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Recent Watch: Don’t Breathe (2016)

Posted by absolutebadasses on September 10, 2016

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: actors, cinema, Daniel Zovatto, dont breathe, Dylan Minnette, Fede Alvarez, film, filmmaker, heart stopping, horror, horror movie, horror movies fan, horror night, house, Jane Levy, killer dog, movie fan, night of horror, scary, Stephen Lang, visionary. Leave a comment

I wasn’t totally convinced by Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead remake but his latest the low budget thriller Don’t Breathe is a different animal – I’m sure my heart actually stopped for a brief second whilst being terrified by this darkly intense and at times brutally twisted horror movie – Alvarez really makes use of the house interior, his camerawork adds so much to the scares and along with Stephen Lang’s deranged victim come tormentor this is one creepy ass movie that will scare you senseless – do yourself a favor and don’t miss this on the big screen….

I’m always a bit dubious of this constant obsession of film remakes but David Lowery’s Pete’s Dragon is an absolute beauty of a movie- one of them rarities a picture that’s actually better than it’s 1977 original – the cast is sublime especially Bryce Dallas Howard and the wonderful Oakes Fegley who plays Pete and in both cases I could not have imagined better, the CGI of Elliot is magical, it really is the stuff of fairy tales, combine that with the breathtaking scenery & it’s fantastic well written script and you have a real cinematic treat, a picture that evokes memories of the classic Disney movies of yesteryear – Pete’s Dragon is a heartwarming, magical movie that will make you smile and bring out the child in you…..

Here’s some fantastic footage of Gareth Edwards latest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – this 3 minute clip is an absolute treat for us fans of this universe and whets the appetite for the movies upcoming release in December – the films cast include Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikklesen, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk & Forest Whitaker the impression I get from these clips is that Rogue One appears to be more practical film-making, less CGI than say The Force Awakens and more in style of the original Lucas trilogy, the action and storyline looks fabulous and the return of old favourite Darth Vader will get us fanboys buzzing like a turned on light sabre – take a peek at the trailer below and enjoy (I have already watched it 3 times it’s so damn good)

Brooklyn (2015)

Posted by absolutebadasses on November 11, 2015

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: 1950s, 50s, actress, brooklyn, brooklyn movie, brooklyn review, brooklyn usa, cinema, director, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, film review, filmmaker, immigrant, ireland, Jim Broadbent, John Crowley, Julie Walters, like, love, movie blog, movie review, movies, new york, nick hornby, USA, Yves Bélanger. Leave a comment

My latest venture to the cinema was to watch John Crowley’s immigrant drama BROOKLYN based on the novel by Colm Tóibín and starring a young lady that in my opinion is the Best Young Actress of her generation Saoirse Ronan

“Brooklyn tells the story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant who leaves her home town, to live in 1950s Brooklyn. After the initial shackles of homesickness Eilis begins to find her feet, she starts a new job, an exciting education and falls into a romance with a boy from the city. But soon, her new life is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between the two countries and the lives that exist within”

It’s fair to say my draw to watching Brooklyn on the big screen was Saoirse Ronan, I’d not read Tóibín‘s book and the director Crowley’s previous movies have not caught my imagination and to be truly honest I thought them average at best. But it was an actress I have been following since 2007’s Atonement, the American born but raised in Ireland Saoirse Ronan that drew to me to watching Brooklyn at the cinema, and boy she’d didn’t disappoint either – Ronan doesn’t have to say much to convey the pain or joy she is feeling during the movie, her emotions can be found in her eyes & face, the power she wields with her expressions tells you more than a thousand words – but in fairness Brooklyn has some other really good performances, Emory Cohen who plays the young dreamy Italian Tony is fabulous, he’s a delightful young actor who’s mannerism’s & appearance suck you in allowing you to believe in the romance between himself and Ronan’s Eilis, their chemistry is gorgeous to watch – also deserving of a mention is the magnificent Julie Walters who plays Mrs. Kehoe the landlady in Brooklyn who’s house Eilis stays in, although Walter’s screen time is limited her character gives necessary warmth & humor to the overall film.

