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Out in Theaters: THE COUNSELOR

“The Counselor”
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt, Dean Norris, Sam Spruell, Natalie Dormer, Goran Visnjic
Crime, Drama, Thriller
117 Mins
R

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When we think Ridley Scott, typically big, lavish spectacles pop up in our minds, which is why The Counselor comes as such an admirable surprise. Much more interested in cautionary talks than fits of physical violence, The Counselor plays mind games with its audience, toying with us intellectually and emotionally. One long con bleeds into a slow climb towards a heady climax of inescapable comeuppances, and we have front row seats to the scramble. If Scott’s former films are a series of taxing somatic workouts, The Counselor is the glistening sweat beading from his forehead once the Western dust has settled. Like a man with an agenda tucked up his sleeve, Scott wields an unblinkingly grim look at the allure of the international drug enterprise and the heartless abandon of cartel justice. As a piece of purely adult entertainment, it’s fearlessly mature and irreverent – the antithesis of studio expectation.

The narrative structure in which this ill-mannered tale of thoughtless vengeance unfolds is laid out like an eight-course table settings. A series of foreboding set-ups piece together a pilgrimage through the stages of greed, wealth, and power, all bonded by prosaic speeches. Various supporting characters all leaning against the post of lawlessness forewarn our hero, a man trying to dip his toe into the drug business, known only as the counselor (Michael Fassbender), of the potential gravity of the situation he’ll be marrying his money and his mouth to. No matter the caution tape they place, telling him to settle with hamburger while he can, the counselor’s taste can’t be satiated with anything less than Kobe beef. As it is, each rehearsed soliloquy is a trap set to spring later in play.

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Stepping into a new role as a screenwriter, author Cormac McCarthy is a maestro at establishing these simmering ideas that later erupt in bright bursts of bloodshed. Doling out a class of ironic justice, McCarthy defies civil expectations of “fair,” parsing romanticized ideas of criminal proceedings from the stark actuality of border politics. Standing on some dusty line in the sand and glancing into the sun, there is no line, no limit, no “fair” – only gory messes and dutiful cleanups.

In revealing this harsh reality, McCarthy and Scott know exactly how and when to play their cards.  As the adage goes, if you show a gun in the first act, it better go off by the time the credits roll. Throughout The Counselor, McCarthy and Scott show an arsenal of guns and give each a moment in the sun to pop off in the film’s home stretch. Though some may feel taxed by the grueling nature of Scott and McCarthy building this house of cards, the payoff is well worth the wait. 
 
Although McCarthy’s talky script flirts with being overly showy, like the teachers pet showing off, his larger-than-life dialogue works to convert this tale of untold tragedy into a thing of grit-toothed folklore, transporting it like smuggled heroin from the blood-in-the-sand shoot-em-up it might have been to a more uncharted territory. But make no mistake; this is entirely McCarthy’s intention – entirely his rodeo. His fingerprints smother the dialogue, fueling the jet black tone and unrelenting bleakness dripping from the screen. Dangling characters at the end of his puppet strings, using them as mouthpieces for his prosaic tact for conversation, McCarthy’s pithy word play is the star of the show.

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To the chagrin of those expecting a guns blazing actioner, The Counselor is only violent in rare fits, so for those going for a bloodbath – beware. When it does shift to the grisly side, it’s more of the full-stop violence of Refn’s films than anything this side of Kill Bill. This is violence as reality; violence as horror; not some glamorized Hollywood spectacle. But the elements that will really haunt you are the ones that slink into the shadows, the ones that are suggested, talked about in whispers, but never shown.

With a screenplay that exchanges high-octane thrills for moments of stressful self-reflection and one-on-one character conversations, Scott keeps the proceedings lively by punctuating them with anecdotal scenes that offer some of the lighter and more engaging moments. Between the gasps, the laughs, and the many talks, there’s not too much room for adrenaline. Much more a mentally stressful film than one that will have your blood pumping in thirsty gushes, all may be quiet on the western front, but it’s not in the minds of those living there.

