A Reel Review: DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

For many years and for complicated reasons, 20^th Century Fox Studios once held the rights to several Marvel characters, including X-Men, Wolverine, Fantastic Four, and others. In 2019, Disney acquired the studio, and brought those characters home into their massive and ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). One of the most anticipated homecomings was Deadpool, and for his third solo film and first in the MCU, he brings it all together. 

 

Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), is taken from his quiet life by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), which informs him that his universe as he knows it is ending, due to the death of Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Deadpool begins skipping across the Multiverse, looking for a new Wolverine that can help him save his universe. 

 

Directed by Shawn Levy, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is a romp that combines the old Fox continuity with the MCU. The two characters, ever at each other’s throats, end up in The Void, a desolate, no-where area where heroes and villains from other discontinued universes have been sent to die. There, they encounter Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), a powerful mutant with telekinetic and telepathic powers. 

 

Does it work? Emphatically, yes. What could be a confusing ball of twine is laid out nicely. The in-joke of discontinued universes keeps winking at us, and the self-awareness of the film never lets up. All this serves as a backdrop for Deadpool and Wolverine, who are each going through their own issues; the former is looking for purpose in life while the latter is brooding (and drinking), over his tragic past. 

 

Director Shawn Levy keeps the pacing tight, the humor hilarious, and the action tremendous. The bloody fights between the two main characters are a blast, and the F-word loaded banter between the two equally funny. The many characters from old universes that show up are put to great use (they get an ending!), and each cameo is justified within the story. There are many surprises here, to the point that it feels like a miracle they pulled this off. For long-time fans of the old Fox films and the MCU…there is a lot to love. 

 

Acting is excellent. Ryan Reynolds is a hoot in and out of the mask, and Hugh Jackman seriously brings the drama. Emma Corrin is flat-out amazing. Matthew Macfadyen plays a TVA agent who brings Deadpool into this story, and is very good. To say any more about the large cast would dip into spoiler territory. 

 

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE has many boxes to check: it looks to give a proper sendoff and tribute to the Fox films while giving Deadpool his start in the MCU. This is a tough balance, but it is handled perfectly. From start to finish, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is a bloody great time. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Films of Nicolas Cage

Famed actor Nicolas Cage is once again the talk of Hollywood. His new film, LONGLEGS (read Reel Speak’s review HERE), has won the trifecta: winning with critics, audiences, and the box office. The creepy horror film is another non-traditional entry into the filmography of a non-traditional actor. How does it land in the catalog of Cage? Let’s stretch our legs and see…

 

Born Nicolas Kim Coppola (nephew of Francis Ford), Cage launched his career in 1982 in the teen comedy FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. Since then, he has earned acclaim starring in dramas, comedies, horror flicks, and action movies. He had a long spell of craptacular work where tax issues forced him to take less-than favorable jobs in low-budget films. But he has come out of the other side of those dark times, and today enjoys a comeback. He has worked with big-name directors such as the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, Michael Bay, and his uncle Francis. He has played vampires, angels, drunks, treasure hunters, and even a ghost on a motorcycle. He's won awards, burned bridges, and is the face of a thousand memes. He has been loved, hated, praised, revered, and mocked. He is one of the most recognizable names in cinema.  

 

To qualify for the list of The Best of Films of Nicolas Cage, Cage must have a significant role in the film; either as a lead or supporting. Cameos and small voiceovers shall not apply. 

 

 

Now, let’s enter the Cage…

 

 

 

 

10. FACE/OFF (1997)

 

Cage and John Travolta star as a terrorist and an FBI agent, respectively, who undergo surgery to swap their faces and their identities. What follows is a chaotic chase and mind-bender as audiences scramble to keep up with who is actually who. Famed action director John Woo injects this action flick with a hefty amount of adrenaline and testosterone, and although the concept is ridiculous…who really cares when there’s so much fun to be had. 

 

 

 

 

9. RAISING ARIZONA (1987)

Cage plays an ex-convict in this action-comedy-crime caper that put the Coen Brothers on the map. A twisting and turning fun romp that is an absolute howler, and the supporting cast of Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and Frances McDormand gives Cage a lot to bounce off. 

 

 

 

8. CON AIR (1997)

Cage once again plays an ex-con, this time stuck on a prisoner transport (an airplane), that gets hijacked. Directed by Simon West, CON AIR also had an ensemble cast, and was a summer blockbuster that thrilled audiences. It is quotable, and loaded with memorable moments. 

