“How would you like to be the man responsible for bringing BMX to all the small towns in the USA?”
Get your tickets now to see RAD on the big screen on Thursday October 14th at 7pm This is a One-night only event!!! For a list of theaters and ticket information go HERE. To read my interview with RAD co-star Talia Shire, go HERE
In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the 1986 BMX racing film, Rad returns to theaters for one-night-only courtesy of Fathom Events and Utopia. Featuring a new 35th anniversary restoration, the film stars Bill Allen (Cru Jones), Lori Loughlin (Christian Hollings), Talia Shire (Mrs. Jones), Jack Weston (Duke Best), and Ray Walston (Burton Timmer), along with 1984 Olympic gymnastics champion Bart Connor (Bart Taylor). As part of the Rad 35th Anniversary event, fans will see for the first time “A Rad Documentary – Inside the BMX Movie That Changed Everything.” Featuring never-before-seen interviews with the cast and crew and behind-the-scenes footage, the documentary gives audiences an inside look into the making of the film that helped catapult the extreme popularity of the 1980s BMX fad.
Rating: PG, Some content may not be suitable for young children and could include mild violence, stronger language and some sexual situations/dialogue. Parents may want to watch with children under the age of 9.
“Loneliness has followed me my whole life, everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There’s no escape. I’m God’s lonely man.”
The Second Volume of the Award-Winning 4K Ultra HD™ CollectionFrom Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. OLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K ULTRA HD COLLECTION VOLUME 2 – Six Iconic Films from the Acclaimed Columbia Pictures Library Debuts on 4K Ultra HD For the First Time.ANATOMY OF A MURDER ~ OLIVER! ~ TAXI DRIVER ~ STRIPES ~ SENSE AND SENSIBILITY ~ THE SOCIAL NETWORK.Exclusively Available on 4K Disc in this Limited Edition Set, Includes an 80-Page Hardbound Book on the History & Impact of the Filmsand Over 30 Hours of New and Archival Special Features
Following the overwhelming response to last year’s award-winning Volume 1 collection, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is proud to debut six more acclaimed and beloved films from its library on 4K Ultra HD disc for the first time ever, exclusively within the COLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K ULTRA HD COLLECTION VOLUME 2, available September 28. This must-own set includes cherished star-studded favorites from six iconic and distinctive filmmakers: ANATOMY OF A MURDER, OLIVER!, TAXI DRIVER, STRIPES, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Each film is presented in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range.
The six films in the COLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K ULTRA HD COLLECTION VOLUME 2 are only available on 4K Ultra HD disc within this special limited edition collector’s set. Included with the collection is a gorgeous hardbound 80-page book, featuring in-depth sections about the making of each film within the set via six all-new incisive essays from renowned writers Julie Kirgo, John Kenrick, Glenn Kenny, Michael G. McDunnah, Kayti Burt and Nev Pierce.
Gemma Jones, Elizabeth Spriggs, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, James Fleet, Greg Wise
In addition, the set also includes an exclusive Blu-ray™ bonus disc featuring 20 short films from the Columbia Pictures library, all presented in high definition. These shorts, curated from over 80 years of the studio’s history, showcase a wide scope of creative output across the worlds of both live-action and animation. From The Three Stooges to award-winning mid-century cartoons to modern favorites from Sony Pictures Animation—along with some surprise rarities—this bonus disc is the perfect complement to this essential classics collection.
ANATOMY OF A MURDER Synopsis: A riveting courtroom drama is brought to life with an all-star cast in the suspenseful and highly acclaimed ANATOMY OF A MURDER. Nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture (1959), the film pits a humble small-town lawyer (James Stewart) against a hard-headed big-city prosecutor (George C. Scott). Emotions flare as a jealous army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) pleads innocent to murdering the rapist of his seductive, beautiful wife (Lee Remick). Produced and directed by the renowned Otto Preminger, the film features a brilliant score by Duke Ellington. Packed with drama, passion and intrigue, ANATOMY OF A MURDER is a cinematic masterpiece that will keep you on the edge of your seat. ANATOMY OF A MURDER Disc Breakdown
4K Ultra HD Includes:
Feature presented in 4K resolution with HDR10, restored from the original camera negative
Dolby Atmos English audio
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
Blu-ray Includes:
Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
NEW: Commentary with Film Historian Foster Hirsch
Gary Giddins Interview
Pat Kirkham Interview
Foster Hirsch Interview
Excerpt from Firing Line Featuring Otto Preminger
Theatrical Trailer
ANATOMY OF A MURDER has a run time of approximately 161 minutes and is not rated.
