Review: ‘Trespass Against Us’ makes Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson family.

 

TRESPASS AGAINST US is set across three generations of the Cutler family who live as outlaws in their own anarchic corner of Britain’s richest countryside. Chad Cutler (Michael Fassbender) is heir apparent to his bruising criminal father, Colby (Brendan Gleeson) and has been groomed to spend his life hunting, thieving and tormenting the police. But with his own son, Tyson (Georgie Smith) coming of age, Chad soon finds himself locked in a battle with his father for the future of his young family. When Colby learns of Chad’s dreams for another life he sets out to tie his son and grandson into the archaic order that has bound the Cutler family for generations. He engineers a spectacular piece of criminal business involving a heist, a high-speed car chase and a manhunt, which leaves Chad bruised and bloodied and with his very freedom at stake. With the law cracking down and his father tightening his grip, Chad is forced into increasingly desperate measures. Featuring incredible performances – and an astonishing score by The Chemical Brothers – TRESPASS AGAINST US is at once an exhilarating crime thriller and a profoundly moving story about love and family.

There is no doubting the abilities of both Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson in this family crime drama. The two could very easily be related based on their spectacular on-screen chemistry. The action (predominantly in car chase form) is plenty and should be seen on the biggest screen possible for maximum clarity and impact. Gleeson does a brilliant job in making you squirm. Think about the most awful, offensive relative that shows up on holidays and multiply that feeling by 10. You are quickly sympathetic to Fassbender’s rock and a hard place persona. The little bit of mischievous joy he gets by rattling the cops is nothing in comparison to his brooding desire to be a better man for his wife and two kids. The last thing he wants is for history to repeat itself. He desperately tries to break the cycle, much to the chagrin of his father hence moving the plot along. Though even with the talent, there is a slowness and lack of back story that would have been nice to hear or see. The choice to make The Cutler’s a traveler family is cool in concept but I wish there had been a better explanation as to how our patriarch became so anti-establishment. One is left to assume. Ultimately, Trespass Against Us is a film about the line between family loyalty and self-preservation. The film is available on Direct TV and in theaters beginning today.

Check out a clip and the trailer below.

Directed by:                                          Adam Smith

Written by:                                             Alastair Siddons

Produced by:                                       Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan, Alastair Siddons

Executive Produced by:                     Joshua Astrachan, Rose Garnett, Frederick W. Green, Peter Hampden, Phil Hunt, Norman Merry, Compton Ross

Starring:                                                  Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson, Lyndsey Marshal, Killian Scott   

In Theaters January 20th, 2017

Running Time:                                       1hr 39min

Rating:                                                   R

Review: ‘Live By Night’- An American Crime Drama from Ben Affleck

Oscar winner Ben Affleck (Argo) directs and stars in Live By Night, an American crime drama about a young man from Boston and his desire for revenge. The film is based on the award-winning best-seller by Dennis Lehane and is written for the screen by Affleck himself. A film that starts with a lot of promise but quickly loses steam and struggles to make it to the finish.

Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) is the son of a Boston Police Deputy Superintendent, a WWI vet, and an outlaw. He’s a man with a good heart who seems destined for a better path, but it’s his anti-establishment ways that keep him in business for himself. Joe works with a loyal crew including Dion (Chris Messina), a close friend who’s got Joe’s back under any condition. Joe falls for Emma (Sienna Miller), the girlfriend of Irish gangster Albert White (Robert Glenister) and the two have a secret love affair, but when the gangster finds out, it forces Joe to make some life changing decisions. Driven by a need to right the wrongs committed against him, Joe accepts an alliance with the Italian mob and a move to Tampa with his crew to run the rum business there. But every decision comes at a cost as does the price of revenge, and Joe is about to find out just how much.

Live By Night, on the surface, is an enjoyable enough gangster film. An all star cast including Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller, Chris Cooper, Brendan Gleeson and Elle Fanning do their best to provide insight into their personal piece of the elaborate puzzle, and each actor does an admirable job to help bring their character arc to fulfillment, but Ben Affleck tries to navigate thru the myriad of storylines he’s created and ultimately leaves the story winded and the characters unfulfilling.

Overall, the film sets out to tell a gangster story and it does just that, but the journey is long and tiresome and loses it’s muster about halfway thru. Should you see it? Sure, but don’t expect the next Godfather, for that it is not.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

No

Trailer:

Review: ‘Assassin’s Creed’- The Best Video Game Adaptation Yet!

