Straight from New York City (and from a New York City diner no less!) I sit with old friends Jim Pellegrinelli, Nicole Walker and Scott Klopfenstein and discuss ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’… which we all just survived (MAJOR SPOILERS)! Do we wish it had gone extinct? Were there parts that we liked? Are all the good stories being told on TV now? We discuss Westworld Season 2 and if we’re still hooked! And Scott proposes the dangers of binge viewing or how long form serialized content can lead to depression! Just like hanging out with friends yourself, enjoy this new Geekscape!

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The teen rom-com genre receives a slight makeover with Greg Berlanti’s tale of a closeted high school student named Simon who struggles to come out about his sexuality to his friends, family and local community. Love, Simon takes this once taboo topic to the forefront of mainstream cinema, which is a true testament to the progress our culture has made regarding personal views and opinions on homosexuality. However, as the film also refuses to ignore, we still have so much further we can go as a society.

On the surface Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is your average 17 year old. He has a close-knit group of friends whom he drives to school every morning and hangs out with every weekend, and he’s even involved in the school musical. But unlike most kids his age, Simon is gay and he’s been keeping it a secret from everyone for years. Yet, when a fellow student posts an anonymous message on a social media platform expressing his frustration with hiding his sexuality from the world, the post resonates with Simon and prompts him to begin a pen-pal relationship with his unknown classmate that ultimately could jeopardize both of their secrets.

While there’s nothing particularly exceptional regarding Love, Simon, the film does manage to capture the emotions of its title character rather well throughout a fully entertaining ride. Nick Robinson isn’t necessarily a fresh new face, as we’ve seen his talents shine in films such as Jurassic World and The Kings of Summer, but Love, Simon marks the actor’s first opportunity to take center stage in a major motion picture. Robinson seizes the moment as his valiant turn forces empathy from the audience as Simon navigates life around his deepest and darkest secret. And as his heart aches so will yours, a true testament to strong character development at the hands of both Robinson and screenwriters Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker. Yet, outside of a stellar leading interest that keeps you invested in the film, Love, Simon is riddled by over-the-top sentiment and stereotypical teen comedy trademarks that unleash an aura of predictability. Veep‘s Tony Hale and Insecure‘s Natasha Rothwell provide refreshing comic relief as Simon ventures through a mysterious journey to unlock the identity of his fellow homosexual pen-pal, but the depth of their romance isn’t felt as drastically by the viewer as it is his character, leaving plenty to be desired. And in the face of reality, where many who “come out” aren’t surrounded by loving family members and accepting friends, Love, Simon possesses a bit of a fairytale feeling in that regard. However, Simon demands that he (metaphorically as a symbol for the entire gay community) deserves a real “love story”, and he’s absolutely right.

GRADE: 3.5/5

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Director Colin Trevorrow’s career has been on an odd trajectory ever since his impressive 2012 indie debut, Safety Not Guaranteed. The film’s sci-fi backdrop and critical success paved the way for Trevorrow’s emergence on the big-budget blockbuster stage with the money-printing franchise reboot, Jurassic World. Yet, before he closes out the latest Star Wars trilogy as the visionary behind 2019’s concluding Episode IX, Trevorrow changes course entirely with the new limited-release drama, The Book of Henry.

Henry (Jaeden Lieberher) is a remarkably gifted and bright 11 year old boy who serves as the voice of maturity in a household that includes his waitress mother Susan (Naomi Watts) and younger brother Peter (Jacob Tremblay). But when Henry discovers that his next door neighbor and classmate Christina (Maddie Ziegler) is being abused by her police-chief stepfather (Dean Norris), he concocts a deadly plan to help free her from this miserable home life. Yet, unable to take care of matters himself, Henry pens a precisely detailed book so that his mother can carry out the plan.

