather than safe, bland, inconsequential stories like the one featured in Thor: The Dark World. Perhaps best of all, this story serves to get me all that much more excited to see X-Men: Days of Future Past. If nothing else The Wolverine showed that there's plenty of life left in this immortal being. Rating: ****

2014 Movie Preview: #3 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Release date: July 11

Plot summary: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

My take: Many people were shocked by how much they enjoyed the 2011 reboot of this franchise and you can include me in that group. Now I am really eager to see where they go from here. While James Franco will not be back in this film, the cast has added fine actors like Gary Oldman and Keri Russell. But let's face it, we're all coming again to see the great work of Andy Serkis as Caesar.

2014 Movie Preview: #4 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Release date: April 4

Plot summary: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” will pick-up where “Marvel’s The Avengers” left off, as Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and teams up with Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, to battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in present-day Washington, D.C.

My take: Here's another example of a sequel of a film that I was not overly fond of. So what makes me so anticipated for this latest entry? Well the Avengers movie certainly helped improve the Captain America character in my eyes. I'm also familiar with the source material being used as the plot for this film and its a really good story. You then also have the luxury of adding great actors, like Robert Redford, to the cast. For those reasons I'm confident this won't be suffering from a sophomore slump.

Binge watch and purge

Netflix has won back fans in the past year with some of their original content like House of Cards and Arrested Development. However, some may not be too happy that they'll be losing several movie titles from their instant viewing queue. Starting tomorrow (January 1st), several films will be removed from their catalog. You may have noticed an expiration date listed on some of them. To get the full list of what's going away, I suggest you click the link below and then try to watch as many of them as you can before the ball drops tonight.

http://www.reddit.com/r/NetflixBestOf/comments/1tkyre/list_of_notable_tv_shows_and_movies_expiring_soon/

2014 Movie Preview: #5 - Transcendence

Release date: April 18

Plot summary: Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed—to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can…but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will's thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

My take: While Christopher Nolan has nothing to do with this film, his DNA feels infused in the project. Wally Pfister who was the cinematographer for many of Nolan's film is directing this film. There's also several people in the cast who are Nolan mainstays like Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy. Then you've got a plot that seems to be a real sci-fi mind bender. All of that adds up to a very engaging film for me to want to check out.

2014 Movie Preview: #6 - The Monuments Men

Release date: February 7

Plot summary: Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, "The Monuments Men" is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys – seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 – possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind's greatest achievements.

My take: So we once again have a 2013 repeat here. Given the quality of the cast and the intriguing nature of the story, I refuse to believe that there are problems with the film. Instead, we will just all have to be patient until it finally arrives in theaters. Once it does, I know I'll be right in line to check it out.

Animal sighting

Before we get to see Dave Bautista on the big screen in Guardians of the Galaxy, we're going to be seeing him back in the squared circle. Here's the office video from WWE promoting his big return in a couple of weeks.

2014 Movie Preview: #7 - Muppets Most Wanted

Release date: March 21

Plot summary: Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted" takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe's most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais. The film stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.

My take: The relaunch of the Muppets franchise was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2011. So I am now really excited to see what they do for a follow-up. Granted some of the elements from the 2011 film are gone, like Jason Segal. However, the plot seems like the madcap type of story that is perfectly suited for the Muppets. They have also done a nice job of bringing in a lot of human actors to fill out the cast and produce some laughs as well. It's currently scheduled to come out on a competitive weekend, so I hope it either changes dates or offers enough marketing to make sure people go check it out.

2014 Movie Preview: #8 - Guardians of the Galaxy

Release date: August 1

Plot summary:
My take: This may be the biggest gamble of the year, at least of the movies I am previewing on this list. Marvel has certainly shown that they can take commodities that were not well known to the public at large and turn them into successful film franchises, but a movie based on a group of space travelers that includes a tree-like character and a talking raccoon may be a bit out there for the mainstream audience. Hopefully that isn't the case, because Marvel has already laid the groundwork through some of their other films to make this a pretty awesome extension of their film empire. The cast is excellent here so my expectations are pretty high for this one.

Checking in

Given that I just promoted the film, it would probably make sense to share with all of you the trailer for Wes Anderson's latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel so you can see for yourself whether or not this is a film for you. As for me, I've already made my reservations.

2014 Movie Preview: #9 - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Release date: March 7

Plot summary: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune -- all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

My take: Even though I pride myself on being a movie fan, I never really discovered the films of Wes Anderson until I finally saw his 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom. Since then I have gone back and watched some of his earlier stuff and have been impressed with the oddball stories and visual flair that he creates in each of his movies. Now I am as anxious to see what he produces next in the same way I do with some of my other favorite directors. This film looks to be no different in terms of quirkiness and boasts an impressive casts that mixes Anderson regulars with new, but familiar faces. I'm sure not a lot of people will see this, but I'll be happy to be one of the few.

2014 Movie Preview: #10 - The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Release date: May 2

Plot summary: We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead. It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp.

My take: For as much as I like Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, I was not impressed with the Spiderman reboot that came out two years ago. While I still have reservations, my initial glimpse at this sequel gives me hope. From the look of the film, it appears that Marc Webb is more confident and comfortable shooting this type of movie and is trying to create more of a comic book look. What makes me both interested and nervous for this sequel is the number of villains that seem to be featured in this film. That can either make for something really awesome or a jumbled mess that causes people to begin using phrases like "too many cooks in the kitchen". Given the bar that the Avengers franchise has set, this has some big shoes to fill in order to stand toe to toe with those movies.

Right time of the year

The Price is Right celebrated their "Best of 2013" show today by offering some of their favorite prizes and recalling some of their favorite moments of the past year. Well perhaps their biggest moment came on the show today as a woman became the biggest winner in daytime TV history with her victory today. Check out this amazing moment below:

2014 Movie Preview: #11 - Bad Words

Release date: March 28

Plot summary: Jason Bateman ("Identity Thief") makes his feature directorial debut with the subversive comedy "Bad Words." Bateman stars as Guy Trilby, a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Contest officials, outraged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, as he ruthlessly crushes their dreams of victory and fame. As a reporter (Kathryn Hahn of "We're the Millers") attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year-old Chaitanya (Rohan Chand of "Homeland"), who is completely unfazed by Guy’s take-no-prisoners approach to life.

My take: I just mentioned how Foxcatcher may be a career changing film for Steve Carell. Well the same may hold true for Bateman who stars here as the crass man infiltrating children's spelling bees. Bateman is also directing this film. I've always had a thing for the 'Bee' dating back to when I discovered that the English professor I had at UD moderated the event for several years. The dark humor in this film may not be for everyone, but I'm sure looking forward to it.

2014 Movie Preview: #12 - Foxcatcher

Release date: TBA

Plot summary: "Foxcatcher" tells the story of Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Tatum), who sees a way out from the shadow of his more celebrated wrestling brother Dave (Ruffalo) and a life of poverty when he is summoned by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont (Carell) to move onto his estate and train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Desperate to gain the respect of his disapproving mother, du Pont begins "coaching" a world-class athletic team and, in the process, lures Mark into dangerous habits, breaks his confidence and drives him into a self-destructive spiral. Based on actual events, "Foxcatcher" is a gripping and profoundly American story of fragile men who pinned their hopes for love and redemption on a desperate obsession for greatness that was to end in tragedy.

My take: This is yet another film that was originally set to come out in 2013. While it does not have a specific date in 2014 set yet, the previews and information that were released already have given myself and others plenty to anticipate. Early buzz has Steve Carell turning in a career-changing performance. This also marks the follow-up for director Bennett Miller after Moneyball, which was my favorite film from 2011. On top of all that, you have one of those "Hollywood couldn't create something this bizarre" of a storyline. All that adds up to a very appealing movie.

Lego for a drive

Check out this actual drivable car made almost completely out of Legos and runs on compressed air.

