Run All Night Review

The Plot:

Mobster and hit man Jimmy Conlon has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie: with his estranged son, Mike, whose life is in danger, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire, who wants Mike to pay for the death of his own son.

The Good:

Since the astonishing and unexpected success of Taken, Liam Neeson has successfully transformed himself from a respected dramatic actor to one of the world most popular and bankable action stars. His towering physique and world weary yet likably gruff voice makes the 62 year old actor an implausibly credible killing machine.

Neeson’s innate charisma is almost all the film needs to carry off a fairly straightforward tale of underworld misdeeds and retribution. He even has enough on screen presence to spare that he can carry Joel Kinnaman as his son/obligatory sidekick.

The film is at its best and most watchable whenever Neeson is angry and busy efficiently dispatching bad guys for our viewing pleasure. Luckily the film doesn’t dwell on its family melodramas for too long without at least punctuating things with regular gunfire and action.

Though the film follows a simple and familiar action formula, it remains watchable and maintains a somewhat urgent momentum throughout.

The Bad:

Taken. Taken 2. The Grey. Unknown. Non-Stop. A Walk Among The Tombstones. Taken 3. This is a list of the number of times you’ve watched Liam Neeson ruthlessly kill bad guys in a vaguely justified manner in recent years. Now add Run All Night to that list of mostly diminishing returns. The novelty of watching Neeson reluctantly dispatching bad guys while dispensing gravel voiced action clichés is perhaps starting to wear just a little thin.

Once again Neeson plays a character haunted by past deeds, reluctantly pulled into a violent game of cat and mouse, which inevitably reveals his surprisingly violent skill set. However this time, instead of his usual backstory as a retired cop or government agent, Neeson is playing a former gangster hitman. His bitter self-loathing is a little less fun to watch and makes it slightly harder to see him as a typically heroic figure.

Neeson’s past action exploits have unfortunately become so familiar they’re now decidedly predictable. Run All night once again runs through his well-established formula. Sadly this includes genre clichés such as unlikely coincidences and an unnecessary sidekick. Much like Taken 2, Run All Night makes the mistake of teaming Neeson’s efficient one man army with his own actively unhelpful offspring.

As Conlan’s son Kinnaman contributes little to the film other than belligerently reminding Neeson and audiences that the unapologetic hitman was also a lousy father. Though his son is central to the plot device that pits Neeson’s hitman against his best friend and former mob boss, the screen time devoted to their broken relationship is always less entertaining than watching Neeson at work.

Ed Harris still has stage presence as gangster Shawn McGuire, but sadly he’s a little too old and two dimensional to make a truly menacing villain. Likewise Common plays a rival assassin who’s simply too consistently inept to feel like a real theat.

Overall Run All Night lacks the sense of fun that made Taken a fan favourite and satisfying guilty pleasure. Though it offers audiences plenty of cathartic guilt it takes itself a little too seriously at times. It also attempts to hide a very simple plot behind elaborate flourishes of fancy CGI aided camera moves. An obvious trick that’s never in any danger of succeeding.

The Ugly Truth:

Fans of the fast growing genre of ‘Liam Neeson kills things with guns and his bare hands’ will no doubt be pleased to welcome yet another title into their growing collection. Unfortunately others may begin to share Neeson’s trademark weariness. Run All Night is watchable and delivers some satisfying moments, but exclusively with thanks to Neeson’s action skills.

Into Film Awards Nominations Announced

Into Film, a leading education charity dedicated to putting film at the heart of children and young people’s learning, has announced today that it will host its inaugural Awards on Tuesday 24th March 2015, at London’s iconic Empire Leicester Square. The charity, who are supported by the BFI through Lottery funding and Cinema First, will pay tribute to outstanding 5-19 year olds that have demonstrated exceptional achievements in filmmaking or film reviewing.

Hosted by TV and Radio personality, Matt Edmondson, nominees being recognised at the awards include: Emmie & Lilly Thompson, self-taught sisters and creators of animated short MITCHELL GOLDFIELD; Into Film’s youngest animated filmmaker, 7 year old Toby Little; and highly promising director Hope Kemp, whose multiple short films have been screened at the likes of Portobello International Film Festival, Pinewood Studios Cinema, BFI Southbank and The Royal Festival Hall.

Nominees will have their films screened to a 600-strong audience, with the final winners being awarded a coveted gong, decided by a judging panel made up of industry players including: Sir Alan Parker (EVITA), David Yates (HARRY POTTER), Manjinder Virk (CALL THE MIDWIFE) and Peter Kosminsky (WOLF HALL).

Paul Reeve, Chief Executive of Into Film commented: “We are delighted to be hosting the first ever Into Film Awards, and believe their creation reflects the vibrant role film plays in the cultural, creative and educational lives of young people today. We have a diverse and highly talented group of young nominees and hope that this recognition will encourage them to further develop their skills and go on to become part of the next generation of British filmmakers and reviewers.”

