Movie Box Review

Image © 2011 DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night at the Museum)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie, Hope Davis, James Rebhorn
USA/India, 2011

Reason to see: I love sport films and am big fans of many of the cast members including Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly & Kevin Durand.

I was really excited to see Real Steel on DVD as I missed it in the theatre, it has Hugh Jackman (whom I love) and also qualifies as one step closer to being Oscar-ready with my film viewing as it’s nominated in the Visual Effects category.

Real Steel is a robot boxing film set in the near future from Disney film that came out in 2011, and right off the bat I really enjoyed it. There is a really strong, emotional story in the film that truly brings it to life. The storytelling and character development is very creative, and I loved how they show what the characters go through with such a creative, layered way in terms of showing process and development through robot boxing; it was an absolutely brilliant decision that really connects with the viewer. I was exciting going into the film just for the fact that Hugh Jackman was in it, but the transition to see him here almost felt like a challenge because his character of Charlie is not a super nice guy, which is very against type for him, but because he’s such a great actor he can totally pull that off. Charlie has flawed quality to him, but you still can’t help but love and root for him, even though you don’t feel like you should as his track record of being always down on his luck seems to stem from his own choices. But you still hope he’ll turn the corner and come out with better choices. We do see his life change a bit and shift to allow for more change, which is always and interesting tale to tell.

The human story of the film gives us an easy way to connect to it, but the robot boxing story reads just as strongly and is quite exciting. A lot of the choreography for the robot boxing was actually done by people, and it’s a combination of actual tangible robots and a CGI but many of the sets and fighting were actually real. It’s an interesting change over time to see, because the expectation now can be that it’s just awesome effects as oppose to an actual crowd and it’s hard to tell whether or not what we are seeing is real or not. I try not to let that tailor my opinion too much, but I was surprized to hear from the commentary how much was real, when my visual interpretation as a viewer, was that I was seeing computer generated effects. Bizarre, I guess it’s good learning and a testament that we don’t always know what we are seeing. That being said it was gorgeous to look at and I was impressed with not only the actual boxing and fighting in the film, but also the real human story in it that was easy to access and emotionally real. I didn’t expect to be caught by the tenderness of the story, but I truly was.

I also found the subtle near future seeing quite interesting, especially as it connects to a very timely theme of people being down on their luck and many one or two steps removed from the shiniest and newest technology, the theme of doing the best with what you have and also the value in something other than what’s the newest. That was very compelling. I would definitely recommend Real Steal.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with with director Shawn Levy on the film as a humanist sports drama, the balance of accessible yet near-future setting, serendipitous moments during the filming and creating of the film, of the tone and style of the film being different from his other work, the ongoing motif and theme of reflection & shadows, the amount of people that went into the design, creation and execution of the robots; and a lot about how how much we see is real in terms of the settings and the robots - they actually did build robots and use them in the film in combination with digital robots, he does talk about the robots but notes that that will be discussed more in other features, working with actors including what an amazing actor Hugh Jackman is, how likable Dakota Goyo is and when the dialogue was improved, on Danny Elfman composing the score. He also chats about the expected structure of sport films and the underdog story, what people want to and expect to see. I loved hearing about his directorial style and habits, and the importance of going with the plan (I love plans...), but also noticing and working with the beauty around you, as well as the concept of the best idea wins. I loved that. Plus, discussion the fights were choreographyed and fought by Garrett Warren and Sugar Ray Lenoard
• Making of Metal Valley (14 minutes) design drawing and specs, behind the scenes, shooting, film clips & interviews with director Shawn Levy, executive producer Mary McLaglen, production designer Tom Meyer, special effects supervisor Joe Digaetano, stunt coordinator Garrett Warren, stunt double Kelli Barksdale, 1st AD/executive producer Josh McLaglen, co-producer Eric Hedayat, visual effects supervisor Erik Nash, editor Dean Zimmerman on the creation of the Metal Valley setting in the film from using found elements and location, filling it in the set with props, robots, and rain; the set up and actual stunts (and test footage of the stunts), the choice to shoot outside, the practical effects and the safety consideration for the most complicated sequence of the film over it's 4 day shoot. A lot of focus on the stunts here, including rehearsals, testing, actual filming of actor/stunt doubles, the digital effects added and the final product.
• Building the Bots (5 minutes) film clips, robot design & creation, behind the scenes and including interviews with robotics supervisor John Rosengrant, director Shawn Levy, actors Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly & Dakota Goyo ,production designer Tom Meyer, on the choice and affect of using real robots in combination with visual effects, seeing the robot creation including concept sketches & designs, the personalities behind the robots including choices on how they encapsulated personalities into the robots, the realism of using real robots controlled by puppeteers, plus being on site at Legacy Effects which carrys on the tradition on Sam Winston (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, Predator),
• Bloopers (2 minutes) line flubbs, ad libs, physical goofs, these are hilarious. A a great set of bloopers, you can really feel the earnestness and love of the cast, I loved them all but especially seeing Hugh Jackman actually not being able to do something (is that possible?) and Kevin Durand's announcer ad libs were great.

BluRay Extras

• All DVD Extras (see above) Plus: deleted & extended scenes with introduction by director Shawn Levy, Countdown to the Fight: The Charlie Kent Story, Reel Steel Second Screen: Ringside with director Shawn Levy - simultaneously explore exclusive interactive content with your iPad or computer as you watch the movie and Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman's Champ
  

Real Steel is available on DVD+BluRay Combo Pack as of January 24, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again & again
I widely recommend it

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

Also check out my review of Real Steel on Episode 60 of the Movie Moxie Podcast.



© Shannon Ridler, 2012

Image © 2011 DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night at the Museum)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie, Hope Davis, James Rebhorn
USA/India, 2011

Reason to see: I love sport films and am big fans of many of the cast members including Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly & Kevin Durand.

I was really excited to see Real Steel on DVD as I missed it in the theatre, it has Hugh Jackman (whom I love) and also qualifies as one step closer to being Oscar-ready with my film viewing as it’s nominated in the Visual Effects category.

Real Steel is a robot boxing film set in the near future from Disney film that came out in 2011, and right off the bat I really enjoyed it. There is a really strong, emotional story in the film that truly brings it to life. The storytelling and character development is very creative, and I loved how they show what the characters go through with such a creative, layered way in terms of showing process and development through robot boxing; it was an absolutely brilliant decision that really connects with the viewer. I was exciting going into the film just for the fact that Hugh Jackman was in it, but the transition to see him here almost felt like a challenge because his character of Charlie is not a super nice guy, which is very against type for him, but because he’s such a great actor he can totally pull that off. Charlie has flawed quality to him, but you still can’t help but love and root for him, even though you don’t feel like you should as his track record of being always down on his luck seems to stem from his own choices. But you still hope he’ll turn the corner and come out with better choices. We do see his life change a bit and shift to allow for more change, which is always and interesting tale to tell.

