Cinema Royale

It's time to turn the page on the movie year of 2018 with tonight's Academy Awards! And as always, I'm contractually obligated to provide my picks for this year's Oscars. Or at least it feels like I am! Of the eight movies nominated for Best Picture, who has the best shot at winning? Will it be Alfonso Cuaron's ROMA? Will Marvel's BLACK PANTHER crack the vibranium ceiling? Or will it be a dark horse like THE FAVOURITE or Spike Lee's BLACKKKLANSMAN? How awesome would his speech be if he came away with Best Director? And if they tried to play him out to music? Holy crap!

On this week's Cinema Royale, I'm joined by Joblo.com's Chris Bumbray to review James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez's long-awaited ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL! Were the years of technical tweaking worth it? And should you see it in IMAX?  Plus, the WWE's biggest film ever hits theaters in Paige biopic FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY! 

All of this plus news on the Oscars fixing yet another mistake, and my quick takes on ISN'T IT ROMANTIC and HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U!

Tune in for another jam-packed show!

After being away far too long, I've returned from Park City and that means Cinema Royale is back, too! I've enlisted some expert help in recapping the best of the Sundance Film Festival from Awards Circuit's Karen Peterson.  

Plus, is The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part still awesome or what? And how does What Men Want hold up compared to Mel Gibson's What Women Want?  

All this and more on a special return episode of Cinema Royale!

Two years after his groundbreaking Best Picture winner, MOONLIGHT, Barry Jenkins returns with a challenging adaptation of James Baldwin's 1974 book, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK. Set in 1970s Harlem, the story follows Tish (Kiki Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James), two young lovers who see their future together torn apart when he is falsely accused of rape. 

Jenkins and Layne joined me to talk about the making of IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, the challenge in adapting Baldwin's poetic words into images for the big screen, and more.

It's the busiest movie weekend of the year! We've been waiting to see how this one would play out all year long, and now it's BUMBLEBEE squaring off with AQUAMAN squaring off with MARY POPPINS RETURNS squaring off with VICE squaring off with WELCOME TO MARWEN!  We've got reviews of them all so tune in to find out which are worth seeing this holiday weekend!

Holy crap they finally did it! Marvel has unleashed the AVENGERS: ENDGAME trailer on an unsuspecting world of fanboys! Not only did we just find out the movie's title, but the footage we got sets up one climactic clash with Thanos! I'm taking just a few minutes of Cinema Royale time to give my thoughts on the trailer and what to look forward to when the film arrives.

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston join me to talk about their anticipated Disney sequel, continuing Ralph's hero journey, the creation of Gal Gadot's character, and of course that Disney princesses scene!

'Creed II' director Steven Caple Jr. and star Florian Munteanu join me to talk about the latest chapter in the 'Rocky' saga. What pressure did Caple face stepping in for his friend Ryan Coogler? What does it mean to them to be part of the 'Rocky' family, one of the most beloved and respected franchises in movie history? And how did Florian deal with having to get physical with star Michael B. Jordan without accidentally knocking him out for real?

It's Thanksgiving week, and like a holiday dinner spread there are a ton of options on the table. I'll be joined by fellow Punch Drunk Critic Mae Abdulbaki for a return to the Wizarding World with FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD! Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali travel the deep south in the buddy comedy, GREEN BOOK, and Viola Davis plans a heist in Steve McQueen's WIDOWS! And you know I can't let the show go by without giving my thoughts on CREED II!

All this and more; a show so stuffed you may need to take a nap afterwards.

'The Front Runner' director Jason Reitman and co-writers Matt Bai and Jay Carson join me to talk about their new political drama, starring Hugh Jackman as scandalized 1988 Presidential hopeful, Gary Hart!