#DamianYoung

[twotrey23]

AIR star/producer Matt Damon; stars Viola Davis, Marlon Wayans, and Julius Tennon; and screenwriter Alex Convery discuss the film in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27, 2023. Video shot/captured, organized, assembled, written (via editing), & edited by TheMovieReport.com #AirMovie #MattDamon #ViolaDavis #MarlonWayans #JuliusTennon #AlexConvery #BenAffleck #ChrisTucker #ArtistsEquity #Air #AirJordan #MichaelJordan #Jumpman23 #BrandJordan #Nike #DamianYoung #DelorisJordan #JamesJordan #GeorgeRaveling #SonnyVaccaro #basketball #shoes #sneakerheads https://bit.ly/11nvHED https://bit.ly/1edyvbz Please donate: https://bit.ly/3LDSnh6 https://bit.ly/3Zpn3WA Follow me on Instagram: https://bit.ly/XoHfFC Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/twotrey23 Follow me on Tumblr: https://bit.ly/2BnV19g by TheMovieReport.com

[film-book]

I CARE A LOT (2020) Movie Trailer: Ruthless & Shrewd Grifter Rosamund Pike preys on the Elderly https://tinyurl.com/y2nndkzy

[adamwatchesmovies]

I Care a Lot (2020)

I'm suspecting dark comedies aren’t my thing. I just have too much difficulty realizing I’m supposed to laugh and I wind up “seeing” a different movie than intended. In I Care a Lot, this only matters so much. The performances are uniformly excellent. Rosamund Pike crafts a character so loathsome you keep watching solely in the hopes that she’ll wind up mauled to death by a mechanical bear while on fire. This plot’s got the kind of twists and turns that make you squirm with uncertainty.

Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) conspires with doctors and retirement homes to place well-off seniors under her guardianship so she can leech all their assets. While exploiting wealthy retiree Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), she suddenly receives a visit from a lawyer (Chris Messina) who offers a suitcase of money to stop. When Marla asks for more, she learns the sweet old lady has someone powerful looking out for her.

The way Marla manipulates the system and takes advantage of others is sickening. If only she were dumb there’d be a chance of her getting caught - but she isn’t. Her scam is methodical, her allies as unscrupulous as her. The people she’s robbing are rendered utterly powerless. At first, you’re so appalled you keep watching to ensure your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Only in a capitalist’s world could anyone be so evil, so adept at manipulation, have a dedicated girlfriend (Eiza González), a thriving business, and still want more.

For a while, you think the old lady will find some leverage on Marla, that this will be a commentary on the way we discard the elderly… but it isn’t. This is a different kind of thriller. Peter Dinklage (always wonderful) plays the antagonist. You almost - almost - feel sorry for Marla when you think about what's coming her way.

The flaws with the picture comes from writer/director J Blakeson - whose skills have improved so much since his 2016 film The 5th Wave you’d never guess they were helmed by the same person. He loves Marla and forces this tale to go a certain way. Maybe it’s a testament to Peter Dinklage’s charm or to Pike’s ability to appall, but you never think of them as equally deserving of the incoming hurt. I Care a Lot is dragged kicking and screaming to its logical conclusion, which makes you almost as uneasy as seeing a movie mid-pandemic about doctors and caretakers showing no concern for the elderly. Anywhere else, these faux-pas would be deadly, which illustrates how good this movie can get when it’s good.

I Care a Lot gets going and never looks back. Audiences will be kept on their toes until they're left behind during the conclusion. There are great bits of dialogue, shirt-drenching tension throughout, and the performances are excellent. I don’t know if you’ll love the movie or be unable to find anything redeeming in Rosamund Pike’s character but for her alone, it's worth seeing. (March 17, 2021)

[doomonfilm]

Review : I Care A Lot (2021)

Here we go again, discussing whether or not a Netflix original film can stand up to the same level of judgement that your standard box office fare does.  This week’s contestant looks like it may have what it takes to stand up to the scrutiny, which is definitely a good sign for Netflix as a production house and tastemaker.  The film is question is the J Blakeson film I Care a Lot, which looks like another winner for leading lady Rosamund Pike.

Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is a slick talking opportunist who makes a living by taking over the guardianship of elderly people and draining them of their finances and valuables.  With the help of her assistant Fran (Eiza González), Dr. Karen Amos (Alicia Witt), Judge Lomax (Isaiah Whitlock Jr.) and a handful of others, Marla pulls the trigger on what feels like the whale of all whales : an elderly woman named Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest) who seemingly has no immediate family and plenty of wealth tied to her name.  Unbeknownst to Marla, however, her actions raise the ire of Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage), a ruthless gangster with an endless network of resources and a burning desire to have his property returned to him.  Lunyov and his associates apply pressure to Marla, but the resulting plays for power turn out much more difficult than either side intended or imagined.

