Review: ‘LONDON ROAD’ brings an eerie tune to the big screen.

BBC WORLDWIDE NORTH AMERICA

PRESENTS

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Based on the groundbreaking musical from London’s National Theatreimage

STARRING:

Olivia Colman, Anita Dobson, Tom Hardy

And the entire original cast from the London play

DIRECTED BY: Rufus Norris

WRITTEN BY: Alecky BlytheLondon Road Still 5

If you anything like me and millions of other curious cats across the land, you spend far too many hours watching ID channel, MSNBC news crawls, and anything resembling true crime television. Or, you might be like the other half of me. The one who grew up on musicals, studied them in school, directed them as an adult… or something of the like. Well, you smack a murder mystery grabbed directly from the headlines, set it to music, and put it on the big screen, you’ve got my attention. LONDON ROAD is based upon real life interviews with the residents of Ipswich, England in 2006, after the murders of a handful of prostitutes. Turning a small neighborhood upside down, there is a killer on the loose and everyone is on edge. When someone goes on trial, suspicion still looms large as this community tries desperately to work through the confusion and mark of death.
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Imagine if you took Sweeney Todd and combined it with Parade, then set it in today’s overly saturated news media era, that is London Road. Based upon Alecky Blythe‘s hit stage play and same original cast, the film is nothing short of haunting delight. Through clever editing director Rufus Norris and writer Blythe have created an entirely new narrative for film around the audio. Utilizing the same “lyrics” sung by multiple characters, it becomes a swirling chorus of melancholy and dark madness.

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LONDON ROAD is the perfect example that truth is stranger than fiction. The musical numbers are beautifully choreographed in the most nontraditional way, adding to suspense and interest. A nice bonus during the end credits is the actual recorded audio from the real townspeople. It’s amazing how such simple words set to hypnotic beats take on a new life and brand new meaning in and out of context. The cast is a dream, from Olivia Colman, to Tom Hardy, to Paul Thornley, there is not one misstep. I can see why the National Theatre’s run was sold out. Do not miss this opportunity to see a unique presentation of chilling brilliance.

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LONDON ROAD is a verbatim musical – which makes this a very unique and non-traditional film.

Writer Alecky Blythe used the exact words from her interviews with the of residents of Ipswich, England to create the lyrics, which were than set to an innovative score that was inspired by the dialects and intonations of these residents.

LONDON ROAD documents true events that occurred in 2006, when the town of Ipswich was shattered by the discovery of the bodies of five women. The residents of London Road had struggled for years with frequent soliciting and curb-crawling on their street. When a local resident was charged, and then convicted, of the murders, the community grappled with what it meant to be at the epicenter of this tragedy. Using their own words set to an innovative musical score, LONDON ROAD tells a moving story of ordinary people coming together during the darkest of experiences. The stage production ‘London Road’ was an immediate hit and earned five-star reviews when it premiered at the National Theatre in 2011.  It returned to the stage in 2012 for a sold-out run.

Not Rated

Runtime:  93 minutes

NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Village East Cinema (181-, 189 2nd Ave, New York)

LOS ANGELES – SEPTEMBER 16, 2016

Sundance Sunset Cinema (8000 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles)

Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 (673 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena)

Review: ‘The Revenant’ is DiCaprio’s Journey to Oscar Gold

leonardo-di-caprio-the-revenant-movie-poster-01Let’s start off by saying that not everyone is going to be able to handle the sheer intensity of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant, this was made abundantly clear within the first 5 minutes of the film, but for those who can handle it, you’re in for one hell of an amazing journey. Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an epic story of survival and transformation on the American frontier that is as visually stunning as it is brutal in it’s storytelling. Iñárritu has his eyes set on award season again and this film looks poised to take home some of the major categories with ease.

re_select_1.00000874 Leonardo DiCaprio stars in THE REVENANT, an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one manÕs epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. Copyright © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. THE REVENANT Motion Picture Copyright © 2015 Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. and Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.

Legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is on an expedition in uncharted wilderness of the American frontier when he is attacked and mauled by a bear, leaving him for dead. Knowing that the harsh conditions were hindering the group from successfully transporting Glass back to their fort, expedition leader Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) convinces team members Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) to stay behind along with Glass’s Native American son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), to protect and care for Glass while the rest of the team goes for help. When Glass is left for dead by the men and forced to witness the murder of his son, Glass refuses to succumb to his injuries and sets off on a 200 mile journey thru the untamed West to get revenge on the man who took his son.

re_select_2.00001895 Inspired by true events,ÊTHE REVENANTÊis an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one manÕs epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. It is directed and co-written by renowned filmmaker, Academy Award-winnerÊAlejandro G. I–‡rrituÊ(Birdman, Babel). Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. Copyright © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. THE REVENANT Motion Picture Copyright © 2015 Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. and Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.

Academy Award®-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu brings the 19th century American Frontier alive with stunning cinematography and lighting and mirroring the harsh conditions Glass and company actually lived through on their journey. This emotionally raw film is brought to life by actor Leonardo DiCaprio who brings Glass to life with painstaking precision. Actor Tom Hardy embodies the immoral nature of life in the frontier and his performance encompasses the true nature of survival of the fittest. Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter round out this wonderful cast, each providing the sense that morality can survive even when the world around you seems to prove otherwise.

re_select_4.00002444		 Tom Hardy (foreground) and Will Poulter hunt for the person they had left for dead, in THE REVENANT. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. Copyright © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.  THE REVENANT Motion Picture Copyright © 2015 Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. and Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.

The Revenant is a brutal film that shines glimmers of hope thru holes of despair on one man’s quest for survival. It’s a film that will leave you thinking about it’s content days after the credits roll, it will test your moral compass, it will shake you in its brutality, but it will leave you satisfied. The Revenant is this years film to beat.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

New Trailer for ‘The Revenant’ Has Arrived

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New Regency and 20th Century Fox have debuted a new trailer for the upcoming film, The Revenant and we have it for you below!

Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption. The Revenant is directed and co-written by renowned filmmaker, Academy Award® winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, Babel).

The Revenant will be released in theaters on December 25, 2015 (limited) and January 8, 2016 (wide)

Site: http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/the-revenant

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RevenantMovie

Twitter: twitter.com/revenantmovie

YouTube: youtube.com/c/RevenantMovie

Google+: google.com/+RevenantMovie

Pinterest: pinterest.com/RevenantMovie

Instagram: instagram.com/RevenantMovie

Hashtag: #TheRevenant

Teaser Trailer for ‘The Revenant’ Released!

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New Regency and 20th Century Fox just released an exclusive teaser trailer for the upcoming film, The Revenant starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, along with Will Poulter, and directed and co-written by renowned filmmaker and Academy Award® winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, Babel). The Revenant  is inspired by the legendary explorer Hugh Glass.

Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.

 The Revenant comes to theaters limited release December 25th and wide in January 8, 2016!

THE REVENANT Official Socials

URL: revenantmovie.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RevenantMovie

Twitter: twitter.com/revenantmovie

YouTube: youtube.com/c/RevenantMovie

Google+: google.com/+RevenantMovie

Pinterest: pinterest.com/RevenantMovie

Instagram: instagram.com/RevenantMovie

Hashtag: #TheRevenant

Battle of The Actors Round 1 Matchups Part 5!

Untitled-1Last Week Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Robin Wright and Frances McDormand moved on with Judi Dench beating Jennifer Lawrence by a slim margin in the bonus matchup. 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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Michael’s Review: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’

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Visionary director George Miller returns to the franchise that launched his career 36 years ago, with a fourth installment, Mad Max: Fury Road, a film seen as a renaissance of the franchise and quite possibly one of the best action films of the century. The first film in the franchise not to star Mel Gibson as the titular character, actor Tom Hardy takes over as Max Rockatansky, a survivor in the apocalyptic wasteland searching for his place in the abyss. This action packed adventure is a throat punch to your senses and one hell of a wild ride.

