Sam Riley – We Are Movie Geeks

WIDOW CLICQUOT – Review

*Haley Bennett as Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, the widow Clicquot, in Thomas Napper’s WIDOW CLICQUOT. Photo Credit: Ash Stephens. Courtesy of Vertical*

If you celebrate by drinking champagne, you have a French widow in the Napoleonic age to thank. And if you want the best, one of France’s top champagnes is Veuve Clicquot, a name that translates as “Widow Clicquot.” honoring the young widow who took over the family vineyard and winery she had run with her husband, and not only made it into one of the leading makers of the bubbly but also transforming the whole champagne industry.

WIDOW CLICQUOT is an English-language historical drama recounting the true story of that brilliant, innovative woman, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, known as “Grande Dame of Champagne,” who lived from 1777 to 1866. Haley Bennett plays Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, the widow Clicquot, who not only made the Clicquot family’s champagne famous (with its distinctive yellow label) but who also invented pink champagne and created innovations that transformed the entire champagne industry itself. And all that in the time of Napoleon, when women had no rights and were forbidden to run a business – unless they were a widow continuing her husband’s business.

We first meet Barbe-Nicole as a newly widowed 28-year-old with a young daughter, as she fends off pressure from her well-meaning father-in-law Phillipe (Ben Miles) to sell the vineyard and winery to the neighboring Moet vineyard. But the widow is determined to run the vineyard and winery she and her late husband Francois (Tom Sturridge) had built together from the family business his father had turned over to him. She makes a deal with her father-in-law to let her try to run the winery and vineyard on her own for a limited amount of time, a deal he agrees to out of fondness for her but with the firm belief that no woman has the capacity to run a business, least of all this young widow.

With ground-breaking innovative ideas, the widow Clicquot tries to hold on to the dream she shared with Francois. The resourceful young widow quickly enlists the help of the talented salesman (Sam Riley) she and her husband had worked with, someone who was also a friend, to help her take the business to a new level. The gifted salesman – who traveled to sell the wine in various markets, a new idea at the time – takes the stunning new wines the widow makes straight to the top of society: the royal families of Europe.

The true story unfolds against the backdrop of the tumultuous age of Napoleon, with wars and all that followed. Director Thomas Napper’s lush period drama features all the lovely sets and costumes audiences could want, plus gorgeous visuals and a fine British cast, to complement this inspiring period biopic about one of the first women entrepreneurs in France. At a mere 90 minutes, the drama covers a lot of historical territory briskly. With the widow’s hard work, expertise with the vines and brilliant skill in experimenting with new wines, and the salesman’s tireless travel and his talent for marketing, something magical might take place – if nothing goes wrong. With weather and war as adversaries, it becomes a race between innovation and chance.

The story is full of unexpected twists and turns as the risk-taking widow determinedly improves her wine, despite setbacks and challenges of various kinds. Like most period dramas, there is a bit of romance too, in scenes that flashback to her life with Francois. Their marriage was arranged by their wine-making families but it turned into true love, and a partnership of equals, inspired by the humanist ideals of the age.

But these characters are more complex than in a standard period drama. While these flashbacks give a romantic touch, they soon turn more complex, adding a tragic dimension to this tale of one remarkable woman. Ultimately, the focus is on the accomplishments of this brilliant, determined woman more than on romance. Further both the widow and the wandering salesman are more complicated people than we might assume, while the father-in-law, fond as he is of his son’s widow, can’t escape his ideas about what women can do, something also true of the society of the time. There is plenty of risk and rule-breaking, which adds a layer of tension and suspense to the tale.

WIDOW CLIQUOT is an inspiring drama about a courageous real woman entrepreneur who faced more sexism and barriers than we could imagine yet achieved success through it all. Which deserves a toast with that bubbly wine she worked so hard to perfect.

SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER – Review

Oh, the ups and downs of family life with its joyous highs and tragic lows can make a most surprising emotional journey, particularly at the movies. And when three generations try to live under one roof (something very common over the past few months), well anything is bound to happen. In this tale past disappointments erupt into verbal warfare as a looming tragedy begins to chip away at the possibility of a mutual truce. Throw in the British tradition of burying one’s feelings and you’ve got the foundation of a gripping drama. Or a whimsical comedy. Or both. It helps that the center of this “dramedy” is not the typical film avuncular “Grampa”, but an eccentric and aloof “grifter”. Ah, but he’s still an offbeat charmer thanks to the casting of a terrific character actor. And he does dole out a few nuggets of real wisdom, from which springs the title, SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER.

