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BLM - From YahooNews: NAACP issues a travel advisory for minorities and women heading to the state of Missouri.
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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct: First look at Zazie Beetz as "Domino" in "Deadpool 2," as posted to Instagram by Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds.
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TELEVISION - From Deadline: HBO responds to protests over its early-in-development show, "Confederate" from "Game of Thrones show-runners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
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MOVIES - From YahooTV: Angelina Jolie denies that the casting staff on her upcoming film, "First They Killed My Father," abused Cambodian orphans and poor kids during auditions.
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WALKING DEAD - From THR: SPOILERS -Season 8 will answer the time jump fans saw at San Diego Comic-Con International.
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/28 to 7/30/2017 weekend box office is "Dunkirk" with an estimated take of $28.1 million.
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MOVIES - From BleedingCool: A Marvel Studios executive has defected to 20th Century Fox.
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ANIMATION - From Indiewire: "The Simpsons Movie 2" is in its earliest stage of development.
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POLITICS - From BuzzFeed: The most influential racist you have never heard of, William Regnery II.
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SDCC - From SideshowToys: Did you see Lupita Nyong'o at 2017 Comic-Con International?
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TELEVISION - From Variety: Starz has order a series, "The Rook," a thriller "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer, Lionsgate, and Liberty Global.
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MOVIES - From THR: Amazon will begin self-distributing its film with Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel."
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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool: Several producers from "The Walking Dead" will attend the funeral of series stuntman John Bernecker. Bernecker died in June after sustaining injuries from a fall during film for Season 8.
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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct: Jordan Peele and Tracy Morgan have created a comedy series, "The Last O.G.," in which Morgan will star. TBS has set the premiere date for Thurs., October 24th.
COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant: Ryan Coogler says he had creative freedom while directing Marvel's upcoming "Black Panther."
From ScreenRant: 15 characters scheduled to appear in Marvel's "Black Panther."
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SPORTS - From YahooSports: Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka says that current Lakers are like early Taylor Swift.
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TELEVISION - From TVLine: Chris Pine and Patty Jenkins, both of the hit movie, "Wonder Woman," are re-teaming a TNT television series, "Black Dahlia."
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COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist: Joss Whedon will be a major part of the DC Extended Universe films, while others may see their roles reduced.
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COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist: Damon Lindelof, who was announced as developing an HBO series based on the comic book "Watchmen," says that he is uncertain about the project.
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MOVIES - From Collider: James Cameron considering a new producing a new "Terminator" trilogy, as the rights to the franchise revert to him in 2018.
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BOOKS - From Vulture: Former President Bill Clinton and prolific novelist James Patterson have a mystery novel coming out Summer 2018, and they are courting A-list directors to helm the film adaptation.
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COMICS-FILM - From Variety: The release date for "Wonder Woman 2" is December 13, 2017. Still no word on whether Patty Jenkins will return to direct the sequel.
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MOVIES - From THR: Ultimate pretty actor Nicholas Hoult in early talks to play J.R.R. Tolkien in a biofilm.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Ric Roman Waugh will direct "Angel Has Fallen," the third film in the "Olympus Has Fallen" series.
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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct: Will Packer, the producer behind hit films like the recent "Girls Trip" and the "Ride Along" franchise, has started Will Packer Media with Discovery Communications and Universal Pictures.
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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct: In Marvel's film "Black Panther" (due 2018), Michael B. Jordan says that the relationship between his character, "Killmonger," and Chadwick Boseman's "T'Challa" is like that of Professor X and Magneto in the "X-Men."
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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct: Chris Nolan's "Dunkirk" continues the whitewashing of the history of World War II.
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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct: Netflix has picked up the thriller "Message from the King," starring Chadwick Boseman, Luke Evans, Teresa Palmer, and Alfred Molina.
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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct: Malcolm Jamal-Warner and Tatyana Ali join USA crime comedy-drama, "Olive Forever."
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JAMES BOND - From YahooMovies: The 25th Eon Productions James Bond movie is scheduled to hit theaters November 8, 2019.
From NewYorkTimes: Details on the return of Daniel Craig as James Bond.
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COMICS-FILM - From Variety: Extensive re-shoots for "Justice League" causing headaches for some.
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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: Concept art shows Brie Larson as "Captain Marvel."
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CELEBRITY - From BET: After going after Rob Kardashian, celebrity attorney Lisa Bloom is taking on Usher because of his herpes scandal.
