CAYOM YEAR 8 - PART I - MOVIE SUBMISSION

[Reddroast]

47 minutes ago, Reddroast said:

Castaways

Studio: Horizon Entertainment 

Genre: Superhero/sci-fi

Director: The Duffer Bros.

Composer: Junkie XL

Rating: Pg-13 for sci-fi action and Thematic Elements

Format: Imax 3d, Imax 2d, 3d , 2d

Runtime: 2 hr. 5 minutes

Theater Count: 4,125

Budget, 185,000,000 USD

Release Date: 11/27/y8

 

Major Cast: Yara Shahidi as Natalye Arrowood/Astra

Jack Lowden as Victor Regio

Simon Pegg as Helmsley

Bill Hader as Calvin " The Octopus " Bagwell

and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Pandora

 

Paragraphs indented with a * indicate filmed with I am cameras

 

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vZb2HkhcmsSs0k8mFz5J1Wn-uIn8LHOPIce5PQ_m-00/edit?usp=drivesdk

 

[YM!]

Heartman 

Studio: Infinite Studios 

Monkeypaw Productions

Blumhouse Productions

Release Date: 5/24/Y8

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Director: Nia DeCosta

Producer: Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld and Jason Blum

Writers: Nia DeCosta, Win Rosenfeld and Jordan Peele

Score: Michael Abels

Rating: R

Budget: $30M

Theater Count: 3,666

Format: 2D and Dolby Cinema

Runtime: 105 minutes

Donald Glover as Heartman

Yara Shahidi as Harper Holder

Evan Alex as Finn Holder

JD McCracy as Kaleb Holder

Meagan Good as Monica Holder

Amandla Sternberg as Carlotta

Bahni Turner as Granny Eileen Holder

David Harewood as Erwin 

 

Plot:

Spoiler

We open in the suburbs of present day Barbados. As the sunset approaches, we see children playing in the streets. Their parents call them inside as it’s time for dinner. Unfortunately, a tourist child doesn’t want to go inside and convinces one of the neighbors kids to play. The two decide to play tag as they wind up in a cornfield nearby, as night approaches. The neighbor child decides to go home as he doesn’t want Heartman to get him, while the tourist child teases him for leaving, calling him a chicken. 

 

Suddenly, a black hearse appears ominously in the distance. The hearse suddenly starts chasing the child, stalking it through the cornfield. The child eventually finds safety amongst the tropical forest. However, just as the child relaxes, he starts choking as blood flows from his chest and mouth as suddenly Heartman (Donald Glover), a humanoid being in a black robe and top hat, whose face is decorated in makeup to resemble a skull, appears with an emotionless grimace. Heartman notes naughty children must be punished as he pulls his hand out of the child’s body, holding the child’s still beating heart and leaving the child with a bloody hole in his chest.

 

The child slowly dies as Heartman buries the heart into the ground as he waits. Suddenly, imp-like demons rush into collect the heart as they take it back to hell, saluting Heartman. Heartman simply sighs knowing that he needs to collect more of a bounty as he states his mantra; “A Soul for A Soul”.

 

Heartman

 

We then cut to an American Airlines plane land in Barbados. As the staircase lift is attached to the plane, passengers walk out. We then see the Holder family walk out the plane. The matriarch, Monica, happily inhales the smell of palm trees and sea air, saying it’s great to be home again. The eldest child, 18 year old Harper is groggy from the flight, complains about a whole day of flying, and is just happy to finally use her phone, asking Monica if she bought the international plan, which she confirms, as Harper happily begins posting on Snapchat and TikTok about her vacation. Monica asks Harper to get her brothers, as Harper groans. The 12 year old troublemaking twins, Finn and Kaleb decide to mess with the pilot, only to be pulled aside by Harper as Kaleb attempts to bargain with her, not to tell their mom. Harper retorts that a summer with them out of her hair is fine with her as Finn retorts that they’ll make her time at the house hell in return. Harper just warns them to stay out of her way as she just wants to enjoy her vacation and it’s their last moments before she goes college. 

 

The Holders are on vacation to visit their grandmother, Eileen with whom they joyously great at the airport. As the family hit up customs and grab their bags, Harper asks Monica if she’s been to Barbados as Monica notes that she took Harper as an infant. Monica is nostalgic about Barbados as she tells the kids her experiences on the island, reminiscing about playing outside all day as a kid as well as parties for Cropover, which she describes as a wilder Marti Gras, which excites Harper. The Holders then meet Erwin, a friend of Eileen, who was sent by Eileen to pick them up. Erwin helps the family with their bags as they begin the trek to Eileen’s house in St. James. The Holders soon arrive at Eileen’s house as the family as Eileen has made a big lunch filled with Bajan delicacies such as Rotis and cou-cou. There’s a bit of culture clash between Eileen and her grandchildren due to her more stricter point of view, as she warns the kids except for Harper, who’s practically an adult not to stay out when the sun goes down. Eileen asks Harper to look out for her brothers, as Harper is reluctant due to the fact, it’s her vacation, and she deserves some “me time” before heading to college. Monica convinces Eileen to give Harper a break, as Harper thanks her mom.

 

Finn and Kaleb decide to explore the neighborhood, meeting the neighborhood kids, starting to bond with the various kids in the neighborhood. Harper decides to head to the beach as she meets a local there, a girl her age named Carlotta (Amandla Sternberg). The two spark up a fast friendship as both share interest in each other's different cultures and similar situations over going to college in the fall. Carlotta shows Harper around town, showing her various things as Carlotta soon has to leave.

 

When the sun goes down, Finn and Kaleb decide to go into the forest near their house, having lost the soccer ball. After searching, the two find the ball. Kaleb is relieved as now they can head back home. Noticing his brother’s fear, Finn asks if he’s afraid that the Heartman will get him. Kaleb tells Finn to shut up, as Finn notes it was just a fake story, adults used to keep their kids in line, noting those kids were gullible. 

 

The two head back home as suddenly, Kaleb notices they’re being followed. Finn, annoyed with Kaleb’s fear, mocks the idea of Heartman, pretending to be captured then killed by the creature. Kaleb, angered, argues with his brother, as they have a scuffle until they find a mysterious small tunnel. Kaleb eggs Finn on into going in there as they both go inside to find a cavern as Kaleb uses a sharpened tree branch for protection. Finn takes a few photos as Kaleb freezes having seen something. Finn is curious as his face falls two as they find the body of the boy who was previously killed but with a gaping hole for where his heart is supposed to be. Heartman then appears right beside the Holder boys. 

 

Heartman notes that the two have been staying out past bedtime and for that naughty children like them must be punished. Finn and Kaleb are too terrified to say anything as Finn soon begins to choke the same way the tourist boy did. Kaleb stabs Heartman with the branch in the shin, releasing Finn as the two of them decide to run, only to find out it's a giant underground maze. Heartman chases them throughout the maze, as some very close calls happen. The Holder boys make it out of the maze and find themselves oddly back in the woods where they started but run to home as Heartman calmly yet swiftly walks after them, seemingly moving at fast speeds while walking normal and looking calm. The Holder brothers eventually makes it to the neighborhood as Heartman seemingly stops and heads back into the woods.

 

Finn and Kaleb make it back to Eileen’s house where they are scolded by Eileen and Monica for staying out so late as the twins exasperatedly try to explain their story of being pursued by the Heartman. Monica doesn’t believe them and the excuse causes Eileen to demand the two be punished to stay inside for the rest of vacation. 

 

A few days after this incident passes as Harper begins to spend time with Carlotta as well as enjoys the Carribean atmosphere of her culture as Finn and Kaleb are forced indoors but get along well with and start to bond with Eileen, however a black hearse has been around the house every night with Heartman inside glaring at the two boys. Finn and Kaleb realize their experience may have been real. 

 

On the day of Cropover, Monica and Eileen go out for groceries and has Harper watch over her brothers for the vacation, much to Harper’s dismay as she wants to have fun on her vacation, not babysitting. Eileen tells Harper not to talk back as the two argue as Eileen notes her desire of independence from family which upsets Eileen. Harper concedes, realizing this comment upset Eileen and agrees.

 

Harper chews out Finn and Kaleb for not putting themselves together as both insist it was something called the Heartman. Harper doesn’t believe them as Carlotta has came over to visit, who invites her to the Cropover parade today as she made dresses and outfits for the two of them. Harper can’t due to her priorities until she has an idea, asking Erwin to watch the two who agrees as he sympathizes with the fun he had at Cropover as a youth as Harper and Carlotta leave. The girls head to the Cropover parade as they dance (or what Bajans call jump up), mingle and party. 

 

 

Meanwhile as Erwin takes a nap, Finn and Kaleb decide to sneak out and see if they can find a way to stop the Heartman, taking a bus downtown to a local library. Finn and Kaleb search through books as Finn complains it’s taking too long as Kaleb notes the two of them could be dead instead by the Heartman’s hand.

 

After a few hours of searching, Kaleb learns that the Heartman is a fabled legend that dates back to the time of slavery in Barbados. We then go through a flashback as the scene is told in hand drawn animation. The Heartman was once a young child named Trent DeCosta who was a slave during colonization of Barbados who escaped the cruel slave masters by hiding into the woods. However, during his struggle to survive in the forest, Trent wandered open demonic grounds and was confronted by Satan, who whisked him to hell and took him prisoner. Satan then made a deal promising Trent, he can return back to life in exchange for sending all the children deemed as naughty on the island’s soil, promising he’ll only go after the enslavers’ children. 

 

With no other options, Trent became the Heartman, accepted and took revenge on his enslavers, going after their unruly children and removing their hearts and casting them into Hell. However, Satan tricked Heartman into being his servant of death, as doomed him to an eternity of stalking and killing any child too unruly on Barbados every night. Satan takes the Heartman’s heart as a means to permanently control him but in a rage, Heartman confronts and fight Satan causing an avalanche inside the cave, losing the heart as Satan forces Heartman to obey his will by tying his freedom into his heart, only if it is destroyed by a descendant, will the Heartman be freed.

 

As they figure out the information, they debate on what to do next as they miss the last bus. With an hour before the sunset, the two decide to go to Harper for help to avoid getting in trouble as they can always get her into trouble for ditching her responsibilities if she doesn’t help them.

 

The two run to downtown following the reggae music in the air. Harper and Carlotta are having a great time dancing and galvanting before deciding to go to a few parties as the festival dies down with people heading to parties, bars or both with a select few people doing cleanup. Harper confides that she should head home but admits her feelings of fatigue in her family and wants a break. However, before she can make a decision, Finn and Kaleb confront Harper. 

 

Harper scolds them for sneaking out as Finn notes she snuck out too but the two of them are in trouble as Kaleb attempts to explain the Heartman is still after them. Carlotta chuckles at this as she tries to assure them it’s a fairy tale for naughty children as Harper snarks they could’ve used that growing up.