2014 Movie Preview: #13 - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Release date: January 17

Plot summary: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

My take: As usual, a film makes my yearly preview list two years in a row due to a date change. Some times those reschedulings are a red flag that there are problems with the film, but I have a feeling that this reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise simply moved out of its original December release date because it did not want to get lost in the crowded marketplace (several films released in the past couple of weeks have struggled due to stiff competition). Chris Pine is a solid lead and I am hoping he can re-invigorate this franchise in the same way he did for the Star Trek films.

2014 Movie Preview: #14 - Edge of Tomorrow

Release date: June 6

Plot summary: The epic action of "Edge of Tomorrow" unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Lt. Col. Bill Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

My take: The previews for this suggests there's a lot going on in this latest Tom Cruise film. There appears to be some kind of alien invasion that our planet is fighting by equipping our soldiers with over-sized robotic armor. But there's also the issue of Tom Cruise's character seemingly re-living the same day over and over again. It's a futuristic Groundhog Day. Why that is happening is just one of the questions I am curious to hear the answer to in this film. As an added bonus Emily Blunt co-stars and she's usually engaging in everything she's in.

There will not be Chud

Another casualty at the Factory of Sadness today. From SI.com:

Less than one calendar year after tabbing Rob Chudzinski as the guy to help them end at least two decades of frustration, the Browns reversed course Sunday and axed Chudzinski.

“We appreciate Chud’s passion for the Browns, and we have great respect for him both personally and professionally,” the team said in a statement. “We needed to see progress with this football team. We needed to see development and improvement as the season evolved and, unfortunately, we took a concerning step backward in the second half of the year.

“Our fans deserve to see a consistently competitive team. We have high standards, and there’s an urgency for success. When we believed we were not positioned to achieve significant progress in 2014, we knew we had to admit that a change was needed, and move forward.

“Browns fans are the most loyal and passionate supporters in the NFL. We’re fully committed to bringing them the winning football team they deserve.”

It was a rather surprising turn of events for a team that finally seemed like it might be headed in the right direction early in 2013. A closer look at how it unraveled:

Tale of the tape: 4-12 record in 2013; 4-12 record with team overall.

What Went Wrong: Well, for starters, it seems as if the Browns had second thoughts from the get-go about hiring Chudzinski, a first-time head coach. That speaks as much to the dysfunction in Cleveland’s front office as it does to Chudzinski’s abilities.

The season actually started surprisingly well for a Browns team not expected to go very far in 2013. They ran off three straight wins in late September/early October, with Brian Hoyer at quarterback, to get above .500 and still sat at 4-5 headed into their bye.

From there, disaster. The Browns lost their last seven games, giving up 27 points or more in five of them as Ray Horton’s defense crumpled behind a struggling offense. Even though the Trent Richardson trade looked brilliant in bringing back a Round 1 pick, the Browns never found a true No. 1 RB. And with issues at quarterback continuing to linger, that was too much to overcome.

Roster Outlook: The Browns do have some talented pieces in place — WR Josh Gordon is a burgeoning star, Joe Thomas a standout left tackle and Joe Haden a very solid No. 1 cornerback.

Aside from finding the aforementioned starting quarterback, running back (and help at wide receiver), the biggest decision might surround what to do with center Alex Mack. He’s arguably the best at this position in the league, meaning he’ll have a chance to cash in as a free agent, though he’s reportedly said he will allow Cleveland the chance to match any offer. Would the Brows consider using a franchise tag instead?

Much of what happens from here with the roster will be determined by the schemes of the next staff. The Chudzinski era was built around a vertical passing attack and 3-4 defense. Cleveland may have to go back to the drawing board.

Possible Replacement(s): Josh McDaniels, Bill O’Brien, Lovie Smith, Kevin Sumlin, Ray Horton

2014 Movie Preview: #15 - A Million Ways to Die in the West

Release date: May 30

Plot summary: Seth MacFarlane directs, produces and co-writes "A Million Ways to Die in the West." He also plays the role of the sheep farmer (Albert) with an all-star cast that includes Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Ribisi and Neil Patrick Harris. After a cowardly sheep farmer backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.

My take: After the surprising success of Ted, everyone is curious to see what Seth McFarland can do for a follow-up. I don't imagine most people figured he would choose to do a Western. While the setting may seem unconventional, Seth has once again surrounded himself with a talented group of funny actors who will likely be able to make this the funniest Western since Blazing Saddles or The Shakiest Gun in the West

2014 Movie Preview: #16 - The Equalizer

Release date: September 26

Plot summary: A feature film adaptation of the hit 1980s television series "The Equalizer." Edward Woodward starred as Robert McCall, a private detective with a lot of contacts who is available for hire if you have a problem that you don't know how to solve.

My take: Few actors consistently make films that I end up enjoying like Denzel Washington. It can be action, drama, or comedy and he seems to make an entertaining film. I am usually not high on films that are made based off of old TV shows, but if anyone can make it work, I can imagine Denzel is that guy. It helps that he is reteaming with director Antoine Fuqua, who helped him earn an Oscar for Training Day. I don't imagine this will be as gritty as that film, but I'm hoping it's at least as good.

RBR: Don Jon

Truth be told, I did not rent this one from Redbox because it's not available on Redbox yet. I actually used a service called MGO, which is an individual online rental service that gave you two free rentals upon initial registration.

As for the film, this is the writing and directing debut for Joseph Gordon Levitt, who also stars in the film as a young guido who has an affinity for online pornography. While he has no difficulty meeting and sleeping with women, he prefers watching the porn because he is more easily able to "lose himself" when watching it than he can when being with a woman. For him watching pornography is just as much of his daily routine as going to the gym, cleaning his apartment or going to church. This creates a problem, however, when he begins to date the beautiful Barbara (Scarlet Johanson). She finds it disgusting and wants him to focus only on her. The films sets up a lot of intriguing storylines beyond the tension the Jon's habit has on his relationship. There's an emotionally unstable woman (Julianne Moore) who befriends Jon at the night class he is taking. There's Jon's parents (Tony Danza and Glenn Headley) who always seem to fight and Jon's sister (Brie Larson), who never stops playing on her phone. As I watched I kept waiting for the payoff to these characters and their issues but it never really goes anywhere. I was hoping that the story would have something to say about the ubiquity of pornography and the reason people can become addicted to it. Instead it settles for a romantic comedy conclusion that the character seemed to rail against earlier in the film. The cast here is extremely likeable and Levitt shows some promise as a director, but on the whole Don Jon left me unsatisfied. If I had wanted that, I could have just watched actual porn instead. Rating: *** 1/2

2014 Movie Preview: #17 - Horrible Bosses 2

Release date: November 26

Plot summary: Fed up with answering to higher-ups, Nick, Dale and Kurt decide to become their own bosses by launching their own business in "Horrible Bosses 2." But a slick investor soon pulls the rug out from under them. Outplayed and desperate, and with no legal recourse, the three would-be entrepreneurs hatch a misguided plan to kidnap the investor's adult son and ransom him to regain control of their company.

My take: The first Horrible Bosses had a lot of potential but did not quite live up to my expectations. With a lot of sequels, the law of diminishing returns sets in. I truly hope that isn't the case here because the cast is so strong. Based on the limited amount of knowledge we have on the plot, it seems like this can potentially build off of the first one and deliver an even stronger film this time around.

2014 Movie Preview: #18 - Non-Stop

Release date: February 28

Plot summary: Global action star Liam Neeson stars in "Non-Stop," a suspense thriller played out at 40,000 feet in the air. During a transatlantic flight from New York City to London, U.S. Air Marshal Bill Marks (Neeson) receives a series of cryptic text messages demanding that he instruct the government to transfer $150 million into an off-shore account. Until he secures the money, a passenger on his flight will be killed every 20 minutes.

My take: The Liam Neeson career resurgence as a bad-ass action star continues here. Although the story in some of his films have been sub-par, he always finds a way to bring the goods. The good news here is that the story sounds promising as well. Given that the Die Hard franchise has seemingly fallen off the wheels, perhaps this film can help fill that void.