At its core, The Book of Henry tells a heartbreaking, albeit somewhat uplifting, tale that satisfies with minor elements of humor, suspense and tenderness. Yet, an unforeseen sappy mid-section, one that would typically crumble under normal circumstances, plays surprisingly well thanks to a pair of Hollywood’s most talented young performers. Jordan Lieberher and Jacob Tremblay. Lieberher broke into the industry as Bill Murray’s sidekick in the affable comedy St. Vincent, while Tremblay is best known as the youngster in recent Best Picture nominee, Room. Together, these two stars in the making guide the audience through a messy and flawed story. Trevorrow and screenwriter Gregg Hurwitz attempt to wrap everything up in an inspiring fashion, yet force puzzling and unrealistic behaviors onto characters in order to make this narrative fit. Henry’s cerebral and premeditated nature constantly preaches the notion that any miscalculation can throw off a plan entirely. Sadly, in opposition to what The Book of Henry teaches, flimsy and imperfect writing transforms this fun and heartfelt drama into a wildly mediocre film.

GRADE: 2.5/5

Briefly: This is some awesome news.

J.A. Bayona directed two of the most original, memorable, and underwatched films of their release years, 2007’s The Orphanage and 2012’s The Impossible (the star of which is our new Spider-Man).

Now, he’s about to make Universal Pictures a lot of money by directing the follow-up to Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World.

The announcement comes via Jurassic World producer Frank Marshall earlier today.

Bayona is currently working on the Liam Neeson / Sigourney Weaver flick A Monster Calls.

Jurassic World 2 just got a lot more exciting, didn’t it? The film hits theatres on June 22nd, 2018!

Christopher Lloyd is back as Doc Brown for LEGO venture into cross worlds video gaming with ‘LEGO Dimensions’.

In ‘LEGO Dimensions’ your favorite characters from DC Comics, The Simpsons, The Lord of the Rings, The LEGO Movie, Back to the Future, The Wizard of Oz, Scooby Doo, Jurassic World, Ghostbusters and Doctor Who are coming together to be part of an all new immersive adventure. The last time we got this many properties together for a crossover adventure was with ‘Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue’.

LEGO enters the “toys-to-life” gaming market with the vast properties they have acquired through its regular LEGO line. I personally tried Disney Infinity 1.0. Wasn’t too much of fan of its game play mechanics and limitations. However, LEGO seems to have made numerous improvements so I may have to sneak this on to my daughter’s Christmas wishlist to give it a go.

‘Lego Dimensions’ starts building September 27 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Coming off a stellar year, Universal has announced some details regarding the next installment in the ‘Jurassic’ franchise. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are set to reprise their roles while Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, the duo who rewrote ‘Jurassic World’, are set to write the sequel.

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Colin Trevorrow, who directed ‘Jurassic World’ will produce alongside Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. For those of you wondering, the sequel to ‘Jurassic World’ will join Godzilla 2, Black Panther, The Flash, Avengers: Infinity War Part I, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, and the stand alone Han Solo Star Wars film. Sounds like a good year!

Universal really has been knocking it out of the park this year. With Furious 7 grossing $1.51 Billion dollars earlier this year and now Jurassic World at a STAGGERING $1.52 Billion dollars.

Jurassic World sits behind Avatar and Titanic. The last remaining market for the dinosaur adventure is Japan (August 5th), where it isn’t expected to make up the half billion it needs to claw into the number two spot.

This really is the year of Universal. Prior to 2015, there have been no Universal films to ever gross over a billion dollars, and now they have two?! You can be SURE they’re going to run the Jurassic World property into the ground, now.

What do you think ‘scapists? Does the film deserve the huge box office numbers or is it fuel purely on nostalgia?

Source: Variety

 

E3 is behind us… and Kenny’s here to help us sift through the aftermath! What won the show and what wasn’t so great? Before we get into all that though, Adam Murray is here to let us know that ‘Inside Out’ is one of the best post-Wall-E Pixar films but his experience of going to see it was pretty traumatizing. We give our last words on the box office onslaught that is ‘Jurassic World’ and we talk about the Will Ferrell Lifetime Original curiosity ‘A Deadly Adoption’! Enjoyables!