 

 

 

7. JOE (2013)

 

Cage gets a lot of attention for his over-the-top performances, but his subtle characters produce some of his best work. In this indie drama from David Gordon Green, Cage plays a quiet, tormented man who protects a 15-year-old boy (Tye Sheridan), from his abusive father. As one of the best films of 2013, JOE went a long way in bringing Cage back into the light. 

 

 

 

6. ADAPTATION (2002)

 

There’s only one thing better than Cage: two Cages! In this comedy-drama by Spike Jonze, Cage plays twin brothers who clash and come together to finish and sell a Hollywood screenplay. An awards darling that Hollywood loved (they love movies about themselves), Cage plays the dual roles beautifully, and its storylines of creativity and human connections really works. 

 

 

 

5. LONGLEGS (2024)

 

This one may still have the new smell, but for right now it belongs here. One of the creepiest films of all time which takes inspiration from heavy-hitters such as THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and ZODIAC, LONGLEGS features Cage in a new level of holy-shit crazy that most of us didn’t think he could find. Cage also served as a producer here in what became a passion project for him, and his chilling performance shows that his whole heart was in it. 

 

 

 

4. NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)

 

After a run of action films in the late 1990’s, Cage stepped away from the explosions and chases to do more serious drama. But then he returned to the genre in 2004 with this fun romp across the good ol’ USA, playing a treasure hunter seeking a fortune lost in American history. This Disney-produced actioneer was a ton of fun, and has become one of those standard-viewing films around the 4^th of July. 

 

 

 

3. LEAVING LAS VEGAS (1995)

 

In the film that he may be the most associated with, Cage plays an alcoholic screenwriter who goes to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. Cage would win an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance, and some say he never really left the character. Despite this, LEAVING LAS VEGAS is one of those dramas that sticks around. 

 

 

 

2. THE ROCK (1996)

 

In what is perhaps the best film from infamous action director Michael Bay, Cage plays a lab-bound FBI agent teamed with a former Alcatraz inmate (Sean Connery), to infiltrate the old prison and stop a team of domestic terrorists…led by a magnificent Ed Harris. It was a box office monster and even when viewing from today’s standards…seriously holds up as a great action film. 

 

 

 

1. MOONSTRUCK (1987)

 

Cage is in a supporting role here, but a vital one…matched perfectly with Cher. Cage plays the brother of Cher’s fiancé, and the two fall in love which creates a complicated love triangle. Directed by the late great Norman Jewison, MOONSTRUCK is a love story from head to tail, and has that ability to sweep even the grumpiest off their feet. Saturated in family and tradition, MOONSTRUCK would earn six Oscar nominations, winning three, and be acclaimed as one of the best films of its decade. In the catalog of Cage, this is his most complete film. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST FILMS OF NICOLAS CAGE

1. MOONSTRUCK 
2. THE ROCK
3. LEAVING LAS VEGAS
4. NATIONAL TREASURE
5. LONGLEGS
6. ADAPTATION
7. JOE
8. CON AIR
9. RISING ARIZONA
10. FACE/OFF

A Reel Review: LONGLEGS

As this Blogger has said many times in the past, horror movies can be hard to digest for many reasons. Not only can they be too scary, but they also ask us to bite into a lot; ghosts, goblins, lumbering guys with knives and chainsaws, and fantastical creatures from the depths. None of these elemental horror tropes make sense in the real world, so we have to just go with the flow when they arrive the big screen. LONGLEGS is no different, but it does ask us to swallow a little bit more…

 

FBI Agent Harker (Maika Monroe), who is described as “highly intuitive” (or half-psychic), is recruited by her boss Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), to use her gifts to solve the case of Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), a mysterious serial killer who has been active for decades. 

 

Directed by Osgood Perkins, LONGLEGS shows no shame in taking inspiration from previous horror films that have tracked serial killers; the shadows of SE7EN, ZODIAC, RED DRAGON, and the granddaddy of them all, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, are all over it. But LONGLEGS smartly, and steadily makes this chase all its own. Once Harker is on the case, she finds herself as a catalyst for more Longlegs killings, which leads back to her own family history and her mom (Alicia Witt). There are twists and turns aplenty, and there is never a predictable moment. 

