Movie Review for Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths  

Starring: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish

Directed By Martin McDonagh

Rated: R

Run Time: 109 mins

Genre: Comedy/ Crime

Opens October 12^th

By Lisa Minzey of The Reel Critic.com

Hey Phoenix Film Fans, this week we screened the dark comedy Seven Psychopaths, starring Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson. Fun fact about the film, Mickey Rourke was originally cast as Charlie and later replaced by Woody Harrelson after reported conflict with one of the producers. Keep an eye out for Rourke though as the name pops up later in the graveyard scene.

Screenwriter Marty Faranan (Colin Ferrell) have been working on a new script, but all he has been able to come up with is the title – Seven Psychopaths. He wants to write a piece that is a crime thriller but has elements of peace and love. Marty’s best friend, Actor Billy Bickle (Sam Rockwell), has been begging Marty to work with him on the script.  He even gives him the inspiration for the first psychopath, a serial killer who kills high ranking mafia members, leaving a calling card of the Jack of Diamonds. Billy does not have much going on, as he is out of work and is a cohort of a local dog kidnapping scheme with Hans (Christopher Walken). Billy and Hans go around kidnapping dogs, keep them for a few days and then return the dogs when their owners offer up a reward.  When Billy nabs local gangster Charlie Costello’s beloved Shih Tzu Bonnie, all bets are off.  Charlie will not rest until his dog is found, killing anyone that gets on his way.

When Marty is kicked out of his home he shares with girlfriend Kaya (Abbie Cornish) Billy knows that all Marty needs is some inspiration and to quit drinking if he is ever to finish his script. Only acting out of friendly concern and guidance to help Marty focus, Billy places an ad in the local paper looking for Psychopaths. This way Marty can probe these unusual characters for insight and material.

While Marty is interviewing a possible psychopath, Billy is running around with Charlie’s girlfriend. Charlie gets a lead on where Bonnie may be which leads him to Hans’s sick wife,Myra (Linda Bright Clay). Showing that he is deadly serious about getting his dog back, Myra is executed at the hand of Charlie, leaving Hans in a strangely calm state.

Knowing that they would be next, Billy, Marty and Hans take off to the desert to figure out their next move and work on the script. Will Charlie find the 3 men and be reunited with his beloved Bonnie? Will Marty ever finish his script or will Charlie kill them all? Who are Psychopath #1 and #7 real identities?

Seven Psychopaths is a wickedly smart, brutally violent, dark comedy. What is so refreshing about this film that it is brutally honest in its message; its unapologetic in the choice of words used; politically incorrect way that women are portrayed; the amount of gratuitous violence and totally transparent on the direction of the story. It is like an indirect insight of a psychopath’s mind (or a real bad screenplay) in the way the story flows, the way violence is justified, glorified and executed. The castings of the 4 lead male roles were perfect in their respective roles, with stand out performances by Walking and Rockwell.  Check out Seven Psychopaths when it opens in theaters starting Friday October 12, 2012.

Diana Vreeland opens October 12 at Harkins Camelview

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel is opening exclusively on October 12th at Harkins Camelview Theatre. The film is an intimate portrait and a vibrant celebration of one of the most influential women of the 20th century, an enduring icon whose influence changed the face of fashion, beauty, art, publishing and culture itself forever.Along the way, the story of Vreeland illustrates the evolution of women into roles of power and prominence throughout the 20th century, and travels through some of the century's greatest historical and cultural eras, including Paris' Belle Epoque, New York in the roaring twenties, and London in the swinging sixties. It also spans such historical events as the great wars, the flights of Lindbergh, the romance of Wallis and Windsor, the Kennedy inauguration, and the freewheeling spirit of the 1960's youthquake, and the advent of countless fashion revolutions from the bikini to the blue jean.

Diana Vreeland (1903-1989) was the 20th Century’s greatest arbiter of style, an exotic and vibrant character who, during her fifty-year reign as the “Empress of Fashion,” dazzled the world with her unique vision of style high and low. She launched Twiggy, advised Jackie O, and coined some of fashion’s most eloquent proverbs such as “the bikini is the biggest thing since the atom bomb.” She lived a vibrant and remarkable life, and as the star performer in her own drama, Diana began writing the script for it at an early age. It all started during the Belle Époque: modernism, Art Nouveau, the Ballets Russes, and haute couture. Diana was fascinated with the glamorous and eccentric characters of this era who paraded through her parents’ living room in Paris. But her childhood was also marked by the loveless relationship she had with her mother, an American beauty. “I was always her ugly little monster,” Diana recalled. As World War I started, the family moved back to America. Diana, forced to speak English, developed a stutter and failed in school. Eventually she dropped out and found refuge in dance, a true passion.

If Diana felt insecure about her looks, she never wallowed in it. Instead, she created her own world in which style, originality, and allure were supreme. She invented a dazzling persona that embraced every moment of life as an adventure, whether she was witnessing the coronation of George V or riding horses with Buffalo Bill in Wyoming. At 19, she captured the heart of one of the most handsome and eligible bachelors, Reed Vreeland - “the most ravishing, devastating killer-diller,” as she put it later. Together they settled in London and started a life full of romantic trips around Europe in their Bugatti coupé: Paris, Budapest, Vienna, Rome. During these years, she cultivated her love of couture and became friends with all the couturiers in Paris. Diana’s unexpected career in fashion began upon her return to New York in 1936 when Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper’s Bazaar, noticed her unique style and look at a party. Diana was hired as Bazaar’s fashion editor, and she immediately became renowned for her provocative “Why don’t you?” column that dared readers to open their imagination and live their dreams. She would write homilies such as, “Why don’t you rinse your blond child’s hair in dead Champagne to keep its gold,” or “have a white monkey-fur bedcover mounted on yellow velvet?” Through her column and photography spreads, Diana lent the magazine pages of her amazing flair for beauty, high and low. Photographer Richard Avedon, who affectionately called her his “crazy aunt,” exclaimed, “she was and remains the only genius fashion editor.”

After twenty-five years at Harper’s Bazaar, Diana resigned and took over as Vogue editor-in-chief. It was the swinging sixties, where – as Diana would say – “you could have a bump on your nose, it made no difference so long as you had a marvelous body and carriage.” Uniqueness was being celebrated and Vreeland’s transformation of Vogue was at the vanguard of this cultural revolution. The pages of Vogue exploded with fashion, art, music, film; this became its “golden years.” It was suddenly a young, new and exciting magazine, where models had personalities and fashion spoke to all women. Diana became a living legend, with her striking silhouette, her jet-black hair, and her peculiar voice, somewhere between high society and street slang. Her famous red living room, “a garden in hell,” became the headquarters for New York arts and society. Diana would look upon these years as her most glorious ones; she had finally found an era fit for her vivid and wild imagination.

Shortly after the death of her husband, Diana was abruptly fired from Vogue in 1971, turning the fashion world upside down. Rumors had it that she was so distraught that she took to bed for a year, but Diana was far from having her last dance. In 1972, at age seventy, she started working at the Met’s Costume Institute where she set new standards for exhibiting fashion worldwide, awakening an institution that had been forever sleepy. Like a film director, she created sets in which elaborate fantasies came to life. Her controversial approach – based on drama and theatre sometimes more than historical fact - was criticized by some historians, but they were silenced when her shows brought in huge crowds and put the Costume Institute on the map. Diana blended fact with fantasy throughout her career, even once exclaiming that Charles Lindberg had flown over her lawn in Brewster on his way to Paris. Upon being asked if her story was fact or fiction, she responded, “Faction!”