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Briefly: The park is finally almost open.

We’ve got less that one week of waiting until the highly anticipated Jurassic World hits theatres (it’s about time), and Universal has debuted the final trailer for the feature.

It shows off a ton of footage that we haven’t seen yet, and a ton of Indominus Rex, so you may want to stay away from the video if you’re hoping to head in spoiler free. For everyone else, the trailer takes a far more serious tone than we’ve seen thus far, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th! Let us know how excited you are in the comments below.

Briefly: Following the final trailer from just a few days back, Universal has just debuted a new clip for June’s Jurassic World.

The clip shows our sexy hero (Chris Pratt of course) running from an extremely CG dinosaur. The clip is fairly cool, but really makes me miss the animatronic days of the first two films.

You can take a look at the clip below, and let us know what you’ve thought of the film’s marketing thus far! Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th!

The official trailer for Jurassic World has been released and it looks like things are going to be intense.

In the trailer, the new T-Rex has escaped and they soon figure out that she is highly intelligent and self aware. She decides to turn the tables on her captors and starts hunting and killing for fun (that’s a very clever girl). I really like that they still haven’t revealed what the genetically modified T-Rex actually looks like.

Seriously, Chris Pratt riding with the Velociraptors is just bad ass looking. Can’t wait!!

The park is open on June 12

The final ‘Jurassic World’ poster has been revealed in anticipation of tomorrow’s new trailer reveal. It features Chris Pratt zooming along on his motorcycle with a flock of velociraptors. Silly? Awesome? Or do we just have to wait and see? Regardless, we can’t wait!

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An old acquaintance and brand new friend joins Geekscape this week when Geek of All Trades Alan Kistler arrives on the show to talk Game of Thrones, Back to the Future, Doctor Who and tons more! We profess our love of all things Telltale Games and issue a warning on the new ‘Fantastic Four’ trailer! Is training Velociraptors in ‘Jurassic World’ necessarily a good thing to do? Alan tells us about his time writing the ‘Unofficial Game of Thrones Cook Book’ and ‘Doctor Who: A History’… and he knows what he’s talking about because he schools us about Doctor Who in a huge way and it’s QUITE the history lesson! Whether your an old fan or new, I’m pretty sure you’ll love this episode!

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The new Jurassic World spot is out and it is AWESOME! If you missed it, take a look below, and revel in all its glory.

Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th. Enjoy the big game!

Briefly: Following that bad-ass trailer from last November, the crazy, genetically engineered dinosaur that will likely be terrorizing the hell out of the Jurassic World theme park has just been revealed.

It’s called Indominus Rex, and here’s its official description from its bio page:

We set out to make Indominus the most fearsome dinosaur ever to be displayed at Jurassic World. The genetic engineers at our Hammond Creation Lab have more than delivered.

 

At first glance, Indominus most closely resembles a T. Rex. But its distinctive head ornamentation and ultra-tough bony osteoderms can be traced from Theropods known as Abeliosaurs. Indominus’ horns have been placed above the eye orbit through genetic material hybridized from Carnotaurus, Majungasaurus, Rugops and Giganotosaurus. Fearsome indeed.

 

Indominus’ roar is estimated to reach 140-160db—the same as a 747 taking off and landing. And it can reach speeds of 50km/h… while confined to its enclosure. Come experience Indominus Rex for yourself beginning this summer. If you dare.

It’s ‘Aggression Index’ is also listed as very high, so it’s probably not very happy, well, ever.

You can head here for more info, and be sure to let us know what you think!

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Ahead of its scheduled Thanksgiving weekend debut, the trailer for the new Jurassic World has been released online! Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and — whoa, BD Wong!

Colin Trevvorow sits in the director’s chair, but the man himself Steven Spielberg is on board serving as executive producer.

