Ben Whishaw – We Are Movie Geeks

PADDINGTON IN PERU – Review

Although there are still a few weeks before most kids get their much anticipated Spring breaks, another “family-friendly” franchise flick arrives which hopes to give a bit of warmth to the chilly last weeks of Winter. Now December, and 2024, finished up with two such films, MUFASA: THE LION KING which is a rare sequel/prequel in Disney’s series, and another adventure of the video game superstar, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3. Like the latter, this new release is the third outing, and it also mixes a CGI-animated character in a live-action world. However, it also shares its origins with the current (for the last two weeks) box office champ DOG Man, which is based on a beloved series of children’s books. Now can the filmmakers score a rare “hat trick’ as the first sequel is so admired that it was ‘name-checked” at the end of the Nicholas Cage comedy THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT? Perhaps that’s why they’re “shaking things up” with a change in locale as we join PADDINGTON IN PERU.

The film actually starts off in that exotic land with a short flashback as our hero Paddington the bear (voice of Ben Whishaw) has a last visit with his adored Aunt Lucy (voice of Imelda Staunton). Then it’s back to the present day as Paddington returns to his train station to obtain a photo, in a coin-automated booth, for a passport, which will confirm that he’s now a legal British citizen. Back at his home with the Browns, matriarch Mary (Emily Mortimer) is concerned that the family is drifting apart. Son Johnathan (Samuel Joslin) barely leaves his room as he invents gadgets to aid in his video game mania, while daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) is (sigh) deciding on a college, Even papa Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is busy trying to impress his new American boss (who thinks he “plays it safe”) at the insurance company. A postal letter changes everything as Paddington gets news from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who runs the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. It seems that Aunt Lucy deeply misses him as her behavior has become increasingly odd. Paddington must return to his homeland, and the Browns will join him on the trip (that’ll show Henry’s new boss). But when they arrive the Reverend Mother informs them that Lucy wandered away, into the dense jungle. Later, Paddington visits her room and discovers a note with a map that leads to Rumi Rock. Grandmother Bird (Julie Walters) stays behind with the RM (she fears the outside world), as the Browns venture out to the village in hopes of hiring a guide and a boat. Luckily both appear as they meet Captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his “first mate”, daughter Gina (Carla Tous). Ah, but things take a turn as he discovers that the map will take him to the fabled lost land of gold, El Dorado, which was sought by his greedy ancestors. Gina suspects her papa has “gold fever”, but can she ‘snap him out of it” before his zeal causes disaster for the Browns and prevents a reunion between Paddington and Lucy?

Although it’s been nearly eight years since our last cinema “visit”, the cast of regulars nimbly slip into their roles as though they were comfy slightly worn slippers. Whishaw still gives a mellow melodic gentle tone to the little bear’s “pipes”. Bonneville also brings lots of warmth to the bumbling, often befuddled, but caring patriarch. Harris and Joslin ease into the “young adult” stage of the Brown siblings. Walters is a grey-haired energetic dynamo as the plucky Granny Bird. Plus we get a nice cameo from Jim Broadbent as sage shopkeeper Mr. Gruber. As for the new “additions”, Mortimer takes over from Sally Hawkins as the sometimes melancholy (feeling the empty nest blues) matriarch, who provides a gentle “nudge” to point everyone in the correct direction. That’s when she’s not stifling a “swoon” over the dashing seafarer Cabot given the full swashbuckler swagger from the wry Banderas. He’s having a blast, especially when he’s donning wigs and period costumes to play the branches of the Cabot family tree. Tous is a terrific “level head” as she sees her papa “going for the gold”. Matching Banderas in the “embracing the silly” is the zany Colman, spicing up her lines with a sweet “sing-song” cheerfulness deftly parodying cinema’s “cute clergy” (crooning like a crazed maria from THE SOUND OF MUSIC), or evading inquiries with a vapid vagueness. These screen vets are happily enjoying a romp in the Paddington playground.

