by ·Comments Off on The Killer -A provocative look into the mind of a sardonic assassin

“I liked the idea of exploring the inner psyche of somebody who kills for a living. And how he qualifies his notion of what he’s doing from what other people might ‘misperceive’ it as.” says director David Fincher of The Killer, who re-unites with screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, with whom he created the indelible serial killer thriller Se7en.

A streamlined thriller about an assassin discovering his limits, The Killer is the twelfth feature of director David Fincher.

The Cinema has long been fascinated with the mysterious lone wolf assassin, from Le Samouraï (1967) to The American (2010) .

In contrast to an unknowable, glamorous figure, The Killer makes us privy to his inner thoughts, as well as his bland, practical reality.

“We thought it would be interesting if the ‘cool’ assassin movie tropes were all taken away,” says Fincher.
There are no nightclubs or bespoke suits here – this man shops in airports, stays in chain hotels and does
everything he can to blend in. “I wanted him to be somebody that you wouldn’t notice on the street,” says
Fassbender of his cold-eyed antihero. “He’s not a person you could identify just by looking at him, but
once you get inside his head…”

Adapted from the acclaimed graphic novel written by “Matz” (Alexis Nolent), The Killer explores the
boundaries of the revenge movie. “In a revenge movie, you want to see people get their revenge,” says Fincher. “We just used the idea to ask: ‘Or do you?’”

The audience shares the point of view of the title character, hearing his personal maxims as he attempts
to re-order his life.

“Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight…”

But as The Killer travels target to target, from France to the Dominican Republic to America, we find life – and death – doesn’t always follow the rules

Paris, night. An unnamed man in unremarkable clothes, The Killer (Michael Fassbender) watches from the floor of an empty office, across from the plush apartment of his target, rifle at hand. Measured, and controlled, he takes every step to ensure the job goes flawlessly… It doesn’t. The Killer flees, following his strict personal mantra of dispassionate action. But his employers want him erased. By attacking his home, they disturb his sanctuary and, with it, his sense of self. This – he will not abide, traveling through the Dominican Republic and the United States, eliminating anyone who might disrupt his hard-won peace again

What drew David Fincher to the ruthless French comic book, and the inspiration of its creator…

David Fincher first read The Killer shortly after the 2007 publication of an English-language edition of the
acclaimed French comic book series, which first appeared in 1998 and still runs today, 25 years on.

A provocative look into the mind of a sardonic assassin, The Killer is fueled by the dark humor and righteous anger of author Alexis “Matz” Nolent and the pristine and distinctive drawing of artist Luc Jacamon.

“He told me he loved the comic book, what it said, how it unfolded – everything,” says Nolent, who remembered Fincher’s enthusiastic reaction through the years that followed.

Whether it was timing or taste, attempts to adapt the material didn’t come to fruition until Fincher turned to his long-standing collaborator, screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker

Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker

Fincher and Walker had first worked together on Se7en, the unforgettable 1995 serial killer movie which marked Walker’s screen debut and the first Fincher feature to fully display the talent of the director, who had made his name in music videos.

Walker also contributed uncredited rewrites on other Fincher films The Game (1997) and Fight Club (1999) and the pair speak frequently.

“Andy and I have talked for a long time about the idea of intercepted thoughts,” says Fincher. “How honest is their introspection?”

While the source material is quite expansive in what it covers – both in terms of story and politics –
the screenplay strips things back to become a more straightforward story of delivering retribution. But within that simplicity, there is an interesting contrast between what the nameless assassin says he believes – as expressed through his voiceover – and how he actually behaves.

“I love the idea of the code amongst assassins,” says Fincher. “But from a storytelling standpoint, what made this rise to the level of ‘We should do this next’ was how it dealt so specifically with subjectivity. You are inside this guy’s head.”

David Fincher during the filming of The Killer. Cr. Netflix ©2023

The audience is given access to the innermost thoughts of a hired killer, but also sees how his theoretical view of the world contrasts with reality.

“If you’re tapped into their thoughts, how do they reconcile what they do with what they believe?”

From The Adventures of Tintin to Asterix to Métal hurlant (a.k.a. Heavy Metal), comic books – or graphic novels, as the collected works are known – in France have long displayed a variety and received a level of respect that has only more recently been mirrored in America. There is great creative freedom within the medium, and it also provides a unique way to deal with perspective.

The difference between thought and reality, which so appealed to Fincher, drew Nolent to write the story in this format in the first place, after starting it as a traditional prose novel.

“I realized it would be more interesting as a graphic novel,” says Nolent. “Because of the discrepancy I wanted between what you read and what you see. You see how The Killer acts, but you are inside his head. What he does and what he thinks do not match.”

Seeing life through the eyes – and scope – of an assassin puts the audience in an interesting position, as
they may inevitably find themselves rooting for someone whose behavior is, put mildly, questionable.

Fincher admires Melville’s movie, while cinephiles may also see shades of Alfred Hitchcock in The Killer,
with its sardonic tone and opening stakeout, which recalls the voyeurism of Rear Window (1954). The
wry commentary of the title character, though, should not blind you to his savagery. The Killer is the story’s protagonist, but hardly its hero, whatever some people might think.

“A lot of readers tell me they agree with him,” says Nolent. “Or, they thought like that but never
expressed it. Sometimes they take the extra step of thinking The Killer is likable – this is not the intention.”

Michael Fassbender as an assassin in The Killer. Cr. Netflix ©2023

Fassbender certainly doesn’t want viewers to admire or aspire to his character.

“It should be terrifying when he does things,” says the Irish actor. “Just a blank face shooting at you. No emotion is involved. It’s just empty. This is hopefully a character that makes you feel ill at ease. I don’t want him to be cool.”

As well as appreciating Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay – and Fincher’s films overall – Fassbender
saw it as an opportunity to learn, exploring the methods of another director. When he worked with Malick on Song To Song, he knew it would be a free-wheeling, improvisational experience. “I thought, ‘It’ll be like going back to school, it’s a workshop.’” In contrast, he knew of Fincher’s specificity and desire to execute material in a particular, precise way. “So with Fincher, doing multiple takes, I thought, ‘It’s time for me to see this other way of shooting.’”

The actor loved it, finding working with the director a true partnership. “He’s been so generous and
collaborative from the beginning. It’s nice to be included like that. And it helps us move forward quickly. When I’m looking at the monitor, especially with technical stuff, like a fight sequence, he shows me exactly what he’s looking for and hopefully I can get there more efficiently.”

Michael Fassbender as an assassin in The Killer. Cr. Netflix ©2023

It’s useful to have an actor who is secure in himself when so many other elements need to be aligned to
capture a take that comes close to matching what Fincher has in mind.

“It was an interesting experience directing the movie because I knew that it was all about witnessing
behavior,” says Fincher, reflecting on following the central character.

“How do you show somebody who’s in it for the long haul, is not expending energy on shit they don’t need, who’s completely focused on their prey?”

David Fincher and Michael Fassbender during the filming of The Killer. Cr. Netflix ©2023

The Killer doesn’t interact with many people, Fincher notes, but you witness how he moves through the world, “and his world is supposed to be in parallel to ours. My hope is that if the movie affects people they start to question who’s in line behind them at Home Depot.”

by ·Comments Off on Inside the Mind of a Killer: Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is a haunting dramatization of one of America’s most notorious serial killers, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. The series not only revisits the chilling crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer but interrogates the systemic failures that allowed his atrocities to continue unchecked for over a decade.

Released on Netflix in September 2022, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story marked the beginning of Murphy’s true crime anthology, later followed by seasons on the Menéndez brothers and Ed Gein.

Murphy, known for his stylised horror and psychological dramas, teamed up with longtime collaborator Ian Brennan to write and produce the series. Directed by Carl Franklin, Paris Barclay, and Jennifer Lynch, the show stars Evan Peters in a career-defining role as Dahmer, with Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland, Richard Jenkins as Lionel Dahmer, and Molly Ringwald as Shari Dahmer. The series spans Dahmer’s life from childhood through his arrest in 1991, focusing not only on the gruesome details of his murders but also on the broader social and institutional contexts that enabled them.

The inspiration behind the series was not merely to recount Dahmer’s crimes but to reframe the narrative from the perspective of his victims and the community that tried to stop him.

Murphy stated that the goal was to center the voices of those who were silenced—particularly Black and brown victims whose disappearances were ignored by law enforcement. The series draws heavily from court records, police reports, and interviews, but it also dramatizes the emotional toll on families, neighbors, and survivors. Glenda Cleveland, Dahmer’s neighbor who repeatedly called the police to report suspicious behavior, becomes a central figure in the series. Her warnings were dismissed, and her story exemplifies the racial and systemic negligence that permeated the Milwaukee Police Department at the time.

The series is structured non-linearly, weaving between Dahmer’s childhood, his years of killing, and the aftermath of his arrest.

It explores his upbringing in a fractured home, his early signs of psychological disturbance, and his descent into necrophilia and cannibalism. But rather than glorifying the violence, the show lingers on the emotional devastation left behind. Each episode highlights a different victim, giving them names, faces, and stories—something often missing in true crime narratives. One of the most powerful episodes centers on Tony Hughes, a deaf Black man who was lured by Dahmer and later murdered. The episode is told largely from Tony’s point of view, using silence and visual storytelling to emphasize his humanity and the tragedy of his loss.

Evan Peters’ portrayal of Dahmer is chillingly restrained. He captures the killer’s awkwardness, emotional detachment, and manipulative charm without veering into caricature. Peters reportedly spent months preparing for the role, studying interviews and court footage to understand Dahmer’s psychology. His performance earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Limited Series and an Emmy nomination. Niecy Nash’s portrayal of Glenda Cleveland was equally lauded, earning her a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Nash brings emotional depth and moral clarity to a woman who tried, unsuccessfully, to stop a monster next door.

The significance of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story lies in its cultural impact and its critique of institutional failure.

The series became one of Netflix’s most-watched shows, surpassing one billion hours viewed within 60 days of release. But its popularity also sparked controversy. Some viewers accused the show of retraumatizing victims’ families, while others praised it for shedding light on systemic racism and homophobia. The series walks a delicate line between dramatization and advocacy, using horror not for shock but for reflection. It asks hard questions: Why did the police ignore Glenda Cleveland’s calls? Why were Dahmer’s victims—mostly young men of color—so easily dismissed? What does it say about society that Dahmer was able to operate for so long without consequence?

Murphy’s decision to launch Monster as an anthology series reflects a broader ambition: to explore how American culture creates and sustains its monsters. Each season focuses on a different figure whose crimes reveal something about the era, the institutions, and the communities they affected. In Dahmer’s case, the series becomes a lens on 1980s and 1990s America—an era marked by fear of homosexuality, racial segregation, and distrust of marginalized voices. The show doesn’t excuse Dahmer’s actions, but it does contextualize them within a society that failed to protect its most vulnerable.

The series also critiques the media’s role in mythologizing serial killers. Dahmer became a household name, his crimes sensationalized in tabloids and documentaries. Monster resists this trend by focusing on the victims and the survivors. It shows the courtroom scenes, the impact on families, and the community protests that followed Dahmer’s arrest. It also explores the ethical dilemmas faced by Lionel Dahmer, Jeffrey’s father, who struggled to reconcile his love for his son with the horror of his actions. These moments add emotional complexity to a story often reduced to gore and spectacle.

In its final episodes, the series examines Dahmer’s time in prison, his conversion to Christianity, and his eventual murder by a fellow inmate. These scenes are not presented as redemption but as a continuation of the moral ambiguity that defines the series. Dahmer’s death is portrayed with restraint, emphasizing the unresolved pain of those he left behind. The show ends not with closure but with a call to remember—to honor the victims, to question the systems, and to confront the darkness within society.

Ultimately, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is more than a true crime drama. It is a cultural reckoning, a meditation on grief, justice, and the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion.

By centering the voices of the silenced and challenging the institutions that failed them, the series transforms horror into advocacy. It reminds viewers that monsters are not born in isolation—they are shaped by neglect, prejudice, and silence. And if we are to prevent future tragedies, we must listen to those who are too often ignored.

by ·Comments Off on Hunter Killer – A classic submarine thriller

The authenticity of Hunter Killer started with its source material: the novel “Firing Point,” written by George Wallace, the highly experienced, retired commander of the nuclear attack submarine the USS Houston, along with the award-winning journalist and best-selling author Don Keith.

The film takes the classic submarine thriller—with all its nail-biting tension, claustrophobia, physical and psychological pressure—into the post-Cold War era when flash coups and counter-reactions can alter the balance of world power overnight.

Deep under the Arctic Ocean, American submarine Captain Joe Glass (Gerard Butler, Olympus Has
Fallen , 300 ) is on the hunt for a U.S. sub in distress when he discovers a secret Russian coup is in the offing, threatening to dismantle the world order. With crew and country on the line, Captain Glass must now assemble an elite group of Navy SEALs to rescue the kidnapped Russian president and sneak through enemy waters to stop WWIII.

As the steely Captain Glass comes face-to-face with his stoic Russian counterpart, Captain Andropov (Michael Nyqvist), it becomes clear that the wary, distrustful bond between them may be all that stands between the world and nuclear catastrophe.

The cinematic appeal of the book was so strong that chatter about a film adaption began.

The book’s action-packed plot, based on Wallace’s extensive knowledge, twisted and turned through a Russian nationalist coup, a Black Ops Navy SEAL mission and an attack submarine captain faced with decisions that could halt—or instantly ignite— WWIII. Complex as it was, the story was so teeth-grittingly plausible it kept readers up late at night. Even more than the thrills, readers were transported into life on a nuclear sub, immersed into the cramped, sundeprived, nerve-shredding ambience where steadiness and honor are the only bedrock to be found.

The cinematic appeal of the book was so strong that chatter about a film adaption began. For more than a century, filmmakers have been drawn to the deepest deep.

Indeed, the submarine movie has been a popular genre since the earliest days of commercial motion pictures.

From the silent Secret of the Submarine in 1915 to a flood of nerve-wracking WWII sub movies to the groundbreakingly visceral German film Das Boot to the blockbuster adaptations of Tom Clancy’s The Hunt For Red Octob er and Crimson Tide in the 1990s, the tightly contained space inside a sub full of soldiers facing extremes of confinement, anxiety and danger has been rife with the stuff of drama.

But in the wake of vast changes in submarine technology—and in the world—in the new millennium, no film had yet submersed itself into life on a 21st Century naval submarine.

Arne Schmidt is an assistant director and producer, known for Chain Reaction (1996), RoboCop (1987) and xXx (2002).

This changed when screenwriters Arne L. Schmidt and Jamie Moss adapted “Firing Point” into Hunter Killer . Compressing the 700-plus-page novel into a taut exploration of the battle to stop a war both on land and below the water.

Comments producer Toby Jaffe, “I love any movie that transports you into a world you don’t really know— and Hunter Killer really does that. We approached it as both a highly entertaining dramatic thriller and an opportunity to take the audience into the world of submarine culture in a way that is authentic and contemporary to our times. Our focus from the start was on making the film as true to life, timely and of the-moment as we could.”

Jamie Moss is an actor and writer, known for Ghost in the Shell (2017), Street Kings (2008) and Last Man Home.

Everyone involved was drawn to the exhilarating idea of merging what would usually be three different kinds of thrillers—an edge-of-your-seat submarine thriller; a hazard-filled SEALs expedition into enemy territory; and a clashing of the minds in a military War Room—into one portrait of a world hurtling towards war.

Taking Command

Donovan Marsh

To make that mix come alive on the screen in a very 2018 way, the producers went in search of a young director with a fresh POV. They found what they were looking for in an unlikely place: South Africa, where Donovan Marsh had just come to the fore with his stylish, award-winning crime drama iNumber, Number. “We were very excited to find a young filmmaker who was ready and excited to bring a different sensibility to the submarine thriller,” says Jaffe.

Marsh’s furiously paced, hyperkinetic style seemed to lend itself to breaking open the closed-in spaces of a submarine.

As hoped for, the script grabbed Marsh’s attention and sparked a driving passion. “I felt it was the best military thriller I’d ever read,” he recalls.

“The essence of any great thriller is that you can’t predict what’s going to happen next, and as I read this script, I was genuinely on edge all the way. Plus it had such great, tough characters facing huge dilemmas that are too real.” In line with the producers, Marsh immediately envisioned going to whatever lengths he could to create an authentically 21st Century submarine immersion for audiences. “I wanted the interior of our submarine to look precisely like a real nuclear submarine. I wanted everything on our sets to be so real that a submariner wouldn’t know the difference,” explains Marsh. “And I wanted people to talk in the way they talk aboard submarines—because even though the audience might now know exactly what that terminology is, they know when the dialogue and atmosphere has that crack of realness.”

The filmmakers all knew that the authenticity could only really be set in motion with the support and involvement of the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense. Driven by deep respect for the real men and women who defend the oceans in near invisibility, the filmmakers secured an early agreement to partner with the U.S. Navy in nearly every aspect of the production. “Early on, we approached the Department of Defense and the Navy to ask for their help,” explains Jaffe. “We were very grateful to be given so much, including the chance to spend time on working submarines and to have Navy technical advisors on set at all times assuring we could recreate the latest submarines down to the knobs and dials and get all the little details right, down to the lingo and commands.”

Featuring an all-star cast led by Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman and Common, the film’s action moves from deep sea to land and back again. But most of all, Hunter Killer , authentically captures the 21st Century world of the so-called “silent service,” the men and women who serve by patrolling the deep, while their boldest exploits often go unheard and unseen.

Says Butler: “When I first read this script a few years ago, I loved it immediately. It’s a classic story with a heck of a lot of great action, a heck of an intricate plot and a whole cast of fantastic characters who are heroes from different walks of life. It felt like an exciting way to revive the submarine thriller for these times. And right now, this story couldn’t feel more relevant.”

Summarizes director Donovan Marsh, “ Hunter Killer is about a fictional event—but it could easily occur in today’s world. There have been many recent news articles about how Russian and American submarines are chasing each other under water in dangerous ways. Yet, because it’s happening under the ocean, the public never knows what’s going on. That’s how our movie begins: with two submarines ghosting each other through the ocean … resulting in an incident that quickly escalates to the brink of war. I think audiences will be thrilled, they’ll be moved and they’ll have a good deal of fun, all while watching a story highly significant to what’s happening in 2018.”

by ·Comments Off on Script to Screen: The Architects of Story

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“What was behind all of that was the beating heart of a man who wanted to bring joy,” Michael screenwriter John Logan questions. “When I started looking at Michael’s life, I did the due diligence that you do as a dramatist dealing with historical material. I went in and I read everything. And I looked at so much material on Michael, just hundreds of pages of notes he had written to himself, inspirational notes, song lyrics.”

“I wanted to make a movie that was nothing but dialogue, that would be two great actors and a great script and nothing else. I honestly thought it would be fast and simple,” says Mother Mary screenwriter and visionary director David Lowery. “Mother Mary is about how art can take something terrible and turn it into something beautiful.”

“This is a movie that plays several different horror chords, and I’ve got history and renown for being someone who creates some pretty gory set pieces and some quite shocking imagery,” says writer-director Lee Cronin of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. “this movie is no different in many ways, but it also plays with psychology, dread and chills as well. I think when it comes to gore and to imagery that is really arresting and sticks in your mind, it has to be earned. It has to be based on context. I think for me, the simple equation is to find characters that people fall in love with, and then maybe you can start to turn the screw and do horrible things to them.”

“In your closest relationships, you should be able to share everything, from how you actually feel to who you actually are,” says screenwriter Kristoffer Borgli. “The Drama is about that idea getting stress-tested between two people who are head over heels in love, and who maybe never considered there could be more to the other person. It’s about the power of love — an emotional state you don’t get to control, and how complicated that becomes when your feelings are at odds with your rationale. When that balance slips, you find yourself inside a crucial dilemma.”

“When you adapt a first-person story, you lose that direct access to a character’s thoughts,” says screenwriter Lauren Levine. “The letters in Reminders Of Him gave us a way to bring that interiority back without it feeling heavy-handed. We also explored her notebooks as a way to show her guilt and her attempt to move forward.”

“This is the story of two disparate individuals from opposite ends of the galaxy, and through science, teaching, empathy and compassion, they work together to save the universe,” says screenwriter Drew Goddard of Project Hail Mary. “We were terrified we would have to simplify it for a general audience, but what we found was the opposite. The audience loved that the science was complicated and
challenging.”

“I’ve wanted to make Giant for many years, for many reasons. The most important being: one, because Naseem’s story, and his journey and relationship with life-long mentor Brendan Ingle, is as moving and heartbreaking as it is exhilarating,” says writer-director Rowan Dinar Athale. “I want the film to inspire those who still crave it, and still need it. And I want the world to once again celebrate one of the few British-Asian-Muslims in our history.

“The Testament of Ann Lee is a retelling of the life of the extraordinary true legend Ann Lee, one of the few female religious leaders of the 18th century,” says writer-director Mona Fastvold. “I was raised in a secular household, and yet Ann Lee’s prophecies—however implausible—moved me deeply. Not because I share her faith, but because I recognise in her a yearning for justice, transcendence, and communal grace. Her radical pursuit of a self-fashioned utopia speaks to the creative impulse at the heart of all artistic endeavour: the urgent need to shape the world anew.”

“I’m interested in the monstrousness I see outside of myself that I think is really kind of alive and everywhere right now. I’m also interested in the monstrousness I see inside myself. And at the time, I was particularly interested in that. I was like, “What is this terrifying stuff that I personally believe is in all of us?” And Frankenstein is a way to think about and understand that,” says writer, director and producer Maggie Gyllenhaal of The Bride!, a bold, gothic, and psychologically charged reimagining of Bride of Frankenstein.

“We’ve played it so many different ways,” says writer-director Kevin Williamson of Scream 7. “Ghostface is always a trickster. You never know what you’re going to get. “The goal is to constantly surprise the audience. I don’t want Ghostface to just show up and kill somebody. I love a good chase scene. I want the victims to fight for their lives. I want to see Ghostface go at it with someone audiences love.”

“At the heart of Die My Love is the complexity of love and how it can change and transform over time. I aimed to keep it grounded, human, spontaneous and funny at times, capturing the moments that feel small but carry a lot of weight. This film is for anyone who’s ever been in a relationship – there’s heartbreak and beauty in vulnerability,” says writer-director Lynne Ramsay.

“The central question of crime fiction for me is how does one try to live decently in an indecent world?,” says Crime 101 screenwriter Don Winslow. “So I often have characters with good intentions that they’re not always able to carry out. I like characters that have internal conflict. I like characters who are morally flawed. I’m not trying to write white knights. At the same time, I’m not trying to write totally dark villains. I like those ambiguities. I think that that is reality, and I tend to write realistic fiction”.

“Our Wuthering Heights is a period romance but it’s not niche,” says writer-director Emerald Fennell. “It’s a grand, epic, multi-plex movie based on what I believe is the greatest love story ever written. The cinema is a place to connect, and we’re giving audiences a way to feel something, to unleash any emotions they’ve been stifling. To reclaim romance via a devastatingly sexy film from a sexy book—as sexy a book as could’ve been at that time, and it still is today. Emily Brontë’s story gets under your skin. No matter how many times I’ve read it I find things that are new, or remember something that I can no longer find, and that destabilises me as much as it did when I first read it.” 

Veteran writer of short stories and screenplays, screenwriter Owen Egerton’s inspiration for Whistle is rooted in exploring what
frightens him most. And what scares him most is death. “Not just death in the vague sort of sense but my particular death, my personal death. So I came up with a story about people being pursued by their own particular death. Their own particular future ghost coming to get them.”

“I wrote this script faster than I’ve written anything,” writer-director Bradley Cooper says of Is This Thing On? “And then the filming, I was much more at ease than I’ve ever been. Because you get into a hole on the day sometimes, and maybe things aren’t working. But I just breathed through it, like, ‘It’s going to come. It’s going to come. Stay relaxed.’ The moment you crink up, you’re fucked. It’s like that in anything – stand-up comedy, a fight, sports. You’ve got to stay loose, and I was very loose through this whole movie.” 

“I don’t often have words to describe why I choose a project,” says writer-director Chloé Zhao. “I’m often guided by instinct, a tight pull on my heart center. Stories appear in my life as if they have chosen me and I have no choice but to surrender to them. Hamnet came into my life like a whisper that grew into a hurricane. By the end of the journey, I was tenderized. I had truly experienced what it feels like to live with an open heart in the eye of a storm – the beauty, the pain, the thrill at the edge of annihilation and the silence.

Send Help screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, like director Sam Raimi, have a deep-rooted appreciation for mixed-genre storytelling. “One of the reasons our taste is what it is, is because in our formative years we watched a lot of Sam Raimi movies,” Shannon says. “You know a Sam Raimi movie when you see it.” “We heard that Sam wanted to do an elevated thriller-horror,” Swift continues. “We looked in our bag, found our Linda Liddle concept, and put the pitch and screenplay together.”

Acclaimed filmmaker Johannes Roberts, the director and co-writer of Primate calls the movie his love letter to the first horror film he ever saw: Cujo. “For me, it opened up a whole new kind of horror based in real situations, not vampires and monsters,” he explains. “I instinctively understood the way that the director Lewis Teague and the cinematographer Jan de Bont were manipulating the audience — I knew right then that I wanted to direct films like that.”

Mercy screenwriter Marco van Belle explains that he melded old and new ideas for his forward-thinking script — and then watched as real life caught up with this kinetic mystery thriller. “When I found a news report about an AI judge being created in Estonia to handle decision-making in civil cases, I saw the incredible potential to reinvigorate the legal thriller/courtroom drama genre by framing a trial within an AI court.”

“Evil isn’t always going to put on a scary uniform,” writer-director James Vanderbilt says of Nuremberg. “It’s not always going to announce itself. It can be insidious. It can be – as Göring was – the nicest guy at the dinner party. That’s a much scarier thought than good guys versus bad guys.”

 “When I initially discussed 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple with Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, I told them, ‘I’m going to make it my own. I’m not going to try to make ‘a Danny Boyle movie.’ Because that’s impossible to make,” says director Nia DaCosta. “I could really put my imprint on it – to let my freak flag fly – and be visually adventurous and matching that with more classical filmmaking.”

“The American Dream is such a powerful story, and after the war, dreaming big became an international sensation alongside this new idea that individuals make history and play a crucial role in shaping and reshaping the world,” says writer-director Josh Safdie of Marty Supreme. “Marty represents the confidence, cockiness, and ambition that America expressed in the postwar years.”

“Sharing a brutal prison existence allows the two characters in this film to strip away all the markers and classifications society imposes on them – class, ideology, sexuality, gender – and see each other purely as individuals. It’s still a revolutionary idea, and I’m proud that people are responding to it,” says writer-director Bill Condon of Kiss Of The Spider Woman

“We want to push the boundaries of storytelling and captivate audiences,” says James Cameron of Avatar: The Way Of The Water. “The broader audience only cares about a story, the characters, and how the film makes them feel. I keep that in mind first and foremost every single day.”

“We root for underdogs because their struggle is our song. We need to see real people triumph over adversity — not just superheroes in capes. I need to believe, with all the problems we face in this country, that the American Dream is still possible,” says writer director Craig Brewer of Song Sung Blue

In Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Rian Johnson wrote mysteries so complicated that only Benoit Blanc could solve them. Johnson’s latest chapter, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, gives Blanc a run for his money, presenting him with his most layered and unexpected case to date. “This was the hardest script I have ever had to write,” says the twice Oscar–nominated filmmaker.

 “I think, for all of us, there’s a gap between who we are deep down and who we present ourselves to be, and this varies in terms of all the different roles we play in our lives. And as we get older and gain more experience, and maybe wisdom, how do we re-meet and redefine the person that we are?” says writer-director Noah Baumbach Jay Kelly, co-writing the screenplay with Emily Mortimer (in her screenwriting debut).

“Greg and I have been working together now for about 15 years, and we’ve written many scripts together. Train Dreams was unique because we had never adapted a work of fiction before. We try to bring a deep level of research to what we do, and this film was no different, but it’s hard to research something that’s about a time gone by, and also based on a work of fiction,” says Clint Bentley, who co-wrote the film with Greg Kwedar

“My dad really started to inhabit the characters, especially Ray, speaking as him during the writing process. That was when I realised this was going to be its own kind of special beast. Working with him taught me so much as a writer and storyteller; by the time we got to set, we had a shorthand for everything,” says screenwriter Ronan Day-Lewis, who co-wrote Anemone with Daniel Day-Lewis, inspired by the lingering scars of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. 

“Blue Moon is a chamber piece on the brutal architecture of artistic mourning… it deals with a trauma that is, in a way, two‑fold: not just a business split, but an artistic divorce between two men who defined an era together,” says writer-director Richard Linklater

“I’ve dreamed all my life of making rom coms in the vein of Lubitsch, Wilder, and Sturges,” says director David Freyne. “I adore that era when people believed rom coms could say everything, could be the deepest films, no matter how feathery their touch. And here was my chance. Eternity might be set in the afterlife, but what mattered to me is the characters are caught up in conflicts that feel very human and very true to our experienc­es.”

“My goal in expanding on Mason Deaver’s novel into a cinematic universe was to examine how acts of love, compassion, and service towards family—chosen and blood—could either endanger a child or embolden them to flourish, to offer audiences a contained and simple character study on becoming. It was important for me to tell this story authentically and not fall into the trap of dramatising Ben’s gender or coming out too much. Viewing anybody solely through the lens of their gender or sexuality diminishes their vast and complex humanity,” says writer-director Tommy Dorfman of I Wish You The Best

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is inspired by Mary Shelley’s seminal 1818 novel of the same name. “I’ve lived with Mary Shelley’s creation all my life,” says del Toro. “For me, it’s the Bible. But I wanted to make it my own, to sing it back in a different key with a different emotion. Mary Shelley’s masterpiece is rife with questions that burn brightly in my soul: existential, tender, savage, doomed questions that only burn in a young mind and only adults and institutions believe they can answer,” del Toro explains. “For me, only monsters hold the secrets I long for.” 

 “Once I read the script, I jumped in. Regretting You is a coming-of-age story about relationships between parents and children growing up, like my previous films Stuck in Love and The Fault in Our Stars. I have always been, and always will be, attracted to movies about families, specifically kids discovering that their parents are fallible. That’s an important moment in anybody’s life,” says director Josh Boone.

“In the world that we live in now, people live in certain bubbles that have been enhanced by technology,” visionary director Yorgos Lanthimos says. “Having certain ideas about people is reinforced depending on which bubble you live in, creating this big chasm between people. I wanted to challenge the viewer about the things that we’re very certain about, the judgment calls that you make about certain kinds of people. Bugonia is a very interesting reflection of our society and the conflict in our contemporary world.” 

“Beginning production on Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is an incredibly humbling and thrilling journey,” says writer-director Scott Cooper. “Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ has profoundly shaped my artistic vision. The album’s raw, unvarnished portrayal of life’s trials and resilience resonates deeply with me. Our film aims to capture that same spirit, bringing Warren Zanes’ compelling narrative of Bruce’s life to the screen with authenticity and hope, honouring Bruce’s legacy in a transformative cinematic experience.”

“From 1985 to 1994, my mother worked for the British Board of Film Classification. Each day, she would watch a film to determine its appropriate level of censorship and then, at night, for my bedtime story, recite the plot to the movie she had seen that day. I would fall asleep, visualising these narratives, dreaming about the T-1000 or Nakatomi Plaza and then later I would get to see these characters
and locations realised on celluloid. This practice spawned an inevitable life-long obsession with cinema,” says director Max Minghella, whose film Shell is a love letter to those bedtime stories.

Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill

“With Black Phone 2, we were able to keep building on characters rooted in our own childhoods and what it was like growing up in the ’70s and ‘80s,” says writer-producer C. Robert Cargill. “We have been through a lot together and are as close personally as we are professionally. What keeps it creatively fulfilling is the material, of course. It is always about telling a good story. That drives everything,” says writer-producer-director Scott Derrickson.

“I wanted to design something new, but familiar,” says Norwegian-born director Joachim Rønning about TRON Ares. “What drew me to the project was the mix of the digital and real worlds. Having a Program exist in the real world was interesting for me – I hadn’t seen that before. And the idea of Ares finding out what it means to be human, what it takes to be human, was fascinating.”

There was something really complicated about Mark Kerr that I wanted to explore,” says writer-director / editor Benny Safdie of The Smashing Game. “And there was something about Dwayne, too. He has this image of himself out in the public, but as he spoke to me about Mark, and as he talked about this movie, oh my God! I realised there was a whole other side to him that we could explore together.”

“I believe that the strongest case of the theatrical experience can be made with horror films. We all seek the therapeutic experience of facing our worst, darkest, most secret terrors in the safe environment of a movie theatre,” says director Renny Harlin of The Strangers – Chapter 2. “We can scream, cry, hide our eyes, or even laugh at the uncontrollable and life-threatening scenes that unfold in front of us. In a movie theatre, it is all a communal experience.”

“Our past absolutely defines everything we do in the present. We can’t help it. We’re made by the events of our past, so there’s no escaping it,” says writer-director Andrew Haig of All Of Us Strangers. “I am fascinated by that person who is trying to live authentically, but they are on the outside of society—so how do they manage in the world around them?”

“I started working on One Battle After Another 20 years ago to write an action car-chase movie, and I returned to it every two or three years. At the same time, this was in the early 2000s, I had the notion to adapt Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, a book about the 1960s, which he wrote in the `80s. So, I was trying to decide what the story meant another 20 years later. So really for 20 years I had been pulling on all these different threads. Vineland was going to be hard to adapt. Instead, I stole the parts that really resonated with me and started putting all these ideas together.  With his blessing,” says writer-director-producer Paul Thomas Anderson.

“As a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s, the buddy cop genre and road movies were more popular than ever before, and they had a major influence on me when it came to the kind of films I wanted to make. Like a lot of people, I was charmed by the idea of taking two individuals from different walks of life and forcing them together. As soon as my agents sent me the script of London Calling, I was all in. It took the best elements of the buddy genre, stuffed it into a road movie, and encompassed themes of family, aging, and identity,” says director Allan Ungar

“Over the course of my career, I’ve tried to bounce around different genres and stories, but they always seem to retain one common denominator – characters that are simply trying their best to do the right thing. I find there to be such a beautiful dignity to it. I felt like I had an idea of what I was going to be getting from a movie called The Threesome and then was given something much more sophisticated, tender and nuanced,” says director Chad Hartigan.

“I’m one of those guys who usually loves the book and hates the movie—so with The Long Walk we had to find a way to be really, really loyal to the DNA of the story,” says screenwriter JT Mollner. “What makes it special is this hint of nihilism, but then a tiny bit of hope—this weird amalgamation of things that Stephen King was obviously feeling as a young man. This disillusionment with America, and him creating this sort of hyperbolic version of it.”

“The real challenge is in structure,” says writer Julian Fellowes about writing Downton Abbey. “When you have a series, you don’t have to give every character a story every week. You can have different emphases. Whereas in a film, everyone has to have their crack at the whip. Everyone has to have an active part in the story.” 

“In my movies, if there’s a real case, I’m going to do a deep dive into it, and meet and talk to as many people involved as I can,” says Director / Executive Producer Michael Chaves of The Conjuring: Last Rites. “There’s also obviously research into the period—in The Nun II, I went through all kinds of great 1950s photography that we leaned into as we were making the film. So, we looked at the period, but I also did a lot of Zoom interviews with the four Smurl sisters. Talking to them about their experience was really powerful.”

“Together is a film about the potential horror of sharing a life with someone; the lingering anxieties of commitment writ large. It’s about co-dependency, monogamy, romances and resentments — and that at a certain point, can we truly tell where one life ends and our other half’s begins? What draws me into a project is finding a one-off, hooky premise, and squeezing that premise for all its juice. Despite the personally resonant and (hopefully) realistically observed characters at the centre of this story, I am so proud how we escalate the horror into things I’ve never seen before on screen, ” says writer-director Michael Shanks.

For Charlie Huston, Caught Stealing isn’t just a darkly humorous heist story— it’s a project that’s near and dear to their heart. “I wrote this book way back in 1998, the year the story is set in,” they say. “There’s a ton of my own lived experience in the story’s main character. When Darren Aronofsky reached out to me 18 years ago to say that he was interested in the book, it was super exciting. I loved the idea of Darren taking his visual sensibility and the dynamism of his storytelling and applying it to this story.” 

Tony McNamara believes one of the best things about being a screenwriter is seeing your words brought to life by the people playing the characters you have spent so long imagining in your head. When it came to The Roses, that first day on set was perhaps one of the best. “We wanted to make a very smart adult comedy that goes dark. And I feel like there haven’t been that many of those for a while,” says McNamara. “And we wanted to make a really good comedy about marriage that also had a good heart about how hard that is. We wanted to make something that people could relate to. I know we all did.”

“I’ve always liked Superman. I think as a kid I was really attracted to the Superman family comics, with Superman and Supergirl and Krypto and the whole gang. It was at a time when I was starting to become more aware of how important films were to me in my life, and that was different from how important films were to other people in their lives,” says writer/director/producer James Gunn.

“When I’m writing, I have a rule for myself—I don’t want to know what’s going to happen at all. I always just start. So, I sat down to write what would become this movie, and the first thing I type is this little girl telling a story and these kids who go running out of the house. And I’m thinking as I’m writing, “This is cool. I hope I figure this out.” And I didn’t really figure it out until it was time in the script to answer that question. Basically, I’m writing on a tightrope, hoping that it is revealed to me. Luckily, in this case, it was. But I was just writing to get this feeling out, and it ended up turning into Weapons. I think when I wrote Barbarian, it was kind of a similar thing. I sat down and started writing for the fun of it, without any idea of what it was going to be,” says writer-director Zach Cregger

Filmmaker & Writer Vault

Films listed alphabetically. Click on title to read more about how the films were written and made.

5TH WAVE / 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE / 10 LIVES / 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI / 28 YEARS LATER / THE 33 / AI FILMS

A

A REAL PAIN / A SCAM CALLED LOVE / A WORKING MAN / ABIGAIL / THE ACCOUNTANT 2 /AFTER EVERYTHING / ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS / ALIEN: ROMULUS / ALL OF US STRANGERS / ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD TRIP / AMELIE / ANATOMY OF A FALL / ANOMALISA / ANORA / ANYONE BUT YOU / ARGYLLE / ARTHUR AND THE KING / ARTHUR’S WHISKY / THE ARTIST / ASPHALT CITY

B

BABYGIRL / BACK TO BLACK / BAD GUYS / BAD GUYS 2 / BARBARIAN / BASTILLE DAY / BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE / BEAUTIFUL WEDDING / BEEKEEPER / BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE / BEFORE I WAKE BEN HUR (2016) / BETTER MAN / BFG / BIG SHORT / BIKERIDERS / BLACK BAG / BLINK TWICE / BORDERLANDS / THE BOSS / BOY / BOY KILLS WORLD / BRAVE THE DARK / BRIDGE OF SPIES / BRIDGET JONES’S BABY / BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY / / BRING HER BACK / BROOKLYN / BROS / THE BRUTALIST /

C

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD / CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR / CAPTAIN FANTASTIC / CAROL / CAT PERSON / CATCH HELL / CAUGHT STEALING / CELLAR DOOR / CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE / CHALLENGERS / CHOICE / CINEMA PARADISO / CIVIL WAR / COBALT BLUE / COLOR PURPLE / COMPANION / COMPLETE UNKNOWN / CONCLAVE / CONCUSSION / CONJURING 2 / CONJURING: LAST RITES / CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT / COUP DE CHANCE / THE CREATOR / CREED / CREED II / CREED III / CRIMINAL / CRIMSON PEAK / THE CROW / CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW /

D

DADDY’S HOME / DANGEROUS ANIMALS / DANISH GIRL / DEADPOOL / DEADPOOL 2 / DEADPOOL & WOLWERINE / DEATH ON THE NILE / DEMOLITION / DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA / DESPICABLE ME 4 / DIRTY GRANDPA / THE DISCOVERY OF HEAVEN / DOG MAN / DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT / DOWNTON ABBEY / DREAM SCENARIO / THE DRESSMAKER / DROP / DUNE: PART TWO

E

EDDIE THE EAGLE / EDDINGTON / ELVIS & NIXON / THE END WE START FROM / ELEKTRA / ELEVATION / ELIO / EMILIA PEREZ / EQUALS / EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! / THE EXORCISM / EZRA

F

F1 / FALL GUY / FAMILY AFFAIR / FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS / FERRARI / FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK / FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES / FINDING DORY / FINEST HOURS / FIRST OMEN / FLIGHT RISK / FLOW / FLY ME TO THE MOON / FOREST / FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE / FREEHELD / FREE STATE OF JONES / FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

G

THE GARFIELD MOVIE / GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE / THE GIFT / GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE / THE GALLOWS / GHOSTBUSTERS (2016) / GLADIATOR II / GODS OF EGYPT / GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE / THE GOOD DINOSAUR / GOOD GRIEF / GOODRICH / GRANDMA / THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL / GRIMSBY

H

HAIL, CAESAR! / HAPPINESS IS A FOUR LETTER WORD / HARDCORE HENRY / HATEFUL EIGHT / HAUNTING IN VENICE HEADSPACE / HEIDI / HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS / HERE / HE NAMED ME MALALA / HERETIC / HIDDEN LIFE / HIGH STRUNG / HIT MAN / HOLDOVERS / HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING / HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA / HOUNDS OF WAR / HOW TO BE SINGLE / HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON / HUNGER GAMES / HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR / HURRY UP TOMORROW

I

ICE AGE: COLLISION / THE IDOL / I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025) / IMAGINARY / IMAGINARY FRIENDS / INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE / INFILTRATOR / INHERITANCE / INSIDE OUT 2 / IN THE HEART OF THE SEA / I SAW THE LIGHT / INVISIBLE BOYS / IT ENDS WITH US

J

JANE AUSTEN AND A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE / JANE GOT A GUN / JASON BOURNE / JOKER / JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX / JOIKA / JOY / JULIET & ROMEO / JUNGLE BOOK / JURASSIC PARK: REBIRTH

K

KEANU / THE KEEPING ROOM / THE KILLER / KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON / KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES / KNIGHT OF CUPS / KNOCK AT THE CABIN / KRAVEN THE HUNTER / KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS / KUNG FU PANDA 4

L

THE LADY IN THE VAN / LAND OF BAD / LAST BREATH / THE LAST DUEL / THE LAST WITCH HUNTER / LEAVE NO TRACE / LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND / LEE / LEGEND / LEGEND OF TARZAN / THE LIFE OF CHUCK / LIGHTS OUT / LILIES NOT FOR ME / LION / THE LION KING / THE LITTLE PRINCE / THE LITTLE THINGS / THE LOFT / LONDON HAS FALLEN / LONESOME / LONGLEGS / LONG WALK / THE LOST LANDS / LOVE HURTS / LOVE THE COOPERS

M

MACBETH / MADAME WEB / MAGGIE / MAGPIE / MANCHESTER BY THE SEA / THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY / MARIA / MATERIALISTS / MAY DECEMBER / MEAN GIRLS / ME BEFORE YOU / MEDDLER / M3GAN 2.0. / MICKEY 17 / MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES /MILES AHEAD / MILLER’S GIRL / THE MIRACLE CLUB / MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN / MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING / MISS YOU ALREADY / MOANA / MOANA 2 / THE MONKEY / MONKEY MAN / MORGAN / MR. RIGHT / MUFASA: THE LION KING / MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS / MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 / MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 /

N

NAKED GUN / NAPOLEON / NERVE / NETWORK / NEVER LET GO / NEXT GOAL WINS / NICE GUYS / THE NIGHT BEFORE / NIGHTMARE ALLEY / NIGHT OF THE ZOOPOCALYPSE / NOSFERATU / NOVOCAINE / NOW YOU SEE ME 2 / NYAD

O

ON SWIFT HORSES / ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST / ONE LIFE / ONE OF THEM DAYS / ONE TRUE LOVES / OPPENHEIMER / ORDINARY ANGELS / OUR KIND OF TRAITOR

P

PADDINGTON IN PERU / THE PAIN HUSTLERS / PANDA BEAR IN AFRICA / PARALLEL MOTHERS / PARIS, TEXAS / PAST LIVES / PAWN SACRIFICE / THE PEANUT MOVIE / PELE / THE PENGUIN LESSONS / PERFECT DAY / PETE’S DRAGON / THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME / PINOCCHIO / PLEASE STAND BY / POINT BREAK / POOR THINGS /PRESENCE / THE PROGRAM

Q

QUEEN & SLIM / QUEER / QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

R

RACE / REBEL MOON / RED ONE / REGRESSION / REMEMBER / REPTILE / THE REVENANT / RISEN / ROBERTO DEVEREUX / THE ROAD WITHIN / ROCK THE KASBAH / ROOM / THE ROSES / RULE BREAKERS / RUNS IN THE FAMILY

S

THE SALT PATH / SAUSAGE PARTY / SAW X / SCOUTS VS ZOMBIES / / SEPTEMBER 5 / SHARP CORNER / SHOT CALLER / THE SILENT HOUR / SILENT NIGHT / SING STREET / SISTERS / SLEEPING DOGS / SMILE / SMILE 2 / THE SMURFS / THE SNOW QUEEN / SNOW WHITE / SOLACE / SOCIETY OF THE SNOW / SPEAK NO EVIL / SPECTRE / SPOTLIGHT / STAR TREK BEYOND / STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS / STEVE JOBS / THE STRANGERS / STRAW / SUFFRAGETTE / SUICIDE SQUAD / SULLY / SUNSET BOULEVARD / SUPERMAN

T

TALK TO ME / TAROT / TESTAMENT OF YOUTH / TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS / THANKSGIVING / TOGETHER / TRANSFORMERS ONE / TRAP / TREASURE / TRIPPLE 9 / TRUMBO / TRUTH / TWISTERS

U

THE UNBREAKABLE BOY / UNTIL DAWN

V

VENOM / VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE / VENOM THE LAST DANCE / VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN

W

THE WALK / WARCRAFT / WARFARE / WATCHERS / WEAPONS / WEEKEND IN TAPEI / WE LIVE IN TIME / WEREWOLVES / WHERE TO INVADE NEXT / WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT / WHITE BIRD: A WONDER STORY / / WICKED / / WIDOW CLICQUOT / THE WILD ROBOT / WOLF MAN / WOLF TOTEM / WOMAN OF THE HOUR / THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR / WONKA / WOODLAWN

X

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE / X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX

Y

THE YOUNG MESSIAH

Z

Z FOR ZACHARIAH / ZONE OF INTEREST / ZOOLANDER 2 / ZOOTROPOLIS

SOUTH AFRICAN FILMS

A KIND OF MADNESS / ‘N MAN SOOS MY PA / ‘N PAWPAW VIR MY DARLING / BOERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD / DIS KOUE KOS SKAT / DON’T LET GO OF THE DOGS TONIGHT / DORA’S PEACE / ENDLESS RIVER / FRANKIE EN FELIPE / FREE STATE / THE JAKES ARE MISSING / MIGNON MOSSIE VAN WYK / MODDER EN BLOED / MRS. RIGHT GUY / NOMA / MY FATHER’S WAR / SAFE BET / DIE SEEMEEU / SINK / SOM VAN TWEE / TROUVOETE / TWEE GRADE VAN MOORD / UITVLUCHT / VERSKIETENDE STER / VIR ALTYD / WONDER BOY FOR PRESIDENT

TV SERIES /STREAMING

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE / BABY REINDEER / BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE / CHRISTOBAL BALENCIAGA / THE CROWN / DISCLAIMER / THE GENTLEMEN / GREY’S ANATOMY / HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER / MID-CENTURY MODERN / MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY / / RED WHITE & ROYAL BLUE / THE WATERFRONT

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Click on Titles To Read Features

Absurdity

The Phoenician Scheme

Action / Adventure

The Beekeeper / Dead Reckoning Part One: A love letter to the Mission series / How to Train Your Dragon / Love Hurts / Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning / Paddington in Peru / Silent Night / Superman / TRON: Ares

Action / Thriller

A Working Man / Captain America: Brave New World / Caught Stealing / London Calling / Novocaine / One Battle After Another / The Running Man / Wildcat

Adaptation

A Haunting In Venice / All The Light We Cannot See / A Man Called Otto / All Quiet On The Western Front / Alone In Berlin / The Art Of Racing In The Rain / Beautiful Disaster / The Black Phone / Blue Beetle / The Boogeyman / Borderlands / The Crow / The Dark Tower / Dune / The Good House / Killers of the Flower Moon  / Lady Chatterley’s Lover / Lion / Mean Girls / Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris / One True Loves / Pain Hustlers / Papillon / Peter Pan & Wendy / The Secret Garden / Toorbos / The Whale / The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar

Addiction

Ben Is Back / Die My Love

AI – Artificial Intelligence

The Creator / 100 Years Of AI / The Threat Of AI To Writers / Companion / M3GAN 2.0 / Mercy / TRON: Ares

Afterlife

Eternity / Good Fortune

Animals

A Dog’s Purpose / The Art Of Racing In The Rain / Dog / Famous writers and their cats / A Street Cat Named Bob / Call Of The Wild

Animation / Anime

The Amazing Maurice / The Bad Guys / Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc  / Charlie The Wonderdog / Chickenhare and the Secret of the Groundhog / Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle / Dog Man / Elemental / Elio / Epic Tails / Goat / Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio / Headspace / Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow / Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution / Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie / Migration / The Myth of Maracuda / Night of the Zoopocalypse / Pets On A Train / Rally Road Racers / Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken / Scarlet / The Smurfs / The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants / Strange World / Stitch Head / Tom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass / The Wild Robot / Zootopia 2 / Zootropolis

Biographical

A Complete Unknown / Blue Moon / The Brutalist / Code 3 / EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert / The Great Lillian Hall / Last Breath / Maria / Marty Supreme / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / Song Sung Blue / Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Black Comedy

Bugonia / Mickey 17 / The Roses / Together

Bollywood

Christmas Karma / O’ Romeo

Classic Films / Vintage

Arizona Dream / A Streetcar Named Desire / Babette’s Feast / Breakfast at Tiffany’s / Cinema Paradiso / Gosford Park / Jaws / Master Harold And The Boys / One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest / Paris, Texas / Raising Arizona / Sunset Boulevard / The Artist / Amelie

Comedy

Good Fortune / Is This Thing On? / London Calling / Rental Family / Tinsel Town

Coming Of Age

Boy Swallows Universe

Courtroom Trials

Nuremberg

Creatures

65 / Alien: Romulus / The Black Demon / Jurassic World Rebirth / Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile / Primate / Sketch / Wolf Man / The Invisible Man

Crime

A working man / Bodies / Den Of Thieves / The Killer / Killers of the Flower Moon / The Little Things / Reptile / Roofman

Dance

Joika

Disaster

Greenland 2: Migration

Documentary

Encounters

Drama

Die My Love / Is This Thing On? / The Life of Chuck / Regretting You / Rental Family

Espionage / Spy

Black Bag / Bridge Of Spies / The Exception / Inheritance

Excorcism

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Faith Based Stories

Fatima / Miracle Club

Family

Hamnet / Paddington in Peru / Rental Family / Sketch

Fantasy

Avatar / Avatar: The Way To The Water / Avatar: Fire and Ash / Beau is Afraid / Crimson Peak / Dune / Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves / Eternity / In The Lost Lands / Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio / Jurassic World Rebirth / Peter Pan & Wendy / Poor Things / Rebel Moon Part One / Strange World / Superman / The Watchers

Female Driven Narratives

Blonde / Call Jane / Emily / The Estate / The Favourite / Good Luck To You, Leo Grande / Joy Ride / MA / Maria / May December / Mean Girls / The Mother / Miracle Club /Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris / Nanny / One of Them Days / Parallel Mothers / Poor Things / Rule Breakers / She Said / Red Sonja / Stolen Girl / Women Talking

Film Culture

The Greatest Films Of All Time / How to Read a Film: The Language of Film / Film – A Popular Art Form / Film Appreciation Course/ A steady diet of celluloid

Franchise

After / Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania / Creed III / Fast & Furious 10 / Halloween Ends / The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes / Insidious /  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny / Mission: Impossible –Dead Reckoning Part One / Missing / My Big Fat Wedding 3. / Searching / Transformers: Rise of the Beasts / Saw /

Games

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves / Five Nights at Freddy’s

Gangster

 Legend

Gay Themed

All Of Us Strangers / Cobalt Blue / Green Book / Boots / Bros / Die Stropers (The Harvest) / Emilia Perez / God’s Own Country / Good Grief / The Ignorant Angels / / Heartstopper / I Dream in Another Language / Heated Rivalry / Inxeba: The Wound / The Inspection / Invisible Boys / I Wish You All the Best / Kanarie / Kiss Of The Spider Woman / The Lavender Lense / Lilies Not For Me / Lonesome / Moffie / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / My Policeman / Nyad / On Swift Horses / Pain and Glory / Pillion / Plainclothes / Punch / Queer / The Radical / Rafiki / Red, White & Royal Blue / Riley / Runs in the Family / The History Of Sound / Twinless / The Whale /

Gothic Romance

Crimson Peak / Frankenstein

Heist /Hostage Stories

Crime 101 / Dead Man’s Wire / Money Monster / September 5 / Stolen Girl / The Strangers: Prey at Night / The Strangers ― Chapter 1 / The Strangers: Chapter 2 / The Strangers Chapter 3 / Wildcat

Holocaust

A Real Pain / Nuremberg / One Life / The Survivor

Horror

28 Years Later / 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple / Cold Storage / September 5 / Silent Night, Deadly Night / The Strangers ― Chapter 1 / The Strangers: Chapter 2 / The Strangers Chapter 3 / The Invisible Man / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / Primate / Scream / Scream 7 / Together / Weapons / Whistle / Wolf Man 

Identity / Self Reflection

Boots / Is This Thing On? / Jay Kelly / Maria / Marty Supreme / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story /Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / On Swift Horses / The Roses / Superman / Train Dreams

Independent Filmmaking

The Gallows / Punch

Inspired By

Air / The Amazing Maurice / Babylon / Barbarian / Barbie / Cocaine Bear / C’mon C’mon / Death On The Nile / Dog / Empire of Light / Haunted Mansion / Murder On The Orient Express / No Hard Feelings / The Lost King / Notre-Dame on Fire / The Pale Blue Eye / The Pope’s Exorcist / Professor Marston & The Wonder Women / Renfield / Shotgun Wedding / Those Who Wish Me Dead / The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Interviews

Writer-director Gavin Hood talks about Oscar-winning Tsotsi / Tertius Kapp discusses the ecological horror fantasy Gaia / Johnny Breedt talks about Die Ontwaking / Christiaan Olwagen, talks about Poppie Nongena / Sallas de Jager on Dominie Tienie, Jonathan & Free State /Writer-director Gareth Edwards talks about what it takes to be a Filmmaker / Interviews with South African writers / Writer-director Etienne Kallos  / Producer Jason Blum talks about The Exorcist: Believer / In Conversation with Train Dreams’ screenwriters Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar / Writer Scott Frank on writing Dept. Q / Screenwriter Kevin Williamson’s Most Personal Story Yet Rises with The Waterfront

Kidnap

The Dead Of Winter / Novocaine / Weapons

Live Action & Animation

Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie

Magic / Illusion

Now You See Me 2 / Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

Murder Mystery

A Haunting In Venice / Death On The Nile / Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery / Knives Out / Murder On The Orient Express / Wake Up Dead Man

Musicals / Opera

Across the Universe / Christmas Karma / The Color Purple / Emilia Perez / Greatest Days / The Greatest Showman / Juliet & Romeo / Kiss Of The Spider Woman / Liefling / The Little Mermaid / Maria / Mean Girls / The Smurfs / Snow White / Tinsel Town / West Side Story / Wicked / Wicked: For Good / Wonka

Musical Biopic

Better Man / Blue Moon / EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert / Maria

Origin Stories

Alien: Romulus / The Last Voyage of the Demeter / Wonka

Original Stories

65 / Asteroid City / The Banshees of Inisherin / Barbie / Don’t Worry Darling / Emily / The Estate / Hypnotic / Joy Ride / The Little Things / Master Gardener / The Mother / Plane / Polite Society / Tár

Post-Apocalyptic

Afterburn

Prejudice / Racism

The Color Purple / Killers of the Flower Moon /

Prison

Nuremberg / Shot Caller

Psychological Thriller / Drama

Anniversary / Bugonia / Caught Stealing / Cellar Door / Coup De Chance / Die My Love / How to Make a Killing / Hurry Up Tomorrow / Keeper / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / Nuremberg / O’ Romeo / Tin Soldier / Together / Weapons

Reimagining History

Babylon / The King / The Lost King / Medieval / The Northman / Outlaw King / 1960 / The Woman King

Remakes / Reboots

Anaconda / Fantastic Four: First Steps / Final Destination: Bloodlines / Frankenstein / How to Train Your Dragon / I Know What You Did Last Summer / The Naked Gun / Nosferatu / Red Sonja / The Running Man / Silent Night, Deadly Night / Snow White / The Strangers: Prey at Night / The Strangers ― Chapter 1 / The Strangers: Chapter 2 / The Strangers Chapter 3 / Superman / Wolf Man / Wuthering Heights

Revenge

Nobody / Nobody 2 / The Roses / Sisu: Road to Revenge

Romance / Dating

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey / A Ghost Story / A Rainy Day In New York / Anyone But You / Beautiful Disaster / Brooklyn / F Valentine’s Day / Four Letters of Love / Good Luck To You, Leo Grande / Hamnet / It Ends With Us /Kiss Of The Spider Woman / Lady Chatterley’s Lover / The Last Duel / Love Again / Master Gardener / Materialists / O’ Romeo / Past Lives / Redeeming Love / Regretting You / The Roses / Song Sung Blue / The Threesome / Titanic / We Live In Time / Wuthering Heights

Satire

Bugonia / Dream Scenario / El Conde / The Menu / Rock the Kasbah / Sharp Corner / Triangle Of Sadness

Sci-Fi

Afterburn / Cold Storage / Fantastic Four: First Steps / The Life of Chuck / Mercy / Mickey 17 / Predator: Badlands

Sequels

28 Years Later / Accountant 2 / Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom / Avatar: The Way Of The Water / Avatar: Fire and Ash / Beetlejuice Beetlejuice / Black Panther: Wakanda Forever  / Black Phone 2 / Book Club: The Next Chapter / Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy / Den of Thieves 2: Pantera / Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale / Final Destination: Bloodlines / Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 / Freakier Friday / Magic Mike’s Last Dance / Scream / Scream 7 / Shazam! Fury of the Gods / Top Gun: Maverick

Serial Killers

Dangerous Animals / The Killer / Midnight In The Switchgrass / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Sexuality

Anora / Blink Twice / Cat Person / Emilia Perez / Good Luck To You, Leo Grande / May December / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / No Hard Feelings / Poor Things

Social Commentary

Mickey 17 / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

South African Filmmaking

South African Filmmaking

A kind of madness  / Alison /Angeliena / A scam called love / Bird Boy / Carissa / Gaia / The God’s Must Be Crazy / Headspace / Hen / Hunting Jessica Brok / Interviews with South African writers / Die Kwiksilvers / Liefling / Die Ontwaking / The Recce  / Die dekonstruksie van Retta Blom /Toorbos / Die Verhaal Van Racheltjie de Beer / Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight / GR 10 D / Loved Out / My Cousin’s Big Fat Durban Wedding / My Fk, Marelize!* / Pretty How Town / Sew The Winter To My Skin / Som Van Twee / Vaselinetjie / 1960

Sports

Big George Foreman / F1 / Goat / Him / Marty Supreme / Next Goal Wins / The Smashing Machine / The Survivor

Storytelling

James Cameron’s 3 Levels Of Storytelling

Superheroes

Andor / Black Adam / Black Panther / Black Panther: Wakanda Forever / The Flash / The Green Knight

Supernatural

A Ghost Story / A Haunting In Venice / All Of Us Strangers / Dear David / Encounters / The Exorcist: Believer / The Gallows / M3GAN / Nanny / A Quiet Place / The Pope’s Exorcist / Presence / Scouts vs Zombies / Shelby Oaks / Weapons

Survival / Disaster / Horror

28 Years Later / 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple / Cold Storage / Coyotes / Dangerous Animals / The End We Start From / Last Breath / Leave No Trace / Leave No Trace / Leave The World Behind / The Long Walk /  Notre-Dame on Fire / Not Without Hope / One Life / Send Help / Shelter / Society Of The Snow / Whistle

Suspense

Flight Risk / Jaws

Television Series / Teleplay

All The Light We Cannot See /Bodies / Boots / Cabinet of Curiosities / The Crown / Dept. Q / Disclaimer / Justified: City Primeval / Monster – The Ed Gein Story / Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story / Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story / The Waterfront

Thriller

Crime 101 / Drop / Caught Stealing / Flight Risk / Relay

Trilogies

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3.

True Life Stories / Biopics

A Complete Unknown / About My Father / A Hidden Life / Air /  A real pain / Belfast / Big George Foreman / Blonde / Breathe / Brave The Dark / Bridge Of Spies / The Brutalist / Call Jane / Code 3 / Dead Man’s Wire / Dear David /Empire of Light / The Fabelmans / The Favourite / Ferrari / Golda / Gran Turismo / The Inspection / I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Kandahar / Killers of the Flower Moon / Last Breath / Life (James Dean Story) / Legend / Lion / Loving Vincent / Maria / Marty Supreme / Money Monster / Napoleon /Not Without Hope / Nuremberg / The Old Man & The Gun / Oppenheimer / Pain Hustlers / Punch / Professor Marston & The Wonder Women / Roofman / Run Rabbit Run / The Salt Path / She Said / Society Of The Snow / Song Sung Blue / Sound Of Freedom / Spinning Gold / Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere / Stolen Girl / The Survivor / The Great Lillian Hall / Till / The Walk / Widow Clicquot

War

All Quiet On The Western Front / A Hidden Life / Bridge Of Spies / Civil War / The Exception / Hounds Of War / Mile 22 / Tin Soldier / Warfare

Wild & Wacky

Bad Times at the El Royale / Beau is Afraid / Everything Everywhere All at Once / The Menu / Nightmare Alley / Run / Smile / The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent / Violent Night

Women in Film

One of Them Days / Red Sonja / Rule Breakers

Writers

Genius / Pain and Glory / Rebel In The Rye 

The WORLD of FILM

The WORLD of FILM

by ·Comments Off on Scream 7 – A Legacy Reborn for a New Era of Horror

In 1996, the rules for horror films were changed forever by Scream,the groundbreaking collaboration between legendary filmmaker Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street ) and screenwriter Kevin Williamson.

Blending spine-tingling suspense and self-aware humor, Scream revitalized the slasher genre for a new generation and launched a blockbuster franchise that would grow into one of the most influential and highest-grossing horror film series in history, collecting over $900M in global box office receipts to date.

Over the course of 30 years and six films, the property turned horror on its head with graphic gore, clever pop culture references, sly sight gags, and wicked sharp dialogue, featuring teenaged horror-film fanatics who use the genre’s conventions to try and defeat the masked serial killer Ghostface. Along the way, Ghostface has become a defining horror icon, evolving through new identities, motives, and victims, brought to life by the franchise’s ever-expanding star-studded ensembles. In Scream 7, Ghostface returns as the supervillain fans know and love.

Neve Campbell, left, and Director Kevin Williamson on the set of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream 7.”

This time, Williamson takes the helm of his signature creation, and, as always, no one is safe, and everyone is a suspect

Scream was the start of an unparalleled career in film and television for Williamson, who has since written screenplays for I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Faculty, and Teaching Mrs. Tingle, which was also his theatrical directorial debut, as well as creating the TV series “Dawson’s Creek” and “The Following” and co-developing “The Vampire Diaries.”

From the very beginning, Williamson fell in love with horror the same way many fans do: in a dark theater, where fear becomes a shared communal experience. “Making the first film was such a magical time,” Williamson says. “I was able to work with my hero, Wes Craven. I have loved the horror genre since I was a little kid and saw my first horror film: Halloween. I have never forgotten the excitement of the audience watching it. They were screaming at Jamie Lee Curtis, ‘Don’t drop the knife!’ And then she dropped the knife!”

Williamson and Craven famously went on to partner on two more Scream films [Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 4 (2011)] prior to Craven’s passing in 2015. Now, with Williamson directing for the first time in Scream’s 30-year history, Scream 7 brings the genre-shaping franchise back to its roots for a terrifying, blood-drenched new chapter focused on the franchise’s original protagonist, Sidney Prescott, portrayed by Neve Campbell.

Shortly after Campbell signed on to the film, she became emersed in the process, sitting down with the filmmaking team to discuss a director. They all had the same idea: Williamson. “Kevin was the obvious best choice to direct,” the actress says. “I got to ask him, which was an amazing feeling. I’ve always thought it would be a wonderful thing to have Kevin direct. He knows these characters better than anybody.”

Williamson shares, “We got on a Zoom, so she got to see me cry. The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Yes, of course I’ll do it. Yes, yes, yes!’”

Williamson’s co-writer Guy Busick says that Williamson is one of his screenwriting heroes. “When they said, ‘Don’t meet your heroes,’ they didn’t mean Kevin. Working with him on a Scream script was yet another pinch-me moment in a nonstop series of pinch-me moments since I was invited to help relaunch the franchise. I learned more by working with him than I could have dreamed. He’s a true master of the genre. It’s an experience I’ll always treasure.” 

Making sure characters both returning and new were authentic to the film’s universe was a priority for him. “Kevin, Wes Craven and the casts of the first four Scream films set the bar very high in terms of their insightful, of-the-moment commentaries on pop culture, their complex whodunit mysteries and their inventive and gruesome kills,” Busick says. “I do not take the challenge lightly. Scream’s tone, which is both fun and funny while still legitimately terrifying, has been one of my biggest influences as a writer.”

“I had never really thought about directing a Scream film. I didn’t really think it was even a possibility,” Williamson says. “And now that I’ve directed it, I realized: I’ve always wanted to direct one. Sometimes you don’t know what you want until you get it. I wanted to do this with all my heart, and it was a blast. I can’t imagine a better experience.”

Williamson also shared Busick’s commitment to preserving the integrity of the franchise and honoring the foundation that Wes Craven created. “My goal with this movie was to create some very visceral moments and really scare the audience. That’s what Wes Craven would do, and we wanted to honor that,” Williamson says. “Your goal with the Scream films is to keep doing something fresh and new, but you also want to bring back the nostalgic feeling that the first film gave us. And that’s what I tried to do. To make it as thrilling and emotional as the earlier films. I tried to use everything I learned from Wes.”

An Infamous Horror Icon

Three decades of murder, mayhem, and mystery have made Ghostface instantly recognizable for generations to come, and one of the bestselling Halloween costumes in history. Part of what has made the character such an enduring villain and fearsome opponent is that, in each film, there is a different character with a different motive behind the mask. Every chapter of the story mixes enough red herrings with genuine clues to keep audiences happily guessing until the credits roll.

While slashers like Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger rely on the supernatural, Ghostface remains entirely human in every iteration—yet equally deadly and terrifying. Made of flesh and blood, Ghostface still seems to materialize and vanish at will, an unsettling trait that makes the killer feel almost impossible to destroy.

“We’ve played it so many different ways,” says Williamson. “Ghostface is always a trickster. You never know what you’re going to get.”

The most recent iteration of the mass killer will introduce audiences to a Ghostface unlike any that came before. This Ghostface has found more wild and brutal ways to murder his victims, taunting and manipulating them before finishing them off. Williamson carefully planned each kill for maximum impact.

“The goal is to constantly surprise the audience,” he says. “I don’t want Ghostface to just show up and kill somebody. I love a good chase scene. I want the victims to fight for their lives. I want to see Ghostface go at it with someone audiences love. Jennifer Badger, our truly great stunt coordinator, and our equally great effects team brought their best game to help me build the sequences to create the most visceral scares for the audience.”

Legacy Of Fear

Nearly three decades after the original film reshaped the horror genre, the franchise finds its way back to where it all began – reconnecting with Sidney Prescott (now Sidney Evans) and the fears that defined her world. In doing so, Scream 7 captures the excitement, the mystery, and the terror that have earned the franchise a legion of superfans, one that continues to grow with each installment. Central to that legacy is Ghostface, whose ever-evolving presence has become one of the most recognizable figures in modern horror.

“The original Scream was the first scary movie that commented on the tropes of scary movies while still being effectively scary,” says Busick. “That meta element has influenced horror filmmakers ever since in terms of trying to subvert but still honor the genre. One of its other strengths is that it’s populated with characters who are smart, likable and have emotional arcs; they’re not just ‘Victims One Through Six.’ You care about the survivors more than the killer — or killers — which was not the norm at the time the first movie came out.”

As Williamson returns to the world he helped build, he credits the genius of Craven, known as “maestro of the macabre,” for repeatedly redefining the genre and bringing new dimensions to horror. “Making Scream 7 reignited so many of the feelings I had on the set with Wes Craven through those first films,” says Williamson. “In terms of the genre, I learned what true emotional horror is from him. He would always tell me it’s not about making a ‘horror film.’ It’s not about just making something scary. You have to make it emotional or nobody will care. When I got the chance to direct this film, I was excited to jump into those shoes and take my turn.”

 The emotional foundation is matched with the franchise’s signature suspense and spectacle. “It’s still got lots of jump scares and set pieces,” the director says. “We give the audience a little taste of everything. What makes the franchise unique is that there’s a little Agatha Christie in addition to someone wielding a knife. There are all sorts of scary stories, but someone with a knife in the dark is one of the scariest.” For Williamson, horror films are unique in the way that they engage an audience. “People love to be scared. You want to watch these movies with a crowd full of people and have that communal experience. You want to have people jumping and screaming. You want to be able to laugh after they scream. There’s a comfort in experiencing the audience interact with the movie. You can’t beat horror films for that.”

KEVIN WILLIAMSON (Directed by, Screenplay by, Based on Characters Created by, Executive Producer) is a writer, creator, producer and director whose unique vision and imaginative storytelling has thrilled audiences for decades, resulting in some of the most entertaining and successful television series and films of all time. 

From iconic feature films to explosive hit TV series, Williamson has established himself as a major force in Hollywood for over twenty-five years. He is the creator and executive producer of the pop culture hit phenomena “Dawson’s Creek,” which launched the careers of James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams. Preceding his success in television, Williamson’s rise to stardom began in 1996 with the post-modern classic film Scream. Drawing on his childhood love of scary movies, Williamson created the franchise that reinvigorated the horror genre and is still thriving today. He followed this with his directorial debut Teaching Mrs. Tingle, starring Helen Mirren. A partial list of works include I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Faculty, Halloween: H2O with Jamie Lee Curtis, “Tell Me a Story,” the Fox network hit “The Following,” and the critically acclaimed series “The Vampire Diaries,” which he developed with Julie Plec and led to two spin-off series “The Originals” and “Legacies.”

Williamson executive produced the acclaimed hits Scream 5 and Scream VI. Upcoming, he sits in the director chair of the franchise he created for the first time in the seventh installment of the iconic Scream franchise, 30 years after penning the first Scream film as well as Scream 2 and Scream 4, the latter two of which he also executive produced and produced, respectively. Scream 7 features the return of Neve Campbell in the iconic role of Sidney Prescott, releasing exclusively in theaters on February 27 by Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group.

Recently, Williamson signed an overall deal with Universal Television to write, develop, create and produce new series for streaming and broadcast. “The Waterfront,” a personal tale of a family in turmoil, was a Netflix global hit, sitting at #1 for a rare three weeks. His slate also includes a re-imagining of the Hitchcock classic Rear Window for Peacock and a TV adaptation of David Fincher’s 1997 hit film “The Game.”

Born in a small coastal town in North Carolina, which served as the inspiration for “Dawson’s Creek,” Williamson has been behind the scenes of a long list of films, television series and careers, creating unforgettable characters and thrilling stories that have built a wide, dedicated fan base. He resides in Los Angeles.

GUY BUSICK (Screenplay by & Story by) co-wrote Final Destination: Bloolines for New Line Cinema/Warner Bros., which was released May 16th, 2025 and grossed over $315 million at the worldwide box office.  He also co-wrote the upcoming Ready or Not 2: Here I Come for Searchlight with Radio Silence directing, Project X and Vinson Films producing, which will be released March 27th 2026.  He previously co-wrote with James Vanderbilt Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). His most recent film, Abigail, came out in April 2024 for Universal and Project X Entertainment which Radio Silence directed. Busick previously co-wrote the hit film Ready Or Not (2019) for Fox Searchlight along with R. Christopher Murphy. Busick and Murphy wrote together on series including “Castle Rock” (2019) for Hulu, WBTV and Bad Robot as well as the horror comedy “Stan Against Evil” (2016-2018) for IFC. Busick additionally co-wrote Lucky Bastards which is set up at Sony with David Sandberg attached to direct.  Next up for Busick is a new version of The Howling for Andy Muschietti and a series adaptation of a Stephen King novel with Bad Robot.

JAMES VANDERBILT (Story by & Produced by) is a talented writer, director, and producer who sold his first screenplay 48 hours before graduating from the University of Southern California. It was promptly not made.

He has written and produced over twenty films, including David Fincher’s Zodiac, for which he was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, The Amazing Spider-Man films, the Murder Mystery films, the Ready or Not films, Basic, The Rundown, The Losers, White House Down, The House with the Clock in Its Walls, and Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria.

In 2019, Vanderbilt co-founded the independent production and financing company Project X Entertainment (PXE), with partners William Sherak and Paul Neinstein. Since forming, they have produced Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Scream 7, all of which Vanderbilt co-wrote, Michael Bay’s Ambulance, Radio Silence’s Abigail, Bed Rest, Murder Mystery 2, Archangel, and Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth, as well as the global smash hit Netflix show, “The Night Agent,” created by Shawn Ryan. 

They are currently in pre-production on the next The Mummy film, starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

As a director, Vanderbilt’s debut film Truth, which starred Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, was named one of the Top 10 Films of the Year by The New York Times. His second film, Nuremberg, starring Rami Malek, Russell Crowe, and Michael Shannon was longlisted for the BAFTAs and shortlisted for the Academy Awards in multiple categories.

by ·Comments Off on M3GAN 2.0: Pop Culture’s Creepiest Icon Is Back and Deadlier Than Ever

“To be honest, I thought I was making a career-ending goofy puppet movie for the longest time,” says director Gerard Johnstone, who returns as the writer-director of M3GAN 2.0. “We could never have anticipated the reaction to her and how she became this crazy, unexpected hero, even though she was the villain. It is a testament to something about the character of M3gan. It is bigger than the movies. She is bigger than all of us.”

It is hard to imagine, but it has been more than two years since a demented little dance captivated audiences worldwide and spawned a billion memes. M3gan, the killer doll with some pep in her step, was a superstar from the moment the world first glimpsed her sashaying down that hall — in the trailer, weeks before the smash-hit horror movie even opened in theaters. And as soon as audiences met her properly, they could not get enough of her A.I.-powered attitude and her ruthless skill with a paper cutter.

M3gan was a genuine cultural sensation. She has become one of the defining characters in the Blumhouse/Atomic Monster universe.

The original creative team behind that phenomenon—led by horror titans James Wan for Atomic Monster, Jason Blum for Blumhouse and writer-director Gerard Johnstone—reboot an all-new wild chapter in A.I. mayhem with M3GAN 2.0.

Two years after M3gan, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3gan’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet Mcgraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules. Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3gan has been stolen and misused by a powerful defence contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno; Ahsoka, Pacific Rim: Uprising), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around. With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realises that the only option is to resurrect M3gan (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I icon is about to meet her match.

A Fresh Perspective

Writer-director Gerard Johnstone has had a significant impact on New Zealand cinema by injecting it with a fresh, genre-savvy voice that blends horror, humour, and heart.

For M3GAN 2.0, Johnstone wanted to approach the character and the narrative from a fresh perspective. “I never want to repeat myself, and telling the same story again with slight variations didn’t feel right for M3gan—especially after the unexpected cultural moment the first film became,” Johnstone says. “When we made the original, it reflected a time when I was deeply concerned about how technology, especially things like iPads and smartphones, was reshaping parenting. But by the time we started thinking about the sequel, Chat GPT had arrived, and the conversation around A.I. had shifted. Suddenly, it was not about whether A.I. would become part of our lives—it already was. That is what inspired the new film: the idea that M3gan is not going anywhere, so what does it mean to live with her? Is she entirely bad, or did her behavior come from how she was raised—how Gemma trained her? And if she had been guided differently, could she have learned the difference between right and wrong? Those are the questions we are exploring now.”

The other central question involved how the world might react to a real-life M3gan and how her technology might be deployed for uses other than becoming a child’s best friend and protector. “The first film was a small story about the world of toys, but if the technology for M3gan actually existed, it felt natural that other industries would be interested and looking to get their hands on it,” Johnstone says. “We had this little thread in the first movie where the character of Kurt, the toy company CEO’s assistant, had stolen secrets from Gemma and was committing a kind of corporate espionage. In this film, it became an opportunity to ask, what would have happened if someone actually got hold of M3gan’s schematics and software? That took us into the world of the military-industrial complex and how A.I. is entering warfare. There is already concern about robot soldiers and A.I. being involved in global conflict, so it just made sense that there would be a M3gan—or something like her—in that space. And that gave us a really worthy opponent for her.”

Enter Amelia, the ultimate A.I. military weapon. “In a lot of ways, Amelia is M3gan 2.0—she’s M3gan rebuilt with military hardware, and her sole purpose is revenge,” Johnstone says. “For all of M3gan’s flaws, at least she was designed to protect Gemma’s niece, Cady. But Amelia seems to have been reprogrammed, and once she becomes self-aware and goes rogue, all she has is animosity toward the people who created her, tortured her and treated her like a slave. It raises this fascinating question: if we build robots to serve us, and they become self-aware, how are they going to feel about us?”

Not great, it turns out, says producer James Wan. “If M3gan represents, at least in this film, the idea of a potentially positive A.I., then Amelia is the dark side of that—something built to do harm, with the potential to be deeply disruptive to humanity,” Wan says. “Sure, the government or whoever created her might believe they can control her. But what happens if she becomes sentient? What happens when she decides, ‘I don’t want to be confined by the code of humanity—I want to be something greater’? That is the real fear with A.I. It keeps learning, and at some point, it may realize the fastest way to evolve is to eliminate the main threat. And that threat is humans.”

That hits right at the core of what makes M3gan, and the potential for A.I. so exciting and terrifying at the same time. “There is this idea called ‘the Paperclip Theory’ by the philosopher Nick Bostrom,” Johnstone says, “and the basic idea is that if you program a super-intelligent A.I. to make paperclips, it will destroy the world to do it.”

The endless unknowns about A.I. create fertile soil for cinematic storytelling, says Wan. “There’s been no faster technological explosion than what we’re seeing with A.I.,” Wan says. “It is not even about decades anymore; it is happening in a matter of months. The pace of change is incredible, and it is already reshaping our daily lives. I try not to be too frightened by it, because there’s real potential for good. But as sci-fi horror has taught us repeatedly, stories about the rise of machines usually do not end well. That tension is part of what makes this territory so compelling to explore in film.”

For M3GAN 2.0, the filmmakers knew that they had to elevate everything about the first film to a new level. “The ambition on this film was huge, and thankfully Blumhouse and Atomic Monster supported that from the very beginning,” Johnstone says. “This wasn’t about making a cookie-cutter sequel—it was about going bigger, bolder, and bending genre in new ways.”

M3gan, in many ways, has become her own genre: a clever mash-up of horror, comedy, sci-fi, and particularly in this film, action. There is even a little globe-trotting espionage thriller thrown into the mix. “This film is definitely more of a genre blend,” Wan says. “It has stronger action set pieces, but the horror and the danger of the technology still run through the whole thing. This time around, Gerard was able to indulge in some of the ideas he wanted to explore in the first film but could not. The set pieces are more lavish, everything has been upgraded. It really lives up to what a M3GAN 2.0 should be. Fans of the first movie are expecting it to play on a bigger level, and I do not think they are going to be disappointed.”

That includes horror fans, producer Jason Blum says. “There’s no doubt that there’s more action, more comedy, more sci-fi, more of everything in M3GAN 2.0, but it’s still rooted in horror,” Blum says. “You can’t escape M3gan’s primal DNA, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

That, says Johnstone, was by design. “I grew up on Wes Craven and Sam Raimi, filmmakers who had no problem being terrifying one moment and hilarious the next,” Johnstone says. “That balance really influences me. We are always walking that line, making sure it never gets so funny that it undercuts the tension. The goal is to keep the audience on edge, never quite sure what is coming next.”

The first film ended with a pair of cliffhangers. First, there were clues that M3gan’s A.I. consciousness had somehow transferred into Gemma’s smart-home speaker system, ELSIE, and that M3gan, now disembodied, was lying in wait for her grand return. And second, M3gan’s blueprints were stolen from Gemma’s lab, and it was anyone’s guess in whose hands they would wind up.

As M3GAN 2.0 begins, a lot has changed in Gemma’s life. “After the events of the first film, Gemma finds herself in a lot of hot water over her involvement in creating M3gan,” Johnstone says. “She is in the crosshairs of the media and the public, and she tries to turn that backlash into something constructive by becoming an advocate for A.I. regulation. Through that, she meets Christian, who runs a nonprofit focused on A.I. ethics, and together they push for governments to take this technology more seriously.”

Meanwhile, Amelia, the A.I. spawn of Gemma’s work, is on a mission to assassinate anyone involved in her creation, with the circle getting closer and closer to Gemma. And by extension, Cady. It becomes clear to Gemma and her team that the only solution to the problem is to bring M3gan back, with a few upgrades and guardrails, to help them find Amelia before Amelia finds them.

But just because M3gan promises that she is on Gemma’s side this time, that may not be the truth. “One of the things we always wanted to keep intact in the sequel was that seed of doubt about M3gan’s true intentions,” Wan says. “Even if she is helping the main characters, you never fully know what she is thinking or what her real agenda might be. That tension is such a big part of what makes her fun. She might seem like an anti-hero, but you are constantly questioning where her loyalties lie—or whether she is playing a longer, smarter game than anyone realizes.”

Behind the Lens: Gerard Johnstone’s Twisted Vision

Gerard Johnstone is a New Zealand screenwriter and director celebrated for his unique blend of horror and comedy. Born in Invercargill, he began his creative journey in television, co-creating the satirical series The Jaquie Brown Diaries in the late 2000s. His breakout moment came with Housebound (2014), a horror-comedy that premiered at South by Southwest and earned praise for its inventive tone and storytelling. he helped create a global pop culture phenomenon that was shot in New Zealand and employed local cast and crew. That success showcased the country’s filmmaking infrastructure and talent pool to major studios like Universal and Blumhouse, reinforcing New Zealand’s reputation as a world-class production hub.

He’s also inspired a new generation of Kiwi filmmakers by showing that it’s possible to maintain a distinctively local voice while achieving global success. His work bridges the gap between indie ingenuity and blockbuster appeal, and he’s become a kind of ambassador for New Zealand’s creative potential in genre cinema.

Gerard Johnstone was drawn to M3GAN by the opportunity to blend horror with satire and emotional depth. For the first film, he was intrigued by the idea of a killer doll that wasn’t just terrifying, but also stylish, witty, and oddly sympathetic. He took a darker, more straightforward script and infused it with his signature mix of humor and genre playfulness, making M3GAN feel like an iPad with legs—both a critique of tech obsession and a pop culture icon in the making. Beyond film, he’s directed episodes of The New Legends of Monkey and rebooted the cult Kiwi series Terry Teo. He’s also been involved in developing a biopic about New Zealand weightlifter Sonia Manaena.

For M3GAN 2.0, Johnstone leaned into the idea of redemption and ambiguity. He wanted to explore whether M3GAN was truly evil or simply a product of her programming. The sequel introduces a new threat—AMELIA, a military-grade android built from M3GAN’s tech—and positions M3GAN as a potential antihero. Johnstone was inspired by Terminator 2 in crafting this arc, aiming for a bigger, more action-packed story while still keeping the mystery: can we trust her?

Gerard Johnstone’s directorial style is a clever cocktail of genre-blending, sharp wit, and emotional nuance. He’s known for taking familiar horror tropes—like haunted houses or killer dolls—and twisting them with unexpected humor and heart. His breakout film Housebound was a horror-comedy that balanced genuine scares with quirky character moments, and that same DNA runs through M3GAN.

What sets him apart is his ability to satirise without losing sincerity. Johnstone himself has said he loves playing in the “sandbox of iconic monster myths” and sees genre as a way to explore deeper themes while still having fun. His work often feels like a mash-up of horror, satire, and heartfelt storytelling—equal parts spooky and stylish.

by ·Comments Off on Woman of the Hour – Truth is stranger than fiction

“Serial killer movies — like war movies — frequently romanticize the very thing they’re claiming to critique. And that’s a trap I worked hard to avoid,” says screenwriter Ian McDonald of Woman of the Hour. “I wanted to treat the people who were killed with dignity. To acknowledge their fundamental role within the case, while also suggesting that they had larger, more dynamic lives outside the story, and not limiting them to mere ‘victims.’”

In the 1970s, Rodney Alcala embarked on a killing spree, luring women under the guise of being a photographer in search of models. Despite being a registered sex offender who had recently been released from prison, he notoriously appeared on The Dating Game, a show that weekly featured three hidden bachelors answering humorous questions from a female contestant who would then choose one for an all-expenses-paid date.

Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a taut thriller based on the true story of a woman who reluctantly makes an appearance on the popular 1970s show The Dating Game, and chooses a bachelor who turns out to be a prolific serial killer.

Told through the vantage points of the victims and survivors, Woman of the Hour serves as a keen reminder of the all too real dangers that women face, and the countermeasures they almost intuitively understand how to deploy, in their interactions with dangerous men.

Frankly, it’s the type of story only a woman could tell. And with her trademark wit and humor on full display — both in front of and behind the camera — Kendrick presents a shrewdly observed, shockingly funny, and unnerving film in her first turn as director. Here she discusses her personal investment in telling this story, how she came to direct it, and what types of stories she’s attracted to as a director.

Anna Kendrick directs Woman of the Hour from a screenplay crafted by Ian McDonald.

The stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles and a serial killer in the midst of a yearslong murder spree, whose lives intersect when they’re cast on an episode of The Dating Game. Rodney Alcala was a killer in the midst of a killing spree when he brazenly took part and won a date on the popular TV game show “The Dating Game”.

Woman of the Hour. Anna Kendrick as Sheryl in Woman of the Hour. Cr. Leah Gallo/Netflix © 2024.

In conversation with Anna Kendrick, director, executive producer, and star of Woman of the Hour

“As a director, Anna is passionate and meticulous. She’s able to go deep into how characters feel and behave while also keeping the larger narrative in mind. She also just had a very clear, uncompromising vision for how she wanted the film to look and feel, which was inspiring. I can’t say enough good things…Weirdly, we both grew up in Maine about 15 minutes from each other. We were also apparently in a Christmas pageant together when we were kids, and her dad worked as a substitute teacher at my high school. So there’s a way in which it feels like this was meant to be.” — Ian McDonald, Screenwriter

When did you first get involved with Woman of the Hour and how did you come to eventually take the helm as director?

Initially, I was attached as an actor and producer. I actually remember telling a friend, “it’ll be nice because it’s a great movie and a great part, but I’m not in every scene so it won’t be too big of a workload.” Little did I know what would happen in the end. I think we were about two years into development when I became aware that I was much more invested in the movie. Usually, I’m a bit laser-focused on my character, but in this case, I found myself asking everybody how they were feeling about every aspect of the movie, from the producers to the writer. Then we suddenly found ourselves with a start date and no director.

So we started talking about who we could go out to, who seemed like they’d be an interesting fit, and I think for the first 48 hours of this conversation, I had this thought bubbling up that I was resisting so hard. To even have that thought in my brain felt like pushing myself off a cliff.

I think I first said it out loud to a director friend who I initially got in touch with to see if he wanted to direct the movie. He read the script and he said, “It’s a great script, and there’s part of me that would love to do it. But I think you want to do it and I think you should, and I think you’re ready. Frankly, what’s taken you so long?” And that was really important and validating. I ended up formally pitching myself to direct a couple days later.

Was the desire to direct something that you’d nurtured for a while? After having produced several films, at what point did you start entertaining the idea? Or was it a matter of just waiting for the right opportunity to come along?

I think for a long time, in my conscious mind, I was very much holding onto the belief that being a director just takes too much out of you. Subconsciously, I think I was sort of protecting myself because it feels really vulnerable to want to do something and say it out loud or even acknowledge it to yourself. So it was something that was under the surface for a long time, but maybe I just didn’t feel brave enough to admit it until this movie came along. And frankly I think the expedited timeline of this project was the reason why I was able to push myself off that cliff. I think I would’ve chickened out if I’d had more time.

The subject matter of the movie isn’t one that we’d naturally expect you to want to direct your first time out. It’s pretty dark!

Funny enough, I asked another director friend to read the script, and he said something along the lines of, “I’m so happy you’re going to direct, but I have to confess I’m surprised that this is what you’re drawn to…I can see there’s a lot of really interesting themes around being a woman in the world and the challenges that come with that.” He also specifically referenced the violence of the opening scene.

So I really had to sit with that and give it some thought. I ended up saying that I can understand why a movie that opens with an act of violence doesn’t really seem like it’s in my wheelhouse, but I feel like I’ve been through experiences where I can relate to being with another person and suddenly discovering you’re with someone deeply unsafe. And how earth-shattering it is to have that feeling of annihilation suddenly appear in a room that previously felt very safe and warm.

Those scenes where there’s either violence or the threat of violence don’t feel foreign to me. In fact, I had to fight for that opening scene. Some people wanted a very different opening. But I felt so attached to that scene despite most people knowing me as a comedy gal. So I understand why it would seem surprising, but for me, I felt very connected to the material.

What was your approach toward portraying the violence? Despite the inherent brutality of some of the scenes, none of the violence toward the women in the film felt gratuitous or salacious.

In general, my approach was that things that are beautiful should be beautiful, and the things that are awful should be awful. Yet the violence in the movie is rarely literal or explicit. I wanted to be removed from the violence without sanitizing it. Violence is uncomfortable. It shouldn’t be easy to watch. But sometimes the suggestion of it has more impact.

I’m not especially interested in violence, but I’m interested in the ways people try to survive dangerous individuals and dangerous systems. And there was something about Ian McDonald’s writing that felt so emotionally resonant. The scenes with violence don’t feel like they are really about the act itself. To me, they’re about the risk of annihilation we expose ourselves to through intimacy. They feel like scenes about shame. Whose shame is this? Do I have to take it on for you so that you don’t hurt me? And how badly might you hurt me if I don’t?

Have you always been attracted to these kinds of true crime stories?

I think that it’s such a compelling genre because we all are drawn to these terrible stories because our brains believe that it will keep us safe if we know everything about dangerous people and the people they prey upon. It feels like this built-in primordial instinct to keep ourselves safe. I just don’t know how else to explain why so many people, including myself, would want to immerse ourselves in stories like this. Maybe  it indulges the fantasy that you could get a perpetrator to see that what they’ve done is wrong. But that’s just not how these people are wired.

You mentioned tapping a few of your director friends for guidance. Who did you lean on for advice?

There were a million people that I leaned on or wanted advice from. But coincidentally my friends, Jake Johnson and Brittany Snow had both just directed their first features right before I started Woman of the Hour. I was texting with Brittany the weekend before we started filming. I was so nervous, my confidence was at such a low point, and she said, “You’ll be fine. You’re freaking out right now, but you’ll get on set and you’ll know what to do.” She was right. It was like stage fright where you think, I can’t go out there. I can’t go out there. Then you hear the first chords of a song and you go, Well, I guess I’ll have to and you muster all your courage. And Jake was always around three months ahead of whatever I was doing, so I was able to call him at each new phase and ask about what to expect and what challenges he faced that he didn’t anticipate.

The original screenplay for Woman of the Hour made the Black List back in 2017 [then titled Rodney & Sheryl]. What was it like working with writer Ian McDonald?

Ian’s the absolute best. He’s an angel and is so brilliant at what he does. One of the things we worked on changing together was the ending. I had read this piece about one of Rodney Alcala’s victims — a girl who had survived and how she managed to do that. It became the most interesting part of the story to me.

A funny story:  I remember going back and forth with Ian working on a draft, and after a while saying to him, “I have a note for you that I feel really weird saying, and it makes me like you so much as a person, but the note is: you keep giving the women too much agency.” [Laughs.] He was like, “I’m sorry! I guess?”

I completely understood why he’d want to give that to a female character. There were moments when these women were interacting with their boyfriend, or the game show host, or the killer and they’d say something to the effect of, “You’re making me uncomfortable right now.” But I needed to tell him that it would be unrealistic or unsafe for her to say that. And he got it. He understood why we needed to pare those moments back.

The actual episode of The Dating Game with Cheryl Bradshaw and Rodney Alcala doesn’t exist in its entirety anymore. Only snippets of it live online. What was it like shaping that narrative and filming those scenes? [Editorial Note:  The real woman on whom the character is based is named “Cheryl.”]

Filming those sequences of The Dating Game was thrilling because Ian used the opportunity to almost write the fantasy version of what we all wish we could have said in a pivotal moment, but usually only say to ourselves in the shower a week later. I also got to talk as fast as I wanted without being told by someone to slow down. Maybe I should have given myself that note, but I was having too much fun.

We know that the real Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw had a conversation after the show that made her decide to forgo the prize date that she won. We don’t know what went on in that conversation, so in the film we’re imagining what happened. Danny Zovatto’s performance took my breath away. It was only day two of filming and I couldn’t believe how dialed in he was. There were takes when I was watching him and telling myself, “Anna, don’t move, don’t even blink. Something incredible is happening and if you do anything that changes his performance at all, I’ll never forgive you.”

But I think the story itself is so compelling because of the idea that this dangerous and violent man went on a show like The Dating Game, where the goal is to choose a good guy, and won. It’s just comically perverse. I thought Ian took the conceit of “Scary Guy Behind a Wall” and extended that metaphor so beautifully and in that sense, The Dating Game itself really guides the movie thematically. We use the framework of the show as a way to explore the kind of existential terror of being seen, of who we let in, of what it means to be vulnerable. It taps into this question about who we trust.

What was it like playing Sheryl?

Sheryl is the most fictionalized piece of the movie. There’s very little public information about the real person, so our Sheryl’s life before The Dating Game is basically an imagined version of a woman in the 1970s. And her story became central in teasing out the thematic elements of the pervasive gender issues that were rooted in that era and persist today.

What I found really enjoyable about playing Sheryl was finding the constant balance in how she needs to move through the world to keep herself safe — sometimes in very literal life-or-death ways — but also just trying to stay in people’s good graces every day, whether that’s with a casting director, or a neighbor, or a game show host. I had a really good time playing with that dichotomy of who she had to be and in all of those moments, showing the audience how frustrated she is, how formidable she is underneath every little concession and every appeasing statement she makes.

So in that sense, I loved getting to play out this fantasy of her breaking free and getting a little bit of power back during the taping of the show. There was a point where I was worried that some of the stuff she does on the game show would end up feeling pedantic or petty. Then I realized, if I just play it as though none of the questions I’m asking really matter, and I don’t really care that this guy doesn’t know the difference between astrologer and astronomer, I’m just having the most fun I can, that’s still powerful. Because maybe for the first time in Sheryl’s life, maybe she’s not making herself small.

You’re the first to admit that every part of making this film was your favorite, but if you were forced to choose, what aspect of directing Woman of the Hour did you end up loving most?

Working with the actors. I know every department operates with the belief that movies exist to be vehicles for great production design, great cinematography, or great wardrobes and they should, they must. But it’s natural for me, as an actor, to think that movies exist as a vehicle for story and performance.

Every single actor delivered. I would’ve been so royally screwed if anyone didn’t. Everybody had to be incredible and I had the best time collaborating with the actors. Is there anything more enjoyable than watching great actors give great performances? In this lifetime, for me, there is not.

Woman of the Hour offers an all too rare take on a serial killer narrative that puts the victims first. What impact do you hope this film has on audiences, especially those who are drawn to true crime stories?

We definitely wanted to find that balance between telling an emotionally satisfying narrative without glazing over the repeated miscarriages of justice that took place over the course of Alcala’s killing spree. Part of what was so frustrating about his story was learning that no one was looking for him. There were so many heroes who raised the alarm about him and what was happening, and the reality is that things were not set up to protect victims. There’s no happy ending with a story like this.So I hope the movie speaks to anyone who has made themselves small and pleasing because they were just trying to survive physically or financially or mentally. It’s for those of us who have thought “thank god I listened to my gut” and certainly for those of us who know the pain of thinking “I wish I had listened to my gut.” And I hope it encourages people to forgive themselves for doing what they had to do to survive.

What kind of stories would you be interested in telling next?

I’ll admit I am sort of surprised by the darkness I’m finding myself drawn to. Of the scripts that I’ve been sent to look at, the ones I’ve really liked seem really diverse, but I did notice that there’s this underpinning in each of them of a man who is very unwell and the story outlines the repercussions of his actions on everyone around him. Then there’s definitely part of me that’s drawn to the lighthearted stuff. I would love it if somebody sent me a comedy that I can just fall in love with. I also want to direct a musical so fucking bad.

Woman of the Hour. (L-R) Daniel Zovatto as Rodney and Anna Kendrick as Sheryl in Woman of the Hour. Cr. Leah Gallo/Netflix © 2024.

“Rodney seemed like an impossible ask. It’s such a demanding character. I started watching Station 11 and when Danny came on screen I immediately said, Him. It has to be him. If he’s not available I don’t think I have a movie. Danny was beyond what I hoped for. I couldn’t get over how terrifying he could be in some scenes and how open and vulnerable and safe he was in others. He knows how to balance eruption and restraint. It’s just masterful.” — Anna Kendrick on casting Daniel Zovatto as Rodney

What attracted Daniel Zovatto to this project?

One of the things that attracted me was that it was going to be told from the perspective of the women. I thought it would resonate by being told in a way where it had a bit more sensitivity from the other side, and not just Rodney’s. When Anna and I first spoke over Zoom, we had a great meeting where we just bounced ideas about how I perceived the character and what we wanted to focus on. It went really well and right after I remember thinking, Oh my God, Anna’s going to kill it. She was so prepared and so studious in her way of approaching everything.

How did Daniel Zovatto approach playing Rodney?

In my research, one of the things I found interesting about Rodney is when a lot of these people commit heinous crimes like these, they usually have some sort of a broken family. Something happened in their childhood, they have traumas, they have something in common in that realm. With Rodney, he committed crimes for many, many years before getting caught, but the research showed that he had a normal childhood. Nobody thought that he was going to go down this path. It was a shock to everyone.

So I made sure I tried to capture that in the performance. His purpose was that he wants to feel power. He wants to be as close to being God-like as possible. He wants to be the man and he showed that in the way he killed some of his victims. And that was really disturbing to me because what it created was a freedom to allow myself to show charisma and flirtatiousness and invite the woman in. And then once she said something I didn’t like, or once I made up my mind that this is my next victim, you see the other side of the coin. There’s footage of Rodney when he’s older. When he’s already in prison and you see him in court defending his own case. But that’s not the Rodney I played. The Rodney I played was the guy who was onThe Dating Game.

How does a film like Woman of the Hour set itself apart from the pack in terms of all the true crime stories out there, especially serial killer narratives?

Again, I think having Anna at the helm makes a huge difference. I love working with female directors. There’s a different sensibility, understanding, and a way of seeing things that distinguishes their voices. They’re telling the same story, it’s just what point of view do we want to make sure that is heard? The point of view of the victims in this film is highlighted with a care I haven’t seen before. I think the performances that each of the actresses give are so full of life. You really feel for them and you fear for them.

What impact do you hope this film has on audiences?

I hope what people take away from this film is that there’s a better way of looking at things. Why do we always talk about the killer? Why are we not talking about all the people we lost so that we can really understand what happened, how families are affected? By having a story being told this way, we’re given an opportunity to really look at the bigger picture and not always focus on the bad guy.

by ·Comments Off on Exploring Thematic Purpose

Until you know what you are trying to say, your story isn’t complete. The writing process is a search for meaning, a theme, what the story is really about, what gives it meaning and purpose. A unifying idea or motif, repeated or developed throughout a story.

Once you have something you want to write about (Idea), defined the Premise and Concept, and know what your genre is, you need to know what the intention, objective or controlling idea – theme – of your story is.

  • The story is what happens
  • The plot is how the what happens
  • Character is who the what happens to
  • The setting is where what happens
  • The theme is why what happens

You have to have a clear understanding of what story it is you are trying to tell.

A good analogy is trying to sweeten a glass of ice tea. Mix regular sugar and it will sink to the bottom, making it bitter except for the bottom, which will be too sweet. Try it with Equal, and the tea will be sweet throughout. Sweetness is your message, and it must be completely diluted to disappear into the beverage of entertainment. Karl Iglesias, The 101 Habits Of Successful Screenwriters

All great writing is about something

Every kind of creative writing deals with themes: poems, plays, movies and television, and creative nonfiction. Any piece of creative work has a theme, even when that theme is “no apparent theme.” Keep in mind that even when an author doesn’t consciously write about a theme, their work still communicates some type of underlying message—even if that message is mundane. 

Think of a story’s plot as its body and its theme as its soul. 

So what exactly is theme?

  •  The theme is the glue that holds your story together and resonates throughout the telling of your story.
  • It makes writing meaningful: It opens up the story’s inner value system (Internal Content), so that writers can make a conscious connection with what the story really wants to communicate to them and through them.
  • It is the underlying Universal Human Question your story deals with.
  • It gives us a reason why we should care; it reflects the characters’ desires, conflicts, and actions that give us a reason why we care about how the story turns out and reveals itself at the end.
  • It underlies the story: if you want to express that ‘Greed is Bad’, write a story in which greed destroys people’s lives.
  • It connects characters: all the main characters in your story reflect the theme in some way. If the theme is ‘Redemption’, some characters start out fallen and are redeemed; some are fallen and are never redeemed, and some are already redeemed.
  • It leaves the reader and audience with an understanding of why the problem and the actions of the characters are relevant.
  • It is the abstract issue and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action.
  • It gives meaning to the activity of the plot and purpose to the movement of the characters.
  • Your sense of theme will give focus to your story material.
  • In Jaws a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island. The police chief Martin Brody wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper and grizzled ship captain Quint offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engages in an epic battle of man vs. nature. Theme: Nature is still bigger than you
  • In The Sixth Sense Young Cole Sear is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. Cole is frightened by visitations from those with unresolved problems who appear from the shadows. He is too afraid to tell anyone about his anguish, except child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe. As Dr. Crowe tries to uncover the truth about Cole’s supernatural abilities, the consequences for client and therapist are a jolt that awakens them both to something unexplainable. Theme: Guilt versus redemption
  • In Chinatown Los Angeles private eye J.J. “Jake” Gittes is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband’s activities, he believes it’s a routine infidelity case. Jake’s investigation soon becomes anything but routine when he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray and realizes he was hired by an imposter. Mr. Mulwray’s sudden death sets Gittes on a tangled trail of corruption, deceit and sinister family secrets as Evelyn’s father becomes a suspect in the case. Theme: Decency is not enough to defeat corruption
  • Braveheart tells the story of the legendary thirteenth-century Scottish hero named William Wallace who rallies the Scottish against the English monarch and Edward I after he suffers a personal tragedy by English soldiers. Wallace gathers a group of amateur warriors that is stronger than any English army. Theme: Freedom is worth dying for
  • Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, the mob drama The Godfather, based on Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name, focuses on the powerful Italian-American crime family of Don Vito Corleone. When the don’s youngest son, Michael, reluctantly joins the Mafia, he becomes involved in the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal. Although Michael tries to maintain a normal relationship with his wife, Kay, he is drawn deeper into the family business. Theme: Family is the most important thing
  • Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise, centred on a film series created by George Lucas. It depicts the adventures of various characters “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” Theme: Faith can defeat empires
  • In Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler ageing wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin’ to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper, and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. But he can’t resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback. Theme: The downward spiral of a man who desperately wants to live a life he has never known, a life outside fame, an ordinary life outside his extraordinary existence.

Theme and thematic purpose is fully explored in The Write Journey course for screenwriters, novelists and playwrights

by ·Comments Off on Argylle – A razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller

Writing a globe-trotting espionage thriller while the world was in COVID lockdown allowed screenwriter Jason Fuchs an escape. I hadn’t written an original screenplay in a long time, so Argylle became my little passion project,” Fuchs says. “It was cathartic and allowed me to escape my apartment office and traverse the world with Argylle on a Greek island or explore Europe with the characters.”

American actor and screenwriter Jason Fuchs is the mind and words behind some big name productions, namely Ice Age: Continental Drift, Wonder Woman, Pan and I Still See You

“My advice for aspiring writers is write, write, write. Always be writing. Work harder than the next guy, but be a generally decent human. Far more than my talent, the keys to my very limited success have been temperament and hard work. As a writer, you have to have the ability to be punched in the face repeatedly and come back for more with a smile on your face. It requires tremendous resilience. Every success I’ve had in the business has been the result of a lot of failure. Pan is a great example. I’ve had as much if not more rejection than anybody in the history of the business, but I’ve been able to push back, get up and keep going.”

Jason Fuchs

Jason Fuchs and visionary filmmaker Matthew Vaughn began developing a screenplay

Their screenplay was a major meta-shift, a fictional version of the real-life author about a reclusive spy novelist who gets catapulted into real-world espionage when the plots of her books get a little too close to the activities of a nefarious spy.

“My primary motivation is to craft a compelling narrative,” Mathhew Vaugh. “I don’t aim to reinvent the genre, but to provide a fresh perspective. I direct as if I were an audience member, thinking about what I would like to see or what unexpected elements I can incorporate to keep it feeling new.”

Early in the scripting process, Vaughn and Fuchs decided that the film would fuse the real world, in which Elly Conway is on the run with Aidan, and the world she created, in which Argylle, the unstoppable secret agent, holds sway. As the danger for Elly escalates, the lines between her imaginary world and the real one blur with increasing speed and frequency. As a result, the audience is catapulted into a cinematic rocket ride where convention and expectation are constantly upended.

“I prefer movies that provide escapism, a combination of glamour and grit,” Vaughn says. “For me, beauty is essential. When I used to watch Bond movies as a kid, I felt I was on an adventure—going places I had never gone and seeing people I had never seen. It was an astonishing feeling and I have tried to recreate that type of feeling with this film.”

The greater the spy, the bigger the lie. Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books—which center on secret agent Argylle and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate—begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. She’s accompanied by Aidan, a cat-allergic spy (Sam Rockwell), Elly (carrying Alfie in her backpack) races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur. Elly’s imagined book characters agent are Argylle (Henry Cavill), best friend Wyatt (John Cena), their fearless field tech, Keira (Ariana Debose), Fowler, a senior member of agent Argylle’s organization (Richard E. Grant) , and Argylle’s elegant, lethal nemesis Lagrange (Dua Lipa). The film’s real-world characters are Ritter, the director of the evil spy organization known as The Division (Bryan Cranston), Elly’s mother, Ruth (Catherine O’hara), Saba Al-Badr, the mysterious “Keeper of Secrets (Sofia Boutella), former CIA deputy director Alfred Solomon (Samuel L. Jackson), Alfie is played by Chip, the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn (née Schiffer).

Backstory

In 2020, with the world in lockdown, visionary filmmaker Matthew Vaughn—the director and producer of The Kingsman films, Kick-Ass, Stardust and Layer Cake, and the producer of Snatch; Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Rocketman and Tetris— sat down at his home outside London and decided to stage a film-appreciation class for his wife, Claudia Vaughn (née Schiffer), and their two daughters, who were around 10 and 15 years old at the time. “Because it was lockdown, it gave me license to keep screening movies for them to watch,” Vaughn says. He showed them movies such as John Hughes’ 1986 high school comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but it was the 1984 Robert Zemeckis comedy-adventure Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, which made the biggest impression on them. “It played like gangbusters,” Vaughn says.

He then screened Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 classic North by Northwest for them, in which an ordinary man (albeit one who looks like Cary Grant) gets swept up in an extraordinary, espionage-tinged adventure. His girls went crazy for it. “And I thought, ‘I want to make a movie like that for my daughters,’” Vaughn says.

As it turned out, the answer—or rather, the genesis of one—would soon land on his desk in the form of a manuscript for an unpublished spy novel by an unknown author. Elly Conway’s book, Argylle, was, Vaughn says, the best spy thriller he had ever read. But the structure of the novel was straightforward, focused on a young secret agent named Argylle, and Vaughn is not a straightforward filmmaker. Throughout his career, Vaughn has used source material as a cliff from which he can make daring, often breathtaking, creative and narrative leaps, and Argylle would be no exception.

Far from a traditional adaptation, the film of Argylle would use the world and characters of the book as inspiration only, functioning as a springboard for an entirely new, original film.

L to R: Sam Rockwell as Aiden and Bryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway in ARGYLLE. © Universal Pictures / All rights reserved

Colloborating On The Screenplay

Fuchs and Vaughn collaborated closely, and at all hours, to make sure that every aspect of the script was as sharp, unexpected, witty and thrilling as possible.

“What I admire about Matthew’s approach to development is his secure and confident style,” Fuchs says. “From the beginning, it was clear that the elements that excited me about the story were the same things that excited him. Our notes and the development process flowed organically. Matthew’s fearlessness as a storyteller encouraged me to take bolder and unconventional paths, even if it pushed me out of my comfort zone.”

Out of the comfort zone is exactly where Vaughn thrives, and where he loves to transport audiences – as he’s done as director and producer of The Kingsman films, Kick-Ass, Stardust and Layer Cake, and the producer of Snatch; Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Rocketman and Tetris.

“The cinema remains one of the last places where we, as a society, can connect on a deeply human level,” Vaughn says. “It’s a place where we can come together and experience the rollercoaster of emotions, the highs and lows, as a collective. This film, in particular, was made for the big screen. It’s grand and filled with unexpected moments you won’t see coming. When you’re in a theater, surrounded by fellow audience members, and those moments hit, the reactions create an unforgettable experience. It’s more fun, more immersive. It is pure escapism, something we all need in a world that is not always sunny. A little ray of sunshine, even in a dark room, is a good idea.”

Although Vaughn had made a series of spy thrillers with the two Kingsman movies and their prequel, The King’s Man, he was drawn to the chance to embrace a new world of spies and double-crosses, and a completely new tone. “There’s a fantasy world of spies that I’ve been portraying in many movies for years,” says Vaughn. “The joke here is that this is the real world, and Aidan and Elly are normal, accessible people.”

Dua Lipa and Henry Cavill in ARGYLLE. © Universal Pictures / All rights reserved

Impact Of Screenplay On Actors

Novelist by day, cat mom by night, Bryce Dallas Howard was immediately wowed by the screenplay. “This is a spy thriller like you’ve never seen before, and I couldn’t believe it when I was reading it,” Howard says. “I thought, ‘I think I can play this character.’ And then I thought, ‘Wait, I think I am this character.’ As a 40-year-old woman, it’s not every day you get a part like this sent your way. It feels like a small miracle, so empowering and satisfying and fun. It is the best script I have ever read and the best part I have ever gotten to play.”

In every way that Elly Conway’s imaginary secret agent, Argylle, is smooth and confident, real-life secret agent Aidan.

Sam Rockwell as Aiden, Alfie, Bryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway in ARGYLLE. © Universal Pictures / All rights reserved

Rockwell was happy to dive into Aidan’s world head-first. “I was very excited by the first read of the script,” Rockwell says. “We added a kind of Han Solo humor to Aidan. He is an amalgam of anti-heroes I have watched over the years, including Bill Murray, Jack Nicholson, Richard Pryor and even Mercutio. He pretends to be a bit of a cad, but he’s just posing as Mercutio. He is really Romeo at heart.”

All that analysis came in handy on set and forged a bond between Rockwell and Vaughn. “We connected as nerdy cinephiles, trading references back and forth,” Rockwell says. “Then, on set, Matthew would say, ‘More Bill Murray,’ or ‘More Jack Nicholson,’ which was this shorthand from the movies we’d been talking about.” Rockwell also appreciated Vaughn’s willingness to think about the characters, and the casting of those characters, in unconventional ways. “Matthew’s casting is so punk rock,” Rockwell says. “He’s willing to take a chance, to go outside the box—which is probably why I was there.” 

As the leader of a sinister rogue spy organization known as The Division, Bryan Cranston, was equally captivated by Fuchs’ screenplay. “Matthew had incredible confidence in Jason Fuchs’ work, and when I read the script, I was blown away by the audacity of the plot, but I was also thoroughly entertained,” Cranston says. “On set whenever anyone questioned a line or description in the script, Matthew would yell out, ‘Fuchs!’ The similarity to a ubiquitous expletive made me laugh every time!”

Cranston contributed a personal element to the script in the scene where Ritter is introduced, in memorable fashion, talking about his beloved shotgun, Clementine. “I remembered the stories of my grandfather having this shotgun that was a family heirloom. It was old and probably would implode if fired,” says Cranston. “But I threw out the idea that Ritter named his shotgun after his mother, Clementine. It is our version of Rosebud, an homage, if you will. The shotgun is particularly important to him – and it worked!”

As Elly Conway’s long-suffering mother and de facto book editor Catherine O’Hara loved how the film’s tone and the audience’s expectations of the characters keep shifting and evolving through the screenplay. “Every twenty pages another anvil drops,” O’Hara says. “It’s really exciting, and I couldn’t stop reading.”

Handsome, charming, with a flattop haircut, Argylle is, as imagined by Elly Conway in her novels, a world-class spy who will stop at nothing to bring justice to those who deserve it. He is the epitome of espionage cool and director Matthew Vaughn needed to cast an actor who would be convincingly chivalrous, noble, larger-than-life and able to deliver both the dramatic and action demands of the role.

There was only one choice: Henry Cavill, reteaming with Vaughn for the first time since Stardust

Henry Cavill is Agent Argylle in ARGYLLE. © Universal Pictures / All rights reserved

“Matthew is a great storyteller,” says Henry Cavill, “He knows what he wants and his eye for detail is extraordinary. He and I have a great shorthand; we’ve known each other for years and he always brings a sense of unique fun to anything he’s working on. He’s a good, straightforward communicator, and as an actor, that’s what I need. At the end of the day, it’s about trusting your director and leader, and Matthew is someone you can trust.”

Once Cavill read the film’s script, he realized that the story was different from anything he’d read before. “It was unique in its own space,” Cavill says. “It was refreshing to see something new, bold and willing to take risks. There is a tendency these days for a good product to come out and then, for the next ten years, everything is just like that product, but not quite. Matthew’s projects are never like that. Argylle is about as far from generic as you can get.”

Worldbuilding – creating the world of the Story

From conception, the look and style of director Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle was as integral and essential as the film’s characters and plot.“I firmly believe in branding, and when it came to the movie, I looked into what Argylle signified,” Vaughn says.

“It was an old word referring to a gravy boat, which didn’t quite fit what we wanted to convey. So, we decided to redefine and modernize the Argylle brand. We wanted it to be cool, pop-y and the first thing that comes to mind when you see the argyle pattern anywhere in the world. We have integrated this pattern throughout the film, creating a vibrant, bold and colorful visual identity for Argylle. In my view, Kingsman is a quieter, more elegant brand, while Argylle is exuberant and daring. These two universes balance each other out. We now have these two distinct brands, each with its own character and appeal. Perhaps one day they will intersect, but for now, they remain distinct and far apart.”

Throughout the production of Argylle, production designers Daniel Taylor and Russell De Rozario employed a dynamic collaboration.

L to R: Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ARGYLLE, © Universal Pictures / All rights reserved

Music

Music in the films of Matthew Vaughn is as important and integral as plot, character and design.

From the score to the soundtrack, every musical element serves the storytelling, narratively and emotionally. Never has this been truer than it is for the exuberant, daring and thrilling musical landscape of Argylle.

“To capture a ‘feel good’ feeling for this film, I turned to the most feel-good music I could think of, which, for me, is disco,” Vaughn says. “It’s the kind of music that, whenever it’s played, is almost impossible not to make you smile and tap your feet. We have incorporated a range of disco tracks into the film, including classics and even an original disco piece that truly captures the essence of the era.”

With Argylle, Vaughn was keen to craft a screen romance that fizzed with banter and chemistry, redolent of those movies he had watched with his wife and daughters during lockdown. As Elly Conway and Aidan go on the run, they find themselves slowly drawn together, in spite of all the danger. “It is a love story deep down,” Vaughn says. “It’s a weird one, but it is one.”

And as their relationship deepens, one song in particular becomes increasingly important to them and their story. “We needed a love song that we would play three times, and the meaning would change each time,” Vaughn says. Vaughn tried multiple tracks, but in the end the song he went with is a little piece of music history all by itself. At the heart of Argylle’s soundtrack and score is the just released new, and final, song from The Beatles, “Now and Then.” At the time Vaughn heard it, it was unreleased. Argylle will mark its cinematic debut, and the song’s very existence is something of a miracle.

Argylle’s innovative approach to music and storytelling promises a spy thriller unlike any other.

Henry Cavill, Matthew Vaughn, Bryce Dallas Howard, Chip the Cat and Claudia Schiffer attend a special ARGYLLE experience presented by Universal Pictures, Apple Original Films and MARV on January 22, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Universal Pictures, Apple Original Films, and MARV)

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BACK TO LATEST FILM RELEASES / THE ART AND CRAFT OF WRITING FILMS

ARCHIVE: 2014 / 2015 /2016 /2017 /2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021/ 2022

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2023 / 2024 FILM RELEASES

Films Listed Alphabetically

1960 was a passion project for SAFTA-winning and Annie Award-nominated composer Bruce Retief who drew on the spirit of the greats of Sophiatown with director King Shaft. Read more / Now on Showmax

57 SECONDS – Tech blogger Franklin Fausti (Josh Hutcherson) is set for a once-in-a-lifetime interview with
Anton Burrell (Morgan Freeman), a visionary tech guru at his newest product launch. Suddenly, Franklin thwarts an assassination attempt, saving Burrell’s life, and in the aftermath, Franklin picks up a mysterious ring that Burrell has dropped. Franklin soon discovers the ring allows its possessor to travel 57 seconds into the past. A rewind button. It doesn’t take him long to shift the odds in his favor: he seduces his new girlfriend Julia and takes easy money in casinos. Read more

65 – After a cataclysmic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth… 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive. Read more

A GOOD PERSON – Allison is a young woman with a wonderful fiance, a blossoming career, and supportive family and friends. However, her world crumbles in the blink of an eye when she survives an unimaginable tragedy, emerging from recovery with an opioid addiction and unresolved grief. In the following years, she forms an unlikely friendship with her would-be father-in-law that gives her a fighting chance to put her life back together and move forward. Written, directed, and produced by Zach Braff, it stars Florence Pugh, Molly Shannon, Chinaza Uche, Celeste O’Connor, and Morgan Freeman. Read more

A HAUNTING IN VENICE – It is all Hallows’ Eve in an eerie Venice in the years following World War II, where celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), now resides, retired, and living in self-imposed exile. Poirot receives a visit from an old friend, the world’s number-one mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), who has something she just has to show him, and promises it is not a crime. She wants
him to join her at a séance and help her prove that it is not real. When one of the guests is
murdered, the guests in attendance are all considered suspects, thrusting the Belgian detective
into a sinister world of shadows and secrets. Read more

A MAN CALLED OTTO – Based on the # 1 New York Times bestseller A Man Called Ove, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grump who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol – she challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. A heartwarming and funny story about love, loss, and life, A Man Called Otto shows that family can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places. Read more

ABOUT MY FATHER – Celebrated stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco wanted to make a movie about his father and co-wrote the screenplay for About My Father, starring with legendary Italian-American two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro in a comedy about a man who is encouraged by his fiancée to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family. Read more

AIR – The film reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This inspirational story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time. Directed by Ben Affleck, the film stars Matt Damon as Nike’s basketball expert, Sonny Vaccaro; Ben Affleck as Nike founder and CEO, Phil Knight; Jason Bateman (Ozark) as Rob Strasser and Viola Davis as Michael’s mother, Deloris Jordan. Read more

AFTER EVERYTHING – The fifth and final installment of the After franchise finds Hardin (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin) struggling to move forward. Besieged by writer’s block and the crushing breakup with Tessa, Hardin travels to Portugal in search of a woman he wronged in the past – and to find himself. Hoping to win back Tessa (Josephine Langford), he realizes he needs to change his ways before he can make the ultimate commitment. Read more

ALISON / ANGELIENA – Director-writer-producer Uga Carlini changed lives in a profound way with the poignant documentary Alison and, her inspirational and life-affirming film Angeliena. Watch Alison on showmax.com / Watch Angeliena on Netflix.

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE – Relentlessly pursued by a cruel Gestapo officer who seeks to possess the stone for his own selfish means, Marie-Laure and her father soon find refuge in St. Malo, where they take up residence with a reclusive uncle who transmits clandestine radio broadcasts as part of the Resistance. Yet here in this once-idyllic seaside city, Marie-Laure’s path also collides with the unlikeliest of kindred spirits: Werner, a brilliant teenager enlisted by Hitler’s regime to track down illegal broadcasts, who instead shares a secret connection to Marie-Laure as well as her faith in humanity and the possibility of hope. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner over the course of a decade, it tells a story of the extraordinary power of human connection — a beacon of light that can lead us through even the darkest of times. Netflix. Read more

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Sandra, (Sandra Hüller)  a German writer, lives with her husband Samuel and their visually-impaired son Daniel in a remote mountain chalet in the French Alps. When Samuel falls to his death in mysterious circumstances, the investigation cannot determine whether it’s suicide or foul play. Sandra is ultimately arrested for murder and the trial puts their tumultuous relationship and her ambiguous personality under the microscope. As her young son takes to the stand, doubt starts creeping in between them. Read more

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA – Super Heroes Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible. Read more

ANYONE BUT YOU – After an amazing first date, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben’s  (Glen Powell) fiery attraction turns ice cold – until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple in the romantic comedy. Read more

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM – Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction. Read more

ASSASSINS – South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha (who was born in Durban)  stars opposite Bruce Willis in the action-packed sci-fi thriller Assassins. A private military operation led by (Willis) invents futuristic microchip tech that enables the mind of an agent to inhabit the body of another person to carry out covert, deadly missions. But when an agent (Mustafa Shakir) is killed during a secret mission, his wife (Mbatha) takes his place in an attempt to bring the man responsible to Justice. The film is directed by Jesse Atlas who makes his directorial feature debut. Read more

ASTEROID CITY – Asteroid City is a dot-on-the-map desert town in the American Southwest. The year is 1955. The town’s most famous attraction is a gigantic meteor crater and celestial observatory nearby. This weekend, the military and astronomers are welcoming five science award-winning children to display their inventions. Not far away, over the hills, mushroom clouds from atomic tests are seen. What begins as a celebration to honor the achievements of the Junior Stargazers receives an unexpected visitor: an alien. Asteroid City is locked down and a fake cover story is concocted by the Army, but the precocious geniuses, in a way that calls to mind the youngsters of Spielberg classics, have a plan to get the word to the outside world. Read more

BABYLON is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. Read more

BACK ON THE STRIP – After losing the woman of his dreams, Merlin moves to Las Vegas to pursue work as a magician, only to get hired as the front man in a revival of the notorious Black male stripper crew, The Chocolate Chips in Back On The Strip. Led by Luther — now broke and broken — the old, domesticated, out-of-shape Chips put aside former conflicts and reunite to save the hotel they used to perform in while helping Merlin win back his girl. It stars Spence Moore II, Tiffany Haddish, JB Smoove, Faizon Love, Wesley Snipes, and Kevin Hart, and is directed and co-written by Chris Spencer in his feature film directorial debut. Read more

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN – Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, it follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences. Read more

BARBIE – “As a writer and a director, I’m always looking for a fun challenge, says writer-director Greta Gerwig, who has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most important voices. “Barbie has so much recognition, so much love, and of course a 60-plus-year history, which was exciting for me. As with Little Women, Barbie is a property we all know, but to me she felt like a character with a story to tell, one that I could find a new, unexpected way into, honoring her legacy while making her world feel fresh and alive and modern.” Read more

BEAU IS AFRAID – The surrealist black comedy- horror stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character, an anxiety-ridden man who embarks on a surreal odyssey home after his mother suddenly dies, confronting his greatest fears along the way. The film also includes a supporting ensemble cast that includes Nathan Lane, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Michael Gandolfini, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Richard Kind. It is written, directed, and co-produced by Ari Aster who induced nightmares with his films Hereditary and Midsommar. Read more

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER – Abby Abernathy, a college freshman, is eager to focus on her studies and start a new social life. But her plans are quickly derailed when she meets Travis “Mad Dog” Maddox, a bad-boy brawler and campus playboy. Travis is exactly what Abby needs – and wants – to avoid. The more Abby gets to know Travis, she realizes he lives by a code of honor and isn’t quite the bad boy he appears to be. The more Travis gets to know Abby, he realizes she’s even smarter and more complicated than he thought. The pair struggles to resist their attraction to each other – and ultimately, their friendship heads toward something that will expose Abby’s past and force them to reconcile their true feelings. Read more

BEYOND THE LIGHT BARRIER – Uga Carlini explores the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Klarer, a South African meteorologist who devoted herself to proving the existence of Akon, her extraterrestrial lover from the planet Meton in the Proxima Centauri solar system and is streaming on Amazon Prime. It opened at Encounters Documentary Film Festival. There it was a Aiaha Award finalist, which rewards excellence in documentary filmmaking by African women as well as special mention for the Al Jazeera Best Documentary Award for the Best African Documentary. It also won Best Foreign Documentary at Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Canada as well as Best Feature Documentary at the 8 & HalFilm Awards, London Movie Awards and a Silver Award at the Hollywood Gold Awards. The script also won Best Feature Documentary Screenplay at the Writers Guild of South Africa Screenwriters Muse Awards. Read more

BIG GEORGE FORMAN – From Olympic Gold medalist to World Heavyweight champion, boxer George Foreman leads a remarkable life in Big George Forman. He finds his faith, retires and becomes a preacher. When financial hardship hits his family and church, George steps back in the ring and regains the championship at age 45, becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history. This biographical sports drama is directed by George Tillman Jr. and features Khris Davis as Forman. It also stars Jasmine Mathews, John Magaro, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Sonja Sohn, and Forest Whitaker. Read more

BLACK DEMON – Stranded on a crumbling rig in Baja, a family faces off against a vengeful megalodon shark. When oilman Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas) takes his family to Bahia Negra, the crown jewel of Baja their boat is ferociously attacked by a massive black shark. This shark is unlike any other creature; a shark of legend, known as The Black Demon. Under constant attack by the giant monster and with the time literally ticking away, Paul must find a way to somehow get his family back to shore alive. Read more

BLACK PHONE – When 13-year-old Finney (Mason Thames) is abducted by a sadistic man, he discovers that he can communicate with other victims through a mysterious telephone. Meanwhile, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has psychic dreams about the kidnapping and is intent on finding her brother. Read more / On Showmax

BLUE BEETLE marks the DC Super Hero’s first time on the big screen. Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armour capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle. Read more

BOETIE BOER: INSIDE THE MIND OF A MONSTER is a riveting story that’s been waiting for more than two decades finally gets an audience on Showmax. Even among its grisly true-crime counterparts, the true story of Stewart “Boetie Boer” Wilken stands apart, and you’ve probably never even heard his name. You won’t soon forget it. The five-part Showmax Original documentary Boetie Boer takes us back in time to 1990 in South Africa: as the African National Congress is unbanned and Nelson Mandela is released after 27 years in prison, Stewart “Boetie Boer” Wilken starts his killing spree in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha. As journalist Brett Adkins says in the trailer, “When he was arrested, it sounded like something out of a movie. Suddenly we had a serial killer.” “Wilken was a highly unusual serial killer,” says director Jasyn Howes, who won Best SA Short Documentary at Jozi Film Festival for Dula. “Unlike most serial killers, he had more than one type of victim: predominantly female sex workers and young boys, usually street children, across multiple races. He also claimed to engage in necrophilia and cannibalism with his victims.” on Showmax

THE BOOGEYMAN – A terrifying entity preys on the suffering of two little sisters who are still reeling from the recent death of their mother in The Boogeyman.  This chilling supernatural horror is  based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King and directed by Scott Beck. Read more

BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER– In this romantic comedy four elderly best friends take their book club to Italy for the fun girls’ trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure. Read more

BUTTERFLY TALE – This Canadian-German animated feature film is set along the diverse, picturesque, and ever-changing backdrop of the great Monarch butterfly migration. ​A heartwarming tale of a gutsy and loveable yet inept, one-winged butterfly, named Patrick who stows away in a milkweed trailer in order to be part of the journey of a lifetime. With his best friend, a goofy caterpillar named Marty, and Jennifer, a butterfly who is afraid of heights, Patrick will become an unlikely hero. But first he must face his fear, embrace his uniqueness and triumph over adversity while battling changing weather patterns, humans and three evil birds bent on revenge. Read more

CAT PERSON – When Margot, a college sophomore (Emilia Jones – CODA) goes on a date with the older Robert (Nicholas Braun – SUCCESSION, ZOLA), she finds that IRL Robert doesn’t live up to the Robert she has been flirting with over texts. CAT PERSON is a razor-sharp exploration of the gender divide, the quagmire of navigating modern dating and the dangerous projections we make in our minds about the person at the other end of our phones. Read more

CATS IN THE MUSEUM – Inspired by the true story of the legendary four-legged inhabitants at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, this animated film. When Maurice the mouse saves Vincent the cat during a shipwreck, they meet the famous group of cats who has to protect works of art from rodents at the museum. Vincent wants to be one of them, but Maurice is his friend. In Cinemas / Read more about The Hermitage Museum / Hermitage Cats

COCAINE BEAR – Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, the wild dark comedy COCAINE BEAR finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood. Read more

THE CREATOR – Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war…and mankind itself. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory, only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). Read more / Writer-director Gareth Edwards talks about what it takes to be a Filmmaker

CREED III – It’s been years since Adonis Creed shocked the world by coming from nowhere to win the heavyweight title his late father, Apollo Creed, and mentor, Rocky Balboa, once held. Having defeated such opponents as Viktor Drago and Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler, Adonis, aka Donnie, has retired as World Heavyweight Champion to run the Delphi Academy with his former cornerman Tony “Little Duke” Burton, with current champ Felix Chavez in residence as Delphi’s star boxer. Read more

DEAD MAN WALKING – American composer Jake Heggie’s compelling masterpiece, the most widely performed new opera of the last 20 years, arrives in cinemas in a haunting new production by Ivo van Hove. Based on Sister Helen Prejean’s memoir about her fight for the soul of a condemned murderer, Dead Man Walking matches the high drama of its subject with Heggie’s beautiful and poignant music and a brilliant libretto by Tony and Emmy Award–winner Terrence McNally. Read more

DEAR DAVID – Shortly after comic artist Adam (Augustus Prew) responds to Internet trolls, he begins experiencing sleep paralysis — while an empty rocking chair moves in the corner of his apartment. As he chronicles increasingly  malevolent occurrences in a series of tweets, Adam begins to believe he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David. Encouraged by his boss to continue the “Dear David” thread, Adam starts to lose his grip on what is online…and what is real. Read more

DEMON SLAYER – In the Anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village a teenage boy whose entire family was brutally murdered by a demon while he was away, has to rid the world of monsters, and with the hope of potentially saving his sister, Tanjiro trains for years to become a demon hunter and protect those who can’t fight for themselves. Read more

THE DIVE – Two sisters go diving at a beautiful, remote location. One of the sisters is struck by a rock, leaving her trapped 28 meters below. With dangerously low levels of oxygen and cold temperatures, it is up to her sister to fight for her life. It is directed by Maximilian Erlenwein from a screenplay by Erlenwein and Joachim Hedén. It stars Louisa Krause and Sophie Lowe. Read more / In Cinemas /

DOG – It follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois. dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness. On Showmax. Read more

DON’T WORRY DARLING – Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry 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. When cracks in her 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? Now on Showmax. Read more

DREAM SCENARIO – Hapless family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom, in this wickedly entertaining
comedy from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) and producer Ari Aster. Read more

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEFS – 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.It brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure. Read more

EL CONDE is a dark comedy/horror that imagines a parallel universe inspired by the recent history of
Chile. The film portrays Augusto Pinochet, a symbol of world fascism, as a vampire who lives hidden in a ruined mansion in the cold southern tip of the continent. Feeding his appetite for evil to sustain his existence. After two hundred and fifty years of life, Pinochet has decided to stop drinking blood and abandon the privilege of eternal life. He can no longer bear that the world remembers him as a thief. Despite the disappointing and opportunistic nature of his family, he finds new inspiration to continue
living a life of vital and counterrevolutionary passion through an unexpected relationship. Read more / On Neflix.

ENCOUNTERS – a landmark four-part series that travels the globe to explore four extraordinary true stories of encounters with otherworldly phenomena. As told from the perspective of firsthand experiences – in the places where the sightings occurred – and guided by cutting-edge scientists and military personnel, the series goes beyond the science to highlight the profoundly human impact of these encounters on lives, families, and communities. Read more / Watch Netflix.

THE END WE START FROM – When an environmental crisis sees London submerged by flood waters, a young family is torn apart in the chaos. As a woman and her newborn try and find their way home, the profound novelty of motherhood is brought into sharp focus in this intimate and poetic portrayal of family survival. This British survival film directed by Mahalia Belo and starring Jodie Comer, with Benedict Cumberbatch, Katherine Waterston and Mark Strong. It is adapted by Alice Birch from the novel of the same name by Megan Hunter. Read more

EPIC TAILS -This animated adventure is set in a port city of ancient Greece where the population is threatened by the wrath of Poseidon. A brave young mouse Pattie and the cat who adopted her will help old Jason and his Argonauts to save the city by facing mythical creatures. When Poseidon, god of the sea, steals the golden fleece and threatens mayhem and destruction, it’s plucky pipsqueak Pattie to the rescue. Read more

EMPIRE OF LIGHT – Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, it follows Hilary (Olivia Colman) a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward), a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community. On Disney Plus Read more

EQUALIZER 3: THE FINAL CHAPTER – In the vigilante action thriller Denzel Washington is back in action as a retired U.S. Marine and former DIA officer. When he moves to Southern Italy to escape from his past, he discovers that his new friends are under the control of the Sicilian Mafia and he unleashes his past self to protect them. It’s the final instalment of the Equalizer trilogy. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film also stars Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar, and Remo Girone. Read more

THE EXCORCIST: BELIEVER – 50 years since the blockbuster’s theatrical launch, The Exorcist: Believer marks a new beginning that takes audiences into the darkest heart of inexplicable evil. shocking audiences around the world. Now, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer. Read more

EXPENDABLES 4 – In this action film the mercenaries are assigned on a mission to stop Rahmat, who runs a terrorist organization, from smuggling nuclear warheads that will ignite a conflict between Russia and the U.S. Directed by Scott Waugh from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, and Max Adams, based on a story by Spenser Cohen, Wimmer, and Daggerhart, it’s the fourth instalment in The Expendables film series and stars an ensemble cast including Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture reprising their roles from previous films, with Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox and Andy Garcia joining the cast. In Cinemas / Read more about the Expendables Film Series

FAST & FURIOUS 10 (FAST X) – Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever. In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decimated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.  Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.  Read more

FERRARI – It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia. Michael Mann’s ‘Ferrari’ stars Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. Read more

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S – The film follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson; Ultraman, The Hunger Games franchise) a troubled young man caring for his 10-year-old sister Abby (Piper Rubio; Holly & Ivy, Unstable), and haunted by the unsolved disappearance of his younger brother more than a decade before. Recently fired and desperate for work so that he can keep custody of Abby, Mike agrees to take a position as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant: Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. But Mike soon discovers that nothing at Freddy’s is what it seems. With the aid of Vanessa Shelly, a local police officer (Elizabeth Lail; You, Mack & Rita), Mike’s nights at Freddy’s will lead him into unexplainable encounters with the supernatural and drag him into the black heart of an unspeakable nightmare. Read more

THE FLASH – Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe? Read more

FREELANCE – Ex-special forces operative Mason Pettits (John Cena) is stuck in a dead-end desk job when he’s reluctantly recruited by former military buddy Sebastian Earle (Christian Slater) to take on a simple freelance gig providing security for washed-up journalist Claire Wellington (Alison Brie). He begrudgingly escorts Claire on assignment to interview the ruthless—but impeccably dressed—dictator, Juan Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba), when a military coup breaks out just as she’s about to get the scoop of a lifetime. Now, the unlikely trio must figure out how to survive the jungle AND each other in order to make it out alive! From Pierre Morel, the dynamic director of Taken and Peppermint, Freelance is written by Jacob Lentz. Read more

GOLDA – The film depicts the life of Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir must navigate overwhelming odds, a sceptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as millions of lives hang in the balance. Directed by Guy Nattiv and written by Nicholas Martin, the film stars Helen Mirren, Zed Josef, Claudette Williams, Henry Goodman. Read more

GRAN TURISMO – In Neil Blomkamp’s sports drama Gran Turismo a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won him a series of Nissan-sponsored video game competitions aspires to be an actual professional race car driver. It is based on the Polyphony Digital racing simulation video game series, while inspired by the true story of Jann Mardenborough. The film stars Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough alongside David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Geri Halliwell Horner and Djimon Hounsou. Read more

GREATEST DAYS – We follow five best friends who have the night of their lives seeing their favorite boy
band in concert. Twenty-five years later their lives have changed in many different ways as they reunite for one more epic show by their beloved band, to relight their friendship and discover that maybe their greatest days are ahead of them. Read more

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.3 – In this third and final film in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, the superhero team is still reeling from the loss of Gamora. Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.  Written and directed by James Gunn. Now on Disney+ Read more

HANS STEEK DIE RUBICON OOR – The South African film centers on Hans Kraaienburg, a 90-year-old man whose life is turned upside down when he is forced to move to an old age home. Based on the former journalist-turned-author Rudie van Rensburg’s best seller, it is adapted by filmmaker couple Corné (director) and Rene van Rooyen (screenwriter), following their success of Vaselinetjie, Toorbos, as well as the popular drama series Alles Malan. The acting legends in the family comedy include Pierre van Pletzen, Tobie Cronjé, June van Merch, Sandra Prinsloo and Nicola Hanekom. In Cinemas / Read more

HAUNTED MANSION – In Disney’s comedy Haunted Mansion a woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. They each arrive at this home for different reasons, unaware that whoever enters will be unable to leave without one of its ghosts forever joined at the hip with them. Once they learn the gravity of the situation the hard way, they realize they must find a way to work together as a team to free themselves and the Mansion from the grip of the spirits. Inspired by the classic theme park attraction the film is directed by Justin Simien and stars Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Jamie Lee Curtis.  Read more

HEADSPACE – a CGI action adventure from South Africa. A colourful science fiction action comedy. A freak accident sends the Space Protection Force and their microscopic spaceship inside 14-year-old Norman’s brain. They can see what he sees and hear what he hears.  The nanosized crime-fighting aliens must enlist Norman’s help to save Earth from Zolthard, an evil intergalactic villain who has taken control of Principal Witherington. Norman and the aliens, together with his friends from school must go to great lengths to conceal the presence of alien life at their high school, all the while fighting the galactic struggle between good and evil. After all, Zolthard still has a school to run, and Norman still has a life to live and homework to hand in! Read more

HEARTSTOPPER – “As a writer, it’s magical to know that something you’ve written has had a profound impact on someone’s life,” says Alice Oseman, the creator and writer of the heartwarming Netflix series Heartstopper. “I’m always so happy to hear that it has helped anyone on their own journey, whether that’s a young person hoping to come out themselves, or a parent who is unsure how to support their child, or anyone else who connected to the scene for whatever reason.” Read more / Watch Seasons 1 & 2 of Heartstopper on Netflix

THE HONEYMOON – When Kat’s (Kajal Bagwandeen) fiancé calls off their wedding the night before the big day, the ambitious but insecure Katya is devastated. Her long-time best friends, Noks (Tumi Morake) and Lu (Minnie Dlamini) persuade Kat to go on her honeymoon to Zanzibar with them. What was meant to be a holiday away from their problems, soon turns to a holiday into their problems – will their friendship survive a wild time in paradise? Read more

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES – The new big-screen adventure follows a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth), the last hope for the once-proud Snow family, whose failing lineage has spelled a fall from grace in a postwar Capitol. With his livelihood threatened, Snow reluctantly accepts the assignment to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) — a Tribute from the impoverished District 12 — in the 10th Hunger Games. But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift both their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal whether he will ultimately become a songbird…or a snake. Read more

HYPNOTIC – In this science fiction action thriller a detective learns that his missing daughter and a string of high-profile bank robberies might be connected. He must go on a mind-bending journey to find his daughter and stop the secret government agency behind the madness. Read more

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY – It’s 1969, and Indiana Jones is ready to call it quits. Things change after a surprise visit from his estranged goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who is seeking a rare artifact that her father entrusted to Indy years earlier—the infamous Archimedes Dial, a device that purportedly holds the power to locate fissures in time. An accomplished con artist, Helena steals the Dial and swiftly departs the country to sell the artifact to the highest bidder. Left with no choice but to go after her, Indy dusts off his fedora and leather jacket for one final ride. Read more

THE INSEPARABLES – When the lights go down in Central Park’s old theater, the puppets come to life in this animated film. Among them is Don, who is tired of playing the fool day after day. He dreams of being a real hero for once and takes courage to venture outside the theater on a quest to discover the big world and live a life of his own! Along the way, he meets DJ Doggie Dog, an abandoned stuffed animal who wants to become a rap star. It’s the start of a great adventure of friendship in the heart of New York City to turn their dreams into reality: even the smallest characters can play heroic roles! Read more

INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR –  The final chapter of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga. To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door. Read more

THE INSPECTION – A young, gay Black man (Jeremy Pope), rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life. Read more

JOHN WICK 4 – The neo-noir action thriller John Wick: Chapter Four is the fourth instalment in the John Wick franchise and stars Keanu Reeves as John Wick, who uncovers a path to defeating the High Table, but before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into new foes. Read more

JOIKA – Joika is based on the true story of Joy Womack, who made history as an American ballerina who was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. At fifteen years old she left her family home in Texas to travel to Moscow to follow her dream – to become a Prima Ballerina at the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet Company. Read more

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM – A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it. A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told—the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. Directed by Adam Anders. Screenplay by Adam Anders & Peter Barsocchini. Website

JOY RIDE – Asian American adoptee Audrey (Ashley Park, Emily in Paris) is living the dream. Raised in the picturesque small town of White Hills, she has a successful law career, a close relationship with her parents, and her longtime best friend, Lolo (Sherry Cola, Good Trouble), literally lives in her backyard. But Audrey is ready for more. To become a partner at her law firm and leave White Hills behind, she just needs to close one important deal with a client in China. Sounds straightforward enough, until Lolo encourages Audrey to use the trip to locate her birth mother. Instead of soaring to new heights in her career, Audrey finds herself and her friends on a life-changing journey across Asia with her friends, learning much more about themselves and each other, and what it means to truly know and love yourself in all ways possible. Read more

KANDAHAR -For screenwriter Mitchell LaFortune, the genesis of the story began as he pulled stories from his time as a Defense Intelligence Agency officer who had served multiple deployments in Afghanistan, telling the story of a CIA Black Ops agent and his Afghan interpreter who must evade deadly forces as they escape Iran after a whistleblower reveals the agent destroyed a nuclear facility. Read more

THE KILLER – Paris, night. An unnamed man in unremarkable clothes, The Killer (Michael Fassbender) watches from the floor of an empty office, across from the plush apartment of his target, rifle at hand. Measured, and controlled, he takes every step to ensure the job goes flawlessly… It doesn’t. The Killer flees, following his strict personal mantra of dispassionate action. But his employers want him erased. By attacking his home, they disturb his sanctuary and, with it, his sense of self. This – he will not abide, traveling through the Dominican Republic and the United States, eliminating anyone who might disrupt his hard-won peace again. Netflix. Read more

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone). Read more

KNOCK AT THE CABIN – The film centers on a gay couple, Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and their adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui), who are vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods, when their house is surrounded by four armed strangers: Leonard (Dave Bautista), Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), Adrianne (Abby Quinn) and Redmond (Rupert Grint.) Taken hostage, the family is informed that these four strangers—who also do not know each other—have all been haunted and tormented by a shared prophecy: that the world will end unless the family in this cabin chooses one member of the family to die. Whether these four people are crazy or correct doesn’t resolve the problem. Both scenarios are horrific. Read more

LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR: THE MOVIE – Based on the global blockbuster TV series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, which first made its debut in 2015, the much-anticipated feature adaptation centers on the origin story of star-crossed Parisian teens, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, who become the powerful superheroes, Ladybug and Cat Noir, and join forces to protect the City of Lights from a dangerous supervillain known as Hawk Moth. Read more

LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER – The final novel written by the imperious D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover remains a towering achievement in English literature and had frequently been adapted on stage, screen, and radio since it was first published in 1928. And yet a feature-length movie version has not been seen for almost two decades. Producer Laurence Mark set out to change that with a fresh, modern look at a classic story of a passionate affair that crosses the class divide. Read more / On Netflix

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER – Bram Stoker’s literary classic, Dracula, has fascinated audiences, both on the page and the screen, for more than a century. Based on a single chilling chapter from Stoker’s classic novel, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London. Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. Read more

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND – In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot), based on the National Book Award-nominated novel by Rumaan Alam, Amanda (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers — G.H. (Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la) — arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs. The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world. Read more

THE LITTLE MERMAID – For the live-action musical The Little Mermaid screenwriter David Magee, director-producer Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca drew inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s source material and John Musker & Ron Clements’ screenplay for Disney’s animated film The Little Mermaid, reimagining and enhancing the story to create a very modern story. Read more

THE LOST KING – Guided by instinct and spectral visions, an ambitious writer and amateur historian defies the academic establishment to unearth Richard III’s long-missing remains in a Leicester car park in the sensational British comedy-drama. Read more

LOVE ACTUALLY – This re-release follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. Read more

LOVE AGAIN– What if a random text message led to the love of your life? In this romantic comedy, dealing with the loss of her fiancé, Mira Ray sends a series of romantic texts to his old cell phone number… not realizing the number was reassigned to Rob Burns’ new work phone. A journalist, Rob is captivated by the honesty in the beautifully confessional texts. When he’s assigned to write a profile of megastar Celine Dion (playing herself in her first film role), he enlists her help in figuring out how to meet Mira in person… and win her heart. Read more

THE MARVELS – An unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe. Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. It stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani. Nia DaCosta directs from a screenplay screenplay is by Nia DaCosta and Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik. Read more

MAY DECEMBER – Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past. Despite what began as a shocking affair, then 36-year old Gracie (Julianne Moore) and 13-year old Joe (Charles Melton) now lead a seemingly picture-perfect suburban life some 20 years later. Their domestic bliss is disrupted when Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), a famous actress, arrives in their tight-knit community to research her upcoming role as Gracie. As Elizabeth ingratiates herself into the everyday lives of Gracie and Joe, the uncomfortable facts of their scandal unfurl, causing long-dormant emotions to resurface. Read more

MEG 2 – Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush in Meg 2: The Trench that takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with Jason Stratham leading a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal, prehistoric sharks and relentless environmental plunderers, they must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators. This Sci-fi-horror is directed by Ben Wheatley and is based on the novel The Trench by Steve Alten. It also stars Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis. Read more

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes a friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet Mcgraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences. As M3GAN and Cady develop an unbreakable bond, Gemma grows more and more terrified that the very creation she invented to help Cady heal is learning at an exponential rate…and that M3GAN may be perceived “threats” to Cady that do not exist. Read more

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE – “Magic” Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse…and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off? Read more

MASTER GARDENER – Writer-director Paul Schrader captures the racial tensions of contemporary America. Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) is the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He is as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, as he is to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). However, chaos enters Narvel’s spartan existence when Mrs Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all. Read more

MAYBE I DO is a multi-generational romantic comedy. Michelle (Roberts) and Allen (Bracey) have reached the point in their relationship to take the next steps toward marriage. Thinking it is a good idea to invite their parents to finally meet, they set a dinner and make it a family affair. To everyone’s surprise, the affair takes on a whole new meaning as the parents already know each other all too well – they’ve been cheating on their spouses for months…with each other. Trapped in this precarious predicament, they try to hide their dalliances from the kids while confronting their spouse’s lovers head-on. Let the games begin! “After a career of writing and producing over 700 episodes of television, two plays on Broadway, one Off-Broadway and one movie which was nominated for Best Picture, I wanted to write a screenplay about what I felt was the most important aspect of my life… As we take on love vs marriage and hope one survives the other, giving our audience something to talk about with the people they’ve chosen to love. Read more

MIGRATION – This holiday season, Illumination, creators of this year’s record-shattering The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets franchises, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration. The Mallard family is in a bit of rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica. Read more

THE MIRACLE CLUB – There’s just one tantalising dream for the women of Ballygar to taste freedom and escape the gauntlet of domestic life: to win a pilgrimage to the sacred French town of Lourdes, and all for free. When a group of women get their ticket of a lifetime after the riotous church talent competition. As they confront one another and embrace their past, these women realise that the miracle they have all been looking for is right in front of them: in the strength of their friendships and unshakeable togetherness. Read more

THE MOTHER– A deadly female assassin, on the run from dangerous men, comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she gave up years before. Jennifer Lopez stars as The Mother in Netflix’s character-driven action epic also starring Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Fiennes, Gael García Bernal and Paul Raci. Niki Caro directs from a script by Misha Green, Andrea Berloff and Peter Craig. Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Marc Evans and Roy Lee produce. Molly Allen and Misha Green are executive producers. Read more

MRS. CHATTERJEE VS NORWAY – In the Indian Hindi-language drama an immigrant Indian mother fights the Norwegian foster care system and legal machinery to win back custody of her children. It is based on the true story of an Indian couple whose children were taken away from them by Norwegian welfare services in 2011. Read more

MISSING – From the minds behind Searching comes a thrilling roller-coaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. What do you do when a loved one disappears thousands of miles from home – and you have no way to get there to search for them? For 18-year-old June, the answer lies in the digital world she inhabits every day. Read more

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Over six installments and 27 years of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible –Dead Reckoning Part One celebrates an extraordinary 16-year working relationship between writer-director Christopher McQuarrie and actor Tom Cruise. “We eat, sleep, and breathe movies all the time. We’re constantly taking all of the knowledge that we have acquired both separately, and together, and trying to apply it to something beyond our capabilities, something beyond what we have done before,” says McQ. Read More / Q & A with writer-director Christopher McQuarrie

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 – “I had never realized this would be my career and that I would be able to connect with absolute strangers on the topic of family,” says writer-director Nia Vardalos about My Big Fat Wedding 3, that has taken the world by storm since its first chapter was launched in 2002. “It’s so wonderful that people see their own experiences reflected in mine. It makes me feel very connected to being a family and how everyone is experiencing our same issues.” Read more / In cinemas

NAPOLEON – A spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise of the iconic Napoleon Bonaparte. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed. Read more

NEXT GOAL WINS – Based on a true story, it follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamously known for their brutal 31-0 loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy. Read more

NO HARD FEELINGS – Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) thinks she’s found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out. She has one summer to make him a man or lose it all. Read more

THE NORTHMAN – Young Prince Amleth is on the cusp of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy’s mother. Fleeing his island kingdom by boat, the child vows revenge. Two decades later, Amleth is a Viking berserker raiding Slavic villages, where a seeress reminds him of his vow: avenge his father, save his mother, kill his uncle. Traveling on a slave ship to Iceland, Amleth infiltrates his uncle’s farm with the help of Olga, an enslaved Slavic woman — and sets out to honor his vow. Now on Showmax. Read more

NUN II – 1956 – France. A priest is murdered. An evil is spreading. The sequel to the worldwide smash hit follows Sister Irene as she once again comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun. An elevated horror film that expands on the 2018 hit The Nun; unveiling the evil demon’s shocking untold origin as two young nuns risk it all to unravel the deadly mystery behind her return and drive. Read more

NYAD – Nyad recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana (four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team. Netflix. Read more

OLDBOY – Park Chan-Wook’s Korean neo-noir action thriller Oldboy is not only considered one of the best revenge thrillers of all time but is also widely regarded as one of the best films of all time. A fully restored and remastered version of the film has been released in cinemas for its 20th Anniversary. In the film, Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-sik), an obnoxious drunk abducted on a rainy night in 1988, wakes up in a strange, windowless hotel room. Kept under lock and key for an unknown reason, Oh Dae-Su’s invisible captors keep him fed and systematically sedated to avert suicide, providing only a colour television to keep him company. Read more

ONE TRUE LOVES – Emma and Jesse are living the perfect life together, until Jesse disappears in a tragic helicopter crash on their first wedding anniversary. Four years later, Emma finds happiness again as she’s about to marry her best friend. However, when Jesse miraculously resurfaces, Emma soon finds herself torn between two great loves. It is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid and stars Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu and Luke Bracey. Read more

OPPENHEIMER – “I want to take the audience into the mind and the experience of a person who sat at the absolute center of the largest shift in history,” says writer-director Christopher Nolan, whose Oppenheimer is an epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. Read more

PAIN HUSTLERS – Liza Drake (executive producer and star Emily Blunt) is recruited to the failing Zanna pharmaceutical company by charming-but-shady salesman Pete Brenner (Chris Evans). The pair work to convince physicians like Dr. Lydell (Brian d’Arcy James) to write prescriptions for their miracle, fentanyl-based drug Lonafen — who’s sublingual delivery method to provide fast pain relief to cancer patients was developed by Dr. Jack Neel (Andy Garcia) in the wake of his wife’s death. Liza, who takes the gig in part out of concern for paying for medical care for her daughter Phoebe (Chloe Coleman), also ropes her mom Jackie (Catherine O’Hara) into the scheme. As they succeed in their mission via dubious tactics, including a regulation-flouting “speaker program,” Zanna’s fortunes rise, lifting Liza and Pete with them. But the human costs are grave as their greed grows. Netflix. Read more

THE PALE BLUE EYE  is set at West Point in 1830. A world-weary detective (Christian Bale) is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. It features a surprising secondary protagonist in a young Edgar Allan Poe, played to perfection by Harry Melling. Together, Bale’s Landor and Melling’s Poe must work together to discover the identity of a killer who has taken the life—and removed the heart—of a West Point cadet. Netflix. Read more

PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE – Following the success on the big screen of 2021’s Paw Patrol: The Movie, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie brings everyone’s favourite pups back to cinemas nationwide with new and mightier super-suits, vehicles, and fun adventures. Read more

PAST LIVES – at once strikingly intimate and bracing in its scope, is broken into three parts spanning countries and decades: first with Nora (Moon Seung-ah) as a young girl in Korea, developing an early bond with her best friend, Hae Sung (Leem Seung-min), before she immigrates with her family to Toronto; then, following Nora in her early 20s (Greta Lee) as she re-connects virtually with Hae Sung (Teo Yoo); and finally, more than a decade later, when Hae Sung visits Nora, now a playwright married to an author, Arthur (John Magaro), in New York. Read more

PETER PAN & WENDY – London, England, circa 1911 – It is the last night at home for 13-year-old Wendy Darling (Ever Anderson), and she is riding a wave of emotions. In a burst of defiance she tells her parents (Alan Tudyk and Molly Parker) that she doesn’t want to leave home, nor does she want to become an adult. Far, far away in Never Land, Peter Pan (Alexander Molony) has heard Wendy’s plea, and for the carefree and spirited boy it is a proclamation, a call to action, and an opportunity to expand his loyal band of followers, the Lost Boys. On Disney Plus. Read more

THE WORLD OF FILM

PLANE – Pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island, only to find that surviving the landing was just the beginning. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI. In order to rescue the passengers, Torrance will need Gaspare’s help and will learn there’s more to him than meets the eye. Read more

POLITE SOCIETY – A martial artist-in-training believes she must save her older sister from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, she tries to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood. This British action comedy is written and directed by Nida Manzoor and stars Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya. Read more

THE POPE’S EXORCIST – Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, the film follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and seeks to cast out one of the most intransigent demonic possessions of his storied career, the priest will uncover the truth behind a centuries-buried secret and bring to light a much larger conspiracy, despite warnings from the Vatican. Read more

PUNCH – the feature debut of the New Zealand writer-director Welby Ings. Seventeen-year-old Jim is a small-town boxing hero who carries the hopes and dreams of his father Stan on his shoulders. His growing relationship with a local boy, Whetu, forces him to confront the truth about his sexuality and choose his own future. Jim’s (Jordan Oosterhof) potential as a boxer is a promise, to himself and to his alcoholic father, Stan (Tim Roth). Jim, a high school student, could finally leave his rural life. He could become the boxing star his father never managed to be. The closer Jim gets to a local queer outcast, Whetu (Conan Hayes), though, the more his priorities shift away from being in the ring. Read more

RALLY ROAD RACERS – A plucky underdog story. This CG animated feature tells of a loris named Zhi who enters a no-holds-barred car race across China’s historic Silk Road to save the last Loris Village (including his Granny’s home) from demolition and development by a psychotic toad named Archibald Vainglorious. Read more

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE-The groundbreaking film Red, White & Royal Blue is based on the LGBT romance novel by Casey McQuiston and was adapted by celebrated playwright-screenwriter Matthew Lopez, who makes his directorial feature debut, and co-written by screenwriter Ted Malawer. Read more / Prime Video

RENFIELD – Nicholas Cage plays Count Dracula in this horror-comedy. Renfield, the tortured aide to his narcissistic boss, Dracula, is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding. However, after centuries of servitude, he’s ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness. When he falls in love with Rebecca Quincy, a traffic cop, and decides to finally stand up to his creator in hopes of finally breaking free of his servitude. Read more

RETRIBUTION – In the action-packed thriller Retribution a bank executive receives a bomb threat while driving his children to school that his car will explode if they stop and get out.  This remake of the 2015 Spanish film “El Desconocido.” Is directed by Nimród Antal and  stars Liam Neeson, Noma Dumezweni, Lilly Aspell, Jack Champion, Embeth Davidtz and Matthew Modine. Read more

RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN – Sometimes the hero you are meant to be lies just beneath the surface. DreamWorks Animation dives into the turbulent waters of high school with a hilarious, heartfelt action comedy about a quirky teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Read more

RUN – Up-and-coming director Aneesh Chaganty and producers Natalie Qasabian and Sev Ohanian, the latter co-writing Run with Chaganty, offer a fresh perspective and unique spin on the style of Alfred Hitchcock’s work while providing mounting paranoia that culminates in a shocking twist. On Netflix. Read more

RUNS IN THE FAMILY – A modest tailor and single Indian dad, Varun (Ace Bhatti) and his transmasculine son, River (Gabe Gabriel) take a road trip across South Africa to break River’s estranged mother, Monica (Diaan Lawrenson), out of a rehab clinic. Tensions are high as the dysfunctional new family unit adjusts on their way back home where River is set to compete with his best friend, Ollie (Cleo Wesley), in a drag competition that could win him his gender-affirming surgery. In River’s absence, however, Ollie breaks their leg, dashing their hopes for victory. Monica suggests that Varun take their place as River’s drag partner, and father and son take up the challenge with River training Varun in the ways of drag. But as the competition ramps up, Varun, Stan, and Monica’s shady past catches up with them. Read more

RUN RABBIT RUN – How would you cope if your child began to act completely out of character; and started to talk about a previous life? This question sits at the core of Run Rabbit Run, where the fearless voice of the Australian novelist Hannah Kent wanted to explore the tragedy of a mother losing connection to her young daughter. Read more / Watch on Netflix

SALVAGE SALVATION – Sheriff Church (Robert De Niro) and Detective Zeppelin strive to keep the peace in their rough town, where residents’ only two interests are the church or oxycodone. Newly engaged Shelby John (Jack Huston) and Ruby Red want a fresh start. They decide to have a family together and get clean, with the support of Peter, Ruby’s brother-in-law (John Malkovich).When Shelby discovers his beloved Ruby dead on their porch he embarks on a vengeful killing spree to right all the wrong done to Ruby by every link in the drug dealing chain. Directed by Randall Emmett and starring Jack Huston, Robert De Niro, John Malkovich, Willa Fitzgerald, and Quavo. Read more

SARAFINA! – The re-release of Sarafina! In cinemas pays homage to the vital role women performed during the struggle. Sarafina is a young black South African struggling for freedom during the apartheid. While she has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country, the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favourite teacher is arrested for protesting. Read more

SAW X – John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back in SAW X, the most intriguing, unexpected, and chilling installment of the global horror franchise. Exploring the untold chapter of John / Jigsaw’s most personal game, the film is set between the events of Saw I and II. A sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure, which he hopes will be a miracle cure for his cancer. But he discovers the operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his unique work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way, through terrifying and ingenious traps. Read more

SCREAM VI – The film finds Sam, her half-sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) and their friends, twins Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), having relocated from Woodsboro to New York City after the most recent Ghostface killings left them as the only survivors in their group of friends. The trauma from the experience – which involved Sam’s boyfriend Richie and Tara’s best friend Amber as the masterminds of the killing spree, motivated by the fact that they wanted to reinvent the Stab franchise by creating new source material while using Sam’s connection to Billy as the basis to frame Sam for the murders – has affected each of them differently. Read more

THE SECRET GARDEN – Playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne had loved the book The Secret Garden as a child and when re-reading it when he adapted it for film, he adored it even more as an adult. “It’s such a bold book,” he says, “such a beautifully twisted book that celebrates a very destructive girl who finds herself again. When I re-read it I was surprised by how dark it was, and I love it for that.” Read more / Now on Showmax

SHAZAAM! FURY OF THE GODS – Billy Batson and his foster siblings, who transform into superheroes by saying “Shazam!” are back in the superhero fantasy. The siblings are forced to get back into action and fight the Daughters of Atlas. They must stop them from using a weapon that could destroy the world. Read more

SILENT NIGHT – The Joel Kinnaman-led actioner is Woo’s first American film in two decades, an absence he chalks up to no longer being sent quality scripts. On its surface, it’s a classic tale of vengeance, as Kinnaman’s Brian Godlock stops at nothing to avenge the gang-related death of his 7-year-old son. The quest is made all the more intriguing by Godlock’s inability to speak, having suffered a life-altering injury during his failed attempt to go after the offending gang in the immediate aftermath of his son’s death. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death. Read more

THE SON – Laura Dern and Hugh Jackman play Kate and Peter, divorced parents of seventeen-year-old Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who struggle to help their child as he succumbs to a deep sadness. Vanessa Kirby co-stars as Peter’s second wife Beth, who must balance her stepson’s needs with those of her own newborn boy. Read more

SOUND OF FREEDOM – Sound of Freedom is based on the incredible true story and shines a light on even the darkest of places. After rescuing a boy from ruthless child traffickers in, a federal agent learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death. Directed and  co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, the film stars Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp. Read more

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – This computer-animated superhero adventure is the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and is set in a shared multiverse of alternate universes called the “Spider-Verse”. Miles Morales is unexpectedly approached by his love interest Gwen Stacy to complete a mission to save every universe of Spider-People from the Spot, who could cause a catastrophic disaster. Read more

SPINNING GOLD – This biographical drama depicts the life and career of record producer and Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart, who was credited with discovering many iconic musical acts such as Donna Summer, Kiss, Village People; and signing and pushing acts including Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Isley Brothers to greater heights. Bogart launched Casablanca Records in the 1970s, and with a rag-tag team of young music lovers, he rewrote history and changed the industry forever. Written and directed by Timothy Scott Bogart.  It stars Jeremy Jordan as Neil Bogart. Read more

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE – Based on the world of Nintendo’s Mario games, the film invites audiences into a vibrant, thrilling new universe unlike any created before in an action-packed, exuberant cinematic comedy event. While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt; Jurassic World and The LEGO Movie franchises) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi. Read more

SUZUME – This Japanese animated fantasy adventure depicts a high school girl and a mysterious young man trying to prevent a series of disasters across Japan. As the skies turn red and the planet trembles, Japan stands on the brink of disaster. However, a determined teenager named Suzume sets out on a mission to save her country. Able to see supernatural forces that others cannot, it’s up to her to close the mysterious doors that are spreading chaos across the land. A perilous journey awaits as the fate of Japan rests on her shoulders. Read more

TALK TO ME – A high-concept horror that reflects current society with a classic lens. A group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and opens the door to the spirit world, forcing them to choose who to trust: the dead or the living. Read more

TÁR – We meet Tár at the height of her career, as she’s preparing both a book launch and much-anticipated live performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Over the ensuing weeks her life begins to unravel in a singularly modern way. The result is a searing examination of power, and its impact and durability in today’s society. Read more

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM – The Heroes in a Half Shell first cowabunga-ed onto the big screen back in 1990 and returns in the animated adventure.  After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them. Read more

THANKSGIVING – After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan. Will the town uncover the killer and survive the holidays…or become guests at his twisted holiday dinner table? Read more

THE THORN – The epic story of God’s love for the world and the spiritual battle for all humanity. Often described as cirque meets the passion of Jesus, The Thorn combines dance, martial arts, aerial acrobatics, and emotionally powerful performances witnessed live by 1M+ people for 25 years. This unique blend of theatrical performing arts and live-action cinema will engage audiences in the ultimate story of love, sacrifice, and redemption like never before. Read more

TILL tells the heartbreaking true story of the historic lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till
— for whistling at a white woman in Money, Mississippi in 1955 — through the eyes of his mother
Mamie Till-Mobley, a widowed single mother who is the head of her household, the only Black woman working for the Air Force in Chicago. Till-Mobley becomes a revolutionary by insisting that the world witness the horror of her brutally maimed son’s body in an open casket viewing as an act of defiance against oppression and hate. “I wanted the world to see what they did to my boy,” she said at the time. Till-Mobley also gave the exclusive rights to Jet Magazine to publish the images of her son’s maimed body which caused the lynching to gain worldwide notoriety. A mother’s audacity became a lightning rod in the Civil Rights Movement and propelled her to reluctantly become an outspoken activist for the NAACP advocating for social justice and education. Read more

TITANIC – Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) is a 17-year-old upper-class American suffocating under the rigid confines and expectations of Edwardian society. Once she meets a free-spirited steerage passenger named Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), he opens her eyes to the world that lies outside her gilded cage, and they embark on a love affair that echoes across the decades. Nothing on Earth can come between them, not even something as unimaginable as the sinking of the Titanic. Declared “unsinkable,” her precious cargo of more than 2,200 men, women and children began their journey from Southampton, England to New York City with a sense of anticipation, awe and optimism. Yet this “ship of dreams’’ ultimately carried over 1,500 people to their death in the ice-cold waters of the North Atlantic in the early hours of April 15, 1912. Read more

TO CATCH A KILLER – This thriller centers on a talented but troubled cop (Shailene Woodley) who is recruited by the FBI to help profile and track down a murderer. It is directed by Damián Szifron, and also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo and Ralph Ineson. The film marks Argentine filmmaker Damián Szifron’s English-language debut. Read more

TOORBOS – After a 6-year’s journey from page to screen, René van Rooyen’s insightful adaptation of Dalene Matthee’s novel Toorbos as a screenwriter, and her astute visual sensibility as a director, delivers an inspirational journey of the heart that showcases the best of South African filmmaking. Now on showmax.com  Read more

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS -An ex-military electronics expert and an artifact researcher are swept up in a three-way conflict between the Maximals, Predacons and Terrorcons as they aid Optimus Prime and the Autobots in a war to protect Earth from Unicron’s arrival. It’s the is the seventh instalment in the Transformers film series. Serving as both a standalone sequel to Bumblebee (2018) and prequel to the 2007 film. Read more

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER – After two films of true friendship and relentless flirting, Poppy and Branch are now officially, finally, a couple (#broppy)! As they grow closer, Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past. He was once part of her favorite boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers. When Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains, Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity. Read more

THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY is the story of an unremarkable man who sets off on a remarkable journey. Harold lives a life without purpose until he learns an old friend is dying and vows that in walking across England to see her, his journey can keep her alive. A story of rediscovery and transformation, it is an uplifting reminder that you’re never too old to take a chance, and that kindness is less rare than you think.  Based on the 2012 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller of the same name, this heartfelt and original take on the coming-of-age narrative will resonate with audiences of all ages. This British drama is directed by Hettie Macdonald and stars Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton. Read more

THE WHALE – In Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, Brendan Fraser gives a virtuosic performance as Charlie, an English teacher living with severe obesity whose time is running out. As he makes a last bold attempt to reconcile with his broken family, Charlie must confront, with his full heart and fierce wit, long-buried traumas and unspoken love that have haunted him for decades. Read more

WISH – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new musical-comedy is set in the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Read more

THE WOMAN KING – The remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness, unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for… Now on Showmax. Read more

THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR – Almost 20 years ago writer-director Wes Anderson was inspired to adapt Roald Dahl’s story The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. “ The story completely hooked me as a child, but if you take away his words, well, I guess, it’s not a movie I felt compelled to do. It’s a great Dahl story, but if I do it using his words, his descriptions, then maybe I know how to do it.” Watch on Netflix

WONKA – Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is. Read more

X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X – The Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts continues with Anthony Davis’s groundbreaking and influential opera X: The Life and Times Of Malcolm X.  

by ·Comments Off on Making An Action Film Without Dialogue

The acclaimed action-movie specialist, John Woo, is back with an entirely different approach: a movie without dialogue. What inspired his return after an absence of 2-decades, is a riveting screenplay for Silent Night, crafted by Robert Archer Lynn, which Woo describes as: “Surprise, surprise, and surprise. The script is full of surprises so that’s one of the biggest reasons I took it. I enjoyed the script because I like challenges.”

“I think the script is really well written,” says Woo. “Even though it had no dialogue, it had great drama and a very, very good story. And that’s the script I’m always looking for. In the old times, I had been established as a big movie director, but all those much smaller-scale [projects] and much better scripts—they never came to me. And then my partner always said, ‘Those movies are too small for you. Don’t do it.’ So I was so frustrated. And after 20 years, I found Silent Night so exciting, even though it was my first independent film, and I feel that the script was such a great idea.”

The script, he thought, would give him a chance to flex one of his biggest strengths. “I’m very good at the visuals,” he said. “I think for Silent Night , it could allow me to use my visuals and my sound to tell a story, to express myself. Also it could make the audience more involved with the characters. Even though there’s no dialogue, then the audience will [pay] more attention to their face and look straight at the eyes and can feel what they feel and to see what they see. I think there’s a lot of good things about it. It’s a new experiment for myself. I feel like Alfred Hitchcock has said, ‘Each film, each movie is your new experiment.'”

Woo’s over-the-top action style has been the stuff of legend for many decades, but now, at 77, the Hong Kong filmmaker has changed up his approach, beginning with the virtually dialogue-free revenge thriller Silent Night, which redefines the action genre with visceral, thrill-a-minute storytelling.

The Joel Kinnaman-led actioner is Woo’s first American film in two decades, an absence he chalks up to no longer being sent quality scripts. On its surface, Silent Night is a classic tale of vengeance, as Kinnaman’s Brian Godlock stops at nothing to avenge the gang-related death of his 7-year-old son. The quest is made all the more intriguing by Godlock’s inability to speak, having suffered a life-altering injury during his failed attempt to go after the offending gang in the immediate aftermath of his son’s death. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death.

“Making a film without dialogue is more difficult. It’s not an easy job to do. You have to think more than usual. You need to find new ways, new style, and a very unique language to tell the story. Unique visual language to tell the story. The sound, the vision. Using the vision instead of the language. It’s not easy work. It needs a lot of thought,” says Woo.

The ability of the cast to portray and breathe life into each of Silent Night’s characters is bolstered significantly by the many talents of the distinguished John Woo, from whom they discovered much more than what they were expecting.

Says Joel Kinnaman: “John is not just an iconic film director. He is the master of the camera. I’ve never worked with a film director that can tell so much of the story just in the way that he moves the camera. And I can also tell and understand why he wanted to do this film that doesn’t have dialogue because it just opens up so many opportunities to design these beautiful shots and instead of just shooting this scene where you have the coverage, closeups, mediums shots, wide shot and then you cut it all together, here we’re very sparse with the coverage. A lot of the scenes are just one or two set ups. And you tell the whole scene in how we stage it and how the camera moves. It’s gonna be a very artistic film. I grew up watching subtitled films but there is always a nuance in the language that gets lost. You can still get the experience but some of the nuance is amiss. [In ‘Silent Night’] this doesn’t happen. You are watching the same movie as everyone else as it is told visually.”

John Woo behind the scenes of Silent Night

Despite his considerable experience in the action genre, John Woo still feels compelled to reinvent himself by returning to a genre he had mastered long ago

“Basically, the action is pretty much the style. It’s exciting, it has style. I tried to make something different, more of a street fight vibe. The audience can feel the punch, the power, the anger. The movie has no language, so all we need is strong visuals to tell a story. Besides the fight, we’re trying to use the sound, the heat of the punch, even the car crash. It became a new type of language”.

This project encompasses facts and characters that each represent a particular perspective of the same story. The varying tones of each perspective is what strengthens the overall attitude of the film. This was no easy task though, as it required arduous investigation by the different department heads, which include production design, costume design, and even make-up design. These essential departments were the backbone of this movie’s handcrafted personality.

Grant Armstrong’s production design team on Silent Night were able to completely transform various locations, such as a gas station and a mall, to perfectly fit the aesthetic of the story. They even created a complex set from scratch that is the backdrop of crucial fight scenes in the film. His design tasks involved extensive research into typical gang street art, which practically decorates every space you’ll see on screen.

In a similar fashion, Mariestela Fernández’s costume designs required proper research in order to showcase each character’s personality through their clothing. Fernandez worked to accurately represent the working class of a difficult neighborhood as well as allow the costume designs to depict the evolution in the script, and specifically of each character’s mission.

Her research also informed her about gangs and how dress-codes apply to those groups, so it became important for her to correctly style characters according to the groups they represent on screen.

The work of the costume department is very interconnected with that of the makeup and special effects department in order to create a cohesive being. Together, they mold the appearance of characters down to specifically tattoos, which are evident on Playa’s face. For Torres’s character, the departments would spend up to two hours of preparation perfecting Playa’s aesthetic for filming.

With John Woo’s guidance, Nayeli Mora and Carlos Segui created each of the tattoos that create Playa. They even had to redesign some of the tattoos in order to fit Woo’s vision shortly before production began.

Thanks to these departments and their collaboration with the director and director of photography Sharon Meir, we visually see the shift in the nature of the story through the characters. We start with a warm, colorful, familiar beginning that is then transformed as the family tragedy develops, revenge is taken, and we are taken into increasingly darker paths. Depicting those changes through the characters reveals the deepness and development of this story.

Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in Silent Night. Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi

The importance of the visuals of this story and its characters is highlighted by the fact that there is no “spoken” dialogue in this film. Each character has to rely on their ability to communicate through available tools and skills that don’t require speaking.

This style sets Silent Night apart from the traditional silent film; it’s also an action movie, which only increases its level of complexity.

The design departments certainly had their work cut out for them, as did the actors. Everyone who performed in front of the camera for this project had to be cognizant of the story they were embodying and perform in a nontraditional capacity for an action film. They each had their own experiences with this form of performance and described it as such:

“Acting without dialogue is very freeing. It’s where you show truly what kind of actor you are. Sometimes when I watch movies, I put mute on them just to see if I would understand their acting, what they’re saying. However, this is beyond. I’ve never seen a thriller with so much action and so much drama with no words.”  ~Catalina Sandino.

Joel Kinnaman and John Woo behind the scenes of Silent Night

“I think a lot of people imagine that doing a film without dialogue is somehow easier, workwise. I don’t have to learn lines, and I have to admit it’s kinda nice to not have to learn any lines, but it’s actually a lot more demanding. It forces you to prepare so much more in a lot of the other aspects. I talked about it with the camera guys as well because everything else becomes so much more important: the camera movement, the intensity of your inner life, what’s expressed in your eyes, body language. Everything else becomes so much more important because you remove that one element. It really demands intense preparation. It’s very exciting and experimental in some ways.” ~Joel Kinnaman.

“A silent film sometimes is pretty hard I think. I did many characters that did not talk too much, but here it is the tone for the whole movie. It’s some kind of environment, a way to go inside of the fiction that is not normal, and so it was a bit difficult, because sometimes we react to the things that happen to us with words. Just like “hey”, “you”, “fuck” or whatever. Like, all the time we answer with language in some way. But here it was the main thing this movie had, an action movie. It is complex to see what it is you need to do to go in the correct zone, in the correct way, to act in this film.” ~Harold Torres.

“I thought it was gonna be challenging but it didn’t seem to be. It was kinda one of those things that once I got the rhythm, I understood the character, the story. Just being in it and finding emotion in certain scenes. I just one hundred percent got it. It wasn’t challenging at all. I was really surprised.” ~Scott Mescudi.

John Woo acknowledges the kind of cast a film such as this one requires, when there is no spoken dialogue and explains what he was looking for: “We also need a lot of talent to join and help. They need vision. The use of proper tone to use it as a language. To understand what it is all about. The message you want to send. When we make a film without dialogue, I’m forcing myself to find a new style, a new language even though there’s no language in the script. Give the actors creative freedom. They can find any language to express themselves. Use more focus on facial performance. Speaking is an easy way to make people understand everything. They need to use their eyes and expression to tell what they’re feeling. The actors love it. They always try to make a great performance through their eyes and facial expression. So this is hard for them. Besides, we have an incredible story. It’s interesting and it’s a story that makes you think.”

JOHN WOO

John Woo’s illustrious career as a filmmaker began in Hong Kong where he spent over two decades at the center of a thriving film industry, directing over twenty-six feature films. He was known primarily as a comedy specialist until the mid-1980’s before creating a series of inspired romantic and violent gangster dramas that broke box-office records.

Woo was born in Guangzhou, China and came to Hong Kong with his family at age four. He was educated at Matteo Ricci College and at age nineteen, began making experimental films. In lieu of film school, Woo sought entry-level positions in the flourishing Hong Kong film industry. In 1971, he began working as an assistant director at Shaw Brothers. Just two years later he made his directorial debut with ‘The Young Dragons.’

A Better Tomorrow Films is John Woo’s newly named headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Woo’s latest film ‘Silent Night’ starring Joel Kinnaman is currently in post-production while his next project for Universal, ‘The Killer’ will go into pre-production January 2023. In addition to being known for his Hong Kong hits ‘The Killer’, ‘Hard Boiled’, and ‘A Better Tomorrow’, Woo’s credits include ‘Hard Target’ for Universal, ‘Broken Arrow’ for Twentieth Century Fox, ‘Face/Off’ for Paramount Pictures, MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE II for Paramount Pictures, ‘Paycheck’ with Paramount Pictures, ‘Windtalkers’ and producing ‘Bulletproof Monk’ with MGM and ‘The Big Hit’ for Sony. 

Television credits include ‘Red Skies’ for USA Network and ‘The Robinsons: Lost In Space’ with Fox for the WB Network.  Independently produced projects include ‘Blood Brothers’, ‘My Fair Gentleman’, ‘Reign of Assassins’, ‘Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale,’ the blockbuster hit ‘Red Cliff,’ and ‘The Crossing.’  Woo has also directed numerous commercials including ones for Nike, Asahi and Volvo while also directing the short film ‘The Hire’ for RSA’s BMW short film series

Transmedia properties include the animated film ‘Appleseed: Ex Machina’,the award-winning ‘John Woo Presents: Stranglehold’ with Midway Games, ‘John Woo’s 7 Brothers’ with Virgin Comics and critically-acclaimed game app ‘Bloodstroke’ by developer Chimera Entertainment.

John Woo has received 15 nominations and 19 awards including the 2015 Samurai Award from the Tokyo International Film Festival, 2012 UNESCO Award, 2010 Career Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival and the 2009 Outstanding Abroad Director from the Huabiao Film Awards.

A Better Tomorrow Films operates in both Los Angeles and Beijing with feature film and television projects for their respective markets but always with the eye of the global marketplace.  Woo named his company with the hope and promise of new and exciting projects to come.

by ·Comments Off on From Fake Trailer To Real Film

Filmmaker Eli Roth’s ode to 80s slasher-horror Thanksgiving began in 2006 when he created a fake trailer that would appeal to the grindhouse crowd. 17 years later horror fans were still begging for the best horror movie never made.

Roth’s inspiration for Thanksgiving began in when his friends Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were working on their double feature Grindhouse. To add to the double-feature experience, Tarantino asked his friends – including Roth – to create fake trailers that would appeal to the grindhouse crowd. And Roth knew exactly what he wanted to do.

It was conceived as a phony, all-killer-no-filler trailer to be sandwiched between “Planet Terror” and “Death Proof” in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 exploitation tribute double feature. 

In his youth and teenage years, Roth and his friend Jeff Rendell took in a steady diet of horror films, consuming VHS after VHS of carnage, chaos, and gore. And one special subgenre kept them busy. “We came of age in the early 80s, the golden era of the holiday slasher movie,” he recalls. “Black Christmas, Halloween, My Bloody Valentine, April Fool’s Day, New Year’s Evil… When we saw Silent Night, Deadly Night, we cheered the mayhem while the Santa Claus killer yelled, ‘PUNISH!’”

“This, to us, was cinema at its peak,” Roth continues.

But for the native of Newton, Massachusetts, one holiday eluded him: Hollywood never made the Thanksgiving slasher pic. “It’s hard to oversell the importance of Thanksgiving in Massachusetts,” he says. “Every school group goes to Plimoth Patuxet to see what life was like back in 1620. But where others saw a butter churner, we saw opportunities for amazing kills.”

With his fake trailer, Roth saw the opportunity to create Thanksgiving – the 1980s holiday slasher that somehow Hollywood had forgotten to make. Rendell and Roth wrote it, and as Roth was completing filming on Hostel Part II, he had access to locations, actors, even fake heads from that film to immortalize it. When Grindhouse promised Thanksgiving as a preview of coming attractions, audiences loved it. And that was that.

After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan. Will the town uncover the killer and survive the holidays…or become guests at his twisted holiday dinner table?

For 17 years, Roth would hear from fans wondering if he would ever make the movie for real

Roth was game, but there was just one problem: “We didn’t have a plot,” he says, noting that the fake trailer is simply a stringing together of stabbings, beheadings, and mayhem, themed to the holiday. But a trailer does not a movie make, and Roth and Rendell kept looking for ways to make it real.

“We were so thrilled with how the trailer turned out, we continually found ourselves reverse engineering the story to fit in the gags. How would we decapitate a turkey at the parade? How can we roast a human turkey?” he notes. “We knew we had to make Thanksgiving a real slasher film, one that could exist whether you had seen the trailer or not.” It was clear that there was no way to make these iconic sequences work as an actual movie – which meant that if Thanksgiving was going to become real, they would need another approach.

With that in mind, they focused on the gestalt of the fake trailer, rather than the individual sequences themselves.

“We began with the working premise that Thanksgiving 1980 was the film the Grindhouse trailer was made from, and it was so shocking that every print was destroyed, and the only element that survived was the one trailer,” he says. “The new film we were making would be the reboot of that movie, starting again from scratch, but cherry picking elements we knew would work in the story we were telling today.”

During the many years of writing, rewriting, and getting it right, Roth says it is the fan sites who kept the Thanksgiving dream alive.

“Each year the horror sites would trot it out and lament that we never made it,” says Roth. “I must thank them for this – it kept us going when we were burned out on the idea or couldn’t figure out how to make it great. Finally, after a few story breakthroughs, the idea really began to click, and we worked it out.”

Having finally cracked the code, Roth took his pitch to Spyglass.

It was fortuitous: when Gary Barber, Chairman and CEO of Spyglass and executive producer of Thanksgiving, launched Spyglass, he set out to ramp up the new venture’s production pipeline and recognized the value in horror franchises.

“Spyglass has successfully relaunched long-running horror franchises, including Scream and Hellraiser, and we saw Thanksgiving as a film that could break new ground in the slasher genre as it combines signature throwback elements with fresh humor that makes audiences want to come back for seconds,” says Barber.

Having received his greenlight, Roth turned to casting and production while Spyglass partnered with TriStar Pictures to release the film worldwide, with Spyglass handling select international territories.

The heart of any slasher movie is the kills, and Eli Roth – the genre’s maestro – would make sure that Thanksgiving reflected his best work

“Every kill had to meet our standards of scare and gore; if the movie didn’t deliver on its promise, we’d be dead,” says Roth. And Roth had the added pressure of having done it already. “I found myself not just trying to match what I did in the trailer, but trying to top it in every way possible,” he continues.

Which is why early on, Roth began discussing the project with prosthetics genius Adrien Morot. “His craftsmanship is second to none. Adrien and his wife Kathy made the most incredibly realistic and beautiful heads and body parts I have ever seen. They were so beautiful! But of course, no matter how beautiful the fake head, it must be smashed in with a meat tenderizer.”

It’s a responsibility Roth takes very seriously. Getting to make a horror movie is, for him, standing on the shoulders of giants. “We look at the kills and say, okay, how can we outdo ourselves? And not just ourselves, but every other movie? It’s a badge of honor for us to get the best kill. Every time you make a horror movie, you have a chance to enter into the pantheon of horror greats. The opportunity is there if you take it. So with every death, we try to truly make it a classic.”

And Roth knows when it has that special something. “I have to have that ‘ugh’ feeling… I have a very, very, very high tolerance for movie gore, so if a scene is upsetting me, then I know it’s gonna work for a general audience.”

Another reason why Roth works so well and closely with Morot is they have a shared love for practical effects. “When I think of all of my favorite kills from all of my favorite movies, none of them are digital,” says Roth. “They’re all practical makeup effects. It’s a different emotional response.”

For Roth, a complicated kill is always nerve-wracking until the last drop of blood has been spilled. “I’m always most excited on a day when we’re filming a kill scene, I have this nervous pit in my stomach and I can’t relax until I know we have the kill on camera,” he says. “The timing of the head falling off, the swing of the axe, the way the blood pumps – a million things can go wrong. But when they go right there’s nothing like it.”

As for his own goals, Roth says it’s simple. “Now, hopefully, every year, at every dinner, for the rest of time, when someone reveals the turkey, they will say in a sister voice, ‘Dinner…is served!’ And everyone will scream.” 

ELI ROTH (Director / Story by / Producer) burst onto the film scene at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival with his directorial debut Cabin Fever. Made independently for $1.5 million dollars, the film sparked a frenzied seven-studio bidding war and went on to be Lionsgate’s highest grossing film that year. Roth’s follow-up film, Hostel, which he wrote, produced, and directed, and was presented and executive produced by Quentin Tarantino, earned him critical praise and was a massive worldwide hit, spawning a successful sequel, Hostel Part II, also written and directed by Roth. 

In 2015, Lionsgate released Roth’s Sundance hit thriller Knock Knock, which stars Keanu Reeves as a happily married man whose life is quickly turned upside down by Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas in her English language screen debut. Additionally, Roth co-wrote, produced, and directed The Green Inferno, which was shot on location in the Amazon, filming deeper into the jungle than any previous film. From 2015-2017, Roth hosted Discovery Channel’s hugely popular Shark Week and its late-night talk show “Shark After Dark,” both of which hit new network high ratings with Roth hosting. 

Roth also directed the critically acclaimed #1 family film The House with a Clock in Its Walls,starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and the gritty hit action film Death Wish starring Bruce Willis for MGM and Annapurna. 

As an actor, Roth has appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof segment of Grindhouse (in which he also wrote and directed the popular faux trailer Thanksgiving, which played between the features in the film) and Inglourious Basterds, in which he portrayed Sgt. Donnie Donowitz; he also directed the propaganda film-within-the-film, Nation’s Pride. Roth and his cast members received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble, as well as the Broadcast Film Critic’s Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award. Most recently Roth appeared as the scene-stealing Live Nation head Andrew Finkelstein in Sam Levinson’s The Idol for HBO

As a producer, Roth has produced the hit films The Last Exorcism, The Man with the Iron Fists,Jon Watts’ directing debut Clown, and the hit Emmy-nominated Netflix series “Hemlock Grove,” which ran for three seasons. Roth hired an unknown Damien Chazelle to write the sequel to The Last Exorcism, starring Julia Garner and Ashley Bell. Roth’s critically acclaimed docuseries “Eli Roth’s History of Horror” ran for three seasons on AMC; his other series include “A Ghost Ruined My Life,” “My Possessed Pet,” “The Haunted Museum” starring Zak Bagans, and “Urban Legend,” all for Discovery Plus and HBO Max.

Roth’s critically acclaimed documentary Fin, a harrowing documentary detailing the destructive practices of the shark fin trade, premiered to rave reviews in July 2021 as part of Discovery’s Shark Wee. It went on to win Best Documentary at the Ischia Global Film Festival. 

Roth recently finished directing and co-writing the film adaptation of the hit videogame Borderlands for Lionsgate; the film reunites Roth with stars Cate Blanchett and Jack Black alongside an all-star cast including Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Gina Gershon. 

Roth co-created the DreamWorks Animation kids’ series “Fright Krewe” with James Frey, which premiered in October 2023 on Hulu and Peacock and features an all-star cast including Melanie Laurent, Vanessa Hudgens, and Roth. The series was just renewed for a second season.

An avid shark lover, Roth spends his time promoting shark conservation, working as a board member of the Environmental Media Group. He is currently in post-production on another environmental documentary.

JEFF RENDELL (Story by / Screenplay by / Producer), a native of Newton, Massachusetts, became friends with Eli Roth in kindergarten. Their shared love of film as kids resulted in the creation of countless movies made in their basements. Every weekend they were shooting wacky comedy skits or something horror related.

Although Rendell’s continued interest in film had him attend Emerson College film school, he ended up working most of his adult life in the rare autograph business and then for his father’s World War II museum. The museum provided a connection to the film business in 2009 when Rendell brought several authentic World War II items to be used for Inglourious Basterds.

by ·Comments Off on Fear The Black Phone

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson steeps himself in the horror genre and fearfully awakens the senses of those who indulge in the Supernatural and Uncanny realms. When he read the short story The Black Phone, written by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill more than fifteen years ago, he was hooked and knew that he had to bring the story to life on film.

In 2012, filmmakers Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill partnered with producer Jason Blum and actor Ethan Hawke to make Sinister, widely considered the most terrifying film of the 21st century thus far. The team was eager to work together again, and as Derrickson began exploring options, he revisited Joe Hill’s bestselling short story The Black Phone, which was released in 2005 as part of his short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts.

Filmmakers Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill (right)

Scott Derrickson Q&A

Derrickson and Cargill have become among the industry’s most esteemed horror auteurs in large part because their films are about far more than scares. “If you can imagine removing all the genre elements from a great genre film and you’ve still got a great drama…that’s worth watching,” Derrickson says. “If you take away the action, set pieces, scary scenes and thrills and you’ve still got a great film there? Then you’re onto something that has the potential to connect with the audience in a memorable way.” More than memorable, their films are unforgettable.

“Modern Horror is not often subtle,” Christopher Golden wrote in the Introduction of 20th Century Ghosts. “Most of those who practice the art of the unsettling far too often go for the jugular, forgetting that the best predators are stealthy. “

When 13-year-old Finney (Mason Thames) is abducted by a sadistic man, he discovers that he can communicate with other victims through a mysterious telephone. Meanwhile, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has psychic dreams about the kidnapping and is intent on finding her brother.

“I happened to stumble into a bookstore around the time the book came out,” says Derrickson, the writer-director of Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange.

 “At the time, I didn’t know who Joe was, let alone that he was Stephen King’s son. I stood in the bookstore and read this short story and thought, ‘Wow, this guy is great.’ It was only about 20 pages long, but I thought the concept was fantastic and such a good idea for a movie. I never forgot about it. I’d bring it up on occasion and continued to think about turning it into a film, but the timing was never right. Then, about a year and a half ago, the time just felt right, so my writing partner, C. Robert Cargill, and I optioned the title from Joe, and we wrote the script.”

Cargill was equally enamored with Hill’s short story. “Scott slid me ‘The Black Phone’ and I loved it so much that I immediately bought the rest of the book and blew through it,” Cargill says. “It had a bit of everything in it, and that’s exactly what you want when you sit down to read a horror story.”

Watch on SHOWMAX

Inspiration for the tale came from a specific memory from Hill’s childhood

Both the short story and the film follow 13-year-old Finney, who is abducted by an infamous child abductor and serial killer known as The Grabber in a small town in northern Denver. Locked in the killer’s basement, Finney discovers that he can hear the killer’s previous victims through a disconnected black rotary phone on the wall. The inspiration for the tale came from a specific memory from Hill’s childhood.

“I grew up in Bangor, Maine, in a very old house,” Hill says. “There was a phone in the basement that wasn’t connected to anything, and I found that phone creepy and unsettling. It didn’t make sense for a phone to be in a basement with a dirt floor and crumbling concrete walls. As a kid, the worst thing I could imagine was that phone ringing.”

Derrickson had always had an interest in creating a film that explored the emotional complexity and pain of childhood and the ability of children to overcome tragedy. “François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows has one of the best child performances I’ve ever seen in a film,” Derrickson says. “It not only showed the traumas that can haunt one’s childhood but also the resilience of children. I knew I wanted to make something in that spirit, but I couldn’t find a story that felt like it would capture that feeling. That is, until I read The Black Phone. After I came across that, Cargill and I started to talk about how we could combine that same concept with this short story.”  

The result is a film that transcends genre. “Scott and I believe that great genre films take a genre that you already love and tell that story, and intercept it with a different genre,” Cargill says. “Here, we wanted to write a coming-of-age film that got interrupted by a horror movie.”

In most films about child abduction or serial killers, the victim needs to be rescued by an intrepid, driven detective or another adult. In The Black Phone, the well-meaning adults are essentially useless and the kids – Finney himself, the voices of the dead boys on the phone, and especially Finney’s younger sister, Gwen – are the only people who can possibly save Finney from certain torture and death. Beyond the blood-chilling terror, it’s a film about the strength of children, their ability to believe in unseen forces, and the power of family and love to endure even the darkest, most unthinkable events.

In Joe Hill’s short story, The Grabber was inspired by John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer known as the Killer Clown, who murdered at least 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. “When I was thinking about that kind of predator, I was envisioning someone with echoes of Gacy,” Hill says. “And there was another child killer in the late ’90s outside of Boston that I read about in the paper, and it has haunted me my whole life. I don’t know why it made such a deep impact, but it did. One of the things we turn to fiction for is to get the justice that we don’t get in real life. In real life, these awful things happen and there’s no way to fix it, so we fix it the way we can, with stories.”

Hill was thrilled with their adaptation. “The short story always wanted to be a novel, but I couldn’t see how to extend the story without taking it to places I didn’t want it to go,” Hill says. “It was fascinating to watch Scott and Cargill solve the puzzle of it to make it bigger, richer and full of characters who each have their own stories and wisdom to add.”

Once the script was finished, Jason Blum’s Blumhouse was the duo’s first and only stop. “We didn’t take the script anywhere else,” Derrickson says. “We told Jason that we’d love for them to produce this, and instead of replying, he sent me a rotary black phone in a display case, which, I guess, was his way of saying yes.”

“The first time I saw Sinister, I knew there was someone disturbing with a wild imagination behind the camera, which of course, is a great quality for a horror filmmaker,” executive producer Ryan Turek says.

“That film really cemented Scott and Cargill in the genre as filmmakers with a keen sensibility to keep audiences on their toes. And with The Black Phone, they’ve done it again, except this time, looking at the traumas and dangers of being a kid growing up in the ’70s and ’80s. Kids had a lot more freedom back then, which made them a lot more susceptible to danger, but it also kept kids on their toes. And the film does a great job of inserting the audience into that experience and keeping them on their toes, too.”

For Hill, the recreation of that era in the film proved particularly vivid and personal. “I remember 1978 looking like that and kids and parents behaving that way, and I don’t think that’s something that’s represented in film very often,” Hill says. “We often see nostalgia cast in a rich golden light that makes everything look a lot better than it really was, sanding off all the rough edges and the ugliness that really was.”

Derrickson wanted emotional veracity, not just technical accuracy, in every frame. “The trick was to capture not just what the era looked or sounded like, but what did it feel like?” Derrickson says. “I wanted The Black Phone to feel like how the late ’70s felt to me when I was 12 and 13.”

For Gen Xers, children of the ’70s, this was a time without anti-bullying initiatives, where, for boys in particular, learning to defend yourself against mean kids was considered a normal rite of passage.  “My earliest memory up until high school was the violence of the neighborhood that I lived in,” Derrickson says. “The primary feeling that I remember having as a child was fear. I was the youngest kid on the street full of bullies.”

Across the country, the era was also tinged with terror, as serial killers such as the Manson Family, Hillside Strangler, Zodiac Killer, Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy dominated national news and reshaped American nightmares. “I remember when going into elementary school, at least where I grew up in North Denver, there was a new presence of serial killers,” Derrickson says. “It was the mid ’70s, and everyone was telling urban legends about the worst kinds of serial killers. All of these horrors had become such a real presence in everyone’s psyches.”

By the 1980s, child murders routinely gripped headlines, beginning with the 1981 kidnapping and decapitation of 6-year-old Adam Walsh in Florida. Seemingly overnight, American childhood changed forever. “When Adam Walsh was killed, every kid in the country knew his name, knew how he died and the horrible story of how they found the body,” Cargill says. “It gave us all nightmares, and it actually led to a line in the script: ‘You go from being an unknown kid for so long, and then everyone knows your name.’ That’s very much reflective of the era that we all grew up in.”

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that the seeds of Derrickson’s artistic future were planted here, too. “Growing up and feeling a lot of fear as a kid and understanding that emotion, my love for horror ultimately originated there,” Derrickson says. “Watching horror and making horror, for me, has always been about confronting something that I’m afraid of. I love the non-denial in the genre. Looking into the eyes of something unspoken or that’s unspeakably scary in the world or in nature, I’ve always found it an incredibly cathartic experience, both as a viewer and as an artist.”

“Joe Hill’s short story is very compact and simple,” Derrickson says. “But despite the simplicity of the structure, I felt tremendously empathetic for the lead character. I was excited to expand on that character even more and provide the audience with the opportunity to feel the fear that he feels. We auditioned a lot of kids, and we were lucky to find Mason for the role of Finney. He really carries the film with a very nuanced, powerful, and demanding performance.”

Several aspects of Finney and his life are drawn from Derrickson’s own childhood memories.

One of the first scenes in the film sees Finney watching the 1959 William Castle horror classic The Tingler. “I built haunted houses in my basement as a kid,” Derrickson says. “I was that kid watching The Tingler, and I never forgot it. It was the first horror movie that I remember stumbling on, on my own. It’s a black-and-white film and that scene when, suddenly, bright red crimson blood appears, that burned into my brain and I never let it go. Not a week goes by that I’m not thinking about the images from that movie. Children have a fascination and innate need to take those horrific things in. I think it’s an instinctive reckoning with how scary it is to be a human being, especially for a child.”

Joe Hill

Joseph Hillström King (born June 4, 1972), better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American writer. His work includes the novels Heart-Shaped Box (2007), Horns (2010), NOS4A2 (2013), and The Fireman (2016); the short story collections 20th Century Ghosts (2005) and Strange Weather (2017); and the comic book series Locke & Key (2008–2013). He has won awards including Bram Stoker Awards, British Fantasy Awards, and an Eisner Award. In 2019, In the Tall Grass, co-written with his father Stephen King, was released as a Netflix Original film.

by ·Comments Off on Interview with Die Ontwaking producer, writer and director Johnny Breedt

Die Ontwaking (‘The Awakening’), a grisly, action-packed thriller that investigates the mind and motivations of an acutely intelligent serial killer, and marks the directorial debut of acclaimed production designer Johnny Breedt (Paljas, Hotel Rwanda, A Long Walk to Freedom, Sergio Replicas Redeeming Love).

Daniel Dercksen shares a few thoughts with producer and writer-director Johnny Breedt

Well done on a film that really hits home and allows us to reconnect with the darkness that lurks in society.  Your views on this?

I learned from Anthony Minghella that making films that had elements of the darker side of life is way more interesting than most. He always chose this as an essential key to the projects that he took on and although he never made that many films, most were brilliant.

Die Ontwaking is an incredibly provocative and alluring title. Tell me about it.

A few years ago I decided I wanted to direct a film in Afrikaans and I popped into a book store to look for inspiration,” says Breedt. “That’s when I came across Chris Karsten’s ‘Abel se Ontwaking’. I read it on a flight to the USA and I could not put it down. I just knew that it could be turned into a fantastic film. The thriller genre is much darker than what I had in mind for my first feature film, but that was also what attracted me to the project. I wanted to challenge myself as a scriptwriter and director and this was the perfect vehicle. I was determined to take the audience with me into places that make people feel uncomfortable.”

Even though it is quite clear from the book title, that Abel Lotz is the serial killer, I wanted to make it not as obvious in the title, so I dropped the first part and decided on “Die Ontwaking” instead. The publishers of the book then very cleverly brought the book out again with my title and Gys De Villiers on the cover.

Production Designer and filmmaker Johnny Breedt talks about Sergio and how the Corona Pandemic has severely impacted the entertainment industry.

What inspired you to write the screenplay, produce the film and then sit in the director’s chair?

I really wanted to be challenged as a filmmaker and wanted to do the same with my audience, take them to a place where they do not necessarily want to go. Honestly, I did not think my first film as a director would be a psycho thriller, but I did know that I was not going to make what everyone else was doing. Producing the film is an entity on its own, especially raising the funds and then delivering the film within that budget. I always wanted to be a director, way before I ended up designing films, so the transition was easy for me. I was also fortunate to work alongside directors like Phillip Noyce, Carrol Ballard, Terry George, and Anthony Minghella, so I really learned from some of the best.

Was it an easy story to write?

No. At first, I thought adapting a book would be easier than starting with an original screenplay, but boy was I wrong. I have written a number of original scripts and they seemed easier as I was the sole creator of the story and the characters. It was difficult to take someone else’s story and characters and try and make them my own. The way I got around it was I eliminated a lot of the backstory details that were in the book. These played off mostly during the Boer war and I figured that if a younger audience were going to be attracted to the story, then I should lose the Boer war story. I also changed some of the characters and added in some of my own ideas and this then started taking the shape that i was after. Chris Karsten wrote a beautiful, almost poetic novel and I butchered to make it work cinematically, but still kept the original concept intact where possible. Chris was very impressed with the final outcome of the film.

Did you write the screenplay with any particular actors in mind? If so, how did this influence your writing of the screenplay?

No…I think that would be a huge mistake…..never write a screenplay for a specific actor. I actually spoke to a couple of actors about playing Abel Lotz, before deciding to go with Gys.  The screenplay must always come first and then the cast and rest follow, well that’s how I feel about it.

Tell me about your cast and how they influenced the film from page to screen.

I had a wonderful mixture of both experienced cast and some new actors. Gys definitely brought Abel’s character to life and he took a different direction than what I had originally imagined. At first, I was a little apprehensive about that, but I soon realized that he was going to give me a character that people would be expecting for a film of this genre. Personally, I think this role was made for Gys and it is one of his best by far. Paul Eilers did the same with his character, as did Gerard Rudolf and Morne Visser. The experience that they brought to the show was incredible and I could see how the younger actors were feeding off them during filming.

Gys De Villiers

You decided to not keep the identity of the killer a secret, but rather take us into his warped life and allow us entry into his mindscape. Still, you manage to maintain an incredible and tangible tension from start to finish.

That was tricky to do. I remember when I first shopped this around to a number of local producers; they all hated the fact that the killer was revealed early. I tried to change that and the result was that Gys’ character only made his first appearance in the middle of the second act and I knew that was going to sink me. So then, I changed who the film was about and made Ella Neser the protagonist and it became her story and how she and her colleagues try to solve this case. That way the audience knows who the killer is, but the detectives don’t….that made a huge difference.

Did you set out to write and direct the film?

Yes. I love writing and I love directing. Sure I would also direct other people’s scripts, but feel closer to the process this way.

Writing and directing a story you feel passionate about is ideal for any storyteller.

If you don’t have a passion or you don’t follow that passion, you die. I follow this mantra in life, not only in writing and directing but in everything I tackle.

The film has a hushed intensity, filled with whispers that set a somber tone. Was this your intention?

Some of it yes…..I wish I had done that even more, but I was often left with 15 mins to complete a scene. The actors were great with this as well and I often kept rolling the cameras, even once the shot was completed and I was surprised at what actors do after they feel they have delivered what was expected on the written page. This is a technique I will keep using. For me, the reality is essential in my films and actors do very real things when they think you are not watching.

There is also a sense of a privileged and sterile existence. Your views on this?

I did not want this to look like an Afrikaans film and rather opted for an almost Scandinavian or European feel to it, but at the same time, the language of the film and the story had to be South African.

The film is filled with incredible sadness and hostility between the characters. Your views on this?

This is life! Abel is a serial killer but we the audience will also have pity on the man. Ella loses the love of her life and then gets tossed into what she thinks will be a simple murder case, only to learn it is a serial killer, Fred Langer is pissed off with his boss as he made Ella the lead detective on his case and Silas Suals just wants to retire. I tried to create a sense of this young woman trying to fit into what is recognized as largely a “man’s world” and with that, you get animosity, hostility, and sadness.

Do you see yourself as a writer or director? What is your main focus?

I am a writer-director, but as I said before I would do either. I am really a storyteller, but I do have an addiction too for carrying out both roles.

Do you find that your celebrated career as a production designer has helped you in writing the screenplay? 

Yes of course. I have worked on over 60 productions and have read hundreds of screenplays in the process. The production design is about creating incredible images that tell a story and we often forget that that is what a film is….moving images. Although good directors don’t have to have been production designers, they are still involved in a large way, in the overall look of the film. They achieve this together with the cinematographer and production designer. In my case, I am able to use my design skills to my advantage, but what I will say, one can never be both on a film. I distanced myself more from the design job on Die Ontwaking and vice versa when I work as a production designer on other projects.

Johnny Breedt

Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker and where did it start for you? When was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a storyteller and storymaker?

I knew at a very early age that I wanted to do this as a career. At first, my father was not keen and of course today he is my biggest fan. I used to talk a lot of shit when I was younger and people were always amazed by what came out of my mouth and that has never changed. Oddly I would describe myself as an introvert who has the ability to bullshit in a way that people listen.

What excites and motivates you as a filmmaker?

I like stuff that is realistic and I like to take risks, that really motivates me. I really love taking a script from concept to the end product, as a designer or as a director. Writing is where it all starts of course…..without the script we have nothing.

How do you see the current state of the local film industry?

I am excited to see new genres slowly creeping in and some great talent emerging. What we have to be careful of is making crap just because we can. Audiences are not as stupid as many distributors would like to think and they will start to demand great content. Of course, there will always be a place for romantic comedies, but if we want to be more than just a nation that has talent, and rather is known as a nation that makes its own great films, we will have to get our audiences to appreciate local cinema more. Why will Afrikaners watch horror in English but not in Afrikaans? That’s why I don’t specifically make” Afrikaans films”….I make “South African films” that hopefully can stand their own ground internationally, they just happen to be in Afrikaans.

What advice do you have for writers who want to break into the industry?

Never give up, have more than one script, and don’t be afraid to rewrite!

What do you hope audiences will take home from watching Die Ontwaking?

I really hope that people still talk about the film and its characters a day or two after watching it. Although the film is graphic and dark, it is still just a film and i can only hope that people will enjoy it.

Tell me about your future plans.

I am currently busy writing three scripts. “The Border” which is set during the Angolan bush war (also an adaptation), “Toorberg” (adaptation), and a personal story entitled “Hotel Boys” which depicts the life and struggles of two teenage boys growing up in one-star hotels in Apartheid South Africa

How difficult is it to produce a film independently in South Africa and then send it out into the world?

It is extremely difficult. It took me two years to get my film screened in my own country and we have only recently managed to get a foreign sales agent on board. We just never gave up trying and now the rewards are great. When my films go to the cinemas on the 26th of Feb, I will truly feel like I have moved up into the position of director. I was extremely fortunate that I had Charon Landman, a local businesswoman as the benefactor of my film. If it were not for her financial role as executive producer, together with the DTI, this would not have been possible.

by ·Comments Off on South African Films on DVD

Latest Film Releases / Rent or Buy DVD / Return to Menu

*DVD Rental in Prince Albert only

A MILLION COLOURS – (2011) A Million Colours, also called Colors of Heaven, is a 2011 film directed by Peter Bishai and co-written with Andre Pieterse. It is based on the lives of Muntu Ndebele and Norman Knox, actors in the film Forever Young, Forever Free, also known as e’Lollipop. It follows them from the success of the film around the time of the Soweto Uprising, through to the election of Nelson Mandela. Apartheid tests the friendship between actors Norman Knox (Jason Hartman) and Muntu Ndebele (Wandile Molebatsi).

ABRAHAM – (2015) Abraham is undoubtedly one of the best South African films ever made, a profound and consummate masterwork from industry legend, Jans Rautenbach that marks his first film in 30 years. Dann-Jaques Mouton delivers a riveting performance as Abraham, an artist and dreamer from Kannaland in the early 1980’s;  an area in the Little Karoo that stretches from the Swartberg in the north to the Langeberg in the south, and from the Anysberg in the west to the Gamkaberg in the east. Abraham is a dedicated husband and father who struggles to provide for his young wife Katie (a superb performance by Chantell Phillipus) and their four year old daughter. But through his creative determination and undying passion he finds patronage in Jong Jans (Hannes Muller) and his wife, Almeri (Franci Swanepoel). Abraham is one of the best South African films ever made

ANDER MENS -(2018) A side-splitting action comedy, with a series of unfortunate events happening to a very unfortunate and mediocre man. Daniel Niemand is the kind of dumpy little sad-sack that even flies don’t buzz around. And that’s on a good day. But all that’s about to change after his wife leaves him for their marriage counselor and he unknowingly becomes integral in a high-level police ploy to capture a local crime syndicate. Welcome to the worst week in Daniel Niemand’s life. Quentin Krog talks about the explosive new SA Film Ander Mens

BALLADE VAN ROBBIE DE WEE – (2013) From crime writer Deon Meyer comes a chilling, suspenseful movie about a desperate music manager and his newest client:a young, naive, promising singer – who may also be a murderer. Music producer Len (Neil Sandilands) has it all, but his perfect life begins to crumble when he is caught embezzling his music artists’ money. He gets a second chance when young, up and coming artist Robbie de Wee (Marno van der Merwe) enters his life. But all is not as it seems. Director: Darrell Roodt.

BALLADE VIR ‘N ENKELING– (2015) Based upon the book written by South African author Leon van Nierop, and the 1980s TV series it spawned, this drama focuses on the mysterious disappearance of celebrated writer Jacques Rynhard (Armand Aucamp), and the investigative hunt for him launched by journalist Carina Human (DonnaLee Roberts). Christia Visser, Rolanda Marais and Jacques Bessenger co-star. Written by Leon van Nierop, and directed by Quentin Krog.

BANG BANG CLUB – The Bang-Bang Club is a 2010 Canadian-South African biographical drama film written and directed by Steven Silver and stars Ryan Phillippe as Greg Marinovich, Malin Åkerman as Robin Comley, Taylor Kitsch as Kevin Carter, Frank Rautenbach as Ken Oosterbroek and Neels Van Jaarsveld as João Silva. They portray the lives of four photojournalists active within the townships of South Africa during the apartheid period, particularly between 1990 and 1994, from when Nelson Mandela was released from prison to the 1994 elections. It is a film adaptation of the book The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War co-written by Greg Marinovich and João Silva who were part of the group of four photographers known as Bang-Bang Club, the other two members being Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek.

BEAT THE DRUM (2003) A young South African orphan named Musa (Junior Singo) leaves his AIDS-ravaged village in KwaZulu-Natal, taking along only a drum given to him by his father, for the gritty streets of Johannesburg in search of work and his uncle. The trip proves to be enlightening for young Musa, who is faced with the culture shock of urban society. Meanwhile, a wealthy lawyer from a privileged family learns he has AIDS, and a truck driver’s dangerous sexual proclivities endanger his wife. Beat the Drum, written and produced by W. David McBrayer and directed by David Hickson, is a South African film starring Clive Scott and Owen Sejake. McBrayer has said that he wrote Beat The Drum to “help give a voice to the voiceless. I simply wanted to be an honest witness to the plight of these kids. When there is a tear in the human fabric we should all feel it.”

BLACK BUTTERFLIES – (2011) Black Butterflies is an English-language Dutch drama film about the life of South-African poet Ingrid Jonker. Poetry, politics, madness, and desire collide in the true story of the woman hailed as South Africa’s Sylvia Plath. In 1960s Cape Town, as Apartheid steals the expressive rights of blacks and whites alike, young Ingrid Jonker finds her freedom scrawling verse while frittering through a series of stormy affairs. Amid escalating quarrels with her lovers and her rigid father, a parliament censorship minister, the poet witnesses an unconscionable event that will alter the course of both her artistic and personal lives.

BLOEDBROERS – SEASON 1 – (2015) Set during an incredibly tumultuous period of the Afrikaners’ development between 1914 and 1948, the story follows the lives of four young men–Willem, P.G., Gerhard, and Bennie–poor white miners who become involved in the 1914 Rebellion by chance. When the Rebellion is unsuccessful, the four young men find themselves at a crossroads: do they continue as before, or do they fight for freedom and a better future? We follow their lives and see how each one falls in love and starts his own family, survives through the chaos of the 1922 mine workers’ rebellion, the Depression of the 1930s, the uncertain times during World War II, and the buildup to the infamous 1948 election. But to share blood and swear to be blood brothers is one thing. To honour that oath through all the twists and turns of life is something completely different, especially when your life choice stands in stark contrast to that of your blood brother. Written by Deon Opperman. Director: Jozua Malherbe

BOERE OP DIE AARDSDREMPEL In remote Patagonia, a 100-year-old community of Afrikaans Boers struggles to keep their language and culture alive, while longing to be reunited with their distant families in South Africa. Genre:Documentary (2016) Richard Finn Gregory

BOND OF BLOOD: THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON -(2015) Bond of Blood is a modern version of the biblical story of the prodigal son. It tells the tale of a father, David, who owns a wine farm in Stellenbosch, and his two sons. The younger son, Luke, an aspiring stock trader, wants to get out of farming and move to the city. To do so, he needs money and asks his father for half of his inheritance. The older son, Chris, is passionate about the farm and the wine that they produce. The younger son leaves for Johannesburg where he subsequently squanders all his money on gambling, alcohol, drugs and general bad decisions. He ends up homeless, living on the streets. He finally comes to his senses and decides to return home. His father and mother welcomes him back with open arms and forgives his transgressions. The older brother, who had remained on the farm, resents the mercy shown. Director:Christopher-Lee Dos Santos / Writer:Jacob Teunissen. Starring Rowan Cloete, J.P. du Plessis, Sarah Kozlowski

CITY OF VIOLENCE – (2013) Also known as Zulu. Policemen Ali Sokhela and Brian Epkeen investigate the brutal murder of a young white woman, apparently provoked by the availability of a new illegal drug and somehow connected to the disappearance of black street children. Crime film directed by Jérôme Salle and starring Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker. It was selected as the closing film at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. The film is partly based on Project Coast, the program for biological and chemical weapons of the South African apartheid regime, and the book Zulu by author Caryl Férey, winner of the French Grand Prix for Best Crime Novel of 2008.

DIE LAASTE TANGO – (2013) De Wet, a 34-year old, workaholic detective is burnt out, having immersed himself in an investigation involving the ruthless murder of 9 girls. De Wet captures the psycho-killer Basson and, in a fit of rage, brutally beats the suspect, thus compromising the killer’s conviction by putting him in hospital. De Wet’s boss sends him away to the isolated town of Loxton in the middle of the Karoo to cool off while the controversy of his indiscretion blows over. In this small community, De Wet meets Ella, a passionate and beautiful woman who is dying of cancer. His only goal is to fight boredom until he’s allowed to resume his detective duties, Ella’s dying wish is to dance one last tango before her life is over. De Wet reluctantly agrees to help her fulfill her dream, and in doing so, realizes his own need for healing and inner peace. Written and directed by Dean Meyer.

DIE ONGELOOFLIKE VERHAAL VAN HANNA HOEKOM – (2010) Based on the favourite Afrikaans children’s novel, Hanna is 14 going on 15 and is part of a rather unconventional family. They go on holiday to the Cederberg for a family reunion, which leads to plenty of surprises and reconciliation. Hanna is an intelligent and imaginative young girl who’s earned herself the nickname “Hoekom,” because she’s forever questioning things. When her eccentric mother decides that the family – including her gay biological dad, actor stepfather, detestable half-brother and two stepbrothers – should spend their winter holiday in a remote house on a mountain, they end up stranded with nowhere to go and no-one to turn to except each other. Director: Regardt van den Bergh / Writer: Gustav Kuhn, Marita van der Vyver / Stars: Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Gys de Villiers.

