#Gabriel Casseus

[lboogie1906]

Gabriel Casseus (born April 28, 1972) is an actor and screenwriter from Roosevelt, New York.

He was born in New York City and is of Haitian descent.

He was nominated for the 1995 Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance in the film New Jersey Drive. He has appeared in the films Get on the Bus, Fallen, and Black Dog.

He had roles as pool-playing Freddie in Before I Self Destruct (2009), as Elliot’s cellmate in Bedazzled, and as Army Ranger Kurth in Black Hawk Down.

He has appeared on television shows including Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, The Practice, Law & Order, and 24. He is a co-writer of Takers. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[astarkey]

Bedazzled (2000) dir. Harold Ramis

[scenesandscreens]

Bedazzled (2000)

Director - Harold Ramis, Cinematography - Bill Pope

"Oh, I dont know, when a man says he'd give anything to have a certain woman in his life, I just assume she means something to him."

[blackcatvideo]

Black Hawk Down on Showtime

Mostly interesting because 20+ years after the events in this film I worked with the guy Eric Bana’s character is based on.  

[detafo]

Every time... EVERY GOD DAMN TIME

I watch the 2000 remake of Bedazzled, I want to make an Angel RP blog... he's such a darling.

[godardfanforever]

Taxi Driver and New Jersey Drive - Allusion and Homage

[Transcript of the narration]: 

Over the years, Taxi Driver has had and will continue to have numerous allusions and homages to it from other films. 

This is understandable considering its influence and iconography. The one from Trainspotting immediately comes to mind.   

Yet it is one of the lesser known homages to the film which remains the most indelible for this viewer. 

Two wholly different tales of angst and environment now forever connected. The Nick Gomez directed 1995 film, New Jersey Drive, contains a shot which is an Allusion and Homage to the 1976 film, Taxi Driver. Rather fitting since it was Gomez’s groundbreaking, indie debut film, Laws of Gravity, which brought unfair murmurs of him being the next Scorsese. That didn’t quite pan out for varying reasons, but Gomez has continued onto TV directing success. 

Speaking of Gomez, he was kind enough to respond to my tweet asking whether the Homage was intentional - which he confirmed it was. There are similarities and variances between the shots in each film. 

One notable aspect the films share is how they each deal with marginalized characters within a subculture. As often in Homages, there is a replication or repetition of mise-en-scène form/composition. New Jersey Drive’s shot is not an exact duplication, though. 

Both reveal mentally unstable male character's externalized frustrations upon the world. Each from their own cultural/ethnic perspectives and vexations. Both angry at the world and looking for release of that anger. 

In New Jersey Drive, off a tenement rooftop - the volatile character Midget (played by Gabriel Casseus) points a gun at a police car passing by down below, then fires the gun off in anger and amusement, startling his boys nearby. 

The scene and this shot are an Allusion and Homage to the scene/shot in Taxi Driver where Travis buys guns in the hotel from “Easy Andy”. Travis tests the gun by pointing it out the window down upon unsuspecting targets - the shot becomes a tracking/dolly shot - as Travis aims toward the moving traffic and a pair of umbrella-wielding women chatting down below. 

Both exhibit subjectivity through use of POV shots/angle as both characters level the gun. Aiming at a perceived target.  An unspoken enemy. 

The subjectivity effectively creates both identification and complicity upon the audience. Through perspective, a high angle is created for both.   

Both look downward from a building onto the streets. One variance is locale or setting (New York City and Newark, New Jersey). One is an interior, the other an exterior. Both daytime.   

Also, in Taxi Driver it is mostly one continuous shot while in New Jersey Drive the shot is intercut and juxtaposed. Notice the movement variance between Taxi Driver’s dolly/tracking compared to New Jersey Drive’s pan and juxtaposition.   imfdb.com is a useful movies firearms database offshoot of imdb. 

As you can see as noted, the types of guns, both revolvers, are different. Also as noted, there was some uncertainty and debate on the type of gun used by Midget. Another key variance is how Midget pulls the trigger (firing a live round), while Travis does not. Both guns are illegally attained. 

The Taxi Driver scene does not use music. New Jersey Drive utilizes music, OutKast "Benz or Beamer." 

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Lockdown  2000

[lifeinthemovies-blog1]

Bedazzled (2000)

[lesterplatt]

Book your comeback - VIA Rail (DC) from Jeremy Comte on Vimeo.