Diana Vreeland was the oracle of fashion for much of the 20th century, inviting us to join her on a voyage of perpetual reinvention and take part in the adventure of life. Through her trained and diligent eye, she opened the door of our minds and gave us the freedom to imagine. Her images and accomplishments are as fresh and relevant now as they were then, and her spirit is just a vibrant and relevant today. As Jackie Onassis once put it: "To say Diana Vreeland has dealt only with fashion trivializes what she has done. She has commented on the times in a wise and witty manner. She has lived a life.”

Frankenweenie Movie Review

Frankenweenie   

Starring: (Voices of) Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Christopher Lee

Directed by Tim Burton

Rated: PG

Run Time: 87 mins

Genre: Comedy/ Horror/Animation/ 3D Film

Opens October 5^th

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film Fans, this week brings a real animated treat from Tim Burton, the 3D film, Frankenweenie. This is a feature film remake of Tim Burton’s original shot film of the same name, 28 years after its original release.

Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan – voice) is an unusual child. A budding creative mind and innovative filmmaker, Victor spends much of his free time alone making movies. His parents Mr. Frankenstein (Martin Short – voice) and Mrs. Frankenstein (Catherine O’Hara – voice) worry for their son as his only friend seems to be the family dog, Sparky.

When new Science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau – voice) challenges his students to create unique projects for the upcoming Science Fair, Victor has to beg his father to let him participate. Mr. Frankenstein will only allow Victor to partake in the Science Fair, if he joins a team sport and makes some human friends.

All of the students are in a fierce competition to win, paring up with each other based on that has the best chance of winning. Edgar ‘E’ Gore (Atticus Shaffer – voice) is the other loner in class and is desperate to pair up with Victor, not only to have a partner but because Victor is one of the smartest kids in the class.  Victor declines because he likes working alone. When Victor’s beloved pet Sparky is hit by a car and dies, he does not feel like participating much, so when he is shown a reanimation technique by Mr. Rzykruski, he is inspired to try and bring back Sparky.

Every night, there is a lightening storm in town. By Victor’s calculations, this should provide the right amount of voltage for his reanimation experiment. Fortunately for Victor, he is correct and Sparky is alive! The consequences of his actions were not taken into consideration, and when Sparky gets out of his hiding spot and is seen by Edgar, Victor is now being blackmailed in to a partnership and demonstration of the reanimation process.

Soon, the secret gets out on Victor’s success with bringing the dead back to life, setting the rest of the class into a frenzy for the Science Fair. When several other students dabble with the process, chaos ensues and threatens the town and the kids’ lives. Will order be restored or will playing God come back to haunt them all?

What Frankenweenie does well is combining several classic monster film elements with the creepy essence of Tim Burton’s early films. At times, the look and demeanor of the characters and the set designs resemble Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice. This film is definitely more for adults for the classic references and innuendos. The 3D animation is exceptionally well done for being a black & white film. Check it out when it opens in theaters starting Friday October 5, 2012.

Movie Review for Taken 2

Taken 2   

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen

Directed by Olivier Megaton

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 91 mins

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller

Opens October 5^th

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film Fans, this week we screened the sequel to the 2008 thriller Taken.  Taken 2 stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen, directed by Oliver Megaton.

Retired C.I.S. operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a man of many layers. He is an overprotective father to college bound daughter Kim (Maggie Grace); a caring “friend” to ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and golf/ drinking buddy to his ex-CIA buddies. Life in Los Angeles is changing for the Mills clan; Kim is working towards getting her drivers license and has a new boyfriend, Jamie  (Luke Grimes); Lenore is going through a separation with her current husband and it is turning into a nasty battle. The trip that Lenore had planned for Kim’s Spring Break, the soon-to-be ex husband cancelled at the last moment. Bryan offers to have her and Kim join him in Istanbul after he has finished his freelancing security detail, and they can take in the sights.

Meanwhile in Albania, crime lord Murad Krasniqi (Rade Serbedzija) is mourning the loss of his son and other men from their village. Krasniqi vows revenge upon the man who killed his son; serendipitously, that man is Bryan and his son was the sex trafficking criminal from Paris  who kidnapped Kim.

On the third day, when Brian has finished the job in Istanbul, he is surprised by Kim and Lenore who have taken him up on his offer to join him overseas. The first night, he and Kim had a father/daughter date, where Kim hinted around for details on how her parents met. Her ulterior motives are subtlety hinted at when she turns down lunch at the Bazaar with her parents. Fortunately for Kim, she stayed behind, as in route to the Bazaar, Lenore and Bryan are pursued and kidnapped by Krasniqi’s thugs.

Being the cracker-jack op, Bryan was able to make contact with and warn Kim before Krasniqi’s men could find her.  He instructs Kim to go to the embassy, but she argues against it and to go find her parents. Will Kim be able to find her parents before something drastic happens? Will Krasniqi succeed in eliminating Mills and his family or will Bryan craft an escape plan to save him and his family?

When Taken was released in 2008, it was spellbinding, enthralling and thrilling. Taken 2 is less thrilling but nonetheless entertaining through its dialogue, endless chase scenes and powerful screen presence of Liam Neeson. Check out Taken 2 out when it opens in theaters Friday October, 5, 2012.

Interview with Stephen Chbosky, Writer/Director of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"

Interview with Stephen Chbosky, Writer/Director of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"  

By Lisa Minzey

Phoenix-  A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of sitting down for a conversation with author, writer and director of the critically-acclaimed novel and film “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, Stephen Chbosky. Some of Chbosky’s earlier works  include the independent film, “The Four Corners of Nowhere”,  the TV show “Jericho” and screenwriter of the film adaptation of the musical “Rent”.

When this book was released in 1999, it became an overnight success with the young adult crowd. As popular of a book it is was with the readers, it is also a source of controversy. “Wallflower” continues to be banned from several schools, landing in the #15 spot of the top 100 banned books of the 21^st Century and making the American Library Association’s Most Frequently Challenged Books list 5 times over the past 10 years. Despite all the controversy, the book strikes a chord with those who read it

PFF: I finished reading "Wallflower" right after the screening and, wow, it packs an emotional punch. How was the process of writing “Wallflower” for you and the responses you get from readers?

SC: I wrote the book for personal reasons, and it is a privilege to have this experience. You have this thing, it gets published and you hope that people read it, so that they don't feel so alone. The most beautiful surprise is that you have these moments where you connect with people on a deep level without saying a word. It’s one of those wonderful things that you get what you give, and I'm grateful for it. The response I've got from this movie so far is, wow. It’s the dream come true.

PFF: After reading the book and seeing the film, the two beautifully complement each other. How hard was it to take some of the heavier material that was in the book and translate that to screen without compromising the integrity of the story for the rating?

SC: It was a very, very difficult tone to master and it took a lot of basic, hard work. It was almost like being blue collar about it.  [Producer] Lianne Halfon, who has done so many wonderful other films such as Juno, Ghost World and other films, had said that never in her career, she’s never seen a movie that if you change 3 lines, it’s a different movie; and she was right. So what I had to do was instinctively go in over and over again as a result and say is this true, is this authentic, is this right or not? If it’s not, I had to go back and try something else and move it down, inch by inch, until it was the movie that you see in theaters.

PFF: It seems like, from a reader’s/ viewer’s standpoint that the whole process was a magical experience the way the process flowed together for music selections. With the mixed tape being a huge part of the film, how difficult was it in getting some of the rights to so many great pieces of music?

SC: Music was so important to me growing up and my music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas, we wanted to share our favorite songs from that era with a new audience and maybe give some of our older viewers a trip down memory lane. But we had a rule: When we were in post that we would play songs for our young post p.a.s and would play them the songs that we loved. There were a few time we were like, “What about this one?” and there would be crickets; they could care less. Then there would be moments where would share XTC’s “Dear God”, something that they were unfamiliar with, and they loved it.  I always wanted the audience to know that they have much more in common then they already have. It’s so rare that this happens. The response to this movie so overwhelming, that they gave us whatever songs we wanted. There will be a soundtrack, CD, and vinyl release and the score will also be released! Michael Brooks did an amazing job; he was able to fuse all the songs together.