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 7/21 to 7/23/2017 weekend box office is Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" with an estimated take of $50.5 million.
From ShadowandAct: "Girls Trip" has the largest opening weekend for a live-action comedy this year.
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SDCC:
From BleedingCool: New footage from Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" stuns crowd at Comic-Con.
From YahooMovies: Olivia Munn talks about the Predator reboot, 2018's "The Predator."
From ShadowandAct: More casting news from Marvel's "Ant Man and the Wasp," including a probably villain and Michelle Pfeiffer.
From YahooMovies: Marvel unveils new "Thor: Ragnarok" trailer. The film is due November 3rd, 2017.
From TheWrap: Marvel Studio's "Captain Marvel" movie will be a prequel to the first Iron Man movies (2008). Samuel Jackson will appear as Nick Fury. Oscar-winner Brie Larsonis Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.
From Variety: The "Iron Giant" will appear in Steven Spielberg's film, "Ready Player One."
MOVIES - From BleedingCool: Laurence Fishburne is joining Marvel's "Ant Man and the Wasp" as the character "Bill Foster."
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TELEVISION - From Variety: Tom Welling, who played Clark Kent for 10 seasons in The WB's "Smallville" will join Seaon 3 of Fox's "Lucifer."
OBIT:
From YahooMovies: Actor and playwright, Sam Shepard, died at the age of 73, Thursday, July 27, 2017. He was an Oscar-nominated and Emmy-nominated actor. He won the 1979 "Pulitzer Prize for Drama" for his 1978 play, "Buried Child."
From THR: Legendary French actress Jeanne Moreau has died at the age of 89, Monday, July 31, 2017. Her films include, "The Lovers" and "Jules et Jim."
From NewYorkTimes: The musician and singer, D.L. Menard, died at the age of 85, Thursday, July 27, 2017. A recording artist of contemporary Cajun music, Menard was also known as the "Cajun Hank Williams."
From Variety: Voice actress and performer June Foray at the age of 99, Thursday, July 27, 2017. Foray was known for providing the voice for such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel on "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" and Natasha Fatale of "Boris and Natasha." She was a key figure in the animation industry and created the prestigious "Annie Awards" for achievement in film and television animation.
From YahooSports: Hall of Fame NBA head coach, John Kundla, has died at the age of 101, Sunday, July 23, 2017. He lead the Minneapolis Lakers to five BBA/NBA championships.
Showing posts with label Sam Shepard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Shepard. Show all posts
Monday, July 31, 2017
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Warner Bros. Expands Jeff Nichols' "Midnight Special"
Jeff Nichols’ Sci-Fi Thriller “Midnight Special” Expands U.S. Theatrical Release April 1st Amidst Enthusiastic Early Reaction
Film garners rave reviews and strong numbers in early engagements
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, will launch the second wave of its North American release on Friday, April 1st, 2016. The film earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th, 2016 debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.
“Midnight Special” will next expand to approximately 55 screens in 17 total markets, with additional openings set for Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Little Rock, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th, 2016 world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, and again at SXSW on March 12th. Stellar reviews have top critics calling it “brilliant,” “gripping,” “spell-binding” and “ambitious,” citing great performances and proclaiming Nichols “a master filmmaker.”
Beyond its April 1st expansion, “Midnight Special” will continue its theatrical rollout with additional screens and markets on April 8th, April 15th and April 22nd, 2016.
Writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time with the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special.” A provocative, genre-defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human, it follows a father, Roy (Michael Shannon), who goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), a boy with mysterious powers that even Roy himself cannot comprehend. What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Risking everything, Roy is committed to helping Alton reach his ultimate purpose, whatever that might be and whatever it costs, in a story that takes audiences on a perilous journey from Texas to the Florida coast, while exploring the bonds of love and trust, and the nature of faith.
Midnight Special” stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“99 Homes,” “Revolutionary Road”), Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s “Fargo”), Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Jaeden Lieberher (“St. Vincent”) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (“The Right Stuff,” “August Osage County”).
Jeff Nichols (“Mud,” “Take Shelter”) directed the film from his own screenplay. It is produced by Oscar nominee Sarah Green (“The Tree of Life,” “Mud”) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (the “Insidious” films, “Sinister”), who previously collaborated with Nichols on his critically acclaimed thriller “Take Shelter.” Glen Basner, Hans Graffunder and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos served as executive producers.