OLIVER!
Synopsis: Winner of six 1968 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, it’s OLIVER!, the beloved musical version of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. A magnificent screen adaptation of Lionel Bart’s sensational stage musical, OLIVER!, directed by Carol Reed, is the timeless story of a plucky young orphan and his quest for love and happiness in a world populated by rascals, rogues, and thieves. A wondrous blend of drama, comedy, adventure and song, OLIVER! is grand and glorious entertainment the whole family will enjoy.
OLIVER! Disc Breakdown
4K Ultra HD Includes:
Feature presented in 4K resolution with HDR10, restored from the original camera negative
Dolby Atmos English audio
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
2-Channel Surround DTS-HD Master Audio
Feature Blu-ray Includes:
Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
2-Channel Surround DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
NEW: Commentary with Film Historian Steven C. Smith
NEW: Jack Wild Screen Test
Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
Meeting Oliver!
Meeting Fagin!
The Locations of Oliver!
Sing-Alongs
Dance-Alongs
Theatrical Trailers
OLIVER! has a run time of approximately 153 minutes and is rated G.
TAXI DRIVER
Synopsis Winner of the prestigious Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival (1976) and nominated for 4 Academy Awards® including Best Picture (1976), TAXI DRIVER stars Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s classic film of a psychotic New York cabbie driven to violence by loneliness and desperation. Co-starring Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle and Cybill Shepherd.
TAXI DRIVER Disc Breakdown
4K Ultra HD Includes:
Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, restored from the original camera negative
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
NEW: 20th Anniversary Re-Release Trailer
Making Taxi Driver Documentary
Storyboard to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese Introduction
Animated Photo Galleries
Blu-ray Includes:
Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
40-Minute Taxi Driver Q&A featuring Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster and Many More Recorded Live at the Beacon Theatre in New York City at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival
Commentary with Director Martin Scorsese and Writer Paul Schrader Recorded by the Criterion Collection
Commentaries by Writer Paul Schrader and by Professor Robert Kolker
Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver
Influence and Appreciation: A Martin Scorsese Tribute
Producing Taxi Driver
God’s Lonely Man
Taxi Driver Stories
Travis’ New York
Travis’ New York Locations
Theatrical Trailer
TAXI DRIVER has a run time of approximately 114 minutes and is rated R.
STRIPES
Synopsis: When quick-witted slacker John Winger (Bill Murray) loses his apartment, girlfriend and job all in one day, he does what any red-blooded American would do: he joins the army and nearly starts WWIII. Directed by Ivan Reitman and also starring Harold Ramis, John Candy and John Larroquette, STRIPES has become one of the most beloved comedies of all time. And that’s the fact, Jack!
STRIPES Disc Breakdown
4K Ultra HD Includes:
Both Theatrical & Extended versions presented in 4K resolution with HDR10, restored from the original camera negative
Dolby Atmos English audio (for both versions)
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (for both versions)
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio (Theatrical version only)
Special Features:
NEW: 40 Years of Stripes With Bill & Ivan – a two-part on-camera reunion between star Bill Murray and director Ivan Reitman, discussing their careers, memories from set, a tribute to the cast, as well as a special guest appearance from cinematographer Bill Butler
NEW: Theatrical Trailer
Feature Blu-ray Includes:
Both Theatrical & Extended versions presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K masters
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (for both versions)
Mono DTS-HD Master Audio (Theatrical version only)
Special Features:
Commentary with Ivan Reitman and Dan Goldberg (Extended version only)
NEW: 11 Additional Deleted & Extended Scenes
NEW: 1983 TV Version of the film (in standard definition)
Deleted & Extended Scenes from the Extended version of the film
Stars and Stripes Documentary
STRIPES has a run time of approximately 106 minutes and is rated R. STRIPES: EXTENDED EDITION has a run time of approximately 123 minutes and is rated R for sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use.
