Ben Affleck

Director : Ridley Scott – Cast Includes : Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer

I know I’m banging the same drum here… but why on earth somebody would rather wait for physical media or stream this movie than visit their local cinema and watch the latest picture by one of our greatest ever filmmakers on the big screen is beyond me… from the moment I was seated till the end credits two and a half GRIPPING hours later THE LAST DUEL proved to be yet another Ridley epic, with Dariusz Wolski‘s cinematography shot in Irleand and France on the grandest & grimmest of scales, battle scenes that pull no punches and that felt realistic & unpleasent in their delivery, it’s incredibly true story written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon is cruel and relevant and delivered in three absorbing chapters each from a different character’s perspective ending the movie with the continuation of those opening five minutes and to top it all off the The Last Duel has some of the finest acting by an ensemble put to screen this year… : MAGNIFICENT ★★★★★

“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s sacrifice, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of Diana Prince aka: Wonder Woman to help find a group of meta humans in the hope that they will help fight an even greater enemy”

Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Ezra Miller, Connie Nielsen, JK Simmons, Ciaran Hinds, Jeremy Irons

Having recently watched the 4 most recent films in the DC Comic Book Universe I was pretty excited to visit my local cinema and watch the latest Zack Snyder movie on IMAX 3D and yep it was everything I expected and more…..

OK where to start: JUSTICE LEAGUE may not be as polished as Wonder Woman, deep and meaningful as Man of Steel or Epic in scale as Batman VS Superman but instead what you get is a comic movie driven by it’s colorful characters, humorous dialogue and chaotic action scenes – there’s a haunting, beautifully sung version of “Everybody Knows” by the Norwegian songstress Sigrid it’s actually quite emotional, the storyline and lyrics merge in your mind, there’s 2 fun after credit scenes that’s worth sticking around for especially that 2nd one WOW did not see that coming and don’t get me started on some of those kick ass fight scenes – For me Justice League is similar in vein to Ayer’s Suicide Squad it’s one of them films that doesn’t try to be something it’s not, it doesn’t require much in the way of brain power instead requires you to sit back, geek out and have some good old fashioned movie fun, after all this 2 hour slice of comic book absurdity is exactly why I love these movies just let yourself be transported into a world you’ve only witnessed on a page, there’s too much darkness in life so lighten up and enjoy – surely watching Jason Momoa’s Aquaman flying through the air, flirting with Batman and giving the bad guys what for is reason enough to put a smile on your face, I’ve been a huge fan of the big man’s since Game of Thrones and in Aquaman he may have found his calling – another character emerging from Justice League with flying colors is Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Miller gives the speedster this quirky somewhat innocent twist and some of the movie’s highlights revolve around him – of course along with the newbies the old guard do a great job Affleck’s Batman is as good as I’ve seen the character in my lifetime, Gadot looks like she’s been playing Wonder Woman all her life – effortless and full of confidence, Adams shows plenty of emotion and looks simply stunning and Henry Cavill even with those dodgy CGI scenes is getting better with each movie as Clark Kent aka: Superman – Overall: not much in the way of criticism here except that I would have liked to have seen more of J.K. Simmons Commisioner Gordon and maybe on a selfish note another half hour runtime (there’s always an Ultimate Edition to look forward too – wishful thinking) – Justice League is not a masterpiece in any shape or form BUT what it does it does perfectly well and that’s ENTERTAIN and at the end of the day if this guy walks out of the cinema with a big smile on his lips then that’s all that matters #TeamJusticeLeague ★★★★

Recent Watch: Live By Night (2017)

Posted by absolutebadasses on January 20, 2017

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: Ben Affleck, boston, brenden gleason, Chris Cooper, chris messina, cinema, cinematographer, elle fanning, film blog, gangsters, live by night, live by night review, movie night, movie stills, movie time, movies, outlaws, Robert Richardson, stills. Leave a comment

Since his directorial debut with 2007’s Gone Baby Gone actor/director Ben Affleck has gone from strength to strength, behind the camera he’s quite the visionary demonstrating flare and confidence in the style of pictures he brings to the screen, usually gritty no nonsense affairs packed with actors who can act and stories that connect….

Affleck’s latest sees him re team with author Dennis Lehane who not only wrote Affleck’s first Gone Baby Gone but also Eastwood’s Mystic River and Scorsese’s Shutter Island….

During the prohibition era in the 1920s a couple of Boston Gangsters travel down to Florida and attempt to take down the competition….

OK so here’s what I think – LIVE BY NIGHT may not be as polished as Argo or as intriguing as The Town but it’s certainly a more exciting, good looking character driven movie than both – it’s story is riveting, sprawling at times, it’s cast is nearly as beautiful as Robert Richardson’s stunning cinematography and it’s action scene’s especially the car chase scenes and the hotel’s shoot out toward the film’s finale is pretty slick and makes for exciting viewing on the big screen – Elle Fanning gives yet another star turn, Chris Cooper is the dogs bollocks and Chris Messina turns in a career best as Dion Bartolo partner and friend to Affleck’s Joe Coughlin….

