Tag: chris pine

WISH – Review

So most of the big animation studios have sent us their big 2023 features already. Last weekend Dreamworks sent out those music-lovin’ TROLLS into the multiplex, while Sony “kicked off” the flood of flicks early this Summer with another trek across the Spider-Verse, followed quickly by the fine folks at Pixar with their ELEMENTAL. Yes, they’re still a Disney “brand”, but what about the big “kahuna, the “Mouse House” themselves? Though they suffered from a major stumble with STRANGE WORLD last Winter, they’re bouncing back in a big way. After all, it’s the official 100th anniversary, so this is a return and in many ways a tribute to, the fantasy themes that were such a big part of those original full-length films. Thinking about it that way, the title makes a whole lotta’ sense because the plot of many of them centered around a WISH.

In a knowing nod to those classics, this film begins with a massive book of fairy tales. It opens up to tell us the history of the Mediterranean island named Rosas founded by Queen Amaya (voice of Angelique Cabral) and King Magnifico (Chris Pine). He uses his knowledge of magic and sorcery to collect the wishes of his citizens on their 18th birthday, with the promise that he’ll make one of them come true at an annual ceremony. A year away from her special day, young Asha (Ariana DeBose) is excited to audition to become Magnifico’s apprentice. Her widowed mother Sakina (Natasha Rockwell) is excited as are her friends who work at the royal bakery center. But the most thrilled may be Asha’s now 100-year-old grandfather Sabino (Victor Garber) who hopes that his wish will be granted. But things don’t do well at the interview with Magnifico, as Asha learns Magnifico’s sinister secret. He doesn’t return ungranted wishes so that they are not remembered by his subjects, who can now be in his complete control. Naturally, Asha isn’t picked and tries to tell her family about the plot (they don’t think their king is capable of that). And so, Asha proclaims her wish to the sparkling night sky…and gets an answer. An apple-sized glowing star-shaped orb glides down to her. Asha is unbelieving until it sprinkles stardust on her pet goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk) giving him the “gift of gab”. Aha, can this “star” aid Asha in retrieving Sabino’s wish from the castle? But what happens when Magnifico learns of this rival and decides to unleash his dark magic? If so, can there be a “happily ever after” for Rosas?

This newest animated musical fable soars due to the expert vocal talents behind the original characters. Aside from the occasional televised awards show, talented Oscar-winner DeBose hasn’t gotten a chance to truly showcase her impressive singing “chops” until her work here as the story’s plucky-spirited heroine, Asha. She has a warm rapport with the supporting players, especially Garber as sweet Sabino, then really “blows the roof off” with her powerful rendition of the “power ballads” (combining an intro song with the “I want” anthem is very inspiring). She’s nearly matched by an actor we’ve known mostly for essaying action heroes and heartthrobs. Eschewing any sense of nobility, Pine sounds like he’s having a blast as the vain, arrogant, power-hungry Magnifico with his sneer echoing through his terrific crooning (he’s not let his pipes “rust” so long after INTO THE WOODS) of “evil scheme declarations”, making “This is the Thanks I Get” a real showstopper. Much of the laughs are provided by Disney Animation regular (much like John Ratzenberger at Pixar, he’s a “good luck charm”) Tudyk as the new very verbose Valentino, the baby goat whose voice is not cutesy, but a great satire of the theatre classical “overacting” (okay, the goat’s more of a ham). the rest of the supporting players are top-notch with the standout being Harvey Guillen as the most dour of the seven castle bakers (hmm, why that number).

Aside from the vocal cast, the biggest ‘star” (aside from the mute glowing pixie) is the nostalgic look of the whole film. The art evokes classic illustrations from adored children’s literature, especially with the pastel hues of the settings of Rosas, mainly the castle of the royales. This seamlessly extends to the looks of the characters, with the pixels (this is CGI rather than the classic 2D pencil-drawn) having the feel of gauche, dyes, and specifically watercolor, with outlines that appear to be crisp thin brushstrokes or colored pencil (even to Asha’s many freckles). Kudos to the directing team of veteran Chris Buck and feature “newbie” Fawn Veerasunthorn for curating this look for the dozens of artisans and for pacing the story briskly with splendid ‘staging” of the songs. They’re quite pleasant and “hummable”, though there are no “breakouts” like “Let it Go” or “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. Of course, they couldn’t “sell” the tunes without the deft animation “acting” crafted from the main humans to the engaging forest critters. This is a return to “form” that benefits from the many “callbacks” to the classic “vault treasures”, from the opening title’s use of the original decorative font to the “winks” throughout, to the lovely ”starlight-outline”roster over the end credits. For those in need of a bit of that Disney “stardust magic”, this new feature may have you feeling as though they granted your WISH.

