Archive for the ‘Crime’ Category
Friday, February 20, 2009
“He’ll Find You. And He’ll Kill You.”
Taken was exactly what I wanted it to be: a fast-paced action/drama with a satisfying ending. This movie has a bit of a Ronin feel to it – probably due to the seriousness of it and the European city backdrop. Liam Neesen was terrific – convincing, despite his age and you go the sense that he would do whatever it took to get his daughter back. His character, Bryan Mills’ family life leaves much to be desired – divorced from his wife [Famke Janssen] who’s remarried to a seemingly perfect rich guy [Xander Berkele] whom is daughter now calls ‘dad’, but he’s making an attempt to have a relationship with his daughter after being absent most of her life – due to ‘the job’. His daughter goes to France with a friend and gets… you guessed it… TAKEN. The cat and mouse game begins.
What I loved about this movie was how much I felt for Neesen’s character. What I didn’t love was his daughter’s character played my Maggie Grace. I think being a LOST fan, I just feel like she’s older than the part called for [17 year old girl], so she was a little over the top on the naivité, but she’s a small enough part that it wasn’t a deal breaker. She did a good job, I just think it was a miscast. That aside, all the other supporting cast did a great job. I’m actually looking forward to seeing this one again on DVD. Directed by Pierre Morel and written by Luc Besson, whom I’m a big fan of…
For the action and the revenge – because who doesn’t love a good revenge story?
4 out o 5.
Add’l Info: Released: Jan 30, 2009 • Runtime: 93 minutes • Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language • Photo credit: Stephanie Branchu. © 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved via allmoviephoto.net
Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller | Tagged Famke Janssen, Liam Neeson, Luc Besson, Maggie Grace, Pierre Morel, Xander Berkeley | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
“My City Screams. She is My Lover… And I am Her Spirit.”
I was excited to see The Spirit because I’m a big Frank Miller fan. I love his visual and story-telling style. It’s not for everyone, as was evidenced by the fact that a few people left the theater halfway through watching it the day we went to see it. The movie didn’t give away all it’s cards right away, so if you have the attention span of a gnat, you won’t understand it and it can get understandably frustrating. I didn’t have any problem going with the flow and enjoying it as it unfolded. It was definitely more ‘campy’ than serious, which made it that much more fun. Based on the graphic novel series by Will Eisner, the little quirks of each character in The Spirit were so fun and charming to me, but I’m sure could be lost on others, which is why it’s not surprising that it didn’t do well at the box office. From what I’ve read, people either love it or hate it. Fans of the graphic novels seem to think it was a very close representation of the original [which I haven't read].
The Spirit is about rookie cop Denny Colt [Gabriel Macht], who comes back from the dead as the protector of ‘Central City.’ As the tagline states, ’she’ is everything to him, as is every lady he comes in contact with… the list is long and includes such beauties as the money-loving thief ‘Sand Serif’ [Eva Mendes], the spirit of Death, ‘Lorelei Rox’ [Jaime King], The Spirit’s former wife Dr. Ellen Dolan [Sarah Paulson], the evil scientist and sidekick to Sam Jackson’s ‘The Octopus’… ‘Silken Floss’ [Scarlett Johansson] and the deadly belly dancing beauty, ‘Plaster of Paris’ [Paz Vega], among others.
The Spirit has a bargain with the local police – he helps them keep the crime under control while keeping a low profile, and they let him continue to do the job he lives for… keeping his city safe. Along the way he crosses paths with his nemesis ‘The Octopus’, his old flame Sand, and a mystery that needs solving… oh, and also gets the answer to the biggest question of all: how is he still alive… again?
Being a designer, I LOVE the idea of having a color palette for a movie. For this one it was simple: Black & White & Red… it doesn’t get any more classic than that. The Spirit really felt like we were watching a graphic novel. To that end it was perfectly executed. Great period and theme costumes, clean, graphic effects and a long list of great actors and performances. Pure, fantastic fun, and as usual… visually stunning.