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Synopsis: Nominated for 7 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture (1995), and directed by Ang Lee. Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant star in this captivating romantic comedy that swept the Ten Best Lists and was named Best Film at the 1996 BAFTA Awards. Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY tells of the Dashwood sisters, sensible Elinor (Thompson) and passionate Marianne (Winslet), whose chances at marriage seem doomed by their family’s sudden loss of fortune. Rickman, Grant and Greg Wise co-star as the well-intentioned suitors who are trapped by the strict rules of society and the conflicting laws of desire.
Feature presented in 4K resolution with HDR10, restored from the original camera negative
Dolby Atmos English audio
5.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
Feature Blu-ray Includes:
Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
5.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
NEW: 25th Anniversary Reunion: Back to Barton Cottage – an expansive on-camera reunion featuring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Greg Wise, Imelda Staunton, Imogen Stubbs, Myriam Francois, producer Lindsay Doran, and director Ang Lee
Emma Thompson & Producer Lindsay Doran’s Audio Commentary
Director Ang Lee & Co-Producer James Schamus’s Audio Commentary
Adapting Austen Featurette
A Sense of Character Featurette
A Very Quiet Man Featurette
Locating the World of Sense and Sensibility Featurette
Elegance & Simplicity: The Wardrobe of Sense and Sensibility Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical & International Trailers
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY has a run time of approximately 136 minutes and is rated PG for mild thematic elements.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Synopsis: THE SOCIAL NETWORK, directed by David Fincher, is the stunning tale of a new breed of cultural insurgent: a punk genius who sparked a revolution and changed the face of human interaction for a generation, and perhaps forever. Shot through with emotional brutality and unexpected humor, this superbly crafted film chronicles the formation of Facebook and the battles over ownership that followed upon the website’s unfathomable success. With a complex, incisive screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and a brilliant cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake, THE SOCIAL NETWORK bears witness to the birth of an idea that rewove the fabric of society even as it unraveled the friendship of its creators. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture (2010).
THE SOCIAL NETWORK Disc Breakdown
4K Ultra HD Includes:
Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
Unrated Dolby Atmos English audio
Unrated 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Theatrical 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Feature:
NEW: Theatrical Trailers
Feature Blu-ray Includes:
Feature presented in high definition
Theatrical 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Special Features:
Audio Commentary with David Fincher
Audio Commentary with Aaron Sorkin & Cast
Special Feature Blu-ray Includes:
How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook?
David Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth on the Visuals
Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score
Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown
In the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor’s First Draft
Swarmatron
THE SOCIAL NETWORK has a run time of approximately 120 minutes and is both rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language and Unrated.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC INCLUDES
20 short films from the Columbia Pictures library, presented in high definition:
Umpa
The Three Stooges: Disorder In The Court
Charley Chase: Man Bites Lovebug
Color Rhapsodies: The Little Match Girl (Academy Award® nominee, 1937, Best Short Subject, Cartoons)
Charley Chase: The Sap Takes A Wrap
Color Rhapsodies: Dog, Cat and Canary (Academy Award® nominee, 1944, Best Short Subject, Cartoons)
The Ragtime Bear
The Wonder Gloves
Georgie and the Dragon
Madeline (Academy Award® nominee, 1952, Best Short Subject, Cartoons)
Pete Hothead
The Tell-Tale Heart (Academy Award® nominee, 1953, Best Short Subject, Cartoons)
When Magoo Flew (Academy Award® winner, 1954, Best Short Subject, Cartoons)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze
Christopher Crumpet’s Playmate
Stage Door Magoo
April in Portugal
The Chubbchubbs! (Academy Award® winner, 2002, Best Short Film, Animated)
Get ready RESIDENT EVIL fans (hand raised), a new chapter hits theaters in November.
Returning to the origins of the massively popular RESIDENT EVIL franchise, fan and filmmaker Johannes Roberts brings the games to life for a whole new generation of fans. In RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY, once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s exodus left the city a wasteland…with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.