The human story of the film gives us an easy way to connect to it, but the robot boxing story reads just as strongly and is quite exciting. A lot of the choreography for the robot boxing was actually done by people, and it’s a combination of actual tangible robots and a CGI but many of the sets and fighting were actually real. It’s an interesting change over time to see, because the expectation now can be that it’s just awesome effects as oppose to an actual crowd and it’s hard to tell whether or not what we are seeing is real or not. I try not to let that tailor my opinion too much, but I was surprized to hear from the commentary how much was real, when my visual interpretation as a viewer, was that I was seeing computer generated effects. Bizarre, I guess it’s good learning and a testament that we don’t always know what we are seeing. That being said it was gorgeous to look at and I was impressed with not only the actual boxing and fighting in the film, but also the real human story in it that was easy to access and emotionally real. I didn’t expect to be caught by the tenderness of the story, but I truly was.

I also found the subtle near future seeing quite interesting, especially as it connects to a very timely theme of people being down on their luck and many one or two steps removed from the shiniest and newest technology, the theme of doing the best with what you have and also the value in something other than what’s the newest. That was very compelling. I would definitely recommend Real Steal.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with with director Shawn Levy on the film as a humanist sports drama, the balance of accessible yet near-future setting, serendipitous moments during the filming and creating of the film, of the tone and style of the film being different from his other work, the ongoing motif and theme of reflection & shadows, the amount of people that went into the design, creation and execution of the robots; and a lot about how how much we see is real in terms of the settings and the robots - they actually did build robots and use them in the film in combination with digital robots, he does talk about the robots but notes that that will be discussed more in other features, working with actors including what an amazing actor Hugh Jackman is, how likable Dakota Goyo is and when the dialogue was improved, on Danny Elfman composing the score. He also chats about the expected structure of sport films and the underdog story, what people want to and expect to see. I loved hearing about his directorial style and habits, and the importance of going with the plan (I love plans...), but also noticing and working with the beauty around you, as well as the concept of the best idea wins. I loved that. Plus, discussion the fights were choreographyed and fought by Garrett Warren and Sugar Ray Lenoard
• Making of Metal Valley (14 minutes) design drawing and specs, behind the scenes, shooting, film clips & interviews with director Shawn Levy, executive producer Mary McLaglen, production designer Tom Meyer, special effects supervisor Joe Digaetano, stunt coordinator Garrett Warren, stunt double Kelli Barksdale, 1st AD/executive producer Josh McLaglen, co-producer Eric Hedayat, visual effects supervisor Erik Nash, editor Dean Zimmerman on the creation of the Metal Valley setting in the film from using found elements and location, filling it in the set with props, robots, and rain; the set up and actual stunts (and test footage of the stunts), the choice to shoot outside, the practical effects and the safety consideration for the most complicated sequence of the film over it's 4 day shoot. A lot of focus on the stunts here, including rehearsals, testing, actual filming of actor/stunt doubles, the digital effects added and the final product.
• Building the Bots (5 minutes) film clips, robot design & creation, behind the scenes and including interviews with robotics supervisor John Rosengrant, director Shawn Levy, actors Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly & Dakota Goyo ,production designer Tom Meyer, on the choice and affect of using real robots in combination with visual effects, seeing the robot creation including concept sketches & designs, the personalities behind the robots including choices on how they encapsulated personalities into the robots, the realism of using real robots controlled by puppeteers, plus being on site at Legacy Effects which carrys on the tradition on Sam Winston (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, Predator),
• Bloopers (2 minutes) line flubbs, ad libs, physical goofs, these are hilarious. A a great set of bloopers, you can really feel the earnestness and love of the cast, I loved them all but especially seeing Hugh Jackman actually not being able to do something (is that possible?) and Kevin Durand's announcer ad libs were great.

BluRay Extras

• All DVD Extras (see above) Plus: deleted & extended scenes with introduction by director Shawn Levy, Countdown to the Fight: The Charlie Kent Story, Reel Steel Second Screen: Ringside with director Shawn Levy - simultaneously explore exclusive interactive content with your iPad or computer as you watch the movie and Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman's Champ
  

Real Steel is available on DVD+BluRay Combo Pack as of January 24, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again & again
I widely recommend it

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

Also check out my review of Real Steel on Episode 60 of the Movie Moxie Podcast.



© Shannon Ridler, 2012

DVD Review of monster-horror film Shark Night starring Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan & Chris Carmack


Image Courtesy of eOne Films

Dir: David Ellis (Final Destination 2, The Final Destination (2009), Snakes on a Plane)
Cast: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Joel David Moore, Katharine McPhee, Sinqua Walls, Donal F. Logue, Joshua Leonard, Alyssa Diaz, Chris Zylka
USA, 2011

Reason to see: Shark Movie! I don't know why, but I can't stop watching shark movies. Good thing there are a lot of them to go around.

It may, or may not, be that well know but I have a bizarre love of shark films. From the classic Jaws to the craziness of Deep Blue Sea & Sharktopus, I can't get enough of the scares and screams of shark films. It's lucky that we have lots to choose from! The most recent big screen shark film to hit DVD is none other than Shark Night which fills the bloody waters of the micro-genre well giving us lots of scares, crazy water works and even some new twists and turns following the dead-eyed creatures that chomp.

The film does starts with a well seasoned monster/horror movie premise of college kids going to relax and party on a waterside location, where the locals ain't all that happy to have them around. It's not all strangers in a strange land though they visit Sara's family cabin for the fun times, even if she hasn't been there in a while. I'll leave the rest of the story for you to discover while watching, and for most horror film fans I would definitely say hands-down just watch it & enjoy it. Shark Night happily surprized me on several fronts, first and foremost with the story which is almost embarrassing to admit that it actually surprized me but I'll give that as a compliment not only to the film but also to the marketing for leaving the story of the film... in the film itself. Kudos there for sure. I also was happy that they didn't go over the top with gratuitous nudity here, which may disappoint some horror fans but as a female horror fan I find it often what can turn me off a film. It decides to turn a different cheek here as it's actually Chris Zylka (Kaboom, 'The Secret Circle') who fills out this category the most.

On top of the chomping and the general shark craziness and fun horror spins, what I really enjoyed about Shark Night was the cast. Sara Paxton in particular brought the cute girl who used to be a local to life, and I was happy to see this I saw recently in The Innkeepers where she was positively delightful and it's awesome to see that she can bring that again and again. It was also a treat to see Dustin Milligan (Repeaters) who fills the nice shoes, Chris Zylka (Kaboom) is great at being over the top charmer and Chris Carmack does a great job as the slightly weathered local Dennis.