 

Keeping things fascinating is the presentation. Harker spends time solving cryptic messages left behind by Longlegs which reveals satanic emblems. Director Osgood Perkins takes advantage of this, and sneakily shoots his film in angles and triangles. Some of these shapes point upwards, and some down…with the downward angles referencing “the man downstairs”, as Longlegs refers to the devil. Perkins also switches screen-formats; with the boxed-in 16mm film format for flashbacks and then widescreen for present day. The time-setting of the 1990’s helps the plot; there are no iPhones available for Agents to Google their way out of a predicament. 

 

The predicaments the characters find themselves in raises the tension in LONGLEGS. Perkins builds a great sense of anxiety in every scene which is sure to make people squirm. Characters are incredibly well-rounded and feel real. Pacing is brisk yet the film serves as a slow burn. The scares are perfectly timed. 

 

Acting is tremendous. Maika Monroe is amazing in bringing across her intelligent, socially-awkward character. Blair Underwood and Alicia Witt are also very good. The show belongs to Nic Cage and his ghostly-white, scraggly-haired troll of man who is chilling in every way. He has never been more unsettling to look at.  

 

Most of LONGLEGS crawls along as an FBI procedural with a good amount of creeps, and then the third act comes along which really goes nuts. It asks us to swallow a lot, but for the purposes of this story it works…and its best to just run with it. It’s a large bite to take, and the big and final reveal could be taken as a shortcut…but it’s certainly no dealbreaker. By the time it’s all over we will be staggering out of the theatre on shaky legs. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

 

A Reel 25: THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

“I’m scared to close my eyes…”

This month marks the 25th anniversary of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. 

 

Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was a low-budget, independent horror film which would be a box office hit, a cultural milestone, and would launch a new sub-genre of horror. It told the story of three student filmmakers (Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard), who vanish in the deep woods of Maryland while filming a documentary about a witch…only to have their footage found years later. 

 

The idea for THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was born in 1993, when student filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez were inspired by documentaries on paranormal phenomena which they found to be more scary than traditional horror films. They conceived of a film that combined documentary and fictional horror movies, intending to film in isolated areas with improvised dialogue. 

 

Filming began in 1997 in Maryland with local townspeople appearing in the film. Realism was the goal, and the three actors were given crash-courses in hand-held-camera techniques as they would be doing all the filming themselves. Myrick and Sanchez were going for real reactions, and didn’t tell the actors about events that would be happening. For example, when one of the students vanish without a trace, it was done without the knowledge of the remaining two…earning genuine fearful performances. The directors moved their actors a long way through the woods, harassing them by night and depriving them of food. Total filming took only eight days, with 20 hours of footage that would be cut down to 81 minutes. 

 

Prior to release, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT had a unique marketing technique, and it is one of the first to be showcased via the internet; it was “viral” long before the term would become common. The film’s official website showed “missing” posters and newsreel-style interviews which had many people believing that the footage was real. So real that Heather Donahue’s mother received sympathy cards from people who believed her daughter was dead or missing. 

 

The efforts paid off. After a premiere at Sundance and plenty of buzz about “a record of real events”, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT would earn $248 million total, over 4,000 times its original budget. It would be the 10^th highest grossing film of year and would earn the reputation as a sleeper hit. It would draw positive reviews from critics and would start the found-footage genre, with film franchises such as PARANOMAL ACTIVITY and CLOVERFIELD taking inspirations. 

 

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 One of the biggest arguments to be had in the summer of 1999 was over THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT; was it real or fake? This was an age before the internet with its Reddit and X apps could uncover the truth, which left us all barking at each other in circles. There is an argument to be made that the lead-up to the film was better than the film itself, but those making that claim would be depriving themselves of what was a great and scary cinematic experience. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT on the screen was one scary S.O.B., with the realistic performances from the cast striking hard, and the murky dark home-video footage adding to the dread. And by using the JAWS-like technique of never seeing the monster in the dark, our imaginations were left to run in terrifying circles. Was it real? No…but the fear was. 

 

“You gonna write us a happy ending, Heather?”

 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2024 - Episode VII

Believe it or not, 2024 is now halfway to the end-credits. In any good movie, the halfway point should be raising the stakes…and this July will be doing just that with a packed month. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this July: 

 

 

 

DESPICABLE ME 4 – The fourth main installment and sixth overall film in the DESPICABLE ME franchise which started way back in 2010. This time, Gru (Steve Carrell), protects his young son and family from a vengeful villain. The rest of the voice-cast includes Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King, and Sofia Vergera. 

 

 

 

MAXXXINE – Director Ti West delivers the third film in his acclaimed horror/slasher trilogy. Mia Goth returns in the lead role, which this time has her character chasing Hollywood fame while evading a serial killer. 

