COLETTE (Bleecker Street)
Release Date: Friday September 28, 2018
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rating: R
Run Time: 111 Minutes
Official Site: https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/colette
Cast: Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson, and Denise Gough.
Directed by: Wash Westmoreland
After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as “Willy” (Dominic West), Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley) is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels. Colette's fight over creative ownership defies gender roles and drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression.
Click below for your chance at wining passes to COLETTE on September 24th 2018.
ADRIFT CAST: Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin DIRECTED BY: Baltasar Kormákur SCREENPLAY BY: Screenplay by Aaron Kandell & Jordan Kandell and David Branson Smith (Based on the book by Tami Oldham Ashcraft with Susea McGearhart) PRODUCED BY: Baltasar Kormákur, Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, Shailene Woodley RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2018
ADRIFT is based on the inspiring true story of two free spirits whose chance encounter leads them first to love, and then to the adventure of a lifetime. As the two sailors set out on a journey across the ocean, Tami Oldham (Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Claflin) couldn't anticipate they would be sailing directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. In the aftermath of the storm, Tami awakens to find Richard badly injured and their boat in ruins. With no hope for rescue, Tami must find the strength and determination to save herself and the only man she has ever loved. ADRIFT is the unforgettable story about the resilience of the human spirit and the transcendent power of love.
True to life stories make some of the most interesting movies to watch. Even when the movies aren't particularly compelling to watch, they still make for a voyeuristic glimpse into someone else’s life. This week’s Adrift (based on the 1998 memoir “Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss and Survival at Sea” by Tami Ashcraft) is just such an adventure. It’s a middle of the road movie and isn’t a bad way to spend ninety minutes, but it isn’t a particularly good way to spend it either.
It seemed that the ocean was too vast for Tami (played by Shailene Woodley) and Richard’s (played by Sam Claflin) love story to fill. The love felt forced. The survival plot felt superficial and wanting. The seafaring story was unoriginal. It never really hits any of its marks. You have seen better love stories. You have seen more gripping survival stories. You have seen more entertaining ocean voyage stories.
Adrift has a non-linear story, making it difficult to get to know and really care about these two characters. The movie starts with a post-shipwreck middle of the story scene, then goes back to the beginning of the one of the character’s stories, then back to the wreck, and so on. The audience’s connection with the characters, either together or separate, took too long to materialize. The audience was supposed to understand that Tami and Richard were enjoying a great love affair in Tahiti, because there was a wall of pictures to evidence all the good times, but none of that translated to the story on the screen. Woodley and Claflin, despite their visible efforts, exhibited little chemistry as a couple.
As a survival story, it lacked genuine “white knuckle” moments. There wasn’t a single scene of any real excitement. It was all just kind of blah. Some of it was yawn-inducing and boring. The characters dried their clothes in the sun, they put on sunscreen, they ate peanut butter. Adrift is based on a true story. In the true adventure, the characters survived adrift for over 40 days. It’s impossible that nothing much more exciting that eating peanut butter happened to Tami and Richard. But the audience didn’t see any of it.
As a seafaring story, there wasn't enough seafaring. It would have been interesting to watch the characters deal with the many calamities at sea in a way sailors do, but it seemed that whatever problems occurred on the boat were fixed by cutting to another scene on a different timeline.
The best facet of Adrift was the acting. Sam Claflin is always charming, and his English accent makes everything more interesting. His is a solid performance. Shailene Woodley has come a long way since her Divergent trilogy days. It really seemed like the actors made a genuine effort at delivering a watchable and compelling film, but the were no match for the flaws.
Adrift is probably a movie best watched on some at home format, if at all. There is nothing special about the gray ocean scenery or the sound. No need for the big theater experience. But it isn’t the worst way to spend ninety minutes of time. If you want to see Adrift in theaters, it playing now in theaters.
20th Century Fox has just debuted the official teaser trailer for the upcoming film BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander, and Mike Myers, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY hits theaters everywhere November 2.
Queen fans around the world can visit PutMeInBohemian.com on a mobile device and record their best rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody," for a chance to have their voice included in the movie.
Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander, and Mike Myers
SYNOPSIS: Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury's lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illness, leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. In the process, cementing the legacy of a band that were always more like a family, and who continue to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.
Rebel in the Rye Director: Danny Strong Writers: Danny Strong, Kenneth Slawenski Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey and Zoey Deutch Social Handles: Site | IMDb #RebelintheRye
The world of legendary writer J. D. Salinger is brought vividly to life in this revealing look at the experiences that shaped one of the most renowned, controversial, and enigmatic authors of our time. Set amidst the colorful backdrop of mid-20th century New York City, Rebel in the Rye follows a young Salinger (Nicholas Hoult) as he struggles to find his voice, pursues a love affair with famed socialite Oona O’Neill (Zoey Deutch), and fights on the frontlines of World War II. It’s these experiences that will inform the creation of his masterpiece, The Catcher in the Rye, bringing him overnight fame (and notoriety) and leading him to withdraw from the public eye for the rest of his life. Costarring Kevin Spacey and Sarah Paulson, Rebel in the Rye offers a tantalizing window into the life and times of a little-understood genius who broke the rules and redefined American literature.
It is strange to have a movie about the life of J.D. Salinger. The author of The Catcher in the Rye was a notorious recluse. By all accounts, Salinger alienated just about everyone in his life and avoided public attention. And, oddly, it is that exact reclusiveness which makes bibliophiles yearn to know more about Salinger. I was very much looking forward to this week’s Rebel in the Rye and it did not disappoint.
Anyone who has read The Catcher in the Rye, and appreciated it, will enjoy this film. I hesitate to call Rebel a “biopic.” I don’t trust that Rebel is any more an actual depiction of Salinger’s life than Catcher was. We (the public) can’t know the exact details of Salinger’s life and his thought processes. Salinger didn’t tell anyone. And, while some biographies on Salinger attempt to piece together some of the mystery of the author, the truth is that we will never know. Rebel is enjoyable as one take on Salinger and as an almost big-screen adaptation of Catcher. The parallels between Catcher and Rebel took me back to my first reading of Catcher (and Franny and Zooey) and made me want to dig up my old copy so that I could read it again.
I enjoyed the casting of the film. Nicholas Hoult (as Salinger) has developed into a great screen presence. It has to be difficult to translate some of Salinger’s insane thought processes onto screen, but Hoult did it very well. Kevin Spacey (as Whit Burnett) played the mentor role perfectly. I love, love, love Spacey, in everything. It’s almost not fair to put a young actor opposite Spacey, but Hoult and Spacey complemented each other beautifully. Sarah Paulson (as Dorothy Olding) added a great dimension to the cast. Her last scene with Spacey was awesome.
I did have some trouble with the pacing of Rebel. The pacing is uneven throughout. I didn’t mind it because the pacing is uneven in Catcher, and I hope that the uneven pace was a nod to the book. Still, Rebel sort of sticks in the middle. (This means I looked at my watch.) It’s about an eight minute stick. After that, the story shifts a bit and I didn’t notice anymore sticking. But, to be honest, I even liked the stuck part of the movie, because it reminded me of being stuck during my first reading of Catcher.
The nostalgia factor for Rebel is through the roof. The film brings back familiar phrases from my college days and attempts to answer some of the questions readers of Catcher had about its author. It’s good nostalgia. The movie attempts to do Salinger justice and attempts to explain some of his idiosyncrasies in a respectful manner. Even better, Rebel is a real slice of Americana, and a good excuse to re-visit some of the classics.
Rebel in the Rye opens everywhere this weekend. Head out to the art house theater, take in some Americana, get to know an American author and let the nostalgia hit you.
Director: Brad FurmanWriters: Ellen Brown Furman, based on Robert Mazur’s biography Starring: Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt, Yul Vazquez, Amy Ryan Rated: Rated R for strong violence, language throughout, some sexual content and drug material Official Sites: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | IMDb Hashtag: #TheInfiltrator
Based on a true story, Federal agent ROBERT “BOB” MAZUR (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent EMIR ABREU (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé KATHY ERTZ (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar’s top lieutenant ROBERTO ALCAINO (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.
