ScreenCrave.com » Robert De Niro

Killer Elite: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:10 +0000

What do you need to really know about Killer Elite before you see it? It has the words “Killer” and “Elite” in the title, the trailers have a ton of action, Jason Statham stars, and Robert De Niro and Clive Owen are in it. It’s only missing ninjas. Or is it?? Wait, it is, but it does have a lot of other things to look forward to…

Video Review:

The Plot:

Killer Elite is an action-adventure film that follows Danny (Jason Statham), one of the world’s most skilled special-ops agents. Lured out of self-imposed exile, Danny reassembles his crack team of operatives to execute a near-impossible mission of retribution to rescue his former mentor and partner Hunter (Robert De Niro). Together they must penetrate the highly feared and respected military unit, the British Special Air Service (SAS), to take down a rogue cell of soldier assassins and their leader (Clive Owen) before their actions create a global crisis. The film is based on Ranulph Fiennes’ controversial non-fiction bestseller “The Feather Men.”

The Players:

Directed by: Gary McKendry
Written by: Matt Sherring
Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Dominic Purcell
Director of Photography: Simon Duggan

The Good:

ACTION!!!: Some films become laughable when they drown the entire picture with high octane action, but Killer Elite stays exciting even in “unbelievable” moments.
Cast: The cast shines in this film and holds its lesser qualities together. Statham might be the only legitimate action star today, Clive Owen brings a complexity to a tormented ex-soldier, De Niro is subtle and confident, and Dominic Purcell stands out as a supporting character.

The Bad:

Convoluted Story: Complex details and political topics are left out of the trailers for good reason; it’s confusing. It takes half the film or more to get into the story and piece together the information you need to stay invested.
Inconsistent: Directly related to the problems in the story, the style of the action sequences, though fun and exciting, change throughout the film.
No Ninjas: Seriously, if you’re going to claim to be a serious film but have this much action, at least have one ninja.

Overall:

I appreciated that there was an attempt to make an action movie with a complex controversial backbone even with its problems. The action sequences are exciting and the characters are compelling enough to invest your attention. A must see for action fans.

Rating: 6/10

See Killer Elite in theaters September 23, 2011!

Review written by guest writer Michael May. Video shot my Michael May, produced by Mali Elfman and edited by Mike Small.

New DVD Releases: Limitless, Take Me Home Tonight, Hey Dude

Andrew Payne — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Not a whole to crow about on DVD this week. In fact, there’s only three new releases (not counting the de facto Straight-to-DVD travesties) of any real note landing on shelves this week. And two of those are movies that you don’t remember existed (or at least that Robert De Niro starred in one of them). What a shame!

Luckily, the third DVD is probably the most exciting DVD release (for me) that I can remember. A TV series so beloved that I had to make it my Twitter Avatar. What is it?

Check it out below…

Feature Films

Limitless and Take Me Home Tonight

I have a problem and I think I need some help.

I always lump movies into three categories: Absolutely must-see in Theaters. Will Most Likely See in Theaters and Wait for the DVD.

The first two I’m very solid on. I never miss anything in the first category and only horrible reviews doom the second category. It’s the third category that I have the most trouble with.

It seems that once a movie leaves theaters it’s gone from my mind. Even as I write this column every week and see the movies being released, I just never bother to log on to my Blockbuster Online Account (who’s laughing now?) and add the newbies to my queue.

This week, I’m faced with two such movies. Both that interested me, but only enough to wait for on DVD. I love me some 80s throwback and Limitless actually earned some decent reviews and word-of-mouth. I should be logging on right now to get them in the mail just as soon as I finish my “Larry Sanders” DVDs.

But I won’t do it. I know I won’t do it. And I’ll probably live my life not knowing how Bradley Cooper was able to think so many moves ahead of Robert De Niro or why Dan Fogler continues to get paid as an actor.

Alas, the curse of the lazy.

But if you have these on your DVD to-watch list, you should buy them right now before you forget!

Buy “Limitless” on DVD

Buy “Take Me Home Tonight” on DVD

TV on DVD

“Hey Dude!”: Season 1

For a 90s Nickelodeon TV geek like myself, the good news just keeps on coming. First, TeenNick announces that it will begin re-airing old 90s Nickelodeon episodes at midnight starting next Monday. Now, my favorite all time 90s Nickelodeon show (which inspired my Twitter Avatar) is finally available on DVD!