4 out of 5
Add’l Info: Released: Dec 25, 2008 • Runtime: 108 minutes • Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity • Photo Credit: Copyright © Lionsgate via allmoviephoto.com
Posted in Action, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy, Thriller | Tagged Dan Lauria, Eva Mendes, Gabriel Macht, Jaime King, Louis Lombardi, Paz Vega, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Scarlett Johansson | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
State of Play looks like a great whodunit type drama/thriller with a pretty hefty cast. It was originally a BBC mini series – here’s a great synopsis from Universal Pictures via ComingSoon.net:
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Plot Summary: Oscar® winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in an case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation’s most promising political and corporate figures in “State of Play,” from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald (”The Last King of Scotland”).
Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.
McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar® winner Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer’s identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is ever safe.
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In doing some reading, this script initially went into production around the time of the writer’s strike and no changes were allowed to be made. As a result Brad Pitt left due to concerns about the script at that time. Russell Crowe stepped into the vacated role of the lead reporter. Edward Norton also left, but it was due to scheduling conflicts, so Ben Affleck stepped in for that role as the young Congressman.
I can’t seem to find the trailer anywhere on the net at the moment, but as soon as I do, I’ll update this post with a link…
UPDATE 1-13-09: IMDb.com has trailers posted HERE.
Add’l Info: Release Date: Apr 17, 2009 • Runtime: TBD • Rating: TBD • Photo Credit: Courtesy of FirstShowing.net
Posted in Crime, Drama, Preview Only, Thriller | Tagged Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Rachael McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Russell Crowe | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
“They Took His Daughter. He’ll Take Their Lives..”
Taken is coming out relatively soon. We’ve seen the preview a few times but I haven’t had time to post it until now! It comes out on January 30th and stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a former spy who’s daughter is abducted while on vacation with a friend in Paris [played my Maggie Grace of Lost fame], and sold into some sort of prostitution slave trade. Mills will have to use his years of training and experience to get his daughter back – and if he does, kill whomever is responsible…
From the preview, Taken looks like a great fast-paced revenge flick. Check it out here: Taken Official Site
Written by Luc Besson and Directed by Pierre Morel who did the cinematography for the original Transporter… So I have decent expectations. Famke Janssen also co-stars.
Add’l Info: Release Date: Jan 30, 2009 • Runtime: 94 minutes • Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language • Photo Credit: © 20th Century Fox & Europa Corp. via Taken Official Site Trailer
Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Preview Only, Thriller | Tagged Famke Janssen, Liam Neeson, Luc Besson, Maggie Grace, Pierre Morel | Leave a Comment »
Sunday, November 2, 2008
“Truth. Honor. Loyalty. Family. What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?”
When we saw the preview for this movie, we weren’t very keen on seeing it. It looked a lot like We Own The Night, and we didn’t enjoy that one at all… but… after reading a few reviews [by regular people, not critics], I decided that the acting alone was worth checking out, from what people said. And I’m glad we did. Pride And Glory isn’t a feel good movie. It’s a dark, dirty, cluster-eff with a lot of conflict – all within the same family of NYPD cops.
This story centers around Ray Tierney [Ed Norton], an NYPD detective who leads a task force charged with investigating the deaths of 4 fellow police officers. As Ray starts uncovering the truth, he realizes how deep the rabbit hole of corruption goes, testing his moral fiber and loyalties.
What I really loved about this movie was the realism. The characters were well written and played out. Ed Norton did an amazing job, as did Colin Farrell, Noah Emmerich, Jon Voight… on and on down to the smallest supporting role. My initial reaction to each of the main characters did a 180 by the end of the movie. I felt for all of them and it had me wondering what I would have done if I was in ANY of their shoes.
And the whole thing started with a single phonecall… brilliant.
If you like epic crime dramas with ample suspense, great acting and a satisfying [albeit depressing] story, you’ll enjoy Pride and Glory. 4 out of 5.