PFF: Do you still have a lot of mix tapes?

SC: I do. I don't throw anything away. I have all the mix tape, including the one where I got the song “Asleep”.

PFF: What brings you more joy – writing or directing?

SC: Writing novels and directing. Writing screenplays is incredibly hard. I can’t call it joy. Writing Novels? Joy. Directing? Joy. Writing Screenplays? That’s where you pay all your dues.

PFF: Is it because of the after process or the technicality of screenwriting that is difficult?

SC: The technicality. Ted Tally  who wrote the brilliant screenplay for Silence of the Lambs, he called adaptation “it’s like turning soup back into bullion” and it is so hard to do. The people like him [Ted] that can do it with such ease and such grace, my hat goes off to them; I don’t know how they do it.

PFF: After reading about the background on "Wallflower", "Jericho"and "Rent", the fans respond with such passion for these projects. What do you think or feel that can help filmmakers and/ or writers capture that same passion or essence to translate on screen?

SC: That is an interesting question. The old cliché that teachers say to their writing students is “Write what you know.” Maybe it’s about going one step further and write what you love? Write with your honest emotion…"Jericho" and "Perks", I can't describe it. Maybe it’s because that shows like "Jericho" and musicals like "Rent" are not made very often, and there is this hunger for these types of projects. I almost feel like if more of these types of projects were made, that perhaps Hollywood would understand that this fan base does exist and would get bigger.

PFF: Since this is such a life affirming type of film for many people, what is the best piece of advice that someone has given to you about life?

SC: I want to say [my mentor] Stuart Stern (Screenwriter of Rebel without a Cause) It wasn't so much about advice but about encouragement. People, all people, and we can all relate to this; have these things whether its career, art, a person, a friendship, or activity that you want to pursue. So many of us, for whatever reason, believe that we can't do it, believe can't achieve it or even worse, believe that we don't deserve it, even if we work really hard for it. The best encouragement I ever received was from Stuart Stern, in the sense of he was the first teacher I ever met that I felt fundamentally understood, what I wanted to do, accepted me for that, and encouraged me to be just that. The best teachers will always do that. If the advice is simply to respect yourself and follow the path that you want to follow, that would be the best advice I could ever pass on. I don’t know if he ever gave it, but he lived it. I model him, so I owe him a great deal.

PFF: I read somewhere that you were working on a project called “The Night Before”. Is that still a work in progress?

SC: No, it’s not a work in progress but a very necessary step in making this movie. I don’t think I’ll ever make it. My next book that I’m writing, that I will be making into a movie, will be far better than The Night Before. It’s my very loving tribute to Steven King, who’s my favorite author and I’m incredibly excited to see this side of my work.

Be sure to check out The Perks of Being A Wallflower when it opens in theaters starting September 28, 2012.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Movie Review

The Perks of Being a Wallflower         

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermot, Paul Rudd

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 103 mins

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Opens Spetember 28^th

By Lisa Minzey

Phoenix Film fans… do we have a treat for you! This week we checked out the film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Writer/Director Stephen Chbosky also penned the novel, deemed “too controversial” by some educational institutions.  Actress Emma Watson stars in her first role since the Harry Potter series and was paramount in bringing “Perks” to the silver screen. Check out the interview with Director Stephen Chbosky here.

There are certain times that people remember in their lives, their first loves, first dates, first day at school. Set in the early 1990’s inPittsburgh, shy boy Charlie (Logan Lerman), sees life in a different capacity. The past year has been a difficult transition period for him; as his best friend committed suicide, his brother has left for college, and he is entering into his freshman year of high school at a disadvantage. His older siblings have carved their legacy into the school’s memory and social hierarchy. His sister Candace (Nina Dobrev) is a senior whose life currently revolves around her boyfriend Ponytail Derek (Nicholas Braun). Charlie is on his own for most of the school day and the only “friend” he makes is his English teacher, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd). Charlie and Mr. Anderson have an intellectual appreciation for exceptional literature, so to expand his horizons; Mr. Anderson introduces him to different authors and material outside of the class curriculum.

Charlie, wanting to branch out and experience high school life, attends a Friday night football game where he ends up hanging out with a classmate from his shop class, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his stepsister Sam (Emma Watson). The three become fast friends and introduce Charlie to the larger group of friends whom Sam and Patrick associate with outside of the educational facility’s cement walls. Patrick and Sam take Charlie under their wing and expose him to a whole new world, filled with deep life probing discussions, the joys of the live theater (a.k.a. The Rocky Horror Picture Show), upper classmen parties and being free to be his true self.

Dubbed as a “wallflower” Charlie’s naïve approach to life is a refreshing social bonus for Sam and Patrick as they trust Charlie enough to open up with their secrets that they bear. The closer that Charlie and Sam get, the stronger the feelings he develops for her. Charlie knows that she only sees him as a friend but secretly wishes that one day it could be more. The relationships, heartache, laughter and tears, somehow seem amplified as a teenager as it is a transitional time from childhood to adulthood. The crosses that Charlie bears are quite heavy, but he finds out that he is in good company as the tribulations that the people around him are just as intense. Will Sam ever fall for Charlie and see herself the same way he sees her? Will Patrick find the happiness, love and acceptance from the object of his affection? Will Charlie continue to bloom once his first year is over and his friends more on to the next phase of their lives?

For the die hard fans of “Wallflower”, the film version beautifully complements the book as some parts were intentionally updated for the film. For those that have not read the book, it does have some heavy emotional material which Chbosky intentionally left out.

What is so impressive about this film is that it spans a multitude of personalities and helps shorten the gap between generations. It helps reconnect to a sense of self that either gets lost along the way in life or help break through blocks that may hold people back. The material covered in the book and the film has been happening for generations. The difference is that nowadays this generation publishes their business, thoughts and emotions, everywhere. The older generations may find this a commication tool to bridge the gap or start a conversation with the younger crowd. What hits home is that no one is truly alone; there are people out there that understand and can help. Check out “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” when it opens in Phoenix Friday, September 28, 2012.

Looper Movie Review

Looper   

Starring: Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano

Directed by Rian Johnson

Rated: R

Run Time: 118 mins

Genre: Action/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller

4.5 frames out of 5

Opens September 28^th

By Lisa Minzey

The final film we checked out this week was the Sci-Fi Thriller that was featured at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival.  “Looper” stars Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt, Writer/Director Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brother Bloom, Breaking Bad) takes the viewer on a mind bending journey that leaves you guessing until the very end.

If you think that crime is bad now, just wait until 2072. Good news is that time travel has been invented; bad news is that it is illegal and run by the mob. When they want to “whack” someone off in the future, they send the victim back in time 30 years to be disposed of by a “Looper”, a.k.a assassin. A “Looper” then kills the victim upon arrival, disposes of the body, and it is a clean transaction. Tracking systems in 2072 are so advanced; it makes it difficult to get rid of bodies unnoticed.

Joe (Joseph Gordon Levitt), one of the younger loopers, is very proficient at his job. He has been saving half of the silver bars he finds on his target’s body, to save for the day when his loop is closed. When a loop is closed, that means that your future self is sent back and disposed. The former Looper can go on in the present and live out the rest of their days. When Joe’s best friend Seth's (Paul Dano) loop is about to be closed, he can’t kill his future self and lets him run away. Seth then seeks out Joe for help as this is an extreme risk for his present self. The Future Seth informed him of why so many of the loops are being closed as of late; a new, extremely dangerous crime boss has taken over, called “The Rainmaker”. Before Seth can tell Joe the rest of the information, some of the other loopers show up and take Joe away for questioning.

