Review: ‘Silence’- The Journey of Faith is a Rough One

Martin Scorsese returns to cinemas with Silence, a passion project that’s been in development for over 25 years. This epic historical drama is based on the 1966 novel of the same name by Shūsaku Endō follows two 17th century Jesuit priests who travel from Portugal to Japan in order to locate their missing mentor and spread the word of God. A film about those who have questioned their faith from time to time and those who would sacrifice their lives in the name of it. A powerful movie that is anything but silent.

Father Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson) has been spreading the word of God under threats of his life in Japan when his communication runs silent. His two pupils Father Sebastião Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver) set out to Japan to dispel the notion that Father Ferreira committed apostasy and learn of his fate. On their travels they meet Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka), an alcoholic fisherman who has fled Japan and now begs to return. Kichijiro agrees to become their guide and help them find sanctuary in the hostile land while they learn of the location of their mentor. The priests arrive to Japan to learn that the local Christian population has been driven into hiding for fear of their lives.

Seeing that their influence is needed, Fathers Rodrigues and Garupe begin helping the natives reclaim their faith in the Lord until the inquisitor arrives at the village and demands information about any suspected Christians. Seeing first hand the brutality that the countrymen face for their faith, The two priests split up in hopes to find Father Ferreira, but they face the harsh conditions of living in secret which leads Rodrigues into imprisonment. While under the guard of the Samurai, he is expected to denounce his faith and set an example for those imprisoned for believing in Christianity that they must also denounce God. Rodrigues begins to question the motives of God for the suffering of the Japanese people. Soon, it is his own faith that will be tested and his will to do what’s right over what he believes the Lord would want.

Silence is a tale of choice, of sacrifice and of self preservation. It’s a film deeply woven into the history of Catholicism that highlights the trials and tribulations that these priests and their followers endured. Martin Scorsese’s brilliant storytelling delicately parallels the suffering of the Jesuit priests and those of the apostles of Christs time and delves into the psyche of the faithful and those questioning theirs. Andrew Garfield is brilliant as Fathers Rodrigues and brings an intense, emotional performance to the film that truly encapsulates the emotional journey the young priest endures. Adam Driver is a wonderful supporting performance and creates a moral reference point for which all other characters in the film can be judged. Yosuke Kubozuka’s character is a brilliant representation of humanity and it’s struggle with faith. Kubozuka is chilling and delivers a truly thought provoking performance. Liam Neeson‘s presence is otherworldly and commands the screen when he’s present. The actor says more in his expression and delivers some astonishingly personal dialogue that capture the true essence of the situation they are all facing.

Overall, Silence is a treasure. It’s a film that will leave you deep in thought and questioning the strength of your own faith. Scorsese does it again.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

No

Trailer:

The first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s ‘SILENCE’ is here

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The first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE is here and we have it for you below!

The film tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) – at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director’s 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life.

SILENCE is in select theaters December 23rd and expanding wide January 6th

Poster for Martin Scorsese’s ‘SILENCE’ arrives

silenceonlinepayoff1-sheet

Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) – at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director’s 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters this Christmas.

See the trailer tomorrow in theaters on Allied and everywhere Saturday!

SILENCE is in theaters December 23rd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silencemovie

#SilenceMovie

Don’t Look Now, But the Trailer for ‘A Monster Calls’ is Lurking

A Monster Calls

Focus Features has released the trailer for A Monster Calls and we have it for you!

A visually spectacular drama from director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible). 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall), dealing with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness, a less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), and bullying classmates, finds a most unlikely ally when a Monster appears at his bedroom window. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth. Toby Kebbell plays Conor’s father, and Liam Neeson stars in performance-capture and voiceover as the nocturnally visiting Monster of the title.

The film was written by Patrick Ness, based on upon the novel written by Patrick Ness from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd.

A Monster Calls arrives in theaters on October 21st, 2016

Interview: Producer Kevin McCann of the Upcoming Film ‘The Rising’ about Ireland’s Easter Rebellion of 1916

As I’ve just come back from a two-week trip to Ireland, it only seems fitting that I was able to have a conversation with Kevin McCann, producer of the upcoming film The Rising about the 1916 Easter Rising. Fed up with British rule and 800+ years of oppression, a valiant group of patriots started a rebellion which lasted 6 days before it came to a close. Fifteen of the leaders of the rebellion were tried, convicted and put to death shortly after the rising. One of those leaders was Seán MacDiarmada and he is the focus of The RisingWhile the Easter Rising is a subject that has been referenced in other films (Michael Collins and The Wind That Shakes the Barley are two that come to  mind), MacDiarmada is a person who has not made an appearance and doesn’t have the recognition that someone like Collins or Eamon de Valera do. However, that doesn’t mean that he is any less important in a historical context.

macdiarmada

So this is what drove my conversation with McCann. As we trundle towards to the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, McCann is trying to capitalize on the attention on this milestone anniversary to produce the first film about arguably Ireland’s most important rebellion. He is currently on a tour of six cities (New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC) in order to find fund the $6 million production budget to get this film made and ready for its expected premiere date of March 17, 2016.