This was a very interesting movie in more ways than one, but mostly it was interesting to me because of the psychological part.
The Infiltrator is based on the biography written by Robert Mazur, who is also the main character in the movie. He wrote the book after his experience in being a secret agent that helped bust the money-laundry business that the super famous drug lord Pablo Escobar had. Mazur used the name Bob Musella as his alias to infiltrate their business. He becomes a trusted confidant of one of the main men of Escobar, which is how he was able to do what he ended up doing to bust them all.
This was a movie I really liked because I find it so incredibly interesting everything he had to go through, especially psychologically. You see how he is a very experienced agent, but he probably hadn’t been as involved with that drug and money-laundering world. There are some scenes in which some really horrible things happen and you can see the shock and horror on his face from what he just witnessed. There are other scenes in which you can tell the psychological and emotional toll all of this is taking on him.
My favorite character though, was Kathy because she played the roll of Robert’s “fiancée” and she did such a great job at being a secret agent too. In a few occasions, she saved his behind and she was a big help on the planning of how to capture all the big dogs of the money-laundry business.
The acting in this movie was very good! Especially Bryan Cranston –whom I absolutely love as an actor because he is superb! I especially love him as a comedy actor, but that’s besides the point right now. But, all of them really did a great job and some of them look very much like the characters they play (at the end of the movie, during the credits, they show the actor and next to them the picture of the person they played.
This movie is not for everyone because of the gore in some of the movies, especially when you know these things happened for real in the 80s and that someone (Robert Mazur) and that he had to endure that double life and even risk his family (wife and 2 kids) for this mission. But, at the same time, it’s a way to learn more what these agents go through and how they risk their lives for the greater good. I, personally, really liked it and thought the filming and directing of it was very good. It keeps you intrigued and wanting to see more.
The only thing I did not really like was that there are some things they don’t explain, because it all seems like it happens in a spam of 1-2 weeks but, of course, that’s impossible. They don’t explain that much what it is they did to gain that much trust of the drug and money-laundry lords because it seems like they become friends one day and the next they’re being called family.
In summary, I really like this movie and would recommend it if you are into these kinds of movies. It doesn’t have many action scenes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting. Go see it and find out a little bit more about what happened and how Pablo Escobar was caught!
The Infiltrator STARRING: Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt, Yul Vazquez, Amy Ryan DIRECTED BY: Brad Furman WRITTEN BY: Ellen Brown Furman, based on Robert Mazur’s biography RATED: R for strong violence, language throughout, some sexual content and drug material
Official Channels:www.theinfiltrator.com | Facebook.com/InfiltratorMov | Instagram: @InfiltratorMov | Twitter: @InflitratorMov
Hashtag: #TheInfiltrator
Based on a true story, Federal agent ROBERT “BOB” MAZUR (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent EMIR ABREU (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé KATHY ERTZ (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar’s top lieutenant ROBERTO ALCAINO (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.
I never saw the TV show, Breaking Bad. There! I said it. It's out there. I knew the premise and I couldn't invest myself into a show based on drug trade. Honestly, I'm tired of entertainment media which glorifies drug trade through the Hollywood lens. Still, I like Bryan Cranston as an actor and the title, The Infiltrator, sounded intriguing.
From the beginning, the film captures the attention of the audience. Great opening scene lays the foundation for a worthwhile movie adventure. The Infiltrator is far from a cartel glorification film. Based on a true story, the film depicts the gritty sequence of events which lead to the arrest and conviction of several of executives of the Columbia Medellin drug cartel. I liked that the movie does not romanticize Pablo Escobar. The person, Escobar, is almost an after thought with little more than a cameo, but his brutality is pervasive throughout. The story felt authentic.
The cast knocks it out of the park on this one. Bryan Cranston is was made to play Robert Mazur. This is the best I have ever seen him. Cranston plays the role sincere to the life of a regular Joe who is just trying to survive and protect his family, while heavily imbedded into the financial world of a dangerous drug cartel. While I can't pick any bad members of this cast, I do have to give John Leguizamo a nod. I think Leguizamo, as Cranston's unlikely partner in the undercover assignment serves to keep the action going. Diane Kruger and Benjamin Bratt also impress.
