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Archives for : Paul Dano

Top 10 Best Films of 2022

10. The Black Phone

At first glance, “The Black Phone” could come off as a “ripped from the headlines” Lifetime movie. In actuality, the film is a familiar story about a child kidnapper/serial killer that unfolds in a completely unnerving and original way! It also features an incredible and disturbingly eerie performance by Ethan Hawke.

9. I Want You Back

When I watched this film back in February, I knew it would be in my top 10. Not just because I love the genre, but because this one felt reminiscent of some of my favorite 90’s romcoms. The film follows Emma (Jenny Slate) and Peter (Charlie Day) after they have both been dumped by their significant others. They bond over their losses and decide to work together to get their exes back. “I Want You Back” has a refreshing and hilarious screenplay that shines even brighter through Slate and Day’s chemistry.

8. Hustle

Less is more when it comes to the brilliance that is “Hustle”. Adam Sandler plays a basketball scout whose goal is to become a coach. In the midst of that journey, he stumbles upon a talented baller in Spain. They connect as two underdogs trying to prove themselves worthy of coming out on top. This is just one of those movies that excels through incredible performances and it’s a feel-good story. It’s easily my favorite performance by Sandler to date. “Hustle” is the hidden gem of 2022 that I hope everyone was able to find.

7. The Woman King

Based on true events, “The Woman King” is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s. The women are fierce warriors with unbelievable fighting skills. From its opening scene, the film hooks you in, and keeps you enthralled with exciting action sequences and a thrilling journey. It’s an inspiring and powerful movie.

6. Bros

Finally, a good romcom was shown in theaters this year! It’s crazy to think that “Bros” is the first romantic comedy about two men falling in love to be produced by a mainstream studio. It’s long overdue. But, if we had to wait this long, I’m glad we put it in the hands of Billy Eichner (Co-Writer) and Nick Stoller (Director/Co-Writer). In addition to the film’s historic romantic storyline, the movie also features and entirely LGBTQ+ cast. And it’s entertaining to watch some of those characters poke fun at their own current political identities. “Bros” goes beyond the surface level romcom with its conversation about the importance of LGBTQ+ historical figures.

5. Vengeance

B.J. Novak’s directorial debut is a dark comedy thriller about a podcaster who travels from New York to West Texas to investigate the death of a girl he was hooking up with. I may be bias, being from Texas, but anyone can relate to this story. It’s a hilarious satire about politics, media and technology. Novak is a tour de force, providing a sharp and witty script with a valuable message about how we “connect” with people. “Vengeance” is an original “whodunit” with a shocking and unforgettable ending.

4. Fresh

Mimi Cave’s debut feature goes from rom-com to a dark, provocative horror. Audiences may think they’ve seen this story before, but it hasn’t been told quite like this. For starters, the film features a Grade-A cast. Sebastian Stan’s character is unlike anything he’s played before. And Daisy Edgar-Jones gives an unforgettable performance, as she brings a whole new level to the “damsel turns badass” story arc. The film’s images range from picturesque to beautifully grotesque. “Fresh” delivers the whole package. It’s a deliciously, twisted horror/comedy that leaves you craving more.

3. The Menu

The best original screenplay award should go to “The Menu”. Talk about a brilliant script! This was one that audiences didn’t really know what they were walking into, but should have left very satisfied. In the film, a couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises. As the story unfolds, we find this is an exploration of the toxic relationship between art, artist and consumer. Are we still making the art that we were passionate about for ourselves or have we become sell outs? “The Menu” is a clever and delectable story.

2. The Batman

“The Batman” is one of the best Batman movies since “The Dark Knight”. I was hesitant when Robert Pattinson was cast, but he nails it with a brooding Bruce Wayne in his 20’s. The entire cast is fantastic, especially, the quick-witted Zoe Kravitz as probably the most realistic Cat woman, and a stunning, unrecognizable Colin Farrell as Penguin, and of course, a chilling Paul Dano as The Riddler. In this story, citizens know Batman’s name, but don’t quite know his full potential. However, when The Riddler, sadistically begins to murder key political figures and dirty cops in Gotham, Batman is pulled into the investigation to uncover the city’s hidden corruption and his family’s involvement. The film’s dark and gritty atmosphere paired with Matt Reeves’ alluring shots heightens the thrills and suspense during this enthralling murder mystery.

1. Top Gun: Maverick

My number one had to go to my favorite cinematic experience this year. This film had no business being as good as it was. But I am so happy to say it pulled off a sequel rarity in being better than the original. In “Top Gun: Maverick”, Pete Mitchell aka Maverick (Tom Cruise), has been serving as one the Navy’s top aviators for more than 30 years. He is ordered to return to “Top Gun” and instruct the new class of fighter pilots. Only problem, that class includes his late best friend, Goose’s son, Bradley (Miles Teller), who has unresolved issues with Maverick. What director Joseph Kosinski did here is no easy feat. He managed to take the good of the original film and elevate the story and special effects to new heights. The script is sharp, with a perfect combination of nostalgia and modern day. The acting is top notch, as these characters are portrayed with more emotion and vulnerability, and the flight sequences are heart pounding thrills.

