Kurt Russell Joins Fast & Furious 7 Cast
Kurt Russell has officially joined the eclectic cast of sequel Fast & Furious 7. Taking an undisclosed part, that was allegedly initially offered to Denzel Washington, Russell takes his place alongside fellow newcomers Jason Statham, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey and martial arts superstar Tony Jaa.
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and the usual stars of the never-ending franchise are expected to return, but details on the plot remain unclear. It has been at least confirmed that the latest installment in the high octane series will return the action to the streets of Los Angeles.
London Film Festival 2013 Launch Interviews
Red Carpet News TV spoke to festival organizers and proud filmmakers at the official launch event yesterday for this year’s 57th BFI London Film festival 2013. Boasting a dazzling array of attending talent and over 235 feature films this year promises to be a very special line up indeed.
This year’s revitalized and revamped film festival also boasts an expanded range of venues, dynamic new categories and injects a fresh element of competition with an increasingly prestigious awards ceremony.
This year’s Opening Gala is Captain Philips, staring Tom Hanks and directed by Paul Greengrass. It is the first time since 2006 the festival has been opened by a British Director. Paul Greengrass was quick to share his delight with us at the launch and told us a little about what motivated him to bring the extraordinary true story of Captain Philips to the big screen.
Festival Director Clare Stewart also talked us through the line up of Gala screenings at this year’s festival:
BFI Chief Executive Amanda Nevill also shared her personal excitement for this year’s festival:
We also spoke to a number of the delighted filmmakers with features in this year’s festival, with much anticipated releases such as Gone Too Far, Blackwood, Hello Carter, Sixteen and Leave To Remain.
Interviews Below:
Finally we spoke to entrants in this yea’s short film category. Interviews below with the director of Out Of Darkness, which stars Tom Hiddleston and the director of Up On The Roof which stars Game of Thrones Maisie Williams.
Fifty Shades of Grey Finds Cast
Author E.L. James and Focus features have officially confirmed the cast of the much anticipated big screen adaptation of infamous erotic page turner Fifty Shades Of Grey.
Sons of Anarchy and Pacific Rim star Charlie Hunnam will be playing kinky billionaire heartthrob Christian Grey. Meanwhile model turned actress Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Melanie Griffiths and actor Don Johnson, will be playing precocious heroine Anastasia Steele. Johnson previously had roles in 21 Jump Street, The Social Network and short-lived sitcom Ben and Kate.
Fan reaction has been predictably mixed, with many lamenting the studios inevitable failure to cast their favourite man candy in the role, while other fans celebrate moving one step closer to seeing their fantasies becoming a big screen reality.
Check out our recent interview below with Charlie Hunnam on the red carpet at the Pacific Rim European premiere and let us know what you think about the casting news:
HBO Making Westworld TV Series
HBO are planning to produce a pilot for a new television series based on cult classic science fiction movie Westworld. The Dark Knight writer Jonathan Nolan is attached to write and direct the project with J.J. Abrams somehow finding time to produce.
The original 1973 film was written and directed by Michael Crichton, telling the story of visitors to a high tech historically themed amusement park who find themselves in real trouble when the android inhabitants malfunction. Yul Brynner famously played a homicidal robot cowboy and the film remains an iconic favourite for some fans.
A sequel Futureworld and a short lived 1980s attempt at a spin off TV series Beyond Westworld have also been made. Producer Jerry Weintraub had reportedly been fighting for over a decade for a big screen remake but has finally moved the project over to HBO for television.
About Time Review
The Plot:
When a young man learns an extraordinary family secret he discovers he has the ability to time travel and relive or even change the past. Exploring his newfound abilities he learns valuable lessons about life, love and family.
The Good:
Writer Director Richard Curtis is the undisputed master of heart-warming romantic comedy and with About Time he delivers another satisfying slice of feel-good. Confident in his well-practiced romantic formula Curtis adds even more whimsical fantasy with the added element of time travel. More interestingly About Time also looks beyond a predictable love story to explore the love between a father and son.
Curtis has always been able to rely of the effortless charms of leading men like Hugh Grant or Colin Firth and in young rising star Domhnall Gleeson he continues that tradition. Gleeson gives a performance packed with likeable everyman charm. Rachel McAdams is equally endearing as Mary the American object of his determined affections. However as with Curtis’s definitive effort Love Actually, it’s actually Bill Nighy who steals the show as our heroes doting dad.
Nighy and Gleeson craft a sincere portrayal of the profound bond between a loving father and adult son as the film makes a surprising shift in focus at its halfway mark. It’s a relationship so rarely given proper focus on the big screen, but just as moving and powerful as any romantic love story. It’s a tribute to the film’s success at adequately capturing that love that over 90% of the audience will likely immediately call their family after leaving the cinema to tell them how much they love them.
The film could easily have stumbled over the confusing complexities of time travel. Luckily Curtis simply sidesteps unnecessary over thinking and keeps things as simple as possible. It’s an obvious source of easy comedy, but it’s also a clever vehicle for exploring love, loss, pain and joy.
The Bad:
Richard Curtis is often accused of being overly sentimental or saccharine and those who find his trademark romantic comedy formula more irritating than inspiring will probably have a similar reaction to About Time as his previous efforts. In essence, yet again likeable central characters fall happily in love surrounded by silly eccentric friends and whilst living mostly stress free lives.
While some will commend the film’s efforts to explore fresh territory and look beyond merely a simple story of boy gets girl, others may find it less purely romantic the Curtis’s past offerings like Notting Hill or Love Actually.
The Ugly Truth:
About Time is by his own admission Richard Curtis’s most personal work to date. Whilst it features all the familiar elements of his previous films it’s perhaps even more whimsical, thoughtful and profound.