Brad Pitt rarely letting his audience down with his movie choices is a major reason I watched director David Leitch’s latest, Bullet Train.
Also starring Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry and Sandra Bullock, the story of five assassins aboard a fast-moving bullet train proved too intriguing to resist. You can therefore imagine my disappointment when I realised that Leitch’s movie was not going to deliver.
Despite some funny scenes, a handful of visually beautiful shots and camera angles, the story edit left me desperately wanting. I found the pace slow, tedious and inadequately engaging.
The dialogue between Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry’s characters is the thing that made me realise the inspiration that seems to have come from Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino’s best work. Unfortunately, however, the film does not work as well as those classic examples of filmmaking excellence. And finding myself not liking much of the music featured only made matters worse.
Despite my obvious disappointment, I do have a couple of highlights to point out. Firstly, every scene with Hiroyuki Sanada as The Elder. Joey King’s character, even though she isn’t particularly likeable. Channing Tatum; what a welcome addition he proved to be.
Lastly, Brad Pitt. He is always good, right? It’s the script and overall execution that let everyone down.
Even after all the above, if you still find yourself super curious about Bullet Train, watch it. There’s always a chance you’ll have more fun than I could.
Based on creator Timothée Hochet’s French series of the same name, Calls is a new show that tells the mysterious story of a group of strangers who’s lives are thrown into disarray, in the lead-up to an apocalyptic event.
Told through real-life audio sources and minimal visuals, Calls stars Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Lily Collins, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Aubrey Plaza.
I’ll give this a chance to find out if it actually works. Because something tells me I might miss seeing the person/people on at least one side of the conversation.
Remember Tom Hardy’s very impressive Locke (2013); when we could see his character but only hear the people he was speaking to on the phone; yet it worked perfectly? Perhaps this too will surprise us all and exceed all expectations.
Directed by Fede Álvarez; additional key cast includes Nick Jonas, Jennifer Tilly, Ben Schwartz, Jaeden Martell, Riley Keough and Joey King.
The King’s Man (2019), Djimon Hounsou, Ralph Feinnes, 20th Century Fox
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The King’s Man is the story of one man’s race to stop a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds from killing millions.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn, The King’s Man is the third instalment of the Kingsman franchise…
I’ll be watching to see how it compares to the original and best,Kingsman – The Secret Service (2014). Also looking forward tto finding out who Taylor-Johnson is playing.
Harris Dickinson, Alexandra Maria Lara, Tom Hollander, Djimon Hounsou, Alison Steadman, Stanley Tucci, Rhys Ifans and Daniel Brühl also star.
Outlaw King is a new David Mackenzie directed historical drama about Robert the Bruce, the great 14th Century Scottish figure whose bravery and cunning defeated and repelled the much larger and better equipped occupying English army.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chris Pine, Florence Pugh and Billy Howle are among the key cast…
I’m interested because of Pine and Taylor-Johnson. I’m intrigued by Robert the Bruce’s story as well as being partial to a Scottish accent.
Tony Curran, Alastair Mackenzie, Duncan Lacroix and Stephen Dillane also star.
Nocturnal Animals which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon and Isla Fisher is the second movie from fashion designer / movie director, Tom Ford. As an appreciator of Ford’s clearly wide-ranging creative abilities and a fan of the film’s highly talented cast, I was excited even before seeing the teaser trailer.
Without any doubt, Nocturnal Animals is a film well done, especially in terms of the actors and all that they were able to convey ever so convincingly. The story is engaging and it certainly left me incredibly grateful for my circumstances and experiences to date. However, even though the synopsis for Nocturnal Animals explains that ‘a wealthy gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a symbolic revenge tale’, I still didn’t expect the nature of the very dark turn everything took quite early on in this movie.
Approximately fifteen minutes into Nocturnal Animals, I started to wonder if I was going to be able to continue watching further. Reason being, what was happening on screen was so intense, uncomfortable and scary, for anyone, butespecially from the point of view of a young female.
Nocturnal Animals (2016), Jake Gyllenhaal
I enjoyed the cinematography and all the performances. I even found myself feeling particularly happy for Gyllenhaal because he got to play a character more vulnerable than any he’d ever played before. And since I’d become so used to seeing his characters mostly in control in his movies, seeing him with very little control made me want to stop watching and switch over to a movie where the people he played had more power. I.e. Nightcrawler (2014). I think this means 1) that I don’t enjoying watching suffering and 2) I may be too attached to my favourite actors and I mostly prefer to see them in roles where they get to win.
As a fan of his great work in Nowhere Boy (2009)especially, I’d also become comfortable with liking the characters played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Thanks to the Nocturnal Animals trailer, I knew that liking Taylor-Johnson’s character in Ford’s movie wasn’t going to happen, but my oh my did he play his role well.
In terms of the things I liked less about this movie, a part of me found the music and what looked like stills of the clouds / landscape a tad annoying. Also, some of the editing towards the end had me wishing that the story was told in a more traditional style, if only so I could follow things better. But my reaction to these seemingly little annoyances is nothing compared to how I felt immediately after the ending. ‘No! Mr Ford, No!’ I screamed as I slapped the wall to my right with frustration. ‘Are you really ending it there? I’m so mad at you for ending it there! Aaaaaaarrrrggg!!!’ Damn it, Tom! Nooooooooooooooo…! I continued for a good four minutes.
Maybe you won’t have reactions as strong as mine from beginning to end. But the best reasons for watching Nocturnal Animals include the brilliant performances and another presentation of Tom Ford’s enviable and inspiring creative gifts.
The latest trailer from super creative, Tom Ford has landed. Starring Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals centres around an art gallery owner who’s haunted by her ex-husband’s violent thriller novel. One that she interprets as a veiled threat…
Teaser trailer
Trailer 1
This one is a must watch because of Mr Ford and the rest of the brilliant film making team. I’m also equally excited and terrified to see what Aaron Taylor-Johnson does with his role
Lastly, what a year it’s proving to be for the lovely Amy Adams.
Isla Fisher Laura Linney and Armie Hammer also star.
By the end of Nowhere Boy I found myself wondering why it is that we don’t see Aaron Taylor-Johnson in more movies. His performance as John Lennon is really quite impressive.
Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Nowhere Boy tells the story of celebrated musician, activist and The Beatles co-founder John Lennon. We get to find out about the unconventional circumstances of his adolescent years, his relationship with key relatives and of course, the events that lead to the founding of The Beatles.
The movie appealed to me – not so much for the music of the mid 1950s era, even though that is a highlight. The big draw for me was my curiosity about the beginnings of Lennon and as a fan of great acting, I was drawn to the the key cast and their portrayals.
Nowhere Boy (2009), Ann-Marie Duff
The performances by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristen Scott Thomas, Ann-Marie Duff and David Threlfall (of TV show Shameless – the original UK version ) really stood out for me. I particularly loved the powerful, well paced and perfectly choreographed confrontation scene towards the end. That moment took me back to my High School and College drama class days when you know that you’re experiencing something that just really works.
Watch it for all the reasons above; 1950’s music, fashion, the story and performances you won’t be forgetting too soon.
The Movie My Life 