Eli Roth directs Borderlands, from the top-selling video game franchise. The story begins with Lilith, played by Cate Blanchett. She is an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past. Lilith reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas, played by Edgar Ramírez. He’s the universe’s most powerful S.O.B.
Cate Blanchett as Lilith in Borderlands. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate
Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits, starting with Roland, played by Kevin Hart. He’s a seasoned mercenary on a mission. Next is Tiny Tina, played by Ariana Greenblatt, a feral pre-teen demolitionist. Tina’s musclebound protector, Krieg, played by Florian Munteanu, is next. Tannis, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, is the oddball scientist who’s seen it all. And Claptrap, played by Jack Black, is the wiseass robot.
Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora’s most explosive secrets. The universe’s fate could be in their hands. Yet, they’ll fight for something more, each other.
Eli Roth has written and directed many films. Some of his movies include:
Written and directed by award-winner Todd Field, Tár is a psychological drama starring Cate Blanchett as a fictional and celebrated conductor and composer.
The movie introduces Tár at the height of her career, as she’s preparing both a book launch and a much-anticipated live performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Over the ensuing weeks, her life unravels in a singularly modern way. The result is a searing examination of power and its impact and durability in today’s society.
Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár in director Todd Field’s TÁR, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features
Set in Berlin, Lydia Tár struggles emotionally with life as she prepares for her symphony recording. Her adopted daughter Petra, played by Mila Bogojevic, gives her emotional support as Lydia comes to terms with being a formidable international classical musician.
Todd Field only had Blanchett in mind for this role. “This script was written for one artist, Cate Blanchett. Had she said no, the film would have never seen the light of day. Filmgoers, amateur and otherwise, will not be surprised by this. After all, she is a master supreme.
“Even so, while we were making the picture, the superhuman skill and verisimilitude of Cate was something truly astounding to behold. She raised all boats. The privilege of collaborating with an artist of this caliber is something impossible to adequately describe. In every possible way, this is Cate’s film.”
Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár in director Todd Field’s TÁR, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features
“Cate and I started our work together in September 2020,” says Field. “She made two other films while she prepared for TÁR. She’d wrap during the day and call me at night, then put in several more hours of work. She learned to speak German, play the piano —yes that’s Cate playing, every note—and performed the most exhaustive amount of research. She’s a real autodidact, and she accomplished more in a year—again while making two other films—than Lydia Tár herself would have in 25. During production, she didn’t sleep.
“After a day of shooting, she’d go straight to a piano, German, American-dialect, or baton technique/beat pattern lesson. She spent her “day off” on a racetrack mapped out to the precise dimensions as the roundabout at Alexanderplatz to rehearse a scene with Nina Hoss while swerving and braking at 60 miles per hour between eight cars driven by stunt people. There was absolutely nothing we could throw at her that she wouldn’t run with. She set the bar for everyone, and we had to do everything we possibly could just to try to keep up with her.”
Blanchett relished the intellectual charge of Field’s script but connected with the story, first, on an instinctual, human level. “I could see there were many, many layers to peel back as I, along with the audience, discovered who this fascinating enigma Lydia Tár was. Todd has created an utterly unique creature.” Blanchett was also fascinated by the script’s rhythmic musical qualities and Todd’s unique approach to depicting the character.
“I am very language focused, and when I read the script, there were many reference points I simply was not familiar with. I knew I needed to understand them inside and out so that the audience would trust that the character knew exactly what she was talking about at all times. Strangely, the audience does not need to know these references at all, they just need to know that Lydia is a genius.”
“I was riveted by this portrait of a woman unravelling, but I also responded to the script on a rhythmic level through the music. Music is often a key for me as an actor for unlocking a character or the atmosphere to finding a connection to the story. Todd’s film was turbocharged for me in this regard.”
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Nightmare Alley exposes the truth about carnie and psychiatrists, the charlatans that they are with a kaleidoscope of a tale.
“I was very interested in a story about destiny and humanity. Stanton Carlisle is a man who is given all the elements to change his life. He has people who believe in him, who love him and trust him. Yet his drive and his own hubris are so strong that they turn him away from that.” —Guillermo del Toro
Charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena, played by Toni Collette and her has-been mentalist husband Pete, played by David Strathairn. Stanton joins a traveling carnival, where he crafts a golden ticket to success, using this newly gained knowledge to grift the wealthy elite of 1940s New York Society.
With the virtuous Molly, played by Rooney Mara, loyally by his side, Stanton plots to con a dangerous tycoon, played by Richard Jenkins, with the aid of a mysterious psychiatrist, played by Cate Blanchett, who might be his most formidable opponent yet.
Based on the 1947 novel with the same title by William Lindsay Gresham, the monsters in this movie are people who trick others into horrific circumstances. Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Willem Dafoe star in this noir.
The story follows Cooper’s character Stanton Carlisle, a nobody, working in a small-time carnival that is not as innocent as America thinks with touches of del Toro.
“In a way, Molly is the conscience of Nightmare Alley. She tries very hard to keep Stan on the right track,” says Dale. “Guillermo has always been a believer in what an actor can convey with their eyes, and Rooney has that ability. She brings to Molly an innocence but also an increasing strength as she grows. She comes to stand in moral contrast to Stanton as loyal, spiritual, and humane.”
Though she has the thick skin and resilience of a young woman raised in the carnival world, Molly wins Stanton’s attention early on with her warmth and hopefulness. She believes he has greatness in him, enough to take a chance on him and leave behind the community she loves.
“Rooney has the most amazing tracking instinct for her character. She knew exactly where the character was, so she’s always real,” commented del Toro.
“We also went after every detail — wanted Molly to be symbolized by a deer, so she wears a little deer pendant throughout,” added del Toro. “We then have a deer in the room of the hotel, on the headboard of the bed. We referenced everything back to her.”