Even better, it gives me a great subject for this week’s show:

Buy “Hey Dude”: Season 1 on DVD

And Just So You Know, This DVD Exists…

I’m not sure if the tagline refers to the shark attacks or having to watch this movie.

Jason Statham vs Clive Owen in Killer Elite Trailer

Damon Houx — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:23:01 +0000

Even tied to a chair, Jason Statham is a formidable foe – at least int he new trailer for Killer Elite. No, it’s not a remake of the old (and not particularly good) Sam Peckinpah film, and yes that’s Statham going toe to toe with Clive Owen. And, yes, that’s Robert De Niro brawling like a man half his age (or with good stuntpeople). Check it out…

On some level, it’s sad to see Owen playing against Statham. Clive Owen is easy on the eyes, and has dramatic chops to boot, but movie stardom has eluded him (to be fair, Hollywood tried), but with the presence of Robert De Niro as well, it seems that this is a classed up action film. And… this trailer is a lot of fun.

With the use of “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” the film seems to be implying all the right things, namely that this is a throwback to the heady action days of the 80′s, when elderly gents like Charles Bronson, and the mustached Chuck Norris were playing drive-in’s across the nation. It’s smart to appeal to that nostalgia as that’s partly what made The Expendables a hundred million dollar hit. The action in this looks good, so hopefully it delivers when it hits theaters September 23.

Who would you rather see win: Owen or Statham?

2011 Cannes Film Festival Lineup Announced

traviswoods — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:05:43 +0000

The Cannes Film Festival has announced the competition lineup for 2011 and it’s a stunner, featuring a hotshot collection of directors that range from Terrence Malick, the Dardenne brothers, Pedro Almodovar, Lars Von Trier, Nanni Moretti, and Woody Allen according to The Hollywood Reporter. Robert De Niro will be heading up the festival’s VIP jury.

The big—and long-awaited—news of the festival is that Terrence Malick’s mysterious new film, The Tree of Life (which stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn), has been nabbed by festival director Thierry Fremaux.

The Cannes Film Festival “selection features 49 feature films from 33 different countries including 44 world premieres and a 19-film strong Competition.” Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is set to open the fest. Films like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Beaver will also be screened out of competition, which is French for ‘no way in Hell these things would win a single award, but they have big stars and the studios strong-armed us, so what can ya do?’.

The Cannes Film Festival will run from May 11 to 22. Dig the full list of films below, via The Hollywood Reporter:

OPENING FILM
“Midnight in Paris,” Woody Allen

COMPETITION
“Drive,” Nicolas Winding Refn
“Footnote,” Josef Cedar
“Hanezu no Tsuki,” Naomi Kawase
“Hara-kiri: Death of a Samurai,” Takashi Miike
“The Kid With a Bike,” Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
“L’apollonide (Souvenirs de la maison close),” Bertrand Bonello
“Le Havre,” Aki Kaurismaki
“Once Upon a Time in Anatolia,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan
“Melancholia,” Lars von Trier
“Michael,” Markus Schleinzer
“Pater,” Alain Cavalier
“Polisse,” Maiwenn
“The Skin That I Inhabit,” Pedro Almodovar
“Sleeping Beauty,” Julia Leigh
“La Source des femmes,” Radu Mihaileanu
“This Must Be the Place,” Paolo Sorrentino
“The Tree of Life,” Terrence Malick
“We Have a Pope,” Nanni Moretti
“We Need to Talk About Kevin,” Lynne Ramsay

UN CERTAIN REGARD
“Arirang,” Kim Ki-duk
“Bonsai,” Cristian Jimenez
“The Day He Arrives,” Hong Sang-soo
“Et maintenant on va ou?,” Nadine Labaki
“Halt auf freier Strecke,” Andreas Dresen
“Hors Satan,” Bruno Dumont
“The Hunter,” Bakur Bakuradze
“Les Neiges du Kilimandjaro,” Robert Guediguian
“L’exercisce de l’etat,” Pierre Schoeller
“Loverboy,” Catalin Mitulescu
“Martha Marcy May Marlene,” Sean Durkin
“Miss Bala,” Gerardo Naranjo
“Restless,” U.S., Gus Van Sant
“Oslo, August 31st,” Joachim Trier
“Skoonheid,” Oliver Hermanus
“Tatsumi,” Singapore, Eric Khoo
“Trabalhar cansa,” Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra
“Toomelah,” Ivan Sen
“The Yellow Sea,” Na Hong-jin

