kurt russell

  • Review: The West is fading in ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’ (Includes first-hand account)

    Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has consistently expressed an enthusiasm for the golden age of Hollywood, spaghetti westerns, grindhouse cinema and fresh opportunities, particularly for actors stuck in a rut. A trailblazer in the ‘90s with his unique, stylish blend of violence and parallel storylines, he’s recently been afforded the opportunity to indulge his passions and revive these types of movies with his own flair. Currently in a phase focusing on Westerns, he’s gone back in time to examine a day in the life of a former TV cowboy and his faithful stuntman. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is another variation for the director, though his signature style is still front-and-centre.

  • Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2’ is awesome like your fave mixtape (Includes first-hand account)

    Taking a chance on a lesser known Marvel property paid off in spades a few years ago when the studio introduced mass audiences to the Guardians of the Galaxy. A flawless cast endeared viewers to these previously unfamiliar characters and the old school soundtrack had them grooving in their seats, all while writer/director James Gunn‘s script entertained, engaged and left everyone wanting more. With the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, their calls have been answered with glorious humour, action and dancing.

  • Review: ‘The Fate of the Furious’ is difficult to predict after this film (Includes first-hand account)

    The Fast and the Furious franchise established itself on a principle of fast cars, crazy stunts and good-looking people. The storylines are generally pretty thin, but that’s not really why audiences go to these movies. The death of one of the stars, Paul Walker, hasn’t slowed their momentum, but whether it’s affected the quality of the movies is another matter. The latest picture, and the first in what is expected to be a closing trilogy, is The Fate of the Furious, which separates the team and replenishes its numbers.

  • Review: ‘Deepwater Horizon’ puts audiences at the centre of the disaster (Includes first-hand account)

    There’s frequently more than one side to any story, but that doesn’t mean they’re only conflicting accounts of the same events. In a major incident, there can exist the perspectives of the participants, the observers and then the aftermath. It’s often the latter that gets the most attention or people remember best, but that doesn’t make the other narratives less important; in fact, they can provide a greater understanding of the consequences that eventually moved into focus. In the case of Deepwater Horizon, most people are aware of the biggest oil spill in U.S. history but less familiar with the events that led to the disaster.

  • Review: ‘The Hateful Eight’ takes its unique Western on the road (Includes first-hand account)

    Before brick and mortar cinemas became popular, movies and their projectionists used to travel from town to town like the circus. Going to see a film was a special event rather than something to do when you’re bored. This tradition of distinction was renewed with the creation of large-scale productions and the allure of movie stars. Moreover, people didn’t sit in the dark for three-plus hours without a bathroom, snack or cigarette break so they were built into the screening. These are the experiences writer/director Quentin Tarantino is attempting to replicate with the 70 mm roadshow version of The Hateful Eight.

  • Review: ‘Furious 7’ gives fans everything they want and then some (Includes first-hand account)

    When the first film premiered in 2001, there was a lot of uncertainty whether The Fast and the Furious would launch a successful franchise — a theory the second film did not do much to refute as it focused on only one-half of the dynamic duo that propelled the original. Though none of the early characters appear in the third film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift breathed new life into the franchise. The fourth film‘s reunion unleashed a can of NOS and it hasn’t slowed down since. In Furious 7, the story is looping in on itself and doing everything required of a successful series.