 

 

 

FLY ME TO THE MOON – Set during the 1960’s space race, a romance begins between NASA’s director (Channing Tatum), and their new marketing specialist (Scarlett Johansson). 

 

 

 

THE LION KING – The return of the Disney classic to the big screen in celebration of it’s 30^th anniversary.

 

 

 

LONGLEGS – In this horror/thriller, Maika Monroe stars as an FBI agent in pursuit of a Satanic serial killer…played by Nicolas Cage. 

 

 

 

TWISTERS – The standalone legacy-sequel to the 1996 smash disaster film. This time, two rival tornado chasers (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell), join forces to save lives in Oklahoma. Anthony Ramos co-stars. 

 

 

 

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE – The long-awaited bloody team-up of Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), in the only Marvel MCU film this year. Shawn Levy (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM), directs. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of August. 

 

 

 

 

A Reel Review - HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA CHAPTER 1

Not unlike The Duke, actor and director Kevin Costner has appeared in several, high-profile Westerns over the years. He directed DANCES WITH WOLVES to a Best Picture win in 1990, played the most famous peacemaker of them all in WYATT EARP in 1994, and helmed the well-received OPEN RANGE in 2003. He’s done it all, and this year he takes his biggest swing yet with HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA CHAPTER 1. 

 

In 1859, the frontier settlement of Horizon is raided by the Apache. Now a widow, Frances (Sienna Miller), falls under the protection of the U.S. Army, led by Lt. Trent (Sam Worthington). Meanwhile, Ellen (Jena Malone), and her friend Marigold (Abbey Miller), are driven out of their home by bounty hunters over a custody dispute, forcing Abbey and Hayes (Costner), on the run. Meanwhile, a wagon train led by Matthew (Luke Wilson), makes their way across the frontier headed for Horizon. 

 

Written and directed by Costner, HORIZON often feels like three, or even four different films rolled into one. There are several storylines at work, most of which have no connecting tissue other than a history, or a future with the settlement town of Horizon. It’s an episodic film, and requires a lot of patience to keep up with the many moving parts. 

 

With so much going on, and despite the three-hour run time, characterizations are on the light side, and are done in broad strokes. It works, but there’s not much to emotionally latch onto. Still, it is a marvel to see the many moving pieces working so well. Filmed in southern Utah, the locations of HORIZON are stunning and demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible;  Costner films a classic looking movie here. Action is very good: the shootouts are loaded with tension and the Apache raids are absolutely terrifying. The score by John Debney is outstanding. 

 

Acting is also outstanding. Costner spends most of his time behind the camera, and doesn’t appear in the film until almost an hour in. The ladies steal the show; Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, and Abbey Lee are excellent. Michael Rooker and Sam Worthington also stand out in the large, ensemble cast.

 

It is no great spoiler to say that the many characters are on their way to the settlement town of Horizon, and even after three hours they still don’t get there (it’s like watching INDEPENDENCE DAY and turning it off before everyone gets together). While that may be a bit frustrating, it’s clear that Costner is focusing on journey over destination, and although there is still a long trail ahead (he’s planning on three more of these), there is a lot to look forward to. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

 

A Reel Opinion: The Horizons of the Old West

This weekend, the Old West returns to the big screen. Kevin Costner, who once helmed the frontier-exploring DANCES WITH WOLVES to a Best Picture win in 1990, directs, stars in, (and self-finances), HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA  - CHAPTER 1. It is the first of a planned four-film franchise, with CHAPTER 2 arriving this August. 

 

HORIZON will be the only major motion picture in 2024 set in the Old West. This is far cry from the glory days of the genre. For nearly 100 years, the Old West, with its glorified cowboys, Indians, outlaws, peacemakers, shanty towns and vast frontiers…captured the hearts and imaginations of cinema audiences. The genre goes back to the silent era, with the British short KIDNAPPING BY INDIANS from 1899 firing the gun that would echo for over 100 years. In 1903, the genre really took off with THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, which would set the template for the Western on the big screen and small. 

 

The Western was able to be made cheaply and it reflected American history. It launched more than one generation of audiences (as my grandpa used to say, “put the cowboys on”), and became a breeding ground for Hollywood legends. Director John Ford would elevate the Western with his masterful films STAGECOACH (1939), FORT APACHE (1948), THE SEARCHERS (1956), and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962). And along the trail, he would make a mega-star out of John Wayne. Other stars would follow Wayne: Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, and Gene Autry…to name a few. 

