Book, Film & TV Reviews
Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, La La Land tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, the two fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.
(Written for Filmoria)
In anticipation for the upcoming adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel, we’ve decided to take a look at five of the most romantic moments in the film versions of his work so far.
Directed by George Tillman Jr., with screenplay by Craig Bolotin, The Longest Ride is an adaptation of Sparks’ 17th romance novel of the same name, which was originally published in 2013. The film, set to be released on 19th June, stars Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood in the leads, and follows a young couple who witness a car crash involving an older man, whose lives intertwine as he reflects back on a past love.
Continue reading “Top 5 Most Romantic Nicholas Sparks Moments”
Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, and the first reunion with actor Ryan Gosling after working together on the incredible 2011 crime drama Drive, Only God Forgives follows Julian (Gosling), a drug-smuggler thriving in Bangkok’s criminal underworld who runs a drug business under the cover of a Muay Thai boxing club. Julian’s life soon becomes even more complicated, however, when his mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for the death of his brother, Billy (Tom Burke).
Directed by Derek Cianfrance, The Place Beyond The Pines follows a motorcycle stunt rider, Luke (Ryan Gosling) who turns to robbing banks when he finds out that he has a new-born child with his old lover Romina (Eva Mendes). Whilst everything goes to plan for a while, as his heist partner Robin threatens, “If you ride like lightning, you’re going to crash like thunder.” Luke’s decision soon renders him the target of an ambitious rookie cop, Avery (Bradley Cooper), and a department ruled by the corrupt detective Deluca (Ray Liotta), as the two become locked on a tense collision course which will have a devastating impact on both of their families in the years following.
(Written for Lost In The Muliplex)
With the release of the first trailer for Derek Cianfrance‘s The Place Beyond The Pines recently, we now have a set of new images from the film.
Starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role, the film follows a motorcycle stunt rider who turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their new-born child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with rookie police officer (Bradley Cooper) navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective.
Continue reading “The Pics Beyond The Pines: More Ryan Gosling & Bradley Cooper In 11 New Images”
Directed by Ruben Fleischer and loosely based on Paul Lieberman‘s seven-part series based on true events, Gangster Squad is set in Los Angeles in 1949 and follows a special task force known as the Gangster Squad – consisting of Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin), Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), Conway Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), and Max Kennard (Robert Patrick) – who have been recruited to dismantle the crime empire of the ruthless gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) and force him out of LA.
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
With Terrence Malick’s romantic drama To the Wonder recently premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and his Christian Bale-fronted Knight of Cups wrapping up filming, we have a number of new images for his next project this week, a currently untitled (previously titled Lawless) Austin-set music drama.
Whilst we’ve already seen a couple of images of the film’s leads Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara on the set in its pre-production stage, these new set photos reveal that production has now started on the project, signalling the beginning of principal photography.
Continue reading “New Images of Gosling, Mara & A Peak at Malick On His Untitled Set”
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
Christina Hendricks has been discussing her role in the upcoming Ryan Gosling-written and directed fantasy, How to Catch a Monster, this week, as we are told that her character stars in a fetish club.
In an interview with Vulture who caught up with the Mad Men actress at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, Hendricks said that she was “crazy flattering” to get the offer as it is “his first big film, and he could have gotten anyone!”
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad has a new international trailer this week, giving us a couple more seconds of footage for the Zombieland-director’s upcoming crime drama.
Starring Sean Penn as the ruthless New York gangster Mickey Cohen, the film is set in Los Angeles in 1949 and is a colourful retelling of events surrounding a special task force known as the Gangster Squad, focusing on their efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.
Continue reading “The International Trailer For Gangster Squad Blasts Your Screen To Smithereens”
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
With the release of the first trailer for Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad a couple of weeks ago, Warner Bros. has now released the first set of images for the for the upcoming crime drama.
Starring Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone and Josh Brolin and set in Los Angeles in 1949, the film is a colourful retelling of events surrounding a special task force known as the Gangster Squad’s efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time, the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen (Penn).
Continue reading “Check Out These Gangster New Images for ‘The Gangster Squad’”
(Read this in my publication In Retrospect – Issue 2)
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive is based on James Sallis‘ 2005 novel of the same name, with screenplay by Hossein Amini. The film is undoubtedly one of the best film’s of 2011, and even received a standing ovation at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Ryan Gosling, who remains unnamed throughout the film, plays a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a getaway driver. He works for Shannon (Bryan Cranston) in a garage, who approaches mobsters Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman) for backing to buy a racecar and have the “Driver” race it. Driver meanwhile becomes involved with his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her younger son, but as a romantic connection begins to develop, Irene’s boyfriend Standard (Oscar Isaac) is released from prison. Standard still owes an old associate some money, so Driver offers to help out of his concern for Irene. But when it all goes fatally wrong, Driver is left to clean up his mess.
(Read this in my publication In Retrospect – Issue 2)
Crazy, Stupid, Love, directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, opens with Cal (Steve Carell) and his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) having an awkward meal at a restaurant. Emily promptly and publicly admits that she has had an affair with her co-worker David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon) and that she wants a divorce, forcing Cal to move out of his house and away from his children Robbie (Jonah Bobo) and Molly (Joey King). Whilst drinking his sorrows away in a bar, Cal meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a young, attractive womaniser who we previously meet trying to chat up law student Hannah (Emma Stone). Whilst Hannah’s storyline plays in and out of the main one, Jacob proposes that he can help Cal turn his life around by teaching him how to start living as a single man. After a quick make-over, and more than a few slaps, Cal and Jacob begin to form a much-needed friendship as Cal attempts to get over Emily.
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