My simple Hut

Match of November

Possibly match of the year!

Living on a Razor's Edge: The Scott Hall Story

I just finished the Scott Hall documentary, it was pretty good. I am glad it was over an hour, but i still wish they would have gone deeper into the rise in the early 90s aswell as the politics involving the switch to WCW. It was more of a redemption tale and showcased his run ins with the law and his personal demons. It was the opposite of the Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, in it painted him in a better light through recovery, it was touching. I have always been a fan of his, always will be, bad times don't last, but BAD GUYS DO!

BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK : Thursday 24th November 2016.

'BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK' which I caught on its opening day in Australia is based on the 2012 book of the same name by Ben Fountain, and Directed and Co-Produced by multi-award wining Ang Lee. This Iraq War drama was made for US$40M, was released in the US in early November and in the UK not until mid-February, and has so far recovered US$24M at the Box Office. For this film Lee used an unprecedented shooting and projection rate of 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K High Definition resolution, which is the first feature film in history to use such a high frame rate (24 fps is most commonly used). Lee stated that he wanted the film to be an 'immersive' and 'realistic' experience for the viewer into the emotion and realities of the soldiers journey.

Starring in his feature film debut, English Actor Joe Alwyn is US Army Specialist Billy Lynn, a 19 year old, who is part of an eight man team known as Bravo Squad under the leadership of Sgt. David Dime (Garrett Hedlund). A few brief moments of an intense firefight known as 'the Battle of Al-Ansakar Canal' are captured by a embedded Fox News crew that sees Lynn go to the rescue of a wounded Sergeant, Shroom (Vin Diesel) who ultimately dies in his arms, but not before Lynn kills three insurgents - two with pistol shots and the other in close quarter hand to hand combat using a knife to dispense with his assailant. This footage is quickly beamed around the world and Lynn and his fellow soldiers are hailed as heroes back home and Lynn is awarded the Silver Star. The Squad are invited back home by President George W. Bush for a two week Victory Tour to rally support for the war effort.

On the Tour, the Squad are accompanied by Albert Ratner (Chris Tucker) a fast talking but relatively low level Hollywood Producer who has designs on having their story made into a big Hollywood movie, with a promise of a pay day for each of the Squad of US$100K. After some back story centering on Lynn's arrival back home in rural Texas and over dinner with his family including older sister Kathryn (Kristen Stewart) the crew are collected from their hotel on their final day in a stretched Hummer accompanied by Ratner, and they make there way to the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Here the tour will culminate at the half-time show of the Dallas Cowboys during the 2004 Thanksgiving Day home game, on stage with 'Destiny's Child' and amidst a fanfare of fireworks, cheerleaders, thumping music, giant screen projection and an audience of millions. At this point the Squad don't know that yet, and we see Lynn recounting memories of his time in Iraq with his fellow buddies, with Sergeants Dime and Shroom, and conversations with sister Kathryn in the last few days about why he should seek medical discharge from the Army to avoid going back to Iraq - a notion that doesn't sit well with Lynn, but he's prepared to consider it to appease his sister.

Upon arrival at the Stadium the Squad are ushered to their seats wearing full dress uniform. They get up, sit down, lark around and occasionally have the cameras trained on them. They go to a Members area for lunch and fill their boots with the lavish spread of foods the like of which they have rarely seen before, whilst strangers sidle up to them wanting to speak with real war heroes, thank them, shake their hands and acknowledge their efforts, although they really have no concept at all of the war zone or the battlefield.

It is here that the Squad are introduced to Norman Oglesby (Steve Martin) the owner of the Dallas Cowboys who can't pour enough respect on the boys and is happy to have them paraded in front of the nation at his Stadium and with his Team. Ratner is also seeking to secure funding for the film from Oglesby as a major investor, and whilst he is interested he reduces Ratner's promised fee of US$100K a head down to a paltry US$5,500 each. Needless to say, both Dime and Lynn tell Oglesby later on exactly where he can stick his US$5,500 despite his best intentions telling him that their story is not for sale at that price.

Before kick-off during a photocall and Q&A session with the gathered press, Lynn spies the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader girls standing along the perimeter of the room, and in particular one pretty young thing named Faison Zorn (Makenzie Leigh), whom he falls instantly for, and she reciprocates. They share an intimate moment or two behind a curtain, before the boys are ushered back to their seats - they exchange phone numbers and keep in contact via text messaging.

Come half-time and the boys are to assemble on the goal line wearing their combat ready gear to be paraded down the length of the field walking behind the Cheerleaders, Destiny's Child and various others. Once at the far end they are to mount a stage and stand on an elevated platform while the all girl band sing their hearts out directly in front of them. Lynn is ordered only to walk down onto the stage and stand dead still directly behind the girls as they belt out 'Soldier'. With a crescendo of fireworks, thumping music, cameras flashing, a live television audience, the heat of the spotlights Lynn zones out and reminisces further about his life so far, conversations about his promising Army future with Dime and Shroom, his Squad colleagues, about friendships, family and decisions made and yet to be made.

Through flashbacks recounting the realities of that intense battle and fierce firefight in which Shroom died we learn that those realities were far different from what the US public were led to believe in the media, and how those perceptions are in stark contrast to the tragic consequences suffered by so many young men in the Iraq War. Those realities are tearing away at Lynn, and whilst over a few hours he has formed an attachment to Faison, and his sister Kathryn pleads with him to stay at home and not return to Iraq, ultimately the US Government has not relieved the Squad from their duties and they are under orders to return to Iraq imminently.

As the Hummer awaits post celebration at the designated collection point within the bowels of the Stadium, both Faison and Kathryn emerge. Both are disappointed when Lynn bids his farewells and returns to his fellow waiting comrades with whom he has more in common and with whom he shares a greater sense of belonging and brotherhood and what it really means to support the war effort on the frontline with bullets flying. This is in stark contrast to the manufactured media circus that they have just been party to. The average Joe Blow in the street back home on safe secure American soil has no idea of what that war effort means to those serving soldiers, the sacrifices made and the lasting impact on their lives. No idea at all! He steps foot inside the waiting Hummer, but for a moment he sees himself in his armoured patrol vehicle with Shroom beside him providing some comforting words of wisdom and encouragement, that just reinforces what he knew already.

I was a little underwhelmed by this film. For all the technological wizardry and cutting edge camera work deployed in making this film, the subject matter labours. This is more a character study of a young nineteen year old lad and the loss of his innocence at war as he grows up very quickly trying to keep the peace in Iraq a long way from his rural Texas home, whilst at the same time killing insurgents and maintaining the comradeship of his Squad. We see very little of Lynn's family other than sister Kathryn, but then I guess his family now is his Bravo Squad, and he feels more of a connection with the heat, dust and emotion of Iraq than he does on his home soil. The scenes that give reason to the Victory Tour are delivered quickly and efficiently and take you to the centre of the action in flashback, but don't expect any extended battle scenes, or slow-mo action, or torn bodies and flailing limbs here. Instead, it's all about the long halftime walk that occurs at the Stadium and the impact this has on the men of Bravo Squad. Lee delivers this with all the pomp & ceremony, sound and light, and overwhelming spectacle that you would expect at such an occasion, and Lee makes it feel as though you are there amongst it. Joe Alwyn as the newcomer to watch, and Garrett Hedlund give the standout performances in this film, whereas Steve Martin as the Team owner is just an OTT archetype, and Vin Diesel channelling his inner wannabe Zen Master fails to convince. The film has garnered mixed Reviews so far, and I can understand why.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st December 2016.

From Werewolves, to Vampires, to Zombies and from blood suckers to flesh eaters and everything in between, we seem to have an insatiable appetite for the genre as evidenced by the hundreds of films that have been made over the years pitching them pesky critters individually against poor unsuspecting humans, against aliens from some galaxy far far far away and against each other in cross over offerings. With the release of this weeks 'Underworld : Blood Wars' I did some digging around in the archives. The first time a Werewolf appeared at the cinema was back in 1913 in a eighteen minute film called aptly 'The Werewolf'. The next offering came along in 1925 in 'Wolf Blood', with 'Werewolf of London' in 1935 representing the first mainstream Hollywood Werewolf movie, and since then as we know the floodgates opened across all undead blood curdling shapeshifting alternatives over the last one hundred years or so. As for the Vampire genre, many believe that the F.W. Murnau Directed and Max Schrek starring 1922 film 'Nosferatu' was the first cab of that rank, although further research would indicate that in fact there were a number (as many as twenty) films featuring Vampires that were produced before 'Nosferatu' going back a decade or so. The 1932 offering 'White Zombie' is accredited by many to be the first feature length Zombie film with Bela Lugosi in the lead role. For this Blogger, my personal favourites across the three genres remain the 1981 classic 'An American Werewolf in London', 'From Dusk till Dawn' from 1996 and '28 Days Later' from 2002 . . . and lets not forget 'The Walking Dead' either!

This week there are seven new films to kick-off your Summer of Cinema (at least if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) beginning with the fifth instalment in this horror action franchise that sees the eternal battle of werewolves and vampires still raging; then we move to a couple of Aussie offerings the first of which is an office based ZomCom and the second a historical biopic of Australia's Most Wanted of close to two hundred years ago. We then move to another historical biopic but of more recent times set in the African world of a high stakes board game; before moving to a psychic mystery serial killer thriller and a French RomCom of a short and a tall and a little and a large couple getting together and overcoming the difference between them. We then wrap up with an animated feature of cutesy multi-coloured dolls that first appeared over fifty years ago and here get their first big screen treatment trying to save their world.

When you have sat through your film of choice over the coming week, remember that we'd love to hear your views and opinions of the film just seen, so leave us a Comment below this or another Post - whether it be for any film Previewed below, or any of those others still out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed here previously. Meanwhile, enjoy your movie!

'UNDERWORLD : BLOOD WARS' (Rated MA15+) - I must confess that I have not seen any of the 'Underworld' horror action series of films, and this latest instalment 'Blood Wars' marks the fifth film in the franchise. The first film 'Underworld' was released in 2003 based on characters and the Screenplay co-created and co-written by Len Wiseman and Danny McBride. 'Underworld : Evolution' came next in 2006, 'Underworld : Rise of the Lycans' in 2009, 'Underworld : Awakening' in 2012 and now 'Blood Wars'. Len Wiseman Directed the first two films, and cast his then wife, Kate Beckinsale as the principal character Selene, and he has acted as Co-Producer on all films since. Beckinsale has appeared in all films except 'Rise of the Lycans' which as the third instalment is a prequel to the first film. So far the first four films were made for a combined US$177M and grossed collectively close to US$460M. A sixth film is already in development, and Beckinsale is said to reprise her role once more.

And so to this instalment which is Directed by Anna Foerster and sees Death Dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) continuing in her struggle against the Lycan clan and the Vampires who betrayed her. With both sides vying for her blood and that of her daughter, so that a Lycan/Vampire hybrid can be created, Selene must work with her only allies David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance) as they attempt to bring an end to the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, but at what cost ultimately? Also starring Tobias Menzies and Trent Garrett replacing the Scott Speedman character from previous films. The film is not released in the US until early January.

'THE MENKOFF METHOD' (Rated M) - this situational workplace comedy is Directed by David Parker and is set in a Data Processing Centre of a major Australian banking corporation. David Cork (Lachlan Woods) is a daydreaming processing clerk whose real interest lies in the world of Japanese Manga and he secretly draws away his time at work recreating his favoured character, female superhero Foxy Chaos, and imagined scenes. Things take a turn for the worse when the CEO is suddenly dumped and the replacement enlists the wisdom of an HR 'expert' to help drives some efficiencies in the workplace and change the culture. That 'expert' is Russian Max Menkoff (Noah Taylor) and he comes with a groundbreaking 'method' of increasing productivity among the workforce. But, Menkoff comes with some baggage including a background in the KGB, a couple of henchmen, an assassin after his blood, and a secret formula that turns David's fellow colleagues into a horde of mindless zombies. Only David it seems and Ruby Jackson (Jessica Clarke) from Corporate Head Office stand in the way of Menkoff. Described as 'part spy movie, part anime, part office comedy - and all heart'!

'THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL' (Rated M) - this Australian historical drama film tells the true story of notorious Aussie bushranger Ben Hall who lived from 1837 until 1865 and was shot dead at the age of 27 by Police. He carried out many audacious raids across central New South Wales and his death was mired in controversy at the time, even though he was not directly responsible for any deaths himself, although his associates were. His life is one of folklore legend and the subject of many ballads and films. Produced and Directed by Matthew Holmes, and starring Jack Martin as Ben Hall this film tells the story of Hall being on the run for two years and with the long arm of the law closing in, with the only option seeming to be that of surrender. When he is drawn back into the world he knows best by an old friend John Gilbert (Jamie Coffa) and with new gang recruit John Dunn (William Lee) the there men soon become Australia's most wanted, following a series of robberies resulting in the deaths of two Policemen. With an estranged son, an ex-wife, the passing of new Government laws, and being sold out to the authorities by a seemingly trusted friend - the future doesn't look so promising for Ben Hall!

'THE QUEEN OF KATWE' (Rated PG) - this biographical sports drama is Directed by Mira Nair (who has previously brought us 'Mississippi Masala', 'Monsoon Wedding', 'Amelia' and 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist'), and is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) who grew up in the slums of Katwe on the outskirts of Kampala in Uganda. Raised by her single mother Nakku Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o), the young generally happy Phiona one day wanders into a missionary classroom enticed by the promise of free porridge. There she meets Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) who teaches soccer and chess. Out of curiosity Phiona approaches the game and soon becomes intrigued and learns the intricacies of chess over time, becoming a top player and winning several local competitions and tournaments. Her newly learned skills puts her on a trajectory to even greater success at the World Chess Olympiad, and with that success comes life changing events in a way that she never thought possible. The film screened at TIFF this year in September before release Stateside later that month. Made for US$15M, it has so for grossed US$10M.

'SOLACE' (Rated MA15+) - this film has been kicking around for a while having been filmed in 2013. Planned as a sequel to David Fincher's highly acclaimed 1995 film 'Se7en' but along the way that notion was scrapped, the story re-written, and here we have 'Solace'. Directed by Brazilian Afonso Poyart the film first Premiered in Turkey way back in April 2015, then was shown at TIFF in September of that same year and was due for release in September of this year. That got pushed back, and the film finally gets it's US release on 16th December, two weeks after it's Australian limited release. Telling the story of a retired psychic doctor John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins) who teams up with FBI Special Agent Joe Merriweather (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to track down a serial killer Charles Ambrose (Colin Farrell). Clancy however, wants nothing to do with the case having isolated himself from the world after the death of his child two years before, and the collapse of his marriage. He changes his mind after having visions of the untimely and violent demise of Merriweather's partner Special Agent Katherine Cowles (Abbie Cornish). What Clancy doesn't count on though is that Ambrose has more powerful psychic abilities than he does, which gives the killer the upper hand and keeps him well out in front of the doctor. The film has so far taken US$22M.

'UP FOR LOVE' (Rated M) - this French RomCom Is Directed by Laurent Tirard and is a remake of a 2013 Argentinian/Brazilian film titled 'Corazon de Leon'. Here Diane (Virginie Efira) is a successful lawyer who divorced her husband two years before. One day she loses her mobile phone and then receives a call from the guy who found it. That man is Alexandre (Jean Dujardin) - an architect who sounds like the prefect gentleman and a charming witty man. Over the phone the two hit it off and agree to meet up the next day. Diane heads off to her first date with great expectations only to be confronted by a man who is knee high to a grasshopper and whom she towers over. Needless to say love conquers all, and Diana tries to put her prejudices and her pre-conceived notions aside in the name of love, life and finding that perfect partner!

'TROLLS' (Rated G) - this animated feature from Dreamworks is based on the doll with the furry combed up hair originally created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam that became one of the biggest selling toy fads of the '60's, and subsequently went through various reincarnations in the '70's, '80's and '90's. Now in 2016 they have been given the big screen treatment in this CGI comedy musical Directed by Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn for a budget cost of US$125M that has so far raked in US$275M. Featuring a who's who of voice talent 'Trolls' tells the story of the Troll Village being invaded by the Bergens (large unhappy creatures who can only feel happiness by eating a Troll) and the Village being taken captive. Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) is the happiest Troll ever born to Trolldom who joins forces with Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake), an over-cautious grumpy Troll. Between them set off on a journey to rescue their Troll families and friends, but along the way must deal with various adventures, challenges and mishaps whilst putting up with one another just long enough to ensure the success of their mission. Also starring Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, John Cleese, Gwen Stefani, Christoper Mintz-Plasse, James Corden and Jeffery Tambor.

Well in the week ahead there really is something for everyone from cutesy colourful coiffed characters to zombies, werewolves and vampires to biographical drama to French comedy and psychic serial killers on the lose. With such a choice on offer there is every reason to get out to your local cinema to catch any one or more of these films as Previewed here, or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous weeks. When you have done so, share your cinematic opinions with your like minded fellow readers. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Bad Santa 2

Anchorman is brilliant, everyone hated the sequel, I dug it, not on par with the first, but i dug it. Zoolander is brilliant, everyone hated the sequel, i dug it, probably wont watch it again, but dug it. Bad Santa is brilliant, everyone is hating the sequel, i dug it. It is still a dark comedy, but it tries to be a bit more of a broad comedy this time, Billy Bob still runs with the role but he comes across a tad more idiotic and less witty this time around. Not every joke works but it is a fun flick, it will not be considered a classic like the first one, but it still has the charm of the first. I went in with lower expectations due to reviews but glad i did, as it helped, comedy sequels are tough, but go easy on em, have fun and enjoy a movie for what it is, Billy Bob being un pc, drinking, fighting & fucking.

Birthday's to share this week : 27th November-3rd December 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Lucy Liu does on 2nd December - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 48, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 27th November

Kathryn Bigelow - Born 1951, turns 65 - Director | Producer | Writer
Robin Givens - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actress | Producer
William Fichtner - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actor | Producer
Sharlto Copley - Born 1973, turns 43 - Actor | Producer

Monday 28th November

Randy Newman - Born 1943, turns 73 - Composer | Singer | Songwriter
Joe Dante - Born 1946, turns 70 - Director | Producer | Actor | Editor
Ed Harris - Born 1950, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
Judd Nelson - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Writer
Alfonso Cuaron - Born 1961, turns 55 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor | Cinematographer
Ryan Kwanten - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actor
Mary Elizabeth Winstead - Born 1984, turns 32 - Actress | Producer

Tuesday 29th November

Anna Faris - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Singer
Joel Cohen - Born 1954, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor
Tom Sizemore - Born 1961, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Writer
Andrew McCarthy - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actor | Director
Don Cheadle - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
Lucas Black - Born 1982, turns 34 - Actor

Wednesday 30th November

Ridley Scott - Born 1937, turns 79 - Director | Producer
Terrence Malick - Born 1943, turns 73 - Director | Producer | Writer
David Mamet - Born 1947, turns 69 - Director | Producer | Writer
Mandy Patinkin - Born 1952, turns 64 - Actor | Singer
David Yates - Born 1963, turns 53 - Director | Producer
Ben Stiller - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
Mark Foster - Born 1969, turns 47 - Director | Producer | Writer
Gael Garcia Bernal - Born 1978, turns 38 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer

Thursday 1st December

Woody Allen - Born 1935, turns 81 - Director | Writer | Actor
Larry Charles - Born 1956, turns 60 - Director | Producer | Writer
Jeremy Northam - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Singer
Bette Midler - Born 1945, turns 71 - Actress | Producer | Director | Singer
Zoe Kravitz - Born 1988, turns 28 - Actress

Friday 2nd December

Lucy Liu - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actress | Producer | Director

Saturday 3rd December

Julianne Moore - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actress | Singer
Daryl Hannah - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actress | Producer
Amanda Seyfried - Born 1985, turns 31 - Actress | Singer
Jean-Luc Godard - Born 1930, turns 86 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Editor | Cinematographer
Brendan Fraser - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actor | Producer

Lucy Alexis Liu was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City to mother Cecilia who worked as a biochemist and father Tom Liu who was a civil engineer and sold digital clock pens. Her parents came separately from China via time in Taiwan before meeting in New York. She has an older brother Alex and an older sister Jenny. Liu learned Mandarin at home and began learning English from five years of age. She attended the public Joseph Pulitzer Middle School in Jackson Heights and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York in 1986. From there she attended New York University before moving to the University of Michigan from where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Asian languages and cultures.

While in her final year at the University of Michigan she scored the lead role in a college production of 'Alice in Wonderland' and her performance was hailed a great success. Spurned on by this, she decided to pursue more acting opportunities. In 1990 she auditioned for 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway. She made her stage debut in 'Fairy Bones' in 1992. Her break into television came in 1991 with an episode on 'Beverly Hills 90210' with a string of television appearances following throughout the '90's including 'L.A. Law', 'Home Improvement', 'Hercules : The Legendary Journeys', 'ER', 'Nash Bridges', 'The X-Files', 'NYPD Blue', on 22 episodes of 'Pearl' and then she scored a role in the main cast of 'Ally McBeal' which for Liu ran for 72 episodes between 1998 and 2002.

Liu's big screen debut came in the Honk Kong production of 'Rhythm of Destiny' in 1992, with a short 25 minute film, 'Protozoa' following for Director Darren Aronofsky. A small part in 'Bang' came before 'Jerry Maguire' with Tom Cruise, 'Gridlock'd' with Tim Roth, 'City of Industry' with Harvey Keitel, 'Flypaper' with Vincent D'Onofrio, 'Payback' with Mel Gibson, 'True Crime' with Clint Eastwood and 'Play It To The Bone' with Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas seeing out the decade.

'Shanghai Noon' opened up the new decade with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, followed by the big screen adaptation of the late '70's television series 'Charlie's Angels' with Liu appearing next to Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz as Alex Munday - one of three Angels of the title. The film made US$264M and spawned a sequel in 2003 - 'Charlie's Angels : Full Throttle' in which Liu reprised her role, with that film bringing in US$259M.

'Hotel' followed for Director Mike Figgis, and then 'Ballistic : Ecks vs Sever' in 2002 which was critically panned and a commercial disaster, subsequently appearing on many 'most hated films' and 'worst ever movie' lists. That same year year came 'Cypher', and then 'Chicago' with Richard Gere which raked in six Academy Awards plus another 49 award wins and a further 121 nominations together with a Box Office haul of US$307M.

'Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2' for Director Quentin Tarantino followed in 2003 and 2004 with Liu playing head of the Tokyo Yakuza O-Ren Ishii. '3 Needles', bounty hunter autobiography 'Domino' for Tony Scott, 'Lucky Number Slevin' with Bruce Willis, 'Rise : Blood Hunter', and then the Dreamworks animated smash hit 'Kung Fu Panda' to which Liu would lend her voice talents as Master Viper - a role she would reprise in 2011 in 'Kung Fu Panda 2', in 2016 in 'Kung Fu Panda 3' and reportedly in the upcoming 'Kung Fu Panda 4' which has been announced. Liu also lent her voice talents to the character of Silvermist in five DisneyToon Studios productions of 'Tinker Bell' in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014 - all direct to DVD releases.

During the decade there were also further television show appearances on the likes of 'Futurama', 'King of the Hill', 'Game Over', 'The Simpsons', 'Sex and the City', 'Ugly Betty', 'Cashmere Mafia' and 'Dirty Sexy Money'.

'Nomads', 'Detachment', 'The Trouble With Bliss' and 'The Man with the Iron Fists' bring us up to date in terms of live action films. Since then there has been Liu's recurring role as Joan Watson on televisions 'Elementary' opposite Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock Holmes in this modern day retelling of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries set in New York. The series has so far run for 103 episodes over five seasons and has picked up five award wins along the way and another eighteen nominations. There has also been 'Southland' and 45 episodes across three seasons of the television series spin off 'Kung Fu Panda : Legends of Awesomeness' running from 2011 through to 2016 so far. Next up is 'Future World' due in 2017 Directed by and starring James Franco.

All up Liu has 88 Acting credits to her name, three as Director and three as Producer. She has garnered fourteen award wins and another 28 nominations so far in her career.

When she's not working in film and television Liu works as an artist across several media showcasing her skills as a painter, photographer and collage artist. She attended the New York Studio for drawing, painting and sculpture from 2004 to 2006 and through a number of exhibits since has donated the profits to UNICEF. She works across other charitable organisations too including breast cancer research and education, as an ambassador for UNICEF, she supports gay and lesbian marriage equality and the Human Rights Campaign. She speaks Mandarin, Italian, Spanish, some Japanese and English of course. In August 2015 Liu welcomed to the world her first child - a boy Rockwell Lloyd born via a gestational surrogate.

Lucy Liu - busy, busy, busy; TV, Film, live action and animation featuring lots of voice work; keeps fit with rock climbing, skiing and horse riding; is proficient in the martial art of Kali-Eskrina-Silat (knife and stick fighting); is an acclaimed artist; is a spiritualist and is interested in all things metaphysical; and sits on the US Committee of 100 forging stronger links between the US and Greater China. Keep doing what you're doing Lucy and we'll keep watching - Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

The Handmaiden

I love Park Chan Wook, i adore the Vengeance trilogy, i think Thirst is underrated, i think his other films are solid but was let down by Stoker. THe Handmaiden looked like a return to form, and it is well made, it is a great sexual thriller, but honestly the sex and few moments of violence are the only real memorable pieces. Ultimately i found it rather dull, again well made, but rather dull, sure that might have to do with the fact that it is Thanksgiving, i have been stuffing myself all day and it is too cold out, but excuses for finding it boring aside, it is still a well made film. Just don't go into it expecting Oldboy or anything like that. It seems like a Brian DePalma film at times, and i love DePalma. If someone wants to watch it, i will gladly check it out a second time, perhaps notice things i missed. I suppose if it was maybe 45 minutes shorter i would have enjoyed it more, it is definitely art house, so i should love it, but it got tedious at times.

The Greasy Strangler

Elijah Wood knows how to produce weird shit, the dude has been knocking em out the past few years. The Greasy Strangler isn't great but it is fun, it starts off awesome, almost like a big budget Troma film, but by way of Adult Swim, in fact the film feels like an Adult Swim short. but therein lies the problem, it starts off awesome but the plot runs thing after about 30 minutes. Luckily the last 15 minutes picks back up, the entire film is weird which is good but the first act is bonkers anti humor, the middle act is beating a dead horse, but the final act gets alot more horror invilved and seems like an awesome short from Tromadance.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS : Tuesday 22nd November 2016.

'NOCTURNAL ANIMALS' which I saw in the week was written for the Screen, Co-Produced and Directed by fashion designer Tom Ford whose previous fashion credits include time as the creative brains behind Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and then his own label Tom Ford. This is only the second Directorial outing for the man who is already making a name for himself in the world of cinema. Ford set up his own Production Company, Fade to Black, in 2005 and his debut as Director came in 2009 with 'A Single Man' with Colin Firth in the lead role. That film picked up 34 award wins and another 52 nominations including an Oscar nod for Firth in the Best Lead Actor category and it made US$25M from its US$7M budget outlay. Now Ford is back with his second film that has already been widely acclaimed having won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year. The film was made for US$22M and so far grossed US$6M and is based on the 1993 novel 'Tony & Susan' by Austin Wright.

'Nocturnal Animals' tells the story of successful Los Angeles art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) who at the beginning of the film is seen hosting the launch of a new display in her gallery attended by all of LA's beautiful people, movers & shakers and people that matter. The opening sequence over which the credits roll is particularly 'revealing' and for some possibly confronting, but it's all in the name of 'art'. After the end of the evening we see Susan drive up to the gates of her private estate - all glass, concrete and stainless steel - very austere, very wealthy and quite lifeless. Susan lives there with her husband Hutton (Armie Hammer), and an entourage of maids, a butler, a driver and all the trappings of success. But underneath this facade lies a struggling businessman whose financial fortunes are dwindling and he needs to secure a deal in New York to keep their heads above water. He's booked on a flight out to New York the next day, a Saturday - putting paid to plans for Susan to have a quite weekend away at their beach house. Already there is a sense that all is not well between them.

That morning, a package is delivered to the Morrow household marked for Susan's attention. Opening the brown paper wrapping Susan gains a paper cut, and has the Butler finish off the unwrapping, then orders the household staff to take the weekend off - all of them. The contents of the package are seen to be a manuscript from her long estranged ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) - a man whom she left nineteen years earlier after just a couple of years of marriage. Edward has typed a note asking her to read the yet unpublished novel which he has titled 'Nocturnal Animals' and dedicated it to her. He always used to call Susan a nocturnal animal on account of the fact that she hardly ever sleeps - a habit she has to this day, and he calls for her opinion when she has finished reading. He states that he will be in Los Angeles later the following week and would welcome the chance to meet up over dinner to renew acquaintances and gain her opinion of his manuscript.

With Hutton flying off to New York, Susan settles down and cautiously opens the manuscript and starts reading. The story centres around Tony Hastings (Jake Gyllenhaal) - an easy going unassuming mild mannered everyman who is heading off to West Texas in the car with his wife Laura (Isla Fisher) and teenage daughter India (Ellie Bamber) for a few days R&R, and they have chosen to drive through the night. On a deserted stretch of highway late into the night, Tony is forced off the road by three young local hoons out to cause some trouble, resulting in two badly dented cars and a blown front tyre to Tony's Merc. The hoons - Ray (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Lou (Karl Glusman) and Turk (Robert Aramayo) come on strong saying that it was Tony's fault, and demand that they exit the car so that they can replace the blown tyre with the spare, trying to lull the family into a false sense of security. At first Ray plays the tough guy, then he winds down showing sympathy for their predicament, then ramps up his anger again, and so it continues as Laura and India get roughed up, and Tony is punched and kicked. Tony is defenceless against the might of three hoons and powerless to do anything when Ray and Turk drive off in Tony's car with a screaming Laura and India bundled against their wills into the back seat. Tony is ordered into Ray's car with Lou and told to drive down an old dirt track and out into the desert where he is abandoned.

A few hours later as dawn breaks Ray and Turk return to where Lou dumped Tony hoping to locate him under the pretence that his wife is asking after him. Tony cowers behind a rocky outcrop hidden form view and silent until the pair drive off, fearing for his own life. He sets off on foot across the desert scrubland, making it to a road which he follows until he reaches a house, and calls the Police. Sometime later Detective Bobby Andes (Michael Shannon) arrives on the scene having been assigned the case. He has Tony retrace his steps in the Police car down the highway back in the direction from where he came from, in an attempt to find his wife and daughter, and to confirm Tony's story, having already found his car in a creek. They come to an abandoned shack down a dirt track and discover the naked bodies of Laura and India - murdered and raped. Tony is overcome with emotion and guilt having not been strong enough to stand up to the thugs who did this.

At this point Susan stops reading shocked by the savage nature of the book and the raw emotion flowing through the pages. She remembers her meeting with Edward all those years ago and announcing to her mother their intentions to marry. Susan's opinionated, strong willed and forthright mother, Anne Sutton (Laura Linney) suggests that Edward is not her equal in so many respects and that it would be foolish for them to marry knowing that it will be short-lived. She does it anyway, rebelling against her parents wishes and for her love of Edward who has so many other qualities anyway. Susan speaks with Hutton upon his arrival at the hotel in New York at 4:00am in the morning. He is in a lift going up to his room on the 31st floor, when she overhears the lift attendant announce the floor number to a woman in the lift, and she surmises that Hutton is having an affair - a fact that she was already suspicious off. She continues reading.

Fast forward a year and Andes contacts Tony asking him to identify Lou who has been charged as an accomplice to the rape and murder of Laura and India. Tony makes a positive ID, and Lou is arrested. Turk was shot dead in a robbery gone awry leaving only Ray still to be brought in for questioning. Andes arrests Ray taking Tony along for the ride and to positively ID Ray.

They question the suspect in a car identical to Tony's Merc and drive along the same dirt track and pass by the shack to jog Ray's memory, but he pleads his innocence and claims to know nothing of Tony or any murder or rape. Later Andes calls Tony with the news that Ray has been released because the evidence against him is only circumstantial. During that same conversation, Andes asks Tony how far he is prepared to go to see that justice is served. As a result Tony drives over immediately to meet Andes in a roadside Cafe where Andes announces that he has a year to live having been diagnosed with acute lung cancer, and his early retirement is being forced upon him now. Andes wants to see this case closed and is prepared to take the law into his own hands no matter what the consequences are, but wants to know that Tony is in. Tony agrees, and the two perpetrators are bought to an isolated house handcuffed. Andes releases their handcuffs while Tony reluctantly holds them at gunpoint and in a moment of distraction the two run off. Lou is shot in the back by Andes making his escape, but Ray has fled. The two head off in opposite directions with the aim of closing in on Ray ultimately, believing that he would have gone back to his shack.

Susan puts down the book and recalls her troubled marriage to Edward and how she is desperately unhappy and wants out. Edward pleads with her not to give their love away, but it seems that everything her mother warned Susan about years before is now coming home to roost. Despite Edwards best intentions, Susan is already carrying on with Hutton, and in a final act of treachery against Edward she aborts her pregnancy of his child - a fact she tried to conceal from Edward, but which he all too soon afterwards discovered, and with which she has had to live all these years.

Susan continues reading the closing chapters where Tony tracks down Ray asleep in his shack. Tony again holds Ray at gunpoint, with Ray goading him that he doesn't have the strength to pull the trigger. Ray admits to killing his wife and raping his daughter. The two have a violent confrontation that sees Ray with two bullet wounds in his chest, and Tony getting thumped over the head with an iron bar. Tony comes around hours later with the sun glaring through the open door. His head is badly injured and he can barely see. He stumbles through the door tripping over Rays lifeless body. Outside Tony stumbles through the desert scrub and falls to his knees discharging a bullet into his own stomach from the gun he is still carrying.

Susan finishes reading the manuscript and sends an email to Edward congratulating him on his writing efforts and suggests that they should meet to discuss further, and meet for old time's sake. Throughout the film we are told of Edwards writing aspirations, and his desire to become an author but never quite having the right ingredients to make it - this was one of the reasons for their split years earlier. He responds later that night with a when and where. Susan arranges a meeting place at an up market restaurant and readies herself, seeing their meeting as a reconciliation perhaps and of better times ahead for them both. Susan arrives first and is seated at the table and orders a drink patiently waiting for Edward to arrive. And she waits, and she waits, and she waits, ordering more drinks until the last guests depart and the restaurant is empty. Fade to black!

This gripping, beautifully rendered story within a story offers the viewer two carefully interwoven genres - that of a shiny privileged people melodrama and a gritty modern day Western as the two distinct tales go back and forth with an interconnectedness that speaks of revenge, betrayal, love, loss, loneliness and sadness. Amy Adams is excellent as the detached soulful Susan, Gyllenhaal equally so in his dual roles as the try hard Edward and the intense Tony, and Shannon too as the cancer riddled laconic seen it all rural Cop coughing up a lung whilst determined to see justice served in his last case. Tom Ford despite his only two cinematic offerings to date has proven himself as a master of the craft with a stylish, haunting and distinctive film that will leave you pondering over the ending long after the credits have rolled. It's as though his experience in the world of fashion has morphed to the world of cinema in two easy straightforward seamless strides with beautiful people giving a faultless performance clothed up in a visually stunning story.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Officer Downe

The trailer for this film looked like a blast, even if it did have that faux grindhouse vibe ricking in it, something i have grown tired of. Upon watching the film, it is fun, a lot of fun, however it does for sure have that passe exploitation feel. Now i love those kind of films, however now a days it seems if you market a film a certain way or have a over the top gore style, that it is a automatic win. Sadly it is not, while this film is fun it come across as Troma lite, like this is a film people will catch on Netflix but not delve deeper into the films it resembles when it is all said & done. The gore is cool and the colors & characters work, but it doesn't feel authentic, it is definitely better than say the new found self distributed films that scrape by, by pretending to be Troma, it has better production for sure, but still lacks authentication. If i am going to see a film of a cop killing criminals, i will watch Dredd. With that said, check it out, and remember just because you don't love a film, doesn't mean you didn't like the film!!