 

In the 1960’s, Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone would set a new standard for Westerns and make an icon out of Clint Eastwood with his trio of “Spaghetti Westerns”. Over time, the Western would cross over into comedy with Mel Brooks’ BLAZING SADDLES (1974), and later, THE THREE AMIGOS! (1986). Action films would take hold of it with YOUNG GUNS in 1988. 

 

Just two years after Costner would win Best Picture for DANCES WITH WOLVES, Clint Eastwood would bring home another Best Picture for the Old West with his masterful UNFORGIVEN. Other notable films in this era would include TOMBSTONE (1993), THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995), and the Costner-led WYATT EARP (1994). The Old West would play a vital role in the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy, and Pixar would create the iconic character of Woody based on several rootin-tootin cinematic cowboys. 

 

By the time the 2000’s rolled in, the genre was sadly beginning to disappear from the big screen, but we would still be treated to excellent yarns such as 3:10 to YUMA (2007), the masterful THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007), and the Coen Brother’s remake of TRUE GRIT (2010). Kevin Costner would return to directing cowboys with OPEN RANGE in 2003. 

 

In the last ten years, the Western has vanished from our big screens just as quickly as the frontier did, replaced with shiny and flashy things that attract eager pioneers. Costner, with his HORZION films, could very well re-ignite the genre if he manages to strike gold. But it could also send our beloved cowboys riding off into the sunset for the last time. 

 

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HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 1 releases June 28^th, with previews set for June 27^th. Costner directs and stars, and he is joined on-screen by Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Danny Huston, Michael Rooker, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, Will Patton, and Thomas Haden Church. 

A Reel Review: THE BIKERIDERS

Director Jeff Nichols has a string of critically acclaimed films that wind up on Top 10 lists every year; SHOTGUN STORIES (2007), TAKE SHELTER (2011), MUD (2012), MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (2016), and the Oscar-nominated LOVING (2016). Here in 2024, Nichols gets back in the saddle and hits the road with THE BIKERIDERS. 

 

In 1950’s Chicago, Johnny (Tom Hardy), starts a motorcycle club (MC), called the Vandals. With his good friend Benny (Austin Butler) at his side, the club goes through many changes over the years as it expands across the country.

 

Directed by Jeff Nichols, THE BIKERIDERS does not have much by way of plot. Based on the 1967 photo-book of the same name by Danny Lyon (who rode with, interviewed, and photographed the real club for years), the film traces the club’s evolution (and de-evolution), as they go from a 1950’s greaser fun-times MC to a representation of the late 1960’s American counter-culture; outlaws and screw-the-man rebels. While the film stays local and doesn’t leave the greater Chicago area, the growing membership means as goes the Chicago vandals, as goes the rest of the biker community. 

 

The film is set within the framework of Danny Lyon’s interviews and photographs. The story is told through the eyes of Kathy (Jodie Comer), who marries Benny. This really works as it takes an outsider to explain the MC, as not even the long-time members can explain why they are so drawn to the lifestyle. This also offers an intimate look at the men (and women), who swear loyalty to the MC and each other. What’s missing in plot is more than made up for in character. 

 

Nichols uses Lyon’s photo-book as a heavy reference, re-creating the photographs in moving pictures…and every single frame in THE BIKERIDERS is gorgeous (some side-by-sides are shown in the credits…the recreation is stunning). And the cinematography doesn’t look like 2024, it looks like 1950 in a beautiful way. The outstanding soundtrack, a collection of blues and rock n’ roll from the time period, helps us mark the passage of time. 

 

Acting is tremendous. Tom Hardy and Austin Butler command the screen in looks and performance. The show is stolen by Jodie Comer who magnificently rises above the testosterone. The rest of the ensemble cast is also excellent: Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Emory Cohen, and Norman Reedus. 

 

THE BIKERIDERS ultimately comes down to balance. It is light on story but heavy on character, and small in scale on paper but huge in the long run…and it all runs like a well-oiled and cared for twin engine. The story here is ultimately a tragedy, as it captures the downfall of the American MC, and that reflects heavily on the boys on the bikes. Jeff Nichols has given us an important, overlooked slice of U.S. history here, one that should be studied and learned from. This is a ride that needs to be taken. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

 

Donald Sutherland: 1935 - 2024

Actor Donald Sutherland has passed away at the age of 88. 