DIE PRO – (2015) (“The Pro”) tells the story of a young surfer, Tiaan Nothnagel, that has to come to terms with the accidental death of his best friend, Dirkie Lawrence, just before their last year at school. After Dirkie’s death, Tiaan swears off surfing for good, as he can’t stand to be reminded of everything that he and Dirkie shared. But then, Dirkie’s twin sister (who went to live with their dad after their parents split up the previous year) arrives in town on a mission of her own: to be selected to go on Wave-Seekers, a fictional World Surf Tour and something that Tiaan and Dirkie dreamt of doing themselves. But for her to succeed, she needs Tiaan’s help, and by implication, she needs him to get back on his surfboard…He eventually gets back on and gets first place for wave seekers. Director: Andre Velts / Writer: Tiaan van Niekerk / Stars: Edwin van der Walt, Reine Swart, Vilje Maritz

DIS EK, ANNA – a 2015 South African Afrikaans-language drama produced by Palama Productions based on novels by Anchien Troskie: Dis ek, Anna (It’s me, Anna) and Die Staat teen Anna Bruwer (The State vs Anna Bruwer). Set in modern-day South Africa, it tells the story of Anna Bruwer, who avenges years of abuse suffered at the hands of her stepfather and the court case that ensues. Written by Tertius Kapp. Produced by Niel van Deventer. Directed by Sara Blecher and starring among others Charlene Brouwer, Marius Weyers, Nicola Hanekom, Morne Visser, Drikus Volschenk, Elize Cawood and Eduan van Jaarsveld. Read more

DIS KOUE KOS SKAT – (2016) After Clara Brand discovers that her husband Bernard is cheating on her with her friend and colleague Anais, things take a turn for the worse. With a collapsing marriage and a ruined friendship, Clara moves herself and her children from Johannesburg and Cape Town in an attempt to start fresh. Here she rediscovers her passion for food, begins new friendships, and re-enters the dating world (often with catastrophic results) for the first time in 20 years, all while plotting revenge on the people who wronged her. Director: Etienne Fourie / Writer: Marita van der Vyver, Etienne Fourie (based on Van Der Vyfer’s novel) / Stars: Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Deon Lotz, Elsabe Zietsman

DISTRICT 9 – A 2009 science fiction action thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp in his feature film debut, written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. It is a co-production of New Zealand, the United States, and South Africa. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James, and was adapted from Blomkamp’s 2006 short film Alive in Joburg. In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed “The Prawns,” appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new ‘Prawn’ friends.

EERSTE WATER – (2017) This documentary considers the complex interplay between the individual psyche, the social fabric, and the arid land which sustains life in the Karoo. Local Prince Albert residents tell of their divergent lives: of devotion to caregiving betond the bounds of family; of the philosopher farmer’s relationship with the land; of losing parts of oneself; and of relationships whilst at the mercy of a system that is failing/ Directed by Helene Smit, Adriaan de la rey and Lodewyk Barkhuizen. Filmed in Prince Albert.

EGOLI: Afrikaners is Plesierig – (2010) From renowned series creator and writer Franz Marx comes a thrilling story about deep and dark secrets from Niek (David Rees) and Joe’s (Darren Kelfkens) past, which threaten both their present and future. The film followes several months after the TV series ended. Director: Bromley Cawood / Writer: Christo Compion / Stars: David Rees, Darren Kelfkens, Leandie du Randt

ELLEN: THE ELLEN PAKKIES STORY – (2018) Based on true events, the film tells a story of the damaged relationship between a woman and her son, who is addicted to drug abuse. It also narrates the itenary of events that led to the murder of her son, as well as the legal process that followed afterwards. Directed by: Daryne Joshua / Starring: Jill Levenberg, Jarrid Geduld, Elton Landrew. Amy Jeptha talks about writing the screenplay for Ellen, The Ellen Pakkies Story

FANIE FOURIE’S LABOLA – a 2013 South African romantic comedy based on the novel by Nape ‘a Motana. The story of the complications that ensue when an Afrikaans man and Zulu girl fall in love, especially when the traditional custom of “lobola”, or dowry, makes things even more difficult for them. Director: Henk Pretorius / Writer: Henk Pretorius, Janine Eser /Stars: Eduan van Jaarsveldt, Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele. Read more

FIELA SE KIND – (2019) A story of the walls that separate us and the love that unites, Fiela se Kind tells the tale of a coloured woman in 1890s Southern Africa who finds a white toddler on her Karoo doorstep and raises him as her own. Nine years later,he is discovered and sent to what is believed to be his ‘original’ family. Dalene Matthee’s novel,which spans over 20 years, follows the journey of Benjamin , a boy with two names, and Fiela and Barta, the two women he calls ‘mother’ is masterfully adapted and directed by Brett Michael Innes, a bestselling author and award-winning filmmaker who wowed audiences with Sink. Fiela Se Kind – A South African classic / Writer-Director Brett Michael Innes talks about his masterful adaptation of Fiela Se Kind

FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES – a 2017 South African Neo-Western thriller film written by Sean Drummond and directed by Michael Matthews. iT deals with the struggles and triumphs (over nature, crime and human nature) that affect communities on this new frontier, and the rich characters found in them. It contains many of the archetypes of the classic western – larger than life heroes and villains, an examination of the ideas of ‘good’ vs ‘evil’, conflicting human tendencies towards brotherhood and brutality and the themes of land and ownership, claim and legacy, and the urge to protect our roots – from even ourselves. Five Fingers for Marseilles – A Contemporary South African Western

FREE STATE – (2016) A random act of kindness sparks a forbidden love affair between a white girl and an Indian man during the Apartheid system in South Africa. Director: Salmon de Jager / Writer: Salmon de Jager / Stars: Nicola Breytenbach, Andrew Govender. Writing Studio graduate Sallas de Jager conquers the world with Free State

FRENCH TOAST – (2015) Lisa lives with her father, Izak on a wine farm in Franschoek. Her mother died some time ago, and left a french toast recipe that only a few people know. One day she finds her mothers diary and to her astonishment finds out that she has a brother or sister in France somewhere. She decides to go and find her sibling. Her boyfriend, Theo, is on the verge of asking her to marry him, but understands that she has to go. In France she meets a chef, Jean-Pierre, who works in the Alexandre cafe shop. He is looking for a photographer for his cook book. Because she cant speak French, she decides to help him but then he must help her find her sister or brother. They have fun looking for her sibling but then something happens that makes Jean-Pierre disappear and he asks her not to look for him. Why does he do this? Does she find her sibling? Is Jean-Pierre her sibling? Does Liza go home and marry Theo? Director: Paul Krüger, Anél Stolp / Writer: Tina Kruger / Stars: Lika Berning, Thierry Ballarin, Deon Lotz.

GETROUD MET RUGBY – (2011) The tale of two broken people, rugby players whose paths cross in order to find themselves. Reghart Venter is a mechanic from the wrong side of the tracks. He was a promising rugby player, but lost his way. After several charges of fighting and assault he gets a final ultimatum – pull himself together or go to jail. Reghart’s sentence is community service – practicing rugby with a fallen hero of the Stryders Rugby team, Fafa Beltrame. “Fast Fafaâ? was once the fastest wing in the country, and a hit with the ladies. Fafa lost his way after he and his wife, Kiki, separated after losing their daughter. Fafa seeks refuge in a bottle, and, in the process, alienates everyone who cares for him. When Reghart is unwillingly dragged by his friends to Pottie’s Place (the local bar), he meets Lize. For the first time in his life, there’s something against which he can’t fight: His heart. Director: Cobus Rossouw / Writer: Deon Opperman, Cobus Rossouw /Stars: Altus Theart, Izak Davel, San-Marie Nel

HANSIE – (2008) “How do you start over once you have betrayed a nation’s trust?” The news of Hansie Cronjé’s involvement with Indian bookmakers and his resulting public confession rocked the international sporting community. An unprecedented rise to glory was followed by the most horrific fall. A tarnished hero fueled the nation’s fury. Hansie, once South African cricket’s golden boy, had been stripped of everything he had held dear: a glorious captaincy, the support of his former team mates and the respect of a nation. In its place the stinging rejection of cricket administrators and the humiliating dissection of his life on international television, made his retreat into depression inevitable. Hansie’s bravest moment in finally confessing his involvement with bookies had suddenly become a tightening noose around his neck. Hansie explores the very human drama of a man who, after losing everything he has worked for, begins the painstaking journey back to choosing “life”. Director: Regardt van den Bergh / Writer: Dylan Ben-Israel, Frans Cronjé / Stars: Frank Rautenbach, Sarah Thompson

HOND SE DINGES – (2009) A mad-cap Afrikaans comedy set in a small town on the platteland. The plot revolves around a dog, and a diamond, and the assorted people who would like very much to get their hands on that diamond. Director: Johan Heyns / Writer: Johan Heyns, Johann Potgieter, Frank Opperman / Stars: Ivan Botha, Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Marcel van Heerden.

INVICTUS is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. The story is based on the 2008 John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks were not expected to perform well, the team having only recently returned to high-level international competition following the dismantling of apartheid—the country was hosting the World Cup, thus earning an automatic entry. Freeman and Damon play the South African President Nelson Mandela and François Pienaar, respectively. François was the captain of the South Africa rugby union team, the Springboks.

IZULU LAMI – A 2009 South African film. The movie was shot in the Zulu language; only a few sentences of English are spoken. When their mother dies, the ten-year-old girl Thembi and her younger brother go to the city of Durban, but are lost in the city alone in a confused state. Director: Madoda Ncayiyana / Writer: Julie Frederikse, Madoda Ncayiyana / Stars: Sobahle Mkhabase, Sibonelo Malinga,

JAGVELD – (2016) The action is relentless in this pulsating South African movie. A woman who witnessed the murder of a policeman must now escape the six men hunting her. Gentle, beautiful, pacifist Emma should have been easy prey. But life is full of surprisesThe cast include Neels van Jaarsveld, Bouwer Bosch, Leandie du Randt and Tim Theron. The script was written by best-selling author, Deon Meyer. Directed by Byron_Davis.

THE JAKES ARE MISSING – Janice and Donald Jakes have fallen out of love and into Police Protection. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time sends Simon Jakes, and his parents to a journey where they will rediscover what it means to love each other. Director:  Figjam / Writer: Bianca Isaac / Cast: Jody Abrahams, Nicole Bailey, Grace Bapela / Read more

JAKHALSDANS – Mara moves to the Karoo to work as a school teacher. When she discovers that her school is in financial trouble, she organises a music concert in the hope that the country’s biggest Afrikaans music stars will heed her call. A 2010 South Africa-English language movie, directed by Darrell Roodt (as Darrell James Roodt) and written by Deon Meyer. With Theuns Jordaan, Elizma Theron.

JOHNNY IS NIE DOOD NIE – With Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie,  writer-director Christiaan Olwagen delivers a refreshing film that is as radical as the Voëlvry music movement that rebelled against the autocratic dictates of the apartheid government and changed the hearts of a generation of South Africans who wanted to break free from oppressive separatism. In the film a group of friends gather to celebrate the life and music of Johannes Kerkorrel, the lead singer of the Gereformeerde Blues Band, shortly after his suicide. Bonus Features: Behind the scenes interviews with the cast and crew / Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie puts the ‘lekker’ back in local films /

JONATHAN -(2016) Jonathan, a dreamer and wannabe stand-up comedian in his late 20’s, still lives with parents. After another failed open mic performance he gets drunk and crashes his father’s car on the way home. This is the last straw for his loving but fed up parents and his father kicks him out of the house. Having nowhere to go he becomes a car-guard. After a very hostile reception by the other car-guards, the eldest car-guard decides to take Johnathan under his wing and teaches him the finer art of being a car-guard and more importantly, he teaches Jonathan about life and how to survive as an outcast. Jonathan also falls in love with a girl way out of his league. Will he be able to apply the lessons learned to make peace with his family, earn the forgiveness of his mentor and win the heart of the most beautiful girl he ever met? With Rikus de Beer,  Writer-director Sallas De Jager, a proud graduate of The Writing Studio, talks about his new film Jonathan

KALUSHI – (2017) South African filmmaker, Mandla Walter Dube, makes his feature directorial debut with the human drama Kalushi – The Solomon Mhlanga Story. Sacrificing his short life, through a brutal death in the hands of South Africa’s apartheid police has made Mahlangu a celebrated struggle hero in the revolutionary fight or freedom. “Our movie follows the journey of this young man who, at the outset, is not at all involved in the politics of South Africa and was not involved in the student uprising on June 16, 1976.  He was trying to make a living as a hawker on the streets of Mamelodi and on the trains in Pretoria. When he had the hero’s call, he refused it, and then, something tragic happens to him which changes the entire course of his life.  When we are hit with adversity we have to start making certain decisions to help us change.  You either going to change or change is going to change you.” Kalushi – The Solomon Mhlanga Story

KANARIE – (2018) If there’s one South African film you have to add to your collection, it’s the sublime  Kanarie, marking the heavenly collaboration with director Christiaan Olwagen. It’s a life-changing film and alters jaded perceptions, a heart-breaking journey into the life of a conscripted soldier in South Africa in the 80s, who finds self-love and affirmation of his true identity through the love of another young man. Kanarie is a one of those rare films you cannot resist falling head-over-heels in love with. The insightful bonus features includes Afrikaans doccies on the film’s origin, auditions and the characters, and English doccies on the story, music and film’s history. There is also the music video ‘Nader My God By U’. The film can viewed in Afrikaans, or with English subtitles. Kanarie – A heart-warming South African coming-of-age musical drama / Charl-Johan Lingenfelder talks about the astounding new South African film Kanarie

KANSASAMYS: THE WEDDING -(2019) Like viewers get drawn into the inimitable characteristics of a Harlem or Bronx in New York, so too will Kandasamys transport them into the vibrant and colourful suburb, allowing them a first-hand authentic experience of the local nuances of Indian South African culture, especially since at the heart of the story is a big, fat Indian South African wedding! Light-hearted, and entertaining, the story is supported by an array of colourful characters that celebrate the rich way of life in Chatsworth, and serves as a reminder of the important value of the mother, Producer-director and writer Jayan Moodley talks about Kandasamys: The Wedding

KEEPING UP WITH THE KANDASAMYS – (2017)The film opens a window into the lifestyle and subculture of modern-day Indian South Africans; their aspirations, dreams, challenges and the things that make them laugh and love. Directed by Jayan Moodley (White Gold). Keeping up with the Kandasamys – A New South African Comedy

KROTOA -”Identity, a sense of belonging and reconciliation are strong, universal themes in this powerful tale,” says producer-director Roberta Durant of Krotoa,  the poignant story of a feisty, bright, young eleven-year old girl, who is removed from her close-knit Khoi tribe to serve Jan van Riebeeck  at her uncle’s trading partner. Krotoa – A Powerful South African Film

KYK NET VIR TANNIE – (2016) A mockumentary featuring the life and time of Evita Bezuidenhout. Written by and starring Pieter-Dirk Uys, direct6ed by Gerrit Schoonhoven.

LEADING LADY – (2014) Jodi, an idealistic British drama teacher, travels to a South African town to prepare for a major film role. In rehearsals Jodi’s interactions with quirky locals may teach her that there is more to life than lights… camera… and action! Director: Henk Pretorius / Writer: Henk Pretorius, Tina Kruger / Stars: Katie McGrath, Bok van Blerk, Gil Bellows.

LIEFLING – (2010) Liefling Marais is an adventure-loving young girl with a passion for life. She lives on a farm in Hartbeespoort with her father Simon, mother Linda, grandfather Karel, brother Kobus, and housekeeper Katy. Simon is a professor at the university and in his class are three friends: Jan, Pieter and Gert, who also live on the outskirts of the city in Hartbeespoort. In the December holidays ,Jan, a civil engineering student raised by his grandmother, has his eye on Liefling, but spoilt little rich girl Melanie has other plans up her sleeve. Fate intervenes and brings lovers, friends, and enemies together in a sumptuous musical celebration that will have audiences laughing, crying, and singing along. Director: Brian Webber / Writers: Erik Holm, Linda Korsten, Paul Krüger / Starring: Lika Berning, Bobby van Jaarsveld

LIFE, ABOVE ALL -A 12-year-old girl (Khomotso Manyaka) fights prejudice when her family is ostracized by a South African community. A 2010 South African drama film directed by Oliver Schmitz. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards and made the final shortlist announced in January 2011. The film was adapted from the 2004 novel Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton. Writer: Dennis Foon, Oliver Schmitz, Allan Stratton / Stars: Khomotso Manyaka, Keaobaka Makanyane,

LOOKING FOR LOVE – (2018) A single, unaccomplished Zulu woman must find Mr. Right in the pitiless concrete jungle that is Jo’burg before she turns 40. Following a disastrous drunken display at her younger sister’s wedding, BUYI DUBE (38) has her parents worried that she’s wasting her life working meaningless jobs. They insist that she takes her head out of the clouds and focus on finding herself a good man and settling down. Director: Adze Ugah / Stars: Celeste Ntuli, Trevor Gumbi, Phindile Gwala. Read more

‘N MAN SOOS MY PA – In ‘n Man Soos My Pa we follow the lives of 3 fathers from the 70’s to the year 2015. It tells the affecting story of fathers whose flawed humanity destroys their families, and whose love for their relations ultimately sets them on a powerful path of transformation and redemption. It’s about guiltless children and compassionate women who are subjected to their atrocious and immoral behaviour and have to build their own lives on broken dreams, and through their sacrifices shine a bright light on the importance of family. Review: ‘n Man Soos My Pa / Daniel Dercksen in conversation with writer-director Sean Else about ‘n Man Soos My Pa

MATERIAL – (2012) Cassim is a young Muslim man who works in his father’s fabric shop in Johannesburg. However, Cassim wants to be a stand-up comedian, which his father disproves of. When he gets a gig at a local bar, he has to find a way of keeping it a secret. Directed by Craig Freimond and written by Craig Freimond, Ronnie Apteker, Robbie Thorpe, Rosalind Butler and Riaad Moosa.

MAYFAIR – (2018) Mayfair takes the classic gangster film – one that peels back the layers of moral hypocrisy beneath the crime boss’s veneer of respectability – and locates it in Mayfair, Johannesburg, in 2016. ‘Mayfair’ tells the story of prodigal son Zaid Randera (Ronak Patani) who returns home to Mayfair in Johannesburg, where his overbearing father Aziz (Rajesh Gopie) – a businessman and occasional money launderer – is facing death threats. Screenwriter Neil McCarthy talks about the New South African film Mayfair / Gangster tale Mayfair a new South African film by award-winning director Sara Blecher

MEERKAT MAANTUIG – (2018) Meerkat Maantuig is inspired by the youth novella Blinde Sambok by renowned South African author Riana Scheepers. Writer-director Hanneke Schutte, decided to use the book as a point of departure and turn it into a cinematic story set in the majestic forests of Magoebaskloof, South Africa. Gideonette de la Rey is a fearful 13-year-old girl who believes in a family curse that has been passed down from generation to generation. Scared and desperate she’s unable to escape this story that has shaped her identity. Ultimately, it’s only by facing her fears that she’s able to transcend it. Writer-director Hanneke Schutte talks about Meerkat Maantuig, a truly unique South African film.

MODDER EN BLOED – (2016) It’s a poignant story of man versus himself when incarcerated with other Boer prisoners-of-war on the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, but also the story of Afrikaner men tortured emotionally and physically by a monstrous British tyrant during the Anglo Boer War of 1899-1902, as well as the story of a British woman who redeems herself through the horrors she witnesses. These three narratives are neatly woven into a tapestry of suspense and drama, where the humanity of tortured souls is tested and the evil of dark souls are confronted. Review: Modder en Bloed (Blood and Glory) / Interview: Writer-director Sean Else talks about Modder en Bloed / Interview: Storymaker Henk Pretorius Lives His Dream With Modder & Bloed

MY FATHER’S WAR – (2016) Examining war and its effect on family. A son who has a strained relationship with his dad begins having vivid dreams that show him what his dad went through.  Edwin van der Walt is wonderfully hateable as wild-child rebel Dap Smit in South African coming-of-age war drama. Director: Craig Gardner. Cast: Edwin van der Walt, Stian Bam, Erica Wessels, Fumani Shilubana. Writer-director Craig Gardner talks about My Father’s War

MY HUNTER’S HEART – (2010) This documentary was shot over three and a half years, the film explores the world’s most ancient shamanic culture which is severely threatened as their traditional way of life and skills have been taken away from them. It tracks the Khomani San of the Southern Kalahari, the oldest living indigenous tribe in the world, who are genetically linked to every human being on Planet Earth. In modern times, their traditional nomadic way of life has changed and westernisation has severed their link to the land and the animals. The film follows younger members of the clan, /Urugab and his family, as they embark on an epic journey to try to recapture some of the knowledge and skills of their ancestors. Director: Craig Foster, Damon Foster / Writer: Craig Foster, Damon Foster / Stars: Urugab Kruiper, Sanna Witbooi, Tina Swarts

NOBODY’S DIED LAUGHING – (2016)  A documentary celebrating the life and work of South African activist and artist Pieter Dirk-Uys. The film takes the audience on a journey from South Africa to Berlin, London, Los Angeles and Geneva to highlight the importance of standing up for what you believe in with the power of laughter. Director: Willem Oelofsen, Geoffrey Butler Stars: Eric Abraham, F.W. de Klerk, Sophia Loren

NOEM MY SKOLLIE -(2016) The riveting Noem My Skollie delivers on the themes of friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, acceptance, the desire for a better life, hope and love, and is set on the Cape Flats and in Pollsmoor prison, based on the life of John W. Fredericks, who also wrote the screenplay at the age of 60. Noem My Skollie tells the story of four teenagers, AB (Austin Rose) and his three best friends Gimba (Ethan Patton), Gif (Joshua Vraagom) and Shorty (Valentino de Klerk) who grow up on the impoverished ganglands of Cape Flats in the 1960s. From Real Life To Reel Life: Noem My Skollie – the true story of a young man in 1960’s Cape Town who became a storyteller in jail.

NUL IS NIE NIKS NIE -(2017) Director Morné du Toit’s remarkable Nul is nie niks nie is an inspiring, heart-warming story about life, death and the continued hope that can be found somewhere between the two. This heart-warming story is about life, death and everything in between. The film tells the story of three friends (Hoender, Drikus and Chris) who set out to make Drikus’ last wish come true – to make a zombie movie. During their filmmaking process Hoender starts to deal with the loss of his father, he makes new friends, works on his self-confidence and realises that he has a lot to offer. Drikus’ love of life and determination brings the surrounding lifeless community together and gives them a new lease on life. Director Morné du Toit talks about Nul Is Nie Niks Nie

ONCE UPON A TIME A ROAD TRIP – (2013) Sean’s death leaves behind a twin brother, a lover and a good friend. His last will and testament insists that the three get together on a road trip to plant a cross where he died and also to try and get along. His twin brother had for years distanced himself from them because he did not approve of his brother’s cabaret lifestyle and the friends he kept. They set off on a road trip through Southern Africa to perform tasks laid down in the will in order to inherit from the estate. They also have to do one final task of performing as a trio, the ‘Manginas’ for one last show with the twin brother taking his brother’s part as a drag artist. Director: David Moore / Writer: David Moore / Stars: Tobie Cronje, Godfrey Johnson, Sue Mitchell * Only available on BluRay

ONTWAKING – (2016) A grisly, action-packed thriller that investigates the mind and motivations of an acutely intelligent serial killer, and marks the directorial debut of acclaimed production designer Johnny Breedt (Paljas, Hotel Rwanda, A Long Walk to Freedom). Interview with Die Ontwaking producer, writer and director Johnny Breedt

PAD NA JOU HART – (2014) Basson has five days to get to his father’s funeral in Cape Town, but he needs to complete certain tasks on this trip before he can call the family company his own. On the road he meets free-spirited bohemian Amory. As they journey across South Africa’s breathtaking landscape, they meet wonderful characters who allow for hilarious moments and life-changing experiences. Their trip takes a sudden bad turn when a villainous figure appears. Basson and Amory are faced with disappointment and heartache. On the road called life, it is inevitable that you will take some wrong turns. But no matter how hard the road might be, en route to true love is where you will find your true north. Directed by Jaco Smit With Ivan Botha, DonnaLee Roberts, Marius Weyers.

PALJAS – (1997) A family’s life in the Karoo (a semi-desert area in South Africa) is changed when a travelling circus leaves behind a clown. Director: Katinka Heyns / Writer: Chris Barnard / Stars: Ellis Pearson, Jan Ellis, Marius Weyers, Aletta Bezuidenhout, Ian Roberts

PAWPAW VIR MY DARLING – (2016) Family. You want to live without them, but can’t survive without them. That’s the essence of writer-director Koos Roets’ quirky satire ‘n Paw Paw Vir My Darling, which takes us on a humorous and heartfelt journey into the hearts and souls of a needy Afrikaner family living in the fictional Damnville in 2003. Based on an idea which Roets skilfully adapted from Jeanne Goosen’ bestseller that offered  an intelligent and her sharp observation and understanding of the pshyce of characters and their reactions to the social, cultural and political mileu in which they find themselves, the film adaptation aptly celebrates the core of Goosen’s work. Writer-director Koos Roets talks about ‘n Pawpaw Vir My Darling

PLATTELAND – (2011) Featuring a stellar cast of actors and musician and putting a vibrant new spin on some of the most popular Afrikaans hits of the past few years, Platteland tells the story of Riana van Niekerk, who is desperately fighting to save her family’s farm from Mike Ferreira. He has his own agenda and is determined to drive Riana from the land and seize her farm. When Dirk Pretorius, a drifter with his own secrets, arrives in town, new alliances are formed and love blossoms in unexpected ways. Directed by Sean Else / Written by Deon Opperman and Sean Else / Starring Liane May, Bok van Blerk, Steve Hofmeyr

DIE REBELLIE VAN LAFRAS VERWEY – In Chris Barnard’s poignant drama Die Rebellie Van Lafras Verwey Tobie Cronje takes on the title role of a man who has worked as a clerk in the Civil Service in Pretoria for thirty years. By day he sorts files and whiles away the mundane hours writing grandiose propaganda speeches and drilling imaginary platoons in the washroom, but unbeknownst to his colleagues he is also a clandestine parcel courier for a secret organization that recruited his services to complete their covert mission. The bonus features include a behind the scenes featurette.  Watch The Trailer

RECCE – (2018) writer-director Johannes Ferdinand (Ferdi) van Zyl film poignantly shows that without a past, there is no future.After the SADF wrongfully declares young RECCE Henk Viljoen dead behind enemy lines, it’s up to him alone to use every skill and tool in his arsenal to make it back to his grieving wife. With the enemy hot on his trail and a lethal gunshot wound in his gut, Henk’s chances for survival are looking slim as he navigates the treacherous war-torn African landscape. The Recce – A New South African War Drama / Writer-Director Johannes Ferdinand van Zyl talks about his astounding new South African Film The Recce

ROEPMAN – (2011) Tells the story of a 1966 railway community, told through the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy, called Timus. Director: Paul Eilers / Writer: Piet de Jager, Salmon de Jager, Jan van Tonder / Stars: Paul Loots, John-Henry Opperman, Deon Lotz

SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS – (2016) Shepherds and Butchers is a 2016 South African drama film directed by Oliver Schmitz. It is an adaptation of the debut novel of the same name by Chris Marnewick, a New Zealand-based author and former South African High Court barrister and judge. Nearing the end of apartheid in South Africa, a young white prison guard (Garion Dowds) embarks on a seemingly motiveless shooting that sees to the death of seven unarmed black men. A British-born lawyer assigned to his case (Steve Coogan) sets out to prove his actions were a direct result of psychological trauma from his volatile work environment. The defense attorney is an ardent opponent of the death penalty. Shepherds and Butchers puts death penalty on trial and changes history

SINK – (2016) ‘Sink’ is a contemporary drama that explores the themes of entrapment, loss and forgiveness against the backdrop of the current South African class structure and the experience of foreign nationals in the country. It tells the compelling story three people trying to deal with a tragic situation: Rachel (Shoki Mokgapa), is a mother trying to come to terms with the loss of her child and the bitterness that she feels towards the people responsible; Michelle (Anel Alexander), a woman trying to deal with the arrival of her own child and the guilt that she feels towards her involvement in the death of another’s; and Chris (Jacques Bessenger), a man trying to juggle both of the above as well as a relationship with a co-worker that threatens his marriage. Interview: Storyteller and Storymaker Brett Michael Innes Talks About Sink

SKEMERSON – (2019) The film tells the story of a young man, Sella (Beyers) who decides to take his own life. He is a doctor whose mental state has been triggered by the trauma of losing his mum after he nursed her for some time. Not only is his grief overwhelming but he also feels responsible for her death and blames himself. He stands on the 216m high Bloukrans Bridge, the iconic arch bridge located near Nature’s Valley, about to meet his fate, when he hears a young woman’s laugh. Emma (Anneke Weidemann), is taking care of her frail mother (acclaimed actress Elize Cawood), who is dying and does not have long to live. Their meeting is the beginning of a weekend that will change their lives forever. Skemerson’ is produced by Niel van Deventer (Dis Ek, Anna) and Pietie Beyers. The film stars Pietie Beyers (Binneland, Sy Klink Soos Lente), Elize Cawood (Vir Altyd, Die Wonderwerker) and Anneke Weidemann (Die Wonderwerker, Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom).  Skemerson encapsulates the experience of grief and loss in all its different forms

SOMERSON – (2015) A thirty something couple decide to break away on a last gasp holiday in an attempt to get their marital spark back. A dream holiday in paradise might be the answer but an accident along the way sends them on an unexpected adventure. Directed byClinton Lubbe / Written by Kuan Jacobs, Zandeli Meyer and Lourens van der Merwe.Stars: Reynard Slabbert, Juanita de Villiers, Bok van Blerk.

STROOMOP – (2018) Stroomop follows the lives of five very unique, very diverse women who are all trying to keep their heads above water on this river we call life, but who are actually busy drowning under the weight of the definition of being perfect … Perfect mother, perfect woman, perfect career, perfect weight, perfect hair … (Yes, this list can become very very long!) Women who are being tossed about in the biggest waves that sometimes thunder over all of us in life, or who have simply been swept away in an unending stream of worldly expectations and who have completely lost their own identity. Award-winning actor, screenwriter, producer and television presenter Ivan Botha talks about his long-awaited directorial debut Stroomop

STROPERS (The Harvesters) – (2019) An internationally co-produced feature film set within the rural Free State region of contemporary South Africa, an isolated stronghold of the Afrikaans ethnic minority. It is a psychological drama exploring the coming-of-age of a new generation of Afrikaans youth. It tells the story of obedient Afrikaans teenager, Janno, who witnesses his childhood come to an abrupt end on the day his fiercely religious mother, Marie, brings home a mysterious street orphan, Pieter, to foster on the family’s remote cattle farm. Writer-director Etienne Kallos talks about Die Stropers (The Harvesters) / Harvesting The Innocence Of Youth

STUUR GROETE AAN MANNETJIES ROUX – (2013) A teenage girl visits her aunt and uncle on their Karoo farm during the school vacation. She makes a series of discoveries: she finds out who she really is and where she comes from. Three visitors in one week change her life forever, and her uncle’s obsession with the try by Mannetjies Roux is finally explained. Director: Paul Eilers / Writer: Salmon de Jager, Christopher Torr, Simon Torr / Stars: Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Ian Roberts.

SY KLINK SOOS LENTE -(2016) What do you do when you meet the girl of your dreams and realise you’re not good enough for her? You lie, of course… Ben (Stiaan Smith), a complacent mechanic meets Linda (Amalia Uys), a beautiful and outspoken auditor in a bar one night. They start chatting and there are immediate sparks, but when Linda asks Ben what he does for a living, he lies and tells her he’s the lead singer in a band. Because not only is Linda out of Ben’s league, her father is also his boss. Linda immediately likes the charming muso, they fall for each other, and Ben has to start a band to conceal his lie and win over the girl of his dreams. “ Sy Klink Soos Lente is an exciting revival of the Afrikaans Romantic Comedy genre / Stiaan Smith talks about writing and starring in Sy Klink Soos Lente

TESS -(2016) Sassy twenty-year-old Tess (Christa Visser) sells her body on Cape Town’s streets.  She survives by popping painkillers by the bunch and through her wry humour.  But her life turns upside down when she falls pregnant. Though Tess tries to run, her past torments her. She begins to question her own sanity. Tess fights back, fighting her demons, searching for the truth. When she abandons her daily ritual of popping pills, awful pictures from her past ambush her mind. But Tess does not allow herself to collapse. Instead, she learns – perhaps because of the baby in her belly – to connect with the people around her. The Congolese refugee next door (Nse Ikpe-Etim0 treats her like a daughter. An impotent client shows her his heart. Tess finds sanctuary among strong women in a belly dance studio, and discovers she can dance up a storm. With new courage she tracks down her childhood friend, Dumi, who helps her to face the truth of her past. Tracey Farren adapted her novel to film, with Meg Rickards in the director’s chair. Bringing Tess to the big screen

THYS & TRIX – (2018) Thys and Trix (Bouwer Bosch and Leandie du Randt Bosch) are siblings and eager yet helpless police officers. Their constant feud results in their expulsion after it causes yet another embarrassment for the police service. Detective Solomons is investigating the activities of a crime syndicate in an exclusive golf estate outside Mossel Bay. Due to their ‘vanilla’ appearance, Thys and Trix are singled out for the first time as the most competent team to lead an investigation. However, the fact that they must pretend to be a married couple to make the investigation credible, complicates the situation. Solomons has to accompany them, but isn’t happy that he’ll be their butler. Soon they have an entire list of suspects. On the list are their neighbours: the Janse van Rensburg’s (the alpha-couple); the Marais’ (the alternative hippie couple); the Le Roux’s (the gay couple) and Heidi (the widower who catches Thys’ eye) Are any of Thys and Trix’s new neighbours perhaps involved with the production and distribution of MTHC, a paralysing hallucinogenic. Thys & Trix – A New South African Comedy With Attitude

TREURGROND – (2015) Treurgrond shows how a farm attack on one family can affect an entire community. Director: Darrell Roodt / Writer: Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo / Stars: Steve Hofmeyr, Shaleen Surtie-Richards, Jana Stry

TRIOMF – (2008) “Triomf’ is about the ultimate dysfunctional family, the Benades, poor white working class Afrikaner trailer trash on the eve of the country’s first democratic election. On the eve of elections in the newly democratic South Africa, the whole country is restless. In the poor white neighbourhood of Triomf, built on the ruins of the legendary Sophiatown, the Benade family is part of that white marginalized class, rarely shown in South African cinema. Father, mother, son with learning disabilities and uncle Treppie share a decaying house surrounded by promiscuity. Worried about the result of the elections, they plan to escape to the North. In Triomf, vigorous performances from Vanessa Cooke, Lionel Newton, Eduan Van Jaarsveldt, Pam Andrews, Obed Baloyi and Paul Luckhoff give South African film characters we have never been brave enough to show until now. Directed by Michael Raeburn / Screenplay by Michael Raeburn, Malcolm Kohll (Adaptation from the novel by Marlene van Niekerk) Read more

UITVLUCHT – (2015) The story of Anna, a teacher who through an error in judgement loses everything that matters to her in life. In her heartache she finds a job at a farm school called Uitvlucht in the Eastern Cape. As she is confronted with the choices she made in her life she slowly starts experiencing healing and restoration and learns to forgive herself. She starts accepting her circumstances and the fact that someone will love her again. With the support of the teachers and Dok, a kind hearted and friendly farmer, who visits the school and make friends with Anna, she finds the courage to re-build herself and others around her. Besides her own drama, she must also suddenly deal with the alcohol abuse of school parents, molestation and ruthless people who have no respect for their own lives. Director: Regardt van den Bergh / Writer: Clara Joubert van den Bergh, Regardt van den Bergh / Stars: Clara Joubert van den Bergh, Stian Bam, Margot Luyt Regardt van den Bergh talks about his inspirational film Uitvlucht.

VAN DER MERWE – (2017) Van der Merwe, a bumbling farmer from a traditional farming family, struggles to keep his family together when his daughter returns from England with her British fiancé and family. Written and directed by Bruce Lawley and starring Rob van Vuuren, Chanelle de Jager, and Reine Swart. 

DIE VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER -(2019) A retelling of the tragic yet heart-warming folktale about a young girl who makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her brother’s life, and has been adapted for the big screen by writer-director Matthys Boshoff , based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Brett Michael Innes, who co-wrote the screenplay. The Story of Racheltjie de Beer – A tale for all South Africans / Die verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer – A beloved South African folk tale brought to life on the Big Screen /

VERRAAIERS – (2012) A loving family man and respected Boer-officer, decides to head home, after hearing that the British are planning a scorched earth policy, to protect his wife and family rather than to further participate in the war. Director: Paul Eilers / Writer: Salmon de Jager / Stars: Gys de Villiers, Vilje Maritz, Andrew Thompson

VERSKIETENDE STER – (2015) The story of musical prodigy Phillip Schuman, who has the weight of the real world threatening to shadow the light of his genius. Verskietende Ster Screenwriter Stefan Enslin Reaches For The Stars

VIR DIE VOËLS -(2016) Vir Die Voëls  was inspired by the true story of Irma Humpel (Simoné Nortmann), a surly tomboy who ends up in a wedding dress, in front of the altar, with the boy who relentlessly teased her as a child. She has always believed that independence was the only form of freedom, until Sampie de Klerk (Francois Jacobs) came along and challenged her convictions on all levels. The film is set in the late 1970s and will make you feel nostalgic. It’s a film about a strong, mature woman and an equally strong man who respects that woman enough to fight for her love. It’s a story about inner conflict and preventing external circumstances and emotional baggage from getting in the way of future happiness. Writer-director Quentin Krog talks about the romantic drama Vir Die Voëls

VUIL WASGOED

THE WHALE CALLER – (2016) Since childhood, the Whale Caller has been calling the whales to Hermanus Cove. Now he seems more in love with a whale he named Sharisha than with the woman who loves him, Saluni. Director: Zola Maseko / Writer: Zola Maseko, Zakes Mda / Stars: Jarrid Geduld, Amrain Ismail-Essop, Sello Maake Ka-Ncube 

WHITE LION – (2010) A young African boy named Gisani finds himself destined to protect a rare and magnificent white lion cub named Letsatsi who is cast from his pride and is forced to survive on his own. Director: Michael Swan / Writer: Ivan Milborrow, Michael Swan, Janet van Eeden / Stars: Jamie Bartlett, John Kani, Thabo Malema

DIE WINDPOMP – (2014) Die Windpomp is an endearing, humorous and quirky fantasy love story that revolves around a summer romance in a retirement village between 20 year old Hendri and Margot, with an unexpected twist. Director: Etienne Fourie / Writer: Etienne Fourie / Stars: Leandie du Randt, Chris Roland, Roland Reed

WONDERLUS -(2018) In the new Afrikaans romantic comedy Wonderlus, a wedding goes awry and the morning after, friends and foes need to piece together the puzzle of the night before. In search of answers, a groom (Edwin van der Walt) needs to pursue the love of his life, a bride (Mila Guy) has to untangle herself from the past and a waitress (Lea Vivier) tries to escape the present. Writer-Director-Editor Johan Cronje talks about Wonderlus

DIE WONDERWERKER – (2012) Die Wonderwerker tells the story of Eugène Marais, a famous Afrikaans writer, poet and researcher. The story focuses on the few months he spends on the Van Rooyen’s farm, where he falls in love with the 19-year-old Jane Brayshaw. Director: Katinka Heyns / Writer: Chris Barnard / Stars: Dawid Minnaar, Elize Cawood, Marius Weyers

THE WORLD UNSEEN – The World Unseen is a 2007 historical drama film, written and directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her own novel. The film is set in 1950s Cape Town, South Africa during the beginning of apartheid. The film stars Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth as two Indian South African women who fall in love in a racist, sexist, and homophobic society.

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Films that have been released in cinemas in South Africa from January -31 December 2021.

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Back to Latest and Upcoming Film Releases

How things have changed for film. In the past, films were screened in cinemas and were available on DVD /BluRay. Today films are streamed digitally internationally in cinemas, or on digital platforms/video streaming services that support high-end audio and video standards. Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video all support 4K streaming, for example. Other streaming services top out at 1080p streaming for movies, among them Filmatique, KweliTV, Mubi, Ovid.tv, Peacock, Shudder, and The Criterion Channel.

Top 21 Films Of 2021

Favourite films of 2021

* Films that were released in cinemas (C) and digital platforms/video streaming services (S)

* Scroll down for South African Films / Other films released in 2021

A QUIET PLACE PART 2 (C) In 2018, John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place turned silence into the building blocks of fright and forged from the horror-thriller genre a modern fable of family love, communication and survival. Now, comes the story’s unnerving second chapter, A Quiet Place Part II, directed, written and produced by Krasinski, based on characters created by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck. A visceral sensory experience and exhilarating emotional journey 

ANOTHER ROUND – Four jaded high school teachers embark on a risky experiment to maintain a constant level of intoxication throughout the workday. Mads Mikkelsen is at his scintillating best in this mature blend of comedy, tragedy, and human behaviour. The 2021 Oscar for Best International Feature Film went to Thomas Vinterberg’s black comedy-drama directed by Thomas Vinterberg, from a screenplay by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm. It also won BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language and European Film Award for Best Film. Read more

ANTLERS (C) – Adapting author-producer Nick Antosca’s short story The Quiet Boy into the emotionally charged horror feature Antlers, the screenplay by Antosca and C. Henry Chaisson blended Native American lore with family drama, with visionary director Scott Cooper exploring a mythical creature who embodied the fears and weaknesses of a small town decimated by the societal issues that so many towns encounter. Dark Secrets lead to terrifying encounters

BEING THE RICCARDOS (S)  – A revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship, the film takes audiences into the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their ground-breaking sitcom I Love Lucy. This biographical drama was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, and stars Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as Ball and Arnaz. It received a limited theatrical release by Amazon Studios prior to streaming worldwide on Prime Video. Read more

BELFAST – The film, which Branagh has described as his “most personal film”, centres on a young boy’s childhood amidst the tumult of Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the 1960s. A nine-year-old boy must chart a path towards adulthood through a world that has suddenly turned upside down. His stable and loving community and everything he thought he understood about life is changed forever but joy, laughter, music and the formative magic of the movies remain. Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, it stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, and newcomer Jude Hill. The film was released theatrically in the United States on 12 November 2021 and releases in South Africa in March 2022. It was named one of the best films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and tied with The Power of the Dog for a leading seven nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama. Read more

BOSS LEVEL (C) –From the zany mindscape of acclaimed filmmaker Joe Carnahan – writer-director of Narc, Smokin’ Aces and The Grey – comes n action-drama like no other. A unique and mind-blowing kick-ass action thriller with heart

BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY (C) From a crackling screenplay by Amanda Idoko, a young Bronx-born screenwriter, and daughter of Nigerian immigrants, and visionary director Tate Taylor, comes a deliciously wicked, dark and humorous dissection of America’s fixation on fame, notoriety, and victimhood, even while there is actual marginalization happening just out of view. A rich tapestry of satire, sass, sympathy, and mystery

THE CARD COUNTER C) Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter. Told with writer-director Schrader’s (First Reformed) trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions. After serving time in prison, he reinvents himself as a professional gambler on the American poker circuit, but his actions abroad haunt him to his core, even after he swaps isolation and despair for love and connection. His only solution is to violently reckon with his own past. Exploring the depths of a protagonist’s existential despair

CHARLATAN (S) – Agnieszka Holland’s politically charged drama takes us inside the conflicted life of a non-conformist herbalist – based loosely on the healer Jan Mikolášek (1889–1973), who cured hundreds of people using plant-based remedies – exploring his unshakeable commitment to his calling, the illicit relationship with his assistant, as he perseveres first under Nazi then Communist regimes in Czechoslovakia. This Czech-Polish-Irish-Slovak drama won five awards including Best Film at the 2021 Czech Lion Awards. Read more

CINDERELLA (S) – A modern movie musical with a bold take on the classic fairy tale. Our ambitious heroine has big dreams and with the help of her fab Godmother, she perseveres to make them come true. Written and directed by Kay Cannon, it stars singer Camila Cabello as the title character in her acting debut, alongside Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, Nicholas Galitzine, Billy Porter, and Pierce Brosnan. It is a jukebox musical, featuring pop and rock hits, in addition to several original songs. Read more

THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT (C)  It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that marks the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.. Keeping the “Conjuring” Universe original and fresh

THE COURIER (C) A true-life spy thriller. An unassuming British businessman forms a covert, dangerous partnership with a Soviet officer to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis. A true-life spy thriller

CRUELLA (C) The character of Cruella de Vil captivated audiences with her exuberance, camp sensibilities and quick wit since she was first seen on the pages of Dodie Smith’s book in 1950, and makes a welcome return in Disney’s Cruella, an origin story, revealing the fascinating tale of how gifted, non-conforming young girl evolved into the stylishly villainous Cruella de Vil. A live-action origin story about one of cinemas most notorious and notoriously fashionable villains

DEAR EVAN HANSEN (S) – Evan Hansen, a young man beset by social-anxiety disorder, is ordered by his therapist to write self-addressed motivational letters to himself in order to improve his disposition and communication skills. After one of these missives is stolen by a classmate who subsequently takes his own life, the deceased’s parents believe it to be a genuine note intended for Evan, who ingratiates himself with the family. As this relationship deepens, he begins to truly understand what it means to belong. This coming-of-age musical was directed by Stephen Chbosky from a screenplay by Steven Levenson. It is based on the stage musical of the same name by Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. Ben Platt plays the title role, reprising the performance that he originated on stage. The ensemble cast also includes Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Julianne Moore, and Amy Adams. Read more

DIANA THE MUSICAL (S) – Diana is a musical was directed by Christopher Ashley, choreographed by Kelly Devine, and written by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (the Bon Jovi keyboardist), who created the Tony Award-winning musical “Memphis.” Based on the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. Featuring Jeanna de Waal as Diana, Erin Davie as Camilla Parker Bowles,  Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles and Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth II.  Before opening, the Broadway production was recorded in the summer of 2020 with COVID-19 safety protocols in place and no audience. This capture, also directed by Ashley, was released on Netflix on October 1, 2021. Read more

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE (S) – The story follows and is based upon the true-life story of 16-year-old British schoolboy Jamie Campbell, as he overcomes prejudice and bullying, to step out of the darkness and become a drag queen. This biographical coming-of-age musical comedy-drama was directed by Jonathan Butterell (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Tom MacRae based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from the BBC Three documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 by Jenny Popplewell. The film stars newcomer Max Harwood with Sarah Lancashire, Lauren Patel, Shobna Gulati, Ralph Ineson, Adeel Akhtar, Samuel Bottomley, Sharon Horgan, and Richard E. Grant. Following delays of a planned theatrical release by 20th Century Studios, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was released in select theatres in the United States on 10 September 2021, followed by a worldwide streaming release on 17 September 2021 via Amazon Studios on Amazon Prime Video. Read more

THE FATHER (C) celebrates the unbreakable bond between parent and child. Award-winning French novelist, playwright and director Florian Zeller make his feature film directing debut with The Father, which he adapted for film from his celebrated stage play with British writer Christopher Hampton, his long-time collaborator and translator. A beautifully wrought family drama

THE FRENCH DISPATCH (C) – The French Dispatch is many things—a bounty of stories within stories within memories within frameworks that converges into one organic whole, a cabinet of cinematic wonders of all shapes and sizes in constant dynamic motion, a love letter to the printed word in general and The New Yorker magazine in particular, to France and to French movies…a moving meditation on living far from home. And it is never just one of those elements at a time, but usually all at once. Wes Anderson’s French love letter to internationalism, culture and the blessed art of independent journalism

GODZILLA VS. KONG (C) For decades, cinematic titans Godzilla and Kong have been following their own, separate theatrical journeys…until now. Legends collide as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages. This rivalry fuels an epic adventure that spans the globe to bring these two forces of nature, both more powerful than ever before, face to face and fist to fist on land and at sea in a battle to restore balance to the Earth. A monster-sized event film with heart, humour and enough non-stop action to transcend the genre

THE GUILTY (S) – A demoted police officer assigned to a call dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a kidnapped woman. This crime thriller was directed and produced by Antoine Fuqua, from a screenplay by Nic Pizzolatto. A remake of the 2018 Danish film of the same name, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Christina Vidal, with the voices of Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Eli Goree, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard. The film was released in a limited release on September 24, 2021, then digitally on Netflix.  Read more

GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE (C) For Israeli film-maker Navot Papushado, the creative process of Gunpowder Milkshake began with one simple idea. “The story started with a mother who discovers that the daughter she was forced to abandon as a child has followed her into the same dangerous profession,” he says. A Rip-Roaring, Female-Focused Thriller

HALLOWEEN KILLS – That blood-spattered Halloween night in 1978 when masked monster Michael Myers returned for reckoning continues four decades later with Halloween Kills. Fans of Halloween will absolutely be thrilled by Halloween Kills, offering a memorable and truly frightening odyssey into the nightmarish realm of malevolent evil that poignantly leads to a conclusion that will have you re-watch the from the first moment Michael Meyers stepped into our nightmares. A frightening odyssey into the nightmarish realm of malevolent evil

THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD (C) The world’s most lethal odd couple – bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) – are back on another life-threatening mission. Read more/ Trailer

HOUSE OF GUCCI (C) Producer Giannina Scott chased Sara Gay Forden’s book ‘The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour and Greed’ down twenty years ago. Scott Free, the prolific production company of visionary director/producer Ridley Scott, optioned the feature film rights for House of Gucci. The glitzy rise and fall of the Gucci family through three generations, which included extravagance, greed, betrayal and, eventually, murder, was an irresistible subject. A scandal-ridden real-life family drama

IN THE HEIGHTS – The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big.  In the Heights fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

JUNGLE CRUISE – Dwayne Johnson takes on the role of a gruff, wisecracking skipper at the helm of a ramshackle-but-charming boat with Emily Blunt as a headstrong researcher who enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her down the deepest and most dangerous parts of the Amazon River, hoping to uncover the mystery of an ancient tribal artefact—a legendary relic with the power to change the fate of humanity. Go behind the scenes

THE KING’S MAN turns back the clock to focus on a time before the eponymous intelligence agency first formed. The very first Kingsmen are tasked with stopping a band of heinous villains who are intent on starting a war that will make them money, but threaten the end of the world as they know it. The King’s Man is a period action spy film directed by Matthew Vaughn from a screenplay by Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek and a story by Vaughn. The third instalment in the Kingsman film series. With Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, Ralph Fiennes, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Feature: An epic origin story featuring a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds

LAMB (S) – A childless couple, María and Ingvar discover a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland. The unexpected prospect of family life brings them much joy, before ultimately destroying them. This Icelandic drama was directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón. The film stars Noomi Rapace, and marks Valdimar Jóhannsson’s feature-length directorial debut. After premiering at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, the film was released in Iceland on 24 September 2021. It was selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. Read more

THE LAST DUEL – From visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott comes The Last Duel, a gripping tale of betrayal and vengeance set against the brutality of 14th century France. Based on actual events, the historical epic unravels long-held assumptions about France’s last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two friends turned bitter rivals. Starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck. Read more about how The Last Duel was crafted

MALIGNANT is the latest creation from “Conjuring” universe architect James Wan who returns to his roots with this new original horror thriller. In the film, Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.  Read Q & A with James Wan / Trailer

THE MAURITANIAN – a remarkable true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) who was captured by the U.S. government and imprisoned for years without trial at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO). A is an inspiring account of survival against all odds. Go Behind The Scenes

MUSIC – The magic that can happen when someone who cannot speak with words finds people who can listen with their hearts. We review Music / Go behind the scenes of Music. / Trailer

MY SON – Driving in the heart of the Highlands, Edmond Murray receives a call from his ex-wife, in tears. Their 7-year-old son went missing from a campsite. Soon it becomes clear that the child was kidnapped and the parents give way to despair. Mystery thriller film was written and directed by Christian Carion. It is an English-language remake of his 2017 French film Mon garçon. With James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis.  Read more about My Son – A suspense thriller with ‘orchestrated improvisation’

NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN (S) is writer/ director Malgorzata Szumowska’s exquisitely off-beat story about how a masseur and hypnotist gains acceptance and stature in a wealthy gated community, touching on class, immigration, and global warming. This Polish-German comedy-drama stars Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska, Agata Kulesza, Weronika Rosati, Katarzyna Figura, Andrzej Chyra, Łukasz Simlat, and Krzysztof Czeczot. Read more

THE NIGHT HOUSE – From director David Bruckner comes The Night House. Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together – but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband’s belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing – a mystery she’s determined to unravel. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

NOMADLAND – Frances McDormand plays a woman who embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad. Go behind the scenes

NO MAN OF GOD (S) This crime mystery was directed by Amber Sealey and written by C. Robert Cargill, under the pseudonym of Kit Lesser. The film stars Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino and Robert Patrick. It is based on real life transcripts selected from conversations between serial killer Ted Bundy and FBI Special Agent Bill Hagmaier that happened between 1984 and 1989, and the complicated relationship that formed between them during Bundy’s final years on death row. Read more

NO TIME TO DIE – With the story of No Time To Die taking shape under the guidance of director Cary Joji Fukunaga and of long-time Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the producers and Daniel Craig also invited contributions from writer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve), who brought her unique take on character and story, while also maintaining what Fellow producer Barbara Broccoli describes as Bond’s “essential Britishness”. The 25th Bond movie is an intense, personal story

OSLO (S) Oslo is an American television drama film about the secret negotiation of the Oslo Accords. The film was directed by Bartlett Sher and written by J. T. Rogers, based on Rogers’ play of the same name. It stars Andrew Scott, Ruth Wilson, and Jeff Wilbusch. It was released on May 29, 2021, on HBO. Read more

PIG (C) – A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski in his directorial debut. It stars Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, and Adam Arkin. Trailer

THE POWER OF THE DOG (S) – Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love. This Western drama was written and directed by Jane Campion, based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Shot mostly across rural Otago, the film is an international co-production between New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The film had a limited theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand and was released to stream worldwide on Netflix on December 2021. It was named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute, and received seven nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, as well as ten nominations at the 27th Critics’ Choice Awards, including Best Picture. Read more

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – An arresting, blackly comedic quasi-thriller. Go behind the scenes /Trailer /

SONGBIRD – A terrifying, hypothetical look into our future, depicting increasing isolation, militarized enforcement, fear and loss. Go behind the scenes of Songbird / Trailer

SPENCER – The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There’s eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be a whole lot different. Spencer is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days. / Trailer / A character-driven survival story about an iconic woman’s own declaration of independence

STILLWATER (C)– This American crime drama was directed by Tom McCarthy, based on a script he co-wrote with Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré. It stars Matt Damon as an unemployed oil-rig worker from Oklahoma who sets out with a French woman (Camille Cottin) to prove his convicted daughter’s (Abigail Breslin) innocence. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 8, 2021, and was released theatrically in the United States on July 30, 2021, by Focus Features. It received generally positive reviews from critics. Read more

SUICIDE SQUAD – Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out. Go behind the scenes

SUPERNOVA –  Sam and Tusker, partners of 20 years, are travelling across England in their old RV visiting friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with early-onset dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important thing they have. As the trip progresses, however, their ideas for the future clash, secrets come out, and their love for each other is tested as never before. Ultimately, they must confront the question of what it means to love one another in the face of Tusker’s illness. British romantic drama film written and directed by Harry Macqueen. The film stars Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci.. Supernova’ is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Kanopy, Redbox, AMC on Demand, Microsoft Store, Vudu, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, DIRECTV, and Hulu . Trailer

TICK, TICK … BOOM! (S) – On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theatre composer navigates love, friendship and the pressures of life as an artist in New York City. This biographical musical drama was directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut. Written by Steven Levenson, it is based on the stage musical of the same name by Jonathan Larson. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, and Vanessa Hudgens. It was named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute and was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Garfield) at the 79th Golden Globe Awards. Read more

WHELM (S) – Writer-director Skyler Lawson’s thriller is set deep in the Great Depression where two estranged brothers get tangled in a rivalry between a legendary bank robber and an eccentric young criminal. Through a series of bizarre occurrences, they are forced to claim allegiance to one, as they hunt down the other. As they dig deeper for the truth they find that they are part of a larger historic scheme. Director: This gangster movie has shades of an American Western. Read more

South African Films

ANGELIENA (D) – As the founding member of Towerkop Creations, a boutique film production company that has been specializing in female-driven heroine stories since its inception in 2010, filmmaker Uga Carlini’s Angeliena is story is about the self-love of a formerly homeless parking attendant, who is diagnosed with a fatal disease and dares to put her lifelong dream of travelling the world into motion. Writer-director Uga Carlini talks about her inspirational and life-affirming film Angeliena

BARAKAT (C) (D) The local film tells a story about celebrating life, culture and the importance of family. Go behind the scenes / Q & A with Amy Jephta and Ephraim Gordon / Trailer Read more

DARYN’S GYM (D) A mockumentary comedy from writer-director, Brett Michael Innes, is set in a family gym in Randburg, the film sees the lovable Daryn JNR pitted against the ruthless owner of a multi-national fitness centre as he fights to keep his family legacy alive. Released on eVOD  / Read more about the film

KAALGAT KAREL The streaking local romcom tells of Karel Venter ( Francois Jacobs), a thirty-year-old guy who loves the thrill and accompanying social media stardom of streaking during sports matches. He falls head-over-heels for the paramedic, Rita (Christa Visser), who saves him after a streak gone wrong, but there’s a problem; she’s a strait-laced single mom who has no interest in his streaking shenanigans. It is directed by Meg Rickards, who co-wrote and produced the feature with her husband Paul Egan. Read an interview with director Meg Rickards / Read more / Trailer

KLEIN KAROO 2 – For more than 8 years fans of the film, Klein Karoo has been waiting to find out what has happened in the lives of Frans, Cybil, Bongi, Jackie and the rest. The wait is finally over.  Trailer / Interview with Klein Karoo 2 screenwriter Lize Vosloo

NEW MATERIAL – The sequel to ‘Material’, released in 2012, and awarded as one of the best films to come out of South Africa. The movie combined moments of heart-wrenching family and personal drama with hilarious snippets of stand-up comedy and everyday life in one of the continent’s most cosmopolitan cities. Written and directed by Craig Friemond.

THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION – A haunting tribute to land, community and ancestry. The first film from Lesotho, made by a Mosotho filmmaker, is directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese. Go behind the scenes / Q & A with Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese / Trailer

Also released

ADDAMS FAMILY 2 – Everyone’s favourite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all-new movie we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic cousin, IT, as well as many new kooky characters. What could possibly go wrong? Go behind the scenes / Trailer

ADOPT A DADDY – A humorous approach to the hardships immigrant children go through in France.  Read interview with Xavier De Choudens / Trailer

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS – One day, he crosses paths with Phileas, a reckless and greedy frog, eager to take on a bet to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days and earn 10 million clams in the process.  Seizing the opportunity of a lifetime to explore the world, Passepartout embarks with his new friend on a crazy and exhilarating adventure full of twists and surprises in the animated Around The World In 80 Days. / Trailer

AFTER WE FELL is the third film in the After series, following Tessa’s life as it begins to come unglued. Nothing is what she thought it was. Not her friends. Not her family. The one person she should be able to rely on, Hardin, is furious when he discovers the massive secret she’s been keeping. And rather than being understanding, he turns to sabotage. follows Tessa’s life as it begins to come unglued. Based on the bestseller by Anna Todd, the film is directed by Castille Landon, from a screenplay by Sharon Soboil. / Read more / Trailer

BLACK WIDOW – In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS The Templeton brothers have become adults and have drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married stay-at-home dad. Ted is a hedge fund CEO. But a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude is about to bring them together again … and inspire a new family business. Go behind the scenes

CANDYMAN The horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman is exposed when a visual artist opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny. The screenplay for Candyman was crafted by Peele (who received an Oscar for his screenplay Get Out, and also stars in Candyman) with Producer Win Rosenfeld and filmmaker Nia DaCosta.  Go behind scenes

CHAOS WALKING – A young man discovers a mysterious young woman who crash lands on his planet, where all the women have disappeared and the men are afflicted by The Noise. Go behind the scenes

CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED – When Emma finds out that her widowed dad has been dating her high school nemesis, she freaks out and embarks on a hilarious, no-holds-barred mission to break them up during their annual family Christmas festivities. Directed by Prarthana Mohan. With Dermot Mulroney, Janel Parrish, Hayley Orrantia, Mirelly Taylor.

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG – When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment in Clifford The Big Red Dog. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!  / An all-new film of unconditional love starring the world’s beloved hound

COME AWAY – What if, the film asks, Lewis Carroll’s Alice and J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan were brother and sister? Go behind the scenes

COMING 2 AMERICA – Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reprise their much-loved characters of Prince Akeem and Semmi. Go behind the scenes

COPSHOP – Screaming through the Nevada desert in a bullet-ridden car, wily con artist Teddy Murretto hatches a plan to hide out from lethal assassin Bob Viddick. He punches rookie officer Valerie Young to get himself arrested and locked up in a small-town police station. However, jail can’t protect Murretto for long as Viddick schemes his own way into detention, biding his time in a nearby cell until he can complete his mission. Copshop is an action thriller directed by Joe Carnahan and written by Kurt McLeod and Carnahan.  / Go behind the scenes / Trailer

CRITICAL THINKING – The biographical drama is based on the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team, the first inner-city team to win the U.S. National Chess Championship. Go behind the scenes

DEMONIC – A young woman unleashes terrifying demons when supernatural forces are at the root of her childhood trauma. A horror-thriller with a high-tech twist, Demonic is written and directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium). Writer-director Neill Blomkamp talks about Demonic – A horror-thriller with a high-tech twist

DEMON SLAYER MOVIE – a dark animated Japanese action film, based on the shōnen manga series. Read more

DUNE (C) A master of complex storytelling for the screen, visionary filmmaker Denis Villeneuve wanted to take audiences to places they’ve never been with DUNE, just as the novel did for him as a young reader, tackling the daunting adaptation as director and co-writer with acclaimed screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth.. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey

ENCANTO – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto tells the tale of the Madrigals, an extraordinary family who live in a wondrous, charming place called an Encanto. Each child has been blessed with a magic gift unique to them—each child except Mirabel. But when the family’s home is threatened, Mirabel may be their only hope. The film features all-new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Moana) and is directed by Byron Howard (Zootopia, Tangled) and Jared Bush (co-director Zootopia), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez) and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino. Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film.  Read more about how Encanto explores the compelling but complicated relationships within families

ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS – a sequel to the box office hit psychological thriller that terrified audiences around the world.  In this instalment, six people unwittingly find themselves locked in another series of escape rooms, slowly uncovering what they have in common to survive…and discovering they’ve all played the game before. Directed by Adam Robitel. Produced by Neal H. Moritz. The screenplay is by Will Honley and Maria Melnik & Daniel Tuch and Oren Uziel, with a story by Christine Lavaf & Fritz Bohm. 

ETERNALS – Marvel Studios’ Eternals follows a group of heroes from beyond the stars who had protected the Earth since the dawn of man. When monstrous creatures called the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, the Eternals are forced to reunite in order to defend humanity once again. Following her sweeping Oscar-winning portrait of the American nomadic spirit in Nomadland, writer-director Chloé Zhao takes us on a soulful journey into Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Eternals, introducing 10 Super Heroes never seen before on screen.  Read more about how the film was crafted

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE – A searing psychological thriller about a psychiatrist (Casey Affleck), whose career is thrown into jeopardy when his patient takes her own life. When he invites his patient’s surviving brother (Sam Claflin) into his home to meet his wife (Michelle Monaghan) and daughter, his family life is suddenly torn apart. Read more

EXTINCT – Two Flummels must save themselves, save their species… and just maybe change the course of history. Read more

FAST AND FURIOUS 9 – After the events of The Fate of the Furious, Dominic Toretto and his family must face Dom’s younger brother Jakob, a deadly assassin, who is working with their old enemy Cipher, and who holds a personal vendetta against Dominic in Fast & Furious 9. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

THE FOREVER PURGE – All the rules are broken as a sect of lawless marauders decides that the annual Purge does not stop at daybreak and instead should never end in The Forever Purge. Vaulting from the record-shattering success of 2018’s The First Purge, Blumhouse’s infamous terror franchise hurtles into innovative new territory as members of an underground movement, no longer satisfied with one annual night of anarchy and murder, decide to overtake America through an unending campaign of mayhem and massacre. Go behind the scenes /  Trailer

FREE GUY – In the epic adventure-comedy Free Guy Ryan Reynolds plays a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Go behind the scenes

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE: Directed by Jason Reitman. With Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon, Sigourney Weaver. When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.  Read more about crafting the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe

HERE TODAY – A comedy-drama directed and produced by Billy Crystal, from a screenplay that he wrote with Alan Zweibel. Veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) forms an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship with New York singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish) in the new comedy-drama Here Today. Emma — the unlikely recipient of a prize to have lunch with the comedy legend, despite not knowing who he is — gets off to a rocky start with Charlie (think seafood allergy, a hospital visit, and an epi-pen). Before long, each finds in the other a sort of soul mate, forging a deep bond that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of friendship, love, and trust. Read more about how the film was inspired by a collaborative friendship of 45 years

I AM WOMAN – The inspiring story of singer Helen Reddy. Go behind the scenes

ICE ROAD The Ice Road has been a 48-year journey writer-Director Jonathan Hensleigh. After a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada, an ice driver leads an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the lives of trapped miners despite thawing waters and a threat they never see coming. Go behind the scenes

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – It tells of the betrayal of the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in late-1960s Chicago, at the hands of an FBI informant. Go behind the scenes

KING RICHARD – Based on the true story that will inspire the world, King Richard follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever.  Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (Ali,” “The Pursuit of Happyness, Bad Boys for Life) stars as Richard, under the direction of Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men).  Read more about how this true story of two of the world’s greatest sports legends was crafted

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO – In acclaimed director, Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller Eloise(Thomasin McKenzie), an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie. But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker. A dark-tinged, neon-drenched, new thriller starring Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit), Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma, The Queen’s Gambit), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown). Read more about how writer-director Edgar Wright’s Last Night In Soho was crafted

THE LITTLE THINGS – John Lee Hancock, directing and producing from a script he wrote almost 30 years ago. Go behind the scenes

LOVE SARAH is a heartfelt film about three generations of women who have to save a new bakery from closing doors in London. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS – In The Matrix Resurrections, humanity and the machines made peace with an agreement that the real world humans would stop trying to destroy the Matrix and the Machines would allow anyone who wanted to leave the Matrix. This science fiction action film is produced, co-written, and directed by Lana Wachowski. It is the fourth instalment in The Matrix film series. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, and Daniel Bernhardt reprise their roles from previous films in the series. Feature: The long-awaited next chapter in the groundbreaking franchise that redefined a genre

MAYA THE BEE – THE GOLDEN ORB -, Maya’s world expands even further, pulling the rug of familiarity from under her feet as she journeys to a completely new land, with only her faithful best friend Willy, and the enormously popular Arnie and Barney at her side. Go behind the scenes / The Art Of Animation

MIDNIGHT IN THE SWITCHGRASS – The race to find a serial killer who abducts his prey from truck stops brings two law officers together in a deadly race against the clock in director Randall Emmett’s tense action-drama Midnight In The Switchgrass. Florida police detective Byron Crawford (Emile Hirsch) is a man whose faith and sense of duty have guided him in his law-enforcement career. But Byron is haunted by a string of deaths that won’t end until the killer is apprehended. an FBI agent (Megan Fox) working with her seasoned partner (Bruce Willis) needs Byron’s help in understanding the dark corners of Florida, and the M.O. of the murderer. Go behind the scenes

THE MISFITS – Pierce Brosnan plays a brilliant international thief whose daring escape and high-octane car chase, eluding the FBI and police, ends with him being scooped up by a band of modern-day Robin Hoods.  This action heist film is directed by Renny Harlin and written by Robert Henny and Kurt Wimmer. Read more / Trailer

MONSTER FAMILY 2 – To free Baba Yaga and Renfield from the clutches of Monster Hunter Mila Starr, the Wishbone Family once more transforms into a Vampire, Frankenstein’s Monster, a Mummy and a Werewolf in Monster Family 2. Aided and abetted by their three pet bats, our Monster Family zooms around the world again to save their friends, make new monstrous acquaintances and finally come to the realization that ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ – even those with flaws can find happiness.  Take a closer look at how screenwriter David Safier and director Holger Tappe focused on the beauty of the imperfect.

MORTAL KOMBAT – brings to life the intense action of the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory. Go behind the scenes

NOBODY – explores the idea of a normal person’s capacity for violence. Go behind the scenes

OLD – From writer-director M. Night Shyamalan comes a thriller about a family on a tropical holiday who discover that the secluded beach where they are relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly reducing their entire lives into a single day. Go behind the scenes

PARALLEL MOTHERS – two women, Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit), coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn’t regret it and she is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along the hospital corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way. Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Feature: A melodramatic and psychologically fraught relationship between contemporary mothers

PAW PATROL! THE MOVIE – When their biggest rival, Humdinger, becomes mayor of nearby Adventure City and starts wreaking havoc, Ryder and everyone’s favorite heroic pups kick into high gear to face the challenge head-on. While one pup must face his past in the bustling metropolis, the team finds help from a new ally, the savvy dachshund Liberty. Armed with exciting new gadgets and gear, the PAW Patrol fights to save the citizens of Adventure City! Trailer

PERSIAN LESSONS – A young Jewish man pretends to be Iranian to avoid being executed in a concentration camp in the Holocaust drama. Go Behind The Scenes

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD – Director and co-writer Armando Iannucci revisits Dickens’ iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to a burgeoning writer in Victorian England. Go behind the scenes

PETER RABBIT 2 – Adventuring out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where his mischief is appreciated and must figure out what kind of bunny he wants to be in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

PINOCCHIO – Italian writer-director Matteo Garrone felt he could bring something new to audiences with his live-action version. Go behind the scenes

THE PROTEGE – Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin, Moody (Jackson) and trained in the family business, Anna (Maggie Q) is the world’s most skilled contract killer. But when Moody, the man who was like a father to her and taught her everything she needs to know about trust and survival, is brutally killed, Anna vows revenge. Read more  / Trailer

QUEENPINS – Inspired by a true story, this outrageous comedy tells about a bored and frustrated suburban homemaker, Connie (Kristen Bell) and her best pal JoJo (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), a vlogger with dreams, who turn a hobby into a multi-million dollar counterfeit coupon caper. After firing off a letter to the conglomerate behind a box of cereal gone stale, and receiving an apology along with dozens of freebies, the duo hatch an illegal coupon club scheme that scams millions from mega-corporations and delivers deals to legions of fellow coupon clippers. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON -A lone warrior tracks down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. Go behind the scenes

REMINISCENCE – Hugh Jackman plays Nick Bannister, a private investigator of the mind, navigates the darkly alluring world of the past by helping his clients access lost memories. He uncovers a violent conspiracy, and must ultimately answer the question: how far would you go to hold on to the ones you love? Go behind the scenes

RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY – Returning to the origins of the massively popular Resident evil franchise, fan and filmmaker Johannes Roberts brings the games to life for a whole new generation of fans. Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s exodus left the city a wasteland… with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.   Read more about rebooting the Resident Evil Franchise

RESPECT – Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

RON’S GONE WRONG – Twentieth Century Studios and Locksmith Animation’s Ron’s Gone Wrong is the story of Barney, a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his ‘Best Friend out of the Box.’ Ron’s hilarious malfunctions set against the backdrop of the social media age, launch them into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship. Take a look at how the film was crafted

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS – Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. Go behind the scenes

SING 2 is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Janet Healy. Sing 2 combines dozens of classic rock and pop hit songs, electrifying performances, breathtaking artistry and Illumination’s signature humour and heart into the definitive feel-good cinematic event of the year. Feature: A new chapter in Illumination’s animated franchise arrives with big dreams and hit songs

SOUL – Set in the fast-paced and jazz-centric New York City and the abstract illusionary world of The Great Before, it capitalizes on the contrasts between the big city and the cosmic realm. Go behind the scenes

SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY! NBA champion and global icon LeBron James goes on an epic adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny with the animated/live-action event Space Jam: A New Legacy. from director Malcolm D. Lee and an innovative filmmaking team including Ryan Coogler and Maverick Carter.  Go behind the scenes

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME – For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighbourhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Spider-Man: No Way Home: Directed by Jon Watts. With Zendaya, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Marisa Tomei.  A powerful culmination of Peter Parker’s Marvel Cinematic Universe origin story

SPIRAL Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson fight a Jigsaw-like killer in Spiral, unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery. It is the ninth instalment in the Saw film series. / Go behind the scenes / Trailer

SPIRIT UNTAMED – An epic adventure about a headstrong girl longing for a place to belong who discovers a kindred spirit when her life intersects with a wild horse, Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in the beloved story from DreamWorks Animation. Go behind the scenes / Trailer

THOSE WO WISH ME DEAD is a visceral thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a smokejumper who seeks redemption by saving a young stranger with a deadly secret, the pair finds themselves hunted by assassins as an uncontrollable wildfire closes in on them. In a battle against both humans and nature, where every odd is stacked against you, what lengths will you go to protect others? Go behind the scenes / Trailer

TIME IS UP – Vivien (Bella Thorne) and Roy (Benjamin Mascolo) are two teenagers who appear to have starkly different personalities in Time is up, a film that emerges from a reflection on time and how the circumstances of an event can change the lives of two people who meet and are destined to be together. Read more about this teen romance reflecting intriguing themes of time and memory

TOM AND JERRY – Director Tim Story was eager to take on the classic duelling duo for a modern movie audience. Go behind the scenes

VANQUISH – In this glossy action-thriller a mother, Victoria (Ruby Rose), is trying to put her dark past as a Russian drug courier behind her, but retired cop Damon (Morgan Freeman) forces Victoria to do his bidding by holding her daughter hostage.  Go behind the scenes / Trailer

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE –  is a superhero film, it is the second film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and the sequel to Venom (2018). Eddie Brock attempts to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady, who becomes the host of the symbiote Carnage and escapes prison after a failed execution. Directed by Andy Serkis. With Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris. Read more about Venom: Let There Be Carnage was crafted

VOYAGERS – The Space-Epic tells of a group of extraordinary young people waking up to sensual desires, to freedom, to power, and the thrilling euphoria that goes with that experience. Go behind the scenes

WEST SIDE STORY tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. This reimagining of the beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony); Rachel Zegler (María); Ariana DeBose (Anita); David Alvarez (Bernardo); Mike Faist (Riff); Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino); Ana Isabelle (Rosalía); Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank); Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke); and Rita Moreno (as Valentina, who owns the corner store in which Tony works). Directed by Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tony Kushner.  / Rebooting a Classic

WRATH OF MAN – In the revenge-thriller an undercover crime boss is fearless, ruthless and lethal on a violent collision course. It reunites filmmaker Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham. / Go behind the scenes/ Trailer

by ·Comments Off on Midnight In The Switchgrass – A dramatic thriller based on true events

One of the entertainment industry’s most prolific film producers, Randall Emmett, who has produced over 50 feature films since his start as Mark Wahlberg’s assistant in the 1990’s, now makes his directorial debut with Midnight In The Switchgrass, bringing all of his experience, and affinity to this dramatic thriller.

“I hit a wall a few years ago creatively. I just felt like producing-wise, I was kind of creatively dying a little bit. My artistic self kind of was being pushed to the side,” says Emmett, who most recent films as producer includes The Irishman, Force Of Nature, Silence and Lone Survivor and directs Midnight In The Switchgrass from a screenplay by Alan Horsnail.

Alan Horsnail

“It becomes somewhat of a business, and I just kind of wanted to challenge myself again and bring myself back to the child that I grew up as an artist. I said, let me try directing. Every time I thought about directing, I got petrified and nervous and a lot of my director friends said, well, that’s the good thing. That means that you’re doing the right thing and you should really pursue it because as a producer I’m pretty comfortable. I’ve been doing it a long time.”

Randall Emmett

“I was nervous all the way through all the way till probably the last day of shooting, which I think really that fear and that nervousness to put a different hat on after so many decades pushed me to be prepared and work hard and be the best version of myself. That’s where the love for directing now is because I get to bring my artistic self back to the forefront. So that’s kind of in a nutshell, why I transitioned..”

In the tense and based-on-true events dramatic thriller Midnight In The Switchgrass, the strength to keep looking for the weak and the abused can become an all-encompassing struggle.

For a dedicated cop and a driven FBI agent, stopping a serial killer before he abducts and kills yet another vulnerable young girl is fueled by anger, commitment, decency — and past trauma. The path to saving a life leads into a fiend’s shack of horrors, through the underside of American normalcy, and into a realization that not everything is as it seems.

“The underlying theme of this film really is justice, and the search for it,” says Emile Hirsch. who takes on the role of Florida Department of Law Enforcement detective Byron Crawford who is dealing with the repercussions of failing to stop a man who’s been stalking the Florida Panhandle.

“It’s about defeating evil — Byron Crawford is a detective trying to solve the homicides of missing girls who have been brutally murdered, and he essentially shuts down when he can’t do it. He thinks there’s no hope for him to solve them. When Byron meets up with Rebecca Lombardo, the FBI agent investigating the same kinds of crimes, they team up together and try with all they have to track down the killer. It’s a great story, in some ways similar to The Silence of the Lambs, Along Came a Spider, and other terrific serial killer movies that I love.”

Emile Hirsch

“There’s an old proverb about hunting,” Crawford says in Midnight In The Switchgrass. “Lions are born knowing they’re predators. Antelopes understand that they are prey….Humans are the only creatures on Earth who are given a choice.”

“These cops and FBI agents are looking for the truck-stop killer, but they can’t seem to figure out who he is,” says Lukas Haas, who plays the fiend behind the story’s nightmares“How they team up to look for him makes for an interesting story. But the main thing that attracted me to this film was the character of Peter — it’s a very intense role. I’ve never played anyone like this before. I like to challenge myself.”

“This character is definitely outside of my wheelhouse — I’ve played dark characters before, but Peter is particularly bad,” says Haas. “But he has some interesting qualities, too. He’s multifaceted, even though he’s pretty much the worst person I’ve ever played! You start off feeling like Peter is kind of an okay guy — he has a nice family, he’s a good husband and family man. He seems like a nice, quirky, kind of charming guy in his way. I feel like you can’t really pin him down even when you know he’s up to some bad stuff. He’s complex and complicated, which makes him interesting.”

Lukas Haas and Megan Fox in Midnight In The Switchgrass

“I’m hoping this movie can serve to be a voice for the voiceless,” says Caitlin Carmichael, who plays a young girl who is abducted from a truck stop. “There’s an important line said in the film: ‘Are you really looking if nobody is looking for you?’ I think it’s important to use a story like this to bring light to the millions of stories and voices we don’t ever hear,” Carmichael says.

The Covid-19 shutdown impacted so many people and cost so many lives, it’s hard to recall the small ways life and work struggled to adapt in the beginning. The cast and crew of Midnight In The Switchgrass found themselves at the whim of a global pandemic in March and April 2020 — but they persevered, as Randall Emmett worked hard to find a way to finish the job, rally his troops, and do the right thing.

by ·Comments Off on Halloween Kills – A frightening odyssey into the nightmarish realm of malevolent evil

That blood-spattered Halloween night in 1978 when masked monster Michael Myers returned for reckoning continues four-decades later with Halloween Kills.

Fans of Halloween will absolutely be thrilled by Halloween Kills, offering a memorable and truly frightening odyssey into the nightmarish realm of malevolent evil that poignantly leads to a conclusion that will have you re-watch the from the first moment Michael Meyers stepped into our nightmares.

With Halloween Kills fans of the cult horror will get answers to questioned that has haunted them during the four-decade franchise that spawned 13 films.

Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in Halloween Kills, directed by David Gordon Green

Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981), Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) the only entry in the series that does not feature the series antagonist, Michael Myers, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), a direct sequel to Halloween II (1981), ignoring the events of Season of the Witch, which took place in a different continuity from the first two films, Halloween 5 (1989), Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) which concludes the “Thorn Trilogy” story arc established in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, set six years after the events of Halloween 5, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) a direct sequel to the first two films, Halloween: Resurrection (2002) a direct sequel to Halloween H20, Halloween (2007) a remake of 1978 film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie, Halloween II (2009), a sequel to Zombie’s 2007 remake of 1978’s Halloween, Halloween (2018), a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while effecting a retroactive continuity (‘retcon’) of all previous sequels, Halloween Kills (2021), a direct sequel to 2018’s Halloween, and Halloween Ends (2022) set to resolve the story on October 14, 2022.

James Jude Courtney as Michael Meyers in Halloween Kills.

Minutes after Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights through her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all. Evil dies tonight.

A trilogy that serves as the definitive companion piece to Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece

“For me Halloween (1978) a masterpiece of horror because of the simplicity of it. Michael Myers is the essence of evil, and Laurie Strode is the essence of good. So, it’s a very straightforward, wonderfully told and brilliantly executed mythology, says director and co-writer David Gordon Green, who re-united with the returning filmmaking team responsible for Halloween Kills, from a screenplay crafted by Scott Teems (SundanceTV’s Rectify) and Danny Mcbride (Halloween, TV’s The Righteous Gemstones) and Green, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill (Escape from L.A., The Fog).

“If our 2018 Halloween reintroduced the world of Michael and Laurie, which is a story that Halloween Ends will resolve, Halloween Kills is here as a middle chapter to make some noise and see the conflict and chaos that permeates through Haddonfield as fear goes beyond the households and generations of three Strode women,” says Green.

When David Gordon Green woke up on Monday, October 22, 2018, the director discovered that the opening of his Halloween had earned more than $76 million at the domestic box office and shattered records for the genre.

James Jude Courtney as Michael Meyers in Halloween Kills.

In Green’s Halloween, set 40 years after John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic, Laurie Strode refuses to be victim and seeks justice and vengeance against Michael Myers, the monster who stole her youth and haunted her every waking moment since. The intricate tale of unresolved trauma, defiance and empowerment unleashed a newfound fervor in Halloween fans worldwide.

Malek Akkad—whose family’s production company, Trancas International Films, has produced the Halloween series since its inception—and his fellow creative production partners, Blumhouse’s Jason Blum and blockbuster producer Bill Block found that audience response surpassed their wildest expectations.

“The genius of the first film was that all the stars aligned, and we were able to get Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter back together,” Akkad says. “We knew David did an amazing job and we had a great film, but the reception to it was beyond wonderful. It was so satisfying to see not only diehard fans come out, but a broader audience embrace the film.”

It had long been Green’s dream to helm a trilogy that served as the definitive companion piece to Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece. The plan for two subsequent films, Halloween Kills and next year’s Halloween Ends, began to take shape even before 2018’s Halloween was released. All three films would rely on the 1978 film and no other subsequent sequels as source material, and all three Green films would take place on the same night.

(from left) Director David Gordon Green and Anthony Michael Hall on the set of Halloween Kills.

Green was certain that restarting the clock was the only way to do Laurie’s story justice

“If we have done our jobs correctly, there are four films that will be one hell of an arc,” Green says. “Carpenter’s ’78 film, our 2018 film, then Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. There are threads thematically beyond just Easter eggs and fan entertainment. Hopefully, there’s substance, relevance and characters that you may have missed—if you blinked in one film—that show up with a bit more substance in the next.”

The filmmakers knew that the success of their first chapter gave them leeway to create the narrative arc for the next two entries.

Joining Danny McBride and Green for writing duties on Halloween Kills would be their close friend Scott Teems.

“When you have a successful film like Halloween, it allows Danny and Scott and me to make a bigger, badder, nastier, crazier next chapter,” Green says. “With Halloween Kills, we’re trying to deliver something for the fans and exercise new muscles for ourselves.”

Danny Mcbride

Green and his longtime creative partner McBride watched the 1978 film so many times that it became obvious which characters should be brought into the story for Halloween Kills.

“It had to do with trying to open the movie up and tapping into this world of Haddonfield,” McBride says.

“We wanted to make it feel more lived in by finding characters that had been established in Carpenter’s original and finding ways to keep them involved in the story.”

As they began putting pen to paper, Green and his cohorts were clear that they wanted to navigate the long-term effects of violence on an entire community.

“With the first film, we explored how Michael Myers’ killing spree on a Halloween night four decades earlier had affected Laurie and how that, in turn, had affected her family,” McBride says. “In Halloween Kills, we were interested in seeing how that same night had affected the town. That’s why David wanted to have this mob story as an integral part of it.”

In Halloween Kills, Laurie is no longer fighting Michael alone, or with only her daughter and granddaughter. She’s got Michael’s other survivors of that night, and all of Haddonfield, fighting with her.

Together, the three screenwriters created an unexpected structure for Halloween Kills.

James Jude Courtney as Michael Meyers in Halloween Kills.

The film begins seconds after the events of the first film, with an injured Laurie having left Michael Myers trapped and burning in her basement. But, simultaneously, it also begins with a scene set during the events of 2018’s Halloween, with citizens of Haddonfield who don’t yet know that Michael is back. In effect, the opening scenes of Halloween Kills seamlessly fuse the two films into one unbroken story.

See the source image
Scott Teems

“I find it fascinating to look at dramatic scenarios from multiple perspectives,” Teems says.

What proved fascinating to screenwriters Teems, McBride and Green was to take a look at Carpenter’s seminal 1978 film from another angle. At the end of that film, Dr. Loomis shoots Michael Myers, who falls backward off the balcony. When Loomis looks down onto the grass, the killer is not there. The events in Halloween Kills pick up with what happened after that. Minutes later, we meet young Deputy Hawkins and his partner on the Haddonfield police force as they’re trying to track Michael down. Presumably, Michael has just walked off the lawn after he evaded Loomis and is wandering through the suburbs. Now the entire Haddonfield police force has descended on those neighborhoods, and we’re following them into the night. 

“Entering Halloween Kills in the middle of the first movie—from the point of view of characters we didn’t even know were in Haddonfield—gives it a powerful, tension-filled energy. It reminds the audience that this world is bigger than just Laurie Strode, yet all of these characters have a connection to her that will eventually bring them into the path of true evil.”

The writing trio proved to be an ideal team. “What I love about what Scott brings to the narrative is this tension and energy to move the story forward,” producer Jason Blum says. “David is the captain of our ship, and Danny takes such an aerial view of the trilogy’s events. Together, they were tireless in discovering the core of what this second chapter is. We’ve met Laurie 40 years later and followed her journey through madness, but what about others in Haddonfield who have been traumatized by Michael Myers? What does it look like for them to be suddenly thrust back into his line of sight? I can’t imagine three storytellers who could do better justice to this emotional—and physically consuming—arc.”

Block was equally moved by how the writers were able to parlay their vision for the lost souls of this small town and create a screenplay that was equal parts poignant drama and terrifying thriller. But what surprised the producer most was their ability to weave in vignettes of slight comedy.

“No one knows better than these guys how deeply you need moments of comedic relief among these brutal kills,” Block says. “In other hands, that would look simple and derivative. Danny, Scott and David, however, are able to bring in these brief moments of levity that give the viewers a jarring step away from the murder and mayhem that Michael is leaving in his wake. I remain astonished by their skillset, which seems so simple but is so nuanced and layered.”

Equal parts champion and protector of Laurie Strode, Jamie Lee Curtis sees herself as Laurie’s guardian angel. Embracing and carrying the heroine’s mantle for more than four decades, Curtis as Laurie fought back and survived.

“For Laurie, her journey was complete,” says Curtis, who also serves as an executive producer on Halloween Kills. “She gave it all in the first movie. Her heart, soul, blood, courage, strength, wisdom: her everything. She was a warrior.”

While it took the majority of 2018’s Halloween for anyone to believe Laurie that Michael Myers had returned and was coming for her, Laurie’s decades of preparation for that night allowed her and her family to trap him in a basement prison and burn him alive. Unfortunately, at the beginning of Halloween Kills, Haddonfield’s well-meaning fire-and-rescue force arrive on scene just a little too early for the job to be finished.

 “Audiences got to feel that sense of satisfaction that Laurie had won at the end of Halloween,” Curtis says. “But in order to continue the story, that satisfaction has to be defeated and that bubble has to be burst—because Michael survived.”

Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween Kills.

For Curtis, the honor of playing Laurie is matched by how much joy the films have given to fans around the world. “To all of the people that love these movies, I say, ‘Happy Halloween,’” Curtis says. “I hope you don’t come to my house, because I won’t open the door. I leave a bag of candy out in front, and usually it’s all there at the end of the night. I think that means nobody knows where I live, which is good. I wish you a happy one and a safe one, and I thank you for my life.”

The role of The Shape/Michael Myers was originated by the incomparable Nick Castle, who brought the character to the screen alongside longtime friends John Carpenter and the first Halloween’s production designer, Tommy Wallace. “They were the original triumvirate of Halloween,” Jamie Lee Curtis says. “They were friends who went to film school together and were also in a band called the Coup de Villes and made a movie along with Debra Hill, whom Laurie is the physical embodiment of.”

Castle agreed to cameos as The Shape in 2018’s Halloween and Halloween Kills but has formally passed the baton on to good friend James Jude Courtney, a celebrated stuntman and performer who does the lion’s share of work as The Shape.

Generous with his time and character reflections, Castle gave the filmmakers and Courtney instructions on his signature movements—for example, how Michael Myers sits up at a 90-degree angle without using his hands or how he tilts his head to observe a kill—and subtle nuances germane to David Gordon Green’s storytelling.

(from left) Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney on the set of Halloween Kills

When Courtney inherited the mantle for 2018’s Halloween, he was looking to capture the energy with which Castle imbued The Shape’s physicality. “Nick will tell you, ‘Oh, I just walked…’ Well, no,” Courtney says. “If you look at Nick’s filmography, he is a brilliant creative. What he intuitively did was take what John Carpenter and Debra Hill imagined, embodied it and allowed himself to move his body in a certain way and to create that energy.”

As Courtney was preparing to meet Green, he watched the 1978 film. “There is a scene where Nick is walking camera left to camera right in the back yard,” Courtney says, “and I was reaching into what he created energetically. In my head, it went ‘I got it!’ I made no notes. I had no left-brain perception of what this character is or why he’s doing what he does. I’m not going to think about it until after I’m completely done playing this character.” 

(from left) Director David Gordon Green and James Jude Courtney on the set of Halloween Kills.

Born in Little Rock, AK, and raised in Texas, David Gordon Green (Directed by/Written by/Executive Producer) attended The North Carolina School of the Arts where he studied film. He wrote and directed his first feature film, George Washington, and also directed All The Real Girls, Pineapple Express, Joe, Stronger and the reboot of the Halloween franchise.Green was a producer and director of the HBO series Eastbound and Down, creator of the MTV animated series Good Vibes, director of the Amazon series Red Oaks, the HBO series Vice Principals, the Apple series Dickinson, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet and the HBO series The Righteous Gemstones.

The Writers

Scott Teems (Written by) is a Georgia-born filmmaker whose upcoming projects include The Exorcist, another collaboration with Green and McBride and Stephen King’s Firestarter, which he adapted for the screen and will executive produce. Teems adapted another King property, The Breathing Method, which is in development with Spyglass and director Gore Verbinski, and he wrote the upcoming sequel Insidious 5 for Sony/Blumhouse and director Patrick Wilson. Teems also penned the adaptation of Abraham Verghese’s bestselling novel Cutting For Stone for BRON Studios, Anonymous Content and director Richie Mehta. Teems’ previous credits as writer-director include the award-winning films That Evening Sun, Holbrook/Twain, and most recently, The Quarry. Teems was a writer and co-executive producer of the popular Netflix series Narcos: Mexico, and he wrote, directed, and produced three seasons of the acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning SundanceTV drama Rectify.

Writer, director, producer, composer John Carpenter’s (Music by/Executive Producer/Based on Characters Created by) breakthrough film was Halloween (1978), the seminal horror film. Made for $300,000, it was the most profitable independent movie of its day, and to date has spawned several sequels. Horror, sci-fi, action and comedy…he’s done it all and influenced a whole generation of filmmakers and composers following in his wake. In 2019, Carpenter came full circle with his film score for the 2018 version of Halloween and won the ASCAP honor for top box office film score. In the gaming world, he co-wrote the video game Fear 3 for Warner Bros. Interactive. In the world of comics, he is the co-publisher of and a contributor to Storm King Comics. He has co-written comics for BOOM! featuring his character Jack Burton and a one-shot in 2019 for DC Comics Joker: Year of the Villain #1. In May 2019, he was given Le Carrosse D’Or by the French Directors Guild in Cannes.

Danny Mcbride (Written by/Executive Producer) has become a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word and is generating a full plate of varied and interesting projects. McBride wrote his latest comedy series for HBO, The Righteous Gemstones, and its second season is currently in pre-production. McBride also co-created two other iconic series for HBO, Vice Principals and Eastbound & Down. Following his success in the comedy space, McBride entered into the world of horror where he continues to showcase his versatility. McBride and David Gordon Green cracked a reboot to Halloween that was a global success at the box office. After receiving raving reviews, the two have teamed up to write and executive produce the following two films in the Halloween Trilogy. McBride will executive produce The Exorcist, which is set to premiere in 2023.McBride and David Gordon Green co-founded Rough House Pictures alongside Jody Hill. The three met at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts and have been collaborators for over 20 years. It was there that their first collaboration, the cult classic, The Foot Fist Way, made its way to Sundance and from there, it exploded in the film comedy world.

© 2021 Universal Studios. www.halloweenmovie.com 

by ·Comments Off on James Wan talks about Malignant and returning to his roots with this original horror thriller

Malignant is the latest creation from Conjuring universe architect James Wan, who is regarded as one of the most creative filmmakers working today. 

Directing from a screenplay by Akela Cooper and story by Wan & Ingrid Bisu and Cooper, the films centers Madison, who is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities. 

Director/Producer James Wan on the set of New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Matt Kennedy

Q & A with James Wan

After establishing major franchises like the “Conjuring” Universe, what made you go back to your roots with an indie-style horror film?

I love the gritty horror-thriller genre, and after many years away from it, I felt it was time to return to my indie roots, to the harder-hitting horror-thrillers of Saw and Death Sentence.  After Aquaman and between the Conjuring Universe movies and the Insidious films, I felt like I needed to cleanse my palate and step outside of the superhero and ghostly arenas to try something different.  This was very important for me.  To do something original.  Something bold. 

Malignant is very much inspired by the kind of movies that I grew up loving.  One that is a loving throwback to the ’80s and early ’90s style of horror-thrillers like the kinds made by the great horror-maestros Dario Argento, Brian De Palma, Wes Craven, David Cronenberg.  But do it my way.  And to take this opportunity to try stuff that I haven’t done before, like exploring new themes and stories while experimenting with different aesthetic.  Who knows when I’ll get the chance to try something like this again?

You managed to keep details about this film a secret for a long time, which is no easy feat!  It’s a huge mystery, nobody knows anything about it.  What are you ready to reveal now that the release is imminent?

The story is a “genre-blender”; the correct term is genre-bender, but it is also a genre blender in that it mixes a bunch of different genres that I love, from psychological thriller to the Italian Giallo horror to shades of science fiction. 

The story is about a woman, Madison, played by Annabelle Wallis. Madison’s husband is killed in their home by an intruder and she’s left for dead. She’s pregnant and she loses her baby in that incident. She experiences major traumatic emotion from the incident and ends up developing a psychic connection to her attacker.  She starts having visions of the attacker and his murderous deeds. Now she’s trying to help the police capture this killer whilst trying to unravel the mystery of why she is connected to the killer and at the same time, trying to not get herself killed in the process.  It is my take on the “seeing through the eye of the killer” sub-genre.

Annabelle Wallis as Madison in New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Ron Batzdorff.

For your fans who don’t know what that is, can you describe what the Giallo style is and how that influences the film?

Giallo is literally Italian for Yellow, and is used to describe a type of lurid detective/crime novel that has become a genre of its own.  A style of murder mystery made popular in movies by Italian filmmakers such as Mario Bava, Dario Argento and many others, who took a well-worn style and reinvented it through their own filmmaking sensibility.  You can see shades of my love for this in “Saw,” and “Malignant” is basically my take on the Giallo genre. 

The inspiration for the story came from co-writer/executive producer Ingrid Bisu.

Yeah. Ingrid had this… [LAUGHS] I’m trying to think what’s the best way to talk about this without giving it away! Ingrid basically pitched me something that became the genesis of the villain, which I don’t want to talk about. When she would tell me these stories, I’d look at them immediately from a horror filmmaker’s point of view and think, “Ooh, that could make for a really cool and crazy, messed up thriller!”  And so, Ingrid and I started developing the idea and then it just took on a life of its own.  At first, we were just having fun working together, then it became a full-blown story.  We had never worked together to that capacity before, so it was really great to cook up crazy ideas and set-pieces together.

How did you develop it and also with fellow writer Akela Cooper?

We just started plotting it and writing characters down.  I started writing potential set-pieces and potential special effects moments, just exploring it.  Then eventually, at some point, we approached Akela to help us take it to the next level. Akela had just written a script for us at Atomic Monster called “M3GAN,” which I loved, and I thought she did a terrific job.  She clearly enjoys the darker aspect of horror, she isn’t afraid to go there, to dig into the dark corners of the human psyche, if you will, and I felt like that’s what this story wanted, someone who’s not afraid to venture into the deeper end of things.  Of course, I have that side to me as well, and you know what?  People are surprised when they meet me and they actually see that I’m a very cheerful kind of person, but because I’m able to exorcize my demons in my scary movies I don’t have to be scary or dark at all in real life!

Talk about Annabelle Wallis. This is not the first time that she’s ventured into the world of James Wan, she starred in “Annabelle.” What made her right for Madison?

Having worked with her as her producer on the first “Annabelle” film, I got to really like her a lot.  I think she’s the sweetest, loveliest person, who’s also very talented. I knew, going into “Malignant,” that I wanted to work with friends, work with people that I love, and Annabelle is one of those people at the top of my list.  We got her the script and she loved it and the character.  We talked about it from the perspective of how – because the initial idea came from Ingrid and the screenplay was written by Akela – it has a very feminine quality to it.

Director/Producer James Wan and Annabelle Wallis on the set of New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Ron Batzdorff.

Even though the movie is very aggressive, I do think that the film looks at things from a female perspective and I think that was what drew Annabelle to it.  She loved the idea of potentially playing a mother, playing the loss of motherhood… It’s also a sisterly story as well, between Annabelle Wallis’s character and the character Sydney, played by Maddie Hasson.

To me it really is a story of two sisters and their relationship.  I think Annabelle was really attracted to that, just getting the chance to play all those different things and play different shades of this character, someone who’s vulnerable and scared but at the same time, needs to find the strength to try and stay alive and stay ahead of this killer.  Annabelle has such a can-do attitude for anything and everything.   And believe me, I would get her to do some of the craziest stuff and she would have fun playing along.  She was such a trooper and such a joy to work with.

Annabelle Wallis as Madison in New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Ron Batzdorff.

You released an image back in January on your social channels. A first image is always so important in setting the tone and perhaps even more so when, at the same time, you have to keep details about a film so quiet. Can you talk about what we see in that image and why you chose that as the first thing to share?

I released that first image—shot of a gloved hand in a trench coat holding a bladed weapon—because I wanted to say, without actually saying it, to the horror fans out there that know what the Giallo genre is and would see the iconography of that image and immediately make the connection.  And for people that are not familiar with it, that’s okay, they can slowly discover it as they did with the trailer recently.  But that first image was my way of saying that I’m harking back to the kind of gritty, visceral horror/thrillers I started out my career with and made this movie for the hardcore horror fans. 

Can you talk a little bit about the creating the look and the feel of this movie and the team that helped you create it, why you picked those artisans?

I have been making movies for a while now and I have worked with a lot of talented people.  What you end up doing is you collect a stable of great artists and just good people that you want to work with again and again. Luckily for me, these people are also such great artists, such great crafts men and women in their areas of expertise, and it really was about collaborating with them to help me bring my vision to life. From Lisa’s fantastic costume design to Desma’s amazing production designing, and then seeing it through the lens of Michael Burgess—all whom I think are rising talents with very bright futures ahead of them.  A lot of team were people that had worked with me in the past to some capacity.  Michael Burgess had camera operated for me on my other movies, and then it was on “La Llorona” that we elevated him to cinematographer.  This was Desma’s first movie production designing.  She had spent many years being an art director.  Naturally they all want to step up and I felt like “Malignant” was a great platform for a lot of these artists to take their craft to the next level.  I’m very honored that I could give them that opportunity and they could come onto the film and do such an amazing job for us.

Director/Producer James Wan with Director of Photography Michael Burgess on the set of New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Ron Batzdorff.

I wanted to challenge myself to go back and do something that’s not based on any existing IPs, like I had done with “Saw”, “Dead Silence” and “Insidious.”  It was important for me to craft an original story that would allow me to play with old school special effects and makeup effects.  I got the opportunity to work closely with the fantastic artists at Fractured FX and Spectral Motion.  It was such a joy to play with gore effects again and dabble in complex animatronics.

With this film I also needed clever visual effects to bring the set-pieces to life.  ILM did such terrific work in crafting Madison’s hallucinogenic visions and helping to shape the “killer.”  Between the amazing work of ILM and the practical effects team, we were able to combine the best of both worlds and tell the best possible story.

One of the things that fans love about you as a filmmaker is that simplification, that distillation of fear, exploring what creates and causes fear. In a James Wan movie, it’s not complicated, but, it’s effective, those little details.

It’s always the small things.  That’s why I think my supernatural ghost movies have worked  because I think I understand the simple, primal things that scare us, like the creaking of a door, a chair that moves on its own.  That’s all you need to do to send chills down someone’s spine.  It doesn’t have to get up and start chasing you with a knife, even though that’s a different kind of scare.  I feel I recognize the different degrees of scares, from my bloodier more shocking movies like “Saw,” to the creepier ones of the “Insidious” and “Conjuring” films.  Part of the fun is to traverse between these levels of frights, and the key is to present them in a fresh and unique way.   That’s what I tried to do with “Malignant”—lull them in with a familiar structure, and then hit them with something weird, unique, crazy, and wonderful.

Caption: (L-r around the table) Maddie Hasson, Annabelle Wallis, Director/Producer James Wan, Director of Photography Michael Burgess, George Young and Michole Briana White on the set of New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc. and My Entertainment Inc.’s original horror thriller Malignant, an Atomic Monster production, a Warner Bros Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Ron Batzdorff.

Biogs

James Wan directed the critically acclaimed The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2, and produced The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, who have collaborated on all the Conjuring Universe films. Recently, the global box office for the entire “Conjuring” Universe crossed $2 billion.

Wan’s production company, Atomic Monster, launched its slate with Annabelle (2015) and followed with Lights Out (2016), Annabelle: Creation (2017), The Nun (2018), The Curse of La Llorona (2019), Annabelle Comes Home (2019), Mortal Kombat (2021) and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021).  All included Wan as producer.  He also has a story by credit on The Nun. Upcoming for Atomic Monster beyond Malignant is There’s Someone Inside Your House for Netflix, and M3GAN, which is currently in post-production.  Wan serves as producer on both.

Atomic Monster’s television slate kicked off with “MacGyver,” a re-imagining of the classic television series, which premiered on CBS in the Fall of 2016. The company’s second series was “Swamp Thing,” which streamed on DC Universe in May 2019 and premiered on the CW in 2020.  Wan was an executive producer on the project.  Atomic Monster is currently in production on “Archive 81,” based on the podcast, for Netflix and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” for Amazon. Wan serves as executive producer on both.

Co-creator of the popular “Insidious” franchise, Wan served as producer on the latest installment, “Insidious: The Last Key,” which was released in January 2018.  He also produced “Insidious: Chapter 3,” which was released in June 2015.  Wan directed “Insidious” (2010)and “Insidious: Chapter 2” (2013).  He also had a story by credit on “Insidious: Chapter 2.”  The next chapter is currently in development with Patrick Wilson directing.

Wan is also the co-creator of the “Saw”franchise.  In addition to directing the first “Saw” film, which premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, Wan served as executive producer for the entire franchise.  The latest installment, entitled “Spiral: From the Book of Saw,” was released on May 13, 2021.

A member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Wan is the recipient of the Australians in Film 2016 Fox Studios Australia International Award and most recently directed Aquaman.

Akela cooper (Screenplay by/Story by) wrote the movie “M3GAN,” recently green lit at Universal/Blumhouse with James Wan/Atomic Monster producing and Gerard Johnstone directing. Additionally, she is writing “The Nun 2” for New Line/Atomic Monster and The Safran Company.

On the TV side, Cooper was a co-executive producer on the latest “Star Trek” series for CBS All Access and previously wrote on Netflix’s “Magic Order” for Atomic Monster. Previously, she worked on Steve DeKnight’s Netflix series “Jupiter’s Legacy,” based on a comic book series by Mark Millar. Cooper also worked on Netflix/Marvel drama series “Luke Cage,” the Ryan Murphy FX series “American Horror Story,” as well as “The Hundred,” “The Witches of East End,” “Grimm” and “V.”

© 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

by ·Comments Off on Spiral – A New Chapter In The Iconic Saw Legacy

The diabolical twisted thriller Spiral marks a new chapter in the book of Saw and originated from the mind of stand-up and comic actor Chris Rock, a “massive fan” of horror films in general and the Saw series in particular.

The slasher horror franchise Saw was created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell in 2004 and satisfied the appetite of ardent fans with nine feature films and additional media.

Inspired by the way the franchise blended a variety of popular genres, Rock wanted to create something entirely new and came on board to the franchise as star and executive producer of Spiral, putting his encyclopedic knowledge of the franchise to good use: to pay homage to what’s come before and take it in a new direction.

“My idea was to take that up a notch this time, and to chart a new path forward,” says Rock. We keep everything that defines a Saw movie, but we also delve deeper into the psychological and suspense thriller elements that have always been there, beneath the surface – we’ve got the traps, we’ve got the gore, but we’ve also got a story and characters that will keep people guessing. That’s why I really don’t look at Spiral as the next Saw film. We’re actually starting over and heading in an entirely different direction with this movie.”

Rock’s conceptual idea for the film involved him portraying a detective from the world of Saw – a cop who is fully aware of the serial killer from his city’s past but considers it history – who becomes embroiled in a bizarre murder investigation where the killings seem eerily reminiscent of Jigsaw’s notorious handiwork.

A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral. Working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed police veteran (Samuel L. Jackson), brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.

Bringing Spiral To The Big Screen

In a curious twist of fate, the journey to bring Spiral to the screen began during one of the most joyful occasions imaginable: a wedding. Michael Burns, the vice chairman of Lionsgate, was attending a friend’s nuptials in Brazil and found himself seated next to Rock. The comedian leaned over to Burns during the ceremony and revealed how much he enjoyed the Saw films and that he would love to appear in a fresh chapter that takes the series in a bold new direction.

After the wedding, Burns reached out to longtime Saw producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who have produced the entire franchise of films, and said they should contact Rock to arrange a meeting about a possible new film set in the world of Saw.

“So we called Chris, and a few weeks later Oren and I met with him to discuss his ideas for a new chapter,” says Burg. “And about a year later we were on a set together shooting Spiral.”            

“The first idea I had was, what if I was a cop who woke up in a trap, or had one hand chained to a pipe and a saw in the other,” Rock recalls. “That spurred all of our conversations, and as we talked, everybody got excited about what this movie could be.”

Although Rock was eager to offer his own original story ideas, one thing he left entirely up to the seasoned filmmaking team was the infamous traps that are so much a part of the franchise’s history.

Producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules

“I told Mark Burg that I didn’t want to have anything to do with the traps,” Rock says. “In fact, I didn’t even want to see them until I got to the set. Mark and his team know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to artfully killing people on screen, so I told them, ‘I’ll handle my part of the detective story, and you guys handle all the gore, because you do it better than anyone.’”

This was not a problem for Burg and Koules.

“It’s always fun to come up with gruesome new traps and creepy new storylines, and then figure out how they connect to the existing world we’ve created,” says Burg. “The good news was that Chris had some really great ideas and a solid vision for Spiral.”

Koules admits when he and Burg first began working on the original Saw back in 2004 they couldn’t have imagined they would be adding to the legacy more than 17 years later. “We were happy just to make one truly amazing movie that people around the world loved,” says Koules “That’s all we were hoping to do back when it all started.”

And the filmmaking team was fully on board with turning the page for a new chapter in the Saw legacy. “Our devoted audience wants films that are bigger, better and scarier,” adds Spiral executive producer Daniel Jason Heffner, “so that’s what we’ve delivered with Spiral.”

Koules says that’s due in large part to everything Rock has brought to the film. “Chris is great in this movie and shows so much range. Audiences will see a side of him here that they’ve never seen before. He’ll cause you to laugh sporadically, but make no mistake: Spiral is dark, disturbing, and extremely brutal.”

Rock expects horror fans will love the ride that Spiral takes them on. “It’s a genuine roller coaster that works on all of your senses,” he says. “It has drama, cop action, a touch of comedy, and a ton of extreme horror. Basically, it’s got everything you could want, including some amazing traps. I mean, those traps are what separate Saw from all other series.”

Crafting a Ghoulish Twist

To flesh out Rock’s concept for Spiral, the producers tapped screenwriting duo Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger.

Screenwriters Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger

Experts in the genre, the pair had previously penned the script for Jigsaw, as well as horror hits like Piranha 3D and Sorority Row.

“As soon as we got the call from Mark and Oren saying Chris Rock wanted to make Spiral, Pete and I started brainstorming what the story could be about, and then we spoke to Chris to get his take on it,” says Stolberg. “Pete and I have been writing horror for the past 20 years, so we bonded with Chris over our shared passion for the genre.”

Dreaming up elaborately gory murder methods like the ones depicted in Spiral is a skill that comes naturally to Stolberg and his writing partner, who enjoy coming up with creative ways to kill one another.

“For instance, we’ll go on a cruise with our wives and families, and I’ll be sitting on the deck thinking what might happen if I took the ship’s anchor and tied it around Pete and threw it over the side,” Stolberg laughs. “It’s a great way to spend your free time!”

Stolberg splashed onto the scene writing the Nickelodeon series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and Passion of the Ark, which, after a seven-studio bidding war, was eventually developed into Evan Almighty. Stolberg soon made a name for himself in horror, co-writing films such as Piranha 3D, Jigsaw, Sorority Row, and the CW Halloween special “Kappa Kappa Die.” He is currently writing the feature Teddy and the Guardians of the Night, to be produced by Dwayne Johnson, and the upcoming Queen for a Day, about a week in the life of Prince.

Pete Goldfinger penned Jigsaw for Lionsgate, which was released in 2017. He also wrote the horror films Piranha 3D and Sorority Row as well as the 2020 CW Halloween special “Kappa Kappa Die.”

Stolberg says one of the most challenging aspects of writing Spiral was the speed at which the project developed.

“When Chris came to Lionsgate and said he wanted to make Spiral, he had a very small window of opportunity to actually shoot it before he went off to do another project, so we had to really buckle down and come up with ideas quickly. But when you’re working under pressure like that, you often come up with the most exciting concepts because you’re just throwing everything you can think of into the mix.”

In addition to the ghastly traps and macabre storylines, the Saw films are famous for their shocking twist endings, and Spiral continues in that vein.

“The trickiest part of the writing process on Spiral was honing the plot down to figure out what the big twist would be, because there’s always an amazing twist in the world of Saw,” Stolberg says.

“The crazy thing is that the entire audience knows a twist is coming, so writing the script is almost like doing a magic trick. You have to figure out a way to fool the audience into forgetting that there’s going to be a twist coming if you really want to surprise them. Crafting that twist was definitely the most challenging part of writing Spiral.”

The Vision of Darren Lynn Bousman: A Connoisseur of Terror

Interview: Darren Lynn Bousman Discusses His Involvement in New Documentary THE HORROR CROWD, Immersive Experiences, and Directing SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW - Daily Dead

To direct Spiral, the producers brought back filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman, who had previously helmed three of the most popular and successful movies in the franchise – Saw II (2005), Saw III (2006) and Saw IV (2007) – making him the first horror director to have his first three major Hollywood features open at the top of the box office.

“This is the fifth movie I’ve produced with Darren, so I have quite a bit of experience working with him,” says Heffner. “He’s been a part of our team since the early days, and he’s matured as an artist considerably since Saw II. He’s gone from being a young man in his 20s to a 40-something father of two, and he brings stability to a project like this because he knows how it all originated. And of course, he understands exactly what audiences love about the world of Saw.”

Bousman was born and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, where he was heavily involved in the theater community. He majored in theater and film at Kansas University and during his sophomore year he left KU to attend Full Sail University in Florida, a film school near Orlando. It was there that Bousman began writing and directing short horror films. Shortly thereafter he moved to Los Angeles, where he began his career directing music videos and commercials. During this time, he was introduced to Twisted Pictures producers Gregg Hoffman, Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who had read Bousman’s script The Desperate. They hired him to direct Saw II, which was hugely successful and helped launch the continuing franchise. After three Saw films Bousman went on to direct and produce his “passion project” Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), based on the original stage play he directed in 2002.

Bousman didn’t expect to return to the franchise after finishing Saw IV, but watching new filmmakers add their own mark to the Saw legacy had an unanticipated effect on him.

“I got jealous!” he says. “I thought, that should be me doing it! And, of course, I got stopped frequently by fans who wanted to talk about the series. The interesting thing about those fan interactions is that it wasn’t the traps, or the twists, or the blood and gore they asked me about. Instead, they wanted to know about the backstories and the characters. That’s what really affected people, which tells you something. So when the opportunity arose to come back and direct a brand-new chapter in a completely different way, I was all in.”

Exclusive: Spiral's Darren Lynn Bousman on Return to Saw & Working With Chris Rock
Darren Lynn Bousman with Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock during the filming of Spiral.

The director believes the Saw franchise remains beloved by fans because each film respects the audience’s intelligence.

“The writing goes through a very intense and rigorous process,” he says. “We know what the fans want, and we know what they think we’re going to give them, so we’re constantly trying to fake them out and stay one step ahead. It’s like a game we play with them, and the only question is if they’re going to outsmart us or if we’re going to outsmart them once again.”

Reflecting on his long history with the franchise, Bousman points out an interesting parallel between Spiral and the very first Saw film he directed a decade and a half ago.

“When I initially signed on to make Saw II, I told the producers that I wanted to do something different than what Saw did, because I didn’t want to copy James Wan’s movie. I was happy to pay homage to it, but I really wanted to do my own thing with the sequel. And a similar thing happened when I agreed to direct Spiral. I decided it was time to do something completely different again. Everything is new this time, from the way I shot it, to the way I approached the actors, to the way we’ve designed the traps.”

Bousman acknowledges that returning to helm Spiral feels like an unexpected gift in his life. “Not very long ago, I never would have thought I’d be back to direct a brand-new chapter in the book of Saw, so there were plenty of moments during production when I looked around at all the familiar faces and I couldn’t believe it was happening. It had been 15 years since we last worked together and there I was, back again. It’s like I came full circle… or maybe a spiral is a better description.”

Springing the Traps

For many longtime Saw fans, the diabolically gruesome traps are the true stars of the series. Each movie features an assortment of elaborately designed murder-machines that would make the Marquis de Sade wince in horror, and Spiral includes some of the grisliest devices in the entire franchise.

“Traps are the signature element of the Saw films, and they’ve really evolved over the years,” says Heffner. “At first they were things that could conceivably be built in a garage out of items found in a junkyard. But they grew more complex because our audience wanted them to be bigger and better. So when we started conceiving the traps for Spiral, we made a conscious decision to go back to the basics and come up with ideas that could be built by an individual out of things that were lying around in a workshop.”

Bousman felt it was time to update the look and feel of the traps for this fresh reimagining. “The killer in Spiral is brand new, so I wanted to take a different approach to the way the traps function,” he says. “Jigsaw was an experienced engineer with an ability to create intricate mechanisms, so my idea in Spiral was to think about how a less-experienced killer might approach building traps. What would that look like on screen?”

Creating traps that could conceivably exist in the real world is a goal Bousman set for himself on Spiral.

“One of the things that’s important to me is making sure all the traps work the way we show them to. I never want to take creative liberties when it comes to depicting them. If it doesn’t do what we say it does, I don’t want to shoot it.”

Production designer Tony Cowley, who also worked on Jigsaw, helped translate Bousman’s trap concepts into workable versions that could function effectively on screen.

“The best job you can have on a film like Spiral is to be part of the art department, because it’s all about visualizing the traps, and the sets, and the creepy mechanical designs,” Cowley says.            

Eager to give horror fans what they crave, Bousman promises a plethora of grotesque gadgets in Spiral that will haunt the audience’s nightmares for years to come.

Updating the Visual Language of Saw

To give Spiral the distinctive visual flair that Bousman envisioned, the producers sought to find a cinematographer whose eye could transform tableaux of horror into strikingly artistic compositions. Once again, the decision was made to think outside the box and look for someone not normally associated with the genre. Typically, when Heffner meets with potential crew members for the first time, the interview process is brief and to the point. That was not the case with 28-year-old director of photography Jordan Oram.

The "E" Project - Jordan Oram, Director of Photography - SHIFTER
Jordan Oram

A newcomer to the franchise, Oram spent time during preproduction researching previous movies in the series to learn the visual language of Saw. To capture the disturbing look Bousman was after, the DP shot the film digitally using a monochromatic color palette emphasizing rotting greens and mustard yellows, and occasionally relied on old-school moviemaking techniques like applying Vaseline to the lens in order to achieve a dreamlike image.

Having directed Saw II when he was still in his 20s, Bousman felt an understandable connection with his under-30 DP. “Jordan brought a sense of youth to Spiral, which feels funny to say because I still remember being the young guy on set when I directed my first Saw movie. Back then I was just out of film school, and now I’m the old dude among all of these young talented kids. But that’s what I wanted on this movie, someone who is hungry and talented and keeps up with all the cool new camera toys. And that describes Jordan to a T.”

by ·Comments Off on Keeping Writers and Readers on the same page

When you write your story, the novel/screenplay is read by many ‘readers’, and when it is magnified ten times on film, the visual manifestation must take its audience on a cunningly crafted journey as envisioned by the writer.

It is vital for the writer to not only know who the audience for the story is, but purposely play a  cat and mouse game that will captivate, and lure the audience on a journey that is never predictable or unimaginative.

Whatever you write should always prompt an interaction between writer and reader / audience, keeping the story alive, brimming with conflicted  physical and emotional action.

When something happens in a story, it can be dull and meaningless if ‘nothing’ happens, and the story event (scene) does not have a meaningful and rewarding payoff.

That is ultimately what storytelling is all about: set up and payoff.

If we find a dead body in the woods, the first question that arises is: Who it is?

Now the writer has several choices:

  • To reveal the identity of the body which then leads to murder investigation until the killer is found and we discover who the person is and why he /she was murdered.
  • To not reveal the identity of the body but introduce several characters who might be the person who was killed.
  • To reveal the killer and show what happened, ultimately revealing the identity of the victim.

Whatever you write, the writer must be clear of the intent of the story event and its meaningful payoff.

Keep in mind that each story event is structurally the equivalent of a complete story, complete with its beginning middle and end that was set in action more than 4000 years ago by Aristotle.

The function of your story outline is to identify the story events (scenes) of the most important events in your Protagonist’s life. The function/ goal of the card outline is to build and dramatise each event to its maximum potential, and to explore the exterior and internal lives of your story.

A secure way of plotting your story is to use a card outline, which you complete once you have a solid and comprehensive story outline. The CARD OUTLINE is fully explored in THE WRITE JOURNEY course

by ·Comments Off on Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – A Twisted Origin Story

You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess?  Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is a twisted tale told by Harley herself, as only Harley can tell it. 

It’s open season on Harley Quinn when her always unpredictable life spirals even more out of control following a particularly explosive break-up with her one true love, Mr. J.  For the first time, she’s unprotected and on the run…with every thug in Gotham running after her, starting at the very top with crime lord Roman Sionis.  But with an unexpected assist from three very unlikely sources—Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya—Harley and her newly contrived cadre just might survive this insanely wild, potentially (probably) deadly day.

Margot Robbie, who reprises the role as well as produces the film, says, “The most exciting thing for an actor is to have choices with your character, and you can really do anything when you’re playing Harley Quinn.  With some roles, you can react one or two ways; with Harley, it’s more like 20, and every one of them makes sense for the character.  That is really liberating and creatively stimulating.”

For that reason, among others, even while she was still filming her first turn as the fan-favorite anti-heroine in “Suicide Squad,” she recalls, “I knew that I definitely wasn’t ready to stop playing her, that there was still so much yet to be discovered and explored on screen.”

That uncharted territory led Robbie to delve into options for Harley that included surrounding her with a girl gang, namely the popular DC team up Birds of Prey. 

“I wanted to see what Harley would be like without someone to take care of her.  And it’s always been a part of my own life to have a group of girlfriends that do everything together.  We’re a very mixed bag of personalities,” she smiles, “but everyone loves each other despite being pretty different.  That’s what drew me to developing a story for Harley with the Birds of Prey, to find a group that’s unique, but who complement each other, especially in their fighting styles.  Together, they make up all the pieces of the puzzle.”

To help draft the players and create the world of the film, Robbie reached out to screenwriter Christina Hodson.

Christina Hodson first transitioned from development executive to screenwriter in 2012. Her first three spec scripts were featured on the Black List three years in a row, the last of which, “The Eden Project,” was a sci-fi action script that sold in a bidding war. This led to her joining the “Transformers” writers’ room in 2015. Based on the pitch she conceived in that room, Hodson wrote the screenplay for the “Transformers” spinoff, “Bumblebee,” which was released in December 2018. She will next be writing both the “Flash” and “Batgirl” movies.

“Margot and I fell in love over early morning pizza and mimosas in the summer of 2015,” says Hodson.

Margot Robbie and Christina Hodson

 “She told me of her dream of doing a Harley Quinn/girl gang movie and I was 100 percent in.  We really saw eye to eye on the tone, on keeping it fun, and on doing something boldly different in the superhero movie space.  We both love those movies, but we wanted to try something a little different, something non-linear, action-packed but also with a lot of humor.”

“Christina and I got along the moment we met and we’re going to be friends forever,” Robbie adds.  “She’s a genius.  I had a lot of ideas that didn’t fit together yet, like this relationship or that tableau from the comics, this character here, that storyline there.  She found a way to weave it all in and turn it into something that reflected Harley’s personality and was in Harley’s authentic voice.”

Creating An Origin Story

For the origin story that would pair Harley Quinn with a new collection of characters, they drew inspiration from various comics, such as the New 52 series, when Harley is out on her own and no longer with The Joker. 

That circumstance appealed to them as a logical starting off point because, in order to be the lead in her own film, shouldn’t she also be the star of her own life? 

For Black Canary, they opted for Dinah Lance, daughter of the original, same-name Super Hero with the killer cry, but who still hesitates to hit that high note. 

They liked the version of police detective Renee Montoya who could be a little too tough and sometimes get in her own way, and felt that Huntress, with her tragic backstory, made for an ideal enigmatic loner averse to social interaction.  All of whom made for the most unlikely grouping of wholly reluctant individuals, so who better to match with the infamous criminal girlfriend known for standing by her man…after her man has kicked her to the curb?

Once they had their onscreen team locked in, Robbie teamed with producers Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll and the trio, collectively, found their director in rising star Cathy Yan, a discovery out of Sundance.

Margot Robbie and Cathy Yan (right)

Director Cathy Yan

Cathy Yan is a filmmaker known for her distinct aesthetic, darkly humorous tone and love for subverting typical genre rules and telling unconventional stories. Her debut film, Dead Pigs, which she wrote and directed, won the Special Jury Prize for ensemble acting at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, among several other accolades. The film, which is set in Shanghai, came to fruition after she read a news story about 16,000 dead pigs mysteriously floating down the Huangpu River.

Her work on “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn,” makes her the first Asian woman to direct a superhero genre film.

Next, she is slated to direct and produce a film adaptation of Sour Hearts, a beautiful collection of short stories by Jenny Zhang. Yan will also co-write the script for the film along with Zhang. The film will be an autobiographical coming-of-age story about the immigrant experience from the point of view of a young girl whose parents relocate from Shanghai to New York in the ’90s.

Yan studied at Princeton University, where she earned her BA, and New York University, where she received a dual MFA and MBA in film. Previously, she was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal in New York, Hong Kong and China, and brings her sharp, journalistic instincts to her filmmaking. Yan was born in China and is currently based in New York.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive creative team, they were amazing,” says Yan.  “I know it was a very personal journey of many years for Margot, so I felt very honored to be a part of that.  And she was so actively involved as both a star and a producer, which was pretty amazing.”

The director also felt connected to the world of Harley and the Birds.  “Growing up, I loved Gotham,” she relates.  “When I read Christina’s script, I appreciated how she transformed it and the spirit of her storytelling, as well as the style and attitude of the characters.  They are these badass fighters, plus Harley is over the top, drops F-bombs and makes terrible decisions; her imperfections make her both relatable and also just really fun, and it was all there on the page.”

Kroll recalls, “Margot loves playing Harley and devoting the time and energy to figuring out all her quirks.  She and Christina had captured every dimension of the character, so when Cathy laid out her ideas for the film—the characters, the environments, the context—she really created a sense of place that allowed us to understand what she saw and felt, and how in line it was with our vision.”  Kroll says that Yan provided a comprehensive viewpoint that aligned with theirs from start to finish.  “Even her ideas for the music, which is incredibly integral to this film, were undeniable.”

Robbie concurs, “Cathy’s ability to give each character in an ensemble his or her moment on the screen was one of the main reasons I loved her film ‘Dead Pigs,’ but also why I felt she was the right person to direct this film.  When she came in, it was clear she understood the story and the characters and had so many wonderful additional thoughts.  Sue and Bryan and I just looked at each other and knew it just felt right.”

When the film opens, Harley Quinn is unceremoniously dumped by The Joker and, as she tells the audience (peppered with perhaps a few little white lies), she’s finally living her best life, which includes a new best friend: a hyena she names Bruce for, well…that other Gotham guy.  At the same time, she comes across several other women, each going about her day in her own way: solving mass murders, committing mass murders, or performing at a club patronized by mass murderers and their friends.  Respectively, they are GCPD detective Renee Montoya, played by Rosie Perez; Huntress, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead; and Black Canary, played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell.

“I love action movies.  If you want to put me in a movie about a bunch of girls kicking ass, I’m in,” says Perez.

Winstead agrees, noting, “I loved that this was a story about strong women trying to find their independence, and by coming together they find it within themselves and within one another.”

And Smollett-Bell, who would have double duty acting and singing in the film, loved the collaborative aspect of the Birds and Harley.  “Between the characters teaming up and Harley’s kind of humor, I felt like we were doing something a little different,” she says.  “I could really see myself in Black Canary and in this crazy, Harley world.”

To unite the women in a common cause, the film is infused with non-stop, edge-of-your-seat action as it pits them each against two very uncommon villains—mob boss Roman Sionis, aka the Black Mask, played by Ewan McGregor, and his henchman Victor Zsasz, played by Chris Messina—in order to save one young girl, Cassandra Cain.  Cass is a sticky-fingered street urchin who picks the wrong pocket, and she is played by newcomer Ella Jay Basco.

For the look and feel of the film, the filmmakers and the design teams, led by production designer K.K. Barrett and costume designer Erin Benach, drew visual inspiration from Quinn herself, incorporating certain motifs into a very Harleyized version of Gotham City. 

Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis

Unkeless offers, “The story takes place in the mean streets of Gotham—not the Manhattan-inspired version, but the outer boroughs where the seedy underbelly thrives.  It’s all about attitude, told through the lens of Harley Quinn and all that entails: her crass perspective, her impolite exuberance, and her madcap, acerbic, subversive energy that is always unpredictable.  Put all of that together with this eclectic group of really powerful women who are pushed to their limits and have to form an alliance—albeit a loose one—not only to do what’s right, but just to survive the day.”

That’s right, it all takes place over about 24 hours.  Just another day in the life of one Harley Quinn.

Yan states, “The tone of the movie is totally inspired by Harley Quinn and her irreverent humor, as well as her dark side and the incredible, childlike glee she has for the world around her.  Christina had captured it all in the script and we made sure to continue it throughout all aspects of filming so that, hopefully, it will be part of the DNA of the movie.  I hope that by immersing themselves in Harley’s world, audiences will get to know her and her heart, but also just really enjoy themselves watching these amazing, kickass characters.”

Robbie concurs, adding, “The film is a wild ride and a lot of fun—a taste of life from Harley’s point-of-view that’s unpredictable, out of order, funny, dangerous, heartwarming…a little bit of everything, like her.”

by ·Comments Off on 21 Bridges – An epic “ticking clock” crime story

“The idea of locking down Manhattan for a manhunt was incredibly compelling and cinematic,” says Chadwick Boseman, who serves as a producer on the 21 Bridges and also portrays a detective who takes extreme measures to prevent the killers from escaping Manhattan, and directs the authorities to close all 21 bridges to prevent any entry or exit from the iconic island. “We haven’t seen that before.”

An intriguing mix of spectacle, propulsive and non-stop action, an epic “ticking clock” crime story, t he explosive story unfolds during a single night, after a drug heist gone horribly wrong results in the deaths of eight cops.

Says Boseman’s producing partner, Logan Coles: “I could see the trailer when I first read the script (crafted by Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan) and thought what a cool concept for an action movie – Cops shutting down an island to catch criminals.  It’s an edge of your seat ride.”

Beyond the action, the filmmakers were eager to explore the complexities of the cops and those they’re hunting. Notes director Brian Kirk: “I have an abiding fascination with manhunt movies and the moral journeys they present. This is thriller with the energy of a massive chase. There’s a conceptual purity, visceral realism and heightened scale and spectacle that comes with the idea of locking down Manhattan overnight. It’s almost like a military invasion. It has an archetypal clarity you associate with classic myths and with the tradition of New York crime movies. 21 Bridges is a modern story that exists within that tradition.”

Working closely with Boseman and Kirk were noted filmmakers Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, who were among the principal architects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having helmed the blockbusters Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. “Joe and Anthony godfathered me through the numerous challenges of making a film of this scale,” says Kirk. “They helped me create an environment where the best idea always wins. I drew inspiration from them throughout the film’s development, production and, especially, during post-production.

As Joe Russo points out, 21 Bridges fits very well in his and Anthony’s creative wheelhouse. “We grew up on genre films, especially elevated genre pictures with a particularly sophisticated execution of that type of material,” he explains. “Brian Kirk was someone at the top of our list of artists we wanted to work with. He understands the film’s themes and twists and turns, as well as the social potency of some of the issues it examines.”

Producer Gigi Pritzker added, “I was drawn to the film beginning with the terrific script. The idea of working with Joe and Anthony on this kind of a genre film directed by Brian Kirk made it even more compelling and exciting. The film is totally exhilarating and puts you in the center of a gripping crime drama that pulls you in and won’t let go. Chadwick gives an award-winning performance that will resonate with audiences as wewatch his character grapple with the complex choices he has to make.”

That social potency points to the film’s rich and layered social commentary, much of it focused on the sometimes-thin line that exists between cop and perpetrator, and all brought to life by characters with surprising nuances. Andre begins his unstoppable pursuit in full hunter mode, but as he draws closer to his prey and begins to understand the context of their actions, he undergoes a fascinating evolution.

Their collision course, says Anthony Russo, “reveals surprising layers as the narrative progresses, blurring the lines between protagonist and antagonist. We always look for ‘villains’ with strong emotional or empathetic points of view. There are many sides to a given story.”

“We wanted to bring significant moral and emotional substance to the film,” Kirk adds. “It’s more layered than a simple ‘good versus evil’ story. Andre ultimately wants to save his prey, Michael, played by Stephan James, and their respective journeys are toward connection and interdependence. That was a fascinating and incredibly strong core element to explore.”

Says co-producer Malcolm Gray: “We wanted the cops and bad guys to be equally compelling, to the point where you may actually be rooting for the two gunmen to escape, as much as you are for Andre to capture them. All the characters are flawed and human, and because of their circumstances, they are forced to examine their own morality.”

Boseman confirms that Andre is a complex figure. “He has prepared his entire life to be a cop,” the Black Panther star explains. “Andre’s father, a policeman, was killed in the line of duty when Andre was just 13, so he has grown up with this unsettled murder of his dad. Over the years, Andre has become determined to not only avenge his father’s death, but those of any cops he has served with.”

As Boseman indicates, the filmmakers were focused on fine-tuning the character of Davis and giving him as much texture as possible. “Chadwick wanted Davis to be a layered and unexpected hero,” says Kirk. “We, along with screenwriter Matt Carnahan, working off initial drafts from screenwriter Adam Mervis, wanted to bring out Andre’s honesty, bravery and intelligence. He’s a warrior with a purpose. Detective with a code, Chadwick brought everything to the table to realize the character’s potential.”

Anthony Russo adds, “Chadwick is an incredible artist who always brings that same level of execution to his work as a producer. He understands not only the intricacies of his character, but how to step back and look at the bigger picture.” Giving Davis some unexpected dimensions was critical. “We wanted to put some dirt under his fingernails and make him a little less refined and less of a simple heroic figure,” says Coles.

We love telling stories, surprising people, and giving them a fulfilling and multi-dimensional experience,” says Joe Russo.

“There’s a lot of intensity and action in 21 Bridges; if that’s what you want, it’s there and it’s a privilege to deliver it,” concludes Brian Kirk. “But I think moviegoers will also respond to the evolving relationship between the hunter, Andre, and his prey, Michael. This is a modern noir – a chase movie – that’s always about a relationship between two people who thought they had nothing in common, but actually, have everything in common.”

by ·Comments Off on Motherless Brooklyn – A story about power and dispossession

The beating heart of writer-director Edward Norton’s meticulously crafted private-eye mystery Motherless Brooklyn is a highly original and poignant riff on the noir detective—a man driven into the darkest shadows of 1957 New York City by a need to understand a world that has left him a misjudged outcast. 

This is Lionel Essrog, whose over-charged brain would seem to bar him from the classic detective realms of the smooth and the no-nonsense.  But in making Lionel the hero of a story about power and dispossession, Norton upends a hard-boiled character integral to American cinema and re-imagines him through an emotionally stirring prism of chaos, need and vulnerability. 

When Lionel attempts to find the killer of the only man who ever cared about him, his boss Frank Minna, he is lured deeper and deeper into the city that made him.  His compulsion to make order from mayhem, to put all things broken back together again, leads him into the very structural framework that holds up modern New York and into the visionary, if venal, realms of the men who drove its Mid-Century ascent.  His search for simple justice becomes an epic odyssey—one that takes him into timeless forces not only of ambition, greed, bigotry and the dark allure of wielding power, but also the countervailing forces of music and emotional connection. 

The film’s 20-year journey to the screen began in 1999 when Norton saw the cinematic potential in Jonathan Lethem’s novel Motherless Brooklyn and its unforgettable central character. 

But from the beginning, Norton aimed to transpose Lethem’s contemporary characters into a different period and plot and give it a distinctive atmosphere by re-setting the drama in the 1950s—a time of great change in New York City.

Almost two decades ago, Norton first read Jonathan Lethem’s inventive, genre-bending novel Motherless Brooklyn and fell in love with its hugely energetic, highly unlikely narrator. 

Lionel might openly dub himself a “freakshow,” but Norton saw in him a universally human quest to untangle the threads of who he is and how he might rise above a chaotic world.

“I was very taken with this orphaned kid who grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn, who is afflicted with Tourette Syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder; yet, who is also extremely bright and has this compelling way of seeing the world,” Norton says. 

“There was a very positive side to Lionel’s obsessive personality, which is that he holds information, as he says, like ‘glass in the brain.’  Lionel can’t let things lie, he can’t not pull on a thread, he can’t stop thinking about things that haven’t yet fit together.  So, as a detective, he has a relentless compulsion to figure out what’s really going on around him that I found exciting and moving.”

Norton continues, “Jonathan created a character at once funny and poignant, one who you instinctively root for because you can see what he’s really like on the inside.  I’ve always been drawn to underdogs and I fell in love with Lionel as a kind of underdog hero.”

Yet, just as Lionel often gets the urge in his mind to take the things that matter most to him apart, so too did Norton feel the lure to play with this character who held him so rapt. 

Norton couldn’t help but do something he knew broke all the rules: he imagined dropping Lionel into an entirely different timeline and series of events from the book. 

At the same time, Norton wanted to keep Lionel very much a motherless child of Brooklyn, a detective on the trail of his mentor’s killer, a verbal virtuoso and a man deeply attuned to the mysteries and fireworks of the human mind. 

He wanted the movie, like the book, to be at once an homage to noir and an open-eyed, soul-searching love letter to New York in all its aspirations and mayhem—in fact, he wanted this idea to take the lead. 

When Norton approached Lethem with this radical notion of shifting his acclaimed novel’s narrator into fresh territory, he knew the risk was real that Lethem might be appalled.  Laying his cards on the table, Norton told Lethem straight out that much as he intended to be faithful to the spirit of Lionel, he aimed to entirely switch up the plot. 

As it turned out, Lethem was open to the idea. Even better, he was intrigued. 

“The novel is contemporary to the `90s.  But the characters have such a `50s gestalt to them—they speak and act like men out of time,” notes Norton.  “This works beautifully on a literary level, but I was very transparent with Jonathan that I felt in a film it could feel ironic if you had guys in our times talking like noir gumshoes.  Fortunately, Jonathan agreed.  He said the plot was always secondary to the character in his mind and if I wanted to send Lionel off into another adventure, that was just fine with him.”

Norton already knew precisely where he wanted to take Lionel.  “I’ve long been interested in what was happening behind the scenes in the development of New York in the late 1950s, when the old New York became the modern city,” he explains.  “It felt like a very charged place to put Lionel.  Thankfully, Jonathan is as passionate a student of New York as I am, and he completely understood what I hoped to do, so I couldn’t have been luckier.” 

Lucky as he felt, Norton couldn’t rush the process.  It would require exhaustive research but also a very tricky, polyphonic twining of history into a fictional creation. 

Norton worked on the script off and on over the next decade, and then fought several more years to bring it to the screen. 

In the same period, he would achieve acclaim for a diverse range of roles ranging from Fight Club and 25th Hour to The Illusionist, Moonrise Kingdom and Birdman, as well as making his directorial debut with the romantic comedy Keeping the Faith.

Yet as time pressed on, the themes of the story kept resonating more and more with social and political concerns simmering just beneath the surface of American culture.  By the time production began, the film’s 1957 New York—that fork in the road when choices were made between unchecked ambition and a more just city—felt like a mirror for our own era. 

As he carved Lionel’s new story, Norton let the chase for Frank Minna’s killer take him deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of a city then forging both its high-minded beauty and the undercurrent of inequity that continues today.

Norton brought Lionel into smoky jazz joints where he finds something that breaks through his brain’s chatter to touch his soul. 

But he also turned Lionel’s search for Frank Minna’s killer into a confrontation with a giant: Moses Randolph, the ambitious developer remaking the city, portrayed by Alec Baldwin.  In Randolph, Lionel discovers crime beyond anything Minna ever taught him—uncovering corruption, discrimination and wholesale destruction of neighborhoods taking place in broad daylight as the city grows to the spectacular benefit of some and at the devastating expense of others. 

In a twist on Balzac’s famous dictum “every great fortune is built on a crime,” Norton began thinking about the idea that “every great city is built on a crime.”  If Los Angeles’s original crime was pilfering the water so necessary to its growth, New York’s original crime was building its soaring infrastructure on a bedrock of crooked dealings, racist biases and exertion of authoritarian power that seemed to thwart democratic principles.

Housing issues have, in a sense, always been in Norton’s blood.  His maternal grandfather, James Rouse, was a progressive developer and philanthropist who was an early champion and philosopher of urban renewal.  Rouse turned all his boldest ideas for how cities might improve everyday human life and social relations into a real place: Columbia, Maryland, built from the ground up as a self-contained community strategically designed to foster economic, racial and social equality.  Later, Rouse founded The Enterprise Foundation, a nonprofit that has been an advocate for affordable housing in diverse neighborhoods for low and moderate-income families since 1982. 

Norton grew up in Columbia, the town his grandfather imagined and built.  After studying history at Yale, he spent several years working in affordable housing development himself before devoting himself to acting.  He’s also a Lifetime Trustee of The Enterprise Foundation.

So, Norton relished the opportunity to bring to life an arrogant, insatiable, unashamedly biased urban planner who represents all that Rouse rejected. Though Randolph never existed, he is drawn from the ethos of New York’s Mid-Century powerbrokers and resembles a pastiche of characters from the city’s history, most unmistakably the notorious Robert Moses. 

Often called the “master builder” of the booming 20th century, Robert Moses helped mold the face of New York as it exists today.  He spurred the construction of hundreds of miles of roads, bridges and highways and built up thousands of acres of parkland, beaches and playgrounds.  He erected 150,000 housing units as well as developing such landmarks as Lincoln Center, the UN headquarters and the Central Park Zoo.  In his day, Moses was often feted as a man who got things done and who centered the city’s future on big ideas and constant growth.

But behind the scenes, Moses also amassed so much power that he was essentially running an unelected shadow government bolstered by strong-arm techniques, self-promoting propaganda and back-room deals.  Meanwhile, his public works sparked the evictions and uprooting of a half million lower-income citizens who stood in the way of his vision.  Entire neighborhoods were bulldozed out of existence, as Moses forged an elitist model of the city that helped to entrench poverty while stoking inequity and divisions.  Famously, Moses was even said to have ordered engineers to lower the bridges over the Southern State Parkway on Long Island to keep busses carrying minorities from travelling to the beaches.

“The story of how old New York City got converted into the modern city is a really deep and dark one,” observes Norton. “There are many great books and documentaries about that era, but it hasn’t been richly explored in film.  We often think of the Mid Century as the heyday of American democracy, but what was being swept under the rug is that institutional racism was being built directly into the city planning in New York and elsewhere.  The truth is that many things that happened in the city were achieved through methods that were fundamentally at odds with America’s commitment to democratic leadership and, in fact, bordered on actual autocracy.  In many ways, bridges, roads and housing projects are to New York what water is to Los Angeles: the lifeblood but also a container for the darker secrets of the city.”

Though Lionel is intimately familiar with raw deals in life, coming face to face with the sheer extent of the systemic corruption at the heart of his home territory stuns him.

Yet, one of the most fascinating things about his character is that Lionel is too much of a realist to go in for tilting at windmills.  He is laser-focused on his own smaller, personal, yet still unquestionably daring aim: to settle the score with Moses Randolph, no matter how big and imperious he is, on behalf of Frank Minna.

“We’ve never seen a detective story with a character like Lionel Essrog before,” notes Bill Migliore, who produced “Motherless Brooklyn” in concert with Norton, Michael Bederman, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane.  “But Lionel is also part of a grand tradition of movies about a person whose affliction turns out also to be their greatest gift.  Bringing this terrific and unique character, who has no one looking out for him, into a story that is also about class, race, abuse of power and the history of New York, felt not only original but highly relevant to our times—times when so many feel disenfranchised and disempowered.”

Adds Michael Bederman, “At its core, this is a story about a man trying to put his life back together after a traumatic event where his best friend is murdered.  When he comes up against this huge governmental misconduct, Lionel realizes he can’t take down the entire system.  What he can try to do is to help the people he cares about.  Sometimes we fail in those big endeavors, while finding small, vital steps forward.”

Even as Lionel is descending into the dank, hazy layers of the city, he uncovers something that gives him a blessed escape from the exhausting excursions of his mind: a tender connection with a woman who doesn’t try to change him.  Lionel has never really known before what it is to be touched, to be seen, to be loved.  Norton wanted this to become one of his small but enlivening triumphs in the midst of solving the larger mystery.

“Lionel has a need and a desire to connect.  He’s always felt unseen, because people don’t see past the prism of his condition.  So, the character of Laura Rose, played so beautifully by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, becomes the emotional core of the story,” says Norton.  “She’s the one who expresses this idea that we all just need someone to look out for us in this world.”

It is Laura who leads Lionel into another discovery that opens up a new dimension in him: the disjunctive but electrifying wonders of jazz and jazz culture.

“If there is a musical expression of the improvisational, wild, delightful language that can come out through Tourette Syndrome, it’s jazz, and especially hard bop, so I just loved the idea of Lionel finding his way into that world,” says Norton.  “He gets sort of liberated by the music, which, like his mind, is anarchic and chaotic, but wonderful and beautiful, too.”

The verve and spontaneity of jazz seduces Lionel into another side of the city, one that exists in the shaded hollows beneath the glorious skyscrapers that obsess Moses Randolph.

Later, the film’s music would see Norton bring together an extraordinarily unusual trio who became the sonic key to the film’s mood-driven atmosphere.  Composer Daniel Pemberton would fuse the freedom of jazz with electronic sounds that echo the looping thoughts in Lionel’s brain for his score.  Norton’s friend and iconic jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis would join the production behind the scenes to play with an all-star band for the club scenes within the film.  Then, another longtime friend, the singer, musician and songwriter Thom Yorke wrote an original song (featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea) for the film, which was then reflected back into a jazz-infused refrain played by Marsalis.

“The music in the film became a way not only into the time period and the history of New York jazz clubs but an emotionally visceral way into Lionel’s inner life,” sums up Norton.

As Norton prepared to film the story that had lived in his mind for nearly two decades, casting became a central crux.  The characters were so multi-hued they called out for something special.  But also, Norton knew he needed an absolutely crack cast if he was going to carry off the feat of playing Lionel while directing and producing a film of lavishly detailed scope and scale.

“Directing a movie is almost by definition antagonistic to the state of mind you want to be in as an actor,” Norton points out.  “You want to be out of your head when you’re acting, and you’ve got to have your head on top of everything when you’re directing.  So that means if you’re doing both, first, you’ve got to really own that character long before you ever step into doing it.  But it also means that if you’re going to have any hope of focusing as an actor, you’ve got to have a game plan and you’ve got to have really experienced collaborators who are able to show up on the day having already asked all the questions, ready to execute.”

He got exactly that with an ensemble that includes Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Leslie Mann, Ethan Suplee, Dallas Roberts, Josh Pais, Robert Ray Wisdom and Fisher Stevens, as well as Alec Baldwin and Willem Dafoe.

“Every single person that Edward wanted showed up, and not only did they show up, but they brought their A games,” says Migliore.  “Each brought the absolute best part of themselves, which made the story even better.”

Then, Norton began his balancing act.  “The movie rests on the audience’s ability to connect to and care for his unusual character,” Migliore continues.  “And watching Edward embody Lionel was nothing short of thrilling. I’ve had the distinct privilege of watching Edward multiple times build a particular character in real-time on set—and I would describe it as a cross between elaborate math and jazz.  And then, to also have the discipline, thought and artistry to be able to toggle back-and-forth between that and his directorial vision, working with our large and dynamic cast, was extraordinary.”

Producer Rachel Shane adds, “It was amazing on set to watch how seamlessly Edward could turn from a director, being very empathetic with his actors and crew, to then an actor perfectly embodying the complex character Lionel Essrog, at the snap of a finger.”

For Baldwin, who portrays Moses Randolph as a man of titanic contrasts, the story works only because all his fellow cast mates brought their best.  “When you have such a smart and complicated script, you’ve got to bring in people who can really take a bite out of it, and that’s what Edward did,” he says.

Everyone was inspired by the funny, melancholy, justice-seeking, genre-breaking detective that Lethem originated—and equally the roiling New York world of treachery and passion that Norton plunged him into with such resonant effect.

Sums up Mbatha-Raw, “What Edward brings to life is a moody noir and a soulful, sweeping love letter to New York as well as an unusual personal journey.  Along the way he weaves in timely themes of culture, gentrification, racial discrimination and the history of American cities, but you see it all through the eyes of an underdog who society might otherwise overlook.”

Norton feels a debt to those who came together around his daring vision and supported him both in front of and behind the camera.  “This was a production with such a big scale of complexity that it could never have been pulled off without a group of stone-cold professionals at every level,” he reflects.  “I felt like I had the fantasy league team surrounding me in each one of the film’s dimensions.  Without a doubt, it was one of the best collections of collaborators from top to bottom that I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my career.”

Lionel Essrog and The Noir Tradition

Just as Jonathan Lethem playfully riffed on the American pulp paperback tradition of dark-alley private eyes to create Lionel Essrog, so too would Norton improvise freely on the classic elements of the film noir style those paperbacks begat.

By the 1957 setting of Norton’s film, noir had risen from B-movie status to become one of Hollywood’s most iconic artforms, cherished and imitated across the globe.  The aesthetic fundaments of noir—rain-soaked streets rife with brooding, double-crossing rebels and misfits, high-contrast lighting and rat-a-tat dialogue—became, along with be-bop jazz, part of the birth of the cool.  But it was the way noir also seemed to interrogate social norms and expose the shaky bedrock of modern life that made it such a persuasive and ever-evolving form of storytelling.

Arising from the shattered innocence of post-WWII, the stoic, broken heroes of noir mirrored the destabilizing mix of melancholy, guilt and anger roiling in the global psyche.  But also, in an era of rapidly shifting gender and racial balances, noir was the rare genre that dared to confront mounting anxiety over the very idea of “The Other.”  And that’s what made it a particularly potent form for “Motherless Brooklyn,” as the story’s marginalized characters uncover the hypocrisy of a gilded world that is in fact built on crimes.

For Norton, it was a way of returning noir to what it does best: exposing dark corners.  “In the `50s,” he says, “you had this sense of America rapidly ascending in power.  We were a young, optimistic, idealistic country.  But with noir what you got was people making films that said hang on a second, let’s peel the edge back.  And when you glimpsed beneath that edge, there was a lot of dark stuff happening.  That notion of peering into what’s happening in the shadows, into what’s happening below the more comfortable narrative of who we are and what we have achieved, I think is as compelling now as it ever has been.”

As writer and director, Norton would play up the crime film tropes already seeded throughout Lethem’s novel.  He did so with an expansive visual design that draws from eight decades of widely varying takes on noir—from the moody chiaroscuro of the 1940s and `50s to the more sociologically-driven, self-referential and wildly colorful neo-noirs of the `60s and beyond.

But as an actor, Norton would re-interpret noir cinema’s most elemental character—the glib, cynical gumshoe—in an utterly fresh rendition.  Essrog is no Sam Spade.  He’d like to be, but he doesn’t have a hope.  While many noir detectives are men of few words, Essrog can’t stop the words from erupting out of him at every inopportune moment.  He can’t keep himself from punning and clanging, nor can he cease the constant self-analysis that makes him far more vulnerable and transparently human than an entire pantheon of noir protagonists.

In his agile performance, Norton did everything he could to keep the character from ever being merely the sum of his outbursts and compulsions.  The hope was to have Lionel’s Tourette Syndrome become to the audience simply organic, as much a part of who he is as being an orphan or a Brooklynite, and just one part of many that make up the man.

Norton lets the audience in on the anguish Lionel feels trying to grapple with his mind’s duplicities.  But then you see Lionel realize that very same mind is what gives him the drive and the skills to find the answers he needs to feel whole.  As he becomes more accepting of his eccentricities, Lionel discovers something life-changing: he doesn’t have to be alone.  He too can find solace in opening himself up to a deep connection with another human being—a universal desire to which anyone can relate.

“For me, the essence of Lionel’s personal journey is his need to connect,” Norton says. “He feels unseen, or not seen for who he really is, because he has been seen mostly through the prism of his condition.  The interplay of his sorrow and frustration with his humor and his tenacity is a mix I’ve found in many of my favorite film characters and it always moves me.”

“All of my favorite filmmakers set up paradoxes, and this film has lots of paradoxes—from the mix of beauty and pain in Lionel’s affliction, to the mix of destruction and creative vision in Moses Randolph,” Norton concludes.  “I hope the film asks some big questions about cities and discrimination and the path of the future.  But most of all, I hope audiences come to have a relationship with an unexpected character who takes a deeply emotional journey of discovery.”

by ·Comments Off on Child’s Play – A contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic film

Producer Seth Grahame-Smith was 12 years old when the original Child’s Play was released and remembers being absolutely terrified by it, then watching it again and again. “I’ve been a fan ever since.”

So when MGM and Orion Pictures brought up the idea that they wanted to update the original movie, Grahame-Smith and fellow producer David Katzenberg were initially apprehensive. “We didn’t want to just remake the 1988 movie, which is a horror classic that introduced the world to one of greatest horror villains of all time. We wanted to introduce something new to it, something relevant to today’s audiences.”  

They thought long and hard about what that might be.  We live in a world where cameras and microphones are everywhere, and where our appliances talk to each other. Everything is interconnected.

“We got excited by what it would mean for Chucky, if he were not just a kid’s toy but a really high end AI product, like something you’d see from Apple or Amazon or Google — a child companion. What would happen if something with so much computing power and connectivity went bad, what would the possibilities be?” The producers then got excited about having something new to say, well-aware of the responsibility they had to long-time fans.

A contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic film, Child’s Play follows Karen (Aubrey Plaza), a single mother who gifts her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) a Buddi doll, unaware of its more sinister nature. 

“In watching the original Child’s Play, I was drawn to the idea that a toy, something that every child has and loves, can turn on you so quickly,” says Katzenberg, “I was so frightened by that. It made me look at every toy in my bedroom differently; to this day I think it’s frightening to think about.” Now, when it comes to Chucky’s updated reincarnation, that fear is expanded upon: “It’s frightening to think that something we use for good every day, can potentially harm us.”

The upgraded Chucky is far more advanced, adds Grahame-Smith, “he has more ways to kill you.”  He now has the ability to access other devices and look through them, and he can take over thermostats, vehicles, robot vacuums. “He can use anything at his disposal to terrorize and kill you.” Meet Chucky 2.0.

Just six weeks after that initial meeting with MGM and Orion, Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury, Quantum Break video game) had finished writing the script, based on characters created by Don Mancini.

Tyler Burton Smith (Screenplay by) is a screenwriter hailing from Peachland, British Columbia, Canada. As a child, Tyler’s love for storytelling was expressed through countless cringe-worthy puppet plays and stop-motion short films that only his sister had the patience to sit through. A UBC graduate, Smith eventually paired his fascination with the human condition and passion for filmmaking to pursue a career in screenwriting.
After attending Vancouver Film School, Smith started his writing career in the world of video games, writing stories for such games as “Sleeping Dogs” and “Quantum Break.” He lived in Finland for several years while working for Remedy Entertainment. In 2015 he moved to LA when his original sci-fi movie pitch was purchased by Sony Animation.  
Tyler Burton Smith co-wrote the screenplay for the animatronic horror film Five Nights at Freddy’s with Gil Kenan for Warner Bros. His original horror comedy Spooked sold to 20th Century Fox and is now in development with Dan Lin producing. He wrote the feature film adaptation of the stylistic action phenomenon Kung Fury, which is now in pre-production with Michael Fassbender and Arnold Schwarzenegger set to star. Smith’s love of horror, dark comedy and puppetry all came together for his latest project as the writer of the remake of Child’s Play.

“After watching every Chucky movie, he turned around and wrote an unreasonably good script in a very short amount of time,” gushes Grahame-Smith.

Next, it was crucial to get the right director and they found their helmer in Lars Klevberg. “Someone who really responded to the script and had all the right ideas, all the right reference, and all the right energy and got the right tone,” says Grahame-Smith.

Klevberg’s agent told him that there was a planned remake of Child’s Play, and asked him if he’d be interested in the project. Unbeknownst to Klevberg, however, the agent had already shown his previous film, Polaroid, to them, and the producers loved his work.

Katzenberg recalls their first meeting with Lars vividly.  “I pulled over by the side of the road after leaving a meeting at a studio to talk to Lars on the phone.  We thought we were going to have a 15-minute conversation and it turned into a 2-hour phone call.” During their epic phone conversation, Lars has gone as far as playing music for a potential soundtrack and to set the tone of the scene. His passion came blasting through the phone. “We knew he was our guy.”

Born in Norway, Lars Klevberg has had an early love of cinema and photography, going on to make award-winning short films like the post-apocalyptic drama, The Wall, and the horror film, Polaroid. Earlier on in his life, Klevberg focused on studying filmmaking in school and enriching his understanding of cinema on his own by reading hundreds of books on the craft. Amongst his influences are filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman, as well as Japanese anime. He went on to work on many sets at a production assistant and 3rd AD, before tackling his own short films.  Klevberg spent 6 years in the Norwegian infantry as a platton commander/lieutenant and transfers many of his skills from the army unto movie sets.   He is known for his highly visual, striking storytelling style, meticulous attention to detail, and Viking spirit.

Klevberg believes that both Grahme-Smith and Katzenberg epitomize the perfect producers.

“There’s a big difference between people that just wanted to produce and producers that are creatively involved and support the director. The amount of support and freedom they have given me, whilst at the same time pushing me and checking and balancing, keeping  my feet on the ground because I can quickly run off,” says Klevberg with a laugh. “It’s been extraordinary working with them and I’m in such an awe of them. They have given me so much inspiration and they are on top of their game, they know exactly what they’re doing and how to handle it when things don’t quite go as smoothly during the production—and nothing ever really does. They are not shy about jumping in to help. I couldn’t ask for better producers.”

For Klevberg, it was important for the story to have an authentic human connection and an emotional aspect that would resonate with audience beyond the scares. It has to have something to say on a deeper level. “To be honest, when I read the script, it was really, really good. It just had so much more to it. The way they tackled it in the script the way Chucky thinks and how he becomes the Chucky we know is very very interesting because it delved into the emotional context between the characters of Andy and Chucky.”

Unlike its predecessors, in this version of Chucky we are very much aware of why he becomes evil, we understand his motivation — and that is something that Klevberg finds particularly frightening.

“We are dealing with an antagonist that you really get to know and we really understand why he behaves in the way he does, and it feels really possible and real. The way Chucky changes is really beautifully done and it’s terrifying. I always always look at this this script as a Greek tragedy.”

The movie evolves into a very real confrontation between Chucky and Andy where you understand both POVs, and might even feel more than a tinge of sympathy for the killer doll. “Chucky turns evil because he is interacting with people and learning about how they’re behaving.   He wants to do something that he believes to be good, but his way of behaving is based on impulse [and a limited understanding of the world].”   That’s where things take a dark turn.

Child’s Play scared Klevberg because it dealt with something that’s meant to be there to comfort you. “As kid you imagine [dolls] being alive and you talk to them, and they protect you and all that fun stuff. But Child’s Play showed us it could do the opposite, so that that scared me when I was kid.”

Like Grahame-Smith and Katzenberg, Lars feels a great responsibility to do right by Chucky. “You have to be able to respect its origin, but at the same time you need to make it your story and you need to make the story that a brilliant writer has put on the page. It is your responsibility to create that story first and foremost and at the same time try to keep some of what made the original so popular.” He cites E.T., the Swedish version of Let the Right One In, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and even Pinocchio, as some of his influences for the film.

Making sure that the film is scary, of course, was an integral part of the equation and it’s not always easy to figure out when a beat or scene is meant to be properly tense because you’re shooting out of sequence and the movie is being built piece by piece —so it was important to keep the overall vision in mind.

“There’ a lot about the film that’s going to scare the audiences,” insists Grahame-Smith, “The scary moments, the psychopathic killer doll, and also the plausibility of it. When they get home they will realize that a lot of this technology is already in their homes and in their lives and what if it turned against them and decided to go on a killing spree, that’s the fun of it and the relevance of it…One thing that wasn’t true in 1988, but is true in 2019 is that the Chucky we have today can actually kill you.”

Grahame-Smith hopes that audiences will continue thinking about it and be scared long after they come home.  “We want this movie to be fun, darkly funny, scary, disgusting, terrifying, and surprisingly at times emotional.  We are making this movie for a packed movie theater experience that everyone can share together.”

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28 DAYS LATER – A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the “Rage” virus from a medical research lab. When London bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma a month after, he finds his city all but deserted. On the run from the zombie-like victims of the Rage, Jim stumbles upon a group of survivors, including Selena (Naomie Harris) and cab driver Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and joins them on a perilous journey to what he hopes will be safety. 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror drama directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET – 2010 slasher directed by Samuel Bayer, and written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer. The film stars Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, and Kellan Lutz. Produced by Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes, it is a remake of Wes Craven’s 1984 film of the same name and the reboot of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film is set in a fictitious town of Ohio and centers around a group of teenagers living on one street who are stalked and murdered in their dreams by a disfigured man named Freddy Krueger. The teenagers discover that they all share a common link from their childhood that makes them targets for Krueger.

A QUIET PLACE – 2018 horror directed by and starring John Krasinski. Written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck and Krasinski, the plot revolves around a father (Krasinski) and a mother (Emily Blunt) who struggle to survive and raise their children in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters with an acute sense of hearing.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER – While still a boy, Abraham Lincoln loses his mother to a vampire’s bite. He vows revenge, but fails in the attempt, narrowly escaping with his life. He is rescued by Henry (Dominic Cooper), a charismatic vampire hunter who instructs Abe in the fine art of dispatching bloodsuckers. Abe (Benjamin Walker) continues his fight against the undead well into adulthood and his presidency, making a last stand against the ultimate vampire foe (Rufus Sewell) on the eve of the Civil War’s defining battle. 2012 dark fantasy action horror film directed by Timur Bekmambetov, based on the 2010 mashup novel of the same name. The novel’s author, Seth Grahame-Smith, wrote the screenplay and served as an executive producer. Benjamin Walker stars as the title character with supporting roles by Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, and Marton Csokas.

AFTER LIFE – Following a terrible car crash, a woman (Christina Ricci) awakes to find an enigmatic mortician (Liam Neeson) preparing her for burial.  2009 American psychological horror-thriller directed by Agnieszka Wójtowicz-Vosloo from her original screenplay

ALIEN – A 1979 science fiction horror directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon. Based on a story by O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, it follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, who encounter the eponymous Alien, an aggressive and deadly extraterrestrial set loose on the ship. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto.

ALIENS – A 1986 science fiction horror written and directed by James Cameron. It is the sequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien, and the second film in the Alien franchise. Set in the far future, the film stars Sigourney Weaver as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, the sole survivor of an alien attack on her ship. When communications are lost with a human colony on the moon on which her crew first encountered the alien creatures, Ripley agrees to return to the site with a troop of colonial marines to investigate. Aliens features Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, and Carrie Henn in supporting roles.

ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE – Beautiful Mandy Lane (Amber Heard) isn’t a party girl but, when classmate Chloe (Whitney Able) invites the Texas high school student to a bash in the countryside, she reluctantly accepts. After hitching a ride with a vaguely scary older man (Anson Mount), the teens arrive at their destination. Partying ensues, and Mandy’s close pal, Emmet (Michael Welch), keeps a watchful eye on the young males making a play for Mandy. Then two of the students are murdered. All the Boys Love Mandy 2006 slasher film directed by Jonathan Levine.

ANNIHILATION – Lena, a biologist and former soldier, joins a mission to uncover what happened to her husband inside Area X — a sinister and mysterious phenomenon that is expanding across the American coastline. Once inside, the expedition discovers a world of mutated landscapes and creatures, as dangerous as it is beautiful, that threatens both their lives and their sanity. 2018 science fiction horror written and directed by Alex Garland, based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer. It stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. The story follows a group of explorers who enter “The Shimmer”, a mysterious quarantined zone of mutating plants and animals caused by an alien presence.

ANTICHRIST – 2009 experimental psychological horror film written and directed by Lars von Trier and starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It tells the story of a couple who, after the death of their child, retreat to a cabin in the woods where the man experiences strange visions and the woman manifests increasingly violent sexual behaviour and sadomasochism. The narrative is divided into a prologue, four chapters and an epilogue. Written in 2006 while von Trier had been hospitalised due to a significant depressive episode, the film was largely influenced by his own struggles with depression and anxiety.

ASYLUM – The film follows a riot squad that enters an insane asylum to try to deal with a hostage situation involving some of the inmates. The group is quickly overwhelmed by the patients, who quickly attack the squad members. The situation turns more tense when they realize that they are completely cut off from the outside world and they realize that they aren’t fighting against normal mental patients, but ones that have been possessed by a dark and evil force. 2014 American horror comedy film directed by Todor Chapkanov and starring Stephen Rea, Bruce Payne, Hristo Shopov, and Caroline Ford.

THE BARRENS A man takes his family on a camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the Jersey Devil.  2012 American horror written and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and starring Stephen Moyer and Mia Kirshner

BEDLAM – Haunted by his family’s past, a man (Guy Edmonds) enters a mental hospital that holds a dark secret. Haunted by demons from his family’s past and the voices inside his head a man is sent to a mental institution. Once there, he realises all is not as it should be and that he is in danger of being caught up in the hospital’s dark side. Written and directed by Australian filmmaker Chew Barker (2015)

BEFORE I WAKE (also known as Somnia) Foster parents Mark and Jessie welcome 8-year-old Cody into their home. The boy tells Jessie that he’s terrified to fall asleep, but she assumes it’s just a natural fear for any young child. The couple become startled when their dead biological son suddenly appears in their living room. To their surprise, Cody’s dreams can magically become real but so can his nightmares. Mark and Jessie must now uncover the truth behind Cody’s mysterious ability before his imagination harms them all. 2016 American horror directed and edited by Mike Flanagan and co-written by Flanagan and Jeff Howard. The film stars Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, and Dash Mihok.

BLACK CHRISTMAS – A 1974 Canadian slasher produced and directed by Bob Clark, and written by A. Roy Moore. It stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, Marian Waldman, Lynne Griffin and John Saxon. The story follows a group of sorority sisters who receive threatening phone calls and are eventually stalked and murdered by a deranged killer during the Christmas season. Inspired by the urban legend “The babysitter and the man upstairs” and a series of murders that took place in the Westmount neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec.

BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN – Trying to win the approval of her friends, 17-year-old Tiffany sneaks out of the house to go to a Halloween bash at a fraternity. The fun soon ends when police and the cranky, fast-talking Madea (Tyler Perry) arrive to crash the party. Unhappy with this sudden turn of events, the vengeful collegians decide to scare Madea and her cronies with a series of pranks. She soon finds herself under attack and on the run from an assortment of ghosts, ghouls and zombies on the scariest night of the year.  2016 comedy horror directed, written, starring and co-produced by Tyler Perry.

  • BOO 2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN – Tiffany travels to Derrick Lake to celebrate her 18th birthday at a Halloween frat party in the middle of the woods. Frantic and worried, Madea, Aunt Bam and Hattie hop in the car to save her from the same terrible fate that befell a group of teens there years earlier. Chaos soon strikes when the would-be heroes find themselves fighting for their lives against an array of spooky monsters, goblins and boogeymen.  2017 American comedy horror film written, produced, directed by and starring Tyler Perry.

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS – When five college friends (Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams) arrive at a remote forest cabin for a little vacation, little do they expect the horrors that await them. One by one, the youths fall victim to backwoods zombies, but there is another factor at play. Two scientists (Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford) are manipulating the ghoulish goings-on, but even as the body count rises, there is yet more at work than meets the eye. 2011 American horror directed by Drew Goddard.

CARNIVAL OF SOULS – 1998 American horror. This film centers on Alex Grant (Bobbie Phillips) who witnesses a carnival clown named Louis Seagram (Larry Miller) raping and murdering her mother on January 24, 1977. Twenty years later, Seagram returns after being released from prison.. Directed by Adam Grossman and Ian Kessner.

CHAINED– Held captive by a serial killer since the age of 8, a teen (Eamon Farren) must choose between escape or following in his captor’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) bloody footprints.  2012 Canadian psychological horror directed by Jennifer Lynch and based on a screenplay by Damian O’Donnell. Starring Vincent D’Onofrio as a serial killer and Eamon Farren as a young prisoner of the killer, it explores their relationship as the killer seeks to turn his captive into his protégé.

CHERNOBYL DIARIES – A group of young tourists (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley), hoping for an adventure off the beaten path, hires an extreme-tour guide. In spite of warnings, the tour guide takes the sightseers to the town of Pripyat, Ukraine, once home to workers at the nearby Chernobyl nuclear power plant but abandoned after the 1986 nuclear disaster. After briefly exploring the ghost town, the tourists find themselves stranded — and worse, they are not alone.2012 American disaster horror directed by Brad Parker and produced by Oren Peli, who also wrote the story.

THE CRAZIES -Anarchy reigns when an unknown toxin turns the peaceful citizens of Ogden Marsh into bloodthirsty lunatics. In an effort to contain the spread of the infection, authorities blockade the town and use deadly force to keep anyone from getting in or out. Now trapped among killers, Sheriff Dutten (Timothy Olyphant) and his wife (Radha Mitchell) and two companions must band together to find a way out before madness and death overtake them. 2010 science fiction horror film directed by Breck Eisner from a screenplay from Scott Kosar and Ray Wright. The film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name and stars Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson and Danielle Panabaker. George A. Romero, who wrote and directed the original, served as an executive producer. It is about a fictional Iowa town that becomes afflicted by a biological agent that turns those infected into violent killers.

CRAWL – When a massive hurricane hits her Florida town, young Haley ignores the evacuation orders to search for her missing father, Dave. After finding him gravely injured in their family home, the two of them become trapped by the rapidly encroaching floodwaters. With the storm strengthening, Haley and Dave discover an even greater threat than the rising water level — a relentless attack from a pack of gigantic alligators.  2019 American disaster horror directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen.

THE CRUCIFIXION Terror strikes when a journalist investigates the death of a nun during an exorcism. is a 2017 horror film directed by Xavier Gens, written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes and starring Sophie Cookson, Brittany Ashworth and Corneliu Ulici. It is based on the Tanacu exorcism that took place in Vaslui County, Romania, in 2005.

THE CURSE OF DOWNERS GROVE (2015)- A teen angst thriller at a high school gripped by an apparent curse that claims the life of a senior every year. The story follows a senior, Chrissie, who is sceptical, and another, Tracy, who believes that she may be the next victim. Written by Bret Easton Ellis. Based on the 1999 novel Downers Grove by Michael Hornburg, the film stars Kevin Zegers, Bella Heathcote, Penelope Mitchell, Lucas Till, Zane Holtz, Helen Slater, and Tom Arnold.

DEVIL’S PASS (originally titled The Dyatlov Pass Incident) To determine what happened to some Russian hikers, five U.S. college students go back to where the hikers were found dead. The students don’t return from the expedition, either, and the recovered footage is deemed too disturbing for public viewing. 2013 Russian-British horror film directed by Renny Harlin, written by Vikram Weet, and starring Holly Goss, Matt Stokoe, Luke Albright, Ryan Hawley, and Gemma Atkinson as Americans who investigate the Dyatlov Pass incident. It is shot in the style of found footage.

DON’T BREATHE – Three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Figuring he’s an easy target, the trio invades a blind man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.  2016 American horror-thriller produced and directed by Fede Álvarez. The film stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang, and focuses on three friends who get trapped inside a blind man’s house while breaking into it.

DORIAN GRAY – 2009 British fantasy-horror drama directed by Oliver Parker, written by Toby Finlay (his first screenplay), and stars Ben Barnes as Dorian Gray and Colin Firth as Lord Henry Wotton. It tells the story of the title character, an attractive Englishman whose image is captured in an enchanted painting that keeps him from aging. His portrait becomes tainted with every sin he commits, while he remains young and handsome.

EDEN LAKE – During a romantic weekend getaway, a young couple confronts a gang of youths, and suffers brutal consequences. 2008 British slasher written and directed by James Watkins and starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender and Jack O’Connell.

FLATLINERS – 2017 American science fiction psychological horror directed by Niels Arden Oplev and written by Ben Ripley. A stand-alone sequel to and remake of the 1990 film of the same name, it stars Elliot Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, and Kiersey Clemons. The story follows five medical students who attempt to conduct experiments that produce near-death experiences.

FRIDAY THE 13TH  1980 slasher produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham, written by Victor Miller, and starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, and Kevin Bacon. Its plot follows a group of teenage camp counselors who are murdered one by one by an unknown killer while attempting to re-open an abandoned summer camp.

  • FRIDAY THE 13TH    (2009) It stars Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, and Derek Mears and follows Clay Miller (Padalecki) as he searches for his missing sister, Whitney (Righetti), who is captured by Jason Voorhees (Mears) while camping in woodland at Crystal Lake. 2009 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift from a screen story by Shannon, Swift and Mark Wheaton. It is a reboot of the Friday the 13th film series, which began in 1980, and is the twelfth installment.

GET OUT 2017 horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, Lakeith Stanfield, and Catherine Keener. Get Out follows Chris Washington (Kaluuya), a young African-American man who uncovers a disturbing secret when he meets the family of his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Williams).

THE GUEST is a 2014 thriller film directed by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett. The film stars Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe, and tells the story of a U.S. soldier (Stevens) called David who unexpectedly visits the Peterson family, introducing himself as a friend of their son who died in combat in Afghanistan. After he has been staying in their home for a couple of days, a series of deaths occur, and the daughter Anna (Monroe) suspects David is connected to them.

HALLOWEEN – 1978 American independent slasher directed and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut. The plot tells about a mental patient who was committed to a sanitarium for murdering his teenage sister on Halloween night when he was six years old. Fifteen years later, he escapes and returns to his hometown, where he stalks a female babysitter and her friends, while under pursuit by his psychiatrist.

HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER – 1998 slasher film directed by Steve Miner, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Adam Arkin, Michelle Williams, and Josh Hartnett. It is the seventh installment in the Halloween franchise. Retconning the “Thorn Trilogy” story arc of the previous three installments, H20 is a direct sequel to the first two films and follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode, who has faked her death in order to go into hiding from her brother, Michael Myers, who finds her working at a private boarding school in California.

HALLOWEEN (Rob Zombie) 2007 slasher written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name and the ninth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Tyler Mane as the adult Michael Myers, Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Sam Loomis, Scout Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strode, and Daeg Faerch as the young Michael Myers. Rob Zombie’s “reimagining” follows the premise of John Carpenter’s original, with Michael Myers stalking Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween night. Zombie’s film goes deeper into the character’s psyche, trying to answer the question of what drove him to kill people, whereas in Carpenter’s original film Michael did not have an explicit reason for killing.

  • HALLOWEEN II (Rob Zombie) 2009 slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a sequel to Zombie’s 2007 remake of 1978’s Halloween and the tenth installment in the Halloween franchise. Picking up where the 2007 film ended and then jumping ahead two years, Halloween II follows Laurie Strode as she deals with the aftermath of the previous film’s events, Dr. Loomis who is trying to capitalize on those events by publishing a new book that chronicles everything that happened, and Michael Myers as he continues his search for Laurie so that he can reunite with his sister. The film sees the return of lead cast members from the 2007 film Malcolm McDowell, Scout Taylor-Compton, and Tyler Mane, who portray Dr. Loomis, Laurie Strode, and Michael Myers, respectively.

HOSTEL – 2005 American horror film written and directed by Eli Roth. It stars Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eyþór Guðjónsson, and Barbara Nedeljáková about a mysterious organization that tortures and kills kidnapped tourists.

JOY RIDE (titled “Road Kill” in the UK) 2001 horror thriller directed by John Dahl and written by J. J. Abrams and Clay Tarver. Paul Walker stars as Lewis Thomas, a college freshman embarking on a cross-country road trip during summer break to pick up his childhood crush Venna (Leelee Sobieski). Along for the ride is Lewis’ brother Fuller (Steve Zahn), a practical joker who uses the car’s CB radio to play a cruel prank on a trucker known only by the handle Rusty Nail. The victim of Fuller’s gag, a psychotic murderer, pursues them relentlessly to get revenge at any cost.

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT – Mari and her friend look forward to a holiday at the remote Collingwood lakehouse, but instead an escaped convict (Garret Dillahunt) and his crew kidnap them and later leave them for dead. Mari makes her way back home, where her parents, John (Tony Goldwyn) and Emma (Monica Potter), have unwittingly offered shelter to the thugs. When John and Emma find out what happened to their daughter, they decide to make the strangers rue the day they harmed Mari. 2009 revenge horror-thriller directed by Dennis Iliadis and written by Carl Ellsworth and Adam Alleca. It is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name, and stars Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Garret Dillahunt, Spencer Treat Clark, Martha MacIsaac, and Sara Paxton.

LEPRECHAUN – 1993 American horror written and directed by Mark Jones. It stars Warwick Davis in the title role, and Jennifer Aniston in her film debut. Davis plays a vengeful leprechaun who believes a family has stolen his pot of gold. As he hunts them, they attempt to locate his gold to vanquish him. The film was originally meant to be more of a straight horror film, but Davis injected humor into his role. Re-shoots also added increased gore to appeal to older audiences.

LIFE – 2017 American epic science fiction horror directed by Daniel Espinosa, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. The film follows a six-member crew of the International Space Station that uncovers the first evidence of life on Mars.

THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN – When struggling photographer Leon Kaufman (Bradley Cooper) meets the owner of a prominent art gallery, he sees a chance for the success that has, so far, eluded him. Determined to show the darker side of humanity for his debut showing, Leon crosses paths with a serial killer who preys on late-night subway commuters. 2008 horror based on Clive Barker’s 1984 short story. The film was directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, and stars Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields, Roger Bart, Ted Raimi and Vinnie Jones.

MIDSOMMAR – 2019 folk horror written and directed by Ari Aster and starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, and Will Poulter. It follows a group of friends who travel to Sweden for a festival that occurs once every 90 years, only to find themselves in the clutches of a Scandinavian neopagan cult.

THE MONSTER – A 2016 American-Canadian monster horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine. Its plot follows a troubled mother and her adolescent daughter who find themselves stranded at night on a country road with a malicious creature hunting them.

MOTHER! – 2017 American psychological horror film written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer. The plot follows a young woman whose tranquil life with her husband at their country home is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious couple.

MOTHER’S DAY – 2010 American psychological horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. It is a loose remake of Charles Kaufman’s Mother’s Day and was written by Scott Milam and produced by Brett Ratner. The film is about three brothers who fail to rob a bank then run to their mother so she can help them get away. The brothers discover that their mother has lost her house in a foreclosure. The brothers hold the new owners and their guests hostage. When their mother arrives, she takes control of the situation. Briana Evigan, Jaime King, Rebecca De Mornay, Shawn Ashmore.

MY SOUL TO TAKE – In the small town of Riverton, a local legend tells of a serial killer’s oath to come back and kill the seven children who were born on the night he supposedly died. Now 16 years later, Riverton residents are disappearing again, making some wonder if the legend is true. Bug (Max Thieriot), plagued by nightmares all his life, is one of the so-called Riverton Seven, and it’s up to him to save his friends from an evil that will not rest.  2010 slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Max Thieriot as the protagonist Adam “Bug” Hellerman, who is one of seven teenagers chosen to die.

ORPHAN – 2009 psychological horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by David Leslie Johnson from a story by Alex Mace. The film stars Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, C. C. H. Pounder and Jimmy Bennett. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious nine-year-old girl.

PSYCHO – 1960 American psychological horror directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay, written by Joseph Stefano, was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam. The plot centres on an encounter between on-the-run embezzler Marion Crane (Leigh) and shy motel proprietor Norman Bates (Perkins) and its aftermath, in which a private investigator (Balsam), Marion’s lover Sam Loomis (Gavin) and her sister Lila (Miles) investigate the cause of her disappearance.

RED DRAGON – 2002 psychological horror film based on the 1981 novel by Thomas Harris. It was directed by Brett Ratner and written by Ted Tally. A prequel to The Silence of the Lambs (1991), it sees FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) enlisting the help of serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch another killer, Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes). Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also star.

RABID – 1977 body horror written and directed by David Cronenberg. It features Marilyn Chambers as a woman who, after being injured in a motorcycle accident and undergoing a surgical operation, develops an orifice under one of her armpits. The orifice hides a phallic/clitoral stinger that she uses to feed on people’s blood. Those she feeds upon become infected. Their bite spreads the disease, and they cause massive chaos starting in the Quebec countryside and ending up in Montreal.

RATTER – A young graduate student is tormented by a stalker who hacks into her electronic devices and monitors her every move. A 2015 found-footage horror thriller film written and directed by Branden Kramer in his feature debut. The film is based on a short film also written and co-directed by Kramer titled Webcam. It stars Ashley Benson and Matt McGorry.

RED STATE – Set in Middle America, a group of teens receive an online invitation for sex, though they soon encounter fundamentalists with a much more sinister agenda. A 2011 independent horror-thriller film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Melissa Leo, and Stephen Root.

REGRESSION – A detective (Ethan Hawke) and a psychoanalyst (David Thewlis) uncover evidence of a satanic cult while investigating the rape of a traumatized teen (Emma Watson).  2015 psychological thriller horror mystery directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar. The film stars Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson, with David Thewlis, Lothaire Bluteau, Dale Dickey, David Dencik, Peter MacNeill, Devon Bostick, and Aaron Ashmore in supporting roles.

ROSEWOOD LANE – a 2011 American thriller-horror film written and directed by Victor Salva, and stars Rose McGowan and Daniel Ross Owens. The film’s story revolves around a radio talk show psychiatrist who moves back to her hometown and notices her unusual behaviour from a psychopathic paperboy who terrorises a suburban neighbourhood.

SAW COLLECTION

  • SAW – 2004 American horror directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell from a story by Wan and Whannell. It stars Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, and Tobin Bell. It is the first installment in the Saw film series. In it, Whannell and Elwes portray two men who awake to find themselves chained in a large dilapidated bathroom, with one being ordered to kill the other or his family will die. The screenplay was written by Whannell, who co-created the story with Wan in their screenwriting debuts respectively.
  • SAW II – 2005 horror directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Leigh Whannell and Bousman. The plot sees John Kramer being apprehended by the police now that his identity as the Jigsaw Killer has been revealed; however, he traps one of the arresting officers, Eric Matthews, in one of his games wherein he must talk with him for two hours, otherwise he would never see his son again. Meanwhile, a group of people, including Matthews’ son, find themselves trapped inside a house where they must complete a series of tests to receive the antidote for a nerve agent that will kill them in two hours. The film also explores some of John Kramer’s backstory, providing a partial explanation of his reason to become Jigsaw. The film stars Donnie Wahlberg, Franky G, Glenn Plummer, Beverley Mitchell, Dina Meyer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Erik Knudsen, Shawnee Smith, and Tobin Bell.
  • SAW V – 2008 horror directed by David Hackl from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the fifth installment in the Saw film series. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Julie Benz, Carlo Rota, and Meagan Good. The plot follows FBI Agent Peter Strahm, who pursues Detective Mark Hoffman after discovering his identity as one of the Jigsaw Killer’s apprentices and successor, while Hoffman begins designing his own Jigsaw “games” to test people and tries to frame Strahm to keep his identity secret. The film also explores Hoffman’s backstory and explains how he became Jigsaw’s apprentice, while continuing several story lines started in Saw IV.
  • SAW VI – 2009 horror directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the sixth installment in the Saw film series. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith. Similar to its predecessor, Saw VI maintains the focus on the posthumous effects of the Jigsaw Killer and the progression of his successor, Mark Hoffman. The plot follows an insurance executive who must complete a series of deadly “games” set up by Hoffman in order to rescue his employees. Meanwhile, the FBI comes to suspect that Peter Strahm, who was framed by Hoffman as being Jigsaw’s successor, is not actually a Jigsaw accomplice and reopens the investigation, drawing Hoffman into motion to protect his secret identity.
  • SAW 3D (also known as Saw: The Final Chapter) 2010 horror by Kevin Greutert and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the seventh installment in the Saw franchise. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Cary Elwes. The plot follows a man who, after falsely claiming to be a survivor of one of the Jigsaw Killer’s games in order to become a local celebrity, finds himself part of a real game where he must save his wife. Meanwhile, Jill Tuck informs the Internal Affairs that rogue Detective Mark Hoffman is the man responsible for the recent Jigsaw games, and Hoffman hunts her down.

SCREAM 4 – 2011 slasher directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. The fourth installment in the Scream film series. The film stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Rory Culkin, Marielle Jaffe, Erik Knudsen, Mary McDonnell, Marley Shelton, and Nico Tortorella. The film takes place on the fifteenth anniversary of the original Woodsboro murders and involves Sidney Prescott returning to the town after ten years, where Ghostface once again begins killing students from Woodsboro High. Like its predecessors, Scream 4 combines the violence of the slasher genre with elements of black comedy and “whodunit” mystery to satirize the clichés of film remakes. The film also provides a commentary on the extensive usage of social media and the obsession of internet fame.

THE SHINING – 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-written with novelist Diane Johnson. The film is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd. The film’s central character is Jack Torrance (Nicholson), an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the isolated historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Wintering over with Jack are his wife, Wendy Torrance (Duvall), and young son, Danny Torrance (Lloyd). Danny is gifted with “the shining”, psychic abilities that enable him to see into the hotel’s horrific past. The hotel cook, Dick Hallorann (Crothers), also has this ability and is able to communicate with Danny telepathically. The hotel had a previous winter caretaker who went insane and killed his family and himself. After a winter storm leaves the Torrances snowbound, Jack’s sanity deteriorates due to the influence of the supernatural forces that inhabit the hotel, placing his wife and son in danger.

SHIVERS – (also known as The Parasite Murders and They Came from Within, and, for the French-Canadian distribution, Frissons) 1975 Canadian science fiction horror written and directed by David Cronenberg and starring Paul Hampton, Lynn Lowry, and Barbara Steele. After a scientist living in a posh apartment complex slaughters a teen girl and kills himself, investigators discover that the murderer had been carrying on experiments involving deadly parasites. Roger St. Luc (Paul Hampton), a doctor living in the building, and his aide, Nurse Forsythe (Lynn Lowry), then realize that the parasites are on the loose, attacking fellow tenants. And those who become hosts turn into erotically obsessed maniacs who pass the bugs on through violent sex.

SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE is a 2012 American comedy-drama-horror film directed by Jack Perez and written by Ryan Levin. A formal mental patient’s (Kevin Corrigan) repressed anger reaches the boiling point, leading him to embark on a mission of revenge against the thugs who once subjected him to severe physical and mental trauma. Meanwhile several of the male residents responsible for torturing Ken are killed one by one, with all evidence pointing to Ken. To complicate things, Ken’s 11-year-old daughter whom he never knew suddenly turns up in his life, hopeful of a reunion.

SPLIT – The film follows a man with 24 different personalities who kidnaps and imprisons three teenage girls in an isolated underground facility. 2016 psychological horror thriller written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan and starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Betty Buckley.

THE STEPFATHER When Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school, he discovers that his mother (Sela Ward) has a new man, named David (Dylan Walsh), in her life. Though David makes Michael’s mother very happy, Michael cannot seem to shake feelings of distrust. He becomes increasingly suspicious of the man and wonders if the pleasant exterior hides a sinister side.is a 2009 American horror film and a remake of the 1987 thriller film of the same title. The film was directed by Nelson McCormick and stars Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard and Jon Tenney.

THE STRANGERS – 2008 American psychological horror written and directed by Bryan Bertino. The plot follows Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) whose stay at a vacation home is disrupted by three masked criminals who infiltrate the home. The screenplay was inspired by two real-life events: the multiple-homicide Manson family Tate murders and a series of break-ins that occurred in Bertino’s neighborhood as a child. Some journalists noted similarities between the film and the Keddie cabin murders that occurred in Keddie, California in 1981, though Bertino did not cite this as a reference.

THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT (also known as The Strangers II: Prey at Night) 2018 American psychological slasher directed by Johannes Roberts and starring Bailee Madison, Lewis Pullman, Christina Hendricks, Martin Henderson and Damian Maffei. It was written by Bryan Bertino (who wrote and directed the first film) and Ben Ketai. A sequel to The Strangers (2008), the film follows a family vacationing to a secluded mobile home park, where they are attacked by three masked offenders.

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (also known simply as Sweeney Todd) 2007 musical slasher directed by Tim Burton and an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony Award-winning 1979 musical of the same name. The film retells the Victorian melodramatic tale of Sweeney Todd, an English barber and serial killer who murders his customers with a straight razor and, with the help of his accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, processes their corpses into meat pies. The film stars Johnny Depp as the title character and Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett.

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE – 2003 slasher directed by Marcus Nispel, written by Scott Kosar, and starring Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour and R. Lee Ermey. Its plot follows a group of young adults traveling through rural Texas who encounter Leatherface and his murderous family. It is a remake of Tobe Hooper’s 1974 film of the same name, and the fifth installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.

THE VOICES A mentally unhinged factory worker (Ryan Reynolds) must decide whether to listen to his talking cat and become a killer, or follow his dog’s advice to keep striving for normalcy.is a 2014 black comedy horror film directed by Marjane Satrapi, written by Michael R. Perry, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver.

WAKE UP AND DIE -A woman wakes up next to a mysterious man she’s never seen before. Wondering what happened, she is seduced by the man and brutally killed later on in a moment of passion. As she awakes over and over again and to the same fate, she must dig into her fading memories to learn about the killer’s true identity in order to save her own life. Director: Miguel Urrutia / Writer: Miguel Urrutia / Stars: Andrea Montenegro, Luis Fernando Bohórquez, Deborah L. Sherman / 2013

WΔZ (pronounced double-u delta zed) There is something horribly wrong with the bodies found in the dark city streets. Some are mutilated while others have the Price equation (wΔz = Cov (w,z) = βwzVz) carved into their flesh.  Detective Eddie Argo and his new partner Helen Westcott unearth the meaning of the odd equation and realise each victim is being offered a gruesome choice: Kill your loved ones or be killed. Before long it becomes clear that the perpetrator has suffered a similar fate and is now coping by seeking a way to solve this philosophical dilemma.2007 British crime horror thriller directed by Tom Shankland and starring Stellan Skarsgård, Melissa George, Selma Blair and Tom Hardy.

THE WIZARD OF GORE – Montag the Magnificent (Crispin Glover) is a master illusionist who performs at underground venues, selecting female volunteers from his rave-like audiences. To their hysteria, it appears he’s dismembered their bodies, but his sleight of hand has them fooled. However, female bodies show up dead from the same wounds performed on stage. Investigators are baffled, and the chase to find the killer begins.A 2007 splatter / noir horror directed by Jeremy Kasten and starring Kip Pardue, Bijou Phillips, Crispin Glover, Joshua Miller, Brad Dourif, Jeffrey Combs, and the Suicide Girls. The film is a remake of the 1970 Herschell Gordon Lewis film of the same name.

WOLVES AT THE DOOR – Four friends, Sharon, Jay, Wojciech, and Abigail, return to their rented home to celebrate a farewell party. But the party turns into a night of primal terror as deadly intruders start stalking them. 2016 horror directed by John R. Leonetti and written by Gary Dauberman. The film is loosely based on the murder of Sharon Tate, the wife of Roman Polanski, and her friends in 1969 by members of the Manson Family. The cast features Katie Cassidy, Elizabeth Henstridge, Adam Campbell and Miles Fisher as four friends who are stalked and murdered by a group of intruders at a farewell party.

WRATH – As some friends journey through the faraway Boanyoo Ranges to reach a coastal area, they bump into a stranger whom they try to help. But a nightmarish and unforgiving scenario awaits them. 2011 Australian horror written and directed by Jonathan N Dixon and starring Stef Dawson, Corey Page, William Emmons, Xavier Fernandez, Rebecca Ratcliff, Michael Windeyer, and Charlie Falkner. The film was inspired by revenge films of the 1970s, including The Last House on the Left and I Spit on Your Grave.

YOU’RE NEXT – 2011 slasher directed and edited by Adam Wingard, written by Simon Barrett and starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, A. J. Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Barbara Crampton and Rob Moran. The plot concerns an estranged family under attack by a group of masked assailants during a family reunion.

by ·Comments Off on Holmes & Watson – A Raucous Comedy

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly – the legendary duo from Step Brothers and Talladega Nights – reunite in Holmes & Watson, a unique and comic take on the world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful companion, Dr. John Watson.

The Ferrell-Reilly reunion reaches new heights of mayhem, madness and mirth in Holmes & Watson, written and directed by Etan Cohen

The game is afoot, or “a going,” as Holmes proclaims, when a dead body is discovered in Holmes’ birthday cake at Buckingham Palace.  It seems the perpetrator is their longtime nemesis, criminal mastermind Professor James Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes), but the famed sleuth has doubts.  As their investigation uncovers one twist after another, Holmes and Watson face the greatest threat of their partnership.  The master sleuth and his dependable partner must remain united to find the killer, save the Queen, and restore the reputation of the world’s greatest crime-solving duo – if the case doesn’t tear them apart first.

Over 125 years after his creation by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes remains the most popular fictional detective in history and continues to intrigue and delight fans around the world. Conan Doyle wrote 60 stories featuring Holmes and his friend and biographer John Watson, which in turn inspired countless films, television series, and Holmes stories penned by others.

Conan Doyle was first and foremost a storyteller and while his Holmes tales were not overt comedies, they were always entertaining and fun.  So, it’s not too much of a stretch to see the characters and their world reimagined, through the reteaming of Ferrell and Reilly, and the unique voice of writer-director Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Get Hard), as a raucous comedy rife with physical and verbal humor and comic twists and turns, along with murder, mystery, absurdity, pageantry, and a storied partnership that may be on the rocks.

Says the film’s writer-director Etan Cohen: “Will and John’s superpower is that they can play these man-children who, played by anyone else, might appear to be jerks, but they make them lovable.”

Director and screenwriter Etan Cohen graduated from Harvard and received the Comedy Writer of the Year Award at the 2009 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.

According to Ferrell, who also serves as a producer, Holmes’ position in our zeitgeist gave the filmmakers license “to go where no Sherlock has ever gone before.”

Ferrell’s choice of words, which recalls the opening narration for the original Star Trek television series, isn’t accidental because, as he explains, “We wanted Sherlock to be a comedic version of a supremely logical character, like Mr. Spock.  Holmes is all about logic.  He’s so incredibly smart but at the same time he lacks the interactions and feelings that most normal humans possess.”

Ferrell also pays tribute to – or, as he jokes, “steals a page from” – the quintessential Victorian-era Holmes, played by Jeremy Brett in a series of British television films produced in the 1980s and ‘90s.   Brett’s portrayal of the detective was acclaimed around the globe but wasn’t widely recognized as being humorous.  Ferrell says otherwise: “Jeremy’s brilliant work sometimes made us laugh so hard,” he recalls.  “If you watch his performances through a comedic lens, Jeremy’s Holmes would be dissecting a piece of information and then would suddenly start yelling at the top of his lungs.”

Facilitating the Holmes-Watson friendship was the comfort level between Ferrell and Reilly born from their previous on-screen pairings.  Says Ferrell: “John and I just hit the ground running in terms of sharing the same comic sensibility.  Oddly enough, we never tried to be overtly funny; we would stay true to Holmes and Watson within the context of the scene and trust that it would turn out comical.   Knowing each other so well and sharing the same ‘brain,’ in terms of playing off each other, helped everything fall into place.”

Reilly notes that his on-screen chemistry with Ferrell was apparent from their first meeting.  “Will and I looked at each other and had this moment,” he remembers. “I understand the way his mind works.  There was an immediate, strange and off-kilter familiarity.”  That familiarity facilitates a Holmes-Watson interaction that’s both familiar and unexpected.  Watson wants to be thought of as Sherlock’s best friend, sidekick and even … wait for it… “co-detective.”  “These aspirations are based on his love of Sherlock,” says Reilly, “but it’s a struggle for Sherlock to allow anyone, even Watson, into his life.  Sherlock is a little – okay, very – conceited and it takes a while before he understands Watson’s value.  In fact, sometimes they resemble a screaming married couple during a bitter divorce.”

Etan Cohen, who shares Ferrell’s love of the source material and characters, also notes that the Ferrell-Reilly interplay was always in view, even when the cameras weren’t rolling.  “The amazing thing about Will and John is that they’re the same on and off the set.  Audiences are lucky enough to experience that for a few hours on-screen but it happens all the time in real life.”

Cohen adds that Reilly’s Watson is true to the spirit of the character in the Conan Doyle stories, but with an intriguing divergence.  “Watson has so much faith in Sherlock, and there’s so much affection between them, as there is in the stories,” he explains. “A big part of our movie, though, is exploring something that never happened in the stories: what if Watson wants more?  What if he wants to be part of the team, and not just a second banana?  That was exciting and a lot of fun to dive into.”

Aspiring to be Sherlock’s equal is going to be anything but … elementary … for Watson because, says Ferrell, “Sherlock appreciates Watson’s allegiance on some level, but at the same time he believes that Watson should be that way.”  Adds Reilly:  “Holmes’ attitude toward Watson is, “Look, I’m smarter than you, that’s the way it is.  Just accept it.”

Holmes & Watson & The Ultimate Mysteries Of Romance

Throughout his illustrious career, Sherlock Holmes, aided by Dr. Watson, has solved mysteries of unimaginable complexities and intricacies.  No subject is beyond his understanding; no conundrum transcends a solution.   With one exception: they’re clueless about love and romance, both of which turn Holmes’ razor-sharp intellect into a shapeless pile of goo.

Enter Dr. Grace Hart (Rebecca Hall), an accomplished physician, and her mute companion, known only as Millicent (Lauren Lapkus).  The good doctor draws the attention of fellow physician Watson, and Holmes finds himself falling for the silent looker, Millicent.  Cohen reveals the burgeoning romances lead to unexpected character nuances and humor.  “We wondered how those relationships could impact the Holmes-Watson friendship,” says Cohen.  “In the original stories, there are few mentions of Sherlock being interested in romance.  It could even be argued that he doesn’t trust women.  So we thought it would be fun to watch them begin to see what it’s like to fall in love.”

For Watson and Grace, it’s love at first … autopsy … as the two characters find themselves growing increasingly hot for one another as they dissect a corpse in a morgue.  “Grace is an especially strange character,” says Hall. “She doesn’t see blood and gore as anything but wonderful. She revels in the glory of the human body, which is romantic fodder for her and Watson.

“And it was a little surreal because John and I spent the entire day mopping down a really dedicated extra who was pretending to be a cadaver,” she adds. Not to mention that the actress, who is half-British, was playing an American, opposite two Americans playing Brits.

Grace is an independent woman and an accomplished doctor, two descriptions that don’t compute for Holmes and Watson.  “Allow me to introduce you to a real doctor,” says Holmes, gesturing to Watson, after Grace identifies herself as a physician. “Much of the humor is mined from those stereotypes in Victorian England, and the fact that everyone around Grace won’t accept that’s she’s a legitimate doctor,” notes Cohen.

While Watson is pitching woo with Grace, Holmes is falling under the spell of her travel companion and “research project,” Millicent.  “She’s a little bit weird,” understates Lauren Lapkus of her character, who was raised by feral cats, eats paper, and follows absolutely no rules. “It was really easy to become Millicent – I just tapped into my inner-self and was as absurd as possible,” she adds with a laugh.

And of course, Holmes, a master of language and intellect, falls for someone who doesn’t speak.  But there is an odd kind of logic to it: Holmes is enamored of Millicent because she’s like a blank canvas for him to work on.  “Sherlock is so egotistical that he can put all of his thoughts and desires onto her and then imagine all the wonderful things she must be thinking about him,” Lapkus explains.

Sherlock’s Irregular Regulars

Welsh actor Rob Brydon portrays much put-upon Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade, who often finds himself the target of Sherlock’s disdain.  In this depiction of the Holmes-Lestrade dynamic, the peerless detective’s contempt for Lestrade’s crime-solving skills is on full display.  “Lestrade is constantly turning up at crime scenes trying to exert some authority.  But everyone treats him as a bumbling idiot who can’t get anything right and treat Sherlock as a genius folk hero who’s never wrong and never fails,” says Brydon.  “As an actor, that’s incredibly fun to play.  Will and John play idiots with total confidence, so I can then be exasperated and at my wits’ end, convinced in my head that I’m right and Sherlock is wrong – and alone in that conviction.”

Another character known from Holmes lore is the consulting detective’s landlady and housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, at the flat he shares with Watson at 221b Baker Street.  In the Conan Doyle stories and many of the subsequent adaptations, Mrs. Hudson is a staid, maternal figure, but Cohen again shakes things up here, giving us a Mrs. Hudson who is young, saucy and hot-to-trot.  “She’s also a terrible housekeeper,” says Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, who takes on the role, which is a 180-degree turn from the quiet, introspective characterizations for which she’s been acclaimed – some of which have been housekeepers.  “I come from a long line of cleaners,” she says with a laugh.  Moreover, Mrs. Hudson’s taste in men is … well, “Let’s just say she keeps interesting company,” Macdonald teases.

The World Of Holmes & Watson

A key element of Cohen’s vision for Holmes & Watson was creating a lush and colorful period piece that was true to the characters’ Victorian roots.  “I wanted to avoid filming this like a traditional comedy,” he explains.  “The Victorian era was our center of gravity.  It provides a reality and counterpoint to the comedy that Will and John could really bounce off of.”

To that end, Holmes & Watson was filmed entirely in the United Kingdom.  The production captured some of the country’s most spectacular and historical locations, including: The Historic Dockyard in Chatham; the Tower of London; Hampton Court Palace; Kempton Steam Museum, on London’s outskirts; and Laredo Ranch, a replica western town set in the heart of the Kent countryside.  “You can’t fake the richness of these locations,” says Ferrell.

Shepperton Studios in West London was the film’s production base and home to many of the interior sets, including Holmes and Watson’s flat at 221b Baker Street – an address as renowned as any in the real and reel world.  The look of the set was a highlight for Cohen, director of photography Oliver Wood (The Bourne Ultimatum) and production designer James Hambidge (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).  “We put a huge amount of effort into that set because it is so iconic,” says Hambidge, “and we wanted everyone – cast, crew, and audiences – to get something out of it, both visually and narratively.”

“The set is so incredible you feel like you’re stepping into the [popular London tourist attraction] Sherlock Holmes Museum, which is actually at the real 221b Baker Street,” adds Cohen.

In addition to Shepperton, the production utilized another storied facility, Pinewood Studios, on which it built an opulent ballroom on the Titanic, which in the film is setting sail on its maiden – and final – voyage.

Mystery Solved

With these lavish locations and sets, and a beloved comedy duo having crazy fun with characters they love, it’s no mystery what Holmes & Watson will bring to audiences this holiday season.   “Along with the jokes and the insanity, there’s a sincerity to the film that’s even, at times, a little emotional,” says Ferrell.  “I hope audiences will appreciate the story, laugh with and at the characters, and enjoy the spectacle of Victorian London.”

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Top Films Of 2019 / Back to latest releases

Listed Alphabetically

3 DAYS TO GO This New South African Film puts family relationships in the spotlight! It marks producer Bianca Isaac’s directorial debut.

21 BRIDGES “The idea of locking down Manhattan for a manhunt was incredibly compelling and cinematic,” says Chadwick Boseman, who serves as a producer on the 21 Bridges and also portrays a detective who takes extreme measures to prevent the killers from escaping Manhattan, and directs the authorities to close all 21 bridges to prevent any entry or exit from the iconic island. “We haven’t seen that before.” An intriguing mix of spectacle, propulsive and non-stop action, an epic “ticking clock” crime story, the explosive story unfolds during a single night, after a drug heist gone horribly wrong results in the deaths of eight cops. Read more

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED In the summer of 2017, a contained, claustrophobic shark movie caused quite the splash. It was called 47 Meters Down. Now, in search of adventure, teenagers Mia (Sophie Nélisse), Sasha (Corinne Foxx), Nicole (Sistine Stallone) and Alexa (Brianne Tju) decide to scuba dive into a submerged Mayan city that is being mapped out nearby. Once inside, the entrance collapses behind them and they must navigate the labyrinthine tunnels and eerie caves in search of another way out as the air in their tanks steadily runs out. It is their worst claustrophobic nightmare, but it gets a whole lot worse when they discover the city is home to some very hungry Great White sharks…Written and directed by Johannes Roberts.

A DOG’S JOURNEY A dog finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he meets. Sequel to A Dog’s Purpose./ Trailer

DOG’S WAY HOME A dog embarks on an epic 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her beloved human. Trailer 

A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL The eleventh and final installment of the Madea film series./ Trailer /

A RAINY DAY IN NEW YORK Woody Allen’s romantic comedy tells the story of college sweethearts, Gatsby (Timothée Chalamet) and Ashleigh (Elle Fanning), whose plans for a romantic weekend together in New York City are dashed as quickly as the sunlight turns into showers. The two are soon parted, and each has a series of chance meetings and comical adventures while on their own. Over the course of a dreamy and drizzly day in New York, Ashleigh discovers she might not be who she thought she was and Gatsby learns that while you only live once, once is enough if you find the right person. Read more / Trailer

ABOMINABLE When a teenage girl stumbles upon a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building, she and her friends name him “Everest” and embark on an unforgettable quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth. This first female-led, major-studio animated film with a central female character, is written and directed by Jill Culton (Open Season, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 2). Read more / Trailer

THE ACT OF DEFIANCE Sympathetic white Afrikaner lawyer Bram Fischer risks career and family to defend Nelson Mandela and his inner circle. Trailer

ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES Get ready to snap your fingers! The Addams Family is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish, and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbour. The Addams family’s lives begin to unravel when they face-off against a treacherous, greedy, arrogant and sly reality TV host while also preparing for their extended family to arrive for a major celebration. Based on the comics of the same name by Charles Addams. The film is directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan./ Read more /  / Trailer /

AD ASTRA Brad Pitt plays an elite astronaut who travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos. Directed by James Gray (Lost City of Z, The Immigrant), from a screenplay by Gray and his long-time associate Ethan Gross (“Fringe”) Read more / Trailer /

THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAMA South Africa’s First Ever Black Female Superhero For The Big Screen.  Trailer /

AFTER This adult romance follows the journey of self-discovery of a young woman whose guarded world opens up when she meets a dark and secretive rebel. Trailer 

AFTER THE WEDDING Isabel (Michelle Williams), a co-founder of an orphanage in Klokata travels to New York to meet a potential benefactor, Theresa. Despite her frustration by the need to justify a charitable donation, she agrees to the meeting, which falls a day before the wedding of Theresa’s daughter (Abby Quinn). Isabel is unexpectedly invited to the wedding and the events that ensue force her to confront decisions she made 20 years ago as well as a man from her past (Billy Crudup), who turns up to be Theresa’s husband. Secrets are also revealed including an unexplained charity worth 20 million dollars. Written and directed by Bart Freundlich. It is a remake of the 2006 film of the same name by Susanne Bier. Read more /
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ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), comes an epic cyberpunk action-adventure of hope and empowerment.  Trailer 

THE AFTERMATH Old fashioned wartime romance set in postwar Germany in 1946. Trailer

ALADDIN A live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1992 animated film.  Trailer

ANGEL HAS FALLEN “I never thought of Angel has Fallen as a sequel. I see it as a fresh, cool installment of the franchise that can stand alone while bringing everything fans love about Mike Banning, says writer-director Ric Roman Waugh of the third installment in the Fallen series, a psychologically tense, kinetic thriller that never lets off the accelerator from its opening killer-drone attack. Read more

ANGRY BIRDS 2 MOVIE In this CG animated comedy three flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level. Directed by Thurop Van Orman from a screenplay by Peter Ackerman and Eyal Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart.

ANNA  The story of a resilient assassin who is used as a pawn but then breaks all the rules to control her own destiny.  Trailer / 

ANNABELLE COMES HOME The third installment of the hugely successful “Annabelle” films. Trailer /

APOCALYPSE NOW: FINAL CUT Restored from the original negative for the first time ever, Apocalypse Now Final Cut is Coppola’s most realized version of the film. Coppola’s visually dazzling masterpiece is a surreal, hallucinatory, epic tragedy about the horror of the Vietnam War. A U.S. Army Intelligence officer is sent on a bizarre river journey deep into the jungle to assassinate Colonel Kurtz, a renegade Green Beret who uses primitive tribesmen to wage his own war,

AQUAMAN The origin story of half-surface dweller, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry takes him on the journey of his lifetime. Trailer 

ARTICLE 15 Based on the socio-political Article 15 of the Indian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Trailer /

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN For screenwriter Mark Bomback it was a gift to adapt Garth Stein’s beloved novel The Art Of Racing In The Rain, which features a wise and philosophical dog who longs to be reincarnated as a human. Read more

AVENGERS: END GAME  In the aftermath of the destruction, the remaining Avengers are faced with their biggest challenge yet. Trailer/

BACK OF THE MOON 1958 Sophiatown. On the eve of his home being demolished by apartheid police, Badman a notorious gangster decides to fight them to the death. But then Eve, a gorgeous torch singer is thrust into his orbit. On the last day of his life Badman finds something worth living for. With Richard Lukunku, Moneoa Moshesh, Lemogang Tsipa, S’Dumo Mtshali, Thomas Gumede, Israel Matsepe-Zulu. Directed by Angus Gibson from a screenplay by Gibson, Desiree Markgraaff, Kutlwano Ditsele. Read more /

BACKTRACE A criminal eludes a local detective, a toughened FBI agent to recover the stolen money.  Trailer /

BEAUTIFUL BOY The film chronicles the heart-breaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.  Trailer / 

BEN IS BACK A mother’s undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe.  Trailer

THE BEST OF ENEMIES The true story of the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson)  , an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell), a local Ku Klux Klan leader. During the racially charged summer of 1971, Atwater and Ellis come together to co-chair a community summit on the desegregation of schools in Durham, N.C. The ensuing debate and battle soon lead to surprising revelations that change both of their lives forever. Directed and written by Robin Bissell. It is based on the book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson, which focuses on the rivalry between civil rights activist Ann Atwater and Ku Klux Klan leader C. P. Feature: The True Story Of a Woman Who Turned A Klansman Into An Activist And Friend / Trailer / 

BLACK AND BLUE A fast-paced action thriller about a rookie cop (Naomie Harris) who inadvertently captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. We need more stories like this now,” says Deon Taylor, who directed from a screenplay crafted by Peter A. Dowling. Read more / Trailer /

BLESSERS Although the arrangement is nothing new, ‘blesser’ is a South African term for an older man who has multiple girlfriends he lavishes with gifts, in exchange for sex and companionship. In turn, the girlfriends post photos on social media of expensive shoes, clothes and piles of cash, tagging the pictures #blessed. That’s the subject at the heart of the slick and hilarious new comedy ‘Blessers’, by actor and director Rea Rangaka. The film stars award-winning actor and comedian Kenneth Nkosi as a middle-aged businessman who has become accustomed to his routine, a life which includes his wife, Michelle (Sonia Mbele of ‘Generations’ fame), his daughter Natasha (Six Nyamane), his work and his fun. Caught knee-deep in the word of blessers, Jacob and his family are about to learn a few hard lessons and discover that they are perhaps not that #blessed. ‘Blessers’ is written by Tbo Touch, Sasa Nqabeni and Kumaran Naidu. Trailer

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT Developed from writer-director Gurinder Chadha and British Journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s shared passion for Bruce Springsteen and based on Manzoor’s celebrated rite of passage memoir Greetings from Bury Park, Blinded By The Light chronicles his experiences as a British Muslim boy growing up in 1980s Luton and the impact Springsteen’s lyrics had on him. Read more

BLINDSPOTTING A man must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. Trailer 

THE BOOKSHOP A free-spirited widow risks everything to open up a bookshop in a small town Trailer /

BOOKSMART Academic overachievers decide to cram four years of not-to-be missed fun into one night. Trailer

BOTTOM OF THE 9TH A tragic mistake lands 19-year- old baseball phenom Sonny Stano in jail before his burgeoning professional baseball career gets off the ground. Now at 39 and fresh out of prison (Joe Manganiello) he works to win back his respect, his family, his lost love and his dream of being a professional baseball player. “A meditation on the life of the artist; the frustration, the fear of commitment and most importantly the inability to suppress the talent that exists within, especially when that talent is at the core of the person’s soul,” says director Raymond De Felitta, who directed from a screenplay by Robert Bruzio.  Read more / 

BREAKTHROUGH  An enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle. Trailer /

BRIGHTBURN   What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? Trailer

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?  A female law-skirting antihero becomes the forger of the century.  Trailer / 

CAPERNAUM A Lebanese boy sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life. Trailer

CAPTAIN MARVEL Set in the 1990s, “Captain Marvel” joins an intergalactic elite Kree military team called Starforce.  Trailer /

CAPTIVE STATE Residents of a Chicago neighborhood deal with life under extraterrestrial rule.  Trailer /

CATS When Tom Hooper was approached by producer Debra Hayward about a film version of Cats in 2012, in London, where Hooper was in post-production on his film adaptation of the stage musical Les Misérables,  the possibility intrigued him. “I just thought what a shame it would be if I never did a musical again, because I’d learned so much doing Les Mis,” Hooper says. Read more

CHARLIE’S ANGELS Writer-director Elizabeth Banks takes the helm as the next generation of fearless Charlie’s Angels take flight, from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos and David Auburn. It is the third installment in the Charlie’s Angels film series, which is a continuation of the story that began with the television series of the same title by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and the theatrical films, Charlie’s Angels (2000) and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003). In Banks’ bold vision, Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska are working for the mysterious Charles Townsend, whose security and investigative agency has expanded internationally. With the world’s smartest, bravest, and most highly trained women all over the globe, there are now teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosleys taking on the toughest jobs everywhere. Read more

CHILD’S PLAY A contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic. Trailer /

CITY OF LIES Two hip-hop superstars were shot dead within six months of each other — Tupac on the evening of September 13, 1996, in Las Vegas); and B.I.G.’s ambush in Los Angeles almost six months later to the day.  Based on author Randall Sullivan’s acclaimed 2002 non-fiction book Labyrinth, is the compelling account of two broken men Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker) and their mutual hunt for the truth. Set against the backdrop of LA’s infamous rap culture and scandal and deception, it is a powerful tale that systematically unravels the reputation of the city’s law enforcement, politics and justice system, while introducing us to a new kind of hero.  Brad Furman (The Infiltrator, The Lincoln Lawyer) directs the film from the 2015 Hollywood Black List screenplay by Christian Contreras. Read more / Trailer /

The Climbers – Chinese climbers summit Mount Everest

COLD PURSUIT Fuelled by rage and armed with heavy machinery, Nels sets out to dismantle the cartel one man at a time.  Trailer 

COUNTDOWN– An app claims to predict exactly when a person is going to die

CRAWL When a massive hurricane hits her Florida town, young Haley (Kaya Scodelario) ignores the evacuation orders to search for her missing father, Dave. After finding him gravely injured in their family home, the two of them become trapped by the rapidly encroaching floodwaters. With the storm strengthening, Haley and Dave discover an even greater threat than the rising water level — a relentless attack from a pack of gigantic alligators. Disaster horror film directed by Alexandre Aja from a screenplay by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen. Read more / Trailer/

THE CURRENT WAR Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse — the greatest inventors of the industrial age — engage in a battle of technology and ideas that will determine whose electrical system will power the new century. Backed by J.P. Morgan, Edison dazzles the world by lighting Manhattan. But Westinghouse, aided by Nikola Tesla, sees fatal flaws in Edison’s direct current design. Westinghouse and Tesla bet everything on risky and dangerous alternating current. Historical drama directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and written by Michael Mitnick. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston and Tuppence Middleton. Feature: An Epivc Story About The Man Who Invented the 20th Century /  Trailer /

THE CURSE OF LA LLORNA In 1970s Los Angeles, the legendary ghost La Llorona is stalking the night — and the children. Trailer 

DEEP END A coming of age story about a young Indian woman, living in Durban where sticking to culture and tradition comes crashing up against wanting to be a part of the bigger world. Written and directed by Eubulus Timothy. 

DESTROYER A gritty, riveting and narratively complex crime thriller.  Trailer /

DOCTOR SLEEP Directed and edited by Mike Flanagan from his own screenplay based upon the novel by Stephen King, Doctor Sleep continues the story of Danny Torrance, 40 years after his terrifying stay at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Read more

DOMINEE TIENIE (PASTOR TIENIE) A pastor is confronted with a steep decline in the number of churchgoers and a modern society that is rapidly changing. Trailer 

DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD  Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents nothing could prepare Dora for the most dangerous adventure ever – High School. Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego, and a rag tag group of teens on an adventure to save her parents and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost Inca civilization. Directed by James Bobin. It is an adaptation of the Nickelodeon‘s series of the same name. Read more /

DOWNTON ABBEY The beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. We return to the Great House with the most illustrious guests the Crawley family could ever hope to entertain, their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary.  With a dazzling parade and lavish dinner to orchestrate, Mary, now firmly at the reins of the estate, faces the greatest challenge to her tenure as head of Downton. Directed by Michael Engler from a screenplay by Julian Fellowes (who created and wrote the 9-season TV series). Read more

DUMBO  An all-new grand live-action adventure expands on the beloved classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take flight.  Trailer /

DUMPLIN’ A plus-size teenage daughter of a former beauty queen signs up for her mom’s pageant as a protest.

