What did The Hobbits drink after a long days of searching for the One Ring? I join the Bell Media Radio Network national night time show “Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift” for Booze & Reviews! This week we have a look at the big entertainment headlines and “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.” I’ll review the movie and suggest the perfect tipple to enjoy while visiting Middle Earth.
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Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to do a high five! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the thriller “September 5,” the epic “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” and Daniel Craig in “Queer.”
SYNOPSIS: “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” a new anime action-adventure film now playing on theatres is the story of Helm Hammerhand, a legendary king of Rohan, and his warrior daughter Hera as they defend their kingdom against an army of by Wulf, the clever and merciless Dunlending lord.
CAST: Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto, Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna, Janine Duvitski and Christopher Lee (posthumously). Based on characters created by J. R. R. Tolkien and directed by Kenji Kamiyama.
REVIEW: “This is a story we don’t see in the old songs.”
An anime prequel to “Lord of the Rings” films, “LOTR: The War of the Rohirrim” takes place 183 years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and provides an entertaining backgrounder on the history of the kingdom of Rohan and Middle Earth, told through the point of view of Hera (voice of Gaia Wise).
A sweeping epic, it’s not simply an animated version of the world Jackson created for his films. Legendary director Kenji Kamiyama puts his own visual stamp on the movie—but longtime fans will want to be on alert for easter eggs and callbacks to the “LOTR” books and movies, including a posthumous appearance by Christopher Lee as Saruman—while stealthily operating within the familiar territory fashioned by Tolkien and Jackson. The style works well within the framework of “Lord of the Rings,” bringing Helm’s Deep to vivid life and visualizing impressive images of armies preparing to do battle.
The fluid, eye-popping animation, utilises a variety of tools—CGI, old school 2D animation and motion capture—and is enhanced by voice work from a strong cast.
Brian Cox is a standout, bringing a commanding presence to Helm Hammerhand, the ninth King of Rohan. Imagine a Middle Earth Logan Roy and you’ll get the picture.
As Hera, the daughter of Helm who helps defend their people, Gaia Wise captures the rebelliousness and the vulnerabilities of the young character who isn’t quite as sophisticated as other “Lord of the Rings” heroes like Éowyn and Arwen.
Miranda Otto, who played Éowyn in the second and third installments of “The Lord of the Rings,” returns to this film as the narrator.
Based on just three paragraphs in Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings, which contains historical background of the events in Middle-earth prior to the War of the Ring, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is a war film, but one concerned with more than just the action.
Family ties, loyalty and the responsibility of power all play into the texture of the story, deepening the portrayal of the conflict.
Ditto the portrayal of the villain Wulf, voiced by Luke Pasqualino. He’s not a supernatural being, a wizard or dark lord, which is usually the case in the “LOTR” world. Instead, he’s very much human, which producer Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote Jackson’s film trilogy, says makes him relevant to “a lot of the crises that we’re facing today.” His thirst for vengeance and power is very human indeed.
You don’t have to be a “Lord of the Rings” fan to enjoy “The War of the Rohirrim,” but if you are, this should serve as a welcome stop gap until “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” hits theatres in 2026.
On this August 12, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know American film director, production designer, and screenwriter Catherine Hardwicke. Her directorial work includes “Thirteen,” ”Lords of Dogtown,” the megahit “Twilight,” “Miss Bala” and “mafia Momma” among many others. Today she’s here to talk about her latest film, “Prisoner’s Daughter,” a family drama starring “Succession’s” Brian Cox as a father hoping to reconnect with his estranged daughter and her son.
We’ll also meet author Wayne Ng. Wayne is an an award-winning short story and travel writer who was recently nominated for the Guernica Prize for his latest book, a family drama called THE FAMILY CODE, which was, in part, inspired by his 30 year career as a social worker.
Finally, we meet Phil Dellio. His new book, “Happy for a While: “American Pie,” 1972, and the Awkward, Confusing Now,” is a look at the famous Don McLean song and how to approach great art made by people whose personal transgressions become a matter of public record.
Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Chris Pratt, Elvis Costello, Baz Luhrmann, Martin Freeman, David Cronenberg, Mayim Bialik, The Kids in the Hall and many more!
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“Prisoner’s Daughter,” a new drama starring Kate Beckinsale and Brian Cox, and now on VOD, is a story of a father, a daughter and second chances.