We’re introduced to Alan (Bill Nighy) as he tries to balance his cellphone and umbrella as she strolls along the seashore. He’s talking to his youngest son, Peter (Sam Riley) to plan a rendezvous, They’re going to meet, pile into one of their vehicles, and make the long drive to a little town’s office of the coroner. Yeesh! Seems a body has turned up, and they need to find out if it’s the longtime missing eldest son Michael. But the official is shared with another small town, so the two just miss him. Peter, who wants to spend as little time with his pop as possible, wants to go back home and return the next day. Ah, but Alan thought ahead and reserved rooms at a local inn. In its pub, they meet a long-married couple, Arthur (Tim McInnery) and Margaret (Jenny Agutter). At Alan’s prodding, they engage in a game of Scrabble. This annoys Peter because as a child they always got the cheaper “knock-off version” Scribble with flimsy “punch-out” cardboard tiles. He retires after a round, but the game continues with Arthur making a wager with Alan. During a game break, Margaret tells Alan that they too are there to “ID” the body. This doesn’t stop Alan from trouncing them in the game ( he’s a Scrabble hustler). This makes the nest day at the morgue even more awkward, though the corpse is not either party’s relation. Father and son head home, but Alan is restless in the office of his failing men’s clothing store. After locking up he arrives at Peter’s doorstep, to his dismay while delighting his wife Sue (Alice Lowe). She invites him to stay but can only offer a bed (part of a “bunk”) in their teenage son Jack’s (Louis Healy) room. When he’s not at school his head is buried in his computer, playing an online multi-user fantasy war game. But while Jack’s away, Alan goes online, saying he’s upgrading the hard drive, but really playing Scrabble. One of the players who goes by the alias “Skinny Thesaurus” attracts Alan’s attention. He tells Peter that this must be Michael attempting to contact him. As Peter dismisses him and returns to work, Alan leaves, determined to track down this “word master”. Angry, but fearing for his dad, Peter searches for Alan, hoping that he can bring him back to reality before he’s another victim of the “dark web”.

The role of family patriarch serves as a showcase for the dry acerbic wit and deliciously halted line readings of the supremely talented Nighy. A scene-stealer in his far-too-brief role in the recent version of EMMA., Nighy runs with the role of Alan, a fella’ that’s surprisingly difficult to embrace and makes the film his own inspired character study. While with son Peter, Nighy gives Alan a passive-aggressive tone, condescending one moment, then defensive of their shared history (“We did with what we had”). He keeps much of that vibe when he spots a “mark” in the stuffy Arthur. He later asserts himself as he “invades” Peter’s home/sanctuary and resumes his mission (finding Michael) with a fanatical zeal. But he also sees this time as a chance to point his grandson in the “right direction” (the title refers to his rule about the front three buttons on a suit coat or jacket). As the story’s main focus, Nighy truly “delivers the goods”. Plus he’s got a great sparring partner in Riley (maybe best known as the sidekick human/raven in the Maleficent flicks) who has a terrific “slow burn’ as he deals with his ever-frustrating father. While in pop’s company every “old wound” begins to open up. During a flashback montage of him as a child being continuously disappointed at birthdays and holidays (“I couldn’t get ‘Action-Man’, so it was ‘Action-Joe’! He didn’t have the kung-fu grip!”). Riley expresses Peter’s sadness through his half-lidded eyes and slouching posture. But when Alan slowly tries to “take over” his home, Peter stands his ground. Caught in the middle is the bubbly Lowe as the peacemaking Sue who often stumbles while calming them and trying not to lose her teenage son, even “stalking” him near the bus stop to his school (where he hopes to connect with a lovely classmate). Healy as son Jack is often the typical surly, close-mouthed movie teen, but being a “flatmate’ to his Gran’dad seems to open him up. leaving the virtual world and rejoining his folks in the real one. Aside from the family, McInnerny scores some big laughs as the oafish patsy Arthur, while Agutter exudes a sultry frisky charm as the randy Margaret (can AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON really be nearly 40).