Things do not end well for Seth, and this haunts Joe. Shortly after the Seth incident Joe’s future self is the next target for present Joe to dispose. Old Joe (Bruce Willis) has a great life in 2072 and wants to protect what he has built for himself, so he decides to change the future. Old Joe has found 3 possible children that could be the Rainmaker in the future. His plan is he will erase each one from the present time, 2044; changing the future and returning him to 2072.

Old Joe takes off after two of the suspects, and Joe runs off to find the last target. The scrap of paper that Joe has leads him to a farmhouse ran by single a mother Sara (Emily Blunt). It takes some convincing, but Joe convinces Sarah that he is there to protect her and her son from Old Joe.

The more time that Joe spends with Sarah and Cid, the closer he gets, clouding Old Joe’s memories and possible future. Will Old Joe find the correct Rainmaker before the Loopers catch up to him? Will Joe end up falling for Sarah, thus changing his future? Or will the Loopers take out both Joes, leaving the Rainmaker to rein terror in the future?

In this mind bending, futuristic thriller, writer/director Rian Johnson blends the futuristic post apocalyptic/ crime-ridden world with the material items associated with current times. For instance, the vehicles, clothing or some of the weapons look like anything you could find today.  The pacing of the story was spot on, and the storyline not too complicated that it would be too confusing to follow. The makeup artist did a phenomenal job of making Joseph Gordon Levitt look like a young Bruce Willis; the resemblance was uncanny. Make sure to check this film out when it opens in theaters starting Friday, September 28, 2012.

Movie Review for Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect   

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin

Directed by Jason Moore

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 112 mins

Genre: Comedy/ Musical

Opens in select theaters September 28th

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film fans! This week one of the movies we checked out was Pitch Perfect directed by Jason Moore (avenue Q) and features an all-star cast of Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Banks, Skylar Astin and Ben Platt.

College freshman Beca (Anna Kendrick) knows what she wants out of life; go to Los Angeles and work in the music industry. Unfortunately, her father insists she goes to college first. Her father, Dr. Mitchell (John Benjamin Hickey) is a professor at BardenUniversity, enabling Beca to attend for free. He bribes Beca into staying for at least her freshman year, if she doesn’t like it at the end of the first year he will help and pay for her to move west.  The catch is that Beca must get involved with some activity other than listening and mixing music tracks.

Barden University, known for their musical groups, particularly for two rival accapella choir groups: The Bellas and The Treblemakers.  The Bellas were disqualified from a national competition when one of their members had an unfortunate, yet disgusting accident during their performance.  Looking to redeem the legacy of the Bellas, Aubrey (Anna Camp) and Chloe (Brittany Snow) are desperately trying to find the perfect fit to the group. When the girls try to recruit Beca, they are blown off. Chloe knows that Beca is a perfect choice for the group, so she wheedles her into joining The Bellas.

The rest of the ragtag, all-girls singing group, is made of Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) the big girl with the even bigger personality, Stacie (Alexis Knapp) who is very in touch with her sensual side and Cynthia Rose (Ester Dean) who sexuality is in question. There is also Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) who is a life sized version of the Muppet Beeker, Denise (Wanetah Walmsley) and Ashley (Shelley Regner). The new inductees have been banned from dating their rivals, the all-male singing group, The Treblemakers. The leader of the guys group Bumper (Adam DeVine) is a bit of an egomaniac and loves to irritate Aubrey.

New Treblemaker Jesse has a major crush on Beca and is not shy about showing his feelings. Jesse works with Beca at the campus radio station as a fellow intern, so their friendship grows into a mutual attraction. Beca keeps herself guarded towards Jesse as it could jeopardize her spot in The Bellas. Aubrey doesn’t care much for Beca as it is, so being around Jesse keeps her on Aubrey’s bad side.

As Regionals approaches, the tension in the group heightens. Beca points out the material they have is stale, and that they should liven their performance up. Aubrey vehemently refuses and overrules the group. Will they be able to redeem The Bellas reputation or will the tensions in the group be their undoing? Will Beca be able to overcome her emotional defenses to be able to let in Jesse? Will Beca make it another year or will take her father’s offer and move toLos Angeleswhen the school year is finished?

What could be considered “Glee”: The College Years”, turned out to be a delightful surprise. This film is uplifting, light-hearted and such a guilty pleasure. The musical arrangements, vocal performances and acting performances were top notch. If you like shows like Glee or movies like Mean Girls, Superbad or Bring It On check this film out when it opens in select cities September 28 or nationwide October 5^th.

Movie Review for Won't Back Down

Won’t Back Down  

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac, Holly Hunter, Rosie Perez, Emily Alyn Lind, Dante Brown, Lance Reddick, Ving Rhames, Bill Nunn

Directed by Daniel Barnz

Rated: PG

Run Time: 121 mins

Genre: Drama

Opens September 28th

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film Fans, this week we’re checking out Won’t Back Down starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis and Holly Hunter.

She may not have much in terms of wealth or material goods, but she makes up in the way she loves her child.  Philadelphia single mother Jaime Fitzpatrick (Maggie Gyllenhaal) works 2 jobs to provide for her and her daughter Malia (Emily Alyn Lind), and still struggles to make ends meet. Malia has dyslexia and had to transfer schools when her mother could not afford the tuition. Her new school, Adams Elementary is ranked last in the state for the educational quality. Malia’s new teacher is one of the worst teachers in the entire state; always demeaning her, not protecting her from the other students and not willing to work with her on her learning disability. When Jaime learns of her teacher’s behavior, she confronts the school’s administration who can not do anything to the teacher because she is tenured.

When Jaime learns of a lottery being held for one of the best charter schools in the state, they enter Malia in the drawing. Over 400 children entered the lottery with only 3 slots per grade available; chances were exceedingly slim that Malia would be chosen. While at the lottery, she sees a teacher from Adams, Nona Alberts (Viola Davis) and begs her to get the principal to get Malia in her class. Nona was in a difficult position with her child’s school herself, so to appease Jaime, she promises to talk to him.

When the charter school option fell through, Jamie went to see the State Superintendent to complain about Adams Elementary. Although she hit another wall trying to see the Superintendant, Jaime did learn of a way around her problem. In the state ofPennsylvania, there is a law called the Fail Safe Law; when a school is failing, the parents can turn the school around. All Jaime needs is support of the teachers and parents in the community.  Desperate for a better future for her child, Jaime reaches out to Nona, begging her to start a school with her. Nona, frustrated with the lack of care for students and restrictions place on teachers by the unions, reluctantly agrees to work alongside Jaime to petition for a school.

The process is easier said than done as there are many loopholes to jump through, paperwork to fill out, reports to write and opposition from the local teachers union and school board.  Will Jaime and Nona be able to fulfill their dreams for a better life for their kids or will the people in power keep them from succeeding?

Won’t Back Down is one of those films that pack an inspiring, well-received message; the children of America are the ones that suffer and need the most help. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis deliver tenacious performances that blaze on screen. The essence of the film inspires those to stand up and fight for what they want instead of relying on those in positions of power to take action. Check it out when it opens in theaters Friday September 28, 2012.

The Weinstein Company To Distribute Lee Daniels’ The Butler

  MEGAWATT CAST BRINGS TO LIFE REMARKABLE STORY INSPIRED BY FORMER WHITE HOUSE BUTLER

New York, NY – September 24, 2012 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that they have acquired U.S. rights from Butler Films to distribute THE BUTLER, directed by Academy Award nominated Lee Daniels (PRECIOUS). A Laura Ziskin Production, THE BUTLER is produced by Pamela Oas Williams, the late Laura Ziskin, Lee Daniels, Buddy Patrick and Cassian Elwes.  Executive Producers include Hilary Shor and Adam Merims. It is co-produced by David Jacobson. The announcement was made today by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein and COO David Glasser.