 

Finn and Kaleb insists it’s real as the two argue, the sun goes down and the night becomes starry. Realizing the trouble they’re in, Finn and Kaleb beg Harper to take them home which she agrees to, only cause it’s dark but Harper and Carlotta notice a black hearse staring them down a few yards away. 

 

Finn realizes it’s the Heartman as Carlotta notes it’s probably an old person in a car as the hearse sports razor sharp teeth on its grill and roars a demonic cry. The heroes hop into Carlotta’s car as they attempt to get away from Heartman as the hearse bites Carlotta’s car. They manage to lose the Heartman in a crowded street, instead walking on foot pass a small throng of people. 

 

Heartman steps out and deciding not wanting to be seen, does some black magic as the imp demons from earlier crawl out as they scatter, possessing the costumed people as their dresses and outfits over take their bodies being a humanoid that is just giant pile of clothes (or like a sheet ghost but its giant Cropover garb instead of a sheet). The group manages to escape inside a closed mall, evading the possessed creatures with many close calls before making it to the top. 

 

As the sun rises, the people turn back to normal as Heartman disappears. However, Monica and Eileen alongside Erwin have found them and punish Harper, Finn and Kaleb as Carlotta attempts to take responsibility on Harper’s behalf but Eileen is mad, as she rants that Monica’s kids have no sense of manners as well as Monica being upset for feeling like a bad mom as Finn and Kaleb attempt to explain it was the Heartman but to no luck. 

 

They return home as they are grounded inside, as Monica has a heart to heart talk with Harper. Monica understands Harper is grown up but notes that sometimes family has to come first as Harper understands and feels a bit guilty. Monica blames herself a bit as Harper insists she’s a great mom and just notes that the vacation is just stressful on everyone and promises to make things right. Harper decides to help the kids stop the Heartman as she texts Carlotta who agrees to help them.

 

That night, Harper, Carlotta, Finn and Kaleb head down to Harrison’s Cave, a famous tourist site that night as Carlotta theorizes that if the legend is true, the heart must be located somewhere inside the cave. Unbeknownst to them, they’re being stalked by Heartman who summons a demon after them to investigate. 

 

As they take a cart and reach the end of the cave, they find a sizable crag in the middle, they climb to the depths of the cave. After searching, through the pitch dark cave, they find Heartman’s heart on top a pile of rubble. Harper goes to get it before Kaleb tosses her a bag of sand. Harper questions it but Finn retorts it could be an Indiana Jones like thing. 

 

Harper grabs the heart as it starts beating, which the demon watches and dives into the rubble, becoming a giant stone creature that chases them throughout the cave. The Holder children and Carlotta barely make it out of the crag as they attempt to get away via the cart as the demon stone monster collects more and more pieces growing larger and catching up fast. The cart stops as they reach the end and leaps out of the cave in time as the stone demons’ claw gets caught in the cave and falls apart.

 

The demon reports this news back to Heartman, who realizes this could be his chance at freedom, hops into his hearse and chases them in a high stakes car chase but they make it back to Eileen’s just in time. However, Eileen is awake awaiting them and chews Harper out as Finn explains it’s his and Kaleb fault as they continue the Heartman story but this time showing the heart. 

 

Eileen realizes they’re telling the truth and breaks down in tears apologizing. Eileen knows they’re good kids but she didn’t want them to get hurt too. Eileen reveals to Harper that the Heartman was once after her and her sister growing up. When Eileen and her sister were young children, Eileen convinced them to stay out late to play despite her sister’s protests. The Heartman found them and while Eileen got away, her sister sacrificed herself. 

 

Harper realizing that Eileen’s controlling nature comes not from not understanding her grandchildren but from not wanting to lose them too. Harper hugs Eileen as the doorbell rings. Eileen senses something is wrong as she tells the kids and Carlotta to hide. The doorbell continues to ring louder and louder as Harper goes back to help Eileen but the door flings opens but there’s no one outside except the Heartman’s black hearse. 

 

The lights go off in the house as the oven lights up as Heartman burst from the flames of the oven, demanding Harper to return the heart as Eileen insists she take her instead. Monica sees this and grabs a kitchen knife and stabs the Heartman to protect her family but it does nothing. Heartman grabs Eileen and Monica as he demands Harper tell him where the heart is and no one gets hurt. Harper refuses but attempts to explain as Heartman lashes out saying he doesn’t have time, as that’s his ticket to freedom.

 

The Heartman kidnaps an unconscious Eileen and Monica, imprisoning them in small clear balls,  who in exchange for his heart will leave them unharmed, telling the Holder children to meet him at Mount Hillaby by sunrise with the heart or else. Finn and Kaleb are clearly nervous as Harper, who is stuck on what to do next. Carlotta tries to comfort Harper but she is too upset, feeling like a failure to her family as Carlotta insists she’s not one as she spent the whole day defending her siblings from a demon and that loyalty makes a family and her strong. Inspired, Harper thanks her as she realizes she’s in the family room as she glanced at the various photos of her family having a good time as she finds Eileen’s birth certificate with the last name DeCosta. 

 

Harper has an idea, questioning if they’re a descendant of Heartman. Carlotta doubts that as it’s a common Bajan name but Eileen nevertheless has a plan to stop the Heartman. 

 

The four drive to Mount Hillaby and find a secret entrance as they arrive at the Heartman’s cavernous tomb. Carlotta reveals the heart and lures the Heartman and the demons away with Finn and Kaleb in toll.

 

As the children and Carlotta play keep away with the fake heart from the demons and Heartman as they run through the catacombs of the mountain, Harper breaks the ball her mom and grandma are trapped in and attempts to free Monica and Eileen who are trapped in ethereal chains. However, sensing the heart is a fake, Heartman tells the demons to catch the kids as he confronts Harper.

 

Heartman elongates his fingers into sharp blades and attempts to kill Harper, threatening her to give him back his heart. Harper runs away as the demons catch Carlotta and her brothers. Harper tricks the Heartman into getting his finger-blades stuck in the rock as she attempts to reason with the Heartman as she reveals the heart, showing it’s still beating as Heartman reveals only a descendant can kill him as well as activate the heart as he realizes that Harper is his descendant. The demons come with Harper’s trapped friends and family choking them as Heartman is paralyzed.

 

Truly mortified at what he’s become, the chance of freedom, as well as the revelation that the current Holders are his descendants, Heartman attacks the demons who release the Holder children and Carlotta and then faces off the demons as he begs Harper to kill him.

 

Harper, using the stake, destroys Heartman’s heart, killing him. Heartman thanks the Holder children for freeing him of this curse as he turns into dust. The demons, though are enraged and attempt to attack them but as the sunrise hits Mount Hillaby 

 

A week later, the Holders take the flight back to the states with no one but the Holder children and Carlotta having memories of the incident as Harper shares her goodbyes with Eileen as well as Carlotta who she promises to visit again. Harper has become more humbled due to the experience at hand as have Finn and Kaleb. Monica asks her children how they enjoyed the vacation which they confirm. 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by YourMother the Edgelord

[YM!]

Romance Road 

Studio: Infinite Studios 

Will Packer Productions

Release Date: 2/9/Y8

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Director: Tina Gordon

Rating: PG-13

Budget: $30M

Runtime: 110 minutes

Theater Count: 3,251

Cast:

Naomi Scott as Amelia Davies

John Boyega as Malcolm Prince

 

Amelia Davies is a hardworking and driven young business executive for Flaire, a huge fashion company from London, who has recently relocated to America working at New York City as part of her job to help the American district. Although she does face sexism at the workforce, Amelia is able to persevere through the various trials and tribulations as she works for her dream of having her own company.

 

One day, Amelia, in pursuit of a big promotion, offers to deliver “the dress of the century” for the marriage of Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson in Miami which is in just 3 days. Amelia buys her plane ticket as she luckily gets the last one, which is in first class nonetheless. 

 

Meanwhile, Malcolm is an easygoing street artist from New York City, who is struggling to make ends meet taking various side jobs as an Uber driver. However, Malcolm has worked on his magnum opus, a mural/model hybrid of the city. 

 

Unfortunately, Amelia wakes up late the next day as she rushes to JFK Airport with the dress neated put into a suitcase that keeps it frilly and not wrinkled. Amelia attempts to get an Uber but it’s too busy as she is forced to run to the bus station, noting if she makes the next bus in 5 minutes, she’ll barely make it on time,

 

Amelia makes a mad dash to the bus station, barely avoiding obstacles. Malcolm makes his artwork presentation to those who pass by as people are really impressed, taking pictures on social media of it but Amelia slips as she crashes into Malcolm’s mural, getting herself covered in ink, paint and garbage. Luckily, the suitcase and the dress is okay as Michael grabs some sheets of paper for Amelia to wipe some of  it off. Amelia, not having time to apologize, misses the bus.

 

After returning home for a shower, Amelia finally gets an Uber to JFK but finds no flights for her timeframe available. Amelia then tries various airports and airlines online for flights to Miami as they’re either too expensive, sold out or the day after the wedding. Defeated, Amelia calls an Uber home to her apartment as she finds out Malcolm is her Uber driver. The two argue with each other for ruining their big break as Malcolm learns about Amelia’s situation and gets an idea,

 

Malcolm offers to take her to Miami by car in exchange for $750 it costs Amelia for her plane ticket as well as if he can tag along, hoping to meet some big names and get his art known. With time of the essence and about 48 hours on the clock, Amelia agrees for Malcolm to drive but is curious how he can do all of this, noting she is positive Uber doesn’t do long distance as Malcolm says they stop at somewhere halfway and he can just add it on.

 

The two hop into Malcolm’s old SUV which is littered with his art supplies as Amelia finds a nice spot for it in the trunk and head to Florida. The drive is mostly silent, as the two try but fail to make small talk as well as a humorous, dialogue less scene where they argue over music with Amelia preferring pop as Malcolm prefers hip hop. More or less things go fine until they hit Virginia as Malcolm’s tire has a flat. 

 

Amelia, despite her annoyance Malcolm didn’t bring a spare, quickly patches it up using a needle and some thread which was a part of Malcolm’s models which works but as they continue the trek, the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. 

 

Amelia is furious as Malcolm notes they can still figure something out, noting they can walk. Amelia refuses as she could call a ride as she has no signal. The two leave as Amelia grabs the suitcase, as they walk to anywhere with a signal, they find a huge amusement park. Malcolm suggests they check it out as Amelia refuses, pointing out she has a job to finish. 

 

Malcolm ignores her as she reluctantly agrees, noting she has a small bit of time. The two find a contest to win a RAV4, if a pair of people completes an difficult obstacle course in three attempts in under 3 minutes. Many fail as Amelia and Malcolm agree to try it. 