Carl Hunter makes a confident debut as a feature film director after many TV credits. He keeps the pace bouncy, even as the first act set around the morgue threatens to become morbid. With the story divided up in chapters headed by a dictionary definition (the Scrabble connection) and the use of kids’ book style limited animation interludes, the film almost veers into the sickeningly precious, but Hunter succeeds in this tricky “balancing act”. It’s whimsical without being cloyingly cute. Credit must go to veteran screen scribe Frank Cottrell Bryce who provides an expert “roadmap” for this family journey. He adds an air of mystery and suspense to the pathos and comedy, making us fear for Alan’s safety as he becomes more obsessed with his “quest”. Plus the UK locales, from York to Liverpool, are expertly used (especially the lonely seaside in the first few minutes). For fans for (honest) family films and especially admirers of the talented Mr. Nighy, SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER is just as compelling and entertaining as any game of Scrabble, or even Scribble. As they say in the film, “It’s a Bingo!”.

Three and a Half Out of Four

SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER is available as a Video On Demand through most cable and satellite systems, along with most streaming apps and platforms.

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL – Review

So, whatcha’ gonna’ be for Halloween? You can bet that the Hollywood Studios and the multiplex know that big holiday is charging at us like that headless horseman. The answer to that question, for many young women (and lots of older adults…of both sexes), is “Princess”. Or more specifically “Disney princess”. And what’s essential to that character? Well, other than a prince. A villain, be it a wicked stepmom or sister, evil queen, or witch. About five years ago the “mouse house” had the bright idea (maybe inspired by the big, still-running and touring, Broadway stage smash “Wicked”) to re-imagine, and maybe reform, the villainess from one of their beloved animated classics, but this time with live actors (with a few make-up and CG tweaks). This may have inspired a recent trend in the superhero genre in which the “bad guys” of Spider-Man and Batman were turned into the heroes of their own self-titled features (VENOM definitely, but JOKER is more of an “anti-hero”). Anyway, Disney has finally made a sequel to that unorthodox (then) box office hit, giving it a subtitle that’s closer to her previous “rep”. Lookout, it’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

The beginning of this follow-up more resembles a story by that comic strip icon Snoopy as it’s “a dark and stormy night”. A trio of men is creeping about the enchanted moors. As two are quickly dispatched by shadowy forces, the third scoops up a mushroom-topped imp along with a glowing flower. Both are paid for by a mysterious figure peering out of an opening near the bottom level of a looming nearby castle. The next bright, sunny morning Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) cavorts with the magical denizens of the Moors including some towering talking trees, a mumbling porcupine lad, assorted plant-like pixies, and a trio of talkative fairies (more like “aunties”), Thistlewit (Juno Temple), Flittle (Lesley Manville), and Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton). Their playful banter is interrupted by Aurora’s suitor, the smitten Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson). He promptly proposes to her moments before the arrival of his love’s guardian, the supreme sorceress Maleficent (Angelina Jolie). Much to her chagrin, she agrees to meet with Phillip’s parents. After some prepping on human manners and decorum from her crow/pal/familiar Diaval (Sam Riley), Mal and the two kids travel to the kingdom of Ulster for a meet and greet meal with King John (Robert Lindsay) and his Queen, Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer). Things don’t go “well”, and Mal takes wing and crashes through a window. As she glides back to the Moors, one of the royals’ (seems they were “prepared”) aides wounds her with an iron-tipped arrow. This sends the injured witch on a journey to find her roots prior to an all-out war on the Moors’ denizens by dark forces within the Ulster castle. But will Aurora side with her fellow human or will she come to the aide of her adopted forest family?