From the press release:

Steven Spielberg returns to executive produce the long-awaited next installment of his groundbreaking Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World.  Colin Trevorrow directs the epic action-adventure from a screenplay he wrote with Derek Connolly.  Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley join the team as producers.

Jurassic World will be released in 3D by Universal Pictures on June 12, 2015.

Well, I know what I’ll be watching over and over this weekend.

Briefly: We’re generally not fans of the whole trailer-for-a-trailer phenomenon that seems to be so hot right now, but we’ll take anything that we can get from the don’t-call-it-a-reboot Jurassic World.

Today it was revealed that the full trailer will hit the web next Thursday (that’s a great Thanksgiving gift for all you ‘Muricans), and along with that reveal, Universal has debuted a short teaser featuring the first footage from the anticipated film.

The footage is very, very brief, simply telling us that ‘The park is open’ before showing us some of the film’s beautiful stars (especially Chris Pratt) and some gorgeous dinos.

For now, we’ll have to settle for this short snippet, but be sure to check back on Thursday for the full Jurassic World trailer!

Briefly: Following that awesome teaser photo from just a few weeks backJurassic World director Colin Trevorrow has taken to twitter to debut the first teaser poster for the film.

The image is classically similar to the teaser one-sheet for each and every Jurassic film thus far, but the logo is taken to depths that we haven’t seen before. We also get a new (and exciting) tagline: the park is open.

Jurassic World really sounds like it could breathe some much needed life into the once great franchise, and I really, really can’t wait to see some footage. For now, take a look at the teaser image below, and be sure to let us know if you’re excited! Jurassic World hits theatres on July 12th, 2015!

Briefly: Sure, we already know some of what’s set to happen in Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World, but one prior uncertainty was just where in the Jurassic Park franchise this film would sit: was it a reboot? Was it connected? I don’t recall seeing any of that information… until now.

Trevorrow has celebrated Autumn’s coming by posting a rather revealing photo to twitter. It’s an image that should definitely resonate with fans of the franchise, and one that leads to many questions about just how Jurassic World came to be. Take a look at the photo below, and you’ll see what I mean.

 

Yep, that sign and its fateful, spinning arrows partially led Dennis Nedry to his untimely demise, and a shaving cream can full of embryo’s to be forgotten, until now? Sure, they only had 36 hours of cooling, but science has come a long way since Jurassic Park, hasn’t it?

In any case, especially after the disaster that was Jurassic Park 3, I’m more than excited for a new take on the series. Jurassic World hits theatres on July 12th, 2015!

Briefly: Following the three dino-free stills released earlier this monthJurassic World director Colin Trevorrow has debuted a bloody behind-the-scenes image from the film’s production.

As amazing and foolproof as I’m sure the Jurassic World theme park will be, something terrible is bound to happen (otherwise it wouldn’t be a Jurassic film, of course).

Take a look at the image below, and let us know what you think! Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th, 2015.

Briefly: The photos don’t show off any of the film’s real stars (the dinosaurs, duh) but Universal Pictures has debuted three new stills from next Summer’s Jurassic World.

The images show off a buff Chris Pratt on a sexy motorcycle, Simpkins and Robinson looking amazing (probably because of a dinosaur, and Bryce Dallas Howard looking super business-y.

Take a look at the photos below, and let us know what you think! Did you catch those (spoilery) plot details from a couple weeks back? Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th, 2015.

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Briefly: Jurassic World is just over one year away from theatres at this point, and last week major setting and plot details from the film leaked online. Nobody knew what to believe, but director Colin Trevorrow has just officially revealed plot details from Jurassic World.

In a just-published interview with SlashFilm, director Colin Trevorrow has detailed the plot of Jurassic World, stating that “Jurassic World takes place in a fully functional park on Isla Nublar. It sees more than 20,000 visitors every day. You arrive by ferry from Costa Rica. It has elements of a biological preserve, a safari, a zoo, and a theme park. There is a luxury resort with hotels, restaurants, nightlife and a golf course. And there are dinosaurs. Real ones. You can get closer to them than you ever imagined possible. It’s the realization of John Hammond’s dream, and I think you’ll want to go there.”