Into Film is a charity that uses film as a tool in the contribution to young people’s educational, cultural, creative and personal development. It’s ‘film clubs’ are available free to all state funded schools and colleges and provide numerous opportunities for teaching and learning through film, including access to a diverse catalogue of over 4,000 films, dynamic curriculum linked and enrichment resources, guidance for filmmaking and film reviewing, one-to-one club support and training and CPD for teachers. Into Film, supported by the BFI through Lottery funding, together with funding from Cinema First and a number of other sources, incorporates the legacy and staff of two leading film education charities, FILMCLUB and First Light, building on their experience and success in delivering programmes of significant scale and reach to children and young people across the UK.

Full List of Nominees:

 

• Best Film by 13s and Over sponsored by London Film Museum
  • Stalker – Cinemagic Ltd, Belfast
  • Fall – Cornerhouse, Manchester
  • Rapture – Discovery Film School, Dundee

 

• Best Film by 12s and Under sponsored by Universal Pictures
  • Something in the Air – Cut Ltd
  • Blindside – Keith Allot, Pauline Quirke Academy
  • Disastrous Decorators – St. George’s Beneficial C of E Primary School

 

• Into Film Club of the Year: 12s and Under sponsored by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
  • Bessacarr Primary School
  • Cleddau Reach VC Primary School
  • Anson Primary School

 

• Into Film Club of the Year: 13s and Over sponsored by Sony Entertainment
  • Sawston School
  • John Paul Academy
  • Ashfield Girls School

 

• Best Documentary sponsored by The Special Treats Production Company
  • Boneyard Shuffle – Picturehouse
  • Paul’s Story – Diana Lomax
  • First Days – Film City Production Agency Ltd

 

• The Golden Morph Best Animation by 12s and Under in association with Aardman Animations
  • The Fire Bird and the Volcano – Winford Primary
  • Monkey & Wombat – Thurstonland School
  • Ug’s First Mammoth – Toby Little

 

• Best Animation by Over 13s
  • Mitchell Goldfield – Emmie and Lilly Thompson
  • Your Voice Sings Not So Soft – BFI Film Academy Students
  • The Boy Who Stayed In – Westfield Arts College

 

• Ones to Watch sponsored by Eon Productions
  • Hope Kemp
  • Ellesha Ballard
  • Kieran Howe
  • Luisa Hindman
  • Sam Hartshorn

 

• Most Inspirational Use of Film in the Classroom nominees
  • Matthew Cornet
  • Pauline Jenkins
  • Claire Dunsire

 

• Children’s Film of the Year (2014) in association with First News

o    Paddington

o    The Lego Movie

o    Guardians of the Galaxy

o    How to Train Your Dragon 2

o    Maleficent

o    Muppets Most Wanted

o    The Boxtrolls

o    Penguins of Madagascar

o    The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies

o    The Amazing Spider-Man 2

 

Tim Burton Making Live Action Dumbo

Tim Burton has reportedly been confirmed to direct a Live Action/CGI remake of Disney’s animated classic Dumbo. The project is said to be in the early stages of development so there’s no casting news yet. Burton has previously had mixed success with turning beloved childhood classics into colorful live action hybrids. Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory both performed well at the box office but met with mixed reactions from fans and critics.

While Burton seems like a good fit for the  whimsical tale of the famously big eared flying elephant, it will be particularly  interesting to see how he handles the notorious ‘pink elephants on parade‘ drunken dream sequence or the racially stereotypical crows. It will also be interesting to see which CGI animal Johnny Depp plays…

Olivier Awards 2015 Full Nominations List

The Olivier Awards 2015 nominations list was announced today in London by James McAvoy and Lesley Manville. Memphis The Musical and Carol King biopic Beautiful lead the way with nominations. Closely followed by shows like Sunny Afternoon and Miss Saigon.  Full list of official nominations below. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House on 12 April 

Best revival

A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire at Young Vic
The Crucible at Old Vic
My Night With Reg at Donmar Warehouse and Apollo theatre
Skylight at Wyndham’s theatre

Best actor in a supporting role

David Calder for The Nether at Duke of York’s theatre
Richard Goulding for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre
John Light for Taken at Midnight at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Nathaniel Parker for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre

Best actress in a supporting role

Phoebe Fox for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre
The Girls playing Iris for The Nether at Duke of York’s theatre
Angela Lansbury for Blithe Spirit at Gielgud theatre
Lydia Wilson for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre

White Light award for best lighting design

Jon Clark for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre
Paule Constable and David Plater for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre
Howard Harrison for City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse
Jan Versweyveld for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre

Best sound design

Tom Gibbons for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre
Matt McKenzie for Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre
Gareth Owen for Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
Brian Ronan for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre

Best entertainment and family

Dance ’Til Dawn at Aldwych theatre
Hetty Feather at Vaudeville theatre
La Soirée at La Soirée Spiegeltent

Best costume design

Rob Jones for City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse
Christopher Oram for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre
Paul Tazewell for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
Alejo Vietti for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych Theatre

