Tag Archives: Film

The Wolf Of Wall Street Review

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Greed, riches, drugs, naked women, sex…The Wolf Of Wall Street certainly is debauched, based on the memoirs of convicted stock market trader Jordan Belfort, a man who makes Gordon Gekko seem like a sweet office boy, the film certainly gives the financial industry a bad name- something that the friend I saw it with (a financial analyst) was non to pleased about.

The Wolf of Wall StreetIn truth Jordan Belfort is a different animal all together. He starts off with a wife and no intention to drink or do drugs. How hard he falls indeed. After losing his job at L.F Rothschild he gets a job trading penny stocks, from there he starts up his own business, the Stratton Oakmont brokerage firm (which was the inspiration for the 2000 film Boiler Room) with the help of friend Donnie Azoff, (played by Johan Hill who famously did the role for $60,000; which was less than $10,000 per the 10 month work), they steal from poor people and then work their way up to stealing from rich people. They do more than their own body weight in drugs and they sleep with so many women it is hard to believe their penis didn’t fall off.

It is hard to go wrong with a Scorsese film and DiCaprio and Scorsese make quite a team. DiCaprio deserves an Oscar for his performance. There were times he was so into his character I didn’t even recognise DiCaprio anywhere. He was once so good he was the De Niro of our generation. Now he is just the DiCaprio of our generation: an actor so good he is on a level all by himself. Johan Hill also gives an Oscar-worthy performance. His comic timing is perfect. He can deliver any line in the world and make it funny. This film shows his true potential. Hill has always been under-rated.

It is not necessarily the movies fault but this is a terrible film for women. Few women get to keep their clothes on and the rest do full-blown, full-frontal nudity with shaved ‘private areas’. Ahem. Even the lead, Margot Robbie who plays DiCaprio’s second wife,  who insisted she didn’t mind. Hmm. But despite all of this sex and the actual orgies the only real male nudity is a fake and flaccid fake penis and a from-the-back nude scene of DiCaprio (twice) and, yes, it was really him. Few women are more than window dressing, naked window dressing, and even one of the ‘original 20’ stockbrokers who is female, Kimmie Belzer, doesn’t even get a mention until the end of the movie. Another gets her head shaved for $10,000. An uncomfortable scene. All of the nudity is too much and embarrassing. It is supposed to be adult and decadent but is, actually, just sad and adolescent. I was depressed by the misogyny in the film. It’s 2014. Women deserve more than this.

The Wolf of Wall Street is an enjoyable movie (barring the nudity and I didn’t really get all the drug talk. I felt it was romanticised too much. Drugs actually aren’t cool kids), in fact it is more than enjoyable. It is nearly three hours long and it went by fast and was entertaining. However, Jordan Belfort is possibly one of the least likeable (real-life!) characters in movie history. He has absolutely no redeeming features. He is a complete bastard. Despite this, because he is played so brilliantly by DiCaprio he is also likable in a very weird way. You end up caring what happens to him but you resent yourself for it. These aren’t nice people and you will find yourself hoping Agent Patrick Denham nails them to the wall.

If you go and see The Wolf of Wall Street you will be entertained but you will also be left with a feeling of sexism, shallowness and emptiness.

 

Kristin Scott Thomas Retires From Film

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Kristin_Scott_ThomasAfter 20 years and nearly 80 credits Kristin Scott Thomas has announced she is done with making films and has decided to quit.

“I just suddenly thought, I cannot cope with another film, I realised I’ve done the things I know how to do so many times in different languages, and I just suddenly thought, I can’t do it any more. I’m bored by it. So I’m stopping.” She told The Guardian.

Scott Thomas has said it is partly due to be treated like an “aging actress.” She is sick of playing the “sad middle-aged woman”.

“[I’m] asked to do the same things over and over, because people know you can do that, so they want you to do that. But I just don’t want to pretend to be unhappy anymore — and it is mostly unhappy.”

