The official blog of The CineFiles, a weekly film review series that can viewed at www.youtube.com/cinefiles. This blog will be used to keep fans up to date with upcoming shows and news.
Directed By: Ridley Scott Written By: John Logan & Dante Harper Story By: Michael Green & Jack Paglen Based On “Alien” Characters Created By: Ronald Shusett & Dan O’Bannon Cinematography By: Dariusz Wolski Editor: Pietro Scalia
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, Billy Crudup, Demian Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Amy Seimetz Almost eleven years after the futile and disastrous expedition on the distant moon LV-223, the deep-space colonisation vessel Covenant equipped with more than 2,000 colonists in cryogenic hibernation, sets a course for the remote planet Origae-6 with the intention to build a new world. Instead, a rogue transmission will entice the crew to a nearby habitable small planet which resembles The Earth. The unsuspecting members of Covenant will have to cope with biological foes, beyond human comprehension. Ultimately, what was intended as a peaceful exploratory mission, will soon turn into a desperate rescue operation deep into the cold infinite space.
Directed By: Marco Brambilla Written By: Daniel Waters, Peter M. Lenkov & Robert Reneau Story By: Peter M. Lenkov & Robert Reneau Cinematography By: Alex Thomson Editor: Stuart Baird
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt, Glen Shadix, Denis Leary, Bob Gunton, Bill Cobbs, Jack Black, Jesse Ventura, Andre Gregory
Frozen in 1996, Simon Phoenix, a convicted crime lord, is revived for a parole hearing well into the 21st century. Revived into a society free from crime, Phoenix resumes his murderous rampage, and no one can stop him. John Spartan, the police officer who captured Phoenix in 1996, has also been cryogenically frozen, this time for a crime he did not commit. In 2032, the former cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara have merged into peaceful, utopian San Angeles. Unable to stop him with their non-violent solutions, the police release Spartan to help recapture Phoenix. Now after 36 years, Spartan has to adapt himself to the future society he has no knowledge about.
Directed By: Colin Strause & Greg Strause Written By: Shane Salerno Based On “Alien” Characters Created By: Dan O’Bannon & Ronald Shusett Based on “Predator” Characters Created By: Jim Thomas & John Thomas Cinematography By: Daniel C. Pearl Editor: Dan Zimmerman
Cast: Steven Pasquale, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Reiko Ayelsworth, Sam Trammell, Robert Joy, Kristen Hager, Ariel Gade, David Paetkau
Following the events of Alien vs. Predator, and the maturation of the chest burster that erupted from the body of Scar (the Predator that defeated the Alien Queen) into an adult Predalien, the Predator scout ship crashes in the woods of Gunnison County. A local, Buddy Benson, and his son, Sam, are hunting in the forest and witness the crash, but they are chased and are implanted with alien embryos by facehuggers along with several homeless people living in the sewers. Meanwhile another Predator lands seeking out the Alien and destroying evidence of their presence on Earth. The dwellers of the town find themselves in the middle of a battlefield between the two deadly extraterrestrial creatures, and the small group of survivors splits between the leadership of Sheriff Eddie Morales and the bad-boy Dallas Howard. Both have different opinions about the best means to escape from the beings.
Directed By: Yudai Yamaguchi Written By: Yudai Yamaguchi, Isao Kiriyama & Ryuichi Takatsu Based On The Comic By: Gataro Man Editor: Shuichi Kakesu
Cast: Tak Sakaguchi, Atsushi Ito, Hideo Sakaki
Battlefield Baseball is a tough game--it doesn't end until all the members on the opposing team are dead. In this game the Gedo High team is composed of blue-faced zombies, and their opponents on the Seido High team know they don't have a chance at beating them unless they can bring back a star pitcher who has a lethal pitch called the Super Tornado, but who has hung up his cleats and has no desire to return to the game.
Written & Directed By: Luc Besson Based on the Comic Book Series “Valerian and Laureline” By: Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mezieres Cinematography By: Thierry Arbogast Editor: Julien Rey
Cast: Dale DeHann, Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Alain Chabat, Rugter Hauer, Louis Letterier, Benoit Jacquot, Olivier Megaton In the Century XXVIII, the space station Alpha is a city where beings from different planets live together exchanging their knowledge and culture. Peace is granted by a human force, including Major Valerian and his partner Sergeant Laureline. They are assigned by the Defence Minister to retrieve the last species of converter in a dangerous mission. They succeed and back to Alpha, unknown humanoids abduct Commander Arun Filitt expecting to steal the converter. They head to a forbidden area that is infected but Valerian and Laureline follow them and disclose a hidden secret about the race and the infected area.
