Tag: Christian Bale

THE PALE BLUE EYE – Review

(L to R) Christian Bale as Augustus Landor and Harry Melling as Edgar Allen Poe in The Pale Blue Eye. Photo Credit: Scott Garfield/Netflix © 2022

At West Point in 1830, a cadet is found hanged, in an apparent suicide, but then the body is mutilated – by removing the heart. A former New York constable with a tragic past is brought in to investigate, and the detective enlists the help of an eccentric, clever young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe, in the Gothic murder mystery tale THE PALE BLUE EYE.

Edgar Allan Poe really did go to West Point briefly but the story in THE PALE BLUE EYE is purely fictional, based on the novel by Louis Bayard. Christian Bale plays the detective Augustus Landor, with a wonderful Harry Melling playing the young Edgar Allan Poe. Having the author who is credited with creating the fictional detective as a character in a detective mystery thriller is a thrill in itself. Director Scott Cooper’s (CRAZY HEART, OUT OF THE FURNACE) atmospheric, twisty murder mystery also features an impressive cast that includes Toby Jones, Robert Duvall, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Timothy Spall and Charlotte Gainsbourg, among others.

In 1830, a young West Point cadet is found hanged, but sadness turns to shock when, as the body rests in the morgue, someone mutilates it by cutting out the heart. West Point head superintendent Colonel Thayer (Timothy Spall) and his assistant Captain Hitchcock (Simon McBurney) are eager to keep things quiet, and hire a reclusive former New York constable living nearby, Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), to secretly investigate. Stymied by the tight-lipped cadets, Landor enlists the help of one bright but unusual young cadet, Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling), in solving the case.

At this time, West Point is a young institution, and there are powerful forces who would like the academy to cease to exist. Worries about that drive Superintendent Thayer and Captain Hitchcock to avoid reporting to local authorities and instead seek an investigator who can find the perpetrator in secret. The constable has a reputation solving crimes but also one for hard-drinking, which means Thayer and Captain Hitchcock are wary of the detective. While Thayer and Hitchcock are aloof, the campus’ doctor, Dr. Daniel Marquis (pronounced the Anglicized way rather than the French, and played well by Toby Jones), is more accepting of Landor’s flaws and friendlier, cooperating with the investigation.

Landor is quietly mourning the death of his wife but is especially haunted by the more recent disappearance of his teen-aged daughter. In puzzling out the bizarre events, Landor calls on an old friend, a reclusive scholar who is knowledgeable about history and the occult, Jean-Pepe (Robert Duvall). He also gets insights on the cadets’ secrets from an affectionate barmaid, Patsy (Charlotte Gainsbourg), at the local inn. As more bizarre crimes occur, the alarmed brass nervously press Landor hard for results.

As expected for a Poe-inspired tale, there is also a beautiful, tragic young woman – the doctor’s smart, musically-gifted daughter Lea (Lucy Boynton). Lea suffers from a mysterious ailment, and is watched over by her tightly-wound mother Julia (Gillian Anderson) and haughty brother Artemus (Harry Lawtey).

There is a certain risk in making a film that features a well-known historical figure like Edgar Allan Poe, but this story is set during an early time in Poe’s life about which little is known, which gives the film considerable freedom. Melling’s young Poe is a charming eccentric but also an artistic soul and a brilliant outsider who knows at heart he is not a soldier but a poet, something he declares to Landor.

In fact, Poe did embark on his literary career directly after leaving West Point. Director Scott Cooper’s tale is twisty and sprinkled with Poe-like references like death, evil, hearts, the supernatural, illness, re-birth and lost love. The story incorporates an array of familiar elements and themes from Poe’s works, including the detective, as well as short snippets of his poetry recited by Melling. In fact, the film’s title comes from a line in Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

The film draws from pieces of Poe’s real life and literary works, as it creates a sense of the influences shaping the future writer, which makes this tale a bit of an origin story. In one scene, Melling’s Poe regales fellow cadets in a bar with a ribald rhyme, alluding to the real Poe’s reputation among students for his satiric poems, often aimed at officers. The real Poe’s reputation for these satires inspired some cadets to pitch in to help finance his second book of poetry, published after he left West Point, deliberately getting himself kicked out.

Melling and Bale are splendid together, as is the whole cast. The mystery takes place in deep winter, with the snowy landscape adding to the chill, along with scenes in a cemetery and starkly brooding Gothic locations. Photography by Masanobu Takayanagi is sternly beautiful and wonderfully atmospheric, and a marvelous score by the great Howard Shore adds just the right touch for the mood.

THE PALE BLUE EYE is an enjoyable Gothic tale, although the story is a bit too twisty and over-wrought, with a final resolution that may make you wonder about some of the investigation that went before. However, the film is satisfyingly packed with well-researched historic detail, including accents and costumes, and the characters are so well-drawn – intriguing, affecting and colorful – by the gifted cast, and all that is wrapped in a perfect Gothic horror setting, so it is easy for fans of the genre to let some flaws go.

Particularly, the film is a showcase for the talented Harry Melling, whose performance in the Coens’ THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS was a highlight of that anthology and caught Cooper’s attention for this role. Melling really dazzles as young Poe, playing the young cadet/poet with a youthful enthusiasm tempered by a dark wit and a sharp mind that can’t help figuring out the puzzle. Melling’s orphaned Poe forms a sort-of father-son bond with Bale’s brooding detective, and Melling’s layered, complex performance in scenes with the detective – a Poe literary invention – are among the film’s most enjoyable.

Although it is far from a flawless film, for lovers of period murder mysteries that feature fine acting, THE PALE BLUE EYE has much to offer, and for fans of Edgar Allan Poe, it is an irresistible temptation.

THE PALE BLUE EYE opens Friday, Jan. 6, streaming on Netflix and in theaters in select cities.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

AMSTERDAM – Review

(L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ AMSTERDAM. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Director/writer David O. Russell’s AMSTERDAM features a dazzling cast in a period mystery/adventure tale in which three friends, bound by a pact made during World War I, embark on a wild adventure set in 1930s New York, to solve a mystery involving murder, a secret organization, and a possible plot against America.

There really was such a plot, which is among the many historical tidbits woven into this adventure tale, that has big doses of humor and romance as well. AMSTERDAM’s story brings to mind the classic Hollywood mystery adventure tales of the 1930s or 1940s, like CASABLANCA, or early Alfred Hitchcock or maybe a spy-thriller starring Humphrey Bogart. Even though this film is not in black and white, in another sense, it kind of is. Not only is a Black man one of the main characters but the story deals with those marginalized in early 20th century America, including Black Americans and the forgotten disabled veterans of the Great War (as WWI was first known), both of which must battle an entrenched power structure of the white, wealthy and well-connected.

But, at the heart of it, AMSTERDAM is really a film about friendship – the kind of deep enduring friendship we all hope to have, a friendship forged between the trio at the center of this tale by the horrors of WWI and idyllic post-war days in Amsterdam. Most of the story takes place in 1930s New York, during the Great Depression, but there is an extended flashback to post-WWI Amsterdam, with the rising prosperity and creative freedom of the 1920s and free from the Jim Crow attitudes back in America. After the war, many real Black Americans stayed behind in Europe to enjoy that freedom.

There are three friends at the center of this tale but mostly the story is told by one of them, Dr. Burt Berendsen, a slightly offbeat character played with wonderful appeal by Christian Bale.

The three met during WWI, although we don’t know that until a flashback a bit into the film. Christian Bale plays Burt Berendsen, a compassionate half-Jewish doctor in New York who tries to help forgotten, disfigured veterans of WWI, some of whom lost a eye as he did or grapple with pain and morphine addiction as he has. Dr. Berendsen works with his closest friend and lawyer, Harold Woodman (John David Washington), a soft-spoken, well-dressed Black graduate of Columbia Law School who is committed to helping the powerless. The two share a commitment to doing good in their work and a pact they made in WWI to always have each others backs, as well as sad romantic histories. Berendsen is separated from the wife he still loves, Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough), the daughter of a prominent 5th Avenue doctor Augustus Vandenheuvel (Casey Biggs). Woodman pines for his lost love, the unconventional nurse/artist Valerie (Margot Robbie) who cared for the wounded soldier pair in a French hospital and escaped with them to an idyll in Amsterdam. The now-vanished Valerie was the third member of their friendship loyalty pact.

David O. Russell has delighted audiences with films like AMERICAN HUSTLE and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, films that mix humor with drama or thriller plots, but AMSTERDAM may be his most ambitious yet. Those who saw the trailer for this new film might expect something a little more fast-paced action film than AMSTERDAM actually is (and that 1971 song in that trailer isn’t in this film, although maybe it could have been). AMSTERDAM is more a mystery thriller with a delicious humorous streak and an unexpected underlying warmth. It is funnier and more inspiring than might be expected.

Classic movie fans will notice that AMSTERDAM has strong parallels to the kind of thriller anti-fascist adventure mysteries of the 1930s and early 1940s – the kind with colorful characters, secrets and international plots. The kind of film made during the time period in which most of this film is set, although it starts during WWI, the Great War. You know, the War to End All Wars. And, of course, some of this really happened, as the film tells us at the start.

Actually, there is a surprising amount of real history woven into this fictional story. Saying how much is true might risk spoilers but there really was a fascist plot in the U.S. that was thwarted, and there really was a courageous American general who was part of that. The film’s version of that general is played by Robert De Niro in fine, military ramrod straight, morally-upright style, but the general isn’t the main character. The three main characters, a trio of friends, at the center of this adventure are played by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, with supporting roles played by Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon and Mike Myers. Besides the historical mystery at the center of the plot, AMSTERDAM is full of other true-history tidbits in a story ranging from the Great War through the middle of the Great Depression of the 1930s, in a rollicking tale told with humor and humanity.

For those who love movies and mysteries of the ’30s era this film is set in, and even more so if you know those films well, AMSTERDAM has special delights. The immensely charming AMSTERDAM does evoke that kind of feeling of friendships forged in hardship you see in those old movies, but it does so with David O. Russell’s signature sly humor and a bit craziness that is a bit more screwball comedy with moments of Marx Brothers, as well as nods to the present. While it is not as fast-paced as the trailer leads you to expect, it is far funnier and fun, far crazier and surprising, and with more warmth than expected, as well as all those real history references and a wonderful kind of friendship. That latter side is largely thanks to the three leads played so well and with deep feeling by Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie.

This film is a classic Hollywood movie buffs’ delight. There is a fair dose of CASABLANCA in AMSTERDAM, including the city name in its title, but in this case, Amsterdam is more like the idyllic memories of Paris in that classic. In other ways, AMSTERDAM is like the early Hitchcock thriller THE 39 STEPS or any number of mid ’30s or early ’40s thrillers, where the hero has to beat a ticking clock to uncover a plot by “5th columnists,” a term for foreign spies with generally fascist plans. This is classic movie stuff, and the more you know about movies of that period, the more references you will get and enjoy.

Besides the many historical and period movie references, AMSTERDAM is filled with gorgeous period sets and details. AMSTERDAM also has fabulous cinematography by the great Emmanuel Lubezki, who effectively evokes the time period and sets the right emotional tones. There is an impressive bit of special effects fairly early on, thanks to visual effects supervisor Allen Maris, which jump-starts the action.

Set in mid-30s New York, we get a taste of the poor and forgotten (as this is still the Great Depression) but like the movies of that time, we spend more time visiting in the world of the wealthy untouched by those hardships. Berendsen’s wife Beatrice and her parents are part of that well-dressed set living in beautiful houses, But when are heroes’ quest takes them to the estate of millionaire Tom Voze (Rami Malik) and his stylish wife Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy), they really find the lap of luxury. They also find a surprise, one of the tale’s many plot twists.

There are plenty of those twists, humor that is either dark or farcical, and one extended flashback which gives us the essential backstory that makes it all work. The large cast come and go in dizzying fashion, with characters who reappear periodically. Among those are Michael Shannon and Mike Myers who play Henry Norcross and Paul Canterbury, a couple of spies who who are also avid birders, even if they tend to cross ethical lines, who have a penchant for speaking in riddles and metaphors – something scriptwriter/director Russell and star Christian Bale have some fun with. Other memorable turns come from Chris Rock, as attorney Woodman’s assistant, who says out loud the kind of things other Black characters might be thinking, about pervasive racism. Another is Zoe Saldana, who is wonderful as an efficient, down-to-earth autopsy nurse, Irma St. Clair, who sparks long-buried feelings in Berendsen. Matthias Schoenaerts plays a police detective, another veteran, while his clumsy, hot-headed non-veteran partner Detective Hiltz (Alessandro Nivola) rails against mocking by the veterans.

There is so much to enjoy in this entertaining, inspiring, heart-warming, history-themed adventure. AMSTERDAM packs so much in, that it may be too much for some audiences members who may become overwhelmed or even bit confused. History buffs and classic movie fans will most enjoy this big-hearted adventure, but anyone can if they are open to its message of friendship and loyalty. There is a bit of AMERICAN HUSTLE in this film, with its mix of true story facts and a personal story, but this one is bigger and better, and with a more wholesome, inspiring, patriotic and human message, even a freedom-loving, small-d democratic one.

AMSTERDAM opens Friday, Oct. 7, in theaters.

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER – Review

(L-R): Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Well, we’ve made it through the soaring temps and the dangerous fireworks displays of the big three-day holiday weekend. I think a reward is in order, perhaps a trip to one of our favorite cinematic “getaways”. I’m referring to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the ole’ “MCU” as many fans have dubbed it. Sure, it’s been almost two months to the day since our last visit, but don’t you want to be taken away in the cool confines of your local multiplex? A head’s up: unlike the last two entries, our favorite Sorceror Supreme is nowhere to be found, though longtime fans will recognize a supporting player from his comics series (I’m not a spoiler, so that’s all). But we are familiar with this character, dating back to 2011. He’s not the oldest Marvel comics character, even though his roots stretch back thousands of years. Really. Now he’s truly venturing into unchartered territory as the only solo Marvel hero to have a fourth film in his franchise (technically, THE AVENGERS are at that number, though I count INFINITY WAR and ENDGAME as one king-sized epic). Brace yourself true believers, but don’t plug up your ears (you’ll miss some witty quips) for the one-two punch of THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER.

Prior to that logo we love (look for both Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel in the letter windows) we’re taken to a desolate scorched alien planet where a father named Gorr (Christian Bale) struggles to keep himself and his pre-teen daughter alive. After tragedy strikes, he sees an oasis in the distance, a lush haven for the deities he worships. There Gorr exacts his revenge using a special sword, becoming the “God Butcher”. Cut to a cave entrance by the ocean where the towering rock-skinned alien Korg (Takia Waititi) entrances a group of youngsters with the exploits of his BFF, the “Space Viking”, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth). Since we last saw him in ENDGAME he left New Asgard on Earth, handing the governing reigns to “king” Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) to explore the universe with those “heroes for hire”, the Guardians of the Galaxy (Chris Pratt and all the members of the MCU series). During his time with them, Thor loses his bloated belly and gains muscle, more than ever before. And he irks Starlord by becoming a bit of a “showboat. And he gains a rep as a swashbuckling ladies’ man, though his thoughts still turn back to the Earth-born Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). After receiving a gift of twin giant magical flying goats from a grateful planet (they may have wanted to be rid of the screaming beasts), he learns of a menace that murders god-like beings on other worlds. Further investigation leads him to believe that New Asgard is next on his “hit list”.Meanwhile Dr. Foster faces her own crisis as a deadly disease almost drains her of life. After Earth science has failed her, she is drawn to the same spot hoping for a New Asgard cure. When Thor and Korg arrive at their old home, Gorr and his gigantic spider-like creatures are destroying the “tourist trap”. Thor is stunned when he, Korg, and Valkyrie are joined by Foster, in full armor and wielding the hammer Mjolnir as the “Mighty Thor”. But they’re not enough to stop Gorr and his minions from grabbing the Asgardian children and whisking them off to an unknown world. Will Thor and his friends enlist the help of the “God-world”, Omnipotent City, run by Zeus himself (Russel Crowe)? And just what is Gorr’s real master plan? Most importantly, will Thor and Jane rekindle their passion, if they can survive the powerful Gorr. And if they somehow triumph could her powers be only temporary?

Let’s raise a glass (maybe a magic Uru hammer instead) to the superb comedic skills developed over the last eleven years by Mr. Chris Hemsworth (just being specific as his “bros” Liam and Luke are pretty talented, too). Though he’s stumbled a bit in similar funny turns in the GHOSTBUSTERS reboot along with MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL (with Ms. Thompson), he’s truly made the Thunder God his own signature role, one that delivers more than laughs and a well-sculpted biceps. He’s got an infectious clumsy charm as he navigates through ordinary worlds and unexpected tenderness in dealing with “lesser mortals” and even the weirdest of creatures. He could be the movies’ most engaging “himbo’ since the glory days of “Arh-nold”. Oh, but there’s his romantic side as he fumbles to keep his ‘cool” around the now “super-charged” Jane. A big “welcome back to the franchise” to Ms. Portman after sitting out the last entry, RAGNAROK (though she did a flashback for ENDGAME). She shows us Dr. Foster’s all-too-human vulnerability as she realizes that all of her intellect can’t delay fate. But there’s also an exhilaration as she taps into her action heroine persona. Luckily the story provides us with a villain truly worthy of an ultimate Viking duo. Once again Marvel strikes cinema gold by casting another Batman (like Keaton in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING) as a formidable ‘baddie” with Bale bringing intensity and stunning humanity (ala’ Thanos and the recent Scarlet Witch), and a wicked sense of “gallows humor” to the twisted being who will let no one stand in his pursuit of his (kinda’ relatable) goals. Joining the forces of good is the always compelling Ms. Thompson who shows us that Valkyrie is more than a wild “warrior woman”. There’s a dim glaze in her eyes as she deals with the mundane as the royalty of New Asgard. Townhall meetings and public relations (cutting a commercial) have almost drained her spirit. When she teams with her old pals, it’s as if an electrical switch has been flipped, which also jolts her snarky wit back into focus. Waititi is just as fun as the “rock monster” with a “laid back” attitude, content to observe and “back-up” his thunder bro’ will also taking a bit of the p#*s out of him. One of the film’s biggest unexpected delights is Crowe sending up his action hero past (GLADIATOR comes to mind) as the pompous but fairly clueless Greek “God of gods” who seems more interested in mortal-style pleasures of the flesh.

Once again, Waititi establishes himself as an astounding cinema triple threat, doing a superb “mo-cap” as Korg, directing and co-writing the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (he had similar duties on JO JO RABBIT and snagged a well-deserved Oscar for the adaptation). In his second Thor outing, Waititi truly makes the franchise his own, somehow going seamlessly from hilarious comedy to bombastic action, then switching from a tentative romance to heart-rending tragedy and even a smidgen of nail-biting horror and suspense. We can even say he’s given us a pretty darn cool mini Guardians of the Galaxy movie (to tide us over till Jim Gunn’s trilogy finale next year). And kudos to the many artisans and craftspeople for creating these incredible worlds of wonder, going from the “eye candy’ of the alien realms (love the crystal-like cities) to the tacky theme-park kitsch of New Asgard (love the multiple cruise ships in the harbor) to the spooky realm of Gorr, recalling the eerie silent cinema sci-fi and surrealist imagery of a hundred years ago. It all works thanks in large part to Barry Idione’s cinematography and the tag team music score from Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad. During the sequence in Omnipotent City, I wanted the camera to linger a bit longer in order to drink in the imaginative renderings of the deities of different cultures and planets (that’ll be a great BluRay bonus feature). Balancing the action and cosmic journeys are nice bits of playful humor (who knew an ax could be jealous of a hammer). While many franchises will seem to be “running on fumes” by the fourth installment, this series actually feels re-energized, ready to take us on more cosmic capers full of danger and delights. Hopefully, those are in the works (those Marvel magicians are always plotting and planning), but for now, fans of high-flying adventure (and chuckles and swooning passion) will get their multiplex-money’s worth of derring-do with THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, where it’s always “hammer-time” (and a very good time).

3.5 Out of 4

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, July 8, 2022

Win One Of 10 Family-Four Packs To The St Louis IMAX Screening Of THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

BROUGHT TO YOU BY MARVEL STUDIOS’, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER IS IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE JULY 8TH.

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DATE AND TIME:
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Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder” finds the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a search for self-discovery. But Thor’s retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum.

“Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in U.S. theaters July 8, 2022.

https://www.marvel.com/movies/thor-love-and-thunder

(L-R): Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Bale Is Galactic Killer Gorr In New Trailer For Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

Christian Bale as Gorr in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

The brand new trailer and poster have arrived for Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder,” revealing new details about the God of Thunder’s latest adventure – including a trek to Olympus where Zeus (Russell Crowe) reigns supreme.

The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a search for self-discovery. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor.

Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

(L-R): Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
(L-R): Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, “Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in U.S. theaters July 8, 2022.

Marvel Studios Unveils First Glimpse of the Upcoming Cosmic Adventure “Thor: Love and Thunder”

A new trailer and poster are here for Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder,” offering long-awaited clues to what’s in store for the God of Thunder.

The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Directed by Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, “Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in theaters July 8, 2022.

©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Matt Damon and Christian Bale in FORD v FERRARI Arrives on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD February 11th

Matt Damon and Golden Globe® Nominee Christian Bale star in this “thunderously exciting” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) film based on the remarkable true story about Ford Motor Company’s attempt to create the world’s fastest car. American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), together battled corporate interference and the laws of physics to build a revolutionary race car and take on Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes™, critics and fans alike have raved about this epic underdog tale that will keep your heart pounding from start to finish. Add FORD V FERRARI to your digital collection on Movies Anywhere January 28 and buy it on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD February 11 to add a piece of history to your film collection.

FORD V FERRARIDigital Bonus Features:

  • “The 24 Hour Le Mans: Recreating the Course” Featurette – Discover how the climactic race of the film was achieved, from recreating the track to capturing and editing all the action.
  • Pre-Vis: Daytona & Le Mans Races – These animated pre-visualization sequences worked as a roadmap for filmmakers throughout production.
  • “Bringing The Rivalry to Life” * – Go behind the scenes of the film with this 8-part, 60-minute documentary.
  • Matt and Christian: The Conversation (iTunes Extras exclusive) – Sit down with Christian Bale and Matt Damon for an intimate reflection on the making of the film.

FORD V FERRARI – Review

Matt Damon as racing car builder Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles in FORD V FERRA RI. Photo courtesy of Fox Studios.

FORD V FERRARI tells the unlikely but true story of the Ford Motor Company, the American maker of family cars, challenging Ferrari, the legendary Italian sports car maker, in one of the most difficult races in Europe, the 24-hour Le Mans, in the golden era of racing cars. But you don’t have to be a racing fan or a gear-head to enjoy this thrilling tale, since it is really about the people behind (and in) the cars, bonds of friendship and the struggle of underdogs, a tale set in the era of American know-how and individualism, as two men set out to snatch glory from the reigning king of racing.

It isn’t really Henry Ford II, the head of Ford Motor Company and grandson of the founder, who is the underdog here, but the scrappy guys he hires to pull off this feat – racing car builder, Carroll Shelby, played by Matt Damon, and the even scrappier driver, Ken Miles, played by Christian Bale, that Shelby hires to drive the car. James Mangold (3:10 TO YUMA, LOGAN, WALK THE LINE) directs this dynamic, exciting and human adventure tale. At heart, this is really a buddy picture, in the best sense, about friendship, second chances, and determination, as well as a fact-paced adventure. It is a tale of two friends who love cars and racing who get the chance of a lifetime, and a second chance in life.

When Henry Ford II (Tracey Letts) attempts to buy Ferrari, he is thwarted by the racing-legend founder of that company, who resents the idea of an American industrial power just buying up what he has spent a lifetime building. Through a translator, the elderly Ferrari hurls a few insults at Ford but the one that sticks is that the American is merely Henry Ford II, not the legendary founder of the company. In private, a seething Ford responds by setting his sights on taking down Ferrari’s domination of racing, by winning at Le Mans – no matter what it costs.

Ford turns to Carroll Shelby, a one-time race car driver and builder with a reputation for innovation and for winning, In fact, although Shelby’s reputation as a racing legend is intact, his driving days are behind him and now he is eking out a living building sports cars for rich guys who are never going near a race track. When Ford’ representative offers Shelby what is pretty much a blank check if he can beat Ferrari, he knows just who should drive the car. Ken Miles is a gifted driver and mechanic, who has an equally big reputation for being a hot-tempered troublemaker.

Damon and Bale are the heart of this film, and turn in Oscar-nom worthy performances as a mismatched pair who are as much battling brothers as collaborators in building and racing a winning car. While Bale’s Ken Miles is brilliant and fearless, he is also abrasive and hot-tempered. Damon’s Shelby needs to smooth things over, calling on his considerable charm, to keep the project moving forward but he knows that Miles is the only one with the combination of talent and nerve to pull off this unlikely coup on Ferrari. Shelby lays out a strategy for his attack on Ferrari, involving a fair amount of psychological warfare, but his plans are often nearly derailed by Ford executive Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), who is more the film’s villain than Ferrari, who seems more interested in turning the whole thing into adverting campaign than actually winning the race. Jon Bernthal plays then-Ford employee Lee Iacocca, who is Shelby’s advocate to Ford, and the competing force within the company.

The racing footage is fantastic, as gripping and pulse pounding as you could want, and often putting you right in the car with the driver for unparalleled thrills. Audiences may be reminded of the thrilling race footage of 2013’s RUSH, another excellent film about racing that was more about the people than the cars. The cinematography by Phedon Papamichael is outstanding, and director Mangold gives us the perfect mix between exciting racing footage, humorous moments, and human drama. While the race to beat Ferrari drives the plot, there is a moving human story at the center, one of personal struggle, of friendship and family. There are moments of transcendence and the poignancy, particularly at the film’s haunting end.

The supporting cast is also terrific, with the always-wonderful Tracy Letts particularly good as Ford. One especially good scene has the executive taking a ride in the race car he is paying to build with Shelby, starting out with swagger and ending up both rattled and impressed, which Letts handles with the perfect blend of humor and drama. Caitriona Balfe, familiar to audiences from TV’s “Higlander,” plays Ken Miles’ steady, dead-pan wife Mollie Miles with charm, while young Noah Jupe as Ken Miles’ son Pete, steals a few scenes.

Whether you care about racing cars or not, FORD V FERRARI is a winner, likely to garner a few nominations and awards in the upcoming awards season race, just as Shelby’s car did.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

FORD V FERRARI Opens November 15th – Check Out the New Poster and Trailer

20th Century Fox has released a new trailer and poster for their upcoming film FORD v FERRARI, based on the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). The film follows Shelby and Miles, who battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. FORD v FERRARI also stars Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone and Ray McKinnon. The film will be released on November 15 by The Walt Disney Studios.

Check out the new trailer:

Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in FORD v FERRARI, based on the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

VICE – Review

Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Adam McKay’s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Photo credit : Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures. 2018 © Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adam McKay, who brought us THE BIG SHORT, takes on Dick Chaney in the hilariously satiric biopic VICE. The writer/director who made credit default swaps both funny and understandable brings those sharp comic skills to this boldly inventive and pointed examination of career of the former vice president. If you are a fan of former Vice President Cheney, VICE might not be for you, as the humor leans a bit snarky. But for this rest of us, VICE is flat-out hilarious.

