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Friday, March 22, 2024
Review: "GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE" is Lukewarm
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Review: "THE EQUALIZER 2" is Brutal and Personal
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Review: "65" is Lean, Mean, and Much Better Than I Expected
Saturday, November 5, 2022
Review: Spielberg's "1941" - Raiders of the Lost Invasion (Countdown to "The Fabelmans")
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Review: Wild, Uneven "BULLET TRAIN" Has a Killer Last Act
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 of 2022 (No. 1878) by Leroy Douresseaux
Bullet Train (2022)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPA – R for strong and bloody violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality
DIRECTOR: David Leitch
WRITER: Zak Olkewicz (based on the novel by Kotaro Isaka)
PRODUCERS: Antoine Fuqua, David Leitch, and Kelly McCormick
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jonathan Sela (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Elisabet Ronaldsdottir
COMPOSER: Dominic Lewis
ACTION
Starring: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Benito A Martinez Ocasio (Bad Bunny), Logan Lerman, Zazie Beetz, Masi Oka, Kevin Akiyoshi Ching, Johanna White, and Karen Fukuhara with Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds
Bullet Train is a 2022 action movie from director David Leitch. The film is based on the 2010 novel from author Kōtarō Isaka, Maria Beetle (which was titled Bullet Train for its U.S. and U.K. Editions). Bullet Train the movie takes place aboard a swiftly-moving bullet train where five assassins gradually discover that they have several things in common.
Bullet Train opens in Japan and introduces “Ladybug” (Brad Pitt), an assassin turned “snatch-and-grab man.” In Tokyo, he enters a bullet train bound for Kyoto. He is initially wary of accepting this job from his handler, Maria (Sandra Bullock), which involves him retrieving a briefcase that contains ten million dollars. Also on the train is a young woman known as “Prince” (Joey King); the assassin brothers, “Lemon” (Brian Tyree Henry) and “Tangerine” (Aaron Taylor-Johnson); and the revenge-seeking Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji).
They are all passengers on this particular bullet train, directly and indirectly, because of “The Son” (Logan Lerman), the kidnapped son of the Russian-born Yakuza boss known as the “White Death” (Michael Shannon). Ladybug, who is begrudgingly working this job, believes that it is bringing out the worst of the bad luck that he believes plagues him. Gradually, he finds himself fighting off an ever-growing gathering of killers and miscreants. And waiting for everyone at their final stop in Kyoto – at least for those that survive – is an ultimate showdown with the White Death and his hired killers.
Directly or indirectly, Bullet Train is a movie influenced by the films of Oscar-winning filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino. The dialogue – full of chatter, threats, and banter – is supposed to come across as cool, but it is merely blather from a third or fourth or fifth generation take on a Tarantino screenplay. The characters are also Tarantino retreads, and so are their actions and inaction. Still, I must admit that I like some of them, especially Brad Pitt's Ladybug.
So is Bullet Train any good, you might ask?
Well, two-thirds of it is uneven and moves in fits and starts of violence and murder. I was mostly uninterested, but there are some surprising cameos that captured my interest. For instance, Zazie Beetz is the assassin, “The Hornet,” and recording artist, Bad Bunny, is the Mexican assassin, “The Wolf.” Both, however, are barely in the film. I think they would have improved Bullet Train a good bit had their roles been enlarged.
However, the first 80 or so mediocre minutes of this movie are worth it for the last 40 minutes. It is as if Bullet Train suddenly explodes in its last act to reveal a much better movie that had been hiding inside the fairly awful movie. Everything is better, even Brad Pitt, who keeps this movie from being an absolute disaster. Sometimes, it is worth having a genuine movie star, like a Brad Pitt, star in a genre movie. The first two-thirds of this movie deserves a grade of “C-” at best, but the last third deserves an “A.” So I'll average that out to a “B,” and I will recommend Bullet Train because of its last act. It really is spectacular, and it is a pay off for your patience.
6 out of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars
Saturday, October 29, 2022
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Thursday, October 27, 2022
Review: Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (Countdown to "The Fabelmans")
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 64 of 2022 (No. 1876) by Leroy Douresseaux
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Running time: 135 minutes (2 hour, 15 minutes)
MPAA – PG
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
PRODUCERS: Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Vilmos Zsigmond (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Michael Kahn
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner
SCI-FI/ADVENTURE/MYSTERY/DRAMA
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Terri Garr, Melinda Dillon, Bob Balaban, and Cary Guffey
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film follows an everyday blue-collar worker from Indiana who has a life-changing encounter with a UFO and then, embarks on a cross-country journey to the place where a momentous event is to occur.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind opens in the Sonoran Desert. There, French scientist Claude Lacombe (François Truffaut), his American interpreter, David Laughlin (Bob Balaban), and a group of other researchers make a shocking discovery regarding a three-decade-old mystery.