On the page, the exploitation of the elderly may not seem like the fodder that film dreams are made of, but framing this with the construct of a capitalist cult infuses a sinister uniqueness into the story.  The sheer vastness of parties involved in the hustle, including judges, elderly care, medical professionals, realtors and even fences is mind-blowing, but wholly believable based on the reality that news media presents us with on a daily basis.  The evil element comes in the form of legislative logistics and red tape in a manner that truly illustrates how the pen is mightier than the sword in some cases.  A bit of the King Midas element is sprinkled on top of everything, which leads Marla Grayson right down a self-sustained path towards destruction simply because she doesn’t know when enough is enough, or when a threat is a legitimate one rather than a hurdle.

Having a film absent of good guys that isn’t centered around cars, guns or war is a positive stroke, as it tosses out the need for justification of actions while setting up the viewer for an absence of expectations.  This absence of expectations creates some of the freshest tension I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, as the lack of scruples across the board makes any action (and subsequent reaction) fair game.  The chess of human lives escalates rapidly as the story unfolds, quickly moving from threats of manipulative force into the realm where human lives are the cost of bad business.  The direct connections made between the traditional criminal underworld and the paper-pushing criminal eradicate any fraction of right in the “right and wrong” debate that often arises when attempts to justify crimes are made.

The general dark nature of the film is offset by a multitude of production aspects that radiate, giving the story a sense of energy and momentum.  For starters, the overall warm color timing and film grain look, along with a 1970’s style title card, give the film an exploitation look and feel that makes it hard to pinpoint the time in which the story takes place.  The style choices, mainly hair and wardrobe, further the vagueness of the setting, while also standing as a statement on how the bad guys are sometimes hard to pinpoint strictly off looks.  All of this warmness is offset by the heavily synthesizer-driven score, which builds tension and unease even when the score is high tempo.  The cinematography is kinetic without being overly flashy, and in tandem with the aforementioned warmness, creates a visual unease that is as slippery as the main players in the game.

Rosamund Pike gets to flex the tough guy role in a way that many women are not given the opportunity to do in film, and she navigates those waters with all the aplomb of a seasoned veteran and cunning shark.  Eiza González stands firm as a sidekick, making up for an absence of toughness with the blind devotion of a ride or die partner.  Dianne Wiest is interestingly layered, seeming like a sweet old lady at first, but quickly revealing that she is as dangerous and cognizant as the elements that satellite her.  Peter Dinklage exudes the frustration of a man with extreme power up against a foe that should be easily defeatable, and yet, persists well past extreme means.  Chris Messina steps in with slick talk that seems effective, but is no match for Pike’s energy that fills her Marla characterization.  Nicholas Logan displays a lackey driven by parallel fears of failure and punishment to the point where he becomes an extension of Roman Lunyov’s rage.  Appearances by Macon Blair, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., Damian Young, Alicia Witt, Georgia Lyman and a handful of others help bring the mad world of I Care a Lot to life.

I don’t want to declare Netflix as having found the formula just quite yet, but in the spirit of giving credit where credit’s due, I Care a Lot must be praised for both its entertainment and production value.  Films such as this one will certainly help eradicate the discussion of quality that arises when the Netflix association to a film comes up, and honestly, that’s how it should be anyway… a film should be appraised by what it is, not by who delivers it to you.  If you care a lot (pun intended) for modern cinema, then set a couple of hours aside for I Care a Lot.

[netflixcenter]

🎬 I Care a Lot [TRAILER] Coming to Netflix February 19, 2021 FULL POST: 🔗 https://netflixcenter.com/i-care-a-lot-trailer-netflix/?feed_id=325 Original Netflix Comedy / Thriller Film... I Care a Lot   A crooked legal guardian who drains the savings of her elderly wards meets her match when a woman she tries to swindle turns out to be more than she first appears. Starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Dianne Wiest, and Chris Messina.   🔗 … also...

