For some reason, 2019 seems to be the year of actors stepping into the director’s chair. Whether it is on limited circuits like Idris Elba’s “Yardie,” on streaming services like Amy Poehler’s “Wine Country,” or breaking out into the mainstream like Olivia Wilde’s delightful “Booksmart,” we are starting to witness an unusual spike in opportunities…
The Greek myth of Hercules’ twelve labors is one many are familiar with, and failing that, we are all at least familiar with the 1997 Disney classic, “Hercules,” that will always have a place in our hearts. Disney by no means remains true to the original myth, but successfully captures all the elements that draw…
For eight years, fans of “300” have been wondering how the film would be followed up — could the heroic sacrifice of King Leonidas and his brave 300 Spartans be outdone? With his sophomore effort, Noam Murro (“Smart People”) says, “yeah, kinda,” with his fairly praisable sequel 300: Rise of an Empire. Keeping with the…
Women can be a force to be reckoned with too. In the second trailer for 300: Rise of an Empire that concept is driven home as on both sides of the coin women play a more prominent role. On the side of the Greeks, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) again rouses her countrymen to unite and…
The first taste to the visually stylistic 300: Rise of an Empire, is now available thanks to Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. In it, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro again), fresh from his victory against Leonidas in “300,” turns his attention to making the rest of Greece bow to his will. Helping him in this lofty goal…
They developed a unique romantic arc with just a single “sunrise” and a single “sunset” together on screen, but Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Celine have never been more melodiously moving than at “midnight.” This third entry in the beautifully aging series marks the most tender and touching time in the cinematically enabled lives…
Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, known sometimes as Tarsem Singh or merely Tarsem (maybe just “T” one day), certainly has an affinity for pretty, shiny things. His third and shiniest film to date, the plodding, silly, wake-me-when-it’s-over Greek mythology pic Immortals has its fair share of impressive images. Well, more than its fair share, really. Every shot…