Overall, Shark Night was a really fun horror flick that keep me guessing and keep on chomping. I'll happily watch it again and think it's a great addition to the fantastic frenzy of shark films.

DVD Extras:

• Shark Attack! Kill Machine! (5 minutes) Although it's not explained exactly what this is, I am pretty confident in saying that it's a chronological truncation of just the shark kill clips from the film. Would have been fun if they had a running kill count or crossing off character names; just a little something to add to the fun and cheer along with plus help make it clearer to know exactly you are watching.
• Ellis' Island (4 minutes) behind the scenes, interviews with director David R. Ellis on being around sharks his whole life, the shark research involved, having actors doing their own stunts, working in 3D and the challenge of working underwater, plus actors Chris Carmack, Dustin Milligan, Donal Logue, Sara Paxton, Sinqua Walls, Joel David Moore, Alyssa Diaz, Chris Zylka on working with director David R. Ellis, and the process doing their own stunts, working in the water, working in 3D, the importance and balance of character and action.
• Trailer
• Plus: Be sure to watch until the end of the credits for an awesome cast easter egg

Please Note: Although theatrically known as Shark Night 3D, I viewed this on DVD in 2D.

Shark Night is available on DVD as of January 3, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I strongly recommend it to horror fans & shark-film fans

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2012


Sara Paxton and Dustin Milligan star in SHARK NIGHT 3D. Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films.


Chris Carmack stars in SHARK NIGHT 3D. Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films


Chris Zylka, stars in SHARK NIGHT 3D.Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films.

DVD Review of monster-horror film Shark Night starring Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan & Chris Carmack


Image Courtesy of eOne Films

Dir: David Ellis (Final Destination 2, The Final Destination (2009), Snakes on a Plane)
Cast: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Joel David Moore, Katharine McPhee, Sinqua Walls, Donal F. Logue, Joshua Leonard, Alyssa Diaz, Chris Zylka
USA, 2011

Reason to see: Shark Movie! I don't know why, but I can't stop watching shark movies. Good thing there are a lot of them to go around.

It may, or may not, be that well know but I have a bizarre love of shark films. From the classic Jaws to the craziness of Deep Blue Sea & Sharktopus, I can't get enough of the scares and screams of shark films. It's lucky that we have lots to choose from! The most recent big screen shark film to hit DVD is none other than Shark Night which fills the bloody waters of the micro-genre well giving us lots of scares, crazy water works and even some new twists and turns following the dead-eyed creatures that chomp.

The film does starts with a well seasoned monster/horror movie premise of college kids going to relax and party on a waterside location, where the locals ain't all that happy to have them around. It's not all strangers in a strange land though they visit Sara's family cabin for the fun times, even if she hasn't been there in a while. I'll leave the rest of the story for you to discover while watching, and for most horror film fans I would definitely say hands-down just watch it & enjoy it. Shark Night happily surprized me on several fronts, first and foremost with the story which is almost embarrassing to admit that it actually surprized me but I'll give that as a compliment not only to the film but also to the marketing for leaving the story of the film... in the film itself. Kudos there for sure. I also was happy that they didn't go over the top with gratuitous nudity here, which may disappoint some horror fans but as a female horror fan I find it often what can turn me off a film. It decides to turn a different cheek here as it's actually Chris Zylka (Kaboom, 'The Secret Circle') who fills out this category the most.

On top of the chomping and the general shark craziness and fun horror spins, what I really enjoyed about Shark Night was the cast. Sara Paxton in particular brought the cute girl who used to be a local to life, and I was happy to see this I saw recently in The Innkeepers where she was positively delightful and it's awesome to see that she can bring that again and again. It was also a treat to see Dustin Milligan (Repeaters) who fills the nice shoes, Chris Zylka (Kaboom) is great at being over the top charmer and Chris Carmack does a great job as the slightly weathered local Dennis.

Overall, Shark Night was a really fun horror flick that keep me guessing and keep on chomping. I'll happily watch it again and think it's a great addition to the fantastic frenzy of shark films.

DVD Extras:

• Shark Attack! Kill Machine! (5 minutes) Although it's not explained exactly what this is, I am pretty confident in saying that it's a chronological truncation of just the shark kill clips from the film. Would have been fun if they had a running kill count or crossing off character names; just a little something to add to the fun and cheer along with plus help make it clearer to know exactly you are watching.
• Ellis' Island (4 minutes) behind the scenes, interviews with director David R. Ellis on being around sharks his whole life, the shark research involved, having actors doing their own stunts, working in 3D and the challenge of working underwater, plus actors Chris Carmack, Dustin Milligan, Donal Logue, Sara Paxton, Sinqua Walls, Joel David Moore, Alyssa Diaz, Chris Zylka on working with director David R. Ellis, and the process doing their own stunts, working in the water, working in 3D, the importance and balance of character and action.
• Trailer
• Plus: Be sure to watch until the end of the credits for an awesome cast easter egg

Please Note: Although theatrically known as Shark Night 3D, I viewed this on DVD in 2D.

Shark Night is available on DVD as of January 3, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I strongly recommend it to horror fans & shark-film fans

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2012


Sara Paxton and Dustin Milligan star in SHARK NIGHT 3D. Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films.


Chris Carmack stars in SHARK NIGHT 3D. Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films


Chris Zylka, stars in SHARK NIGHT 3D.Photo Credit Steve Dietl Courtesy of eOne Films.

DVD Review of the amazing dark comedy The Guard starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham & Mark Strong.


Image Courtesy Alliance Films
Legal Line © Boyle Film Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Writer/Dir: John Michael McDonagh - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Rory Keenan, David Wilmot, Katarina Cas, Michael Og Lane
Ireland, 2011

Reason to see: Highly acclaimed and so far I've loved all the Irish films I've seen (being a wee bit Irish meself likely helps!)

The Guard is a dark comedy following Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) as a Irish policeman in community of County Galway which when a out-of-the-norm crime occurs, outside help arrives in the form of FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle). Although both are officers of the law, their styles and conduct could not be more different from one another if they tried, and they may in fact tie. A unique spin on comedy, this (non) buddy cop film forays into new territory of humour, crime and bizarre circumstance.

I was initially hesitant going into this one not thinking myself a fan of comedy but I am so glad that didn't sway me away as The Guard is brilliant. It left me howling in laughter while also being aghast, with the kind of humour that you don't think it's possible to get away with but works and is funny every, single time. Brendan Gleeson (Perrier's Bounty, Harry Potter series) is formidable in the lead here as the morally ambiguous and often brash Boyle, yet there is also a very sensible and regular folk quality to him as well as a quiet, beautiful kindness. In high contrast we see the straight-shooter, always elegant and proper Everett who brings more formality to every situation. To add to the awesome cast, we have a fantastic set of baddies including two actors I always love to see: Liam Cunningham (Centurion, The Escapist, 'Outcasts') and Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood (2010)). In fact Mark Strong as a British baddie delivers one of my favourite supporting performances of all of 2011. Extremely memorable and hauntingly dark.

