Trailers: The Iceman and The Company You Keep

Michael Shannon is finally starting to take grasp of some serious leading roles. After his Oscar-snubbed performance in last year's psychological thriller Take Shelter, Shannon sees himself in the spotlight once again in The Iceman. Based on the true story of Richard Kuklinski (played by Shannon), The Iceman chronicles the husband and family man responsible for over 100 contract murders over a 30+ year span. With an all star cast also including Ray Liotta, James Franco, Chris Evans and Winona Ryder, you can check out the trailer for The Iceman below.





Even in his old age Robert Redford is still going at it. The 76 year old actor/director returns to action in his latest thriller The Company You Keep. Starring alongside Redford in the film are Shia LaBeouf, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Stanley Tucci and many more. The Company You Keep follows a former activist (played by Redford) who's forced to go on the run when a journalist (played by LaBeouf) discovers his true identity. With a lengthy A-List cast and a legend like Redford at the helm, The Company You Keep is definitely an intriguing trailer. Check it out below.

Lawless

Film: Lawless

Starring: Shia LaBeouf (Transformers), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) and Guy Pearce (Animal Kingdom)

Director: John Hillcoat (The Road)

U.S. Release: August 29th, 2012 (Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 115 minutes


Author Matt Bondurant spent his childhood raised in Alexandria, VA, just hours away from his grandfather Jack's residence in Franklin County. His ancestor's wild tales of prohibition-era bootlegging and invincibility fascinated him enough to turn the family folk lore into his own 2008 novel The Wettest County in the World. And with the aid of up and coming director John Hillcoat, Bondurant's grandfather and granduncles will now have their story told on big screens everywhere.

Set during the prohibition-era in Franklin County, Viriginia, Lawless follows a trio of brothers known for bootlegging moonshine. The Bondurant boys, consisting of Jack (played by LaBeouf), Forrest (played by Hardy) and Howard (played by Jason Clarke), run a flourishing low key bootlegging operation in rural Virginia. That is until crooked politicians from the city swoon in on their territory and demand a piece of the action. But after refusing to work out a deal with local authorities, Charlie Rakes (played by Pearce) and the strong arm of the law attempt to put an end to the Bondurant's business.

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John Hillcoat's Lawless is a fascinating blend of drama and action that entertains and hooks the audience with effortless precision. As part Western and part Gangster movie, Lawless places the viewer at the forefront of prohibition in the rural setting of Franklin County. Backed by an astonishing cast that's as talented as any other I've ever seen, Hillcoat's brand of violent, yet mesmerizing, filmmaking leaves nothing to the imagination. Shia LaBeouf heads the brilliant cast and delivers a momentous performance. As the story's central character, LaBeouf's role is essential to the success of the film. Without a hitch or a reason to doubt, the young talented actor takes control of the picture and carries Lawless from start to finish, However, it goes without saying that the entire cast deserves quite a bit of recognition as well. Tom Hardy shines as the brute force of the Bondurant brothers as well as Guy Pearce, the weaselly big shot trying to shut down the non-cooperative moonshine operation. Thanks to such a gifted cast, Lawless offers memorable scene after memorable scene and catapults itself into Gangster Movie stardom.

Coinciding with the film's glowing cast is the smooth crisp screenplay by Nick Cave. Lawless is far more than a violent crime movie, Cave's honed skills help to create a surprisingly comical affair with massively effective subplots. The laughs are unexpectedly consistent and the intriguing dissection of the sibling psychology is authentic and honest. We see Jack Bondurant as the ambitious but non-physical brother desperate to gain the respect of his older siblings. It's minor details such as these that flourish and give depth to an otherwise slightly generic Gangster film. And while some will criticize that Lawless offers nothing new to Mob movie genre, I'll argue that its character development, light-hearted comedy, and effective subplots come together to make it a complete film.

Considering how much I wanted to enjoy Lawless, I can honestly say that John Hillcoat and his entire team exceeded my lofty expectations. Although the film feels like it runs longer than its hour and 55 minute runtime, Lawless never skips a beat. The feature is both engaging and fun on every level imaginable, proving that Lawless is one of 2012's best efforts. If you believe that you can stomach the violence and gore that occurs throughout the entire duration of the film, then you're sure to love Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce and everything else that Lawless has to offer.


Stars: 3 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: A-

Recap: "A Night of Short Films" at the Troc

I spent my final Sunday evening before the start of the Fall semester in the City of Brotherly Love at the Trocadero Theatre checking out "A Night of Short Films" presented by Average Super Star Films. It was a fun-filled affair featuring many young (and old) talented actors, actresses, and directors. Here's just a quick review of last night's festivities.


Unfortunately, I arrived fashionably late and missed a few of the early showings. Luckily though, I arrived in time to catch Good Fortune. As a Lion's Head Production, Good Fortune follows a coffee shop employee who finds himself in a bit of bad luck after his girlfriend dumps him and asks him to move out. The breakup also leads to an altercation that ends up costing the heartbroken man his job. Lonely and desolate the protagonist stumbles across a lamp, hoping it will be the key to a lifetime of good fortune. Incorporating a strong dose of comedy and an interesting premise, Good Fortune left a stellar first impression on the evening.

Two other noteworthy shorts that premiered last night were Love and Business and Welcome Home. Love and Business, written and directed by Loren W. Lepre, tackles the mob genre as the film's protagonist is forced to decide between the woman he's fallen in love with and the dirty work that he's spent his entire life doing. Also, Welcome Home proved to be one of the most intense films of the evening. This clever take on "found footage films" centers around a teenager's video documentation of his brothers arrival home from the war in Iraq. Director Danny Donnelly brings together a nightmarish world that none of us would hope to encounter. Captivating and emotionally draining, Welcome Home was a shockingly realistic adventure into the mental struggles that our young men and woman face while fighting on the front lines overseas.





The headlining film yesterday was an epic sci-fi adventure called Infinite (trailer above). Written and directed by Daniel Speers, Infinite centers around Earth's last hope, Major Adam Fossy. On a mission to find extraterrestrial life, Fossy is awaken from a long slumber by his robot companion and forced to come terms with a failed mission. However, the team's next plan of attack will be an internal struggle between fact and faith. With remarkable special effects and a mind-blowing premise, Infinite far exceeds the traditional student film and ventures into the realm of epic fantasies.

In addition to Infinite, another top 3 film for me was That Voodoo You Do by Andrew Bennett. The riotous talkie centers around a man trying to resurrect his deceased brother. But in order to do so, he searches out the help of a witch doctor who uses voodoo to bring the brother back to life. Constant hilarity, praiseworthy writing and top notch acting help propel That Voodoo You Do to the forefront of the evening.





Finally, my favorite film last night was another Daniel Speers directed short called Guests of a Nation (trailer above). Based on a short story, Guests of a Nation takes place during the Irish War for Independence in the 1920s. Two Irish soldiers hold two British POW's secure at a remote home and ironically become good friends. But when news breaks of Brits massacring the Irish in a nearby town, someone must pay for the bloodshed. Proving that no one wins in war, Guests of a Nation is a gut-wrenching and thought provoking journey into 1920s Ireland. Containing brilliant acting by the entire cast and phenomenal direction by Speers, Guests of a Nation stands out as a true masterpiece.

Premium Rush

Film: Premium Rush

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter)

Director: David Koepp (Ghost Town)

U.S. Release: August 24th, 2012 (Rated PG-13)

Genre: Action

Runtime: 91 minutes


David Koepp is no stranger to Hollywood. The writer/director first arrived onto the scene in the late 1980s and spent a large part of the next decade penning some of Hollywood's most memorable films. Koepp is best known for writing screenplays such as Jurassic Park, Carlito's Way, and Mission: Impossible. As the natural order goes, the success of Koepp's scripts opened the door for him to try his hand at directing. And now Koepp's latest effort arrives in the form of Premium Rush, a high octane action-thriller starring The Dark Knight Rises' own Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Wilee (played by Gordon-Levitt) is an aggressive bike messenger operating in Manhattan, New York. It's all in a day's work for Wilee, where he can be found cruising around the city dodging cabs and pedestrians on a single gear bike with no braking system. Although flying around New York City at suicidal speeds is nothing new for him, one premium rush delivery proves to be more than he can bargain for when he discovers that a not-so-good cop (played by Shannon) is willing to kill him for the letter.

Premium Rush is a disengaging, formulaic and unrealistic attempt at the modern day action-thriller. With hopes of heart pounding chase sequences and a believable backstory, Koepp's final product never feels as action-packed or authentic as it should. At first thought, transforming a bicycle-themed movie into a full fledged action film appears to be a daunting task. Koepp gives a valiant effort, but Premium Rush is too impractical and one-dimensional to hook the audience. One of the most troubling aspects of the feature is its complete disregard for realism. Premium Rush is almost solely centered around a chase, and I can recall at least two instances where Michael Shannon lackadaisically allows Joseph Gordon-Levitt to get away. Considering the scenario the movie creates for its central villain, there's no way that Shannon's character would give up so easily on catching him. Furthermore, in one scene where Gordon-Levitt's character is known to have a fractured rib cage, we see Wilee perform X-Games style bike stunts that would give Evil Knievel goosebumps. As a result, Premium Rush displays poor writing and an utter disregard for reality.

Despite the feature's lack of credibility at times, Premium Rush does provide a pair of strong performances from two of Hollywood's most unappreciated actors. Before The Dark Knights Rises was even a microcosm of a thought in Christopher Nolan's brain, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a well established actor living under the radar. His early work in films like Brick and The Lookout are beyond commendable, but it wasn't until JGL's recent efforts in Inception, 50/50 and The Dark Knight Rises that he was fully embraced by the masses. In a similar fashion, Michael Shannon is a brilliant performer who is well deserving of some recognition. His masterful portrayal in last year's Take Shelter was one of the year's finest roles, yet Shannon became entirely forgotten throughout the awards season. Although these clearly are't anywhere near their best onscreen performances, both of these under-appreciated actors show up, deliver and help keep Premium Rush a modestly fluent picture.

David Koepp's Premium Rush is a lackluster addition to the action-thriller genre. It fails at adequately entertaining the audience and its 91 minute runtime feels more like a marathon than a sprint. There's really no need to rush out to theatres to see Premium Rush, you're better off just seeing The Dark Knight Rises ... again.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C

Butter Trailer

About ten months ago I attended my first Philadelphia Film Festival. Out of nowhere and by sheer luck, I crossed paths with a last minute entry into the Festival called Butter. So last minute that the film couldn't even find its way into the guidebook's schedule, Butter caught the entire audience by surprise. The politically-incorrect R-Rated comedy frequently played to uproarious laughter and a well deservedovation as the closing credits rolled. Starring big names such as Jennifer Garner, Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman, and Rob Corddry, Butter tells the hilariously absurd story of a little orphan's attempt at winning an annual state butter sculpting competition. However, her biggest rival is Laura Pickler (played by Garner), the ambitious wife of a newly retired butter carving legend. Slated to hit theatres in a limited release on October 5th, you can click below to view the trailer for Butter.

The Impossible Trailer

With "Oscar Bait" written all over it, Juan Antonio Bayona's The Impossible has released its latest trailer. Premiering in September at the Toronto Film Festival, The Impossible stars Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in the remarkable true story about a family's struggle for survival during the 2004 Tsunami that hit Southeastern Asia. Due to hit U.S. theatres on December 21st, check out the trailer for The Impossible below.