“I’m often asked to do something because I’m going to be a sort of weight to their otherwise flimsy production. They need me for production purposes, basically. So they give me a little role in something where they know I’m going to be able to turn up, know what to do, cry in the right place. I shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds, but I keep doing these things for other people, and last year I just decided life’s too short. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

There might be a small surfeit of roles for elderly actresses like Maggie Smith and Judi Dench (who never seem to stop working, thank goodness), but the film industry has little need for women in their fifties, except to play moms. I’m sort of, as the French would say, ‘stuck between two chairs’, because I’m no longer 40 and sort of a seductress, and I’m not yet a granny.”

On studio films she says; “I can’t bear all the kind of rubbish that goes on on those big films. I just can’t stand sitting around for hours in a great big luxury trailer, waiting, bored out of my head. I used to do a lot of tapestry. Yes, I had a lot of cushions around.” On Confessions of a Shopaholic, she says, “I thought it would be quite good fun. But I spent my entire time waiting. I hated it, hated it, hated it, and I said that I wouldn’t do another one.”

She won’t be doing TV either; “I can’t do miniseries. Once you’ve got the characters, once you know who they are, they’re going to repeat themselves, aren’t they, for the next five years? It just goes on and on and on. I get terribly bored. Series bore me.”

However, you can still find her on stage; “When you are acting in a film, you’re giving the director the raw material to make the film,” she says. “But when you’re acting on stage, that’s it. And that’s when you discover that you can really do it. It’s this word ‘trust’ that keeps coming to me. It’s not a question of whether one person is conning you into thinking you can do it, saying, ‘Oh, it was beautiful.’ On stage, if it works, it works.”

 

Lone Survivor – Film Review

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lone_survivor_poster__spanNow I might be a man – actually scratch that. Now I might be an alpha male, no, scratch that again. I am an alpha male but call it what you will I have had my full of all those macho ‘Saving Private Ryan’ type flicks. The sort where everyone just dies in front of you and the director just relishes putting you in the thick heart of brutal battle. It is little wonder then that I was more than a little pessimistic about this film; let’s face it the title says it all.

However this Peter Berg film; director of blockbuster movie Battleship, in which the US Navy drove off an alien invasion opened with a much different kind of flavour than I was used to. Lone Survivor, opens by focussing on the inner endurance battles of these men as they go through training and the bonding they forge as a team, a brotherhood. In the opening montage we see them taught to handle pain, inhospitable conditions (sometimes naked), what’s more we see many people quit. It comes across as an insatiable drive to reconnect the audience with reality. It is this understanding and a mixture of top class acting and proficient story-telling that makes this film different to the run of the mill films we have seen.

It is little wonder actually, the film’s plot comes from the real life account of Marcus Luttrell, a former US Navy SEAL, and describes an operation in the mountains of Afghanistan in 2005, in which four American soldiers found themselves caught on the prongs of a moral dilemma.

Sent to assassinate a Taliban warlord, they unexpectedly encounter three goat herds; an elderly man, a young boy and a scowling teenager. They have three choices, each one with its own type of consequence. They can kill them, tie them up or let them go. After a lengthy discussion about the ethics and morals as well as what could happen to them they decide they are not animals and decide on the latter and that is where things go wrong.
The Taliban are as merciless as you would expect, and in as many ways as some may argue we are led to believe but what they don’t lack is in numbers and resources.

Where this film really succeeds is bringing the reality and the injustice of war to your eyes. The Marines, played by Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster carry the film well and although the film becomes very frantic it remains coherent in its set up; we know who the men are, who’s married, who has kids and what each man stands to lose. I thought it was very brave too that the soldiers were not portrayed as superheroes. In one scene, cornered by the enemy they decide to fling themselves down a cliff to escape and we see their bodies smashed and ground by both rocks and bullets. It was very unnerving to see such a common scene shown for the reality it is.

The film doesn’t let up even at the last chapter and although some scenes are clichéd, based on the reality it is founded upon is something you can forgive. There are some real touching scenes there too which are executed very well.

So, how does one rate this film, do you rate it on the entertainment, the quality of the action and acting? do you rate the reality or just the horror of it? I guess I will praise it for the account it portrays about the men and women who put themselves in the position where such an account could be wrote. As a film it is not exceptional and is far from stylish, but I don’t think it was meant to be. However, the story it tells is certainly worthy.

Girl Most Likely | Film Review

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girlmostlikelyfilmreviewI should probably start this review with the fact that I love Kristen Wiig. She is just an amazing actress and this film is no exception to her talent.

 

The film has great performances, a brilliant and funny storyline and great characters. After Imogene, played by Wiig, gets dumped by her high-society boyfriend, and then also loses her job as she crashes into despair, Imogene fakes a suicide bid to try and win back her boyfriend. This goes wrong when her friend (using the word loosely!) comes instead and her mother is called instead and comes to get her and take her home.
Her relationship with her mother is strained at best. Hilarity ensues. This is a great film, and I love Annette Bening as the mother who does her best, even when it is getting her daughter arrested for borrowing her car because her CIA lover (Matt Dillon on top form) tells her that the best way to find a person is to accuse them of a crime. This is a great romantic comedy with a twist, but also a great comedy about family.

Girl Most Likely is a smart and funny romantic comedy starring Wiig as Imogene, a once promising New York playwright whose meteoric rise has fizzled out, thanks to a crisis of confidence. Also heavily in denial about being dumped by her high society boyfriend, Imogene uses her flair for drama to stage an elaborate meltdown as an appeal for his sympathy. But her attempt backfires when she’s put into the custody of Zelda, her estranged gambling addict mother (Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right) in Jersey Shore.

 

Desperate to get back on top, Imogene will need the help of her family, including her slightly odd younger brother (Christopher Fitzgerald, Revolutionary Road), Zelda’s new boyfriend The Bousche (Matt Dillon, You, Me and Dupree), and the hot new lodger (Darren Criss, Glee). Things can only go up from here, and they do in this wildly quirky rom-com about family, life and love.
Starring Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids, Anchorman 2, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Matt Dillon (Me, You and Dupree, There’s Something About Mary), Darren Criss (TV’s Glee) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Revolutionary Road),

Girl Most Likely can be bought here

GIRL MOST LIKELY… DVD/BD Information:
Release:                     3rd Feb 2014
Number of discs:       1
RRP:                            £17.99/£21.99
Certificate:                 12
Sound:                        Dolby Digital Surround 5.1
Running time:            99/103 Minutes Approx.

 

Penthouse North Film Review

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penthousenorthdvdgiveawayPenthouse North has a few things going for it but the main one has to be Michelle Monahan. A brilliant and underrated actress. There are not enough films with a female lead and Penthouse North shows what a waste that is.

The other thing Penthouse North has going for it; it’s an enjoyable thriller. And it has Michael Keaton on top form. Barry Sloane, of Revenge fame, is also good as a violent and sadistic thief.

Michelle Monahan’s character Sara has got to be one of the unluckiest women in the world. As a photojournalist in Afghanistan she loses her sight after a suicide bomber detonates in front of her. She has become reclusive, mostly staying in the penthouse apartment of her boyfriend. But her boyfriend is not what he seems.

Fresh from his leading role in Robocop 2014 Michael Keaton (Batman) stars alongside Michelle Monaghan (Source Code) in action-packed thriller Penthouse North, from Sleeping with the Enemy director Joseph Ruben (Money Train) which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 3 February 2014.

It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City and a young woman’s (Monahan) penthouse is invaded by Hollander (Keaton) and his sadistic partner. The vicious pair will do whatever it takes – torture, tear the place apart and even kill to find what they’re looking for. While the party rages outside, inside Penthouse North Sara must fight for her life. It’s kill or be killed in this pulse-pounding, non-stop fight to the finish thriller.

While I sometimes found it hard to watch a women being abused by two men, especially one who is blind, Penthouse North is overall a good, triumphant and entertaining film. You see Sara become stronger and stronger throughout. She had become reclusive and introverted, but her survival instinct kicks in; she becomes stronger than ever before. I don’t want to give too much away but it is perfect for an evening’s entertainment. Spoiler Alert; also; don’t worry, the cat wins in the end.

We have two copies of Penthouse North to giveaway.

 

Jennifer Lawrence Stuns On Total Film Cover

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Jennifer Lawrence looks amazing on the cover of Total Film as Mystique in X-Men: Days Of Future Past.

Once again directed by Bryan Singer and co-starring Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Hugh Jackman, X-Men: Days Of Future Past will open in the UK on 22 May 2014.

Jennifer-Lawrence

Czech Actress Petra Bryant Interview

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Czech, beauty, actress, Petra BryantHow did you get into acting?

Acting is something I did since I was a teenager but I didn’t start seriously until I moved to London. I took many screen acting courses and did workshops with casting directors in order to be sure that is what I wanted to do with my life. I also did a stand-up comedy course but realized it wasn’t my thing at all! Getting parts in short films has been a great experience and I would recommend that every actor tries that route. Not only you learn how real productions work but you will get a demo reel material.

Did you always know you wanted to be an actor?

When I was a child I wanted to be a doctor, designer, writer, model and an actor. I have realized I could be all those if I became an actor. Bingo! But deep down I always knew that it was what I wanted to do. It took many years to get where I am today and I still have a long way to go.

What was your big break?

I think landing a role of Empress Faustina in Fallen Eagle has been the biggest break so far. But since the film is in pre-production status, I will say that it is ‘The Last Scout’. ‘The Last Scout’ is a British sci-fi. Playing the ship captain ‘Melissa’ feels like a real acting role at last!

How do you get into character?

It really depends on what kind of character I am playing and whether I can identify with it. I usually like to watch similar movies to the one I am about to make. It helps me get in the mood and I get inspired by other actors. I also think of all the little details from the character’s life and make them my own, slowly building on the character. Eventually I start thinking like the character and merging with them. I also have to get physically into shape for each role.

What is your favourite film that you worked on?

I am sure my answer will be different by the end of 2014 but for now I choose ‘The Disappearance of Lenka Wood’. This is my first film as the female lead. I almost feel like we did two separate films as part of the story is set in New York and another in Turkey. I liked that my character Lenka is very different from me and that I had lots of freedom in creating the character. At times it was also a pretty physical role to play and I had to push my own boundaries. I am scared of heights and water and it took some convincing to get me jump into the swimming pool for a scene! But I am so glad I did it.

Tell us about your upcoming films. 

Both ‘The Disappearance of Lenka Wood’ and ‘The Last Scout’ are in post-production but 2014 will be a busy year for me. I start with the film ‘White Collar Hooligan 3’ and a little short film. The next up is a sci-fi ‘Abduct’ where I get to play a Russian UFO Specialist. I am really excited to be a part of another sci-fi! My spring and summer will be spent in Malta and Los Angeles filming ‘Fallen Eagle’ and a rom-com ‘Looking for George Clooney’. There are other projects on the horizon but I can’t talk about them just yet. I am so happy that I am working, doing something I love.

Does being Czech help or hinder your career?

I would say it helps for sure. My accent is not typically Czech so that means I can play other Europeans. At the same time I would love to be able to perfect British or American accent to broaden my role spectrum. But for now I am more than happy to use being Czech into my advantage. I love playing the’ token European’!!

What is your ideal role?

I am a huge comedy fan and playing a goofy clumsy superhero would be amazing. I think I might have to write my own part one day.

What’s next?

Well apart from all the films I have lined up this year, I am also writing my first book. It has taken me a long time already. I have actually ripped the first draft apart and now I am rewriting the story in a different style. I am driving myself crazy with it! Once this is done and dusted, I want to self-publish and turn it into a script. I love writing and would love to produce TV series with my finished product.
I hope people will like my films and I continue to be a working actor! I love making movies but I am very attracted to TV as there are some brilliantly written shows out there!

 

Two Copies Of Penthouse North To Giveaway

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penthousenorthdvdgiveawayWe have two copies of Penthouse North to giveaway.

Fresh from his leading role in Robocop 2014 Michael Keaton (Batman) stars alongside Michelle Monaghan (Source Code) in action-packed thriller Penthouse North, from Sleeping with the Enemy director Joseph Ruben (Money Train) which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 3 February 2014.

It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City and a young woman’s (Monahan) penthouse is invaded by Hollander (Keaton) and his sadistic partner. The vicious pair will do whatever it takes  – torture, tear the place apart and even kill to find what they’re looking for. While the party rages outside, inside Penthouse North Sara must fight for her life. It’s kill or be killed in this pulse-pounding, non-stop fight to the finish thriller.

To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win Penthouse North with @Frostmag’ or like us on Facebook.  Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.

The competition ends on January 31st 2014.