Add’l Info: Released: Oct 24, 2008 • Runtime: 130 minutes • Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language and brief drug content • Photo Credit: ©2008 Glen Wilson/New Line Cinema via allmoviephoto.com
Posted in Crime, Drama | Tagged Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Frank Grillo, Gavin O'Connor, Jennifer Ehle, John Ortiz, Jon Voight, Lake Bell, Noah Emmerich, Shea Whigham | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
We haven’t been to the movies as much as we’d like lately, but we did really want to see this flick. I’m a fan of Marky Mark’s [Mark Wahlberg will always be Marky Mark to me...], and I liked the look and feel of this movie from what I saw in the preview. I didn’t go in with huge expectations for the storyline, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Max Payne is about a cop who’s wife and baby were murdered in cold blood just minutes before he came home – the reason unknown. Max transfers to the cold case division of his precinct so he can pursue one dead lead after another, trying to bring those responsible to justice. It isn’t until he gets a new lead from an old snitch – and gets tangled up with the beautiful Natasha [Olga Kurylenko from Hitman and the soon to be released Quantum of Solace...], and her grisly death before things are set in motion and the trail opens up again. The hunter becomes the hunted as Max investigates his wife’s former employer, evading arrest by his own department, the FBI and the corporation’s security team. In an unlikely partnership, Natasha’s assassin sister has the same goal as Max, as she tries to avenge her sister’s death. Is Max chasing after the devil himself or is there an earthy explanation for the hell he finds himself in?
You’ll have to see it to find out. ;) But, there are some great visuals, and a great supporting cast. Beau Bridges is perfect for his role as Max’s cop father’s former partner and father figure, Amaury Nolasco [you may recognize him from Transformers - I can't look at him without thinking "étouffée... lol], Donal Logue as Max’s former partner and Chris O’Donnell as Max’s wife’s former coworker. Mila Kunis did a good job, but I felt like she looked too small and young to pull off a convincing assassin, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. Don’t expect reality with this flick, there are a lot of holes. It’s based off a video game, not a true story. lol…
We didn’t know it, but there is a bonus scene after the credits to set up the sequel – so sit tight for that if you liked the movie and want a taste of what’s to come. For the action, visuals and a decent story that kept me interested the entire time, I’d give Max Payne a solid 3 1/2 out of 5.
Add’l Info: Released: Oct 17, 2008 • Runtime: 100 minutes • Rated PG-13 for violence including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language • Photo Credit: ©20th Century Fox all rights reserved, via allmoviephoto.com
Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller | Tagged Amaury Nolasco, Beau Bridges, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Donal Logue, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Olga Kurylenko, rylenk | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Brothers Bloom are two con men [played by Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo], and they’re after one last, BIG mark – an eccentric heiress [Rachel Weisz] and her millions – by showing her the time of her life, taking them all over the world on romantic adventures.
Rachel Weisz’ character looks pretty funny, and I’m a big fan of hers. She does a great job of choosing roles, so I trust her judgement. We first see her crashing a Lamborghini into the huge fountain in her driveway [which is AWESOME only because my husband always jokes that if he ever won the lottery, his only goal would be to crash a different Lamborghini every day of the week!... kidding, of course...], and then cut to one of the Bloom brothers asking her what she does for a living. Her response is “I collect hobbies.”
This one looks worth seeing. Written and directed by relative newcomer, Rian Johnson, who won many awards for writing and directing the movie Brick in 2005 [I'll have to check it out...]. If The Brothers Bloom is as good as the trailer makes it out to be, this flick could launch his career to the next level.
