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Doctor Strange Trailer


Stephen Strange is one of the most talented neurosurgeons in the world, he's still relatively young and has saved the lives of thousands of people. When he's in a serious car accident, his most important assets, his hands are damaged beyond intricate repair and it's an abrupt end to his most loved profession.

Continue: Doctor Strange Trailer

Secret In Their Eyes Review

Excellent

It's rare for an American remake to be scruffier than the original, but this film is an intriguingly messier take on the super-slick, hugely engaging 2009 Oscar winner from Argentina. Filmmaker Billy Ray (Captain Phillips) has stripped down the tone and revamped the plot considerably, replacing the original film's big emotional surges with grittier intrigue and subtle intelligence.

The story begins as New York security expert Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) returns to Los Angeles, picking up the trail of an unsolved murder he worked on 13 years earlier when he was an FBI agent. His former colleague Jess (Julia Roberts) is still in the FBI, while Claire (Nicole Kidman) is now the city's district attorney. Together, they secretly begin looking into the case again, tracking the suspect (Joe Cole) through the city and dodging interference from fellow agent Reg (Michael Kelly). But the investigation doesn't go as planned, jeopardising all of them in their current jobs. And Ray is having trouble sorting out his relational history with both Jess and Claire.

These three fine actors cleverly play with the delicate tensions both between them and in the larger picture. At the centre, Ejiofor is gripping as a man of conscience who is tenaciously hoping for justice in a seriously murky situation. Kidman adds a slightly cheeky tone as a woman who has achieved professional success but never forgets the dodgy choices she has made. And Roberts gets the showier role, losing all of her Hollywood glamour as the tomboyish Jess, a woman with layer after layer of emotional turmoil. The chemistry between them is fascinating, even if the filmmaking approach feels dry and aloof. But there's so much going on in both the story and characters that it's impossible to look away. Nothing that happens is quite what it seems to be, and the big ideas linger in the background, leaving plenty for us to chew on.

Continue reading: Secret In Their Eyes Review

Triple 9 Review

Good

After a post-apocalyptic dystopia (The Road) and Prohibition-era America (Lawless), Australian director John Hillcoat brings his edgy Wild West sensibilities to this gritty present-day heist thriller. The film is fierce and stylish, and utterly gripping even though there's the nagging sensation that nothing is happening under the surface. Thankfully, the actors add plenty of terrific texture to their characters.

It's set in Atlanta, where Terrell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) leads his crew of thugs (Anthony Mackie, Clifton Collins Jr., Aaron Paul and Norman Reedus) through a riotously dangerous bank robbery. They're working for the cold-hearted Russian mobster Irina (Kate Winslet), who demands an even bigger heist before she'll pay them. Terrell has a child with Irina, so feels like he has little choice in the matter, but his team is made up of unstable hotheads and corrupt cops who have their own opinions. One of the cops also has a new partner in Chris (Casey Affleck), a tenacious good guy who's the nephew of a cynical detective (Woody Harrelson) who's just beginning to crack this case. So the gang decides to distract the city's police force with a triple 9, code for a downed officer, while they carry out their next elaborate robbery. The question is who will take the bullet.

Matt Cook's script is a bundle of mad twists and turns, usually the result of impulsive gang members who act without thinking. The tension is very high, as each person's morality is warped at every turn. All while Chris tries to remain upright in the middle of a storm he doesn't quite understand. Each character is up against a wall, ready to do whatever it takes to survive in a situation that is getting increasingly out of control. And without more subtext, or at least a sense of these people's back-stories, no one on-screen is very likeable.

Continue reading: Triple 9 Review

Triple 9 Trailer


Terrell Tompkins and his team of officers are corrupt, finding ways to embellish their wage has turned into a habit that's about to land them in a lot of trouble. When a powerful member of the Russian mafia learns of Tompkins' money making ways, she blackmails him and his team into pulling a heist for her. Fearing they'll be exposed, the gang carry out the job for Irene, a woman who might look glamourous but has a dark soul. Once the job's complete, the crew believe they're in the clear but savvy Sergeant Detective Jeffrey Allen has been put on the case and he soon discovers that there's probably more to the robbery than first thought.

That's not the only problem facing Tompkins, Irene tracks the cop down and requests another job - if refused Irene won't hesitate in taking their lives. This job is far bigger than the last and is an almost impossible mission. Feeling their only option is to distract all the cops in their district, the team come up with a plan to pull a Triple 9 call - police code for 'officer down'. However, with Sergeant Detective Allen constantly uncovering more information and being faced with the ordeal of killing one of their own, the job will be far from straight forward.

Triple 9 is directed by John Hillcoat who also directed 2012's Lawless starring Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy & the film adaptation of The Road starring Viggo Mortensen.

A Week In Movies: Berlin Wraps Up, Dames Judi And Maggie Hit The Red Carpet, Julia Roberts Films In L.A. And There Are New Trailers For Age Of Adaline, Big Game And Crimson Peak


Cate Blanchett Helena Bonham Carter Tom Courtenay Judi Dench Maggie Smith Adam Scott Julia Roberts Chiwetel Ejiofor

Cinderella

The Berlin Film Festival wrapped up last weekend after the premiere for Disney's new live-action version of Cinderella, and stars Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Lily James and Richard Madden, plus director Kenneth Branagh were all on hand for the event.

Photos - 65th Berlin International Film Festival - 'Cinderella' - Premiere

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Berlin Wraps Up, Dames Judi And Maggie Hit The Red Carpet, Julia Roberts Films In L.A. And There Are New Trailers For Age Of Adaline, Big Game And Crimson Peak

Z For Zachariah - Clip


After a dramatic cataclysm seemingly destroys all of mankind, a single woman in the deep south of America faces up to the very real possibility that she is the last woman on Earth. Ann Burden (Margot Robbie) does whatever she can to survive in her own tiny corner of the world, until Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor) stumbles upon her small valley sanctuary. While the two struggle to find common ground at first, aside from their survival, they steadily begin to form an uneasy bond. But when Caleb (Chris Pine) happens to find the two of them as well, tensions steadily rise as the last three people on Earth give way to jealousy and bitterness towards one another. 

Continue: Z For Zachariah - Clip

Non-White Ethnic Groups Dangerously Under/Misepresented In Hollywood


Penelope Cruz Chiwetel Ejiofor

A study has found that non-white ethnic groups were severely underrepresented in Hollywood in 2013, indicating deep-seated issues regarding inclusion and equality at the heart of the movie industry.

