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.
The People v. O.J. Simpson is a look at the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, for which O.J. Simpson was found not guilty.
For those of us who lived through every second of it, it brings back a lot of memories -- the Bronco chase, Mark Fuhrman, the verdict, and everything else in between.
If you are too young to remember, the O.J. trial took over the airwaves for months. It also dominated news and talk shows.
This is the story of the case, but also some behind the scenes drama. I'm assuming some of that is at least partially true.
The casting is wonderful, particularly David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian. Kardashian was on O.J.'s dream team for support -- thanks to the prominence of his family today, I imagine he'll be front and center. His ex-wife and children are, and I don't remember them being mentioned originally.
Kardashian finally decided O.J. was guilty and stopped speaking to him, even refusing to talk to O.J. when he was on his deathbed.
Courtney Vance sounds just like Johnnie Cochran, a brilliant attorney who was responsible for getting O.J. found "not guilty" by distracting the jury and changing the trial to one about racism. Of course, that opportunity was handed to him by Mark Fuhrman. Before Fuhrman testified, Cochran approached Chris Darden and said, "Chris, don't put that white boy on the stand." They did, and there went their case.
Don't ask me what John Travolta is doing. Normally he's an excellent actor. Sarah Paulson does a terrific job as Marcia Clark.
Bruce Greenwood is Gil Garcetti. When we were watching all this take place 20 years ago, this was a perfect role for Clint Eastwood.
As O.J., Cuba Gooding is very good, as is Billy Magnusson as Kato. Kato got 15 minutes of fame out of the trial and milked it.
I feel like I can't come up with the right words to describe this incredible movie, but I'll try. The lingering atmosphere is done incredibly well from the beginning, helped along by a combination of a tense score and the use of extended periods of silence. The acting is bang-on and you don't know when or how it is going to end. The movie doesn't have 'twists' exactly, but the way it is written keeps you guessing constantly. And I personally loved the ending. Though the potential is there to use a more standard approach, The Witch however opts to go down a more subtle avenue, leading to the true nature of religious persecution that is on full display here. Additionally, elements of the story have been taken from historical documents, adding another layer of grimness. The supernatural elements are obviously up for discussion, but that these tales were written centuries ago somehow adds more to this disturbing film.
The film is set in 1630, in New England, America. A Puritan family is banished from town for their beliefs (or it at least seems this way, perhaps based on real events). They are forced to move to a farm that feels like it is on the edge of the world, as from the opening the woods that line the farm are presented in ominous fashion, almost creating a character that could serve as the scariest element of the film. What exactly goes on in there? Why can't the children venture inside? Suddenly, without warning, tragedy strikes. The family clings to their faith to prevent them from starving as their crops die; with nothing they can do to prevent it.
The period is an appropriate choice given how humans treated each other centuries ago, and an ideal setting for a horror tale. Some conversations require a little more attention, as the characters speak in 'ye olde English' which takes a little getting used to, but it adds another layer of mystery as the family is struck by more inexplicable hardships, causing them to become wary of each other, which in turn leaves them in a increasingly vulnerable state. I can't say I is scared, but I do know that I is gripping the armrests pretty hard for most of the film. Hell, they manage to make a scene where a man is hunting a rabbit seem tense and creepy! Additionally, this is not for inattentive viewers; I could see clock-watching all around me. The incredible camera-work almost reminds me of Paul Thomas Anderson in There Will Be Blood, with many long takes, often slowly panning or zooming in. There is also a focus on facial close-ups reminiscent of Bergman, all of which is a feast to watch on an IMAX screen. The score matches this camera-work almost to perfection, while there is often a lengthy silence between dialogue to contrast the tense music. It also must be mentioned that the child actors really shine, out-doing their older counterparts.
This really is my sort of horror film. No jump-scares, convincing acting and a focus on a dark, foreboding atmosphere rather than the grotesque and bloody. This is another of those films I would label as a psychological thriller, as the supernatural horrors are kept almost completely out of view as we witness the downfall of a family who are all affected, turning on each other as their faith is truly tested.
This film couldn't have catered to my interests more; I can't recommend it to everybody, but if you go in with no preconceived notions you'll be in for a tasty, if not nasty surprise. The suspense is almost unparalleled among recent films, and the 'horror' genre conventions are cleverly subverted to deliver a film that is better than 'It Follows' while being a completely different film. In addition to all this, there is much to take in thematically if you are so inclined… Hell, I'd love to see this again to do just that.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Adventure & Family
“Harry Potter” fans who are missing the wizarding world introduced in J.K. Rowling’s books may be comforted by the newly released images from “prequel” film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which takes place in New York 70 years before we meet Harry and his friends.
