Intentionally or not, Sleeping Dogs invites comparison to Memento. In Adam Cooper’s steadfastly self-serious directorial debut, a bedraggled ex-homicide detective, Roy Freeman (Russell Crowe), is tasked with solving a brutal murder that he can’t recall due to his memory loss. But the comparison to Christopher Nolan’s breakout doesn’t do Sleeping Dogs any favors. For one, we know we’re in trouble from the moment we see Freeman stumbling through a decrepit apartment, its otherwise sparse walls adorned with handwritten messages that exist as much for his benefit as ours, like the unfortunately hilarious “You Have Alzheimers.”
From the start, the film lays it on thick. Freeman’s apartment has all the markers of someone whose mind is slowing deteriorating: staplers that have been left in water glasses, melted pieces of technology in the microwave, and half-eaten meals on top of furniture. The man wears the thickest...
From the start, the film lays it on thick. Freeman’s apartment has all the markers of someone whose mind is slowing deteriorating: staplers that have been left in water glasses, melted pieces of technology in the microwave, and half-eaten meals on top of furniture. The man wears the thickest...
- 3/20/2024
- by Greg Nussen
- Slant Magazine
After a healthy run of comedy and genre work, Karen Gillan felt it was time for a dramatic change.
Shortly before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s whirlwind press tour, Gillan returned to Australia where she shot Thor: Love and Thunder a couple years earlier, and joined the cast of Adam Cooper’s Sleeping Dogs, led by Russell Crowe. The twisty psychological crime drama follows Crowe’s retired homicide detective Roy Freeman, as his recovery from an experimental Alzheimer’s procedure prompts him to re-approach a murder case from a decade earlier. Gillan plays the enigmatic Laura Baines, the right-hand researcher to Marton Csokas’ Dr. Joseph Wieder and his memory reconsolidation therapy thesis.
When Professor Wieder (Csokas) winds up dead, Freeman (Crowe) takes a newfound interest in Baines (Gillan) when he revisits the case a decade later. Sleeping Dogs plays with the tropes of the femme fatale through Baines,...
Shortly before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s whirlwind press tour, Gillan returned to Australia where she shot Thor: Love and Thunder a couple years earlier, and joined the cast of Adam Cooper’s Sleeping Dogs, led by Russell Crowe. The twisty psychological crime drama follows Crowe’s retired homicide detective Roy Freeman, as his recovery from an experimental Alzheimer’s procedure prompts him to re-approach a murder case from a decade earlier. Gillan plays the enigmatic Laura Baines, the right-hand researcher to Marton Csokas’ Dr. Joseph Wieder and his memory reconsolidation therapy thesis.
When Professor Wieder (Csokas) winds up dead, Freeman (Crowe) takes a newfound interest in Baines (Gillan) when he revisits the case a decade later. Sleeping Dogs plays with the tropes of the femme fatale through Baines,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Tis the season of abundance! Celebrate more being more with director Jenn Wexler’s “The Sacrifice Game,” a campy new Shudder release that imagines what would happen if the cast of “The Holdovers” got a Christmas visit from the Manson Family at an all-girls boarding school with a witchy secret.
Co-written by Wexler and Sean Redlitz, this grab-bag seasonal period flick — shot in snowy Canada and set in 1971 — is more gruesome than scary and takes a handful of decidedly silly turns. Be it fruit cake, stuffed stocking, whatever your holiday metaphor, the fantasy horror adventure of students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) gifts audiences steadily stranger fun almost all the way through. It’s a genre blend that’s delightful, baffling, and surprisingly ruthless in its decisive direction with a holiday twist that isn’t necessary for the plot but certainly ties the zany concept together.
What begins...
Co-written by Wexler and Sean Redlitz, this grab-bag seasonal period flick — shot in snowy Canada and set in 1971 — is more gruesome than scary and takes a handful of decidedly silly turns. Be it fruit cake, stuffed stocking, whatever your holiday metaphor, the fantasy horror adventure of students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) gifts audiences steadily stranger fun almost all the way through. It’s a genre blend that’s delightful, baffling, and surprisingly ruthless in its decisive direction with a holiday twist that isn’t necessary for the plot but certainly ties the zany concept together.
What begins...
- 12/8/2023
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Plot: Murderers seeking to summon a demon raid a boarding school on Christmas Eve, holding the few people there captive… then they get more than they bargained for when the demon is revealed.
Review: Five years ago, Jenn Wexler made her feature directorial debut with the very entertaining throwback slasher The Ranger, which put a group of punk-style criminals up against a psychotic forest ranger – and came off like the closest we’ll probably ever get to seeing a Psycho Cop 3. For her follow-up, Wexler has made a ‘70s throwback supernatural horror film. And while The Ranger wasn’t directly said to be set in the ‘80s or early ‘90s, The Sacrifice Game is very clear about when it’s set: December 1971, in the days leading up to Christmas.
Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Derek Johns, and Laurent Pitre play a quartet of murderers who have been racking up a substantial body count this December,...
Review: Five years ago, Jenn Wexler made her feature directorial debut with the very entertaining throwback slasher The Ranger, which put a group of punk-style criminals up against a psychotic forest ranger – and came off like the closest we’ll probably ever get to seeing a Psycho Cop 3. For her follow-up, Wexler has made a ‘70s throwback supernatural horror film. And while The Ranger wasn’t directly said to be set in the ‘80s or early ‘90s, The Sacrifice Game is very clear about when it’s set: December 1971, in the days leading up to Christmas.
Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Derek Johns, and Laurent Pitre play a quartet of murderers who have been racking up a substantial body count this December,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Biography films are a fascinating genre that depict the lives of real people, often with dramatic and artistic flair. They can inspire us, educate us, entertain us, and challenge us to think about the world in new ways. Some of the most acclaimed and influential films of all time belong to this genre, and they span across different eras, cultures, and themes.
In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.
But what are the other films...
In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.
But what are the other films...
- 7/28/2023
- by amalprasadappu
- https://thecinemanews.online/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4649
When Spike Lee won his long overdue first competitive Oscar at the 2019 Academy Awards, he literally jumped into presenter Samuel L. Jackson’s arms for a hug. But there was a moment when the longtime friends probably couldn’t have imagined they’d share such a public embrace.
In a new interview with Vulture, Jackson – who appeared in early Lee films like “School Daze,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Mo Better Blues,” and “Jungle Fever” – explained he had a falling out with the filmmaker over “Malcolm X.”
“I actually read with most of the people who auditioned for ‘Malcolm X.’ I was supposed to be the guy that turned Malcolm X on to Islam in prison. I forget who played that role,” Jackson revealed. Albert Hall played the role of Baines in the film and turned in an indelible performance in the part. He later appeared in Lee’s film “Get on the Bus.
In a new interview with Vulture, Jackson – who appeared in early Lee films like “School Daze,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Mo Better Blues,” and “Jungle Fever” – explained he had a falling out with the filmmaker over “Malcolm X.”
“I actually read with most of the people who auditioned for ‘Malcolm X.’ I was supposed to be the guy that turned Malcolm X on to Islam in prison. I forget who played that role,” Jackson revealed. Albert Hall played the role of Baines in the film and turned in an indelible performance in the part. He later appeared in Lee’s film “Get on the Bus.
- 7/21/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Samuel L. Jackson is detailing his 1992 falling out with Spike Lee that took more 20 years to rebuild.
Jackson, in a wide-ranging interview with Vulture, shared that the creative split from Lee was due to a “Malcolm X” salary dispute which ultimately led Jackson to turn down the role of Baines in the historical epic. Albert Hall was cast instead.
“I actually read with most of the people who auditioned for ‘Malcolm X,'” Jackson said, after starring in Lee’s “Jungle Fever,” “School Daze,” and “Do the Right Thing” prior. “I was supposed to be the guy that turned Malcolm X on to Islam in prison. I forget who played that role. But it was still down to that Spike Lee scale-plus-10 salary thing. I was like, ‘I’m not going to work for no scale-plus-10.'”
The “scale plus 10” salary refers to a pay rate for actors with a...
Jackson, in a wide-ranging interview with Vulture, shared that the creative split from Lee was due to a “Malcolm X” salary dispute which ultimately led Jackson to turn down the role of Baines in the historical epic. Albert Hall was cast instead.
“I actually read with most of the people who auditioned for ‘Malcolm X,'” Jackson said, after starring in Lee’s “Jungle Fever,” “School Daze,” and “Do the Right Thing” prior. “I was supposed to be the guy that turned Malcolm X on to Islam in prison. I forget who played that role. But it was still down to that Spike Lee scale-plus-10 salary thing. I was like, ‘I’m not going to work for no scale-plus-10.'”
The “scale plus 10” salary refers to a pay rate for actors with a...
- 7/20/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
As King Charles III is officially crowned, we revisit all the actors who’ve played him on “The Crown” and other productions about the British Royal Family.
Christopher Baines in “The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana”
Baines played the future king in this 1982 TV movie opposite “Dynasty” star Catherine Oxenberg’s Princess Diana.
Jack Farthing in “The Queen”
In this 2006 feature film about the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, Farthing plays Charles. Helen Mirren won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of his mother, Elizabeth I.
Tim Pigott-Smith in “King Charles III”
The late actor, who was known for his roles in “V for Vendetta,” “Remains of the Day,” and “Victoria and Abdul,” starred in this filmed adaptation of the play “King Charles III.”
Pigott-Smith, who died in April 2017, received a posthumous BAFTA nomination for the play, which was set in the then-future as Charles ascended the throne.
Christopher Baines in “The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana”
Baines played the future king in this 1982 TV movie opposite “Dynasty” star Catherine Oxenberg’s Princess Diana.
Jack Farthing in “The Queen”
In this 2006 feature film about the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, Farthing plays Charles. Helen Mirren won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of his mother, Elizabeth I.
Tim Pigott-Smith in “King Charles III”
The late actor, who was known for his roles in “V for Vendetta,” “Remains of the Day,” and “Victoria and Abdul,” starred in this filmed adaptation of the play “King Charles III.”
Pigott-Smith, who died in April 2017, received a posthumous BAFTA nomination for the play, which was set in the then-future as Charles ascended the throne.
- 5/6/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Last Sentinel 2023 is a slow and tedious movie leaning on the same old trope of “you lose your mind after too much loneliness,” but later adds a random twist to the tale that comes so late in the film that the whole premise of climate change and war is lost in a second. Visually, certain scenes are mesmerizing, especially when there are just the roaring waves and the ocean for miles and miles in the distance. Last Sentinel takes place in a dystopian future that is imminent, but something about it is too old-fashioned to get the clocks turning. Let’s work out the ending of Last Sentinel.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In ‘Last Sentinel’?
Four soldiers are stranded on a military base in the middle of the sea in the year 2063. The crew waits for a relief support team that was meant to arrive over three months before.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In ‘Last Sentinel’?
Four soldiers are stranded on a military base in the middle of the sea in the year 2063. The crew waits for a relief support team that was meant to arrive over three months before.
- 5/2/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Last Sentinel is a film directed by Tanel Toom starring Kate Bosworth and Thomas Kretschmann.
Last Sentinel is one of those films that, unfortunately, will not go down in history. It entertains, just enough, but it never ceases to be, look, and behave like what it is: a film with a limited budget whose only appeal is to let us see Kate Bosworth again, who, within her limited role, does the job very well.
Movie Review
Last Sentinel is born as one of those films that, when they come out well, have a lot to offer, especially as a showcase for the director to shine, Tanel Toom in this case. He proves he knows how to do his job. It is a well shot film (given the circumstances), whose idea could not be simply better exploited as the script by Malachi Smyth was written.
Little action and a lot of tension,...
Last Sentinel is one of those films that, unfortunately, will not go down in history. It entertains, just enough, but it never ceases to be, look, and behave like what it is: a film with a limited budget whose only appeal is to let us see Kate Bosworth again, who, within her limited role, does the job very well.
Movie Review
Last Sentinel is born as one of those films that, when they come out well, have a lot to offer, especially as a showcase for the director to shine, Tanel Toom in this case. He proves he knows how to do his job. It is a well shot film (given the circumstances), whose idea could not be simply better exploited as the script by Malachi Smyth was written.
Little action and a lot of tension,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Ana Gomez
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
To mark the release of The Piano on 5th September, we’ve ben given 2 copies to give away on 4K Ultra HD.
Holly Hunter gives a majestic silent performance as Ada McGrath, the mute Scotswoman and talented pianist who arrives with her strong-willed young daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) in the New Zealand wilderness.
She is to marry frontiersman Alistair Stewart (Sam Neill), having been sold him by her father, but takes an immediate dislike to him after he refuses to carry her beloved piano home with them, instead selling it to his overseer George Baines (Harvey Keitel). Attracted to Ada, Baines agrees to return the piano in exchange for lessons that gradually become a series of erotically charged sexual encounters. As the story unfolds like a Greek tragedy, complete with a chorus of Maori tribes, all of the characters’ long suppressed emotions come to the fore, as if elicited by...
Holly Hunter gives a majestic silent performance as Ada McGrath, the mute Scotswoman and talented pianist who arrives with her strong-willed young daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) in the New Zealand wilderness.
She is to marry frontiersman Alistair Stewart (Sam Neill), having been sold him by her father, but takes an immediate dislike to him after he refuses to carry her beloved piano home with them, instead selling it to his overseer George Baines (Harvey Keitel). Attracted to Ada, Baines agrees to return the piano in exchange for lessons that gradually become a series of erotically charged sexual encounters. As the story unfolds like a Greek tragedy, complete with a chorus of Maori tribes, all of the characters’ long suppressed emotions come to the fore, as if elicited by...
- 8/29/2022
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It is a new role to promote disability equality both at the BFI and in the wider screen industries.
The BFI has appointed Clare Baines as its disability equality lead, a newly-created role to promote disability equality within the screen industries and internally at the BFI.
Baines joins from digital solutions firm Zebra Technologies, where she was an inclusion leader. She has a degree in biomedical engineering, and previously focused on how digital solutions and technology can better support disabled people.
Baines said: “I became blind at the age of 15 and, rather ironically, that is when my passion for film started.
The BFI has appointed Clare Baines as its disability equality lead, a newly-created role to promote disability equality within the screen industries and internally at the BFI.
Baines joins from digital solutions firm Zebra Technologies, where she was an inclusion leader. She has a degree in biomedical engineering, and previously focused on how digital solutions and technology can better support disabled people.
Baines said: “I became blind at the age of 15 and, rather ironically, that is when my passion for film started.
- 6/13/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
The BFI has named its first Disability Equality Lead. Clare Baines will take the post to further promotion of disability equality within the screen industries and internally at the organization.
Baines, who became blind aged 15, will push driving forward the BFI’s strategic aims and objectives for people who identify as D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse. This will include “implementing sustainable interventions” that prevent ableism in the screen industries.
She’ll work with BFI colleagues to identify and champion diverse representation in the group’s projects and activities and those supported through the funds it distributes, such as the National Lottery. She will also advocate for equality of access for disabled people, both physical, as well in terms of access to opportunities.
She joins from joins from Zebra Technologies, and will report to the BFI’s Head of Inclusion Melanie Hoyes as a key member of the Inclusion Team,...
Baines, who became blind aged 15, will push driving forward the BFI’s strategic aims and objectives for people who identify as D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse. This will include “implementing sustainable interventions” that prevent ableism in the screen industries.
She’ll work with BFI colleagues to identify and champion diverse representation in the group’s projects and activities and those supported through the funds it distributes, such as the National Lottery. She will also advocate for equality of access for disabled people, both physical, as well in terms of access to opportunities.
She joins from joins from Zebra Technologies, and will report to the BFI’s Head of Inclusion Melanie Hoyes as a key member of the Inclusion Team,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Short Film
Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, Unhcr, the Un Refugee Agency has released “Uprooted,” a powerful short film featuring and made by Ukrainian refugees now living in Germany. The film shows loud noises – a door slamming, the sirens of an ambulance, the bangs of a firework display – and how they can trigger terrifying memories of war. Some 50 refugees from Ukraine, including writers, choreographers, designers, casting producers, styling assistants, set dressing, make up, music and all the talent featured in the film, were involved in the project.
“Uprooted”, released Monday on Unhcr’s social media platforms, is being shown in select cinemas across the U.K. It was directed by Stink Films’ Andzej Gavriss who wrote the concept with Ukrainian choreographer, Konstantin Koval and Don’t Panic London’s creative partner, Rick Dodds. Production took place in Berlin, Germany.
Unhcr spokesperson, Joung-Ah Ghedini-Williams said: “The Ukrainian refugee cast...
Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, Unhcr, the Un Refugee Agency has released “Uprooted,” a powerful short film featuring and made by Ukrainian refugees now living in Germany. The film shows loud noises – a door slamming, the sirens of an ambulance, the bangs of a firework display – and how they can trigger terrifying memories of war. Some 50 refugees from Ukraine, including writers, choreographers, designers, casting producers, styling assistants, set dressing, make up, music and all the talent featured in the film, were involved in the project.
“Uprooted”, released Monday on Unhcr’s social media platforms, is being shown in select cinemas across the U.K. It was directed by Stink Films’ Andzej Gavriss who wrote the concept with Ukrainian choreographer, Konstantin Koval and Don’t Panic London’s creative partner, Rick Dodds. Production took place in Berlin, Germany.
Unhcr spokesperson, Joung-Ah Ghedini-Williams said: “The Ukrainian refugee cast...
- 6/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
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