The writer, Colleen Hoover has enjoyed some great success with having her best-selling novels transformed into motion pictures. The first, "It Ends with Us", which starred Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, became a huge commercial success in 2023, grossing over three hundred and fifty million dollars worldwide. Her other books, "Regretting You" and "Reminders of Him" were also made into films and while neither managed to reach the same massive box-office heights, both were still able to attract a sizable audience.
Now Hoover's latest book-to-screen adaptation is "Verity" with this drama driven with some major star power. Bestselling author, Verity Crawford (played by Oscar-winner, Anne Hathaway) has become incapacitated and her husband (Josh Hartnett) has hired Lowen, (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer, to help complete his wife's popular book series. While living in the Crawford's home to work, Lowen discovers a hidden manuscript that contains some disturbing information about the author.
Based on the teaser trailer, "Verity", directed by Michael Showalter, appears to be filled with suspense and psychological tension, diving into shifting boundaries between truth and fiction. And this will be the fifth movie featuring the very busy Hathaway released this year following the indie drama, "Mother Mary", the long-awaited sequel, "The Devil Wears Prada 2", Christopher Nolan's historical epic, "The Odyssey" and the sci-fi thriller, "The End of Oak Street".
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 29, 2026 5:10 PM
Zazie Beetz first attracted attention for her performance as Van in Donald Glover's Afro-absurdist comedy series, "Atlanta" for four seasons. Since then, the actress has made several notable appearances in films that includes "Deadpool 2", "Bullet Train", lending her voice to the animated film, "The Bad Guys" and the sequel and featured in the two "Joker" movies. These have all been largely supporting roles but with the vigorous action-comedy thriller, "They Will Kill You", Beetz is finally front and center, carrying the film with remarkable style and an imposing lethal presence. The Russian filmmaker, Kirill Sokolov makes his English-language debut with his third feature film, perfectly delivering a hilariously deranged, brutally violent, blood soaked thrill ride.
Asia (Beetz) and her younger sister, Maria (Orefile Moloi) are on the run, trying to escape from their abusive father (Darron Meyer). When he has them surrounded by his gang of thugs, Asia pulls out a gun, shoots her father and takes off running, leaving her sister behind.
Ten years later, Asia is showing up for a job as a maid for the Virgil, an exclusive high-rise building in New York City. Going by an alias, she's greeted by the building's manager, Lilith (Patricia Arquette), a stern Irish woman who explains the strict rules of this complex that caters to the very wealthy. After settling in for the evening, Asia is awakened by a horde of masked intruders that have broken into her room and try to take her. But she is no easy target, having arrived heavily armed and more than willing to fight back. Asia winds up killing all of them which included some of the guests (Heather Graham, Tom Felton) she had met earlier and informs Lilith that she's there to rescue her sister (now played by Myha'la) who works as a maid at the Virgil. Then all of the attackers heal themselves and come back to life, forcing Asia to go on the run until she can figure out what's going on.
There is the bombastic visual and non-linear narrative inspiration in "They Will Kill You" that is clearly drawn from Quentin Tarantino, particularly the writer/director's grindhouse opus, "Kill Bill". Yet Sokolov, who also cites the works of Sergio Leone, Park Chan-wook and Martin Scorsese as influences, reveals his own singular approach to this film. His first feature, "Why Don't You Just Die!" from 2018 is distinctly Russian in spirit with dry, dark humor while incorporating Western-styled action thrills that was made to appeal to a wider international audience. With "They Will Kill You", Sokolov is able to really let loose, briskly and stylishly, with some creatively gruesome, battle scenes and wildly elaborate chase sequences throughout many of the nooks and crannies of this archaic building.
Asia soon discovers that she's fighting against the supernatural through Ray (Paterson Joseph), the building's Black maintenance man (and also happens to be Lilith's husband) who explains to her that the residents of the Virgil worship Satan and are given eternal life as long as they regularly offer him human sacrifices. And that's where Asia comes in although she had traded places with the woman who was actually hired in order to locate Maria. After the sisters find each other, their reunion is less warm and forgiving but more filled with aggression and animosity.
While the film hits all of the familiar beats expected in a bloody action-thriller, what makes "They Will Kill You" really stand out is having an African-American woman as our protagonist. Much like what "Sinners" accomplished by deftly incorporating traumatic African-American historical elements into the long established vampire lore, this film offers a rarely seen focus on a fierce and determined Black female combatant (who learned to fight during her time in prison) able to stand her ground against those trying to stop her from her mission of locating her estranged sister. Race relations does not play as large of a part in this film and it is far more subtle: from the racial hierarchy between the residents and the staff to Lilith's sentimental motivation behind her continuing to work for the Virgil.
But Sokolov has no real interest in offering a film that's a game changer or tries to elevate the genre. "They Will Kill You" keeps it simple and fun, wisely maintaining an engaging, oddball atmosphere that is ferociously intense, vividly fast-paced and visually explosive.
Happy 2026 and here’s to a new year filled with more exciting and intriguing movies. One of the upcoming films I’m looking forward to seeing is "Mother Mary", the latest feature from David Lowery, the director behind the innovative features, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints", "A Ghost Story" and "The Green Knight". This psychological thriller takes place in the outlandish world of modern pop music.
Anne Hathaway plays Mother Mary, a pop superstar who is in need of a show-stopping dress for an upcoming tour. Mary approaches Sam (Michaela Coel), a costume designer that she had previously worked with but they hadn't spoken to each other in many years due to a falling out. Sam, who had a very close friendship with Mary, agrees to do this project however the dress will be created under her terms.
Original songs in "Mother Mary" have been provided by pop musicians, Charli XCX, FKA Twigs (who also makes an appearance in the film) and one of current top producers working in popular music today, Jack Antonoff. Hunter Schafer and Kaia Gerber also co-star in the film.
"Mother Mary" will be in US theaters on April 17, 2026
Where & When: Vista Theatre, Los Angeles, CA. December 5, 2025 11:30 AM
When Quentin Tarantino completed what would be his fourth feature film, "Kill Bill" back in 2003, this homage to his love of the martial arts films he watched as a kid clocked in at four hours in completed length. Harvey Weinstein, the then-head of production at Miramax that financed the film, strongly favored to have his films released at manageable runtimes. The mercurial Weinstein suggested that Tarantino split the film into two parts which the filmmaker certainly preferred instead of being forced to make extensive cuts. "Kill Bill: Volume 1" reached theaters on October 10th with "Volume 2" coming out six months later. And this proved to be a far more practical solution. I mean, what in the world could actually be cut out of the film that wouldn't leave this breathtaking revenge thriller narratively neutered.
Now, the two separate films have been properly joined together as one, entitled, "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair" and released for a theatrical run. I was at the first showing of the film on the first day of it's official release at the theater that Tarantino owns, the Vista in Los Angeles. The energy in that room was electrified and everyone was ready to settle in for the four and a half hours (including one intermission) of this cinematic thrill ride. And the film in many ways has actually been improved, now without any extensive interruption to distract from the wildly clever, brutally violent and absolutely bonkers experience that is tightly packed inside of Tarantino's ferocious, blood-splattered extravaganza.
Even with the film's current reconnection and enhancements, the story remains the same: Without a word, the Bride (Uma Thurman) suddenly left behind her life as a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad lead by her lover, Bill (David Carradine). Tracked down during the rehearsal for her upcoming marriage at a small chapel in El Paso, Bill (codename: Snake Charmer) along with his crew, Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox), California Mountain Snake (Daryl Hannah), Sidewinder (Michael Madsen) and Cottonmouth (Lucy Liu) guns down the entire wedding party, killing everyone inside. As a pregnant Bride (codename: Black Mamba) lies wounded, she tries to inform Bill that he's the father but he shoots her in the head.