OUT OF COMPETITION
“The Beaver,” Jodie Foster
“The Artist,” Michel Hazanavicius
“The Conquest,” Xavier Durringer
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” Rob Marshall

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS
“Wu Xia,” Peter Chan Ho-sun
“Dias de gracia,” Everardo Gout

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
“Labrador,” Frederikke Aspock
“Le maitre des forges de l’enfer,” Rithy Panh
“Michel Petrucciani,” Michael Radford
“Tous au Larzac,” Christian Rouaud

What do you think of the Cannes lineup?

Robert De Niro To Star In Paranormal Thriller From ‘Buried’ Director

traviswoods — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:00:21 +0000

Robert De Niro fans, you won’t have to wait much longer until the actor, who is so choosey that he only appears in films once or twice a decade, appears in his next film (kidding, kidding, I know he stars in schlock every year—I just thought that maybe if I wished it hard enough, it’d come true), as he is set to star in Red Lights, the new film from Buried director, Rodrigo Cortes.

The film, which will costar Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy and Elizabeth Olsen, is, according to /Film, a “thriller about paranormal activity” in which “a para-psychologist who attempts to debunk a very reputable psychic (De Niro) who has just returned to the limelight after 30 years,” which actually sounds pretty cool, considering some of the dreck DeNiro’s submitted himself to over the past few years.

The film is currently shooting, and there is no release date. Dig the new production photo above, because that’s about the only other thing we’ve currently got from Red Lights. Although, it does look pretty cool in an odd and (as /Film put it) Twins Peaks kind of way. Cautiously optimistic about this one (but if Ben Stiller or Dustin Hoffman show up as costars, I’m out!).

What do you think of Red Lights?

Limitless: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:20:00 +0000

Get ready to go on a drug binge this weekend with director Neil Burger’s adaptation of the Alan Glynn novel, Limitless starring Bradley Cooper as a drugged up NZT addict. I received an NZT pill a while ago with a key containing an ad with Bradley Cooper selling NZT — I have yet to try it, but if the experience is anything like it is in the film, it could be fun! Find out more about the film below…

The Players:

Director: Neil Burger
Writer: Leslie Dixon (screenplay) and Alan Glynn (novel)
Actors: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel
Original Music by: Paul Leonard-Morgan and Nico Muhly
Cinematography by: Jo Willems

Official Plot:

A paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

The Good:

Visuals: You could tell that someone knew that just telling this story wasn’t going to be enough, it was how they were going show it that would sell it. The visuals in this film take it from indie drama, to intense, action, thriller. From the great use of lighting (which is a great example as to why DPs and Gaffers are so important), to the effects, to taking a simple shot of him cleaning his apartment and making it interesting; they did a good job of taking a story about a character on drugs and making it visually interesting. Though some of the shots were excessive (the letters falling all around him as he writes) the overall effects were something that really helped keep the pace of the film going during those plot building moments and give the audience that “something more” they’re always looking for.
Surprising Moments: There are a number of surprising moments that come out of people acting like real people in an extraordinary situation. Despite the fact that this film is basically a fantasy, they managed to ground the character. As a result, the bigger moments were more surprising and had more impact on the audience.
Dark Sense of Humor: This is something that’s hard to sell to mainstream audiences because often times people just “don’t get it” or it falls flat. They did a great job of balancing the darkness in this film and bringing out the humor in seemingly unfunny situations. It was surprising to see them take such bold risks throughout the film and then make jokes about it, but it kept you engaged in the film and the characters.