Video game properties have not been very successful in their transitions to Hollywood films, but Assassin’s Creed hopes to change all that as 20th Century Fox set to release their highly anticipated film this Christmas. This action packed thriller is set in the same universe as the video games but features an original story that expands the series’ mythology. Will Assassin’s Creed win over gamers and regular audiences alike or will the complexity of the story be lost on those unfamiliar with the popular game?

Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is a man who has reached the end of the line. Having faced the death of his mother at the hands of his own father, Cal has lived a life of crime that has lead him to a stay on death row. After having his execution stage by Abstergo Industries, the modern-day incarnation of the Templar Order lead by Alan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons) and daughter, scientist Sophia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard), Cal learns of his family lineage which dates back hundreds of years to the Assassin’s Creed, a group of fighters sworn to protect an ancient artifact. Cal  is forced to participate in the Animus Project, a device which helps him link with his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha, an Assassin in the time of the Spanish Inquisition, and relive this memories in order to locate the ancient artifact. As Cal continues to experience Aguilar’s memories, he begins to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to confront the Templars in the present day and help stop them from locating the artifact that will allow the Rikkin’s to control free will.

Director Justin Kurzel makes up for the films lack of a coherent story and has elected for a visually stunning action film that overcomes its shortcomings to be very entertaining. Michael Fassbender embodies Aguilar and his ancestor Cal as if he is playing a Jekyll and Hyde of sorts. The highly regarded actor is lacking in the need to deliver any dialogue of merit, but his presence alone speaks volumes in the action sequences. Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons, two stellar actors who are underwhelming in the powerful adversary category which is where the film begins to lose its luster. The action sequences and cinematography when the focus is on Aguilar are breathtaking and some of the best you’ll ever seen on screen, but as we witness the transformation of Cal into assassin, there’s little in the modern world to compete.

Overall, Assassin’s Creed is highly entertaining with it’s action packed fight sequences and it’s visual effects, but the story is lacking at times which ultimately leads to a conclusion that may leave some wanting more. Still, it’s a franchise that has promise and should be given an opportunity to continue. Let’s just try and use the talents of these wonderful actors a bit better shall we?

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Brand new ‘Assassin’s Creed’ trailer has arrived!

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New Regency and 20th Century Fox have just revealed a NEW trailer and poster for the upcoming film, Assassin’s Creed and we have them for you!

Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain.  Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.

Assassin’s Creed also stars Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose) along with Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael K. Williams and Khalid Abdalla. The film is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth).

Assassin’s Creed hits theaters everywhere on December 21, 2016!

Advance Screening: ‘In The Heart of the Sea’ *AMC Stubs Members Only*

in-the-heart-of-the-sea-posterAMC Stubs has your passes for an advanced screening of Ron Howard’s In The Heart of the Sea. The film stars Chris Hemsworth (“The Avengers,” “Rush”) as the vessel’s veteran first mate Owen Chase; Benjamin Walker (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) as its inexperienced Captain, George Pollard; Cillian Murphy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) as second mate Matthew Joy; and Ben Whishaw (“Skyfall”) as novelist Herman Melville, whose inquiries into the event 30 years later helped bring the story to light.

Tom Holland (“The Impossible”) also stars as young seaman Tom Nickerson, and Brendan Gleeson (“Edge of Tomorrow”) as the same man, 30 years later. Spanish actor Jordi Mollà (“Riddick”) is the captain of another ship, the Archimedes, who tries to warn the Essex of what may lie ahead.

The screenings are on Tuesday November 1st in the following locations:

