Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania
Out in cinemas 16 February (Available at Shaw Theatres)
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors
The third instalment of Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man movies and the first one for Phase Five will see Super Hero partners Scott Lang (Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Lilly), along with daughter Cassie, Hank Pym, and Janet Van Dyne get sucked into the Quantum Realm, where an adventure awaits – filled with strange creatures and unexplainable realms that will go beyond their limits of comprehension. There they will meet a time-travelling, multiversal adversary named Kang the Conqueror (Majors) who will test their abilities and will to achieve his goal of attaining total control of time and space.
Paul Rudd: An(t) unlikely Superhero
Known for his numerous comedic film roles, the actor and film producer will reprise his role in the third instalment of the Ant-Man films.
If you were to ask the average person who Paul Rudd is today, they’d probably associate him with playing the on-screen superhero mantle of Marvel’s Ant-Man.
However, the full-fledged comedy film icon from New Jersey isn’t just known for being Earth’s smallest Avenger. Rudd got his first big break on the big screen by playing Josh, a know-it-all stepbrother, in the 1995 hit movie Clueless, which would be the catalyst that shot him to fame.
Loyal fans would recognise Rudd in other film and television roles – namely as Phoebe’s husband on Friends (NBC, 1994-2004), and Jennifer Aniston’s gay best friend in the romantic comedy The Object of My Affection (1998).
Rudd rode the success wave to stardom with a series of surprisingly successful comedies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), and I Love You, Man (2009).
Aside from making a name on the big screen, Rudd has also stepped into a producer’s role for the low-budget comedic film Wanderlust (2011) and hosted several episodes of Saturday Night Live (SNL) – earning him a spot in the coveted SNL “Five-Timers” club (a status given to people who’ve hosted five or more SNL episodes).
No matter how big or small the project, Rudd is one of Hollywood’s most popular and marketable stars. Despite being placed ninth on Forbes’ highest-paid actors list in 2019 after earning $41 million, an astonishing feat in itself, Rudd wasn’t always confident in himself. He didn’t feel “cool” and couldn’t fit in with the crowd in his younger years, but ultimately embraced his eccentricity.
When asked about the comics he had read as a kid, highly-raved titles like Marvel or DC Comics would be the expected answer coming from the Marvel superhero. Interestingly, Rudd, instead, loved British and Scottish titles such as Beano and Dandy: Desperate Dan, the Bash Street Kids, and Dennis the Menace.
The 2021 People magazine “Sexiest Man Alive” title holder can next be seen in the fourth instalment of the popular 1980s supernatural comedic film franchise Ghostbusters, where original actors Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray are expected to return.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance
Out now (Available at Shaw Theatres)
Stars: Salma Hayek, Channing Tatum, Caitlin Gerard
In the wake of a business deal gone bust, which left Mike Lane (Tatum) penniless and taking on bartending gigs in Florida, the former male-stripper takes to the stage once again. Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite, Maxandra Mendoza (Hayek), who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse – and an agenda all her own. Expect an epic journey of spectacular dancing and twists and turns as Mike whips up a band of new dancers and discovers Mendoza’s real intentions.
Knock at the Cabin
Out in Cinemas 16 February (Available at Shaw Theatres)
Stars: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge
A family vacation in a remote cabin, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, turns for the worse as a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers. With limited access to the outside world and forced to make an unthinkable choice to avert apocalypse, the family must make the tough decision on what to believe in.
You S4 Part 1
Out now, Netflix
Stars: Penn Badgley, Tati Gabrielle, Lukas Gage
After murdering his wife, Love, abandoning his child with another family, and framing his death on his now deceased wife, serial killer and stalker Joe Goldberg (Badgley) is living in England under the alias Jonathan Moore. Determined to start afresh and leave his old ways behind, Joe is now a university lecturer and living an uneventful life. However, as old habits die hard and temptations slowly creep in on him, Joe gets rudely awakened as he himself becomes the target for a mysterious stalker who recognises his true identity.
Formula 1: Drive to Survive S5
Out February 24, Netflix
Stars: Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc
A new season of the popular racing docuseries will, once again, take fans behind closed doors to witness the blood, sweat, and tears that both drivers and teams go through to go wheel-to-wheel during the 2022 Formula 1 season. Over the course of 23 races, both drivers and teams will experience both celebrations and heartbreak to ultimately claim the prestigious world championship title and be crowned champion of the world.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder S2
Out Now, Disney+
Stars: Kyla Pratt, Tommy Davidson, Jo Marie Payton
The Prouds are back as Penny (Pratt), Oscar (Davidson), Trudy, Sugar Mama (Payton), and the twins navigate more adventures together. Expect even more Proud family moments as the season continues to tell entertaining and laugh out-loud stories, while highlighting culturally specific experiences of the Black community and addressing universal topics.
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