Left in a coma with a merciful Bill deciding it would be dishonorable to kill her while she's defenseless in the hospital, the Bride comes out of the mental hibernation four years later. Distraught over the loss of her child, she vows bloody revenge to kill Bill and the rest of the Deadly Vipers involved.
"Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair" had originally premiered during the Cannes Film Festival back in 2006. Tarantino later screened "The Whole Bloody Affair" a few years later in the first movie theater he would own, the New Beverly Cinema, a revival house in Los Angeles. There are some subtle changes found in this version with the use of alternate takes and the animated sequence that reveals the backstory of O-Ren (Cottonmouth) has been expanded to include the entire scene which was cut for time.
By the time he made "Kill Bill", Tarantino was even more confident and comfortable in his abilities as a filmmaker having achieved great success with his previous works, "Reservoir Dogs", "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown". Bestowed with plenty of accolades and prizes, he felt he could really begin to challenge some rules of conventional narratives, tackle subjects that are a bit more controversial and create his own thematic order. With "Kill Bill", Tarantino decided to go buck wild. Starting with an enjoyably farfetched plot, he pushed a non-linear story structure further, created some remarkable, memorable characters, incorporated elegantly rendered samurai sword fighting battles and pushed the blood and gore to unbelievable heights.
What this re-release of "Kill Bill" now brings into even sharper focus is the astonishing performance by Thurman and how she elevates the film through the sheer force of her radiant charisma and formidable physicality. As the Bride (aka Beatrix Kiddo), the statuesque actress is on screen for almost the entirety of the film as we watch her shrewdly plotting each step of her plan before rapidly and seemingly effortlessly putting her merciless scheme into motion. Taking on one combatant after the other, the Bride is raw, feral and deadly when facing an enemy (or an endless army of adversaries), using her razor sharp instincts to ultimately conquer and destroy. Yet she's still capable of letting down her guard to be soft, tender and even maternal when given the opportunity. It's by no means an exaggeration to state this is Thurman's greatest screen appearance, masterfully going above and beyond in this role of a lifetime.
I will admit that I tend not to be a big fan of films with excessive time lengths. My personal ideal of a perfect running time for a movie is, give or take, about two hours. My gripe is that often times when movies run well past this point (pushing thirty minutes and beyond) they tend to feel bloated, usually doing nothing more than simply making the film unnecessarily longer instead of enhancing the narrative. Now having stated this, "The Whole Bloody Affair" is certainly a film that earns every single second of its 270 minute runtime.
There is no question in my mind that Tarantino is an amazing talent and one of the most important filmmakers of all time. But this highly praised artist also has a narcissistic personality disorder and very large ego leaving him to believe that he can freely express his opinions no matter how wrong, offensive or downright cruel they might be. His recent personal attack on the talents of actor, Paul Dano is still shocking to me for it's lack of common courtesy and basic decency, especially considering Tarantino's position in the industry.
But none of this changes my opinion of Tarantino as a writer and director. His gift for taking the silly excesses of B-movies and adding his own singular spin on plot and characters is now legendary. There have been several misguided filmmakers who have attempted to duplicate the "Tarantino Effect". Yet most fail to understand that their brains simply have to be wired a certain way in order to even remotely come close to his extraordinarily profound cinematic style.
"Crime 101" is an upcoming film adaptation of the Don Winslow novella about an evasive thief with a thrill for high-stakes heists along the 101 freeway in Los Angeles. And this crime-thriller stars two of the most beautiful people to ever grace the movie screen: Chris Hemsworth playing the suave burglar looking to do one final job before calling it a day and Halle Berry as a disgruntled insurance broker that he lures into helping him commit this crime. But Mark Ruffalo is a determined detective working relentlessly on the case and closing in on capturing this thief. Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte also star.
The writer and director, Bart Layton continues his fascination with stories involving crime, following his debut with the 2012 documentary, "The Imposter" about the French scam artist, Frédéric Bourdin and "American Animals", a docudrama recounting the Transylvania University book heist in Lexington, KY.
"Crime 101" will be in US theaters on February 13, 2026
Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. April 12, 2025 10:00 PM
On the surface, "The Amateur" might appear to be your standard-issue, espionage action-thriller. Yet this rousing, fast-paced film, directed by James Hawes, best known for his work in British television, offers more emotional elements than are usually found in this genre. Rami Malek, the Oscar-winner for his strutting turn as rock star, Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody", stars as a highly intelligent CIA decoder who suffers an unimaginable tragedy and when he feels not enough is being done to capture the perpetrators, he's determined to take matters in his own hands.
Charlie Heller (Malek) is seeing his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) off on a business trip to London before he heads to work at the CIA. As a meticulous cryptographer, he discovers that his boss, Deputy Director Alex Moore (Holt McCallany) has been secretly involved in covering up planned drone strikes as suicide bombings. When he's called in to the office of the CIA Director (Julianne Nicholson), assuming it's regarding his restricted investigation, Charlie is informed that Sarah has been killed by a terrorist group.
Devastated and barely able to function, the grieving Charlie soon becomes consumed with vengeance. After doing his own investigation, narrowing down the suspects who were involved in his wife's murder, he presents his findings to Moore and his deputy, Caleb Horowitz (Danny Sapani). Telling him they're going to wait in order to take down their entire network, Charlie threatens to reveal the information he discovered unless Moore helps him train to hunt down these terrorists. He's reluctantly sent off to a CIA facility to train with Col. Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) while they search Charlie's home trying to track down the classified files he's hidden. Henderson determines that Charlie might be highly skilled with intel but he's no killer. But Charlie doesn't let that stop him, heading to Europe alone with the goal to find the people responsible and create his own version of revenge.
This is not the first time "The Amateur", based on a novel by Robert Littell, has been made as a film. It was first adapted back in 1981 as a Canadian feature directed by Charles Jarrott and starring John Savage, Christopher Plummer, and Marthe Keller. This modestly budgeted production received mediocre reviews and didn't make much of an impression at the box-office.
The new version of "The Amateur" is a pumped-up, Hollywood affair, taking us on an international scenic trip throughout several European cities, expertly shot by German cinematographer, Martin Ruhe. The detailed intrigue and exhilarating action sequences might be the driving force of the film but it is the strong character development and deeper human connections that help elevate this thriller beyond the expected beats of this style of film. Far from anybody's idea of an action star, Malek comes across believably as just an average tech guy, distraught, angry and ready to take matters into his own hands, knowing he's in way over his head yet remains determined to use his wits to see his preposterous mission through to the end.
While the plot might be formulaic and a bit overcooked, "The Amateur" is a well-crafted, thrilling adventure that keeps you fully engaged throughout the mind-boggling twists and turns. Between the shootings and explosions, the film gets extra points for creating heartfelt moments by characters you actually care about.
Since his breakthrough with the indie drama, "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" way back in 1989, Steven Soderbergh has always had some of the best and intriguing actors appearing in his films. For his thirty-sixth feature film, Soderbergh has impressively teamed-up Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in "Black Bag", a thrilling spy drama. They play married British intelligence agents, George and Kathryn Woodhouse. When Kathryn is under investigation for betraying their country, George must struggle between loyalty to his marriage or to the commonwealth. There are elements here that bring to mind the dark action-comedy, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" that also featured two physically stunning actors, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie but "Black Bag" appears to be far less humorous and intensely violent. Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris and Pierce Brosnan also star.
