The Best James Bond Movies

 

The best James Bond movies - ranked!

8 Upcoming Films To Look Forward To That Aren't A Remake Or Reboot Or Sequel Or Part Of A Franchise!

Sick of sequels and reboots? Tired of comic book adaptations, franchises and origins stories? Well, here's a bunch of upcoming original films to look forward to.

Spencer review:

Sandringham, Christmas 1991. Bare trees, frosted fields, dead pheasants on the drive. Inside the grand house the dining table has been laid in readiness, but one of the principal guests – arguably the main course – is running late and lost. She grinds her car to a halt, tosses her perfect hair in frustration. “Where the fuck am I?” asks Diana, Princess of Wales.

And so begins this extraordinary film, which bills itself as “a fable from a true tragedy” and spotlights three days in the dissolution of Charles and Di’s marriage. Working off a sharp script by Steven Knight, Chilean director Pablo Larraín spins the headlines and scandals into a full-blown Gothic nightmare, an opulent ice palace of a movie with shades of Rebecca at the edges and a pleasing bat-squeak of absurdity in its portrayal of the royals. Larraín’s approach to the material is rich and intoxicating and altogether magnificent. I won’t call it majestic. That would do this implicitly republican film a disservice.

Jetted in from California, Kristen Stewart proves entirely compelling in the title role. She gives an awkward and mannered performance as Diana, and this is entirely as it should be when one considers that Diana gave an awkward and mannered performance herself, garnishing her inbred posh hauteur with studied coquettish asides. When she broke down, lost her poise, it was like watching a Stepford wife throw a glitch. But Stewart effectively captures the agony of a woman so programmed and insulated that she feels she has no escape and has lost sight of who she is. The servants (well played by Sally Hawkins and Sean Harris) want to help but they are part of the very machine that she hates. They know that if Diana breaks down, the mechanism does too. What matters above all else is to keep the woman up and running. [continue reading at The Guardian]

And last but not least, Turning Red...

Turning Red is an upcoming American computer-animated coming-of-age fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is written and directed by Domee Shi (in her feature directorial debut), produced by Lindsey Collins, and starring Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh.

Turning Red is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on March 11, 2022.

Set during the 2000s, Mei Lee is a confident thirteen-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And, as if changes to her interests, relationships, and body weren't enough, whenever she gets too excited or stressed, she "poofs" into a giant red panda.

BFI Distribution & Bohemia Media release REBEL DYKES documentary in UK & Ireland cinemas and digitally on 26 November

BFI Distribution has partnered with Bohemia Media to release the rabble-rousing documentary REBEL DYKES, set in the club and music scene of 1980s post-punk London, in UK and Ireland cinemas on 26 November 2021. On the same date, the film will be released digitally via BFI Player and Bohemia Euphoria.

Directed by Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams and produced by Riot Productions’ Siobhan Fahey (one of the original rebel dykes and seen in the film), REBEL DYKES is a labour of love than has been six years in the making. This is the unheard story of how a community of dykes who met doing art, music, politics and sex, went on to change their world.

REBEL DYKES follows a tight-knit group of friends who met at Greenham Common peace camp and became artists, performers, musicians and activists in London. A hot, heady, punky, sexy mash-up of animation, previously unseen rare archive footage and new interviews tells the story of a radical scene: squatters, BDSM nightclubs, anti-Thatcher rallies, protests demanding action around AIDS and the fierce ties of chosen families.

After a popular screening as a work-in-progress at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in 2016, REBEL DYKES came back to BFI Flare with a bang for its World Premiere in March 2021, where, screened digitally via BFI Player, it was one of the hits of the programme.

REBEL DYKES’ own punk credentials run right through its conception and production. The filmmakers are all women and non-binary artists making their first feature film. They met through being in bands and festival organising on the Manchester DIY music scene. The film was mostly funded by crowdfunding by the UK and global LGBTQ community on Crowdfunder, Screen Scotland, Independent Film Trust and David Family Foundation. The archive and music came from the original REBEL DYKES themselves. 

Cinemas screening REBEL DYKES will be listed at www.bfi.org.uk/releases

London Premiere Will Mark The Beginning Of Events Around The World Celebrating The Return Of James Bond (Finally!)

Eon Productions, MGM Studios and Universal Pictures International are delighted to announce the World Premiere of No Time To Die on 28th September, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, will be attended by the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnear, Ana de Armas, David Dencik and Dali Benssalah. The cast will be joined on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall by director Cary Joji Fukunaga, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, composer Hans Zimmer, and “No Time To Die” performers Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.

The event will lead a series of premieres in 57 cities across the globe, including 10 in the UK and Ireland to which health care workers will be invited as special guests in celebration and gratitude of their extraordinary work during the pandemic.

The World Premiere will benefit charities supporting serving and former members of the three intelligence agencies (the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service and GCHQ). The evening will also assist charities supporting past and present members of the United Kingdom Special Forces. 

At the Royal Albert Hall in London, there will be viewing areas on the red carpet for invited health care workers and members of the armed forces. They will join the cast and other guests inside to watch the film.

Please note there is no public access on the day to the red carpet or viewing areas. Highlights from the event will be available to view via the official 007 social media channels. A limited number of tickets have been made available for public purchase via the Royal Albert Hall website. 

Following the World Premiere, No Time To Die will release in the UK and Ireland from 30th September 2021 through Universal Pictures International and in the U.S on 8th October through MGM via their United Artists Releasing banner.

James Bond To Give Cinemas A Winter Boost

The new Bond movie, No Time to Die, will be the spark that brings film fans back to the beleaguered cinema industry, predicts entertainment firm and online gaming site, PartyCasino.

Research carried out by the site found that a whopping 83% of movie-goers plan to watch the new Bond film*, whose release was delayed from 2020 to April 2021 and then September 30, 2021.

The news comes after a torrid year for cinema companies, with the total UK and Ireland box office for 2020 falling to £323m, a massive 76% down on 2019. Only 441 movies were released in 2020, less than half of the previous year, as the major chains either shut down completely (Cineworld) or cut, drastically, their opening times (Odeon, Vue).

But PartyCasino’s analysis found that nearly half of fans (47%) will be prompted to make their first visit to a cinema since they were reopened nationally by the return to the silver screen of James Bond. The iconic secret agent was also voted the best movie secret agent in history as part of PartyCasino’s research.

The mothballing of Cineworld’s 128 UK venues last year was caused directly by the initial delay of No Time to Die. The rescheduling of the film’s release date also started a chain reaction across the movie world, with other titles including Dune, Wonder Woman and Black Widow following suit and delaying release dates.

Younger movie lovers are the most excited to see No Time to Die, with more than three quarters (76%) of 18-24 year olds saying they will definitely watch it. However, they are also the least likely to venture out to the cinema to do so, with 72% planning to watch it at home or on demand.

Meanwhile, viewers aged 35-44 (55%) and 45-54 (47%) are most likely to watch on the big screen and it appears that men have been more cautious about visiting the cinema over the last year – more than half (51%) of men state that the Bond movie will be their first trip back to the cinema, compared with 42% of women.

Londoners have been the most eager to get back to the movie theatre, with more than three in five (65%) reporting that they have already been to see a film; only 29% of the Capital’s film fans will make No Time to Die their first since restrictions were eased.

The popularity of the iconic James Bond character has played a big part in bringing people back to the cinemas. PartyCasino’s research found that Bond, who will be played by Daniel Craig for the final time in No Time to Die, was overwhelmingly the nation’s favourite secret agent.

More than half (52%) named the suave MI6 operative at the top of their list. Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne was second in the list with 28% of the vote, followed by The Impossible Mission’s Ethan Hunt (19%), played by Tom Cruise.

Younger fans preferred several other agents to Bond, with Jason Bourne and Alec Leamas from The Spy Who Came In from the Cold registering more votes among 18-24 year olds, but Ronin’s Sam Regazolli (Robert de Niro) was the youngsters’ favourite, with 20% voting him top of the list.

Conversely, while Bond was the top choice of most aged 65 and over, Harry Palmer from The Ipcress File was also popular, with more than a quarter (26%) naming him.

PartyCasino marketing manager, David Winter, said: “James Bond clearly still has a massive place in the hearts of the British public – his magnetism, suaveness, witty one-liners and fearless stunts still draw the crowds they did decades ago.

“His return this month can only be a good thing for the UK cinema industry which, like most entertainment sectors, has been hit hard in the last year. James Bond always saves the day – here’s hoping he can save our cinemas too.”

To find out exactly why Bond is still such a huge draw, take a look at PartyCasino’s research on the public’s favourite stunts and casino scenes from 007’s back catalogue here: The Reasons why Britain Still Loves Bond.

Joel Rapp Dies

Joel Rapp, who had writing or co-writing credits on 16 feature films and more than 250 classic sitcoms, died Wednesday at home. He was 87 and no cause of death was given by his family.

Born on May 22, 1934 in New York City, Rapp grew up Beverly Hills in a family considered part of Hollywood royalty. His father, Philip Rapp, created radio series The Bickersons and Baby Snooks. His godmother was actress and singer Fanny Brice, and his godfather was actor-singer Eddie Cantor.

Joel Rapp went on to work with director Roger Corman on many films and wrote for such television hits as Gilligan’s Island, The Lucy Show, McHale’s Navy, My Favorite Martian, The Patty Duke Show, The Joey Bishop Show and The Donna Reed Show.

Source: Deadline

Christopher Nolan's New Deal With Universal - Explained

If you want to attract Christopher Nolan to your studio, it turns out he comes with a list of terms and conditions.

Just in case you’re a studio head reading this and contemplating a last-minute raid on Universal to try and secure the services of Christopher Nolan, you might want to finish this article first.

Whilst Nolan’s contract with Universal is said to be in the final stages of negotiations, there’s a long list of demands that reportedly come with securing the services of such a successful and prestigious director. Sony, Apple and others were all said to be courting the director at one point when his departure from Warner Bros became an inevitability, following his public dressing down of the studio over its decision to release its films both theatrically and via its streaming service. However, it’s Universal that have seemingly won his favour, with the studio reportedly meeting Nolan’s demands, which have now become public.

According to Variety, Nolan’s demands included a $100 million budget for his next project, a film about Robert J Oppenheimer, the ‘father’ of the atomic bomb. Nolan also wants total creative control of the film and 20% of the first-dollar gross. Reportedly, Nolan is also requesting a six-week non-release period surrounding the theatrical release of his Oppenheimer film, throughout which Universal will not release any other films. We have to imagine that this request would be granted on a wait-and-see basis, given the current state of the world, but who knows?

The list of demands features as part of a wider story on the chase to secure Nolan’s services, and it’s well worth a few minutes of your time.

Whilst Nolan’s expectations may raise eyebrows in some quarters, most of them are contractual elements that he had already earned at Warner Bros, plus you can’t help but admire the director’s commitment to the theatrical cause, even if demanding a 100 day theatrical window probably lost him Apple’s interest immediately. We’ll bring you more details of Nolan’s next film as we hear them.

Source: Film Stories

Denis Villeneuve Isn't A Fan Of Marvel Films

Dune director Denis Villeneuve has been ruminating on why the MCU probably isn’t right for his work.

Denis Villeneuve has the hotly-anticipated Dune coming up for release next month. He’s also hoping to get moving onto the sequel pretty quickly should the first one do well. However, one project he’s not interested in is a gig with Marvel, and creating a future instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Villeneuve has been discussing the limitations of sticking to Marvel’s ‘house style’, stating that “the problem today… Well, if we’re talking about Marvel, the thing is, all these films are made from the same mould. Some filmmakers can add a little colour to it, but they’re all cast in the same factory. It doesn’t take anything away from the movies, but they are formatted.”

In a separate interview with Harper’s Bazaar, both of which were pulled together by Dark Horizons, Villeneuve was interviewed by Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao, whose next release is the upcoming Marvel flick, The Eternals... [continue reading]

Source: Film Stories

The Purge 6 Is On The Way, Frank Grillo To Return

Frank Grillo is heading back to The Purge franchise, he’s confirmed, as he awaits the script for The Purge 6.

This year, the fifth film in the Purge series of movies – The Forever Purge – was released, to pretty good reviews. The whole series has bounced up and down a bit, and for our money it’s peaked thus far with the second, The Purge: Anarchy. But there’s little doubt that it’s a franchise short of neither ideas nor legs.

Little surprise then that a chapter six is on the way. Frank Grillo has confirmed both the existence of the project, and also that he’ll be back as Leo Barnes in the next film.

Furthermore, James DeMonaco is not only scripting this way again, but he’s also returning to the director’s chair for the next movie.

No word yet on what the title of the new film will be, or when to expect it. But as Grillo explains, he’s set to receive the script for the new movie any day. On top of that, they don’t tend to take too long to film. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more.

Source: Film Stories

What To Watch On Netflix: Blood Red Sky

Let Me In meets Snakes on a Plane, Blood Red Sky boasts high-concept appeal with a touching mother-son relationship at its core and a great breakout performance from the very talented Peri Baumeister. Director Thorwarth manages to give us both the kinetic, visceral action set-pieces that titillate the senses alongside poignant, quieter moments that champion the bonds of parenthood. It means Blood Red Sky leaves a lasting impression that goes beyond the tearing of flesh and dismembered body parts.

Watch on Netflix now. 

PLOT (from Wikipedia):

An airborne plane is headed for a landing based on a hijacking. Someone has control of the plane and lands it successfully at an RAF base in Scotland. A man in the cockpit claims he is injured but suspected of being a hijacker.

A woman then is seen talking to a child who was a passenger aboard the plane at the behest of the base's commanding officer.

A German widow, Nadja, and her son Elias prepare to board a plane to New York; Nadja, who appears to suffer from leukemia, is set to visit a doctor who can provide her with the treatment she needs to restore her health. At the airport, Elias befriends a man named Farid, while his mother takes medicine that causes her severe discomfort.

As the passengers settle down for the evening, a group of men, including the co-pilot Bastian, discreetly murder the three air marshals on the plane and sabotage the black box, preventing the plane from being tracked on radar. Their leader, Berg, then makes an announcement to the passengers that he and his men are now in control of the plane and expect everyone to stay put until a ransom is paid. Elias tries to hide, and Nadja follows him. A sociopathic hijacker named Eightball sees them and shoots Nadja several times. Assuming she's dead, the hijackers begin the second stage of their plan, forcing Farid to record a statement that makes it appear the plane has been seized by terrorists for a suicide attack, knowing it will then be shot down.

As Nadja slowly regains consciousness, she begins to relive the day her husband, Nikolai, was killed. He had gone to a local farmhouse for help when their car broke down during a family trip but failed to return. When Nadja went looking for him, she was attacked by his murderer, a vampire who managed to bite Nadja before being burned to death by the sunrise. Nadja soon turned into a vampire, and went back to the farmhouse looking for answers. She ran into an elderly vampire who tried to shoot her to stop further spread of vampirism, but she overpowered and beat him to death before escaping with vials of vampire suppressant and burning the farmhouse to the ground.

Nadja manages to access the cargo hold, and removes the contacts and dentures that conceal her mutated eyes and fangs before killing and feeding on a dog. A hijacker catches her in the act and she kills him and drinks his blood, which fully transforms her into a vampire. She finds Farid and they manage to regain control of the plane just as the hijackers are about to parachute out. Berg tries to take back control of the cockpit before Nadja surprises and bites him. She then stabs him with a knife before he can fully transform.

The hijackers, realizing what they're dealing with, task Eightball with killing Nadja. He subdues her with UV light before extracting some of her blood, but just as he is about to stake her, Elias confronts him with Berg's gun and accidentally shoots out a window which depressurizes the plane. The hijackers take back the cockpit and restore the pressure. Eightball flees into the cargo hold and injects himself with Nadja's blood; she tries to set him on fire but fails to fully destroy him. Soon enough, the other hijackers, with the exception of Bastian, are ambushed and killed by a vampiric Eightball, while the rest of the passengers arm themselves. Nadja convinces them that she wants to help, and they manage to lock Eightball in the hold and secure the plane.

Bastian informs Nadja that the plane doesn't have enough fuel to reach New York, and that they must land soon or crash. A selfish passenger dying from an injury releases Eightball in the hopes of being bitten; instead, he kills him and proceeds to turn most of the other passengers into vampires. Nadja, knowing that they will escape if the plane lands, decides to sacrifice herself by using the hijackers' explosives to kill them. Elias stops her and goes himself, but only manages to grab the detonator before being surrounded by vampires. Nadja makes Farid promise to look after him before killing and feeding on Bastian. She tries to save her son but is attacked and drained of her blood by Eightball. Just as he goes for Elias, Farid steers the plane into the path of the morning sun, causing Eightball to burn and fall to his death.

Elias uses his blood to save Nadja's life, but she rejects him and flees, knowing that her taste for his blood puts him in danger. The plane lands at an RAF base in Scotland, but the authorities ignore Elias and Farid's pleas and board the plane looking for survivors, resulting in a massacre. They mistake Elias' pleas as trauma, so an ambulance is sent to transport him to a hospital. But before embarking he demands for his teddy bear to be given back, and he becomes reunited with it. As a medic prepares to inject him with sleep sedative, Elias escapes from the ambulance and runs back to the plane. He sees his mother get out of the plane and feed on a soldier, but when he calls her she only returns a hungry roar, then heads toward him with the intention of devouring him. Realizing that his mother is gone and all that is left of her is a rabid beast, Elias activates the detonator he hid in his teddy bear, killing her and the other vampires. Farid is released from custody and hugs Elias as the camera slowly pulls away.

What to Watch on Netflix?

The Conjuring: Does for "hanging out the washing" what Jaws did for swimming

To coin a cliché: The Conjuring does for “hanging washing on the line” what Jaws did for swimming.

What's The Conjuring about?

The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in the Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting. Their purportedly real-life reports inspired The Amityville Horror story and film franchise. The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family, who experienced increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971.

Development of the film began in January 2012, and reports confirmed Wan as the director of a film entitled The Warren Files, later retitled The Conjuring, centering on the alleged real-life exploits of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who investigated paranormal events. In his second collaboration with Wan, Patrick Wilson starred alongside Vera Farmiga in the main roles of Ed and Lorraine. Production commenced in Wilmington, North Carolina, in February 2012, and scenes were shot in chronological order.

The Conjuring was released in the United States and Canada on July 19, 2013, by Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, direction, screenplay, atmosphere, and musical score. It grossed over $319 million worldwide against its $20 million budget. A sequel, The Conjuring 2, was released on June 10, 2016.

Is James Wan's The Conjuring any good?

The craft – if not the art – of a great horror flick skitters around Saw creator James Wan's new popcorn-spiller. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga play Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life paranormal investigators who in the early 1970s helped the Perron family (led here by Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) rid their Rhode Island pad of a demon, before clearing up at Amityville. The beast roves the house, as bashful about its hell-raising as Wan is about reeling off genre tropes: slamming doors, stopping clocks and smashing family photos.

The Conjuring was a huge hit in the US, perhaps because it plays to sceptics and believers alike; there's never any question that what we're seeing might be absurd or imaginary. The Warrens – religious folk concerned for their victims' souls (their church attendance is patchy) – are presented as dedicated professionals, rather than kooks, weirdos or (whisper it) hucksters. But the 70s setting, paired with the cheapish visual effects, helps the thing scramble along like a fleshed-out episode of Scooby Doo. Wan's shocks are predictable but – yikes! – are they scary.

Review by Henry Barnes.

Radio 4 increases airtime for the arts with new shows and an extended Front Row

Three new regular arts, film and music strands to launch on Radio 4 and flagship live arts programme Front Row extended to 45 minutes

Radio 4 is upping its arts coverage, to bring the best in cultural interview, discussion and criticism to our listeners, in a revamped offering.

 

A new film show, Screenshot, co-hosted by Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode, will take listeners on a fresh journey through film and screen culture . A new music programme, Add To Playlist, co-hosted by Cerys Matthews and Jeffrey Boakye, will explore music through surprising connections between songs and artists. And This Cultural Life, hosted by John Wilson, will feature in-depth interviews with the most important arts practitioners working today – from new talent to global icons.

 

Also from this Autumn, Front Row will air from Monday to Thursday at an extended running time of 45 minutes (from 30 minutes) with two regular presenters, Samira Ahmed and Tom Sutcliffe. The reinvigorated magazine programme will feature more regional coverage showcasing what’s happening in arts and culture across the UK. Throughout the week there will be big name interviews and an exciting mix of guests from across the arts industry having lively discussions about the big arts stories and events of the week. Each Thursday, the programme will focus on review and criticism of the key new arts openings, publications and events.

 

Mohit Bakaya, Controller Radio 4, said “The Arts matter. At all times, but especially during periods of uncertainty and change, culture provides an important lens that helps deepen our understanding of the world around us. However, the way we are consuming and experiencing the arts and culture is evolving. I’d like our arts programming to be even more ambitious, and intellectually curious. The new film and music shows will explore our evolving relationship with these two important genres as a result of the changing digital landscape, and the wonderful opportunities for discovery, as well as making fascinating new connections between past and present. The expanded Front Row will keep listeners across the most important cultural activity in the UK.  There will be more space for coverage and review of contemporary film releases, especially, but also a more thorough exploration of the worlds of performance art, the visual arts and literature.  Finally, This Cultural Life will do for the Arts what the Life Scientific has done for science - giving us deep insights into what makes our leading creative minds tick.”

 

SCREENSHOT

A new film programme co-hosted by Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode.

 

Radio 4’s new film programme Screenshot looks at the kaleidoscopic world of the moving image; from cinema to streaming, across decades and genres alike.  

 

Co-hosted by Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode, Screenshot will take Radio 4 listeners on an eclectic journey through the universe of the moving image, exploring the best of cinema and screen culture, wherever they encounter it.

 

Along with a wide range of guests, Ellen and Mark will share their knowledge and passions, making links across the ages, reflecting both the changing nature of contemporary viewing habits and the timeless art of screen storytelling. At a time when people can watch what they want, when they want, and how they want, Screenshot will help guide Radio 4 listeners to some of the best films and shows available, and to dig out hidden treasures, old and new.

 

Ellen E Jones, co-host of Screenshot, said "Screens are as everyday as the phone in your pocket, and yet screen stories retain this power to transport, transcend and unify. It’s a magical paradox which I love almost as much as I love talking about films and telly, so this Radio 4 project is a true joy. It’s as if I’ve walked out of a rainy night and into a fire-lit pub, where all my most erudite pals are gathered in animated conversation. Oh, and one of them just happens to be the legendary film critic, Mark Kermode!”

 

Mark Kermode, co-host of Screenshot, said "I’m thrilled to be working with the brilliant Ellen E Jones on this bold Radio 4 venture, which will perfectly complement Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review on 5Live. Rather than reviewing current releases, Ellen and I will be delving into the vaults to make unexpected links and discoveries from the history of film and TV. In the immortal words of Doc Brown from Back to the Future: ‘Where we’re going, we don’t need roads …’"

 

ADD TO PLAYLIST

A new music programme co-hosted by Cerys Matthews and Jeffrey Boakye

 

Music fans get a new show with Add To Playlist presented by broadcaster and singer songwriter Cerys Matthews and writer, teacher and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye. Each week the presenters and guests will build a playlist track by track, connecting each track to the next with their own knowledge of musicology, music history and a touch of serendipity.

 

The series will tease out the connections between pieces of music as Cerys, Jeffrey and their guests surprise each other with their music choices and compete with each other to line up the next track, deepening our understanding of music we already know and discovering new pieces to enjoy. Songwriters, musicians, music writers and commentators will be on hand to unpack the rhythms, key signatures, and chord progressions that help the music tell its stories.

 

Cerys Matthews, co-host of Add To Playlist, said “I’m looking forward to launching Radio 4’s brand new music series with Jeffrey. It’s going to be an open armed celebration of music across genres and eras, we’ll journey amidst the backstories of these compositions , hearing how they came to be, and how they may interconnect . It’ll be  a voyage of discovery and I hope listeners will enjoy the ride, and maybe expand their own personal playlists too.” 

 

Jeffrey Boakye, co-host of Add To Playlist, said 'I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking part in this series, which I know is going to be incredibly special. Cerys and I both share such a deep love of music, and this is the perfect platform for us to bring this passion to BBC Radio 4 listeners. ‘Excited’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on.”

 

THIS CULTURAL LIFE

A series of in-depth conversations with artists hosted by John Wilson

 

This Cultural Life, hosted by John Wilson, will feature in-depth conversations with some of the world’s leading artists and creatives. The series will provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the lives and careers of our most celebrated artists from across theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film and more.

 

In each 45 minute edition, John Wilson talks to one leading cultural figure about their life, work, creative process, inspirations, and the emotional highs and lows of ‘this cultural life’. Selected episodes of This Cultural Life will be filmed and broadcast on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.

 

John Wilson, host of This Cultural Life, said “Radio 4 has always been the proud home of arts programming on BBC radio, so I am delighted to be hosting This Cultural Life. For me, the extended interview has always been the most revealing and rewarding aspect of my radio work, and to be hosting a series dedicated to in-depth conversations with artists is a huge privilege. The new series will offer listeners a fantastic opportunity to gain unique and personal insights into the lives of some of the world’s leading creative people. I can’t wait to get started.”

 

As part of these changes and as previously confirmed, Radio 4 will no longer broadcast Saturday Review and The Film Programme. Across the new slate of arts programming there will be more review and criticism, including Front Row on Thursday evenings, and expanded film discussion and review of the latest releases on Front Row, as well as interviews with film makers and stars in new show This Cultural Life.

 

Add To Playlist will broadcast October to November, and Screenshot will broadcast December to January, both on Friday evenings at 7.15pm, and they will continue to alternate next year. This Cultural Life will broadcast on Saturday evenings at 7.15pm, beginning October.

 

The Debate Is Officially Over: Roger Moore Is The Best James Bond

Who is the best James Bond? Daniel Craig? Sean Connery? No... it's definitely Roger Moore! And this is why!

Live and Let Die (1973)

Moore in 1973

Owing to his commitment to several television shows, in particular The Saint, Roger Moore was unavailable for the James Bond films for a considerable time. His participation in The Saint was as actor, producer, and director, and he also became involved in developing the series The Persuaders!. In 1964, he made a guest appearance as James Bond in the comedy series Mainly Millicent. Moore stated in his autobiography My Word Is My Bond (2008) that he had neither been approached to play the character in Dr. No, nor did he feel that he had ever been considered. Only after Sean Connery had declared in 1966 that he would not play Bond any longer did Moore become aware that he might be a contender for the role. After George Lazenby was cast in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Connery was enticed back to the role of Bond again for Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Moore did not consider the possibility until it seemed clear that Connery had stepped down as Bond for good. At that point, Moore was approached, and he accepted producer Albert Broccoli's offer in August 1972. In his autobiography, Moore writes that he had to cut his hair and lose weight for the role. Although he resented having to make those changes, he was finally cast as James Bond in Live and Let Die (1973).

Moore then made Gold (1974), based on a novel by Wilbur Smith for producer Michael Klinger and director Peter R. Hunt (who had an editing role in the first five Bond films and directed On Her Majesty's Secret Service). He was paid US$200,000 plus a percentage of the profits.

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

Moore made his second Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), which was a hit, though less successful than Live and Let Die. It featured Christopher Lee as the main antagonist. Also appearing are Britt Ekland, Herve Villechaize, and Maud Adams. He then made a comedy That Lucky Touch (1975) which was a box office disaster. Moore made an Italian-shot action film Street People (1976), then went back to South Africa for another Klinger-Hunt movie from a Wilbur Smith novel, Shout at the Devil (1976), which was successful in Britain, though less so in the US. Lee Marvin was a main cast member. Ian Holm was also featured, as well as Barbara Parkins.

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Moore returned for a third outing as Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), which was a massive box-office success. It also starred Barbara Bach, and Richard Kiel in his first appearance as the villain, Jaws. He returned to South Africa for a third action movie shot there, The Wild Geese (1978), produced by Euan Lloyd and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. It was a sizeable hit in Britain and Europe but, like Shout at the Devil, less so in the US. The cast featured Richard Burton, who had top billing, and Richard Harris.

Moore played the lead in Escape to Athena (1979) partly financed by Lew Grade. It was a heist adventure set in war-time Greece, and stars Telly Savalas and David Niven, and features mostly American character actors, including Elliott Gould, Stefanie Powers, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono, and Italian actress Claudia Cardinale. Roger Moore (with top billing) plays a charming former Austrian antiquities dealer turned crooked camp commandant, asked to guard Greek antiquities desired by the Third Reich, and also guard the collection of archaeologists who are being forced to work to find and recover these objects, but he has other plans for the treasure he guards and for the people under his watch.

Moonraker (1979)

Roger Moore in 1979

With the success of his fourth outing as Bond, Moonraker (1979), Moore followed it with an action film North Sea Hijack (1980) where Moore played a very un-Bond-like hero, opposite Anthony Perkins. The film was a box-office disappointment.

Better received was The Sea Wolves (1980), another World War Two adventure which reunited many of the crew from The Wild Geese including Euan Lloyd and McLaglen. It was based on the true story of a March 1943 event in British India and Portuguese Goa, in which a group of retired members of the Calcutta Light Horse, coloneled by David Niven's character, assist regular British Army operatives, played by Moore and Gregory Peck, in destroying German ships in neutral Mormugao harbor, all the time surrounded by German spies and Indian nationalist intrigue. Trevor Howard, Patrick Macnee, and Barbara Kellerman also co-star, with a who's who lineup of British character actors.

Moore was in two all-star comedies: Sunday Lovers (1980), which flopped at the box office, and The Cannonball Run (1981), which was a hit. The latter featured an ensemble cast, including Jackie Chan, Burt Reynolds, Dean Martin, Dom DeLuise, Sammy Davis Jr, and Farrah Fawcett.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Moore returned for his fifth outing as Bond in For Your Eyes Only (1981).

Octopussy (1983)

Following the film, For Your Eyes Only, Moore expressed a desire to leave the role, and other actors were screen tested including James Brolin, but Moore was eventually enticed back for Octopussy (1983).

The circumstances around Octopussy's release were highly unusual in that another James Bond film was being released in the same year. The Non-Eon production Never Say Never Again which featured his predecessor Sean Connery returning to the role of Bond, although not canon to his previous Eon Bond films. This led to the media dubbing the one-time situation the "Battle of the Bonds".

He made a cameo as Chief Inspector Clouseau, posing as a famous movie star, in Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) (for which he was credited as "Turk Thrust II"). Then he tried a thriller The Naked Face (1984), written and directed by Bryan Forbes.

A View to a Kill (1985)

Moore starred in his final Bond film, A View to a Kill (1985). Moore was the oldest actor to have played Bond – he was 45 in Live and Let Die, and 58 when he announced his retirement on 3 December 1985, having played the part for over 12 years. With 7 films Moore currently holds the record for playing Bond the most times in the Eon series but is tied with Sean Connery in number of times playing the character when counting Connery's non-Eon appearance in Never Say Never Again (1983).

Moore's Bond was very different from the version created by Ian Fleming. Screenwriters such as George MacDonald Fraser provided scenarios in which Moore was cast as a seasoned, debonair playboy who would always have a trick or gadget in stock when he needed it. This was designed to serve the contemporary taste of the 1970s. Moore's version of Bond was also known for his sense of humour and witty one liners as Moore himself said, "My personality is different from previous Bonds. I'm not that cold-blooded-killer type. Which is why I play it mostly for laughs."

In 1987, he hosted Happy Anniversary 007: 25 Years of James Bond.

Read Marc Haynes' memorable Roger Moore story here.

What Does The The Matrix 4 Trailer Tell Us About The Upcoming Movie?

Film fans have been given their first full taste of the fourth instalment in the Matrix franchise in a trailer that reintroduces Keanu Reeves' hero Neo.

The Matrix Resurrections will be released in cinemas and on the HBO Max streaming service in December.

The original Matrix movie came out in 1999, and the first two sequels were both released in 2003.

The series involves a virtual reality constructed by a futuristic artificial intelligence to enslave humankind.

Returning co-star Carrie-Anne Moss can also be seen in the trailer, which had its online premiere on Thursday.

Here are five things we took away from the first look at what is already one of the year's most eagerly-awaited blockbusters.

1) What the duck?

The trailer opens with a bearded Reeves seeking guidance from a bespectacled psychiatrist, played by Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother fame.

Reeves' character says he is having dreams that seem to allude to Neo's past as the Messianic figurehead of a resistance movement at war with the AI behind the Matrix.

Reeves, whom Harris calls Thomas, seems oblivious to the truth Neo learned in the first film - that the world he knows is a sophisticated simulation cooked up by computer.

But he discerns that something is up as he takes an elevator, studies his reflection in a mirror and sits in a bathtub with a plastic yellow duck perched on his head.

2) Have we met?

Given Neo appeared to die at the end of 2003's The Matrix Revolutions, we're led to ponder if Reeves is playing a different or alternative iteration of his original character.

The same may also apply to Moss's resistance fighter Trinity, who doesn't appear to recognise Reeves when they meet and shake hands in a coffee shop.

Then again, Thomas/Neo may be trying to block out memories of the man he once was - possibly by swallowing handfuls of tell-tale blue pills.

In the original film, Neo was offered a pill of that colour that would allow him to return to and continue his simulated existence.

3) Christmas Carroll

Neo, of course, chose to take a red pill that, in the words of Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus, let him "stay in Wonderland and [see] how deep the rabbit hole goes".

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is a recurring motif in the Matrix universe and appears again in book form in the new three-minute trailer.

A rabbit tattoo that alludes to Carroll's White Rabbit is seen on the arm of another character, played by British-Chinese actress Jessica Fenwick.

The backing music, meanwhile, is Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, a psychedelic 1967 anthem itself inspired by Carroll's writing and imagery.

4) He still knows kung fu

At the exhortation of Candyman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, beardy Keanu ends up taking a red pill that seems to unlock the Matrix's secrets.

It also seems to reawaken the martial arts prowess that enables him to strike his new friend so hard it shatters the simulated dojo they're sparring in.

Abdul-Mateen II's character seems to have many of Morpheus's attributes, suggesting he may be a younger version or perhaps the son of Fishburne's character.

Fishburne himself revealed last year he had "not been invited" to reprise his signature role in Lana Wachowski's film.

5) Bang for your buck

While the original trilogy was directed by Lana Wachowski in tandem with her sibling Lily, the fourth film is directed by Lana alone.

Yet having one less person behind the camera doesn't appear to have had an impact on the new movie's explosive mayhem.

Trains, helicopters, motorcycles and cars are just a few of the modes of transport that are left riddled with bullets or blown to smithereens.

If there's a tall building in the vicinity, meanwhile, you can be certain someone at some point will throw themselves out of or off it.

The Matrix Resurrections will be released in UK cinemas on 22 December.

Source: BBC

Thomas Turgoose Reteams With Shane Meadows In TV Drama

Thomas Turgoose will reteam with writer-director Shane Meadows for new TV drama The Gallows Pole. 

Starring in the highly anticipated series will be:

Michael Socha (This Is England, Papillon)

Thomas Turgoose (This Is England, Looted)

George MacKay (1917, Captain Fantastic)

Tom Burke (Mank, The Souvenir)

Sophie McShera (Cinderella, Downton Abbey)

Cara Theobold (Downton Abbey, Crazyhead)

Yusra Warsama (Castle Rock)

Eve Burley (Secret State)

Nicole Barber Lane (Hollyoaks)

Samuel Edward-Cook (Peaky Blinders)

Anthony Welsh (Master Of None)

Joe Sproulle (The A Word)

Adam Fogerty (Legend)

Fine Time Fontayne (How We Used To Live)

...and an ensemble of first-time actors.

The Gallows Pole, based on the novel of the same name by Benjamin Myers, fictionalises the remarkable true story of the rise and fall of David Hartley and the Cragg Vale Coiners. Set against the backdrop of the coming industrial revolution in 18th century Yorkshire, the compelling drama follows the enigmatic David Hartley, played by Michael Socha, as he assembles a gang of weavers and land-workers to embark upon a revolutionary criminal enterprise that will capsize the economy and become the biggest fraud in British history.

It was also announced that A24 are teaming up with Element Pictures (The Favourite, Normal People) on the six-part series for the BBC which is currently filming in Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

Collaborating again with casting director Shaheen Baig (The Virtues), Shane Meadows says of his cast: “Putting this cast together, with the undying support of Shaheen Baig and her amazing team, has been an absolute joy. To be working with actors I’ve grown up with and/or have been desperate to work with, alongside oodles of incredible ‘as yet’ undiscovered Yorkshire-based talent, is an absolute honour and I’ve not been this passionate about shooting a project in years!

"After some initial rehearsals back in spring, me and the team went on an open-casting odyssey, watching over 6,500 self-tapes from unrepresented actors and actresses, and were blown away by the quality of tapes that were submitted. We went from hoping to find one or two new faces, to making up half of the entire cast from those tapes and I believe it’s going to create a series quite unlike anything else I’ve ever worked on.

"This is the 18th century yes, but viewed through a slightly more anarchic lens and will - like my previous work - have a soundtrack that fits the mood like a psychedelic glove, rather than historical expectations.”

Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, adds: “Shane’s talent for spotting and working with the newest and most authentic talent is second to none and will play a key role in setting this drama apart. It’s an honour to be working with Shane, our friends at Element, and our partners at A24, to see this amazing story start to come to life.”

Element Pictures adds: “Working with the BBC and A24 on Shane Meadows’ first period drama is incredibly exciting for all of us at Element. Shane’s unique take on the story combined with the stunning cast he has assembled will make for an intoxicating and unforgettable series.”

The Gallows Pole was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, and is produced by Element Pictures in association with Big Arty for the BBC in association with A24. Nickie Sault, a long-time collaborator of Shane Meadows, will also be a producer on the show. International sales will be handled by A24.

10 Must-See Shounen Anime Movies

Shounen anime has been making big waves in the anime community lately. And now with the upcoming release of more shounen movies like Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and My Hero Academia: Heroes’ World Mission, we’re here to bring you some of the best shounen anime you may or may not have heard of!

Check out the top 10 here. 

Brian De Palma's The Fury: An Underrated Supernatural Thriller?

Is Brian De Palma's The Fury one of his most underrated films?

The Fury is a 1978 American supernatural thriller film directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Amy Irving, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, and Andrew Stevens. The screenplay by John Farris was based on his 1976 novel of the same name.

The film was produced by Frank Yablans and released by 20th Century Fox on March 10, 1978. It was both a critical and commercial success, grossing $24 million from a $7.5 million budget. The music, composed and conducted by John Williams was highly praised by critic Pauline Kael, who called it "as apt and delicately varied a score as any horror movie has ever had".