 

The duo, though Amelia is correct with her calculations and timing and Malcolm having a bit of experience fail both time due to lack of teamwork and Amelia’s hesitance over making the last challenge which is a trapeze. However, Malcolm coaches her to going with the flow as they win the contest.

 

The two take the RAV4 as they head back on the trail. Amelia thanks Malcolm for the advice as the two start to bond as they converse the ride there, sharing stories and jokes. As nightfall approaches as they reach South Carolina, Malcolm offers to get dinner as they stop a nice restaurant. 

 

As the two talk, Malcolm asks Amelia what’s next after delivering the dress. Amelia explains her dream has always been to run her own fashion business, while she’s not as skilled as others when it comes to design, she has always found the passion behind the work to what drives her. Amelia notes that she sacrificed a lot for this dream and intends to follow through. Malcolm sympathizes with that as his dream is for others to see the beauty in his air and while he has a carefree attitude, he admits deep down he’s scared he doesn’t have the talent. Amelia insists he does as she notes before running into his model, she noticed how beautiful it was and apologizes for wrecking it.

 

The two then decide to get drinks as they do karaoke at a local bar. Amelia offers to drive as she notices Malcolm’s fatigue but Malcolm insists they get some rest as the last thing they need is another totaled car. Stopping at a motel for the night, the two rent a room but there’s only one bed. After much awkwardness, Malcolm offers to sleep on the chair as the two day goodnight. The two finally reach Miami at noon with just a day before the wedding as they deliver the dress to Khloe and the Kardashian family who love the dress, as they offer the two a chance to hang out for the day.

 

Malcolm and Amelia hang with the Kardashians as well as doing some help with the last-minute wedding stuff as it’s revealed Malcolm had a great eye for interior for design. The two also grow closer throughout the day, falling in love. Malcolm confesses his feelings to Amelia, who despite sharing them is uncertain about a relationship as it could conflict with her goals.

 

Malcolm understands but they agree to be friends. However, the next morning, Amelia finds Malcolm gone as well as a plane ticket for her as he left her a note revealing he doesn’t want to get in her way for her dreams, and notes that while he loves her, he needs some time away which hurts Amelia.

 

As the wedding proceeds, Malcolm goes and does some soul searching before deciding to return back. Meanwhile, Khloe is gone leaving Tristan at the altar. Khloe has second thoughts on the wedding as Amelia notes she should work through her issues as well as reminiscing and realizing that she’s in love with Malcolm. Khloe, moved by her speech gets back to the altar. Khloe and Tristan get married as Amelia finds Malcolm at the bar, having stayed to watch. Amelia confesses her feelings for Malcolm, and is no longer afraid of trying a relationship. Malcolm happily returns the feelings as the two then share a kiss.

 

A few months later, Amelia and Malcolm have begun dating. Amelia has left Flaire and started her own fashion brand and company, partnering with Malcolm who incorporates the designs of the work, with the help of Khloe who loved the dress, enjoyed Amelia’s wit and quick thinking as well as her helping with her nervousness and Malcolm’s designs gave them some money to start a company as well as putting a good word in for them on social media.

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by YourMother the Edgelord

[Alpha]

The Million-Dollar Jacket

 

Release Date: September 20th, Y8

Directed by: Michael Dowse

Composer: Joseph Trapanese

Cinematography: Bobby Shore

Edited by: Jonathan Schwartz

Based on: The 1931 film Le Million by Rene Clair

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Action

Studio: Alpha Pictures

Shooting Format: Arri Alexa XT (3.4K Digital)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Film Formats: 2K DCP, 4K DCP

Audio Formats: 5.1, 7.1, Dolby Atmos

Production Budget: $20 million

Theater Count: 2,960

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 95 minutes

 

Cast:

Daniel Kaluuya as George

Issa Rae as Jasmine

 

Synopsis: George (Daniel Kaluuya) is a Certified Public Accountant living in New York City, recovering from a gambling addiction but deep in debt. One day, he purchases a lottery ticket and unexpectedly wins a million dollars. He goes out to celebrate and bonds with a bartender named Jasmine (Issa Rae).

 

The next morning, George and Jasmine discover that the former left his jacket with the million-dollar ticket at the bar. Retracing their steps, they discover that the jacket's been stolen, and end up on a madcap chase throughout New York City while being chased by loan sharks. Along the way, they begin to fall in love with each other.

Edited May 4, 2021 by Alpha

[4815162342]

Imported from the 1.0 vault with minor changes/revisions and casting/crew updates

 

 

 

Sins of Their Fathers

 

Genre: Sci-Fi

Stars: Awkwafina (Layla Morano), Riz Ahmed (Omar Morano), Chiwetel Ejiofor (William Pace), Olivia Colman (Francesca Haneer), Matt Bomer (Daniel Pace), Hong Chau (Marielle Nguyen), Demián Bichir (Fernando Zelaya), Hiroyuki Sanada (Captain Sakoro), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Captain Dubahe), Bokeem Woodbine (Destin), Ike Barinholtz (Carter)

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

Written By: Ronald D. Moore

Original Music By: Patrick Doyle

Release Date: December 25, Year 8

Theater Count: 3810 theaters

Budget: $125 million

Running Time: 125 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, brief strong language, and sexual content

 

Premise: Sometime in the future, the Hermes colony ships are in the final weeks of their generation-long voyage from a dying Earth to a new world. As the excitement about the close of their journey fills the populace of the ships, so does a growing tension, as members of the crew and civilians are forced to reckon with whether the mistakes of Old Earth will be repeated once again.

 

Plot Summary:

 

Spoiler

 

The film opens with narration by the character of William Pace (Ejiofor) as we see a shot of Earth in space and then zooming in closer and closer until a montage begins showing a progression of calamities, both natural and man-made, that have resulted in the deterioration of Earth’s biosphere and making it progressively unsuitable for habitation by most of humanity. Things such as wars, global warming, freak natural disasters like volcanic eruptions combining with progressive pollution to make the air less breathable, etc., forcing people to wear oxygen masks or gas masks for prolonged exposure outside. We see snippets showing the construction of several large ships several hundred meters long in secret beyond the moon, we see the frantic attempts to get the selected people to the landing sites, private security and military automated forces having to gun down mobs trying to break through to the shuttles, with a 10-year old William and his family almost killed in the chaos before able to safely board. We see streams of shuttles abandoning Earth and flying beyond the moon to where the ships are being constructed, we see thousands of people in a mix of despair and hope settling into their new accommodations, and then finally we see the ships head for deep space, six of them. The six ships pass by the camera and when the last one does we see a shot of the stars with the title SINS OF THEIR FATHERS appearing before fading away.

 

WILLIAM (the narration): I can barely remember what Earth looked like. There are things from it on the ship; pictures, items, plants, but over time the memories of childhood fade away. Three-quarters of my life has been aboard a spaceship, looking for a new home. As a child I couldn’t fully understand what was going on, but looking back, I see the path that led to this point and can only shake my head. Earth’s entire biosphere had both become dangerously unstable after dozens of years of wars, unchecked pollutants, and unstopped warming. The air in much of the world became more and more toxic, choked with dust and other contaminants. What I learned not long after my journey began was that a collection of industrialists, scientists, and politicians around the world had come to the conclusion that Earth was dying, it had a few decades, maybe less, before there was a total system collapse, and the billions of people would become millions, at most. The only way to survive, was to leave.

 

So, in a process that took years stars were monitored, planets discovered, construction underwent, all under the strictest secrecy, but like all secrets it would not last. I still remember as a child what it was like that day when my parents took me to the designated launch zone, a strip of wasteland a hundred miles from civilization, but that did not stop the mobs. Thousands of people, doing anything to escape, forcing defenses into action. In the confusion some journeyers were stopped and sometimes killed by the mob, and many in the mob were slaughtered when the defenses finally opened up. My family was almost one of those casualties. But we made it onboard, and I like many others soon saw the receding globe of Earth for the last time.

 

There are six ships in total, each filled with thousands of people. The old, those who were grown up when we left, the middle, those who were children, and the young, those who have been born during our journey. Our destination is a planet discovered orbiting the two stars of the Sirius system, nearly nine light-years from our world. All of the calculations of our astronomers came to the conclusion that it would be habitable, but we will only know for certain once we arrive. As we reach the close of our journey, I cannot help but feel some fear over what will happen once we have ground on our feet. Will we truly be able to make a new world for humanity that will avoid our past mistakes? Or will we instead simply repeat the sins of our fathers?

 

 

The shot pulls back slowly and transits to the interior of a ship, looking out a window into space. We then have several shots of various hallways and rooms in the ship, all of them deserted aside from the odd mechanized cleaning bot or one or two scattered people, lending the place a very quiet and sterile feel. We finally end up in a room that’s half living quarters half science lab with a grown-up William Pace asleep in a chair in front of a bank of computers. On one computer data begins appearing and scrolling down as a noise beeps. William stirs after a moment and groggily checks the computer, slowly waking up as he reads the data (which is not shown). He suddenly wakes up and snaps into an energetic mood based on what he’s read and flounders a bit around, knocking some stuff onto the floor and waking his partner, Daniel (Bomer), who wants to know what the problem is and William says it’s not a problem, but the opposite. Daniel says that’s great, then goes back to sleep.

 

William goes to his room’s communication system, using it to contact someone. He says “Captain, we’ve just gotten the probe results back. You’re going to want to look at them.”

 

We shift to a bedroom elsewhere on the same ship, where a couple is asleep. Suddenly a communication device starts ringing and the woman groans in annoyance as she reaches for it and answers. After a brief conversation where we only hear her comments, the woman, Layla Morano (Awkwafina) says she’ll be there as soon as possible. As she starts to get dressed the man in bed asks her what the call was about. Layla explains to the man, Omar (Ahmed), her husband, that that was Captain Sakoro. Apparently, the science probe from Hermes 4 (their ship) has returned from its preliminary surveying of their destination and as William’s research assistant she needs to be there to help him go over the data. Omar hopes it’s good news and says if it is they can celebrate later. Layla says she’ll hold him to that and kisses him before leaving.

 

Layla arrives in William’s lab quarters to find William huddled around a computer monitor, muttering to himself as he types in equations and prints out statistical information. Daniel is now up and groggily waves to her before pouring several cups of coffee for everyone present, which includes Captain Sakoro (Sanada), the captain of Hermes 4, and Fernando Zelaya (Bichir), the elected ship representative whose job is to represent the civilians and balance the power of the un-elected Captain.