The film plays beautiful with juxtaposition, with characters and situations seemingly ridiculous yet always perfect. Great timing, great chemistry, fantastic acting and a pretty freaking impressive story to boot. The Guard easily ranked high on both my Best Films of 2011 and Most Enjoyed Films of 2011. It's funny, and even though it's crass, brash and ballsy, the main characters aren't mean spirited which I think is ultimately what won me over.

The Guard if freaking brilliant. If I swore in my reviews I would swear for emphasis, but since I don't I'll get tell you to go see The Guard. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with director John Michael McDonagh and actors Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle pretty entertaining commentary although oddly you can 'hear' them watching the film as their is some silence in talk which is okay because the film is really entertaining and it's clear they had a fun time making it and enjoy the jokes and there is lots of interesting commentary about the response to the comedy pluse a fair amount of discussing/notation to the styling and colours of the film, the inspiration behind the film, the laughter to sophistication ratio, the jokes that went over the heads of the audience, things that were cut from the film, actor shout outs, film references, favourite lines, choices on line delivery, lots of notations to what gets a laugh & great reveals, the explanation of few extras, when they did their own stunts, the dynamic between Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle's characters, challenges with the weather, nods to westerns and funny stories from filming.
• The Second Death - A Short Film that Inspired The Guard (11 minutes) directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Liam Cunningham. Moody dark drama that's got a really impressive weight or remorse to it, and the ever-fabulous Liam Cunningham. Great DVD extra, and really happy to have a chance to see the short.
• Deleted Scenes & Extended Scenes (20+ scenes, 24 minutes) tons of great scenes are found in this set of extended and deleted scenes including more buddy cop scenes schooling the newbie police officer, crime theories, police procedures, interviews plus family drama & character delvopement and some more great camradarie scenes Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle; great scenes although many it's understandable why they didn't make the final cut as even for this film feel quite controversial and others give some more clear direction when ambiguity served them well.
• Outtakes (3 minutes) great moments, physical goofs, line flubs, funny tension and awesome laughter outbursts.
• Behind-the-Scenes (18 minutes) behind the scenes of filming scenes including scene set up to filming, clowning around on set as well as interviews with actors Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, David Wilmot, Katarina Cas, Michael Og Lane,Fionnula Flanagan discussing their characters, the character histories & relationships and often specifically their connection or contrast to The Guard (Brendan Gleeson's) character and working with and impressions of writer/director John Michael McDonagh; as well as the actors on the ending of the film.

The Guard (2011) is available on DVD as of January 3, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I LOVED it - It ranked #5 in my Best Films of 2011 list and #6 Most Enjoyed Film of 2011
I have and will continue to watch it again, repeatedly
I highly & widely recommend it

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2012


Brendan Gleeson (left) and Rory Keenan (right) star in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.


Don Cheadle stars in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.


David Wilmot (left), Liam Cunningham (center), and Mart Strong (right) star in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.

DVD Review of the amazing dark comedy The Guard starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham & Mark Strong.


Image Courtesy Alliance Films
Legal Line © Boyle Film Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Writer/Dir: John Michael McDonagh - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Rory Keenan, David Wilmot, Katarina Cas, Michael Og Lane
Ireland, 2011

Reason to see: Highly acclaimed and so far I've loved all the Irish films I've seen (being a wee bit Irish meself likely helps!)

The Guard is a dark comedy following Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) as a Irish policeman in community of County Galway which when a out-of-the-norm crime occurs, outside help arrives in the form of FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle). Although both are officers of the law, their styles and conduct could not be more different from one another if they tried, and they may in fact tie. A unique spin on comedy, this (non) buddy cop film forays into new territory of humour, crime and bizarre circumstance.

I was initially hesitant going into this one not thinking myself a fan of comedy but I am so glad that didn't sway me away as The Guard is brilliant. It left me howling in laughter while also being aghast, with the kind of humour that you don't think it's possible to get away with but works and is funny every, single time. Brendan Gleeson (Perrier's Bounty, Harry Potter series) is formidable in the lead here as the morally ambiguous and often brash Boyle, yet there is also a very sensible and regular folk quality to him as well as a quiet, beautiful kindness. In high contrast we see the straight-shooter, always elegant and proper Everett who brings more formality to every situation. To add to the awesome cast, we have a fantastic set of baddies including two actors I always love to see: Liam Cunningham (Centurion, The Escapist, 'Outcasts') and Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood (2010)). In fact Mark Strong as a British baddie delivers one of my favourite supporting performances of all of 2011. Extremely memorable and hauntingly dark.

The film plays beautiful with juxtaposition, with characters and situations seemingly ridiculous yet always perfect. Great timing, great chemistry, fantastic acting and a pretty freaking impressive story to boot. The Guard easily ranked high on both my Best Films of 2011 and Most Enjoyed Films of 2011. It's funny, and even though it's crass, brash and ballsy, the main characters aren't mean spirited which I think is ultimately what won me over.

The Guard if freaking brilliant. If I swore in my reviews I would swear for emphasis, but since I don't I'll get tell you to go see The Guard. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with director John Michael McDonagh and actors Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle pretty entertaining commentary although oddly you can 'hear' them watching the film as their is some silence in talk which is okay because the film is really entertaining and it's clear they had a fun time making it and enjoy the jokes and there is lots of interesting commentary about the response to the comedy pluse a fair amount of discussing/notation to the styling and colours of the film, the inspiration behind the film, the laughter to sophistication ratio, the jokes that went over the heads of the audience, things that were cut from the film, actor shout outs, film references, favourite lines, choices on line delivery, lots of notations to what gets a laugh & great reveals, the explanation of few extras, when they did their own stunts, the dynamic between Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle's characters, challenges with the weather, nods to westerns and funny stories from filming.
• The Second Death - A Short Film that Inspired The Guard (11 minutes) directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Liam Cunningham. Moody dark drama that's got a really impressive weight or remorse to it, and the ever-fabulous Liam Cunningham. Great DVD extra, and really happy to have a chance to see the short.
• Deleted Scenes & Extended Scenes (20+ scenes, 24 minutes) tons of great scenes are found in this set of extended and deleted scenes including more buddy cop scenes schooling the newbie police officer, crime theories, police procedures, interviews plus family drama & character delvopement and some more great camradarie scenes Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle; great scenes although many it's understandable why they didn't make the final cut as even for this film feel quite controversial and others give some more clear direction when ambiguity served them well.
• Outtakes (3 minutes) great moments, physical goofs, line flubs, funny tension and awesome laughter outbursts.
• Behind-the-Scenes (18 minutes) behind the scenes of filming scenes including scene set up to filming, clowning around on set as well as interviews with actors Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, David Wilmot, Katarina Cas, Michael Og Lane,Fionnula Flanagan discussing their characters, the character histories & relationships and often specifically their connection or contrast to The Guard (Brendan Gleeson's) character and working with and impressions of writer/director John Michael McDonagh; as well as the actors on the ending of the film.