Then, the film introduces Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an rural electrical lineman living in Muncie, Indiana with his wife, Ronnie (Terri Garr), and their three children. One night, while working on a power outage, Roy has a “close encounter” with a UFO (unidentified flying object). The encounter is so intense that the right side of Roy's face is lightly burned, and it also becomes a kind of metaphysical experience for Roy. He becomes fascinated with the UFO and obsessed with some kind of mountain-like image that won't leave his mind.
Roy isn't the only one who has had a close encounter. Single mother Jillian Guiler (Melinda Dillon) watches in horror as her three-year-old son, Barry Guiler (Cary Guffey), is abducted, apparently by a UFO. Now, Roy and Jillian are headed to a place they have never been, Devils Tower in Moorcroft, Wyoming, where they will hopefully find answers to the questions plaguing their minds.
As I await the release of Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film, The Fabelmans, I have been re-watching and, in some cases, watching for the first time, Spielberg's early films. Thus far, I have watched Duel (the TV film that first got Spielberg noticed), The Sugarland Express (his debut theatrical film), and Jaws (which I have seen countless times). I did not see Close Encounters of the Third Kind when it first arrived in movie theaters, but I finally got to watch it when it debuted on television. I recently watched a DVD release of what is known as Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Special Edition, a shortened (132 minutes long compared to the original's 135 minutes) and altered version of the film that Columbia Pictures released in August 1980.
The truth is that I have never been as crazy about Close Encounters of the Third Kind the way I have been about such Spielberg's films as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park. I liked Close Encounters the first time I saw it (a few years after its theatrical release), but I had expected a lot from it after hearing such wonderful things about the film from acquaintances who had seen it in a theater. I was a bit underwhelmed,. I liked Close Encounters, but was not “wowed” by it, and was less so the second time I saw it a few years after the first time.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a combination of science fiction, adventure, drama, and mystery. The drama works, especially when Spielberg depicts the trouble that Roy Neary's obsession causes his family and also the terror of the “attack” on Jillian Guiler and her son, Barry. Roy's adventure and journey are quite captivating and result in the events of the film's final half hour, which is the part of the film that many consider to be marvelous. Close Encounters' last act certainly offers an impressive display of special effects and a dazzling light show.
I am attracted to the sense of wonder and discovery that infuses much of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I think my problem is that it seems like three movies in one: Claude Lacombe and Davie Laughlin's story, Roy's story, and the the big “close encounter” at Devils Tower. None of them really gets the time to develop properly, so the film's overall narrative and also the character development are somewhat shallow. There is a lot to like about Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and it is an impressive display of Spielberg's filmmaking skills. However, I am done with it. I don't need to see it again, although I am a huge fan of UFO-related media. I simply cannot warm to Close Encounters of the Third Kind the way I have with other Spielberg films.
7 of 10
B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars
Thursday, October 27, 2022
NOTES:
1978 Academy Awards, USA: 2 wins: “Best Cinematography” (Vilmos Zsigmond) and a “Special Achievement Award” (Frank E. Warner for sound effects editing); 7 nominations: “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Melinda Dillon), “Best Director” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Joe Alves, Daniel A. Lomino, and Phil Abramson), “Best Sound” (Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don MacDougall, and Gene S. Cantamessa), “Best Film Editing” (Michael Kahn), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Roy Arbogast, Douglas Trumbull, Matthew Yuricich, Gregory Jein, and Richard Yuricich), and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)
1979 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: Best Production Design/Art Direction (Joe Alves); 8 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (John Williams); “BAFTA Film Award Best Cinematography” (Vilmos Zsigmond), “Best Direction” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Film,” “Best Film Editing” (Michael Kahn), “Best Screenplay” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Sound” (Gene S. Cantamessa, Robert Knudson, Don MacDougall, Robert Glass, Stephen Katz, Frank E. Warner, Richard Oswald, David M. Horton, Sam Gemette, Gary S. Gerlich, Chester Slomka, and Neil Burrow), and “Best Supporting Actor? (François Truffaut)
1978 Golden Globes, USA: 4 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Steven Spielberg), and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (John Williams)
2007 National Film Preservation Board, USA: 1 win: “National Film Registry”
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site or blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Friday, November 19, 2021
Review: Young Stars Bring "GHOSTBUSTERS: Afterlife" to Life
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 of 2021 (No. 1804) by Leroy Douresseaux
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references
DIRECTOR: Jason Reitman
WRITERS: Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman (based on the film, Ghost Busters, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis)
PRODUCER: Ivan Reitman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Eric Steelberg
EDITORS: Dana E. Glauberman and Nathan Orloff
COMPOSER: Rob Simonsen
FANTASY/MYSTERY/ACTION/COMEDY
Starring: Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, and Bokeem Woodbine with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a 2021 supernatural comedy, action and mystery film from director Jason Reitman. It is the fourth entry in the Ghostbusters film franchise and is a kind of sequel to the original film, 1984's Ghost Busters (now known as “Ghostbusters”), which was directed by Jason's father, Ivan Reitman. In Afterlife, a single mother and her two children arrive in small town Oklahoma, and the children discover their grandfather's amazing and secret legacy.
Thirty-two years after the events of Ghostbusters II (1989), Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her two children, son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), arrive in Summerville, Oklahoma. Currently homeless, they will try to make a new home in the rundown farmhouse owned by Callie's late father, Egon Spengler. While rooting through some of Egon's belongings, Phoebe discovers a P.K.G. Meter (a ghost-tracking device). While digging around, Trevor finds a beat-up old car that sports the “Ghostbusters” logo.
Phoebe, who does not believe in the supernatural, makes a friend, a boy named “Podcast” (Logan Kim), who believes in the strange and unusual and discusses it in his podcast. Trevor makes a friend in a local, a teen girl named Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor). Eventually, the children discover that Phoebe's summer school teacher, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), is quite familiar with their grandfather, Egon's legacy as a scientist, an inventor, and a member of “Ghostbusters,” the ghost-catching organization that was famous for its activities in 1980s New York City. Now, the four youngsters and Callie and Gary must face the same great evil that once confronted the original Ghostbusters.
I was a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters films. When I first saw Ghost Busters in a movie theater in 1984, I laughed so much that the other people in the theater were giving me the side eye. I enjoyed the sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989), although many people I knew at the time did not like it all that much. Still, I was happy, but over the years, Ghostbusters became a fond memory that I sometimes relived via my cable TV package. In the years that followed Ghostbusters II, there was always talk of a third Ghostbusters film, but I was only mildly interested.
For some people, however, the Ghostbuster films and the related merchandise became a lifestyle choice, something to which they dedicated themselves as if it were hobby, a second career, and maybe even a quasi-religion. Those were the people who claimed to have been traumatized by the 2016 franchise reboot, Ghostbusters, which featured an all-female cast as the Ghostbusters (and which may have since been re-titled “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call”). I was only mildly interested in that film, and have seen most of it via cable TV.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is supposed to remedy the trauma of Ghostbusters 2016. Afterlife director Jason Reitman once said that his film was giving Ghostbusters “back to the fans.” I never felt like something had been taken from me. After all, as I've said, I can see the original films at least a few times a week on television. That said, I do like Afterlife.
Reitman offers an exciting film that is as much a mystery film as it is a comedy, and the secrets of the town of Summerville and its surroundings are quite intriguing and provide a nice setting for the story. I do wish that the film had given us more on the town and its inhabitants. However, there is much focus on the darkness at the edge of town – the big bad supernatural being. Reitman and his co-writer, Gil Kenan, work overtime to make sure everyone understands that the villain is connected to the events of the original film. I didn't find that connection necessary, but I understand why Reitman and Sony Pictures felt that it was very important to make a hard connection between the events of 1984 and the events of 2021.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife's shining light isn't the desperation to connect to a 37-year-old movie. Afterlife's true treasures are its young stars: Mckenna Grace as Phoebe, Finn Wolfhard as Trevor, Celeste O'Connor as Lucky, and Logan Kim as Podcast. As Phoebe, Grace is totally capable of carrying this film's emotional center and of stabilizing its subplots and narrative threads until they come together. When Jason Reitman focuses on his young cast, turning them into young supernatural investigators and Ghostbusters, Afterlife explodes with life and has all the magic of an old-fashioned summer blockbuster movie in spite of its November release date.
Yes, it was good to see the original cast members. No, Paul Rudd is not the star of Afterlife, as the film's trailers and commercials suggest, but he is important to the development of the story. Yes, Carrie Coon is good as the kid's mother, Callie. However, it is time for this franchise to move on from nostalgia and fanservice if it is going to have a future. These four young actors and four new characters are why Ghostbusters: Afterlife can be a true resurrection story.
7 out of 10
B+
Friday, November 19, 2021
The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2020
"The Craft: Legacy" Hits PVOD Tonight at Midnight
Blumhouse’s and Columbia Pictures’ The Craft: Legacy from Writer/Director Zoe Lister-Jones, to Hit PVOD and EST in North America for Halloween, Starting Midnight October 28, 2020
Culver City, CA – Blumhouse Productions and Columbia Pictures announced today that The Craft: Legacy will be available widely on PVOD this Halloween with leading digital retailers for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99, and for premium digital purchase at a suggested retail price of $24.99. An international theatrical release is anticipated in several territories, with details to be solidified in the weeks ahead.