Lawrenceville, GA

Morrow, GA

Atlanta, GA

Cumming, GA

Kennesaw, GA

Austin, TX

Owings Mills, MD

Columbia, MD

Baltimore, MD

Baton Rouge, LA

Danvers, MA

Methuen, MA

Somerville, MA

Boston, MA

Framingham, MA

Amherst, NY

Dubuque, IA

Springfield, IL

Charlotte, NC

Concord, NC

Chicago, IL

Naperville, IL

South Barrington, IL

Lombard, IL

Vernon Hills, IL

Newport, KY

West Chester, OH

Columbia, SC

Columbus, OH

Dublin, OH

Columbus, OH

Grove City, OH

Mesquite, TX

Frisco, TX

Dallas, TX

Arlington, TX

Garland, TX

Grapevine, TX

Highland Village, TX

Aurora, CO

Westminster, CO

Littleton, CO

Brighton, CO

Broomfield, CO

Highlands Ranch, CO

Livonia, MI

Dearborn, MI

Sterling Heights, MI

Auburn Hills, MI

Evansville, IN

Fayetteville, AR

North Fort Myers, FL

Holland, MI

Plainville, CT

Houston, TX

Humble, TX

Sugar Land, TX

Houston, TX

Indianapolis, IN

Bloomington, IN

Jacksonville, FL

Orange Park, FL

Olathe, KS

Indepence, MO

Kansas City, MO

Las Vegas, NV

Marina del Rey, CA

Woodland Hills, CA

Ontario, CA

Orange, CA

Burbank, CA

Universal City, CA

Torrance, CA

Baraboo, WI

Fitchburg, WI

South Miami, FL

Aventura, FL

Wauwatosa, WI

Roseville, MN

Maple Grove, MN

Destin, FL

Montgomery, AL

Houma, LA

Harahan, LA

Harvey, LA

Middletown, NY

Stony Brook, NY

Eatontown, NJ

Port Chester, NY

New Brunswick, NJ

West Nyack, NY

Paramus, NJ

New York, NY

Danbury, CT

Virginia Beach, VA

Hampton, VA

Oklahoma City, OK

Omaha, NE

Council Bluffs, IA

Ocoee, FL

Carbondale, IL

Pekin, IL

Springfield, PA

Bensalem, PA

Plymouth Meeting, PA

Cherry Hill, NJ

Hamilton, NJ

Glendale, AZ

West Homestead, PA

North Dartmouth, MA

Quincy, IL

Durham, NC

Webster, NY

Rockford, IL

Layton, UT

San Antonio, TX

Chula Vista, CA

San Jose, CA

Emeryville, CA

Brentwood, CA

Cupertino, CA

Kent, WA

Tukwila, WA

Lynnwood, WA

Burlington, WA

Woodinville, WA

South Bend, IN

Spokane, WA

Chesterfield, MO

Creve Coeur, MO

Edwardsville, IL

Creve Coeur, MO

Tallahassee, FL

Sarasota, FL

Brandon, FL

Tampa, FL

Terre Haute, IN

Tucson, AZ

Tulsa, OK

Herndon, VA

Alexandria, VA

Vero Beach, FL

Tickets

Trailer for ‘Suffragette’ Starring Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep Has Arrived

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Director Sarah Gavron’s film starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Natalie Press, and three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, will open in limited release on October 23rd and will be in theaters across the country by Thanksgiving. Suffragette is written by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, The Hour) and produced by Alison Owen (Elizabeth, Temple Grandin) and Faye Ward (Jane Eyre, Dancing on the Edge).

Suffragette is a powerful drama about the women who were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality in early-20th-century Britain. The stirring story centers on Maud (played by Carey Mulligan), a working wife and mother whose life is forever changed when she is secretly recruited to join the U.K.’s growing suffragette movement. Galvanized by the outlaw fugitive Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep), Maud becomes an activist for the cause alongside women from all walks of life. Inspired by true events, Suffragette is a moving drama exploring the passion and heartbreak of those who risked all they had for women’s right to vote – their jobs, their homes, their children, and even their lives.

For more information, please follow us on social:

Facebook: @SuffragetteMovie

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#Suffragette

 

Battle of The Actors Round 1 Matchups Part 3!

Untitled-1Amanda Plummer, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Julianne Moore moved on in the brackets and Anne Hathaway beat Emma Thompson in the bonus bracket by yet ANOTHER slim margin ..this weeks matchups we switch gears and return to the guys…actors showdown! Let’s get it on!

Brad’s Bracket:

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Jeremy’s Bracket:

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Liz’s Bracket:

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Melissas’ Bracket:

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Michael’s Bracket:

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If I Chose the Academy Award Winners and Nominees – 2015 edition

I’ve now seen most of the films that had a release in 2014. This makes me more qualified to vote for the Oscars than 97.548% of the Academy’s membership. With the Oscar ceremony occurring tonight, I’ve picked, as I have the previous two years, who I think the nominees and winners should be in the bulk of the major categories. Once again, the foreign film category will be left off because I simply haven’t had access to enough foreign films to make a comment on them. Those that have made it to my neck of the woods, I will say, have been very good for the most part. Read More →

Girls On Film Podcast: Brendan Gleeson, John Michael McDonagh & Kelly Reilly Chat About ‘Calvary’

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Kelly Reilly as “Fiona” and Brendan Gleeson as “Father James Lavelle” in CALVARY.

CALVARY’s Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is a good priest who is faced with troubling circumstances brought about by a mysterious member of his parish. Although he continues to comfort his own fragile daughter (Kelly Reilly) and to help members of his church with their various problems, he feels a foreboding sinister force closing in, and begins to wonder if he will have the courage to face his own personal Calvary.

In this episode of Girls on Film, Liz and Melissa talk about Calvary. Read More →