"Black Bag" is due in US theaters on March 14, 2025
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. June 23, 2024 4:20 PM
Inspired by the 1968 photo journal by Danny Lyon, writer/director Jeff Nichols takes us into the compelling world of a Chicago outlaw motorcycle club with "The Bikeriders". First formed by some suburban men who loved to ride together, drawing attention to other riders which helped expand the group across the country. They had their own code of conduct and specific lifestyle yet over time a more violent and criminal element entered the gang, shifting from the playful camaraderie of a social club into the ruthless dogma of a organized crime outfit. Filled with explosive moments and captivating imagery, this riveting film traces the history of these easy riders during the brief height of their infamous popularity in the culture.
Lyon (played here by Mike Faist) had gained the trust of members of the Vandals MC (which is based on the actual Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Illinois), allowing him entry into their exclusive club. One of his key interviews is with a person who would be considered an outsider of the Vandals yet still very much part of the gang. Kathy (Jodie Comer) recalls to Lyon how she first became involved with these bikers after meeting the brooding, charismatic member, Benny (Austin Butler) at a seedy bar. After locking eyes with him, Kathy's life changed almost in an instant; leaving behind her nice yet boring, long-time boyfriend and marrying Benny five months later. But this also meant, much to her dismay, that the Vandals would become an extension to their marriage.
The leader of the Vandals is Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy) who founded the gang after seeing a leather-geared, Marlon Brando on a Harley in the film, "The Wild One". A family man with a wife and children, Johnny rules his bikers much like he does at home with tough love and demanding they follow his decisions without question. There isn't much of a plot to follow, largely just detailing the typical routine of the Vandals which really only involves them riding their hogs, engaging in loud, riotous banter and drinking endless beers in a bar, usually leading to finishing the day with somebody getting involved in a vicious brawl.
But at the heart of "The Bikeriders" is a sort-of love triangle involving Kathy and Johnny each trying to win in a battle to secure their place with the remote, Benny. After getting seriously injured during a fight at a bar, almost losing his foot, Kathy attempts to convince her husband to slow down following his surgery while Johnny is wanting him get out to participate in a motorcycle rally. And certain that he's the only one the other bikers would even consider following, Johnny tries to talk Benny into succeeding him as leader. But they both fail to realize that Benny refuses to be controlled, unpersuaded by other people's desires and needs regardless of how he feels about them.
"The Bikeriders" is the first film in about seven years from Nichols, the creator behind the small-scale dramas with expansive viewpoints, typically set in the South where he is from, that include "Take Shelter", "Mud" and "Loving". Since first seeing this book, Nichols had been trying for about twenty years to find a way to turn it into a feature film, settling on creating characters based on the real-life subjects in the book. The film captures an authentic environment of time and place during the late '60's and early 1970's thanks to the production design by Chad Keith. The camera work by Adam Stone sets a proper mood, recreating the specific style and accelerated energy of the photos in Lyon's book.
The Vandals (which includes Norman Reedus and Michael Shannon appearing as bikers) are made-up of the expected arch types; chaotic and precarious men with restless spirits seeking freedom and adventure on the open road while riding a Harley-Davidson. While some do have jobs and family, they live mostly without commitment to anybody but themselves.
As for the women in their lives, occasionally sitting on the back of a bike or participating in rider gatherings, they typically remain in the background, stoically waiting for their men to eventually return home to them. The only substantial female voice in this film is Kathy, who fearlessly shares her thoughts on these guys and will aggressively push back against their macho postering when needed. Much has been made about the Midwestern accent she uses here yet regardless of it's accuracy, the British-born Comer perfectly captures the fiery soul of this woman, delivering another powerful performance. Not called on to do much more than glower and smolder, Butler remains very effective as Benny, proving with his Oscar-nominated performance as Elvis Presley and his menacing turn in "Dune: Part Two" that he certainly has the potential to become the next major movie star. And Hardy, who has spent most of the last few years playing Venom, the Marvel super-hero antagonist in those awful movies, is always a welcome presence on screen and nice to see playing a human being again.
"The Bikeriders" recalls a generation of working class men rebelling against the status quo by driving their own path through life. Some of these men were damaged, coming from broken homes but they all searched for a sense of family which they found together on the open road. The ideology of the bikers transformed following the end of the Vietnam War. These new riders who joined had their views and priorities severely altered after seeing so much destruction and death. The world had changed and society had abandoned them, with some even viewing these veterans as the enemy. Now being part of a gang of rebels had taken on a whole new meaning.
The latest addition of a family involved in filmmaking are the Eggers brothers. Currently, Robert is the most well-known as the writer and director behind the films, "The Witch", "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman". His brothers have been participating in the creative process with him; Max co-wrote "The Lighthouse" and Sam worked as a production assistant on Robert's first feature, "The Witch". Now these two Eggers brothers have teamed-up to make their own directorial debut with "The Front Room", a psychological thriller based on the short story by Susan Hill.
While Robert is known for his eerie films that are historically set in the distant past with mythological context, Max and Sam are working in the contemporary world yet still within the realm of horror. Their story follows a young couple, played by Brandy and Andrew Burnap, who are expecting their first child. Due to circumstances and financial opportunity, they take in his stepmother, Solange (Kathryn Hunter) to live with them. Not only does she turn out to be very demanding and ornery but Solange also claims that a holy spirit has taken over her, giving her powers that she's is not using for good deeds. With elements of "Get Out" and "Rosemary's Baby", "The Front Room" touches on the disturbing legacy of racism in this country while delivering creepy, supernatural chills.
"The Front Room" is due in US theaters on September 6, 2024
As for Robert, he also has a new film set to be released later this year on Christmas Day with "Nosferatu". It is a new retelling of the classic vampire fable created by Bram Stoker in 1897 and was originally made as the German Expressionist silent film by F.W. Murnau a little over one hundred years ago. This has long been a passion project for Eggers and while it does appear he has nodded to Murnau's concepts, his film will clearly be his original vision of this gothic tale. The story involves a disturbed young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) that becomes the object of obsession by the mysterious and terrifying Count Orlok, played by Bill Skarsgård with the Swedish actor seeming to have become the go-to-guy to take on dark, creepy characters from Pennywise in the "It" films to the upcoming reboot of "The Crow". Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe also star.
"Nosferatu" is due in US theaters on December 25, 2024
Where & When: AMC The Grove, Los Angeles, CA. April 16, 2024 9:00 PM
We are in an election year which means that some American citizens will be hyped up to actively voice which side of the political spectrum they happen to fall on. At one time, not so long ago, a person's politics used to be held close to the vest. But now, not only have people become more aggressively vocal on their views, they feel some inexplicable need to vilify their party rivals to the frightening point of bloodshed.
"Civil War", the latest feature film from writer/director Alex Garland, is a compelling drama that explores the idea of the United States has once again fallen into a deadly conflict that has Americans fighting against fellow Americans over political disagreements. Full of intrigue, intense thrills and controversial observations, Garland paints a disturbing scenario that feels more probable than at any other time in our country's history.
Our story begins in the middle of this American civil war with the country divided into four sections which includes the odd pairing of an unified alliance between California and Texas called the Western Forces. We are not given much information in regards to how this conflict started beyond that the President (Nick Offerman) would not leave office, giving himself a third term, and his disbanding of the FBI.
Joel (Wagner Moura), a hot shot correspondent from Florida and the far more subdued, acclaimed photo journalist, Lee (Kirsten Dunst), are covering a large crowd pushing to get food aid in Brooklyn. A suicide bomber brings Lee into the path of Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young aspiring photographer. Realizing who she is, Jessie tries to connect but a weary Lee shuts it down, wishing her luck and sending the novice on her way.