Also reuniting with Nichols behind the scenes were director of photography Adam Stone, production designer Chad Keith and editor Julie Monroe. David Wingo composed the score.
A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Faliro House Productions, a Tri-State Production, “Midnight Special,” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. midnightspecialmovie.com
“Midnight Special” has been rated PG-13 for some action and violence.
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Film garners rave reviews and strong numbers in early engagements
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, will launch the second wave of its North American release on Friday, April 1st, 2016. The film earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th, 2016 debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.
“Midnight Special” will next expand to approximately 55 screens in 17 total markets, with additional openings set for Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Little Rock, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th, 2016 world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, and again at SXSW on March 12th. Stellar reviews have top critics calling it “brilliant,” “gripping,” “spell-binding” and “ambitious,” citing great performances and proclaiming Nichols “a master filmmaker.”
Beyond its April 1st expansion, “Midnight Special” will continue its theatrical rollout with additional screens and markets on April 8th, April 15th and April 22nd, 2016.
Writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time with the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special.” A provocative, genre-defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human, it follows a father, Roy (Michael Shannon), who goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), a boy with mysterious powers that even Roy himself cannot comprehend. What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Risking everything, Roy is committed to helping Alton reach his ultimate purpose, whatever that might be and whatever it costs, in a story that takes audiences on a perilous journey from Texas to the Florida coast, while exploring the bonds of love and trust, and the nature of faith.
Midnight Special” stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“99 Homes,” “Revolutionary Road”), Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s “Fargo”), Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Jaeden Lieberher (“St. Vincent”) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (“The Right Stuff,” “August Osage County”).
Jeff Nichols (“Mud,” “Take Shelter”) directed the film from his own screenplay. It is produced by Oscar nominee Sarah Green (“The Tree of Life,” “Mud”) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (the “Insidious” films, “Sinister”), who previously collaborated with Nichols on his critically acclaimed thriller “Take Shelter.” Glen Basner, Hans Graffunder and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos served as executive producers.
Also reuniting with Nichols behind the scenes were director of photography Adam Stone, production designer Chad Keith and editor Julie Monroe. David Wingo composed the score.
A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Faliro House Productions, a Tri-State Production, “Midnight Special,” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. midnightspecialmovie.com
“Midnight Special” has been rated PG-13 for some action and violence.
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Review: "Stealth" Has Plenty of Cool Moments (Happy B'day, Richard Roxburgh)
Stealth (2005)
Running time: 121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense action, some violence, brief strong language, and innuendo
DIRECTOR: Rob Cohen
WRITER: W.D. Richter
PRODUCERS: Mike Medavoy, Laura Ziskin, and Neal H. Moritz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Semler
EDITOR: Stephen Rivkin
COMPOSER: BT
SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER with elements of war
Starring: Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, and Sam Shepard, Joe Morton, Richard Roxburgh, David Miller, and Wentworth Miller (voice)
The subject of this movie review is Stealth, a 2005 science fiction and action thriller from director Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, xXx). The film follows three pilots, who are part of a top-secret military program, and their struggle to control an artificial intelligence used to operate a robotic stealth aircraft.
Lt. Ben Gannon (Josh Lucas), Kara Wade (Jessica Biel), and Henry Purcell (Jamie Foxx) are three Navy pilots deeply ensconced in a top-secret military program that tests the next generation in fighter jets, the Talon. The trio tests their Talons in preparation for strategic air strikes against terrorists and their leaders, and the strikes have to be dead perfect in order to absolutely minimize collateral damage, i.e. civilian deaths. However, the pilots are saddled with a fourth jet; called EDI (voice of Wentworth Miller), the jet is unmanned, and is instead run by an artificially intelligent computer. After being struck by lightning, EDI really develops a mind of its own and begins choosing its own targets. Gannon, Wade, and Purcell must stop EDI before he/it starts a world war.
Rob Cohen, the man who directed The Fast and the Furious and xXx, brings us Stealth, and if The Fast and The Furious and Top Gun had a sci-fi baby, Stealth would be it. Although the script by W.D. Richter borrows heavily from films such as the aforementioned Top Gun and also 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stealth is pure fun, packing all the eye-popping, adrenaline-rush, video game style action movie thrills of Cohen’s earlier films. The dialogue is lame, and the acting is suspect, very much so at the beginning (don’t look for Jamie Foxx to come anywhere near the magic of his Oscar-winning performance in Ray); however, by the time we reach the middle of the film the cast is deep into action movie mode, spouting lines of intense dialogue and emoting just the way they should for a military thriller.