LIVE BY NIGHT is another example of why one should never listen to those so called movie critics or how a film performs at the box office – get your ass to the cinema and see for yourself – Ben Affleck once again has crafted another fine slice of cinema, truly wonderful stuff….★★★★½

I enjoyed Gavin O’Connor’s 2008 crime thriller Pride and Glory but was totally blown away by his 2011 movie Warrior a boxing gem that is hard hitting, well acted and as tense as Tom Hardy’s biceps but then something unusual happened O’Connor sort of disappeared from the big screen limelight, he spent a few years directing a couple of TV movies and the odd episode of a TV show only to return four years later to helm the problematic western Jane Got a Gun that was not only a huge disappointment considering it’s fabulous cast but a big shame as it could and should have been a pretty decent western – maybe on reflection O’Connor wishes he had left this mess that somebody else had started well alone and stayed out of the limelight for that little bit longer…..

But luckily for us we didn’t have to wait long for filmmaker Gavin O’Connor to get back to doing what he does best and that is a gritty, well written and interesting take on the action thriller and with The Accountant it’s safe to say that he has delivered the goods – Ben Affleck’s Christian Wolff the autistic genius who makes his living uncooking the books for dangerous criminal organizations is coolness sublime, his mannerism’s and terminator style action scenes are a thing of beauty, explosive yet done with style, Affleck looks to be having a blast playing this tough, clever yet struggling to socialize anti-hero and some of his off the cuff one liner’s are delivered with a serious deadpan look that makes the moment even more fun to watch – Affleck nails his character’s disorder so well, the scene’s where Wolff sits in his bedroom beating his leg with the stereo blasting shows his vulnerability, his complexity and he is totally compelling to watch, your invested in this character and regardless of his past you end up rooting for him to succeed and have some sort of happy conclusion at it’s end – the infectious Anna Kendrick is yet again a delight to watch and her role alongside Affleck’s Wolffe makes for an unlikely teaming but it so works – I would have liked to have seen J.K Simmons in a more prominent role but nevertheless he’s solid, The Punisher’s Jon Bernthal gives yet another eye catching performance as a paid mercenary who’s protecting someone of interest to Wolff, I really enjoy watching Bernthal tackle the action scenes, it seems so effortless – Overall: Gavin O’Connor’s The Accountant is one of my favorite movies of the year, it’s a bloody good thriller with a message on autism that’s handled superbly by it’s lead star & writing team – I can’t wait for a second viewing and maybe just maybe director and star could be tempted to return for a sequel? let’s hope so….

You know what they say about the crazy ones…

Suicide Squad: “After the events of Batman vs Superman a secret government agency run by Amanda Waller sets out a plan to recruit imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency”

as film fan’s we owe it ourselves to follow our own heart and not to be influenced by others, we should embrace any movie we watch and if it sucks then say so but don’t ever be afraid to enjoy a movie experience even if other do not……

If your a fan of the Comic Book Universe or just love escaping into a movie then you will have a blast with David Ayer’s SUICIDE SQUAD – to quote Derek Zoolander this movie is “ridiculously good looking” it’s a crazy cocktail of ass whooping action, mouthwatering characters (some of which are making their big screen debut) and a rather awesome soundtrack from Eminem’s Without Me, Grace and G-Eazy’s You Don’t Own Me to Norman Greenbaum‘s Spirit in the Sky these tunes only add to the already electric, colorful comic book vibe filmmaker David Ayer has managed to create – at it’s start the movie gives us a brief lowdown on each of the super villains, this is cleverly done allowing even non-fans of the comic book world to grasp a little about these characters – you have Rick Flag the groups leader nailed by the impressive Joel Kinnaman who I loved in The Killing such an underrated actor, Margot Robbie is sensational as Harley Quinn the manic Looney tune, who can look after herself in a scrap and loves her pudding, Margot simply owns the screen, I was mesmerized by her look, her mannerisms and of course her bat shit crazy vocals – onto Aussie actor Jai Courtney and being honest I’ve not always been a fan, but his turn as Digger Harkness aka: Captain Boomerang is completely bonkers & utterly fabulous, his comic bites and action scenes are brilliant and oh yea he has a little fetish for pink unicorns – another clever bit of casting was Viola Davis who it must be said is terrifying as Amanda Waller she oozes presence and inhabits the darkness of Waller’s character so well, don’t forget to stay after the credits for a little teaser involving Waller & Bruce Wayne – and last but not least is Jared Leto’s take on the Joker – it’s wacky, it’s fresh and at all times it’s menacing, that haunting laugh, them silver gnashers and his vibrant green hair has given this infamous DC villain a unique twist, but saying all of this I somehow believe that this will be the one and only outing for Leto which would be a shame as with similarities to Cesar Romero’s Joker Leto’s mastermind, given time could go on to become the greatest of all carnations….

