Tag Archives: Lea Thompson

Review: ‘Literally, Right Before Aaron’ takes the cake.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

 LITERALLY, RIGHT BEFORE AARON

There is always that one questionable guest at a wedding. You might think to yourself, “How the Hell did they get invited and who do they know?” In the case of the new rom-com, LITERALLY, RIGHT BEFORE AARON, turns out the Bride invited him.

 

Synopsis: Still reeling from his breakup, Adam (Justin Long) is devastated when he learns that his ex (Cobie Smulders) is engaged. What’s worse is he’s invited to the wedding. When Adam returns home for the festivities, he must confront his unresolved feelings and an uncertain future in hopes of convincing himself and everyone else that he is truly happy for her. There he discovers the comedy in romance, the tragedy of letting go and the hard truth about growing up.

Justin Long has always been on my radar as far back as I can remember. His comic timing and boyish charm are pretty hard to compete with onscreen. This is no less true in his role as Adam. On screen for the entirety of the film, Long’s emotional journey is written both within the quippy dialogue and all over his face. Funny, heartbreaking, endearing, and relatable, there isn’t an audience member out there that won’t find something earnest to latch onto. While familiar sounding in plot, I never found the script cliche’ thanks to writer/director Ryan Eggold. Showcasing solid performances from Cobie Smulders, Kristen Schaal, John Cho, and Ryan Hansen, Literally, Right Before Aaron marries our own insecurities with the emotional roller-coaster that is love. For Eggold, it’s merely the beginning of a long career at the helm of a film. For Long, it’s further proof he’s being underestimated in the industry.
You can catch the film in theaters and on VOD this Friday.

In Theaters and On Demand September 29, 2017

Starring: Justin Long, Cobie Smulders, Ryan Hansen, John Cho, Kristen Schaal, Dana Delany, Peter Gallagher, Lea Thompson, and Luis Guzmán

Written, Edited and Directed by: Ryan Eggold

Review: ‘Back in Time’- A Look Back at 30 Years of ‘Back to the Future’

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Back-in-Time-Poster

The Back to the Future trilogy is one of the most important film franchises in history and one that is near and dear to my heart. This year not only marks the 30th anniversary of the original film’s release, but it’s also the celebration of the day Marty arrived in the future (October 21st, 2015), a day many fans have been waiting to arrive. To mark the occasion, a new documentary entitled Back in Time, directed by Jason Aron, is arriving and it brings together cast, crew and fans of the films to discuss the trilogies impact on society and it’s legacy within the history of film.

BIT-Still-cars

What started as a concept quickly gained steam when the film team decided to use a Kickstarter campaign to get the funds to make this film. Quickly, over 600 backers soon helped make Aron’s dream a reality and the team had their money to make the film. Much of the film focuses on the DeLorean time machine as the crew travels across America finding collectors and discussing the concept of being a Back to the Future collector. Discussions with some of the lucky DeLorean owners quickly turns from a discussion about the car itself, to an understanding of the impact the films have had on the collectors as well as their loved ones. Each story has a uniqueness from each other as the film team has collected super fans who use the cars not only as a way to satifsy a want in their life, but as a way to help raise awareness for the Michael J Fox foundation.

BIT-Huey Lewis

Along with the collectors, the team was able to explore some of the ways that the fandom is taken to another level. A look at Secret Cinemas Back to the Future event, which took place in London in 2014, shows the sheer magnitude of what super fans will go to to recreate the world of their favorite movie. The event included a replica of Hill Valley along with a viewing of the film on the facade of the clock tower. The crew also spoke with people inspired by the proposed technology of Back to the Future II, one company in particular, Hendo Hoverboards, is working to and has created a real life Hoverboard! But the real treat of Back in Time was the interviews with the cast and crew.

back_in_time_still

Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg and Bob Gale discussed the struggles with getting Back to the Future made. From getting a studio to make the film to recasting the lead well into production, getting Back to the Future made was one tough task. One of the interesting tidbits to come from these talks was from Zemeckis who was adamant about his feelings of future sequels in the franchise. Dan Harmon (creator of “Community”) and Adam F. Goldberg (creator of “The Goldbergs”) discussed the films impact on their careers and the properties they created. Actors Donald Fullilove, James Tolkan, Claudia Wells and Lea Thompson spoke about their experiences making the films as well as their experiences with fan interaction, but it was the interviews with Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox that was really the show stealer. Hearing the two principle actors discuss the film and its production was a real treasure and one that makes Back in Time a must see film.