Comprising this award-winning cast are: Forest Whitaker (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), Oprah Winfrey (THE COLOR PURPLE), Mariah Carey (PRECIOUS), John Cusack (THE PAPERBOY), Jane Fonda (ON GOLDEN POND), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (JERRY MAGUIRE), Terrence Howard (HUSTLE & FLOW), Minka Kelly (THE ROOMMATE), Lenny Kravitz (PRECIOUS), Melissa Leo (THE FIGHTER), James Marsden (X-MEN), David Oyelowo (THE PAPERBOY), Alex Pettyfer (MAGIC MIKE), Vanessa Redgrave (CORIOLANUS), Alan Rickman (CBGB), Liev Schreiber (X-MEN), and Robin Williams (GOOD WILL HUNTING).

THE BUTLER, based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years. From this unique vantage point, THE BUTLER traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.

“What moves me most about this man is his quiet nature, grace and unmatched perspective that comes from being in one place – a very powerful one – during what was arguably the period in American history that saw the most change,” said Daniels, whose most recent film, THE PAPERBOY, premiered at the 2012 Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals, and will also be featured in this fall's New York Film Festival.

Said Weinstein, “Lee tells stories in a way no one else does. What struck me most about this story is the perspective it comes from, which in this case is the butler- a man who was a fly on the wall for decades in the world’s most powerful home. It takes an unbelievable cast like the one that’s in place to do this story justice, and we are proud to be given the chance to share this story with the world.” Added Williams, “This has been a passion project for all involved and we are thrilled to be able to see Laura Ziskin’s vision for this film realized and know it will be a lasting tribute to her incredible career.”

TWC and Butler Films made the deal based on the screenplay by Strong & Daniels. The deal was negotiated by TWC’s Glasser and President, Business and Legal Affairs Andrew Kramer, and by Schuyler Moore of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, Cassian Elwes on behalf of Evolution Independent, and CAA on behalf of Butler Films.

The film is currently in production in New Orleans.

Interview with Dredd 3D Actress Olivia Thirlby

Interview with Dredd 3D Actress Olivia Thirlby  

By Lisa Minzey

Phoenix– For those who are excited to see DREDD 3D, we have a treat for you. We took part in a roundtable interview with lead actress Olivia Thirlby who plays Judge Anderson, Dredd’s intuitive psychic counterpart in the film. Thirlby, you may recognize for her roles in independent films such as Juno, The Darkest Hour and Being Flynn. She has started on Stage, Film and TV on a small scale, but now is crossing over into big budget film territory with DREDD 3D.

PFF: For the most part, you have done a lot of small films, such as Juno. What was it like to make the jump to action movie?

OT: It was a fun transition but not as severe of a transition as it may see. I think Dredd is bizarrely character driven for a film of its genre. My character (Anderson) was one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever played.

PFF: What was it like playing a character where you couldn’t see the other actor’s face?

OT: I think Anderson doesn't get affected because of her psychic ability, not that she had to read any emotional cues ever with Dredd, but it makes their partnership unique. For me, I valued using my face as an acting tool to help the audience gain a human way into the character.

PFF: What type of training did you have to physical prepare for this role?

OT: I worked with a trainer; the leather body suit was very small; no room for growth! There was weapons training, where we had to learn to fire [guns], there was also air soft pistols when required in a scene; when we were using blanks; how to change a magazine – mainly how to look comfortable handling a gun and doing so properly. There was also stunt training, which I had to learn to roundhouse kick & take down a henchman. The rest of the tactical training given to us was the same training used in the military.

PFF: Your character had enhanced psychic powers because of radiation fallout. Did you have any additional training aside from the physical/ tactical aspects?

OT: She was psychic, but the script didn’t really delve into how or what her personal experience was. I did come up with the way she was psychic, which was sensitivity to seeing colors; energy as color. My idea about her is that she can see the entire color spectrum of a person’s life; the inside of them. She can walk into the room, see the color there and feel the vibe and what’s happening. It’s very intuitive, yet complex way that she’s sensitive to energy; it provided fuel for the mind. She may not say much, but she’s always taking information in.

PFF: Were you familiar with the Judge Dredd graphic novels before you landed the role?

OT: No I hadn’t read the comics before getting cast. I had heard of the comic, but I had never read one. As soon as I arrived in Cape Town to begin shooting, I was handed a giant binder; I referred to them quite a bit when working on the character.

PPF: Did you have to change your acting method when shooting the slow motion scenes? Or did they shoot still shots at 4000 frames per second to make the scene work?

OT: Shooting the Slo-Mo sequences was very tedious. Everyone would get it all set up; we would review what we we’re supposed to do and then would roll for 2 to 3 seconds. What I had to do was “Turn from here to here” and then the director would cut. They would review it for 30 minutes after that. It looks really beautiful in the end, but it would get very tedious. In terms of changing your acting, you don’t do anything different because you’re only filming for 2 to 3 seconds per take.

PFF:  In your audition forAnderson, you send in a video of yourself prior to knowing much about the character; basing your performance on the information in the script. Once you arrived in Cape Town, based on the research you read in the graphic novels, did you have to change much based on the material?

OT:  It was a lot of both.  Auditioning is a big part of the process of getting jobs. When I read the script I felt like I identified with Anderson the moment I started reading her on the page. When I got down to Cape Town, I did end up feeling like most of my choices could be based on this version of Anderson in the script. It was important to me to do this character justice since she has had such longevity through the comics, but she was different depending on who were the writer/ illustrators of that issue.

PFF: What was it like to work with Karl Urban?

OT: It was a total joy! We were really great partners both in the world of this film and out. We spent a lot of time breaking down the script; tracking these two characters emotionally – mainly whether Anderson is passing or failing her assessment. She has an idea so if she’s passing or failing, so it’s a lot of wave like emotions between them. So we spent a lot to time checking in with each other to see if we were still in sync. He’s so nice, funny and charming; nothing like his Judge Dredd character.

PFF:  This film has a gratuitous mount of violence. Since your character is so sensitive to the events around her, did you pick up on any of that and were you affected by the amount of violence in the film?

OT: Not at all. The majority of what you see is the movie magic at it best. When you’re shooting that stuff, it couldn’t feel less real. A lot of that stuff was added in post production. At the time it felt like playing paintball and it was fun at the time.

PFF: The weapons and gadgets used in this film are pretty spectacular. Did you get to keep any souvenirs from the set?

OT: I have to give a shout out to Jason Wright, who was  in Weapons Fabricators Props and Armour. He built the Lawgiver (the gun used by the judges). I didn’t get any souvenirs from the set, but one day we got to build a little man out of Cheetos. I believe that he still has that ,but I do have a lot of love for the creative minds that can take a glock and turn it into something fantastic. The production design was unreal – I could always find something to entertain myself on set by walking around and looking at the exquisite details. You would look at these candy wrappers and unfold them and they were these futuristic looking items. They had vending machines, convenient stores, posters, the graffiti; anything you can imagine. This world was fully realized, stuff that you would never see on film, it was absolutely spectacular to be around.

PFF:  We will be seeing quite a bit of you this fall as your next film Nobody Walks comes out soon. Can you tell us a little about that?

OT: Right now, Nobody Walks is up next and is a complete 180 from Dredd. It’s a very small film that’s very subtle. It’s about the interpersonal relationships between people and the complications that arise from that. I play an artist that moves fromNew York to Los Angeles and the interactions of the family she stays with. What unfolds is this very subtle study of relationships and sexual dynamics. It’s a beautiful film that’s much different than Dredd.

