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  • Helen McCrory Edition: Bits & Pieces

    Helen McCrory Edition: Bits & Pieces

    Helen McCrory Edition: Bits & Pieces – Given only a time, a location, and a cryptic clue, the methodical hit man must identify his mysterious foe from among several possible targets, including a local sheriff (David Morse, The Green Mile). Meanwhile, a chance encounter with an alluring woman (Abbie Cornish, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) at the town’s rustic diner threatens to derail his mission altogether…

    MUBI, the global streaming service and theatrical distributor, has launched the new trailer for Oscar®-nominated Chloé Zhao’s (dir. Nomadland) directorial debut Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which will stream exclusively on MUBI from 9 April 2021.

    Apple TV+ released today the official trailer for “The Mosquito Coast,” the widely anticipated drama series adapted from the best-selling novel and starring Justin Theroux, Melissa George, Logan Polish and Gabriel Bateman. “The Mosquito Coast” will premiere globally with the first two episodes on Friday, April 30, followed by new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.

    From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mum and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.

    Troy (Steve Zahn, Dallas Buyers Club, Lean on Pete) is on a camping trip with his transgender son Joe (Sasha Knight), an 11-year-old with a passion for cowboy yarns and the great outdoors. As they travel through the majestic beauty of the northern Rockies, television news reports emerge claiming that Joe is missing. As detective Faith (Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale) investigates, we see a bigger picture involving Joe’s conservative mother Sally (Jillian Bell, Brittany Runs a Marathon) and her inability to let go of the little girl she loves.

    Nicolas Brazer is a retired U.S. special operative who worked in the darkest shadows of the government, part of an elite “invisible” team that quietly took out some of the worst villains around the world.  After being blamed for the exposure, and ultimately the assassination, of several members of his own team, Nicolas disappeared into a life of solitude and indignity.  Now, two years removed, he is reluctantly drawn back into this dangerous world – with both enemies and supposed friends coming after him – to not only clear his name, but to prevent the killing of a new generation of noble operatives.   

    Dublin 2003. Aimless teenager Matthew (Chapman) and his disaffected friends leave school into a social vacuum of drink, drugs and thrill-seeking in one last Summer of adolescence. Matthew romantically yearns after his free-spirited friend Jen (Taylor-Joy) and struggles to maintain his increasingly disturbing relationship with the magnetic but sadistic Kearney (Cole). Whilst their precocious friend Rez (Walsh Peelo) has started to succumb to paranoia and depression. Matthew and the group are soon led by the deranged Kearney into a world of nihilistic violence, falling into shocking acts of transgression that will irrevocably change their lives.

    From filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Zack Snyder’s Justice League), ARMY OF THE DEAD takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world. When Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a displaced Vegas local, former zombie war hero who’s now flipping burgers on the outskirts of the town he now calls home, is approached by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), it’s with the ultimate proposition: Break into the zombie-infested quarantine zone to retrieve $200 million sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked by the government in 32 hours. Driven by the hope that the payoff could help pave the way to a reconciliation with his estranged daughter Kate (Ella Purnell), Ward takes on the challenge, assembling a ragtag team of experts for the heist. They include Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera), an ace mechanic and Ward’s old friend; Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), a zombie killing machine; Marianne Peters (Tig Notaro), a cynical helicopter pilot; Mikey Guzman (Raúl Castillo), a go-for-broke influencer and Chambers (Samantha Win), his ride-or-die; Martin (Garret Dillahunt), the casino’s head of security; a badass warrior known as the Coyote (Nora Arnezeder) who recruits Burt Cummings (Theo Rossi), a slimy security guard; and a brilliant German safe cracker named Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer). Scott finds an unexpected emotional hurdle when Kate joins the expedition to search for Geeta (Huma Qureshi), a mother who’s gone missing inside the city. With a ticking clock, a notoriously impenetrable vault, and a smarter, faster horde of Alpha zombies closing in, only one thing’s for certain in the greatest heist ever attempted: survivors take all.