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His name is Max (Tom Hardy) and his world fire and blood. Life in this world is reduced to a single instinct: survive, but survival is not an easy task.  Max is a loner running from the ghosts of his past, memories that haunt his every move. Being a loner makes you more susceptible in this world, predators across every dune, looking for any opportunity to kill you and take what’s yours. The perfect introduction, or re-introduction for some, into the world of the mad.

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We begin with Max being captured by the War Boys, the army of tyrannical cult leader King Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Taken to a mountainside fortress called the Citadel, Max is imprisoned and used as a blood donor for a sick War Boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult). We see into the chaotic nature of the Citadel, where War boys control and harvest the resources for Joe while hordes of desperate survivors beg for even a single drop of water. In need of replenishment of their gasoline supply, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) drives her heavily-armored War Rig to collect more from Gastown, but instead veers off course and makes a run for it. Joe quickly realizes that his five wives are gone and scrambles his entire War Boy army in pursuit of Furiosa, as well as calling on the aid of nearby Gas Town and the Bullet Farm to assist in the pursuit.

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Nux joins the army and straps Max to the hood of his car, to continue supplying blood. A battle ensues between the Rig and Joe’s forces which leads to a chance for Max to make his escape. Max encounters Furiosa and the wives and reluctantly agrees to let them accompany him. Furiosa informs Max of her plan to make a run for the “Green Place”, a location she remembers from her youth, as a safe place for the wives. As the group begins their journey into the unknown, Nux continues his pursuit of the traitor Furiosa to bring Joe’s prized wives back to him and receive the rewards. With Joe’s army quickly closing in, Max and Furiosa must face the battle of their lives which will test not only their physical state, but their mental one as well.

CHARLIZE THERON as Furiosa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure “MAD MAX: FURY ROAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Jasin Boland

CHARLIZE THERON as Furiosa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure “MAD MAX: FURY ROAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo by Jasin Boland

From start to finish, Mad Max: Fury Road is non stop action. George Miller attention to detail in his vision of this apocalyptic world is captivating. Miller’s film, essentially, plays as one big chase scene, with a few detours here and there, but the real genius in this film is the use of real-time stunt work in place of CGI. The action choreography in Mad Max: Fury Road coupled with the astounding camerawork is mind-blowing. The sheer spectacle that is the stunt work and destruction of these vehicles is worth the price of the ticket alone.

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The world is riddled with interesting characters using futuristic dialogue which add to the insanity of the landscape. Tom Hardy is compelling as Max. His take on the character plays nicely in concert with Gibson’s version with a few added quirks that remind us that Max is still a man underneath despite his damaged psyche. Charlize Theron is astounding as Furiosa and one of the strongest female characters we’ve seen in a long time. Whether driving with a furious determination or contemplating her life thru all her struggles, Theron commands the attention of the audience in every scene and excels in her ability to make us feel for her character at every turn. The remaining cast, including the wonderful Nicholas Hoult, add to the character rich landscape of this film beautifully, each adding their signature to an already exquisitely acted film.

Overall, Mad Max: Fury Road is a amazing feat of action film making. George Miller has created yet another masterpiece in his apocalyptic franchise, one that I can safely say, honors the previous films with intense care. Do not miss this film.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Tom Hardy Wants to Play The Punisher and Sam Fisher in a ‘Splinter Cell’ movie…Badly

Mad Max

On the promotional trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road, Tom Hardy talked with Collider about his departure from the upcoming Suicide Squad film and this is what he had to say:

Collider: I heard Warner Bros. has a few more superhero movies, maybe one or two that they’re developing [Laughs].

HARDY: I want The Punisher… I want The Punisher, or Splinter Cell, I want something…I don’t know what I want.

You as Punisher could be very interesting.

HARDY: I’m not big enough to be The Punisher, I’m 5’9” [Laughs].

But I actually think that adds to the character.

