“Scouts Guide” fundamentally compromised, but pretty fun all the same.
Sandra Bullock is queen. After stellar performances in films like Gravity (2013), The Blind Side (2009), and The Proposal (2009), her new film, Our Brand is Crisis shows Bullock deliver another great performance. Directed by David Gordon Green, the film is based off of the 2006 documentary, also of the same name.
Our Brand is Crisis follows political strategist Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock) as she travels to Bolivia to turn around Castillo’s (Joaquim de Almeida) struggling presidential campaign. In the midst of presenting an otherwise, cold and distant Castillo as likeable and relatable, Jane competes with her arch-nemesis Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thorton), the political adviser for the opposing candidate Rivera (Loius Arcella).
While the film has a great cast (Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thorton, Anthony Mackie), the movie falls short in providing a memorable story. It’s quite frankly a long 107 minutes. The film is rated R and is listed as a comedy and drama, yet fails to provide consistently and has sporadic comedic moments. At the end of the film when Castillo becomes President and ends up doing exactly what he promised he wouldn’t do when he was campaigning, Jane realizes a little too late that while she won the battle against Pat, she ended up causing unrest and turmoil in Bolivia. After a confrontation with Pepe, a central character who is developed quite strongly through the film, she realizes that not only was she duped, but she also ended up unintentionally duping Pepe and his brothers. Octavio Gómez Berríos, who plays Pepe, delivers a great performance. Pepe is an innocent figure in the film, a campaign volunteer who truly believes Castillo can make Bolivia great again, even after a botched first presidency. He’s easy to relate to, with the audience recalling moments of their own betrayals.
Bottom Line: Sandra Bullock’s performance gives the film life. Our Brand is Crisis comes out October 30th.
Cast discusses new film “Burnt” out this Friday.
Check out our talk with Christopher Landon about his latest film, which he described as an R-rated Goonies.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar and HBO present “Kareem: Minority of One.”
He’s just as hilarious as his characters.
This week, The Knockturnal was on the scene for the Armor Of Light premiere at Celeste Bartos Theater at MoMA.
Walt Disney Animation Studios revealed the roster of voice talent tapped to help bring a voice, snort and a roar to the animal residents of the modern-day mammal metropolis of “Zootopia,” which opens in theaters March 4, 2016.
“We had so much fun casting this film,” said director Byron Howard. “‘Zootopia’ features such a large and diverse range of characters—one of our biggest casts ever for a Disney Animation film. We needed talented actors who could help bring these animals to life.”
Adds director Rich Moore, “Everyone in this incredible cast is bringing something special, something unexpected to their characters, which really takes our story to a whole new level.”
Joining Ginnifer Goodwin, who provides the voice of Zootopia’s first bunny officer Judy Hopps; Jason Bateman, who lends his voice to con-artist fox Nick Wilde; and Shakira, who voices international superstar Gazelle, are the following members of the “Zootopia” voice cast.
- Idris Elba (Netflix’s “Beasts of No Nation,” BBC’s “Luther”) provides the voice of CHIEF BOGO, head of the Zootopia Police Department. A tough cape buffalo with 2,000 lbs of attitude, Bogo is reluctant to add Judy Hopps, Zootopia’s first bunny cop, to his squad of hardened rhinos, elephants and hippos.
- Jenny Slate (“Obvious Child,” “Marcel the Shell”) provides the voice of ASSISTANT MAYOR BELLWETHER, a sweet sheep with a little voice and a lot of wool, who constantly finds herself under foot of the larger-than-life Mayor Lionheart.
- Octavia Spencer (“Insurgent,” Oscar® winner for “The Help”) voices MRS. OTTERTON, a desperate otter who turns to Officer Judy Hopps for help in solving her husband’s mysterious disappearance.
- Bonnie Hunt (“Return to Me,” “Jerry Maguire”) provides the voice of BONNIE HOPPS, mother of Judy—and her 275 brothers and sisters. Mrs. Hopps loves and supports her daughter, but is a hare nervous about Judy moving to Zootopia to become a big-city police officer.
- Katie Lowes (ABC’s “Scandal,” “Big Hero 6”) lends her voice to DR. MADGE HONEY BADGER, who heads up all of City Hall’s most pressing medical cases.
Today, Kickstarter is launching its Dr. Maya Angelou campaign!
Array Releasing, a diverse distribution collective, announced a new double feature theatrical experience they’ll be touring around the country.