    The hunt for the “Son of Sam” captivated the world in the late 1970s, but the story behind one of America’s most notorious serial murderers is all but forgotten — until now. While the arrest and conviction of David Berkowitz brought the nightmare to an end for many New Yorkers, for journalist and Ultimate Evil author Maury Terry, the real mystery was just beginning. Terry, convinced Berkowitz had not acted alone, would go on to spend decades attempting to prove that the web of darkness behind the murders went deeper than anyone imagined – and his pursuit of that elusive truth would eventually cost him everything. Filmmaker Joshua Zeman (CROPSEY, MURDER MOUNTAIN) draws on archival news footage, conversations with the people closest to the investigation, and Terry’s own words and case files to tell a cautionary tale of a man who went down a rabbit hole and never came out. But was Maury Terry just chasing ghosts – or are the true Sons of Sam still out there…

    Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams — writers, celebrities, geniuses — catapulted to fame in the 1950s, sparking a friendship and rivalry spanning nearly 40 years until their deaths within a year of each other. Inextricably entwined, and fixtures of their age, they were creative powerhouses (and gay men) who dealt with success and its evanescence in vastly different ways.

    Inspired by true events, featuring a stunning performance from James Norton (Happy Valley, War & Peace, McMafia) and a heart-warming debut by Daniel Lamont, NOWHERE SPECIAL follows a thirty-five-year-old window cleaner, John, who has dedicated his life to bringing up his son after the child’s mother left them soon after giving birth.

    Tropical surroundings, a haunted hotel complex, and four keen explorers – THE RESORT is an exhilarating and terrifying joyride. Vibrantly shot on location, the film is an eerie dose of escapism not to be missed once it releases in the UK from 30thApril. The film will be available on Sky Store, Virgin, iTunes, Amazon, Microsoft Store, Google Play, and Chili for digital and download.

    Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive. – Helen McCrory Edition: Bits & Pieces

  • Saw: Old-School Review

    Saw: Old-School Review

    Saw Synopsis: Two strangers (Leigh Whannell and Cary Elwes) awaken in a room with no recollection of how they got there, and soon discover they’re pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer.

    Nearly two decades after its Sundance premiere, Saw is a fascinating beast to revisit. Taking away the context of the dopey, mega-slasher franchise this novel horror hit generated, director James Wan’s breakout film stands as a clever grunge reimagining of 90’s thrillers twisty formula. 

    Wan and co-writer/star Leigh Whannell have certainly endured a myriad of likewise comparisons, but it’s the duo’s sincere understanding of successful predecessors that make Saw’s twisted narrative shine. Even at the start of his career, Wan exhibits remarkable poise as an auteur. His refined storytelling steadily develops the detective procedural narrative while developing atmospheric horror through mystifying unease. Years after experiencing the shocking final frames, further rewatches still allow me to appreciate the dense developments implemented into every frame. 

    It’s a joy to see Wan’s patient sensibility blend with a melody of frentically visceral flourishes. Each glass-breaking jump-cut and dizzying edit help establish the material’s grizzly identity, with Wan unknowingly laying the blueprint that the more verbose sequels followed upon. The twisted gore may seem tame compared to the sequels, but Wan’s restraint allows his setpieces to generate grander surprises. Wan consistently morphs his dingey assets into an alluring aesthetic, with his impressive ingenuity allowing low-budget assets to become a strength. 

    Saw remains a beloved staple even through its poorly-aged imperfections. The seldom frames of character development remain fairly stiff, as each dulled piece of exposition detracts from the mystery’s intoxicating dread. Neither Whannell nor Cary Elwes has much to work with despite their noticeable dedication, while series stalwart Tobin Bell seldomly appears in his series debut. I can’t lie, part of me can’t help but miss the outrageous gore behind the follow-up’s low-rent design. 

    Still, Wan’s first (and only) outing remains the franchise’s peak form of genre entertainment. It’s easy to see how Wan and Whannell grew into esteemed filmmakers from their impressive debut outing.