Jolie slips on the horns as though they were a comfy old pair of jeans (or…slippers). She still gives the witch a sexy diva quality, rolling her eyes and caressing every bit of dialogue for comic effect. that’s not to say she exudes no real menace. With the new look via makeup and costuming I wondered which was sharper, those horns, her molars, her collarbones (impressive), or her acid-tinged line delivery. Luckily she’s got a formidable adversary in Pfeiffer, all dead-eyed stares and raised brows as the plotting queen (insert mother-in-law from “you know where” jokes here). She bounces between passive-aggressive matriarch to campy screeching royal harpy, all while looking stunning in a series of jeweled gowns. The inspired match-up harkens back to Shirley MacLaine versus Anne Bancroft in THE TURNING POINT or maybe further back to Joan vs. Bette in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE. Fanning rarely gets to join in on the farce fun this time out as she carries much of the emotional drama as the conflicted princess, though she throws herself into the final act’s big battle sequences. Dickinson’s Phillip spends most of his time longingly gazing at her until he gets “woke’ to the “sitch”, while Lindsay as his papa, the King is an ineffectual pawn. Riley provides just a bit of comic relief as the man-crow, as does Temple, Manville, and Staunton as the flitting fairies whose oversized human heads on tiny bodies have an oft-putting quality like Funco Pop hummingbird girls. As for the actors playing new (to the series) roles, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Conall makes soulful eye contact with Mal as he mainly provides her with ancestry info in a missed opportunity for an engaging romantic subplot. This as Ed Skrein bares his fangs and six-pack abs as the “ready to rumble” Borra.

Despite the opportunity for a frenetic funny “throw down” between the two screen glamour goddesses, director Joachim Ronning struggles to keep the pace consistent and make the action sequences coherent. It doesn’t help that the three writer credited script changes tone from sprightly sparkly fairy tale to origin story (an island with denizens resembling the children of the Na’vi from Pandora in AVATAR and the Hawk People of FLASH GORDON minus the great Queen score), and a seemingly never-ending war between then modern weapons and magic. There are noble sacrifices aplenty (with actors perhaps happy to sit out a third outing), but most viewers will spot a trite character resurrection long before the glowing spell begins. By this time even the most devoted Disney kids and their folks will be worn down. Visually the costumes are eye-popping, but the opening Moors in the morning backgrounds are a candy-coated CGI overload, packed with lots of future toy “merch” (some critters seem to pop up only to justify a new “product”). Though she’s still one of the greatest Disney villains, her second live-action (mainly) flick, MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL, fizzles and fumbles rather than flies. Hang them horns up already.

2 Out of 4

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES – The Review

Zombies make everything better! Jane Austen devotees needn’t worry that the makers of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES have ridiculed her perennially popular story of love among the British upper classes. They’ve merely added zombies to it – an improvement if you ask me! I’ve never had the inclination to read Austen’s novel (I’ve heard it’s good), but I once saw a big screen treatment starring Keira Knightly. This high-concept hybrid adapted from novelist Seth Grahame-Smith’s revisionist tome is one of the more interesting horror movies I’ve seen in a while. Not only does director Burr Steer skirt the edges of camp with PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, he accomplishes a wonderful sense of surrealism and whimsy missing in much modern horror. Here’s a movie that delivers on exactly what its title promises. There are the unmarried Bennet sisters, as well as Mr. Darcy and various other suitors, and they do indeed battle the living dead for a great portion of the film. Adapted for the screen by the director, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is absurd, outlandish, and even ridiculous in concept, but thanks to a team of filmmakers who take a straight-faced (but not entirely serious) approach to the material, it works. It’s as if the producers gathered and said “This is already going to be silly, so let’s just try to keep it from being stupid.’ They succeeded. Rarely is a film this silly also this clever.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is the story of the Bennet family and their lives in England amidst a mid-19^th century zombie apocalypse. In the tradition of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice we still have Mrs. Bennet (Sally Phillips) on a quest to marry off all of her daughters while Mr.Bennet (Charles Dance) makes sure his girls have been to China to train in the art of eliminating the walking dead. In a world filled with the dead devouring the brains of the living, one would think it a low priority to find love, yet the two older Bennet sisters do. The eldest Jane (Bella Heathcoat) falls for Mr. Bingley (Douglas Booth), not for his money but for his affections. The more headstrong Elizabeth (Lily James) puts her pride and the prejudices that she had against Mr.Darcy (Sam Riley) aside, and after a furniture-smashing knife duel, finds she loves him too.