Zoe Lister-Jones’ film, from Blumhouse and Red Wagon Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, is a continuation of the cult hit The Craft (1996), in which an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers. Written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones, the film stars Cailee Spaeny (Bad Times at the El Royale, On the Basis of Sex), Gideon Adlon (The Society, Blockers, The Mustang), Lovie Simone (Selah & the Spades, Greenleaf), Zoey Luna (Pose, Boundless), Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella), with Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny.
“I'm thrilled to be able to share The Craft: Legacy with audiences all over the world this Halloween," said the film’s writer and director, Zoe Lister-Jones. "It's been a true privilege to take on such an iconic title. I can't wait for the world to meet the incredible young women who make up our new coven.”
“Zoe Lister-Jones has put a bewitching twist on continuing The Craft franchise, and October is the perfect season for it,” said producer Jason Blum. “We’re thrilled that our partners at Sony Pictures are looking at the landscape opportunistically this Halloween, for audiences to watch at home in the U.S.”
Zoe Lister-Jones is writing, directing, and executive producing. Jason Blum is producing for Blumhouse. Academy Award®-winning producer Douglas Wick (who also produced the original film) and Lucy Fisher are producing for Red Wagon Entertainment. Executive producing are Andrew Fleming, who directed and co-wrote the original film; Lucas Wiesendanger, from Red Wagon Entertainment; Daniel Bekerman; Beatriz Sequeira, Jeanette Volturno, and Couper Samuelson for Blumhouse; and Natalia Anderson.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.
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Friday, October 2, 2020
Columbia Pictures Announces "The Craft: Legacy" for Premium Video on Demand
Blumhouse’s and Columbia Pictures’ The Craft: Legacy from Writer/Director Zoe Lister-Jones, to Hit PVOD and EST in North America for Halloween, Starting Midnight October 28, 2020
Culver City, CA – Blumhouse Productions and Columbia Pictures announced that The Craft: Legacy will be available widely on PVOD this Halloween with leading digital retailers for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99, and for premium digital purchase at a suggested retail price of $24.99. An international theatrical release is anticipated in several territories, with details to be solidified in the weeks ahead.
Zoe Lister-Jones’ film, from Blumhouse and Red Wagon Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, is a continuation of the cult hit, The Craft (1996), in which an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers. Written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones, the film stars Cailee Spaeny (Bad Times at the El Royale, On the Basis of Sex), Gideon Adlon (The Society, Blockers, The Mustang), Lovie Simone (Selah & the Spades, Greenleaf), Zoey Luna (Pose, Boundless), Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella), with Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny.
“I'm thrilled to be able to share The Craft: Legacy with audiences all over the world this Halloween," said the film’s writer and director, Zoe Lister-Jones. "It's been a true privilege to take on such an iconic title. I can't wait for the world to meet the incredible young women who make up our new coven.”
“Zoe Lister-Jones has put a bewitching twist on continuing The Craft franchise, and October is the perfect season for it,” said producer Jason Blum. “We’re thrilled that our partners at Sony Pictures are looking at the landscape opportunistically this Halloween, for audiences to watch at home in the U.S.”
Zoe Lister-Jones is writing, directing, and executive producing. Jason Blum is producing for Blumhouse. Academy Award®-winning producer Douglas Wick (who also produced the original film) and Lucy Fisher are producing for Red Wagon Entertainment. Executive producing are Andrew Fleming, who directed and co-wrote the original film; Lucas Wiesendanger, from Red Wagon Entertainment; Daniel Bekerman; Beatriz Sequeira, Jeanette Volturno, and Couper Samuelson for Blumhouse; and Natalia Anderson.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
Recent Release, "Bloodshot," Now Available on Digital
CULVER CITY, CA — Given unprecedented theater closures nationwide, Columbia Pictures has set the sale date of Bloodshot on EST (electronic sell through) for March 24, 2020. The Valiant comic-book property will be available for digital purchase for a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. with all leading digital retailers. International digital sale dates will be solidified in the days ahead with territory-specific COVID-19 impact considerations.
“Sony Pictures is firmly committed to theatrical exhibition and we support windowing,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group. “This is a unique and exceedingly rare circumstance where theaters have been required to close nationwide for the greater good and Bloodshot is abruptly unavailable in any medium. Audiences will now have the chance to own Bloodshot right away and see it at home, where we are all spending more time. We are confident that -- like other businesses hit hard by the virus -- movie theaters will bounce back strongly, and we will be there to support them.”
Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out.