 

Layla takes a cup of coffee from Daniel and asks if William’s tipped his hand yet and Daniel says no, he’s been stone-cold, “which is so unlike him, given how he plays poker.” He kisses Layla on the cheek and says he might as well head early to the medical clinic to start his rotation.

 

After he leaves, Layla, seeing that Sakoro and Zelaya look impatient, and William seeming engrossed in his data, finally gets William’s attention and asks what the probe discovered. William waves her over and shows her the freshest data on the screen and after a few seconds of reading she gasps. “Are these accurate?” she asks and William nods. He then says to everyone “we have a new home. The planet is a bit colder and a bit more volatile than Earth in its prime, but it has multiple climates, continents and oceans, it can support human life.” Sakoro wants to share the news with the other captains immediately but Zelaya persuades him that they should try to verify the data more and then share it at the meeting of the ship captains and elected representatives once they are certain. After all this is big news.

 

Sakoro and Zelaya then depart, leaving a giddy Layla and an exhausted William. Layla tells William to get some rest since he’s worked himself ragged and she’ll handle the work for a little while. Before he leaves though she says, still somewhat in disbelief “so we do have a new home?” William smiles and says “yes we do.”

 

On another ship, a woman, Francesca Haneer (Colman), is woken up by an incoming private communication. After answering it and listening to what is told to her, she says “Perfect news. It’s time to start putting things into motion.”

 

A few hours later, Omar drops by the science lab and surprises Layla, giving her a short startle. Layla gives in to temptation and shares the good news. Omar is overjoyed and hugs Layla, saying that he’s hoped for this for so long. He puts a hand near her stomach and says that a ship is no real place to have a family, indicating that Layla is pregnant, though not far along. Layla puts a hand on Omar and squeezes it, reassuring him that the hard part is all over.

 

The six ships glide through space. On one of them, the Hermes 3, a man in engineering is going through a regular inspection of the coolant system when he notices a leak… one that has only just gotten noticeable. He then looks at a data screen and sees that the reactor powering the ship is growing hotter by the minute. He calls the news in to his superiors and tries to input commands to reduce the reactor output to match the reduced coolant, but the electronic system is in error. So, he moves towards the next chamber where the manual release is, still in contact with his superiors, and finds that the manual instrument for sealing off the coolant leak is broken and that access to the reactor is sealed off. All of these obstacles can’t be coincidental, so the man tells his superiors that someone has sabotaged their ship.

 

Alarms sound in Hermes 4 signaling an imminent problem, causing everyone to be concerned. On the bridge Sakoro is in contact with the captain of Hermes 3 and tells him to start evacuating people in lifeboats as a precaution. Zelaya shows up and is quickly filled in on the situation. Another captain, Captain Dubahe (Akinnuoye-Agbaje) from the Hermes 2, recommends over a shared comm channel that the other ships pull as far away from Hermes 3 as possible just in case. Though it makes recovering lifeboats more difficult, it is the safest option for the other ships. We get a number of shots showing lifeboats streaming from the ship when the Hermes 3 captain suddenly announces “it’s going critical! We can’t stop it!” before his voice is drowned out in static and explosions ripple throughout the ship, and then the Hermes 3 in a final explosion breaks apart into several pieces, the shockwave and debris wiping out several of the lifeboats. Everyone near a window can only look in shock as one-sixth of the expedition is eliminated.

 

Not long afterwards, Omar, who is a mid-level security administrator, is with a bunch of other security personnel who are briefed by their superior, Destin (Woodbine), about the destruction of the Hermes 3. Destin tells them that their main focus right now is to keep doing their jobs and nip any signs of unrest or panic in the bud. After the briefing Omar asks Destin if there is any more news on the destruction of the Hermes 3. Destin says that the only thing they know for certain is that someone on the ship had sabotaged the reactor, causing the ship’s fatal malfunction. Security is under orders to keep this under wraps and increase monitoring of suspicious activity.

 

Omar interacts a bit with his work colleague Carter (Barinholtz) and asks his take on the whole thing. Carter, who is a bit of a talkative loudmouth, says the whole thing stinks to him, but he does say that about most things. It doesn’t make sense to Omar that someone would sabotage a ship so close to their new home, let alone at all, and Carter chalks it up to someone cracking under stress. “They say the final stretch of a journey is the most taxing on the mind, as the anticipation, and the doubts really creep in”.

 

Omar returns to his quarters to find Layla rummaging through the contents of her desk. After he asks what is going on she tells him that the Assembly session has been moved up following the destruction of the Hermes 3 and her and William’s presentation of the planet discovery data is going to be the first thing presented, which means she needs to find all relevant files she has lying around. Layla is nervous and hyper as she goes around, so Omar holds her in his arms and tells her that everything is going to be fine. Layla hopes so, but she tells Omar that she heard from William that one of the last transmissions from the Hermes 3 indicated that their reactor safety systems had been sabotaged, and she can’t shake the feeling that it’s somehow connected to the probe discovery. “I’m afraid of this becoming just political agenda.” She slowly pulls free from Omar and goes back to her data hunting.

 

The Assembly meeting is being held onboard the Hermes 1, the de facto flagship. All five remaining captains and five remaining elected representatives are present, sitting around a large oval table. Aside from Captain Sakoro, Zelaya, and Captain Dubahe, other people present include Francesca Haneer, the elected representative from the Hermes 2, and Marielle Nguyen (Zhang), the intelligent and sharp elected representative from the Hermes 1. The Assembly struggles to begin its discussion, many of its members still showing signs of shock from the destruction of the Hermes 3, but finally Sakoro gets things settled and says a few weeks ago on his discretion the Hermes 4 sent a probe on a high-speed trajectory towards their destination in the Sirius system. Only a handful of hours ago, the probe transmitted its first wave of data. He summons in William and Layla, explains who they are, and asks them to present their findings. William and Layla explain the results of their work and the news of the planet being habitable brings a wave of relief through the Assembly. Nguyen, very discerning, asks a few pointed questions about the data and its reliability, which William answers. Haneer asks if some researchers on her ship could examine the data. William is reluctant to let others he doesn’t know work on the matter but Sakoro and Zelaya both say the request is reasonable and agree to it. With the presentation over, William and Layla are excused.

 

Walking to a shuttle bay, William is a bit concerned over the data being given into new hands. Layla tries to assure him that the scientists on Hermes 2 are simply going to double-check it, but William gets a little paranoid and thinks just doesn’t want Hermes 4 to take all the credit when the work is officially announced. “Now that we have a home, they’ll all start jockeying for first position.” He stumbles a little and Layla says he’s exhausted, he’s been killing himself working overtime on this. William admits that’s true and says Daniel has said much of the same. “He’s a doctor, he knows what he is doing” Layla says and William says he will try to relax once he knows the data isn’t being turned into a chess piece.

 

Back in the conference room, the Assembly discusses the findings. Nguyen says that the news they have received is very inspiring, but until the data undergoes more investigation there is not much else to discuss on the matter. Haneer stands up to speak, disagreeing with the idea of ending the meeting. She says that now that their journey is not in vain it is at last time to begin discussing what will happen once they land on the surface. Sakoro says that such a contentious issue should not be discussed so soon after the loss of Hermes 3, but Haneer ignores him and gives a short charismatic speech about the people in the fleet feeling fear for the first time in a generation, and that they will want reassurance that their leaders have a plan for how to govern their new home. If the Assembly keeps on delaying in figuring that out then the people may end up deciding for themselves, and that will lead to the same fractured chaos that doomed Earth. Haneer’s logic appeals to many of the Assembly and they decide to begin discussing how to establish a new form of government on their new home.

 

Some hours later, an official fleet-wide broadcast is made by Nguyen, first describing the events surrounding the destruction of the Hermes 3 and its consequences, with Nguyen trying to reassure people. As thousands listen in cafeterias, workplaces, etc in rapt attention, she breaks the news about the formal discovery of a habitable planet in the Sirius system. This causes the people to start wildly celebrating in all of the ships. William gets mobbed by some people in the corridors of Hermes 4, congratulating him on his work, and uncomfortable with the attention, slinks back to his lab quarters. He calls for Daniel but Daniel isn’t there, so he goes back to work. Some of the lights flicker and a creaking noise is heard, causing him to think Daniel may have slipped back in. As he goes to a door, a shadow moves across the camera behind him.

 

Layla and Omar are in one of the cafeterias on the Hermes 4, talking with some friends, including Carter, about the news and their plans for landfall. Layla and Omar intend to find a nice quiet spot to build a home fit for raising their child. At that point Omar gets paged and sees a message asking for both him and Layla. They leave the cafeteria and are soon met by Captain Sakoro with a bodyguard. Sakoro asks both her and Omar to come with him as there has been a situation.

 

Layla, Omar, and Sakoro arrive at William’s quarters to find the scientist being attended to by Daniel, who is treating somewhat nasty head wound sustained by William. Sakoro says that someone attacked William and then proceeded to steal much of his work and destroy what he or she couldn’t take along. William doesn’t seem to remember anything helpful. Sakoro keeps on talking to Omar and says that security cameras in the area had been shut down, meaning that not only did they not get a look at the intruder, someone with access to the security grid was helping. This news hits Omar hard and Sakoro asks him to do what he can to trace the source of the wipe, since now there are few Sakoro can directly trust.

 

Sakoro then pulls Layla aside and tells her that she needs to find out exactly what had been taken from the lab. He shows great concern, since everything major since the Hermes 3 exploded indicates that forces within the fleet are beginning to tear the fabric apart.

 

Daniel meanwhile continues treating William and chides about being so forgetful when it comes to locking doors. William says that he’s just been so invested in this work, making sure their new home is fit for them, he just loses track of everything. Daniel says he knows, and he loves that drive in William, “but not at the expense of you getting yourself killed, by a thug or your own neglect.” Daniel wraps William in a hug and says he’s gonna have to take extra care of him now.

 

On the Hermes 2, Captain Dubahe is summoned to meet Haneer in a small living room. Haneer calls in an aide who shows Dubahe a slip of paper. Dubahe reads it and asks if it is accurate and Haneer says that it is. Haneer says her scientists have double-checked the planetary data and much of the planet is fit for life, but that will only encourage people to spread out and form new communities, which over time will become new nations, each with their own agendas and interests, and the last thing humanity needs is another Earth tearing itself apart. What humanity needs is unity, and soon events will ensure that this unity is achieved, but she needs Dubahe’s support. Dubahe considers the situation for a moment and then agrees.

 

Omar enters the main security center on the Hermes 4 and goes to where security camera footage is analyzed. Though the immediate area around William’s lab had its cameras turned off, other surrounding areas still had theirs on. He scans the footage of before and after the attack for suspicious people and finds a half-dozen candidates. He cross-references the faces with the data on official transfers between other ships and the Hermes 4. One of them is a match, a man called Harrison. Omar has a technician check who authorized the transfer to Hermes 4 and it was a low-level security officer named Kipp. Strangely, the data for what ship Harrison came from is missing. The technician says whomever eliminated the camera feeds and the transfer logs knew the system well.