Stealth may be a throwaway summer action blockbuster, but like films such as Con Air, Face/Off, and Cohen’s other hit action flicks, this movie delivers, and it looks great on the big screen. The jet flight sequences and battle scenes are thrilling; if you really dig such movies, this is a must see on the big screen. Some may say that Stealth plays lightly with the consequences of dropping bombs on civilian populations and jets shooting missiles down from the sky, but this vicarious thrill is some of the best fun one can have at war games with nothing more than your eyes and neck strained or hurt. Think of this as The Fast and the Furious of near future air combat, and sit back and enjoy the ride because Stealth can cure most any need for speed.
7 of 10
B+
Updated: Wednesday, January 01, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Review: "Safe House" is Full of Thrill Rides
Safe House (2012)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence throughout and some language
DIRECTOR: Daniel Espinosa
WRITER: David Guggenheim
PRODUCER: Scott Stuber
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Richard Pearson
COMPOSER: Ramin Djawadi
ACTION/THRILLER
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Rubén Blades, Nora Arnezeder, Robert Patrick, and Liam Cunningham
Safe House is a 2012 action thriller and espionage film from Dutch director Daniel Espinosa. Starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, the film follows a young CIA agent and a former CIA agent turned criminal on the run after their safe house is attacked. Safe House is an excellent action thriller, but that’s all it is.
Safe House is set in South Africa, where Matthew James “Matt” Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a low-level CIA agent. He is the “housekeeper” (essentially the manager) of a CIA safe house in Cape Town, South Africa. Matt is about to have his biggest guest, Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), an ex-CIA agent turned international criminal. Not long after Frost is brought to Matt’s safe house by a CIA special operations unit, mercenaries attack the house. Matt manages to escape with Frost in his custody, but things only get worse. Matt suspects that there is a security leak at the CIA from someone who wants something that Frost apparently has. Now, Matt has to keep one eye on Frost and the other on the people trying to kill them both.
Safe House is an expertly directed action thriller. Every chase scene is riveting; each one will hold onto your attention with a steely grip. But that’s it. You don’t really get to know the characters, although many have interesting back stories. Characters are either good guys or bad guys, and many are also corpses-to-be. Denzel doesn’t do anything that you haven’t seen him do before, but Ryan Reynolds really sells the idea that he is a young man dealing with something way beyond his pay grade. He shows fear, desperation, and desperate determination in his eyes. He does this with enough intensity to make you believe that he is a serious actor and not just the latest lucky young white guy in Hollywood.
I really enjoyed Safe House. It’s like the Jason Bourne movies, but more meat-and-potatoes action than smart (which the Bourne movies are). I think Safe House should also be noticed for a small role by Rubén Blades, the fine actor, singer/songwriter, and Latin jazz musician. He should be in more movies. In spite of a thin script, that’s what Safe House does: offer surprises and thrills that make you glad you watched it. If you are looking for more, you will need to watch another movie.
7 of 10
B+
Monday, July 09, 2012
Monday, April 11, 2011
Review: "Fair Game" Got Game... Sorta
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 31 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Fair Game (2010)
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some language
DIRECTOR: Doug Liman
WRITERS: Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth (based on the books The Politics of Truth by Joseph Wilson and Fair Game by Valerie Plame)
PRODUCERS: William Pohlad, Janet Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Jez Butterworth, Akiva Goldsman, and Doug Liman
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Doug Liman (D.o.P.) and Robert Baumgartner
EDITOR: Christopher Tellefsen
DRAMA with elements of a thriller
Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ashley Gerasimovich, Quinn Broggy, David Andrews, Adam LeFevre, Bruce McGill, Ty Burrell, and Sam Shepard
Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson are real people. About four months after the beginning of the Iraq War, Wilson wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times entitled, “What I Didn’t Find in Africa,” which disputed claims President George W. Bush made during the run up to the invasion of Iraq.
In retaliation, operatives within the Bush administration leaked sensitive information to Bush-friendly press toadies. This sensitive information was the disclosure of Valerie Plame’s identity as a United States CIA Operations Officer. This revelation and the subsequent scandal the revelation caused came to be known as “Plamegate” or “the Valerie Plame Affair.” Eventually, the Wilsons would detail their ordeal and experiences in two books, Valerie Plame’s Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House and Joseph Wilson’s The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity: A Diplomat's Memoir.