Starring Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia with Donal Logue and Neal McDonough, check out the brand new trailer
Director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, WHICH I ABSOLUTLEY LOVED!!! and The Strangers: Prey at Night) brings audiences on a suspenseful journey to find the source of evil ravaging through the small Midwestern town of Raccoon City. Inspired by the acclaimed video game, Resident Evil, this is Roberts’ first adaptation project as a screenwriter.
His box office hits, 47 Meters Down, and its sequel 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, both of which were filmed almost entirely underwater, grossed over $100 million worldwide. Roberts is set to direct Flight, a survival-thriller from Paramount Pictures. 47 METERS DOWN made our list of the Best Shark Movies – check it out HERE.
Watch Roberts breakdown the trailer for his upcoming movie.
Here’s a rundown on the previous films. In 2001, Screen Gems acquired distribution rights and hired Paul W. S. Anderson as writer and director for Resident Evil (2002). Anderson continued as writer and producer for Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), and returned as the director for Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016).
Alright kiddies, time to gather around the fireplace for another magical fairy tale. Oh, scratch that, this is a movie so you’d need to gather not around but at the local movie theatre or multiplex. And one more thing, this story’s similar to a bedtime tale, but it’s really not for the “wee folk” (unless you want them to cease slumbering for a long time). Now, it is set in a faraway, but very real, land though it may seem that it’s on the edge of the “Twilight Zone”, or perhaps “Castle Rock”. Oh but there are some cuddly animals in the story which is certainly reflected in its simple title, LAMB.
That faraway place is Iceland, and in the opening minutes it’s living up to its name. A herd of small wild horses is tromping through a blinding white landscape. They slow as the leader of the group spies something as his eyes widen. That’s when they suddenly change course, dashing away in the opposite direction of…something. Flash forward to warmer times as the story focuses on a married couple who live and work on a desolate farm. Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snaer Gudanson) barely interact as they work the fields and tend to their sheep, the tiny AM radio as their only background noise. As one of the sheep goes into labor, the duo head into the barn to assist in pulling out the new arrivals. Days later the herd becomes agitated, their cries awaken the couple. Returning to the barn Maria aids in a new birth, but this is quite different. She and Ingvar immediately wrap up the lamb in a blanket, taking it away from its mother as they rush back to their house. They begin raising the lamb as their baby, letting it sleep in an old crib. This causes the mother sheep to stand by the backdoor, bleeting for hours…until Maria “takes care of it”. The next big arrival is Ingvar’s neer’ do well aspiring singer, brother Petur (Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson), whose former bandmates dumped him along the road. He is stunned when he sees the new “lamb-child” (a true WTF moment), but he soon settles in to be of temporary help to the couple. Unfortunately, he lusts after Maria (behind Ingvar’s back). But he’s not the only disruption to the dreary routine. Odd noises shatter the tranquil night (though the sun remains out), while their trusted border collie goes missing. Are they being targeted by a mysterious unknown entity, one that may be connected to their “son”?
A talented cast greatly helps in bringing a sense of real drama to the story’s more whimsical aspects. Rapace makes Maria perhaps the most complex and conflicted character of the tale. In the opening sequences the “farmer’s wife’ is simply “going through the motion”, seemingly stuck in “auto pilot’ as she runs the tractor and boils an endless supply of potatoes and beef. Then with the “miracle” Rapace shows us that the light in Maria’s eyes quickly flicker back to life. It’s as though the “mother switch” has been activated, one that also prompts acts of cruelty. Her passion for her hubby is also back, though she half-heartedly deflects the advances of her brother-in-law (in the words of Indiana Jones, “How hard were you trying?”). And in one scene we get a look at the sadness she has tried to suppress, much as Ingvar has. Gudnason as the quiet farmer also sleepwalks through his work and marriage until the “event” jolts him back to reality. He’s quite a contrast to his gregarious brother Petur, who becomes the audience surrogate thanks to the charming work by Haraldsson. He’s just like us when he sees the astounding new family “addition” (the biggest laugh in the somber film), and he even conveys a real “sweetness’, despite his lustful actions.
