Category Archives: drama

“Tolkien” Poster, Interviews, Featurettes, Clips and Trailers

biography, drama, , , , , , , , ,

Directed by Dome Karukoski, Tolkien follows the formative years of J.R.R. Tolkien, played by Nicholas Hoult. The movie explores the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school.

Tolkien falls in love with Edith Bratt, played by Lilly Collins.

This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-Earth novels.

Dome Karukoski is from Finland and has directed several movies and television series in Finland.

The rest of the cast includes Laura Donnelly of Outlander, Colm Meaney, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson, Tom Glynn-Carney, Craig Roberts, Genevieve O’Reilly, and Pam Ferris.

The second trailer is much better and gives a flavor of adventure. The feeling of his fellowship with his boyhood friends is strong. I am curious, though, about who Donnelly plays in the movie. We don’t see her in the trailers yet; her character is not listed.

The music is powerful in this trailer, giving the sense of adventure and conquer.

Two interviews are posted with the director and lead actor. I am impressed with how the director created the fellowship on the set and how Hoult researched Tolkien’s life during the time this movie takes place – such a poignant time in his life.

The featurette tells us nothing about the story, but the two main actors talk about Tolkien’s influence on them in general. Collin talks about her favorite scene relating to the ring. We all know how important the call is in Tolkien’s stories.

I saw a movie clip that showed a whimsical scene, which is so delightful. I tried to share it with you, but the studios blocked it. I am mentioning the clip because it is an adorable scene illustrating how Tolkien worked his imagination. The woman he loved encouraged him to tell his fantasy stories.

The movie is also a love story about a writer getting inspiration from the one he loves. The next featurette says it best.

The more I see about this movie, the more interested I am in seeing it in movie theaters. The following two features tell what the film covers and how it relates to Tolkien, the writer.

“Roma” – Oscar Winner Best Director and Foreign Film, Cinematography – Movie Clip

drama, foreign movie, ,

Written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron, Roma is an autobiographical story of Cuaron growing up in Mexico City in the early 1970s. The movie spans a year in the life of his middle-class family’s maid, Cleo, played by Yalitza Aparicio.

The movie is available on Netflix and is nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture of the Year and Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.

The movie clip shows the cleverness of the screenplay and the detail of the scenes. The cinematography by Cuaron is stunning. Cuaron wrote, directed, and shot the movie. The details of the story are so powerful.

Cuaron, who won an Oscar for Gravity, has already captured a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Director. Aparicio is nominated for an Oscar for
Best Actress. Marina de Tavira, who plays the mother of the household, is nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

The movie is a well-told story about a time in Mexico when the culture began to change. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles.

“A Dog’s Journey” Trailer and Poster

adventure, based on a book, drama, family movies, kid movies, , , , ,

Sappy, sappy, and tears, I am a sucker for a movie about dog souls returning to their masters or mistresses. What a great story about how friendships transcend lifetimes. The movie trailer tells the whole story, but heck, I am sold. I want to see this movie.

Directed by Gail Mancuso, who won an Emmy for TV’s Modern Family, it creates a movie about how some friendships transcend lifetimes. A Dog’s Journey is the sequel to the popular film A Dog’s Purpose. Bailey finds his new destiny and forms an unbreakable bond, leading him through unconditional love and companionship.

Bailey, voiced by Josh Gad, is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his “boy,” Ethan, played by Dennis Quaid, and Ethan’s wife, Hannah, played by Marg Helgenberger. His new playmate is Ethan and Hannah’s baby granddaughter, CJ.

The movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD and streaming online.

The problem is that CJ’s mom, Gloria, played by Betty Gilpin, decides to take CJ away. As Bailey’s soul prepares to leave this life for a new one, he makes a promise to Ethan to find CJ and protect her at any cost. 

Thus begins Bailey’s adventure through multiple lives filled with love, friendship and devotion as he, CJ, played by Kathryn Prescott, and CJ’s best friend Trent, played by Henry Lau, experience joy and heartbreak, music, and laughter.