Oh, that playground has a new supervisor in director Dougal Wilson who takes the reigns from Paul King (who contributes to the whimsical screenplay). Thankfully he keeps the tone light and breezy presenting a magical timeless version of London while expanding the focus to present a very adventurous, slightly dangerous (the fishes nibble too much) classic pulp-novel version of Peru. Unfortunately, the pace lags a bit once the Browns are separated in the lush leafy jungle, and Cabot’s pursuit resembles a mix of the Looney Tunes Coyote and Indiana Jones (a boulder that seems to have a mind of its own) which may get the tykes a bit squirmy (a six or seven minute trim would’ve been a help). That and the lack of a great campy villain (miss you Phoenix B.) contributes to this being the weakest of the trilogy. But the standards set by the previous two are so high, especially among so much dreary family fare, that this is still an engaging watch. And really, we’d follow the Browns anywhere, especially when they join PADDINGTON IN PERU.

3 out of 4

PADDINGTON IN PERU opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, February 14, 2025

The Sweet PADDINGTON IN PERU Trailer Is Charming!

Happy Wednesday fellow movie geeks. The first trailer has arrived for PADDINGTON IN PERU!

As you can from the two posters, the film will open in U.S. theaters on January 17, 2025 and will debut in UK cinemas two months earlier on November 8, 2024.

https://www.paddingtoninperu.co.uk

PADDINGTON IN PERU brings Paddington’s story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.

Directed by Dougal Wilson, PADDINGTON IN PERU stars Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Carla Tous and Jim Broadbent. Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton both return as the voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy.

PADDINGTON (2014) grossed $282,463,312 worldwide on an estimated budget of $55 million. In the US and Canada, it grossed $76,271,832 and had an opening weekend of $18,966,676. PADDINGTON 2 (2017) grossed $227.3 million worldwide, with $40.9 million in the US and Canada and $186.4 million in other countries. It had an opening of $11,001,961 in 3,702 theaters.

PADDINGTON 2 received three nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards: Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Hugh Grant.

According to the BBC:

Ben Whishaw will again star as the voice of the marmalade-loving bear, with Aunt Lucy still voiced by Imelda Staunton.

Hugh Bonneville, Dame Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin also return.

But Sally Hawkins has handed the role of Mrs Brown to Emily Mortimer.

Announcing her departure, Hawkins said she “loved” her time making the first two films but it was “the right time to hand the reins over to another”, adding: “One can’t get much better than the truly wonderful Emily Mortimer – she is extraordinarily special.”

Another addition to the cast, Olivia Colman, stars as a guitar-playing nun who works at the Home for Retired Bears. She tells Paddington and co that Aunt Lucy is “on some sort of quest”.

He then embarks on a mission to find her, with the help of a boat captain, voiced by another newcomer, Antonio Banderas. Dame Julie Walters returns as Mrs Bird, in her first film role in three years.

PASSAGES – Review

*Franz Rogowski as Tomas and Adele Exarchopoulos as Agathe, in PASSAGES. Courtesy of SBS Productions and MUBI*

PASSAGES is a steamy tale of a romantic triangle in which a Paris-based German filmmaker (Franz Rogowski) strays from his marriage to his British husband (Ben Whishaw) by starting an affair with a beautiful young French woman (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Yet when the cheated-on husband starts his own affair with another man, the filmmaker is suddenly jealous and wants him back. Tomas can’t seem to make up his mind.

That premise might sound like a modern romantic comedy (and in fact the director describes it as comedy-drama) but there is little humor in this emotional drama about toxic love with an unreliable character at the center of this triangle. What humor does exist is of the bitter variety, or perhaps driven by ridiculousness of the quirky artist at the center of this romantic mess. However, PASSAGES does insightfully and honestly explore the complexity of love, conflicting desires, and heartbreak in a beautifully-shot, excellently-acted, steamy drama set in contemporary Paris.

After its debut at Cannes, PASSAGES was hailed as one of the festival’s best. American director Ira Sachs, whose previous films include LOVE IS STRANGE, has crafted a visually lush film with an intimate story of love, sex and heartbreak, with compelling performances and a distinctly European feel for what is really an American movie. The gifted cast is superb, with Ben Whishaw (WOMEN TALKING, PERFUME), Franz Rogowski (TRANSIT), and Adèle Exarchopoulos (BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR) all delivering nuanced, moving performances. This is a drama for adults, and the film’s steamy sex scenes (gay and straight) and casual nudity earned it an NC-17 rating.