Bloodshot is presented by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group Co., Ltd. and Annabell Pictures & The Hideaway Entertainment. Directed by David S. F. Wilson. Screenplay by Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer. Story by Jeff Wadlow. Based on The Valiant Comic Book. Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe, Dinesh Shamdasani and Vin Diesel. Executive Producers are Dan Mintz, Louis G. Friedman, YU Dong, Jeffrey Chan, Rita LeBlanc, Buddy Patrick and Matthew Vaughn. The film stars Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell and Guy Pearce.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.
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Wednesday, August 21, 2019
"Spider-Man: Far From Home" Breaks Sony Box Office Record
Never-Before-Seen Extended Cut Featuring New Action Sequence To Be Released Labor Day Weekend
CULVER CITY, Calif. – Columbia Pictures’ Spider-Man: Far From Home has officially become Sony Pictures’ highest-grossing film of all time, passing the global box office gross of Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/EON Production’s Skyfall. Through Sunday, August 18, 2019, Spider-Man: Far From Home made $376.7 million domestically and $732.9 million internationally for a worldwide cume of $1.109 billion.
Starting Thursday, August 29, 2019, ahead of the holiday weekend, an extended cut of the film featuring approximately four additional minutes of a never-before-seen action sequence will be released in theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The film will also be available in IMAX® and large formats in select locations.
On its path toward this record-breaking milestone, Spider-Man: Far From Home showed incredible power at the global box office.
The film’s North American opening at $185.06 million for the six-day holiday weekend was an all-time opening six-day record for Sony Pictures, the best-ever six-day opening for a Spider-Man film, and the best six-day opening for a film launching over the Fourth of July holiday. On opening day, July 2, the film opened to the biggest Tuesday numbers of all time with $39.3 million.
Spider-Man: Far From Home became the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie overseas and opened at #1 in 65 markets including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The film’s global rollout began on June 28 in China, Hong Kong, and Japan with a $111 million cumulative opening. China debuted to $97.7 million – the seventh-largest opening of all-time for a studio film in the market and Sony Pictures’ second-biggest opening there. Japan opened with $9.4 million – the second-biggest superhero movie launch in the last decade. Hong Kong opened with $3.7 million – the fifth-biggest Friday-to-Sunday opening of all-time, and Sony Pictures’ best-ever opening in the market.
About Spider-Man™: Far From Home
Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.
Directed by Jon Watts. Written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. Based on the MARVEL Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Produced by Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel, Eric Hauserman Carroll, Rachel O’Connor, Stan Lee, Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach serve as executive producers. The film stars Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, with Marisa Tomei and Jake Gyllenhaal.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.
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Thursday, December 8, 2016
Sony Acquires Film Rights to Image Comics' "A.D.: After Death"
Writer Scott Snyder and illustrator Jeff Lemire's A.D.: AFTER DEATH, a three-part epic series published by Image Comics, has been acquired by Sony in a significant deal in a multi-party bidding war, to be developed into a feature film. Snyder and Lemire will serve as Executive Producers on the project.
Josh Bratman of Immersive Pictures will work alongside Eric Fineman at Columbia to produce the film. Bratman is also developing Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's comic series DESCENDER into a feature film franchise.
A.D. is set in a future where a genetic cure for death has been found. One man, years after the discovery of the cure, starts to question everything, leading him on a mind-bending journey that will bring him face-to-face with his past and his own mortality.
A.D. is the first project Snyder and Lemire, longtime friends and both acclaimed and bestselling comic creators in their own right, have worked on together. This is the first project Lemire has illustrated that he has not also written. Book 1 was published November 2016, with Book 2 available December 21, 2016.
Snyder is a New York Times bestselling author and an Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer (AMERICAN VAMPIRE with Stephen King, SWAMP THING, BATMAN). His short story collection, VOODOO HEART, was published by Dial Press in 2006. The collection received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and was a Kirkus Reviews "Hot Debut" of the year. WYTCHES, his creator-owned Image Comics graphic novel series with illustrator Jock, is under option at New Regency with Plan B producing.
Lemire is a New York Times bestselling author and the creator of the acclaimed graphic novels SWEET TOOTH, ESSEX COUNTY, THE UNDERWATER WELDER, and TRILLIUM. Having won the American Library Association’s prestigious Alex Award—recognizing books for adults with specific teen appeal—and having been nominated for multiple Eisner awards and Harvey awards, Lemire currently writes the monthly adventures of MOON KNIGHT (DC Comics), THE X-MEN (Marvel), and his creator-owned ongoing DESCENDER (Image Comics). The rights to Lemire and Emi Lenox's PLUTONA at Image Comics have been acquired by Ken Kao to produce as a feature film. Lemire's graphic novel trilogy ESSEX COUNTY is under option to Canadian production company First Generation Films with Christina Piovesan producing as a TV series.
The deal for A.D.: AFTER DEATH was brokered by Angela Cheng Caplan of Cheng Caplan Company, Inc., along with Lemire's attorney Allison Binder of Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP and Snyder's attorney Lillian Laserson of Laserson Law.