Lee and Joel plan to head to Washington DC in order to get the final interview by the President before the district falls to the Western Forces. However, Lee, despite her protests against the idea, discovers that Joel has invited Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), a veteran New Times Times reporter, and Jessie to join them on this treacherous road trip.
As they travel across the country, we witness what America has become during this battle. Through the burned out buildings, destroyed cars and decaying corpses, they encounter an armed, motley crew patrolling a gas station, purchasing fuel from them using more valuable Canadian dollars and remaining silent as they watch how they deal with apparent looters, a militia executing captured fellow Americans who were loyalist soldiers for the corrupt President and entering a small town with the residents living life as normal, uninvolved in this violent conflict although there are armed men on building rooftops.
Garland, who began his career as a novelist before turning to script writing ("28 Days Later", "Dredd") and then moving behind the camera with "Ex Machina" (still my favorite of his four feature films), is one of the more innovative filmmakers working in cinema today, using his literary gifts to enhance the less respected genres of action-adventure, horror and sci-fi. With "Civil War", he make an effort to remain objective, staying above the current partisan clash in the US, by keeping the focus of this action-thriller on the human element of the story involving our main characters.
As they proceed through their dangerous journey, these four professional colleges are forced to lean into each other for physical protection and emotional support. All of the performers are excellent but it's Dunst who draws us into this story, playing Lee as a hardened soul, a person who has seen so much death and destruction, that the arrival of Jessie begins to soften her spirit, reminding her of the ambition and doubts she had experienced in her early days as a photojournalist. But this also causes Lee to crack, slowly breaking down the protective wall she had erected which leads her down to the point of inertia.
The scene that is most talked about (and most disturbing) best encapsulates what the film is trying to convey. After Jessie is separated from her team and ends up in a car with a couple of fellow reporters, they are stopped by a menacing figure in red sunglasses armed with an assault rifle, played by an uncredited Jesse Plemons. Joel and Lee arrive to the area, surrounded by piles of bodies being dumped into a makeshift grave, trying to deescalate the situation. As this self-appointed judge questions each of them with "Where are you from?" and "What kind of American are you?", they soon realize that the potential wrong answer could cost them their lives.
This moment is terrifying, reeking of White supremacy and xenophobia, bringing into focus what could happen to our society if we continue to lose our compassion and humanity by only viewing people who disagree with us as a threatening, dangerous enemy. "Civil War" attempts to reveal in this vividly striking and extreme drama a bleak vision of a potential future if we continue down this destructive path of intolerance and a blind allegiance to political party affiliation.
Early next year, there will be not one but two thrillers involving lesbians on-the-run: one dark and treacherous and the other dark and wacky.
Ethan Coen, one half of the filmmaking team, the Coen Brothers, is about to release his first narrative feature film without his brother, Joel who made his own solo directorial debut with "The Tragedy of Macbeth" in 2021. "Drive-Away Dolls", co-written with his wife, Tricia Cooke, is a comedic road-trip caper. Margaret Qualley plays a young free spirit that has just ended a relationship with a girlfriend and looking for adventure. Geraldine Viswanathan is her more uptight friend who is ready to let loose. They get their wish when they take off on the road to Tallahassee. But their trip is interrupted when they end up getting mixed in with a group of menacing yet inept gangsters. Bill Camp, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon also star. "Drive-Away Dolls" (which had the more interesting working title, "Drive-Away Dykes") was supposed to have been released last fall but was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
"Drive-Away Dolls" is due in US theaters on February 23, 2024
For the follow-up to her acclaimed horror-drama, "Saint Maud", the filmmaker Rose Glass returns with "Love Lies Bleeding", a gritty thriller with a touch of sweet romance. Kristen Stewart stars as Lou, a manager at a gym who becomes infatuated with a female bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian). But their love affair leads them into the crosshairs of Lou's criminal family lead by her father, played by Ed Harris. The film will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Fest in January before reaching theaters in March.
"Love Lies Bleeding" is due in US theaters on March 8, 2024
Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. March 19, 2023 4:00pm
Having appeared in well over one hundred feature films, which doesn't even include several short films, numerous stage performances, largely with the experimental theater troupe, the Wooster Group which he co-founded, and voice-over work that ranges from documentaries to video games, Willem Dafoe has been one busy actor. Since his breakout appearance in "To Live and Die in LA" in 1985 which lead to his star-making role in Oliver Stone's Vietnam war drama and Best Picture winner, "Platoon" (and earned the actor his first Oscar nomination), Dafoe has made an impression in a diverse slate of films, ranging from dramas ("The Last Temptation of Christ", "Mississippi Burning", "The English Patient", "The Florida Project"), action flicks, ("Clear and Present Danger", "John Wick"); Wes Anderson comedies ("The Grand Budapest Hotel", "The French Dispatch" and his upcoming, "Asteroid City"), animated features ("Finding Nemo", "Fantastic Mr. Fox") and super-hero movies (appearing in the first "Spider-man" trilogy and "Aquaman").
With his latest, "Inside", Dafoe plays a thief who ends up trapped in the house he's trying to steal priceless works of art. And while the actor, who is nearly all we see during the one hundred- and five-minute running time, is reliably compelling as the corrupt character trying to escape this luxurious prison, the narrow focus of the narrative from first-time filmmaker, Vasilis Katsoupis keeps this film feeling airless and stagnant.
We first see Nemo (Dafoe), disguised as a handyman, breaking into a high-rise penthouse, communicating with his partner-in-crime as they briefly override the security system. Knowing exactly which works of art he plans to take, paintings by Austrian Expressionist, Egon Schiele, he discovers one is missing from it's usual location. Running out of time, Nemo attempts to leave with what he can find but an error trips up the security, locking the apartment down. With his partner ending communication, Nemo is now on his own to find a way out.
For the rest of "Inside", we simply watch Nemo try to escape this expansive dwelling, a sterile environment filled with precious objects and substantial contemporary art, all secured with state-of-the-art technology that includes automated systems to keep what is living (plants, fish) in the home alive. This home has effectively become an impenetrable fortress: no way in and no way out. The refrigerator is virtually empty, a clear sign that no one is coming home anytime soon and that meals are rarely eaten here.
As Nemo's time in this house turns from hours to days to weeks to possibly months, he shifts from fierce determination to extreme desperation, eventually approaching something close to serene acceptance. Nemo suffers severe injuries trying to escape when stacking furniture to reach the skylight. The heating system is broken, going from sweltering heat to frigid cold. After eating all he can from the fridge, he resorts to choking down dog food and fish from the aquarium. And frustrated when he can see the building's housekeeper outside the door through security cameras, but she can't hear his cries for help because she is wearing headphones.
The question is what are we supposed to take away from "Inside"? I suspect we are supposed to feel some sort of compassion for Nemo's dire plight, but he did break into this house in order to steal valuable art, making it hard to feel much sympathy for his situation. We don't learn much about Nemo beyond, through a flashback, that he was acquainted with the home's owner. But we do know that art is very important to Nemo, revealing this at the beginning of the film in voice-over, convinced that art is all that will truly last. During his time trying to escape, left with nothing more than his frayed, deteriorating thoughts, the isolation forces him to consider his mortality which in turn, inspires his own creativity. This gives Nemo a new sense of purpose, using the walls as a canvas and the broken furnishings to create new transformative works that are meaningful and, in a twisted way, leaves behind his artistic legacy.
With "Inside", director Katsoupis, a Greek filmmaker who was inspired by a stay in a similar New York apartment, has crafted a claustrophobic, cerebral experience that leaves behind a feeling of intense discomfort. Spare in dialogue yet visually energized, the film attempts to comment on how art stimulates us creatively, forcing us to think deeply which might help us become a better version of ourselves. But "Inside" manages to take us only on an underdeveloped artistic consideration, never feeling worth the arduous journey.