Client: VIA Rail Canada Louis Levesque Philippe Normand Mia Bergman Alexandra Nasim

Agency: Cossette Executive Creative Director: Louis-Philippe Tremblay Creative Director: Gilles Legault Lead Creative Team: Adrien Heron & Ugo Martinez Art Director: Jessica Fecteau VP/ Lead business: Nadja Décarie Product Director: Nicolas Girault

Production Manager: Erica V. Themens Producer: Alexandrine Perras Strategist: Jean-Claude Kikongi

Production House: Colossale Executive producers: Alex Auray & Vlad Cojocaru Production Manager: Vlad Doclin Unit Manager: Patrick Zaloum Production Coordinator: Magali Rack

Director: Jeremy Comte 1st AD: Isabelle Brutus 2nd AD: Jonathan Jean-Pierre 3nd AD: Michel Yarmush 4th AD: Jessica Ferguson

Director of Photography: Olivier Gossot 1st AC: Mathieu Nadon 2nd AC: Charles Durand Morin Lib: Jean Francois Landry Streaming/ DIT/ VTR: Ronald Casseus DIT Assistant: Andrew Anthony Drone Operator: Guillaume Beaudoin Drone Assistant: Mark Buyra

Casting Company: Smyth casting Casting Director: Ilona Smyth Casting Director: Kelsie Winsor Protagonist: Miho Suzuki Solo Woman: Tara Sky Man reading the newspaper: Harley Sanford Father and Daughter: Jimmy Limb & Mia Ilankovan Couple: Keana graves & Tosh Wadsworth Solo Man: Qasim Khan

Gaffer: Stephane Leblanc BB Electro: Fredéric Demers Electro: Louis Etienne Hebert Racine, Eric Lapointe, Mitch Lawson, Kevin Mcmilligan, Martin Gregor Generator Operator: Yves Ouimet

Head Grip: Stéphane Klopp Best Boy Grip: Mathias Maumont Grips: Lucas Cyrus Navennec, Kim Larouche, Brendan Mclouglin, Nick Persaud, Alex Galan Techno crane Technician: Bertrand Dupuis

Art Director: Melanie Truchon Décoratrice Artistique: Chiara Fossati Prop Master: Francois locas Tech Decors, Mathieu Richard, John Goodwin SFX coordinator : Mario Dumont SFX Techs: Alain Rouiller, Gabrielle Dumont, Ben Bélanger, Mathew Synek

Styling: Skye Kelton Habilleuse: Talia Godin, Summer Ellis Make-Up Artist: Nancy Ferlatte Make-up Assistant: Gisèle Matte Hair Dresser: Darcy Langille Assistant Hair Dresser: Tracy Page

Set PA: Samy Nour PAs: Karl Raymond, Isaa Karim Abaababa, Juliette Poitras, Justine Pelletier Sanitary Coordinator: Wesley Long Sanitary Assistant: Mika Doclin Secouriste: Paul Needham Cantinier: Christian Marion Assitant Cantinier: Pablo Lugo Security: Kristen McNaule, Nick Vallière

Visual post-production: Chop Chop Films Post-production directors: Victor Ghizaru / Colin Beaudry Offline editor (DC): Jeremy Comte Coordinator: Khadija Ellouze Assistant editor: Rodlyne Mahée Jean Conform / Exports: Philippe St-Arnaud Motion designer: Gautier Spiser Online editor: Colin Beaudry Colorist: Simon Boisx

VFX: Mathematic Directeur du studio: Alexandre Pagot VFX supervisor: Thomas Nauthin Lead compositeur: Philippe Bienvenue Compositrice: Sophie Roques Compositeur: Dominique Dauphin Fx Artist: Florian Rhin Chargé de projet: Mathieu Taggart

Sound Studio & Music: Cult Nation Narration: Daniela Andrade Sound Design/ Mix: Theo Porcet Music: Mat Laf

[liuxiang]

Book your comeback - VIA Rail (DC) from Jeremy Comte on Vimeo.