If you’ve read Austen’s book (or seen a movie version), you immediately recognize how faithful PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is in regards to the romantic pairings and matrimonial deal-making – then there’s that whole zombie thing. This crazy concoction rests on the shoulders of these charming young actresses, and they carry the film exceedingly well. There are numerous quiet moments in which leading-lady Lily James (as instantly likable as she was in CINDERELLA) strikes a strong chemistry with Sam Riley’s Darcy as does Bella Heathcoat with Booth’s Bingley. Every plucky action heroine, especially ones introduced tucking their weapons into corsets and garters and bustiers, deserves some capable support, and this is a rather winning ensemble. As head antagonist we have a hissable Jack Huston as George Wickham, and he’s fun, though I wish they had fleshed out another villain or two. Lena Headley is an over-the-top hoot as one-eyed warrior woman Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the most famous zombie killer in all of Britain. Matt Smith plays the insufferable Parson Collins, the Bennet girls’ creampuff clergyman cousin with remarkable style and wit, handily stealing every scene he’s in. There’s not a weak link in this scrappy cast, and that’s no small feat for a risky flick like this.

Directed with high-octane energy by Steers and consistently eye-pleasing thanks to the cinematography by the excellent Remi Adefarasin, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is a candy store of genre treats. I thought the bleary, red-stained zombie point-of-view shots were a nice touch. Those, along with some pulpy-but-quick decapitations, and bloodless brain-eating, were a creative way to keep the violence within the PG-13 parameters. The film does sag a bit in a mostly zombie-free middle section. The screenplay is so intent on hitting so many of Austen’s original plot points that the horror elements at times seem an afterthought. But why snipe at a couple of minor complaints when this mishmash is presented so craftily? Call it “better than it should have been,” a “pulpy matinee,” or (gasp) a “guilty pleasure” if you must, but it only seems right to give PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES a pat on the back for getting so much right.

4 of 5 Stars

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES In St. Louis

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England.

Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield in order to conquer the undead once and for all.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is based on the book by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.

The film, directed by Burr Steers, also stars Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth with Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Lena Headey.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES opens in theaters February 5, 2016.

WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES on Tuesday, February 2 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

We will contact the winners by email.

Answer the following:

What is the name of the prequel to Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

3. No purchase necessary

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for the folllwing reasons: zombie violence and action, and brief suggestive material.

Varèse Sarabande will release the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack digitally on February 5 and on CD February 19, 2016. The album features the original music by composer Fernando Velázquez (CRIMSON PEAK, THE IMPOSSIBLE).

Follow the film:

www.facebook.com/PPZMovie

twitter.com/PPZMovie

The First Trailer For PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Has Dawned

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has released a campy new trailer for the upcoming PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES.

The film stars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth with Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Lena Headey.

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield in order to conquer the undead once and for all.

Written for the screen and directed by Burr Steers and based on the book by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, don’t miss PPZ in theaters February 5, 2016.

#SquadGoalZ

www.facebook.com/PPZMovie
www.twitter.com/PPZMovie
www.instagram.com/PPZMovie
SnapChat: PPZMovie

Lily James And Bella Heathcote In PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Photos; Cast At Comic-Con Panel

Here’s a first look at new photos from Sony Pictures’ PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES.

The cast were at Comic-Con’s Hall H for a panel discussion on the film.

“Fiercer.” – Lily James on the difference between the #PPZmovie version of Elizabeth Bennet and the Austen version. pic.twitter.com/cbMQFEyktg

— PPZ Movie (@PPZmovie) July 11, 2015

Bella Heathcote, Jack Huston, Sam Riley, Matt Smith, Lily James and Douglas Booth seen at Screen Gems' "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" Presentation at 2015 Comic-Con on Saturday, July 11, 2015, in San Diego. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Screen Gems]/AP Images) — Bella Heathcote, Jack Huston, Sam Riley, Matt Smith, Lily James and Douglas Booth seen at Screen Gems’ “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” Presentation at 2015 Comic-Con on Saturday, July 11, 2015, in San Diego.

Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Screen Gems/AP Images

The film stars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth with Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Lena Headey.

Written for the screen and directed by Burr Steers and based on the book by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, PPZ is in theaters February 6, 2016.

https://twitter.com/PPZmovie

https://www.facebook.com/PPZMovie

https://instagram.com/ppzmovie/

WAMG Exclusive Interview With SAM RILEY : MALEFICENT

MALEFICENT explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “SLEEPING BEAUTY” and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Recently, I sat down with actor Sam Riley, who plays Diaval, Maleficent’s raven sidekick in the film. Check it out below!

Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficentrealizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville. “Maleficent” is produced by Joe Roth and directed by Robert Stromberg, with Angelina Jolie, Michael Vieira, Don Hahn, Palak Patel, Matt Smith and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay.

How did you first become involved with MALEFICENT? Is it true that you were told that you weren’t “Disney” enough?

SAM RILEY : My agent did. Well, I don’t know if they heard that from them, but he said ‘The feeling is that you’re not quite Disney material’ which I completely understand. And then, I didn’t hear anything for a long time after doing the casting. And then, like three weeks later, my American agent rang up, which is always in the evening in Europe. I was very excited!

You live in Germany, right?

SAM RILEY : Yeah. In Berlin. I was in a pub and they said ‘Buy yourself another drink because…’

That’s a good place to be when you get a call like that!

SAM RILEY : Yeah! Although it can be expensive if you buy everyone one. [Laughs]

There is a lot of material from past tales on Maleficent and Sleeping Beauty, but this is a whole new look on the raven. How did you develop your character? Were you given a lot to go off of?

SAM RILEY : Well, yeah! I watched the original. I mean, I remember the raven, but watching it again – he’s, sort of, half asleep the whole time. It was difficult, because I like to do homework and anything I can because that’s part of the bit of doing this job. So, I watched a lot of videos on YouTube about ravens, and worked some on that, and then, when I came to London, the arranged for me to spend time with ravens.

How was that?

SAM RILEY : Intense, because I was completely ignorant of them. This one was [showing about three feet with his hands]…

Really?

SAM RILEY : For real! I though they were like crows! It was this big [again, displaying the size with his hands]. The guy let it out of the cage and it stretched its wings, which were probably not much longer than the width of the table [round 6′ or 7′ table]. I was like ‘Fuck man!’ They’re enormous. Then, it started bouncing around on the table. It could do tricks. They taught the bird tricks which it could do very well, but it had an attitude. [Laughs] Kind of vain. Dismissive. He could tell that he was more intimidating. It was really amazing. I studied him so I could use bits of his movements and things in my character when I’m the man.

Good thing you don’t have a phobia of birds!

SAM RILEY : Or their feathers! [Laughs] It was intimidating. They’re really big. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

Was he fast?

SAM RILEY : He didn’t really want to do anything unless you were feeding him. It’s kind of like a dog. He’ll only sit if you have a treat. I wouldn’t want him to chase me around the room or something. When they fly…

This film is a bit darker than I anticipated, but your character finds a balance between the good while working for evil. It would be easy to portray a more ‘enslaved’ type of relationship with Maleficent because you were indebted to her. How did you find the balance in your character?

SAM RILEY : It’s kind of the way she [Angelina Jolie]… When we first met she was talking about the fact that it has to start like that, and he has to be afraid of her. Then, if you think about it, we spend every single day with each other for sixteen years… watching her [Sleeping Beauty] grow up. I’m the only person who really talks to her. We thought that it would be more adjusting – developing them like they’re married or something. He realizes over time that she’s not as cold, or wicked as she likes to think of herself, and he gradually grows in confidence, and love, I think. I think he worships her.

When you have a fairytale, or a famous film such as SLEEPING BEAUTY with such a moments, cult-like following is there an added pressure to please the fans?

SAM RILEY : Not for me, no. On Angelina, maybe, but a lot of it’s on her shoulders. I don’t think they could have cast anyone more perfect. I’m kind of used to that. It sounds really strange, but there’s this film that I did – I played a character that had a massive, nice little cult following – Ian Curtis from Joy Division [CONTROL]

You also were in Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD, which has a huge following.

SAM RILEY : I played another literary character too, so I’ve kind of been unfortunate. [Laughs] Fortunate and unfortunate in that department – to incur the wrath of the devotees. [Laughs] Fortunately, the ones that bother to say anything to me have been nice, but I don’t look online. [Laughs]

I bet! Some people are vicious when they can hide behind a computer!

