Category Archives: action

From Obsession to Ultimate Willpower “Tiger” Trailer

Directed by Alister Grierson, Tiger comes to us from the true story of Pardeep Nagra, played by Prem Singh, a practicing Sikh man banned from the sport of boxing due to his religious beliefs.

Tiger follows Pardeep’s journey as he, with the support of his coach and mentor, played by Mickey Rourke, does what any strong American would do, fight back.

The backlash is a result of racial profiling, stereotypical threats, and the daily pressure to change, even from his loved ones who got caught amid the crossfire.

Consequently, his two biggest battles will remain forever connected to his legacy—one in the courtroom and the other in the ring.

Some Fight For The Glory, Others Fight For Their Rights.

“Miss Bala” Trailer, Movie Clips, & Interviews

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on a Spanish-language film, Miss Bala follows Gloria, played by Gina Rodriguez, who finds a power she never was aware of before. Her power draws her into a dangerous world of cross-border crime, which is a nebulous term. With that, it makes for an excellent drama as Gloria tries to survive through her cunning, strength, and inventiveness.

Hardwicke cut her directing teeth with the sleeper hit Lords of Dogtown, a movie about skateboarding. Twilight and Red Riding Hood were directed by her as well. Screenwriter Dunnet-Alocer scripted and directed short films before Miss Bala.

Rodriguez starred in Deepwater Horizon and Annihilation, two completely different movies. It good to see her taking on a variety of roles, which includes episodic television including Jane the Virgin and Big Mouth.

The movie also stars Ismael Cruz Córdova and Anthony Mackie. Of late, Mackie walked several red carpet premieres for such movies like The Hate U Give.

These movie clips are intense. I hope the story keeps the viewers’ interest because intensity is not everything in a movie. We need to care about the characters who are in danger and understand why they need to be in a dangerous situation. Not just place the protagonist in harm’s way because the screenwriter and director believe that is a good story. The movie clips are not showing how the story is important to us. It is showing over-the-top acting that doesn’t bring any undercurrents that are visceral. I am thinking Silence of the Lambs or even The Lion King as adequate examples of the protagonist having the purpose to be in harm’s way. One is a mental game and the other is physical death.

The red carpet interview at the movie premiere in LA with director Catherine Hardwicke shows how much energy she gives as she describes each character and actor.

The interviews on the red carpet of Miss Bala premiere are upbeat and fun to watch. Gina Rodriguez is quite a talent and is in quite a bit of movies of late.

Disney’s “Aladdin” Poster and Trailers

Directed by Guy Ritchie, Aladdin is the live-action retelling of the 1992 Disney classic movie. Will Smith plays the Genie this time and Billy Magnussen plays Prince Anders.  The teaser trailer is just that a teaser not telling us anything we don’t already know. It’s a remake.

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming of the movie are coming our way.  Now, you can watch the movie again or if you haven’t seen it, you get your chance to watch it as many times as you like at home. 

The second trailer proves to be a whole new world for Aladdin. Following the animated version of yesteryear, we see something spectacular and full of wonder.

“Air Strike” Trailer and Poster

Produced and directed by Xiao Feng, Air Strike follows a U.S. Army colonel, played by Bruce Willis. The studios call this movie a pulse-pounding epic about the courage of China’s citizens during WWII.

The colonel trains Chinese pilots for Japanese battle fighters, and a hotheaded pilot, played by Ye Liu, begs to fly a mighty bomber that could stop the attacks. I bet he flies the craft.

In another storyline, a team of spies and refugees must carry an advanced decoder device through the war-torn countryside.

Air Strike is Feng’s second movie. His first is Hushed Roar.

Also starring are Adrien Brody and Willis’ daughter Rumer.

The screenplay is by Ping Chen, whose other credits include episodic television. 

https://youtu.be/FqnAlNGMvmY
The video will only play on YouTube, where you can see the movie.

“Captain Marvel” Trailers, Poster, Cast Interviews, Featurettes & Movie Clips

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson, as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in a galactic war between two alien races.

The movie is now available as Blu-ray/DVD or streaming with some excellent bonus features. 

Brie Larson is from my hometown and an Oscar winner for the movie Room, which I highly recommend. She works hard at her craft and believes in the roles she plays. 

Captain Marvel is not the first film Boden and Fleck collaborated on. Half-Nelson, starring Ryan Gosling, is their first movie. It is about a drug addict teacher whom a student discovers. Boden and Fleck collaborated on other short films. All are garnering their nominations and awards, including Half-Nelson. Please scroll down and watch their interview about directing the latest Marvel movie. 

Taking on a blockbuster movie production such as Captain Marvel is a bold but exciting move for these two crackerjacks. Boden wrote the screenplay with the help of over half a dozen other writers.

The second trailer is much better and tells the story of Larson’s character, which I like and find refreshing. The first trailer is farther down and just as fun to watch. 

Also cast in the movie is an impressive talent such as Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, and Annette Bening.

Larson worked out for nine months before shooting the film. She immersed herself in the role, which included super jets.