EIGHT GRADE A thirteen-year-old girl endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school Trailer /

ESCAPE ROOM Six strangers are invited to compete in a series of immersive escape rooms. Trailer /

ESCAPE PLAN: THE EXTRACTORS Sequel to Escape Plan 2. After security expert Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is hired to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Hong Kong tech mogul from a formidable Latvian prison, Breslin’s girlfriend is also captured. Now he and his team, must pull off a deadly rescue mission to confront their sadistic foe and save the hostages, hidden in the depths of the prison complex, before time runs out.Directed by John Herzfeld. Read more / Trailer /

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE The story of Ted Bundyis shown from the perspective of his girlfriend who strugglesto accept the reality of her boyfriend’s nature. Trailer /

FAST AND FURIOUS PRESENTS HOBBS AND SHAW After eight films that have amassed more than $5 billion worldwide, TheFast & Furious franchise now features its first stand-alone vehicle as Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprise their roles as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.   Read more

THE FAVOURITE Explore the veiled world of Queen Anne, the last (and historically most ignored) of the Stuart line of Britain’s rulers— who though infamously gouty, shy and disregarded, nevertheless reigned as Great Britain became a global power.  Trailer / 

FIELA SE KIND With Fiela Se Kind, an iconic South African classic, Brett Michael Innes delivers a heartbreaking story of the walls that separate us and the love that unites, telling the tale of a coloured woman in 1890s Southern Africa who finds a white toddler on her Karoo doorstep and raises him as her own. Read more / Trailer /

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY Based on a true story, it follows reformed gangster and his family as they make a living wrestling together in tiny venues.  Trailer /

FINAL SCORE An independent throwback action movie

FISHERMAN’S FRIEND A fast-living, cynical London music executive (Danny Mays) heads to a remote Cornish village on a stag weekend where he’s pranked by his boss (Noel Clarke) into trying to sign a group of shanty singing fishermen (led by James Purefoy). He becomes the ultimate ‘fish out of water’ as he struggles to gain the respect or enthusiasm of the unlikely boy band and their families. Directed by Chris Foggin from a screenplay by Nick Moorcroft, Meg Leonard and Piers Ashworth.  Review / Trailer /

FORD V FERRARI Inspired by a true-life drama about a powerful friendship that forever changed racing history, Ford v Ferrari was a ten-year-journey from page to screen for filmmaker James Mangold, the masterful storyteller behind Walk the Line and Logan. It’s one of the most legendary tales in the history of motorsports. Carroll Shelby, working closely with his spirited test driver Ken Miles, develops a revolutionary car that bests a fleet of vehicles built by Italian racing legend Enzo Ferrari at the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of LeMans. This is the story of a group of unconventional thinkers who overcome incredible odds to achieve something extraordinary through sheer inventiveness, determination and force of will. Read more

THE FRONT RUNNER  The rise and fall of charismatic politician Senator Hart, whose campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice.  Trailer/

FROZEN 2 For producer Peter Del Vecho, the characters of Frozen long ago became more than characters to the filmmakers. “It’s like they are family,” he says. “They are endearing in that they are both fl awed and aspirational, and there is so much more to their story. And like a lot of storytellers, we found we couldn’t get them out of our heads. We wanted to know more—go deeper in exploring this relationship between two sisters.” “If ‘Frozen’ was happily ever after,” says director Lee, “then Frozen 2 is the day after happily ever after. Life gets in the way. It throws you curve balls. So, this is about learning to fight for your place in the world, do what’s right—all of the grown-up things you have to do. There’s s ll fun and humor, but it’s a deeply emotional story about finding out who we are meant to be.” Read more

GALVESTON A heavy-drinking criminal enforcer discovers a young woman being held captive, and reluctantly takes her with him on his escape. Trailer /

GEMINI MAN Will Smith plays a veteran ex-Special Forces sniper turned assassin for a clandestine government organization; and, with the assistance of ground-breaking visual effects, as Junior, the mysterious younger operative with peerless fighting skills who is suddenly targeting him in a global chase. Directed by Ang Lee (Life of Pi) from a screenplay by David Benioff and Billy Ray and Darren Lemke. Read more / Trailer /

GLASS M. Night Shyamalan brings together the narratives of two of his standout originals—Unbreakable and Split – in one explosive, all-new comic-book thriller.  Trailer /

GLORIA BELL Gloria (Julianne Moore) is a free-spirited divorcée who finds herself thrust into an unexpected new romance, filled with both the joys of budding love and the complications of dating, identity and family. Written and directed by Sebastián Lelio. It is a reimagining of Lelio’s 2013 film Gloria. Feature: Re-imagining your own film / Trailer /

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS Members of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. Feature: A New Entry In The Cinematic Montserverse /  Trailer /

GOLD FINCH Intimate in its emotion and sweeping in its design, this film adaptation of Donna Tartt’s globally acclaimed and beloved bestseller of the same name is directed by BAFTA Award winner John Crowley (Brooklyn), from a screenplay by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). The tragedy of a terrorist bomb explosion in the Metropolitan Museum of Art changes the course of a young man’s life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, friendship and even love.  Throughout the turbulent years, as he grows into adulthood, Theo (Ansel Egort) secretly clings to a single, precious object—his one tangible connection to the mother he lost on that terrible day—a priceless painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch.  The Goldfinch. Read more/ Trailer /

GOOD BOYS  Three sixth grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party. . Written and directed by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and starring Jacob Tremblay. Read more/ Trailer /

THE GOOD LIARis an intriguing look at the dark side of human nature but often with a glimmer of macabre humor,” says director and producer Bill Condon of this gripping tale where so little is what it seems to be. “It’s a thriller with a Hitchcockian feel, weaving in elements of mystery, crime and a human drama.  And at its heart are two beautifully complex characters played by two of the greatest actors of all time, at the top of their form, who can keep you guessing like a classic whodunnit till the very end.  It’s all wickedly fun,” says Condon, who directs from a screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher, based on the widely acclaimed novel by Nicholas Searle.  Read more

GREEN BOOK Nick Vallelonga, the oldest son of Tony Lip, grew up hearing about his father’s journey with Don Shirley.  “This was a story I had on my mind basically my whole life from the time I was a young kid,” says Vallelonga, an actor, writer, producer, and director who crafted the screenplay for Green Book with Brian Currie and director Peter Farrelly. Feature: A Movie 50 Years in the Making /  Trailer 

GRETA Frances finds a handbag on the New York subway and promptly returns it to Greta (Isabelle Huppert), an eccentric French piano teacher who loves tea and classical music. Having recently lost her mother, young Frances strikes up a seemingly harmless friendship with the lonely and kindly widow who enjoys her company. But when Greta’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and obsessive, Frances does whatever it takes to end the toxic relationship before things spirals out of control. Directed by Neil Jordan and co-written by Ray Wright and Jordan. Feature: A contemporary thriller about obsession /  Trailer /

HAUNT “The joy of a creative partnership like ours is that we can write two films at once,” says writer-director team Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, who rose to prominence in 2018 with A Quiet Place, on which they share a writing credit with star and director John Krasinski, and now unleashes hell with Haunt, which they wrote at the same time. On its face, their latest film Haunt is a simple affair about a handful of teens who head out in search of fun on Halloween, arrive at an extreme haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they discover that some monsters are real. Read more

HELLBOY  Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge.B ased on the Dark Horse Comics character of the same name. The film is directed by Neil Marshall and stars David Harbour as Hellboy.  Feature: Reimagining The Film Franchise For A New Generation / Trailer /

HER ONLY CHOICE A woman is faced with a choice to fight for her life or sacrifice it for another. After years of infertility, a newly-expectant mother is diagnosed with a life-altering disease.
Directed by Christel Gibson. With Jamaal Avery Jr., Christopher Bates, Veronica Blakney, Keith Arthur Bolden. Trailer /

HOLMES AND WATSON When detective Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell)  and Dr. John Watson (John C. Reilly) join forces to investigate a murder at Buckingham Palace, they soon learn that they have only four days to solve the case, or the queen will become the next victim. Written and directed by Etan Cohen. Feature: A Raucous Comedy  / Trailer/ 

HOTEL MUMBAI A gripping true story of humanity and heroism, recounting the 2008 siege of the famed Taj Hotel by a group of terrorists in Mumbai, India. Feature: A gripping true story of humanity and heroism / Trailer /

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD A surprising tale about growing up, finding the courage to face the unknown…Written and directed by Dean DeBlois.   Feature: An unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon / Trailer 

THE HUSTLE Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway have winning chemistry as a pair of con artists plying their trade in a stunning seaside town in the south of France. Inspired by Bedtime Story (1964), written by Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), written by Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning and Dale Launer, screenwriter Jac Schaeffer joins the mix with director Chris Addison in his big screen directorial debut for this modern twist on these two comedies. Read more / Trailer /

HUSTLERS Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. With Jennifer Lopez, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Julia Stiles and Mercedes Ruehl  Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. Read more /

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK is set in early-1970s Harlem, and tells a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (screen newcomer KiKi Layne). Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based on James Baldwin‘s novel.  Feature: Bringing James Baldwin’s novel to the Big Screen /   Trailer 

INDIA’S MOST WANTED A Bollywood action thriller directed by Raj Kumar Gupta about tracking a terrorist in a secret mission and arresting him without firing bullets. It pays tribute to unsung heroes of our society. The film is inspired from the arrest of proscribed organisation Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Abdul Subhan Qureshi (also known as India’s Osama) in January 2018 by Delhi Police. Read more / Trailer 

THE INTRUDER In this psychological thriller a young married couple (Michael Ealy and Meagan Good) buy their dream house in the Napa Valley, thinking they have found the perfect home to take their next steps as a family. But when the strangely attached seller (Dennis Quaid) continues to infiltrate their lives, they begin to suspect that he has hidden motivations beyond a quick sale. Directed by Deon Taylor (Traffik) and written by David Loughery (Lakeview Terrace).  Read more / Trailer

IT CHAPTER TWO Evil resurfaces in Derry as director Andy Muschietti reunites the Losers Club in a return to where it all began with IT Chapter Two, the conclusion to the highest-grossing horror film of all time. Muschietti directed IT Chapter Two from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman (IT, the Annabelle films) based on the novel IT by Stephen King. Read more /

JEXI Meet lead character, Phil… Phil (played by Adam Devine) has been attached to his phone since childhood. Now an adult, he lives alone, he’s single, he doesn’t have any close friends, he doesn’t go out, and he hates his job. His phone is his best friend. When his phone is destroyed in a freak accident, he’s forced to buy a new one which comes with AI Jexi (voiced by Rose Byrne). Jexi challenges him from day one, and in every aspect of his life, but her delivery tends to be a bit “rough,” especially once he starts to put the phone down. Jexi is hellbent on teaching Phil how to become more human but this artificial device hilariously offers some emotionally-fueled responses in the process, including an especially adverse reaction to his budding relationship with Cate (played by Alexandra Shipp), a bike shop owner he literally bumps into while staring down at his phone. Read more

JOHN WICK 3: PARABELLUM  In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled franchise Keanu Reeves returns as the eternally embattled super-assassin John Wick who must fight his way out of New York when a $14 million contract on his life makes him the target of the world’s top assassins. Directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, Chris Collins & Marc Abrams, and Shay Hatten. Read more / Trailer 

JOKER Directed, co-written and produced by Todd Phillips, Joker is the filmmaker’s original vision of the infamous DC villain, an origin story infused with, but distinctly outside, the character’s more traditional mythologies.  Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fractured society.  Longing for any light to shine on him, he tries his hand as a stand-up comic, but finds the joke always seems to be on him.  Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty and, ultimately, betrayal, Arthur makes one bad decision after another that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty, allegorical character study. Read more / Trailer /

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL Following the global success of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the filmmakers knew they had an opportunity to continue telling the stories of these characters. Everything they know about Jumanji changes in Jumanji: The Next Levelas they discover that there’s more to it than just a jungle; it’s bigger, more dangerous, and has more thrilling obstacles to overcome. Read more

KANDASAMYS: THE WEDDING Building on the theme developed in the first movie, ‘Kandasamys: The Wedding’ (KTW) will centre on the much-anticipated Naidoo/Kandasamy wedding. Director/Writer Jayan Moodley reprises her roles in the sequel and is all set to make the big screen come alive with more side-splitting comedy and heart touching moments as the two Chatsworth families plan the wedding of the year (or if the Mother of the Bride would have it – The Wedding of the decade in spectacular Kandasamy style!)
Interview with Producer-director and writer Jayan Moodley /   Trailer

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING Old-school magic meets the modern world.  Alex ( Louis Ashbourne Serkis) thinks he’s just another nobody, until he stumbles upon the mythical Sword in the Stone, Excalibur. Now, he must unite his friends and enemies into a band of knights and, together with the legendary wizard Merlin (Stewart), take on the wicked enchantress Morgana (Ferguson). With the future at stake, Alex must become the great leader he never dreamed he could be.  Written and directed by Joe Cornish. Read more / Trailer /

KINGS OF MULBERRY STREET The escapades of two young South African Indian boys who have to overcome their differences and band together in order to defeat the bullying local crime lord who threatens their families. It is a charming and hilarious adventure, with universal themes that will appeal to the whole family. The film also pays tribute to classic 80’s Bollywood movies and their heroes. Written and directed by director and producer Judy Naidoo. Feature: Kings of Mulberry Street pays tribute to classic 80s Bollywood movies and their heroes / Trailer /

THE KITCHEN A high-impact drama with a strong, female-driven cast and women in key roles behind the scenes, it takes full ownership of a genre not known for putting women at the top.  Defying expectations across the board, it turns the classic mob drama upside down like never before, lending a contemporary tone to the distinctive style and vibe of the era and serving up plenty of action, attitude and shocking turns. Read more

KNIVES OUT Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson pays tribute to mystery masterminds Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock in Knives Out, a fresh, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. Exercising his sharp-witted ear for dialogue, Johnson ( Brick , Looper , Star Wars: The Last Jedi) is in top form as a writer here, serving up hilarious and eloquent material for an impeccable cast. A master in blending genres, and with a keen eye for detail, Johnson employs unexpected cinematic tropes to keep the audience on their toes as the story weasels its way through twists and turns to a shocking conclusion. Irreverent, intelligent, and, most importantly, pure fun from beginning to end, Knives Out is a modern popcorn whodunit of the highest order. Read more

LAST CHRISTMAS It tells the story of Kate (Emilia Clarke), who harrumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom (Henry Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers. As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart … and you gotta have faith. Read more

LATE SHOW Much like the character Katherine Newbury in Late Show , actor, writer and producer Mindy Kaling is an entertainment industry pioneer, breaking down barriers by becoming the first woman and first person of color to write for the hit sitcom “The Office,” then creating and starring in her own show, “The Mindy Project,” and penning two best-selling books. Now, the creative dynamo, who has emerged as one of the most original comic voices of her generation, has channeled her own career experiences into her first feature screenplay, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at the world of television comedy. Read more /  / Trailer /

THE LEAST OF THESE: THE GRAHAM STAINES STORY Based on a true story and shot on location in India, this faith-based drama from director Aneesh Daniel and screenwriter Andrew Matthew illustrates the power of love, hope and forgiveness to overcome hate. Watch Trailer

THE LEGO MOVIE 2 Bricksburg is now a post-apocalyptic wasteland as a result of Finn’s father allowing his younger sister to play with him in the basement. When an intergalactic invader kidnaps his girlfriend and his friends, Emmet’s master building skills are put to the ultimate test.  Directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Trisha Gum, from a screenplay by Phil Lord and Christopher MillerRead more / Trailer /

LIEWE LISA Daniel (Hendrik Cronje) secretly dreams of becoming a writer. In the pursuit of excitement, he finds himself trapped in an illicit affair with the wife of a powerful businessman. Things take another dramatic turn when he falls in love with the same businessman’s daughter. Directed, written and starring Hendrik Cronje, inspired by the film, The Graduate (1967). Interview with writer-director Hendrik Cronje

LIGHT OF MY LIFE Casey Affleck’s narrative feature filmmaking debut, based on his own script, mixes a survivalist drama, a coming-of-age story, and a powerful metaphor of parenting, letting concern for a single child serve as both eulogy and hope for a species facing its greatest challenges. In the desperate atmosphere of a post-pandemic, dystopian landscape following a plague that killed nearly all the world’s females, a father (Casey Affleck) and daughter (newcomer Anna Pniowsky) survive on rations in American Midwestern towns while they forage in the woods, far from the danger men present.Read more/ Trailer /Video interview/

THE LION KING With the live-action release audiences can journey to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. Directed by Jon Favreau, screenplay by Jeff Nathanson. Feature: The Lion King roars to life on the Big Screen in a Whole New Way /

LITTLE Marsai Martin (TV’s Black-ish) stars in and executive produces Universal Pictures’ LITTLE, a comedy from producer Will Packer (Girls Trip, Ride Along and Think Like a Man series) based on an idea the young actress pitched. Directed by Tina Gordon (Peeples), the film tells the story of a woman who-when the pressures of adulthood become too much to bear-gets the chance to relive the carefree life of her younger self. Trailer /

LITTLE ITALY Emma Roberts’ character struggles with returning to her small neighborhood after being in a big city, while falling in love with her father’s biggest enemy (Hayden Christiansen). Directed by Donald Petrie based on a screenplay by Steve Galluccio and Vinay Virmani. Feature: A Story Inspired By Pizza Wars /  Trailer /

LONG SHOT Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a gifted and free-spirited journalist with an affinity for trouble. Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is one of the most influential women in the world. Smart, sophisticated, and accomplished, she’s a powerhouse diplomat with a talent for… well, mostly everything. Sparks fly as their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world romance and a series of unexpected and dangerous incidents. Directed by Jonathan Levine. Read more / Trailer

LOSING LERATO is a beautifully told South African action/thriller about a successful young black man who takes matters into his own hands by kidnapping his daughter after life, the law and the woman he once loved separate them. His actions put him on a collision course with the law and he finds himself in a high-stakes hostage situation. Directed by Sanele Zulu, screenplay by Ricardo Arendse and Kagiso Modupe. With 
Kagiso Modupe and Tshimillo Mosupe. Trailer / 

LOVE LIVES HERE The romance tells the story of Zinhle Malinga (Thando Thabethe), a jaded romantic, who’s quests for that picture-perfect prince charming have left her disillusioned about the idea of true love. Written and produced by Mokopi Shale. Read review /  Trailer /

LUIS AND THE ALIENS Growing up as half-orphan with an Ufologist-Dad (Armin Sonntag) who’s obsessed to prove to the whole world that alien exist, 12-year-old Luis hasn’t had an easy and certainly not a normal life. Read more / Trailer /

MA Everybody’s welcome at Ma’s. But good luck getting home safe. Oscar® winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water) stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie (Diana Silvers, Glass), a teenager new in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own. She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.” But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth. Directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, The Girl on the Train) from a screenplay by  Scotty Landes (Comedy Central’s Workaholics). Feature: MA – A Lovable Villain / Trailer

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL A sequel to the 2014 global box office hit, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and dark new forces at play. The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet the hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora’s impending marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration in the kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors, as the wedding serves to unite the two worlds. When an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be family. Directed by Joachim Rønning. With a story by Linda Woolverton and a screenplay by Linda Woolverton and Noah Harpster & Micah Fitzerman-Blue. Read more / Trailer/

MA MA Diagnosed with breast cancer, a woman (Penélope Cruz) forms a strong bond with a man (Luis Tosar) who lost his wife and daughter in a car accident. Spanish drama film directed by Julio Medem.Review/ Trailer /

MARNIE’S WORLD In this German animated film from Christoph Lauenstein & Wolfgang Lauenstein, four crazy antiheroes on the run. Their leader is the unworldly innocent, naive Marnie, a house cat who is not allowed to leave the house and only knows about real life from television. Based loosely on Grimms “The Bremen Town Musicians” a modern, hilarious road movie is told. Trailer /

MARY POPPINS RETURNS An all new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss.Directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay by David Magee and a screen story by Magee & Rob Marshall & John DeLuca based upon the Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers. Feature: An all new original musical and sequel / Trailer 

MATWETWE (Wizard) is a South African coming of age adventure following Lefa and Papi, best friends and recent high school graduates, on the hustle of their young lives. Written and directed by Kagiso Lediga.  Read more/ Trailer 

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL The Men in Black have expanded to cover the globe, but so have the scum of the universe. And to keep us safe, decorated Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) and determined rookie M (Tessa Thompson) are partnered – an unlikely pairing that just might work. As they face a new alien threat that can take the form of anyone, including MIB agents, they must join forces on a globetrotting adventure to save the agency and ultimately the world. Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald return as the franchise’s “guardians,” having produced all four films, starting with 1997’s Men in Black, and have brought on board director F. Gary Gray, whose work encompasses epic action and thrills (The Fate of the Furious), raucous comedy (Friday) and galvanizing drama (Straight Outta Compton) to bring scale, laughs and a unique vision to the sequel.  MIB: International screenwriters Art Marcum & Matt Holloway had earlier penned the screenplay for Iron Man, which helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and whose tone was inspired by MIB. Indeed, the MIB franchise is defined by its creativity and inventiveness – blending comedy, science fiction and adventure, a mix that other franchises would follow. Read more 

MIDSOMMAR With their relationship in trouble, a young American couple travel to a fabled Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms into a sinister, dread-soaked nightmare as the locals reveal their terrifying agenda. Written and directed by Ari Aster, and starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper. Feature: A dark and hallucinatory fairy tale rooted in personal experience/ Trailer /

MIDWAY Director Roland Emmerich is a master of cinematic spectacle, with a legendary career ranging from science fiction blockbusters, like Independence Day, to historical epics, like The Patriot. In addition to his signature scope and scale, the acclaimed filmmaker’s work is always grounded in relatable themes, fully realized characters, and the emotional power of hope. Midway continues in this proud tradition, and is a true passion project almost twenty years in the making. Read more

MISS BALA Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime. SDirected by Catherine Hardwicke, from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. It is a remake of the 2011 film of the same name by Gerardo Naranjo. Read more / Trailer

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN The beating heart of writer-director Edward Norton’s meticulously crafted private-eye mystery Motherless Brooklyn is a highly original and poignant riff on the noir detective—a man driven into the darkest shadows of 1957 New York City by a need to understand a world that has left him a misjudged outcast. This is Lionel Essrog, whose over-charged brain would seem to bar him from the classic detective realms of the smooth and the no-nonsense.  But in making Lionel the hero of a story about power and dispossession, Norton upends a hard-boiled character integral to American cinema and re-imagines him through an emotionally stirring prism of chaos, need and vulnerability.  Read more

THE MULE Clint Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a man in his 80s who is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive.  Eastwood directs from a screenplay by Nick Schenk, inspired by the New York Times Magazine article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick. Feature: The Mule – Inspired By The True Story of a 90-Year-Old Drug Mule / Trailer /

OFFICIAL SECRETS The journey to the big screen for Official Secrets began in 2003, when Katharine Gun became headline news when she leaked a classified e-mail revealing how the US government’s National Security Agency urged UK cooperation in an intelligence “surge” to gather information on UN Security Council members, with a view to securing a UN resolution to send troops to Iraq. Read more

THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Written and directed by David Lowery, based on the true-life story of Forrest Tucker, a career criminal and prison escape artist. The script is based on David Grann‘s 2003 article in The New Yorkertitled “The Old Man and the Gun”, which was later collected in Grann’s 2010 book The Devil and Sherlock Holmes.  / Trailer / Feature: The Old Man & The Gun – An homage to a complicated anti-hero

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD  With Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino continues to evolve and to surprise audiences. While it has all of the hallmarks of a Tarantino film – a wholly original story, with fresh characters, presented with bravura technique – his ninth film also breaks new ground for the writer-director. It is a character-driven story, dealing with mature issues of unfulfilled expectations that inevitably confront us all as we age. In Hollywood, this struggle is particularly dramatic, as success and failure live side by side. In Once Upon a Time…, they do so literally as well as figuratively. Read more

ON THE BASIS OF SEX It tells the true story of a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) – then a struggling attorney and new mother – who faces adversity and numerous obstacles in her fight for equal rights throughout her career. Feature: The origin story of one of the great women of our times/ Trailer/ 

OVERCOMER High school basketball coach John Harrison and his team face an uncertain future when their town’s largest manufacturing plant shuts down unexpectedly. As hundreds of people move away, John reluctantly agrees to coach cross-country, a sport he doesn’t even like. His outlook soon changes when he meets Hannah Scott, an unlikely runner who pushes herself to the limit. Inspired by the words and prayers of a new friend, John starts to train Hannah for the biggest race of her young life. Faith based film directed by Alex Kendrick and written by him and Stephen Kendrick. It is the Kendrick brothers’ sixth film and their second through their subsidiary, Kendrick Brothers Productions. Read more 

PAIN AND GLORY Quite unintentionally, Pain and Glory is the third part of a spontaneously created trilogy that has taken Spanish filmmaker and auteur Pedro Almodóvar thirty two years to complete. A tale of memory, regret and making peace with his past – isn’t just his most personal, it is also one of his greatest, and blurs the line between art and life and mixes autobiography with fiction to powerful effect. As the title suggests, the result is a swirl of heartbreak and joy. Read more

PARASITE In an age when economic polarization and inequality show no signs of abating, and large sections of the world’s population feel more and more desperate, there is a temptation to blame others and promote easy, one-sided solutions. What Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite provides is a complex, honest allegory about the challenges we all face in a world where co-existence is an increasingly difficult ideal to achieve. This family tragicomedy depicts the inevitable collision that ensues when Ki-woo, the eldest son in a family of four unemployed adults, is introduced to the wealthy Park family for a well-paid tutoring job. Writer-director BONG Joon Ho talks about his ‘unstoppably fierce family tragicomedy’ Parasite / Trailer /

PET SEMATARY It follows “a doctor who moves his family out of the big city to the country. There he discovers that they have moved near a pet cemetery that rests on an ancient burial ground, and when his toddler son is killed in an auto accident, he takes the boy’s body to the cemetery, where it is resurrected in demonic form. Directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer and written by Jeff Buhler and David Kajganich. It is the second adaptation of the novel of the same name by Stephen King, after the 1989 film. Feature: A Terrifying Original Adaptation / Trailer

PLAYING WITH FIRE – A group of firefighters learn that children are actually much like fires – wild and unpredictable

PLAYMOBIL: THE MOVIE The first-ever feature film inspired by the beloved, award-winning PLAYMOBIL® role-play toys. The heart-warming tale tells of a young boy who unexpectedly disappears into the magical, animated universe of PLAYMOBIL. His sister embarks on a thrilling journey to bring him home. It was directed by Lino DiSalvo, an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, who spent almost 17 years at Disney and served as Head of Animation on Frozen; supervising animator on Tangled and Bolt and animator on Meet the Robinsons, Chicken Little and 102 Dalmatians.

POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure stars Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu and is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and one of the most successful media franchises of all time.  Directed by Rob Letterman, from a story by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Nicole Perlman, screenplay by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Rob Letterman and Derek Connolly, based on the “Detective Pikachu” video game developed by Creatures Inc.  Read more / Trailer /

POLAROID High school student Bird (Kathryn Prescott) is given an old Polaroid camera that holds dark and mysterious secrets. She soon realizes that those who get their picture taken by it meet a tragic and untimely death. Directed by Lars Klevberg, based on his 2015 short film of the same name. Read more  / Trailer/

POMS Zara Hayes directs from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson about about a group of women who form a cheer leading squad at their retirement community, proving that you’re never too old to ‘bring it!’ With Diane Keaton Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston also star. Read more / Trailer /

THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE A shocking exorcism spirals out of control, claiming the life of a teenage girl. Diederik van Rooijen (Daylight, Taped) directs from a script by Brian Sieve (Scream: The TV Series, Boogeyman 2).Feature: A character-driven psychological thriller, drawing from and updating classic horror themes. / Trailer

THE PRINCESS AND THE DRAGON On her 7th birthday, Princess Barbara discovers a magical book that transports her to Wonderland – an enchanted place filled with dragons and fantastic creatures in this animated adventure directed by Marina Nefedova. Read more / Trailer / 

THE PRODIGY Taylor Schilling plays a mother whose young son Miles’ (Jackson Robert Scott) disturbing behavior signals that an evil, possibly supernatural force has overtaken him. Directed by Nicholas McCarthy, with Taylor Schilling, Colm Feore, Jackson Robert Scott. Feature: A mind-bending thrill ride / Trailer /

THE QUEEN’S CORGI The animated adventure of Rex, the British monarch’s most beloved dog, who loses track of his mistress and stumbles across a clan with dogs of all kinds confronting and fighting each other. Directed by Ben Stassen and Vincent Kesteloot, and written by John R. Smith and Rob Sprackling. Read more / Trailer/

RACETIME Canadian animated film directed by Benoît Godbout. A sequel to the 2015 film Snowtime.Read more / Trailer /

RAFIKI  The film follows two stylish teens, Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and Ziki (Sheila Munyiva), who crush on each other despite their families’ political rivalry. When love blossoms between them, they must contend with small town busybodies and the judgment of their conservative society. With the support of numerous international funders and the participation of six co- producers led by South African production company Big World Cinema, pre-production began in December 2016 and was the first Kenyan film in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard). Interview with writer-director 
Writer-director Wanuri Kahiu / Trailer/

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD Almost four decades after he drew first blood, Sylvester Stallone is back as one of the greatest action heroes of all time, John Rambo. Now, Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission. A deadly journey of vengeance, it marks the last chapter of the legendary series. Directed by Adrian Grunberg from a screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone. Read more

READY OR NOT The stakes are high as a newlywed literally fights for her life, trying to survive her in-laws in a deadly game of hide and seek on her wedding night. When she draws the ‘Hide and Seek’ card she makes the terrifying discovery that she is being hunted in lethal blood sport. Pushed to her limits physically and emotionally, Grace becomes hellbent on not only staying alive, but attempts to change the game forever by fighting back in any way she can. A film from the film making trio collectively known as Radio Silence comprising of directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet, and executive producer Chad Villella (Southbound / Devil’s Due). Read more / Trailer

RED JOAN In a picturesque village in England, Joan Stanley (Academy Award winner Dame Judi Dench), lives in contented retirement. Then suddenly her tranquil existence is shattered as she’s shockingly arrested by MI5. For Joan has been hiding an incredible past; she is one of the most influential spies in living history… It is directed with a strong sense for character by Trevor Nunn. Screenplay by Lindsay Shapero, based on Jennie Rooney’s novel. Feature: Adapting a Bestseller Based On A True Story / Trailer

RED ROOM Khanyi Mbau plays the wife to a wealthy husband who loses it all, and is thrown into the frightening South African underworld of human trafficking. Trailer /

REPLICAS After a car accident kills his loving family, a daring neuroscientist will stop at nothing to bring them back, even if it means pitting himself against a government-controlled laboratory, a police task force, and the physical laws of science themselves. Written by Chad St. John (London Has Fallen) and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor). Feature: A modern-day twist on the Frankenstein myth / Trailer

RICHARD SAYS GOODBYE Richard is a world-weary college professor who is given a life-changing terminal diagnosis and decides to throw all pretense and conventions to the wind and live his life as boldly and freely as possible with a biting sense of humor, a reckless streak, and a touch of madness. Written and directed by Wayne Roberts.  The film stars Johnny Depp, Zoey Deutch, Danny Huston  Read more / Trailer /

ROBIN HOOD It reintroduces the iconic outlaw as the dark, compelling hero of a turbulent city in desperate need of one. Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) a war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander (Jamie Foxx) mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown.
Directed by Otto Bathurst from a screenplay by Ben Chandler and David James Kelly, from a story by Ben Chandler. Feature: The Rebirth Of A Cinematic Superhero / Trailer 

ROCKETMAN An epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years. The story of Elton John’s life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. Biopic based on the life of musician Elton John. The film is directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall. Taron Egerton (the Kingsman movies) plays young Elton John. Feature: An epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years /  Trailer

ROMA Set in Mexico City in the early 1970’s, writer-director Alfonso Cuarón’s story follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. Feature: An Introspective Journey for writer-director Alfonso Cuarón /

SAINT JUDY tells the inspirational true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood and her fight that changed American asylum law forever. Directed by Sean Hanish with Michelle Monaghan and Alfred Molina.Read more / Trailer

SALVATION South African writer and director Carmen Sangion’s debut feature film, Salvation, is no exception – the multi-narrative drama promises to be a deeply personal and emotive story, inspired by her spiritual journey and search for meaning in a disconnected world obsessed with external appearances and validation. Set in present-day Johannesburg, the bi-lingual (English and Afrikaans) drama connects Ezra – a young man on the run from the law, Roxy – a dejected stripper, and Father Benjamin – a despairing priest, in their search for answers, acceptance and faith. When their paths cross, they form an unlikely bond that forces them to venture out of their comfort zones to find freedom and salvation in truth and forgiveness. With talents that include the highly-versatile Capetonian actress and model Kira Wilkinson from Hard Copy, The Giver and Homeland; Flatland, The Endless River, Maze Runner: The Death Cure’s Clayton Everston, and Scandal and Generations’ star Jason Willemse, the movie also aims to break the stereotypes that are commonly associated with the Coloured community by delivering an unconventional narrative and different perspective of their experience. Trailer /

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK As brought to life by the visionary team of producer Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water, Pacific Rim, Pan’s Labyrinth) and director André Øvredal (Trollhunter), the film is anything but an anthology. Instead it’s a tale of a group of young misfits who must confront all the fears that stand between them and the future. Read more

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2   Packed with Illumination’s signature irreverence and subversive humor, this new chapter explores the emotional lives of our pets, the deep bond between them and the families that love them, and answers the question that has long intrigued every pet owner: What are your pets really doing when you’re not at home? Directed by returning filmmaker Chris Renaud, and co-directed by Jonathan Del Val. from a screenplay by returning Pets screenwriter Brian Lynch. Feature: Bringing the audience back together with the characters that they love /  Read more / Trailer /

DIE SEEMEEU Christiaan Olwagen (Johnny is nie Dood nie, Kanarie) adapts Anton Chekhov’s classic play, The Seagull, to film, and places it in South Africa in the 1990’s, almost one hundred years after it was written. Each of Chekhov’s skillfully drawn characters grapple with inner fears, longings, doubts, regrets, recriminations and miseries. All of them, of course, of their own making.Performed in Afrikaans, with English subtitles, the characters are easily recognised, yet appear as if they were written for this new setting.  Read review / Read more / Trailer /

SEW THE WINTER TO MY SKIN  A rousing, action-adventure-epic set in early 1950’s rural South Africa, chronicling the captivating chase and suspenseful capture of the native outlaw, John Kepe. This self-proclaimed “Samson of the Boschberg” inevitably became a political threat to the very fabric of the ruling colonial society. A South African Epic written and directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. Feature: A South African Western-style Epic / Trailer /  

SHAZAM!   We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out.  In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard.  Directed by David F. Sandberg from a screenplay by Henry Gayden, and a story by Gayden and Darren Lemke. Read review / Read more / Trailer /

THE SISTERS BROTHERS It is 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly) are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. They have blood on their hands: that of criminals, that of innocents…and they know no state of existence other than being gunmen. Jacques Audiard (A Prophet) and his frequent collaborator Thomas Bidegain adapted the new film’s script from the novel The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. Feature: A Western With Heart /  Trailer / 

SKEMERSON The film tells the story of a young man, Sella (Pietie Beyers) who decides to take his own life. He is a doctor whose mental state has been triggered by the trauma of losing his mum after he nursed her for some time. In Afrikaans with English Subtitles / Feature: New SA film encapsulates the experience of grief and loss in all its different forms / Trailer /

SKIN Biographical drama film written and directed by Guy Nattiv. It follows the life of former skinhead group member Bryon Widner. A young man (Jamie Bell) makes the dangerous choice to leave the white supremacist gang he joined as a teenager. With his former friends against him, he is determined to create a new life for himself — if he can make it out alive. Feature: Israeli writer-director Guy Nattiv talks about SKIN / Trailer /

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME Tom Holland returns as our friendly neighborhood Super Hero who, following the events of Avengers: Endgame, must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever. The film expands the Spider-Man film universe, taking Peter Parker out of his comfort zone and his home in Queens, New York City, and hurling him across Europe during what was supposed to be a school vacation – but which becomes his greatest challenge and most epic adventure ever. Directed by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming).  from a screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers.  Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.   Read more / Trailer /

Spies In Disguise – Animated comedy set in the high-octane globe-trotting world of international espionage

STAN & OLLIE Weaned on Saturday morning BBC TV screenings of Laurel & Hardy legendary two-reelers, award-winning Film and Television writer Jeff Pope was gifted a Laurel and Hardy DVD box-set fifteen years ago, and after watching Way Out West,  inspiration led to research the story behind the icons and snowballed into the screenplay for Stan & Ollie. Now showing. Read more

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga

STOCKHOLM The film follows Lars Nystrom, (Hawke) who dons a disguise to raid a central Stockholm bank. He then takes hostages in order to spring his pal Gunnar (Strong) from prison. One of the hostages includes Bianca (Rapace), a wife and mother of two. Negotiations with detectives hits a wall when (at the request of the Prime Minister) the police refuse to let Lars leave in a getaway car with the hostages. As hours turn into days, Lars alternates between threatening the hostages and making them feel comfortable and secure. The hostages develop an uneasy relationship with their captor, which is particularly complex for Bianca, who develops a strong bond with Lars as she witnesses his caring nature. This connection gave rise to the psychological phenomenon known as “Stockholm syndrome”. Produced, written and directed by Robert Budreau. Feature: Truth Really Is Stranger Than Fiction / Trailer /

THE STOLEN PRINCESS This Ukrainian animated film from Oleg Malamuzh takes place in the age of valiant knights, beautiful princesses, and battling sorcerers. Trailer /

DIE STROPERS (THE HARVESTERS) In the isolated conservative farming territory of an Afrikaans white ethnic minority culture obsessed with strength and masculinity, Janno (Brent Vermeulen) is different, secretive, emotionally frail. One day his mother, fiercely religious, brings home Pieter (Alex van Dyk) , a hardened street orphan she wants to save, and asks Janno to make this stranger into his brother. The two boys start a fight for power, heritage and parental love. Written and directed by Etienne Kallos, a Greek-South African Director. Read review / Read interview with writer-director Etienne Kallos/ Trailer /

STUBER Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) is a chatty, mild-mannered, risk-averse Millennial who works in a sporting goods store while moonlighting as an Uber driver who will do anything to save his five-star driver’s rating. Vic Manning (Dave Bautista) is a middle aged, old school, alpha detective, receives a tip on the whereabouts of the drug dealer who murdered his partner, and calls for an Uber. Can these two very different men share a Nissan Leaf while hunting drug dealers across Los Angeles? Directed by Michael Dowse from a screenplay by Tripper Clancy. Feature: A heartfelt bro-mance / Trailer /

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR  Natasha and her family have less than 24 hours before they are scheduled to be deported from New York to Jamaica. Further complications soon arise when Natasha meets and falls in love with Daniel, the son of Korean immigrants. Directed by Ry Russo-Young. The film is based on the young adult novel of the same name written by Nicola Yoon. Screenplay by Tracy Oliver and stars Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton. Feature: A modern-day story about finding love against all odds  / Trailer /

SUPER 30 Anand Kumar, a Mathematics genius from a modest family in Bihar who is made to believe that only a King’s son can become a king is on a mission to prove that even the poor man can create some of the world’s most genius minds. He starts a training program named ‘Super 30’ to help 30 IIT aspirants crack the entrance test and make them highly successful professionals. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, based on the life of mathematician Anand Kumar and his educational program Super 30 . Read more / Trailer 

SWIFT The little swift Manou grows up believing he’s a seagull. Learning to fly he finds out he never will be. Shocked, he runs away from home. He meets birds of his own species and finds out who he really is. When both seagulls and swifts face a dangerous threat, Manou becomes the hero of the day. It’s a modern fable about how strangers live together in a privileged society. How do we receive strangers and people who are different from ourselves in our society? Prejudices support the gulf between poor and rich, between locals and strangers. But is strangeness really irreconcilable? Or are we, concerning good and bad qualities, more similar to each other than we expect to be? This story explores this conflict within the circle of a family, which has to master its own private turbulences on top: friendship, first love, loyalty and growing up. Only when the protagonists, who are very different, get to know each other beyond all bounds they can live together in peace. Only after that they can eventually develop trust and respect for each other.  Read more/ Trailer /

TEEN SPIRIT With his stylish directorial debut, Max Minghella creates a modern fairytale — scored to a lush, pop soundtrack — about a quiet 17-year-old girl who finds the support and self-confidence she needs to step into her own power. Violet (Elle Fanning) is a shy teenager who dreams of escaping her small town and pursuing her passion to sing. With the help of an unlikely mentor, she enters a local singing competition that will test her integrity, talent and ambition. Read more / Trailer

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, changed the future, and re-wrote the fate of the human race. Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City with her brother (Diego Boneta) and father when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator – a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) – travels back through time to hunt and kill her. Dani’s survival depends on her joining forces with two warriors: Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an enhanced super-soldier from the future, and a battle-hardened Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). As the Rev-9 ruthlessly destroys everything and everyone in its path on the hunt for Dani, the three are led to a T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from Sarah’s past that may be their last best hope. Read more

TERRA WILLY Set in the future, it revolves around a 10-year-old boy called Willy, who is separated from his parents following the destruction of their spaceship. His rescue capsule lands on a wild and unexplored planet covered in exotic and colourful fauna and flora. Accompanied by survival robot Buck and Flash, an eight-legged extra-terrestrial creature who befriends them, Willy sets off to explore this weird and wonderful land. The latest animated feature from TAT Productions, the company behind the well-travelled The Jungle Bunch: The Movie.

TILL DEATH DO US PART Michael & Madison Roland, had planned to spend the rest of their lives together, until one day Michael’s controlling ways turned their perfect marriage, into an abusive rollercoaster no woman could survive. A psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher B. Stokes. The film stars Annie Ilonzeh, Stephen Bishop and Taye Diggs, who is also one of the film’s producers Trailer /

TOLKIEN As a young student, J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) finds love, friendship and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts. These early life experiences soon inspire Tolkien to write the classic fantasy novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Directed by Dome Karukoski and written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. Feature: A story that delves into where art and stories come from / Trailer 

TOY STORY 4 The toys are back on the big screen with an all-new adventure! Woody, Buzz and the whole gang find themselves far from home, discovering new friends—and old ones—on an eye-opening road trip that takes them to unexpected places.Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (voice of Tony Hale), declares himself as “trash” and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts). After years of being on her own, Bo’s adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior. As Woody and Bo realize they’re worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon come to find that’s the least of their worries. Directed by Josh Cooley (Riley’s First Date?), from a screenplay by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom. It is the fourth installment in the Toy Story series, and the sequel to Toy Story 3 (2010). It is produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and will be released by Walt Disney Pictures. Feature: Viewing the world from a toy’s perspective/ Trailer 

THE UPSIDE  A heartfelt comedy about a recently paroled ex-convict (Kevin Hart) who strikes up an unusual and unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston). A remake of the French 2011 film The Intouchables which was itself inspired by the life of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo Feature: An Inspirational Comedy / Trailer

UGLY DOLLS Unconventionality rules in STXfilms’ new animated musical adventure inspired by the unique and beloved global plush toy phenomenon launched in 2001. In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Directed by Kelly Asbury, produced by Robert Rodriguez through his production company, Troublemaker Studios, and written by Blaise Hemingway, Erica Rivinoja, and Larry Stuckey. It is based on the plush toys of the same name.  Read more / Trailer /

UNCOVERED The story follows Aluta (Nqobile Khumalo), an ambitious and determined young woman who searches for the success which only the corporate world can bring. Having big dreams of being a CEO of a mining company, her life takes a full 360-degree turn. As she dodges bullets while seeking justice for her and her family, this movie will leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Directed by Zuko Nodada. Trailer

US Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen to her family. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. Written and directed by Jordan Peele. Feature: Jordan Peele’s New Original Nightmare /  Trailer /

VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by writer and filmmaker Brett Michael Innes, the film tells the story of Afrikaans family, the De Beers, who are forced to find shelter on a local farm in the Eastern Free State of South Africa in the 1800s. Winter has arrived and, as dark clouds laden with snow start to roll in over the Drakensberg mountains, tragedy strikes. Read more /

VICE Spanning a half-century, Bruce (Dick) Cheney’s (Christian Bale) complex journey from rural Wyoming electrical worker to de facto President of the United States is a darkly comic and often unsettling inside look at the use and misuse of institutional power. Written and directed by Adam McKay (The Big Short). Feature: A story of the selfishness of power/ Trailer / 

WE BELONG TOGETHER A recovering alcoholic college professor trying to put his life back together meets a seductive new student. She offers him a sensual escape from reality until he realizes she may be insane. Directed by Christopher B. Stokes, with Draya Michelle, Charles Malik Whitfield, Elise Neal & Cassidey Fralin. Trailer /

THE WEDDING YEAR A commitment-phobic 27-year-old’s relationship is put to the test when she and her boyfriend attend seven weddings in the same year. Directed by Robert Luketic and starring Sarah Hyland, Tyler James Williams, Jenna Dewan, Matt Shively and Anna Camp.  Trailer /

WHAT MEN WANT Inspired by director Nancy Meyers’ 2000 hit What Women Want, directed by Adam (Hairspray, The Wedding Planner, Bringing Down The House) from a screenplay by Tina Gordon and Peter Huyck & Alex Gregory, from a story by Jas Waters and Tina Gordon. Read more / Trailer /

WHITE BOY RICK Rick Wershe is a single father who’s struggling to raise two teenagers during the height of the crack epidemic in 1980s Detroit. He sells guns illegally to make ends meet but soon attracts attention from the FBI. Federal agents convince his son, Rick Jr., to become an undercover drug informant in exchange for keeping his father out of prison. Directed by Yann Demange and written by Andy Weiss, and Logan and Noah Miller. Feature: An incredible true story of the youngest FBI informant in history / Trailer /

THE WHITE CROW It is not a biopic. It’s an impressionistic glimpse at the forces driving Nureyev — something of a diva even then — to accept no borders or limits in letting his artistry run fee. This British film was written by David Hare and directed by Ralph Fiennes, and starring Oleg Ivenko as the ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, and Ukrainian dancer Sergei Polunin as his roommate Yuri Soloviev. It is inspired by the book Rudolf Nureyev: The Life by Julie Kavanagh. Feature: The true story of an unique artist who transformed the world of ballet forever / Trailer / Review / Interview with David Hare / Interview with Ralph Fiennes /Interview with Oleg Ivenko

WILDLIFE Elegantly adapted from Richard Ford’s novel, Carey Mulligan (An Education) delivers one of her finest performances to date as Jeanette, a complex woman whose self-determination and self-involvement disrupts the values and expectations of a 1960s nuclear family. Directed by Paul Dano and co-written by Dano and Zoe Kazan. It is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Ford first published in 1990. Read more / Trailer /

WONDER PARK A young imaginative girl spends her childhood days constructing an amusement park filled with fantastical rides and inhabited by talking animals called Wonderland. Directed by David Feiss. Screenplay by  Josh Appelbaum and  André Nemec. Read more / Trailer /

X-MEN: THE DARK PHOENIX The X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe when one of their own, Jean Grey, starts to spiral out of control. During a rescue mission in outer space, Jean is nearly killed when she’s hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. The X-Men must now band together to save her soul and battle aliens that want to use Grey’s new abilities to rule the galaxy. The film is written and directed by Simon Kinberg./ Feature: The emotional story of a divided hero, a divided family and a divided world / Trailer /

YESTERDAY Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack
(Himesh Patel) a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town remembers their songs. He’s about to become a very big deal when discovers that The Beatles have never existed…and he finds himself with a very complicated problem indeed. Directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) from a screenplay by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and Notting Hill).Feature: A rock ’n’ roll comedy about music, dreams, friendship, and the long and winding road that leads to the love of your life /

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP A decade after Zombieland became a hit film and cult classic, the original cast reunite with veteran director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, TV’s “Superstore”) and screenwriters Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick – who wrote the screenplay for Zombieland: Double Tapwith Dave Callaham. Read more / Trailer //

THE ZOYA FACTOR In this Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film, Sonam Kapoor stars as Zoya, a young and successful advertising executive who becomes the good luck charm for India’s cricket team during the World Cup. Based on the book by Anuja Chauhan of the same title.
directed by Abhishek Sharma.  Read more / Trailer /

ZULU WEDDING An unashamedly romantic, glamorous and hilarious all at the same time and pays loving tribute to the richness of African culture. It acknowledges the, sometimes schizophrenic, reality of many urban South Africans who live sophisticated modern lives which are nonetheless shaped by their family cultures, traditions and expectations. Lu (Lungile Sabata) left South Africa and her Zulu-Sotho heritage behind to become a dancer in America, and when she falls in love with Tex (Darrin Dewitt Henson) , she knows he’s the man to marry. But when she brings Tex home to meet her family, she discovers she’s been promised since birth to a Zulu king (Pallance Dladla). Caught between two men, two families, and two countries, Lou has to come to terms with who she is so she can fight for what she wants. Directed by Lineo Sekeleoane. Screenplay by Julie Hall. Read more / Website / Trailer /

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by ·Comments Off on Anon – A meditation on the fraught relationship between technology and humanity

“The interesting thing about the war for privacy, is that we have already lost. There never even was a war. We gave away our privacy, without a fight, in the service of convenience.”

From the astonishing and prescient mind of acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Niccol comes Anon, his latest meditation on the fraught relationship between technology and humanity.

In 1997, Niccol first introduced his interest in these themes with his debut feature, the critically-acclaimed and visually definitive Gattaca. Soon to be followed with his Academy Award-nominated screenplay for The Truman Show, and feature films Lord of War, In Time, and Good Kill – all of which questioned the human and moral implications of advancements in technology.

Born in New Zealand, Niccol was a writer and director of commercials in London before coming to Los Angeles to make films, in his words, “longer than 60 seconds.” Gattaca, an original screenplay by Niccol, was his feature film-directing debut. The Truman Show, received three Academy Award nominations, including Best Screenplay, and Niccol received the BAFTA award for screenplay. S1mOne was Niccol’s second feature film, which he also wrote and produced. Niccol wrote the original story for and was Executive Producer of Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal, and has gone on to write and direct Lord of War,  In Time, and he adapted and directed Stephanie Meyer’s The Host.  Niccol wrote, directed, and produced Good Kill, which was an official selection at the Venice Film Festival.

In Anon, Niccol focuses this exploration on information technology and the evaporation of privacy in the time of social media, Snowden and WikiLeaks, while returning to a film noir aesthetic reminiscent of the movie that launched his career.

“It’s been in the back of my mind for many years to tell a story exploring the conflict between security and privacy,” explains writer/director Andrew Niccol. “People have been ‘life logging’ since the 1980s, police now routinely wear bodycams (and occasionally tamper with this evidence). We all life log to a degree, documenting our lives with our mobile phones and social media sites – and it’s common to manipulate the photos and footage. Those ubiquitous phones and other devices mean we are evolving towards becoming biotech or synbio.”

The End of Anonymity

Anon tells the story of Sal Frieland (Clive Owen), a cop faced with a series of murders that appear to be linked. Like any detective, Frieland sets out to find the killer, but in the nearfuture he has a distinct advantage: in this world everyone’s life is recorded down to the millisecond and downloaded to a vast grid called The Ether which law enforcement can access and is available for you to return to.

Everyone has a biosyn computer implant which records these life records called The Mind’s Eye and literally nothing and no one is anonymous – as you walk down the street information about every single person you see, the watch they are wearing, the store where they bought their car, appears at the periphery of one’s vision – a relentless information stream. Privacy as we understand it today has completely vanished – and with the absence of privacy comes the virtual end of criminal behavior. Without the promise of anonymity, criminal activity has been relegated to petty crimes and the rare capital crime occurring only in an unpremeditated, heated moment. The evidence to convict the perpetrators is so easily accessible to the police that apprehending and prosecuting a case has become little more than paperwork – the police have become largely symbolic. The long process of justice has collapsed into an effort hardly any more arduous than downloading a movie off the internet.

What becomes evident as Frieland begins digging deeper into a surprising increase in apparent murder cases, is that what they have in common also signals a major breakdown in the system on which society has come to rely. Someone has figured out how to hack into The Ether and edit life records, replacing sections with loops of mundane activity to cover up crimes. Frieland and his superior Charles Gattis (Colm Feore) are under greater pressure than ever before to apprehend the perpetrator and to repair the crack in the system.

As he delves into the case, Frieland has an odd experience, which initially doesn’t register its significance. As he’s walking down a city street, a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) passes by who doesn’t register in his Mind’s Eye – no identification for her comes up. Something he initially assumes is a minor glitch, an anonymous girl, becomes the first clue that security of The Mind’s Eye has been compromised, sending Frieland off on a mission to find a woman who effectively doesn’t exist.

On Privacy

On June 5th, 2013, internationally renowned and award-winning political journalist for The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald, published the first of many stories based on leaked documents by former NSA employee Edward Snowden. One of the biggest political stories to break this decade, Snowden’s ongoing publication of nearly 10,000 documents revealed previously unknown details of a global surveillance apparatus run by the United States in close cooperation with its international partners. These programs enabled the NSA to access private cell phone records and almost anything and everything private citizens were doing online – all without a warrant. While the story dominated the news cycle that year and beyond, little changed practically and public outcry was muted.

In 2016, 21-year-old Russian photographer Egor Tsvetkov conducted a social experiment for his art project titled Your Face Is Big Data. Tsvetkov spent six weeks taking photos of a hundred strangers on the Saint Petersburg’s subway before using FindFace (a facialrecognition app) to track down their profiles among the fifty-five million users on VKontakte (Russia’s biggest social networking site). Using the face recognition software, Tsvetkov was effortlessly able to identify and locate about 70% of the passengers he photographed without their knowledge.

In Anon, Niccol squarely takes on questions about the end of privacy that our society studiously avoids asking.

The brilliance of his filmmaking is that he does this not in a documentary form or some other kind of social treatise – but instead in a thriller that satisfies the audience with all of the pleasures of the genre, from the high-contrast lighting to the rapid-fire gunplay to the grizzled anti-hero who cannot resist the charms of the elusive femme fatale.

When he brought the project to producers Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur at K5 Film, they were immediately struck by the salience of Niccol’s script and his fundamental understanding of where contemporary society has found itself. Comments Simon, “Daniel and I have always been fans of Andrew’s – his vision and visual style are so striking and precise. His mind always seems to be one step ahead of where society is going. When he brought us the script and we spoke after reading it, he observed how interesting it is that society has given up privacy so willingly – which raises the question that ANON takes on – ‘How much more of our privacy can we and will we give away, and at what cost?’” They had no hesitation about jumping on board with Niccol to make a movie so astutely observing of one of the most pressing issues of our time.

The Man Who Saw Too Much

At the forefront of this story is the character of Sal Frieland, the burnt-out homicide cop. “Sal is a man who has literally seen too much,” says Niccol. “This is a pretty severe predicament for someone who pries into other peoples’ lives for a living. He knows that technology has reduced police work to an almost clerical occupation, but he’s also starting to realize that the so-called end of crime may actually be just the beginning. He’s entering a time where he can no longer believe his own eyes.”

To embody this almost existential exhaustion, Niccol turned to Clive Owen, who recently experienced a career high as an actor with his portrayal of Dr. John Thackery in Steven Soderbergh’s remarkable period medical drama, “The Knick.” Niccol enthuses: “I’ve always wanted to find a project to collaborate with Clive. There’s a noir quality to him that perfectly fits Sal Frieland and the world I was constructing. In his eyes he was able to embody the world-weariness I needed for the character.”

For Owen, the character of Sal was someone he understood intuitively. “He’s tracking a murderer who’s off the grid, and I think there’s a part of Sal that relates to that anonymity. There’s a kind of yearning deep within him for a kind of solitude [because the] technology overload has worn him down. This particular case appeals to him because he’s encountered someone – The Girl – who’s seeking to live outside of the system, to be private.”

“[The key to my character] is something that happened in the past. His son died, and he feels terribly responsible for it,” Owen points out. As nightmarish an experience as that would be at any time, it’s inconceivably worse in the universe of Anon, as Owen goes on to explain: “The idea that you have access to what happened, just by rewinding and rewinding over and over again – it means that there are people that end up very lost. They get consumed by it. And that’s true for Sal, especially when he’s at his lowest point. They say time is a great healer, but if you can relive that whenever you want, and it’s immediate and accessible, no matter how horrible that experience might be it becomes compulsive to go back to it over and over again.”

Owen considers the horror of this idea for a moment, shaking his head. “If you can imagine that all we have as memories can be accessed and actually seen at any time, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be drawn only to the good, you know?”

Who is The Girl?

If Sal Frieland’s are the eyes of ANON, a woman whose name neither we, nor Sal ever actually learn is the beating heart of the film.

Niccol knew from the beginning that his past collaborator on In Time, Amanda Seyfried, was The Girl. “If you want expressive eyes (and much of this story in particular is told through the eyes) you don’t need to go any further than Amanda,” Niccol points out. “But I also needed a bit of ‘go-to-hell-girl’ edge, that Amanda, despite her frailty, can also bring to the screen.”

“Where Clive feels innately guarded with emotion simmering below the surface, Amanda’s vulnerability is right on the surface. They really balance each other,” says Simon. “We needed an actress to play The Girl who could literally bring a cypher to life and be so compelling that the audience and Sal would have no choice but to follow her. Amanda has this otherworldly quality, she really is the girl you would follow to the ends of the earth.”

Seyfried also related very practically to the subject matter. The struggle between the public and private self has become very familiar to Amanda as her own career has blossomed. “As someone who’s a public figure, sometimes I feel like a shell,” she explains. “There used to be boundaries, but unfortunately there are none anymore. I did a play recently that required a small amount of nudity, and I felt safe doing it because it was a play in a 300-seat theatre, and it made sense for the character. But someone took a video of it {and put it on the internet]. I felt very exposed and out of control. It’s very clear to me that privacy really is a commodity, and you have to struggle to hang onto it.”

Despite the mystery surrounding her, The Girl is, in her own way, the most courageous character in the movie. She has done something that is unthinkable in this universe: she’s chosen to value herself over the surveillance state.

To Feore, the refusal to share every part of yourself is a radical one: “[The presumption is always] we must have secrets, we must have crimes, we must be demented and perverted and psychopathic if we choose not to share everything. But The Girl simply says, ‘It’s not that I have anything to hide. I just don’t have anything I want you to see.’ And to me, that was a punch to the chest of expectations. It took the wind out of me. I thought, ‘It’s really that simple, elegant.’”

Anon may explore the themes of surveillance and a society where privacy norms have all but vanished, but it also makes use of the conventions of its genre as well. Film Noir is known for female characters with mysterious pasts and even murkier motivations, going all the way back to The Maltese Falcon. It’s also known for how it objectifies those characters through the male gaze, making a film that directly tackles those questions a fascinating experiment. “The whole men watching women thing, the voyeurism, is definitely a part of it. It’s always going to be there,” acknowledges Seyfried. “But the interesting thing is when everybody is watching everybody.”

Into the Mind’s Eye of Andrew Niccol

It’s the complexities of issues like this that fascinate Owen and lead to his admiration for Niccol’s writing: “I’ve read a number of Andrew’s scripts, and I think for me he’s always been one of the most interesting guys at it. His writing always engages with a theme that’s hugely relevant and important for our time.”

“But,” he continues, “more than that, I’ve had a great time working with him because he’s not only highly intelligent, but he’s also got a great sense of humor. He’s not precious with that. It’s been a great collaboration.”

Clive Owen and Andrew Nicol during filming of Anon

When asked about her director, who is notoriously soft-spoken and wields his on set authority very quietly, Seyfried laughs: “Andrew’s brain works in a way that isn’t really as accessible as some artists. But I like that because I know that he has all the answers that I need. He knows exactly what he wants.”

Producer Oliver Simon adds, “Andrew is always ahead of everyone else not just in his sense of societal and technological issues, but in everything – this is what makes him such a remarkable director. Be it with the script or the production process, he comes into every meeting having identified an issue he saw coming before anyone else and with several possible solutions already worked out in his mind. He has the most active, precise mind and he never hesitates to change a word, or eliminate a prop detail if he comes to realize that a line or set piece can be improved by even the slightest detail. “

“I think it’s so attractive, the world he creates,” Seyfried muses. “Everything is kind of bigger than life. Everything’s very moody, everything’s kind of film noir. But it makes sense for the dystopian world that he’s creating. It’s exciting to live in it for a little while. It can be tiring, but it’s incredibly exciting.”

Feore seconds that sentiment: “Andrew Niccol has a kind of style and sensibility so that everything he does is meticulously planned and beautifully, elegantly articulated, either in the writing or in the cinematography, in the choice of the shots, the way he describes how he wants you to see it. To live in his world… to be part of that, and to understand what that’s doing, that’s really thrilling.”

A Central Enduring Theme

Andrew Niccol found his theme early in his career and it has stayed with him in no small part because it really is the major issue of our time – the problematic relationship between humankind and technological advancements: “I’ve always been interested in how we balance our humanity with technology. I return to that question over and over because it never goes away – it’s the age in which we live – we’re constantly trying to balance the two.”

“You know, it’s easy to say, ‘We need to know everything about everybody,’ because we’re living in dangerous times,” says Owen. “But there are huge dangers with that. It’s not something I’m particularly comfortable with. But, often we’re sharing tons of information without even realizing it. There isn’t a sort of negotiation where you say ‘it’s okay if I do this’. We don’t realize quite how much we’re giving away every time we go online.

“So we’re slowly but surely entering a world where there is no privacy left. In just my lifetime, there’s been a radical shift in the way that we live our lives. And it’s not necessarily a good and healthy thing.”

“I think that this is a provocative film that will hopefully force us to ask ourselves some difficult questions,” Feore asserts. “The broader question is what kind of restrictions can we legitimately ask for? When is [this degree of surveillance] too much? How and when do morals and ethics interfere with good government, with crime prevention? That’s the essence of what we’re talking about in this movie and around the world right now.”

Privacy is such a profound yet intangible value, it remains something that society by and large hasn’t fought very hard to protect. With Anon Andrew Niccol squarely asks ‘when will it be too much?’

“The interesting thing about the war for privacy,” Niccol concludes, “is that we have already lost. There never even was a war. We gave away our privacy, without a fight, in the service of convenience. Anon takes that conflict to its logical conclusion.”

by ·Comments Off on If there’s one thing The Commuter proves, is that great films begin with great screenplays.

“When I read the script I was really amazed at how the writers were able to keep you invested in the story.”

The screenplay for The Commuter was crafted by Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi and Ryan Engle, and proved irresistible to both the director Jaume Collet-Serra and star Liam Neeson, not just for the bravura of the action and the thrill of the suspense but for the moral conundrum the protagonist is faced with and the consequences it has on him, the passen-gers on the train and his family at home.

Following the worldwide success of Unknown, Non-Stop and Run All Night, Neeson and Collet-Serra reunite for a fourth time with this explosive thriller about one man‘s frantic quest to prevent disaster on a packed commuter train.

For producer Andrew Rona, the genius of scriptwriters Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi, who make their debut with The Commuter, was in keeping the audience gripped.

“When I read the script I was really amazed at how the writers were able to keep you invested in the story,” he says. “We’ve seen movies like this before where guys are propositioned or get caught up in something. In movies like Speed, they have no choice but to stay and figure it out. But with The Commuter, I was amazed by the level of depth of character, the level of mystery, the level of suspense and the level of action.”

“The Commuter asks the audience, if someone asked you to do something that seems insignificant but you’re not sure of the outcome in exchange for a considerable financial reward, would you do it?” says Jaume Collet-Serra. “That‘s the philosophical choice that our central character – a man of 60 who’s just been fired, has no savings and is mortgaged to the hilt – is faced with. Is he thinking just about himself or is he going to take into consideration the possible moral consequences of what he’s asked to do? That’s the question we want the audience to ask themselves.”

For Neeson, it was also the story’s real-time narrative that gives it a thrilling momentum. “The story almost plays in real time,” says the actor. “The main character realises what he’s set in motion and sets out to identify the person that holds the key to the conspiracy. So the tension cranks up at every stop at a station as new passengers get on, and another clue is left for him. The danger gradually gets greater and greater and the film becomes this really fast-paced psychological thriller along the lines of a Hitchcock‘s Strangers on a Train or North by Northwest.”

Producer Alex Heineman agrees: “Andrew Rona, my partner in The Picture Company, and I both read the script and just fell in love with it. We loved the Hitchcockian scenario where an everyman gets caught up in extraordinary events. We made Non-Stop and Unknown with Liam Neeson and Jaume and we thought this could be another thriller in the same vein both in terms of narrative, character and style.”

The story centres on Michael MacCauley, a middle manager at a faceless insurance company, who lives with his wife and son in Westchester in New York State. Like so many hard-working family men, he is facing financial breaking point, trying to make ends meet on a pay-cheque that is stretched to the rafters. His son is about to go to college and his wife doesn’t know how the family is living beyond its means.

Then one day, his situation suddenly gets so much worse: he goes to work and gets fired. That, however, is not the only thing that‘s going to spoil his evening. On the commute home at the end of the day, the passenger sitting opposite him introduces herself as Joanna and puts a proposition before him: find a passenger on board the train who doesn’t belong, in return for a handsome reward. An easy deal, you’d think. But not if you’re an ex-cop who has a strong moral sense of right and wrong. Michael eventually agrees to find the “suspect” amongst the sea of passengers, using his wit and skill to uncover their identity, but soon comes to realise that he is at the centre of a deadly conspiracy that will end in the murder of everyone on the train and he is the only person who can stop it.

As he weighs up who among the regular commuters on the train he can trust, he is forced into a nail-biting chase to thwart the conspiracy, entrap the killers and bring the train and its passengers to safety.

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Following the worldwide success of Unknown, Non-Stop and Run All Night, Neeson and Collet-Serra reunite for a fourth time with this explosive thriller about one man‘s frantic quest to prevent disaster on a packed commuter train.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra and star Liam Neeson already had an enviable track record with Non-Stop amassing $222.8m worldwide in 2014 and Unknown’s $130.8m in 2011, so teaming up again for another thrill ride, this time on a train in New York, was a no-brainer.

When he read the script, Collet-Serra saw the parallels with Non-Stop. “It’s a spiritual sequel to Non-Stop,” says the director. “With a mystery evolving around your central character, it has more impact if your protagonist is a normal guy. That‘s very Hitchcockian – you think of North by Northwest, The Lady Vanishes or Rear Window – and like in Strangers on a Train we wanted a normal guy to be faced with a moral choice. How much is he willing to do for money without knowing the consequences of what he’s going to do? When extraordinary events happen to regular people, it’s important that the first choices that these characters make are choices that we as an audience agree with and that the action escalates plausibly from those choices”

The story also appealed because of its narrative perspective. “I like movies played from the main character’s point of view,” says Collet-Serra, “so we know exactly what he knows at the same time that he knows it. The audience is with him every step of the way so we learn that his family is in danger only when he does. We wanted to keep the camera on the train but imply that his family was in danger without showing it. That‘s another very Hitchcockian device and it really dictated the visual style because we had to have enough going on in the train to justify us staying there.”

Jaume Collet-Serra was keen for The Commuter to have a different narrative point of view to the previous films Neeson has starred in. “I wanted people to identify with the lead character in this movie a little bit more than in some of Liam’s other films,” he says. “Michael wakes up every day and goes out there to fight for his family, and no matter how hard the fight was it’s all worth it, because he’s protecting his family, and that’s what every person does daily. But one day he’s offered a proposal which puts him between a rock and a hard place – he’s offered money but it involves something that he suspects is wrong – and he has to figure that out. And he gets help from the other passengers. They’re not in control, they’re not driving the train, but they find strength in numbers”

It was the everyman quality of the lead character that appealed to Neeson who knew it would also appeal to the audience. “Michael has been taking the same train for 10 years, five days a week and then one day gets fired because he’s hit the age of 60,” says the actor. “He doesn’t know how to tell his wife, and he’s double-mortgaged on his house. After having a drink in the local bar with an ex-cop friend of his, he takes the commuter train back to face the music and tell his wife and his son, who’s about to go to college, that they have no money. On the train a mysterious person sits beside him and asks him ‘Would you do one tiny little thing for $100,000?’ He’s not sure, but tempts him by asking him to find a bag with $25,000 in a compartment on the train. He finds the money and sets in motion the drama.”

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Quite apart from the appeal of the script and playing such a multi-layered character, Neeson was thrilled to be working again with Collet-Serra. “I love working with Jaume”, says the actor. “I met him six, seven years ago when we did Unknown and he and I just clicked. We don’t analyze scripts too deeply; we just have a really good dance partnership and each time I work with him our little dance routine gets more and more intimate. He makes my job easier and he says I make his job easier, which is the ultimate compliment to me. Jaume’s a real filmmaker; he’s always thinking of the overall arc of the film and where the story’s going. He devours cinema, he just loves it and has a real intuitive feel for how a scene’s going and how it should be played. He reminds me very much of Steven Spielberg. I totally trust him, he’s very, very, very special.”

Collet-Serra’s talent as a director was plain for everyone to see. His assiduous preparation, imaginative approach to filming and skill at juggling the many different elements to create thrilling action scenes impressed everyone. Says producer Alex Heineman: “When we had our final production meeting, it felt like a film class that you’d go to at Columbia! Because Jaume is so meticulous in his planning, he was able to show the entire crew how every single shot of the movie was going to be manifested. It was really impressive. Every day when we came to set, he had an incredibly detailed plan of how he would accomplish every shot. Our cinematographer Paul Cameron was great and it was always a seamless process even though we faced very challenging shots every day. Jaume’s very confident in his vision; he’s not a director that shoots with more than two cameras. He’s really knows what shots he wants and knows how the movie’s going to cut together.”

The audience gets a taste of Collet-Serra’s imaginative approach as soon as the credits roll. Jaume Collet-Serra describes the creative conundrum he faced when confronted with translating the opening of the story into an engaging screen narrative: “The film is called The Commuter which suggests routine and monotony and in a way that routine is also our protagonist Michaels’ power, in the sense that for some 20 years he has been waking up every day at 6am, has waited on the same platform at the same time every morning, has taken the same train to work every day, and then 12 hours later at 6pm he has taken the same train back home. That is something so normal, so common, something everyone can recognise and relate to.

“One of the struggles that I, as a director, had was how do I show this routine,” continues Collet-Serra. “Obviously you can do a standard shot of him saying hello to some other commuters and the audience will get the impression they know each other but only doing that doesn’t show how monotonous the journey is. So I came up with the idea of opening the movie with a shot of each day of the week. So the first shot is Monday, the second Tuesday and so on and as the shots are cut together the only thing that changes is the background, the clothes change and the weather and his behavior during the shots is exactly the same because he’s been doing the same thing day after day. So the images blend together. It’s a very interesting way to open the movie because it immediately gives the audience the sense that they’ve been there with him for a year taking that train, day in day out. To me it was important to start the movie with a sequence that put us, the audience, right on that train with Michael”

Producer Andrew Rona was struck by the director‘s inspired decision: “Millions of people use travel by train to work every day in the New York area. The way Jaume showed the monotony of an everyday commute – the fact that every day you wake up, you get dressed, you go to work, you ride the train there, you ride the train back – and showed that over a year was inspired. It shows the passage of time – covering the whole year with the seasons changing outside the window and in the passengers’ clothing – and completely takes the audience into Michael’s world. As soon as the credits finish, the film switches to real-time. The whole film takes place in one train ride, 120 minutes!”

Collet-Serra now has three films with restricted locations under his belt – Non-Stop, The Shallows and now The Commuter. And all three have successfully taken their audiences on compelling and suspenseful journeys despite the limits of their locations.

Producer Alex Heineman points out the head-spinning energy Collet-Serra injects into his filmmaking despite their being set in one location: “Jaume doesn’t waste a second of film. His movies have a great pace and they’re just so suspenseful and tense, you just don’t know what’s going to happen next. You see that in Non-Stop and in The Shallows and he’s brought it to The Commuter. Jaume is really a modern day Alfred Hitchcock: he takes these high concepts and builds them into exciting movies. He knows how to put his lead character in a situation which keep the audience guessing how they’re going to get out of it, whether it’s The Shallows with Blake Lively or Unknown and Non-Stop with Liam Neeson. Jaume’s terrific at crafting suspense with an everyday character at the centre.”

Andrew Rona takes up the subject of the similarities with Hitchcock: “Hitchcock often made one set movies or movies which rarely strayed from one set – one thinks of Rear Window or Rope or Dial M for Murder. The concept allows you to have a good time with the characters because you’re not constantly worrying about locations and things of that nature. Jaume approaches it from that Hitchcock thriller aspect. He’s a modern master of suspense and thrills.”

Unlike Non-Stop, which locked the audience with the characters inside the plane for those whole film, The Commuter takes the audience out of the main location of the train to the outside world into the main character’s family home and into the office and bars: part of Michael’s daily routine. Says Andrew Rona: “There’s bigger scope to this film; it’s not such a closed room so the action has a more realistic feel to it. But at the heart it’s still whodunit; there are a lot of suspects and you go through the story following Michael, trying to figure out who’s the bad guy and what they’re after. So not only is it action thriller, it has a real sense of mystery and you’re with Michael in real-time trying to figure out what’s going on, so it’ll keep you guessing right up until the end.”

The Commuter marks the third film Andrew Rona and Collet-Serra have worked together on so it comes as no surprise to realise that the producer has seen the director grow and mature as a filmmaker over the intervening eight years. “I first met Jaume on Orphan,” says producer Andrew Rona, “and I’m really impressed with how far he’s come as a filmmaker. He did a great job on Unknown and with Non-Stop, really elevating that material by taking a very simplistic idea and making it interesting and compelling. With The Commuter, he’s really come into his own. I can’t think of too many directors working right now that can take this kind of material and make it a modern-day thriller and action film and really get inside there and do something interesting and different with the material.

“The Commuter is an action thriller,” continues Rona. “Some of the films that we reference when we’re making the film are The Fugitive and Speed, obviously Non-Stop, all mixed with a bit of Hitchcock and Agatha Christie. It is pretty much a whodunit, a contained movie on a train. But has the huge scope and spectacle of an action movie. And because we all made Non-Stop, we all had extra pressure to ensure we didn’t repeat ourselves here. We really pushed ourselves to come up with new and fun ideas on how to give the audience a fun ride.”

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Rona was particularly impressed by Collet-Serra’s approach to filmmaking. “Jaume looks at a script very methodically,“ says the producer. “He really rips it apart and tries to figure it out from every angle. He gives every character a thorough back story; he knows their motivations. So when it comes to making the film, Jaume has done all the research, and he knows everything about the film and on the day we can just have fun with it. He uses the camera almost like a character. And he picks up every nuance, all the little things that you might not get in the script and he adds another layer to it. So it’s not just about the action or the characters, but it’s about the mood and the tone and the way he shoots it.”

One of the key elements to keeping the suspense cranked up to maximum levels was ensuring the protagonist was someone the audience can relate to and identify with. It is, after all, through the main character’s perspective that the narrative unfolds: the audience learns what’s happening at the same time as Michael does.

Movie-making is all about provoking emotional reactions in audiences and that’s exactly what Col-let-Serra hopes to achieve with The Commuter. “If my movies have something that unifies them it’s the fact that when I grab you you’re there with me and I don’t let you go until the end!” he says. “I hope this does the same thing. It’s similar to my other films but one of the reasons I wanted to do it was to prove to myself that I could basically riff on the same tune and make it completely different. It was a challenge to do a similar movie in a completely different way, get completely dif-ferent things out of it, completely different themes, but have a similar experience of not knowing what’s going to happen while getting real emotion from the characters.”

by ·Comments Off on Murder On The Orient Express – The most timeless of whodunits

As a huge admirer of Agatha Christie and long-time collaborator with producer Ridley Scott, screenwriter Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner: 2049) was thrilled when he was asked to bring Murder On The Orient Express to the screen.

Producer Scott, a Christie fan himself, and an admirer of Sidney Lumet’s 1974 version of Murder on the Orient Express, had leapt at the chance to re-explore the book, seeing it a wonderful opportunity to present the author’s work to a modern-day audience. Green agrees.

“Agatha Christie is expert at bringing depth (with economy) to the observation of characters, making them distinct and colorful, but also believable.  I think she enjoys the literary dazzle of that, but in the Orient Express, you also have glamour. You have snow. You have elegance and the golden age of romance in travel.  And, of course, you have a murder,” says Kenneth Branagh.  This film introduces another generation of moviegoers to an enthralling new interpretation of one of the most beloved mysteries of all time.  A “who’s who” of celebrated actors and an acclaimed production team up for the journey.

With everything Agatha Christie, it all starts with the story. But to make a film, of course, you then need to get the rights to that story – and for producers Mark Gordon and Simon Kinberg, that proved to be a near-five-year-long journey.  Initially, both men had enquired about the rights separately but soon decided that teaming up would be the best approach.

“They’re incredible stories with characters that you want to see more and more of,” says Green.  “And if you’re lucky enough to catch an Agatha Christie book or play at the right age, it’s going to stay with you and remain charming in your memory.”

But even as a Christie fan, one story stands out for Green: “I’m very fortunate that my favorite Agatha Christie is, hands down, Murder on the Orient Express.  It not only features Poirot, my favorite character of hers, but it’s a story that has a surprising ending, along with the fascinating people you meet along the way.  The setting is grand and everything about it makes it stand apart in my memory as the special one.”

Murder_on_the_Orient_Express_First_Edition_Cover_1934

Published in 1934, Agatha Christie’s novel, Murder on the Orient Express is considered one of the most ingenious stories ever devised.  More than 80 years after its publishing, Christie’s novel remains beloved by new generations of readers. Kenneth Branagh’s stunning retelling of the beloved mystery with its acclaimed ensemble and breathtaking visuals invites audiences to take the most suspenseful train ride of their lives.

©2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

In the most timeless of whodunits, Murder On The Orient Express follows renowned detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) as he attempts to solve what would become one of the most infamous crimes in history.

After a shocking murder of a wealthy businessman on the lavish European train barreling its way west in the dead of winter, private detective Poirot must use every tool of his trade to uncover which of the train’s eclectic passengers is the killer, before he or she strikes again.

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Also SEE: Death On The Nile / A Haunting in Venice

Screenwriter Michael Green met with the Christie estate to discuss the project

“We all had the same goal: we wanted to bring it into the modern world without changing what’s essential to it, without altering its soul, so that a contemporary audience can experience it, believe it and be thrilled by it.”

For Green, his interpretation of the classic murder mystery came together when Kenneth Branagh (Henry V, Cinderella) came on board:  “Probably the most exciting day in the development process was finding out that Ken was interested in directing and starring in it,” says Green.  “I have immense respect and appreciation for him, both as an actor and a director.  Suddenly, this hypothetical script I had written became a film – one I could now imagine through Ken’s lens and the caliber of the people he would attract to the project.”

Michael Green

Great-grandson of Agatha Christie and Chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd, James Prichard, agrees with Green: “I have watched Ken’s films since I was very young – I watched his Henry V as part of my university degree, and to have him on this film, an incredibly talented director and one of the best actors of his generation, to have someone of that quality want to play Poirot gives me an enormous sense of pride.”

Known for his love of classics, Director Kenneth Branagh was a perfect fit from the start

“Fox knew that I loved thrillers, and so they came to me with this most classic of thriller mysteries,” recalls the actor/director.  “I think maybe they even knew I liked trains – I certainly liked this title, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.  It’s always had a special sort of ring to it and it takes you to the golden age of travel. It’s also a character piece set in a very confined space, under tremendous tension. There are very interesting disparate characters interacting about the most profound and dangerous of subjects and themes. I read the script by Michael Green, and I was really taken by it.”

With no shortage of interpretations of Christie’s work, Branagh’s desire to revisit these characters started with the depth and compassion Green mined, as well as the exploration of the darker idea of the motivation for revenge.

“Michael Green clearly loved the material, and he loved the characters.  He wasn’t trying to get easy laughs, and he wasn’t poking fun at the characters – particularly Hercule Poirot,” said Branagh.  “There was a compassion in the screenplay, and one of the things that surprised and thrilled me about the film is that it’s much more an emotional experience than people might imagine. This goes deeper because, it explores grief, and loss, and revenge, with sophistication and soul.”

Then there is the setting. For modern audiences, travel has become a hassle, a means to an end destination. The setting of Orient Express harkens back to the care and precision given to travel, and the true luxury of the experience. Green’s script captured the allure of the time and the meticulous details of the famous train.

“Michael relishes in the golden age of travel and the attention to detail in the Orient Express, the train, as well as other people’s appreciation of it,” says Branagh. “We both experienced that sort of childlike sense of excitement about being able to cross Europe in this wheeled palace, with its confined spaces that also make you think certain things could go bump in the night.  So, his feeling for the piece, both for the emotional depths and colors in it, the sense of fun and excitement, where it exists, and the respect for the material, along with certainly the desire to entertain – all of that came winging off the page.  His screenplay felt very rich to me.”

Murder on the Orient Express: Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot  CREDIT: Nicola Dove ©2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

Not only was Branagh excited at the prospect of working with Green’s script, he was also very keen to collaborate with the Agatha Christie Estate:  “Mathew Prichard [Christie’s grandson] and James Prichard [Christie’s great-grandson] were two of the first people I met when I came on board for the project, and this very particular connection was very important to me. Mathew grew up with Agatha Christie, and James is not only a family member, but a very smart, creative influence in the way that estate is run, and a very good collaborator.  We all feel that Agatha Christie work is in a very potent moment of evolution.  She has already made this massive contribution to the world’s entertainment yet she is being rediscovered as someone who has touched on areas of human experience that have relevance for today.  She continues to entertain, and make us think in a different way.”

On the relevance of the story, James Prichard explains:  “To me, Murder on the Orient Express is one of the cleverest stories that Agatha Christie wrote. There is an astonishing exploration of justice, and justice was very important to my great-grandmother, and there are elements to this story that I think are unique, and that go to the core of what makes this story so powerful.  The back-story is incredibly moving and challenging, and the way Poirot deals with the whole episode is extraordinary.”

Murder on the Orient Express: Olivia Colman and Judi Dench CREDIT: Nicola Dove ©2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

Mathew Prichard, adds: “It’s a mixture of all sorts of things.  The glamour, the originality of the story and the outrageousness of the solution.  It was a brilliantly written book in the 1930’s and I think it’s hard to remember nowadays, how original it must have seemed then.  My grandmother traveled in that direction, and she stopped off in Istanbul on her way to Syria and Iraq, so for Christie lovers, it has a sense of genuine authenticity of where she used to go herself.”

For Green, it was the first time in his career where he would develop a script with someone who is both the director and the lead actor.  “Together, we would be thinking not only of how it would be shot, but how he would want to play individual moments.  We could look at a line and discuss the tone and the camera angles, but also, I could hear him read it directly to me and I would be able to shape the lines instantly for him.  It was a very interesting and efficient process and takes out a lot of the guesswork when the director is the one who knows precisely how the lead actor is going to be speaking the words.”

Branagh explains why it was a natural fit for him to direct and play Poirot:  “It felt that there was a way in which those two things were very congruent with one person doing the same job.  Because, crucially, I think, Hercule Poirot is a director.  He directs the characters, and like a director, Poirot intuitively tries to listen to the way in which he can be specific and bespoke about how to create the mood that’s required for each interrogation.”

As a director, the concentration that Branagh would have on all of these amazing actors, and the detail of performance was exactly what Poirot had to have, as he looked for the tell-tale signs of the culprit, which, as Christie points out, is often “Poirot observing just the flicker in an eye.”

“Poirot’s a master of observing body language,” said Branagh. “It’s not someone with an object. It’s what somebody does with an object.  It’s the way they eat, or what they leave, or what they don’t say, or what constitutes humor.  And from his own alleged separate perspective, he often uses this notion that because he’s a Belgian, he’s separate, and he plays up to a sense that other people have of him as being different, some might say, eccentric, because when they’re saying that, they’re underestimating him.”

Actor Johnny Depp was intrigued by how the story felt relevant and fresh. “It’s got everything you might expect from Agatha Christie,” said Depp.  “Death, murder, interesting characters, an unusual, often glamorous situation –  all of those elements, inside a wonderful location and journey, are all there.  But I was really impressed to return to it and see how it hadn’t dated, and, in fact, it had reinvented itself, I think, which is a sign of very good storytelling.”

Willem Dafoe was drawn to the script for its character-driven narrative:  “For this story, it’s the tone that’s so important, and the role of Poirot is interesting and beautifully written, as are the balance of the characters.  It has a nice edge and it’s fun, but it also has a moral dilemma at its center.”

“All of the major plot points are there,” says Leslie Odom, Jr., “but it’s really told for a modern audience who has seen everything and heard everything.  How do you excite these kids? How do you make them lean forward in their seats when they’ve seen so much?  I think Ken and Michael have done a really great job with that aspect of the script.”

The style, grace and romance of Green’s script and the writer’s ability to stay faithful to the essence of the story, while updating it for a modern audience, enticed the acclaimed cast.  Explains Manuel Garcia-Rulfo: “It has the same DNA as the novel, but it’s more dynamic.” Lucy Boynton concurs: “It was a perfect balance between a modern version of it, whilst also staying true to all that is sacred in Agatha Christie’s story. That was a really exciting element, to see the way that it had been developed.”

Josh Grad and Johnny Depp in Murder on the Orient Express. Murder on the Orient Express. CREDIT: Nicola Dove ©2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

When Josh Gad first read the script, he immediately knew he wanted to be involved in the project.  He explains: “I got about twenty pages into the script and called my agent and I said, ‘I don’t care if I have to play an usher who’s taking tickets, I need to be a part of this film, it’s extraordinary.’  To me, something this smart, something this epic, something that almost harks back to the golden age of Hollywood cinema, as an actor but also as a cinephile, was really exciting.”

The level of detail was particularly important as the film was shot on 65mm, a format which heightens every element of the filmmaking process

“In our digital age, it’s increasingly rare for films to be shot on celluloid, and mostly when they are, it’s 35mm,” said Branagh.  “We are shooting on 65mm.  So, in crude terms, it’s twice the size of the 35mm negative.  It allows for a level of definition in the color and the range of tones and contrasts in the movie that, if you like film, some would argue, echoes more the experience of the human eye when viewing things.  It essentially means, in layman’s terms, that it looks sharper, richer, more colorful, and it feels like you’re inside it.  That’s what 65mm does for me, and I wanted to take the audience onto the train.  That’s why we chose that format.”

Writer Michael Green was delighted that the scale of the film could be amplified: “In the original novel we have a snowbound train just in and of itself.  For the script, we wanted to enhance the ideas of the book, whilst still honoring them – not necessarily change them, but just inhabit them a little more deeply.  So, in the novel, the train becomes snowbound.  In this film, it becomes a little more thrilling, in that the passengers become snowbound in a fairly precarious place – a creaky, viaduct bridge, which is the last place you’d want to be stuck for any length of time, because at any given moment you’re hearing the creaks and groans of ancient wood, plus it completely removes the possibility of escape.”

Adds Branagh:  “It’s exciting that Agatha Christie chooses this confined space in which to trap her characters.  But we wanted to expand the range of that train to see that if the train was, via a violent avalanche, trapped on top of a viaduct, which, in itself, was potentially precarious, and where there was great jeopardy inside a stretch of mountain too high for anybody to easily get down by walking.  That did a couple of things.  It expanded the idea of a different kind of trap, in that you’re not only in a trap of the train carriages and then the little rooms themselves, but, also, on this mountainside with a vast amount of precipitous danger around you.  It allowed us to get the characters and the camera outside, and to see a sense of the scale of this thing where this deep, dark, intense, tiny tragedy was happening.  So, Jim Clay responded brilliantly to the idea of making where the train was trapped, then the landscape around it, as exciting as what was going on inside the train.”

“Agatha Christie knows how to tell a story with complete, compelling, page-turning intensity, concludes Branagh. “If you like a real mystery, it’s a gripping yarn.  It happens in this case to be peopled by a lot of terrific actors who, I think, intensify that mystery.  It’s unsettling.  It’s entertaining.  It’s surprising.  And, if you like a murder mystery with heart and passion and soul, I think it’s worth a look.”

Readers have been captivated with the mystery, the crime, the story, and the character of Hercule Poirot for generations

Agatha Christie’s classic mystery, with its richly drawn characters confined to a luxurious passenger train, taut scenes and crisp dialogue, has fixated audiences since the novel’s debut in 1934.

The Times of London wrote upon its publishing, “The little grey cells solve once more the seemingly insoluble. Mrs. Christie makes an improbable tale very real, and keeps her readers enthralled and guessing to the end.”

The allure of the Orient Express was magnified by Christie’s work, and travelers continue to flock to discover the illustrious compartments and service to this day. Room 411 in the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, where Christie allegedly wrote the novel, also remains a popular destination site. There are societies and clubs the world over dedicated to rediscovering Christie’s mysteries, particularly those featuring Hercule Poirot.

  • Her prolific writing career spanned five decades, with 66 crime novels, 6 non-crime novels and 150 short stories
  • She wrote over 20 plays, of which the most famous, ‘The Mousetrap’, is the longest running play in the world, having debuted in 1952
  • With more than 2 billion books published, she is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare
  • Easily translatable, her books have been published in over 100 languages, making her the most translated writer of all time.
  • In 1971 Christie achieved one of Britain’s highest honors when she was made a Dame of the British Empire. Her last public appearance was at the opening night of the 1974 film version of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ starring Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.  Her verdict? A good adaptation with the minor point that Poirot’s moustaches weren’t luxurious enough.  Read more

by ·Comments Off on Nocturnal Animals – a mind-bending cautionary tale from writer-director Tom Ford

In seeking to tell this tale that is not only a story-within-a-story but also an exploration of human desire, ambition and indulgence, Ford realized that he would be exercising both his directing and screenwriting skills to an even greater degree than with his first film.

Boldly exploring the psychological and emotional sea changes of men and women living – or trying to live –their own truths, the masterful Nocturnal Animals is the second film from extraordinary visionary, writer/director Tom Ford, following the acclaimed and award-winning A Single Man (2009).

4100_D002_00299_v3 (l-r.) Writer/Director Tom Ford and Academy Award nominees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon review a scene on the set of the upcoming romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

(l-r.) Writer/Director Tom Ford and Academy Award nominees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon review a scene on the set of Nocturnal Animals, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

 

Nocturnal Animals is a cautionary tale about coming to terms with the choices that we make as we move through life and of the consequences that our decisions may have. In an increasingly disposable culture where everything including our relationships can be so easily tossed away, this is a story of loyalty, dedication and of love. It is a story of the isolation that we all feel, and of the importance of valuing the personal connections in life that sustain us.
– Tom Ford

Nocturnal Animals follows one woman caught between her past and her present, while she consumes and is consumed by a story in the here and now. For the filmmaker, in adapting Austin Wright’s 1993 book Tony and Susan into a film, he found himself once again concentrating with equal intensity on both the written word and the moving image.

“Writing is one of the parts of film-making that I love the most,”says Ford.

4100_D011_01096_R4 Writer/director Tom Ford on the set of his romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

Writer/director Tom Ford on the set of his romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

”In the screenplay phase the process is entirely singular, and as the film at that point exists only in my mind it is in its most perfect form. When I write, I begin by collecting images that relate to the characters and their worlds. I look for images of interiors, locations, actual people who inhabit the different worlds of the characters that I am creating. I then start to write and often actually write into the screenplay the details that I have come across when doing photo research. The worlds our characters inhabit in Nocturnal Animals are two worlds that I am incredibly familiar with. Growing up in Texas and New Mexico, the part of the story that takes place in West Texas was easy for me to write, and the somewhat rarified world that Susan inhabits in Los Angeles is far too familiar to me as well.”

“I visualize every sound and image and often write in an almost shot-by-shot fashion. By the time that we actually get to filming, I have usually worked out most of the details of what I want to capture. The beauty of working with a strong production team and strong actors, however, is that more often than not spontaneous things happen while shooting that I could not have imagined and these can make the end product all the more rich and nuanced. It is important to keep an open mind when filming and to try to look at things with a fresh eye. While often they will be different than what I had imagined when I sat at my desk writing, more often than not the surprise of the actual moment and performance adds a great deal to the complexity and layers of the film.”

In seeking to tell this tale that is not only a story-within-a-story but also an exploration of human desire, ambition and indulgence, Ford realized that he would be exercising both his directing and screenwriting skills to an even greater degree than with his first film. While A Single Man transpired in 1962 with flashbacks to the years prior, it was largely one man’s world; by contrast, Nocturnal Animals bridges three characters’ odysseys while also closing off avenues of contact among them.
In adapting Tony and Susan into the screenplay for Nocturnal Animals, the contemporary lifestyle scenes drew him to visualize extremes for how isolated and lost the lead character of Susan Morrow truly is. He notes, “Style is not the ultimate goal for me when I make a film. Style without substance is hollow and empty. I do however pay great attention to style as it relates to the characters and the story. Sets and costumes can inform not only the audience but can help the actors inhabit the role fully. Consistency of tone is important to me, and the way that images are captured stylistically works with both the score and the sound design to create a cohesive world. I am of the mind that a picture does indeed speak a thousand words and that film is truly a visual medium. I think that a movie should play silently, and that words and language should be used only when necessary to move the narrative along.
“That having been said, I am told that I write very long scenes. It’s something that never occurred to me but that I think comes from my desire to form connections between the characters. In life I love nothing more than great conversation and so I suspect that without thinking I tend to create scenes with a good deal of dialogue interspersed with scenes where the audience is simply watching someone do something telling without speaking.”

(l-r.) Academy Award nominees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon star as Tony Hastings and Bobby Andes and Karl Glusman stars as Lou in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

(l-r.) Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon star as Tony Hastings and Bobby Andes and Karl Glusman stars as Lou in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

The adaptation process took some time. Ultimately, his final screenplay diverges from the book. Ford explains, “The book Tony and Susan is beautifully written. It is a great story. The concept of a moral allegory told through a piece of fiction – the book within the book – I thought was fresh and original. I loved it the moment I read it and felt that it would make a great film. It was however not the easiest book to adapt and it took me quite a while to decide how to approach it. A book and a film are vastly different things and a literal interpretation of a book often does not work on the screen. For me it is important to take the themes of a book that speak to me and then to exaggerate and explore them on screen. In that way, Nocturnal Animals is true to the book even though some of the story elements are original and the setting is actually completely different from that of the book.
“Tony and Susan is to a great extent an inner monologue that is taking place in Susan’s head. I had to create scenes in her life to convey the feelings that she expresses in the book in her mind, but do so visually in order that we would understand what she was feeling without resorting to what would have essentially been a voiceover throughout the entire film. Also, the basic theme of Edward’s novel is a bit vague in the book and I felt that it needed to be exaggerated in order to be clear on screen.”
He adds, “On a more practical note, the setting of the book has been relocated, in part because the book was written in the early ‘90s, before the use of cell phones was widespread. The method of the crime that the book centers on could not occur in today’s world of cell phones and online communication if I had not relocated the story to a place in which there might not be cell phone service. I chose to locate the story in West Texas –the original story takes place in the Northeast – as there are still places there where one could imagine that there would be no cell service. It is also a part of the world that I know well, and I subscribe to the old adage: write about what you know.
“In the book Tony and Susan, the character of Edward Sheffield comments that ‘no one ever really writes about anything but themselves,’ and I chose to keep this in the film as I believe completely in this statement. We all see things through the filter that is our being. When Edward writes his fictional novel Nocturnal Animals, it is literally made up of details and emotions from his past with Susan. Most of these were of my invention, but I wanted to emphasize that Edward was writing a personal story that was clearly about his life with Susan and an explanation to her of what he felt that she did to him. For example, in one of the flashbacks we see Susan reading one of Edward’s short stories and she is bored by it and he is devastated. In that scene she is lying on a red sofa. This clearly is imprinted in Edward’s mind, as when he chooses to kill the character who represents Susan in the novel he places her body on a red velvet sofa. The killer in the novel drives a green Pontiac GTO from the ‘70s, and this same car appears in a flashback scene when Susan leaves Edward. Details from their lives together are scattered throughout Edward’s fictional story and have clearly cemented themselves in Edward’s consciousness. In the same manner, many things from my own life have worked their way into the screenplay for the film.”
Ford confides, “One of the themes of the film that hit home personally for me was the exploration of masculinity in our culture. Our hero(s) Tony and Edward do not possess the stereotypical traits of masculinity that our culture often expects yet in the end they both triumph. As a boy growing up in Texas, I was anything but what was considered classically masculine, and I suffered for it. I empathize with the characters of Tony and Edward, and their perseverance speaks to me.”
The forward momentum of the narrative – the story-within-the story- is a literal page-turner. In retrospect it seems to have been destined to be replicated in an immersive movie going experience. What drives the movie is the characters’ respective needs for closure. Some have put into motion their efforts before we even meet them; others grasp at it seemingly out of sudden necessity.

_DSC5375_R3 (l-r.) Academy Award nominees Michael Shannon and Jake Gyllenhaal star as Bobby Andes and Tony Hastings in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

(l-r.) Academy Award nominees Michael Shannon and Jake Gyllenhaal star as Bobby Andes and Tony Hastings

The Actors

Conveying the full impact of three main characters’ epiphanies and decisive actions was something that Ford undertook in A Single Man. With Nocturnal Animals, the call for portraying the three main characters went out for two lead actors who had established both a rapport with moviegoers as well as a proven performance ability to access a spectrum of emotions.
Ford was drawn to Academy Award nominee Amy Adams “because of her spectacular ability to telegraph emotion without dialogue but with just her face and soulful eyes. Amy is truly a great actress. There is something in her eyes that feels raw, and truthful. I wanted the character of Susan to be sympathetic. It would be very easy to hate Susan because, as she says in the film, she ‘has everything’ and yet she is unhappy. She has chosen a path in life that is opposite to her true nature. She is in a sense a victim of her upbringing and of what is often expected of women in our culture.
“For much of the film the character of Susan is reading and reacting silently to what she has read. This is where Amy’s incredible ability as an actress stands out for me. She is so honest in her performance and was able to access Susan’s pain in a way that makes us empathize with, rather than hate, Susan. Her portrayal of Susan is subtle and nuanced, and was in many ways the most difficult role in the film as she could not rely on grand gestures or even language to convey the pain that the character feels.”
As evidenced in her portrayals in such films as The Master and American Hustle, Adams’ facility with steering her characters into shades of gray while still retaining audience identification meant that “the character of Susan could possess many layers of complex feelings while on the surface seeming to remain calm and composed,” says Ford.
Adams muses, “I’m a certain age so something that I can identify with is being at a certain point in your life where you become very reflective and you start evaluating choices and thinking about what your choices will be moving forward. I understood that aspect of Susan, as well as her feeling burnt out with artifice. She can never really let go of the conflict between the person she wanted to be and the person she chose to be.
“I felt I had the opportunity to experiment with this character. On the set, Tom would allow the camera to sit, and roll, for a long time. Sometimes you can get self-conscious, but then you have to work through that and struggle to find your way to something wonderful. So often, directors will call ‘cut’ when they see an actor struggle, but Tom knew it would get us to deeply emotional moments.”

Academy Award nominee Amy Adams stars as Susan Morrow in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

Academy Award nominee Amy Adams stars as Susan Morrow in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features

Although they had not acted opposite each other prior, Ford felt that another Academy Award nominee, Jake Gyllenhaal, would match up well with Adams. He observes, “On a practical note, it was hard to find two established and strong actors who could be believable playing characters in both their 20s and early 40s. Jake and Amy have that ability, and their subtle changes in mannerisms and speech patterns between their young selves and their more mature selves were masterful. They both managed to carry this off beautifully.”
The filmmaker was equally confident that Gyllenhaal could put himself out there for the wrenching scenes in the story-within-the-story. Ford states, “I was drawn to Jake for the part of Edward/Tony because I admire the risks that
Jake takes in his performances. This was a tough and emotionally demanding role. I felt that Jake would do a brilliant job and I was certainly not let down.”

Gyllenhaal, upon initially reading Ford’s screenplay, found himself “profoundly moved, and shook, by it. The script communicated, in a lot of ways, what it feels like to have a broken heart. It’s also about how we want to be perceived and how we present ourselves to other people – so then, who are we really, what is someone’s real truth? I feel that Tom is at war with the idea of aesthetic over honesty, and that film-making is a medium in which he can express this.
“I found Tom giving me a tremendous amount of space and quiet – which I need, to be vulnerable in front of the camera. He’s extraordinarily detail-oriented.”

The crucial supporting roles of Lt. Bobby Andes and Ray Marcus, who would seem to represent different extremes of the law, were filled by, respectively, Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon and British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Both actors were sought by Ford because of their versatility, a quality which has allowed each to disappear into characters from different eras and nationalities – so much so that filmgoers might not be able to remember where they have seen these actors before.

4100_D021_02649_R (l-r.) Academy Award nominees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon star as Tony Hastings and Bobby Andes in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features
As Ford explains it, that quality was vital “to get at these men in full; the characters may only exist in the manuscript that Susan is reading, but the portrayals had to capture her imagination and rivet the audience’s attention.”
Shannon remarks, “I loved the idea of playing a character in a novel, and I do feel that Tony and Bobby are two aspects of their author, Edward. Bobby is a classic, iconic character; there’s a long history of characters like him that I may have referenced – some of his traits would come out of the subconscious. He is hardwired to pursue justice; dealing for years with nefarious people, he has seen a lot of lives adversely affected, so he wants to help Tony find the strength to confront the men who committed these crimes.”
Gyllenhaal reports, “Working with Michael is a joy. His interpretation of Bobby was fascinating to watch, as the situation Bobby and Tony are in is deeply serious – but Michael would still bring a wry quality to a lot of the scenes, which was really refreshing.”
Shannon smiles, “People hear ‘a Tom Ford movie’ and may think everyone will be walking around in tuxedoes. Bobby really doesn’t think about having ‘a look.’ Basically he just has cigarettes and a gun.
“Jake is a fearless actor, someone who always wants to go for another take – which I like because I’m kind of the same way. Aaron would show up in-character, he would come into the make-up trailer in the morning just on edge, unable to sit still; he harnessed a feral energy to play Ray.”
Taylor-Johnson reflects, “I read the script and thought, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to be able to do this.’ There was no angle for me to relate to this character. Then I met with Tom and listened to how he wanted to see Ray on-screen, and I put all my trust in him to go do this challenge. I started watching documentaries and reading about serial killers in American history. I’d never done a Texan accent before, and our dialect coach Michael Buster helped me get a resonance away from the twang of what people think a Texan accent is.
The filmmaker is satisfied with the enveloping quality of Nocturnal Animals as not only a compelling and suspenseful journey but also an inward-looking one. His expectation is that the viewer will be “open to identifying with more than one of the characters.”

by ·Comments Off on Shepherds and Butchers puts death penalty on trial and changes history

“A moral dilemma is presented — it’s not just ‘thou shall not kill’; it is also ‘thou shall not be taught how to kill’. How do you tell a story about someone who at the same time kills people and is a victim himself?”

Shepherds and Butchers is the true account of the legal process of capital punishment, and the inhumane treatment of prisoners on death row, which took place during the apartheid era in South Africa.

“It’s a film about young people taken by a society, taught how to kill and then left to their own devices,” says director Oliver Schmitz, “it’s very much about apartheid but equally it could be anywhere in the world, where a kid in a situation of war who is given a gun, is told to shoot someone, and must then go home and be normal. It doesn’t work.”

South Africa, 1987. When Leon, a white 19-year-old prison guard (Garion Dowds) commits an inexplicable act of violence, killing seven black men in a hail of bullets, the outcome of the trial – and the court’s sentence – seems a foregone conclusion.

Hotshot lawyer John Weber (Steve Coogan)reluctantly takes on the seemingly unwinnable case.

A passionate opponent of the death penalty, John discovers that young Leon worked on death row in the nation’s most notorious prison, under traumatic conditions: befriending the inmates over the years while having to assist their eventual execution.

As the court hearings progress, the case offers John the opportunity to put the entire system of legally sanctioned murder on trial. How can one man take such a dual role of friend and executioner, becoming both shepherd and butcher?

Statement from director Oliver Schmitz

oliver-schmidt
Oliver Schmitz, born in 1960, grew up and studied fine arts in Cape Town, at the same time joining a collective that ran a cult nightclub SCRATCH. It successfully beat Apartheid segregation laws and nurtured a generation of creative and militant youth. The others are all South African subjects, the previous of which, Life Above All, made it onto the Oscars shortlist for best Foreign Film (2010) and won the jury prize at the Dubai International Film Festival (2010), also winning the Francois Chalais award at Cannes, and the Audience award and Golden Alhambra nomination at the 2011 Granada Film Festival. In the 1980’s he moved between Germany and Souh Africa, making his first feature, MAPANTSULA in 1987. It is the prominent anti-Apartheid cinema icon of the time and Schmitz wrote a fake script to elude police and censors.He has made five movies for cinema, four of which have screened in Un Certain Regard in Cannes – one being the Parisian omnibus film Paris Je T’aime

“What I found fascinating about this story is that it shows what happened to a generation of white South Africans. Yes, they, and we, were all complicit in this society in whatever way, and we have to own up to it and think about it, but these kids under government orders were sent to fight in the war in Angola, or sent into the townships with guns, or to prisons like this and taught to kill other people. Whether they were either traumatized or got to like their jobs, they stopped living normal lives, started fighting with their families. Not being permitted to talk about what they were doing in their work forced them to cut off and suppress their emotions, and they often became aggressive. These ‘official’ killers were left to deal with the inevitable psychological effect alone, were not allowed to seek therapy, and some committed suicide.

“In this story, fictional, one of the warders, Leon Labuschagne, in an incident of road rage kills, seven people because seven is the number that were hanged every time — so there’s a motif. It’s really about what happened to them, but with a question mark — it’s a very important part of South African history. At this time, the younger generation working in government jobs had no options, they were instructed by the older generation what to do in order to enforce an apartheid society.

“Just out of school, Leon didn’t want to go to Angola and fight in the war, so he ended up working on death row, so there is an irony in that because he still participated in killing people.

We have sufficient room in the story to cast doubt as to how he much he liked or got addicted to that process. Speaking today to former warders it’s clear that they became addicted to that process.

“So a moral dilemma is presented — it’s not just ‘thou shall not kill’; it is also ‘thou shall not be taught how to kill’. How do you tell a story about someone who at the same time kills people and is a victim himself?

“Apart from working with brutal material and images, the inhumanity and hangings, the challenges have alsobeen to make the story tangible, how to make the court and death row work together, and how to find the moral dilemma in the lead characters. We had to find a way to bring all these elements together.

“It will be as complex a movie as I hoped it would be. Among all my other films this one has challenged me the most, and has been the most intense experience.”

Development

brian-cox
Brian Cox (writer/producer). Cox’s first film as writer/director was the short The Obit Writer. His first feature film Scorpion Spring, which he also wrote and directed. He wrote and directed Keepin’ It Real, and also wrote and directed El Muerto, which was based upon the Mexican comic book character. As writer/producer, credits include the remake of Hideo Nakata’s Don’t Look Up, directed by Fruit Chan; comedian Faizon Love’s Tao of the Golden Mask, a send-up of Asian martial arts films of the 70s; AmericanEast starring Monk’s Tony Shalhoub; and Kite, adapted from the infamous Japanese anime and starring Samuel L. Jackson. He is a fellow of both the Film Independent’s “No Borders” script development program and the Film Independent Screenwriter’s Lab. Along with Anant Singh, Cox is currently developing a feature film based on the character Fu Manchu, to be directed by Donovan Marsh, and, with Panorama Films of Mexico, a new film from Güeros director Alonso Ruiz Palacios, titled Museo.

The project had its inception in 2012 when producer, Anant Singh, sent his long-time collaborator, screenwriter/producer Brian Cox, a copy of Chris Marnewick’s award-winning novel to see if he would be interested in writing the screenplay. Cox responded to the material right away and very quickly wrote the initial adaptation.

It was Oliver Schmitz’s acclaimed motion picture Life Above All that convinced the two producers thatSchmitz was the ideal filmmaker to bring to the screen Marnewick’s remarkable, true account of the legal process of capital punishment, and the inhumane treatment of prisoners on death row, which took place during the apartheid era in South Africa.

The project also instantly resonated with Schmitz, who not only has an accomplished background of directing anti-apartheid films, but who also was personally involved in political activism in South Africa in the 1980s.

Schmitz elaborates, “I was blown away by the material, and the subject matter is also of personal interest to me because at the end of the 1980s I wanted to make a movie about death row – but an entirely different story – and

during my research I spent a lot of time with one of the prisoners there. It turned out that film was too complicated and too difficult to make, but it stuck with me, and when I read Brian’s script, I thought, ‘it must be fate, because now I have another chance, and this story is even more complex, interesting and riveting’ — so I said yes very quickly.”

Telling the story

Despite the challenge of adapting Chris Marnewick’s extremely detailed 400-page book to a 100-page script, screenwriter Brian Cox says he knew immediately that he wanted to tackle the material.

“Chris Marnewick was a defense attorney who represented a number of criminals up for capital cases, and not only did he know the subject matter first-hand, but he had included an astounding amount of fact-based detail in the book. So, even though you realize you are reading a fictional story, the veracity of Chris’ account, all the factual background, very slyly seduces you into thinking that you’re in a non-fiction world. I found that to be a unique experience, as a reader.”

As Chris Marnewick explains: “The novel is about a prison warder who is forced to participate in the execution of condemned men. The world of the prison – as well as the courts that condemn these men – is presented as it really was. But the fictional part of the novel puts this warder on trial for his life, with the possibility that he will hang on the very same gallows where he worked.”

Cox elaborates, “The historical records, the numbers of men killed, the way the condemned were processed, all of this is true. The fictional device in the story is Leon Labuschagne, who has flipped out from his experiences on death row and has murdered 7 innocent people in an event that is so traumatic to him that he can no longer even remember it– so, like the book, our movie is a fictional account set against a factual backdrop.

“However, in adapting Chris’ book to film, there simply wasn’t enough screen-time available to go into every single aspect of the case that Chris develops so accurately — such as the day-to-day prison administration which he writes about in fascinating detail. So we made the through-line of the story very distinct and streamlined and focused on the central conflict or moral dilemma – which is that Leon is on trial for a crime we know he committed, but the reasons for his actions are what we set out to reveal and discover. And it’s those reasons that propel the story forward.

“I find the conflict element in the story, that space for doubt about Leon, extremely interesting, because it’svery unclear how you should feel about him. From the outset, you see that he’s a murderer. Regardless of what he did, however, you slowly come to understand what caused his breakdown, what caused his actions — so our narrative focuses on that moral grey area and forces you to confront whether you personally think he’s culpable or not.”

“I wrote the book in part to expose what really happened in Maximum Security Prison where the executions took place in secret,” concludes Marnewick. “While the events described in the book took place during the apartheid era, the novel was not intended to be an apartheid book. It was intended to be a book about killing and what it does to the killer who kills with the sanction of the law. And about the society that allows killing to be done in its name.”

Bringing the characters to life

One of the most complex and difficult roles in the film came to young South African actor Garion Dowds who plays Leon Labuschagne. Leon’s actions serve as the catalyst for the story, prompting John Weber’s investigation into the harsh world of the prison system in 1980s South Africa.

shepherds-2

At just 19 years of age, South African actor Garion Dowds stepped into the daunting role of Leon Labuschagne, a young prisoner warder, murderer and defendant, who is also the same age as the young, new and upcoming actor.

Dowds has no misgivings about the significance of Labuschagne’s story and, as a “born-free” South African (bornafter the legislation of democracy) he has a special appreciation of the material. “I think it’s a very important story to tell because even those who are aware of it do not know the reality of what happened in these prisons. It was very secretive; these wardens weren’t allowed to say anything. It’s a real eye-opener for both the South African people who were there, and our new generation. It’s also meaningful for audiences all over the world to see just how far we’ve come in yet another aspect of South Africa’s political history.”

In close proximity to Dowds’ character is the Warrant Officer played by award-winning South African actor DeonLotz. As warder of C-Max Prison in the 1980s, the Warrant Officer is Labuschagne’s superior. “The two characters have avery complex relationship, one part is fear that the Warrant Officer instills in Leon, and another part is a father-son kind of relationship,” says Lotz.

The Warrant Officer is the embodiment of the system that Labuschagne attempts, but fails, to adapt to. Lotz concurs that the Warrant Officer is brutal, “even if he serves under a captain or an officer, he is still the one who physically runs the operation, who ensures that the system operates with efficiency. He would break a prisoner’s arms if he had to, and he expects his staff to work with the same exacting, uncompromising professionalism – if you can call it that.”

Lotz believes the film is profoundly relevant to today’s society. “Everybody these days is shouting ‘bring backthe death penalty’, but is it the right thing to do? That’s the big question, and I think it’s very important that this story is told, to emphasize: ‘you can never be sure’.”

shepherds-and-butchers
Deon Lotz

Steve Coogan’s character, defense attorney John Weber, is the protagonist from whose perspective the storyis told. In preparation for his role as a South African lawyer, Coogan immersed himself not only in South African culture,but in its grim history as well. “I did an awful lot of research of this period of South African history to inform me about the environment in which Weber was living. I felt more comfortable stepping into the role after I submerged myself in modern, democratic South Africa.

“What separates this film from other courtroom dramas, and makes it more difficult for the audience, is that Weber isn’t trying to defend a hero; instead, he’s trying to defend a damaged individual who’s committed a heinouscrime. He’s trying to save a life. And because the person he’s defending is a white man who killed seven black men, it’s not a particularly sympathetic cause. So it’s kind of thankless because even if he is victorious nobody will call him a hero. That’s the poignancy of the entire film, that he’s acting for the sake of humanity although it won’t win him any friends for having done it.”

On the opposite end of the legal battle is Andrea Riseborough’s state prosecutor who is tasked with presenting the case against Labuschagne in order to punish him to the full extent of the law: the death penalty. But her cause is not ignoble. “There’s a part of Kathleen’s fight that has a lot of integrity, in that she’s representing the families of seve innocent victims,” says Riseborough.

Riseborough, who is no stranger to serious dramatic roles, confesses the weight of such grave material was considerable. “It was really wonderful to have all of those feelings, but also really difficult. The courtroom scenes were intense and we had to take a lot of time out, all of us. There was a lot of grim dialogue — even to say some of it alone to yourself at night, in preparation for the next day’s scenes, was tough.”

Well-known South African actor Marcel van Heerden plays Judge J.P. van Zyl who will pass down the verdict as to whether or not young Labuschagne’s life is to be taken away. “My challenge as an actor is to make a human being out of ‘the hanging judge’. I try to bring this human being to life because I believe that everyone has their reasons for their actions, whether good or bad. There is, of course, a subjective element in a judge’s judgments. It’s not entirely objective; they come with certain prejudices which get filtered through a certain human being with a certain personality. Judge van Zyl serves the system in a way that he believes is just and fair.”

In the context of the waning apartheid regime, the political implications of the case’s verdict were naturally quite grave — as van Heerden details: “the case has a strong symbolic meaning in the context of the period. It’s a story about an individual caught in a system which ultimately is on trial. Leon was just an ordinary boy who didn’t want to go to the army because he didn’t want to fight in the war in Angola. Ironically, the job which the government instead recruited him for still involved killing.”

Eduan van Jaarsveld steps into the role of Pedrie Wierda, the public defender who assists John Weber in his fight to save Labuschagne from the death penalty. “Wierda hasn’t been successful thus far in his legal career, and he doesn’t understand that law is a grey area,” says van Jaarsveld, adding that although Wierda is a bit lost and certainly out of his depth, “he has a good heart and genuinely believes he can make a difference.”

Further ensuring the veracity of court procedure, the production called in the assistance of Advocate John van den Berg as a consultant. He explains the legal system’s uncompromising approach to murder in the 1980s: “If you were found guilty of murder, the death sentence was mandatory. There was a burden cast on the accused to justify a sentence other than death. And in the 1980s, young South African policemen were whisked away to Angola and other unnamed places and brought back in body bags.In this story, the reason that young Leon Labuschagne became a young warder was to avoid being posted to the front.”

Regarding the emotional stress of those involved in the death penalty system, particularly the warders who carried out the hangings, van den Berg says “it must have been unbelievably traumatic for anybody to be involved in the executions, let alone a 19-year-old. Dowd plays the young warder in a very subtle and very realistic way that speaks to one emotionally.”

As a person who is relieved that the era of South Africa’s death penalty is behind them, van den Berg believes that the film might carry a meaningful message to other countries that still enforce the death penalty. “This is a very important story that must be told. In that period in South Africa no one had the courage to write about these things, so even publishing fictional accounts was like treading on thin ice.”

by ·Comments Off on What’s new on DVD

JUNE RELEASES

ROOM Both highly suspenseful and deeply emotional, Room is a unique and touching exploration of the boundless love between a mother and her child. At once a taut narrative of captivity and freedom, an imaginative trip into the wonders of childhood, and a profound portrait of a family’s bonds and fortitude, Room is a beautifully transcendent experience based on the award-winning global bestseller by Emma Donoghue, who wrote the screenplay, based on her original novel. Director Lenny Abrahamson remains faithful to the novel while bringing Jack, Ma and their entirely singular world to heart-pounding and intensely cinematic life. After 5-year- old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) and his Ma (Brie Larson) escape from the solitary, locked, 10”x10” room that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. As he experiences all the joy, excitement, and fear that this new adventure brings, he holds tight to the one thing that matters most of all—his special bond with his loving and devoted Ma. At once a taut narrative of captivity and freedom, an imaginative trip into the wonders of childhood, and a profound portrait of a family’s bonds and fortitude, Room is a beautifully transcendent experience based on the award-winning global bestseller by Emma Donoghue, who wrote the screenplay, based on her original novel. Read more about the film.  There are no bonus features.

SOLACE  This intelligent supernatural thriller tells the story of a veteran FBI detective (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his younger ambitious partner (Abbie Cornish) who enlist the help of a reclusive, retired civilian analyst, Dr. John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins) to help solve a series of bizarre murders. When Clancy’s exceptional intuitive powers, which come in the form of vivid and disturbing visions, put him on the trail of the killer (Colin Farrell), the doctor soon realizes his gift of second sight is little match against the extraordinary powers of this elusive murderer on a mission. “The story and characters in Solace were unique,” said Flynn, who has produced more than 30 films including the critically acclaimed Choke, Requiem for a Dream and Tigerland and blockbusters such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, and Hercules. Read more about the film.  There are no bonus features.

STATE OF THE NATION  If you are a fan of spicy and racy stand-up-comedy and Loyiso Goya, you will enjoy Goya’s third comedy special that was filmed in front of a live audience in Cape Town’s Grand West Casino. His no holds barred musings takes us through issues that include the Oscar Pretorius trials, the differences that separate and divide the Rainbow Nation, and politicians.

THE 5TH WAVE  In this alien invasion film about the breakup of one family, four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated.  Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother Sammy.  As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him. Directed by J Blakeson, with a screenplay by Susannah Grant and Akiva Goldsman & Jeff Pinkner, the film is based on the novel by Rick Yancey. Read more about the film.  Bonus features:  There are some exciting features that include a interesting journey behind the scenes and how the film was made,  young Zackary Arthur (who plays Sammy) talking to the creative team about what their job on the film was, and there’s an audio commentary with director J. Blakeson and actress Chloë Grace Moretz.

Win a Vir Altyd DVD

Vir Altyd - beachThe delightful Vir Altyd (Forever) is a romantic adventure movie that is guaranteed to wow audiences and is an honest and sincere journey into the hearts and souls of two young lovers on the rollercoaster of love and life, it’s a heartfelt film about love and how Cupid’s arrows pierces the hearts of those who want to love but are hopelessly lost on their search for meaning and understanding,  and revered conquerors of love celebrating its joy and anguish. Botha and Roberts wrote and co-produced Vir Altyd with Danie Bester, whose Johannesburg-based company, The Film Factory produced three of the top six highest grossing Afrikaans feature films at the South African box office: the very successful teen comedy trilogy Bakgat!, Bakgat! 2 and Bakgat! 3; box office hits Ballade vir ’n Enkeling, Wolwedans in die Skemer, Hoofmeisie and Pad na Jou Hart; as well as the critically acclaimed Roepman and Verraaiers. Read an exclusive interview with darling superstars of the local film and TV industry, Ivan Botha and Donnalee Roberts, who charmed filmgoers in Pad Na You Hart, and sizzle in their latest charmer Vir Altyd (Forever) which they wrote and co-produced. Features: You can view the film in Afrikaans (with the choice of English subtitles), or in English with Afrikaans subtitles. You can also take a look at how the film was made and reached the big screen, as well as a look at the characters of two couple that influences the choices the young lovers make.

If you want to win a VIR ALTYD DVD, tell us who wrote the screenplay and your answer and contact details to us before June 30.  Enter the competition. 

 

 

 

by ·Comments Off on Writing An Original Screenplay About Ultimate Revenge: Remember

The darkest chapter of the 20th century collides with a contemporary mission of revenge

In the 40 years that award-winning producer Robert Lantos of Serendipity Point Films has been reading scripts and making films, he has never had an experience like this: a script from a novice screenwriter lands on his desk, sent to him by Jeff Sagansky, former president of CBS Entertainment and co-president of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

When he read Benjamin August’s original screenplay Remember, a compelling thriller in which the darkest chapter of the 20th century collides with a contemporary mission of revenge, Lantos knew that this was a film he had to make.

“It’s dizzying. You have a front row seat to these extraordinary moments where these exceptional human beings get to embody other people. But you also see them as themselves and realize that they have their own mythology. They are, of course, consummate actors, and they are the history of everything they’ve played, and what they bring to the set is just so extraordinary. They know their own instrument, their own body so well, what they can do with it, and what they’re able to play with, and to see them play off of each other – I mean, these are amazing moments.”

Atom Egoyan

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Director Atom Egoyan and Christopher Plummer contemplating a scene during the filming of Remember

Remember is an incredibly honest and moving emotional journey into the life of an old man who discovers that the Nazi guard who murdered his family some 70 years ago is living in America under an assumed identity.    Despite the obvious challenges, Zev sets out on a mission to find the guilty man and deliver long-delayed justice with his own trembling hand.

What follows is a remarkable cross-continent road-trip with surprising consequences.

Benjamin August

Screenwriter Benjamin August

It took more than seventeen years for Benjamin August’s screenplay for Remember to begin its journey to the big screen.

When he adapted Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” into a high school play seventeen years before, the school athletic director came up to Mr. August and told him, “Stick to sports.”

Frankly, August says, the athletic director was probably right since it’s taken seventeen more years for him to have his first script produced.

August’s path to screenwriting has been untraditional. He wrote Remember while living in Vietnam where he was teaching English.  He credits Vietnamese iced-coffee with sweetened condensed milk as the secret ingredient to his scripts.

Despite constantly being told he needs to move to Los Angeles, August currently resides in Hanoi with his family.

When Lantos read the screenplay, one actor’s face started to hover in Lantos’ mind.

remember“The hero is 90 years old. There are not a lot of actors in that age range that can carry a feature film on their shoulders.  As I was reading the script I knew exactly who could and who should play it.”

Christopher Plummer had to play the lead role of Zev, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor, skirting the edges of full blown dementia, a man who leaves the comfort and security of his assisted-living residence to find, and kill, the Nazi who murdered his family.

“The casting process on this film was unlike any other experience I’ve had on a movie,” recalled Ari Lantos, also producer on Remember. “It was a list of one for the role of Zev: Christopher Plummer. We probably wouldn’t have made the film if he didn’t want to do it.”

“Truth be told,” admitted screenwriter Benjamin August, “I had Christopher Plummer in my head the whole time I was writing.”

“I thought it was marvelous,” said Christopher Plummer, describing his initial reaction to the script sent to him by Lantos (“Thank god Robert got the material,” he added as an offside). “I thought it was original, shocking, intense and economically written. It wasn’t like a first draft. It was like the 30th draft. It was a very unusual script and an extraordinary role – totally different from what I’ve ever done before. So, I took the bait.”

The Material

Producer Robert Lantos poses for a photograph for his movie Barney's Version during the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Producer Robert Lantos

Robert Lantos had no interest in revisiting the subjects of the Holocaust and dementia because he had already dealt with them in previous films. And yet, Remember was something very different. It is an intimate story, set in the present, but triggered by an event 70 years ago. “The macro events from the past, permeating our present, which bleed into the present, shape this unusual story of extraordinary revenge,” said Lantos.

In the decade leading up to this confluence of events, there has been an increasing awareness that there were WWII war criminals at large, still unaccounted for, but aging nonetheless. Operation Last Chance was launched in 2002 by the Simon Wiesenthal Center with a mission statement to track down ex-Nazis still in hiding.

But for Zev Guttman, the story begins with the death of his wife. Zev wakes up with a shudder and calls out his wife’s name – Ruth.  It takes a few moments, and then he remembers she passed away a week earlier. On the last night of sitting shiva (the Jewish ritual of mourning), his wheelchair-bound friend Max (played by Martin Landau), also 90, gently hands him an envelope and tells him to open it in private. When Zev does, he finds a thick letter and a stack of hundred dollar bills. As he reads the words Max has written, he becomes immensely moved because it is telling him about a promise Zev made to Max – to track down Rudy Kurlander, the man both Max and Zev were after. Zev then packs a small bag and in the middle of that night, quietly slips away to a waiting taxi whose driver already knows Zev’s first destination. The journey towards destiny begins.

The Director

Atom Egoyan 2

Atom Egoyan (Director) With fifteen feature films and related projects, Atom Egoyan has won numerous awards including five prizes at the Cannes Film Festival (including the Grand Prix, International Critics Awards and Ecumenical Jury Prizes), two Academy Award® nominations, eight Genie Awards, prizes from the National Board of Review and an award for Best International Adaptation at The Frankfurt Book Fair. His films have been presented in numerous retrospectives across the world, including a complete career overview at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, followed by similar events at the Filmoteca Espagnol in Madrid and the Museum of The Moving Image in New York. In May, 2015, there will be a full film retrospective at BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. Egoyan’s art projects have been presented around the world including The Venice Biennale and Artangel in London. Steenbeckett became part of The Artangel Collection, an innovative alliance with the Tate. The Collection will tour museums and galleries across the U.K. His installation, Auroras, was recently on view at the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin, in a program commemorating the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Egoyan directed the North American premiere of Martin Crimp’s CRUEL AND TENDER for the Canadian Stage theatre company in early 2012. His adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s EH JOE was presented by The Gate Theatre in Dublin, where it won The Irish Times/ESB Award for Best Direction before transferring to London’s West End and The Lincoln Center Festival in New York. Egoyan directed the contemporary Chinese opera FENG YI TENG for the 2012 Spoleto Festival in Charleston and the Lincoln Center Festival, New York. It was performed at the Luminato Festival in 2013, following the remount of Richard Strauss’s SALOME with the Canadian Opera Company. Egoyan directed a new production Mozart’s COSI FAN TUTTE for the COC in 2014. His award-winning production of Wagner’s DIE WALKÜRE was performed in early 2015. Egoyan is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Directors Guild of America, the Directors Guild of Canada, the Writers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of Canada, and the Royal Canadian Academy of Art. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada. Egoyan is honoured with a 2015 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.

This is a story about a man who takes what energy he has left in his life and, driven by instructions and memory, invests it in one defining act of vengeance. It is sad and tender and nerve-racking. Lantos’ reaction to the material was both visceral and instinctive, particularly when he decided who should direct. Atom Egoyan.  “Remember is a combination of character study, suspense and revelation upon revelation.  This is Atom Egoyan territory.  He is brilliant at peeling the layers away.”

“This is the last story that can be told about this period [in history] in our present day,” Egoyan pointed out, speaking to people’s need for a final chance at justice. In more ways than one, Egoyan views Remember as a ‘companion piece’ to his earlier work, Ararat (which also starred Plummer and was produced by Lantos), in that, “it addresses the residual effects of history over time and how we form ourselves particularly when one’s history involves trauma.  This notion of how time and trauma are refracted through generations is at the core of so much of the material that I’m interested in. Certainly, that’s the theme of Ararat which we are seeing in this film as well: the effects of these historic events on the children of the perpetrators, the children of the survivors, refracted in very unexpected ways. You can’t predict what that effect will be, and that washes through the film.”

In addition to the potency of the historical themes in Remember, Egoyan gravitated to the quality of the story which Ari Lantos declared “a contemporary thriller with nuanced performances, which is why Atom was the right guy to tackle that.”

“It’s a shockingly original story with a character unlike any we’ve ever seen,” Egoyan elaborated. “I’ve made 15 features, a few of them from scripts I haven’t written. But not only is this one completely original, I think what Ben August has presented speaks of our relationship to horror in such an extraordinarily unique way. It’s simple on one level, something easy to relate to, and yet, so full of layers and complexity.”

Egoyan’s compositional eye tells the narrative with uncompromising devotion to the singular storyline. The plot, motivated by the past, but without conventional reliance on flashbacks, plays out completely in the present, free of sentimentality or manipulation.

Rooting for the old guy

 Take everything Hollywood endorses about youth-obsessed celebrity and push that aside. Remember hinges on the age of the characters and the actors who deliver their stories. Not only are the war criminals from WWII aging, but so are their victims. This was essential for Benjamin August.

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“A movie about an old man getting revenge – that in itself will make you nervous. How is he going to travel? Is he going to fall? Having an old man with dementia makes the quest exponentially harder. And that’s where the Max character comes in.” Max and Zev are partners. Zev has the mobility – Max has the plan, guiding him step-by-step by the letter and on the phone. August added, “If my grandparents went on a journey like this, it’d be terrifying. I mean, my grandma’s fallen just walking down the street to the café. Every step is nerve-racking and the fact that Zev gets so far, meets all these people, and overcomes these obstacles — it’s what’s really going to keep people in it.”

It is an easier story to have youthful characters go out in a blaze of light, but these characters are old men, their bodies are worn and their illusions are shattered. Zev is no Dirty Harry, but he survived the war and made a new life for himself, a new family and with the help of Max, he’s ventured back into the world and is making his last stand.

Robert Lantos provided details of his decision to make Remember as quickly as he could after reading the screenplay. “Now is the last moment in time when we can tell this story in the present tense. Ten years from now, it wouldn’t be realistic to be telling a story about a man who suffered a loss in the 1940s for which he’s now claiming revenge. Nor would it be realistic that the killer of his family in the 1940s would still be alive in 2025,” said Lantos. If this film had been delayed, it would’ve had to be a period piece, taking place in the past …which puts a certain distance between the audience, and the film and the story. I kept reading news reports about the arrests of war criminals still living in the US and Europe. Attempts to bring them to trial never came to fruition because they’d died before the end of the trial process. That is one of the reasons when I read the script: when a 90-year-old finds out that the Nazi guard from the Auschwitz concentration camp is living in America, he decides to take direct action because taking legal action would have no consequence.”

Filmmaking invariably offers a wide array of creative rewards to cast and crew involved, but on Remember, the convergence of quality material combined with the opportunity to work with legendary actors is worthy of note, especially when the director, producers and cast all felt rewarded by the company they were keeping.

“It’s dizzying,” Egoyan said. “You have a front row seat to these extraordinary moments where these exceptional human beings get to embody other people. But you also see them as themselves and realize that they have their own mythology. They are, of course, consummate actors, and they are the history of everything they’ve played, and what they bring to the set is just so extraordinary. They know their own instrument, their own body so well, what they can do with it, and what they’re able to play with, and to see them play off of each other – I mean, these are amazing moments.”

by ·Comments Off on Solace: A 13-year-journey from page to screen

An intelligent supernatural thriller

More than 13 years ago, when producer Beau Flynn first read the supernatural thriller Solace, a spec screenplay written by the then-unknown writing team of Sean Bailey & Ted Griffin, he knew immediately he wanted to make it.

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Solace tells the story of a veteran FBI detective (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his younger ambitious partner (Abbie Cornish) who enlist the help of a reclusive, retired civilian analyst, Dr. John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins) to help solve a series of bizarre murders. When Clancy’s exceptional intuitive powers, which come in the form of vivid and disturbing visions, put him on the trail of the killer (Colin Farrell), the doctor soon realizes his gift of second sight is little match against the extraordinary powers of this elusive murderer on a mission.

“The story and characters in Solace were unique,” said Flynn, who has produced more than 30 films including the critically acclaimed Choke, Requiem for a Dream and Tigerland and blockbusters such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, and Hercules.

“Solace is a film that makes people think. These were characters I cared about and there were issues the story dealt with that transcended morality and humanity. In dealing with euthanasia and end-of-life questions, fate, and the right to live, it touched on a lot of provocative subjects. First and foremost, Solace was entertaining, but it also had an impact, making it a very different and special film.”

Flynn’s producing partners Tripp Vinson, Thomas Augsberger, and Matthias Emcke agreed and they optioned Solace just as Bailey became co-producer of “Project Greenlight” and co-founder of Live Planet (with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) and the Griffin-penned adaptation of Ocean’s Eleven for director Steven Soderbergh made the duo two of Hollywood’s most in-demand talents.

“We got lucky in the timing and suddenly we had a hot project from hot writers,” said Augsberger.

“Beau and I were pretty proud when Toby Emmerich, who had just started his new job as head of the production at New Line said, ‘We want to option this from you and then said ‘Let’s make this film together at New Line.’”

Emmerich’s strong support of Solace kept the project at the studio for more than 10 years as various writers, directors, and actors came and went.  At one point, New Line, seeking a marketing hook, was looking to make Solace a sequel to the blockbuster Se7en, with Morgan Freeman attached.

In another incarnation, director Mark Pellington was attached and the studio brought in screenwriter James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) to do some revisions, but the film never moved to production.

In 2008, after Flynn worked with legendary actor Anthony Hopkins on the blockbuster horror-thriller, The Rite, which grossed more than $100 million worldwide, the two were looking to find another film to do together, so Flynn gave the Oscar-winning actor the Solace script.

“The idea of working with the great Anthony Hopkins again was a dream,” said Flynn. “Tony is an incredible actor who brings a gravitas and experience that raises everyone’s game. I thought he would respond to it, and he did. Tony’s been a terrific partner and has been very loyal and very committed to this project during the five years it took to get it made after he came on board.”

Hooked by the story’s strong characters, Hopkins signed on to play the lead role of Dr. John Clancy, a retired civilian analyst for the FBI whose psychiatric knowledge and ability to delve into the mind of a killer goes beyond his clinical training –into the supernatural.

“If it’s well written, it’s always interesting and this was well written. It is a very, very good script,” said Hopkins, who also serves as one of Solace’s executive producers.

“It is also loaded with implications of another dimension of life. I’m not really too spiritual, but I certainly am open to the idea…Without getting on the bandwagon about it or preaching anything, I have had experiences in my own life, synchronicity, psychic experiences and I think there’s something definitely beyond me, something much deeper than I can possibly understand.”

Hopkins’ Academy Award-winning performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the critically acclaimed box-office smash Silence of the Lambs as well as its hit prequel Red Dragon and blockbuster sequel Hannibal arguably made the acclaimed actor one of the cinema’s most iconic serial killers.

“Tony certainly has a little bit of a brand name when it comes to serial killer movies,” said Augsberger. “We’re thrilled to have him on so many levels. He’s not only one of our greatest living actors, but he’s been a terrific partner to us for many years, following the project out of the studio and into the independent realm.  I think Solace gives him the opportunity to explore things that he may already have explored from a different angle, creatively.”

With Hopkins attached, Flynn and Augsberger continued to develop the film at New Line.

When the studio wanted script revisions, Hopkins suggested bringing in award-winning screenwriter Peter Morgan, with whom Hopkins had worked with on the Oscar-nominated Frost/Nixon (2008).

Flynn said Morgan’s finished draft was locked and ready to shoot as the search for a director continued.

Director Afonso Poyart’s first feature film 2Coelhos (2 Rabbits) quickly became a hit in the filmmaker’s native Brazil and garnered attention and acclaim for the young writer-director-producer in its U.S. debut at the Brazilian Film Festival in Los Angeles. Poyart wrote, directed, produced, co-edited and acted in the inventive, fast-paced action film, 2 Coelhos, and will serve as an executive producer on the Tango Pictures English-language remake. He is now getting ready to direct/produce his next film, Vale Tudo, a UFC co-production based on the life of Brazilian MMA fighter José Aldo.
Director Afonso Poyart’s first feature film 2Coelhos (2 Rabbits) quickly became a hit in the filmmaker’s native Brazil and garnered attention and acclaim for the young writer-director-producer in its U.S. debut at the Brazilian Film Festival in Los Angeles. Poyart wrote, directed, produced, co-edited and acted in the inventive, fast-paced action film, 2 Coelhos, and will serve as an executive producer on the Tango Pictures English-language remake. He is now getting ready to direct/produce his next film, Vale Tudo, a UFC co-production based on the life of Brazilian MMA fighter José Aldo.

In 2011, Flynn finally found who and what he was looking for after watching Brazilian filmmaker Afonso Poyart’s feature film debut, 2 Coelhos (2 Rabbits), a frenetic, action-heist film with a mesmerizing mix of visual effects, animation, graphic overlays and live action. Flynn thought Poyart would be the perfect choice to direct the unique, visually provocative, supernatural thriller.

“As a producer, I flipped for it,” said Flynn.  “His film 2 Rabbits had all the elements I was searching for – a strong point-of-view, great visuals, good performances, confident direction. I’ve always been a huge fan of supernatural thrillers so when I read Solace, I immediately knew that there had never been a movie like this made and I wanted someone who could approach the genre and material differently. So, I sent Afonso the screenplay and he took to it. When I met with him, his vision and aspirations for the film were identical to mine, and I knew he was the only person to direct it.”

Emmerich and New Line agreed and Poyart came on to the project in 2011 when the film was set up at the studio.  Poyart, who spent 15 years as a commercial director in Brazil, wrote, directed, produced and edited the action-packed tale of police corruption 2 Coelhos, which was released in Brazil in January 2012 and quickly became a hit. The action thriller premiered in the U.S. at the Brazilian Film Festival in Los Angeles later that year and was acclaimed for its non-linear narrative and innovative filmmaking style.  Tango Pictures brought the rights to an English-language remake with Poyart as an executive producer.

Poyart said after the success of 2 Coelhos he read a number of screenplays before “falling in love” with Solace. “This film has the perfect balance of structure, story and strong characters,” said Poyart. “It is intelligent, suspenseful, action-packed and visually compelling. I was particularly attracted to the opportunity to explore the cinematic potential of the script and to step into the mind’s eye of someone with psychic abilities, played by Anthony Hopkins, and visualize what he sees.”

“Afonso had a lot of ideas about the characters and getting inside Clancy’s head, so he put together a presentation to show how he wanted to do it,” said Flynn.  “He had really strong opinions on how to make Solace feel unique. Suspense thrillers are a familiar genre and Afonso wanted to make it fresh, to create the feeling of being inside Clancy’s mind and show it as distinct from the real world.”

For Hopkins, Poyart’s artful blend of visual imagery and technical expertise is what makes him the ideal director for Solace. “He has a particularly visual insight into everything,” said the actor.  “He’s quite a visionary director who is great with images. Like Ridley Scott, he’s a fine filmmaker. I play a psychic who knows a lot about people and my job with the FBI is to track somebody who is a serial killer. Afonso has a unique way of looking at the world through the camera and the ability to put the images my character sees onto the screen.”

Poyart’s years of experience as a commercial director gave him the production, editing and visual and special effects experience that Solace needed. “It’s not going to be a special effects-heavy film, despite the visions,” said Augsberger.  “Although visual effects play a role, Afonso clearly has the film in his mind and how it all looks when it’s finished. He knows how all the pieces fit together. He has an incredible intuition when it comes to finding unusual but story-supporting camera angles and the technical expertise to know what cameras to use to shoot it.”

Poyart says Solace is a “very different animal” from his debut feature, 2 Coelhos, although he concedes both films do have events and characters which move the story along quickly. “Both films also have action and fast movement and a visual intensity to the pace and editing, and the second act of Solace is a roller coaster,” said Poyart. “Solace gives me a chance to explore the characters more than I’ve done before.  It’s an intimate journey of three characters – Clancy, Joe and Katherine–and the emotional components of their stories are the film’s greatest strengths.”

Afonso Poyart’

As Poyart, Hopkins, and the producers continued to develop the film, it became clear New Line was supportive of the project but unable to green-light it.  “New Line and Toby were great, but genre films are harder than ever to make,” said Flynn. “Studios are very focused on franchise films, tent poles, and films with action or big marketing hooks, so it’s increasingly difficult for smaller films and genre films like suspense thrillers to get made.”

In January 2013, Flynn said New Line “finally let the option go for the first time so we could get it made.” Flynn and Augsberger got the rights back and had interest within days.

“We had a very strong response and lined up four financiers right away,” said Flynn. “Claudia Bluemhuber of Silver Reel came in quickly. She’s super passionate and very smart about films and really supports producers’ and directors’ visions. Glen Basner also came in as a partner and sales agent and we got the film green-lit right away.”

With Basner’s FilmNation Entertainment selling foreign and Bluemhuber’s Silver Reel covering the gap financing, the Flynn Picture Company and Eden Rock Media had the cameras rolling in Atlanta, Georgia less than six months later in May 2013.

After more than a decade of revisions and false starts, Augsberger says the reason why Solace got financed and made as soon as it went the independent route was simple: “Solace is a very smart thriller for grownups with interesting characters,” he said.  “There’s no cliché here. It’s probably one of the best scripts I’ve ever read in terms of how tight it is.  It became incredibly focused because it went through so many filters, but I’m happy to say we stayed true to the original. The screenplay for Solace was just as good when I first read it, as it is now.”

A strong cast

With strong characters, a twist-filled plot, and Hopkins as the lead, attracting actors for the supporting roles was easy. “Anthony Hopkins is a magnet for actors so we were able to assemble a strong cast around him,” said Augsberger. “Once we bought it back from New Line we continued to attach actors like Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, and Colin Farrell. It came together very quickly.”

“What great actors have in common is they come prepared with a strong point of view about their characters,” said Poyart. “Tony, Colin, Abbie, and Jeffrey all brought ideas that enhanced the characters and worked for the story and film. Working with actors to develop the characters is a process in which I sometimes change what I thought and sometimes they adapt to what I see. It’s great when actors come up with things I never expected that really add to the character or scene. Being open to sharing your vision is the best part of collaborating and working together.”

Morgan, whose FBI agent enlists his friend and former colleague Dr. Clancy out of his self-imposed retirement to help with a baffling serial murder case, said a smart story and acting alongside Hopkins proved an irresistible combination.

“First and foremost was Tony Hopkins,” said Morgan. “To work with someone like him is maybe the greatest thing that any actor can experience. It has been truly a thrill to play with him as an actor. Beyond that, I know Beau and had worked with him before and I met with Afonso and liked his vision of what this movie was and what it could be. Solace is a really smart script, written by some really talented, smart guys. The story was there. It’s hard to come up with an original idea anymore, but this was an original idea and that’s the difference between this film and other movies in the genre. I don’t know that it’s necessarily been seen before. As it goes along, it makes you think and guess and try to figure out what’s happening. Those are fun movies not only to watch but to make.”

To play the role of the serial killer Charles Ambrose, the filmmakers wanted to play against type.  They also needed to find an actor who could hold his own in the pivotal series of dialogue-and-action-heavy scenes opposite Hopkins. Flynn, who produced Colin Farrell’s first film, Tigerland (2000), thought the Golden Globe®-winning actor (In Bruges) might be interested in the role since Farrell had played a villain before, but he had never played a serial killer.

“I was thrilled to get to work with him as an actor in Solace. He’s a very special person and a brilliant actor and since Tigerland, he’s obviously become a giant movie star,” said Flynn. “It was a huge coup to have him in our film. The scenes between Tony and Colin are like a classic stand-off of heavyweights in the ring. Watching those two work is a like a clinic for actors. Colin took his character in a fresh, bold completely different direction. He played Ambrose in a grounded, very real, not histrionic way.”

Adds Augsberger: “It’s hard to find a movie star willing to play a serial killer and in this case a supporting role.  Anthony’s in every scene of the movie while Colin appears mostly in the third act, but it was a very important role to cast. We’re very happy to have a very strong, brilliant actor like Colin to play opposite Anthony in those key moments where their characters play chess and come face-to-face.”

Farrell was excited about both the screenplay and Hopkins.  “When I heard Anthony Hopkins, the idea of working with him was pretty cool,” said Farrell.  “Then I read the script and it was a really, really good read. It’s very unique and different and I knew all my scenes were going to be with Tony and that was really exciting. I can’t stress enough – really exciting.”

Hopkins said Farrell is “as obsessive as I am” when it comes to researching and developing a character and “we had a terrific time.” The two discovered a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins called “The Leaden Echo” which both wanted to find a way to work into the screenplay. “We were taking about it, when I suggested, how about putting that into the script, in that little scene about decay and the inevitability of death and how much we try to keep beauty, which all but vanishes and decays, which suits the themes of the film,” said Hopkins.

Farrell said while working with Hopkins on their characters and scenes, he would “send Hopkins a text message at 3 a.m., put my head on the pillow and I’ll look and he’ll be answering.” Farrell said working with Hopkins “spoiled me rotten” because Hopkins “always has his finger on the trigger ready to go and have a chat about scenes and character. He seems to do something that is not usually mutually exclusive with actors in that he takes it all seriously and is also very light. He doesn’t wear any of the seriousness as a badge. He’s a beast of an actor, a gorgeous-looking dude, and I loved working with him.”

While Solace presents the crimes of a serial killer and follows the action as the characters try to solve them, it also pushes beyond the traditional confines of the genre with a thought-provoking issue at its core: euthanasia.

“It is an intelligent movie that raises certain questions that you can talk about after going to see it,” said Augsberger.  “It’s very entertaining and suspenseful and it makes you think. It was written more than a decade ago at a time when Dr. Kevorkian was in the news and yet, the ethical considerations of euthanasia are still very relevant and controversial. There are clinics in Switzerland where you can go and get assisted suicide just for being depressed – you don’t have to be sick anymore. And what are your choices if you discover you have an illness that is hereditary and affects your unborn children? These are issues we’re still debating and defining.”

The Screenwriters

Screenwriter Sean Bailey, who also serves as one of the film’s executive producers, is currently President of Walt Disney Studio’s Motion Picture Production, overseeing all live-action film development and production for Walt Disney Pictures. Recent film releases include Maleficent and Saving Mr. Banks. Prior to joining Disney in 2010, Bailey produced Disney’s TRON: Legacy, Miramax’s Gone Baby Gone, Matchstick Men, and Best Laid Plans. From 2004-2008, Bailey partnered with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris Moore in the company LivePlanet, among other projects, developing and producing the Emmy-nominated “Project Greenlight” which aired on HBO and Bravo.

Screenwriter Ted Griffin wrote the screenplays for Ocean’s Eleven, Tower Heist (with Jeff Nathanson), and Ravenous, among others. He co-wrote (with brother Nick) Matchstick Men, which he also produced (alongside fellow Solace screenwriter Sean Bailey). His other producing credits include the Oscar-nominated films Up In The Air and The Wolf of Wall Street, in which he also appeared, as well as the Fran Lebowitz documentary Public Speaking. He wrote and appeared in the Clio Award-winning advertisement The Key To Reserva, directed by Martin Scorsese, and wrote Scorsese’s 2013 Dolce-Gabbana advertisement “Street of Dreams,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson. In 2010 he created and executive-produced the television series “Terriers” for FX.

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castle-season-7CASTLE (Season 7) If you are looking for thrills, adventure and plenty of laughs, this highly entertaining seventh season will keep you glued to the screen. Created by Andrew W. Marlowe, it follows the lives of Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), a best-selling mystery novelist, and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), an NYPD homicide detective, as they solve various unusual crimes in New York City. This highlights of this season includes the devilish duo facing their ultimate nemesis, Dr. Kelly Nieman (guest star Annie Wersching) and uncover connections to notorious serial killer Jerry Tyson (guest star Michael Mosley); Castle and Beckett explore the flashy world of internet fame when a web celebrity is murdered and, when the killer posts pictures from the crime scene on a photo-sharing site, they realize they are up against a social media sociopath who may strike again. Of the most imaginative episodes, one has Castle launched into what seems to be an alternate universe where he’s never met Kate Beckett, and in another an astronaut training for a trip to Mars is mysteriously killed inside a Mars simulation, Castle and Beckett don spacesuits to investigate. Also worth a mention is the clever episode where Castle and his daughter travel to London; their routine flight turns deadly when the plane’s Air Marshal is found murdered and with the help of Beckett on the ground, Castle and Alexis race against time to find the killer before he carries out his fateful plan. The bonus features include cast and crew commentary (Driven episode), Cast and crew commentary (Reckoning episode),Raging Heat Webmercial, Definition of Love music video, The Cast Behind The Cast featurette, deleted scenes, and blooper.  Scroll down for more on Castle.

how-to-get-away-with-murder-first-season.32058HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER  If there’s one series that offers non-stop viewing from its riveting pilot  to its startling last episode, it’s this superb creation from Peter Nowalk.  Nowalk, who was mentored by producer Shonda Rhimes since he worked as writer on her series’ Grey’s Anatomy, makes his series debut with this brilliant murder mystery and human drama. It features a stunning performance by Viola Davis as Annalise Keating, a law professor and criminal defence attorney at Middleton University, who selects five students to intern at her firm. Without revealing too much and spoil your viewing, it’s all about how to get away with murder and, trust me; it will bowl you over with its brilliant scripting, outstanding performances, and first rate direction. Try to know nothing about the story or what happens until the end of the last episode.  There are many spoilers that will ruin your viewing. The bonus features include a great introduction to the creators and cast. Read interview with Peter Nowalk

GREYGREY’S ANATOMY (Season 11) If you think Grey’s Anatomy is simply another medical drama, think again. And if you have ever wondered why a super successful series like this has survived 12 years of non-stop viewing, the answer is simple:  it encapsulates the universal fear people have of falling ill, ending up in hospital, or death. The season follows the story of surgical residents, fellows, and attendings as they experience the difficulties of the competitive careers they have chosen. It is set in the surgical wing of the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, located in Seattle, Washington.Grey’s Anatomy is a series that you will succumb to with laughter and tears. It’s an ultimate emotional roller coaster ride that offers the best television has to offer, intelligent viewing that is provocative, captivating and entertaining.  Read more

GOTHAM If there’s a television series that’s long overdue, it’s the delightful Gotham. It’s non-stop viewing that tells of a new recruit in the Gotham City Police Department who teams up with a veteran detective to solve one of Gotham City’s highest-profile cases: the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne. It’s a thrilling mystery into the world of Batman to uncover the sinister layers of corruption that rule the city, spawning ground of the world’s most iconic villains. It’s equally great to explore the world of a young boy before he became Batman, and meet some bizarre personas who would become Catwoman, the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face and the Joker! The features include Gotham invented, Designing the Fiction,  The Game of Cobblepot (Pengion), character profiles and unaired scenes.

AGENTS OF SHIELDMARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D The mind-blowing saga that began in Marvel’s The Avengers continues in ABC’s action-packed series, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — The Complete First Season. Relive All 22 Thrilling Episodes, Plus Get Level 7 Access with Newly De-Classified Bonus Features Available and DVD. If you are looking for non-stop viewing, this is it, taking you into a world where nothing is what it seems, and everything is possible when these young agents jump into action.Don’t think that it is only about action and adventure, you will fall in love with wonderful characters and share their emotional journey that is filled with drama, thrills and humour. In the wake of The Battle of New York, the world has changed forever. An extraordinary landscape of wonders has been revealed! In response, mysteriously resurrected Agent Phil Coulson assembles an elite team of skilled agents and operatives: Melinda May, Grant Ward, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons and new recruit/computer hacker Skye.Together, they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.Read more

Series Listing

(Listed Alphabetically)

Angels in AmericaANGELS IN AMERICA ***** An ultimate for any collector, this superb HBO miniseries and multiple Golden Globe and Emmy award winner is adapted from the play of the same name by Tony Kushner, with director Mike Nichols at the hlem. Set in 1985, the film revolves around six disparate New Yorkers whose lives intersect. At its core, it has the fantastical story of Prior Walter, a gay man dying of AIDS who is visited by an angel. The film explores a wide variety of themes, including Reagan era politics, the spreading AIDS epidemic, and a rapidly changing social and political climate; as the story develops, these lost souls come together to create bonds of love, loss, and loneliness and, in the end, discover forgiveness and overcome abandonment. There are 2 discs, offering 6 hours non-stop viewing. , featuring commanding performances from the ensemble and a magnificent soundtrack by Thomas Newman.

arrow-keyart-closeupARROW (Season 1)The series takes a new look at the Green Arrow character, as well as other characters from the DC Comics universe. Although Oliver Queen/Green Arrow had been featured in the television series Smallville from 2006 to 2011, the producers decided to start clean and find a new actor (Stephen Amell) to portray the character. Arrow focuses on the humanity of Oliver Queen, and how he was changed by time spent shipwrecked on an island. Most episodes have flashback scenes to the five years in which Oliver was missing. The first series follows Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), billionaire playboy of Starling City, who spends five years ship wrecked. Upon his return to Starling City, he is reunited with his family and friends. The first season focuses on Oliver reconnecting with everyone and spending his nights hunting down the wealthy responsible for “failing the city” as a hooded vigilante who is not afraid to kill his targets. He becomes at odds with a secret organization that plans to destroy a section of the city that has become overridden with crime. John Diggle (David Ramsey) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) assist Oliver in his crusade. The first season also features flashbacks to Oliver’s time on the island, and how it changed him; this continues in subsequent seasons.It is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp.  Arrow was renewed for a 23-episode fourth season in 2015 and and an animated spin-off, Vixen, was released, while a second live-action spin-off, Legends of Tomorrow, is currently in development.

body_of_proof_-_season_1BODY OF PROOF (Season 1, 2, and 3) **** When her career as a brilliant and driven neurosurgeon is over, Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) finds a new life as a Medical Examiner. Although she’s no longer in the business of fixing what’s wrong with living patients, she’s still instinctively drawn to finding out what killed her dead patients and uncovering who was responsible and why. As she pursues the answers, the bodies of the dead provide the clues. Even diplomatic police partner Pete Dunlop (Nicholas Bishop) can’t prevent her arrogant attitude and total disregard for any authority or social norm to cause grave aggravation all around. The first season focuses on Hunt’s efforts to balance the demands of her professional life, dealing with solving cases and analyzing bodies, with her personal life, trying to reconnect with her estranged daughter The Bonus Features include Examining the proof, If looks could Kill, Body of Goofs and a sneak peek at Season 2.  In the second season bodies pile up and team pull together when a six-year-old child is kidnapped, a lottery winner’s luck takes an unfortunate turn, one of Phiadelphia’s most despised citizens turns up dead, and a new bride’s fatal fall could be an act of suicide … or murder. The bonus features include a look at the design of the set, the make up of the bodies, the amazing stunt work and effects, as well as a gag reel. In the third season  Megan takes action when she discover that she has a new partner, and it happens to be an ex lover, and her job becomes even more personal when a serial killer takes her daughter hostage. The bonusfeatures include a look at the mazing cinematography and what it takes to get the right shot; the astounding and grizzly visual effects amd make up; the realism of the props and creating the world of the story. If you are looking for mystery and intrigue, blended with snappy romance, this is it.

CastleSeason_5PrintDVDBeauty_ShotsWDSHE_WorldwideRev_EcomCASTLE (Season 1, 2, 3 & 4 ) ***** If you are looking for first-rate entertainment that is fun, funny, and filled with tons of adventure and mind-boggling murder mystery, this great series from creator Andrew Marlowe (who also serves as executive producer/writer and delivers a clever script), is a must for fans of The Rockford Files and Moonlighting. Nathan Fillion is superb as a wildly famous mystery novelist who is bored with his own success until he teams up with the equally brilliant Stana Katic, a hard-headed NYPD Detective. When this heavenly but unlikely couple clash, sparks of another sort also begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle steps in to help find the killer. And once that case is solved, he and Beckett build on their new relationship as they look to solve more strange homicides in New York – as much fun as one can have with death and murder. The bonus features on all fouyr seasons are superb and highly entertaining. Highlights include a glimpse into the mind of mystery ‘Godfather” Stephen J.  Cannell (Season 1), On location with Nathan (Season 2) Castle goes to Hollywood (Season 3) and Castle Goes Radio and an in depth look at the stunts (Season 4). Read more about Season 5

cougar-town-season-fourCOUGAR TOWN (Season 1 to 4) **** Courtney Cox stars as Jules Cobb in her role as a recently divorced mom in her forties facing the often humorous challenges, pitfalls and rewards of life’s next chapter. Along for the journey is her son — a college freshman -, ex-husband, and friends who together make up her dysfunctional, but supportive and caring extended family… even if they have a funny way of showing it sometimes. Jules’ circle of friends, a.k.a. “the cul de sac crew,” includes next door neighbour Ellie (Christa Miller), her sarcastic, unapologetic confidante; Ellie’s average, but loveable husband Andy (Ian Gomez); Grayson (Josh Hopkins), the overly flirty neighbour from across the street who’s also her “someday guy;” Laurie (Busy Philipps), her younger, feisty protégé; ex-husband Bobby (Brian Van Holt), a classic under-achiever who tests her patience; and Travis (Dan Byrd), her dry and witty son who more often than not is the adult observer among the group.

Season 4 continues to amuse with its hilarious scripts, wacky scenarios and vibrant characters.  If you are tired of seeking new adventures, be daring and explore the witty misadventures of the zany Cul-de-Sac Crew as they face life’s up and downs with equal parts of wine, warmth and wackiness. Now that Jules and Grayson are united in holy matrimony, every day brings fresh opportunities for wholly hilarious mayhem! But can the newlyweds keep passion alive? The acid tongue Ellie is at her sharpest, Tom, the slightly creepy window hoverer has been upgraded to an official member of the ganf, and Travis and Laurie attempt to make the awkward leap from friendship to romance, with uproarious results.

Criminal_Minds_-The_Complete_Seventh_SeasonCRIMINAL MINDS (Season 7)  **** This absolutely brilliant crime series revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country’s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit’s most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU who returns to help the team solve new cases. The team is lead by Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, a strong profiler who is able to gain people’s trust and unlock their secrets.

There are fantastic bonus features: a great ‘mind’s eye’ peek into the stunts of ‘From Childhood’s Hour’, the make up of the bloodlust killings in ‘The Bittersweet Science’, and the ‘devil inside’ Hearthridge Manor, plus a fun gag reel.

 

HumanHUMAN UNIVERSE ***** My mind imploded, exploded and went numb after watching BBC’S magnificent Human Universe, with the charming Professor Brian Cox offering an original new perspective on human life: the story of a group of apes that evolved to leave their home planet and step out into the universe. Humans are curious creatures. Of all the species on Earth, we alone ask questions. This series tackles the greatest questions we’re ever asked. If you have ever asked: “Why Are We Here? Where Are We In The Universe? Are We Alone?”, make sure to not miss out on this mind bending documentary. It is beyond spectacular and totally captivating as Brian, in search of answers, sets off across the globe collecting clues from the people that he encounters and linking them to the latest scientific thinking on each question. The series consists of five sixty-minute episodes.

intruders_bbcINTRUDERS ***** BBC America brings us a supernatural paranormal mystery thriller that surrounds a mysterious secret society named Qui Reverti, which for centuries has known that immortality can effectively be attained by taking control of another person’s life. The premise is rather simple. Each person has two souls. Prior to the death of a member of Qui Reverti , their consciousness, and/or soul, is activated through the use of a trigger. (An object familiar to them in that life.) A Shepherd is given the task of activating them both prior to death, and again with that trigger once a life has been found that is suitable for intrusion. At least this is what we know so far. The show is shrouded in mystery which will make it quite appealing to anyone who enjoys the genre. Based on the book “The Intruders” by Michael Marshall Smith, Intruders hosts an impressive ensemble of writers, directors, and actors to bring this show to life. James Frain is superb as an assassin for hire and a shepherd/protector of Qui Reverti. Millie Brown plays Madison O’Donnell, a 9 year old girl who is taken over by a centuries old serial killer named Marcus Fox, with Mira Sorvino as , a woman who is taken over by another woman named Rose Gilchrist. John Simm, who plays Amy’s husband Jack Whelan, who is an ex-cop that gets caught in the middle of Qui Reverti’s intrusion into his wife Amy’s life and sets out to discover what happened to her.

LOOKING (First Season) ***** The first season of this must-have series from HBO offers non-stop viewing from start to finish. It’s good to find a series that is honest in its telling and sincere in its passion.

Looking

Created by Michael Lannan, Looking revolves around three 3-something friends living in San Francisco, who explore the exciting, sometimes overwhelming, options available to a new generation of gay men.Patrick Murray, a 29-year-old video game designer, lives in San Francisco with his friends—aspiring restaurateur Dom and artist’s assistant Agustín. Patrick has a tendency to be naive and has been generally unlucky in love but things in Patrick’s life change upon meeting handsome yet humble Mission barber Richie and the arrival of his new boss, the attractive but partnered Kevin. Dom pursues his goal of opening his own restaurant with the support of his roommate, Doris, and the unexpected help of the successful and older San Francisco entrepreneur Lynn. Agustín struggles domesticating with his long-term boyfriend Frank and his stalling art career, as well as his penchant for recreational substance abuse. The three men navigate life, relationships, family, and careers in modern-day San Francisco.After two seasons, HBO announced that Looking would not be renewed for a third season, instead ordering a one-time special to serve as its series finale.

The-Normal-Heart-Mark-Ruffalo-Matt-Bomer-Golden-Globes-SAG-awards-2015-best-TV-movieTHE NORMAL HEART ***** Mark Ruffalo delivers a powerful performance as Ned Weeks, who in the very first years of the AIDS epidemic, as friends died all around him, railed against government and community indifference and, with several others, created Gay Men’s Health Crisis. This not-to-be-missed emotionally jolting film adaptation of Larry Kramer’s searing, largely autobiographical Tony Award-winning AIDS drama, exposed America’s callousness toward a gay community living through the horrors of the burgeoning AIDS epidemic features great performances from Julia Roberts and Matt Bomer (playing the role of Felix Turner, Ned’s boyfriend.The film depicts the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks (Ruffalo), the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. Weeks prefers public confrontations to the calmer, more private strategies favored by his associates, friends, and closeted lover Felix Turner (Bomer).

Actor Lee Ingelby plays Chester Zoo founder George Mottershead in new BBC drama Our Zoo

Actor Lee Ingelby plays Chester Zoo founder George Mottershead in new BBC drama Our Zoo

OUR ZOO From BBC One comes this utterly charming true story of how an ordinary family established Chester Zoo in the 1930s. Actor Lee Ingleby is best known as DS John Bacchus in Sixties police drama Inspector George Gently is perfectly cast as George Mottershead, an ex-servicemen still haunted by memories of the First World War, who is frustrated that his family have to live and work with his parents in their cramped corner shop. Until, that is, animal-loving George made a delivery to the local docks and rescued two unwanted beasts about to be put down in the quarantine bay. He whisked them home in his grocer’s van, kept them in the shop’s backyard, charged neighbours to come and gawp, and began to dream big. Could he buy a crumbling stately home and build the first British zoo without bars? Of course he could. However, it will take him at least six episodes. And probably more, because Our Zoo smelt like a hit and hits tend to get a second series. It was winningly warm, with heaps of charm, lump-in-throat moments and adorable wildlife. Ingleby, usually a supporting player, stepped into the lead role with aplomb: his trenches trauma was touchingly portrayed and his sparkly-eyed idealism about “putting a bit of beauty back into the world” was infectious. The supporting cast – especially Anne Reid as George’s battleaxe mother and Liz White as his loyal wife – were excellent, while Sophia Myles added a dash of Downton-esque class (and potential love interest) as a supportive lady of the manor. Our Zoo is a classier, flat-capped version of ITV’s popular Stephen Tompkinson vehicle Wild at Heart or the soppy Hollywood film We Bought a Zoo. The bonus features include an information making of featurette with lively interview.

REVENGE - ABC's "Revenge" stars Ashley Madekwe as Ashley Davenport, Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter, Connor Paolo as Declan Porter, Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross, Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne, Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson, Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson, Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson and Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson. (ABC/BOB D'AMICO)

REVENGE – ABC’s “Revenge” stars Ashley Madekwe as Ashley Davenport, Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter, Connor Paolo as Declan Porter, Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross, Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne, Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson, Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson, Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson and Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson. (ABC/BOB D’AMICO)

REVENGE (Season 1 to 3) ***** The mystery, the fire and intrigue of a devilish journey into the heart of vengeance has never been sweeter! Emily Thorne’s brilliant plan for retribution takes a wicked turn as she plots a new strategy to take down the Hampton’s super-wealthy Grayson’s once and for all. It all began in Season One. 17 years after her father was framed for a horrific crime by neighbors he trusted, Thorne (Emily Van Camp) returned under an assumed identity to the Hamptons high society, with one endgame, where every social overture a carefully planned chip at the foundation of her sworn enemies, until their lives come crashing down around them. Following the dramatic conclusion to season one, she returned with loaded vengeance in Season Two. Her enemies might have been the same, but her mission took on a new, suspenseful twist and the web of deceit grew larger when her mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) surfaced. Season Three’s shocking opening triggers Emily and Daniel’s (Josh Bowman) wedding day, as turned allies, new enemies, and ghosts from her tainted past threaten to expose her. With an ultimatum from Jack (Nick Wechsler) and her complicated history with Aiden (Barry Sloane) resurfacing, Emily must take extreme measures to ensure her plan goes off without a hitch. But Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) has new reasons to destroy the thorn in her side and everyone may become collateral damage in Emily and Victoria’s war.  The bonus features of Season 3 includes a delightful discussion between the lead male actors, deleted scenes and bloopers. The excellent bonus features of Season Two include audio commentaries on the pilot, and some great doccies on ‘Nolan Ross Exposed’, Roadmap to Revenge’, a behind the scenes look at the sets , and the Femme Fatale Fashion. Season One’s bonus features include selected audio commentaries, and features into ‘The School of Revenge’, ‘The Sound of Revenge’ and deleted scenes

Smallville_S10_DVD_fSMALLVILLE Seasons 1 to 10  ***** Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It is based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series follows the adventures of Clark Kent (Tom Welling), who resides in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes known as Superman. The first four seasons focus on Clark and his friends’ high school years. After season five, the show ventures into more adult settings, eventually focusing on his career at the Daily Planet, as well as introducing other DC comic book superheroes and villains. The regular cast is introduced in season one. Storylines regularly included a villain deriving a power from kryptonite exposure. The one-episode villains were a plot device developed by Gough and Millar.

The first season primarily dealt with Clark trying to come to terms with his alien origins, and the revelation that his arrival on Earth was connected to the deaths of Lana Lang’s parents.

After the first season, the series used fewer villain-of-the-week episodes, focusing more on story arcs which affected each character and explored Clark’s origins. Main story arcs include Clark’s discovery of his Kryptonian heritage and Lex’s escalating conflict with his father Lionel. The disembodied voice of Clark’s biological father, Jor-El, is introduced. He communicates to Clark via his spaceship, setting the stage for plots involving the fulfillment of Clark’s earthly destiny that Jor-EL intends for him.

In another arc which comprises the fourth season, Clark seeks three Kryptonian stones, at the instruction of Jor-El, which contain the knowledge of the universe and form his Fortress of Solitude.Clark also battles Brainiac in his attempts to release the Kryptonian criminal General Zod. Clark must either capture or destroy other escaped Phantom Zone criminals. Clark’s biological cousin Kara arrives, and Lex Luthor finally discovers Clark’s secret.

The eighth season features storylines involving the introduction of Davis Bloome, who is Smallville’s interpretation of Doomsday, and a woman named Tess Mercer replaces Lex Luthor, who exits the series. Justin Hartley joins as a series regular in the role of Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, having been a recurring guest in season six. With the ninth season, Major Zod (Callum Blue), along with other members of Zod’s military group, are revived, though without their Kryptonian powers, by Tess Mercer. Their efforts to regain their powers become the central conflict for the season’s story arc.

The tenth and final season revolves around Clark’s attempts to get rid of his doubts and fears in order to become the hero he is meant to be, while also confronting his biggest challenges–the coming of Darkseid and the return of Lex Luthor.

THE STRAIN If there’s one series have to add to your collection, it’s the riveting The Strain. Created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, it is based on their novel trilogy of the same name. Here’s a teaser ….A plane from Berlin lands at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with the lights off and the doors sealed. CDC epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, Dr. Nora Martinez, and their team are sent to investigate. On board they find 206 corpses and four survivors. The situation deteriorates when all the bodies disappear from the morgue. Goodweather and a small group of helpers find themselves battling to protect not only their own loved ones, but the entire city, from an ancient threat to humanity. You can rent the series at Movie Magic.

TRUE DETECTIVE ***** In 2012, Louisiana State Police Detectives Rust Cohle and Martin Hart are brought in to revisit a homicide case they worked in 1995. As the inquiry unfolds in present day through separate interrogations, the two former detectives narrate the story of their investigation, reopening unhealed wounds, and drawing into question their supposed solving of a bizarre ritualistic murder in 1995. The timelines braid and converge in 2012 as each man is pulled back into a world they believed they’d left behind. In learning about each other and their killer, it becomes clear that darkness lives on both sides of the law.) It stars Woody Harrelson as Martin Hart and Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle

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by ·Comments Off on Scary Movie: The return of a cult comedy phenomenon

Scary Movie (2026) marks one of the most significant comedy‑horror revivals of the decade, reuniting the Wayans family with the franchise they originally launched and redefining the parody genre for a new generation.

Directed by Michael Tiddes, the film brings back the creative voices that shaped the first two Scary Movie films, with the screenplay written by Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Craig Wayans, and Rick Alvarez .

This return is culturally meaningful: the Wayans brothers departed the franchise after Scary Movie 2 due to creative conflicts, and their comeback after more than two decades signals a restoration of the series’ original comedic DNA. The film is positioned as both the sixth instalment and a “spiritual sequel” to the first two films, reconnecting with the tone, characters, and irreverent humour that made the franchise a global hit in the early 2000s.

The inspiration for the 2026 revival stems from the enduring popularity of the original films and the resurgence of slasher and supernatural horror in contemporary cinema. With horror franchises like Scream, Halloween, and The Conjuring dominating the cultural landscape, the Wayans family saw an opportunity to return to the genre they once helped define—this time parodying a new generation of horror tropes while revisiting the iconic characters audiences still quote today. The film also capitalises on nostalgia, bringing back the core ensemble whose chemistry shaped the franchise’s identity.

The story follows Cindy Campbell (played once again by Anna Faris) and her chaotic circle of friends—Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall), Ray Wilkins (Shawn Wayans), and Shorty Meeks (Marlon Wayans)—as they reunite when the masked killer they encountered twenty‑six years earlier resurfaces, triggering a new wave of absurd mayhem and genre‑bending terror . The premise blends slasher parody with supernatural and monster‑movie send‑ups, echoing the franchise’s signature style of stitching together multiple horror influences into one escalating comic disaster.

The returning cast is a major part of the film’s appeal. Alongside Faris, Hall, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans, the ensemble includes Cheri Oteri as reporter Gail Hailstorm, Chris Elliott as the unsettling but hilarious Hanson, Dave Sheridan as the dim‑witted Deputy Doofy, and Lochlyn Munro as Greg Phillippe . Newer cast members include Damon Wayans Jr., Sydney Park, Heidi Gardner, Olivia Rose Keegan, and Ruby Snowber, expanding the comedic landscape while maintaining continuity with the original films . The film also features Jon Abrahams reprising his role as Bobby Prinze and Anthony Anderson, who previously appeared in Scary Movie 3 and 4, further strengthening the franchise’s legacy connections .

Scary Movie positions itself as both a nostalgic homecoming and a fresh comedic reset for the franchise. By restoring the Wayans’ creative leadership and reuniting the beloved cast, the film aims to recapture the anarchic, fearless humour that made the original movies cultural touchstones—while parodying the horror landscape of today with the same sharp, outrageous energy that defined the series from the start.

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Now In Cinemas

RECOMMENDED: At the centre of the not-to-be-missed Project Hail Mary is unlikely hero Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle school science teacher who never imagined he would have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Fuze is a crime‑thriller heist film that unfolds in London after the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb on a construction site triggers a massive evacuation.
Obsession is a horror that follows a shy music‑store employee who uses a supernatural toy to wish that his longtime crush will love him.
Top Gun – 40th Anniversary is a special theatrical re‑release of Tony Scott’s 1986 classic to celebrate four decades of the film’s cultural impact.

Coming Up

Djarin and his apprentice Grogu are enlisted to help stabilise the galaxy after the fall of the Empire, confronting scattered Imperial in
Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu In cinemas 22 May
A gifted young piano tuner whose meticulous ear reveals an unexpected talent for cracking safes, pulling him into a dangerous criminal underworld in Tuner . In cinemas 22 May
A young couple’s van‑life adventure turns into a nightmare after they witness a horrific highway accident in the supernatural horror Passenger.
In cinemas 22 May
Backrooms is a science‑fiction horror that pulls characters into a dimension beyond reality, a labyrinth of liminal rooms where logic breaks down and escape becomes increasingly impossible. In cinemas 29 May

JUNE FILM RELEASES

In the survival thriller Deep Water an international flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai is forced into an emergency landing in shark‑infested waters. In cinemas 29 May

In cinemas 5 June: Prince Adam returns to a shattered Eternia and must reclaim his destiny as He‑Man to stop Skeletor’s rule in Masters of the Universe, Cindy and the gang reunite when the masked killer from 26 years ago resurfaces to wreak havoc again in Scary Movie, a washed‑up wedding singer battles a fading boy‑band star after his stolen song becomes a hit in Power Ballad.

In cinemas 12 June: Spielberg turns first contact into global psychological collapse as humanity confronts undeniable proof of alien life in Disclosure Day

In cinemas 19 June: Jessie leads Bonnie’s room as the toys face a new threat from a frog‑like tablet named Lilypad in Toy Story 5 , a gravely injured, battle‑worn Robin Hood confronts his violent past while seeking salvation in The Death Of Robin Hood .

In cinemas 26 June: in Jackass 250 / Jackass: Best and Last, Knoxville and the crew return for one final round of outrageous stunts and franchise‑ending chaos, Minions & Monsters head to 1920s Hollywood to make a monster movie using real monsters, a jaded Kara Zor‑El embarks on a cosmic revenge quest with a young girl and her dog Krypto in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and in Lucky Strike, an American soldier trapped behind enemy lines during the Battle of the Bulge fights to survive and find his way home.

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2026 FILM RELEASES (Listed Alphabetically)

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple  / Apex / Beast / Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) / The Bride! / Brothers Under Fire / Cats in the Museum 2 / Charlie The Wonderdog / Cold Storage  / Crime 101 / Dead Man’s Wire / The Devil Wears Prada 2 / Die My Love / The Drama / EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert / F Valentine’s Day / Giant / Goat / GR 10 D / Greenland 2: Migration / Hamnet / The Heart Is a Muscle / Hoppers / How to Make a Killing / Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition / Is This Thing On? / Kiss of the Spider Woman / Lee Cronin’s The Mummy / The Magic Faraway Tree / Marty Supreme  / Melania / Mercy  / Michael / Mortal Kombat II / Mother Mary / Normal / Nuremberg / O’ Romeo / Pretty How Town / Primate  / Project Hail Mary / The Protector /Ready or Not 2: Here I Come / Reminders Of Him / Rental Family / Scream 7 / Send Help  / The Sheep Detectives / Shelter / The Strangers: Chapter 3 / The Super Mario Galaxy Movie / Testament of Ann Lee / They Will Kill You / Tom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass / Variations on a Theme / Wardriver / Whistle / Wuthering Heights / Wildcat / You & Me & Tuscany

TV / STREAMING: Heated Rivals / Truth & Reason / I Swear / The History Of Sound / Merrily We Roll Along / Pillion

REVIEWS: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple / Crime 101 / Hamnet / Kiss Of The Spider Woman / Lee Cronin’s The Mummy / Mercy / Marty Supreme / Michael / Nuremberg / Primate / Send Help /

TOP FILMS OF 2026 (Listed Alphabetically) : The Bride! / Die My Love / Hamnet / The History Of Sound / I Swear / Kiss of the Spider Woman / Marty Supreme / Merrily We Roll Along / Nuremberg / Pillion / Project Hail Mary

by ·Comments Off on Primate – A wild, unapologetic horror-thrill ride

REVIEW

Acclaimed filmmaker Johannes Roberts returns to the director’s chair with a new take on terror as a gentle pet becomes a deadly stalker in Primate. An adrenaline-fueled, terrifying ride packed with old-school thrills, Primate is pure, unforgettable horror at its best.

Primate is directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night), from a script by Johannes Roberts and Ernest Riera (Nowhere, 47 Meters Down).

Johnny Sequoyah as “Lucy” and Director Johannes Roberts in Primate from Paramount Pictures.
Photo Credit: Gareth Gatrell

Filmmaker Johannes Roberts has built a reputation as a master of mayhem in films where killer sharks, zombies, demons, and slashers threaten the innocent and the guilty alike

His latest movie, Primate, promises to be the most shocking, bone-chilling tale he has told thus far, as a group of teens are terrorized when their pet chimp suddenly turns on them. Amping up the visceral terror with old-school, in-camera special effects and jaw-dropping surprises, Roberts is taking horror to new and ever-bloodier heights.

The director and co-writer of Primate calls the movie his love letter to the first horror film he ever saw: Cujo. “For me, it opened up a whole new kind of horror based in real situations, not vampires and monsters,” Roberts explains. “I instinctively understood the way that the director Lewis Teague and the cinematographer Jan de Bont were manipulating the audience — I knew right then that I wanted to direct films like that.”

Stephen King’s classic story about a St. Bernard turned serial killer had Roberts wondering what might happen if a different kind of family pet developed a taste for murder. Chimpanzees, he learned, are intimidating animals. The charming, pink-faced infants that people fall in love with mature into 150-pound beasts that can revert to their primal instincts in seconds.

“Chimpanzees can be evil, terrifying creatures in real life. They hunt other animals and even other chimps for food. They fly into rages,” he says. “The more research I did, the darker the picture became.”

With their brains and brawn, Roberts knew a chimp would be the perfect device for his next film. “I love the horror genre, both as a director and a movie fan,” he says. “As an audience member, I love being scared in a safe environment. As a filmmaker, it allows me to play in a fantasy world that is a lot of fun, where the director’s job is manipulating the audience. The goal is to get them to jump and scream all together. It’s a very communal, theatrical experience.”

Primate marks the fourth collaboration between Roberts and his longtime co-writer, Ernest Riera, who, even after countless viewings, still flinches while watching the movie. “And I know exactly what’s going to happen and when,” he says. “I believe this is the most frightening film Johannes and I have ever written. Ben begins as such a sweet, relatable character. His transformation feels unnervingly real. His evolution isn’t just credible — it’s devastating. You know he can only get worse, yet part of you can’t help but hope. When that hope is stripped away, that’s when a truly unique kind of dread takes hold.”

Benjamin Cheng as “Nick”, Victoria Wyant as “Kate”, Jessica Alexander as “Hannah”, Johnny Sequoyah as “Lucy”, and Miguel Torres Umba as “Ben” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.

After the script was written, Roberts hoped it would land in the right hands so that he could get his film made the way he envisioned it

Thankfully, producers Walter Hamada, John Hodges and Bradley Pilz came onboard and were supportive of his creative approach from the start. Hamada, whose resume includes the horror classics It and The Conjuring, has loved the genre since he saw The Shining as a kid. “I thought it was a genius idea and, as I dove into the script, I found that Johannes and Ernest had done something a little different,” he says. “Ben is smart. He has knowledge. He can communicate. He is stalking people in the way that Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers did. It’s part creature movie, but it’s also a classic slasher movie. It’s a great combination of both genres of horror movies.”

Hamada was energized by the positivity Roberts brought to set every day. “Movie shoots are difficult and a director is the captain of the ship. Johannes brings an enthusiasm and a positivity every day. He’s a collaborative filmmaker and he’s really fun to watch on set,” he says. “When the actors are in the pool, he goes in the pool. He doesn’t need to be in the pool. He shouldn’t be in the pool, but he can’t help himself! He wants to be in the action and he’s right in there with his monitor off-camera directing from the water.”

Hodges found the director’s enthusiasm infectious. “Johannes loves this genre,” he says. “He was in his element with this script. The cast, the crew and certainly I felt like we were making something that sits up there with all these films that he reveres.”

The producer adds, “I was excited by the unique antagonist in Primate, as well as the chance to take the legacy of great horror movies of the past to that next level. We’ve created a domestic horror story. There are no ghosts or sci-fi entities. The set and the family are realistic, but the situation is elevated and intense. We did not shy away from the horror or the blood to deliver on our promise.”

The filmmakers doubled down on the immediacy of the story with a crucial decision early in pre-production. Whenever possible, they used practical, in-camera effects created on set, rather than relying on high-tech visual effects in post-production. They went as far as to have top effects house Millennium FX develop a custom-designed “monkey suit” for actor and movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba to wear as Ben in a stunning live-action performance.

Jessica Alexander as “Hannah” and Miguel Torres Umba as “Ben” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.

“We chose practical effects because it is such a visceral movie,” Roberts says. “Primate is a proper old-school horror movie.

After all the movies I’ve made, I have never felt so scared in my gut. Put simply, itis terrifying. It has playful moments but it’s a white-knuckle ride from beginning to end. This kind of mayhem done in camera heightens the tension. You feel the shock of it all. It’s wall-to-wall horror.”

With his vision for an old school, blood-and-guts creature feature realized, Roberts believes that it will have a huge impact on an audience accustomed to CGI. “It really is the kind of old-school filmmaking I’ve always dreamed of doing,” he says. “The technical aspects made it a pretty tricky movie to bring to life but the immediacy of the danger makes it harder-hitting than anything I’ve seen recently. I think the fact that we’ve gone practical with Primate will have a huge impact on the audience. It touched the actors in ways that using VFX could never do. It’s scary for the actors, and that will translate to the audience. They are going to feel there’s a creature that could do you harm. You’ll never get that with CGI alone.”

In retrospect, Hodges admits it was a bit of an audacious gamble. “This is not how movies are necessarily made today,” he says. “It only happened because of all the people that came together: the folks at Paramount who believed in us, Johannes who directed this, and Ernest who wrote this with him. The cinematography, production design, costumes, makeup, everybody gave their all and it shows on screen.”

Ultimately, what makes horror truly terrifying isn’t just the creatures, the jump scares, or the gore — it’s when it feels real, says Hamada. “What makes a horror movie truly scary is that it is grounded in a reality. The idea of someone that you love turning on you is universal and is what makes this film so frightening.”

When Lucy Pinborough (Johnny Sequoyah) returns home to Hawaii after her freshman year in college, she is looking forward to a carefree holiday with pals Hannah (Jessica Alexander), Kate (Victoria Wyant) and Nick (Benjamin Cheng), her sister Erin (Gia Hunter), and the family’s beloved pet chimp, Ben. With her father Adam (Academy Award® winner Troy Kotsur) called away on business, Lucy and the girls are looking forward to decompressing by the pool at the family home, a luxury hideaway tucked into a secluded cliffside. Docile Ben, who was brought up as a treasured sibling of the Pinborough girls, is happy to see Lucy home at last, but the chimp soon becomes uncharacteristically aggressive. As his hostile behavior escalates, Lucy realizes too late that something is seriously wrong with Ben.

Born in Cambridge, England, JOHANNES ROBERTS (Directed by, Co-Written by, Executive Producer) began his career directing independent, low-budget horror films before breaking into mainstream studio films. He first gained attention with the claustrophobic thriller F (2010), followed by the supernatural tale The Other Side of the Door (2016), produced by 20th Century Fox. Roberts earned international recognition with 47 Meters Down (2017) which he wrote and directed, a surprise box-office hit and the highest grossing independent film of the year.  Roberts then directed the cult favorite The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) and then went on to write and direct the sequel 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019).  Roberts recently wrote and produced the third film in the 47 Meters series which will be released next year by Lionsgate. In 2021, Roberts wrote and directed Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City for Sony Pictures and Screen Gems, a film adaptation that blended elements of the first two iconic Capcom video games.

ERNEST RIERA (Co-Written by) launched his writing career at 16, publishing short fiction in a local magazine. He most recently co-wrote the Netflix dystopian survival film Nowhere. The film was a global success, becoming the most-watched content (series or movie) worldwide during its first two weeks and ranked as the most consumed non-English language Netflix content globally during its third week. By the end of 2023 it became the most-watched Spanish language film and second most-watched non-English language film in Netflix history. Ernest is best known for co-writing 47 Meters Down the highest-grossing independent film in 2019, and its sequel.  He also wrote the 2016 Twentieth Century Fox ghost film The Other Side of the Door. Highlights of his many optioned scripts include an adaptation of Stephen King’s Heart of Atlantis and Brit List finalist 13 O’Clock. In the documentary field, he co-wrote and co-directed the Netflix Original The Last Dolphin King which premiered at IDFA in 2022. He also wrote Overbooking, which was one of the highest-grossing theatrical documentaries in Spain in 2019.

by ·Comments Off on The Strangers: Chapter 3 – A bold conclusion to a trilogy that redefines a modern horror classic

The Strangers: Chapter 3 arrives as the brutal, breath‑stealing finale of Renny Harlin’s ambitious horror trilogy, a project that reimagines and expands Bryan Bertino’s original home‑invasion mythology for a new generation.

CHAPTER 1 / CHAPTER 2

Directed by Harlin and written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, the film completes a three‑chapter narrative shot almost entirely in one intense production block in Bratislava, Slovakia.

This unusual approach—filming all three entries back‑to‑back—allowed Harlin to craft a continuous visual and emotional arc, shaping the trilogy into a single, escalating nightmare. The inspiration behind the trilogy stems from the enduring cultural fascination with faceless violence and the terrifying randomness of being targeted “just because you were home,” the chilling premise that made the 2008 original so iconic. Harlin’s vision pushes this idea further, exploring not only survival but the psychological aftermath of being hunted.

The Strangers: Chapter 3 marks the culmination of Lionsgate’s attempt to build a full “Strangers universe,” a horror saga that deepens the lore behind the masked killers while grounding the terror in character‑driven storytelling.

It also stands out as the most expansive chapter, shaped by audience feedback from the release of Chapter 1, which prompted additional photography and refinements across both sequels.

With this new and final chapter of The Strangers, the epic of Maya and her encounter — and subsequent entanglement — with the titular killers comes to a satisfying, yet surprising, conclusion.

As Courtney Solomon, one of the film’s producers, puts it, “The cat and mouse portion of Maya’s story is gone, and now we get to see the effects of what this awful experience over the few days she has been stuck in this weird small town has had on her.” Madeline Petsch, who plays Maya, concurs: “Maya is no longer even one percent of the person that she was when she first drove into Venus, Oregon. By the beginning of this chapter, she’s been stripped of all of her humanity and left with the question: ‘What is there to live for? Who have I become?’”

Madelaine Petsch as Maya and Gabriel Basso as Gregory in The Strangers – Chapter 3. Photo Credit: John Armour

That’s the theme throughout this installment: Transformation.

We’ve already seen Maya taking matters into her own hands at the end of the previous chapter by killing Pinup. But what is it like for her character to go from self-defense to something else, something… stranger?

“I think her transformation will be divisive, which I like,” Petsch says. “But we’ve spent so much time
with this character over the past four-and-a-half hours that my hope would be that audiences feel that
that transformation is earned.”

The Strangers – Chapter 3. Photo Credit: Jordy Clarke/Lionsgate

Writing and Themes

That journey picks up where the last chapter ended: With Maya having killed Pinup, otherwise known to us as Shelly, the waitress (Ema Horvath). From the woods along the side of the road, she watches as Scarecrow/Gregory (Gabriel Basso) mourns over the body of his lover and oldest friend.

This is the first time in the course of the story that The Strangers have shown an emotive register other than a relentless drive to kill and torture. What we witness, in fact, is grief, not unlike what Maya herself
felt over the death (and body) of her boyfriend, Ryan, back in the first chapter. “We wanted to give [the
Strangers] more dimensions and show that they have loyalty and affection for each other,” Renny Harlin,
the director, says. Gabriel Basso adds that “playing Gregory was an interesting challenge. You have to
portray both the totally dissociated, emotionless murderer, yet also get the audience to believe he’s
affected by his loss of Pinup.”

Gabriel Basso as Gregory in The Strangers – Chapter 3. Photo Credit: Jordy Clarke/Lionsgate

That glimpse into The Strangers’ humanity is just that: a brief reprieve from their single-minded mission and the terror it inflicts on those around them.

“I think that what makes the Strangers scary is that they’re regular people who just want to kill,” Petsch says. “It’s just so much more terrifying when she sees Scarecrow mourning Pinup, she sees that she’s killed someone who matters to him — that makes him, in her eyes, all the more set on a path of terror, headed straight towards her.” “We made the choice to make these killers human,” Solomon explains, “because they are human. They are terrifying, and even more terrifying that they live among us, and if they’re not wearing their masks, it would likely be impossible for us to spot one.”

And yet, once The Strangers’ pursuit of Maya resumes, the tenor of the proceedings change. The masks are off, but the stakes are higher than ever before: It is not just Maya’s body but her soul that’s under threat. These religious underpinnings are seen in an early conversation that takes place between Maya
and Gregory inside a church — a place of sanctuary between the madness of the past two days and that yet to come.

The filmmakers are the first to acknowledge the reception of the first two movies in the trilogy. “I think the three-chapter structure has made it more fragmented and difficult for people to feel the full arc…
[as opposed to] if it had just played out in a long movie, uninterrupted,” Solomon explains. “[In the first
film], Maya is purposefully supposed to be a deer in the headlights, not a normal horror protagonist who
fights back right away or makes good decisions. In [the second film], the story progression is subtle: Maya gains survival skills, experiences her first kills by her own hands, deals with PTSD and shock — after all, the events of the first film are barely 36 hours old.”

By the time we reach this chapter, then, we’re primed to witness Maya, in Harlin’s words, fully turn into “an avenging angel who takes the law into her own hands, when no one else will help her, when she’s been pushed too far.” In keeping with the theme of transformation, however, the change within Maya
doesn’t stop there. Harlin continues: “She also becomes a woman whose unfathomable losses and inhumane treatment finally turn a switch and make her capable of actions that most of us couldn’t even
imagine committing.”

As the old saying goes, the last scene of the movie should happen outside the theater, as audiences discuss the ending and its implications for everything that came before.

That is exactly the hope that Harlin has for the finished film — and the series as a whole. “I’d love for the audience to debate who Maya really is,” he says, “and what she really feels at the conclusion of the story.” Solomon is confident that “audiences will be satisfied with Maya’s arc and where she ends up,” which he describes as “chilling, disturbing, satisfying – and also fun.”

“The reason we made these films was to get to this place,” Petsch says, “so people finally get to see the resolution of this one giant story. I really believe the end of this film is going to create such discourse and conversation that you want to watch it with people so you can walk out of the theater and discuss it with them.” When explaining why the film should be seen in theaters, Petsch gushes that “it’s such a world-building film. We spent so much time making sure that every single frame was paired perfectly with sound to each individual speaker in the theater. When you watch it on a big screen, you’re going
to feel immersed in it.”

Solomon wants to clarify one point that’s confused some fans of the original 2008 The Strangers and its 2018 sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night. “Our Strangers universe is not the same one as that of the originals,” he explains. “We made something different and used the storyline of the original to start our universe. What we always hoped to accomplish was to introduce The Strangers to a whole new set of fans who are excited to see how this odyssey ends.”

RENNY HARLIN (DIRECTOR)
Renny Harlin has established himself globally as a filmmaker with the ability to identify and develop a wide range of material. His credits span multiple genres and include action-oriented blockbusters, horror
films, comedies, and critically acclaimed dramas, including: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 – The Dream
Master, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, and Deep Blue Sea. Harlin also directed and produced the blockbuster Cliffhanger, which established Harlin as one of Hollywood’s premier action directors before The Long Kiss Goodnight.

In 1991, Harlin made his producing debut with the critically lauded Rambling Rose. Harlin went on to produce Speechless and Blast from the Past. At the end of 2011, Harlin wanted to expand his production company, Midnight Sun Pictures which began development within the television landscape. Over the next two years, Harlin went on to direct four episodes of “Burn Notice” including a Season Finale and a mid-Season Finale; an episode of “White Collar”; and the Season Finale of “Covert Affairs”, all for the USA Network. Harlin also directed three back-to-back episodes of the USA Network’s hit action-thriller “Graceland” which began airing in the Summer of 2013. After over two decades of success in Hollywood, Harlin embarked on a career producing and directing films in China. Harlin and global superstar Jackie Chan teamed up for Skiptrace, which was a box-office mega hit and led to Harlin working on The Legend of the Ancient Sword and the action-thriller Bodies at Rest. An additional credit during this time was The Misfits and The Bricklayer. In 2023, Harlin directed The Strangers – Chapters 1, 2, and 3. Prolific Harlin is in post-production on two more features: the disaster thriller Deep Water, and the action thriller The Beast. Harlin started principal photography on his latest film, a survival thriller, Black Tides. Harlin says he has finally found everything he was looking for in life, loves making movies back in the
Hollywood mainstream and resides in Miami, Florida.

ALAN R. COHEN & ALAN FREEDLAND (WRITERS)
Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland are Primetime Emmy® Award-winning writers, producers, and showrunners working in both television and movies. In TV, they have written and produced shows
including “King of the Hill,” “American Dad!,” “Impastor,” and Amazon’s comedy series “Betas.” They
also co-created and were showrunners for the Comedy Central cult hit “Kid Notorious,” starring Robert
Evans.
Currently, they are co-creators and showrunners of the animated series “The Freak Brothers” for TUBI,
starring Woody Harrelson, Pete Davidson, John Goodman, and Tiffany Haddish. Cohen and Freedland
co-wrote the Todd Phillips-directed movie Due Date starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis,
which grossed over $200 million worldwide. They have written feature scripts for all the major studios.
Cohen is a George Washington University graduate who hails from Pittsburgh. Freedland is a University
of Michigan man originally from Detroit.

by ·Comments Off on Nuremberg – A psychological duel

REVIEW

At the end of the Second World War, after the defeat of the Axis powers and Adolf Hitler’s suicide, the Allies were faced with answering a difficult question: what to do about the surviving members of the Nazi regime that had been captured in the liberation of Europe.

Led by United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert H. Jackson, the Allies set to work establishing a framework for a trial. And into this charged atmosphere stepped Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley, a quietly resolute U.S. Army psychiatrist tasked with a mission that was as novel as it was urgent. Kelley’s assignment was to probe the minds of the captured Nazi hierarchy – men whose decisions had devastated continents and annihilated millions.

“In the prisoners’ dock sit twenty-odd broken men. Reproached by the humiliation of those they have led almost as bitterly as by the desolation of those they have attacked, their personal capacity for evil is forever past. It is hard now to perceive in these miserable men as captives the power by which as Nazi leaders they once dominated much of the world and terrified most of it. Merely as individuals, their fate is of little consequence to the world. What makes this inquest significant is that those prisoners represent sinister influence that will lurk in the world long after their bodies have returned to dust. They are living symbols of racial hatreds, of terrorism and violence, and of the arrogance and cruelty of power.”

For writer and director James Vanderbilt, who learned about Kelley’s work in the pages of an article and a book proposal from author Jack El-Hai that would become the bestselling The Nazi And The Psychiatrist, the psychological and political machinations of Nuremberg became an undeniable fascination. Vanderbilt was captivated by the extraordinary intersection of history and human inquiry – a moment when the fate of the world’s most notorious war criminals depended not only on armies, or laws that had yet to be written, but on the fragile complexities of the mind.

What thrilled him as a filmmaker was the way El-Hai’s book peeled back the legal proceedings to reveal a gripping, intimate battle of wits between Kelley and the men he evaluated, most notably Göring. “Immediately, I thought, Oh, that’s a movie,” says Vanderbilt. “I’d never seen anything like it explored before, and I didn’t even know what the state of psychiatry was during World War II.”

Beyond his fascination with the psychological dimensions of Nuremberg, Vanderbilt was also propelled by a deep, personal sense of generational responsibility – a responsibility shaped by the ever-widening gap between the world of living memory and that of distant history. He reflected on the profound shift that has taken place as the direct witnesses of World War II fade from the collective stage, leaving their stories at risk of slipping into abstraction for new generations. The war, once a vivid reality for so many, now risks becoming little more than a chapter in a school textbook, its moral questions and human drama flattened by the passage of time.

“My grandparents fought in World War II, and I grew up hearing about it as a piece of living history,” he explains. Today, he finds himself grappling with a new challenge: “When I talk to my children about World War II now, it’s like talking to them about the Civil War. It feels so far removed for them, so it felt important to keep the stories of that time alive.”

Douglas Kelley ultimately reached a profoundly unsettling conclusion: the Nazi leaders, including Göring, were not clinical psychopaths or monsters in any medical sense. Rather, they were disturbingly ordinary men – shrewd, ambitious, and fully rational, yet capable of orchestrating unspeakable crimes under the right conditions.

This diagnosis challenged the world’s desperate need for simple answers or comfortable categories of good and evil. Kelley’s assertion that monstrous acts could emerge from ordinary individuals provoked fierce controversy among his contemporaries, many of whom recoiled from the idea that the line between good and evil was so fragile and human.

At Nuremberg, he was soon replaced by the psychologist Gustave Gilbert, who concluded that the Nazi leaders exhibited profound moral and emotional deficits – qualities he regarded as pathological and emblematic of an innate capacity for evil. As the world sought to come to terms with the legacy of Nuremberg, it was Gilbert’s damning psychological portraits that captured public attention and ultimately shaped the prevailing narrative. Gilbert’s perspective resonated with a public eager for clear moral boundaries, and his subsequent writings, particularly his detailed diaries, became touchstones for understanding the Nazi psyche.

Kelley, by contrast, saw his more nuanced conclusions pushed to the margins. As Gilbert’s views took hold and were widely publicized, Kelley’s own reputation and sense of mission seemed to erode. In a chilling echo of the very men he had studied, Kelley ultimately took his own life in 1958 by ingesting cyanide – the same lethal substance Hermann Göring had used within hours of his scheduled execution.

“Nobody escapes from war unaffected,” notes Vanderbilt. “You can’t ignore what happened to Douglas Kelley at the end of his life. It’s such a deliberate thing that it’s hard not to see some kind of symbolism in what happened to him.”

Intent on adapting El-Hai’s book, Vanderbilt soon determined that the narrative should center not on Kelley’s entire biography, but rather on this specific period of his life, and the bigger picture surrounding it. This approach allowed Vanderbilt to incorporate Robert Jackson’s efforts in organizing the trials and provide a more comprehensive view of this singular event in history.

“I made a decision very early on that the story I wanted to tell was the story of what happened to Kelley in Europe,” Vanderbilt explains. “Jack’s book covers his entire life in a beautifully written way, but Robert Jackson’s storyline is not in the book. As I continued my research, the story grew and grew. I knew I needed to keep the guardrails up on what we were going to portray in the film.”

Central to Vanderbilt’s task was a preoccupation with the enduring lessons the events at Nuremberg sought to impart – those that resonated, those that faded, and those now drifting toward oblivion. “Evil isn’t always going to put on a scary uniform,” Vanderbilt says. “It’s not always going to announce itself. It can be insidious. It can be – as Göring was – the nicest guy at the dinner party. That’s a much scarier thought than good guys versus bad guys.”

Through this lens, Vanderbilt set out to illuminate the subtle, chilling ways darkness can infiltrate the ordinary, entertaining audiences with a remarkable true story, while challenging them to confront the discomforting fragility of moral boundaries.

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, as the world grapples with the unveiled horrors of the Holocaust, U.S. Army psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is assigned the extraordinary task of assessing the mental state of Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), the notorious former Reichsmarschall and Hitler’s second in command, along with other high-ranking Nazi officials. As the Allies – led by the unyielding chief U.S. prosecutor, Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) alongside Sgt. Howie Triest (Leo Woodall), David Maxwell-Fyfe (Richard E. Grant), Gustave Gilbert (Colin Hanks), Col. John Amen (Mark O’Brien) and Burton C. Andrus (John Slattery) – navigate the monumental task of creating an unprecedented international tribunal to ensure the Nazi regime answers for its atrocities, Kelley gets to know his ‘patients’. But he soon finds himself locked in a psychological duel with Göring, whose charisma and cunning reveal a sobering truth: that ordinary men can commit extraordinary evil.    

The Journey To Screen

“I often get asked what the hardest script I ever wrote was, and it’s usually the one I’m currently working on,” quips Vanderbilt. “But I will say Nuremberg was particularly challenging, because the story kept growing.”

The story of Douglas Kelley had first been brought to him by producer Bradley J. Fischer. While producing the Martin Scorsese film Shutter Island Fischer stumbled onto El-Hai’s book The Lobotomist, which he went on to option and set up as a series at HBO. So, when El-Hai finished writing his new work The Nazi And The Psychiatrist for Scientific American magazine, Fischer was one of the first producers with whom he shared it, along with his plans to expand it into a book.

“Jack has an extraordinary knack for finding these old tales that have been lost to the pockets of history,” says Fischer, who had particularly responded to the cat-and-mouse game played by Kelley and Goring. “There was this incredible sense of manipulation that occurred between them. Kelley was starstruck by this guy, and Göring latched onto that for his own benefit. There was great tension in the story between them, and a lot of fascinating, terrifying levels to unpack. To find that kind of drama enshrined within a relatively obscure chapter of the history of WWII – between the capture of what remained of the Nazi High Command and their trial by the Allies at Nuremberg – was a profoundly rare opportunity to me, as a film producer.”

Vanderbilt, known to his collaborators as Jamie, immediately saw the same potential. Sparked to the possibility of bringing this lost story to the screen, he plunged into years of rigorous research on Kelley and the trials, immersing himself in archives, court transcripts, memoirs, and the entwined lives of the people at the heart of Nuremberg.

As he worked to refine the screenplay, it became clear to him that the complexity of these events could not be captured by focusing solely on the psychological chess match between Kelley and Göring. Vanderbilt felt compelled to broaden the narrative’s scope and weave in other pivotal figures whose actions and perspectives shaped the course of history. Among them, chief prosecutor Robert Jackson, whose impassioned drive established the very framework of the trials, and his British counterpart David Maxwell-Fyfe; Col. Burton Andrus, the warden tasked with the daunting responsibility of guarding the Nazi defendants; and psychologist Gustave Gilbert, whose own interpretations of evil stood in sharp contrast to Kelley’s. Each of them became essential threads in the tapestry Vanderbilt sought to weave.

“Initially, I thought the film might be about two men in a cell, because just reading Jack’s book, there’s already so much depth in there,” Vanderbilt notes. “But as I read Douglas Kelley’s book, 22 Cells At Nuremberg, and looked at his observations of the men he studied, I started researching the trials themselves, and the scope just kept growing. When I read Robert Jackson’s story, and how he and Kelley intersected, I knew the movie had to include it.”

Vanderbilt was struck by the monumental efforts of Robert Jackson in laying the foundations of the International Military Tribunal, better known as the Nuremberg Trials. He felt it essential that the screenplay not only highlight Jackson’s legal prowess but also chronicle the tireless journey that took him from the corridors of Washington to diplomatic meetings in London and even the halls of the Vatican. By tracing Jackson’s travels and relentless negotiations, Vanderbilt sought to capture the extraordinary international coalition-building required to bring the architects of atrocity to justice – an odyssey as dramatic and consequential as anything that transpired inside the courtroom itself.

It was during his exhaustive research that Vanderbilt also stumbled upon the remarkable story of Sgt. Howie Triest – a young German Jewish émigré who, having fled the Nazis as a boy, returned to Europe in a U.S. Army uniform to serve as an interpreter at the Nuremberg Trials. Vanderbilt was captivated by the tragic arc of Triest’s family: Howie’s escape from Germany, the loss of loved ones to the Holocaust, and his improbable return to the very heart of postwar justice. The weight of Triest’s perspective proved irresistible to Vanderbilt, who recognized that weaving Howie’s singular vantage point into the script would deepen the film’s emotional resonance and illuminate the trials from a profoundly personal lens.

But as Vanderbilt wove together the disparate strands, he found himself confronted by the enormity of synthesizing so many vantage points into a coherent whole. Each narrative thread threatened to pull the film in a different direction, demanding that the structure stretch and contort beyond the boundaries of conventional screenwriting. It became clear that capturing the true magnitude and nuance of the Nuremberg story meant relinquishing the safety of tidy, three-act formulas. Instead, Vanderbilt embraced a messier, more organic approach, accepting that the truth of history, with all its interwoven complexities, could not – and should not – be forced to fit the established rules of cinematic storytelling.

“It’s sort of wonderful and terrifying not to have the traditional, three-act structure,” laughs Vanderbilt. “I suppose I’m attracted to movies that don’t hit every beat the way you’re supposed to, but it is nerve-wracking.”

Fortunately, Vanderbilt is no stranger to such unconventional structures, having worked to adapt Robert Graysmith’s book about the Zodiac killer for David Fincher’s 2007 masterpiece Zodiac. Among its quirks, the fact that the two lead characters don’t meet until the halfway point of the narrative mirrors itself in Nuremberg with Kelley and Jackson’s late first encounter.  “Doing Zodiac gave me some confidence that I might know how to build this. Once I determined the movie would be about these three men, and we were going to follow them wherever they might go, that built the structure for me.”

“One of the things Jamie really latched onto, I think in a similar way to ZODIAC, was to look at the procedure of the trials – how the sausage really got made,” notes Fischer, who had produced Fincher’s film. “I credit Jamie with pulling open other history books and getting into Robert Jackson’s story; the onus Jackson took upon himself and his team to pave the way for international law.”

For his part, author Jack El-Hai appreciated Vanderbilt’s talent for finding new angles in Kelley’s story. “The mental adjustment I made when I optioned the book was that it wasn’t my story anymore,” says El-Hai, who visited the film’s set during production and was always on hand as a resource for Vanderbilt and the cast and crew. “I concluded my book is what it is, and that will never change, and that it’s wonderful to have somebody like Jamie, with a creative vision, to tease out other things from this story, and to expand the scope.”

Key in Vanderbilt’s mind was the idea that he wanted to create an accessible retelling of this history. “It was important to me that the movie not overstay its welcome,” he says. “I wanted it not to feel like medicine. I wanted it to be entertaining. It deals with some really serious themes, but a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

Says Rami Malek, who would eventually be cast to play Douglas Kelley, “Jamie writes with great structure and rhythm, and he finds that thrilling quality we saw in ZODIAC. There’s also a dry sense of humor that is a thread throughout this entire film, because it’s a story about human beings, and in certain circumstances humans must find their own ways to escape the horrors. The way Jamie threads that needle so finely and elegantly, with characters you can root for in every corner of the film, is extraordinarily unique to him.”

It always starts from the top, says Russell Crowe, who would become the first cast member to sign on. Crowe notes that Vanderbilt’s commitment to the project reflected on every department. “Jamie has been a writer for other people, and he’s seen his ideas shaped by other people. That creates a level of determination within an artist, that when he gets that opportunity to direct, he knows what he wants to create.”

Leo Woodall, left, who plays the part of German Jew turned U.S. military translator Howie Triest, speaks on the set of Nuremberg with director James Vanderbilt, right. Scott Garfield/Sony Pictures Classics

The Psychology Of Evil

At the center of Nuremberg’s narrative lies the riveting dynamic between Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley and Hermann Göring. Their relationship forms the emotional and psychological core of the film, as Kelley seeks to understand the mind of his infamous patient, the charismatic and cunning Göring. Through a series of probing interviews and tense exchanges, the film explores the blurred boundaries between fascination and revulsion, empathy and condemnation. The evolving interplay between Kelley and Göring not only illuminates the complexities of evil but also challenges both men – and the audience – to confront uncomfortable truths about power, responsibility, and the human psyche.

For Russell Crowe, tapping into the humanity and inhumanity of a character like Herman Göring was an irresistible draw, even if he knew it would be an enormous challenge. “For the most part, the things that attract me are the things that terrify me,” he says. “I responded to the script straight away, but in a funny way I was also emotionally exhausted by it. How would you even attempt to play that guy? When that kind of question comes up, that’s usually what I’m attracted to.”

An Eager Psychiatrist

To play alongside Crowe’s Göring as Douglas Kelley, Vanderbilt knew he needed to find an actor who could not only go toe-to-toe with Crowe in their scenes together, but who could capture the nuance of personality that Kelley represents; a man who found himself charmed by the charisma of Hermann Göring, but who ultimately sounded the most cogent alarm about how dangerous these charms could be.

Kelley, says Vanderbilt, was a contradiction himself. “He was a scientist, and he was also an amateur magician who used to volunteer to sit in the backseat of cockpits to help the army test the effects of G-forces on the human body. We’re putting a psychiatrist on screen who is like nothing you’ve ever seen. He’s a daredevil, he’s a bit rash.”

Indeed, beyond his accomplishments as a psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley harbored a lifelong fascination with magic, delighting in the art of illusion and often performing sleight-of-hand tricks for friends and colleagues. This passion for magic was more than a mere hobby; it reflected his curiosity about the mind’s capacity for wonder and deception. Kelley saw parallels between the magician’s craft – misdirection, reading an audience, psychological manipulation – and his own work in psychiatry, where understanding human behavior and uncovering hidden truths were essential. His skills even found their way into his professional life, whether entertaining fellow doctors at conferences or employing psychological insights drawn from magic to better understand those he was tasked with analyzing.

Malek hadn’t just stopped at the script, but had charged ahead through Jack El-Hai’s source material, and summoned up a copy of 22 Cells At Nuremberg, Douglas Kelley’s book about his experiences there, which was not easy to track down having been out of print for decades. “I love history, and if you give me something to read, I’ll always gravitate to nonfiction over fiction,” says Malek. “Reading this script, I felt exactly as I hope audiences will when they come out of the movie, which is a sense of, ‘How did I not know this?’ It was a very unique perspective into one of the most devastatingly dangerous moments in history. It was shocking, and I found it so profoundly well-written and balanced. I thought, How can I be a part of this?”

Writer and director James Vanderbilt

James Vanderbilt is a talented writer, director, and producer whose diverse catalogue of films range from heavy-hitting blockbusters to edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Vanderbilt sold his first screenplay 48 hours before graduating from the University of Southern California. It was promptly not made.

He has written and produced over twenty films, including: David Fincher’s ZODIAC, for which he was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN films; the MURDER MYSTERY films; BASIC; THE RUNDOWN; THE LOSERS; WHITE HOUSE DOWN; THE HOUSE WITH THE CLOCK IN ITS WALLS; Luca Guadagnino’s SUSPIRIA; READY OR NOT; and the upcoming READY OR NOT 2.

In 2019, Vanderbilt co-founded the independent production and financing company Project X Entertainment (PXE), with partners William Sherak and Paul Neinstein. Since its launch, the company has produced: SCREAM (2022) and SCREAM VI, both of which Vanderbilt co-wrote; Michael Bay’s AMBULANCE; Radio Silence’s ABIGAIL; MURDER MYSTERY 2; and FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. They are currently in production on HEADWATERS for Sony and SCREAM 7, as well as the global smash hit Netflix series THE NIGHT AGENT, created by Shawn Ryan.

Jack El-Hai bestselling The Nazi And The Psychiatrist

Jack El-Hai is the author of THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST: HERMAN GÖRING, DR. DOUGLAS M. KELLEY, AND A FATAL MEETING OF THE MINDS AT THE END OF WWII (PublicAffairs Books), which has been adapted into the movie NUREMBERG. He is also an executive producer for the film. Published in nineteen languages, the book won a Minnesota Book Award for general nonfiction.

El-Hai’s writing covers history, science, medicine, and crime. His other nonfiction books include THE LOBOTOMIST: A MAVERICK MEDICAL GENIUS AND HIS TRAGIC QUEST TO RID THE WORLD OF MENTAL ILLNESS (Wiley; adapted into an American Experience/PBS documentary), FACE IN THE MIRROR: A SURGEON, A PATIENT, AND THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE FIRST FACE TRANSPLANT AT MAYO CLINIC (Mayo Clinic Press), and THE LOST BROTHERS: A FAMILY’S DECADES-LONG SEARCH (University of Minnesota Press; adapted into the LONG LOST podcast).

He has contributed longform narratives and essays to The Atlantic, Smithsonian, GQ, Wired, Scientific American, and many other publications. He also publishes the free monthly Damn History newsletter for writers and readers of popular history. Born in Los Angeles, El-Hai received his Bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in Minnesota and his Master’s of Fine Arts degree (in nonfiction creative writing) from Bennington College in Vermont. He is a past president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and is a past board chair of the Loft Literary Center. He lives in Minneapolis.

by ·Comments Off on Scarlet – A fusion of animated mythic Japanese storytelling

The Japanese animated fantasy Scarlet, directed and written by Mamoru Hosoda, is a bold new entry in the world of animated cinema, blending fantasy, science fiction, and emotional depth into a visually groundbreaking narrative.

Known for his previous works such as Belle, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and Summer Wars, Hosoda once again takes creative reins as both director and screenwriter, crafting a story that centres on a sword-wielding princess named Scarlet who transcends time and space.

The film is produced by Studio Chizu and distributed internationally by Sony Pictures, with a Japanese release handled by Toho.

The inspiration behind Scarlet is rooted in Hosoda’s fascination with classic literature and mythic storytelling

While he has not publicly named the specific source material, he has hinted that the film draws from a “world-famous work on par with Beauty and the Beast,” echoing the approach he took with Belle, which reimagined that tale in a digital age. This time, Scarlet explores themes of life, death, and human connection through the lens of a murdered princess who awakens in a liminal realm between life and death. Racing against time, she must defeat her father’s killer and reach a mythical sanctuary before her soul vanishes forever. The film also features a secondary protagonist, forming a “buddy story” dynamic that deepens emotional resonance and narrative complexity.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, following a medieval princess named Scarlet (voiced by Mana Ashida) who can traverse time and space on a quest to avenge her father’s murder. Gravely injured after failing her mission, she awakens in a surreal “Otherworld” where she meets Hijiri (Masaki Okada), an idealistic young man from the present day. Through him, she glimpses the possibility of a future free from bitterness and rage. Ultimately, Scarlet must confront her father’s killer once more, facing the choice between perpetuating vengeance or breaking the cycle of hatred.

Visually, Scarlet marks a departure from both traditional 2D animation and Hollywood-style CGI.

Hosoda and Studio Chizu are pioneering a new aesthetic approach, aiming for a completely fresh look that matches the film’s scale and thematic ambition. This innovation in animation style is not merely technical—it’s deeply tied to the film’s emotional and narrative goals. The teaser visuals suggest a historical setting, yet the story’s metaphysical and time-bending elements allow it to transcend conventional genre boundaries.

The significance of Scarlet lies in its fusion of mythic storytelling with cutting-edge animation, and its commitment to portraying a strong female protagonist whose journey is both epic and intimate. Scarlet is not just a warrior; she is a symbol of resilience, transformation, and the power of memory. Her quest is not only to survive but to reclaim agency in a world fractured by violence and loss. In this way, the film speaks to universal themes of grief, justice, and the search for sanctuary—both literal and emotional.

Hosoda’s Scarlet stands poised to redefine what animated storytelling can achieve. It is a cinematic fable for a global audience, one that honours tradition while pushing the boundaries of form and feeling. With its December release timed to align with the introspective tone of winter, Scarlet invites viewers into a world where time bends, souls awaken, and stories become sanctuaries.

Mamoru Hosoda is a celebrated Japanese film director and animator, renowned for his emotionally resonant and visually inventive animated features. Born on September 19, 1967, in Kamiichi, Toyama Prefecture, Hosoda grew up in a small town where his early fascination with animation was sparked by classics such as Anne of Green Gables and Galaxy Express 999. He studied oil painting at Kanazawa College of Art, but his passion for storytelling led him to pursue a career in animation. Hosoda began his professional journey at Toei Animation in 1991, contributing as a key animator to iconic series like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. His breakout moment came with the Digimon Adventure films, which showcased his flair for blending digital themes with heartfelt narratives. After a brief and ultimately aborted collaboration with Studio Ghibli on Howl’s Moving Castle, Hosoda joined Madhouse, where he directed acclaimed works such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) and Summer Wars (2009). In 2011, he co-founded Studio Chizu, a creative haven where he continued to explore themes of family, identity, and technology through films like Wolf Children (2012), The Boy and the Beast (2015), Mirai (2018)—which earned an Academy Award nomination—and Belle (2021). Hosoda’s signature style combines lyrical storytelling with cutting-edge animation, often centering on young protagonists navigating emotional and metaphysical transformations. His work is marked by a deep empathy for human relationships and a visionary approach to genre, making him one of the most influential voices in contemporary animation.

by ·Comments Off on Trauma and Myth in Silent Night, Deadly Night

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) is a chilling reimagining of the infamous 1984 holiday slasher, written and directed by Mike P. Nelson, known for his work on Wrong Turn and The Domestics.