Stanton partners with psychiatrist Dr. Lilith Ritter, played by Blanchett, after Ritter discovers his underhanded schemes to target millionaires.
Blanchett notes that the fascination between Dr. Ritter and Stanton is not only sexual, but the chemical attraction is palpable. There is also a sense of recognition. “She’s a lone wolf, and that’s where she and Stan connect. They are both running from the past, and they can see a similarity between them.”
She continues, “Lilith is also someone who’s interested in both the practical and mystical sides of psychoanalysis, so that’s part of why Stanton intrigues her. She’s trying to work out what makes him tick, as she’s a bit of a shaman herself. Their entire relationship takes place in her office, so we thought about that set as being not just a physical space but a psychological space.”
Passion and vengeance are among the unpredictable emotions that arise in that space. “In a way, Lilith’s office is where Stan is finally vulnerable. There are a lot of destructive urges in Stan that have a parallel in Lilith. It’s a manipulative, deceitful dance between them… and these things rarely end well.”
The carnival’s manager, Clem, played by Willem Dafoe, is an old-school carny with an intimidating gruffness but willingness to give anyone their one chance. “I love this world. It’s so theatrical, full of color and drama, and perfect material for a film,” Dafoe says.
Clem is simultaneously hard-nosed and unwaveringly loyal to his own. “He has a bit of a conman in him, too, and he wants to make a dollar. But there’s a sweet side to Clem as well, where he feels responsible for his carnival family,” Dafoe says.
When Clem first meets Stanton, he identifies with him as someone who seems lost yet full of potential. “I think he sees that Stanton is a little off, he’s a little on the make, but Clem also recognizes himself in Stanton,” notes Dafoe. “A guy like Clem has been around. He’s probably done time, he’s had to scrape to get by, and he knows what that’s like, so he’s willing to help Stanton.”
Clem gives Stanton refuge, but he also demonstrates the depths of his own darkness in his harsh treatment of the carnival’s geek. “It’s pretty rough stuff, the way he creates the carnival geek,” says Dafoe.
I decided to place the second poster above the first poster because it illustrates the movie better.
Co-written and directed by Richard Linklater, Where’d You Go, Bernadette? focuses on 15-year-old Bee, played by Emma Nelson, after her stressed-out mother, played by Cate Blanchett, disappears. Bee does everything in her power to track her down, discovering her mother’s troubled past in the process.
The movie is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming sites. It’s a fun movie to watch about family, being a mother, and coming to terms with destiny.
Holly Gent and Vince Palmo co-wrote the screenplay based on the book of the same name by Maria Semple. Linklater’s credits include writing and producing. His last well-known movie is Boyhood.
Blanchett is a stick of dynamite, an award-winning actress, and Bernadette is another explosive role for her to play. A talented cast surrounds her, including Judy Greer, Kristen Wiig, Laurence Fishbourne, and Billy Crudup.
The second trailer draws you in and includes how much fun the movie is to watch. Blanchett is coming from so many levels as Bernadette. It is delightful to watch. Mothers who put their careers aside for marriage and family will find companionship.
I am adding Blanchett’s soundbites concerning the movie because any mother and daughter can relate to this movie.
Watching the featurette compels me to read the book. I agree with the director. Bernadette is not crazy; the world is crazy.
Based on the books by Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is written and directed by Dean DeBlois. The story follows that began as an unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon. Some may call this franchise an epic trilogy. The studio released Kit Harington’s audition tape. Scroll down and take a look at what he went through to get the role.
The third installment arrives when Hiccup and Toothless will finally discover their true destinies. The village chief as ruler of Berk alongside Astrid, and the dragon as leader of his own kind. As both ascend, the darkest threat they’ve yet faced—as well as the appearance of a female Night Fury. They will come to learn more about their relationship.
Months went by without any movie clips or trailers. Now, there is a trailer to share. I hope the wait is worth it. The trailer plays a song and it is obviously a love story happens.
The movie trailer looks like the movie is going to be a lot of fun for kids of all ages.
The behind-the-scenes clip shows the audition process Kit Harington went through to get the coveted role of Eret. All kidding aside, the featurette is cute and funny. Harington is not bad looking either.
The featurette is more of a promotional or sizzle reel than anything, but it tells us more about the movie. It is obvious kids are going to love it.
Toothless courtship with Light Fury is cute and endearing. The kids are going to love this movie. Producer Brad Lewis explains the character’s relationships in the movie so well that I decided to post it for you to see.
I added the Jay Baruchel interview because he offers insight into what is happening with Hiccup and Toothless.
The bonus features comes with an alternative beginning, deleted scenes, behind the scenes viewing of actors recording their voices, and a Facebook app for Toothless and Little Fury.
The bonus features include two shorts. Bilby takes place in Australia where Bilby takes care of a little bird. Bird Karma is about a long-legged bird who just can’t have enough of anything.
Directed by Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a magical adventure. The movie follows a spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis, played by Owen Vaccaro.
Eli Roth credits pretty much rest on quite a few television series and some so-so horror movies.
You’ll recognize Vaccaro as the funny and spunky kid in Daddy’s Home movies.
Based on the children’s book written by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey, Lewis goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.
The second poster shows all the characters with the imagery spellbinding.
The movie also stars Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Kyle MacLachlan, Colleen Camp, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vanessa Anne Williams, and Sunny Suljic.
The two movie clips so how the Lewis relates to the house and his uncle as well as his uncle’s neighbor. I have more clips available but two are block and one you can follow by clicking on the trailer at the each of either clip.
The second trailer is currently blocked worldwide, but hopefully, that is only temporary. The movie trailer is quite good and explains the whole story, which is helpful if you haven’t read the book.