Client: VIA Rail Canada Louis Levesque Philippe Normand Mia Bergman Alexandra Nasim

Agency: Cossette Executive Creative Director: Louis-Philippe Tremblay Creative Director: Gilles Legault Lead Creative Team: Adrien Heron & Ugo Martinez Art Director: Jessica Fecteau VP/ Lead business: Nadja Décarie Product Director: Nicolas Girault

Production Manager: Erica V. Themens Producer: Alexandrine Perras Strategist: Jean-Claude Kikongi

Production House: Colossale Executive producers: Alex Auray & Vlad Cojocaru Production Manager: Vlad Doclin Unit Manager: Patrick Zaloum Production Coordinator: Magali Rack

Director: Jeremy Comte 1st AD: Isabelle Brutus 2nd AD: Jonathan Jean-Pierre 3nd AD: Michel Yarmush 4th AD: Jessica Ferguson

Director of Photography: Olivier Gossot 1st AC: Mathieu Nadon 2nd AC: Charles Durand Morin Lib: Jean Francois Landry Streaming/ DIT/ VTR: Ronald Casseus DIT Assistant: Andrew Anthony Drone Operator: Guillaume Beaudoin Drone Assistant: Mark Buyra

Casting Company: Smyth casting Casting Director: Ilona Smyth Casting Director: Kelsie Winsor Protagonist: Miho Suzuki Solo Woman: Tara Sky Man reading the newspaper: Harley Sanford Father and Daughter: Jimmy Limb & Mia Ilankovan Couple: Keana graves & Tosh Wadsworth Solo Man: Qasim Khan

Gaffer: Stephane Leblanc BB Electro: Fredéric Demers Electro: Louis Etienne Hebert Racine, Eric Lapointe, Mitch Lawson, Kevin Mcmilligan, Martin Gregor Generator Operator: Yves Ouimet

Head Grip: Stéphane Klopp Best Boy Grip: Mathias Maumont Grips: Lucas Cyrus Navennec, Kim Larouche, Brendan Mclouglin, Nick Persaud, Alex Galan Techno crane Technician: Bertrand Dupuis

Art Director: Melanie Truchon Décoratrice Artistique: Chiara Fossati Prop Master: Francois locas Tech Decors, Mathieu Richard, John Goodwin SFX coordinator : Mario Dumont SFX Techs: Alain Rouiller, Gabrielle Dumont, Ben Bélanger, Mathew Synek

Styling: Skye Kelton Habilleuse: Talia Godin, Summer Ellis Make-Up Artist: Nancy Ferlatte Make-up Assistant: Gisèle Matte Hair Dresser: Darcy Langille Assistant Hair Dresser: Tracy Page

Set PA: Samy Nour PAs: Karl Raymond, Isaa Karim Abaababa, Juliette Poitras, Justine Pelletier Sanitary Coordinator: Wesley Long Sanitary Assistant: Mika Doclin Secouriste: Paul Needham Cantinier: Christian Marion Assitant Cantinier: Pablo Lugo Security: Kristen McNaule, Nick Vallière

Visual post-production: Chop Chop Films Post-production directors: Victor Ghizaru / Colin Beaudry Offline editor (DC): Jeremy Comte Coordinator: Khadija Ellouze Assistant editor: Rodlyne Mahée Jean Conform / Exports: Philippe St-Arnaud Motion designer: Gautier Spiser Online editor: Colin Beaudry Colorist: Simon Boisx

VFX: Mathematic Directeur du studio: Alexandre Pagot VFX supervisor: Thomas Nauthin Lead compositeur: Philippe Bienvenue Compositrice: Sophie Roques Compositeur: Dominique Dauphin Fx Artist: Florian Rhin Chargé de projet: Mathieu Taggart

Sound Studio & Music: Cult Nation Narration: Daniela Andrade Sound Design/ Mix: Theo Porcet Music: Mat Laf

[ljones41]

"TAKERS" (2010) Review

"TAKERS" (2010) Review Nearly eight years ago, a crime thriller about a group of bank robbers operating in Los Angeles was released to the theaters with little fanfare and a great deal of scorn. Although "TAKERS" earned over twice its budget, it barely made a dent with filmgoers. Out of curiosity, I decided to see what the lack of fuss was all about. 

In a nutshell, "TAKERS" began with a successful bank robbery committed by a team of seasoned criminals - including Gordon Cozier, John Rahway, A.J., and brothers Jake and Jesse Attica. Following the success of their heist, the five lead a life of luxury while planning their next job. Unfortunately, a former member of their team named "Ghost" is released from prison. He convinces the group to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. While the bank robbers carefully plot their strategy, a pair of L.A.P.D. police detectives named Jack Welles and Eddie Hatcher investigate their last job. Welles and Hatcher, aware of Ghost's release, finally become aware of the five robbers, and set about apprehending them. 