This latest instalment revives the controversial legacy of the original film, which shocked audiences with its depiction of a killer Santa Claus and sparked widespread protests upon release. Nelson’s version marks the second official remake of the franchise, following the 2012 reimagining by Steven C. Miller. With cinematography by Nick Junkersfeld and music by Blitz//Berlin, the 2025 version promises a visceral blend of psychological horror and holiday dread.

It follows Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell), who, after witnessing his parents’ brutal murder by a killer dressed as Santa Claus, grows up traumatised and eventually dons the red suit himself—embarking on a violent holiday rampage. Haunted by grief and rage, he transforms into a vengeful “Killer Santa,” leaving a trail of blood-soaked carnage across a small town. As Billy’s spree intensifies, Pamela Varo (Ruby Modine) emerges as a figure of compassion who challenges him to confront his darkness.

The inspiration behind Nelson’s Silent Night, Deadly Night lies in the enduring cult status of the original film and its provocative premise: a child traumatised by witnessing his parents’ murder at the hands of a man dressed as Santa Claus grows up to become a killer himself. Nelson, a lifelong horror enthusiast, was drawn to the challenge of reviving a property that had long been dormant yet remained potent in the public imagination. His vision was not simply to replicate the original’s shock value but to deepen its emotional and psychological layers. In interviews, Nelson has emphasised his desire to explore trauma, repression, and the dark undercurrents of holiday nostalgia. The film’s snowy setting and seasonal iconography serve as ironic counterpoints to the violence and grief at its core, turning familiar symbols into instruments of terror.

What sets the 2025 remake apart is its commitment to practical effects, atmospheric tension, and character-driven storytelling. Nelson’s approach is grounded in realism, avoiding the campiness that often plagues slasher reboots. Billy Chapman is portrayed not as a caricature, but as a deeply damaged individual whose descent into violence is both horrifying and tragically human. The film also introduces new characters and subplots that expand the narrative beyond its original confines, including a psychological investigation into Billy’s past and a community reckoning with its own complicity. By doing so, Silent Night, Deadly Night transcends its exploitation roots and becomes a meditation on generational trauma, moral panic, and the fragility of innocence.

The significance of the 2025 film lies in its reclamation of a once-maligned franchise and its elevation of horror as a vehicle for emotional truth. In an era where genre films increasingly tackle complex themes, Nelson’s remake stands as a testament to the power of horror to confront societal taboos and personal demons. It also reflects a broader trend in contemporary cinema: the re-examination of cult classics through a modern lens, with greater attention to character, context, and consequence.

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) is not just a slasher—it’s a ghost story wrapped in tinsel, a brutal elegy for lost innocence, and a reminder that even the most festive myths can conceal unspeakable darkness.

Mike P. Nelson is an American filmmaker known for his gritty, visceral approach to horror and survivalist storytelling. Born as Michael Paul Nelson, he began his career in the film industry as a writer, director, and editor, gradually building a reputation for crafting intense, character-driven genre films. Nelson gained widespread recognition with The Domestics (2018), a post-apocalyptic thriller that showcased his ability to blend emotional depth with brutal action. He followed this with the 2021 reboot of Wrong Turn, which reimagined the cult slasher franchise with a darker, more politically charged narrative, earning praise for its bold departure from formula. In 2023, Nelson contributed to the anthology horror series V/H/S/85, further cementing his place in the contemporary horror landscape. His style is marked by a commitment to practical effects, grounded performances, and thematic explorations of fear, survival, and societal breakdown. With a background in editing and a hands-on approach to production, Nelson brings a tactile intensity to his films, often immersing viewers in bleak, high-stakes environments. As the writer and director of the upcoming Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025), Nelson continues to push boundaries, reviving controversial material with psychological nuance and cinematic flair.

by ·Comments Off on The Twisted World of The Housemaid

The Housemaid is a psychological thriller film directed by Paul Feig and written by Rebecca Sonnenshine, adapted from the bestselling 2022 novel by Freida McFadden.

Based on the Freida McFadden book of the same name that topped global bestseller lists and dropped jaws with its shock twists, director Paul Feig builds a world of picture-perfect elegance atop so many layers of deceit they can only come crashing down spectacularly.

Feig is renowned for the female-led classics like Bridesmaids (Original Screenplay and Supporting Actress, 2011). Here, he turns the tables on the bleak revenge thriller with a sumptuous beauty and all-out sense of entertainment that is nevertheless sharply pointed.

“The delicious fun of this story comes from just how extreme it gets. I always saw The Housemaid as a Nancy Meyers movie gone horribly wrong,” explains Feig, referring to Meyers’ signature playful romances set inside the lightest, brightest, most effortlessly idyllic of homes. “That idea inspired everything from the production design to the whole way we played it. Tension, scares, and humor constantly intertwine in this story, and it was a dream bringing that to life.”

Feig zeroed in on engineering power dynamics that are so topsy-turvy audiences are repeatedly switching whose side they are on…and asking themselves which tantalizing fairy tale they’re buying into. “I love a story that makes you think about what you root for and what you don’t,” Feig says. “It puts a spotlight on the judgments we make about people, situations, and what we think we want. Sometimes, when you finally see the reality underneath things, it upends your whole view of how the world works.”

As for how he controlled a narrative meticulously designed to fly madly off the rails, Feig invokes Hitchcock. “Hitchcock said it’s like pulling a string. If you pull the string too far it breaks and if you don’t pull it enough it sags. We set out to see just how far we could pull the string of this world without it snapping.”

The film’s producers saw Feig as the consummate match for a story that calls at once for pop-cinema style and wicked psychological games. “Paul is great at blending genres, as he’s shown in A Simple Favor and Another Simple Favor. We loved his vision for The Housemaid, and we loved how he made the film into a twisty tale of empowerment,” says producer Todd Lieberman. “For audiences who haven’t read the book, the story will blow them away. And for fans who have, they’re in for a deeply satisfying ride.”

Laura Fischer, Feig’s producing partner at Pretty Dangerous Pictures, adds, “What people loved about the book and will love in the movie is the twists never stop coming. Paul played with that in the most entertaining way possible.”

The Housemaid is a wildly entertaining thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, based on the best-selling book. From director Paul Feig, the film plunges audiences into a twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. Trying to escape her past, Millie (Sweeney) accepts a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina (Seyfried) and Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous — a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power. Behind the Winchesters’ closed doors lies a world of shocking twists that will leave you guessing until the very end.

The inspiration for The Housemaid stems directly from McFadden’s novel, which became a viral sensation for its gripping plot and psychological twists

McFadden, a practising medical doctor specialising in brain injury, drew on her understanding of human behaviour and trauma to craft a story that explores themes of class disparity, emotional manipulation, and survival.

“The Housemaid is ultimately the story of escaping a trap, which is something that’s always intrigued me,” says McFadden. “We all feel for someone in a trap, and we all want to see how they might get out.”

A Harvard graduate and physician who treats brain injuries, McFadden first turned to writing as a creative outlet amid the stress of medical school, going on to publish several indie thrillers. But the reaction to The Housemaid erupted on a whole other level when, overnight in 2022, the novel entered cultural phenomenon territory. With readers calling the book a joyful addiction, it passed like wildfire from hand to hand.

The novel went on to sell over 3.5 million copies, spend more than 130 weeks — and counting — on The New York Times Bestseller List, and be translated into 45 different languages. But even before that happened, Lieberman and Elter, sensing the book’s blockbuster potential, approached McFadden for the movie rights. “I really didn’t see all that was coming,” McFadden admits. “It was just surreal.”

To tackle adapting McFadden’s intricate mind games into an intensely visceral and visual ride, the filmmakers turned to screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine.

The screenplay’s unusually high-spirited tone for a psychological thriller, the way the boldness constantly offset the darkness, grabbed Feig instantly on first read. “It’s not a comedy, but audiences will laugh, mostly because they’ll be thinking ‘I can’t believe they just did that’ or they’re so excited that something they hoped would happen does finally happen. And I loved that quality Rebecca brought to it,” he says.

In fact, Sonnenshine nailed something that Feig had long been in search of for a film verging on horror territory without slipping into bleakness. Feig had felt tugged towards the creative thrills of scary movies, but he absolutely did want to go dour. This script nailed the vibrancy for which he’d long been searching. “I love thrillers, but they can get very full of themselves,” Feig observes. “For me, the minute you subtract the fun out of stuff, it becomes less interesting.”

Sonnenshine had already demonstrated rare instincts for pushing commonplace tropes in defiantly fresh and fun directions with the lauded superhero series “The Boys,” which unraveled an action-packed comic book universe into a stunning and timely examination of how power works. For The Housemaid, Sonnenshine’s job was to transfer the novel’s nerve-jolting shifts onto the screen. But equally vital to Sonnenshine was tapping into the universality of Millie’s dilemma, her desperation to find new hope for her life even as it threatens to turn into the stuff of bad dreams.

“Who hasn’t had to deal with a toxic boss or stayed in a job out of sheer desperation?” Sonnenshine reflects. “We can all relate to Millie. But also, I think we’ve all had a person in our life who seems to be one thing, but then things flip, and they betray you. I think that’s part of why so many were drawn to this book. It reminds us of the bad boss, but also that person you liked who turned into your worst nightmare.”

As she began organizing the story’s seen and unseen layers, Sonnenshine had a blast with the characters trading places, allowing each their moment to be profoundly empathetic and unknowable. “You root for Millie at first,” Sonnenshine notes. “But then you start questioning everyone’s motives, including Millie’s. Is anyone a reliable narrator? That’s one of the story’s big mysteries.”

Says Lieberman, “The brilliance of the book was the way it kept you guessing without ever letting up. Rebecca distilled that feeling, along with the novel’s most compelling, essential moments, into something distinctly cinematic.”

Adds Fischer, “Paul and I felt like we got to fall in love twice in rapid succession with this project: first with the novel and then with the screenplay. There were so many great and nuanced details in both that Paul was able to mine.”

In Sonnenshine’s sly construction, the novel’s potent themes, from class warfare to the illusory nature of self-image, all hinged on the vertical layout of the Winchesters’ multi-story home — and her scrambling of the traditional upstairs-downstairs divide. Equally key was poking just enough holes in what the audience believes about what they are seeing to keep them perpetually off guard.

“The script needed to first build strong emotional connections with each character and set the stakes,” notes Sonnenshine. “But at the same time, there are subtle hints from the start that no one is revealing their full truth, which keeps the audience on their toes.”

Beyond the home front, Millie finds the Winchesters are surrounded by a dishy, judgy, posh social circle who further blur the family’s tangled history with their speculative gossip. “The moment Nina leaves the room, the other moms in the neighborhood are like a nest of vipers,” muses Sonnenshine, “and Millie is always listening, gaining new information from them.”

But even the town’s scandalmongers aren’t seeing the full family picture. “In this story, you have to be wary of everyone and everything you hear,” warns Sonnenshine.

McFadden appreciated Sonnenshine’s stealth approach to building anxiety, and the results thrilled her. “Reading Rebecca’s script, I got chills. All the changes they made worked,” says the novelist. “Some were so good, I wished they were in the book.”

For McFadden, the match of Feig with the material was perfect to imbue the story with fresh layers. She loved his vision of leaning into the Winchesters’ sumptuous surfaces and social graces only to dissolve them into exhilarating chaos. “I’ve loved all of Paul’s films. Bridesmaids, A Simple Favor, and his Ghostbusters reboot brought me great joy, and his sense of humor aligns with my own style,” she concludes. “The important thing is that Paul knew exactly how to create a train wreck from which you can’t look away.”

As the movie’s ever-changing guessing game amps up, the elegant ease of the Winchester’s world fractures, then implodes, while Feig craftily employs every element of filmmaking to reverse the very atmosphere he so painstakingly fostered. The ravishing visuals and larger-than-life performances, along with a killer soundtrack and moments that will have audiences gasping in unison, combine to make The Housemaid a quintessential big-screen movie.

Sums up Feig, “Audiences are going to have a lot of fun watching this movie together because those communal reactions are something you just can’t get in your living room. We really engineered this film for an audience to respond to live and in the moment. I’m excited for people to have that experience.”

PAUL FEIG (Director; Producer)

Paul Feig is a DGA Award-winning and Primetime Emmy®-nominated filmmaker, writer, producer, and author known for his signature style and keen eye for talent. His versatile work spans multiple formats and genres, with his films alone grossing over one billion dollars at the worldwide box office.

Feig directed Another Simple Favor, the sequel to his 2018 thriller, which Prime Video released on May 1, 2025. Feig has helmed some of the most successful and beloved comedies of the past two decades. Bridesmaids, the massive box-office hit starring Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and Jon Hamm, grossed over $283 million worldwide and earned Academy Award® nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay, as well as Golden Globe® nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy. He followed that success with The Heat, a buddy cop comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy that grossed over $220 million globally, and Spy, an action-comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, and Rose Byrne, which earned two Golden Globe® nominations. His other films include The School for Good and Evil, a Netflix fantasy adventure that debuted as the #1 film globally in its week of release, and Jackpot!, an action-comedy starring John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu for Amazon Studios, which was #1 globally on Prime Video for four straight weeks. Feig also directed Last Christmas, a holiday film written by Emma Thompson and starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, as well as A Simple Favor, a stylish thriller starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding. In 2016, he helmed Ghostbusters, the reboot starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, which won Favorite Movie at the 2017 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

On television, Feig is renowned for creating “Freaks and Geeks,” the beloved and critically acclaimed series that earned him two Primetime Emmy® nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. He also served as a director and co-executive producer on “The Office,” earning two Primetime Emmy® nominations and winning the 2009 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series. His sci-fi comedy “Other Space” premiered in 2015 and is now available on DUST. 

Feig is the founder of Feigco Entertainment, which has an overall deal with Lionsgate TV. The company specializes in developing edgy and commercial comedies with an emphasis on complex female lead characters. Through Feigco, he has produced films such as Snatched, starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn, and the Netflix romantic comedy Someone Great, as well as television projects including Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas, Love Life starring William Jackson Harper and Jessica Williams, “Minx” starring Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson for HBO Max, and “Welcome to Flatch” for Lionsgate TV. In addition, Feig launched Powderkeg, a digital content company dedicated to championing underrepresented voices, with a commitment to female, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC creators. Powderkeg’s projects include the Muslim-American digital short form series “East of La Brea”and the Powderkeg: Fuse program, which produced six short films written and directed by diverse female filmmakers.

Beyond entertainment, Feig created the award-winning gin brand Artingstall’s, which launched in the U.S. and U.K. and won Best Gin and Double Gold at the 2019 WSWA competition. During the 2020 lockdown, he hosted Quarantine Cocktail Time on Instagram, which later inspired a cocktail book released in fall 2022.

Throughout his career, Feig has been recognized for his contributions to film and television. He was selected as the Distinguished Artist for the American Film Institute Conservatory’s Directing Workshop for Women, and was the recipient of the first-ever Artemis Action Rebel Award in 2016. That same year, he received the inaugural Athena Leading Man Award at the Athena Film Festival in recognition of his advocacy for women in film, becoming the first man to be honored by the festival. In 2019, he was presented with the Spirit of the Industry Award by the National Alliance of Theater Owners.

REBECCA SONNENSHINE (Screenwriter)

Screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine is an American writer and producer. A graduate of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, she was the recipient of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and has attended the Film Independent Directors Lab and the Berlinale Talent Campus.

Rebecca wrote the screenplay for The Keeping Hours which was produced by Blumhouse and recently won The Audience Award at the LA Film Festival. Rebecca was the Showrunner on “Archive 81” for Netflix and was an executive producer on “The Boys” at Amazon for Sony, for which she received a Primetime Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for one of her episodes.

Sonnenshine produced the feature film Reversion (2008) which had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and Bunny (2000), which was nominated for a Spirit Award. Additional producing credits include “The Crossing”and “Outcast.”This summer, Rebecca is the Showrunner on “Little House on the Prairie” for Netflix, with Joy Coalition and Anonymous Content producing.

FREIDA McFADDEN (Book Author; Executive Producer)

Freida McFadden is a bestselling American author known for her gripping psychological thrillers and medical-themed suspense novels. A practicing physician specializing in brain injury, McFadden seamlessly weaves psychological depth into her stories, creating page-turners filled with unexpected twists.

With multiple bestsellers to her name, McFadden has solidified herself as a master of domestic thrillers. McFadden gained widespread recognition with her hit novel The Housemaid (2022), which became a viral sensation, leading to two sequels: The Housemaid’s Secret (2023) and The Housemaid Is Watching (2024). Some of her other books include The Coworker, Never Lie, The Inmate, The Teacher,and One by One. While her books often draw from themes of deception, manipulation, and hidden secrets, Freida has also written several medically inspired thrillers, such as Brain Damage and The Locked Door, which reflect her expertise in neurology and brain injury.

Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, she is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback, and she is a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Beyond her literary successes, McFadden has been lauded for her contributions to literature, with her novels consistently appearing as #1 on bestseller lists (The New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Sunday Times, and Publisher’s Weekly), earning praise from both critics and readers alike. To date, her novels have been translated into 40 languages.

by ·Comments Off on Famous Writers And Their Cats

Writers and cats have always shared a special bond. Cats, like writers, are willful creatures, who don’t like to be controlled.

There is a long recorded history of the love writers have for their cats. In fact, there are so many writers who have adored cats that it’s difficult to ignore.

Cats are elegant, mysterious, and beautiful. They are also ruthless and selfish when they have to be. Many cats have inspired works of literature including Edgar Allan Poe’s Catterina, Cleveland Amory’s Polar Bear, and T.S. Eliot’s Jellylorum.

Canadian novelist and playwright Robertson Davies once wrote, “Authors like cats because they are such quiet, loveable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.”

Most authors are creative introverts and cats fit beautifully into an introvert’s world. As the American author, Andre Norton said, ‘Perhaps it is because cats do not live by human patterns, do not fit themselves into prescribed behaviour, that they are so united to creative people.’

They say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but these writers found solace—and occasional inspiration—in another four-legged companion.

Sir Anthony Hopkins he loved to play piano for his cat, Sir Niblo 😻

10 Spiritual Lessons You Can Learn from Your Cat

Do we rush through life without noticing our surroundings? Do we spend enough time caring for our own basic needs and comfort? Take a page from the feline playbook to keep you purring. By mimicking the behavior of the cats that share our homes, we can develop fuller, richer spiritual lives. From the patterns of play, to the need for sleep, to finding joy in the smallest of things, cats show us how to reach inside ourselves for higher goals, a less stressful life, and a newfound ability to purr in tune with the world. Photographs of prancing, prowling, and playful cats provide the necessary inspiration to make the most of all of your nine lives. Add Joanna Sandsmark’s inspiring book to your collection.

James Bowen, a homeless heroin addict, quit his addiction because of a stray cat he named (Bob). James found (Bob) injured in 2007 and began caring for him, which gave his life a purpose and aided him in quitting heroin and returning to a normal life. James Bowen wrote a book featuring the cat Bob as the main character. The book made it to the bestseller list and was turned into a film (A Street Cat Named Bob) in which Bob himself appeared. James has written several books starring Bob the cat, and he now works in supporting the needy and homeless, as well as charity work and rescuing street animals.

“He gave me this look, almost saying, ‘help’, but also ‘sort it out’,” said the author today. Bowen nursed Bob back to health, only to find the cat following him everywhere he went, even joining him when he busked and sold the Big Issue. The pair became well-known in London, going on to attract the attention of a literary agent, who sold Bowen’s story of how, with Bob’s help, he would get over his addictions to heroin and methadone, to Hodder & Stoughton. It also inspired two films. Bob the cat died in June 2020.

Marlon Brando – was American legendary actor who became iconic figure in 1950s for antisocial figure was also a great writer. He had photographed with his cats several times and Vito’s cat in iconic figure in 1950s for antisocial figure.

Marlon Brando once said, “I live in my cat’s house.”

He had a real love for felines, and gave a big movie break to a stray that was found by director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of The Godfather. Brando held the tabby in his lap throughout the opening scene, and people have thought it intentional brilliance ever since, reading symbolism into the hidden claws and softening the first impression of a mafia boss.

One of most important and influential writers in history, Charles Dickens once said: “What greater gift than the love of a cat?” He would sit entranced for hours while writing, but when his furry friends needed some attention, they were notorious for extinguishing the flame on his desk candle. In 1862, he was so upset after the death of his favorite cat, Bob, that he had the feline’s paw stuffed and mounted to an ivory letter opener. He had the opener engraved saying, “C.D., In memory of Bob, 1862” so he could have a constant reminder of his old friend. The letter opener is now on display at the Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the New York Public Library.

Mark Twain—the great humorist and man of American letters—was also a great cat lover. ‘I simply can’t resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest, cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course.’ Twain kept eleven cats at his farm in Connecticut.  When his beloved black cat Bambino went missing, Twain took out an advertisement in the New York American offering a $5 reward to return the missing cat to his house at 21 Fifth Avenue in New York City. It decribed Bambino as “Large and intensely black; thick, velvety fur; has a faint fringe of white hair across his chest; not easy to find in ordinary light.”

The feline protagonists in Stephen King’s novels lead haunted lives. In Pet Sematary, King tells a story of loss inspired by his family’s own tragic experience with their pet cat Smucky who was hit by a car. King’s cat-filled publicity photo for the movie Cat’s Eye, based on several of the author’s short stories, proves that the author’s fascination with the macabre didn’t stop him from being a cat magnet. This famous cat-lover wrote that ‘it might be that the biggest division in the world isn’t men and women but folks who like cats and folks who like dogs.’ The Shawshank Redemption author has owned several pets over the years, including “a rather crazed Siamese cat” named Pear.

‘The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself,” says William Burroughs, who is known for his wild, drug-induced writings, but he had a softer side as well—especially when it came to his cats. He penned an autobiographical novella, The Cat Inside, about the cats he owned throughout his life, and the final journal entry Burroughs wrote before he died referred to the pure love he had for his four pets: “Only thing can resolve conflict is love, like I felt for Fletch and Ruski, Spooner, and Calico. Pure love. What I feel for my cats present and past. Love? What is it? Most natural painkiller what there is. LOVE.”

Aside from peppering his high Modernist poetry with allusions to feline friends, T.S. Eliot wrote a book of light verse called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of 15 poems, dedicated to his godchildren, regarding the different personalities and eccentricities of cats. Names like Old Deuteronomy, the Rum Tum Tugger, and Mr. Mistoffelees should be familiar to people all around the world—the characters and poems were the inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running Broadway musical, Cats. Later publications of Old Possum’s included illustrations by noted artist Edward Gorey—yet another avid cat lover. You can listen to Eliot read “The Naming of Cats” here.

Patricia Highsmith doesn’t have the friendliest literary reputation around (she once said “my imagination functions much better when I don’t have to speak to people”). But The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train author nevertheless found a perfect way to let her imagination function with her many four-legged companions. She did virtually everything with her cats—she wrote next to them, she ate next to them, and she even slept next to them. She kept them by her side throughout her life until her death at her home in Locarno, Switzerland in 1995.

Highsmith was an animal lover who absolutely loved cats, especially Siamese. She had up to six at the same time. Urich Weber, the curator of Highsmith’s archive, once explained that “she was very happy among cats. They gave her a closeness that she could not bear in the long-term from people. She needed cats for her psychological balance.”

She didn’t have the friendliest literary reputation around—she once said “my imagination functions much better when I don’t have to speak to people” nevertheless found a perfect way to let her imagination function with her many four-legged companions. Time and again they were the object of her literary and artistic work. She did virtually everything with her cats—she wrote next to them, she ate next to them, and she even slept next to them. She kept them by her side throughout her life until her death at her home in Locarno, Switzerland in 1995.

“A cat makes a home a home, a writer is not alone with a cat, yet is enough alone to work. More than this, a cat is a walking, sleeping, ever-changing work of art.” ~ Patricia Highsmith

British Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing wrote of her affection for cats many times, but she felt a particular affinity for her pet El Magnifico. “He was such a clever cat,” she remarked to the Wall Street Journal in 2008. “We used to have sessions when we tried to be on each other’s level. He knew we were trying. When push came to shove, though, the communication was pretty limited.”

Ernest Hemingway and his family initially became infatuated with cats while living at Finca Vigía, their house in Cuba. During the writer’s travels, he was gifted a six-toed (or polydactyl) cat he named Snowball. Hemingway liked the little guy so much that in 1931, when he moved into his now-famous Key West home, he let Snowball run wild, creating a small colony of felines that populated the grounds. Today, some 40 to 50 six-toed descendants of Snowball are still allowed to roam around the house. Polydactyl felines are sometimes called “Hemingway Cats.”

American writer Ernest Hemingway is probably the most famous cat lover in the literary world, along with Mark Twain (who took his love of cats to such an extent that he refused to be friends with people who didn’t like cats and rented cats when he was on tour and couldn’t take his own cats with him).

Many of you are probably familiar with the Hemingway House in Key West, Florida, which is home to about 60 cats. Hemingway’s first polydactyl cat, named Snow, was given to him by a captain and marked the beginning of his love for these animals.

Many of the cats that live at the Hemingway House today are descendants of Snow and are well cared for by the staff there. It’s a fantastic place for literature and cat lovers. All Hemingway cats after Snow were named after famous people (Mark Twain was one of them, as he was Hemingway’s literary role model) – a tradition that the Hemingway House continues to this day.

“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: people can hide their feelings for some reason, but a cat cannot.” – Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway admired cats for what he called their “emotional honesty.” To him, they were unpretentious creatures—graceful, self-assured, and incapable of deceit. They lived entirely in the present moment, and that, he believed, was something writers could learn from: to face the world and one’s emotions without disguise.

Known to be a general cat lover during his life, this 18th century jack-of-all-trades was immortalized in James Boswell’s proto-biography The Life of Samuel Johnson.

In the text, Boswell writes of Johnson’s cat, Hodge, saying, “I never shall forget the indulgence with which he treated Hodge, his cat: for whom he himself used to go out and buy oysters, lest the servants having that trouble should take a dislike to the poor creature. I am, unluckily, one of those who have an antipathy to a cat, so that I am uneasy when in the room with one; and I own, I frequently suffered a good deal from the presence of this same Hodge.” Although Boswell was not a fan, Johnson called Hodge “A very fine cat indeed.” Hodge is immortalized, with his oysters, with a statue of his likeness that stands outside Johnson’s house at 17 Gough Square in London.

The Osaragi Jirō Memorial Museum in Yokohama, Japan is dedicated to the author Jirō Osaragi and features numerous cat ornaments as an integral part of its feline-themed decor. Osaragi wrote several novels connected to Yokohama, including Gento (Magic Lantern) and lived at the Hotel New Grand for over 10 years (in room 318). It’s often said that the Shōwa-period author cared for over 500 cats throughout his lifetime at his home in Kamakura, Japan—which is sometimes open to the public. Visitors can lounge on Osaragi’s terrace and sip tea while picturing the hundreds of semi-feral cats that once frolicked in the gardens.

Ray Bradbury compared parts of the writer’s creative process to cat ownership, saying that ideas, like cats, “come silently in the hour of trying to wake up and remember my name.”

His advice for writers?

“Treat ideas like cats … make them follow you.” 

In his short story, The Cat’s Pajamas, two cat lovers fight over who will keep a stray cat they find in the middle of a California highway.

Though not overt, William Yeats’s love for cats can be found in poems like “The Cat and the Moon,” where he uses the image of a cat to represent himself and the image of the moon to represent his muse Maude Gonne, a high society-born feminist and sometime actress who inspired the poet throughout his life.

The poem references Gonne’s cat named Minnaloushe, who sits and stares at the changing moon. Yeats metaphorically transforms himself into the cat longing for his love that is indifferent to him, and the heartsick feline poet wonders whether Gonne will ever change her mind. Too bad for Yeats; Maude Gonne never agreed to marry him, despite the fact that he asked for her hand in marriage—four separate times.

Raymond Chandler had an immense influence on detective fiction and came to define the tenets of hard-boiled noir. He used femme fatales, twisting plots, and whip-cracking wordplay in his evocative classics starring the detective Philip Marlowe, including The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye. But it wasn’t all serious business for Chandler because—you guessed it—he really loved cats. His cat Taki gave him endless enjoyment, but also occasionally got on his nerves.

Here’s a passage from a letter Chandler wrote to a friend about Taki:

“Our cat is growing positively tyrannical. If she finds herself alone anywhere she emits blood curdling yells until somebody comes running. She sleeps on a table in the service porch and now demands to be lifted up and down from it. She gets warm milk about eight o’clock at night and starts yelling for it about 7.30.”

Here is a list of famous authors who loved their cats

by ·Comments Off on Q&A With Dan Trachtenberg – Director Of Predator: Badlands

Dan Trachtenberg on the set of 20th Century Studios’ PREDATOR: BADLANDS film. Photo by Nicola Dove. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Read more about Predator: Badlands 

Do you remember the first time you saw a Predator movie?
The very first “Predator” movie came out when I was still in elementary school, and I was not allowed to
see it because it was rated R. But I have a very distinct memory of being on my way to a karate tournament, and all the sixth-grade boys had seen it. We were in the back of my mom’s minivan, and they
described the entire movie to me. So, I had imagined “Predator” well before I’d ever seen it. When I eventually did see the movie, the thing that really took me by surprise wasn’t just the crazy design of the creature—which was scary, but also super awesome—but the combination of genres. I enjoyed seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger in this military action movie, and then it became an entirely different thing. I think the mainstay, at least for my entries in the franchise, is that Predator movies are this wonderful concoction of multiple genres, of different kinds of set pieces and action. Sometimes you’re in a taut suspense scene, sometimes you’re in a moment that’s building toward a fright, and sometimes you’re in an awesome, traditional action scene with explosions and gunfire. You’re getting a whole variety; it’s not just one note.

Can you give us a brief overview of “Badlands” and what sets it apart from previous Predator films?
Including “Prey” and “Predator: Killer of Killers,” the two films you’ve previously directed?
“Predator: Badlands” is the first movie in the Predator Universe that focuses on the Predator species
known as the Yautja. We’re following the monster for the first me. Dek, the central character, is the
runt of the litter in a clan that culls any sign of weakness. The Yautja think one weak link breaks the
chain, so facing exile or worse, Dek finds himself on the deadliest planet in the galaxy, where he must
hunt down an unkillable creature known as the Kalisk to prove his worth to his clan. It was important for me to keep pushing the envelope and evolving the franchise in different ways. It just makes for an incredibly unique experience—like riding your favourite theme park ride and feeling that rush all over again. It’s why I think we all want to get off our couches and go see movies—to see things we haven’t seen before.

How did you approach expanding upon the lore of the Yautja?
To make a movie about one of horror/sci-fi’s most treasured villains was a delicate dance because on the
one hand, the thing that made the Predator so special, what makes all our legendary horror/sci-fi
creatures special—is a mystery. In the first “Predator” movie, when we finally saw the jungle hunter for
the first time and saw what it was wearing, it spoke to a culture and the fact that they’re not just a
mindless or supernatural force of evil. There’s clearly an intelligence. They can travel faster than light to
different planets and have a weaponry that’s almost like evil James Bond in terms of gadgetry. And that’s
the fun they bring. So, I certainly wanted to give people an experience that now focuses on the species
and their culture. I wanted people to be able to find a point of connection to the bad guys of the
universe. It’s a harsh, brutal, clan-based culture. For the first me, we go to their home planet and see a
bit more about how they exist, but there’s still a great deal of mystery there.

Could you tell us more about Dek? What makes him such a unique protagonist?
Dek is a unique protagonist in that he is, on the one hand, the underdog with something to prove—
which we can all relate to—but he’s also still a ferocious badass. We’re more used to watching characters
like him in hitman movies, where we know that those folks are bad guys, but we’re still rooting for them
to do a good thing just this once. So we can relate to Dek on the most universal emotional level, but
we’re also pulling for him to learn something, to figure stuff out in a way that we don’t normally see in
this genre.

What can you tell us about Thia?
When I was first thinking about the movie, I knew it would be a mistake to put any humans in it, because
as soon as we put a human in, we’re all going to be drawn to them more than the creature. And I wanted
to make sure that the audience sided with Dek. Of course, the next thought was…maybe this is a beautiful movie about a monster and a robot. And so Dek, who is very much a creature of few words, meets Thia, a robot who has been severed in half and clearly broken, yet is unflappable and effervescent and does not stop talking.

What made Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi the ideal actor to play Dek?
Dimitrius was one of the most remarkable finds of my career. He had a lovely audi on, but we wanted to
see what he was capable of physically, so we had a day where we brought in a bunch of stunt performers
and set up an obstacle course. The way Dimitrius navigated that course was insane. The swashbuckling he
brought to all the sliding, jumping, leaping, and weapon work was cooler than the stuntmen. Dimitrius had a special physicality. Then on set, Dimitrius showed up not just for the physical work, but for the
emotional work. It was unbelievable to see where he went. I wasn’t prepared for how he brought so
much to this creature who’s simultaneously vulnerable, but terrifying, ferocious and visceral.

What made Elle Fanning the perfect choice for Thia?
Elle is remarkable in that she’s both highly analytical but also deeply emotional and thoughtful. She
mines every scene for all its worth. She also brought a verbal dexterity to Thia, for sure. But what I didn’t
think of un l I lucked into it with Elle, was the peculiar physical demands of this role. You’d think that you
could just sit and talk, but no—there were so many different kinds of harnesses and tricks needed for
pulling off the magic that is Thia. We obviously use visual effects to see the more robotic side of Thia, but there’s a way that Elle holds her body so she can feel inert and dead and come alive in ways that I thought we’d need so many more special and visual effects to pull off. She just knows how to use all her tools as an actor to make us believe in this robot. Thia also has one of the most special, unique, coolest fight scenes in the movie, and Elle was tremendous in pulling that off.

What are your hopes for the film, and what audiences take away from it?
All I hope for the film, all I ever hope for with any film, is that the folks watching will form a connection
to these characters and feel something for them. With “Predator: Badlands”, this hope is especially
meaningful because the movie revolves around characters you would never ever expect to love.

by ·Comments Off on Unmasking the Origins of Horror: Monster – The Ed Gein Story

Monster: The Ed Gein Story was created by Ryan Murphy and continues his Netflix anthology exploring infamous American crimes, drawing inspiration from real-life events and their cultural echoes. The series is significant for its chilling portrayal of Ed Gein’s psychological descent and its influence on horror cinema.

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Monster: The Ed Gein Story is the third installment in Ryan Murphy’s provocative Netflix anthology, following Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story.

Written and co-directed by Murphy, the series continues his shift from stylised horror fiction to dramatised true crime, blending psychological depth with cultural critique.

Who’s the real monster in Monster:The Ed Gein Story? There are quite a few options — with both the viewers, and society at large, included. “The interesting thing about the show is the thesis statement of every season is: Are monsters born or are they made?” co-creator Ryan Murphy asks. “And I think in Ed’s case, it’s probably a little of both.”

Murphy, known for American Horror Story, brings his signature aesthetic to the real-life horrors of Ed Gein, a man whose crimes—grave robbing, murder, and body mutilation—shocked mid-century America and inspired some of the most iconic horror films in cinematic history. The series stars Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein, delivering a haunting performance that captures both the eerie stillness and fractured psyche of a man shaped by isolation, trauma, and mental illness. Laurie Metcalf plays Augusta Gein, Ed’s domineering mother, whose religious fanaticism and emotional abuse form the crucible of his psychological unravelling.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story was created and written by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, with Max Winkler serving as one of the key directors.

This third installment in Netflix’s Monster anthology continues Murphy and Brennan’s exploration of infamous American criminals through a stylized, psychological lens.

Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, longtime collaborators known for Glee, American Horror Story, and The Politician, co-created the Monster series to reframe notorious cases from the perspective of victims and society. Their writing in The Ed Gein Story blends historical fact with dramatised introspection, focusing on Gein’s psychological descent and the cultural ripple effects of his crimes. Murphy and Brennan were reportedly inspired by how Gein’s story influenced horror cinema, particularly films like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.

Director Max Winkler, known for his emotionally nuanced storytelling, helmed key episodes and shaped the series’ haunting tone. In interviews, Winkler emphasized the importance of portraying Gein’s inner world—his trauma, isolation, and distorted relationship with his mother Augusta. Winkler also crafted the series’ final scene, which ends with the chilling line “Only a mother could love you,” a moment he described as the emotional “Rosebud” of the narrative.

Together, Murphy, Brennan, and Winkler created a series that not only revisits Gein’s crimes but also interrogates the societal and psychological conditions that birthed them. Their collaborative vision turns Monster: The Ed Gein Story into a meditation on monstrosity, memory, and the blurred line between horror and history.

What inspired the series

The inspiration behind the series lies in the disturbing legacy of Ed Gein, whose crimes in 1950s Wisconsin became the blueprint for fictional killers like Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.

Murphy’s series doesn’t merely recount Gein’s crimes—it interrogates the roots of monstrosity, asking whether evil is born or made.

The show explores Gein’s childhood under Augusta’s oppressive rule, where he was taught that women were sinful and that intimacy was dangerous. This upbringing, steeped in religious extremism and emotional deprivation, laid the groundwork for Gein’s later obsession with the female form and his grotesque attempts to resurrect his mother through acts of body desecration.

The series dramatises key moments in Gein’s life: the suspicious death of his brother Henry, Augusta’s stroke and eventual death, and Gein’s descent into grave robbing and murder. These events are portrayed not just as plot points but as psychological ruptures, each deepening Gein’s dissociation and feeding his delusions.

What sets “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” apart is its refusal to sensationalise violence

Instead, it offers a slow, unnerving study of loneliness, mental illness, and the porous boundary between grief and madness. The series suggests that Gein’s crimes were less about sadism and more about a desperate, deluded attempt to preserve connection—to his mother, to identity, to meaning. This framing invites viewers to consider the societal failures that allowed Gein’s deterioration to go unnoticed: the inept police investigation into his brother’s death, the lack of mental health support, and the cultural silence around abuse and isolation. By humanizing Gein in his later institutionalized years—medicated, soft-spoken, and seemingly harmless—the series complicates the viewer’s understanding of monstrosity. It asks whether Gein was ever truly evil, or simply broken beyond repair.

The significance of the series also lies in its cultural resonance

By revisiting Gein’s story, Murphy not only reanimates a historical figure but also reflects on the enduring fascination with true crime and the horror genre’s roots in real trauma.

The show becomes a meta-commentary on how society processes fear and deviance through fiction. It reminds us that behind every horror icon is a real person, often shaped by suffering, and that our entertainment is often built on the bones of the forgotten and the vilified.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story thus serves as both a chilling narrative and a cultural mirror, reflecting our collective obsession with darkness and the stories we tell to make sense of it.

THE CAST

by ·Comments Off on Black Phone 2 – True evil transcends death

When The Black Phone arrived in 2022, it struck like lightning: a horror film both intimate and terrifying, rooted in the raw vulnerability of childhood.

Adapted from Joe Hill’s short story, the film drew on writer-producer-director Scott Derrickson’s memories of growing up in Colorado, grounding its supernatural terror in unsettling realism. Audiences embraced it not only for its scares but for its honesty. The film earned more than $160 million worldwide, introduced the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) as a chilling new figure in the genre’s canon and established The Black Phone as one of the decade’s most distinctive original horror films.

For Derrickson, the success was personal. “It was extremely rewarding to see audiences embrace the film the way they did, specifically because so much of it came directly from my own childhood,” Derrickson says. “As an artist, seeing those personal feelings and memories connect with so many people—especially young people—added a sense of purpose to the darker memories of my childhood. It made me feel like it was all somehow meant to be.”

For writer-producer C. Robert Cargill, Derrickson’s longtime writing partner and co-founder of their production company Crooked Highway, the sequel gave them an opportunity to once again draw from their own lives. “With Black Phone 2, we were able to keep building on characters rooted in our own childhoods and what it was like growing up in the ’70s and ‘80s,” Cargill says.

Writer-producer-director Scott Derrickson and writer-producer C. Robert Cargill.

“A lot of our real experiences are buried in these stories. That emotional grounding lets us balance the horror with heart. And it is part of why the first film kept growing after its release. When The Black Phone hit Peacock, it took off even more. Teenagers were watching it, making memes and TikToks, remixing scenes. For a lot of them, it was their first horror movie, and they fell in love with the genre. That is when Scott and I started getting messages every day from people asking, ‘When is the sequel? Is there a prequel? Are you making Black Phone 2?’”

Though Derrickson’s career has included genre touchstones such as Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Marvel’s Doctor Strange, Black Phone 2 marks the first sequel he has directed. His decision to return came not from expectation but inspiration.

“It certainly did not feel unfinished,” Derrickson says. “I did not feel obligated to make a sequel. What started me down the path of considering the idea was getting an email from Joe Hill with a basic sequel concept. I did not use all of what he pitched, but there was a central notion that I thought was fantastic. And then I realized that if I waited a few years until the kids from the first film were older, I could make a sequel with high school characters. I felt that Finn and Gwen’s story would be worth continuing at that stage of life.”

Cargill adds: “The instinct was to move fast, but we decided to let them grow up a little. We had always talked about doing a high school movie, so we set this one four years later, with the kids now in high school.”

That seed quickly grew into a story with wider scope and deeper stakes.

“When Joe shared his idea with us, he said, ‘I don’t know how or where it happens, but the phone rings, Finn answers, and hears: ‘Hello, Finn. It’s the Grabber, calling from hell,’” Cargill says. “The moment we heard it, we knew that was the movie. From there, it was about building around that idea, and that is what became Black Phone 2.”

The new chapter begins four years after Finn’s (Mason Thames) harrowing escape from the Grabber’s basement. Though the Grabber is gone, Finn is still scarred by the trauma of what happened. His younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), whose visions once helped save him, now finds herself plagued by disturbing dreams again. In them, she sees images of three boys hunted at a remote winter camp called Alpine Lake. The haunting draws Gwen to the center of a new mystery, with the bond between brother and sister once again defining the fight for survival.

“One of the core themes of The Black Phone was the idea of children carrying the sins of their father, and that continues here,” Cargill says. “In this film, Finn is coping in the same ways his father once did. When we meet him again, he’s numbing himself from the past, falling into the same patterns. We wanted to explore how trauma echoes through families and whether that cycle can be broken.”

Adolescence gave the sequel both its tone and scale. “Picking up with these characters four years later to see how they had changed—and how they had not—was creatively very interesting,” Derrickson says. “As a teenager in Colorado, I went to several Christian winter youth camps, and that became the primary setting for the film. When you are 15, 16 or 17 years old, the emotions you feel are some of the most powerful you will feel during your lifetime. It seemed to me that those bigger and more volatile feelings merited a bigger and more violent movie.”

The influences are rooted in Derrickson’s own history yet also nod to the genre’s lineage

“I am less interested in drawing from other people’s work than in expanding on what elements from my own work seem unique to me,” Derrickson says. “In this case, it was the use of Super 8 footage in very specific ways, drawing on my own memories at Colorado high school winter camps in the early ‘80s and channeling some of the bigger feelings I had when I was a teenager at that time. But I do think all the horror films I saw in the ‘80s still had a kind of invasive, inevitable influence. All the horror camp films—Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street being the biggest most obvious ones—and of course, some key imagery from the much more obscure 1983 film Curtains. If you know that film, the homage is clear and unabashed.”

Cargill adds: “And of course, you cannot escape Stephen King’s influence. Scott and I have always been deeply influenced by King, and we built on that in the first film.” King also happens to have deeply influenced author Joe Hill, too. King is his father. “In this film, Gwen is embracing and developing her abilities, while Finn is rejecting his,” Cargill continues. “That duality really echoes those early King stories, especially Firestarter, which made a huge impact on me.”

The creative partnership between Derrickson and Cargill remains the film’s backbone

“Scott is a visionary storyteller with an incredible sense of what works on screen,” Cargill says. “We have a shorthand when we write, which lets us move quickly and take risks. On set, Scott’s superpower is knowing exactly when something is not working. Watching him solve problems in real time is remarkable. He is confident, collaborative and completely locked into the story he wants to tell.”

Derrickson adds: “Cargill started as my writing partner and ended up as Best Man at my wedding. We have been through a lot together and are as close personally as we are professionally. What keeps it creatively fulfilling is the material, of course. It is always about telling a good story. That drives everything.”

For producer Jason Blum, the film reaffirmed what first drew him to the project. “The script for Black Phone 2 reminded me what an incredible foundation Joe Hill’s story gave us, and how brilliantly Scott and Cargill have built on it,” Blum says. “They’ve deepened the mythology while keeping the intimacy of the first film, balancing horror, emotion and character in a way that feels real. That’s what makes great horror—it has to matter, it has to connect—and they’ve delivered that again here.”

Four years after escaping his abductor, Finney (Mason Thames) is now 17 and grappling with trauma and fame as the sole survivor. Four years ago, 13-year-old Finn killed his abductor and escaped, becoming the sole survivor of the Grabber. But true evil transcends death … and the phone is ringing again.

Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as the Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).

As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.

Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between the Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.

(from left) Finn (Mason Thames) and The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) in Black Phone 2, directed by Scott Derrickson. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Black Phone 2 was inspired by a blend of personal memories, iconic horror imagery, and a desire to evolve the emotional depth of the original film.

Director Scott Derrickson drew heavily from his own experiences attending winter camps in the Rocky Mountains, which shaped the eerie new setting of Alpine Lake Youth Camp—a stark departure from the urban backdrop of the first film.

The isolation, snowstorms, and haunting quiet of the mountains offered a fresh canvas for fear, reminiscent of The Shining, which directly influenced the film’s atmosphere.

Author Joe Hill, whose short story inspired the original, pitched the sequel’s concept, driven by the enduring power of The Grabber’s mask—an image he likened to horror icons like Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers.

Derrickson was initially hesitant to return but was captivated by Hill’s idea and the opportunity to explore Finney and Gwen’s trauma as teenagers, shifting the narrative into a high school coming-of-age horror story.

The result is a sequel that deepens the mythology while embracing a more graphic, emotionally charged tone.

Scott Derrickson is an American filmmaker born on July 16, 1966, in Denver, Colorado. He is best known for his work in the horror genre, directing acclaimed films such as The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Sinister (2012), and The Black Phone (2021), as well as the Marvel blockbuster Doctor Strange (2016). Derrickson studied humanities, philosophy, literature, and theology at Biola University before earning his MFA in film production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. His storytelling often blends supernatural elements with emotional depth, and he’s praised for his atmospheric direction and character-driven narratives. Derrickson’s career has spanned over two decades, marked by both indie horror hits and major studio successes. He lives in Austin, Texas, and is married to filmmaker Maggie Levin.

C. Robert Cargill, born September 8, 1975, in San Antonio, Texas, is a screenwriter, novelist, and former film critic. He began his career writing under the pseudonyms Massawyrm (for Ain’t It Cool News) and Carlyle (for Spill.com), before transitioning into screenwriting. Cargill co-wrote Sinister, Doctor Strange, and The Black Phone with frequent collaborator Scott Derrickson. He’s also a published author, known for novels like Dreams and Shadows, Sea of Rust, and Day Zero, which explore themes of mythology, artificial intelligence, and dystopia. Cargill’s writing is characterized by its emotional resonance and genre-blending style. He lives in Austin with his wife and two dogs, and is known for his love of greasy spoon diners and late-night writing sessions.

Joe Hill, born Joseph Hillström King on June 4, 1972, in Bangor, Maine, is a celebrated American author known for his gripping works in horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction. The son of literary giants Stephen King and Tabitha King, Hill chose to write under a pseudonym to establish his own identity in the publishing world, distancing himself from his father’s fame until his breakout success. He graduated from Vassar College in 1995 and began publishing short stories in various magazines and anthologies before releasing his award-winning debut collection, 20th Century Ghosts, in 2005. Hill’s first novel, Heart-Shaped Box (2007), became a bestseller and cemented his reputation as a master of modern horror. He followed it with Horns (2010), later adapted into a film starring Daniel Radcliffe, and NOS4A2 (2013), which inspired a television series on AMC. His fourth novel, The Fireman (2016), debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Hill is also the co-creator of the acclaimed comic book series Locke & Key, which was adapted into a Netflix series and earned him an Eisner Award for Best Writer. Beyond novels and comics, Hill’s short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, and his work has won Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. He continues to write from New England. His storytelling is marked by emotional depth, inventive horror, and a voice that’s distinctly his own—proving he’s far more than just Stephen King’s son.

by ·Comments Off on The Smashing Machine – The story of legendary mixed martial arts & UFC fighter Mark Kerr

From writer-director Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems, Good Time), comes a new film about pioneering UFC Hall of Fame fighter Mark Kerr, at once high-pressure sports biography and high octane emotional spectacle, transporting viewers to the dawn of a new era as it follows the strongest fighter the sport had ever seen from the heights of fame to rock bottom and back again.

Q & A with Benny Safdie

(L-R) Dwayne Johnson Credit: Eric Zachanowich

The journey began with star Johnson watching a 2002 HBO documentary titled The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.

“I first saw the documentary in 2008 or 2009,” Johnson says, “and found myself deeply moved.” Adamant about developing the project himself, the actor-producer purchased the rights to the documentary
through his company Seven Bucks Production, founded in 2012, before reaching out to Mark Kerr himself.

The details of Kerr’s athletic career alone were fascinating enough to make a compelling sports film. Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, to an Irish father and a Puerto Rican mother, Kerr became an NCAA Division 1 champion, winning Gold and Silver medals at the World Cup and a Silver medal at the Pan American games — all before he became an ADCC World Champion wrestler.

Johnson wanted to portray every important aspect of Kerr’s journey, including his addiction and recovery, the couple’s brutal arguments during their dark years, and the rich atmosphere and vivid details that define extreme fighting culture —an outlaw sport that was initially considered too uncouth, and violent even for countries that had been sending boxers and wrestlers to the Olympics for more than a century.

All of these elements, Johnson felt, would present an invigorating new challenge after years of focusing his acting career on action-adventure projects, including San Andreas, Rampage, Black Adam; the Jumanji series; the Fast and Furious franchise (and its spinoff Hobbes & Shaw, opposite F&F regular Jason Statham); and Jungle Cruise, the first movie project to pair Johnson with Emily Blunt.

(L-R) Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson, Benny Safdie Credit: Eric Zachanowich

Dwayne Johnson — fully inhabiting the man and the machine at Kerr’s fighting peak — shows how the UFC legend dominated opponents inside of the octagonal ring while battling a dependence on painkillers that nearly destroyed what he’d achieved as an athlete. The man who was born to fight is brought to the brink in his operatic, intensely devoted relationship with the love of his life, Dawn Staples-Kerr (Emily Blunt), as their arguments escalate into the kinds of fights that can be heard two houses away.

Johnson, whose own wrestling career as The Rock began after his father became one of the first Black champions in WWE history, obtained the rights to Kerr’s story and was determined to bring it to the screen. When he brought the idea for the film to Safdie, the filmmaker quickly understood that Johnson was the only living actor who could undergo the intense physical transformation required and bring to the role an intimate, lived understanding of the public highs and private lows of life in the ring.

Around this singular performance, Safdie brings to rollicking life the early, disreputable years of extreme fighting, from the small, sparsely attended venues in the American South, where Kerr first competed, to the Pride Fighting Championships in Japan, where tens of thousands of fans gathered to see their heroes face off under the bright lights.

Drawing upon a 2002 documentary about Kerr as well as interviews with other real-life fighting legends, past and present, The Smashing Machine is a devoted portrait of an individual whose strength and fame threatened to eclipse the person inside — as he fought his way to the heights of greatness and tried to keep the foundations from cracking under its weight.

(L-R) Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson. Credit: Ken Hirama

The Smashing Machine is also an unconventional love story about two ferociously strong-willed individuals — Mark Kerr and Dawn Staples-Kerr — whose passion and pugnacity erupt and boil over: volcanic yet inseparable. Safdie shoots their showdowns as a verbal version of fighters in the octagon, complete with psych-outs, tactical shifts, and low blows. But, against all odds, the couple’s love for each other endures. In a viciously competitive world, the only thing they can really depend on is each other.

“When I got the call about this project it was disbelief that they were actually going to make a movie,” says Mark Kerr. “Then to add all the star power in it with Dwayne and Emily, and Benny directing it, with A24’s involvement, it was this incredible feeling of pride, gratitude and humility. This amazing cast of people were willing to take on this difficult topic, which was me at the time. In the process a movie was made, but we also made a family,”

When Safdie was completing the first draft of the screenplay the writer-director asked Emily Blunt to help him develop the Dawn Staples-Kerr character, which had not received much attention in the documentary project that inspired the film.

“People are kaleidoscopic — they’re not just one thing,” says Blunt. “Dawn was always going to be at risk of turning into ‘the athlete’s wife,’ which is an occupational hazard for actresses in sports biopics.”

(L-R) Benny Safdie, Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson Credit: Eric Zachanowich

Safdie and Blunt felt the documentary lacked context for why Staples-Kerr exhibited certain characteristics. “It became important to both of us that I spoke to Dawn herself, because I knew there was another version of what went down in her relationship with Mark,” says Blunt. “I felt like she deserved
a voice, so I called her and told her that I wanted to know her side and become her advocate. A lot of what happened to Dawn isn’t for the faint of heart, but I absorbed everything she told me and made sure we wove it into the film.”

Adds Koplan: “Emily brings so many layers and is so three dimensional in everything she does, in another life she could have been a detective. She had this relentless investigative energy in researching her character’s backstory and building her relationship with Mark Kerr. She helped bring a depth and
gravitas to Dawn — you can see her humanity and understand where she’s coming from.”

Benny Safdie (born February 24, 1986) is an American filmmaker, actor, and editor known for his emotionally intense, anxiety-laced storytelling and collaborations with his brother, Josh Safdie. Raised in New York City, Benny studied at Boston University’s College of Communication before co-founding Red Bucket Films. The Safdie brothers gained acclaim for directing Daddy Longlegs, Heaven Knows What, Good Time, and Uncut Gems, the latter earning them the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director. Benny also co-edited their films with Ronald Bronstein and transitioned into acting with standout roles in Licorice Pizza, Oppenheimer, and the Showtime series The Curse, which he co-created with Nathan Fielder. In 2025, Benny made his solo directorial debut with The Smashing Machine, a biopic starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Married to Ava Rawski since 2013, Benny is a father of two and continues to push boundaries in both independent and mainstream cinema.

Mark Kerr (born December 21, 1968) is a retired American wrestler and mixed martial artist whose dominance in the ring earned him the nickname “The Smashing Machine.” A native of Toledo, Ohio, Kerr was an NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Syracuse University, defeating Randy Couture in the 1992 finals. He went on to win gold and silver medals in freestyle wrestling at the World Cup and Pan American Games before transitioning to MMA. Kerr became a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and a PRIDE FC competitor, known for his brutal ground-and-pound style and emotional vulnerability. His struggles with addiction and identity were captured in the 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine, which inspired the 2025 biopic of the same name. Outside the ring, Kerr has worked as a mentor and advocate for mental health awareness in sports, and was inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame in 2022 for his achievements in submission wrestling.

by ·Comments Off on The Strangers: Chapter 2 – More brutal and relentless than ever

The Strangers ― Chapter 2 is the second chapter in rebooted horror trilogy. that follows a separate universe from the 2008 cult classic The Strangers (and its sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night). It picks up directly from The Strangers – Chapter 1, based on characters created by Bryan Bertino and a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland. It will be followed by The Strangers: Chapter 3 in 2026.

Renny Harlin was inspired to make The Strangers: Chapter 2 by a desire to expand the original film’s concept into something more ambitious and emotionally resonant. He saw the trilogy as a chance to evolve the story from a claustrophobic home invasion into a broader, more terrifying “town invasion” narrative.

This second instalment “ratchets up the tension and the terror,” says director Harlin, “We’re staying true to this world that audiences have come to know and love, while expanding and exploring the characters’ relationship to it.”

When describing his own relationship to that world, Harlin talks about his experience encountering the
original film. “The movie took me by surprise by eliminating any kind of backstory or reasoning behind
the terrifying home-invasion concept,” he says. “This was everyone’s worst nightmare scenario realised.”

The film (“simple, yet so terrifying”) stayed with him over the years, and when he was first sent the screenplay for this version of The Strangers, the director was “elated and intimidated at the same time” ― intimidated because, as he puts it, “What could I do with this classic to make it fresh and surprising?”

He quickly got an answer when he opened up the script, and “instead of the usual 95 pages, the screenplay was 278 pages long. Courtney Solomon, one of the producers, who’d been involved with the project from its inception, “loves the original,” but he wanted to do something that was “completely bold.” It was in pursuit of that vision that he decided to “tell a long story, in the vein of the original, but as an entirely separate universe, that delves into what would happen to someone who survived the traumatic experience of The Strangers.”

This angle meant, Harlin adds, that the movies would not be “a remake, nor a prequel or sequel, of the original. This was an incredible opportunity to do something completely groundbreaking” in the horror genre.

Whereas the original takes place within a single neighbourhood, the world of these films is bigger, encapsulating the whole environment of a small Oregon town. The canvas, story-wise, was also much
bigger, as Chapter 1, though feature-length, really was more like “act 1 of a normal movie,” Harlin says. “The essence of the story had to be based on similar circumstances to build the logical story arc of the entire journey.”

“The filmmakers then went on to “customise” Chapter 1 so that it wouldn’t be a simple remake of the original, but the beginning of a different story ― a story about ‘“’what the next day [after surviving] looked like,” says Courtney Solomon, one of the producers. “How would that change you? What would the day after that look like, too?

“That’s what we were interested in. To take the audience on an unexpected journey to the minds of the perpetrators of senseless violent crimes and their victims,” says Harlin.

“We learned a lot from the first movie. We studied the response and what the fans want and maybe didn’t want”. “The curse is… you learn things as you put those movies together and you realise, okay we thought this was the way to go but we have to take a bit of a left turn here. We realised the audience was very curious about The Strangers and where they come from and what their backstory is. And we didn’t realise that”

Harlin explained that the first chapter was a calculated gamble, a near recreation of the 2008 original, to lay the groundwork for a deeper exploration of trauma, survival, and the psychology of both victims and perpetrators. He also drew from personal fears, like his childhood experiences in hospitals, which influenced some of the film’s most intense scenes.

After receiving passionate feedback from fans on Chapter 1, Harlin and his team made reshoots to better reflect audience expectations and add more backstory to the masked killers. Ultimately, Harlin wanted to craft a trilogy that not only honoured the original but also pushed boundaries and built Maya into the “ultimate final girl.”

When asked about the importance of seeing the movie in theatres, Harlin waxes philosophical. “I believe
that the strongest case of the theatrical experience can be made with horror films. We all seek the therapeutic experience of facing our worst, darkest, most secret terrors in the safe environment of a
movie theatre. We can scream, cry, hide our eyes, or even laugh at the uncontrollable and life-threatening scenes that unfold in front of us. In a movie theatre, it is all a communal experience.”

By going with Maya on this journey, Harlin hopes that viewers, “with family, friends, and strangers, can confess our deepest fears on the altar of the silver screen, and afterwards, everyone can walk out
unharmed, debate our experience, share opinions, laugh about it, and feel the release ― like waking
up from a nightmare and knowing that everything is all right.”

The Strangers are back – more brutal and relentless than ever. When they learn that one of their victims, Maya (Madelaine Petsch), is still alive, they return to finish what they’ve started. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya must survive another horrific chapter of terror as The Strangers – driven by a senseless, unceasing purpose – pursue her, more than willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.

Renny Harlin is a Finnish film director, producer, and screenwriter born in Riihimäki, Finland. He began his career in the early 1980s, directing commercials and company films before breaking into Hollywood with Born American (1986). Harlin gained international recognition with A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and went on to direct major blockbusters like Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, and Deep Blue Sea. Despite setbacks with box office flops like Cutthroat Island, he remained a prolific filmmaker, working across genres and continents, including China and Europe. His films have grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide, making him one of Finland’s most commercially successful directors.

Alan R. Cohen is an American producer and screenwriter best known for his work on television series such as King of the Hill, American Dad!, and The Freak Brothers, as well as co-writing the screenplay for the comedy film Due Date (2010). Cohen has served as a showrunner and executive producer on multiple projects, including Impastor, Lopez, and Betas. His writing often blends sharp humour with character-driven storytelling, and he has earned a Primetime Emmy Award for his contributions to animated television.

Alan Freedland is a writer and producer whose career has closely paralleled that of Alan R. Cohen. Together, they’ve collaborated on numerous projects, including King of the Hill, Due Date, and The Strangers: Chapter 1. Freedland has also contributed to series like American Dad!, Impastor, and The Freak Brothers, often serving as executive producer and writer. Known for his versatility across genres—from animated comedy to horror—Freedland has earned industry recognition for his storytelling and production work.

Bryan Michael Bertino is an American filmmaker born in Crowley, Texas. He studied cinematography at the University of Texas at Austin before moving to Los Angeles, where he worked as a gaffer while writing screenplays in his spare time. Bertino rose to prominence with his directorial debut The Strangers (2008), a chilling home-invasion thriller that became a cult hit and established his reputation in the horror genre. Despite having no prior directing experience, he was asked to helm the film after selling the script to Universal Studios. He later wrote the sequel The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) and directed other notable horror films such as Mockingbird (2014), The Monster (2016), and The Dark and the Wicked (2020). Bertino’s work is known for its atmospheric tension, psychological depth, and minimalist storytelling, often exploring themes of isolation and fear. His unique voice has made him a respected figure in modern horror cinema.

by ·Comments Off on Predator: Badlands — The Hunt Ends Where Heat Begins

Predator: Badlands is the ninth installment in the Predator franchise and the third directed by Dan Trachtenberg, following Prey and the adult animated Sci-fi horror Predator: Killer of Killers.

Q&A with Director and Producer Dan Trachtenberg

It flips the script by making the Predator a young outcast named Dek, seeking redemption, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. On a hostile alien world, Dek is cast out by his clan for being weak. After a brutal confrontation with his father and the death of his brother, Dek escapes to a planet where even Predators are prey. There, he forms an uneasy alliance with Thia, a synthetic android created by Weyland-Yutani, played by Elle Fanning. Together, they face a terrifying apex creature known only as the Kalisk.

The Screenplay was crafted by Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison. Trachtenberg cites influences from Conan the Barbarian, Mad Max 2, Shadow of the Colossus, and even Shakespearean drama. The film is described as operatic, emotional, and visually bombastic, with every shot involving VFX work.

Predator: Badlands weaves itself into the Alien universe in some pretty intriguing ways—without going full Xenomorph (yet).

The most direct connection is through Thia, the synthetic android played by Elle Fanning. She’s a product of Weyland-Yutani, the infamous corporation from the Alien franchise known for its obsession with bio-weapons and synthetic life. The film hints at systems like Mother, the onboard AI from Alien. Dek’s ship includes skulls that resemble creatures from Alien and even Independence Day, suggesting a broader sci-fi multiverse.

Dan Trachtenberg has said he didn’t just toss in Weyland-Yutani for fan service. He wanted to explore deeper crossover themes—pairing a Predator with a robot was his way in. He’s teased that this could lay the groundwork for a more meaningful Alien vs. Predator film down the line.

Many believe Badlands is secretly laying the groundwork for a full-blown Alien vs. Predator reboot.

Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison reimagined the Predator mythos by stripping it down to its primal essence and rebuilding it with cultural depth, emotional resonance, and historical authenticity. Their collaboration on Prey (2022) marked a radical departure from the franchise’s usual futuristic settings, instead placing the alien hunter in 1719 among the Comanche Nation, where survival and tradition collide.

The Predator was redesigned to be more primal and less technologically advanced, emphasizing brute strength and instinct over gadgets. This version of the Predator is younger, more reckless, and driven by a competitive nature, not just survival.

They worked closely with Comanche experts to ensure respectful and accurate representation, even releasing a Comanche-language dub of the film. The setting and characters reflect Comanche folklore, survival rituals, and the tribe’s relationship with nature and monsters.

Aison’s script focused on character-driven tension, crafting Naru’s arc as a metaphorical rite of passage and a David vs. Goliath showdown. The film’s title, Prey, mirrors Predator in its double meaning—both hunter and hunted—reinforcing the thematic inversion.

The Predator’s moral code—only hunting worthy opponents—is contrasted with colonial violence, like the French fur trappers who slaughter buffalo for sport.

The film subtly connects to Predator 2 through a flintlock pistol Easter egg, hinting at deeper lore without being heavy-handed.

Together, Trachtenberg and Aison didn’t just reboot the franchise—they reinvigorated it with soul, grit, and a fresh perspective.

Dan Trachtenberg is an American filmmaker and podcast host born on May 11, 1981, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He gained widespread recognition with his feature debut 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), which earned him a Directors Guild of America nomination and established his reputation for suspenseful, character-driven storytelling. Trachtenberg has since directed acclaimed projects like Prey (2022), Predator: Killer of Killers (2025), and Predator: Badlands (2025), bringing fresh vision to the sci-fi genre. His television work includes directing pilot episodes for The Boys, The Lost Symbol, and Stranger Things (2025). A former co-host of The Totally Rad Show and Geekdrome, Trachtenberg also created viral short films like Portal: No Escape. He graduated from Temple University in 2003 and is married to Priscilla Hernandez, with whom he has one daughter.

Patrick Aison is an American screenwriter and producer known for crafting intense, character-driven narratives across television and film. He began his career writing for series like Wayward Pines, Kingdom, and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, where he honed his skills in suspense and action. Aison broke into feature films with Prey (2022), co-writing the story with Dan Trachtenberg and earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing. His work redefined the Predator franchise by blending historical authenticity with sci-fi horror. Aison continues to shape the universe with Predator: Badlands (2025), and has also contributed to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Known for his collaborative spirit and genre versatility, Aison is a rising voice in modern screenwriting.

by ·Comments Off on I Know What You Did Last Summer – Revisiting the original 1997 slasher classic

“Our film is about marrying a nostalgic nineties feel with today’s slasher films,” says director / co-screenwriter Jennifer Kaytin Robinson of I Know What You Did Last Summer. “The film’s design, its score, and the way we developed the kills, each of which feels like something you’ve never seen before but also takes us back to the kind of movie that we rarely see anymore. It’s why people love this franchise.”  

In 1997, the original I Know What You Did Last Summer forever changed the face of blockbuster horror. Directed by Jim Gillespie from a script by Kevin Williamson, the film became a smash hit, took the number one position at the box office for three consecutive weeks, and revitalised the slasher genre. It came to define a generation and continues to be a cultural mainstay.

I Know What You Did Last Summer was inspired by a desire to revisit the original 1997 slasher classic through a legacy sequel lens—honoring the past while updating the story for a new generation.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson who co-wrote the screenplay with Sam Lansky, pitched the idea to Sony Pictures after the cancellation of the 2021 TV adaptation. Rather than rebooting the franchise, Robinson aimed to continue the original timeline, ignoring the 2006 standalone sequel and reconnecting with the emotional and thematic core of the first two films.

Sam Lansky

Robinson seemed destined to helm the new IKWYDLS. “The original was the first R-rated movie I ever snuck into,” she remembers. “My babysitter wanted to see it, and I ended up going with her. Afterwards, my mom got really angry, but I didn’t care because I was so mesmerised by it.” 

“So, when I was approached about directing a new version, it was an immediate yes – truly a no brainer,” Robinson continues. “This movie is about people making a mistake, then making the wrong choice, and the consequences that follow. It’s a deeply human story. Anyone could mess up like our characters do. That’s what sucks you into the story, because you’re thinking, what would I do in this situation? For me, horror is most interesting when it’s grounded in very real stakes.” 

Robinson worked closely with co-screenwriter Sam Lansky to shape the screenplay from a story she wrote with Leah McHendrick.

 For Lansky, as it had with Robinson, the 1997 version played a big role in his early love of movies.  

“I remember exactly where I was – at a sleepover at a friend’s house – when I watched it for the first time,” he recalls. “The film’s pioneering voice and tone worked its way into the cultural consciousness and shaped a lot of people my age … of all ages, in fact.” 

Robinson and Lansky had been friends and colleagues for almost a decade, so the final drafts came together synergistically. “We have a similar sensibility and tend to think the same things are funny or scary or exciting,” Lansky explains, “so the vision took shape quickly. For the 2025 film, and for the 1997 version, the premise is so tantalizing. What would you do if someone knew your biggest secret and started coming after you and the people around you because of it? The setup is so fun and so real, and we knew we could deliver strongly on that.” 

A key shift in the new film would be the age of the core group – they’re in their mid to late-twenties, and the shift from four to five members.  “In the first movie, the characters are teenagers,” says Lansky. “In 2025, they’re young adults on the precipice of moving into adult phases of life – including marriage and commitment – when their lives are upended by this event. We wanted the film to reflect that maturity but also feel youthful and fun. Ultimately, this is a popcorn movie.” 

The story picks up 27 years after the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson, with a new group of friends haunted by a familiar hook-wielding killer after covering up a fatal car accident. The 2025 film draws on the enduring appeal of teen horror, generational guilt, and the consequences of buried secrets, while bringing back original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. to bridge the past and present.

The 2025 film is a legacy sequel—a direct continuation of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), intentionally ignoring the events of the 2006 standalone sequel I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer.

© 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It reunites original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Julie James and Ray Bronson, now drawn back into a familiar nightmare when a new group of teens covers up a fatal accident and begins receiving ominous messages.

This approach mirrors the successful Scream (2022) formula: blend legacy characters with a fresh cast, honour the original tone, and reframe the horror for a new generation.

Robinson constantly ups the stakes of ‘who’s next?’ and ‘whodunnit?’, as the thrills mount and we, along with the characters, try to figure out the identity of – and the mystery behind – the iconic and murderous Fisherman. Robinson defies audience expectations of when and how victims will be cut down, and by whom. Nothing is what it seems, and no one is safe. 

At the same time Robinson brings us closer, emotionally, to the characters.  

The group of five have known each other most of their lives. They’ve seen each other through many different phases and are now at crossroads, trying to figure out who they want to be for the rest of their lives.  

Robinson’s vision for the film’s look is succinct but powerful: “When you’re murdering a bunch of hot young people, you want it to have that old school Americana feel to it: blue blues, red blood, and beautiful colors and skin tones. In designing the film, it was fun to juxtapose the violence with this outwardly beautiful world of Southport, which of course has an underbelly that’s nasty, gory, and violent. I really liked that juxtaposition.” 

To ensure a summer 2025 release for the film, executive producer Karina Rahardja recalls, “We were approaching the fall in the Northern Hemisphere, and given the word summer is in the title, we started thinking about where we could go to film where it would be summer.

Horror Trends & Cultural Resonance

The 2025 revival taps into a broader trend of ’90s horror nostalgia, where franchises like Scream and Final Destination are being reimagined not just for scares, but for cultural reflection. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-writer Sam Lansky lean into themes of generational guilt, digital surveillance, and performative remorse, updating the slasher formula with a psychological edge.

The film also reflects a 2025 horror landscape increasingly defined by emotional realism and trauma-driven narratives. Rather than relying solely on jump scares, it explores how secrets metastasise in the age of social media and how the sins of the past refuse to stay buried, especially when the past has a hook for a hand.

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson emphasised that beneath the blood and jump scares lies a story about how trauma informs identity.

Like Halloween (2018), this film uses returning characters not just for nostalgia, but to explore long-term psychological fallout. Julie and Ray aren’t just survivors—they’re case studies in how guilt calcifies over time.

This sequel reflects a broader trend in horror: the shift from pure thrills to emotional realism. It’s part of a wave of films that blend slasher tropes with character-driven storytelling, where the hook isn’t just a weapon, but a metaphor for the past that won’t let go.

Then & Now: A Tale of Two Summers

1997: Secrets, Shame, and Slasher Tropes The original I Know What You Did Last Summer, penned by Scream’s Kevin Williamson, rode the wave of late-’90s teen horror. It was glossy, self-aware, and steeped in guilt—four friends haunted by a hit-and-run and stalked by a hook-wielding killer. The film tapped into post-adolescent anxiety: the fear that your worst mistake might come back to claim you. It wasn’t just about survival—it was about the cost of silence.

2025: Guilt Goes Viral Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s legacy sequel updates that fear for the digital age. The new cast isn’t just hiding a secret—they’re navigating a world where nothing stays buried, and remorse is often performative. The hook is still there, but so is the pressure of curated identities, online judgment, and generational trauma. With returning characters like Julie and Ray, the film bridges eras, asking whether we ever really escape the past—or just learn to live with it.

The writing process for I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) was rooted in both legacy and reinvention

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, known for Do Revenge and co-writing Thor: Love and Thunder, collaborated with Sam Lansky on the screenplay, based on a story she developed with Leah McKendrick. Rather than rebooting the franchise, Robinson pitched a continuation that honoured the emotional core of the original 1997 film while updating its themes for a new generation.

The process began after the cancellation of the 2021 TV adaptation, which left the franchise in limbo. Robinson saw an opportunity to return to the original continuity, ignoring the 2006 standalone sequel and instead crafting a legacy sequel that would bring back Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Julie and Ray. Her approach focused on generational guilt, the permanence of digital secrets, and the psychological toll of unresolved trauma, infusing the slasher formula with emotional realism.

“Sam and I are both huge fans of the franchise, to the point where we once got in a heated argument about I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, to the point where I was like, ‘We should just go to bed and we’ll do this tomorrow.’” says Robinson.

This quote reflects the passion and stakes involved in revisiting a beloved horror legacy. Robinson and co-writer Sam Lansky reportedly traveled to Southport, North Carolina—the setting of the original film—to immerse themselves in the atmosphere. Their creative tension stemmed from differing instincts: Lansky leaned into authenticity and continuity, while Robinson wanted to recapture the fun and emotional resonance of the original without being shackled by canon.

This dynamic shaped a screenplay that balances trauma and nostalgia, horror and heart. It’s a slasher with a soul—one that knows the past can’t be buried, but maybe, just maybe, it can be rewritten.

Filming took place between October 2024 and March 2025 in New South Wales and Los Angeles, with the script evolving alongside casting and production design. The writing process emphasised character-driven horror, where the scares are as much internal as they are external.

Nostalgia in horror is a double-edged blade—both a comfort and a curse

It functions not just as a stylistic callback, but as a psychological device that deepens dread by luring us into familiarity before subverting it.

Nostalgic horror often invites us back to the “safe” spaces of our youth—sleepovers, VHS tapes, suburban streets—only to reveal that those spaces were never truly safe. Films like Stranger Things and It weaponize childhood iconography, turning bikes, basements, and best friends into conduits for trauma. The past becomes a haunted house we willingly re-enter, even knowing what lurks inside.

Legacy sequels like Scream (2022) or I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) use nostalgia to re-engage audiences emotionally and thematically. They don’t just reference earlier films—they interrogate them. These stories ask: what happens when the rules of the past no longer apply? When the final girl grows up? When the trauma doesn’t fade?

As explored in academic critiques, horror can fall into toxic nostalgia—idealizing the past while ignoring its darker truths (e.g., gender roles, racial erasure). But when done well, nostalgia becomes transformative: a way to confront generational wounds, reframe cultural myths, and reclaim agency. Think of it as horror’s version of therapy—reliving the past not to escape it, but to rewrite it.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is a celebrated filmmaker with a unique voice keenly in tune with the social zeitgeist.

Known for fusing biting wit with raw vulnerability, Robinson has spent the last decade crafting stories that speak directly to—and about—the moment, resonating deeply with audiences worldwide. 

Robinson is also known for her sophomore directorial feature DO REVENGE, for Netflix, for which she also produced and penned the script. The film is a darkly comedic high school reimagining of Hitchcock’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. DO REVENGE, which features an all-star cast, including Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Rish Shah, Austin Abrams, Talia Ryder, Alisha Boe, Sophie Turner, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, debuted at #1 globally on Netflix and became a cultural hit, lauded for its satire and sharp visual style. The Atlantic called it “viciously funny,” and The New York Times named Robinson “a rare filmmaker able to deliver teen chaos with style and substance.”  

Her feature directorial debut, SOMEONE GREAT, which she also wrote, premiered globally on Netflix to critical acclaim and remains a beloved entry in the canon of modern romantic comedies. The ensemble cast includes Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise, LaKeith Stanfield, and RuPaul. A vibrant ode to friendship, heartbreak, and new beginnings, the film drew praise for its fresh tone and raw emotional authenticity. Variety described it as a “refreshingly honest portrait of how we change — and what we choose to hold on to — in the wake of heartbreak”; Rolling Stone claimed, “Robinson understands the rhythms of modern relationships and the bonds between women better than most.” The film’s influence rippled into pop culture – Taylor Swift even cited it as inspiration for her song “Death By a Thousand Cuts.” 

Robinson is also the creator and executive producer of MTV’s SWEET/VICIOUS, a critically acclaimed series praised for its portrayal of sexual assault on college campuses. The series — which holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes — garnered a passionate fanbase and became a cultural touchstone for survivor-centered storytelling. In 2017, Robinson was invited to speak at Vice President Joe Biden’s final It’s On Us summit at the White House, honoring her advocacy for survivors and the show’s social impact. Robinson was also named one of Variety’s 10 TV Writers to Watch in 2016, pegged to the release of the series.  

Her additional credits include co-writing the screenplay, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, for Marvel’s THOR: LOVE & THUNDER, which grossed over $760 million worldwide; and co-writing the screenplay for the Max original feature UNPREGNANT.  

A visionary with a decade-spanning body of work, Robinson has consistently challenged genre norms, blended comedy with pathos, and shaped cultural entertainment through sharp dialogue, exceptional female leads, and an undeniably authentic voice. She continues to evolve as one of the most exciting filmmakers of her generation. 

SAM LANSKY (Screenwriter) is a screenwriter, author and journalist. In 2021, he was named one of Variety’s 10 Storytellers to Watch.  

Lansky is the author of two books: a 2016 memoir, The Gilded Razor, published by Simon & Schuster, and a 2020 novel, Broken People, published by HarperCollins. In journalism, Lansky spent seven years as the West Coast Editor of TIME, where he remains a contributing editor. He wrote the 2023 profile of Taylor Swift, naming her TIME’s Person of the Year. 

by ·Comments Off on My Fk, Marelize!* — From Viral Blunder to Cinematic Heartbeat

It began with a bicycle, a rugby post, and a mother’s unforgettable exclamation — “My f*k, Marelize!” — echoing across South African screens in 2019. But what started as a viral laugh has now evolved into a poignant feature film that reframes internet fame through the lens of family, resilience, and cultural pride. Directed by Zandré Coetzer and written by Brett Michael Innes, the film blends humor with emotional depth, offering a love letter to Namibian and South African life — and to the quiet courage behind every public stumble.

The inspiration behind My Fk, Marelize! is a fascinating fusion of internet virality, personal vulnerability, and the desire to reshape a meme into a meaningful story.

The film stems from the real-life viral moment in 2019 when Marelize Horn crashed her bicycle into a rugby post, prompting her mom to yell, “My f*k, Marelize!” — a clip that swept through South African social media like wildfire. What made it iconic wasn’t just the absurdity of the fall, but the authenticity of that maternal outburst — unfiltered, hilarious, and oddly tender.

Rather than just capitalizing on the viral fame, writer Brett Michael Innes and director Zandré Coetzer saw potential in exploring who Marelize really is. The film uses that crash as a jumping-off point to tell a layered coming-of-age story that threads humor with emotional depth — tapping into themes of identity, awkward resilience, and familial connection.

It also reflects a uniquely Southern African lens, capturing Windhoek’s WIKA carnival, a spirited visual tapestry of cultural pride. By grounding the story in everyday emotion rather than just internet notoriety, the creators subvert the “meme girl” trope and gift Marelize a narrative of agency, struggle, and growth.

Set in Windhoek during the vibrant WIKA carnival, My Fk, Marelize! is a heartfelt coming-of-age dramedy that transforms a viral moment into a deeply personal narrative. Marelize Horn, played by Je-ani Swiegelaar, is an accident-prone young woman whose infamous bicycle crash into a rugby post made her an internet sensation. But beneath the meme lies a story of resilience and aspiration: Marelize dreams of becoming an au pair in the Netherlands, a goal that requires her to confront her fear of cycling. Her mother, Heidi — portrayed by Zandelle Meyer — is a strong-willed woman who chooses to hide her cancer diagnosis from the family, navigating her own emotional terrain with humor and quiet strength. As Marelize stumbles through training wheels and emotional revelations, the film explores themes of identity, familial bonds, and the bittersweet art of letting go. Directed by Zandré Coetzer and written by Brett Michael Innes, the film also features Neels Clasen and Nichola Viviers in supporting roles, rounding out a cast that brings warmth and authenticity to a story that celebrates Southern African culture with humor and heart.

Zandré Coetzer is a South African director, producer, and screenwriter whose work bridges heartfelt storytelling with cultural authenticity. She began her career at Urban Brew Studios, quickly rising through the ranks and earning recognition as an innovation champion for her creative contributions. In 2012, she co-founded Lucky Bamboo Media, which led to the creation of youth dramas for kykNET, and later established Nouvanaand Films with Scharl van der Merwe and Johan Cronje. Her production credits include the award-winning Sterlopers and the internationally acclaimed feature Wonderlus, which premiered at Silwerskermfees and was selected for multiple global festivals. Coetzer is also a co-owner of Nagvlug Films, a joint venture focused on developing narrative content for South African and international audiences. Known for her collaborative spirit and commitment to mentoring emerging talent, she made her feature directorial debut with My Fk, Marelize!*, a film that celebrates Afrikaner humor and resilience. Her work consistently highlights minority voices and blends emotional depth with regional flavor, making her a dynamic force in contemporary Southern African cinema.

Brett Michael Innes is a Johannesburg-based filmmaker and bestselling author whose work bridges emotional storytelling with cultural introspection. He graduated from AFDA, South Africa’s Oscar-winning film school, on a scholarship from the National Film & Video Foundation. His early career was shaped by documentary filmmaking with NGOs, taking him across Africa and beyond — from kayaking through the Okavango Delta to filming in malnutrition camps in Angola. Innes made his mark in fiction with Sink, his debut feature, which won SAFTAs for Best Film and Best Screenplay and was hailed as a breakout moment for South African cinema. He followed this with Fiela se Kind, an adaptation of Dalene Matthee’s iconic novel, which also earned multiple awards and international acclaim. His literary work includes The Story of Racheltjie de Beer, a bestseller that he later adapted for screen. Known for blending emotional depth with social relevance, Innes has directed for Netflix (Unseen) and Showmax (Catch Me a Killer), and continues to develop projects that explore identity, resilience, and the human condition. His latest screenwriting credit is My Fk, Marelize!*, a film that transforms viral fame into a tender coming-of-age tale.

by ·Comments Off on Vacation, Violence, and the Fractured Self: Inside Nobody 2

By blending the kinetic choreography of John Wick with the tonal whiplash of a dark comedy vacation flick, the powerhouse screenwriting team of Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin, Bob Odenkirk, and Umair Aleem crafted Nobody 2, a genre-splintering sequel that asks whether peace is possible when violence becomes the language of survival.

Directed by Timo Tjahjanto (known for The Night Comes for Us), Nobody 2 is the sequel to the 2021 sleeper hit Nobody.

The first time, he went looking for the bad guys on a revenge quest. This time, he just can’t seem to get away from them, even when he’s on vacation.

“Nobody 2 is a bigger film, and it’s been a bigger job,” star and producer Odenkirk says. “I had extra responsibility trying to make the story work, and there’s just a lot more to it. There’s more fighting, character, story; there’s more everything.” The result, Odenkirk says, is a film that is “powerful, funny, surprising, out of control, bloody—and sweet.”

Taking the helm as director is Timo Tjahjanto, an innovative Indonesian filmmaker at the forefront of what’s known as the “New Indonesian Extreme” style of filmmaking. Nobody 2 is Tjahjanto’s first English-language film and his first studio film. The producers were excited by his new perspective and striking vision.

Tjahjanto’s inspiration for Nobody 2 is rooted in emotional duality, genre chaos, and a deep respect for Bob Odenkirk’s creative vision.

Tjahjanto was drawn to Hutch Mansell’s internal tug-of-war — the tension between being a devoted father and a lethal operative. He described Hutch as a “Jekyll and Hyde” figure, whose identity fractures when family and violence collide. That duality became the emotional engine of the film, with Tjahjanto saying, “Without his family, he kind of loses his identity.”

He compared Nobody 2 to a “summer rage outburst,” in contrast to the first film’s “moody winter meditation”. The sequel’s chaotic tone — blending vacation comedy, brutal action, and psychological tension — reflects Tjahjanto’s belief that storytelling should feel like a jigsaw puzzle falling into place. He embraced the absurdity of Hutch’s waterpark vacation turning into a blood-soaked reckoning.

Tjahjanto wanted to lean into the elements that made this film different than the first. While the previous film was set during the winter and was, appropriately, dark and moody, this one embraces its sun-drenched vacation aesthetic. “We thought, ‘Let’s make it playful, summery and family-oriented,’” Tjahjanto says. “You see action set pieces that tread the line between grim and playful.”

The director also wanted to embrace the gritty, messy brutality of real-life, bare-knuckle fights. “Action is a universal language,” Tjahjanto says, and cites the award-winning 2011 Indonesian action phenomenon The Raid: Redemption, as a prime example. “That film had such a fresh, kinetic take on what action is supposed to be, and that approach is slowly making its way to Hollywood, allowing actors to do longer takes, even when it was clumsy. You don’t want to keep being slick. In real life, even the best MMA fighter has this grounded sloppiness that makes it beautiful.” The style, Tjahjanto says, was ideal for this film and the character of Hutch. “Hutch is the perfect archetype who gets dirty, sloppy, absent-minded; that’s all part of the beauty,” Tjahjanto says. “He’s a guy that keeps on going.”

Bob Odenkirk and director Timo Tjahjanto on the set of Nobody 2. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

A man armed with ambitions and demons, Hutch Mansell, played by Bob Odenkirk, is both exceptional and relatable. Now working full time as an assassin to pay off the $30 million mob debt he incurred in the first film, Hutch has made peace with his darker angels. He loves his work and has managed to keep his lawless and suburban worlds compartmentalized without putting his family in danger … so far. “At the end of the first film, we knew about Hutch’s violent nature, his abilities and his connection to big, evil secret-agent stuff, so we needed to work with that,” Odenkirk says. “We’ve established a character who secretly/not-so-secretly enjoys beating.

For the first film, Odenkirk had devoted two years to getting in the best shape of his life to play Hutch, and this time he wanted to go even harder, embodying the physicality of a man who uses his body as a full-time weapon. “Even though I am older, I was able to do more extensive fights and more moves in this piece,” Odenkirk says. “One of the inspirations for doing this was Jackie Chan. When my kids were little, my son in particular, didn’t like films. They were just too long. But he did watch Jackie Chan in Police Story and loved it. It’s sweet and likable, and the stunts are great.”

For Tjahjanto, Nobody 2 isn’t just about action — it’s about emotional resonance.

Tjahjanto and Odenkirk bonded over the creative struggle of balancing personal life and work, and that tension is woven into Hutch’s arc. The director said, “There’s a heart and soul to it that connects to real issues. That means a lot to me.”

The result is an action film unlike any that most Americans have seen before. “Timo is such a tremendous collaborator,” producer Kelly McCormick says. “He is a gory dude, which is great for this chapter. He came into the process respecting what Bob needed, what had happened to all the characters, and where we needed to go. But he was able to give it his own special sauce. It’s strikingly beautiful, even more so than the first film, and it feels bigger. It’s got its own energy of action, but very much in the Hutch-ian way. The combination is explosive, and it’s all thanks to Timo.”

McCormick’s fellow 87North producer, David Leitch, knows a thing or two about creating memorable fights, having directed some of the most unforgettable action films of the past decade, including Bullet Train, Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde. Tjahjanto, he says, is the real deal. “When you hire Timo to direct, he’s going to amp up the action,” Leitch says. “Go back and look at his catalogue of work. It’s bonkers, violent, visceral and bloody. For all the right reasons, we were excited for him to infuse that style into Nobody 2.”

Bob Odenkirk returns as Hutch Mansell, the seemingly ordinary suburban dad with a lethal past. This time, the story dives deeper into Hutch’s family dynamics and unresolved debts to the Russian mob. Four years after tangling with the Russian mob, Hutch is still working off a $30 million debt through covert hits. He and Becca, feeling the strain, take their kids on a nostalgic vacation to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark. But things spiral when Hutch’s daughter is bullied, triggering a brutal chain of events involving corrupt local authorities and a deranged crime syndicate.

The inspiration behind Nobody 2 is a layered blend of character evolution, genre homage, and personal storytelling

The screenplay for Nobody 2 was written Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin, Bob Odenkirk, and Umair Aleem.

Kolstad, the creator of the John Wick franchise, returns to expand Hutch Mansell’s gritty universe, while Rabin brings his experience from Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Odenkirk’s involvement adds a personal layer to Hutch’s evolution, and Aleem (known for Kate) contributes his flair for stylised action and emotional stake

Bob Odenkirk initiated the original Nobody project after recognising parallels between Hutch Mansell and his Better Call Saul character, Saul Goodman. He saw Hutch as someone with “earnest desires” and a willingness to sacrifice himself — traits that could translate powerfully into an action narrative. That emotional core continues in the sequel, where Hutch’s struggle to balance violence and family deepens.

Derek Kolstad, creator of John Wick, infused Nobody with the same kinetic energy and stylised violence.

For Nobody 2, Kolstad and co-writers Aaron Rabin, Umair Aleem, and Odenkirk leaned into the idea of a “vacation gone wrong,” drawing from classic action tropes like Die Hard and True Lies, but with a darker, more introspective twist.

Once Timo Tjahjanto joined as director in 2024, the script underwent revisions to match his visceral style. The final script incorporated flashbacks, surreal fight choreography, and metaphor-rich sequences, like Hutch battling mercenaries in a hall of mirrors.

The writing team behind Nobody 2 used genre fusion and metaphor not just as stylistic flourishes, but as emotional amplifiers — turning every punch, setting, and character beat into a reflection of Hutch’s fractured psyche and strained family ties.

The film blends black comedy, action thriller, and family drama, creating tonal dissonance that mirrors Hutch’s internal conflict. Scenes shift from absurd violence to tender family moments, emphasising the tension between his assassin instincts and domestic aspirations.

The “vacation gone wrong” trope borrows from True Lies and National Lampoon, but twists it into a metaphor for emotional burnout — Hutch’s inability to disconnect from violence becomes a symbol of modern workaholism.

The hall of mirrors fight sequence isn’t just a visual homage to John Wick — it’s a metaphor for Hutch’s fractured identity. Each reflection represents a version of himself: father, killer, protector, failure.

The carnival setting turns childhood nostalgia into a battleground, suggesting that Hutch’s past — once innocent — is now weaponised.

Hutch’s improvised weapons (arcade props, duck masks, anchor) evoke Jackie Chan-style ingenuity, but also symbolise his desperation to reclaim control using whatever fragments of joy remain.

Timo Tjahjanto is an Indonesian filmmaker celebrated for his visceral blend of horror and action. Raised in Indonesia, he studied at the School of Visual Arts in Australia before launching his career as a storyboard artist. He gained prominence as one half of The Mo Brothers with Kimo Stamboel, directing cult hits like Macabre and Headshot. His solo work, including The Night Comes for Us and May the Devil Take You, showcases his signature style: brutal choreography, emotional grit, and psychological tension. Tjahjanto’s direction of Nobody 2 marks a shift toward genre fusion, balancing carnage with character introspection.

Derek Kolstad began writing screenplays as a teenager and later studied business administration at Taylor University before moving to California to pursue a career in film. His breakout came with Scorn, a spec script that evolved into John Wick after Keanu Reeves signed on and suggested naming the film after Kolstad’s grandfather. The franchise’s success cemented Kolstad’s reputation for crafting emotionally grounded, mythic action narratives.

Beyond John Wick, Kolstad wrote Nobody (2021) and co-wrote Nobody 2, blending brutal choreography with introspective character arcs. He’s also contributed to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Die Hart, and adaptations of Splinter Cell, Just Cause, and Hellsing. His writing style is known for precision, rhythm, and emotional subtext — often described as “action with a soul.”

His work continues to explore haunted protagonists, stylised violence, and the emotional cost of survival.

Aaron Rabin is a screenwriter and producer known for his work on Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Secret Invasion, and the upcoming Nobody 2. His storytelling blends espionage tropes with grounded emotional stakes, often exploring characters caught between duty and identity. Rabin’s writing on Jack Ryan showcased his ability to balance geopolitical intrigue with personal drama, while Nobody 2 allowed him to dive into genre fusion — mixing dark comedy, action, and family tension.

He’s also been tapped to write Universal’s live-action adaptation of the Just Cause video game franchise, marking his first foray into video game storytelling. Rabin’s approach is marked by sharp pacing, psychological depth, and a collaborative spirit — working alongside Derek Kolstad, Bob Odenkirk, and Umair Aleem to shape Nobody 2’s emotional architecture.

Bob Odenkirk began his career as a comedy writer, earning Emmy Awards for his work on Saturday Night Live and The Ben Stiller Show. He co-created the cult sketch series Mr. Show with Bob and David, which became a touchstone for surreal, cerebral humour.

Odenkirk’s dramatic breakthrough came with Breaking Bad, where his portrayal of Saul Goodman — a morally flexible lawyer — led to the critically acclaimed prequel Better Call Saul. His performance earned multiple Emmy nominations and showcased his ability to navigate complex emotional terrain.

In 2021, he surprised audiences with Nobody, an action thriller that revealed his physical intensity and emotional depth. He trained extensively for the role, drawing from personal experiences and a desire to explore vulnerability through violence. He co-wrote Nobody 2, deepening Hutch Mansell’s arc with themes of identity, family strain, and emotional burnout.

Beyond acting, Odenkirk is a producer, director, and author. His memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama reflects on his creative evolution and personal challenges, including surviving a near-fatal heart attack in 2021.

Umair Aleem is a Los Angeles-based writer best known for Kate (2021), a Netflix thriller about a dying assassin seeking vengeance. His storytelling is marked by kinetic energy, metaphor-rich sequences, and a tone that often reflects existential dread. Aleem grew up on John Carpenter films and took an unconventional route into screenwriting — preferring long walks and intuitive plotting over rigid outlines. He reverse-engineers his scripts, starting with the ending and letting the emotional pulse guide the structure.

His breakout script Kate was voted onto the Black List and became the most-watched film on streaming for 12 consecutive days. Aleem also contributed to Extraction and is developing projects like The Beast, Danger Girl, and The Paladin, a franchise-starter described as Doctor Strange meets Unforgiven. For Nobody 2, Aleem joined Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin, and Bob Odenkirk to deepen Hutch Mansell’s emotional arc, bringing his signature blend of genre mayhem and introspective storytelling.

Aleem’s writing process is deeply metaphorical — he’s said that when an idea strikes, it feels like “a lightning bolt,” and that action should convey emotion without over-writing. His characters often navigate chaos with quiet desperation, turning violence into a language of survival.

by ·Comments Off on How Bring Her Back Turns Grief Into Resurrection

“When you’re developing and writing something, it’s just whatever’s happening to you at the time, whatever you’re going through at the time is like automatically inherent in the material,” says writer-director Danny Philippou of Bring Her Back, a new tale of horror he created with his brother Michael.

With their 2022 debut feature and horror phenomenon Talk to Me, filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou established themselves as some of the most exciting new voices in genre filmmaking. Where that movie, in which teenagers chase the high of conjuring spirits to possess them at house parties, was
partly inspired by the recklessness they’d experienced as high school students, it was grounded, and elevated, by a very real sense of consequences.

“With the movies that we make, whether it’s horror or any other genre, we really want our stories to have a strong emotional core. The stuff we want to create, we want it to work on multiple levels,” said Michael of their first feature. Danny agrees, emphasising that their features so far are clearly and confidently
a work of genre. “We don’t want to be scared of something that’s a horror movie. We want to embrace that it’s a horror film, and be proud of making a horror film.”

Danny and Michael Philippou on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved

It is with masterful control of the genre, and how audiences respond to their stories, that the brothers are able to combine horror, dark emotional undercurrents, and surprising comedy to maximum effect — putting real, relatable characters through the ringer to reach something more effective and far more
memorable in the end.

The filmmakers cite the wave of Korean genre films of the 2000s, notably Bong Joon-ho’s Memories of
Murder, as an inspiration in this way, how the now-Oscar-winning auteur was able to place queasy humor, slapstick, and the long emotional tail of trauma at the core of a film about the fundamentally unknowable mind of a serial killer.

Now, two years after their breakout film, the Philippou’s follow-up is Bring Her Back, returning the writing-directing duo to an excavation of the horrors of suburban family life that is heightened by the deepest emotional shocks and gnarliest gore of any genre film in recent memory.

When two step-siblings are placed in the care of a mysterious foster mother, they find themselves drawn into a world where grief and memory blur the line between reality and the unknown. Set in a remote home steeped in silence and secrets, Bring Her Back is a haunting exploration of love, loss, and the lengths we go to hold on — even when letting go might be the only way forward.

It began with a much softer, more innocent inspiration

“Our friend’s little sister is non-sighted, and there was a situation with her family where she really wanted to go and catch the bus by herself, but her parents wouldn’t let her do it,” Danny says. “She was trying to communicate with them that she’s going to have to learn to navigate the world without everyone babying her all the time, that she needs to have her own independence.”

Sally Hawkins on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved

That thematic core, of a teenage girl making her first steps towards independence, would manifest in the story of Piper (Sora Wong), who has low vision, shielded from the darkness of life by her protective older brother, Andy (Billy Barratt). Andy tends to paint the world in rose-colored hues for Piper, sheltering her
from its worst because he can’t bear to share a world that is so ugly with his little sister. But after the two siblings experience a tragedy and its unavoidable horror, they are flung into far more unthinkable circumstances.

Piper and Andy land under the care of Laura (Sally Hawkins), a child-care worker and counsellor living in a secluded home with the orphaned, and increasingly troubled, Oliver (Jonah Wren
Phillips). As brother and sister slowly unravel the horrible truth behind Oliver’s disturbing behaviour, his deterioration appearance, and a mysterious empty swimming pool at the center of Laura’s property, the Philippous methodically reveal the internal underworld of their tale, through snippets of horrific found footage and the dawning realisation of their new circumstances.

“Talk to Me feels like a party horror film, but this film is more character-driven,” Danny says. “We liked the challenge of a contained story about these three characters, focusing on their relationships.”

Sora Wong and Billy Barratt on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved

A Fractured Family

For Laura, whose secrets drive the narrative, the brothers were inspired in part by a lineage of films stretching at least as far back as the 1962 classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which focus on broken characters who withdraw from the real world into a dark fantasy of their own creation. When the fantasy is shattered by the world around them, their response to that incursion is often one of violent withdrawal — there are few things more powerful than a comforting delusion.

The characters in these films are “not necessarily bad people to begin with, but the world is bad, and bad things have happened to them and they’ve internalized everything,” Danny says. “And so, with Laura, what was exciting was trying to write a character that you uncomfortably sympathize or identify with.”

Jonah Wren Phillips and Sally Hawkins on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The Philippous instantly thought of Academy Award-nominated actress Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), whose dramaticrange and ability to embody a character’s fragile past made her a dream fit for the role. They were also intrigued by the fact that she had never quite tackled a film like this before — even if the emotional intensity was more similar to her work with the great Mike Leigh in Happy-Go-Lucky and Vera Drake.

“Seeing all these different characters that she would build big backstories for, that was so exciting to me, the idea of someone bringing that much care to her characters,” Danny says.

Adds Michael: “Laura is written almost in a more outwardly confident way, but Sally brought this depth to it and portrayed it in a different, more interesting way. Laura struggles with what she’s doing in the film, and that is what humanizes her, I think.”

Hawkins, for her part, was deeply impressed by the young film makers, the character-driven way they were building the film, and their way of working with the cast.

“Danny and Michael will storm the world. They have never-ending energy and drive, which can only inspire those around them.

They are so smart, so witty, and coupled with such emotional intelligence and integrity,” Hawkins says. “It’s a delicate piece and dealing with delicate subject matter, albeit in a rather terrifying frame or mask. I felt completely supported and trusted and given the space needed to do what I felt I needed to do.”

Sally Hawkins and Jonah Wren Phillips on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved

On Gore and Lore

First with the ghastly other-side souls of Talk to Me and now with the encroaching demonic presence of Bring Her Back, the Philippous never tire of dreaming up work for their talented makeup design teams. They enlisted both Sydney-based Make-up Effects Group (M.E.G.) and Larry Van Duynhoven’s
Melbourne-based Scarecrew Studios for the film.

“We love practical effects and building stuff and trying to find things that haven’t been done on film before,” Danny says.

All of this is in service of the built-in lore of the film. The lore of Talk to Me was potent but still somewhat willfully obscured by the way the Philippous chose to tell that story. It was, in fact, part of the film’s narrative engine that there was this mysterious hand with a lost legend that everyone in the film was trying to understand and piece together. In reality, the directors had written at length about all of the spirits the kids in the film were connecting with by engaging with the hand, as well as the experience of every kid who engaged with it.

The same is true of Bring Her Back, with its dark and foreboding ritual seen in fleeting VHS glimpses throughout the film. That ritual holds the immediate answer for what’s going on with Oliver, but it only scratches the surface of the film’s internal mythology.

“I always like when you don’t over-explain that stuff. You hint at it,” Danny says. “If you read the original script of The Shining, where you know that Jack Nicholson is actually a reincarnation of this other person that used to live at the hotel. All that stuff is completely stripped out in the movie, and then it’s the photo at the end where people are, like, ‘Wait a second.’”

The practical effects and world-building, and the way the film makers draw audiences in, are all in service of the central and terrifying logic of the film, one that lands with an emotional wallop when audiences realize the truth about Oliver’s condition.

“Oliver as a character is a manifestation of grief and the way it can eat you alive,” Danny concludes. “That’s the monster in this story: the consuming, never-ending pain of unresolved grief. The VHS tapes of the ritual are essentially a corrupted inversion of Laura’s home videos, another reflection of her unnatural grieving process.”

Just as Talk To Me ended on a thrillingly expansive note, showing that the story in the film was just one part of a larger, fully-fledged world, Bring Her Back’s unshakeable and haunting impact is achieved by the sense of reality and dedication to craft that the filmmaking duo bring to their new film.

Twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou are an Australian writer-director duo, known for their online presence in comic horror and action

Danny and Michael’s passion for storytelling began on YouTube where their videos have been watched over 1.5 billion times with over 6.7 million subscribers. They gained notoriety from their homemade slasher videos, stunts, and comedy sketches. In 2015, RackaRacka’s channel was awarded the Streamy’s Best International YouTube Channel, landed on Variety’s 2016 Fame Changers, and ranked 5th on Financial Review’s Cultural Power List. In their home country, RackaRacka won numerous awards at
Online Video Awards and the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for Best Web Show.

Danny and Michael Philippou on the set of A24’s BRING HER BACK. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

From Backyard Mayhem to Global Screens

Danny and Michael Philippou are twin brothers best known for their visceral blend of horror, comedy, and emotional storytelling. They rose to fame through their YouTube channel RackaRacka, which launched in 2013 and quickly gained a cult following for its chaotic, stunt-heavy videos that fused pop culture parodies with outrageous physicality.

They began filming backyard wrestling videos at age 11, inspired by WWE, often staging elaborate (and dangerous) stunts with friends. Their YouTube channel exploded with viral hits like Harry Potter vs Star Wars, earning millions of views and multiple awards, including the Streamy for Best International Channel. Their film industry breakthrough was launched when they worked behind the scenes on The Babadook (2014), which helped refine their cinematic instincts.

Known for their Greek heritage and DIY ethos, the brothers blend genre spectacle with emotional depth, often using horror as a lens to explore grief, identity, and obsession. Their feature debut, Talk to Me (2023), premiered at Sundance and was lauded for its psychological intensity. Bring Her Back (2025) followed, cementing their reputation as emotionally driven genre filmmakers.

They’ve described their work as a way to “exorcise demons” — not just for their characters, but for themselves.

As for Talk to Me 2, the brothers Philippou have written two different versions of the sequel, one that is directly connected to its predecessor, and another that’s more of a “sidequel.” Both stories are centered on new characters.

“One is continuing the story exactly on, and then another one is focusing on a new set of characters,” Danny Philippou shares. “We’ve written two sets of different characters in two different worlds that focus on two different themes.”

Screenwriter Bill Hinzman’s first credit was Talk to Me, which he co-wrote with director Danny Philippou. He has worked with both Danny and Michael on a range of projects since 2011.

by ·Comments Off on James Gunn Reboots the Legacy of Superman for a New Generation

In the rubble of brooding antiheroes and apocalyptic scale, writer-director James Gunn’s Superman isn’t just a reboot; it’s a major reset for the DC Universe, reshaping the legacy into something more vulnerable, more human. “Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice, and the human way, he finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.”

In conversation with writer/director/producer James Gunn

Stronger Than Fiction: The Evolution of Superman on Screen

From Christopher Reeve’s earnest grace to Zack Snyder’s operatic grandeur, Superman has always reflected the age that bore him. Now, under James Gunn’s vision, the Man of Steel is reborn. This 2025 reboot doesn’t discard the cape’s storied past; it reframes it.

Gunn approaches the mythos less as a monument to restore and more as a story to be retold with fresh breath. Where Reeve’s Clark stood for golden-age idealism and Cavill’s embodied mythic alienation, this Superman strives for emotional fluency—a hero not above us, but among us. Drawing on his own flair for misfit empathy, Gunn leans into vulnerability, irony, and optimism not as tonal contradictions but as coexistences. The result is a film that reveres tradition without being bound by it—rooted in the past, yes, but unmistakably speaking to now.

James Gunn’s Superman is as much a personal reckoning as it is a cinematic reboot.

The emotional core of his screenplay was shaped by something more personal: being fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That painful moment, and the overwhelming support he received afterward, shifted his creative compass. Gunn said, “Without that experience, I don’t think that I would’ve written the Superman that I wrote… That opened the door for me to stop creating so that people would like me.”

He approached the script with vulnerability, seeking feedback from trusted collaborators like DC writer Tom King. Gunn described his process as “first draft door closed, second draft door open,” emphasising the importance of constructive notes, even as the head of DC Studios.

The story follows a young Superman navigating his dual identity—balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing in Smallville. It’s not an origin story, but rather a fresh take on a more established Superman who’s still finding his place in a world that views his ideals as outdated.

Inspiration & Writing Process – Rewriting The Myth

James Gunn wrote Superman (formerly Superman: Legacy) by a deep love for the character’s enduring optimism and moral clarity—qualities he felt were missing from many modern superhero portrayals. He’s said that Superman represents “kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned,” and that idea became a central theme of the film.

Gunn also drew heavily from classic comics like All-Star Superman, Superman for All Seasons, and Lex Luthor: Man of Steel. While the plot of the film is original, he was influenced by the tone, emotional depth, and visual style of these stories. For instance, he admired how All-Star Superman blended science fiction with mythic storytelling, and how Superman for All Seasons captured Clark Kent’s humanity through the changing seasons of his life.

James Gunn drew inspiration from several iconic Superman comics to shape Superman: Legacy—each offering a different lens on the Man of Steel’s identity, values, and emotional depth:

  • All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely: A philosophical and heartfelt exploration of Superman’s legacy, mortality, and compassion. Gunn has cited this as a major influence for its tone and optimism.
  • Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale: A beautifully illustrated, seasonally structured coming-of-age story that emphasizes Clark Kent’s humanity and small-town roots.
  • Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu: A modern retelling of Superman’s origin that focuses on his internal conflict and journalistic mission.
  • Superman: Brainiac by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank: A high-stakes confrontation with one of Superman’s most cerebral foes, highlighting his vulnerability and emotional ties to Earth.
  • Superman: Ending Battle and others like American Alien, Space Age, and Superman: Unchained also helped shape the film’s tone and themes.

He’s described the film as a story about heritage and identity—how Superman’s Kryptonian lineage and Kansas upbringing shape his values and choices. It’s not just about superpowers, but about navigating a world that doesn’t always share his ideals.

James Gunn’s take on Superman redefines the character’s voice by leaning into earnestness without naivety, and idealism without irony—a bold move in an era of snarky, self-aware superheroes.

Instead of the stoic, sometimes distant figure we’ve seen in past iterations, Gunn’s Superman is emotionally accessible. He’s still the beacon of hope, but now with a touch of vulnerability and introspection. Gunn has said he wants Superman to be “kind in a world that thinks kindness is old-fashioned,” which reframes the Man of Steel not as a relic, but as a quiet revolutionary—someone who holds onto his values even when the world rolls its eyes.

This version of Clark Kent is also more grounded. He’s not discovering his powers or grappling with godhood—he’s already Superman, but still figuring out how to be human in a cynical world. That shift in voice means more warmth, more humor (Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Lois Lane, confirmed this), and a deeper emotional resonance.

Gunn’s writing style—known for its balance of irreverence and sincerity—lets Superman speak with conviction, but also with heart. Expect fewer grand speeches and more quiet truths. Less “I must save the world” and more “I believe in it.”

James Gunn’s work has a pretty clear evolution when you zoom out across his projects. Early on, with films like Tromeo and Juliet and Slither, you see a playful love of genre with a side of outrageous chaos—he wasn’t afraid to go weird and wild. Then his Scooby-Doo scripts showed his knack for balancing nostalgia with meta-humor, already hinting at that heart-underneath-the-sarcasm vibe.

But everything shifted with Guardians of the Galaxy. That was a breakout moment, where he blended emotional backstory, mismatched characters, killer soundtracks, and cosmic spectacle into something unexpectedly soulful. From there, his signature style crystallized: damaged but lovable characters, irreverence tempered by sincerity, and themes of chosen family and redemption.

The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker cranked up the cynicism and gore but still stayed true to that emotional core. Now, with Superman, Gunn’s channeling those storytelling instincts into a figure who’s the opposite of cynical—a beacon of hope. It’s like his whole journey as a writer has led to this moment: embracing earnestness in a world that often dismisses it.

James Gunn with David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult during the filming of Superman. © & ™ DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Building a Brighter World

Filming began in March 2024, under snow-dusted skies and high expectations. But rather than chase the operatic spectacle of predecessors, Gunn built a Metropolis that breathes—a city shaped not by grandeur but by heart. The production team leaned into vibrant colour palettes, earnest character beats, and a sense of wonder reminiscent of Joe Shuster’s early illustrations. The process was collaborative, intimate, and purpose-driven, with Gunn reportedly treating each scene like a love letter to hope itself. As co-CEO of DC Studios, he wasn’t just directing a film—he was charting the first step of a creative renaissance.

The Hero We Still Need

With Superman, Gunn doesn’t just relaunch a hero—he reorients a cinematic universe. As the keystone of the new DCU, this film holds the burden of belief: that sincerity sells, that optimism still resonates, and that character can be compelling without cynicism. If it lands, it won’t just elevate Clark Kent—it’ll light the runway for Supergirl, The Brave and the Bold, and a host of characters waiting in the wings.

James Gunn didn’t just write a Superman story—he lived one. Exiled, doubted, and ultimately restored, his journey mirrors that of the hero he now helms: not a god returning from the sky, but a man stepping forward when the world needs him most. In giving Superman his heart back, Gunn has done something rare in modern cinema—he’s made hope feel rebellious again. And maybe, just maybe, that’s all the legacy ever needed to fly.

James Gunn has quite the eclectic writing résumé, blending horror, comedy, and superhero genres with his signature irreverent flair.

Here are some of the notable films he’s written:

  • Tromeo and Juliet (1996) – A cult-classic punk adaptation of Shakespeare, written during his early days at Troma Entertainment.
  • Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) – Yes, those live-action Scooby-Doo films. Gunn brought a cheeky, self-aware tone to the beloved franchise.
  • Dawn of the Dead (2004) – He penned the screenplay for Zack Snyder’s remake of the George A. Romero zombie classic.
  • Slither (2006) – His directorial debut, a gooey horror-comedy that’s become a cult favorite.
  • Super (2010) – A dark, gritty take on the vigilante genre starring Rainn Wilson and Elliot Page.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Vol. 2 (2017), and Vol. 3 (2023) – Gunn wrote and directed all three, redefining the Marvel cosmic landscape with humor and heart.
  • The Suicide Squad (2021) – A chaotic, blood-soaked reboot that gave the DC antiheroes a fresh, irreverent spin.
  • The Belko Experiment (2016) – A brutal office survival thriller he wrote and produced.
  • Brightburn (2019) – A superhero-horror mashup he produced and co-wrote the story for.
  • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) – A festive Marvel one-off written and directed by Gunn.
  • Superman (2025) – His latest, and perhaps most personal, project as both writer and director, launching the new DC Universe.

He’s also dabbled in TV and web series, like Peacemaker and James Gunn’s PG Porn.

James Gunn: From Cult Cinema to Cultural Architect

James Francis Gunn Jr., born August 5, 1966, in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and studio executive known for blending irreverent humor with emotional sincerity. He began his career at the cult film company Troma Entertainment, co-writing Tromeo and Juliet (1996), before making his directorial debut with the horror-comedy Slither (2006).

Gunn gained mainstream acclaim with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), redefining the superhero genre with a misfit ensemble and a mixtape heart. He followed it with Guardians Vol. 2 (2017), The Suicide Squad (2021), and the HBO Max series Peacemaker (2022–present), showcasing his signature blend of spectacle and soul.

In 2022, Gunn was appointed co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran. His first major project in this role is Superman (2025), a reboot that reimagines the iconic hero through a lens of vulnerability, hope, and emotional truth.

Gunn holds degrees from Saint Louis University and Columbia University (MFA in creative writing). He was previously married to actress Jenna Fischer and is now married to actress Jennifer Holland. His brothers Sean, Brian, and Matt Gunn are also active in the entertainment industry

by ·Comments Off on Jurassic World Rebirth – A new era is born

“’Life finds a way’ is, for me, always the story,” says screenwriter David Koepp about Jurassic World Rebirth. “What’s wonderful about that theme is it can apply quite literally to your plot about the persistence of nature, represented by our dinosaurs, and it can apply to the characters and what they’re going through. They will manage to prevail and survive. Or they don’t! Sometimes life finds a way through death – though hopefully not for the characters you really like.”

When Dinosaurs Dream Again: The Timeless Myth Behind Jurassic Park’s Science

Jurassic World Rebirth was conceived almost immediately after 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion brought the second trilogy to a close and retired the cast of characters of both series, when revered blockbuster screenwriter David Koepp, who wrote the screenplay for the original Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, got a call from Steven Spielberg. “He said, ‘Hey, do you want to make another one of these?’” Koepp says. The answer, of course, was yes. “Developing stories with Steven is so much fun because he’s so good at it and we have such a great vibe and rapport.”

Spielberg and Koepp commenced the collaboration by riffing on the central theme of the series. Their brainstorming focused on imagining the state of the world following the events of Dominion, which left the entire planet suddenly overrun by dinosaurs running amok. Returning to Michael Crichton’s books for inspiration and leaning into his science-based premises, they decided this new age of human-dinosaur co-existence wouldn’t last long because most of the modern world would be inhospitable, if not toxic, to creatures indigenous to the Mesozoic Era. And so, in Rebirth, dinosaurs are in danger of extinction once more. The only places they continue to thrive are the tropical climes along the equator.

Here, warm-water leviathans like the Mosasaurus troll for food near Ile Saint-Hubert, located 227 miles off the northeastern coast of South America. A lush rain forest of low mountains and mangrove swamps, the island is also dotted with ruins of an ancient civilization and the blight of a more recent endeavor: a secret R&D facility run by InGen, the firm that cloned dinosaurs for the ill-fated theme parks of the first two Jurassic trilogies. Something went catastrophically awry deep in the jungle 18 years ago, and now, Ile Saint-Hubert is a forbidden zone, haunted by the horrendous consequences of reckless hubris.

Having forged a new “lost world” for Rebirth, and a rather lethal one at that, Koepp and Spielberg now needed a credible reason to visit it. They concocted a mission plot about a pharmaceutical giant that tasks a team of covert operations experts (and one sensible scientist) to infiltrate Ile Saint-Hubert and extract DNA from three colossal Cretaceous-period creatures, each the largest of their general type: Quetzalcoatlus (avian), Mosasaurus (aquatic), and Titanosaurus (terrestrial). The reason: to use the genetic material of these (literally) big-hearted animals to manufacture medicines that can cure cardiac disease.

“While doing research, I found that certain dinosaurs, larger ones in particular, did have extraordinarily long lifespans and the reason was they had remarkably low incidences of heart disease,” says Koepp. “That led to the idea that a drug could be synthesized from their DNA, because the greatest killer of humans is heart disease. The nice thing about that premise was that it was true to the core theme, ‘life finds a way.’ Life extension! Everyone can get onboard with that! To me, that seemed a valid reason—combined with the promise of a massive payday for the covert operations team—for smart, competent people to take the risk of going on an adventure into the most dangerous place in the world.”

To create complications for this quest, Koepp and Spielberg spun a subplot about a shipwrecked family, the Delgados, whose plight troubles the goals and consciences of the dino-hunting team. Koepp and Spielberg also devised strange new creatures—creepy misbegotten byproducts of InGen’s ill-fated genetic experimentation—to terrorize the characters. One was inspired by a memorable afternoon of yard work at Koepp’s house. “We had these old columns that were rotting, so we had to replace them,” says Koepp. “I was spraying off one of these things when two clawed hands came crawling out of the column at the top. They were followed by these long arms that just kept coming, followed by the head. It was this huge bat, soaking wet from the water. I thought: ‘I’m putting you in a movie!’”

Spielberg and Koepp also wanted to create action sequences unlike any seen before in a Jurassic film. Spielberg was particularly intrigued by the possibilities suggested by a Mosasaurus roaming the oceans. Koepp swam with it. “I loved the idea that part of the movie could be a seafaring adventure,” says Koepp. “Not only have I never seen that before in a Jurassic film, but it would be a new way for the franchise to capture the raw beauty of the natural world, which I believe all these films should do.”

Koepp and Spielberg found further inspiration in material from Crichton’s novels that had gone unused in the first two Jurassic films, including a suspenseful stretch on a river in which characters come upon a T. rex slumbering in a lagoon, sleeping off a feast of fresh kill. “We always loved that moment in Michael’s Jurassic Park novel,” says Koepp. Back in the early ’90s, when they were making the first Jurassic film, Koepp says, “there was discussion of putting that scene in that movie, but the number of shots that one could do with CG at that time was limited, and for reasons of pacing and budget and time, it was never fully pursued. So, one of the first things Steven and I decided when we started working on Rebirth was to get the scene into this story. Besides, the T. rex is the star of these movies; it had to at least make a cameo. This scene seemed like the perfect amount of T. rex.”

Prior to writing the script for Rebirth in earnest in the fall of 2023, Koepp reviewed the six previous movies and created a list of commandments: the nine rules that all Jurassic films should follow. “I’m afraid they’re now official trade secrets, so the list is now locked up somewhere inside Universal,” Koepp says. Still, he’s willing to share a few of them: Jurassic films should embrace plausible science as much as possible; they must keep continuity with past films; and they should be funny. “Humor is oxygen for movies like these,” Koepp says. “Not in a self-conscious way, but in an utterly believable, character-oriented way. To me there’s nothing funnier in films like these where you have characters trying to stay calm in the face of extreme peril by understating it.”

The first thing Koepp wrote was the Mosasaurus attack at sea, which dominates the first act of the film. “Shooting on water is always very tricky,” Koepp says, with a chuckle. “I remember thinking: “Oh, the poor people who will actually have to do this!’ But I’m just the writer! That’s their problem, not mine!”

A New Epic At Epic Speed

Accepting the challenge of solving the script’s seemingly impossible scenes were veteran Jurassic producers Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, who also recently produced Twisters for Universal. First, though, they had to get over the shock that the challenge even existed. “When we finished releasing Dominion in 2022,we had no doubt there would be another Jurassic film, but we had no idea Steven was cooking up a new one or that it would be ready so soon,” Crowley says. “We were focused on wrapping up Twisters when suddenly this script from David Koepp arrives in December of 2023. It really snuck up on us.”

With an accelerated production schedule, Rebirth needed a director with a proven record for big-budget franchise filmmaking. Enter Gareth Edwards, whose résumé made him ideally suited for telling the story of Rebirth and re-energizinga franchise: 2010’s Monsters, an ingeniously designed low budget creature feature; 2014’s Godzilla, which reintroduced the towering atomic kaiju to a new generation of moviegoers; and 2016’s Rogue One, a Star Wars tale with a heist-movie engine. He was also, unbeknownst to Spielberg at the time, perhaps the legendary director’s longest and most devoted student.

Edwards grew up in in England loving and studying Spielberg’s films. At the age of 10, he decided to learn storyboarding and special effects after watching a documentary on the making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. “Most of my films have been secret attempts to make my own Jurassic Park film, sometimes more obviously than others,” Edwards says.

Director Gareth Edwards (center; pointing) on the set of JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH

Edwards also impressed screenwriter David Koepp. “Gareth has a 3-D imagination that can visualize things that are spectacular,” Koepp says. “But what makes him gifted is he can not only visualize them, but also he can figure out how to bring them to reality. That’s the line that separates a director who’s good from one who’s terrific.”

Still, the call to Jurassic adventure arrived at a moment when Edwards’ energy was at an ebb. He was feeling depleted after finishing The Creator, and part of him hoped Koepp’s script would give him a reason to say no. But much like life, good writing finds a way. Edwards was riveted by the Rebirth script,from its thrilling story to its implicit love letter nostalgia for the films of Spielberg. “I wanted to not like it,” Edwards says. “I wanted to be able to say, ‘Thank you very much, but I’m going to take a break.’ But when I got to the end and closed the script, I went, ‘Oh, f—.’ I knew I had to do it.”

Indeed, Edwards could probably write another four-page essay about Koepp’s Rebirth screenplay. “It’s a mission story that becomes a survival story with some great curveballs thrown along the way,” Edwards says. “It elegantly balances and intertwines a story about these adventurers on a quest and an emotional family story. It’s a journey of distinct chapters set in interesting environments, sea, land, and air. Each one is their own short story thrill ride that adds up to one roller-coaster of epic story. At times, it’s like Jaws, at other times, it’s like Indiana Jones, and in between, it delights in the majesty of nature like a David Attenborough film. Truth be told, when I was reading the script, I thought if it presented one opportunity to do anything as cinematic and intense as the T. rex attack in Jurassic Park, I’d probably do it. But David’s script presented multiple opportunities, and I just got excited by the thought of making all of them.”

Besides an accelerated prep, the most intimidating challenge Edwards faced prior to rolling film in June of 2024 was getting over the pinch-me awe of working for Steven Spielberg. “Say you’re a composer who admires Mozart. Well, Mozart lived long ago, so he’s like a mythical person,” Edwards says. “But the great cinematic master of today is still very much with us, and I’ve now sat in rooms with him, and I can tell you, it’s a surreal experience; it’s like learning Santa Claus is real.”

As for his vision for Rebirth, Edwards wanted to use Spielberg’s original Jurassic Park as his tonal touchstone. “Jurassic Park was presented as a family film, but I always thought of it as a horror film in a witness protection program pretending to be a family film,” Edwards says. ”Jurassic Park is perfect pure cinema. You’re never going to get close to beating what Steven did with the original, and I never once thought I could. But I do hope we’ve made a film that’s worthy of it. Jurassic World Rebirth should feel as if Universal went into the vault and found a movie that they’d forgotten they’d made, a sequel to Jurassic Park from the nineties, with the vibe and style of the original.”

From Page To Screen

Jurassic Park Rebirth was shot in Thailand, Malta, the United Kingdom and New York. Principal photography began on June 13, 2024, and wrapped  in October.

To craft the world of Rebirth, director Gareth Edwards enlisted production designer James Clyne, who also served as his production designer on The Creator. “Jurassic Park was a seminal movie for me and in film history and I wanted to pay tribute to that as much as possible,” says Clyne. “The aesthetic of Rebirth feels very much like nineties-era Jurassic Park, especially on the island, with the concrete buildings and fences and use of colors like red and yellow. But there were some areas, such as the depiction of technology, where we borrowed from the Jurassic World movies and even pushed the futurism while always remaining as grounded as possible.”

To serve as director of photography, director Gareth Edwards enlisted John Mathieson, a two-time Oscar nominee (Gladiator films, Logan), known for his many collaborations with legendary auteur Ridley Scott. Fresh off lensing Gladiator II, Mathieson brought valuable experience shooting in the horizon tanks at Malta Film Studios, where Scott had staged Gladiator II’s battleship sequences.

Shot with Panavision cameras and anamorphic lenses, just as 1993’s Jurassic Park had been, Rebirth is the first feature that Edwards has made using 35mm film rather than digital. “I wanted that vintage look, the kind of texture that made Jaws and Jurassic Park so special,” says Edwards, who also credits Mathieson for encouraging him to embrace film. “Shooting in the jungle environments, film brings out colors in a way that digital just doesn’t. And when I held that Panavision camera, it felt alive. It vibrated in my hands like an animal.”

The challenge of designing Rebirth’s dinosaurs and bringing them to life on set and screen was a team effort across multiple departments, led by director Gareth Edwards, visual effects supervisor David Vickery andvisual effects producer Carlos Ciudad. The creature effects department was led by CFX creative supervisor John Nolan (Jurassic World Dominion, The Witcher).

Rather than jumping between physical builds and CF creatures during the movie, Edwards’ goal was to keep a consistent aesthetic by sticking to one clear methodology and use VFX to create all the dinosaurs in Rebirth. That approach allowed the team to focus on developing the fully realized digital assets—some of which took nearly a year to complete.

Introduced with a splash in Jurassic World, the Mosasaurus was the Jaws of the Late Cretaceous period, only bigger: a massive, muscular eating machine, and technically, not a dinosaur but a close reptile cousin. The Titanosaurus is one of the biggest sauropods ever seen. This massive herbivore from the Late Cretaceous period, whose name aptly means Titanic lizard, is around 50 feet tall, 70 feet long, weighed more than 30 tons and had legs the size of Redwoods, each measuring about eight feet in circumference. The Quetzalcoatlus is a gigantic pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. This massive omnivore is one of the largest known flying animals of all time. It stands 16 feet and seven inches high when on the ground and has a 30-foot wingspan when in flight. It sports a six-feet-long razor-sharp beak and weighs approximately 550 pounds. A fan favorite since their first appearance in Jurassic Park III, the Spinosaurus is a massive, amphibious predator. The Spinosaurus, whose name means “spine lizard,”first lived during the Late Cretaceous period. They are 39 feet long and 13 feet high, with thick, powerful bodies, massive claws, razor-sharp teeth and six-feet-high sail fins. Inspired by Ray Harryhausen’s iconic creature work and staying loyal to the incredible designs created by previous Jurassic teams, the VFX concept artists set out to evolve the T. rex for Rebirth—creating something meaner, recognizable, but distinct. Inspired by Koepp’s creepy close encounter with a giant bat that crawled out of a rotted column on his property, the Mutadon is roughly the size of a raptor, measuring 6-7 feet high, 16 feet long and weighing approximately 550 pounds. Other creatures include two new Velociraptors, The Dilophosaurus is a theropod from the Early Jurassic period, the well armored herbivore packs Ankylosaurus, and the Compsognathus, a small bipedal theropod dinosaur the size of a chicken.

To create the score for Jurassic World Rebirth, director Gareth Edwards turned to a distinguished friend, two-time Oscar® winner Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shape of Water), who worked with Edwards on Godzilla. “I feel very fortunate to be doing the music for a movie franchise like this, which entertained me so greatly, as a filmgoer, for decades,” Desplat says. “I dreamed of writing music for movies like this since I was a teenager, and now, here I am,” he adds with a laugh, “part of Jurassic World, almost a teenager.”

by ·Comments Off on Dangerous Animals – Exploring the terror of human obsession

Visual artist and screenwriter Nick Lepard was living in California and spending a lot of time surfing. “I came up with the visual of somebody sneaking a person onto a boat in a surfboard bag and couldn’t let it go”, and so he started imagining reasons why that might happen.” His research inspired the serial killer in Dangerous Animals, “A character who becomes a twisted reflection of the public’s fascination with shark attacks, all while exploring a paradoxical stance “

Dangerous Animals is a sharp, exhilarating thriller that takes you on a ride through the terror of human obsession, deadly creatures and a twisted dance of survival. But beneath its visceral exterior lies a deeper story about facing your demons – and the price of running from them.

The film follows a vagabond surfer, Zephyr, who is abducted by a local fisherman and held captive on his boat, and must outsmart her killer before she’s fed to the sharks below.

Nick’s vision for Zephyr was a character who appeared to have total freedom: “At first glance, she’s living life to the fullest, travelling, surfing all day,” but in reality, she’s stuck in an internal prison. Her van is both a source of freedom and a cage, allowing her to pick up and leave whenever she feels threatened. When Tucker abducts her, however, it’s the end of the road. She must finally face what she has been running from to be truly free. Side by side, Tucker and Zephyr appear similar — ocean-lovers who are mistreated and solitary, like sharks— but they’re also opposites. Zephyr pushes people away while Tucker forces himself on them.

Nick’s script made its way to horror auteur and director Sean Byrne, who quickly read the script and immediately signed on because of the high concept: shark flick meets serial killer film. “After that, I worked with Nick to refine the project. I was excited to finally make a shark film that didn’t vilify the shark,” says Sean.

Dangerous Animals marks a major milestone in Nick Lepard’s career as a screenwriter. It is his first widely recognised screenplay and has garnered attention for its unique blend of survival horror and psychological thriller elements.

Originally, the script Dangerous Animals was much lighter, Nick recalls, “Sean wanted something darker. Something closer to Texas Chainsaw Massacre… with sharks.”

“It was the rare combination of serial killer and shark film. A high concept that would be highly marketable and could cut through. However, the more I thought about it, the more excited I got about the chance to make a shark film where the shark isn’t the obvious antagonist. I thought, if Jaws turned the shark into a monster, then this could be the long overdue film to correct the cruel misconception by pointing the finger at the real monster: man.”

Sean and Nick reworked the script together, Nick reflecting on the incredible amount he learned from Sean. “He’s a master of pacing and tension, knowing when to pull back and when to hit the audience.”

And as a result, the film is packed with some of the most chilling moments Lepard has ever written. “There are scares in Dangerous Animals that leave you breathless,” says Nick, “Tucker has this one kill, his first big kill, and it’s heart-stopping. I’ve never seen anything like it. Audiences are going to be reeling from it long after they leave the cinema.”

“Sean, the cast, the crew, everybody involved, made an absolutely terrifying movie that is also a lot of fun. We locked a ruthless villain and a determined hero on a boat with sharks circling below. It’s a powder keg at sea.”

Dangerous Animals is a shark film and a serial killer film rolled into one. Sean emphasises, “It’s a really fun ride, but character always has to come first. If you don’t care, then you don’t scare.”

The visual approach

The visual approach for Dangerous Animals was developed through extensive discussion between director Sean Byrne and cinematographer Shelley Farthing-Dawe. “I was fortunate that Sean had done storyboards for the whole film before we started official prep, so we were able to sit down and work through his ideas and thoughts early in the piece,” Shelley explains that the boards were a great start and Sean was very open to shifting things as locations and new ideas came in. They wanted to do as much as they could in camera on location in terms of the actors work, to add to the intensity of the film.

Sean praises Shelley, “He’s just an amazing DP not only in a technical sense, but also in a performance sense, [he is always considering] what is going to be the best thing to keep the actors in the moment.”
Shelley reflects on the process, “It was great because we had actors hanging on a crane off a boat on the water, which visually adds a lot of horror to the scenes, watching those performances in such compromising positions.” The film was shot over many weeks on water, which was logistically very tricky but brings so much to the overall look of the film. “We built a great deal of practical lighting into the boat itself, both inside and out so that the actors had a good range of movement within the scenes. We wanted a look that felt stylised but still felt true to the characters and the script.” To achieve this, the filmmakers used the Alexa Mini LF and Arri Signature primes with the use of FX rear diopters to help with some intense moments.

Hassie Harrison and Jai Courtney in Sean Byrne’s DANGEROUS ANIMALS. Courtesy of Independent Film Company and Shudder. An Independent Film Company and Shudder Release.

Australian director Sean Byrne burst onto the scene with The Loved Ones, following a teenage boy who finds himself at the mercy of a classmate’s demented party after he declines her offer to attend the school dance. Written and directed by Sean Byrne, it marked his feature directorial debut, which achieved official selection at over twenty international film festivals, winning the People’s Choice Award, Midnight Madness Category, Toronto International Film Festival; the Siren Award for Best International Feature, Lund International Film Festival; and the Jury Prize at Gérardmer International Film Festival. Sean’s following feature, The Devil’s Candy, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival; was nominated for Best Motion Picture at the Sitges International Film Festival; awarded the Prix du Public (Audience Award) at Gérardmer International Film Festival; and Best Independent Horror at The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.

Nick Lepard is the Canadian screenwriter whose writing blends psychological depth with visceral tension. With two highly
anticipated projects from acclaimed directors Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil’s Candy) and Keeper (2025) helmed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs, The Monkey), Lepard has emerged as a bold new voice in horror. Nick has a BFA in visual art from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver BC, and an MFA from the New York Academy of Art in New York City. Interview

“After graduating from the Academy I found myself wanting a project that would work some of the creative muscles painting did not, so I enrolled in a continuing studies screenwriting class at NYU. I’ve always been interested in writing and have always loved movies. Screenwriting was a natural bridge between the two. Screenwriting has its own challenges but a benefit is that you can get away with more than you can in literary writing and it requires only a tenuous grasp on grammar. What’s paramount is the story, characters, and imagery. In fact, art school was an oddly useful education for screenwriting in that a screenplay is in some way just a list of images.”

by ·Comments Off on The Salt Path – A journey that is exhilarating, challenging, and liberating

The script for The Salt Path evolved slowly over a few years, with director Marianne Elliott and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz collaborating on the script together, both taking the time to walk the path separately and meet with Ray and Moth together. ‘It always felt like a joint project between Elizabeth, Rebecca and me as we were trying to grow this thing for a completely new medium. We were trying to give it a different voice in a different medium, in a different way,’ says Elliott.

The Salt Path is the profound true story of husband and wife, Raynor and Moth Winn’s 630-mile trek along the beautiful but rugged Cornish, Devon and Dorset coastline. After being forcibly removed from their home, they make the desperate decision to walk in the hope that, in nature, they will find solace and a sense of acceptance. With depleted resources, only a tent and some essentials between them, every step along the path is a testament to their growing strength and determination. It’s a portrayal of home, how it can be lost and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

Producer Lloyd Levin recalls reading The Salt Path when it was first published. He and Beatriz, his wife and producing partner were both deeply moved by its story of resiliency and personal growth in the face of many adversities: ‘It immediately struck us as something that had the potential to be very cinematic, particularly if the film could convey the raw power and beauty of nature as Ray so exquisitely wrote and
captured it in her memoir.’

The extreme hardships that Ray and Moth faced, both in financial and medical terms are very relatable. This is why Lloyd believed the book connected with so many people, ‘They never gave up or lost hope (or their sense of humour!) They faced adversity and triumphed over it, literally and metaphorically by reconnecting with nature and simply putting one foot in front of the other, which for readers – and
moviegoers – is at once pragmatic and inspiring’ Lloyd remarks.

Lloyd decided to reach out to Ray directly. She recalls receiving a social media message from Lloyd explaining that the book had resonated with him so profoundly that he wanted the opportunity to make it into a film. Ray was walking on the Coast Path with her dog at the time, ‘I sat on a bench for a while, near a spot where we’d camped when we were walking, and watched the tide come in. I couldn’t
comprehend what was happening, it seemed completely surreal.’

For acclaimed Olivier and Tony award winning theatre director Marianne Elliott, the only woman to have won three Tony Awards for Best Direction (Company, Angels in America, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) and recipient of an OBE in 2018, the step towards the medium of film was one she had wanted to make for a long time. When the pandemic struck, she decided that it was finally time. With theatres closed, Marianne worried that they may never open again.

Producers Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley explained that they had wanted to collaborate with Marianne for many years. As Elizabeth states: ‘I admired her. I’d seen a lot of her theatre work and thought that she was such an incredible talent.

’Elizabeth also recalls going to an event and running into Tony Kushner, acclaimed writer of Angels in America, who told Elizabeth: ‘Of all the theatre directors, I think Marianne will make a great film director because she’s so profoundly visual.’

They got in contact with Marianne and were delighted to hear that she wanted to make the leap over to the film. Marianne suggested that they read The Salt Path and that was where their journey with the project began. They tracked down the rights to the film, which led them to Lloyd and Beatriz Levin who agreed to join forces on the project.

The next step for them was to find the best person to adapt the book into a screenplay and for Elizabeth, there was only one woman for the job: Rebecca Lenkiewicz. Having collaborated previously, Elizabeth reached out to her about the project. Rebecca told her she had recently been gifted the book from her mother, who lives in Cornwall, for Christmas. They both took this to be a sign. ‘All the stars aligned, and we were so lucky to have her, she’s a wonderful, lyrical writer,’ commented Elizabeth.

Lloyd commends Rebecca for adapting Ray’s work so excellently: ‘She masterfully crafted characters with real depth, made nature a palpable essence and a character in its own right while skilfully maintaining an undercurrent of social consciousness.’

When Ray heard that Rebecca would be adapting her story, she was delighted as she had been a huge admirer of Rebecca’s writing. ‘I was excited to see how she would interpret my words and make them her own. The final script was beautiful, capturing the essence of the original story while taking it forward on a powerful new journey.’

Elizabeth revealed that when it came to casting the part of Ray, both she and Marianne knew that it had to be Gillian Anderson: ‘She has that steely strength and tenacious quality, but also a vulnerability about her. She’s just a fantastic actor, very professional, very talented and a lot of fun too.’

Gillian Anderson is no stranger to playing real life characters. As she states: ‘I’ve played Margaret Thatcher, and I played Eleanor Roosevelt, and I remember that thirst to spend time in those shoes and figure out what made them tick and their early years and this wasn’t so much that. I realised that it’s really about the journey.’

Gillian met with Ray, she read the book a couple of times and listened to her audiobook. There were a few things that she chose not to do in terms of Ray’s mannerisms, as she explains: ‘It was important for me put together a version that was Ray, but also still me. I didn’t want to get too obsessed with it, as much as anything, it’s about portraying the story and their circumstances.’

For Jason Isaacs, the Moth to Gillian’s Ray, he discloses that: ‘All you ever want from acting is that the other person seems like they are who they’re meant to be, and then it’s just easy, and she was Ray to me. She made it easy, because she’s a cracking actress and is unrecognizable from part to part. I don’t know that I ever got to know Gillian. I think I probably got to know Ray with a little sheen of Gillian on her.’

When it came to Jason landing the role of Moth, he believes it was down to him wearing a scarf for the first-time meeting Marianne, which he explains further: ‘Moth always wears a bandana or a scarf. I really wanted the job, so I wore a little coloured scarf inside my shirt, hoping that subliminally, Marianne would see it and believe I was the right person for the job. It’s since become a habit now, and I feel slightly undressed if I’m not wearing a bandana or a scarf.’

While Jason was preparing for the part, he met the real-life Moth and completely fell in love with him. ‘He’s an extraordinary person in so many ways. He’s completely self educated, incredibly humble, and just constantly wanting to learn, listen, be amazed and find wonder in anything anyone has to say around him. I’m madly in love with him. That’s the truth. As is everyone who ever meets him, and he made himself
permanently available to me throughout the process. He has been incredibly generous in opening himself up to me about the things that were most vulnerable and difficult and awkward.’

An important component in both Gillian and Jason’s preparation involved meeting the real-life Ray and Moth. Ray remembers how Marianne, Gillian and Jason travelled to their home in Cornwall to spend the day with them before filming began. Ray said of her observations that day: ‘Gillian naturally exudes a calm inner strength, while Jason has an intense curiosity about life, and they were both deeply passionate about finding the nuance of the story. I immediately felt they were perfectly cast.’

Director Marianne Elliott has directed some of the most celebrated theatrical productions in the West End and on Broadway; WAR HORSE, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, ANGELS IN AMERICA, COMPANY and DEATH OF A SALESMAN. She is the only woman to have won 3 Tony Awards for Best Direction. As Artistic Director of Elliott & Harper Productions, Marianne’s credits include the West End premiere of Mike Bartlett’s play COCK and the award winning revival of Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN (co-directed with Miranda Cromwell) at the Young Vic Theatre and then the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play.

Elliott’s acclaimed 2018 revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s COMPANY originated in the West End at the Gielgud Theatre where it won 4 Olivier Awards (including Best Revival of a Musical) as well as the Evening Standard Award for Best Director of a Musical. Marianne’s first show for Elliott & Harper was the West End premiere of Simon Stephens’ play HEISENBERG at Wyndhams Theatre. Marianne was an Associate Director at the National Theatre for over ten years. Her final production for the NT was her Olivier Award-winning revival of Tony Kushner’s ANGELS IN AMERICA, which subsequently transferred to Broadway, where it won 3 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play. Marianne’s other productions for the National Theatre include WAR HORSE which she co-directed with Tom Morris (West End and Broadway; winner of the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play); THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT- TIME (also
West End and Broadway; Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Director and Best New Play; South Bank Sky Arts Award). Other plays at the National Theatre include HUSBANDS & SONS, RULES FOR LIVING, THE LIGHT PRINCESS, PORT, SEASON’S GREETINGS, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, MRS AFFLECK, HARPER REGAN, SAINT JOAN (Olivier Award for Best Revival, South Bank Show Award), THÉRÈSE RAQUIN and PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY (Evening Standard Best Director Award). Other theatre includes SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH at the Old Vic starring Kim Cattrall; MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING for the RSC starring Tamsin Greig; and THE LITTLE FOXES at the Donmar Warehouse starring Penelope Wilton. Marianne was an Associate Director at the Royal Court, London, from 2002 – 2006,
and from 1998 – 2002, an Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange in Manchester. In 2020, Marianne directed two episodes of Alan Bennett’s TALKING HEADS for the BBC, starring Tamsin Greig and Harriet Walter. In 2018, Marianne was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her Services to Theatre.

Screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz is an award-winning writer who, in 2008, was the first living female playwright to have her work produced on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre. She co-wrote Academy award-winning feature IDA with Pawel Pawlikowski, COLETTE with Wash Westmoreland, DISOBEDIENCE with Sebastian Lelio and SERVANTS with its director Ivan Ostrochovsky and co-writer Marek Lescak. More recently, she adapted SHE SAID for Plan B and Universal and won the WGA Paul Selvin Award, the Hamilton Behind the Camera Award for Best Screenplay, and was BAFTA nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Rebecca currently has projects in development with Plan B, Element, New Regency and Killer Films, amongst others. She recently shot her directorial debut HOT MILK (based on her own adaptation of the novel by Deborah Levy), for Bonnie Productions, Heretic and Film4, starring Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw, Vicky Krieps, Vincent Perez and Patsy Ferran.


by ·Comments Off on Drop – A whodunnit where everyone in the vicinity is a suspect

“What’s terrifying about Drop is that it feels very grounded. This is a scenario that some people might see and feel like it could happen to them,” says director Christopher Landon. “There’s just something about the idea of being tormented and harassed by an unseen person on your phone that I think most people can relate to. I believe we’ve all experienced some form of that, whether it’s on social media or maybe even with an ex, so there’s an immediate relatable element to the concept of Drop, which ends up becoming the fully realized and ultimate nightmare version of that.”

Director Christopher Landon returns to the thriller genre with the playful, keep-you-guessing intensity he perfected in the Happy Death Day films with this of-the-moment whodunnit where everyone in the vicinity is a suspect . . . or victim. Drop is jointly produced by blockbuster genre houses Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes.

“The Blumhouse brand has always been about suspense and terror,” says Landon. “One of the things I love the most about them is that they take big swings and try stuff that a lot of other people would shy away from. I’m sure that if I took this script around Hollywood and said I wanted to make a thriller about two people sitting at a dinner table all night, most people would answer, “No, thank you.” But Jason Blum and Blumhouse trust filmmakers and gave us the opportunity to tell a story that we think is personal and worth telling.”

In Drop, Landon saw an opportunity to make a style of film he felt a certain nostalgia for. “I wanted to make a sort of throwback to ’90s thrillers and even further back to Hitchcock and De Palma, but with this very modern conceit at the center of it,” Landon says. “That was really appealing to me. This also felt like my chance to make a love letter to films like Red Eye. That’s a movie I really love, and think is under-appreciated. It is such a tight, contained thriller.”

Landon found an even deeper connection to the material, which involves themes of domestic abuse and the impact of that trauma on survivors. “I’ve had people very close to me who have been victims of abuse, specifically domestic abuse,” says Landon. “This was very personal to me, and something I wanted to handle delicately. But I also wanted to show that there is a path for people, a way out.”

“I think audiences are going to love how fast-paced, suspenseful, exciting and emotional the movie is,” says Landon. “You know, I think it fires on a lot of different cylinders, having a real conversation with the audience about the nature of our highly abusive online culture. I went through something personal prior to making this movie, where I found myself being attacked by a bunch of people I didn’t know, and it’s a scary and bizarre feeling. So, I think audiences are going to relate to Violet and the situation that she’s in, rooting for her to get the upper hand and take back control. And Drop is definitely a must see on the big screen because it’s such an audience experience. There are many twists and turns and surprises, which just hits differently in a movie theater where you can hear everyone reacting together as they try to work out the mystery. That experience is irreplaceable.”

Imagine you are at a restaurant, enjoying your evening, when an unexpected notification pops up on your phone. You have received a drop request from someone in the restaurant, someone you do not know. Assuming the drop must be a prank, you accept. But, instead of funny memes or jokes in return, you begin to receive messages that feel both threatening and personal. You get the eerie feeling that you are being watched, observed, toyed with. In a matter of minutes, your night out has taken a dark, and potentially dangerous, turn.

Director Christopher Landon and Meghann Fahy on the set of Drop. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved

This scenario, which provides the narrative engine for Drop, is also its real-life inspiration.

Platinum Dunes producer Cameron Fuller and his friend, actor Sam Lerner (The Goldbergs), were on vacation overseas with family when they fell victim to a wave of unrecognized drops. “We’re at a beautiful dinner and we start receiving drops from someone in the restaurant,” Fuller says. “Over the course of the meal, they are getting progressively scarier. By the end, we thought we had figured out who it was, but we were never able to confirm it. That was the scariest part. We never knew who the sender of these drops was. And then we said, ‘maybe this should be a movie.’”

The Screenplay

Fuller and Lerner brought that idea back to the states and enlisted the help of screenwriters Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach, whom Lerner knew. The writers wrote the screenplays for Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island. In addition to Drop, Jacobs and Roach have often collaborate with director Christopher Landon, known for blending genres. Some of their notable work includes writing for films like Freaky (2020), a horror-comedy twist on a body-swap story, and Happy Death Day 2U (2019), the sequel to the time-loop slasher film Happy Death Day. Their screenwriting style frequently mixes suspense, humour, and unexpected emotional depth.

“Usually, a movie doesn’t happen this way,” Fuller says. “This was just a combination of luck and having great people involved.”

“I wasn’t looking for a thriller specifically,” says Landon, “but I tend to gravitate towards things that I feel on a gut level, and I just had such a visceral reaction to this script. In a strange way, it felt a bit like a bookend to me. Early in my career I wrote a film called Disturbia, which was very much my love letter to Alfred Hitchcock by way of John Hughes. Drop felt like an evolution for me—it was nice to work on something a little bit more adult and mature after having made a lot of films that focus on teenagers.”

Not long after this initial meeting, Jacobs and Roach returned to Fuller with a completed script. He was floored by it. “When you read a script that holds you the whole way through, it’s kind of like you’ve struck gold,” Fuller says. Fuller then delivered the script to his father, Brad Fuller—producer of the A Quiet Place and The Purge franchises. “My dad usually doesn’t get excited about things,” Cameron Fuller says, “but he got really excited about this one.”

Brad Fuller immediately saw the potential for a rare kind of thriller. The script expertly blends elements from the ticking-clock thriller and whodunit genres, concocting a single-location story that feels both timeless and relevant in today’s digital world. From the moment Violet steps into the restaurant in the film, the narrative takes place in real time, as the audience experiences every single second of terror with her. “I’m personally attracted to films that feel like they could actually happen, and this was a great realistic thriller,” Brad Fuller says. “The script was a movie the first time I read it.”

The writing process involved crafting a modern thriller that cleverly integrates technology into its suspenseful narrative.

Violet (Meghann Fahy) and Henry (Brandon Sklenar) in Drop, directed by Christopher Landon. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Finding the right director

As the Fullers set out to find the ideal filmmaker to direct the project, Brad recalled an old friend who seemed the perfect man for the job. “About 20 years ago, my partner Michael Bay and I were developing a movie at Universal, and we hired a young Chris Landon to rewrite the script,” Brad Fuller says. “Chris came in, rewrote the script, and Bay and I loved him, so he was always in the back of my head.” Michael Bay, as both a director and producer, has been responsible for some of the biggest blockbuster franchises of the past 30 years, from Bad Boys to Transformers, The Purge to A Quiet Place. He knows talent when he sees it. “Chris Landon was cool before anyone knew he was cool,” Bay says. “He knows how to tell a killer, entertaining story on screen. You can’t learn that; it’s intrinsic. You either have it or you don’t.”

Landon had come a long way since his rewrite days at Universal, becoming one of the most sought-after horror directors in the industry. Brad called him. “I said, ‘I know we haven’t talked in a long time, but I have a script that you just have to read,’” Brad Fuller says. “He called me the next day and said, ‘I love it.’ And so, Chris committed to it.”

Christopher Landon shares a longstanding relationship with both the Fullers and Jason Blum. Having helmed many of Blumhouse’s signature hits—Freaky (2020), Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)—the director leaped at the opportunity to work with the company again. “I think the reason I’ve had such a lasting relationship with Blumhouse, and specifically Jason, is the amount of creative freedom they give their filmmakers,” Landon says. “If you can make your movie within a certain budget parameter, you have control. It is an empowering situation, and that is why a lot of filmmakers keep going back.”

Jason Blum was equally happy to be working with Landon again. “Chris has this incredible gift as a director of finding the fun and the pure adrenaline rush in movies that are primarily designed to scare the hell out of you,” Blum says. “You are on the edge of your seat, or curled into a ball, terrified for what is coming, but you are also having a blast. Among his many talents, he is an expert in getting the tone right, and so was a perfect fit for Drop.”

Drop is set almost entirely in one location, the upscale restaurant Palate, located on the top floor of a Chicago skyscraper. But you won’t find it on OpenTable or Grubhub. Production designer Susie Cullen and her team built the entire, fully functional restaurant from scratch at Ardmore Studios just outside Dublin, Ireland.

Cullen embraced the opportunity to tell a story in one location. “When a script is spent largely in one space, it definitely puts pressure on that space to hold interest,” Cullen says. “It’s a huge consideration because with that much time there, the camera is going to be all over the space, and there’s nowhere to hide.”

“One of the things I love the most about Drop is that it’s very much about a woman simultaneously trying to solve a mystery and prevent a crime,” says Landon. “Violet has been tasked with murdering her date, and there is an unseen person in the restaurant who is this sort of puppet master controlling her – watching her every move, listening to her every word – while she’s trying to figure out who it is. So, I loved playing with the mystery elements, casting suspicion on different characters in the movie. Is it the bartender? Is it the hostess? Is it the waiter? Could it even be her date, Henry? There’s at least a hundred people in that room with her; so, it could be anyone. I think it’s fun to watch the audience get into that element of the story, trying to figure out who it is. That’s really the joy of the movie.”

First dates are nerve-wracking enough. Going on a first date while an unnamed, unseen troll pings you personal memes that escalate from annoying to homicidal? Blood-chilling. In Drop, Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widowed mother on her first date in years, arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry ( Brandon Sklenar) is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone. She is instructed to tell nobody and follow instructions or the hooded figure she sees on her home security cameras will kill Violet’s young son and babysitting sister. Violet must do exactly as directed or everyone she loves will die. Her unseen tormentor’s final directive? Kill Henry.

by ·Comments Off on A visual guide to The Language Of Film: How To Read A Film

Film, like speech and writing, has a unique language

Writing, speech, and visual images all communicate within their own particular spheres.

Film Is A Visual Art

Visual art expresses its subjects in space. The art in visual art consists of how those subjects are composed in space. A painter composes with colour, shapes, and tones. A sculptor composes with shapes and spaces. A photographer composes with real and sometimes unreal objects of light.  The visual side of the film is primarily in the hands of three members of the production team:

  • Production Designer/ Art Director: Responsible for designing sets and the total visual concept of the film.
  • Cinematographer: Who decides the lighting, and in some cases the composition of the shot to be photographed.
  • Director: Who supervises the mechanics of filming.

Film Is Also A Temporal Art

A temporal art expresses its subjects in time. The art in a temporal art consists of how those subjects are composed in time. A playwright composes with characters’ behaviour and dialogue. A poet composes with the juxtaposition of words and phrases. A novelist composes with dialogue and descriptions of words and phrases.  The temporal side of the film is the responsibility of:

  • Director: Who must keep in mind how each action relates to the actions that come before and after it.
  • Film Editor: Who puts the pieces of film into interesting and coherent rhythms. His work often influences the structure of the scenes and may change the structure of the film.
  • Screenwriter: Who works out the temporal organisation of the film, which normally precedes the visual organisation. Working from the screenplay, the art director, director, and cinematographer then create the visual organisation.

The Art Of Collaboration

The art of collaboration in filmmaking is essential for creating compelling and memorable films. Effective communication among team members ensures that everyone understands the vision and goals of the project. Building trust and respect among team members fosters a positive working environment. A unified vision helps keep everyone on the same page. It’s essential for the director and key creatives to clearly articulate the desired outcome and ensure that all team members are aligned with this vision. Filmmaking involves balancing different perspectives and ideas. By embracing the Art Of Collaboration, filmmakers can create a cohesive and dynamic team that produces exceptional films.

Have a look at this terrific scene from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and see how he masterfully manipulates the senses through visual storytelling

Visual dynamics are important in Novels as well

Here’s how J.R.R Tolkien’s used Visual Dynamics in his novel The Hobbit:

Now if you wish, like the dwarves, to hear news of Smaug, you must go back again to the evening when he smashed the door and flew off in rage, two days before. The men of the lake-town Esgaroth were mostly indoors, for the breeze from the black East and chill, but a few were walking on the quays, and watching, as they were fond of doing, the stars shine out from the smooth patches of the lake as they opened in the sky.

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon, I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam.

The Visual Dynamics of Film

Films are created in bits and pieces and put together in an order that the filmmaker hopes will make sense to the viewer. When the filmmaker begins to create the film itself, he or she has a choice of a great variety of techniques to tell the story or communicate the ‘bits and pieces’.

Camera Work

The basic element in all films is the shot. This is a single piece of film that may be as short as one frame or as long as the entire film. The shot continues until the filmmaker decides to change to another shot.  In a finished film, the shot becomes a scene. Scenes are the building blocks of sequences, which make up the entire film. They can be compared to sentences which make up paragraphs that create an entire story. The filmmaker uses different kinds of shots to create variations. An establishing shot often comes at the beginning of a sequence to orient the audience with the general surroundings. Other shots are the medium shot, the close shot, the point of view shot. These different shots are used to create various feelings and moods in the audience.

Another series of shots used by filmmakers involves camera angles. There are three basic angles: High-angle shots look down on the subject; low-angle shots in which the camera looks up; and flat-angle shots or eye-level shots.

Here’s Terrence Mallick’s Tree of Life, where the film becomes a meditative visual experience.

The camera can also move; there have been several developments in the area: the steadicam, the fly-cam; remote head cameras and different cranes.

Here’s the flight scene from Man Of Steel, capturing the thrill, excitement and adventure of Superman’s first flight, something we all dream about. 

Optical Effects

Filmmakers use optical effects to influence how audiences see films.

  • Fade in: At the beginning of a new segment, the scene starts out black and grows brighter until it reaches the proper exposure.
  • Fade out:  At the end of several sequences, telling us that a segment has ended; the image grows darker until it is black.
  • Dissolve: A fade-out and fade-in overlapped to create the image that appears to mix one into the other. This is used to show the passage of time from one scene to the next.
  • Slow-motion: This is used to describe details better, to emphasise violence and action sequences, to show the beauty of a subject and to highlight the emotional impact of a scene.
  • Wipes: When one scene ‘wipes’ or moves another scene off the screen.
  • Freeze frame: To emphasise a particular frame or image.
  • Swish pan: The camera pans rapidly from one character to another in a scene, creating rapid pacing and increasing tempo.

Here’s the classic fight scene from The Matrix Reloaded, using optical effects to plunge us into the action.

Point Of View (P.O.V)

The filmmaker, similar to the author of a novel, can use various points of view. 

In Witness, an 8-year-old Amish boy whose father has just died is exploring the Philadelphia Amtrack station. We see him glance towards his mother, waiting on a bench, an unfamiliar sight in her black coat and bonnet. Then the camera moves at child’s-eye level, letting us see what the boy sees. We ‘walk’ as he walks, looking at a gigantic gold-covered statue. Next, the camera cuts to an overhead shot, looking down from high up the rafters, at the statue and the small boy. We, the audience, become involved and identify with the boy.

In Road to Perdition, Sam Mendes brilliantly uses point of view to accentuate a young boy’s realisation that his father is a killer.

Editing

Next to the actual photography, editing shots into the order a filmmaker wants is perhaps the most important part of creating a film.  A group of scenes that are edited together make up the sequence. The cut is used to change our attention from one scene to another. The joining of one scene with another scene, how scenes follow one another, may seem a simple notion, but the cut in a film is one of the most powerful of the filmmaker’s techniques.

Creative editing involves cutting scenes so the action flows smoothly.

  • Matching action: We see a character walk to a door, open it, and start to go through to the other side. The viewpoint changes to inside the room, and we see the character continue on into the room. The action is smooth. There is one continuous flow of movement from outside to inside.
  • Montage: Each of the scenes passes quickly, but each scene is connected by similar ideas. One classic montage occurs in Citizen Kane. Orson Welles and Ruth Warrick, playing husband and wife, start the sequence by having breakfast at opposite ends of a conventionally sized dining table. As the sequence progresses, the table becomes longer and more stretched out. By the end of the scenes, we see the couple reading separate newspapers and obviously paying no attention to each other. The montage gives viewers a quick understanding of the couple’s growing indifference, to tell without dialogue the reason behind the marriage break-up.
  • Blind Editing: When the editor joins to scenes so that you cannot see where the cut is made. In The Color Purple several scenes are masterfully linked with visual and sound-editing.

The editor must be aware of the rhythm, tempo and pacing of the film.

  • Rhythm: The beat that we feel as we see the edited images pass by.
  • Tempo: The rate of the rhythm, or how fast the rhythm moves.
  • Pacing: The various changes in tempo and rhythm that take place in the film.

The film editor uses two basic techniques:

  • Cut-ins: Some detail of the main action is cut into the middle of another scene. For instance, a medium shot shows several characters talking. Suddenly one of them steps back in terror. At this point there is a cut-in of the actor’s face. The cut-in is also a close-up.
  • Cut-away: Cuts to another bit of action which involves the first scene. In the same shot as in the example above, one of the characters turns and looks off screen in terror. What she sees is what we see next – a cut-away to a man entering a room, holding a gun.

By juxtaposing bits and pieces of film that have been carefully planned and shot, a film editor can do all sort of tricks.

Here’s the classic shootout in Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables, an ultimate feat in editing to manipulate the physical and emotional action.

Lighting

Lighting placed low can give actors a sinister look. If it is dimmed it may make the same actors look depressed or sad. A shadow of a knife across a face and the shadow of a murderer stalking his victim are examples of shadow techniques.

Stanley Kubrick filmed Barry Lyndon using only natural light, drawing us into the world of the story.

Colour

Filmmakers can use the intensity or brightness of colour, as well as the lack of colour to paint a story.

Colour is a powerful tool in filmmaking, influencing the visual storytelling and emotional impact of a film.

  • Setting the Mood and Atmosphere – Colour can create a specific mood or atmosphere in a scene. For example, warm colours like red and orange can evoke feelings of warmth, passion, or tension, while cool colours like blue and green can create a sense of calm, sadness, or detachment.
  • Conveying Emotions – Colour can be used to represent the emotions of characters or the overall emotional tone of a scene. For example, a character experiencing anger might be surrounded by red hues, while a character in a melancholic state might be depicted in muted or desaturated colours.
  • Enhancing Visual Storytelling – Colours can be used to highlight important elements in a scene, guide the viewer’s attention, and enhance the storytelling. For example, a bright colour might be used to draw attention to a key object or character.
  • Symbolism and Themes – Colours often carry symbolic meanings and can reinforce themes within the film. For example, the use of white might symbolize purity or innocence, while black might represent evil or mystery. Filmmakers can use colour symbolism to add depth and layers of meaning to the narrative.
  • Creating Visual Contrast – Contrasting colours can create visual interest and highlight differences between characters, settings, or time periods. For example, a character dressed in bright colours might stand out against a dull background, emphasizing their uniqueness or importance.
  • Establishing Time and Place – Colour palettes can be used to distinguish different time periods, locations, or realities within a film. For example, a sepia tone might be used to represent a historical setting, while vibrant colours might indicate a futuristic world.
  • Continuity and Cohesion – Consistent use of colour can help create a cohesive visual style and enhance the overall aesthetic of the film. A carefully chosen colour palette can create a sense of unity and harmony throughout the film.
  • Eliciting Audience Reactions – Colour can evoke specific psychological responses from the audience. For example, the use of red can create a sense of urgency or excitement, while blue can have a calming effect.
  • Supporting Character Development – Colours can be used to represent a character’s journey or transformation. For example, a character might start the film dressed in dark, muted colours and gradually transition to brighter colours as they experience personal growth or change.
  • Creating Memorable Visuals – Striking use of colour can create iconic and memorable visuals that leave a lasting impression on the audience. Colourful and visually distinctive scenes can become iconic moments in film history.

Here’s the classic ‘girl with the red jacket’ scene from Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, brilliantly showing the effect war has on children. 

Composition

There is no rule in composition. Usually, the frame or image is composed so that it pleases the eye, emphasises something, or so that it will describe a tension between colours, shapes, and vertical and horizontal figures.

Composition in filmmaking is a fundamental aspect of visual dynamics, shaping how scenes are framed and presented to the audience. It involves the deliberate arrangement of elements within the frame to create a visually compelling and coherent image.

Examples of Effective Composition in Film

  • Wes Anderson: Known for his meticulous use of symmetry and color palettes, Anderson’s films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel” showcase precise and visually striking compositions.
  • Stanley Kubrick: Kubrick’s use of one-point perspective, as seen in “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “The Shining,” creates a sense of depth and visual impact.
  • Alfred Hitchcock: Hitchcock’s use of framing and leading lines, particularly in “Vertigo” and “Psycho,” guides the viewer’s eye and enhances suspense.

Composition is a powerful tool in filmmaking, allowing directors and cinematographers to craft visually engaging and emotionally resonant scenes. By mastering the principles of composition, filmmakers can create memorable and impactful visual storytelling.

Tim Burton is a master when it comes to composition. Here’s a scene from Sweeney Todd. Every frame is carefully composed to contribute to the theme of passion and desperation. 

Sound

Sound design has become an integral part of filmmaking. With the development of sound design, filmmakers can fully involve audiences in the visual action.

Sound plays a crucial role in filmmaking, significantly impacting the audience’s experience and emotional engagement.

  • Setting the Mood – Sound design, including background scores, ambient sounds, and effects, helps set the tone and mood of a scene. For example, suspenseful music can create tension, while a serene soundtrack can evoke calmness.
  • Enhancing Realism – Natural sounds like footsteps, rustling leaves, or city noises contribute to the authenticity of the film’s environment. These sounds immerse the audience in the setting, making the experience more believable.
  • Supporting the Narrative – Dialogue is a primary means of conveying the story and character development. Clear and well-executed dialogue helps the audience understand the plot, motivations, and emotions of the characters.
  • Creating Emotional Impact – Music and sound effects can evoke strong emotional responses from the audience. A powerful score can amplify the emotional intensity of a scene, whether it’s joy, sorrow, fear, or excitement.
  • Guiding the Audience’s Focus – Sound can direct the audience’s attention to specific elements within a scene. For example, a sudden sound can draw attention to a particular action or object, enhancing the visual storytelling.
  • Building Atmosphere and World-Building – Sound design helps create a unique atmosphere and world within the film. For instance, the futuristic sounds in sci-fi films or the eerie ambiance in horror movies contribute to the overall world-building.
  • Supporting Transitions – Sound bridges can smoothly transition between scenes or sequences. Music or sound effects can help maintain continuity and flow, making the film more cohesive.
  • Reinforcing Themes and Motifs – Recurring musical themes or motifs can reinforce key elements of the story. For example, a character’s theme music can signify their presence or emotions, adding depth to the narrative.
  • Creating Immersion – Surround sound and spatial audio techniques can create a more immersive experience for the audience. These techniques make the viewer feel like they are part of the action, enhancing the overall impact of the film.
  • Adding Layers of Meaning – Sound can add subtext and layers of meaning to a scene. For example, the use of contrasting music can create irony or highlight underlying emotions that are not explicitly shown on screen.

In summary, sound is an integral part of filmmaking, contributing to the overall storytelling, emotional impact, and audience engagement. It works in harmony with visual elements to create a memorable and immersive cinematic experience.

What better example than the opening from Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, where sound and image collide

Special and Visual Effects

With the advent of more realism in films of the 90s, and especially computer-generated effects,  Special Effects companies now take audiences where they have never been before.

Visual Effects (VFX)

Visual effects are created using computer-generated imagery (CGI) and other digital techniques to enhance or create scenes that cannot be achieved through traditional filming methods. VFX are often used to create fantastical elements, extend environments, or simulate complex actions.

Special Effects (SFX)

Special effects are practical effects created on set during filming, using physical methods rather than digital techniques. SFX include makeup, prosthetics, animatronics, pyrotechnics, and more. Special effects involve real physical elements, such as explosions, squibs, and fire. These effects are created and captured on camera, adding a sense of realism and tangibility. Mechanical effects include animatronics, puppetry, and mechanical rigs that create realistic movements and actions. These effects are often used for creatures, vehicles, and other dynamic elements. Stunt coordinators and performers use SFX to safely execute complex and dangerous actions, such as fight scenes, car chases, and falls. This adds excitement and authenticity to action sequences. Physical sets, miniatures, and props are created to enhance the visual storytelling. These tangible elements provide a sense of scale and detail that can be captured on camera.

Modern filmmaking often involves a combination of VFX and SFX to achieve the desired visual impact. This collaboration allows for the best of both worlds, blending digital and practical techniques to create visually stunning and immersive experiences.

Visual and special effects are integral to filmmaking, expanding the creative possibilities and enhancing the visual storytelling. By mastering these techniques, filmmakers can create memorable and impactful cinematic experiences

Watch this hilarious clip from Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her, where visual effects contribute to the delightful humour

Exposition as a Visual Dynamic

Exposition is usually, but not always achieved through dialogue; characters talk about what happened in order to establish the next direction in the storyline. Primary exposition is the telling and showing to the audience the time and the place of the story, the names and relationships of the characters, and the nature of the conflict.

Exposition, in the context of visual storytelling, is the technique used to convey background information about the characters, setting, and plot to the audience. It’s essential for providing context and helping the audience understand the story. While exposition is often delivered through dialogue or narration, it can also be conveyed visually, making it a powerful tool in filmmaking.

  • Visual Clues and Symbols -Using visual elements to provide information can be more engaging than traditional exposition. For example, showing a character’s worn-out shoes and cluttered room can hint at their struggles and personality without needing explicit dialogue.
  • Props and Set Design – The objects and environment around the characters can tell a lot about their history and situation. For instance, a room filled with family photos and mementos can convey a character’s attachment to their past and loved ones.
  • Costume and Makeup – A character’s appearance can provide insights into their background, status, and personality. For example, a character wearing an old, patched-up uniform might suggest they have been through many battles.
  • Montages – A sequence of images or scenes edited together can efficiently convey a significant amount of information in a short period. For example, a montage showing a character’s childhood, training, and journey can provide context for their current situation.
  • Flashbacks and Flash-forwards – Using visual flashbacks or flash-forwards can reveal crucial information about a character’s past or future. These sequences can be visually distinct, using different color palettes or styles to indicate the time shift.
  • Environmental Storytelling – The surroundings and setting can provide context and background information. For example, a post-apocalyptic world can be conveyed through desolate landscapes, destroyed buildings, and scattered remnants of civilization.
  • Character Actions and Behaviors – How characters interact with their environment and other characters can reveal important information. For example, a character’s hesitation before entering a particular location can suggest past trauma associated with that place.
  • Visual Metaphors – Using visual metaphors can convey complex ideas and themes. For example, showing a character trapped in a small, confined space can symbolize their feeling of being trapped in their life or circumstances.

Examples of Effective Visual Exposition in Film:

  • Up: The opening sequence of Pixar’s “Up” is a masterclass in visual exposition. Through a montage of images, it tells the entire life story of Carl and Ellie, their dreams, struggles, and love, all without a single word of dialogue.
  • Blade Runner 2049: The film’s set design, including the futuristic cityscape and decaying environments, provides rich context for the world and its social dynamics.
  • Mad Max: Fury Road: The visual storytelling in this film conveys the harshness of the post-apocalyptic world and the characters’ desperation through environmental details and character designs.

By using visual exposition effectively, filmmakers can create a more immersive and engaging experience for the audience. It allows for storytelling that is both subtle and powerful, making the information feel organic and integral to the visual narrative.

Here’s how Hitchcock uses Exposition in Spellbound (1954)

In THE WRITE JOURNEY course we fully explore VISUAL DYNAMICS in STORY: How to create Flashbacks, the description of characters, setting & worldbuilding

by ·Comments Off on 2024’s Cinematic Masterpieces

TOP FILMS OF 2023 / 2024 FILM RELEASES / 2025 FILM RELEASES

Daniel Dercksen shares his top films of 2024

Daniel Dercksen is a published film journalist of 40 years who’s been teaching workshops and courses in creative writing, playwriting and screenwriting internationally since he formed The Writing Studio in 1999.

ALL OF US STRANGERS is a masterful blend of emotional storytelling, complex characters, and surreal atmosphere that makes it a profoundly moving film. The film delves deeply into themes of love, loss, and reconciliation. It captures the raw emotions of its characters, making the audience feel every moment of joy and heartache. The relationship dynamics between Adam, played by Andrew Scott, and Harry, played by Paul Mescal, are portrayed with authenticity and vulnerability. The characters are richly developed and multi-dimensional. Adam’s interactions with his parents, who appear as they were before their untimely death, add layers of emotional complexity and poignancy. This blend of reality and fantasy allows for a profound exploration of grief and unresolved emotions. Andrew Haigh’s direction is meticulous and sensitive to human behavior. His ability to create intimate and emotionally charged scenes makes the film an unforgetable experience. READ MORE

MARIA – Directed by Pablo Larraín, it profoundly impacts its audience through its moving portrayal of the last days of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. The film captures Callas’s introspective journey as she reflects on her life and career during her final days. Angelina Jolie’s powerful performance brings depth and authenticity to the character, making her internal struggles and emotions resonate sharply with the audience.The film delves into themes of identity, artistic legacy, and the personal cost of fame. It portrays Callas’s search for her own voice, emphasizing the complexities of her character and her profound impact on the world. By focusing on Callas’s private moments, the film offers an intimate look into her vulnerabilities and strength. Larraín’s direction, combined with the cinematography by Edward Lachman, presents a visually stunning and emotionally charged narrative that mirrors the grandeur of Callas’s life. This artistic approach elevates the film, making it a significant piece in contemporary cinema. Its emotional depth, historical richness, and artistic excellence makes the film a significant and unforgettable cinematic experience. The film releases on January 31, 2025 in South Africa. READ MORE

CONCLAVE centers on a papal election following the sudden death of the pope. It delves into the complexities and secrecy of the conclave process, a traditionally closed and confidential event. Edward Berger’s direction ensures that the film not only tells a compelling story but also invites audiences to ponder the moral and ethical questions raised. His vision brings out the profound themes of faith, duty, and the human condition.The film’s narrative weaves political intrigue, personal secrets, and power struggles, making it a gripping and intellectually engaging experience. The film explores the power dynamics within the Vatican, highlighting the influence of politics and personal agendas in the selection of a new pope. This examination provides insight into the intricate balance of power and faith, and how they shape major decisions in the Church. The film delves into the dualities of faith and doubt, exploring how the cardinals reconcile their spiritual beliefs with their personal ambitions and secrets. It examines the facets of human nature, including virtue, temptation, redemption, and the complexities of making moral choices under pressure. Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini deliver standout performances, bringing depth and complexity to their characters. Their portrayals reflect the personal and ideological conflicts faced by the cardinals, making the film a compelling character study. Its significant contribution to contemporary cinema offers a rich blend of political drama, symbolism, and thought-provoking themes. READ MORE

THE HOLDOVERS is a heartwarming dramedy that poignantly delves deeply into the lives of its main characters. The unlikely bond and personal transformations between Paul Giamatti as a stern and unpopular professor, Dominic Sessa as a troubled student, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph as the head cook mourning her son, make the story a poignant exploration of human connection. Alexander Payne’s direction balances humour and melancholy, turning what could be a cliched “holiday movie” into a richly textured narrative about life’s unpredictability and the beauty of unexpected friendships. READ MORE

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW is a testament to the indomitable human spirit, deftly balancing harrowing reality with moments of hope and compassion. J.A. Bayona’s direction brings a profound sense of humanity to the film. His approach emphasizes the inner strength and resilience of the survivors, avoiding sensationalism and focusing instead on their emotional journeys. The breathtaking yet deadly Andes mountains are captured by Pedro Luque’s cinematography, emphasizing both their beauty and their menace. The stark contrast between the serene landscape and the dire situation of the survivors enhances the emotional weight. The film is based on the true story of the 1972 Andes plane crash in which a Uruguayan rugby team was stranded in one of the planet’s most hostile environments. Their ordeal, including extreme measures to stay alive, is portrayed with sensitivity and care, exploring the psychological effects on the survivors and their struggle with guilt and trauma. READ MORE

THE BIKERIDERS portrays the complex relationships within the biker community and examines the tension between the idealized American Dream and the reality of individual lives. Characters like Johnny sacrifice traditional family life for a constructed one with their biker family. The movie explores how modern American life shifts through these characters and scrutinizes the consequences of chasing grandiose dreams. Director Jeff Nichols, who is known for his talent in creating character-driven stories with a strong sense of place, builds a gritty and immersive narrative, masterfully capturing the essence of 1960s motorcycle culture and the complex dynamics within the biker community, making it a compelling and emotionally resonant film. READ MORE

POOR THINGS– Yorgos Lanthimos’s masterful direction brings a unique and eccentric style to the film, blending dark humour with deep philosophical questions, making the film both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The film confronts patriarchal norms and highlights women’s autonomy and freedom in their sexual choices. Bella’s journey of self-discovery and liberation highlights the struggles against societal expectations and oppression. The film subverts traditional cinematic objectification and empowers its female protagonist, making a statement on gender dynamics. Bella’s resurrection and the ensuing quest to understand her new life delve into themes of identity and self-realization. This emotional journey is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, as Bella navigates a world full of wonders and tragedies. READ MORE

WOMAN OF THE HOUR – Directed by Anna Kendrick, it’s a significant film for its daring exploration of true crime, gender dynamics, and the unsettling intricacies of the human psyche. The film is based on the true story of Rodney Alcala, a notorious serial killer who appeared on the television show “The Dating Game” in 1978 while he was still at large. This chilling real-life event adds a layer of gravity and intrigue to the film. READ MORE

HORIZON: CHAPTER 1 blends a rich historical context with compelling storytelling. Directed by Kevin Costner, the film benefits from his nuanced understanding of Westerns, blending authentic historical details with compelling drama. It paints a vivid picture of the turbulent times, focusing on the settlers and the Indigenous peoples, capturing the complexities and conflicts of the era. Its epic scope sets the stage for a four-part saga, sprawling across the vast American frontier before, during, and after the Civil War. The film doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of the time, including clashes between settlers and Indigenous tribes, making it a powerful exploration of survival and coexistence. READ MORE

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES serves as the latest installment in the iconic “Planet of the Apes” franchise, which dates back to 1968. Directed by Wes Ball, the film focuses on the journey of Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape from the Eagle Clan, as he evolves from a child to a leader. Similar to its predecessors, the film delves into ethical and philosophical questions, exploring the power dynamics between apes and humans. It reflects on themes of survival, co-existence, and the impact of technology on societies. The film boasts stunning visuals and special effects, creating an immersive experience and bringing the post-apocalyptic world to life. READ MORE

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX is a masterfully impactful film thanks to its deep themes, exceptional storytelling, and powerful performance. The phrase “Folie à Deux” translates to “madness shared by two,” perfectly capturing the symbiotic and disturbing relationship between Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) as Joker and Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). This shared delusion brings a new depth to their characters, emphasizing the psychological complexities of their bond. The film delves into the nuances of mental health, raising profound questions about sanity, accountability, and societal treatment of those deemed “insane”. Incorporating musical elements into a dark and chaotic narrative adds a layer of surrealism. Todd Phillips’ nuanced direction and vision elevate the film and challenges traditional superhero storytelling, focusing instead on the blurred lines between heroism and villainy, sanity and madness. This subversion leads to an introspective commentary on the nature of villainy and the fantastical elements of superhero films. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga deliver mesmerizing performances, embodying their characters with depth and intensity. Their portrayal adds emotional and psychological weight to the film, making their descent into madness both compelling and disturbing. READ MORE

ONE LIFE serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that one person’s compassion and courage can have on the lives of many. Director James Hawes brings the incredible true story of Sir Nicholas Winton to life on-screen with a compelling and heartfelt narrative that tells the extraordinary true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, a British humanitarian who rescued 669 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia just before World War II. It delves into themes of humanity, empathy, and the difference one person can make. By focusing on the personal stories of the children rescued and their emotional reunions with Winton decades later, the film underscores the profound impact of selfless humanitarian act. The film sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of history, ensuring that Sir Nicholas Winton’s contributions are recognized and remembered. It also emphasizes the importance of preserving and sharing such stories to inspire future generations. READ MORE

THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film offers a chilling and contemplative look at the Holocaust from the perspective of an Auschwitz commandant and his family living next to the concentration camp. This unique viewpoint challenges viewers to confront the banality of evil and the complicity of ordinary people in horrific events. READ MORE

ORDINARY ANGELS – Directed by Jon Gunn, the film stays true to the essence of the real-life events while adding cinematic elements to enhance the storytelling. As a faith-based film, Ordinary Angels explores themes of faith, hope, and the impact of personal transformation. Sharon Stevens’ journey from struggling with alcoholism to becoming a beacon of hope for the Schmitt family is a central element of the story. The film highlights the power of community support and kindness. It showcases how ordinary people can come together to make a profound difference in someone’s life, emphasizing themes of compassion and solidarity. Despite the challenges faced by the characters, Ordinary Angels delivers an uplifting and optimistic message about the human spirit and the importance of helping others. READ MORE

HERE – Based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire, Here tells a generational story about families and the special place they inhabit. The narrative spans multiple time periods, from prehistoric times to the present day, offering a unique and nonlinear storytelling experience. The film employs digital de-aging technology to allow the cast to portray their characters across different eras. This innovative approach adds a visually captivating element to the film, enhancing the storytelling. Here explores universal themes such as love, loss, laughter, and life, capturing the human experience in its purest form. The film’s focus on these relatable themes resonates with audiences on a deep emotional level. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, known for his visually stunning films, Here boasts impressive production values, including cinematography by Don Burgess and music by Alan Silvestri. READ MORE

GLADIATOR II – Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel continues the story of the original Gladiator (2000) and maintains the same high production values and epic storytelling. that fans loved in the first movie. The plot delves deeper into the world of Ancient Rome, focusing on new characters and conflicts while still honoring the legacy of the original film. Overall, it stands out as a significant sequel due to its star-studded cast, epic storyline, visual spectacle, and has reignited interest in the story of Maximus and the world of Ancient Rome. READ MORE

DUNE: PART TWO – : Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film is known for its stunning visuals, including breathtaking desert landscapes and epic battle scenes. The production quality and attention to detail create an immersive experience for viewers. As part of the larger Dune franchise, the film has reignited interest in the source material and its themes of power, destiny, and human nature. It has also sparked discussions about the dangers of charismatic leaders and the impact of prophecy on society. Dune: Part Two stands out as a significant sequel due to its compelling continuation of the story, character development, visual spectacle, and thought-provoking themes. READ MORE

MUFASA: THE LION KING – The film serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the 2019 photorealistic remake of The Lion King. It explores Mufasa’s backstory and how he became the king of the Pride Lands, adding depth to the original story. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the film boasts impressive visuals that capture the beauty and grandeur of the African savanna. The stunning cinematography and special effects create an immersive experience. The narrative delves into Mufasa’s character, highlighting his struggles and growth as he navigates his path to becoming king. The film also explores the complex relationship between Mufasa and his brother Taka (later known as Scar), adding emotional depth to the story. As part of the beloved The Lion King franchise, the film has generated significant buzz and excitement among fans. Its exploration of timeless themes and its connection to the original story make it a meaningful addition to the series. READ MORE

THE WILD ROBOT – The film is based on the popular novel by Peter Brown, which has garnered a dedicated fanbase. The adaptation brings the story to life with stunning visuals and a compelling narrative. The film explores themes of love, compassion, and selflessness. It tells the story of Roz, a robot who becomes stranded on an island and adopts a gosling named Brightbill1. Through their journey, the film highlights the importance of adoptive parenthood and the idea that love transcends biological connections. Directed by Chris Sanders, the film features stunning animation and breathtaking visuals that capture the beauty of the island and its inhabitants. It’s a thoughtful and heartwarming tale that resonates with audiences of all ages. READ MORE

SPEAK NO EVIL – Directed by James Watkins, the film is a psychological horror thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its tense atmosphere and unsettling plot, exploring themes of trust, hospitality, and the dangers of ignoring one’s instincts. It serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of being too polite or trusting. It stands out for its compelling story, strong performances, and its ability to blend psychological horror with social commentary, making it a notable film in the genre. James McAvoy delivers a standout performance as Paddy, the unsettling host. Critics have noted that McAvoy’s performance is one of his best since his role in “Split” (2016). READ MORE

HERETIC is the most shocking film of the year. Hugh Grant delivers a chilling performance as Mr. Reed, a character who turns a theological discussion into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. It simultaneously quickens the pulse and provokes thought, making it a standout film in the horror genre this year. READ MORE

BROS is one of the first gay romantic comedies produced by a major studio and features an openly LGBTQ principal cast. The film stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as two gay men in Manhattan who avoid commitment but are drawn to each other. The film is co-written by Eichner, whose involvement ensures that the story is told from a genuine perspective, reflecting real experiences and emotions within the LGBTQ+ community. It addresses themes of love, relationships, and identity in a way that is both humorous and heartfelt. It challenges stereotypes and offers a more nuanced portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals, contributing to broader cultural conversations about inclusion and acceptance. READ MORE

LONESOME– Directed by Craig Boreham, the film is a poignant and timely queer love story that explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for genuine connection in a hyper-connected world. The film delves into the complexities of human relationships and the emotional scars that people carry. It portrays the journey of two men, Casey and Tib, who are both struggling with their own traumas and trying to find a sense of belonging. The film has received praise for its heartfelt storytelling, strong performances by Josh Lavery and Daniel Gabriel, and its ability to balance humor with emotional depth. READ MORE

Top Streaming Series

Richard Gadd delivers an autobiographical account of his own terrifying experience with a stalker. This personal connection adds a raw, palpable intensity to the narrative. Gadd’s willingness to share such a vulnerable part of his life makes this story exceptionally impactful. READ MORE
The Gentlemen TV series, created by Guy Ritchie, retains his distinctive blend of action, comedy, and crime drama. His unique style of storytelling, sharp dialogues, and dynamic direction make the series engaging and entertaining. READ MORE
Alfonso Cuarón’s Disclaimer revolves around a journalist whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious novel reveals a dark and hidden part of her past. The series has been praised for its nuanced storytelling and stellar performances, making it a standout production on Apple TV+READ MORE

COPYRIGHT – 2025 / DANIEL DERCKSEN / THE WRITING STUDIO/ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

by ·Comments Off on Kraven The Hunter – A Superhero Actioner

“Kraven the Hunter is a big action movie, but at its core it’s also a good old-fashioned Russian gangster story, a story about the making of one of the greatest villains there is,” says director J.C. Chandor. “Like many gangster stories, this film is a family tragedy. There are a lot of things here that people will recognize in their own families, which is the complexity of your relationships with your parents, with your siblings, with your half-siblings.”

“Like any good villain story, there’s a price to pay when you try and take a shortcut to doing the right thing, or you try and step outside of who you really are, says Chandor.

Kraven The Hunter is the action-packed, R-rated, standalone story of how one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.

As Kraven—born Sergei Kravinoff—embarks on a bloody journey of revenge and vigilantism, he gradually becomes a villain. “Kraven believes that he can make the world a better place through breaking basic tenets of society and fundamental rules of decency,” Chandor continues. “But he believes he’s doing that to serve the greater good. He absolutely does.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays Kraven, says that the tragedy of Kraven’s story is that he did not have to be a villain. He has been molded by his father, Nikolai, played by Russell Crowe, to have the inner strength to take over the family business—and to be as unforgiving and violent as his father is. For Taylor-Johnson, the root of Kraven the Hunter is in Sergei’s decision to break free of his family’s legacy of crime and cruelty – but instead of making him a savior, that decision ultimately turns him into an even more terrifying kind of criminal.

At the heart of it, Taylor-Johnson explains, is his relationship with his brother, played by Fred Hechinger. “Sergei’s younger brother, Dmitri, has been shunned from the beginning as the inferior sibling,” explains Taylor-Johnson. “Dmitri has been living under his father’s disapproval and abuse, and Kraven decides he’s had enough. He can’t tolerate his father’s corruption anymore—he’s going to go on his own path and make things right. Kraven promises his brother that he’s going to protect him.”

“Ultimately, that promise is his biggest downfall,” Taylor-Johnson continues. “Because even though he says he’s going to be there, his actions show otherwise. By abandoning and neglecting Dmitri, he loses the trust of his brother, and mirrors everything he hates about his father.”

Directed J.C. Chandor, previously the helmer of such films as A Most Violent Year, All Is Lost, and Margin Call, the screenplay is by Richard Wenk and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, with a story by Richard Wenk, based on the Marvel comics.

To tell Kraven’s story in a compelling, believable way, Chandor felt it important to make it visceral and raw

“One of the amazing opportunities about the film becoming an R-rated film was actually digging into Kraven’s origin,” he says. That was important, Chandor says, because it was the only way to tell the story of Kraven’s journey honestly. “You see this tragic moment when Sergei, this kid filled with testosterone and rage, kills these two guys as a teenager. He’s given a choice—he could have walked away from that incident, and probably never had anyone know that it had happened. But in that moment, there’s some element of bloodlust that he loves. There’s a justification for it: ‘These were bad guys, and I just took them off the planet, and that feels good.’ It’s that uncontrolled rage that is at the heart of this story, but you really would not have been able to walk anywhere near any of those topics in a PG-13 film.”

For Taylor-Johnson, the volatile mix of tactical skill and violent rage exhibited in the film grounds Kraven and sets him apart. “This is like no other Marvel superhero movie, because Kraven isn’t a superhero,” Taylor-Johnson says. “He’s not an alien. He’s not a monster. He’s a man who has been trained as a skilled hunter and killer.” And as the film continues, Kraven will make big decisions about how to use those skills.

To tell the story of a street-level villain, Chandor and his team relied on practical filming locations instead of more VFX-heavy environments. “We shot a lot of this film in England,” Chandor says. “The sun is out, the hills are rolling. Everything you see in this film is the real deal.”

“It grounds the film,” says producer Avi Arad. “All of the action, all of the violence, hits different because it’s the real world.”

Taylor-Johnson found that the practical locations enabled him to embrace Kraven’s character more deeply. “The best action sequence you’re going to see is Kraven running barefoot through the streets of London,” he says. “He doesn’t care about the broken glass piercing his feet. He’s an animal. He’s a raw beast.”

“In this scene, Kraven is running along the River Thames, desperately chasing a bunch of guys who have kidnapped his brother,” explains producer Matt Tolmach. “He’s literally running after, climbing on, trying to tear apart a van that’s making its way across the city with his brother in it. They’re heading towards a helicopter, and Kraven is doing everything he can to stop them before they take off.”

Filling out that real-world landscape is a cast of morally complicated characters. Russell Crowe plays Nikolai, the man at the root of Kraven’s path to villainy. “Nikolai is a very wealthy man, and his kids have grown up with great privilege,” Crowe says. “He’s also a very harsh judge, and he puts his kids under a lot of pressure because he expects them to succeed and excel. As they get a little older, it’s not necessarily a very comfortable place to be when your father is extremely successful and demanding, and has a penchant for violence.”

Crowe, who played Zeus in Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder, enjoyed the chance to explore the darker side of the Marvel universe. “This film has quite a dark tone,” he says. “It probably visits areas of relationships and emotions that some of these other comic book heroes don’t because of that darkness.”

Along with his training, Kraven gets an assist from a character fans of the comics will immediately recognize: Calypso, played by Ariana DeBose. She becomes one of the few people Kraven trusts. “The relationship between Kraven and Calypso is meant to feel like lightning in a bottle,” says DeBose. “It’s sort of this cosmic, astrological, spiritual meeting of two beings who are just destined to be in each other’s lives.”

“Calypso is the rock and the anchor of Kraven’s world,” says Taylor-Johnson. “These two characters have a deep connection to one another. She’s spiritual; she has a sort of intuition and an instinct that guides her. And she is just a badass in her own right.”

As she aids Kraven, Calypso is bolstered by her own family history. “Calypso is exploring who she is, and a part of that is digging into her ancestry,” says DeBose. “I’ve talked a lot in my career about using your lineage and your heritage. It’s a point of pride, it’s a point of strength, it’s what makes you unique.”

Another comic book character making the jump to the big screen is Aleksei Sytsevich, who becomes the Rhino. Alessandro Nivola, who plays Aleksei, sees the character as fundamentally flawed—driven by his insecurities, he’s ruined by his own hubris. “J.C. really liked the idea of this character as somebody who has some kind of deficiency and is trying to supplement that through science,” Nivola says. “And it ends up causing him more suffering than he had before. There’s the feeling of that person being trapped by his own physicality and not being able to escape that I think is very true to the essence of the character.”

Finally, Christopher Abbott plays the mysterious assassin known as the Foreigner. “The Foreigner is one of those guys that has nine passports,” Abbott says. “He has fun playing with other people, and in a way, he’s gotten lost in his own multitude of personalities. He assumes a lot of identities, and he almost doesn’t know who he is anymore. He’s a bit of a charmer, a bit of a jokester, but still dangerous.”

To capture the raw, physical nature of Kraven’s character as he interacts with the characters and world around him, Taylor-Johnson worked closely with the film’s stunt coordinators to make every action sequence feel real. As part of that, Taylor-Johnson also took on much of the stunt work himself. “I trained and put on almost 35 pounds of muscle,” he says. “It was really important for me to do the stunts, because it’s part of the character. It’s the way he moves. That’s why you’re always seeing me on top of a truck or jumping off a building, just like any other stunt man. I want people to believe and know that Kraven is coming from every part of me.”

Aaron Taylor Johnson in Columbia Pictures and Marvel KRAVEN THE HUNTER. ©
2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jeffrey McDonald “J. C.” Chandor

Chandor is an American filmmaker, best known for writing and directing the films Margin Call (2011), All Is Lost (2013), A Most Violent Year (2014), Triple Frontier (2019) and Kraven the Hunter (2024). His accolades include nominations for the Academy Awards, the Golden Bear and two National Board of Review victories for Best Picture. Read more

The Screenwriters

Richard Wenk is an American film screenwriter and director best known for his work on The Equalizer film series (2014–2023), which has every installment rated by CinemaScore at the A range. Read more

Art Marcum and Matt Holloway are an American screenwriting duo, best known for writing the scripts of movies like Iron Man and Punisher: War Zone. Read more

by ·Comments Off on Here – A story that travels through generations, capturing the most relatable of human experiences

For Oscar-winning writer-director Robert Zemeckis, the decision to make Here came out of something that has fascinated humans for generations: the invisible stories that haunt the spaces around us. “I was staying in a house several hundred years old,” he says. “I was looking at those stone walls and thinking how many lives had passed through the same place where I was sitting. I imagined all the people who were vibrant and excited and dealing with life, with its terror and its happiness and its sadness and sickness and health. Those windows and walls have been there for a long time, and different lives have passed through that door.”

Reuniting the director, writer and stars of Forrest Gump, Here is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit, directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Eric Roth & Zemeckis, based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire.

Told much in the style of the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in a tale of love, loss, laughter and life, all of which happen right Here.

Here tells the story of the generations of people who live out their lives in one spot on Earth. Stretching from prehistory to the present day, the film is an odyssey of all the love and loss that can unfold in a single place.

“Here is almost a time travel movie,” says producer Jack Rapke. “Time is moving, but the space we’re in is constant. Styles change, couches get threadbare, new people come in and change everything, but the geometry and geography of that room never changes. There’s a blend of very different storylines about life lived to its fullest, or perhaps lives that weren’t quite lived to their fullest.”

For Tom Hanks, Here is about the countless choices and crossroads that make up a human life. “Everybody always says, ‘oh, life’s too short,’” Hanks says. “No, it’s not! Life is long! It goes on for a really long time, and with that comes a constant refocusing of reference points. Everything you give up is based on one moment. Everything that you say out of anger or love is always based on this one individual moment, and eventually those individual moments become this kind of primordial soup of where you came from. And the only thing you can be is who you are at the next moment that comes along.”

“We all know we’re not going to be here forever,” says Oscar-winning writer Eric Roth. “But while we’re here, what are the moments that matter? As we picked and chose what we were going to take from the book, we thought about all the things in life that seem fleeting at the time, but in retrospect, are actually everything to us.”

A Mosaic Of Stories

At the center of the film’s mosaic of stories is the relationship between Richard Young, played by Hanks, and his wife, Margaret, played by Robin Wright. “Richard and Margaret are brought together because they fall in love,” says Zemeckis. “They go through a lot of the trials and tribulations that life throws at you, but they really do love each other. It’s that love that keeps them together through all the life issues they have to deal with.”

Richard dreams of being an artist, but when he becomes a teenage father, he feels pressured to create a stable life for himself instead of pursuing his passion. “Richard grows up in a house where the threat of money, the threat of not having money, is the lifeblood of what goes on,” says Hanks. “His parents grew up in a very volatile, dangerous kind of daily existence. That’s not the case for the generation that was born after World War II.” That generational divide between Al and Richard has given Hanks a personal connection to Richard’s character. “I was always forced through this prism of being worried about money, terrorized about money,” he says. “That’s the difference between a happy-go-lucky, joy-filled life and one of constant burden.”

Director Robert Zemeckis with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright on the set of Here Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

For Hanks, Zemeckis, Roth, and Wright, Here is a joyful reunion: it’s the first time the four have worked together since Zemeckis’s 1994 groundbreaking, Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump. “We all know each other so well,” says Hanks. “Any time we had a meeting or a conversation, there is a ‘no ego’ rule of law that says that any suggestion is to be listened to. One of the things Bob always says is, ‘what do you think of this?’ and we start mixing it up, which is a huge advantage in coming into it. The long gestalt communication that we have is surprisingly void of past references. We didn’t sit around and talk about, well, we did this on blank, or the four or five movies that I’ve made with Bob. They’re gone, baby, gone.”

“I’ve been looking to do a movie with Tom and Robin and Eric forever because I just love working with them,” says Zemeckis. “And any time you get a chance to work with people who you enjoy working with and who are fantastically talented, you do it.”

Wright plays Richard’s wife Margaret, who moves in with Richard and his parents while Richard tries to figure out how to support his growing family. “Margaret and Richard meet in high school and just hit it off,” says Wright. “And then all of a sudden she’s pregnant. She dreams of becoming a lawyer, and she lives in an era in which women are starting to get more opportunities, but she has to move her whole life in with Richard and his family. She’s in pain, and she starts to resent Richard for keeping her in a home that doesn’t feel like hers. She’s also internally angry with her mother-in-law Rose for just being a housewife and giving up her voice.”

“You can ask, why are these people together?” says Hanks. “Are they opposites or do they complement each other? Is their happiness true happiness, or is it a chimera? Is their relationship something they actually deserved, or is it something that just happened to them? The beauty of Richard and Margaret is that they accept that once there’s this fabulous other creature involved—their child—it’s going to end up being the definition of their lives.”

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright with the family, his sister, Elizabeth and Mom, Rose (Kelly Reilly) and dad, Al (Paul Bettany). (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

But Hanks and Wright’s characters are only two pieces of the puzzle. Paul Bettany plays Richard’s father, the troubled WWII veteran Al. “We first meet Al when he’s 22,” says Bettany. “He was six years old during the Great Depression, so he’s terrified of poverty and very focused on keeping a roof over his family’s head. The stress of that, coupled with undiagnosed PTSD, leads to him self-medicating with alcohol. He’s perhaps not the greatest father or husband that has ever been, but I feel such love for him because he’s just desperate to do the right thing. He’s trapped in a very rigid gender role where he believes the beginning and end of his commitment is to provide, and I think that’s as suffocating for him as it is for his wife and children. But he adores his family. They’re everything to him.”

At the same time, Al doesn’t know how to give Richard the support he needs as a young father. “It’s sort of heartbreaking,” Bettany says, “because his reaction to the news that Margaret is pregnant is to say to Richard, ‘I wanted something more for you.’ But he does it in a way that suggests that some version of life stopped for him when he himself had children.”

Kelly Reilly plays Rose, Al’s wife and Richard’s mother. “I come from a line of women who were centrally stay-at-home mothers and homemakers,” says Reilly. “There was a beautiful pride in caring for their families and being the heart of the home. In previous generations, career opportunities or ambitions outside of the home were not as easily attainable for women as they are now. As we know, these have been hard-fought by the women who came before us, but I truly love Rose’s devotion to her role as a wife and mother; I didn’t want to judge it as incomplete. She gives it everything, and it brings her so much joy.

Hanks found it intriguing to explore the dynamic of three generations sharing one roof. “In all those scenes, what isn’t said is as important as what is said,” he explains. “There are moments of silence that really do speak volumes about what goes on in that house. Do you ignore what just happened, or do you have to comment on it? Do you have to fix it, or do you get up and leave the room? These are the dynamics that go into any family that is inhabiting the same space. There are pressures and blessings that have to be navigated, enjoyed, and dealt with.”

Along with Richard and his family, Here tells many other stories, including that of Pauline, a fretful 1908 wife and mother played by Michelle Dockery. “Pauline’s husband is a pilot,” Dockery says. “She’s not happy about his flying interests, because it’s such a dangerous hobby. She’s quite an anxious person, and she’s really terrified of something bad happening all the time. She likes to be in control. But no matter what, you can’t predict what’s going to happen.”

Along with the film’s human cast, there’s another major character in Here: the house itself

“One of the things we’ve said a lot is that the room is our primary character,” says producer Jeremy Johns. “There’s the primary cast, of course. But the room has played such a big role.”

“You, as an audience member, are like the walls,” says producer Derek Hogue. “You’re present, seeing the story unfold in this space. When the characters have a bad day at the job, getting fired, going to graduation—normally the story would fall on those beats. But in our movie, you get to see the aftermath of life beating up every character. You see it from a different perspective, with different energy.”

To create that living, breathing space—along with the epic story of the generations who pass through it—the filmmakers relied on a variety of filmmaking techniques.

Portraying the cast members at different ages, from teenagers to grandparents

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in Here (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Zemeckis knew he would have to think carefully about how to portray the cast members at different ages, from teenagers to grandparents. To create a seamless and believable sense of aging, the filmmakers worked with VFX studio Metaphysic, which used thousands of archival images of Hanks and other cast members to create digital makeup for the actors.

“Bob has historically always pushed the cutting edge of technology,” says Hogue. “This technology essentially learns what a person looked like at a particular age. Then you feed it some new footage and say, ‘make that person look like they’re this age,’ and it will effectively close its eyes and imagine what that person looks like. It’s finally pushed us through the uncanny valley and into something that is believable and looks beautiful. In some ways, it’s more flexible and usable than traditional face replacement, because it enables the actors’ microexpressions to come through. That was one of the things that Bob always hated about prosthetics—it’s hard for the actor to move and emote the way they naturally would.”

“When you’re doing a story that’s as complicated as this one, where you’re in different windows of time overlapping each other, that would be a very difficult thing to do with different actors playing the same character,” says Zemeckis. “This tool allows really great actors like Tom Hanks or Robin Wright to perform their characters as young people, so the audience doesn’t have to take the leap of looking at a completely different person and saying, ‘oh, that was him when he was young.’”

Dual monitors on set showed the cast and crew what each actor looked like, in real time, with and without their digital makeup. “On one monitor, we had raw footage,” says VFX supervisor Kevin Baillie. “On the other monitor, we had very young faces swapped onto the actors, and the monitors were both running as if they were being filmed through a live-action camera in real time. So Bob could watch young Tom and Robin perform live on set, as he was directing them.”

That setup helped each cast member make sure their movements and mannerisms matched the ages they were playing. “It’s one thing to put a 25-year-old face on Tom Hanks with a 60-year-old’s posture,” says Rapke. “It’s another if Tom can adjust his posture so that it matches the face. It was amazing how the actors could make adjustments based on what they were seeing on the monitors.”

“Regardless of how successful the digital makeup is, if the performance it’s being put onto isn’t entirely believable, it’s not going to work,” says Baillie. “Having real-time feedback that the actors could work with was crucial in making the movie successfully.”

Zemeckis also wanted to honor the innovative storytelling in the original graphic novel. “Richard McGuire’s book is fascinating, because the novel takes place in one visual position on Earth and the world changes around it,” Zemeckis says. “McGuire does it graphically by having these panels painted over the same view. There are different panels in different times, and sometimes they’re larger, sometimes they’re smaller, and sometimes they overlap as the years change. In translating the story to film, we used that same visual look to capture the feeling of different stories overlapping and speaking to each other across time.”

Because the drama of the film all unfolds in one place, Zemeckis employed a unique style of filming, using just one camera angle to capture a wide view of the characters’ lives. “It took an entire lifetime of movie-making to know how to tell this story,” says Zemeckis. “When you do a movie that takes place from one camera position through centuries of time, every single scene has to work within that frame. It sounds really simple, but to make every single scene work for every character in every different time period, it becomes the most complicated set that you can imagine.”

“We actually developed a new lens at Panavision under the guidance of the genius Dan Sasaki,” says director of photography Don Burgess. “We were searching for this particular look. We were just searching for depth of field. We were searching for the perfect angle of the camera and the perfect height, so that Bob could block his actors and structure the scenes, and we could tell the story from minimal focus to infinity.”

However, since the camera couldn’t be moved or adjusted, factors like the actors’ height differences required some creative blocking. “I had a little trench I walked in,” laughs Bettany, who measures 6’3”. “The Paul Bettany Trench. All of these pieces would come out, and it was like Tetris fitting them back in. Sometimes there were people beneath the camera swapping it out for when different people were walking. So as I get closer to the camera, I stay in shot because actually I’m walking down a slope.”

The filmmakers also used LED technology to make the set feel richer and more immersive. “Nowadays, we use something called virtual production, where the visual effects process is actually brought on set,” says Baillie. “In this film, everything that you see out the window of the room is actually projected on a big computer screen, effectively, using a high-performance video game engine to create the neighborhood outside. So visual effects now is no longer just what’s in post-production. It’s actually happening during the shoot as well.”

“When we first started, we thought, well, the obvious thing we’re going to do is just put a blue screen outside the window, because we have so many seasons and times,” says Zemeckis. “But the LED screen is magnificent because you can just change the light in real time. You can say, ‘I’d like the sun to be a little lower,’ and they just dial it in and the shadows become longer outside your window. You don’t have to wait weeks for post-production to see how it all comes together.”

“The LED makes the lighting feel real,” says Burgess. “What really sells it and makes it believable is the way the light from the LED hits the coffee table, the reflections in the mirror, a painted wall, the floor.”

Family and friends gather for the wedding of Tom Hanks (Richard) and Robin Wright (Margaret). (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Production designer Ashley Lamont used extensive research to design every aspect of the film’s many historical environments, both inside the house and on the LED. “Even in the prehistoric scenes, Bob and Ashley were very careful about making sure there was some language in the frame at all times that signaled that we are in the same place but in a different time,” says Hogue. “Whether that was a rock or the colonial house out the window, you always know where you are. There’s something connecting you and showing you that this is the same place.”

“You really have to art direct every single aspect of that set,” says Lamont. “Every single shot is a oner, and you can’t tweak anything, so you have to love it.”

Along with the set, the costumes had to both convey the essence of each character and anchor the audience in each time period. “This film is a saga made up of individual moments,” says Zemeckis. “So when Eric and I were writing the script, we had to hone in on the ‘red dot’ of each scene and make sure that came through. Costumes had to do the same thing. The costume has to present who the character is in each time period. We needed someone who is as brilliant as our costume designer Joanna Johnston to be able to understand that and pull that off. You can imagine when you’ve got so many characters, so many different costume changes, and you’re manipulating them through so many different time periods, and they all have to work in the wide shots and closer shots. That was very important.”

All of those technical decisions, from bleeding-edge technology to classic practical effects, combine to tell a story both intimate and epic in scope. “We’re sitting here, right now, on a sphere that rotates once every 24 hours and is moving at 1,000 miles an hour, but we don’t feel it,” muses producer Bill Block. “This movie evokes a similar feeling. Heraclitus said that no man ever steps in the same river twice, because he’s not the same man and it’s not the same river. That notion of flux, impermanence, mutability—that’s what this story is about.”

ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Director/Co-Writer) won an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe and a Director’s Guild of America Award for Best Director for the hugely successful and popular motion picture Forrest Gump. The film’s numerous honors also included a Best Picture Oscar and, for Tom Hanks, a Best Actor Oscar®.

Early in his career, Zemeckis co-wrote with Bob Gale and directed Back to the Future, which was the top-grossing release of 1985 and for which Zemeckis shared Oscar® and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Screenplay.  He then went on to helm the sequels Back to the Future Part II and Part III, completing one of the most successful film franchises in motion picture history.

Zemeckis has continued to bring an impressive number of popular films to the screen including the comedies Used Cars and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, the romantic adventure Romancing the Stone starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, and the macabre comedy hit Death Becomes Her starring Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis and Goldie Hawn.

He also directed Who Framed Roger Rabbit, cleverly blending live action and animation in a feature film, resulting in a worldwide box office smash hit. Zemeckis then re-teamed with Hanks, directing and producing the unique contemporary drama Cast Away, which opened to critical and audience acclaim.

He directed and produced Contact, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Sagan. He also co-wrote and directed the motion-capture film The Polar Express starring Tom Hanks as a charming train conductor taking children on a magical adventure to the North Pole.

Zemeckis produced and directed his second motion-caption film, Beowulf, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, based on one of the oldest surviving pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, written before the 10th Century A.D. He released another advanced motion-capture film, A Christmas Carol, based on the celebrated and beloved classic Charles Dickens story, which he both wrote and directed for The Walt Disney Studios.

Zemeckis returned to live action direct with the critically-acclaimed dramatic feature Flight for Paramount Pictures, starring Denzel Washington. Under the direction of Zemeckis, Washington received an Academy Award© nomination for his role.

For The Walk, he directed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley in the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s historic 1974 attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

He directed the romantic thriller Allied, starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, telling the compelling story of the relationship between a Canadian Intelligence Officer and a French Resistance Fighter against the backdrop of WWII in 1942 North Africa.

Along with Caroline Thompson, Zemeckis wrote the screenplay for Welcome to Marwen, which he directed for Universal Pictures. The film starred Steve Carell as real life artist Mark Hogancamp, who created a miniature WWI-era village as a way to recover from a violent assault. He then directed The Witches for Warner Bros. Studios.

Zemeckis produced such films as The Frighteners, Monster House, and Last Holiday, and as a producer brought the true life story of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson to the big screen. Along with Bob Gale, he wrote Trespass. He and Gale also wrote 1941, which began a long-time association with Steven Spielberg.

Zemeckis helmed Pinocchio, which he co-wrote for The Walt Disney Studios. He was nominated for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures by the Producers Guild of America.

In 1988 Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey partnered to form ImageMovers, a production company dedicated to telling character-driven stories across many genres for film and television incorporating both cutting-edge and innovative digital technology.

For the small screen, his directing credits include episodes of Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt.” He served as EP on “Medal of Honor” for Netflix, “Blue Book” for The History Channel, and “Manifest” for NBC and Warner Bros.

In March, 2001 the USC School of Cinema-Television celebrated the opening of the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. This state-of-the-art center is the country’s first and only fully digital training center and houses the latest in non-linear production and post-production equipment as well as stages, a 50-seat screening room, and USC student-run television station Trojan Vision.

Here will close out the 2024 60th Anniversary edition of the Chicago Film Festival, where Zemeckis will receive the Festival’s Founder’s Legacy Award.

Academy Award® winner ERIC ROTH (Co-Writer) Eric Roth attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, Columbia University, and UCLA. His first produced screenplay was Robert Mulligan’s The Nickel Ride, which premiered at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.

Among the movies Mr. Roth has written include The Drowning Pool with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; Suspect starring Cher, Dennis Quaid and Liam Neeson; Mr. Jones starring Richard Gere; and Rhapsody in August for the legendary director Akira Kurosawa. He wrote the Academy Award® for Best Picture-winning Forrest Gump, for which he won the Oscar® and the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Other films include The Horse Whisperer directed by and starring Robert Redford; The Insider, for which he was nominated along with Michael Mann for Best Adapted Screenplay; Ali, directed by Michael Mann and starring Will Smith; Munich directed by Steven Spielberg, for which he was nominated along with Tony Kushner for Best Adapted Screenplay; The Good Shepherd directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, for which Roth was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, which was nominated for Best Picture; and A Star is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, for which he was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Bradley Cooper and Will Fetters. Roth produced David Fincher’s Mank starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried, which was nominated in 2021 for Best Picture. In 2022 he was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts for Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. He wrote with Martin Scorsese Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Mr. Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone, which was nominated in 2024 for a Best Picture Academy Award® as well as for a BAFTA Award for Best Film, a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay, and a WGA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In television, Roth was the executive producer of five-time Emmy Award-nominated Best Drama “House of Cards” for Netflix, “Berlin Station” for Paramount Television and Epix, and 2018 Emmy Award-nominated Outstanding Limited Series “The Alienist” for Paramount Television and TNT. He is executive producing with Billy Crystal the show “Before” for Apple TV+.

Roth won the prestigious Laurel Award for Screen in 2012, the Writers Guild of America West’s lifetime achievement award. He lives in Los Angeles and has 7 children and 6 grandchildren.

RICHARD McGUIRE (Author) is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His comics have appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney’s, Le Monde, and Libération. He has written and directed two omnibus feature films: Loulou et Autre Loups (Loulou and Other Wolves, 2003), and Peur(s) du Noir (Fear[s] of the Dark, 2007). He designed and manufactured his own line of toys, and is the founder and bass player of the band Liquid Liquid. Here was based on his six-page comic that appeared in RAW magazine in 1989 and was quickly acknowledged as a transformative work that expanded the possibilities of the comics medium.

by ·Comments Off on Moana 2 – An epic animated musical

“The first film was about Moana finding her identity,” says Moana 2 screenwriter/ executive producer Jared Bush, chief creative officer for Disney Animation who also wrote the first Moana feature. “It’s a never-ending journey. There’s still a lot that Moana needs to learn about herself. If the first film is about reconnecting with your past, this film is about Moana and her people’s future.”

Read more about MOANA

Three years have passed since Moana’s inaugural voyage. She’s an experienced wayfinder now, so when she’s called on by her ancestors to take on a decidedly dangerous mission, she’s up for the challenge. Older and wiser, Moana knows she’ll need help this time—even beyond the shapeshifting demigod Maui. “Her calling is bigger than she is,” says producer Yvett Merino. “It’s all about connecting—connecting in the larger sense with the Pacific Island peoples—and we get to see how she connects with her community, her crew, her little sister.”

When audiences met Moana in 2016, they fell in love with Motunui and the Pacific region that inspired it. “One of the major things that makes the story of Moana so universally loved is the world,” says director Jason Hand. “It’s rare when the look of a film—the quality of the water animation and effects—is commented on by so many people. The world of ‘Moana’ is a visual feast.

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. The ocean comes with impossible challenges: stormy seas, complicated curses and the Kakamora. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For producer Christina Chen, bearing witness to the making of the movie was extremely gratifying. “You really see the pursuit of perfection across all the different art forms, whether you’re in story and editorial, or cinematography and layout, or animation—all the way through post production. It’s been an incredible honor to see the level of attention to detail that people have and their passion to the craft. People pour their hearts and souls into every single frame.”

According to director Dana Ledoux Miller, who wrote the screenplay with Bush, the story of Moana 2 was inspired by the island communities themselves. “There are old stories within the Pacific of meeting points for navigators from different islands,” she says. “We were inspired by that idea that people would travel to find each other—we imagined that, generations ago, many ocean channels led to one island, enabling wayfinders from across the ocean to come together to learn from each other through shared experiences. But long before our story began, a god didn’t like that human connection, so he decided to sink that island to the bottom of the ocean, cursing their meeting place and making all those channels disappear.”

“No matter what age or place we are in life, we are always growing and changing,” says director David G. Derrick Jr. “Moana’s island of Motunui and her people are thriving, but she knows that they’re not done growing. There must be people out there beyond their island—and when she actually finds evidence of it, she must go farther than any of her ancestors have ventured to find the answers to her questions.”

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and must journey into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The ocean, says director Jason Hand, is everything. “The ocean connects us,” says Hand, who—like Derrick—worked on the first film as a story artist. “Everywhere we go, people talk about the setting of our film, the inspiration behind it, the natural beauty of the Pacific—it really is a magical place. We’ve connected with so many people from the Pacific Islands and there is such a deep respect for nature and where they live. That sense of place and deep respect for community were core inspirations as we shaped the story.”

The filmmakers were committed to representing the Pacific Island communities and peoples respectfully and with integrity.

“Coming on to write ‘Moana 2’ felt like an incredible responsibility—both to the characters and to my community,” says Ledoux Miller. “In thinking about what Moana’s continued story might be, I thought a lot about what it means to be a Pacific Islander. Our lives are built around community and connection. There’s a phrase that’s often used in the Pacific, and it’s been said by many people: ‘The ocean isn’t what separates us, it’s what connects us.’ That’s always resonated with me.”

As Moana 2 kicks off, Moana, a leader of her people now, doesn’t understand why they haven’t encountered others as they’ve explored the seas. “In a vision, Moana is visited by one of Motunui’s original wayfinders, Tautai Vasa, who tells her about the island Motufetū that was lost long ago,” says Bush. “Moana will have to risk everything to take on Nalo, the god of storms, and find this long-lost island that connects the people of the ocean. This is a voyage like no other, and if she can fulfil the mission seen in her vision, she’ll need a crew.”

And not just a crew, of course. Heihei the chicken and Pua the pig are along for the adventure, as well as the extraordinary demi-guy himself. “You can’t tell Moana’s story without Maui,” says Derrick. “We love these two characters together. They push on one another—they make each other better. And there’s so much comedy to be had with the two of them.”

Maui has a very important role to play in the mission. “Breaking the curse is a lot more complex than any of them imagine,” says Ledoux Miller. “She needs Maui to help get her through many complicated twists—she has a lot to learn about what’s being asked of her and what she’s willing to do to find Motufetū, break the curse and open the channels.”

Moana 2 reunites Moana with Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), Heihei the rooster and Pua the pig three years later for an expansive new voyage through dangerous, long-lost waters. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Auli‘i Cravalho returns to the big screen as Moana; Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as the charismatic demigod. “We were so excited to once again work with Auli‘i and Dwayne,” says producer Yvett Merino. “The dynamic between their characters is magical. And this time, we get to expand the cast of characters, welcoming amazing talent to Moana’s adventure. They bring so much personality to this new journey.” The voice cast also includes Hualālai Chung as Moni, Rose Matafeo as Loto, David Fane as Kele, Awhimai Fraser as Matangi, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Simea, Temuera Morrison as Chief Tui, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Rachel House as Gramma Tala, Gerald Faitala Ramsey as Tautai Vasa, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei.