Back in the Hobbit

Because the original Lord of the Rings trilogy came out before I started this blog, many may not know that I have never been a big Tolkien fan. It's mainly based on the fact that the fantasy genre is one that I have never found overly compelling (it's the same reason you'll never see me talking about Game of Thrones on the blog either). Despite the fact that I am not a fan, I did see all three Rings movies mainly because I have friends who enjoy them and I'd rather do something with them than sit at home alone. Well a similar situation arose this weekend when I had a friend ask me if I wanted to join him to see the second installment in the Hobbit trilogy. Given that I had not seen the first one that came out last year, I opted to rent that one so that I would be able to follow along with the story. So without further ado, here's my quick and dirty reviews for both of those films

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Like many I struggled with this first film for the sake that it felt like it contained too much superfluous content. I mean, it takes 45 minutes before the characters actually decide whether or not to take the titular Journey. As we watch this collection of dwarves, Gandalf, and the hobbit known as Bilbo Baggins, head on out we get some brief moments of excitement that end up getting stretched out for far too long. The best moments come when we see appearances from familiar faces. Although it goes on too long (a recurring theme), the scenes between Bilbo (Martin Freeman) and Gollum are a lot of fun and remind us once again as to how good Andy Serkis is in this type of role. I also really enjoyed the scene between Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Saruman (Christopher Lee). Even though there's very little action going on here, you enjoy seeing these great actors sharing dialogue. Despite some bloat, it does a decent job of establishing the quest that these characters will be encountering. I did have to laugh, however, as one character states near the end of the film that they believe the worst is behind them. It is quite clear that there's a lot more story and a whole lot more peril yet to come. Grade: B-

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - The second film features a similar and yet slightly different problem. Most of the action in this film flows better and is more engaging, yet it suffers from being the middle portion of the story. As a result, all of it is mere set-up without any decent pay-off. The film's closing feels particularly cheap knowing that there's still one more lengthy movie to go before we get a true resolution. Prior to that point, there are several impressive sequences that involve spiders, elves, orcs, and a wild river ride in a barrel. The introduction of the aforementioned elves including Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and new character Tauriel (played by Evangeline Lily) bring both some exciting action and an unconventional love triangle. In addition to all that, we get some major scenes involving an impressive looking dragon, known as Smaug. Voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, the creature is not only visually impressive, but provides some key dramatic tension in the film as well. While still far from perfect, this movie is an improvement over the first by virtue of its tighter storytelling. It is strongly advised, however, the you watch the first one before this or else you will struggle with following along with the plot and these many characters. Grade: B

2014 Movie Preview: #19 - Welcome to Yesterday

Release date: February 28

Plot summary: A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.

My take: It seems like "found footage" films can be real hit and miss. While some use the device as a means of capitalizing on a fad, others have found a way to make it an effective storytelling device. Let's hope that Welcome to Yesterday fits into that latter category. It certainly has a decent, albeit done before, plot. Can this be a Back to the Future for a new generation or simply another showcase for how annoying teenagers can be? Only time will tell. See what I did there?

2014 Movie Preview: #20 - Draft Day

Release date: April 11

Plot summary: On the day of the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Costner) has the opportunity to save football in Cleveland when he trades for the number one pick. He must quickly decide what he's willing to sacrifice in pursuit of perfection as the lines between his personal and professional life become blurred on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with dreams of playing in the NFL.

My take: Given that the importance of draft day for the real Cleveland Browns is an all too frequent occurrence, I can't say that this movie has perfect timing, but it will coincide nicely with anticipation for what the Browns will actually do in the draft next year. Aside from an affinity for this movie given its hometown, it looks like it could be solidly entertaining based simply on its good cast and proven director.

Devil of a time

I just previewed Devil's Knot, the latest film to tell the story of the West Memphis Three, earlier today. Now you can see whether it's a film that interests you or not by checking out the trailer below.

2014 Movie Preview: #21 - Paranormal Activity 5

Release date: October 24

Plot summary: Scary things are happening in someone's house and they're capturing it all on video so you can be as freaked out as they are. Is it a ghost? Is it Tobey? Is it Katie Featherston? You'll have to pay money for a ticket and find out!

My take: At this point, this franchise is getting a little long in the tooth and probably should be put out to pasture. However, I don't want to see it go away until we get some answers related to the film's overall mythology. If they jerk audience's around again with this one, I'm calling it quits. But I'm hopeful that with the benefit of taking a year off that they'll have come up with a decent story that not only decently scares us but gives us the answers we've been looking for. Please note that the film I am previewing here is not the one that comes out in January. That one is a cheap spinoff that is merely looking to cash in on the Paranormal Activity name.

2014 Movie Preview: #22 - Devil's Knot

Release date: TBA

Plot summary: Based on the true crime book, "Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three" by Mara Leveritt, "Devil's Knot" tells the compelling story of three teenagers accused of the brutal 1993 murder of three 8-year old boys in Memphis, Ark. - two of them sentenced to life imprisonment and one to death. The film explores the lives of deeply misunderstood outsiders, their families and communities, and their darkest fantasies. The conviction of the West Memphis Three - Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley, Jr., and Jason Baldwin - riled the American justice system, shocked a tightly knit religious town and outraged the nation.

My take: There have already been several films, both documentary and adaptations on the story of the West Memphis Three. So what makes this one worth a look? Well mainly the pedigree of those working on it. Its stars - Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon - are both Oscar winners. The film is also being directed by Atom Egoyan who has made some very powerful dramas in the past. I have no clue as to if this film can be better than any of the previous attempts or if it has anything new to say about this story, but I'm sure interested in seeing if it can.

Cop-ping an attitude

I just mentioned the reboot of Robocop that is set to come out early next year. Well they people behind the film have smartly devised an ad campaign that offers a good message for this time of year that also reminds people that this new film is coming out. Check it out:



And for fun, you can relive the awesomeness of this PSA from the 1980s which also features Robocop.

2014 Movie Preview: #23 - 22 Jump Street

Release date: June 13

Plot summary: After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don't have to just crack the case - they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship. If these two overgrown adolescents can grow from freshmen into real men, college might be the best thing that ever happened to them.

My take: As I mentioned when I posted the trailer for this sequel recently, I was not overly enamored with the first film. However, it was not without its merits. There are too many funny people that are in the cast not to produce at least some decent laughs. Plus I much prefer the college setting over the high school setting and think it creates a larger range of potential jokes.

2014 Movie Preview: #24 - Robocop

Release date: February 12

Plot summary: In "RoboCop," the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Their drones are winning American wars around the globe and now they want to bring this technology to the home front. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit. After he is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp utilizes their remarkable science of robotics to save Alex's life. He returns to the streets of his beloved city with amazing new abilities, but with issues a regular man has never had to face before.

My take: The first trailer for this reboot left me believing that this would be a case of another remake tarnishing the good name of the original. The second trailer that was released, however, has given me pause. Given the decent supporting cast, I have belief that this still can work. At the very least it can't be any worse than the Total Recall trailer. Let's just hope they maintain the social commentary that made the original so memorable and not have this be a generic action flick with endless explosions.

What a doll

While you never know what to expect when Conan goes on a "remote shoot", you can always guarantee it'll yield a lot of laughs. His most recent adventure, which had him taking a trip to the American Girl store was no different. Check it out.

2014 Movie Preview: #25 - Gone Girl

Release date: October 3

Plot summary: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick Dunne’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick Dunne isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but hearing from Amy through flashbacks in her diary reveal the perky perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister Margo at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was left in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

My take: I did not originally have this on my list because I did not read the Gillian Flynn novel that this is based off of. But then I read that David Fincher was directing this and Ben Affleck was starring. That is enough of a one-two punch to get me hooked. Given that the plot sounds very suspenseful, I just might have to give the book a read over the summer before this movie comes out next fall.

2014 Movie Preview: #26 - Sex Tape

Release date: July 25

Plot summary: The plot has a suburban married couple, Annie and Jay, accidentally losing a sex tape they made to reinvigorate their love life. Annie, a parenting blogger, leads the charge to recover it.