“Fantastic Beasts” is based on the Hogwarts textbook of the same name and follows the adventures of its author, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who is described as a “magizoologist” — someone who studies magical creatures. The adaptation was penned by Rowling — marking her first screenplay — and directed by David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” movies.
Entertainment Weekly has revealed the first photos from the film, which feature Redmayne and co-stars Katherine Waterston (Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein), Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein) and Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski).
The film is rumored to feature an American wizarding school similar to Hogwarts, and will also visit the Magical Congress of the United States of America (or MACUSA), the U.S. equivalent of the Ministry of Magic, which can be seen in the first photo of Redmayne below.
The film also stars Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton and Ezra Miller, and will hit theaters on Nov. 18, 2016. Two further “Fantastic Beasts” films are also planned to form a trilogy.
Fans who can’t get enough Potter can also look forward to J.K. Rowling’s upcoming stage play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which will serve as a sequel to her beloved book series and take place 19 years after “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” with a storyline that revolves around an adult Harry and his youngest son, Albus. The play debuts in London in June 2016.
The Martian is a new Ridley Scott classic, featuring his best work in years, the best performance I've ever seen from Matt Damon, an outstanding supporting cast, a surprisingly funny screenplay from Daredevil creator Drew Goddard, and a great narrative that ties the film together beautifully.
As expected with Ridley Scott films, the film itself is visually stunning. The landscape of Mars looks absolutely breathtaking, and the scenes aboard the Hermes and back on Earth are just as sharp in detail and scope. The way he chose to make this film made it almost seem like an exceptionally made biopic. Many times during this film, I legitimately believed that Mark Watney was a real, living person that was actually stranded on Mars for many months alone. It's Cast Away meets Apollo 13, and this marriage is crafted beautifully.
Matt Damon is absolutely brilliant in this film. He plays Watney with so much optimism that it actually makes the depressing aspect of the film not as depressing for me. However, when he has to put on his dramatic chops in certain scenes, he truly commits to the drama of the situation, and that right there is true Ridley Scott suspense for you. The supporting cast, everyone involved, all do great work as well. Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, particularly Chiwetel Ejiofor. He is one of the best actors working today, and this movie and 12 Years a Slave shows how far he's come.
The most surprisingly element about this movie though was the screenplay. The film is hilarious in some parts, in fact I'd argue that it's funnier than most comedies that have come out this year. What makes to movie unique to me was Watney's optimistic point of view. He believes that he isn't going to die on Mars, and this transforms this rather depressing situation into something comical instead. But when you really think about it, this is a very personal film about some people coming together to save somebody. That's it. And in today's world, it's nice to hear an story about people coming together to save one of their own.
I have nothing bad to say about The Martian. It's the best film I've seen all year.
As an avid reader, I am often disappointed by what is represented by the silver screen. I initially get excited to see one of my favorite series on the big screen, and eventually walk away disgusted. For whatever reason, most shows and movies that are based on epic book series absolutely butcher the original content.
So when I saw the preview for "Game of Thrones" on HBO, I was immediately skeptical. Oh, I was going to watch it, but I didn't have high expectations. I did hold a little hope because HBO is known for their high quality shows.
I was absolutely shocked to watch the Pilot and realize that it followed the book almost to perfection. The language that is used by the actors is very similar to the way that it was written in the book, and events were not skipped. It stayed very true to the story without adding to it or removing from it.
The acting is superb and I actually felt like I was looking into Winterfell for the first time. I feel like I've actually got faces to add to the characters that I've been reading about for a long time.
Often movies have a magical quality as you're viewing them. Some will demand your undivided attention, others will hypnotize your senses, leaving them to simply wash over you with their exuberance and classic filmmaking procedures. In the case of John Crowley's "Brooklyn," the latter is certainly the case. There comes a moment in the film when you are taken in by the film's classic style filmmaking, and tenderly thought-provoking performances from its cast. Director Crowley, in partnership with Oscar-nominated scribe Nick Hornby, create a beautiful and sensitive love story that is everything a Nicholas Sparks film adaptation wishes it could be. With a vibrant turn from Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan at the helm, "Brooklyn" utilizes all of its tools in its arsenal to convey a potent message of love and family.
"Brooklyn" tells the story of Ellis Lacey (Ronan), who in 1950s Ireland and New York, has to choose between two men and two countries. One is the charismatic Italian plumber Tony (Emory Cohen) while the other is the reserved yet sensitive Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson). Both are making a case for Ellis' love.