 

Omar contacts Carter and asks him to get a few guys together. They have an arrest to make.

 

Omar and Carter go to Kipp’s quarters with a few other officers and bang on the door. What they get in response is a barrage of gunfire through the door, killing one officer and wounding another. Omar has the door broken down and the men charge inside, exchanging gunfire with Kipp, who takes down another officer before being gunned down himself. Carter checks Kipp’s vitals but the man is dead. Omar however sees an air vent has been opened and looks inside to see a man disappear around the corner. Realizing it is Harrison, Omar dives into the vent and begins crawling after Harrison.

 

Omar follows Harrison until the man drops out of another vent opening in a storage level. Dropping down onto a catwalk, Omar cautiously edges around the area, calling out to Harrison to give himself up. Harrison then jumps down from a storage container and puts a gun to Omar’s head, telling him to drop his weapon. Omar complies, but then quickly hits Harrison’s arm, knocking his gun away too. The two men engage in hand-to-hand combat, with Omar getting the upper hand and knocking Harrison out. Carter soon shows up with backup and Harrison is cuffed and taken away.

 

Layla meanwhile is approached by an officer who says she is requested to attend a meeting. She arrives at a conference room to find Sakoro and Zelaya in the front with William looking sullen off to the side. She asks what this is all about and Sakoro, who looks a bit angry, motions for Zelaya to explain. Zelaya tells Layla that the scientists from the Hermes 2 have gone over the data from the planetary probe and they found some errors in the calculations. He hands her a sheet of paper summarizing the findings and Layla is in disbelief. She says these new figures have severely underestimated the habitable zone of the planet. Zelaya says condescendingly that William might have made mistakes given the amount of work he has done on little sleep, and that it would be natural for her to look over her friend’s oversight. Layla gets angry at the suggestion but Zelaya is unmoved and says that fleet policy is going to be changed because of this. He leaves, and Sakoro tells Layla that he is sorry before leaving as well.

 

Harrison is in an interrogation room with Omar and Destin looking through a one-way window. Destin says some good men died today, so no one will bat an eye if Harrison has accidents in the room. Omar says it won’t have to come to that, and he goes to interrogate Harrison, who is defiant in his responses. Harrison tells Omar that there is nothing he can threaten him with. Frustrated with further non-answers, Omar goes to leave, but before he does, Harrison says “Let me give you some advice. We are the wave of the future and we won’t be stopped. So, walk away and let this be. Even those who are number one won’t stand in our way.”

 

Omar outside of the room grumbles to Destin, who says Omar’s just feeling the stress. He tells Omar to go home and rest, he’ll have some other guys work on Harrison to make him talk.

 

Omar returns to his cabin to find Layla sitting on the bed, sullen. Omar comforts her when he hears the news about the scientific data. They talk about their uncertain thoughts about where things are going, until Layla says that they as long as they have each other they’ll find a way to make it through. The couple share an intimate moment to proceeds into a PG-13 sex scene. The scene moves ahead to some hours later with them asleep. A call wakes them up and Omar groggily answers it, the news immediately shaking off any tiredness. After hanging up, Layla asks what it was about and Omar says Harrison committed suicide.

 

Marielle Nguyen is contacted via a tele-screen by Haneer, who wishes to inform her about the new science data. Haneer uses this info as an opportunity to try and convince her that a new unity government for the colony is the best way forward. Nguyen has misgivings about a clustered plan, since she reasons that after years of being in close confines on a ship, people will wish to spread out to have more freedom. Haneer says that is an optimistic attitude, but everything she knows about how Earth fell indicates that the desire for freedom soon enough turns into a desire to put your freedom over everyone else’s. Nguyen agrees to disagree and says she looks forward to discussing this “officially” in the Assembly’s presence. She ends the conversation.

 

In Haneer’s office, she chuckles and says Nguyen’s naivete would be admirable if not so misguided. Dubahe is present, and he thinks Nguyen will be an obstacle. Haneer agrees and says that they will need to arrange an early exit from office.

 

Omar looks over the autopsy report for Harrison. Though it was ruled a suicide, Omar sees some discrepancies in the manner and time of death that seem suspicious. Talking it over with Carter, Omar surmises that Harrison was killed by another conspirator to cover their tracks. He asks Carter to carefully dig around, see if there is anything that create a connection between the various suspicious incidences on the ship.

 

Omar then remembers Harrison’s last comment and wonders if the phrase “number one” may mean the unofficial number one official in the fleet: Marielle Nguyen of Hermes 1. Carter says that’s a thin connection but Omar believes his hunch. He decides he’ll travel to the Hermes 1 to talk to Nguyen in private. He tells Carter not to say anything to anyone until he gets back, but if something happens to him, go straight to the Captain.

 

In his lab quarters, William seems to have lost his marbles slightly, as the place is a total mess with furniture overturned, equipment scattered all over the floor, and William frantically moving around, writing on the walls a progression of numbers and equations and talking to himself about solar variables, planetary geophysics, climate projections, and so on. After finishing covering a wall with his scribbles, he stands back and looks confused, like it doesn’t add up. Thinking, thinking, finally his expression grows dire. “My god, it’s been changed. They’ve changed it all”.

 

Layla meanwhile is at the medical clinic and is getting an ultrasound from Daniel, since doctors on this ship have to have multiple disciplines. The baby is still many months away, but it looks healthy and Layla declines to know the child’s gender, saying she wants it to be a surprise. The two share a happy moment with some happy tears, but then they get contacted by security who say there is a problem with William.

 

Layla and Daniel quickly arrive to find William ranting to Zelaya, who is annoyed. Zelaya ignores William’s claim that the Hermes 2 scientists falsified the data, saying that William is delusional and that he won’t listen to any more of this. He summons two guards and tell them to keep William confined to quarters, he is a danger to others right now. Layla and Daniel try to object by Zelaya says if they can convince William to step back from this mental breakdown, they can have at it, but he has a ship to look after. He walks off. Layla tells Daniel to go check on William, she has to talk to Zelaya.

 

Layla follows Zelaya all the way back to his own office, and he, seemingly expecting her to do this, acts charming and good-natured, invites her in to talk. Inside they sit down and Zelaya comes right to the point. He thinks William is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, if he hasn’t had one already. He says that if Layla wants it, she can have William’s job. She’s more than qualified and certainly more reliable at the moment. Layla thanks him for the thought but she couldn’t accept in good conscience. Zelaya understands the reluctance but says that he needs someone he can count on once they settle on their new home and William simply can’t be trusted in his state. He also mentions that whoever is chief scientist for the community will have lots of resources, and with his pull on the Assembly he can make sure she gets what she needs. Layla again thanks Zelaya for the gesture but she is confident William will be proven right. Zelaya looks disappointed, then shrugs and says “have it your way then. We shall see who is right.” Layla leaves, and Zelaya looks like he is pondering.

 

In William’s quarters, he is still frantic and manic and is barely calmed down a bit by Daniel, who says William really has done it this time. William, muttering and a little twitchy, says he knows it seems that way but the new data is wrong, and not just wrong, but false. He just needs to prove it, and everyone will see. Daniel asks why someone would falsify the planetary data and William replies “control.”

 

Omar is on a small space taxi flying from the Hermes 4 to the Hermes 1. As it passes between the ships, a framing shot in space shows a small colored dot in the distance that must be the destination planet, with the double suns of the solar system a fair distance away. The taxi docks with the Hermes 1 and Omar quickly heads towards Nguyen’s office. As he walks through the docking terminal, the camera lingers on another man, who looks is moving in the same direction as Omar.

 

Omar reaches Nguyen’s office and introduces himself to a secretary who tells him that he needs to set up an appointment. Finally, after some badgering, she says there is a small block of free time in a little while that she can slide him into, so Omar sits in the waiting area until then. For a moment normal business goes on until the other man shows up and says he has an appointment with Nguyen. Omar gets an ill vibe, but can’t place it. Nguyen walks out and greets the man, who stands up and says he has a message for her. When she asks what it is, the man replies “Ruling a colony is no place for the naïve” and pulls out a pistol. Omar rushes over to tackle the man, a shot just missing Nguyen. The two men wrestle on the floor, Omar knocking away the gun. Yelling questions at the man, Omar is dismayed when the man bites down on a suicide pill, killing himself. Omar stands up and asks Nguyen if she is all right. Nguyen replies she is and asks him if he has any idea who the man is. Omar looks down at the corpse and says “A sign that things are about to turn for the worse.”

 

Layla goes to William’s quarters and finds him trying to explain his side of things to Daniel, having become more subdued and depressed. Daniel says William thinks she might be able to fill in the gap of what he’s missing and Layla sits down on the floor and listens.to his explanation of how the new data results by the Hermes 2 scientists are forged. Layla asks how it could be proved. William says only by getting ahold of the work done on the Hermes 2. Layla bites her lip, thinking, and then says she’ll go over, and see if she can prove him right.

 

Carter is busy schmoozing a couple technicians to help him cross-reference some records. They pull up some data results and Carter is competent enough looking through them to catch something, and it makes him look nervous.

 

The attempted assassin’s corpse has been taken away and Nguyen paces the office as Omar sits in thought. Nguyen says that it appears that someone, or multiple someones, are planning a coup. Omar asks what the assassin meant by his message to Nguyen, which jogs a clue in her mind. She says that what the assassin said is similar to what Francesca Haneer told her earlier. Omar says it was scientists on the Hermes 2 who took the planetary data and announced new findings. Nguyen says that there isn’t any actual evidence to back up the theory, but simply waiting around to find it may end up being too late.

 

At that point Omar gets a call from Carter. Carter starts to say what he found but Omar cuts him off and says not to waste time but to go tell Sakoro about it immediately. He’ll get back to the Hermes 4 as soon as he is able but don’t wait. He then hangs up and tells Nguyen that it appears that people he trusts have made some headway.

 

Layla boards a space taxi for the Hermes 2, fibbing about her reason for transferring to the ship. The ships are all designed in very similar manners, so she has little trouble in navigating her way to the science and research areas of the vessel. Once there she puts on an act of wanting to have another look at the main team’s analysis and data to see where the original calculations went wrong. She manages to charm a young tech assistant into giving her access and reviews several of the files regarding the analysis of the planetary data. The assistant gets jumpy since some of the files are restricted, but Layla is able to charm him into thinking she has authorization, and tells him to go get some coffee for them both, she may be here a while. After the assistant leaves she locks the door behind him and gets to work. She quickly finds several oddities that show that the new data is in fact manufactured. She activates a wireless connection to William’s computer and makes contact with him and Daniel through futuristic instant messaging. She says she’s found some proof and will send as much as she can. She downloads a handful of incriminating files, which sets off a security alarm. As it downloads, she tells William to get this information to Captain Sakoro as quickly as possible. Meanwhile voices start congregating outside the locked door and loud banging is heard. As the download counter inches towards complete, security begins cutting into the door lock. Racing against time, the download completes and Layla quickly packages the files and sends them to William, then deleting all traces just before security breaks in. Layla stands up with hands raised and is roughly handcuffed and led away.