My take: Jason Segal teams up with his Bad Teacher co-star Cameron Diaz in an R-rated comedy that has a lot of potential. Segal does well with awkward comedy and had decent chemistry with Diaz. The added bonus for me with this film is that it is being direct by Jake Kasdan, who did Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, which is one of the most underrated comedies to come out in the past 10 years. In an era where it seems like everyone is accidentally having "selfies" and personal tapes of themselves getting leaked to the public, this may be a very timely comedy.

Tom thanks

Even though Seinfeld has been off the air for 15 years, the coffee shop that Jerry and the gang always went to remains a cultural icon and tourist hotspot. Now the eatery, known as Tom's Restaurant, is getting the spotlight turned on it with a new documentary. Here's an extended trailer to show you a glimpse of the history of the restaurant and its diners.

2014 Movie Preview: #27 - The Judge

Release date: October 10

Plot summary: The film finds Downey as an attorney returning to his hometown for his mother's funeral. Although Duvall's character is the town judge, he's also the only suspect in his wife's murder and Downey's character must balance years of estrangement and emotional distance in his effort to uncover the truth about what really happened.

My take: It is tough to get a real read on this film yet. It's placement on my list is primarily because of the strong cast. It will be enjoyable to see Robert Downey Jr. in a non-franchise film for a change. The story has somewhat of a Bernie vibe to me, even though this one is completely fiction. If this is half as good as that movie was, this will be a real treat.

2014 Movie Preview: #28 - Dumb and Dumber To

Release date: November 14

Plot summary: Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprise their signature roles as Lloyd and Harry in the sequel to the smash hit that took the physical comedy and kicked it in the nuts: "Dumb and Dumber To." The original film’s directors, Peter and Bobby Farrelly, take Lloyd and Harry on a road trip to find a child Harry never knew he had and the responsibility neither should ever, ever be given.

My take: We have seen a lot of comedies come back after long layoffs and the results have been mixed. I have no idea what to make of the 20 year layoff between the original film and this sequel. This has been a project that has started and stalled a few times but now is finally a go. I do not see everyone coming back for this simply for a cash grab or else they would have done it much sooner, so they must have a decent story in mind to tell. These guys struck a chord with my generation in knowing exactly what kind of 'dumb' humor would work. I will be very interested to see if they can do it again with a whole new generation.

Ron mentality

While audiences are laughing at the latest antics of anchorman Ron Burgundy, let us stop and remember that a lot of that comedy is rooted in truth. Here for your entertainment is a collection of some of the greatest news bloopers from 2013.

2014 Movie Preview: #29 - Tammy

Release date: July 2

Plot summary: Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) is having a bad day. She's totaled her clunker car, gotten fired from her thankless job at a greasy burger joint, and instead of finding comfort at home, finds her husband getting comfortable with the neighbor in her own house. It's time to take her boom box and book it. The bad news is she's broke and without wheels. The worse news is her grandma, Pearl (Susan Sarandon), is her only option - with a car, cash, and an itch to see Niagara Falls. Not exactly the escape Tammy had in mind. But on the road, with grandma riding shot gun, it may be just what Tammy needs.

My take: Melissa McCarthy has shown she has some real comedic chops with the films she's been in over the past few years. This may be her riskiest project to date, however, given that she is the lead and doesn't have a major comedic talent sharing the headline with her (no offense to Sarandon). From the plot alone, this does not sound like anything special. However, the film has been written by McCarthy and her husband, so they likely know how to make something funny. Plus the studio is releasing this two days before the Fourth of July holiday, which suggests that they've got a lot of faith in the project as well. Until I see a trailer, I won't know for sure, but there's enough here to make me feel like it deserves a spot on the list.

2014 Movie Preview: #30 - Transformers: Age of Extinction

So I am doing my list of most anticipated films for the new year slightly different this year. Instead of doing big long posts that chronicle five or six films leading up to #1, I am going to give each of these films their own moment in the sun by doing individual posts on each of them. This way I can break up the posts a little bit more with additional content as we work our way to #1.

I know most people (myself included) seem to be already looking beyond next year to 2015 given the slate of major blockbusters already set to come out, but that doesn't mean that 2014 is without merit. There are still plenty of films to get excited about, so let's get right to the list.

Release date: June 27

Plot summary: This is the fourth installment in the Transformers franchise. Michael Bay returns to direct once again. Not much is known about the story thus far, but there are rumors that this fourth film will feature Dinobots. Mark Wahlberg is set to star in the film.

My take: I was this close to leaving this film off my list, given my less than enthusiastic response to the previous films. However, there are signs that this latest entry may still have merit. The fact that Shia Labeouf will not be returning gives me hope that the human side of the story will be more tolerable. Plus Wahlberg has shown he knows how to do action films, so having him on board can't hurt. The rumor of Dinobots being included is intriguing and could help to breath some new life into this franchise.

The spy who birthed me

Are you a big James Bond fan? Then you may be interested in the four-part miniseries that chronicles the life of Ian Fleming, the author of the 007 novels that is set to air on BBC America this January. Here's a trailer to show you what you can expect to see.

Drama mine

Director Paul Greengrass is no stranger when it comes to reenacting some of the scariest moments of real life. In 2006 he brought one aspect of the tragedies of 9/11 to life with United 93. Now seven years later he goes from terror in the sky to terror in the ocean with Captain Phillips. Based on events from the 2009 incident involving Somali pirates attacking a U.S. cargo ship, Greengrass has once again created a gripping, intense thriller.

The first part of the film deals with the cargo ship's initial voyage. During this time we meet the crew, including the titular captain (played by Tom Hanks). While the scenes serve primarily as exposition to establish the characters, most of the scenes feel very fresh. Few films today deal with modern day sailing, especially in a vessel like a cargo ship. So to hear and see what's involved in the day to day operations was fascinating. So too were the early scenes involving the crew's efforts to prevent the pirates from coming on board. It is clear that some measures are known and in place to hopefully prevent any attack, but when those plans fail, it is interesting to see the creativity that these men attempt to use in order to get out of the ordeal safely.

If you're familiar with the story, then you know that the pirates eventually take Captain Phillips hostage on a lifeboat and try to flee back to Somalia. This part of the film is the most difficult to watch. They are difficult primarily because of Greengrass' efforts to give realism to the way these scenes are film. Greengrass effectively shoots these scenes within extremely cramped quarters on choppy waters. The end result is likely to give some both claustrophobia and seasickness. What works best about these scenes, however, is that we learn more about these pirates instead of seeing them simply as faceless villains. The leader of this group, is a rail-thin man who goes by Muse. He's played very well by real life Somali, Barkhad Abdi. We see the internal struggle that this man goes through as he is desperate to prove himself to others while recognizes that some of the decisions to accomplish that goes against his sense of human decency. You realize that not every pirate is doing this as an act of terror, but as a means of survival.

As the Navy gets involved in trying to get Captain Phillips back from his captors, the intensity level gets ramped up to a whole new level. Even though most likely know how this story ends I will not divulge those details here. All I will say is that I was in awe of the acting performance Hanks gives in the film's closing minutes. You completely forget you are watching an actor and truly believe you are watching someone who has actually experienced a horrific ordeal. I know the race for Best Actor will be extremely competitive this year, but I am willing to give it to Hanks already for his work in those scenes alone. He once again proves why he is truly one of our best actors around.

Like Gravity, this film does not boast a large cast. Oddly enough Catherine Keener shows up in the very first scene of the film playing Phillips' wife and then is never seen from again for the rest of the movie. Instead Greengrass keeps the film streamlined and focused on the primary conflict. This is likely for the best because we become so much more invested in this story without a lot of superfluous characters or unnecessary subplots. What is left is another excellent tale of one man's quest for survival.