3.5 Out of 4

WISH is now playing in theatres everywhere

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES – Review

Chloe Coleman plays Kira, Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga, Chris Pine plays Edgin, Justice Smith plays Simon and Sophia Lillis plays Doric in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves from Paramount Pictures and eOne.

So, it appears that the Spring of 2023 may just be recalled as the season of big movies based on toys (I know BARBIE is still several months away). Well, maybe not toys as much as games. The TETRIS movie is streaming, and that plumbing duo returns next week, but this new/reboot flick harkens back to those pre-video game olden days. It’s not based on a board game (the box office dud BATTLESHIP may prevent another one for a while), but rather the “in-between” era. This is based on the big role-playing game juggernaut that swept the nation about 40 or so years ago. Sure there was a big studio adaptation way back in 2000 and a couple of minor sequels followed. Ah, but now it’s time to start fresh with an all-star cast to “roll the dice” for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES.

The saga actually starts in the prison known as Revel’s End where an escape occurs during a meeting of the pardon review judges. This happens after we hear the tale of the “bard” Edgin (Chris Pine) who fell from grace as a member of the noble spies, the Harpers when his beloved wife was slain by the feared and despised Red Wizards. Luckily he befriends an exiled barbarian, Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) who helps him raise his baby daughter Kira. Soon the duo becomes part of an honorable (no-killing) band of thieves that includes sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), rogue Forge (High Grant), and his mystic partner Sofina (Daisy Head). Edgin wants no part of a dangerous heist planned by Forge until word leaks out that part of the treasure is a resurrection tablet that would bring back Edgin’s wife. This leads to his and Holga’s capture, imprisonment, and now escape and on the run. The duo journeys to Neverwinter where Forge has been elected the land’s Lord and is raising teenage Kira (Chloe Coleman) with Sofina’s help. Ah, but Forge has poisoned Kira against her dad, then arranges for the duo’s demise. The two evade the chopping axe and dash away to form a new band to return to Neverwinter and take the riches (including that tablet) from Forge’s magically fortified vault. Edgin and Holga reunite with Simon who suggests that they enlist his former paramour, the Druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) for the quest. Ah, but the vault’s spell is too powerful and Simon needs a device to open it. It is an enchanted helmet. With the help of the paladin Xenk (Rege-Jean Page), they retrieve it. But even with this in hand, can this motley crew survive the forces of Neverwinter before the deadly masterplan of Forge and Sofina dooms Kira and all of the realm’s denizens?

And, just who should be considered the “leader” of this earlier mentioned “all-star” cast (though his character would insist on “planner”)? Probably the former Captain Kirk and Amazon beau, Pine as the lovable scoundrel (much like Han Solo), Edgin. Pine projects the needed amount of “daring do” and a big helping of knowing snark, though it’s tempered with Edgin’s deep loss. He’s a thief who has been robbed of his soulmate, but he won’t lose the child born of their love. Pine’s Edgin makes a good comic team with Rodriguez’s often stoic sullen Holga. It’s a splendid physical performance as her body language is close to a fierce coiled animal, one that strikes out with swift, deadly force when pushed. Oddly Rodriguez also gives her a nurturing tenderness as she becomes a big sister/mentor to Kira and later as she is haunted by her own lost love (fabulous cameo alert). Also balancing the comic and heroic is Smith as the often overwhelmed Simon, whose wizardry needs a big boost of confidence, as he tempers expectations (“Magic has its limits!!”). It doesn’t help that his “big romantic crush” is fighting alongside him. Lillis as the equally gifted Doric is more bold and brave, and appears a bit puzzled and charmed by Simon’s flirtation, while she puts up a stern, unyielding front. Though he joins the team briefly, Page seems to be having a lot of fun skewering his heroic heartthrob image as the “too-noble-to-be-true” Xenk (here’s a TV “deep dive as he was almost a swashbuckler take on Tom Sellek’s Lance White on the mush-loved “The Rockford Files”) who is a constant thorn in Edgin’s side. Oh, but he’s not having as much fun as Grant whose Forge always has a twinkle in his crafty eyes as pulls a con on everyone in sight. Who knew that Mr. 90’s Romcom” would age into such an engaging villain? He’s aided by Head as the creepy, sinister Sofina and the assured Coleman as the conflicted confused Kira.