Back in Time is set to premier October 21, 2015 digitally, on Netlfix and at Los Angeles’ We’re Going Back celebration. The film will then travel across America from November 3 through November 24 with the 88MPH film and music tour. Event attendees will be able to enjoy the feature, a Q&A session, a concert by The Flux Capacitors, the DeLorean Time Machine, and meeting original  Back to the Future cast members. Visit Back in Time for more information.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scenes?

There are interviews throughout the credits.

Trailer:

Back to the Future Documentary ‘Back in Time’ Coming This October

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Back-in-Time-Poster

Gravitas Ventures has announced the acquisition of all North American rights to Back in Time, directed by Jason Aron, featuring interviews with Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Bob Gale, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd. Back in Time looks at both the making of the original film and the fan culture that has developed over the years. It will be available on VOD, DVD/Bluray and select theaters on the very day Marty McFly (Fox) arrived in Back to the Future 2 – on “Future Day,” October 21, 2015.

In Back in Time, cast, crew, and fans explore the classic time-travel trilogy’s resonance throughout pop culture. As the project evolved it took them from the joyous nostalgia at a massive London fan event to the living rooms of Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Bob Gale, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd as well as Huey Lewis, James Tolkan (“Mr. Strickland”) Claudia Wells (“Jennifer Parker”) and more. Nothing is overlooked as they explore everything from Eric Stoltz’s casting to the invention of the hoverboard. Travelling throughout the world and leaving no stone unturned brings unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to the “BTTF” lexicon.

“Iconic documentaries, like a bolt of lightning, only come around so often,” said Nolan Gallagher, Founder and CEO of Gravitas Ventures, “we are honored to be a part of the ‘Back to the Future’ mythology and bring this must-have film to the millions of fans who have loved the trilogy all these years.”

Filmmakers Jason Aron and Lee Leshen add:

“As both fans of the trilogy and filmmakers, it was extremely important for us to have this documentary seen by as many people as possible. We knew within minutes of meeting Nolan that the team at Gravitas would make that dream a possibility.”

In addition to original cast and crew support, Back in Time was directed by Jason Aron, who also served as Executive Producer with Louis Krubich, Akrum Sheikh and Ronald Ferguson. Adam F. Goldberg (“The Goldbergs”) served as Co-Executive Producer. Lee Leshen produced.

Retro Review: ‘Back to the Future’- We Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Films Release!

Posted on by — Leave a reply

back-to-the-future-posterDirector Robert Zemeckis probably hoped that his film about a time traveling boy would be a remembered, but I’m reasonably sure he had no idea the impact it would have on the legions of fans for years to come. To say this movie was a success would be an understatement. Since 1985, Back to the Future has gone on to gross more than $381 million dollars worldwide and was the #1 movie of 1985. Back to the Future was voted the 23rd greatest film ever made by readers of Empire Magazine, it has been included in AFI’s Top 10 Science Fiction Films of All Time, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”, and most importantly, it is my #1 movie of all time. Let’s look back 30 years into the past and travel Back to the Future.

Back-to-the-Future-MartyMarty (Michael J. Fox) is your average rebellious teen destined for rock stardom and all the spoils that come with it; there’s just one problem…he’s a McFly and in Hill Valley, that name stands for mediocrity; but things are about to change. Marty lives with his parents George (Crispin Glover) and Lorraine (Lea Thompson) along with his siblings Dave (Marc McClure) and Linda (Wendi Jo Sperber). George is the pushover type never looking for trouble but seemingly finding it. He works for a supervisor named Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) who is always looking to bully George and seems to have a past with the family. Lorraine, Marty’s mom, is an alcoholic who’s life just hasn’t turned out quite the way she imagined. Marty’s siblings still live at home after graduating high school and just can’t seem to catch a break in life. During an exchange at the dinner table, Lorraine recants the tale of the night her and her husband met, a story which involving George being hit by Lorraine’s fathers car. It was the moment she knew they fell in love and would be together forever.

