Damien Chazelle, who directed Whiplash, La La Land, now brings us another side of Hollywood, Babylon.
It’s an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, including an ensemble cast: Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart.
A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Co-directed by Aaron and Adam Nee, The Lost City follows a reclusive romance novelist, played by Sandra Bullock. She’s on a book tour with her cover model, played by Channing Tatum.
They both get swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure.
Daniel Radcliffe plays the villain and Brad Pitt comes to save the day. The rest of the cast includes Patti Harrison, Oscar Nunez and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Co-written and directed by James Gray, Ad Astra follows Astronaut Roy McBride, played by Brad Pitt, who travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father, Tommy Lee Jones.
His and the space program’s reasons are more than finding his missing father. He is sent to unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.
The trailer, with tearing music, sets up a thriller, magical story about coming to terms with our concepts of the mysteries of the universe.
The movie is streaming and is available on Blu-ray and DVD.
Gray’s directing credits are impressive in genres like The Immigrant, The Lost City of Z, and Two Lovers. Ethan Gross co-wrote the screenplay with Gray, and it appears they have worked together on most of Gray’s movies, receiving “special thanks” for some. Gross also writes for the episodic Fringe.
The cast includes Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland.
The second trailer shows a decadent society, and whether the location is on Earth or another planet appears unclear. I am sensing a thriller and mystery of a secret society is at play.
As a symbolic gesture, the studio released the featurette on the 50th anniversary of man landing on the moon. The featurette shows more clips and gives us insight into the movie.
The IMAX trailer says very little about the movie in general. The prior trailers tell more about the movie – espionage or government secrets. Having phenomenal visuals is cool, but the film will be worth watching if the ending is impressive and not wasted time.
The sneak peek shows how fantastic the movie will be with all the CGI and good guys against the bad guys, including a moon rover chase.
The following movie clip shows a grave, solemn side to the story. I am guessing this clip is where the movie heads toward the third act, where more action will occur.
The following clip, “Lima Project,” is astoundingly intense. Pitt knows how to show the intensity and use the camera to communicate the undertones of discovering that his father is still alive.
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood goes back to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age in 1969, Los Angeles. A time when everything changed, as TV star Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt stroll their way around a magical business, they barely identify with anymore.
The below press junket is a marvel of information about movie making and how Tarantino makes his movies. The tone in itself expresses the joy of making a movie. It’s great to see Pitt so animated and happy. One of the best interviews on filmmaking I have seen in a long time.
Tarantino’s ninth movie with a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age. With David Heyman, Harry Potter franchise, producing along with Tarantino and Shannon McIntosh, the movie is in good hands.
The rest of the ensemble cast includes Dakota Fanning, Tim Roth, Emile Hirsch, Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, and the late Luke Perry.
The first trailer is a mishmash of clips from the movie, but the focus is on DiCaprio and Pitt. Margot Robbie also stars, but we barely see her in the trailer but the full view in the above poster wearing go-go boots. Go-go boots arrived on the streets in the mid-60s, white with the low heel.
The next movie trailer tells us this is Tarantino’s ninth movie and a longer cast list, which includes Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell, plus the late Luke Perry. The music is ironic and appropriate for the scenes and situations. The story is more transparent now with Pitt’s character hooking up with a young woman, and DiCaprio deems himself a has been.
The other interview is a rarity. Pitt and DiCaprio have a joint interview. They talk together about Tarantino’s directing style, and how he helped them prepare for their roles.
Here are a couple of interviews with the director, Tarantino, who describes what he is achieving when he is directing a movie. Robbie sits with him and gives her impression of the screening of the film.
The other interview is a rarity. Pitt and DiCaprio have a joint meeting with the press. They talk together about Tarantino’s directing style, and how he helped them prepare for their roles.
The studio released another poster with a retro look of the 1960s. Each movie poster appears to be a retro look, but this one is more retro than the others. The poster shows all the characters in the movie. Who is the girl with the teddy bear? The daughter of one either DiCaprio’s or Pitt’s character?
You call this “a great scene acted by legends,” and Kurt Russell nails it.
The three featurettes are astounding and offer an insight into the making of this classic movie — one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.