What is it about the fantasy genre that we find so fascinating? Is it the lure of escapism, the feeling of delight one finds being transported to the various textured habitats of places such as Middle Earth, Westeros, or Hogwarts? Or marvel over the depictions of fabled historical retellings that have taken on mythic qualities over the years?
When I was young my Uncle Fred was our gateway to cool movies at a young age. He would babysit my brother and I, and going to the video store (yes, VHS) was the high point of the evening. After running the gamut of classic R rated action, and horror films we landed on the iconic movies of Bruce Lee.
Michael Keaton is one of those “If only he was given a chance, he could have done great things” type of guys. Edward Norton is one of those “If he could just suck it up and take other people’s advice he could be one of the biggest stars in the world” type of guys. This is no secret to us and it is certainly no secret to Alejandro González Iñárritu, who takes full advantage of our outside knowledge to create the only slightly twisted reality of Birdman.
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week: Foxcatcher, Dumb and Dumber To, Beyond the Lights, The Homesman, Rosewater, The Toy Soldier and Saving Christmas.
Christopher Nolan has made a solid place for himself in the rank of modern filmmakers. His latest film, Interstellar, further establishes his stance. It is a wondrously beautiful movie, with intense sci-fi sequences, a solid and talented cast, and even some thought-provoking ideas.
Big Hero 6 takes the cultural stereotypes of the East and West, smashes them together to a fine powder, and fabricates from it a 100-minute ride that is so eye-poppingly pretty, so gently moving and so explosively inventive that it’s the most unabashed, jolting fun you’ll have at the movies this year. Even after turning out two very strong features like Wreck-it Ralph and Frozen, Disney proves once again that its capability to push boundaries of imagination is strengthening by each passing endeavor. Disney at its absolute peak Based on a Marvel comic, directors Don Hall and Chris Williams gather the immense arsenal of talent at Disney to conjure up on screen the beautiful cherry-bomb of a city called San Fransokyo – a hybrid mash-up of the architectural sensibilities and culture of San Francisco and Tokyo.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the fortnight or so (or have no interest in the genre), you may have noticed that the first teaser for The Avengers: Age of Ultron has been released. As well as setting off a whirlwind of fan response and a more than considerable amount of excitement, it should be mentioned that it was a master-class in how to create a teaser trailer, or indeed any trailer.
Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, balances the crime thriller, dark comedy, and character study genres with ease. The film focuses on Louis Bloom, a mysterious young insomniac who takes to the nighttime streets of Los Angeles in an attempt to capture the most shocking breaking news. Armed with his video camera and sidekick, Rick, Louis turns real life car crashes and murders into exciting film clips to headline the morning stories.
Every week Film Inquiry publishes the movies that are opening in cinemas! This week the long and highly anticipated Interstellar, Disney’s Big Hero 6, The Theory of Everything, Jessabelle, The Better Angels, Open Window and, lastly, the documentary On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter.
The first time I saw Chungking Express, I didn’t realize what love was. An over-dramatic statement, but Wong Kar-Wai films are truly worth viewing. It’s about the human condition in terms of emotional separation from each other.
Every year horror film enthusiasts unite to watch their favorite scary films. New movies come out around Halloween season, endlessly trying to be more graphic and push the shock factor a little further. But what is it about these films that keep us wanting more?
David Ayer’s Fury is the story of an American tank unit led by “Wardaddy” (Brad Pitt) near the end of the European Theatre in World War II. Ayer is still best known for writing 2001’s Training Day, but after he made the surprisingly acclaimed End of Watch, he has been given the chance to direct a full-blown war film. Ayer’s hyper-masculine style is one that could be to the detriment of a war film that is trying to stay grounded in reality, but he is able to dial back his tendencies enough to keep it from being a glorification of violence.
A trio of rambunctious adolescents storm into a man’s house, steal his car, and then, just for the hell of it, beat his dog to death. Unbeknownst to them, the man they robbed is none other than John Wick, a former assassin who was so good at his job that he earned a nickname of “The Boogeyman.” Let’s just say that they pissed off the wrong guy.
Film Noir stems back to the earlier days of Hollywood, starting with the Humphrey Bogart classic The Maltese Falcon in 1941. This film, the first from cinema great John Huston, established many of the trademarks we associate with the sub-genre today. The term Film Noir literally means “black film” and refers to how dark and shadowy the films tend to be.
Tom Hardy is one of the most versatile and talented actors in film today. His resume is proof. From his first performance as Twombly in Black Hawk Down, to his most recent one as Bob in The Drop, he has delivered a dazzling array of characters on screen.