By and large, I have been disappointed with this Summer's movie fare. Films that were supposed by watch-worthy disappointed. The Infiltrator is not one of those disappointments. I was really impressed. I think a theater experience makes the experience more real, the brutality more gritty and the fear more scary. It was a great two hours.
The Infiltrator, based on a true story, is open nationwide today.
I SAW THE LIGHT Written and Directed by: Marc Abraham
Based on the book, Hank Williams: The Biography, By Colin Escott with George Merritt and William Macewen Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones, Bradley Whitford, Maddie Hasson, Wren Schmidt Release date: April 1, 2016 Runtime: 123 min
I SAW THE LIGHT tells the story of Hank Williams, the iconic, influential country singer and songwriter of the 1940’s and early 50’s whose meteoric rise and fall, including his death at age 29, has become part of American folklore. Writer-director Marc Abraham has created a compelling, historically accurate narrative of Hank’s career that examines his tormented creative genius and the turbulent domestic life that inspired him to write some of his best-known songs. By literally going back in time, you see Hank as he was, living his life on his terms, battling his demons and ultimately creating music for the ages.
I wanted to like this week’s I Saw the Light, the biopic about the life and career of country music great Hank Williams. The film has just about everything I look for in a good evening out. It presented an interesting subject, Hank Williams. It starred a great cast, including Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen. I was even going to get to listen to some of Hank Williams’ hits. As much as I wanted to enjoy this experience, it wasn’t quite what I expected.
I knew only a brief history of Hank Williams. I expected there to be some alcohol, some pills and some womanizing. I didn’t expect it to be all alcohol, all pills and all womanizing. My biggest issue with I Saw the Light was the plot. I needed more than self-destruction. The self-destruction was continuous and really off-putting. I would not have minded some self-destructive behavior, but there was no explanation, motive or plot development to go along with the self-destructive behavior. I mean Hank Williams had over 30 hits in his short life. Williams was doing things other than alcohol, pills and womanizing. Unfortunately, the film doesn't show it.
I actually liked the cast. I wasn't sure that Tom Hiddleston could play the part of William Hanks. He did beautifully. The talk, the demeanor, the look in Williams' signature hat all worked well. Olsen also impressed me in her role as Audrey Sheppard, Williams' first wife. Olsen played the role with just the right blend of cunning and coy. I liked her character as much as I hated her character. That kind of balance takes talent.
I also enjoyed the music. I appreciate listening to movie music because the surround sound is excellent in theaters. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough of the music for a musician as prolific as Williams. In order to get a real feel for Williams' talent, the audience would have to sit through the credits.
I suggest waiting to see I Saw the Light until it hits home digital or video format. There were some aspects of the film that I enjoyed, and the cast was excellent, but the plot and script disappointed. If you still want to catch I Saw the Light in theaters, it's open now.
Directed By: Asif Kapadia Produced By: James Gay-Rees Release Date: July 3, 2015 (NY & LA), July 10, 2015 (Nationwide) Running Time: 128 minutes Rating: R for language and drug material
From BAFTA Award-winning director Asif Kapadia (SENNA), AMY tells the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. Featuring extensive unseen archival footage and previously unheard tracks, this strikingly modern, moving and vital film shines a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few can.
A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyze her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and virtuosity resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era.
But her massive success resulted in relentless and invasive media attention, which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle, saw her life tragically begin to unravel, resulting in her untimely death in July 2011 at the age of 27.
Amy a documentary based on the talented and tragic life of Amy Winehouse, a British music icon who died too young. This is a true documentary. As far as I could tell, none of the film was scripted. There are no actors. The film follows her rise to stardom and her brief life.
The film starts on a grainy piece of footage from Amy's youth. She is singing to the camera, and, basically being a teenager. It should be noted that when I write about a celebrity, I refer to them by their last name. I will say "Paccino" or "Witherspoon", or something of the like. I mean to imply respect. I don't know any of them. Amy Winehouse, I'm going to call Amy because after the film, I almost feel like I know her. And that is what is so moving about Amy. It will draw you in, introduce you to Amy (and her demons), and it will take her away. So, I'm calling her Amy.
