Tag Archives: Chris O’Dowd

Adventure, Animation, Comedy

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (2018): New Trailer From Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Chris O’Dowd

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Christopher Robin (2018), Ewan McGregor, Jim Cummings (Pooh's Voice)
Christopher Robin (2018), Ewan McGregor, Jim Cummings (Pooh’s Voice)
Marc Forster directs Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell and Chris O’Dowd in Disney’s live action adaptation of Christopher Robin.
Robin was once a young boy who loved adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood with his spirited and loveable stuffed animals. Now he’s grown up and needs help to rediscover the joys of life with some help from his childhood friend, Winnie The Pooh…
Two Christopher Robin movies within twelve months? Disney has been busy. I actually haven’t yet seen the first one, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) And I’m more excited about this one.
Last thought, why isn’t Pooh yellow in this trailer?
Christopher Robin Release Dates: August 3rd, 2018 (US); August 17th, 2018 (UK)…
Happy Film Loving
G
Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews

THE INCREDIBLE JESSICA JAMES (2017): The Things I Liked…

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The Incredible Jessica James (2017), Jessica Williams
The Incredible Jessica James (2017), Jessica Williams

The Incredible Jessica James is not a super hero movie as I first thought. It is in fact a comedy about an aspiring New York based playwright played by Jessica Williams. Williams is an actor who’s not completely new to me thanks to People Places Things (2015) – one of my favourite comedies of 2015.

The story, written and directed by Jim Strouse who also wrote and directed  People Places Things, centres around Miss James’s friendship with a guy called Boone (Chris O’Dowd). A friendship that begins whilst Miss Jones is on the rebound from a break-up.

There are definitely one or two scenes at the beginning of this movie where I thought, ‘the camera is definitely spending too long on this moment’. Luckily for me, as the film progressed, I just liked it more and more. Williams did a good job of portraying all that is incredible about Miss James and I enjoyed the writing, especially as I found that I identify with Miss James in a number of ways. To mention just one way (you may relate to this too), I too have a slightly less than ordinary dream that also requires much dedication.

Noël Wells, an actor I first saw in Aziz Ansari’s rather good series Master Of None was a highlight. I also loved O’Dowd who was as always a delight to watch in comedy / drama roles.

By the end of The Incredible Jessica James , my thoughts had evolved from ‘the camera is definitely spending too long on this moment’ to ‘Miss James may not wear a special suit or a cape, but she really is quite incredible’. Not only did I want to be as cool as Jessica James, but I’d decided that I’d definitely tune in in the event that this movie were turned into a series.

Watch it and see.

Happy Film loving

G

Drama

LOVE AFTER LOVE (2017): New Trailer From Russell Harbraugh, Starring Andie McDowell, Chris O’Dowd, Dree Hemingway…

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Love After Love (2017), Chris O'Dowd
Love After Love (2017), Chris O’Dowd

Co-written / directed by Russell Harbraugh and starring Andie McDowell, Chris O’Dowd and Dree Hemingway, Love After Love is a new drama with grief at its centre.

Two brothers just lost their father and their own lives while watching their mother start anew.

I like a good revealing family drama, and this looks like just that.

Love After Love Release Dates…

Happy Film Loving

G

Adventure, Fantasy, No Spoiler Reviews

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (2016) Movie Review: Good Story, Fun Special Effects…

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Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (2016), Asa Butterfield
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016), Asa Butterfield

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is enjoyable and well acted. Eva Green’s talents and a bunch of children with abilities different to what I’ve already seen in plenty of superhero movies were what appealed the most. I enjoyed the well imagined peculiarities of the films characters. I also loved watching Chris O’Dowd in a ‘struggling father’ role – a highlight because he did a good job.

The story is well constructed and with Tim Burton plus his rich imagination in the director’s chair, it’s unsurprising that the visual manifestations of writer Ransom Riggs’s characters is another highlight.

Contrary to my initial thoughts after watching the trailer, Miss Peregrine’s peculiar children are not quite superheroes in the traditional sense. Reason being, their main concern is saving their own particular kind rather than humanity as a whole (not a criticism, just something I realised).

There is a moment in the movie where I thought, ‘really? you went with that take?’ It was during Asa Butterfields’s character’s anguish at his grandfather’s demise. It’s not so much that there were no tears in sight since I know that not everyone cries in such predicaments. It’s just that his supposed anguish didn’t ring particularly true for me. Something about the rhythm, maybe.

Though not exactly perfect, I say watch Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children for the story, fun adventure, special effects and refreshing difference when compared to the ‘peculiarities’ of todays well known superhero movie characters.