In PASSAGES, we meet temperamental film director Tomas (Franz Rogowski) as he is completing his latest film – and berating an extra in that last scene. At the wrap party at a bar, Tomas meets up with his husband Martin (Ben Whishaw), a graphic designer with his own successful printing business. When Martin goes home early, Tomas impulsively picks up and then sleeps with a beautiful young woman, a teacher named Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos). The novelty of sleeping with a woman excites Tomas, who even wants to describe the experience to his husband – not something Martin wants to hear. Martin quickly packs a bag, and as he departs, he says to Tomas, “You’re always like this after you finish a film,” but he also assures the upset Tomas he’ll return. Yet, instead of being contrite for his philandering, Tomas goes back to the woman he slept with, Agathe. Agathe, who has since learned Tomas is married, rebuffs him but passionate Tomas wears down her resistance and they start an affair. When Tomas moves in with her, it seems Martin and Tomas really are done – until Martin starts dating another man. Tomas, suddenly jealous, sets out to win his husband back but without letting his new lover know about it.

If you require a likable lead character for a film, this one is not for you. Tomas is manipulative, demanding, and completely self-centered. He also is not particularly charismatic or beautiful yet he seems to have a hypnotic effect on these two attractive people, both of whom are both better looking than he is. The film suggests that his appeal springs from the fact that he is a talented, and maybe famous, film director but other than that opening scene of him shooting his movie and a few references to screenings and the Venice film festival, we don’t get much sense of that.

In large part, the excellent performances carry this film. Ben Whishaw, in particular, gives powerful yet nuanced performance as Martin, a man whose wishes and desires sometimes cloud his judgment, as he hopes to hang on to his marriage. Rogowski plays Tomas, the troublesome yet strangely fascinating character at the center of this heartbreak, with bravura, creating a mercurial, expressive artist who seems irresistible to those around him but who always puts his own desires first. Adèle Exarchopoulos gives a touching performance as an otherwise rational woman caught up in Tomas’ promises that play on her dreams.

So why watch? Despite its toxic central character, PASSAGES is a brilliantly-directed drama with excellent performances, that explores the power of toxic romantic obsession. We all either have experienced, or have known friends who experienced, love affairs with the wrong person, someone obviously bad for that person, yet someone who exerts an overwhelming romantic power. It is the other two people in this triangle who are both attractive and appealing, much more than the person at the center of this romantic mess. Our sympathies are with Martin and Agathe, and it is caring about these people that keeps us involved in how this tale works out. For Martin, it is love that once worked turning sour, while for Agathe, it is an exciting new love that promises to fulfill dreams. Neither Martin nor Agathe are simple or easily fooled, and Tomas turns himself into knots as he wheedles his way into their affections over and over, often playing on those dreams as he does. We sense that they know on some level they shouldn’t trust him, but people in love rarely think rationally. Director Sachs effectively keeps us on the edge of our seat, waiting to find out how this will all turn out, whose heart will be broken, who will get everything he/she wants, and if Tomas will pay a price for his chaos.

Director Ira Sachs’ film feels European, particularly French, as it explores this toxic romantic landscape, spinning around this self-absorbed director and his surprising hold on two different people. This drama centers on these two attractive, appealing people who are somehow fall under the spell of this self-absorbed, selfish character. Maybe it is the hypnosis of fame and talent, as we see the director finishing up his latest movie, a scene where he badgers an extra with no clear purpose. Except for a couple of references to screenings and a planned trip to Venice for the film festival near the end, we don’t get much feel for that allure.

While this is not your film if you don’t like films with unlikable central characters, PASSAGES is for you if you like hot and steamy sex scenes and casual nudity. The sex, gay and straight, is plentiful and graphic enough for that NC-17 rating. The scenes are erotic but they have a kind of mechanical aspect and emotional distance to them, so calling the scenes passionate might be misleading.

PASSAGES is set in Paris but we never see the expected iconic sights. It does immerse us in its social life, giving it a feel more like the view of the city of people who actually live there. The fashions, and use of color, are part of the film’s appeal, with the film’s visual aspect providing a kind of relief from the toxic behavior of the central character.

Rich photography gives the film a visual style that is as haunting as the story of these two nice people addicted to one impulsive man. The film uses blue and orange, in nearly every scene, opposite colors that seem to represent opposing forces, often with cool, steady peacock blue against a rich, wild deep orange. Ben Whishaw’s Martin, is often clothed in or surrounded by that deep, soothing peacock blue, suggesting his usually-calm personality and true-blue nature, until he and Tomas seem finished. In contrast, Rogowski’s Tomas and Exarchopoulos’ Agathe are often in orange, representing an opposite value of change and fiery feeling. On top of that, Tomas favors entertainingly unpredictable, outrageous fashion choices, which often seem geared to be expressions of his creative nature. At other times, they are glaringly wrong for the social situation, such as when he meets Agathe’s more traditional parents for the first time, showing up late and wearing a dragon-patterned, sheer cropped top paired with outrageous pants. It makes an impression, but not the reassuring one he told Agathe he wanted to make.

And yet, despite all that, PASSAGES is a worthwhile film, brilliantly-made and with fine, moving performances, that offers an intriguing, well-constructed film about people in toxic love.

PASSAGES, partly in French with English subtitles, opens Friday, August 11, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema and in other theaters nationally.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

WOMEN TALKING – Review

(l-r) Rooney Mara stars as Ona, Claire Foy as Salome, Judith Ivey as Agata, Sheila McCarthy as Greta, Michelle McLeod as Mejal and Jessie Buckley as Mariche, in director Sarah Polley’s film WOMEN TALKING. An Orion Pictures Release. Photo credit: Michael Gibson. © 2022 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

There is a lot of talk about WOMEN TALKING – awards talk. The title of this electrifying ensemble drama may suggest something tame but the fiery WOMEN TALKING is no polite, quiet chat but a deep, sarcastic, no-holds-barred, even funny, and thought-provoking discussion among a group of Mennonite women who are meeting secretly in a barn to talk about what to do after a series of brutal attacks on them.

Women in the colony have been waking up beaten, bloody and in pain, with no memory of what had happened. The men tell them they are being attacked by the devil, or maybe it is just “wild feminine imagination.” Until they catch an attacker – and discover it is men in their own colony who have been drugging and raping women in the night.

A brilliant ensemble cast is at the heart of this amazing drama, a cast that includes Frances McDormand, Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, and Judith Ivey, who fire-up director Sarah Polley’s screenplay. The screenplay is based on Miriam Toews’ novel, which in turn was based on real events that took place in a Mennonite community in Bolivia. Toews herself grew up in a Mennonite community, in Canada, which she left in her late teens, which gives her a deeper understanding of this community, But what transpires in this film goes well beyond this conservative religious community, offering a universal message on women’s rights and place in human society.

This is a fascinating, intelligent and engrossing drama, with deeply thought-provoking discussion among women with more widely differing opinions than we expect. They engage in the kind of electrifying conversation any thinking person would relish listening in on. The women in this restrictive male-dominated community may not have been taught to read or write, but they certainly have sharp brains and sharper tongues, which means this drama is filled with crackling, intelligent dialog. Their hard, practical lives incline them to plain speaking, and their voices get free rein away from men’s ears. Their sometimes-heated discussion includes a range of views, of fears and worries, and of practical matters, but also ranges into the profound, the spiritual, and the philosophical as they contemplate the changes they want for their future.

Waiting until the men have gone to town to bail out the attackers, who have been arrested, the women seize the little time they have to speak plainly and bluntly about what they are going to do. Only one man is present, the school teacher August (Ben Whishaw), an outsider whose mother was expelled from the colony for asking too many questions. August’s only reason for being there is to take the minutes, since the women can’t read or write. The women decide to take a vote on three choices: Do nothing and forgive the men, stay and fight for justice, or leave the colony.

But when the vote results in a tie between staying and fighting or leaving, the women face a ticking clock. They must decide before the men return.

