By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 1/8/2016
By Harper W. Harris Whether you agree with its sweeping of last years Oscars or not, Birdman was a big deal. It brought mainstream attention to an artsy, technically impressive film that laid out some pretty serious criticism of the current state of cinema, overrun by indistinguishable superhero films that will undoubtedly be forgotten in […]
By: Maryann Yin,
on 9/29/2015
By: Maryann Yin,
on 8/25/2015
By: Maryann Yin,
on 8/12/2015
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 8/11/2015
It was just a few months back that Tom Hardy had hinted that he was working on a DC Comics adaptation, with all kinds of guesses flying around as to what he could have been referring to. Planetary? The Invisibles? Hitman? Per THR, we now have an answer, as they report that Hardy is set […]
By: Maryann Yin,
on 7/13/2015
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 5/13/2015
Oh my…
That’s a decent way to start a review, right? After walking out of tonight’s screening of Mad Max: Fury Road, I had so much built up energy inside of me, I literally had to jump around outside of the theater. Quite a few critics have been hailing George Miller‘s return to his seminal franchise as a “masterpiece”. As far as movies that live and die on their action spectacle go, you can consider me one of the converted.
This fourth entry in a series that hasn’t seen a new film in 30 years is basically a reboot, though you could also see it as a sequel to Beyond Thunderdome in a sort of James Bond sense. Tom Hardy steps into the role originally inhabited by Mel Gibson, and his version of Max Rockatansky basically picks up where his predecessor left off. The world has continued to devolve into a hellish landscape in a way that would make George Romero jealous, but any newcomer to Miller’s post-apocalyptic fever dream will find themselves easily able to grasp the central details: Max is a former cop whose family was murdered, and he now wanders this scorched earth attempting to survive. Max gets caught by the minions of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), a sort of steampunk Darth Vader/Papal-figure, who is treated like a savior by his men and farms women for their wombs and breast milk. While Max is imprisoned, Joe’s leading lady, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) makes a break for it with his prized concubines, which sets off a chain of events that finds Max, Furiosa, the neurotic yet redeemable Nux (Nicholas Hoult), and a set of kick-ass ladies (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, and Courtney Eaton) on a wild chase as they attempt to lose Joe’s rolling army in dusty desert.
Allow me to emphasize the word chase, as this activity is what makes up literally 99% of Fury Road‘s running time. This is a film that is pretty thin on plot, but bustling with sheer momentum, action set-pieces, intricate design work, and the most rocking score I’ve heard in a film of this type in some time. Through the mostly desert surface, Max and company are pursued by white painted men with explosive muskets, pirates with spiked cars, mercenaries wearing clothes made of bullets, and of course Joe himself. On display is literally every deathrace cliche reinvented for the screen and taken to the next logical extreme. It’s a film so high octane, that Miller even speeds up the action, and envelops it in biting humor, in a move reminiscent of the work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet; and it goes to show that Miller, even at 70, is a filmmaker is still willing to learn and adapt to new influences. Mad Max: Fury Road feels like the work of a much younger and hungrier director, and his collaboration with comics giant Brendan McCarthy (who both co-wrote the screenplay and provided much of the design work, and boy does it ever show!) may have done much to reinvigorate Miller post-films like Happy Feet.
However, despite the onslaught of Michael Bay style pyrotechnics, Miller still takes the time to give focus to the character dynamics of this rag-tag bunch that’s formed by circumstance. Rather than cardboard cut-outs, each character feels like a fully-fleshed individual via sparse dialogue and taut performances. The script is the definition of “show, don’t tell”, as exposition is kept to an absolute minimum. Perhaps the biggest and most welcome surprise is that Max isn’t even really the star of the show, though Hardy is quite good in the role, as that honor goes to Furiosa. Theron’s shaved head, mechanically-armed warrior may very well be the closest thing we’ve had to a new Ripley, and I think you can easily argue that this is Theron’s Aliens. I doubt she’ll be up for Oscar consideration, as this is the kind of film that voters almost never go for (Sigourney Weaver‘s nomination came when the field for actresses was relatively slim), but I would wholeheartedly support a Best Actress campaign in this case. She’s that good.
This added focus on Furiosa also underscores an important point; it’s one of the most feminist action films in recent memory. Fury Road centers on a group of women taking their own agency and pushing against patriarchal rule. While this franchise has always had an undercurrent of pacifist themes, Miller has laser-focused his message, to a point where one interaction at the midway point of the film ends up stating the obvious: this is what happens when old white men run the world unchecked. That may rankle some feathers in the audience, but this is an action movie that isn’t just empty spectacle or aiming for the lowest common denominator. This is a motion picture that’s actually about something with a strong point of view, and that’s worth standing up and applauding for. It’s basically the film equivalent of an album by The Clash dropping in the middle of a sea of bad arena rock.