For a movie that depends so much on the weight of these character chats, a rock solid cast is an absolute necessity. To the benefit of all, the top-tier cast lined up fully rises to the occasion. As the titular counselor, Fassbender continues to flex his thespian muscles, showcasing a spectrum of trade tricks that really makes his performance pop. Although still unconvinced of her true talent, at least in the English language, Penélope Cruz manages to be more than just eye candy and displays a woman who humanizes beauty and love requited. Brad Pitt continues to hit his mark in a solid streak of winning performances, although his Southern drawl may have started to wear a little thin. Cloaked in gaudy clothes and rings the size of dinner party costume jewelry, Cameron Diaz puts in the role of a lifetime. Sadly, that’s a low bar to hit and her performance fails to become the true stunner that it could have been.  

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As the gold-toothed Malkina, a sexual minx of any sinner’s fantasy, Diaz is on the precipice of something great but never trusts herself enough to take a true risk. In many ways, Malkina is a feminine ode to McCarthy’s Anton Chigurh. Though lacking the brute force of Chigurh, they share comparable devilishly savvy elements. It’s as if they are long separated siblings or lovers who will never be. Ironically, Malkina’s love interest here is played by Chigurh actor Javier Bardem, although his role here is more a thing of kooky-clothed comic relief than the stuff of day terrors. While Chigurh was driven by a distorted cosmic sense of justice, Malkina is ruled by authoritative greed. Too secure in her old image to take a blind leap of faith into the mysterious recesses of something fresh though, Diaz flirts with being great but doesn’t commit. Although I originally had her as a potential Oscar nominee, those chances are all but slashed.

As is becoming a trend for him, Scott throttles the line of brilliance but allows himself to get bogged down in the execution of it. Illustrating his potential for staggeringly intelligent storytelling, there are explosions of excellence scattered throughout The Counselor and a surgeon-steady backbone of thoughtful inspiration, it still gets a little muddled along the way. The wealth of intriguing ideas are there but I’m not convinced that they are fully realized.

Stepped in the tradition of the Old West, The Counselor leaves you wanting to know more, curious if you’d missed anything, and thirsty for another viewing. With the magic of a red pen and another few months spent on pre-production, this could have been an astonishing product, as it is, it’s Prometheus in the desert – brilliance pocked with gaping holes. With a little more polish and another couple edits, this could have been as solid gold as the cap on Cameron Diaz’s canine.

B

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Tom Hardy to Play Elton John in ROCKETMAN

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It seems that these days everyone just has to have their own biopic. Apparently, there’s not even a need to wait until they passed away anymore as Tom Hardy has just been secured to play world famous pianist and pop sensation Elton John in Rocketman. Known more for playing brutish lunks like Bronson, Bane, and Tommy from Warrior, a gay pop singer is quite a departure from the norm for Hardy. However unexpected the casting, it’s surely an interesting choice for a performer on the brink of the A-list.

To be directed by Michael Gracey, who will see his directorial debut with The Greatest Showman on Earth starring Hugh Jackman, Rocketman will track John’s life story from childhood to his ecliptic rise to stardom. With a script from Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, War Horse) the film surely stands a chance of being a full-blown cheese factory but it’s too early to pass too much judgement. Hardy’s involvement at this point is a silver lining for a project that would otherwise sound fairly dull.

Per the official press release: Much like the man himself, Rocketman is a larger-than-life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend.  Elton will re-record many of his iconic hits to parallel the emotional beats of the film that will have audiences on their feet, singing along to his much loved music.  The film is scheduled to shoot in fall 2014.

As for what Rocket Picture CEO Steve Hamilton Shaw had to say about bringing Hardy on, he added the following:

“Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance in bringing Elton’s story to life. We are excited to have such a gifted actor on board, and equally excited to be in the hands of Peter Schlessel and the entire Focus Features team. Tom is quickly becoming known as one of the world’s most versatile actors, and like others at the top of their craft, he has proven his ability to transform himself completely into the character or subject found in the material. We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton.  This, in conjunction with the creative team led by Michael and Rocket Pictures, will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event.”

 

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Clooney's MONUMENTS MEN Pushed to 2014, Leaves Oscar Race

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Another one bites the dust as George Clooney‘s much anticipated WWII drama The Monuments Men will no longer make its December 18 release date, effectively slicing it out of next year’s Oscar consideration. Following today’s official announcement that The Wolf of Wall Street will now see a Christmas day release, it seems that big 2014 Oscar contenders are crumbling like dominoes. As for the reason for the move, Clooney has cited unsatisfactory progress within the special effects department.