From the look of the trailer for "Infinity Pool", the new film from Brandon Cronenberg, it appears that the fruit hasn't fallen far from the tree. Cronenberg is obviously the son of the legendary Canadian filmmaker, David Cronenberg who early in his career became known for his offbeat, sci-fi body horror films like "Scanners", "Videodrome", "Dead Ringers" and his remake of "The Fly". The director made a return to this genre earlier this year with "Crimes of the Future", his first feature film since 2014.
With "Infinity Pool", the younger Cronenberg has written and directed his own science-fiction horror drama that features an inspired cast of Alexander Skarsgård, Cleopatra Coleman and Mia Goth who is having a moment now due to her amazing work in the horror films, "X" and "Pearl". The film focuses on a wealthy couple (Skarsgård and Coleman) who are enjoying a beach vacation on a tropical resort when tragedy strikes, leading to an accidental death. The couple are then lured into a world outside of the comfortable resort where they are forced to confront violent games and perverse horrors. "Infinity Pool" will make it's world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and will be released in theaters shortly after the screening.
"Infinity Pool" is due in US theaters on January 27, 2023
With "Fatal Attraction", a chilling drama that put fear in the hearts of married men with a warning about the dangers of having casual flings with single career women, Adrian Lyne would help usher in the erotic thriller back in 1987. He had already made a significant impact with his previous sensual dramas, "9 1/2 Weeks" and "Flashdance" but "Fatal Attraction" would become a global sensation, igniting heated discussions on relationships and infidelity. And while this film brought the director acclaim and success, it also helped Lyne overcome some criticism of his early feature film work, which many found to have a greater emphasis on beautiful actors and glossy visual imagery than characterization and story, most likely due to the beginning his career as a director of television commercials.
After "Unfaithful" in 2002, another cautionary tale about a marriage threatened by infidelity with deadly consequences, Lyne had not directed another feature film until now. Yet his latest psychological thriller, "Deep Water" does not find the British director back in classic form with the eroticism sluggishly timid and what thrills that are found feel tragically predictable.
Vic and Melinda are a couple largely in appearance only. They are raising their daughter together in their beautiful home in a small community in Louisiana yet there is tension between them. After making a fortune creating chips used for guiding drones in combat, Vic has essentially retired, leaving him bored and unmotivated. And this hasn't helped his relationship with his wife. In order to have Melinda remain in their unhappy marriage, Vic has accepted an agreement that she can discreetly have a lover. Or two. And while Vic (with no interest engaging in his own extramarital activities) appears to be content tending to his snail farm at home, that doesn't mean that he really likes this arrangement between them.
At a dinner party, Vic casually tells Joel (Brendan C. Miller), one of Melinda's current lovers she has invited, that he murdered his wife's last boyfriend, who has disappeared, with a hammer . For some reason, people believe that Vic was joking (except Joel), even after the missing lover's body turns up with a bullet lodged in his head. At another party at a friend's home, Melinda drags a new, young lover, Charlie (Jacob Elordi) to the event and his presence infuriates Vic. Then later that evening, Charlie is found dead in the pool. Everyone assumes that it was a tragic, accidental drowning yet secretly only Vic knows for certain.
I was very surprised to see that the screenplay by Zach Helm and Sam Levinson (who is behind the groundbreaking yet controversial teen drama series, "Euphoria") is based on Patricia Highsmith's book of the same name. Despite setting the novel by the writer of "Strangers on a Train" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" in present day, the writers fail to invigorate or elevate their version of her story, offering only trivial, lackluster suspense and a muddled conclusion that has been altered from the book. The fatal flaw is the lack of a beating, sexual pulse. The few intimate encounters that occur feel unimaginative and depressingly listless. Affleck and de Armas became intimately involved in real life during the production (and ended their relationship not long after) yet the actors do not ignite any sparks as a couple on screen.
As an actor, Affleck has grown more comfortable on screen, delivering compelling, lived-in performances recently with his roles in "The Way Back", "The Tender Bar" and even "The Last Duel" where he plays a blonde, medieval Count. At times, Vic is silently filled with blind rage at his wife's behavior while occasionally looking aroused at being a cuckold, Affleck is very effective as a man still madly in love with his wife, regardless of what he must endure to keep her.
Ms de Armas has the more challenging role, trying to make us understand why Vic would insist on having this woman stay in their marriage. As a wife, Melinda has moments where she can be charming, fun and caring but usually Vic has to deal with a messy, self-centered party girl who is a vicious drunk. And as a mother, she tends to be indifferent, prioritizing her love affairs over the needs of their child. Ms. de Armas is a fine actor, making an impression with appearances in "Knives Out", the final Daniel Craig lead Bond movie, "No Time To Die" and receiving buzz about her upcoming Marilyn Monroe bio-pic, "Blonde", yet even with her captivating talents is still unable to make such a discordant character appealing.
There are some of Lyne's cinematic trademarks to be found here; beautifully shot, lush settings and stylized scenes filled with tension. But what is missing from the film is convincing drama, lusty passion and genuine terror, elements that tends to be required for a persuasive erotic thriller. "Deep Water" is just too low-energy and impotent to properly stimulate the mind or the body.
Where & When: AMC Sunset 5, West Hollywood, CA. October 3, 2021 2:45 PM
There is absolutely nothing about "Titane (Titanium)", Julia Ducournau's evocative and deranged horror thriller, that feels reasonable. There is some spectacularly gruesome carnage and disturbing violence. There is dark humor and wildly absurd plot twists. We also have moments that are thought-provoking and emotionally moving. Yet it all largely works as the provocative French filmmaker upends our expectations by deconstructing this genre, taking us on a strange, surreal journey that challenges our ideas on gender and identity.
The film opens with a drive out on the open road with a father (Bertrand Bonello) and his young daughter, Alexa (Adèle Guigue). But there is some tension inside of the car, with the father trying to drown out his daughter's continuous mimicking of the sound of the car's engine. As he turns the radio's volume up, she just gets louder. Bored with this game, Alexa begins kicking the back of his seat. When she refuses to stop, a moment of anger erupts as he turns to face her, causing him to crash the car. After an intensive surgery, Alexa has been fitted with titanium plate in to her severely damaged skull. There seems to be no sign of any lasting physical damage to the young girl yet this accident appears to have left a deep psychological connection between Alexa and automobiles.
The next time we see Alexa (now played by Agathe Rousselle in her film debut), she is a young woman dancing seductively as a model at a car show. Still brooding and dead-eyed as she was as a child, Alexa has grown up with a behavior far more dangerous; a secret desire to commit cold-blooded murder. Watching a newscast on television warning of a series of grisly murders occurring around the city, she casually eats in her parent's home, knowing exactly where they can locate the killer.
After a botched killing spree, with a potential victim escaping, Alexa has to go the run. Going through a dramatic and harrowing transformation, she takes on the identity of Adrien, a boy who has been missing for ten years. The police contact the boy's father, Vincent (Vincent Lindon), a fire captain who accepts Alexa as "Adrien" with no further proof needed. The other fire fighters at the station don't know what to make of the captain's traumatized, mute "son" but must welcome him as an apprentice member of the team. And there is one more thing; Alexa has been impregnated by a car with something growing inside of her.