Mad Max: Fury Road began filming in 2012, and had to undergo reshoots in 2013 (and this of course follows the 25 years of development hell that the film underwent just to get to there). We often take issue with productions that have to undergo that dreaded process, but Mad Max: Fury Road is a diamond of an exception and proves that as an audience, it behooves us to trust in auteur vision, especially in the action arena which so sorely needs it. Much like Bong Joon-ho‘s Snowpiercer last year, Miller paves the way for what these films should look like and the level of care that needs to go into them. This effort proves that, sometimes, you really can go home again.
To every other movie releasing this Summer: good luck!
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 4/2/2015
Mad Max: Fury Road is right around the corner and based on the below trailer (that Heidi so kindly posted about previously), it looks like George Miller may very well prove that you can actually go home again:
But if that doesn’t convince you, here are three more reasons why you should plunk down money for a ticket to see this fourth film featuring everyone’s favorite post-apocalyptic road warrior:
1.) It’s co-written by Brendan McCarthy
Yep, that Brendan McCarthy, the artist and co-creator of comics like Zaucer of Zilk, Rogan Gosh, and Skin. Given that he and Peter Milligan‘s wonderful comic Freakwave was inspired by Miller’s Mad Max 2, it’s fitting that the two creators would eventually collaborate in this way. Additionally, McCarthy designed a number of the characters and vehicles that will feature in the new film.
2.) The first trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will premiere before it
Though you’ll probably see it here first, given how trailers pop up online before they make it to the big screen, it’s been confirmed that our first REAL look at what Zack Snyder and co. have been up to in a project that’s been rather shrouded in secrecy, beyond the official cast photos we’ve seen. Additionally, Junkie XL (who scored Mad Max: Fury Road) and Hans Zimmer have written new music for the trailer, as a bit of a preview for their scoring collaboration in the Man of Steel sequel.
3.) Tom Hardy is already signed up for three sequels
In a recent interview with Esquire, the new Mad Max, Tom Hardy, stated that he’s already contracted for three more films in the series provided it does well enough at the box office to warrant further desert adventures. Apparently, Miller already had plans in place to shoot the sequel to Fury Road, entitled Mad Max: Furiosa back to back with the about to be released film. That didn’t end up happening, but a screenplay is already in place. Who wouldn’t want more George Miller madness gracing our cinemas every few years?
Mad Max: Fury Road opens on May 15th and much like Snowpiercer and Dredd before it, it may very well be the action movie that we’re all still talking about months from now.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 1/15/2015
David Ayer’s Suicide Squad is now a man down (I wonder how many puns like this are being formulated across the blogosphere). Tom Hardy, thanks to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant going over schedule into March, and his already existing promotional schedule for Mad Max: Fury Road, has been forced to drop out of the super-villain team-up.
Considering I’d argue he was the finest actor in the cast that was officially announced (check out Locke sometime if you haven’t), this would seem to be a huge loss for the production. Now, Warner Bros. is looking to find a new Col. Rick Flagg and they may already have someone in mind.
According to The Wrap, the studio is courting Jake Gyllenhaal, who recently starred in, and should have been Oscar-nominated for, Nightcrawler. WB has long flirted with Gyllenhaal for various comic-based roles, most notably he was almost cast as Batman in Batman Begins. But don’t let recent pictures from Nightcrawler fool you, Gyllenhaal has put on some serious bulk for his upcoming role in Southpaw.
Suicide Squad currently stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney and Cara Delevinge. Viola Davis and Jesse Eisenberg are still in talks to join the picture as well.
Suicide Squad opens on August 5th, 2016.
By: Maryann Yin,
on 12/3/2014
Warner Bros. has announced that six actors have joined the cast of the Suicide Squad film adaptation.
The original story (published by DC Comics) stars a group of supervillains who band together as anti-heroes in service of the United States government. Jared Leto (pictured, via) will play the Joker, Will Smith will play Deadshot, Tom Hardy will play Rick Flagg, Margot Robbie will play Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney will play Boomerang, and Cara Delevingne will play Enchantress.
Deadline reports that Jesse Eisenberg may reprise his role as Lex Luthor (from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) for this movie. Filmmaker David Ayer has been brought on to serve as both the director and screenwriter. A release date has been scheduled for August 05, 2016. (via BuzzFeed)
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 6/23/2014
Fox Searchlight has unveiled a new trailer for The Drop. The screenplay for this film adaptation is based on Dennis Lehane’s short story “Animal Rescue.”
According to Deadline, the cast includes actors Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and the late James Gandolfini. A release date has been scheduled for September 12, 2014.