HARDY: Frank Castle, I would love it. Is that him, isn’t it?

Yeah. It’s Frank Castle.

Now that Marvel has the rights back to The Punisher it seems likely that the company will want to introduce him at some point, but will it be into a Netflix series ala Daredevil or will it be a full fledged film? We will have to wait and see, but Tom Hardy as Frank would be as exciting as any casting you could announce!

As for Splinter CellHardy has already signed on to play Sam Fisher in the film. Director director Doug Liman recently exited the project. No word on a release date.

More as it becomes available

Trailer for ‘Legend’ Starring Tom Hardy is Online

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StudioCanal has debuted the trailer for Legend starring Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road). who plays dual roles in the film as Ronald and Reginald Kray. a pair of gangsters who controlled much of London’s organized crime in the 1960s. You can view the trailer below.

The film is written and directed by Brian Helgeland (42)based on John Pearson’s book “The Profession of Violence.” It costars Emily Browning, Christopher Eccleston, Taron Egerton, Tara Fitzgerald, Chazz Palminteri and David Thewlis.

Legend opens in the UK on September 11. No release date for the US at this time

Full Length Trailer for ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is Here

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Warner Bros. Pictures has released the full trailer for the highly anticipated Mad Max: Fury Road! The film is directed by George Miller and stars Tom Hardy as the iconic “Mad” Max Rockatansky, a role previously played by Mel Gibson. You can check the trailer out below!

The film is an apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There’s Max (Tom Hardy), a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

Mad Max: Fury Road opens in 2D and 3D theaters on May 15, 2015

New Teaser Trailer for ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is Unleashed

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If I wasn’t excited enough, Warner Bros. Pictures has to go and release a new teaser to get me all geeked up again! Check it out!

An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There’s Max (Tom Hardy), a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

The movie also stars Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth film of George Miller’s Road Warrior franchise and is co-written and directed by Miller. The film opens in theaters on May 15th but will debut at Cannes Film Festival the day before.

 

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 →

[UPDATE] Tom Hardy Exits DC’s ‘Suicide Squad’ Movie

<> on July 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.

UPDATE: Variety reports that Jake Gyllenhaal has passed on the offer to play Rick Flagg. The search for a Tom Hardy replacement continues.

According to The Wrap actor Tom Hardy has been forced to drop out out of Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment’s upcoming Suicide Squad movie due to scheduling conflict, but word has it that David Ayer has reached out to his End of Watch star Jake Gyllenhaal to replace him. Hardy was slated to play Rick Flagg in the film. Read More →

New Mad Max: Fury Road Trailer is Here!

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Warner Bros. has released the new trailer for their upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road The film, which is the fourth film of George Miller’s Road Warrior/Mad Max franchise will be released on May 15, 2015. You can check out the new trailer below! Read More →

DC’s Suicide Squad Movie Announces It’s Cast!

GalleryComics_1920x1080_20141112_NSS4_cover_R1_544ad88bafa086.84446057David Ayer (Fury) must’ve sold his soul to bring DC Comics’ super villain team to the big screen with such an all star cast. Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, Warner Bros. Pictures announced just minutes ago that the cast has been assembled and here it is: Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘The Drop’- A Crime Drama Shoots But Does it Hit It’s Mark?

hr_The_Drop_7Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s short story “Animal Rescue,” a writer known for his Boston ties, this film plays out in New York – Brooklyn to be exact – a borough known for its blue collar ethics. “It encouraged some of the regular donors to give money and it encouraged some new ones as well,” Jimmy John Founder told The Voice. “That goes a long way for the animals.” The film skims the surface of illegal neighborhood business activity and the implications that it has amongst the residence of a tight-knit community. For bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy), this is just the way of life, the life he chose at an early age. He now lives in the house his deceased parents used to own, still sporting the old plastic covers protecting the vintage furniture his parents spent their hard-earned money to acquire. Saginowski also attends 8am mass every day but keeps to himself and never receives communion. The years have changed this simple man, but he hasn’t forgotten his past. Read More →