When the vote narrows the women’s choices to two: staying and fighting for their rights or leaving the colony, a group of women directly involved in the attacks are chosen to decide which of the two choices it will be. As it happens, two families are represented. One is led by elder Agata (Judith Ivey), with her daughters Ona (Rooney Mara) and Salome (Claire Foy), and Neitje (Liv McNeil), a niece of Salome. The other is led by elder Greta (Sheila McCarthy), with her daughters Mariche (Jessie Buckley) and Mejal (Michelle McLeod), and Mariche’s daughter Autje (Kate Hallett). Frances McDormand’s character Scarface Janz is the elder of another family, represented the losing option of doing nothing. She and her daughter Anna (Kira Guloien) and granddaughter Helena (Shayla Brown) are included in the early part of the discussion. As an older woman with a widowed daughter and blind granddaughter, Scarface Janz feels the other choices are too a big a risk for her.

While there is violence behind the story, this is not a violent film. The attacks have already taken place before the women gather to talk, but the events are recapped briefly in an opening sequence (meaning one does not want to miss the film’s first few minutes). The attacks are alluded to in periodic flashbacks, but it is handled deftly without showing the violence, just shots with some blood in the aftermath.

The discussion is also not non-stop, broken up by both the flashbacks and glimpses of the world around them, particularly the children playing in the fields outside the barn. Breaks are taken, and there are private conversations. A wonderful score by Hildur Guonadottir also lightens the mood or deepens it. Breaks are taken, and there are private conversations. Cinematographer Luc Montpellier uses desaturated color, which gives that world an old-fashioned, sepia tone look, but one of great beauty as well.The film uses desaturated color, which gives that world an old-fashioned, sepia tone look, but one of great beauty as well. At one point, the outside world intrudes, when a census taker appears, in a comic and rather surreal bit.

Although the women are the main characters, there is one man present in the barn, August (Ben Whishaw) as the boys’ teacher, who is there only to write down what is said, since the women cannot read or write. August is considered an outsider but he is the son of a woman whose was expelled from that colony for asking too many questions. August returned after college, hired to be the colony’s teacher for the boys, but he also returned in part due to his feelings for Ona (Rooney Mara). August’s presence adds some balance to the perspective, representing a gentler kind of man and offering insights when asked about the future of their sons.

The ensemble cast presents a variety of viewpoints, and represent differing ages and concerns that influence those views. The two young girls who caught the attacker are adamant that the men cannot be forgiven, but they are also bored with all the talk, and play and prank as the discussion progresses. Some fear change, others fear their own rage. These deep discussions, often profound, always engrossing, and sometimes emotionally raw, range well beyond just these attacks and the concerns of this conservative religious community. But the discussions are sometimes punctuated with humor, and even with little petty conflicts.

The acting is superb throughout, in the ensemble scenes and more individual ones. Clarie Foy’s Salome and Jessie Buckley’s Mariche often face off, in fiery exchanges where both actresses shine, while the older women are often the peacemakers. Actually, the older actresses, Sheila McCarthy and Judith Ivey, are really the acting standouts, stealing scenes as McCarthy’s bird-like Greta teaches with fables about her two horses, while Ivey’s steady Agata often diffuse conflict by song or reminding the women to take a higher point-of-view.

WOMEN TALKING was inspired by real events, attacks that took place in a Mennonite community in South America, but the film is more universal. This striking drama debuted at the Toronto film festival, and since then, it has garnered both critical acclaim and awards, particularly for its sharp dialog and electrifying ensemble cast, along with strong Oscar buzz.

Don’t be put off by the title or the idea of women talking in a barn. There is plenty of emotional fire, wit, and intelligent discussion on women and society’s treatment of them, global topics for all to consider.

WOMEN TALKING opens Friday, Jan. 20, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of WOMEN TALKING

Screenwriter and director Sarah Polley’s latest feature film is WOMEN TALKING. Based on the best-selling novel by Miriam Toews, Women Talking follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men.

Starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand, see WOMEN TALKING In Theaters Everywhere January 20.

Advance Screening is Wednesday, January 18, 7:00pm at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.

Enter at the link below.

SWEEPSTAKES LINK: http://uareleasingscreenings.com/main/sweepstakes/fcJLl89106
Winners will be selected and notified next Friday.

PG-13 for mature thematic content including sexual assault, bloody images, and some strong language

Purchase your tickets for select theaters* today!

