‘The Son’ Review: Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern Battle Pain and Guilt in Tough Look at Teen Depression
This review originally ran September 7, 2022, in conjunction with the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
When he made his directorial debut with “The Father” last year, French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller proved to be uncommonly adept at using the tools of cinema to depict an elderly man’s descent into dementia. But Zeller was far from finished exploring the subject of mental illness, which he tackles from a very different perspective in his new film, “The Son.”
While “The Father” was entirely from the point-of-view of Anthony Hopkins’ title character, “The Son,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, is a film of shifting perspectives. The young Australian actor Zen McGrath offers an indelible performance as Nicholas, a high schooler wracked with depression after the stormy divorce of his parents – but we spend as much time with the adults who are trying desperately to...
When he made his directorial debut with “The Father” last year, French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller proved to be uncommonly adept at using the tools of cinema to depict an elderly man’s descent into dementia. But Zeller was far from finished exploring the subject of mental illness, which he tackles from a very different perspective in his new film, “The Son.”
While “The Father” was entirely from the point-of-view of Anthony Hopkins’ title character, “The Son,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, is a film of shifting perspectives. The young Australian actor Zen McGrath offers an indelible performance as Nicholas, a high schooler wracked with depression after the stormy divorce of his parents – but we spend as much time with the adults who are trying desperately to...
- 1/20/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Hello, everyone! August 23rd is a quiet day for horror and sci-fi home media releases, but that doesn’t mean that this week’s offerings aren’t pretty darn great all the same. Scream Factory has put together a killer Collector’s Edition 4K release for Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers and Kino Lorber has put together reissues of their Blu-ray box sets for seasons one and two of The Outer Limits, which genre fans will definitely want to pick up.
Cheers!
Dog Soldiers: 4K Collector’s Edition
A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of a...
Cheers!
Dog Soldiers: 4K Collector’s Edition
A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of a...
- 8/23/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Simon Bowles designed the massive set of the Judd spaceship on HBO’s “Avenue 5” with one central thought in mind: It doesn’t matter how beautiful an environment is when you realize you might be trapped in it forever.
“I’ve designed these types of enclosed spaces before,” says the production designer, who collaborated with series creator and pilot director Armando Iannucci for the first time but had worked on projects in which characters were physically isolated. “[I’ve done] caves for ‘The Descent,’ a lighthouse for [1999 horror film] ‘Lighthouse,’ a submarine for [2010 BBC miniseries] ‘The Deep.’ For ‘Avenue 5,’ I’m doing this all in the way that good genre films trap everybody. I wanted it to feel contained but inside this enormous spaceship. I designed the environment to have a very strong, linear feel, a wide horizon, so that there’s nothing pushing in; you can see it’s just them in the vast outer space,...
“I’ve designed these types of enclosed spaces before,” says the production designer, who collaborated with series creator and pilot director Armando Iannucci for the first time but had worked on projects in which characters were physically isolated. “[I’ve done] caves for ‘The Descent,’ a lighthouse for [1999 horror film] ‘Lighthouse,’ a submarine for [2010 BBC miniseries] ‘The Deep.’ For ‘Avenue 5,’ I’m doing this all in the way that good genre films trap everybody. I wanted it to feel contained but inside this enormous spaceship. I designed the environment to have a very strong, linear feel, a wide horizon, so that there’s nothing pushing in; you can see it’s just them in the vast outer space,...
- 2/14/2020
- by Daron James
- Variety Film + TV
Johnny English Strikes Again opens in theaters October 26th and here’s a first look at the brand new poster. Die-hard fans of Mr. Bean and Blackadder, including this one, can’t wait for more of British actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson.
The man cracks me up! I can wait for this movie.
Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of the Johnny English comedy series, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the much loved accidental secret agent.
The new adventure begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, leaving Johnny English as the Secret Service’s last hope. Called out of retirement, English dives head first into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker. As a man with few skills and analogue methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.
Johnny English Strikes Again also features Ben Miller,...
The man cracks me up! I can wait for this movie.
Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of the Johnny English comedy series, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the much loved accidental secret agent.
The new adventure begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, leaving Johnny English as the Secret Service’s last hope. Called out of retirement, English dives head first into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker. As a man with few skills and analogue methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.
Johnny English Strikes Again also features Ben Miller,...
- 6/28/2018
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Credit: Giles Keyte / Focus Features
Watch the official trailer for Johnny English Strikes Again starring Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Emma Thompson and Jake Lacy. The film lands in cinemas in 2018.
Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of the Johnny English comedy series, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the much loved accidental secret agent. The new adventure begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, leaving Johnny English as the Secret Service’s last hope. Called out of retirement, English dives head first into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker. As a man with few skills and analogue methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.
Production Designer Simon Bowles created the look for Johnny English Strikes Again. In our recent interview with the designer on his work for the film Crooked House,...
Watch the official trailer for Johnny English Strikes Again starring Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Emma Thompson and Jake Lacy. The film lands in cinemas in 2018.
Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of the Johnny English comedy series, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the much loved accidental secret agent. The new adventure begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, leaving Johnny English as the Secret Service’s last hope. Called out of retirement, English dives head first into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker. As a man with few skills and analogue methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.
Production Designer Simon Bowles created the look for Johnny English Strikes Again. In our recent interview with the designer on his work for the film Crooked House,...
- 4/5/2018
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Playing On-demand and in theaters now is Crooked House.
In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a wealthy patriarch is investigated by spy-turned-private-detective Charles Hayward (Max Irons), who is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets. On the sprawling estate, amidst a poisonous atmosphere of bitterness, resentment and jealousy in a truly crooked house, Hayward encounters three generations of the dynasty, including a theater actress (Gillian Anderson), the old man’s widow 50 years his junior (Christina Hendricks), and the family matriarch Lady Edith de Haviland (Glenn Close).
The movie also features Julian Sands, Christian McKay and Terence Stamp.
Crooked House is available digitally in the Us from YouTube, Amazon, iTunes and Google Play
Prior to the film’s release, Production Designer Simon Bowles spoke with Wamg on his work for Crooked House.
In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a wealthy patriarch is investigated by spy-turned-private-detective Charles Hayward (Max Irons), who is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets. On the sprawling estate, amidst a poisonous atmosphere of bitterness, resentment and jealousy in a truly crooked house, Hayward encounters three generations of the dynasty, including a theater actress (Gillian Anderson), the old man’s widow 50 years his junior (Christina Hendricks), and the family matriarch Lady Edith de Haviland (Glenn Close).
The movie also features Julian Sands, Christian McKay and Terence Stamp.
Crooked House is available digitally in the Us from YouTube, Amazon, iTunes and Google Play
Prior to the film’s release, Production Designer Simon Bowles spoke with Wamg on his work for Crooked House.
- 12/24/2017
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A United Kingdom and Belle director Amma Asante; "I love the idea that things aren't always what they seem." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The day before the red carpet Us Premiere at The Paris Theatre in New York, Amma Asante, the director of A United Kingdom, which stars David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike with Laura Carmichael, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Jessica Oyelowo, Terry Pheto, Abena
Ayivor, Vusi Kunene, Jack Davenport and Tom Felton, sat down with me for a conversation. Screenwriter Guy Hibbert, production designer Simon Bowles, costume designer Anushia Nieradzik, The Color Bar by Susan Williams, setting up the meeting of Ruth Williams and Seretse Khama, sisterhood, the importance of a speech, Brighton Rock with Richard Attenborough, and her next film Where Hands Touch with Amandla Stenberg and George MacKay were touched upon.
Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) and Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo)
The private obstructions for Ruth (Rosamund Pike) and Seretse (David Oyelowo...
The day before the red carpet Us Premiere at The Paris Theatre in New York, Amma Asante, the director of A United Kingdom, which stars David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike with Laura Carmichael, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Jessica Oyelowo, Terry Pheto, Abena
Ayivor, Vusi Kunene, Jack Davenport and Tom Felton, sat down with me for a conversation. Screenwriter Guy Hibbert, production designer Simon Bowles, costume designer Anushia Nieradzik, The Color Bar by Susan Williams, setting up the meeting of Ruth Williams and Seretse Khama, sisterhood, the importance of a speech, Brighton Rock with Richard Attenborough, and her next film Where Hands Touch with Amandla Stenberg and George MacKay were touched upon.
Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) and Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo)
The private obstructions for Ruth (Rosamund Pike) and Seretse (David Oyelowo...
- 2/10/2017
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Another Scream Factory release, another controversy. Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition release of Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers has been plagued with issues since it was announced. Delays, a lack of source material from which to scan a new transfer. After a year of waiting, some of us assumed that we’d never actually see this release come to fruition. On June 23rd, the wait was finally over, but some people were less than satisfied. Do they have a valid complaint, or is it more anti-Scream Factory hipster nonsense?
The Movie:
First, let’s talk about the movie, then we’ll get into the controversy. Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers is one of the last great Werewolf movies. It shouldn’t be hard to do, considering the criminal lack of solid werewolf movies on the market, but sadly, the few that do get made are generally average, or worse.
The Movie:
First, let’s talk about the movie, then we’ll get into the controversy. Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers is one of the last great Werewolf movies. It shouldn’t be hard to do, considering the criminal lack of solid werewolf movies on the market, but sadly, the few that do get made are generally average, or worse.
- 7/8/2015
- by Shawn Savage
- The Liberal Dead
In addition to getting their Blu-ray horror and sci-fi fix from Shout! Factory's booth #4118 at this year's Comic-Con, fans can also experience exciting future Scream Factory title announcements at the "Inside Look" panel taking place Friday, July 10th at 7:30pm in Room 24Abc:
Press Release: "Now a mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con International, Shout! Factory returns to the convention in 2015 with a dynamic line-up sure to delight pop culture enthusiasts of all ages. Shout! Factory is a leading multi-platform entertainment company, and its Comic-Con offerings, which span its popular Shout! Factory, Shout! Kids and Scream Factory™ brands, are sure to please devoted fans of popular home entertainment properties, collectors and pop culture enthusiasts alike. This year, Shout! Factory unveils an exciting panel event, new home entertainment products, Comic-Con exclusives and engaging booth activities. Fans and attendees are invited to join in on the excitement at the Shout! Factory...
Press Release: "Now a mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con International, Shout! Factory returns to the convention in 2015 with a dynamic line-up sure to delight pop culture enthusiasts of all ages. Shout! Factory is a leading multi-platform entertainment company, and its Comic-Con offerings, which span its popular Shout! Factory, Shout! Kids and Scream Factory™ brands, are sure to please devoted fans of popular home entertainment properties, collectors and pop culture enthusiasts alike. This year, Shout! Factory unveils an exciting panel event, new home entertainment products, Comic-Con exclusives and engaging booth activities. Fans and attendees are invited to join in on the excitement at the Shout! Factory...
- 6/24/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Another big week of DVD and Blu-ray releases for genre fans out there as we’ve got several cult classics coming to Blu-ray and more than a dozen indie films headed home on DVD as well on June 23rd. Scream Factory is showing Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers some love on Tuesday with their Collector’s Edition Combo set and Kino Lorber is also giving a high-def overhaul to both Needful Things and The Island of Dr. Moreau too. The provocative horror fantasy Horsehead is also arriving on both Blu and DVD and for any longtime Ryan Gosling fans out there, you’ll undoubtedly want to snag a copy of Young Hercules: The Complete Series which is coming to DVD for the first time ever this week.
Dog Soldiers Collector’s Edition (Scream Factory, Blu/DVD Combo)
A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on...
Dog Soldiers Collector’s Edition (Scream Factory, Blu/DVD Combo)
A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on...
- 6/23/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Director Neil Marshall and VFX Supervisor Bob Keen discuss creating werewolves in our exclusive bonus features video excerpt from Scream Factory's Dog Soldiers Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD.
Scream Factory's Dog Soldiers Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD hits shelves tomorrow:
Synopsis: "A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of local girl who shelters them in a deserted farmhouse deep in the forest…but when they realize that they are surrounded by a pack of blood-lusting werewolves, it's apparent their nightmare has just begun!
From Neil Marshall, the director of The Decent, Doomsday, Centurion and episodes of Game Of Thrones, comes...
Scream Factory's Dog Soldiers Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD hits shelves tomorrow:
Synopsis: "A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of local girl who shelters them in a deserted farmhouse deep in the forest…but when they realize that they are surrounded by a pack of blood-lusting werewolves, it's apparent their nightmare has just begun!
From Neil Marshall, the director of The Decent, Doomsday, Centurion and episodes of Game Of Thrones, comes...
- 6/22/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Nearly 13 years ago, a British Army unit discovered what lives in the shadows in Neil Marshall's feature film directorial debut, Dog Soldiers, and this summer Scream Factory is revisiting what that doomed group encountered with their Dog Soldiers Collector’s Edition Blu-ray / DVD. First announced in 2013, the anticipated release has been pushed back more than once to ensure it's the best possible final version. At long last, the beloved werewolf film will come out on June 23rd and it will be well worth the wait, as the newly revealed special features are enough to make horror hounds drool and howl at the moon with pleasure.
Press Release -- "Six Men. Full Moon. No Chance. The terrifying thriller Dog Soldiers gets the Scream Factory treatment with a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack available June 23rd, 2015. Fans who order their copy from ShoutFactory.com will receive an exclusive Dog Soldiers poster,...
Press Release -- "Six Men. Full Moon. No Chance. The terrifying thriller Dog Soldiers gets the Scream Factory treatment with a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack available June 23rd, 2015. Fans who order their copy from ShoutFactory.com will receive an exclusive Dog Soldiers poster,...
- 5/6/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
“Audiences will have their sense of humanity refreshed.”
Actors Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Dominic West, director Matthew Warchus and the filmmakers of Pride discuss the background of this emotional story in the new featurette.
Critics are already cheering the film. “Breakout British hit is a warm, witty triumph,” says Digital Spy.
The Hollywood News writes, “Pride really is a thing of beauty.”
Pride is inspired by an extraordinary true story.
It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.
Directed...
Actors Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Dominic West, director Matthew Warchus and the filmmakers of Pride discuss the background of this emotional story in the new featurette.
Critics are already cheering the film. “Breakout British hit is a warm, witty triumph,” says Digital Spy.
The Hollywood News writes, “Pride really is a thing of beauty.”
Pride is inspired by an extraordinary true story.
It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.
Directed...
- 9/16/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, and Paddy Considine, the first trailer for Pride is here.
In their Cannes 2014 review, HeyUGuys‘ Jo-Ann Titmarsh wrote: “A feel-good movie about the 1984 miners’ strike, Thatcherism and the scourge of Aids is a tough nut, but with Pride Matthew Warchus has cracked it. Garnering an ovation on its premiere here in Cannes, Pride can certainly feel proud of itself.”
The screenplay is from Stephen Beresford, whose debut stage play, The Last of the Haussmans (starring Julie Walters), was a critical and commercial hit at the National Theatre in 2012.
It’s the summer of 1984 – Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.
In their Cannes 2014 review, HeyUGuys‘ Jo-Ann Titmarsh wrote: “A feel-good movie about the 1984 miners’ strike, Thatcherism and the scourge of Aids is a tough nut, but with Pride Matthew Warchus has cracked it. Garnering an ovation on its premiere here in Cannes, Pride can certainly feel proud of itself.”
The screenplay is from Stephen Beresford, whose debut stage play, The Last of the Haussmans (starring Julie Walters), was a critical and commercial hit at the National Theatre in 2012.
It’s the summer of 1984 – Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.
- 6/28/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Watch a brand new clip and go behind the scenes in this first featurette from director Amma Asante’s Belle. The upcoming film stars Gugu Mbatha Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Reid, Sarah Gadon, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Tom Felton, James Norton, Matthew Goode And Emily Watson.
Check out the latest photos from the groundbreaking movie Here.
Written by Misan Sagay, Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).
Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing.
While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society,...
Check out the latest photos from the groundbreaking movie Here.
Written by Misan Sagay, Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).
Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing.
While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society,...
- 4/15/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Amma Asante’s period drama stars newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Twentieth Century Fox is to release period drama Belle in the UK on June 13, 2014.
The film is directed by BAFTA winner Amma Asante, written by Misan Sagay and produced by Damian Jones whose previous credits include Oscar-winner The Iron Lady. It marks Asante’s second feature after A Way of Life in 2004.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars in the title role alongside Tom Wilkinson, Sam Reid, Sarah Gadon, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Tom Felton, James Norton, Matthew Goode and Emily Watson.
Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Wilkinson) and his wife (Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, but the color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing.
Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Belle falls for...
Twentieth Century Fox is to release period drama Belle in the UK on June 13, 2014.
The film is directed by BAFTA winner Amma Asante, written by Misan Sagay and produced by Damian Jones whose previous credits include Oscar-winner The Iron Lady. It marks Asante’s second feature after A Way of Life in 2004.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars in the title role alongside Tom Wilkinson, Sam Reid, Sarah Gadon, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Tom Felton, James Norton, Matthew Goode and Emily Watson.
Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Wilkinson) and his wife (Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, but the color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing.
Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Belle falls for...
- 1/20/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Check out the official trailer for Amma Asante’s Belle starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Reid, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Tom Felton, Miranda Richardson and Matthew Goode.
Scheduled for a May 2014 release, the film was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews.
Justin Chang (Variety): “The pleasures of Jane Austen and the horrors of the British slave trade make a surprisingly elegant fit in Amma Asante’s handsome period piece.” John Oursler (Sound on Sight): “Amma Asante’s Belle, a new entrant in the genre, strikes all the right notes.” John DeFore (The Hollywood Reporter): “Moviegoers should respond well when Fox Searchlight brings it to theaters next spring.”
I can’t wait to see this. Being a fan of period-piece dramas, Belle looks to be the perfect blend of courage, love and history.
Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw...
Scheduled for a May 2014 release, the film was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews.
Justin Chang (Variety): “The pleasures of Jane Austen and the horrors of the British slave trade make a surprisingly elegant fit in Amma Asante’s handsome period piece.” John Oursler (Sound on Sight): “Amma Asante’s Belle, a new entrant in the genre, strikes all the right notes.” John DeFore (The Hollywood Reporter): “Moviegoers should respond well when Fox Searchlight brings it to theaters next spring.”
I can’t wait to see this. Being a fan of period-piece dramas, Belle looks to be the perfect blend of courage, love and history.
Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw...
- 10/15/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In her first leading role, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is featured in these images from director Amma Asante’s Belle.
The film is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).
Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing. While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society, he and Belle help shape Lord Mansfield’s role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.
In July Fox Searchlight Pictures announced that the company had acquired most worldwide rights, including North America and the United Kingdom,...
The film is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).
Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing. While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar’s son bent on changing society, he and Belle help shape Lord Mansfield’s role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.
In July Fox Searchlight Pictures announced that the company had acquired most worldwide rights, including North America and the United Kingdom,...
- 8/2/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney star in a historical tale that uniquely explores the all-too-human side of one of history’s iconic leaders. Blending literate wit and drama, Hyde Park On Hudson is directed by Roger Michell from a screenplay by Richard Nelson.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) readies to host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York . marking the first-ever visit of a reigning British monarch to America. As Britain faces imminent war with Germany, the royals are desperately looking to Fdr for U.S. support.
But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr’s domestic establishment, as his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams), mother Sara (Elizabeth Wilson), and secretary Missy (Elizabeth Marvel) will all play a part in...
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) readies to host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York . marking the first-ever visit of a reigning British monarch to America. As Britain faces imminent war with Germany, the royals are desperately looking to Fdr for U.S. support.
But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr’s domestic establishment, as his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams), mother Sara (Elizabeth Wilson), and secretary Missy (Elizabeth Marvel) will all play a part in...
- 12/5/2012
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Academy Award nominee Bill Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York . the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America.
With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr.s domestic establishment, as wife, mother, and mistresses all conspire to make the royal weekend an unforgettable one. Seen through the eyes of Daisy (Academy Award nominee Laura Linney), Franklin.s neighbor and intimate, the weekend will produce not only a special relationship between two great nations, but, for Daisy . and through her, for us all . a deeper understanding of the mysteries of love and friendship.
With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr.s domestic establishment, as wife, mother, and mistresses all conspire to make the royal weekend an unforgettable one. Seen through the eyes of Daisy (Academy Award nominee Laura Linney), Franklin.s neighbor and intimate, the weekend will produce not only a special relationship between two great nations, but, for Daisy . and through her, for us all . a deeper understanding of the mysteries of love and friendship.
- 12/4/2012
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Credit: Nicola Dove
Laura Linney stars as Daisy and Olivia Williams stars as Eleanor in these new photos from Roger Michell’s historical tale Hyde Park On Hudson, a Focus Features release.
For more on Bill Murray’s portrayal as Fdr, check out this article from the Los Angeles Times Here.
Director Roger Michell on the set.
Director Roger Michell (center) on the set. Click on the thumbnails below to see previously published images from the film.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Academy Award nominee Bill Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York – the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international...
Laura Linney stars as Daisy and Olivia Williams stars as Eleanor in these new photos from Roger Michell’s historical tale Hyde Park On Hudson, a Focus Features release.
For more on Bill Murray’s portrayal as Fdr, check out this article from the Los Angeles Times Here.
Director Roger Michell on the set.
Director Roger Michell (center) on the set. Click on the thumbnails below to see previously published images from the film.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Academy Award nominee Bill Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York – the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international...
- 9/5/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney star in the first trailer for the historical tale Hyde Park On Hudson from Focus Features and Film4. BAFTA Award winner Roger Michell (Film4.s Venus) is directing from a screenplay by Richard Nelson. The film will bow in select theatres December 7th.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams of Focus. Hanna) host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West of Mr. Michell.s Persuasionand Olivia Colman of Film4.s The Iron Lady) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York . the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr.s domestic establishment, as wife,...
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams of Focus. Hanna) host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West of Mr. Michell.s Persuasionand Olivia Colman of Film4.s The Iron Lady) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York . the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to Fdr for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of Fdr.s domestic establishment, as wife,...
- 5/18/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney star in the historical tale Hyde Park on Hudson, which began filming this week in the U.K. for co-producers and co-financiers Focus Features and Film4. BAFTA Award winner Roger Michell (Film4.s Venus) is directing from a screenplay by Richard Nelson. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.
Focus will release Hyde Park on Hudson in the second half of 2012. Focus holds worldwide rights . excluding U.K. free-tv rights, which are held by Film4 . to the movie. Filming is taking place in the U.K. on the Free Range Films/Daybreak Pictures production. Kevin Loader (In the Loop) and David Aukin (Endgame) are producing the feature with Mr. Michell. Focus executive vice president, European production Teresa Moneo is supervising Hyde Park on Hudson.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams of...
Focus will release Hyde Park on Hudson in the second half of 2012. Focus holds worldwide rights . excluding U.K. free-tv rights, which are held by Film4 . to the movie. Filming is taking place in the U.K. on the Free Range Films/Daybreak Pictures production. Kevin Loader (In the Loop) and David Aukin (Endgame) are producing the feature with Mr. Michell. Focus executive vice president, European production Teresa Moneo is supervising Hyde Park on Hudson.
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams of...
- 7/28/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Neil Marshall has got a reputation. The British writer-director of Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Doomsday has been likened to, among others, Eli Roth and Rob Zombie. That's by virtue of being named with them as a member of the so-called Splat Pack.
If you have seen any of their films you'll know that their connection is obvious. Bloody obvious. The gushing red stuff comes in buckets when Roth and Rob Z. are behind the camera and Marshall can clearly stand the sight of it, too. Dog Soldiers and The Descent were fine suspense films but you wouldn't watch them with your granny. Unless, that is, she once worked in an abattoir.
Marshall has followed up those films with the equally bload-soaked Centurion, which was recently released on DVD by eOne. Part Roman epic, part chase film and part sword-and-sandal adventure, Centurion is a thematic departure for the director in...
If you have seen any of their films you'll know that their connection is obvious. Bloody obvious. The gushing red stuff comes in buckets when Roth and Rob Z. are behind the camera and Marshall can clearly stand the sight of it, too. Dog Soldiers and The Descent were fine suspense films but you wouldn't watch them with your granny. Unless, that is, she once worked in an abattoir.
Marshall has followed up those films with the equally bload-soaked Centurion, which was recently released on DVD by eOne. Part Roman epic, part chase film and part sword-and-sandal adventure, Centurion is a thematic departure for the director in...
- 11/30/2010
- CinemaSpy
There are three horror or thriller titles releasing next week beginning November 2nd. The period action piece Centurion will release on DVD and Blu-Ray formats, with the Blu-Ray offering nine special features. Also releasing is the Blu-Ray copy of the 2007 sleeper hit Funny Games, which will only offer bare extras. Finally, Once Fallen will release through First Look International; the film stars Ed Harris (Waking the Dead), Richard Tyson (The Fear Chamber), and Peter Weller. Have a look at each of these titles in more detail below.
Centurion - DVD, Blu-Ray
Director/writer: Neil Marshall.
A partial synopsis for Centurion is here:
"Ad 117, the Roman Empire stretches from Egypt to Spain, and East as far as the Black Sea. But in northern Britain, the relentless onslaught of conquest has ground to a halt in face of the guerrilla tactics of an elusive enemy: the savage and terrifying Picts."
*The full...
Centurion - DVD, Blu-Ray
Director/writer: Neil Marshall.
A partial synopsis for Centurion is here:
"Ad 117, the Roman Empire stretches from Egypt to Spain, and East as far as the Black Sea. But in northern Britain, the relentless onslaught of conquest has ground to a halt in face of the guerrilla tactics of an elusive enemy: the savage and terrifying Picts."
*The full...
- 10/31/2010
- by 28DaysLaterAnalysis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Michael C. here from Serious Film for another episode of Unsung Heroes. With Halloween fast approaching I thought now would be a great time to shine the spotlight on my pick for the best horror movie of the last decade.
I was researching Neil Marshall's The Descent for a post I was writing about horror movies when I was surprised to stumble upon this trivia item:
No real caves appear anywhere in the film.Goes to show that it's easy to be guilty of the same behavior we so often criticize awards groups for displaying, namely, having a narrow idea of what greatness in a particular field looks like. Despite being a huge fan of the movie, until that moment the brilliance of Simon Bowles' production design for The Descent had not occurred to me.
Of course, if you think about it for two seconds you realize they're sets.
I was researching Neil Marshall's The Descent for a post I was writing about horror movies when I was surprised to stumble upon this trivia item:
No real caves appear anywhere in the film.Goes to show that it's easy to be guilty of the same behavior we so often criticize awards groups for displaying, namely, having a narrow idea of what greatness in a particular field looks like. Despite being a huge fan of the movie, until that moment the brilliance of Simon Bowles' production design for The Descent had not occurred to me.
Of course, if you think about it for two seconds you realize they're sets.
- 10/29/2010
- by Michael C.
- FilmExperience
Exclusive: The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles actress will lead the cast in a new Brit shocker being planned for next year. Michael Ironside (Terminator Salvation) is also attached. Offers are out to Kate Mara (Iron-Man 2) and Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica). Safe House, which is due to begin filming next March, follows a team of Us Marshals charged with protecting a mob-trial witness and her teenage daughter, Alice. Mother and daughter are relocated to an isolated compound high in the Californian Rockies. The location appears secure -- outfitted specifically for witness protection -- yet its past is steeped in mystery and violence... Producer Steve Iles of Spirit Pictures pitches it as “Assault On Precinct 13 meets The Thing.” The director is Simon Hunter, whose last movie was Mutant Chronicles. “Safe House is totally different from Chronicles, which was a big canvas,” Hunter tells me. “This is a world that I...
- 7/22/2010
- by TIM ADLER
- Deadline London
Year: 2009
Directors: Jon Harris
Writers: J Blakeson / James McCarthy / James Watkins
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 7 out of 10
[Editor's note: Possible Descent spoilers. If you haven't seen the first film yet, why are you reading this anyway? Go watch it... or continue at own risk.]
How inevitable you thought a Descent sequel would be all depends on which version of Neil Marshall's original film you watched. Personally, I never would have imaged it. I saw the UK version and the way I remember it ending is with a nasty twist. You think Sarah has escaped the subterranean nightmare only to discover her escape was all in her head. She's actually lost her mind and is ready to die and be with her daughter in the afterlife. In America, this ending was truncated so that twist was edited out. It's from this version that the Descent: Part 2 springs.
The film starts with Sarah alive and running for her life in the forest. She gets picked up by a backwoods trucker who takes her to the hospital.
Directors: Jon Harris
Writers: J Blakeson / James McCarthy / James Watkins
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 7 out of 10
[Editor's note: Possible Descent spoilers. If you haven't seen the first film yet, why are you reading this anyway? Go watch it... or continue at own risk.]
How inevitable you thought a Descent sequel would be all depends on which version of Neil Marshall's original film you watched. Personally, I never would have imaged it. I saw the UK version and the way I remember it ending is with a nasty twist. You think Sarah has escaped the subterranean nightmare only to discover her escape was all in her head. She's actually lost her mind and is ready to die and be with her daughter in the afterlife. In America, this ending was truncated so that twist was edited out. It's from this version that the Descent: Part 2 springs.
The film starts with Sarah alive and running for her life in the forest. She gets picked up by a backwoods trucker who takes her to the hospital.
- 4/26/2010
- QuietEarth.us
A return to form for Neil Marshall, Centurion boasts characters, blood, guts, violence, and a damned good night out at the flicks...
Probably the best way to make you understand the adrenalin-charged reaction I had to Neil Marshall's Centurion, is by asking you to imagine me shouting, "I am a soldier of Rome! I will not yield!" in your face, then flailing my arm about making sword noises, followed by some guttural death sounds, before running round in a circle and collapsing on the floor exhausted.
If that sounds like the actions of a slightly deranged adult acting on a youthful whim, then it pretty much sums up Centurion, which I, for one, thought was really good. Just pity my poor girlfriend, who had to suffer the above quote being shouted at her in response to most questions that night. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat?" she asked.
Probably the best way to make you understand the adrenalin-charged reaction I had to Neil Marshall's Centurion, is by asking you to imagine me shouting, "I am a soldier of Rome! I will not yield!" in your face, then flailing my arm about making sword noises, followed by some guttural death sounds, before running round in a circle and collapsing on the floor exhausted.
If that sounds like the actions of a slightly deranged adult acting on a youthful whim, then it pretty much sums up Centurion, which I, for one, thought was really good. Just pity my poor girlfriend, who had to suffer the above quote being shouted at her in response to most questions that night. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat?" she asked.
- 4/18/2010
- Den of Geek
One of the movies that caught my eye last week was that of Centurion. Until then, I hadn’t seen or head anything about it and how that is rapidly changing. Centurion is scheduled for release 23rd April which isn’t a million miles away. Yesterday, we got invited along to a screening so you can expect our review towards the end of the month / early next.
Below the synopsis, we’ve got the opening 2 minutes of this new movie which from the trailer, looks fantastic. Let us know what you think in the comments below.th
Synopsis: Written and directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent) Centurion stars Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds, Hunger), Dominic West (300, The Wire) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum Of Solace, Hitman).
A relentless, action-packed thriller in the tradition of Apocalypto, Last Of The Mohicans and Deliverance, Centurion is set against a background of conquest and invasion and...
Below the synopsis, we’ve got the opening 2 minutes of this new movie which from the trailer, looks fantastic. Let us know what you think in the comments below.th
Synopsis: Written and directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent) Centurion stars Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds, Hunger), Dominic West (300, The Wire) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum Of Solace, Hitman).
A relentless, action-packed thriller in the tradition of Apocalypto, Last Of The Mohicans and Deliverance, Centurion is set against a background of conquest and invasion and...
- 3/3/2010
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In the spirit of Halloween '09, we're breaking out reviews (some new, some old) of some Fall Frights you may want to work into your monthly viewing.
Originally published, 08/04/2006
The Descent is proof positive that there’s nothing wrong with a timeworn horror premise that an application of good cinematic smarts can’t fix. Writer/director Neil Marshall’s follow-up to Dog Soldiers is far from the first film about a small group of people entering a confined environment and being picked off one by one by the local critters, but it stands so far above the likes of The Cave that it seems unfair to even mention them in the same context. The Descent goes back to horror basics in the best way possible, preying on primal fears of the dark as six female friends, who gather every year to take part in some sort of group adventure, decide...
Originally published, 08/04/2006
The Descent is proof positive that there’s nothing wrong with a timeworn horror premise that an application of good cinematic smarts can’t fix. Writer/director Neil Marshall’s follow-up to Dog Soldiers is far from the first film about a small group of people entering a confined environment and being picked off one by one by the local critters, but it stands so far above the likes of The Cave that it seems unfair to even mention them in the same context. The Descent goes back to horror basics in the best way possible, preying on primal fears of the dark as six female friends, who gather every year to take part in some sort of group adventure, decide...
- 10/20/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
As part of a bumper crop of Halloween theatrical releases, two movies dealing with young people have arrived—one that explores and elicits anxieties over out-of-control teenagers, and one aimed directly and simplistically at the mindset of that age. Guess which one is better? And guess which one is getting the wider break?
Eden Lake, the directorial debut of My Little Eye scripter James Watkins, is slinking into very token theatrical release like a beaten child—in the New York area, its sole venue is somewhere in Queens—prior to its wider DVD exposure in January. Like so many films granted such negligible big-screen treatment, it deserves better. In the film, it’s the children who deliver the beatings, as writer/helmer Watkins presents a scenario ripped from British headlines about violent youth sometimes referred to as “chavs,” junior hooligans who have no respect for authority or compunctions about reacting...
Eden Lake, the directorial debut of My Little Eye scripter James Watkins, is slinking into very token theatrical release like a beaten child—in the New York area, its sole venue is somewhere in Queens—prior to its wider DVD exposure in January. Like so many films granted such negligible big-screen treatment, it deserves better. In the film, it’s the children who deliver the beatings, as writer/helmer Watkins presents a scenario ripped from British headlines about violent youth sometimes referred to as “chavs,” junior hooligans who have no respect for authority or compunctions about reacting...
- 10/31/2008
- Fangoria
Usually when an original creator walks away from a sequel, it is a good sign that maybe a sequel isn't the best idea to begin with. Well, that's exactly what happened with the follow-up to Neil Marshall's 2005 horror-hit, The Descent. But it is not all bad news because Shock Till You Drop got the chance for a set-visit, and by the sounds of things it's looking pretty good for our group of traumatized spelunkers. (You can read the about the full visit over at Shock.)
The sequel picks up where the first film left off (that is if you are following the events of the North American release of the original film). The story follows the return of a mute and unbalanced Sarah as she heads back down to the caves with a rescue party to locate the rest of her group. Of course, this being the ricketiest cave on earth,...
The sequel picks up where the first film left off (that is if you are following the events of the North American release of the original film). The story follows the return of a mute and unbalanced Sarah as she heads back down to the caves with a rescue party to locate the rest of her group. Of course, this being the ricketiest cave on earth,...
- 8/28/2008
- by Jessica Barnes
- Cinematical
Two crawlers lounge idly on a sofa wrapped in matching dressing gowns. One glances at a newspaper while the other sits lost in thought. Fear not readers, Mike Leigh is not here directing The Descent 2 as some kind of kitchen sink drama centred around a family of crawlers, I've merely stumbled across the crawler workshop where the pair are waiting to be called onto set - but it's a surreal sight nonetheless.
I've been invited to spend a day at Ealing Studios where filming on the sequel to Neil Marshall's acclaimed British horror has entered its penultimate week. For those of you that haven’t seen the original (and where have you been hiding?), The Descent followed a group of six female adrenaline-junkies who go spelunking – that’s caving to you and me - and end up in a whole world of trouble when they fall foul of a bunch of naked ghouls,...
I've been invited to spend a day at Ealing Studios where filming on the sequel to Neil Marshall's acclaimed British horror has entered its penultimate week. For those of you that haven’t seen the original (and where have you been hiding?), The Descent followed a group of six female adrenaline-junkies who go spelunking – that’s caving to you and me - and end up in a whole world of trouble when they fall foul of a bunch of naked ghouls,...
- 7/23/2008
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
There may not be any dueling banjos on the soundtrack, but Neil Marshall's horrifically terrific "The Descent" cannily recasts 1972's "Deliverance" as a female-bonding thriller with some "Hills Have Eyes"-style mutant terror tossed in for truly harrowing effect.
Definitely one of the year's most satisfying genre pieces, the British import should have jumpy audiences squealing like a pig, just like they did when "The Descent" was released overseas -- it opened in the U.K. 13 months ago -- to considerable critical and financial success.
The picture, which hits North American shores with a slightly different ending, should pull in some decent coin for Lionsgate, building nicely on the horror cred established by the likes of the "Hostel" and "Saw" franchises.
Both versions waste little time in bringing on the shock value when a rafting trip undertaken by a group of girlfriends ends with a terrible car accident.
Still recovering a year later from the deaths of her husband and daughter, a shaky Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) nevertheless agrees to join her friends on another extreme expedition -- spelunking in a decidedly remote portion of the Appalachian Mountains.
Unbeknownst to the others, the trek's fearless leader and Sarah Best's friend, Juno (Natalie Mendoza), has deliberately chosen a cave system that's not in the guide books, ostensibly so that they can claim it as their own.
But after falling rocks block their only known way out, they also discover that not only are they not alone in the complete darkness, but they're being stalked as prey by a clan of subterranean humanoid creatures with healthy appetites.
In short order, the initial descent undertaken by Sarah, Juno, Beth (Alex Reid), Rebecca (Saskia Mulder), punky Holly (Nora-Jane Noone) and Sam (MyAnna Buring) spirals into one of madness as the body count begins.
Writer-director Marshall, who earned a cult following with his 2002 first feature, "Dog Soldiers", expertly maps out those raw nerve endings while creating credible characters who speak and act like real people rather than the usual horror archetypes.
With the feverish claustrophobia well established, he then lets special makeup and effects designer Paul Hyett loose with those savage, slimy, blind, translucent "crawlers" that somehow bring to mind the late Klaus Kinski in a particularly unpleasant mood.
Further boosting that nightmarish feeling of dread are production designer Simon Bowles' dank, spray resin caves erected at Pinewood Studios and director of photography Sam McCurdy, who industriously works his way around those limited light sources.
The Descent
Lionsgate Films
Celador Films
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Neil Marshall
Producer: Christian Colson
Executive producer: Paul Smith
Director of photography: Sam McCurdy
Production designer: Simon Bowles
Editor: Jon Harris
Costume designer: Nancy Thompson
Special make-up and effects designer: Paul Hyett
Music: David Julyan
Cast:
Sarah: Shauna Macdonald
Juno: Natalie Mendoza
Beth: Alex Reid
Rebecca: Saskia Mulder
Sam: MyAnna Buring
Holly: Nora-Jane Noone
Paul: Oliver Milburn
MPAA rating R
Running time -- 99 minutes...
Definitely one of the year's most satisfying genre pieces, the British import should have jumpy audiences squealing like a pig, just like they did when "The Descent" was released overseas -- it opened in the U.K. 13 months ago -- to considerable critical and financial success.
The picture, which hits North American shores with a slightly different ending, should pull in some decent coin for Lionsgate, building nicely on the horror cred established by the likes of the "Hostel" and "Saw" franchises.
Both versions waste little time in bringing on the shock value when a rafting trip undertaken by a group of girlfriends ends with a terrible car accident.
Still recovering a year later from the deaths of her husband and daughter, a shaky Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) nevertheless agrees to join her friends on another extreme expedition -- spelunking in a decidedly remote portion of the Appalachian Mountains.
Unbeknownst to the others, the trek's fearless leader and Sarah Best's friend, Juno (Natalie Mendoza), has deliberately chosen a cave system that's not in the guide books, ostensibly so that they can claim it as their own.
But after falling rocks block their only known way out, they also discover that not only are they not alone in the complete darkness, but they're being stalked as prey by a clan of subterranean humanoid creatures with healthy appetites.
In short order, the initial descent undertaken by Sarah, Juno, Beth (Alex Reid), Rebecca (Saskia Mulder), punky Holly (Nora-Jane Noone) and Sam (MyAnna Buring) spirals into one of madness as the body count begins.
Writer-director Marshall, who earned a cult following with his 2002 first feature, "Dog Soldiers", expertly maps out those raw nerve endings while creating credible characters who speak and act like real people rather than the usual horror archetypes.
With the feverish claustrophobia well established, he then lets special makeup and effects designer Paul Hyett loose with those savage, slimy, blind, translucent "crawlers" that somehow bring to mind the late Klaus Kinski in a particularly unpleasant mood.
Further boosting that nightmarish feeling of dread are production designer Simon Bowles' dank, spray resin caves erected at Pinewood Studios and director of photography Sam McCurdy, who industriously works his way around those limited light sources.
The Descent
Lionsgate Films
Celador Films
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Neil Marshall
Producer: Christian Colson
Executive producer: Paul Smith
Director of photography: Sam McCurdy
Production designer: Simon Bowles
Editor: Jon Harris
Costume designer: Nancy Thompson
Special make-up and effects designer: Paul Hyett
Music: David Julyan
Cast:
Sarah: Shauna Macdonald
Juno: Natalie Mendoza
Beth: Alex Reid
Rebecca: Saskia Mulder
Sam: MyAnna Buring
Holly: Nora-Jane Noone
Paul: Oliver Milburn
MPAA rating R
Running time -- 99 minutes...
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