Previews: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Bridge of Spies and More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions including the full Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer, a clip from Bridge of Spies and more…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Here it is. The Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer has already set the internet ablaze since its release a matter of hours ago. People are reminiscing over their childhood, ticket sales are going crazy; it is pretty much the biggest news of the day. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released in cinemas on 17th December 2015.

Bridge of Spies Clip

 

Tom Hanks stars as an insurance claims lawyer who finds himself thrust into the centre of the Cold War in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. The above clip shows Hanks’ character as he gets ready for his trip abroad. Bridge of Spies hits UK screens on 27th November 2015.

The 33 Featurette

The 33 is about the story of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground in 2010. This featurette sees the cast and crew of the new movie discussing the event, and their thoughts behind the film. Starring Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche, The 33 is set for release on 29th January 2016.

Joy Trailer

Writer-director David O. Russell re-teams with Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper for Joy. The film is about a family across four generations, and centres on a young woman who founds a business dynasty. Joy is scheduled for release in January 2016.

Hail, Caesar! Trailer

The Coen Brothers’ latest is Hail, Caesar!, a comedy set during Hollywood’s Golden Age. The film follows Josh Brolin’s studio fixer Eddie Mannix, who encounters plenty of problems with the studio’s stars. With an enviable cast that includes George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson and Tilda Swinton, Hail, Caesar! will hit the big screen on 26th February 2016.

Stuff To Look At

Plenty of cinematic delights, including the latest trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a clip from The Book Thief and more…

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Here is the latest trailer for Captain America: The Winter Solider. The film sees the return of Chris Evans in the title role, plus Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is due for UK release on 28th March 2014.

The Book Thief

Based on the best-selling book by Markus Zusak, The Book Thief stars Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. The above clip is from the story, which is set during World War II. The Book Thief is released on 31st January 2014.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Following the release of the latest trailer for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, here is the new poster for the film. The film seems to be pushing the 1980s setting, which is never a bad thing. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues hits UK screens on 20th December 2013.

Non-Stop

Thriller Non-Stop stars Liam Neeson as an Air Marshall in a very perilous position. The trailer reads like Speed on a plane. Non-Stop is due for release on 28th February 2014.

American Hustler

Christian Bale is barely recognisable in American Hustler. It’s like the 1970s threw up all over David O. Russell’s film. Also starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustler hits screens on 20th December in the West End and 3rd January 2014 nationwide.

The Butler

Lee Daniels’ The Butler is just brimming with stars. Led by Forest Whitaker, the film also stars Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Mariah Carey and many others. The Butler is released in the UK on 15th November 2013.

Film Review: Warrior

Despite a fairly predictable plot, Warrior is an incredibly absorbing film. The film pulls in viewers from the beginning, and does not relent until the very end.

A former soldier returns to his father’s home after a lengthy absence. His father is a recovering alcoholic and former trainer. Tom allows his father to train him for a mixed martial arts tournament. At the same time, Tom’s brother Brendan begins to train, hoping the money from tournaments will help to solve his family’s financial problems…

Treading a similar path to David O. Russell’s The Fighter, Warrior focuses on an against-the-odds battle. The twist here, however, is that both brothers are competing for the same prize. Gavin O’Connor’s film is curious in the way that it shapes the two protagonists. From the outset, the fractured nature of Tom and his father’s relationship is made clear. Yet Brendan’s relationship with Tom remains ambiguous. Thus, as the film progresses, viewers await this non-violent confrontation as much as they await the fight.

Another facet which makes Warrior interesting is the dual protagonist form. Both Tom and Brendan are after the same prize, and both have good reasons for pursuing it. The brothers are both characters that the audience roots for. The inevitable conflict arises when they are pitted against each other. There is a tension in who to root for, as you hope both will be successful. The ending feeds into this, perhaps not giving the closure which viewers may desire.

O’Connor’s camera work is engineered to create a certain kind of atmosphere. The entire film is made up of handheld shots. This works exceptional well in the fight sequences, giving the impression of actually being at the event with the obscured vision and fluidity. Nevertheless, the constant motion in the other scenes can be dizzying at times. There is an intensity to the film that is unrelenting. This is aided by the method in which Warrior starts and ends, but also by the pacing, editing and camera work.

Tom Hardy offers a solid performance as Tom, in a physically demanding role. As family man Brendan, Joel Edgerton has the opportunity to show a slightly wider range. Nick Nolte offers an accomplished performance as Paddy Conlon, father of the two brothers.

Warrior is a fine sports movie, offering an intensity that has been rarely matched by films in this category.

Film Review: The Fighter

The Fighter is set in 1993, a time when few would have believed Marky Mark’s career would have longevity, let alone that he would deliver award-worthy performances. Nonetheless, Mark Wahlberg’s acting is not even the highlight of The Fighter, a film that boasts great writing and superlative performances.

A low-level boxer dreaming of success, Mickey Ward is always in his brother Dickie Eklund’s shadow. A former boxer with a drug addiction, Dickie thinks he is going to make a comeback. However, it is Mickey’s career that is on the up, and his older brother has a significant part to play…

Based on the true story of Mickey Ward’s rise to success, The Fighter is an incredibly engaging movie. Although it is a story about boxing, the film primarily focuses on the very personal story behind the sportsman. The Fighter is more concerned with relationship dynamics than accounting Mickey’s triumphs. It is this that give the film its heart, and compels the audience to root for Mickey Ward during the matches.

Screenwriters Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson infuse the narrative with both emotion and comedy. The dialogue is fantastic; it generates a surprising amount of humour. The Fighter is so effective because it easily flits between poignancy and absurdity. A heartfelt conversation between the two brothers can be quickly followed by some humorous interaction between Alice and her daughters, for example.

David O. Russell directs The Fighter with aplomb. The film never really feels like it is building in momentum; it feels like an exploration of the characters’ lives rather than a path to a big climax. The film may have dragged in another director’s hands, but Russell crafts his characters with care and attention. He depicts a multi-faceted group who all have Mickey’s best interests at heart, despite some of their actions.

What is most interesting about the visual style of the film is the use of television-style footage. At the beginning of the film, a camera crew follows Dickie around for a documentary. This is a great introduction to the characters, succinctly exhibiting how each of the brothers are treated. The boxing matches also employ this televisual appearance, which gives these scenes a heightened sense of realism. The fights do look like actual boxing matches; the violence of these bouts is more acute as a result.

Mark Wahlberg is brilliant as Mickey. Wahlberg offers a quiet, composed performance, which contrasts well with Christian Bale’s larger than life Dickie. Bale is fantastic as the drug-addled former boxer, giving one of his best performances to date. Melissa Leo is excellent as Alice Ward, often stealing scenes with her outlandish persona. Perfomances are great all round and the casting is on point, particularly with Amy Adams as Charlene and Alice’s daughters.

Falling somewhere between Raging Bull and Rocky in terms of tone, The Fighter is a very enjoyable film. Highly recommended viewing.