[wildcaten]

AMATEUR (1994) hal hartley #damianyoung #guns #murder #halhartley #newyork #manhattan #1994 #film https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxcz9igBnZB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u9f55chtjk1c

[emetophobiareview]

NOT SAFE! Woman V*s around 1 hr and 22 minutes in after coming out of water. Audio and visual. Some intense coughing. - . . . . #emetophobia #emetophobiareview #emetophobic #emetophobie #emetophobiahelp #emetophobiasucks #emetophobiasupport #emetophobe #anxiety #anxietyrelief #anxietyproblems #anxietyrecovery #emetoICareALot #movie #movies #review #reviews #moviereview #moviereviews #movielover #icarealot #rosamundpike #peterdinklage #eizagonzalez #diannewiest #chrismessina #isiahwhitlockjr #aliciawitt #nicholaslogan #damianyoung https://www.instagram.com/p/CLg6u0zFdR-/?igshid=j6yl0bf47m1h

[tamarabeck]

Glass ceilings

The cast of What We’re Up Against: Damian Young, Marg Helgenberger, Skylar Astin, Krysta Rodriguez and Jim Parrack take a meeting. Photo © Joan Marcus The workplace can be a fraught setting for the battle of the sexes. Photo © Joan Marcus In the case of Theresa Rebeck’s What We’re Up Against, in its New York off-Broadway premiere at The Women’s Project through November 26th, the setting is a…

[ambrosiacombr]

House of Cards aumenta sua relevância no cenário político atual, por alexandre Giuberti David

Devido à conjuntura política mundial atual, a 5ª temporada de “House of Cards” veio cercada de expectativas. Como se esperava, a série da Netflix mais uma vez trouxe uma trama forte e cheia de reviravoltas. A história mostra a pressão da mídia e do Congresso americano contra o casal...

#Críticas #TV #DamianYoung #HouseOfCards #JayneAtkinson #KevinSpacey #Netflix #NeveCampbell #RobinWright

http://ambrosia.com.br/tv/house-of-cards-aumenta-sua-relevancia-no-cenario-politico-atual/

[twotrey23]

AIR director/producer/star Ben Affleck and stars Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, and Matthew Maher discuss the film in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27, 2023. Video shot/captured, organized, assembled, written (via editing), & edited by TheMovieReport.com #AirMovie #BenAffleck #ChrisTucker #ArtistsEquity #Air #JasonBateman #ChrisMessina #MatthewMaher #AirJordan #MichaelJordan #Jumpman23 #BrandJordan #Nike #DamianYoung #MattDamon #ViolaDavis #MarlonWayans #JuliusTennon #PhilKnight #HowardWhite #basketball #shoes #sneakerheads https://bit.ly/11nvHED https://bit.ly/1edyvbz Please donate: https://bit.ly/3LDSnh6 https://bit.ly/3Zpn3WA Follow me on Instagram: https://bit.ly/XoHfFC Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/twotrey23 Follow me on Tumblr: https://bit.ly/2BnV19g by TheMovieReport.com

[twotrey23]

AIR director/star/producer Ben Affleck introduces the film following an introduction by Amazon & MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke at the film's global premiere event at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27, 2023 Video shot/captured, organized, assembled, written (via editing), & edited by TheMovieReport.com #BenAffleck #AirMovie #ArtistsEquity #AmazonStudios #JenniferSalke #MattDamon #ViolaDavis #ChrisTucker #MarlonWayans #JasonBateman #ChrisMessina #JuliusTennon #DamianYoung #Nike #AirJordan #MichaelJordan #SonnyVaccaro #Air https://bit.ly/11nvHED https://bit.ly/1edyvbz Please donate: https://bit.ly/3LDSnh6 https://bit.ly/3Zpn3WA Follow me on Instagram: https://bit.ly/XoHfFC Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/twotrey23 Follow me on Tumblr: https://bit.ly/2BnV19g by TheMovieReport.com

[twotrey23]

AIR director/star/producer Ben Affleck introduces the film following an introduction by Amazon & MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke at the film's global premiere event at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27, 2023 Video shot/captured, organized, assembled, written (via editing), & edited by TheMovieReport.com #BenAffleck #AirMovie #ArtistsEquity #AmazonStudios #JenniferSalke #MattDamon #ViolaDavis #ChrisTucker #MarlonWayans #JasonBateman #ChrisMessina #JuliusTennon #DamianYoung #Nike #AirJordan #MichaelJordan #SonnyVaccaro #Air https://bit.ly/11nvHED https://bit.ly/1edyvbz Please donate: https://bit.ly/3LDSnh6 https://bit.ly/3Zpn3WA Follow me on Instagram: https://bit.ly/XoHfFC Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/twotrey23 Follow me on Tumblr: https://bit.ly/2BnV19g by TheMovieReport.com

[doomonfilm]

Favorites : Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Sometimes, a film comes out, and it is well received, but as time goes on, the reverence grows, and it eventually reaches classic or masterpiece status.  As a longtime fan of film, I would say that this is the normal trajectory for films heralded at this level.  There are a few special moments, however, when a film is released, and from day one its status as a masterpiece is undeniable.  This was the case in 2014, when Alejandro G. Inarritu released Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). 

Former movie star Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), world renowned for his performances as Birdman in the superhero film series surrounding the character, is attempting to revitalize his career via the stage.  Riggan plans on financing and starring in a production of Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love for Broadway, but at every turn he learns that the stage and the screen are completely different beasts.  Riggan is supported by his lawyer and best friend Jake (Zach Galifianakis), his actress girlfriend Laura (Andrea Riseborough), and his daughter/personal assistant Sam (Emma), but issues with the production and press constantly make Riggan second guess himself.  The evening before the show reaches preview stage, star of the show Ralph (Jeremy Shamos) is struck by a light that Riggan believes he willed to fall, further causing Riggan to second guess himself and his sanity.  Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Riggan finds himself in desperate need of a new star, but his co-star Lesley (Naomi Watts) comes to the rescue by convincing her boyfriend and Broadway star Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) to join the cast at the final hour.  Mike brings a level of acting chops to the table that is much needed, but the tension between he and Riggan further frustrates show efforts, eventually leading to an opening night that nobody in attendance would soon forget.

The subtlety with which Alejandro G. Inarritu approaches the possibility of madness within Riggan Thompson is nothing short of pure brilliance.  I can only imagine that being an international superstar that plays a superhero can give the average man something akin to a God complex, and watching Riggan struggle with that former superiority and his current status as a ‘nobody’ is absolutely heartbreaking to watch.  Most times, we are unsure if he is throwing a tantrum, or if he actually possesses the powers that are hinted at with each instance, and it is precisely this hook that keeps us hanging on throughout the film.

Just underneath Riggan’s personal narrative are two concurrent and classic conflicts : family versus career, and stage versus film (or Hollywood versus Broadway).  In terms of family, Riggan displays the classic trap of, as his ex-wife puts it, ‘confusing love for admiration’, which therefore isolates him from those he supposedly loves the most.  His daughter is ultimately only in his life because of a job opportunity, and he’s willing to jeopardize her financial future to pay Mike Shiner to essentially publicly humiliate him.  When it comes to Hollywood versus Broadway, the tension is palatable between Riggan and Shiner, specifically when it comes to Riggan’s idea of what acting is versus Mike’s undying dedication to his craft (to the point that it cripples his ability to be real anywhere but the stage).  The true humor lies in the fact that even these two actors will always band together against their true ‘enemy’, the critic.  

The meta-humor at the expense of Hollywood is one of the best aspects of the film, especially the paradox of ‘cape’ films done by high-level actors.  Part of the film’s immediate legend is the one-take illusion, where the camera floats through hallways, rooms and the streets like a specter observing Riggan’s descent into madness.  The underlying and ongoing digs at superhero culture are maintained from start to finish, be it the titular and made up Birdman character, the mentions of top notch Hollywood talent becoming Avengers, or even Riggan’s stroll through Times Square and a collection of costumed heroes in a parade.  The score shifts seamlessly between orchestral pieces and a driving, drum-centered set of selections that both cue us emotionally and push us forward through the film.  One of the nice, subtle touches of the film is the presence of viral social media culture, and Riggan’s slow realization/acceptance of it.

Michael Keaton is running on all cylinders, bringing a beautiful unbalance to the table of pride, fear, uneasiness, and a commitment to completing a work that may ultimately break all of his loving connections.  Emma Stone plays a troubled, lost soul looking for connection from a father figure that was never able to give it to her, allowing her natural magnetism to make us feel bad for her without pitying her.  Edward Norton brings his top notch acting chops to the table while relishing in acting as a pretentious actor.  Zach Galifianakis lays heavy on the drama and reality while still managing to let his offbeat sense of humor have a solid presence.  Naomi Watts, a personal favorite of mine, brings the innocence of hope to her role, while still presenting a woman attempting to take a stance against an overbearing significant other, all in hopes she is not ultimately overshadowed in the world of Broadway.  Andrea Riseborough, though only being allowed a limited supporting role, makes her appearances memorable with a tender humor solely present only in her character.  Lindsay Duncan brings equal levels of pretension to the table that Norton does, but with a significantly more vicious edge.  Appearances by Merritt Wever, Jeremy Shamos, Amy Ryan, Benjamin Kanes and more round out a wonderfully solid cast.

Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) hits me the way that a film like 8 1/2 hit me in terms of the way it is able to be complex, brutally honest, meta and humorous when turning the lens on itself.  The Birdman section of the title is clearly a nod at Keaton’s time as Batman, but the true genius of the title lies in (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)... in my opinion, this is a glorified way to identify Riggan’s symbolic and literal leap of faith, which is a very human moment we all deal with eventually.  Sometimes, in fact most times, that leap must be taken despite an unclear landing, if only in hopes we will come out better when all is said and done.