He continues, revealing that the film will take place more than two decades after Jurassic Park. He speaks of two main ideas that came to light when deciding the film’s setting:

One was that money has been the gasoline in the engine of our biggest mistakes. If there are billions to be made, no one can resist them, even if they know things could end horribly.

The other was that our relationship with technology has become so woven into our daily lives, we’ve become numb to the scientific miracles around us. We take so much for granted.

Those two ideas felt like they could work together. What if, despite previous disasters, they built a new biological preserve where you could see dinosaurs walk the earth…and what if people were already kind of over it? We imagined a teenager texting his girlfriend with his back to a T-Rex behind protective glass. For us, that image captured the way much of the audience feels about the movies themselves. “We’ve seen CG dinosaurs. What else you got?” Next year, you’ll see our answer.

There are some other great revelations here, so be sure to read the full interview over at SlashFilm. It really sounds like Trvorrow and the team are trying to turn the franchise around, and I really can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Are you looking forward to Jurassic World? Be sure to let us know! The film hits theatres on July 12th, 2015.

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Briefly: The first set photos from Jurassic World are here, and they’re already looking better than the entirety of Jurassic Park 3.

The images come care of EW, and show Bryce Dallas-Howards’ character, as well as a damaged Jeep, and a Jurassic World chair in what looks like a gorgeous Hawaiian landscape.

The film stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, BD Wong, Irrfan Khan, David Oyelowo, Omar Sy, and more, and will hit theatres in June 2015. Take a look at the images below, and let us know what you think!

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Still over a year away from theaters, Jurassic World is shaping up to be a monster of a film. Not much media has been released of the film, but today we bring you some of the initial designs and concepts for the facility in Jurassic World.

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Set a few decades after the events in the third film, Jurassic World takes place at a third park. A successful park, that by the time the film starts, has been up and running for some time.

Besides these pretty pictures, and the June 2015 release date, we also have a nice list of actors that will be starring in the film.

  • Chris Pratt
  • Bryce Dallas Howard
  • Vincent D’Onofrio
  • Nick Robinson
  • Ty Simpkins
  • BD Wong
  • Irrfan Khan
  • David Oyelowo
  • Omar Sy

We would love to hear your thoughts on Jurassic World as well as everyone’s opinion on these concept images.

 

Briefly: We already know that Iron Man 3‘s Ty Simpkins has joined the project, and Bryce Dallas Howard has also confirmed her role; it appears as though another venerable star is in talks to head to Jurassic World.

Chris Pratt, who is currently working on Guardians of the Galaxy, has entered talks to star in the film. Pratt would take on the role that Josh Brolin was rumoured for just a few weeks back.

Details on the feature are still scarce, but we’ll be sure to fill you in as soon as we learn more. Do you think that Pratt would be a good fit for Jurassic World? Or would you rather see another actor star? Sound out below!

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Source: THR

Briefly: 12 year old Ty Simpkins just landed a HUGE role.

Deadline has learned that the cute-as-a-button Iron Man 3 and Insidious star has been cast as a lead in Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World.

New Girl‘s Jake Johnson and Bryce Dallas Howard are apparently also in talks for the film, but neither actor is confirmed at this time. No plot details for the film have been revealed, but we’ll be sure to share them as soon as they are! Jurassic World hits theatres on June 12th, 2015!

What do you think of the news? It can’t be worse than Jurassic Park III, can it?

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Source: Deadline

Briefly: I certainly wasn’t expecting this announcement today.

Back in May, Universal announced that the long awaited Jurassic Park IV had been put on hold. Today, the film’s new release date was revealed, and it comes equipped with a new title too.

Jurassic World is the name, and it’s set to hit theatres in 3D on June 12th, 2015.

No other information about the project was revealed, but we’ll be sure to update you as soon as we learn more. What are your thoughts on the new title? What do you hope to see in the film?

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