    Ahead of the release of Spiral, I will be watching and reviewing every entry of the Saw franchise. Stay tuned over the upcoming weeks for my thoughts on the numerous sequels.

  • Ghost: Review

    Ghost: Review

    Indie filmmakers are some of the bravest entrepreneurs of all. And when I say indie, I mean the most indie of indie, the ones scraping together money for a camera and debuting actors because no one who’s anyone will leap with them. These small-time filmmakers do what they do for the love of cinema, and no matter how rough the edges are of their final product, so long as they make the film with their heart, they deserve applause. Anthony Z. James is one such filmmaker taking that audacious leap and, armed with only an iPhone and a specially made lens, he gifts cinema his heart with his debut feature Ghost. 

    Ghost follows Tony Ward (Anthony Mark Streeter), an ex-con newly released from prison now left with plenty of doors to close from his old criminal life. When he returns home, he is ignored by his wife (Emmy Happisburgh) and left with nowhere to go. So he wanders until he meets his son Conor (Nathan Hamilton), and they awkwardly interact the way only two people separated for a long time can. From here begins a tale of reconnection that is often touching and endearing, only suffering from an unfortunately uneven ending. 

    The life of crime Tony led creeps up on him and his son throughout the film. From their first trip to see some old friends to their final violent crescendo. Interwoven between that is Conor stressing over the revelation he too is soon to be a father, when his friend Kat (Severija Bielskyte) informs him unexpectedly, and he spirals into denial. Here Conor is put on the precipice of following a path darker than he knows. Tony once stood there too, young and on the verge of fatherhood; it’s what began his life of crime, the delirious need for money. The anxiety and building tensions of the world around him push Conor to the edge, and the core of the film is us following the two men seeing if they can fight off the temptation to walk on the dark side.

    All in all, these themes are very well presented by James. The locations are consistently gritty and cold, echoing the theme of grey that shrouds the main characters. Though, perhaps the most surprising and enjoyable aspect is the two performances themselves. Low budget films struggle in the acting department, sometimes because of time constraints and other times simply because of a lack of experience; no matter the reason, it’s the nature of the game. However, Hamilton and Streeter defy the odds and deliver consistently powerful work. They share a bond built on the resentment of a son losing his father and perfectly evolve it as Conor sees more and more of his father in himself. 

    What doesn’t work so well is the films ending, which tags on in a manner that feels like the film couldn’t figure out where else to go. It would be harsh to go so far as to say it’s completely random, but it is tonally off with the rest of the film. It takes the catharsis we were beginning to see and throws it in the blender, and I’m just unsure why. However, it ultimately does bring all the characters to a conclusion, and it is respectable that the script didn’t leave characters hanging, as that would not have worked here either.

    Ghost is the perfect encapsulation of a debut feature and will serve as a sturdy foundation for Antony Z. James to build upon.

  • The Banishing: Review

    The Banishing: Review

    Marianne (Jessican Brown Findlay) has been married to Linus (John Heffernan) for a short time after he agreed to take her in and her daughter, Adelaide (Anya McKenna-Bruce) and they’ve just moved in to a new home. A home where Linus will be leading the local Catholic parish in his role as the local priest.

    There was a rather large stigma about unmarried women with children at the time and although Marianne is thankful, there are people including Father Malachi (John Lynch) who thinks that she should be more than grateful of her privileged position.

    War is on the horizon, so tensions are rising and the arrival of a strange man named Harry Price (Sean Harris) doesn’t make things better. Especially when he tells Linus about the curse that bestows the house and how the previous owner met a grisly end. Linus and Marianne ignore his warnings, but soon Marianne starts to experience hallucinations and Adelaide’s behaviour starts to concern her. Not to mention the threat of hooded figures that are seen around the grounds of the house.