“Everybody Knows” Trailer, Featurette, Interview and Movie Clip

drama, foreign movie, mystery, suspense, ,

Directed by Asghar Farhadi, Everybody Knows follows Laura, played by Penelope Cruz, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires. She returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her two children to attend her sister’s wedding. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open.

Javier Bardem stars opposite Cruz (who are a real-life couple) as a former lover. The upset on her trip is tragic. The movie trailer indicates a kidnapping or disappearance. It’s not clear, but someone is missing. I believe it is her daughter.

The movie is in Spanish with English subtitles.

After watching the movie clip “Call the Cops.” we find out Laura’s daughter is missing and, at best, kidnapped.

The movie is being called a big-screen thriller. It is scary and intense. This was not obvious in the last clips and trailers. The featurette shows how intense the movie truly is.

The full interview with Cruz is now available for you to view. She explains the story, her character, and her character’s relationship with everyone involved in the story. Cruz talks about working with her husband as well. It’s a beautiful interview, and you get to be with her for a little over 8 minutes.

“We Die Young” Trailer and Poster

action, drama, thriller, , ,

Directed by Lior Gellar, We Die Young follows a ten-year-old boy named Miguel, played by
Nicholas Sean Johnny. Elijah is mixed up with the MS-13 gang in the crime-ridden burg of Washington, D.C. He works as a runner for the gang and is connected to the gang’s ruthless drug lord, Rincon, played by David Castaneda. His big brother Lucas, played by Elijah Rodriguez, desperately wants to keep him safe, so they flee for their lives.

Meanwhile, the brothers befriend a veteran named, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme, who is still traumatized from being in the armed service. Daniel helps them find their revenge against Rincon and the MS-13 gang.

The movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD, or you can stream it online.

“Fast Color” Trailer, Poster, and Clips

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Directed by Julia Hart, Fast Color follows a young black woman, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who is hunted by mysterious forces. Because she has supernatural abilities, she must go on the run when her powers are discovered.

She has nowhere else to go but flees back to her family and the farmhouse she abandoned long ago. A local Sheriff, played by David Strathairn, pursues her. She mends the broken relationships with her mother, played by Lorraine Toussaint, and daughter, played by Saniyya Sidney. It looks like her daughter has superpowers as well.

During this story, the black woman learns that her needed power is always inside her. The movie trailer shows a unique tale. I just hope the third act is worth it.

The following movie clips offer very little about the story. If it is just about the mother coming to terms with her daughter, who has the same ability, then the movie is slow. I hope there is an intense conflict with the local sheriff trying to catch her. If not, then the story is weak.

Three more movie clips were released, showing the movie’s storyline, relationships, and plot points.

“Replicas” Trailers and Poster

drama, science fiction, thriller, , , ,

Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Replicas is a story created through an idea producer Stephen Hamel shared with Keanu Reeves. Once they discussed and shared ideas, they became enthusiastic about telling a story that raises moral issues – science vs. ethics. “Replicas was born from my interest in the benefits and dangers of emerging technologies that could overcome fundamental human limitations and ethical limitations of using such technologies. Specifically, those human beings may eventually be able to transfer their consciousness from one body to another,” explains Hamel.

Hamel wrote the story, and Chad St. John wrote the screenplay. The story follows William Foster, played by Reeves. After a car accident kills his loving family, he faces enormous intellectual and emotional stakes. 

In a daring move by Foster, a neuroscientist who will stop at nothing to bring his family back to life as replicas – does so. The results pit him against a government-controlled laboratory, a police task force, and the physical laws of science.

Alice Eve plays his wife and is best known for her role as Dr. Carol Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness. The other cast members included Emily Alyn Lind, John Ortiz, and Thomas Middleditch.

Science Fiction is nothing new to Reeves, with significant roles in movies like The Matrix and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. The movie trailer looks pretty darn good. 

The Blu-ray/DVD trailer offers more information about the movie.

“Teen Spirit” Trailers, a Clip and Posters

drama, music, , ,

Written and directed by Max Minghella, Teen Spirit follows Violet, played by Elle Fanning. She is a shy teenager who dreams of escaping her small town and pursuing her passion for singing. With the help of an unlikely mentor, she enters a local singing competition that will test her integrity, talent, and ambition. A huge list of well-known pop-fueled songs is at the end of the movie trailer, making it a must-owned soundtrack. Watch the trailer, and you will see lots of angst and frustration. Violet learns a lesson on her journey to fame and fortune.

The movie is a “stylish spin on the Cinderella story.” With so little information on the story, I wonder who prince charming is.

The movie is available on Amazon or wherever Blu-rays and DVDs are sold.

I am guessing this is Minghella’s film debut as a director. He is an actor and stars in The Handmaid’s Tale. He’s starred in major movies like The Social Network and comes from a talented family. His father is the late, well-known, Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella. His mother, Carolyn Choa, is a choreographer.

I am sure Fanning took on this role because it is challenging. She sings, dances, and carries the whole movie. She deserves the part of Violet because she is talented and has played several active roles. She’s starred in notable films like Super-8, Maleficent, and Trumbo.

The cast rounds out, including Rebecca Hall, Zlatko Buric, and Agnieszka Grochowska.

The second poster and trailer show us more about the movie. Fanning is excellent as the Russian teen star who loves to sing; that is all she wants to do.

The following movie clip is more like a music video we used to see in the 1990s. The movie soundtrack is all original songs, so I hope this clip plays here and doesn’t get blocked due to copyright issues. Fingers crossed. I hope you see it because it is nice and tells a beautiful story.

“Greta” Trailer, Movie Clips, & Interviews

drama, horror, suspense, ,

Co-written and directed by Neil Jordan, Greta is an awkward movie with many undercurrents as one heck of a scary movie.

Jordan’s directing credits are impressive, with Interview with a Vampire, The End of the Affair, The Crying Game, and Mona Lisa. The story Greta came from Ray Wright, who also co-wrote the screenplay. His credits are few, with movies like Crazies and The Pulse.

The movie follows a young woman Frances, played by  Chloë Grace Moretz, who befriends a widow, played by Isabelle Huppert. The widow is not as sane as she appears. Watch the trailer, and the plot is easy to follow. Maika Monroe also stars in the movie playing Erica. It isn’t clear her character’s role in the story. In the trailer, it appears she is a close friend of Frances or perhaps her sister.

The movie clips show more of the story about how this woman is a crazy psychopath. The third clip is even better and tells more of the story. Greta is looking like a horror movie more and more.

The following clip shows five warning signs that you have a crazy lady stalking you and wanting to kill you. The last warning sign is a huge spoiler.

Moretz talks about the movie and the role she plays. She explains why she likes the film and picked to star in the thriller.

Jordan is best known for directing The Crying Game and Michael Collins. The soundbites with him offer insight into his approach to directing Greta.

The following movie clip shows the difference between the two young woman characters. The movie is a thriller, horror, and suspense. This scene defines Moretz’s character’s vulnerability – kindness and virtue. Is that a realistic quality to drive people to the box office?

“The Last Man” Trailer and Poster

drama, thriller, , , , , ,

Written and directed by Rodrigo H. Vila, The Last Man trailer lacks the strength needed to entice people to go to the movie theaters and watch it. The trailer is unclear and graining without any direction.

The story follows Kurt, played by Hayden Christensen, who is suffering from the aftermath of being in a war. He is now a vet and dealing with the emotional problems of being in a war and coming home to an unholy, unruly land.

Clearly, the world is wicked and in a state of unrest. A local street prophet, Noe, played by Harvey Keitel, preaches that it will only worsen and predicts a catastrophic storm will strike, making matters even worse.   

Kurt heeds Noe’s advice and readies for the apocalyptic storm when he meets sultry Jessica, played by Liz Solari. She, too, believes Noe. The story’s irony is that Kurt finds his life finally coming together as the planet falls apart.

The rest of the cast includes Marco Leonardi, Fernán Mirás, Justin Kelly, and Rafael Spregelburd.