The Bad:

Over Voice-Overed: I remember a scriptwriting teacher telling me “never write voice-overs unless you have to” — now this film was fast paced enough and they used the voice-overs well enough that about 80% of them were great and actually added some much desired emotion or humor to the film. But, there were a few times that it felt like there was unneeded explanations that made you feel like certain ideas were being forced on you.
The Ugly Girl: His ex-wife (played by the beautiful Anna Friel) appears in the beginning of the film, looking like her charming self, and later on they meet up and he’s supposed to not be recognize because of how bad she looks. Though she limps after the first scene, she basically just looks like Anna Friel without make-up on, some obvious bad lighting and a horrible sweater – from his reaction I’d expect her skin to the falling off and her nose to be missing. For such a dark film, I was surprised they didn’t get more ugly!
Lots of Pieces to the Puzzle: And not all of them tied together. Though they all add up, they’re not necessarily all needed. Some of the trips around the world driving fancy cars and jumping off cliffs, though fun to watch and undoubtedly will entertain audiences didn’t really help the story, it just made it a more pretty picture. Again, it’s not bad, it’s just kind of obvious fluff in a film with a lot of actual substance.

Overall:

This is one of those films that didn’t leave me overly excited as I walked out of the theater BUT it was a fun ride while I was in it and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a slightly edgy, humorous, action packed ride, with a bit of social commentary that goes well with popcorn. It’s definitely a great escape movie for those of you needing to be distracted from… whatever you need to be distracted from.

Rating: 6.5/10

See Limitless in theaters March 18th!

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in UK Limitless Poster

Krystal Clark — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:57:57 +0000

An international one sheet has been released for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Limitless, which stars Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. At first glance it looks as if both actors have been attacked by the airbrush monster, but don’t take our word for it. You be the judge. The film is directed by Neil Burger and based on a novel written by Alan Glynn. Check out the poster below…

Neither one of the men in the poster are bad looking, so why are they airbrushed beyond recognition? Aside from that, there seems to be a heavy emphasis on the “fast life,” which is represented by the busy intersection behind Cooper and De Niro. If you’re not familiar with the film’s premise, you can view the official synopsis below. It explains a lot about the poster and how it represents the story.

Official Synopsis:

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in Limitless, a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

Limitless opens in theaters on March 18th.

What do you think of the poster for Limitless? Is it over the top?

Source: Empire

Bradley Cooper in Limitless Super Bowl TV Spot

Krystal Clark — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:27:23 +0000

Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner and TV spots are dropping left and right. Usually we don’t get to see anything until the big game but the movie studios have decided to step things up a notch. Several film ads have already been released this week, and the latest is for Neil Burger’s Limitless. Check it out…

Every movie that centers on corruption, politics, and business should have Kanye West’s “Power” has its background music. Is it just us, or does that song fit every scenario that has to do with greed and excess? Do you remember the wonders it worked for The Social Network? We’re more than a little intrigued to see what else this film has to offer.

Official Synopsis:

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in Limitless, a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

Limitless is scheduled hit theaters on March 28.

What do you think of the TV spot for Limitless?

Source: IGN

Robert De Niro Producing a TV Show!

Krystal Clark — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:33:51 +0000

Oscar winner Robert De Niro isn’t looking to star in his own TV show, but he will produce one! According to EW, the actor has struck up a deal with the CBS network to produce a new crime drama called “Rookies,” and guess what it will center on? Cops! It’s always either cops, doctors, or lawyers with these people isn’t it?

De Niro has joined forced with novelist Richard Price on the show, which centers on six fresh faced New York cops, who are desperately trying to balance their new careers with their personal lives. Now, we’re not ones to judge but haven’t we seen this before? Wasn’t there a show on ABC called “Rookie Blue” last year that covered the exact same premise — give or take a few details? We guess no one says no to De Niro regardless of how stale the project is.

Conveniently one of the executive producers of “Rookies” is Jane Rosenthal, who happened to produce De Niro’s latest film Little Fockers.

Can the eye network mix up with their dramas just a little bit? CBS is seriously starting to pick up regurgitated material.

What do you think of Rookies? Will you tune in?

Robert De Niro Named President of 2011 Cannes Jury

Krystal Clark — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:34:42 +0000

The new year is in full swing and it’s time to start prepping for the various festivals that will take place in a few months. One of the biggest of the bunch is Cannes and today they’ve made an important announcement regarding this year’s event. According to THR, they’ve appointed Oscar winner Robert De Niro as the President of the 2011 Cannes Jury.