For Moana 2, the filmmakers called on Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina to create the music and songs for the new big-screen adventure. According to Merino, Barlow and Bear hit the ground running. “When we had our launch meeting with them, they showed up having already written something—we listened to what became our opening song, ‘We’re Back,’” says Merino. “It takes you right back into Moana’s world. And we’re blessed to have both Opetaia and Mark back, who brought so much to the music of the first film, working all together to create something truly special.”

“Music is always such an important part of all of our stories, whether it’s a musical or not,” says producer Yvett Merino. “‘Moana 2’ is a stunning, sweeping musical, and music plays such an important role. The songs throughout the film help move the story forward in such a special way, the score is so dynamic. It has been such a great experience.”

The musical legacy leading up to “Moana 2” is profound—the team was deeply inspired by the characters, world and music “Moana” delivered. Says director Jason Hand, “The music in this film will make you laugh, it will make you think. It’s going to set up camp in your mind. It’s truly unforgettable.”

“I think music can make the difference between walking out of a theater not feeling anything and walking out feeling all the emotions,” says Barlow. Adds Bear, “I’m biased—I think music is everything in movies. It’s such a powerful storytelling tool—it can bring back memories, take you to new places. It can make you cry; it can make you feel all the things.”

Their ability to think fast and capture all the feels in a scene proved bountiful. “Music is one of the biggest components of the ‘Moana’ universe, so it was very important to us to have songwriters who understood the assignment,” says director Dana Ledoux Miller. “They’re two young women at the pinnacle of their careers, who are bold and adventurous. They saw Moana, they felt what we wanted for her, and they pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. © 2024 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

The film welcomes to the big screen fan-favorite characters, as well as new faces and terrifying new threats. Danny Arriaga, art director–characters, says artists were loyal to the style established for the first film. “It’s a world we all know and love,” he says. “We imagine that the new characters have been part of this world all along, we just didn’t get to meet them until now.”  

Adds head of animation Kevin Webb, “Since the broader style was developed for the first film, setting up the second film was an archeological process—studying what made the visuals of ‘Moana’ so successful. To me, it’s a caricatured naturalism with a big focus on sculptural appeal.”

Fellow head of animation Amy Lawson Smeed points to “Moana” directors Ron Clements and John Musker—veteran Disney Animation filmmakers. “Their history in animation really lent itself to this style with pushed facial expressions and poses,” she says. “We worked with the designs of the characters to find that balance between caricature and naturalism—some designs might lean one way, so we’d take the animation the other way.”

Rob Dressel, who was director of cinematography–layout for Moana and serves in the same capacity for “Moana 2,” was among the filmmakers who trekked to the Pacific Islands when the first film was in development. “It was an incredible trip with a lot of hiking, a lot of being on the sea,” he says. “The look of our film and how we wanted to shoot it really came from being in that space. Our job is the world—how you see it.”

Moana 2 sends Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) on an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Adds Behzad Mansoori-Dara, fellow director of cinematography–layout for “Moana 2,” “There is always a real-life reference—whether it’s animation or lighting or camera work, we’re always looking at real-life reference to find inspiration and amalgamate it all—that keeps it grounded. And that’s true of everything you see in the movie. Everything from a flower that may or may not exist in the real world to all-out fantasy elements—there are pages and pages of reference.”

Always top of mind for all the filmmakers is the story—how does my contribution support the storytelling? Says Sucheta Bhatawadekar, director of cinematography–lighting, “Comedy scenes tend to be lit brightly, without dark shadows. For scary scenes or action scenes, we want a lot of contrast so we can feel that punch in the story. The songs have a very different energy, depending on what the song is. And there can be different lighting scenarios within one single song.”

Moana 2 expands the world of the ambitious wayfinder, and audiences will be invited to journey to a host of fantastic locales and approaches to bringing them to life on the big screen.

The Ocean, a vast and stunning body of water full of life and activity, reprises its role as Moana’s biggest fan and support system. “In ‘Moana,’ we realize the ocean is a living, breathing being with emotion,” says screenwriter/executive producer Jared Bush. “In the new story, we learn how far it reaches and how it connects people. And the ocean is once again there for Moana—until it can’t be.”

Filmmakers Turn to Oceanic Cultural Trust to Guide Pacific Island Representation

Filmmakers at Disney Animation revel in transporting audiences to places unseen or never imagined. The key to making even the most magical characters or fantastical places believable to moviegoers lies in anchoring the story in reality. That can mean incorporating the physics of water or weather into an ocean simulation, populating an island with plant life that would really have existed in the locale, or ensuring the characters steer a canoe—one modeled after actual canoes of the era—with proper techniques. The effort calls for a lot of research and a desire to learn from the experts. “We dive deep into every single detail when we make our films,” says Kalikolehua Hurley, senior manager, cultural. “On ‘Moana 2,’ every frame that you see on the screen was created with a lot of care, integrity and collaboration. We truly want our stories to celebrate and resonate with the communities and the cultures that inspired them.”

For director Dana Ledoux Miller, capturing the true essence of the Pacific Islands and its communities means so much. “I am Samoan, and it’s not often that we see Pacific Islanders on screen—definitely not on the scale of a Disney movie,” she says. “I was six months pregnant with my first child when I saw the first film. The first song rings out—it’s in Tokelauan and Samoan, and hearing those beautiful words so powerfully in a big theater filled with people, I thought, ‘My child is entering a world that’s so different than the world that I grew up in. What’s possible is so different.’ ‘Moana’ changed the narrative for Pacific Islanders—about who we are and what’s possible.”

Moana 2” reunites Moana with Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage to the far seas of Oceania. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As was done on the first film, filmmakers assembled a team of cultural experts in anthropology, history, dance and movement, canoes and navigation, linguistics, and various cultural practices from the Pacific Islands. The group, the Oceanic Cultural Trust, has advisors who were part of the first film’s Trust, as well as new members. “So much of our story is rooted in the mythology and cultures of the Pacific Islands,” says producer Christina Chen. “Every single step, every single decision—both character- and world-building—it’s so critical that we do it respectfully. Our Trust has been with us every step of the way as we’ve built Moana’s fantastical world. From providing cultural advice and support for design, choreography reference and language to inviting us into the emotional headspace of a wayfinder, they, and their collaboration with us, have helped propel the story forward.”

The Oceanic Cultural Trust consists of more than a dozen experts in a variety of fields.

Hurley, who is Native Hawaiian, leads the Trust, as well as provides guidance culled from her own experiences.

  • Dr. Dionne Fonoti is a Samoan cultural anthropologist  based in Apia, Samoa and has served as the Trust’s lead consultant since the first film. “Dionne is a legend here at Disney Animation,” says Ledoux Miller. “She’s the first person we call whenever we have a question about anything cultural in the world of Moana.”

Adds Hurley, “On ‘Moana 2,’ Dionne met regularly with us, helping to guide our film’s cultural aspects, from art to story and animation.”

Says Fonoti, “We’re always very cognizant of our roles and the huge responsibility we have. There’s a phrase that I have heard from a good friend of mine. She always says that we need to ‘interrogate with wisdom.’ So, you don’t remove the ability to interrogate, you just interrogate in very wise ways. And I think that we’ve found ways to do that so that we’re sensitive to history, sensitive to the people, sensitive to the community, but also sensitive to anybody who watches the film. It’s really exciting, because more of our people are involved in ‘Moana 2’; we’re going deeper into story, deeper into elements of culture. That’s what we want the trajectory of these stories to be.”

  • Su’a Peter Suluʻape is a master tattooist, lives in Wellington, New Zealand, and hails from one of two Samoan tattoo family lineages. “Su’a not only helped us with tattoos by looking at motifs and translating them for our art teams on both films,” says director David G. Derrick Jr., “but he also generously provided motifs from his own family’s lineage that our artists could iterate off of, and he also designed a very special tattoo for us too.”
  • Hinano Murphy and her husband Frank Murphy hail from Mo‘orea and shared their knowledge and connection to Tahitian history, culture, and environments as a cultural expert and geographer, respectfully. “Since the first film’s earliest research trip, Hinano and Frank have helped our teams understand key cultural tenets, such as ‘knowing your mountain’—or knowing where you come from,” says director Jason Hand.
  • Tiana Nonosina Liufau provided choreography references for many songs for both the first and second films. She and her dance troupe, Nonosina Polynesia, based in Anaheim, Calif., are known worldwide. Liufau is of Samoan, Tongan and Native Hawaiian descent, and her choreography draws from the wide varieties of dance styles seen in the Pacific. “Dance and movement are so instrumental in this film,” says Chen. “Tiana helped visualize everything from a haka to a big celebration with lots of dance. Tiana not only helped design the movement, she provided the story behind it, what the characters would be feeling and the motivations behind the choreography.”
  • Dr. Grant Muāgututiʻa is a Samoan linguist out of Oceanside, Calif., who helped on all language aspects of the film, including the creation of names of new characters and locations, and served as a dialect coach. Says Ledoux Miller, “One of the things I love about working with Dr. Grant is the way he’s able to connect the various languages of the Pacific—the similarities and the differences that speak to how each of our cultures have evolved but also stayed connected, which in a lot of ways speaks to the core themes of our film.”
  • Lāiana Kanoa-Wong is a Hawaiian language and cultural educator from O’ahu, Hawai’I who provided Hawaiian cultural consultation and led hand-on experiences for ‘Moana 2’ filmmakers and crew to deepen their understandings of Oceanic voyaging and ceremonial practices. “We really cherish Lāiana,” says producer Yvett Merino. “His time in Burbank and Vancouver with our teams connected us more deeply as a crew and cemented our commitment to celebrating Pacific voyaging traditions in this film.”
  • Tweedie Waititi is an advocate and champion of Māori language and culture and is at the helm of the Māori language version of ‘Moana 2.’ “Tweedie brings a very strong voice to our team,” says Hurley, “helping us to ensure that all the Māori cultural elements are done with care.”
  • Millicent Barty, an oral historian and founder of the Kastom Keepers from the Solomon Islands, worked closely with the team on the film’s Kakamora characters and storyline, in addition to providing cultural consultation from a Solomon Islands cultural worldview. “Millicent taught us so much about the Kakamora, from their love of bananas to their cherished status as people-helpers. She really helped us deepen their storytelling, including the awesome Kotu,” says Hand.
  • Nainoa Thompson, Native Hawaiian, is a traditional deep-sea navigator and CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society whose input served as key inspiration and reference for the film’s voyaging and wayfinding aspects. Says Hurley, “Nainoa is a hero to many of us in the Pacific for his leadership in traditional Pacific navigation and environmental stewardship. It is our privilege and honor to collaborate with him.”

Adds Chen, “We looked to Nainoa Thompson from a technical standpoint—like what Moana would do in a storm. But he also has such a breadth of storytelling that comes from decades of experience, he helped us get into the emotional headspace of a navigator. He taught us that once you understand the ocean and the wind clearly, the idea of getting lost is not terrifying, like a novice might think. Getting lost is the pathway to magic. It’s about trusting yourself, trusting your instincts and knowing that you can find the way. We realized that this is how we can really push Moana forward.”

  • Lehua Kamalu, also Native Hawaiian and a navigator with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, provided valuable insights from her specific lens as a female captain and wayfinder. “We all look up to Lehua,” says Hurley. “She’s outrageously smart—able to recall the rising and setting positions of hundreds of different stars at so many different latitudes. She’s an inspiring leader, having navigated and captained open-ocean, long-distance voyages. And she’s a lot of fun.”
  • Thomas Raffipiy, a navigator from Satawl, is nephew to master navigator Papa Mau Piailug, Nainoa Thompson’s mentor, and lent his vast knowledge of canoes from across the region to the team. “Tom can tell you in an instant if a canoe is rigged correctly and how it should look when it moves,” says Merino. “His expertise helped our teams ensure the integrity of the engineering of our canoes.”

The availability of the experts proved valuable to team members new to the world of “Moana,” including Sucheta Bhatawadekar, director of cinematography, lighting. “For ‘Moana,’ the production team did extensive research, including visiting the islands—we had a wealth of knowledge to pull from, including photography and videos. There were some painters that we looked to for inspiration like Herb Kawainui Kāne and A.J. Casson, which was valuable in terms of stylization. A big highlight was when Lāiana Kanoa-Wong came to our studio for a blessing and, as a bonus, gave a presentation on wayfinding. It put so many unexpected ideas in our minds—all these details of how they did wayfinding back then. It really informed our creative decisions.”

The story itself is rooted in the real-world belief systems of Pacific Islanders, says Hurley. “We are taught from a young age that it’s all about community. We believe that as a village, we are stronger and can get more done when we’re working together. So, for Moana to go on an even bigger adventure this time, she had to go with more people—she recruits a crew and must lead them. Seeing Moana make more connections also ties into the belief that the ocean doesn’t separate us, the ocean connects us.”

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

JASON HAND (Directed by) makes his feature directing debut on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2,” following a distinguished career as a story artist and head of story (“Encanto”) on some of the most popular Disney Animation films in recent history. His work on the original “Moana” feature includes a major contribution to the “Shark-Head” scene, where Maui uncontrollably shifts shape. For “Zootopia,” Hand played a key role in creating and storyboarding the hilarious DMV scene featuring an agonizingly slow sloth clerk. He also received an Annie Award in 2022 for best storyboarding-feature for his work on “The Family Madrigal” opening song sequence for “Encanto.” His other major story credits for Disney Animation include “Big Hero 6” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” (storyboard supervisor), among others.

“Working on the first ‘Moana’ was my favorite assignment, because the film is just so magical,” says Hand. “It’s also the film that I’ve watched with my family more than any other. When David Derrick asked me to join him in directing ‘Moana 2,’ I didn’t hesitate for a second. This all-new adventure brings back those characters that everyone loves with new songs and great storytelling. It’s a very powerful thing to have everyone at the studio—both in Vancouver and in Burbank—coming together to make this film something incredibly special.”

Born and raised in Simi Valley, Calif., Hand grew up loving the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes shorts (especially the ones directed by Chuck Jones), and remembers having his “socks knocked off” when his dad took him to see a re-release of Disney Animation’s “The Jungle Book” when he was 8 years old. Even at that young age, Hand was captivated by the amazing level of character development, the juxtaposition of the music into that world, and the entertainment value of the drawings. He grew up in a family that loved and respected the arts (his mother owned an arts and crafts store), and his father (who worked in concrete construction for the major studios and occasionally brought him to visit movie sets) encouraged him to follow his dreams.

Hand’s dreams led him to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where he met kindred spirits and focused on the various creative aspects of animation and live-action filmmaking. As a lifelong film buff, he recognized animation as a way to bring together his love of drawing and filmmaking. Prior to CalArts, Hand worked at the acclaimed visual effects studio Dream Quest, where he had hands-on experiences making models.

After graduating from CalArts with a BFA in 2002, Hand worked as a layout artist and background designer (with Bill Perkins) on a number of animated projects, including several for Disneytoon Studios. He was hired at Disney Animation in 2005, and his first assignment was as a layout artist on “The Princess and the Frog.” A short time after that, Hand was selected to participate in Disney Animation’s story internship.

DANA LEDOUX MILLER (Directed by/Screenplay by/Story by) is a Samoan writer and producer. She was the co-showrunner of Netflix’s “Thai Cave Rescue” limited series and an executive producer on “Last Resort” as part of the Break the Room Initiative and set up at Quibi. Prior to that, Ledoux Miller wrote for AMC’s “Lodge 49,” as well as ABC’s “Designated Survivor,” Netflix’s “Narcos” and HBO’s “The Newsroom.” She is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and was born and raised in Long Beach, Calif.

DAVID G. DERRICK JR. (Directed by) helms Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2” following his role as a story artist on the original Academy Award®–nominated film. Derrick joined Disney Animation to work on “Moana,” drawn to the story by his own Samoan ancestry and personal connection to the title character’s quest to understand her heritage.

“I felt like I was on the journey with Moana. I have ancestors from Samoa, and just as Moana comes to understand her heritage, working on and researching this film brought me closer to my own.” Traveling with his brothers and sisters to reconnect with their Samoan heritage, Derrick recalls, “We learned how to husk and crack a coconut without any tools. We cooked our dinner in a traditional Samoan oven called an umu.”

Derrick previously served as a story artist at DreamWorks Animation on such films as “Megamind,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Rise of the Guardians,” among others.

Born and raised in Farmington, Utah, Derrick decided to pursue a career in the animation industry after seeing Disney Animation’s “Tarzan” while in college. He studied character animation at CalArts.

JARED BUSH (Screenplay by/Story by/Executive Producer) is the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, overseeing all aspects of the creative direction of the studio, beginning the role in September 2024. Bush is currently directing and writing “Zootopia 2,” the sequel to the Academy Award®–winning feature for which he was co-director and co-writer. The film will release Fall 2025. Bush is also executive producer and co-writer of “Moana 2”; Bush was the screenwriter of the first “Moana.”

During the 13 years Bush has been a writer and director at Walt Disney Animation Studios, beyond his work on the “Moana” and “Zootopia” films, he received an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe® and a BAFTA Award for “Encanto,” for which he was director (with Byron Howard) and co-writer. In 2021, the same year as “Encanto,” Bush was also the executive producer for the Oscar®-nominated “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Additionally, Bush was the executive producer for the series “Zootopia+,” for which he received a Children’s and Family Emmy® Award.

He is also a writer of the upcoming live-action version of “Moana,” which is based on the Disney Animation film for which he wrote the screenplay. Bush has also written and advised on several projects in collaboration with Disney Animation Creative Legacy and Walt Disney Imagineering, including Zootopia land in Shanghai Disney Resort as well as the upcoming “Zootopia”- and “Encanto”-themed attractions in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Walt Disney World.

Bush began his career as a script reader for director Robert Zemeckis and, prior to joining Walt Disney Animation Studios, developed original television series for Revolution Studios, Fox and NBC, and feature film projects for New Line Cinema, Columbia/Tristar and 20th Century Fox.

A Harvard University graduate with a degree in English and American literature, Bush is an avid musician, and currently resides in Los Angeles with his college sweetheart and three sons.

ABIGAIL BARLOW (Original Songs by), 25 years old, is a Grammy®-winning singer, songwriter and composer best known for her glittery, addictive pop songs and musical series “What If Bridgerton Was a Musical?” After breaking the internet with her “Bridgerton” TikTok series, Barlow and her writing partner Emily Bear wrote, produced and engineered “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” concept album, winning the 2022 Grammy Award for best musical theater album. In doing so, they became the youngest composing team to ever win in the category, and made history by being the only women among their fellow nominees. Barlow and Bear make history again this fall as the youngest and first female composing team to write original songs for a Walt Disney Animation Studios theatrical feature with “Moana.”

As a teenager, Barlow found a worldwide audience on the internet live-streaming platform YouNow. She became a 2016 YoungArts Finalist and founding TikTok creator, where she fostered her love of writing and performing her original music in real time for a growing fan base. Now, with over 2.4 million TikTok followers, a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod, and 75-million-plus independent streams, Barlow continues to release solo music and perform her pop music, building a fan base with her sticky pop bangers and heart-wrenching ballads alike. Barlow’s strength as a songwriter also leads her to write with and for other artists, and she asserts her influence in the music industry by making a commitment to work regularly with female writers and/or producers, as well as to offer a writers fee for all her solo releases, becoming the first artist to take such a stand advocating for her songwriting peers and colleagues.

Recently, Barlow has worked on music with/for artists including Gayle, Meghan Trainor, Freya Ridings, Kylie Cantrall, Daya, Zolita and others, collaborating with pop heavy hitters including Ryan Linvill, Jakke Erixson, Jonas Jeberg, Jackson Foote, JORDY and Jesse Saint John. Barlow lends her musical theater storytelling, clever lyricism and killer hook sensibility to every song, always collaborating with the mission to amplify the artist’s voice, vision and style.

Barlow performed her debut live shows in L.A. and New York last winter and continues to perform regularly with both her pop show and her musical theater work with Emily Bear. Barlow will also contribute music to the “Phineas and Ferb” reboot coming soon to Disney+, and is always hard at work developing properties from both existing IP and her own imagination. As part of Barlow & Bear, she is at work on numerous other projects for film, TV and stage.

Barlow displays a well-rounded portfolio, with her passions for female empowerment, fitness, women in audio, and musical theater leading to brand collaborations with Bose, Shake Shack, Dolby, PetSmart, and Taco Bell (2024 Clio Award). She maintains a vibrant and influential presence in the Broadway, songwriter/producer, and influencer communities, positioning herself in a unique crossover space unlike any other entertainer today.

EMILY BEAR (Original Songs by) is a Grammy®- and Emmy®-winning composer and songwriter. Barlow and Bear are the youngest duo and the only female songwriting team to write a full soundtrack for a Disney animated film.

While Bear was still in single digits, she was performing as a pianist on the world’s most legendary stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, Montreux Jazz Festival and the White House. When she was 9 years old, her mentor, Quincy Jones, produced her chart-topping original jazz album, “Diversity.”

In 2022, at the age of 20, she won the Grammy® Award for best musical theater album for “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” album, which she co-wrote with Abigail Barlow. Barlow & Bear broke barriers by composing the musical live on social media, composing 16 songs in 5 weeks, resulting in more than 300 million views on TikTok. Bear co-wrote, produced and orchestrated the project, which shot to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes pop charts within 1.5 hours of its release and reached the top five albums worldwide. That same year, Bear received an Emmy® Award for her original score for “Life Centered,” a PBS documentary. In addition, Forbes Magazine included her on its prestigious “30 Under 30” list.

Last year, Bear not only scored the soundtrack for the film “Dog Gone,” starring Rob Lowe and which became the No. 1 film for Netflix worldwide, but also toured with the legend that is Beyoncé on the Renaissance World Tour as her pianist.

Bear is also a founding member of the Recording Academy’s new Songwriters & Composers Wing, and she has raised millions of dollars for charities through events and performances. Bear has multiple musical projects in the works across theater, film and TV, as well as her own solo album.

OPETAIA FOA‘I (Original Songs by) is a composer, singer, guitarist and founder of the Contemporary Polynesian band Te Vaka. He also contributed music for and performed on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original 2016 hit “Moana.” Foa‘i is recognized as one of the Pacific Islands’ most influential cultural and musical ambassadors. From the beginning of his career he has been on a mission to tell the stories of his seafaring ancestors and to share his culture with the world, writing predominantly in his native languages (Tokelauan, Tuvaluan and Samoan).

Foa‘i was born in Samoa and immigrated to New Zealand at the age of 9. Growing up, he was always surrounded by the rhythms, voices, sounds and dances which remain firmly as his foundation to this day.

In 1997 he released his debut album, “Te Vaka” (meaning “The Canoe”), and the Te Vaka band made its international debut with a three-month European tour, going on to play major festivals, including the Wintershall Charity Rock Concert, WOMAD Festivals around the world, and an appearance at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Foa‘i wrote and produced the second Te Vaka album, “Ki Mua,” whose single “Pate Pate” got to No. 1 on radio stations around the Pacific Islands and into the Top 10 on World Music charts around the world. They finished the year with a nomination for best international achievement at the New Zealand Music Awards. Te Vaka’s third album, “Nukukehe,” received a nomination from BBC Radio 3’s World Music Awards for best artist in the Asia/Pacific category, and their fourth album, “Tutuki,” released in 2004, entered the European World Music chart at number four and won best Pacific album in the New Zealand Music Industry Awards.

After four more albums, the Creative New Zealand “Senior Pacific Artist” award for his contribution to the Pacific Arts, two best Pacific album New Zealand Music Awards (for “Olatia” and “Amataga”), two “Best Pacific Group” Pacific Music Awards (2008 and 2010), an Australian Songwriting Award for best international song (“Tamahana”), ISC first place (“Tamahana”), a Hawaiian Music Award “Polynesian Category” (“Haoloto”), and two “Best Pacific Language Song” Pacific Music Awards (“Haoloto” and “Amataga”), Foa‘i was approached by Disney Animation to contribute songs for the musical animated feature film “Moana,” alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda and GRAMMY®-winning composer Mark Mancina.

His songs in the film include “Logo te Pate,” “An Innocent Warrior” and theme song “We Know the Way” (with English lyrics by Miranda), plus other collaborations with the music team. His own Te Vaka vocalists and drummers are also featured in the songs and score. Foa‘i and Te Vaka performed at the world premiere of “Moana” at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, and in 2017 he received the “Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement Award” at the Pacific Music Awards and the “International Achievement Award” at the New Zealand Music Awards. In 2017 Foa‘i signed to Walt Disney Records to release “Te Vaka’s Greatest Hits: Songs That Inspired Moana.”

Foa‘i resides in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, and is the father of four. He continues to create music and is currently working on his 12th studio album.

MARK MANCINA (Original Songs by/Original Score by) is a three-time Grammy® Award–winning film composer and Tony®-nominated music producer. He has scored over 60 films and television series including “Speed,” “Bad Boys,” “Twister,” “Training Day,” “Con Air” and more.

Mancina has collaborated with Walt Disney Animation Studios for decades, composing scores for “Moana,” “Brother Bear” and “Tarzan.” He also produced the original songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice for the 1994 blockbuster “The Lion King,” as well as songs for the upcoming live-action Disney film “Mufasa.”

For the Disney Theatrical Productions adaptation of “The Lion King” on Broadway, Mancina produced the score and composed additional music and lyrics. He was nominated for a Tony Award® for best original score in a musical and received Britain’s Ivor Novello Award for the London production.

His musical collaborators include Opetaia Foa‘i, Phil Collins, Lebo M and Clint Eastwood.

by ·Comments Off on Heretic – The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste

From writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods comes Heretic, a harrowing descent into a subject many think about, but few openly discuss — religion, and how our faith can guide and sustain, but also entrap and derail when dogma and scripture are wielded by nefarious means. Beck and Woods unleash a Hannibal Lecter of the soul, who delights in quoting complex religious philosophy. “We thought it would be special to write something frightening where the scares emerge from the dialogue — through its words and ideas.”

The story of one man’s effort to preach the one true religion, Heretic weaponises the familiar charms of star Hugh Grant, resulting in one of his most indelible and delicious roles as the charming, compelling and ultimately diabolical Mr. Reed.

Heretic mixes elements of horror and psychological thriller as it casually unfolds into an intricate
cat-and-mouse game after two Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) ring his doorbell.
Crackling with rich dialogue and cerebral debate, it follows the young believers as they match wits with their host’s rarefied intellect. Forced to choose between belief and disbelief, they find themselves plunged into the darkest labyrinths of Reed’s mind.

“When you sit in a room and try to think of scary ideas for a movie, for us there’s nothing more terrifying than death,” says co-writer-director Bryan Woods. “All horror movies in one way or another are about death — it’s the thing we fear most in life, and we use religion to try and make sense of what happens
when we die so we can feel safe. But when we delve too deep into the subject, sometimes we’re left feeling less safe.”

“Heretic is about faith, self-determination, belief, caution, friendship, curiosity, and our innate desire as human beings to solve the great mysteries of our existence,” says producer Stacey Sher.

Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods – A Dynamic Duo

Best friends since their childhood in Bettendorf, Iowa, writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have developed a cinematic partnership over a decade resulting in some of the most visceral and terrifying works in memory, including A Quiet Place, their 2018 breakthrough smash as screenwriters.

Through their subsequent works as writer-directors, Beck and Woods mastered the fine art of terrorising audiences with everything from cosmic raptors (the futuristic adventure-thriller 65) to rural haunted houses (the slasher Haunt) to the scariest place of all — the human mind (The Boogeyman, based on Stephen King’s short story).

Woods and Beck exude a palpable love of the cinema — in addition to filmmaking, the duo recently opened an arthouse cinema in Davenport, Iowa, near where they were raised.

“We are best friends first and foremost, and we love movies — we’ve been making them together since we were children and we continue to write, direct and discuss movies every day together,” says Woods. “There’s always been this wonderful competitive collaboration when we work together, where we push each other to do better.”

Adds Beck: “It’s always about trying to surprise the other person. We write, direct and produce 100 per cent side-by-side, so there is a degree of letting each other be our first audience, which is exciting. Even before we begin writing something, we’re discussing a scene’s tenets and individual beats. Because we’ve known each other for so long, we’ve gone through personal and professional setbacks and failures. But it all funnels its way back into the work.”

With Heretic, a psychological thriller about Mormon missionaries who find themselves entrapped in the clutches of a different kind of screen monster — one who loves to talk, in words that become a coercive weapon — Beck and Woods were presented with a wholly new creative challenge: marrying deep religious conversation with the horror movie.

“For a long time, Scott and I have talked about doing a movie about religion and investigating religion. Big life questions have always surrounded us, and cults were a fascination from an early age,” says Woods. “We thought it would be cool to make something in the vein of Inherit the Wind, where religion intersects with science, or Robert Zemeckis’ Contact, melding religion with a science-fiction story.

The kernel of Heretic emerged when they were teenagers making short films in college. While location scouting in Iowa for a short film about Armageddon, they knocked on the door of a sweet elderly couple whose property was surrounded by a white-picket fence. Invited inside their quaint and pristine domain, the couple offered tea and conversation — and much more.”

“They were the most unassuming people imaginable, and we started telling them about our little movie about the end of the world in which a meteor arrives and destroys all life on Earth,” says Woods. “As they were sipping their tea and nodding along, they told us they knew the meteor was coming — in fact, it was
arriving in a couple of months and would wipe us out completely. We realised we were stuck in the house as this un-setting undertone crept into our conversation.”

Beck and Woods have long been drawn to topical horror movies like Night of the Living Dead and Invasion of the Body Snatchers — pop entertainment commenting on the Vietnam War and the Red Scare, respectively.

“These are genre movies and perennial favourites in our cinematic lexicon, addressing social concerns while uncovering deeper truths for the audience,” says Beck. “With Heretic, we wanted to provoke our audience into thinking about how religion fits into their lives, and how they’ve come to these conclusions.”

“We thought it would be special to write something frightening where the scares emerge from the dialogue — through its words and ideas,” Woods continues. “We hadn’t seen that before, and if we did our job effectively, the audience could bring their own ideas about religion to the movie — what we believe or don’t believe.”

They wrote an early draft of Heretic as a spec script, without a producer attached. But after getting stuck on the story’s multi-dimensional central character, Mr. Reed, who is awash in cerebral theories about religion, philosophy and the meaning of life and death, they put the script aside and set about writing
A Quiet Place.

“We put it on hold because we felt we needed to learn more about religion to catch up with Reed’s knowledge,” says Woods. “As we started writing this complex character, we realized that he’s a genius who knows more about the subject than we could ever know in our lifetime, or at least knew at the
time.”

By the time they came back to the project, they had read up on the major religions and experienced life events that could be infused into the script, including Woods’ marriage to a Mormon. Both filmmakers had grown up with religion, but it wasn’t until they sat down and engaged in dialogue with actual Mormon missionaries that they could muster up the confidence to complete the script.

“We have a ton of close friends from different faiths, from basic Christianity and Scientology to Mormonism, which we’ve become very close to and fascinated by,” says Woods. “We started getting this idea about two female missionaries who knock on the wrong door — and how that could be a platform
for a discussion on the major religions. How religion became a system of control also became very interesting to us.”

That system of control is manifested in the character of Mr. Reed, who at first glance is a kindly old man who wants to engage in discourse with his young visitors. But as the story unfolds, and Reed’s encyclopedic knowledge of the subject hits the missionaries by force, the girls realize they are trapped
inside something bigger than all of them.

After the success of A Quiet Place, which grossed nearly $400 million at the box office, Heretic made its way in completed form to Sher, who found it thought-provoking and spectacular in equal measure.

“What stood out for me was how terrifying Heretic was, and how meticulously researched,” says Sher. “The characters are extraordinary in their depth, but it’s also a lot of fun. This is a genre movie combining suspense and horror that’s also provocative and happens to be about something. The audience goes on a roller coaster ride, but they leave the theater thinking about some seriously heavy stuff.”

(L-R) Scott Beck, Chloe East, Bryan Woods / Credit: Kimberley French

The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste

Heretic opens on a bawdy exchange between Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, young missionaries taking a break from ringing doorbells and baptizing converts in suburban Colorado. Sister Paxton (Chloe East) is naïve and just learning about the mysteries of Magnum condoms, while Barnes (Sophie Thatcher), a transplant from the streets of Philadelphia, has more hard knocks, nursing the wounds of her father’s death, and her own near-death experience.

In Paxton and Barnes, the filmmakers wanted to create smart yet searching characters in the mold of the missionaries they met when they were researching the script.

“Sometimes you could perceive this almost surface-level naivete in the missionaries we spent time with, which is easy to laugh at and color a certain way in the writing,” says Woods. “But we found them to be super smart and cool and even badass in their views on religion, society and culture. We wove that into our characters, because what we wanted most from Paxton and Barnes was for Reed to underestimate them.”

One gift to the production was the fact that both Thatcher and East had grown up in the Mormon church, both leaving the fold as teenagers to become actors.

Like the intricately wired and deceptively staid suburban home that comes to entrap Paxton and Barnes on their mission, their host Mr. Reed at first glance appears harmless, effusive and unassuming as he ushers his young visitors inside his sanctum on a rainy afternoon.

But as Heretic unfolds, and the Sisters become prisoners of Reed’s garrulous machinations, a different portrait of the man emerges. Isolated in his fortress of a home, immersed in simulation theory and Dante’s Inferno, Reed has barricaded himself inside the singular study of religion, and more specifically religious control.

“This is a very complex and curious mind at work, who is experimenting, investigating, simulating and trying to uncover the one true religion in the confines of his suburban home,” says Woods. “He’s going to extreme lengths to find that answer for himself.

“He’s inspired by some people I’ve known who for whatever reason have always found themselves a bit lonely and have compensated with attention-seeking pranks and magic tricks and provocative outspokenness in debate,” says Grant. “Reed was probably an academic and teacher, one who attracted
quite a following among his students — but who was at some point encouraged to leave the university by the authorities.”

As background for the role, Grant studied religious iconoclasts like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and researched serial killers and cult leaders to find out what motivated them to do evil.

Set in suburban Colorado, predominantly inside Mr. Reed’s house, Heretic filmed not on location, but in Vancouver, where production designer Phil Messina (The Sixth Sense, The Hunger Games) constructed multiple sets representing the successive interior rooms of the Reed home. With its tiny windows, locked
doors and deceptive corridors, this is every inch Reed’s world: a dark realm containing multitudes, not unlike his mind.

For a story so rife with dialogue and religious debate, the filmmakers did not want Heretic to feel like a stage play, and tapped Chung-hoon and Messina and to bring Reed’s sinister fortress to life as cinematically as possible. “We talked early on about making sure the house is a character in its own right — a fourth character that looms over the three principal characters,” says Woods. “The claustrophobia comes out of that.”

“We had to figure out the psychology of Reed early on to understand why his house appears the way it does, serving as a kind of weapon against his young visitors,” says Beck. “Reed is God-playing in a way, pulling these characters through each room so it feels like a gauntlet or a game, consistently evolving to worse and worse places. It became about marrying the character of Reed with the production design and finding a methodology behind it to show how his mind works.”

To shoot the tight corridors and uncanny, vertiginous spaces in the house, the filmmakers brought on veteran cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon, best known for his acclaimed and starkly beautiful genre-bending films with director Park Chan-wook, including acrobatic fights and violent revenge in Oldboy, the gorgeous canvasses and tender sex scenes of The Handmaiden, and chiaroscuro bloodbaths in the Catholic-vampire-erotic-horror-film Thirst. His more recent English language work, the blockbuster Steven King adaptation IT and Edgar Wright’s Dark Mirror of 60s London, Last Night in Soho.

Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

Filmmakers Scott Beck & Bryan Woods burst onto the Hollywood scene with ’ A Quiet Place, based on their original screenplay. Beck & Woods’ script earned them the Saturn Award for Best Writing, alongside Best Original Screenplay nominations from the Writers Guild and the Critics Choice Awards, and was named one of the year’s ten best scripts by The Tracking Board Hit List. Variety went on to name Beck & Woods to their annual 10 Screenwriters to Watch list.
Most recently for Beck & Woods was Sony Pictures’ sci-fi thriller 65. The film is an original screenplay written by the duo, on which they also serve as directors and producers under their Beck/Woods banner. The project was a reunion for them and Sam Raimi who is also a producer of 65.
The duo also wrote the screenplay and served as Executive Producers on The Boogeyman, based on Stephen King’s iconic short story of the same name. The short story, first published in 1973 and later
released in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift, followed a man who’s recently lost all his children to a creature lurking in the closet.
Other credits for the filmmakers include 2019’s acclaimed thriller Haunt, which they wrote and directed for producer Eli Roth, Sierra/Affinity, Broken Road Productions, and Nickel City Pictures.
Beck & Woods are also co-owners of The Last Picture House, a specialty cinema and social lounge with 35mm capabilities. The movie theater is located in their hometown of Davenport, Iowa and opened in 2023. Beck & Woods are members of the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America.

by ·Comments Off on Magpie – A taut modern noir blurring the lines between reality and fiction

The idea for Magpie came from an experience Daisy Ridley had on a film set. She was playing the mother of a young child, and became intrigued by the idea of reality versus fantasy, when the young actor would call her ‘mummy’, outside of filming. She shared her initial idea with her writer-actor husband, Tom Bateman, who developed the idea, and crafted a plot exploring the deeper themes of sacrifice, obsession, betrayal and revenge, against the backdrop of a crumbling marriage.

“Magpie is a taut modern noir with a killer twist,” says director Sam Yates. “Like all noirs, we are exploring the darkness of the human heart, morally ambiguous behaviour, and alienation. As soon as I read Tom Bateman’s script, I connected with the story on a number of personal levels.”

Daisy took the project to producer Kate Solomon, who was immediately drawn to the story and worked with them on the script. “I think it’s very unusual to have films where the characters can be so complex and ambiguous. You have one view of Anette, and then it changes and you’re not quite sure why. It also felt very modern because a lot of it is based around the digital world, and the relationships are played out within that world.”

Daisy Ridley continues to make her mark on Hollywood as one of the most dynamic English actresses of our time. She is best known for her breakthrough role as Rey in the 2015 film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams. She reprised her role as Rey in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi directed by Rian Johnson in 2017 and in the final film of the Skywalker Saga Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker directed by J.J. Abrams in 2019.

Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley.

Director Sam Yates came on board soon after, marking his feature film directorial debut. “I immediately connected with the script, especially with the theme of someone who is not saying what they need to say, and is repressed or restricted in expressing what’s inside her, which here is about standing up to a partner who has very certainly devalued her over time, with his behaviour. I really responded to that as a premise. Anette finds expression in the film in a really interesting way, in a way that you don’t expect because she doesn’t say much at all. But nevertheless, she finds this cunning, inner strength to change her situation, which I thought was really beautifully done. And it’s unusual as well, I think, to see a modern noir put together in this way, with a dynamic female protagonist and lots of subversions of the genre, which I found really interesting.”

He continues, “there is a sense of moral ambiguity and ambivalence. We watch these characters all behaving in pretty interesting ways, and there’s no clear hero so you are not quite sure where to place your loyalties. I also wanted to question the undeclared violence that goes on within marriages. The sort of violence by stealth, which I felt was in the fibres of their relationship, and the desire to take revenge when someone wrongs you, or diminishes you and how you can express that.”

From Page To Screen

“Sam had a great emotional response to the script” says Tom. “He questioned how far we can push the secret and the conceit of the piece and reveal it to an audience. He brought huge ambition to the project, referring to Hitchcock and Paul Thomas Anderson as inspirations.”

Adds Daisy, “He’s both empathetic and sympathetic. He had a very unique sense of what the film was to be. It has been very interesting having his gaze and he is amazingly collaborative, amazing with performances. Right fit, right place, right time.”

At first, we see Anette seemingly troubled and dissatisfied with being a stay-at-home mother, Alicia being publicly vilified for a personal sex tape, circulating on social media and Ben behaving as a calm, dutiful and sacrificial father, chaperoning his daughter on a film set every day. Then things start to shift and perspectives on the characters change, as Ben becomes shamelessly obsessed with Alicia at the expense of his daughter’s safety, and sympathy grows towards Anette’s frustrating situation at home. She becomes increasingly suspicious of Ben’s behaviour towards Alicia.

Says Tom, “Anette becomes fixated with Alicia’s image through Ben’s lens. She is obsessed with the woman who is almost the opposite of her. She can travel and is free. She is independent and powerful and admired in the way that stars are.”

Consequently, cracks begin to widen in Anette and Ben’s relationship. Matilda says of Anette’s character, “When you deal with someone who is constantly lying and manipulating the situation in a very subtle way, it’s really hard to trust the other person. And you start becoming doubtful about yourself and think you are crazy. I think that is what Anette is going through.”

Says Daisy of the disintegrating relationship between Anette and Ben, “It’s like paper cut after paper cut and before you know it, you’re covered in cuts. How much can one person receive before there’s nothing left? Anette has lost her shine because of Ben.”

Anette is also struggling with loss. She gave up an exciting career in publishing to be a mother.

Says Tom, “And she is now possibly losing her husband, losing her child, everything that she’s sacrificed in her life in order to hold together this family unit and to be a good mother and wife. This is a love letter to mothers. I’ve seen mothers sacrifice so much, and I wanted to really shine a light on that.”

The role of Anette offered an exciting challenge for Daisy. A seemingly unstable stay-at-home mother with an errant husband, sacrificing everything to raise her children, who gains an inner power to break out of her isolated cocoon and achieve enlightenment, presented her with rich possibilities.

The character of Alicia also plays with the audience’s mind. Says Daisy, “You start by thinking she is a femme fatale because of what is presented of her character to the audience in the beginning.” It is revealed a tape of her lovemaking with her boyfriend has made its way online and as a well known actress she hits the headlines. “And then people make judgements based on this and jump to conclusions. But in fact, she is an innocent.”

And then there’s Ben himself. A writer who had success with his first novel and is writing his third novel (his second book was less successful), having moved his family to an isolated house in the country. He craves the attention he enjoyed with his first book, and is oblivious to Anette’s own needs as she deals with raising their children. So when the bright and shiny thing that is Alicia crosses Ben’s path, he finds the bait irresistible and “He becomes blinded by his own desires”, says Tom.

Shazad Latif was immediately drawn to play Ben. Tom’s script offered a multi-layered character to get his teeth into, describing him as “an egotistical zombie cruising only towards what he wants to do.”

Shazad anticipates audiences are going to be taken on an unexpected rollercoaster ride and will relate to the film depending on their own personal and emotional circumstances. “I think men and women will view this film very differently and many will side with and feel empathetic to Ben rather than Anette, whereas some will completely understand Anette’s point of view. “Men who are not awake or haven’t had any revelations in their life will feel Ben is trapped and they would do the same thing. Anette is holding him back. But I think the men who have had some kind of awakening or are doing some kind of self work, or trying to get rid of that toxic masculinity and patriarchy that’s within them, then they’ll understand and they’ll take sides with Anette.”

Says Daisy, “I think everyone will have a different response to the film, often quite visceral. And it will be really interesting to see people having a conversation about what it is that really resonates with them upon seeing it.”

Sam concludes “It’s a film about films, about watching and enjoying a kind of joyride. We are watching people make a film, watching people watch other people and watching people watch us. It’s about seeing how humans behave when they are pushed to the limit. Revenge is pretty sweet in the film and I hope people will get a real kick out of that.”

Cinematographer Laura Bellingham and director Sam Yates during filming of Magpie.
© SHINY THINGS FILMS LIMITED 2023

Director’s Statement

Sam Yates was named Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a rising star in The Observer. Yates has been described as “a major talent” in The Guardian and “a director of unusual flair” in The Observer for his work in theatre. Magpie marks Yates’ directorial debut. He has most recently returned to the London stage, directing Andrew Scott in Chekhov’s Vanya

We find Anette in a state of dullness, her sense of self, her agency and her confidence having been slowly diminished by a verbally controlling and disinterested partner. While I didn’t have Anette’s cunning to save me, I did eventually pull myself out of a damaging relationship, and learnt what it means to reclaim yourself after years of doubting yourself. Anette’s journey from fractured to whole is, I hope, one of universal resonance and will speak to anyone who’s survived a toxic relationship.

I was equally fascinated by Ben. Struggling creatively, and seemingly blaming this on Anette and his children, Ben, like the magpie, has his head turned by luminous objects. I use the word “objects” deliberately, because Ben’s fantasy that Alicia is the solution to his problems, the key to immortality, and the road to endless excitement, is a fantasy of his own creation. He looks outward rather than within for solutions to his malaise, boredom and discontentment. The fact that Alicia is an actor heightens this fantasy, an invitation into a world that appears glamorous, exotic and ceaselessly interesting. Ben has painted Anette as someone he finds undesirable; a mother, and nothing more. He can no longer see the brilliant, beautiful woman he was first attracted to. Such is the distorting power of his gaze.

While we are drawn into the sexually charged connection between Ben and Alicia we experience the ugly flip side, Anette’s struggle to bear yet another infidelity. However, this time she can’t sit back and do nothing.

How do we express our anger when we’ve been wronged? What happens when humans repress emotions for too long?

Anette begins subdued, unstable and in extremis, but throughout the film reclaims her sense of self, applying cunning, ingenuity and strength to take her ultimate, and oh so cold, revenge.

Cinematographer Laura Bellingham and I pursued the bold visuals of the genre, inspired by Hitchcock and Jonathan Demme (red herrings, unstable perspectives, shadow and light, mirrors and reflection, intense close ups, subjective POV), to keep audiences on the edge of their seats as the story hurtles towards its fatal conclusion. A robust and present score by Isobel Waller-Bridge serves to ratchet tension and deliver a distinctive and universally appealing noir.”

© SHINY THINGS FILMS LIMITED 2023

by ·Comments Off on The Silent Hour – An action thriller featuring a heroic deaf cop

Screenwriter Dan Hall found inspiration for The Silent Hour after coming across an article about NYPD officer, Dan Carione, who as a result of an on-the-job accident required the use of a hearing aid. At the time, NYPD’s policy was that anyone needing hearing equipment to work could not be an officer, and he was terminated from the force. Carione sued the department and won. Today, thanks to Carione’s bravery, hearing aids are allowed for NYPD officers. Carione’s experience resonated with Hall, and he felt it was a solid jumping-off point for a story featuring a hero deaf cop.

“On the surface, The Silent Hour is about a hearing-impaired detective trapped in a semi-abandoned Boston apartment block with a deaf murder witness, attempting to escape a team of killers,” says Hall, but the story delves a bit deeper. The core dynamic between the two lead characters, Frank and Ava, is what truly lies at the heart of this high-stakes caper.

“It’s really about the relationship between these two people, and the journey of discovery that the detective goes on, thanks to the witness, where he learns that despite losing his hearing, he has lost none of his worth as a police officer, or man,” says Hall.

The most compelling aspect of The Silent Hour for Director Brad Anderson was that it centered around deaf characters, which he had never worked with before. He saw this oner as a great opportunity to utilize sound design as a storytelling agent. He adds, “I also like the fact that it’s a very contained story. It takes place over a short period of time. One location, more or less. Those sorts of restrictions sometimes lend themselves to coming up with really creative, cool storytelling choices, and I think we’ve been able to do that in this movie.”

Anderson continues, “How does one tell the story about a man, in this case, a cop who’s losing his hearing, and how does that figure into the storytelling? In this movie, we’re going to find ways to get into the headspace of Joel Kinnaman’s character, Frank – and sort of hear or not hear the world the way he does. As a filmmaker, this was an interesting and new way to explore storytelling – through sound and the lack of sound.”

Anderson truly hopes the classic action components are an initial draw for the audiences. But as much as this is a thrilling story, there is a compelling human emotional factor he is equally keen to underscore for the fans. “The connection between these two characters in the context of an action film is a little unusual. Different in the fact that one’s deaf and one’s losing his hearing, it makes it more unique. In some respects, it’s straight out of an action thriller, and in other respects, it’s a deeply engrossing character piece as well. I think that this combination is what makes The Silent Hour fresh and interesting,” states Anderson.

While in pursuit of a dangerous suspect, Boston Police Detective Frank Shaw (Joel Kinnaman) is badly hurt, sustaining a progressive and permanent hearing loss injury. Sixteen months later, Frank returns to work and is struggling to navigate his new normal. When Doug Slater (Mark Strong), his good friend on the Narcotics Squad requests his assistance interviewing Ava Fremont (Sandra Mae Frank), a deaf murder witness, he’s hesitant, but eventually agrees to the task. Frank’s noble deed unintentionally lands him in the middle of a sinister plot to silence Ava forever, and he instinctively leaps into action. The cards are stacked against them as Mason Lynch (Mekhi Phifer) and his henchmen have them completely surrounded within a soon-to-be condemned residential building. Cut off from the outside world and left to their own devices, these two practical strangers must lean on themselves and each other as they are thrust into a battle for their lives.

From Page To Screen

“It all began with a script that caught my attention years ago” recalls producer Eric Paquette. “That script was titled Submerged by the talented Dan Hall. Fast forward to June 2021 when, out of the blue, Dan sent me another script on spec titled Silence. I was immediately captivated and knew I wanted to produce it. The journey of The Silent Hour had officially begun.”

Writer Dan Hall found inspiration for The Silent Hour after coming across an article about NYPD officer, Dan Carione, who as a result of an on-the-job accident required the use of a hearing aid. At the time, NYPD’s policy was that anyone needing hearing equipment to work could not be an officer, and he was terminated from the force. 

With the story in place, the search for directors began. Enter Brad Anderson. Paquette remarks that he was “a filmmaker [he’d] long admired but hadn’t yet found the right project to collaborate on.” Paquette continues: “That changed when he read Silence and I shared my enthusiasm for the material. Dan and Brad worked together to refine the script, leading us to rename it The Silent Hour, elevating our lead from a rookie cop to a seasoned detective.”

Producer Eric Paquette and Joel Kinnaman (“Frank Shaw”) on the set of SILENT HOUR                         ©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved. Image Courtesy AGC  Studios

With a writer, producer and director invested, the next step was to bring the script to Stuart Ford at AGC. Paquette adds that “Stuart’s passion for the project and expertise in selling foreign rights proved invaluable as we began assembling pieces of the puzzle. With the script in hand, we approached Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong, both of whom enthusiastically agreed to join our cast.”

Joel Kinnaman was immediately drawn to the contained and tight format of the script, but his interest was sustained by the journey of his character, Frank Shaw. “He’s an extremely confident alpha male, who at the peak of his power suffers an injury where he starts to lose his hearing, and it completely changes his world. It changes his perception of himself and how he operates in the world,” Kinnaman reflects. “It’s a story about survival in the circumstance, but also about Frank’s acceptance of his new reality and understanding that life doesn’t end when one loses their hearing.”

Mekhi Phifer notes that once he started with the script, he could not put it down. “There were aspects that were funny as well as intriguing. I did not know what was going to happen and that kept me going – it was a page-turner!” Phifer gives the fans a fair warning to be prepared for a crazy thrill ride. “They’re not going to know what’s going to happen – who’s going to live, who’s going to die, who’s going to succeed or how it’s going to end. The Silent Hour is not cookie-cutter by any way, shape or form.”

It was incredibly important that the role of Ava be played by an actress with the lived experience of deafness, and Sandra Mae Frank was the perfect fit for the part. Her enthusiasm for the role was palpable. She freely confesses her love of action films, deeming it her all-time favorite genre – but more than that, it was the nature of deaf representation in the script that she found most remarkable. “How Dan wrote my character Ava as a deaf person, it wasn’t really about her deafness. It’s about her relationship with the other character Frank, who is losing his hearing. And it’s interesting to read the script that has a different version of deaf in it, and deaf people, and the culture, and how they were raised. Ava was raised that way, but Frank, he’s losing his hearing, so he doesn’t have that culture. He’s latent deaf which adds an extra element to the script, and it’s really nice,” she affirms.

Hall confides that it was a magical moment to see the final product come to life. Specifically, Hall is excited for audiences to connect with our two heroes. Because this kind of action movie has never centered around deaf characters before, there were opportunities for unique twists and turns at every scene. The premise of a deaf cop being hunted by hearing killers presented a myriad of unusual situations – but what really stood out to him were the simple tasks that became extremely complicated due to the heroes’ hearing impairments. 

In particular, Hall notes that “there is an elevator scene where our heroes use the alarm button to call for help, but they can’t hear whether or not anyone has actually answered the call – and by the time someone does answer, our heroes have already hung up.” 

For Mark Strong, this scene exemplifies why The Silent Hour’s action-movie premise stands out. In addition to the film’s strong story, he shares that “these characters have to escape when they cannot hear the people who are pursuing them… this gives an added level of threat – and I thought the script was great for that reason.” 

Hall continues to say that when the core relationship of the film is between two deaf characters, one of whom struggles to use ASL, communicating critical details to the audience sans dialogue can be challenging. He took this as an opportunity to exercise his creativity – a successful strategy that ultimately resulted in the unique scenarios that he knows make The Silent Hour stand out.

He continues that “the underdog story of a guy who has given up on himself finding the strength to get back up thanks to this brilliant woman who has faced similar hurdles in her life will hopefully stay with people after they leave the theater.” 

Joel Kinnaman (“Frank Shaw”) on the set of SILENT HOUR.  ©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved. Image Courtesy AGC  Studios

American Sign Language (ASL) Master, Anselmo DeSousa’s work with actor Joel Kinnaman began months before the cameras started to roll. Producer Paquette praised Kinnaman’s commitment, noting that “Joel committed to three months of ASL training, ensuring authenticity in his portrayal of the role.” In addition to ASL lessons, DeSousa also introduced Kinnaman to deaf culture, helping him fully understand the experience of someone who loses their hearing abilities. 

Kinnaman credits DeSousa for helping him quickly adjust to the steep learning curve when it came to his ASL lessons. While the interpreters were a fantastic resource, his lessons started to take hold when waiting in between takes with Sandra Mae Frank when Kinnaman had to rely on sign language to communicate with her.

“Joel picked up ASL quickly, and on set he and Sandra Mae communicated very well without an interpreter,” shares DeSousa. Throughout production, DeSousa admits that at times even he was surprised at how adept Kinnaman became at sign language.

While working with Frank, DeSousa focused more on her character’s lines in ASL to ensure they were accurate and linguistically correct for the film’s context and setting. Oftentimes, you would find them perfecting their ASL dialogue before shooting specific scenes. 

DeSousa fondly recalls the incredible efforts by Production to ensure the deaf culture was recognized and respected. With three ASL/English interpreters on hand to work with himself and Frank, there was always full access to communicate with everyone on the cast and crew, creating an amazing and inclusive experience. 

For many, The Silent Hour is their first experience where deafness is a central story element. A big takeaway for Kinnaman while working on this film was learning about the deaf community, and it was humbling for him to understand how little he knew before stepping onto this project – and now, he’s grateful for the new knowledge he gained. Kinnaman was able to put his ASL to good use, effectively communicating both on and offset, and he now has a greater appreciation for sign language and its beauty. He confides, “This really was a rewarding experience, more so than I expected – that’s what you want a film to be. You want there to be a lesson learned, something that you bring with you for the rest of your life, and this was more so than many of my experiences.”

Brad Anderson, Director

Two decades after his indie romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland opened to rave reviews (and won the Grand Prize at the Deauville Film Festival), Brad Anderson continues to demonstrate his versatility as a filmmaker unwilling to be pinned down. His films, spanning genres from sci-fi (Happy Accidents) to paranoid thriller (The Machinist); from horror (Session 9) to action (Transsiberian); from political drama (Beirut) to period gothic (Stonehearst Asylum), have premiered at festivals around the world and been both critically acclaimed as well as box office winners. His thriller The Call with Halle Berry was recently the #1 film on Netflix. His numerous episodic television credits include such shows as The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Treadstone and Peacemaker, as well as many pilots, including DC’s Titans, and the Netflix smash Clickbait. He recently wrapped Apple’s sci-fi drama Invasion and his latest film is the dark drama Blood, starring Michelle Monaghan. He’s currently developing a thriller based on a Jack London short story, as well as a period romance based on the book The Mapmaker’s Wife. 

Dan Hall, Writer

Dan Hall is a UK-based feature writer specializing in genre, with a particular focus on action, thriller and horror. The Silent Hour marks Hall’s feature debut: it is a clear distillation of his voice as a writer and typifies his muscular, propulsive style of writing. Hall has a slew of projects in development with established producers and exciting talent attachments.

©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved.

by ·Comments Off on The Crow navigates the complexities of love, loss, and grief

William Schneider, who co-wrote the screenplay of The Crow with Zach Baylin, “fell in love with director Rupert Sanders’ completely new take on a modern reimagination of the original graphic novel by James O’Barr. “The way he took a tale of revenge and from it built an unforgettable love story was so inventive, imaginative, and challenging. I loved getting into that element.”

Co-writer Zach Baylin was equally drawn to Sanders’ vision. “I’m a huge admirer of Rupert’s work and I knew he would make something striking and visionary and moving. I also had an affinity for the heartbreak and outsider perspective of the original graphic novel and wanted to honor that tragic love story.”

For director Rupert Sanders, the love story between the central characters, Eric and Shelly, is the film’s beating heart. “I wanted to invest audiences in their love story, and to have them understand what Eric will do when that love is taken from him,” he says. “So, The Crow is two movies in one: an action-thriller story of revenge, and a romance.”

Indeed, the tragedy, loss, and grief of Eric and Shelly’s romance drives the film. As producer Molly Hassell notes, “During the film’s development, one of the most pressing considerations was the thought of what we – or someone – would give to have that last moment with the person we loved deeply and lost tragically. To bring to screen the complex feeling of unexpected loss and to honor the complicated landscape that comes in the wake of such loss. Once we brought Rupert aboard, we decided to make something new and imaginative that would touch upon those feelings to which everyone can relate – within a big action-thriller. The Crow hits on a new zeitgeist, and a new way of looking at the world, grief, and ultimately, at healing.”

Bill Skarsgård in THE CROW. Photo Aleksandar Letic © Lionsgate

“Rupert brought an authenticity from the original source material and a vision that was totally reimagined for a new generation unlike any other ideas we had seen,” says producer Victor Hadida. “His  version of this dark anti-hero who you could still see humanity within at their darkest hour, and a sense of such anger and frustration reflected throughout the film was tantalizing.”

The Crow’s look is inspired by the graphic novel’s haunting imagery – and encompasses the casting of Skarsgård as a totally reimagined Eric, with a hardened, gothic aesthetic. The characters are modern, dynamic, have varied artistic interests, and inhabit a contemporary society with intriguingly retro designs.

Bill Skarsgård adds that The Crow is very much a film for today’s audiences. “That’s what really got me excited about it,” he explains. “This film’s Eric and Shelly are completely contemporary; they’re two outsiders to whom anyone can relate.”

Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs in THE CROW. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks © Lionsgate

In the revenge/action-thriller The Crow, soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out for merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put things right. The film navigates the complexities of love, loss, and grief within the framework of a no-holds-barred story of action and revenge.

Director Rupert Sanders’ Statement

The Crow is the original anti-superhero. His story is about tragic loss, about dealing with the pain of everything that comes with losing someone you love, something that all of us have or will encounter at some point in our lives. It is about the dark shadow of grief, about what we would do when something so meaningful is taken from us.

The original graphic novel is deeply meaningful for so many, and the character, his journey and his need for revenge has inspired a canon of films for the last three decades. Our version goes back to that graphic novel by James O’Barr, who I had the honour of meeting shortly before production, and explores the love story as the primary drive for our film.

Director Rupert Sanders (right) during filming of The Crow. Photo Credit: Aleksandar Letic © Lionsgate

What Alex Proyas did with The Crow in 1994 – and Brandon Lee’s iconic embodiment of that character – will forever impact that generation and others to follow. It was a culture-defining film that is beloved to this day and has inspired many other iterations both inside and outside The Crow Universe.

That film sparked a fire with the youth of that day, a youth who grew up on hard, alternative rock, punk and metal, that binged on MTV and zines. It held a mirror to that generation in the aesthetic of the film, its smoky, rain-drenched streets, stylized and subverted sets, its leather clad hero and chain wielding villains. It expressed its name in a very specific, music-driven vision, that spoke to a young audience who had never been spoken to in that way. It became a cult classic.

Our interpretation of James’ work also reflects this young generation, whose tastes and references have changed so dramatically from the original film. Hopefully it speaks to them in their language, with their style and music and hopefully will get them to discover Alex Proyas’ film and James O’Barr’s graphic novel, bringing a new audience to the source material.

Danny Huston as Vincent Roeg and Director Rupert Sanders during filming of The Crow. Photo Credit: Aleksandar Letic © Lionsgate

For this story is as universal as an epic poem or Greek myth, it deals with the very primal, naturalistic emotions of love, grief and rage and it also deals with the supernatural and physiological imaginings of heaven and hell, the dead and the undead. It explores the great positive force of love and the great negative force of rage and hate that stands in its shadow, it asks what would we do, but also what would we have become by doing so. When Eric slumps to the floor, covered in the blood of the slain, we look deep into his eyes and he asks us…why?

I am very pleased to have worked with two young actors whose performances are the backbone of this film. Bill Skarsgård is so committed and vulnerable, monstrously violent and delicately tender, he brings so many layers to the complex emotion of a man consumed with so much love and hate, but also a man who will do anything for the woman he loves. He fights, numb with pain and grief, killing and maiming for the one he loves…but to what end? FKA twigs brings the same unique and wondrous talent that she does to her entire volume of work, and her performance and the vacuum created by her absence undoubtedly gives reason for this Crow to be born.

From Page to Screen

Bill Skarsgård as Eric in The Crow. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks © Lionsgate

Sanders’s startling vision for the look of the film hits us from the opening frames, during the title sequence, in which a figure – revealed to be Eric – is seen writhing and undulating in a black liquid.

“I wanted to make a film that was sophisticated, visceral, and mind-blowing from the start,” says Sanders. In a near freezing room, the filmmakers filled a large animal feed tank with a black food-thickening agent, in which Skarsgård was filmed writhing, splashing, punching, and spitting – all captured at an ultra-high 600 frames per second with a state-of-the-art Phantom camera. The high frame rate facilitated a slow-motion unveiling of the unsettling and striking actions. “We designed it to be an allegory of a fight against the darkness,” Sanders adds.

When Sanders came aboard The Crow he looked at some of his favorite films from the ‘80s and ‘90s, like Diva and Subway, which, he says, “have this great aesthetic that feels very modern, yet timeless and otherworldly.”

“I wanted The Crow to have a grounded aesthetic,” Sanders continues. “Even the supernatural elements had to feel authentic. I didn’t want anything to feel too fantastical.”

Bill Skarsgård during filming of THE CROW. Photo Aleksandar Letic © Lionsgate

The film moves between the urban, graffitied street culture and nightclubs of Eric’s life, to the more sophisticated ‘90s-inspired apartments of Shelly and her mother, and the heaven-and-hell vibe of the massive, flooded, and abandoned railyard that’s home to Kronos.

Sanders wanted Eric to have a kind of homemade chop aesthetic, as well as home-grown piercings and tattoos, all of which are central to the character. “I wanted Eric to come from a place that felt resonant to the street culture I grew up with in the ‘90s,” says Sanders. “Many of the kids I used to go out with would cut homemade mullets and piercings, and people would tattoo their own thighs and hands. Eric has been on that kind of journey and has that kind of piecemeal look. It was about him looking aggressive on the outside, but inside being very vulnerable. It’s not a warning of ‘I’m dangerous’; it’s a warning of ‘Keep away; don’t talk to me.’”

Bill Skarsgård in THE CROW. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks © Lionsgate

Principal photography of The Crow took place in Prague, Czech Republic. In addition to the volcanic opera house sequence, notable sets created by production designer Robin Brown and his team included Kronos’s in-between world of the living and dead, which was inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky’s landmark 1979 film Stalker.

The Crow’s theme of loss and grief extended into the lives of the filmmakers.

The sense of real-life loss extended into this film’s production. The production of this film was marked by a poignant real-life loss. Edward Pressman, who was a producer on the 1994 picture, as well as on the new one, passed away not long after production wrapped.

“Ed’s sensibility, and his understanding of pop culture and the motion picture universe, were very present when we made The Crow,” says Sanders. “I was lucky when I got to sit with Ed for lunch and screen some of the film for him. Later, Ed saw the first cut of the film, and wrote me a long, beautiful email about how much he loved it, how he thought it was a worthy successor, and how we retained so much of what he loved about the graphic novel. He was a true advocate for the path were taking on The Crow.”

Director Rupert Sanders and Bill Skarsgård during filming of THE CROW. © Lionsgate

Molly Hassell reminds us that the heart of the film is grief, noting that James O’Barr wrote the graphic novel after his fiancé had passed away in an automobile accident. Moreover, Hassell and fellow producers Victor Hadida and John Jencks had decided to make The Crow in the memory of Victor’s late brother, Samuel Hadida, who had been championing the making of film but passed away in 2018. “At the time, we dedicated the making of The Crow to Samuel Hadida who we lost unexpectedly. This loss was very personal to all of us involved in the film – whether as brother, love, or deep friendship – it was the driving force behind the creation of the new film. Much like O’Barrs original work.” Victor continues, “bringing it to screen is the biggest tribute I can make to his legacy.”

Hassell says these themes will move audiences. “We wanted to make a film to which audiences can relate, and from which they can take something away,” she continues. “It’s very important to all of us involved in The Crow that audiences leave the cinemas understanding that they’re not alone, and that everyone, at some point, experiences grief or death. It’s not a solo journey; it’s something we can talk about and deal with together.”

Victor Hadida says “The aesthetic of the film is an experience in itself. But in a dark theater on the big screen with great music and surround sound, you go on this journey with these characters in a beautiful and stylish setting with impressive scope, and it is so very intimate.”

For William Schneider, working on The Crow was an emotional experience. “When I was a kid, the world that James O’Barr created was so important to me, so being a part of this project was incredibly personal. It felt like Rupert Sanders was leading us through the jungle together, uncovering so many unique moments. It was always challenging work, but very rewarding at the end of the day. It felt like we were making something special.”

Bill Skarsgård as Eric in The Crow. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks © Lionsgate

Bill Skarsgård adds that The Crow offers audiences something different. “It’s emotional, dark, gritty, romantic, with a lot of edgy action. I hope the movie speaks to everyone, especially those who don’t see themselves represented much in films today. Eric and Shelly are outsiders, rebels, and misfits, and this is their story.”

Rupert Sanders concludes, “This story has universal themes: everyone has loved and experienced grief. There’s also the idea about sacrifice – that there are things worth more than a sense of self. The film asks, what would you do for someone else? It taps back into the true beauty of a love story.”

Eric and Shelly “two kinds of broken and lost souls who find each other in a rehab facility.”

Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs in THE CROW. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks © Lionsgate

Director Rupert Sanders calls the central characters, Eric and Shelly “two kinds of broken and lost souls who find each other in a rehab facility. They come from different worlds; there’s a kind of uptown girl / downtown boy feel about them. Eric is lost and silent. There’s something beautifully damaged about him. Yet, he’s a romantic and can express himself emotionally in a way we don’t typically see in heroes or anti-heroes.”

Eric’s body is covered in tattoos, which tell others to keep away from him. “They’re a kind of shell,” says Skarsgård. “Eric is tormented, raw, and vulnerable. But there’s another side to him; he’s also gentle and hurting. Eric has grown up in a destructive household and has been living on the streets. He uses drugs and other vices to survive, with only Eric’s creative work in music and drawing giving him purpose.”

“Then Eric meets Shelly, which transforms him,” the actor continues. “I imagine that can happen with addicts or people close to rock bottom; they meet someone and project a kind of salvation on them. I think Eric feels that Shelly is some kind of angel who’s been sent to save him. Shelly becomes Eric’s savior as well as his lover. She rekindles a fire and purpose in Eric. When she’s taken away from him, it’s all about the lengths that Eric will go to get her back.”

Sanders says that Shelly’s arrival in Eric’s life is completely unexpected, but “there’s something magical about their draw to one another. She teaches him how to feel and love again. When that’s taken away from Eric, it’s incredibly painful.”

There’s a supernatural loophole that could bring Shelly back – but at the ultimate cost to Eric. First, he must become a vengeance seeking, unstoppable force.

Eric’s odyssey of retribution is marked by relentless violence and death, but also points to another of the film’s key themes: self-sacrifice. Says Sanders: “Eric’s great loss leads to a journey of nihilism and destruction, but it’s all to bring Shelly back. He will become a monster and sacrifice his eternal life for her mortal life.”

Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs during filming of THE CROW. Photo Aleksandar Letic © Lionsgate

FKA twigs, a British genre-bending singer, songwriter, and actor, took on the role of Shelly.  Shelly, too, is broken. She had been taken under the wing of a wealthy man whom she saw as a benefactor, but who ultimately forced her to commit an unspeakable act. To escape his further persecution, Shelly flees to the rehab facility where she eventually meets Eric. Their bond is immediate and powerful.

“Eric offers Shelly comfort, safety, and an unconditional love that she’s not experienced before,” twigs notes. “Shelly, in turn, offers Eric a sense of expression, art, and knowledge. She’s always talking about music and poetry and has lived in beautiful places. Shelly provides Eric with a kind of home to explore and express himself and be the most authentic version of himself. They’re a perfect fit of jigsaw puzzle pieces. So, when she’s ripped away from him, Eric has no choice but to go and find her, no matter what it costs him.”

In casting the role of Eric, Sanders and Hassell were looking for an actor who could convey authenticity, as well as a critical mix of inner fragility and external violence and rage that fill Eric in his journey to save Shelly. They found all those colliding traits in Bill Skarsgård.

“Bill, after working in the horror genre [as Pennywise the Clown in the blockbuster film adaptations of Stephen King’s It], was ready to step out from those veils of makeup and become himself,” Sanders explains. “He’s an incredibly emotional actor, with huge eyes that convey feelings of longing, pain, boyish wonder, and love. But when they harden, those eyes become terrifying.”

The dynamic between Eric and Shelly – and Skarsgård and twigs – had to be magical. “There was indeed something chemical going on between Bill and twigs that was a joy to watch and capture on film,” Sanders tells us. “Without that chemistry, we’d wonder why Eric would go on this war path to bring back Shelly. Eric had to care so deeply about Shelly, and she had to make such an impression on him – and the audience – which she does.”

“The Crow’s DNA has alway been a deeply romantic helix of horror, music, and violent urban myth and Bill and Twigs are the perfect collaborators to bring that to life,” says Baylin. Beyond the necessary chemistry, Sanders was looking for an actor who could embody Shelly’s magical and unique qualities, “so the audience would feel the vacuum from her disappearance,” he continues. “There was something about twigs that carried a once-in-a-generation feeling. She really turns Shelly into a formidable and iconic figure. “Twigs is such a transcendent performer with a mix of balletic grace and punk outrage that perfectly fit our Crow’s world.”

FKA twigs felt a strong and immediate connection to the character. “I wanted to play Shelly because she felt like a magnified version of myself. Obviously, we’re not the same, but it felt like Shelly was one side of me that could be ‘blown up’ into the entire character. There’s something really light and child-like about Shelly, even though she’s been enveloped in darkness,” twigs continues. “I feel that in myself, as well. I liked that Eric and Shelly have such a deep love and connection that feels different from those we’ve seen before. They have their own vibe.”

© Lionsgate

RUPERT SANDERS – DIRECTOR

Filmmaker Rupert Sanders is best known for his compelling storytelling and striking visuals across film, television, and advertisements. Sanders started his career in advertising, directing spots for clients including Apple, Nike, and Guinness. He went on to direct award-winning spots such as Diorama for Halo which won two Grand Prix awards for Film and Integrated Film at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. He also directed The Life for Halo which won a Gold Lion for cinematography and Sanders a Silver Lion for directing. He released his first feature film, Snow White And The Huntsman, in 2012. The action-fantasy starred Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, and Charlize Theron and opened to number one at the box office. Sanders then directed the adaptation of the popular science fiction manga, Ghost In The Shell, starring Scarlett Johannson in 2017. On the TV side, Rupert directed the pilot episode for Apple’s sci-fi epic Foundation. The series premiered to rave reviews and was picked up for a third season.

ZACH BAYLIN – SCREENWRITER

Zach Baylin is an Academy Award, BAFTA and WGA-nominated screenwriter and was named one of VARIETY’s “10 Screenwriters to Watch.” Baylin penned the script for the Oscar Nominated King Richard for Warner Bros. Studios, which debuted to rave reviews in 2021 and went on to receive six Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Film and Best Actor, which Will Smith took home for his performance as Richard Williams.  Most recently, Baylin wrote Bob Marley: One Love, Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Paramount film about the life of Bob Marley, which released on February 14. Previously, Baylin co-wrote the script for Creed III, the third installment of the revamped Rocky series, for MGM. The film stars Michael B. Jordan, who also made his directorial debut with the film, and had the highest grossing opening weekend for a sports film of all time. Baylin also wrote a re-imagining of the upcoming 90’s classic THE CROW for director Rupert Sanders to be released in 2024 and cowrote Sony’s Gran Turismo, directed by Neill Blomkamp, which released on August 25, 2023. Baylin has written projects for Lionsgate, Imagine, TNT, Studio 8, wiip, as well as for acclaimed filmmakers such as James Gray, Jeremy Saulnier, Francesco Munzi, and Jonathan Levine. Together with his wife, Kate Susman, Baylin co-founded Youngblood Pictures, a Film and Television Development Company dedicated to telling true stories about complex, unheralded characters. At Youngblood, Kate and Zach currently have a number of film and TV projects in development, including The Order, a true crime heist thriller set in the dangerous American Militia movement of the 1980’s. The film stars Jude Law, Nick Hoult, Tye Sheridan and Jurnee Smollett. It is directed by Justin Kurzel and will be released in the fall of 2024. The duo is also writing and producing the limited series, Black Rabbit for Netflix, which stars and is executive produced by Jude Law and Jason Bateman (who is also directing). It is currently shooting in New York City for release in 2025.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER – SCREENWRITER

William is an award-winning writer who has established himself as an outstanding voice in crafting original screenplays and demonstrated a passion for adapting compelling IP for a global audience.
William co-wrote and executive produced the re-imagining of The Crow for director Rupert Sanders. William co-wrote an adaptation of the beloved Konami video game series Return to Silent Hill with Christophe Gans directing. He collaborated with Japanese literary giant Hideyuki Kikuchi to adapt the first book of his best-selling series of novels Vampire Hunter D. He also wrote an adaptation of Tecmo’s groundbreaking horror video game series Fatal Frame. He adapted one of his favorite graphic novels, Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese. He currently has Joel Reilly, Jasper Graham, and Patrick Patterson of Undisputed Pictures producing his action thriller script Rain Who Kills Alone. In television, William recently sold his pilot Dynamite to Brett Burlock and Cineflix. The script tells the story of the infamous English wrestler Tom Billington.

by ·Comments Off on Longlegs – Sinister Horror

What if a movie could feel like a nightmare? Not in the sense that it gives you nightmares, though Longlegs, the new feature from writer and director Osgood Perkins, will certainly do that. But what if a movie could replicate the all consuming but still somehow unplaceable feeling of being trapped in a prison of your darkest subconscious, where the elemental fears of childhood boogeymen blend terrifyingly together with the anxieties and responsibilities of adulthood.

The sinister magic of Longlegs is knowing that you experienced it in your full waking life, only to carry it with you so it can seed your dreams.

Over the course of his visionary career, Perkins has established himself as a master of dark tone poems.
From I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House to Blackcoat’s Daughter and more, the writer and
director has demonstrated his ability to weave together bleak fairy tales even when he isn’t putting his
own spin on Hansel and Gretel.

Through Longlegs, the writer and director – with a complex relationship to Hollywood and horror – has created his own mythic specter for entry into the pantheon of genre villains.

“It’s sort of like a horror movie mixtape,” Perkins says, describing his film. “This movie really does have
kind of everything in it when it comes to the expectations of the genre. There’s an axe massacre. There’s
a serial killer. There’s the devil. There’s the FBI. There’s creepy dolls. There’s creepy barns. So it really
has this kind of milkshake quality to it of having everything in it.” Longlegs tells the story of Lee Harker
(Maika Monroe), a newly minted FBI agent who lives in the green and grey temperate rainforest of
Oregon, and who, in her earliest days on the job, susses out a murderous perp through an uncanny level
of perception. For a director heavily inspired by Silence of the Lambs, Harker emerges as his Agent Starling.

In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his
terrifying killing spree. Agent Harker is quickly assigned to a case that’s been stymying the Bureau for decades, a file full of murders that have played out the same over and over again. A father kills his entire family and then takes his own life. Different houses, different people, different murder weapons, but a signature left behind at each scene denoting the existence of one common figure among the tragedies. He writes messages in code for authorities to find, but signs them with the same name every time: Longlegs. Whoever or whatever Longlegs is, they leave no trace, no fingerprints, no physical evidence. All the kills have been definitively carried out by a member of the house, but responsibility seems to sit with the figure connecting them all together. Longlegs.

Haunting the House

Once Agent Harker is handed the case file and tasked with decoding the ciphers in evidence, Longlegs slowly sweeps over the film like a fog, chilling the air and obscuring the shape of things previously known. He is nowhere, but he is inescapably all places at once. Agent Harker can’t see him, but she begins to hear him and almost feel him in the atmosphere.

© MMXXIII C2 Motion Picture Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

“In early responses to the movie, people are saying, ‘There’s something within this movie that’s in and of itself unholy,’ and it’s kind of coming through the pores of the movie,” Perkins told actor Nicolas Cage in a conversation for Fangoria. “It’s coming through the sprockets of the film that we shot.” To which Cage added, “People are going to come away from the movie asking themselves, ‘Have I just been cursed?’”

“Obviously, Silence of the Lambs is a massive influence in this film just as a whole,” says Monroe, who also pulled inspiration from other dark crime thrillers that she loves. “But I pulled a lot from Rooney Mara’s Dragon Tattoo. There were similarities in the way they both felt like outsiders in this world and didn’t know where they fit in, but the only place that made sense to them was solving these crimes.”

A key detail about what makes Longlegs feel so haunted is the way the film sounds. And while it’s obvious that evocative sound design and a chilling score are intrinsic to the success of any good horror movie, the subtle and subconscious-level cues in Longlegs are what give the movie its pervasive aura of danger. From the very start, footsteps feel uncomfortably loud, which emphasizes the paranoid feeling
of being watched and followed as the movie unfolds. Our characters inhabit spaces that are still and
serene, even when they become tableaus of carnage, and that turns any noise punctuating the quiet
into a sonic attack.

Sound designer and supervising sound editor Eugenio Battaglia is a passionate horror fan, particularly
where it involves Satanic stories, and his past work on narrative podcasts taught him how to move a
story and create a scene without images to rely on. That was perfect training for working on a scary
movie, where Battaglia also knew his material would take center stage.

“As a sound designer, I like how much control sound has over a horror film,” he says. “It’s like the most instrumental part of it.”

All that put Longlegs right up his alley, and when Battaglia first got the call to work on the film, his brain
started cycling through ideas he’d always wanted to try. He immediately picked up on the recurring
theme of rock and roll throughout Longlegs, and Perkins co-signed the idea to populate its soundscape
with elements both “hypnotic and subliminal.” He drew on the historic linkage between metal and the
occult for inspiration. “I’ve always wanted to try and do subliminal sounds,” says Battaglia. “In old 70s
records or all kinds of rock and roll records, there’s all these backwards recordings and subliminal stuff
that has to do with satanic things.”

And because Longlegs has the pervasive sense of being ensconced in malevolence, Battaglia used a
binaural microphone to capture sounds for a realistic 3D effect that could envelop the listener. He’d
whisper into it or rub the windscreen and then filter the recordings to create ASMR-like sounds that
would put him in a kind of trance state. That way he could break the trance for audiences with sharp
sounds and jarring interruptions.

This process of folding in buried meanings went hand in glove with the over-arching theme of the film,
which is the powerful ability to obfuscate dark truths with dogmatically repeated fictions — specifically
where it concerns the stories parents tell their kids, and the work kids have to do of unwinding those
stories once they become adults.

“What it’s about is the power we have over our children to shape their perception of things,” says
Perkins, who connects that experience back to his own upbringing, the things that were kept out of view
from him and his brother. “About the fact that moms can lie to their children and think that it’s a good
thing. Sometimes their back is against the wall, and they have to lie to their kids. The mythology of a
family, the cover story of a family that is created by the mother in service of the child.”

The filmmaker calls Longlegs a movie with “many veils,” layers of gossamer-thin fabric wrapped around
so many times that the reality beneath them becomes opaque, keeping the onlooker from seeing what’s
really there even if it’s placed directly in front of them. This is true of Agent Harker’s perception of her
childhood, and it’s true of Longlegs himself, in both a literal and figurative way.

Elusive as he is, Harker and Longlegs are profoundly connected. She pursues him to solve the murders,
but at the same time it feels as though he’s beckoning the agent towards him. Harker cannot see
Longlegs, but he is holding her hand, and as she goes further into the mystery, further into her past and
closer to its answers, the film technically bolsters its hero’s inward journey.

Cinematographer Andres Arochi with director Osgood Perkins during the filming of Longlegs.

An aspect ratio that Perkins describes as “big and wide” begins to swallow Harker up. The expansive open frames take on an air of ominous possibility. Who or what will emerge from the space around her?
Of the decision to often surround Monroe within so much emptiness, cinematographer Andres Arochi
says, “I think this was created specifically for Lee Harker. It started through the protagonist; then we
took it to everyone. It was like the idea of the universe where the characters lived.”

Watching Longlegs feels like having a spell cast over you — like you’ve been swept up by a curse, as Nicholas Cage says — but even magic itself is art and science. It’s the right alchemy of skill, intuition, tools, temperament, dedication and intention. A movie arriving into the world for people to see is a kind of miracle, to be sure, but not divorced from Herculean effort by everyone involved. In discussing how he
makes his miracles come together, Perkins doesn’t really get into the weeds of things. But it’s not because he’s obfuscating. It’s just because, as he says citing his 15-year-old daughter, it’s really not that deep.

Osgood Perkins made his directorial debut with the horror film The Blackcoat’s Daughter. He also wrote and directed I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. In the early stages of his Hollywood career, Perkins worked in series television while getting his start in acting and acted in film comedies such as Legally Blonde. He kept working in film throughout the early 2000s, starring in James Spader’s Secretary. More recently, he played roles in the sci-fi sequel Star Trek, and Nope.

by ·Comments Off on A Quiet Place: Day One – Michael Sarnoski Q & A

When John Krasinski was looking for someone to direct the prequel to his A Quiet Place film series, he knew it wouldn’t be a simple search. With its rare combination of tension, character, and spectacle, this is a series of movies that exists in a unique universe – one as emotionally layered as it is rich in popcorn thrills.

In the end, appropriately enough, Krasinski found his filmmaker in the woods.

“John had seen a movie I did, called Pig, and he really responded to it,” A Quiet Place: Day One director Michael Sarnoski says of his Nicolas Cage-starring Oregon wilderness tale. “He was really generous and gave me the space to bring what I wanted to.”

Pig won no less than 37 awards on its release in 2021, with Sarnoski lauded by the Directors Guild Of America and the Deauville Film Festival, among many other industry titans. All had been captivated by his ability to mix thrills and heart, to powerful, enthralling effect. That skillset, Krasinski figured, was ideally suited to continuing the legacy of smart horror that audiences everywhere had loved about his signature series so far.

“John was like, ‘Here’s my world. We’re trying to do this New York ‘Day One’ invasion. What’s the story you want to tell in that world?’” Sarnoski remembers of their early conversations.

“The story ended up being unusually intimate. And John was very supportive of going down that path. He gave me a lot of freedom. He wasn’t trying to make this another ‘John’ A Quiet Place movie. He very much wanted to open up this world and hear other voices within it. And he’s very happy with the film.”

Sarnoski was a fan of Krasinski’s first two A Quiet Place movies because of the way they approached epic events through a subjective lens. “I wanted to maintain that. This film is about how these characters are experiencing this event from a boots-on-the-ground perspective,” he says.

Its core premise, of taking the story right back to the start, but this time replacing remote locations with one of the noisiest cities in the world, has resulted in a movie that, Sarnoski says, will more than satisfy fans of the franchise, while also opening up a wider worldview, and larger scale.

“The thing the first movies did so well was circle a family. There was a core family story that the creatures just happened around. The real soul of the film came from the characters and the relationships,” Sarnoski says.

“This is a totally new set of characters. But we’re trying to do the same thing. There is a bunch of big, crazy stuff going on around the city, but the story is very focused on an intimate relationship. It’s fun to see these huge set-pieces paired with these intimate moments. That was one of the core ideas: as the world is ending all around us, how do we find these moments of peace and connection?”

Read more about A Quiet Place: Day One

Q & A

How would you describe A Quiet Place: Day One? What can audiences expect from the movie?

“The core premise is taking A Quiet Place back to the start – doing a ‘Day One’ New York City movie of what [the first attack] looked like in a big, noisy, populated city. And our route into that is focusing on a very strong character story. The thing the first movies did so well was circle a family. There was a core family story that the creatures just happened around. The real soul of the film came from the characters and the relationships. This is a totally new set of characters. But we’re trying to do the same thing. There is a bunch of big, crazy stuff going on around the city, but the story is very focused on an intimate relationship. It’s fun to see these huge set-pieces and then pair that with intimate moments. That was one of the core ideas: as the world is ending all around us, how do we find these moments of peace and connection?”

Tell us about the characters, that main dynamic between Lupita Nyong’o’s Samira and Joseph Quinn’s Eric.

“Lupita’s Samira is returning to a city that once meant a lot to her, having been cut off from the world for a while, wanting to have an adventure. Over the course of her adventure, she meets this stranger played by Joseph Quinn, and a lot of the story is about the two of them navigating what they need from each other, how they’re going to survive together. Eric is seeking someone to bring him calm and safety in the chaos of this world and Samira is attracted to that. She becomes this sort of campfire for him. But she doesn’t want to be that, or agree to that, so they don’t get along very well initially. We’re exploring what people need from each other when the world is falling apart. We also have a cat called Frodo, who is Samira’s cat, and is a big, big character.”

In going back to Day One of this epic franchise, what elements did you want to dig deeper into, when it came to the origin of these deadly creatures?

“It’s always been a balance, because one of the things the previous movies did really well was not oversharing about the creatures and keeping things very focused on the characters’ point of view. I wanted to maintain that. This film is about how these characters are experiencing this event from a boots-on-the-ground perspective.”

How would you describe your creative process with John Krasinski?

“John had seen a movie I did, called Pig, and really responded to it, so he came to me with this project. He was very generous and gave me the space to bring what I wanted to. He was like, ‘Here’s my world. We’re trying to do this New York ‘Day One’ invasion. What’s the story you want to tell in that world?’ The story ended up being unusually intimate. And John was very supportive of going down that path. We talked a lot about the story and characters. But beyond that, he gave me a lot of freedom to go down the path I wanted to. He very much wanted to open up this world and hear other voices within it. It was about finding a balance between the chaos and scares and characters. Keeping it honest. And he’s very happy with the film.”

What can audiences expect from the initial attack by the creatures? How did you achieve that scale?

“We have some very big sequences in the movie, and they were a blast to shoot. We were shooting a movie that takes place in New York, and we shot it completely in London. And we accomplished that through our incredible production designer, Simon Bowles, who built an entire outdoor New York backlot, from the serial killer wall [of Post-It Notes detailing each area] in his office. It was a crazy puzzle box of making this feel like a believable glimpse into New York. We’ve shown this film to New Yorkers and they think it was shot on real street corners. It feels like a living, breathing world that our characters are existing in.”

What are some of your favourite sequences in the film?

“One of the things that A Quiet Place allows for is that the sequences can each have their own identity. Some of ours lead more into the breathless horror side of things, some go full-on action, some are pure tension. As the movie progresses, we get to open things up into what happens when there are thousands of people in the street, trying to save their lives and escape the island. And that inevitably leads to chaos. This New York becomes a real playground of terror, with our characters forced to get into subways that are flooded with water and creatures – all that fun stuff!”

Which other stories did you look to for inspiration when you were prepping this prequel?

“One that came up a lot when I was talking to our cinematographer, Pat Scola, was [Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian 2006 classic] Children Of Men, which does a great job of portraying a big story told through a very intimate perspective – especially in the action scenes. It feels verite, like you’re on the ground with these characters. For me, where it always comes from is focusing on what our characters are experiencing in this moment.”

What’s your favourite moment from the previous two A Quiet Place movies, and why?

“My favourite scene is probably when John and Emily’s characters [Lee and Evelyn Abbott] are listening to Harvest Moon on an iPod together, dancing, in the first movie. That stuff really works for me. Delivering a baby in a bathtub is extremely intense. But watching these characters who are at the end of the world, fighting every day to survive, have this human connection has so much heart to it. Finding those moments amid this chaos.”

Where does Djimon Hounsou’s character fit into your new movie? We’ve seen him in this world before…

“Yes, we met him in A Quiet Place Part II. He’s on the island they [Cillian Murphy’s Emmett and Millicent Simmons’ Regan] get to at the end. And the initial conception for this film came from the story that Djimon’s character tells [in A Quiet Place Part II], about how he was in New York City when the invasion happened; how people tried to evacuate on boats. I felt it would be redundant to just show the exact story he was telling in that movie in this one, so we’ve told the story of an adjacent character who is there during some of these events we’ve heard about. And [Djimon’s character] plays a really important role for Samira early on. We get to see a little bit of the story he tells [in Part II] and also see that he has already started to take on a bit of the leadership role he has in the second movie.”

The first two movies were about a family. This one is about strangers. What kind of creative opportunities does that give you?

“It gives you a lot of opportunities. The thing that excited me most was that we can all get behind a family protecting each other and caring about each other. But taking two people who don’t really have a reason to care about each other and putting them through horrible situations and watching their relationship grow is an interesting challenge. What does it look like to build a relationship, when it pretty much feels like you’re in the apocalypse? And Lupita and Joseph did an incredible job with that dynamic.”

The A Quiet Place universe has specific internal rules when it comes to the creatures. In what ways have you expanded that mythology?

“Some of that came from talking to John [Krasinski], some from just watching those first two movies multiple times, keeping notes, and figuring out, ‘Okay, so that is how that works!’ There wasn’t a Bible of, ‘Here’s everything you need to know about the creatures and how they operate.’ A lot of this movie is about seeing these creatures in new situations. And we had some leeway to figure out how these creatures communicate and how they work on a larger scale.”

How many creatures are there in this movie?

“This movie implies there are thousands, countless creatures. We happen to be in a hotbed place where a lot of creatures landed. A place that a lot of creatures would be attracted to because New York is an incredibly loud city. It was a balance of trying to convey the sense of what a herd of these creatures is like, while also keeping a sense of mystery. Especially to these characters who don’t know much about these creatures yet. We wanted to maintain the mystery, while also giving a sense of the scale. You feel like they are everywhere.”

The audience this time knows more about these creatures than the characters do. How are you playing with that idea?

“Any time the audience is a step ahead of your characters, it’s an opportunity for suspense. That, ‘No, no, no – don’t do that!’ There’s plenty to play with. The audience wants to experience these characters learning these rules, seeing how people dealt with this event early on. But, at the same time, the audience knows a lot of these rules already. It’s a fine game of showing them exciting things, satisfying that, while also not reiterating the first two films. I think we’ve struck a really nice balance. We’re going to keep everyone on their toes!”

These creatures hunt by sound. The first two movies are set in remote areas. What’s it like when these creatures hit the hustle and bustle of NYC?

“There’s definitely an added element of confusion for the creatures with this new environment they need to navigate. We’re also seeing them early on in their invasion. When we saw them in the second movie, they were more familiar with our world. In this, they’re a little clumsy at times, having to figure out what is and what isn’t something they’re hunting. In New York, there are a lot of sounds to confuse the creatures. But they’re very durable and vicious, so that doesn’t get in their way too much! There are a lot of sounds that are made in the city that our characters need to be both cautious of and utilise for their survival. The city opens up a whole new playground for the creatures. It’s a much more vertical movie. We’re in a city with tall buildings. Now we have skyscrapers for them to play with.”

What kind of NYC noises confuse the creatures?

“We play with what happens when the power goes out in this city. What happens when the generators kick in? This is a city packed with vehicles, cars and alarms. In real life, we’ve seen how when things go wrong in New York, there’s flooding. And with flooding comes rushing water, which is both a danger and possibly something to conceal yourself with.”

This is a franchise that’s synonymous with tension. What’s your favourite scene in this movie, from a tension point of view?

“There’s a sequence in a flooded subway tunnel, where our characters are trying to lose some creatures. I really like that scene because we’re seeing an environment we’re familiar with, but now in this post-apocalyptic way that raises new challenges. And it’s very locked in character. It’s a scene where we see Sam and Eric learn to work together. But we also get a really charged, claustrophobic creature scene in an environment that’s upside down and topsy turvy from how we usually experience it. The threat of drowning and what’s under the water proves a perfect combination…”

by ·Comments Off on The Strangers ― Chapter 1- An unexpected journey to the minds of the perpetrators of senseless violent crimes and their victims

“While other kids watched cartoons and family adventures, my mother, a film buff, introduced me to the works of Hitchcock at a very young age,’ says director Renny Harlin, whose The Strangers ― Chapter 1, marks the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature-film series.

“What has always been the draw for me is the opportunity to explore the shadowy side of life, to go to
weird and forbidden places and shock the audience with something unexpected,” says Harlin, who directed The Strangers ― Chapter 1, based on the psychological horror film The Strangers written by Bryan Bertino, from a story by Bertino and screenplay by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland,

“We all have our own fears and phobias, formulated by our earliest experiences out in the world ― the darkness lurking outside our windows, the sense of being vulnerable to the environment and not being in control of the outcome of a threatening situation. Throughout the history of literature and movies, sexuality has also been an inseparable ingredient of these frightening fantasies and nightmares. Finally, it boils down to the survival of the fittest, to defeating death and overcoming our worst terrors.”

Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate. © 2024 STRANGERS FRANCHISE PRODUCTIONS I, LLC & HASBULA PRODUCTIONS, AIE. All Rights Reserved

After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.

Director’s Statement

Froy Gutierrez as Ryan, Madelaine Petsch as Maya and Director Renny Carlin in The Strangers – Chapter 1. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate. © 2024 STRANGERS FRANCHISE PRODUCTIONS I, LLC & HASBULA PRODUCTIONS, AIE. All Rights Reserved

While other kids watched cartoons and family adventures, my mother, a film buff, introduced me to the works of Hitchcock at a very young age. I was also a voracious reader, and immersed myself in the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jules Verne. The dark mystery tales that turned into elaborate nightmares in my vivid imagination were the fuel of my creativity.

I wrote my own stories of horror and the macabre, turning them into self-drawn comic books, radio plays,
and home movies to the shrieks and terror of the neighborhood kids.

When I realized, at the age of 12, that I could take everything I loved about twisted stories and dark
characters and turn them into an art form and entertainment through filmmaking, I knew that I had to
become a movie director.

I was extremely fortunate to fulfill my greatest dream in life.

In my career, I’ve made different types of horror films and thrillers, smaller and larger in scale, even
experimenting with humor.

What has always been the draw for me is the opportunity to explore the shadowy side of life, to go to
weird and forbidden places and shock the audience with something unexpected. We all have our own fears and phobias, formulated by our earliest experiences out in the world ― the darkness lurking outside our windows, the sense of being vulnerable to the environment and not being in control of the outcome of a threatening situation. Throughout the history of literature and movies, sexuality has also been an
inseparable ingredient of these frightening fantasies and nightmares. Finally, it boils down to the survival
of the fittest, to defeating death and overcoming our worst terrors.

The demise of movies as a theatrical experience has been predicted decade after decade since the
invention of TV in the 1940s. In today’s entertainment landscape, the challenge of attracting audiences to
movie theaters may be bigger than ever. The thousands of movies offered through streaming services
every night have raised the bar for an average moviegoer to gather their friends or family, get in the car,
park, buy the tickets, spend money on the drinks and snacks, and feel the effort is worthwhile compared to staying home on the couch, surfing through the offerings.

But whatever may be the future of theatrical distribution, I believe that the strongest case of the theatrical experience can be made with horror films.

I believe that people have been drawn to dark and terrifying films now for over 100 years because of the
simple reason that we all want to feel something when we consume entertainment. And we all seek the
therapeutic experience of facing our worst, darkest, most secret terrors in the safe environment of a movie theater. We can scream, cry, hide our eyes or even laugh at the uncontrollable and life-threatening scenes that unfold in front of us. In a movie theater, it is all a communal experience. We are together with our family, friends, or strangers, confessing our deepest fears on the altar of the silver screen, and nothing bad can happen to us. Afterwards, we can walk out unharmed, debate our experience, share opinions, laugh about it, and feel the release. Like waking up from a nightmare and knowing that everything is all right.

There are a few classic horror films that have stayed with me through the years. Starting with Psycho and
Rosemary’s Baby, continuing with Don’t Look Now, The Shining, and Alien, some films rewrite the rule
book and surprise you with a new approach that entertains you beyond your expectations.

When I saw Bryan Bertino’s original The Strangers over 15 years ago, I had no idea what to expect. The
movie took me by surprise by eliminating any kind of a backstory or reasoning behind the terrifying
home-invasion concept. This was everyone’s worst nightmare scenario realized. Liv Tyler and Scott
Speedman in their roles were the victims of the brutal killers just because they happened to be home that
night. An act of completely random violence and senseless terror.

This film has stayed in my mind as one of my favorite horror films. So simple, yet so terrifying.

When I was sent the screenplay for The Strangers, I was elated and intimidated at the same time. What could I do with this classic to give the original fans the same thrill I originally shared with them and simultaneously offer them ― and the new generation of filmgoers ― something fresh and surprising? My first clue came when I opened the file for the script and instead of the usual 95 pages, the screenplay was 278 pages long.

This was not an ordinary horror film. This was not a remake, nor a prequel or sequel, of the original. This
was an incredible opportunity to do something completely groundbreaking.

This was one huge horror saga, divided into three chapters. The producers wanted to focus on what
happened basically the next day, as the original 2008 film ended. So, we started with Chapter 1, which is
really like act one of a normal movie. We didn’t want to remake what we all thought was a great film, while the essence of the story had to be based on similar circumstances in order to build the logical story arc of the entire journey. We made several changes and customized Chapter 1 to serve our greater, three-chapter story.

Our three The Strangers chapters take the audience on an unexpected journey to the minds of the
perpetrators of senseless violent crimes and their victims.

Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in THE STRANGERS Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate. © 2024 STRANGERS FRANCHISE PRODUCTIONS I, LLC & HASBULA PRODUCTIONS, AIE. All Rights Reserved

We looked long and hard for our scream queen. When we spoke with Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”), it
quickly became clear that she didn’t only possess the talent to convincingly portray our leading lady, but
that her intelligence, strength, vulnerability, and stamina were ingredients that we couldn’t make the
movie without. She became our partner in crime, and she never once wavered throughout the grueling
task of what in essence wasthree movies shot simultaneously. Her commitment shines front and center in
our three-chapter saga. Froy Gutierrez(“Teen Wolf,” “Cruel Summer”) was another lucky find for us. A young and exceptional actor with a passion for his craft.

The chemistry of Madelaine and Froy is the engine of The Strangers – Chapter 1, and the chapters that
follow.

Casting The Strangers themselves was just as important as the selection of the rest of the cast. These are
not robotic, masked madmen or madwomen. These are complex characters whose every move,
expression, and act reflects the deeper threads and themes of the three movies. I’m proud to say that we
found actors who will keep surprising the audience with their characters throughout the entire journey
into increasing darkness and dread.

RENNY HARLIN (DIRECTOR)
Renny Harlin has established himself globally as a filmmaker with the ability to identify and develop a wide range of material. His credits span multiple genres and include action-oriented blockbusters, horror films, comedies, and critically acclaimed dramas including A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Deep Blue Sea. Harlin also directed and produced Cliffhanger, which established him as one of Hollywood’s premiere action directors, followed by The Long Kiss Goodnight spearheading the genre of female-driven action movies. In 2007, Harlin directed the dramatic thriller Cleaner. In 1991, Harlin made his producing debut with the critically lauded Rambling Rose, and went on to produce Speechless.
At the end of 2011, Harlin wanted to expand his production company, Midnight Sun Productions, which
started development within the television landscape. Over the next two years, Harlin went on to direct four episodes of “Burn Notice,” including a season finale and mid-season finale; an episode of “White Collar”; and the season finale of “Covert Affairs,” all for the USA Network. Harlin also directed three back-toback episodes of the USA Network’s hit action-thriller “Graceland,” which aired in the summer of 2013.
After over two decades of success in Hollywood, Harlin embarked on a career producing and directing films in China. Harlin and global superstar Jackie Chan teamed up for Skiptrace, which was a box office megahit and led to Harlin working on The Legend of the Ancient Sword for Alibaba Pictures, and the action-thriller Bodies at Rest. An additional credit during this time was The Misfits. After returning from China, Harlin directed The Bricklayer. In 2023, Harlin directed Refuge for Millennium Media and Vertical Entertainment, debuting in April 2024, and The Strangers – Chapter 1 with Madelaine Petsch (for Lionsgate). Also upcoming is Deep Water, which is being released by Bob Yari’s Wonderhill Pictures later in 2024.
Harlin says he’s finally found everything he was looking for in life, loves making movies back in the
Hollywood mainstream, and currently resides in Miami, Florida.

Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland arrive at the “Due Date” Los Angeles premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on October 28, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage)

ALAN R. COHEN & ALAN FREEDLAND (CO-WRITERS)
Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland are Primetime Emmy Award-winning writers, producers, and showrunners working in both television and movies. In TV, they have written and produced shows
including “King of the Hill,” “American Dad!,” “Impastor,” and Amazon’s comedy series “Betas.” They also co-created and were showrunners for the Comedy Central cult hit “Kid Notorious.”
Currently, they are co-creators and showrunners of the animated series “The Freak Brothers” for Tubi. Cohen and Freedland co-wrote the Todd Phillips-directed movie Due Date which grossed over $200 million worldwide. They have written feature scripts for all the major studios, most recently the upcoming The Strangers horror trilogy. Cohen is a George Washington University graduate who hailsfrom Pittsburgh. Freedland is a University of Michigan man originally from Detroit.

by ·Comments Off on Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – The Epic Battle continues!

What interested Director / Story Writer Adam Wingard as a kid were the monsters in their nonverbal reality and communication. “Making Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire gave me the confidence that you can let these monsters tell their own story, let them just be characters. I wanted to make not just another Monsterverse film, but a thrill ride like you’ve never seen before. I wanted it to be a mic drop moment for monster movies. Whatever kind of movies I make in the future, as far as monsters go, I want this to say everything, and I want to be able to walk away knowing that we did everything… and the kitchen sink!”

Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond.

Once again at the helm is director Adam Wingard, The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong the Pirates of the Caribbean series) and Simon Barrett (You’re Next) and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd.

“It’s exciting to have ‘Godzilla x Kong’ coming out on the 10th anniversary of the Monsterverse,” says Producer Alex Garcia “It’s been ten years since the 2014 ‘Godzilla’ film, and in this film we really get to spend more time in the POVs of the Creatures, particularly with Kong, as he goes into Hollow Earth and finds that he actually isn’t the last of his kind. It’s been really fun and gratifying to make these Monsterverse films. Anytime you’re working with characters like Godzilla and Kong, which are such classic cinema characters, we challenge ourselves to not only do things that feel like they really respect the foundations, the origins and fan bases of those characters, but that can propel them into something cinematically new, fresh and different every time. So that’s been a bit of a challenge, just making sure we’re delivering something fresh and different for audiences every time. I’m happy to say that Adam Wingard has done just that—brought some really fresh, big, fun visual energy into ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.’ Tonally, the movie is a lot of fun, but yet there are these big, massive worlds we get to explore with these two characters of Godzilla and Kong, and we really see more of the movie through their perspectives than we have before.”

“What I love about this franchise is the escapism,” says Producer Eric McLeod. “One of the biggest reasons people go to these films is to escape to another world. It’s not real; they know it’s not real, but they can just be immersed in these amazing worlds, especially inside a theater. We are always challenging ourselves to come up with new ideas, different creatures, different environments that really pull the audience in. I always want to make a film that not only I want to see, but I want people to go, ‘Oh, I just loved watching that, going to those places and seeing what can be done.’ I always love when people can say to me, ‘I let my life go for two hours and I really just enjoyed watching the film.’”

“The challenge with trying to find a heightened reality, a colorful spectrum and a very vibrant photographic base is to make the audience feel like this is a real place, these are real characters, both the monsters and the people,” says Director of Photography Ben Seresin. “How do you maintain that integrity? In my experience, and often my preferred approach photographically, is to have a mix of dark and light, of shadow and brightness, and a real cross-section of photographic approaches. Sometimes, when one brings in a very lively, heightened color element, one can have a real challenge bedding that into a photographic base. We decided that the best approach would be to find a sort of grittiness to the imagery that also had this vibrancy… and that can be a real challenge. When you’re looking to establish a deep photographic base, you want to use shadow, you want to use a type of subtlety that is sometimes harder to find when you’re going for imagery that is highly chromatic with high vibrancy.”

“One of the biggest challenges working on this movie with all this computer animation is that there’s so much storytelling without words… it almost was like working on a silent movie,” says VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. “And there’s so much told through these sequences with the Titans that carry over and bring the story from the beginning to the end that we really felt the need to get it right. So for me, it was very important that the performances of the creatures Kong, Godzilla, Scar King and Suko were something unique with the ability to convey emotion and tell the story. It’s a challenge working without words—subtitles were never an option. I remember when I first read the script, I would read a paragraph where maybe in three lines they would describe a five-minute scene. And then it was given to us and go and figure that out. It was a big challenge. Luckily, I was surrounded by an amazing team, and it turned out for the best.”

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is an explosive, action-packed adventure that follows Kong’s journey to find his family through an undiscovered layer of Hollow Earth—and what he uncovers inadvertently brings forth the most dangerous threat to mankind yet… one that can only be countered (and possibly conquered) by the combined forces of Kong and Godzilla, now evolved like never before. Featuring all-new characters, epic battle sequences and the ultimate Titan team-up, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is the latest supersized chapter of the Monsterverse—a high-octane, BIG scale, thrill ride of action, humor and a million reasons to go to the movies.

Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

In conversation with Adam Wingard (Director / Story writer / Executive producer)

Director Adam Wingard with Dan Stevens during the filming of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Godzilla and Kong team-up…

“Once you’ve seen Godzilla and Kong have the most ultimate battle in Godzilla vs. Kong, what’s next? And the obvious answer is: the team-up. I remember even as we were completing the last movie, that was the thing in the back of my mind. ‘Where do you go from here?’ But the idea, though, of Godzilla and Kong teaming-up, you can’t make that too easy.

These are two monsters, and they’re very territorial, and so I took a lot of influence from my favorite filmmaker, John Carpenter, and he did a movie called ‘They Live,’ and in that movie, two of the main protagonists fight over putting on these sunglasses, which is a major plot moment.

I like the idea of two people who are actually on the same team fighting because of a misunderstanding. The characters—now that they’ve fought together, they’ve been in movies together—it’s pretty hard to imagine doing another movie without them. Once you put Godzilla and Kong together you can’t take them apart, but they’re never gonna get along really all that well. They both have too big of egos, and so what’s fun about them is that even when they do team-up, there’s always gonna be this sort of uneasy truce to it all. They’re a buddy-cop duo—they’re two different characters. They don’t see eye-to-eye all the time, and for me, that’s what we’re playing with… it’s that team-up that’s always going to be temporary, no matter what.”

The Titans are evolving…

“Just like all the actors, if you’ve worked with them before, you develop a rapport, and it’s really no different with Godzilla and Kong. To understand how to shoot them, what their angles are, is something that you can only learn from doing an entire movie with them, because shooting creatures 300-feet tall can be a mental challenge sometimes. But also what’s cool about it is that Kong and Godzilla are both evolving, too, just like the rest of the characters in the movie.

“In Godzilla vs. Kong, it was really important to me to make sure that there was continuity between the other movies—that Godzilla felt like the Godzilla that we had established in the Monsterverse, and Kong also felt like the same character. But for me, I was looking forward to having my opportunity to update the character, to give him a new look, and I didn’t want it to just be something that was just a random thing. In a lot of these type of movies, they tend to update characters and in the next movie the character looks different… but nobody really talks about it. I wanted it to be driven by the story, and so I knew even at the early development phases, that I wanted to give Godzilla a new look, but I wanted to make sure that it was also motivated by something going on in the movie and that we would actually see the evolution happen within the film.

“And it’s just one of those things where my favorite color’s pink. Pink and blue are my favorite colors, actually, so it was only natural that I push Godzilla in that direction. Originally, I thought about Godzilla shedding his skin, but the story went a different direction, but in this, Godzilla does change his skin. He becomes a new thing in this movie and this new design allowed us to push Godzilla a little bit into that Showa era absurdity. I always loved in those movies how he’s flying around and doing dropkicks—he even dances, too. We’d get a little backlash, I think, if Godzilla started dancing, but that Showa kind of madness was something that was an influence. So the question became, ‘Can you make that Showa absurdity feel grounded, and can you make an ‘80s cartoon vibe feel grounded?’ And that’s basically what I was trying to do. I always wanted to be on the edge of absurd and real, and the movie’s constantly playing with that—Godzilla’s new design does that.”

What Godzilla and Kong are up against…

“When you have a movie called ‘Godzilla x Kong,’ you can’t just have another run-of-the-mill kind of situation for them to be in. You have to come up with something that is going to require a team to take it down. We wanted to go with a villain story that was more multifaceted than just ‘here’s a monster, and it wants to do these things, and it’s bad for the planet.’ It’s like normally when you’re doing a Godzilla or Kong movie, humanity is usually the biggest threat, the biggest problem, and they’re the one causing the problems. That’s important to the lore of Godzilla and Kong, because both of them are, in a lot of ways, characters about humanity destroying the planet and being a threat to nature. Because of the humanity within Kong’s character, we were able to come up with a villain like the Skar King—it opened the door where we could tell that same ‘evil side of humanity’ story, but from the monster perspective, and that means creating an even bigger threat that the Skar King is in control of. In the way that humans have armies and weapons of mass destruction, the Skar King’s got his version of that, and it’s gonna take all the hero monsters in the world to band together to be able to stop him.”

Two quests in Hollow Earth…

“The advantage that we had on this movie is that we have two concurrent main stories. One is Jia’s [played by Kaylee Hottle] journey to discover that there are others of her kind, the Iwi, that still exist in an amazing civilization in Hollow Earth. And on the flipside of that is Kong’s story. He’s also about to discover that there are others of his kind, but in his case, they’re toiling away in this subterranean kind of hellscape. We wanted to contrast the two different worlds, and show that Jia and Kong are going through a very similar struggle on their journeys. They’re both experiencing this somewhat existential crisis of being the last of their kind, and this movie’s really about them exploring the two different realities within Hollow Earth—it’s both of their stories together.

“I drew a lot of influence from the Showa films, in the underground realm that is experienced in those movies, with this trippy Technicolor vibe. I wanted to bring that same sort of heightened absurdity into this movie, but make you feel like it’s real. That’s one of the main things that was always my goal—taking a stroll down a toy aisle of the ‘80s, asking, ‘Can we bring that color palette and that level of stylization and make it feel grounded and real? Can we make a Monarch base with yellow-and-red-painted walls and things that are a little bit more heightened, and make it feel dirty, lived-in and realistic? Can we make 400-foot-tall crystal pyramids believable?’ And in Hollow Earth, anything’s possible. I think we always envisioned Hollow Earth as being history turned inside-out. It’s almost like everything started within the Earth and then worked its way outwards, which is why the Iwi civilization has direct access through these hidden portals that are underneath the Egyptian pyramids. This is our version of an Atlantean civilization. We’re saying Atlantis wasn’t on the surface—it was underground the entire time.”

Suko, the new “Mini-Kong”…

“Originally, there was a concept that involved a ‘son of Kong’ character, and that was always in the back of my mind. ‘Okay, there’s gonna be a son character, but how do you get there with Kong, and what would this character be like?’ I didn’t want it to feel like when ‘Star Wars’ brought in the Ewoks, and they became a cute, cuddly toy. I wanted this character to almost subvert your expectation of what a cute character could be. Suko is a tough little guy—he’s not just a cute, cuddly bear, even though he is adorable. Actually, in a weird way, this film is also about parents. You have Dr. Ilene Andrews [played by Rebecca Hall] with Jia on one side, and you have Kong discovering Suko on the other, and both of them are dealing with it in their own ways. And I have to say that Suko is one of the things I was most excited to see, because the only thing that I knew going into the development of him is that he needed to have really big, endearing eyes. I wanted to figure out, ‘Can we do something that’s both cute and tough at the same time?’ And so it became a thing that Suko actually knows he’s cute, and he uses that a little bit to disarm others around him. But, at the end of the day, he’s a tough little scrapper. When you look around, there are not a lot of apes his age. A lot of them don’t make it to that stage or beyond… so yeah, he’s a survivor.”

Enter the Skar King…

“The Skar King, he’s the quintessential evil dictator, [LAUGHS], and civilizations around the world and throughout history have their version of an evil dictator. I think the Skar King’s an ancient evil; he’s the representation of humanity’s darkest side. He’s basically taken over this tribe of apes in Hollow Earth, running the show down there, and he’s doing it in the most self-serving way possible. There’s even a moment in the movie in a shot of his throne room where you can see a little harem in the corner, along with little apes that are clearly mini Skar Kings. He’s been running the show for a long time, making all these apes toil under him. Basically, these apes live in hell—they are all lost souls—and he is the devil.”

What audiences can expect…

“For me, when I was a kid and I would watch the Godzilla movies, and, say, when Godzilla and Mothra would team up, along with Anguirus and all of them, I sort of understood what the monsters were communicating to each other. I didn’t need anybody to explain it to me, and frankly, I probably didn’t even pay that much attention to what the humans were saying in those old movies. What interested me were the monsters in their nonverbal reality and communication. That’s really what I wanted to dive into—that’s what was exciting. Making ‘GvK’ gave me the confidence that you can let these monsters tell their own story, let them just be characters. It was such an interesting experience, making a monster movie. There are skills that you just can’t prepare for. I came out of it with like, ‘Okay, [LAUGHS], now I know how to make a monster movie, and now I’m ready to do it again and take everything I’ve learned, apply it, and take it to the next level.’ Because ultimately, I wanted to make not just another Monsterverse film, but a thrill ride like you’ve never seen before. I wanted it to be a mic drop moment for monster movies. Whatever kind of movies I make in the future, as far as monsters go, I want this to say everything, and I want to be able to walk away knowing that we did everything… and the kitchen sink!”

Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ADAM WINGARD (Director / Story Writer / Executive Producer) is the celebrated cult filmmaker who most recently directed GODZILLA VS. KONG, for the cinematic Monsterverse. The blockbuster film starred Millie Bobby Brown, Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall and Kyle Chandler. The film was a huge commercial and critical success and grossed over $470 million worldwide. Up next, Wingard is working with Paramount on a sequel to the much beloved action classic FACE/OFF; he is set to co-write and direct the project. In 2010 Wingard premiered his serial killer love story A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE at the Toronto International Film Festival; it later played at Fantastic Fest, where it received awards for Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress. The following year, TIFF invited Wingard back to premiere his home invasion thriller YOU’RE NEXT; the film sparked a very enthusiastic response and was released by Lionsgate in August 2013. Sundance invited Wingard to their fest in 2012 and 2013 with his critically acclaimed genre films V/H/S and V/H/S 2. In 2014, Wingard had the Sundance premiere for his thriller THE GUEST starring Dan Stevens. The film quickly became a cult hit, receiving rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. It currently holds a 91% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Wingard’s additional directing credits include 2016’s BLAIR WITCH, the sequel to 2001’s found footage phenomenon THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, and Netflix’s DEATH NOTE, a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese horror crime-thriller manga. On the TV side, Wingard directed the pilot episode of OUTCAST, created by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. The horror drama series premiered on Cinemax in 2016. Currently, Wingard is developing a series based on the sci-fi horror film EVENT HORIZON for Amazon.

TERRY ROSSIO (Screenwriter / Story Writer) is a writer known for a diversity of works, including 2021 blockbuster “Godzilla vs. Kong,” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, “Shrek” (2001) and “Aladdin” (1992). Most recent credits include “The Amazing Maurice” and the upcoming “Protocol-7” and “Aladdin: Live from the West End.” Additional credits for Rossio include “Shrek the Musical,” “Deja Vu,” “G-Force,” “Lovestruck” and “The Lone Ranger.” Rossio was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating from Saddleback High School in Santa Ana, California, he went on to study at California State University Fullerton, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications, with an emphasis in radio, television and film.

SIMON BARRETT’s (Screenwriter / Story Writer) writing credits include You’re Next (2011), The Guest (2014) and Azrael (2024), along with the successful V/H/S franchise. He’s directed segments for multiple V/H/S films, as well as the 2021 release Seance. Currently in development, Barrett is writing the feature adaptation of ThunderCats to be produced by Warner Bros., as well as Face/Off 2, a direct sequel to the 1997 film, for Paramount.

JEREMY SLATER (Screenwriter) is the creator and co-showrunner of THE EXORCIST on Fox. He also created MOON KNIGHT for Marvel and Disney+, and THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY for Netflix/UCP/Dark Horse. He is currently writing MORTAL KOMBAT 2 for New Line/Warner Bros. He most recently worked on JOHN HENRY AND THE STATESMEN for Netflix/7 Bucks, UPRISING for Netflix/21 Laps, OLD MAN’S WAR for Netflix, and Stephen King’s THE TOMMYKNOCKERS for Universal and James Wan.

by ·Comments Off on The Art Of Adapting Real Life Stories

From Fact to Fictional Reality

The Art Of Screenwriting And Filmmaking  / The Art Of Adaptation / The Art Of Comic Book Adaptations

Adapting real-life stories to film and television has become a firm favourite with audiences and viewers worldwide, drawing us into a spectacular fictional reality where we transcend reality and explore alternate realms.

7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE Acclaimed producers Tim Bevan and Kate Solomon didn’t set out to become experts in cinematic depictions of real-life terrorism; it just turned out that way. Ten years after shepherding the Oscar-nominated 9/11 drama United 93 to the screen, the pair was approached about overseeing another fact-based film centered on a passenger jet hijacking. This time the focus was on the remarkable true story of Air France Flight 139, which was hijacked by terrorists in 1976 and held for ransom at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport.

12 STRONG Every American adult knows exactly where they were and what they were doing on the terrible morning of September 11, 2001.But until recently, only a small handful knew about the extraordinary events that unfolded in the immediate aftermath.With the country still reeling, 12 brave members of the U.S. Army’s elite Special Forces—known as the Green Berets—left their homes and loved ones to take on a perilous classified mission in the war-torn country of Afghanistan.These “12 Strong” were chosen to strike the first blow in America’s response to the terrorist attacks. They were not ordered to go. They volunteered to go.Now the true story of these dozen warriors is being brought to the big screen in the new action drama. Oscar winner Ted Tally (The Silence of the Lambs) and Peter Craig (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Parts 1 & 2) wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed book Horse Soldiers by author Doug Stanton.

1917 -The world has been at war on film for more than a century and many war stories had a lasting impact on our lives. This momentous masterwork from director Sam Mendes not only showcases the art of filmmaking at its best with the teaming of Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins, but also captivating storytelling from Mendes as screenwriter who co-wrote the story with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Inspired by true events, it takes us into the lives of two ordinary soldiers whose instinctive heroism saved many live. It features a magnificent performance from George Mackay who takes on the heart wrenching journey of an ordinary young man whose extraordinary heroism shows how kindness defeats cruelty. One of greatest achievements was that it took its audience on an unheeded, continues journey, an uninterrupted visceral cinematic experience. We merged with a story that poetically reflected our lives in times of adversary, and how belief and faith saves us from hopelessness. Read more

1960 was a passion project for SAFTA-winning and Annie Award-nominated composer Bruce Retief who drew on the spirit of the greats of Sophiatown with director King Shaft. Read more

THE 15:17 TO PARIS From Clint Eastwood comes the real-life story of three men whose brave act turned them into heroes during a highspeed railway ride, which he directed from a screenplay by Dorothy Blyskal, based on the book by Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone and Jeffrey E. Stern. “It hasn’t been a conscious choice to tell heroic stories or make movies about everyday heroes,” says veteran director and producer Clint Eastwood, whose previous two films, “Sully” and “American Sniper,” highlighted the efforts of rather singular men.  “I just do the stories that come along and interest me.  Some feats are exceptional, and beneficial to society, and it’s nice when you can tell a story like that.”

A HIDDEN LIFE – Visionary writer-director Terrence Malick masterfully shines the spotlight on humanity with this tragic true story of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian peasant farmer born and raised in the village of St. Radegund, who refused to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler during World War II, sacrificing everything, including his life, rather than to fight for the Nazis. It’s a poetically inspired journey into the heart and souls of the characters, with top notch performances from August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, and Matthias Schoenaerts with both Michael Nyqvist and Bruno Ganz in their final performances. Malick avoids conventions and always finds new ways of storytelling, giving the actors a large amount of freedom to experiment, as well as cinematographer Joerg Widmer, a long-time collaborator with Malick, to be equally open to creative possibilities. Read more

A UNITED KINGDOM The idea first came into being in 2010, when actor David Oyelowo was working on the film 96 Minutes. Its producers, Justin Moore-Lewy and Charlie Mason, had bought the rights to Susan Williams’ s book Colour Bar, which detailed the remarkable story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams.Oyelowo continued to bring former collaborators on board including producer Brunson Green, with whom he had done The Help, and screenwriter Guy Hibbert with whom he had collaborated on two films:  Blood and Oil, and Complicit.

ABOUT MY FATHER – Celebrated stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco wanted to make a movie about his father and co-wrote the screenplay for About My Father, starring with legendary Italian-American two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro in a comedy about a man who is encouraged by his fiancée to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family. Read more

THE ACT OF DEFIANCE Sympathetic white Afrikaner lawyer Bram Fischer risks career and family to defend Nelson Mandela and his inner circle. Based on Joel Joffe’s book ‘The State Vs. Nelson Mandela, the film is written and directed by Jean Van De Velde, ‘and won the “2017 Movies that Matter Film Festival – Audience Award” in the Hague, Netherlands.

ADRIFT Based on the inspiring true story of two sailors who set out to journey across the ocean from Tahiti to San Diego and sailed directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. In the aftermath of the storm, with no hope for rescue,  Adrift is the unforgettable story about the resilience of the human spirit and the transcendent power of love. Produced and directed by Baltasar Kormákur, and written by David Branson Smith, Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell.

AIR – The film reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This inspirational story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line.  Read more

ALLIED The true story of two undercover WWII spies who fell madly in love only to be set mortally against each other when their true identities were exposed. Screenplay by Steven Knight – an Oscar® nominee for Stephen Frears’ London thriller Dirty Pretty Things and honored for the screenplays for David Cronenberg’s Russian Mafia tale Eastern Promises as well as writing and directing the daring one-man drama Locke

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD The journey from page to screen began when producer Quentin Curtis optioned John Pearson’s book on Getty, called Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortune and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J.Paul Getty that focused specifically on the infamous kidnapping.  He brought the project to screenwriter David Scarpa. Scarpa, whose screenwriting career began with an original screenplay for DreamWorks that became The Last Castle, and Scott Derrickson’s The Day The Earth Stood Still, was intrigued by Getty’s notorious miserliness and what that represented emotionally. “I of course knew about that kidnapping but really I had always wanted to do something about money and how it controls and shapes people’s lives,” says Scarpa.

ALONE IN BERLIN , a powerfully moving, true-life drama-thriller set in Second World War Berlin, is directed by acclaimed actor turned filmmaker Vincent Perez (La Reine Margot),  who adapted revered German novelist Hans Fallada’s international bestseller Every Man Dies Alone / Alone In Berlin for the big screen with Achim von Borries (Good Bye Lenin!).

AMERICAN ANIMALS is the true story of four young men who get lost in a fantasy of their own creation, only to discover that by the time they are thrust into reality, it’s too late — they have crossed a line into violence and criminality from which they can never return.The extraordinary and thrilling true story of four friends living an ordinary existence who brazenly attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in US history. But not everything is as it seems, and as the daring theft unfolds through each of their perspectives, each of them start to question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives is simply a misguided attempt at achieving the American Dream. Marking the narrative feature debut of British-born filmmaker Bart Layton, it’s the second feature for the multi-faceted auteur, whose breakout debut The Imposter, won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut in 2013.

AMERICAN CRIME STORY is an American true crime anthology television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are executive producers with Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. Similar to American Horror Story, also from Murphy and Falchuk, each season is presented as a self-contained miniseries, following separate unrelated true events. The first season, subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson, presents the murder trial of O. J. Simpson, based on Jeffrey Toobin‘s book The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson. The second season, subtitled The Assassination of Gianni Versace, explores the murder of designer Gianni Versace by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, based on Maureen Orth‘s book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U. S. History. A third season, based on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and a fourth season, based on the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, are in development.

AMERICAN MADE Gary Spinelli (Stash House) wrote a screenplay about the international escapade based on the outrageous (and real) exploits of a hustler and pilot unexpectedly recruited by the CIA to run one of the biggest covert operations in U.S. history.

ASINAMALI Written and directed by Mbongeni Ngema, the film version of the seminal musical.  The narrative follows a group of prisoners in the 80s as they think back on their pasts and the events leading to their arrest.

BACK OF THE MOON On the eve of his home being demolished by apartheid police,the leader of the most powerful gang in Sophiatown finds something worth living for in Back Of The Moon when fate thrusts a torch-singer Eve Msomi into his orbit. “In the end it is a film about potential stifled and wasted by Apartheid – men preying on each other in a “pressure cooker” situation. It is about  feisty, talented woman surviving their abuse by any means necessary, but ultimately it is the love story that transcends this darkness” says writer-director Angus Gibson, who was a founding member of Free Filmmakers, a film co-operative established in 1985 to create a relevant South African cinema.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES Husband-and-wife directorial team Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, who gave us Little Miss Sunshine, explore a moment when social change was embodied by two complex people in Battle Of The Sexes, the spectacular single tennis match between rising 29 year-old women’s star Billie Jean King and former men’s champ Bobby Riggs.

BEING THE RICCARDOS This revealing glimpse of Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz’ complex romantic and professional relationship is an absolute treat, taking us into the heart of the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their ground-breaking sitcom, I Love Lucy. This first-rate biographical drama was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and delivers top-notch performances from Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Ball and Arnaz. Trailer

BELFAST – In the summer of 1969, nine-year-old Buddy knows exactly who he is and where he belongs.  He’s working-class, North Belfast, happy, loved and safe. His world is a fast and funny street-life, lived large in the heart of a community that laughs together and sticks together. But as the 1960s stagger to a close, even as man stands on the moon itself, the dog days of August turn Buddy’s childhood dreams into a nightmare. Simmering social discontent suddenly explodes in Buddy’s own street and escalates, fast. First a masked attack, then a riot and finally a city-wide conflict, with religion fanning the flames further afield. Catholics vs Protestants, loving neighbours just a heartbeat ago, set on to be deadly foes now. Buddy must make sense of the chaos and hysteria and of this new physical landscape of lockdown, peopled by heroes and villains, once only glimpsed on the cinema screen but now threatening to upturn everything he knows and loves as an epic struggle plays out in his own backyard. A humorous, tender and intensely personal story

THE BEST OF ENEMIES In 1971, Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis were well-known residents of Durham, North Carolina, but certainly not a pair you’d expect to see together. Ann was a single mother and a grass roots activist fighting brazen slumlords, firetrap schools and do-nothing local officials. Ellis owned a tiny East Durham gas station just like his millhand dad, and his own four kids. C.P. joined the KKK and became their voice as Durham’s Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan.The idea of Ann and C.P. ever exchanging a civil word was close to unthinkable, but in writer-director Robin Bissell’s The Best Of Enemies, a dramatic feature film inspired by true events, these two bitter rivals are forced to start talking to resolve a crisis in their dangerously divided city.

BEAUTIFUL BOY Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, the film chronicles the heart-breaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years. Directed by Felix Van Groeningen, in his English-language feature debut. The screenplay, written by Luke Davies and Van Groeningen, is based on the memoirs Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David Sheff and Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff.

BEYOND THE LIGHT BARRIER – Uga Carlini explores the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Klarer, a South African meteorologist who devoted herself to proving the existence of Akon, her extraterrestrial lover from the planet Meton in the Proxima Centauri solar system. Read more

BIG GEORGE FORMAN – From Olympic Gold medalist to World Heavyweight champion, boxer George Foreman leads a remarkable life. This biographical sports drama is directed by George Tillman Jr. Read more

THE BIG SHORT When four outsiders see what the big banks, media and government regulators refuse to — the impending collapse of the global economy — they have an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of the modern banking industry where they must question everyone and everything.Based on the book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game), the screenplay was written by Charles Randolph (Love & Other Drugs, The Interpreter) and director Adam McKay .

BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB Based on the unbelievable, but true story,  it’s a crime story of ambitious outsiders who became the rock stars of the L.A. social scene – a world dripping with money, sex and celebrity – and whose lavish lifestyle and impressive returns obscure a snowballing fraud and grew into a Ponzi Scheme that turned homicidal in the Summer of 1984. The film was directed by James Cox (The Rock Star, Highway, Wonderland) and co-written by Cox and Captain Mauzner (a writer and producer, known for Wonderland (2003), Factory Girl (2006)).Cox wrote the script in four months after an exclusive research of the events with his brother Stephen, who spent another four months on it. Cox gathered the material for the screenplay from court documents, oral transcripts, and published articles. He said, “as we were writing this, I thought, ‘What if ‘Wall Street’ became ‘Alpha Dog’ halfway through?”

THE BIRTH OF A NATION Writer, director and actor Nate Parker takes on a distinctly vast ambition for a first-time filmmaker, presenting a more take-charge slave narrative than we are used to seeing with The Birth Of A Nation, boldly reclaiming the title of D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film.

BLACKKKLANSMAN Nearly three decades after releasing that masterpiece Do the Right Thing, visionary filmmaker Spike Lee’s latest expression of the facts of American life – BlacKkKlansman, which was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes film festival – is the true story of Ron Stallworth, the first black detective in the Colorado Springs police force who, in 1978, went undercover with the Ku Klux Klan. Spike Lee directs from a screenplay crafted by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, based on the book Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT The heart-warming and truly inspirational comedy drama Blinded By The Light’s journey to the screen began in earnest back in 2010 when visionary writer-director-producer Gurinder Chadha and author-journalist Sarfraz Manzoor attended the BFI premiere of The Promise, a film charting the making of the 1978 Bruce Springsteen album Darkness on the Edge of Town. Developed from Gurinder Chadha and British Journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s shared passion for Bruce Springsteen and based on Manzoor’s celebrated rite of passage memoir Greetings from Bury Park, chronicles his experiences as a British Muslim boy growing up in 1980s Luton and the impact Springsteen’s lyrics had on him.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Producer Graham King was persuaded to buy the rights to the story of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen by award-winning writer Peter Morgan. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.

BREAKTHROUGH Based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds. Adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte (Seven Pounds) from Joyce Smith’s own book, it is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle. Directed by Roxann Dawson.

BREATHE Producer Jonathan Cavendish had always believed that his father’s life story would be powerful material for a compelling film. Robin Cavendish had been a trailblazer, a remarkable, larger- than-life figure. He was diagnosed with polio in his late 20s and remained paralysed from the neck down. Totally reliant on a respirator that ‘breathed’ for him, he faced a life confined to a hospital bed. Yet he refused to accept that fate: with the help of his wife Diana, and their inventive and supportive friends, he found a way to

BRIDGE OF SPIES Producer Marc Platt, whose credits include “Into the Woods,” “Drive” and the upcoming “The Girl on the Train,” was familiar with Donovan’s story and was also aware of director Steven Spielberg’s interest in the Cold War—and history in general—and felt it was ideally suited for the director’s sensibilities. “As a filmmaker, Steven has studied some great iconic characters and can re-create history in an extraordinarily cinematic way. He’s the perfect filmmaker to tell a story like this.”

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? Melissa McCarthy plays best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats) Lee Israel, who made her living in the 1970s and ‘80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. 

CAPERNAUM Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Nadine Labaki’s film (“Chaos”) tells the story of Zain (Zain al Rafeea), a Lebanese boy who sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life.

CATS IN THE MUSEUM – Inspired by the true story of the legendary four-legged inhabitants at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, this animated film. When Maurice the mouse saves Vincent the cat during a shipwreck, they meet the famous group of cats who has to protect works of art from rodents at the museum. Vincent wants to be one of them, but Maurice is his friend. Read more about The Hermitage Museum / Hermitage Cats

CHAPPAQUIDDICK Screenwriters Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, who both grew up in Dallas where John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, had a strong emotional connection to the Kennedy family, long before their 2015 screenplay landed on the Blacklist. Living there, the tragedy in Dealey Plaza was impossible to ignore and it sowed a lifelong curiosity about the Kennedys’ Camelot.Allen says the murders of JFK and Bobby, as well as the other misfortunes surrounding the family, led them to wonder about where Sen. Ted Kennedy fit in. “As a human being, he’s so underexplored in cinematic terms,” Allen says, pointing to films like 1991’s JFK and 2006’s BOBBY that have explored the older Kennedys’ lives. “Once you start looking into who Ted was, all roads lead to Chappaquiddick. There’s a younger audience that will really have their eyes opened. For me, Ted is definitely the most relatable of the Kennedy family, and in his youth he was the black sheep of the sons. The press covering him in the 1940s and ’50s referred to him he as the ‘overweight’ Kennedy. He was expelled from Harvard for cheating on a Spanish exam, which created a rift with his father. Moments like these humanize him. That’s why he struggled so much to do the right thing in this situation.”

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Winnie-the-Pooh and friends reunite with old pal Christopher Robin — now an adult. Directed by Marc Forster, with a screenplay written by Tom McCarthy, Alex Ross Perry, and Allison Schroeder and from a story by Perry. The film is inspired by A. A. Milne’s book Winnie-the-Pooh and is a live-action/CGI continuation of the Disney franchise of the same name.

CHURCHILL Book and historical adaptations are hugely popular on the Big and Small screens and when the producers looked for a screenwriter for Churchill, London‐based  screenwriter  and  historian Alex von Tunzelmann was the ideal candidate to tackle the subject matter.

CITY OF LIES What started out as Portland-based writer Randall Sullivan’s 16,000 word article in Rolling Stone in 2001 (with a follow up article 4 years later and reprint in 2011), and his acclaimed 2002 non-fiction bestseller LAbyrinth, evolved into the film City of Lies directed by Brad Furman (The Infiltrator, The Lincoln Lawyer) from the 2015 Hollywood Black List screenplay by Christian Contreras.  Two hip-hop superstars were shot dead within six months of each other — Tupac on the evening of September 13, 1996, in Las Vegas); and B.I.G.’s ambush in Los Angeles almost six months later to the day.  

COCAINE BEAR – Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, the wild dark comedy COCAINE BEAR finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood. Read more

CONCUSSION A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made an important medical discovery.  Dr. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.Written and directed by Peter Landesman, Cocussion is based on the GQ article “Game Brain” by Jeanne Marie Laskas.

THE DANISH GIRL is the remarkable love story inspired by the lives of Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener, based on the book by David Ebershoff with a screenplay by Lucinda Coxon and directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables).

DARKEST HOUR “Words can, and do, change the world. This is precisely what happened through Winston Churchill in 1940,” marvels BAFTA Award-winning screenwriter and producer Anthony McCarten. The linchpins of his original screenplay for Darkest Hour became three speeches that Churchill wrote and delivered between May and June 1940. “He was under intense political and personal pressure, yet he was spurred to such heights in so few days – over and over again.”

DEEPWATER HORIZON On April 20th, 2010, one of the world’s largest man-made disasters occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. Now filmmaker Peter Berg brings that story to the big screen with Deepwater Horizon, a gripping glimpse into the unseen world behind the global disaster that took the lives of 11 workers,  sharing an untold story of men & women, real life heroes, who faced extraordinary consequences with extreme bravery. The screenplay was written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand, based upon an article by David Barstow, David Rohde, and Stephanie Saul published in The New York Times.

DENIAL A powerful story about one woman’s relentless efforts to establish justice and remind the world about the tragedies of the Holocaust, Denial is a gripping, inspirational real-life account based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book Denial: Holocaust History on Trial, and adapted for the big screen by esteemed playwright David Hare.

DETROIT Controversial subject matter fuels great stories, and with Detroit, director Kathryn Bigelow adeptly balances an expertly crafted cinema verité filmic and up-close-and-personal approach with screenwriter/producer Mark Boal’s tension-packed “you are there” narrative.

DIE VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER Die verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer is a retelling of the tragic yet heart-warming folktale about a young girl who makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her brother’s life, and has been adapted for the big screen by writer-director Matthys Boshoff , based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Brett Michael Innes, who co-wrote the screenplay.

THE DISASTER ARTIST Director James Franco (As I Lay Dying, Child of God) transforms the tragicomic true-story of aspiring filmmaker and infamous Hollywood outsider Tommy Wiseau—an artist whose passion was as sincere as his methods were questionable—into a celebration of friendship, artistic expression, and dreams pursued against insurmountable odds. Based on Greg Sestero’s best-selling tell-all about the making of Tommy’s cult-classic “disasterpiece” The Room (The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made), The Disaster Artist is a hilarious and welcome reminder that there is more than one way to become a legend—and no limit to what you can achieve when you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing.  The screenplay was written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber ((500) Days of Summer, The Fault in Our Stars) based on the book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside the Room, The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell.

DOG – Channing Tatum co-directed Dog with producing partner Reid Carolin, who wrote the script. It’s a movie about the uncanny ability of road trips to go awry in the craziest possible ways and how animals can be healing, even when relationships with them aren’t unconditionally effortless. A Buddy Comedy About A Guy Who Takes A Road Trip With His Dog

DUNKIRK Visionary storyteller and storymaker Christopher Nolan has taken audiences from the streets of Gotham City, to the infinite world of dreams, to the farthest reaches of space. Now, for the first time, the innovative director/writer/producer has turned his camera to a real-life event, one that has resonated with him throughout his life: the miracle of Dunkirk.

EDDIE THE EAGLE The feel-good Eddie The Eagle takes us into the life of Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself, and with the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach Hugh Jackman), took on the establishment and won the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. It was directed by Dexter Fletcher (Wild Bill), from a screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton.

EIFFEL – A fictionalized romance between Eiffel and Adrienne Bourgès, his childhood sweetheart, was directed by Martin Bourboulon, from a screenplay crafted by Caroline Bongrand. When the idea for the sumptuous romance Eiffel dawned on director Martin Bourboulon over 20 years ago, it sparked a journey that resulted in a film that is not a biopic or a documentary, but a faithful and endearing reimagining of Gustave Eiffel’ fervent passion, which grounded the creation and building of the Eiffel Tower. Features: Director Martin Bourboulon talks about Eiffel / Screenwriter Caroline Bongrand talks about Eiffel

ELVIS – A thoroughly cinematic drama, Elvis’s (Austin Butler) story is seen through the lens of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).  As told by Parker, the film delves into the complex dynamic between the two spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America.  Central to that journey is one of the significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge). Read more

ELVIS & NIXON Based on an actual encounter that took place on December 21, 1970, Elvis & Nixon hilariously re-imagines the unlikely meeting between rocker and politician as dramatized by two of America’s finest actors, starring Academy Award-nominee Michael Shannon as Presley and two-time Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey as Nixon. The film is directed by Liza Johnson (Return, Hateship Loveship) and written by Joey Sagal & Hanala Sagal (Traumedy Central) and Cary Elwes (“Family Guy,” The Princess Bride).

ENCOUNTERS – a landmark four-part series that travels the globe to explore four extraordinary true stories of encounters with otherworldly phenomena. As told from the perspective of firsthand experiences – in the places where the sightings occurred – and guided by cutting-edge scientists and military personnel, the series goes beyond the science to highlight the profoundly human impact of these encounters on lives, families, and communities. Read more 

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE An absolute joy, the story follows and is based upon the true-life story of 16-year-old British schoolboy Jamie Campbell, as he overcomes prejudice and bullying, to step out of the darkness and become a drag queen. This musical comedy-drama was directed by Jonathan Butterell (in his feature directorial debut) and stars newcomer Max Harwood with Richard E. Grant. Trailer

THE EXCEPTION A spy thriller and love story that mines a forgotten pocket of 20th century history. Based on the compelling novel “The Kaiser’s Last Kiss” by Alan Judd. Screenplay adaptation by Simon Burke (Persuasion)

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE The story of Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) is shown from the perspective of his girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Colins), who struggled to accept the reality of her boyfriend’s nature. Directed by Joe Berlinger and written by Michael Werwie.

THE FAVOURITE From the veiled world of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) – the last (and historically most ignored) of the Stuart line of Britain’s rulers— who though infamously gouty, shy and disregarded, nevertheless reigned as Great Britain became a global power. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth, The Lobster, The  Killing Of A Sacred Deer) from a screenplay crafted by Deborah Davis  and Tony McNamara.

FERRARI – It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Read more

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY Based on a true story, it follows reformed gangster Ricky (Dwayne Johnson), wife Julia, daughter Paige and son Zak as they make a living wrestling together in tiny venues. It is written and directed by Stephen Merchant.  

FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL 30 years after Peter Turner published his memoir, entitled Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, which recounted his tale of love and loss with former Hollywood star Gloria Grahame, the affectionate, moving and wry recollection of his unlikely story comes to the big screen with Annette Bening starring as Grahame, Jamie Bell as Turner. “I have wanted to make this film for over 20 years,” says producer Barbara Broccoli. “It is very meaningful to me. I knew Gloria and Peter when they were together.”

FINAL PORTRAIT Producer Gail Egan came to Final Portrait when Stanley Tucci showed her the screenplay that he had written, adapted from a memoir written by James Lord, ‘A Giacometti Portrait’.Tuccihas appeared in over 90 films and countless television shows. He has appeared in more than a dozen plays, on and off Broadway, and has been behind the camera working as a writer, director, and producer. The memoir features the last meeting between Alberto Giacometti and James Lord, a younger, wealthy American who had befriended the artist on one of his regular trips to Paris

THE FINEST HOURS is an exquisitely well-crafted film about love and heroism, based on the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard, filled with nostalgia and adventure that immerses you emotionally and physically. Transporting you to the heart of the action and creating a fully immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale, the film is directed by Australian filmmaker Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl and the highly acclaimed Showtime series The United States of Tara), and written by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson, based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias.

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS is a charming portrait of a woman ensnared by the shattering reality of her all-consuming fantasy of being the greatest singer in the world. It was the glorious chasm between Florence Foster Jenkins’ self-belief and her startling failings as a singer that immediately hooked writer Nicholas Martin.

FORD V FERRARI Inspired by a true-life drama about a powerful friendship that forever changed racing history, Ford v Ferrari was a ten-year-journey from page to screen for filmmaker James Mangold, the masterful storyteller behind Walk the Line and Logan.

THE FOUNDER An origin story of how the billion-dollar empire McDonald’s was born. Original screenplay by Robert Siegel (The Wrestler).

FREE STATE OF JONES Based on Oscar-nominated writer/director Gary Ross’ original screenplay, the epic action-drama Free State of Jones tells the extraordinary story of a little known episode in American history during which Newt Knight, a fearless Mississippi farmer, led an unlikely band of poor white farmers and runaway slaves in an historic armed rebellion against the Confederacy during the height of the Civil War.

THE FRONT RUNNER Hugh Jackman stars as the charismatic politician Gary Hart for director Jason Reitman in this new thrilling drama that follows the rise and fall of Senator Hart, who captured the imagination of young voters and was considered the overwhelming front runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. Directed by Jason Reitman, based on the 2014 book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid, written by Matt Bai. Reitman co-wrote the screenplay with Bai and Jay Carson.

GENIUS is a stirring drama about the complex friendship and transformative professional relationship between the world-renowned book editor Maxwell Perkins (who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway) and the larger-than-life literary giant Thomas Wolfe

THE GLASS CASTLE Celebrity gossip columnist Jeannette Walls unveiled deeply guarded secrets she’d long kept of her childhood in her wildly Gothic coming-of-age bestseller. It was adapted into a film by Hawaiin-born writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton and screenwriter Andrew Lanham.

GOLD Inspired by actual events, it tells the epic tale of one man’s American dream and everything he’ll do to keep it from falling apart.The screenplay for Gold was written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman (Friday Night Lights), who also serve as producers, and directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Traffic)

GOLDA – The film depicts the life of Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir must navigate overwhelming odds, a sceptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as millions of lives hang in the balance. Directed by Guy Nattiv and written by Nicholas Martin, the film stars Helen Mirren, Zed Josef, Claudette Williams, Henry Goodman. Read more

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN The inspirational story of how a father bonded with his young son and created the much-adored Winnie-the-Pooh books.The film is based on Ann Thwaite’s 1990 biography A. A. Milne: The Man Behind Winnie-the-Pooh, which was re-released in 2017 as Goodbye Christopher Robin: A. A. Milne and the Making of Winnie-the-Pooh. The newer version contains a preface by the movie’s screenwriter, Frank Cottrell-Boyce (The Railway Man),  who also wrote the screenplay for the film directed by Simon Curtis.

GOTTI follows infamous crime boss John Gotti’s rise to become the “Teflon Don” of the Gambino Crime Family in New York City. Multi talented artist, Leo Rossi, who wrote the screenplay for Gotti and also plays Bartholomew “Bobby” Boriello, Gotti’s enforcer, brought a unique angle to the narrative.His text was directly influenced by his conversations with John Gotti himself.By getting to know the men, Rossi knew that the movie needed to show both sides of Gotti’s life.“The screenplay that I envisioned after talking to Gotti had the Mafia element, of course, that’s a certain element to it, but, also the situation of the family. To me, to see how a life of crime in the Mafia affects the family was just as compelling as the Mafia life itself. I tried to interweave them,” he explains.

GRANDMA The new independent film Grandma tells a rare story:  a lesbian of advanced years (Lily Tomlin), in mourning for her soul mate and on skittish footing with the much younger woman she’s been seeing (Judy Greer), is suddenly thrust into an adventure involving her teenage granddaughter (Julia Garner) and an unwanted pregnancy. The female-centric subject and cast are courtesy of writer-director Paul Weitz, the man who got his big break writing the film Antz, and gave us About a Boy, In Good Company, American Dreamz, and Admission.

GRAN TURISMO – In Neil Blomkamp’s sports drama Gran Turismo a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won him a series of Nissan-sponsored video game competitions aspires to be an actual professional race car driver. It is based on the Polyphony Digital racing simulation video game series, while inspired by the true story of Jann Mardenborough. The film stars Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough alongside David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Geri Halliwell Horner and Djimon Hounsou. Read more

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Inspired by the legend and ambitions of America’s original pop-culture impresario, P.T. Barnum, comes The Greatest Showman, an inspirational rags-to-riches tale of a brash dreamer who rose from nothing to prove that anything you can envision is possible and that everyone, no matter how invisible, has a stupendous story worthy of a world-class spectacle.Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey makes his feature film directorial debut with The Greatest Showman, a story that, in the larger-than-life spirit of Barnum, bursts into a boldly imagined fictional realm, one full of infectious pop tunes, glam dances and a celebration of the transformative power of showmanship, love and self-belief. Michael Gracey directs from a screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon  and a story by Jenny Bicks, and braids together original songs by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) with a multi-talented cast headed by Hugh Jackman to immerse audiences in the very origins of mass entertainment and mega-celebrities in the 70s … the 1870s that is.

GREEN BOOK Nick Vallelonga, the oldest son of Tony Lip, grew up hearing about his father’s journey with Don Shirley.  “This was a story I had on my mind basically my whole life from the time I was a young kid,” says Vallelonga, an actor, writer, producer, and director who crafted the screenplay for Green Book with Brian Currie and director Peter Farrelly.

HACKSAW RIDGE Desmond Doss was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, where he saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun as he believed that while the war was justified, killing was nevertheless wrong. The screenplay was crafted by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan (Kentucky Cycle, All the Way) and Australian writer Andrew Knight (The Water Diviner)

HANDS OF STONE Robert de Niro steps back into the boxing ring again, this time as celebrated trainer Ray Arcel in Hands of Stone, the true story of how the legendary Roberto Duran, who is considered a national treasure in Panama,  and Arcel, his celebrated trainer, changed each other’s lives.De Niro came on board early in the process and worked closely with writer-director Jonathan Jakubowicz on the screenplay.  They first met because De Niro liked Secuestro Express, Jakubowicz’s first film. He also liked the screenplay for Hands of Stone but he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it because “he couldn’t hear Ray Arcel’s voice.

HE NAMED ME MALALA Acclaimed, Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim brings us a profoundly moving and intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.  The then 15-year-old (she turned 18 this past July) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.

HIDDEN FIGURES The film uncovers the incredible, untold yet true story of a brilliant group of Wonder Women who changed the foundations of the country for the better — by aiming for the stars.Screenwriter Allison Schroeder, who not only studied high-level math but interned at NASA, following in the wake of her grandmother, a programmer at NASA from the early days through the shuttle program, and grandfather, who took part in the Mercury project.

HOTEL MUMBAI A gripping true story of humanity and heroism, recounting the 2008 siege of the famed Taj Hotel by a group of terrorists in Mumbai, India.

I AM WOMAN For the first time on screen, I Am Woman tells the inspiring story of singer Helen Reddy, who wrote and sang the song “I Am Woman” that became the anthem for the women’s movement in the 1970s. The film is a story of fearless ambition and passion, of a woman who smashed through the patriarchal norms of her time to become the international singing superstar she always dreamed of being. This Australian biographical film about singer Helen Reddy, is directed and produced by Unjoo Moon, from a screenplay by Emma Jensen. Tilda Cobham-Hervey stars as Reddy alongside Evan Peters, as her manager husband Jeff Wald, and Danielle Macdonald as rock writer Lilian Roxon.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE The inspiring, incredible, and unknown true story behind MercyMe’s beloved song I Can Only Imagine, the most popular contemporary Christian song in history, is brought to life on the Big Screen by the Erwin Brothers,  a directing team that focuses on creating faith-based and inspirational feature films.Director/co-writer Jon Erwin has never had a film easier to pitch.“It’s the song you know,” says Jon, “but the story you don’t.”

THE IDOL The incredible true story of Mohammed Assaf defies belief. The 22-year-old Palestinian refugee from Gaza won the hearts of an entire region when he won Arab Idol (the Arab world’s own version of American Idol) in 2013 is now an inspiring film The Idol, directed by Hany Abu-Assad

THE INFILTRATOR is the thrilling true-life story of Special Agent Robert ‘Bob’ Mazur, responsible for bringing down the drug cartels and their bankers alike, in one of history’s most audacious stings.This incredible story is now explored on the big screen in The Infiltrator by acclaimed American filmmaker Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer), who directs from a screenplay written by his mother Ellen Brown Furman, based on Bob Mazur’s autobiography of the same name.

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA It is one of the greatest seafaring tales of all time: the Nantucket whaling ship Essex was attacked by a leviathan—a white whale of singular size and intent—leaving only a few of its crew to overcome near-impossible odds and live to recount their experience. But in the almost 200 years since that harrowing voyage, the truth faded into history, eclipsed by the celebrated novel it inspired, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. The extraordinary journey of the Essex and her crew was chronicled by Nathaniel Philbrick in his book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. Screenplay by Charles Leavitt, who also shares story credit with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver

I, TONYA  Based on the unbelievable but true events, this darkly comedic tale of American figure skater, Tonya Harding, and one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Though Harding was the first American woman to complete a triple axel in competition, her legacy was forever defined by her association with an infamous, illconceived, and even more poorly executed attack on fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan. Steven Rogers wrote the script for ‘I, Tonya’ which made the 2016 Blacklist and won the 2016 Hit List. He is also a producer on the film. Previous credits include ‘Hope Floats’, ‘Stepmom’, ‘Kate and Leopold’, ‘P. S. I Love You’ and ‘Love the Coopers’ which he also executive produced.

JACKIE Jackie Kennedy led a multi-faceted life of power and influence, but when it came to writing about her, screenwriter and journalist Noah Oppenheim came to feel there was one story that spoke to her psyche in the most compelling way – the very brief but remarkably consequential days that the First Lady spent nearly alone in the White House following her husband’s death.

JOY David O. Russell’s 8th feature film, JOY, probes four decades in the upward-moving life of a single-mom-turned-business-magnate to explore how daring, resilience and the persistence of vision carry people from the ordinary into extraordinary moments of creation, striving and love.

KANDAHAR -For screenwriter Mitchell LaFortune, the genesis of the story began as he pulled stories from his time as a Defense Intelligence Agency officer who had served multiple deployments in Afghanistan, telling the story of a CIA Black Ops agent and his Afghan interpreter who must evade deadly forces as they escape Iran after a whistleblower reveals the agent destroyed a nuclear facility. Read more

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone). Read more

KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD Acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie brings his dynamic style to the epic fantasy action adventure King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur’s journey from the streets to the throne. Ritchie is an accomplished storyteller who has been entertaining audiences with his dynamic cinematic style for nearly two decades.He directed King Arthur: Legend of the Sword from a screenplay by Joby Harold and Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, story by David Dobkin and Joby Harold.

THE LADY IN THE VAN It has taken another 15 years for Bennett to feel ready to revisit the material as a feature film. In 2006, he and Hytner had transformed their hit play The History Boys into a two-time BAFTA nominated feature, as they had with The Madness Of King George, which  garnered 14 BAFTA nominations, including a win for the Alexander Korda Award for  Best British Film, and four Academy Award nominations and one win.  So happy had been the collaboration on The History Boys that Bennett and Hytner were keen to work again with the film’s established British producers, Kevin Loader of Free Range Films and Damian Jones of DJ Films.

THE LAST DUEL From visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott comes this gripping tale of betrayal and vengeance set against the brutality of 14th century France. Based on actual events, the historical epic unravels long-held assumptions about France’s last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two friends turned bitter rivals.  It’s a cinematic and thought-provoking drama told from three distinct perspectives, with outstanding performances by Matt Damon and Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer as the woman caught in a deadly love triangle. Trailer Feature: A cinematic and thought-provoking drama told from three distinct perspectives

LEGEND Writer-director Brian Helgeland’s Legend, tells the story of Britain’s most notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray, as they have the time of their lives, ruling over London in the middle of the Swinging Sixties.

LEOPOLDSTADT – An epic family drama telling the story of an Austrian-Jewish families experience over 50 years from the turn of the century to World War II. Written by Britain’s greatest living playwright Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) inspired by his own family history. Regarded as ‘Britain’s greatest living playwright’ (Times), Tom Stoppard’s critically acclaimed new play Leopoldstadt is a passionate drama of love, family and endurance. At the beginning of the 20th century, Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna, Austria. But Hermann Merz, a factory owner and baptised Jew now married to Catholic Gretl, has moved up in the world. We follow his family’s story across half a century, passing through the convulsions of war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. A company of 40 actors represent each generation of the family in this epic, but intimate play.

LION The incredible true story of Indian-born Australian Saroo Brierley and his unwavering determination to find his lost family and finally return to his first home is now realised in all its splendour on the big screen in Lion, from a screenplay by Luke Davies

THE LOST KING – Guided by instinct and spectral visions, an ambitious writer and amateur historian defies the academic establishment to unearth Richard III’s long-missing remains in a Leicester car park in the sensational British comedy-drama. Read more

LOVING VINCENT If there’s one film that transcends its uniqueness, it’s Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman’s Loving Vincent,  the world’s first fully oil painted feature film that brings the paintings of Vincent van Gogh to life to tell his remarkable story.Every one of the 65,000 frames of the film is an oil-painting hand-painted by 125 professional oil-painters who travelled from all across the world to the Loving Vincent studios in Poland and Greece to be a part of the production. As remarkable as Vincent’s brilliant paintings, is his passionate and ill-fated life, and mysterious death.Loving Vincent had a 7 year production journey – director Dorota Kobiela had originally planned it as a short film. Before they began writing the script, Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman read 40 different publications about Vincent and visited 19 museums in 6 countries to view around 400 Van Gogh paintings.

THE MAN WITH THE IRON HEART, based on the novel HHhH, written by Laurent Binet, which won the Goncourt prize for a first novel in 2012 and was met with unanimous enthusiasm in the 25 countries in which it was translated, was directed by French director, writer and producer Cédric Jimenez (The Connection) and adapted by Jimenez’ partner Audrey Diwan and playwright/ screenwriter David Farr.

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS The magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge,  Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol, showing how Charles Dickens mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today. Based on Les Standiford’s 2008 book, The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits, the movie brings the imagination of one of the world’s best-loved authors to vivid reality as he creates the masterpiece that has shaped modern-day Christmas celebrations for more than 150 years, directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) from a screenplay by Susan Coyne (Mozart in the Jungle, Slings and Arrows).

THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY The journey of self-taught mathematical prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan and the journey of bringing his story to life on the page and screen both began with a letter. Some five or six years after the publication of The Man Who Knew Infinity, writer/director Matthew Brown and executive producer Tristine Skyler were visiting Brown’s aunt in Big Sur when Skylar noticed the book in Brown’s aunt’s library.

MARK FELT: THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE WHITEHOUSE Writer/director Peter Landesman (Parkland, Concussion) was hired to write the screenplay in 2005, before he had directed any movies, when he was known as an award-winning investigative journalist and war correspondent.At that time, Jay Roach (Trumbo, Meet The Parents) was set to direct. Based on a true story of the most famous anonymous man in American history: Mark Felt, the FBI second-in-command who was the “Deep Throat” whistleblower in the 1970s Watergate scandal.

MARY SHELLEY Directed by Haifaa al-Mansour,  based on an original screenplay by Australian screenwriter Emma Jensen. It is about writer Mary Shelley’s first love and romantic relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, which inspired Mary to write Frankenstein

MAUDIE Based on a true story, the outstanding independent film charts the unlikely romance between Maud Lewis, a folk artist who blossoms in later life, and the curmudgeonly recluse, Everett. Original screenplay by Sherry White.

THE MAURATANIAN The genesis of the production for The Mauritanian began in 2015 while Mohamedou Ould Slahi was still incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay (GTMO). Slahi, who is the first detainee to publish a memoir while imprisoned, was prohibited from receiving a copy of his published book while he was incarcerated. (Real) Nancy Hollander, says that although many Guantanamo former prisoners have written books, Mohamedou is the only one who’s authored his own book: “I think that’s what makes it so unique because it’s him, and it’s what he went through that we can now portray in a film.”

THE MEDDLER came to life on the set of writer-director Lorene Scafaria’s first feature film, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Although Scafaria was thrilled to be helming her first film, she admits she was still in something of a daze after the death of her larger-than-life father, Joe, the year before. In the middle of her grief and this important time in her career, Scafaria’s mother, Gail, decided to relocate to Los Angeles to be near her only daughter.

MEGAN LEAVEY Megan Leavey, the movie, began on the day that Megan Leavey, the person, walked into LD Entertainment production offices and told her remarkable story.“We cried in our conference room,” recalls producer Jennifer Monroe. “It was incredible to see the war from a female Marine’s perspective.This took place during a time when women soldiers couldn’t be on the frontlines and here’s Megan, who’s able to go in front of the frontlines because she belongs to the K9 division.”

MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES The comedy Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates takes the intriguing idea of two brothers finding dates for a wedding and runs with it, adding unexpected layers of heart and two outrageous new lead characters. Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien have established themselves as two of the hottest names in comedy after writing Nicholas Stoller‘s “Neighbors” and “Neighbors 2” Andrew Jay Cohen (Screenwriter, Executive Producer) recently made his feature film directorial debut with The House starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, which he also co-wrote and produced.

MILES AHEAD, inspired by events in his life, is a wildly entertaining, impressionistic, no-holds barred portrait of one of 20th century music’s creative geniuses, Miles Davis, featuring a career defining performance by Don Cheadle in the title role, who co-wrote the screenplay with Steven Baigelman, and makes his bravura directorial debut.

MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle, ” said Albert Einstein and in the uplifting Miracles from Heaven we experience  the rousing portrait of a family suddenly discovering joy and promise in the most tumultuous moment of their lives.Based on Texas mom Christy Beam’s inspirational memoir, this astonishing true story of the girl rescued by an out-of-the-blue accident is directed by Patricia Riggen (who recently directed the superb The 33), from a screenplay by Randy Brown (Trouble with the Curve).

MISS YOU ALREADY From director Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen) comes Miss You Already, an honest and powerful story following two best friends through the highs and lows of life. The idea has been with writer Morwenna Banks for many years. “It is a work of fiction, but it happened that breast cancer touched my life and the lives of several people around me, within a short frame of time,” she recalls.

MOLLY’S GAME  Based on the true story of a young, charismatic Olympic-hopeful skier and ‘Poker Princess’ who was arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons, marks the directorial debut of renowned playwright and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Although Bloom’s 2014 memoir ends with her FBI arrest, the story of how Molly’s Game got to the big screen begins before Bloom even realized her reign was ending. When Bloom was still running a game at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, she met Executive Producer Leopoldo Gout at a party.

MRS. CHATTERJEE VS NORWAY – In the Indian Hindi-language drama an immigrant Indian mother fights the Norwegian foster care system and legal machinery to win back custody of her children. It is based on the true story of an Indian couple whose children were taken away from them by Norwegian welfare services in 2011. Read more

THE MULE Clint Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a man in his 80s who is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive.  Eastwood directs from a screenplay by Nick Schenk, inspired by the New York Times Magazine article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick.

MY FATHER’S WAR Writer-director Craig Gardner’s My Father’s War will help facilitate healing for a generation of men, women and children (now adults) who were deeply affected by the South Africa’s Border War  – on and off the battlefield.

NAPOLEON – A spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise of the iconic Napoleon Bonaparte. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed. Read more

NEXT GOAL WINS – Based on a true story, it follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamously known for their brutal 31-0 loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy. Read more

NOEM MY SKOLLIE The riveting Noem My Skollie delivers on the themes of friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, acceptance, the desire for a better life, hope and love, and is set on the Cape Flats and in Pollsmoor prison, based on the life of John W. Fredericks, who also wrote the screenplay at the age of 60.

NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is captivating in  Chloé Zhao’s sweeping panoramic portrait of the American nomadic spirit, an astounding portrait of a woman who has lost a husband and in fact her whole former life and finds herself in the nomad community, and “evolves – in the wilderness, in rocks, trees, stars, a hurricane, this is where she finds her independence. The film offers outstanding performances from real-life nomads Bob Wells, Linda May, and Swankie as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West. Trailer / Feature: A sweeping panoramic portrait of the American nomadic spirit

NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana (four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team. Netflix. Read more

THE ODYSSEY French director Jerôme Salle thrives on a sense of adventure, never more so than when making The Odyssey, his epic take on the life of naval officer Jacques Cousteau whose underwater exploits made him a celebrated name all over the world..Written by Jérôme Salle and Laurent Turner, The Odyssey is based on Capitaine de la Calypso by Albert Falco and Yves Paccalet, and My Father, The Captain by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Written and directed by David Lowery, based on the true-life story of Forrest Tucker, a career criminal and prison escape artist. The script is based on David Grann‘s 2003 article in The New Yorkertitled “The Old Man and the Gun”, which was later collected in Grann’s 2010 book The Devil and Sherlock Holmes.

ONE LIFE – Producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning first discussed Nicholas Winton’s story when they co-founded See-Saw Films over 15 years ago, having come across a clip of the ‘That’s Life!’ broadcast. With Nicholas’s daughter Barbara Winton’s blessing, screenwriters Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake gained access to Nicky’s archives and letters, as well as her book about her father.

ON THE BASIS OF SEX It tells the true story of a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) – then a struggling attorney and new mother – who faces adversity and numerous obstacles in her fight for equal rights throughout her career.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT – Uncover a most extraordinary true story Operation Mincemeat. It’s 1943. The Allies are determined to break Hitler’s grip on occupied Europe and plan an all-out assault on Sicily, but they face an impossible challenge – how to protect a massive invasion force from the potential massacre. It falls to two remarkable intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and Charles Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen), to dream the most inspired and improbable disinformation strategy of the war – centred on the most unlikely of secret agents: a dead man. Directed by John Madden, with Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn and Jason Isaacs. Feature: An extraordinary story about the nobility of unsung heroes

OPPENHEIMER – “I want to take the audience into the mind and the experience of a person who sat at the absolute center of the largest shift in history,” says writer-director Christopher Nolan, whose Oppenheimer is an epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. Read more

PAIN & GLORY Quite unintentionally, Pain and Glory is the third part of a spontaneously created trilogy that has taken Spanish filmmaker and auteur Pedro Almodóvar thirty two years to complete. A tale of memory, regret and making peace with his past – isn’t just his most personal, it is also one of his greatest, and blurs the line between art and life and mixes autobiography with fiction to powerful effect. As the title suggests, the result is a swirl of heartbreak and joy.

PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST Getting to the point of cameras rolling for a 30-day location shoot on the beautiful island of Malta for the thrilling new film was a years-long journey for writer-director Andrew Hyatt. It began with a personal fascination with Paul, arguably the most important person outside of Jesus in the New Testament. It then grew into a desire to create a biblically authentic, cinematically compelling exploration of the last days of Paul’s life.

PELÉ In partnership with Legends 10, Imagine Entertainment recruited the young writer/director team, Jeffrey and Michael Zimbalist to scribe the screenplay and helm the film project.  Their successful background in documentary films where they previously had explored soccer as well as Brazil and Brazilian culture, would ensure the film would have a unique perspective and truthful tone.

PERSIAN LESSONS A young Jewish man pretends to be Iranian to avoid being executed in a concentration camp in the Holocaust drama Persian Lessons.

PLEASE STAND BY Screenwriter Michael Golamco’s inspiration came from a NY Times article about young girls with autism attending a summer camp. One girl in particular said her hobby was writing fan fiction along the lines of Lord of the Rings. “That girl resonated with me. The article said girls with autism have problems connecting socially, but what sets them apart from boys is that girls really want to connect. The kernel of the Wendy character started to develop – the idea of a young girl who really wants to connect with the world but isn’t sure how, and the journey of her learning how.”

POPPIE NONGENA -Celebrated filmmaker, screenwriter and playwright Christiaan Olwagen brings Poppie Nongena to life on film, telling the story of a South African isiXhosa mother, whose life revolves around finding stability for her family when she is deemed by the law to be an illegal resident in her own country. Read more

THE POST Throughout American history, there have been catalytic moments in which ordinary citizens must decide whether to put everything on the line–livelihoods, reputations, status, even freedom—to do what they believe to be right and necessary to protect the Constitution and defend American freedom. With The Post, multiple-Academy-Award-winning director Steven Spielberg excavates one such moment. The result is a high-wire drama based on the true events that unfolded when The Washington Post and The New York Times formed a pragmatic alliance in the wake of The Times’ incendiary exposure of the Top Secret study that would become known to the world as the Pentagon Papers.

PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN Writer/director Angela Robinson’s Professor Marston & The Wonder Women is the incredible true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist and inventor Dr. William Moulton Marston to create the iconic feminist superhero Wonder Woman.

PUNCH – the feature debut of the New Zealand writer-director Welby Ings. Seventeen-year-old Jim is a small-town boxing hero who carries the hopes and dreams of his father Stan on his shoulders. Read more

QUEEN OF KATWE  A young girl’s incredible journey from the streets of Uganda to a world-class chess player embodies the strength of the human spirit in the inspiring Queen of Katwe. It was an article by Tim Crothers in ESPN Magazine where John Carls (Rango, Where the Wild Things Are) first learned about the work of Sports Outreach, a faith-based organization that uses sports to make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth in the poorest areas of the world. Based on a remarkable true story, Queen of Katwe is directed by Mira Nair from a screenplay by William Wheeler.

RACE Based on the incredible true story of Jesse Owens, the legendary athletic superstar whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy. Race is an enthralling film about courage, determination, tolerance, and friendship, and an inspiring drama about one man’s fight to become an Olympic legend. Written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse and directed by Stephen Hopkins.

REBEL IN THE RYE The world of legendary writer J. D. Salinger is brought vividly to life in this revealing look at the experiences that shaped one of the most renowned, controversial, and enigmatic authors of our time.

RED JOAN In a picturesque village in England, Joan Stanley (Academy Award winner Dame Judi Dench), lives in contented retirement. Then suddenly her tranquil existence is shattered as she’s shockingly arrested by MI5. For Joan has been hiding an incredible past; she is one of the most influential spies in living history… It is directed with a strong sense for character by Trevor Nunn. Screenplay by Lindsay Shapero, based on Jennie Rooney’s novel.

THE REVENANT Inspired by true events, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s masterful The Revenant is an epic story of survival and transformation on the American frontier, with Leonardo DiCaprio as legendary explorer Hugh Glass who  undertakes a 200-mile odyssey through the vast and untamed West on the trail of the man who betrayed him: What begins as a relentless quest for revenge becomes a heroic saga against all. Based on Michael Punke’s The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge, screenplay by Mark L. Smith

RISE is based on the triumphant real-life story about the remarkable family that produced the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league—Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kostas Antetokounmpo. Rise debuted exclusively on Disney+ in June 2022, and will have its linear premiere across the continent on the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network ESPN (DStv218, Starsat 248) Feature: A triumphant real-life story

ROCKETMAN An epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years. The story of Elton John’s life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. Biopic based on the life of musician Elton John. The film is directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall. Taron Egerton (the Kingsman movies) plays young Elton John. 

ROMA Set in Mexico City in the early 1970’s, writer-director Alfonso Cuarón’s story follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. 

ROMAN J. ISREAL, ESQ Writer-director Dan Gilroy teams with two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington to create the portrait of a layered, complex man whose life has been spent fighting for others’ civil rights – and paid a price for his activism.Gilroy wrote the film on spec specifically for Washington, feeling he was the only actor who could bring the character to life.  “I wrote this movie for Denzel because of his talent and because Denzel is a  man who believes in human dignity and the human spirit. Knowing who Denzel is in real life, he brings that part of himself to this character.”

RULES DON’T APPLY It was written, directed, and produced by Warren Beatty, who also stars as Howard Hughes, the billionaire movie mogul, famed aviator and legendary eccentric – who was both a rule-maker for many young stars and a rule-breaker – challenging the industry’s social mores and restrictive moral code.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY – A modest tailor and single Indian dad, Varun (Ace Bhatti) and his transmasculine son, River (Gabe Gabriel) take a road trip across South Africa to break River’s estranged mother, Monica (Diaan Lawrenson), out of a rehab clinic. Read more

SGT. STUBBY: AN UNLIKELY HERO Set against the backdrop of America’s entry into World War I and based on the incredible, true story of the unbreakable bond between a stray dog and a young Soldier, this animated film tells the real-life story of America’s most decorated dog, Sgt. Stubby, showing the world the true meaning of dedication, loyalty, bravery and heroism.Fun Academy Motion Pictures brings the early 20th century back to life for audiences of all ages to enjoy. But just as the real Stubby’s journey took him from homeless mutt to celebrated Soldier, his animated counterpart’s journey to the big screen has been quite the adventure … a story nearly a decade in the making.

SAINT JUDY tells the inspirational true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood and her fight that changed American asylum law forever. Directed by Sean Hanish with Michelle Monaghan and Alfred Molina.

SARAFINA! – Sarafina is a young black South African struggling for freedom during the apartheid. While she has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country, the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favourite teacher is arrested for protesting. Read more

SEW THE WINTER TO MY SKIN  A rousing, action-adventure-epic set in early 1950’s rural South Africa, chronicling the captivating chase and suspenseful capture of the native outlaw, John Kepe. This self-proclaimed “Samson of the Boschberg” inevitably became a political threat to the very fabric of the ruling colonial society. A South African Epic written and directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. 

SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS The true account of the legal process of capital punishment, and the inhumane treatment of prisoners on death row, which took place during the apartheid era in South Africa.The project had its inception in 2012 when producer, Anant Singh, sent his long-time collaborator, screenwriter/producer Brian Cox, a copy of Chris Marnewick’s award-winning novel to see if he would be interested in writing the screenplay. Cox responded to the material right away and very quickly wrote the initial adaptation.

SKIN Inspired by the remarkable true story of Bryon Widner, Skin follows the life of a former skinhead group member, who endured over a year of painful operations to his face and body to remove the tattoos that tied him to his terrible past. Written and directed by Guy Nattiv, an acclaimed writer/director from Tel Aviv, Israel, this controversial film stars Jamie Bell as a destitute young man, raised by racist skinheads and notorious among white supremacists, who turns his back on hatred and violence to transform his life, with the help of a black activist and the woman he loves.

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Acclaimed Spanish director-writer J.A.Bayona adapted Pablo Vierci’s book Society Of The Snow, written 36 years after the Andes flight disaster, to give a voice to the survivors and to those who didn’t make it out alive. The event, which took place 50 years ago last year, is well known around the world and has affected (and continues to affect) generations of people.

SODIUM DAY – Written and directed by the award-winning Riaz Solker, Sodium Day is a South African comedy-drama with tragic undertones that features uncanny humour and absurd, but often true-to-life scenarios, telling the story of a neglected Matric class in a dilapidated school on the Cape Flats as they navigate their way through absent teachers, racial tensions, and the threat of local gangsters. Read more

SOUND OF FREEDOM – Sound of Freedom is based on the incredible true story and shines a light on even the darkest of places. After rescuing a boy from ruthless child traffickers in, a federal agent learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death. Directed and  co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, the film stars Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp. Read more

SPENCER A powerful and emotionally driven character-driven survival story about an iconic woman’s own declaration of independence. An imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days when Princess Diana decided to leave Prince Charles. With Jackie (2016) and now Spencer, Chilean director Pablo Larraín offers a revealing and intimate portrait of a woman who changed the face of the 20th century, with Kristen Stewart delivering a mesmerising performance. * Also watch the super Diana: The Musical. Trailer / Feature: A character-driven survival story about an iconic woman’s own declaration of independence

SPINNING GOLD – This biographical drama depicts the life and career of record producer and Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart, who was credited with discovering many iconic musical acts such as Donna Summer, Kiss, Village People; and signing and pushing acts including Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Isley Brothers to greater heights. Bogart launched Casablanca Records in the 1970s, and with a rag-tag team of young music lovers, he rewrote history and changed the industry forever. Written and directed by Timothy Scott Bogart.  It stars Jeremy Jordan as Neil Bogart. Read more

SPOTLIGHT tells the astonishing true story of the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Spotlight” team of investigative journalists, who in 2002 shock the city and the world by exposing the Catholic Church’s systematic cover-up of widespread pedophilia perpetrated by more than 70 local priests. Written by Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, and directed by McCarthy, it’s a deeply moving film that sheds light on a world where petrified kids are not ‘’prayed’’ on by priests, but ‘’preyed’’ on by those they respect as mediators of God.

STAN & OLLIE Weaned on Saturday morning BBC TV screenings of Laurel & Hardy legendary two-reelers, award-winning Film and Television writer Jeff Pope was gifted a Laurel and Hardy DVD box-set fifteen years ago, and after watching Way Out West,  inspiration led to research the story behind the icons and snowballed into the screenplay for Stan & Ollie.

STEVE JOBS In the provocative and stimulating Steve Jobs, Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin takes us backstage to paint a painfully human portrait of the late Apple icon.In the past five years alone Sorkin has won an Oscar for writing David Fincher’s The Social Network, earned a second nomination (alongside Steven Zaillian and Stan Chervin) for Bennett Miller’s Moneyball, and churned out three seasons of the social-media-fueled The Newsroom.

STRONGER The inspiring true story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become the symbol of hope following the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Screenplay by Boston local John Pollono (Small Engine Repair, Lost Girls) based on the best-selling book of the same name by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter.

SUFFRAGETTE is an intriguing and captivating women’s film that tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State. Screenplay by Abi Morgan’

SULLY ‘On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard.  However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career. Now Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood brings the story to the big screen,  from a screenplay by Todd Komarnicki, based on the book Highest Duty by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow, with Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE Based in part on Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Finkel’s book of the same name, Thank You for Your Service follows a group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.“The story was about stepping into the boots of a returning warrior.  Being able to explore that from within the home was fascinating to me,” says Jason Hall—Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of American Sniper— who makes his directorial debut with Thank You for Your Service and also serves as its screenwriter, and spent two years adapting the multi-storied work into a screenplay.

THE 33 “Family is all we have,” is what keeps the flame of hope burning in the tense and taut untold true story of The 33, directed by Patricia Riggen from a screenplay by Mikko Alanne, Oscar nominee Craig Borten (Dallas Buyers Club) and Michael Thomas, based on the screen story by Oscar nominee José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and the book Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar.

THEIR FINEST Though long-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2009, Lissa Evans’ novel Their Finest Hour and a Half went under the radar somewhat, it inspired powerhouse producers Amanda Posey and Stephen Woolley to bring it to the Big Screen seven years later.

TICK, TICK … BOOM! On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theatre composer navigate love, friendship and the pressures of life as an artist in New York City. This biographical musical drama was directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut. Written by Steven Levenson, it is based on the stage musical of the same name by Jonathan Larson. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, and Vanessa Hudgens. It was named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute and was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Garfield) at the 79th Golden Globe Awards. Trailer

TILL tells the heartbreaking true story of the historic lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till
— for whistling at a white woman in Money, Mississippi in 1955 — through the eyes of his mother
Mamie Till-Mobley, a widowed single mother who is the head of her household, the only Black woman working for the Air Force in Chicago. Read more

TOLKIEN As a young student, J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) finds love, friendship and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts. These early life experiences soon inspire Tolkien to write the classic fantasy novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Directed by Dome Karukoski and written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. 

TOORBOS This South African film explores a historical event in South Africa, which affected the last forest inhabitants of South Africa’s Knysna forest in the 1930s.

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG – This retelling of one of Australia’s most infamous 19th-Century outlaw is brutal, shocking, anarchic, strangely beautiful, but above all, excellent. It shatters the mythology of the notorious icon to reveal the essence behind the life of Ned Kelly and force a country to stare back into the ashes of its brutal past. It’s a provocative and exciting freewheeling romp, peeling away the armour and helmet to show the iconic outlaw Ned Kelly as a deranged and misunderstood product of his time. Homoeroticism blends with a punk aesthetic to produce a feast of firearms and fun. The film powerfully explores the blurred boundaries between what is bad and what is good, and the motivations for the demise of its hero. Youth and tragedy collide in the Kelly Gang, and at the beating heart of this tale is the fractured and powerful love story between a mother and a son. Directed by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel, and written by Shaun Grant, it features a mind-blowing performance from George Mackay (who starred in 1917), with great support from Nicholas Hoult, Charlie Hunnam and Russell Crowe. Read more

TRUMBO recounts how Dalton (Bryan Cranston) used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice under the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger.The film is directed by Jay Roach, the winner of four Emmys, a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award, who is best known for directing such comedy classics as the Austin Powers trilogy, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers and The Campaign. The screenplay was written by John Mcnamara (Writer, Producer) is a writer, producer, showrunner and television creator.

TRUTH is a classic newsroom drama, a suspenseful behind-the-scenes procedural, a multi-character study—and also something more: In the words of former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, “This film is about what has happened to the reporting of news, how and why it’s happened, and why you should care.” For Writer-Director James Vanderbilt, a fascination with journalism initially drew him to the project.

THE UPSIDE  A heartfelt comedy about a recently paroled ex-convict (Kevin Hart) who strikes up an unusual and unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston). A remake of the French 2011 film The Intouchables which was itself inspired by the life of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo

VICE Spanning a half-century, Bruce (Dick) Cheney’s (Christian Bale) complex journey from rural Wyoming electrical worker to de facto President of the United States is a darkly comic and often unsettling inside look at the use and misuse of institutional power. Written and directed by Adam McKay (The Big Short). 

VICEROY’S HOUSE As a writer-director, Gurinder Chadha has repeatedly translated her personal experience as a Punjabi-British woman into uplifting, crowd-pleasing movies, from her ground-breaking 1993 debut Bhaji On The Beach to her box-office smash Bend It Like Beckham, and now brings us the epic historical drama Viceroy’s House, the astonishing true story of the final months of British rule in India.

VICTORIA AND ABDUL: The extraordinary true story of the amazing and unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria  and a young clerk, Abdul Karim, who becomes her teacher, her spiritual advisor, and her devoted friend.The screenplay is by Academy Award nominee Lee Hall (Billy Elliot), based on journalist Shrabani Basu’s book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant.

THE WALK Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), guided by his real-life mentor, Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), is aided by an unlikely band of international recruits, who overcome long odds, betrayals, dissension and countless close calls to conceive and execute their mad plan. Robert Zemeckis, the master director of such marvels as Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Back to the Future, Polar Express and Flight, again uses cutting edge technology in the service of an emotional, character-driven story. The Screenplay is by Robert Zemeckis & Christopher Browne, based on the book “To Reach the Clouds” by Philippe Petit.

WAR DOGS From director Todd Phillips (The Hangover” trilogy) comes War Dogs, a comedic drama based on true events, following two friends in their early 20s living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows smaller businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. The screenplay is by Stephen Chin and Todd Phillips & Jason Smilovic, based on the Rolling Stone article titled “Arms and the Dudes,” by Guy Lawson.

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT  Based on the true adventures of war-reporter-in-the-making Kim Barker — and her acclaimed autobiography The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan – comes Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, a hilarious and heartfelt portrait of a woman getting her life together in a global hot spot where everything else seems to be falling apart.“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” (military code for the letters WTF), is directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, from a screenplay by Robert Carlock based on Kim Barker’s book The Taliban Shuffle.

WHITE BOY RICK Rick Wershe is a single father who’s struggling to raise two teenagers during the height of the crack epidemic in 1980s Detroit. He sells guns illegally to make ends meet but soon attracts attention from the FBI. Federal agents convince his son, Rick Jr., to become an undercover drug informant in exchange for keeping his father out of prison. Directed by Yann Demange and written by Andy Weiss, and Logan and Noah Miller.

THE WHITE CROW It is not a biopic. It’s an impressionistic glimpse at the forces driving Nureyev — something of a diva even then — to accept no borders or limits in letting his artistry run fee. This British film was written by David Hare and directed by Ralph Fiennes, and starring Oleg Ivenko as the ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, and Ukrainian dancer Sergei Polunin as his roommate Yuri Soloviev. It is inspired by the book Rudolf Nureyev: The Life by Julie Kavanagh. 

WOODLAWN In Woodlawn, the faith of a chaplain and a star football player sparks a spiritual awakening and eases the racial tensions plaguing a high school team in Birmingham, Alabama in 1973. When Hollywood director Jon Erwin and his brother Andy decided to make a film featuring the true story of the Woodlawn High School football team giving their lives to Christ during desegregation in the 1970s, they never could have imagined the kind of impact it would have on the world.

THE YOUNG MESSIAH Inspired by Scripture and rooted in history, The Young Messiah is an inspirational story about the childhood of the Saviour and imagines a year in the boyhood of Jesus.Remaining true to the character of Jesus revealed in the Bible, it is directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, who has worked in the motion picture and television business for over 25 years as a writer, producer, and director and gave us the equally inspirational The Stoning of Soraya M, and the screenplay was crafted by Nowrasteh’s wife Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh (who co-wrote The Stoning of Soraya M), adapted from Anne Rice’s fictional account of the childhood of a young Jesus Christ, entitled Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt

THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE Niki Caro (Whale Rider, North Country) directs The Zookeeper’s Wife from a screenplay by Angela Workman, adapted from Diane Ackerman’s nonfiction book of the same name which was based on Antonina’s diaries.

by ·Comments Off on Favourite Films of 2023

Film culture has never been more prevalent than now! Its rampant invasion has infiltrated the lives of people from all over the world, becoming accessible to anyone in cinemas and streaming platforms. If a film opens somewhere on the globe, it can be viewed immediately by anyone no matter where they are.

(Click on Title of Film To Read Full Feature) 2023 FILM RELEASES

Killers of the Flower Moon – Crafting a story of crime and racism that speaks both to a nation’s past and its future, Martin Scorsese’s epic masterwork speaks to the heart and soul. Scripted by Scorcese and Eric Roth, based on David Grann’s best-selling book, real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal at the turn of the 20th century, when oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone).

Sound of Freedom is based on an incredible true story and shines a light on even the darkest of places. After rescuing a boy from ruthless child traffickers, a federal agent learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death. Directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, it features a powerful performance by Jim Caviezel.

Martin McDonagh’ The Banshees of Isherin is funny, sad, dark, and full of humanity. Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, it follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavors to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.

A Relevant Story About Human Connection, A Man Called Otto is based on the # 1 New York Times bestseller A Man Called Ove and tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grump who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol – she challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. A heartwarming and funny story about love, loss, and life, A Man Called Otto shows that family can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.

Beau if Afraid is an unforgettable character study about an un-lived life. Dense with meaning and aimed squarely at confronting the emotional chaos and collective uncertainty of our present day, writer-director Ari Aster’s mindblowing odyssey follows one man’s odyssey through the depths of the end of history, finding horror and humor at every turn. From the creator of Hereditary and Midsommar comes a crack-pot vision of control, inheritance, and escape—the world as experienced by the unforgettable Beau Wassermann, who lives alone in a downtown apartment building where every moment is a waking nightmare. From one of the most inventive cinematic minds working today comes the story of a man who sets out to visit his mother and discovers a world of malevolent forces and unseen eyes tracking his every move.

Barbie is a rich layered story, with humanity and heart. To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Writer-director Greta Gerwig, who has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most important voices. “Barbie has so much recognition, so much love, and of course a 60-plus-year history, which was exciting for me. As with Little Women, Barbie is a property we all know, but to me she felt like a character with a story to tell, one that I could find a new, unexpected way into, honoring her legacy while making her world feel fresh and alive and modern.”

Nyad is a remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship, and the triumph of the human spirit. It poignantly recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana (four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team.

Punch is a film about loyalty, love, and liberation from New Zealand writer and director Welby Ings. It tells two, interwoven love stories; one between a father and his son and the other between two young, New Zealand gay men. These characters are flawed but despite their clumsy handling of relationships with each other, they are all in essence, good men.In this film, the gay bashing, the alcoholism, the local boxing fights, the silenced rapes, the tentative outreach of the medical profession, and the transition from sex to love … to letting go, all happen. Such things are specific but universal. As a pushback against a climate where being gay is now seen as relatively normalised, Welby used recent, true incidents to peel back the veneer to expose what can lie just below the surface.

Other gay-themed films that deserve a mention are Saltburn, a dark and shocking odyssey into the world of blind obsession, Red, White & Royal Blue, an LGBTQ+ rom-com with an unabashed celebration of the genre, the South African Runs In The Family is a positive relationship between a father and a young trans man.

Heartstopper Season 2 sheds a positive light on teenage Queer culture, The Inspection is an astonishing portrait of survival and one man’s unforgettable journey for acceptance and love, The Whale is a soaring story of a gay man’s transformation and transcendence.

Our Son poignantly explores what happens when a married male couple of 13 years decide to divorce and sacrifice the future of their son; and in Passages a gay couple whose marriage encounters a crisis when one of the men begins an affair with a young woman.

Talk To Me is a high-concept horror that reflects current society with a classic lens. In Talk To Me, a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and opens the door to the spirit world, forcing them to choose who to trust: the dead or the living. The real-world horror in the film stems from the consequences of reckless behaviour as an outlet, and the supernatural horror stems from the fallout of repressed feelings breaking free. Also worth mentioning is Scott Derrickson’s Black Phone, fearfully awakening the senses of those who indulge in the Supernatural and Uncanny realms.

Oppenheimer is an epic thriller that chronicles the life and legacy of the father of the atomic bomb. The films of Christopher Nolan have pushed the limits of cinematic storytelling to tell epic stories about unlikely heroes and audacious schemes that examine the necessity, morality, and hubris of ambitious endeavors. Now, he brings to screen his most ambitious and urgent movie yet, a sweeping, epic thriller that delves deep into the psyche of a singular American mind: the brilliant scientist behind the world-shattering invention that represented the total sum of human ingenuity, an invention that would remake civilization, even as its very existence threatened the future of mankind. Inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, it features stellar performances from  Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as the director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. as a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. 

Noteworthy Films of 2023

  • Saltburn is a dark and shocking odyssey into the world of blind obsession. A student who becomes obsessed with a wealthy fellow student within his college, who invites him to spend the summer at his eccentric family’s estate. A psychological drama written, directed, and produced by Emerald Fennell.
  • Writer-director Todd Field,s TÁR is a searing examination of power, and its impact and durability in today’s society with a commanding performance from Cate Blanchett as the groundbreaking conductor of a major German Orchestra.
  • Babylon is a mesmerizing tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess
  • El Conde is provocative satire to incite reflection on the persistence of evil
  • Anatomy Of A Fall is a captivating drama
  • Like a dream, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City is a mix of ideas and places, a story of people in a certain moment of history, a story steeped in the history and myths of two poles of 1950s Americana: the West and Broadway, each with their heroes and legends.
  • Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light is a moving drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times.
  • Writer-director Scott Cooper’s The Pale Blue Eye is a visually haunting and methodically paced murder mystery that places a young Edgar Allan Poe at the center of a detective story.
  • In her lauded documentary Beyond the Light Barrier Uga Carlini explores the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Klarer, a South African meteorologist who devoted herself to proving the existence of Akon, her extraterrestrial lover from the planet Meton in the Proxima Centauri solar system and is streaming on Amazon Prime. Read more
  • The series All the Light We Cannot See is a story of the extraordinary power of human connection, about finding light in times of darkness.
  • Leave the World Behind is a rare story that deals with race, class, what it means to raise kids in today’s world, and how external events start to seep into our consciousness and create fears where maybe there shouldn’t be any.
  • The Little Mermaid is a very modern story about a girl who feels displaced and sees her life differently from anyone around her.
  • The Northman is an astounding epic Viking revenge saga
  • The Flash puts the fan-favorite DC Super Hero front and center in a big-screen outing filled with epic action, surprising humor, and heart, along with the wish-fulfilling superpower of the ability to bend time…

by ·Comments Off on Crafting a story of crime and racism that speaks both to a nation’s past and to its future

Optioning the rights to Grann’s manuscript Killers: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI of the Flower Moon in 2016 before publication, Leonardo DiCaprio’s team brought the project to director Martin Scorsese for a potential sixth collaboration after such triumphs as Gangs of New York, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street. “When I read David Grann’s book, I immediately started seeing it — the people, the setting, the action — and knew I had to make it into a movie,” Scorsese says.

Killers of the Flower Moon is an exceptional masterwork, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. It is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, based on David Grann’s best-selling book.

“It was definitely a revelation,” says actor Leonardo DiCaprio of Grann’s book, noting the proximity of events to the two-day 1921 Tulsa race massacre, another horrific incident of white-on-minority violence that occurred less than 30 minutes away. (Sadly, it’s taken a century for both injustices to become widely known.) “Whereas the Tulsa massacre was an outright carpet bombing of an entire community of African Americans, this was much more Machiavellian and lasted many years. There are still repercussions of it to this day.”

But Scorsese was, at that time, deep in the editing phase of his long-gestating passion project, the spiritual epic “Silence,” plus he had the massive production of “The Irishman” already on deck. He wouldn’t be able to sit down with screenwriter Eric Roth until January 2017, when they would begin working in earnest.

The director remembers being intrigued by Grann’s title, and by the possibility, suggested by executive producer Rick Yorn (Scorsese and DiCaprio’s representative), that this could finally be his “western.” Scorsese is effusive in his love of the genre, cherished since boyhood.

“I always wanted to make a western, but I never did,” he offers. “I loved many of the westerns I saw when I was growing up and I still do love them—that includes the Roy Rogers films, which were basically made for children, and the more complex films that came in the late 40s and 50s. I responded to the pictures built around the traditional myths of the western, the myths of the culture, more than the psychological westerns. But the point of knowing film history is never to perpetuate or repeat, but to be inspired and evolve. Those films nourished me as a filmmaker, but they also inspired me to go deeper into the real history.”

Martin Scorsese (standing) directing Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro on the set of Killers of the Flower Moon. Courtesy of Apple Original Films.

At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone).

An author and investigative journalist of wide acclaim, New Yorker staff writer David Grann illuminates forgotten histories with deep research and lucidity.

His 2009 breakthrough book, “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon,” about missing British explorer Percy Fawcett, became a bestseller, then a 2016 film by director James Gray. In his shorter pieces, Grann has chronicled the Aryan Brotherhood, felonious politician James Traficant, charming career criminal Forrest Tucker, and a legendary giant squid (along with its dogged hunter).

David Grann, author, Lost City of Z

Grann’s 2017 masterpiece, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” is the rarest of things: a distinctly American story of crime and racism that speaks both to a nation’s past and to its future. Set mainly in the 1920s during the twilight of the Old West, it’s a chronicle of land-grabbing and the dawn of a justice force with its own inherent problems.

After oil was discovered on Osage land in 1894, the tribe became fantastically wealthy, retaining the mineral rights and leasing its fields to developers. Hungry speculators swarmed into the territory. Exploitation ran high, not only in crime-riddled boomtowns but under the authorization of the U.S government, which implemented a crooked, baldly racist system of “guardianship” whereby Native American fortunes were managed by (white) custodians skimming millions in profits.

Worse, during the so-called Reign of Terror in the early 1920s, dozens of Osage were murdered under mysterious circumstances — including slow poisoning — so that their lucrative “headrights” (including shares of oil rights) could be inherited by interlopers marrying into families for ulterior motives. In 1923, the FBI initiated an investigation at the request of the Osage, resulting in one of the bureau’s earliest homicide cases. But the damage had already been done.

Lily Gladstone and Martin Scorsese filming Killers of the Flower Moon. Courtesy of Apple Original Films.

Injustice In The Heartland

“Killers of the Flower Moon,” based on a shameful episode in American history, wouldn’t fit the traditional mold. Scorsese and Roth’s adaptation of “Killers of the Flower Moon” started out with a different hero: Thomas Bruce White Sr., the heroic Texas Ranger and FBI agent who solved the Osage murder case.

“I wanted to explore it,” Scorsese recalls, “to start working with Eric and see what kind of a movie we could make. But what that meant was that, from 2017 to 2020, while we were shooting “The Irishman,” we went through every aspect of that story from the point of view of the FBI and Tom White’s character, including some aspects of the history of the Texas Rangers. It all hinged on Tom White. We came at the story from every possible angle, with Tom White as the main character.”

Credit, then, is owed to Scorsese, Roth and DiCaprio for eventually realizing that a pivot was needed.

“Why are we making a film about Tom White that’s really about the Osage?” the director remembers wondering. “In effect, what you have is: He gets off a train, we see his boots, we tilt up, there he is in his Stetson hat. Walks into town and he doesn’t say a word. And we’ve seen that before.”

Scorsese worried that the role of White would be too limiting for DiCaprio. An early informal read of the screenplay draft — the characters voiced by Roth, DiCaprio, Scorsese’s daughter, a few other handy people — clarified their instinct to make a change.

“I don’t mean to denigrate the police procedural,” the director says, “but after this reading, a week later, Leo came to me and he said, ‘Where’s the heart of this thing?’”

DiCaprio remembers their roadblock in similar terms. “It took a long time to perfect,” he says, “for Eric, Marty and me to gain the Osage perspective and not make it just an FBI story of investigation. You would read the book and realize it works beautifully, but we ran the risk of telling yet another white-savior story about an FBI agent who comes in and saves the day. It could have fallen into that really easily. David Grann was always very forthright in saying, ‘Look, if you’re going to do a movie about this, it’s important to understand the Osage role in all of this.’”

The work took years, all the principles juggling other commitments in tandem: DiCaprio shifted to Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Roth plunged into the streamlining of Denis Villeneuve’s epic two-part “Dune,” and Scorsese wrangled the logistics of “The Irishman.”

But a solution eventually presented itself. It came directly from the court transcripts and Grann’s retelling of the Osage murder trial itself, dramatically shaped by Roth. On the stand was Ernest Burkhart, a shifty World War I veteran who found work in the oil fields of Fairfax, Oklahoma. Burkhart was testifying to his participation in a criminal conspiracy devised by his uncle: a plot that had him marrying into a wealthy Osage family, who’s complicit in murdering off his wife’s sisters, brother-in-law, cousin and even her mother, all with the goal of inheriting her headrights. Mollie, the wife, was next.

“That was the emotional moment for us,” DiCaprio recalls, “so complex, so dark, so fascinating from a character perspective — how these two people stayed together even after this trial. Eventually, they separated. But what Marty does so well is bring a humanity to conflicted, not-so-savory characters. That’s what needed to be the focus of the movie, not an outsider’s investigation into whodunnit.”

For Scorsese, situating the drama as a story of personal betrayal was a doorway he needed to walk through to make “Killers of the Flower Moon” his own. “Ernest and Mollie were the key,” he says. “It’s all based on trust and love, and we see that being compromised and betrayed. And what’s the motivating factor? Always wanting more: more land, more money. I’m drawn to this subject for whatever reason. It may go back to the roots of my culture, where I come from.”

Scorsese found clues in the court transcripts. “You have a transcript of Ernest being deposed,” says the director, “and he gives his name, says he has no job, says — I’m paraphrasing — ‘I stay in the pool room.’ Now I grew up with people who stayed in the pool room. Take a young guy who likes to dress up. Every now and then, he robs people, fools around with other women. I think we can build on that character – a weak character. He can’t confront or he won’t confront his uncle, those around him.”

Script-wise, the floodgates had opened. Scorsese realized they had the hard part licked. “I knew we’d get something,” he says. “We’re on track now, I feel it, because the heart is there: Ernest and Mollie. Who Ernest is, we’ll create. We’ll find out based on what people tell us, people who knew him.”

Courtesy of Apple Original Films.

Finding Killers: Principal Casting

Challenged and motivated by the role of Ernest Burkhart, DiCaprio committed himself to finding a footing for the character. “He assimilated himself into the Osage culture and became very much a chameleon,” the actor says of Burkhart. “We had a lot of meetings with members of the Osage community and they were incredibly helpful. We had some great advisers — that was a deep dive.”

Whenever possible, DiCaprio sought firsthand perspectives, sometimes from actual descendants and relatives of his character. Even so, he found himself approaching one of the most complex and conflicted acting jobs of his career. Burkhart arrives in Oklahoma wounded from the war, unable to perform heavy labor, and something of a dupe, naively dangled as bait by his uncle to the single Mollie. After he becomes complicit in the conspiracy, he still feels his love is genuine.

Quickly, both DiCaprio and Scorsese found themselves resonating with Native American actress Lily Gladstone, who was, at the time, coming off her quietly captivating breakout performance as Jamie, a lonely rancher in Kelly Reichardt’s Montana-set “Certain Women.”

Lily Gladstone and Martin Scorsese during the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon. Courtesy of Apple Original Films

Years before we actually shot it, my initial worry was that Mollie was going to be a tertiary character,” the actress recalls. “And that kind of broke my heart because you can’t tell this story without going into who the Osage people were, how they were so exploited. But both Marty and Leo weren’t interested in telling that story. Bless Leo for wanting to play — as he’s so gifted at doing — the duality in one character. And Marty’s so interested in that. That’s what happens when you grow up Catholic, trust me. The entire notion of good and evil resting inside of you. It’s drilled in pretty early.”

The actress identifies Catholicism as a key to her understanding of Mollie, who was reportedly devout. It was also a much-discussed subject during her early conversations with Scorsese. Intriguingly, Gladstone says her first contact with the filmmaker’s work was 1997’s “Kundun.” “There are a lot of parallels you can draw between American Indians and disenfranchised, displaced Tibetans,” she says.

DiCaprio remembers Gladstone as being drawn to Mollie’s inner conflicts, particularly the character’s sense of self-destruction, even when she’s flirting with Ernest. “She brought so much depth and awareness to Mollie that wasn’t there before,” he says. “She’s skeptical of Ernest, and she brings up the idea of the coyote, the trickster. Her calling me out and saying ‘Coyote wants money’ — she was such an incredibly open and courageous partner. Even though she’s not Osage, Lily immersed herself in that culture. We really looked to her as a beacon in the storytelling as well. She was definitely a muse to the both of us, Marty and myself, in making this movie.”

Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon. Courtesy of Apple Original Films

Speaking of muses and longtime collaborators, “Killers of the Flower Moon” marks Scorsese’s tenth feature with Robert De Niro, here cast as Ernest’s cattle-farming uncle, William “King” Hale, the chief architect of the Reign of Terror. Though ultimately convicted of murder, Hale is a mass of contradictions: an extortionist and intimidator but also someone who truly believes himself to be a friend to the Osage, the “most beautiful people in the world,” he calls them.

For DiCaprio, reuniting with De Niro thirty years after “This Boy’s Life,” the circumstances are humbling. “The first film I got to do, which started my career, was because of De Niro. He chose me for that role and, ironically, it was an abusive stepfather, not unlike Hale. Here I was, getting to work with Bob again, and “Killers” was almost an evolution of the same dynamic, weirdly. We must have had ten meetings about how that relationship ends. We kept stripping it away to the truth of who these people were.”

While the role of FBI agent Tom White had changed, the part still gave Oscar nominee Jesse Plemons a chance to shine. White is content to listen and take notes while his prey snares itself in a trap of its own devising.

Plemons explains, “The challenge was to accept: Okay, I have this ridiculously upstanding symbol of morality and justice that I’m playing, and I’m trying to also make him human.” He says his scenes with De Niro were their own form of nourishment. “It was so much fun working with someone like him. There were subtle changes each time, and that’s how I like to work. There’s a lot that’s happening beneath the surface that’s not being said.”

Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons in Killers of the Flower Moon. Courtesy of Apple Original Films

Listening To The Land: Osage Participation And Blessing

Cultural collision has been a theme running through Scorsese’s remarkable body of work, and it lies at the core of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” With its screenplay still in development, preliminary plans for production took shape as several crucial decisions were made.

Scorsese and his team traveled to the Osage reservation in the spring of 2019 to scout locations and to meet directly with the Osage community as a first step in the making of the film. A conversation was arranged between Scorsese and Geoffrey Standing Bear, the Osage Nation’s Principal Chief. A deep connection was made.

“It was a great two-and-a-half hours,” says Chief Standing Bear. “I told him my concerns. I didn’t want the Osage shown as just a bunch of bodies lying around. We were hoping the history and culture would be accurately represented in his movie. Mr. Scorsese was so respectful in the way he and his people came to us. And he pointed out some of the movies he had made, in particular ‘Silence,’ in which the cultures of Christian missionaries and 17th-century Japan were presented in a serious and respectful manner, and that was so encouraging.”

After the meeting, the Gray Horse Osage community hosted a dinner for Scorsese and his filmmaking team, a significant occasion at which over a hundred tribal members attended, many speaking about family members murdered during the Reign of Terror. As Osage Nation Congress member Brandy Lemon (later, the liaison between the Osage community and the film) recalls, “Mr. Scorsese went around and shook the hand of every single Osage who had attended.”

MARTIN SCORSESE

Director, Screenwriter, Producer

Martin Scorsese is an Academy Award-winning director and one of the most influential filmmakers working today. He has directed critically acclaimed, award-winning films including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, Shutter Island, Hugo and Silence. His 2006 film The Departed won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Scorsese an Oscar for Best Director. He also directed The Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman, both of which received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Picture. His latest feature, Killers of the Flower Moon, will make its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide October 2023 before streaming globally on Apple TV+.

Scorsese has directed numerous documentaries, including the Peabody Award-winning No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, Elia Kazan: A Letter to Elia, Italianamerican, The Last Waltz, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese through American Movies, Il Mio Viaggio in Italia, Public Speaking, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story, and the Emmy-nominated docuseries Pretend It’s a City, featuring Fran Lebowitz. Scorsese received Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Nonfiction Special for his documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World. Additionally, Scorsese co-directed The 50 Year Argument in 2014 with his longtime documentary editor David Tedeschi, and executive produced the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, winning an Emmy and DGA Award for directing the pilot episode. Scorsese and Tedeschi premiered their latest documentary, Personality Crisis: One Night Only, at the 2022 New York Film Festival. About David Johansen, the lead singer and songwriter of punk’s legendary New York Dolls, the documentary premiered on Showtime in April 2023.

Scorsese is the founder and chair of the Film Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of motion-picture history. The Film Foundation recently launched the Restoration Screening Room, a new virtual theater showcasing a broad array of restored classic and independent films, documentaries and silents from around the world.

ERIC ROTH

Screenwriter

Eric Roth has been nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, for the films Forrest Gump, The Insider, Munich, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and A Star Is Born. He won for Forrest Gump.

Among Roth’s many credits are The Onion Field, Wolfen, The Postman, The Horse Whisperer, Ali, The Good Shepherd, Lucky You, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Ellis and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune.

His television credits include The Heights, Jane’s House, House of Cards, Berlin Station, The Alienist and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness.

In 2020, he produced David Fincher’s Mank.

by ·Comments Off on The Little Things – Exploring the Intellectual and Psychological sides of solving crimes

John Lee Hancock, directing and producing The Little Things from a script he wrote almost 30 years ago, wanted to approach the gritty nature of the job as a means of exploring both the intellectual and psychological sides of solving crimes. 

“I came up with the story in the early 1990s, when the theaters were full of buddy cop movies,” he says.  “I wanted to do something a little different and give it more of a 1970s movie feel.” 

At the same time, Hancock subverts the `90s crime genre by unraveling, versus concluding, the story, setting up Deke and Baxter’s prime target’s guilt as inconclusive and evidence against him inconveniently spare.  

In The Little Things Joe “Deke” Deacon and Jim Baxter are two cops at very different phases of their lives and careers when they unexpectedly find themselves working together to solve the ongoing case of a killer targeting women in the Los Angeles area.  As the case unfolds, they become fixated on a particular suspect, but tracking him causes them both to grapple with their own demons, and for Deke, long-buried secrets rise to the surface. Baxter relies heavily on Deke’s more seasoned instincts, but soon both cops obsess over questionable details, driving them both from suspicion toward certainty—a risky gray area that propels them to act in a manner that could destroy not only their case, but their lives.

  • Watch “The Little Things” streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Max Amazon Channel, Max . It is also possible to buy “The Little Things” on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Vudu, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Microsoft Store, AMC on Demand as download or rent it on Amazon Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Microsoft Store, DIRECTV, Spectrum On Demand online.

Reading The Screenplay

“It was a good read, a really interesting story I hadn’t seen before and a character who was scarred, cynical, guarded…” says Denzel Washington who stars as Deke. “If he ever had any sort of faith, he’s lost it, but he goes on what’s almost a spiritual journey through the sort of hell I think maybe only a cop could understand, and I found that really interesting.  I had known about John as a wonderful writer and director and so working with him was a really easy decision.”

To prepare for his role, Washington took a crash course of sorts.  “I became a fan of the show ‘The First 48 Hours,’ it was basically like homework for me, watching it over and over and observing the behavior of the different people who investigate the crimes and how they get the so-called smart criminals to fold,” he says.  “As an actor, what I do to prepare is similar to what detectives do in that I take my time peeling back the layers to find my way to the core of the character.

“I even told our police tech advisor one day that I could understand how detectives get excited about the work,” he continues.  “It’s literally ‘the little things.’  You start building a case with each clue and as it comes together, it’s a strange kind of high.”

“From the first read I could see this was an extremely powerful thriller, but also much more than that,” says Rami Malek, who stars as rising-through-the-ranks Baxter  “Dig into the layers of these characters and you find the profoundly psychological impact the work has on them,” he asserts.  Malek adds that “one of the reasons I gravitated to this story is because it doesn’t have your usual Hollywood ending.  It leaves you questioning your idea of how we look at people—criminals, even ourselves—and what happens when we get extremely obsessed with something.  After I read it, I kept turning it over in my mind.”

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“I often gravitate to writer/directors, and John Lee is an extraordinary one,” says Malek  “When I read the script, and again when I stepped on set, I instantly felt this was going to be a special movie.  The story had a wonderful nostalgic feeling that you don’t often see in films these days, and the character was unlike any other I’ve played.  That was something I was excited about, playing the duality of a man having this job that can be so daunting emotionally and psychologically, and then going home to a family where you still have to be the father and husband.  There was something in the challenge of that that I thought would be special.”

Hancock found through researching the characters as he was writing that “there are some cops who are better at compartmentalizing than others, who are able to go home, take a shower, put a smile on their face, kiss their kids and have a normal life.  That’s Baxter—at least, for now.  Then there’s the ones who aren’t like that, and that can be a very dark tunnel to fall into.”

A key element that stirs debate between Deke and Baxter stems from the complex nature of their prime suspect, Albert Sparma.  Producer Mark Johnson surmises the film’s suspense grows in part because he keeps both the cops and the audience guessing.  “Albert Sparma is a man that we can safely say is culpable,” Johnson states.  “The question is: of what?”

Jared Leto, who takes on the oddly inscrutable Sparma, had met with Hancock before and says, “I have wanted to work with John Lee for quite some time, he’s such an incredible writer and director.  When I first read the script, I really was taken in by the characters and he did a great job of keeping you on the edge of your seat.  The story poses questions not just about guilt or innocence, but assumptions, identity.  It was surprising and I think people are going to be shocked by the ending.”

“Albert Sparma could be a villain,” Leto says.  “He could be a red herring… He could even be a sort of savior.  He’s definitely an outcast who doesn’t really fit into society and probably feels a little underappreciated, but he’s highly intelligent.  He sees the world in a different way and the world—the police especially—see him as different, which I liked.  He probably gets under the skin of everybody he interacts with, especially the police.”

In preparing for the role, Leto says, “I spent a lot of time on his physicality; I was pretty adamant that it be a real transformation, that we’d go as far as we could without losing the audience, as far as the performance goes.  And that was really rewarding.  It was a fun character to play because there were no rules.  For whatever reasons, he’s not able to have a job that reflects his intelligence and abilities, so I think that’s why Albert is attracted to Rami and Mr. Washington’s characters, because of the complexity of their work.  He thinks of himself as a part-time detective, something he does in his free time.”

Considering their collective acting pedigrees, free time is not something Hancock’s cast appears to have much of.  “First and foremost as a filmmaker, you want really talented actors, of course,” Hancock comments.  “But you don’t really ever dream this big because you’re sure to have your hopes dashed.  I can’t imagine better actors in these roles, so it must have just been the perfect time for this movie to be made.”

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From Page To Screen

For the filmmakers, “The Little Things’” path to the screen was almost as long and circuitous as the one Sparma leads Deke and Baxter down.  Busy with various projects both as a writer and director over the years, Hancock’s own path would nevertheless frequently cross with Johnson’s.  Having produced one of Hancock’s earliest scripts, followed by two of his films as director, Johnson never forgot the work they did developing this one in particular.  He offers, “‘The Little Things’ script was a producer’s dream: this spectacularly dark crime story that’s really a character study about what it means to be a cop and how the obsessive nature of that job can take over your life, infused with the kind of suspense and anxiety that keeps you turning the pages.”

“Every few years Mark would ask me about this one and I would always tell him I was not quite there yet, not ready to do it,” Hancock reflects.  “Then I started having discussions with friends who had loved the script and urged me to revisit it.”

Once they decided to move forward, Hancock and Johnson debated about whether to contemporize it for a modern audience.  “That was one of our biggest questions,” Johnson notes.  “When he wrote it initially, it was not a period piece.  He had done his research based upon detectives working in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department in the early 1990s, and it was set in 1990.  But we’re making it now, so do we update it?  In the end, we left it alone for a lot of reasons,” he smiles.

Primarily, as Hancock elaborates, “One of the main advantages of keeping it in 1990 was from a technology standpoint.  We didn’t have cell phones yet, you had to use pay phones or pagers, and it was before the widespread use of DNA evidence, which changed everything about crime scene work.  So the lack of today’s technology alone, I think, makes this particular story that much more compelling.”

“In the early days of DNA, you had to wait a long time for results,” Johnson furthers, “which isn’t exactly easy for cops like Deke and Baxter, who know that getting a suspect off the streets means you might prevent a killer from killing again.”

No matter the era, the story offers powerful insight into the toll the investigation of these murders takes on both Deke and Baxter’s psyches.  Johnson considers, “The story presupposes that you can’t do this kind of work and not have it affect you.  Deke and Baxter go into crime scenes where somebody has viciously attacked someone, and that image burns itself into their memory and into their soul.  It’s messy, but as cops, they have to look hard at every little detail because the little things are important.  It’s the culmination of these images that makes these two men not only who they are but who they are afraid of becoming.”

Hence the title of the film, which held fast throughout the years.  Hancock allows, “I don’t know how I came up with the title, but it’s meant to denote the tiny details that will do you in.  On the one hand, it speaks to the homicide investigation—some minute detail, whether it’s forensics or something else, can make or break a case.  But on the other hand it shines a light on the characters.” 

Reflecting on the story, this internal exploration of the cop-suspect dynamic, Hancock says, “By the end of the movie, what I hope audiences will walk away wondering about Albert Sparma is, was he just kind of a creepy weirdo or a killer?  But what I hope they also keep thinking about are the actions of Deke and Baxter and those little things they can’t let go of as they do the dirty work no one wants to know about.  Two guys trying to do the right thing but sometimes in the wrong way… But they do it anyway, and they live with the consequences.”

Director/Writer/Producer John Lee Hancock

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John Lee Hancock has established himself as a distinctive voice in filmmaking with his ability to tell extraordinary stories on screen. 

Born in Longview, Texas, and raised in Texas City, Texas, Hancock was surrounded by sports growing up.  His father played college football for Baylor and had a brief run with the Chicago Cardinals in the NFL.  Brothers Joe and Kevin played college football (at Vanderbilt and Baylor, respectively), with Kevin playing professionally for the Indianapolis Colts.  When it was time for Hancock to go to college, he focused on his studies entirely. 

He graduated from Baylor with an English degree, as well as a law degree from Baylor’s school of Law.  Hancock practiced law for four years before he found himself drawn to the world of films.

In 1991, Hancock made his film debut with Hard Time Romance, a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a rodeo, which he both wrote and directed.  In 1993, he wrote the screenplay for A Perfect World, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, alongside Kevin Costner.  Some years later, Eastwood asked Hancock to adapt the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  The film came out in 1997, was directed by Eastwood and starred Kevin Spacey and John Cusack.

Most recently, Hancock directed The Highwaymen, a true story about the two detectives tasked with catching infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, which debuted on Netflix in March 2019.

Previously, Hancock directed The Founder, which tells the story of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc; and Saving Mr. Banks, about the relationship between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, and Disney’s desire to adapt Travers’ Mary Poppins into a film.

Hancock also wrote and directed the celebrated feature The Blind Side, based on the 2006 book by Michael Lewis, which told the life story of Baltimore Ravens left tackle, Michael Oher.

In 2002, Hancock helmed The Rookie.  The film told the true story of fellow Texan Jim Morris, who at age 35 made his Major League Baseball debut as a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. 

Hancock’s other credits include: Snow White and the Huntsman, which he co-wrote with Evan Daugherty and Hossein Amini; TheAlamo, which he directed and co-wrote with Les Bohem and Stephen Gaghan; and My Dog Skip, for which he served as a producer.

by ·Comments Off on Cat Person – A genre-bending thriller about the horrors of dating in the 21st Century

“It just tapped into such a shared truth for women of every generation in terms of how they navigate through sexual politics,” says screenwriter Michelle Ashford, who had previously tackled sexual dynamics and politics in the television series Masters Of Sex. in adapting Cat Person, Ashford was eager to jump into the minefield of issues that the short story suggested.

“When the New Yorker published Kristen Roupenian’s short story Cat Person, it caused unexpected havoc in the Zeitgeist just as the #MeToo movement was making headlines,” says director Susanna Fogel. “What initially seemed like a small, perfectly-observed story about a brief romantic encounter between a 20-year-old girl and 30 30-something man became a lightning rod for debate. Men and women argued about who was to blame in the story, whether the perspective on sex was unfair to men, whether that critique itself was unfair to women, and so on. The fervor over Cat Person became the narrative, which on a meta level proved that we are nowhere near done talking about issues of dating and sex. It also indicated that stories about subtle dysfunction in sexual encounters can be equally, if not more, provocative than stories where there is a clear villain and victim.”

Fogel had read the story in 2017, imagining a small, internal movie in her head since the story takes place within a short time frame and only from the narrow perspective of Margot. Michelle’s first draft changed her mind: “When I read Michelle’s script,” she says, “I was really taken aback by the brilliance of the innovation that she had, to take it into this multi-genre place that I thought was so smart. I was really excited to find out that there was potential to make it feel cinematic in that way and play with genre. She had the vision to adapt this grounded and internal source material as a genre thriller, one that baits you into thinking you’re watching a relationship film, then switches into a nightmare as it ruminates on communication breakdowns and gender dynamics,” says Fogel.