“We just didn’t have enough time,” Clooney told the Los Angeles Times, “If any of the effects looked cheesy, the whole movie would look cheesy. We simply don’t have enough people to work enough hours to finish it.” While the reasoning is fair, it does seem like they have quite a bit of time in the nearly two months before that release. It makes me wonder if there isn’t more to the story than is being shared at this point. On the push to 2014 affecting the film’s Oscar odds, Clooney made it clear that Oscar attention was never his goal for the film. He added, “All we’ve ever said, from the very beginning, is that we wanted to make a commercial, non-cynical piece of entertainment.”

Although Clooney seems insistent that Oscars were never the hope, the move to an early 2014 date will most certainly lower any chances for an Oscar. Whether it will remain a player next year is impossible to say now but I would put my money on a steadfast “no”.

The Monuments Men
is written, starring and directed by George Clooney. It also stars Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville and John Goodman. It hits theaters in the thick of Oscar season on December 18.

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Stephen Lang Will Return for AVATAR Sequels

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Stephen Lang, the actor who played the nefarious Colonel Quartich in Avatar, has been confirmed by James Cameron to return and reprise his character. Despite the spoiler-fact that Quartich died at the end of the Avatar, Cameron is determined to work him into the remaining films of the series and isn’t revealing much, at least not to Deadline: “I’m not going to say exactly HOW we’re bringing him back, but it’s a science fiction story, after all. His character will evolve into really unexpected places across the arc of our new three-film saga. I really look forward to working with such a gifted actor, who’s also become such a good friend.” Lang for his part has been keeping busy with film and TV roles, most recently showing up in Pioneer and The Monkey’s Paw.

 

When pressed further in a subsequent interview with Vulture interviews on the news, Cameron opened up the full bag of science fiction tricks for fans to speculate over: “Okay, here’s the deal. When you have a science-fiction series, a science-fiction franchise, you’re never dead unless your DNA is expunged from the Universe, and then there’s always time travel!” While totally inconclusive for those hunting after the sequels’ plots, fans of the hard-bitten security chief have something to look forward to in the following films. Given the billion-dollar gross that Avatar pulled in during it’s 2009 run,  these upcoming films are poised to make full use of amazing resources, both dramatic and digital, to try and capture some of the original’s magic.

This comes on the heals of Avatar star Sam Worthington’s reveal that Avatar 2, 3, and 4 begin filming simultaneously next fall. The release dates of the upcoming trilogy start with Avatar 2 in December 2016, the 3rd film following in December 2017 and the 4th coming a year after that. Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) will write the 2nd film, Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) the 3rd, and Shane Salerno will write the 4th (Armageddon). The talents brought on to the trilogy and it’s shooting schedule are reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, showcasing the high ambitions the producers have for the trilogy’s potential. As more casting decisions and spoilers are revealed – it’s a long and busy road to 2016 as far as Hollywood is concerned – this revelation concerning Lang may prove to be one of many in what will certainly be a big, big set of films.

 

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Ben Foster Channels Armstrong in First Look at Biker Biopic

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Set to play Lance Armstrong in Stephen Frears‘ upcoming biopic of Lance Armstrong, Ben Foster has jumped on the saddle as the Tour de France champion turned discredited athlete. From his sinewy limbs to the bumblebee yellow Postal Service jersey, Foster fits the bill nicely in this first look as the film just began shooting. Tracking Armstrong’s rise to seven-time world champion, his battle with cancer, and last year’s stripping of his championship titles, the film doesn’t look to flatter the once respected founder of Livestrong. Hopefully, the story won’t involve too much of dragging through the mud, as it risks making the same mistakes of The Fifth Estate – mostly, penning the story before the ink has dried.

Pulled from the pages of David Walsh‘s exposé “Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit Of Lance Armstrong,” the film, scripted by Trainspotting‘s John Hodge, follows Walsh’s eventually successful attempts to expose Armstrong for using performance enhancing drugs. Chris O’Dowd (The Sapphires) co-stars as Walsh and is joined by Guillaume Canet (The Beach) and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad).

The Untitled Lance Armstrong Biopic
is directed by Stephen Frear and stars Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Guillaume Canet, Jesse Plemons. There is no official release date yet. 