Given that I saw this film on the last day it was available at my local theater, you may have to wait until it comes out on DVD before you have a chance to see if you have not done so already. If that's the case, I would highly recommend it. Unlike Gravity, which demands to be seen on the big screen and in 3D, Captain Phillips is a film that will be just as effective on the small screen. You owe it to yourself to learn more about this incredible story and to witness some excellent acting from the film's primary leads. In a crowded field this awards season, this film may get a bit lost at sea, but it is still worthy of high praise. Grade: A-

Feeling a Draft

It's hard telling if I would be interested in Draft Day as much if it didn't focus primarily on the Cleveland Browns, but because it does, I'll be very interested to see if a Hollywood version of our draft turns out any better than our actual one.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday and that Santa brought them everything that they wanted. I had a fantastic time with my family and feel blessed to be with them each and every day. If you are going to be on vacation for the next several days, be sure to stop back on the blog as I'll still be posting plenty of content including my countdown of the films I'm most anticipating in seeing in 2014.

Snarknado

When Bill Hader left SNL this past spring we lost all of his great characters, including Stefon, whose presence always made for a great Weekend Update. It appears that the void left by him has for the time being been filled by Jebidiah Atkinson, played by Taran Killam. Atkinson is 19th century critic who panned the Gettysburg address and apparently hates everything else he sees as well. The character has already made two great appearances this season. If you haven't seen them yet, check them out below.

Running on Diesel power

From JustJared.com:

Vin Diesel has officially landed the voice role of Groot in the upcoming Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy!

The 46-year-old actor confirmed the news by posting the image of himself and the detailed character bust on his Facebook page. Director James Gunn also tweeted the news, saying he “is a super awesome dude. I can’t tell you how much I like this guy.”

Guardians of the Galaxy follows an unlikely cast of characters including Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Diesel), and Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) who must join forces to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions.

Fore play

As most network TV shows shift to reruns over the holiday season, you may be in need of some decent to watch. Might I recommend Netflix's first foray into documentary films. The Short Game chronicles the lives of several young children as they compete for a national golf tournament. In the vein of films like Spellbound, this seems like it could be a compelling story worth a look. Here's the trailer to see if it's for you.

RBR: 2 Guns

You would never hear anyone note similarities in the acting styles of Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg and yet teaming them together has produced quite the charismatic pair in 2 Guns, an action thriller from earlier this year. Washington is a DEA agent and Wahlberg is a Marine who have teamed up to take down a Mexican drug lord (played by Edward James Olmos) without fully revealing to the other who they really are or their motivations. The banter between them provides the film with a nice spark that resembles some of the pairing of great 80s buddy cop movies like Lethal Weapon or 48 Hours. Because these two keep their plans from each other, it sets up a number of other characters in the film who also have their own agendas. While it makes the story a bit preposterous, it is also exciting because you cannot immediately tell how things will turn out. Paula Patton fills the sex appeal role playing a fellow agent working with Washington. I would have actually like to see a bit more development in her character, but she's at least easy on the eyes. Given the breezy chemistry that the two leads had it is disappointing that the film opted to have the action portrayed in such a violent manner. The film's title is quite the misnomer given that way more than two guns are used. The violence shown here suggests a grittier film than the way Washington and Wahlberg play things. A more consistent film would have produced something great. As it is, this merely settles for being a solidly entertaining film and makes me interested in seeing these two leads team up again either in a sequel or in an unrelated project. Rating: ****

Yesterday's news

I've become somewhat cynical to the "found footage" genre of filmmaking, but I must admit that this trailer for Welcome to Yesterday about a group of teenagers who discover the ability to time travel has caught my eye. If it is as fresh and innovative as Chronicle then this may have a chance of being a mainstream hit.

Paquin some, lose some

From comingsoon.net:

There will be one less mutant in this summer’s highly anticipated X-Men: Days of Future Past, which combines the casts of the original X-Men trilogy with those of 2011′s First Class. Director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) has revealed to EW exclusively that a rescue sequence — shot early in the film’s production and featuring Magneto (Ian McKellen), Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Rogue (Anna Paquin), and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) — has been cut from the final film. Sadly, this means that Rogue’s screen time has been significantly chopped down as well.

“Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous,” explains Singer. “It’s a really good sequence and it will probably end up on the DVD so people can see it. But like many things in the editing process, it was an embarrassment of riches and it was just one of the things that had to go. Unfortunately, it was the one and only sequence Anna Paquin was in, the Rogue character was in. Even though she’s in the materials and part of the process of making the film, she won’t appear in it.”

Singer emphasizes that the decision had nothing to do with the Oscar-winning True Blood star, who was on set for only week of Days of Future Past, or with her performance. “She did a fantastic job,” says the director. “She was awesome in the sequence. She’s a brilliant actress. I would work with her in a heartbeat.”

Singer, who is still editing the film in advance of its release on May 23, 2014, has already broken the news to Paquin. “She completely understood,” he says. “It’s very disappointing, but she’s very professional and she knows that stuff happens, particularly with material you shoot early on in production. Films evolve.”

Depp recesses of the mind

It shouldn't be newsworthy when Johnny Depp plays a normal human being that isn't caked in ghoulish makeup in a movie, but it is. Here is a teaser trailer for his newest movie, a sci-fi thriller called Transcendence that is being directed by Wally Pfister who is a first time director but long time cinematographer for Christopher Nolan.

Ant hardly wait

From comingsoon.net:

Rumored for the role since earlier this year, Paul Rudd is Marvel Studios' choice to headline Ant-Man! The Wrap reports that the Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues star will play Hank Pym in the July 31, 2015 release.

Set to begin production early next year in Georgia, Ant-Man will be directed by Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the script with Joe Cornish (Attack the Block).

Although there's no assurance yet that it remains the case, Wright's original plans for the film called for both Pym and the later Ant-Man of the comics, Scott Lang, to appear in the feature.

"The idea that we have for the adaptation is to actually involve both... Henry Pym and Scott Lang," Wright told SuperHeroHype some years ago. "So you actually do a prologue where you see Pym as Ant-Man in action in the 60's, in sort of 'Tales to Astonish' mode basically, and then the contemporary, sort of flash-forward, is Scott Lang's story, and how he comes to acquire the suit, how he crosses paths with Henry Pym, and then, in an interesting sort of Machiavellian way, teams up with him."

The film, which is supposed to launch "Phase Three" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will follow Avengers: Age of Ultron's May 1, 2015 release.

O Christmas Fern

Get in the Christmas spirit with a special holiday edition of Between Two Ferns where Zach welcomes special guests Tobey Maguire, Samuel L. Jackson, and Arcade Fire.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Happy Holidays Edition from Between Two Ferns

Stubbs out, Outman in

From Indians.com

The Indians were tasked this offseason with rebuilding a bullpen that began to come apart at the seams last summer. Even before the winter arrived, and a group of Tribe relievers entered free agency, multiple roles in the bullpen were in flux.

Two areas in need of attention this offseason were strengthening the left-handed relief options and finding a new closer. Cleveland addressed the former issue Wednesday by acquiring lefty Josh Outman from the Rockies in exchange for outfielder Drew Stubbs. As for the latter, a solution is in the works, with free-agent closer John Axford having agreed to a one-year contract with the Indians.

Axford was scheduled to undergo a physical on Wednesday to complete the signing process.

"Our job is trying to piece together the best bullpen we can, and we feel we've had some progress," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "We'll continue to look to improve if we can. I feel good about the group that we have and I feel as though we're improved from where we were at the start of the offseason.

"But, again, there's a lot of time left between now and Spring Training and we'll do what we can to try to improve."

Antonetti was not willing to address the addition of Axford, who will earn $4.5 million in 2014 with another $1.75 million possible through incentives, according to multiple sources. Once the signing of Axford is made official, he will assume the ninth-inning role vacated by Chris Perez, who lost his job as the closer in September and was released by Cleveland in October.

Joining Perez in free agency this winter were setup man Joe Smith (three years, $15.75 million with Angels), ground-ball specialist Matt Albers (one year, $2.25 million with Astros) and lefty Rich Hill. Antonetti noted that the Indians have kept in contact with Hill, though Outman is poised to assume the left-on-left role that the veteran held last year with Cleveland.

"We haven't closed the door on Rich," Antonetti said. "But Josh could fill that role."

The 29-year-old Outman -- eligible for arbitration for the second time this winter and under contractual control through 2015 -- joins Marc Rzepczynski as the Indians' top two lefties out of the bullpen now. Cleveland also has young left-hander Nick Hagadone in the fold, but he has one Minor League option and has battled inconsistency over the past two seasons.

