2014 should really be known as “The Year of the Biopic.” There have been films this past year that were based on many world-reknown icons, from Martin Luther King to Stephen Hawking to pop singer James Brown. And somewhere in the midst of all those comes the story of Alan Turing, a British mathematician that almost single-handedly won World War II.
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week: Taken 3 and the eagerly anticipated Inherent Vice.
A lot of indie filmmakers talk about how they’re going to find investors to fund their next film. These mythical “angel investors” will supposedly swoop down with bags of cash and make all your filmmaking dreams come true. But the reality is that these investors generally don’t materialize.
Peter Jackson’s first Lord of the Rings trilogy is potentially one of the finest trilogies ever made. Each film in the series, from Fellowship of the Ring to Return of the King, are all solid masterpieces, containing beautiful cinematography, fine character acting, and iconic soundtracks by Howard Shore. The Hobbit series, on the other hand, is much more inconsistent.
In an era when Hollywood is running out of ideas more than any other previous point in its century-long history, the big studios’ desire to unnecessarily remake everything grows even more unwelcome. It’s not that good remakes can’t be made (after all, The Departed, The Fly and a Fistful of Dollars all exist), but modern audiences are so skeptical of remakes that they tend to stay away in droves. The remakes only seem to happen presumably so that the studios can maintain the copyright to the originals and continue to make heaps of money.
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week: the final installment of the The Hobbit trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies, Annie, Night At The Museum:
Organized sports. The bread and butter (or lack thereof) that keeps this nation afloat. Money, power, prestige.
The nights are drawing in, the stockings are hanging from the fireplace, and the shops are starting to fill with hordes of panicked shoppers. Yes, it’s Christmas, and that inevitably means it’s time to get into the spirit of the Christmas movie. No other film genre has formed itself more strongly out of a time of year.
One of my most-anticipated films this year was Foxcatcher. Now that I saw it this past weekend, I will have a review for it soon, so be on the lookout! The anticipation of it got me thinking:
No words needed, just watch: From the director responsible for Pixar’s masterpieces Up and Monsters Inc., Inside Out is going to take you inside the head of a preteen.
Earlier this year, the first teaser trailer for the long awaited new Mad Max installment was screened at San Diego Comic Con. Now, a new, “official” trailer has been released. Enjoy:
One question that I am always trying to answer throughout this series is “what makes Hong Kong cinema so distinctive and great?”. Well, this stage of Hong Kong’s cultural evolution is vital concerning the film business and its multifaceted ability to make highly entertaining movies.
The Walk tells the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. I’m getting acrophobia from just looking at this trailer, eep! The Walk features Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit, Ben Kingsley and Charlotte Le Bon.
Controversial, unapologetic, and brilliant all at the same time, Quentin Tarantino is one of the most unique directors in film history. Dropping out of high school at age 15 to pursue acting and his love of films by working at a video rental store, Tarantino developed a unique understanding and appreciation for movies that cannot be taught in a formal setting. His films are notorious for gratuitous violence, pop culture references, and extended scenes of dialogue.
It’s always interesting to learn random movie trivia; it’s especially interesting when you learn that a classic or celebrated film tanked at box office upon its theatrical release. If these films are so great, how come they only sparked a mere fizzle when they hit the silver screen? Sometimes the director’s vision is trampled by the producers, and the film is re-edited, compromising the film.