Well, will you be completely lost if you’ve never seen the previous films, the 80s CBS Saturday morning cartoon (look for a knowing nod to it), or even picked up the multi-sided dice? If you’re like me, then not at all. Happily, this is a spirited and imaginative fast-paced all-ages ride that blends more bits of humor with the atmosphere of the LOTR franchise, though it’s blessed with brevity. That may be largely due to the creative duo behind the camera, who also wrote the screenplay from the story by Chris McKay and Michael Gillio. After some terrific recent movie comedies (GAME NIGHT deserved better at the box office), Johnathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (who is also a talented actor, having played the D&D-loving Sam Weir in the adored one-season TV wonder “Freaks and Geeks”) prove quite adept with fantasy adventure (did I mention they worked on the script to SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING), by delivering a witty grand experience, an unexpected charmer. Now there are superb action sequences galore, but some of the comedy bits are just as memorable (all I’ll say is “quizzing corpses”). Really, it didn’t have to be this good, but you’ll be happy it is. One thing that gave me a big smile was the great use of “practical effects”. In most fantasy/SF flicks today, every weird creature is made of pixels. For this, many life-sized creature suits and masks were made by skilled craftsmen and expert puppeteers (much like in the 1980s when the first Conan film started a “B-movie” boom). Mind you, there’s plenty of CGI, but it’s done with style and never detracts. Doric is an expert shapeshifter who uses this gift to spy on the baddies in an amazing chase sequence (she’s also a fearsome fun “owl-bear”). The costumes are eye-popping the locations are lovely. If they can keep up this level of quality, then let’s hope that a new family film franchise is launched by the entrancing DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES. Huzzah!


3.5 Out of 4


DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES is now playing in theatres everywhere

DON’T WORRY DARLING – Review

(L-R) FLORENCE PUGH as Alice and HARRY STYLES as Jack in New Line Cinema’s “DON’T WORRY DARLING,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved

Florence Pugh follows up her successes in BLACK WIDOW, LITTLE WOMEN and MIDSOMMER with a role as a housewife in a candy-colored 1950s-style planned community in DON’T WORRY, DARLING, actor-turned-director Olivia Wilde’s second feature and her follow-up to BOOK SMART. Harry Styles plays Pugh’s husband Jack, who works at a isolated desert research facility doing mysterious top-secret work, while Alice (Florence Pugh) stays home cleaning, shopping and drinking poolside with the other wives at their home in the planned suburban community of Victory.

The film opens with a wild cocktail party, with the women in cinched waist ’50s dresses and men in the era’s casual shirts, downing martinis like water in a chic mid-century ranch house. The next morning, the smiling wives cook breakfast before sending their men off to work in a synchronized exit of candy-colored, chromed cars from the desert subdivision, before the wives start on their day of housework and shopping.

Something DON’T WORRY DARLING does brilliantly is capture the mid-century period look, from the tiny-waisted, full-skirted dresses in colorful floral patterns to sleek chrome-trimmed light wood furniture to the “futuristic” chrome-trimmed cars. Other fine mid-century period touches in the sets and the spot-on look of the subdivision houses and yards complete the image. The impressive art direction and Florence Pugh’s strong performance, showcased well by director Olivia Wilde, are the main reasons to see this clever if imperfect science fiction drama-thriller. A nicely underplayed, sympathetic performance by Harry Styles adds a perfect grace note.

The “Stepford Wives” vibe is palpable right from the start, with all the smiling conformity and polished surface perfection, so we know something must be lurking under the surface. The film quickly creates the look and feel of a Douglas Sirk movie crossed with Sam Mendes’ 2008 REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, of a conformist, male-centric world that seems perfect on the surface – at least for some – but walking a tight-rope of hidden tensions. “Ideal” planned communities like this one were a real thing in the ’50s and early ’60s, born of post-WWII optimism, where everything was planned out and color-matched, with people who fit in as exactly as the coordinating-color mid-century ranch houses. That this community development is isolated in a remote desert locations next to the facility where the men all work (and it is only the men who work), where a company is doing some kind of secret work, completes the picture. There are hints of a big project the company works on, maybe a military contract, and again, the Manhattan Project and Cold War nukes spring to mind.