The Guard (2011) is available on DVD as of January 3, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I LOVED it - It ranked #5 in my Best Films of 2011 list and #6 Most Enjoyed Film of 2011
I have and will continue to watch it again, repeatedly
I highly & widely recommend it

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2012


Brendan Gleeson (left) and Rory Keenan (right) star in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.


Don Cheadle stars in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.


David Wilmot (left), Liam Cunningham (center), and Mart Strong (right) star in THE GUARD, an Alliance Films release.

DVD Review of the science fiction conspiracy theory film Apollo 18

Image Courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line Package Design: © 2011 Starz Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. © 2011 Mirsand Limited. All Rights Reserved. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Gonzalo Lopéz-Gallego (King of the Hill / El Rey de la montaña)
Cast: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, Ryan Robbins
USA/Canada, 2011

Reason to see: Whether it is scifi or conspiracy film I was curious from the first trailer

It's been a while since we've seen a good conspiracy film, or any conspiracy film but with Apollo 18 we get back in the groove of the what ifs? and could it be? and what did happen? questions as it combines a conspiracy film with found footage feel and takes on a science fiction angle, or to be more precise a historical setting of the science fact. Put all of that together and I was definitely intrigued at the possibilities of where it may go.

The viewer gets place as an observer in the edited footage of a secret mission of Apollo 18 to the moon, so secret that the astronauts couldn’t tell anyone what they were doing which gives them a tried and true unsung hero appeal. The film even shifts vibes from an almost documentary character, or subject, set up reeling us in as viewers into the lives of the astronauts and we slip into watching, caring and listening to them more so than wondering what they are doing going to the moon.

Apollo 18 certainly takes on a few challenges being both a found footage and a conspiracy film, both are style I often enjoy especially when paired with science fiction. As a found footage/ cinéma vérité film I think it works as one of the challenges of this style is the viewer can be stumped by who edited it, but this is thankfully dealt with so it's not a question but rather an answer sitting at the back of your mind. As a conspiracy film though, id didn't quite get me as much as I was very familiar with one of the actors Warren Christie who plays Ben Anderson and I watched all summer on the show 'Alphas', and he's great in that and great in Apollo 18 but it broke the mystique of the 'could this be real?', because I knew it couldn't.

As a science fiction/horror film, Apollo 18 completely got me. I didn't know what was going to happen, or even what could happen. Because of the (edited) found format you know you won't go too long with nothing going on (like Paranormal Activity 2), but I never felt like I was waiting for something to happen. There was always something interesting drawing me to the film be it the visuals, the story, the characters or the sound; it kept be in and kept me more on edge than I expected. It had scary moments, it was surprizing and it was creepy to boot. I am, however, not to surprized that the film may not have been received well south of the border considering alternative history of this era can step on pretty firmly on the toes in terms of patriotism, but it didn't faze me.

As it is a conspiracy film I don't want to say too much about it, but if you enjoy either science fiction or horror I would say this one is well worth a look. I enjoyed it much more than I expected and I look forward to seeing it again.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with director Gonzalo Lopéz-Gallego and editor Patrick Lussier, deleted scenes, alternate scenes & alternate ending.

Apollo 18 is available on DVD as of December 27, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it a lot
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans science fiction and/or conspiracy films

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

DVD Review of the science fiction conspiracy theory film Apollo 18

Image Courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line Package Design: © 2011 Starz Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. © 2011 Mirsand Limited. All Rights Reserved. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Gonzalo Lopéz-Gallego (King of the Hill / El Rey de la montaña)
Cast: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, Ryan Robbins
USA/Canada, 2011

Reason to see: Whether it is scifi or conspiracy film I was curious from the first trailer

It's been a while since we've seen a good conspiracy film, or any conspiracy film but with Apollo 18 we get back in the groove of the what ifs? and could it be? and what did happen? questions as it combines a conspiracy film with found footage feel and takes on a science fiction angle, or to be more precise a historical setting of the science fact. Put all of that together and I was definitely intrigued at the possibilities of where it may go.

The viewer gets place as an observer in the edited footage of a secret mission of Apollo 18 to the moon, so secret that the astronauts couldn’t tell anyone what they were doing which gives them a tried and true unsung hero appeal. The film even shifts vibes from an almost documentary character, or subject, set up reeling us in as viewers into the lives of the astronauts and we slip into watching, caring and listening to them more so than wondering what they are doing going to the moon.

Apollo 18 certainly takes on a few challenges being both a found footage and a conspiracy film, both are style I often enjoy especially when paired with science fiction. As a found footage/ cinéma vérité film I think it works as one of the challenges of this style is the viewer can be stumped by who edited it, but this is thankfully dealt with so it's not a question but rather an answer sitting at the back of your mind. As a conspiracy film though, id didn't quite get me as much as I was very familiar with one of the actors Warren Christie who plays Ben Anderson and I watched all summer on the show 'Alphas', and he's great in that and great in Apollo 18 but it broke the mystique of the 'could this be real?', because I knew it couldn't.

As a science fiction/horror film, Apollo 18 completely got me. I didn't know what was going to happen, or even what could happen. Because of the (edited) found format you know you won't go too long with nothing going on (like Paranormal Activity 2), but I never felt like I was waiting for something to happen. There was always something interesting drawing me to the film be it the visuals, the story, the characters or the sound; it kept be in and kept me more on edge than I expected. It had scary moments, it was surprizing and it was creepy to boot. I am, however, not to surprized that the film may not have been received well south of the border considering alternative history of this era can step on pretty firmly on the toes in terms of patriotism, but it didn't faze me.

As it is a conspiracy film I don't want to say too much about it, but if you enjoy either science fiction or horror I would say this one is well worth a look. I enjoyed it much more than I expected and I look forward to seeing it again.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with director Gonzalo Lopéz-Gallego and editor Patrick Lussier, deleted scenes, alternate scenes & alternate ending.

