Film Review: Toy Story 4

The fourth instalment in Pixar‘s Toy Story series and directed by Josh Cooley, Toy Story 4 sees Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) finding himself left in the closet as the gangs new owner, Bonnie (Madeleine McGrew), doesn’t seem to need him any more. So, when Bonnie’s self-crafted and beloved Forky (Tony Hale) needs some help, Woody makes it his mission to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts), whose adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior.

You Should Be Reading: January 2017

(Written for Filmoria)

Last month began my monthly feature, You Should Be Reading, with the end of what 2016 had to offer in terms of book adaptations. Now it’s time to step into the new year, and to take a look at what adaptations are being released in January 2017.

You Should Be Reading: December 2016

(Written for Filmoria)

This month sees the introduction of my new monthly feature for Filmoria, You Should Be Reading, which looks at what book adaptations are being released as films over the following month.

If you love reading just as much as you do watching, then this feature will tell you everything you need to know about the upcoming films that are based on books, giving you ideas on what you should be reading in anticipation for the release of their adaptations.

Actor Ranked: Tom Hanks

I don’t think it would be possible for anybody to have a favourite actors list without ever mentioning the lovable Tom Hanks. Whether it be the voice of Woody in Pixar’s Toy Story or as the non-stop champion that is Forrest Grump, he’s had a role that everybody will have a favourite of.

Here is my ranking of his performances (not of the films themselves) to date:

Film Review: Captain Phillips

Based on a true story, Captain Phillips, directed by Paul Greengrass, follows Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), whose ship, the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. Focusing on the relationship between Captain Phillips and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), the two are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips’ unarmed ship. In the ensuing stand-off, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.

Rating:

Film Review: Cloud Atlas

(Published on Lost In The Multiplex)

Based on the 2004 book written by David Mitchell, and written and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, Cloud Atlas intertwines six subtly interconnected stories, spanning from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future.

The film follows lawyer Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) who is travelling on a 19th century merchant ship, 20th century music composer Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) who’s trying to compose his own masterpiece, journalist Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) who’s trying to uncover a story in the 1970’s, present day Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) who’s being held against his will in a nursing home, genetically engineered fabricant Sonmi-451 (Doona Bae) who’s being interviewed before her execution in a dystopian future, and Valley tribesmen Zachry (Tom Hanks), who’s living in a distant, post-apocalyptic society 106 winters after The Fall.

Rating:

New ‘Cloud Atlas’ Character Profiles Span The Ages

(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)

As well as the release of the first trailer for writer/directors Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer’s upcoming adaptation of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas this month, the film’s official website have now released a number of images of the film’s cast, showing that some of the film’s actors take on multiple roles and characters across the centuries that the film spans.

The incredible cast for this film includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Xun Zhou, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant, most of whom can be seen in the new images which include Grant as a futuristic tribesman, Hanks as a gangster, and Berry as a white woman. What a combination, right?

Film Review: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

(Published in Issue 7 of my publication In Retrospect)

Directed by Stephen Daldry with screenplay by Eric Roth, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is based on the 2005 novel of the same name written by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Focusing on a young autistic boy named Oskar (Thomas Horn), the story follows his journey when, after his father (Tom Hanks) is killed in the September 11 attack, he discovers a key that once belonged to him with the word ‘Black’ written on it. Determined to find out who Black is, Oskar searches all around New York for information about what the key could mean, whether his father was trying to deliver one final message to him and, more importantly, what it will open. His search brings him in contact with others all around the city whom he takes photographs of and listens to their stories. With the help of his mother (Sandra Bullock) and his mute neighbour The Renter (Max Von Sydow), who offers to help Oskar search the city, the message he ultimately finds isn’t what was expected, whilst the emotional journey brings with it many revelations that may help his family to cope with the tragedy back-dropped around this horrifying event.

New International Poster for ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’

(Written for HeyUGuys)

With only a week until the release of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, a new poster has been released online, now emphasising the film’s two Oscar nominations for Best Film and Best Supporting Actor for Max von Sydow.

Adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer‘s novel of the same name, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is an upcoming drama starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock as the parents of a ten-year-old amateur inventor.

New Pictures for ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’

(Written for HeyUGuys)

A handful of new photos for Stephen Daldry‘s adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer‘s novel Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close have been released this week, an upcoming drama starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock as the parents of a ten-year-old amateur inventor.

Film Review: Toy Story 3

(Published on Rushes Online Film Magazine)

After an 11 year wait, Woody, Buzz and the whole toy box team are back on their final and most exciting adventure yet.

As 17-year-old Andy prepares for college, his loyal toys are accidentally shipped off to daycare where they meet a bunch of new characters, including Barbie’s counterpart Ken and a strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin’. From the torture of toddlers’ sticky hands and drooling mouths, the team plan their escape from the not-so-nice gang of the daycare toys to return home before Andy leaves.

Rating:

Film Review: Toy Story

Directed by John Lasseter and the first feature film from Pixar, Toy Story follows a set of anthropomorphic toys which come to life when humans are not present. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), is a traditional pull-string talking cowboy, who has long enjoyed a place of honour as the favourite of six-year-old Andy (John Morris). But Woody’s status as top toy is put in jeopardy upon the arrival of Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), the coolest space action figure ever made. As Woody plots to get rid of Buzz, things backfire as he soon finds himself lost in the outside world with Buzz as his only companion.