 

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1935, Donald Sutherland studied at Victoria University, with a double major in engineering and drama. In 1957 he left Canada for Britain and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. 

 

After time on the stage, he began to gain small roles in British films and TV, and was featured alongside Christopher Lee in horror films such as CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1964), and DR. TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS (1965).  In 1967 he landed his breakthrough role in the American war film THE DIRTY DOZEN, where he starred alongside Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, and George Kennedy. 

 

He then appeared in two more war films, starring as the original Hawkeye in Robert Altman’s MASH in 1970. In that same year, he had one of his most famous roles as Oddball alongside Clint Eastwood in KELLY’S HEROES. 

 

His filmography would eventually have over 200 film and TV roles. His big screen credits would include KLUTE (1971), ANIMAL HOUSE (1978), INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978), THE FIRST GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (1978), ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980), JFK (1991), BACKDRAFT (1991),BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1992), OUTBREAK (1995), A TIME TO KILL (1996), SPACE COWBOYS (2000), THE ITALIAN JOB (2003), COLD MOUNTAIN (2003), PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005), AD ASTRA (2019), and THE HUNGER GAMES franchise (2012-2015). 

 

He received an honorary Academy Award in 2017, an induction into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2000 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. He was the father of actors Kiefer Sutherland, Rossif Sutherland, and Angus Sutherland. 

 

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This Blogger’s introduction to Donald Sutherland came in n the early 1980’s, when I saw KELLY’S HEROES for the first time. The role of Oddball was perfect for him, and his immortal line, “why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves”, has been adorned on t-shirts, posters and social media memes for years. After Oddball, his versatility was proven time and time again. From his dedicated public servant in BODY SNATCHERS, to his mysterious Mr. X in JFK, and his chilling pyromaniac in BACKDRAFT. He could be lovable, he could be evil, and he was always great. 

A Reel 20: HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN

“For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let him swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. 

 

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and based on the third book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN was also the third film in the series, coming in after THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2002), and THE SORCERER’S STONE (2001). The film followed young Harry Potter in his third year of school at Hogwarts and his quest to uncover secrets of his past, including his connection to the escaped Azkaban prisoner, Sirius Black. 

 

The first order of business to bring AZKABAN to the big screen was to find a director. Chris Columbus, who had helmed the first two films, had decided to move to a producer role. Considered for the job would be Guillermo del Toro, Kenneth Branagh, Marc Forster, and M. Night Shyamalan. The task would eventually fall to Alfonso Cuaron. 

 

Daniel Radcliffe would reprise his role as Harry, as would Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as his best friends, Hermione and Ron. Returning cast members would include Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, and Maggie Smith. Newcomers to the franchise would include Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, and Michael Gambon would slip into the robes of Professor Dumbledore; taking over for the late great Richard Harris who had passed away in late 2002. Also new to the series would be David Thewlis, Timothy Spall, and Emma Thompson. 

 

Filming would begin in February of 2003 and last into November. AZKABAN would be the first film in the series to extensively use real locations, with sets built at locations all over Scotland. John Williams would return to provide the score. 

 

THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN would be the first in the HARRY POTTER franchise to be released on both IMAX and conventional screens. It would be greeted with excellent reviews, with many critics and fans considering it to be the best in the series. It would finish as the second-highest grossing film of the year, behind SHREK 2. It would earn two Academy Award nominations (Best Score for John Williams, and Best Visual Effects), and four BAFTA nominations. Alfonso Cuaron would go on to become an Oscar-winning and acclaimed director, helming hits such as CHILDREN OF MEN (2006), GRAVITY (2013), and ROMA (2018). 

 

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HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN was This Blogger’s gateway into the magical world that had been populating movie screens and bookshelves all over creation in the early 2000’s. Working as a film projectionist back then, one of my duties was to preview the new film prints the night before release, and AZKABAN would be the first HARRY POTTER film I would ever see. Although I was slightly lost in places, hints of a greater and bigger mythology was there, and although I couldn’t say I was hooked on the spot, I was definitely curious and down the hole I went for the next 20 years. 

 

Looking at the film from afar and how it fits into the overall series, this is the film where things began to turn darker for Harry, his friends, and that magical world. Where the first two films were child-like wonder full of color, AZKABAN got serious and was presented in shades of grey. The film represents the perspective of children becoming adults, or at the very least dealing with adult problems. Hints of even darker times would be given, but always with a luminous light to lead the way. 

 

“…happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”