First-time feature director Valdimar Johannsson creates an uneasy feeling of tension that permeates every scene. The isolation and constant sunshine add to an other-worldly aura that may send the principals into madness, or at least some very poor choices. The script that he co-wrote with Sjon does feel like a modern-day fable, even a cautionary tale, along the lines of “Tom Thumb” via “The Monkey’s Paw”, as a wish is granted, but one with dire consequences. And while such an achingly quiet setting and very stoic characters might send viewers’ minds adrift, instead we’re drawn into this world, so alien yet earthbound. What helps to “sell’ this bizarre “concept” ? I’d offer kudos to a very talented team of artists, with several CGI teams credited along with a throng of puppeteers. Part of me is interested in seeing some “making of” doc-style footage, while another part of me doesn’t want to “peer behind the curtain” and spoil the “magic”. Adventurous film fans were be rewarded for their patience as many scenes will “haunt your dreams” (much like THE WITCH a few years ago). Plus the “outta’ nowhere” ending will keep you in your seat for most of the end credits. LAMB is a nightmarish adult fantasy and a compelling cinema experience.
Hey all you lovers of cinema excitement and thrills, you know the name and you know the number. The “gentleman secret agent’ has been delighting movie audiences for nearly sixty years now .Each new adventure just seems to build on the prvious one, with more action, more romance, and, well, just more (not a pun on the 70s into the mid 80s potrayer). Oh, but what an excruciating tease this has been. He was supposed to return to the multiplexes nearly 18 months ago, but a worldwide crisis (one that some felt was similar to some of the villainous schemes of previous movie masterminds) kept him “out of duty”. But the wait is over. I’ve been viewing these films in theatres for over fifty years now, but I must admit that seeing those opening white circles along with the opening strains of his musical theme kicked my pulse rate up a couple of beats. But really, with the official 25th entry will film fanatics worldwide insist that 2021 is NO TIME TO DIE?
The producers still have a few surprises up their sleeve with the franchise as it opens with a traumtic flashback that doesn’t focus on “the pride of the British Secret Service”. No it’s a look into the past of Madeline (Lea Seydoux), who was introduced in 2015’s SPECTRE. Since the end of that mission, she’s the traveling paramour of 007, James Bond (Daniel Craig). While visiting Matera an ambush leads to a painful parting for the couple. Skip ahaead five years as a secret MI6 biological warfare lab is attacked by heavily armed goon who grabs one of the deadly viral creations along with its creator, Valdo (David Dencik). We’re than off to Jamaica, the retirement home of Bond, who suspects he’s had a visitor drop in while he was out. Heading into a nightclub that evening he bumps into the mysterious Nomi (Lashana Lynch), a woman connected to Bond’s past life. A bit later he discovers his “houseguest’, old friend and CIA liason Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) who is mentoring over-eager young agent Logan (Billy Magnussen). After much cajoling, Felix enlists Bond to join them in Cuba to resuce the kidnapped scientist and his work. On that island, Bond is teamed with another agent, the sultry Paloma (Ana de Armas), but the retrieval mission goes fatally wrong. This prompts Bond to return to London and MI6 HQ where he is reunited with weapons wiazrd Q (Ben Whishaw), Miss Moneypenny (Naomi Harris), along with his former boss, M (Ralph Fiennes), who may ulterior motives. Nonetheless, Bond is on the job, one that will have him crossing paths with a former love, an old archenemy, and a sinister new threat named Safin (Rami Malek). Could he be the fiend that finally closes the case file of 007?
With his fifth Bond blockbuster under his belt. Craig easily delivers all the requirements of the iconic role, handling the stunts confidently while looking elegant in his Tom Ford suits. Unlike some of the previous entries he gives us a bit more of the Bond humor, tossing off witty asides while never overdoing the cringe-wothy “bon mots” that several actors couldn’t quite “land”. And, once again, Craig is perhaps the most beaten and battered Bond, but not just phsically in this outing (though his facial cuts and bruises don’t quite fade). This time he’s emotionally “put through the ringer” as he reflects on past romances and deals with a heartbreak in the opening minutes that hits him worse than a “too close for comfort” bomb blast. Craig balances Bond’s ruthlessness with a little explored vulnerability. If this is Craig’s last mission, then he more than the delivers the goods bringing an unexpected humanity to “Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”.