Check out the trailer HERE
Add’l Info: Release Date: Dec 19, 2008 • Runtime: TBD • Rated PG-13 for violence, some sensuality and brief strong language • Photo Credit: © Summit Entertaiment via movieweb.com
Posted in Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Preview Only, Romance | Tagged Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Nora Zehetner, Rachael Weisz, Rian Johnson, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
This latest offering from the Coen brothers [No Country For Old Men, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou...] looks like a riot. I can’t wait to see it. The tag says it all: “Intelligence Is Relative.” Burn After Reading is a dark spy-comedy about a couple of gym workers who come across a disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent, and their attempts to sell it. With a great cast featuring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton & more, this movie should be a pretty quirky-fun time. Brad Pitt plays a great idiot, that’s for sure. lol
Check out the trailer HERE
Add’l Info: Release Date: Sep 12, 2008 • Runtime: TBD • Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence • Photo Credit: © Focus Features via allmoviephoto.com
Update: 9.26.08:
My husband saw this one when it opened and actually hated it… which shocked me. I haven’t seen it yet, and from his description of how frustrating the story was and how annoying all the characters were, I’ll probably just wait until it’s on DVD to catch it. It sounds like a lot of dumbasses trying to take advantage of good people, which can be funny or frustrating, depending on delivery. Russ said that there were many funny individual scenes, but overall he walked out annoyed, and his mother, whom he saw it with said it was the worst movie she’d seen in a while. Take it for what it’s worth – 3rd hand opinion. If you’ve seen it, let me know what YOU thought – should I go see it??? =)
Posted in Comedy, Crime, Preview Only | Tagged Brad Pitt, Coen Brothers, Ethan Coen, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Joel Coen, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton | Leave a Comment »
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
There was only one preview last week that got me excited… Max Payne. Right off the bat, I love the look and feel of this movie – it reminds me of Constantine. It looks dark, violent, stylized and sexy. I don’t know anything about the story – I know it was a video game, but I don’t play video games, so from what I can tell from the trailer, Max Payne is a DEA agent, who’s family is brutally murdered as part of some conspiracy and he’s out for revenge. In the process he teams up with an assassin [Kunis] who wants to avenge the death of her sister. The plot sounds pretty similar to The Punisher, actually – that has a sequel coming out soon [I'll write a separate preview for that one later...]. People around the net are also comparing this one to Hitman. I thought that one was miscast, but could have been really cool… I just couldn’t get over how big and round Tim Olyphant’s head was when bald – and his hips were too narrow. I couldn’t take him seriously as this big, tough hitman… [I know, I know... petty... at least Hitman introduced us to the gorgeous Olga Kurylenko, soon to be seen in Quantum of Solace]. But I digress…
What I don’t understand is whether or not this story has anything supernatural to it – it’s kind of ambiguous… according to allmoviephoto.com his ‘obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal.’
But one you tube commenter mentions the imagery being attributed to the fact that Payne is insane and on heavy meds to deal with his family’s death… I guess I’ll have to see it to find out.
View the official site and Trailer HERE.
Add’l Info: Release Date: Oct 17, 2008 • Runtime & Rating: TBD • Photo Credit: Michael Muller © 20th Century Fox via allmoviephoto.net
Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Preview Only, Thriller | Tagged Beau Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Donal Logue, Joel Gordon, Kate Burton, Ludacris, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Nelly Furtado | Leave a Comment »
Thursday, August 28, 2008
“New Model. Original Parts.”
We saw this preview this past weekend and I have to say, I got excited. I loved the original The Fast and the Furious when it came out. I love cars, driving fast… seeing fast cars and hot people in a movie is pretty much all it takes to entertain me pleasantly. A little plot goes a long way if the stunts are well done. This one looks like it has the right mix of original characters and new schemes where the not-so-bad-guys team up with the not-so-good-guys.
This movie reunites Dom [Vin Diesel] and Brian [Paul Walker] after a crime is committed in L.A., as feuding rivals on opposite sides of the legal fence, who end up having a common enemy and having to find a way to work together – with trust lacking on both sides. It sounds like this latest chapter of the franchise gives us a little of everything in terms of heists, getaways, muscle, custom and exotic cars, as well as a taste of that lifestyle – bringing us back to where it all began. Directed by Justin Lin, who was also at the helm of Tokyo Drift. Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster also reprise their roles. Looks cool to me. Looking forward to it… if only we didn’t have to wait until next summer.
Check out the first trailer here: Fast & Furious Trailer
Add’l Info: Jun 5, 2009 • Runtime & Rating: TBD • Photo credit: ©Universal Studios via thefastandthefurious.com movie trailer
Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Preview Only | Tagged Jordana Brewster, Justin Lin, Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Walker, Vin Diesel | Leave a Comment »
