Focus on Film & Television Reviews and writings about these subjects. As well as Pop Culture at times. With a bit of an edge and some color
Written & Directed By: Michael R. Roskam
Cinematography By: Nicolas Karakatsanis
Editor: Alain Dessauvage
Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval, Jeanne Dandoy, Barbara Sarafin, Tibo Vandenborre, Frank Lamers
*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review
Directed By: Sacha Gervasi
Written By: John J. McLaughlin
Based On The Book “ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO”: Stephen Rebello
Cinematography By: Jeff Cronenweth
Editor: Pamela Martin
Music By: Danny Elfman
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Colette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael Wincott, James D’Arcy, Richard Portnow, Kurtwood Smith, Wallace Langham, Ralph Macchio
In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amid disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth’s artistic daring, Alfred decides his next film will adapt the lurid horror novel, Psycho, over everyone’s misgivings. Unfortunately, as Alfred self-finances and labors on this film, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Alfred’s work even as the novel’s inspiration haunts his dreams.
Written, Directed & Edited By: Xavier Dolan
Cinematography By: Andre Turpin
Cast: Annie Dorval, Suzanne Clement, Antoine-Oliver Pilon, Patrick Huard
A high tech anthology series of technology and animation that feels like an updated version of HEAVY METAL. Only as a television series Rather then a feature and without a linking overall story as an anthology
My favorite episodes…
Written & Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan
Cinematography: Mike Gioulakis
Editor: Luke Ciarrocchi & Blu Murray
Cast: Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Anna Taylor-Joy, Sarah Paulson, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard, Luke Kirby
After pursuing Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities that reside within. David Dunn finds himself locked in a mental hospital alongside his archenemy, Elijah Price and must contend with a psychiatrist who is out to prove the trio do not actually possess superhuman abilities.
Written & Directed By: Lars Von Trier
Story By: Lars Von Trier & Jenle Hallund
Cinematography: Manuel Alberto Claro
Editor: Jacob Secher Schulsinger & Molly Marlene Stensgaard
Cast: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Siobahn Fallon Hogan, Jeremy Davies, Sofie Grabol, Ed Speleers
The story follows Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer, over the course of twelve years, and depicts the murders that really develop his inner madman.
Directed By: Jonas Akerlund
Written By: Jayson Rothwell
Based on the Graphic Novel: POLAR: CAME FROM THE COLD By: Victor Santos Cinematography: Par M. Ekberg
Editor: Doobie White
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick, Matt Lucas, Fei Ren, Ruby O. Fee, Nia Roam, Johnny Knoxville, Richard Dreyfuss
The world’s top assassin, Duncan Vizla, is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm. Against his will, he finds himself back in the game going head to head with an army of younger killers.
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Story By: Don Payne & Robert Rodat
Written By: Christopher L. Yost, Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
Based On The Comic Book By: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Larry Lieber
Cinematography By: Kramer Morgenthau
Editor: Dan Lebental & Wyatt Smith
Cast: Chis Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Tom Hiddleston, Rene Russo, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Jamie Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Alice Krige
There are nine realms of Asgard and once every 5,000 years they align. Earth happens to be one of these realms. These realms create portals between the worlds during the alignment which is called “Convergence”. On Earth, in London, Jane Foster believes she and her crew have discovered one such portal. Foster, while investigating the phenomenon, is transported to another realm and comes in contact with a substance called Aether. Upon coming into contact with the substance, it draws Thor from Asgard back to Earth. Thor takes Jane to Asgard to be cured from the Aether. Unfortunately in doing so it draws more than just Jane to that world. Another being called Malekith wants to use the Aether to destroy Asgard. Devising a plan with his brother – the war criminal Loki, Thor heads to “The Dark World” to destroy the Aether and save Asgard. But can Loki be trusted?
Written & Directed By: Peter Foott
Cinematography By: Patrick Jordan
Editor: Colin Campbell
Cast: Alex Murphy, Chris Walley, Hilary Rose, Dominic McHale, P.J. Gallagher, Shane Casey, Pascal Scott
Inspired by the true story of Ireland’s biggest cocaine seizure in 2007, The Young Offenders is a comedy road movie about best friends Conor and Jock, two inner-city teenagers from Cork who dress the same, act the same, and even have the same bum-fluff mustaches. Jock is a legendary bike thief who plays a daily game of cat-and-mouse with the bike-theft-obsessed Garda Sergeant Healy. When a drug-trafficking boat capsizes off the coast of West Cork and 61 bales of cocaine, each worth 7 million euro, are seized, word gets out that there is a bale missing. The boys steal two bikes and go on a road trip hoping to find a missing bale which they can sell so as to escape their troubled home lives….But Sergeant Healy is in hot pursuit.
Written & Directed By: Ben Young
Cinematography By: Michael McDermot
Editor: Merlin Cornish
Cast: Emma Booth, Ashleigh Cummings, Stephen Curry, Susie Porter, Harrison Gilbertstone, Damian De Montemas
Vicki Maloney is randomly abducted from a suburban street by a disturbed couple. As she observes the dynamic between her captors she quickly realises she must drive a wedge between them if she is to survive.
Cut To The Chase 