Apollo 18 is available on DVD as of December 27, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it a lot
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans science fiction and/or conspiracy films

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

DVD/BluRay Review of the coming of age vampire horror comedy Fright Night starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots and David Tennant


Dir: Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl, Mr. Woodcock)
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette
USA/UK, 2011

Reason to see: Vampire Films are pretty much always a go, plus the casting is awesome

Going into Fright Night (2011) I was hyped to see a vampire film, but not having seen the original I didn't have much more than that to go on other than hesitation as recent track record for horror remakes have not been. Low and behold, I am happy I took the plunge and dived in as the film is fabulous! It has a great story, charismatic characters and an insightful look at power dynamics and relationships. All of that set in outside-Vegas suburbia, giving it a prime opportunity to play into high school insecurity drama and lots of beautiful people.

The film follows Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin of Star Trek, Terminator Salvation & The Beaver) who is a pretty average guy for all intents and purposes, but gets trapped in between social crowds of his new girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots) and trying to avoid his old geek friends including Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Kick-Ass), who suspects neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell of In Bruges, Triage) of being a vampire. I was honestly already sold at the 'possible vampire neighbour Jerry', but as an added bonus we get a complex dynamics of social groups, awkwardness and power dynamics on many levels. I loved the power play in the film which is present at all times, especially between Charley and Jerry, the tense yet subtle negotiation as well as dancing around predator behaviour at every step.

The cast really makes the film a cut above. Anton Yelchin & Colin Farrell play off each other very well in creating the power struggle between their characters, which is something I didn't expect but also adds a great coming of age quality to it. We've actually seen several male coming of age stories in film this year with Stake Land & Bellflower, but those both lost me somewhere and Fright Night kept me in at every moment. Perhaps it's the comedic elements, and considering it's written by 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' veteran Marti Noxon was the magic touch as that show always finessed that beautiful balance between horror, comedy and pop culture. Another huge highlight of the film is David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 'Doctor Who') as Vegas illusionist Peter Vincent, whose performance alone is worth seeing the film as he's over the top in all the right ridiculous ways. I also loved that even though it has lots of comedy in it, it still is a true horror film where horrific things happen. I was literally shocked several times during the film, which isn't an easy feat, and they were all true to story or character moments - no pop scare or no cheap shots, but all truly great moments.

Overall it's a great vampire film, horror film and coming of age film and it's got a great sense of humour as sensational performances. Fright Night (2011) will definitely be one of my faves of 2011.

DVD Extras:

• Bloopers (3 minutes) includes practical goofs & mishaps, flubbed lines, extended reaction shots and lots of brilliant & awkward moments.
• Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (2 Scenes, 3 minutes) Awesome footage home video style of the superhero/role-playing of Adventures of Squid Man, Kid Comeback and Gladiator Boy full on with practical effects and creative editing.
• Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” (5 minutes) movie tie in video set in the tone and setting of the film.
  

BluRay Extras
All DVD extras of Bloopers, Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” and Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (noted above) plus:

• Peter Vincent: Swim Inside My Mind
• The Official “How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie” Guide
• Frightful Facts & Terrifying Trivia
• 5 Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Craig Gillepsie (Ride to School; Neighborly; Once A Freak, Always A Freak; Midori & Kerosene; and Back at the Penthouse)
  

Fright Night (2011) is available on DVD as of December 13, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again, repeatedly
I highly recommend it to vampire film fans and horror comedy fans

See also: Fright Night Review on the Movie Moxie Podcast, All 2011 Films Reviewed, All Film Reviews and DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

DVD/BluRay Review of the coming of age vampire horror comedy Fright Night starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots and David Tennant


Dir: Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl, Mr. Woodcock)
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette
USA/UK, 2011

Reason to see: Vampire Films are pretty much always a go, plus the casting is awesome

Going into Fright Night (2011) I was hyped to see a vampire film, but not having seen the original I didn't have much more than that to go on other than hesitation as recent track record for horror remakes have not been. Low and behold, I am happy I took the plunge and dived in as the film is fabulous! It has a great story, charismatic characters and an insightful look at power dynamics and relationships. All of that set in outside-Vegas suburbia, giving it a prime opportunity to play into high school insecurity drama and lots of beautiful people.

The film follows Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin of Star Trek, Terminator Salvation & The Beaver) who is a pretty average guy for all intents and purposes, but gets trapped in between social crowds of his new girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots) and trying to avoid his old geek friends including Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Kick-Ass), who suspects neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell of In Bruges, Triage) of being a vampire. I was honestly already sold at the 'possible vampire neighbour Jerry', but as an added bonus we get a complex dynamics of social groups, awkwardness and power dynamics on many levels. I loved the power play in the film which is present at all times, especially between Charley and Jerry, the tense yet subtle negotiation as well as dancing around predator behaviour at every step.

The cast really makes the film a cut above. Anton Yelchin & Colin Farrell play off each other very well in creating the power struggle between their characters, which is something I didn't expect but also adds a great coming of age quality to it. We've actually seen several male coming of age stories in film this year with Stake Land & Bellflower, but those both lost me somewhere and Fright Night kept me in at every moment. Perhaps it's the comedic elements, and considering it's written by 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' veteran Marti Noxon was the magic touch as that show always finessed that beautiful balance between horror, comedy and pop culture. Another huge highlight of the film is David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 'Doctor Who') as Vegas illusionist Peter Vincent, whose performance alone is worth seeing the film as he's over the top in all the right ridiculous ways. I also loved that even though it has lots of comedy in it, it still is a true horror film where horrific things happen. I was literally shocked several times during the film, which isn't an easy feat, and they were all true to story or character moments - no pop scare or no cheap shots, but all truly great moments.

Overall it's a great vampire film, horror film and coming of age film and it's got a great sense of humour as sensational performances. Fright Night (2011) will definitely be one of my faves of 2011.

DVD Extras:

• Bloopers (3 minutes) includes practical goofs & mishaps, flubbed lines, extended reaction shots and lots of brilliant & awkward moments.
• Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (2 Scenes, 3 minutes) Awesome footage home video style of the superhero/role-playing of Adventures of Squid Man, Kid Comeback and Gladiator Boy full on with practical effects and creative editing.
• Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” (5 minutes) movie tie in video set in the tone and setting of the film.
  

BluRay Extras
All DVD extras of Bloopers, Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” and Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (noted above) plus:

• Peter Vincent: Swim Inside My Mind
• The Official “How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie” Guide
• Frightful Facts & Terrifying Trivia
• 5 Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Craig Gillepsie (Ride to School; Neighborly; Once A Freak, Always A Freak; Midori & Kerosene; and Back at the Penthouse)
  

Fright Night (2011) is available on DVD as of December 13, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again, repeatedly
I highly recommend it to vampire film fans and horror comedy fans

See also: Fright Night Review on the Movie Moxie Podcast, All 2011 Films Reviewed, All Film Reviews and DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

DVD Review of Warrior family drama/MMA fighting film starring Joel Edgerton & Tom Hardy as estranged brothers.


