Living for the Cinema

WHO is Keyser Soze?

It was one of the more intriguing questions posted within cinemas in the Summer of 1995 and for good reason.  Identifying this mysterious spectral crime boss whom EVERY ONE else on screen was afaid of became the central mystery of this small indie crime thriller from a couple of relatively untested fimmakers with a very electic cast.  The director was Bryan Singer (X-Men Days of Future Past, Bohemian Rhapsody) and the Oscar-winning screenplay was by Christopher McQuarrie (Mission Impossible Fallout, Jack Reacher).  The stacked ensemble cast included Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollack, Chazz Palminteri, Giancarlo Esposito, Dan Hedaya, Suzy Amis, and Kevin Spacey who also won an Oscar for his memorable performance as Verbal Kint...or was it some one else? ;)  This twisty action drama became one of the most talked about films of that year and eventually one of the more beloved, influential films of the 1990's.  Now approaching its 30th Anniversary, it's time to head back to the docks of San Pedro and find out if there actually IS any dope on that boat......  

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Point Break) joined forces with writer James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator 2, Avatar) to craft a dark vision of the future....this was released in '95 and the story takes place four years in the future on the eve of New Year's Eve '99.  This particular story takes place in a beleaguered Los Angeles beset with violence where the latest vice of choice are "squids" which are virtual reality discs that can deliver any number of visceral experiences for those who get "jacked" into experiencing them.  Lennny (Ralph Fiennes) is a purveyor of such squids as he sells them around the LA underworld....until one night, he is provided a mysterious one which portrays something horrible occuring to some one he knows.  Is it real?  Why did he receive it? And where does it lead?  And this kicks off a tense mystery thriller not only involving Lenny but his best friend Mace (Angela Bassett) and his former love Faith (Juliette Lewis) among several others....the stacked cast also includes Michael Wincott, Glenn Plummer, Vincent D'Onofrio, William Fichtner, and the late, great Tom Sizemore.      

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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During a peak era for Hollywood produced conspiracy thrillers, this was one of the most popular and for good reasons.  It was directed by the late, great Oscar-winner Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa, Tootsie, The Firm) and starred two of the most beautiful and enduring stars of this era.  Robert Redford (The Sting, Indecent Proposal) stars as Turner who is an mild-mannered analyst for the CIA who suddenly finds every one in his New York City research office brutally murdered while he went out of lunch....and now he's on the run to get answers, also before some one murders him.  Along the way, he encounters Kathy played by Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway (Network, Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown), an unusually observant painter whom he decides to kidnap while seeking shelter at her apartment....and of course they develop a romance....sort of.  And hot on his heels is the wily assassin Joubert played by the late, great Max Von Sydow (The Seventh Seal, Flash Gordon, Pelle the Conqueror).  What results is a tense cat-and-mouse thriller which was somewhat ahead of its time and is now about to turn Fifty! 

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Look Up in the Sky.....

Superman is back and this time he's directed by James Gunn who also helmed the Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy before switching sides in the superhero genre to now lead DC Studios and this is the FIRST official release now kicking off a brand new extended universe....hopefully.  There's a lot riding on this cinematic re-introduction to the Man of Steel (THAT film was the last time) and this time, he's played by David Corenswet (Twisters, We Own This City) in a story which takes place several years into this superhero's introduction to the world.  Once again, he also works at the Daily Planet alongside his secret love, intrepid reporter Lois Lane now played by Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and his arch nemisis is local Metropolis billionaire Lex Luthor played by Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max Fury Road, Warm Bodies, Nosferatu, The Menu).  But beyond a few other returning characters, everything else is VERY different from previous Superman movies....including the presence of other meta-humans on the planet, two living parents still back in Kansas, and....the live action introduction of Krypto the Dog?  It's time once again to find it we can STILL believe that a man can fly......

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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What has Eight Legs, Two Fangs, and an Attitude?

It's your typical spider of course....only the villains of this creature feature offer much more than that: they swarm, they have high vertical leaps, AND they can kill you with just ONE bite! :o And they happen to reaching the same small-town destination of Canaima at the same time as one mild-mannered family moving from San Francisco out the country for the first time, the Jennings.  They are lead by Dr. Ross played by Jeff Daniels (Speed, Dumb & Dumber, The Newsroom) and his wife Molly played by Harley Jane Kozak (Parenthood, When Harry Met Sally, The Righteous Gemstones)....and wouldn't you know it but Ross himself has an irrational fear of spiders, otherwise known as ARACHNOPHOBIA!  Directed by Frank Marshall (Alive, Congo, Eight Below) and featuring a stellar cast including John Goodman and Julian Sands, this horror comedy (?) was released thirty-five years ago by a studio which didn't know how to promote it - it still did solid business at the time and is now fondly remembered as one of the better family-friendly scare flicks of the '90's!

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Forty years ago after half a decade of undeniable success (The Big Chill, Body Heat, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark) four-time Oscar-nominated writer/directed Lawrence Kasdan cashed in that blank check to make his dream project....and old-fashioned Western.  And to do so, he assembled an All-Star cast lead by Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Kevin Costner, and Scott Glenn for this sprawling tale of corrupt sheriff's, reluctant heroes, land disputes, family vendettas, benevolent bar-matrons, small towns under siege,  dangerous posses, and of course lots of shootouts. :) Sadly it got lost in the shuffle of a summer dominated by the likes of Back to the Future and Rambo but forty years later, this remains one of THE premiuer modern westerns.  Also co-starring Brian Dennehy, Jeff Goldblum, Rosanna Arquette, and Linda Hunt AND featuring a rip-roaring score from Bruce Broughton (Tombstone), it's time to saddle up and head on out to.....SILVERADO!!!!

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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From the Producer of Days of Thunder (Jerry Bruckheimer) and the Director of Tom Gun Maverick (Joseph Kosinski) comes a new ORIGINAL summer epic combining elements of both films and even headlined by an major movie star comparable to Tom Cruise..  That would be Oscar-winner Brad Pitt who stars as Sonny, a veteran racer on the verge of retirement who returns to his original sport of passion, Formula One racing.  He has been courted back by his his old teammate (Javier Bardem) who now owns a racing team and is being paired with a hot shot rookie racer named Joshua played by British up-and-comer Damson Idris (Snowfall).  In the middle of a tumultuous season, they compete together - or against each other - in an increasingly high-stakes series of races, with guidance and assistance from their Team Leader/Designer Kate played by Oscar-nominee Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin).  And what results is a pulse-pounding, high-speed racing spectacle.....but is it as good as those other films which clearly inspired it?

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Welcome to the LIVING FOR THE BOYLE review series!  Daniel Francis Boyle originally hailed from Manchester, England and his filmmaking career took off thirty years ago in 1995 with the release of acclaimed cult thriller Shallow Grave.  And ever since then, Danny Boyle (as he’s officially known) has carved out a uniquely successful career not only achieving box office success several times but also winning a few Oscars along the way.  During this time period, he has also become one of MY personal favorite directors, having helmed excellent ORIGINAL stories spanning several genres including children’s fantasy, science fiction, crime drama, horror, and biopic.  Over the next few months, I will be reviewing some of my favorite entries from his filmography in the lead-up to the long-awaited sequel to one of his more successful films….28 Years Later which will be released in the U.S. on June 20!

It's finally here!  Following several months of hype including one of THE more iconic trailers of recent years, Danny Boyle has returned to this ongoing post-apocalyptic saga.  Also returning is screenwriter Alex Garland (Annihilation, Ex Machina) and together they have crafted a new story within this post-apocalyptic universe taking place entirely on the British Isles several years (28 actually) after the initial outbreak of the "Rage virus" which overtook the UK.  This story focuses on young Spike (Alfie Williams) who lives on a remote island off the coast of the infected mainland in a quaint village with his mother (Jodie Comer) and father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).  There are several harrowing run-in's with the infected but at its core, this is a coming-of-age story.  So does it live up to the hype?  Let's find out....

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

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This is the story of two cellmates in a Brazillian prison who form a unique bond despite coming form very different backgrounds - one is a political prisoner played by the late, great Raul Julia (The Addams Family, Presumed Innocent) and the other is a homosexual window dresser played by the late, great William Hurt (Broadcast News, Body Heat) in the role which won him his only Oscar.  Their story takes several unexpected turns as a poltiical thriller, prison drama, and even a tale of fantasy.  The titular Spider Woman (Sonia Braga) appears within the fantasy portion and what results is a very emotional tale of survival and compassion which ended up receving four Oscar nominations including for Best Picture that year.  It's helmed by Hector Babenco (Ironweed, At Play In the Fields of the Lord) who also received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. 

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

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Six years after the runaway phenomenon that was Gremlins, director Joe Dante (The Howling, Innerspace) finally delivered a sequel....only this time, he brought the action to New York City where Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates) now live.  They both have jobs working at the famous Clamp Tower for the Clamp Corporation which is run by famous billionaire Daniel Clamp (John Glover).....and life is pretty dull overall.  Until one day, they're sent an old friend at the tower.....more than an old friend, it's Gizmo the adorable Mogwai from the first film! :) Will they follow "The RULES" this time? :o   

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon

Editor: Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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