Overall: At its finale Brooklyn leaves you feeling elated, its a film you want to re-watch and one you wish to tell all & sundry about, it’s a simple story of life, family & finding ones home and although it’s early in his career I feel this could be John Crowley’s masterpiece – due it’s fabulous screenplay by Nick Hornby the movie is full of every emotion, a lump in my throat during one scene, laughing at Julia Walters in the next, the film really does give you this emotional roller coaster ride as you join Eilis Lacey on her journey of self discovery – I know some people are put off by watching this style of movie at the cinema but trust me Yves Bélanger’s gorgeous photography and an acting masterclass by Saoirse Ronan are reason enough to visit Brooklyn on the big screen – it’s memorable, well acted & well directed by Crowley give it a go, you won’t be disappointed ★★★★½

Behind the Scenes – Week 1

Posted by absolutebadasses on August 21, 2015

Posted in: Stills. Tagged: actors, actress, antman, badasses, behind the scenes, camera, Charlize Theron, cinema, director, film blog, filmmaker, films, halle berry, hollywood, Hugh Jackman, king kong, mad max, movie blog, movie set, movie website, movie world, movies, on set, planet of the movies, xmen. Leave a comment

Paul Rudd on the Set of 2015’s Superhero Movie ANT-MAN

Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry on the Movie set of 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand

Filmmaker Peter Jackson and Naomi Watts on the Movie set of 2005’s King Kong

Charlize Theron and George Miller on the Movie set of Mad Max: Fury Road

So finally the wait is over and I have returned from an exciting, exhausting double bill of Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol & the latest Spy Adventure in the series Rogue Nation

“Ethan and the IMF team light the fuse once more and take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating a rogue organisation known simply as The Syndicate”

Mission Impossible Rogue Nation is SEXY, INTELLIGENT & ELECTRIFYING Tom Cruise shows why at the age of 53 he’s still one of the greatest action stars of his generation, he not only looks the part of super spy Ethan Hunt, but he’s an actor who appears fearless, completing death defying stunts, making the whole experience more believable and enjoyable – in the movie he’s well supported by newcomer Rebecca Ferguson who totally owns her role, killing it in the frantic & exhilarating fight scenes, and giving her character Ilsa Faust a dynamic of mystery, flair and beauty, Ilsa’s fantastic opening scene not only illustrates her intentions in the movie but also sets the tone of what’s to come – Simon Pegg returns as annalist Benji and is on top form cracking some great one liners & taking on a more action orientated role in which he handles deliciously well – as a big fan it would be rude of me not to mention the bloody brilliant Sean Harris who nails the villainous Lane, according to director McQuarrie Harris wasn’t too keen on a role in the movie but I am so glad he changed his mind as he’s not only a superb actor but gives Rogue Nation one hell of a formidable foe for Hunt & the team to deal with.

Christopher McQuarrie who co-wrote & directed Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation deserves a lot of the credit, his script & direction is smart, exciting & barrels of fun & in my humble opinion it’s one of this years best experiences at the movies – other members of McQuarrie’s team on the movie should be applauded none more so than master cinematographer and Oscar Winner Robert Elswit who’s work on Rogue Nation is pretty impressive, he’s great vision, the films action scenes are insane, beautifully shot especially the car & bike chases, Hunt hanging from the plane and of course the underwater (don’t run out of oxygen) scene that had me biting my nails, labored breathing like I was actually in the tank with Cruise

Overall: Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation is exciting, pulse raising, rip roaring cinematic fun that had me screaming for the next chapter whilst leaving the cinema, Cruise is far from this washed up star some idiot critics declared a few years back and has produced his best work yet on this franchise – you will be hard pushed to find a better summer blockbuster ENJOY ★★★★½

Movie Legends – Some Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on June 29, 2015

Posted in: Views. Tagged: al pacino, blog, character actors, film geek, film stars, film website, filmmaker, films, godfather, instafilms, Joe Pesci, love films, love movies, martin scorsese, martin scorsese films, movie blog, movie news, movie thoughts, movie time, movie world, movies, Robert De Niro, scarface, the irishman. Leave a comment

We’re all guilty of it, shamelessly looking at an actors body of working and criticizing them for not living up to their high standards of yesteryear – recently I compared the careers of movie legends Al Pacino with Robert De Niro, in their hay day their movies were sublime and their performances staggering yet in the last 12-15yrs both actors have lost their way, both have failed to ignite the screen with the same level of passion, intensity & quality – remember when Pacino was shouting “Say hello to my little friend” in De Palma’s classic Scarface and De Niro was cracking a baseball bat over someone’s skull in the wonderful Untouchables – they were the days, both starred in so many amazing films so I wonder why it is that these 2 stars are now settling for pretty average roles in lets face it pretty average movies? Maybe the great roles of today (of which there are few) are now falling to a younger generation of movie talent such as DiCaprio and Bale? Or maybe their happy with their lot, they’re still regarded as 2 of the greatest living actors so why not do roles as a favor for a friend or simply for the bigger payout? Whatever the reason, good news could be around the corner – the pair could soon reunite on Martin Scorsese’s gangster thriller The Irishman and with veteran Joe Pesci rumored to be on board this will have any film fan worth their salt purring like a cat in heat – so although the last 15yrs have been a mixed bag for Pacino and De Niro, I’m sure you will agree the movie world is still a brighter place with these two legends of our screen in it….