When Margot, a college sophomore (Emilia Jones – CODA) goes on a date with the older Robert (Nicholas Braun – SUCCESSION, ZOLA), she finds that IRL Robert doesn’t live up to the Robert she has been flirting with over texts. CAT PERSON is a razor-sharp exploration of the gender divide, the quagmire of navigating modern dating and the dangerous projections we make in our minds about the person at the other end of our phones.

Producer Jeremy Steckler immediately saw movie potential in the story and optioned the rights

Producer Jeremy Steckler was intrigued by the emotional richness of the conversations, think-pieces, and opinions that the work engendered. He loved how the story divided readers in their interpretations of Margot and Robert’s motives and their inability to project the truth about themselves, explaining, “Everybody is the hero of their own movie, but may have trouble figuring out that they may actually be the villain of their own story.”

Steckler orchestrated a meeting between Michelle Ashford and filmmaker Susanna Fogel, fresh off her success as the screenwriter of the female-forward, high school comedy Booksmart.

“Having two women tell this story, and adapt it from another woman’s short story was really important. I thought it wise to put the pieces in place and get out of the way of these folks who are smarter than me”.

When Ashford and Fogel found that they had similar takes on the material, they were thrilled to be working together on material with such topical themes and complex female characters

Kristen Roupenian’s original story had ended abruptly after Margot and Robert’s one and only date, but Ashford wanted to expand the screenplay to explore the shifting sands of dating and communication in the age of social media and to examine the deep-seated prejudices, insecurities, and fears that come into play when men and women are trying to get to know one another.

Says Ashford, “We were both completely of the same mind…Where do we go from here? How do we advance the conversation?” And to Fogel, the themes of the screenplay fed into her areas of interest as a filmmaker: “Women’s complex psychology and how they interact with other people, in ways both functional and dysfunctional is probably what unifies my work,” she notes. “I like that the film sparks a conversation in the culture or adds to the conversation in some way.”

Taking Roupenian’s story almost as a jumping-off point, Ashford expanded her screenplay to flesh out the character of Margot, surrounding her with a vibrant community of college friends, professors, and roommates. Margot’s best friend Taylor, a self-professed expert on men and dating, lives her life online as the moderator of a subreddit called The Vagenda.

Obsessed with woke culture to a fault, she is a cynical and opinionated voice in Margot’s ear. Margot’s college roommate Beth on the other hand is happily, gushily and mushily in love with her long-time boyfriend. The older generation of women surrounding Margot and shaping her views on male-female dynamics and expectations are her anthropology professor and her mother, who has never forgiven herself for a broken marriage when Margot was a young girl.

After reading Roupenian’s story, Ashford was immediately struck with the idea that the story had elements of classic horror to it.”

Jeremy Steckler was on board with the idea, adding, “Michelle really wanted to do for dating what Get Out did for race and have that conversation culturally and I think she accomplished it.”

Fogel chimes in, “I love stories that allow you to come at the subject matter in a multi-layered way. In Michelle’s script she basically talked about the fears that we feel about intimacy and made them into actual fears for your life. The horrors of dating are actually core elements in the script so I thought that was really brilliant.”

Short story writer Kristen Roupenian was thrilled that Ashford wove horror movie tropes into the script,
seeing the genre structure as part of its appeal, “You’re watching a girl go into the house and you’re saying ‘Don’t go into the house!’ I loved that that is something they cared about.”

Where Roupenian’s story ended abruptly with a slap-in-the-face text exchange between Robert and Margot, Ashford saw the film developing beyond that moment to give context to the behavior of the characters, and to create a killer third act that would further the conversation about communication, miscommunication and lack of communication between the sexes, as well as being an exciting, chilling finale.

Adds producer Jeremy Steckler, “The third act of our film is really Margot taking matters into her own hands. She’s read and heard so much about women who behave passively and let a man ride roughshod over their lives and she refuses to let that happen. She refuses to be a victim, at least in her own mind.”

Cat Person also taps into some classic fairy tale tropes: the lone young heroine confronting a manifestation of evil…or in the world of Cat Person, at least what she believes to be a manifestation of evil.

Ashford saw a direct connection between stories of ancient folklore and today’s charged sexual climate: “When you’re talking about these issues, they’ve been around forever, and this notion of how men and women communicate, and what is the balance of power between the sexes has been going on for literally since cavemen days. Those fairy tales have a lot to do with this. I thought why not imbue this movie with
that type of imagery which is hopefully taking you deeper into how entrenched these patterns and these ways of being are for both women and men.” Fogel also appreciated the added layers of subtext in the script, saying, “The idea that she’s a young woman and that young women are still preyed upon and they’re still looked at in ways that are scary, it’s what all the fairy tales are about too. The monsters in this are men and love and intimacy and self-reflection, but we should feel some of that primal fear.”

As in life, the script contains elements of levity in some of the situations that Margot finds herself in and in the misguided notions or behavior of the characters. Margot has an active imagination that often runs away with her, allowing for some tonal shifts that vacillate between extremes of comedy and horror.

Roupenian describes the script as “bleakly funny” and to Fogel, this dichotomy is an accurate reflection of what women experience every day when at any moment fear of danger can arise: “From moment to moment the movie feels different in the way that life can feel different, especially as a woman,” she explains. “You can be happy after hanging out with a friend and then you’re walking home and you hear a noise, and you’re terrified….these are all parts of our life, our experience.”

In writing the screenplay, Ashford wanted to address all elements of these contradictions without minimizing the importance of the necessity of the conversation: “There is much comedy to be mined over
the discussion that comes around sexual politics,” she laughs. “Because while all the discussions are essential of course, they can also veer into the absurd and I thought let’s tap into that as well.”

Filming a screenplay where much of the exchange of dialogue takes place over text messaging is not without its challenges; director Fogel took pains to figure out how to immerse the viewer in Margot’s experience without compromising her needs as a director working in a largely visual medium: “It’s really a subjective movie from her (Margot’s) perspective,” Fogel explains. “She’s reading a text that’s a pretty straightforward response but it feels like a blowoff and music and all of those other devices can help the audience feel like it’s the insult she feels it is.”

Emilia Jones, who plays Margot, enjoyed shooting the scenes where much of the “dialogue” was of a written nature and thought that Fogel’s directorial approach added depth to the interiority of the characters: “We would do shots where I was texting but the camera was on my eyes and that to me was really interesting ‘cause I think a lot can be said through your eyes and that’s how I like to act.”

While Cat Person is very much about the power games and the volleying for status that goes on between people trying to form intimate connections, the filmmakers wanted to move the conversation beyond broad strokes into a more nuanced area.

Fogel is clear that the film is not a simple predator/prey story or a critique of toxic men and women who can’t resist them.

Emilia Jones’s take on the psychological thriller is that “it’s a meditation on the miscommunications, the power dynamics, and the interiority of dating.”

And while it does shine a light on modern dating methods and the inherent drawbacks of getting to know a person online, Fogel doesn’t feel that that is entirely a 21st Century problem: “I think projection has always been part of the narrative of falling in love even when it’s analog letters,” she points out. “But I think with texts the danger is that it’s the perception of intimacy because of the immediate gratification of a response.”

In agreement, Roupenian adds, “I think that happens in a very compressed way in this story between Margot and Robert, where they are both dancing with imaginary versions of each other through the
medium of text and the rise and fall of the story is the clashing into each other in person.”

The success of Cat Person as a short piece of fiction writing in The New Yorker was an undeniable cultural phenomenon.

The filmmakers of Cat Person hope for a similar impact, although they are keen to point out that the two formats are very different beasts.

Roupenian feels strongly that “you can have responded to the story in one way and then watch the movie
and feel totally different and that’s ok cos they’re two different pieces of art.” What is clear, is that the film is sure to invite discussion and provoke conversation about the extremely complex dynamics of sexual politics.

Nicholas Braun feels that viewers will see themselves in the characters in a lot of different ways and loves the ambiguity of the interplay between Margot and Robert, but stresses, “No one’s right, no one’s wrong, no one wins.”

Screenwriter Ashford concludes, “If women would only speak up and say their truth and if men would
listen…that would go a very, very, very, long way to improving things.”

Director Susan Fogel with actors Nicholas Braun and Emilia Jones.

Susanna Fogel | DIRECTOR

Susanna Fogel is a director, screenwriter, and novelist. Most recently, she wrapped production on WINNER, a feature biopic of American whistleblower Reality Winner. She is also in post-production on the WWII-set limited series SMALL LIGHT for NatGeo and Disney+. Prior feature work includes co-writing the hit comedy BOOKSMART, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA and a WGA Award, directing and cowriting Lionsgate’s THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME, and directing and cowriting Magnolia Pictures LIFE PARTNERS, which she developed at the Sundance Lab. On the television side, her directing credits include the pilot episode of the HBO Max series THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, for which she won a DGA Award and was nominated for an Emmy, the pilot of the Amazon series THE WILDS, episodes of Gillian Flynn’s remake of UTOPIA, and an installment of Steven Spielberg’s AMAZING STORIES. Among other projects, Susanna is currently developing a 1970s Moscow-set television series for Peacock and an action movie for Sony. She is also an avid writer of satire whose pieces have been featured in The New Yorker. Her first novel, Nuclear Family, was published by Macmillan in 2017.

Michelle Ashford | WRITER

Michelle is the creator and executive producer of the Showtime drama MASTERS OF SEX, and the co-creator of the AMC drama MAYFAIR WITCHES. She has written for the HBO miniseries JOHN ADAMS and THE PACIFIC. She adapted UNDAUNTED COURAGE, the Stephen Ambrose account of the Lewis and Clark expedition, also for HBO. She has written numerous pilots, both network and cable, and her other series credits include BOOMTOWN, LA DOCTORS, and NEW YORK NEWS. Michelle’s most recent feature scripts include OPERATION MINCEMEAT, a non-fiction spy story set in WWII based on Ben Macintyre’s book. She also adapted CITY OF GIRLS, based on the Elizabeth Gilbert novel for Warner Bros., THE SKIES BELONG TO US, another non-fiction story about the golden age of hijacking, STRANGER IN THE WOODS, based on the book by Michael Finkel chronicling the true story of the North Pond Hermit, and CAT PERSON from the New Yorker short story “Cat Person”, written by Kristen Roupenian, which went viral in December of 2017.

Kristen Roupenian | AUTHOR

Kristen Roupenian is an author and screenwriter. Her short story Cat Person, which appeared in The New Yorker, became a viral sensation, perhaps as no short story has since the magazine published Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery in 1948. Her debut short story collection, You Know You Want This was published in 2019, and described by the New York Times as “exciting, smart, perceptive, weird and dark,” and “from one of those brains that feel out-of-this-world brilliant and also completely askew.” She wrote the story for the hit A24 film BODIES BODIES BODIES and has features in development with Studiocanal and
Endeavor Content. She is currently at work on a novel.

by ·Comments Off on 100 Years of AI – V

Let’s explore films that perfectly encapsulate the raw power and thought-provoking nature of this world-changing technological breakthrough from the years 2011 to 2017.

Part I explored films crafted from the 30s to the 60s. Part II explores films made during the 70s. Part III takes a look at the 80s and 90s, Part IV looks at feature films from the years 2000 to 2010, Part V explores films from the years 2011 to 2017, and Part VI looks at films from 2018 / 2019, Part VII takes a look at films from 2020 to the present.

Eva (2011)

It’s a pleasure to encounter the small-scale inventiveness of Kike Maillo‘s debut Spanish feature set in 2041 in an unaccountably snowy Spain, the story concerns a robot scientist who has been summoned to design a new child android dubbed SI-9. Alex owns an adorable robot cat who acts in appropriate feline fashion, and he’s assigned a fussily solicitous robot servant. The storyline revolves greatly around the tender relationship that develops between Alex and Eva.

Real Steel (2011)

The film is based on the short story “Steel”, written by Richard Matheson, which was originally published in the May 1956 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and later adapted into a 1963 Twilight Zone episode. The film features a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) whose sport is now played by robots. He must build and train his own robot with his son.

Directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by John Gatins and story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven.

Ra.One (2011)

Indian Hindi-language superhero film that follows a game designer who creates a motion sensor-based game with an immensely powerful virtual character. Designed to be more powerful than the game’s protagonist, G.One, Ra.One serves as the antagonist. The latter escapes from the game’s virtual world and enters the real world; his aim is to kill Lucifer, the game ID of Shekhar’s son and the only player to have challenged Ra.One’s power. Directed by Anubhav Sinha from a screenplay by Sinha and Kanika Dhillon.

Marvel’s The Avengers (2011) / Iron Man 3 (2103)

J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise. Modeled after H.O.M.E.R. from the comics, J.A.R.V.I.S. is presented as a sophisticated AI assistant created by Tony Stark, who later controls his Iron Man and Hulkbuster armor for him. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, after being partially destroyed by Ultron, J.A.R.V.I.S. is given physical form as Vision. Different versions of the character also appear in comics published by Marvel Comics, depicted as AI designed by Iron Man and Nadia van Dyne.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name.

Prometheus (2012) / Alien: Covenant (2017)

The fifth installment in the Alien franchise, the film centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as it follows a star map discovered among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. Seeking the origins of humanity, the crew arrives on a distant world and discovers a threat that could cause the extinction of the human species. It features David8, commonly known as David, a fictional character portrayed by Michael Fassbender. David is an android serving as a butler, maintenance man, and surrogate son to his creator, Peter Weyland, the founder of the Weyland Corporation. While he assists his human companions in their interstellar expedition to meet their creators, the extraterrestrial Engineers, David is obsessed with the concept of creating a life of his own. After Peter Weyland is killed, David is freed from servitude, allowing him to conduct experiments to engineer his own variants of the Alien creature. directed by Ridley Scott, with the screenplay co-written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. 

David and two synthetic androids feature in Alien: Covenant, the sequel to Prometheus, directed by Ridley Scott and written by John Logan and Dante Harper, from a story by Michael Green and Jack Paglen. It is the second entry in the Alien prequel series and the sixth installment in the Alien franchise

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

The Red Queen, one of Alice’s arch-enemies, was reactivated after the Hive was contaminated and now controls Umbrella for manufacturing clones and creating simulated outbreaks to show the effect of the T-virus. The Red Queen wants to wipe out humanity.

 It is the fifth installment in the Resident Evil film series, loosely based on the video game franchise of the same name. It is also the third to be written and directed by  Paul W. S. Anderson.

Robot & Frank (2012) 

Set in the near future, aging ex-convict and thief Frank Weld lives alone and suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia. His son purchases a robot companion, which is programmed to provide Frank with therapeutic care, including a fixed daily routine and cognition-enhancing activities like gardening.

Directed by Jake Schreier from a screenplay by Christopher Ford.

Total Recall (2012)

At the end of the 21st century, chemical warfare has devastated the Earth. A colony worker has been having unsettling dreams of being a secret agent partnered with an unnamed woman. Tired of his factory job building police robots with his friend Harry, he visits Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories. He decides on the fantasy of being a secret agent.

Directed by Len Wiseman screenplay by Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback is a remake of the 1990 film of the same name, which is inspired by the 1966 short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick. 

Her (2013)

A man who develops a relationship with an artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice.  When he takes Samantha on a vacation, she tells him that she and a group of other A.I.s have developed a “hyperintelligent” O.S. modeled after British philosopher Alan Watts and reveals that the A.I.s are leaving.

A science-fiction romantic drama written, directed, and co-produced by Spike Jonze. It marks Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut.

The Machine (2013)

In the future, at an underground base, the United Kingdom only has a couple of weeks before the city of Taipei, Taiwan falls to the Chinese. The British need soldiers who are both fluent in Chinese dialect as well as ruthless killers. Scientists employed by Britain’s Ministry of Defence produce a cybernetic implant that allows brain-damaged soldiers to regain lost functions. A scientist’s research leads to a series of more stable cyborgs. Although they lose the capability for human speech, the cyborgs develop a highly efficient method of communication that they keep secret.  Directed and written by Caradog W. James

Pacific Rim (2013)

The film is set in the future when Earth is at war with the Kaiju, colossal sea monsters that have emerged from an interdimensional portal on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. To combat the monsters, humanity unites to create the Jaegers, gigantic humanoid mechas, each controlled by two co-pilots whose minds are joined by a mental link.

The screenplay was written by Travis Beacham and Guillermo del Toro, from a story by Beacham. 

Elysium (2013)

The film takes place on both a ravaged Earth and a luxurious artificial world called Elysium. Amid a gritty cityscape filled with cluttered streets and dirty, crowded hospitals, a robot police force makes arrests indiscriminately, with no apparent restraints on brutality. Sentencing is automated, and administered by a droid.

A dystopian science fiction action film written, produced, and directed by Neill Blomkamp.

Oblivion (2013)

Tet is an alien artificial intelligence ship that is extracting Earth’s resources. The Tet destroyed the Moon, causing catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis, and then invaded with thousands of clones.

Based on Kosinski’s unpublished graphic novel of the same name, the film pays homage to 1970s science fiction. 

Produced and directed by Joseph Kosinski from a screenplay by Karl Gajdusek and Michael deBruyn

Autómata (2014) 

About 20 years before the story takes place, solar flares irradiate the Earth, killing over 99% of the world’s population. The survivors gather in a network of safe cities and build primitive humanoid robots, called Pilgrims, to help rebuild and operate in the harsh environment. These robots have two unchangeable protocols: they cannot harm any form of life and may not repair, modify, or alter themselves or other robots in any way. Initially seen as mankind’s salvation, they are relegated to manual labor when they fail to stop the advance of desertification. Society has regressed due to a lack of technology besides the Pilgrims, and humanity is on the brink of extinction.

Directed by Gabe Ibáñez and co-written by Ibáñez with Igor Legarreta and Javier Sánchez Donate.

Big Hero 6 (2014)

It tells the story of a young robotics prodigy, and his late-brother Tadashi’s healthcare-provider robot, who form a superhero team to combat a masked villain who is responsible for Tadashi’s death.

Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams from a screenplay by Jordan Roberts, Robert L. Baird, and Daniel Gerson

 

 Interstellar (2014)

In 2067, humanity is facing extinction following a global famine. An ex-NASA pilot pilots an exploratory spacecraft called the Endurance, holding the supplies and embryos with a crew of three scientists, accompanied by robot assistants TARS and CASE. 

Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan, co-written, directed and produced by Christopher Nolan

RoboCop (2014)

Set in 2028, a detective becomes critically injured and is turned into a cyborg police officer whose programming blurs the line between man and machine.

Directed by José Padilha and written by Joshua Zetumer, Edward Neumeier, and Michael Miner. It is a remake of the 1987 film and the fourth installment of the RoboCop franchise overall.

Transcendence (2014)

It follows a group of scientists who race to finish an artificial intelligence project while being targeted by a radical anti-technology organization. Dr. Will Caster is a scientist who researches the nature of sapience, including artificial intelligence. He and his team work to create a sentient computer; he predicts that such a computer will create a technological singularity, or in his words “Transcendence”.

Directed by Wally Pfister (in his directorial debut) and written by Jack Paglen. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

In a dystopian 2023, robot Sentinels hunt down and kill mutants and all humans who either possess the genetic potential to have mutant offspring or try to protect them.

Directed and co-produced by Bryan Singer and written by Simon Kinberg from a story he created with Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, the film is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men, the fifth mainline installment of the X-Men film series, a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: First Class (2011), a follow-up to The Wolverine (2013), and the seventh installment overall.

Ex Machina (2014)

Caleb Smith, a programmer at the search engine company, is invited by his CEO Nathan Bateman to administer the Turing test to an intelligent humanoid robot. Bateman has built a humanoid robot named Ava with artificial intelligence. Ava has already passed a simple Turing test and Nathan wants Caleb to judge whether Ava is genuinely capable of thought and consciousness and whether he can relate to Ava despite knowing she is artificial.

Written and directed by Alex Garland in his directorial debut.

Chappie (2015)

The film, set and shot in Johannesburg, is about an artificial general intelligence law enforcement robot captured and taught by gangsters, who nickname it Chappie.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp and written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell.

Tomorrowland (2015)

A disillusioned genius inventor and a teenage science enthusiast embark on an intriguing alternate dimension known as “Tomorrowland”, where animatronic children set out to recruit new dreamers and thinkers.

Directed by Brad Bird, with a screenplay by Bird and Damon Lindelof, based on a story by Bird, Lindelof, and Jeff Jensen.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Captain America: Civil War (2016) Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Avengers Endgame (2019)

Stark and Banner discover an artificial intelligence within the scepter’s gem and secretly decide to use it to complete Stark’s “Ultron” global defense program. The unexpectedly sentient Ultron, believing he must eradicate humanity to save Earth, eliminates Stark’s A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. and attacks the Avengers at their headquarters. The Avengers fight among themselves when Stark and Banner secretly upload J.A.R.V.I.S.—who is still working after hiding from Ultron inside the Internet—into the synthetic body.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. is a natural-language user interface created by Tony Stark to operate his armor

It is the sequel to The Avengers (2012) and the 11th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by Joss Whedon

Terminator Genisys  (2015)

In 2029, Human Resistance leader John Connor launches a final offensive against Skynet, an artificial general intelligence system seeking to eliminate the human race. Before the Resistance can triumph, Skynet activates a time machine and sends a T-800/Model 101 Terminator back to 1984, to kill John’s mother.

Directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, it marks the fifth installment in the Terminator franchise. It is a reboot of the franchise, taking the premise of the original film in another direction and ignoring the events depicted in sequels and TV series.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Star Wars: Episode VII) (2015), Rogue One (2016) / Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi) (2017) 

It features C-3PO, a humanoid protocol droid, the droid BB-8, and the robot R2-D2, as well as a Force-sensitive artificial being Snoke, created by Emperor Palpatine to lead the First Order against the New Republic.

K-2SO (also referred to as K2 or Kaytoo-Esso) is a droid character in Rogue One

The Force Awakens is co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to Return of the Jedi (1983), is the seventh film in the “Skywalker Saga“. Rogue One is directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson.

Uncanny (2015)

It is about the world’s first “perfect” artificial intelligence that begins to exhibit startling and unnerving emergent behavior when a reporter begins a relationship with the scientist who created it.

Directed by Matthew Leutwyler and based on a screenplay by Shahin Chandrasoma.

Morgan (2016)

Lee Weathers is a “risk-management specialist” for genetic engineering company SynSect. She arrives at a rural site hosting its L-9 project, an artificial being with nanotechnology-infused synthetic DNA named Morgan. The “hybrid biological organism with the capacity for autonomous decision making and sophisticated emotional responses” is smarter than humans and has matured quickly, walking and talking within a month and already physically equivalent to a young teenage girl despite being born only five years before.

Directed by Luke Scott in his directorial debut, and written by Seth Owen.

Infinity Chamber (2016)

A man named Frank, who apparently sabotaged a government operation with a computer virus, is held in a futuristic automated detention facility that is overseen by an artificial intelligence (AI) computer named Howard. Frank tries to escape and, due to the manipulation of his memories by the facility, relives recurrent dreams.

 Directed and written by Travis Milloy.

Kill Command (2016)

In a technologically advanced near future, Katherine Mills, a cyborg working for Harbinger Corporation, discovers a reprogramming anomaly regarding a warfare A.I. system located at Harbinger I Training Facility, an undisclosed military training island.

Written and directed by Steven Gomez.

Power Rangers (2017)

Teenagers who gain newfound powers, and must use them to protect Earth from an ancient reawakened threat, the Red Ranger Zordon orders Alpha 5, his robotic assistant, to perform a meteor strike.  On an ancient spaceship, the teenagers meet Alpha 5 and Zordon’s consciousness. 

Directed by Dean Israelite from a screenplay by John Gatins. It is the third installment in the Power Rangers film series

Blade Runner 2049 is a 2017

In the year 2049, 30 years following the events of Blade Runner, bioengineered humans known as replicants are slaves. K (short for his serial number, KD6-3.7), a Nexus-9 replicant, works for the Los Angeles Police Department as a “blade runner”, an officer who hunts and “retires” (kills) rogue replicants. He retires Nexus-8 replicant Sapper Morton and finds a box buried under a tree at Morton’s protein farm. The box contains the remains of a female replicant who died during a cesarean section, demonstrating that replicants can reproduce biologically, previously thought impossible. K’s superior, Lt. Joshi, fears that this could lead to a war between humans and replicants. She orders K to find and retire the replicant child to hide the truth.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green

Singularity (2017)

In 2020, robotics company C.E.O. Elias VanDorne reveals Kronos, the supercomputer he has invented to end all wars. Kronos decides that mankind is responsible for all wars and it tries to use robots to kill all humans.

It was written and directed by Robert Kouba.

PART I / PART II / PART III / PART IV / PART VI / PART VII

by ·Comments Off on SAW X – Everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves

“We bring the audience back to the beginning of Saw and what they fell in love with,” says producer Mark Burg of a billion-dollar franchise revered for its intricate plotting. SAW X immerses us in a missing – and very personal – piece of Jigsaw’s life, and pays tribute to a protagonist and global community of Saw fans who’ve been thrilled and shocked by the fearmonger’s elaborate “tests” for twenty years.

“We’ve been working on this film for almost seven years,” says producer Oren Koules, who’s been with the series since its inception in 2003, along with his producing partner Mark Burg. “Audiences have been telling us they wanted a Saw film in which John Kramer was key to the action and at the center of the story. This is the first time you get to see him setting things in motion and then executing his traps.”

Koules maintains that John’s plans and traps will create empathy with audiences because he is a victim. “Everything that happens to him when he seeks treatment is a scam, and there’s a kind of catharsis in the way he gets revenge.

For all his ingenious traps, John is, notes Koules, “the franchise’s protagonist, and a victim who works to extricate himself from horrific situations while avenging himself and others who’ve been victimized by these fraudulent ‘medical experts.’”

Screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg

“For the first time, we get to challenge John, with some of the other characters coming back at him and calling him a killer – that he can hide behind his moral code, but John is the one designing the traps. So, it made sense for John to do some soul-searching in a way we haven’t seen before, ” says screenwriter Josh Stolberg, who co-wrote the screenplay Pete Goldfinger – they also wrote the screenplays for Jigsaw and Spiral.

John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back in SAW X, the most intriguing, unexpected, and chilling installment of the global horror franchise. Exploring the untold chapter of John / Jigsaw’s most personal game, the film is set between the events of Saw I and II. A sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure, which he hopes will be a miracle cure for his cancer. But he discovers the operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his unique work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way, through terrifying and ingenious traps

To understand why John Kramer became the Jigsaw Killer, it’s important to remember what happened that drove him to be the Jigsaw Killer.

Explore the SAW Franchise

Bringing SAW X To Life

To bring it all to life, Koules and Burg turned to a Saw franchise stalwart, filmmaker Kevin Greutert, who is at the helm of SAW X after editing the first five films, as well as the eighth, Jigsaw, and directing Saw: The Final Chapter, and Saw VI.

Notes Stolberg, “Kevin knows the franchise better than anyone because as an editor, Kevin has scrolled frame by frame of every moment of the Saw films he’s been a part of. Kevin was the one to explore this John Kramer story.”

Greutert was intrigued by the opportunities presented by a story revolving around John Kramer. “In fact, I was overwhelmed to realize just how much further we could take the character in this story,” he remembers. “Prior to that, I had started to feel that Jigsaw had become a kind of guru or cult leader that was drifting away from what made him so engaging in the early Saw films when we saw John so clearly driven by anger over life’s injustices.”

“He also had only a fleeting, non-primary role in the earlier stories,” Greutert continues. “With SAW X, there was an opportunity to reveal John as the true main character of the franchise and show not just an origin story or another showcase of his inventiveness, but rather to take him on an emotional journey through his struggle with mortality.”

SAW X was an ideal match for a filmmaker with the subject, confirms Koules. “Kevin had a great feel for the screenplay by Pete Goldfinger & Josh Stolberg [who had previously written Jigsaw],” the producer states. From editing several of the previous films, Kevin had a great understanding of John Kramer going from cancer patient to avenging angel.”

Greutert found much to explore with John’s character, whom he saw as being much richer and more complex than simply as the architect of a series of terrifying, blood-soaked tests of those who refused to appreciate life or had abused their power to harm others.

“There is much-sacred iconography with John Kramer that I wouldn’t dream of messing with – his refusal to kill his ‘subjects,’ his respect for people he thinks deserve respect and his ability to make metaphor real when he designs his games,” Greutert details. “But one risk I was happy to take in this film was to portray John as subject to human flaws and failings. With any legacy story, SAW X presented the dual challenge of needing to uphold the franchise’s established familiarity while also venturing to introduce the story in a new, thrilling way. I also wanted to overturn and have fun with the tropes of the Saw series while taking care not to disappoint those who have long loved these movies.”

Veteran actor John Kramer embraced the opportunity to reprise his signature role in a new and unexpected way.

“SAW X is John Kramer’s story,” Bell explains. “It’s a window into a particular period in his life and he takes you on that journey with him.”

This journey began for Bell almost twenty years ago, when he emerged – suddenly, in the original Saw’s closing minutes – as the master planner and manipulator of ingeniously designed “traps” for those who wronged others and themselves.

He reprised the role in several hit follow-up films, but this new one offers a true showcase for Bell to bring additional and unexpected dimensions to the role.

“John has been a civil engineer and architect for almost 40 years,” Bell reminds us, “and what I find so interesting about him is that he’s so well versed in philosophy, science, even theology. John is well-read, intelligent, and above all, committed…unlike many of us who look around and complain about things and do nothing about them.”

“However extreme John’s methods, it’s my job to flesh him out, to be on his side, and to draw audiences into his thought processes,” Bell continues. “That’s what makes him interesting to me. John is a complex guy, and he deals with a lot of evil around him in a way we haven’t seen before.

“My job is to also bring a sense of humanity and reality to John, and make the audiences think – while they’re having an amazing movie experience.”

Bell maintains that the character has endured and been cheered by audiences for so long because of his complexity. “John thinks very carefully about his moves. We’ve been able to add layers to the character with each film, beginning with the original one from the first film’s creators, James Wan and Leigh Whannell. And I think fans will be very impressed with this new film.”

Director- Editor Kevin Greutert was born in Pasadena, California, where he graduated from Polytechnic
School, then received his B.A. in Cinema Production from the University of Southern California. At the beginning of his career, he worked as an apprentice editor in the cutting room of horror director George Romero on “The Dark Half”, moving from there to the horror comedy Ernest Scared Stupid. After rising through the ranks of editorial on such films as Titanic and Armageddon, Kevin edited the James Wan horror classic Saw. He returned to edit the Saw sequels and achieved his lifelong dream when he was asked to direct Saw VI, followed by Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. He has worked in some capacity on all ten films in the Saw saga, culminating in directing and editing SAW X. For this project he was honored to bring back Tobin Bell for his most personal immersion in the John Kramer character and has worked to make this installment one that will please both long-time viewers of Saw as well as horror newcomers.
He has also directed Jessabelle, and Visions. Kevin continues to contribute his editing talents to many other films in the horror and thriller genres, such as Bryan Bertino’s classic The Strangers, as well as Barbarian, His House, and The Blackening. An avid adventurer, he has traveled throughout Asia, Europe and North Africa. He has also written fiction for such magazines as J.G. Ballard’s Ambit, and performed music on several film scores, including the Paul Bowles documentary Things Gone and Things Still Here. His hobbies include piano, drawing, reading, and flying model aircraft. He is the grandson of Henry Greutert, a lead sculptor at MGM on such films as The Wizard of Oz and An American in Paris.

Screenwriter Pete Goldfinger started his career in sports radio working on The Jim Rome Show, but then quickly transitioned to children’s animation which is really how most horror careers begin. He worked
on Avatar: The Last Airbender, Robot and Monster and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His first feature film, written along with his writing partner Josh Stolberg, was Sorority Row, which led to Piranha 3D, Jigsaw, and most recently his second movie in the Saw franchise (Spiral). Pete was also the showrunner on the soon-to-be-released Medinah, shot and produced in Qatar.

With previous writing credits that include Sorority Row, Jigsaw, Piranha 3d and Spiral: From The Book Of Saw, screenwriter Josh Stolberg is a creator at home in the horror genre. In television, Stolberg wrote an adaptation of Clive Barker’s Weaveworld and is currently partnered with Clive on an adaptation of the horror master’s first novel, The Damnation Game. Not limited to horror, Josh is also currently writing the family adventure Teddy Bear for Netflix, as well as the Prince biopic Queen For A Day. As a director, Stolberg wrapped production last spring on Skill House, which he wrote.


by ·Comments Off on The King – A contemporary story that examines power and masculinity

When longtime friends and collaborators David Michôd and Joel Edgerton began writing the script for The King in 2013, they knew they had to approach the story through their own unique lens, blending historical fact and literary fiction to craft a fresh artistic take.

King Henry V, one of England’s most renowned monarchs who famously conquered the French at the
Battle of Agincourt, is a well-known historical figure — he’s the subject of Shakespeare’s timeless historical plays and two successful film adaptations.

But Michôd and Edgerton saw unexplored contemporary themes in young Hal’s story that spanned the 600 years between the 15th and 21st centuries. Together, they crafted a timely and innovative approach to the life and times of King Henry V.

Produced in partnership with Netflix, Plan B Entertainment, Porchlight Films, Yoki, Inc., and Blue-Tongue Films, The King is a modern story told through a period-authentic lens that examines the pitfalls of power, the cyclical brutality of war, and how the dangerous vanities of men reverberate through generations to come.

In The King, Hal (Timothée Chalamet) has spent years rejecting his royal responsibilities as heir to the English throne, instead choosing to live in the debauched neighborhood Eastcheap alongside his mentor and best friend, the washed-up alcoholic knight John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton). But when Hal’s father King Henry IV (Ben Mendelsohn) dies, the wayward prince is forced to leave behind his life in Eastcheap and return to the palace to reluctantly take his place as King of England.

Having spent much of his young life witnessing his father’s feuds and the futility of the wars that followed, the newly crowned King Henry V vows to bring peace to the country. But he quickly finds himself embroiled in the snake pit of palace politics he tried so desperately to escape, and is suddenly unsure who he can trust. Forced to begin a new chapter of his life before the last can be properly closed, Hal feels his idealism being strangled by the loneliness of power, a growing sense of paranoia, and looming threats from France.

Director by David Michôd with Timothée Chalamet during the filming of The King. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Joel Edgerton, having played Hal on stage as a young man when he was fresh out of drama school in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1 , Part 2 and Henry V, was thrilled by the prospect of bringing the character to life on screen through a new interpretation.

He explains, “We decided to use Shakespeare’s plays as a launching pad, but somewhat depart from them. We’re using elements of true history, we’re borrowing from Shakespeare, and then we’re putting it through our own filter.”

Shakespeare’s plays and historical facts served as artistic fulcrums while Michôd and Edgerton focused on how to creatively swivel and bring a new angle to the well-known monarch’s story. They reworked the language and rebuilt the narrative.

Michôd recalls, “We were changing the story so much that we were basically starting this project from scratch. I think our version feels relevant because it speaks to the almost dysfunctional nature of the institutions of power today.”

Over the following years the script gained a great reputation across Hollywood, but Michôd and Edgerton couldn’t find the right producing partners to help get the project off the ground.

Meanwhile, both of their careers skyrocketed. In addition to their successful solo projects, the duo continued their creative collaborations on 2007’s short film Crossbow, 2010’s Animal Kingdom, and 2014’s The Rover.

The King – Steven Elder, Timothée Chalamet, Sean Harris – Photo Credit: Netflix

In 2017, Michôd partnered with Plan B and Netflix to write and direct War Machine . The director formed a close relationship with Academy Award®-winning Plan B producers Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. While filming War Machine, the producers brought up the script for The King.

Both Gardner and Kleiner had read the script before working with Michôd on War Machine — it was one of the reasons they were excited to partner with the director.

Kleiner says, “Reading the script for The King in its early incarnation made me even more eager to work with David on War Machine. I always remembered that script. There was something haunting about it; it’s a very modern look at power and masculinity. We all want to do better than the previous generation,
but so often we end up making the same mistakes. I always thought the script was amazing, and collaborating on this project with Joel and David frankly just felt like a dream come true.”

Gardner recalls, “Our collaboration on The King was so organic. Jeremy and I had read the script when it first made the rounds in Hollywood — it was a script that really traveled in the industry. We were on set for War Machine and Jeremy and I just asked David what was happening with the project. He walked us through the stops and starts the project had gone through over the years, and it all began to take shape. The timing just worked out. I really believe these things happen for a reason.”

Gardner and Kleiner were both attracted to the script’s timely themes. Gardner explains, “I admired that David and Joel didn’t just want to do a literal translation of the Shakespeare text. They were more interested in the ideas behind the words, and that made the story feel very modern to us. When we see things set in a different era, we assume that it’s not a story about us. But sometimes the best way to examine and talk about what’s happening right now is to go back to a different place in time. I want people to see the movie and recognize themselves, not something that they can store away as period trifle.”

Robert Patinson in The King. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Michôd also recruited Australian producer Liz Watts of Porchlight Films, with whom he has a long-standing relationship dating back to his 2010 feature film directorial debut Animal Kingdom, to join the film. Watts had also been familiar with The King script for years and, similarly to Gardner and Kleiner, had been immediately struck by how it tackled modern themes.

She says, “David has transformed a story set in the middle ages into something that is really relevant, and
feels fresh and young. It’s a firmly anti-war film, and it’s also about the inheritance of mistakes; Henry V repeats his father’s mistakes, and I think that that transference is very interesting, particularly in a world run by men. David’s films have always examined men’s hubris and their ability, or inability, to deal with power. This movie has a real relevance to what’s happening in the world right now, and asks really pertinent questions about masculinity and the privilege of that power.”

To bring the complex narrative to life on screen, Gardner and Kleiner suggested a continued partnership with Netflix. In addition to War Machine, the producers had previously partnered with Netflix on 2017’s Okja, which earned director Joonho Bong a Palme d’Or nomination at the Cannes Film Festival, and both seasons of The OA. Gardner says, “Our experience with Netflix has been one of real risk-taking, and of real commitment to a filmmaker’s vision. War Machine and Okja are strange, wonderful, and singular films. We’ve had a lot of fun working with them because we’ve been able to dream as big as the filmmakers
want to dream.”

Joel Edgerton, Ivan Kaye, Sean Harris, Philip Rosch in The King. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Chalamet was eager to join a project that would ultimately redefine his idea of Hollywood movies

He explains, “In my naiveté, it used to seem that filmmaking always fell between the poles of gritty truth and Hollywood blockbusters. But with David Michôd on this project, we’ve gotten to do both. This is the biggest movie I’ve been a part of, it’s an epic story, but David hasn’t sacrificed his commitment to truthful storytelling for the sake of scale.”

The actor was also excited to explore a new stretch of the emotional spectrum with the role of Hal.

“I savoured the opportunity to play someone who had to be very guarded,” Chalamet says. “I often find myself in projects where the characters wear their emotions on their sleeves, and this was not the case at all. To be a politician, to be a leader, there’s an element of performance to it — but you also have to have a poker face and an ability to guard yourself.”

The King – Timothée Chalamet – Photo Credit: Netflix

Like the producers, Chalamet immediately felt the story’s modern resonance.

He explains, “We’re seeing this horrible global trend right now where people would rather assert themselves over the truth. Hal’s fighting against the machinations of power and at the same time trying to find himself as a man. Most political leaders assume power with the most moral of intentions, but there are forces at play that make it difficult to rule with a good hand. If you’re not careful, power can corrode your sense of self, and you can lose your purpose. At first, Hal uses his pacifist instincts in an attempt to differentiate himself from his father and every toxically masculine leader in this time period. In some ways, the movie’s about his inability, even with his strong ethical compass, to overcome that.”

DAVID MICHÔD (Director, Co-Writer, Producer)

David Michôd is an Australian film director and screenwriter known for his films Animal Kingdom, a powerful crime drama that explores the intense battle between a criminal family and the police, and the ordinary lives caught in the middle, The Rover and War Machine, a political satire based on Michael Hastings’ book The Operators (Netflix). Michôd co-wrote the television series Catch-22, based on Joseph Heller’s celebrated novel, and also co-wrote (with director Spencer Susser) the feature film Hesher. He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and Victorian College of the Arts School of Film & Television.

David Michôd, Timothée Chalamet and Joel Edgerton

JOEL EDGERTON (Falstaff / Co-Writer, Producer)

Joel Edgerton was born in Blacktown, New South Wales. He attended the Nepean Drama School
in western Sydney before transitioning into stage and screen roles. Edgerton launched his film career in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, portraying a young Owen Lars, step-brother of Anakin Skywalker and uncle to Luke Skywalker. Edgerton was recently tapped to star in the Barry Jenkins’ Amazon series The Underground Railroad. He will play the part of Ridgeway, a slave-catcher.

  • 2018 – directed the bibliographical drama Boy Erased, and starred in Red Sparrow and Gringo.
  • 2017 – starred in Netflix’s action-crime film Bright.
  • 2016 – starred in the drama Loving, the Western Jane Got a Gun and Midnight Special.
  • 2015 – starred in the action crime-drama Black Mass, made his feature directorial debut with The Gift.
  • 2014 – starred in the epic retelling of the Biblical story Exodus: Gods and Kings, wrote, produced, and starred in Felony.
  • 2013 – starred in the remake of The Great Gatsby.
  • 2012 – starred in Zero Dark Thirty, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, the mixed-martial-arts drama Warrior, and the prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing.
  • 2010 – starred in the Australian film Animal Kingdom.
  • 2008 – in the films The Square, and Acolytes, an Australian film about teenagers who get revenge on a serial killer.
  • 2007 – starred in the film Whisper and also had a significant role in the film Smokin’ Aces.
  • 2005 – starred in the British comedy Kinky Boots and lent his voice to the title character of The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, an Academy Award®-nominated animated short film.
  • On stage Edgerton starred alongside Cate Blanchett as Stanley in the Sydney Theatre Company’s acclaimed 2009 production of A Streetcar Named Desire . Edgerton and Blanchett also performed the play to sold-out audiences at the Kennedy Center in November 2009, followed by a run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in December 2009. He has appeared in multiple stage productions, most notably at The Sydney Theatre Company — Blackrock, Third World Blues, and Love for Love — and Bell Shakespeare in Henry IV.
  • On television, Edgerton is known for playing the role of Will on the series The Secret Life of Us for which he was nominated for an AFI Award.


by ·Comments Off on Blue Beetle – A reluctant hero’s journey

In adapting Blue Beetle, screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer sought to infuse a classic hero’s origin story in an American film with the genuine Latin culture fans expect, while striving for a visual tone that blends a touch of magical realism with the authentic human emotion.

Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer

“Being a DC Universe writer is something that the 11-year-old me in Queretaro would never have believed.  Where I come from, being a startup filmmaker working in Hollywood, to my family it’s like, ‘No mames güey, you don’t know anybody, anywhere, remotely related to movie making!’” says Dunnet-Alcocer, who wrote and executive produced the feature film Miss Bala, and also wrote and/or directed several short films, including the 2014 award-winning Contrapelo.

“Its tone is… it has to be funny; I’ve never met a Mexican person that wasn’t funny, so there’s no way the movie wouldn’t be funny.  But what kind of funny it is, is wonderful, and I think it’s really inspired by the tone of the early Blue Beetle comics, where you have a hero that’s fallible,” Dunnet-Alcocer

Blue Beetle first appeared in Mystery Men Comics #1 in 1939 as Dan Garrett, an archaeologist who found a magic scarab in an Egyptian ruin.  Blue Beetle later morphed into a new character, brilliant inventor Ted Kord, created by Steve Ditko and first appearing in Captain Atom #83 (1966).  As time passed, Blue Beetle morphed again, this time into our hero Jaime Reyes.  First appearing in Infinite Crisis #3 in 2006 Jaime—created by Keith Giffen, John Rogers and Cully Hamner—is a college graduate with a close-knit Mexican American family living in El Paso, Texas.

The film, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridueña in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Soto directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (“Miss Bala”), based on characters from DC.  John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.

For the movie—the first-ever live-action film to feature Blue Beetle—the filmmakers took the opportunity to create a new home for Jaime and his family

Palmera City, a bright and bustling urban sprawl with its own unique heartbeat, much like Metropolis and Central City (but with numerous nods to El Paso and a handful of Easter eggs for its fans and residents). 

Notes from director Ángel Manuel Soto

Ángel Manuel Soto

A native of Puerto Rico, Soto discovered soccer and boxing at an early age, which inspired his first film EL PUGIL, an homage to the kids he had grown up with and the power of sports in economically repressed communities. Angel pursued his interest in art, studying architecture and eventually documentary filmmaking and writing. He began his career in entertainment as a TV producer and later focused on art direction at a local advertising agency. He made his feature directorial debut with LA GRANJA (The Farm), which sheds a thought-provoking light on the tough realities facing the people of Puerto Rico. He went on to create several groundbreaking narrative VR pieces such as DINNER PARTY and BASHIR’S DREAM, which have premiered to critical success at festivals.

“Jaime is more than just a relatable character, I think Jaime speaks for a lot of the situations that we face in real life,” says director Ángel Manuel Soto, a director, producer, and screenwriter known for telling bold stories that highlight diverse characters from a variety of backgrounds.

On what Jaime Reyes represents…

Jamie’s a kid that believed in an idea of progress and is playing by the rules and is staying in his lane.  His family came [to Palmera City] before he did and they did all the hard work, and all of it has been headed for him to become this promise of progress and the pursuit of the American dream. 

On the relationship between Jaime and the Scarab…

The relationship between Jaime and the Scarab is interesting because it’s not necessarily his conscience, but he can hear it in his head.  He can have this conversation that, if you were to see him as a third party, it looks like Jaime’s talking to the air…but he’s actually having the conversation with the voice in his head who is the Scarab.  And, at first, the Scarab’s mission is kill, kill, kill, and Jaime’s not that kind of kid.  So when every time that the Scarab wants to do something of this nature, Jaime’s reaction and his good-heartedness step in the way of the Scarab’s mission, and creates this banter between them that sometimes is funny but at the same time is enlightening.  Because, as the story progresses and certain events happen in Jaime’s life, the Scarab also learns from Jaime and the Scarab starts to become more and more compassionate, eventually being a voice of reason to Jaime towards the end, as opposed to the way it started, where Jaime was the voice of reason to the Scarab.

lpida Carrillo, George Lopez, Xolo Maridueña, Belissa Escobedo, and Damian Alcazar in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Blue Beetle Photo: Hopper Stone/SMPSP/™ & © DC Comics

On portraying the Reyes family…

One of those things that’s very special, too, is how to capture the warmth of the family since, in this origin story, the family—contrary to other superhero movies where the hero keeps the secret from everybody around him—the secret really happens in front of the family. 

So, Gareth [Dunnet-Alcocer] always said, ‘Good luck trying to hide a secret from your mom in a Latino household, they always know!’  And we kind of like embraced that, so this made for a very unique journey where the family is part of the adventure, not a group of people or an object of rescue, but on the contrary, an integral part of the construct of this superhero.

And once he follows the rules and comes back, he realizes that a lot of those things are not like they said it would be, that life often brings surprises and to people like him, it’s not as easy as go to college, come back and make a career.

On his hopes for the character’s cinematic debut…

I really hope audiences receive Blue Beetle with an open heart and with the same love and compassion that I came into receiving Blue Beetle myself.”

Notes from Producer John Rickard

John Rickard

John Rickard is a feature film producer and President of Production of The Safran Company, which has a deal at Warner Bros./ New Line Cinema. In 2018, Rickard produced box office hit Rampage. Prior to that, Rickard produced the widely celebrated Horrible Bosses franchise. In 2019, Rickard joined The Safran Company as President of Production and together with Peter Safran, produced Amazon’s romantic comedy I Want You Back. Additional notable credits include the 2010 remake of the horror thriller A Nightmare On Elm Street, Farrelly brothers’ comedy Hall Pass, horror franchise installment Final Destination 5, Bryan Singer-led action adventure Jack The Giant Slayer, romantic comedy How To Be Single, romantic drama Midnight Sun, Ice Cube & Charlie Day comedy Fist Fight, and Fool’s Paradise starring Charlie Day, Kate Beckinsale, Jason Sudeikis, Ken Jeong, Ray Liotta, Adrien Brody, Edie Falco, Common, Jillian Bell and John Malkovich. Currently, Rickard, is in production on Heads Of State‘

On what Blue Beetle is really about…

“What this story is, for me, and what makes it so unique in the superhero genre, is that it’s a reluctant hero’s journey,” says producer John Rickard. “

Jaime Reyes is an ordinary kid who finds himself in an extraordinary situation, and doesn’t want to be a superhero.  So, he and his entire family, their first instinct is, ‘We’ve got to get this thing out of him, because he now has a target on his back.’  And literally it’s a target on his back within the Scarab.  So, throughout the film he goes on a fun, heartfelt journey of self-discovery, exploration of identity, family bonds and embracing one’s true destiny.  And ultimately what Jaime realizes throughout our story is that his real superpower is his family.  That’s what makes this movie so special.

On the essence of Jaime Reyes…

What’s great about our story and Jaime Reyes is that he’s not like Peter Parker in Spider-Man, he doesn’t just all of a sudden get this power and start swinging from buildings and having fun with it.  He’s trying to get the Scarab out, but the suit itself is booting up and taking him on a ride.  So, this makes him a very reluctant hero throughout the majority of the story, until it becomes clear to him that he has to embrace it instead of pushing it away.

He realizes he has to step into the role of the superhero in order to safeguard his family and community.  This transformation from uncertainty to self-acceptance and responsibility is an inspiring one and will resonate with a lot of people around the world. 

I think we’ve all struggled with similar uncertainties and are constantly trying to figure out who we are.  And that’s what makes Jaime Reyes so relatable and special; he’s a regular kid from a working class family who rises to greatness not because he’s looking for it, but because he selflessly answers the call to protect his community and makes the choice to accept his destiny and become the superhero that Palmer City so desperately needs: Blue Beetle.

On the experience of Blue Beetle…

The tone and the fun of our movie is what makes it so special and different from other superhero movies.  And it’s also our unique action.  Can he fly?  Yes.  Is he strong.  For sure.  Are there big action sequences?  Absolutely.  But it’s the special abilities of the suit, which are unlike anything else in the DCU, that make it so ridiculously cool, because it allows Blue Beetle endless superpowers.  He’s literally a 20something who has a suit that can create anything he can imagine.  And so, what does this young kid do with these powers?  He pulls from what he knows: pop culture.  Things he knows in his everyday life. 

Our action sequences in Blue Beetle are definitely inspired by a lot of gamer combos, which makes it feel like a video game come to life.  Those who know will know.  But what truly elevates it is that it has a lot of heart.  At the core, this film is a story about a family that’s just struggling to keep it together.  There are definitely moments that will make you laugh out loud, but then there are also moments that will make you cry.  Here’s what I know for sure—it’s gonna be a good time at the theater, and you’re gonna love these characters, the Reyes family and all their hilariously relatable family dynamics.  And, of course, there’s the loveable Jaime Reyes at the center of of it all, who you’ll be literally on board with for his journey to become the young Super Hero Blue Beetle.

On the importance of Blue Beetle…

The fact that I get to be on a DC movie and be a part of bringing this exciting character to life, felt like a dream come true to my 12-year-old self every day I stepped on set.  But I’m very aware of the importance of this film for the Latino community and its future opportunities.  

The success of this film could be something that breaks the glass ceiling for many Latino filmmakers for years to come.  Everyone involved feels the unique weight of this responsibility—the cast, the crew, our writer and director—and we’re determined to tell the most compelling story possible and then put it on the largest stage possible to entertain the world, and ensure we make our mark on film history with Blue Beetle.

Notes from Producer Zev Foreman

Zev Foreman

Zev Foreman serves as eOne/Hasbro’s President of Film Production while overseeing the day-to-day development and production of their global film slate. He shepherded the sale of Janus Metz’s All the Old Knives and Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou to Focus in a worldwide acquisition, in addition to Ted Melfi’s The Starling to Netflix, and Clea DuVall’s Happiest Season to Hulu. His most current projects include Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and the currently untitled Transformers animated feature, as well as. co-financing Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and the Transformers animated feature. As an independent producer, Foreman produced the mind-bending historical thriller Antebellum, starring Janelle Monae. With over 15 years of industry experience, on both independent and studio projects, his credits include Killer Joe, Dallas Buyers Club, Good Kill, and Colossal.

On the appeal of Blue Beetle…

I’ve been a really big DC comics fan for a long time, and I’d gone through so many characters looking for something that felt fresh and new, something that felt a little different from a lot of the other superhero movies that I’d seen.  And this one just stood out because of Jaime Reyes’s character, stood out because of his family, stood out because of the fun, the humor, you know, from some of the other DC movies in particular.  And I just felt like it was time, it was something that was exciting for the studio and something that was exciting for the superhero genre, and I just wanted to do something that felt a little different.

On the film’s themes…

This movie here is about a lot of things—it’s about a young person trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the world, you know?  It’s about a family trying to cope with things that every family copes with, and I think people will really connect to that, really understand and see themselves in that family.

On the emotional core of Blue Beetle…

When we made Blue Beetle—and I think the secret to all the best movies and especially superhero movies is that there really is this, I call it this soft and fuzzy emotional core that has to deal with humor and heart and emotion and family and relationships and conversation, but it’s wrapped in this glossy, shiny shell of action and spectacle, and I think that’s what this movie is.  At its heart the movie is about people, and I think when you walk away from a movie like that, you’re gonna feel something.  You’re gonna be hopefully blown away by the action, the spectacle, the fights, the crazy gadgets, the crazy locations, but you’re also gonna actually feel for the characters and fall in love with them.

On the theatrical experience of Blue Beetle…

A theatrical movie is a movie where you want to stand up and cheer, where you want to laugh with people around you, where you want to ask the question, ‘Why are those people laughing and I’m not?’  I think our movie delivers on all those things in spades.  It’s fun, it’s gonna make you kind of tap your foot, it’s gonna make you jump out of your chair.  It’s gonna make you maybe even shed a tear.  That’s what the enjoyment of all movies should be in the theater, and I think Blue Beetle, as I said, is the perfect movie to experience there.

Xolo Maridueña and Ángel Manuel Soto / Photo: Hopper Stone/SMPSP/™ & © DC Comics

Xolo Maridueña is Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle

At only 21, Xolo Maridueña already established his place as one to watch within the industry. His work has landed him on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list as well as Variety’s 2021 Young Hollywood Impact List, an annual roundup that highlights young stars who are trailblazers in the industry. He was named “one to watch” by People Magazine, and was also included in People En Español’s “50 Most Beautiful” list for 2021. Maridueña currently stars as Miguel Diaz in Netflix’s smash hit series Cobra Kai, an extension of the classic Karate Kid film franchise, alongside original cast members Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.

On Jaime stepping up to be a hero…

The character of Blue Beetle is the story of someone who has been presented with this opportunity, and maybe, while he’s resistant at first, there are sometimes where you’ve been granted opportunities or you’ve been put into a position that maybe you feel like you weren’t ready for, and how you navigate that, I think, is the story that this will tell.

by ·Comments Off on The Last Voyage of the Demeter – The definitive vampire tale told through an exciting new lens

Indian artist and writer Bragi Schut Jr’ spec screenplay which had been in development hell for two decades has been resurrected with the film The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Crafted by Schut, Jr. and Zak Olkewicz, it’s an origin story of how Dracula first came to England to terrorize a new world, based on a single chilling chapter from Stoker’s classic novel.

Bram Stoker’s literary classic, Dracula has fascinated audiences, both on the page and the screen, for more than a century. Published in 1897, the novel is not structured in traditional narrative form but is instead recounted as a non-fiction legend, through fragments of personal journals, artifacts, diaries, and historical ephemera: a portrait of a predator viewed through a shattered mirror. Shards of that mirror have allowed filmmakers to interpret Dracula in myriad ways through the decades, as a seducer, narcissist, beauty, beast, specter, lover, stalker, or serial killer. But hidden beneath all those layers of interpretation, all those decades of adaptation, lies the untold dark heart of Hollywood’s most famous, and blood-chilling monster.

The Demeter, a ship of ominous renown, embarked on its final harrowing voyage more than 125 years ago. In Stoker’s landmark vampire novel, the monstrous aristocrat Count Dracula travels from his Eastern European home in the Carpathian Mountains to Victorian England. He packs himself in a crate of the dark earth, hidden among dozens of others, and has his body loaded aboard an unsuspecting ship: The Demeter.

In Stoker’s captivating tale, Demeter’s last voyage is chronicled in the seventh chapter, which is written as an excerpt from The Dailygraph newspaper dated August 8, describing a great and sudden storm that roared into the harbor in the seaside town of Whitby, carrying with it the remains of a deserted schooner.

In a series of snapshots, the log recounts the nearly month-long period from July 6 to August 4 during which strange events unfold onboard the vessel. After taking on cargo that includes boxes of earth, the crew’s anxieties escalate, leading to quarrels and the unsettling disappearance of one crew member, followed by others. The mood only darkens as the Demeter unwittingly sails toward its doom. Unbeknownst to the men, the true nature of the deadly threat lurks on board in a secret passenger they are unknowingly ferrying to England.

While Stoker’s novel has been adapted countless times for film, television and stage—perhaps most famously in Universal’s 1931 Tod Browning film starring Bela Lugosi— the crew’s experiences aboard the Demeter have never before been dramatized.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London. Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.

Producers Bradley J. Fischer, Mike Medavoy and Arnold W. Messer explored the definitive vampire tale through an exciting new lens

Planning for the film adaptation of “The Captain’s Log” began when screenwriter Btagi Schut Jr. wrote the initial spec script when he befriended a colleague who worked on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), but did not come to fruition by languishing in development hell for more than two decades. Schut, Jr. and Zak Olkewicz crafted the new draft from a screen story by Schut, Jr.,

Bragi Schut Jr is an Indian film artist, writer and director living in Los Angeles who has written projects for Sony, Universal, MGM, Relativity, Syfy, and CBS among many other film and television companies. He wrote the eighth and ninth seasons along with the Hageman Brothers. He is the lead writer of the show from the tenth season onwards. He is the executive producer and the story editor for the show from the eleventh season onwards.

But steering the project to the screen proved as challenging as navigating a triple-masted schooner through choppy waters. The development process spanned nearly two decades, with a range of directors signing on and ultimately departing. “We came very close many, many times,” Fischer says.

“Filmmakers have always been drawn to this material. There’s something about the mystery of the captain’s log, and what actually unfolded on this doomed ship as it crossed the sea, that stirs the imagination.”

Among those filmmakers was Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro, the visionary writer, and director-producer whose unbridled passion for the genre has infused every entry in his extensive filmography. When scheduling conflicts made del Toro unavailable, he suggested the producers consider André Øvredal in his stead.

The Norwegian writer-director had won early acclaim with his 2010 breakout Trollhunter, a mockumentary about a group of students investigating bear attacks who learn that something far more sinister is unfolding in the Scandinavian wilderness.

Øvredal solidified his reputation as a maker of unique, inventive horror films with projects including 2016’s The Autopsy of Jane Doe and 2019’s del Toro-produced Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, an adaptation of the children’s book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz.

Fischer considered Øvredal an incredible visual storyteller, and the pair seemed to share all the same reference points when discussing their favorite horror films, even the most obscure titles. “André is totally uncompromising,” Fischer says.

“This is a huge production for a genre film, and he was not willing to walk away or let it go until he had something that wasn’t just great but really strove to the level of a masterpiece; we both had the same ambition for what Demeter could become on-screen.”

And that was exactly the level of vision and commitment that this story needed, Medavoy says. “André really understood how to create suspense in the film,” Medavoy says.

“We wanted to keep the audience on the edge of their seats until the devil finally shows up. It’s not just about shocking moments, it’s about building up that tension. People love unraveling a mystery and figuring out who’s behind the chaos, and the credit goes to the screenwriters and André for crafting the story this way.”

Øvredal’s ambition was, in part, born out of his tremendous respect for earlier adaptations of Stoker’s novel. “I never felt safe exploring a Dracula movie, that’s for sure,” Øvredal says.

“I felt like I was stepping into big, big shoes. We’re going to be measured against some amazing classics—from Nosferatu to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the Coppola movie, and many others—and we had to aim up there. But we’re also not trying to be that sprawling, big, epic, Gothic story. We are trying to be one serious, intense horror movie.”

Øvredal drew parallels to Ridley Scott’s seminal 1979 film, Alien

As Øvredal had read the script for The Last Voyage of the Demeter, written by Bragi Schut, Jr. and Zak Olkewicz from a screen story by Schut, Jr.,

The script evoked a similar sense of intense horror, with a blue-collar crew facing a mysterious and deadly adversary.

“It was really an Alien-style story set on the ocean in 1897, with Dracula instead of the alien monster,” Øvredal says. “I was captivated by all the characters onboard. They felt like a real crew of people who are there to do their job, and the mystery deepened as the story unfolded. I really loved the contained nature of the film, where we’re out at sea on the ship, and they’re facing this enemy but they have no comprehension of what it is.”

For producer Medavoy, that Alien evocation had deep professional roots. “Drawing inspiration from films like Alien, we used the concept of a confined setting as our narrative capsule,” Medavoy says. “In fact, my prior involvement with Alien during my time at United Artists, when Walter Hill was associated with the original script, made the concept of being confined to a single location with no escape resonate with me. In the case of Demeter, we have a devil aboard a ship, being transported to London to embark on a new life. Similar to Alien, the heart of the story lies in the gripping events that transpire on that vessel.”

The story is a true survival horror nightmare, beginning with the discovery of the Demeter after it has run aground on the rocks on the Whitby shore. The vessel has been carbonized by fire, its tattered sail bearing witness to a catastrophic event. Not a single crew member is found alive. The only clues as to what might have occurred are contained within the captain’s log; its particularly ominous final entry reads, “The Devil comes for me.”

“Horror films always aim to take the audience to a dark and scary place, but I think great horror films force their characters to confront a fate worse than death,” Fischer says.

“This story is filled with metaphor and subtext, and it’s quite Shakespearian when you look at it. These unsuspecting crew members end up having to face not just the monster itself, but all sense of hope, everything they love and dream of, everything that gives life meaning, is stripped from them, not in an abstract way but specifically and individually, with violence and delight. Eventually, that will include death. Of course, it will include death. But death comes last, never first. Death alone would be far too merciful a fate for Dracula—for the real Dracula that Bram Stoker conceived of—to impose.”

The Last Voyage of the Demeter was filmed at Germany’s famous Studio Babelsberg AG and at Malta Film Studios, a facility that boasts one indoor tank and two large exterior water tanks situated along the Mediterranean coast.

by ·Comments Off on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – The final chapter in the saga of one of cinema’s greatest heroes

From acclaimed writer-director, James Mangold comes Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny with Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role as the whip-smart archaeologist one last time for a thrilling, globe-trotting adventure

There’s no question that Indiana Jones remains one of the most beloved characters ever brought to the screen: the American Film Institute ranked the adventurer as the second greatest movie hero of all time – only Gregory Peck as Aticuscus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” could top him. Yet it’s simply hard to imagine Indy would have enjoyed the same staying power in the cultural consciousness without Harrison Ford in the battered brown fedora.

The moment Indy appeared on screen for the first time in Steven Spielberg’s 1981 landmark Raiders of the Lost Ark, it was obviously the perfect marriage of character and star. With his rugged, rough-around-the-edges masculinity, Ford was undeniably charismatic yet also deeply, endearingly charming. He deployed a knowing smirk at all the right moments and escaped seemingly impossible scrapes through some combination of ingenuity, resourcefulness, and just plain luck.

Of all the indelible characters Ford has portrayed, he’s always felt a special affinity for Indiana Jones, and the actor would periodically ask producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall about potentially reprising the role one last time. “Harrison loves this character as much as the audience, and he didn’t want to see it end,” Kennedy says. “He kept asking ‘Is there another story?’”

To find the answer, Kennedy, Ford, and Spielberg turned to James Mangold, the masterful storyteller behind such critically acclaimed, commercially successful films as Walk the Line, Logan, and Ford v Ferrari, who had extensive experience telling emotionally satisfying stories about historical figures from Johnny Cash to Carroll Shelby, and he was equally adept with dramatic tales about outsider figures. His movies, which often centered on captivating, conflicted protagonists, were always expertly crafted, uniquely thought-provoking, and keenly entertaining.

Mangold directs from a screenplay crafted by Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp, and Mangold, based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman.

It’s 1969, and Indiana Jones is ready to call it quits. Having spent more than a decade teaching at New York’s Hunter College, the esteemed professor of archaeology is preparing to retire to his modest apartment where, these days, he lives alone. Things change after a surprise visit from his estranged
goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who is seeking a rare artifact that her father entrusted to Indy years earlier—the infamous Archimedes Dial, a device that purportedly holds the power to locate fissures in time. An accomplished con artist, Helena steals the Dial and swiftly departs the country to sell the artifact to the highest bidder. Left with no choice but to go after her, Indy dusts off his fedora and leather jacket for one final ride. Meanwhile, Indy’s old nemesis, Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi now working as a physicist in the U.S. space program, has his own plans for the Dial, a horrifying scheme that could change the course of world history.

(L-R): Mads Mikkelsen and James Mangold on the set of Lucasfilm’s IJ5. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

For Mangold, the experience of watching Raiders as a 17-year-old at the Orange County Mall in upstate New York on opening day—June 12, 1981—is one he’s never forgotten. He was riveted by the rollicking spirit of the classic adventure, which borrowed styles and techniques from the early decades of the cinematic art form. It was an equal mix of chases, cliffhangers, fisticuffs s, romance, and wit, with a uniquely modern sensibility.

He only agreed to step behind the camera once he knew he would have the time to craft a compelling adventure worthy of the Indiana Jones series: Raiders, 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, all of which were directed by Spielberg.

Crafting the Screenplay

Setting to work on a script, he reunited with Ford v Ferrari screenwriters Jez and John-Henry Butterworth,
the acclaimed duo whose filmography also includes Fair Game, Get on Up, and Edge of Tomorrow. In
conceptualizing the story, they understood it was vitally important to preserve all the qualities that made Indy such a flashpoint for generations of moviegoers.

“Indiana Jones is a character that always surprises us,” Mangold says. “He can be selfish, he can be empathic, he can be brave, he can be a coward. And Harrison holds all these contradictory elements together. Indiana Jones is not a Greek hero on Mount Olympus, he’s a very human character. I think all his eccentricities and anxieties and neuroses and foibles are part of his appeal. But he does have a superpower, and it’s that he’s incredibly lucky.”

While they sought to honor the character, they also felt it was important to offer audiences something exciting and new. Additionally, they wanted to acknowledge the character’s age, given that Ford would be (an admittedly spry) 79 during the shoot. So, they set the movie at the end of the 1960s, an era when an adventurous Greatest Generation hero inspired by the classic movie serials of the 1930s and ’40s would feel like a bit of a relic himself.

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

“The obvious challenge is that you’re returning to a genre without re-casting,” says Jez Butterworth. “You’ve got the same actor who was playing this in his thirties playing it in his late seventies. I think that what had been perceived perhaps as a disadvantage was all the advantage. You had to absolutely run with the idea that what happens toward the end of people’s stories [can be just as fascinating] as what happens at the beginning of them. It started to feel authentic, and it gained a reality that was playable. If you embrace the opportunity, all sorts of storytelling doors open up.”

The approach strongly resonated with Ford, who felt it aligned with his innate understanding of the character. “We haven’t avoided the fact that Indy has aged 40 years over the period we’ve been telling his story—we’ve embraced it,” Ford says. “We faced the challenges he faced, and we’ve brought a real humanity and warmth to the story. It’s a remarkable job of imagination that’s been performed to conceive the context that the story takes place in. Very bold. Very exciting. Very courageous.”

When the film opens, it’s the end of the line for Indiana Jones. As he prepares to retire from teaching, he finds himself spending his nights alone in a modest New York apartment. “The Indiana Jones we meet in 1969 is the result of the experience that we’ve had with him throughout the other films,” Ford explains.
“This is what happens when you’re a broken-down archaeologist/professor and you’re frustrated in your career and it’s your last day on the job before retirement and you maybe occasionally have a drink in the middle of the day. He’s dispirited, he’s cynical, and he’s hurt, but the circumstances that are about to befall him, lead to a great adventure in which there is a degree of redemption but renewal as well.”

(L-R): Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

Explains Mangold, “I wanted to start Harrison’s character as far from being Indy as we could so that the audience would feel the elation when circumstances force him to pull that hat on again. 1969 is a time where no one really believes in heroes like Indiana Jones anymore. In many ways, the adventure we’ve concocted is a reckoning between an old-school hero and an ambivalent and ever more cynical modern world.”

The sought-after artifact that drives the narrative, the Archimedes Dial, was inspired by a real-world artifact, the Antikythera mechanism. A mechanical device thought to be used in ancient Greece to calculate and display information about astronomical phenomena, it’s been described as the oldest known example of an analog computer.

“The moment I knew the movie was about time, opportunities missed, opportunities lost, choices made,
irrevocable mistakes, then the question [became], ‘What would be the only thing that would allow me to fix time itself?’” explains Mangold. “The research that I found about the Antikythera, rumored to be an invention by Archimedes, has been speculated to be a kind of time compass.”

(Clockwise from right): Colonel Weber (Thomas Kretschmann) and Doctor Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) in Lucasfilm’s IJ5. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

The writers did take the liberty of investing their version of the Antikythera mechanism with a little extra magic to make it the perfect MacGuffin for the story. “Archimedes’ Dial, big, bold concept,” Ford says. “I think it was a genius choice. Other items that we’ve used in the other films always had a religious aspect to them—Sankara Stones, the Holy Grail, and Ark of the Covenant. But this was fooling with the nature of science.” Resolving to retrieve the item, Indy leaves New York behind to recapture the Dial, but he’s not the only party pursuing Helena. Indy’s old nemesis, Jürgen Voller, is after her too, in the hopes of intercepting the Dial.

“The best villains in Indy movies are Nazis,” says John-Henry Butterworth. “If you write down a wish list of what you want to see in an Indy film, it’s Indy slugging it out with Nazis, and eventually prevailing. It was kind of like a crossword clue to try to work out how to fit that into the time frame that we wanted the main story to take place in.”

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm’s IJ5. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

The son of renowned painters Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold, writer-director James Mangold was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley. He graduated in film and acting from The California Institute of the Arts, where he studied under Alexander Mackendrick (Sweet Smell of Success, The Ladykillers). He broke into the film business at the age of 21, the recipient of a prestigious writer-director deal with Disney Studios. After a few years in Hollywood, he decided to go to Columbia University’s film school, where he began writing a feature, Heavy (1995) while studying under Oscar-winning director Miloš Forman. That film went on to win Special Jury Recognition for Directing at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival and was selected to represent the United States at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes. Following the critical success of Heavy, Mangold began production on Cop Land (1997), an urban Western which was set in modern-day New Jersey. Mangold followed his all-male police thriller with the period psychological drama Girl, Interrupted (1999), the fantasy/romantic comedy Kate & Leopold (2001), the mind-bending thriller Identity (2003), Walk the Line (2005), a remake of the classic western, 3:10 to Yuma (2007), based on the Elmore Leonard short story, Knight and Day (2010), The Wolverine (2011), Logan (2017), and Ford v Ferrari (2019). Mangold is currently working on A Complete Unknown, an adaptation of Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald. The film (co-written by Mangold and Jay Cocks) chronicles young Bob Dylan’s arrival in New York City in the early sixties and his relationships with Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, and the turbulent folk music scene, culminating with Dylan ‘going electric’ at the Newport Folk Festival of 1965. Timothée Chalamet will star.

Screenwriter John-Henry Butterworth was born in London in 1976, and went to school in St. Albans and university at Cambridge. His screen credits include Fair Game, Get on Up, Edge of Tomorrow, the French language cult movie Malgré la nuit, and Ford v Ferrari. For television, he wrote an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s novel “Nine Perfect Strangers” together with David E. Kelley and Samantha Strauss for Hulu. He’s currently writing the climate change drama Endgame with Georgia Lee for AMC.

Screenwriter Jez Butterworth was born in London in 1969 and studied English at St. Johns College, Cambridge. His first play, Mojo (Royal Court Theatre, 1995), won seven major awards, including the Olivier Award for Best Comedy. Other plays include The Night Heron (2002), The Winterling, (2006), Parlour Song (2008), Jerusalem (2009), The River (2012), and The Ferryman (2017). Jez’s screenwriting credits include Fair Game(2010), “Get on Up” (2014), Edge Of Tomorrow (2014), Black Mass (2015), Spectre(2015), and Ford v Ferrari (2019). For TV, Jez has created and written the comedy series Mammals for Amazon Studios and the historical fantasy drama Britannia. In 2007, Jez won the E. M. Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2019 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Screenwriter David Koepp has written or co-written the screenplays for more than 30 films, including Apartment Zero (1988), Bad Influence (1990), Death Becomes Her (1992), Carlito’s Way (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), The Paper (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Snake Eyes
(1998), Panic Room (2002), Spider-Man (2002), War of the Worlds (2005), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull (2008), Angels & Demons (2009), Inferno (2016) and Kimi (2022). Cold Storage, which Koepp adapted from his debut novel, is currently in production with StudioCanal. His second novel, Aurora,” was published by HarperCollins in 2022. His story Yard Work, narrated by Kevin Bacon, was released by Audible Originals in 2020.

by ·Comments Off on Giving a voice to all sides stuck in the constant cycle of war in the Middle East

For screenwriter Mitchell LaFortune, the genesis of the story for Kandahar began as he pulled stories from his time as a Defense Intelligence Agency officer who had served multiple deployments in Afghanistan, telling the story of a CIA Black Ops agent and his Afghan interpreter who must evade deadly forces as they escape Iran after a whistleblower reveals the agent destroyed a nuclear facility.

“The inspiration really came from the last two deployments I did in western Afghanistan, near the Iran border, operating primarily out of Herat Province.,” where most of Kandahar takes place,” says LaFortune, an incredibly high-octane storyteller whose military background includes multiple Army tours in the Middle East with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Mitchell notably penned Burn Run which turned into Kandahar, repping Gerard Butler’s re-team with his Angel Has Fallen filmmaker, Ric Roman Waugh.

Mitchell LaFortune, a Maine native, came from a long line of service. “My grandfather is a World War II veteran and served in the Pacific theater. He was one of those guys who joined before legally being able to. He was 15 or 16 and lied about his age to serve his country,” he shared. “His story was definitely a motivator for me but I also grew up watching 9/11 unfold.”

Director Ric Roman-Waugh (Greenland, Angel Has Fallen) turns this drawn-from-truth story into an intense, of-the-moment action-adventure-drama.

“I met Mitch LaFortune working on Greenland as a writer,” says Waugh. “Thunder Road was a big fan of his. Basil Iwanyk – the owner and producer who did Greenland – and Mitch and I really hit it off. I’m a big veteran supporter, and he’s a vet that had worked in the Army Intelligence for over a decade. And it’s based on a lot of his own experiences, but also inspired by true events of a real CIA operator. And when I read it, it just blew me away. So I wasn’t ever aware of the history of it. To me, it was this new and fresh and exciting thing of coming off of Greenland and wondering what’s next.”

“I loved the way Mitch’s script gave a voice to all sides stuck in this constant cycle of war in the Middle East,” says Waugh of Kandahar “To find so much empathy even in those chasing our heroes is a remarkable feat.”

“Mitch LaFortune lived this life in the spy game and military world. That level of authenticity doesn’t
come from research, it comes from experience,” says Waugh. “That’s a key to the truth in Kandahar.”

“Action, for me, has to come from an emotional thrust, so that we’re thrilled, scared, anxious or tense just as the characters are, so we experience the rush with them,” says Waugh. “Because the action sequences in Kandahar resonate from a character level, and aren’t just for the sake of action, we got to design each one with a specific emotion and point of view.”

 Director Ric Roman-Waugh and Gerard Butler / Copyright Open Road Films

Kandahar is populated by a rich assortment of characters, many inspired by the people LaFortune knew during his time serving in the Middle East. As portrayed by Gerard Butler, the CIA operative Tom Harris is the kind of behind-the-scenes figure whose work in “black ops” exists on the knife’s-edge of danger — while Mo, as portrayed by Navid Negahban, has a history that traverses the region’s varied political,
religious, and military changes. Each of them represents a vital viewpoint.

“Tom Harris is a combination of a bunch of people that I ran into during my time in the military and at
the Defense Intelligence Agency,” says LaFortune. “But Mo is based on a real person: He was a translator that I worked extensively with in 2011 and 2013. He was a man I really wanted to write something great for — I thought that the sacrifices he made as an individual to keep us all safe was so inspirational.”

“Tom and Mo have an equal amount of gravitas within the screenplay to show how these different governments and cultures work together and also work against each other,” says LaFortune. “I spent years in Afghanistan, and I spent years working with a real guy named Mo and being immersed in the culture. So my goal with this film was to make an action movie that’s extremely respectful of the country and to the culture and the people I met there who are trying to make a difference.”

“The second I read the script, I could see the new perspective that Mitchell offered as a writer, as this
is based on his own time working with the government and with defense intelligence,” says producer Brendon Boyea (Greenland), who notes that the story’s connection to the truth, and the complexities of loyalty and nationalism, added to the thrilling mix.

“These characters come from real-life experience in one way or another. He’s melded a variety of true stories into a fictional piece that’s extremely authentic. He brings a viewpoint to all these different warring factions within the Middle East, and you understand where the different characters are coming from.”

Gerard Butler and Navid Negahban in Kandahar

“In other movies, we’re used to painting certain people as antagonists,” adds Boyea. “In Kandahar, we can relate to different people and what they’re doing, for different reasons.”

Producer Alan Siegel, Gerard Butler’s partner at their production company G-Base and his collaborator
on Greenland, Angel Has Fallen, and many prior films including Hunter Killer, Olympus Had Fallen, and
Machine Gun Preacher, saw how the possibilities in the script were perfect for G-Base’s vision.

“Everyone is used to seeing the ‘action’ in action-adventure movies come first, which of course is a main reason many people go to the movies — but Gerry and I saw that a lot of those movies lack heart and
soul,” says Siegel. “When we first read Mitchell’s script, we knew you could see what’s inside these characters, inside Tom Harris, and you take the journey with him. It’s not all about guns and car chases; it’s
about humanity. It’s unusual for an action movie to have such three-dimensional characters as these.”
When Ric Roman Waugh came aboard to direct, it would unite him with Butler a third time.

“We shared the Kandahar script with Ric shortly after he finished Greenland,” says Boyea. “He fell in love with it right away, and, as Ric does, he immediately started researching everything and was all in from the start.”

Adds Lafortune, “I tried to write the most realistic version of a spy film that I could, and Ric’s style of directing has a kind of a quasi-documentary feel to it, which lends authenticity.”

“For the rest of our lives, millions of people will be affected by the withdrawal from Afghanistan. I can’t control anything in regard to U.S. foreign policy. I wish I could reverse a lot of things but I can’t. For me, this is my love letter of thanks to everyone involved,” LaFortune said. “This is a different kind of action movie in terms of authenticity as a spy film. All of the characters are based off of real people I interacted with. I think Afghanistan is going to be represented in a way that’s never been seen before.”

Waugh’s rise as a filmmaker is one of the most meteoric in recent Hollywood history. The Los Angeles-born former stuntman helped the action scenes in The Last of The Mohicans, Days of Thunder, Last Action Hero, and Gone in 60 Seconds look thrillingly real. When he began making his own films, Waugh hit the ground running with Felon (2008) and Snitch (2013) — both of which he also wrote — before jumping abord to write and direct Angel Has Fallen (2019) and Greenland (2020), both of which starred Butler.

“Ric’s a great filmmaker,” adds Boyea. “It starts with his work ethic, which is unlike any I’ve ever seen. He immerses himself in the world of a movie completely, so that he can create the clearest, most authentic films. He takes his responsibilities as a storyteller very seriously.”

Says LaFortune, “When Ric wanted to come on board, I knew that he was the right filmmaker, and that he’d really be able to execute the vision. He’s an incredible storyteller. Ric has also had extensive engagement with the military community, and that’s something that he’s really passionate about. The fusion of those two things really work for Kandahar. Ric lives and breathes his work ethic.”

“I have a policy just to write and envision. I think people know, with my movies, I’m always looking for authenticity, even if it’s heightened. And so I’m always gonna have that lens in mind. But for me, it’s about what tells the story first. And then, yeah, my background in stunts is always going to come into play, where I’m going to understand how I’m going to execute it. So the earlier drafts are much more about the story and the actors understanding where we’re going, then the script evolves into what I call the blueprint. It’s the blueprint of how we’re going to execute the movie. And it becomes a little bit more mechanical in the actual sequences, that has to get the the crew to understand how we’re going to make it.” Director Ric Roman-Waugh

Mitchell LaFortune with Gerard Butler / Photo courtesy of Mitchell LaFortune

“Gerry and I talked a lot about the character of Tom before we started filming,” says LaFortune. “Gerry has a quiet, powerful intensity about him that’s perfect for the role. He can say so much with his eyes,
and there are many moments when Tom is a very quiet character.”

“What drives Tom, at least initially, is that he has become so immersed in his work that he loses a
connection to who he was and where he came from. I think that can happen in different walks of life — careers can consume you,” says Boyea. “Tom just happens to be in a career where he’s disconnected from the outside world, so he becomes these undercover personas he takes on, which detaches him even further. And Mo recognizes that. Tom is addicted to the ‘great game,’ as they call it in the Middle East, and he becomes so driven by living that life that it costs him his marriage, and he’s growing apart from his daughter back home.”

In Butler’s performance, audiences see the steeliness and knack for quick-thinking that people like Tom need to survive in hot-button scenarios — as well as the yearning for home that haunts them.

“There are a lot of Tom Harris-type of guys out there, and part of their motivations is patriotism and
believing in something greater than yourself,” says LaFortune. “But they’re complicated people; I saw a lot of relationships get shattered because of never-ending deployments to the Middle East. People were separated from their family and friends for such a significant amount of time. At the heart of his character is a man who believes in a greater responsibility, a greater sense of good, and that’s what drives him. But ‘war addiction’ is a real thing —an attraction to danger and adrenaline, and that’s why you have individuals who’ve done 10 or 12 deployments for 20 years. That’s hard to walk away from because it becomes your whole identity.”

Tom needs Mo’s expertise and way of getting through Iran, but mostly, he needs someone to speak
with and confide in that he can trust. “Tom starts off as a stoic character and by the end of the movie he’s opened up, and he needs Mo to find that transformation — he needs to remember what it’s like to be human again,” says LaFortune.

“Operatives can’t work in Afghanistan or really anywhere in the Middle East without the help of locals,” adds LaFortune. “We have a serious language deficiency when it comes to our ability to speak Arabic,
Pashtu, Dari or Farsi, so we’re reliant upon people from that region.”

Iranian actor Navid Negahban’s extraordinary road to Kandahar. began as a stunt coordinator and
fight choreographer before moving into producing. On the big screen, Negahban has been seen
in Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated American Sniper, Mike Nichols’ Oscar-nominated Charlie Wilson’s
War, 12 Strong with Chris Hemsworth, and Disney’s blockbuster Aladdin.

“Navid, and many other cast members, had lived this kind of life for real,” says Waugh. “Mostly as kids fleeing war and conflict in actuality, so their performances come from a place of truth.”

“Mo is based on a real person I knew who left Afghanistan in 1979 and returned after Sept. 11, 2001,
to work with the Americans,” says LaFortune. “Mo starts off as someone who doesn’t really know his place, and by the end of the movie he finds inner strength. He was a child soldier with the Northern Alliance once. But he’s far removed from that, so in a way he must become a soldier again to help Tom. Mo needs to overcome the pain and suffering in his past, in a country that took so much away from him.”

“The character of Mo is really special,” says Boyea. “He left his country years ago and is now heartbroken by what it’s become. He has a unique knowledge of Afghanistan, having lived there when he was younger, yet he feels the country is disappearing before his eyes. He and Tom come from different worlds, and what he offers to Tom is an understanding and a sympathy that Tom’s not used to. Mo forms a bond with him, and Tom feels like for the first time he’s got someone with him he trusts.”

“I finished writing the screenplay in 2016. We finally got a shoot schedule for the fall of 2021. All of a sudden it’s August of that year and Afghanistan is collapsing,” he said. “It was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life, watching it all implode. I looked at my boxes of awards or even legacies like being battlefield promoted in Afghanistan and just couldn’t resonate it all. Veterans who fought in this war to save people are watching babies get thrown over fences and people fall to their deaths off a C-130.”

“Kandahar was a very special movie. And we use a little bit of reminisces of Lawrence of Arabia, but I really want to make an epic. I want to make a historical epic. And it’s something I’ve never done before. There’s a lot of different ones. I mean, you know, Ridley Scott just did Napoleon. There’s been a lot of different ones. The one thing that I also loved about Kandahar was the fact that it was in six different languages. And it made me want to go look at doing movies in different countries, in different regions of the world, and their own native language and so forth, but I think the one that we’re talking about here for me, it’s going to be a historical,” says Director Ric Roman-Waugh.

by ·Comments Off on Explore Your Strengths And Weaknesses As A Writer

If you want to be a storyteller, it is important to explore your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.

The first step of our signature course, The Write Journey, takes you on an introspective journey to explore your strengths and weaknesses as a writer, empowering you to craft a powerful story that the world wants to watch or read. You will also explore this in our workshops.

To be a writer and become a storyteller is about developing the write attitude. This is an important contract you are signing with yourself.

Perhaps you are a master at the configuration and perfectly understand the mechanics of structure, but if you have not fully conceptualised what it is you want to write about or even fail to prioritise the rigorous toll of the writing process, you will have difficulties in completing a successful draft.

Let’s take a closer look at what it takes to be a writer:

The 7 Cs

CHANGE

You are what you write. What you write reflects who you are; your culture, humanity, history, point of view, and knowledge. What you write informs and influences your writing, your story, your theme, your plot and your characters. As a writer, you have to alter the way you see the world, change the way you think, and the way you live. You have to become schizophrenic in your constant search to create solid characters and embody alien worlds.

COURSE OF ACTION

The act of creation is an organic process, a process that evolves from the seed of inspiration to the screening of the film, staging of your play, and publication of your novel or story. You must know your place in the creative process. Know what it takes to be a writer and understand the world of the writer.

CONCEIVE

As a writer, you must continuously explore and develop new ideas that will be good for you to write. Find an idea that excites you and write with passion. Consider the criteria that breed good ideas. Make sure that your story is worth telling. Understand the conventions of the genre.

CONCEPTUALISE

Having a killer premise for an idea is not enough. You don’t have enough information. You’ve got to dramatise your premise. What is your story about? Define your premise. Articulate it. If you don’t know, who does? Expressing the idea for your story gives both the storyteller and the collaborators a focal point to develop the story and the plot.  You have to master the art of dramatising your idea and writing high concepts.

CONSTRUCTION

You have to build your story. Once the what (idea) is clear, you have to build the inner life of your story, or the why (theme), the who (characters), and how the what happens (plot). You have to turn imaginary and fictional creations into real people we fall in love with or love to hate. Bring the people who live in your story to life: Make us fall desperately in love and care deeply about the people you write about. Understand the differences between story, plot and subplot. Design faultless scenes and sequences that have meaning and impact. Explore the endless possibilities of different plots and use the right plot for the right story

CREATE

It is the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new art form or object. Creative writing is self-expression, and self-discovery, to gain knowledge, share knowledge or heal wounds.  No matter why you want to become a writer, unlocking your creativity can unlock your power to make the world a better place. You have to become an expert at research. Create a visual narrative that is continuous, coherent, and compelling in action. Create dynamic characters. Create the world of your story. Create a professional draft.

COMMERCE

 You have to eventually sell your work. In order to do this, you have to deliver a draft that is clean, lean and easy to read: You are proud of your manuscript and writing and can hand it over with confidence. Know how to sell yourself: you have to discard your writing persona and embody a business sense that will ensure your survival.

The 7 Cs are fully explored in our The Write Journey course or workshop and will give you an opportunity to introspectively evaluate your strengths and weaknesses as a writer

Copyright © 1999 – 2023 The Writing Studio/ Daniel Dercksen   ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

by ·Comments Off on Cocaine Bear – Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, the wild dark comedy Cocaine Bear’s transition from 1980s curiosity to multiplex spectacle for the masses began four years ago when screenwriter Jimmy Warden busied himself with doing what writers do best: Not writing. “I was procrastinating on doing other work and I was scrolling through Twitter or maybe it was Instagram,” Warden says. He stumbled across a fragment of the tale that inspired him to dig deeper. “I went down a rabbit hole and didn’t stop clicking links until I got the entire story. I was not disappointed.”

As Warden ripped through lines of unrefined information on his screen, the stuff that piqued his interest the most wasn’t an infamous drug smuggler’s sordid travails, but the relatively unexplored question of what happens to an animal when it gets totally blitzed on cocaine.

On Reddit, Warden came across a post that said, “There was probably about a five-minute window before [the bear] died where [it] was the most dangerous apex predator on any fucking continent.” An idea was born.

“That was the inspiration for writing the movie,” Warden says. “But l knew I wasn’t just going to have the bear die of a drug overdose. That’d be kind of a downer. So, I thought it could kill a lot of people instead. Building this script was such an insane journey. The instant I came across the story of the cocaine bear, I knew I had to write it. How could I not? Dreaming up different ways for a bear on cocaine to kill people in the woods is the most fun I’ve ever had writing a script.”

Jimmy Warden

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels, Pitch Perfect 2) and written by Jimmy Warden (The Babysitter: Killer Queen), 

Warden’s screenplay is faithful only to the inciting incident of Andrew Carter Thornton II littering a national park with cocaine. Everything else in this dark comedy is fiction.

Warden transmogrified the unlucky 175-pound bear into a 500-pound killing machine with incredible metabolism.

He populated the Chattahoochee with an eclectic spread of people for “Cokey,” as he dubbed his bear, to terrorize and graze, fleshing out each of them with meaty conflicts and juicy personal missions. These included: 1) a single mom searching the woods for her lost daughter and the girl’s smitten friend, 2) a forest ranger trying to capture the heart of a PETA inspector, 3) a pair of criminals trying to repair their friendship after a tragic loss, 4) a detective with an emotionally ambiguous relationship with a Maltese, 5) some Norwegian hikers, some brave paramedics, a gang of artsy-fartsy punks with a jones for 20th-century French conceptual artist Marcel Duchamp (because of course), and more.

Further inspiring Warden in his writing of this 1980s tale were the movies of the Eighties, specifically escapism of the Amblin kind, with everyday people having close encounters with extraordinary, inexplicable things. “Steven Spielberg movies were highly influential on me as a kid,” says Warden. “I loved the idea of high-concept danger, but grounded with real characters overcoming real-world struggles.”

Warden asked his friend, producer Brian Duffield (himself a screenwriter), to help advise on the project. Duffield saw the film as an outrageous allegorical critique of America in the Reagan era, especially the dubious War on Drugs and its despoiling, destructive consequences. It’s also, Duffield says, “and about a bear who eats a lot of cocaine and ruins a lot of lives.”

Duffield recommended the script to producer Aditya Sood, president of the production for Lord Miller. He read it in one night and bought it the next morning.

“What Jimmy wrote was so far above anything that any movie named Cocaine Bear had any right to be,” says Sood. His acquisition created a reunion for Warden and Oscar-winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Warden had worked as a production assistant on their hit 21 Jump Street.

“We always say that we think of the movies we work on as pranks,” says Lord, “and we thought the ultimate prank would be to make a really good movie called Cocaine Bear.” Says Miller: “Jimmy is very thoughtful in what he does. So what’s crazy about this movie is that it has a really sweet heart, even though it has a, uh, lot of bear murder.”

To pull off this particular prank, Lord and Miller needed a director who could not only execute entertainingly savage animal violence but also handle a tricky mix of modes and moods. They turned to a talent they knew well: Elizabeth Banks, who helmed Pitch Perfect 2 and Charlie’s Angels (2019), and who, as a celebrated actor, has worked in every possible genre of film, including both of Lord-Miller’s LEGO movies. “Elizabeth has been our friend for a long time, and we have a terrific shorthand with her,” says Miller. “She knows all sides of the business. She’s really great with actors. She thinks about movies in a really smart way. So, she’s a real dynamo.”

For her part, Banks was just as thrilled to work with Lord and Miller again. “We know each other well enough that we know each other’s sense of humor really well,” says Banks, who also agreed to produce the film alongside her producing partner and spouse Max Handelman. “Phil, Chris, and I all saw the same thing in the script, and I knew I was never going to have to worry about not being on the same page with them about tone or jokes. They have impeccable taste. I’m an absolutely ginormous fan of theirs.”

For screenwriter Warden, the experience was a dream scenario. “It’s surreal writing something like this, then watching some of the most talented people in the world put everything they have into making it come to life,” Warden says. “From Elizabeth’s direction to the wonderful group of producers to the spectacular cast and crew, everyone did such a beautiful job bringing Cokey to the big screen.”

Elizabeth Banks grew up watching and loving late ’70s and ’80s movies, and she immediately saw the potential with Cocaine Bear to pay homage to that era, but also to create a hilarious, gory, entertaining ride for audiences.

“For me, as an audience member, and as somebody who had aspired to make films, I have always loved horror and comedy together,” Banks says. “Horror and comedy are two sides of the same coin to me. The best thing you can do is take the audience on a real roller coaster, making them laugh, making them scream, making them jump. That’s what the goal was in making this film. I really felt like this was the opportunity to layer real true comedy, laugh-out-loud moments, with a real sense of suspense and a lot of gore, and have a great time with this big, bright, broad idea of this bear that’s going to fuck some people up.”

Director Elizabeth Banks © 2023 Universal Studios

That mix of dark comedy and horror is rare on screen, largely because it is difficult to execute well. If the film is too scary the comedy doesn’t land; if it’s too campy the audience never feels scared. But Banks was not only up for the challenge, she was eager for it. “I think what I do best as a filmmaker is walking a fine line of tone,” Banks says. “I essentially make comedies, but I put them inside of other movies. My first movie, Pitch Perfect 2, was a comedy inside of a musical. Charlie’s Angels was a comedy inside of an action movie. This is a comedy inside of a horror movie. To me, it felt like we could do something special and unique like the Coen brothers meet Evil Dead.”

It was also an opportunity to work on a film with a huge number of visual effects. “That was one of the reasons I wanted to direct it,” Banks says. “I think a lot of women don’t get the opportunity to do things with a lot of green screen and effects and action because of this assumption that women aren’t interested in that sort of thing. I wanted to prove that that’s a myth. That was one of the reasons that I really liked the idea of doing it. I just love the challenge. And I really wanted to learn a new set of skills.”

Throughout the process, she delighted in the details of special-effects testing. “It’s one of my favorite things about making movies,” Banks says. “It’s figuring out, ‘How’s this going to work? How thick is the blood? How thick are the guts? How thick is the brain matter? What does cocaine look like? How does it move when you blow on it or sniff it? How big are the bricks of cocaine and what will it look like when we cut it?’ Everything is talked about ad nauseam, in multiple meetings, so we can bring it all to set and bring it to life.”

Indeed, for Banks, it was important that for all the bloody mayhem caused by Cokey on Cocaine Bear, most of the death is the result of human folly and the long tail consequences of their flawed choices. Cokey is seen as a corrupted innocent and represents a reckoning for humanity’s exploitative abuse of the environment. “It was really important to me that the bear in our film become the hero of the movie,” says Banks. “In real life, the bear was a victim of something that people did. It’s tragic, actually, how this story came to be, and I wanted to honor that. There was so much collateral damage in the war on drugs on eighties, and beyond that, to the destructive way we treat the Earth, and we have not fixed it yet. You can’t blame the animal for going crazy. You can’t blame nature for turning on us, when all we’re doing is fucking with the planet. We think we can get away with this. That’s our hubris. And now it’s come back to bite us in the gut.”

The greatest challenge Elizabeth Banks and her production team faced in producing Cocaine Bear was getting the “Cocaine Bear” of it all right.

No real bears would be used for the film, so the animal would need to be created. “I knew if the bear wasn’t real, if we lost the audience with a fakey looking bear, that the movie wouldn’t work at all,” says Banks. “So we needed the best in the business to work on this bear.” Enter Weta, the New Zealand-based special effects company founded by Peter Jackson, renowned for their work on The Lord of the Rings, Avatar and The Planet of the Apes franchises, to bring the title character to life. “They got the tone,” says Banks, “and they understood that a bear could have really interesting behavior, because it’s high on cocaine. That was the bear’s super power, if you will, the magic that we could literally sprinkle onto our bear.”

The first step was deciding on Cokey’s appearance. Banks wanted a photo-realistic, National Geographic nature documentary-quality bear. After considering dozens of different species in the Ursidae family, Banks and company decided to model their animal on a female sun bear. The sun bear is an omnivore that’s fond of trees and has excellent climbing skills, with a stocky physique, sable fur with sun-bleached auburn highlights, muscular limbs, curved paws with sharp claws, and a short snout. The short snout, science tells us, is an asset in fighting and hunting, but also limits a creature’s sense of smell, which, in turn, can limit its ability to discern between naturally occurring forest foodstuffs that are safe and healthy for them to consume and, say, cocaine.

“The sun bear, by its design, just looks cooked, you know?” says Weta FX visual effects supervisor Robin Hollander (Eternals). “They’re sort of lopsided; they have a long tongue; they’re quite ferocious when they eat things. So, it was really interesting for us to get onboard early and try and shape the character by taking cues out of real life and then saying, ‘Okay, when she’s high, she could do this, and when she’s really coked out and she’s tired she can be doing that a little bit more.”

To make Cokey even more distinctive, she was given a scar on her snout and a nicked ear. “We wanted to give her some really specific attributes so the audience always understood that there was only just one bear on cocaine in the movie, not two or three,” says Banks, adding that in doing so, Cokey gained even more personality than simply being the world’s newest and most interesting drug addict. “This is not somebody that you mess with,” says Banks. “She’s a survivor.”

The task of performing Cokey fell to ALLAN HENRY, a veteran motion capture/stunt performer who has played a wide variety of fantastic beasts, alien creatures, and assorted in wildlife in such movies as The Jungle Book, Jumanji: The Next Level, and Avengers: Endgame. “When I first got the job, they just said, ‘We need someone who can be a bear in Kentucky and rampage through the forest and maul people,” says Henry. “Weirdly enough in this industry, that is not an odd thing to hear for a job.”

To prepare for the role, Henry studied videos of bear movement, though they didn’t offer much insight into how to incorporate the feature that makes Cokey different than the average bear. “Being a bear is hard enough,” says Henry. “But being a bear on cocaine… well, that’s a challenge. There’s not a lot of research about bears on cocaine. No one’s really had any time to interview a bear on cocaine, either. It was a lot of guesswork on my part, honestly.”

© 2023 Universal Studios

The Story Behind the Legend

Sometime around 1 AM on Sept. 11, 1985, Andrew Carter Thornton II, an Army paratrooper-turned-racehorse trainer-turned-narcotics cop-turned-DEA agent- turned-lawyer-turned-cocaine smuggler (oh, and alleged CIA operative, too), made a series of bold choices under possible duress while flying higher than a kite—literally, and maybe figuratively, too—that would set in motion a chain events which, nearly four decades later, now culminates in a major motion picture.

Nicknamed “The Cocaine Cowboy” and remembered for his “Rambo” personality and fancy footwear, Thornton had a well-honed m.o. of flying cocaine into the country from south of the border and dropping illicit cargo into wilderness areas in the Southeastern United States to be retrieved later with the assistance of associates. On this 9/11 morning in the Just Say No 1980s, Thornton was piloting a twin-engine five-seat Cessna carrying 880 pounds of Colombian flake (street value: at least $14 million) bound for Knoxville, Tennessee, while wearing a khaki jacket over a bulletproof vest, black gloves and gray-laced Gucci dress shoes. His traveling companion was reportedly Bill Leonard, karate instructor, bodybuilder, and sometimes bodyguard-for-hire, who claimed that he had been tricked into making the journey with Thornton and didn’t initially know the purpose of the trip; legend has it that prior to takeoff, they dined on parrot in The Bahamas, and during the flight, Leonard got sick and puked all over the cockpit.

While it wasn’t uncommon for Thornton to bail out of his planes with his coke drops and let them crash in the ocean, it’s unclear if that was his intention on this trip. According to a 1990 interview Leonard gave to The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Thornton became convinced they were being tailed by feds as they entered U.S. airspace over Florida and took action. They tossed three duffle bags of cocaine, each weighing 70 pounds, give or take a brick, overboard; they would land intact in the Chattahoochee National Forest of Northern Georgia. Thornton then gave Leonard a brief tutorial on how to operate a parachute—Leonard had never skydived before— and pushed him out the door. (Leonard landed safely and was never charged with any crime). But others speculate that Thornton did what he did because the Cessna was having mechanical difficulties—or that Thornton might have been plotting to fake his own death. Only God now knows.

What’s certain is that as the plane approached the intersection of Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas at an altitude of 8,400 feet, Thornton engaged the autopilot and decided to follow Leonard to the ground. With the pockets of his cargo pants stuffed with $4,586.76 in cash and coins, six 1 ounce gold Kurggerands, and notebooks scribbled with secret codes and telephone numbers, Thornton made himself even bulkier with a professional-grade skydiver’s parachute and two pieces of luggage: A gray nylon bag containing a Browning 9mm assault pistol and extra clips, a .22 Derringer, assorted ammunition, night-vision equipment, rations, a survival knife, and an altimeter; and a black nylon bag, tied to his waist with a 10 foot rope, containing 35 yellow plastic packets of cocaine, each weighing 2.2 pounds (77 lbs. total), a $1.225 million pinch of the total haul. He then donned goggles and jumped (or perhaps hit his head and fell) into dark sky over Eastern Tennessee. Sometime between 1:30 AM and 2:30 AM, the Cessna crashed into an ivy-covered ridge roughly 60 miles away in the Natahala National Forest of North Carolina.

What went wrong during Thornton’s fall is unknown. The police would find the parachute’s main canopy half a mile away from his body; apparently, it separated from the harness without ever unfurling. He did manage to deploy a back-up chute, but it didn’t do any good; the speculation is that he was too heavy for it. And so it went that The Cocaine Cowboy landed in a gravel driveway in a residential neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee, and died on the spot with blood streaming from his nose and mouth. Happy Trails, Fancy Rambo.

Thornton would, sadly, not be the only casualty of that flight. Four months later, it was discovered that a black bear, weighing about 175 pounds, had been lumbering through Chattahoochee wilderness near Blood Mountain when it bumbled upon a duffle that Thornton had pitched overboard, took some sniffs, and decided to consume the contents of the bag. When the bear’s corpse was eventually found, an autopsy revealed that it had succumbed to a combination of cerebral hemorrhaging, hyperthermia, respiratory failure, renal failure, and heart failure. The bear’s stomach was filled to capacity with cocaine, upwards of 35 pounds, although only four grams of booger sugar was found in its bloodstream. (It would take almost twice that amount to kill a person of the same weight, says the Internet.) Because all 40 yellow plastic packets of cocaine—an estimated 77 lbs.—contained in the duffle were found ravaged and empty at the scene, authorities suspect that other foolish animals, including some of the human variety, helped themselves to the majority of the Colombian windfall in the four months between when the bag landed in the woods and the discovery by authorities of the bear’s body.

by ·Comments Off on Magic Mike’s Last Dance – Exploring Love And Commitment

Ten years after Magic Mike wowed audiences, director Steven Soderbergh is back at the helm, with producer and writer Reid Carolin returning to pen the screenplay for Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

“What we’ve done with these films, this one especially, is give audiences all the pure fun of watching these amazingly talented dancers perform, but also used dance as a sort of Trojan horse to sneak
in other ideas.”

The director adds that, for this final round, the filmmakers upped the ante by giving Mike the option to really have it all…if only he can reach out and grab it.

“What is desire, what does that mean? What do love and commitment really mean in our world? Wrapped up in all the dazzling choreography and exciting dance numbers, the film tries to explore those real questions about how relationships are defined today.”

Tatum, who returns in his role as Mike and also serves as a producer, observes, “The first movie was about Mike realizing, ‘I need to figure out what I’m doing with my life.’ The second one put these guys on a pedestal and let them flesh out their characters, but it was still really about these men. Since then, women in films have become more open, more conversational about what they want, and we’d also created the live show. What we learned doing that made us want to make this third movie and to really redesign what Magic Mike is. We wanted to put the best dancers in the world in the movie, and have a strong female lead who is pivotal to the story and as important as Mike in the plot.”

Director Steven Soderbergh

Salma Hayek Pinault, who plays a steamy new love interest for Mike, was excited to sign on, having observed the unexpected similarities between her character and Mike.

“Maxandra meets Mike in a moment where she, too, feels a little bit lost. It happens out of the blue, and she does something out of character, just once, she thinks, because she’s going through so much in her life. But something happens to her, and she gets inspired by him; he reminds her of a part of her she had lost, and he gives her the strength to explore another side of herself.”

Tatum adds, “These two people meet at a very interesting moment in their lives. Mike had taken his furniture company as far as it could go and it folded; Max had been in a marriage for a number of years and it’s fallen apart. They are both at this crossroads, thinking, ‘Who do I want to be now? What do I do now?’ That’s where we meet them, and where they meet each other.”

“Magic” Mike Lane (Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse…and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?

Stepping back into Mike’s shoes

“Magic Mike Live” opened at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in April 2017, the Hippodrome London in Leicester Square in November 2018, in Sydney, Australia in December 2020, and in Berlin, Germany in September 2021, conceived and directed by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin, with Alison Faulk
onboard as co-director and choreographer with her team.

The dancers selected for the film represent the live stage shows, with guys from the London, Las Vegas and Berlin shows, as well as Charles and Anthony Bartlett representing the Australia show. This meant Faulk and her team could draw for the film not only dancers, but versions of the numbers they’d performed live, giving the choreography team a strong starting point as they adapted those visuals that would work on film. Then, the choreographers created moments for each of the dancers to show off his individuality and specialized skills, allowing each of their personalities to come through in their characters.

And because they wanted to go as big as possible, they included a huge variety of dance styles in the film: Hip Hop, Breaking, Krumping, Jazz, Contemporary, Partnering, Salsa, elements of Popping, and what Faulk describes as “athletic lap dancing.” In addition, as an Easter egg of sorts for fans of the live show, signature dance moves drawn from there for the film include “The Old Faithful” and “The Dolphin Dive.”

For Tatum, stepping back into Mike’s shoes meant putting himself through a rigorous training routine, as well as workshopping and creating his dance numbers from scratch with the choreography team.
“At 42, it’s a whole different thing than when I was actually dancing at 19,”

Long before leaving for filming in London, Tatum got back into a routine of working out and rehearsing for hours each day, which continued throughout filming once he reached London.

Tatum laughs. “It’s a full-time job, one-hundred percent. And the dancers, for me, were the reason to do the movie. They’re killers, each and every single one of them can do something that no one else on the planet can do as well; they’re one of a kind. And because of the live shows around the world there are so many of them, so it was really hard to pick which dancers we wanted for the movie.”

One of the seminal performance scenes in the movie was inspired by, as Tatum describes it, “a very, very arresting dance that really takes your breath away, a number that involves a massive amount of water.”

Filming took place primarily in Miami Beach, Florida and in and around London, England in the spring of 2022. The sun was shining as Soderbergh and his crew captured a vintage silver 1962 Rolls Royce Cloud Three crisscrossing central London, taking in the Thames, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the London Eye, and delivering Mike to swanky Bayswater. London is truly positioned as the heart of the production and the film.

STEVEN SODERBERGH (Director) is a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. He most recently directed the films “KIMI” (2022) and “No Sudden Move” (2021), both of which debuted on HBO Max. He earned the Academy Award in 2000 for directing “Traffic,” the same year he was nominated for “Erin Brockovich.” Soderbergh earlier gained an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for “sex, lies, and videotape,” his feature film directorial debut. The film also won the Palme d’Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. Among his other credits are the HBO limited series “Mosaic,” the television
series “The Knick” for Cinemax, and the films “Let Them All Talk,” “The Laundromat,” “High Flying Bird,” “Unsane,” “Logan Lucky,” “Side Effects,” “Magic Mike,” “Haywire,” “Contagion,” “And Everything is Going Fine,” “The Girlfriend Experience,” “The Informant!,” “Che,” the “Ocean’s” trilogy, “The Good German,” “Bubble,” “Equilibrium,” “Solaris,” “Full Frontal,” “The Limey,” “Out of Sight,” “Gray’s Anatomy,” “Schizopolis,” “The Underneath,” “King of the Hill” and “Kafka.” His television film “Behind the Candelabra,” for which he won a 2013 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing, debuted on HBO in May of that year. His numerous producing credits include director Gregory Jacobs’ 2015 “Magic Mike” follow-up, “Magic Mike XXL,” on which Soderbergh served as executive Producer. He recently produced Elvis Mitchell’s documentary “Is That Black Enough for You?!?” and is in production on the limited series “Full Circle,” also for HBO Max.

REID CAROLIN (Writer/Producer) most recently released “Dog,” a road-trip comedy that he wrote and co-directed with his long-time creative collaborator, Channing Tatum. He previously wrote and produced “Magic Mike” and “Magic Mike XXL,” as well as co-directed, wrote and produced “Magic Mike Live,” the
immersive theatrical show inspired by the film franchise. Carolin and his business partners, Tatum and Peter Kiernan, founded their production company, Free Association, in 2014. They previously produced
“Fatherhood” (Netflix, 2021), starring Kevin Hart, and the animated comedy “America: The Motion Picture” (Netflix, 2021). They are currently in post-production on “Spacemen of Bohemia” (Netflix, 2022), starring Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan and Paul Dano, and directed by Johan Renck (“Chernobyl”). In the non-fiction space, Carolin wrote and produced “Earth Made of Glass” (HBO, 2010), a documentary chronicling the search for truth in post-genocide Rwanda, for which he won a Peabody Award and was nominated for
Best Documentary at the 2011 Producers Guild Awards and produced the documentary “War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend” (HBO, 2017)



by ·Comments Off on M3GAN – A Classic, scary, scream-in-your-seats horror

When it came to the ideal screenwriter to flesh out the premise for M3GAN – a killer-doll movie that was Annabelle meets The Terminator – producer James Wan, the filmmaker behind the Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises, and Blumhouse, the producer of the Halloween films, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man knew they needed a strong female perspective on the story and that storyteller Akela Cooper was a perfect choice.

M3GAN would be Cooper’s first screenplay for Wan’s Atomic Monster, but she would go on to write 2021’s Malignant for Wan as well as next year’s The Nun 2.

Their first meeting with Atomic Monster was memorable.  “We were all just horror fans,” Cooper says. “They said, ‘Do you want to take a crack at this idea?’ and they liked my take. That got me in the door, and that led us to this fruitful relationship.”

As a Black woman writing horror, Cooper is also opening doors of her own. “A few years ago, I was on a horror panel at the Austin Film Festival,” Cooper says “There were several Black women in the front row. I was introduced as the writer of Malignant and Nun 2. Afterward, they came up and said, ‘We didn’t know Black women could write horror.’ I told them, ‘We can write anything.’”

Screenwriter Akela Cooper

For M3GAN, Cooper tapped into her own fears as she began to build the premise for the film: a professional woman, Gemma, who finds herself unprepared to care for her recently orphaned niece. “I used to babysit my niece and nephew, and I realized how scared I would be if I suddenly had to take care of a young child full time,” Cooper says. “We needed to push our heroine, Gemma, out of her depth to give her that solid arc into adulthood. She doesn’t know how to deal with this role she’s been thrust into, so she brings her career into it. That’s M3GAN. Gemma’s failsafe is, ‘Now, I can take care of my niece without actually having to take care of her. I don’t know how to deal with childhood trauma, but this robot can do it.’”

Cooper leaned into the fact that Gemma was not only shirking her guardian responsibilities but also creating a greater problem by refusing to be an emotionally present adult for her niece, Cady. “There’s a therapist who tells Gemma that her niece is going to form this bond with this robot, and it is not going to be good,” Cooper says. “We had to make sure to start Gemma in the most uncomfortable spot possible and arc her toward full responsibility for Cady.”

Gemma’s guilt will later be compounded when she realizes that M3GAN’s more horrific actions are driven by a programming decision that Gemma herself created. “That was a request from James,” Cooper says. “That actually makes it worse for Gemma, and more heartbreaking, because she tells M3GAN to protect Cady at all costs…and the doll takes it literally.”

On a broader cultural level, the film explores our increasing dependence on technology to run our lives … and the potential threat if that tech begins to exceed our control.

“The science and the A.I. aspects were fascinating with which to play, as they are so relevant to today’s world,” Wan says “We rely on technology so much in everything we do. For these devices to turn around and attack us would be horrifying. That’s the thing that we wanted to try and capture with M3GAN.”

“Akela’s so smart, savvy, and good at structure; she knew exactly the movie that I wanted to make,”says Wan “She is not afraid to push things that others might deem ridiculous or over-the-top. She understands that you must lean into concepts that might be a bit more far-fetched to stand out from the crop of recent horror films.”

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet Mcgraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences. As M3GAN and Cady develop an unbreakable bond, Gemma grows more and more terrified that the very creation she invented to help Cady heal is learning at an exponential rate…and that M3GAN may be perceiving “threats” to Cady that do not exist.

How M3GAN originated

Not so many years ago, M3GAN executive producers Michael Clear and Judson Scott were riffing at their Atomic Monster office alongside producer James Wan and colleague Rob Hackett.

“We’re all film nerds and were talking about the fact that there are not enough killer-doll movies,” James Wan says. “That led me to say, ‘It’s funny. There is a perception that I make those kinds of films. Strangely enough, none of my dolls kill anyone. They are a conduit for a supernatural entity or a demonic force that lives within. For example, in the case of Saw, Jigsaw has a puppet that he talks through as a mouthpiece.’”

As the conversation progressed, they hit on an idea: “‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we did a killer-doll movie that was Annabelle meets The Terminator? Instead of being a supernatural film, we thought it would be great to do a ‘technology gone awry’ version of that,” Wan says.

“What I’ve learned from Annabelle is how beloved she is by girls,” Wan says. “We knew that this part of the horror audience is very important to us, so we needed to have a feminine energy and perspective with M3GAN.”

The Journey from Page To Screen

Jason Blum’s Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster have long been the two most prolific and iconic creators of modern horror.

M3GAN is Blum and Wan’s second collaboration; the first being the Insidious franchise.

To helm the film, Blum and Wan hired New Zealand native Gerard Johnstone, director of the 2014 horror comedy Housebound.

Director Gerard Johnstone

“M3GAN has a specific tone that can be hard to achieve,” Blum says. “I loved Gerard’s first movie, Housebound. It was a fine balance between capturing the brooding dread of a haunted-house story but bringing in a quirky sense of humor. For M3GAN, the idea of a robot friend that turns into a killer doll is terrifying, but there’s a dark humor simmering just below the surface of that idea. If you have a director that doesn’t embrace that, the movie will never work, and Gerard understands that in an effortless way.”

“M3GAN has a specific tone that can be hard to achieve,” Blum says. “I loved Gerard’s first movie, Housebound. It was a fine balance between capturing the brooding dread of a haunted-house story but bringing in a quirky sense of humor. For M3GAN, the idea of a robot friend that turns into a killer doll is terrifying, but there’s a dark humor simmering just below the surface of that idea. If you have a director that doesn’t embrace that, the movie will never work, and Gerard understands that in an effortless way.”

M3GAN is classic, scary, scream-in-your-seats horror, but Wan and Blum knew that it was not a film that should be treated in a deadly serious manner. “Gerard brought a tone that walked this fine line,” Wan says. “If it leaned too far one way or the other, the film would collapse. He knows how to get us to scream when we need to and to laugh when we need to—and chuckle at these quirky things M3GAN does.”

It was Johnstone’s idea, for instance, that M3GAN would be dancing while also committing violence in one unforgettable (and instantly meme-able) scene. “There are such absurd moments that Gerard added, which gives it that fun, camp feel,” Akela Cooper says. “I didn’t write M3GAN dancing; I wrote her on a killing spree. When I saw it, I thought, ‘This is so weird, but it works. That makes the death all the more uncomfortable.’”

Johnstone says that Housebound has been influenced by a Wan and Blumhouse horror classic, so he was relieved that they were keen to have him direct M3GAN.

“That made me feel less guilty about how much I’d stolen from Insidious to create the scares in my film,” Johnstone says. “It was an interesting first meeting because, although James is the undisputed master of creepy-doll movies, none of those dolls had actually moved or even spoken, so figuring out how to bring M3GAN to life was exciting new territory for all of us.”

When he read Akela Cooper’s script, the director was drawn to the interplay between technology and parenting in the modern world. “There have been obvious comparisons to Child’s Play,” Johnstone says, “but what drew me to the project was a chance to make a modern morality tale about parenting in the 21st century. As a new dad, I was troubled by how pervasive smartphones and tablets were becoming, and M3GAN was a chance to satirize that.”

Notably, Johnstone himself is pretty hands-off when it comes to modern tech. “Gerard is not on social media at all,” Wan says. “He’s the perfect director for this job because he doesn’t like it in that respect. He can make a movie about technology going bad with the correct perspective.”

That meant, however, that Johnstone had a steep learning curve about the cutting edge of what artificial intelligence can do. His wife ended up being an invaluable resource and unofficial tech consultant. “She was constantly handing me New Yorker articles on A.I. and cyber psychology and waking me up whenever I fell asleep reading them,” Johnstone says. “We also had some wonderfully smart people weigh in on the script, such as ALEX KAUFFMANN from Google. Through that process we were able to understand how these machines worked and pepper scenes with insights and verbiage that gave them legitimacy and a unique perspective.”   

Tonally, Johnstone was inspired by darkly comedic domestic noirs that featured femme fatale anti-heroes such as Gone Girl and The Hand that Rocks the Cradle as well as some other unexpected influences. “To a certain extent, I was also influenced by The Omen, in that M3GAN’s a bit like an A.I. anti-Christ,” Johnstone says. “I also felt there was a little of Pinocchio in the DNA of M3GAN, and that Gemma was a modern-day Geppetto.”

On a human level, Johnstone also wanted to explore how we manage our own ambitions with responsibilities as parents in the modern age. “We fool ourselves into thinking we’ll be able to spend time with our kids once we take care of everything else—our careers, finances, etc.,” Johnstone says. “But by then they’re not kids anymore. I can attest to the fact that parenting is difficult. There is a certain fantasy wish-fulfillment aspect of M3GAN, that she can do all the tedious things you don’t want to do. But the flip side is that if you give your child over to a machine like M3GAN, good luck getting them back.” 

by ·Comments Off on The Pale Blue Eye – A Gothic Murder Mystery

Writer-director Scott Cooper’s The Pale Blue Eye is a visually haunting and methodically paced murder mystery that places a young Edgar Allan Poe at the center of a detective story.

The Pale Blue Eye‘s journey from page to screen began 10 years ago after Scott Cooper completed Crazy Heart.

“My father, who taught literature and English, introduced the book to me. Much like Poe, I spent my formative years in the state of Virginia. I was born there. Poe … was never adopted, but John Allan — his benefactor in Richmond, Virginia — raised him for many, many years in the state of Virginia. My father taught English and literature, and after my first film, Crazy Heart, he sent me the novel. My father said, “I’ve read the most ingenious book, where the author Louis Bayard has placed Edgar Allan Poe, a young Poe, at the center of a detective story.” Of course, Poe bequeathed to us detective fiction and horror fiction. I read it for pleasure, That’s how The Pale Blue Eye made its way to me: my father.”

Cooper thoughts that it could make for a really compelling if he could do a number of things.

“One, I could make a whodunnit. I could also make this father and son love story where two loners who kind of exist on the margins of society come together and forge a deep friendship. And then thirdly, I could make an Edgar Allan Poe origin story, because we all are entrenched with this notion of who Edgar Allan Poe was when he wrote The Raven and Telltale Heart and Murder in the Rue Morgue. But this is a film before that era. This is when he was still in his formative stages and was just starting to write poetry and just starting to write fiction. So what I’m saying is that the two hours that take place in this narrative motivate young Poe to become the writer he ultimately became. The events that take place in this movie inspired him to become the author of The Raven and The Premature Burial and The Telltale Heart.”

Adapted from the book of the same name by Louis Bayard, it’s the sixth film directed by Cooper, who began his career with the exceptional 2009 music drama Crazy Heart and continued to offer up compelling stories in Out of the Furnace, Hostiles, and Antlers. The Pale Blue Eye also marks Cooper’s third collaboration with Christian Bale, for whom the lead character of detective Augustus Landor was written.

“As a director, to have two actors who bring two very different performances in the same frame is really compelling. One in Christian, as I mentioned, who’s quite restrained and quite observant. Then you have Harry Melling, who is open to flourishes and who can hardly keep whatever thoughts that are coursing through his head from verbalizing. To see these two men occupy the same space, and then at the end of the film, how much loss and regret and heartbreak both men ultimately experienced … I thought would be, for a viewer, but certainly for the writer and director, a really wonderful experience.”

The Pale Blue Eye is set at West Point in 1830. A world-weary detective (Christian Bale) is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. It features a surprising secondary protagonist in a young Edgar Allan Poe, played to perfection by Harry Melling. Together, Bale’s Landor and Melling’s Poe must work together to discover the identity of a killer who has taken the life—and removed the heart—of a West Point cadet.

The collaboration between Cooper and Bale

When Cooper made Out Of The Furnace in 2013 with Christian Bale, which marked their first collaboration, he shared his screenplay of The Pale Blue Eye with Bale.

“I shared my screenplay with him, which he loved,” says Cooper. “We felt he was probably too young to play Augustus Landor at that point, and too old to play Poe, so we waited. I continued to work on the script, I tailored it for him, and then last year, we said, “Hey, what about making The Pale Blue Eye now?” And off we went.”

“But [also], life has intervened in those last ten or twelve years, and Christian brings life experience and all of his work as an actor since he was 12 years old into each part. He’s made it a richer, more interesting character than I think I would have conceived ten or twelve years before. And then it allowed me to cast Harry Melling as a young Poe as well.”

“Christian is not only my closest collaborator, he’s my closest pal, I write specifically for him. There are many things about him that I admire, and I know what he’s going to bring to a character, but very often he surprises me and brings something so much more interesting than I have conceived on the page.”

Writer-director Scott Cooper and Christian Bale

“Most narratives, I think lie to the audience about how life works out. And I guess if there’s anything that certainly ties my film together, it’s that making films can be a way of observing and making sense of the world. I know that you don’t get to choose your obsessions, they kind of choose you. But I guess something that binds them is, I like stories that kind of say something deep-rooted about American life and its relationship with the darker corners of the human psyche.”

With any mystery movie, it’s common for people to go back and see if there are any clues they missed the first time

“I do believe that my films get richer upon repeated viewings, whether it’s Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace, or Hostiles. The Pale Blue Eye is no exception, and maybe more so here because I have laid all the breadcrumbs for a repeated viewing for the intrepid to say, “A-ha! I could have seen it all along.” And there are some people who will spot it upon first viewing, but because this is a whodunit, I thought it would be a great challenge and a lot of fun to leave a trail of clues for someone who deigns to see it a second time.”

“As the director, you want to leave breadcrumbs for people to see upon a second viewing — should they watch the film a second time — that they could have really picked up early on, some of the clues that lead to that particular scene, firstly. Secondly, I think we shot the final scene in an entire day, maybe a 12 or 14-hour day, where everything comes to the fore — the entire film rests on the success of that scene.”

“The ending, arguably, is always the most important thing in any movie. It’s the last thing the viewer will think about. Everything has been building to that particular moment. If the endings don’t work, well then the film is not going to work. Whether the film has wonderful performances or production design, you’ve created a great tone, aesthetic, or world … everything has to come together emotionally, has to come together psychologically … it has to come together in ways that feel honest. And I hope that you felt that It did.”

Shooting The Film

“It was incredibly difficult to shoot this film. [We shot in a] quite unforgiving and brutal landscape that was not easily accessible. Temperatures were four below, eight below zero for long stretches when you’re outside, but it all really lent itself to Poe’s evocative and macabre aesthetic.”

“The film just wouldn’t feel the same if it were shot in any other season but winter, where the leaves from the trees have been denuded. You get the architecture of the branches, you get a really incredibly lovely, but brutal, unforgiving landscape because we’re all affected by our environments. It really speaks Poe’s aesthetic. My cinematographer, my production designer, and my costume designer, wanted to have a very controlled palette. One that almost felt like it was in black and white, it was so stark. It was all very deliberate.”

Crafting the Dialogue

For Cooper, it was a challenge to nail the tone of the dialogue.

“It was quite a challenge,” says Cooper. “America was still in its infancy in 1830. Of course, the English influence was quite pervasive; it wasn’t American English. People were much more verbose than they are today. Most of my films don’t have a lot of dialogue, and they’re told quite visually, but this is a dialogue- and plot-driven film because it is a whodunit and a murder mystery. I also had a lot of fun writing dialogue for these characters because they were at times theatrical, [with] a bit more flourish than most of the very lean dialogue in my films.”

“This was all in service of Edgar Allan Poe, who is one of my favorite writers, in trying to evoke what he might have written, or would go on to write. I would read a lot of Dickens at the time, just to get a sense, and would rewrite some of his passages. That helped send me on my way. And, of course, Louis Bayard’s wonderful novel.”

Cooper’s favorite work of Edgar Allan Poe

“One of my favorite works of Poe’s is called The Premature Burial. It was first published, I think, in 1844. The narrator has an obsessive fear and horrible nightmares that he will be buried alive while comatose. That’s something that people of that era feared quite openly. Fears of being entombed before one’s time plagued Poe’s thoughts and a lot of people. It’s one of my favorites.”

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TOP 5 FILMS WORLDWIDE (31 December) (1) Avatar: Way Of The Water – $1.6 B (2) Top Gun: Maverick – $1.4 B (3) Jurassic World: Dominion – $1 B (4) Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness – $9.5 M (5) Minions: The Rise of Gru – $9.3 M. Box Office Mojo

1.The Fabelmans
2. All Quiet On The
Western Front
3.Avatar: The Way Of The Water
4. My Policeman
5. Blonde
6. Good Luck To You, 
Leo Grande
7. Triangle of Sadness
8. Belfast
9. C’mon C’mon
10.The Menu
11. Top Gun: Maverick
12. Operation Mincemeat
13. Dog
14. Nightmare Alley
15. Eiffel
16. The Black Phone
17. The Survivor
18. Where The Crawdads   Sing
19. Gaia
20.Redeeming Love

Action Thriller / Adventure

Everything Everywhere All At Once is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action-adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes; two bank robbers steal an ambulance occupied by a paramedic and a patient in critical condition in Ambulance; the people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T’Challa in The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; an unlucky assassin is on a collision course with lethal adversaries on the world’s fastest train in Bullet Train; a former Green Beret finds himself being hunted by the people who employed him in The Contractor; Detective James Knight’s past collides with his future in Detective Knight: Rogue; Detective James Knight gets caught up in the middle of a jailbreak, led by a violent fanatic named The Christmas Bomber and his Santa Claus disciples in Detective Knight: Redemption; Miami’s top mob enforcer discovers his femme fatale boss has branched out into cyber-sex trafficking in The Enforcer; Feuding brothers King Wenceslas of Czech and King Sigismund of Hungary battle for control of the empty throne in Medieval; an expert assassin refuses to complete a job that violates his code in Memory; a skilled Comanche warrior protects her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans in Prey; the God of Thunder embarks on a journey, unlike anything he’s ever faced — one of self-discovery in Thor: God Of Thunder; one of the Navy’s top aviators pushes the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him in Top Gun: Maverick; Street-smart Nathan Drake is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan to recover a fortune in Uncharted.

RECOMMENDED ACTION FILMS: Medieval, Top Gun: Maverick, Uncharted

Animation

In the vibrant British animated film The Amazing Maurice a talking cat and his educated rodents turn chaos into harmony; daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll; a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws attempts their most challenging con yet—becoming model citizens in The Bad Guys; a young hero born half chicken and half hare embarks on an epic and initiatory quest in Chickenhare And The Hampster Of Darkness; Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis in DC League of Super-Pets; a young swordsman dreams of joining the legendary Muskehounds in Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds; in Fireheart, sixteen-year-old Georgia Nolan dreams of being the world’s first-ever female firefighter; experience the origin story of a Space Ranger in Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear; a legendary dog trainer believes he can transform Marmaduke from an undisciplined, but lovable Great Dane, into the next winner of the World Dog Championship; Minions: The Rise Of Gru is the origin story of how the world’s greatest supervillain first met his iconic Minions; in My Sweet Monster, a rebellious princess runs away from the royal palace and falls into the hands of the monstrous forest bandit Bogey and turns his life upside down; Hank, a loveable dog with a head full of dreams about becoming a samurai, sets off in search of his destiny in Hank: Paws Of Fury; when the manic Dr Robotnik returns to Earth with a new ally, Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic and his new friend Tails is all that stands in their way in Sonic The Hedgehog 2; the legendary Clades are a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and most crucial mission in Strange World; Tad’s biggest dream is to be accepted by his archaeology colleagues, but his accident-prone nature gets in his way in Tad, the lost explorer, and the Emerald Tablet; a confident, dorky 13-year-old is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence in Turning Red

RECOMMENDED ANIMATION FILMS: The Amazing Maurice, Puss in Boots

Comedy

The Estate is a deliciously dark comedy female-centric comedy about sisters who try to get back in the good graces of their estranged aunt before she passes to inherit her fortune; Not Okay is a dark comedy about one woman’s misguided attempt to become the Internet’s next trending personality; a fashion model celebrity couple join an eventful cruise for the super-rich in the satirical Triangle Of Sadness; after 11 years, the Jackass crew is back for their final crusade in Jackass Forever; a reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure in The Lost City; a young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises in the satirical The Menu; with a career built for this very moment, the seminal award-winning actor must take on the role of a lifetime: Nick Cage in the action-comedy The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent

RECOMMENDED COMEDIES: The Estate, Triangle Of Sadness, The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent

Crime

After escaping a Michigan prison, a charming career criminal assumes a new identity in Canada and goes on to rob a record 59 banks and jewelry stores while being hunted by a police task force in Bandit; Gotham City’s vigilante detective brings justice to the abuse of power and corruption in The Batman; a former hacker with a checkered past tries desperately to rebuild his life in Hot Seat;

Drama

The Fabelmans is a masterful cinematic memory of the forces, and family, that shaped Spielberg’s life and career; C’mon C’mon is an ode to the relationship between adults and children; once a promising painter herself, In the summer of 1969 nine-year-old Buddy knows exactly who he is and where he belongs in Belfast; a brooding FBI fixer gets involved in a government conspiracy in the action-drama Blacklight; two former Army Rangers are paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime in Dog; the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa is resolved in Downton Abbey: A New Era; an elderly gentleman travels the length of the United Kingdom to scatter his late wife’s ashes in The Last Bus;

Emily imagines the transformative, exhilarating, and uplifting journey to womanhood of a rebel and a misfit, one of the world’s most famous, enigmatic, and provocative writers; Lamborghini – The Man Behind The Legend tells the story of genius auto inventor Ferruccio Lamborghini; Pinocchio is a live-action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy

RECOMMENDED DRAMAS: The Fabelmans, C’mon C’mon, Belfast, Dog

Family

A young boy discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home in The Tiger Rising

Foreign / World Cinema

All Quiet On The Western Front tells the gripping story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I; Laal Singh Chaddha is a life-affirming story chronicling the extraordinary life of an ordinary man who changes the world through simple kindness, who wants nothing but to bring happiness to the people he loves, and through that modest mission alters the course of Indian history; a young woman takes it upon herself to become a symbol for the fight against the injustices imposed on prostitutes in Gangubai Kathiawadi; Feuding brothers King Wenceslas of Czech and King Sigismund of Hungary battle for control of the empty throne in Medieval.

RECOMMENDED WORLD CINEMA: All Quiet On The Western Front

Gay-Themed

On streaming platforms: Three young people embark on an emotional journey My Policeman and find themselves entangled in a love triangle, as Patrick and Tom’s secret love affair clashes with the closeted policeman’s commitment to Marion; a gang of gay buddies bicker and banter over potential romantic entanglements in Fire Island; two men with commitment problems attempt a relationship in Bros, the film Spoiler Alert follows the final 11-month period of Manhattan photographer Kit Cowan’s life, from his diagnosis with terminal cancer to his death, through the eyes of Michael Ausiello, his partner of 14 years, and later spouse, Benediction tells the story of Siegfried Sassoon, a British poet and decorated W.W.I combat veteran who was sent to a psychiatric facility for his anti-war stance during W.W.I, had love affairs with several men during the 1920s, married, had a son, and after his conversion to Catholicism continued to be plagued by his memories, and, following a drunken encounter, two equally attached men from a cash strapped and divided gay rugby club unwittingly sleepwalk into an adulterous affair but must conceal their growing feelings or risk destroying the club they love in In From The Side.

Series: The Ignorant Angels is a not-to-be-missed Italian original series by filmmaker Ferzan Ozpetek. When Massimo, Antonia’s husband, is killed in an accident, she discovers that her husband was having an affair with a young man, Michele, teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in the series Heartstopper, a newly single gay man in Manhattan navigates the dating scene for the first time in 17 years after getting abruptly dumped by his long-term partner in Uncoupled, set in Barcelona, the plot of Smiley revolves around the love story between a bartender and architect who meet upon a misdirected voicemail.

RECOMMENDED GAY THEMED FILMS / SERIES: My Policeman, The Ignorant Angels

Horror

The saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode comes to a spine-chilling climax in Halloween Ends; a woman staying at an Airbnb discovers that the house she has rented is not what it seems in Barbarian; a father and his two teenage daughters find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion intent in Beast; a shy but clever 13-year-old boy is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement in The Black Phone; Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl in The Devil’s Light; a girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fights to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her in Firestarter; a woman uncovers twisted secrets in her family’s history in The Invitation; a woman retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside where simmering dread soon becomes a fully formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears in Men; dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble in Morbius; an African woman hopes her new job as a nanny will help bring her young son to the United States but a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and reality in Nanny; in Nope, a man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch, while the owner of a nearby theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon; a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers in Scream; after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain in Smile; in X, six ambitious young Texans—two strippers, a Vietnam veteran, a serial-entrepreneur producer, an upstart film director, and his seemingly quiet, doe-eyed girlfriend—hit the road bound for a secluded ranch where they plan to shoot their magnum opus.

On the streaming platform: In Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, Craig, a young boy, befriends the elderly billionaire John Harrigan. Craig then gives him a mobile phone. However, when the man dies, Craig discovers that he can communicate with his friend from the grave.

RECOMMENDED HORROR FILMS: Halloween Ends, The Black Phone, Men, X, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone

Musical

Cyrano boldly re-imagines a timeless tale of wit, courage, and love, in Dear Evan Hansen a high school senior with Social Anxiety disorder is on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance following the suicide of a fellow classmate; a boy befriends a singing crocodile in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; Elvis’s story is seen through the lens of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker in Elvis

Mystery

In Death On The Nile Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short; in Last Looks a disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate a murder; in Where the Crawdads Sing an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect when a young man is found dead in the marshland

RECOMMENDED MYSTERY FILM: Where the Crawdads Sing

Origin Stories

Minions: The Rise Of Gru is the origin story of how the world’s greatest supervillain first met his iconic Minions; experience the origin story of a Space Ranger in Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear

Romance

Eiffel is a fictionalized romance and endearing reimagining of Gustave Eiffel’ fervent passion, which grounded the creation and building of the Eiffel Tower; The Survivor is based on the true story of Harry Haft who is driven by his love of a woman to survive the unimaginable horrors of the German concentration camps; one of the Navy’s top aviators pushes the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him in Top Gun: Maverick; two exes find themselves on a shared mission to stop their lovestruck daughter from making the same mistake they once made in Ticket To Paradise; a lonely Academic, on a trip to Istanbul, discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom in Three Thousand Years Of Longing a young couple’s relationship clashes with the harsh realities of the California Gold Rush of 1850 in Redeeming Love; a senior in high school boy experiences the highs and lows of his first love with a girl as they navigate their pending departure to college in First Love; in Game Of Love Vivien and Roy are in love and eager to explore their future together; Licorice Pizza is the story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and falling in love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973; Marry Me questions if two people from vastly different worlds can bridge the gulf between them and build a place where they both belong; a maid living in post-World War I England secretly plans to meet with the man she loves before he leaves to marry another woman in Mothering Sunday; in Where the Crawdads Sing an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect when a young man is found dead in the marshlands

RECOMMENDED ROMANCE FILMS: Redeeming Love, Eiffel, The Survivor, Top Gun: Maverick, Licorice Pizza, Mothering Sunday, Where the Crawdads Sing

Sci-Fi / Fantasy

A man fights to save an alien moon he learns to call home in Avatar, and learns to navigate both the dangerous water world and the uncomfortable dynamics of gaining acceptance from their new community in Avatar: The Way of the Water; Doctor Strange traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Newt Scamander is on a mission that could save both the wizarding and non-magical worlds; experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time in Jurassic World Dominion; a skilled Comanche warrior protects her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans in Prey; the God of Thunder embarks on a journey, unlike anything he’s ever faced — one of self-discovery in Thor: God Of Thunder; a lonely Academic, on a trip to Istanbul, discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom in Three Thousand Years Of Longing

Short Films

Marvel Studios’ I Am Groot features a collection of five original shorts stars everyone’s favourite little tree, Baby Groot, from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise.

Sport

Rise is based on the triumphant real-life story about the remarkable family that produced the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league

Survival / Disaster

In Moonfall, a mysterious force knocks the moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it; Notre-Dame on Fire is based on the Notre-Dame de Paris fire that occurred on 15 April 2019; The Survivor is based on the true story of Harry Haft who is driven by his love of a woman to survive the unimaginable horrors of the German concentration camps; two women fight to survive when they are stranded at the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower in Fall; pirates hijack the perfect destination wedding in Shotgun Wedding; a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy Lightstone family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus in Violent Night; in X, six ambitious young Texans—two strippers, a Vietnam veteran, a serial-entrepreneur producer, an upstart film director, and his seemingly quiet, doe-eyed girlfriend—hit the road bound for a secluded ranch where they plan to shoot their magnum opus

RECOMMENDED SURVIVAL / DISASTER FILMS: Moonfall, X, The Survivor

Thriller

In the audacious, twisted Don’t Worry Darling a young couple move into an idealized community in a tight-knit desert utopia; a grifter working his way up from low-ranking carnival worker to lauded psychic medium matches wits with a psychologist bent on exposing him in Nightmare Alley; a rich divorcee Chris falls in love with a mysterious woman Sky where Chris, ex-wife and his child eventually gets trapped in Shattered.

RECOMMENDED THRILLERS: Don’t Worry Darling, Nightmare Alley

War

All Quiet On The Western Front tells the gripping story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I. Paul and his comrades experience first-hand how the initial euphoria of war turns into desperation and fear as they fight for their lives, and each other, in the trenches; during WWII, a group of international spies must stop a terrorist organization from starting World War III in The 355; two intelligence officers use a corpse and false papers to outwit German troops in Operation Mincemeat.

RECOMMENDED WAR FILMS: All Quiet On The Western Front, Operation Mincemea

Women’s Film

Blonde boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe; a retired schoolteacher hires a young sex worker in Good Luck To You, Leo Grande; an underground collective of women during the 1960s come together to secretly provide nearly 12,000 women and girls with safe and secure abortions in Call Jane; The Good House is a multifaceted portrait of a proud, resilient woman who wouldn’t think of asking for help…and whose life won’t change until she does;  The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of lifea young woman takes it upon herself to become a symbol for the fight against the injustices imposed on prostitutes in Gangubai Kathiawadi; a woman lives in the shadow of her husband’s illustrious career in The Artist’s Wife; in I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a powerful and triumphant celebration of the incomparable Whitney Houston; alone on a seaside vacation, Leda becomes consumed with a young mother and daughter as she watches them on the beach in The Lost Daughter; a seemingly ordinary British housekeeper whose dream to own a couture Christian Dior gown takes her on an extraordinary adventure to Paris in Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris; an African woman hopes her new job as a nanny will help bring her young son to the United States but a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and reality in Nanny; Not Okay is a dark comedy about one woman’s misguided attempt to become the Internet’s next trending personality; Singleholic tells the story of a woman who moves to Mauritius to pursue her PhD after a painful breakup with her boyfriend; a skilled Comanche warrior protects her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans in Prey; New York Times journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor publish a report that exposes sexual abuse allegations against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in She Said

RECOMMENDED WOMEN’S FILMS: Blonde, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, She Said

South African Films

When a park ranger discovers a strange man and his son living wild, she stumbles into a secret that is about to change the world in Gaia; family’s rituals are unearthed in the dystopian thriller Glasshouse; a ragtag bunch of musicians are forced to rob a bank during the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival in the hope they will save their iconic, but in-debt nightclub in the Bo Kaap in The Umbrella Men; the coming-of-age 2 Thirds of a Man explores the challenges faced by a talented but guarded teenager; four refugees become South Africa’s sommeliers in the documentary Blind Ambition;  Indemnity tells the story of Theo Abrahams (Jarrid Geduld), ex-fireman suffering from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who, unable to return to work, turns to alcohol; ageing but unbeaten, Bones tries unsuccessfully to pass on his wisdom to Mathambo, his short, tubby, incompetent, but at-heart honest and independent son in Mr. Bones 3, Son of Bones. At the same time, two unscrupulous oil diggers are trying to steal the treasures of Kuvukiland; Singleholic tells the story of a woman who moves to Mauritius to pursue her PhD after a painful breakup with her boyfriend; Sodium Day is a comedy-drama with tragic undertones that features uncanny humour and absurd, but often true-to-life scenarios, telling the story of a neglected Matric class in a dilapidated school on the Cape Flats

RECOMMENDED SOUTH AFRICAN FILMS: Gaia, Glasshouse, The Umbrella Men

TV series

Andor explores the Star Wars galaxy from a new perspective, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make.

Re-releases

For the first time, audiences will be able to experience two classic, culture-defining Steven Spielberg films—E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Jaws—on IMAX screens nationwide. Both films were released to celebrate E.T.’S 40th Anniversary and Jaws 47th Anniversary.  In E.T a troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet. In Jaws, a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, forcing a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down. E.T Trailer / Jaws Trailer

National Theatre Live Screenings

HAMLET –Like the original play, which unfolds in an imprecise period in Elsinore Castle in medieval Denmark, Australian composer Brett Dean’s opera Hamlet is set in an imagined Elsinore at an indeterminate date. This production, by Neil Armfield, draws upon visual motifs of the 18th and 20th centuries to create a simultaneously modern and timeless feel for the action. Allan Clayton plays the title role. Nicholas Carter makes his Met debut conducting a remarkable ensemble, which also features soprano Brenda Rae as Ophelia, mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly as Gertrude, baritone Rod Gilfry as Claudius, and bass-baritone John Relyea as the ghost of Hamlet’s father.

HENRY V – Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays the title role in a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s thrilling study of nationalism, war and the psychology of power. Fresh to the throne, King Henry V launches England into a bloody war with France. Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays the title role in Shakespeare’s thrilling study of nationalism, war and the psychology of power. Captured live from the Donmar Warehouse in London. Fresh to the throne, King Henry V launches England into a bloody war with France. When his campaign encounters resistance, this inexperienced new ruler must prove he is fit to guide a country into war. Directed by Max Webster (Life of Pi), this exciting modern production explores what it means to be English and our relationship with Europe, asking: do we ever get the leaders we deserve?

LEOPOLDSTADT – An epic family drama telling the story of an Austrian-Jewish families experience over 50 years from the turn of the century to World War II. Written by Britain’s greatest living playwright Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) inspired by his own family history. Regarded as ‘Britain’s greatest living playwright’ (Times), Tom Stoppard’s critically acclaimed new play Leopoldstadt is a passionate drama of love, family and endurance. At the beginning of the 20th century, Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna, Austria. But Hermann Merz, a factory owner and baptised Jew now married to Catholic Gretl, has moved up in the world. We follow his family’s story across half a century, passing through the convulsions of war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. A company of 40 actors represent each generation of the family in this epic, but intimate play.

Live Ballet Screenings

SPARTACUS – Huge in scale and spectacular in effect, the Bolshoi Ballet’s Spartacus is a true tour de force, set to Aram Khachaturian’s superb score. With an incredible display of might from the four leading dancers to the entire corps de ballet and its passionate pas de deux, Spartacus is the ultimate spectacle of virtuosity and lyricism born at the Bolshoi Theatre. In Imperial Rome led by Crassus, Spartacus and his wife Phrygia are reduced to slavery and are separated by slave dealers. His love for her and his desire for freedom lead him to revolt against the Roman army with the help of the other captives. With the Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet. At Cinema Nouveau  / Trailer / Read more

by ·Comments Off on Review: Dis Ek, Anna

The Haunting Memory Of Abuse

Review by Daniel Dercksen (October 21, 2015)

A woman soulfully redeems her innocence in Dis Ek, Anna, a powerful South African film that shows how the vicious cycle of the sexual abuse of children destroys lives and families.

Dis ek, Anna 3

Read more about bringing Dis Ek, Anna to the Big Screen

Truthfully revealing the evil face of a silent killer that turns the domestic bliss of happy families into a war zone where children are sexually abused by those they trust most, it is a commanding and relevant film about a woman who is imprisoned by the guilt of falling victim to a sexual predator as a teenage girl and tormented by the memories of this tragic incident that results in her taking action to revenge the perpetrator.

There is no graphic or tasteless exposition, but a stylish and well-crafted film that showcases the best talent South Africa has to offer.

The film is based on Anchien Troskie’s best-selling fictionalised autobiographical novels Ek, Anna and Die Staat Teen Anna Bruwer, written under the pseudonym Elbie Lötter, and was aptly adapted for film by writer, dramatist and director Tertius Kapp, who also explored violence in society in his play Rooiland.

In Dis Ek, Anna, Kapp reveals the four distinct faces of men: a loving father and family man who turns monstrous, a sexual predator who perpetuates his crime relentlessly, a protector of society who needs to find a way to stop the shocking crimes against woman and children; and a man whose love can set an abused woman free.

Director Sara Blecher paints a stark portrait of how women rally up against a brutal onslaught:  revenge is bitter for a woman who takes action to revenge on the man who sexually abused her when she was a teenager,  a mother who becomes a silent witness is crucified in guilt, and one of the most interesting scenes in the film actually occurs where a woman sits smoking on her porch and silently watches what happens when someone revenges a sexual predator living inside her house, and when the deed is done and they leave the house, she picks up a bucket and a mop and enters the house to clean up the mess.

Blecher knows how to tell a story in pictures and skilfully merges the contrasting realms of Dis Ek, Anna, allowing for graceful but potent transitions between the world of a young girl whose life is a nightmarish hell, and that of a woman who awakens from the nightmare.

There is potent drama in Blecher’s vision that is never intrusive, she keeps a wary distance observing broken lives and slowly reveals the haunting shadows that lurk beneath the surface of ordinary existence.

We journey into the lives of people we think we know well, and gradually uncover hidden secrets that ultimately reveal their true nature.

Charlené Brouwer delivers a heartbreaking performance as a woman who confronts the man who destroyed her innocence; it is a difficult role to portray and Brouwer succeeds in perfectly balancing the cold and calculated physicality of her character with the intensity of her brittle emotional torment.

Morné Visser is superb as Anna’s stepfather who is crucified in his sexual perversion, his Jekyll and Hyde persona is chilling; we cannot help but love the perfect family man and absolutely detest his dark psyche.

As a mother who becomes a silent witness to the tragedy and the demise of her daughter’s innocence, Nicola Hanekom will break your heart when she is forced to confront her weakness as a mother who failed her duty. Here stands a woman who knows everything but does nothing.

Izel Bezuidenhout who plays the young Anna manages to draw us into the intimate horror that befalls a young girl and also brings the rebellious and provocative nature of her character to life.

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Izel Bezuidenhout, Morné Visser and Nicola Hanekom

Marius Weyers delivers another emotionally driven performance as a hardened policeman, whose life is drastically changed, allowing us to journey into Anna’s fragile disposition.

There’s also a memorable performance from Drikus Volschenk as the lawyer who dares to break down the barriers that prevent Anna from finding peace, and one whose love can hopefully set her free.

The multi-layered and flawed characters in Dis Ek, Anna offers drama for discerning audiences that is riveting and captivating, drawing us into a reality that we often ignore, and sadly remains the shameful whisper of an unspoken truth.

It’s not only a film about abuse but an equally important film about the healing power of love;  Anna finds escape from her past in the arms of a man she wants to trust and one who will honour and respect her as a woman.

The film clearly shows that being helpless is not a hopeless situation, but a motivator that inspires action to transform lives and heal wounds.

We need films like Dis Ek, Anna to remind us of how important it is to own our human rights for dignity and respect, and to open up a conversation between silent sufferers and passive observers.

Copyright © 2015  Daniel Dercksen

by ·Comments Off on Top Films of 2015

As a film journalist, you spend a lot of time in the dark! Fortunately, there are some memorable films that ignite our imaginations and do what movies do best, allowing us to escape into a fictional reality that has a meaningful and emotional impact on our lives.  

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Spending your life in the dark can be wonderful!

Here’s Daniel Dercksen’s list of Top Films released in South Africa from January 1 up to October 15, 2015. I will be adding other titles during the course of the year until December 31.

As an Independent Film Journalist of 30 years, I hope to educate readers in film and have been actively contributing reviews and features to Biz Community since 2005.

The films are listed alphabetically.  It’s impossible to rate films subjectively. I firmly believe that each film has its own audience and impacts each person sitting in the dark in its own unique way.

A ROYAL NIGHT OUT  It will steal your heart and is definitely the greatest love story ever told about one perfect evening in the lives of two real-life princesses. This utterly charming fictional fairytale romance is rooted in a pivotal historic event – 8 May 1945, V-E Night when the whole of London was out in town to celebrate the official end of World War II in Europe – challenging the emancipation and sexual awakening of two young royal princesses – Elizabeth and Margaret Windsor, who slipped out of Buckingham Palace to join the communal euphoria and went dancing at the Ritz.  Directed with imaginative flair by acclaimed UK director Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane, Brideshead Revisited), from a crackling original screenplay by newcomer Trevor de Silva and Kevin Hood. It gets my vote as the best romance I have seen since Titanic! Read more

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE The Young Vic’s “magnetic, electrifying, astonishingly bold” Olivier Award-winning production of American playwright Arthur Miller’s tragic masterpiece.  Directed by  visionary Ivo van Hove, it received three UK Olivier Awards for Best Revival, Best Director (Ivo van Hove) and Best Actor (Mark Strong), and was the Evening Standard, Guardian and Independent’s top theatre pick of 2014. Miller confronts the American dream in a dark-and-passionate tale. In Brooklyn, docker Eddie Carbone (Strong) welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. But when one of them falls for his beautiful niece, they discover that freedom comes at a price. Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes a deep, unspeakable secret – one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.  Read more 

ABRAHAM Abraham is undoubtedly one of the best South African films ever made, a profound and consummate masterwork from industry legend, Jans Rautenbach that marks his first film in 30 years. It tells an unforgettable tale that will break your heart, a story that connects with who we are as South Africans and how we fit into the bigger scheme of things. Dann-Jaques Mouton delivers a riveting performance as Abraham, an artist and dreamer from Kannaland in the early 1980’s;  an area in the Little Karoo that stretches from the Swartberg in the north to the Langeberg in the south, and from the Anysberg in the west to the Gamkaberg in the east. Abraham is a dedicated husband and father who struggles to provide for his young wife Katie (a superb performance by Chantell Phillipus) and their four-year-old daughter. Read review

ANT-MAN  Your imagination will explode with Ant-Man, an imaginative trip with a miniscule superhero and his army of ants as they save the world. It’s all about the magical Ant-Man suit, which allows master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to shrink in scale but increase in strength. He must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a robbery that will save the world. The film succeeds on all levels, fully suspending disbelief as it plunges the audience relentlessly into an awe-inspiring experience that will blow your mind and take your breath away. Read more

BALLADE VIR ‘N ENKELING 28-years-after it wowed TV viewers the big screen incarnation of Ballade Vir ‘n Enkeling is here at last and it’s been well worth the wait. It’s a story that captured the hearts of many South Africans during its life on TV, and can now add a legion of new fans to its following, introducing a new generation to an ultimate romance of a love triangle that is guaranteed to break your heart. It’s a nostalgic local treasure and under the gifted and sensitive direction of Quentin Krog, writer Leon Van Nierop’s story vividly burst to life with passionate performances, magnificently captured by cinematographer Tom Marais and scored by Benjamin Willem, and well-paced by editor C.A. van Aswegen. The story centres on a journalist Carina Human (Donnalee Roberts), who reveals the truth behind the disappearance of a popular writer Jacques Rynhard (Armand Aucamp). If there’s one reason to see Ballade Vir ‘n Enkeling, besides its high production value and great script, it’s for its performances, allowing the characters to crawl deep into our hearts. Read more

BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS This stunning new play from renowned British playwright David Hare launched the 2015 season of the National Theatre Live in April. Based on Katherine Boo’s uncompromising and Pulitzer Prize-winning book and directed by Rufus Norris, David Hare has fashioned a tumultuous play on an epic scale. India is surging with global ambition, but beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa (Meera Syal) and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, 12 and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile: global recession threatens the garbage trade and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy Zehrunisa herself, and shatter the neighbourhood.  Read more 

BIRDMAN Take an extreme journey into the crazy mindscape of an actor in this exceptional film from Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu, which showcases the craft of storytelling and the art of filmmaking.  It vividly bursts to life from the first frame and is an overwhelming and entrancing experience until its powerful climax, with continuous camera work that intimately takes you through the labyrinth of spaces from the dressing room to the stage, constantly moving and twisting as the inventive story draws you deeper into its absorbing allure and breath-taking magic. Michael Keaton is superb as Riggan Thomson, an actor who is famous for portraying an iconic superhero, and struggles to mount his first Broadway play, battling his ego as he desperately attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself. If ever you wanted to know what goes inside an actor’s mind, or experience the world from an actor’s point of view, Birdman is an ultimate ABC of what acting for film and theatre, and the world of drama involves. It’s not a film you watch, but one you experience, and one that will leave you emotionally and physically drained. It’s a cinematic tour de force you simply cannot miss. Read more

BLACK SEA The gripping deep-sea thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last moment. Nothing beats setting a story in the claustrophobic confines of a submarine, especially if it’s loaded with testosterone ready to explode! It’s one of those marvellous mystery thrillers where you plummet into the darkness of human despair, where flawed characters are pitted against each other and there’s a relentless killer with a taste for blood. If you’re claustrophobic beware, there are moments in Black Sea that you will stop breathing and be swallowed by the suspense. It is also a great human drama with rich characters brought to life by an extraordinary cast. Jude Law is in top form as a working-class ex-Navy man who pulls together a misfit crew to brave the deep and go after a sunken treasure in a German U-boat full of WWII sitting on a bed in the Georgian depths of the Black Sea. It vividly explodes with emotional action under the skilful direction of director Kevin Macdonald, who gave us the Oscar-winning One Day in September, The Last King of Scotland and Touching the Void. Read more 

CHILD 44  Set against the backdrop of 1953 Stalinist Russia, Swedish filmmaker Daniel Espinosa’s masterful and politically charged serial-killer-thriller is based on author Tom Rob Smith’s best-selling novel. It  chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy), who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo’s psychopathic rival Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), who insists: “There is no crime in Paradise.” A sumptuous period thriller encompassing themes of power, love, betrayal and murder, it is loosely based on the crimes of real-life serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. Also known as “The Butcher of Rostov,” Chikatilo was convicted of murdering and mutilating 52 women and children in Soviet Russia in the early 1950s. Read more 

CINDERELLA  An enchanting masterwork from legendary filmmaker Kenneth Branagh. This live-action feature was inspired by the classic fairy tale, and brings to life the beloved characters and timeless images from the studio’s 1950 animated masterpiece in a visually dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation. It’s a spectacular cinematic experience for anyone who needs an invigorating injection of magic, romance and storytelling at its best.   Read more    

THE COBBLER  With humour and compassion, the enchanting film shows that sometimes walking in another man’s shoes is the only way to find out who you really are. It’s  an absolutely delightful film from Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent and The Visitor) taking you on a delightful journey into the life of a shoemaker who repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon an heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Adam Sandler is fantastic as Max, a fourth-generation shoe repairman on New York’s Lower East Side, perfectly capturing the essence of a middle-aged man who lives at home with his mother and has little going on besides running the shop his father (Dustin Hoffman) left behind when he mysteriously disappeared many years ago. Read more 

CRIMSON PEAK When her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red clay: a place filled with secrets that will haunt her forever.  Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak. From the imagination of director Guillermo Del Toro comes a Gothicromance starring Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre), two-time Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty, Mama), Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers, Thor series) and Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim, FX’s Sons of Anarchy).  In Crimson Peak, they will discover the power that love has to make monsters of us all. As the writer and director of such modern classics as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth and the producer of such terrifying thrillers as The Orphanage and Mama, del Toro delivers a unique blend of psychological terror and operatic beauty that has propelled horror into the elevated realm of dark fairytales. Read the review. Features: Writing the Screenplay/ Physical Horror, The Architecture of Fear

DANNY COLLINS Al Pacino astounds as an ageing rock star who receives a life-changing letter and decides to find out what his life could have been like. Filled with pathos, humour and heartfelt passion, this inspiring film from writer-director Dan Fogelman shows how important it is to embrace a second chance in life. Following the journey of an almost-has-been wannabe, Pacino captivates in every second with great support from the magnanimous Christopher Plummer as his endearing friend and long-time manager, Bobby Cannavale (Blue Jasmine, Boardwalk Empire) as his son, and the sparkling Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right, American Beauty) as the woman who steals his heart. Danny Collins sizzles in the hands of writer-director Fogelman, who delighted us with his screenplays of The Guilt Trip and Crazy, Stupid Love. Read more

DARK PLACES   Heart-breaking secrets are uncovered in this haunting thriller that shines a hopeful light on the human condition and broken lives. Adapted from Gillian’s Flynn’s 2009 novel, which preceded her breakout hit Gone Girl, it features Charlize Theron immersing herself heart and soul in the character of a Libby Day, a woman whose entire life is based on a lie. The tragic circumstances that shaped Day’s existence and turned her into a ‘celebrity’ occurred on a farm in Kansas, where she was the only surviving witness of a horrific massacre that took the lives of her mother and sisters. Believing the slaughter to be the work of a Satanic cult, she testified in court against her own brother and almost 30 years after the murder, she remains haunted by the gruesome violence of her past. Her funds run out and in a desperate attempt to get money she meets the leader of a group of amateur true-crime enthusiasts (Nicholas Hoult) who call themselves ‘The Kill Club’, and is persuaded to unearth painful memories and possibly prove her brother’s innocence.Read more

DIE PRO A charming Afrikaans coming-of-age surf film that proudly showcases the best local filmmaking has to offer. It’s refreshing to find a film that steers away from radical political agendas, rather focussing on the politics of friendship, emotionally exploring the lives of a group of teenagers in a coastal town where surfing rules. Director André Velts, who gave us Knysna, draws the best out of his cast, allowing us to take an emotional journey into youthful aspirations and first love, as well as a very touching bromance between two surfers. Edwin van der Walt (Ballade Vir ‘N Enkeling, Hollywood In My Huis) delivers a powerful performance as Tiaan, a 17-year-old surfer who needs to make peace with the death of his best friend, with strong support from Viljé Maritz as his surfing buddy, Dirkie. Read more  

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY Eternal love blossoms optimistically in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, a relatable portrait of love, empathy and truth that explores the heartache of a once-happily married couple who suddenly find themselves as strangers longing to understand each other.It’s New York writer-director Ned Benson’s debut feature as a director and is a passionate and heartfelt journey into the hearts and souls of two soulmates whose irrefutable love for each other becomes their greatest enemy. Featuring heartbreaking performances from Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, it’s one of those rare romantic films that does not dwell on sentimentality, but seduces you with its sincere honesty. The film has a strange journey to the big screen that might be confusing for some viewers. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is broken into three films, Him, Her, and Them. Him and Her were screened at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival as a “work in progress”. Them premiered in the United States on September 12, 2014, while Him and Her was released together as a double feature on October 10, 2014 in select art house cinemas. Them is released in South Africa. Read more 

ENEMY If there’s one film that will bend you mind, twist your logic and challenge your sensibility, it’s Enemy, guaranteed to be the most talked about psychological thriller in years. Not since The Sixth Sense has there been such a meticulously crafted masterwork where every moment offers a unique exploration of the human mind, and a journey into a story where everything is not what it seems, and what is revealed, ultimately, delivers something fresh and invigorating. Director Denis Villeneuve delivered an ultimate mystery thriller with the excellent Prisoners, and with Enemy he reunites with actor Jake Gyllenhaal to bring us an equally powerful story filled with suspense and intrigue, and an ending that will blow you out of your seat. Although Enemy seems to be the very ordinary story of a dull and lacklustre teacher (Gyllenhaal), whose mundane existence is turned upside down when he discovers that he has a doppelganger, a stranger who is his identical twin and lives a life of fame and notoriety, it is an extraordinary exploration of the human condition. It’s a psychological thriller, a psychosexual dream, and an exploration in duality. Gyllenhaal is absolutely superb in his dual roles, perfectly capturing the essence of man who is desperately in search of excitement in his supposedly meaningless existence, and a man whose world is corrupted by perverse extremes. Read more

EVEREST Mount Everest seduces mountaineering extremists into her magical spell and challenges their humanity to the utmost extreme in the gruelling Everest, an awe-inspiring journey of two different expeditions to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain and fiercest predator. Inspired by the tragic events surrounding an attempt in 1996, Everest documents the real-life ordeal suffered on 10 May, 1996, when Rob Hall, the safety-conscious and meticulous leader of New Zealand-based Adventure Consultants, and Scott Fischer, the highly experienced mountaineer and team leader of the Seattle-based Mountain Madness, led their teams on a final ascent toward the highest point on Earth: the summit of Everest, 29,029 ft. (8,848m) above sea level – or the cruising altitude of a 747.Everest is not a disaster film that solely relies on visual effects like San Andreas, Deep Impact, World War Z or Armageddon, where we were bombarded by a visual effects extravaganza and special effects, but a character-driven narrative in the tradition of Alive, Twister, and The Impossible, where we bond with the characters and are taken on an emotional journey. It’s a film about people and how they deal with life at its most challenging, and also a film showing how relentless and unpredictable Mother Nature can be. Read more 

EVERYMAN The medieval morality play received a wicked makeover in the NT Live’s racy screening in August 2015. Its meek-and-mild opening introduces us to Kate Duchene as a very ordinary cleaning lady who is preparing a room for Everyman’s 40th birthday party, but don’t be fooled. What seems normal soon erupts into unrefined anarchy when Everyman’s band of misfit friends proclaim to be the ‘Masters of the Universe’ and indulge in an orgy of cocaine binging, booze and violence that results in his death. When the cleaning lady reveals herself to be God and gives Death an order to do a reckoning with Everyman, you know that you’re in for many more outrageous surprises. Read more

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE    A sublime masterwork from Wim Wenders, poignantly showing that it is not time alone that heals wounds but the courage to face up to things and to forgive, especially oneself. It tells the story of a writer (James Franco) whose life spirals out of control after a tragic accident and talks about guilt and the search for forgiveness during 12 years of Tomas’ life. It will be shameful to reveal too much about the story. Make sure to not know too much about it before watching the film. It is one of those unforgettable cinematic experiences where you will lose yourself in the story and take it home with you. If you are looking for a film that offers everything and more, it is indeed a ‘fine’ encounter, where the action on the screen and the reaction in your mind is united as one. From an original script by Norwegian author Bjørn Olaf Johannessen. Read more 

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY  Directed by Sam-Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy), this erotic and authentic love story from series creator E L James takes us deep inside a rich and mysterious world that explores frankly the complexities of male-female dynamics, and the limits to which we will allow ourselves to go–and to be taken. Stepping into the iconic roles of billionaire entrepreneur Christian Grey and curious college student Anastasia Steele are Jamie Dornan (television’s The Fall, Once Upon a Time) and Dakota Johnson  (The Social Network, 21 Jump Street).  In a story that is as much about the redemption of the unattainable Christian as it is the liberation of the inexperienced Ana, the protagonists have taken on lives of their own for readers who’ve pored over the vulnerabilities of the characters and intricacies of the novels.

FOXCATCHER Based on true events, it is a rich and moving story of brotherly love, misguided loyalty and the emotional bankruptcy that can accompany great wealth and power.  Writer-director Bennett Miller (Capote) examines the perilous relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell) and Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who is struggling in obscurity and poverty in Wisconsin when he is invited by the wealthy heir to move on to his lavish estate to form a team and to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.  Schultz seizes the opportunity, eager to step out of the shadow of his revered older brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo), a prominent wrestling coach and Gold Medal winner himself.

FURY   A Sherman tank and its five-man crew strike at the heart of Nazi Germany in Fury, a consummate masterwork by David Ayer(End of Watch)  . Brutal and savage, Fury is a must-see film that will definitely change your views on war as it takes you on a soulful journey through a nightmarish hell.Fury takes place in late-war Germany, 1945. “The war’s almost over and this dying elephant – the Nazi empire – is on its last legs,” Ayer explains. “It’s a different world from your usual war movie, where we celebrate victorious campaigns like the invasion of the European continent, or D-Day, or The Battle of the Bulge, these famous battles that American troops have taken part in. One of the forgotten time periods is this last gasp of the Nazi empire, with an American army that has been fighting for years and is on its last reserves of manpower. The men are exhausted. In World War II, you fought until you either won or died, or were grievously injured and got sent home. The fanatical regime is collapsing, it’s a confusing environment where anyone can be the enemy – it’s incredibly taxing on the fighting man’s soul.”   It is into this environment that Ayer created the character of Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier, with Brad Pitt delivering another memorable performance. Read more  

THE GALLOWS  Fear The Gallows, it is the scariest film in years. With the tagline ‘Every school has its spirit’ the concept is brilliant, showing what happens when four high school friends are trapped inside a school’s auditorium where a student died 10 years before in a freak accident during Beatrice High’s production of the play The Gallows. The concept is brilliant, showing what happens when four high school friends are trapped inside a school’s auditorium where a student died 10 years before in a freak accident during Beatrice High’s production of the play The Gallows. Revenge has never been sweeter and more frightening, particularly with the film shot in found-footage style. The Gallows was written, directed and produced by Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff and shot entirely outside of the Hollywood system, and found its way to the big screen thanks to the filmmaker’s use of a much smaller one-the computer and their own ingenuity. Read more

THE HARD PROBLEM  The perceptions of discerning theatre-goers were challenged with Tom Stoppard’s intriguing new play that was screened in May as part of the NT Live Season.  Under the brilliant direction of Nicholas Hytner, it featured a great cast that added fuel to Stoppard’s challenging and mind-blowing verbal blitz.  Olivia Vinall was delightful as Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brain science institute, who nursed a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet: “If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness?”  Read more 

THE IMITATION GAME   An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, it follows a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives. Featuring a captivating performance by Benedict Cumberbatch as the tortured gay mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing, Norwegian filmmaker Morten Tyldum’s gripping story scripted by New York Times bestselling author Graham Moore is one that will change your worldview.It’s the unforgettable story of a man whose passion was devoured by his passionate secret; a tragic tale set in 1952 when British authorities entered Turing’s home to investigate a reported burglary and ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of ‘gross indecency’, an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offence of homosexuality – little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany’s World War II Enigma machine. Read more  

INTO THE WOODS  An enchanting musical that will cast its magical spell on you. It’s one of those musical gems that’s easy to fall in love with; besides its gorgeous melodies, witty lyrics and amusing storyline, it’s a humorous and heartfelt musical that follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep), who has put a curse on them. It’s a musical that skilfully lures you into its allure and mystery, and, once it takes hold of you, it never let’s go. It’s not just a story about fairy tales, but poignantly reflects the human condition and is extremely relevant to our lives today where everyone yearns for acceptance and love, needs to be compassionate, and must find their own unique way through the darkness that sometimes clouds our dreams, hopes and aspirations. Read more

KILL THE MESSENGER  A dramatic thriller based on the remarkable true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb,  (Jeremy Renner), based upon the books Dark Alliance, by Gary Webb, and Kill the Messenger, by Nick Schou, with a screenplay by award-winning investigative journalist, war correspondent, award-winning novelist, and painter Peter Landesman and directed by Michael Cuesta, who was honoured with the Best New Filmmaker Award from the Boston Society of Film Critics for L.I.E., which marked his feature debut as a director, screenwriter, and producer. n the 1990s, this dedicated reporter’s quest for the truth took him from the prisons of California to the villages of Nicaragua to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. – and his investigative reporting drew the kind of attention that threatened not just his career, but his family and his life. Read more 

KINGSMEN: THE SECRET SERVICE  Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men First Class), it tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. When Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is an unemployed school dropout living a dead-end existence in his mother’s flat. After he is arrested for joyriding, Eggsy uses the medal to secure his release from jail, and finds himself rescued by Harry Hart (Colin Firth), an impeccably suave spy who owes Eggsy’s father his life.  Dismayed to learn of the path Eggsy has taken, yet impressed by his better qualities, Harry offers Eggsy the opportunity to turn his life around by trying out for a position with Harry’s employers: Kingsman, a top-secret independent intelligence organization. The screenplay is by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based on the comic book “The Secret Service,” by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS  A glorious feel-good romance that celebrates the art of musicals,  featuring a young couple singing about their failed marriage from two perspectives. It’s not a compilation of popular songs, but features an absolutely superb music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, an American musical theatre composer, lyricist, and playwright whose music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics – he won Tony Awards for his work on the musicals, Parade and The Bridges of Madison County.   This musical deconstruction of a love affair and a marriage takes place over a five-year period. Jamie Wellerstein (Jeremy Jordan) is a young, talented up-and-coming Jewish novelist who falls in love with Cathy Hiatt (Anna Kendrick), a Shiksa Goddess struggling actress. Its beautiful pop music score portrays an honest, heartbreaking, often funny, exploration of love and its consequences on individual identity. Read more

LIFE  If ever you wanted to spend a week with James Dean, the superb Life is an outstanding film that transports us to New York of the 50s when Dean was at the beginning of his career.Inspired by the true story of a friendship that developed between Magnum photographer Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson) and actor James Dean (Dane DeHaan) when Stock was commissioned to photograph the actor for LIFE magazine in 1955,  Australian screenwriter Luke Davies’s heartfelt screenplay is strikingly brought to life by director Anton Corbijn (A Most Wanted Man)  Pattinson and DeHaan are perfectly cast and embody the true spirit of their characters, with equally brilliant performances by Ben Kingsley as the enigmatic producer Jack Warner and Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Warrior) as John Morris.The film is not just a biopic about Dean’s life, but the heart-warming story of a photographer who desperately wanted to capture the soul of a fledgling star and free spirit who would change popular culture from suits to jeans and from matinee idols to teenage heartthrob.Life is an ideal film for anyone who has ever had a love affair with movies, and also a film for discerning audiences looking for a film that captures the essence of true friendship and how strange encounters can alter our lives. Read more

LOST RIVER  You will never forget this consummate masterwork from Ryan Gosling that weaves elements of fantasy noir and suspense into a haunting, modern fairy tale. Written and directed by Gosling, this dark and brooding drama is set against the surreal dreamscape of the vanishing city of Lost River. In the virtually abandoned city of Lost River, Billy (Christina Hendricks), a single mother of two, is lead into a macabre underworld in her quest to save her childhood home and hold her family together. Her teenage son, Bones, discovers a mysterious road that leads into a reservoir, where a once thriving city now lays submerged and forgotten by time. The mystery of this underwater town triggers Bones’ curiosity and sets into motion an unexpected journey that will test his limits and the limits of those he loves. Read more 

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD  Absolutely awesome and totally sensational, it is an ultimate hard core apocalyptic epic with heart! This is what filmmaking is all about – a visceral experience that relentlessly grabs hold of you from the first frame until the climatic ending. It is masterfully directed by George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary Mad Max franchise, who plunges us into the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky, unleashing  a world gone mad with the concussive force of a high-octane road war as only he can deliver it. Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max (Tom Hardy) believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across The Wasteland in a war rig driven by Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron). They are escaping a Citadel tyrannised by the Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, The Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane road war that follows. Read more

MAN AND SUPERMAN   A century after Man and Superman was written, George Bernard Shaw’s delightful satire on the human condition, moral dilemmas and romantic liaisons is more relevant than ever with London’s National Theatre staging, which was during June 2015.  It’s not often that you get an opportunity to see a complete four-act drama that runs just over three hours, and Man and Superman is worth every second. Under the feisty direction of Simon Goodwin, an Associate Artist of Bristol Old Vic and Associate Director at The Royal Court, complemented by imaginative set design by Christopher Oram, lighting by James Farncombe, music by Michael Bruce, movement by Jonathan Goddard and sound by Christopher Shutt, Man and Superman is a triumph.Add to this the magnificent performances by a great ensemble of 20 performers headed by Ralph Fiennes as Jack Tanner, celebrated radical thinker and rich bachelor, and Indira Varma as the alluring heiress Ann.  Read more 

MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E  Take a trip back to the 1960s with The Man from U.N.C.L.E., a stylish take on the hugely popular 60s television series.In Sherlock Holmes (and its sequel) Guy Ritchie brought a fresh perspective to the relationship between legendary sleuth Holmes and his colleague Watson, and now takes the buddy genre to another entertaining level with the exploits of CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin.Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s at the height of the Cold War, Solo and Kuryakin are forced to put aside long-standing hostilities and team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organisation that is bent on destabilising the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology.What makes The Man from U.N.C.L.E. work extremely well is the chemistry between Henry Cavill as Solo, the suave-and-savvy American, and Armie Hammer the moody and volatile Russian.  Read more 

MAPS TO THE STARS Crazed obsession and fame and fortune clash head on in Maps to the Stars, David Cronenberg’s modern Hollywood Gothic film about the ravenous 21st- century need for fame and validation – and the yearning, loss and fragility that lurk in the shadows underneath. Maps to the Stars connects the savage beauty of writer Bruce Wagner’s Los Angeles with the riveting filmmaking of director Cronenberg and a stellar ensemble cast to take a tour into the darkly comic heart of a Hollywood family chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts. Cronenberg deceptively lures you into the intimate world of stardom and balances this explosive mindbender on a razor-sharp line between comedy, horror and invigorating honesty.”It’s a story that is really of the moment and it also ferociously attacks the moment we are living in, culturally, pop culturally, technologically, and in every way, which I really admire,” says Cronenberg.  Read more

METROPOLITAN OPERA SCREENINGS:  Opera lovers enjoyed a double treat with the screening of Tchaikovsky’s lyrical fairy tale Iolanta and Bartók’s haunting psychological thriller Bluebeard’s Castle during March 2015.  It was an ultimate high for opera buffs, offering the best that opera has to offer from the esteemed Metropolitan Opera, with acclaimed Polish film director Mariusz Trelinski making his highly anticipated Met debut with an exciting new production, inspired by classic noir films of the 1940s.Trelinski, a film, theatre, and opera director made his opera debut in 1999 with an acclaimed production of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly at the Polish National Opera and has since directed at the Mariinsky Theatre, Welsh National Opera, the Savonlinna Opera Festival, and Teatro Comunale in Bologna.

Opera’s most popular double bill: Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci delighted during May 2015. It was the final screening in the Met: Live in HD’s current season in South Africa.

The Metropolitan Opera’s lavish new production of Franz Lehar’s enduring operetta The Merry Widow is a light comedy with a rich, tuneful score and plenty of opportunities for dancing, combining the best of Broadway and opera on one of the grandest opera stages in the world. It formed part of Met: Live in HD series and was screened during February 2015. Renée Fleming starred as the beguiling femme fatale, Hanna, who captivates all of Paris. The story, which centres on an attractive widow from a Balkan land, now living in Paris, whose husband left her a fortune, touches on wistful emotions under the direction and choreography of Susan Stroman (The Producers, Oklahoma!, Contact), who has won five Tony Awards and is also making her Met debut.

Opera lovers indulged in the Met Opera’s production of Offenbach’s sumptuous Les Contes d’Hoffmann during March 2015 with magnetic Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo in his first Met performances of the title role as the tortured poet and unwitting adventurer whose attempts at romance are repeatedly thwarted.

MINIONS  Fun is upgraded with zany Minions joviality in a well-deserved ‘biopic’ that vividly answers a questions fans have been asking since their superstardom in the Despicable Me series: Where do the Minions come from? It’s a joyful journey with tons of laughs into the origins of these adorable happy-face yellow creatures that begins at the dawn of time where they started their animated life as single-celled yellow organisms, and evolved through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. The three chosen yellow stooges destined for fame embark upon a thrilling journey with some wonderfully original histrionic and hysterical moments that shows how they were responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, the demise of Count Dracula, ignited Napoleon’s fury and unleashed Pharaoh’s wrath. Read more

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE:  GHOST PROTOCOL Fasten your seatbelts for the five-star Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, the explosive fifth instalment in the constantly accelerating action-thriller series that is unquestionably the best action film of the year.It delivers what it promises, and much, much more: daredevil action sequences, action-packed chase sequences, deadly adversaries, ticking time bombs and explosive thrills. It offers the ultimate in entertainment and succeeds on all levels, showcasing the art of filmmaking. It’s a film you have to see to believe fully. Yes, it’s an ultra-spectacular experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will be exhausted after watching the film; it’s a film you experience and totally draws you into the hard core physical action and involves you with its rewarding emotional pay-off.Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, facing his most blisteringly impossible mission yet, confronting The Syndicate, an impenetrable, exquisitely trained group of renegade spies who have left behind their countries for an agenda all their own – an agenda intent on destabilising the very foundations of civilisation. What makes this fifth journey into the world of Mission Impossible work extremely well is director Christopher McQuarrie, whose interpretation of his screenplay amplifies the vision he had for the film. Read more 

MISTER HOLMES  “One shouldn’t leave this life without a sense of completion,” declares 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes in the absolutely superb Mr.Holmes, a new twist on the world’s most famous detective that is definitely one of the top films of the year. Adapted with verve and vivacity from Mitch Cullin’s novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, this tale of a man in search of his memory gloriously re-unites Ian McKellen with director Bill Condon after their collaboration on the Academy Award-winning Gods and Monsters. McKellen is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of our time, delivering an endearing and heartfelt performance as Mr. Holmes, perfectly capturing the story of a man who embraces his solitude and firmly believes that fiction is nonsense and that fact is logical. Read more 

JOHN If there’s one theatrical experience that was life-changing, it was DV8 Physical Theatre’s spellbinding John as screened in January 2015 as part of NT Live. It was not only one of the most provocative and fearless explorations of male sexuality, but dared to state what needs to be said about the human condition. Llloyd Newson’s  distinguished vision astonished; he successfully managed to convey the absolute loneliness of a man who is hopelessly lost in live and love, masterfully contrasting John’s isolation with his claustrophobic rambling in a male sauna where naked bodies become a sea of flesh, and the utter chaotic effect of drug addiction and physical abuse. John is an incredibly complex production to pull off and succeeded admirably. Hannes Langolf lead the powerful ensemble and delivered a memorable and compelling performance.  Read more 

NIGHTCRAWLER  Crime pays viciously in this shocking journey into the world of freelance stringers, known as nightcrawlers, who hunt for crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem in the hope of selling the footage to local TV news. Every night, while the city sleeps, motley crews armed with fast cars, expensive video cameras and blaring police radios prowl the sprawling Los Angeles basin in search of a story. ‘Pinballing’ from one police scene to the next, they are driven by a simple equation that converts crime and victims into dollars and cents. Nightcrawler will have you on the edge of your seats until the very last moment. It’s one of those films that grabs you by the throat and never let’s go! For writer-director Dan Gilroy, the nocturnal subculture of maverick newshounds became the perfect world to launch lead character Lou Bloom.  Jake Gyllenhaal, who delivers an astounding performance, describes Lou Bloom as a coyote. “He searches and scavenges for whatever he can find,” the actor says. “He is hungry at all times and will destroy what he needs to if it stands in his path. He will succeed at any cost.” Lou’s ascent in the world of nightcrawling is aided by Nina, with Rene Russo delivering an equally brilliant performance.  Read more

PRIDE A film that will most definitely change your life and how you see the world. It follows two very different communities who found strength by standing together. Inspired by a miraculous true story, it is set in 1984 when Margaret Thatcher was in power and the National Union of Mineworkers was on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the union, the group identified a tiny mining village in Wales and set off to make its donation in person. As the strike dragged on, the two groups discovered that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.   Worlds collide and then entwine with passion, fervour and integrity in this rousing celebration of the alliance between two disparate groups of people who came together over their shared history of oppression, shattering prejudices and forging unlikely friendships along the way. The utterly delightful film from Tony Award-winning theatre director Matthew Warchus (Matilda: The Musical, God of Carnage) features a large ensemble cast led by Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) with the other roles played by a host of well-known British actors including Dominic West (300, The Wire), Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes) and Joseph Gilgun (This Is England) as well as relatively new faces such as Ben Schnetzer (The Book Thief, Posh), George MacKay (How I Live Now, Sunshine On Leith) and Faye Marsay (The White Queen, Fresh Meat).  Read more  

RIOT CLUB  The world of a group of rich-and-spoilt undergraduates in The Riot Club is perversely painted in money and they don’t give a damn.The explosive drama of The Riot Club is an emotional journey into the world of corrupted minds where perverse violence rules their morality.Based on Laura Wade’s hit play, the film tells the story of an exclusive Oxford University undergraduate dining society. At the beginning of a new term new, candidates are selected to join the group and when Miles (Max Irons) joins them his world is turned inside out as their insane egocentricity runs wild and they rebel against convention. In the tradition of A Clockwork Orange, The Riot Club explores the excess of violence in an idyllic world, where malevolent evil corrupts sensible human nature and turns ordinary young men into monstrosities. It takes you into the heart of posh English upper-class society and, ultimately, reveals the dark soul of its lonely worshippers. The Riot Club is not a film about violence, but a poignant coming-of-age story, showing how easily innocence and first love can be corrupted and violated. Read more 

ROYAL BALLET

Cinema Nouveau screened a wonderful season of productions by The Royal Ballet during 2015: Choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, with a score by Joby Talbot ,  The Winter’s Tale is only the second new full-length ballet commissioned at Covent Garden in the past 20 years, and Talbot’s first ballet based on a Shakespeare play, an enduring tale of love, loss and reconciliation.

The magnificent La Fille mal gardée is a glorious realisation of choreographer Frederick Ashton’s beloved rural comedy was filmed live on 5 May at the Royal Opera House and was conceived by Ashton as “A life in the country of eternally late spring, a leafy pastoral of perpetual sunshine and the humming of bees”. It’s a quintessentially British production and one of The Royal Ballet’s most beloved works, offering pure joy from start to finish and gloriously celebrates the art of ballet.

If there’s one ballet that will seduce your senses it’s The Royal Ballet’s breath-taking Romeo and Juliet is perfectly expressed in motion to Sergey Prokofiev’s haunting score and Kenneth MacMillan’s sensual choreography. The production is so rich in texture and colour it’s as if the dance, drama and robust sword-fighting sequences burst out of a Rembrandt painting – quite reminiscent of Franco Zeffirelli’s classic film version. Although The Royal Ballet has performed Romeo and Juliet over 400 times, each performance and pairing is subtly different, and Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli are utterly captivating in the title roles, with a dashing Alexander Cambell as Mercurio.

The Royal Ballet’s production of Tchaikovsky’s iconic romantic fairy tale Swan Lake was screened in May 2015. It is breathtaking watching the filmed live performance of a ballet on the big screen in high definition, not only giving you the best seat in the house, but also exclusive interviews with the cast and crew as well as backstage footage. This is the closest you can ever get to a live performance. Anthony Dowell’s Royal Ballet production stars Principal dancers Natalia Osipova and Matthew Golding in the lead roles of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried, in a formidable partnership.

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland was screened in March 2015.  Tumble down the rabbit hole with The Royal Ballet with an exhilarating performance of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s magical Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Exuding a girlish charm, Alice, danced by American principal Sarah Lamb, encounters a cast of extraordinary characters including the gardener’s boy, Federico Bonelli, who later becomes her Knave of Hearts as they dance a tender and loving pas de deux of delicate beauty. There is also the highly strung Queen of Hearts, who performs a hilarious send-up of The Sleeping Beauty’s famous Rose Adage, dancing playing cards, the jittery White Rabbit and the quirky tap-dancing Mad Hatter. But the ballet does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis Carroll’s story – a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily disembodied Cheshire Cat and the unhinged tea party are all created in vivid detail. The familiar story is reimagined with quirky designs by Bob Crowley as we follow Alice into Wonderland across a lake of tears, playing croquet with flamingos and hedgehogs, and attending the deranged tea party.

ST. VINCENT The singular Bill Murray teams with first-time director/screenwriter Ted Melfi for this heart-warming story of a young boy who develops an unusual friendship with the cantankerous old guy next door. Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine – the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart. Read more

SAINT LAURENT A mesmerising journey into the life and mind of celebrated French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, who is regarded as one of the greatest names in fashion history. It’s a fictional tale that draws a compassionate and elegiac portrayal of his personality, lifestyle and friendships and a darkly romantic and visually distinct period documentary and homage which is set in France mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, reconstructing real events and where shallowness, decadence and excessiveness is present. It also  focuses Saint Laurent’s (Gaspard Ulliel) troubled romance with life partner Pierre Berge (Jérémie Renier) as well as on his individual neuroses, insecurities and delusions. Written and directed by Bertrand Bonello

SELMA In spring of 1965, a series of dramatic events changed the course of America and the modern concept of civil rights forever — as courageous marchers, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., attempted three times to carry out a peaceful procession from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama on a quest for the basic human right to vote.   The shocking confrontations, the triumphant final march and the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that followed are now an indelible part of history.  But the vitally relevant, vitally human story of Selma – from the political battles in the halls of power to the grit and faith of people on the street to the private, inner struggles Dr. King faced – has never been seen on the movie screen.  Screenplay by Paul Webb and directed by Ava DuVernay

SEUN Darrell Roodt’s Seun is one of the most important and relevant films ever made in South Africa, following in the tradition of his superb Faith’s Corner, revealing the fragile disposition of a young man whose life is changed when he joins the army in 1981. Having met Darrel years ago and forever inspired by his fervent passion for storytelling and filmmaking, it was great to share a few thoughts with him on Seun: What inspired you to write Seun? ” Strangely, the basic idea was one of the first things I ever wrote, way back in the day when I was conscripted into the army. I made The Stick instead, which was easier to get made because it had lots of shooting and horror in it. Then, at the beginning of last year, Diony Kempen, my friend and producer, said that instead of sitting around on our hands waiting for something to happen, let’s go and make a movie. I wrote Seun in a week and a couple of weeks after that we were shooting it! But, in truth, it’s been almost 30 years in gestation. Weird!” Read more

STRANGE MAGIC   The totally zany and super spectacular animated musical Strange Magic is an enchanting creation from George Lucas and Lucasfilm, featuring a princess who has sworn off love, a vulnerable villain, a slightly nutty Sugar Plum Fairy, a tenacious and big-hearted elf, a mischievous imp, and a knight who is no Prince Charming. “I wanted to do something fun and happy yet unexpected,” says executive producer George Lucas, whose story was adapted by screenwriters David Berenbaum (Elf), Irene Mecchi (The Lion King, Brave) and director Gary Rydstrom.You have never experienced a fairy tale like this, with fairies turning into heavy rockers and singing their hearts out. Producer Mark S Miller says the story is inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “It’s a farcical fairy tale with characters and creatures of all shapes and sizes falling in love with the most unlikely candidates.” Read more 

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING The extraordinary and uplifting story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, and of two people defying the steepest of odds through love. The film, based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, by Jane Hawking, is directed by Academy Award winner James Marsh (Man on Wire). In 1963, as a cosmology student at the storied U.K. university Cambridge, Stephen (portrayed by Eddie Redmayne of Les Misérables) is making great strides and is determined to find a “simple, eloquent explanation” for the universe. His own world opens up when he falls deeply in love with an arts major, fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones of The Invisible Woman). But, at 21 years of age, this healthy, active young man receives an earth-shattering diagnosis: motor neuron disease will attack his limbs and his abilities, leaving him with limited speech and movement, and will take his life within two years. Read more 

TREASURE ISLAND   Experience the magic of live theatre on the big screen with Treasure Island, the National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre in London’s sumptuous adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of murder, money and mutiny. This NT Live screening has limited screenings at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Joburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town on 14, 18 and 19 February at 7.30pm, and on Sunday, 15 February at 2.30pm, and once again proves how exciting it is to watch live theatre in the comfort of your cinema, in full HD and allowing you an extraordinary opportunity of seeing the full spectacle as well as being centre stage with the actors. Adapted with verve by Bryony Lavery it fully captures the humour, mystery and adventure of the young Jim Hawkins, who encounters the dreaded Long John Silver and his pirate mates, including a mischievous parrot. It’s amazing how the stage transforms from an inn to a pirate ship, an island, starlit night and even takes you into a cave. Pure magic! Read more 

UNBROKEN Angelina Jolie’s not-to-be-missed epic drama Unbroken brings to the big screen Louie Zamperini’s unbelievable and inspiring true story about triumph over tribulation and the resilient power of the human spirit.Telling the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini, it follows in the tradition of films like The Railway Man, and celebrates the unbreakable fortitude of the human spirit. It’s a remarkable film that is best experienced cold, not knowing too much about the story. Unfortunately, it is a story that is well known, adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s (Seabiscuit: An American Legend) enormously popular book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, and the trailer has many spoilers. Still, if you can, try to watch it without knowing too much, as it is a story that will draw you into its power until the final moments. The cast delivers superb performances, with Jack O’Connell as ‘Louie’ Zamperini and Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter series) and Finn Wittrock (HBO’s The Normal Heart) play Captain Russell Allen ‘Phil’ Phillips and Sergeant Francis ‘Mac’ McNamara-the airmen with whom Zamperini endured perilous weeks adrift in the open Pacific. Read more 

THE VISIT It’s a strange, strange world in The Visit, and it gets stranger when madness reveals itself.With films like The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shyamalan gave us the ultimate twist. With The Visit, he takes us on a mysterious exploration of what lurks beneath the ordinary lives of grandparents (Deanna Dunagan and Peter Mcrobbie) whose idyllic existence on an isolated farm in rural Pennsylvania is an unruffled picture of quietness and tranquillity.Until their grandchildren, two spirited teenagers arrive for a week-long visit. Intelligent, soulful Becca (Olivia Dejonge) is an amateur filmmaker who is lensing a documentary about their trip to visit their maternal grandparents, an elderly couple whom they’ve never met.  She and her younger brother, Tyler (Ed Oxenbould, an aspiring rapper who deals with anxieties through elaborate OCD rituals, want to experience what they’ve missed for so many years: the unconditional love of grandparents.  Finally, it is their chance to be spoiled and to feel like any other grandchild should…and to discover just why their mother (Kathryn Hahn) has kept them away from her parents until now.Nothing is ordinary in a Shyamalan film and when the darker side of human nature gradually surfaces, it spirals into a tense and thrilling visit that will long be remembered. Read more 

THE WALK  A definitive dream is magnificently celebrated in The Walk, a film that showcases the craft and art of filmmaking at its finest.Although it’s a story we all treasure from the Oscar-winning documentary Man On Wire, through the eyes of visionary filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, it’s a new and fresh incarnation that takes us to New York of 1974, where Philippe Petit, an consummate French aerialist, surprised the city of New York with a high-wire walk between the towers of the almost-completed and partially occupied World Trade Center. It’s a walk you will never forget and culminates in a tense and emotional experience. When Petit (brilliantly portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), it was an overwhelming and tearful moment. Read more

WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS “Music is made to bring people together, and We Are Your Friends speaks to our generation; this is our music, it comes from us. We can create it and maybe we can change the world in some small way, and that’s really exciting,” says Zac Efron who plays an aspiring 23-year-old DJ who spends his days scheming with his childhood friends and his nights working on the one track that will set the world on fire.For anyone who is unaware of the dangers of drugs and alcohol that permeate the party lives of many teenagers, We Are Your Friends is a hard-hitting and tragic journey into a world where getting high means everything. Set in the world of electronic music and Hollywood night life, the life of DJ Cole changes drastically when he meets a charismatic but damaged older DJ named James (Wes Bentley), who takes him under his wing.Things get complicated, however, when Cole starts falling for James’ much younger girlfriend, Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski). With Cole’s forbidden relationship intensifying and his friendships unravelling, he must choose between love, loyalty, and the future he is destined for.The film marks Max Joseph’s (MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show) feature film directorial debut from a screenplay he wrote with Meaghan Oppenheimer, from a story by Richard Silverman.  Read more 

WHIPLASH If there’s one film everyone will be talking about, it’s the masterful Whiplash. Thrilling to the bone, the psychological warfare between a student and teacher is intense beyond words in writer-director Damien Chazelle’s first-rate drama.Burning passion, intense desire and human frailty clash head on in this gripping and explosive story about the warfare between ambitious young jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) and his tyrannical and ferocious teacher Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons), featuring stupendous performances from both actors. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher, an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man’s life. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability-and his sanity. Make sure not to miss Whiplash. It guarantees to have you on your edge of your seat and break your heart with its gut-wrenching emotion. Read more

Copyright © 2015 Daniel Dercksen  All Right Reserved

by ·Comments Off on Dark Waters – An unbelievable true David vs. Goliath story

Dark Waters sees critically acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes venture into new territory to tell a gripping story based on the explosive exposé that uncovered an urgent public health crisis and corruption at the highest levels.

Based on The New York Times Magazine article, “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare,” by Nathaniel Rich, Dark Waters chronicles the one-man crusade that sought justice for a community exposed for decades to toxins in its own backyard. It tells the shocking and heroic story of an attorney (Mark Ruffalo) who risks his career and family to uncover a dark secret hidden by one of the world’s largest corporations and to bring justice to a community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals.

It all began on January 6, 2016, when The New York Times Magazine published Nathaniel Rich’s riveting chronicle of the work of Cincinnati attorney Rob Bilott.

Employed at the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, Bilott became an unlikely crusader who bravely uncovered the dangers of a chemical that had been contaminating one rural community for years—and to punish one corporate giant responsible for marketing its uses.

The saga unfolds like a horror story

The Tennants, a family who had farmed the same sprawling property for generations, began losing their cattle in startling ways. The animals, once docile-like pets, turned ugly and aggressive. Lesions covered their hides, their eyes were rimmed with red, white slime dripped from their mouths, and their teeth blackened. When one black calf died, its eye was electric blue. Convinced that the cause was toxic runoff from the nearby Dry Run Landfill, where the Washington Works factory, owned by DuPont, disposed of its waste, Wilbur Tennant sought answers for years to no avail.

Desperate, he finally turned to Bilott, who had spent time as a child near the Tennants’ farm in Parkersburg, West Virginia. “When we were first approached by the Tennants to try and help them figure out what was going on at this landfill, the world I had dealt with was regulated, listed materials—we thought this could be a fairly straightforward thing,” Bilott says. “We’ll help figure out what should be going into the landfill and look at the permits; we’ll find out what chemicals are actually going in and what might be exceeding their limits.”

After nearly a year, Bilott discovered just what they were dealing with—“an unregulated chemical that didn’t fit into that world. It opened into a much bigger, and much different, project,” the attorney says. The substance in question is perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, which dates to 1951, almost two decades before the Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the federal rules and statutes that started coming out in the 1970s were primarily focused on new chemicals, things that were being produced and generated after that point in time,” Bilott says. “There wasn’t as much emphasis or review on things that were already out there, chemicals like this that had been used for decades. So now, we’re looking at the consequences of that—never really going back and looking at this entire big group of chemicals that had been used for decades and decades with essentially no review.”

What the attorney learned was shocking. DuPont had long understood that PFOA, could have wide-ranging, even lethal, effects. Yet, according to Rich’s article, by 1990, the company had dumped 7,100 tons of PFOA sludge into Dry Run Landfill. Runoff from that landfill drained onto the land where the Tennants’ cattle grazed. From that point on, Bilott made it his mission to secure justice not just for the Tennants, but also for anyone who had been exposed to PFOA—or “forever chemicals” as they’re called, since they don’t break down and stay in the subject’s system.

For Mark Ruffalo, reading Rich’s article set off personal alarm bells

As both an artist and a globally-minded environmentalist, Ruffalo felt that a film about Bilott’s struggles could represent a convergence of his dedication to his craft and to the environment.

A longtime advocate of climate change and increasing renewable energy, Ruffalo co-founded Water Defense in March 2011 to raise awareness about energy extraction’s impact on water and public health; the following year, he helped launch The Solutions Project as part of his mission to share science, business and culture that demonstrates the feasibility of renewable energy.

After some initial email exchanges, Ruffalo phoned Bilott with a pointed inquiry. “I said that I felt like there was a part of the story that wasn’t fully explained in this article,” Ruffalo recalls. “What I wanted to know from Rob was, was it more difficult for you trying to do this inside a corporate defence law firm that only represents chemical companies? Rob said, ‘Listen, I’ll tell you everything.’ That was what I really needed to move forward.”

“I just think to be a hero, you are going to face a lot of opposition, and from everywhere, sometimes,” Ruffalo continues. “That is a real hero’s journey. Plus, it is just great storytelling. The more you can layer in those complexities, just the better story it is, and the greater achievement it is when our hero does what he set out to do.”

At the outset, Rob really believes that corporations are people and in the concept of their self-governance. He reasons that this must be some simple oversight. What ends up happening is he uncovers this contamination and cover-up, perpetrated by DuPont and spanning 40 years.”

For Bilott, a feature film meant yet another way to communicate the import of the threat to health and safety. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to be able to make people understand the nature and extent of this public health threat,” he says. “But not only that—how does something like this happen in the United States? In what we should be thinking of as the most sophisticated country on earth, how could a massive worldwide contamination problem like this not only occur, but originate here in the United States? This film can convey to people in an understandable way that not only is this happening, but how it happens.”

Soon afterwards, Jeff Skoll’s Participant came onboard

Known for socially conscious films such as the Academy Award-winning drama Spotlight—which chronicled the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into systemic child sex abuse in the Catholic Church and which featured Ruffalo in an Academy Award-nominated supporting role as journalist Michael Rezendes—the company was an ideal fit for a movie with an important message about environmental justice.

Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan is on board

Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan, who had previously penned the gripping real-life drama Deepwater Horizon for Participant, was hired to adapt Bilott’s story for the screen.

Carnahan graduated USC with a degree in Political Science, and went to work at Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco, as a researcher for the pro bono defense team of a man convicted of murder and membership in the Irish Republican Army. That was followed by six years at the Advisory Board Company, a Washington D.C. think tank, where he became a National Spokesperson and Senior Director. During this time, Carnahan began to write the screenplay The Kingdom, which became a movie directed by Peter Berg. He then wrote a play that became the drama Lions for Lambs, directed by Robert Redford, and adapted the BBC mini-series State of Play, as well as the Max Brooks’ novel, World War Z. He reunited with director Peter Berg to write Deepwater Horizon, an account of the infamous BP oil disaster. Most recently, Carnahan wrote and directed Mosul, a film about the Nineveh SWAT Team in Iraq. The film was an official selection of the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Once an early draft was complete, Ruffalo sent the script to filmmaker Haynes in the later part of 2017 to get a sense of his interest in directing the project.

Director Todd Haynes joins the team

Although Ruffalo and Haynes had not previously worked together, each was an admirer of the other’s work. Haynes was perhaps uniquely suited to tell the story, having made beautifully realized films that depicted themes of the outsider in Carol and Far from Heaven and environmental contamination in Safe and Poison that contributed to the cultural conversation.

Todd Haynes is an acclaimed American independent film director and screenwriter. Born in Los Angeles, Haynes grew up interested in the arts and attended Brown University, where he received his B.A. in arts and semiotics. After college, Haynes moved to New York City, where he made his controversial short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987), using Barbie dolls to portray the life and death of singer Karen Carpenter. Haynes made his directorial feature debut with the provocative 1991 film, Poison, which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, spearheading what would become known as the New Queer Cinema. In 1995, Haynes’s second feature film, Safe, would be voted, by decade’s end, the best film of the ’90s by the Village Voice’s Critic Poll. Haynes’s next film, Velvet Goldmine, an homage to the glam rock era of the early ’70s, premiered in Official Selection at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a Special Jury Prize. Haynes’s next film, Far from Heaven (2002), inspired by the ’50s melodramas of Douglas Sirk, also starring Julianne Moore, earned both critical and mainstream success, receiving four Academy Award nominations, including one for Haynes’ original screenplay. His 2007 film, I’m Not There, imagined the life and work of Bob Dylan through the guise of seven fictional characters, and once again won him critical acclaim, especially for the cross-gender casting of Cate Blanchett, who received the Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2011, Haynes directed and co-wrote “Mildred Pierce,” a five-hour miniseries starring Kate Winslet, which garnered 21 Emmy nominations, winning five of them, in addition to three Golden Globe Awards.He next made 2015’s Carol, based on Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel The Price of Salt, which received much critical acclaim and many accolades, including six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe Award nominations and nine BAFTA Award nominations. It has also been voted the #1 LGBT Film of All Time by BFI.Haynes’s recent Wonderstruck, from the book by Brian Selznick (and adapted for the screen by the author), garnered nominations and acclaim across multiple critics associations and film organizations, including a nomination for Haynes for the Palme d’Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Haynes’ inventive and singular telling of two children’s search for connection across time was his fourth collaboration with Julianne Moore.

Indeed, the Academy Award-nominated writer-director says he was instantly hooked by Bilott’s story and excited by the prospect of exploring a new genre.

“Dark Waters is a little outside the kinds of films I’m mostly associated with, but it just so happens to be a genre film: the whistleblower film for lack of a better definition, which I’ve always loved,” says Haynes, who cites such landmark films as All the President’s Men and The Insider as particular favorites. 

At the time, Haynes was focused on completing post-production on his soul-stirring film Wonderstruck, but when he was ready to seek out his next project, he knew exactly what it would be.

Hayes turned to his long-time producing partners at Killer Films, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, who eagerly signed on.

“This is a story that needs to be told,” Vachon says. “To me, what makes the movie work is that it’s a fantastic whistleblower film. What attracted me is looking at what makes somebody willing to do that, because it tends to upend one’s life in ways that are mostly not good. Most people who go into such a situation recognize that and know that they will be going in the face of a lot of the things that give them stability. The psychology, the drama of that really fascinates me.”

Adds Koffler: “What stood out for me was how well the script digested a huge amount of technical information, from chemical, legal and environmental perspectives, how a case works its way through the legal system on a state and federal level, to the health repercussions involved—there are so many sections to the story. Compressing it into a feature-length digestible form with great drama was a big challenge…but very well done, I have to say.”

Screenwriter Mario Correa who came on board for script revisions

To make sure every detail underpinning the drama of the screenplay was as accurate as it could be, Ruffalo and Haynes, along with screenwriter Mario Correa, who came on board for script revisions, travelled to Cincinnati in May of 2018 to speak with figures from Bilott’s professional life, including Thomas Terp, a partner at the firm who was Bilott’s supervisor, as well as Bilott himself.

Mario Correa came to the United States from Santiago, Chile, as a child and worked for years in politics before becoming a playwright and screenwriter. He holds a B.A. from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree from London School of Economics. His stage comedy Tail! Spin! played an acclaimed run Off-Broadway in 2014 and 2015, his play Commander won the Carol Weinberg Award for Best Play and was named Best Production at the 2015 Baltimore Playwrights Festival, and NPR commissioned Correa’s radio play, Santa for President. Correa also has worked in broadcasting. For two years, he co-hosted Entertainment Weekly’s live, three-hour, daily “News & Notes” program on the magazine’s SiriusXM channel, EW Radio. He co-created and co-hosted WNYC’s “RelationShow,” was a contributor to NPR’s “Weekend Edition Sunday” and WNYC’s “Soundcheck,” and served as Washington correspondent for Public Radio International’s “Fair Game.” He began his career at age 17 as an aide to U.S. Congresswoman Constance A. Morella.

“It was a real privilege to be able to meet and spend time with Mark Ruffalo—he is really one of the nicest, most down-to-earth, genuine people I’ve ever met,” Bilott says. “He was committed to sitting down and trying to understand what transpired over these 20 years—not just the legal aspect, to move these issues along through the court system, but also what was going on at a personal level. He focused on the personal impact, not just for me, but also for my wife, my family, my partners at the firm.”

Haynes and Correa also traveled to Parkersburg, West Virginia, to meet with the other major figures in the saga, with Bilott along for the road trip acting as their tour guide, and saw first-hand the Washington Works property, an enormous facility 35 times larger than the Pentagon. “It was this massive plant spewing smoke and emissions,” Haynes says. “You feel it penetrate your skin, this fog and haze that you’ve entered. Your vision is sort of filtered and tainted by it. It doesn’t really shake off for quite a while after leaving.”

Although Haynes had made numerous films with characters inspired by real-life people, the level of authenticity required for Dark Waters was something new for the filmmaker, and not something he took lightly. “That was the biggest challenge from the get-go—how to be true to the facts, honour the specificity and uniqueness of these characters and their experiences, but make it accessible to an audience, make it something that an audience can follow and be engrossed by the story,” Haynes says. 

by ·Comments Off on Writer-Producer-Director Scott Derrickson talks about The Black Phone

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson returns to his terror roots and partners again with the foremost brand in the genre, Blumhouse, with a terrifying new horror thriller The Black Phone. 

The film’s screenplay is by Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill (Doctor Strange, Sinister franchise), based on the award-winning short story by JOE HILL from his New York Times bestseller 20th Century Ghosts.

Read more about The Black Phone

Scott Derrickson Q&A

How did this project come together?

Well, it came together as a result of a few things. I’ve been in therapy for a couple of years, mostly dealing with my childhood, and then I got excited about this project when I combined Joe Hill’s short story with my own experience growing up in North Denver in the late 70’s. That’s essentially what the screenplay is.

What appealed to you about the story?

I believe Joe is a very unique writer. I can’t think of another horror writer who can approach such dark material from the point of view of love, with great compassion and empathy. And he doesn’t compromise on the scariness because of that. I read the short story The Black Phone when it was first published 18 years ago, and it always stuck with me. Then I thought it would be a great idea for a movie because I had never seen anything that combined a serial killer and abductor with the supernatural, but also because of the empathy I felt in the writing. I really felt that the author cared about the kid in the story. So, a very important aspect for me in making this film was to retain that point of view of compassion and love, while telling a truly terrifying and otherwise very grim tale.

And you have a terrifying villain in The Grabber. What did an actor of the calibre of Ethan Hawke bring to that role?

I didn’t write the script with Ethan in mind, but when I finished it with my writing partner Robert Cargill, he was the first person I wanted to send it to because of the uniqueness of his voice, which is very distinctive and has real range. He can make his voice low and gravely but also high and light, effortlessly moving it around, and I felt that could be a very important and valuable aspect of the character. And then tailoring to him the mask he wears was important too. Initially, I think all we wrote in the script was that it was an old leathery mask with the devil painted on it, either smiling or frowning; but once Ethan signed on, I felt inspired to do something more elaborate with the mask, like splitting it in half so he could show just his eyes or his mouth. For me, these aspects were interesting, but in the end how The Grabber actually functions in the movie is all thanks to Ethan. He came to the set with an understanding of the character that exceeded my own.

It’s unnerving how his mask constantly changes…

Yes, and we were very specific about how and when he wears it. So, there was a revision of the script once I came up with the idea of splitting the mask, trying to imagine in each scene which one he would wear and why, and how it would impact what he says and does. Masks are scary and obviously a huge iconic component of a lot of horror films, and I was trying to expand upon that. I just tried to do something that felt like an evolution of the idea of the masked killer. That was one of the ambitions of this movie.

And Ethan delivered an extraordinary performance, making sure The Grabber was a complex villain.

He definitely got the complexity of the character that was in the screenplay, and then he added some extra layers. And I give him the credit for trusting the mask to do what The Grabber wanted it to do because wearing a mask was a way for the character to be himself and honest with what he felt and did.

Several aspects of Finney and his life are drawn from Derrickson’s own childhood memories. One of the first scenes in the film sees Finney watching the 1959 William Castle horror classic The Tingler.

“I built haunted houses in my basement as a kid. I was that kid watching The Tingler, and I never forgot it. It was the first horror movie that I remember stumbling on, on my own. It’s a black-and-white film and that scene when, suddenly, bright red crimson blood appears, that burned into my brain and I never let it go. Not a week goes by that I’m not thinking about the images from that movie. Children have a fascination and innate need to take those horrific things in. I think it’s an instinctive reckoning with how scary it is to be a human being, especially for a child.”

There’s a scene with Robin and Finney talking in the bathroom at school that is word for word what I remember a good friend of mine saying to me when I was in elementary school.  He was the toughest kid in school and for some reason, he took a liking to me. I think it’s amazing how those moments that you have when you’re that young can make such an impression on you.

After having abducted several young kids in the town where the action takes place, with fatal consequences, The Grabber targets the teenager Finney Shaw, who struggles to survive and outwit him. There is a fascinating and terrifying cat and mouse relationship going on there, right?

Yes, and much more so than The Grabber intended there to be. I think Finney was constantly surprising him with his intelligence and willfulness, and also with the ghosts of the kids that are calling him on this mysterious black phone. I think that what makes a movie like this work depends on how it plays on the audience’s suspense and fear because there is not a guarantee in the genre that the hero is going to get away. Sometimes, horror films can end very badly; so, one of the things that add to the suspense of The Black Phone is that you don’t know where it is going.

Mason Thames delivers a powerful performance as Finney.

It’s very rare to find an actor as young as him with that kind of raw talent, which involves a real powerful, thorough, and emotional understanding of what a character would think and do in a certain circumstance. So often I didn’t have to give him any direction at all, as he just knew how to process Finney’s thoughts on camera. When you watch him, you realize that he doesn’t have an untruthful beat in the whole movie. This way, in every scene you can sort of seeing what is happening inside: how he is thinking about the situation; how is reacting to things; how he is plotting things. And the more I worked on the movie in post-production, the more I marvelled at his performance. It is flawless.

And his character’s connection with his sister is also key in the story.

Oh yes, more than anything else, the movie is really about the bond between Finney and Gwen. And the pressure I felt had to do with the fact that we only see them on camera together for the first 25 minutes or so of the film because I had to make sure the audience cared about them as characters and also about their relationship. The biggest challenge of the movie was getting that to work so that when they were separated you felt the impact of that and the importance of Gwen’s role.

What can you say of Madeleine McGraw and her performance in that role?

Madeleine is a young star. She was astronomically better than any other actress that read for that role. I was so amazed by her audition that I moved the whole production for her, after finding out that she wasn’t available for our initial shooting schedule. So, I called producer Jason Blum and told him that we had to shoot later because I needed her to play Gwen, and even though he probably thought I was crazy, he supported me and agreed.

The siblings have their own problems at home with their father, played by Jeremy Davies, which is another important part of the story.

Yes, it is. There are a lot of things going on there about overcoming trauma and the resilience of childhood, as they have to survive him, the bullies at school, and this abductor and serial killer.

You clearly didn’t listen to that old saying in the industry about trying to avoid working with dogs or kids, as you have both in the film.

I love working with kids! The important thing is to find the right child actor, and I dedicate a lot of time to interviewing them and meeting their parents too, as I need to know that the kid has the right emotional support. I just love how honest and truthful kids are, and I never talk down to them. Regarding the dog scenes, I left them to my beloved second unit director, Maggie Levin. So, I direct the kids, but the animals go to the second unit – which in this case did a great job.

This movie is truly haunting, without having to rely on easy scares to capture the audience’s attention.

I love a good jump scare, but it’s like cotton candy in the sense that it creates a little spike in your mouth and then it is gone without leaving a real lasting impact. I think what makes an effective horror movie is tone and suspense because they create enduring experiences that stay with you after the film is over. There are no jump scares or much gore or even violence that I remember in Robert Eggers’ movie The Witch, but it took me days to shake off the feeling of it. That’s when you know you have seen something remarkable.

So, do you believe that watching a film like The Black Phone can cathartically help us navigate our fears?

Yes, which is precisely why I work in this genre. Good horror taps into the unspoken and unspeakable fears that we carry, and I believe that experiencing it with a movie leads to a sort of live inoculation, helping your system build up immunity to take on the real thing if you encounter it. I think horror art and cinema work like that because they can bolster your capacity to survive the real evils that are in the world. Referring to the cathartic effect of it, Wes Craven said that good horror movies don’t cause fear but actually help release it, and I agree and really like that idea. It has been my relationship with the genre both as a film viewer and a filmmaker.

That mysterious black phone that keeps on ringing in the basement where Finney is being held captive, even though The Grabber insists is broken, adds to the suspense and brings the supernatural element of the story into play.

Yes, that was Joe Hill’s idea, and I remember that when I first read the story, I thought that just a black phone in a basement by itself was something simple and creepy. Funnily enough, right after the film debuted at a film festival last Fall, I moved into a new home in Los Angeles, and when I was in the living room with Jason Blum, I heard a phone ringing in the basement and thought, “Oh my God! What’s happening?” So, I went down and discovered that Jason had installed a black phone there that he was calling…

Have you kept it?

Oh yes, it’s still there. It’s great!

Producer Jason Blum and his company Blumhouse Productions continue, year after year, to be a key voice in this genre. What can you say about him?

Jason has probably become my closest friend in this business. He just loves the genre and is very protective of his directors. I think that everything he has been able to accomplish flows out of his passion for watching and making movies.

So, what should the audience expect from The Black Phone then?

A very suspenseful and original supernatural thriller with a lot of heart and soul.

A Universal Release © 2022 Universal Studios.

by ·Comments Off on Drama on DVD

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5 to 7 – An aspiring novelist enters into a relationship with a woman, though there’s just one catch: She’s married and the couple can only meet between the hours of 5 and 7 each evening. 2014 American romantic film written and directed by Victor Levin and starring Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe, Olivia Thirlby, Lambert Wilson, Frank Langella and Glenn Close.

7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE – Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted. 2018 action thriller film directed by José Padilha and written by Gregory Burke. The film recounts the story of Operation Entebbe, a 1976 counter-terrorist hostage-rescue operation. The film stars Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl.

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13 HOURS – The film follows six members of Annex Security Team who fought to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya after waves of attacks by militants on September 11, 2012. A 2016 American action thriller film directed and produced by Michael Bay and written by Chuck Hogan, based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2014 book of the same name. The film stars James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, Max Martini, David Denman and Dominic Fumusa with supporting roles by Toby Stephens, Alexia Barlier and David Costabile.

20TH CENTURY WOMEN – The story of a teenage boy, his mother, and two other women who help raise him among the love and freedom of Southern California of 1979.2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills.  With Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Lucas Jade Zumann and Billy Crudu

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A FEW GOOD MEN – Daniel Kaffee, a US military lawyer, defends two US marines charged with murdering a fellow marine at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The needle of suspicion, thus, points to a colonel. 1992 American legal drama film based on Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 play of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, who produced the film with David Brown and Andrew Scheinman was written from a screenplay by Sorkin himself and stars an ensemble cast, including Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, J. T. Walsh, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Kiefer Sutherland.

A ROYAL AFFAIR – A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician – and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever. The story is set in the 18th century, at the court of the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark, and focuses on the romance between his wife, Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, and the royal physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. 2012 Danish historical drama film directed by Nikolaj Arcel. Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard

ADRIFT – A couple who are adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after a hurricane must find their way to Hawaii with a damaged boat and no radio. 2018 American survival drama film produced and directed by Baltasar Kormákur and written by David Branson Smith, Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell. The film is based on the 2002 book Red Sky in Mourning by Tami Oldham Ashcraft, a true story set during the events of Hurricane Raymond in 1983. The film stars Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin.

THE AFTERMATH – In 1946 Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg to be reunited with her husband, Lewis, who is a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. As they set off for their new home, Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an unexpected decision: They will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal. 2019 drama directed by James Kent and written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Rhidian Brook. It stars Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgård and Jason Clarke.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD – The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom. 2017 crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on John Pearson’s 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. The film stars Michelle Williams as John Paul Getty III’s mother, Christopher Plummer as Getty, and Mark Wahlberg as an adviser of the Getty family.

ALL WE HAD – Set during the worldwide financial crisis in 2008, a single mother and her teenage daughter find a new home and hope for their future when they move to a small Midwestern town. 2016 American drama film directed by Katie Holmes and written by Josh Boone. It is based on the 2014 novel All We Had by Annie Weatherwax. The film stars Katie Holmes, Stefania LaVie Owen, Luke Wilson, Richard Kind, Mark Consuelos, Judy Greer and Eve Lindley.