The 2010 film, Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), is a fictional account of the “Plame affair.” The film’s screenplay is based on both Wilson and Plame’s books.
As the movie begins, Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) travels around the world for the CIA, pursing nuclear nonproliferation – stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the material and technology used to make them. Soon, her work gets caught up in the White House’s need to prove that President of Iraq Sadam Hussein is pursuing the creation of WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). After the United States leads an invasion of Iraq, Plame’s husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), writes an op-ed column for the New York Times, in which he accuses the administration of President George W. Bush of misleading the public to justify invading Iraq. In retaliation, figures inside the administration leak Plame’s status as an agency operative for the CIA. Now, not only is Plame’s career in jeopardy, but also the safety of her family and her marriage to Wilson.
Fair Game seems to want to be either a human drama or a political suspense thriller or both. It is muddled, sometimes being a character drama inside a political thriller and other times being a thriller inside drama. It also has elements of a war movie and of a political melodrama. The narrative struggles to balance a desire to be a fact-based biopic (because this film is about real people and is based on very recent events) and the need to be a taut political thriller, because of box office considerations. Fair Game ends up being all over the place.
This movie is not bad. Actually, some of it is good (Naomi Watts), and some of it is average (Sean Penn’s performance) to a little above average (the last half hour of the movie). Fair Game is not standout material, and if the “Plame affair” is going to be a movie, then that movie needs to be standout – in my (not really) humble opinion. Fair Game is ordinary rather than prominent, but it has its moments.
5 of 10
B-
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Fair Game (2010)
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some language
DIRECTOR: Doug Liman
WRITERS: Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth (based on the books The Politics of Truth by Joseph Wilson and Fair Game by Valerie Plame)
PRODUCERS: William Pohlad, Janet Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Jez Butterworth, Akiva Goldsman, and Doug Liman
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Doug Liman (D.o.P.) and Robert Baumgartner
EDITOR: Christopher Tellefsen
DRAMA with elements of a thriller
Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ashley Gerasimovich, Quinn Broggy, David Andrews, Adam LeFevre, Bruce McGill, Ty Burrell, and Sam Shepard
Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson are real people. About four months after the beginning of the Iraq War, Wilson wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times entitled, “What I Didn’t Find in Africa,” which disputed claims President George W. Bush made during the run up to the invasion of Iraq.
In retaliation, operatives within the Bush administration leaked sensitive information to Bush-friendly press toadies. This sensitive information was the disclosure of Valerie Plame’s identity as a United States CIA Operations Officer. This revelation and the subsequent scandal the revelation caused came to be known as “Plamegate” or “the Valerie Plame Affair.” Eventually, the Wilsons would detail their ordeal and experiences in two books, Valerie Plame’s Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House and Joseph Wilson’s The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity: A Diplomat's Memoir.
The 2010 film, Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), is a fictional account of the “Plame affair.” The film’s screenplay is based on both Wilson and Plame’s books.
As the movie begins, Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) travels around the world for the CIA, pursing nuclear nonproliferation – stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the material and technology used to make them. Soon, her work gets caught up in the White House’s need to prove that President of Iraq Sadam Hussein is pursuing the creation of WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). After the United States leads an invasion of Iraq, Plame’s husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), writes an op-ed column for the New York Times, in which he accuses the administration of President George W. Bush of misleading the public to justify invading Iraq. In retaliation, figures inside the administration leak Plame’s status as an agency operative for the CIA. Now, not only is Plame’s career in jeopardy, but also the safety of her family and her marriage to Wilson.
Fair Game seems to want to be either a human drama or a political suspense thriller or both. It is muddled, sometimes being a character drama inside a political thriller and other times being a thriller inside drama. It also has elements of a war movie and of a political melodrama. The narrative struggles to balance a desire to be a fact-based biopic (because this film is about real people and is based on very recent events) and the need to be a taut political thriller, because of box office considerations. Fair Game ends up being all over the place.
This movie is not bad. Actually, some of it is good (Naomi Watts), and some of it is average (Sean Penn’s performance) to a little above average (the last half hour of the movie). Fair Game is not standout material, and if the “Plame affair” is going to be a movie, then that movie needs to be standout – in my (not really) humble opinion. Fair Game is ordinary rather than prominent, but it has its moments.