The prosperous planned community is led by Victory’s charismatic CEO Frank (Chris Pine) and his elegant wife Shelley (Gemma Chan). Director Olivia Wilde also appears in the film as a neighbor named Bunny.

But only a few minutes in, and one scene upends some of our assumptions about Victory. Alice and her neighbor wives are participating in an exercise class when a Black woman bursts in. Everyone turns and stares, and we expect racist outrage typical of the segregated 1950s. But no, they all know her, she is a neighbor named Margaret (Kiki Layne), and what is causing the dropped jaws is her distraught emotional state. Clearly, she is losing it but it is not sympathy that greets her but a gossipy, get-a-grip discomfort. Apparently she has been struggling with a trauma but the community would rather it be covered up and ignored, so they can get back to cocktail hour in typical ’50s style.

The scene reveals things may not be quite what they seem but even if we are not in the past, there is still plenty of the era here. And there is more to come in this science fiction tale. DON’T WORRY DARLING is a clever idea, and although not everything is perfect in this film, Florence Pugh darn well is.

Florence Pugh is the main reason to see this film (along with the polished art direction), although it does offer an interesting sci-fi fantasy tale with a femme-centric bent. Pugh dominates every scene, capturing the right combination of dewy young ’50s housewife innocence and a sense of a person with more depth, heart and curiosity than some of the other Stepford-like wives. While the other wives are unrelentingly critical of the neighbor who is losing it, Pugh’s soft-hearted Alice wants to extend more understanding and even tries to reach out to her on her own. But what the troubled neighbor says is both confusing and disturbing, and involves breaking some of the Victory company’s fundamental rules, rules that are required of families working on their secret project and are conditions of the well-paid, comfortable life in the planned community.

While the husbands drive cars to work, the wives ride a trolley, which takes them to the town’s shopping, schools, gym and so forth. The trolley travels out to the edge of town, beyond which is desert, which they are told is dangerous. They are told not to venture into it, for their own safety, and also not to approach Victory’s headquarters. lest they endanger the secret work. There are sometimes earthquake-like events, and the specter of something like underground nuclear weapons testing looms, but questions are forbidden under the secrecy rules.

We watch as Pugh’s Alice’s open heart, curiosity and her previously untapped brains lead her down paths that threaten to uncover what is hidden and upset. More cracks in the facade open with the arrival of a new couple, with Sydney Chandler as Violet, a shy, dark-haired Audrey Hepburn-ish wife.

Pugh handles Alice’s shifting emotional state and evolving character with impressive mastery. As we see Pugh’s Alice drawn into the mystery, her husband Jack becomes unsettled. While Jack remains supportive and loving, others in the community start to change. Harry Styles is perfect in the role of Jack, stepping back and letting the powerhouse Pugh shine, by not getting in her way. Early in this film’s development, there was talk of casting Shia LaBeouf in this role, an actor who likely would have battled Pugh for audience attention, but the right casting choice was made. Harry Styles’ sweeter, low-key performance makes a more poignant and effective film.

However, not everything is perfect in Olivia Wilde’s sci-fi drama, a big departure from her first BOOK SMART, and the film starts stronger than it finishes. Close attention is needed to what is said in later scenes to unravel the mystery but the story is resolved well in the end.

Still, DON’T WORRY DARLING is a worthwhile film, as Florence Pugh continues her rocket rise with another strong performance, and Olivia Wilde demonstrates her skill with a film that is a marked departure from her first. Add in a nice performance for the Harry Styles fans (including a surprise dance sequence) plus visual delights of the polished mid-century landscape and a femme-empowering sci-fi tale, and you get entertainment value enough to satisfy.

DON’T WORRY DARLING opens Friday, Sept. 23 in theaters.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES Kicks Of Comic-Con With New Trailer Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith And Hugh Grant

The first trailer for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES kicked off San Diego Comic-Con in Hall H today with the world debut of the new trailer.

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.  Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.

The cast includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant.

In 2020, directors Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, known for directing Game Night and writing Horrible Bosses and Spider-Man: Homecoming, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the next steps for D&D.

Does your vision for Dungeons & Dragons feel like a natural evolution for you in terms of the humor you’ve put into recent projects like Spider-Man: Homecoming and Game Night?