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 12/19/2011
Legendary Pictures has released a two-minute trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, the conclusion of Christopher Nolan‘s Batman film trilogy.
Follow this link to watch the trailer–what do you think? Nolan collaborated on the screenplay with his brother, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan. The movie will hit theaters in July 2012. The trailer highlights the infamous Batman villain Bane as he wrecks Gotham City.
Here’s more from Movies.com: “[The trailer revealed] some enticing dialogue from Anne Hathaway, playing Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman). Naturally her chat with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), as they dance close together at a masquerade ball, falls somewhere between seductive and threatening, but that’s what we expect from her character. Will she be a villain? A romantic sidekick? Both? Other brief glimpses of Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Matthew Modine are exactly that — brief glimpses.”
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By: Linda S. Wingerter,
on 4/13/2011
Inspired by the 2009 Masterpiece WUTHERING HEIGHTS (and if you haven't seen this, I can't recommend it strongly enough!), I re-read the book.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 1/19/2011
After months of speculation we now know that Christopher Nolan isn’t giving up the Batman franchise without going into the sexy feminine side of the myth: Anne Hathaway will play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises — and yes that sounds pretty dirty. And the previously announced Tom Hardy will play back-breaker Bane, an escaped criminal who gets super strength after getting jacked on drugs. (Bane was responsible for breaking Batman’s spine in a 90s comics storyline.)
Hathaway joins a storied list of Catwomans, from Julie Newmar through Michelle Pfeiffer. (Let’s not mention Halle Berry…oops…) She doesn’t have much action star vibe, but that’s what CGI is for…and she would definitely look adorable in kitten ears. Somehow, we doubt Nolan’s vision includes kitten ears, however.
We’re big Tom Hardy fans here, so as long as he gets good and pumped up to play Bane, we’re all on board.
With two of Batman’s most important nemeses in the third film, Nolan looks on track to break the “third film curse” — if all goes as well as it could, this will be one easily the best superhero film trilogy of all.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 10/13/2010
Tom Hardy, lately of INCEPTION, has joined the Christopher Nolan repertory company with a role in the upcoming BATMAN 3 movie. No word on who he’ll play, but women everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief.
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By: Keith Mansfield,
on 9/19/2010
My earliest memories are dreams. In the very first I awake up on a beach in China, with snakes coming out of the sand. How could I not love the opening of Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb in the surf with a pagoda in the background?
I’ve been blessed with cinematic, powerful dreams all my life. Sometimes I’ve lived a lifetime in one night – I didn’t know other people had experienced that but, in Christopher Nolan’s film, the characters grow old in the dream, only to wake up young again the next morning. Often, I’ve died in my dreams, so it was good to see that Nolan’s film didn’t promote the popular misconception that if you die in your dreams, you do in real life. In the movie, as in my dreams, it means you (normally) wake up.
Lucid dreaming is having the ability to be aware that you’re dreaming and remain in the dream to control it. The classic conundrum is to know what is the waking state, the “real” world, and what is the dream state. A corollary is to ask which is more important. Read Andre Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto and you may easily become convinced it’s the dream.
In the film the characters carry personal totems so they can tell if they’re dreaming or not. Cobb is never without a small spinning top that apparently only topples in the real world. In dreams it can spin forever. The technique I tend to use is to deliberately look at a scene or view, turn away, turn back and look at it again – if it’s changed it’s an indication I’m in a dream world rather than reality.
When you discover you’re dreaming, the secret is to remember this while staying in your dream. Do that, and you can do anything you want – literally. You become a god, in charge of everything and anything. My first step is normally to fly – there are few things more liberating than swooping across the sky feeling the wind on your face. Sometimes you change your form – if battling a gigantic monster of some description, I reckon I’ll be more successful if growing razor-sharp claws (and just growing).
The Penrose staircase
A slight disappointment of Inception was the lack of “physics”. Near the beginning of the film, new architect Ariadne (played by Ellen Page) asks the question about changing the laws of nature and folds the world in on itself, but that seems to be where it ends. There’s just one later point where Tom Hardy’s Eames magics himself a bigger gun, but that’s all. On the whole, the rules of reality seem to permeate all levels of the dream worlds within the film. A nice touch though, was the inclusion of impossible objects, specifically a Penrose staircase that the characters referred to by name. I’ll be sure to mention it when Sir Roger’s next in my office.
The dream within the dream is a very common by-product for lucid dreamers. Many’s the time I’ve woken up, spent most of the day at work, only to wake up, realize
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Great actor to be working on 100 Bullets, but it’s a property that I think would make a much better tv show than a movie. Just the initial concept of someone getting 100 untraceable bullets before rest of the back story comes into play, is something that works best when you see the results of many different characters, rather than it play out just once.
I don’t disagree.