The last entry in the Jurassic franchise was 14yrs ago way back in 2001 and was a pretty ordinary monster movie so when the word came out that Spielberg who directed the first two movies in the trilogy had approached Safety Not Guaranteed’s Colin Trevorrow I was surprised and slightly apprehensive about it’s final outcome – Trevorro’s movie takes place 22yrs after the events of 1993’s Jurassic Park, Hammond’s original concept is now a reality and us humans can mingle and watch the dinosaurs whilst traveling on futuristic rides set around the landscape known as Jurassic World – but like all businesses the Park has to make money so the powers within create a new attraction, a Dinosaur that’s bigger, faster & more terrifying than anything that’s come before – well I won’t reveal what happens next in the movie but here’s my thoughts on Trevorro’s Jurassic World

For all you directors involved in remakes, sequels or prequels of classic movies of yesteryear watch Jurassic World – Colin Trevorrow demonstrates how to appeal to a whole new fan base whilst respecting the audience that fell in love with the movies predecessors – As a movie spectacle Jurassic World is a popcorn munching wet dream, the film’s pace is electric, it’s cast full of energy & the film’s visuals are simply jaw dropping – the raptors have never looked so good, the futuristic theme park makes you want to visit there and once your eyes stare down on that Dino-Hybrid the Indominus Rex I guarantee the hairs on the back of your neck will stand to attention, wait for a minute then hide for cover

Overall: Jurassic World is what every summer blockbuster should be – exhilarating, fist pumping fun that gives its audience a helluva ride – and with the welcome addition of John Williams spine tingling score, the many elegant nods to Spielberg’s original and its storyline paving the way for more sequels to follow makes this monster movie a nostalgic, heart thumping cinematic experience ★★★★½

Money Monster (2015) – Behind The Scenes

Posted by absolutebadasses on April 12, 2015

Posted in: Views. Tagged: behind the scenes, caitriona balfe, celluloid, cinema, director, filmmaker, films, george clooney, hostage, into movies, jack o'connell, jodie foster, Julia Roberts, love films, money monster, money monster movie, movies, new movie, on movie set, on set, outlander. Leave a comment

Kristen Stewart the Toast of France !!

Posted by absolutebadasses on February 21, 2015

Posted in: Stills. Tagged: actors, actress, adventureland, blog, celluloid, cesar 2015, cesar awards, Chloë Grace Moretz, cinema, Clouds of Sils Maria, film, filmmaker, french movies, french oscars, instafilms, Juliette Binoche, kristen stewart, Kstew, love films, movie, movie website, movies, Olivier Assayas, twilight. Leave a comment

CONGRATS to Kristen Stewart who has become the first US actress to win a Cesar award (the French equivalent of the Oscars) for her brilliant role in Clouds of Sils Maria – the film was directed by Olivier Assayas and also starred Juliette Binoche and Chloë Grace Moretz

American Sniper (2015) – Movie Review

Posted by absolutebadasses on January 22, 2015

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: actor, actress, american sniper, american sniper review, battlefield, box office, Bradley Cooper, chris kyle, clint eastwood, filmmaker, films, legend, luke grimes, movie blog, movie reviews, movie time, movies, navy seal, oscars, rifle, sienna miller, sniper. Leave a comment

There’s always been great movies that have come out of Australia : Walkabout, Picnic at hanging Rock, Mad Max, Gallipoli, Crocodile Dundee, Dead Calm, Romper Stomper, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Tomorrow When the War Began, Animal Kingdom, Wolf Creek, Snowtown & many many more… And in 2014 Australian Cinema has continued its fine tradition of bringing us yet more fresh, well acted, gritty & excitingly told new movies – of course there are so many quality films out there but here’s my 5 must see Aussie flicks of 2014

Mike Nichols (1931-2014)

Posted by absolutebadasses on November 21, 2014

Posted in: Views. Tagged: classic movies, dustin hoffman, film, filmmaker, golden globe, hollywood, like, love, meryl streep, mike nichols, movie, oscar, Robin Williams, the graduate, wolf. Leave a comment

One of cinemas finest filmmakers MIKE NICHOLS has died aged 83 – alongside his acclaimed stage career Mike Nichols work behind the movie camera include pictures such as The Graduate, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Fortune, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood, Heartburn, Wolf & Closer – he directed 17 different actors in Oscar-nominated roles and is one of 7 directors to win the Golden Globe, Director’s Guild, BAFTA, and Oscar for the same movie “The Graduate”