Stubbs became expendable for the Tribe after the signing of veteran outfielder David Murphy to a two-year, $12 million contract in November. With Murphy, Cleveland had three players for right field (Ryan Raburn being the third) and Stubbs became the odd-man out. The Indians acquired Stubbs from the Reds as part of a three-team, nine-player trade last offseason with the idea that he could thrive as a full-time right fielder.

In 146 games for Cleveland, Stubbs hit .233 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs, but his defense took a step back after shifting out of center field, and he did not run nearly as much as in the past. Stubbs ended with 17 stolen bases after swiping 100 in the previous three seasons with Cincinnati. Down the stretch, the Indians limited Stubbs' role, using him mainly against left-handed pitching.

It became increasingly clear that Cleveland could use Stubbs as potential trade bait to address a need on the pitching staff.

The Indians actually had interest in Outman at last season's July 31 Trade Deadline, but could not align on a deal with Colorado, and then reeled in Rzepczynski in a trade with St. Louis. Excluding Rzepczynski, Cleveland's lefty relievers posted a combined 6.24 ERA in 83 2/3 innings last season, making that an area in need of upgrading.

Rzepczynski helped solidify that aspect of the bullpen down the stretch, turning in a 0.89 ERA while holding lefties to a .128 (5-for-39) average in his time with the Tribe last year. By adding Outman, the Indians hope they now have two proven left-handed specialists within their relief corps.

"One of our focuses this offseason was to really try to improve our pitching," Antonetti said. "[Outman] is a left-handed pitcher with really good arm strength that's had a lot of success against left-handers at the Major League level. So we feel he'll fit into the bullpen and be a meaningful contributor for us this year."

After working as a long man and spot starter in parts of the 2008-12 seasons with the A's and Rockies, Outman finally served as a full-time reliever in '13. In 61 appearances, the left-hander turned in a 4.33 ERA with 53 strikeouts against 23 walks in 54 innings. Across five big league seasons, Outman has a 4.61 ERA, 2.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.43 WHIP.

Outman's area of expertise is facing lefties, who combined for a .198/.278/.261 slash line against the southpaw last season. Righties, however, feasted off the pitcher, posting a .347/.423/.459 line against him in 2013. For his career, Outman has limited left-handed batters to a .189 average (.523 OPS), compared to a .303 average (.844) for right-handed hitters.

Outman features primarily a three-pitch mix consisting of a fastball (92.4 mph on average in 2013, according to fangraphs.com), slider (83.1 mph) and changeup (80.8 mph).

"We'll try to leverage him as best we can to allow him to be successful," Antonetti said, "and allow our team to win as many games as possible. The role will still be determined, but I would envision him pitching more against left-handed hitters than right-handed hitters."

African union

Here the first trailer for Blended, starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Adam and Drew always have nice chemistry together, but this feels like another excuse for a paid vacation for Sandler.

You want new titles? Wii got them!

Nintendo released some news and updates on several games that are in the pipeline for the Wii U system. Several of which are games which involve some of your favorite Nintendo characters including Zelda, Donkey Kong, and the entire Mario gang. The article, which contains some game videos and trailers, is too long to republish here, so I'll just post the link below and you can check it out for yourself over at comingsoon.net.

Nintendo reveals Zelda game Hyrule Warriros, More on Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros.

Monkey business

As the trailers keep rolling in, we now get our first look at Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to 2011's surprise hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Tub time

From EW.com:

The sequel to the 2010 comedy Hot Tub Time Machine is heating up. MGM and Paramount announced last night that the follow-up, which does not include John Cusack, will arrive sometime in 2014, with Paramount distributing in the U.S. and MGM handling the movie internationally. A press release confirms that the plot for the movie will emphasize the character played by Rob Corddry. “When Lou (Corddry) finds himself in trouble, Nick (Craig Robinson) and Jacob (Clark Duke) fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past. But they inadvertently land in the future. Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past… which is really the present.”

Replacing Cusack, if not in character than at least in stature, is Adam Scott.

Pranks for the memories

Whenever Paul Rudd visits Conan O'Brien's talk show, you can expect that he will show a clip from the hilariously bad 1980s film, Mac and Me instead of a scene from his own film. The beauty is that the joke never gets old. At least one other person agrees and has created a compilation of the various times he has done this to Conan over the past 10 years. I no doubt look for him to do it once again if he visits Conan in the next couple of weeks to plug Anchorman 2

RBR: We're the Millers

This comedy about a small time drug dealer who pretends to have a family so he can smuggle a large quantity of marijuana across the border turned out to be a surprise hit earlier this year. Now having seen it on DVD, its success is that much more surprising to me. For one, movies that come in August typically are not poised to be blockbusters. But the bigger reason is that the film's humor and subject matter do not seem like they would lend themselves to a mainstream hit. Credit the likeable cast for driving this creaky premise into a film that does enough to get by. SNL's Jason Sudekis plays the drug dealer who rounds up Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, and Will Poulter to play his family members. The film also features appearances from comedians including Ed Helms, Nick Offerman, and Kathryn Hahn. The humor here is very hit and miss. I found too many of the gags had decent setups with weak payoffs. The bigger issue though was poor character development. Almost everyone here is inconsistent and behaves in a manner that suits the joke and the role they play in it. Unfortunately, I found there to be very few surprises offered here. Given that this is a film that is relying on half of its jokes to work based on shock value, that's a problem. I also found the film to be a bit too cynical at times regarding the American dream and suburban family life. It feels like they want the characters to take a jaded attitude toward that lifestyle, but the actors seem to be good representatives of it. I did not find myself actively hating this film like other pathetic comedies I have seen this year, but I also was left confused as to what was offered here that struck a nerve with so many viewers to cause it to earn as much as it did at the box office. To me this is the epitome of an average film that gets by with its pleasant actors engaging in some occasionally humorous antics. Rating: ** 1/2

Tomorrow never dies

Somehow I forgot to add this one in my posting bonanza last weekend. Here's the first trailer for Tom Cruise's new sci-fi thriller, Edge of Tomorrow, which is set to come out next summer.

Welcome Marcum

Looks like the Indians have another low risk project that they're hoping will pay off...

The Indians have found another reclamation project for pitching coach Mickey Callaway.

Cleveland reached an agreement with free-agent starter Shaun Marcum on Monday on a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the Indians. The veteran right-hander will be thrown into the mix for a rotation job and will have the right to opt out of the deal if he does not make the Opening Day roster.

According to a source, Marcum's deal with the Indians is worth a $1 million base salary, plus another $3 million attainable through incentives, if he is in the Major Leagues next season.

This past season, the Indians took on a comeback candidate in lefty Scott Kazmir, who went from pitching in independent ball the previous season to capturing a job in Cleveland's rotation as a non-roster invitee last spring. Marcum will be given a similar opportunity, going up against Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer for a spot on the starting staff.

As things currently stand, Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar and Zach McAllister are the leading candidates for the first four jobs in the rotation.

Kazmir came back from an assortment of minor health woes that led to problems throughout his pitching mechanics. Callaway helped the lefty get back on track last season and that led to the A's signing the pitcher to a two-year, $22 million contract this offseason.

Marcum's comeback is decidedly different.

This spring, Marcum will be continuing his return from an uncommon injury. The 32-year-old right-hander had surgery to alleviate the thoracic outlet syndrome that plagued him in his lone tour with the Mets. It is an issue that stems from compression of the space between the collarbone and first rib, which can create pain in the shoulder and neck, along with numbness in the hand.

Marcum went 1-10 with a 5.29 ERA in 14 games for New York before having the operation in July.

Prior to last season, Marcum turned in a string of solid seasons for both the Blue Jays and Brewers. Toronto selected the right-hander in the third round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and he became a staple in the team's rotation. From 2007-12, which includes two years in Milwaukee, Marcum posted a 3.67 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 2.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 830 1/3 innings.