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Thursday, May 12, 2016
Sony Pictures Announces "The Magnificent Seven" for Worldwide IMAX Release
LOS ANGELES – IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, and Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that The Magnificent Seven, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke and directed by Antoine Fuqua, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® format. The Magnificent Seven, which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures present in association with LStar Capital and Village Roadshow Pictures, will be released into IMAX® theatres worldwide coinciding with the film’s general release dates. The Magnificent Seven will be released domestically on September 23, 2016.
"The Magnificent Seven is not only among the most highly anticipated films of the fall, but Antoine Fuqua is delivering the visceral action that is perfect for the IMAX screen," said Rory Bruer, President of Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures. "The Magnificent Seven and IMAX are a great complement to each other and will play great to audiences around the world."
"After partnering on The Equalizer, we are excited to work again with the incredibly talented director Antoine Fuqua and the whole team at Sony, as well as our friends at MGM, on this exciting new film, The Magnificent Seven," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "We believe the film’s sweeping visual style and heart-pounding action is the ideal fit for the IMAX presentation and we can’t wait for fans worldwide to enjoy the ride in IMAX."
The IMAX® release of The Magnificent Seven will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ and Columbia Pictures’ The Magnificent Seven. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople, led by Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns – Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua. The screenplay is by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk. The producers are Roger Birnbaum and Todd Black.
About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content. In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of March 31, 2016, there were 1,066 IMAX theatres (952 commercial multiplexes, 17 commercial destinations and 97 institutions) in 68 countries. On Oct. 8, 2015, shares of IMAX China, a subsidiary of IMAX Corp., began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "HK.1970."
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX ® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
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Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Fathom Events Calls Original "Ghostbusters" Back to Theaters
Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment Present This Fan-Favorite Back in Movie Theaters This Summer on June 8 and 12 Only
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tickets are now available for audiences to revisit “Ghostbusters” (1984) in select U.S. cinemas on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 – the anniversary of the original release date – and Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time (both dates). The classic film is being re-released in anticipation of the worldwide release of “Ghostbusters” (2016), starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth in theaters July 15, 2016. These special screenings of the original film include an exclusive sneak peek of the highly-anticipated new “Ghostbusters.”
.@FathomEvents News: Who you gonna call when the cinema becomes your gateway to 1984 w/ @Ghostbusters 6/8 & 12
Tickets for “Ghostbusters” (1984) can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 830 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
After a team of underdog scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to set out on their own and become "ghostbusters," waging a high-tech battle with supernatural spirits taking up residency in New York City. In their paranormal investigations, they stumble upon a gateway to another dimension – a doorway that will release evil upon the city – and the ghostbusters must now save the Big Apple from complete destruction. Released in 1984, the original “Ghostbusters” was directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, written by Aykroyd and Ramis, and starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson. Following these special screenings, the classic “Ghostbusters” will go back into the vault until the release of the new film.
“Before the new ‘Ghostbusters’ hits theaters, there’s no better way to get excited than by seeing the original back in its home on the big screen,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “Fathom Events is bringing this classic re-release to audiences all across the country, and we are thrilled for fans new and old to see it in its original glory with special added content.”
About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the event cinema distribution arm of AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), the three largest movie theater circuits in the U.S., and is recognized as the leading distributor of alternative content. It offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events also takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. In addition, Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 885 locations and 1,348 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.
About Ghostbusters (2016)
Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world! The film is produced by Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal, and written by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on July 15, 2016.
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Monday, April 4, 2016
Ghostbusters & Ghostbusters II Debut on 4K Ultra HD™ June 7
Ultimate Home Theater Experience Features High Dynamic Range and All-New Dolby Atmos Soundtracks
CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Fans will now be able to experience particle beams and ectoplasm like never before when Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II debut June 7, 2016 on next generation 4K Ultra HD disc with High Dynamic Range (HDR) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE). Perfect for Father’s Day gifting, each 4K Ultra HD release will also include the recent anniversary Blu-rays, bursting with all the bonus materials, including previously released legacy content, commentary and the interactive Slimer Mode.
As two of the first Sony 4K Ultra HD disc releases, both films were fully restored from the 35mm original camera negatives, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD is the perfect way to finally experience these comprehensive restorations at full 4K resolution in the home – it features four times the resolution of high definition, along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays. Additionally, both films have been remixed specifically for the home theater environment with Dolby Atmos® audio, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.
These new 4K Ultra HD releases precede the July 15, 2016 U.S. premiere of Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated new motion picture, Ghostbusters, from director Paul Feig, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.
Also, as part of the excitement surrounding the arrival of the new film, SPHE will release over 50 episodes of the iconic 1980s animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, on DVD July 7 and on Digital, from Ivan Reitman, DiC and Sony Pictures Television.
Both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are directed and produced by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Stripes), and written by Dan Aykroyd (My Girl) and Harold Ramis (Knocked Up). Bill Murray (St. Vincent), Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), and Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) star, along with Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and Rick Moranis (Honey I Shrunk the Kids). Ernie Hudson (TV’s “Oz”) and Annie Potts (TV’s “Designing Women”) also star. Ghostbusters is ranked No. 28 on the AFI’s List of America’s Funniest Movies.
SYNOPSES:
Ghostbusters: University parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves and open ‘Ghostbusters,’ a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in Dana Barrett’s (Weaver) Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and other-worldly demons through a portal in her building.
Ghostbusters II: Supernatural superstars Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) spring back into action when the infant son of Dana Barrett (Weaver) becomes the target of a powerful demonic force. Reunited with their industrious secretary Janine (Potts) and the nerdy, near-sighted Louis (Moranis), the ‘heroes of the hereafter’ must put a stop to an enormous underground river ready to rot the roots of the entire Big Apple.
GHOSTBUSTERS & GHOSTBUSTERS II 4K Ultra HD Releases Include:
§ Feature films in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR)
§ Dolby Atmos soundtracks (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
§ Includes high-def Blu-rays featuring the films and special features
*To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.
GHOSTBUSTERS Blu-ray Special Features:
§ Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 1)
§ Poster Art Gallery – Gallery of 1988 artwork
§ Ghostbusters Music Video – Ray Parker, Jr.
§ Slimer Mode – Picture in Picture and Trivia Track
§ Commentary with Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis & Joe Medjuck
§ 10 Deleted Scenes
§ 1984 Featurette
§ Cast and Crew Featurette
§ SFX Team Featurette
§ Multi-Angles
§ Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car
§ Ghostbusters Garage: Ecto-1 Gallery Storyboard Comparisons
GHOSTBUSTERS II Blu-ray Special Features:
§ Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 2)
§ Deleted Scenes
§ “On Our Own” Music Video – Bobby Brown
§ Theatrical Trailers
GHOSTBUSTERS has a run time of approximately 105 minutes and is rated PG.
GHOSTBUSTERS II has a run time of approximately 108 minutes and is rated PG.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.
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Thursday, February 4, 2016
Review: "Just One of the Guys" Not Just Another Teen Movie
[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]
Just One of the Guys (1985)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13
DIRECTOR: Lisa Gottlieb
WRITERS: Dennis Feldman and Jeff Franklin; from a story by Dennis Feldman
PRODUCER: Andrew Fogelson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John McPherson (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Tony Lombardo
COMPOSER: Tom Scott
COMEDY/ROMANCE
Starring: Joyce Hyser, Clayton Rohner, Billy Jayne, Toni Hudson, William Zabka, Leigh McCloskey, Sherilyn Fenn, Deborah Goodrich, Ayre Gross, Robert Fieldsteel, Stuart Charno, John Apicella, Kenneth Tigar, Richard Blake, and Tony Brock and Jay Davis
Just One of the Guys is a 1985 comedy and high school romance from director Lisa Gottlieb and writers Dennis Feldman and Jeff Franklin. The film focuses on a popular and attractive high school student who disguises herself as a teen boy in order to win a high school journalism contest.
Just One of the Guys introduces high school student, Terry Griffith (Joyce Hyser), of Phoenix, Arizona. She has it all: the looks, the popularity, and a college boyfriend who is quite the hunk. Terry is also an aspiring teenage journalist, but her male teachers at Edwina Pearl High School don't take her newspaper articles seriously, mostly because she is a girl. In fact, her journalism teacher, Mr. Raymaker (Kenneth Tigar), has chosen articles written by two male students to be entered in a contest that will land one student a summer internship at the Sun-Tribune.
So Terry comes up with an idea that will help her write an article that will earn her respect and hopefully win that summer internship. With the help of her horny, little brother, Buddy (Billy Jacoby), and her lovelorn best friend, Denise (Toni Hudson), Terry disguises herself as a teen boy and enrolls in rival Sturgis-Wilder High School. As a student at this new high school, Terry is sure that she can write an article about high school boys as secretly observed by a girl undercover as a boy. Her mission goes awry when she meets handsome nerd, Rick Morehouse (Clayton Rohner). Rick becomes her pet project, as she tries to give him a makeover and get him a date to the prom. But Terry starts to fall in love with Rick.
I pretty much ignored 1980s teen movies that revolve around high school romance, and I had never even heard of Just One of the Guys. However, a few weeks ago, I found an article on the Yahoo Movies website (https://www.yahoo.com/movies/are-those-what-i-think-they-are-a-revealing-175211213.html) about the 1985 film. It turns out that 2015 is the 30th anniversary of the film's initial release (specifically April 26, 1985). Apparently, Just One of the Guys is fondly remembered and has fanbase and something of a cult-following. In fact, the magazine Entertainment Weekly once included Just One of the Guys in its listing of the “50 Best High School Movies” (at #48).