You can see Olivia Thirlby as Judge Anderson in DREDD 3D, when it opens in theaters Friday September 21, 2012.

Movie Review for The Master

The Master   

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Rated: R

Run Time: 137 mins

Genre: Drama

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film fans, this week among the many films we are checking out is the highly anticipate film, The Master. There is a lot of early Oscar Buzz surrounding this film and was nominated at the 2012 Venice Film Festival for the Golden Lion Award.

The end of World War II for some veterans was a difficult transition back into normal life. Back stateside, when they had to go through their decommissioning and mental health evaluations, they would undergo questioning to see if they were fit for society. Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) served in the Navy during the War and developed a hearty drinking problem. A textbook case of alcoholism, Freddie would seek out anything of poisonous substance to ingest, just to numb his mind. As he entered back into civilian life, Freddie could not hold a job, floating from job to job until his “special juice” ended up poisoning one of his co-workers and almost kills them. He ran from an angry mob of coworkers and found himself on the docks inSan Francisco, hopping on to a private ship that was holding a wedding celebration, headed forNew York.

Aboard the ship, Freddie finds himself treated with compassion and care by the family of renowned author/speaker Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman). His daughter is the one getting married and during the confrontation of Stowaway Freddie, finds himself as a guest of Lancaster and his followers. Dodd is known to those who follow his work as the “Master” as he has created or “discovered’ a way of life that is so controversial to the times and questions the authority of traditional religion. Nowadays, we would consider his teaching “New Age” but in the 1950’s, he was considered a charlatan to most authorities in government and religious organizations.   As Freddy begins Lancaster’s “processing”, the multilayers of his complex personality peel like an onion, revealing the root(s) of his pain.Lancaster is fascinated by Freddie, and vice-versa, in turn; Freddie follows Dodd and his family around the country to teach his findings to the world. As with any type of spiritual or personal growth, Freddie’s exodus is one that will not only change him but those around him, some for the worse, some for the better.

The premise of The Master is fascinating; the performances are superb, and expect to  put this on your Oscar’s watch list as I expect Hoffman, Phoenix & director Paul Thomas Anderson to be nominated for some serious hardware next spring. The Master opens nationwide Friday September 21, 2012.

Movie Review for House at the End of the Street

House at the End of the Street   

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue, Max Thieriot, Gil Bellows

Directed by Mark Tonerai

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 101 mins

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Horror Movie Lovers!  We round out this week’s reviews with the Horror/ Thriller flick House at the End of the Street starring Hunger Games star, Jennifer Lawrence. Don’t be quick to judge this film as another teen horror film or Cabin in the Woods copy. This film garnered Director Mark Tonderai with a nomination through the Director Guild of Canada DGC Craft Award.

In a quiet neighborhood, a house at the end of the street holds a dark secret. About 4 years earlier, a young girl, Carrie Anne murdered both of her parents in cold blood. The only surviving member of the Jacobson family, Ryan was not home at the time, as he was staying with relatives. As the years passed, the surrounding neighbors became angry and wanted the house torn down, due to decreasing property values from the murders. When Sarah Cassidy (Elisabeth Shue) and her teenage daughter Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) move in to the house next door to the Jacobson property, they were able to pick it up at a bargain. The neighborhood is gorgeous, as it is surrounded by forest preserves, giving it a whimsical, yet creepy vibe. One night Sarah is awoken at 3am by a loud noise. She sees a light on in the supposedly vacant property next door in the middle of the night, and it alarms her.

When Sarah and Elissa attend their welcome party the next day, they discover that Ryan (Max Thieriot) had moved back in the house a year prior to their arrival. The Cassidys are filled with wild rumors about Ryan Jacobson and his family, as they have become sort of an urban legend around these parts. Supposedly, after Carrie Anne killed her parents, she ran off into the woods, never to be seen again. Her body was said to have been washed up near the dam, but the body was never found.

Sarah and Elissa quickly settle into their new life and routine in the large house. Elissa made acquaintance with Ryan Jacobson by a chance meeting one night and quickly became friends. Ryan is a few years older than Elissa, and because of his family’s dark history this friendship is a huge risk for her.

The closer that Ryan and Elissa become, the more concerned Sarah is for her daughter’s safety. At first it is out of the normal teenage worries of a parent, sex, drugs and pregnancy. Sarah can not escape the nagging feeling that even though Ryan has experienced much tragedy in his life, there may be more that Elissa or Sarah could ever imagine.

House at the End of the Street is a film that will take you by surprise, literally. It is a smart thriller that the deeper the viewer goes into the house and back story of Ryan, the darker and twisted it becomes. If you enjoy a clever thriller, be sure to check it out when it opens in theaters Friday September 21,2012.

Movie Review for 10 Years

10 years    

Starring: Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson, Chris Pratt, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Justin Long, Max Minghella, Ari Graynor,AubreyPlaza, Kate Mara, Oscar Isaac

Directed by Jamie Linden

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 100 mins

Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

Another film that we checked out this week is the high school reunion flick, 10 Years.

When the alumni of Lake Howell High School congregate for their ten year reunion, it is joyous and bittersweet for most of the people that attend. Jake (Channing Tatum) brings his girlfriend of 3 years, Jess (Jenna Dewan-Tatum), hoping not to run into his ex-high school sweetheart Mary (Rosario Dawson).  Mary ends up attending with her husband in tow, unsettling Jake with feelings that have been dormant. Best buds, AJ (Max Minghella) and Marty (Justin Long) both fly into town from their glamorous lives they live in the big city. Marty hopes to reconnect with his high school crush Anna (Lynn Collins). Anna was one of the most popular girls, and school and Marty was a late bloomer who ever caught Anna’s eye.

Married alumni Cully (Chris Pratt) and Sam (Ari Graynor) are the hub of the group, living in their high school hometown with 2 kids, a home and a regular life. Cully was known as the high school bully and wants to make peace with those he tortured. Sam hated Cully in high school but turned a new leaf and won her heart. Reeves (Oscar Isaac) made a name for himself as a popular rock star with a hit song about unrequited love. When he spots his high school crush, shy girl Elise (Kate Mara), Reese wants to make it known that he remembers her.

Each person has unfinished business to attend to either with getting closure or speaking up to open a door for the future, each alumni that attends will remember this night until the next reunion.

This film is targeted more towards those in their late twenties, early thirties and is more character driven than plot driven, but is a sweet film that captures the essence of most present day high school reunions. Check it out when it opens in Phoenix on September 21^st.

End of Watch Movie Review

End of Watch   

Starring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, AmericaFerrera, Cody Horn, Frank Grillo

Directed by David Ayer

Rated: R

Run Time: 109 mins

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

One of the many films we watched this week included the latest film from the director of films like Training Day and Street Kings, David Ayers. End of Watch features an ensemble cast starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Natalie Martinez and Anna Kendrick.

On the streets of Los Angeles, Officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) seem to see a lot of action; more than most other patrol units in the city. Much of their escapades are caught on video asTayloris going to school majoring in Pre-Law, Minoring in Film. Most of their time spent on patrol is spent catching up on their personal lives, a lot of raunchy guy humor and talking about the women in their lives. Zavala is married to his high school sweetheart Gabby (Natalie Martinez), andTaylorhas just started dating Janet (Anna Kendrick).Taylor is hoping that Janet is the one, while Z is constantly nagging him to stay single and live the dream.

Call them lucky or just having a good ear for listening for the right calls to come through, in a matter of months, Officers Taylor and Zavala have participated in a car chase resulting in a shoot out, an arrest of a gangbanger, and a “routine” traffic stop that turned up a lot of cash and some pretty gnarly weapons. Officer Taylor sensing that there was more to the traffic stop turned out to be correct when it lead them to a drop house full of illegal immigrants. That decision turned out to put a target his and Officer Zavala’s back by a extremely powerful Mexican drug cartel, currently under I.C.E. investigation.

