Review: ‘BRIMSTONE’ takes Dakota Fanning down the darkest path yet.

BRIMSTONE
Official Selection – Venice International Film Festival 2016
North American Premiere – Toronto International Film Festival 2016
Official Competition – London Film Festival 2016

U.S. Premiere – Palm Springs International Film Festival 2017

BRIMSTONE is a tale of powerful womanhood and resistance set against the unforgiving cruelty of the American frontier. Wrongly accused of a crime she didn’t commit, the story follows Liz (Dakota Fanning) now turned fugitive, who is being hunted by a vengeful and diabolical Preacher (Guy Pearce.)
BRIMSTONE is directed and written by Martin Koolhoven (Winter in Wartime, AmnesiA) and features an all-star cast: Guy Pearce (HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” The Proposition, Memento), Dakota Fanning (The Runaways, War of the Worlds, Man on Fire), Emilia Jones (One Day, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), Carice van Houten (HBO’s “Games of Thrones,” Black Book) , and Kit Harington (HBO’s “Games of Thrones,” MI-5).
Once we saw Dakota Fanning in I Am Sam, there was no doubting she would become one of the most talented actresses of her time. Taking on daring roles has always been part of her repertoire. She has never been afraid to push the envelope as a professional. In BRIMSTONE, Fanning plays a young woman whose life, we come to learn, has been nothing but hardship and emotional torture, mainly at the hands of one man. Guy Pearce plays a sadistic preacher hunting Fanning’s character, Liz. His sick interpretation of the Bible leads them both on a journey that takes danger to the next level. Liz only wants to protect her family and the Reverand wants nothing more than to destroy her. The script is extremely dark and completely unexpected. At a full 2hr and 20 min run, you never see what’s around the bend. It’s emotionally exhausting and that is meant to be a compliment. Pearce is vile in every way. Skin-crawlingly good in this role. Kit Harrington is a breath of fresh air and I wish we had seen more of him, but understand his purpose. The cast is exquisite and their chemistry is phenomenal.
Fanning is nothing short of brilliant, almost having to tackle several different characters in the same film. To say more would give away too much and I encourage you to experience the film for yourself. While Brimstone can be difficult to watch during multiple scenes, it’s presentation is outstanding. Presented as chapters of the Bible and out of order, you discover information along the way that ultimately sets up the ending. Never a dull moment, the film’s intensity cannot be denied. You can see Brimstone in theaters and On Demand this Friday, March 10th. Check out the trailer below.
 
 Momentum Pictures will release the upcoming thriller/western BRIMSTONE in select theaters and On Demand / Digital HD March 10, 2017.

RED NOSE DAY USA is today! Live on NBC tonight at 8/7c

Red Nose Day, the U.K.’s #1 television fundraising event, is coming to America in a spectacular live star-studded special Thursday, May 21 (8-11 p.m. ET) on NBC.

redNoseDay_marketingBand_learnMore_1080x350Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Julia Roberts, Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jodie Foster and more, are coming together to have fun, raise money and change lives in an incredible “fun-raising” special. Featuring great comedy, videos produced by Funny Or Die, incredible music performances and Hollywood’s favorite stars, the benefit event will help 12 charity organizations lift children and young people out of poverty, in the U.S. and throughout the world.

RND_Tonight_350x467_v1Julianne Moore, Jack Black, Coldplay and Neil Patrick Harris will also appear, along with John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Michelle Rodriguez, Gwyneth Paltrow and music sensations John Legend and “Voice” coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams. Sienna Miller, Paul Rudd, Olivia Wilde, Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Leslie Mann, January Jones and Simon Cowell will also be joining the fun, as well as Matt Lauer, Carson Daly, Nick Offerman, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pine, Jeff Goldblum, Billy Eichner, Martin Short, Laura Linney, Anna Kendrick, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, John Michael Higgins, Bill and Melinda Gates, Stephen Merchant, Naomi Campbell, Anna Camp, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Yvette Nicole Brown, Retta, Natalie Morales, Danny Pudi and Rob Huebel.

In addition, the star-studded event for charity will feature “Game of Thrones” cast members Kit Harington, Peter Dinklage, Iwan Rheon, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Emilia Clarke, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Mark Addy, John Bradley, Rose Leslie, Alfie Allen and Charlotte Hope.  “Orange is the New Black” cast Dascha Polanco, Samira Wiley, Yael Stone, Selenis Leyva, Lea DeLaria, Adrienne C. Moore and Jackie Cruz will also be part of the charity special.

Nick CanonDancathonNick Cannon will kick off the festivities for NBC’s broadcast of “Red Nose Day” with “Red Nose Day Danceathon with Nick Cannon,” streaming live on NBC.com beginning Wednesday, May 20. “America’s Got Talent” host Nick Cannon will attempt to dance non-stop for 24 hours in honor of the inaugural Red Nose Day celebration in the United States, leading into the “Red Nose Day” telecast on Thursday, May 21. Streamed live from the NBC Experience Store at Rockefeller Center in New York City, the day of dance will be filled with guest DJs and musicians, celebrity drop-ins, and a variety of dance acts and troupes. Viewers can support Cannon’s endeavor through sponsorship and donation.

DonateThe money raised during Red Nose Day will be used to fund programs that address the immediate needs of children and young people living in poverty in the U.S. and internationally in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The money will be split between domestic and international poverty issues. The pre-selected charity partners are Boys & Girls Clubs of America; charity: water; Children’s Health Fund; Feeding America; Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund; LIFT; National Council of La Raza; National Urban League; Oxfam America; Save the Children and United Way.

In the U.K., Red Nose Day has been a tradition for 30 years and is an inspiring cultural phenomenon that unites people from all walks of life in the interest of saving and changing lives across the globe. With superstar presenters and comedians, original sketch comedy, hilarious film parodies and amazing musical performances, Red Nose Day has been one of the BBC’s highest-rated Friday night shows for many years and raised more than $1 billion in donations so far for organizations addressing poverty.

Created in 1985 by Oscar nominee and Emmy Award-winning writer-director-producer Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Bridget Jones Diary,” “Notting Hill”), Red Nose Day was built upon the foundation that mass media and celebrities can help raise money and increase awareness of poverty in order to save and change millions of lives.

Curtis is an executive producer for the NBC telecast (a Universal Television production), along with Hamish Hamilton and Ian Stewart of Done + Dusted Productions. Henrietta Conrad and Lily Sobhani will also serve as executive producers, as will Mike Farah, Anna Wenger and Joe Farrell from Funny Or Die. Hamilton is set to direct.