5 of 10
B-
Sunday, April 10, 2011
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Review: Ridley Scott Delivers Another Great Film in "Black Hawk Down"
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Running time: 144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)
MPAA – R for intense, realistic, graphic war violence, and for language
DIRECTOR: Ridley Scott
WRITER: Ken Nolan (based upon the book by Mark Bowden)
PRODUCERS: Jerry Bruckheimer and Ridley Scott
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Slawomir Idziak (director of photography)
EDITOR: Pietro Scalia
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer
Academy Award winner
WAR/ACTION/DRAMA/THRILLER
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Jason Isaacs, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Eric Bana, Sam Shepard, Ewen Bremner, Tom Hardy, Ron Eldard, Charlie Hofheimer, Hugh Dancy, and Tom Guiry
On October 3, 1993, just over 100 American Delta units and Ranger infantrymen were dropped by helicopter into the city of Mogadishu, Somalia to abduct two of Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid’s lieutenants. Aidid had been stealing food provided by relief agencies for the Somalis; Somalia was suffering through a devastating famine, and images of the dead and dying filled the American television screens. By stealing the food, Aidid was using starvation to make his rivals submit to him.
The mission to capture his aides was only supposed to last an hour. However, a firefight between American military and Aidid’s forces led to the downing of two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and that was the start of a prolonged and bloody fight. When the last American finally reached safety, the mission had lasted 15 hours. Nineteen Americans were killed and 73 wounded, and hundreds of Somalis were dead.
Directed by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator, Hannibal), Black Hawk Down focuses on the efforts of the Rangers and Delta forces to rescue the men of the downed helicopters. The story follows different groups of American servicemen. In two of the stories Staff Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett) and his Rangers engage Aidid’s forces in prolonged street fighting, and Lt. Colonel Danny McKnight (Tom Sizemore) leads a group of rescuers that gets lost in the maze of Mogadishu’s streets, where Somali gunmen and snipers rain gunfire upon the Americans.
Black Hawk Down is some of the best work Scott has ever done. While it shares the intensity of Saving Private Ryan
, in particularly the hair-raising reenactment of D-Day landings on Normandy beach, much of Black Hawk’s impact comes from its dramatic structure, which emphasizes character and story. In addition to Sgt. Eversmann and Lt. Colonel McKnight’s group, the film also follows the plight of the only survivor of the second downed Black Hawk, Chief Warrant Officer Durant (Ron Eldard), who was a prisoner of Aidid’s forces for a few weeks after The Battle of Mogadishu. Staff Sgt. Ed Yurek (Tom Guiry) leads his decimated Ranger group through gunfire to safety. Scott follows the beleaguered Americans, moving deftly from one group of servicemen to the other, keeping the intensity of the drama very high.Though very violent and occasionally quite gory, Black Hawk Down is the story of these brave men and their struggle to not only survive, but to also rescue and to save the lives of their fellow soldiers. Beyond issues of patriotism and bravery is the strength of dedication and skill of these men. Scott’s war movie is a movie about the camaraderie of soldiers.
While Scott is at the top of his craft in this film, the acting is also of the highest quality. The cast is quite convincing in their roles as soldiers, and the Somali extras aren’t bad either. Tom Sizemore delivers his usually quality work in a supporting role, but the surprise here is Josh Hartnett. A pretty boy in the Tom Cruise tradition, Hartnett hit his stride in this performance. His concentration and intensity in delivering on his role as Sgt. Eversmann is fascinating to watch. If the film’s ideas and intentions must, in the final analysis, hang upon the shoulders of one soldier, Hartnett ably supports the story.
Black Hawk Down will rise above many other war films because it is something more – a war story, a soldier’s story, and a combatant’s story. One cannot help but be impressed by how the storytellers and the cast convince us that in the face of the greatest of dangers, these men will not stick to their credo “Leave no man behind,” be they dead or alive. Black Hawk Down is special.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Editing” (Pietro Scalia) and “Best Sound” (Michael Minkler, Myron Nettinga, and Chris Munro); 2 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Slawomir Idziak) and “Best Director” (Ridley Scott)
2002 BAFTA Awards: 3 nomination: “Best Cinematography” (Slawomir Idziak), “Best Editing” (Pietro Scalia), and “Best Sound” (Chris Munro, Per Hallberg, Michael Minkler, Myron Nettinga, and Karen M. Baker)
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