Aside from the unknown hit put out on the two officers the cases they come across are becoming grizzlier and more horrific by the day. Will Taylor and Savala be able to help the authorities bring down the Mexican Cartel before they can get to them?

If you are looking for a well done crime drama, look no further than End of Watch. This film is a gritty, voyeuristic drama that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The pacing of the storyline is done exceptionally well, taking the viewer from action sequence, to intense gory scenes and filling the time in-between with light hearted moments to cleanse the pallet before the next call on the officers’ beat. Be sure to check it out when it hits theaters Friday September 21, 2012.

Trouble with the Curve Movie Review

Trouble with the Curve   

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Matthew Lillard

Directed by Robert Lorenz

Rated:  PG-13

Run Time: 111 mins

Genre: Comedy/ Family/ Animation/ Adventure/ 3D Film

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

Another screening we checked out this week is Trouble with the Curve, the new film starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and John Goodman. A few fun facts: Clint Eastwood came out of acting retirement to work on the film, his first project since 2008’s Grand Torino. This is the first film he has not directed him self in since 1993. Trouble with the Curve also marks the directorial debut of Robert Lopez, a longtime collaborator of Eastwood’s past projects.

In the world of sports, it takes talent to succeed, not only from the athletes but by the people that can spot the talent. Legendary Baseball Scout for the Atlanta Braves, Gus Lobel (Clint Eastwood) has been experiencing the hardships of old age. The most fundamental sense he needs for his job he is losing more & more of each week: his vision.

Gus’s behavior has not gone unnoticed by Brave’s management, especially when another younger scout, Tom Silver (Matthew Lillard) has been dropping hints to the management that it may be time to cut Gus loose.  Scout Manager and Gus’s friend for more than 30 years, Pete Klein (John Goodman), concerned for Gus’s future, gives him a heads up that on the scouting trip for the #1 draft pick Bo Gentry (Joe Massingill) maybe his last if he does not succeed. Gus, being the grumpy old man he is, brushes of Pete’s warning and tells him, he will see him when he returns.

Concerned for his friend’s well being, Pete seeks help from Gus’s daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) to help him through the (possible his last) scout trip. Mickey and her father are not close, as he was estranged most of her childhood, so asking her go on this trip is asking for a huge favor. In her career, she is on the verge of making partner at her law firm if she wins a pivotal case, so the news of her father’s condition could not have come at a worse time. The more that Mickey tries to talk to Gus about issues in their relationship, the further Gus pushes away, especially when Mickey shows up in North Carolina to help out with the scouting.  After much hemming and hawing on Gus’s part, he allows Mickey to stay because she is the only one that knows what he looks for in a player.  Another scout from the Boston Red Sox shows up to bid for Bo turns out to be a previous Gus scout pick from years ago, Johnny Flanagan (Justin Timberlake).

As the trip progresses, Johnny turns his attention from the field to Mickey, who has too many defenses up open up. Will Mickey and Gus be able to heal their relationship and find the balance they desperately need? Will Gus be forced into retirement or does experience still beat technology when it comes to spotting true talent?

This film seems to have all the draws of some of the more notable baseball films such as Moneyball, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams, but lacks the originality that makes those films unique. The more notable issues of the film are that the dialogue is weak, and it takes some time to get interesting. The end half of the film is more engaging and entertaining. Amy Adams was fantastic in her role, delivering a strong and endearing performance along side Eastwood and Goodman. Overall, it was entertaining so check it out when it opens in theaters nationwide Friday September 21, 2012.

Dredd 3D Movie Review

Dredd 3D   

Starring: Carl Urban, Olivia Thirlby,Lena Headey

Directed by Pete Travis

Rated: R

Run Time: 95 mins

Genre: Action/ Sci-Fi/ 3D Film

Opens September 21^st

By Lisa Minzey

One of the other films we checked out this week is Dredd 3D, the adaptation of the British graphic novel series 2000 A.D. featuring Judge Dredd. Screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, The Beach, Sunshine) is a fanboy of the series so when he teamed up with director Pete Travis (Vantage Point, Endgame), they wanted to pay homage to the original series.

In the not too distant future, where the only inhabitable land stretches fromBostontoWashingtonD.C., most of the humanity lives in project-like buildings that are like cities/states with in Mega City One. Chaos runs rampant on the streets and the only authority figures to wield enough power to bring criminals to justice are the Judges. The most notoriously had core judge is Judge Dredd, a maverick within the force that uphold the law with no mercy. When Dredd is assigned rookie judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) to assess for active duty, he questions the personnel that would even put through someone likeAnderson.Andersonis a mutant that made it through the radiation downfall unharmed physically, but whose intuition was enhanced, leaving her with extraordinary psychic powers.

Under Dredd’s uncouth instructions, Anderson must be flawless in her tag along with Anderson for 24 hours. One wrong step will disqualify her from the organization and may end up taking her life, as well. Their fist call of the day is to Peachtree, one of the vertical 200 story slum high rises that dot the skyline of Mega City One. The crime scene is a grizzly one as 3 people have fallen to their death in the mezzanine below, leaving a nasty mess. According to residents, the ones responsible are most likely Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her gang of thugs who occupy the top floor of Peachtree and rule the building. Ma-Ma is an ex-prostitute who gained power after killing her pimp and uses lethal force to those who get in her way. Ma-Ma‘s drug dealers have been pushing the drug SLO-MO which has been a problem for the judges of Mega City One, and finding the distribution point.

Dredd and Anderson quickly apprehend one of Ma-Ma’s henchmen, which sends the crime syndicate into a frenzy, shutting down the building in an unauthorized lockdown. With no exit or link to communicate with the outside world, Anderson and Dredd’s lives are in grave danger as Ma-Ma puts an execution order out for the judges. Will they make it out alive or will Ma-Ma stay in power, using their deaths as a power play to control more of Mega City One?

For those who saw the first Judge Dredd movie with Sylvester Stallone, this is an entirely different film from its predecessor. Staying true to the comic book, Screenwriter Alex Garland wrote a compelling screenplay to please the fan boys, and entertain the masses. This is a gory, violent adaptation of a graphic novel done in full spectrum, Technicolor glory, with the bonus of 3D. Check it out when it opens in theaters nationwide starting Friday September 21,2012.

All star casts starts shooting film about Disney's quest to make Mary Poppins

                   “SAVING MR. BANKS” BEGINS PRODUCTION IN LOS ANGELES

 

             Los Angeles, Calif., September 19, 2012—Disney began production today on “Saving Mr. Banks,” the account of Walt Disney’s twenty-year pursuit of the film rights to P.L. Travers’ popular novel, Mary Poppins, and the testy partnership the upbeat filmmaker develops with the uptight author during the project’s pre-production in 1961.

 

            Two-time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia,” “Forrest Gump”) will essay the role of the legendary Disney (the first time the entrepreneur has ever been depicted in a dramatic film) alongside fellow double Oscar®-winner Emma Thompson (“Howard’s End,” “Sense and Sensibility”) in the role of the prickly novelist.  Before actually signing away the book’s rights, Travers’ demands for contractual script and character control circumvent not only Disney’s vision for the film adaptation, but also those of the creative team of screenwriter Don DaGradi and sibling composers Richard and Robert Sherman, whose original score and song (Chim-Chim-Cher-ee) would go on to win Oscars® at the 1965 ceremonies (the film won five awards of its thirteen nominations).