"TAKERS" is basically a run-of-the-mill crime drama filled with complex characters and fast-paced action sequences. The movie also unfolded a peak into the private lives of both the robbers and cops - culminating into a series of familial and romantic frustrations, betrayal, and loyalty. The screenplay written by Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Luessenhop and Avery Duff pretty much touched upon every topic one could find in a story about bank robbers - aside from the hostage situation featured in movies such as 1975's "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" and 2006's "INSIDE MAN". If I must be honest, the story structure and characterizations in "TAKERS" strongly reminded me of Michael Mann's 1995 opus, "HEAT", but with less complexity. To a certain degree. In a way, I could see why most reviewers and moviegoers failed to warm up to "TAKERS" - aside from the controversial presence of Chris Brown in the cast. It is not exactly an crime epic in compare to some of the other movies I have mentioned. Although Michael Barrett's photography struck me as colorful and glossy, there was nothing unique about it. Some of the dialogue in the film seemed wooden and unmemorable. And I could tell that some of the inexperienced actors like Tip "T.I." Harris had a little trouble handling it. One of the action sequences featured a shoot-out between the five bank robbers and Russian mobsters at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel. Both Barrett and director John Luessenhop tried to be ambitious by shooting most of the sequence in slow motion, while maintaining the sound effects - dialogue included - at a regular pace. Paul Haslinger's mournful score somewhat helped the sequence, but the screenwriters' insipid dialogue nearly undermined it. I realize that many might find this hard to believe, but "TAKERS" possessed virtues that managed to outweigh its flaws. One, it possessed a first-rate cast lead by the likes Idris Elba and Matt Dillon. Both actors were superb in their roles as British-born immigrant and current leader of the robbers Gordon Cozier and veteran L.A.P.D. detective Jack Welles. The movie also featured first-rate performances from Michael Ealy, Hayden Christensen, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Jay Hernandez, Zoë Saldaña and yes, even Chris Brown. Paul Walker, Glynn Turman and Tip Harris gave solid support as well. I realize that I had been a little critical of Harris' handling of some of the dialogue, but I must admit that his portrayal of the manipulative and vindictive "Ghost" really impressed me. Aside from the Roosevelt Hotel shoot-out, "TAKERS" was filled with some outstanding action sequences, thanks to Luessenhop's direction, Barrett's photography and the editing of both Armen Minasian and Colby Parker, Jr. Some of the best sequences featured Hayden Christensen's (A.J.) encounter with a double-crossing explosive dealer and his crew; the entire heist of an armored truck in downtown Los Angeles; and a chase sequence that featured Chris Brown, Jay Hernandez and Matt Dillon. However, the one virtue that really made "TAKERS" work for me was the screenplay written by Luessenhop and three other writers. I realize that I might attract a good deal of flap of pointing this out, but the screenplay for "TAKERS" possessed one virtue that the highly regarded "HEAT" lacked - the minor plot lines featuring the some of the characters' personal lives had strong connections to the movie's main narrative. This prevented the movie's pacing from dragging at an unnecessarily long pace. Although "TAKERS" actually made a profit at the box, it was only able to do so, due to the movie's low budget. Because otherwise, one might as well call it failure. Well, failure or not, I ended up enjoying "TAKERS" . . . much to my great surprise. It may not be one of the best crime dramas ever made, but I cannot deny that I found it entertaining, suspenseful and pretty exciting.

[scenesandscreens]

Black Hawk Down (2001) Director - Ridley Scott, Cinematography - Slawomir Idziak "Nobody asks to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way."

[blackgodcasanova]

On April 19, 1995, exactly 26 years ago, the premiere of the film "New Jersey Drive" took place. The film was directed by Nick Gomez and executive produced by Spike Lee. Cast: Sharron Corley, Donald Faison, Gabriel Casseus, Saul Stein, Heavy D and others. With a budget of $ 5 million, the film grossed just about four. This can be called a great failure. "New Jersey Drive" is a story about dark-skinned teenagers, city dwellers who steal cars, sell stolen cars or simply smash them for pleasure. For Jason and his friend, this kind of pastime has become almost a profession. But from harmless romantic adventures - one step to a real crime. The confrontation between the heroes and the local police gradually reaches its climax. Classic ⭐️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CN3D8ssgmhd/?igshid=72x1vh2oxut7