Goldstein: We want it to be fun. It’s not an out and out comedy, but it is an action-fantasy movie with a lot of comedic elements and characters we hope people will really get into and enjoy watching their adventures.

Daley: D&D is such a unique look at the fantasy genre where it is contemporary in terms of the people playing it and the way they speak to each other. So we never wanted to spoof the genre of fantasy or take the piss out of it. But we did want to find another way into it that we hadn’t necessarily seen before. Just the format of Dungeons & Dragons is so interesting and fun and all about critical thinking and thinking on your feet and figuring out ways to make things work after they fall flat. There’s a lot of the spirit of that that we’re trying to inject into the movie itself.

Justice Smith plays Simon, Sophia Lillis plays Doric, Chris Pine plays Edgin and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor
Among Thieves from Paramount Pictures.

The film and journey happen in theaters next year on March 3, 2023.

Based on HASBRO’S DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

Chris Pine plays Edgin and Regé-Jean Page plays Xenk in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves from Paramount Pictures.

First Look At Harry Styles And Florence Pugh In DON’T WORRY DARLING

Getting a lot of attention is Harry Styles upcoming film, DON’T WORRY DARLING, from director Olivia Wilde. The first trailer hit today. Check it out now.

From New Line Cinema comes “Don’t Worry Darling,” directed by Olivia Wilde (“Booksmart”) and starring Florence Pugh (Oscar-nominated for “Little Women”), Harry Styles (“Dunkirk”), Wilde (upcoming “Babylon”), Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”), KiKi Layne (“The Old Guard”) and Chris Pine (“All the Old Knives”).

Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) are lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950’s societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Pine)—equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach—anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia.

While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives—including Frank’s elegant partner, Shelley (Chan)—get to spend their time enjoying the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their community. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is discretion and unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause.

But when cracks in their idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade, Alice can’t help questioning exactly what they’re doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in this paradise?

An audacious, twisted and visually stunning psychological thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling” is a powerhouse feature from director Olivia Wilde that boasts intoxicating performances from Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, surrounded by the impressive and pitch-perfect cast.

The film also stars Nick Kroll (“How It Ends”), Sydney Chandler (“Pistol”), Kate Berlant (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”), Asif Ali (“WandaVision”), Douglas Smith (“Big Little Lies”), Timothy Simons (“Veep”) and Ari’el Stachel (upcoming “Respect the Jux”).

Wilde directs from a screenplay penned by her “Booksmart” writer Katie Silberman, based on a story by Carey Van Dyke & Shane Van Dyke (“Chernobyl Diaries”) and Silberman. The film is produced by Wilde, Silberman, Miri Yoon and Roy Lee, with Richard Brener, Celia Khong, Alex G. Scott, Catherine Hardwicke, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke executive producing.

Wilde is joined behind the camera by two-time Oscar-nominated director of photography Matthew Libatique (“A Star Is Born,” “Black Swan”), production designer Katie Byron (“Booksmart”), editor Affonso Gonçalves (“The Lost Daughter”), Oscar-nominated composer John Powell (“Jason Bourne”), music supervisor Randall Poster (“No Time to Die”) and costume designer Arianne Phillips (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”).

A New Line Cinema presentation, “Don’t Worry Darling” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on September 23, 2022 and internationally beginning 21 September 2022.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES – Review

Thandiwe Newton in ALL THE OLD KNIVES. Courtesy of Amazon.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES is an intense political thriller with a relatively unusual framework. Eight years before the principal action, terrorists hijacked a commercial plane in Europe and wound up killing themselves and over 100 others. We learn that from the get-go. The mystery comes from newly-discovered evidence that there may have been a mole in the CIA who contributed to that disastrous failure. The head honcho Victor Wallinger (Laurence Fishburne) assigns his top agent Henry Pelham (Chris Pine) to head up this new inquiry. Primary suspects among his old colleagues are his then-girlfriend Celia Harrison (Thandiwe Newton) and their veteran department head Bill Compton (Jonathan Pryce).

Pine approaches the task with great reluctance. Newton left him and the spy biz right after the incident, morphing into a suburban mom. Pine still pines for her from afar. The screenplay includes many flashbacks to the time of the tragedy, showing different perspectives and collateral relationships and transactions that may or may not prove who was culpable. Beyond that, the less you know the more intense and suspenseful the viewing will be.