Overall: I have now seen David Ayer’s Suicide Squad three times in the cinema, each time I have left after the end credits with a huge grin on my face – it’s action is insane, it’s casting spot on and you know what I did not think of the film’s editing, film’s rating or whether Marvel are better or worse than DC once (not one single time) I sat there in my seat and enjoyed David Ayer’s vision from start to finish – Suicide Squad is lots of fun and when called upon it’s pretty dark too, damn we even get some surprises along the way, cameo’s from Ezra Miller’s The Flash and Ben Affleck’s Batman both mixing it up with our new super villain friends and don’t forget like most superhero movies these days don’t be quick to look for the exit when them end credits rise – for me Suicide Squad is pure entertainment, a delicious popcorn munching cinematic treat, a fanboys dream, a giddy fun packed comic book movie adaption that allows you to have fun whilst also allowing you to look forward to that universe’s next installment….★★★★

JUSTICE LEAGUE and WONDER WOMAN have landed some trailers and if your a fan of their universe and love the comics then you best sit your ass down and watch these two on repeat for the rest of your day – the Justice League looks lots of crazy badass fun, the introduction of Aquaman, Cyborg and last but not least The Flash (although I still prefer Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen) but that scene in the trailer where Bruce Wayne throws his Batarang is pretty awesome – all of this only whets the appettite for the planned Ben Affleck stand alone Batman movie whilst the trailer for Wonder Woman an origin story set back in World War I will blow your fanboy mind, Gal Gadot looks incredible and so comfortable leading the first modern female-led superhero movie, judging by it’s look, feel and high speed action we could be in for one hell of a ride next summer….

Justice League: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, Amber Heard and Henry Cavill – “Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions”

Wonder Woman: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis and Danny Huston – “Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny”

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice

Posted by absolutebadasses on March 27, 2016

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Amy Adams, Batman, Batman vs Superman : Dawn of Justice, Ben Affleck, cinema, comic, comicbook, dawn of justice, hans zimmer, henry cavill, zack snyder. Leave a comment

“Holy Dawn of Justice Batman”

From its bone crunching score by Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL that pounds the screen lending to the movies dark atmosphere, Ben Affleck’s definitive turn as Batman filling the screen with great presence and authority, the sizzling introduction of Gal Gadot’s lasso twirling Wonder Woman Gadot not only gives the character her beauty but looks a handful in a scrap, a much improved showing by Henry Cavill as Superman and Jesse Eisenberg’s manic, scene stealing craze Lex Luthor – BATMAN vs SUPERMAN Dawn of Justice is so much FUN, this is Zack Snyder’s love letter to all fans of the comic book universe and to those who have grown up loving these characters, it’s truly one of the boldest, darkest most deliciously fun superhero movie for many a year, jam packed with emotion Dawn of Justice is an immersive ride that’s totally bonkers from start to finish – if you allow it to this slice of escapism will tickle your senses and deliver a great night at the cinema – just sit back and enjoy ★★★★½

Dawn of Justice

Posted by absolutebadasses on July 25, 2014

Posted in: Stills. Tagged: bat cave, bat suit, Batman, Batman vs Superman : Dawn of Justice, Ben Affleck, cape crusader, comic, comicbook, dawn of justice, dc, dccomics, dcuniverse, gotham city, henry cavill, images, like, love, love films, movie, movie still, robin, scifi, superhero, Superman, zack snyder. Leave a comment

Here’s a close up of Ben Affleck as BATMAN in Zack Snyder’s Superman sequel Batman vs Superman : Dawn of Justice that also stars Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons & Holly Hunter

Two new movie stills have landed – the first showing Ben Affleck in David Fincher’s GONE GIRL “A woman mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary” the film is a big screen adaption of Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name and also stars Rosamund Pike & Kim Dickens – the second picture on the right is from the new biopic The Imitation Game about British wartime cryptographer Alan Turing played by Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch and is directed by Norwegian filmmaker Morten Tyldum

Runner Runner (2013) – Movie Review

Posted by absolutebadasses on October 28, 2013

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Anthony Mackie, Ben Affleck, blog, bluray, cinema, dvd, film geek, film review, films, gambling, Gemma Arterton, i love movies, instagram, Justin Timberlake, love films, love movies, movie, movie blog, movie reviews, movie stills, movies, posters, runner runner, thriller, trailers. Leave a comment

Runner Runner (2013) – Movie Review ★★★

Stars Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton and Anthony Mackie – A Princeton student (Tiimberlake) gets cheated out of his college savings whilst betting on an online poker game & decides to track down Ivan Block (Affleck) who is the owner of the Online Betting Company to get his money back but instead gets lured into Block’s lifestyle a life of Women, Money & Corruption VERDICT Brad Furman’s movie is pretty predictable – the characters although performed well by Affleck & Timberlake lack any humanity and you feel nothing for either of them – in my opinion the picture should have been more aggressive with a darker tone but instead it ends up being a satisfying yet forgettable slice of cinema – overall I would wait for it’s DVD release and not waste your dollar at the box office…