 

The scene changes to her in an interrogation room. Captain Dubahe enters and asks her what she was doing, since they know she downloaded secure files and transmitted them to another ship. Dubahe gets aggressive in his questioning, but Layla makes no reaction. Dubahe gives up and leaves, only to be replaced by Haneer. Haneer goes full politician, telling her that she’s stumbled into something a lot bigger than she has realized. Haneer guesses that she sent the data back to the Hermes 4, since she has her discredited scientist friend there. This gets a slight reaction from Layla, which shows Haneer she is correct. Haneer tells Layla that whatever her intentions were, what she did will have little effect in the end, as it has only served to accelerate plans. Layla says once word gets out about everything those plans will fail. Haneer smiles and says that Layla underestimates the appeal of stability. A little more of that might have saved Earth, instead of dooming billions to starvation or worse. Haneer then goes to depart, but says first that when Layla is asked more questions later, she would do well to answer them truthfully, since there are ways of guaranteeing she’ll talk, but Haneer can’t promise they won’t cause her unborn child any harm. “It’s a girl by the way” she comments, noting that Layla had declined learning the baby’s gender. Layla then sits alone, silent for a moment before breaking into tears.

 

Carter is hurrying down the hallways of Hermes 4 when he runs into Destin, who wants to know what the hustle is about. Carter says he found something big, he needs to talk to the Captain right away. Destin says the Captain is meeting with Representative Zelaya soon so it will have to wait. This makes Carter more antsy and when Destin asks him what the issue is, Carter says Omar wanted him to go straight to the Captain and Destin responds that he reports directly to Captain Sakoro so whatever Carter has he can share with him. Carter pulls Destin into a side room and spills the beans, saying that he and Omar did some digging, and the people they can tie into the security camera footage, the attack on William, the Harrison death, they have connections to Zelaya! Whatever is going on, he must be involved. Destin says that is quite concerning, this discovery should be reported. Carter is glad Destin agrees and heads to the door, and gets knocked out from behind. “I’ll do the reporting” Destin says to the unconscious Carter.

 

Fernando Zelaya is reclining behind his office desk when a door chime sounds. Captain Sakoro enters. Zelaya says he is happy to see the captain drop by and asks what the occasion is. Sakoro says that bad things are afoot in the fleet. Zelaya, intrigued, asks Sakoro to go on, so Sakoro relays information he received from William that verifies that people on the Hermes 2 falsified the planetary data. Zelaya says that is concerning, but why would they do such a thing? Sakoro does not know, but says it is clear the Hermes 2 is the source of many of their current issues. At this point Destin enters and tells the two that he has received some disturbing information. It seems that there are traitors aboard the Hermes 4, and they’re poised to take action. Sakoro asks Destin if he has been able to identify the traitors and after Destin shares a look with Zelaya, Zelaya says “We are”, and Destin draws his pistol and shoots Sakoro, killing him.

 

Zelaya and Destin stand over Sakoro’s body and Destin says that his own people have started to figure out their involvement, so he had to push things forward. Zelaya sighs and says he had hoped to merely isolate Sakoro, but what had to be done, had to be done. He activates an audio call and connects to Haneer, and suggests they being immediately since waiting any longer risks full discovery. Haneer concurs, saying that activation orders will be sent to cells on all ships. He asks if Zelaya can guarantee he can bring the Hermes 4 under control and Zelaya, looking at Sakoro’s body, says that with the captain removed things will proceed easier.

 

A montage shows people on all of the five remaining ships collecting weapons and gear and secretly moving into positions across the ships. At the conclusion of this montage the scene changes to a large shuttle bay on the Hermes 1, where Omar is about to take a transport back to his own ship. Suddenly, gunfire rings out from the back, as several men are shooting at security guards in the area and everyone else panicking. Omar dives behind a storage container and picks up a gun from a fallen guard. He then joins the fray, and after a brief but violent shootout the security guards manage to take out the shooters. Omar, confused, looks at the carnage as alarms begin rippling throughout the ship. The scene changes to Nguyen’s office, with Omar and a few security administrators present, along with the Hermes 1 captain. Over the past forty minutes over a dozen teams attacked key elements of the Hermes 1’s command and control structure, aiming to quickly seize control over vital functions, but on this ship they have been mostly controlled. They’ve also received similar reports from all other ships as well, with varying degrees of seriousness. Since the Hermes 1 is well on its way to resuming control, Nguyen decides that some of its security forces can accompany Omar to the Hermes 4. Nguyen also says she will come along, and both the Hermes 1 captain and Omar object, but Nguyen says that the Hermes 1 is no longer in danger, “but humanity is, and maybe I can help talk the people down before they tear themselves apart.”

 

On the Hermes 4, William and Daniel are in their quarters when the door is suddenly forced open and several guards enter, led by Destin. He says they’re here for William and when Daniel steps in-between them he is clubbed and knocked out. As Daniel is dragged off, Destin tells William he almost ruined everything.

 

As Omar, Nguyen and several officers climb into a space taxi and pilot it to the Hermes 4, a fleet-wide broadcast is made by Haneer, urging all people on the ships to peacefully submit. As Haneer monologues about how they cannot repeat the failures of Earth on their new home, and they must be one world and one people, a montage of scenes shows the taxi in transit, gunfights occurring across various ships, and many of the characters in their current state. The montage ends with the taxi docking with the Hermes 4 and the occupants stepping into the shuttle bay to find it deserted aside from a few dead bodies. Cautiously, they advance.

 

Layla is still locked in the interrogation room when a rough-looking scientist enters with some needles. The scientist says that he is tasked with injecting her with a serum if she does not talk willingly that will coerce her to say the truth, but that its side effects may prove harmful. As the man steps forward, he is knocked out from behind, by none other than the tech who Layla tricked not long before. The tech encourages Layla to follow him out and leads her stealthily through the corridors. Along the way he says that he knew some of what the Hermes 2 scientists were up to, but only found out fully after they took Layla away, and when the fighting began, he and others put the pieces together. He says that a number of people on the ship are against what Haneer and Dubahe are doing but they are in bad straits right now. Through a couple secret access routes he takes her to a resistance section on the ship with a number of wounded. Layla is a scientist and no doctor, but she agrees to help nurse the injured, which include children.

 

Daniel wakes up from being knocked out and finds himself locked in a small room with a bunch of other people, one of whom is Carter. After tending to some minor injuries some of the prisoners have, Carter asks Daniel to help him with the locking mechanism, using some improvised tools. With his medical skills able to use precision tools, Daniel is able to assist.

 

Omar leads his unit to a residential section of the Hermes 4. On the ship’s intercom they hear messages from Zelaya addressed to the whole ship, urging people to stay calm and in their rooms. They finally encounter a squad of loyal Hermes 4 security and learn that Sakoro is dead and Zelaya’s people have taken a few key areas of the ship. No one knows where Layla is, or Carter. Omar decides that the only thing they can do is launch an immediate and direct attack on Zelaya’s strong point since time is not necessarily on their side. He asks Nguyen to stay behind and try to counter the coup propaganda with the truth and she agrees.

 

While Nguyen addresses the fleet in a counter-message about the crimes she knows Haneer and his allies have committed, Omar and his growing number of allies try to get as close to the command center as possible.

 

Meanwhile, Carter and Daniel have been able to dismantle the locking mechanism and escape with the others in the room. Carter uses a chair leg as an improvised club and knocks out a guard who spots them. However, they get into trouble when more of Zelaya’s men find them, but then Omar’s unit shows up and defeats them. Omar and Carter hug and Omar asks what happened here and Carter says he made the mistake of trusting Destin. Daniel then intercedes and says William was arrested, and is probably with Zelaya. Omar says they’ll get him back.

 

The scene changes to the bridge of the Hermes 4, with William held prisoner as Zelaya and Destin analyze the situation. William shakes his head and says he cannot imagine what Zelaya gets out of all this and Zelaya tells William to look out the window. “See the other ships, they are on the verge of falling into line. Sacrifices must be made; fear must be instilled. The philosopher Thomas Hobbes said that moral ideas do not actually exist. Humanity simply sees as good the things it wants, and as bad the things it avoids. Such behavior only leads to chaos and destruction, since thousands of different wants and desires will lead to conflict. It is better to have one vision and one power guiding everything.” He says that priming people with fear makes it easier for them to fall in line, so the loss of Hermes 3 was a necessary instigating factor.

 

William says it won’t work. “You cannot control the truth, you cannot control an idea. We left Earth to make our new home a better place, and what you propose will not accomplish that.” Zelaya says they shall see.

 

On the Hermes 2, Haneer and Dubahe listen to reports. The Hermes 1 takeover was unsuccessful, good progress has been made on Hermes 2 and 6, and Hermes 4 and 5 are up for grabs. Haneer tells Dubahe that he must wipe out the resistance on their own ship. Dubahe says he will lead this personally.

 

In the bowels of the ship, the resistance area where Layla is has become filled with both armed combatants and wounded. Layla does her best to comfort the people she is watching over, mostly children. Though she succeeds in diverting their attention, the mood is broken soon when Dubahe’s forces break through and begin shooting everyone they see. Layla gathers the children she is watching, some of them injured, and ushers them towards a back exit, helped by the young tech from before. As Dubahe’s troops get closer, the tech pulls out a gun and tells Layla to keep moving and tries to hold off the enemy, but is killed after firing a few shots. As Dubahe’s troops fan out through the section of the ship, Dubahe leading one squad personally, Layla takes the children into a service area, trying to find someplace to hide.

 

Back on the Hermes 4, it is time to take back the ship. Omar gives the order and his forces attack all at once from multiple access points, taking Zelaya’s henchmen and loyalists off guard.

 

In a running shootout Omar and Carter with a couple others manage to sprint through the fray and reach the bridge to find Zelaya using William as a human shield and Destin with his gun drawn. There’s a brief Mexican standoff as Omar tries to tell Zelaya and Destin it is over, and Zelaya countering that unless they want William dead, they will stand down and let them leave the ship. It’s a stalemate, until William says to Omar “They cannot win, we can’t let them” and he jerks his head back to smack Zelaya in the face, which allows him to break free, and Zelaya turns his gun on William as Destin, Carter, and Omar all open fire. Zelaya and Destin are killed, Omar is clipped in the shoulder, and William is shot in the chest.