In one hour, McCann passionately described his efforts and motives for making this film. This was one of the most enjoyable conversations I’ve had in quite some time. Being able to talk about some of my own heroes and why their struggle is still worthy of discussion today meant a great deal to me. Here’s what we talked about:

Kevin, Colin Broderick, Ms. Barbara Jones, Consul General of Ireland

How has your tour of America been treating you? What cities have you been to besides NYC and Boston?

I’ve been three times to Chicago and will be going to San Francisco, LA and Washington DC. I’m saying look – I’ve been working on this since 2012 and it won’t be made unless Irish Americans help. There isn’t money or really a sense of urgency in Ireland. Families of the signatories [of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic] are worried there will be no celebration, that a tumbleweed will be rolling through Dublin on April 24, 2016.

I’ve been coming to the US in regards to the film since October 2013. The response in the US has largely been very positive. Financing in Ireland is tough these days. I’m here to promote the movie and have one-to-one meetings. To inform people.

We did a Kickstarter late last year that netted 50,000 euros in 35 different countries. This is proof it’s not just an Irish story. We have a $6 million budget that needs to be raised almost exclusively privately. We got some production funding from the Irish Film Board. I was recently in Cannes, but distribution funding is scarce.

Why do you think it took so long for a film about the Easter Rising to come out? I know it was touched on briefly in [Neil] Jordan’s Michael Collins film.

I started to write a document about this. There seems to many reasons to ignore ’16. Next year is an election year and in Ireland a film this can be seen as advantageous to Sinn Fein only. All parties have the right to this, Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil. Why has it not been?…I don’t know. It will take an hour to explain. Political capital, not wanting to rattle  [England and Northern Ireland]. We aren’t quite a  fully formed nation yet. It’s almost a philosophical question – if we recognize someone as an Irish hero that responds to their conscience, it’s up to us to recognize us as an Irish people. If this happened in another country, they would have certainly looked into it.

I was interviewed by the Irish Times – first question they asked me, you’re making a film about ’16…are you a supporter of violence? What they’re saying is you’re an IRA man.

It’s very difficult to have a discussion about it. Irish politics have tainted it. Survivors guilt.

I genuinely feel that I MUST make a film about 1916. I started from a point of complete ignorance. I didn’t know 1916, the proclamation, who Sean MacDiarmada was. I see other men & women crying because we haven’t celebrated ’16 enough.

Kevin, Consul General, Josh Lucas, Colin(1)

MacDiarmada is a relatively unknown player in the historical context of the Easter Rising. What was the motivation to use him as the lead in this film as opposed to [Patrick] Pearse or [James] Connolly?

To be honest, I called to the library in County Leitrim, to ask if there a grant available to look into MacDiarmada as a subject of the film. There were films being shopped, but the scripts weren’t very good and they’ve all fallen by the wayside. This is a film that can compete. The people are going to be talking about 1916.

I didn’t know anything about MacDiarmada until I did a documentary called Leitrim During the Troubles. I wanted to research more about and the library gave me a grant of 1,000 Euros and it started there and snowballed. I moved to Belfast to learn more about him and work with Dr. Gerard MacAtasney [writer of The Mind of the Revolution]. He was a farmer’s son who cracked the world’s largest empire. You can’t get any better of a story than that of Sean MacDiarmada. Led his country from slavery to freedom. The hero gives up his life for the greater cause.

His mother was dead by age 9, his neighbors were being evicted from the land, so you have all of these perfect mythological things that are TRUE. Make the GOD DAMNED FILM. I have a particular interest in how the Irish treated those who participated in the Rebellion. The nation changed forever when the 16 were killed.

Seamus Heaney helped motivate me from that poem ‘From the Canton of Expectations – “what looks the strongest has outlived its term.”  Keep their faith and keep on the road and they would succeed. We will not go off this path, we will see it through. It was Goethe that said “Our duty is the demands of our day.” MacDiarmada followed this.

I think of Robert Emmet’s speech From the Dock from the  1803 Rebellion. MacDiarmada was motivated by this speech. It was part of his conscience.

Rebellion and violence isn’t an answer for every disagreement, but at the time, it was necessary.

They were looking for a democratic republic just like what happened in the US.

Has there been any pushback about making this film? Any threats against the production?

Every day. More pushback from folks in the South than the North. There is a lot of reluctance there. The whole question of the North hasn’t really been reconciled in the South. It hasn’t been properly discussed. There is fear that the film will make some moderate revisionist apology. Some people are content with their Irishness and are concerned that we are going to make a pro-violent and pro-IRA film, which is blather from both sides. So I carry on regardless. My responsibility is to the men and women of 1916 and to the people who want to know the history of Ireland.   It’s happening on our watch. It’s your responsibility as well [as an Irish-American]. What will you tell me in five years that you did to help remember this event?