"Titane" won Ducournau the top prize of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, making her only the second female filmmaker to win this award, following Jane Campion for "The Piano" in 1993. This is the follow-up to her 2016 debut, "Raw", another outlandish shocker that featured Garance Marillier (who makes a brief appearance in "Titane") as a young vegetarian who develops a taste for human flesh. With "Titane", Ducournau goes even further with some pretty extreme ideas, many to the point of being completely ridiculous. Yet she manages to make this story work, largely by taking every preposterous moment seriously while cleverly touching on themes involving cross-dressing, gender politics, familial bonding and homoeroticism to heighten this odd drama, subjects not usually found in the horror genre. Her script also abandoned the standard three-act structure, allowing Ducournau's peculiar story to flow at her own desired pace, which shifted the film further off balance.
Not wanting audiences to have any expectations with a familiar face in the leading role, Ducournau set about finding an unknown performer. She came across Rousselle, a frustrated actor who for years didn't have much luck getting any attention, working largely as a model and photographer. And while she doesn't deliver much dialogue, Rousselle is a wildly physical, sensual presence, demanding that you to never take your eyes off of her. On screen for most of the film, the actress delivers a raw, fearless performance, displaying Alexa's eerie stillness and unpredictable fury, behavior much like a caged animal. She manages to disgust and shock you yet also develop some concern and sympathy for her deranged character.
Let's just be clear here; "Titane" is not for the faint of heart (there were reports of viewers actually passing out during early screenings at some film festivals) or for those who like their narratives to be fairly straightforward. And while "Titane" didn't work entirely for me, I was constantly on the edge of my seat, never able to predict where the film was taking me and covering my eyes in terror by some of the more brutally horrific images that appeared on screen. I was shocked and appalled yet thoroughly entertained, enjoying the feeling of uncertainty and the unpredictable nature of this twisted tale. It's clear that Ducournau's intension was to provoke and leave you feeling deeply unsettled by her work. And she certainly succeeded at her task. But it is also clear that the director had some intriguing and thoughtful ideas to communicate yet no desire to express them in any conventional way. Ducournau is a wonderfully, refreshing filmmaker, commanding a bold vision, assured artistry and more than willing to challenge audience's expectations.
Back in 2018, Joe Wright, the adventurous British filmmaker behind such creatively thrilling works such as "Pride & Prejudice", "Atonement", "Hanna" and "Darkest Hour", was signed on to bring to the screen the number one best-seller, "The Woman in the Window" by A. J. Finn with Amy Adams and an impressive line-up of actors to co-star. And then the finished film was test-screened for audiences. It did not go well.
This mystery-thriller had additional scenes added and was re-edited which ultimately did not help. "The Woman in the Window" was delayed several times and then the studio behind the film, 20th Century Fox was bought by the Walt Disney Studios. The pandemic caused the film's release to be delayed again with Disney deciding to have a fire sale and unloaded "The Woman in the Window" to Netflix.
After this long, sad road for the film, I wish I could say that it's really not that bad. But this story of an agoraphobic woman who thinks she has witnessed a murder in the building next door is really, really bad especially considering all of the A-list talent in-front-of and behind the camera involved. "The Woman in the Window" is a muddled thriller that is badly executed, lacking in a steady narrative structure and any clear logical sense.
Living in a large, Manhattan brownstone, Anna Fox (Adams) was a child psychologist before going through a terrible trauma, leaving her suffering from agoraphobia, deeply afraid to venture outside of her home. Separated from her husband (Anthony Mackie) and daughter (Mariah Bozeman) for an unknown reason, she regularly communicates with them. She has a tenant, David (Wyatt Russell) who lives in her basement and tries to help her out whenever he can. Trapped indoors, Anna spends her days watching old movies, taking meds, drinking heavily and observing (some might say "spying") her neighbors living their lives out of her window.
One evening, Ethan Russell (Fred Hechinger), a teenager who has moved in with his family directly across the street, arrives with a gift. Reluctantly, Anna lets him in, with the two bonding over movies and her cat. The next night on Halloween, Ethan's mother, Jane (Julianne Moore) pays her a visit. They spend the evening chatting and drinking. The next day, Alistair Russell (Gary Oldman) comes knocking on Anna's door, asking if anyone from his family had been over to visit. Feeling uncomfortable with his aggressive manner, Anna lies to him. Later, Ethan confesses to her that his father has been abusive to him and his mother.
Then one night, after hearing a scream, Anna looks out her window and sees Jane being stabbed in her home. After calling the police, two detectives (Brian Tyree Henry and Jeanine Serralles) arrive to question Anna who is convinced that Alistair has murdered his wife. However, the Russell family are with the police and that includes Jane (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is very much alive and has never met Anna. Since we know that liquor and anxiety medication probably shouldn't mix, there is the possiblity that Anna is hallucinating that she met Jane and could be the cause behind the other disturbances that have left her feeling jumpy and disoriented. As she begins to believe what she saw must be her imagination, a photo that Anna took of her cat reveals that something sinister is really happening.
Alfred Hitchcock looms large over "The Woman in the Window" with Wright paying direct homage to the influential director by attempting to recreate his style of suspense, even going so far as using clips from some of his celebrated movies throughout. Yet this move only serves to remind us that what we're watching is a poorly conceived imitation of the great work done by the Master of Suspense. What Hitchcock did to create his feature films was thoughtfully and meticulously planned out. And while it is certain that what finally ended up on screen with "Woman" is not what our director had originally envisioned, what exactly was his grand plan is also not clear. It seems that Wright had wanted to elevate the common psychological thriller with artful elements much like he did (with mixed results) in his 2012 boldly, stylized adaptation of the oft-revisited literary classic, "Anna Karenina". We see brief moments of surrealistic imagery throughout this film yet they feel oddly out of place when merged with the standard mystery-thriller tropes. Whatever the true intentions were by Wright with "The Woman in the Window" will remain unknown but I suspect that the director was attempting a more impressionistic approach to the film which probably would explain the confusion by viewers.
Another mystery involves actor/writer, Tracy Letts (appearing briefly in the film as Anna's psychiatrist) and the screenplay he wrote for this film. What we have is a fairly simple story that has been written in a way to make it become unnecessarily complicated and extremely confusing. The story is oddly paced, the dialogue is stilted and the characters' motivations are not sharply drawn. But I would still be very curious to read the original completed script by this Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright because I'm sure it had to be somewhat compelling in order to have attracted all of the talent involved.
One positive thing I can say about the film is that it looks great thanks to the stunning camera work by Bruno Delbonnel and production design by Kevin Thompson. Wright is usually a brilliant and confident filmmaker, always willing to push boundaries and never settling for an obvious approach in handling material, even if it's a revered classic. But with "The Woman in the Window" he seems to have lost his way, trying to push a slight narrative too far while also failing to keep the mystery reasonably intact.
Where & When: TCL Chinese IMAX Theater, Hollywood, CA. April 5, 2021 4:30 PM
I don't think since Joan Crawford and Bette Davis has a match-up screen battle between movie stars been so hotly anticipated than with "Godzilla vs. Kong". Godzilla, a giant, dinosaur-like creature formed from radioactivity, has been repeatedly destroying Japan since 1954 while the very big gorilla, King Kong made his film debut in 1933 and is said to have been the inspiration behind the creation of Godzilla.
Now this isn't the first time these two have waged war against each other. There was a Japanese produced film called, "King Kong vs Godzilla" made in 1962 with a heavily re-edited version released in the US the following year. With a low budget and guys fighting in monster suits, the film still became a box-office success. Now almost sixty years later, we have a rematch with "Godzilla vs. Kong" although these films have no actual connection. This new movie may have had the advantage of close to a $200 million dollar production cost and the advancement of visual effects technology but I would not necessarily be quick to assume that this is a better film. Without much going for it beyond the brief fights between King Kong and Godzilla, this film might have been more intriguing if there was a little more time and money invested on a coherent story and less on the finely detailed (yet very impressive) images of these creatures duking it out.