As I was saying, the film starts with grainy camcorder footage from Amy's youth. There will be some grainy footage throughout the film. Don't let that bother you. It adds to the rawness of it. Amy wasn't being filmed for a documentary about her life, it just happens to be the digital age. There are cameras everywhere. Her life was captured by cell phone video, camcorder, backstage cameras or paparazzi lenses. All of it made the film, in varying degrees.
After a few snippets of Amy's youth, the film does the necessary job of introducing all of characters in Amy's life. You will meet her friends, her father, her ex-husband and celebrities who worked with Amy. Like a traditional fictional film, there are heroes and villains. You can decide where each of the characters fit.
Through the different characters, and through Amy's words, the film shows the many wrong turns she took. It seemed that every time she could have saved herself, she ran in the opposite direction. When she was alive, I didn't follow Amy much. It seemed like the only stories that made the news and the only images shown of her involved some self-destruction. I didn't want to see that. The film opened my mind as to the causes of her behavior.
It was very sad. Amy wasn't just a drug addict and an alcoholic, she was a wounded soul. And you will be able see it all, right up to her death, on the big screen.
I appreciated the intimacy. I appreciated that there was little narrative. I appreciated that no one told me who the heroes and who the villains were, so I could choose.
The music sounded wonderful in the theater. I had forgotten her wonderful sound. Largely, I had forgotten Amy. This film does a tasteful and respectable job of bring her back. I highly recommend it. If you ever loved her music, or if you used to tune her out as I did, you will still appreciate this compressing look at Amy. Don't take my word for it, rediscover Amy for yourself when it opens on July 10.
During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of ‘gross indecency’, an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality – little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany's World War II Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, THE IMITATION GAME follows a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives.
#TheImitationGame
The Imitation Game is a historical drama about the life of Alan Turing, a British statistician and mathematical genius whose code-breaking primitive computer was credited with helping the Allied Forces defeat the Axis Powers during World War II. The Imitation Game is based on the biography Alan Turing : The Enigma by Andrew Hodges. The film is set in and around London, during an especially difficult portion of the War.
From the very beginning of the film, the audience cannot help but feel sympathy for Turing. He is a tortured soul. From flashbacks into his childhood, we see that Turing had a difficult time early on. He was awkward, socially inept and quiet. And, so, he was picked on. The bullying, even in flashbacks, is painful to watch, but it is necessary towards understanding the man that Turing becomes. While we do not get an opportunity to see much of Turing’s adolescence, one can assume that he stopped trying to fit-in and, instead, embraced his uniqueness and his abilities.
It is his abilities for code breaking, mathematics and statistics which enable him to lead a group of other similarly gifted minds in the endeavor of breaking Enigma, a German encoding machine used to relay secret battle plans and strategies. The cast of characters in Hut 8 of the Government Code and Cypher School, where most of the film is set, could almost make another movie entirely. There was the cad, the nerd, the bully, and even the girl, all jammed into a small workspace working against the clock and trying to turn the tide of war, while struggling to understand Turing’s frustrating social quirks. There were many heated scenes between the code breakers.
It is a wonderful ensemble cast, but this is not an ensemble film. It is about Turing and the “girl” in the motley group, Joan Clarke, two geniuses who are perfect together in every regard except romance. Benedict Cumberbatch blew me away as Alan Turing. Cumberbatch gives Turing all of the necessary layers. Outwardly, Turing appears dissociated with the plight of war, and internally, Turing is pained and scarred from a lifetime of being different. Clarke, played by Keira Knightly, wonderfully manages to balance the awkwardness of Turing and serves to bring many of the difficult topics into perspective.
Go see this phenomenal film. Many of the subjects are heavy, but do not let that dissuade you. The heavy moments are real and treated very tastefully. Turing says in the film… “Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” You will leave the theatre having a bigger appreciation for the things that make us different over what makes us the same.
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