WT_02993_R4 (l-r.) Ben Whishaw stars as August, Rooney Mara as Ona and Claire Foy as Salome in director Sarah Polley’s film WOMEN TALKING An Orion Pictures Release Photo credit: Michael Gibson © 2022 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Daniel Craig in NO TIME TO DIE Back in IMAX Theaters This Weekend to Celebrate the 60th Year of Bond

In celebration of the 60^th anniversary of one of the longest running and most successful film franchises, James Bond, MGM and EON Productions will re-release No Time To Die in IMAX theaters nationwide beginning January 21^st. In honor of this historic milestone, Daniel Craig, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will participate in an exclusive Q&A ahead of select IMAX screenings on Friday, January 21^st. No Time To Die is the first James Bond film to be shot with IMAX film cameras and features more than an hour of scenes in IMAX-exclusive expanded aspect ratio. MGM has also created a special 60^th anniversary logo that will debut ahead of IMAX screenings. The critically acclaimed No Time To Die, which features Daniel Craig’s fifth and final performance as the eponymous British Secret Service Agent, has grossed more than $770M at the worldwide box office, making it one of the biggest grossing films of 2021.

‘Being James Bond’ Retrospective Film Available For First Time:

“No Time To Die, which was the only movie released last year to have sequences shot with IMAX Film Cameras, captured the attention of both critics and audiences alike when it was first released globally in theaters last fall, eventually becoming one of the biggest films of 2021,” said MGM’s Motion Picture Chairman Michael De Luca. “What better way to celebrate 007 turning 60 than to offer fans an opportunity to experience the film again in the most immersive theatrical environment.”

Cary Joji Fukunaga commented, “Shooting on 15 perf – IMAX film is the pinnacle of large format filmmaking – there is nothing out there to compare it to, not even the highest resolution digital cameras can render the color detail and breadth of those massive negative frames; I was excited beyond belief to be the first Bond director to work with these cameras and honored we could give Daniel’s 5^th Bond the sendoff he deserved, and audiences the maximum theatrical ride.”

Additionally, Being James Bond, a 45-minute retrospective film about Daniel Craig’s 15-year adventure playing 007, is available on YouTubefor the first time for audiences around the globe to enjoy. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to No Time To Die, in Being James Bond, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with James Bond producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

WAMG Giveaway: Win the Blu-ray of NO TIME TO DIE – The Extraordinary 25th Installment of the James Bond Series

“If we don’t do this, there will be nothing left to save!”

THE TOP-GROSSING HOLLYWOOD FILM OF THE PANDEMIC ERA AT THE INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE IS YOURS TO OWN. BRING BOND HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND EXPERIENCE NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN BONUS CONTENT. OWN IT ON 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY AND DVD COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS DECEMBER 21, 2021 FROM EON PRODUCTIONS, METRO GOLDWYN MAYER (MGM) & UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

Daniel Craig delivers the “best Bond we’ve ever had” (IGN) and a “stunning and surprising finale” (Empire) in NO TIME TO DIE, the extraordinary 25^th installment of the James Bond series, available to own for the first time on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD Collector’s Editions on December 21, 2021 from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Generating more than $700 million worldwide and Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, fans can now bring home NO TIME TO DIE in time for the holidays with more than an hour of bonus content exploring the action, spectacle and stunts. With highlights including the Being James Bond 45-minute retrospective on 4K Ultra HD and four exclusive and exciting featurettes, viewers can go behind-the-scenes of the film and deeper into the “thrilling and emotional” (Deadline) legacy of Daniel Craig’s 007.

Now you can win the Win the Blu-ray of NO TIME TO DIE. We Are Movie Geeks has one to give away. Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite 007 movie is (I’d say ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. It’s so easy!)

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

NO TIME TO DIE returns Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s James Bond alongside OSCAR® winner Rami Malek. 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.

NO TIME TO DIE stars Daniel Craig (Spectre, Skyfall), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody, “Mr. Robot”), Léa Seydoux (The French Dispatch, Spectre, Blue is the Warmest Color), Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), Ben Whishaw (Spectre, Cloud Atlas), Naomie Harris (Spectre, Venom), with Jeffrey Wright (Spectre, Broken Flowers), Christoph Waltz (Spectre, Inglourious Basterds), and Ralph Fiennes (Spectre, The Grand Budapest Hotel).