When we first meet one-time Las Vegas showgirl Maxine (Beckinsale) she is a broke single mom, with a deadbeat ex-husband named Tyler (Tyson Ritter) and Ezra (Christopher Convery), her sweet-natured teenage son. Despite never having paid alimony, Tyler, an abusive addict, wants more control over Ezra’s life. Ezra, meanwhile, is bullied at school, and in need of epilepsy medication Maxine can barely afford.
Maxine’s father Max (Cox) has, by his own admission, been in jail “more times than I care to remember,” but has left his violent ways in the past. “I’m not that guy anymore.”
Max is about to be released from prison on compassionate grounds, after a twelve-year stretch. Diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, he will be discharged if, and only if, he lives with Maxine and Ezra in their small home.
Maxine, still stung by her father’s abandonment years ago, reluctantly agrees but on one condition. “You pay me rent,” she says. “You’re a tenant, that’s it.” She wants nothing to do with her dad. For her, this is a business deal that will help her pay mounting bills.
As Max settles in, he putters around the place, doing some long-needed repairs, teaching Ezra how to handle himself on the playground and calling in favors from his shady friends. With just months left to live, he is searching for reconciliation and redemption. “I know none of this will make up for who I was, or what I did,” he says to Maxine, “but let me be your father for once.”
“Prisoner’s Daughter” has many predictable elements as the ex-con father and his extended family find a new way to be a family, but Hardwicke’s delicate world building, as she presents the stark realities of Maxine’s life, and her efforts to atone for the mistakes of her past and point Ezra on the right track, bring great humanity to the tale.
Audiences expecting Cox to reprise his “Succession” role may be disappointed. Cox does let the old bull run free, bringing an air of menace to Max, but here the performance is tempered by tenderness. He’s a man plagued with regret, trying to unravel the tangled knots in his relationship with Maxine. The connection he builds with Ezra, even when he is teaching the youngster how to fight, is also shrouded in warmth.
Max is tough, but Maxine has a different kind of resolve. Beckinsale gives the character a backstory, a history of abuse that has toughened Maxine, and given her a sense of determination to survive at all costs. She does so with a steely brand of humor, and a great deal of sincerity.
It is the two lead characters, and the attention paid to the little details that form their relationship, that give “Prisoner’s Daughter” its gruff charm. The story is, more or less, predictable, and its anti-violence message is thwarted by a third reel punch-up, but despite the story misfires, it remains a compelling, if somewhat misguided, portrait of redemption.
It’s a movie that wonders if there are best before dates on amends, or if blood is truly thicker than water. Not a game changer story wise, but strong performances and interesting filmmaking earn it a recommend.
“Strange But True,” a neo-noir thriller on VOD starring Amy Ryan and Margaret Qualley, examines grief in the context of an ordinary family thrown into extraordinary situations.
The action takes place against the backdrop of loss. Five years ago Ronnie Chase (Connor Jessup) and Melissa’s (Margaret Qualley) prom night began as they all do, with a rented tux, a frilly dress and proud parents taking photos. It ended in tragedy, with Ronnie dead in a car crash, an event that sent shock waves through the family. Stricken, his folks Charlene (Amy Ryan) and Richard (Greg Kinnear), split under the weight of their grief. Younger brother Philip (Nick Robinson) hightails it to NYC to pursue his dream of being a photographer and girlfriend Melissa is wracked with guilt, left with only her dreams of her late boyfriend.
Cut to present day. Charlene’s life has fallen apart. Her husband and job are gone, so when Melissa shows up, five years after the fateful night, claiming she is pregnant with Ronnie’s baby, she is not met with hugs and congratulations.
“If you think about it,” says Phillip, home recuperating from a badly broken leg, “there’s a chance what she said is true. If, and it’s a big if, if Ronnie’s sperm was somehow frozen before he died there’s a chance Melissa could have used it and impregnated herself years later.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Charlene snarls. “He was a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. Why would he do that?”
She sets off to find a rational explanation while Phillip grasps at straws, consulting psychics and leaving no possibility off the table. “I might not believe that this is Ronnie’s baby,” he says to Melissa,” but I believe that you believe it and I believe that Ronnie would have too. If that makes me an uncle, so be it.”
That search is the bedrock for a story packed with secrets and intrigue. Adapted from John Searles’s 2004 novel, “Strange But True” is a bit of a nesting doll of mysteries. Everyone has a backstory and a different relationship with the intrigue that forms the plot and the action toggles between past and present. That means there’s a lot to wade through in the film’s tight ninety-minute running time but director Rowan Athale manages it. He weaves psychological drama, a hint of paranormal, suspense and even some gothic horror into the story.
In the end the pregnancy is a McGuffin, simply a device to put all these elements into motion, but the result is a tightly wound thriller that leads to a gripping and satisfying conclusion.
In the publicity material for “Last Moment of Clarity,” a new crime drama starring Samara Weaving and Zach Avery, the movie is being billed as a Hitchcockian thriller. I have a different, more accurate term. Hitchschlockian. It’s a little clumsy, I know, but it sums up the film’s mix of schlocky twists and turns that make up the plot.
Georgia (Samara Weaving) and Sam (Zach Avery) are a couple. She’s an aspiring actress and photographer and he has the incredible misfortune to have an apartment window that faces a crime scene. When he picks up one of her cameras and absentmindedly snaps a photo he captures Russian mobster Ivan (Udo Kier) kill a woman. Ivan sends his henchmen over to kill Sam and get the camera. They botch the job, and after several stray bullets fly, Georgia is shot. Thinking she is dead Sam hoofs it, hiding out in Paris.
Cut to three years later. Sam, now working in a café run by Gilles (Brian Cox), takes a day off to go to a movie and lo and behold the lead actress, Lauren Creek, looks just like Georgia, except now she has blonde hair. One Google search later he discovers she is an up-and-comer but has virtually no on-line personal history. Convinced this movie star with an enigmatic past is the love of his life, he jets off to Hollywood to track her down.
There he reconnects with Kat (Carly Chaikin), an old high school friend, now working as a film publicist. She doesn’t believe his story but agrees to help him find the truth—is it George in disguise? Is it mistaken identity? Or has Sam gone over the edge?
The clichés come hard and fast in “Last Moment of Clarity.” Characters are imported directly from the thriller department at Central Casting with dialogue to match. The best and most authentic line in the whole film comes from Chaikin, who is more interesting than either of the lead characters, when she says, “This is so f***ing dumb!” As a viewer you’ll be saying the same thing.
“Last Moment of Clarity” simply isn’t as clever as it needs to be. Twists are telegraphed in advance and worse, the very idea that a dye job is enough of a disguise to keep Georgia incognito… while starring in Hollywood films. No amount of stylish low angle shots and atmospheric cinematography can fill the holes in this plot.
Winston Churchill, two time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and, according to a 2002 poll, the Greatest Briton of all time, has been played on screens big and small by everyone from Orson Welles and John Houseman to John Cleese and Richard Burton. Recently John Lithgow was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance of the British Bulldog on “The Crown,” and now along comes Brian Cox as the great man in a not-so-great movie.
Set in the four day lead up to the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy, France in June, 1944 “Churchill” presents a different take on the prime minister than we’ve seen before. Cox plays him as a sixty-nine-year-old man exhausted by the weight of power, terrified of repeating the mistakes made at the bloody World War I Battle of Gallipoli. A personal and professional downward spiral following discord with Generals Eisenhower (John Slattery) and Montgomery (Julian Wadham), is slowed by intervention from the PM’s wife, the strong willed Clementine Churchill (Miranda Richardson)
Feature films are not documentaries nor are they history lessons, but “Churchill’s” fast-and-loose relationship with the truth does not play well. While it is true that Churchill did have misgivings about the D-Day invasion the timeframe has been twisted for dramatic effect. Writer Godfrey Cheshire reports that writer and historian Alex von Tunzelmann “’telescoped’ the events of Churchill’s opposition, bringing them from months earlier to the days just before the invasion.” In an effort to link Churchill’s documented depression with one of the key events of WWII she goes nonlinear with history but fails to draw any real drama from her contrived version of events.
Cox grandstands throughout, perhaps in an effort to overcompensate for the cliché dialogue. “Sometimes you can’t lead everything from the front,” he bellows as though saying it louder amplifies its meaning. The gruff portrayal falls into caricature early on and has a hard time transcending into something compelling, let alone the psychological examination director Jonathan Teplitzky had in mind.
James Purefoy as King George VI and Richardson fare better but are bowled over by a script that suffers form a lack of subtlety.
“Churchill” is a beautiful looking movie, but it isn’t history or a portrait of a real person. Instead it is a misleading look at one of the most important eras in modern history.
What did The Hobbits drink after a long days of searching for the One Ring? I join the Bell Media Radio Network national night time show “Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift” for Booze & Reviews! This week we have a look at the big entertainment headlines and “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.” I’ll review the movie and suggest the perfect tipple to enjoy while visiting Middle Earth.