With a loose connection to 2017's "Kong: Skull Island" and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" from 2019, our story begins with Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), an anthropological linguist working for Monarch on Skull Island, being very concerned about Kong's agitative behavior. And while it could be that he's being held captive in an artificial jungle dome, the brilliant doctor concludes it must be something else. The only one Kong connects with is Dr. Andrews' adopted daughter, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a deaf orphan who is the last of the island's native tribe.
Meanwhile, for some unknown reason, Godzilla attacks the Apex Cybernetics facility in Florida. But Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) may have some idea. He's the voice behind a conspiracy theory podcast and also an employee of Apex, who just happened to be at work during Godzilla's rampage. In the rubble, he discovers some strange, secret device, which confirms his theory that Apex is behind some sinister activity. Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, who played the teenage character in "King of The Monsters") is a fan of Bernie's podcast and after deciding he's on to something, enlists her buddy, Josh (Julian Dennison, who you may remember as the star of Taika Waititi's excellent, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople") to borrow his brother's car and they head off to Florida.
Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir), the CEO of Apex, wants scientist and Hollow Earth specialist, Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) to lead in an no-expense-spared search for a special power source only found in this location. Dr. Lind convinces Dr. Andrews to allow Kong to be their tour guide to Hollow Earth. And with a large team from Apex which includes Walter's daughter Maia (Eiza González), they travel by sea with a tranquilized Kong chained to a specialized barge. But Godzilla has other plans, with destruction and a major brawl clearly on her mind.
I can say with absolute certainty that no one who sat in front of "Godzilla vs. Kong" was expecting great, life-altering art. Audiences were largely anticipating plenty of mindless thrills and fun to get lost in for two hours. And with that, the film is generally successful. However I expect, at a minimum with even action-adventure films, some effort made to deliver competent storytelling that involves fleshed out characters with moments of lively humor to help lighten the tension. I know it can be done. I have seen quite a few super-hero adventures that have managed to accomplish this feat. But this script by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein is absurdly overwritten, confusing viewers with characters having lengthy, scientific-like discussions to explain what's going on, which doesn't help in any meaningful way. And it's not surprising that the humans in this story would take a backseat to the headliners yet our monster stars are really the only compelling characters given anything to emote.
Wingard, the director behind the supernatural thrillers, "You're Next", "The Guest" and third sequel to "The Blair Witch Project", is actually a competent filmmaker with a distinctive visual style and capable of getting solid performances from his actors. But that will take you only so far if your source material has not been fully realized. I'm sure all Wingard heard were the words, "King Kong", "Godzilla" and "fight" and he was in.
My advice for achieving maximum enjoyment from "Godzilla vs. Kong" is this: Ignore the body count of innocent citizens. Never mind the massive destruction of major cities. Don't even try to decipher the convoluted plot. Just stay for the simple pleasures of the monumental battle between two of cinema's legendary monsters.
"Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête)" (1946)
"Beauty and the Beast", from French director, Jean Cocteau, is far removed from the beloved Disney animated musical film most people are largely familiar with. Cocteau, who was better known as a writer and artist before turning to filmmaking, has crafted an enchanting yet dark visual masterpiece, a charming romance heightened with surrealist artistry. This first filmed version of the 1757 fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont tells the story of Belle (Josette Day) who cares for her family as they struggle financially due to Father (Marcel André) losing much of their wealth to the sinking of his cargo ships. Her horribly snobish sisters, Adélaïde (Nane Germon) and Félicie (Mila Parély) are not much help, putting on airs and treating Belle like a servant. But their situation is looking up as Father has another financial opportunity coming in from the sea. And because of this impending fortune, Belle's brother, Ludovic (Michel Auclair) gambles away what's left of the family's property.
When the ship comes in, however, there is nothing left after Father's debts have been paid. Forced to return home empty-handed, he becomes lost in the forest, coming across a seemingly empty castle with gates and doors opening magically by themselves. A loud roar frightens him but before he leaves, plucks a rose for his beloved daughter, Belle. The Beast (Jean Marais), a creature that is half-man and half-animal, suddenly appears, condemning Father to death for theft. But he will be spared only if one of his daughters takes his place.
When he returns home, Father explains the tragic events that has occurred to his family. Against his wishes, Belle decides to takes her father's place, returning to The Beast's castle. She is frightened and horrified by his appearance yet over time is captivated by his gentle soul. The Beast falls deeply in love with Belle, asking her to marry him but she refuses.
Many fairy tales were originally pretty morbid stories, filled with gore, brutality and dismemberment. But these tales were altered slightly over time through various cultures to make them simpler and easier for children to digest. This story sticks closer to the more commonly retold version by Beaumont but Cocteau has added his own bold dream-like elements to this tale. With spare dialogue, the director beautifully captures the wonderment of a classic romantic fantasy yet a sinister undercurrent is always near the surface. Actors are used as moving statues and candelabras for stunning impact, inventively pushing the boundaries of visual effects of the day. The look of The Beast is quite impressively elaborate, with claws, long teeth and moving ears, requiring many long hours for the costume to be applied to Marais (who also plays Belle's suitor, Avenant). If you are seeking an extraordinary magical experience, this "Beauty and The Beast" should not be missed.
"The Poseidon Adventure" (1972)
I recently re-watched, "The Poseidon Adventure" for the first time since I was a ten year-old kid when it was originally released in theaters. And the story of a luxury ocean liner that is overturned by a giant tsunami with some of the surviving passengers trying to reach the top of the flipped-over ship still managed to really stress me out. This action-thriller, directed by Ronald Neame and produced by Irwin Allen, was one of the early all-star disaster films that were popular in the 1970's where we would see movies involving a massive LA earthquake, damaged airplanes, a flame-engulfed skyscraper, bombs on rollercoasters and a swarm of killer bees.
Set on New Year's Eve, the S.S. Poseidon is in route to Athens and we meet some of our key passengers. Reverend Scott (Gene Hackman), a minister who questions his faith; a long-time married couple (Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters) who are going on to Israel to meet their first grandchild; a gruff police detective (Ernest Borgnine) and his wife (Stella Stevens), a former prostitute; a teenager (Pamela Sue Martin) and her younger brother (Eric Shea) who are going to join their parents; a health-conscious retailer (Red Buttons) on board looking for love and the singer (Carol Lynley) of the ship's band. An earthquake has set off a tsunami and the Captain (played by Leslie Nielsen who I still have a hard time taking seriously due to his role in the disaster-movie spoof, "Airplane") is unable to move the ship out of the path of a massive wave. After the Poseidon capsizes and floating upside-down, Reverend Scott tries to persuade the survivors to move up to the hull. Only a small number agree to go with him and with an injured waiter (Roddy McDowall), they begin their dangerous journey in an attempt to be rescued.
The less said about the formulaic script by Stirling Silliphant and Wendell Mayes the better. Yet despite this setback, these gifted actors are still able to deliver moving performances that make us care about these characters with Ms Winters even earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. But let's be real; "The Poseidon Adventure" is all about the tension-filled adventure, enhanced by impressive visual effects. And these special effects (which would win a Special Achievement Academy Award since visual effects were not a regular category at the time) have held up very well, especially since they had to be created on set.