BONUS FEATURES on 4K UHD, BLU-RAY^TM and dvd:

ANATOMY OF A SCENE: MATERA – In true Bond fashion, there is an incredible pre-credit sequence featured in No Time To Die. A breathless chase shot in Matera that starts on foot, then motorcycle, then car. Not just any car either – the iconic Aston Martin DB5! Through interviews with Daniel Craig and director Cary Joji Fukunaga, plus on-set interviews with key members of the crew, we discover how the filmmakers shot this breathtaking sequence.
KEEPING IT REAL: THE ACTION OF NO TIME TO DIE – In a world full of CGI-heavy action films, the Bond franchise proudly stands out from the crowd for always shooting practical stunts, without the use of special effects. In this piece we see how No Time To Die continues with this tradition with its amazing action sequences.
A GLOBAL JOURNEY – Exotic locations are synonymous with all Bond movies and No Time To Die is no different. As well as returning to Bond’s spiritual home, Jamaica, for Daniel Craig’s final outing, we also go on a global journey taking in Italy, Norway and Scotland. We’ll hear from Daniel Craig, Cary Fukunaga, other key cast and filmmakers, on what it was like filming at these spectacular locations.
DESIGNING BOND – Production designer Mark Tildesley and costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb, along with cast and other filmmakers, discuss the inspiration, challenges and trials of concepting and making such remarkable sets and costumes for the iconic Bond franchise.
BEING JAMES BOND* – In this special 45-minute retrospective, Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15-year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, in the lead up to his final performance as James Bond.

*4K UHD Only

NO TIME TO DIE will be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray^™ and DVD.

4K Ultra HD delivers the ultimate movie watching experience, featuring the combination of 4K resolution and the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR).
Blu-ray^™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.

007 Daniel Craig Gets His Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony – NO TIME TO DIE Opens This Weekend

“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

Catch 007 In New Trailer For NO TIME TO DIE

On the 3rd of March MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced “that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12, 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the US launch on November 25, 2020.”

Jump to the 3rd of September.

007 is back in the brand new trailer for NO TIME TO DIE, hitting cinemas on November 20. From director Cary Joji Fukunaga, the movie stars 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.

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.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Paloma (Ana de Armas) in NO TIME TO DIE an EON Productions and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios film Credit: Nicola Dove © 2020 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Score Album on DECCA RECORDS

Official Website: https://www.007.com
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YouTube: James Bond 007

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD – Review

As the temps show little signs of cooling (and Fall’s less than four weeks away), another way to pass the hours in the “great indoors” (a very familiar locale for the last five months or so) is to scoop up a beloved literary classic, blow the dust off, and dive right in to revisit another faraway time. Or, for those more adventurous folk, head down to the just reopened movie theatres for the latest big-screen adaptation. Yes, this work has inspired countless artists over its 170 plus years’ history. One such writer/filmmaker, who’s been quite the award magnet in televised media over the last couple of decades, has decided to put his “spin” on this classic to both honor the original tome and breathe “new life” into it for today’s movie audiences. That may account for his “addition” to the title (which had been just the main character’s moniker in most editions), THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD.