Image courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line © 2011 Lions Gate Films Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed in Canada Exclusively by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Gavin O'Connor (Pride & Glory)
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo
USA, 2011

Reason to see: It's on my list of Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (#8)

Warrior stars Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom, The Square) and Tom Hardy (Bronson, Inception) as estranged brothers who separately dive into a MMA (mixed martial arts) competition. Both come from previous fighting backgrounds and are not only estranged from each other but also their recovering alcoholic father (played by Nick Nolte). I was completely ready to love Warrior. It was not one, but two of my current favourite actors (Tom Hardy & Joel Edgerton) and it's got mixed martial arts. That's well more than enough for it to be a film I've been looking forward to for over a year, but even with doing my best to avoid trailers and the marketing it felt very clear even before sitting in the theatre where the film was going. I know I'm more sensitive than most on spoilers and there is a certain attitude that sports films tend to sway the same way, but I still felt it was very clear where we are going. If I had connected to one or both of the brothers stories, I think it would have helped. It's not that they aren't compelling or timely, both of them are - I just didn't quite get there with them.

What I did love is the honesty in the family relationships, that they wore their own hurt and that family history lived in different memories of the two brothers and their father. That felt very real to me and I appreciated the emotional journeys of the characters. Switching gears completely, the other thing I loved about the film was the pomp and circumstance of the competition and general MMA-ness, it totally took me back to the days of when I watched wrestling for hours on end with my siblings and most often with my own brother. There is a certain attitude that goes along with that world of sports entertainment that is like no other. Oddly the space that divides those two things of pomposity and family drama is the space where I found the film sat the most, and I wasn't quite with it for that ride. And it was a long ride of 2h20min, and even on that I feel divided - I appreciated the depth of the stories but I just wonder if we needed it all. It also stands apart from many sport films as it doesn't feel like other of the characters are fighting for the joy of the sport or a strive to excellence, but rather for the money and there is an air of desperation and helplessness that's although resonates currently, it's not a comfortable place to be.

I think I need to give it some time and watch it again, because I want to love it and I only liked it. I would have loved to see the fighting itself more clearly as oppose to the fast cuts and often through or with obscurities, but I have a feeling that keeps it authentic with the MMA-verse. It's just the guys are all in such great shape it would have been awesome to really see the action a little clearer as a personal preference (this is addressed in the feature commentary on the DVD). But as a family drama and that speaks to the extraordinary challenges people face, I think it's a win-win.

Warrior (2011) is available on DVD as of December 20, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca. & Amazon.com

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy and actor Joel Edgerton; really interesting commentary that has a little bit of everything from bringing the film to life to conversations about how DVD commentaries can give away movie magic, lessons learned about test screenings, how there is a format to films that feel the need to start of with a big action scene, the importance of being invested in character, a lot about the exposition scenes in terms of importance, process and working to getting them right; inspirations for the characters, the training process & learning the choreography, inspiration & decisions on the fighting styles, the casting process including casting Joel Edgerton, what scenes they used for auditions, plus working together & with Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Frank Grillo & Jennifer Morrison, the iconic Pittsburgh notations in the film and the journey of the film as well as fun stuff like counting how infrequently Tom Hardy character smiles.
• Redemption: Bringing Warrior to Life Documentary (32 minutes) Absolutely fantastic documentary! It includes film clips, behind-the-scenes, stunt fight pre-visualization, training footage, & interviews with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy, stunt coordinator/fight choreographer J.J. Perry, executive producer John J. Kelly actors Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Nick Nolte & Frank Grillo on the idea behind the film, the personal connections to the film, the theme of family and change, on the choice of MMA, discussions about the fights, prep work & training the actors as well as training the fighters to fight for camera; the choice of location, the short prep period, the importance and challenging of finding actors who could do not only the physicality but also the emotional range of strength and vulnerability, the actors on their characters & how they came to the film as well as working together (especially working with Nick Nolte); plus working with the talented crew including director of photography Masanobu Takayangi, 1st assistant director/co-producer Jamie Marshall and MMA trailer Greg Jackson. Plus interviews with fighters in the film including Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson, Kurt Angle, Nate 'The Great' Marquardt & UFC referee Josh Rosenthal on the film, input into the fights & the actors.
• Deleted Scene (1 scene, 3 minutes) with optional commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy; discussion on why it wasn't included in the film plus how it was first scene shot, on the first take and as discussed in the commentary it received a standing ovation for Nick Nolte's performance.
• Cheap Shots: Gag Reel (4 minutes) Goofs, ad libs, practical jokes and gags.
• Selected Scene on Camera commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor and Nick Nolte (2 scenes, 8 minutes) This is pretty cool format that I've not seen before, as opposed to use just hearing a commentary it's literally watching them watching scenes of the film (plus stills from prep & behind the scenes) while discussing Nick Nolte's character, history, and his relationships with his sons in the film plus the connection to the film as a whole plus technical notations like blocking
• Brother vs. Brother: Anatomy of the Fight (11 minutes) a side by side comparison of storyboards & live action pre-visualization with to completed film footage for a major fight sequence in the film.
• Philosophy in Combat: Mixed Martial Arts Strategy (21 minutes) great discussion with MMA trainer Greg Jackson & actor Frank Grillo on MMA & their experience with the film including how they got involved, the inspiration & their connection to the film, how the film had changed along the way, the importance of how real they wanted the fighting and culture to feel for MMA fighters & fans, the training & lifestyle of MMA fighters and for the actors, how to approach MMA or any art form when you are just newly discovering it, the characters journeys and fighting styles, the connection of music to movement, plus training footage, rehearsal footage & demonstrations and explanations of various forms of martial arts that play a part in MMA.
• Simply Believe: A tribute to Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr. (14 minutes) Tribute to Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr., who was cast in the film, who the film was dedicated to and passed away just before filming; tribute including interviews with director Gavin O'Connor, people from the film and many members of the MMA community including referees, trainers, fighters, fellow Tapout co-founder & members on the impact he had on their lives and the legacy he created.

Shannon's Overall View:
I wanted to loved it, and on repeat viewings I'm growing more and more on me
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of fighting films

Also see: All 2011 Films Reviewed, Most Anticipated Films of 2011 and All Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011
Also originally reviewed for Theatrical Release - September 29, 2011


Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Tommy (Tom Hardy, left) and Paddy (Nick Nolte, right) in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Joel Edgerton (left) stars as 'Brendan' in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Tom Hardy stars as Tommy in WARRIOR, an Alliance Films release. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick

DVD Review of Warrior family drama/MMA fighting film starring Joel Edgerton & Tom Hardy as estranged brothers.