The Easter Rising was funded through Irish America therefore 100 years later, we are following in the footsteps of MacDiarmada and [Patrick] Pearse as we are trying to get funding for this film.

I’ve seen that Liam Neeson likes the script. What role would he play if he joins the project?

That was two weeks ago. We want to see him help us make the movie through his contacts, not have a role. We are enthused with the fact that he’s read it and loves it. I think we’ll be able to make an announcement about this in two weeks. I hope.

[UPDATE: an announcement was made July 1 that Michael Neeson, Liam’s son, will be playing the young Michael Collins in The Rising, reprising the role Liam played in Neil Jordan‘s 1996 film.

I LOVE that Shane MacGowan is doing the theme song. Perfect. How did you come by that decision?

I know the former manager of The Pogues and he asked him for me. Connections. He’s just doing the theme song to feature at the end.

Kevin1

I just got back from a trip to Ireland where I met with President Higgins. I know he’s a big film guy (we spoke about Julia Roberts’ accent in Michael Collins and had a laugh). As a former Culture Minister, I would expect that this is something he would love to see made. Have you had any conversations with him or his staff about this?

You have to remember that filmmaking is perceived as profit-making venture so political leaders’ hands are tied when the project has commercial value. I’ve discussed it with his staff and asked for a meeting with him and hope to get one. There’s hesitancy in the Irish political establishment to discuss ’16. Next year is going to be our time.

Locations?

Dublin, studio, Leitrim, Irish countryside. MacDiarmada’s estate is still there and in perfect condition. That’s where he was born, raised, learned about nature, his place on the earth. You need only stand on the front doorstep and you’re looking into County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. And you see an example of the division. It’s not just divided North & South, but all axioms.

So that’s that. I want to give a huge thanks to Kevin for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with me about this film. I contributed to the Kickstarter for this film and wish Kevin and his team nothing but luck. I think that this film is a terribly important step to recognize a series of leaders who put country before self and is incredibly important with respect to us as Irish-Americans. That we are only days after celebrating the 239th anniversary of the declaration of our own independence from the same colonialist country, the parallels between the rebellions are closely tied.

Should you wish to stay up to date with what’s going on with this film, check out their website. And more importantly, if you wish to contribute to the cause, you can also do that there. Here is their Facebook page as well as their Twitter. I will do my best to keep posting about the film especially as it careens towards production this November.

 

New Red Band Trailer for ‘Ted 2’ is Released!

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Universal Pictures has just debuted a new Red Band trailer for their upcoming sequel Ted 2 which you can check out below!

A follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time, Ted 2 finds Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) marry Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), his girlfriend from the first film, and the couple try for a baby together, with Ted asking his best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) to provide sperm for artificial insemination. However, to have custody of this child, he has to prove to a court of law that he is human.

The film is again directed by MacFarlane with a supporting cast that includes Amanda Seyfried (A Million Ways to Die in the West), Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight trilogy, Lucy), Dennis Haysbert (Dear White People) and Liam Neeson (Taken)

Ted 2 hits theaters June 26th

Trailer for ‘Ted 2’ is Here!

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Universal Pictures has released a restricted trailer for Ted 2 which you can view below! This is NSFW so you’ve been warned!

Ted marries Tami-Lynn, his girlfriend from the first film, and the couple try for a baby together, with Ted asking his best friend John to provide sperm for artificial insemination. However, to have custody of this child, he has to prove to a court of law that he is human.

Seth McFarland returns to voice Ted and Mark Wahlberg returns as his best friend John. The film also stars Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables), Morgan Freeman (Lucy), Dennis Haysbert (24), Jessica Barth (Ted) and Liam Neeson (Taken).

Ted 2 opens June 26.

In Case You Missed It: News & Trailers of the Week 3.13.13

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News

Disney Announces ‘Frozen 2′ is Coming!

The Title of The First Stand Alone Star Wars Film Has Been Revealed!

Paramount’s ‘Rings’ Will be a Prequel to ‘The Ring’

1152x864 Liam Neeson HD Liam,NeesonLiam Neeson: “I’m Quitting Action Movies in Two Years”

XLrator Media Acquires ‘Tokyo Tribe’ For North American Distribution!

arrowflash0625141280jpg-44d491_1280wCW Announces Season Finale Dates for ‘Flash’ and ‘Arrow’ Plus Others

Production Begins on ‘Code of Honor’ Starring Steven Seagal

Ben Foster Cast in Da Vinci Code Sequel ‘Inferno’

best-tim-burton-moviesTim Burton to Make Live Action ‘Dumbo’ for Disney!