Much of the same can be said for Seydoux, who is more than merely the “Bond-girl” damsel-in-distress (it helps that she’s the first major “love interest” to be in back-to-back installments). Turns out that there was much more to Madeline’s story, and Seydoux expertly shows us her complexity and inner trauma. Yet there’s still her passionate protective instinct that kicks in when evil surrounds her and those she loves (not just her James). Malek is suitably unnerving as the “big baddie” Safin, but he’s not very compelling as Malek delivers a hestitant line delivery couple with a constant “deer in the headlights” leer. He’s such a talent, so it’s a shame that these choices don’t work. What does work in this story is another return, that of Christoph Waltz as the now incarcerated mastermind Blofeld. Though he over-indulged on the role’s eccentricities last time, the Hannibal Lechter-like restraints have brought a greater intensity as Blofeld intellectually toys with Bond like a cat with a trapped mouse. Also bringing a new spin on a familiar role, Fiennes gives M some deceptive and devious dark tones as we learn of his twisted machinations when he’s not barking at Bond. Luckily there’s Harris as Moneypenny, the peacekeeper, who displays a cynical sense of irony. Much of that is shared by Whishaw as Q, who still is flusterd by Bond, but has a quiet respect for him. But this time he’s not really sure of his own “gadgets and gizmos a-plenty”. Lynch is impressive as the very capable Nomi along with de Armas as the awlward but very skilled (a deadshot in a deliciously distracting outfit) Paloma, though I wish we saw more of her (and I’m not still talking about that dress). Magnussen and Dencik also provide a bit of comic relief until they both get the proper and very deserved denouncement.
It’s intersting that this actor arc of the series concludes under the skilled eye of a filmmaker new to this world of spies and seducers. Cary Joji Fukunaga , most celebrated for his TV work on HBO’s “True Detective” injects a sense of gritty and grim danger into this globe-trotting movie mission. He brings an edge to the often downbeat dramatics along with a fevered immediacy and even a sence of “gallows humor”. Much of this works thanks to the screenplay that he worked on with Robert Wade, Neal Purvis, and Emmy darling (for Fleabag) Phoebe Waller-Bridge (perhaps she aided in the comic interpaly and the strong female characters). As far as entries in the “Craig-era” of Bond, this is near the top of the quintet. It’s one that’s easily accessable to “new operatives” as it’s stuffed “to the gills’ with breathless action, mystery, and some “grounded gadgetry” ( the pulse-emitting watch is more plausable than the “invisible car’ from the last era). And happily there are lots of nods and winks at the series legacy, from a phrase and a song instramental early in its first act ( a big thanks to master music-scorer Hans Zimmer for his tribute to the great John Barry), to Safin’s attire, which seems to have been swiped from Dr. No’s closet. And that goes for the villain’s hidden lair/fortress (no, it’s not a hollowed-out volcano, but close) and even the hallways of MI6. Sure, this flick is a tad too long (too much dispatching of faceless goons John Wick-style in endless corridors in the big finale), but the surprising (for this franchise) conclusion is a fitting final bow to Craig whose bruised tightly-pursed lips breathed new life into a character who always seems to be re-invented just in time to capture the hearts of eager and always greatful filmgoers.It may be time for him to hang up the tux, but for Ian Fleming’s immortal creation, there’s really NO TIME TO DIE.
3.5 Out of 4
NO TIME TO DIE is now playing in theatres everywhere
THE SPINE OF NIGHT will be In Theaters, On Demand and Digital – October 29, 2021
Here’s the trailer:
In THE SPINE OF NIGHT, an ultra-violent fantasy epic, ancient dark magic falls into sinister hands and unleashes ages of suffering onto mankind. A group of heroes from different eras and cultures must band together in order to defeat it at all costs.
THE SPINE OF NIGHT features the voices of Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless, Patton Oswalt, Betty Gabriel and Joe Manganiello
Wes Craven’s Classic Original THE HILLS HAVE EYES will be available from Arrow Video on 4K Ultra HD November 9th
THE LUCKY ONES DIED FIRST…
Horror master Wes Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street – but for many genre fans, the director’s seminal 1977 effort The Hills Have Eyes remains his masterpiece.