Image courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line © 2011 Lions Gate Films Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed in Canada Exclusively by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Gavin O'Connor (Pride & Glory)
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo
USA, 2011

Reason to see: It's on my list of Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (#8)

Warrior stars Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom, The Square) and Tom Hardy (Bronson, Inception) as estranged brothers who separately dive into a MMA (mixed martial arts) competition. Both come from previous fighting backgrounds and are not only estranged from each other but also their recovering alcoholic father (played by Nick Nolte). I was completely ready to love Warrior. It was not one, but two of my current favourite actors (Tom Hardy & Joel Edgerton) and it's got mixed martial arts. That's well more than enough for it to be a film I've been looking forward to for over a year, but even with doing my best to avoid trailers and the marketing it felt very clear even before sitting in the theatre where the film was going. I know I'm more sensitive than most on spoilers and there is a certain attitude that sports films tend to sway the same way, but I still felt it was very clear where we are going. If I had connected to one or both of the brothers stories, I think it would have helped. It's not that they aren't compelling or timely, both of them are - I just didn't quite get there with them.

What I did love is the honesty in the family relationships, that they wore their own hurt and that family history lived in different memories of the two brothers and their father. That felt very real to me and I appreciated the emotional journeys of the characters. Switching gears completely, the other thing I loved about the film was the pomp and circumstance of the competition and general MMA-ness, it totally took me back to the days of when I watched wrestling for hours on end with my siblings and most often with my own brother. There is a certain attitude that goes along with that world of sports entertainment that is like no other. Oddly the space that divides those two things of pomposity and family drama is the space where I found the film sat the most, and I wasn't quite with it for that ride. And it was a long ride of 2h20min, and even on that I feel divided - I appreciated the depth of the stories but I just wonder if we needed it all. It also stands apart from many sport films as it doesn't feel like other of the characters are fighting for the joy of the sport or a strive to excellence, but rather for the money and there is an air of desperation and helplessness that's although resonates currently, it's not a comfortable place to be.

I think I need to give it some time and watch it again, because I want to love it and I only liked it. I would have loved to see the fighting itself more clearly as oppose to the fast cuts and often through or with obscurities, but I have a feeling that keeps it authentic with the MMA-verse. It's just the guys are all in such great shape it would have been awesome to really see the action a little clearer as a personal preference (this is addressed in the feature commentary on the DVD). But as a family drama and that speaks to the extraordinary challenges people face, I think it's a win-win.

Warrior (2011) is available on DVD as of December 20, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca. & Amazon.com

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy and actor Joel Edgerton; really interesting commentary that has a little bit of everything from bringing the film to life to conversations about how DVD commentaries can give away movie magic, lessons learned about test screenings, how there is a format to films that feel the need to start of with a big action scene, the importance of being invested in character, a lot about the exposition scenes in terms of importance, process and working to getting them right; inspirations for the characters, the training process & learning the choreography, inspiration & decisions on the fighting styles, the casting process including casting Joel Edgerton, what scenes they used for auditions, plus working together & with Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Frank Grillo & Jennifer Morrison, the iconic Pittsburgh notations in the film and the journey of the film as well as fun stuff like counting how infrequently Tom Hardy character smiles.
• Redemption: Bringing Warrior to Life Documentary (32 minutes) Absolutely fantastic documentary! It includes film clips, behind-the-scenes, stunt fight pre-visualization, training footage, & interviews with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy, stunt coordinator/fight choreographer J.J. Perry, executive producer John J. Kelly actors Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Nick Nolte & Frank Grillo on the idea behind the film, the personal connections to the film, the theme of family and change, on the choice of MMA, discussions about the fights, prep work & training the actors as well as training the fighters to fight for camera; the choice of location, the short prep period, the importance and challenging of finding actors who could do not only the physicality but also the emotional range of strength and vulnerability, the actors on their characters & how they came to the film as well as working together (especially working with Nick Nolte); plus working with the talented crew including director of photography Masanobu Takayangi, 1st assistant director/co-producer Jamie Marshall and MMA trailer Greg Jackson. Plus interviews with fighters in the film including Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson, Kurt Angle, Nate 'The Great' Marquardt & UFC referee Josh Rosenthal on the film, input into the fights & the actors.
• Deleted Scene (1 scene, 3 minutes) with optional commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor, co-screenwriter/co-producer Anthony Tambakis, editor John Gilroy; discussion on why it wasn't included in the film plus how it was first scene shot, on the first take and as discussed in the commentary it received a standing ovation for Nick Nolte's performance.
• Cheap Shots: Gag Reel (4 minutes) Goofs, ad libs, practical jokes and gags.
• Selected Scene on Camera commentary with co-screenwriter/producer/director Gavin O'Connor and Nick Nolte (2 scenes, 8 minutes) This is pretty cool format that I've not seen before, as opposed to use just hearing a commentary it's literally watching them watching scenes of the film (plus stills from prep & behind the scenes) while discussing Nick Nolte's character, history, and his relationships with his sons in the film plus the connection to the film as a whole plus technical notations like blocking
• Brother vs. Brother: Anatomy of the Fight (11 minutes) a side by side comparison of storyboards & live action pre-visualization with to completed film footage for a major fight sequence in the film.
• Philosophy in Combat: Mixed Martial Arts Strategy (21 minutes) great discussion with MMA trainer Greg Jackson & actor Frank Grillo on MMA & their experience with the film including how they got involved, the inspiration & their connection to the film, how the film had changed along the way, the importance of how real they wanted the fighting and culture to feel for MMA fighters & fans, the training & lifestyle of MMA fighters and for the actors, how to approach MMA or any art form when you are just newly discovering it, the characters journeys and fighting styles, the connection of music to movement, plus training footage, rehearsal footage & demonstrations and explanations of various forms of martial arts that play a part in MMA.
• Simply Believe: A tribute to Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr. (14 minutes) Tribute to Charles "Mask" Lewis, Jr., who was cast in the film, who the film was dedicated to and passed away just before filming; tribute including interviews with director Gavin O'Connor, people from the film and many members of the MMA community including referees, trainers, fighters, fellow Tapout co-founder & members on the impact he had on their lives and the legacy he created.

Shannon's Overall View:
I wanted to loved it, and on repeat viewings I'm growing more and more on me
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of fighting films

Also see: All 2011 Films Reviewed, Most Anticipated Films of 2011 and All Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011
Also originally reviewed for Theatrical Release - September 29, 2011


Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Tommy (Tom Hardy, left) and Paddy (Nick Nolte, right) in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Joel Edgerton (left) stars as 'Brendan' in WARRIOR. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick


Tom Hardy stars as Tommy in WARRIOR, an Alliance Films release. Photo credit Chuck Zlotnick