Marcum missed the 2009 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but returned strong by going 26-15 with a 3.59 ERA in 64 starts (396 innings) in the 2010-11 campaigns. The Brewers acquired Marcum from the Blue Jays on Dec. 6, 2010, in exchange for infielder Brett Lawrie, and Milwaukee made the postseason in '11 with Marcum on the staff.

In parts of eight Major League seasons, Marcum has gone 58-46 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 188 games (161 starts).

Getting a Jump start on the new year

More trailers keep rolling in previewing the 2014 slate. This time it's the sequel to surprise reboot of 21 Jump Street, this time named 22 Jump Street. I'll let the awesome Nick Offerman explain why.

Ax man

Have the Indians found their new closer?

The Indians have been searching for an answer for their closer role since the final week of the regular season. Cleveland is taking a chance on John Axford with the hope that he can rekindle his career as one of the game's elite stoppers.

According to multiple sources, the Indians have reached an agreement with free-agent Axford on a one-year contract worth $4.5 million for the 2014 season, pending the completion of a physical on Wednesday. The pact would include another $1.75 million in incentives based on games finished.

The Indians have not made any official comment about the deal.

The Indians were in talks with Axford, along with a handful of other experienced late-inning arms, during the Winter Meetings last week. A former closer for the Brewers, the 30-year-old Axford lost his role in Milwaukee and was traded to St. Louis in August, finishing the season strong out of the Cardinals' bullpen.

With Cleveland, Axford is expected to step into the ninth-inning role after the Indians released their former closer, Chris Perez, on Oct. 31. The Indians have expressed confidence in having either Cody Allen or Bryan Shaw assume the closing duties, but manager Terry Francona indicated during the Winter Meetings that his preference was to keep the pair of right-handers in setup roles.

"I think [Allen] could handle it with very little hiccups," Francona said last week. "Saying that, I'm not sure that that puts our ballclub in the best position to win. At an early age, we used him in so many high-leverage situations. From the sixth inning on, bases loaded, snuff out a rally, we basically went to Cody. Right- or left-handed didn't matter. He was so good at it, and I would think he'll only continue to get better. It's hard to lose that guy.

"That one guy can make your whole bullpen so much better. So many times you get a save situation, it could be a three-run game with nobody on and the game's already been lost in the seventh or eighth. Same thing [with Shaw]. He could do it in the ninth, no doubt. But, what he does earlier is valuable."

The Indians have also been in contact with free-agent closers such as Joaquin Benoit, Grant Balfour and Fernando Rodney, among others. Cleveland also extended an offer to Edward Mujica, but he ultimately signed a two-year contract with the Red Sox.

A one-year deal for Axford makes sense for both sides, considering he has two more years of arbitration eligibility following next season.

Perez was eligible for arbitration this offseason, but he lost his job as Cleveland's closer in the final week of the regular season. In 54 games, Perez posted career worsts in ERA (4.33) and WHIP (1.43), making his expected salary (anticipated to be over $9 million) too inflated for his diminished role. The Indians opted to cut ties with Perez, who had an 88-percent save rate (123-for-140) over the past four seasons.

Last season, Axford posted a 4.02 ERA in 75 games (65 innings) between stints with the Brewers and Cardinals, piling up 65 strikeouts against 26 walks. The righty had a 4.45 ERA and was 0-for-6 in save chances in 62 games for Milwaukee, which dealt him to St. Louis on Aug. 30. Down the stretch, Axford posted a 1.74 ERA with 11 strikeouts and three walks in 10 1/3 innings.

Axford's best season came in 2011, when he fashioned a 1.95 ERA and saved 46 games during the Brewers' run to the postseason. Across the 2010-11 campaigns, he had a 2.19 ERA in 124 games (131 2/3 innings) and a stellar 93-percent save rate (70-for-75). Over the past two years, though, Axford has posted a 4.35 ERA in 150 games (134 1/3 innings) with a 69-percent conversion rate (35-for-51).

Even with his recent struggles, Axford offers more ninth-inning experience than Cleveland's current crop of relievers. Besides releasing Perez, the Indians also lost setup man Joe Smith to the Angels (three years, $15.75 million) in free agency. Vinnie Pestano, who endured his own mound woes last season, leads the current Tribe bullpen (on the 40-man roster) in big league saves with 11 in his career. Shaw is next on that list with three saves.

Drumming up interest

We go from talking about this year's highly touted space adventure to previewing what could likely be next year's highly touted space adventure. Here's your first look at Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. It doesn't tell us much and yet I am already hooked.

The great space coaster

Every day seems to bring new awards nominations or critics top ten lists, which is a sign that I need to start watching some of these movies so I can tell whether or not I agree with everyone else. First up is a film that is generating quite a lot of Oscar buzz, Alfonso Cuaron's space thriller, Gravity.

There have been a lot of movies that focus on a main character having a "very bad day", but few could rival the one that astronaut Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) experiences in this movie. Stone is a medical engineer, but because of her knowledge and expertise in her field has been asked to go on a mission in space. One of her fellow astronauts is Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is veteran space traveler. He's done so many trips that he has to humor himself by retelling the same stories to mission control as he floats around. While on a routine spacewalk, the crew learns that debris from a damaged satellite is floating in their direction. Before they can get back inside the ship the debris hurtles towards them causing damage to their ship and severing Stone's tether.

From there we spend the next 90 minutes or so in a state of sustained tension as we watch whether or not Stone will be able to survive this perilous predicament. So may argue that the plot is too simplistic, but this is a case of less is more. The trials and tribulations that this character encounters are simply enthralling. We are presented with a "worst case scenario" of events for this character, yet all of it remains grounded and plausible. Even though most of us will never have the opportunity to experience what it is like to go up in space, you feel as if you are right there besides Stone as she struggles to find her way back to her ship.

The primary reason for such a shared sense of experience while watching this film comes from its amazing visual artistry. Cuaron has simply created a wonderfully looking film. I was thankful to have the opportunity to see this film in 3D and it's the first movie since Avatar to feel like it's worth the upgrade in price. Cuaron does not just have the look of space correct, he creates these long tracking shots to really make you feel where you are. This has been a hallmark of his filmmaking in the past, but it has never been better than it is here.

This is also a director who is more than someone who has fallen in love with his location. He knows how to shoot his actors. There is a beautiful looking shot midway through the film where he depicts Stone as if she was an infant still in the womb. This adventure puts her into a whole new world for sure and it is captivating to watch her try and catch her bearings in such a foreign environment.

While Bullock will likely get the majority of attention for her tour de force performance here, I do not want to slight George Clooney in any way (not that he's struggling without my endorsement, but that's neither here nor there). Although his time on screen is brief, he holds your attention like few other actors today can for the time that he is there. The interplay between him and Bullock ranges from light-hearted to deeply philosophical and all of it is interesting.

Simply put, this movie works on all levels. It's a visual wonder, a captivating thriller, and a display of everyone involved working at their highest level. Without having seen enough of the other potential contenders, I cannot say for certainty that this should win, but I have no qualms about it if it is bestowed that highest honor. Cuaron and company have reached for the stars and somehow managed to soar even above those lofty expectations. Grade: A

Ya nerd?

It's yet another trailer for a returning midseason TV series. This time it's the season 2 trailer for the TBS reality series King of the Nerds. Season 1 was fun, but flawed. Let's hope some of those issues will be worked out and we can revel once again in all that is nerdly.

Game of foes

From EW.com

Sony is expanding its Spider-Man franchise with spinoffs devoted to the web-slinger’s greatest arch-enemies. The studio stealthily announced plans for a Venom movie, as well as one about the Sinister Six, the Marvel Comics team of rouges that included, at one time, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, Vulture, Hobgoblin, and Mysterio.
The movies, combined with The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which will open June 10, 2016, will be continuous collaborative creations from a “franchise brain trust” that includes producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, director Marc Webb, and writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, Ed Solomon, and Drew Goddard.