AMERICAN BEAUTY – 1999 American black comedy-drama film written by Alan Ball and directed by Sam Mendes. Kevin Spacey stars as Lester Burnham, an advertising executive who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter’s best friend, played by Mena Suvari. Annette Bening stars as Lester’s materialistic wife, Carolyn, and Thora Birch plays their insecure daughter, Jane. Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, and Allison Janney also feature. Academics have described the film as a satire of American middle-class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction; further analysis has focused on the film’s explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, materialism, self-liberation, and redemption.

ANONYMOUS – As royal troops set fire to the Globe Theatre, Elizabethan-era playwright Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) is tortured by Robert Cecil (Edward Hogg), who demands to know if Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), is the true author of the writings attributed to William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall). Flashbacks reveal Oxford’s passionate affair with Queen Elizabeth I and how — in his younger days — Oxford charmed her with plays like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  2011 period drama film directed by Roland Emmerich and written by John Orloff. The film is a fictionalized version of the life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, poet and patron of the arts, and suggests he was the actual author of William Shakespeare’s plays.

ANOTHER YEAR – 2010 British comedy-drama written and directed by Mike Leigh and starring Lesley Manville, Jim Broadbent, and Ruth Sheen. Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) are an older couple who have been happily married for a long time, making them an anomaly among their friends and family members. Gerri’s friend Mary (Lesley Manville) is a single woman whose husband left her and who disguises her loneliness. Gerri tries to fix her up with another friend, Ken (Peter Wight), but is taken aback when Mary is more interested in the couple’s adult son, Joe (Oliver Maltman), a lawyer who is considerably younger than she is.

ARE YOU THERE – A bipolar man inherits his estranged father’s fortune and must then battle his sister in court for it while simultaneously battling his psychological issues. 2013 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matthew Weiner. The film stars Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Poehler.

THE ARTIST – A 2011 French comedy-drama in the style of a black-and-white silent film or part-talkie. The film was written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius, produced by Thomas Langmann and stars Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. The story takes place in Hollywood, between 1927 and 1932, and focuses on the relationship between a rising young actress and an older silent film star as silent cinema falls out of fashion and is replaced by the “talkies”. The Artist received widespread critical acclaim and won many accolades. Dujardin won Best Actor at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, won 7 BAFTAS and five OSCARS including Best Picture, Best Director for Hazanavicius, and Best Actor for Dujardin, making him the first French actor ever to win in this category. It was also the first French-produced film to win Best Picture

ATONEMENT – This sweeping English drama, based on the book by Ian McEwan, follows the lives of young lovers Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy). When the couple are torn apart by a lie constructed by Cecilia’s jealous younger sister, Briony (Saoirse Ronan), all three of them must deal with the consequences. Robbie is the hardest hit, since Briony’s deception results in his imprisonment, but hope for Cecilia and her beau increases when their paths cross during World War II. 2007 romantic war drama film directed by Joe Wright and starring James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch and Vanessa Redgrave. It is based on Ian McEwan’s 2001 novel of the same name. The film chronicles a crime and its consequences over the course of six decades, beginning in the 1930s

AUGUST – Tom and Joshua Sterling are brothers whose Internet startup company, Landshark, is as hot as a New York City summer – only this is the summer of 2001, their company is in lock up, its stock price is plunging and, in a few weeks, the world will change forever. In the meantime, Tom is living the hedonistic life of an Internet star; he dates multiple women, drives a 67 Camaro convertible and hangs out at a new club called Bungalow 8. Tom Sterling is a true showman, a demigod in a cult – and culture – of personality. 2008 American drama directed by Austin Chick and presented by 57th & Irving. The screenplay by Howard A. Rodman focuses on two brothers, ambitious dot-com entrepreneurs attempting to keep their company afloat as the stock market begins to collapse in August 2001, one month prior to the 9/11 attacks. Starring Josh Hartnett, Naomie Harris, David Bowie, Rip Torn, Adam Scott

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (German: Der Baader Meinhof Komplex)- It retells the story of the early years of the West German far-left terrorist organisation the Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Fraction, or Red Army Faction, a.k.a. RAF) from 1967 to 1977. A 2008 German drama film directed by Uli Edel. Written and produced by Bernd Eichinger, it stars Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedeck, and Johanna Wokalek. The film is based on the 1985 German best-selling non-fiction book of the same name by Stefan Aust.

BAARIA – From the 1920s through to the 80s, follow the story of Peppino, who comes from a poor shepherding family. The film tracks both Peppino’s romance with local beauty Mannina and his political awakening – which will take him to the upper reaches of the Communist Party – as well as the social changes within the town: life under the Fascists, the influence of the Mafia, and the dominance of the Catholic Church and Christian Democrats. 2009 Italian film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore.

BABETTE’S FEAST (Danish: Babettes Gæstebud) Beautiful but pious sisters Martine (Birgitte Federspiel) and Philippa (Bodil Kjer) grow to spinsterhood under the wrathful eye of their strict pastor father on the forbidding and desolate coast of Jutland, until one day, Philippa’s former suitor sends a Parisian refugee named Babette (Stéphane Audran) to serve as the family cook. Babette’s lavish celebratory banquet tempts the family’s dwindling congregation, who abjure such fleshly pleasures as fine foods and wines. 1987 Danish drama directed by Gabriel Axel. The film’s screenplay was written by Axel based on the 1958 story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). It was also the first Danish film to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER – Beatriz is a Los Angeles massage therapist and holistic healer who drives to the seaside mansion of her client Cathy. When her old Volkswagen breaks down, she receives a friendly invitation from Cathy to stay for a seemingly innocent business dinner. As the guests arrive and the wine starts to flow, Beatriz finds herself in an escalating war of words with Doug Strutt, a ruthless real estate mogul who cares more about money than people. 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Arteta from a screenplay by Mike White. The film stars Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Chloë Sevigny, and David Warshofsky.

BEFORE WE GO – Two strangers stuck in Manhattan for the night grow into each other’s most trusted confidants when an evening of unexpected adventure forces them to confront their fears and take control of their lives. Writers: Ron Bass, Jen Smolka and Chris Shafer. Directed by Chris Evans. Stars: Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick

THE BEGUILED is a 2017 American Southern Gothic film written and directed by Sofia Coppola, based on the 1966 novel of the same name (originally published as A Painted Devil) by Thomas P. Cullinan. It stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning. Cpl. John McBurney is an injured Union soldier who finds himself on the run as a deserter during the Civil War. He seeks refuge at an all-female Southern boarding school where the teachers and students seem more than willing to help. Soon, sexual tensions lead to dangerous rivalries as the women tend to his wounded leg while offering him comfort and companionship.

BEN IS BACK – A mother who tries to help her addicted son after he returns home from rehab. 2018 American drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges, and starring Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges and Courtney B. Vance.

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL – 2011 comedy-drama film directed by John Madden. The screenplay, written by Ol Parker, is based on the 2004 novel These Foolish Things by novelist Deborah Moggach, and features an ensemble cast consisting of Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Bill Nighy, Ronald Pickup, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Penelope Wilton, as a group of British pensioners moving to a retirement hotel in India, run by the young and eager Sonny, played by Dev Patel.

THE BEST OF ME – A pair of former high school sweethearts reunite after many years when they return to visit their small hometown. 2014 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Hoffman and written by Will Fetters and J. Mills Goodloe, based on Nicholas Sparks’ 2011 novel of the same name. The film stars James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan with Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato.

BLACK MASS – The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. 2015 American biographical crime drama film about American mobster Whitey Bulger. Directed by Scott Cooper and written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth, it is based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill’s 2001 book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The film features an ensemble cast led by Johnny Depp as Bulger, alongside Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, and Corey Stoll.

BLACK SEA – In order to make good with his former employers, a submarine captain takes a job with a shadowy backer to search the depths of the Black Sea for a submarine rumoured to be loaded with gold. 2014 submarine disaster thriller film directed by Kevin Macdonald, written by Dennis Kelly, and starring Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, and David Threlfall.

THE BOOKSHOP – England 1959. In a small East Anglian town, Florence Green decides, against polite but ruthless local opposition, to open a bookshop. 2017 drama film written and directed by Isabel Coixet, based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Penelope Fitzgerald. Stars Emily Mortimer, Bill Nighy, Hunter Tremayne

BOYCHOIR A demanding choir master (Dustin Hoffman) at an elite music academy pushes a gifted but rebellious student (Garrett Wareing) to fulfil his true potential. 2014 drama directed by François Girard and written by Ben Ripley. The film stars Kathy Bates, Debra Winger, Josh Lucas and the American Boychoir School.

THE BOYS ARE BACK– After the untimely passing of his second wife, Joe (Clive Owen) must deal with his grief as he strives to find a way to raise his sons alone. The boys, Artie and Harry, are trying to cope with their own emotional baggage, so the three decide to throw convention to the wind and live by the words “just say yes.” When things go wrong, Joe must find a way to behave more like a parent while maintaining the joys of a more-carefree life.  2009 Australian/British drama directed by Scott Hicks, produced by Greg Brenman and starring Clive Owen. Based on the 2000 book, The Boys Are Back In Town, by Simon Carr.

BRAD’S STATUS – A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life’s choices. 2017 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike White and starring Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Michael Sheen, Jenna Fischer, and Luke Wilson

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED- Befriended by aristocrat Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), Oxford student Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) finds that the power and privilege experienced by the family are seductive. On a visit to Brideshead, the ancestral home, he falls in love with his friend’s sister, Julia (Hayley Atwell). However, as Charles’ ties to Sebastian and their family deepen, he finds himself at odds with their strong Roman Catholicism.  2008 British drama directed by Julian Jarrold. The screenplay by Jeremy Brock and Andrew Davies is based on the 1945 novel of the same name by Evelyn Waugh, which previously had been adapted in 1981 as the television serial Brideshead Revisited.

BROKEN HILL – Tommy (Arnold), a gifted teenage composer, dreams of being accepted into the famous Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Unfortunately, a good band is hard to find in the middle of the Australian Outback—until an incident involving flying watermelons leads him to a group of talented prison inmates. 2009 Australian drama directed and written by Dagen Merrill, and stars Luke Arnold, Alexa Vega, and, in a supporting role, Timothy Hutton.

BABETTE’S FEAST (Danish: Babettes Gæstebud) Beautiful but pious sisters Martine (Birgitte Federspiel) and Philippa (Bodil Kjer) grow to spinsterhood under the wrathful eye of their strict pastor father on the forbidding and desolate coast of Jutland, until one day, Philippa’s former suitor sends a Parisian refugee named Babette (Stéphane Audran) to serve as the family cook. Babette’s lavish celebratory banquet tempts the family’s dwindling congregation, who abjure such fleshly pleasures as fine foods and wines. 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel. The film’s screenplay was written by Axel and based on the 1958 story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). It was also the first Danish film to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

BURNT – Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) was once a top chef in Paris until drugs and alcohol led to a meltdown that put his career on hold. After moving from New Orleans to London, Adam gets a shot at redemption when his former maitre d’ (Daniel Brühl) reluctantly hires him as the head chef of his fine-dining restaurant. Demanding perfection from his newly formed staff (Sienna Miller, Omar Sy), the acerbic and temperamental Jones gets a second chance to fulfil his dream of earning a third Michelin star. 2015 drama directed by John Wells and written by Steven Knight, from a story by Michael Kalesniko. The film stars an ensemble cast including Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Omar Sy, Daniel Brühl, Matthew Rhys, Riccardo Scamarcio, Alicia Vikander, Uma Thurman and Emma Thompson.

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR – A guy gets more than he bargained for after entering into an affair with the wife of an investment banker. Soon, a suspicious death and substantial life insurance policy embroil him in a scandal. 2015 American erotic thriller film directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, and starring Nick Jonas, Isabel Lucas, Graham Rogers, and Dermot Mulroney.

CAST AWAY – 2000 survival drama film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. Hanks plays a FedEx troubleshooter stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific, and the film depicts his desperate attempts to survive and return home.

CERTAIN WOMEN – Three strong-willed women strive to forge their own paths amidst the wide-open plains of the American Northwest: a lawyer who finds herself contending with both office sexism and a hostage situation; a wife and mother whose determination to build her dream home put her at odds with the men in her life; and a young law student who forms an ambiguous bond with a lonely ranch hand. 2016 American drama film edited, written, and directed by Kelly Reichardt. Based on Native Sandstone, Travis, B. and Tome—three short stories from Maile Meloy’s collections Half in Love and Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It—it stars Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, James Le Gros, and Jared Harris.

CHANGELING – 2008 mystery crime drama directed, produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by J. Michael Straczynski, that explores child endangerment, female disempowerment, political corruption, mistreatment of mental health patients, and the repercussions of violence. The script was based on real-life events, specifically the 1928 Wineville Chicken Coop murders in Mira Loma, California. The film stars Angelina Jolie as a woman united with a boy who she realizes is not her missing son. When she tries to demonstrate this to the police and city authorities, she is vilified as delusional, labelled as an unfit mother, and confined to a psychiatric ward.

CHEF – 2014 comedy-drama film written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Jon Favreau. Favreau plays a chef who, after a public altercation with a food critic, loses his job at a popular Los Angeles restaurant and begins to operate a food truck with his young son. It co-stars Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, and Dustin Hoffman, along with Robert Downey Jr. in a cameo role.

THE CHOICE – Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbours in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life’s most defining events. 2016 American romantic drama film directed by Ross Katz and written by Bryan Sipe, based on Nicholas Sparks’ 2007 novel of the same name.  The movie stars Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace, Alexandra Daddario, Tom Welling and Tom Wilkinson

THE CIRCLE –  A woman lands a dream job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, only to uncover an agenda that will affect the lives of all of humanity. 2017 American techno-thriller film directed by James Ponsoldt with a screenplay by Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers, based on Eggers’ 2013 novel of the same name. The film stars Emma Watson and Tom Hanks, as well as John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, and Bill Paxton.

THE COLOR PURPLE – An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie’s abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing “Mister” Albert Johnson (Danny Glover), things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa. Based on the novel by Alice Walker. The film tells the story of a young African-American girl named Celie Harris and shows the problems African-American women faced during the early 20th century, including domestic violence, incest, pedophilia, poverty, racism, and sexism. Celie is transformed as she finds her self-worth through the help of two strong female companions.1985 American coming-of-age period drama film directed by Steven Spielberg with a screenplay by Menno Meyjes, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker.

CONCUSSION – In Pittsburgh, a forensic pathologist fights against the National Football League trying to suppress his research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain degeneration suffered by professional football players.  2015 biographical sports drama written and directed by Peter Landesman, based on the exposé “Game Brain” by Jeanne Marie Laskas, published in 2009 by GQ magazine. Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks

THE CONSPIRATOR – Following the assassination of President Lincoln, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill Lincoln, the vice president and the secretary of state. Lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) reluctantly agrees to defend the lone woman, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), who owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met to plan their crimes. Aiken realizes that Mary may be innocent and being used as bait to capture her son, a suspect who is still at large. 2010 American mystery historical drama film directed by Robert Redford and based on an original screenplay by James D. Solomon.

CORIOLANUS – Caius Martius, aka Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes), is an arrogant and fearsome general who has built a career in protecting Rome from its enemies. Pushed by his ambitious mother (Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the position of consul, Coriolanus is at odds with the masses and unpopular with certain colleagues (James Nesbitt, Paul Jesson). When a riot results in his expulsion from Rome, Coriolanus seeks out his sworn enemy, Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler). Together, the pair vow to destroy the great city. 2011 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Coriolanus, written by John Logan and directed by and starring Ralph Fiennes, who plays the titular character. This is Fiennes’ directorial debut. It also stars Gerard Butler as Tullus Aufidius, Vanessa Redgrave as Volumnia, and Brian Cox as Menenius

CRAZY RICH ASIANS – Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. She’s also surprised to learn that Nick’s family is extremely wealthy and he’s considered one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse — Nick’s disapproving mother. 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M. Chu, from a screenplay by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on the 2013 novel of the same title by Kevin Kwan. The film stars Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Michelle Yeoh.

THE CRUCIBLE – After married man John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis) decides to break off his affair with his young lover, Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), she leads other local girls in an occult rite to wish death upon his wife, Elizabeth (Joan Allen). When the ritual is discovered, the girls are brought to trial. Accusations begin to fly, and a literal witch hunt gets underway. Before long, Elizabeth is suspected of witchcraft, and John’s attempt to defend her only makes matters worse. 1996 American historical drama film written by Arthur Miller adapting his 1953 play of the same title, inspired by the Salem witchcraft trials. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner and stars Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor, Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams, Paul Scofield as Judge Thomas Danforth, Bruce Davison as Reverend Parris, Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor, and Karron Graves as Mary Warren.

THE DARJEELING LIMITED – 2007 American comedy-drama directed by Wes Anderson which he co-produced with Scott Rudin, Roman Coppola and Lydia Dean Pilcher and co-wrote with Coppola and Jason Schwartzman. The film stars Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Schwartzman as three estranged brothers who agree to meet in India a year after their father’s funeral for a “spiritual journey” aboard a luxury train. The cast also includes Waris Ahluwalia, Amara Karan, Barbet Schroeder and Anjelica Huston with Natalie Portman, Camilla Rutherford, Irrfan Khan and Bill Murray in cameo roles.

DEMOLITION – A 2015 drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Bryan Sipe. Davis, a banker, struggles to cope with his wife’s death. However, he begins interacting with a customer service representative and her troubled teenage son, who help him turn his life around. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, and Judah Lewis.

DEPARTURES (Japanese: おくりびと, Hepburn: Okuribito, “one who sends off”) 2008 Japanese drama directed by Yōjirō Takita and starring Masahiro Motoki, Ryōko Hirosue, and Tsutomu Yamazaki. The film follows a young man who returns to his hometown after a failed career as a cellist and stumbles across work as a nōkanshi—a traditional Japanese ritual mortician. He is subjected to prejudice from those around him, including from his wife, because of strong social taboos against people who deal with death. Eventually, he repairs these interpersonal connections through the beauty and dignity of his work.

THE DESCENDANTS – 2011 drama film directed by Alexander Payne. The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash is based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings. The film stars George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard. Native islander Matt King (George Clooney) lives with his family in Hawaii. Their world shatters when a tragic accident leaves his wife in a coma. Not only must Matt struggle with the stipulation in his wife’s will that she be allowed to die with dignity, but he also faces pressure from relatives to sell their family’s enormous land trust. Angry and terrified at the same time, Matt tries to be a good father to his young daughters, as they too try to cope with their mother’s possible death.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY – One couple’s story as they try to reclaim the life and love they once knew and pick up the pieces of a past that may be too far gone. The collective title of three films written and directed by Ned Benson in his directorial debut, and starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, alongside a supporting cast of Viola Davis, Bill Hader, Katherine Waterston, Ciarán Hinds, Isabelle Huppert, and William Hurt.

DOUBT (DVD & BR) A 2008 drama film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 stage play Doubt: A Parable. The film takes place in a Roman Catholic elementary school named for St. Nicholas led by Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep). Sister James (Amy Adams) tells Aloysius that Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) might be paying too much attention to the school’s only black student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), thus leading to Aloysius investigating Flynn’s behaviour.

DOPE – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighbourhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. 2015 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa. It stars Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Tyga, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, and ASAP Rocky.

EDGE OF WINTER – A recently divorced father, whose angry behaviour slowly controls him while he resides with his two sons at his cabin in the wilderness. When two brothers are stranded by a brutal winter storm with an unpredictable father they barely know, the boys begin to suspect their supposed protector may be their biggest threat. 2016 Canadian psychological thriller drama film directed by and written by Rob Connolly and Kyle Mann. It stars Joel Kinnaman, Tom Holland, and Percy Hynes White.

ELSA & FRED – A withdrawn senior experiences life in new ways when he begins spending time with the free-spirited woman who lives across the hall. 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Michael Radford. Written by: Michael Radford, Anna Pavignano. The film, set and filmed in New Orleans, is an English-language remake of the 2005 Spanish-Argentinian film of the same name.

THE END OF THE TOUR – David Lipsky, a reporter with Rolling Stone magazine, interviews acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace for five days, during which they form a unique bond. A 2015 drama film about writer David Foster Wallace. The film stars Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg, was written by Donald Margulies, and was directed by James Ponsoldt. Based on David Lipsky’s best-selling memoir Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself,

EQUUS – Dr. Martin Dysart (Richard Burton), a psychiatrist who has grown unhappy with his life, takes on the peculiar case of Alan Strang (Peter Firth), a reserved teenager who has been accused of brutally blinding six horses. Dysart slowly unravels Alan’s background, learning that he grew up in a strained household with a devoutly religious mother (Joan Plowright) and an atheist father (Colin Blakely). But as Dysart begins to trace the roots of Alan’s problems, his own also begins to surface. 1977 psychological drama directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Peter Shaffer, based on his play of the same name. The film stars Richard Burton, Peter Firth, Colin Blakely, Joan Plowright, Eileen Atkins, and Jenny Agutter. The story concerns a psychiatrist treating a teenager who has blinded horses in a stable, attempting to find the root of his horse worship. Lumet’s translation of the acclaimed play to a cinematic version incorporated some realism, in the use of real horses as opposed to human actors, and a graphic portrayal of the blinding.

EVERYBODY’S FINE– Eight months after the death of his wife, Frank Goode looks forward to a reunion with his four adult children. When all of them cancel their visits at the last minute, Frank, against the advice of his doctor, sets out on a road trip to reconnect with his offspring. As he visits each one in turn, Frank finds that his children’s lives are not quite as picture-perfect as they’ve made them out to be. 2009 American drama film written and directed by Kirk Jones, and starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale. It is a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Italian film Everybody’s Fine.

EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING – A young woman named Maddy Whittier has a serious medical condition that prevents her from leaving her home, and her neighbour Olly Bright wants to help her experience life and they begin falling in love.2017 American romantic drama film directed by Stella Meghie and written by J. Mills Goodloe, based on Nicola Yoon’s 2015 novel of the same name. The film was produced by Elysa Dutton and Leslie Morgenstein and stars Amandla Stenberg and Nick Robinson.  

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE – A 2019 American biographical crime drama film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy. Directed by Joe Berlinger with a screenplay from Michael Werwie, the film is based on Bundy’s former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall’s memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy. The film stars Zac Efron as Bundy, Lily Collins as Kendall, Kaya Scodelario as Bundy’s wife Carole Ann Boone, and John Malkovich as Edward Cowart, the presiding judge at Bundy’s trial. The title of the film is a reference to Cowart’s remarks on Bundy’s murders while sentencing him to death.

THE EYE OF THE STORM – In the Sydney suburb of Centennial Park, a dying matriarch, Elizabeth Hunter (Rampling) is attended to by two nurses, a housekeeper and her two adult children (Rush and Davis). Despite her deteriorating health, Elizabeth continues to wield considerable control over her affairs and those around her. Australian drama directed by Fred Schepisi. It is an adaptation of Patrick White’s 1973 novel of the same name. It stars Geoffrey Rush, Charlotte Rampling and Judy Davis.

FALLEN – A young girl finds herself in a reform school after therapy since she was blamed for the death of a young boy. At the school she finds herself drawn to a fellow student, unaware that he is an angel, and has loved her for thousands of years. 2016 American romantic fantasy drama film directed by Scott Hicks, based on Lauren Kate’s 2009 novel of same name. The film stars Addison Timlin, Jeremy Irvine, Harrison Gilbertson, and Joely Richardson.

FIFTY SHADES DARKER – While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her. The second instalment in the Fifty Shades film series and the sequel to the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey, it stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively, with Eric Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Bella Heathcote, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Kim Basinger, and Marcia Gay Harden in supporting roles. 2017 American erotic romantic drama film directed by James Foley and written by Niall Leonard, based on E. L. James’s 2012 novel of the same name.

THE FIGHTER – For Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), boxing is a family affair. His tough-as-nails mother is his manager. His half-brother, Dicky (Christian Bale), once a promising boxer himself, is his very unreliable trainer. Despite Micky’s hard work, he is losing and, when the latest fight nearly kills him, he follows his girlfriend’s advice and splits from the family. Then Micky becomes a contender for the world title and he — and his family — earns a shot at redemption. 2010 American biographical sports drama directed by David O. Russell, inspired by the 1995 documentary that features the Eklund-Ward family, titled High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell.

FIGHTING – Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) barely makes a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets of New York. But he has a natural talent for street fighting, which con-man Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) wants to put to good use. Forming an uneasy alliance with Boarden, Shawn becomes top dog in the bare-knuckle-brawl circuit, taking down pro boxers, martial artists and ultimate fighters one by one. Shawn wants out of this dark world, but he faces the fight of his life to get there. 2009 sports action drama directed by Dito Montiel.

FIRST REFORMED – 2017 drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It stars Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer (credited as Cedric Kyles), and follows a Protestant minister struggling with his faith while serving as pastor of a dwindling historic church in upstate New York. Elements of the film allude to Robert Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest (1951), Ingmar Bergman’s Winter Light (1963), and the work of Carl Dreyer, as well as Schrader’s own script for Taxi Driver (1976).

FIVE FEET APART – A pair of teenagers with cystic fibrosis meet in a hospital and fall in love, though their disease means they must avoid close physical contact. 2019 American romantic drama film and directed by Justin Baldoni (in his directorial debut) and written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis.

THE FLOWERS OF WAR (Chinese: 金陵十三钗) (BR & DVD) A 2011 historical drama war film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi, Tong Dawei, Atsuro Watabe, Shigeo Kobayashi and Cao Kefan. The film is based on a novella by Geling Yan, 13 Flowers of Nanjing, inspired by the diary of Minnie Vautrin. The story is set in Nanking, China, during the 1937 Nanking Massacre in the Second Sino-Japanese War. A group of escapees, finding sanctuary in a church compound, try to survive the Japanese atrocities

FOCUS – In the midst of veteran con man Nicky’s latest scheme, a woman from his past – now an accomplished femme fatale – shows up and throws his plans for a loop. 2015 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie.

FOOTLOOSE – 1984 American musical drama directed by Herbert Ross. It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town, where he attempts to overturn the ban on dancing instituted by the efforts of a local minister (John Lithgow).

THE FORGER – A thief works with his father and son to forge a painting by Monet and steal the original. Together, they plan the heist of their lives. 2014 American thriller crime drama film directed by Philip Martin and starring John Travolta.

THE FOUNTAIN – 2006 American epic romantic drama written and directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. Blending elements of fantasy, history, spirituality, and science fiction, the film consists of three storylines involving immortality and the resulting loves lost, and one man’s pursuit of avoiding this fate in this life or beyond it. Jackman and Weisz play sets of characters bonded by love across time and space: a conquistador and his ill-fated queen, a modern-day scientist and his cancer-stricken wife, and a traveller immersed in a universal journey alongside aspects of his lost love. The storylines—interwoven with the use of match cuts and recurring visual motifs—reflect the themes and interplay of love and mortality.

THE FRONT RUNNER – It chronicles the rise of American Senator Gary Hart, the front-runner candidate to be the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee, and his subsequent fall from grace when media reports suggested he was having an extramarital affair. A 2018 American political drama film directed by Jason Reitman, based on the 2014 book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid by Matt Bai, who co-wrote the screenplay with Reitman and Jay Carson. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons, and Alfred Molina.

GENIUS – Maxwell Perkins, a renowned book editor, develops a friendship with novelist Thomas Wolfe while working together on a project. 2016 British-American biographical drama film directed by Michael Grandage and written by John Logan, based on the 1978 National Book Award-winner Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg. The film stars Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Dominic West, and Guy Pearce.

GIFTED – An intellectually gifted seven-year-old becomes the subject of a custody battle between her maternal uncle and maternal grandmother. 2017 American drama film directed by Marc Webb and written by Tom Flynn. It stars Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate and Octavia Spencer.

THE GIRL IN THE BOOK – A book editor confronts difficult memories when she crosses paths with the older man who befriended her as a teen. 2015 American drama film written and directed by Marya Cohn in her directorial debut. The film stars Emily VanCamp, Michael Nyqvist, David Call, Michael Cristofer, Talia Balsam and Ana Mulvoy-Ten.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN – A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing person investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life. 2016 American mystery psychological thriller film directed by Tate Taylor and written by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on British author Paula Hawkins’ popular 2015 debut novel of the same name. The film stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Édgar Ramírez, and Lisa Kudrow.

THE GLASS CASTLE – A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who’s an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children’s imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty. 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Cretton, Andrew Lanham, and Marti Noxon. It is based on Jeannette Walls’ 2005 best-selling memoir of the same name. Depicting Walls’ childhood, where her family lived in poverty and sometimes as squatters, the film stars Brie Larson as Walls, with Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield, and Sarah Snook in supporting roles.

THE GOOD LIAR – Consummate con man Roy Courtnay has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish, worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes. 2019 crime thriller film directed and produced by Bill Condon and written by Jeffrey Hatcher, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Nicholas Searle.                 Starring Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter

GOYA’S GHOSTS – When the prominent Spanish painter Francisco Goya’s muse gets arrested by the Church on account of heresy, her father pleads with him to secure her release as he is in good terms with Brother Lorenzo. 2006 biographical drama directed by Miloš Forman (his final directorial feature before his death in 2018), and written by him and Jean-Claude Carrière. The film stars Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman and Stellan Skarsgård.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS (2011) – With the help of an unknown benefactor, an orphan becomes a gentleman and tries to pursue his childhood love. A three-part BBC television drama adaptation by Sarah Phelps of Charles Dickens’s 1861 novel of the same name, starring Ray Winstone as Magwitch, Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. Broadcast in 2011.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – Celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. 2017 American biographical musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey in his directorial debut, written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon and starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Featuring nine original songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the film is based on the story and life of P.T. Barnum, a famous showman and entertainer, and his creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the lives of its star attractions.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS 2012 British film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1861 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Mike Newell, with the adapted screenplay by David Nicholls, and stars Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Holliday Grainger, Ralph Fiennes and Robbie Coltrane.

THE GREAT GATSBY (DVD & BR) 2013 romantic drama based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel of the same name. The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the eponymous Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki and Jack Thompson. The film follows the life and times of millionaire Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio) and his neighbour Nick Carraway (Maguire), who recounts his encounter with Gatsby at the height of the Roaring Twenties on Long Island.

HAMLET – A ghostly visitation prompts Denmark’s Prince Hamlet (David Tennant) to feign madness and avenge his father, who died at the hands of Hamlet’s uncle (Patrick Stewart). 2009 television film adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2008 modern-dress stage production of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name, aired on BBC Two on 26 December 2009. It was broadcast by PBS’ Great Performances in the United States on 28 April 2010. Directed by Gregory Doran, it features the original stage cast of David Tennant in the title role of Prince Hamlet, Patrick Stewart as both King Claudius and the ghost of Hamlet’s father, Penny Downie as Queen Gertrude, Mariah Gale as Ophelia, Edward Bennett as Laertes, Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius, and Peter de Jersey as Horatio. The production was filmed with a single-camera setup, using the pioneering RED One camera technology.

HAPPINESS IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD – Perfectionist Nandi seems to have the New South African Dream life within her grasp, black female partner in a major firm, marriage, the perfect house – but it all goes up in flames a few months before the wedding. With her friends Zaza and Princess, Nandi will have to find out what truly makes her happy and then fight to get it. 2016 South African romantic drama film directed by Thabang Moleya and written by Busisiwe Ntintili. Based on the novel of the same name by Nozizwe Cynthia Jele, and stars Mmabatho Montsho, Khanyi Mbau, Renate Stuurman

HEAR ME MOVE – The son of a famous street dancer tries to discover the truth about his father’s tragic death 12 years prior. When he joins forces with his father’s dance partner, he finds himself embroiled in a bitter rivalry that pushes him to his limit. Director: Scottnes L. Smith, Writer: Fidel Namisi,  Stars: Nyaniso Dzedze, Mbuso Kgarebe, Wandile Molebatsi. The first South African “Sbujwa” dance film

THE HOLLARS – A man returns to his small hometown after learning that his mother has fallen ill and is about to undergo surgery. 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by John Krasinski and written by James C. Strouse. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Krasinski, starring Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick and Margo Martindale.

HOME AGAIN – Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her. 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY – 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Lasse Hallström from a screenplay written by Steven Knight, adapted from Richard Morais’ 2010 novel of the same name. The film stars Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon and is about a battle of two restaurants in a village: one by an Indian family and the other, a lofty Michelin-starred restaurant.

HUSTLERS – It follows a crew of New York City strippers who begin to steal money by drugging stock traders and CEOs who visit their club, then running up their credit cards. A 2019 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on New York magazine’s 2015 article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler. The film stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B. Lopez, Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay.

THE IMPOSSIBLE – 2012 English-language Spanish disaster drama directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Sergio G. Sánchez. It is based on the experience of María Belón and her family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It features an international cast including Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.

INDIGNATION A Jewish college student (Logan Lerman) falls for a young woman (Sarah Gadon) while clashing with his dean (Tracy Letts) in 1951 Ohio. 2016 American drama film written, produced, and directed by James Schamus. The film, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Philip Roth, is set mostly in Ohio in the early 1950s, and stars Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts, Linda Emond, and Danny Burstein.

INSIDE – A woman in her third trimester of pregnancy is stalked by a psychotic woman who is obsessed with her unborn child. 2016 independent drama horror film directed and co-written by Miguel Ángel Vivas, written by Jaume Balagueró and Manu Díez, and starring Rachel Nichols, Laura Harring, and Stany Coppet.

INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED (Spanish title: No se aceptan devoluciones, literally Returns not accepted) A 2013 Mexican comedy-drama film co-written, directed by, and starring Eugenio Derbez. The plot follows a Mexican playboy who is suddenly saddled with a love child at his doorstep and sets off to Los Angeles to find the mother. With Karla Souza, Jessica Lindsey

INTO THE STORM – 2014 found footage disaster film directed by Steven Quale, written by John Swetnam, starring Richard Armitage and Sarah Wayne Callies. It is a meteorological disaster film about a rash of tornadoes striking the fictional town of Silverton, Oklahoma.

INTO THE WILD – 2007 biographical adventure drama written, co-produced, and directed by Sean Penn. It is an adaptation of the 1996 non-fiction book of the same name written by Jon Krakauer and tells the story of Christopher McCandless (“Alexander Supertramp”), a man who hiked across North America into the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1990s. The film stars Emile Hirsch as McCandless and Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt as his parents; it also features Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, and Hal Holbrook.

INVICTUS is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. The story is based on the 2008 John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks were not expected to perform well, the team has only recently returned to high-level international competition following the dismantling of apartheid—the country was hosting the World Cup, thus earning an automatic entry. Freeman and Damon play the South African President Nelson Mandela and François Pienaar, respectively. François was the captain of the South Africa rugby union team, the Springboks.

THE KEEPING ROOM – During the waning days of the Civil War, two Southern sisters (Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld) and a slave (Muna Otaru) must defend themselves against two Union Army soldiers. 2014 drama film directed by Daniel Barber and written by Julia Hart. The film stars Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru, Sam Worthington, Amy Nuttall, and Ned Dennehy.

KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN – The inside story of the planning, execution, rousing aftermath, and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers of beer tycoon Alfred “Freddy” Heineken in 1983, which resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for an individual. 2015 British-Dutch crime drama directed by Daniel Alfredson based on the 1983 kidnapping of Freddy Heineken. The screenplay, based on the 1987 book by Peter R. de Vries, was written by William Brookfield. The role of Freddy Heineken is played by Anthony Hopkins, with Sam Worthington as Willem Holleeder, Jim Sturgess as Cor van Hout, Ryan Kwanten as Jan Boellaard, Thomas Cocquerel as Martin Erkamps and Mark van Eeuwen as Frans Meijer.

THE KITCHEN – The wives of Irish mobsters take over organized crime operations in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen in the late 1970s, after the FBI arrests their husbands. 2019 American crime film written and directed by Andrea Berloff in her directorial debut. It is based on the DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth MossThe film also features Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Common, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.

THE LADY IN THE VAN – A 2015 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings, based on the memoir of the same name created by Alan Bennett. It was written by Bennett, and it tells the (mostly[ true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in London for 15 years.

LAGGIES (released in the United Kingdom as Say When) – In the throes of a quarter-life crisis, Megan panics when her boyfriend proposes, then, taking an opportunity to escape for a week, hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year-old Annika, who lives with her world-weary single dad. 2014 American romantic comedy film directed by Lynn Shelton and written by Andrea Seigel. It stars Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, Kaitlyn Dever, Jeff Garlin, Ellie Kemper, Mark Webber, and Daniel Zovatto.

THE LAST WORD –  Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth resulting in a life-altering friendship. 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Pellington, from a screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink. It stars Amanda Seyfried and Shirley MacLaine.

LEAVE NO TRACE is a 2018 drama directed by Debra Granik and written by Granik and Anne Rosellini, based on the 2009 novel My Abandonment by Peter Rock. The plot follows a military veteran father with post-traumatic stress disorder (Ben Foster) who lives in the forest with his young daughter (Thomasin McKenzie). The novel is based on a true story.

THE LEISURE SEEKER – A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call “The Leisure Seeker”. 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Paolo Virzì, in his first full English-language feature. The film is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Michael Zadoorian. It stars Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.

LIFE OF PI – 2012 adventure drama based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel of the same name. Directed by Ang Lee, and written by David Magee, the film stars Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Tabu, Adil Hussain, and Gérard Depardieu. The storyline revolves around an Indian man named “Pi” Patel, telling a novelist about his life story, and how at 16 he survives a shipwreck and is adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.

LIFE PARTNERS – Sasha and Paige’s co-dependent friendship is tested as Paige gets serious with a guy for the first time. 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Susanna Fogel and co-written with Joni Lefkowitz. The film stars Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody, Greer Grammer, Gabourey Sidibe, and Julie White.

LIVE BY NIGHT – A group of Boston-bred gangsters set up shop in balmy Florida during the Prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan. The film follows an ambitious Ybor City bootlegger (Ben Affleck) who becomes a notorious gangster.  2016 American crime drama film written, directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film also stars Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana and Chris Cooper.

LOCKE – A man’s (Tom Hardy) life unravels after he leaves a construction site at a critical time and drives to London to be present for the birth of a child conceived during a one-night stand. 2013 psychological drama film written and directed by Steven Knight. The film stars Tom Hardy in the title role, the only character seen on screen, as he carries on a number of speakerphone conversations with characters voiced by Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, Ben Daniels, Tom Holland and Bill Milner.

THE LONGEST WEEK – Left broke and homeless by his wealthy parents’ divorce, a young man (Jason Bateman) moves in with an old friend (Billy Crudup) and finally meets the woman (Olivia Wilde) of his dreams — only to discover she’s already dating his friend. 2014 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Glanz

THE LOST CITY OF Z – A true-life drama, centring on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s. A 2016 American biographical adventure drama film written and directed by James Gray, based on the 2009 book of the same name by David Grann. It stars Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett; Robert Pattinson as his fellow explorer Henry Costin, Sienna Miller as his wife, Nina Fawcett; and Tom Holland as his son, Jack.

LOST RIVER – A single mother is swept into a dark underworld while her son discovers an underwater town. 2014 American fantasy mystery drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Ryan Gosling, in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Iain De Caestecker, Matt Smith, Ben Mendelsohn, Barbara Steele, and Eva Mendes in her final film role.

LOVING – The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court’s historic 1967 decision. The film takes inspiration from The Loving Story (2011) by Nancy Buirski, a documentary which follows the Lovings and their landmark case. Stars: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton

MADE IN DAGENHAM – A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. 2010 British comedy-drama film directed by Nigel Cole and starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Daniel Mays and Richard Schiff. It dramatises the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 that aimed for equal pay for women. Its theme song, with lyrics by Billy Bragg, is performed by Sandie Shaw, a native of the area and former Ford Dagenham clerk.

MAGGIE’S PLAN – Maggie wants to have a baby, raising him on her own, but when she gets romantically involved with John, a married man, things get complicated and all the balance of Maggie’s plans may collapse. 2015 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and written by Rebecca Miller, based on the original story by Karen Rinaldi (later published as the 2017 novel The End of Men). The film stars Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel, Wallace Shawn, Monte Greene, Ida Rohatyn, and Julianne Moore.

THE MAID (Spanish: La Nana) – A woman feels she must fight to hold on to her place in the household where she’s been a servant for much of her life. 2009 comedy-drama film, directed by Sebastián Silva and co-written by Silva and Pedro Peirano. Starring: Catalina Saavedra, Claudia Celedón, Alejandro Goic

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA – After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked that Joe has made him the sole guardian of his teenage nephew Patrick. Taking leave of his job as a janitor in Boston, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea, the fishing village where his working-class family has lived for generations. There, he is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife, Randi (Michelle Williams), and the community where he was born and raised.is a 2016 independent tragedy written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan.

MANHATTAN NOCTURNE – A reporter becomes involved with a mysterious woman while investigating her late husband’s death. 2016 American crime thriller film written and directed by Brian DeCubellis. It is based on the 1996 novel Manhattan Nocturne by Colin Harrison. The film stars Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski, Jennifer Beals and Campbell Scott.

MAPS TO THE STARS– Driven by an intense need for fame and validation, members of a dysfunctional Hollywood dynasty have lives as dramatic as any movie. 2014 satirical drama directed by David Cronenberg, and starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, and Evan Bird.

MARSHALL – The story of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases. 2017 American biographical legal drama film directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob Koskoff. It stars Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, and focuses on one of the first cases of his career, the State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell. It also stars Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell.

ME BEFORE YOU – A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she’s taking care of. 2016 romantic drama film directed by Thea Sharrock in her directorial debut and adapted by English author Jojo Moyes from her 2012 novel of the same name. The film stars Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, and Brendan Coyle.

THE MEDDLER – A recent widow and eternal optimist moves to Hollywood to be closer to her daughter, only to embark on a sea change all her own. 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. The film stars Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne and J. K. Simmons.

MEGAN LEVY – (also known as Rex) A 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, based on the true events about a young female Marine named Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex. The film stars Kate Mara as the titular character, with Edie Falco, Common, Ramón Rodríguez, and Tom Felton in supporting roles.

MIDNIGHT COWBOY – 1969 American buddy drama based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, with notable smaller roles being filled by Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Bob Balaban, Jennifer Salt, and Barnard Hughes. Set in New York City, Midnight Cowboy depicts the unlikely friendship between two hustlers: naïve sex worker Joe Buck (Voight), and ailing con man “Ratso” Rizzo (Hoffman). At the 42nd Academy Awards, the film won three awards: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Midnight Cowboy is the only X-rated film ever to win Best Picture. It has since been placed 36th on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS– Billy, an American caught smuggling hashish, is prosecuted and jailed in Turkey for four years. When his sentence is increased to 30 years, Billy, along with other inmates, makes a plan to escape. 1978 prison neo-noir drama directed by Alan Parker, produced by David Puttnam and written by Oliver Stone, based on Billy Hayes’ 1977 non-fiction book Midnight Express. It stars Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli, Paul L. Smith, Randy Quaid, Norbert Weisser, Peter Jeffrey and John Hurt.

MIDNIGHT SUN – A teenage girl with the disease, Xeroderma Pigmentosum, prevents her from going out into the sunlight. When she meets a boy, she struggles to decide whether to tell him about her condition or pretend to live a normal life. 2018 American romantic drama film based on the 2006 Japanese film A Song to the Sun. The film was directed by Scott Speer and written by Eric Kirsten, and stars Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Rob Riggle.

MR. HOLMES – 2015 mystery drama directed by Bill Condon, based on Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, and featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. The film stars Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes, Laura Linney as his housekeeper Mrs. Munro and Milo Parker as her son Roger. Set primarily during his retirement in Sussex, the film follows a 93-year-old Holmes who struggles to recall the details of his final case because his mind is slowly deteriorating.

MR. MORGAN’S LAST LOVE (also known as Last Love) – A widowed professor living in Paris develops a special relationship with a younger French woman. 2013 film based on Françoise Dorner’s French novel La Douceur Assassine. It is written and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck and stars Michael Caine and Clémence Poésy.

MR. PIP – As a war rages on in the province of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, a young girl becomes transfixed by the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village. 2012 New Zealand film written and directed by Andrew Adamson and based on Lloyd Jones’ novel Mister Pip. Stars: Hugh Laurie, Xzannjah Matsi, Healesville Joel

MOLLY’S GAME – The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd, Joe Keery, Brian D’Arcy James, and Bill Camp.

MONEY MONSTER – Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes them and their crew as hostage. 2016 American crime thriller film directed by Jodie Foster and with a screenplay Jamie Linden, Alan Di Fiore, and Jim Kouf from a story by Di Fiore and Kauf. The film stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell, Dominic West, Caitríona Balfe, and Giancarlo Esposito.

MOONRISE KINGDOM – 2012 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola. It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban, Harvey Keitel, and newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Largely set on the fictional New England island of New Penzance, it tells the story of an orphan boy (Gilman) who escapes from a scouting camp to unite with his pen pal and love interest, a girl with aggressive tendencies (Hayward). Feeling alienated from their guardians and shunned by their peers, the lovers abscond to an isolated beach. Meanwhile, the island’s police captain (Willis) organizes a search party of scouts and family members to locate the runaways.

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US – 2017 American drama film directed by Hany Abu-Assad and written by Chris Weitz and J. Mills Goodloe, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Charles Martin. It stars Idris Elba and Kate Winslet as a surgeon and a journalist, respectively, who survive a plane crash, with a dog, and are stranded in the High Uintas Wilderness with injuries and harsh weather conditions.

MUD – 2012 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Jeff Nichols. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, and Reese Witherspoon. Sheridan and Lofland portray a pair of teenagers who encounter the eponymous Mud (McConaughey), a fugitive hiding on a small island, and agree to help him evade his pursuers.

MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE (French: La Tête en friche) – An illiterate man bonds with an older, well-read woman. 2010 French film directed by Jean Becker, based on the book of the same name by Marie-Sabine Roger. It stars Gérard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus, Claire Maurier, Maurane, and François-Xavier Demaison.

MY BLIND BROTHER – Bill has always lived in the shadow of his overachieving brother Robbie, an arrogant athlete and local celebrity who happens to be blind. After years of thanklessly helping Robbie achieve one goal after another, Bill finally catches a break when he finds a connection with the charming Rose, who is dealing with her own crisis. But when Rose starts dating Robbie, Bill must decide if he can finally put his own happiness over his brother’s and compete for the ultimate prize.  2016 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sophie Goodhart. Starring Nick Kroll, Adam Scott, and Jenny Slate

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN – A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears. 2012 American fantasy comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges from a story by Ahmet Zappa. Starring Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, Dianne Wiest, CJ Adams, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ron Livingston, David Morse and Common.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – 2019 comedy-drama written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is a co-production between the United States, United Kingdom, and China. It features a large ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie. Set in 1969 Los Angeles, the film follows a fading character actor and his stunt double as they navigate the rapidly changing film industry, with the looming threat of the Tate-LaBianca Murders hanging overhead. It features “multiple storylines in a modern fairy tale tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST – 1975 drama film directed by Miloš Forman, based on the 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. The film stars Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy, a new patient at a mental institution, and features a supporting cast of Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick, and William Redfield while being the film debut of Christopher Lloyd and Brad Dourif. Considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is No. 33 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list. The film was the second to win all five major Academy Awards (Best Picture, Actor in Lead Role, Actress in Lead Role, Director, and Screenplay)

ONLY THE BRAVE – The film tells the story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of firefighters from Prescott, Arizona who lost 19 of 20 members while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013, and is dedicated to their memory.  2017 American biographical drama film directed by Joseph Kosinski, and written by Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer, based on the GQ article “No Exit” by Sean Flynn. It features an ensemble cast, including Josh Brolin, James Badge Dale, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller, Alex Russell, Taylor Kitsch, Ben Hardy, Thad Luckinbill, Geoff Stults, Scott Haze, Andie MacDowell, and Jennifer Connelly.

ON THE ROAD – Based on the iconic novel by Jack Kerouac, “On the Road” tells the timeless story of Sal Paradise, a young writer whose life is shaken and ultimately redefined by the arrival of Dean Moriarty, a free-spirited Westerner. Travelling cross-country, Sal and Dean take off on a personal quest for freedom from the conformity and conservatism engulfing them, in search of the unknown. A 2012 adventure drama directed by Walter Salles. It is an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel On the Road and stars an ensemble cast featuring Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart, Alice Braga, Amy Adams, Tom Sturridge, Danny Morgan, Elisabeth Moss, Kirsten Dunst, and Viggo Mortensen.

OUR IDIOT BROTHER -A dim-witted but idealistic and well-meaning man who intrudes and wreaks havoc in his three sisters’ lives. 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Jesse Peretz. The script was written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall based on Jesse and Evgenia Peretz’s story. Starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer.

OUR ZOO – British drama television series from BBC One, first broadcast on 3 September 2014. The six-part series, written by Matt Charman and directed by Andy De Emmony, is about George Mottershead, his dreams of creating a cage-free zoo, his family and how their lives changed when they embarked on the creation of Chester Zoo.

  • WE BOUGHT A ZOO 2011 family comedy-drama loosely based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. It was co-written and directed by Cameron Crowe and stars Matt Damon as widowed father Benjamin Mee, who purchases a dilapidated zoo with his family and takes on the challenge of preparing the zoo for its reopening to the public. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, and John Michael Higgins.

THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK – 1971 American romantic drama directed by Jerry Schatzberg and starring Al Pacino. The screenplay was written by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, and adapted from the 1966 novel by James Mills. The film portrays life among a group of heroin addicts who hang out in “Needle Park” (then-nickname for Sherman Square on Manhattan’s Upper West Side near 72nd Street and Broadway). The film is a love story between Bobby (Pacino), a young addict and small-time hustler, and Helen (Kitty Winn), a restless woman who finds Bobby charismatic. She becomes an addict, and life goes downhill for them both as their addictions worsen, eventually leading to a series of betrayals.

PAPER TOWNS – After an all-night adventure, Quentin’s lifelong crush, Margo, disappears, leaving behind clues that Quentin and his friends follow on the journey of a lifetime. 2015 American romantic mystery comedy-drama film, directed by Jake Schreier, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by John Green. The film was adapted for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the same team that wrote the first film adaption of another of Green’s novels, The Fault in Our Stars. The film stars Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne

PAPILLON – 2017 biographical drama directed by Michael Noer. It tells the story of French convict Henri Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), nicknamed Papillon (“butterfly”), who was imprisoned in 1933 in the notorious Devil’s Island penal colony and escaped in 1941 with the help of another convict, counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek). The film’s screenplay is based on Charrière’s autobiographies Papillon and Banco, as well as the former’s 1973 film adaptation, which was written by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr

PARKLAND – A recounting of the chaotic events that occurred at Dallas’ Parkland Hospital on the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. 2013 American historical drama film that recounts the chaotic events that occurred following the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. The film was written and directed by Peter Landesman, The film is based on Vincent Bugliosi’s 2008 book Four Days in November: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Stars: Zac Efron, Tom Welling, Billy Bob Thornton

PLEASANTVILLE – 1998 American fantasy comedy-drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Gary Ross. It stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, J. T. Walsh, and Reese Witherspoon, with Don Knotts, Paul Walker, Marley Shelton and Jane Kaczmarek in supporting roles. The story centres on two siblings who wind up trapped in a 1950s TV show, set in a small Midwest town, where residents are seemingly perfect.

PEOPLE LIKE US – Sam attends his estranged father’s funeral where he learns that the latter has a daughter from another woman. Things get complicated when Sam is asked to deliver the inheritance to his stepsister. 2012 American drama film directed by Alex Kurtzman in his directorial debut.[6] The film was written by Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jody Lambert, and stars Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D’Addario and Michelle Pfeiffer.

THE PERFECT GUY – After breaking up with her boyfriend, a professional woman gets involved with a man who seems almost too good to be true. 2015 American romantic thriller drama film directed by David M. Rosenthal, produced by Tommy Oliver and written by Alan B. McElroy and Tyger Williams and stars Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut and Michael Ealy.

PHILOMENA – 2013 drama film directed by Stephen Frears, based on the 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by journalist Martin Sixsmith. Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, it tells the true story of Philomena Lee’s 50-year search for her adopted son and Sixsmith’s efforts to help her find him.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES – 2012 American neo-noir crime drama directed by Derek Cianfrance, and written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. The film tells three linear stories: Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider who supports his family through a life of crime, Avery (Bradley Cooper), an ambitious policeman who confronts his corrupt police department, and lastly, two troubled teenagers (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) who explore the aftermath of Luke and Avery fifteen years later. The supporting cast includes Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, and Ray Liotta.

PRANK – An awkward teenager (Étienne Galloy) is drawn into the increasingly cruel schemes of two older pranksters (Alexandre Lavigne, and Simon Pigeon). 2016 Canadian comedy-drama directed by Vincent Biron.

PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN – William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, creates the comic character Wonder Woman after being inspired by his wife and lover’s feministic side. A 2017 biographical drama film about American psychologist William Moulton Marston, who created the fictional character Wonder Woman. The film, directed and written by Angela Robinson, stars Luke Evans as Marston, Rebecca Hall as his legal wife Elizabeth and Bella Heathcote as the Marstons’ polyamorous life partner, Olive Byrne. JJ Feild, Oliver Platt and Connie Britton also feature.

QUILLS – 2000 period drama directed by Philip Kaufman and adapted from the Obie award-winning 1995 play by Doug Wright, who also wrote the original screenplay. Inspired by the life and work of the Marquis de Sade, Quills re-imagines the last years of the Marquis’s incarceration in the insane asylum at Charenton. It stars Geoffrey Rush as de Sade, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abbé du Coulmier, Michael Caine as Dr. Royer-Collard, and Kate Winslet as laundress Madeleine “Maddie” LeClerc. A fictional work that reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was imprisoned in an insane asylum for the last 10 years of his life. The Marquis de Sade befriends the director of the asylum and shares affections with the asylum laundress. When a doctor is sent in to cure the Marquis of his supposed madness, the Marquis’s rebellious character only grows stronger.

RAMPART – 2011 drama film. Directed by Oren Moverman and co-written by Moverman and James Ellroy, the film stars Woody Harrelson, Ned Beatty, Ben Foster, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Cynthia Nixon, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright, and Steve Buscemi.[3][4] It is set in the midst of the fallout from the Rampart scandal of the late 1990s when corrupt Los Angeles Police Department Officer Dave Brown (Harrelson) is forced to face the consequences of his wayward career.

RETURN TO SENDER – A nurse living in small town goes on a blind date with a man who is not the person he says he is. 2015 American psychological thriller film directed by Fouad Mikati and starring Rosamund Pike, Shiloh Fernandez, and Nick Nolte.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – 2008 romantic drama directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was written by Justin Haythe, and adapted from the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, with Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour, and Kathy Bates in supporting roles. The film follows Frank (DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Winslet), a mid-1950s couple struggling to cope with their personal problems and the ensuing breakdown in their marriage.

THE RIOT CLUB – 2014 British drama thriller directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Laura Wade, based on Wade’s 2010 play Posh. The film stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth. It is set among the Riot Club, a fictional all-male, exclusive dining club at the University of Oxford. When the play Posh premiered, the Riot Club was often described as a thinly veiled version of the real-life Bullingdon Club, although according to Wade it is entirely fictitious.

RISEN – Roman military tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) remains set in his ways after serving 25 years in the army. He arrives at a crossroad when he’s tasked to investigate the mystery of what happened to Jesus (Cliff Curtis) following the Crucifixion. Accompanied by trusted aide Lucius (Tom Felton), his quest to disprove rumors of a risen Messiah makes him question his own beliefs and spirituality. As his journey takes him to places never dreamed of, Clavius discovers the truth that he’s been seeking. A 2016 biblical drama film directed by Kevin Reynolds and written by Reynolds and Paul Aiello. The film stars Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis, and details a Roman soldier’s search for Yeshua’s body following his resurrection.

ROAD TO PERDITION – 2002 American crime drama directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self from the graphic novel of the same name written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. The plot takes place in 1931, during the Great Depression, following a mob enforcer and his son as they seek vengeance against a mobster who murdered the rest of their family.

ROOM – 2015 drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Emma Donoghue, based on her 2010 novel of the same name. It stars Brie Larson as a young woman who has been held captive for seven years and whose five-year-old son (Jacob Tremblay) was born in captivity. Their escape allows the boy to experience the outside world for the first time. The film also stars Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers, and William H. Macy.

SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME – International art dealer Ron Hall must befriend a dangerous homeless man in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife, a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives. 2017 American Christian drama film directed by Michael Carney, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Ron Hall, Alexander Foard and Michael Carney. It is based on the 2006 book of the same name by Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent. The film stars Greg Kinnear, Renée Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Olivia Holt, Jon Voight, and Stephanie Leigh

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY – 2008 British television drama adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility. The screenplay was written by Andrew Davies, who revealed that the aim of the series was to make viewers forget Ang Lee’s 1995 film Sense and Sensibility. The series was “more overtly sexual” than previous Austen adaptations, and Davies included scenes featuring a seduction and a duel that were absent from the feature film but are included in Austen’s book. Sense and Sensibility was directed by John Alexander and produced by Anne Pivcevic. Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield starred as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two sisters who go on “a voyage of burgeoning sexual and romantic discovery”

THE SHACK – A grieving man receives a mysterious, personal invitation to meet with God at a place called “The Shack.” 2017 American Christian drama film directed by Stuart Hazeldine and written by John Fusco, Andrew Lanham and Destin Daniel Cretton, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by William P. Young. With Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, Tim McGraw

SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS – A 2016 South African drama directed by Oliver Schmitz. It is an adaptation of the debut novel of the same name by Chris Marnewick, a New Zealand-based author and former South African High Court barrister and judge. Nearing the end of apartheid in South Africa, a young white prison guard (Garion Dowds) embarks on a seemingly motiveless shooting that sees the death of seven unarmed black men. A British-born lawyer assigned to his case (Steve Coogan) sets out to prove his actions were a direct result of psychological trauma from his volatile work environment. The defence attorney is an ardent opponent of the death penalty.

SHORTBUS – Sofia (Sook-Yin Lee) is a couples therapist who is unable to climax despite the ministrations of her loving husband. Gay couple James (Paul Dawson) and Jamie (PJ DeBoy) decide to open the doors of their relationship by inviting in a third partner. All three attend a mixer in which partygoers partake in a sexual banquet. 2006 erotic comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell. The plot revolves around a sexually diverse ensemble of colourful characters trying desperately to connect in New York City. The characters converge in a weekly Brooklyn artistic/sexual salon loosely inspired by various underground NYC gatherings that took place in the early 2000s. According to Mitchell, the film attempts to “employ sex in new cinematic ways because it’s too interesting to leave to porn.”

SLEIGHT – A young street magician is left to care for his little sister after their parents passing, and turns to illegal activities to keep a roof over their heads. When he gets in too deep, his sister is kidnapped, and he is forced to use his magic and brilliant mind to save her. 2016 American superhero drama directed by J. D. Dillard, written by Dillard and Alex Theurer and stars Jacob Latimore, Seychelle Gabriel, Dulé Hill, Storm Reid, Sasheer Zamata and Michael Villar.

SONG ONE – Franny Ellis returns home to New York City after her brother Henry enters a coma. She meets Henry’s favourite musician, James Forester, at a concert. While trying to help Henry, Franny and James form a romantic connection during their brief time together. 2014 American romantic drama film written and directed by Kate Barker-Froyland in her directorial debut. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Ben Rosenfield, and Mary Steenburgen.

SOUTHPAW – Billy “The Great” Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal), the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife and daughter, and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely saviour in Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker), a former fighter who trains the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most. 2015 American sports drama directed by Antoine Fuqua.

SPOTLIGHT – Martin Baron joins the Boston Globe as an editor and pushes four journalists named Michael, Walter, Sacha and Matt to pursue a story about the child molestation charges against the local church. A 2015 American biographical drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. The film follows The Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, the oldest continuously operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States, and its investigation into cases of widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. It is based on a series of stories by the Spotlight team that earned The Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. The film features an ensemble cast including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci, with Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup in supporting roles.

STORM BOY – Australian drama based on the novella by Colin Thiele of the same name. The adaptation was directed by Shawn Seet and stars Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney. It follows a young boy growing up on a largely uninhabited coastline of Southern Australia. He rescues three orphan pelicans and forms a close bond with them.

STRONGER – A 2017 American biographical drama film directed by David Gordon Green and written by John Pollono, based on the memoir of the same name by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter. It follows Bauman, who loses his legs in the Boston Marathon bombings and must adjust to his new life. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Bauman, with Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Carlos Sanz and Clancy Brown in supporting roles.

ST. VINCENT – A young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran who lives next door. 2014 American comedy-drama film written, and directed by Theodore Melfi. Stars: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts

SUBURBICON – A mild-mannered father in 1959 must face his demons after a home invasion, all while a black family moves into the all-white neighbourhood.  2017 American black comedy crime film directed by George Clooney and co-written by the Coen brothers, Clooney, and Grant Heslov. It stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, and Oscar Isaac.

SULLY (also known as Sully: Miracle on the Hudson ) – The film follows Sullenberger’s January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived—most suffering only minor injuries—and the subsequent publicity and investigation.  Tom Hanks stars as Sullenberger, with Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Holt McCallany, Jamey Sheridan, and Jerry Ferrara in supporting roles.  A 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Todd Komarnicki, based on the 2009 autobiography Highest Duty by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow.

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR – A hopeless romantic ambivalent about his future in medical school falls for a hard-luck young woman who doesn’t believe in love. Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts. 2019 American teen drama film directed by Ry Russo-Young and written by Tracy Oliver, based on the young adult novel of the same name by Nicola Yoon. The film stars Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton, and John Leguizamo.

SUNLIGHT JR. – 2013 American drama film directed by Laurie Collyer and starring Matt Dillon and Naomi Watts. The film is a poignant vignette following a couple expecting their first child. The couple must come to grips with their dire financial situation while in the midst of an unplanned pregnancy and its subsequent challenges. The film is inspired by Barbara Ehrenreich’s non-fiction book “Nickel and Dimed” which investigates many of the difficulties low-wage workers face.

T2 TRAINSPOTTING First there was an opportunity, then there was a betrayal. Twenty years later, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place that he can ever call home. There waiting for him are old buddies Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, love, fear, regret, self-destruction and mortal danger are also all lined up and ready to welcome him. A 2017 British black comedy-drama set in and around Edinburgh, Scotland. The film was directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge, based on characters created by Irvine Welsh in his 1993 novel Trainspotting and its 2002 follow-up Porno.

TAKING WOODSTOCK – In the summer of 1969, Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin) divides his time between Greenwich Village and the upstate ramshackle motel, El Monaco, of his Old World parents. When the proposed venue for the upcoming Woodstock concert falls through, Elliot steps in and plays a pivotal role in the generation-defining event by helping organizers secure Max Yasgur’s nearby farm for the festival and offering the El Monaco as the home base. 2009 American comedy-drama film about the Woodstock Festival of 1969, directed by Ang Lee. The screenplay by James Schamus is based on the memoir Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte.

TAXI DRIVER – Set in a decaying and morally bankrupt New York City following the Vietnam War, the film follows Travis Bickle, a taxi driver and veteran, and his deteriorating mental state as he works nights in the city. 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks.

THEIR FINEST – 2016 British war comedy-drama film directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Gaby Chiappe, based on the 2009 novel Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans. The film stars Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Jack Huston, Jake Lacy, Richard E. Grant, Henry Goodman, Rachael Stirling, Eddie Marsan, Helen McCrory, and Claudia Jessie. The film tells the story of a British Ministry of Information film team making a morale-boosting film about the Dunkirk evacuation during the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – Scout Finch (Mary Badham), and her older brother, Jem (Phillip Alford), live in sleepy Maycomb, Ala., spending much of their time with their friend Dill (John Megna) and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbour, Boo Radley (Robert Duvall). When Atticus (Gregory Peck), their widowed father and a respected lawyer, defends a black man named Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) against fabricated rape charges, the trial and tangent events expose the children to the evils of racism and stereotyping.  1962 American drama directed by Robert Mulligan. The screenplay by Horton Foote is based on Harper Lee’s 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. It stars Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Mary Badham as Scout. To Kill a Mockingbird marked the film debuts of Robert Duvall, William Windom, and Alice Ghostley.

TOMMY – 1975 British satirical operetta fantasy drama film written and directed by Ken Russell and based upon The Who’s 1969 rock opera album Tommy about a “psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind” boy who becomes a pinball champion and religious leader. The film featured a star-studded ensemble cast, including the band members themselves (most notably, lead singer Roger Daltrey, who plays the title role), Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson.

TO THE WONDER – 2012 American experimental romantic drama written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem. Filmed in Oklahoma and Paris, the film chronicles a couple who, after falling in love in Paris, struggle to keep their relationship from falling apart after moving to the United States.

THE TRUMAN SHOW – 1998 American psychological comedy-drama directed by Peter Weir, produced by Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, and Adam Schroeder, and written by Niccol. The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, a man who grew up living an ordinary life that—unbeknownst to him—takes place on a large set populated by actors for a television show about him. Eventually, he discovers the truth and decides to escape. Additional roles are performed by Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris, Paul Giamatti and Brian Delate.

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMANUEL – A troubled girl becomes preoccupied with her mysterious new neighbour, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. 2013 American thriller drama film written, directed and produced by Francesca Gregorini. The film stars Jessica Biel, Kaya Scodelario, Alfred Molina, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard and Frances O’Connor.

TULIP FEVER –  A 17th-century “Tulip mania” painter in Amsterdam falls in love with a married woman whose portrait he has been commissioned to paint. 2017 historical romantic drama film directed by Justin Chadwick and written by Deborah Moggach and Tom Stoppard, adapted from Moggach’s 1999 novel of the same name. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Jack O’Connell, Holliday Grainger, Tom Hollander, Matthew Morrison, Kevin McKidd, Douglas Hodge, Joanna Scanlan, Zach Galifianakis, Judi Dench, and Christoph Waltz.

UNBROKEN – The film stars Jack O’Connell as American Olympian and Army officer Louis “Louie” Zamperini and Miyavi as Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe. Zamperini survived in a raft for 47 days after his bomber ditched in the ocean during the Second World War, before being captured by the Japanese and sent to a series of prisoner of war camps. A  2014 American war film produced and directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen brothers, Richard LaGravenese, and William Nicholson. It is based on the 2010 non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

UNITED 93 – 2006 docu-drama thriller written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass. The film chronicles the events aboard United Airlines Flight 93,[3] which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks of 2001. The film attempts to recount the hijacking and subsequent events in the flight with as much veracity as possible (there is a disclaimer that some imagination had to be used) and in real-time (from the flight’s takeoff). According to the filmmakers, the film was made with the cooperation of all of the passengers’ families

UP IN THE AIR – Ryan Bingham enjoys living out of a suitcase for his job, travelling around the country firing people, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a potential love interest, and a new hire presenting a new business model. 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman. It was written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on the 2001 novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn.  Starring  George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Danny McBride also star.

THE VISITOR – When professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) travels to New York for a lecture, he’s stunned to find illegal immigrants Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira) living in his apartment. It comes out that it was rented to them by a swindler, and Vale feels sufficiently sorry for them that he invites them to stay. They get on well until Tarek is accused of jumping a subway turnstile and lands in a detention center. He risks being deported, and Vale does everything he can to prevent it. 2007 American drama film written and directed by Tom McCarthy

WALK ON WATER (original Hebrew title: ללכת על המים; English transliteration: Lalekhet Al HaMayim)  An Israeli Mossad agent is given the mission to track down and kill an ex-Nazi officer who might still be alive. Pretending to be a tourist guide, he befriends the Nazi’s grandson, in Israel. The two men set out on a tour of the country during which the boy challenges the agent’s values. 2004 Israeli drama directed by Eytan Fox and starring Lior Ashkenazi, Knut Berger, and Caroline Peters.

WARRIOR – 2011 American sports drama directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by O’Connor, Cliff Dorfman, and Anthony Tambakis. It stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as two estranged brothers whose entrance into a mixed martial arts tournament makes them come to terms with their lives and each other, and Nick Nolte as their alcoholic father; Jennifer Morrison and Frank Grillo also star.

WAR ROOM  – A seemingly perfect family looks to fix their problems with the help of Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman. 2015 American Christian drama film directed by Alex Kendrick and written by him and Stephen Kendrick.

THE WAY BACK – Siberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India. 2010 American survival film directed by Peter Weir, from a screenplay by Weir and Keith Clarke. The film is inspired by The Long Walk (1956), the memoir by a former Polish prisoner of war Sławomir Rawicz, who claimed to have escaped from a Soviet Gulag and walked 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to freedom in World War II. The film stars Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, and Saoirse Ronan, with Alexandru Potocean, Sebastian Urzendowsky, Gustaf Skarsgård, Dragoș Bucur and Mark Strong.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO is a 2011 family comedy-drama film loosely based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. It was co-written and directed by Cameron Crowe and stars Matt Damon as widowed father Benjamin Mee, who purchases a dilapidated zoo with his family and takes on the challenge of preparing the zoo for its reopening to the public. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, and John Michael Higgins.

WE DON’T BELONG HERE – The matriarch of a dysfunctional family is pushed to her tipping point when her son goes missing. 2017 / written and directed by Peer Pedersen. The film stars Catherine Keener, Kaitlyn Dever, Anton Yelchin, Riley Keough, Annie Starke, Cary Elwes and Maya Rudolph.

WELCOME TO MARWEN – 2018 drama directed by Robert Zemeckis, who co-wrote the script with Caroline Thompson. It is inspired by Jeff Malmberg’s 2010 documentary Marwencol. The film stars Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Gwendoline Christie, Leslie Zemeckis, Siobhan Williams and Neil Jackson, and follows the true story of Mark Hogancamp, a man struggling with PTSD who, after being physically assaulted, creates a fictional village to ease his trauma.

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS – On a business trip to New Orleans, a damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward young prostitute. 2010 independent drama film directed by Jake Scott, written by Ken Hixon, and starring Kristen Stewart, James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo

WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS – A surrogate mom for a couple becomes dangerously obsessed with the soon-to-be father. 2016 American psychological thriller film directed by Jon Cassar and starring Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall, Theo Rossi and Jaz Sinclair. It was written by Jack Olsen.

WHERE DO WE GO NOW – A group of Lebanese women try to ease religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in their village. The group of women, half of them Christian, half of them Muslim, conspire to keep the men of their town from killing each other. Director: Nadine Labaki. Written by Thomas Bidegain · Rodney El Haddad · Bassam Habib · Jihad Hojeily / Starring: Labaki, Julien Farhat, Claude Baz Moussawbaa

WHILE WE’RE YOUNG – A middle-aged couple’s career and marriage are overturned when a disarming young couple enters their lives. A New York-based documentary filmmaker and his wife, a couple in their 40s, develop a friendship with a couple in their 20s.2014 American comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by Noah Baumbach. The film stars Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, and Amanda Seyfried.

WHIPLASH – 2014 psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It depicts the relationship between an ambitious jazz drummer (Miles Teller) and an abusive perfectionist bandleader (J. K. Simmons) at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory. Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist co-star.

WHITE IRISH DRINKERS – Brooklyn, 1975: two brothers looking for a way out of their working-class neighbourhood make a pact to rob a local theatre on the night of a Rolling Stones concert. 2010 American drama film written and directed by John Gray and starring Nick Thurston and Geoffrey Wigdor.

WHITE MATERIAL– 2009 French drama film directed by Claire Denis and co-written with Marie NDiaye. The film stars Isabelle Huppert as Maria Vial, a struggling French coffee producer in an unnamed French-speaking African country, who decides to stay at her coffee plantation in spite of an erupting civil war.

THE WHOLE TRUTH – A defence attorney works to get his teenage client acquitted of murdering his wealthy father. 2016 American thriller film directed by Courtney Hunt and written by Nicholas Kazan. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Basso, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Renée Zellweger, and Jim Belushi.

WIND RIVER – A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.  2017 neo-Western murder mystery film written and directed by Taylor Sheridan. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene also star.

WONDER –  The incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. 2017 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Stephen Chbosky and written by Jack Thorne, Steven Conrad, and Chbosky. It is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by R. J. Palacio and stars Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Noah Jupe, Izabela Vidovic, Bryce Gheisar, and Daveed Diggs.

WONDER WHEEL is a 2017 American period drama film written and directed by Woody Allen and starring Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, and Justin Timberlake. Set in the early 1950s at an amusement park on Coney Island, the film takes its title from the park’s Ferris wheel. The story follows the second wife and the estranged daughter of a carousel operator as they both pursue affairs with a lifeguard.

WORLD’S GREATEST DAD – When his son’s body is found in a humiliating accident, a lonely high school teacher inadvertently attracts an overwhelming amount of community and media attention after covering up the truth with a phoney suicide note. 2009 American satirical black comedy-drama film written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, and Alexie Gilmore.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS A poor English boy is taken in by a wealthy family where he develops an intense relationship with his younger foster sister. A 2011 British Gothic romantic drama directed by Andrea Arnold and starring Kaya Scodelario as Catherine and James Howson as Heathcliff. The screenplay, written by Arnold and Olivia Hetreed, is based on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name. James Howson as Heathcliff is the first time a black actor would portray the role.

THE YOUNG MESSIAH is a 2016 biblical drama film directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and co-written by Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh and Nowrasteh, based on the novel Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice. The film stars Adam Greaves-Neal, Sean Bean, David Bradley, Lee Boardman, Jonathan Bailey, and David Burke. The film revolves around a fictional interpretation of a seven-year-old Jesus, who tries to discover the truth about his life when he returns to Nazareth from Egypt.

YOUNG REBELS – The story of five friends during their summer together in the small town of Lenexa. Their bond is tested when a disturbing secret comes to light and they set out on a quest to protect and redeem their reputation of one of their own. Directed by Jason Wiles (2008), with William Baldwin, Chris Bauer, Ryan Hensel, Chris Klein, Jason Ritter and Michael Rooker.

YOUTH IN REVOLT – While his trailer trash parents teeter on the edge of divorce, Nick Twisp sets his sights on dream girl Sheeni Saunders, hoping that she’ll be the one to take away his virginity. 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Gustin Nash. Based on C.D. Payne’s epistolary novel of the same name, the film stars Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday, with Justin Long, Ray Liotta, and Steve Buscemi in supporting roles.

SURREAL COMEDY / DRAMA

ARIZONA DREAM – Axel (Johnny Depp) gets caught up in the family car business when his cousin, Paul (Vincent Gallo), coaxes him to come to Arizona to attend their wedding of their Uncle Leo (Jerry Lewis). As Axel makes the decision to try selling Cadillacs with his family, he meets an eccentric woman named Elaine (Faye Dunaway) and her equally quirky stepdaughter, Grace (Lili Taylor). Their lives become inextricably intertwined through romance, dreams — and death. 1993 French-American surrealist indie comedy-drama film co-written and directed by Emir Kusturica and starring Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis, Faye Dunaway, Lili Taylor and Vincent Gallo

by ·Comments Off on Last Night In Soho – A dark-tinged, neon-drenched, original thriller

It was more than a decade ago when writer-director Edgar Wright found his inspirational idea for the psychological thriller Last Night In Soho. He quickly put the broad outlines of the story in order. But he didn’t rush this one to the screen.

“Edgar first told me he was keen to develop the idea in February 2012,” says Nira Park, Wright’s long-time producer and confidant.

“We were trying to get The World’s End off the ground at the time and were really busy. I didn’t think he would have time to think about another project but he couldn’t stop thinking about the idea and really wanted to get the ball rolling. He was in LA and I was in London. He came over for a week of meetings on The World’s End and we managed to squeeze in a pitch with Film4, who felt like they were a good fit for the project. At that stage, the pitch was for a lower budget version of what it eventually became. Film4 were immediately interested and they agreed to fund the research with Lucy Pardee, which Edgar worked on alongside prep for The Worlds End.”

Wright recruited Lucy Pardee, more recently a BAFTA winner for her work on Rocks, to help him dive deep into researching various elements of the story. Pardee interviewed people from all walks of life who lived and worked in Soho in the ‘60s.

“The vast bible she assembled included research into the sex industry – past and present – in Central London, as well as police who patrolled the area and – in the present-day – fashion students like our heroine, Eloise. Pardee also researched nightmares and sleep paralysis, paranormal and ghost encounters, lucid dreaming and other elements that would eventually inform the plot.”

As Wright digested this wealth of first-hand accounts, along with his own keen interest in ‘60s movies and music, the story details took shape. But The World’s End and Baby Driver dropped into place first, and it was only after the latter that Wright became sure that Last Night In Soho would be next.

“After finishing the Baby Driver there was pressure to do a sequel to it immediately, but I knew in my head that I had to do something else first,” says Wright. “For my own sanity, I couldn’t quite face doing a second huge car chase movie straightaway. And when you have the opportunity to make an original movie with new challenges, you take it.”

Nira Park was again his first port of call. “When we first pitched it, it was very low budget,” says Park, “but once we started talking about it again the idea had developed quite a bit and it was definitely a bigger proposition, bigger budget. Edgar and I started talking to our long term collaborators Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan at Working Title about how to make the film a reality. And then together we took it to Focus.”

Writer-director Edgar Wright

While Wright was drawn to the idea of making a ‘60s thriller, a mystery full of the horror elements and show-stopping style of that time, he also wanted to tell that story through a contemporary lens. He didn’t want to simply glamourise the past, or draw a veil over the grotesque reality of the seamy, sexist ‘60s. By putting a modern protagonist into the ‘60s story, he could bring a wariness to the milieu and perhaps avoid the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia.

“There’s a duality in that sense,” Wright explains. “Like Eloise’s character, there’s a love for the best of the decade. It’s a fascinating period: the way culture changes from 1960 to 1969 is extraordinary, probably the biggest leap in any decade. But there’s also a fear of what’s going on under the surface. If you spend too much time romanticising the past, you can miss the danger that’s in front of you.”

It was during this time, with a fully-developed story but as-yet-unwritten script, and a title inspired by the Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich song, that Wright met up with his friend, screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and asked if he could talk her through the idea.

The pair spent an evening walking around Soho haunts as he narrated his concept for the film and visited some of the area’s most famous and more obscure watering holes.

“We went to the Toucan [pub] where Krysty was a barmaid for several years as she was writing her breakthrough screenplay Aether,” says Wright. “She lived on Dean Street, so in that way when you’re someone who works and lives in Soho, you become friends with the bouncers and strippers. You know them as real people. She was steeped in all these amazing stories.”

Wilson-Cairns remembers it well. “I moved to London when I was 22, a young girl with a dream of the big city,” she laughs. “I came from a small place, quite sheltered, so I very much understood that journey. When I first met Edgar – Sam Mendes introduced us and said we would get on – I think I had just given up my bar work and we talked about the bits of Soho you don’t see, all these dingy after-hours places. So we went on a little research night out. I wasn’t involved in the project at this point, I was just a friend showing him my old stomping ground. But I thought the story was fantastic.”

Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith with director Edgar Wright during the filming of Last Night in Soho.

It was over a year later when Wilson-Cairns got Wright’s call asking her to co-write the script with him. She was about to head into pre-production in 1917 with Mendes, the film that would soon land her an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. But in the six weeks before she left, she and Wright rented an office, put the story on index cards around the wall, and crafted the first draft of the script, refining and perfecting it over the following months.

“The story had been fermenting in my head for so long,” says Wright. “It just needed this missing element. There are things that Krysty adds to it that make the movie, things that I would have never thought of writing on my own.”

By his account, she was particularly keen on fleshing out the 1960s scenes, ensuring that the audience would fall in love with Sandie. “We spent a lot of time, the two of us, just working out who is Sandie and who is Eloise,” says Wilson-Cairns. “You want Sandie to be compelling, so it was building that character and building her world. The audience go in with Eloise, a young woman, and I thought, ‘Who was I obsessed with when I was younger?’ Usually, it was characters on TV; powerful women. It’s not like a male obsession, not just about how they look; it’s definitely about intelligence and how they see the world. So, Sandie’s dialogue was crucial to that.”

As with Wright himself, Wilson-Cairns was also keen to avoid the “fallen woman” tropes of ‘60s cinema. “I think there’s almost a puritanical message in those films, and we’re not at all trapped in that, thank God. We were never interested in chastising ‘fallen’ women; the idea that women even ‘fall’ is ridiculous to me. We were trying to make something that feels real, that felt like it could have happened, that had resonance in our lifetime. Just to make something thrilling and thought-provoking was our intention.”

“Last Night in Soho is a love letter to that specific part of London, and to a bygone age when the Rolling Stones and Princess Margaret were hanging around,” says screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns. “It’s a love letter to the past, but a warning as well not to look back with too much nostalgia, or gloss over the seedy underbelly.”

It is, in other words, a story full of contradictions – and that’s just the way Wright wanted it.

“I love London and I love the Sixties,” he says. “But with the city, it’s a love-hate relationship. It can be brutal and beautiful in equal measure. It’s ever-shifting too, with gentrification and new architecture slowly changing the landscape. With all this in mind, it’s easy to romanticize previous decades; even ones you were not alive for. Maybe you would be forgiven for thinking that time travelling back to the Swingin’ Sixties would be amazing. But then there’s a nagging doubt. Would it, though? Particularly from a female perspective. Sometimes you’re talking to somebody who was there in the 60s, where they would talk very effusively about it, stories of the wild times. But you always feel that there’s that little hint of what they won’t say. Sometimes, if you ask, they’ll say that it was a tough time as well. So the point of the movie is to ask what’s behind the rose-tinted spectacles, and how quickly that part reveals itself.”

That dual identity inspired Last Night In Soho. Some combination of Soho’s dark streets, the echoes of the “Swinging London” of the 1960s, a long-time affection for the music of the period and an obsession with the darker-tinged films of that same decade came together to give Wright an idea; a story about an idealist who follows their dreams to Soho and finds something much darker waiting there.

Wright quickly realised that his protagonist would be a young woman, a girl coming up to London for the first time. “I didn’t have any other version of it,” he explains. “Part of the inspiration was that I wanted to make a film with a female lead. But also, I was conscious that many of these ‘60s films, mostly written by men, were cautionary tales about girls coming to London. At the time, they probably felt quite ground-breaking. But now some seem sensationalist and moralistic like they’re slapping down the idea of liberation and girls being able to make it on their own.”

Wright wanted to offer some kind of corrective to that and to challenge that cliché. So to accentuate this, the exploitation and vice of the era became the backdrop for his story. The film was always going to be set in Soho, home to a unique mix of respectable business and vice with a beguiling and sometimes fearsome atmosphere. “The Sixties casts a long shadow over London, but particularly over Soho,” says Wright. “Soho has always had the higher echelons of glamour and showbiz, but it’s also this den of iniquity. It’s steeped in music and film history, but also criminal history. I’ve had more night-time walks through Soho than I can possibly count, and you get thinking about what this or that building used to be. You feel the echoes of the past, and not that far away.”

Past and present mix and meld together until the crimes of the past begin to haunt our present-day heroine. But first, Wright had to decide how to navigate those intertwined worlds.

The film was, luckily, deep into post-production when Covid hit. And, even more, luckily, production was able to schedule a few days of pick-up shots when the pandemic lockdowns lifted last summer. That extra time was a frustration but did offer compensations; little tweaks and ideas came up, and there was extra time to lavish on the visual effects. “We had an extended post,” says Nira Park, “and we were really lucky that we were able to keep the cutting room going. Because of the shorthand that Edgar has with [editor] Paul Machliss, in a way working remotely didn’t affect them. We essentially got additional post-time, and particularly in terms of the visual effects that made a huge difference, because they were able to explore creative ideas that they might not have been able to in the time we originally had.”

EDGAR WRIGHT (Director, Producer, Co-screenwriter)

Growing up in the UK, Edgar Wright began crafting his distinct visual style at a young age directing super 8 films starring his school friends. At 20, he directed the no-budget western A Fistful of Fingers which had a limited theatrical release. This led to a foray into television where he directed a handful of comedy shows including both seasons of the award-winning cult classic Spaced. It was here that Wright began his iconic collaboration with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as well as his producing partner, Nira Park, with who he has worked on everything he has directed since.

Spaced served as a launching pad for the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead which became a sleeper box office hit. This was followed by Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. These films became known as the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, of which all were co-written by Wright and Pegg. In between Fuzz and World’s End, Wright co-wrote and directed the acclaimed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Wright has also collaborated with many acclaimed filmmakers: he co-wrote The Adventures of Tintin for director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson and directed the faux trailer for Don’t, which played between Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse. As an executive producer, Wright championed Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block and Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers.

Wright’s 2017 film, Baby Driver, grossed over $220 million worldwide at the box office and went on to receive three Academy Award nominations as well as two BAFTA nominations, winning Best Editing.

In 2018, Wright and Park set up Complete Fiction Pictures with long-time collaborators Joe Cornish and Rachael Prior.

His first documentary, The Sparks Brothers, covering the entire 50-year legacy of Ron and Russell Mael of California pop band Sparks, premiered at Sundance in January 2021 and was released in cinemas in summer 2021.

Wright’s latest film, Last Night in Soho, will premiere at the 2021 Venice Film Festival as well as the Toronto International Film Festival. It will be released in cinemas worldwide on October 29th.

Wright was a member of the Dramatic Jury at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, a juror for the Main Competition at the 2017 Venice Film Festival, and a judge for the 2011 and 2014 Independent Spirit Awards. In his spare time he has presented films for the TCM Film Festival as well as programmed film series for the New Beverly Cinema in LA, the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, and at the BFI Southbank, Prince Charles Cinema, and Picturehouse Central in London.

KRYSTY WILSON-CAIRNS (co-screenwriter)

Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns is a standout, as one of only two women nominated for an Oscar in the writing categories during the 2019/2020 Awards Season and for her charm, humour, intelligence and incredible talent.

Her most recent film 1917 for Amblin and Universal, which she co-wrote with the film’s director Sam Mendes, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film was also nominated for ten Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Drama.  

She recently wrapped production on the Netflix feature thriller The Good Nurse based on the book by Charles Graeber, starring Eddie Redmayne, Jessica Chastain, Nnamdi Asomugha, Noah Emmerich and Kim Dickens. Wilson-Cairns wrote the screenplay, which tells the true story of the pursuit and capture of Charles Cullen, one of the most prolific serial killers in history who is suspected of murdering up to 400 patients during his 16-year career as a nurse. 

Her slate of projects in various stages of development includes two as of yet untitled projects with Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment, Aether for Genre Pictures and Apple TV and the original UK-set series Prophets, which Sam Mendes and Neal Street will produce.

Wilson-Cairns was born in Glasgow. She attended the Royal Scottish Conservatoire where she earned her undergraduate degree in Filmmaking, and the National Film and Television School where she earned her MFA in Screenwriting. Shortly after graduating from the NFTS she sold her first film script, Aether, to FilmNation and joined John Logan for the third and final season of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful.

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Latest Film Releases / Rent or Buy DVD / Return to Menu

*DVD Rental in Prince Albert only

21 Micky, a math professor, recruits five brilliant students and uses their skills to win millions of dollars at blackjack in Las Vegas. 2008 heist drama film directed by Robert Luketic and starring Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, Aaron Yoo, and Kieu Chinh.

21 GRAMS– In a film that plays with the idea of straightforward storytelling, a group of troubled people find that they are linked in unpredictable ways. Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) is an academic dealing with a terminal heart condition, but his life is changed by a car crash that seems unrelated to his ailment. The traffic accident, involving ex-con Jack Jordan (Benicio Del Toro) and the husband of Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts), is one that ruins lives but ultimately also resurrects them. 2003 crime drama directed by Alejandro González

A BOY CALLED HATE – When Hate gets out of prison he jumps on his dirt bike with a stolen gun and hits the road, where he comes across a man raping a girl. He tries to stop the rapist, but things escalate and Hate ends up shooting him. 1995 crime drama starring Scott Caan, his father James Caan, Missy Crider, Adam Beach and Elliott Gould. It was the first film directed by Mitch Marcus, who also wrote the screenplay.

A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is a 2014 crime drama written and directed by J. C. Chandor. The film stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain with Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo, Albert Brooks, and Catalina Sandino Moreno. The protagonist is Abel Morales (Isaac), the owner of a small heating-oil company who is stressed by the competitiveness in the oil trade and his having to secure costly loans to expand his business. When his trucks start being hijacked, there is increased pressure for his drivers to arm themselves.

A SIMPLE FAVOR – Stephanie is a single mother with a parenting vlog who befriends Emily, a secretive upper-class woman who has a child at the same elementary school. When Emily goes missing, Stephanie takes it upon herself to investigate. 2018 American black comedy crime thriller film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend, and Jean Smart

BLACK MASS – The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. 2015 American biographical crime drama film about American mobster Whitey Bulger. Directed by Scott Cooper and written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth, it is based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill’s 2001 book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The film features an ensemble cast led by Johnny Depp as Bulger, alongside Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, and Corey Stoll.

BOY WONDER – As he grows up, Sean begins a double life as a crime fighter to avenge his murdered mother.  2010 vigilante, psychological, thriller written and directed by Michael Morrissey and stars Caleb Steinmeyer, Zulay Henao, Bill Sage, Tracy Middendorf, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Chuck Cooper, and James Russo.

AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS – A man (Casey Affleck) takes the fall for his lover’s (Rooney Mara) crime, then four years later breaks out of prison to find her and their young daughter, who was born during his incarceration. 2013 romantic crime drama written and directed by David Lowery.

ALL GOOD THINGS – Heir to a real-estate dynasty, David Marks (Ryan Gosling) lives in the shadow of his father, Sanford (Frank Langella). He takes a chance at true love when he meets Katie (Kirsten Dunst), a woman of modest origins who sees David’s real worth as a person, not just his family’s wealth. David and Katie marry and plan to build a life together, but their once-loving relationship deteriorates after David gives in to his father’s demand that he work in the family business. 2010 mystery/crime romantic drama directed by Andrew Jarecki and written by Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling. Inspired by the life of accused murderer Robert Durst

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD – The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom. 2017 crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on John Pearson’s 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. The film stars Michelle Williams as John Paul Getty III’s mother, Christopher Plummer as Getty, and Mark Wahlberg as an adviser of the Getty family.

BLACKKKLANSMAN is a 2018 American biographical black comedy crime directed by Spike Lee and written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Lee, based on the 2014 memoir Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth. The film stars John David Washington as Stallworth, along with Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace. Set in the 1970s in Colorado Springs, the plot follows the first African-American detective in the city’s police department as he sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter.

BONNIE & CLYDE (2 Disc) – A revisionist 2013 miniseries about Great Depression-era outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow starring Emile Hirsch as Clyde Barrow and Holliday Grainger as Bonnie Parker. Directed by Bruce Beresford. The two-part television series is based on the true story of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Barrow, a charismatic convicted armed robber, sweeps Parker – a young and impressionable, petite, small-town waitress, who is already married – off her feet. In the early 1930s, the two embark on one of the most infamous crime sprees in American history.  Part 1 tells the story of Clyde Barrow’s childhood growing up and meeting the love of his life Bonnie Parker, who dreams of becoming a movie star in Hollywood. Soon the couple goes on a crime spree, robbing banks together after Clyde’s partner is caught. They are able to stay one step ahead of the “laws” while they rob bigger banks in the state. In Part 2 Clyde asks his newlywed brother Buck to help them. Not wanting to be alone at home, his wife Blanche becomes the fourth member of the Barrow Gang. However, Bonnie pushes Clyde to commit more dangerous crimes and rob banks across the state line to generate headlines in the newspapers, and their life of crime soon leads to their deaths.

BRIGHTON ROCK – A violent teenage hoodlum (Sam Riley) murders a rival gangster’s lackey, then seduces a naive waitress (Andrea Riseborough) who can link him to the crime. With Helen Mirren.  2010 British crime film written and directed by Rowan Joffé and loosely based on Graham Greene’s 1938 novel of the same name.

BRONSON – 2008 British biographical crime film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, based on a script written by Refn and Brock Norman Brock. The film stars Tom Hardy as Michael Peterson, known since 1987 as Charles Bronson. The film follows the life of this prisoner, considered Britain’s most violent criminal, who has been responsible for a dozen or so cases of hostage-taking while incarcerated. He was given the name Charles Bronson by his fight promoter, for his bare-knuckle fighting years. Born into a respectable middle-class family, Peterson became known as one of the United Kingdom’s most dangerous prisoners. Because of his violence, Bronson was repeatedly put into isolation or solitary confinement, which may have contributed to his emotional problems.

BURN AFTER READING – 2008 dark comedy crime film written, produced, edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It follows a recently jobless CIA analyst (John Malkovich) whose misplaced memoirs are found by a pair of dimwitted gym employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt). When they mistake the memoirs for classified government documents, they cross paths with a womanizing U.S. Marshal (George Clooney). The film also stars Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins and J.K. Simmons.

CHANGELING – 2008 American mystery crime drama directed, produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by J. Michael Straczynski, that explores child endangerment, female disempowerment, political corruption, mistreatment of mental health patients, and the repercussions of violence. The script was based on real-life events, specifically the 1928 Wineville Chicken Coop murders in Mira Loma, California. The film stars Angelina Jolie as a woman united with a boy who she realizes is not her missing son. When she tries to demonstrate this to the police and city authorities, she is vilified as delusional, labelled as an unfit mother, and confined to a psychiatric ward.

CITIZEN GANGSTER – Unable to support his family on a bus driver’s salary, World War II veteran Edwin Boyd (Scott Speedman) finds a way to combine his love of acting and his need for cash by robbing banks. 2011 Canadian biographical drama directed and written by Nathan Morlando.

DEAD MAN DOWN – Rising gangland player Victor (Colin Farrell) infiltrates the criminal empire run by Alphonse (Terrence Howard), but his aim is not to accumulate prestige and power. Instead, Victor’s mission is to make Alphonse pay for destroying his once-happy life. Victor’s machinations have not gone unnoticed; Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), his neighbour, watches and waits. When she uncovers Victor’s secret, she threatens to expose him unless he helps her carry out her own campaign of revenge. 2013 neo-noir crime thriller written by J.H. Wyman and directed by Danish director Niels Arden Oplev.

DOPE – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighbourhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. 2015 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa. It stars Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Tyga, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, and ASAP Rocky.

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE – A 2019 American biographical crime drama film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy. Directed by Joe Berlinger with a screenplay from Michael Werwie, the film is based on Bundy’s former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall’s memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy. The film stars Zac Efron as Bundy, Lily Collins as Kendall, Kaya Scodelario as Bundy’s wife Carole Ann Boone, and John Malkovich as Edward Cowart, the presiding judge at Bundy’s trial. The title of the film is a reference to Cowart’s remarks on Bundy’s murders while sentencing him to death.

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING – It’s 1989, and in a Belfast tore apart by conflict and terrorism, petty criminal Marty McGartland is recruited by the British police to infiltrate the IRA. Guided by Special Forces officer Fergus, McGartland gains unparalleled insight into the organisation’s dealings, providing his British handler with priceless, life-saving information. 2008 English-language crime thriller written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland’s 1997 autobiography of the same name.

FILTH – A drug-addled, manipulative misanthrope (James McAvoy) begins to experience increasingly severe hallucinations as he tries to solve the murder of a Japanese student. 2013 black comedy/ crime film written and directed by Jon S. Baird, based on Irvine Welsh’s 1998 novel Filth. It stars James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, and Jim Broadbent.

FOCUS – In the midst of veteran con man Nicky’s latest scheme, a woman from his past – now an accomplished femme fatale – shows up and throws his plans for a loop. 2015 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie.

THE FORGER – A thief works with his father and son to forge a painting by Monet and steal the original. Together, they plan the heist of their lives. 2014 American thriller crime drama film directed by Philip Martin and starring John Travolta.

GAMBIT – A mild-mannered art curator (Colin Firth) plans to scam his abusive boss with the help of an expert forger (Tom Courtenay) and a rodeo queen (Cameron Diaz). 2012 film directed by Michael Hoffman, starring Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman and Stanley Tucci. It is a remake of the 1966 film of the same name. This version is written by Joel and Ethan Coen.

GOING IN STYLE – Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money. 2017 American heist comedy film remake of the 1979 film of the same name. Directed by Zach Braff and written by Theodore Melfi, it stars Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Joey King, Matt Dillon, Christopher Lloyd, Ann-Margret, John Ortiz and Siobhan Fallon Hogan. It follows a trio of retirees (Freeman, Caine, and Arkin) who plan to rob a bank after their pensions are cancelled.

GANGSTER SQUAD– Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) has 1949 Los Angeles in an iron fist, as he accumulates a fortune from drugs, prostitution and gambling. Cohen has an army of paid goons at his disposal, but he also has certain policemen and politicians in his pocket. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest cop, until Los Angeles Police Department mavericks, Sgts. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), form a secret crew to bring Cohen to justice. 2013 action crime film directed by Ruben Fleischer, and written by Will Beall. Set in 1949, the plot is a fictionalized account of the LAPD officers and detectives, called the ‘Gangster Squad’, who attempt to keep Los Angeles safe from Mickey Cohen and his gang.

GIGLI – Larry Gigli is assigned by a crime boss to kidnap the brother of a prominent district attorney. A beautiful woman known only as Ricki is sent to stay with him to make sure he doesn’t mess up the job. 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written and directed by Martin Brest and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Lainie Kazan.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN – A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing person investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life. 2016 American mystery psychological thriller film directed by Tate Taylor and written by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on British author Paula Hawkins’ popular 2015 debut novel of the same name. The film stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Édgar Ramírez, and Lisa Kudrow.

THE GODFATHER – 1972 crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel of the same name. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, and Diane Keaton. It is the first instalment in The Godfather trilogy. The story, spanning from 1945 to 1955, chronicles the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando), focusing on the transformation of his youngest son, Michael Corleone (Pacino), from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss.

THE GODFATHER PART II (See THE GODFATHER) – 1974 epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo, starring Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Mariana Hill, and Lee Strasberg. It is the second instalment in The Godfather trilogy. Partially based on Puzo’s 1969 novel The Godfather, the film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, presenting parallel dramas: one picks up the 1958 story of Michael Corleone (Pacino), the new Don of the Corleone family, protecting the family business in the aftermath of an attempt on his life; the prequel covers the journey of his father, Vito Corleone (De Niro), from his Sicilian childhood to the founding of his family enterprise in New York City.

GOLD Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard but keeping it is even more difficult, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. A 2016 crime drama film directed by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1993 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of Indonesia.

GOODFELLAS – 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, who also wrote with Nicholas Pileggi, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Pileggi. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, the film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980.

THE GOOD LIAR –Consummate con man Roy Courtnay has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish, worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes. 2019 crime thriller film directed and produced by Bill Condon and written by Jeffrey Hatcher, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Nicholas Searle.  Starring Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter

HELL OR HIGH WATER – 2016 neo-Western heist film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan. The film follows two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) who carry out a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch while being pursued by two Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham).

THE HURRICANE HEIST – A maintenance worker, his meteorologist brother, and a treasury agent contending with band of rogue treasury agents plan to use a Category 5 hurricane to cover their tracks of a bank robbery. 2018 American disaster heist action film directed by Rob Cohen, written by Jeff Dixon and Scott Windhauser, and starring Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Ralph Ineson, Melissa Bolona, James Cutler, and Ben Cross.

HUSTLERS – It follows a crew of New York City strippers who begin to steal money by drugging stock traders and CEOs who visit their club, then running up their credit cards. A 2019 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on New York magazine’s 2015 article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler. The film stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, Cardi B. Lopez, Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay.

IN BRUGES – Guilt-stricken after a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be. 2008 black comedy crime film written and directed by Martin McDonagh in his feature-length debut. The film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two Irish hitmen in hiding, with Ralph Fiennes as their enraged boss.

KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN – The inside story of the planning, execution, rousing aftermath, and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers of beer tycoon Alfred “Freddy” Heineken in 1983, which resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for an individual. 2015 British-Dutch crime drama directed by Daniel Alfredson based on the 1983 kidnapping of Freddy Heineken. The screenplay, based on the 1987 book by Peter R. de Vries, was written by William Brookfield. The role of Freddy Heineken is played by Anthony Hopkins, with Sam Worthington as Willem Holleeder, Jim Sturgess as Cor van Hout, Ryan Kwanten as Jan Boellaard, Thomas Cocquerel as Martin Erkamps and Mark van Eeuwen as Frans Meijer.

KILLING THEM SOFTLY – When rival crook Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hatches a plan to rob a card game run by mob lackey Markie (Ray Liotta), he picks a low-rent thug named Frankie (Scoot McNairy) to do the job. Frankie picks a less-than-ideal partner (Ben Mendelsohn) to help him, but despite their combined incompetence, they manage to make off with the mob’s money. In retaliation, Markie’s bosses hire Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a mob enforcer, to eradicate those responsibly. 2012 neo-noir crime film written and directed by Andrew Dominik, based on George V. Higgins’ novel Cogan’s Trade (1974).

THE KITCHEN – The wives of Irish mobsters take over organized crime operations in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen in the late 1970s, after the FBI arrests their husbands. 2019 American crime film written and directed by Andrea Berloff in her directorial debut. It is based on the DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth MossThe film also features Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Common, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.

LAYER CAKE – A successful cocaine dealer in London, played by Daniel Craig, wishes to leave the drug business when he two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement. 2004 British crime film directed by Matthew Vaughn, in his directorial debut. The screenplay was adapted by J. J. Connolly from his 2000 novel of the same name. The film also features Tom Hardy, Colm Meaney, and Sienna Miller.

LEGEND – A 2015 biographical crime thriller written and directed by American director Brian Helgeland. It is adapted from John Pearson’s book The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins,[8][9] which deals with their career and the relationship that bound them together, and follows their gruesome career to life imprisonment in 1969.

LIVE BY NIGHT – A group of Boston-bred gangsters set up shop in balmy Florida during the Prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan. The film follows an ambitious Ybor City bootlegger (Ben Affleck) who becomes a notorious gangster.  2016 American crime drama film written, directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. , the film also stars Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana and Chris Cooper.

LOGAN LUCKY is a 2017 heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh, based on a screenplay credited to Rebecca Blunt. Soderbergh came out of retirement to direct the film and distributed it independently through his own company, Fingerprint Releasing. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston, and Sebastian Stan. The film follows the Logan family and their attempt to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway whilst avoiding security officers and the FBI.

MAD DOGS – British psychological thriller television series (2011), written and created by Cris Cole, The series stars John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley, and Philip Glenister as four long-time and middle-aged friends getting together in a villa in Majorca to celebrate the early retirement of their friend Alvo (Ben Chaplin). After Alvo is murdered, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption.

MANHATTAN NOCTURNE – A reporter becomes involved with a mysterious woman while investigating her late husband’s death. 2016 American crime thriller film written and directed by Brian DeCubellis. It is based on the 1996 novel Manhattan Nocturne by Colin Harrison. The film stars Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski, Jennifer Beals and Campbell Scott.

MARSHALL – The story of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases. 2017 American biographical legal drama film directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob Koskoff. It stars Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, and focuses on one of the first cases of his career, the State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell. It also stars Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell.

MISS MEADOWS –  A story centred on a proper elementary school teacher who moonlights as a vigilante. 2014 American dark comedy thriller film written and directed by Karen Leigh Hopkins. The film stars Katie Holmes, James Badge Dale, Callan Mulvey and Stephen Bishop.

MOLLY’S GAME – The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd, Joe Keery, Brian D’Arcy James, and Bill Camp.

MONEY MONSTER – Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes them and their crew as hostage. 2016 American crime thriller film directed by Jodie Foster and with a screenplay Jamie Linden, Alan Di Fiore, and Jim Kouf from a story by Di Fiore and Kauf. The film stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell, Dominic West, Caitríona Balfe, and Giancarlo Esposito.

THE MULE is a 2018 crime drama produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also plays the lead role. The screenplay, by Nick Schenk, is based on 2014 The New York Times article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick, which recounts the story of Leo Sharp, a World War II veteran who became a drug courier for the Sinaloa Cartel in his 80s. Along with Eastwood, the film stars Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, and Andy García.

THE NICE GUYS – 2016 American neo-noir action comedy film directed by Shane Black and written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi. The film stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David and Kim Basinger. Set in 1977 Los Angeles, the film focuses on a private eye (Gosling) and a tough enforcer (Crowe) who team up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl (Qualley).

NATURAL BORN KILLERS (Director’s Cut) – 1994 crime film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore, and Tommy Lee Jones. The film tells the story of two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and mass murderers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media. The film is based on an original screenplay by Quentin Tarantino that was heavily revised by Stone, writer David Veloz, and associate producer Richard Rutowski. Tarantino received a story credit though he subsequently disowned the film.

NOW YOU SEE ME – 2013 heist comedy thriller directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, and Edward Ricourt and a story by Yakin and Ricourt. It is the first instalment in the Now You See Me series. The film features an ensemble cast of Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mélanie Laurent, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. The plot follows an FBI agent and an Interpol detective who track and attempt to bring to justice a team of magicians who pull off bank heists and robberies during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

NOW YOU SEE ME 2 (also known as Now You See Me: The Second Act) – a 2016 heist thriller film directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Ed Solomon and a story by Solomon and Peter Chiarelli. It serves as a sequel to 2013’s Now You See Me and the second instalment in the Now You See Me series. The film stars an ensemble cast that includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplan, Jay Chou, Sanaa Lathan, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. The plot has the Four Horsemen and their leader Dylan Rhodes recruited by Walter Mabry, a criminal mastermind, to steal a data chip.

OCEAN’S 8 – A group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Ross and Olivia Milch. It features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.

THE PAPERBOY – In 1969 Florida, reporter Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) returns to his hometown to write a story about death-row inmate Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), who was convicted of murdering a racist lawman. Ward hires his younger brother, Jack (Zac Efron), as a driver and, together with his partner, Yardley (David Oyelowo), gets to work. Though the possibility exists that Van Wetter is innocent, Ward and Yardley unwisely trust a vixen (Nicole Kidman) who will do anything to set the convict free. 2012 crime drama film co-written and directed by Lee Daniels and based on Pete Dexter’s 1995 novel of the same name. The novel was inspired by a true story.. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, David Oyelowo, John Cusack and Macy Gray.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES – 2012 neo-noir crime drama directed by Derek Cianfrance, and written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. The film tells three linear stories: Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider who supports his family through a life of crime, Avery (Bradley Cooper), an ambitious policeman who confronts his corrupt police department, and lastly, two troubled teenagers (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) who explore the aftermath of Luke and Avery fifteen years later. The supporting cast includes Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, and Ray Liotta.

PRANK – Harmless prank or violent revenge? Three high school students, sick of living in fear of bullies, plan the ultimate payback. But when their prank goes way too far, they come to realize that getting even can have deadly consequences. Packed with unpredictable twists and turns, this cutting-edge thriller pulls no punches and delivers a shocking conclusion you’ll never forget. Just remember…no matter how sweet revenge might taste, there’s always a price to pay. Crime-drama / Horror / 2016 / Writer-director: Vincent Biron / Cast: Etienne Galloy, Alexandre Lavigne, Simon Pigeon.

PRIDE AND GLORY – Ray Tierney (Edward Norton) comes from a family full of New York cops, including his father (Jon Voight), brother Francis (Noah Emmerich) and bad-boy brother-in-law Jimmy (Colin Farrell). When a failed drug bust results in the deaths of four of Francis’ men, the Tierney patriarch pulls Ray into leading the investigation. But Jimmy launches his own investigation, compromising Ray’s team. Jimmy’s actions soon catch Ray between duty as a police officer and loyalty to his family.  2008 crime drama film directed by Gavin O’Connor. It stars Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, and Noah Emmerich.

PROUD MARY Mary is a hit woman working for an organized crime family in Boston, whose life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes bad. 2018 American action thriller film directed by Babak Najafi, from a screenplay written by John S. Newman and Christian Swegal. The film stars Taraji P. Henson, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Billy Brown, Danny Glover, Neal McDonough, Xander Berkeley, Margaret Avery.

RAISING ARIZONA – An ex-con and an ex-cop meet, marry and long for a child of their own. When it is discovered that Hi is unable to have children they decide to snatch a baby. They try to keep their crime a secret, while friends, co-workers and a bounty hunter look to use the child for their own purposes. 1987 crime comedy film directed by Joel Coen, produced by Ethan Coen, and written by Joel and Ethan. It stars Nicolas Cage as H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, an ex-convict, and Holly Hunter as Edwina “Ed” McDunnough, a former police officer and Hi’s wife. Other members of the cast include Trey Wilson, William Forsythe, John Goodman, Frances McDormand, Sam McMurray, and Randall “Tex” Cobb.

THE RAVEN – 2012 psychological crime thriller directed by James McTeigue, produced by Marc D. Evans, Trevor Macy and Aaron Ryder and written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare.[7] It stars John Cusack, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson and Luke Evans. Set in 1849, it is a fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet and author pursue a serial killer whose murders mirror those in Poe’s stories. While the plot of the film is fictional, the writers based it on some accounts of real situations surrounding Edgar Allan Poe’s mysterious death. Poe is said to have repeatedly called out the name “Reynolds” on the night before his death, though it is unclear to whom he was referring. The title derives from Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven”, in a similar manner to the earlier unrelated 1935 and 1963 films.

ROAD TO PERDITION – 2002 crime film directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self from the graphic novel of the same name written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. The plot takes place in 1931, during the Great Depression, following a mob enforcer and his son as they seek vengeance against a mobster who murdered the rest of their family.

SHOT CALLER – 2017 crime thriller film directed and written by Ric Roman Waugh. The film chronicles the transformation of a well-to-do family man into a hardened prison gangster, which he undergoes to survive California’s penal system after he is incarcerated for his role in a deadly DUI car accident. The film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal, Emory Cohen, Jeffrey Donovan, and Evan Jones, with Benjamin Bratt, and Holt McCallany.

STUBER – 2019 American buddy cop action-comedy film directed by Michael Dowse and written by Tripper Clancy. Its plot follows a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) who picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer. Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, and Karen Gillan also star.

SUBURBICON – A mild-mannered father in 1959 must face his demons after a home invasion, all while a black family moves into the all-white neighbourhood.  2017 American black comedy crime film directed by George Clooney and co-written by the Coen brothers, Clooney, and Grant Heslov. It stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, and Oscar Isaac.

THE TAKE – A four-part British television crime drama series, adapted by Neil Biswas from the novel by Martina Cole, that was first broadcast on Sky1 on 17 June 2009. Directed by David Drury, The Take follows the activities of criminal sociopath Freddie Jackson (Tom Hardy), who has recently been released from prison, only to find that his cousin Jimmy (Shaun Evans) is attempting to make a name for himself on the back of his reputation. The series also stars Brian Cox, Kierston Wareing, Margot Leicester and Charlotte Riley among others.

TAXI DRIVER – Set in a decaying and morally bankrupt New York City following the Vietnam War, the film follows Travis Bickle, a taxi driver and veteran, and his deteriorating mental state as he works nights in the city. 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks.

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI – 2017 crime drama written, co-produced, and directed by Martin McDonagh and starring Frances McDormand as a Missouri woman who rents three billboards to call attention to her daughter’s unsolved rape and murder. Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, John Hawkes, and Peter Dinklage appear in supporting roles.

THE TOWN – Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) leads a band of ruthless bank robbers and has no real attachments except for James (Jeremy Renner), who — despite his dangerous temper — is like a brother. Everything changes for Doug when James briefly takes a hostage, bank employee Claire Keesey. Learning that she lives in the gang’s neighbourhood, Doug seeks her out to discover what she knows, and he falls in love. As the romance deepens, he wants out of his criminal life, but that could threaten Claire. 2010 crime thriller film co-written, directed by, and starring Ben Affleck, adapted from Chuck Hogan’s 2004 novel Prince of Thieves, following a group of Boston bank robbers who set out to get one final score by robbing Fenway Park.

THE UNTOUCHABLES – 1987 crime film directed by Brian De Palma, produced by Art Linson, written by David Mamet, and based on the book of the same name (1957). The film stars Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy García, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery, and follows Eliot Ness (Costner) as he forms the Untouchables team to bring Al Capone (De Niro) to justice during Prohibition. The Grammy Award-nominated score was composed by Ennio Morricone and features period music by Duke Ellington

WΔZ (pronounced double-u delta zed) – There is something horribly wrong with the bodies found in the dark city streets. Some are mutilated while others have the Price equation (wΔz = Cov (w,z) = βwzVz) carved into their flesh.  Detective Eddie Argo and his new partner Helen Westcott unearth the meaning of the odd equation and realise each victim is being offered a gruesome choice: Kill your loved ones or be killed. Before long it becomes clear that the perpetrator has suffered a similar fate and is now coping by seeking a way to solve this philosophical dilemma. 2007 British crime horror thriller film directed by Tom Shankland and starring Stellan Skarsgård, Melissa George, Selma Blair and Tom Hardy.

THE WHOLE TRUTH – A defence attorney works to get his teenage client acquitted of murdering his wealthy father. 2016 American thriller film directed by Courtney Hunt and written by Nicholas Kazan. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Basso, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Renée Zellweger, and Jim Belushi.

WIND RIVER – A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.  2017 neo-Western murder mystery film written and directed by Taylor Sheridan. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene also star.

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5 to 7 – An aspiring novelist enters into a relationship with a woman, though there’s just one catch: She’s married and the couple can only meet between the hours of 5 and 7 each evening. 2014 American romantic film written and directed by Victor Levin and starring Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe, Olivia Thirlby, Lambert Wilson, Frank Langella and Glenn Close.

20TH CENTURY WOMEN – The story of a teenage boy, his mother, and two other women who help raise him among the love and freedom of Southern California of 1979.2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills.  With Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Lucas Jade Zumann and Billy Crudu

A BAD MOM’S CHRISTMAS – As their own mother’s drop in unexpectedly, our three under-appreciated and over-burdened moms rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for mothers: Christmas. Christmas comedy film was written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is a sequel to the 2016 film Bad Moms. Cast: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO ENDINGS – Three brothers discover that their life span has been cut short due to the drug tests, they underwent as kids. Dismayed, they decide to venture out and make up for their life’s biggest mistakes. Comedy / Drama /  2010 /  Writer-director: Jonathan Sobol / Cast: Scott Caan, Paulo Costanzo, Jason Jones.

A SERIOUS MAN – Larry Gopnik is a physics professor at a 1960s university, but his life is coming apart at the seams. His wife is leaving him, his jobless brother has moved in, and someone is trying to sabotage his chances for tenure. Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis, but whether anyone can help him overcome his many afflictions remains to be seen. Black comedy / 2009 / written, edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen / Cast: Michael Stuhlbarg, Sari Lennick and Richard Kind.

A SIMPLE FAVOR – Stephanie is a single mother with a parenting vlog who befriends Emily, a secretive upper-class woman who has a child at the same elementary school. When Emily goes missing, Stephanie takes it upon herself to investigate. 2018 American black comedy crime thriller film directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend, and Jean Smart

A WALK IN THE WOODS – After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends. 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Ken Kwapis and starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson. Based on the 1998 book of the same name by Bill Bryson.

A WEDDING – The story takes place in a single day during a lavish wedding that merges a nouveau riche Southern family with an established wealthy Chicago family having possible ties to organized crime.  Satirical comedy-drama / 1978 / Writers: John Considine, Allan F. Nicholls, Patricia Resnick and Robert Altman / Director: Robert Altman / Cast: Desi Arnaz, Jr., Carol Burnett, Paul Dooley, Vittorio Gassman, Mia Farrow, Lillian Gish, Geraldine Chaplin, Howard Duff, Nina Van Pallandt, Amy Stryker, and Pat McCormick.

THE ACTORS  Set in Dublin, it follows the exploits of two mediocre stage actors as they devise a plan to con a retired gangster out of £50,000. Comedy / 2003 / Writer-director: Conor McPherson / Cast: Dylan Moran and Michael Caine

ADULT WORLD – An aspiring poet takes a job as a clerk at an adult bookstore and tries to make her contemptuous literary idol take her on as his protege.  Satirical comedy-drama, romance / 2013 / Writer: Andy Cochran / Director: Scott Coffey / Cast: Emma Roberts, John Cusack

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY – Alexander’s day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by more calamities. However, he finds little sympathy from his family and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him, his mom, dad, brother and sister – who all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. 2014 American comedy film directed by Miguel Arteta from a screenplay written by Rob Lieber. The film stars Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, and Ed Oxenbould, and is loosely based on Judith Viorst’s 1972 children’s book of the same name.

AMERICAN BEAUTY – An advertising executive has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter’s best friend.  The film explores romantic and paternal love, sexuality, materialism, self-liberation, and redemption. Black comedy, drama / 1999 / Writer: Alan Ball / Director: Sam Mendes /  Cast: Kevin Spacey, Mena Suvari, Annette Bening,  Thora Birch,  Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, Allison Janney.  

AMERICAN ULTRA – A stoner who discovers he was part of a secret government program and is a sleeper agent.  Action-comedy / 2015 / Writer: Max Landis / Director:  Nima Nourizadeh / Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, and Tony Hale.

ANGEL’S SHARE – Set in Glasgow, Scotland, A socially-struggling young father narrowly avoids a prison sentence. He finds the road to redemption by way of how the great whiskeys are produced.  German-French comedy-drama / 2012 / Writer: Paul Laverty / Director: Ken Loach.

ARE YOU THERE – A bipolar man inherits his estranged father’s fortune and must then battle his sister in court for it while simultaneously battling his psychological issues. 2013 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matthew Weiner. The film stars Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Poehler.

ARIZONA DREAM – A young New Yorker gets caught up in the family car business when his cousin coaxes him to come to Arizona to attend a wedding. As Axel makes the decision to try selling Cadillacs with his family, he meets an eccentric woman and her equally quirky stepdaughter. Their lives become inextricably intertwined through romance, dreams — and death. French-American surrealist indie comedy-drama / 1993 / Co-written and directed by Emir Kusturica / Cast: Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis, Faye Dunaway, Lili Taylor, and Vincent Gallo.

ARMY OF ONE – An ex-construction contractor and unemployed handyman believe that God has sent him to capture Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.  Comedy-drama / based on true story / 2016 / Writers: Rajiv Joseph and Scott Rothman / Director:  by Larry Charles / Cast: Nicolas Cage, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rainn Wilson, Russell Brand, Denis O’Hare, Paul Scheer, and Will Sasso.

AWAY WE GO – As they await the birth of their baby, a couple travels across America in search of the perfect place to raise their family. During their journey, they share assorted misadventures and reconnect with old friends and relatives who help them define the word home on their own terms, possibly for the first time in their lives. Comedy-drama, adventure / 2009 / Writers: Dave Eggers · Vendela Vida / Director:  Sam Mendes / Cast: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph

BAD NEIGHBOURS 2 – 2016 American comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Stoller, Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. A sequel to Neighbors (2014), the plot follows the Radners (Rogen and Rose Byrne) having to outwit a new sorority led by Shelby (Chloë Grace Moretz), living next door to sell their house currently in escrow. Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jerrod Carmichael, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gallo, Hannibal Buress, and Lisa Kudrow reprise their roles from the first film

BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT – As their surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, the crew at Calvin’s Barbershop come together to bring some much-needed change to their neighbourhood. 2016 American comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee, written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver. It is the sequel to 2004’s Barbershop 2: Back in Business and the third mainline instalment in the Barbershop film series. It stars an ensemble cast, including returning actors Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Anthony Anderson, Eve, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Deon Cole and new cast members Regina Hall, J. B. Smoove, Lamorne Morris, Tyga, Common, and Nicki Minaj.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER – Beatriz is a Los Angeles massage therapist and holistic healer who drives to the seaside mansion of her client Cathy. When her old Volkswagen breaks down, she receives a friendly invitation from Cathy to stay for a seemingly innocent business dinner. As the guests arrive and the wine starts to flow, Beatriz finds herself in an escalating war of words with Doug Strutt, a ruthless real estate mogul who cares more about money than people. 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Arteta from a screenplay by Mike White. The film stars Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Chloë Sevigny, and David Warshofsky.

THE BEAVER – A depressed executive hits rock bottom when his wife kicks him out of the house. At his lowest point, he begins to use a beaver hand puppet to communicate with people and overcome his issues. Comedy-drama / 2011 / Writer: Kyle Killen / Director: Jodie Foster / Cast: Mel Gibson, Foster, Anton Yelchin, and Jennifer Lawrence.

BEFORE WE GO – Two strangers stuck in Manhattan for the night grow into each other’s most trusted confidants when an evening of unexpected adventure forces them to confront their fears and take control of their lives. Writers: Ron Bass, Jen Smolka and Chris Shafer. Directed by Chris Evans. Stars: Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL – A group of British pensioners travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than advertised, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways. British Indian English language comedy-drama / / 2011 / Writer: Ol Parker – based on the 2004 novel These Foolish Things by novelist Deborah Moggach / Director: John Madden / Cast: Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Bill Nighy, Ronald Pickup, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton and Dev Patel.

BLOCKERS – Three parents try to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. 2018 American sex comedy film directed by Kay Cannon in her directorial debut and written by Brian and Jim Kehoe, and starring John Cena, Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz with supporting roles by Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon, Graham Phillips, Miles Robbins, Jimmy Bellinger, Colton Dunn, Sarayu Blue, Gary Cole, Gina Gershon, June Diane Raphael, and Hannibal Buress. It tells the story of a trio of parents who try to stop their respective daughters from losing their virginity on prom night.

BOAT THAT ROCKED – In 1966, BBC radio broadcasts less than an hour of pop music a day, forcing pirate DJs to take up the slack from boats anchored outside British waters. The commander of the pirate station oversees a host of seedy, lusty and dope-smoking DJs, and makes it his personal mission to see to it that his newly arrived godson loses his virginity. British comedy / 2009 / Written and directed by Richard Curtis / Cast: Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Nick Frost and Tom Sturridge.

BOOK CLUB – Four women who read Fifty Shades of Grey as part of their monthly book club subsequently begin to change how they view their personal relationships. 2018 American romantic comedy film directed by Bill Holderman, in his directorial debut, and written by Holderman and Erin Simms. It stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen

BRAD’S STATUS – A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life choices. 2017 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike White and starring Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Michael Sheen, Jenna Fischer, and Luke Wilson

BRIDESMAIDS – Competition between the maid of honour and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride’s best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef. Comedy / Women’s film / 2011 / Writers: Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig / Director: Paul Feig / Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph. Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Chris O’Dowd, Rebel Wilson, Matt Lucas, Michael Hitchcock, Jon Hamm, Franklyn Ajaye, and Jill Clayburgh.

THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY – A new assignment forces a top spy to team up with his football hooligan brother. 2016 action-comedy film directed by Louis Leterrier and written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Phil Johnston, and Peter Baynham. The film stars Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher, Annabelle Wallis, Gabourey Sidibe, Penélope Cruz, and Ian McShane.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC– In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent. Comedy–drama / 2016 / Writer-director: Matt Ross / Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Zahn. The story centres on a family forced by circumstances to reintegrate into society after living in isolation for a decade.

CARNAGE – When some roughhousing between two 11-year-old boys named Zachary and Ethan erupts into real violence, Ethan loses two teeth. Zachary’s parents, meet with Ethan’s parents, to try to smooth things over. However, what starts as a polite meeting among adults descends into finger-pointing, tantrums, and insults. Black-comedy-drama / Writers: Yasmina Reza and Roman Polanski / based on the Tony Award-winning 2006 play Le Dieu du carnage by French playwright Yasmina Reza / Director: Roman Polanski / Cast: Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly.

CHEF – After a public altercation with a food critic, a chef loses his job at a popular Los Angeles restaurant and begins to operate a food truck with his young son. Comedy-drama / Family / Cooking / 2014 / Writer-director: Jon Favreau / Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Downey Jr.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS – Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. She’s also surprised to learn that Nick’s family is extremely wealthy and he’s considered one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse — Nick’s disapproving mother. 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M. Chu, from a screenplay by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on the 2013 novel of the same title by Kevin Kwan. The film stars Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Michelle Yeoh

THE DARJEELING LIMITED – Three estranged brothers agree to meet in India a year after their father’s funeral for a “spiritual journey” aboard a luxury train. Comedy-drama / 2007/ Writers: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman / Director:  Wes Anderson / Cast: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Waris Ahluwalia, Amara Karan, Barbet Schroeder, Anjelica Huston, Natalie Portman, Camilla Rutherford, Irrfan Khan and Bill Murray.

DEATH BECOMES HER – Rivals who fight for the affections of the same man drink a magic potion that promises eternal youth, causing catastrophic side effects. Black-comedy / 1992 / Writers: David Koepp and Martin Donovan / Director: Robert Zemeckis / Cast: Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, and Goldie Hawn.

THE DETAILS – Seemingly blind to the actual cracks in his marriage, a doctor’s entire life starts to unravel when raccoons mess with the grass, so he puts out poison—which kills a cat owned by his crazy neighbour, who blackmails him into servicing her sexually to keep quiet about another of Lang’s affairs. That would be the adulterous tryst he had with a colleague whose husband is also blackmailing Lang—this time, thankfully, just for money. Black-comedy / 2011 / Writer-director: Jacob Aaron Estes / Cast:  Tobey Maguire, Laura Linney, Kerry Washington and Ray Liotta.

DOPE – Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighbourhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure. 2015 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa. It stars Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Tyga, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, and ASAP Rocky.

THE DRESSMAKER – A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong. Australian comedy-drama / Women’s film / 2015 / Writers: P. J. Hogan and Jocelyn Moorhouse, based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Rosalie Ham / Director: Jocelyn Moorhouse / Cast: Kate Winslet,  Judy Davis, Hugo Weaving and Liam Hemsworth

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! –A spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused and set in the world of 1980 college life, it follows a group unruly group of disco-dancing, skirt-chasing college freshmen navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Teen-comedy / 1980 / Writer-director: Richard Linklater / Cast: Blake Jenner, Will Brittain, Ryan Guzman, Zoey Deutch, Tyler Hoechlin, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell.

ELSA & FRED – A withdrawn senior experiences life in new ways when he begins spending time with the free-spirited woman who lives across the hall. 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Michael Radford. Written by: Michael Radford, Anna Pavignano. The film, set and filmed in New Orleans, is an English-language remake of the 2005 Spanish-Argentinian film of the same name.

EVERYTHING MUST GO – Longtime salesman Nick Halsey (Will Ferrell) has seen better days. No longer at the top of his game, Nick, an alcoholic, loses his job for showing up drunk one too many times. On the same day, he finds that his wife has dumped him — and his possessions — on the front lawn of their home. Facing the fact that his life is collapsing around him, Nick holds a giant yard sale that turns into a unique survival strategy. Based on a short story by Raymond Carver.  2010 black comedy-drama directed by Dan Rush and starring Will Ferrell. The film was based on Raymond Carver’s 1978 short story “Why Don’t You Dance?”

THE FAVOURITE – In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots. 2018 period black comedy directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Set in early 18th century Great Britain, the film’s plot examines the relationship between cousins Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) and Abigail Masham (Emma Stone), who are vying to be Court favourite of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman).

FILTH – A drug-addled, manipulative misanthrope (James McAvoy) begins to experience increasingly severe hallucinations as he tries to solve the murder of a Japanese student. 2013 black comedy crime film written and directed by Jon S. Baird, based on Irvine Welsh’s 1998 novel Filth. It stars James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, and Jim Broadbent.

FINDING YOUR FEET – On the eve of retirement a middle-class, judgmental snob discovers her husband has been having an affair with her best friend and is forced into exile with her bohemian sister who lives on an impoverished inner-city council estate. 2017 British romantic comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Nick Moorcroft and Meg Leonard. The film stars Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, Joanna Lumley and David Hayman

FOCUS – In the midst of veteran con man Nicky’s latest scheme, a woman from his past – now an accomplished femme fatale – shows up and throws his plans for a loop. 2015 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie.

FRANKIE GO BOOM – Two brothers (Charlie Hunnam and Chris O’Dowd) seek the help of a transgender hacker (Ron Perlman) in erasing all evidence of a sex tape from the internet before the unhinged movie star father (Chris Noth) of the girl involved (Lizzy Caplan) seeks violent revenge. Cast member Lizzy Caplan described the plot: “It’s about a guy whose life has been ruined by a YouTube video that has gone viral and so he’s been hiding out and he gets brought back into civilization (because he’s been living in the middle of nowhere) by his really manipulative, horrible brother. And everybody in his life is sort of terrible [and it’s about] how he deals with that.” 2012 comedy directed by Jordan Roberts

FADING GIGOLO – A bookseller (Woody Allen) hires out his friend (John Turturro), an unassuming florist, as a male escort for a pair of lonely women (Sharon Stone, Vanessa Paradis).  2013 comedy directed, written by, and starring John Turturro. Co-starring Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Paradis, Liev Schreiber and Eugenia Kuzmina

FANBOYS – To honour the wishes of their dying friend, some diehard “Star Wars” fans set out on a cross-country road trip to George Lucas’ famous Skywalker Ranch. There, they intend to treat their pal to a screening of the movie series’ latest instalment before its official release. 2009 comedy directed by Kyle Newman and starring Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel and Kristen Bell.

FREE FIRE When a black-market arms deal goes outrageously wrong, Justine finds herself caught in the crossfire, forced to navigate through a warehouse full of trigger-happy madmen who are all hanging on for dear life. A 2016 British black comedy-action film directed by Ben Wheatley, from a screenplay by Wheatley and Amy Jump. It stars Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Jack Reynor, Babou Ceesay, Enzo Cilenti, Sam Riley, Michael Smiley and Noah Taylor

FUN MOM DINNER – Four moms whose only common ground is their kids’ preschool class, decide to get together for a harmless “fun mom dinner.” 2017 American comedy film directed by Alethea Jones, from a screenplay by Julie Rudd. It stars Katie Aselton, Toni Collette, Bridget Everett, Molly Shannon, Adam Scott, and Adam Levine.

GIGLI – Larry Gigli is assigned by a crime boss to kidnap the brother of a prominent district attorney. A beautiful woman known only as Ricki is sent to stay with him to make sure he doesn’t mess up the job. 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written and directed by Martin Brest and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Lainie Kazan.

GOING IN STYLE – Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money. 2017 American heist comedy film remake of the 1979 film of the same name. Directed by Zach Braff and written by Theodore Melfi, it stars Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Joey King, Matt Dillon, Christopher Lloyd, Ann-Margret, John Ortiz and Siobhan Fallon Hogan. It follows a trio of retirees (Freeman, Caine, and Arkin) who plan to rob a bank after their pensions are cancelled.

GOODBYE LENIN! – 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The story follows a family in East Germany; the mother (Saß) is dedicated to the socialist cause and falls into a coma in October 1989, shortly before the November revolution. When she awakens eight months later in June 1990, her son (Brühl) attempts to protect her from a fatal shock by concealing the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism.

GOSFORD PARK – 2001 satirical black comedy mystery directed by Robert Altman and written by Julian Fellowes. It was influenced by Jean Renoir’s French classic, La Règle du jeu (The Rules of the Game). The film stars an ensemble cast, which includes Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Emily Watson. The story follows a party of wealthy Britons plus an American producer, and their servants, who gather for a shooting weekend at Gosford Park, an English country house. A murder occurs after a dinner party, and the film goes on to present the subsequent investigation from the servants’ and guests’ perspectives.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL – 2014 comedy-drama written and directed by Wes Anderson. Ralph Fiennes leads a seventeen-actor ensemble cast as Monsieur Gustave H., famed concierge of a mountainside resort in the fictional country of Zubrowka. When Gustave is framed for the murder of a wealthy dowager (Tilda Swinton), he and his recently befriended protégé Zero (Tony Revolori) embark on a quest for fortune and a priceless Renaissance painting amidst the backdrop of an encroaching fascist regime.

GUILT TRIP – Before embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime road trip, Andy Brewster pays a visit to his overbearing mother, Joyce. That proves to be a big mistake; Andy caves in under pressure to take his mom along for the ride. Early on — as the miles roll by — Andy feels nothing but aggravation at her antics. Eventually, however, he comes to realize that they have more in common than he first thought and that Joyce’s wisdom might be just what he needs. With Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand. 2012 road comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher from a screenplay written by Dan Fogelman

HAMLET 2 –  Hapless high school theatre teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) writes pretentious musical adaptations of Hollywood blockbusters for his indifferent students to perform. His home life is equally shambolic, with his hostile and unhappy wife (Catherine Keener) having an affair with their lodger (David Arquette). When Dana’s latest brainstorm, a musical version of “Hamlet” that includes time travel and a visit from Jesus, threatens to get him fired, his students band together on his behalf. 2008 comedy directed by Andrew Fleming, written by Fleming and Pam Brady.

THE HISTORY BOYS – An unorthodox teacher (Stephen Campbell Moore) and his colleagues (Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour) at a British grammar school try to prepare gifted young charges for the upcoming Oxford and Cambridge entrance exams. The students absorb the facts and figures thrown at them by academia, and in the process, they also learn a little about life. 2006 British comedy-drama film adapted by Alan Bennett from his play of the same name, which won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner, who directed the original production at the Royal National Theatre in London, and features the original cast of the play.

THE HOLLARS – A man returns to his small hometown after learning that his mother has fallen ill and is about to undergo surgery. 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by John Krasinski and written by James C. Strouse. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Krasinski, starring Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick and Margo Martindale.

HOME AGAIN – Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her. 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen

HAROLD AND MAUDE – 1971 American coming-of-age dark comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby and released by Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humour and existentialist drama. The plot revolves around the exploits of a young man in his early 20s named Harold Chasen (Bud Cort) who is intrigued by death. Harold drifts away from the life that his detached mother (Vivian Pickles) proscribes for him, and slowly develops a strong friendship, and eventually, a romantic relationship, with a 79-year-old woman named Maude (Ruth Gordon), a Nazi concentration camp survivor who teaches Harold about the importance of living life to its fullest and that life is the most precious gift of all.

HORRIBLE BOSSES – 2011 black comedy directed by Seth Gordon, written by Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein, from a story by Markowitz. It stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey, and Jamie Foxx. The plot follows three friends, played by Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis, who decide to murder their respective overbearing, abusive bosses, portrayed by Spacey, Aniston, and Farrell.

HOW TO BE SINGLE – 2016 American romantic comedy film directed by Christian Ditter and written by Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein and Dana Fox, based on the novel of the same name by Liz Tuccillo. It stars Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas, and Leslie Mann, and follows a group of women in New York City who have different approaches to how to be single.

HUSTLERS – It follows a crew of New York City strippers who begin to steal money by drugging stock traders and CEOs who visit their club, then running up their credit cards. A 2019 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on New York magazine’s 2015 article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler. The film stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, Cardi B. Lopez, Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay.

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS – 2013 black comedy-drama written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakthrough role, a folk singer struggling to achieve musical success while keeping his life in order. The supporting cast includes Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, F. Murray Abraham, Justin Timberlake and Adam Driver.

INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED (Spanish title: No se aceptan devoluciones, literally Returns not accepted) A 2013 Mexican comedy-drama film co-written, directed by, and starring Eugenio Derbez. The plot follows a Mexican playboy who is suddenly saddled with a love child at his doorstep and sets off to Los Angeles to find the mother. With Karla Souza, Jessica Lindsey

IT’S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE – 2010 British comedy -directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay centres on an Indian mother whose obsession with marrying off her daughter leads her into the realm of serial murder. The lead role is played by newcomer Goldy Notay, joining Shabana Azmi, Shaheen Khan, Sendhil Ramamurthy and Sally Hawkins in the cast.

THE JAKES ARE MISSING – Janice and Donald Jakes have fallen out of love and into Police Protection. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time sends Simon Jakes, and his parents to a journey where they will rediscover what it means to love each other. Director:  Figjam / Writer: Bianca Isaac / Cast: Jody Abrahams, Nicole Bailey, Grace Bapela

JUST GETTING STARTED – 2017 American action comedy film directed and written by Ron Shelton, his first feature film since Hollywood Homicide (2003). The film stars Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Rene Russo, Elizabeth Ashley and Glenne Headly. The plot follows an ex-FBI agent who must put aside his personal feud with a former mob lawyer at a retirement home when the mafia comes to kill the pair.

KILLER JOE – A cop (Matthew McConaughey) who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer (Emile Hirsch) in exchange for a tumble with the young man’s virginal sister (Juno Temple). 2011 Southern Gothic black comedy crime film directed by William Friedkin. The screenplay by Tracy Letts is based on his 1993 play of the same name.

THE LADY IN THE VAN – A 2015 British comedy-drama directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings, based on the memoir of the same name created by Alan Bennett. It was written by Bennett, and it tells the (mostly[ true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in London for 15 years.

LAGGIES (released in the United Kingdom as Say When) – In the throes of a quarter-life crisis, Megan panics when her boyfriend proposes, then, taking an opportunity to escape for a week, hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year-old Annika, who lives with her world-weary single dad. 2014 American romantic comedy film directed by Lynn Shelton and written by Andrea Seigel. It stars Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, Kaitlyn Dever, Jeff Garlin, Ellie Kemper, Mark Webber, and Daniel Zovatto.

THE LAST WORD –  Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth resulting in a life-altering friendship. 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Pellington, from a screenplay by Stuart Ross Fink. It stars Amanda Seyfried and Shirley MacLaine.

THE LEISURE SEEKER – A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call “The Leisure Seeker”. 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Paolo Virzì, in his first full English-language feature. The film is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Michael Zadoorian. It stars Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.

LIFE PARTNERS – Sasha and Paige’s co-dependent friendship is tested as Paige gets serious with a guy for the first time. 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Susanna Fogel and co-written with Joni Lefkowitz. The film stars Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody, Greer Grammer, Gabourey Sidibe, and Julie White.

THE LONGEST WEEK – Left broke and homeless by his wealthy parents’ divorce, a young man (Jason Bateman) moves in with an old friend (Billy Crudup) and finally meets the woman (Olivia Wilde) of his dreams — only to discover she’s already dating his friend. 2014 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Glanz

LONG SHOT – Journalist Fred Flarsky reunites with his childhood crush, Charlotte Field, now one of the most influential women in the world. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly.  2019 American romantic comedy film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah.  Cast: Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, Bob Odenkirk and Alexander Skarsgård

LOOKING FOR LOVE – A single, unaccomplished Zulu woman must find Mr. Right in the pitiless concrete jungle that is Jo’burg before she turns 40. Following a disastrous drunken display at her younger sister’s wedding, BUYI DUBE (38) has her parents worried that she’s wasting her life working meaningless jobs. They insist that she takes her head out of the clouds and focuses on finding herself a good man and settling down. Director: Adze Ugah / Stars: Celeste Ntuli, Trevor Gumbi, Phindile Gwala

MADE IN DAGENHAM – A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. 2010 British comedy-drama film directed by Nigel Cole and starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Daniel Mays and Richard Schiff. It dramatises the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 that aimed for equal pay for women. Its theme song, with lyrics by Billy Bragg, is performed by Sandie Shaw, a native of the area and former Ford Dagenham clerk.

MAGGIE’S PLAN – Maggie wants to have a baby, and raising him on her own, but when she gets romantically involved with John, a married man, things get complicated and all the balance of Maggie’s plans may collapse. 2015 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and written by Rebecca Miller, based on the original story by Karen Rinaldi (later published as the 2017 novel The End of Men). The film stars Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel, Wallace Shawn, Monte Greene, Ida Rohatyn, and Julianne Moore.

THE MAID (Spanish: La Nana) – A woman feels she must fight to hold on to her place in the household where she’s been a servant for much of her life. 2009 comedy-drama film, directed by Sebastián Silva and co-written by Silva and Pedro Peirano. Starring: Catalina Saavedra, Claudia Celedón, Alejandro Goic

MARLEY & ME – A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but a naughty and neurotic dog. 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by David Frankel from a screenplay by Scott Frank and Don Roos, based on the 2005 memoir of the same name by John Grogan. The film stars Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston as the owners of Marley, a Labrador retriever

MARLEY & ME: THE PUPPY YEARS – More fun from Marley and this time he speaks! The world’s worst dog now has an attitude and a frisky voice. He and his summer pal, Bodi Grogan cause mayhem at the local dog contest. Marley outsmarts lots of other dogs while winning hearts.  A prequel to Marley & Me. 2011 /  Directed by Michael Damian and written by Damian and his wife Janeen Damian.

MARMADUKE – The film centres on a rural Kansas family and their pets; a Great Dane named Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson), and his best friend, a Balinese cat named Carlos (voiced by George Lopez); as the family relocates to Orange County, California and has to face the challenges of starting a new life. 2010 American live-action computer-animated comedy film and an adaptation of Brad Anderson’s comic strip of the same name.

THE MEDDLER – A recent widow and eternal optimist move to Hollywood to be closer to her daughter, only to embark on a sea change all her own. 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. The film stars Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne and J. K. Simmons.

MEET THE BLACKS – As Carl Black gets the opportunity to move his family out of Chicago in hope of a better life, their arrival in Beverly Hills is timed with that city’s annual purge, where all crime is legal for twelve hours. 2016 American comedy horror film directed by Deon Taylor, written by Taylor and Nicole DeMasi, and is a parody of the 2013 film The Purge. It stars Mike Epps, Gary Owen, Zulay Henao, Lil Duval, Bresha Webb, George Lopez and Mike Tyson.

THE MIMIC – British television series (2013) The series centres on the fortunes of Martin Hurdle, an everyday maintenance man with an uncanny ability to mimic voices and stars Terry Mynott in the lead role.

MRS. DOUBTFIRE – 1993 comedy-drama directed by Chris Columbus. It was written for the screen by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, based on the 1987 novel Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. Robin Williams, who also served as a co-producer, stars with Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, and Robert Prosky. It follows a recently divorced actor who dresses up as a female housekeeper to be able to interact with his children. The film addresses themes of divorce, separation, and the effect they have on a family.

MISS MEADOWS –  A story centered on a proper elementary school teacher who moonlights as a vigilante. 2014 American dark comedy thriller film written and directed by Karen Leigh Hopkins. The film stars Katie Holmes, James Badge Dale, Callan Mulvey and Stephen Bishop.

THE MISSIONARY – Reverend Charles Fortescue (Michael Palin), a missionary, is called back to England after spending 10 years in an African village teaching the natives. He learns his new assignment is to minister in a slum to prostitutes and the funding comes from Lady Ames (Maggie Smith), a wealthy woman he met while sailing from Africa to England. Reverend Fortescue soon learns that the lady’s money comes with a catch, she will only fund the mission if he agrees to spice up her dormant sex life. 1982 British comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine, screenplay by Michael Palin

MR. MORGAN’S LAST LOVE (also known as Last Love) – A widowed professor living in Paris develops a special relationship with a younger French woman. 2013 film based on Françoise Dorner’s French novel La Douceur Assassine. It is written and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck and stars Michael Caine and Clémence Poésy.

MOONRISE KINGDOM – 2012 coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Wes Anderson, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola. It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban, Harvey Keitel, and newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Largely set on the fictional New England island of New Penzance, it tells the story of an orphan boy (Gilman) who escapes from a scouting camp to unite with his pen pal and love interest, a girl with aggressive tendencies (Hayward). Feeling alienated from their guardians and shunned by their peers, the lovers abscond to an isolated beach. Meanwhile, the island’s police captain (Willis) organizes a search party of scouts and family members to locate the runaways.

MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE (French: La Tête en friche) – An illiterate man bonds with an older, well-read woman. 2010 French film directed by Jean Becker, based on the book of the same name by Marie-Sabine Roger. It stars Gérard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus, Claire Maurier, Maurane, and François-Xavier Demaison.

MY BLIND BROTHER – Bill has always lived in the shadow of his overachieving brother Robbie, an arrogant athlete and local celebrity who happens to be blind. After years of thanklessly helping Robbie achieve one goal after another, Bill finally catches a break when he finds a connection with the charming Rose, who is dealing with her own crisis. But when Rose starts dating Robbie, Bill must decide if he can finally put his own happiness over his brother’s and compete for the ultimate prize.  2016 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sophie Goodhart. Starring Nick Kroll, Adam Scott, and Jenny Slate

MY OLD LADY – Mathias, a down-and-out New Yorker, travels to Paris to liquidate a huge, valuable apartment he has inherited from his estranged father. Once there, however, he discovers a refined old woman, Mathilde, living in the apartment with her daughter Chloe. British–French–American comedy-drama written and directed by Israel Horovitz in his feature directorial debut. 2014, and stars Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Dominique Pinon.

NETWORK – 1976 American satirical black comedy-drama film written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet, about a fictional television network, UBS, and its struggle with poor ratings. The film stars Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch and Robert Duvall and features Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty and Beatrice Straight. Network received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for the performances. The film won four Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Actor (Finch), Best Actress (Dunaway), Best Supporting Actress (Straight) and Best Original Screenplay (Chayefsky).

THE NICE GUYS – 2016 neo-noir action comedy directed by Shane Black and written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi. The film stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David and Kim Basinger. Set in 1977 Los Angeles, the film focuses on a private eye (Gosling) and a tough enforcer (Crowe) who team up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl (Qualley).

THE NIGHT BEFORE – On Christmas Eve, three lifelong friends spend the night in New York City looking for the Holy Grail of Christmas parties. 2015 American Christmas comedy stoner film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Levine, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffir. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie.

NIGHT SCHOOL – A group of high school dropouts are forced to attend night school in hope that they’ll pass the GED exam to finish high school. 2018 American buddy comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee, produced with Will Packer and Kevin Hart, written by Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matt Kellard, Nicholas Stoller and John Hamburg, and starring Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, and Romany Malco with supporting roles done by Taran Killam, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Al Madrigal, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Keith David, Anne Winters, Fat Joe, Ben Schwartz, Yvonne Orji, and Bresha Webb.

OCEAN’S 8 – A group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Ross and Olivia Milch. It features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY – When his uptight CEO sister threatens to shut down his branch, the branch manager throws an epic Christmas party in order to land a big client and save the day, but the party gets way out of hand.. 2016 American Christmas comedy film directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon and written by Justin Malen and Laura Solon, based on a story by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars an ensemble cast, including Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jillian Bell, Vanessa Bayer, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, and Jennifer Aniston.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD – 2019 comedy-drama written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is a co-production between the United States, United Kingdom, and China. It features a large ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie. Set in 1969 Los Angeles, the film follows a fading character actor and his stunt double as they navigate the rapidly changing film industry, with the looming threat of the Tate-LaBianca Murders hanging overhead. It features “multiple storylines in a modern fairy tale tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age

OUR IDIOT BROTHER -A dim-witted but idealistic and well-meaning man who intrudes and wreaks havoc in his three sisters’ lives. 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Jesse Peretz. The script was written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall based on Jesse and Evgenia Peretz’s story. Starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer.

PAPER TOWNS – After an all-night adventure, Quentin’s lifelong crush, Margo, disappears, leaving behind clues that Quentin and his friends follow on the journey of a lifetime. 2015 American romantic mystery comedy-drama film, directed by Jake Schreier, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by John Green. The film was adapted for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the same team that wrote the first film adaption of another of Green’s novels, The Fault in Our Stars. The film stars Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne

PAUL – Two English comic book geeks travelling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51. 2011 science fiction comedy film, with a road trip setting directed by Greg Mottola from a screenplay by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Starring Pegg and Frost with the voice and motion capture of Seth Rogen as “Paul”, the film plot focuses on two science fiction geeks who meet an alien with a sarcastic manner and an appetite for alcohol and cigarettes. Together, they help the alien escape from the Secret Service agents who are pursuing him so that he can return to his home world. The film is a parody of other science-fiction films, especially those of Steven Spielberg, as well as of science fiction fandom in general.

PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES – The General Lee Pawn Shop brings together many people including a man who is looking for his kidnapped ex-wife, three meth addicts who want to rob their supplier and a struggling Elvis impersonator. Also known as Hustlers, is a 2013 crime comedy film directed by Wayne Kramer and written by Adam Minarovich.

PERSONAL SERVICES – Christine (Julie Walters) is a struggling single mother who reluctantly rents out rooms in her apartment to prostitutes to make ends meet. But when a financial jam forces her to sell her own body, Christine forsakes her reservations about her tenants. Soon, with help from veteran hooker Shirley (Shirley Stelfox), Christine transforms her apartment into a house of ill repute, her makeshift brothel servicing a passel of older male clients with decidedly kinky sexual appetites. A 1987 British comedy film directed by Terry Jones and written by David Leland. It is the story of the rise of a madam in a suburban brothel which caters to older men. The story is inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne, the legendary “House of Cyn” madam

PREMATURE – A high school senior has to re-live losing his virginity over and over again until he gets it right, with the right girl. 2014 American comedy film directed by Dan Beers, written by Beers and Mathew Harawitz. The film stars John Karna, Katie Findlay, Craig Roberts, Carlson Young, Adam Riegler, and Alan Tudyk.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES (stylised as Pride + Prejudice + Zombies) In the 19th century, a mysterious plague turns the English countryside into a war zone. No one is safe as the dead come back to life to terrorize the land. Fate leads Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James), a master of martial arts and weaponry, to join forces with Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley), a handsome but arrogant gentleman. Elizabeth can’t stand Darcy, but respects his skills as a zombie killer. Casting aside their personal differences, they unite on the blood-soaked battlefield to save their country. 2016 action comedy horror film based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which parodies the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The film is directed by Burr Steers, who wrote the adapted screenplay, and stars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. The film follows the general plot of Austen’s original novel, with elements of zombie, horror and post-apocalyptic fiction incorporated.

ROUGH NIGHT – Things go terribly wrong for a group of girlfriends who hire a male stripper for a bachelorette party in Miami. 2017 American black comedy film directed by Lucia Aniello (in her feature debut) and written by Aniello and Paul W. Downs. It stars Scarlett Johansson, Zoë Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, Paul Downs, Ty Burrell, and Demi Moore.

SERVITUDE – A group of frustrated waiters at a kitschy steakhouse take over their restaurant for one final, glorious, revenge-filled night when they discover they are all about to be fired. With Hannah Fierman, Alana Jackler, Adam Harper, Sheila Tapia. Directed by Eddie Tosh Cantle

SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE – Twelve years after a one-night stand, a man and a woman run into each other and try to maintain a platonic relationship despite their mutual attraction. 2015 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Leslye Headland. The film stars Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet, and Adam Scott.

SNATCHED – When her boyfriend dumps her before their exotic vacation, a young woman persuades her ultra-cautious mother to travel with her to paradise, with unexpected results. 2017 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Katie Dippold. The film stars Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn (in her first film since 2002’s The Banger Sisters), with Joan Cusack, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes and Christopher Meloni

ST. VINCENT – A young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran who lives next door. 2014 American comedy-drama film written, and directed by Theodore Melfi. Stars: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts

SPY – A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a diabolical global disaster. 2015 American spy action comedy film written and directed by Paul Feig. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, and Jude Law.

STUBER – 2019 American buddy cop action-comedy film directed by Michael Dowse and written by Tripper Clancy. Its plot follows a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) who picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer. Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, and Karen Gillan also star.

SUBURBICON – A mild-mannered father in 1959 must face his demons after a home invasion, all while a black family moves into the all-white neighbourhood.  2017 American black comedy crime film directed by George Clooney and co-written by the Coen brothers, Clooney, and Grant Heslov. It stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, and Oscar Isaac.

TED – 2012 comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane in his directorial debut and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, with Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi in supporting roles, and MacFarlane providing the voice and motion capture of the title character. The film tells the story of John Bennett, a Boston native whose childhood wish brings his teddy bear friend Ted to life. However, in adulthood, Ted prevents John and his girlfriend Lori Collins from moving on with their lives.

  • TED 2 – 2015 comedy directed and written by Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, and is a sequel to the 2012 film Ted. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and MacFarlane, and follows the talking teddy bear Ted as he fights for civil rights in order to be recognized as a person. The film also stars Amanda Seyfried, with Giovanni Ribisi and Jessica Barth reprising their roles and John Slattery and Morgan Freeman joining the cast.

T2 TRAINSPOTTING First there was an opportunity, then there was a betrayal. Twenty years later, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place that he can ever call home. There waiting for him are old buddies Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, love, fear, regret, self-destruction and mortal danger are also all lined up and ready to welcome him. A 2017 British black comedy-drama set in and around Edinburgh, Scotland. The film was directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge, based on characters created by Irvine Welsh in his 1993 novel Trainspotting and its 2002 follow-up Porno.

TO DIE FOR – Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is a weather reporter at her small-town cable station, but she dreams of being a big-time news anchor. However, she feels that her middle-class husband (Matt Dillon) is holding her back, so she decides to have him murdered. For this, she enlists Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), a high school boy who is enamored with her. The plan doesn’t work exactly as she intended, though, and her husband’s family starts to suspect that she was involved in his death. 1995 black comedy-drama crime film directed by Gus Van Sant, and written by Buck Henry based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard, which in turn was inspired by the story of Pamela Smart. It stars Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix and Matt Dillon, with Illeana Douglas, Wayne Knight, Casey Affleck, Kurtwood Smith, Dan Hedaya and Alison Folland as supporting cast.

TRUE LIES – Secretly a spy but thought by his family to be a dull salesman, Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tracking down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz (Art Malik). Harry’s mission is complicated when he realizes his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is contemplating an affair with Simon (Bill Paxton), a used-car salesman who claims he’s a spy. When Aziz kidnaps Harry and Helen, the secret agent must save the world and patch up his marriage at the same time. 1994 action comedy written and directed by James Cameron. It was executive produced by Lawrence Kasanoff and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Art Malik, Tia Carrere, Bill Paxton, Eliza Dushku, Grant Heslov and Charlton Heston. It is based on the 1991 French comedy film La Totale!

THE TRUMAN SHOW – 1998 psychological comedy-drama directed by Peter Weir, produced by Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, and Adam Schroeder, and written by Niccol. The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, a man who grew up living an ordinary life that—unbeknownst to him—takes place on a large set populated by actors for a television show about him. Eventually, he discovers the truth and decides to escape. Additional roles are performed by Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris, Paul Giamatti and Brian Delate.

UP IN THE AIR – Ryan Bingham enjoys living out of a suitcase for his job, travelling around the country firing people, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a potential love interest, and a new hire presenting a new business model. 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman. It was written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on the 2001 novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn.  Starring  George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Danny McBride also star.

THE UPSIDE – 2017 comedy-drama -directed by Neil Burger, written by Jon Hartmere. It is a remake of the French 2011 film The Intouchables, which was itself inspired by the lives of Abdel Sallou and Philippe Pozzo di Borgo. The film follows a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a recently paroled convict (Kevin Hart) whom he hires to take care of him. Nicole Kidman, Golshifteh Farahani, and Julianna Margulies also star.

WAG THE DOG – Two weeks prior to reelection, the United States president lands in the middle of a sex scandal. In need of outside help to quell the situation, presidential adviser Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) enlists the expertise of spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro), who decides a distraction is the best course of action. Brean approaches Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to help him fabricate a war in Albania — and once underway, the duo has the media entirely focused on the war. 1997 political satire comedy-drama film produced and directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. The screenplay centres on a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer who fabricate a war in Albania to distract voters from a presidential sex scandal.

WAITRESS Jenna (Keri Russell) works in a diner in a small Southern town and is a genius at creating luscious desserts, but her marriage to an overbearing lout (Jeremy Sisto) makes happiness impossible. When she discovers she is pregnant, she makes plans to skip town before her condition is obvious. However, she begins an affair with the new town doctor (Nathan Fillion), who is the only one who knows her secret. 2007 comedy-drama written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, whose supporting role serves as her final film appearance before her death. It stars Keri Russell as a young woman trapped in a small town, with an abusive marriage, and a dead-end job, who faces an unwanted pregnancy.

WANDERLUST – Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple surveys alternative living options, ultimately deciding to experiment with living in a rural commune where free love rules. 2012 American comedy directed by David Wain and written by Wain and Ken Marino. The film stars Jennifer Aniston and Rudd

THE WAY, WAY BACK – 2013 coming-of-age comedy-drama written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash in their directorial debuts. The film stars Liam James as Duncan, an introverted 14-year-old boy who goes on summer vacation to Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his mother and her abusive boyfriend. The film also stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Anna Sophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, and Maya Rudolph, with Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Faxon, and Rash in supporting roles.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO is a 2011 family comedy-drama film loosely based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. It was co-written and directed by Cameron Crowe and stars Matt Damon as widowed father Benjamin Mee, who purchases a dilapidated zoo with his family and takes on the challenge of preparing the zoo for its reopening to the public. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, and John Michael Higgins.

WHILE WE’RE YOUNG – A middle-aged couple’s career and marriage are overturned when a disarming young couple enters their lives. A New York-based documentary filmmaker and his wife, a couple in their 40s, develop a friendship with a couple in their 20s.2014 American comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by Noah Baumbach. The film stars Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, and Amanda Seyfried.

WHY HIM? – A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when Ned Fleming realizes that his daughter’s Silicon Valley millionaire boyfriend is about to pop the question. 2016 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, co-written by Ian Helfer, and starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston, with Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullally, Griffin Gluck and Keegan-Michael Key in supporting roles.

WILDE WEDDING – A retired film star’s wedding to her fourth husband brings chaos when their families (and her ex-husband) show up for the festivities. 2017 romantic comedy written and directed by Damian Harris, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Patrick Stewart, and Minnie Driver.

WILD OATS – Everything changes for Eva when she receives a life insurance check accidentally made out for five million dollars instead of the expected fifty thousand dollars. She and her best friend take the money and head out for the adventure of a lifetime. A 2016 American comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and written by Gary Kanew and Claudia Myers. The film stars Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Lange, Demi Moore and Billy Connolly.

WITHNAIL AND I – A 1987 British black comedy written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson’s life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and “I” (portrayed by Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, respectively) who share a flat in Camden Town in 1969. Needing a holiday, they obtain the key to a country cottage in the Lake District belonging to Withnail’s eccentric uncle Monty and drive there. The weekend holiday proves less recuperative than they expected. Withnail and I was Grant’s first film and established his profile. The film featured performances by Richard Griffiths as Withnail’s Uncle Monty and Ralph Brown as Danny the drug dealer. The film has tragic and comic elements and is notable for its period music and many quotable lines. It has been described by the BBC as “one of Britain’s biggest cult films”

WORLD’S GREATEST DAD – When his son’s body is found in a humiliating accident, a lonely high school teacher inadvertently attracts an overwhelming amount of community and media attention after covering up the truth with a phoney suicide note. 2009 American satirical black comedy-drama film written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, and Alexie Gilmore.

YES MAN – Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is stuck in a rut with his negative ways. Then he goes to a self-help seminar and learns to unleash the power of yes. Living in the affirmative leads him to all sorts of amazing and transforming experiences; he gets a job promotion, and even finds a new romance. But Carl finds that too much of anything, even positive thinking, is not necessarily a good thing. 2008 comedy film directed by Peyton Reed, written by Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul, and Andrew Mogel and starring Jim Carrey and co-starring Zooey Deschanel.

YOU CAN’T STOP THE MURDERS – 2003 Australian comedy directed by Anthony Mir and written by and starring Mir, Gary Eck and Akmal Saleh. The plot revolves around a series of Village People-themed murders in a small town, and the police who investigate the crimes. The title is a satirical reference to the 1980 film Can’t Stop the Music, in which the Village People star.

YOUTH IN REVOLT – While his trailer trash parents teeter on the edge of divorce, Nick Twisp sets his sights on dream girl Sheeni Saunders, hoping that she’ll be the one to take away his virginity. 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Gustin Nash. Based on C.D. Payne’s epistolary novel of the same name, the film stars Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday, with Justin Long, Ray Liotta, and Steve Buscemi in supporting roles.

WOODY ALLEN COLLECTION

  • VICKY, CRISTINA BARCELONA – 2008 romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Woody Allen. Americans Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) arrive in Spain for a summer vacation at a friend’s (Patricia Clarkson) Barcelona home. Visiting an art gallery, they meet seductive painter Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who invites them for a weekend of food, art and sex. Sparks really ignite when his fiery former lover (Penélope Cruz) arrives on the scene, making for a very crowded house.
  • WHATEVER WORKS – 2009 American comedy directed and written by Woody Allen and starring Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean, and Henry Cavill.
  • TO ROME WITH LOVE – 2012 magical realist romantic comedy written, directed by and starring Woody Allen.  The film features an ensemble cast, including Allen himself. The story is told in four separate vignettes: a clerk who wakes up to find himself a celebrity, an architect who takes a trip back to the street he lived on as a student, a young couple on their honeymoon, and an Italian funeral director whose uncanny singing ability enraptures his soon to be in-law, an American opera director.
  • BLUE JASMINE (DVD & Blu Ray) –  2013 American comedy-drama written and directed by Woody Allen. The film tells the story of a formerly rich Manhattan socialite (Cate Blanchett) who falls on hard times and has to move into her working-class sister’s (Sally Hawkins) apartment in San Francisco.
  • IRRATIONAL MAN – On a small town college campus, a philosophy professor in existential crisis gives his life new purpose when he enters into a relationship with his student. 2015 crime mystery drama written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey and Jamie Blackley.
  • CAFÉ SOCIETY – 2016 romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Woody Allen. It stars Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, and Ken Stott. The plot follows a young man who moves to 1930s Hollywood, where he falls in love with the assistant to his uncle, a powerful talent agent.

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12 YEARS A SLAVE is a 2013 biographical period-drama film and an adaptation of the 1853 slave memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free African-American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., by two conmen in 1841 and sold into slavery. Northup was put to work on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years before being released. The film was directed by Steve McQueen, and the screenplay was written by John Ridley. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong’o, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, and Alfre Woodard feature in supporting roles.

127 HOURS – Aron Ralston, a mountain climber, is on a hiking adventure in Utah when he gets trapped in a canyon. Soon, he takes desperate measures to survive and struggles for 127 hours before he is rescued. This 2010 biographical survival drama is co-written, produced and directed by Danny Boyle. The film stars James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn and Clémence Poésy. The film, based on Ralston’s memoir Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2004), was written by Boyle and Simon Beaufoy

 A ROYAL AFFAIR – A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician – and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever. The story is set in the 18th century, at the court of the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark, and focuses on the romance between his wife, Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, and the royal physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. 2012 Danish historical drama film directed by Nikolaj Arcel. Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard

A WALK IN THE WOODS – After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends. 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Ken Kwapis and starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson. Based on the 1998 book of the same name by Bill Bryson.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD – The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom. 2017 crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on John Pearson’s 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. The film stars Michelle Williams as John Paul Getty III’s mother, Christopher Plummer as Getty, and Mark Wahlberg as an adviser of the Getty family.

AMADEUS – 1984 period biographical drama directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his 1979 stage play Amadeus. The story is set in Vienna, Austria during the latter half of the 18th century, and is a fictionalized story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from the time he left Salzburg, described by its writer as “fantasia on the theme of Mozart and Salieri”. Mozart’s music is heard extensively in the soundtrack of the film. The film follows a fictional rivalry between Mozart and Italian composer Antonio Salieri at the court of Emperor Joseph II. The film stars F. Murray Abraham as Salieri

AT ETERNITY’S GATE – 2018 biographical drama about the final years of painter Vincent van Gogh’s life. The film dramatizes the controversial theory put forward by Van Gogh biographers Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, in which they speculate that Van Gogh’s death was caused by mischief rather than it being a suicide. The film is directed and co-edited by Julian Schnabel, from a screenplay by Schnabel, Jean-Claude Carrière and Louise Kugelberg. It stars Willem Dafoe as Van Gogh, Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner and Niels Arestrup.

BANG BANG CLUB – A 2010 Canadian-South African biographical drama written and directed by Steven Silver and stars Ryan Phillippe as Greg Marinovich, Malin Åkerman as Robin Comley, Taylor Kitsch as Kevin Carter, Frank Rautenbach as Ken Oosterbroek and Neels Van Jaarsveld as João Silva. They portray the lives of four photojournalists active within the townships of South Africa during the apartheid period, particularly between 1990 and 1994, from when Nelson Mandela was released from prison to the 1994 elections. It is a film adaptation of the book The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War co-written by Greg Marinovich and João Silva who were part of the group of four photographers known as Bang-Bang Club, the other two members being Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES – Battle of the Sexes is a 2017 biographical sports film directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton and written by Simon Beaufoy. The plot is loosely based on the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. The film stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell as King and Riggs, leading an ensemble cast including Andrea Riseborough, Elisabeth Shue, Austin Stowell, Bill Pullman, Natalie Morales, Eric Christian Olsen, and Sarah Silverman in supporting roles.

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA – 2013 biographical drama directed by Steven Soderbergh. It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Scott Thorson. It is based on Thorson’s memoir, Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace. Richard LaGravenese wrote the screenplay. The film received critical acclaim from television critics including praise for the performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon.

BIG EYES – The film is about the life of American artist Margaret Keane—famous for painting and drawing portraits of people with big eyes. It follows the story of Margaret and her husband, Walter Keane, who took credit for Margaret’s phenomenally successful and popular paintings in the 1950s and 1960s. It follows the lawsuit and trial between Margaret and Walter, after Margaret reveals she is the true artist behind the paintings. 2014 biographical comedy-drama directed by Tim Burton, written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.

BLACKKKLANSMAN is a 2018 American biographical black comedy crime directed by Spike Lee and written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Lee, based on the 2014 memoir Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth. The film stars John David Washington as Stallworth, along with Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace. Set in the 1970s in Colorado Springs, the plot follows the first African-American detective in the city’s police department as he sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter.

BLACK MASS – The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. 2015 American biographical crime drama film about American mobster Whitey Bulger. Directed by Scott Cooper and written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth, it is based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill’s 2001 book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The film features an ensemble cast led by Johnny Depp as Bulger, alongside Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, and Corey Stoll.

BREAKTHROUGH – When her 14-year-old son drowns in a lake, a faithful mother prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed. 2019 American Christian drama film directed by Roxann Dawson in her feature film directorial debut. The film was written by Grant Nieporte, and based on the Christian book, The Impossible, an account of true events written by Joyce Smith with Ginger Kolbaba. It stars Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammel, and Dennis Haysbert with a cameo by Phil Wickham and Lecrae.

BREATHE is a 2017 biographical drama film directed by Andy Serkis in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by William Nicholson. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Hugh Bonneville, Tom Hollander, Ed Speleers and Dean-Charles Chapman; it tells the story of Robin Cavendish, who became paralysed from the neck down by polio at the age of 28.

BLACK BUTTERFLIES – An English-language Dutch drama about the life of South-African poet Ingrid Jonker. Poetry, politics, madness, and desire collide in the true story of the woman hailed as South Africa’s Sylvia Plath. In 1960s Cape Town, as Apartheid steals the expressive rights of blacks and whites alike, young Ingrid Jonker finds her freedom scrawling verse while frittering through a series of stormy affairs. Amid escalating quarrels with her lovers and her rigid father, a parliament censorship minister, the poet witnesses an unconscionable event that will alter the course of both her artistic and personal lives.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY – 2018 biographical drama directed by Bryan Singer from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, and produced by Graham King and Queen manager Jim Beach. The film tells the story of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock musical band Queen. The film stars Rami Malek as Mercury, with Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, and Mike Myers.

BOY ERASED– 2018 biographical drama based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir of the same name. It is written and directed by Joel Edgerton, who also produced with Kerry Kohansky Roberts and Steve Golin. The film stars Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Edgerton, and follows the son of Baptist parents who is forced to take part in a gay conversion therapy program.

BRIGHT STAR – In 1818, high-spirited young Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) finds herself increasingly intrigued by the handsome but aloof poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw), who lives next door to her family friends the Dilkes. After reading a book of his poetry, she finds herself even more drawn to the taciturn Keats. Although he agrees to teach her about poetry, Keats cannot act on his reciprocated feelings for Fanny, since as a struggling poet he has no money to support a wife. British-French-Australian 2009 British-French-Australian biographical fiction romantic drama based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne.

BRONSON – 2008 British biographical crime film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, based on a script written by Refn and Brock Norman Brock. The film stars Tom Hardy as Michael Peterson, known since 1987 as Charles Bronson. The film follows the life of this prisoner, considered Britain’s most violent criminal, who has been responsible for a dozen or so cases of hostage-taking while incarcerated. He was given the name Charles Bronson by his fight promoter, for his bare-knuckle fighting years. Born into a respectable middle-class family, Peterson became known as one of the United Kingdom’s most dangerous prisoners. Because of his violence, Bronson was repeatedly put into isolation or solitary confinement, which may have contributed to his emotional problems.

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? – 2018 biographical comedy-drama directed by Marielle Heller and with a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, based on the 2008 confessional memoir of the same name by Lee Israel. Melissa McCarthy stars as Israel, and the story follows her attempts to revitalize her failing writing career by forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights. The film also features Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella, and Ben Falcone in supporting roles. Israel took the title from an apologetic line in a letter in which she posed as Dorothy Parker.

CONCUSSION – In Pittsburgh, a forensic pathologist fights against the National Football League trying to suppress his research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain degeneration suffered by professional football players.  2015 biographical sports drama written and directed by Peter Landesman, based on the exposé “Game Brain” by Jeanne Marie Laskas, published in 2009 by GQ magazine. Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks

CAPOTE – 2005 biographical film about Truman Capote directed by Bennett Miller. It follows the events during the writing of Capote’s 1966 non-fiction book In Cold Blood. Philip Seymour Hoffman won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the title character. The film was based on Gerald Clarke’s 1988 biography Capote.

THE DANISH GIRL – With support from his loving wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander), artist Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) prepares to undergo one of the first sex-change operations. 2015 biographical romantic drama film directed by Tom Hooper, based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff, and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. The film stars Eddie Redmayne as Elbe, one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery, Alicia Vikander as Wegener, and Sebastian Koch as Kurt Warnekros, with Ben Whishaw, Amber Heard, and Matthias Schoenaerts in supporting roles.

THE DISASTER ARTIST – A 2017 biographical comedy-drama directed by James Franco. It was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell’s 2013 non-fiction book of the same title. The film chronicles an unlikely friendship between budding actors Tommy Wiseau and Sestero that results in the production of Wiseau’s 2003 film The Room, widely considered one of the worst films ever made. The Disaster Artist stars brothers James and Dave Franco as Wiseau and Sestero, respectively, alongside a supporting cast featuring Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver, and Seth Rogen.

CITIZEN GANGSTER – Unable to support his family on a bus driver’s salary, World War II veteran Edwin Boyd (Scott Speedman) finds a way to combine his love of acting and his need for cash by robbing banks. 2011 Canadian biographical drama directed and written by Nathan Morlando.

CREATION – Devastated by the death of his beloved daughter, Annie, Charles Darwin (Paul Bettany) sinks into a deep depression, and cannot bring himself to finish his book about evolution. Though Annie’s death has broken Darwin’s faith in God, it has galvanized that of his wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly). Darwin’s associates urge him to finish his revolutionary work, while Emma strongly objects, leaving Darwin with an agonizing choice. 2009 British biographical drama about Charles Darwin’s relationship with his wife Emma and his memory of their eldest daughter Annie, as he struggles to write On the Origin of Species. The film, directed by Jon Amiel and starring real-life couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles and Emma Darwin, is a somewhat fictionalised account based on Randal Keynes’s Darwin biography Annie’s Box.

DANNY COLLINS – An ageing rocker (Al Pacino) decides to change the course of his life after receiving a long-undelivered letter from the late John Lennon. 2015 comedy-drama written and directed by Dan Fogelman in his feature directorial debut. Inspired by the true story of folk singer Steve Tilston, the film stars Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Cannavale, and Christopher Plummer.

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE – Having been forced to act as a body double for one of Saddam Hussein’s sons, Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper) gives an insider’s look at the life of the Iraqi tyrant. 2011 English-language Belgian—Dutch film directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Michael Thomas, and starring Dominic Cooper in the dual role of Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia.

DEVIL’S KNOT – Based on the actual events of the West Memphis Three, where three young boys were savagely murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. Spurred on by the demand from a grieving town, the local police act quickly to bring three “devil-worshipping” teenagers to trial. With their lives hanging in the balance, investigator Ron Lax is trying to find the truth between the town’s need for justice and the guilt of the accused. 2013 biographical crime drama directed by Atom Egoyan. Adopted from Mara Leveritt’s 2002 book of the same name, the film is about the true story of three murdered children and the three teenagers known as the West Memphis Three who were convicted of killing them, during the Satanic ritual abuse panic.  The film stars Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Mireille Enos, Dane DeHaan, Kevin Durand, Bruce Greenwood, Stephen Moyer, Elias Koteas, Amy Ryan, and Alessandro Nivola.

DIANA – During the last two years of her life, Princess Diana (Naomi Watts) campaigns against the use of land mines and has a secret love affair with a Pakistani heart surgeon (Naveen Andrews). 2013 biographical drama directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, about the last two years of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. The screenplay is based on Kate Snell’s 2001 book, Diana: Her Last Love, and was written by Stephen Jeffreys.

THE DUCHESS – Though adored by the people, the Duchess of Devonshire (Keira Knightley) is not content to sit as a pretty figurehead. Determined to be a major player in affairs of state, she rises to the forefront of the Whig Party and helps usher in reform in late-1700s England. The one thing it seems she cannot do is to win the heart of her husband (Ralph Fiennes). 2008 British drama is directed by Saul Dibb. It is based on Amanda Foreman’s biography of the late 18th-century English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire.

EAT PRAY LOVE – Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India and Bali.  2010 biographical romantic drama is based on Gilbert’s 2006 memoir of the same name. Ryan Murphy co-wrote and directed the film

EDDIE THE EAGLE – A 2016 biographical sports film directed by Dexter Fletcher. The film stars Taron Egerton as Michael Edwards, a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping since 1928. Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, Iris Berben and Jim Broadbent co-star.

THE END OF THE TOUR – David Lipsky, a reporter with Rolling Stone magazine, interviews acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace for five days, during which they form a unique bond. A 2015 drama about writer David Foster Wallace. The film stars Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg, was written by Donald Margulies, and was directed by James Ponsoldt. Based on David Lipsky’s best-selling memoir Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself.

EVEREST – On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds. 2015 biographical survival adventure film directed and produced by Baltasar Kormákur and written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy. It stars an ensemble cast of Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Martin Henderson and Emily Watson. It is based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE – A 2019 American biographical crime drama film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy. Directed by Joe Berlinger with a screenplay from Michael Werwie, the film is based on Bundy’s former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall’s memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy. The film stars Zac Efron as Bundy, Lily Collins as Kendall, Kaya Scodelario as Bundy’s wife Carole Ann Boone, and John Malkovich as Edward Cowart, the presiding judge at Bundy’s trial. The title of the film is a reference to Cowart’s remarks on Bundy’s murders while sentencing him to death.

FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL – 2017 biographical romantic drama directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Annette Bening and Jamie Bell, with a cast that includes Vanessa Redgrave and Julie Walters. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Peter Turner, which tells of his relationship with Academy Award-winning American actress Gloria Grahame in 1970s Liverpool and, some years later, her death from stomach cancer.

THE 5TH ESTATE – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a colleague, Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl), join forces to become watchdogs over the actions of the privileged and powerful. Despite scant resources, they are able to create a platform for whistle-blowers to leak covert data anonymously, thereby exposing government secrets and corporate crimes. However, a major battle erupts when Assange and Berg gain access to the biggest cache of confidential intelligence documents in U.S. history. 2013 biographical thriller directed by Bill Condon about the news-leaking website WikiLeaks. Based in part on Domscheit-Berg’s book Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website (2011), as well as WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War on Secrecy (2011) by British journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding. The film’s name is a reference to people who operate in the manner of journalists outside the normal constraints imposed on the mainstream media.

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING – It’s 1989, and in a Belfast tore apart by conflict and terrorism, petty criminal Marty McGartland is recruited by the British police to infiltrate the IRA. Guided by Special Forces officer Fergus, McGartland gains unparalleled insight into the organisation’s dealings, providing his British handler with priceless, life-saving information. 2008 English-language crime thriller written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland’s 1997 autobiography of the same name.

THE FINEST HOURS – 2016 American action thriller directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of SS Pendleton after the ship split apart during a nor’easter off the New England coast

FIRST MAN – 2018 biographical drama film directed by Damien Chazelle and written by Josh Singer. Based on the 2005 book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, the film stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, alongside Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, and Ciarán Hinds, and follows the years leading up to the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969.

THE FRONT RUNNER – It chronicles the rise of American Senator Gary Hart, the front-runner candidate to be the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee, and his subsequent fall from grace when media reports suggested he was having an extramarital affair. A 2018 American political drama film directed by Jason Reitman, based on the 2014 book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid by Matt Bai, who co-wrote the screenplay with Reitman and Jay Carson. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons, and Alfred Molina.

FUR: AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS (also known simply as Fur). In 1958 New York Diane Arbus (Nicole Kidman) is a housewife and mother who works as an assistant to her husband (Ty Burrell), a photographer employed by her wealthy parents. Respectable though her life is, she cannot help but feel uncomfortable in her privileged world. One night, a new neighbour (Robert Downey Jr.) catches Diane’s eye, and the enigmatic man inspires her to set forth on the path to discovering her own artistry. 2006 romantic drama film directed by Steven Shainberg and written by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on Patricia Bosworth’s book Diane Arbus: A Biography. It stars Nicole Kidman as iconic American photographer Diane Arbus, who was known for her strange, disturbing images, and also features Robert Downey Jr. and Ty Burrell. As the title implies, the film is largely fictional.

GENIUS – Maxwell Perkins, a renowned book editor, develops a friendship with novelist Thomas Wolfe while working together on a project. 2016 British-American biographical drama directed by Michael Grandage and written by John Logan, based on the 1978 National Book Award-winner Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg. The film stars Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Dominic West, and Guy Pearce.

THE GLASS CASTLE – A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who’s an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children’s imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty. 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Cretton, Andrew Lanham, and Marti Noxon. It is based on Jeannette Walls’ 2005 best-selling memoir of the same name. Depicting Walls’ childhood, where her family lived in poverty and sometimes as squatters, the film stars Brie Larson as Walls, with Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield, and Sarah Snook in supporting roles.

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN – A 2017 British biographical drama about the lives of Winnie-the-Pooh creator A. A. Milne and his family, especially his son Christopher Robin. It was directed by Simon Curtis and written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Simon Vaughan, and stars Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, and Kelly Macdonald.

GOODFELLAS (stylized GoodFellas) 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, who also wrote with Nicholas Pileggi, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Pileggi. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, the film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980.

GOYA’S GHOSTS – When the prominent Spanish painter Francisco Goya’s muse gets arrested by the Church on account of heresy, her father pleads with him to secure her release as he is on good terms with Brother Lorenzo. 2006 biographical drama directed by Miloš Forman (his final directorial feature before his death in 2018), and written by him and Jean-Claude Carrière. The film stars Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman and Stellan Skarsgård.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – Celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. 2017 American biographical musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey in his directorial debut, written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon and starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Featuring nine original songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the film is based on the story and life of P.T. Barnum, a famous showman and entertainer, and his creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the lives of its star attractions.

GREEN BOOK – Dr. Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist who’s about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.2018 biographical comedy-drama buddy film directed by Peter Farrelly. Set in 1962, the film is inspired by the true story of a tour of the Deep South by African American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Italian American bouncer Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga who served as Shirley’s driver and bodyguard. The film was written by Farrelly, Brian Hayes Currie and Vallelonga’s son, Nick Vallelonga, based on interviews with his father and Shirley, as well as letters his father wrote to his mother. The film is named after The Negro Motorist Green Book, a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American travellers written by Victor Hugo Green.

HIDDEN FIGURES is a 2016 American biographical drama directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder. It is loosely based on the 2016 non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly about African American female mathematicians who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race. The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who calculated flight trajectories for Project Mercury and other missions. The film also features Octavia Spencer as NASA supervisor and mathematician Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe as NASA engineer Mary Jackson, with Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge, and Glen Powell in supporting roles

HOWL – 2010 drama which explores both the Six Gallery debut and the 1957 obscenity trial of 20th-century American poet Allen Ginsberg’s noted poem Howl. The film is written and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and stars James Franco as Ginsberg. Howl explores the life and works of 20th-century American poet, Allen Ginsberg. Constructed in a nonlinear fashion, the film juxtaposes historical events with a variety of cinematic techniques. It reconstructs the early life of Ginsberg during the 1940s and 1950s. It also re-enacts Ginsberg’s debut performance of “Howl” at the Six Gallery Reading on October 7, 1955 in black-and-white. The reading was the first important public manifestation of the Beat Generation and helped to herald the West Coast literary revolution that became known as the San Francisco Renaissance. In addition, parts of the poem are interpreted through animated sequences. Finally, these events are juxtaposed with color images of the 1957 obscenity trial of San Francisco poet and City Lights Bookstore co-founder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who was the first person to publish “Howl” in Howl and Other Poems.

INTO THE WILD – 2007 biographical adventure drama written, co-produced, and directed by Sean Penn. It is an adaptation of the 1996 non-fiction book of the same name written by Jon Krakauer and tells the story of Christopher McCandless (“Alexander Supertramp”), a man who hiked across North America into the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1990s. The film stars Emile Hirsch as McCandless and Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt as his parents; it also features Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, and Hal Holbrook.

I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS – 2009 biographical black comedy drama based on the 1980s and 1990s real-life story of con artist, impostor and multiple prison escapee Steven Jay Russell, as played by Jim Carrey. While incarcerated, Russell falls in love with his fellow inmate, Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). After Morris is released from prison, Russell escapes from prison four times to be reunited with Morris. The film was adapted from the 2003 book I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks by Steve McVicker

THE IRON LADY – 2011 British biographical drama based on the life and career of Margaret Thatcher, a British politician who was the first woman and longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Abi Morgan. Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep, and, in her formative and early political years, by Alexandra Roach. Thatcher’s husband, Denis Thatcher, is portrayed by Jim Broadbent, and by Harry Lloyd as the younger Denis. Thatcher’s longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy, Geoffrey Howe, is portrayed by Anthony Head.

JACKIE – 2016 biographical drama directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Noah Oppenheim. The film stars Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, and John Hurt also star; it was Hurt’s final film released before his death in January 2017. The film follows Jackie Kennedy in the days when she was First Lady in the White House and her life immediately following the assassination of her husband, United States President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. It is partly based on Theodore H. White’s Life magazine interview with the widow at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in November 1963.

JARHEAD – 2005 American biographical war drama based on U.S. Marine Anthony Swofford’s 2003 memoir of the same name. The film was directed by Sam Mendes, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford with Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, and Chris Cooper. Jarhead chronicles Swofford’s life story and his military service in the Gulf War.

JOBS – College dropout Steve Jobs (Ashton Kutcher), together with his friend, technical whiz-kid Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad), sparks a revolution in home computers with the invention of the Apple 1 in 1976. Built in the garage of Jobs’ parents, the device — and the subsequent formation of Apple Inc. — have changed the world for all time. Though he is viewed as a visionary, Jobs’ tenure as Apple’s leader is a rocky one, leading to his eventual ouster from the company he co-founded. 2013 biographical drama based on the life of Steve Jobs, from 1974 while a student at Reed College to the introduction of the iPod in 2001.

JOY– A story of a family across four generations, centered on the girl who becomes the woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Facing betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, Joy becomes a true boss of family and enterprise. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy’s inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces. 2015 biographical comedy-dramawritten and directed by David O. Russell and starring Jennifer Lawrence as Joy Mangano, a self-made millionaire who created her own business empire.

THE LADY IN THE VAN – A 2015 British comedy-drama directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings, based on the memoir of the same name created by Alan Bennett. It was written by Bennett, and it tells the (mostly[ true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in London for 15 years.

LA VIE EN ROSE – A 2007 biographical musical film about the life of French singer Édith Piaf. The film was co-written and directed by Olivier Dahan, and stars Marion Cotillard as Piaf.

LEAVE NO TRACE is a 2018 drama directed by Debra Granik and written by Granik and Anne Rosellini, based on the 2009 novel My Abandonment by Peter Rock. The plot follows a military veteran father with post-traumatic stress disorder (Ben Foster) who lives in the forest with his young daughter (Thomasin McKenzie). The novel is based on a true story.

LEGEND – A 2015 biographical crime thriller written and directed by American director Brian Helgeland. It is adapted from John Pearson’s book The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins, which deals with their career and the relationship that bound them together, and follows their gruesome career to life imprisonment in 1969.

LIFE – In 1955, young photographer Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson) develops a close bond with actor James Dean (Dane DeHaan) while shooting pictures of the rising Hollywood star. 2015 biographical drama directed by Anton Corbijn and written by Luke Davies. It is based on the friendship of Life photographer Dennis Stock and Hollywood actor James Dean, starring Robert Pattinson as Stock and Dane DeHaan as Dean.

LION – 2016 Australian biographical drama directed by Garth Davis (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Luke Davies based on the 2013 non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. The film stars Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Rooney Mara, David Wenham and Nicole Kidman, as well as Abhishek Bharate, Divian Ladwa, Priyanka Bose, Deepti Naval, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It tells the true story of how Brierley, 25 years after being separated from his family in India, sets out to find them.

LITTLE ASHES – set against the backdrop of Spain during the 1920s and 1930s, three of the era’s most creative young talents meet at university and set off on a course to change their world. Luis Buñuel watches helplessly as the friendship between surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and the poet Federico García Lorca develops into a love affair. Directed by Paul Morrison and written by Philippa Goslett. Stars Robert Pattinson, Javier Beltrán and Matthew McNulty

LOVING – The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court’s historic 1967 decision. The film takes inspiration from The Loving Story (2011) by Nancy Buirski, a documentary which follows the Lovings and their landmark case. Stars: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton

LONE SURVIVOR – 2013 biographical military action film based on the eponymous 2007 non-fiction book by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson. Set during the war in Afghanistan, it dramatizes the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings, during which a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was given the task of tracking down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The film was written and directed by Peter Berg, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana.

THE LOST CITY OF Z – A true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s. A 2016 American biographical adventure drama film written and directed by James Gray, based on the 2009 book of the same name by David Grann. It stars Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett; Robert Pattinson as his fellow explorer Henry Costin, Sienna Miller as his wife, Nina Fawcett; and Tom Holland as his son, Jack.

LOVING – The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court’s historic 1967 decision. The film takes inspiration from The Loving Story (2011) by Nancy Buirski, a documentary which follows the Lovings and their landmark case. Stars: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton

LOVING VINCENT – 2017 experimental animated biographical drama film about the life of the painter Vincent van Gogh, and, in particular, about the circumstances of his death. It is the first fully painted animated feature film. The film, written and directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, First conceived as a seven-minute short film in 2008, Loving Vincent was realized by Dorota Kobiela, a painter herself, after studying the techniques and the artist’s story through his letters. Each of the film’s 65,000 frames is an oil painting on canvas, created using the same techniques as Van Gogh by a team of 125 artists drawn from around the globe.

MADE IN DAGENHAM – A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. 2010 British comedy-drama film directed by Nigel Cole and starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Daniel Mays and Richard Schiff. It dramatises the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 that aimed for equal pay for women. Its theme song, with lyrics by Billy Bragg, is performed by Sandie Shaw, a native of the area and former Ford Dagenham clerk.

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS – 2017 Christmas biographical comedy drama directed by Bharat Nalluri and written by Susan Coyne. Based on the 2008 book of the same name about Charles Dickens by Les Standiford, the joint Irish/Canadian production stars Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, and Jonathan Pryce, and follows Dickens (Stevens) as he conceives and writes his 1843 novella A Christmas Carol.In 1843 London, author Charles Dickens finds himself in financial trouble after writing three unsuccessful novels in a row. Desperate for a hit, Dickens relies on real-life inspiration and his vivid imagination to bring Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters to life in “A Christmas Carol,” forever changing the holiday season into the celebration known today.

THE MAN WITH THE IRON HEART – In 1942, the Czech resistance in London sends two young recruits to Prague to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the most ruthless Nazi leader who is the Reich-protector, head of the SS and the Gestapo, and the architect of the Final Solution. 2017 English-language French-Belgian biographical action-thriller directed by Cédric Jimenez and written by David Farr, Audrey Diwan, and Jimenez. It is based on French writer Laurent Binet’s 2010 novel HHhH, and focuses on Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich in Prague during World War II. The film stars Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Jack O’Connell, Jack Reynor, and Mia Wasikowska.

MARSHALL – The story of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases. 2017 American biographical legal drama film directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob Koskoff. It stars Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, and focuses on one of the first cases of his career, the State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell. It also stars Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell.

MEGAN LEVY – (also known as Rex) A 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, based on the true events about a young female Marine named Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex. The film stars Kate Mara as the titular character, with Edie Falco, Common, Ramón Rodríguez, and Tom Felton in supporting roles.

MILK – In 1972, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his then-lover Scott Smith leave New York for San Francisco, with Milk determined to accomplish something meaningful in his life. Settling in the Castro District, he opens a camera shop and helps transform the area into a mecca for gays and lesbians. In 1977 he becomes the nation’s first openly gay man elected to a notable public office when he wins a seat on the Board of Supervisors. The following year, Dan White (Josh Brolin) kills Milk in cold blood.  2008 American biographical film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, the film stars Sean Penn as Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White, a city supervisor, and Victor Garber as San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.

MR. TURNER – The film depicts the last quarter-century of the British painter J. M. W. Turner’s life. Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by his housekeeper, Hannah Danby, whom he takes for granted and occasionally uses sexually, he forms a close and loving relationship with a seaside landlady, Mrs. Booth. Turner travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits a brothel, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty. 2014 biographical drama based on the last 25 years of the life of artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film stars Timothy Spall in the title role, with Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Jesson, Marion Bailey, Lesley Manville, and Martin Savage.

MOLLY’S GAME – The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd, Joe Keery, Brian D’Arcy James, and Bill Camp.

THE MULE is a 2018 crime drama produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also plays the lead role. The screenplay, by Nick Schenk, is based on the 2014 The New York Times article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick, which recounts the story of Leo Sharp, a World War II veteran who became a drug courier for the Sinaloa Cartel in his 80s. Along with Eastwood, the film stars Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, and Andy García.

THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT – Quentin Crisp (John Hurt) makes the bold choice of exhibiting his homosexuality in the highly conservative environment of England in the 1930s and 1940s. What’s more, he adopts a self-consciously flamboyant and theatrical persona destined to attract negative attention, although he navigates the streets of London with caution as he comes of age against a backdrop of homophobia. But when he is confronted with criminal charges, he must decide how willing he is to defend his lifestyle. 1975 biographical film based on Quentin Crisp’s 1968 book of the same name, starring John Hurt and directed by Jack Gold, adapted by Philip Mackie, and produced by Verity Lambert. Originally broadcast on 17 December, the 77-minute television film was produced by Thames Television for the British channel ITV. Crisp is depicted from youth to middle age.

ONLY THE BRAVE – The film tells the story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of firefighters from Prescott, Arizona who lost 19 of 20 members while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013, and is dedicated to their memory.  2017 American biographical drama film directed by Joseph Kosinski, and written by Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer, based on the GQ article “No Exit” by Sean Flynn. It features an ensemble cast, including Josh Brolin, James Badge Dale, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller, Alex Russell, Taylor Kitsch, Ben Hardy, Thad Luckinbill, Geoff Stults, Scott Haze, Andie MacDowell, and Jennifer Connelly.

PAPILLON – 2017 biographical drama directed by Michael Noer. It tells the story of French convict Henri Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), nicknamed Papillon (“butterfly”), who was imprisoned in 1933 in the notorious Devil’s Island penal colony and escaped in 1941 with the help of another convict, counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek). The film’s screenplay is based on Charrière’s autobiographies Papillon and Banco, as well as the former’s 1973 film adaptation, which was written by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr

THE PIANIST – In this adaptation of the autobiography “The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man’s Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945,” Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish Jewish radio station pianist, sees Warsaw change gradually as World War II begins. Szpilman is forced into the Warsaw Ghetto, but is later separated from his family during Operation Reinhard. From this time until the concentration camp prisoners are released, Szpilman hides in various locations among the ruins of Warsaw. 2002 biographical war drama produced and directed by Roman Polanski, with a script by Ronald Harwood, and starring Adrien Brody It is based on the autobiographical book The Pianist (1946), a Holocaust memoir by the Polish-Jewish pianist and composer Władysław Szpilman, a Holocaust survivor. At the 75th Academy Awards, the film won for Best Director (Polanski), Best Adapted Screenplay (Harwood), and Best Actor (Brody)

PEDRO – 2008 drama about Pedro Zamora, an openly gay, Cuban-American AIDS educator and television personality, who became famous as a castmember on The Real World: San Francisco, MTV’s reality television series. Pedro Zamora (Alex Loynaz), AIDS educator and cast member of the reality television show “The Real World,” joins the San Francisco edition of the show, refusing to hide his sexuality or his AIDS diagnosis. When Pedro is cast, he runs into difficulty with certain roommates, especially “Puck” Rainey (Matt Barr), while becoming close friends with Judd Winick (Hale Appleman). After Pedro gets married to Sean Sasser (DaJuan Johnson), his disease accelerates. The film is based on a true story.

THE POST – Set in 1971, The Post depicts the true story of attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers, a set of classified documents regarding the 20-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War and earlier in French Indochina back to the 1940s. A 2017 historical political thriller directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, and written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer. It stars Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee, the longtime executive editor of The Washington Post, with Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Carrie Coon, Alison Brie, and Matthew Rhys in supporting roles.

PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN – William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, creates the comic character Wonder Woman after being inspired by his wife and lover’s feministic side. A 2017 biographical drama film about American psychologist William Moulton Marston, who created the fictional character Wonder Woman. The film, directed and written by Angela Robinson, stars Luke Evans as Marston, Rebecca Hall as his legal wife Elizabeth and Bella Heathcote as the Marstons’ polyamorous life partner, Olive Byrne. JJ Feild, Oliver Platt and Connie Britton also feature.

PUBLIC ENEMIES – Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger’s (Johnny Depp) charm and audacity endear him to much of America’s downtrodden public, but he’s also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), the task of bringing him in dead or alive. 2009 biographical crime drama directed by Michael Mann, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman. It is an adaptation of Bryan Burrough’s non-fiction book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34.

PUNCTURE – A lawyer who is a drug addict fights a medical-supplies corporation in court while battling his personal demons. Starring Chris Evans, directed by Adam Kassen and Mark Kassen. The 2011 film is based on the true story of Michael David “Mike” Weiss and Paul Danziger.

QUEEN OF KATWE – A 2016 American biographical sports drama film directed by Mira Nair and written by William Wheeler. Starring David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, and Madina Nalwanga, the film depicts the life of Phiona Mutesi, a girl living in Katwe, a slum of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. She learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master after her victories at World Chess Olympiads.

RACE – Young Jesse Owens (Stephan James) becomes a track and field sensation while attending the Ohio State University in the early 1930s. With guidance from coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), Owens gains national recognition for breaking numerous records. After heated debates, the United States decides not to boycott the Olympics in Nazi Germany. Overcoming racism at home and abroad, Owens seizes the opportunity to show Berlin and the the world that he’s the fastest man alive. 2016 biographical sports drama about African-American athlete Jesse Owens, who won a record-breaking four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Directed by Stephen Hopkins and written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse.

REBEL IN THE RYE – 2017 American biographical drama film directed and written by Danny Strong. It is based on the book J. D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski, about the life of writer J. D. Salinger during and after World War II. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Zoey Deutch, Kevin Spacey, Sarah Paulson, Brian d’Arcy James, Victor Garber, Hope Davis, and Lucy Boynton.

ROCKETMAN – 2019 biographical musical film based on the life of British musician Elton John. Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, it stars Taron Egerton as Elton John, with Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John’s mother. The film follows John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his musical partnership with Taupin, and is titled after John’s 1972 song “Rocket Man”.

ROMA, also known as Fellini’s Roma or Federico Fellini’s Roma1972 semi-autobiographical comedy-drama epicting director Federico Fellini’s move from his native Rimini to Rome as a youth. It is a homage to the city, shown in a series of loosely connected episodes set during both Rome’s past and present. The plot is minimal, and the only “character” to develop significantly is Rome herself. Peter Gonzales plays the young Fellini, and the film features mainly newcomers in the cast.

RUSH – James Hunt and Niki Lauda, two extremely skilled Formula One racers, have an intense rivalry with each other. However, it is their enmity that pushes them to their limits. 2013 biographical sports film centred on the Hunt–Lauda rivalry between two Formula One drivers, the British James Hunt and the Austrian Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula 1 motor-racing season. It was written by Peter Morgan, directed by Ron Howard and starred Chris Hemsworth as Hunt and Daniel Brühl as Lauda.

SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME – International art dealer Ron Hall must befriend a dangerous homeless man in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife, a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives. 2017 American Christian drama film directed by Michael Carney, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Ron Hall, Alexander Foard and Michael Carney. It is based on the 2006 book of the same name by Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent. The film stars Greg Kinnear, Renée Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Olivia Holt, Jon Voight, and Stephanie Leigh

SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS – A 2016 South African drama film directed by Oliver Schmitz. It is an adaptation of the debut novel of the same name by Chris Marnewick, a New Zealand-based author and former South African High Court barrister and judge. Nearing the end of apartheid in South Africa, a young white prison guard (Garion Dowds) embarks on a seemingly motiveless shooting that sees to the death of seven unarmed black men. A British-born lawyer assigned to his case (Steve Coogan) sets out to prove his actions were a direct result of psychological trauma from his volatile work environment. The defense attorney is an ardent opponent of the death penalty.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK – 2010 American biographical drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich’s 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires, it portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits. It stars Jesse Eisenberg as founder Mark Zuckerberg, along with Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, Armie Hammer as Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Max Minghella as Divya Narendra.

SPOTLIGHT – Martin Baron joins the Boston Globe as an editor and pushes four journalists named Michael, Walter, Sacha and Matt to pursue a story about the child molestation charges against the local church. A 2015 American biographical drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. The film follows The Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, the oldest continuously operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States, and its investigation into cases of widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. It is based on a series of stories by the Spotlight team that earned The Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. The film features an ensemble cast including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci, with Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup in supporting roles.

STRONGER – A 2017 American biographical drama film directed by David Gordon Green and written by John Pollono, based on the memoir of the same name by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter. It follows Bauman, who loses his legs in the Boston Marathon bombings and must adjust to his new life. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Bauman, with Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Carlos Sanz and Clancy Brown in supporting roles.

STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS – Based on biography by Alexander Masters of his friend Stuart Clive Shorter, formerly, at various times, a prisoner and a career criminal. It explores how a young boy, somewhat disabled from birth, became mentally unstable, criminal and violent, living homeless on the streets of Cambridge. A writer (Benedict Cumberbatch) documents the life of a homeless alcoholic (Tom Hardy) who has a violent past. Directed by David Atwood. 2007

SULLY (also known as Sully: Miracle on the Hudson ) – The film follows Sullenberger’s January 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived—most suffering only minor injuries—and the subsequent publicity and investigation.  Tom Hanks stars as Sullenberger, with Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Holt McCallany, Jamey Sheridan, and Jerry Ferrara in supporting roles.  A 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Todd Komarnicki, based on the 2009 autobiography Highest Duty by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow.

SWIMMING UPSTREAM – One of many siblings in a large Australian family, Tony Fingleton (Jesse Spencer) struggles to make his own mark and, most importantly, garner the respect of his stern father, Harold (Geoffrey Rush). Deciding to pursue competitive swimming, Tony embarks on a quest to become the best athlete possible. Along the way, he discovers both confidence and his talent. Although Tony has the support of his beleaguered mom, Dora (Judy Davis), winning over his dad proves to be far more difficult. 2003 Australian biographical drama written by Tony Fingleton and directed by Russell Mulcahy. It shows the life of Fingleton (Spencer) from childhood to adulthood, and dealing with a topsy-turvy family. It is based on Fingleton’s autobiography of the same name.

TAKING WOODSTOCK – In the summer of 1969, Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin) divides his time between Greenwich Village and the upstate ramshackle motel, El Monaco, of his Old World parents. When the proposed venue for the upcoming Woodstock concert falls through, Elliot steps in and plays a pivotal role in the generation-defining event by helping organizers secure Max Yasgur’s nearby farm for the festival and offering the El Monaco as the home base. 2009 comedy-drama film about the Woodstock Festival of 1969, directed by Ang Lee. The screenplay by James Schamus is based on the memoir Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte.

TRUMBO – 2015 biographical drama directed by Jay Roach and written by John McNamara. The film stars Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K., Elle Fanning, John Goodman, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film follows the life of Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, and is based on the 1977 biography Dalton Trumbo by Bruce Alexander Cook.

UNBROKEN – The film stars Jack O’Connell as American Olympian and Army officer Louis “Louie” Zamperini and Miyavi as Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe. Zamperini survived in a raft for 47 days after his bomber ditched in the ocean during the Second World War, before being captured by the Japanese and being sent to a series of prisoner of war camps. A  2014 American war film produced and directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen brothers, Richard LaGravenese, and William Nicholson. It is based on the 2010 non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

VICTORIA & ABDUL – Abdul Karim, a young prison clerk from India, travels to present Queen Victoria with a mohur on her Golden Jubilee and strikes an unlikely friendship with her.is a 2017 British biographical comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Lee Hall. The film is based on the book of same name by Shrabani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim. It stars Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith, and Adeel Akhtar.

THE WALK – 2015 biographical drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Christopher Browne and Zemeckis. It is based on the story of 24-year-old French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Petit, alongside Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, and Steve Valentine.

WELCOME TO MARWEN – 2018 American drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis, who co-wrote the script with Caroline Thompson. It is inspired by Jeff Malmberg’s 2010 documentary Marwencol. The film stars Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Gwendoline Christie, Leslie Zemeckis, Siobhan Williams and Neil Jackson, and follows the true story of Mark Hogancamp, a man struggling with PTSD who, after being physically assaulted, creates a fictional village to ease his trauma.

WOMAN IN GOLD – 2015 biographical drama film directed by Simon Curtis and written by Alexi Kaye Campbell. The film stars Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, and Jonathan Pryce. The film is based on the true story of Maria Altmann, an elderly Jewish refugee living in Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, who, together with her young lawyer, Randy Schoenberg, fought the government of Austria for almost a decade to reclaim Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting of her aunt, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, which was stolen from her relatives by the Nazis in Vienna just prior to World War II. Altmann took her legal battle all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled on the case Republic of Austria v. Altmann (2004).

WOODLAWN – A gifted high school football player must learn to embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field.  2015 American Christian sports drama film directed by the Erwin Brothers. Based on the true story of Tandy Gerelds and Tony Nathan, it stars Sean Astin, Nic Bishop, Caleb Castille, Sherri Shepherd, Jon Voight, and C. Thomas Howell.

THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE is a 2017 war drama directed by Niki Caro, written by Angela Workman and based on Diane Ackerman’s non-fiction book of the same name. The film tells the true story of how Jan and Antonina Żabiński rescued hundreds of Polish Jews from the Germans by hiding them in their Warsaw zoo during World War II. It stars Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl and Michael McElhatton.

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A WALK IN THE WOODS – After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the U.S., where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends. 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Ken Kwapis and starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson. Based on the 1998 book of the same name by Bill Bryson.

BLACK SEA – In order to make good with his former employers, a submarine captain takes a job with a shadowy backer to search the depths of the Black Sea for a submarine rumoured to be loaded with gold. 2014 submarine disaster thriller film directed by Kevin Macdonald, written by Dennis Kelly, and starring Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, and David Threlfall.

EVEREST – On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds. 2015 biographical survival adventure film directed and produced by Baltasar Kormákur and written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy. It stars an ensemble cast of Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Martin Henderson and Emily Watson. It is based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster

EXTORTION – When a Caribbean family vacation takes a disastrous turn, a father finds himself at the mercy of a cold-blooded fisherman, and a desperate race against the clock to save his wife and son.2017 American thriller film, starring Eion Bailey, Bethany Joy Lenz, Barkhad Abdi, and Danny Glover.

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER – Jack, a young farmhand, must rescue a princess from a race of giants after inadvertently opening a gateway to their land in the sky. 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, from a story by Lemke and David Dobkin. Based on the British fairy tales “Jack the Giant Killer” and “Jack and the Beanstalk”. Starring s Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, and Ewan McGregor.

THE LEISURE SEEKER – A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call “The Leisure Seeker”. 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Paolo Virzì, in his first full English-language feature. The film is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Michael Zadoorian. It stars Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.

MARMADUKE – The film centers on a rural Kansas family and their pets; a Great Dane named Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson), and his best friend, a Balinese cat named Carlos (voiced by George Lopez); as the family relocates to Orange County, California and has to face the challenges of starting a new life. 2010 American live-action computer-animated comedy film and an adaptation of Brad Anderson’s comic strip of the same name.

PAPER TOWNS – After an all-night adventure, Quentin’s lifelong crush, Margo, disappears, leaving behind clues that Quentin and his friends follow on the journey of a lifetime. 2015 American romantic mystery comedy-drama film, directed by Jake Schreier, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by John Green. The film was adapted for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the same team that wrote the first film adaption of another of Green’s novels, The Fault in Our Stars. The film stars Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne

WILD OATS – Everything changes for Eva when she receives a life insurance check accidentally made out for five million dollars instead of the expected fifty thousand dollars. She and her best friend take the money and head out for the adventure of a lifetime. 2016 American comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and written by Gary Kanew and Claudia Myers. The film stars Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Lange, Demi Moore and Billy Connolly.

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7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE – Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted. 2018 action thriller film directed by José Padilha and written by Gregory Burke. The film recounts the story of Operation Entebbe, a 1976 counter-terrorist hostage-rescue operation. The film stars Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl.

12 STRONG –  The story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban. 2018 American action-war film directed by Nicolai Fuglsig and written by Ted Tally and Peter Craig. The film is based on Doug Stanton’s non-fiction book Horse Soldiers, which tells the story of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11 attacks. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults, Thad Luckinbill, Ben O’Toole, William Fichtner, and Rob Riggle.

13 HOURS – The film follows six members of Annex Security Team who fought to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya after waves of attacks by militants on September 11, 2012. A 2016 American action thriller film directed and produced by Michael Bay and written by Chuck Hogan, based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2014 book of the same name. The film stars James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, Max Martini, David Denman and Dominic Fumusa with supporting roles by Toby Stephens, Alexia Barlier and David Costabile.

24 HOURS TO LIVE – A career assassin who goes on a rampage to exact revenge and find redemption after he is mortally wounded and brought back to life for 24 hours using a newly developed technology. Action / Sc-Fi / Thriller / 2017 / Writers: Ron Mita, Jim McClain and Zach Dean / Director:  Brian Smrz / Cast: Ethan Hawke, Xu Qing, Paul Anderson, Liam Cunningham, and Rutger Hauer.

47 RONIN – The forty-seven Ronin, a real-life group of masterless samurai under daimyō Asano Naganori in 18th-century Japan avenges Naganori’s death by confronting his rival Kira Yoshinaka. Action / Fantasy / 2013 / Writers: Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini / Director: Carl Rinsch / Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki.

300 – In 480 B.C. a state of war exists between Persia, led by King Xerxes and Greece. At the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas, king of the Greek city state of Sparta, leads his badly outnumbered warriors against the massive Persian army. Their sacrifice inspires all of Greece to unite against their common enemy. Epic / Action / History / 2007 / Writers: Kurt Johnstad, Michael B. Gordon, Frank Miller, Lynn Varley – based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley / Director: Zack Snyder / Cast: Gerard Butler, Rodrigo Santoro.

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE – Greek general Themistokles of Athens leads the naval charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.. Epic / Action / History / Sequel  / 2014 / Writers: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Frank Miller / Director: Noam Murro / Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey

10, 000 BC – In the prehistoric past, D’Leh is a mammoth hunter who bonds with the beautiful Evolet. When warriors on horseback capture Evolet and the tribesmen, D’Leh must embark on an odyssey to save his true love. Action / Adventure / Drama / Fantasy / History / 2008 / Writers:  Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser / Director: Roland Emmerich / Cast: Steven Strait and Camilla Belle.

THE ACCOUNTANT – As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities, and the body count starts to rise.  Action / Thriller / 2016 / Writer: Bill Dubuque / Director: Gavin O’Connor / Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow.

AMERICAN ULTRA –  A small-town stoner doesn’t know that he was trained by the CIA to be a lethal killing machine. When the agency targets him for termination, his former handler activates his latent skills, turning the mild-mannered slacker into a deadly weapon. Now, the utterly surprised Mike must use his newfound abilities to save himself and his girlfriend from getting smoked. Action / Comedy / 2015 / Writer: Max Landis / Director: Nima Nourizadeh / Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, and Tony Hale.

ASSASSIN’S CREED – Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, before taking on the secret Templar society. Action / Science-Fiction / Dystopian / Science-fiction / 2016 / Writers: Michael Lesslie, Adam Cooper and Bill Collage / Based on the video game franchise of the same name / Director: Justin Kurzel / Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling and Michael K. Williams.

ATOMIC BLONDE – A spy has to find a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Action / Thriller / 2017 / Writer: Kurt Johnstad / Director: David Leitch / Cast: Charlize Theron,  James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones.

BABY DRIVER – After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist, seeking freedom from a life of crime with his girlfriend. Action / Crime / Drama / Romance / 2017 / Writer-director: Edgar Wright / Cast: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Jamie Foxx and Jon Bernthal

BUNRAKU – A young drifter who has spent his life searching for revenge finds himself up against a bigger challenge than he originally planned. Action / Martial Arts / Drama / Thriller / 2010 / Writer-director: Guy Moshe / Cast: Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ron Perlman, Kevin McKidd, and Gackt

COLD LIGHT OF DAY – After his family is kidnapped during their sailing trip in Spain, a young Wall Street trader is confronted by the people responsible: intelligence agents looking to recover a mysterious briefcase. Action / Thriller / Drama / Mystery / 2012 / Writers: Scott Wiper and John Petro / Director: Mabrouk El Mechri / Cast: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, and Sigourney Weaver.

THE COMMUTER – A man is unwittingly recruited into a murder conspiracy after meeting a mysterious woman while on his daily train commute. 2018 American action thriller film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi and Ryan Engle. The film stars Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, and Sam Neill.

DEATH RACE – Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world’s most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory. Action / Thriller / Science-fiction / Dystopian / 2008 / Writer–director: Paul W. S. Anderson / Cast: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson

END OF WATCH –It follows the daily grind of two longtime LAPD partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves. Action / Adventure / Crime / 2012 / Writer-director: David Ayer / Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick.

EDGE OF DARKNESS – As homicide detective Thomas Craven investigates the murder of his activist daughter, he uncovers a corporate cover-up and government conspiracy that attracts an agent tasked with cleaning up the evidence. Action / Crime / Drama / 2010 / Writers: William Monahan and Andrew Bovell / Director: Martin Campbell / Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston

ERAGON – In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon’s egg — a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realizes he’s the one person who can defend his home against an evil king. Action /  Adventure / Family / 2006 / Writer: Peter Buchman / Based on Christopher Paolini’s 2002 novel of the same name / Director: Stefen Fangmeier / Cast: Ed Speleers, Sienna Guillory, Jeremy Irons

THE EXPENDABLES – A group of elite mercenaries tasked with a mission to overthrow a Latin American dictator whom they soon discover to be a mere puppet controlled by a ruthless ex-CIA agent.  Action / 2010 / Writers: David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone / Director: Sylvester Stallone / Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Steve Austin and Mickey Rourke.

FAST AND FURIOUS FILMS

  • 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS –Former cop Brian O’Conner is called upon to bust a dangerous criminal and he recruits the help of a former childhood friend and street racer who has a chance to redeem himself. Action / Crime / Thriller / Standalone Sequel / 2003 / Writers: Michael Brandt and Derek Haas / Director: John Singleton / Cast: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, and James Remar
  • THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT – High school car enthusiast Sean Boswell is sent to live in Tokyo with his estranged father and finds solace exploring the city’s drifting community.  Action / Crime / Thriller / Standalone Sequel / 2006 / Writer: Chris Morgan / Director: Justin Lin /  Cast: Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Bow Wow, and Brian Tee.
  • FAST & FURIOUS (alternatively known as Fast & Furious 4) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Brian O’Conner and Dom Toretto are forced to work together to avenge the murder of Toretto’s lover Letty Ortiz and apprehend drug lord Arturo Braga. Action / Crime / Thriller / Direct sequel to The Fast and the Furious  / 2009 / Writer: Chris Morgan / Director / Justin Lin / Cast: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and John Ortiz.
  • FAST FIVE (alternatively known as Fast & Furious 5 or Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist) Dominic Toretto, Brian O’Conner and their team plan a heist to steal $100 million from corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes while being pursued for arrest by U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent Luke Hobbs. Action / Crime / Thriller / 2011 / Writer: Chris Morgan / Director: Justin Lin / Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Matt Schulze, Sung Kang, Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Joaquim de Almeida.
  • THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS – (alternatively known as F8 and titled on-screen as Fast & Furious 8) Dominic Toretto has settled down with his wife Letty Ortiz, until cyberterrorist Cipher coerces him into working for her and turns him against his team, forcing them to find Dom and take down Cipher. Action / Crime / Thriller / 2017 / Writer: Chris Morgan / Director: F. Gary Gray / Cast: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Scott Eastwood, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron.

FIRST KILL – A Wall Street broker is forced to evade a police chief investigating a bank robbery as he attempts to recover the stolen money in exchange for his son’s life. 2017 American action thriller film directed by Steven C. Miller and written by Nick Gordon.

GANGSTER SQUAD – It’s 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O’Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruthless leader and restore peace to the city. Action / Crime / Drama / 2013 / Writer: Will Beall / Based on the non-fiction book Paul Lieberman / Director: Ruben Fleischer / Cast: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Patrick, Michael Peña and Sean Penn.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA – An elite military unit comprised of special operatives known as G.I. Joe, operating out of The Pit, takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer. Action / Military / Adventure / Science-fiction / 2009 / Writers: Stuart Beattie · David Elliot · Paul Lovett · Michael B. Gordon / Inspiration from the comic book series and toy line G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero / Director: Stephen Sommers / Cast: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lee Byung-hun, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Jonathan Pryce. Saïd Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION – A career criminal is sent to a tough Mexican prison where he learns to survive with the help of a young boy.  Action / Drama / Thriller / 2012 / Writers: Mel Gibson, Stacy Perskie and Adrian Grunberg / Director: Adrian Grunberg / Cast: Mel Gibson, Kevin Hernandez

THE HURRICANE HEIST – A maintenance worker, his meteorologist brother, and a treasury agent contending with band of rogue treasury agents plan to use a Category 5 hurricane to cover their tracks of a bank robbery. 2018 American disaster heist action film directed by Rob Cohen, written by Jeff Dixon and Scott Windhauser, and starring Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Ralph Ineson, Melissa Bolona, James Cutler, and Ben Cross.

JACK REACHER – An enigmatic ex-Army homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper responsible for a mass shooting. Action / Mystery / Thriller / 2012 / Writers: Lee Child, Christopher McQuarrie / Director: Christopher McQuarrie /Based on Lee Child’s 2005 novel One Shot / Cast: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, Robert Duvall

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK – Reacher goes on the run with an Army major who has been framed for espionage,  revealing a dark conspiracy. Action / Mystery / Thriller / Drama / Crime / Sequel / 2013 / Writers: Edward Zwick, Richard Wenk and Marshall Herskovitz / Based on Lee Child’s novel Never Go Back / Director: Edward Zwick / Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT – Jack Ryan, as a young covert C.I.A. analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. He finds himself caught between his secretive handler, his clueless fiancee and a brilliant Russian leader. Action / Drama / Thriller / 2014 / Writers:  Adam Cozad, David Koepp / (based on characters created by Tom Clancy / Director: Kenneth Branagh / Cast: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, and Keira Knightley

JASON BOURNE – The CIA’s most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past. Jason Bourne finds himself back in action battling a sinister network that utilizes terror and technology to maintain unchecked power. Action / Thriller / Sequel / 2016 / Writers: Paul Greengrass and Christopher Rouse / Director: Paul Greengrass / Cast: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Julia Stiles, Vincent Cassel, Riz Ahmed, Ato Essandoh, and Scott Shepherd.

KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN – The inside story of the planning, execution, rousing aftermath, and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers of beer tycoon Alfred “Freddy” Heineken in 1983, which resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for an individual. 2015 British-Dutch crime drama directed by Daniel Alfredson based on the 1983 kidnapping of Freddy Heineken. The screenplay, based on the 1987 book by Peter R. de Vries, was written by William Brookfield. The role of Freddy Heineken is played by Anthony Hopkins, with Sam Worthington as Willem Holleeder, Jim Sturgess as Cor van Hout, Ryan Kwanten as Jan Boellaard, Thomas Cocquerel as Martin Erkamps and Mark van Eeuwen as Frans Meijer.

KILL SWITCH (also known as Redivider) –  A pilot battles to save his family and the planet after an experiment for unlimited energy goes wrong. 2017 American-Dutch science fiction film, directed by Tim Smit in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Charlie Kindinger and Omid Nooshin. It stars Dan Stevens, Bérénice Marlohe, Tygo Gernandt, Charity Wakefield, Bas Keijzer, Mike Libanon, and Mike Reus.

KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – Robbed of his birth right, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy – whether he likes it or not. Epic / Action / Adventure / Drama / Fantasy / Historical / 2017 / Writers: Guy Ritchie, Joby Harold and Lionel Wigram / Director: Guy Ritchie / Cast:  Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen, and Eric Bana

THE KINGDOM – A team of U.S. government agents are sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East. 2007 / Action / Drama / Thriller / Writer: Matthew Michael Carnahan / Director: Peter Berg / Cast: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – After the Kingsman’s headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, an allied spy organisation in the United States is discovered. These two elite secret organisations must band together to defeat a common enemy. Action / Adventure / Spy / Comedy / Sequel / 2014 / Writers: Jane Goldman, Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons / With Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Edward Holcroft, Hanna Alström, Sophie Cookson,  Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, Elton John, Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges.

THE KITCHEN – The wives of Irish mobsters take over organized crime operations in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen in the late 1970s, after the FBI arrests their husbands. 2019 American crime film written and directed by Andrea Berloff in her directorial debut. It is based on the DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth MossThe film also features Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Common, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.

THE LAST WITCH HUNTER – The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history. Action / Adventure / Fantasy / 2015 / Writers: Cory Goodman, Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless / Director: Breck Eisner / Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood

LAYER CAKE – A successful cocaine dealer in London, played by Daniel Craig, wishes to leave the drug business when he two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement. 2004 British crime film directed by Matthew Vaughn, in his directorial debut. The screenplay was adapted by J. J. Connolly from his 2000 novel of the same name. The film also features Tom Hardy, Colm Meaney, and Sienna Miller.

LONDON HAS FALLEN – In London for the Prime Minister’s funeral, Mike Banning is caught up in a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders. Action / Thriller / Disaster / 2016 / Writers: Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, Chad St. John and Christian Gudegast / Director: Babak Najafi / Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman

THE LONE RANGER – Native American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice. Memories of the duo’s earliest efforts to subdue local villainy and bring justice to the American Old West. Action / Adventure / Western / 2013 / Writers: Justin Haythe, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio / Director: Gore Verbinski / Cast: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, Ruth Wilson, James Badge Dale, Tom Wilkinson and Helena Bonham Carter

THE LOST CITY OF Z – A true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s. A 2016 American biographical adventure drama film written and directed by James Gray, based on the 2009 book of the same name by David Grann. It stars Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett; Robert Pattinson as his fellow explorer Henry Costin, Sienna Miller as his wife, Nina Fawcett; and Tom Holland as his son, Jack.

MAD MAX FILMS

  • MAD MAX – In a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang. Action / Adventure / Science-fiction / Dystopian / Thriller / Australian / 1979 / Writer: James McCausland / Director: George Miller / Cast: Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, and Roger Ward
  • MAD MAX 2 (released as The Road Warrior in the United States) In the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline-rich community escape a horde of bandits. Action / Adventure / Science-fiction / Dystopian / Thriller / Sequel / 1981 / Writers: Terry Hayes · Brian Hannant · Byron Kennedy / Director: George Miller / Cast: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence
  • MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME – After being exiled from the most advanced town in post-apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town’s queen. Action / Adventure / Science-fiction / Dystopian / Thriller / Sequel / 1985 / Writers: Terry Hayes · Byron Kennedy / Director: George Miller / Cast: Mel Gibson, Tina Turner

THE MAN WITH THE IRON HEART – In 1942, the Czech resistance in London sends two young recruits to Prague to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the most ruthless Nazi leader who is the Reich-protector, head of the SS and the Gestapo, and the architect of the Final Solution. Action / Thriller / Historical / Biographical / 2017 /  Writers: David Farr, Audrey Diwan, and Cédric Jimenez / based on French writer Laurent Binet’s novel HHhH / Director / Cédric Jimenez / Cast: Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Jack O’Connell, Jack Reynor, and Mia Wasikowska

MEGAN LEVY – (also known as Rex) A 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, based on the true events about a young female Marine named Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex. The film stars Kate Mara as the titular character, with Edie Falco, Common, Ramón Rodríguez, and Tom Felton in supporting roles.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE FILMS

  • MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization. He is on a mission to uncover ‘the mole’ who has framed him for the murders of most of his Impossible Missions Force (IMF) team. Action / Adventure / Thriller / Spy / 1996 / Writers: David Koepp,  Robert Towne / Director: Brian de Palma / Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight
  • MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 (M:I-2) – Ethan Hunt is tasked by the Impossible Missions Force to find a dangerous biological weapon called “Chimera” from rogue IMF agent Sean Ambrose with the help of love interest. . Action / Adventure / Thriller / Spy  / 2000/ Writer: Robert Towne / Director: John Woo /  Cast: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton
  • MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3 (M:I-3) Ethan Hunt is sent back into action to track down the elusive arms dealer Owen Davian, who is looking for a mysterious toxic weapon called the ‘Rabbit’s foot’. Action / Adventure / Thriller / Spy / 2006 / Writers: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci / Director: J. J. Abrams / Cast:  Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup
  • MISSION IMPOSSIBLE -GHOST PROTOCOL – Hunt and his team race against time to find a nuclear extremist codenamed ‘Cobalt’ who gains access to Russian nuclear launch codes when a mission by Hunt’s team goes wrong, resulting in the bombing of the Kremlin. The IMF is implicated in the bombing, forcing the President to enact “Ghost Protocol”, disavowing the organization, leaving Hunt and his team without backup. Action / Adventure / Thriller / Spy / 2011 / Writers: Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec / Director: Brad Bird / Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Anil Kapoor and Léa Seydoux.
  • MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT – Ethan Hunt and his team must track down missing plutonium while being monitored by the Apostles after a mission goes wrong. Action / Adventure / Thriller / Spy / 6th Instalment / 2018 /  Writer: Bruce Geller / D: Christopher McQuarrie / C: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin,  Henry Cavill, Vanessa Kirby and Angela Bassett.

MORTAL ENGINES – In a post-apocalyptic world where cities have been mounted on wheels and motorised, and practice municipal Darwinism, consuming each other to survive, two strangers come together to stop a sinister and destructive conspiracy. Action / Adventure / Dystopian / Post-Apocalyptic / 2018 / Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson / Based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Philip Reeve / Director: Christian Rivers / Cast: Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide, and Stephen Lang.

THE NICE GUYS – Set in 1977 Los Angeles,  a private eye and a tough enforcer team up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. Action / Comedy / Neo-Noir / 2016 / Writers: Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi / Director: Shane Black / Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David and Kim Basinger.

THE NOVEMBER MAN – An ex-C.I.A. operative is brought back in on a very personal mission and finds himself pitted against his former pupil in a deadly game involving high-level C.I.A. officials and the Russian President-elect. 2014 spy action thriller film based on the novel There Are No Spies by Bill Granger, which is the seventh installment in The November Man novel series, published in 1987. A British-American production, it stars Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey and Olga Kurylenko, with Bill Smitrovich and Will Patton also appearing, with the screenplay written by Michael Finch and Karl Gajdusek. The film is directed by Roger Donaldson

THE NUMBERS STATION – A disgraced black ops agent is dispatched to a remote CIA broadcast station to protect a code operator. Soon, they find themselves in a life-or-death struggle to stop a deadly plot before it’s too late.2013 American action thriller film, starring John Cusack and Malin Åkerman.

OCEAN’S 8 – A group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Ross and Olivia Milch. It features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.

RUNNING SCARED – A low-ranking mafioso is ordered to get rid of a gun used to kill corrupt cops and finds himself in a race against time when the gun ends up in the wrong hands. Action / Thriller / Violence / 2006 / Writer and director: Wayne Kramer (South African filmmaker) / Cast: Paul Walker, Cameron Bright, Chazz Palminteri

PARKER – Parker, a thief, is double-crossed by his crew members, who leave him to die. However, he survives and decides to settle scores with them, with the help of an unlikely ally. Action / Thriller / 2013 / Writer: John J. McLaughlin / Director: Taylor Hackford / Cast: Jason Statham, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Lopez

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES – Five sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies. Action / Comedy / Horror / Parody / 2016 / Writer and director: Burr Steers /Based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which parodies the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen / Cast: Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey.

PROUD MARY Mary is a hit woman working for an organized crime family in Boston, whose life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes bad. 2018 American action thriller film directed by Babak Najafi, from a screenplay written by John S. Newman and Christian Swegal. The film stars Taraji P. Henson, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Billy Brown, Danny Glover, Neal McDonough, Xander Berkeley, Margaret Avery.

READY PLAYER ONE – Set in 2045, much of humanity uses the virtual world OASIS to escape the real world. When the creator of a virtual reality called the OASIS dies, he makes a posthumous challenge to all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune and control of his world. Action / Adventure / Science-fiction / 2018 / Writers: Zak Penn and Ernest Cline / based on Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name / Director: Steven Spielberg / Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg, and Mark Rylance

ROBIN HOOD – In twelfth-century England, Robin Longstride and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. Action / Adventure / History / 2010 / Writer: Brian Helgeland / Director: Ridley Scott / Cast: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Mark Addy, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston, Eileen Atkins, and Max von Sydow.

SANCTUM – An underwater cave diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world. Action / Adventure / Drama / Thriller / 2011 / Writers: John Garvin and Andrew Wight / Director: Alister Grierson / Cast: Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie, and Ioan Gruffudd.

SELF/LESS – A business tycoon and billionaire named Damian Hale is diagnosed with a terminal illness. However, he manages to save his life with the aid of Professor Albright, who transfers Hale’s consciousness into a new, younger body. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode, Victor Garber, Derek Luke, and Ben Kingsley. 2015 American science fiction action thriller film directed by Tarsem Singh, produced by Ram Bergman and James D. Stern and written by Alex and David Pastor.

SLEEPLESS – The film stars Jamie Foxx as a police officer who faces off against mobsters who have kidnapped his son. 2017 American action thriller film directed by Baran bo Odar from a screenplay by Andrea Berloff. A remake of the 2011 French thriller Sleepless Night.  Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Gabrielle Union, and Scoot McNairy also star.

SPY – A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster. 2015 American spy action comedy film written and directed by Paul Feig. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, and Jude Law.

STRAW DOGS – Los Angeles screenwriter David Sumner relocates with his wife Amy to her hometown in the deep South. There, while tensions build between them, a brewing conflict with locals, especially Amy’s former boyfriend, becomes a threat to them both, leading to an extremely violent confrontation. Action / Thriller / Drama / Violence / Remake / 2011 / Writer and director: Rod Lurie / Based on the Gordon Williams novel The Siege of Trencher’s Farm / Cast: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgård

STUBER – 2019 American buddy cop action-comedy film directed by Michael Dowse and written by Tripper Clancy. Its plot follows a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) who picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer. Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, and Karen Gillan also star.

S.W.A.T : UNDER SEIGE – A SWAT compound comes under fire from an international terrorist who relentlessly and violently pursues a mystery man who was apprehended by Seattle SWAT after a raid went horribly wrong. Action / Thriller / 2017 / Writers: Jonas Barnes, Keith Domingue and Robert Hamner / Director: Tony Giglio / Cast: Sam Jaeger, Adrianne Palicki, Michael Jai White

UNDERWATER – A crew of oceanic researchers working for a deep sea drilling company try to get to safety after a mysterious earthquake devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility located at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Stars: Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, Mamoudou Athie and T.J. Miller. 2020 American science fiction action horror film directed by William Eubank. Writers:  Brian Duffield and Adam Cozad

UNDERWORLD FILMS

  • UNDERWORLD – Selene, a vampire warrior, is entrenched in a conflict between vampires and werewolves, while falling in love with Michael, a human who is sought by werewolves for unknown reasons. Action / Horror / Vampires / Werewolves / Fantasy / 2003 / Writer: Danny McBride / Director: Len Wiseman / Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Shane Brolly and Bill Nighy.
  • UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION – Vampire warrior Selene and the half werewolf Michael hunt for clues to reveal the history of their races and the war between them. Action / Horror / Vampires / Werewolves / Fantasy / Sequel / 2003 / Writer: Danny McBride / Director: Len Wiseman / Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman and Bill Nighy.
  • UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS  – An origins story centred on the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. Action / Horror / Vampires / Werewolves / Fantasy / Origin / prequel to the 2003 film / 2009 / Writers: Danny McBride, Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain / Director: Patrick Tatopoulos / Cast: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, and Kevin Grevioux.
  • UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS – Vampire death dealer Selene fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. Action / Horror / Vampires / Werewolves / Fantasy / sequel to Underworld: Awakening / 2016 / Writer: Cory Goodman / Based on characters created by Kevin Grevioux / Director: Anna Foerster / Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Lara Pulver, Tobias Menzies, Peter Andersson, Bradley James,  James Faulkner, Clementine Nicholson, Daisy Head, Oliver Stark, and Charles Dance.

WANTED– A frustrated office worker discovers that he is the son of a professional assassin, and that he shares his father’s superhuman killing abilities. He is the son of a professional assassin and decides to join the Fraternity, a secret society in which his father worked. Action / Thriller / Crime / 2008 / Writers: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, and Chris Morgan / loosely based on the comic book miniseries by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones / Director: Timur Bekmambetov / Cast: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, and Angelina Jolie

WELCOME TO THE PUNCH – When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he’s always been after. Action / Crime / Thriller / 2013 / Writer and director: Eran Creevy / Cast: James McAvoy, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseborough

WILD CARD – When a Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal skills and a gambling problem gets in trouble with the mob, he has one last play…and it’s all or nothing. He goes after the sadistic thug who beat his friend, only to find that the object of his wrath is the son of a powerful mob boss. Action / Thriller / 2015 / Writer: William Goldman / Based on the 1985 novel Heat / Director: Simon West / Cast: Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Milo Ventimiglia, Hope Davis, and Stanley Tucci

by ·Comments Off on Bullet Train – A fun action-thriller with crazy, bombastic characters

For director David Leitch, who previously brought style and flair to such movies as Deadpool 2, the chance to direct a movie that was unlike any other presented an unmissable opportunity. He was attracted to the boldness and originality of Bullet Train: “That’s the kind of movie I like to make. It has a tone of relentless fun and snappy dialogue. But the most important thing to me was that it had well-defined characters that gave the actors a lot to chew on. It’s a fun action-thriller with crazy, bombastic characters – and it’s a meditation on fate. Really.”

In Bullet Train, directed by David Leitch from a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz, based on the book by Kotaro Isaka, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train. 

Ladybug is an intuitive and skilled but burnt-out operative whose string of bad luck has taken its toll on him. Cajoled into taking what sounds like an easy pick-up job, he unwittingly stumbles into a vipers nest of the most notorious elite assassins in the game. 

“Ladybug is going through an existential crisis,” says Brad Pitt, who stars as an assassin just trying to do his job peacefully in the comedic action thriller Bullet Train. “Too many of his recent jobs have gone sideways and he’s starting to think that the one thing all of those jobs have had in common is him. He thinks he’s brought bad luck to every aspect of his life – it’s affected his work, and he’s trying to find a way to turn it around through peaceful resolution.”

Brad Pitt and David Leitch

Leitch had gained Pitt’s trust by serving as his stunt double on several of the actor’s classics – Fight Club, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Troy, and more – before making his mark as a director. Pitt knew he’d be in safe hands. “It was a little funny to me, watching Brad play a stuntman in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. I can tell you that the relationship between actor and stuntman that was part of that movie is real,” says Leitch. “You develop a close and collaborative relationship. We went in different directions for a while, but fate wasn’t done with us, and I’m so glad it’s brought us back together.”

“You may think Brad Pitt and not necessarily think comedy, but he’s a very smart comedic actor who makes great choices with his physicality and delivery,” says Leitch. “More importantly, Brad plays Ladybug in a way where you do care about him.  He thinks he’s unlucky, but really his luck pays itself forward and proves to be good luck that rubs off on everybody else.”  

Bullet Train brings together seven characters, all with connected, conflicting, and at times, confusing objectives

“Fate brings these people onto this train, and their energies combine in the craziest, most gonzo way possible,” says producer Kelly McCormick, who is Leitch’s partner both professionally as a producer and in life as his wife. “It was important to David to make a film that would invest you emotionally. When he saw his opportunity to do that, with these characters, he was all in.”

“All of these characters show their humanity,” says Leitch. “Ladybug wants to be a better person. But you also see it in the characters played by Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in their brotherhood – they clearly care for each other. Joey King’s character is a sociopath, but she has a dynamic with her father that we can all connect with. You can go on this journey with these remorseless killers and still feel for them, have fun, laugh at the jokes.”

That makes it a movie that fits squarely into Leitch’s vision as a director. “It’s hard these days to strike out and make an original movie – not a sequel or a superhero story – but we’re up for the challenge,” Leitch continues. Through his company 87North, Leitch is seeking to bring his own personal stamp to action movies and the way action is portrayed. Having entered the business as a stuntman, and rising to become a stunts supervisor and choreographer before staking a groundbreaking directorial style with the films Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and John Wick, Leitch says that there are boundless opportunities to stretch the action genre. “There’s action in comedy, there’s action in thrillers, there’s action in horror,” he says. “My entire adult life has been action on film. Action is in my DNA. So I’m excited by the idea of taking big, provocative swings and making bold choices, as we keep it action-adjacent.”

Bullet Train is based on the book by Kotaro Isaka, one of Japan’s most popular and acclaimed mystery authors

Two of the film’s executive producers, Yuma Terada and Ryosuke Saegusa, are co-founders of the Tokyo-based management company CTB, whose mission is to bring contemporary Japanese storytelling to Hollywood. It was their idea to adapt Bullet Train as a film with a highly diverse cast as assassins from all over the world, with a stylized Japan backdrop, and they fully supported the film Leitch made.

“It was so exciting to watch the stellar cast bring such energy and passion to this story,” says Isaka, the author of the book. “This unique vision of Japan is utterly surprising and so much fun – it made me very happy to see it, and I know audiences will feel the same way.”

For screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, who adapts the novel, bringing out the theme of fate was an important part of the adaptation. “I really responded to that,” he says. “Ladybug views his bad luck as a curse, but it’s actually a catalyst of good luck for other people.”

In fact, it’s Ladybug’s bad luck that has made him an expert in his field. “Something does always seem to go wrong in the craziest ways, and he has to react on the fly, which ultimately makes him very effective,” says Olkewicz. “The irony is that because he’s able to react when something goes awry, Ladybug is better than everybody else on the train.”

Zak Olkewicz

Creating meaningful arcs for seven characters was one thing. Just keeping track of where each of them are on the train was another. “At one point, my whiteboard looked like I was tracking a serial killer,” recalls Olkewicz with a laugh. “There were so many lines of string denoting everyone’s movements on the train at any given time. It was the only way to ensure everyone knew where people were.”

To create the adventure, Leitch’s design team created a heighted reality inside and outside the train. “Part of the fun was creating the environments that we wanted to be in,”says Leitch. “A lounge car, a quiet car, a Momomon car… We were driven by the idea that these were all places where we could do something different, but as it turns out, all of this research led to special discoveries that led not only to bold design choices, but character and plot. It’s more than just a place to walk through. They’re little journeys, little miracles.”

To create Bullet Train’s unique vision of Japan as seen through the train’s windows, the team started by capturing the Japanese countryside between Tokyo and Kyoto. With this high-definition footage in hand, Leitch’s design team built each of the cars of the train – the quiet car, the café car, the themed Momomon car – on soundstages, projecting Japan outside the train windows on LED screens. “Normally, you’d do this through visual effects. You’d put up a blue screen and comp the plates in later,” Leitch explains. “With the LED screens hung along a hundred meters of train, we could shoot the train journey in-camera while we were on the train. It’s called virtual production and I think it was a huge benefit to the actors and their performances.”

Of course, in the movie, it’s meant to be a stylized version of Japan. When you see the movie, expect something different. “This is Bullet Train world,” says Leitch. “We’re making a modern fable about fate, so it’s fitting to immerse you in a story where you escape to that world. It’s filled with wish fulfilment and heightened characters. We defy physics.”

The Writers

A California native, Zak Olkewicz’s (Screenplay) first spec screenplay Ink & Bone landed on the 2013 Blacklist after being preemptively sold to Dimension Films.  From there, he quickly sold the original horror pitch Elimination to Fox Searchlight/21 Laps, adapted the Boom! Studios comic Malignant Man for Fox, wrote an adaptation of the novel Time Salvager for Paramount with Di Bonaventura producing for Michael Bay to direct, as well as an adaptation of the Stephen King short story The Monkey for James Wan’s Atomic Monster, to name a few.

Olkewicz recently helped the Fear Street trilogy become a hit for Netflix, has an adaptation of the novel Influx in the works at Sony, and co-wrote Amblin’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter, with Andre Ovredal directing, which comes out Summer 2023.

KOTARO ISAKA (Based on the Book by) is the best-selling and award-winning author of Bullet Train(2010). A leading voice of contemporary Japanese fiction, Isaka has authored Audubon’s Prayer (2000), Lush Life (2002), Golden Slumber (2007), The Rest is Vacation (2012), Seesaw Monster (2019), and Gyaku Sokuratesu (2020), among others. Isaka’s books have been published in eighteen languages and have been the basis of film or television productions in four languages. Isaka is represented by CTB Inc.

by ·Comments Off on Thor: Love and Thunder – A new frontier for the God of Thunder

“One of the cool things about Marvel films is this ability to embrace various genres within a single film,” says filmmaker Taika Waititi. “It keeps audiences guessing, and the characters within these different genres then feel different all the time. When we came up with Thor: Love and Thunder, we knew the fans would really freak out about it, and it really does suggest a lot of what the film is about.”

For Waititi, a native New Zealander, who made his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) directorial debut with 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, the third instalment of Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder was a departure for the God of Thunder.

“I don’t think it’s far-fetched to expect a change in a character like Thor,” says Waititi. “He’s been around for a long time, so there’s time for him to go through different phases. I was relieved when I knew how high he was testing in the ‘Ragnarok’ screenings, but it was also a sense of pride that we’d managed to reinvent this character in a way that made the film do well but also made people want to see more of him. Waititi directed the film from a screenplay he crafted with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

Since 2011, Thor has appeared in seven MCU features as well as Marvel Studios’ “What If …?” animated series, becoming the first character to lead four franchise films.

To fans around the world, Chris Hemsworth simply is Thor and, yet, he still feels compelled to explore and evolve his role. “There was a huge amount of pressure coming into this,” admits Hemsworth. “Thor is the only character to make a fourth film so far, so I wanted to do something different. I want to always do better with this character.”

“What sets this movie apart is that, at its heart, it’s a love story,” says producer Brian Chapek. “We’ve seen Thor grow so much over the years. After the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ we started to see cracks in his armour. He started to feel some ownership over all the people he’s lost in his life.”

On his search for meaning, Thor makes a stunning discovery: Jane Foster, his ex-girlfriend and a world-renowned astrophysicist, has proven herself worthy of wielding his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor — a transformation that masks a very personal battle.

Natalie Portman, who portrayed Jane Foster in 2011’s “Thor” and 2013’s “Thor: The Dark World,” was thrilled about her return to the MCU. “Taika came over to my house to talk because I’d been out of the Marvel world for a while,” says Portman. “When he explained how Jane would become the Mighty Thor, it was fascinating to consider what that experience could be like. Working on the film was a really exciting challenge because it was so improvisatory, and Taika really keeps you on your toes.”

“To bring her back in this new iteration, in this storyline from ‘The Mighty Thor’ in which Jane Foster becomes a Super Hero, is exciting,” says Waititi. “It’s brilliant to see Natalie in a way that we don’t expect. She’s such a great actor, and in keeping with reinventing this franchise again and again, we didn’t want to go back to seeing her in the same role. We don’t want to see her just being a scientist on Earth waiting for Thor.”

(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.

“Jane is a really interesting character because she’s human, but she gets this amazing power,” says Chapek. “How is she going to deal with having that power? I think audiences are going to be able to relate to Jane and her journey in a really meaningful way because she is a mortal who is dealing with very human issues.”

“Thor: Love and Thunder” also reveals more about Jane and Thor’s relationship and eventual breakup, allowing both Hemsworth and Portman to showcase their comedic chops. “Natalie was hugely enthusiastic and up for anything collaborative, with a great sense of humor,” says Hemsworth. “This is a very different direction for the character, so it was like a rebirth. She was down for it. It was so much fun.”

In Thor: Love and Thunder the God of Thunder embarks on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced — one of self-discovery. But his efforts are interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher, who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who — to Thor’s surprise — inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they venture out on a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Love is a resounding theme that carries throughout Thor: Love and Thunder

“‘Thor: Love and Thunder feels similar to Ragnarok in terms of tone and style, but we wanted to double down on how vibrant and crazy the worlds are and the situations we put Thor in,” says Waititi. “Because when you’re dealing with outer space and a Viking, if you run and embrace that incredible combination as the thing that powers the story, you’re only really limited by your imagination.”

“If Ragnarok was a 1980s synth-pop album, ‘Love and Thunder’ is a metal album,” says producer Brad Winderbaum. “We knew we wanted a title that would evoke a 1980s rock ‘n’ roll feeling. And ‘Love and Thunder’ just seemed to do that.”

“At Marvel Studios, every film is a new frontier,” says Winderbaum. “We want to make something exciting and new, and we want to delve even deeper into these characters. Thor is a very existential character, and one of the things audiences will see in Thor: Love and Thunder is not just a hero who’s funny, who gets out of situations using his wit and charisma, but a guy who feels very deeply.”

Love is featured in the title, felt throughout the story and soaked into every frame of “Thor: Love and Thunder” owing to a stellar cast and crew who devoted 89 days to the Australia-based production beginning January 2021.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Thunderstruck

When Thor first appears in “Avengers: Endgame,” he’s clearly experiencing an existential crisis, having recently suffered a series of brutal blows. He’s lost family and friends, his home of Asgard, Mjolnir and his battle with Thanos — not to mention his god-like physique.

He’s also lost his will to lead, as King of New Asgard, and after Iron Man’s snap restores the Universe, Thor bestows his title upon Valkyrie and hitches a ride with the Guardians of the Galaxy. “Thor travels off with the Guardians and — much to their discomfort and irritation — plants himself firmly in the centre of their posse and tries to dictate how things should be run,” says Hemsworth.

Waititi says he takes inspiration from the film’s main character. “I really feel like Thor, more than any other character in the MCU, lends himself towards big, inventive, colourful creatures from different worlds,” says Waititi. “He has a casualness and a sort of swagger about him when he encounters these aliens. I really feel like we’re making it a funnier, bigger adventure with even cooler characters and a really kickass soundtrack.”

But no matter the size of his conquests, Thor’s internal void is even bigger. He declares his Super Hero days over and sets out to discover the man he’s truly meant to be. “Most people who are trying to find themselves are running away from something,” says Winderbaum. “What he’s running from is love because, in his experience, everyone he loves dies. Whether or not he can articulate it, he believes he’s cursed.”

(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 joins the MCU as the terrifying antagonist

Unfortunately, Thor’s seclusion is short-lived, as a terrifying new foe threatens to upend the galaxy. Gorr the God Butcher has waged a war on the gods, killing them one by one with a weapon of immense, dark power.

Thor has faced off against countless enemies — from Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, to his sister Hela, the Goddess of Death, to Thanos, the Mad Titan — but filmmakers chose to raise the stakes even higher in “Thor: Love and Thunder.” “We needed to step up from Hela and find a villain who was somehow even more formidable,” says Waititi, “and we found that in Gorr, who is played by the remarkable Christian Bale.”

Once a peaceful, pious man, a crushing loss propels Gorr on a mission fueled by his desperate need for revenge. “Gorr played by the rules, and so when he realizes he’s been betrayed by the gods, he’s overtaken by a rage that hits such a fever pitch that he gains an evil, ancient power and sets out to rid the universe of these gods, who don’t take care of their humans,” says Winderbaum.

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

“There’s so much drama and insanity around Gorr, but Christian Bale managed to pull the focus right into each moment,” says Hemsworth. “You can’t take your eyes off him.

The character is fascinating because like all good villains, Gorr has a point. He may not be going about it the right way, but there’s empathy in the script and Christian brought so many more layers and so much more depth to Gorr.”

As Gorr blazes a deadly trail through the galaxy, Thor appeals to his allies, and his own ego, to put aside any differences and take up arms. The team even attempts to enlist the support of the legendary king of the gods, Zeus, played by Russell Crowe. Zeus spends his days living in excess and seems oblivious to the growing number of gods gone missing.

Thor will need all the help he can get to contend with the God Butcher. “Gorr is on a scorched-earth policy, and so what we have in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ are our heroes trying to stop a killer before he strikes again, travelling the cosmos, deducing where he’s going to strike next and racing to protect his next victim,” says Winderbaum


by ·Comments Off on The Contractor – A character-driven action thriller with a deep, emotional core and a marked political subtext

Director Tarik Saleh believes that screenwriter J.P Davis has done something unique with his screenplay for The Contractor. “He has managed to create something that is appealing and important at the same time. A trojan horse. It deals with large themes. The American Dream, patriotism and the moral corruption of the soul – What happens when we’re being misled?’

“We’re still living the consequences of what seems to be an endless war,” says Saleh, a director, screenwriter and producer who got his start in the mid-1980s as one of Sweden’s most acclaimed graffiti artists and made his directorial debut with Sacrificio – Who betrayed Che Guevara?

“I was shooting a doc at the Pentagon April 9, 2003, the day Sadam’s statue fell. I remember standing just meters away from Rumsfeld declaring victory. It was a scary moment for me. I remembered what my uncle had told me just a month before: “When Sadam falls, that is when the real war starts – that is when people have something to die for.”  I wish he would have been wrong. That was nineteen years ago.”

Director Tarik Saleh with Ben Foster during the filming of The Contractor. © 2021 STX Global Financing, LLC. All Rights Reserved 

“Young men and women in the free world being told that there is still a code, a possibility to serve your country, like our fathers did – being sent to a place you couldn’t point out on a map to kill a man, woman or child – that has done nothing. So, there should be tons of movies made about this, right? Where is the “Born on the 4th of July”? Where is the “Platoon”? The “Apocalypse Now”?  “The full metal Jacket”? The three days of the condor?”

“Someone like James (in The Contractor), a classic hero who the system trained to be a killer – that is now being used to kill someone who is doing good, to protect not lives but a corporation who probably doesn’t give a damn about America. The story tells us something new (and true) that the real sacrifice is not the heroic act of giving your life to the flag – but the sacrifice of all of those left behind: who lose a brother, a father, a husband.” 

“My job as a director is to tell the world… Not what they want to hear – but what they need to hear. I’m not making films as steps in a career anymore – every film I make is my last film: this one is for my daughters – to say to them: listen, the world was at this crazy point – but we tried to make sense of it – to tell people: look you’re not crazy, you are not alone feeling lost. Expose the truth so we can do better. Life is too short to make films that don’t matter.”

J.P Davis’ screenplay for The Contractor found its way to Thunder Road, the production company behind Sicario and the John Wick series. “His management sent it to us as a sample of JP’s writing and we fell in love with it,” says producer Basil Iwanyk. “I had a similar reaction when I read Sicario. The details felt so real, the character details, and it had such specificity to it, I said to myself, ‘I want to make this.’ It reminded me of those brooding 70’s films, where there wasn’t a lot of dialogue, there wasn’t a lot of plot, but there’s a lot of atmosphere, a lot of tone, and a lot of character. And I bought into that.”

Taking its name from a military expression used by the US Army and Special Forces, The Contractor  centres on James Harper (Chris Pine), a former Green Beret trying to re-enter the real world after being honourably discharged without his pension. Harper takes a job as a military contractor in Berlin where he finds himself being hunted by the people who employed him.

Chris Pine signed on almost immediately to play James Harper

“In some ways, it’s a deceptive story, a simple story because there’s a thriller aspect, a Bourne aspect to it,” says Pine, “but within that is this very beautiful, primal story of a man facing the big waves of life and trying to figure things out. I knew from the first five pages if it continued on the line I thought, I would be really invested in it, and I was. It felt very, very ancient while also being very, very modern. It’s a very 21st-century view of warfare, that has nothing of the black and white morally monochrome, World War II vision of the world, of good versus evil, this is way beyond that. It is a beautifully simple, well-wrought yarn, but it’s much, much more than that. This is not good versus bad. This is not about killing the bad guy. This is about who you are as a human being, as a man.”

“We’ve seen films about warriors in their 20s and early 30s, we’ve seen aged warriors, but it’s very rare that we see the transition of warrior to once were warrior,” says Iwanyk. “And the painful, banal stuff that happens to you — your ACL tears, or you have injuries to your knees,” notes Iwanyk. “What I loved so much about James was he was a man in transition, trying to figure out who he is, because he’s a generational soldier, his father clearly was a cold, tough man. Said ‘You’re a soldier. This is what you do. His entire identity was in the army. Now he’s out and wondering, Who am I? Who am I fighting for? And why do I fight? What I loved about Chris is that he is at that age of transition himself in a lot of ways. He was the matinee idol and is getting older and he’s realizing, as an actor, I need to test myself. Chris is a very serious guy. He reads two or three newspapers a day. He takes the world very seriously. Now, he’s fun to be around, but he’s in it to win it.”

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“I was reading Yuval Harari [author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind] about the same time I was reading the screenplay,” reveals Pine, “and he talks about one of the things that separate us from all the things with heartbeats, and that is our ability to create a narrative by which to live. And I thought, that’s interesting, that is precisely this man, who was branded with a narrative, branded with a story, branded with a flag. God, family, country. Freedom, democracy, equality. Manifest, destiny, success. Free market capitalism. And this is a story of a man where all of that is burned up and he is just left with the skeleton of himself. For me, it was encapsulated in the first five pages of the screenplay — there is no speaking in the first five pages. The first 30 pages barely have any action. The film’s European in that way. But when the action comes it’s non-stop, stress-inducing. So, it has many of the greatest parts of a Hollywood blockbuster, but we also have our cake and eat it.”

Both Iwanyk and Pine were drawn to the theme of fatherhood, with the screenplay presenting many different ideas of the father-son relationship. “I love movies about fathers and sons. And when all is said and done, this film is about fathers and sons,” says Iwanyk. “This is about James escaping the malicious tradition of his father and realizing that’s not who I am. I do not want to put that on my own son. His father couldn’t figure it out, left the family home and probably killed himself. And so James is looking at himself, asking, ‘Do I have the strength to do what my father couldn’t do? To go home and be a decent father and a good husband.’ It’s about a man being caught between these two worlds.”

“As a man, I am very interested in the genealogy of the care or lack thereof between generations of men, between boys and their fathers,” concurs Pine. “It’s a deep, deep relationship, and the first image you have [in the film] is a father reading a magazine while his son gets tattooed. There’s no malice in it. It’s a way of teaching a young boy about pain. About how we as men teach younger men what it means to be alive, which is there’s harshness, you’ll have to deal with it, figure it out, there’s no coddling. And then to see me with my son in the film, we decided he was this creation of sensitivity, probably not good at sports. He likes to draw. There’s not really judgments to be made there, it’s just visions of care and nurturing amongst men.”

When Saleh read the screenplay for The Contractor, it was an immediate yes. “There was anger in this script that I responded to. After the first 15 pages, I really had an emotional response to the main character. I asked myself: ‘What is he going to do?’ Not ‘What’s going to happen to him?’ ‘What is he going to do?’ Which is a very interesting dramatic question.”

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Working with J.P Davis, Pine and Saleh set about reworking the screenplay

“I come from a documentary background and it was very important to bring a reality to the screenplay,” says Saleh. “So that was my contribution, to make it more grounded. Especially the European part, because I’m European and I know a lot of things about Europe that the American scriptwriter had only seen from the outside.” Originally, the European action was set in Poland but Saleh relocated it to Berlin. “Poland is a very interesting place, but the stakes are not as high as if it’s in Germany. Germany is an ally to America. One of the most important allies in Europe.”

“Germany has more of a Graham Greene vibe,” adds Iwanyk. “Germany evokes danger and espionage. I actually liked the fact it was in Poland. But I think Tarik was right. People will believe something bad could come out of Germany.”

In addition, Saleh had Davis deepen the personal relationships as well as layer in even more political subtext, including the financial struggles military families go through, as well as how soldiers are mistreated once they’re discharged from the army.  “James is a believer. A believer in America and the values,” says Saleh. “And the biggest betrayal of all is that when they come home, they get nothing, they’re forgotten. I spoke to a lot of veterans preparing for the film and it was heart-breaking.”

“This is about a family in middle America, who’s lost their healthcare and pension, they have no home, they might lose the home they’re renting, they have a son to support. What will that family do?” says Pine. “And this man, who has only known warfare his entire adult life, is he really going to go to Home Depot and work a $40,000 job, even though he was probably making about that in the army? Or is he going to make six figures being a private mercenary? The answer is pretty obvious, and he takes it to a real extreme.”

For Pine, the screenplay also shone a very important light on a horrific but little-known statistic regarding the US military. “Another reason why I was very invested in this story is that the country in which I live has been waging a war for nearly 20 years, men and women are still dying in that war, and yet news about these deaths is now relegated to the inside pages of newspapers. They’re not even on the news anymore,” he reveals. “And more soldiers are killing themselves than are dying on the battlefield. That is alarming.”

Screenwriter J.P Davis

J.P. Davis is an American is an American screenwriter, director, and actor. Davis’ first screenplay was Fighting Tommy Riley. William Goldman was one of the first people to read the script and he mentored and encouraged Davis to move to Los Angeles and make the film. Davis procured a micro budget to shoot Fighting Tommy Riley. Fighting Tommy Riley premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and then went on to play at the Hamptons Film Festival (where it won the Kodak Award) and at the San Francisco Film Festival. The film opened theatrically in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco. JP most recently wrote the screenplay for Lionsgate’s The Plane which stars Gerard Butler and begins shooting in July 2021. Davis was born and raised in New York City. He’s a graduate of The Berkshire School and of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Director Tarik Saleh

Director, screenwriter and producer Tarik Saleh (b. 1972) got his start in the mid 1980s as one of Sweden’s most acclaimed graffiti artists. His mural Fascinate from 1989 is the first graffiti mural to be protected by the Swedish state as a cultural heritage, and is one of the world’s oldest existing graffiti paintings.    In 2001, he made his directorial debut with Sacrificio – Who betrayed Che Guevara? together with Erik Gandini. Saleh again teamed up with Gandini for Gitmo (2005), a documentary about the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Both documentaries won several awards and sparked international debate. Saleh moved on to create the critically acclaimed Metropia (2009), a dystopian computer animated drama that landed him several prestigious awards and nominations, among them the Future Film Festival Digital Award at the Venice Film Festival.

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The year 2017 saw the premiere of his latest feature film, The Nile Hilton Incident, which won him the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and  became a great success, winning numerous awards including  ‘Best Film’ at the Guldbagge Awards (Sweden’s Oscar equivalent).

Saleh runs one of Sweden’s most innovative production companies: Atmo and has stayed active in his home market of Stockholm and abroad.  He is currently writing and directing with the “House of Cards” creator, Beau Willimon, a show on the Saudi Arabian Royal dynasty, which will be tonally like “The Sopranos”.

by ·Comments Off on The Batman -Gotham City’s vigilante detective brings justice to the abuse of power and corruption

When writer-director Matt Reeves embarked upon his own journey into the Batman canon, he was thrilled by the idea of working with the icon that has lived for over eight decades in comic books and graphic novels—and taking him back to his earliest roots.  Penned with screenwriter Peter Craig, Reeves’ screenplay for The Batman exists in its own carved-out portion of the DC filmdom, unconnected to previously (or soon-to-be) explored territory within the Multiverse.

Reeves did not want to start with an origin story, but with a young Batman

“To see the arc of him pushing to become better,” says Reeves. “So, we’ve taken that Batman and are having him solve a mystery in such a way that is not an origin tale, but refers to his origins, shaking him to his core.”

Peter Craig says he and Reeves “wanted Gotham to be entirely alive, with the remnants of its corrupt history everywhere.  One of the most exciting things about working on this was getting to experience Matt’s visual talent—and then having [production designer] James Chinlund on the other end of a speakerphone, fleshing out ideas and sending us images.  We had the advantage of working with those pictures in front of us: Batman standing at the edge of an unfinished skyscraper, or Gotham Square seen from a perch above.  While leaning into that style, we still wanted to sidestep its deeper cynicism.  We saw Gotham like Bruce Wayne did: a dangerous and troubled place, but a place worth saving.”

“Batman started as a detective,” says Reeves, “so, to find a way to go back to that, to strip away the fantasy aspect of a DC Super Hero but to still have him be aspirational, was a really exciting idea.  I always find that, with genre work, the important thing for me is to find a personal avenue in, and Batman stories allow that.  We wanted to make him someone whose real superpower is that he will endure anything to do what he has to do.”

The Batman,” which stars Robert Pattinson in the titular role, is both an epic, high-octane action film on a massive visual scale and a gritty, edgy and emotional exploration into the twisted inner workings of the mind, all set within an iconic city on the brink.  In Reeves’ Gotham, fear is a tool and, when properly wielded, little else is required to halt the actions of the ill-intentioned, or to drive the fearful to act.  In the hands of a brilliant sleuth with a taste for vengeance and little to live for, something as simple as a mask can be terrifying.

Robert Pattinson in The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

Man, or myth, call him The Batman 

For the last two years, Bruce Wayne has given his life over to the night, and his nights to stalking the crime-riddled streets of Gotham, picking and choosing his petty crime battles and usually winning…often with only the aid of that signal that shines in the darkened sky.  But he’s just one man, after all, and crime of every stripe is everywhere.  And on a night like Halloween, for instance, when all the ghouls come dressed to kill, you never know who is on the prowl, or behind the mask…or what tricks they might have up their sleeve.

At the core of the character is the fact that, according to Reeves, “he connects to people because of the suit, the car, the gadgets, he’s super cool… But he’s not really a superhero; under all of it, he’s a human being and he’s driven to try and make sense of that human side of him.  That he has that heroic drive to make the world better—but face it, he doesn’t do that in a purely altruistic sense—makes the character approachable.”

More than a year of stalking the streets as the Batman (Robert Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City.  With only a few trusted allies—Alfred (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright)—amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens. When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), Oz, aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka The Riddler (Paul Dano).  As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.

The filmmakers also upped the overall stakes with the kind of mystery he placed before the Caped Crusader deepened the appeal

“He’s a detective solving clues left by a serial killer, and it’s very psychological, but also leads to something very emotional,” says the director.

Pattison appreciated the heightened duality of the classically dual role.  He offers, “I had never been interested in doing a superhero movie, it hadn’t been in my periphery at all, but for some reason, Batman always stood out as a very special, separate entity.  In the cultural lexicon, the character feels very individual and holds a lot of symbolic importance.  Then, when I heard Matt was doing it, I just got really excited.  When I finally talked to him, he showed me some of his very early storyboards and that set the tone from something quite radically different; he just had an angle on it that was exciting.  And the Bruce characterization felt different as well.  He’s alone and isolated, as well as compelled to do this thing.  There’s even a kind of hopeless desperation, and that was an interesting interpretation.”

Producer Dylan Clark, who is a longtime partner of Reeves’ and has produced many franchise properties, says of his approach to the film at its conception, “I’ve been doing this over 20 years, and yet working on a movie like ‘The Batman’ takes you to another level.  There is excitement and there is fear because of the history of these characters—it’s humbling to know that Batman has been around for over 80 years.  So, the level of care, precision and focus is huge.  You want this movie and the experience to be the best possible for the audience and the fans, so you have to really ask yourself: are you up to the task of doing something great for the canon of Batman stories that came before?  This is a character we have all loved from childhood and you want to present the audience with a way into this character that hasn’t been seen before.”

Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

Eight decades of The Batman has also produced the most iconic collection of Super-Villains in all of comics, as well as a host of other stalwart figures that populate perhaps the most beloved location in the fandom: Gotham City 

“Gotham is a really scary place,” notes Reeves, “and as a world is incredibly rich for a filmmaker.”

If lifelong sidearm Alfred, portrayed by Andy Serkis, and the GCPD’s James Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright, come with the territory, Reeves found both the lighter and darker side of policymaking as well as policing, with Gotham Mayoral candidate Bella Réal, played by Jayme Lawson, and D.A. Gil Colson, portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard.

Andy Serkis in The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

Serkis was happy to collaborate again with Reeves, stating, “Not only is Matt a fine visual director and great master of using the camera, but he’s got an extraordinary eye for detail and performance.  It always feels like you’re making a very intimate movie with Matt because deep down, the emotional core of the story is what drives Matt as a filmmaker and underpins every decision about the look, the feel, the cinematography.  Everything is done to amplify the emotional truth at the centre of the story.”

Wright was thrilled, revealing he was a Batman fanatic as a child, enthralled by both the comics and the TV series. “One of the things that distinguishes Batman among comic book superheroes is that he lives in a city that’s very recognizable, a city very much like New York City or Chicago,” says Wright. “That makes him grounded in a way that’s relatable.  He is also human, not an extraterrestrial, and inhabits the kind of space that many of us inhabit.  Matt Reeves really built on that in a compelling way in the script and did a lot of due diligence—a deep archaeological dig into Batman—so that the world around him was justified for the audience.”

As Wright read the script, he was trying to justify himself in the role of Gordon and found that the world he created was so palatable that it was relevant to our times.  “It was grounded in a social and political reality that made sense and that aesthetically it felt richly Gothamesque.  There was something about the character of the city that really resonated for me in the writing.”The filmmaker also had a vast rogues’ gallery to choose from—and he didn’t skimp: Colin Farrell is unrecognizable as Reeves’ iteration of crime figure Oz before he fully embraces his better-known alias, The Penguin, and John Turturro is his boss, crime lord Carmine Falcone.  Reeves also handpicked another fan favourite, Selina Kyle, who may or may not be on the side of “right,” but who finds herself frequently by The Batman’s side in the film.”

Zoë Kravitz stars as the steely, slinky femme fatale with her own hidden agenda who is equally enigmatic—and just as recklessly daring—as her newfound partner in crimefighting.  It was the opportunity to work with Reeves that drew the actress to the project.

“Her backstory was very clear in the script,” Kravitz relates, “so, for me it was more about figuring out what happened between then and now—how she’s been able to survive, how she’s ended up where she is now, and why she finds it so important to fight for what she believes in.”  That exploration, along with the famed moniker, sparked an idea.  “The other thing that I brought to Matt was this idea of stray cats.  I think that she is a stray herself, and I think she sees Batman as a stray and that’s where their connection lies.  She really wants to fight for those who don’t have someone else to fight for them and that is where Batman and Selina really connect.”

Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz in The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

She also reveled in the way Reeves had intertwined Selina and The Batman.  “Actually, cat-and-mouse is a great way to describe their relationship,” Kravitz smiles.  “There’s a love-hate thing and the line between love and hate is really very thin.  There is a deep soul connection; even though they see things differently and they come from very different backgrounds, they both believe in justice…though their ideas of what justice is might be a little bit different.  They’re both people who not only fight for what they believe in, but also aren’t afraid to die for what they believe in, and that’s a very rare quality.”

Reeves pits his protagonist against one of Gotham’s greatest and most twisted (and that’s saying something) minds, The Riddler.  But this is not The Riddler who dons bright green duds peppered with question marks; Reeves’ Riddler, played with disturbing intensity by Paul Dano, is as querulous as he is questioning, and his riddles are no laughing matter.

According to Reeves, the film explores the parallels between Bruce Wayne and the villains he pursues.  “The Riddler is a serial killer whose motivation is gradually revealed: to expose these supposedly legitimate Gotham figures who turn out to be corrupt.  Batman and The Riddler share a philosophical view of the city and of crime and corruption; Batman is drawn to the edge and comes close to it—the struggle to do the right thing is always alive.”

“The Riddler is an iconic, mythic character,” says Reeves, “He needed to be larger than life, he needed to be grand in his use of puzzles and cyphers to taunt and tease and lead this city, and Batman in particular, toward this message that he’s trying to reveal about why this city is this corrupt.  It’s almost as if he’s saying, ‘I have the answer and I am going to show it to you, but to get there I’m going to torture you and scare you to death.’”

As well as falling for the script, Dano responded to Matt Reeves’ infusion of psychological and emotional suffering on the main characters, and the effects of that.  “Matt and I talked a lot about the two sides of trauma, and that really spoke to me,” says the actor.  “Bruce Wayne has lost his parents and responds to his trauma by trying to do something good with that pain.  And you have the trauma of Edward Nashton, who has suffered in his own way and takes that pain and thinks he’s doing something good, but it is misguided.  That felt like a really good way into this villain.  How do you bring a fresh point of view to the idea of the villain?  I think having the emotional backstory be the driving force for that character in the way that Matt had written it, felt good to me.”

Another longtime favourite from the DC Super-Villain lineup featured in “The Batman” is The Penguin.  Also known as Oz, in the movie, he is the proprietor of Gotham’s exclusive nightlife hotspot, The Iceberg Lounge, a meeting place for the city’s underworld.  While this shady crook is known for running his mouth as well as running operations for the city’s top gangster, Carmine Falcone, he definitely has designs on even more.

Completely transforming himself for the role, actor Colin Farrell says the idea of working with Reeves on a new version of a property he loves was an easy “yes.”  Farrell relates, “Matt’s an extraordinary director.  He makes really huge and incredibly entertaining films that always have a very real and significant emotional core to them.  When I heard that he was doing Batman and that there was the opportunity to play Penguin, I was thoroughly intrigued.”

Upon his first read, the actor was hooked.  “The script was extraordinary.  It had incredible depth and every single character seemed to be imbued with a sense of backstory and subtext and a deep emotional and psychological undercurrent.  I thought Matt did an amazing job of creating a sense of danger in this world.  The Gotham of this film feels like a very lawless place, a place of spiritual corruption in a way, and also political corruption and environmental corruption are key narrative elements in this story.”

Colin Farrell as The Penguin in The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

Reeves had shared his inspirations for the character with Farrell when he approached him for the part.  “What was interesting to me about this version of the character we’d written was that he was not yet the Kingpin,” says Reeves.  “He’s on a path to becoming the kingpin, but now is a midlevel gangster who’s underestimated, who’s made fun of.  So I talked with Colin about the idea that you would see the seeds of what he was gonna become, but not yet see that he was that character.  I had thought a lot about gangster movies, like ‘The Long Good Friday’ with Bob Hoskins, and I thought, ‘Oh, I can see that in Oz.’  I also thought about John Cazale, Fredo in ‘The Godfather,’ and the idea continued to form for Oz as being someone who is a showman, people think he’s a little bit of a joke, and he’s kind of this mixture of someone who people make fun of to a degree, but actually, it turns out, that under all of that, he’s a volcano.”

Reeves wanted to lean hard into the early Bob Kane and Bill Finger stories in which Batman was solving crimes as a means of describing Gotham as an incredibly corrupt place 

“I came up with the idea of having the character he is interacting with—the case he is involved with—being a new iteration of The Riddler as a serial killer who is targeting so-called pillars of society,” says Reeves. “And in the wake of the murders, through the crime scenes and cyphers he leaves behind directed at The Batman, The Riddler is revealing the truth about these individuals.  In doing so, I felt that Batman’s journey to solve the case could also serve to uncover for him the history of corruption in Gotham.  And because the cyphers are left for him, it gets personal and rocks him to his core.

“This is not a Batman in control,” he emphasizes.  “This is a Batman in a little bit of a freefall.”

Director Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action-adventure The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

“The idea was to explore the concept of being masked and what it means,” says Reeves. “You have a guy who, at the end of the day, may think he’s mastered himself but is ultimately trying to find meaning in his life after the death of his family.  When he masks himself and he’s in pursuit of this goal, he becomes the shadows.  That complexity is really unique to Batman.”

Reeves cast Pattinson in the role because, he says, “I was keen to show a different side to the character; I wanted him to have almost a recluse rock-and-roll vibe, a cross between Kurt Cobain and Howard Hughes.  Bruce has retreated from being a Wayne and if you see him, it’s like seeing a rock star, but instead of going out and playing gigs at night, his gig is to be Batman. He’s an obsessive guy, and that was one of the things that was exciting to me about Robert Pattinson: he has the intensity to bring that to life.”

Reeves began considering Pattinson for the role while he and co-writer Peter Craig were developing the screenplay.  The filmmaker recalls, “I started thinking I should really look at actors in this age range, and I’d always been a fan of Rob’s.  James Gray, who’s a friend of mine since film school, made a movie called ‘The Lost City of Z,’ and I remember him telling me that he’d cast Rob in the movie.  We always share the cuts of our movies with each other, and when he showed me the movie I had forgotten that he’d cast Rob.  So, when Rob appears in the movie, he has this enormous beard and is unlike any version of Rob you’ve ever seen and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Rob Pattinson; how interesting, he’s a chameleon.

“And then I just started watching a bunch of his movies and every time he was totally different,” Reeves continues.  “One of the movies that somebody suggested I take a look at was ‘Good Time,’ and in that movie, I saw something that, to me, really connected to Batman.  In it you can feel his desperation and you can feel his drive, as well as a level of vulnerability.  I wanted this version of Batman to be driven to be scary, but I also wanted to see his vulnerability; when I saw all the different aspects that Rob brought to his roles, I really felt this could be Rob, and I started writing with him in mind.”

This vision of taking Batman back to the early years to bring about a shift in the character’s emotional and psychological make-up disoriented the actor upon his initial read of the script 

“I couldn’t quite tell why Bruce Wayne felt so radically different,” he says.  “And then I realized it’s because he’s not a playboy in this story.  That is such a key element of previous Batman films, so it does feel really strange.  Bruce is so alone and isolated and that is fascinating.  I knew Matt saw him as a slightly nihilistic character, but there’s something more emotional there, too.  Bruce doesn’t know he’s going to save the day, he doesn’t know if being Batman is going to work, but he’s compelled to do it and he knows that there is no other option.  There’s a kind of desperation to it, which is a little bit different.”

When delving into the core of the character, Pattinson was spurred by the question of “Who is Bruce Wayne?” as opposed to “Who is The Batman?”  “Bruce is quite an obsessive character and I think the concept of Batman has been fermenting for years,” he posits.  “But at this stage, he doesn’t have that much in the way of technology to give him an advantage, just a few layers of bulletproof armour and, as the story goes on, the Batmobile and a few gadgets, but it’s pretty rudimentary.  So, he’s very fallible, but he keeps at it; I think he’s really working out this rage.  I get the impression that he just wants to keep recreating the night where his parents die.”

Robert Pattinson in The Batman. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics

The very definition of insanity, perhaps, for a man on the edge trying to save a city on the brink.

“I think it’s about alter ego and identity,” adds the actor.  “If he puts on the suit, and he believes in it so much, it elevates him as a creature; he isn’t Bruce, he is The Batman.  I wanted him to be less human when he has the suit on; I wanted to get that into his movements.  Bruce is still trying to figure out who exactly Batman is, and that makes for a very reactive version of Batman, and that’s new. 

“That is why the fights he has, seems very personal, too,” he continues.  “The reason why he outmatches these people is because every time he’s fighting a stranger it’s as if they have personally harmed him.  In a way, he’s imagining that his adversary is the person who killed his parents.  Ultimately, that’s not a winning strategy, because if you are fighting too emotionally, you will make mistakes and you’ll lose.  But, I don’t think he cares about surviving at all, he just wants to inflict pain, inflict his form of questionable justice.”

Pattinson appreciated Reeves’ deliberate work, not only on the page but on set, too.  Of the director’s measured approach, he relates, “Matt is incredibly patient.  He’s like a conductor of an orchestra, able to keep the entire story in a macro view in his mind the entire time.  He’s never rushed, he will only move on when he feels like he’s got what he needs.  He isn’t afraid to stray a little from the Batman canon and he definitely made some pretty bold stylistic choices, and that’s exciting.”

Director/Writer/Producer Matt Reeves

Matt Reeves first came to feature film prominence in 2008 as the director of the acclaimed science fiction horror hit Cloverfield, a modestly budgeted film set a domestic record for January release and went on to gross over $175 million dollars worldwide. 

In 2010, Reeves directed Let Me In, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, the film is a remake of the Swedish horror film “Let the Right One In,” about the relationship between a bullied young boy and his new neighbour, a young girl who turns out to be a vampire.

In 2014, Reeves directed the second instalment of the popular Apes franchise, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The critically acclaimed film grossed over $700 million worldwide. In 2017 Reeves wrote and directed the critically acclaimed final chapter of the Apes trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes, grossing over $490 million worldwide since its release.  

In television, Reeves co-created and directed the pilot for the popular series Felicity, and served as executive producer along with partner and co-creator J.J. Abrams.  He is currently the creator and executive producer of NBC’s Ordinary Joe, which debuted in September 2021.

In 2023, Reeves and J.J. Abrams are re-teaming for a new Batman animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader, with DC animated universe veteran Bruce Timm, on HBO Max.

Through his production company, 6th & Idaho, Reeves is currently producing Lift, and the series Twelve Scarves, both for Netflix. Current feature development includes Jo Nesbo’s Macbeth and a remake of the Russian film Sputnik with Village Roadshow. The Human Conditions and The Future are also in development for HBO Max.

Screenwriter Peter Craig

Peter Craig is a screenwriter and crime novelist whose debut feature was Ben Affleck’s The Town.  He went on to write Parts 1 and 2 of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, with Danny Strong, then the adaptation of his own novel, Blood Father, as well as Bad Boys for Life.  In the coming year, his other credits will include Top Gun: Maverick, and The Mother, currently in production.

by ·Comments Off on Belfast – A humorous, tender and intensely personal story

Belfast is a movie straight from writer-director Kenneth Branagh’s own experience. A humorous, tender and intensely personal story of one boy’s childhood during the tumult of the late 1960s in the city of Branagh’s birth.

Jude Hill in Belfast

“‘Belfast is a city of stories,” says Branagh “and in the late 1960s, it went through an incredibly tumultuous period of its history, very dramatic, sometimes violent, that my family and I were caught up in. It’s taken me fifty years to find the right way to write about it, to find the tone I wanted. It can take a very long time to understand just how simple things can be and finding that perspective, years on provides a great focus.”

“As the story percolated inside me, I realised that it was not only about a very recognisable small family group in a stressful situation, facing some big life choices. It was also about a different kind of lockdown, inside the barricades at the end of our street in 1969 and inside the constraints that were tightening around the family as they struggled with the decision about whether to stay or to go. So, some of the circumstances when the story is set reflected and resonated with today’s preoccupations around the pandemic – confinement and concern for the safety of yourself and your family.”

Branagh sat down to write Belfast during the first lockdown of the pandemic in 2020

“The story of my childhood, which inspired the film, has become a story of the point in everyone’s life when the child crosses over into adulthood, where innocence is lost. That point of crossover, in Belfast in 1969, was accelerated by the tumult happening around us all. At the beginning of the film, we experience a world in transition from a kind of idyll – neighbourliness, sunshine and community – which is turned upside down by the arrival of a mob who pass through like a swarm of bees and lay waste to this peace. When they’ve gone, the street is literally ripped up by worried people who now feel they have to barricade themselves against another attack, and that is exactly how I remember it. I remember life turning on its head in one afternoon, almost in slow-motion, not understanding the sound I was hearing, and then turning around and looking at the mob at the bottom of the street and life was never, ever, ever the same again. I felt that there was something dramatic and universal in that event because people might recognise a crossover point in their own lives, albeit not always as heightened by external events.”

(L to R) Actor Caitríona Balfe, actor Jamie Dornan, actor Jude Hill, actor Lewis McAskie, and writer/director Kenneth Branagh on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Looking for a way to describe his approach to the story, Branagh was struck by the way Pedro Almodóvar described his film Pain and Glory

“He called it auto-fiction. It was based on his own life but fictionalised to some degree and that’s what I’ve done here. I’ve written it very much through the eyes of a young boy, Buddy, who is a fictional version of me. He is starting to filter his experiences through exposure to a lot of films and TV and many other imagination-based encounters and stories. Those big-screen images had an enormous impact on the development of my imagination and I wanted to show Buddy having those same experiences. He loves Westerns and Belfast had something of the Western town about it so at times I did feel as if I was writing a Western that was being constructed in Buddy’s mind. The films he is watching have a clear sense of good guy vs bad guy, good vs evil, and he is able to latch onto that as he looks at the bad guy who lives at the end of the street who he sees punching people and who might even have a gun. So, it’s not an accurate version of anyone’s life because it’s the version that’s playing inside Buddy’s head. Through the lens of time, 50 years on, there’s no question that what Buddy sees isn’t precisely what I saw but there’s certainly a poetic truth inside what emerges, which comes out of something authentic and which I think is the stuff of most drama. But always, the point of departure for everything in the film is the imagination of that nine-year-old boy.”

Jude Hill (left) stars as “Buddy” and Jamie Dornan (right) stars as “Pa” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Branagh hopes that audiences will be entertained by Buddy’s story

“There is a certain spirit and a vitality in Belfast that I hope is reflected in the film, along with a very life-affirming humour. I hope people feel the joy and sometimes the sorrows of the city and what happens to the family and that they both recognise it and sympathise with it and understand, by looking at the reflections of other lives, to feel that we are not alone. If that’s what people get from the film, I would be thrilled.”

(L to R) Jamie Dornan as “Pa”, Ciarán Hinds as “Pop”, Jude Hill as “Buddy”, and Judi Dench as “Granny” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Once the screenplay was finished, in the spring of 2020, it moved very swiftly into production

Casting and pre-production took place in the summer and the film was one of the first to be allowed to start shooting, on locations in Northern Ireland and England.

“We tried to find the positive aspects of filming in a pandemic,” says Branagh “and one of them was that because the cast had to live in a bubble, a sense of family was very quickly engendered which was so central to what we were after.”

“I’ve always found something very compelling about seeing great child performers presenting that moment in life where you have to ‘put away childish things’, as the minister says in our film,’ says Branagh. ‘It happens in John Boorman’s Hope and Glory where the Blitz is the background for an accelerated childhood. Christian Bale in Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun was a breathtaking performance. Louis Malle’s Au Revoir Les Enfants is staggering in the way those kids break your heart. And you can tell that all of those films were incredibly personally important to their directors. They were stories they needed to tell, and they all had a significant influence on this one.”

Actor Jude Hill (left) on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rob Youngson/Focus Features

“In Jude Hill,” says Branagh, “we found a boy whose talent was ready to blossom but who was still enjoying himself as an ordinary kid. Playing football was as important to him as making the film and that’s what we wanted. At the same time, he was always very serious about the work, very prepared and very open. I was asking for a curious combination – I wanted him to just be himself and I also wanted him to be able to make all the tiny performance adjustments that I  was also asking for. And he really delivered. He has an extraordinary openness and is so natural in front of the camera that it was sometimes hard to believe this is his first film.”

“The first time I read the script I thought it was great,” says Jude “and then I went and looked up everything in it I didn’t understand, like some of the Belfast slang, because I’m not from Belfast city itself, but I’ve definitely learnt a lot of it now. Buddy is like me because he has blonde hair and he loves football, even though he supports the wrong team.’ Jude is a passionate Liverpool supporter while Buddy is a Tottenham Hotspurs fan. ‘And he had a bit of a wonky childhood, being dragged into things, but he came good in the end.”

Director Kenneth Branagh (left) and actor Jude Hill (right) on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

For the adult cast, Branagh’s primary requirement was a high level of authenticity

“Caitríona Balfe, who plays Ma, is from Ireland but grew up near the border and has an understanding of the vernacular and of the Irish extended family life,” he says. “Jamie Dornan, who plays Pa, is a real Belfast boy, from just outside Belfast. Ciarán Hinds, who plays Buddy’s grandfather, Pop, was brought up about a mile from where I lived in Belfast. Judi Dench has Irish blood – her mother was from Dublin – and is anyway an acting thoroughbred whose research is meticulous and who can do anything. And this group of actors also had a sense of front-footed energy that I liked, an outgoing quality that meant they became a real  family very quickly.”

A film set in Belfast also provided the opportunity to work with several excellent Northern Irish actors like Colin Morgan, Turlough Convery and Conor McNeill.

Jamie Dornan (left) stars as “Pa” and Caitriona Balfe (right) stars as “Ma” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Recreating the Belfast of the 60s

To create something as personal to him as the street he grew up in, Branagh turned to Production Designer Jim Clay with whom he had worked on his three previous projects: Death on the Nile, Artemis Fowl and Murder on the Orient Express.

“We walked the streets of Belfast together,’ says Clay. ‘The street we ended up building doesn’t exist anymore, but you can still find a real sense of the city as it would have been in the late sixties. I also discovered what a small city it is. One of the most noticeable things is that in many of the streets you can see hills and countryside over the rooflines in one direction and in the other, you can see the shipbuilding docks. So, you always know where you are.”

Branagh was delighted at the freedom the set gave him. “It meant that we could create exactly what I wanted and have room to shoot it from every possible angle. In particular, it meant that I could film the street exactly the way that nine-year-old Buddy would see it, containing all the things that would strike him. So we could create a kind of tension between the idea that you live in a real, gritty and absolutely literal place but that for a nine-year-old, it could become everything he wanted it to be – castles, wild west towns and mountains where dinosaurs roam. It could reflect the fact that the imagination of a nine-year-old knows no limits.”

The film is shot in black and white by Branagh’s regular Director of Photography, Haris Zambarloukos, with whom he had worked on seven previous films including Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, Cinderella and Thor.

(L to R) Judi Dench as “Granny”, Jude Hill as “Buddy” and Ciarán Hinds as “Pop” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

“I grew up on both colour and black and white movies,” says Branagh “but there was what I later learnt to call a “Hollywood black and white”, a kind of velvety, silky, satiny black and white in which everybody seemed more glamorous. That was what I wanted to use because a nine-year-old boy can see his parents as tremendously glamorous and it also allows for everything to seem larger than life. When we see black and white photojournalism, like Cartier-Bresson, it delivers an additional authenticity even though it’s not the way that we actually see the world. It’s a curious paradox that you, therefore, get a gritty and more realistic effect from a poetic treatment.  So, I wanted that “Hollywood black and white” to be part of the mythology of this story, making even the most prosaic of environments feel glamorous or epic.”

Writer/director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Write-director Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh is one of the world’s most consistently acclaimed filmmakers, directors, and actors, whose work is trademarked by quality, truth, and passion. He has been nominated for five Academy Awards (in five different categories), and five Golden Globes; he has won three BAFTAS and two Emmys.

In addition to the 2021 release of Belfast, Branagh will star in Michael Winterbottom’s five-part drama This Sceptred Isle for Sky Atlantic and Disney will be releasing his Death on the Nile, a follow-up to his hugely successful Murder on the Orient Express. He directs and also plays Hercules Poirot.

Writer/director Kenneth Branagh on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rob Youngson/Focus Features

He has continued to juggle acting and directing for both screen and stage, shooting a string of box-office and critical hits, including Cinderella (2015), Marvel’s Thor (2011), and playing critically acclaimed roles in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020), Dunkirk (2017), and an Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated performance as Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011).

His love of Shakespeare has always been front and centre, and he is often credited with bringing the Bard to the multiplex with Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996), Love’s Labour’s Lost (2000), and As You Like It (2006).

(L to R) Writer/director Kenneth Branagh, actor Lewis McAskie, actor Jude Hill, actor Judi Dench, actor Jamie Dornan, and actor Caitríona Balfe on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rob Youngson/Focus Features

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company (formed 2015) held a year-long residency at London’s Garrick Theatre; a sold-out season that included The Winter’s Tale, Romeo and Juliet, Red Velvet, The Painkiller and The Entertainer with Branagh in the lead role in the latter. Other theatrical endeavours include The Play What I Wrote, and five-star performances on the British stage in Richard III, Mamet’s Edmond, Ivanov, and the comedy Painkiller at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, Branagh’s hometown.

On the small screen, Branagh’s successes include the BAFTA-winning series Wallander; Shackleton for Channel 4; and Conspiracy, among many others.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he won the Bancroft Gold Medal, Branagh succeeded Lord Attenborough as President of RADA in the summer of 2015. He continues to mentor young actors and received a Knighthood in 2012 for his services to drama and the community in Northern Ireland.

Writer/director Kenneth Branagh (center, left) and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (center, right) on the set of BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rob Youngson/Focus Features

by ·Comments Off on How To Get Into The Habit Of Writing

As a writer, you write, and when you’ve cultivated a habit of writing, you’re not doing something you have to force yourself to do, but rather something you are passionate about and enjoy.

A writing habit is when you are writing regularly to help you produce content on a consistent basis and is not the same as “writing every day”. It’s a settled or regular tendency or practice, and one that is hard to give up. It’s what real writers do. 

Forming a daily writing habit isn’t easy. It forces you to give up your misconceptions about writing and embrace the truth. It takes work and is not that difficult once you have mastered the art of writing, once you have disciplined the craft of writing, fully understand the process of writing and understand that you serve and own the story you write.

So how do you get up every day and write? It’s a question that plagues writers who struggle to stay motivated in their creative lives. We know we have something to say. We’re just not sure how to say it.

The only way to beat the fear of writing is by forming a habit of writing every day. If you do it so regularly that you don’t even have to think about it, you will get serious about your craft and have no fear.

Just as you habitually visit your favourite restaurant to savour their dishes, so will you get into the habit of wanting to write, and spend as much time as possible developing your craft of writing great stories.

Small changes in habits can lead to remarkable results. What looks like failure, in the beginning, is often the foundation of success. You have to grind out the hard work before you can enjoy your best work.

Jodi Picoult: “You can’t edit a blank page.”

Know what you are good at writing and write it better

If you are passionate about something, use it to get into the habit of writing, it’s that easy.

As a writer, I am passionate about film, and as a film journalist of 40 years, I have created my own website to explore my dream to its fullest by creating a platform that celebrates the craft of writing and the art of storytelling. With more than 200 features to write each year on films being released and streamed (excluding exclusive interviews with filmmakers and writers), I am in the daily habit of writing what I am passionate about, pursuing each feature with fervour.

Each feature allows me to take a journey into the stories other writers write and discover their journey, feeding into my habit of writing screenplays and novels, which in turn, feeds into my passion as a story editor.

Create a website/blog about what you are passionate about, and it will foster your habit of writing on a regular basis to share your writing with your readers/followers.

Maya Angelou: “Easy reading is damn hard writing.”

If you doubt your story, dump it

Whatever you are writing, if it doesn’t work for you and you have lost interest in your story, let it go.

The chances are that if you are writing something you were excited about initially but that has lost its spark, it won’t work for those you hope would be interested in reading it.

Get into the habit of writing what excites you, something you are willing to get up for early in the morning or write through the night, and even spend years perfecting, something that makes your heart beat faster and makes you feel good about being a writer and feeds your confidence with a resounding ‘Yes’.

Be inspired, constantly, find inspiration within yourself.

Don’t over plan

Overplanning is a killer and can prevent you from getting into the habit of writing every day.

Having been a disciplined over-planner for 22 years, planning every feature, every story, every possibility of a story, every new idea that pops up, one of my first resolutions for 2022 wat to not use a diary.

‘Am I crazy,’ I thought at first but once I took action and started using a notebook to start each day on a blank page, my life changed drastically as I got into the habit of writing what’s important, what I want to write and not what I have to write.

How does this work? Easy, when you wake up in the morning and have gone through your morning routine, open your notebook and make a list of what you need to write.

Beware of falling into the habit of wanting to plan ahead, only focus on what’s important that day.

The surprising result is that the list grows shorter and by midday, you will have all the time in the world to work on what’s important. It will also allow you time to reply methodically to emails that land in your mailbox.

Your daily awakening can include anything that supports your writing if you feel like exercising or exploring, or whatever you need to do to foster inspiration that will fuel your passion, make it a a daily goal. This goal could be the same the following day, but chances are that there will be a new goal waiting to surpise you.

Don’t think about how many words or pages to write, simply write what you feel you are capable of, and build on that each new day. You will soon discover that it’s not impossible to finish a chapter a day, but don’t let it spill over into the next chapter, leave that for another day. You will soon find that if you are in the habit of writing, your story will call you and speak to you, listen, and write.

E.B. White: “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work

will die without putting a word on paper.”

Set up a sacred writing space

It’s easier to stick to your daily writing habit when you want to spend time in a place where you are comfortable writing.

You don’t have to have a beautiful view and an expensive desk. Privacy and intention are more important than the quality of your surroundings. Keep your inspiration, books, and research materials close at hand. Habituating yourself with a ritual time and place makes it easier to get into the zone when you start writing each day, and, while you’re there, will make it easier to stay inspired and fresh.

I swapped my laptop for a desktop to create a fixed space for writing, I also have other spaces in the garden and patio where I can write by hand, and it’s easy to take a notebook and pencil into the mountains when hiking.

Switch Off Your Mobile

Get into the habit of paying all your attention to your writing when you are in writing mode, let NOTHING interfere or disrupt your thoughts or the flow of your writing.

As a writer you serve your story, that’s all that matters. You are unavailable to the outside world. Let those who need to get in contact with you know that you are unavailable and that they can send you an email, or leave a message.

Get into the Habit of Inhabiting Your Story NOW

You are here and now, while your mind is in the future. You can always cope with a present moment, but you cannot cope with something that is only a mind projection. Time isn’t precious at all because it is an illusion. The more you are focused on time, past and future, the more you miss the now, the most precious thing there is. Nothing exists outside the now. Nothing ever happened in the past, it happened in the now, nothing will ever happen in the future, it will happen in the now.

The past is a memory trace, stored in the mind of the former now. The future is an imagined now.

Flowers are not anxious about tomorrow but live with ease in the timeless now.

Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now

The Write Trainer – One-on-one coaching sessions

In an age where everyone makes regular trips to their local gym to stay healthy, it is important for writers to keep writing effectively and remain in a perfect state of creative health; where ideas flow freely and projects are completed. The Writing Studio’s mentoring entails informal communication, face-to-face, one-on-one coaching at our writer’s retreat in the heart of the Karoo. with qualified Education and Training practitioner Daniel Dercksen.

by ·Comments Off on Common Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Creating something meaningful that works on both an emotional and structural level is not an easy task. This makes finishing any screenplay an accomplishment in itself, and while the process does get easier over time (or at least more familiar) even the pros need to watch themselves when it comes to common mistakes and pitfalls. No screenplay or draft of a novel is perfect, of course, but there are mistakes that writers make across the board – and these errors are easily avoided.

Here are common slip-ups to steer clear of when crafting your masterpiece.

Neglecting Spelling and Grammar

Many screenplays or drafts of a novel have their first impressions ruined by poor grammar and spelling. Don’t rely on squiggly green-and-red lines on your computer – take the time to read through every single page of your document and check for those simplistic or sneaky errors. It’s all but guaranteed you’ll find something to correct, whether this is your fifth script or your fiftieth. And if it’s any consolation, a detailed read-through is just as likely to illuminate other, more vital areas that aren’t working as well as they should.

If you miss the proper spelling of a word here and there, no problem. Even the pros make those mistakes in their drafts. But there’s nothing worse for a reader than reading a script that seemingly proves that the writer didn’t care enough about the material to do a few quality assurance readthroughs.

Multiple spelling errors are annoying. And that’s the last impression you want to leave with the reader — annoyance.

Pay particular attention to homophone and homonym errors. Your and You’re. New and Knew. To and Too. There, Their, and They’re. Its and It’s. Then and Than. Effect and Affect. Cache and Cachet. Break and Brake. Principle and Principal. Breath and Breathe. Rain, reign, and rein. By, buy, and bye. Always be sure to know the differences.

Incorrect Formatting

Screenplays and novels have prescribed formats to which you, as a professional writer, must adhere. Font and spacing may seem arbitrary, but clarity on the page is essential for an easy read. Write your script in courier. Capitalize character names when you introduce them. Indent your dialogue and parentheticals. Formatting can be a tedious beast to meet head-on.

There’s a reason general screenwriting and novel format exists — film production and publishing are industries, a business. Tens of thousands of screenplays and novels are out there in and out of the market each year; from the development phase, reading, discovery, and development, to the pre-production phase or publishing. Format consistency is essential.

Formatting your screenplay/novel without using software is covered extensively in The Write Journey

Drawing From Tropes

Formulas and stereotypes are instantly recognizable. If your characters fall squarely into an archetype – flawless heroes, damsels in distress, soulless villains, fools – their stories will become dull because we’ve seen them before.

This is particularly true of female or marginalized characters, who behave less like real people and more like insulting caricatures and stereotypes. Ensure that your characters are behaving organically, driven by a tangible objective in an authentic environment. Understand their depths and quirks before you start writing – then keep them honest and complex throughout your story.

Writing Your Version of Popular Stories

This is perhaps the most common mistake mostly made by more novice writers.

Yes, you do want to write stories that you want to see/read because that’s really where you will find the passion that drives you to complete a draft. However, you need to choose wisely and make sure that while you write what you want to see/read, you are at the same time bringing something different to the table as you do so.

What are you offering that’s new? What are you doing to make that reader stop and take notice of what is on those pages of yours? It’s not enough to emulate a concept and just add some new characters and scenarios to the mix. You have to showcase a concept that pops off of those pages — that engages a reader to the point where the idea is so intriguing that they need to read on.

The easiest way to write what you love and what you want to see without falling into the trap of just writing your version of a popular movie or bestseller is to flip those concepts onto their heads and meld them with something else.

Chasing Trends

Trends are tricky. While everyone will tell you that you have to write what Hollywood is making or publishers are publishing, the Catch 22 scenario of that comes in two parts:

  • The film and television and publishing industries will already be flooded with such scripts — mostly written by established writers that have the connections and pull you don’t have.
  • By the time you’ve written your draft set within that trend, and by the time you’ve marketed it and gotten it into somebody’s hands through contests or networking, it’s likely that the trend has come and gone.

You do have options to avoid this trap while still staying relevant in the current trends:

  • Revive a trend that has been dead for over a decade, but with a new twist on it. Two previous trends that are currently dead — serial killer and vampire movies — could come together as one. While that is clearly not the best example, the point is to get you thinking about what the possibilities are.
  • Create your own trend. Sure, it’s not a trend until it gains some steam. However, you can specifically set out to come up with concepts that make people in the film and television and publishing industries stop and take notice — “What a great concept. I never thought of that.”

Not Doing Your Research

Let’s say you do have an excellent concept. Perhaps you read something in the headlines, your imagination was sparked, and you came up with a topical and relevant concept. And then you go take a few months to write it only to learn later that three other studios have similar projects already in active development.

Has that ever happened to you? You’ve worked hard to write this brilliant concept only to discover that it’s either already been done or is about to be produced by more prominent names than you. This happens all of the time to most writers. We, humans, share a collective existence fueled by headlines and information. It’s only natural that similar-themed concepts float to the surface.

So be sure to do your research. There’s nothing worse for a writer than working hard to finish a story only to discover that major studios, producers, and publishers have already tackled the concept or subject.

Do your research and make sure your concept hasn’t been made already and isn’t in the works by someone else. But also remember that it’s okay to choose a concept that is similar, just as long as you make yours stand out in a much different (and better) way.

Forgetting the Plot (or, Skipping the Outline)

Why did you start writing your story? The answer may vary in its details, but the gist should be the same: to tell a story. So many stories fall flat because their scenes are pastoral, or their characters aren’t driven towards a goal. In other words, they’re boring. They don’t show change or action.

Each scene of your story should develop upon the same narrative. To ensure that this happens, outline your story before writing dialogue and action. Map out your arcs and progressions.

The Write Journey focuses extensively on story and scene outlines.

Crafting Awkward, Listless, or Endless Dialogue

Writing dialogue is extremely difficult. The mistake that most writers make is thinking that dialogue is conversation. It’s not. Dialogue is a function of character.

It can’t mirror actual speech – too cyclical and directionless – but it can’t sound unrealistic. This is a paradox, but it’s one that must be overcome. Overly long dialogue sequences that don’t drive the story, conversations that spell out intent without subtlety, and characters who simply don’t talk like people can ruin a script.

Not Punishing Your Characters

Maybe your protagonist is your fictional doppelgänger. Or the mother figure reminds you of your own parent. That doesn’t mean you can coddle them and give them everything they want. A story must have conflict – characters need to fight for what they want – and if the conflict is light or short-lived, the story loses steam.

Knock your characters into the dirt… then help them lift themselves up again. On the opposite side of this, don’t torture your characters uselessly. We want them to fight, and maybe succeed. Be a tough, but fair, creator.

Leaving Your Story Unfinished (or Too Neat)

Nothing is more frustrating than spending 90 to 120 minutes in a fictional world, invested in a story, and then realizing it’s over without proper resolution. Your story doesn’t have to answer the quandaries of the universe, but it does need to make good on its promises.

When crafting your outline, make sure your story completes its arc, at least enough to roll credits without betraying your viewers’ trust. On the flip side, offering cheap conclusions without proper struggle doesn’t work either. Punish, then reward.

Submitting Without Rereading

It doesn’t matter how brilliant you are. No human being can make it through a 120-page screenplay or 200-page draft of a novel without making a mistake. These errors listed above are easily committed, but just as easily fixed, as long as you double back to actually check for them.

Scan for spelling issues. Read your dialogue out loud, and make sure it sounds plausible. Most of all, ensure that your story is consistent. Revisions can be head-splittingly tedious, but they are absolutely essential.

Shape your creation to its fullest potential before sending it out to fend for itself – you won’t be there to make excuses for its overlooked mistakes.

Following 40-years as a Film and Theatre Journalist, 23 years of screenwriting and creative writing workshops throughout South Africa and internationally, The Write Journey evolved into the Signature course of The Writing Studio, and Independent Training Initiative founded by Daniel Dercksen in 1998. The Write Journey is an interactive, intimate and introspective journey into the world of the story, empowering you to take ownership of the creative journey, and creative expression.

The Writing Studio can help you with Story Editing & Polishing

by ·Comments Off on Scream – Resurrecting the Elevated Horror Franchise

When screenwriters James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick took their first step crafting the screenplay for Scream, the fifth instalment of the ‘Scream’ horror franchise, they insisted on involving series creator Kevin Williamson on the project.

Kevin Williamson, who serves as executive producer on Scream, didn’t expect another Scream film would be made after the death of his close friend and mentor Craven in 2015. “When Wes passed away, I figured that was the end of the Scream series, and if someone did make another one, I’d probably just watch it from afar on cable TV or something,” he says. “I had kind of put it all to rest and said goodbye by that point. So when Jamie first approached me about doing this movie, I didn’t want to hear about it. I told him to go ahead and make a great film without me.”

But Vanderbilt persisted. According to Vanderbilt, when the opportunity arose to make Scream, the first thing he did was reach out to Williamson in the hope of getting him involved somehow. Nevertheless, finding himself discussing Scream with the mastermind of the series was a bit nerve-wracking, to say the least. “When Guy Busick and I finally sat down and pitched Kevin what we wanted to do with Sidney Prescott and the rest of the legacy characters he created, it was one of the most surreal moments of my career,” Vanderbilt says. “And believe me, we pitched him some pretty big things, but that’s what he liked about it.”

After arranging a second meeting, this time with co-writer Busick attending, the two screenwriters took Williamson through their Scream concept, beat by beat. “The story they pitched me sounded really, really good,” Williamson says. “So I woke up one morning and thought, what am I doing? Do I really want them to make another Scream and not be part of it? After that, I called Jamie and said I wanted to do it as long as we can dedicate the film to Wes. And he said absolutely. He even had the studio put it in writing, and now we have this beautiful tribute to Wes Craven.”

As the brilliant mastermind and writer of Scream, Scream 2 and Scream 4, and the producer of Scream 3 and Scream 4, Kevin Williamson knew the property better than anyone. Williamson’s unique vision and imaginative storytelling have thrilled audiences for decades. He also wrote the screenplay for the films I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), The Faculty (1998), and Cursed (2005), and created the drama series Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003), the supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017), the Fox crime thriller series The Following (2013–2015), the CBS crime drama series Stalker (2014–2015), and the CBS All Access thriller series Tell Me a Story (2018–2020).

The journey to carry the Scream franchise forward began in 2018

The independent film studio Lantern Entertainment purchased the assets of the Weinstein Company, including the rights to Scream. Veteran producer and entertainment leader Gary Barber and a group of investors then joined forces with Lantern to form Spyglass Media Group and took over the rights to the library and the franchise.

Set in the sleepy suburban town of Woodsboro, Scream told the chilling story of high school student Sidney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell) and a group of her close friends who find themselves stalked by a movie-obsessed serial killer nicknamed Ghostface. Filled with nail-biting suspense and structured as a classic whodunit — but with a bloody twist — the film was both a terrifying slasher movie and a loving homage to the genre itself.

According to Spyglass President of Production Peter Oillataguerre, who serves as executive producer on Scream, continuing the franchise was always a top priority for Barber. “Gary saw the value in Scream from the very beginning, so it was the first project we really focused on,” he says. “And that’s because Scream is more than just a horror film. There’s an element of fun involved in this series that goes beyond horror. The relationships between the characters are unique, and the franchise satisfies a wide array of audience members, not only genre fans.”

Oillataguerre says honouring Craven’s legacy was the first and foremost goal for the company. “Early on, that was one of the main topics of conversation we had on Scream. We really wanted to pay homage to Wes, so our mission was to put together the right group of filmmakers to do that.”

Scream is produced by William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein, who formed Project X Entertainment in 2019 and played a key role in the production of the film. Barber had a close relationship with the trio. “Gary was someone I’d known since I was a kid,” says Sherak, “so when we sat down with him and said we wanted to produce Scream, he trusted us to do it. I guess you could say the dominoes fell into place at exactly the right moment.”

Busick and Vanderbilt were committed to living up to the Scream legacy by honoring the rules and themes that Williamson established in the series.

Twenty-five years after a string of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

Vanderbilt, the acclaimed screenwriter of Zodiac, The Amazing Spider-Man and White House Down, co-wrote the film with Guy Busick. Like countless moviegoers back in 1996, Vanderbilt saw Scream multiple times and was stunned by its sophistication and craftsmanship.

That eventually led to a deep appreciation for Craven’s extensive body of work. “He is one of the very few directors who had three enormous genre-shaking hits in three different decades,” Vanderbilt says.

“In the 1970s he burst onto the scene with The Last House on the Left, and then he came back with A Nightmare on Elm Street in the ’80s, and then he revolutionized horror again with Scream in the ’90s. That’s just an amazing run of films by any standard.”

James Vanderbilt
Guy Busick’s writing credits include the series “Castle Rock” and the feature Ready or Not, also directed by Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett. His genre expertise made him the ideal choice to help chart a new path forward for Ghostface, according to Neinstein.

“Jamie and I have been influenced in countless ways by Kevin’s writing over the years,” says Busick. “He really created the formula that made the Scream series such a success, and he was so generous with his time and with his thoughts on this project. They say ‘never meet your heroes,’ but in this particular case, it worked out really well!”

“Pairing him with Jamie was the perfect combination of talent to write Scream,” says the producer. “From the moment Guy and Jamie pitched their idea to us, we knew they had hit the tone of what this franchise is all about. The story they came up with felt new but recognizable, which is a hard combination to pull off when you’re looking back on 25 years of movies.”

Busick’s adoration for Scream dates back to seeing it with friends on opening night. While walking back to their car after the film, he and the group began quoting lines from the movie after only a single viewing. “It just immediately sparked my love of the genre all over again,” he says. “The postmodern commentary was mind-blowing, but it also had fully fleshed-out characters that we all cared about. They weren’t just machete fodder. You watched Scream and you became genuinely attached to Sidney and her friends.”

One of the primary rules that Williamson established for the franchise from the very beginning is that each instalment comments on the current state of the horror genre at the time it’s made.

The first question Vanderbilt and Busick asked themselves when writing Scream was, what is it about horror today that lends itself to the Scream treatment? This led to the ideas of “requels” and “elevated horror.”

“Requels are part reboot and part sequel, and that’s something you see happening more and more right now. Not just in horror, but across filmmaking in general,” says Vanderbilt.

Elevated horror is a term that refers to a subset of the genre that relies less on traditional jump scares and gore, and focuses instead on allegorical subtext, artistic mood and social commentary. “I’m a huge fan of quote-unquote elevated horror,” says Busick. “There are auteurs working in the genre today that make these wonderful movies. So in Scream, we lovingly poke fun at the line between traditional horror and what some people consider the elevated form.”

In addition to paying tribute to the first Scream, Vanderbilt felt it was important to honour the three sequels as well.

“There’s a tendency, especially now, to pick and choose which sequels count and which don’t,” he says. “So in this movie, we acknowledge that all of the previous sequels happened, and you’ll see a few characters who were introduced in the sequels return in this movie.” After reading the completed draft of Scream, the Radio Silence team was dazzled by what Vanderbilt and Busick had come up with.

“As soon as we finished Jamie and Guy’s script, we looked at each other like, oh my god! We have to do this! It’s incredible!” says director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who co-directed the film with Tyler Gillett, “We devoured every scene and every moment, and then we went back over it again with that same level of excitement.”

While he’s a die-hard fan of the series, Gillett acknowledges that Vanderbilt and Busick’s Scream script makes it clear that the screenwriters are in a different league altogether.

“The only two people in the world who are bigger fans of the Scream universe than me and Matt are Jamie and Guy,” the director says. “Their love for the franchise was apparent from the very first line of the script. It just hit the bullseye again and again. There wasn’t a false note in it and every single page was either terrifying or mysterious.”

“Getting Kevin’s blessing on this meant everything to us,” says Gillett. “It’s impossible to overstate how significant his involvement was and how much his work impacted us growing up. I mean, Matt and I are fans of Kevin on a level that’s hard to express, so having him help us shape this movie was invaluable.”

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin

The best horror movies often leave a permanent mark on viewers. Perhaps that’s because fear is, in the words of author H.P. Lovecraft, mankind’s “oldest and strongest emotion.”

Tyler Gillett

A truly frightening film can have an especially enduring impact when seen at an impressionable age, and that was certainly the case for Scream co-director Tyler Gillett when he saw Wes Craven’s 1996 horror hit Scream in his early teens.

“My memory of seeing Scream is one of sheer terror,” says Gillett. “I was introduced to it when I was pretty young, so it stuck with me in a really profound way. It was an entry point to horror for an entire generation because it was like an encyclopedia of everything that was great about the genre. It really opened my eyes to the power of what you can accomplish when you mix genuine horror with moments of intelligent humour and characters you honestly care about.”

When Scream arrived in theatres on December 20, 1996, it broke all the rules and reinvented a genre that was sorely in need of fresh blood. Horror’s popularity was on the wane in the mid-’90s, and hit films in the first half of the decade were increasingly rare. Fans had grown bored with the endless stream of recycled remakes, uninspired sequels, and tired knockoffs that were being released on a regular basis.

Scream changed all that. The film’s whip-smart screenplay by brilliant newcomer Kevin Williamson dazzled moviegoers who could tell it was written by someone who truly understood the genre. Fans saw it multiple times and word-of-mouth grew week after week as the film’s popularity took hold.

Loaded with incredible set-pieces, fully realized characters, and some of the scariest kill scenes ever captured on screen, the cultural impact of Scream was enormous. It single-handedly spawned an entire subcategory of self-aware horror films, and its overwhelming success reinvigorated the moribund slasher genre, resulting in hits like I Know What You Did Last Summer, also written by Williamson.

None of this would have been remotely possible if not for the genius of director Wes Craven, whose legacy within the genre is unsurpassed. After shaking horror fans to their very core in the 1970s with the independent shockers The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes, Craven invaded moviegoers’ collective unconscious with the 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, which produced six sequels, one spin-off, and a remake, as well as a TV series that ran for two seasons. The effects-filled Freddy Krueger series pioneered the “rubber reality” subgenre of horror, which inventively blurred the lines between dreams and reality, and became a staple of Craven’s storytelling style.

After directing a number of critically acclaimed stand-alone films such as The Serpent and the Rainbow and The People Under the Stairs, Craven stunned audiences once again when he returned in 1996 with Scream.

The film remains the biggest box office hit of his distinguished career, spawning four sequels, with the entire
Scream series grossing an astonishing $608 million worldwide.

Scream co-director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin — who along with Gillett and Scream executive producer Chad Villella form the film collective known as Radio Silence — says seeing Craven’s groundbreaking masterpiece for the first time gave him the experience he always hopes for when he goes to the movies.

“It was scary and fun and moving. It had everything you could possibly ask for and more. Plus, it was the first movie I saw that was self-referential and really understood the films that led up to it.”

For Villella, watching Craven’s classic in a packed theatre with an energized crowd was more than just a great night out — it actually helped inspire his career. “Scream was a real game-changer for me,” he says.

“It’s the movie that made me want to get into filmmaking in the first place. My college roommates and I basically played the VHS on a loop the entire time we lived together.”

The terror didn’t end with Craven’s bloodcurdling blockbuster, however. Scream 2, released less than a year after the original, and once again written by Williamson, took the box office by storm in 1997, cementing Ghostface’s position as one of the screen’s most iconic killers. Ushering horror into the new millennium, Ghostface returned in Scream 3 in 2000 and again stalked fresh victims in Scream 4 in 2011. And each time, Craven was behind the camera orchestrating the macabre mayhem.

“We kept getting amazing new movies in the franchise every few years,” says Gillett. “The Scream series always evolved with the times, and it offered commentary on how fans interact with media and what that means in a larger cultural sense. And it did all that while still being super scary. It’s just an insane creation, and Matt and Chad and I are honoured that we now get to be a part of its legacy.”

With Scream finally ready to terrify audiences everywhere, the filmmakers are thrilled viewers will be able to experience the movie in theatres the way it was always intended to be seen. After all, watching Ghostface leap from the shadows with a knife raised high is much scarier when you’re in a crowd that’s caught up in the story.

“This is an audience movie, and seeing it with a group of people who are all feeling the same tension just amplifies the experience,” says Vanderbilt. “We really built Scream from the very beginning to be an immersive theatrical film.”

Williamson, meanwhile, is happy that the beloved characters he created are back on screen to delight horror fans both old and new. But be warned, he says: Scream has more than a few tricks up its blood-stained sleeve. “There’s a freshness to this movie that’s going to catch the longtime fans off guard, and that’s the beautiful thing about this genre. It has a loyal fan base, and I couldn’t be happier that Scream has endured and will keep going on in the future.”

Reflecting on what it was like to direct a bold new chapter in one of the most revered and influential horror series of the past quarter-century, Bettinelli-Olpin tips his hat once again to the man whose name is synonymous with Scream.

The first thing every cast member from the original Scream brought up when we approached them about this movie was the family atmosphere that Wes Craven created and how much they all loved him,” he says. “So it was important to me and Tyler that we create the same feeling on our set as well.”

Putting it another way, Gillett says, “One of my favourite parts of this whole experience was getting to work with people who knew Wes on a very personal level, and a huge part of that was working with Kevin and the legacy cast members and hearing their stories. It was a truly remarkable experience that Matt and I will never forget.

by ·Comments Off on The Card Counter – Exploring the depths of a protagonist’s existential despair

Redemption is the long game in writer-director Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter. Told with Schrader’s trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions.

“Over the years I’ve developed my own genre of films, and they typically involve a man alone in a room wearing a mask, and the mask is his occupation,” says Schrader.

While Schrader was seeking financing for a Western starring recurring players Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke, an idea occurred to the filmmaker, rooted in his perennial themes of guilt, penance and moral reckoning.

“Not general guilt, like Christian guilt, but a more specific kind of guilt,” says Schrader. “What if someone had done something that he cannot forgive himself for? He’s been to jail, and while society may have forgiven him, he hasn’t forgiven himself. He did a terrible thing, and now he’s living in a kind of purgatory. How does he work through it?”

You have a story locked up inside you that The Write Journey will unleash and guide you from inspiration to writing a screenplay the world wants to experience on the big screen or television.

Like many of the characters Schrader has written — Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Julian Kaye in American Gigolo, Reverend Ernst Toller in First Reformed —William Tell is biding his time and waiting for something to happen.

“For The Card Counter, I had to come up with a profession for someone who is waiting, and who is living a sort of non-existence,” says Schrader. “Gambling felt like the perfect milieu.”

In The Card Counter, William Tell is alone in his room with a mask on — that of a professional poker player, who happens to be a former torturer for the U.S. government.

Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © Filmfinity (Pty) Ltd

Executive produced by Martin Scorsese — Schrader’s collaborator on Taxi Driver — The Card Counter features the veteran filmmaker’s signature style, plunging to the depths of his protagonist’s existential despair and rising to when he finds a surrogate family in the form of his agent La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) and the teenager Cirk (Tye Sheridan), searching for meaning after his soldier father’s suicide

While watching poker shows on TV, and thinking about the psychological motivations of people who play slot machines, Schrader started envisioning the quotidian life of gamblers — a monotonous non-existence where hours can pass without much happening. “That’s what Tell does — he exists in this limbo, traveling from casino to casino, playing cards, waiting for something to happen,” says Schrader. “With poker, you can play for days before that magic hand comes. Every few weeks or so, something good might occur — but mostly it’s a waiting game.”

Schrader next created a rich back story for Tell, involving a dark and tumultuous past as a soldier in the Iraqi war.

“I asked myself what he could have done in his life that was so egregious that he simply could not get past his crimes,” says Schrader. “Even serial killers can forgive themselves, but what if he had done something that stigmatized his own country? That’s when I started thinking about torture at Abu Ghraib prison — a kind of malfeasance that injured not only the Arab captives and their American torturers, but an entire nation and the military culture that enabled it.”

The immediate world of The Card Counter unfurls inside the anodyne American casinos, cocktail lounges and motel rooms of the low-stakes professional gambling circuit, where Tell plays poker and blackjack less for the money than to simply pass the time. Peppering the American landscape in the coastal regions and alongside bustling interstates, it’s the ideal locale for someone who wants to get lost, and stay lost. In Schrader’s hands, it’s also a place where someone like Tell can find himself — unexpectedly — through others.

Oscar Isaac stars as William Tell and Tiffany Haddish as La Linda in The Card Counter, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © Filmfinity (Pty) Ltd

But Schrader has never been interested in happy families or happily ever after — his concern has always been the loneliness and isolation of solitary men, from Travis Bickle’s escalating insanity in Taxi Driver to Reverend Toller’s quiet unraveling in First Reformed. William Tell’s trajectory is no less searing and existential, but as his character develops and transforms over the course of The Card Counter, so does the viewer’s conflicted and mounting dread — until the movie explodes in an act of cathartic violence.

“My aim is to create a crack in the viewer’s skull, opening up a rift between what they desire and expect of my characters and what they feel after spending time with them,” says Schrader. “How they make that adjustment is up to them, but to get the viewer engaged in this kind of conflict is what every artist seeks. It’s not so important what my viewers think, but that they do think.”

The Characters

Like many of Schrader’s characters, William Tell unfolds over time, revealing new facets, flaws and dimensions as the story progresses. He does just enough to get by professionally, playing cards by day and spending nights in anodyne motel rooms where he places white fabric over furniture and fixtures to blot out the present so the past can percolate up. Alone in his room with his thoughts, he writes in his journal, ruminating past and present actions in a methodical voice-over narration.

Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © Filmfinity (Pty) Ltd

“You have a general sense of who this guy is — he’s mysterious, and there’s something strange and meticulous about his routines, until you slowly start to realize what he is, and the things he’s done in life,” says Isaac of Schrader’s casual method of revealing character and action. “Tell is someone who has chosen to remain in a state of limbo, learning to count cards in prison and choosing low-stakes gambling to get by in life. He’s not in any hurry.”

“He’s in this kind of circular pattern as a form of penance because he’s done something that we come to learn over time is terrible — it’s caused damage to himself and others, not to mention his own country,” says Isaac. “The legal ramifications of what he’s done, and the prison time he’s served for his crimes, is not enough for him. He doesn’t feel like he’s been punished enough. He chooses this life that’s desolate, portable and repetitive. This is where we find him as The Card Counter begins.”

“This is another in Paul’s ongoing series of man-alone-in-his-room movies and I dove right into the character of William Tell,” Isaac adds. “I came to appreciate how Paul writes into his screenplays the space for thought, subtext and subconscious exploration — things that maybe seem like they make sense, but really don’t in a logical way. You have to do some work when you grapple with his movies. But you come to realize after multiple reads or viewings that the human mind doesn’t always work logically — which is essential to understanding both William Tell and Paul’s work in general.”

To help Isaac understand the intensity inside William Tell, Schrader had the actor read The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress.

“This book was revelatory in so many ways for shaping this character,” says Isaac. “Men like William Tell that come from trauma haven’t really dealt with it because they don’t know how to — it’s frowned upon for a man like him to even seek help. William doesn’t know how to be in the world, and sees danger everywhere — he’s closed himself off. Even when you feel like he’s made some gains mentally (towards healing), his physical reactions to bad things that have happened don’t fade away so easily.”

Tiffany Haddish, whose character La Linda becomes Tell’s love interest over the course of the movie, offers her own unique take on the quintessentially Schraderesque character. “He’s a soldier and a writer, and a very mysterious guy who is grappling with his feelings and emotions, but at the same time he’s excellent at playing poker and reading people’s body language,” says Haddish. “He isn’t simply counting cards. He might also be a murderer. But he’s a lover too — even as he tries to suppress those difficult sides of himself.”

Tye Sheridan and Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © Filmfinity (Pty) Ltd

At a security conference on interrogation and truthfulness, presented by combat veteran Major John Gordo (Willem Dafoe), Tell meets Cirk (Tye Sheridan) a high-school drop-out whose late father connects to the poker player’s black-ops past in Iraq. Skipping over Gordo’s murky role in the equation, The Card Counter switches gears to focus on Tell and Cirk’s budding relationship.

“William is suddenly afforded an opportunity to reengage with the world through this teenager and we start to see him shedding some of his negative qualities,” says Isaac. “He concocts a plan to mentor this kid as an opportunity to forgive himself — and be forgiven in turn. Tye’s character is the one that breaks everything open for William. For the first time some kind of redemption seems possible.”

The improbable duo hits the road, traveling from casino to casino as William works the tables and Cirk’s identity and motives become more clear-cut. Like Tell, the teenager’s father committed similar crimes in Iraq — and was trained by the same sadistic military official. Harboring his own demons in the wake of his father’s suicide, Cirk has embarked on a dangerous mission — capturing, torturing and killing his father’s superior in Iraq. And he wants Tell to help him do it.

“In my story, guys like Major Gordo are doing quite well in life, they are private consultants for security outfits, working the lecture circuit after having received no punishment at all for their shadowy and heinous crimes,” says Schrader. “It’s the infantrymen like Tell, and Cirk’s father, who served prison time — while Gordo is out in the world making more money.”

Tiffany Haddish and Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © Filmfinity (Pty) Ltd

The Card Counter is at its heart a love story, and Haddish and Isaac exude a palpable on-screen chemistry, in particular during their love scene, which was a first for Haddish. “Working with Isaac was a tremendous learning lesson for me because he knows how to be still and can tell you everything in a scene without saying anything at all,” says Haddish.

“You can see from his body language, the way his eyes dart from side to side, how he grabs a glass off the bar. It says everything about his character and what’s going on in his mind, and it comes across so effortlessly. I’m still learning how to do that. I’m a very physical person by nature, but there’s so much you can master in the stillness.”

Paul Schrader’s Career – The preeminent philosopher-auteur of Hollywood

Paul Schrader (Writer, Director) is a screenwriter, director, and film critic whose past credits include Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985), Raging Bull (1980), American Gigolo (1980), Taxi Driver (1976), and more recently Dog Eat Dog (2016) and First Reformed (2017). An expanded edition of his book, Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer (1972) was released in 2018 with new writing on Andrei Tarkovsky and Béla Tarr, among others.

Schrader was born in 1946 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to a strict Calvinist family; he purportedly did not see a film until his late teens. After attending Calvin College, where he studied English and theology with the intention of becoming a minister, Schrader relocated to Los Angeles in the late ’60s, studying film at UCLA. He became a protégé of the influential New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael after his film criticism in the Los Angeles Free Press began to draw national attention. Kael helped him to secure a position as a critic in Seattle, but Schrader was drawn to filmmaking and turned down the job.

One of his mentors at the time was designer-filmmaker Charles Eames, who taught Schrader a philosophy of visual literacy—the notion that an image or object could also be an idea, and that words aren’t the only way to tell a story. He began writing screenplays in the 1970s, at the dawn of the New Hollywood era. His first produced script was 1974’s The Yakuza, a neo-noir crime thriller co-written with his brother Leonard Schrader and Robert Towne (Chinatown; Shampoo), and starring Robert Mitchum. Warner Brothers paid a record sum for the script, providing the Schraders with an entrée into the industry.

As the decade progressed, and movies became the center of the cultural conversation, filmmakers like Frances Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Terrence Malick catapulted to international prominence and prestige.

In 1976, Schrader’s script for Taxi Driver, directed by Scorsese, placed him in the top echelon of American filmmakers. In 1978, he directed his first feature, the crime caper Blue Collar, based on his own script about union members toiling on the assembly line in a Rust Belt enclave. By the turn of the decade, the dual punch of Raging Bull and American Gigolo confirmed Schrader’s reputation as the preeminent philosopher-auteur of Hollywood.

Over the course of five decades, Schrader has concocted stories about lonely, anguished men trapped inside themselves, yearning for love and connection, preoccupied with vengeance and redemption, and often at the mercy of their own conflicting impulses. In both Taxi Driver and The Card Counter, internal and external forces come to a head in an outburst of violence. Both Travis Bickle and William Tell find themselves torn between disparate realms, desperate to find peace in a chaotic world.

Other classic Schrader characters brought alive on page and screen include Julian Kay, the titular American Gigolo trapped in the surfaces of his shal¬low Los Angeles existence, which renders him incapable of expressing love; Jake LaMotta, the volatile, tempestuous prize-fighter in Raging Bull; Jesus Christ, the quintessential religious martyr in Schrader’s adaptation of Nikos Kazantakis’ novel The Last Temptation of Christ; Yukio Mishima, the tortured Japanese writer whose artistic frustrations resulted in a suicide which, under Schrader’s masterful direction in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, becomes an epiphany; Wade Whitehouse, the washed-up New Hampshire cop in Af¬fliction, played by Nick Nolte in a career-best performance, who clashes with his abusive, alcoholic father while he investigates a crime; and Patty Hearst, the kidnapped heiress turned bank robber, one more pent-up and confined lost soul who finds
liberation in acting out irrationally, and violently.

A common theme in these works is transcendence. Schrader’s 1972 book Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer, recently updated with a new introduction, tracks this tendency through world cinema, and figures prominently in many of his works. As his charac¬ters grapple with their demons, they find themselves transformed and frequently exalted or redeemed, even in their torment. The Card Counter encapsulates key Schrader themes of loneliness, isolation and redemption, as the hermetically sealed Tell is rejuvenated by human connection — only to be dragged back down to the depths by the demons of his past.

by ·Comments Off on Venom: Let There Be Carnage – The extraordinary relationship between symbiote and host

Tom Hardy is committed to every film he makes but took that commitment to another level with this film: he receives the first feature film writing credit of his career, having penned the story of Venom: Let There Be Carnage with Kelly Marcel, who also wrote the screenplay, reprising his role as the lethal protector Venom.

Read more: Venom / Venom: The Last Dance

The story that Hardy & Marcel wrote captures the psychology of the situation. “Eddie and Venom have been living together, sharing one body, for a while now. They know each other inside and out, literally. And like any close-quarter living situation, their ticks and foibles are starting to wear a little thin on each other,” says Marcel. “They have been forced together through circumstance and this movie asks the question of whether there is a will to save the relationship or go their separate ways. Are they just cohorts through happenstance or do they actually belong together?

“Tom is a creative force with a brilliant mind for generating ideas, so collaborating with him on the story for Venom: Let There Be Carnage was a really fun and exciting time where anything felt possible for these characters that we have grown so fond of,” says Marcel. “Tom worked tirelessly to bring this story to life both in development and on set. We all know how talented he is onscreen, but I’m very excited for people to get to see how brilliant he is off-screen as well.

When we last met Eddie Brock and Venom, both played by Tom Hardy, the two had formed an uneasy alliance. With the feature film Venom, audiences thrilled to the Marvel Comics fan-favorite making his long-awaited starring role on screen. The film took in over $856 million worldwide as Eddie, the dogged but self-centered reporter, and Venom, the alien symbiote who takes hold of Eddie’s body, both relied on each other to survive: Eddie could do much better in life with Venom’s eat-or-be-eaten (literally) m.o., and Venom had to be reined in by Eddie’s finely-tuned sense of moral justice. They agreed that they needed each other… but they didn’t have to like it.

“I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to be part of the story creation on this movie,” says Hardy. “Being part of the initial team after the first movie, Kelly Marcel, my producing partner, my writing partner and I, we were so invested obviously in the first one, we wanted to understand what went well with the first one, what didn’t go so well with the first one, and what the fans liked, what they didn’t like, what the critics didn’t like. On top of that, to look at all of this forensically and try to figure it out. <…> So, we asked the studio, could we make a pitch to give the first go at the story before anybody else, and the studio said – of course!”

“It’s a joy to play two different parts of a psyche because Venom and Eddie are one for me,” says Hardy. “They are just differentiated by the fact that one is the monster and one is Eddie, but they are always contained within one individual.”

“Obviously there is danger and mistrust in the beginning, but they’ve learned to live with each other,” says producer Avi Arad. “It’s become a complicated marriage. Their co-dependence forces them to stay together, even though they’ve had it with each other. They’re going to have to come to an understanding.”

Indeed, in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, that shaky marriage is starting to crumble. Sure, there are still upsides… Eddie has told Venom that he could bite the heads off of bad guys, and the symbiote is 100% here for it, dubbing themself the Lethal Protector and munching evildoers in pursuit of justice… and Eddie’s career is firmly on the upswing, getting the career-defining last interview with serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson).

But despite it all, they still make each other nuts – and their constant bickering escalates until it finally devolves into a violent manic battle as they try to figure out who is throwing who out of the apartment and the body they share. Both Venom and Eddie are determined to figure out if they really do need each other after all.

“Carnage is who the fans have been waiting for, finally making his big screen debut,” says Arad. “He’s Venom’s ultimate adversary, stronger and more violent in every way. It doesn’t help that serial killer Cletus Kasady is Carnage’s host, enhancing his maniacal worldview into something incredibly sinister. In the comics, Carnage is Venom’s offspring – his ‘son,’ if you will – which makes the conflict between them far greater.”

“Carnage is such a huge part of and the most beloved villain in the Venomverse,” says Marcel. “Bonding with Cletus, together they are a psychotic, dangerous, and insane killing machine.”

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The extraordinary relationship between symbiote and host

“The film is a love story – but not the love story you might think,” says Andy Serkis, who directs Venom: Let There Be Carnage. “It’s very much about the extraordinary relationship between symbiote and host. Any love affair has its pitfalls, its high points and low points; Venom and Eddie’s relationship absolutely causes problems and stress, and they have a near-hatred for each other. But they have to be with each other – they can’t live without each other. That’s companionship – love – the things that relationships are really about.”

Serkis says that Eddie and Venom might be a match made in hell – but they are a match nonetheless. “It’s Jekyll and Hyde,” he explains. “Eddie is rather arrogant, thinking life owes him a favor. Venom is the complete opposite, unfiltered and speaking his mind totally. And they’re trapped together. After meeting in the first movie, they’ve now got the seven-year-itch; they’ve had enough of each other and can’t wait to be apart.”

For producer Matt Tolmach, the reason Venom connects with audiences is a combination of factors – a bit of wish fulfillment, a complex motivation, and a perfect match of actor and character. “There’s always something fun and dangerous about characters that push the dark side. You just wish you could do exactly what Venom does,” he says. “But Venom also has a code. In some ways, he becomes a conscience for Eddie – Eddie sometimes plays fast and loose with the truth, but Venom has a very real sense of what he thinks is right. And when you combine that with Tom Hardy and this unbelievable dynamic that Tom created between himself and this alien alter ego, it’s just so much fun to watch a man at war with himself.”

“In my opinion, I have to find a way into any character that speaks to me <…> In many ways, Venom and Eddie are like Jekyll and Hyde.” says Hardy. “Split personality, or the good self, the bad self. There’s a smorgasbord of options between paranoia, nobility, integrity, dignity, cowardice, bravery, courage – all of these characteristics that the two of them display at uneven times. And they bring out the best in each other, but they’re also constantly in conflict. It presents an entertaining and fun challenge to play with this character.”

It’s the old story – can a human man and an alien symbiote share one apartment (and one body, for that matter) without driving each other crazy? (Answer: no.)

“The argument in the apartment is one of the first things we shot,” says Serkis. “For two years, these two have been living a frat party kind of life in Eddie’s apartment, and he’s sick and tired of his place being trashed. It’s like living with an oversized toddler with no control whatsoever.”

After their epic breakup, though, it becomes clear that neither is going to make it on his own. When part of the symbiote leaps into Cletus Kasady moments before his execution, the serial killer becomes host for Carnage, an even-larger, even-deadlier, and much-more-malevolent spawn of the alien, ruthless and pure evil.

Tom Hardy and director Andy Serkis on the set of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. © & ™ 2021 MARVEL

For Serkis – who as an actor worked with performance capture artists to create some of the most memorable characters of the last 20 years, including Gollum in Lord of the Rings, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films, and Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars – watching the first Venom film as a moviegoer filled him with some professional pride and admiration.

“I thought Tom gave an extraordinary performance. It was right in my wheelhouse – creating characters using CG,” he says. “When Tom gave me a call out of the blue, saying he thought it would be great if I directed the sequel and asking me to come on board, I think it was because he wanted a director who would be capable of safeguarding his performance, translating it into a visual-effects realm, with some degree of authority from experience with that. We had been circling each other as actors for so many years, and it was wonderful to finally get the chance to work with Tom.”

“Andy has spent years in front of the camera as well as behind it. He’s done performance capture and animation, and he understands story and nuance and vocal landscapes,” says Hardy. “He’s a great actor, a great director, and a decent man too. He was perfect to direct this and has done an amazing job.”

Serkis’s experience with CG characters came through on the film set. “I’ve spent a considerable amount of my life playing a character with two sides to his personality,” says Serkis. “I knew that this film would be about how to free up Tom to imagine Venom’s presence. We knew it would not be helpful for him to act opposite a man in a suit, because Venom is a symbiote, coming out of him.”

That is why, despite his many years of acting in performance capture, Serkis chose to animate Venom and Carnage with a more traditional CG animation approach. “We wanted to give Tom the freedom in his process to give the performance he wanted.” He and his team did, however, find ways to apply what he has learned from performance capture to this film. “We used it as a tool to find the physicality of the characters,” he says.

The character of Venom had been well-designed for the first film, but Carnage would need to be drawn from scratch.

“Venom is like a quarterback or a rugby player – very heavy, grounded, a Neanderthal physicality, a heavyweight, big shoulders, very, very, very strong,” says Serkis. “We wanted Carnage to be the opposite of that. He’s a shapeshifter, asymmetrical, reflecting Cletus Kasady’s personality. His tendrils are finer and thinner, and can weaponize in different ways. He can change his molecular structure to become anything, any shape, even turn to mist.”

“The place we started, of course, is the comic books,” says visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal. “From there, we explored anatomy, we explored materials, what the character’s made of, how it reflects light, what color it is, how it moves and performs, what does the full character look like versus what does a tentacle look like – and how do we bring them all together and put everything into a cohesive world?”

MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2021 MARVEL

by ·Comments Off on No Time To Die – The 25th Bond movie is an intense, personal story

With the story of No Time To Die taking shape under the guidance of director Cary Joji Fukunaga and of long-time Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the producers and Daniel Craig also invited contributions from writer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve), who brought her unique take on character and story, while also maintaining what Fellow producer Barbara Broccoli describes as Bond’s “essential Britishness”.

“The character development is very deep and the relationships are complicated yet interesting and emotional. I think the script has turned out great,” says Broccoli.

“Phoebe had a big impact on the script and we love working with her,” says Broccoli. “All the writers made a contribution and Cary tried to incorporate as much of everybody’s work as possible. The story is very complicated but it is told in a very understandable manner. The revelations are fascinating.”

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Where once the James Bond films played as separate adventures, linked by characters both malevolent and benign, EON Productions wanted the Daniel Craig series to unfold as a unified whole. Quantum Of Solace (2008) picked up immediately after Casino Royale (2006), which had tracked Bond’s initiation into the life of a double-O agent.

Skyfall (2012) slotted into the series to reveal important aspects of Bond’s early life. Now, the 25th film in the EON series, No Time To Die, begins in the aftermath of Spectre (2015) where the film’s conclusion saw Bond (Craig) and Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) drive away in the Aston Martin DB5.

With No Time To Die picking up the story immediately after the events of Spectre, Fukunaga says that the first part of the film “is tracking the honeymoon story of Madeleine Swann and Bond once he’s retired.”

Of course, things don’t always go to plan. “They end up going their separate ways,” Fukunaga continues. “We then pick up with him five years later and the world’s changed. The world’s moved on. The whole political landscape has changed as well.”

“There is a threat brewing that involves SPECTRE and some other outside elements, and Bond is drawn back in to helping MI6 prevent a diabolical weapon from getting out in the world. It’s a fascinating tale with such brilliant characters, new and old.”

Daniel Craig is back for his fifth and final outing, bringing to a close a journey that has introduced the world to a new, modern Bond. For all his excellence in certain fields, Craig’s Bond is not infallible. He is not the hero of myth and legend; he has much to learn. Bond is a multifaceted hero, a man whose success is tempered by occasional failures. He is a mixture of the light and the dark; if he delivers a pithy one-liner, it is often shrouded in menace.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) in No Time To Die, an EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios film Credit: Nicola Dove © 2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Audiences have borne witness to this change. They have watched Bond learn to become an agent, to earn his licence to kill, and they have seen the toll it takes. He is a loner and yet he has learned to let people in. He has loved and he has lost. He lost Vesper Lynd. He lost M. And he wears those injuries for all to see.

“I started it like that with Casino,” begins Craig. “That was how we went in and that was a lot of what defined the way I have played this wonderful character. I wanted Bond to look like a killer and I wanted him to behave like a killer because that’s what he is, an assassin; that’s what he was written as. But I wanted a modern take on that.”

His journey throughout Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and now No Time To Die has been constant. Big themes have dominated. And so it continues. “With No Time To Die, the themes are as big as you can go,” Craig continues. “That’s how it is with Bond. If this isn’t the time to use the expression ‘Go big or go home’ in a Bond movie, I don’t know when is the right time to use it.”

“I have always been very happy with the way the 007 films I’ve been a part of have turned out,” he adds. “It’s been a lot about the relationships and how those relationships affect him and how they change and steer his life. Whether it’s with the villain or whether it’s the people he works with, this movie has tackled that head on. And the biggest themes are love and trust. You can’t really get much bigger than that.”

“This is a Bond movie, of course, and Bond movies are action-adventure movies – we’ve got plenty of that – but to make action adventure movies work you have to have some elements of truth and you need a satisfying emotional journey for an audience to invest in the characters. So, in No Time To Die, there is this love story but it’s really, really complicated and, hopefully, it is fascinating to watch.”

“With No Time To Die there was a strong story to finish off, lots of loose ends to tie up,” says Craig. “I think we have managed to tell that story and get everything rounded up.”

Themes exploring secrets, betrayal and trust have stitched together the last four films and they propel the narrative towards its thrilling conclusion in No Time To Die.

After the heartbreak he suffered with the loss of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in Casino Royale, his fluctuating relationship with M and MI6, and the pain inflicted by the revelations imparted by Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), Bond has taken another risk, letting down his guard with Madeleine as he bids to try and love again.

“If Bond is going to commit to a relationship, this throws up so many emotional challenges for him,” continues Broccoli. “So trust is the biggest theme in this movie; making an emotional commitment with someone is very difficult because of his history with attachments, and then betrayal being a big part of the break-up of those attachments.”

Though he is committing to his relationship with Madeleine, No Time To Die begins with Bond having severed his longest-lasting relationship, his employment with MI6.

Associate producer Gregg Wilson notes that Bond’s retirement opened the filmmakers to a new reality.

“Bond being retired was a new place for us,” he says, “thinking what this man would be like if he didn’t have his day job. When you have devoted your life to the service, like Bond, what is the legacy that you leave behind?”

To tell this story, the filmmakers turned to visionary filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga (Jane Eyre, Sin Nombre, True Detective), who stepped in after the production parted ways with director Danny Boyle. Michael G. Wilson and Broccoli had long admired Fukunaga’s work as both a writer and a director and first met the filmmaker in New York shortly after the release of Spectre.

“When we met, Cary said he would love to do a Bond film at some point,” explains Broccoli, “So when Danny Boyle exited the project, we were looking for a new director and he reached out. It was amazing that he was available. His enthusiasm for the project and also his ability as a writer really came into it. It all worked out miraculously.”

Fukunaga is the first American to direct a Bond film.

Wonder Woman Writer Cary Joji Fukunaga To Direct New James Bond Movie | You & I

“I think that all Cary’s films are incredible and he is able to work in any kind of genre,” explains Michael G. Wilson, “and he is also a wonderful writer.”

“He is great with characters and with actors and he brings a level of complexity to everything he does. He is a very international person. He speaks several languages, is very well travelled and is also a kind of maverick. He is young and enthusiastic and he is visually extraordinary. Cary is also able to make very complicated things understandable and that fit so well with what we wanted from this story.”

Fukunaga’s introduction to the Bond stories came when he went to watch Roger Moore’s swansong, 1985’s A View To A Kill, at his local cinema. “I remember loving the finale on the Golden Gate Bridge,” he recalls. “It seemed like Bond had crossed over into my world. It was just a cool film with Roger Moore kicking ass.”

As Fukunaga’s career developed as a writer, producer and director, those memories remained and he says that he always hoped to direct a Bond film one day and, like the producers, Fukunaga was particularly excited by Bond’s emotional journey across the preceding films. “When you’re coming after Casino, Quantum, Skyfall and Spectre, you have a good idea of the arc that Bond’s character has been going through,” he says.

“For us, this film comes five years after Spectre. The world has changed a lot since then and much of our discussion was around how we make this film feel of the time, but also of the universe of Bond, which is never really specific to a time. That was part of the very first conversations we had together with the producers and with Daniel. You also want to bring something new to the story and also you want to honour all the Bond films in terms of leitmotifs and expectations.”

Chief among those expectations is adventure and the associated danger. “Every Bond film has danger,” the director adds. “You take the scariest thing you can imagine facing the world, and then you have Bond to get in front of it and stop it. And what has been interesting in Daniel’s run is the added layers that he’s brought to that character.”

“There’s complexity, there’s damage, there’s also vulnerability that’s been covered up since the first of his films when Vesper Lynd died. His decision-making is interesting because of his ingenuity and also because of his flaws. I think his is a really interesting story.”

The Return Of Familiar Characters

Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann, an intelligent and highly capable psychologist stands as the most significant other in Bond’s life. No Time To Die marks the first time that one of Bond’s love interests has featured significantly in two movies (although the memory of Vesper Lynd has of course cast a long shadow across all the Daniel Craig films).

James Bond (Daniel Craig) in discussion with Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) in NO TIME TO DIE, an EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios film Credit: Nicola Dove © 2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Seydoux was delighted to reprise her role. “At the end of Spectre, Madeleine is happy she’s with Bond, and we think that they are united for the best,” she says. “But we’ll find out that they have problems to solve, and I think that in No Time To Die we learn more about their intimacy, in a way.”

While aspects of Madeleine’s private life were revealed in the last film — the SPECTRE assassin Mr White, first introduced in Casino Royale, was her father — audiences will learn even more about the character in her latest outing. “Cary wanted Madeleine to be more accessible and approachable this time around,” continues Seydoux. “He wanted to explore the relationship that she has with Bond and I think it’s a new aspect of the character that we will see on screen.”

Naturally, Bond has many allies and another key MI6 member always on hand to help him out is Q. With the performance of Ben Whishaw, the Q-Bond dynamic has shifted across Skyfall and Spectre; the classic relationship as defined by series legend Desmond Llewelyn (Q in 17 James Bond films beginning with the second film in the series From Russia With Love in 1963), with a fastidious Q often exasperated by Bond’s gung-ho treatment of his ingenious inventions, is no longer the default setting.

That said, there remains a friendly tension between the pair, with Q torn between his loyalty to MI6 and his friendship with, and admiration for, Bond. “Q’s always caught between Bond, who’s maverick, unpredictable and breaks the rules, and what he’s told to do by M,” says Whishaw. “Always his loyalty is with Bond; there’s a real affection there, which I think comes out in this film quite a lot.”

For the screenwriters, the pleasure was derived not only from Q’s discomfort with the invasion of his private space, but also from the incongruity of witnessing Bond in a domestic environment.

“One of the funniest moments is certainly Bond going round to Q’s house,” says Purvis. “Q doesn’t want Bond disturbing the life he has got now; it’s been quieter without him around. But the whirlwind will start again with Bond’s return so there’s humour with how uncomfortable Q is with this situation.”

Along with Harris and Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes also returns, reprising the role of M. Fiennes says that he was more than impressed with the story ideas on which Fukunaga wanted to concentrate.

“When Cary got on the phone with me and told me the story, I must say I thought it was very strong,” says Fiennes, who stars in his third consecutive Bond film. “M has compromised himself by developing a secret programme that he thinks will be for the good of the country.”

“But the scientist he’s filched from the Russians and engaged to develop this programme has gone rogue and turned it into something horrific and dangerous. M has unwittingly developed something that got out of hand.”

It is M’s questionable decision-making that sees him turn to Bond. He needs MI6’s best agent to return and help to right the wrong. The narrative helps develop a new relationship between Fiennes’ M and Craig’s Bond.

“To begin with,” says Purvis, “M doesn’t really want him around, he’s been too much trouble, so there’s a different dynamic.”

Fiennes, for one, relished these scenes. “I’ve had a few confrontational moments with Daniel in this context in the previous films,” he says, “but this felt the most live-wire as M is caught on the back foot, big time.”

Another long-serving MI6 employee who reappears in No Time To Die is Tanner, played by Rory Kinnear, who identifies the “family of MI6” as one of the important themes in the film.

“This film has a strong link, thematically, with those that have gone before, especially the ones that I’ve been involved in,” says the actor, who returns for his fourth Bond film. “There is that sense of tying up loose ends and there is a sense of family in many ways — that family of MI6, for one. The story looks at what loyalty requires of you, what it can take from you, and what it can do to your own personal life as well as your working life.”

“The friendships are cemented and solidified by the pressure that the characters find themselves under towards the end, and I guess that’s been the same over the last couple of films; they’ve been through a lot together.”

(Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Tanner (Rory Kinnear) in a tense moment in M’s office in NO TIME TO DIE, an EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios film Credit: Nicola Dove © 2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Also returning is the hero’s most famous nemesis Blofeld, who debuted on screen in 1963’s From Russia With Love, and whose first overt connection to the Daniel Craig’s films began in Spectre, where he provided important insights into Bond’s upbringing and the pain he has suffered from Casino Royale onwards. Christoph Waltz comes back for a second outing after the character’s incarceration at the end of the last movie.

“Blofeld’s story hasn’t been fulfilled,” says Michael G. Wilson. “He wasn’t going to sit quietly in jail. He isn’t that type of person and it certainly isn’t the end of the story when he goes to jail. He has Primo out there in the world, who can be the eyes and ears of Blofeld in prison.”

And Blofeld continues to poke at Bond’s emotions. “I love it when Blofeld says to Bond, ‘You were always so very, very sensitive,’” notes Barbara Broccoli. “All these men are all kind of sensitive.”

There is a far more positive emotional connection between Bond and another returnee, CIA man Felix Leiter, whose friendship with Bond extends back to Casino Royale in the Daniel Craig series. Actor Jeffrey Wright returns as Leiter once again in No Time To Die. “With Felix and James there is a sense of fraternal kinship,” says Wright. “They are almost like brothers in a very select circle.”

This is the character’s tenth appearance in the Bond series after he debuted in 1962’s Dr. No and he plays an important role in this film, reaching out to a retired Bond and drawing him back into the world of espionage.

“James has pulled back from the game but Felix has a mission that needs to be taken on and it just happens to be in the neighbourhood of his old friend,” reveals Wright. “For them there is a sense of familiarity; there is Felix’s bond with Bond, owing to who they are and what they do and the disparate places that they come from. The story looks at this love for one another and respect for one another. Also, I think, there’s a love for the game.”

The End Of An Era

Not only is No Time To Die a landmark film as EON’s 25th Bond movie, it also stands as the final chapter in the Daniel Craig era and, according to Barbara Broccoli, it is an intensely personal story.

“I think it is by far the most personal story, alongside On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Casino Royale,” she says. “It is a fitting and very emotionally satisfying conclusion to Daniel Craig’s character arc.”

Not surprisingly, No Time To Die proved an emotional project for all of those involved, especially for Craig himself. “When I stop and think about what we have achieved over five movies, it’s really very emotional; it’s been nearly 15 years of my life,” he says.

“And I felt with No Time To Die there was a story to finish off and lots of loose ends that we needed to tie up. I feel we’ve done that. I’m immensely proud of it and I am immensely proud of the huge collective effort that goes into making a Bond movie. Being just a small part of that has been an honour.”

B25_05907_RC James Bond (Daniel Craig) in NO TIME TO DIE, an EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios film Credit: Nicola Dove © 2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The most emotional moment came with Craig’s final scenes, which, fittingly, were shot at Pinewood, the traditional home of the Bond films. Michael G. Wilson recalls the feeling on set: “It was late at night and usually people go home when they’re done but everyone came on set. It wasn’t a party atmosphere exactly but it was a special moment and people wanted to be there.”

“They called ‘Wrap’ and Daniel said some beautiful words and everyone was tearful and hugging. We were all sorry to see this era end; it was very emotional for the crew.”

The filmmakers remain extremely proud of what they’ve achieved across the last five films. “In these films, Daniel has brought a lot of humanity to Bond and developed a real character,” concludes Wilson. “That’s what he brings to the later films. He kept on developing that character and creating it. With his tenacity, understanding and tremendous talent, Daniel Craig has developed a version of James Bond that is unique.”

Pas le temps de mourir Le réalisateur Cary Fukunaga parle de Bond – / Film – Betanews.fr
Director Cary Joji Fukunaga and Daniel Craig

The Screenwriters

Neal Purvis and Robert Wade had their first success in 1991 with the screenplay of the controversial drama Let Him Have It. The critically acclaimed film, directed by Peter Medak, was screened for Parliament and played a part in Derek Bentleys’ eventual posthumous pardon.

They have worked in a variety of genres with screenplays such as Plunkett & Macleane, starring Robert Carlyle and Liv Tyler, Johnny English starring Rowan Atkinson and John Malkovich. As well as writing the James Bond films The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, they wrote and co-produced Return To Sender for director Bille August and performed the same duties on Stoned for director Stephen Woolley.

For Casino Royale they received two BAFTA nominations as well as an EDGAR nomination from the Mystery Writers of America. They subsequently co-wrote Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall, which earned them a BAFTA for Best British Film, and Spectre.

They adapted and exec-produced Len Deighton’s novel SS-GB for Sid Gentle Films and BBC One starring Sam Riley and most recently adapted Jo Nesbo’s The Son for Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories, as well as a WW2 screenplay for GK Films. No Time To Die is their seventh James Bond film.

Neal Purvis and Robert Wade
Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a multi-award-winning writer and actor, known for the BBC 3/Amazon series Fleabag, in which she starred, created and produced. Waller- Bridge won three Primetime Emmy Awards for the second season, including Best Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. She also won two Golden Globe Awards (Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy and Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy), two Critics’ Choice Awards (Best Actress in a Comedy Series and Best Comedy Series) and the Screen Actors Guild Award (Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series), in addition to a BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Program.

As a writer and producer, Waller-Bridge is known for her work on Season 1 of the critically acclaimed BBC America series Killing Eve. She contributed to the script of the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, which will release later this year. On television, she has been seen in Crashing, which she also wrote, Broadchurch and Run, which she executive produced with Vicky Jones. On film, Waller-Bridge has appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Goodbye Christopher Robin, and The Iron Lady.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, her debut play “Fleabag” earned a 2014 Olivier Award nomination and a Special Commendation from the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2013. In addition to the hit television series, the play spurred celebrated Off-Broadway and West End runs of the production (Lucille Lortel Award, Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier Award nominations), and the publication of Fleabag: The Scriptures. Waller-Bridge has established her own production company, Wells Street Films, and serves as the Co-Artistic Director of DryWrite Theatre Company.

by ·Comments Off on Copshop – A hard-charging and explosive action-thriller

When Gerard Butler, who has established himself as one of Hollywood’s foremost action stars and one of its most bankable leading men, first read the earliest drafts of the screenplay for Copshop 6 years ago, the premise not only captured the actor’s imagination, but he also recognized that some of the ideas in the script had as-yet-unrealized potential.

Bringing power, nuance and wit to every character he plays, Butler channeled his passion and commitment into the can’t-miss role of contract killer Bob Viddick in Copshop, which sees a cat-and-mouse game unfold between a con artist and the hitman who’s sent to take him out..

It’s an explosive new action-thriller from writer- director Joe Carnahan, who gave us the supercharged and excellent Boss Level earlier this year.

“I could see many possibilities with Bob Viddick, a true-blue assassin’s assassin who has surprising depth,” says Butler.

Butler and his producing partner in G-Base Productions, Alan Seigel, turned to a writer-director with a sterling track record when it came to original films bristling with intensity, Joe Carnahan. Having rocketed to stardom on the strength of his no-holds- barred debut Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane, Carnahan won further acclaim with such films as Narc, Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team and The Grey.

His sensibility was an ideal fit for the material, and he immediately understood how to hone in on a fresh and exciting interpretation of the story. Inspired by iconic 1970s films like Bullitt, Dirty Harry and Magnum Force, Carnahan ratcheted up the tension between the hitman and his quarry, and he also sharpened the interactions between both men and the calm, capable rookie cop who comes between them.

“I saw the story as very much a ’70s neo-feminist western with a bit of noir,” Carnahan says.

Frank Grillo, Carnahan’s producing partner in their WarParty Films banner, was equally excited by the project, as it fit squarely within the company’s mission to create elevated movies in the action-thriller genre. A veteran actor with dozens of high-profile credits to his name—including HYDRA agent Brock Rumlow in Marvel’s Captain America films and Leo Barnes in several entries in the Purge franchise—Grillo also was eager to share the screen with Butler, as the two had been friends for years.

Blood, Guts, Bullets, and Unproduced Screenplays: The Real and Incomplete Movies of Joe Carnahan
Joe Carnahan

The relationship Carnahan scripted between the characters gave both actors much to explore. Neither is anything remotely approaching a conventional hero, rather, they are hardened, untrustworthy men whose pasts are littered with all sorts of sinful transgressions. “Bob Viddick is not a good guy, and he points that out that neither himself or Teddy Murretto are good guys or redeemable guys,” Carnahan says. “He understands that. Whether Teddy understands that is another matter. But there are no easy answers. There’s a lot of grey area.”

Producer Eric Gold of Sculptor Media found Carnahan’s draft to be both compelling and quick-witted. “He took all the characters and put so much more depth into each of them,” Gold says. “He added a sense of humor that moves in and out of the script that gives the audience a little breath of fresh air because there’s a lot of darkness in this as well. There’s a joy that he brings to it as a writer.”

With its charismatic characters and its singular marriage of intrigue, suspense and all-out carnage, Copshop is the sort of highly original genre production that could only come from filmmaker Joe Carnahan. The writer-director says he’s excited to be able to offer audiences a reason to head back to movie theaters for a great night out.

“These types of films are great, popcorn, escapist kinds of movies, and I think that especially now, with what we’re dealing with as a global community, people need to be entertained,” Carnahan says. “Giving people a reason to laugh or smile or lose themselves for even a couple of hours is a noble pursuit right now.”

Adds producer and star Frank Grillo: “Copshop is really pure entertainment. It’s why we go to the movies. You can sit back and get your popcorn, and it’s a fun ride.”

Bob Viddick is a man who lives his life in the shadows, and the code he follows is clear—get the job done, no matter what. In that way, the role dovetails with men that actor Gerard Butler has portrayed in the past, complex characters with strong core values. Yet there’s no question that the morally ambiguous hitman offered Butler the opportunity to stretch his creative muscles in a new way, and that, he says, was a key part of the attraction. “Bob Viddick was a bit of a departure for me,” Butler says. “He’s off the cuff and a bit left of center.”

On the set, the Scottish actor says he found himself challenged—in a good way—not only by the character but also by Carnahan’s high-energy approach. “Joe encouraged adlibs and improvisation,” Butler says. “It’s not the type of work I’m used to, which made it massively fun. It helped that I’d been wanting to work with Frank Grillo for some time, too. We developed a rhythm and just rolled with it.”

Uncharted Video Game: Joe Carnahan to Write Film Adaptation | IndieWire
Joe Carnahan

Carnahan says the two actors made for an ideal pairing. “Gerry has this incredibly disarming way about him that makes a bad guy intensely likeable,” he says. “Frank has that intensity, too. There’s always this underlying charm and wit, and you just get behind them. It really works for the story because you need these opposing totems to put the young impressionable cop between.”

When scripting the character of Murretto, filmmaker Joe Carnahan thought back to the characters played by John Cazale, the late actor who appeared on screen in five cinematic classics—The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter—before his untimely death at the age of 42 in 1978.

“Murretto is not the macho guy Frank normally plays,” Carnahan says. “I always get a kick out of actors going against your expectations.”

Copshop (2021) | MUBI

For one thing, the look of the character, who wears his shoulder length hair in a top knot, is quite distinct for Grillo. “Teddy’s got a ponytail and a fancy suit and snakeskin boots—Teddy’s a character,” the actor says. “He’s a player. He’s a used car salesman and a gambler. He gets himself into trouble because he goes against the people that are taking care of him. And he’s a very dangerous character because he can take down a lot of people—not just mob people but also politicians and law enforcement and so forth. So, he’s a very dangerous element in the story, and he’s got to be dealt with.”

Slipping into Murretto’s skin was enjoyable enough, but working opposite Gerard Butler as Viddick made Grillo’s time in the role even more creatively exciting, the actor says. “The dynamic with Gerry’s character is great,” says Grillo. “Gerry’s a friend of mine, so it’s fun to act with your friends. It’s these guys playing cat and mouse. It’s prodding and poking and pushing and pulling, and we have to do it within the confines of these two jail cells. The way it’s shot is very interesting and scary and eerie. It’s a real psychological thriller for a while—until it becomes an action movie.”

by ·Comments Off on Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings – Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Newest Super Hero

Shang-Chi was a fairly obscure character created by Marvel Comics in the 1970s. When the Marvel creative team, led by producers Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, delved into the over 40-year-old comics, they were both inspired and challenged, launching Marvel Studios newest Super Hero into the ever-growing and evolving Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In this origin story, the modern-day, re-imagined Shang-Chi has a close familial connection to the Ten Rings organization. The shadowy Ten Rings organization has been an underlying element of the MCU since 2008, when it surfaced to kidnap Tony Stark in the first Iron Man film. The person behind the Ten Rings organization was deceptively introduced in Marvel Studios’ 2013 film release, Iron Man 3, in the form of Iron Man’s archenemy The Mandarin, who had first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1964, a decade before Shang-Chi. In the film it was revealed that the person purporting to be the Mandarin was actually an actor named Trevor Slattery , played by Ben Kingsley, who was hired by the leader of the Ten Rings to impersonate him and promulgate his agenda.

The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, whom we meet living in San Francisco and working as a parking valet, when a group of assassins takes a pendant that his mother gave him when he was young. Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy leave their safe lives and journey to Macau, to warn Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing that danger is coming for her as well. As the film unfolds, Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind. When he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization led by his estranged father, Shang-Chi realizes he must stop him and his Ten Rings cabal.

“Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is the story of a young man who realizes that his father is essentially one of the world’s greatest criminals,” says Kevin Feige, producer, “and Shang-Chi has to learn how to process that, and deal with it, in order to evolve beyond it. He must find the heroism needed to break free of his father’s legacy. But there are many sides to all stories. In our film, the world’s perception of his father and his perception of his father prove to be more complex than Shang-Chi initially thought. That was a great driving story for us that we wanted to explore.”

“While there’s incredible artwork and amazing action—things you’d expect from Marvel in the 1970s—Shang-Chi was also in need of a significant update,” says producer Jonathan Schwartz. “In 1973, Shang-Chi was brought to life by big fans of Kung Fu cinema who put the character at the center of a spy-espionage story, which was very much in vogue after the release earlier that year of the martial arts film ‘Enter the Dragon.’ Looking at it today, over 40 years later, and looking at how stories are told, Shang-Chi didn’t really feel right for modern audiences. We had to think about how we wanted that voice to be heard in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.”

In Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings audiences will learn the history of the real person who leads the Ten Rings—Xu Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father. The power of the actual Ten Rings, which are in Wenwu’s possession, allowed him to build the Ten Rings criminal organizaton.

(L-R): Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Producer Jonathan Schwartz was conscious that bringing to life this particular corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big, actioon film featuring martial arts was going to be an important first step. “There’s this deep wealth of martial arts–themed characters within the comics that we haven’t really been able to bring to screen yet,” he says. “Shang-Chi felt like a great way into that entire world, to bring the martial arts world that exists as characters in the comics to life in the same way that ‘Doctor Strange’ was able to bring the magic side of the universe to life and that ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ was able to bring the galactic side of the universe to life.”

Producers Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, and executive producers Louis D’Esposito and Victoria Alonso, wanted the film helmed by a director who could help draw out authenticity, and who could craft a story from the history of Shang-Chi that would take audiences by surprise and transport them to a unique Marvel world.

Maui-born director Destin Daniel Cretton, (The Glass Castle and Just Mercy), was initially wary of going down the superhero route, but when he heard that Marvel specifically wanted an Asian American director to bring an Asian American story to life, he became attracted to that idea. He gravitated towards the universality of the relationship between a father and a son. “The complications of the relationship between Shang-Chi and Wenwu was what really interested me,” admits Cretton. “What moved me from the comics was this complex relationship of a dad who trained his son to be a killer, and now his son is grown up, and he has to face him. That was really exciting to me.”

(L-R): Director Destin Daniel Cretton, fight instructor Alan Tang, crew camera operator, and Simu Liu on the set of Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

The Filmmakers

Maui-born Destin Daniel Cretton (Director/Screenplay by/Screen Story by) most recently directed Just Mercy and The Glass Castle (2017), Cretton’s feature Short Term 12, won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival in 2013. He also wrote and directed I Am Not a Hipster (2012).

Dave Callaham (Screen Story by/Screenplay by) is a Chinese American screenwriter who grew up in Northern California and moved to Los Angeles in 1999, where he worked as an assistant before selling his first script, a thriller, in 2002. Since then he has written across multiple genres, including action films Godzilla and The Expendables; comedy/horror Zombieland: Double Tap; sci-fi Doom; and superhero projects such as Wonder Woman 1984 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2” (releasing in 2022). He has also written en and produced for television, creating the 2017 Jean-Claude Van Johnson for Amazon Prime.

Andrew Lanham (Screenplay by) is a winner of the Nicholl Fellowships and in 2019 was named one of Variety’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch. He recently wrote The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik as well as Harbinger, based on the Valiant comic book series. With Destin Daniel Cretton he co-wrote Just Mercy as well as The Glass Castle. His film The Kid, was released in 2019.

by ·Comments Off on Barakat – A story about celebrating life, culture, and the importance of family.

An aging matriarch aims to bring together her fractured, dysfunctional family over Eid-al-Fitr to break the news about her new romance in Barakat, South Africa’s first Muslim film in Afrikaaps.

“Barakat started as a comedy and ended up being about grief,” says director Amy Jephta, who wrote the screenplay with Ephraim Gordon. They made their debut at the 2017 kykNET Silwerskerm Festival in Camps Bay, with their short film ‘Soldier’, for which they won the awards for best screenplay and best short film.

“At first sight, we appeared to want to tell a light-hearted story about a family of feuding brothers brought together to sabotage their mother’s love life,” says Jephta. “What the film actually wanted to be about, is how we deal with the loss of one of our own – in this case, a father and patriarch. The story became about a family grappling with a legacy that has left an empty seat at their table. For me, it is about how we honour familial, collective memory even as life moves on.”

“That difficulty, of ‘moving on’ from the death of a loved one, is a universal theme that speaks to our humanity anywhere in the world. Perhaps that’s why the story we gravitated toward telling was to explore and unpack that grief. But sometimes, pain manifests in absurdity or comedy. And for the Davids family, healing exists at the intersection of conflict, tradition, culture, and food. A family forced to confront absence is the heart and the compass here. It is the story we are actually telling.”

The film tells the story of Ayesha Davids (Vinette Ebrahim), a widow who has to preserve the peace between her four sons (played by Joey Rasdien, Mortimer Williams, Keeno-Lee Hector and Danny Ross) after they all still struggle to come to terms with the death of their father, two years after the fact. Zunaid, Zaid, Yaseen and Nur, who return to the family home to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr or Labarang as it’s known in Cape Town, marking the end of the month of Ramadaan, have never really dealt with their father’s death and the void he has left behind. Each son’s unprocessed pain manifests in how they are constantly fighting with each other, making their mother extremely sad as she tries to move on with her own life.

Barakat has started to make ripples internationally and has won a number of awards at international festivals, including: Best Narrative Feature at The Reel Sisters of The Diaspora Festival (Brooklyn, New York); Best Editing and Best Production at the Motion Pictures International Film Fest 2020 (Touring film festival held in Salt Lake City in 2020); and the Mary Austin Award Excellence in Directing, Best Ensemble Cast, Best International Feature, Best Supporting Actor Runner Up, and Best Original Score at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema (Idyllwild, California).

Q & A with Amy Jephta and Ephraim Gordon

What was the inspiration behind Barakat?

Barakat first originated with a conversation about depictions of ‘us’ onscreen.

US: black, middle-class South Africans and our families, our histories, our language, and our lived realities. It started as a conversation about the danger of singular narratives about our experience. Questions about why we are so often portrayed as violent, poor, living in squalor, forced to deal with danger and drug addiction, crime, and gang life, as a natural extension of our existence.

What of the beauty of our communities and our people? What of our rich diversity of language – the snap and dynamism of the language we call Afrikaaps, a cocktail of English, Dutch, Arabic, Malay, and Afrikaans? What of our suburbs on the Cape Flats, the landscapes of palm trees and wide streets, the peculiar and specific mix of Cape Dutch architecture and 80s kitsch? What of our families – (mostly) functional, ordinary, concerned with normal preoccupations like relationships, marriages, careers, and petty conflicts?

Can a story about us be simple?

Barakat' celebrates life and culture in the Cape Flats, wins US award

How did you go about changing this narrative?

It was important for us as filmmakers to produce a piece that reflected the lived reality of this subsection of black South Africa in an authentic and honest way. For those who know the world, it was key to show an authentic representation of ‘our’ life on the Cape Flats with a distinctive voice, style, and tone. To portray something recognizable while simultaneously showing ourselves depicted in a fresh way. For those who don’t know the world, we wanted to show something new about the traditions and culture of a Cape Muslim family. While the story itself is simple, this film presents a significant shift in the portrayal of black South African lives onscreen. It was of high priority to show a diverse, varied depiction of minority communities in South Africa.

What of the film’s authenticity?

Authenticity is Everything. Barakat was shot completely on location in Athlone, Gatesville, and surrounding Cape Flats areas, depicting a side of Cape Town – and specifically the Cape Flats – rarely seen in South African films. The film features the local community as well as one of the local mosques.

It was important that the Davids family be middle-class and strongly traditional, a narrative departure from the usual stories set on South Africa’s Cape Flats.

The production team worked closely with the local community and cultural advisors to capture the authenticity of Cape Muslim vernacular in the language, the details of religious ceremonies such as the breaking of the fast and the Crescent Observation ceremony on the last night of Ramadan, and the textures of Cape Muslim life in the production design and costuming. This in service of presenting a Muslim family grounded in their beliefs and faith, to illustrate the warmth and generosity of this community.

Though religion itself is not an overt theme, the symbols and rituals of Islam play a strong role in the film. From the food on the family table, to Aisha and Abdu’s wedding photograph, to Aisha’s prayer mat and Quran and the various trinkets, decor and objects we see in the film – all of these are invested with meaning and a heritage particular to the Cape Muslim community. A depiction we feel is an accurate representation of US.

Our Cultural Advisors were Abduragman Adams, Yazeed Kamaldien, Khalil Kathrada, Moeniel Jacobs, Ayesha Khatieb, Jawaahier Petersen, the Crescent Observer’s Society, Imam Yusuf Pandy and Farouk Valley Omar, all people who hail from a cross sector of the local community, were advisors who helped to ensure that the screenplay is respectful of the cultural and religious nuances of the story.

Barakat | Movie info, Hector, Couple photos

What is your primary goal with Barakat?

It was important to both of us to depict the Cape Muslim community in a positive light. The Cape is a melting pot of cultures, with an exciting diversity in our communities, and we wanted to show people that regardless of faith, they can watch the film and proudly say ‘this is us’. It was important to us that everyone on screen sounded authentic and spoke ‘Afrikaaps’ the way we know it from our homes and amongst our friends. The script is peppered with those phrases and words that are unique to our culture. We wanted to portray the richness of what it means to be from the Flats, but seen through a different lens.

Amy Jephta is a screenwriter and playwright from Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town. She has three feature film credits to her name including South Africa’s official 2018 Golden Globes submission, Ellen: The
Ellen Pakkies Story (Rotterdam International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, Toronto Black Film Festival, and others). As a playwright, her work has been directed by Danny Boyle for the Royal Court and played at The Bush theatre, Theatre 503 and the Jermyn Street Theatre in London and the Riksteatern in Sweden.
She has held fellowships at the Orchard Project Episodic Lab (New York), the AfroVibes Festival (Amsterdam) and the Edinburgh International Festival. In 2019, Amy developed an hour-long original drama pilot as part of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Impact program. The Park is currently attached to be produced by Imagine Entertainment. Other recent work includes thrilleraction series, Trackers, for M-Net and CINEMAX/HBO and Catch Me A Killer, an action-drama series pilot for eOne. Amy has previously been named as one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Top Young South Africans, is the 2017 recipient of the national Eugene Marais Prize for Drama, the 2019 recipient of one of South Africa’s highest art accolades, the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Theatre and the 2020 recipient of the Baumi Prize for script development (presented by Pandora Film and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Germany). She now focuses on producing for film and television as the creative director of Nagvlug Films. Amy is represented by CAA and 3Arts Entertainment.

Amy Jephta and Ephraim Gordon recently won the award for Best Narrative at the 23rd Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Festival in the US for their movie Barakat. They've also just wrapped production for their drama series Skemerdans. Picture: Supplied
Ephraim Gordon and Amy Jephta

Ephraim Gordon graduated from the University of Cape Town with a degree in Theatre, and as a young actor has been nominated for various theatre and television awards across South Africa. Ephraim has worked as a storyliner for local television and is currently on the development and production teams for two new South African series projects for the M-Net group. Behind the camera, he has worked as a casting director on Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story and has assisted and advised on critically acclaimed South African films like Number 37 and Noem My Skollie. Ephraim has to date directed over 120 episodes on kykNET’s daily soap, Suidooster, where he initially trained as a television director. He has since directed Sara Se Geheim S3, a local 13-episode series in its final season.

In 2017, Ephraim was the producer of the award winning short-film Soldaat that won Best Short and Best Script at the Silwerskermfees in Cape Town. In 2019, Ephraim was a producer on two made for TV films (Rage and Somerkersfees) for M-Net and SHOWMAX. He is currently Head of Development at Nagvlug Films.

by ·Comments Off on Monsters on DVD

Latest Film Releases / Rent or Buy DVD / Return to Menu

*DVD Rental in Prince Albert only

Creatures, Werewolves, Vampires and Zombies

CLOVERFIELD – 2008 monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J.J. Abrams, and written by Drew Goddard. The film stars Michael Stahl-David, Odette Yustman, T.J. Miller, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, and Mike Vogel. The film uses a found footage motif to follow five young New York City residents fleeing from a massive monster and various other smaller creatures that attack the city while they are having a farewell party. The film served as the first installment of the Cloverfield franchise, followed by 10 Cloverfield Lane in 2016 and The Cloverfield Paradox in 2018.

  • THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX  – 2018 American science fiction horror directed by Julius Onah and written by Oren Uziel, from a story by Uziel and Doug Jung, and produced by J. J. Abrams’s Bad Robot Productions. It is the third installment in the Cloverfield franchise, following Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016). The film stars Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki, Aksel Hennie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris O’Dowd, John Ortiz, David Oyelowo, and Zhang Ziyi, and follows an international group of astronauts aboard a space station who, after using a particle accelerator to try to solve Earth’s energy crisis, must find a way home when the planet seemingly vanishes.

THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS – A mysterious meteor shower blinds most of the inhabitants of Earth – but worse is to come. As the population stumbles about,the triffids – giant carnivorous plants – begin to herd them for use as food. The survivors, led by a few who retained their sight, must try to find a safe place from the monsters. A BBC drama made in 2009. It is a loose adaptation of John Wyndham’s 1951 novel of the same title.

DONNIE DARKO – 2001 American science fiction psychological thriller written and directed by Richard Kelly and produced by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, Stu Stone, Daveigh Chase, and James Duval. Set in October 1988, the film follows Donnie Darko, a troubled teenager who narrowly escapes a bizarre accident and has visions of Frank, a mysterious figure in a rabbit costume who informs him that the world will end in 28 days. Frank begins to manipulate Donnie to commit several crimes.

KING KONG – 2005 epic monster adventure co-written, produced, and directed by Peter Jackson. A second remake of the 1933 film of the same title, the film stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, and Andy Serkis as the title character, through motion capture. Set in 1933, it follows the story of an ambitious filmmaker who coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to the mysterious Skull Island. There, they encounter prehistoric creatures living on the island as well as a legendary giant gorilla known as Kong, whom they capture and take to New York City.  * Includes 2-disc Production diaries.

LOST BOYS: THE TRIBE – A 2008 American black comedy horror directed by P. J. Pesce, which serves as a stand-alone sequel to the 1987 film, The Lost Boys. The film stars Tad Hilgenbrink, Angus Sutherland, Autumn Reeser and Corey Feldman. Lost Boys: The film takes us back to the familiar shady surf city of Santa Carla, where vampire surfers quickly dispatch anyone who tries to invade their turf.

THE MONSTER – A 2016 American-Canadian monster horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine. Its plot follows a troubled mother and her adolescent daughter who find themselves stranded at night on a country road with a malicious creature hunting them.

MONSTER TRUCKS – 2016 monster action comedy  directed by Chris Wedge, in his live-action directorial debut, and written by Derek Connolly, from a story by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger and Matthew Robinson. The film stars Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Barry Pepper and Holt McCallany, and follows a high schooler who finds an escaped monster living in his truck.

PANDORUM – Astronauts Payton (Dennis Quaid) and Bower (Ben Foster) awake in a hypersleep chamber with no memory of who they are or what their mission might be. While Payton stays behind to monitor the radio transmitter, Bower ventures out of the chamber into the seemingly abandoned spaceship. The men quickly realize that they are not alone and that the fate of mankind hinges on what they do next. 2009 British-German science fiction horror film, with elements of Lovecraftian horror and survival adventure. The film was directed by Christian Alvart and produced by Robert Kulzer, Jeremy Bolt and Paul W. S. Anderson. Travis Milloy wrote the screenplay from a story by Milloy and Alvart. It stars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster.

THE SHAPE OF WATER – 2017 fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. It stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1962, the story follows a mute cleaner at a high-security government laboratory who falls in love with a captured humanoid amphibian creature.

SUPER 8 – 2011 monster thriller film written and directed by J. J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, and Kyle Chandler and tells the story of a group of young teenagers who are filming their own Super 8 movie when a train derails, releasing a dangerous presence into their town.

TELL-TALE – 2009 science fiction-horror drama inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s 1843 short story “The Tell-Tale Heart”. It is directed by Michael Cuesta and stars Josh Lucas, Lena Headey, and Brian Cox and is produced by Tony Scott and Ridley Scott. A man’s recently transplanted heart leads him on a frantic search to find the donor’s killer before a similar fate befalls him.

THE THING – 1982 American science fiction horror directed by John Carpenter and written by Bill Lancaster. Based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There?, it tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous “Thing”, a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates other organisms. The group is overcome by paranoia and conflict as they learn that they can no longer trust each other and that any one of them could be the Thing. The film stars Kurt Russell as the team’s helicopter pilot, R.J. MacReady, and features A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites in supporting roles.

  • THE THING – 2011 science fiction horror directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., written by Eric Heisserer, and starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Eric Christian Olsen. It is a direct prequel to the 1982 film of the same name by John Carpenter, which was an adaptation of the 1938 novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. It tells the story of a team of Norwegian and American scientists who discover a parasitic alien buried deep in the ice of Antarctica, realizing too late that it is still alive.

Zombies – The Living Dead

THE CRAZIES – Anarchy reigns when an unknown toxin turns the peaceful citizens of Ogden Marsh into bloodthirsty lunatics. In an effort to contain the spread of the infection, authorities blockade the town and use deadly force to keep anyone from getting in or out. Now trapped among killers, Sheriff Dutten (Timothy Olyphant) and his wife (Radha Mitchell) and two companions must band together to find a way out before madness and death overtake them. 2010 American science fiction horror directed by Breck Eisner from a screenplay from Scott Kosar and Ray Wright. The film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name and stars Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson and Danielle Panabaker. George A. Romero, who wrote and directed the original, served as an executive producer. It is about a fictional Iowa town that becomes afflicted by a biological agent that turns those infected into violent killers.

DEAD & BURIED – A sheriff (James Farentino) and his wife (Melody Anderson) realize the town coroner (Jack Albertson) has been creating an army of rural zombies. 1981 American slasher film directed by Gary Sherman, starring Melody Anderson, Jack Albertson, and James Farentino. It is Albertson’s final live-action film role before his death six months after the film’s release. The film focuses on a small town wherein a few tourists are murdered, but their corpses begin to reanimate. With a screenplay written by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES -In the 19th century, a mysterious plague turns the English countryside into a war zone. No one is safe as the dead come back to life to terrorize the land. Fate leads Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James), a master of martial arts and weaponry, to join forces with Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley), a handsome but arrogant gentleman. Elizabeth can’t stand Darcy, but respects his skills as a zombie killer. Casting aside their personal differences, they unite on the blood-soaked battlefield to save their country. 2016 action comedy horror film based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which parodies the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The film is directed by Burr Steers, who wrote the adapted screenplay, and stars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. The film follows the general plot of Austen’s original novel, with elements of zombie, horror and post-apocalyptic fiction incorporated.

WARM BODIES – 2013 paranormal romantic zombie comedy film written and directed by Jonathan Levine and based on Isaac Marion’s novel of the same name, which in turn is inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.[7] The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, and John Malkovich. The film focuses on the development of the relationship between Julie (Palmer), a young woman, and “R” (Hoult), a zombie, and how their eventual romance develops, causing R to slowly return to human form. The film is noted for displaying human characteristics in zombie characters, and for being told from a zombie’s perspective.

Vampires

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER – While still a boy, Abraham Lincoln loses his mother to a vampire’s bite. He vows revenge, but fails in the attempt, narrowly escaping with his life. He is rescued by Henry (Dominic Cooper), a charismatic vampire hunter who instructs Abe in the fine art of dispatching bloodsuckers. Abe (Benjamin Walker) continues his fight against the undead well into adulthood and his presidency, making a last stand against the ultimate vampire foe (Rufus Sewell) on the eve of the Civil War’s defining battle. 2012 dark fantasy action horror film directed by Timur Bekmambetov, based on the 2010 mashup novel of the same name. The novel’s author, Seth Grahame-Smith, wrote the screenplay and served as an executive producer. Benjamin Walker stars as the title character with supporting roles by Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, and Marton Csokas.

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA’S GUEST (also known as just Dracula’s Guest) A man (Wesley A. Ramsey) races across Europe to rescue his lover (Kelsey McCann) from evil Dracula (Andrew Bryniarski).  2008 film that was written and directed by Michael Feifer.

BYZANTIUM – Mayhem follows when two female vampires (Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan), on the run from a kindred group, take refuge at a seaside British community.  2012 vampire film directed by Neil Jordan, starring Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan. The story concerns a mother-daughter vampire duo who move into a rundown hotel while hiding out from other vampires.

DRACULA 2000 (also known internationally as Dracula 2001) Long ago, Abraham Van Helsing (Christopher Plummer) imprisoned the infamous Count Dracula (Gerard Butler) within a vault inside Carfax Abbey. In the present day, Van Helsing relies on Dracula’s immortal blood to remain alive. But then thieves breaks into the vault and steal the vampire’s coffin, thinking it contains something valuable. Liberated from his prison, Dracula seizes the opportunity to escape, but Van Helsing sets out to banish him to the crypt once again. A 2000 American gothic horror film co-written and directed by Patrick Lussier and produced by Joel Soisson and Wes Craven (executive producer).

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE – 1994 American gothic horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on Anne Rice’s 1976 novel of the same name, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The film focuses on Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), beginning with Louis’s transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791. The film chronicles their time together, and their turning of ten-year-old Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into a vampire. The narrative is framed by a present-day interview, in which Louis tells his story to a San Francisco reporter. The supporting cast features Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, and Stephen Rea.

THE THOMPSONS – On the run from the law, the vampire family the Hamiltons (now known as the Thompsons) heads to England to find an ancient vampire clan known as the Stuarts. Unbeknownst to the Hamiltons, the Stuarts have motives of their own. An independent 2012 horror film directed by the Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores) and produced by Rob Weston and Travis Stevens. It is a sequel to the Butcher Brothers previous film The Hamiltons.

Werewolves

THE HOWLING – 1981 horror film directed by Joe Dante and starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, and Robert Picardo. Based on the novel of the same name by Gary Brandner, the film follows a television newswoman sent to a remote mountain resort after a near-fatal incident with a serial killer, unaware that the resort’s residents are werewolves. In Los Angeles, television journalist Karen White (Dee Wallace) is traumatized in the course of aiding the police in their arrest of a serial murderer. Her doctor recommends that she attend an isolated psychiatric retreat led by Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee). But while Karen is undergoing therapy, her colleague Chris (Dennis Dugan), investigates the bizarre circumstances surrounding her shock. When his work leads him to suspect the supernatural, he begins to fear for Karen’s life.

SKINWALKERS – A mother and her 12-year-old son become the victims of two groups of werewolves, who believe that the approaching red moon may change the boy into a powerful enemy or a great leader of their pack. 2006 horror-action film. Directed by James Isaac, it stars Jason Behr, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra, and Tom Jackson.

THE WOLFMAN – 2010 horror directed by Joe Johnston. A remake of the 1941 film of the same name, it stars Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving. In the film, an American actor is bitten and cursed by a werewolf after returning to his ancestral homeland in search of his missing brother.

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CHANGELING – 2008 mystery crime drama film directed, produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by J. Michael Straczynski, that explores child endangerment, female disempowerment, political corruption, mistreatment of mental health patients, and the repercussions of violence. The script was based on real-life events, specifically the 1928 Wineville Chicken Coop murders in Mira Loma, California. The film stars Angelina Jolie as a woman united with a boy who she realizes is not her missing son. When she tries to demonstrate this to the police and city authorities, she is vilified as delusional, labeled as an unfit mother, and confined to a psychiatric ward.

CHILD 44 – In 1950s Soviet Russia, secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy) loses everything when he refuses to denounce his wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace) as a traitor. Finding themselves exiled to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with Gen. Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to capture a serial killer who preys on young boys. They soon find that their investigation threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), Leo’s psychopathic rival. 2015 mystery thriller film directed by Daniel Espinosa, written by Richard Price, and based on Tom Rob Smith’s 2008 novel of the same name. The film stars an ensemble cast featuring Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Paddy Considine, Jason Clarke, and Vincent Cassel.

DARK PLACES – A woman (Charlize Theron) confronts traumatic, childhood memories of the murder of her mother and two sisters when she investigates the possibility that her brother (Corey Stoll) is innocent of the crime. 2015 neo-noir mystery directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner. The screenplay, by Paquet-Brenner, is based on Gillian Flynn’s 2009 novel of the same name. It stars Charlize Theron, Christina Hendricks, Nicholas Hoult, and Chloë Grace Moretz.

THE DA VINCI CODE – A 2006 mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown’s 2003 best-selling novel of the same name. The first in the Robert Langdon film series, the film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean Reno and Paul Bettany. In the film, Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology from Harvard University, is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière. On the body, the police find a disconcerting cipher and start an investigation. Langdon escapes with the assistance of police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, and they begin a quest for the legendary Holy Grail. A noted British Grail historian, Sir Leigh Teabing, tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci’s wall painting, The Last Supper. Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wish to keep the true Grail a secret to prevent the destruction of Christianity.

  • ANGELS & DEMONS – When Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon discovers the resurgence of an ancient brotherhood known as the Illuminati, he flies to Rome to warn the Vatican, the Illuminati’s most hated enemy. Joining forces with beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), Langdon follows a centuries-old trail of ancient symbols in the hope of preventing the Illuminati’s deadly plot against the Roman Catholic Church from coming to fruition. 2009 mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp, based on Dan Brown’s 2000 novel of the same title. It is the sequel to the 2006 film The Da Vinci Code, also directed by Howard, and the second installment in the Robert Langdon film series.
  • INFERNO – Famous symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) follows a trail of clues tied to Dante, the great medieval poet. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to stop a madman (Ben Foster) from unleashing a virus that could wipe out half of the world’s population. 2016 action mystery thriller directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp, loosely based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Dan Brown. The film is the sequel to The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels & Demons (2009), and is the third and final installment in the Robert Langdon film series. It stars Tom Hanks, reprising his role as Robert Langdon, alongside Felicity Jones as Dr. Sienna Brooks, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, and Irrfan Khan.

KNIVES OUT – a 2019 mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson, and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. It follows a master detective investigating the death of the patriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family. The film features an ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer.

LOST RIVER– A single mother is swept into a dark underworld while her son discovers an underwater town. 2014 fantasy mystery drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Ryan Gosling, in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Iain De Caestecker, Matt Smith, Ben Mendelsohn, Barbara Steele, and Eva Mendes in her final film role.

MR. HOLMES – 2015 mystery film directed by Bill Condon, based on Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, and featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. The film stars Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes, Laura Linney as his housekeeper Mrs. Munro and Milo Parker as her son Roger. Set primarily during his retirement in Sussex, the film follows a 93-year-old Holmes who struggles to recall the details of his final case because his mind is slowly deteriorating.

MY COUSIN RACHEL Philip is a young Englishman who finds his cousin Ambrose dead after traveling to Florence, Italy. He vows revenge against Ambrose’s missing wife Rachel, blaming her for his untimely demise. When Philip meets Rachel for the first time, his mood suddenly changes as he finds himself falling for her seductive charm and beauty. As his obsession for her grows, Rachel now hatches a scheme to win back her late husband’s estate from the unsuspecting Philip. A 2017 romantic drama written and directed by Roger Michell, based upon the 1951 novel My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier. It stars Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen, Holliday Grainger, and Pierfrancesco Favino.

PASSENGERS – Therapist Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) receives an assignment by her mentor to counsel the five survivors of a plane crash. She feels particularly drawn to Eric (Patrick Wilson), the most-secretive of the group. Against her judgment, she becomes romantically involved with him, just as the other survivors mysteriously start to disappear. Believing that Eric knows more than he is telling, she vows to find the truth, no matter the outcome. 2008 romantic mystery thriller directed by Rodrigo García, written by Ronnie Christensen, and starring Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson.

REGRESSION – A detective (Ethan Hawke) and a psychoanalyst (David Thewlis) uncover evidence of a satanic cult while investigating the rape of a traumatized teen (Emma Watson).  2015 psychological thriller horror mystery film directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar. The film stars Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson, with David Thewlis, Lothaire Bluteau, Dale Dickey, David Dencik, Peter MacNeill, Devon Bostick, and Aaron Ashmore in supporting roles.

SEARCHING – 2018 mystery thriller film directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut and written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. Set entirely on computer screens and smartphones, the film follows a father (John Cho) trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter (Michelle La) with the help of a police detective (Debra Messing).

SHERLOCK HOLMES – 2009 period mystery action film based on the character of the same name created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film was directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, and Dan Lin. The screenplay, by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, and Simon Kinberg, was developed from a story by Wigram and Johnson. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law portray Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, respectively. In 1890, eccentric detective Holmes and his companion Watson are hired by a secret society to foil a mysticist’s plot to gain control of Britain by seemingly supernatural means. Rachel McAdams stars as their former adversary Irene Adler and Mark Strong portrays villain Lord Henry Blackwood.

  • SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS  is a 2011 period action mystery directed by Guy Ritchie.  It is the sequel to the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes, and features the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film’s screenplay was written by Michele Mulroney and Kieran Mulroney. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law reprise their roles as Holmes and Watson, alongside Noomi Rapace as Simza, Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes, Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty. Rachel McAdams reprised her role as Irene Adler in a cameo appearance. Although the film follows an original premise, it incorporates elements of Conan Doyle’s short stories “The Final Problem” (1893) and “The Adventure of the Empty House” (1903).[4] In the film, Holmes and Watson travel across Europe with a Romani adventuress to foil an intricate plot by their cunning nemesis, Professor Moriarty, to instigate a war.

SIGNSis a 2002 American science fiction mystery thriller written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. A joint collective effort to commit to the film’s production was made by Blinding Edge Pictures and The Kennedy/Marshall Company. It was commercially distributed by Touchstone Pictures theatrically, and by Touchstone Home Entertainment in home media format. Its story focuses on a former Episcopal priest named Graham Hess, played by Mel Gibson, who discovers a series of crop circles in his cornfield. Hess slowly discovers that the phenomenon is a result of extraterrestrial life. It also stars Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin. Signs explores the themes of faith, kinship, and extraterrestrials.

SOLACE – 2015 American mystery thriller film directed by Afonso Poyart and starring Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish. The film is about a psychic doctor, John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins), who works with FBI special agent Joe Merriwether (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in search of serial killer Charles Ambrose (Colin Farrell).

THE USUAL SUSPECTS – 1995 neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, and Kevin Spacey. The plot follows the interrogation of Roger “Verbal” Kint, a small-time con man, who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. Through flashback and narration, Kint tells an interrogator a convoluted story of events that led him and his criminal companions to the boat, and of a mysterious crime lord—known as Keyser Söze—who controlled them. The film was shot on a $6 million budget and began as a title taken from a column in Spy magazine called The Usual Suspects, after one of Claude Rains’ most memorable lines in the classic film Casablanca, and Singer thought that it would make a good title for a film.

WINTER’S BONE is a 2010 American mystery drama directed by Debra Granik. It was adapted by Granik and Anne Rosellini from the 2006 novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as a teenage girl in the rural Ozarks of Missouri who, to protect her family from eviction, must locate her missing father. The film explores the interrelated themes of close and distant family ties, the power and speed of gossip, self-sufficiency, poverty, and patriarchy as they are influenced by the pervasive underworld of illegal meth labs.

THE WORDS – When shallow wannabe-writer Rory (Bradley Cooper) finds an old manuscript tucked away in a bag, he decides to pass the work off as his own. The book, called “The Window Tears,” brings Rory great acclaim, until the real author (Jeremy Irons) shows up and threatens to destroy Rory’s reputation. Cut to Clayton Hammond (Dennis Quaid), a writer whose popular novel “The Words” seems to mirror Rory’s story, leading to speculation that the tome is Hammond’s thinly veiled autobiography. 2012 American mystery romantic drama film, written and directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal in their directorial debut. It stars Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, Dennis Quaid, and Nora Arnezeder.

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THE ACCOUNTANT – The storyline follows Christian Wolff, a certified public accountant with high-functioning autism who makes his living uncooking the books of criminal and terrorist organizations around the world that are experiencing internal embezzlement. 2016 action-thriller directed by Gavin O’Connor, written by Bill Dubuque and starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow.

8MM – 1999 thriller directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. The film stars Nicolas Cage as a private investigator who delves into the world of snuff films. Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, and Anthony Heald appear in supporting roles.

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE – In 1969, seven shady strangers meet in a deserted hotel with a dark past. As time goes by, their secrets come out and they soon find themselves in a fix.  2018 neo-noir thriller film written, produced and directed by Drew Goddard. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman and Chris Hemsworth.

BEYOND THE REACH – In the Mojave Desert, a naked and unarmed hunting guide (Jeremy Irvine) runs from a wealthy hunter (Michael Douglas) who wants to ensure his silence in the death of an old man. 2014 thriller directed by Jean-Baptiste Léonetti and written by Stephen Susco. It is based on the 1972 novel Deathwatch by Robb White

BLINDNESS – When an epidemic of a disease known as the “white sickness” appears in her city, the wife (Julianne Moore) of a doctor is one of the few individuals left who still has sight. Sent to a government asylum along with her now-blind husband (Mark Ruffalo), she sees conditions deteriorate until civilization itself is in jeopardy, prompting her break-out of the asylum to lead a small group to freedom. 2008 thriller about a society that suffers an epidemic of blindness. The film is an adaptation of the 1995 novel of the same name by the Portuguese author José Saramago. The film was written by Don McKellar and directed by Fernando Meirelles,

BLOOD – Sibling detectives (Paul Bettany, Stephen Graham) investigate the fatal stabbing of a 12-year-old girl. 2012 thriller directed by Nick Murphy and written by Bill Gallagher. The plot is about two brothers who are policemen and charts the moral collapse of a police family.

THE BOX – A 2009 American psychological thriller based on the 1970 short story “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, which was previously adapted into an episode of the 1980s iteration of The Twilight Zone. The film was written and directed by Richard Kelly and stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a couple who receive a box from a mysterious man (played by Frank Langella) who offers them one million dollars if they press the button sealed within the dome on top of the box, but tells them that, once the button has been pushed, someone they do not know will die.

BOY WONDER – As he grows up, Sean begins a double life as a crime fighter to avenge his murdered mother.  2010 vigilante psychological thriller film written and directed by Michael Morrissey and stars Caleb Steinmeyer, Zulay Henao, Bill Sage, Tracy Middendorf, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Chuck Cooper, and James Russo.

BRAKE – A federal agent (Stephen Dorff) is taken captive by terrorists who want to know the location of the U.S. president’s secret bunker. 2012 thriller directed by Gabe Torres

BROTHERHOOD – 2010 thriller directed by Will Canon and co-written by Doug Simon and Canon. The film is about a fraternity initiation that goes horribly wrong and stars Jon Foster, Trevor Morgan, Arlen Escarpeta and Lou Taylor Pucci.

CATCH HELL – While on location in Louisiana, an actor (Ryan Phillippe) is kidnapped by two men who are connected to his past and have a twisted fate in store for him.  A 2014 thriller written and directed by Ryan Phillippe.

CHLOE – Catherine and David Stewart (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson) are a well-to-do couple living in a posh area of Toronto, but all is not well in paradise. Catherine suspects that David, a music professor, is cheating on her with his students. She hires a prostitute named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to meet David and see if he gives in to temptation, but events spin out of control when Chloe spills the details of her torrid encounters. 2009 erotic thriller directed by Atom Egoyan, a remake of the 2003 French film Nathalie…. It stars Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, and Amanda Seyfried in the title role.

CRIMSON RIVERS (French: Les Rivières pourpres) Two criminal investigations. The same day. Two detectives are assigned two very peculiar cases. An action thriller set in against the breathtaking backdrop of the French Alps, “The Crimson Rivers” stars Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel in a gripping who-dunnit involving a series of grisly murders, a child’s death twenty years earlier, and the secret history of a small town.  is a 2000 French psychological thriller Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, is based on the novel Blood Red Rivers by Jean-Christophe Grangé.

THE CRYING GAME – The film follows Fergus (Rea), a member of the IRA, who has a brief but meaningful encounter with a British soldier, Jody (Whitaker), who is being held prisoner by the group. Fergus later develops an unexpected romantic relationship with Jody’s lover, Dil (Davidson), whom Fergus promised Jody he would take care of. Fergus is forced to decide between what he wants and what his nature dictates he must do. 1992 thriller written and directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Stephen Woolley, and starring Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson, Jaye Davidson, Adrian Dunbar, Ralph Brown and Forest Whitaker. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

THE DA VINCI CODE – A 2006 mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown’s 2003 best-selling novel of the same name. The first in the Robert Langdon film series, the film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean Reno and Paul Bettany. In the film, Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology from Harvard University, is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière. On the body, the police find a disconcerting cipher and start an investigation. Langdon escapes with the assistance of police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, and they begin a quest for the legendary Holy Grail. A noted British Grail historian, Sir Leigh Teabing, tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci’s wall painting, The Last Supper. Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wish to keep the true Grail a secret to prevent the destruction of Christianity.

  • ANGELS & DEMONS – When Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon discovers the resurgence of an ancient brotherhood known as the Illuminati, he flies to Rome to warn the Vatican, the Illuminati’s most hated enemy. Joining forces with beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), Langdon follows a centuries-old trail of ancient symbols in the hope of preventing the Illuminati’s deadly plot against the Roman Catholic Church from coming to fruition. 2009 mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp, based on Dan Brown’s 2000 novel of the same title. It is the sequel to the 2006 film The Da Vinci Code, also directed by Howard, and the second installment in the Robert Langdon film series.
  • INFERNO – Famous symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) follows a trail of clues tied to Dante, the great medieval poet. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to stop a madman (Ben Foster) from unleashing a virus that could wipe out half of the world’s population. 2016 action mystery thriller directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp, loosely based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Dan Brown. The film is the sequel to The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels & Demons (2009), and is the third and final installment in the Robert Langdon film series. It stars Tom Hanks, reprising his role as Robert Langdon, alongside Felicity Jones as Dr. Sienna Brooks, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, and Irrfan Khan.

DEAD AGAIN  – In 1949 composer Roman Strauss is executed for the murder of his wife. In 1990s Los Angeles, a detective finds out that, a mute amnesiac woman, under hypnosis, is somehow linked to the Strauss murder. A 1991 neo-noir romantic thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh and written by Scott Frank. It stars Branagh and Emma Thompson, with Andy García, Derek Jacobi, Wayne Knight, and Robin Williams appearing in supporting roles.

DECEPTION – As a corporate auditor who works in a number of different offices, Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) wanders without an anchor among New York’s power brokers. A chance meeting with charismatic lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) leads to Jonathan’s introduction to The List, an underground sex club. Jonathan begins an affair with a woman known only as S (Michelle Williams), who introduces Jonathan to a world of treachery and murder.  2007 erotic thriller film directed by Marcel Langenegger and written by Mark Bomback. It stars Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, and Michelle Williams.

DELIVERANCE – Four city-dwelling friends (Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox) decide to get away from their jobs, wives and kids for a week of canoeing in rural Georgia. When the men arrive, they are not welcomed by the backwoods locals, who stalk the vacationers and savagely attack them in the woods. Reeling from the ambush, the friends attempt to return home but are surrounded by dangerous rapids and pursued by a madman. Soon, their canoe trip turns into a fight for survival. 1972 thriller directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapted by James Dickey from his 1970 novel of the same name. The film was a critical and box office success, earning three Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globe Award nominations. Widely acclaimed as a landmark picture, the film is noted for a music scene near the beginning, with one of the city men playing “Dueling Banjos” on guitar with a banjo-picking country boy, and for its notorious rape scene. In 2008, Deliverance was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

DESIERTO – 2015 Mexican-French thriller co-written and directed by Jonás Cuarón. The film stars Gael García Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. When their truck suddenly breaks down, a migrant named Moises leads 13 others on a trek through the harsh terrain along the U.S.-Mexico border. Inconvenience soon turns into horror as the sounds of gunfire shatter the tranquil desert landscape. Desperate and on the run, the survivors find themselves in a fight for their lives against a psychotic sniper and his vicious hunting dog. Moises must now use his wits and instincts to kill the relentless predator before he claims more victims.

DONNIE DARKO – 2001 science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and produced by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, Stu Stone, Daveigh Chase, and James Duval. Set in October 1988, the film follows Donnie Darko, a troubled teenager who narrowly escapes a bizarre accident and has visions of Frank, a mysterious figure in a rabbit costume who informs him that the world will end in 28 days. Frank begins to manipulate Donnie to commit several crimes.

DON’T BREATHE – Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Money gets word about a blind veteran who won a major cash settlement following the death of his only child. Figuring he’s an easy target, the trio invades the man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.  2016 horror-thriller film produced and directed by Fede Álvarez, co-produced by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, and co-written by Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues. The film stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang, and focuses on three friends who get trapped inside a blind man’s house while breaking into it.

ELLE A successful and ruthless video game company CEO attempts to track down the man who had assaulted her in her home. Soon, she is thrown into a massive cat-and-mouse chase with no end in sight. A 2016 thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by David Birke, based on the novel Oh… by Philippe Djian. The film stars Isabelle Huppert.

END OF WATCH – Longtime LAPD partners and friends, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) patrol one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Though they may bend the rules, their honor and dedication to the job are unquestioned. Taylor and Zavala always have each other’s back, even if Taylor’s surreptitious filming of their daily activities for a college course is a bit ill-advised. All hell breaks loose for the officers when they run afoul of a vicious Mexican cartel. 2012 action thriller film written and directed by David Ayer. The film focuses on their day-to-day police work, their dealings with a certain group of gang members, their friendship with each other, and their personal relationships.

ESCAPEE – Abby (Christine Evangelista) becomes the target of a mentally disturbed man (Dominic Purcell) after he sees her at a mental hospital. 2011 Directed by Campion Murphy. Slasher, Thriller.

THE FINEST HOURS – 2016 action thriller film directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of SS Pendleton, after the ship split apart during a nor’easter off the New England coast

FROZEN – 2010 American thriller written and directed by Adam Green and starring Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore and Kevin Zegers. It tells the story of three college students spending a weekend snowboarding and skiing. They become stuck in a chairlift while climbing Mount Holliston when the ski resort closes while they are still the on the chairlift. This forces the stranded survivors to make life-or-death choices, in order to avoid staying put and freezing to death.

THE GIFT – A 2015 psychological thriller written, co-produced, and directed by Joel Edgerton in his feature directorial debut, and co-produced by Jason Blum and Rebecca Yeldham. The film stars Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall as a couple intimidated by a figure from Bateman’s past played by Edgerton.

GRAND PIANO –  2013 English-language Spanish thriller directed by Eugenio Mira and starring Elijah Wood and John Cusack. The film is about a once-promising pianist returning for a comeback performance, only to be the target of a sniper who will kill him if he plays one wrong note.

GRETA – 2018 psychological thriller -directed by Neil Jordan and written by Ray Wright and Jordan. The film stars Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore and Stephen Rea, and follows a young woman as she befriends a lonely widow who becomes disturbingly obsessed with her.

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE – 1992 psychological thriller directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy, Ernie Hudson, and Julianne Moore. Its plot follows the pregnant wife of a Seattle obstetrician who kills himself after he is accused of sexual misconduct by his patients. The shock leads the wife to miscarry, after which she poses as a nanny for one of her husband’s accusers, and slowly begins to infiltrate the family.

THE HAPPENING  (See SIXTH SENSE) 2008 psychological science-fiction thriller written, co-produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, and Betty Buckley. An Indian-American production, the film follows a group of four as they try to escape an inexplicable natural disaster.

HOURS A new father (Paul Walker) must remain behind and try to keep his prematurely born daughter alive after Hurricane Katrina knocks out the power in their New Orleans hospital. A 2013 thriller film directed and written by Eric Heisserer.

HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET – 2012 psychological thriller directed by Mark Tonderai that stars Jennifer Lawrence. The film’s plot revolves around a teenage girl, Elissa, who along with her newly divorced mother Sarah, moves to a new neighborhood only to discover that the house at the end of the street was the site of a gruesome double murder committed by a girl named Carrie-Anne who disappeared without a trace. Elissa then starts a relationship with Carrie-Anne’s brother, Ryan, who lives in the same house.

JACK REACHER – One morning in an ordinary town, five people are shot dead in a seemingly random attack. All evidence points to a single suspect: an ex-military sniper who is quickly brought into custody. The man’s interrogation yields one statement: Get Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise). Reacher, an enigmatic ex-Army investigator, believes the authorities have the right man but agrees to help the sniper’s defense attorney (Rosamund Pike). However, the more Reacher delves into the case, the less clear-cut it appears. 2012 action thriller film written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, based on Lee Child’s 2005 novel One Shot. The film stars Tom Cruise as the title character, with Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Richard Jenkins, Jai Courtney, Werner Herzog, and Robert Duvall also starring.

JASON BOURNE – It’s been 10 years since Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) walked away from the agency that trained him to become a deadly weapon. Hoping to draw him out of the shadows, CIA director Robert Dewey assigns hacker and counterinsurgency expert Heather Lee to find him. Lee suspects that former operative Nicky Parsons is also looking for him. As she begins tracking the duo, Bourne finds himself back in action battling a sinister network that utilizes terror and technology to maintain unchecked power. 2016 American action-thriller directed by Paul Greengrass and written by Greengrass and Christopher Rouse. It is the fifth installment of the Bourne film series and a direct sequel to The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Matt Damon reprises his role as the main character, former CIA assassin Jason Bourne.

JAWS – 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel of the same name. In the film, a man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers at a summer resort town, prompting police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) to hunt it with the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw).

JOKER – 2019 American psychological thriller directed and produced by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver. The film, based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker and provides an alternative origin story for the character. Set in 1981, it follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and stand-up comedian whose descent into insanity and nihilism inspires a violent counter-cultural revolution against the wealthy in a decaying Gotham City. Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, and Marc Maron appear in supporting roles.

THE KINGDOM – Charged with the most important assignment of his career, federal agent Ron Fleury (Jamie Foxx) has one week to assemble a team, infiltrate and destroy a terrorist cell based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Culture shock and opposition from local law enforcement combine to hinder his progress and that of his elite team (Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman), but a sympathetic Saudi police captain becomes an unexpected comrade-in-arms. 2007 action thriller film directed by Peter Berg and starring Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner. The film is set in Saudi Arabia, and is based on the incident of 1996 bombing of the Khobar housing complex , also on the 2004 Khobar massacre and the two 2003 bombings of four compounds in Riyadh.

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT – Mari and her friend look forward to a holiday at the remote Collingwood lakehouse, but instead an escaped convict (Garret Dillahunt) and his crew kidnap them and later leave them for dead. Mari makes her way back home, where her parents, John (Tony Goldwyn) and Emma (Monica Potter), have unwittingly offered shelter to the thugs. When John and Emma find out what happened to their daughter, they decide to make the strangers rue the day they harmed Mari. 2009 revenge horror-thriller directed by Dennis Iliadis and written by Carl Ellsworth and Adam Alleca. It is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name, and stars Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Garret Dillahunt, Spencer Treat Clark, Martha MacIsaac, and Sara Paxton.

LIMITLESS – 2011 American science fiction thriller directed by Neil Burger and written by Leslie Dixon. Based on the 2001 novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn, the film stars Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro, Andrew Howard, and Anna Friel. The film follows Edward Morra, a struggling writer who is introduced to a nootropic drug called NZT-48, which gives him the ability to fully utilize his brain and vastly improve his lifestyle.

MAD DOGS – British psychological thriller television series (2011), written and created by Cris Cole, The series stars John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley, and Philip Glenister as four long-time and middle-aged friends getting together in a villa in Majorca to celebrate the early retirement of their friend Alvo (Ben Chaplin). After Alvo is murdered, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption.

MURDER OF A CAT – When someone murders his beloved cat, Clinton (Kranz), an adult child, demands justice. Taking it upon himself to solve the case, he teams up with an unlikely ally, Greta (Reed), and the two set out to find the culprit lurking in their small suburban town. But as Clinton searches for the truth, he begins to uncover a conspiracy that goes far deeper than he anticipated. 2014 American independent thriller comedy film directed by Gillian Greene and starring Fran Kranz, Nikki Reed, J.K. Simmons, and Blythe Danner.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS – 2017 mystery thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Michael Green, based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie. The film stars Branagh as Hercule Poirot, with Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer, and Daisy Ridley in supporting roles. The plot follows Poirot, a world-renowned detective, as he investigates a murder on the luxury Orient Express train service in the 1930s.

NIGHTCRAWLER – Los Angeles denizen Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) survives by scavenging and petty theft. He stumbles into a new career as a cameraman and — armed with a camcorder and police scanner — begins nocturnal forays across the city in search of shocking and grisly crimes. When he catches the eye of a shopworn news director (Rene Russo) who welcomes the chance to raise her station’s ratings, Louis goes to increasingly greater lengths to catch the “money shot.”  2014 American neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis “Lou” Bloom, a stringer who records violent events late at night in Los Angeles and sells the footage to a local television news station. Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton also star. A common theme in the film is the symbiotic relationship between unethical journalism and consumer demand. 2014 neo-noir thriller written and directed by Dan Gilroy. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis “Lou” Bloom, a stringer who records violent events late at night in Los Angeles and sells the footage to a local television news station. Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton also star. A common theme in the film is the symbiotic relationship between unethical journalism and consumer demand.

THE ONE I LOVE – A couple (Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss) whose marriage is crumbling have a surreal experience during a weekend getaway at a house recommended by their therapist (Ted Danson). 2014 fantasy thriller film directed by Charlie McDowell and written by Justin Lader, the film stars Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss.

PASSENGERS – Therapist Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) receives an assignment by her mentor to counsel the five survivors of a plane crash. She feels particularly drawn to Eric (Patrick Wilson), the most-secretive of the group. Against her judgment, she becomes romantically involved with him, just as the other survivors mysteriously start to disappear. Believing that Eric knows more than he is telling, she vows to find the truth, no matter the outcome. 2008 romantic mystery thriller directed by Rodrigo García, written by Ronnie Christensen, and starring Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson.

PATRIOTS DAY – 2016 action thriller about the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 and the subsequent terrorist manhunt. Directed by Peter Berg and written by Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, the film is based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J. K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, and Alex Wolff.

THE PERFECT HOST – A crook on the run cons his way into a dinner party whose host is anything but ordinary. Black comedy/psychological thriller. stars David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford. 2010 American black comedy/psychological thriller written and directed by Nick Tomnay, a remake of Tomnay’s short film The Host (2001).

PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER – a 2006 period psychological thriller directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Ben Whishaw, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and Dustin Hoffman. Tykwer, with Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil, also composed the music. The screenplay, by Tykwer, Andrew Birkin and Bernd Eichinger, is based on Patrick Süskind’s 1985 novel Perfume. Set in 18th century France, the film tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Whishaw), an olfactory genius, and his homicidal quest for the perfect scent.

PHONE BOOTH – A phone call can change your life, but for one man it can also end it. Set entirely within and around the confines of a New York City phone booth. “Phone Booth” follows a slick media consultant (Colin Farrell) who is trapped after being told by a caller — a serial killer with a sniper rifle — that he’ll be shot dead if he hangs up. 2002 neo-noir thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by David Zucker and Gil Netter, written by Larry Cohen and starring Colin Farrell, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell, and Kiefer Sutherland. In the film, a mysterious hidden sniper calls a phone booth, and when a young publicist inside answers the phone, he quickly finds his life is at risk.

THE POST – Set in 1971, The Post depicts the true story of attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers, a set of classified documents regarding the 20-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War and earlier in French Indochina back to the 1940s. A 2017 historical political thriller directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, and written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer. It stars Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee, the longtime executive editor of The Washington Post, with Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Carrie Coon, Alison Brie, and Matthew Rhys in supporting roles.

THE RAVEN – 2012 American psychological crime thriller directed by James McTeigue, produced by Marc D. Evans, Trevor Macy and Aaron Ryder and written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare.[7] It stars John Cusack, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson and Luke Evans. Set in 1849, it is a fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet and author pursues a serial killer whose murders mirror those in Poe’s stories. While the plot of the film is fictional, the writers based it on some accounts of real situations surrounding Edgar Allan Poe’s mysterious death. Poe is said to have repeatedly called out the name “Reynolds” on the night before his death, though it is unclear to whom he was referring. The title derives from Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven”, in the similar manner of the earlier unrelated 1935 and 1963 films.

REGRESSION – A detective (Ethan Hawke) and a psychoanalyst (David Thewlis) uncover evidence of a satanic cult while investigating the rape of a traumatized teen (Emma Watson).  2015 psychological thriller horror mystery directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar. The film stars Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson, with David Thewlis, Lothaire Bluteau, Dale Dickey, David Dencik, Peter MacNeill, Devon Bostick, and Aaron Ashmore in supporting roles.

THE RIOT CLUB – 2014 British drama thriller directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Laura Wade, based on Wade’s 2010 play Posh. The film stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth. It is set among the Riot Club, a fictional all-male, exclusive dining club at the University of Oxford. When the play Posh premiered, the Riot Club was often described as a thinly veiled version of the real-life Bullingdon Club, although according to Wade it is entirely fictitious

RUN ALL NIGHT – 2015 action thriller -directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Brad Ingelsby. The film stars Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, Common, and Ed Harris and follows an ex-hitman who goes on the run with his estranged adult son after he is forced to kill the son of a mafia boss.

SANCTUM – Frank McGuire gets cut off from his team of divers on the expedition to explore an unmapped, underground network of caves. The divers’ lives hinge on their ability to find a way out. 2011 action-thriller directed by Alister Grierson and written by John Garvin and Andrew Wight. It stars Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie, and Ioan Gruffudd.

SEARCHING – 2018 American mystery thriller directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut and written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. Set entirely on computer screens and smartphones, the film follows a father (John Cho) trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter (Michelle La) with the help of a police detective (Debra Messing).

SECRET IN THEIR EYES – Rising FBI investigators Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Jess (Julia Roberts), along with Claire (Nicole Kidman), their district-attorney supervisor, are suddenly torn apart following the brutal murder of Jess’ teenage daughter. Thirteen years later, after obsessively searching for the elusive killer, Ray uncovers a new lead that he is certain can permanently resolve the case and bring long-desired closure to the team. But no one is prepared for the shocking and unspeakable secret that follows.  2015 American thriller written and directed by Billy Ray and a remake of the 2009 Argentine film of the same name, both based on the novel La pregunta de sus ojos by author Eduardo Sacheri. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Dean Norris, and Michael Kelly.

SHOT CALLER – 2017 American crime thriller directed and written by Ric Roman Waugh. The film chronicles the transformation of a well-to-do family man into a hardened prison gangster, which he undergoes to survive California’s penal system after he is incarcerated for his role in a deadly DUI car accident. The film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal, Emory Cohen, Jeffrey Donovan, and Evan Jones, with Benjamin Bratt, and Holt McCallany.

SLEUTH – Andrew Wyke (Michael Caine) is a highly successful mystery writer living in a beautiful and technologically advanced mansion in England. Milo Tindle (Jude Law) is an unsuccessful actor with decidedly less to show for his professional exploits. The lives of these two men cross paths when Andrew’s wife leaves him for the younger Milo. Hoping to carry out a cleverly constructed revenge plot, Andrew invites Milo to his estate, where elaborate mind games ensue. 2007 thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh. The screenplay by Harold Pinter is an adaptation of Anthony Shaffer’s play, Sleuth.

THE SNOWMAN – 2017 psychological thriller directed by Tomas Alfredson and written by Hossein Amini, Peter Straughan and Søren Sveistrup. The story is based on the novel of the same name by Jo Nesbø. The film stars Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, and J. K. Simmons, and follows inspector Harry Hole as he tracks a serial killer who builds snowmen at his crime scenes.

SOLACE – 2015 American mystery thriller directed by Afonso Poyart and starring Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish. The film is about a psychic doctor, John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins), who works with FBI special agent Joe Merriwether (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in search of serial killer Charles Ambrose (Colin Farrell).

SPIRAL – The story follows lonely introvert Mason, a telesales insurance company worker by day and talented painter as well as a lover of classic jazz by night. His only friend is his boss, Berkeley (Levi), who keeps an eye on him and humors his bizarre behaviour. When awkward Mason meets social Amber, a new co-worker, he begins to come out of himself, and reveals the depth and darkness of his mind. 2007 psychological thriller produced by Coattails Entertainment and Ariescope Pictures. The film stars Joel David Moore, Amber Tamblyn, Zachary Levi, and Tricia Helfer. Spiral was co-directed by Moore and Adam Green. The original screenplay for the film was written by Moore and Jeremy Danial Boreing.

STATE OF PLAY – 2009 political thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald. It is based on the 2003 British television serial of the same name. The film tells of a journalist’s (Russell Crowe) probe into the suspicious death of a congressman’s (Ben Affleck) mistress. The supporting cast includes Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright and Jeff Daniels.

THE STEPSON (2010) Donna May is a grief counselor who suddenly finds herself grieving and alone after the hit-and-run death of her husband, Robert. Soon after Robert’s death, Donna’s estranged adopted son, Kevin, appears at her house, claiming he has cleaned up his act and wants to regain her trust. Donna reluctantly takes Kevin in. With Christina Cox, Jon McLaren, Chris Potter, Adam Beach. Directed by Anthony Lefresne.

STOKER – After the untimely death of her father, India and her mother are left alone in their estate. Soon, the arrival of her uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, is followed by unexpected developments. 2013 psychological thriller written by Wentworth Miller, under the pen-name Ted Foulke, and directed by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, in his English-language debut. It stars Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, and Nicole Kidman

THE SKIN I LIVE IN (Spanish: La piel que habito) Ever since his beloved wife was horribly burned in an auto accident, Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), a skilled plastic surgeon, has tried to develop a new skin that could save the lives of burn victims. Finally, after 12 years, Ledgard has created a skin that guards the body, but is still sensitive to touch. With the aid of his faithful housekeeper (Marisa Paredes), Ledgard tests his creation on Vera (Elena Anaya), who is held prisoner against her will in the doctor’s mansion. 2011 Spanish psychological thriller drama written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, and Roberto Álamo. It is based on Thierry Jonquet’s 1984 novel Mygale, first published in French and then in English under the title Tarantula. Almodóvar has described the film as “a horror story without screams or frights”

THE USUAL SUSPECTS – 1995 neo-noir mystery thriller directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, and Kevin Spacey. The plot follows the interrogation of Roger “Verbal” Kint, a small-time con man, who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. Through flashback and narration, Kint tells an interrogator a convoluted story of events that led him and his criminal companions to the boat, and of a mysterious crime lord—known as Keyser Söze—who controlled them. The film was shot on a $6 million budget and began as a title taken from a column in Spy magazine called The Usual Suspects, after one of Claude Rains’ most memorable lines in the classic film Casablanca, and Singer thought that it would make a good title for a film.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin (John C. Reilly). Pregnancy does not seem to agree with Eva, but what’s worse, when she does give birth to a baby boy named Kevin, she can’t seem to bond with him. When Kevin grows from a fussy, demanding toddler (Rocky Duer) into a sociopathic teen (Ezra Miller), Eva is forced to deal with the aftermath of her son’s horrific act. 2011 psychological thriller drama directed by Lynne Ramsay. The screenplay, written by Ramsay and Rory Stewart Kinnear, was based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver

WIDOWS – 2018 heist thriller -directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn and McQueen, based upon the 1983 British television series of the same name.The plot follows four Chicago women who attempt to steal $5,000,000 from the home of a prominent local politician in order to pay back a crime boss from whom $2,000,000 was stolen by the women’s husbands before they were killed in a botched getaway attempt. A British-American co-production, the film features Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson in an ensemble cast.

by ·Comments Off on Writing a deliciously wicked, dark and humorous story that dissects America’s fixation on fame, notoriety, and victimhood

From a crackling screenplay by Amanda Idoko, a young Bronx-born screenwriter, and daughter of Nigerian immigrants, and visionary director Tate Taylor, comes Breaking News In Yuba County, a deliciously wicked, dark and humorous dissection of America’s fixation on fame, notoriety, and victimhood, even while there is actual marginalization happening just out of view.

Set in fictional Yuba County, California (but filmed near Taylor’s home in Natchez, Mississippi), Breaking News In Yuba County began as a Black List screenplay by writer Amanda Idoko (TV’s The Mayor and The Goldbergs, Apple’s Central Park, the upcoming Dead Dads Club and Plastic Man) that pushed more than a few envelopes.

Read more about Amanda Idoko’s journey as a screenwriter

“The script was so audacious, and as a writer, Amanda didn’t care about who she was offending,” says Taylor, who has built a career that crosses genre: From Oscar-winning period-piece comedy-drama The Help, to telling the story of musical legend James Brown biopic Get On Up, to psychosexual suspense dramas The Girl on the Train, modern-day horror parables (Ma), and action thrillers (Ava).

Tate Taylor

But several things tie Taylor’s diverse films together: A heightened but human approach to the way people relate; extraordinary female characters brought to life by some of the greatest actresses working in Hollywood today; an appreciation for and nurturing of creative and cohesive ensembles; and that rare and uniquely nimble approach from one genre to the other.

“Right off the bat, Amanda’s screenplay was very real and very raw, and very offensive, which made me smile,” says Tate. “I read it and thought, ‘I cannot believe what I just read! Did that just happen?’ I was excited to bring that to the screen.”

Screenwriter Amanda Idoko

Idoko’s script reached the big screen via an amazing journey

Idoko was a pre-med student who switched gears at Cornell University after falling in love with theater and the performing arts. She adapted the script from a play she wrote, and when her first screenplay Breaking News In Yuba County was selected for the Black List in 2017, producer Franklin Leonard chose the acclaimed screenplay for his upcoming slate.

“I love stories in which ordinary people make bad decisions that snowball into chaos and misunderstanding, so I wanted to write something fun and entertaining,” says Idoko. “I like ensemble stories as well, and I love crime comedies and dark humor — they’re the movies I love to watch, like the Coen brothers’ Burn After Reading, as well as films like Nightcrawler and Gone Girl.”

Sue Buttons (Allison Janney) is an underappreciated suburban wife in pastel-painted Yuba County who gets no attention — not even on her birthday, which she spends buying herself a cake while listening to self-affirmation tapes. But on this day, getting noticed isn’t the only thing missing from Sue’s life: When her husband Karl (Matthew Modine) goes missing, she gets a taste of being a local celebrity as she embarks on a city-wide search in small town Yuba County, California, to find him. In an effort to prolong her newfound fame, she stumbles into hilarious hijinks as her world turns upside down, dodging a wanna-be mobster (Awkwafina), a relentless local policewoman (Regina Hall), her half-sister (Mila Kunis) — a local news reporter desperate for a story — and her husband’s dead-beat brother (Jimmi Simpson) along with his sidekick (Wanda Sykes), who all set out to uncover the truth behind the disappearance.

A dark comedy about how attention, fame, and hijinx are a real killer combo.

Says Allison Janney, “The story is a satire of our current culture in the United States, which is centered so many ways on the media obsession with violence, self-help therapy, and even body image. That’s actually what my father said! And I agree with that, and I think it’s about our obsession with media in all forms.”

“The script really grabbed me from the start,” says Janney. “I thought it was incredibly exciting, dark, funny, and violent — just a great mix! Sue Buttons is someone who is invisible to most people in her life, including her husband and her sister, and at work, she’s a woman that nobody pays much attention to. That breaks my heart, and I feel like I have an affinity for playing those kinds of women.”

“When they told me Allison was playing Sue, I thought, I can’t think of more perfect casting,” says Idoko. “Just watching her on set, seeing her in the role, my mouth was open the entire time. Sue has an internal emotional journey, and the way Allison externalizes that, you see the journey happen on her face. You can’t not watch her.”

Mila Kunis, who plays Sue’s half-sister Nancy, a hungry-to-make-it local reporter, says that Breaking News In Yuba County is funny, dark, serious and lighthearted all at once. “The movie deals with what suddenly having attention does to a person who hungers for it,” says Kunis. “The story is very left of center, a little bit quirky, and not what you expect it to be. It’s also not something that can fit easily into a box, which to me is always exciting. Every scene has layers upon layers.”

Regina Hall, who plays sharp, straight-shooting, no-nonsense Det. Harris, appreciated the characters in the story.

“I loved the whole world of this film,” says Hall. “When I read the script, it was all of these unique characters in this seemingly normal world which really has so much running underneath it. It’s a smart, witty, funny character-driven story filled with nuances. It takes on the idea of fame and self-worth, and how it’s ‘reality-versus-distorted reality.”

Awkwafina, who adds unpredictability to Mina on top of greed and a gift for gab, saw the focus clearly.

“The story is definitely symbolic of what the media represents to some people,” she says. “I think today, the media is said to be your friend, but there is also kind of an uglier side to it.”

The role of the sex-and-money-obsessed Leah is played by Bridget Everett, who sees one aspect of the story as a battle between being alone … and being notorious.

“I think the themes of this film are loneliness, survival at all costs, and learning to fight or having the fight in you,’ says Everett. “People often now want notoriety at almost any price.”

“The story is so self-aware, while at the same time, the tragedy in it is that the media doesn’t guarantee you a better life,” says Norris (The Help, Ma, Ava).

“It doesn’t guarantee you a character of more substance, or better relationships. And at the end of the day, you still have to have the gumption to punch through to get what you want. This movie is brutal and funny and honest, and has layers about how we perceive each other and our culture.”

Adds Taylor, “One of the key themes for me is, the way people try to avoid becoming irrelevant. We all know we’re guinea pigs in this experiment called social media. With everybody’s need to be liked and friend-ed, a lot of people are feeling left behind, and the question becomes, how do we deal with that?”

Breaking News In Yuba County also puts a female-led and diverse cast front and center.

That aspect of Idoko’s script is something that appealed to Franklin Leonard, and it was there in the script from the beginning.

“As a woman and a person of color, I want to see myself in the kinds of movies I love, and allow others to see that representation in these worlds, since that’s so rare,” says Idoko.

“I feel like in a lot of movies, they’re skewed so white and male, and when it comes to comedies like this, I feel like those aren’t the only people making messed up decisions!” Idoko laughs.

“So it was important to me to make this world look like the real world. We don’t get to see a lot of movies that have this kind of tone, and that was crucial to me, to make sure the story was playing out in a very realistic landscape, and a landscape different from the ones we usually see at the movies.”

“Getting to see so many great women in this is definitely something I was going for,” says Idoko. “ I wanted to have this chaotic world populated by women, and give women the chance to drive the action.”

“I absolutely went into this script wanting to create a world of women who get to be messy and chaosoriented,” Idoko continues. “And then being able to go to set and have such an amazing ensemble was great. And with so many women on the crew, including our amazing DP Christina Voros, was incredible. It was great having so many women on set. It’s wonderful to be able to tell a story like this from the female perspective.”

Idoko, who was on the set during filming, says, “Seeing all of these amazing actors bring my words to life was unreal. This being my first produced film, it was such a cool process to see it all come together. It was truly surreal to see all these amazing actors saying the words I wrote.”

Producers Jake Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker helped bring Idoko’s words to the screen through their company Nine Stories, knowing that Taylor’s talent and the energy he creates amongst people on-set would be perfect for the film.

The producers at The Black List and Nine Stories were looking for a financier, Tate was attached to direct, and Allison was set to play Sue Buttons. We read Amanda’s script and immediately thought it had
tremendous potential,” says Ford. “Everything Allison does is of the highest caliber — it’s always great to be in the Allison Janney business! — and Tate has a great commercial track record, especially with female-driven characters and ensembles. Meanwhile the diverse mix of characters was also a perfect angle for AGC to get involved from, as we typically gravitate towards multicultural stories across both our film and TV slates. So there were a number of great elements that drew us into the film and that was
before Tate went away and came back with such an amazing ensemble of additional cast.”

“Tate Taylor always builds an incredible camaraderie on screen and off,” says Marker. “Dinners at his home almost nightly, a true sense of togetherness when working on his films. It was a collaborative,
spirited shoot — a lot of friendships were made, and a lot of good will to work together again.”

by ·Comments Off on Fatman – A Santa Superhero thriller subverting expectations and transcending genre

14 years after they first wrote the script, the The Nelms Brothers finally made Fatman, a fantastic dark comedy challenging the myth of the Santa we know from the Coca-Cola classic and other films.

“Ian and I had written several very ambitious scripts, Fatman being one of the first, but the response we’d always get was ‘These scripts are great! Someone should make these!’ As newcomers, it was impossible to find anyone who would give us the financing to direct the big action, thriller movies that we had really set out to do,” said Eshom. “So, we decided to write a script that we knew we could just make on our own and no one could stop us,” added Ian.

To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military in Fatman. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin (Walton Goggins), hired by a precocious 12-year-old after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. ‘Tis the season for Fatman to get even, in the action- dark comedy that keeps on giving.

Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms grew up in central California waging 200-man G.I. Joe wars and dreaming in John Ford Landscapes.

“Make no mistake, our Santa Claus is a superhero. He doesn’t leap buildings or run faster than a speeding bullet, but he does have gifts that make him extraordinary. This story will forego today’s cinematic trend of putting everything on steroids, which only serves to numb audiences into indifference. It will be grounded, character conscious, and exist in a world where action and set pieces are earned. The film will be entertaining, but also layered with themes of neglect, overindulgence and consumerism.”

“It will keep audiences engaged by subverting expectations and transcending genre. This is a superhero film, wrapped with thriller, dipped in western and sprinkled with satire.”

From Script to Screen: Heading to the North Pole

“The screenplay for Fatman was something we originally crafted 14 years ago and, every subsequent year, Ian and I, in a relentless pursuit of perfection, would always go back and take the material through another evolution to try and make it better,” said Eshom. “I also think it’s a testament to ‘never give up’,” Ian added.

While the script had been making its way around the industry for some time, and receiving positive feedback, there were two main challenges to getting the screenplay to the silver screen.

“It would always come down to two things: ‘You haven’t really worked with any big actors and this is going to take a big budget. No one’s going to trust you to do it. And, the second thing is, it’s very tonally specific,” said the Nelms brothers who, at the time, hadn’t released a film yet to show the world their ability to traverse smoothly between the various tones of drama, comedy, and action.

Over the course of more than a dozen years, the brothers would build upon their family of actors and audiences who loved their films. Among them were the award winning and critically acclaimed features Lost on Purpose, Waffle Street, and Small Town Crime, each film getting them a little closer to their dream of making Fatman.

Then, in 2016, Eshom and Ian were attending a special screening of Hacksaw Ridge, where the film’s director, Mel Gibson, was participating in a conversation.

“He had this amazing beard because he was shooting The Professor & The Madman, unbeknownst to us, so we just thought he was sporting a beard and we said to each other ‘There he is – Chris! THAT’s the guy!” remembered the Nelms brothers. They couldn’t get the image of Mel Gibson as Chris Cringle out of their minds so, through one of their executive producers, Brandon James, they were able to get the script to Gibson’s agent, Jack Whigham. What happened next took the brothers completely by surprise…

“I get this email that says ‘Hey, I really loved the script. Let’s go for a chin wag.’ And I thought, well, first off, what’s a chin wag?” laughed Ian.

“At the time, we were talking to producers, people were reading it, and we were getting feedback constantly. For me, it was just another email from a producer or a production company or an executive of some sort that had read it, enjoyed the script, and was excited to talk to us. I had no idea who it was.”

“So, I write back, ‘Amazing. Thank you. So glad you dug the script. Who is this?’” he laughed. “He wrote back the next day, ‘Oh, hey sorry, I forget to do sign offs. This is Mel!’”

Excited by his response, and hopeful that he would be what they had envisioned for Chris Cringle, the Nelms brothers met up with the Academy Award Winner to discuss their script and the role of Santa Claus in greater depth.

On what turned out to be a three-hour chin wag, Mel said, “They talked about the story in a way that they obviously love what they do. Pretty quickly after I met them, I confirmed that they were in it for the love of the game. I was charmed by the story, and the script, and by the character, and I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s do this. It looks like fun!’”

With Gibson attached to the film, it was time to fill out the rest of the cast. Through the help of their producer, Nadine de Barros from Fortitude International, the brothers were able to start putting the remaining puzzle pieces together and bring Fatman to life. They started to check off the list and, for the role of Skinny Man, they found their cold-blooded killer in actor Walton Goggins, someone who Eshom and Ian had long admired.

Setting the Tone: A Christmas of the Time

Fatman exists in a fantasy world where Santa and his elves are real and a 12-year-old boy can hire a hitman to collect St. Nick’s head. Simultaneously, the characters must remain as grounded as possible – approaching the man and his mythos in a manner that is entertaining, sophisticated and filled with social commentary.

“It is very tonally specific. It’s our sensibilities and we like dark comedy with action,” said Eshom, the elder of the two siblings. Maneuvering between the juxtaposing worlds of fantasy and reality is not an easy task, but it’s one that excites the brothers and something they’ve come to trademark in their filmmaking sensibilities.

“One of the most difficult things to do as a filmmaker is juggling tone within a single piece. Going from funny to dark to ultra-violent, without losing an audience over the course of 90 min, is damn near impossible, but the brothers do it with ease,” said Johnny Derango, the director of photography on Fatman who has worked withthe Nelms brothers for over 15 years.

“Fatman was initially written with the Iraq war and the Afghanistan war in mind so, over time, that had to be feathered out and tapered down. Ultimately, we took it in a different direction than it was originally written, but the spirit of it is still there,” Ian remembered. And, although the script doesn’t perfectly reflect its first round of ink, it still finds its themes and issues still very relevant, especially with what the world is currently experiencing right now in 2020.

“While it has evolved over the last 14 years, it’s surprising for me, how much of those issues are still really relevant and really timely,” said Eshom.” “They really have bubbled to the surfaces after the ‘08 financial crisis, the housing crisis, the jobs crisis,” added Ian. “And, now, we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic – everybody’s economically challenged and going through their own troubles and trials and tribulations,” said Eshom. “And, cut to Chris Cringle.”

In Fatman, Chris and his wife, Ruth, have secluded themselves deep within a snow covered, Alaskan back country running their operation away from prying eyes. Unfortunately, their absence from society has unwittingly caused a rising number of naughty and resulted in a steady decline of their government subsidy, which is now below their annual budget. This leaves the Cringles and their factory in a serious financial crisis.

“I love the Nelms brothers’ scripts. For Fatman, in particular, it’s funny, it’s dark, it’s entertaining, but it also has some really beautiful themes about consumerism and how we treat Christmas, a holiday that should be about giving and receiving, and what it’s turned into for a lot of people,” said producer Michelle Lang, who had also previously worked with Eshom and Ian on several feature films.

“The theme of the film is actually kind of dark in many ways, so it is a creature of its time – that this Christmas story is couched in something a little dark and ominous – but, ultimately, hopeful.” said Mel.

“It was so great to find somebody who understood not only that role, but the tone and feel of those scenes that we were going after,” said Ian. And, so it began…

“The time has come to turn things around.” – Chris Cringle

“To me, it was a Santa Claus we haven’t seen before. It kind of explains him in a way of who he is and where he came from. Not overtly, but you kind of get a few clues as to who he might be, where he came from, how old he is, and a few other magical things about him,” said Gibson.

“We’ve all seen the Coca-Cola classic Santa Claus. We’ve seen Santa Claus as Tim Allen. We’ve seen Santa Claus as a sociopath who comes down your chimney and tries to murder you. For us, we wanted to make Santa Claus a badass. We wanted to make him a superhero,” said Eshom.

And, with all superheroes, there’s a duality to their persona that makes them even more intriguing.

“We were having fun with giving people little tidbits of magic about the character and about the myth of Santa, but also pulling back and trying to make you sit in the reality of where this guy’s at, what he’s doing and how he’s affecting people without getting too caught up in the goofiness of it,” added Ian.

“We wanted to ground the man, we wanted to ground the myth. We started with ‘What if this was a real person? What would he really be doing? What would his plight be?’ and we tried to borrow from the plight of today and craft a real human being that would connect with people and their problems” said Ian.

“We’re finding Chris at his most vulnerable. This is a man who’s disenchanted with his job, disenchanted with the world, he’s lost.” Eshom added.

“He’s just a guy, with a wife – and he’s got a job and he’s got a mortgage and he’s got problems. It focuses on him, at a time of change for him, when he’s really got to pull a rabbit out of his hat,” said Gibson.

“In Fatman, Chris is suffering from a lot of children making bad decisions, the world stopped believing in him and his work is being monetized. He’s becoming a marketing aspect and everyone wants a piece of him,” said producer Michelle Lang.

“He says, ‘All I have is a loathing for a world that’s forgotten,’ you know, what the meaning of Christmas is, so he’s pining for the way things used to be and the change in the world and that he has to do things that are uncomfortable in order to survive and compromise a little bit – and he’s not digging that. As the world changes, and the people in it, he has to adapt, and I think he’s finding that a painful experience,” Mel said.

Playing this rough, troubled character who still believes in and longs for a world he once knew was something that Mel initially told the brothers reminded him of a cowboy, which was right in sync and in step with the western feel and type of personality that the brothers had envisioned.

The North Pole, Reindeer and Elves

“In Fatman, we wanted to shy away from everything that related to the conventions of the genre of the Christmas movie. We wanted to give a hint to, or maybe flip, your idea of what that is at the same time. You’re not going to see a sleigh flying, you’re not going to see reindeer flying, you’re not going to see Santa delivering presents. Let’s see everything between those scenes – that’s what interested us,” said the brothers.

“We’re going to give them a hint of the sleigh, we’re going to