SAM RILEY : Yeah. It’s pathetic. Daytime TV is also terrifying. I was watching it while waiting for my make-up this morning… I’m wearing make-up. [Laughs]

You can’t tell. [Laughs]

SAM RILEY : Thank you! She’s an artist! [Laughs] Two things that are totally terrifying… the internet and daytime television.

What did you see?

SAM RILEY : ‘Kelly and’ something?

Oh, she used to host with Regis. ‘Live With Kelly And Michael’.

SAM RILEY : Oh yeah! I remember him! They had Charlize Theron on, and Josh Hartnett. Oh god. I’d be terrified! [Laughs]

Why?

SAM RILEY : Well, because it’s live. I don’t know. I’ve never done live TV I guess… and a roomful of screaming housewives…

What direction to you see yourself going next? Is going back to music in your future?

SAM RILEY : I’m tempted by it, and there’s a guy in Berlin who works at a record company that every time we have slightly too much to drink with each other I get to thinking ‘I’m gonna do another album!’ [Laughs] There’s unfinished business. Otherwise, with films and things, I don’t really know. I really enjoyed the experience of doing something so different with this film. You never really know what’s going to happen after. I’m always just waiting for something interesting… And there’s always karaoke. Do you sing?

I do. I used to work at a bar where I would jump up and sing Salt-N-Pepa or Joan Jett every night. Oh yeah, I can rap. [Laughs] What is your go to karaoke song?

SAM RILEY : [Laughs] ‘Hammer Time’ [You Can’t Touch This]

FOR MORE INFO :

Like MALEFICENT on Facebook: https://facebook.com/DisneyMaleficent
Follow DISNEY on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures
Follow DISNEY on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/disneystudios

MALEFICENT Is In Theaters Now

MALEFICENT IMAX Featurette & Red Carpet Premiere Photos

MALEFICENT has opened in theaters today and is poised to have a huge weekend at the box office.

With all the glitz and glamour of a huge Hollywood premiere, Disney pulled out all the stops on Wednesday as they rolled out the Blue Carpet at the El Capitan Theatre.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt autographed posters and took selfies with fans’ cell-phones. Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, and Sam Riley also posed for the mass of paparazzi.

Check out the plethora of images below and for more on the movie, read Melissa Howland’s review HERE.

IMAX released an exclusive featurette for Disney’s MALEFICENT where director Robert Stromberg explains his inspiration for the movie and why it should be seen in IMAX. “The Maleficent character is so iconic…why did she become evil? We find that out in this film. The first time I saw Maleficent in the IMAX format, it just blew me away.”

MALEFICENT, the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty,” reveals the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora, only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the land.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

Directed by Robert Stromberg, MALEFICENT releases in theaters in 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D May 30th.

FOR MORE INFO :

The film is rated PG for sequences of fantasy action and violence, including frightening images.

MALEFICENT – The Review

MALEFICENT gives audiences a glimpse behind one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time, SLEEPING BEAUTY, as shown through the eyes of its villain. Is it enough to enchant its viewers?

MALEFICENT takes us on the journey into the legend behind the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty that we have all grow to love and know. Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) was actually a good-natured fairy in charge of protecting her magical kingdom. Somewhere along the way Maleficent finds true love in a young boy named Stefan, only to be betrayed by his quest for power. Driven by revenge, Maleficent places an irrevocable curse on Stefan’s firstborn daughter Aurora (Elle Fanning). As the child begins to grow, Maleficent’s jaded heart begins to melt, and her love for the girl she set out to hate begins to take over. Unfortunately, as her cold heart begins to grow warm, there is no escaping the curse she bestowed upon young Aurora, and she is destined to fall into a sleep like death unless true loves kiss awakens her.

Let me start off by saying that Angelina Jolie was the perfect person to play the role of Maleficent. She does an incredible job of portraying both a villain, and a heroine at the same time. Her duality is beyond impressive. Although I felt that the film lacked a character as strong as her, I felt that her performance was more than enough to carry the film. The role of Sleeping Beauty was not a shining role in this film, so I felt that Elle Fanning didn’t really have a chance to make her character her own. She was great, but in the grand scheme of things her role was secondary. They didn’t let the character of Sleeping Beauty adequately develop, or grow as a character. She was a boring placeholder. The same goes for the character of Stefan, played by Sharlto Copley. Although we see a glimpse of how his treacherous act drove him into a life of insanity, we don’t really see his struggles of growing up in poverty, nor do we see the man he came to be because of his circumstances. Audiences would really benefit to see how he came to the drastic decision to betray his one true love in such a vile way. How can we understand why exactly he would choose to betray the one true person that has loved him against all odds without a proper backstory? He is a great actor that was not utilized properly in this film.