Director Janus Metz and his editing team did well at bouncing us between the film’s then and now without losing coherence. Good work also from the makeup and wardrobe crews makes the casts’ ages look appropriately different for the two periods presented. Among performances, Fishburne’s fans won’t get to see much of their guy. Pine plays it appropriately blank, telegraphing little of his character’s agenda, like a good spy should. Newton is the one who shines brightest, as she continues to defy the calendar. Though closing in on 50, in scenes of that earlier period, she looks no older than her early thirties, even in the less-clad moments.

The film is based on Olen Steinhauer’s source novel and screenplay. I haven’t read the book, but I’d bet his adaptation preserved its best in the transition to our screens. The script is taut, low-key and keeps us guessing until the end. The story presents more emotional layers and complexities than most espionage films. Not only are the embers of Pine and Newton’s old romance in play, but many other friendships and alliances that were meaningful to the players beyond their professional dimension. There’s less action than in most genre entries (no Jason Bourne heroics) but it’s offset by the suspense and tensions throughout Pine’s investigation, resulting in a highly realistic, human-scale package. If you’re seeking entertainment more cerebral than visceral, this one’s a solid choice.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES opens in theaters and streaming on Amazon Prime on Friday, Apr. 8.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

THE CONTRACTOR (2022) – Review

Just a few weeks after the release of the armed forces “dramedy” DOG, Hollywood calls upon another of its “hunkiest” action stars/leading men to don the “camo” and “gear up”. Now there’s no specially trained canines to chase after in this film, but like Channing Tatum’s Briggs, this movie’s focus wants desperately to get “back in” and rejoin his “band of brothers” in the current “hot spot”. If only he was given a road trip/mission like Briggs. That’s the main reason his “title” changes. He’s not “the soldier”, but rather THE CONTRACTOR.


That “warrior” is named James (Chris Pine), who is still considered “wounded”. We first see him in his early morning routine in order to get his body back into fighting shape after taking a bullet to his right knee in his last tour of duty. But the jogging and the weightlifting “reps’ at his cabin “sanctuary” deep in the woods aren’t enough, prompting a few “injection enhancements. Unfortunately, the “docs” at the local military camp are able to detect his “juicing” and Jim is officially discharged from Special Forces. So how will he be able to keep the home he shares with nursing student/wife Brianne (Gillian Jacobs) and their pre-teen son Jack (Sander Thomas)? As the “past due” notices pile up and debt collectors fill their answering machine, James is enticed by a visit with his old “grunt buddy” Mike (Ben Foster). Seems that Mike has been earning loads of cash by offering his “special skills” as a military contractor, who “slips in under the radar”. He puts James in contact with the director of the contracting company, another vet named Rusty (Keifer Sutherland), who offers a nice “gig”. Despite Brianne’s pleading, James gets his gear in working order and joins Mike in an undercover assignment in Berlin. They’ve got to ‘scoop up” a radical scientist that’s creating biological weapons. And though the plan is simple, several things go “sideways’ as James is separated from the team and becomes a “loose end” to be “severed”, As his wound acts up can James keep himself alive and somehow make it back to the states?


Taking a break from the twin “tentpole” franchises that are WONDER WOMAN and STAR TREK, Pine proves that he can get “down and dirty” as a “working Joe”/action hero carrying (he may be in every scene) this grim “grabbed from the headline” dramatic thriller. James is no “super-soldier” as he winces in pain pushing his battered body in the opening “getting back in shape” sequence. But that’s merely a prelude to the agony to come. First up is humiliation and frustration as his military “home” pushes him aside adding extra tension to his actual home as Pine shows us the worry closing in on James as forces “pick him clean”, making him to grasp at any lifeline, no matter how shady. And when the “payday” goes awry PIne shows us how James tries to ignore his old and new wounds while holding on to his moral code which further complicates his survival. As usual Foster is solid as the old cohort Mike who may not be completely open about their new “C.O.” and recruiters. Sutherland slathers on the “fatherly charm” and “gung ho” encouragement as he binds James with a promise of quick moola with little risk. Jacobs is a welcome addition to the story, but her Brianne is later regulated to the cliched “spouse on the phone” when the story shifts into “chase and elude mode”. Though introduced close to the big finale, Eddie Marsan is a welcome supporting player as the mysterious Virgil who comes to the aid of the battered James.