12 Years a Slave'12 Years a Slave' - an Oscar winner with a predominantly black cast. But Hollywood is still far, far behind

The study found that, while America’s population includes a large Hispanic population – more than 16% - only 4.9% played speaking parts in blockbuster movies from 2013. Black actors were cast in 14.1% of roles and 17% of films had no black speaking characters.

Continue reading: Non-White Ethnic Groups Dangerously Under/Misepresented In Hollywood

Video - Chiwetel Ejiofor And His Girlfriend Sari Mercer Seen Leaving NY Hotel For Met Gala - Part 3


'12 Years A Slave' star Chiwetel Ejiofor with his model girlfriend Sari Mercer were among the stunningly dressed celebrities snapped leaving their New York hotel to attend the 2014 Costume Institute Gala where this year's theme was 'Charles James: Beyond Fashion'.

Continue: Video - Chiwetel Ejiofor And His Girlfriend Sari Mercer Seen Leaving NY Hotel For Met Gala - Part 3

Next Bond Villain Chiwetel Ejiofor: His Career So Far


Chiwetel Ejiofor James Bond

12 Years a Slave may have finally brought Chiwetel Ejiofor the worldwide recognition he deserved, but now the actor is reported to be taking on another massive role, as James Bond's new nemesis in the next Bond movie. The British actor, who had carved out a remarkable career in stage and independent films before 12 Years A Slave, seems ready now to firmly take his place among the Hollywood A-List. It’s been a long time coming for a man who has five Golden Globe nominations and now an Oscar nod to his name.

Chiwetel Ejiofor                                                                                      Chiwetel Ejiofor is the new Bond villain

Born in London to Nigerian parents Chiwetel Ejiofor decided on an acting career at a young age. Starting off in school productions, he joined the National Youth Theatre at 18. Showing early promise, Ejliofor played Othello twice in his early career, first in London’s Bloomsbury theatre and then in Glasgow. Nearly ten years later he would reprise the role to wide acclaim. The young actor then got his first big movie break after being cast in Steven Spielberg's film Amistad in 1997.

The 2002 movie Dirty Pretty Things brought Chiwetel Ejiofor’s talents to real critical acclaim for the first time. For his performance he was nominated for a string of awards and won the British Independent Film Award for best actor and the Evening Standard British Film Award for best actor. The following year Ejiofor would be seen as part of the all star British cast of Love Actually, before taking on his first leading role in British drama Red Dust, opposite Hillary Swank. More acclaimed performances followed as Ejiofor began showing himself as one of Britain’s most talented rising stars. For the 2005 comedy Kinky Boots Ejiofor picked up his first Golden Globe nomination, this time for best actor in a musical or comedy. A year later he would be a Golden Globe nominee again, for Tsunami: The Aftermath, a TV minseires for which he picked up the best actor nomination.

Continue reading: Next Bond Villain Chiwetel Ejiofor: His Career So Far

'12 Years A Slave' Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor Set For Bond Villain Role


Chiwetel Ejiofor James Bond Daniel Craig Sam Mendes Ralph Fiennes Ben Whishaw Naomie Harris

The Oscar-nominated star of 12 Years A Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor, is likely to become the next James Bond villain, according to Variety. The trade magazine says the British star is the top name on producers' wish list for the 24th official James Bond movie, which will once again be directed by Sam Mendes as well as starring Daniel Craig.

Chiwetel EjioforChiwetel Ejiofor Could Be The Next Bond Villain

Bond 24 is due to begin filming in the summer for a November 2015 release date. Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris are also set to return as M, Q and Moneypenny respectively. 

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor Set For Bond Villain Role

Odds Suggest 'Star Wars Episode 7' Cast Is Fisher, Ford, Hamill, Oldman, Driver


Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Mark Hamill Gary Oldman Adam Driver Lupita Nyong'o Chiwetel Ejiofor Jj Abrams Star Wars

The Star Wars Episode 7 cast will be nearing completion behind closed doors, but fans are still none the wiser as to who will be starring in one of the biggest movies of the past 20 years. Rumors have reached boiling point, though unusually, nobody has given the slightest indication that they've signed on the dotted lines for Jj Abrams new movie. 

Gary OldmanGary Oldman May Well Be Joining the Empire

We know that the cast will feature both new and old faces, and Irish bookmaker Paddy Power are convinced that Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill will be reprising their roles as Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.

Continue reading: Odds Suggest 'Star Wars Episode 7' Cast Is Fisher, Ford, Hamill, Oldman, Driver

Chris Pine Slapped With Six Month Driving Ban After Pleading Guilty To DUI


Chris Pine Chiwetel Ejiofor Margot Robbie

Chris Pine has pleaded guilty to a DUI charge after having being caught drunk driving in New Zealand. The 33 year-old Star Trek actor was handed a six month suspension of his New Zealand driving license and a $93 fine at an Ashburton court hearing today. Pine had been celebrating the wrap of his latest movie, Z For Zachariah, in the south island town of Methven when he was pulled over by cops doing a routine check.

Chris Pine
Chris Pine's New Zealand Driving License Has Been Suspended For Six Months.

Pine wasn't identified by New Zealand police in their statement, which instead reported that a 33-year-old American was charged on the 1st March with driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit, which is .08 percent, after being stopped during a routine early morning check near Methven.

Continue reading: Chris Pine Slapped With Six Month Driving Ban After Pleading Guilty To DUI

New York Times Amends '12 Years A Slave' Article, 161 Years After It Was Written [Trailer]


Chiwetel Ejiofor Lupita Nyong'o Steve McQueen Brad Pitt

The New York Times has chosen to amend a detail from an article written 161 years ago about the memoir of Solomon Northup, the free African-American man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Steve McQueen received an Academy Award on Sunday for his harrowing adaptation of Northup's tale, which caused articles related to the story to be dug up.

Benedict Cumberbatch Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years A Slave
An Article Written About The Original '12 Years A Slave' Memoir Has Been Amended 161 Years Later.

An article written on January 20th 1853 was discovered by author Rebecca Skloot, who discovered the mistake and publicised it via Twitter. The problem was that the 19th century article had Northup's name spelt in two different ways: Northrop and Northrup, neither of which were accurate.

Continue reading: New York Times Amends '12 Years A Slave' Article, 161 Years After It Was Written [Trailer]

"12 Years A Slave" To Hit 1,000 More Theaters Thanks To Oscar Buzz


Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Lupita Nyong'o

A Best Picture Oscar definitely brings a lot of cache to a film. Now that 12 Years a Slave has won the big one, Fox Searchlight is planning a major expansion in US theaters. The unexpected move comes after the film saw an unexpected spike in profits over Oscar weekend. On its 20th weekend, the film grossed $975,931 from 411 theaters - up 86 percent from the previous weekend and pushing its domestic total to a strong $50.3 million, THR reports.

Steve McQueen, Oscars Ceremony
McQueen's film is seeing additional commercial success after its awards season run.

The new expansion will include more than 1,000 theaters across the US. Typically, a movie would not see an expansion once its out on DVD, since theater owners don’t make significant profits of them. However, in the case of 12 Years a Slave, all concerned parties are willing to make an exception. The expansion is expected to contribute to a sizeable profit for both Fox and the additional 1,000 theaters. 

Continue reading: "12 Years A Slave" To Hit 1,000 More Theaters Thanks To Oscar Buzz

Leonardo DiCaprio Misses Out On Another Oscar, And The People Are Rioting


Matthew Mcconaughey Leonardo Dicaprio Chiwetel Ejiofor

The Academy members have been known to be an unpredictable bunch when it comes to the bigger awards – Best Actor, Actress, Director, Picture. The winner this year didn’t exactly come out of left field, and yet everyone seems surprised. Instead of Chiwetel Ejiofor (whom so many people were rooting for) or Leonardo Dicaprio (whose Best Actor losing streak is a running joke at this point), the best actor statuette went to… drum roll please… Matthew Mcconaughey for Dallas Buyers Club.

Matthew McConaughey, Independent Spirit Awards
Meet your new Best Actor winner.

Naturally, disappointed fans took to social media to vent about this cruel and important injustice. But as much press and love as Ejiofor had received before the ceremony, the disappointed reactions mostly favored DiCaprio. Although, to be completely fair, it didn’t seem like it was his year from the get go.

Continue reading: Leonardo DiCaprio Misses Out On Another Oscar, And The People Are Rioting

Brits In America: UK Oscars Contingent In Patriotic Celebrations Before Tomorrow's Big Night


Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Helen Mirren Sally Hawkins

Captain Phillips, Gravity, Iron Man 3, Karama Has No Walls, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Philomena, Prisoners, Room on the Broom, The Act of Killing; The Invisible Woman, The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, and The Voorman Problem. These films all have a British spine in common, and will be celebrated at tomorrow night’s Oscars ceremony.

12 Years a SlaveChiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender star in 12 Years a Slave

But the revelry won’t begin on the red carpet; last night saw an all-out anglo-centric bash in dedication to the British influence on this year’s Academy Awards. The Great British Film event was held at the home of the British Consul General Chris O'Connor, who said: "The UK consistently features as the country with the most nominations outside of the US, and this year is no exception, with our world-class nominees in everything from acting and directing to music, animation and visual effects."

Continue reading: Brits In America: UK Oscars Contingent In Patriotic Celebrations Before Tomorrow's Big Night

A Week In Movies: Oscars Too Close To Call, Lupita Rules The Red Carpet, Godzilla Crushes San Francisco, And Veronica Mars Is Back


Alfonso Cuaron Steve McQueen Matthew Mcconaughey Chiwetel Ejiofor Jared Leto Barkhad Abdi Cate Blanchett Lupita Nyong'o Aaron Johnson Bryan Cranston Michael Cera Kristen Bell

The Oscars 2014

All eyes are on Hollywood this weekend as the Academy Awards take place this Sunday night. The least predictable Oscars in years, there are multiple possible winners in most of the major categories, as Gravity, 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle vie for Best Picture and Alfonso Cuaron and Steve McQueen contend for Best Director. We relive some of the the biggest upsets in Oscars history here.

Other too-close races include actor (Matthew Mcconaughey vs Chiwetel Ejiofor), supporting actor (Jared Leto vs Barkhad Abdi) and supporting actress (Lupita Nyong'o vs Jennifer Lawrence). The only sure thing is Cate Blanchett for Best Actress. And that Gravity will mop up all the technical awards. Here is more detail on the best supporting actress Oscar battle between jennifer lawrence and lupita nyong'o being too close to call.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Oscars Too Close To Call, Lupita Rules The Red Carpet, Godzilla Crushes San Francisco, And Veronica Mars Is Back

Baftas 2014: 'Gravity' Pulls In The Nominations While Chiwetel Ejiofor Stands A Great Chance


Sandra Bullock Chiwetel Ejiofor Tom Hanks Leonardo Dicaprio Martin Scorsese Emma Thompson Judi Dench Jennifer Lawrence Bradley Cooper David O Russell Steve McQueen Amy Adams Bruce Dern Cate Blanchett Woody Allen Julia Roberts Oprah Winfrey Christian Bale Sally Hawkins Paul Greengrass

The Bafta nominations didn’t really throw up any surprises, with many of the year’s top actors, directors and films being recognised. The constant metronome of: ‘Gravity,’ ’12 Years a Slave’ and ‘American Hustle’ still chimes away; the Oscar favourites are set to do battle.

GravityGravity is leading the way with 11 Bafta nominations

So 'Gravity' leads the way with 11 nominations; it’ll go up against '12 Years a Slave' in the Best Film Category as well as 'American Hustle', 'Captain Phillips' and 'Philomena', a film the Alfonso Cuaron space thriller must also beat to win Outstanding British Film gong. 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', 'Rush', 'Saving Mr. Banks' and 'The Selfish Giant' make up that category.

Continue reading: Baftas 2014: 'Gravity' Pulls In The Nominations While Chiwetel Ejiofor Stands A Great Chance

Steve McQueen Harassed By Rude Critic At New York Film Critics Circle Awards [Trailer]


Steve McQueen Lupita Nyong'o Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Brad Pitt Paul Dano

Steve McQueen was the subject of some pretty ugly heckling at last night; New York Film Critics Circle Awards where a critic shouted insults at the director. As a critic, whether you like someone's work or not should be confined to your review but one man decided to step out of line and make things personal.

Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen Was The Victim Of Some Petty Heckling At An Awards Show Last Night.

However, Armond White, a New York critic, hated McQueen's latest movie, 12 Years A Slave, so much that he couldn't resist spewing a little hatred as the director took to the stage to collect his 'Best Director' award. "You're an embarrassing doorman and garbage man. F*** you. Kiss my ass," yelled White, according to Variety.

Continue reading: Steve McQueen Harassed By Rude Critic At New York Film Critics Circle Awards [Trailer]

'Inside Llewyn Davis' Wins Big At US Critics Society Awards


Coen Brothers Joel Coen Ethan Coen Chiwetel Ejiofor Robert Redford Cate Blanchett James Franco Jennifer Lawrence

Inside Llewyn Davis took home the top honour at the National Society of Film Critics Awards last night, winning the majority of votes from the panel made up of some of America's top film critics from the nation's best-known publishers. Having already found success at the Gotham Awards last month, the latest win for ...Llewyn Davis might further outline the credentials of the latest Coen Brothers film as a potential Oscar contender, having largely been overlooked by most commentators.

Oscar Isaac
The film's star Oscar Isaac was also honoured with the Best Actor award

The film was crowned Best Picture ahead of American Hustle, which came second in the overall voting, and 12 Years a Slave, which placed third. Despite winning yet another award, the Coen Brother's 'a week in the life' tale of a musician traveling through the Greenwich folk scene in 60's New York is still largely considered an outsider for major awards success, however if these gongs keep on piling up for the Coens then the Academy may be persuaded to change their mind somewhat when the votes are cast.

Continue reading: 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Wins Big At US Critics Society Awards

Oscar Balloting Begins: Which Films Are In With A Chance At Best Picture?


Tom Hanks Chiwetel Ejiofor Sandra Bullock

Balloting has finally begun today to determine the winners of the 2014 Academy Awards. Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are invited to cast secret ballots until January 8th 2014 for their favorite film categories from the past year.

Captain Phillips
Tom Hanks Stars In The Tense Pirate Thriller 'Captain Phillips.'

For the second year, the academy is offering electronic voting in which a small percentage of the 289 feature films eligible for best-picture consideration will be identified by members and announced on the 16th January.

Continue reading: Oscar Balloting Begins: Which Films Are In With A Chance At Best Picture?

10 Best Films Of 2013


Chiwetel Ejiofor Steve McQueen Matt Damon Rob Lowe Michael Douglas Sarah Polley Lake Bell Paul Greengrass Tom Hanks Ryan Coogler Michael B. Jordan Octavia Spencer James McAvoy Christian Bale Bradley Cooper Jennifer Lawrence Amy Adams

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

10. Behind The Candelabra - Sadly consigned to TV in America, this Liberace biopic's lavish production design deserves to be projected on the biggest screen possible. As do great performances from Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and a hilarious Rob Lowe.
Read our 'Behind The Candelabra' Review
Watch 'Behind The Candelabra' Trailer

STORIES WE TELL

Continue reading: 10 Best Films Of 2013

Tina Fey & Amy Poehler Launch Hilarious Series Of Golden Globes Promos [Video]


Tina Fey Amy Poehler Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will be hosting the 2014 Golden Globes, making it the second time the two best friends and comedy stars will be hosting the awards show in successive years. Following the release of the nominees for the awards earlier this week, a series of promotional videos starring the pair have been released online and as you'd expect, they're pretty hilarious.

Tina FeyAmy Poheler
Fey and Poehler will host the awards for the second time

In the trio of videos, the pals and lovers of song and dance tell jokes and continue to run with their awkwardly funny routine used so well last year. Describing it as the biggest Hollywood party of the year, the comics joke their way through the three promos in what is a promising display before the big night actually arrives. You can check out one of the videos below, and the others here and here.

Continue reading: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler Launch Hilarious Series Of Golden Globes Promos [Video]

Golden Globes Odds - The Nominees Have Been Priced Up, So Who's Favourite?


Chiwetel Ejiofor Cate Blanchett Robert Redford Michael Fassbender Bradley Cooper Christian Bale

The Golden Globes won’t be handed out until January 12th, but with the nominees freshly announced, a set of odds have already been priced up by Paddy Power, meaning you can start speculating with a few to accumulating post haste. But what are you going to place your hard-earned cash on?

12 Years a SlaveChiwetel Ejiofor as Soloman Northrup in 12 Years a Slave

Kicking off with the big one, Best Drama, and it looks as though 12 Years a Slave will pick up the Grammy as a precursor to an awesome Oscars performance. The Steve McQueen directed, Chiwetel Ejiofor-starring slavery epic has stunned the critics, and odds of 4/11 make it the favourite.

Continue reading: Golden Globes Odds - The Nominees Have Been Priced Up, So Who's Favourite?

SAG Awards Noms & Snubs: '12 Years A Slave' Leads The Way [Trailer]


Chiwetel Ejiofor Steve McQueen Jennifer Lawrence Daniel Bruhl Michael Fassbender Lupita Nyong'o Robert Redford Christian Bale Matthew Mcconaughey Jared Leto Cate Blanchett Sandra Bullock Meryl Streep Julia Roberts

12 Years a Slave hasn't even been released in most countries yet but has already been heaped with accolades with more awards bound to blossom from the scores of nominations Steve McQueen's movie has garnered. The Screen Actors Guild awards nominations are out and yet again the slavery drama starring Chiwetel Ejiofor has emerged on top with four major nominations.

12 Years A Slave Chiwetel Ejiofor
Steve McQueen's '12 Years A Slave' Leads The SAG Nominations.

The critically lauded movie is up for best ensemble, best male actor (Chewitel Ejiofor), best supporting male actor (Michael Fassbender) and best supporting female actor (Lupita Nyong'o). 12 Years will come up against American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Lee Daniels' The Butler and August: Osage County in the coveted Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category, according to the LA Times.

Continue reading: SAG Awards Noms & Snubs: '12 Years A Slave' Leads The Way [Trailer]

'12 Years A Slave' Leads Independent Spirit Awards Nominations In Seven Categories


Chiwetel Ejiofor Steve McQueen Lupita Nyong'o James Gandolfini Cate Blanchett Michael Fassbender

We're into the realms of awards season now and Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave seems set to continue its miraculous habit of picking up awards, like a giant snowball gathering more prizes as it rolls along.

12 Years A Slave Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor's '12 Years A Slave' Set To Sweep The Board.

Ahead of the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards, widely considered to be a landmark ceremony of the season, the Chiwetel Ejiofor-starring film about 19th century slavery in America has been nominated in seven categories, including best feature, director, screenplay, male lead for Chiwetel Ejiofor, supporting lead for Lupita Nyong'o, supporting male for Michael Fassbender and cinematography.

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Leads Independent Spirit Awards Nominations In Seven Categories

A Dejected Saoirse Ronan Looks Back As Star Wars Moves Forward With Casting


Saoirse Ronan Jj Abrams Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Mark Hamill Benedict Cumberbatch Chiwetel Ejiofor

Saoirse Ronan may be one of Hollywood’s most promising young stars, but she won’t be yielding lightsabers or galaxy-hopping when the Star Wars franchise is rebooting with Episode VII. The New York-born actor announced that she would be auditioning for the role.

Saoirse RonanSaoirse Ronan missed out on a 'Star Wars' role

"I don't have 'Star Wars.' I don't have the role," Ronan said told Indie Wire's The Playlist, who noted that she sounded “defeated when she told them the news. "I just shouldn't have said anything. I just auditioned for it, like everyone else did."

Continue reading: A Dejected Saoirse Ronan Looks Back As Star Wars Moves Forward With Casting

Idris Elba Hospitalised After Suffering Asthma Attack On Way To South Africa


Idris Elba Naomie Harris Nelson Mandela Chiwetel Ejiofor Robert Redford Matthew Mcconaughey

Idris Elba has been admitted to a unspecified UK hospital after suffering an asthma attack whilst on his way to the premiere of new film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The Brit-actor suffered the attack whilst on board the plane, but was able to be removed from the aircraft whilst it was still in the UK and taken to a near-by hospital to recover.

Nelson MandelaWinnie Mandela
Long Walk to Freedom has been given mixed reviews

Elba, who stars alongside fellow Brit Naomie Harris (who plays his wife Winnie Mandela) in the film, was forced to miss a press conference due to take place upon his arrival earlier today (2 Nov.), however producers have said that they remain confident that the star will be able to fly out and attend the premiere of the film on Sunday, 3 November, according to Sky News.

Continue reading: Idris Elba Hospitalised After Suffering Asthma Attack On Way To South Africa

'12 Years A Slave' Makes Solid Box Office Debut, High Yield Expected For Wider Release


Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Robert Redford

Get ready to be underwhelmed: when we say 12 Years A Slave’s box office was solid on opening, we’re talking about a limited release. $960,000 from 19 theaters over the weekend is pretty good going, though.

12 Years a Slave
 Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in 12 Years a Slave as Solomon Northup.

Steve McQueen’s powerful slave drama, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodward, and Brad Pitt – an all-star ensemble indeed – has been a hit with the critics, and its relative success on a limited release suggests the film has the fiscal legs to see it through a competitive season.

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Makes Solid Box Office Debut, High Yield Expected For Wider Release

'12 Years A Slave' Is A Harrowing Trip Back To A Darker Period In History: Review Round-Up


Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Brad Pitt Paul Giamatti Paul Dano Alfre Woodard Benedict Cumberbatch

12 Years A Slave is the film version of Solomon Northup's account of his kidnap and subsequent sale into slavery until his rescue twelve years later. The real-life account of the tragic fate of Northup and the appalling conditions he and millions of other slaves were forced to endure has been turned into a feature-length epic by British director Steve McQueen, who leads a largely British cast in the film that is being heralded by critics as a must-see film.

Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor is spellbounding in 12 Years A Slave

Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon, McQueen adapted the memoirs of the main character along with John Ridley to chronicle Solomon's harrowing twelve years, where he went from being a freeman living in New York, to a plantation slave in New Orleans between 1841 and 1853. Ejiofor has been roundly praised for his exceptonal acting talents, as have the rest of the cast, who include Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfre Woodard and Michael Fassbender, whose role as the heartless slave trader Edwin Epps has also been widely applauded for his unflinching brutality and realism.

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Is A Harrowing Trip Back To A Darker Period In History: Review Round-Up

'12 Years A Slave' Receives Rave Reviews Ahead Of US Release


Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Brad Pitt Sarah Paulson

12 Years a Slave tells of Solomon Northup, a black man living free from the shackles of slavery in upstate New York, until he is abducted and sold into slavery. Northup, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor (Children of Men), is taken to New Orleans where he is forced to work on a plantation. The film, based on the memoirs of Northup, has been praised for its brutal and unflinching portrayal of the horrors inflicted to slaves during the 1800s in the USA.

12 Years a Slave
 Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in 12 Years a Slave as Solomon Northup.

The film is due to be released in the US today (Friday 18th October) and early reviews suggest this may be one of the best - and most important- films of the year. The critics love 12 Years a Slave; and with a stellar cast and crew in addition to a moving, brutal and accurate portrayal of slavery, it's likely to be an Oscar contender. 

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Receives Rave Reviews Ahead Of US Release

Video - Chiwetel Ejiofor Arrives At The NYFF Premiere Of His New Movie '12 Years A Slave' - Part 1


The cast of '12 Years A Slave' arrive at the movie premiere at the New York Film Festival including lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and director Steve McQueen. Ejiofor plays real life wronged man Solomon Northup in this story about one man's illegal enslavement despite his American citizenship and achievements, based on the autobiography of the same name.

Continue: Video - Chiwetel Ejiofor Arrives At The NYFF Premiere Of His New Movie '12 Years A Slave' - Part 1

'12 Years A Slave' And Every Inch An Oscar Contender Following Toronto Win


Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Brad Pitt Paul Dano Paul Giamatti George Clooney

Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave has secured a place as ‘Oscars favorite’ following its triumph at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. The Steve McQueen-directed epic – based on the memoir of Solomon Northrup – remains the odds on choice for Best Picture at 13/4.

Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a SlaveChiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave.

By winning the BlackBerry People's Choice award, 12 Years a Slave follows in the footsteps of previous Oscar winners, The Kings Speech and Slumdog Millionaire. What was once a the faint hum of Oscars buzz is now a powerful thud as McQueen’s latest effort leaves Mandela and Osage County in its wake.

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' And Every Inch An Oscar Contender Following Toronto Win

Which Film Will Get An Oscars Boost At The Toronto Film Festival 2013?


George Clooney Sandra Bullock Paul Giamatti Benedict Cumberbatch Michael Fassbender Chiwetel Ejiofor Idris Elba Alfonso Cuaron

The Toronto Film Festival has grown into one of the most important events in the movie calendar. Following the prestigious and glamorous Cannes and Venice festivals, it’s the sheer scale of Toronto’s slate that gives it its Oscars precursor status. As we wrote in our – admittedly early – Academy preview, this year’s competition is stronger than ever.

Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Cumberbatch's in The Fifth Estate

Of course, Toronto is famous for exposing a number of talents via their independent cinema; it doesn’t just cater for the mainstream. But when a film stuns at the Canadian fest, Oscars buzz is hot on its heels.

Continue reading: Which Film Will Get An Oscars Boost At The Toronto Film Festival 2013?

Calling All Timelords! Doctor Who Audition Script Released By Steven Moffat


Matt Smith Steven Moffat Ben Whishaw Rory Kinnear Ben Daniels Dominic Cooper Chiwetel Ejiofor Julian Rhind-Tutt David Harewood

Ever fancied yourself behind the controls to the TARDIS? This could be your chance: the audition script used by the BBC on the hunt for a new timelord has been published in Doctor Who magazine, giving us a glimpse of life after Matt Smith.

Matt Smith
The BBC Are On The Hunt For A Matt Smith Successor.

It could be safe to say that producers aren't on the lookout for a female Doctor Who. Although no indication is given whether the regenerated doctor's gender is the same or not, Jenna Lee Coleman's Clara's lines aren't half as surprised as they would have been had producers planned for the Doc to reappear with boobs and the Doctor doesn't react to a more feminine sounding voice. Sorry Olivia Colman and Helen Mirren; it's probably not going to be you.

Continue reading: Calling All Timelords! Doctor Who Audition Script Released By Steven Moffat

Toronto Film Festival To Open With WikiLeaks Movie 'The Fifth Estate' [Trailer]


Benedict Cumberbatch John Hawkes Mos Def Jennifer Aniston Steve McQueen Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender

The Fifth Estate, the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring biopic of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, will be the opening film at at this years annual Toronto International Film Festival. The film festival will also feature advanced screenings of fellow Oscar teasers 12 Years A Slave and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, with Daniel Schecter's Life of Crime - which stars John Hawkes, Mos Def and Jennifer Aniston - closing the first night. The festival starts on September 5.

Watch the trailer for The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate follows the end of the turbulent relationship between Assange and Daniel Domscheit-Berg at the height of WikiLeaks' infamy and mass exposure. Based on the books Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website by Domscheit-Berg himself and WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy by Luke Harding and David Leigh, the movie adaptation has been without Assange's consent. The film was directed by the Oscar winning Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Dreamgirls) and adapted for the screen by Josh Singer (The West Wing, Fringe). The film is due to arrive in time for Oscar season in January 2014.

Continue reading: Toronto Film Festival To Open With WikiLeaks Movie 'The Fifth Estate' [Trailer]

Solomon Northup's Story Comes To Life In '12 Years A Slave' [Trailer + Pictures]


Chiwetel Ejiofor Steve McQueen Brad Pitt Benedict Cumberbatch Michael Fassbender Paul Dano Paul Giamatti Michael K. Williams Quvenzhane Wallis

Solomon Northup was a regular New York resident who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. He was rescued 12 years later. 172 years on, and Chiwetel Ejiofor is an early Oscar contender for his turn as Northup in Steve McQueen’s 12 Days a Slave, which has a new trailer.

Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a SlaveChiwetel Ejiofor looks excellent as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave

British actor Ejiofor is joined by an impressive cast, featuring Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael K. Williams, Quvenzhane Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Scoot McNairy, Taran Killam and Brad Pitt, while John Ridley adapted the script from Northup’s biography.

Continue reading: Solomon Northup's Story Comes To Life In '12 Years A Slave' [Trailer + Pictures]

12 Years A Slave Trailer


Solomon Northup was a well-educated man from a successful family living in upstate New York with his wife and three children. He was categorised as a free black man and made money through various jobs including as an entertainer playing the violin. In 1841, he was tricked into going to Washington DC with two white men for work where he was instead kidnapped and sold to slavery despite there being laws to protect free African-Americans. He spent twelve years on a plantation in Louisiana serving the brutal and abusive owner Edwin Epps. Determined to live his life again as a free man, he befriended a Canadian carpenter working for Epps by the name of Samuel Bass, whose high-morals turned Solomon's life around forever.

This poignant historical biopic is based on the 1853 autobiography 'Twelve Years a Slave' by the real Solomon Northup. It has been adapted to screen by writer John Ridley ('U Turn', 'Red Tails') and the BAFTA nominated director Steve McQueen ('Hunger', 'Shame'). With themes of freedom, racial inequality and the cruelty of mankind, '12 Years A Slave' could be one of the more heart-wrenching movies to kick of the year on its UK cinematic release on January 24th 2014.

Click Here To Read - 12 Years a Slave Movie Review

12 Years A Slave: The Slavery Movie We've All Been Waiting For


Chiwetel Ejiofor Steve McQueen Michael Fassbender Brad Pitt Michael K. Williams Benedict Cumberbatch Paul Giamatti Quvenzhane Wallis Sarah Paulson Paul Dano

Films - or should we say writers and directors - that dare to tackle the issue of slavery come rarely, and when they due, they face an increased level of scrutiny due to the sensitive subject matter. They are necessary though; teaching the world of the horrors it has faced will ensure they never happen again, or so they say.

Chiwetel EjioforChiwetel Ejiofor could be in for the biggest role of his life

Django Unchained came and went, as Quentin Tarantino’s ability to satirize and trivialize some of history’s most controversial times slowly turns into a trilogy of movies. Mixed reviews and a cavalier use of the ‘N’ word meant people saw it as less of a history lesson and more of a taboo comedy, which is exactly what it was.

Continue reading: 12 Years A Slave: The Slavery Movie We've All Been Waiting For

Is '12 Years A Slave' The Movie Django Should Have Been? [Trailer]


Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Fassbender Steve McQueen Brad Pitt Paul Dano Paul Giamatti Michael K. Williams

The trailer for Steve McQueen's hugely anticipated historical drama 12 Years A Slave, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as a free man tricked into slavery in the 1840s, has rolled out online.

Also featuring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender and Paul Giamatti, the movie appears to be a far more hard-hitting than many were expecting with some writers suggesting it tells the real story of the pre-civil war period in the United States of America, as opposed to, say, Quentin Taratino's Django Unchained.

Ejiofor plays a free black New Yorker who is sold into slavery after being lured to Washington DC with the promise of a well-paid job playing fiddle in a circus.

Continue reading: Is '12 Years A Slave' The Movie Django Should Have Been? [Trailer]

Ben Daniels Is New Favourite For 'Doctor Who' Job: Could He Be The One?


Ben Daniels Doctor Who Daniel Kaluuya Ben Whishaw Sue Perkins Olivia Colman Jenna-louise Coleman Domhnall Gleeson Chiwetel Ejiofor Steven Moffat Matt Smith David Tennant Rory Kinnear Dominic Cooper

Ben Daniels is the latest name to become the favourite to inherit the role of Doctor Who in the long-running BBC series. Very soon there'll be very few British male actors who haven't been rumoured to be taking over the controls to the TARDIS as the Merlin actor now has the most favourable odds at 6/1. With previous odds of 16/1, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Salt, American Gangster) now closely follows Daniels at 7/1.

Ben Daniels
Could Ben Daniels Take Over From Matt Smith As The New Doctor?

However, chances are the new Who may not be a male actor at all; there have been calls for the new Doctor to be female, which would mark a first for the series which has run since 1963.

Continue reading: Ben Daniels Is New Favourite For 'Doctor Who' Job: Could He Be The One?

Salt Review


Very Good
Intelligent filmmaking covers up the whopping plot holes in this action thriller. It's shot with confidence that makes it thoroughly enjoyable, with a few strong characters and a story that stays in constant motion.

Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a skilled CIA operative devoted to both her husband (Diehl) and her country. Then a Russian spy (Olbrychski) tells her that she's actually a sleeper agent whose time has come. She denies this to her steely boss Ted (Schreiber) and hasty counter-intelligence agent Peabody (Ejiofor), but when things heat up she runs. Is she up to no good, or is she trying to stop the Russkies' evil plan? Sometimes it seems like even she isn't so sure.

Continue reading: Salt Review

2012 Review


Excellent
Gleefully over-the-top, this film takes the disaster movie pretty much as far as it can go, drawing on the Mayan prophecy that he world will end on 21 December 2012. Emmerich deploys all the genre elements (solid cast, detailed back-stories, gigantic set pieces) to give us a raucously enjoyable ride.

While on a camping trip in Yellowstone, novelist-turned-chauffer Jackson (Cusack) stumbles across a secret military operation and a raving nutcase (Harrelson) who claims the end of the world is nigh. Sure enough, top government scientist Adrian (Ejiofor) is advising the President (Glover) and his Chief of Staff (Platt) about preparations for impending natural catastrophes. By the time Jackson gets home to Los Angeles, the pandemonium has begun, and he barely gets his kids, his ex (Peet) and her new husband (McCarthy) out. But where do they go now?

Continue reading: 2012 Review

American Gangster Review


OK
There's something dead in Denzel Washington's eyes nearly all of the way through Ridley Scott's American Gangster, which takes what should have been a mesmerizing slice of urban historical grit and grinds it into roughly two hours of standard issue cinema. Washington is playing Frank Lucas, a real-life crime boss who for a period lasting from the late 1960s into the following decade, ran Manhattan "from 110th to 155th, river to river." A real slick character who doesn't need to strut his worth on the street, Lucas hates flash like a junkie hates rehab: It reminds him of all he truly is but doesn't want to be. Facing off against him is New Jersey narc Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a womanizing tough guy with a short fuse but a heart of gold (aren't they all), who's so clean that when he and his partner come across $1 million in untraceable cash he had the bad manners to turn it all in without taking a single bill for himself. In a big-city police department in the 1970s, boy scout behavior like that will just plain get you killed -- the guy who's not on the take is the guy who could very well sell you down the river when the grand jury comes sniffing around for who is on the take.

Ridley Scott has a good thing going here, tossing these two Hollywood bigshots into the ring and letting them play cops and robbers while he slathers on the period detail with a trowel. There's some serious Superfly outfits (including a godawful $50,000 chinchilla coat that plays a surprisingly key part in a plot twist), a generous helping of soul music, enough fantastic character actors to choke a horse (Idris Elba, Jon Polito, Kevin Corrigan, an incredibly sleazy Josh Brolin, and so on), the specter of Vietnam playing on every television in sight, and the odd enjoyment one gets from watching cops in the pre-militarized, pre-SWAT days take down an apartment with just revolvers, the occasional shotgun, and a sledgehammer to whack down the door. Scott's smart enough to let the story cohere organically and without rush, keeping his main contenders apart for as long as could possibly be borne, making them fully developed characters in their own right and not just developed in opposition to the other. But there's something in this broad and expansive tale that can't quite come together, and it seems to start in Denzel's eyes.

Continue reading: American Gangster Review

Tsunami: The Aftermath Review


Excellent
As its title suggests, HBO Films' Tsunami: The Aftermath begins not with a crashing wave of water but rather with something far more chilling. A boatload of vacationing scuba divers returns to their Phuket resort after a morning outing on December 26, 2004 and notice all sorts of debris, and then bodies, in the water. At the dock they see that the entire landscape is destroyed, the hotel is in ruins, and everyone, including their families and friends, is gone. As they run through the wreckage screaming, you'll feel chills.

Among the group is Susie Carter (Sophie Okonedo), who quickly reunites with her husband Ian (Chiwetel Ejiofor) but is devastated to learn their four-year-old daughter slipped out of her father's arms and has disappeared. Meanwhile, Kim Peabody (Gina McKee) has lost her husband but finds her teenage son horribly injured.

Continue reading: Tsunami: The Aftermath Review

Kinky Boots Review


Weak
I'd like to believe that my heart is open to even the most ill-conceived of English charmers. By all technical merits, both 2003's Love Actually and 2005's Layer Cake are absolute garbage, but if either of them shows up on HBO, there's a good chance I'll watch them to the end. It has to be something about the accents, or the way that English men tend to stutter a lot. Regardless, it wasn't until Kinky Boots that I realized that popular English films can, indeed, be as inane as popular films here.Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) has just left his father and his father's shoe business for a life farther away with his fiancée and a job in marketing. Literally the day he moves away, he gets the call that pops has passed away. With a buyer pulling out and mounting amounts of "redundancies," Charlie considers selling the factory (his father was thinking of it, also). That is until he meets Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a cross-dressing singer who Charlie attempts to save from a beating, not knowing that Lola used to be a boxer. In a moment of inspiration, Charlie decides to design cross-dressing boots for Lola and her friends and brings her in to supervise the proceedings. Charlie and his flirtatious assistant, Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts), must defend him when the male company workers don't warm up to Lola, and Lola comes to their rescue when a fashion show goes disastrously wrong.The plot seems impenetrably charming in overview. Uptight young English man gets a wake up call about life and love from a life-loving cross-dresser; what's not to love about that situation? As it turns out, a lot. The major problem here is time, notably lack of it. There is little or no time given to the characters to really get to know them and let us fall for them. Lola is the only one that the audience feels anything for, and that is mainly because she is persecuted by everyone. As much time as Charlie is on screen, his motives and actions are always based on the store and not himself, and therefore we can't really get to know who he is in general. The script by Tim Firth and Geoff Deane supposes that he binds himself to the company as a remembrance of his father. Fine, but then we are not given enough time to get what his dad meant to him. All we get is a trite montage of "shoes are the key to life" vignettes between a young Charlie and his father. There is a serious lack of character development. And call me a broken record player, but the love story between Charlie and Lauren is undercooked to an amateurish degree. Lauren and Charlie actually talk together perhaps five times, and some of those are just about business.What salvages the film is Ejiofor, the terrifically talented character actor from Melinda and Melinda and Dirty Pretty Things (also a drab villain in Four Brothers). He brings charm and a distinct comic timing to Lola, especially in a hysterical scene where Lola teaches Charlie what is wrong with his initial design. Edgerton, especially for a leading man, seems lacking in the charm department and doesn't do anything with the role (he simply says the line in his accent for the most part). Potts might have registered with talent if she was given more screen-time but most of the time is given to Edgerton and (thank God) Ejiofor. Where a one man show would usually fair okay with a contrived or lopsided plot (The Matador), Kinky Boots simply just doesn't take the time to let us give a hoot about anyone but Ejiofor. If that was their mission, consider it accomplished.These boots are made for kinkin'.

Love Actually Review


Very Good
I can only presume that the British calendar is so uniquely screwy that it allows for a Christmas movie to open a week after Halloween. Or maybe Love Actually is just in a universe of its own... one in which the prime minister is inaugurated in November and where an adverb can be used to modify a noun.

But a little oddness is forgivable: Directing a movie is a strange place for Richard Curtis, who's written umpteen Brit-friendly movies and TV shows over the years but hasn't directed one, until now.

Continue reading: Love Actually Review

Three Blind Mice Review


Weak
What the title Three Blind Mice has to do with a movie about a serial killer and webcams is beyond me, but I'm not losing any sleep thinking about it. This Edward Furlong vehicle is a poor film at best, and its odd title is the least of its problems.

The story introduces us to Thomas Cross (Furlong), who is obsessed with Internet webcams (so 1999!). One night, he witnesses his favorite gal Cathy as she is murdered while she's preparing dinner in her apartment. Yipes! The dinner preparation isn't so exciting (though Thomas is enthralled by it), but that murder certainly wakes him up. Too bad he doesn't really know where she lives, just her web URL, which the cops don't really grab on to.

Continue reading: Three Blind Mice Review

Dirty Pretty Things Review


Very Good
The title of Stephen Frears' new film Dirty Pretty Things revels in contradiction. The same might be said of the film itself, which is part melodrama, part social critique, and part black comedy all rolled into one delectably grimy treat. It's a thriller that only nominally wants to thrill, and a critique of modern society's disregard for the illegal immigrant class that only sporadically bothers to drum up the audience's indignation over its characters' plight. Willfully unwilling to be pigeonholed, the film embraces its various temperaments with a poise imparted by a director whose steady hand never allows the unconventional material to falter. That the lurching tone of the film coalesces into a satisfyingly original narrative at all speaks to Frears' keen sense of the delicate balance between sentimentality and somberness.

Okwe (newcomer Chiwetel Ejiofor) works as a cab driver by day and a hotel desk clerk by night, regularly chewing addictive plant leaves to keep himself from dozing off. An illegal immigrant and former doctor who's arrived in London to flee political forces who sought his arrest in Nigeria, Okwe now resides on the couch of fellow hotel employee Senay (Amelie's Audrey Tautou), a Turkish maid whose legal immigrant status, in a puzzling twist that's never fully explained, prohibits her from being employed. The two social outcasts keep their friendship hidden from their fellow coworkers, each interested in blending into the environment like a chameleon changing spots to elude predators. In a city that eagerly makes use of immigrant labor, Okwe and Senay are the tattered fringe of society, forced to endure humiliation and unable to fight back for fear that their presence might be detected by the immigration police who constantly scour the city's underbelly. What's not mentioned, however, is that since Okwe is an illegal immigrant, he doesn't have any right being in London, and this near-sighted portrayal of his situation - one can assume that his life in London, no matter how difficult and unpleasant, is better than the life in Nigeria that he fled, although the film glosses over this fact - saps some of our sympathy for him.

Continue reading: Dirty Pretty Things Review

Four Brothers Review


Weak

Mark Wahlberg is perfectly cast in "Four Brothers" as an angry, scruffy Detroit greaseball who returns home for the first time in years to avenge his foster-mother's murder during a convenience store robbery.

While not an actor known for his emotional range, here his soft-featured scowl embodies resounding heartbreak without giving an inch on the kind of toughness and bravado that makes his character a loose cannon. How loose? He even tells the investigating cops (one an old friend played by the sublime Terrence Howard) who come to pay their respects that "I'm not here for the funeral."

Reunited with his three brothers -- fellow former delinquents adopted by the kindly but adamant Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan), and played by Garrett Hedlund ("Troy") and talented rappers-turned-actors Andre Benjamin and Tyrese Gibson -- it isn't long before they're literally beating a path through the ghetto toward any suspects they can get their hands on. And it isn't long after that before a conspiracy begins to emerge (the details of which are never entirely clear) involving bankruptcy and insurance money, connections to the mob, and crooked cops and city councilmen.

Continue reading: Four Brothers Review

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor Quick Links

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Chiwetel Ejiofor

Date of birth

10th July, 1977

Occupation

Actor

Sex

Male

Height

1.78


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