In the real-time, high stakes thriller Money Monster, George Clooney and
Julia Roberts star as financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer
Patty, who are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor who
has lost everything (Jack O'Connell) forcefully takes over their studio.
During a tense standoff broadcast to millions on live TV, Lee and Patty
must work furiously against the clock to unravel the mystery behind a
conspiracy at the heart of today's fast-paced, high-tech global
Neither of the main characters in the Nice guys are police officers, but the film certainly falls into the familiar "buddy COP" formula that we've seen time and time again-twomismatched guys who don't like each other and have little in common, are forced to worktogether to solve the case. We've seen this story a few dozen times before. However, The Nice guys is the latest film from Shane black, who is the undisputed master "frenemies"solve the case style action/comedy. He's like a chef who always makes the same dish, buttastes so good that you don't care.
The first red band trailer for The Nice guys here, and it looks like the film Shane blackthrough and though. Which is a good thing, because it's really, really good at making movies.
Nice guys following criminal Fixer type (Russell Crowe) who finds himself drawn into the mystery surrounding the suicide of a young woman. Naturally only the guy who can help him is seemingly incompetent private detective (Ryan Gosling), who he had previouslydisbanded as part of another work. Can the two put aside their differences to solve the case,Battle the crowd and escape in the Los Angeles underworld 1977 with their lives? Probably,but a whole bunch of people probably would die in transit.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016) Action & Adventure, Drama
Michelle Yeoh reprises her role as the lovesick soldier Shu Lien this belated sequel to Ang Lee worldwide smash hit WUXIA drama, directed by Hong Kong action legend Yuen Wo Ping. English co-production between the Weinstein Company and the China Film Group, the film, which also stars Donnie Yen and Jason Scott Lee, always feels like cash, arriving in 15 years too late. Opening over the Lunar New Year holiday in Hong Kong and mainland China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: sword of destiny (formerly CTHD: Green legend) set for release on 26 February of Netflix, when it will also fetch a simultaneous IMAX shows in the United States.
Yet the film recaptures the Yuen none of the delightful, Opera grace, which helped his predecessor scale cultural and linguistic divides to take $ 213 million in global box office, winning four Academy Awards and revitalize the genre. Screenplay by John Fusco makes few references to Wang Du Lu source text iron Knight, Silver Vase, preferring instead to rehash History number lazily beats from the previous film.
In sync just 96 minutes, sword of destiny feels heavily truncated, lacking in narrative substance. Scant feature and timid action choreography did not help matters, while over-reliance on simple sets and CGI landscape means Grant Mayor (Lord of the rings) production design lacks the resonance of the previous film.
First of all, I have to say that I'm generally not a fan of biopics, they just aren't the type of movie I seek out. I got tickets to the sneak preview and my wife really wanted to go. Anyway, that preamble out of the way, I really did enjoy the movie.
Eddie the Eagle is a story about an underdog in every sense of the word. One theme that is repeated throughout the movie, is the quote from Pierre de Coubertin (father of the modern Olympics), "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." The story follows Eddie from the time he's a little kid with dreams of going to the Olympics. It follows him through his many assorted set-backs, and all the people around him who saw only failure in his future. It also shows the moments when he got helping hands when he most needed it. This movie is about his struggle.
The casting in the movie was quite good. I remember Eddie the Eagle from TV when I was young, and Taron Egerton does an excellent job in the role of Eddie. Hugh Jackman puts in a good performance as the coach Bronson Peary, and manages not to overpower Eddie's character. But while Taron Egerton really assumes the part of Eddie, a lot of Hugh Jackman leaks into his role as coach Peary.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) Action & Adventure
Abrams has done to Star Wars exactly what he did to Star Trek and to many people that will be good news.
The original Star Trek TV series and films connected with a lot of people on a very deep level. Abrams' reboot turned it into something that was very likable and fun. Just not very deep. It had a likable cast and was an enjoyable experience for many, but was ultimately pretty forgettable. Much the same review could be given to the Force Awakens.
The movie is perfectly average. Nothing that will make you hate it. But nothing that will connect and resonant with audiences like the original trilogy.
Some positives -
- Harrison lifts the movie from the moment he appears.
- The two leads, while not instantly likable, are not unlikable either. And despite most of the attempts at comedy falling flat, they grow on you as the film progresses.
Some negatives -
- The lead villain was set up very poorly. Once he starts showing flaws he becomes a lot more interesting. It's just a pity they tried to set him up as a 'bad-ass' from the start. If he had been shown to be conflicted from the start then I wouldn't have spent the first half thinking how he wasn't quite pulling his bad-ass routine off. Of course the answer comes mid-way - he's not supposed to.
- Han and Leia referring to Rylo as "our son" felt weird and forced.
It's hard to judge a show based on just the pilot, as the actors are trying to find their footing in their characters, and the writers are trying to find the right rhythm to telling the story. Here we have some familiar starring in this new show, which has yet to prove itself.
I really liked Josh's "Sawyer" character in Lost - I think he did a great job 10 years ago playing the role; a strong and silent, smooth talker, ladies man, and I'm excited to see more of him and what he does. However, 10 years on his new character is an ex-military-in-hiding secret agent dad with a missing son. Not sure what he'll do with that, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity he has to grow in the role; I think he deserves a show and hope he has what it takes to carry this one. Oh, and by the way, although I've seen pictures of him clean cut and with short hair, he's rocking the same long-hair perma-stubble look he had through Lost. I'm not sure if that's his normal look in life, or if he's hoping he can drum up some of that old "Sawyer Love" to rope in an audience and get this show going?
Sex sells, and producers aren't beyond a little bit to sell a pilot. For example, USA had a great gratuitous shot in their pilot for Suits, even though it had little to do with the plot and similar scenes never reappeared in the show. At any rate, there is one passionate scene in the pilot between Will Bowman (Holloway) and his wife Katie (Callies), which just felt awkward to watch...
Near the end of the pilot Katie takes off her shirt and in her Maidenform bra starts making out with him on a very dark set. We had already seen them kissing several times in the episode to express how close they are as husband and wife. The whole scene felt too long, didn't do much for character/relationship development than a long hug/'I love you'/teary eye'd return would have done. And, as opposed to the girl in the pilot for SUITS, the scene wasn't gratuitous to really work to rope me in hoping I'll see more of this in the show.
BILLIONS (SHO): It's all a game of cat and mouse, or who has the biggest set of balls in this story of conflict between two very powerful men. The first is Bobby (Axe) Axelrod, the only surviving partner of Axe Capital hedge fund who just happened to be out of the office on 9/11. Damien Lewis gives us a multifaceted character who has enormous wealth which was probably earned illegally via insider trading. This guy's got it all: beautiful, loving wife, great kids, lives in a mansion with a full time chef and can buy anybody and does. He's so wealthy, he can go to the finest restaurants in a T-shirt.
The second is the US Attorney, Chuck Rhoades played by an intense Paul Giamatti who is determined to take Axe down. Their common bond is Rhoades' wife, Wendy, (the very cool and very appealing Maggie Siff) a brilliant psychiatrist who works for Bobby as the in-house shrink, performance coach and cheerleader for the high pressure account execs who have self-doubt and are desperately trying to stay ahead of the game and earn Axe's approval because they fear replacement if they don't perform.
She's been working with Bobby even before she met Chuck and makes tenfold what he makes. As a result, the Rhoades' have huge conflict of interest issues which prevents them from talking about work. Wendy loves her husband but is extremely loyal to Axe. Then there's the added bonus of the Rhoades' 50 Shades of Grey dominant/submissive sex play. Chuck is masochistic who likes to be tied up. The machinations of the financial world are as complicated as they are exciting and the writers have given us an intelligent show, smartly done. (See what I did there?) Score: 9. WATCH IT. Bonds and Bondage, can't miss.or
Showtime's newest series Billions observes the super rich and the prosecutors that chase after them for their obscure crimes that never seemed to result in punishment. There are plenty of glimpses at the wealthy lifestyle and the struggle to keep that wealth while the line between legal and illegal is increasingly blurred.
Plenty of great actors staff this series including Damian Lewis who had a brilliant performance in Showtime's Homeland. Lewis plays a hedge fund manager or CEO or whatever of Axe Corporation, his corporation. There is a lot of financial talk that I can't always follow but they do a decent job keeping it entertaining. Paul Giamatti plays a U.S. attorney who faces off against the corrupt financial system and investigates Axe corporation. Already in the first episode Giamatti and Lewis face off and I can only see it getting better as they get deeper into the show.