“This collaboration was born out of the great experience we and Marc had working with Alex, Bob, and Jeff on The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” Arad and Tolmach jointly said, in a statement. “With more than 50 years’ wealth of stories in the comic books to draw upon for inspiration, the Spider-Man universe is truly boundless; in addition, the Spider-Man comics have the greatest rogues gallery of any series, and to have the chance to explore that on film is truly thrilling. Until now, we have approached each film as a separate, self-contained entity, but with this move, we have the opportunity to grow the franchise by looking to the future as we develop a continuous arc for the story. That is what Alex, Bob, Jeff, Ed, and Drew will do in this unprecedented collaboration, and we’re excited about the directions they are taking the character and the world.”

Kurtzman, Orci, and Pinkner, who together co-wrote the script for next year’s Spider-Man sequel, are also writing the screenplay for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which Sony is optimistic that Webb will direct. Kurtzman and Orci, writing partners who’ve penned Star Trek and Transformers movies, will also pair with Solomon (Men in Black) on a script for Venom, with plans for Kurtzman to direct. (Kurtzman directed the 2012 drama, People Like Us, with Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks.) Meanwhile, Cabin in the Woods director Goddard will write and likely direct The Sinister Six. (Goddard is also attached to Marvel’s planned Daredevil series for Netflix, so stay tuned on how that unfolds…)

“The Spider-Man film franchise is one of our studio’s greatest assets,” said Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, in a statement. “We are thrilled with the creative team we have assembled to delve more deeply into the world that Marc, Avi and Matt have begun to explore in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. We believe that Marc, Alex, and Drew have uniquely exciting visions for how to expand the Spider-Man universe in each of these upcoming films.”

Not mentioned in the release is Andrew Garfield’s long-range involvement in the spinoffs. He recently confirmed he’s under contract through Spider-Man 3 — a fourth Spidey film and presumable the spinoffs were “all news” to him.

I've got a spy on you

I never discussed it much on here, but the FX series The Americans was one of my favorite new shows of 2013. Set in the 1980s, the show focused on two Russian spies who live in America and pose as a married family. The show featured some high drama and excellent cat-and-mouse thrills. If you're a fan of the show, you are anxious for Season 2 to arrive just like me. Well here's your first look at the new season set to premiere next Feburary.

Preparing for War

It appears that the cast for The Avengers sequel is set to get even bigger.

Seems like The Avengers will have to make room for one more in their upcoming film as it appears Don Cheadle could be reprising his role of Colonel James Rhodes, AKA War Machine, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Originally mentioned in passing at USA Today, Bleeding Cool reported the story as a rumor followed by a "confirmation" from HitFix on the actor's return for the film.

In addition, Bleeding Cool reports that British actor Simon McBurney is in line for a role in the film that they are hearing will be the "new Jarvis," which isn't a replacement computer but the actual butler named Jarvis.

This all remains unconfirmed by Marvel Studios, but check back here for official confirmation on the matter as we learn it.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will bring the Marvel Universe's biggest heroes together again to face one of their biggest villains, with Marvel's The Avengers director Joss Whedon returning to write and direct the sequel. The film is set to open May 1, 2015.

Shuffle up and deal

Get ready for more political machinations from Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Here's the first trailer for Season 2 of House of Cards set to be released on Netflix on February 14.

Naked ambition

This has bad idea written all over it. Let's hope someone shoots this Gun remake down before it ever has a chance of making it to theaters.

Paramount Pictures has brought Ed Helms ("The Hangover" films, We're the Millers) on board to star in a reboot of "The Naked Gun" comedy franchise, reports Variety.

The return of Detective Frank Drebin, played by Leslie Nielsen in the original films, will be written by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, best known for the "Night at the Museum" and "Reno 911!" franchises.

Based on the earlier short-lived ABC TV series "Police Squad!" (which also starred Nielsen), three films were released including The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) and The Naked Gun 33 /3: The Final Insult (1994).

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker created the series. Here's a video of some of the funnier moments from the films

Living on a Winger and a prayer

Speaking of midseason returns, Community is back (somehow). The promise of "six seasons and a movie" is becoming closer to actually being a reality. In the meantime, here's a trailer for the upcoming fifth season of the show.

Midseason madness

If you are like me, then you have begun to notice that TV has become a vast wasteland of reruns and Christmas specials. But fear not, all of your favorite shows will be returning soon enough. If you need to start figuring out when to set your DVRs, then I suggest you click on the link below which will provide you the return date for all major TV shows in a convenient calendar form. Now let's just hope January comes faster than normal.

http://tvline.com/2013/12/02/tv-calendar-2014-midseason-premiere-dates-finales/

He's got a spell on you

Jason Bateman plus spelling bees plus foul language equals me being very interested in Bad Words. Here's the red band trailer for the new film which not only stars Bateman but was directed by him as well.

Expanding their Reach-er

So after the announcement that they were adapting one of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels into a feature film, I began reading the books. I decided I would not see the movie until I read the book that the film was based on. Considering that they chose to adapt the 9th one in the series, it has taken me quite a while. Now that I have finally begun reading the book that the Jack Reacher film was based on, news comes out that they are moving forward with a sequel. This one will be based on Child's latest book, the 18th. Looks like I've got some more work to do. Here's some more details on the sequel from Deadline.com:

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions are moving ahead with a sequel to Jack Reacher, the 2012 film that starred Tom Cruise and is based on Lee Child’s bestselling novel series. A rumor went around that the studio might be trying to squeeze in a Reacher film before Mission: Impossible 5. Paramount has denied that, but I’ve learned it’s trying to fast track another installment. This one will be based on Never Go Back, which was published earlier this fall. In it, Reacher heads back to his old military base in Virginia to take a woman to dinner who is now the commanding officer. By the time he gets there, she has been arrested, and Reacher finds himself being charged with pummeling one guy and fathering a child with a woman. He can’t remember either transgression but gets to the bottom of it with cunning and sometimes brute force.

The studio is out to writers; Jack Reacher director Christopher McQuarrie adapted the first one, but is too busy prepping MI5 for a summer production start. Cruise and the studio hope McQuarrie will direct the sequel. Why are they making a sequel? The original cost around $57 million in production costs, grossed $218 million worldwide and has done well in ancillaries. Before studios got tentpole crazy, trying to launch franchises with massive-budget originals, that was exactly the kind of numbers that made studios go back for more and try to grow a franchise, particularly when there is popular source material like the Child novels.

Cruise’s new film, Edge Of Tomorrow, will get its first trailer this week, one that will play this Friday on all prints of the Peter Jackson-directed The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. While Cruise most certainly won’t do the Reacher film before MI5, it is possible he might squeeze in one of the other films he has percolating, including Go Like Hell. He’s going to play Mustang designer Carroll Shelby in a film about the battle between Ford and Ferrari for sports car supremacy at Le Mans in the 1960s in what shapes up as The Right Stuff for sports cars. Oblivion helmer Joseph Kosinski is prepping to reteam with Cruise in that film.

Web of guys

The first trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is here. Most will most likely notice the large number of villains seen or hinted at in the trailer (Electro! Rhino! Goblin!). What I noticed is that it seems like someone finally turned the lights on. I wasn't overwhelmed with the 2012 reboot largely in part because it felt so dark. Here's hoping this sequel uses its winning cast more effectively.

Valentine's Day Cards

From EW.com:

Netflix announced today that the second season of House of Cards will bow Friday, Feb. 14. All 13-episodes of the season that stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright will be available for viewers to watch instantly on Netflix.

The political series is from director David Fincher and screenwriters Beau Willimon and Eric Roth. This is what Netflix says is in store for the second season: Francis (Spacey) and Claire (Wright) Underwood continue their ruthless rise to power as threats mount on all fronts. Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), an up-and-coming reporter and Francis’s former paramour, is inching closer to the truth about his crimes. President Walker’s (Michel Gill) billionaire confidante Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney) demands that Francis reciprocate political favors or face retribution. And Claire must confront the increasing glare of the spotlight as it eats away at her and Francis’s once private existence. The Underwood’s must overcome these dangers — past and present — to avoid losing everything, regardless of collateral damage they leave in their wake.

Netflix does not receive streaming data on its original fare. The service reports that it has over 40 million members in more than 40 countries, who apparently enjoy more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series.