Stiller and Wilson Officially Announce ‘Zoolander 2′ at Paris Fashion Week!

reel abilities 20157th Annual Reelabilities Film Festival New York – Special Guests Rory Culkin – Opens March 12th

HBONow_iOS_1024HBO Now Announced at Live Apple Event – To Launch in Early April

3 New Movies You Can Rent Tonight – 3.10.15

Don’t Rent That, It Might Be Free – 8 New Releases On Netflix & Amazon Prime

Trailers, Features & Photos

New Featurette For the Upcoming ‘Furious 7′ Released

Pictures from The World Premiere of ‘Insurgent’ in London Last Night

hotel-trans-great-news-for-the-hotel-transylvania-2-ghouls‘Hotel Transylvania 2′ Teaser Trailer is Here!

This Week On The Reel Big Show – Disney Remakes with Special Guest Maymay of I’m A Storm Trooper

First Look at Matthew McConaughey in ‘The Free State of Jones’

mazerunner-02First Photos of The Upcoming Maze Runner Sequel ‘The Scorch Trials’ Released!

New Poster and Episode Description Released for Upcoming ‘Flash’ Return

bloodlineNew Featurette for Netflix Series ‘Bloodline’ Released

New Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ is Here!

Trailer for ‘San Andreas’ Starring Dwayne Johnson Released!

16109699740_9e6cdbaabc_zWatch the First Episode of Sony’s New Series ‘Powers’ Here!

New Trailer for Brad Bird’s ‘Tomorrowland’ Has Been Released

game-of-thrones‘Game of Thrones’: Season Five Trailer is Here!

New Trailer for ‘Marvel’s Daredevil’ on Netflix Features More of Vincent D’Onofrio!

betwe_s1_008_hNetflix Announces May 21st Release Date for New Apocalyptic Series ‘Between’ – Photos

Liam Neeson: “I’m Quitting Action Movies in Two Years”

1152x864 Liam Neeson HD Liam,Neeson

While on the promotion circuit for his upcoming action thriller Run All Night, actor Liam Neeson dropped a bombshell while discussing his career resurgence with The Guardian :

“Maybe two more years. If God spares me and I’m healthy,” he said in a US interview. “But after that, I’ll stop [the action] I think.”

 

This comes as a surprise to many film goers as the 62 year old actor has been cranking out action film after action film as of late with 2015 seeing two films (Taken 3 and Run All Night) in the first 3 months! But the actor doesn’t want to become a laughing stock as he continued:

“If I feel audiences saying, ‘Come on, he’s 62, enough is enough,’ I’m very sensitive to that and if I pick up that vibe it will all stop. And I’ll start playing dads or grandfathers. But I keep myself pretty fit and my knees are still great. And it’s fun.”

Neeson will be taking a break from action films the rest of 2015 as his lone remaining film will be the upcoming comedy sequel Ted 2.

What do you think?! Should Liam retire from action films?!

New Trailer: ‘Run All Night’ Features Guns, Car Chases, Explosions & Liam Neeson Kicking Ass

RUN ALL NIGHTDo I really need to say anything about this? The heart wants, what the heart wants.

RUN ALL NIGHT with Liam Neeson and Ed Harris – in theaters March 13th.
http://runallnightmovie.com
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New Bad-Ass Trailer: Liam Neeson in ‘Run All Night’

Taken 4? Nope, but it is Liam Neeson kicking ass. Was that Ed Harris? That guy from The Killing? Oh, that looked cool. Eh, been there, done that. WAIT. What?! Now, that was an ending!

RUN ALL NIGHT with Liam Neeson and Ed Harris – in theaters April 17th.
http://runallnightmovie.com
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New Trailer & Poster: ‘Taken 3’ – Liam Neeson is back!

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20th Century Fox has debuted the trailer and poster for Taken 3 or, should I say, Tak3n. The film is directed by Olivier Megaton and stars Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. Read More →

‘A Walk Among Tombstones’ Starring Liam Neeson – In Theaters September 19

Baa walk among tombstones_postersed on Lawrence Block’s bestselling series of mystery novels, A Walk among the Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Matt Scudder, an ex-NYPD cop who now works as an unlicensed private investigator operating just outside the law. When Scudder reluctantly agrees to help a heroin trafficker (Dan Stevens) hunt down the men who kidnapped and then brutally murdered his wife, the PI learns that this is not the first time these men have committed this sort of twisted crime…nor will it be the last. Blurring the lines between right and wrong, Scudder races to track the deviants through the backstreets of New York City before they kill again.

Written and directed by Scott Frank (The Lookout), A Walk among the Tombstones is produced by Jersey Films’ Danny DeVito, Double Feature Films’ Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher, Exclusive Media’s Tobin Armbrust and Cross Creek Pictures’ Brian Oliver. Universal will distribute the film in North America. Read More →