Happy Film Loving

G

Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews

MASCOTS (2016): Funny…

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Mascots (2016), Zach Woods, Sarah Baker
Mascots (2016), Zach Woods, Sarah Baker

As the trailer promised, Mascots has a healthy serving of quirky and entertaining characters. A very special selection of unusual people gathered in one place for the 8th World Mascot Association Championships; a sports mascot competition in which the very best sports mascots compete for the ‘Golden Fluffy Award’.

I’m one of those people who stopped watching television talent programmes because I could no longer take all the seemingly forced and inauthentic sob stories. I also decided that life’s not long enough for me to be ok with sitting through the numerous delusional performer’s unbearably cringeworthy interactions with the judges. Luckily for me, there’s none of that nonsense in Mascots.

Mascots (2016), Susan Yeagley, Parker Posey
Mascots (2016), Susan Yeagley, Parker Posey

I loved the humour and the stories of people unapologetically being their – often very peculiar selves. Sid The Hedgehog (Tom Bennett) and Alvin The Armadillo (Parker Posey) are my two favourites.

Mascots is perfect for a relaxed evening’s viewing. I spent most of the time smiling rather than laughing but in this instance, that’s not a bad thing. I like the shooting style which towards the end really had me feeling as though I were right there in the venue audience.

I’m not quite sure if Mascots is based on a real sports mascot competition of this kind but if someone had tickets, I wouldn’t be so quick to say no.

Written/ directed by Christopher Guest and also starring Chris O’Dowd,  Zach Woods, Sarah Baker and Jane Lynch, watch it because the characters are ‘unhinged’, in a good way.

Happy Film Loving

G

Comedy

MASCOTS (2016): New Trailer From Chris O’Dowd, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey…

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Mascots (2016), Jane Lynch, Ed Begley Jr.
Mascots (2016), Jane Lynch, Ed Begley Jr.

Chris O’Dowd, Jane Lynch and Parker Posey are some of the comedy stars of co-writer and director Christopher Guest’s latest movie, Mascots. A comedy focused on the very competitive world of sports mascots? Of course there are a bunch of entertaining, kooky, quirky and very colourful characters…

I already find myself laughing each time I look at Jane Lynch’s face in the above main photo. So bring on the madness, I say!

Fred Willard, Oscar Nunez, Sandra Rosko and John Michael Higgins make up more of the talented funny men and women.

Mascots Release Date: October 13th, 2016 (US)…

Happy Film Loving 🙂

G

Adventure, Fantasy

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (2016), New Trailer From Tim Burton, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green…

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Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (2016), Asa Butterfield, Eva Green
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016), Asa Butterfield, Eva Green

From director, Tim Burton and starring Asa Butterfield and Eva Green, Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is today’s trailer…

Trailer 1

Trailer 2

Based on a best selling book by Ransom Riggs, I’m sure fans of the story will forgive you in the event that X-Men pops into your mind while the trailer plays.

what I’m most curious about is all the peculiarities imagined by the the author. I’ll certainly be very happy if I find this movie any more original than the peculiarities of the children.

So far I don’t like the trailer song. It feels too annoyingly obvious. The instrumental is ok but the words… Sadly for me, sound is not my peculiarity.

Judi Dench, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris O’Dowd, Allison Janney and Ella Wahlestedt also star.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Release Dates: September 30th, 2016 (US), November 3rd, 2016 (GER)…

Happy Film Loving 🙂

G

Biography, Drama, Sport

THE PROGRAM (2015): New Trailer For Lance Armstrong Doping Scandal Biopic

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The Program (2015), Ben Foster
The Program (2015), Ben Foster

Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd and Guillaume Canet are the stars of the Stephen Frears latest. The Program is the film adaptation of former road racing cyclist, Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace.

I actually wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the first trailer when it was released a few months ago. Reasons included doubts as to whether Foster actually sounds like Armstrong. I’m still not convinced that he really does but this new trailer is definitely better…

I don’t feel quite quite ready for a movie version of a story that was only recently told by the documentary, The Armstrong Lie (2013). However, I’m presuming it will be interesting to see dramatisations of events we’ve so far only been told about. Foster will likely do a good job of portraying Armstrong even if I feel like he didn’t get the voice quite right.

The Program (2015), Chris O'Dowd
The Program (2015), Chris O’Dowd

I’m most looking forward to seeing Irish actor Chris O’Dowd excel in a serious dramatic role. Until then…

Dustin Hoffman, Jesse Plemons Elaine Cassidy and Bryan Greenberg also star.

Release Date (s): October 16th 2015 (UK & US)

Happy The Program 🙂

G