I get that this film was originally intended for children, but when they decided to take a turn and focus on the dark, more adult aspects of this fairytale the CGI lost me. The beginning of MALEFICENT looks like a cheesy children’s film, whereas the rest of the film concentrated on darker, more dynamic imagery. These two do not blend well. Robert Stromberg, who makes his directorial debut, had an incredible amount of pressure to create a mind-blowing, dynamic film since he comes from a visual effects background, and was the production designer for OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, ALICE AND WONDERLAND, and AVATAR. He did not, however, deliver. The set design of MALEFICENT looks hokey and fake. The gnomes and fairies of the beginning world look like they could have easily been pulled from a made for TV movie. You worked on AVATAR! Did you really think that audiences would expect these half-assed CGI effects?

WARNING : SPOILER ALERT

There is one thing that I will stick up for when it comes to this film. I am sick of critics throwing out the rape-revenge theory of this film. Yes, Maleficent endures a violation that breaks her heart and ultimately changes who she is, but this is not of a sexual nature. Is this a violation? Sure. Keep in mind that this is a children’s movie, and in no way does anything sexual happen. Despite her wings being ripped off (so that her love can convince the dying King that she is dead and inherit the throne), this is not a sexual violation. Sure, something precious was taken from her, and I can get where this theory is coming from, but you kids are digging a little too deep. What ever happened to taking a movie for what it is, without throwing too much meaning into it? If this were the story of a male fairy seeking revenge after his lover stole his wings we would not be having this conversation. Does this stem from the fact that Disney has, yet again, strayed from the formula of the handsome prince coming to the rescue? Perhaps. Now that the strong female leads are taking center stage, it feels like there is a little bit of a revolt coming forward. Sure, Maleficent transformed into the villain that we all know her to be because her heart was broken, but a prince did not fix her broken heart. The love of another human being did. The love of a girl who could have potentially been her daughter broke the spell. We, as females, can all relate to feeling a desire for revenge after heartbreak. It’s human nature. Men feel it too. The fact that they show the downfalls of acting on raw emotion… that is where the true story lies. The concept of the good and evil sides of a villainous character has played a serious backseat to this ridiculous “rape / revenge” concept that people are talking about, and it’s a shame. If anything, this should be used as an example of how revenge is never the answer, no matter how badly your heart is hurting. I’m proud of Disney for reinventing the fairytale, and providing little girls with stories of self empowerment. Besides Angelina Jolie portraying the perfect Maleficent, this is the only other good thing that I can truly say.

If you are going to attack this film, attack it for its poor secondary character development and tacky CGI intro. Don’t attack this film for taking a chance to reinvent a classic fairytale into something that girls today can now relate to.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville. “Maleficent” is produced by Joe Roth and directed by Robert Stromberg, with Angelina Jolie, Michael Vieira, Don Hahn, Palak Patel, Matt Smith and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay.

Overall Rating : 3 out of 5 stars… because Angelina Jolie is incredible

FOR MORE INFO :

Tag: Sam Riley

WIDOW CLICQUOT – Review

SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER – Review

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL – Review

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES – The Review

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES In St. Louis

The First Trailer For PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Has Dawned

Lily James And Bella Heathcote In PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Photos; Cast At Comic-Con Panel

WAMG Exclusive Interview With SAM RILEY : MALEFICENT

MALEFICENT Is In Theaters Now

MALEFICENT IMAX Featurette & Red Carpet Premiere Photos

MALEFICENT – The Review

Overall Rating : 3 out of 5 stars… because Angelina Jolie is incredible

MALEFICENT ENCHANTS THEATERS MAY 30

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

MALEFICENT Is In Theaters Now

Share this:

Share this:

Overall Rating : 3 out of 5 stars… because Angelina Jolie is incredible

MALEFICENT ENCHANTS THEATERS MAY 30

Share this: