Showing posts with label Lawless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lawless. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

My Picks of the Week! (November 27th-30th)


Happy Belated Thanksgiving, my Muses!

I'm still trying to get myself together, so I apologize yet again for disappearing. I have so many books that have been read but need to be reviewed-- I'm definitely feeling overwhelmed! But I am anxious to get back in the groove, so thanks for your patience!

The only thing I should mention is that there are a couple movies coming out on Friday, November 30th instead of today (27th). So just be aware of the release dates listed below.

Hope all is well and I wish everyone a belated Thanksgiving! Reviews to come soon!

Best Wishes,








BOOKS (November 27th)



ADULT BOOKS

Angel in Chains (The Fallen, #3)
by: Cynthia Eden

As a fallen Angel of Death, Azrael is cursed to walk the earth alone in search of redemption. One night, as he wanders the streets of New Orleans, he discovers a woman surrounded by panther shifters. No longer able to contain the anger simmering within, Az summons his dark powers and attacks, determined to protect this innocent human from certain death.

Only Jade Pierce is no delicate flower. She’s spent years learning to survive and fight the evil forces sent by her ex-lover who refuses to let her go. But after seeing Az in action, she figures she could use a little supernatural help. And so she plans a course of seduction guaranteed to arouse his interest and his angelic passions…

Release Date: 27 November 2012


City of Refuge
by: Kenzo Kitakata

He killed 2 gangsters for the woman he loves, for Makiko. The sensation of the murder on Koji's hands is still fresh. Now he's running from the police as well as the mob.

Unlike your ordinary hero, Koji kidnaps a boy during his getaway. On his trail is "the Old Dog" Detective Takagi.

Another unique gem from the master stylist!

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Kept (Coveted, #2)
by: Shawntelle Madison

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.

Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



King of the Damned (League of Guardians, #2)
by: Juliana Stone

For millennia the struggle between light and dark, between the upper and lower realms, has been policed by a secret group of warriors culled from every fabric of existence. They are both otherworld and human, male and female. They are light and dark themselves and known to each other as the League of Guardians. Their pledge, to protect the line between dominions and make sure neither side grows too powerful. If they fall, so shall the earth, the heavens and hell. And there will be no more.

With darkness all around him, The League of Guardians is his only means of redemption…

Azaiel, the fallen, has been given a second chance to atone for the sins of his past. With demons gathering and threatening the league, he must find out if their circle has been breached. What he doesn’t foresee is a woman—a fierce warrior—who will turn his world upside down and awaken his tortured soul.

Rowan James is a powerful witch out to avenge the death of her beloved grandmother, but she needs an ally. Will she be able to trust a man with secrets as dark as the sorrow in his eyes? Loving Rowan means risking salvation and yet Azaiel cannot ignore the hunger burning hot between them—his one last chance at happiness. With danger all around them, will these two desperate souls finally find love in each other? Or be forever damned…

Release Date: 27 November 2012


Kiss of Surrender (Deadly Angels, #2)
by: Sandra Hill

It’s not easy being a Vampire Angel

No one knows that better than Trond Sigurdsson. In the centuries since he last went out drinking and wenching with his Viking buds, Trond has been a gladiator, a cowboy, a ditch digger...even a sheik. But now he’s the baddest of them all: a kick-butt Navy SEAL kicking butts of terrorist immortals with the help of his hotter-than-Hades female partner, police officer-turned-Special Forces operative Nicole Tasso—whom Trond dearly hopes to “partner” with very shortly in a whole different way.

It’s not easy being a Vangel’s lover

The “cop” part of Nicole tells her there’s something bizarre about her gorgeous godlike teammate. But her “all-woman” side can’t help wondering how great it would be to have a virile Viking in her bed. Trond has secrets galore, but Nicole feels certain she can dig them out—and really get to the heart of this powerful, unnerving stranger whom she may be risking her soul to love.
 
Release Date: 27 November 2012


Secret Sins (The Callahan's, #3)
by: Lora Leigh

Sheriff Archer Tobias has watched the Callahan family struggle to find peace and acceptance in the community—despite the murders that continue to haunt them. But his darkest suspicions grow worse when Anna Corbin, a member of one of the country's most influential families, becomes the next target…

Anna knows she’s in danger. She knows she’s on a trail of secrets and lies that could lead to a dead end. But no matter what, she’s determined to learn the identity of the killer—even if it’s someone she loves…

Torn between duty and desire, Sheriff Tobias cannot allow Anna to put herself in the path of a deranged murderer. But as the investigation pulls them closer together—and deeper into the nightmare—he realizes that he cannot save her from this legacy of blood and vengeance…without putting his own life on the line.

Release Date: 27 November 2012


Shadow's Claim (The Dacians, #1)
by: Kresley Cole

#1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole introduces The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist, a new paranormal series following the royal bloodline of Dacia, a vampire kingdom hidden within the Lore of the Immortals After Dark. Shadow’s Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament— to the death.

HE WON’T BE DENIED

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch. . .

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Slow Heat (Bounty Hunter, #5)
by: Lorie O'Clare

MUSCLE FOR HIRE
As a new trainee at the King family’s bounty-hunting agency, Micah Jones is trying to keep his cool. But his latest assignment—to bring in a night-club owner suspected of money-laundering—heats up fast when he meets the “brains” of the outfit: an irresistibly beautiful bookkeeper who’s resisting arrest. So Micah takes her into custody—by taking her into his powerful arms and not letting go…

LOVERS ON FIRE
Held for questioning but released by police, Maggie O’Malley is still a person of interest—to Micah. And Maggie is interested, too—in his services. With his iron-hard muscles and tough-guy exterior, the Harley-riding bounty hunter is just the man Maggie needs to track down the real crook at the club. A slow-burning attraction ignites a firestorm of insatiable desire—until the secrets of Micah’s past are exposed. Explosive passion now must prove stronger than a history so terrifying it might haunt them forever…

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Tears in Rain
by: Rosa Montero, Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (Translator)

United States of Earth, Madrid, 2109, the number of replicant (or techno-human) deaths is rapidly growing. Detective Bruna Husky is hired to discover what's behind this wave of collective insanity. Bruna is thrown into a terrifying conspiracy that could change the very history of the world. She must trust no one as those who call themselves her allies are poised to betray her. A novel of survival, love, memory and identity, Tears in Rain is consistent and powerful, and full of dark humor and fast-paced action.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Trapped (Iron Druid Chronicles, #5)
by: Kevin Hearne

After twelve years of secret training, Atticus O’Sullivan is finally ready to bind his apprentice, Granuaile, to the earth and double the number of Druids in the world. But on the eve of the ritual, the world that thought he was dead abruptly discovers that he’s still alive, and they would much rather he return to the grave.

Having no other choice, Atticus, his trusted Irish wolfhound, Oberon, and Granuaile travel to the base of Mount Olympus, where the Roman god Bacchus is anxious to take his sworn revenge—but he’ll have to get in line behind an ancient vampire, a band of dark elves, and an old god of mischief, who all seem to have KILL THE DRUID at the top of their to-do lists.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



YOUNG ADULT


Fragile Darkness (Midnight Dragonfly, #3)
by: Ellie James

Mystery, suspense, romance and a touch of the paranormal, makes Fragile Darkness a strong, unique entry into the YA market!   How do you stop someone you can’t see? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old psychic Trinity Monsour has seen things before they happen. But now, in the wake of tragedy, her visions have gone dark. She can still feel, though, and the danger she senses swirling around a new friend sends her into the New Orleans party scene, where nothing is as it seems, surprises wait at every turn, and the last guy she wants to see is the one she needs the most: the mercurial Dylan Fourcade, part stranger, part friend, part so much more.

It’s the so much more that confuses her. How can she be drawn to someone she barely knows?

But whether she wants him there or not, he’s by her side, shadowing her every step of the way, until the darkness clears, and a shocking truth emerges—a truth that changes everything.   

Release Date: 27 November 2012


King of the Dead (Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles, #2)
by: Joseph Nassise

Joseph Nassise shook up the urban fantasy genre with Eyes to See, a novel New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry called “heartbreaking, deeply insightful, powerful and genuinely thrilling.” In a devil’s deal, Jeremiah Hunt sacrificed his human sight in exchange for the power to see the hidden world of ghosts and all of the darker spirits that prowl the streets. Hunt uncovered a world of murder and magic that took his daughter from him and nearly cost him his life, but that was only the beginning....

Now Hunt is on the run from the FBI, who have pegged him as a mass-murdering dark sorcerer. His flight from the law is diverted to New Orleans when his companion, a potent witch, has a horrific vision of the city under magical siege. When they arrive, they realize that the situation is more dire than they could have imagined: the world of the living faces a terrifying attack by forces from beyond the grave. King of the Dead, the second book in this groundbreaking series, promises more of Nassise’s electrifying writing that will enthrall readers looking for a supercharged, supernatural thrill.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Lullaby (Watersong, #2)
by: Amanda Hocking

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

Release Date: 27 November 2012


Touched (Sense Thieves, #1)
by: Corrine Jackson

Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

Release Date: 27 November 2012






MOVIES & TV SERIES (November 27th-30th)


MOVIES


 Apparition, The
Directed by: Todd Lincoln
Starring: Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan

When frightening events start to occur in their home, young couple Kelly (Ashley Greene) and Ben (Sebastian Stan) discover they are being haunted by a presence that was accidentally conjured during a university parapsychology experiment. The horrifying apparition feeds on their fear and torments them no matter where they try to run. Their last hope is an expert in the supernatural, Patrick (Tom Felton), but even with his help they may already be too late to save themselves from this terrifying force.


Release Date: 27 November 2012



Day, The
Directed by: Doug Aarniokoski

Starring: Dominic Monaghan, Ashley Bell

A group of five survivors, armed with shotguns, axes and machetes, wander the back roads of a ravaged landscape looking for refuge in The Day, a terrifying look into a post-apocalyptic future. As war ravages humanity, destroying civilization and most of life on earth, the survivors realize they must do whatever it takes to stay alive. Lost, starving, and exhausted, they seek shelter in a seemingly safe abandoned farmhouse. However, while searching for food and resources, they unwittingly set off a trap signaling to their ruthless predators lying in wait to begin their deadly attack. With food and ammunition dwindling, the group must make a desperate final stand-over a 24 hour period-battling for their ultimate survival.

Release Date: 27 November 2012


Elliot Loves
Directed by: Gary Terracino

Starring: Fabio Costaprado, Robin de Jesus

The story of Dominican-American Elliot Ayende at two stages of his life: as a 9-year-old who is side-kick and confidant to his barely-keeping-it-together single mom; and as a 21-year-old looking for love in New York City. A comedy-drama that shows you can survive anything life throws at you -- just "keep it cute, papi."

Release Date: 27 November 2012




Lawless
Directed by: John Hillcoat

Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain

Director John Hillcoat and writer-musician Nick Cave made a brutal, brilliant splash with The Proposition, a revisionist Outback Western that quickly tore away any lingering notions of frontier romanticism. Lawless, the duo's take on another turbulent period of history--namely, the bloodiest years of America's Prohibition--eases up on the unrelenting grimness a bit, but the hard edges still shine through. Adapted from the historical novel The Wettest County in the World, by Matt Bondurant, Cave's script follows three Virginia brothers determined to continue their family's legacy of providing quality moonshine to their faithful customers (including members of local law enforcement) during the Great Depression. While the youngest brother (Shia LaBeouf) attempts to gain the business of a feared local mobster (Gary Oldman), the three find themselves under assault from a ruthless federal agent (Guy Pearce) with a sadistic agenda of his own. Hillcoat, working with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, delivers a fantastically realized period piece, one where the folksy, lived-in atmosphere is randomly dispelled by moments of shockingly raw savagery. Unfortunately, the attention to detail doesn't quite extend itself to LaBeouf's character, whose motivations and actions feel strangely half-baked throughout. Still, even if the main storyline occasionally falters, the film offers plenty to recommend itself, including Cave's ominously cheery score, small but vivid turns by Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, and the gloriously weird Pearce, who starts his performance somewhere in the outer stratosphere and just keeps heading upwards. The main draw of Lawless, however, ultimately comes from Tom Hardy, who goes all out and then some as the enforcer and reluctant father figure of the family. Clad in incongruously mellow cardigans and mumbling like a cartoon sailor man, he's a Terminator for the ages. When it comes to his performance, White Lightning hardly covers it.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Men In Black
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin

In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back...in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.

Release Date: 30 November 2012


Paranorman
Directed by: Chris Butler (XII)

Starring: n/a

The new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA, reteaming the company with Focus Features after the groundbreaking Academy Award-nominated Coraline. ParaNorman is, following Coraline, the company's second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. In ParaNorman, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Release Date: 27 November 2012


Sparkle
Directed by: Salim Akil

Starring: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston

Musical prodigy, Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) struggles to become a star while overcoming issues that are tearing her family apart. From an affluent Detroit area and daughter to a single mother (Whitney Houston), she tries to balance a new romance with music manager, Stix (Derek Luke) while dealing with the unexpected challenges her new life will bring as she and her two sisters (Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter) strive to become a dynamic singing group during the Motown-era.


Release Date: 30 November 2012


Step Up Revolution
Directed by: Scott Speer

Starring: Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman

Step Up Revolution is the next installment in the worldwide smash Step Up franchise, which sets the dancing against the vibrant backdrop of Miami. Emily (Kathryn McCormick) arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean (Ryan Guzman), a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called "The Mob." When a wealthy business man threatens to develop The Mob's historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause.

Release Date: 27 November 2012



TV SERIES

Hot in Cleveland: Season 3

Starring: Valerie Bertinelli Betty White

They're back and hotter than ever! The Emmy Winning, highest-rated series in the history of TV Land is back with the third season. Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White return for more laughs, more loves, and more misadventures in the Midwest. Whether they're taking a gay cruise, modeling tracksuits, or setting each other up on disastrous blind dates, these four fabulous women make Cleveland the hottest destination on DVD!

Release Date: 27 November 2012



Luck: Season 1

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte

Chester "Ace" Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), a career mobster, has just been released from a three-year prison sentence. Gus, his long-time friend and driver, has become the owner of "Pint of Plain," a promising Irish racehorse. Ace immediately begins making plans to take control of the Santa Maria racetrack in Los Angeles, while simultaneously plotting revenge against the ones he holds responsible for sending him to prison.

Release Date: 27 November 2012
Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Movie Review & Spotlight: LAWLESS

Title: LAWLESS
Director: John Hillcoat
Actor(s): Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman
Rated: R
Genre: Drama, True Story
Theme(s): Moonshine, Prohibition, Gangsters
Runtime: 1 hr. 55 mins.
Release Date: 29 August 2012 (Theaters)
Website: Lawless

Synopsis: Lawless is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant's family in his novel "The Wettest County in the World", the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation's most notorious crime wave.


My Rating:


This movie review is going to be a bit different from how I normally write my reviews since I want to share my advance screening experience with everyone. A few months ago I joined the Philadelphia Film Society and one of the perks of being a member is getting to view movies before they hit theaters. About 3 weeks ago I had the chance to not only see Lawless, but meet Matt Bondurant, author of the book the movie is based upon AND who just so happens to be the grandson of Jack Bondurant (played by Shia LaBeouf). Talk about surreal, right?

The Book: The Wettest County in the World

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Matt Bondurant’s grandfather and two granduncles, The Wettest County in the World is a gripping tale of brotherhood, greed, and murder. The Bondurant Boys were a notorious gang of roughnecks and moonshiners who ran liquor through Franklin County, Virginia, during Prohibition and in the years after. Howard, the eldest brother, is an ox of a man besieged by the horrors he witnessed in the Great War; Forrest, the middle brother, is fierce, mythically indestructible, and the consummate businessman; and Jack, the youngest, has a taste for luxury and a dream to get out of Franklin. Driven and haunted, these men forge a business, fall in love, and struggle to stay afloat as they watch their family die, their father's business fail, and the world they know crumble beneath the Depression and drought. 

      White mule, white lightning, firewater, popskull, wild cat, stump whiskey, or rotgut—whatever you called it, Franklin County was awash in moonshine in the 1920s. When Sherwood Anderson, the journalist and author of Winesburg, Ohio, was covering a story there, he christened it the “wettest county in the world.” In the twilight of his career, Anderson finds himself driving along dusty red roads trying to find the Bondurant brothers, piece together the clues linking them to “The Great Franklin County Moonshine Conspiracy,” and break open the silence that shrouds Franklin County. 

      In vivid, muscular prose, Matt Bondurant brings these men—their dark deeds, their long silences, their deep desires—to life. His understanding of the passion, violence, and desperation at the center of this world is both heartbreaking and magnificent. 


 Matt Bondurant: Meeting the Author

 It's always exciting to meet an author. But to meet an author who's family is being adapted to the big screen is even more fascinating. After the screening of Lawless, Matt Bondurant took the floor and talked about what inspired him to write about his grandfather and granduncles, how the book caught the attention of screenwriter and music composer Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat, and how honored he was to have such an amazing cast of actors bring his family's story to life.

Matt is known for doing extensive research before writing his books. But what I think is interesting is how The Wettest County in the World came about. While Matt knew that his grandfather and granduncles had been bootleggers, he never knew about their infamous exploits or their "dangerous reputation". It was only until his father, Andrew, found some old newspaper clippings about a shooting at the Maggodee Creek Bridge in 1930 that pieces of a story started coming together. When Matt's father asked grandpa Jack if the shooting really happened, his only answer was to raise his shirt to show a bullet hole. The living piece of history had nothing more to say and unfortunately they were never able to get his account of what happened out of him before his death in 2001 at the ripe age of 91. But it was enough to spark a fire of curiosity and this driving force is what helped Matt Bondurant manifest a clear picture of what kind of legends his grandfather Jack and granduncles Forrest and Howard truly were.

Matt said that the book-to-movie adaptation came about when Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat were looking for a Prohibition era piece to collaborate on. John Hillcoat, who directed the film The Proposition, wanted to do something different with the gangster movie genre-- he wanted the audience to relate and root for the "Bondurant Boys" when in most gangster films we are happy to see those kinds of character punished for their crimes.

While J.K. Rawlings (Harry Potter series) and Stephanie Meyer (Twilight saga) are authors known to have been deeply involved in helping their books come to the big screen, not all authors are so lucky. Matt never dreamed he would be getting calls from the director, screenwriter, and even some of the actors. They took the material seriously and wanted to make sure they were adapting the story right. Matt even was invited to the set. I think one of the funniest stories is about Tom Hardy who plays Forrest Bondurant, one of Matt's granduncles. I told Matt I was not only blown away by Tom Hardy's performance, but I loved the "Mr. Rogers" sweaters and cardigans he wore in the film (I will come back to the sweater/cardigan thing later). Matt laughed and said it was actually Hardy's idea. Hardy is known to dig deep when getting into character and at one point he showed up on set with a beard and smoking a pipe. Matt said everyone was too intimidated to tell Hardy that the beard and pipe made him look a little too old for his character. Not Nick Cave! Apparently, Nick was the only one who had the guts to say, "Tom, you look like a f*cking idiot. You look like their grandfather not their brother! Get rid of the beard and pipe." Hardy took the advice and instead went with the cardigans and cigars.

My Review: LAWLESS


While I have not finished reading Matt Bondurant's The Wettest County in the World in which the movie is based upon, I have read enough to confirm 2 things. One, Lawless follows the book surprisingly well and two, if you think the blood and violence was added in by Hollywood, think again. Matt himself forgot all the violence in his book. When he saw the movie for the first time, he told a friend how shocked (in a good way) he was by all the blood and violence in which is friend replied, "Duh, your the one who wrote it!" But that is the beautiful difference between a book and a movie, right?

I absolutely have nothing negative to say about Lawless. Some critics have complained that while the acting was top notch, the story itself was derivative. Are there elements of the plot that we've seen in other films before? Yes. But does is straight up copy another movie? No. But let's get it straight. The point of Lawless was never to give us something we've completely never seen before. Come on, this is not the Matrix. But as I stated above, Hillcoat's vision was to give us a twist on the gangster genre, give us something a little less conventional. So while there were elements that felt familiar, there were also scenes that you just didn't expect; scenes that perhaps you expected to go one way, but ended up playing out completely different. I have a couple scenes in mind but I don't want to spoil anything.

In my opinion, Nick Cave did a great job with the script and the soundtrack. I liked Jack's bits of narration throughout the film. The movie was well paced-- my mind never wandered nor did I feel bored. So if some of you are hesitating to see Lawless because you're worried that the action or scenes of violence are far and wide between, you have nothing to worry about. Cave is more known as a song writer and composer then he is for writing scripts. So I had a feeling the soundtrack was going to be interesting. It was a breath of fresh air. Instead of going with the traditional sound of straight up blue grass, country music (remember this movie is part western, part gangsteresque), he somehow mixed in some new with some old.

Now to the outstanding cast of Lawless. You may disagree with everything I've said so far, but one thing that cannot be denied is the amazing acting in this film, even for those who have less screen time. I'll be the first to admit I am not a Shia LaBeouf fan. Walking into this movie, I thought I was going to have to just ignore him and pray the other actors would be able to carry him. While I still won't be the first person lined up to see his next movie, I have to give credit where credit is due: Shia LaBeouf can act. From his southern drawl to his convincing performance as a boy that still hasn't quite transitioned into manhood, I think he did a great job playing Jack Bondurant.

Jason Clarke who portrays the eldest brother in the Bondurant clan Howard, was a bit overshadowed by other performances, but I won't soon forget those eyes. They are eyes that have seen things that no man should ever have the burden of seeing and it's no surprise why he drowns himself in moonshine. The way Clarke was able to sometimes appear "tuned out" out was impressive.

Gary Oldman as gangster Floyd Banner was electrifying, but shorter then expected. It's one of those cases where Hollywood uses an actor's name to draw people into the film, but they aren't actually in the majority of it.

Jessica Chastain is a great actress so I wasn't surprised by her solid, strong female performance as Maggie. I loved how she could walk into a room and instantly remind the rough-around-the-edges Bondurant boys of their manners in the presence of a lady. The other lady in the movie, Mia Wasikowska, who plays Bertha (Jack's love interest) was as perfect as always. She is young but can hang with the heavyweights as she has proven in previous performances in Jane Eyre and Albert Nobbs.

If you are looking for a villain you will hate as much as the characters do in the film, then you will love Guy Pearce's spin on Special Deputy Rake. Pearce is probably one of the most underrated but brilliant actors around and I am glad that the part went to him since Rake as a character is quite interesting. He's from the city, wears perfume, appears to look the part of a gentlemen but we soon realize underneath the nice clothes, coifed hair, and girly smell, there's something not quite...right. Like the gloves he wears and the naked African American girl in his room that he has sitting on newspapers on top of his bed. Yeah...check it out, you will see what I mean.

I think the character that I least expected to connect with was Cricket and the credit has to go to Dane DeHaan. I kept thinking he was the younger version of Leonardo DeCaprio and I don't know why but his performance in Lawless reminded me of DeCaprio as Arnie in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. The physical likeness of the two is uncanny. I can't wait to see DeHaan evolve over time.

Okay, so I had to save the best for last and I am sure by now everyone is seeing cross-eyed by this long post. I promise to keep my praise of this next actor as short as possible since there are really no words that can fully describe his performance. You just need to see it. Tom Hardy was compelling as Forrest Bondurant, the middle brother and the head of the family. I read somewhere that the director John Hillcoat was "awestruck" by Hardy's performance. I think I was awestruck when I saw Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, but let me say this: I don't need any more proof, he is a phenomenal actor. Remember the comment I made earlier about loving the Mr. Roger's cardigans Hardy chose to wear in the movie? Any actor that can wear a Mr. Rogers' cardigan and remain sexy, masculine, and still be the baddest mother f*cker on screen is just amazing. Hardy always makes Forrest appear relaxed, yet intense. His mannerisms such as the way he walks, talks is a pleasure to watch. Forrest is the glue that keeps everything in his world together and I am not just talking about his importance as the businessman in the family. Forrest has to keep a watchful eye on his older brother Howard who can fly off the handle in a second, who can at times appear tuned out and sometimes wonder if it is all from the moonshine or from the horrors he saw at war. Then on the other end is young Jack, his baby brother that he knows isn't quite cut out for the lifestyle but knowing and trying to convince the youngest in the Bondurant family are two different beasts. I'm not saying Forrest couldn't have been played by another actor, but Tom Hardy brought something special to the character that could never be replicated.

I think John Hillcoat has succeeded in his goal. He has given us a western/gangster flick that feels familiar yet still maintains its freshness.  If you're looking for a film with a solid story, great acting, with nicely paced bursts of violence, look no further. Lawless has arrived. But let us not give all the credit to Hollywood for there would be no movie without Matt Bondurant and his novelization of his grandfather and granduncle's legend sized escapades. I read somewhere that Matt Bondurant's one regret was that he never spent enough time with his grandfather as so often happens with young people.  That maybe writing Wettest County in the World was his way to honor the memory of the man he knew and the man he wished he had had the time to get to know. Don't worry, Matt. Grandpa Jack would be proud.

LAWLESS TRAILER

Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)