After reading a few paragraphs of the Yahoo article, I decided to rent Just One of the Guys from Netflix. I enjoyed the film so much that it once again reminded me that Netflix is essential to my life as a movie-lover. I won't call it a great movie, but Just One of The Guys is quite good and shouldn't be lost to history.
Just One of the Guys is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, which also inspired the 2006 high school comedy, She's the Man. You don't need to have seen Shakespeare's play in order to enjoy this film. All you need is the ability to sympathize with Terry Griffith and to see things from her point of view. As Terry, Joyce Hyser gives a natural performance that sells the absurdity of her role and this movie's conceit. I found myself willingly suspending disbelief because Hyser made me believe in Terry, her motivations, her plan, and her character. In the way that Dustin Hoffman made Tootsie worthy of the audience suspension of disbelief, Hyser makes us want to latch onto Terry and buy into the entire act.
I can see why Just One of the Guys has a devoted following after three decades, and is apparently still winning new fans. It is not a sparkling high school idyll, cool and slick, like those 1980s John Hughes films. The earthy Just One of the Guys mines comedy gold in the minefield of high school society and in the lives of high school age young people. It does not romanticize high school, not when it can love the high school years while simultaneously skewering it. No high school movie list is complete without the surprising Just One of the Guys.
7 of 10
B+
Saturday, November 14, 2015
The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Review: Denzel Does Good Guy/Dark Side in "The Equalizer"
The Equalizer (2014)
Running time: 132 minutes (2 hours, 12 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, including some sexual references
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua
WRITER: Richard Wenk; (based on the television series created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim)
PRODUCERS: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Tony Eldridge, Mace Neufeld, Alex Siskin, Michael Sloan, Steve Tisch, Denzel Washington, and Richard Wenk
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: John Refoua
COMPOSER: Harry Gregson-Williams
ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER
Starring: Denzel Washington, Martin Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Masters, Johnny Skourtis, David Meunier, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Alex Veadov, Haley Bennett, James Wilcox, Mike O'Dea, E. Roger Mitchell, and Vladimir Kulich
The Equalizer is a 2014 action movie and crime thriller from director Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington. The film is based on the television series, “The Equalizer,” which was created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim and was originally broadcast on CBS from 1985 to 1989. The Equalizer the movie focuses on a man with a mysterious past who helps a young female prostitute, which brings him into conflict with her owners, ultra-violent Russian gangsters.
The Equalizer introduces Robert “Bob” McCall (Denzel Washington), a man who lives quietly in Boston, Massachusetts, where he works at a “Home Mart” hardware store. McCall spends his nights at the Bridge Diner where he has befriended Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young call girl who also wants to be a pop singer. She is pimped out by local Russian gangsters that are led by a man named Slavi (David Meunier).
After Slavi beats Teri into a coma, McCall attempts to rescue her from Slavi. The aftermath of that meeting brings Teddy Rensen (Martin Csokas) to Boston. Rensen is the enforcer/fixer for Russian mafia leader, Vladimir Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich), but McCall decides to do some fixing of his own.
The Equalizer is a thoroughly satisfying movie... at least to me. I guess that I should qualify this review by admitting that I am a huge fan of Denzel Washington, whom I consider to be one of the world's best actors of the last three decades.
Since his Oscar-winning turn in 2001's Training Day, Washington has proven to be a capable bad guy. With 2010's Book of Eli, Washington showed that he could be a bad-ass, kick-ass, action hero with fancy martial arts-styled moves. Ostensibly the hero in The Equalizer, Washington mixes bad guy with bad-ass in Robert McCall.
The screenplay by Richard Wenk has McCall constantly in peril or makes it seem as if he were in danger even when he is not. Director Antoine Fuqua plays that for everything he can get out of it. He makes a crime film that moves like an action movie, and Fuqua makes everything so tense that he fashions a thriller that strengthens the crime and action movie elements.
And Denzel glides through it all with lethal inevitability and assurance, so much so that I have to give special credit to actor Martin Csokas. He delivers the kind of performance that makes Teddy Rensen an adversary who is a believable threat to Robert McCall.
The Equalizer is a game of death that is hard to stop watching, even if it is light on story and character development (which would have made this movie a classic). I was a big fan of the original television series, which I have not seen in years, and therefore, remember little of it. I do remember that the series did delve into character. Well, the recent announcement of a sequel to this film means that there could be improvement on the character front. In the meantime, take time to enjoy a slick and stylishly violent movie, The Equalizer.
7 of 10
B+
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.