The Rest of the Best:

11. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

12. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

13. The Good Nurse

14. Women Talking

15. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies

16. Bullet Train

17. Everything Everywhere All at Once

18. The Whale

19. The Fabelmans

20. Senior Year

Top 5 Worst Films of 2022

5. Jurassic World: Dominon – You bring everyone back for a messy story about giant locusts?

4. Firestarter (2022) – Not even Zac Efron could make this reboot worth it.

3. They/Them – Such a great idea with poor delivery and some of the worst acting.

2. Pinocchio (2022) – A lazy remake with poor graphics and the most annoying Pinocchio.

1. Halloween Ends – I didn’t think it could get any worse than the last film, but then this monstrosity was made. Barely any Michael Myers and too much unwanted romance.

Trevor’s Top 10

10. Thor: Love and Thunder
9. The Black Phone
8. Fresh
7. Bullet Train
6. The Whale
5. Everything Everywhere All At Once
4. The Menu
3. Vengeance
2. The Batman
1. Top Gun: Maverick

Movie Review: “The Fabelmans” Brings out Michelle Williams Best Performance Yet

We already knew that Steven Spielberg hadn’t lost his touch after his remarkable remake of “West Side Story”. But in his newest drama, “The Fabelmans”, he pulls from his own personal experience as he digs at the family roots that helped shape him into the iconic filmmaker.

If I am being completely honest, as a little kid, the only director I knew of was Spielberg. His films are such a huge part of my upbringing. I don’t think I even understood completely what a director did until I put a face to the creator of “E.T.” and “Jaws”. As we all know, he has an amazing resume of monumental films. So, to get a chance to peep into what started his craft and an insight into his family, is a true honor.

In “The Fabelmans”, we follow Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) from a young boy through college as he navigates family drama while chasing his dream of making movies. Without giving too much away, the biggest drama stems from Sammy’s mother, Mitzi (Michelle Williams). She’s naturally the more melodramatic member of the family. She’s an artist/pianist who encourages Sammy to embrace his creativity. Her children adore her free-spirited, performative behavior, while also admiring their father’s (Paul Dano) intelligence. They actually come off as the perfect family, until Sammy takes a closer look through his lens and sees flaws in his parents’ marriage. This and other trials and tribulations will prove to mold Sammy into a stronger man and help him find solace in his films.

The story is told through fantastic performances by the entire cast.  The standout is LaBelle, who I expect we will be seeing plenty more of after such an authentic and vulnerable portrayal of the young director. And easily one of the best performances of the year, Williams as Mitzi. Your feelings about her may be conflicting at first, but by the end, she’s the one you won’t be able to stop thinking about. Such a layered character we have the pleasure of diving into. Mitzi is a loving, and at times erratic mother whose behavior is “unique”. However, she’s absolutely mesmerizing. Williams deserves an obvious nomination, if not a win for this role.

Now, I may sound like a broken record with this one negative, but the film could have been about 30 minutes shorter and been just as effective. However, the characters are engaging enough to distract you from the runtime.

“The Fabelmans” serves as an ode to the power of filmmaking. Movies have the ability to make people feel what you want them to, and through that you can ignite emotions of laughter, fear, joy, love, and so much more. Spielberg was gifting us with his movie-magic, while also using his art as a therapeutic escape. “The Fabelmans” is a rare gem for movie buffs and an enjoyable film for the whole family.

Rating: A-

Movie Review: “The Batman” & “Ted Lasso” Season 2

“The Batman” is finally here! I review the highly anticipated thriller and lets you know if Robert Pattinson earns the new title as the caped crusader. I also review and recommend the award winning series, “Ted Lasso”. Check out my full reviews in the video below!

“The Batman” opens in theaters March 4, 2022 and “Ted Lasso” is currently streaming on Apple TV+. For more reviews like this one, watch ICTN. For more information on ICTN, visit http://ictn.tv

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Movie Review: Prisoners

When your child goes missing, how far would you go to find her?

After his six-year-old daughter and her best friend are kidnapped on Thanksgiving, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) butts heads with detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is in charge of the investigation.   Keller feels Loki and his department are not doing enough to find the girls.  Keller’s son mentions an old RV, owned by Alex Jones (Paul Dano) and believes he is the culprit that has taken his daughter.  When there is a lack of evidence to show any signs that Alex may have taken the girls, he is set free.   Losing faith in the law, he captures Alex and holds him captive in a desperate attempt to find out what happened to the girls.  But the further he goes to get the man to confess, the closer he comes to losing his soul.

If you have already seen the trailer for this film, then you should know that it screams Best Picture potential.  But after watching the movie, it’s the performances that prove to be Oscar worthy.  With an all star cast like this one, it’s not shocking that the acting would be exceptional.  At this point for most of these Academy Award nominated actors,  it is about competing with their own past performances.  Hugh Jackman is fresh off his Best Actor nod for Les Miserable.  Though I thought he did an incredible job as Jean Valjean, it’s his performance in Prisoners that has left me more satisfied than ever with the actor.  Jackman takes the audience on a nail biting, dark journey to see how a desperate father handles every parent’s worst nightmare.  It’s the little things that stand out in his performance, from every scowl to every deep breath he makes.  I could go on for a while discussing him, but I think you see my point.

Jake Gyllenhaal raised the bar for himself as an actor.  He plays detective Loki, a cop that has never lost a case.  Loki has his own troubled past which is seen through all his subtle, twitching tendencies.  It been since his 2005 nomination for Brokeback Mountain that we have seen him be in such a strong in a role.  The movie is really seen through both the eyes of Jackman and Gyllenhaal’s characters.  

On one hand we have Loki, who follows the law and chooses to stick with his moral compass when trying to solve this case.  On the other hand, we have Keller who has lost all morality and has taken the law into his own hands.  As the story unfolds, it’s interesting to see which method proves to be most effective.  Come Oscar time, I see a nomination for both of these actors.

Director, Denis Villeneuve (Incendies, Enemy), explained how this film is really about the characters; and showing how each of them  handle this disheartening situation differently.  Well Denis, mission accomplished!  Each person affected by this kidnapping portray relatable ways of grieving.  We are shown a non-stop crying mother who can’t get out of bed.  The other mother has gone into shock and hasn’t touched a thing in the kitchen since that Thanksgiving Day.  A father who has no idea what to do, and another father who continues to take any action he can.  Every last detail, whether it’s a clue for the case or a specific characteristic, serves a purpose in this film.

It’s the details in Prisoners that make this film so exciting to watch.  Besides being on the edge of your seat and dying to find out what happened to the little girls, you’re filled with important facts that will eventually all tie together in the end.   Prisoners falls right there with films like Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River, a gloomy, exciting mystery with an original, satisfying ending.  I will say that I’m still partial to Gone Baby Gone, but all three films do a great job of leaving you with the thought of “what would I do if I was in that position?”

The film is two hours and twenty minutes, but it never felt like that for me.  You are too engaged in the case and characters to think about time.  This is a very dark film.  But given the topic, I wouldn’t see this movie played out any other way.  These days with movies being predicable from just a trailer, I enjoyed the fact that two hours into this movie I was still thinking “How is this going to end!?”

Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo also star in the film.

Rated R for disturbing, violent content including torture, and language.

Prisoners opens everywhere today!

Prisoners Trailer HD

Coming Soon: Prisoners

How far would you go to save your child?

Film Synopsis: After his six-year-old daughter and her best friend are kidnapped on Thanksgiving, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) butts heads with detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) in charge of the investigation. After searching, Dover’s son mentions an old RV, owned by Alex Jones (Paul Dano). Feeling failed by the law, Dover captures Jones, the man he believes responsible, holding him captive in a desperate attempt to find out what he did with the girls, whom he is convinced are still alive. But the further he goes to get the man to confess, the closer he comes to losing his soul.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve and Written by Aaron Guzikowski

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Viola Davis, and Paul Dano

First Impressions:  You had me at Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, but when you throw in the rest of this strong, all star cast you have my full attention. Although, the storyline alone has enough of a hook to pull me in.  With so many remakes and every possible superhero movie, it’s rare to watch a trailer and think, “Whoa! I have to know how this movie ends!”  But that was the exact reaction I felt after seeing the trailer for Prisoners.

Kidnappings in films are always intriguing.  It brings mystery and the classic “who dun it” feel for audiences, allowing us to solve the case alongside the characters.  And when kids are involved, we tend to empathize, usually wanting the parents to go to the extreme and take the law into their own hands. Films like Gone Baby Gone and Ransom, are great examples.  And even though there wasn’t a kidnapping in Mystic River,  Sean Penn going insane trying to find out who killed his daughter is what came straight to mind when I first saw this trailer.  All three are great films and hopefully Prisoners  will follow in their footsteps by giving us a thrilling, original ending.  Besides being excited to see this movie, I’ll be very interested to see the response it gets during this upcoming awards season.  For now, I’d love to hear what you guys think after watching the trailer below!

Prisoners makes its release in theaters on September 20, 2013.

Prisoners Official Trailer HD

Interviews: Past Favorites

Some past interviews that I really enjoyed…

“Warm Bodies” interview with Nicholas Hoult & Teresa Palmer – YouTube

warm bodies

Paul Dano & Zoe Kazan talk “Ruby Sparks” – YouTube

Ruby Sparks

People Like Us: Chris Pine and Alex Kurtzman

People Like Us

Martha Marcy May Marlene: Elizabeth Olsen and Sean Durkin

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Moneyball: Jonah Hill

Moneyball

Another Earth: Brit Marling and Mike Cahill

Another Earth

The Help: Octavia Spencer and Tate Taylor

The Help