The three movie clips give us a feel for how the movie flows. I can’t tell if Jude Law’s character is a good or bad guy yet. Only time will tell, but I hope he’s a good guy.

It’s leaning toward Law’s character being a good guy because it looks like they are having fun. A playful fight scene like this doesn’t move the plot along. I hope the plot is exciting and not a typical superhero story.

Jude Law talks about what it means to be in a Marvel movie and how it influences the box office. He refers to all the Marvel movies interloping in each other’s movies. He dressed down for the red carpet premiere, and I like it. He seems to understand the superhero movie-making process.

In the following movie clip, we don’t get a good look at the bad guy. From what I see, he seems innocuous without the mean kicks.

From 15 interviews available on my YouTube Channel, I picked these two interviews for here. One is with the directors, and the other with Brie Larson. I chose these two interviews because the directors explain how they approached the topic to make an authentic movie. In Larson’s interview, she talks about how hard she physically trained for this role.

The featurette about the cast is pretty simple and doesn’t indicate anything new about Marvel. The camaraderie is evident and a pleasure to see during the quick cuts to the different actors. It looks like an excellent movie for popcorn entertainment.

This is an excellent interview with Samuel L. Jackson about working with Larson and Gregg again. He talks about how this Marvel movie is different than the rest. His character, Nick, is younger in this Marvel movie because it takes place in the 1990s.

The world premiere of Captain Marvel included an Air Force fly to acknowledge Carol’s Air Force background in the movie. Two interviews with Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson at the world premiere recognize the Air Force and the young men who protect our country.

I like Jackson more and more. This guy rocks. He is so comfortable in front of the camera, unforgettable.

I am including Pinar Toprak’s soundbites regarding her music composing. She discusses her journey from presenting a demo to creating the theme song. Anyone who loves movies will appreciate this interview.

“A Private War” Trailer, Movie Clips & Poster

Directed by Matthew Heineman, A Private War is a true story based on Marie Colvin, played by Rosamund Pike, life as a war correspondent. Some consider her one of the best war journalists of our time.

I watched the movie on DVD and amazed at how much Pike looked and sounded like Colvin. We hear Colvin talk at the beginning and see her at the end of the movie. The comparison is easy.

It is not a positive story, but about a foreign news correspondent who truthfully reported the atrocities of war in the middle east. Her life was not a healthy life or a happy life, but she lived how she wanted to live, dangerously, reporting about the victims of war.

I encourage you to see the movie or, at least, look at the trailer and movie clips within this article. I hope you come to understand this woman’s crazy plight.

The movie follows Colvin as Pike plays her as an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the front lines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless, while constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado.

After being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka, she wears a distinctive eye patch and is still as comfortable sipping martinis with London’s elite as she is confronting dictators. Colvin sacrifices loving relationships, and over time, her personal life starts to unravel as the trauma she’s witnessed takes its toll. Yet, her mission to show the true cost of war leads her — along with renowned war photographer Paul Conroy, played by Jamie Dornan of Fifty Shades movies.

They embark on the most dangerous assignment of their lives in the besieged Syrian city of Homs.

Heineman is a celebrated Oscar-nominated and Emmy winning documentary filmmaker and A Private War is his feature debut.

The movie clip “I Gotta Go Back” is intense.

The movie clips show different points in Colvin’s life and the toll it took from her well-being.

“It has been a deeply personal journey sharing the extraordinary story of Marie Colvin in A Private War,” stated filmmaker Matthew Heineman. “We are so thrilled to be able to finish the film in time to premiere at TIFF and honored to share with the audiences there.”

Watch the trailer, and easily you will see the documentary style of Heineman. It should be noted that Heineman and actress Charlize Theron are among the producers of this movie.

“Five Fingers of Marseilles” Trailer and Poster

Written by Sean Drummond and directed by Michael Matthews, Five Fingers of Marseilles is a western taking place in South Africa. The studios call it a pistol-packing and thrilling tale. Similar to such classics as Once Upon a Time in the West and counterparts like The Proposition and No Country for Old Men.

Set against the backdrop of post-Apartheid South Africa, the movie takes place in a small town run by shady local officials. The movie stars Vuyo Dabula, Hamilton Dhlamini, Zethu Dlomo, Kenneth Nkosi, Mduduzi Mabaso, Aubrey Poolo, Lizwi Vilakazi, Warren Masemola, Dean Fourie, Anthony Oseyemi, Brendon Daniels, and Jerry Mofokeng.

The story is about the residents of the colonial town of Marseilles. They are under the thumb of police oppression and only the young rebels known as the Five Fingers are willing to stand up to them.

Their battle is just until Tau kills two policemen and flees the scene. The remaining rebels disband while the banished Tau resorts to a life of crime. Twenty years later, Tau is released from prison and is a feared outlaw by the name of The Lion of Marseilles.

He returns home, desiring only peace and to reconnect with those he left behind. The battle for South Africa’s freedom has been won, and former comrades-in-arms are in prominent positions as mayor, police chief, and pastor.

But it quickly becomes clear to Tau that Marseilles is caught in the grip of a vicious new threat — and he must reconstitute the Five Fingers to fight frontier justice. Standing against former allies and new enemies, the re-formed Five Fingers saddle up and ride out, and put their lives at risk to save their beloved Marseilles.

The movie trailer is well done and shows what to expect from the movie. Obviously, it is in English subtitles, but once the western action starts shooting the subtitles will be ignored.

 

“Reprisal” Trailer and Poster

Directed by Brian A. Miller, Reprisal follows Jacob, played by Frank Grillo, a bank manager haunted by a violent heist that took the life of a coworker.  He teams up with his ex-cop neighbor, James, played by Bruce Willis. Their plan is to bring down bring down the assailant of his co-worker.

While the two men work together to figure out the thief’s next move, Gabriel, played by Johnathon Schaech, the highly-trained criminal, is one step ahead. The tables turn when Gabriel kidnaps Jacob’s wife, played by Olivia Culpo and his daughter, played by Natalia Sophie Butler.

Jacob barrels down a path of bloodshed that initiates an explosive counterattack and brings all three men to the breaking point.

The screenplay is by Bryce Hammons and this is his first movie credit as screenwriter. Miller has directed Willis before in similar low-budget movies – Vice and The Prince.

https://youtu.be/5q7C6DyG3cQ

“Hunter Killer” Trailer, Movie Clip, and Posters

Directed by Donovan Marsh, Hunter Killer is a movie that has the potential to be great. Though, Marsh directorial credits are limited to such movies as Spud and Spud 2. The Spud movies are a far cry from an action thriller as any director can get.

Hunter Killer is based on a story that comes from a novel of the same name written by Don Keith and George Wallace. The screenplay is by Jamie Moss and Arnie Schmidt.

The “Joe Glass” movie clip shows how the movie is filmed to create intensity. Here we have Common and Gary Oldman going at it to move the story along.

https://youtu.be/03NxmU0CJ0Q

The movie is a contemporary story about an unproven American submarine captain, played by Gerard Butler. The captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a corrupted general.

The final poster reminds of the original poster for the movie The Hunt for Red October starring Sean Connery and Alex Baldwin. It’s a great movie and highly, highly recommend you see it.

Gary Oldman is in Hunter Killer, but the studio is hush-hush about his role in the movie. The other cast members are Caroline Goodall, John Taylor Smith, and Common.

The second trailer tells us more about the story and each role the actor plays.  Comparing it to the first trailer, it looks like there is a lot more going on than I thought.

You need to watch the trailer because your juices will get pumped.

“Alita: Battle Angel” Trailers, Featurettes, Movie Clips, Interviews, Music

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel vision from not only Rodriguez but from filmmaker James Cameron. The movie is an epic tale about adventure, hope, and empowerment.

The movie clip is so cool to watch,  yet you can see the CGI happening when and where. Still, Alita is dynamite.

Alita, played by Rosa Salazar, awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize. Ido, played by Christoph Waltz, takes care of her as a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman. A young woman with an extraordinary past.

As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo, played by Keean Johnson, offers instead to help trigger her memories.

She soon discovers a clue to her past when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after her. She finds out about her unique fighting abilities, and those in power will stop at nothing to control her abilities. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family, and the world she’s grown to love.

The next trailer shows more of the story and what happens in the movie.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel vision from not only Rodriguez but from filmmaker James Cameron.

The latest trailer shows more of the story and how she regains her superpowers.

The latest poster of Alita Rose is so cool and Gothic looking. 

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming are available for those who missed it in the theater or want to see it again.  The 4K format includes 3D. 

The featurette praises Rosa Salazar’s work on camera, and they talk about the source for the movie.

The next movie clip shows Alita practicing her martial arts moves in front of a mirror. It appears she is starting to recall her past. She is realizing that she is one strong force to be reckoned.

I like the underworld, Borg-guy’s line “Dance little flea!”

The movie clip is very cool to watch and the CGI is amazing.

The featurette shares all the secrets of how they filmed the animated version of Alita. We hear from all the techies, including James Cameron, who envisioned her and the technology while making Avatar.

The 30 second commercial aired before the Superbowl kick-off. That cost the studio so pretty dollars. The TV spot shows a lot for such a short amount of time – the cast is stellar.

James Cameron articulates the story about Alita. He illuminates on how he enjoyed writing the screenplay with her in mind. The difficulty in finding flaws in Alita because she has no fear. He talks about working with Rodriguez and trying to get him to take the movie and make it his own.

Rodriguez talks about working with Cameron and wanting to make a Cameron movie. He has a tremendous amount of respect for Cameron and clearly wants to emulate his vision and talent.

Here is the star of the movie Rosa Salazar talking about Alita at the LA premiere.

The next two clips are a featurette and a movie clip about Motorball. The sport is part of the movie, and the featurette shows how the production brought it to the movie clip.

The next featurette is all about Alita. Who is she?

The music composer for Alita: Battle Angel, Junkie XL, song writing is amazing and it’s so cool to hear how he creates the movie for Alita and key scenes in the movie.