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First Poster for CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER

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With just a few weeks left before Thor: The Dark World hits theaters, Marvel Studios is starting to “ramp” up marketing for their next big tentpole feature, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Now that it’s no longer the 1940s and Cap has been transplanted to the day of skinny jeans and pea coats, his whole getup seems a little more ridiculous but, hey, it is a superhero movie after all. Following the events of The Avengers, The Winter Soldier features Chris Evans as Captain America settling in to a new era while working closely with S.H.I.E.L.D., the shadowy organization lead by Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury. Although Thor will probably get away with not addressing the continuity issues presented by the new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television show, the whole “Coulson lives” predicament is something that will surely need to be addressed in this next Marvel installment.

In this first sequel to Captain America, Sebastain Stan returns to play the main foil of the film – the titular Winter Soldier. You’ll remember that in the first installment, Stan played Buckie, Steve Roger’s best friend who presumably died falling off a train in the aftermath of a fight with Red Skull’s croonies. According to comic book lore, Buck survives the fall, is frozen in time (seems to be a trend with these 1940s guys) and is brainwashed and trained to become a supervillain.

Joining the cast, Anthony Mackie will add another super to the roster as The Falcon, a birdlike sidekick to Cap. Robert Redford also steps in as Alexander Pierce, a sleeper agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smoulders, Sam Jackson, Dominic Cooper, and Toby Jones all return. Look for the first trailer here in two days.

Captain America: The Winter Solider is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and stars Chris Evans, Frank Grillo, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Cobie Smoulders, Emily VanCamp, Dominic Cooper, and Toby Jones. It hits theaters on April 4, 2014.

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Scorsese's THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Pushed to Christmas Release

The writing was on the wall for a late stage move for The Wolf of Wall Street. Now we can rejoice that it didn’t get pushed any further than Christmas Day, leaving it as an 2014 Oscar contender. Not on track to hit the original release date of November 15, a fast approaching, now open slot, Scorsese’s latest apparently needed quite a trim, as the original cut ran over three hours and needed to lose quite a lump of those minutes for profit-seeking reasons. This month-plus push really only gives Scorsese a few more weeks to cut because it will still lead the Marrakech International Film Festival on November 29.

A push of this nature into a massively crowded release period may mean some shuffling as Paramount is also scheduled to release Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit on that same day. Although typically a loaded release date, this Christmas will sees the release of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 47 Ronin, Believe, Grudge Match, August: Osage County, and the limited releases of Labor Day and The Invisible Woman. With seven films now looking to open wide on the same day, just you wait for an official announcement that Jack Ryan won’t see the light of day until January.

The Wolf of Wall Street is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo Dicaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey,  Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin, Rob Reiner and Spike Jonze. It hits theaters November 15.

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Red Band Trailer for HOMEFRONT Gets Bloody

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Jason Statham continues his streak of playing badass Americans with British accents, in Gary Fleder’s Homeland. But, like with Arnold Schwarzenegger, we don’t really care. The spoiler-ridden trailer plays like an annotation for five different action movies in one. A little bit Taken, a little bit Walking Tall, a little bit A History of Violence, and a little bit Malone (if you want to get obscure), Homeland promises nothing new. As silly as it sounds, though, as long as it gives Statham the chance to beat people up and say cool-sounding lines, it will probably be fun as hell. Statham is on his way to full Seagallhood.

This film harbors no illusions about being anything more than a B-movie with a budget. James Franco looks to be really solid, as the meth kingpin (a scene in a yellow hazmat suit makes it impossible not to think of Breaking Bad). Also, Jason Statham looks to turn in a stunning performance as Jason Statham. The hilariously cliché plot and generic action sequences make it tricky to judge the overall quality from the trailer. Films like this tend to be a mixed bag of cult classics and garbage. If you’re in the mood for mindless action, check this out in theaters starting November 27th. If you are like me, wait for it to be on TNT in a year and watch it over a couple beers with friends, while doing Jason Statham impressions.

Homefront is directed by Gary Fleder and stars Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder, Kate Bosworth and Frank Grillo. It opens on November 27, 2013.

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New Trailer for MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

Idris Elba in Mandela.