The script from J.P. Davis switches gears from domestic drama to globetrotting thriller, a detour carefully executed by director Tarik Saleh, who knows when to concentrate on character and when to “amp up” the tension and plunge us, alongside James, into the “danger zone”. He makes excellent use of the overseas locales as James and Mike stalk their “target”, then slowly lets us in on the “truth”. The “hand-to-hand” throwdowns are staged and shot effectively, while the “fire fights’ are filled with moments of chaos and calamity. Unfortunately, the real villains and motivations fall “into place” too cleanly and the last act denouncements and showdowns seem too rushed, letting the story seem too familiar to any number of military action “potboilers”. The first-rate cast can’t quite elevate the “plot beats” making THE CONTRACTOR an intermittingly engaging but quickly forgettable modern-day “shoot em up”.

2 Out of 4

THE CONTRACTOR opens in select theatres and is available as a video-on-demand beginning on Friday, April 1, 2022

Patty Jenkins’ WONDER WOMAN 1984 Opening On Christmas In Theaters And HBO Max

WONDER WOMAN 1984 will open in theaters and debut simultaneously on HBO Max on Christmas.

Director Patty Jenkins announced the news on Twitter.

Official press release:

Today we announced that Wonder Woman 1984, the eagerly anticipated tentpole film by Patty Jenkins — with Gal Gadot and Chris Pine reprising their roles as Diana Prince and Steve Trevor — is going to be released worldwide in theaters on December 25th. In the United States, we will also be making this remarkable movie available on HBO Max at no extra cost the same day that Wonder Woman 1984 premieres in theaters, for the first month of the film’s release.

For a movie of this scale, this is unprecedented. Given that, we wanted to share some context.  

 There are many things that factor into a decision like this:

  • The pandemic. 
  • Our belief in the theatrical experience and, to that end, the importance of exhibitors. 
  • Our mission to be strong and supportive partners to Patty, Gal, producer Chuck Roven and the entire Wonder Woman 1984 team. 
  • And finally, the fans, which is where important decisions like this should always start and should always end. 

We are, of course, in an extraordinary moment. This entails a patchwork of regulations, geographic considerations and, most importantly, fan preferences. With that in mind, we see an opportunity to do something firmly focused on the fans: give them the power to choose between going to their local cinema or opening on HBO Max. Super-fans will likely choose both. This incredible movie will be available both ways on the exact same day. If you are fortunate to live in a place where theaters are open, we believe we are offering a great option given the Cinema Safe protocols our partners have put in place. With this, exhibitors are offering a movie-going experience with social distancing, masks, cleaning and ventilation protocols. On the other hand, if you and your family prefer to stay in and make your own popcorn this holiday, we want to share the experience of Wonder Woman 1984 with you the exact same day on HBO Max. It’s your decision to make.

We are committed to the theatrical experience and we believe giving exhibitors a movie of this nature is important right now. We believe in theaters because hundreds of millions of fans around the world value going to the movies. And for as long as fans seek out the theatrical experience, we will be there to serve them with great movies in partnership with exhibitors. Collectively, the fans get to decide these things, as they should.    

Getting back to Wonder Woman 1984, we believe this decision will bring several benefits. The first and most important benefit is to the fans in the form of unprecedented choice from day one. The second benefit is to the exhibitors, providing an eagerly anticipated movie at a much-needed time while they take precautions in their operations. Finally, we believe that our creative partners and ourselves will benefit from this decision, in the form of fan response both theatrically and via HBO Max in the U.S.

I find it fascinating that we will be measuring the performance of this movie in an entirely new way. To use a line from The Wizard of Oz, we’re not in Kansas anymore. While we will pay attention to theatrical revenues, our expectations are clearly adjusted due to COVID-19. In parallel, we will be paying close attention to the numbers of families and fans diving into HBO Max, as we certainly anticipate that a portion of fans will choose to enjoy Wonder Woman 1984 that way on opening day and beyond. To provide a comparable, a little over four million fans in the U.S. enjoyed the first Wonder Woman movie on its opening day in 2017. Is it possible for that to happen again this Christmas with Wonder Woman 1984 between theaters and HBO Max? We are so excited to find out, doing everything in our power to provide the power of choice to fans. 