XL Video award for best set design

Bunny Christie for Made in Dagenham at Adelphi theatre
Es Devlin for The Nether at Duke of York’s theatre
Rob Jones for City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse
Jan Versweyveld for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre

Best new dance production

32 Rue Vandenbranden by Peeping Tom at Barbican
Mats Ek’s Juliet and Romeo by Royal Swedish Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
Tabac Rouge by Compagnie du Hanneton/James Thiérrée at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding achievement in dance

Christopher Wheeldon for The Winter’s Tale at Royal Opera House
Crystal Pite for her choreography in the productions of The Associates – A Picture of You Falling, The Tempest Replica and Polaris at Sadler’s Wells
Rocio Molina for Bosque Ardora at Barbican
The Elders Project as part of the Elixir festival at Sadler’s Wells

Virgin Atlantic best new play

King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre
The Nether at Duke of York’s theatre
Taken at Midnight at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre

Best actor

Richard Armitage for The Crucible at Old Vic
James McAvoy for The Ruling Class at Trafalgar Studio 1
Tim Pigott-Smith for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre
Mark Strong for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre

Best actress

Gillian Anderson for A Streetcar Named Desire at Young Vic
Kristin Scott Thomas for Electra at Old Vic
Imelda Staunton for Good People at Hampstead theatre and Noël Coward theatre
Penelope Wilton for Taken at Midnight at Theatre Royal Haymarket

This Morning audience award

Billy Elliot the Musical at Victoria Palace theatre
Jersey Boys at Piccadilly theatre
Matilda the Musical at Cambridge theatre
Wicked at Apollo Victoria theatre

Best new comedy

Handbagged at Vaudeville theatre
The Play That Goes Wrong at Duchess theatre
Shakespeare in Love at Noël Coward theatre

Magic Radio best musical revival

Cats at London Palladium
City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess at Regent’s Park Open Air theatre
Miss Saigon at Prince Edward theatre

 

Best new opera production

Benvenuto Cellini at London Coliseum
Dialogues Des Carmélites at Royal Opera House
Die Frau Ohne Schatten at Royal Opera House
The Mastersingers of Nuremberg at London Coliseum

Outstanding achievement in opera

Jonas Kaufmann for Andrea Chénier and Manon Lescaut at Royal Opera House
Richard Jones for his direction of The Girl of the Golden West, The Mastersingers of Nuremberg and Rodelinda at London Coliseum
Royal Opera House and Early Opera Company for their offsite programme at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and Roundhouse
Welsh National Opera Chorus for Moses und Aron at Royal Opera House

Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre

Bull at The Maria at Young Vic
Four Minutes Twelve Seconds at Hampstead Downstairs
Juma Sharkah for her performance in Liberian Girl at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
Tanya Moodie for her performances in Intimate Apparel at Park theatre and The House That Will Not Stand at Tricycle theatre

Best theatre choreographer

Jerry Mitchell for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical) at Savoy theatre
Annie-B Parson for Here Lies Love at National theatre, Dorfman
Josh Prince for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre
Sergio Trujillo for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre

 

Best director

Rupert Goold for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham’s theatre
Jeremy Herrin for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre
Josie Rourke for City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse
Ivo Van Hove for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham’s theatre

Autograph Sound award for outstanding achievement in music

The orchestra for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim for Here Lies Love at National theatre, Dorfman
David Bryan, Joe DiPietro, Tim Sutton and the Memphis band for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
Ray Davies for Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre 

 

Best actor in a supporting role in a musical

Rolan Bell for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
George Maguire for Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre
Ian McIntosh for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre
Jason Pennycooke for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre

Best actress in a supporting role in a musical

Samantha Bond for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical) at Savoy theatre
Haydn Gwynne for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown the Musical at Playhouse theatre
Nicole Scherzinger for Cats at London Palladium
Lorna Want for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre

Best actor in a musical

Jon Jon Briones for Miss Saigon at Prince Edward theatre
John Dagleish for Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre
Killian Donnelly for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
Brandon Victor Dixon for The Scottsboro Boys at Garrick theatre

Best actress in a musical

Gemma Arterton for Made in Dagenham at Adelphi theatre
Katie Brayben for Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre
Tamsin Greig for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown the Musical at Playhouse theatre
Beverley Knight for Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre

Mastercard best new musical

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre
Here Lies Love at National Theatre, Dorfman
Memphis the Musical at Shaftesbury theatre
Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre

 

Inside Out Latest Pixar Trailer

Here’s the latest trailer for forthcoming Pixar adventure Inside Out. The surprisingly meta adventure sees Pixar exploring the previously uncharted territory f the human mind and the endearingly animated emotions which populate it. Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black provide the voices of those emotions for one young girl.

This latest trailer reveals the full extent of the plot, which sees the mismatched duo of Joy and Sadness stuck on a quest to recover the minds ‘core memories’ which have been tainted by sadness and forgotten. It may sound like pretty serious psychological stuff, but it feels a more uplifting in a trailer packed with adorable cartoon characters,rainbow dream unicorns and Boston hit ‘More Than A Feeling’ ironically rocking out on the soundtrack.