 

            When Travers travels from London to Hollywood in 1961 to finally discuss Disney’s desire to bring her beloved character to the motion picture screen (a quest he began in the 1940s as a promise to his two daughters), Disney meets a prim, uncompromising sexagenarian not only suspect of the impresario’s concept for the film, but a woman struggling with her own past.  During her stay in California, Travers’ reflects back on her childhood in 1906 Australia, a trying time for her family which not only molded her aspirations to write, but one that also inspired the characters in her 1934 book. 

 

            None more so than the one person whom she loved and admired more than any other—her caring father, Travers Goff, a tormented banker who, before his untimely death that same year, instills the youngster with both affection and enlightenment (and would be the muse for the story’s patriarch, Mr. Banks, the sole character that the famous nanny comes to aide).  While reluctant to grant Disney the film rights, Travers comes to realize that the acclaimed Hollywood storyteller has his own motives for wanting to make the film—which, like the author, hints at the relationship he shared with his own father in the early 20th Century Midwest.

 

            Colin Farrell (“Minority Report,” “Total Recall”) co-stars as Travers’ doting dad, Goff, along with British actress Ruth Wilson (the forthcoming films “The Lone Ranger” and “Anna Karenina”) as his long-suffering wife, Margaret; Oscar® and Emmy® nominee Rachel Griffiths (“Six Feet Under,” “Hilary and Jackie,” “The Rookie”) as Margaret’s sister, Aunt Ellie (who inspired the title character of Travers’ novel); and a screen newcomer—11-year-old Aussie native Annie Buckley as the young, blossoming writer, nicknamed “Ginty” in the flashback sequences.

 

            The cast also includes Emmy® winner Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing,” “The Cabin in the Woods”) as screenwriter Don DaGradi; Jason Schwartzman (“Rushmore,” “Moonrise Kingdom”) and B.J. Novak (“NBC’s “The Office,” “Inglourious Basterds”) as the songwriting Sherman Brothers (Richard and Robert, respectively); Oscar® nominee and Emmy winner Paul Giamatti (“Sideways,” “Cinderella Man,” HBO’s “John Adams”) as Ralph, the kindly limousine driver who escorts Travers during her two-week stay in Hollywood; and multi-Emmy winner Kathy Baker (“Picket Fences,” “Edward Scissorhands”) as Tommie, one of Disney’s trusted studio associates.

 

            “Saving Mr. Banks” will be directed by John Lee Hancock (“The Blind Side,” “The Rookie”) based on a screenplay by Kelly Marcel (creator of FOX-TV’s “Terra Nova”), from a story by Sue Smith (“Brides of Christ,” “Bastard Boys”) and Kelly Marcel.  The film is being produced by Alison Owen of Ruby Films (the Oscar®-nominated “Elizabeth,” HBO’s Emmy®-winning “Temple Grandin”), Ian Collie of Essential Media (the Aussie TV documentary “The Shadow of Mary Poppins,” DirecTV’s “Rake”) and longtime Hancock collaborator Philip Steuer (“The Rookie,” “The Chronicles of Narnia” trilogy).  The film’s executive producers are Ruby Films’ Paul Trijbits (“Lay the Favorite,” “Jane Eyre”), Hopscotch Features’ Andrew Mason (“The Matrix” trilogy, “Dark City”) and Troy Lum (“Mao’s Last Dancer,” “I, Frankenstein”) and BBC Films’ Christine Langan (Oscar® nominee for “The Queen,” “We Need to Talk About Kevin”).

 

            Hancock’s filmmaking team includes a trio of artists with whom he worked on his 2009 Best Picture Oscar® nominee, “The Blind Side”—two-time Oscar® nominated production designer Michael Corenblith (“How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Apollo 13”), Emmy®-winning costume designer Daniel Orlandi (HBO’s “Game Change,” “Frost/Nixon”) and film editor Mark Livolsi, A.C.E. (“Wedding Crashers” “The Devil Wears Prada”).  Hancock also reunites with Academy Award®-nominated cinematographer John Schwartzman (“Seabiscuit,” “Pearl Harbor”), with whom he first worked on his inspiring 2002 sports drama, “The Rookie.”

 

            “Saving Mr. Banks” will film entirely in the Los Angeles area, with key locations to include Disneyland in Anaheim and the Disney Studios in Burbank.  Filming will conclude around Thanksgiving, 2012, with no specific 2013 release date yet set.

Movie Review for Wild Horse, Wild Ride

Wild Horse, Wild Ride  

Directed by Alex Dawson & Greg Gricus

Rated: PG

Run Time: 106 mins

Genre: Documentary/ Western

Opens September 14th, 2012

By Lisa Minzey

Hey Phoenix Film Fest fans!  A fantastic documentary that was the Winner of  Cox Audience Award and Best Cinematography at the 2011 Phoenix Film Festival “Wild Horse, Wild Ride”,  is hitting theaters this weekend. It has gone on to win many different awards at many different festivals, and it is understandably so.

In the documentary “Wild Horse, Wild Ride”, husband & wife Filmmaker team, Alex Dawson & Greg Gricus, followed 9 different horse trainers and their mustangs, on a 100 day journey to the Mustang Extreme Makeover Competition in Fort Worth, TX.

Each year, the U.S. Government rounds up thousands of wild horses, removes them from public lands to be sold at public auction. The Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge (sounds like it could be a reality show on ABC, eh?) gives 100 trainers the chance to train 100 horses (1 trainer & 1 horse) to prepare them for adoption, giving them a chance at a better life than penned up in a federal corral. During the competition, the horses and trainers go through a series of tests, tricks and trotting. If the horse cannot do one thing, it is an automatic disqualification. On the 3^rd day, there is a public auction where the trainers have the opportunity to bid, along with the public, to buy their horses providing a permanent home.

The trainers showcased through the film are from vastly different backgrounds, widespread throughout the country. From Arizona to New Hampshire, each trainer unknowingly has something special to learn from the horse.   Humans and horses are more alike than most realize. Both have an incredible spirit; both can heal, learn and teach each other extraordinary lessons while overcoming impossible odds.

"Wild Horse, Wild Ride" is a beautiful documentary that shows the astonishing connection between horse and human. Each trainer and horse’s journey is memorable, enduring and makes this a most enjoyable film to watch. Be sure to check it out when this film comes to a theater Friday September 14th.

Raiders of the Lost Ark plays at Harkins Scottsdale 101

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, NEWLY RE-MASTERED “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK” WILL BEGIN

 AN EXTENDED THEATRICAL RUN THIS FRIDAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20tH

THE FILM WILL PLAY IN MORE THAN 300 THEATERS ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA

FOLLOWING ITS SUCCESSFUL ONE-WEEK ONLY IMAX ENGAGEMENT

“INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES” DEBUTS ON BLU-RAY™ SEPTEMBER 18

See it at Harkins Scottsdale 101

 

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 14, 2012) – Due to the extraordinary response for the newly re-mastered “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK” during its one-week IMAX engagement, Paramount Pictures Corporation, a division of Viacom, Inc., has announced that the film will have an extended theatrical run beginning Friday, September 14.

The unforgettable and beloved film from director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas will play in more than 300 digital theaters across the United States and Canada.  Tickets can be purchased now. Check your local listings for participating locations and showtimes.

"The re-mastering efforts by Steven, George and their team were incredible and the movie’s hugely successful run in Imax last week was a sure sign that audiences were excited to see the film again on the big screen. We are thrilled that audiences will have that chance again as part of this extended theatrical run,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.

“RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK” was released for an exclusive one-week engagement in select IMAX® theaters on September 7, 2012.  Under the supervision of Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, the film was meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving its original look, sound and feel for a highly-anticipated release in theaters and on Blu-ray.

“INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES” debuts on Blu-ray September 18, 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution with seven hours of fascinating bonus material, including a brand new two-part documentary titled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – From Jungle to Desert and From Adventure to Legend.”  Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, this captivating piece transports fans back to where the legend began.