    The Banishing is a supernatural pre-war horror movie exclusively on Shudder. Probably taking inspiration from the recent success of Netflix’s Haunting of… series, The Banishing sets the tone for a creepy, atmospheric ghost story. However, the problem is that it seems like it has a lot of ideas and has put them all in at once.

    Madeleine is a suitably creepy child who plays with spooky looking dolls and talks to apparitions that Marianne cannot see. There’s talk about the house being cursed and many of the locals become frightened when there’s mention of the new family living there.

    There’s even a suggestion of a demonic cult by way of the dolls that Madeleine plays with, although none of these suggestions ever really lead anywhere.

    The cast all do well with a somewhat cliched script and a muddled plot, but in the end The Banishing raises a lot of questions, but doesn’t give any satisfactory answers. There’s also a lot of subtext to things the characters say and do and it frustratingly never deals with them properly either. A well-made production with a good cast, just a pale imitation of something that could have been more fulfilling.

  • Mortal Kombat: The BRWC Review

    Mortal Kombat: The BRWC Review

    Written by Alif Majeed – Given how divisive the Mortal Kombat movies have been, fans have been curious to see what the new reboot brings to the table. The first movie is often listed among the better video game adaptations, while the sequel is easily counted among the worst. So the question is, does the film live up to the expectations? The answer would depend on who you ask.

    The makers have foregone the original movies’ campy nature of the mid-90s and took the Batman Begins reboot route from a decade later. Only this time, Batman butchers and brutalizes in true Mortal Kombat style. 

    The story is pretty faithful to the video games, or rather, as much as it could afford to be. It starts with a rather detailed prologue involving the characters of Sub-Zero and Scorpion set in Japan a few centuries ago. The movie moves to present day, where the forces of Outworld (read EVIL in bold letters) and Earthrealm (as in the good guys) have been duking it out in the Mortal Kombat tournaments for a long time. As they need to win one more tournament to conquer Earthrealm, Outworld warlock Shang Tsung (Chin Han) orders his fighters to kill all the Earthrealm fighters living on Earth to ensure that they don’t have any champions left by the time the next tournament starts. 

    All this makes more sense in the games, but it sounds somewhat convoluted in the movie. The prime reason for that is also the ban of most origin stories: too much exposition. By making the lead character Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a new character created for the movie, the makers use that to overload him with information and, by default, on us.  

    The byproduct of all that data dump is that too many characters spend a good chunk of the movie explaining the tournament and the universe’s rules, and the movie then rushes towards its ending, leaving a lot of debris behind. The abrupt way the movie tries to end the proceedings feels like a setup for a future series rather than a sequel.

    But this is clearly a movie made by fans, for the fans of the game franchise. Often slavishly so, as they have gone into great detail to show how each character gets their powers, scars, even metallic arms and the likes. They are trying to be as faithful to the games as possible with as many references and callbacks, including many of its catchphrases and fatalities. It was amusing to hear a couple of guys in the theatre hoot in excitement when a character proclaims “Flawless Victory” after defeating another fighter.

    They also really went to town with the violence. All the skull smashing and spine crushing and bodies getting sliced through metallic hats are all there from the games. Blood doesn’t just get spilled out here, but also does a crazy tribal dance before falling to the ground. 

    But it might also disappoint some of the same fans that for a film titled Mortal Kombat, the titular tournament is pretty non-existent, which is shocking (saved for the sequel perhaps). Some of the notable characters from the games also become mere sideshows at the expense of an expansive role for the new character who is not from the games. 

    Among the cast, Joe Taslim is pretty effective as Sub-Zero and scores significant points for rolling along with the movie’s more absurd parts. That could be because he is one of the few characters who doesn’t spend most of the film spewing reams of exposition. Also, Josh Lawson, (going the Jay Courtney route in Suicide Squad to play up the Crazy Australian stereotype to over the top glory), is the only guy who is trying to have fun with what he has.

    It is a movie that is bound to make a lot of fans of the series happy. It is violent, gory, and remains faithful to the games to a fault while being hampered by too much exposition and very little of the titular tournament.