Tag Archives: Jonathan Pryce

“All the Old Knives” Movie Details, Trailer and Poster

Directed by Janus Metz with a screenplay by Olen Steinhauer, adapted from his bestselling novel of the same name, All the Old Knives starts on a bleak winter morning in Vienna. CIA Chief of Station Victor Wallinger, played by Laurence Fishburne, visits veteran case officer Henry Pelham, played by Chris Pine, and delivers volatile news.

Ilyas Shushani, played by Orli Shuka, the Chechen extremist who masterminded a deadly hijacking that killed more than 100 airline passengers and crew in Austria eight years ago, has been captured by the agency. During interrogation, Shushani revealed that a mole in the Vienna station provided vital intelligence to the hijackers, resulting in the catastrophic loss of life. With this new information, Henry is assigned to reopen the case of Flight 127 and identify the traitorous double agent.  

But the mission means revisiting painful memories and laying traps for old friends. Even for a spy as adept at compartmentalizing his emotions as Henry is, that’s no easy task. His first stop is a pub in London, where he surprises his former superior, Bill Compton, played by Jonathan Pryce, who was second in command in Vienna during the hijacking. Long since retired from the agency, Bill considers the incident ancient history. Still, Henry points out several disturbing inconsistencies in Bill’s story, suggesting he knows far more than he’s letting on.   

With troubling investigation details piling up, Henry travels to Northern California to question another retired Vienna station colleague, Celia Harrison, played by Thandiwe Newton. Henry and Celia were once passionate lovers, more than just ex-coworkers, but their relationship fell apart after the hijacking disaster.

When they meet for a meal together at a stylish cliffside restaurant in Carmel, romantic sparks reignite as the two seasoned spies reminisce about their bittersweet past. But as night falls and the dinner conversation gradually becomes an interrogation, their intimate rendezvous becomes a sly cat-and-mouse game played by two experts, where the stakes are life and death.

As his second feature film, Danish filmmaker Metz found the script most intriguing because of its powerful emotional depth and the complex ethical questions it raises. “I fell in love with the script from the moment I read it,” says Metz. “It was a very compelling story about two CIA agents meeting for dinner, one tasked with interrogating the other. Essentially, it’s a love story interwoven with a spy thriller. There’s a whodunit plot that drives the film, but Henry and Celia’s tragic relationship anchors everything.” 

Metz believes the film is about people forced to make difficult choices to preserve what they care about, regardless of the consequences. “It’s a story about trying to do the right thing at the right moment,” he says. “But the dilemma for Henry and Celia is that they are in a situation where that becomes next to impossible.”  

inspired by true events we learn the makings of faith

Inspired by True Events “The Two Popes” Trailer and Clips

Discussing the possibility of leaving the role of pope, we wonder who is actually the pope.

Directed by Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes is an intimate story of one of the most dramatic shifts of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio, played by Jonathan Pryce, requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict, played by Anthony Hopkins. 

Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and the future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts to find common ground and forge a future inspired by actual events for a billion followers around the world. 

The three clips with Hopkins and Pryce are no comparison. It’s incredible to watch these two work together and evidence as to why Pryce received a Golden Globe nomination.

Other Films by Fernando Meirelles:

The Constant Gardener

Blindness

City of God

Maids

“The Wife” Posters, Movie Clip, and Trailer

Directed by Björn Runge and based on the bestseller by Meg WolitzerThe Wife stars Glen Close as the movie follows her contemplations as a wife – Joan Castleman. Joan questions her choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, played by Jonathan Pryce, where he is slated to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Runge is from Sweden and is known for  Harry & Sonja when he received two Guldbagge awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay in 2003. He also received the Berlin Film Festival  Silver Bear and Der Blaue Engel Prize.

The movie trailer suggests her husband is not supportive of Joan as she has been supportive of him.  The final line in the trailer, “I am a king builder,” finalizes the overall premise of the story, which seems visceral, contemplative, and contemporary.

In this scene, undercurrents are rampant.  It makes me think how naive and blind some men can be.  Great scene!

This is a long clip, almost two minutes. It shows so much between all the characters and the story about the wife. Ironically, this scene feels endearing.

Christian Slater seems to play another writer or journalist who brings out Joan’s contemplations concerning her choices and her husband’s belittling and infidelity.

The movie clip below shows a wife who plays a big part in her husband winning the Nobel Prize.

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” Trailer, Poster, Movie Clips & Featurette

Directed by Bharat Nalluri, The Man Who Invented Christmas follows the magical journey of Charles Dickens, played by Dan Stevens, which led to the development of one of the most classic characters in literature – Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Christopher Plummer. The classic story includes other well-known characters such as Tiny Tim.

Watching this trailer and being a writer, I find myself caught up in the irony of Dickens creating one of the most celebrated stories ever.

The movie is based on the book by Les Standiford, who is also a historian and has written several books on poignant times in history.  Nalluri also directed Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day, which did quite well at the box office.

The Man Who Invented Christmas entertains the story of how Charles Dickens mixed real-life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.

I am delighted to see Outlander alumni, Scottish actor Bill Paterson, who plays Ned Gowan, Simon Callow, who played Duke of Sandringham, and Annette Badland, who played Mrs. Fritz.

I watched the movie with my daughter, and we completely enjoyed the movie. It’s a wonderful movie to watch during the holiday season because Dickens’ message come through loud and clear. Christmas is a time to be with friends and family while helping those who are less fortunate.  The movie is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming. My daughter and I watched it on Prime.

The trailers and clips did not do the movie justice. It is truly entertaining while learning about the life of Dickens.

I saw a great little clip where Dickens struggles to concentrate in a household of children. It such a fun movie to watch during the holidays.

This looks like a fun movie to see during the holiday season.

It is wonderful to see the process of such a great writer.

Great Featurette, the movie gets under Dickens’ skin.