Tag Archives: Anthony Hopkins
Red 2
Director: Dean Parisot, Main Cast: Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony Hopkins
This sequel is as funny and as diverting as the first movie. Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich come back as our favorite super-badass CIA/MI6 operatives and Mary-Louise Parker as the adventure-seeking girlfriend of Willis’ character, Frank. Their lives are, as usual, in danger because something happened in the past, while they globe-trot to put together the pieces of the puzzle and save the day, they meet old friends and enemies. Tongue in cheek references and homages to the classic and the more recent spy movies keep it fresh and Helen Mirren is absolutely fantastic. Amusing —6.5/10
Filed under Seen at home
Thor: The Dark World
Director: Alan Taylor, Main Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Jaimie Alexander
This is one of the rare cases in which the sequel is better than the original movie (which has been made only, I suspect, to be sure that the non-geek crowd would recognise the blonde guy in the Avengers). The quality of the film is mostly due to the fact that there is more humor and that Loki is a scene stealer. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as Loki, showing many layers within what was meant to be a clean-cut villain. This time Thor must fight to save not only Earth but his beloved Jane, his home world and the universe itself from the evil elves and never-ending darkness. To do so he must defy his father and ally with his untrustworthy brother, who uses his tricks to help him but also to pursuit his own machiavellian plan. Can Loki truly redeem himself or will he finally show his true colours? It’s easier to relate to him because he is conflicted, flawed and very human… for a god. Chris Hemsworth does a better job this time around as Thor, a more well-rounded performance and less super-buff caricature. Natalie Portman comes back as Jane Foster and she is unwittingly responsible of discovering the ultimate evil… why scientists are always held responsible for bringing doom to the planet? Hollywood seems to love that! And for the record: an astrophysicist is perfectly able to change her phone’s ringtone. Poor Stellan Skarsgard is relegate to comic relief alongside Kat Dennings. Anyway the film is very entertaining, with plenty of action and effective special effects. The 3D doesn’t add anything, as it is the case most of the time, but, at least, it’s not distracting or disturbing. Well done, let’s see what will come next! —6.5/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
Hitchcock
Director: Sacha Gervasi, Main Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette, Danny Huston
A film about the making of a film and its creator(s): Psycho and Alfred Hitchcock. As the saying goes “behind every great man there is a great woman” and Hitchcock was no exception. Gervasi shows how his wife, Alma, has always played a cardinal role in creating his films. After three decades of successfully working together, they embark in their most ambitious project ever: adapting for the screen a novel about a serial killer with an unresolved Oedipus complex. Hitchcock is so committed that he decide to finance it himself when Paramount balks at the subject of the film. So he finds a suitable screenwriter and cast and begins shooting. When, tired of Alfred’s egocentrism and obsession with his leading ladies, Alma decides to ditch the production of Psycho and do her own thing, the master starts to unravel and the first cut of the film is a disaster. Well, we all know how it ends, since we saw Psycho. Needless to say Hopkins is quite up to the task in portraying this larger than life character (accent, mannerism, body language, etc) but the one who really carries the movie on her shoulder is Helen Mirren, absolutely brilliant as Alma. All the supporting cast does a great job but special kudos to Toni Collette. —7.5/10
Filed under Seen at home
Ramblings of a cinephile 