Taking an ill-advised detour en route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their campervan breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, the family find themselves at the mercy of a group of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills. With their lives under threat, the Carters have no choice but to fight back by any means necessary.
Following on from his notorious 1972 directorial debut The Last House on the Left, Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes stands alongside the likes of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead as one of the defining classics of American horror.
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new 4K restoration of the film, viewable with both original and alternate endings
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in High Dynamic Range
Original lossless mono audio
Optional lossless 2.0 stereo and 7.1 remixes (original ending only)
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
6 postcards
Reversible fold-out poster
Limited edition 40-page booklet featuring writing on the film by critic Brad Stevens and a consideration of the Hills franchise by Arrow producer Ewan Cant, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
Audio commentary with actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Susan Lanier and Martin Speer
Audio commentary by academic Mikel J. Koven
Audio commentary with Wes Craven and Peter Locke
Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes – making-of documentary featuring interviews with Craven, Locke, actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Robert Houston, Susan Lanier, Dee Wallace and director of photography Eric Saarinen
Family Business – an interview with actor Martin Speer
The Desert Sessions – an interview with composer Don Peake
Outtakes
Alternate ending
Trailers and TV Spots
Image gallery
Original screenplay
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND will open at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac and premiere globally on Apple TV+ on October 15, 2021. Here’s the trailer:
The Velvet Underground created a new sound that changed the world of music, cementing its place as one of rock ’n’ roll’s most revered bands. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes, “The Velvet Underground” shows just how the group became a cultural touchstone representing a range of contradictions: the band is both of their time, yet timeless; literary yet realistic; rooted in high art and street culture.
The film features in-depth interviews with the key players of that time combined with a treasure trove of never-before-seen performances and a rich collection of recordings, Warhol films, and other experimental art that creates an immersive experience into what founding member John Cale describes as the band’s creative ethos: “how to be elegant and how to be brutal.”
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 133 wins and 515 awards nominations.
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THE LAST RITE is releasing on November 26th from Samuel Goldwyn Films. Inspired by true events, this film premiered at Arrow Video FrightFest 2021 and is the is the directorial debut of wrester/actor Leroy Kincaide.Here’s the trailer:
Samuel Goldwyn Films announced today that the company has acquired U.S. rights to Leroy Kincaide’s THE LAST RITE. The film stars Bethan Waller (Red Bird), Johnny Fleming (Soho), Kit Smith (Echoes), Tara Hoyos – Martinez (Trust), Ian Macnaughton (Monty Python’s Flying Circus), David Kerr (The Crown), Deborah Blake (Billionaire Boy).
Lucy, a study from home medical student and sleep paralysis victim, moves in with her boyfriend and finds out all is not as it seems, when she falls prey to a demonic force hell bent on ripping her apart from within. Torn between sanity and the unknown, Lucy is left with no alternative but to contact a local priest, Father Roberts for help.
With time running out and the dark force consuming her from inside, Father Roberts is forced to make a choice, do the right thing and get the church involved, or help Lucy by conducting his own exorcism against the will of the church.
“I feel incredibly excited and thrilled to have my debut feature film find its home with the prestigious Samuel Goldwin Films. After all the blood & sweat equity that has gone into making The Last Rite possible, it feels great that the American audience will soon be able to watch my tale of a supernatural horror,” says Leroy Kincaide.
THE LAST RITE was written and directed by Leroy Kincaide. The film was produced by Chloe Chudasama, and Leroy Kincaide.
“The world is arming faster than we can respond. Where’s 007?”
Daniel Craig receives his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame hitting the States before NO TIME TO DIE opens in theaters this weekend.
In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga Screenplay: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, and Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge Story: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga Producers: Michael G. Wilson, p.g.a. and Barbara Broccoli, p.g.a. Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris,with Jeffrey Wright, with Christoph Waltz and Ralph Fiennes as “M”Also starring Rory Kinnear, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik, and Billy Magnussen