Back-to-the-Future-back-to-the-future-8227843-640-480Marty’s best friend scientist Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) has created a time machine….out of a DeLorean! How can it time travel you may ask? Well you preset a travel date into the console, a date like, oooooh say November 5th, 1955. Yes! November 5th 1955, the day Doc Brown hit his head on the porcelain sink while hanging a clock in the bathroom, when he came to he had a vision of the Flux Capacitor. The vehicles time displacement is powered by plutonium, but don’t worry, this suckers electrical, it uses the plutonium to create a nuclear reaction to generate the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to power the Flux Capacitor. But watch out, once this baby hits 88 mph we’re gonna see some serious shit.

Back to the future 3So where would a scientist from California get his hands on plutonium? Well from a Libyan terrorist group of course, and they are sure pissed that he stole from them. They show up to collect what is owed to them and they are out for revenge. Marty witnesses the assassination of his old friend which leaves him little choice, jump in the DeLorean and haul ass. But as Marty is speeding away, he hits the magical 88 mph and Marty is shot back in time to Hill Valley 1955.

michael-j-fox-marty-mcfly-and-crispin-gloverOf course Marty’s immediate reaction is to explore Hill Valley and search for Doc Brown to help him return to the future but in the process some unexpected events occur. Marty encounters his father George who is again being bullied by Biff. As George fleas the scene, Marty decides to follow him only to find him spying in a tree at an unsuspecting female. George loses his balance and falls out of the tree, but Marty comes to the rescue, pushes George away from the car and inadvertently is hit with the car instead. Marty wakes in his mothers room where she has become smitten with Marty. He realizes that he has mistakenly taken the place of his father in the tale of their impeding love story and subsequently altered the future.

michael-j.-fox-and-lea-thompson-in-inapoi-in-viitorMarty finds Doc and Doc explains that the only available power source capable of generating 1.21 gigawatts of energy is bolt of lightning. Marty knows that lightning stuck the towns clock tower and 10:04 pm on November 14th, 1955. All that Doc and Marty have to do is figure out a way to harness its power. Oh, and convince George to ask Lorraine to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance and re-change the past so Marty can save his future! But of course Biff has something to say about that.

thomas-f-wilson-as-biff-tannen-in-back-toMy love for this movie knows no bounds. It was the first movie I latched onto in my younger years and I’ve watched it at least once every month since…yes I’ve seen this movie over 350 times. The film’s story was so original and fresh that it immediately found an audience with young viewers. Michael J. Fox was a star at the time with the popularity of the hit show “Family Ties”, but interestingly enough Fox was the producers second choice for Marty (Eric Stoltz was originally cast); but there was no better choice than Fox as he ultimately proved. Marty McFly has become an iconic character who’s appeal is as beloved today as it was 29 years ago…maybe ever more so. Christopher Lloyd’s portrayal as Doc Brown is equally as iconic as Fox’s performance. The mannerisms, the delivery of the dialogue, the chemistry he created with Fox brought an immediate emotional connection to the movie which resonated thru the following two sequels. The friendship between Marty and Doc is one very few can top. These characters will live on in film history as two of the greatest ever created.

back-to-the-futureThe supporting cast was amazing. Lea Thompson was fantastic in her duel roles as Lorraine Baines and the future Lorraine McFly. Her beauty was unsurpassed and her presence omitted a touch of youthful mischief that added a level of playfulness that was key to the execution of her relationship with Marty. Crispin Glover was equally as phenomenal as George McFly. His mannerisms as a youthful outcast whose dream of becoming a sci-fi writer and sweeping the woman of his dreams off her feet are quirky and awkward but extremely lovable. Glover brings a level of tension to each scene that allows the audience the feeling of concern yet allows for a playful exuberance to shine thru. And who could forget Tom Wilson. The antagonist of the film, Biff Tannen, arguably one of the top villainous performances of the 1980’s and beyond. Wilson is THE perfect bully. From his interactions with George to his confrontations with Marty, Wilson stands with each actor toe to toe and creates memorable scene after memorable scene. From his bruting mannerisms to his off beat comical delivery, Wilson is a gem in every scene.

Back to the Future is a film that changed the way I watched movies at an early age and solidified my love for film. It is a movie that deserves every one of its accolades and will stand the test of time as one of the all time films. This movie takes me to a place emotionally that allows me to relive a small piece of my childhood with each viewing. I owe so much to this film and I have no way to pay it back. I can simply say thank you Marty and Doc for taking me on your journey.

Stars:

5 out of 5 stars

Trailer: