Amend – The Fight for America (2021), Will Smith, Netflix
Hosted by Will Smith, Amend – The Fight for America is a new series that offers a look at the evolving, often lethal, fight for equal rights in America; through the lens of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
Created by Robe Imbriano and Tom Yellin; additional key cast includes Diane Lane, Mahershala Ali, Laverne Cox, Joshua Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson and Aja Naomi King.
I couldn’t help but think of Ava DuVernay’s 13th (2016) as this played. For it’s a very informative and useful documentary about the history of racial inequality in the the United States prison system.
I’m not expecting this to be quite as eye-opening as 13th, but I am looking forward to learning a thing or two, and seeing the various ways all the famous people involved will be contributing.
Randall Park, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sterling K. Brown, Bobby Cannavale, Rafael Casal, Whitney Cummings and many more also star.
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons and Dominique Fishback; Judas and the Black Messiah is the story of the fateful betrayal of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party.
I’m going to need a box of tissues with this one. And this magnificent cast; Stanfield, Kaluuya, Fishback and Plemons; I cannot wait.
If it wasn’t already clear, because of all the movies that had to be moved from last year to this one, 2021 is going to be quite the year for film. I hope you’re ready.
Lil Rel Howery, Algee Smith, Jermaine Fowler, Martin Sheen, Ashton Sanders, Robert Longstreet, Dominique Fishback, Nick Fink and Darrell Britt-Gibson also star.
In new drama/biography The Dig, Carey Mulligan is a wealthy widow who hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate, when they make a historic discovery, all while WWII is looming.
Directed by Simon Stone; additional key cast includes Lily James and Johnny Flynn.
I’m not particularly into archeology but the cast is good; James (My favourite Cinderella (2015) and Mulligan who’s simply great in everything.
Ken Stott, Ben Chaplin, Monica Dolan, Arsher Ali, Joe Hurst, Chris Wilson, Eileen Davies, Grant Crookes, Jane Fowler, James Dryden and Ellie Piercy also star.
The Crown – Season 4 (2020), Gillian Anderson, Netflix
The 1970s are drawing to a close and securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), who still happens to be unmarried at 30 is a key focus in season 4 of The Crown.
There’s also the divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). Tensions arise between her and the Queen (Olivia Colman) as Britain begins to feel the impact of Thatcher’s policies and the Prime Minister leads the country into the Falklands War.
I’m still yet to watch a single episode of The Crown and it’s mainly due to lack of time. I’ll have to see it eventually though, even if it’s just to experience fully the acting power in this trailer.
I particularly can’t wait to watch Anderson’s turn as Margaret Thatcher, a.k.a The Iron Lady. The dynamic and dialogue between her and Queen Elizabeth II looks like a lot of fun to watch. I
‘m also curious about Corrin who’ll be playing Princess Diana; a very important role indeed. I’d have been quite happy if the lady in this video got that part. I’m not even sure she auditioned, but she sure does look like her, no?
The Crown – Season 4Release Dates: November 15th, 2020 (US & UK), Netflix…
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), Eddie Redmayne, Netflix
Master of great dialogue Aaron Sorkin is the writer and director of new historical drama/thriller The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Set around the 1968 uprising at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois and focused on the seven people on trial for various charges at the time, I found Sorkin’s story adequately engaging.
Starring Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to name just a few, I enjoyed the dialogue – as expected. I mean Sorkin did, after all, write the words in one of my favourite screenplays, The Social Network (2010). Even though I didn’t find the dialogue quite as scintillating as Sorkin’s Mark Zuckerberg movie, I certainly wouldn’t call it bad. For there are moments that delighted, several of which take place in the courtroom.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch. Sacha Baron Cohen
Sorkin’s movie starts with an editing style that felt disruptive because it wasn’t as easy to keep track of timelines as I’d have liked. Luckily, things do eventually settle into a better rhythm, after which I enjoyed TheTrial of the Chicago 7 as a brilliantly performed tale, especially by Redmayne, Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Rylance.
In addition to the engaging and dramatic courtroom scenes, you’ll enjoy watching the evolution of the relationship between the seven-plus men on trial. Sorkin’s is going to break your heart as it puts up a mirror to some of America’s ills, especially when you realise how very little seems to have changed where racial injustice and abuse of power is concerned. Yet, I wouldn’t say that The Trial of the Chicago 7 will leave you hopeless.
In addition to the earlier editing and the dialogue being good bur not as scintillating as the words in The Social Network, the only other thing that didn’t stand out in the best way is Sacha Baron Cohen’s American accent. It’s also not the worst I’ve ever heard, so give Sorkin’s film a chance if you’re curious. You’ll likely become an even bigger fan of Redmayne while also finding that Abdul-Mateen II is now on your radar, in case he wasn’t already.
Written/directed by Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a new historical thriller about 7 people on trial for various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alex Sharp and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are among the key cast.
I can’t deny how happy I was to see Redmayne’s face on screen again. He’s one of my favourites, along with Baron Cohen
It’s going to be emotional but I’m quite sure it’ll be worth it because of the fantastic cast and that magic that Sorkin does so well with words.
Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Rylance, Ben Shenkman, J.C. MacKenzie, Frank Langella and Noah Robbins also star.
The Glorias (2020), Alicia Vikander, Julianne Moore, RoadsideFlix
From director Julie Taymor, The Glorias is a new biography that covers the story of feminist icon Gloria Steinem’s itinerant childhood’s influence on her life. Especially as a writer, activist and organizer for women’s rights worldwide.
I’m curious about this one because it’s always great to learn about humans who helped changed the world in positive ways. It also helps that the cast is good.
Also, maybe because the last few weeks saw the release of some truly epic trailers but I wish that this trailer edit had me more excited than it does.
Lulu Wilson, Timothy Hutton, Mo Brings Plenty, Myles Evans, Lorraine Toussaint, Kimberly Guerrero, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, David Shae and Allie McCulloch also star.
Judas and The Black Messiah (2020), Daniel Kaluuya, Warner Bros. Pictures
Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal.
Co directed by Ryan Coogler and Shaka King this very promising movie stars Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield and Jesse Plemons.
It’s official, this is my favourite week of movie trailer releases in 2020. First we had Ratched (2020) a couple of days ago and now this. I’ve already watched this trailer countless times and I cannot wait to see what looks like a superb performance from Kaluuya and Stanfield. Two brilliant actors I last saw together in Jordan Peele’s massive hit, Get Out (2017).
This is the kind of movie that I imagine will be really great to see in a movie theatre.
Martin Sheen, Ashton Sanders, Lil Rel Howery, Algee Smith, Jermaine Fowler, Robert Longstreet, Dominique Fishback, Nick Fink and Darrell Britt-Gibson also star.
The Movie My Life 