Many of us could use an uplifting story this holiday season. We think we have that and more in WW84. We believe audiences are going to love every minute of this great movie this holiday season and we are looking forward to sharing it in this unprecedented way.

Jason Kilar

WarnerMedia CEO

https://www.hbomax.com/grw-pop

Copyright: © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Clay Enos/ ™ & © DC Comics
Director PATTY JENKINS and GAL GADOT on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “WONDER WOMAN 1984,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.

With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, “Wonder Woman 1984” is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking “Wonder Woman,” which took in $822 million at the worldwide box office. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones are producing the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller are the executive producers.

Patty Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & David Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC. Joining the director behind the scenes are several members of her “Wonder Woman” team, including director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93”) is cutting the film. The music is by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk,” “The Lion King”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, “Wonder Woman 1984.”

This film is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence.

Cheetah And Wonder Woman Go Head-To Head In New WONDER WOMAN 1984 Trailer At DC FanDome

DC FanDome kicked off on Saturday with the Wonder Woman 1984 panel. The film’s stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal, and director/co-writer/producer Patty Jenkins joined forces with Brazilian hosts Érico Borgo and Aline Diniz to celebrate the fans in a big way. The big surprise was when the panel was joined by Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter!

Take a look at the new trailer below.

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.

With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, “Wonder Woman 1984” is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking “Wonder Woman,” which took in $822 million at the worldwide box office. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones are producing the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller are the executive producers.

Patty Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & David Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC. Joining the director behind the scenes are several members of her “Wonder Woman” team, including director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93”) is cutting the film. The music is by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk,” “The Lion King”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, “Wonder Woman 1984.”

Set to open in theaters in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. This film is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence.

An Early Look At OUTLAW KING From Director David Mackenzie Starring Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson And Florence Pugh

OUTLAW KING

Chris Pine stars in David Mackenzie’s OUTLAW KING. Check out the new trailer below.

Robert the Bruce’s (Chris Pine) life is transformed from defeated noble to king to outlaw as he struggles to reclaim medieval Scotland from occupation. Ambushed and reduced to a handful of supporters, Robert
resolves himself to strike back against King Edward of England’s mighty army. Robert is among the Scottish nobles having to submit to the occupying English King, Edward (STEPHEN DILLANE). In a further move to ensure stability a marriage between Robert and Elizabeth de Burgh, (FLORENCE PUGH) the daughter of Edward’s ally, is arranged.

An uncomfortable peace is it seems the only way forward which Robert and his family reluctantly accept as he and the feisty Elizabeth get to know each other. But crippling taxes, relentless force, men and boys
being coerced under obligations of the feudal system to fight for King Edward feed rising rebellious emotions amongst the Scots. Key events trigger change: the death of the family patriarch Bruce Senior
(JAMES COSMO), news of the brutal demise of former rebel leader William Wallace, and finally the murder of Robert’s rival John Comyn (Callan Mulvey).

With the help of the Scottish Church – including Bishop Lamberton (PAUL BLAIR) – Robert resolves to become king and try to unify a divided country – many of whom do not want more war and are opposed to
him because of their own blood ties. After a swift coronation before word could reach the Church in Rome to result in ex-communication for his actions, Robert the Bruce, both king and outlaw, with his loyal
followers then face extreme challenges to secure the throne. With his brothers, (CHRIS FULTON, JACK GREENLESS, LORNE MCFADYEN) and brothers-in-arms including the fierce James Douglas and Angus
MacDonald, (AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON, TONY CURRAN), they not only have to rally support from the in-fighting Scottish nobles but also face the might of the English army led by the ruthless and ambitious
Prince of Wales (BILLY HOWLE) and the vicious Viceroy of Scotland Sir Aymer de Valence (SAM SPRUELL).

An unchivalrous surprise attack results in a devastating defeat at Methven followed by further battles with not only English forces but internecine attacks from rival Scots Lords – it seems an impossible mission but determination and local tactical intelligence result in a bloody triumph and make this one of the greatest comeback stories of history.

OUTLAW KING is the 10th feature film to be directed by award-winning Scottish director David Mackenzie whose body of work includes “Hell or High Water,” “Starred Up,” “Hallam Foe,” and “Young Adam.”
Mackenzie and long-time filmmaking partner Gillian Berrie produce via their Scottish Production company Sigma Films with the support of Anonymous Content. The film will launch globally on NETFLIX on November 9, 2018