A new trailer has been released for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the upcoming Nelson Mandela biopic by The Weinstein Company. Directed by Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) and starring Idris Elba (Luther, Prometheus, Pacific Rim) as the titular peace activist, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom explores the topics  mentioned in Mandela’s 1994 biography and premiered at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival.  The second trailer released thus far for the film focuses less on the guerilla-warfare like protests of Mandela’s movement, instead zeroing in on the stark contrast between the life Mandela had and dreamed of for his family and the brutality of the Dutch South African regime.

We go from Elba’s voiceover as Mandela, embracing his wife (Naomie Harris) and opining on wanting them to walk free in their own land, to Molotov cocktails and the armored riot-control vehicles now ubiquitous to protests within the first minute. The tone shifts darker with Mandela addressing a packed movie theater imploring them that “we are the pople of this nation but we don’t have rights. There comes a time when there remains two choices: submit or fight!” superimposed with clips of the heavily armed shooting at the assembled South African protestors and the following chaos. The people cheer “fight” and  march into the street with Mandela as the march continues with a montage of resistance and white goons coming after Mandela, intimidating his wife and chasing him into a road block, guns trained on him. Whisked away to a court room, Mandela is handed life in prison, and as his fingers disconnect from his wife’s, the new U2 song “Ordinary love” – the band’s first in three years, written for the film – plays as Mandela is brought into prison. The campaign to Free Nelson Mandela begins, and the montage continues into a happier tone, ending with Mandela walking with his wife and supporters and the line “Love comes more naturally to the human heart.”

Rife with topical imagery yet firmly anchored in the subject matter, this new trailer seems more restrained in it’s contemporary call-outs than the first trailer and drives home for fully the gravity of the oppression that Mandela fought against, which given the subject matter seems only fitting. Set for limited release in the US on November 29th after doing a run of film-festival screenings including Chicago International Film Festival and Austin Film Festival, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom has as high aspirations for it’s reception as it’s subject matter warrants. Only time will tell if it will stand up to it’s equally weighty competition come Oscar season.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is directed by Justin Chadwick and stars Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Jamie Bartlett, Lindiwe Matshhikiza, Terry Pheto and Deon Lotz. It hits theaters on November 29, 2013.

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Bruce Campbell Confirms He'll Reprise Ash in ARMY OF DARKNESS 2

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Good news, fans of the Evil Dead series, especially the 2013 remake of the original Evil Dead: Bruce Campbell has confirmed he will return as Ash in the upcoming sequel to Army of Darkness. The director of the original series Sam Raimi has had a slower schedule since directing Oz the Great and Powerful and producing the Evil Dead remake, reportedly due to writing the sequel to the Army of Darkness, the 1992 spin off of the Evil Dead series. Potentially drawing on the teaser at the end of the credits of 2013’s Evil Dead, this may hint at a melding of the two timelines for a crossover film coming later.  

55-year-old Campbell has played Ash Williams, the original hero of the Evil Dead series voted the “24th Greatest Movie Character of All Time” by Empire Magazine, in 4 films not including the upcoming Army of Darkness sequel. Speaking at Wizard World Nashville Comic Con, Campbell spoke on the role the possibilities of him reprising it given the time that has passed: “The last one was twenty-two years ago. I just haven’t been racing to do it. Sam Raimi is just a little bit busy making the biggest movies in Hollywood. I used to be busy. Now I’m not. That’s why I’m here. Ash would have to stop occasionally from chasing some deadite to catch his breath. Maybe we could do that, I guess. That would be exciting. Fight in a walker. That would be all right. Hit them with my cane. Fake them out, have a fake heart attack, distract a zombie. I like it…[Seriously] All right, sir, the answer is yes.”

Amusingly enough, this story has yet to be  confirmed by Campbell himself.  Rumors for the sequel have circulated since March, and the teaser at the end of the Evil Dead  remake has primed the pump for a triumphant return to the role, no matter how long the role might end up being. No release date has been given for the sequel – it’s in 2016 – and no word has been given as to who else will be cast or whether Raimi or Fede Alvarez, the most recent Evil Dead’s director, will helm the Army of Darkness remake.  However, as the Rumor wheel spins up and Raimi finishes writing the script, more information about Campbell’s involvement, other casting, and the overall production will come to the service. In either case, it’ll be a long three years.

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