This “history” actually starts with the adult David (Dev Patel) using a slide projector to take an appreciative theatre audience back to the time of his birth. Recent widow Clara Copperfield (Morfydd Clark) is briefly distracted from excruciating labor by the whirlwind arrival of her dotty aunt Betsey Trotwood (Tilda Swinton), who just as quickly departs upon learning of the infant’s gender (she was counting on a girl). Fortunately, mother and her servant Pegotty (Daisy May Cooper) dote on the infant. Things get much more complicated when Clara marries the humorless Mr. Murdstone (Darren Boyd) who brings along his equally unpleasant sister Jane (Gwendoline Christie). Luckily little David (Ranveer Jaiswal) is taken on a holiday with Pegotty to visit her brother Daniel (Paul Whitehouse) who works the docks with his adopted kids Ham (Anthony Welsh) and sweet Emily (Aimee Kelly). A big plus, they all live in an old beached boat. Life isn’t as fun when David returns home to the teaching and vicious punishments of Murdstone, who promptly sends him off to London to toil as a wine-bottler. Here too, he gets a taste of happy home life when he is sent to live with the poor, but fun Mr. Micawber (Peter Capaldi) and his raucous large clan. It all comes to an end when the Murdochs arrive to inform David (now Patel) of his mother’s passing. Distraught with rage he somehow walks to his Aunt Betsey’s estate. She welcomes him and he soon becomes good friends with their distant relative, the eccentric but sensible Mr. Dick (Hugh Laurie). But he must continue his education, so Betsey enrolls him in a boys prep school run by the tipsy Mr. Wickfield (Benedict Wong) and his good-hearted daughter Agnes (Rosalind Eleazar). There David makes friends with both the rich, cocky Steerforth (Aneurin Barnard), and the school’s strange, self-deprecating custodian Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw). As David matures he falls in love with Dora (Ms. Clark again), thwarts a financial crime, and pursues his dream of writing a great novel.

As you see, the film follows HAMILTON with its “color-blind” casting, using actors of many different ethnicities and races to interpret the classic roles. With that, we’re treated to a most passionate performance by Patel as the lead. He utilizes his superb comic skills along with a lanky physicality, often recalling the great silent film clowns. And when he falls in love, Patel does a full-on deep dive. Ditto for his “mini-me”, the endearing Jaiswall who behaves as though every place is a new part of “Wonderland”. The rest of Dickens’ classic characters are an actor’s dream, and this extraordinary cast makes them feel fresh and new. Swinton is a zany whirlwind as Betsey, from chasing away the dreaded donkeys from her land (she knocks riders to the ground) to distracting Wickfield away from her well-stocked globe full of booze. She’s got a great “dancing partner’ in the deliciously loopy Laurie who rambles about Charles the First while toting a big cumbersome kite (his work is reminiscent of his many roles on the various incarnation of TV’s “Blackadder”). Perhaps the most endearing Dickens creation may be Micawber who is played with charm to spare by the buoyant Capaldi (the last of the male Who doctors) as a doting dad and lovable rascal always short of cash but towering with heart. On the subject of great comic turns, kudos to Clark who steals so many scenes as the completely daffy Dora (talking through her pup Jip), after pulling on our heartstrings as the loving but doomed Clara. The film’s most subtle but compelling standout might be Whishaw whose bowing manner and Moe Howard hairstyle hide a truly devilishly devious mastermind. Whishaw’s odd demeanor and swirling beady eyes inject an off-kilter menace to even a friendly snack of “heavy” cake.

Oh, the award-winning creative force behind this? None other than Armando Iannucci, who we’ve not seen on the big screen since 2017’s THE DEATH OF STALIN, though he’s been very busy at HBO finishing up the political satire “Veep” and starting up the sci-fi spoof “Avenue 5”. With this adaptation he’s shaken up the story a bit, trimming some characters while fiddling with the plot mechanics in order to bring things to a most satisfying conclusion in just two hours’ time. Aside from starting with a flash-forward Iannucci has incorporated several startling cinematic devices, changing scenes using some CGI trickery, often bulldozing the “fourth wall” to have David address us and his own child- self, and tossing in some narrative bits right from Broadway (at one point the actors’ backdrop is replaced by a projected sequence). As with his past works, Ianucci relies on rapid-fire dialogue (he co-wrote the script with Simon Blackwell) dropping gags with precision accuracy, but he also displays a terrific knack for choreographing wild bits of slapstick chaos, highlighted as Micawber’s home is under siege from creditors, their hands reaching through windows as they literally try to re-take the carpet right under his feet. And all the while he doesn’t short-change the drama and pathos of this man’s “history”. Add a sweeping score from Christopher Willis, dazzling cinematography from Zac Nicholson, plus costumes, art direction, and sets from artists and craftspeople at the “top of their game”, well, you’ve got a story from nearly two centuries ago that feels vibrant and alive, putting you right in the “moment”. THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD is an exceptional cinematic experience.

Three and a Half Out of Four

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