De Niro was chosen not only because of his extensive film career but because of his own work on the festival circuit. The actor established the Tribeca Film Festival, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. In the past, De Niro has presented eight films at Cannes, two of which won the coveted Palme d’Or namely Taxi Driver in 1976 and The Mission 10 years later.

After hearing the news, De Niro was both ecstatic and humbled by the honor:

“The Cannes Film Festival is a rare opportunity for me as it is one of the oldest and one of the best in the world. Having served as president of the jury in the eighties twice, I know this isn’t an easy task for me or my fellow jury members, but I’m very honored and happy to head the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.”

The 2011 Cannes Film Festival will run May 11 – 22.

What do you think of De Niro presiding over the Cannes jury?

Little Fockers: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:35:51 +0000

Jack and Greg go at it again for a third round in the Meet the Parents film series. The first movie debuted 10 years ago and was filled with laughs and quotables like “I have nipples. Greg, can you milk me?” But its follow up Meet the Fockers was disappointing and showed us what happens when you have too much of a good thing, therefore Little Fockers is nothing more than a lesson in cinematic overkill.

Check out our review…

The Players:

Director: Paul Weitz
Screenwriter: John Hamburg, Larry Stuckey
Cast: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner, Barbra Steisand, Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel, Kevin Hart
Cinematography By: Remi Adefarasin
Original Music By: Stephen Trask

The Plot:

Greg and Pam are living a modest life with their twins free and clear from the influence of their insane parents. But when they throw a birthday party for their kids, a pleasant family reunion turns into a horrible free for all. Jack wants Greg to take over as the patriarch of the Byrnes clan, but he suspects that Greg’s having an affair with an attractive drug rep (Jessica Alba). Jack tries to uncover the truth about his extracurricular activities while also keeping his own secret at bay — he had a heart attack.

The Good:

Owen Wilson: It’s a sad day when Owen Wilson steals the spotlight in a movie headlined by Robert De Niro. Little Fockers doesn’t have that many bright spots, but the one pleasantry it has going for it is Wilson’s character Kevin. He’s a pseudo-hippie who happens to be an investment banker. He’s rolling in money, and is still secretly in love with his ex Pamela Byrnes-Focker. The character is a walking contradiction in everything he does and he was the root of any comedy generated in this movie.

The Bad:

The Comedy: Little Fockers is the equivalent to a really bad mid-nineties sitcom. The humor is unoriginal, the jokes are tired, and they don’t know when to let some stuff go. They take one thing (an erectile dysfunction drug) and they beat you over the head with it. It’s not funny the first time and revisiting it over and over isn’t going to change that.
The Story: There are so many elements to this story that you just don’t care about. There are too many moving pieces in the plot that’s already weighed down. Do we really need Harvey Keitel as the lazy contractor? No. Do we need a subplot centering around why Stiller’s daughter isn’t talking to him? No.
The Characters: Just like the story, there are plenty of characters here that you don’t care about or need. Keitel is obviously one, Jessica Alba’s Andi Garcia (that name is supposed to be hilarious), and Laura Dern’s school principal were all one dimensional parodies. They weren’t interesting.

Overall:

Little Fockers isn’t funny. It’s not fun. And most importantly, it didn’t need to be made. This is not how you want to spend your holiday weekend.

Rating: 2/10

Little Fockers opens in theaters nationwide on December 22.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Will you be seeing Little Fockers this weekend?

Bradley Cooper in Limitless Movie Trailer

Krystal Clark — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:49:50 +0000

Last week a viral video starring Bradley Cooper surfaced, and it featured the actor pushing a super pill called NZT. In actuality, it was a promotion for his latest film entitled Limitless, which centers on a man who reaches his fullest mental and social potential thanks to the drug. An official trailer has been released for the film that shows us that having it all isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Take a look…

We love the amount of work they had to put in to make Cooper look disheveled in the beginning of this trailer. Besides that, a lot of the footage shown here appeared in the viral video and featured his character living “the life.”

Official Synopsis:

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in Limitless, a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

What do you think of the trailer for Limitless? Are you interested in seeing the film?

Source: Apple

ScreenCrave.com » Robert De Niro

Killer Elite: Movie Review

Video Review:

The Plot:

The Players:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 6/10

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Limitless: Movie Review

The Players:

Official Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 6.5/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

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The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 2/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

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