"The Bride Wore Black (La Mariée était en noir)" (1968)
Two of the most important figures in French cinema, the filmmaker, François Truffaut and actress, Jeanne Moreau re-team for the stylish, revenge thriller, "The Bride Wore Black", the first time since their 1962 international sensation, "Jules et Jim". Moreau plays Julie Kohler, a distraught woman who sadly became a widow on her wedding day. After telling her mother she's going on a long trip, Julie actually has other plans. The next time we see her, she is dressed glamorously in white and looking for a man named Bliss (Claude Rich). He's a notorious womanizer yet plans to get married. Julie appears at his engagement party and Bliss can't resist this beautiful woman staring at him. Luring him alone out to the balcony, Julie reveals her name to him before pushing him off of his high rise building. Bliss was one of five men responsible for the death of her husband and she plans on tracking each one down, making them pay with their lives. The other hunted men are played by some first-rate French actors, Michel Bouquet, Michel Lonsdale, Daniel Boulanger and Charles Denner.
While there are plenty of holes in the plot, Truffaut has made an entertaining film; an intense and thrilling ride that successfully bridges French cinematic sensibilities and Hitchcockian intrigue. But it is Moreau who elevates this material with her graceful and self-assured performance. The actress, who made her name for her work in Louis Malle's, "Elevator to the Gallows", Michelangelo Antonioni's "La Notte" and Luis Buñuel's "Diary of a Chambermaid" (to name just a few), is force of nature, coolly and methodically taking down each man who has deeply wronged her, never reconsidering her task for one moment. Watching this film did make me think of Quentin Tarantino's action-thriller, "Kill Bill" which shares some similar plot points right down to the Bride carrying a little book with the names of her potential victims which she crosses off once she's completed her mission. And while I know there were many movies that inspired him in the creation of "Bill", Tarantino claims to have never seen "The Bride Wore Black" and it's just a coincidence (which I find seriously hard to believe).
"Cats", Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 stage production based on the collection of poems by T.S. Eliot, is one of the most popular and successful musicals of all time, raking in a staggering 3.5 billion dollars worldwide. The long-awaited film adaption has been made by Tom Hooper, the Oscar-winning director of "The King's Speech" and another stage-to-screen adaption of an equally popular musical, "Les Misérables", with the results being a garish, clunky and odd spectacle, devoid of any of the elements that made this enduring musical so beloved by so many people. Much like the stage show, there isn't an actual clear plot here but the outline involves a young white cat named Victoria (played by Royal Ballet dancer, Francesca Hayward making her film debut) being dumped on to the cold, London streets by her owner in the middle of the night. This is when she meets the "Jellicles", homeless cats living on these mean streets, lead by Munkustrap (Robbie Fairchild), who introduces her to their world where cats will compete for a chance to go to the Heaviside Layer, a wonderous place where they will be granted a new life. But Macavity (Idris Elba), a mysterious and treacherous cat, kidnaps the potential contestants in order for him to be selected by default.
"Cats" races through at a breakneck pace, never giving us an opportunity to consider what we have watched (since the script doesn't help) or even catch our breath before moving on to the next number. But one of the biggest problems with this movie was the decision to rely on CGI to create the cats, fusing the actors digitally with a life-like cat appearance that is equally disturbing and distracting. Another visual distraction is that the cats are not to scale to the apparent real world they are supposed to inhabit, appearing much smaller than an actual cat which throws you further off balance. We have some well-known stage (James Corden, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench) and music (Jason Derulo, Taylor Swift) performers trying their best to bring life to these beloved feline characters yet they seem overwhelmed by this manic production, unable to make much of an impression. And I definitely could have done without seeing Rebel Wilson as the domestic tabby cat, Jennyanydots, singing and dancing with a chorus line of roaches.
"Cats" is really best known for one song and that's "Memory", a melancholy ballad that has been covered an estimated six hundred times by a wide assortment of artists. Oscar-winner, Jennifer Hudson plays Grizabella, the faded glamour cat who performs this classic number (strangely as a duet with Victoria), delivering an unsettling version that simply tries too hard to move you, losing much of the emotional power of this song. Say what you will about the merits of the stage musical but it has continuously, since it's debut, brought joy and thrills to millions of fans across the globe. But this screen version of "Cats" simply dulls your senses, never managing to spark any memorable or magical moments.
"Le Samouraï" (1967)
The first teaming of Jean-Pierre Melville, a filmmaker who is considered the spiritual father of the French New Wave, and the mysterious allure of actor, Alain Delon was in "Le Samouraï", an exceptional crime-drama from 1967 that has remained a highly influential cinematic work. Delon plays Jef Costello, an icy assassin-for-hire who has been given an assignment. He methodically creates an alibi with his lover, Jane (Nathalie Delon, the actor's then-wife) before he will begin the job. Costello's target is the owner of a nightclub but after completing his mission, he is seen leaving by a number of people at the club including the band's piano player, Valérie (Cathy Rosier) who locks eyes with him. Costello is one of several suspects rounded up by the investigating officer (François Périer). Most of the witnesses are unsure if he is the actual murderer but Valérie mysteriously insists he is not. Despite this, the officer is convinced Costello is the culprit and has him followed and his apartment bugged. This investigation causes another major problem for Costello as his employers believe he has become a liability and now has to be handled.
Melville's love of Hollywood film noir is on full display here with his screenplay masterfully delivering all the action and suspense you would expect from the genre yet seen through a Gallic lens. With minimum dialogue and stark atmosphere, the director has taken us in to a world that is filled with muted emotions and stylishly self-conscious. One of the greatest faces in cinema, Delon uses his to express his character's inner turmoil by utilizing only minimal movement and cold, penetrating eyes. With his world closing in on him, Costello remains expressionless and calculating, never allowing anyone to see him sweat. "Le Samouraï" doesn't offer much that hasn't been seen before but this neo-noir thriller is presented in a chilly, captivating style that is unsettling yet endlessly fascinating.
"Bunny Lake Is Missing" (1965)
"Bunny Lake Is Missing" is a largely forgotten feature film from director, Otto Preminger and for good reason. It is a great looking yet muddled psychological thriller that doesn't feature enough logical thrills. Arriving from America to London, Ann Lake (Carol Lynley) drops her young daughter, Bunny off for her first day at nursery school. With the teacher nowhere around and needing to get back home for the movers, Ann leaves her daughter with the school's cook (Lucie Mannheim). But when she return later to pick up Bunny, the child is nowhere to be found, was never seen by her teacher and the cook has walked out on her job. Distraught and terrified, Ann calls her brother, Steven (Keir Dullea who would later be known for his career-defining role in "2001: A Space Odyssey"), who moved to England with her, and they search the entire school before contacting the police. Scotland Yard Inspector Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) arrives on the scene and laboriously begins his investigation. He finds that none of Bunny's possessions are in the house and the name of Ann's imaginary childhood friend was "Bunny". So it's not long before Newhouse begins to question Ann's sanity.
Preminger, the notoriously difficult filmmaker behind such classics as "The Man with the Golden Arm", "Anatomy of a Murder", "Carmen Jones" and "Laura", did not like the original ending of the book which the film is based by Merriam Modell. This forced screenwriters, John and Penelope Mortimer to rewrite the script many times until he was satisfied. And while "Bunny Lake Is Missing" does begin promising, full of intrigue and dread, the conclusion of this mystery is implausibly deranged. The performances by leads Lynley and Dullea are distractingly overwrought, dragging the film down to B-movie level. But the rest of the cast are solid, notably Olivier although we are unable to shake the feeling that he is here only for the paycheck. And adding to the odd nature of the film, we have Noël Coward, the English writer known for his acid wit, briefly appearing as Ann's peculiar landlord and the rock band, the Zombies (whose biggest hit is the 1964 pop song, "She's Not There" which sadly does not appear here) simply performing on a television broadcast while the characters are in a bar. "Bunny Lake Is Missing" was not particularly embraced by audiences or critics when it was initially released. But it has been reevaluated by some modern viewers who have found a greater appreciation for the film. I am not one of them.