 

Daniel immediately rushes in to tend to William and says to Omar William will live. Omar walks over, hand on his wound, and asks William where Layla is. William, in shock from his wound, is able to eke out that Layla was over on the Hermes 2 when the fighting broke out, she was trying to help him find proof. Omar immediately runs off, Carter not far behind.

 

Omar finds Nguyen with a contingent of security forces. She tells him that Hermes 4 is mostly secure and that other ships in the fleet are now fighting back as the truth begins to come out and that she is planning on taking the fight to Haneer’s ship. Omar insists he comes along, his wife is trapped on the Hermes 2 and he has to find her. Nguyen understands and says that she hopes he finds her safe.

 

As a small flotilla of transports carry Hermes 1 and 4 security forces towards the Hermes 2, getting closer and closer to docking, a small series of scenes show Layla continuing to usher herself and the children she is protecting from place to place as a squad of armed men, led by Dubahe, get closer and closer on the trail, show a couple fights on other ships that show the tide beginning to turn against the coup, and show Haneer nervously waiting in her opulent office. Staring into space, she talks into a video journal, her words narrating a montage of the scenes mentioned above about since the day her father was told that Earth was going to die, her parents, and then her, worked to find any way possible to save humanity, but she has realized the truth: Humanity is an ugly species that is selfish and cruel, and to tame the beast one must embrace the inner cruelty, so that the weakness and self-destructive tendencies can be purged. “Do I regret anything I have done? Only that I did not act sooner.”

 

The transports dock with the Hermes 2 and meet some initial resistance from Haneer’s forces watching the docking bays. After clearing the area, Omar decides to separate from the main force and look for his wife, Carter racing behind to catch up.

 

The loyalist security forces begin pushing against the Hermes 2 coup supporters, having difficulty at first but slowly beginning to drive them back. As they do, resisters on the ship who have been driven into hiding are emboldened and resurface to join the fray. Meanwhile Layla and the children have been spotted by some of Dubahe’s men and flee into an engineering section to evade them but are followed intensely. Eventually they get cornered in a large power generator room, but Layla takes them to a far corner where there is an air vent and tells them to get in it and get away while she distracts the pursuers. As the children continue to flee, Layla grabs a wrench lying off to the side and lies in wait, striking the first guard who appears and knocking him out. She is able to ambush a second as well but is then seen by the others and leads them on a chase in the wrong direction away from the children. She is soon cornered and after a brief struggle has the wrench wrestled away and is pinned against a wall by two guards. Dubahe recognizes her and laughs, saying if she hadn’t caused so much trouble he would admire her spirit. He pulls out a knife, but before anything further can happen Dubahe and the guards with him are all shot dead in a matter of seconds, the bodies falling to reveal Omar and Carter. Husband and wife take a second to recognize one another through all of the nerves but then suddenly move and embrace out of relief, both coming to tears over recent events.

 

Nguyen’s forces push through the Hermes 2. At Haneer’s quarters an aide reports that all ships are now rejecting the coup and that Nguyen’s forces will be at the door within minutes. The aide procures a gun and offers it to Haneer, but Haneer declines, saying that suicide is the way out for a coward, and she will not be known as one. “No, I will accept the consequences of my actions, and live to defend them.”

 

Soon enough Nguyen and a host of guards enter Haneer’s quarters and confront her. In a heated conversation the two trade barbs over what has happened. Nguyen, disgusted, tells Haneer that the reason Earth fell into such a terrible state was because of people like her, people who put their own personal beliefs of how people should be run over everything else. Haneer listens to the criticism, and just responds “Well, a few decades from now, we shall see which of us is right about humanity.” She is handcuffed and led away.

 

We see Daniel helping an injured William down a corridor, saying he thinks the worst of it is over. William agrees, and apologizes to Daniel for having been such a burden on him for so long. Daniel says William has been nothing of the sort. “You drive me crazy sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade that for anyone else.” Daniel asks William where things go from here, and William says they start building. One brick at a time.

 

Taking a shuttle ride back to the Hermes 4, Omar and Layla look out the window at the fleet, a few ships showing visible damage. They talk about how things may turn out. Omar muses about their future home they’ll build to live in and how their family will live and prosper. When he casually talks about playing catch with a son, Layla looks up at him says “It’s a girl.” Omar’s expression changes to one of pure joy. “We’re going to have a baby girl” he says contently, the two then embrace once again and looking out the window, the camera then pulling out as the shuttle recedes into the distance against the backdrop of the fleet.

 

The scene changes into a montage of events, accompanied again by narration from William. The montage first shows William and Daniel hugging Omar and Layla as they return to the Hermes 4. Then it shows the five ships moving in space, finally resting in orbit over a greenish-brown planet that similar characteristics to Earth, though a bit drier, a bit cooler. Transports by the dozens leave the ships, and shots show the creation of various small villages and camps built almost from scratch. Shots of the planet’s wild natural habitat are shown, with various climates and unique indigenous species. More shots show the scattering of people across the landscape, down to single homes alone for a number of miles around. We see shots of people like Nguyen starting to organize diffuse government, loosely organizing the settlements and people instead of packing them together in one tight faction. We see Haneer in a cell, reading, looking out a window, pensive. We see other characters starting their new lives, and the scene changes to a house outside of a small village, where Layla and Omar are working on a garden. William and Daniel show up and after a greeting they all go inside. Layla goes to a cradle and picks up a baby girl and after cooing to it hands her to William for him to hold. William looks down at Layla and Omar’s daughter and smiles at it,

 

WILLIAM (narration): For the briefest of moments, the last noble gesture made to save the human race from itself stood on the brink of failure, almost doomed by people who put their ideology over concern for life itself. For much of our history people have speculated that humanity in space would meet its foe in alien life, or in some monolithic natural force, but in reality, the greatest enemy we face anywhere is ourselves. The chaos took some time to settle, but eventually the five ships reached their destination, a habitable planet capable of supporting life. Similar in many ways to Earth, yet so different in so many others ways, a new world for a new lease on existence. To the opposite of what the coup intended, humanity scattered, the ships landing far apart from one another, and each ship’s population spreading out. After years of confinement, what people wanted was a chance to spread their legs, take in the fresh air, and have a place they could call their own. It’s been several months since we landed, and the planet has the feel of the New World colonies of old, settlements eked out by the determination of the people. Some, like Haneer, have said that this will only lead to the creation of nations and a return to the problems of Earth, and maybe it will happen. But when I look at the people I’ve spent most of my life onboard the Hermes 4 with and I look in their eyes, I have my faith in them. So perhaps humanity can learn its lesson after all, perhaps we can avoid our past mistakes, and perhaps the sins of the father will not pass on to his children. We can be better. We have to be. For their sake.

 

 

The last shot of the film is the baby, wide-eyed, smiling back.

 

 

[4815162342]

The Exchange: European Studies

 

Genre: Comedy

Cast:  Marcus Scribner (Nick), Asa Butterfield (Jared), Lana Condor (Izzie), Lily-Rose Depp (Catherine)

Directed By: Sean Anders

Release Date: July 19, Year 8

Theater Count: 3467 Theaters

Budget: $25 Million

Running Time: 95 Minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, crude humor, drug use, and suggestive references

 

Predecessor: The Exchange (Year 7) $13,266,011 OW/$55,174,303 DOM/$67,013,444 WW

 

Plot Summary: 

 

This is a sidequel to Year 7's The Exchange, focusing on the adventures of Nick Anderson as he studies abroad in France as part of an exchange program. The film opens with Nick being driven to the airport by his family, with cameos from the cast of the first film. In the airport he meets up with the two people going with him on the program: Jared, a frenemy, and Izzie, his crush. There's some friction between Nick and Jared which Izzie smooths over, and Nick being a school overachiever and not a social butterfly, is a bit awkward in trying to get closer to Izzie on the flight over.

 

They're all enrolled in the same school in France, a suburb outside of Paris, though with different host families. There's some light-hearted fish out of water comedy as Nick adjusts to differences in French culture from American, and tries to not make himself look like a stereotypical American asshat. There is some difficulty with the French family's son, Gerard, but over the course of the film they do bond.

 

At the school, Nick's crush on Izzie meets an obstacle when he falls head over heels for Catherine, one of the popular girls at the school, and a love quadrangle forms as we learn Izzie also has a crush on Nick, but is also being wooed by one of the French students, Michel. Jared meanwhile dives head-first into trying to woo and bang as many French girls as he can, to mixed success, and we see the three Americans experience French teen social life and the perks, possibilities, and pitfalls of it. 

 

This devolves into a series of increasingly madcap adventures and incidents with teen partying and teen angst, and Nick's personal conflicts creating some difficulty in school, where he gets harangued by one of his teachers, but is mentored by another. The love quadrangle reaches a climax when Nick and Izzie almost express feelings for one another, but their difference in opinion over certain lifestyle choices result in them temporarily ending their friendship, and Nick almost sleeps with Catherine before realizing it would be a mistake. In the end, he chases down Izzie and admits how he feels in a romantic moment, and the two kiss.

 

At the close of the semester, Nick, Jared, and Izzie return home, and the film catches back up with the ending of the first film, using the same ending scene in the drive home.

[YM!]

Bailey Buckets: A Hoops Story

Studio: Infinite Studios 

Release Date: 6/14/Y8

Genre: Sports/Dramedy

Director: Charles Stone III

Rating: PG-13 

Budget: $18M

Theater Count: 2,879

Format: 2D

Runtime: 100 minutes

Previous Films:

Hoops 3 (Y7) DOM/WW - $39,011,442/$45,066,913

Hoops 2 (Y6) DOM/WW - $27,002,111 / $41,760,120

Hoops (Y4) DOM/WW - $34,590,068/$49,340,227

 

Cast:

Unknown as Bailey Rosario 

Giannis Antetokounmpo as Troy Johnson

 

Bailey Rosario is a highly talented sophomore basketball player as well as academic scholar as well as one of Troy Johnson, a famous player on the NBA team of the Milwaukee Bucks and beloved community member and head of a recreational center. Bailey wins a scholarship to a prestigious dormitory school away from the diverse neighborhood and community to the more affluent and more exclusive neighborhood of Whitefish Bay. Bailey deals with family life, balancing her academics and basketball as well as fitting in a new school, but at the end Bailey manages to make it work by keeping a positive attitude and her love of basketball.

Edited May 4, 2021 by YourMother the Edgelord

[YM!]

Tyler Perry’s 2 Big Families 

Studio: Infinite Studios 

Tyler Perry Studios

Release Date: 3/29/Y8

Genre: Dramedy 

Director: Tyler Perry 

Rating: PG-13

Budget: $15M

Theater Count: 3,120

Format: 2D

Runtime: 110 minutes

Previous Film: Tyler Perry’s One Big Family (Y6) - $52,011,697 / $53,165,091

Cast: 

Tiffany Haddish as Nicky Jefferson

Winston Duke as Ernie Jefferson

Tika Sumpter as Stacey

 the rest are unknowns

 

Plot:

Taking place two years after the first film, single father and rather stoic doctor  Ernie Jefferson raises 5 kids alongside his sister, the more laidback Nicky. Ernie has married his coworker Stacey, who happens to be a surgeon. However, things get complicated as Stacey is also a single mom with 5 kids, forcing them to get a new big house. As personalities clash and hijacks arise, the stepsiblings don’t get along that it almost destroys Ernie and Stacey’s relationship. With the help of Nicky, the siblings get along and get their parents back together as everyone is happy.

Edited May 4, 2021 by YourMother the Edgelord

[SLAM!]

Dealer's Choice

Studio: New Journey Pictures

Director: Cory Finley

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Release Date: May 24th, Y8

Theater Count: 2,425

MPAA Rating: R for Language, Sexual Content, and Violence

Budget: $20 Million

Runtime: 1 hr 58 min

 

Cast

Andrew Garfield as Fred

Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Jeanine

Mark Rylance as Stuart

Matt Dillon as Kenny

 

Spoiler

Fiona Apple's "Criminal" plays over an animated opening credits sequence. Fade in on the Nevada desert. A series of shots fade in and out while dollying closer: it's the Las Vegas strip of casinos and tourist attractions. In the strip, a taxi stops, and Jeanine (Waller-Bridge) steps out. Jeanine smokes. The taxi driver tells her that she should be careful where she goes looking the way she does. She tells him she knows her way around. The taxi drives off and Jeanine struts off.

 

Cut inside of a casino where we briefly see glimpses of people playing slots and workers hurrying around--we also see police rushing to arrest a man who tried stealing poker chips by carrying them in his shirt. Fred (Garfield) watches from behind his blackjack booth (he's a dealer) as the thief is tackled. The calm and collected manager Stuart (Rylance) walks up to Fred's side and points to the thief, saying that they have to be careful about thieves. Fred nods. After brief chatter, Stuart pats Fred on the back and walks off.

 

Fred deals for a gambler who says "hit me" way too many times, and the player gets angry when he loses. From afar, Jeanine notices and grins. The gambler curses and storms off, and Fred cleans up. Jeanine walks up. "You deal cards pretty well for a young man," she says. "Gotta learn how to use your hands," Fred replies before saying, "have a seat." Jeanine plays a few rounds of blackjack and beats Fred each time. Then Jeanine gets up to leave. Fred chuckles nervously and asks if she wants to play more rounds. Jeanine says she knows when to quit, but slides a card with her number on it and walks off.

 

Fred's working day ends, and he walks through a shopping center but notices a little kid crying because he can't have ice cream. The parents try to explain that they can't afford it. In the end, they pick up the crying child and walk off. Fred continues walking. We get shots of Fred walking to his car--but the tires have been slashed. Undriveable. Fred gets it towed, and he decides to call Jeanine since he's the only one he knows in Las Vegas. Jeanine demands on the phone that he come to her suite in Caesar's Palace.

 

So Fred goes to her suite, and after greeting each other, Jeanine proposes a deal where the two of them swindle gamblers during the blackjack games and keep money for themselves, as she's an expert card counter. Fred tries to tell her that it goes against his values, but Jeanine tells him it'll be fun. Fred then argues that since Jeanine can afford the suite, she probably doesn't need the money they'd garner from swindling. "Like I said," Jeanine says, stepping in front of him. "It'll be fun."

She runs her hands along his suit, and after exchanging some words, they enter the bedroom together. Cut to Fred playing blackjack with gamblers and Jeanine winning many many games by utilizing her card counting technique. We cut between this and moments of their budding romance. Stuart is also in the montage and notices that something is amiss.

 

Fred and Jeanine lie down together on her bed and Fred tells her that he still can't shake the feeling that he's doing something wrong, but Jeanine tells him to let it go. The conversation pivots to their romance and how with their 50-50 split of the money they're swindling, they'll have enough to go wherever they want.

 

Fred clocks in the next day, but Stuart confronts him and asks if everything's going okay with his blackjack table. Fred says it's going good. Stuart mentions that he's seen a woman appear at the table more and more often. Fred scratches his head and says she might have a romantic interest in him. Stuart shakes his head and says, "remember these words. There's nothing romantic about a deck of cards. You think the cards are on your side and then they're not. So if she loves cards so much, you might want to think about cutting her lose." He leaves Fred to ponder that.

 

Fred and Jeanine play games against a man in a cowboy hat named Kenny (Dillon). Kenny wins a whole bunch, which enrages Jeanine, but then Jeanine makes a $10,000 bet. This distracts Kenny long enough for Fred to reshuffle somes cards. Kenny meets her bet. Fred deals. Kenny hits and gets 20. Jeanine hits and gets 19. Jeanine and Fred exchange a look. Then Jeanine hits and gets a 2 to make it 21. It takes the lovers everything they have not to celebrate.

 

But Kenny's not having it. He walks to a booth and tells them that he saw Fred and Jeaninr exchange a look. The receptionist in the booth contacts Stuart, who in turn contacts security guards. The guards walk up to the table, and Fred and Jeanine make a run for it. After a tense chase sequence, they manage to lose the guards.

 

They hurry to Jeanine's apartment. Fred hurries to get his belongings in order, but Jeanine pulls a pistol on him, revealing that she was the one who slashed his tires after researching dealers she could have a chance at manipulating. Fred goes into a frustrated monologue about how he didn't even want to partake in swindling and that he thought their connection was genuine. Jeanine coldly tells him to give her his share of the money. Fred reluctantly does so, and Jeanine flees.

 

Security guards then tell Stuart that they have tracked down the couple thanks to security guards and they ask him which one they should pursue. Stuart says, "they're both cons, are they not? Have half of your men chase Fred and the other half chase the [c-word]."

 

Fred runs down to the lobby of Caesar's Palace. He panics not knowing where to go. Security chases after him and catches him. He resists and gets shot in the chest. He falls down. A Jack card falls out of his pocket and soaks in his blood. Fred dies. Stuart watches from security camera room and laments that he was a good kid--but corruption can turn anyone sour if they let it happen to them.

 

Then Jeanine calls a cab. It's the same driver from before. They exchange quips and he drives off. Jeanine has escaped. She grins and puts on sunglasses. The end.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by SLAM!

[Blankments]

THE LAST AIRBENDER: 

The Boy in the Iceberg

 

Director: Jon M. Chu

Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino & Brian Konietzko and Michael Ardnt & Adele Lim

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Release Date: November 8

Format: IMAX/IMAX 3D

Major Cast:

Ian Chen as Avatar Aang

Siena Agadong as Katara

Forrest Goodluck as Sokka

Ryan Potter as Prince Zuko

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Jet

Lulu Antariksa as Suki

Auli'i Cravahlo as Princess Yue

With Gil Birmingham as Bato

With Daniel Dae Kim as Admiral Zhao

With Temeura Morrison as Master Pakku

And Chow Yun-Fat as General Iroh

 

Minor Cast (in order of appearnce):

Shiela Tousey as Gran Gran

Ken Watanabe as Monk Gyatso

Tzi Ma as Fire Lord Ozai

Forrest Wheeler as Zmellerbee

Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Longshot

Hiroyuki Sanada as Fire Sage Shyu

Haruhiko Yamanouchi as Avatar Roku

Jet Li as Fire Lord Sozin

Wes Studi as Chief Arnook

Mark Dacascos as Koh the Face-Stealer (mo-cap)

 

Cameos:

 

Michelle Yeoh as Avatar Yangchen

Tatanka Means as Avatar Kuruk
Sakina Jaffey as Avatar Kyoshi
Q'orianka Kilcher as Kya (Katara and Sokka's mother)
Zahn McClarnon as Hakoda (Katara and Sokka's father)
Noel Cho as the Clairvoyant Spirit
Ramona Young as Princess Azula
Lana Condor as Ty Lee
Geraldine Viswanathan as Mai

 

 

Theater count: 4,121

MPAA Rating: PG for intense fantasy action violence, some thematic content, brief disturbing images and crude humor.

Runtime: 163 min

Production Budget: $225 million

Music by: Dario Marianelli

 

Appendices:

 

Bending styles (quoted from the Avatar Wiki):

 

Airbending - Airbending is based on Baguazhang and Xingyiquan styles of martial arts. Baguazhang involves "smooth coiling and uncoiling actions". Such moves employ dynamic footwork, throws, and hand techniques. These martial arts feature swift, evasive maneuvers that evoke the intangibility and explosive power of wind; drawing energy from the center of the abdomen. The staff techniques are derived from Chinese northern staff or gunshu. It is considered the "grandfather of all weapons" and is one of the major four weapons in Chinese martial arts. The northern staff style includes lots of swinging, flowering, and slicing movements.

Firebending - Firebending moves are based mainly on the Northern Shaolin style, also known as shaolinquan. Aspects of the firebending combat style can be seen through a similar emphasis on highly technical kicking strikes, fundamentally strong movements, and the usage of swift, direct maneuvers. Northern Shaolin is an external style that uses long, aggressive techniques that explode and drive through the opponent. Quick, successive attacks that utilize momentary bursts of extreme power, much like an explosion, called ging lik. It optimizes a strong continuous offense, sacrificing defense for greater power, the principle behind a pre-emptive strike.

Waterbending - Waterbending is based on a style of taijiquan (aka Tai Chi), specifically the Yang and Chen style. It is an internal Chinese martial art that features slow movements and elegant forms that evoke the feel of flowing water. 

Earthbending - The following gif is literally the entirety of Earthbending in this film lol:

 

Costume references:

 

 

Sokka, Katara, Aang, Zuko (from right to left)


Iroh, Zuko, and Zhao (from right to left)


Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors



Jet, Smellerbee and various Freedom Fighters


The Blue Spirit


Pakku

Sokka and Princess Yue

 

Map:

 

 

Plot Summary: After being gone for 100 years, the last Airbender - and the Avatar  - returns to a world that only knows war. He and his two new friends must journey to the North Pole to learn Waterbending, despite being pursued by the banished prince of the Fire Nation.

 

Plot (approx. 20k words): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u4w-32eGsgJjpK0Q7IeTC1cTrP3Yd0xL9CEE_vTNNhQ/edit?usp=sharing

Edited May 5, 2021 by Blankments

[MCKillswitch123]

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Edited May 17, 2021 by MCKillswitch123