As funny as it is, the facts in VICE are accurate, even if McKay presents them in a comic way. McKay brings the same high level of thorough research he brought to THE BIG SHORT to this smart subversive comedy. VICE covers some of the same time period as the George W. Bush biopic drama W, but this film is definitely comedy, with broad humor mixed with the satire.

We first meet Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) in Wyoming, as a young man with a drinking problem and a dim future. Well, dim until future wife Lynne (Amy Adams) gives him a “shape up” dressing down that serves as a wake-up call. We follow Cheney’s evolution as a behind-the-scenes political force from his days as an Congressional intern for his mentor Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell) to the present, and we watch him evolve through out. There is a particularly telling scene, where the eager young Cheney, trying to figure out the political strategy, asks his mentor Rumsfeld “what do we believe?” which releases chilling, cackling laughter from Rummy.

The film is narrated by Jesse Plemons, as an ordinary working man whose connection to Cheney becomes clear late in the film. Sam Rockwell plays George W. Bush, Eddie Marsan appears as Paul Wolfowitz, Tyler Perry plays Colin Powell, and other stars pop up throughout.

VICE is on lots of critics’ top ten lists already, and one reason is Christian Bale’s performance as Dick Cheney. Bale, who is leading many lists for a Best Actor Oscar nomination, gained 40 pounds for the role and is virtually unrecognizable. Especially later in the film, as the older Cheney, the resemblance is striking, with Bale mimicking Cheney’s mannerisms and posture with uncanny accuracy, making is easy to forget that is not Dick Cheney himself on screen.

This is no glowing, affectionate portrait of Cheney by any means but McKay treats the former “Vice” fairly and accurately, including honestly showing Cheney’s devotion to his family, as well as his calculated rise as a behind-the-scenes force in politics and government. The person who really comes across as unrelentingly unsavory in this film is Rumsfeld.

The film as a whole does a great job on both casting and make-up, worthy of an Oscar there as well. Steve Carell as wholly convincing as Donald Rumsfeld, as is Sam Rockwell as Dubya. Amy Adams is ruthless and fierce as Lynne Cheney, and the driving force behind her husband’s ambitions and career, echoing the political partnership in “House of Cards.” Among the most striking transformations is Tyler Perry, as Colin Powell. Lisagay Hamilton, who plays Condoleezza Rice, looks so much like the former Secretary of State, that one might do a double-take, thinking that is the real Condie in those scenes.

One example of VICE’s clever comic presentation of facts is the “menu scene,” which takes place after the start of the Iraq War. We see Rumsfeld, Cheney and Wolfowitz in a fancy restaurant where the waiter (played by Alfred Molina) is describing the menu, with choices like “enhanced interrogation” and “Guantanamo Bay.” Another laugh-out-loud moment is when Dick and Lynne Cheney are considering Bush’s offer of the vice presidency, and narrator Jesse Plemons intones “we can’t just switch to a Shakespearean soliloquy” but then the film kinda does, with the couple in bed seeming to recite a scene from “Macbeth.”

There are plentiful other comic gems in this bitingly funny film. The film slyly uses a fly fishing theme throughout, tying (get it? flying tying? sorry, couldn’t resist) in with Wyoming, which fly fishermen know is trout fishing heaven. Fly fishing references are abundant, everything from casting to hooking a trout, with a particularly good scene where Cheney is talking to presidential candidate Dubya about the vice presidency. Remarkably creative fishing flies – tied in the shape of bombs or the World Trade Center twin towers – are shown with the closing credits.

VICE seems a sure thing for Oscar nominations, particularly for Christian Bale’s breathtaking performance and its clever script. Highly entertaining as well as as impressively inventive, VICE is definitely a must-see film, and one of this year’s best.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars