Liam Neeson Takes on the FBI in Trailer for Action Movie ‘Blacklight’

by Alex Billington
January 4, 2022
Source: YouTube

“Are you really going to shoot me, Travis?” “Yes I will.” Briarcliff Ent. has revealed the official trailer for an action thriller called Blacklight, the latest Liam Neeson action vehicle in his endless output of action movies with derivative plots. Neeson plays an operative named Travis Block. A shadowy government agent who specializes in removing operatives whose covers have been blown, uncovers a deadly conspiracy within his own ranks, a plot targeting US citizens, that reaches the highest echelons of power. The full cast also includes Aidan Quinn, Taylor John Smith, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Claire van der Boom, Yael Stone, Andrew Shaw, Zac Lemons, and Gabriella Sengos. This looks like a rip-off of so many other action movies, but it’s also Neeson kicking ass for probably the 1000th time, so bring on more LiaMayhem.

Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Mark Williams’ Blacklight, direct from YouTube:

Travis Block (Liam Neeson) is a government operative coming to terms with his shadowy past. When he discovers a plot targeting U.S. citizens, Block finds himself in the crosshairs of the FBI director he once helped protect. Blacklight is directed by directed by producer-turned-filmmaker Mark Williams, director of the films A Family Man and Honest Thief previously, and also a producer on many other projects. The screenplay is written by Nick May and Mark Williams, from a story by Brandon Reavis and Nick May. Produced by Paul Currie, Allie Loh, Coco Xiaolu Ma, Myles Nestel, and Mark Williams. Briarcliff Ent. will debut Blacklight in US theaters starting February 11th, 2022 soon this winter. Who wants to watch this?

Find more posts: To Watch, Trailer

For some Hong Kongers, the monthslong anti-extradition bill protests may already feel like something from a distant past.  

But Hong Kongers living in Taiwan were recently reminded of the emotions associated with the protests after the island began to run a documentary film — Revolution of Our Times — in dozens of movie theaters on February 25. 

“I hope audiences can appreciate the film without a fixed political stance or a lot of stereotypes,” said Kiwi Chow, the director of the film, in a recorded message to the public in Taiwan.

The film, whose name is derived from the second half of a now-banned slogan in Hong Kong, chronicles the monthslong protests that transformed the semi-autonomous city.

It documents how the initial protests against a proposed extradition bill that could potentially allow residents in Hong Kong to be tried in Chinese courts evolved into mass demonstrations against police brutality and the government’s failure to fulfil its promises.

Due to the sensitive nature of the documentary, most of the film’s production team — apart from the director Kiwi Chow — didn’t reveal their identity.

In an interview with DW last December, Chow described the experience in 2019 as “a collective trauma” for all Hong Kong people.

He said since the Chinese government imposed the controversial national security law (NSL) on Hong Kong, people no longer have outlets to go through those traumas.

The film captured several episodes of fierce clashes between protesters and Hong Kong police

“Someone once thanked me for making the film, because he said it reminded him that his experiences in the 2019 protest were real,” Chow said. “I think one thing this film can achieve is to witness and preserve history, especially after we realized that certain histories in Hong Kong may not survive after the NSL came into force.”

‘A clear visual evidence of police brutality’

The film captured several episodes of fierce clashes between protesters and Hong Kong police, including the storming of the legislative council, the Yuen Long attack on July 21, the Prince Edward MTR station attack on August 31, and the siege of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Some Hong Kongers in Taiwan, who took part in some of the protests, said their immediate reaction after watching the film was “fury,” as they were reminded of the police’s often violent treatment of protesters throughout the monthslong protests.

“I thought I was going to be crying a lot but I think right after the movie began, I was very angry the whole time,” said Kacey Wong, an exiled Hong Kong artist in Taiwan.

“The movie vividly reminded me how crazy it was back then. One scene was the Yuen Long attack, where local villagers and alleged triad members wearing white shirts attacked protesters and citizens. But during the press conference, the police claimed no one was carrying any weapons on that night,” he added.

Jennifer Lu, an LGBTQ rights activist from Taiwan who used to travel frequently to Hong Kong, described the experience of watching the film as “painful.”

As she had personally been to many of the places featured in the film, the scenes reminded her of her friends in Hong Kong.

“It’s really sad, but I also think that while it was painful for me to watch the film, my friends in Hong Kong actually have to go through such things,” she told DW. 

“The only thing I can do is to watch the film and share my thoughts with the general public in Taiwan. To some extent, I’m worried that Hong Kongers in Taiwan might be traumatized when they watch the film. On the other hand, I think they might want more people to know what happened in Hong Kong,” she added.

Transformation of the protests

Apart from the emotional elements, Wong thinks the film also captures how Hong Kong’s civil society deployed various tactics in response to the often brutal responses from the police and government authorities.

“This film clearly documented how the police basically abused their rights and how the people tried every peaceful means all the way to the martial means of resistance,” he said.

Throughout the course of the movement, the Hong Kong police and government often described protesters as “rioters” and accused them of paralyzing the city.

During a New Year address in 2019, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the protests brought “sadness, anxiety, disappointment and even rage” to the city.

Months after that address, China’s National People’s Congress, the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, adopted the National Security Law that was imposed on Hong Kong in July 2020.

Since then, more than 160 people have been arrested under national security charges, while some of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy media outlets were forced to shut down.

“While I can do nothing when I lose the freedom to release the film, I still have the freedom to create. That’s the only moment I can hold onto,” Chow said.

Kiwi Chow: ‘I hope audiences can appreciate the film without a fixed political stance or a lot of stereotypes.’

To prevent the film from being targeted by the NSL, Chow sold the film’s copyright to overseas interests before its premiere at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.

‘It’s possible to rebuild Hong Kong elsewhere’

Taiwanese activist Jennifer Lu says the film resonates with different generations of Taiwanese people.

“For the older generation of Taiwanese, who have lived through the martial-law era, they feel that there is a connection between the Hong Kong experience and their personal experiences,” she told DW.

“As for the younger generation, I think the film offers an important reminder that Taiwan went through similar experiences in the past, and it’s not impossible for Taiwan to return to that kind of governance model. It shows us how we should protect Taiwan’s democracy,” she said.

From 1949 to 1987, Taiwan imposed martial law across the island that restricted citizens’ basic rights, including forming political parties and press freedom. After the government lifted the martial law, Taiwan went through a democratic transition and held its first presidential election in 1996.

Lam Wing-kee, the owner of the Causeway Bay Books store in Taiwan, says Hong Kongers should look to the future.

“I think we should avoid sticking to the same feeling that we felt in 2019, and think about what Hong Kong people can do in the future,” Lam told DW.

“It is possible for us to rebuild Hong Kong in other places like Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Canada. If Hong Kongers from different walks of life gather in one place, we can still bring back Hong Kong’s culture. What’s important is Hong Kong people, not the location,” he said.

Director Chow says that while many people have urged him to leave Hong Kong due to concern for his safety, he feels quite safe in the city.

“If I left Hong Kong because of fear, then Kiwi Chow will live in fear forever,” he said. “I can only be free if I stay in Hong Kong because I want to witness everything in Hong Kong and I want to experience the pain with all Hong Kongers.”

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru

Sony has revealed a new animation that will be used to introduce PlayStation Productions releases, which is viewable below.

PlayStation Productions is a studio formed in 2019 by Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt its original game properties for film and television in partnership with Sony Pictures.

The new Uncharted movie starring Tom Holland, which had a $120 million budget, is the first major project from the studio to be released.

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Like the opening animation used in PlayStation Studios games since 2020, the new animation features characters from the Uncharted, Horizon, The Last of Us, God of War, Ratchet Clank and LittleBigPlanet series, among others.

PlayStation Productions is headed up by veteran Sony marketeer Asad Qizilbash, who’s also head of product for PlayStation Studios.

“We have three objectives,” he told the New York Times last year. “Grow audience size for games. Bring product to Sony Pictures. Showcase collaboration.”

When it was suggested that a cinematic flop could negatively impact the Uncharted game franchise, Qizilbash acknowledged: “It’s risky. But I think we can do it.”

Following a six-month delay, the Uncharted film launched in 15 markets on February 11 and made a solid start at the box office while receiving middling reviews from critics.

It generated $21.5 million in its opening weekend, putting it ahead of pandemic-era Blockbusters like Eternals (up 12%), Black Widow (up 18%) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (up 21%) based on how those films performed at similar points in their theatrical lifecycles.

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The film will open on February 18 in the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and South Korea.

PlayStation Productions is also working on a The Last of Us HBO TV series, a live-action Ghost of Tsushima movie helmed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and a Twisted Metal TV series from Deadpool’s writers, among other projects.

Earlier today, Netflix announced that it has teamed up with publisher Take-Two to create a BioShock film.

You thought Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman was realistic? Matt Reeves says “Hold my Batarang.” Reeves’ new film, The Batman, is unlike any Batman movie we’ve ever seen. It’s more of a detective procedural than a superhero movie. Law and Order blended with horror featuring costumed vigilantes. This is a Batman story told with a commitment to reality which instantly distinguishes it from all other films featuring the character. And it works incredibly well.

The story is a gritty mystery that’s gripping and exciting, coupled with several high-octane action scenes and tons of gorgeous imagery. However, the film’s dense story and long runtime create such a deep investment in this untraditional superhero story, it’s consequently a letdown when the film’s finale betrays that overarching vision. After being wowed by The Batman’s ambition and commitment to realism, everything flies right out the door in its finale, leaving us with a detached set piece that could have been in any other Batman movie before it. Thankfully, there’s so much good to be found before that, it’s only a minor gripe on what’s the most unique, and interesting, Batman film since The Dark Knight.

Co-written and directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman picks up two years into Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) time as the Caped Crusader, when a mysterious new villain named The Riddler (Paul Dano) starts killing famous officials around Gotham City. At each crime, The Riddler leaves a card addressed “To the Batman,” and so Jim (not yet Commissioner) Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) brings him in. Most of the other cops don’t trust this masked vigilante who runs around the city at night, but Gordon does, and the two form a formidable crime-solving duo.

That’s the first of several things that make The Batman so captivating. While Batman is clearly the star, Jim Gordon is without a doubt the second most important person in the movie. From almost the very first scene, Reeves’ makes The Batman into Superhero Seven, with Batman as Brad Pitt, Gordon as Morgan Freeman, and Riddler as Kevin Spacey. Batman and Gordon go from brutal crime scene to brutal crime scene, looking for clues, solving riddles, each of which compounds this growing mystery of the Riddler’s motives.

As the case goes on, Batman runs into a waitress named Selena Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), who has a personal connection to one of the victims as well as The Penguin (Colin Farrell), a second in command to Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). With the exception of Falcone, who is every bit the crime boss we know from Batman lore, Selena and Penguin aren’t the comic book characters we know them as yet yet. Like Batman, they’re very early in their journey, and as the Riddler’s web extends out, they’ll get wrapped up in it, just like he does and we do. There’s just something oddly pleasing about watching a man in a Batsuit solving mysteries, stopping crime, and interacting with equally weird and wonderful characters.

The Batman is a movie about discovery—discovery of the truth but also the discovery of one’s self. Throughout the film, there are big, heroic moments that touch up upon an expected superhero movie grandeur… but then Batman slips up. He’s not the best at this yet. He makes mistakes. The same goes for Selina Kyle: she’s a very capable cat burglar, but her commitment to her missing friend blinds her. She teams up with Batman because she’s not quite ready for all of this, and that relationship reveals to each of them that life has more to it than just fighting crime and getting revenge.

Reeves explores lots of little subtextual threads like that. Several characters challenge both Batman, and Bruce Wayne, for his privilege in ways that feel almost shocking because it humanizes and cuts him down to size. The Riddler’s whole plan is centered on government corruption, and so Mayoral candidate Bella Real (Jayme Lawson) becomes a beacon of hope not just in Gotham City, but in ways the audience can relate to in their own lives. There are scenes that tackle gun violence head-on, some of which are more disturbing than others. The relationship between parents and their children is important throughout. Basically, almost every scene works not just in forwarding the story, but also in getting you to think about something beyond just the movie itself.

Lots of that comes from the performances too, which are fantastic across the board. Pattinson crafts both Bruce Wayne and Batman as almost different characters, making it clear that this version of the hero is much more comfortable with a mask than without. With it, he’s powerful, confident, and menacing. Without, he’s shy, guarded, almost scared. The same can be said for Kravitz, though her Selena is equally impressive with or without the mask. In both iterations, she’s crafty and cunning but also vulnerable and loving. It’s a very nuanced, welcome take on the character. Dano’s Riddler gets less screen time than almost everyone else in the film, especially out of the unsettling costume, but he’s electric whether he’s giving a simple smile or a piercing scream. Farrell’s boisterous Penguin is also a highlight, standing out from the other corrupt men he keeps company with played by Turturro, Peter Skarsgard, and others.

Speaking of highlights, Reeves’ work with cinematographer Greig Fraser is one. It’s stunning. The Batman is a dark movie. A very dark movie. And so when there’s light, it almost paints the frame, creating exquisite shots and sequences throughout, drawing your eye to exactly where the filmmakers want it to be. Plus, most of those sequences are so well done, the visual effects are all but invisible. Car wrecks, huge crowds, men soaring through the air. Truly, for two-thirds of this movie you know you are looking at visual effects. They have to be there, but it all looks so real, and their use is so subtle, you can barely see them.

It’s that “two-thirds” thing that holds everything back, though. As Batman, Gordon, and Kyle work to solve the Riddler’s shocking mystery, it all kind of wraps up—but The Batman doesn’t end there. It keeps going, and we’re treated to a massive third act action set-piece befitting of every major superhero movie you’ve seen in the past thirty years. Big action, obvious visual effects, etc. Which would be fine if, for the previous two-plus hours, Reeves hadn’t made a film that’s so sumptuous, grounded, and lived in that the Batmanness of it almost melts away. The divide between the ending and the rest of the film is a disservice to each part, and it leaves the movie off on a more awkward, ambiguous note than probably intended, even if there’s a lot of spectacle on display.

However, even with those missteps, The Batman is an impressive movie. It’s an engaging and entertaining movie. It’s not the rousing, over-the-top exciting superhero version of the character we remember from Tim Burton or Christopher Nolan, but it shouldn’t be. This is Matt Reeves’ Batman. And though he doesn’t completely stick the landing this time, the effect is something like Pattinson’s take on the dark knight: Batman is getting better at what he does every day. So thankfully, The Batman is unique and layered enough that there’s little doubt we’ll get the opportunity to see more of that growth in the future.

The Batman opens March 4.

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The second folly is its perception of the medieval ages in Indian history as the era of ‘invasion’ and ‘cultural destruction’. It is true that contact with Islam marks these centuries in Indian history. However, it is also true that exchanges and trade with the countries to the west of India, from Afghanistan to Turkey has been a phenomenon ever since humans have inhabited Asia. Besides, what is seen as ‘destructive invasion’ was in reality a new synthesis in arts, literature, ideas, architecture, law, medicine and theology. All of that is deliberately demonized, for Islam provides the most convenient ‘enemy’ metaphor for Hindu nationalism.

The third misconception that has gained ground is the nature of the freedom struggle and its major protagonists. BJP’s propaganda machine has been active in deliberately portraying discord among leaders like Gandhi, Patel, Subhas Bose, Tagore, Nehru, Ambedkar and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. A lot of false information about them is spread in order to make them look small, selfish, pretentious and unmindful of what is good for India. The flow of misinformation about them has a scale that is difficult to counter.

However, in future, when India recovers from this assault on its history and culture, these flawed arguments are bound to look deliberate and short-sighted. India with a single origin, with a single linguistic and cultural mould and a country of only one kind of people, adhering to only one religion would be far from what it has been over several millennia.

Linguistic, cultural and social diversity is its definitive identity marker and as a nation, it can continue to be India only so long as we perceive it as a ‘union of states’.

(The writer is an eminent academic and cultural activist)

(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)

Sony’s Uncharted film has made a solid start at the international box office while receiving middling reviews from critics.

The movie is the first feature film from PlayStation Productions, a studio formed by Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt its original game properties for film and television in partnership with Sony Pictures.

Following a six-month delay, it launched in 15 markets on February 11 and generated $21.5 million in its opening weekend, including $6.4 million in the UK, $4.5 million in Russia and $3.5 million in Spain, Variety reports.

The opening puts it ahead of pandemic-era Blockbusters like Eternals (up 12%), Black Widow (up 18%) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (up 21%) based on how those films performed at similar points in their theatrical lifecycles.

The Uncharted film, which had a $120 million budget, will open on February 18 in the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and South Korea.

Rather than following the plot of the PlayStation games, the Uncharted film tells a prequel story featuring Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) as a young treasure hunter learning from his mentor Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg).

Film director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland) has said he “made the movie for both hardcore fans of the game and those who are not yet familiar with the franchise and believe[s] that both will be equally entertained by this incredibly fun and action-packed film”.

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While the movie has gone down well at the box office so far, it has received middling reviews. It currently has a 50% score on review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes based on 26 reviews.

PlayStation Productions is also working on a The Last of Us HBO TV series, a live-action Ghost of Tsushima movie helmed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and a Twisted Metal TV series from Deadpool’s writers, among other projects.

Uncharted director Fleischer claimed last week that he’s collaborating with Sony on a Jak and Daxter adaptation.

Official Trailer for ‘Great Balloon Bomb Invasion’ Documentary Film

by Alex Billington
December 2, 2021
Source: YouTube

“If we find something, they need to understand how dangerous this could be…” Discovery has debuted the official trailer for the documentary film Great Balloon Bomb Invasion, which is now available to stream on discovery+ (as of today – December 2nd). You’ve probably heard about these balloon bombs, but there’s finally a whole film about them! Between 1944 and 1945 during World War II, the Japanese launched more than 9,000 bomb-rigged balloons across the Pacific, resulting in six deaths in Oregon. The “Fu-Go” bombs, as they were known, reached as far east as Indiana and as far south as Texas, but only 300 have ever been found, leaving potentially thousands of bombs scattered across the country. In this film, for the first time ever, an investigation is launched into the hidden history, along with a high-tech hunt for the unexploded remnants. For more info on these WWII bombs, there is also a short doc Blind Bombing, Filmed by a Bat and this YouTube video. This looks like half is a history lesson, the other half is “MythBusters” style testing.

Here’s the trailer for Stuart Chait’s doc Great Balloon Bomb Invasion, direct from YouTube:

Many Americans were taught that the US mainland was not attacked during WWII. But it was. Between 1944 and 1945, the Japanese launched more than 9000 bomb-rigged balloons across the Pacific, resulting in tragic deaths in Oregon. These lethal “Fu-Go” bombs reached as far east as Indiana and as far south as Texas…but only 300 have ever been found, leaving potentially thousands of deadly bombs scattered across the US. For the first time ever, an investigation is launched into the hidden history of this attack, with a high-tech hunt for the unexploded remnants. Great Balloon Bomb Invasion is directed by the American producer / filmmaker Stuart Chait, making his feature directorial debut after lots of producing, as well as directing the TV docu series “Lost Gold” and “10 Things You Don’t Know About” previously. This hasn’t premiered at any festivals or elsewhere, as far as we know. Discovery releases Stuart Chait’s Great Balloon Bomb Invasion streaming on discover+ starting on December 2nd, 2021. It’s available to view right now.

Find more posts: Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer

Yet Another Shark Movie – Alicia Silverstone in ‘The Requin’ Trailer

by Alex Billington
December 9, 2021
Source: YouTube

“We need to focus on surviving!” Saban Films has revealed the first official trailer for another new shark horror movie titled The Requin, this one made in Vietnam by a Vietnamese filmmaker named Le-Van Kiet. He last made the action film Furie a few years ago. A couple on a romantic getaway to the beach in Vietnam find themselves stranded at sea when a tropical storm sweeps away their villa. In order to survive, they are forced to fight the elements. But soon a school of Great White sharks circle below. This sounds like another “been there, done that” kind of concept, no? But everyone loves shark movies and is always frightened by them (I know I am, thanks to watching Jaws growing up). Alicia Silverstone and James Tupper star as the couple, with a small cast including Deirdre O’Connell, Jennifer Mudge, and Danny Chung. This looks terrifying, but also looks like a copy of every other shark survival movie. How will she defeat them?

Here’s the official trailer (+ posters) for Le-Van Kiet’s The Requin, direct from YouTube:

There’s terror in paradise when Jaelyn (Alicia Silverstone) and Kyle (James Tupper) arrive at a remote seaside villa in Vietnam for a romantic getaway. A torrential storm descends, reducing the villa to little more than a raft and sweeping the young couple out to sea. Suddenly, another danger appears: a school of Great White sharks. With her injured husband watching helplessly, Jaelyn must battle these deadly predators alone in this tense thriller that rides an unrelenting wave of fear. The Requin is both written and directed by Vietnamese filmmaker Le-Van Kiet, director of the films Dust of Life, House in the Alley, Bay Cap 3, Gentle, The Lost Tour: Vietnam, The Rich Woman, and Furie previously. This hasn’t premiered at any festivals or elsewhere, as far as we know. Saban Films will debut Le-Van Kiet’s The Requin in select US theaters + on VOD starting January 28th, 2022 coming soon early next year. Look scary? Who’s into it?

Find more posts: Horror, To Watch, Trailer

Together with this, we have other fables being fed to us. That Narendra Modi does not sleep at night, he just spends 24 hours working. And that in close competition to him, Yogi Adityanath will also spend more time working and not sleeping. India will be run by these supermen, and we the subjects must remain in abject awe.

As things stand now, there is no light, there is just a never-ending tunnel. The BJP-RSS’s enormous support base cannot or will not see that even as attacks on their “enemies” — not just Muslims, but also other religious minorities, Dalits, women, academics, anyone who is not one of them – continue, the state of India as a progressive, successful, developing democracy has come to a complete halt.

We move backwards on every measurable scale whether economic or developmental.

How far will hatred take us before we wake up?

(The author is a senior journalist. Views are personal)

By Brian Lowry, CNN

Updated 2:22 AM ET, Tue March 29, 2022