Written & Directed By: Kurt Wimmer Cinematography By: Arthur Wong Editor: William Yeh Cast: Milla Jovovich, Cameron Bright, Nick Chinlund, William Finchter A beautiful hemophage infected with a virus that gives her superhuman powers has to protect a boy in a futuristic world, who is thought to be carrying antigens that would destroy all hemophages.
Directed By: James Gray Written By: James Gray & David Grann Based on the Book By: David Grann Cinematography By: Darius Khondji Editor: John Axelrad & Lee Haugen
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Angyus MacFadyen, Ian McDiarmid, Franco Nero
The Lost City of Z tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as "savages," the determined Fawcett - supported by his devoted wife, son and aide de camp returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.
Directed By: Mike Newell Written By: Paul Attanasio Based On The Book By: Joseph D. Pistone & Richard Woodley Cinematography By: Peter Sova Editor: Jon Gregory
Cast: Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Anne Heche, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Zeljko Ivanek, Zach Grenier, Gretchen Mol, Tim Blake Nelson, Paul Giamatti,
An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one.
This film seems set apart from the supposed usual gangster dramas. Maybe because it's more about the difficulties of going undercover aspect of the scenario more Han the mob wars and community. So that is seems a bit more elegant and not asking you necessarily to go with the mobsters and presenting them more as the heroes or at least the leads we care about.
Written & Directed By: Albert Brooks Cinematography By: Allen Daviau Editor: David Finfer
Cast: Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Buck Henry, James Eckhouse, Susan Walters, Mary Pat Gleason, Ethan Embry,
Yuppie Daniel Miller is killed in a car accident and goes to Judgment City, a waiting room for the afterlife. During the day, he must prove in a courtroom-style process that he successfully overcame his fears (a hard task, given the pitiful life we are shown); at night, he falls in love with Julia, the only other young person in town. Nights are a time of hedonistic pleasure, since you can (for instance) eat all you want without getting fat.
Directed By: Dennis Dugan Written By: Hank Nelken & Greg DePaul
Cinematography By: Arthur Albert Editor: Debra Neil-Fisher
Cast: Jason Biggs, Amanda Peet, Steve Zahn, Jack Black, Amanda Detmer, R. Lee Ermey, Neil Diamond, Kyle Gass
Two dim-witted former high school buddys and Neil Diamond fanactics, Wayne and J.D., plot to keep their friend Darren from marrying the wrong woman, a domineering and spiteful psychologist named Judith by kidnapping her and trying to set Darren up with his old high school girlfriend Sandy who plans to become a nun
Directed By: Matt Spicer Written By: David Branson Smith & Matt Spicer Cinematography By: Bryce Fortner Editor: Jack Price
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O’Shea Jackson Jr. Wyatt Russell, Billy Magnussen, Pom Klementieff, Joseph Breen, Angelica Amor
Ingrid Thorburn is an unhinged social media stalker with a history of confusing "likes" for meaningful relationships. Taylor Sloane is an Instagram-famous "influencer" whose perfectly curated, boho-chic lifestyle becomes Ingrid's latest obsession. When Ingrid moves to LA and manages to insinuate herself into the social media star's life, their relationship quickly goes from #BFF to #WTF.
Written & Directed By: Jeff Baena Cinematography By: Quyen Tran Editor: Ryan Brown
Cast: Dave Franco, Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, Kate Micucci, Nick Offerman, Jemima Kirke, Molly Shannon, John C. Reilly, Paul Reiser, Fred Armisen, Paul Weitz, Lauren Weedman On the run from the battle-seasoned Lord Bruno for sleeping with his wife, the handsome and willing servant, Massetto, flees to the safety of the woods during the warm and peaceful summer of 1347. There, after a chance encounter with the always boozy but merciful Father Tommasso, the young charmer will find refuge into his convent's sanctuary, on one condition: to pretend he is a deaf-mute. However, Massetto's tempting presence will unavoidably upset the already frail balance of things within the sexually-repressed female realm, as nun after nun desperately seeks an escape from their tedious way of life and an extra reason to molest the charming handyman. In the end, will those cloistered Sisters finally find out what they had been missing out on all these years?
Directed By: Nemes Laszlo Written By: Nemes Laszlo & Clara Royer Cinematography By: Matyas Erdley Editor: Matthieu Taponier Cast: Geza Rohrig, Levente Molnar, Urs Rechn
Two days in the life of Saul Auslander, Hungarian prisoner working as a member of the Sonderkommando at one of the Auschwitz Crematoriums who, to bury the corpse of a boy he takes for his son, tries to carry out his impossible deed: salvage the body and find a rabbi to bury it. While the Sonderkommando is to be liquidated at any moment, Saul turns away of the living and their plans of rebellion to save the remains of a son he never took care of when he was still alive.
Directed By: Mike Nichols Written By: Nora Ephron & Alice Arlen Cinematography By: Miroslav Ondricek Editor: Sam O’Steen
Cast: Meryl Streep, Cher, Kurt Russell, Bruce McGill, Diana Scarwid, Ron Silver, Fred Ward, Craig T. Nelson, Josef Sommer, Charles Hallahan, Alice Arlen, James Rebhorn, Ray Baker, Anthony Heald, Bill Cobbs, Will Patton, Tess Harper, M. Emmett Walsh
Fairly accurate recounting of the story of Karen Silkwood, the Oklahoma nuclear-plant worker who blew the whistle on dangerous practices at the Kerr-McGee plant and who died under circumstances which are still under debate.
Written & Directed By: Mike Mills Cinematography By: Sean Porter Editor: Leslie Jones
Cast: Annette Bening, Lucas Jade Zumann, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, Alison Elliott, Alia Shawkat
The story of a teenage boy, his mother, and two other women who help raise him among the love and freedom of Southern California of 1979.
The film is semi-autobiographical, according to Michael Mills. The main cast members are based on one or multiple influences upon Mills from his childhood. Annette Bening's character in particular is based partly on his mother, but with the emphasis on Bening's particular spin on her character.
Written & Directed By: Mike White Cinematography By: Tim Orr Editor: Dody Dorn
Cast: Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilly, Regina King, Josh Pais, Thomas McCarthy, Liza Weil, Christy Lynn Moore
Peggy is single, childless, in her 40s, a lonely executive assistant in a friendly office. Her dog Pencil is the love of her life, and when he dies after eating some sort of toxin, Peggy's life spins out of her control: a friendly neighbor invites her for dinner; a friendly staff member at her vet's calls with an abused dog he recommends she adopt - she does, and also finds herself attracted to this fellow. She becomes a vegan, supports animal-rights causes, and embroils her brother's young children in these concerns. Saving dogs and other animals become such a passion that her mental health and her job may be in danger. Are regaining control and finding love beyond her reach?
Directed By: Miguel Arteta Written By: Mike White Cinematography By: Wyatt Garfield Editor: Jay Deuby
Cast: Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Chloe Sevingy, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, David Warshofsky
An holistic medicine woman spends her life absorbing the pain of all those unfortunates that she comes in contact with while attempting to heal them. She is invited to a dinner party by a client/friend when her car breaks down putting the hostess in the awkward position of having Beatriz join a dinner party with people whose lives are foreign to hers and she begins her judgement of them all. She is self absorbed and incapable of self healing. She forces her opinions on the group and for such a healer as herself has no difficulty inflicting violence on the group as a whole and finally on herself.
Written & Directed By: Ian MacAllister McDonald Cinematography By: Joseph Zizzo Editor: Jonathan Melin & Joel Plotch
Cast: Thomas Mann, Marin Ireland, Elise Hudson, Lachlan Buchanan, Ely Henry, Lily Mae Harrington A charming romance develops between a boy with one eye and an overweight girl, though when she loses her weight after going to college, their relationship is tested in devastating ways they never dreamed would happen.
Directed By: Chris Peckover Written By: Chris Peckover & Zack Khan Story By: Zack Khan Cinematography By: Carl Robertson Editor: Julie-Ann DeRuvo
Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Dacre Montgomery, Aleks Mikic, Virginia Madsen, Patrick Warburton
When you think the suburbs, you think safety, but this holiday night the suburbs are anything but safe. Ashley thought this babysitting job was going to be an easy night, but the night takes a turn when dangerous intruders break in and terrorize her and the twelve-year-old boy, Luke, she's caring for. Ashley defends her charge to the best of her ability only to discover this is no normal home invasion.
Directed By: Anton Corbijn Written By: Rowan Joffe Based On The Novel By: Martin Booth Cinematography By: Martin Ruhe Editor: Andrew Hulme
Cast: George Clooney, Irina Bjorklund, Paolo Bonacelli, Johan Leysen, Thekla Rueten, Violante Placido, Filipo Timi
Alone among assassins, Jack is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Pavel that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde, is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto and pursues romance with local woman Clara. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
Directed By: Richard Franklin Written By: Everett De Roche Story By: Richard Franklin & Everett De Roche Cinematography By: Vincent Monton Editor: Edward McQueen-Mason
Cast: Stacy Keach, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marion Edward, Grant Page, Robert Thompson, Angelica La Bozzetta
Pat Quid is driving a semi across Australia. On the way he encounters various other travellers, and the occasional hitchhikers repeatedly as they're traveling the same road. A favorite pastime of Pat is to play games to pass the time on the journey. (Such as to make up backgrounds of the other people on the road.) Pamela is one hitchhiker he picks up. But when she disappears, he suspects that the driver of a van who has been acting a little strange, (Smith or Jones) maybe the serial killer mentioned on the radio. But his pursuit of the van driver brings him to the attention of the police, who begin to suspect him.
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh Written By: Michael Green Based on the Novel By: Agatha Christie Cinematography By: Haris Zambarlokus Editor: Mick Audsley
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, Leslie Odom Jr, Derek Jacobi, Lucy Boynton, Adam Garcia
Hercule Poirot, the best detective in the world decides to leave on the Orient Express. The train accidentally gets stopped because of the strong snow. Little did he know that a murder was planned and that a person on this train was able of commiting such crime. Will he solve this murder before the train starts working again?
The enjoyable and controversial movie discussion and commentary show has returned with this episode taking a look at the films of John Singleton. Andre & Jeff continue the discussion looking at Singleton's more recent films SHAFT, FOUR BROTHERS, 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS, BABY BOY and
Written & Directed By: Cary Murnion & Jonathan Milott Cinematography By: Lyle Vincent Editor: Joe Hobeck Music By: Aesop Rock
Cast: Dave Bautista, Brittany Snow, Angelic Zambrana, Arturo Castro, Jeremie Harris
BUSHWICK tells the story of twenty-year- old Lucy and war veteran Stupe. Texas is trying to secede from the U.S., and NYC is being used as a negotiation tool. Lucy meets Stupe after coming up from the subway into the military invasion of Brooklyn. Together they decide to cross the treacherous five blocks of Bushwick - littered with looters, local militias, the invading forces, and one crazy cousin - in order to get home and be reunited with Lucy's grandmother.
Directed By: Jospeh Ruben Written By: Doug Richardson & David Loughery Story By: Doug Richardson Cinematography By: John W. Lindley Editor: George Bowers & Bill Pankow
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Blake, Chris Cooper, Skip Sudduth, Bill Nunn, Joe Grifasi, Larry Gillard Jr., Vincent Pastore, Aida Turturro, Vincent Laresca
Two foster brothers work as transit cops. While one's life is as good as it gets, the other's is a pit. After losing his job, getting dumped by his brother, and getting the crap kicked out of him by a loan shark for the umpteenth time, He implements his plan to steal the "money train," a train carrying the New York Subway's weekly revenue. But when things go awry, will his brother be able to save him in time?
Directed By: Luis Llosa Written By: Alexandra Seros Based on The Specialist series of books By: John Shirley Cinematography By: Jeffrey L. Kimball Editor: Jack Hofstra
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Eric Roberts, Rod Steiger Ray Quick is a bomb expert who worked for the CIA along with a guy named Ned Trent, who's extremely demented. When they have a falling out, Ray becomes a freelancer who lives off the grid. A woman named May Munro contacts and wants him to kill the three men who killed her family years ago, who work for the Leon crime family. Ray does it and after killing the first one, the Leons need to find the one who did it and it turns out Ned is now working for them and they task him with finding the bomber. The Leons get him to work with the police and he looks for the bomber. In the meantime Ray, while working on getting the others, can't help but follow May wherever she goes.
